Douglass Foxglove - Liza
Did you know Douglass used to be a girl's name in way back England? Yeah, neither does anyone else. Thanks mom and dad.
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Head Full of Possibilities (FAFO session 18)
RECAP: Gladys and her son Stephen St Martin - Vampire Hunting Group. They are interested in Shelly's painting because Christopher Ballard is interested in the painting. He is also interested in Orlok's bane. They are going to attack Ballard's house tomorrow night, and would like help. They would like to kidnap one of the family connected to Christopher to get closer to someone who they think is a Vampire. Scheduled with Rivka to give the info, and get the bane, Getting the bane would check off the 2nd task.
Aeysha contacted her contacts to find info about the Order of St Martin. Only able to get a few things, and the mansion and the bombing of it was mentioned.
3rd task gentleman who does business with devils. He's well respected, but has been off his game a LOT. We need to get him straightened out. A young man - Arthur Gecko. He works at the Chicago Board of Trade. There has been some supernatural influence on his life, I want you to stop it.
GAME DAY: July 8th Saturday. (deal was struck June 21st) 3 tasks within months. Then learn the owner of the contract.
Life lessons from Leslie "your morals can't erode if you never had any to begin with"
Riobhca (Rivka) is waiting for us at the back of the social club. There is a nice press, but around her table there are 3 empty seats. She waves us over.
reminders that witch can't have the last word, don't accept anything
For a moment we see her pale even further at the mention of Christopher Ballard. "you have done me a service, we will be greeted and given 6 slivers of bane, it may provide some renitence against domination and will at least stop them from biting you." Press it into a charm. Can put them in a suspension.
The city is ruled by vampire lords, not mayor. He is one of the most powerful vampire lords. If you enter his orbit, you will need to be on your guard all of the time. you will never know where he is coming from.
The magical community of Chicago, we are Switzerland, we are staying out whatever fighting is going on in the Vampire Community.
Magic comes from inside you - power can come from trauma being awakened inside of you. Spells can help to focus the power within.
Could a vampire take control of a mage?? If embraced they lose their power.
Riobhca would be able to track back with something personal of hers? She says yes, it's possible.
She pulls out a fountain pen, and a napkin, and we watch her/hear her say something. She is speaking a brief phrase in Gaelic dialect. She draws some straight lines and things, and it looks like a marked paper. Once Frank touches it, it's an an address. She would like a few moments to prepare it's just around the corner.
We will go out and leave. We are met by a person - out of place elder goth - black parasol, shorts over tights, bumps into us, and hands over to Doug a baggy - slivers of a garlic clove.
Frank sees a white puffy cat just looking at Frank. The cat ignores the tuna and rubs her cheek against Frank's hand. The cat's posture changes, becomes more rigid, and tries to grab the tuna and run away. There is always a SUDDEN change in a flash, usually left with a freaked out cat.
We go to the address. There WAS a buzzer. It's not there anymore. There is no security system anymore. There is a small foyer, by the mailboxes - we feel a tingle, like something passed over us. We are drawn to the tile pattern on the floor. They are sometimes beautiful. This one is heebeegeebies, and something just a little dangerous. As we continue in, there are stairs, and we stand in front of the door, and it is partially ajar. Riobhca is working. She has cleaned out all 4 floors of this apartment building. She has a huge loft space with platforms hung from the ceiling. This looks like actual construction - it's really well done. Any of the staircases are rigged to drop if so desired.
Frank brings the painting in - and asks about the cats? is that Shelly? or a vampire riding the cat? Frank IS the something special to Shelly, and sets her in the circle. The circle grew to accommodate the 4x4 painting.
Riobhca starts picking up potted plants, and she starts placing them in order around the outer circle. "I am particularly good with leaf." She returns to speaking in gaelic. She has a seed in each of her palms, and she closes her eyes, it sounds like a poem deep in touch with something inside of herself. After a while the seeds in her hands sprout. Then the plants start to grow along the borders and in the patterns surrounding Frank and the painting. Riobhca opens her eyes, and they are glowing lavender, no iris, no whites. "She's alive, she's in chicago, she is in a place devoid of life, surrounded by blood, someplace out of touch with life. She is connected to your familiar." and a calico eeks out from around Frank's back. "She's high, separated from the earth. She sees you everyday, and lives for those moments where she is connected to something else." Riobhca pulls back, and the plants are devoid of life. Frank is quietly sobbing. "there is no living thing around her."
There is a polite knock on the door. There are all kinds of locks, and it sounds like someone is rolling dice in a cup, and all of the locks unlock. I heard there was a ritual, and you might need replenishment. Styx the goth girl. Stay here a wee bit, and have a dram...
((Thistle growing long in dirt, but also wisteria, jade, and one MIGHT have been basil.))
Bag Full of Trouble (FAFO 17)
When last we met we were investigating Ethan Grey - Leslie created a way to listen to the negotiations on the car, as well as the socialite. "Order of St Martin" on the barrel of the pistol in the bag Leslie grabbed. The apple tag is dumped out the window.
We go to the library. We find photos of two people standing in front of what appears to be Shelly's art. Brian Jacoby and Christopher Ballard talking. Ballard had a scandal when there was a leak to press regarding financial issues. He is doing his best to suck up to whatever powers that be to avoid prosecution. Ballard is looking for Orlock's Bane. He is using Brian to negotiate with Ethan for Orlock's Bane. The art seems to be a side gig. The picture may be from Ballard industries.
The socialite and the kid (Gladys and Steven) show up at the library - there were more tracking devices sewn in the bag.
Me text witch Rioehca - and she gives us a meet up time tomorrow
Leslie/Andee go to meet up with Gladys and Steven, and find out that they are a Hunter group that hunts specifically Vampires. They want Leslie to break into Ballard Industries for them the following evening. Leslie is going to help them break in.
Investigating Ethan Grey (FAFO 16)
Meet at Lesley's lab, and all of the electronic stuff. It's in a metal case in another room. It is also around white noise.
The card is a listening device that can be used remotely. It can be augmented to listen in the other way. 3-4 meters...
SEND a text to Rivka - "hey there, checking in. We discovered the card is also a bug. Did you know? in case he was listening? if not, if you have more of the cards - be aware." Rivka was not aware, and will no longer do business with him, but will keep our bargain.
FBI contacts say that he negotiates for a variety of shady deals. Arms, artifacts, they aren't currently watching him for anything in particular at the moment. Naturalized citizen from Armenian descent. mid 30s, for a time dated a local model.
He's operating out of a place in the Streeterville neighborhood. Some of his clients come to him inside, some he goes out to meet. The crows were also able to get an idea of his schedule. Can get a copy of the following weeks. All of the appointments are coded. Some have an address. So there isn't info on who/why, but the when is noted.
Lesley will work on a signal scrambler to block it so we can be around someone who has a card, so we can't be heard.
The church states that witches have trade deals with devils and demons. But it's more known that the witches have a vested interest in their communities. Working with/for her should be fine. Venerable elders.
Some of the meetings are in public areas.
Evening meeting for coffee, the World's Largest Starbucks.
Crows give a little warning.
He is dressed nicely like a southern gentleman. Approaches a non-descript older woman late 60s/70s woman. Near northside look and feel to her. In this case they are talking about a piece of art - new artist within the last year. He is in communication with a person who owns the piece she is looking for. THIS meeting appears to be totally legit. Though wording of what she is willing to PROVIDE vs what she would PAY.
Oliver was charming but Smarmy, but he is just charming, and warm. He is a cut above. Her grandkids are named Cain and Amanda. The woman is a near northside socialite. She is a predicter of art trends - she is the 2nd person to buy something. She influences art trends, and does a ton of charity work.
When Ethan Grey goes to leave - he seems to be looking around to see if he is being followed. He doesn't seem to think he is being followed, because he is looking for other professionals. He ducks down a couple side streets. Into the crowds. Ethan slides into the back of a limo, classic, American made limo. A little out of date. It's tinted. It is an Illinois plate, and it is not a limo service. The crow poops on the back window. Fleet car for a local construction company. This is a shell company. You can't figure out who, and that's a little surprising.
Lesley jams the signal LOUD, and pulls the ear buds out, and looks around. Ayesha and Andee notice this.
Socialite stands and walks over to the kid, and they have an animated conversation with the kid. They are having a conversation. They are listening to Grey's conversation. 100 bet that they are listening to Grey's conversation - Lesley can hear the convo with Grey and the other person. Gladys Starling is the socialite.
The limo negotiation is polite, charming, and they are discussing. Brian is the person who Grey is talking to. It is about a painting. They are talking about trading a painting for Orloc's bane. Brian is a tough negotiator. Ethan remains charming and unflustered. This Brian is very subtle in his voice - but he is TERRIFIED. Not of Ethan, but of the negotiation. Brian wants to buy Orloc's bane with the painting. Crows watches as Ethan gets out of the limo.
Lesley plots assault and battery on the teen boy. Ayesha packs up and follows Gladys and the kid out. Andee calls out "Cain!" He responds. They start to talk.
Leslie is able to snatch the backpack easy, especially with Andee's help. She smacks a post-it on his back, "We should be friends :)"
"the Order of St Martin" is engraved on the pistol on the top of the bag that Lesley gets.
Orlock's Bane (FAFO 15)
Last session - the aftermath of blowing up Profit of Pot and Karaoke fall out.
Tommy and Toni (water demons??) appreciated that the NPCs tried to stop the fall out and stem the violence, and we are welcome back at any time. They expressed dismay that poor Bruno was in a boating accident and the staff of Profits of Pot were all killed (oops) And of course the store was blown up. Newspapers are painting it as an insurance deal went bad, and Bruno was embezzling, and died.
We now EACH have an extra dot in Resources.
Next task??
Decided to find some herbs - a local witch has harvested some Orlock's Bane. We are to get him some. Riobhca Warwick - she lives in Roger's Park. What does this do? It's very dangerous for vampires. Might be fatal. Not sure how it harms.
Chicago hustler with cash economies, who launders money for devils. He has been inconsistent, and has been making mistakes, and this needs to stop.
Danger has risen to level 3. Chort has recommended us to lay low for a week or so. Janice also recommends that.
Andee's mom is getting courted with flowers.
Meet at the Library.
Look for more info on Riobhca just to see if we can get info on her instead of just showing up. Found info on her from the Shadow Web. There is a lot of occult discussions. With research Roger's Park Social. It's a few blocks from her apartment. There is a picture of her apartment building on her record. They bill themselves as a community center, but they have a lovely cocktail menu. There seems to be almost a club dedicated to finding her, and people look for her when looking for unusual object. She is talking about SUPER GARLIC for sale.
She sets up a time to meet at the club, 9pm. Don't let her give you anything, no gifts. No food, or things connected with food. And don't let her have the last word. Never allow her to cross the threshold into your place. The letter M that you can out in a doorway or portal that stops from them from crossing into the threshold. Leslie is going to stay outside. Riobhca is in a corner booth, and she is talking to a younger woman. (Samantha Granz) Samantha is negotiating something, and she is not getting her way. She is trying to be respectful, but she is not getting her way. Riobhca is listening and letting Samantha talk. Samantha gets up and heads out. She is not angry, but is frustrated. Samantha has a nasty scar on her neck. Samantha is looking for "whispered" garlic. She wants the werewolves to move 2 blocks south, and they won't agree to that.
Doug walks over to Riobhca. She is drinking whisky. Sliver, clove, bowl. Three sizes. Money is worthless to her. Someone is persistent and following her. You guys work for Chort? Need someone followed because need to know if this is someone good to sell. He's a Chicago local, but he's never had any interaction with anything supernatural. He's pit forward a considerable offer. Look into who is standing behind him? Riobhca is fine getting this for Chort, but she can't go sniff after the guy who wants to buy from her. Who is he shilling for and what they plan to do. She has a big leather pouch and pulls out this beautifully obsidian with gold fillagree business card. It is a thin slice of rock. She has a sense of... he seems so solidly routed in reality. SO MUNDANE. Would guess that he has never been in contact with the supernatural or had a serious dream in his life.
Ethan Grey
Negotiator
Phone number
Ayesha Database search for Ethan, and FBI contacts
Leslie/Frank Check the card for traps
Doug - Crow to follow - Ethan to show where he goes
Andee more research on witches specifically with their relationships to other supernatural creatures.
Sabrina confirmed the boundary for werewolves (want garlic as well)
Sam can be a contact for werewolves
Conversation Vs Larceny (FAFO 13)
In game Date June 24th
Douglass and Ayesha go to the TIN XIA Karaoke Parlor for Lester and Bruno
Arrangements made with Toni and Tommy Chen
While waiting at the bar, Douglass is reading "the Art of Tea" and Ayesha is writing in a journal. Toni and Tommy pour a fantastic cocktail.
Both Lester and Bruno agree that they won't start some fight.
Bruno's crew came out of the party room with weapons telling us to stand aside they want to convince Lester.
Douglass opens the door to warn Lester and Bruno, and BRUNO STEAKS LESTER (Fucker)
Ayesha takes on the crowd and Douglass succeeds in un-steaking Lester! (both Bruno and Douglass are shocked this worked!)
Ayesha is kicking ass with the others
Ayesha gets knocked down, and Douglass is dragging her out of the bar
Tommy and Toni were knocked out
REINFORCEMENTS!
Leslie gets Ayesha into the car
Douglass still has a bloody stake and she tosses it aside because Sabrina sees it
Dispensary went off without hitch!
Frankie took care of the rats with cheese.
Frankie and Sabrina got the safe out, and Leslie stole their tainted weed. Leslie made a bomb that will make the news.
Goes back to Leslie's house
Sun starts to rise and everyone is really tired. Sabrina snuggles into the tub to sleep. Day passes uneventfully. (Thank the gods)
Frank cooks up food for all of us when we wake up
Ayesha heals up some.
Fire and explosion of Potholes mentioned, but NOTHING mentioned about China Town.
Plans:
Leslie opening her safe
Meet Chort
Send a Copper arrangement to Lester saying sorry
Follow up with Toni and Tommy to make sure they are ok.
The Journal Entry’s title
Begin writing your story here...
Neutral Ground (FAFO 12)
After meeting with Lester the Knife, Vampire man - wants to meet in neutral ground with Bruno.
task is DISPURSING the cult, not disrupting.
Spirited Discussion killing both Lester and Bruno. .. and (my) desire not to be a murderer.
Insurance, investigation, owns - someone is going to look into it? aren't they?
DECIDE TO BREAK INTO THE DISPENSORY AND STEALING THE TAINTED WEED (AND MONEY??) WHILE BRUNO AND LESTER ARE DISTRACED AT THE KAREOKEE BAR)
Lester will attract attention 1-am Monday (so it's after close)
Karaoke China town
Ayesha
Doug
Andee
Dispensary
Lesley
Frank
Sabrina
Point or Blade (FAFO Session 11)
Back in Lester's room...
we are trying to decide what to do with the wire - we see a streaked a tiger like cat (meow) - Andi noticed first. A second ago it had a mouse in it's mouth, and now it's at the feet, like it forgot it liked mice. Stared at us for a few moments, and then it yawns, stretches, and goes to the sub basement.
"Come in, the great water lynx welcomes you"
He offers us ciggerellos - If you want to hide in the tunnels you may want to be quieter, and not breathe so loud.
We're all starting to sweat, but Lester looks comfy.
Lester says that there is a RAGE in him that he can not control, he is responsible for the deaths, and he is ashamed. Those who survive could become leaders themselves. Could you displace and continue this worship.
The sacrifices are more because the water is purer in the river - the sacrifices need to be more direct. The Water Lynx can not longer take minerals directly from the water.
Talk to Janice - while trying to figure out what is a neutral ground for a vampire.
Get Bruno and Lester to talk.
Lester the Knife (FAFO Session 10)
3/5/24
RECAP - Leslie (nik) absent, Aysha (Dan) present
We watch the cultists try to square up to Lester, who challenges them "who do you serve?" They say Bruno. Lester says that Bruno serves the Water Lynx.
Lester: tell Bruno to return to the Water Lynx service.
You aren't going to get any more resin, and you want to know about your friends? What do you think you are standing on??
Some of the cultists start reacting, and puking. The tallest one gets enraged, and lifts his bat to Lester
Tall kid seems to just deflate - see something like a dark think just pulling from him - took the fight out of him
Lester walks away, just as quietly as he came.
Frank looks at the bodies and tries to determine what killed them. Clawed apart by an animal - claw like. crescent/claw shaped.
Doug sees that the claws are more similar to a canine than a bear or cat
Is he a werewolf? What do we know about them?
Hurt them with silver, fire, holy or unholy water?
HOW TO HAULT THEM: the legit thing is silver, for sure. It is more dangerous to them than anything else. Wounds inflicted by silver weapons don't heal as well, and a silver bullet works as good as a human/bullet.
Ayesha can tip off the police.
Let's try to talk to the Water Lynx! Follow the way Lester went.
We follow the trail of ash dropping down toward the lake and the Lynx.
I open the door, leading with the Pipe, "hello, Misipisu, we brought presents, we would like to talk?"
Lester takes the pipe, and says the offering is accepted, and we walk into the room, which is lit. Lester nods to Sabrina.
SABRINA IS A VAMPIRE????
When the Party's Over FAFO session 9
Between Sessions info I dug out on the water lynx:
Here's some information Douglass researched about Mishipeshu. Unfortunately, there is no known way to defeat the creature outside of finding a Thunderbird to fight it.
Mishipeshu are sometimes referred to as “underwater panthers” or “underwater lynx”. To the uninitiated, that might suggest a small or mundane creature, but mishipeshu are neither. They are masters of aquatic habitats, and each is the ruler of the lake or river they inhabit. Mishipeshu are somewhat temperamental creatures—when appeased, they can protect people living by their shores and drive fish into their nets, but when angry they drown travelers and pelt settlements with devastating storms.
Mishipeshu prefer to fight from the water. They churn bodies of water with their mere presence, slowing down and battering anything in the water with them. Their claws and teeth are deadly, as is their great bludgeoning tail. They can spew torrents of water at great distances, knocking standing creatures prone and flying ones out of the sky. On the rare occasions that they are bested in combat, mishipeshu do not hesitate to retreat, although they may take their injured pride out on their neighbors afterwards.
A mishipeshu’s lair can be underwater or on land, as they are equally comfortable in both environments. What usually limits their location is a deposit of copper—mishipeshu require large amounts of copper in their diet to keep their scales healthy and to protect them against the elements. Mishipeshu and thunderbirds are traditionally enemies, and their clashes can be heard from miles away. The two great beasts are evenly matched—a thunderbird is faster in the air and has ranged capacity, but the mishipeshu is stronger in melee and is resistant to the lightning cast by the thunderbird.
(And no. I didn't write this.)
I would also like to add mention of this encounter:
A Jesuit missionary named Claude Dablon told a story about four Ojibwe people who embarked on a journey to the home of Mishipeshu to take some copper back to their home, and use it to heat water. The very second they pushed off and backed into the water with their canoe, the eerie voice of the water panther surrounded them. The water panther came growling after them, vigorously accusing them of stealing the playthings of his children. All four of the people died on the way back to their village, the last one surviving just long enough to tell the tale of what had happened in his final moments before he died.
START AT THE BOOKSHOP TO REGROUP TO SHARE INFO AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO
Frank - brought the masks to the meeting
Andee's mom is out of the shop, so we are meeting alone. She has cleaned it physically and esoterically.
Janice shows up and gets involved in the conversation.
Frank has a cat in tow with her.
recap the meeting at Bruno's for Janice
Find out where there is a copper hoard? Talk to a geologists. $3.77/pound right now
Go to the museum? Talk to the Janitor (Lester)?
Go to the tunnels and find out if Lester is the link to the Lynx?
Body dropped recently. He didn't get the resin, and Bruno was surprised to have Leslie there.
Look at the schedule that Leslie was able to get. The symbol that Leslie was taken down into the tunnels, and that is the same symbol of today
Go to the Home Depot to get
copper pipes (offering and protection)
Frank's to get a copper bust
Headlamps
Glow chalk
Pepper Spray/Mace
The Cat WANTS Frank to get picked up
We use Leslie's map to enter with a man-hole cover - takes us into the coal tunnels in Chicago
Get down there
found 2 male and 1 female body. Bits of bodies. One of them is Craven. Frank sees that some of the wounds are bite marks, like smaller snout than a dog. The bodies were ripped apart. Seems like all of the parts are there, nothing is missing.
HIDE!!!
He owes us the resin from the last time. "?Turk" The people coming down the tunnel see the bodies and start to get nervous and freak out a bit. Then Lester appears and strolls right by us, and up to them.
<end scene>
Chum in the Water (FAFO 8)
Bruno's hippie heaven getting stoned and bare their souls to one another.
Now there are crawfish wanting to eat us!
They surrounded us, but they were druggy people and let us walk away.
Ojibwe tribe, ancient totem spirit that was responsible for anything that fucks with people around lakes or spirits (drownings, crafts around the lake etc)
Nothing tied to it within the last 100 years
they appeased it - as a tribe they had enemies captives, they would sacrifice to the lynx in an attempt to appease it, or animals
the sacrifices seemed to work for them the lakes calming and fewer deaths.
white man pissed it off - divert rivers, fuck with the natural flow of things - reverse the river in chicago made it mad (near the chicago fire 1880s)
Blood tests show that there is a difference before and after the weed
Andee has less of an effect, because she was wearing a mask
Andee remembers that the security cameras were hard wired - not wifi. But there might be a hard drive or storage somewhere that we could get access too. Security Link company is the camera company. it's a lesser known company. More commercial grade systems, lots of add ons that you can do.
Go to the sewers when we think Lester and Bruno are busy with other things. Go there when there is not a drop first - and then maybe follow them in, once we process the info we hope to gather. Investigate the sewers or see if something has changed down there. Body drops every 2-3 weeks. It was a waxing crescent moon.
Library - how to halt them (me)
Andee - library work on where they hide and who they are
Frank will mount the artwork from Shelly, and will work with Leslie to craft masks and be prepared
Leslie work on masks - craft medicine and maybe make protection type things
I Never Thought I Would Meet a Cult Leader (FAFO session 7)
When last we met the group started to explore how we would disperse a cult
Lester's last name - Lester Knife
He works at : https://driehausmuseum.org/
Bruno is the leader and the manager at the Shop He hosts events to go an "open your 3rd eye"
Lester gets the money, and he brings the resin back. The people who don't see visions are eventually sacrificed
Go see Bruno
Go to Drihause
experiment on Blood
Go to Bruno, go to the Garden Apartments open our third eye
close houses, squeeze between them
Andee recognizes Krysta Moongarden (Newly named NPC)
Sabrina is also in the room
(also Andee)
Frank recognises Shelly's painting as hers. It is from this year, and is 100% new, since she has gone missing. The painting was brought to Bruno by someone named Jonathan Bennett. He is a public figure of some local fame. He's a semi famous art dealer. He was also like one level above where Shelly was. She would be very excited that he was shopping her works. He invents heavily in modern contemporary art. He is a patron of some of the most famous local artists. Bruno tries to give her the painting and instead she is taking it instead.
Bruno is extracting information from people as an "unburdening" he is getting them to share deep secrets. He calls Leslie over, and flicks others away, and we stay. He says he is glad to see Leslie. She's all "cut the crap" and he is all about giving the crap. Those who can not see the Great Water Lynx is to serve those that do. And Bruno is happy that she has returned to serve the Lynx. water Lynx is a "she"
As we go into the yard, we see a dozen "things" crawfish/human hybrids that seem interested in stopping us from going. Human sized crawfish and the followers have gone into the garden basement behind us. Someone closes the door to keep us from going back in. Making more clicking noises.
PROPHETS OF POT(HOLES) (FAFO SESSION 7)
Tonight's goal: Disperse the cult!
The recap:
Disappearance of Jeff Giffens' (Chicago billionaire) son. Son was a member of a cult. This cult is drawing too much attention to the supernatural. Disperse them.
Cult - Profits of potholes - the dispensary
Jason is the 2nd son, and only one missing
Chort hands over the portfolio
June 23rd!
Info: Jason left Profits of Potholes on June 11th
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/chicago-by-night-rexcelestis/a/the-mysterious-disappearance-of-jason-giffens3A-a-father-s-desperate-search-article
Hx: he was a dedicated worker, and he's gone missing
Jason was on the outs with his father, who has offered a large reward.
We get back to the bookstore, and there are flowers at the shop, addressed to Anne (Andee's mom)
Flower language - Suggest **true** passion, a new fella, and a lusty actions
Card is gooshy, signed "A"
Lesley - works at the dispensary, and they have a cult that works through there. She got plugged into there by building things, I thought it was a cool club of pot heads, and then got more involved. More trusted, and they let me in on some secrets. They are some bad folks. Been avoiding meetings and things. Lesley was there the night of the disappearance. She is afraid that she was going to be "disappeared" next. She hasn't been back to the apartment, and wasn't going to work since this.
These tunnels were made to deliver coal, and build telephone lines. They were in active use until 1981, and were later flooded in 1991. There is really strict access controls have been put in. The only OFFICIAL way to have access is through City Hall. It does overlap with the subway and sewer systems in places, and there are a couple unknown/sealed areas that Lesley knows of. https://www.chipublib.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/03/Freight-Tunnel-Map.jpg
The night this happened, she thought it was an initiation, hang, smoke etc. Something in her gut told her things were "off" and no one noticed she had dropped back until they encountered someone named Lester (creepy dude higher up in cult). Growling, then 3 bodies (Jason, Kraven, Danielle), and Lester left. Lester sometimes stands behind Bruno, the dispensary boss. They give bodies to Lester, and Lester gives them a resin. This is made into special strains of pot that are given as part of the initiation. Craven and Danielle likely don't have anyone looking for them because they were fridge society
Lesley knows where they are, and how we might get to them. Bruno and Lester are holding the cult together, as far as Lesley knows. That would be the best way to disperse the cult.
3 BOOKSTORE CATS- Baba Yaga's black cat Smudge, a orange tabby Thunderpants, and an old OLD male cat that comes to visit after eating chipmunks - his name is Doodle
PLAN - meet Bruno at home on his day off and get answers. Lesley and Aisha will ask questions, and we will all be for a back up
The Journal Entry’s title
Begin writing your story here...
XP
Trait Experience Points
Increase Attribute: New level x 5
Increase Skill: New level x 3
Specialty: 3
Edge: 7
Perk: 3
Advantage: 3 per dot
Total Earned: 8
Total Available: 2
Spent: 6
How spent:
11/14/2023: 3 perk for Beast whisperer - Complex Commands; 3 perk for Library - Who Are They
First Day of Summer; First Day of Dread: Session 5
Real Date: 2023-10-17
We negotiated a contract with a devil last time. What more fucked up shit will happen this time??
Game date: June 21 2023
Meet the devil at Starbucks, and there is someone sitting next to him. Janelle, the devilish notary.
We sign the contract
Janelle the gazelle is a purgatory server, who is stuck being a neutral party.
Shelly is alive and in good physical health. She is not under duress nor being torched other than being in someone's service. She is on this physical plan, and is in Chicago. She is herself and maintains her free will.
Three Tasks -
A witch in hide park Areef Cowaric. She has Orlock's Bain, and herb. Chort would like the herb. Orlock the pseudonym for Dracula in the book. Orlock's bain is supposed to be fictional, garlic offshoot that is repellent to vampires, but potentially deadly. Picknic basket amount
A young man - Arthur Gecko. He works at the Chicago Board of Trade. There has been some supernatural influence on his life, I want you to stop it.
Disappearance of Jeff Giffons' (Chicago billionaire) son. Son was a member of a cult. This cult is drawing too much attention to the supernatural. Disperse them.
Cult -
Jason Giffon
Profits of potholes - the dispensary
2nd son, and only one missing
Chort hands over the portfollio
Session 5: 2023- Oct 3rd
Begin writing your story here...
Session two: 2023.07.25
In-between sessions we learned about "Oliver" which seems to have many names through time. Same face, different names, different years over time.
Marked Oliver Lowe from 2022
This kodachrome picture from 1967 connects with a "Omar Levitt"
Owen Larson from 1977
A black and white image captures the profile of "Oliver Lee" from 1947
Oakley Lewis" fills this sepia toned image from 1914. All the same face from different eras
We meet back at the bookstore where the info with the pictures was delivered.
My grandma said that she was on a date and couldn't talk - she said devilish, not demon.
GAME DATE JUNE 14 2023 -
Frank got a camera with a video, that showed Oliver leaving with a Silvester Stallone kinda guy, it looks like they go towards a church.
Newspaper: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/chicago-by-night-rexcelestis/a/tell-it-all21---hell-hath-no-furyE280A6-article?preview=true
We decide that we are going to go to the Church - The Unity Church in Chicago - to see if we can look at any video to see where Oliver goes. Pastor Margaret is holding a book club The Sparrow, Book by Mary Doria Russell. In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet that will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question what it means to be "human". BOOK CLUB - every other Wednesday at 7pm.
Frank and Andee are looking for cameras, or an office to where they may find that information. Lesley is trying to be sneaky and not be seen while she sneaks around. I stay upstairs and talk books. That helps to be a distraction.
The video they watch shows that they got into Yellow Cab #421
We go to the Ambassador by Hyatt for coffee or drinks, Oliver likes to meet at a place called "the Old Town Ale House." They share what they learn about the cab. The Ale house is covered all over with local celebs and people. The owner "stays sane" by painting everything. Oliver goes all Smoozey to Frank. Oliver is taken aback by the pictures. "who have you showed this to? These pictures can get us into a lot of trouble. It's best that you just walk away." Oliver points to Ralph, the nondescript guy - Oliver said that Ralph is his "owner" devilish pacts for souls. Ralph sold Shelly's soul to someone else. Ralph is an actual devil from hell, and he gets you to make deals that sound great, and they aren't. I could convince anyone to give you a soul - I haven't met anyone you can't convince. Ralph doesn't give the targets, I have a quota.
Oliver, gets forked to the table. He offers to take them to Ralph. What's his quota? How does he choose his targets? Frank and Andee are disgusted by him, because it's just business. "what do you want to know?"
Session one: 2023.06.13
Devils?? They might be real? Who knew gran was right all along.
The tattoo is a brand maybe from a devil for ownership? 4 dots in the button? 4th level of hell - for greed, spenders and hoarders? is that relevant
Shelly is missing. Her hand didn't have the brand on it at the start of the night but does when she sees Oliver. How's that possible?
Someone who handed over the camera said that Ballard would be mad? who is he? in it for the insurance money? Mansion owned by Alexander Price, and the whole family seems dead. Alexander Price is MIA.
Leslie is going to check out the mansion, 18 months later. Building inspector? building blue prints
Ayesha is researching Oliver Low, using access
Douglass is going to talk to Gran about devils and what she can tell me about them, does Holy Water work
Andee is researching the difference between demon/devils, and how to protect against them
Frank is going to wander the streets to figure out does anyone else know anything/see anything? Talk to cats? try to learn more about the brand?
Getting the Basics of Me
A little bit about Douglass:
Character Name: Douglass Foxglove
• Creed: Inquisitive – gathering intel and understanding the quarry
• Drive: Curiosity – what do monsters do and why
• One Touchstone: my great gma who is in assisted living. She’s almost 103, though she tells people she’s 104, or 140. Martha Foxglove. Oma lives at Artis Senior Living, about a mile and a half from my house - so I can walk there!
: 2nd: Abhijeet (the local drag queen)
• Describe what the character looks like in one or two sentences: kinda mousy, glasses, smile/smirk.
Lived in Chicago as a kid, then moved to Milwaukee as an older teen with my family for my dad’s job. I went back to Chicago for school. Gran lives in Chicago, but now in assisted living, so my larger family is in WI, but Gran is still in Chicago. She was a hard-core old-school Catholic who still took us all to mass in Latin, so I grew up knowing some latin and English. Then with my degree, I took more latin, so I am fluent in both.
I live at: 4318 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60613 - which has a weird eclectic gay occult vibe.
I’m a librarian, and was always interested in the spooky spooks, because it’s fun to be scared as a kid, but then there are some things that just do NOT add up. I was out on NYE a couple years ago and saw all kinds of weird stuff happen at the Mansion as I was going back to my car. I recorded it on my cell, but nothing hit the news and by the next morning it seemed like the cloud dropped all the video and pictures I took. The only person I KNOW saw something is Abhijeet (the local drag queen) she was out preforming that night, and I got to know her for the years she was less known, homeless and “lived” a lot at the library. Now she still comes back to do drag story hour, and does drag dim sum in the city too. We’ve talked about it – but seems like the whole city forgot a building was on fire with crazy looked netted people, blood everywhere, and vampires that sure didn’t look like a new art installment!
I am a friend of crows. I read about making friends with them, and they do have facial recognition, so I think I can make them do things.
I am a libarian at the Harold Washington Library Center
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