(IC) Field trip, scene 5

[Q.Q Elf]

Instead of going to class, Mrs. Meecher's AP English is headed to the Watson Circle Theater, to see a performance of Macbeth.

The class waits for a moment outside while the large bus pulls up to the curb.

Inside, the chartered bus is much nicer than a yellow school bus. The seats recline, there is a measure of privacy in each pairing of high backed seats. The tinted, reflective windows do not allow outsiders to peer within.

Mrs. Meecher sits up front as she boards the bus, checking names off her list as students come on board.

with the assumption that Lucinda sits with Summer, everyone else can pick a partner and a seat. Please describe where you sit in relation to the front of the bus (in case it matters). Feel free to engage your seatmate with conversation.

Oh, yeah, the was some bull sh.t announcement about grief counselors, funeral services for Frederick, etc. Then you left class for the bus.

[Rukellian]

As Clark boards the bus, he glances over at Lucinda and Summer and just smiles, widening his eyes for added effect when they notice that he is completely unharmed from their last visit. He hangs around for a few seconds and says to Lucinda, in a non-creepish way, "Sorry about last time. I didn't mean for things to get so violent. Wasn't my intention, really." He cocks his head to the side and rubs the back of his neck as he says this. If Summer tries to lunge towards him and do something aweful, he will quickly jump away and laugh nervously, saying something along the lines of "hey hey, take it easy!"

Though the weather is cold right now, he is dressed in a basic t-shirt with a button down one draping over it, as if it were still summer or something. Cargo pants and a pair of sneakers completes his ensemble.

I will leave the second half of this post for after any interactions with Lucinda or Summer. Depending on what happens here, I might have to edit the second half
-----

Clark Defray seems to be behaving himself right now, but every now and then he will shoot a flirtatious look over at a girl or two, showing a more aggressive side to him than others are accustomed to, an alluring bad boy side at that. [2d6] = 11 Based off of this roll, he should get a string on at least one girl that he passes while on the bus; would be cool if it were Vanessa, but I won't push for it if you wanted to pick someone else, like some other classmate we've yet to bring in to the game.

Clark instinctively searches for Vanessa, considering how his last encounter with her is still burning in his mind. He heads towards the back of the bus after everything is said and done, taking a seat by Marcus, of all people. He gets the feeling that he will become very good friends with him now. The seat will be in the very back, left corner, next to the escape hatch.

[MonkeyWrench]

As Seth enters the bus he has his usual calm and distant stare as he makes his way down the aisle. Summer is able to just notice him glancing at herr as she huddles next to Lucinda in their own seats, his own plans still being worked out for how he is going to find some reason for his pack to stay and fight. As he walks past her he sits down beside Vanessa near the middle, a few rows behind Summer and Lucinda and a few rows ahead of Clarke and Marcus. He turns around and looks at Clarke, smelling the same ash from him and Marcus as he does Vanessa.

Turning back around to face the front he sighs softly but doesn't say anything, already knowing that when the time comes he is going to have one hell of a fight on his hands...

[Q.Q Elf]

Rukellian, take the String on Vanessa. Call the shots as you see them. We can weave in more NPCs, like you are doing with Marcus, but I'd rather you make calls on Strings and overt actions.

...

Oh, yes. The date.
Thursday, October 16, 2014

Marcus looks at Clark with a look of disbelief. "What the flock are you doing here... I... Oh, wait. There's something different about you, bro. You've seen her, haven't you? Cool."

As Marcus settles back down, Pavo walks up to Clark. "Get out of my seat, señorita Defray. I don't got time for your sh.t."

Pavo grabs Clark by the collar of his shirt. Marcus just shrugs, letting the situation resolve itself.

...

Vanessa was looking back towards Marcus and Clark when Seth sat down. Marcus gave her a little wave.

The scent of ash and sulfur is almost overwhelming to Seth's heightened senses. The bus seems full of the stench of hell.

Vanessa is rather fidgety. She is full of dark energy, having taken out a Sharpie to vandalize the back of the chair in front of her. She writes, Summer killed Frederick on the chair, and smiles sweetly at Seth.

[MonkeyWrench]

Seth watches Vanessa, holding out his hand for the marker. Once she gives him it he strikes a line through the words, he gives her a look that only one of their kind can sense, the look of a predator, speaking in a hushed tone so only she can hear, "I think we both know who killed him."

Rolling to shut down her antics, gotta teach her who's the bigger wolf sooner or later... Seth Cold Roll: [2d6-1] = 11-1 = 10

Whew! Thought I was going to fail that one

Let me know if that's not how the whole "shutting someone down" works, first time i've used it.

Once he gets his point across to her he gives her a genuine warm smile, putting the cap back on the sharpie marker and then slipping it back into her pants pocket himself, letting his hand rest on her leg as he stares forward, that same primal urge that just a moment ago reprimanded her now gives her a sense of strength, her maker sits beside her, whatever happens next he is there with her.

Rolling to turn Vanessa on: Seth Hot Roll: [2d6+2] = 8+2 = 10

[Rukellian]

Whoops, meant to roll for manipulate npc on that one. Guess it doesn't matter considering the result I just got [2d6+1] = 12+1 = 13

Upon being pulled up by the collar, Clark flashes out a knife from out of nowhere. He keeps it concealed from any bus cameras, but makes sure that Marcus and Pavo can see it, and that it is pointing right at Pavo's gut. He clicks his tongue and shakes his head as he says with a wide grin. "You don't want to do this; not here, and certainly not with me. Now be a good boy and put me down. You will find that listening to me and doing what I say will very much help you in the long run. Are we clear, mi amigo?"

When Pavo gets the hint and puts Clark down, Clark will put away his knife just as quickly and mysteriously as he produced it and go back to chatting with Marcus. "Yeah, she was hot in bed alright. Quite the ride if you catch my drift." He finishes with a snicker. "So, how long have you been part of this little family? Besides the obvious, is there anything I need to know?" Clark says this with his face lowered, but with his eyes raised, as if this were some sort of interrogation.

EDIT: Do I need to end this with another manipulate npc roll, or does Clark's standing with Marcus allow for free trade of information?

[Metal Fatigue]

MonkeyWrench: that is exactly how Shut Someone Down works. You have a choice to make: give her a Condition, or cause her to lose a String on you (if she doesn't have any Strings on you, you take one on her instead).

Summer is…strangely happy, or at least at peace. She defended her girlfriend from Clark (rather vigorously) and earned her provisional forgiveness. Well, with Lucinda, everything is transitory; today's bosom friend can be tomorrow's hated foe, and vice versa. It's better than nothing.

Sure, something horrible is going to happen to her tomorrow, probably involving drugs and/or Mr. Finney, and there's a queasy feeling in her stomach whenever she thinks of it. But she's trying not to think of it any more than she has to.

She reaches for Lucinda's hand to give it a quick squeeze, accompanied by a gentle smile.

Turning Lucinda on: 2d6-1=4 aw crap.

[MonkeyWrench]

I don't actually know if she has any strings on me... My sheet only has her listed as my spirit connection and the 1 string I have on her.

So... I will be taking a string on her or making her lose a string on me.

However, since we are on the topic of conditions, is there a list to choose from or do I just make one up based on the situation?

And with those two moves being my highlighted ones I guess I've gotten my 2 XP for this scene from skills?

[Metal Fatigue]

Conditions are free-form. Some moves specify one, but for the most part you make them up. And yes, if you've rolled each of your highlighted stats once, you can't get XP for rolling them again this scene.

EDIT: Rukellian, IMO that was exactly the right balance between dialog and move.

[Q.Q Elf]

MonkeyWrench, the advantage of the Condition is that it's exploitable over time. The String is currency that needs to be spent. Either way, it's cool.

Also, you take a String on Vanessa for Turning Her On.

And mark experience for Hot, if you haven't done so.

Vanessa calms down, resting her head on Seth's shoulder. It reminds Seth of a puppy, rolling onto its back before a more senior beast.

The scent of sulfur still hangs in the air, but Vanessa smells less of it than she had been. As the bus pulls away from the school, she looks up at Seth, and then glances towards the back of the bus.

"Frederick didn't deserve what happened to him... You know that, right? So what happened? When I'm at the school, all I can think about was... what happened, back there.

"Maybe if you talked to some of my new friends, we can quiet whatever... that was, back there, you know."

[Q.Q Elf]

Rukellian, I should have told you to Hold Steady...
Since I didn't, never mind. We'll go on ahead.

Pavo backs off, but there's still a lot of rage in his eyes. "Okay, amigo. I talk to you later, then."

Pavo smiles without changing the rage that is plain on his face, and sits a couple seats in front.

...

Marcus closes his eyes, enjoying a nice warm buzz that's going on in his head, shutting out the motion of the world rolling by the bus window.

"I was really messed up when I met her. Like, rock bottom. I couldn't give up the stuff, you know. But I wasn't doing the rehab thing. It never worked before.

"It was much easier to push it down, slam a ton of the stuff, and wait for... whatever. But I woke up in the hospital. Bro, I woke up again.

"She saved my ass. It was like I was born again. I was so damn high. It was like, BAM. My life had a purpose again.

"Isn't anything to know. Just do what she says, whenever she says. It'll save you, bro. You'll never have to worry about sh.t again because she loves you, no matter what... as long as you obey her sh.t."


He starts crying with spaced out tears of joy.

I'll figure out more stuff for you, but I want to post this before my browser explodes.

[Q.Q Elf]

Lucinda looks a little annoyed. Which is a LOT annoyed if the expression were on the face of any other person.

Lucinda grabs Summer's hand and gives it a painful squeeze.

"I'm still pissed off at you, and Mrs. Meecher. I stood up for her, against my Mom... And so what the hell was that yesterday? You claim it was all innocent, but I saw that look on her face! Traitor! What were you trying to do with her? You're mine. And she's MINE now, too, even if she doesn't know it yet. That was the last straw, Summer. I've got to do something about her, so she knows what's up."

The wheels are turning in Lucinda's head. And not in a good way.

"So what club is Mrs. Meecher in charge of? The one that those lame-o's go to on Friday after school? We have to go join it. Like, tomorrow."

[MonkeyWrench]

I know it seems like i'm stockpiling strings, I just haven't gotten into a situation where I needed to use them yet.

Seth looks down at her as she looks up, still leaning on his shoulder, He speaks in a hushed tone, "What do you remember about what happened? You do remember bringing a gun and pointing it at us right?" He softly pats her thigh with the hand resting there, He speaks softly again, "I will tell you my side later, when we are alone."

He shifts his gaze back to Clarke and Marcus for a moment before turning back to Vanessa, "I guess it is time to see what I will be dealing with. Let's meet your friends" The glint in his eyes tell her that he means prey more than friends.

[Metal Fatigue]

"Yes, Lucinda," Summer replies dutifully. "I'm yours. It's just—I get so scared sometimes, you know? And Mrs. Meecher is so sad. I was trying to cheer her up but I went way too far, I know I went way too far. We can join her club, I guess. Just please don't hurt her more than you have to?"

She lapses into silence, letting anything Lucinda says in response wash over her like the tide as she retreats into the vacant center that defines her…

Gazing into the Abyss: 2d6+2=8 not what I wanted but oh well. I'll take lucid but draining, just so I get that XP. Why is Lucinda's family all about this dog collar thing?

[Q.Q Elf]

okay... I hope I'm keeping all this stuff straight because doing it on my phone over my lunch break isn't the easiest...

The vision is for Metal Fatigue, but Rukellian should look at it to make sure it adds up.

Summer sees a time, many years ago.

It's Mister Price, or a younger version of him. He's happy. He has a baby in his arms, wrapped in a blue blanket. There's a woman in a hospital bed nearby. The plastic bracelet says Gwynneth Claire Dufont. She is smiling at Mister Price.

Outside the room, in the waiting area is the younger woman. She's dressed conservatively, much like Mrs. Meecher might look in the fashion of that time. She has a messenger bag that is embroidered with the Acrewood Prep Eye of Horus. The luggage tag on the messenger bag says Karen Walters. She's the very image of Lucinda's mother, many years ago.

Mister Price walks in the waiting room. He enfolds Miss Walters in an embrace, and kisses her.

...

Years later, in a well furnished apartment. A young Lucinda, maybe 5 or 6 years of age, is locked in a dog's cage in a corner of the spotless, clean apartment. Miss Walters is ignoring the crying child in the cage. She is staring at a wedding portrait of Mister Price and the woman from the hospital room.

Something snaps. As of from out of a Renaissance painting comes a naked woman, partly covered by smoke and flame. She has long black hair, and black feathered wings that seem to reach the ends of the room. The Fallen Angel carries a piece of paper.

The Emissary of the Horned Prince sees Summer observing the scene through the Abyss, and winks at the girl.

...

The next scene is a cemetery. Lucinda is the same as she was in the last scene, a young child dressed in black. Her mother watches Mister Price from afar. There is a black velvet choker around Lucinda's neck.

Mister Price watches his wife's coffin being lowered into the ground. A young Clarence stands by his side. On the other side of Mister Price the Emissary, beautiful and heartless. Nobody but Summer and Miss Walters sees the Fallen Angel.

The Fallen Angel whispers something in Mister Price's ear. He looks up, and gives Miss Walters a sad smile.

[Metal Fatigue]

Summer grabs hold of the trailing edge of the vision, climbs into it. Everything is a freeze-frame except her and the Emissary.

"You," she says to the fallen angel. "You see me. How can you see me when I'm not even here?" She doesn't wait for an answer. "You're wrong. You don't belong here. Stay away from Lucinda, you hear me? Play your games with Clarence or Clark or whoever, but stay the fuck away from my Lucinda!"

In vision and real world alike, tears stream down Summer's face.

MC: I don't know whether this is a Manipulate NPC or a Shut Down; Summer knows there's no way the Emissary will leave Lucinda alone, so calling it a Manipulate means she's shoveling sh!t against the tide. Either way the roll's the same: 2d6-1=7. If it's a Shut Down, Summer will assign the Emissary the Condition "wrong."

Of course, you could rule that PCs can't interact psychically with the Abyss this way absent some kind of custom move. That's totally legit. In that case, Summer just hugs Lucinda while crying silently. Frankly I think that's a Turn On for Lucinda, so with a 7, Lucinda has the option.

[Q.Q Elf]

The bus rolls to a stop in the center of town. In the middle of the town square is an old park, which used to be a staging ground for the town militia in the Revolutionary era. The wide open city park is a quaint, tree lined place for people to gather (complete with a white painted gazebo and you don't want to mess with a gazebo).

One side of the center town square is lined with little shops, and an old theater, which was recently restored to its old glory). Mrs. Meecher and her adult chaperones watch the class file into the theater for the extra early performance of Macbeth (a Halloween edition).

While waiting in the lobby of the theater, Seth and Vanessa stop to talk with Marcus, Clark, and a nearby Pavo.

Marcus spots Vanessa and says, "What's up, girlfriend?!" Then he leans over to give her a kiss on the cheek. Looking at Seth, Marcus says, "No way! Are you with tall, dark, and grumpy?!"

Pavo begins to circle around to Seth's left side, trying to put himself out of Seth's line of vision.

... And I'm just going to get out of the way of this... Decide how you want this gathering to go down. I'll note that the town's constabulary would be right across the park in case you're ready to brawl.

[Metal Fatigue]

You didn't tell me how Summer's action resolves?

[Q.Q Elf]

Metal Fatigue, let's call it a Shut Down. You're doing this with the understanding that the Emissary is fully aware of Summer now, and that means the Emissary is an extra valid hard move for Summer. Okay?

I'd also say that the Emissary could shake off a condition like wrong really quickly because 1) she's a screwed up Fallen Angel, 2) the Chosen's To the Books (secret weakness) needs some jazz.

As the others get off the bus, Summer sits there, her eyes fixed and glazed over.

Within Summer's mind, she stands transfixed before the full beauty of the Fallen Angel. The scene around has fallen away, like a snake's shed skin. There is only the Emissary now, naked and fearless, wreathed with smoke and flame.

The Fallen Angel laughs at Summer's attempt to call her wrong. The Emissary's every step is an affront to the True God. The Fallen is the very embodiment of wrongness. The once-angelic creature enfolds Summer within the Emissary's dark embrace, completely engulfed within her black wings.

(Fade to black time!)

Lucinda looks concerned as Summer moans and whimpers. Terrible shudders wrack Summer's entire body, and then she falls over, exhausted.

As Summer comes back to consciousness, there on the bus, she hears a ringing laughter in her ears. You are positively delightful! If you had a soul to bargain, we would certainly take it from you... but as it is, we hope you remember us fondly.

With a hand on Summer's still twitching thigh, Lucinda looks at Summer and asks, "What the hell just happened?"


Metal Fatigue, mark the condition, plaything of the dark. Hopefully that worked for you!

[MonkeyWrench]

The bus rolls to a stop in the center of town. In the middle of the town square is an old park, which used to be a staging ground for the town militia in the Revolutionary era. The wide open city park is a quaint, tree lined place for people to gather (complete with a white painted gazebo and you don't want to mess with a gazebo).

One side of the center town square is lined with little shops, and an old theater, which was recently restored to its old glory). Mrs. Meecher and her adult chaperones watch the class file into the theater for the extra early performance of Macbeth (a Halloween edition).

While waiting in the lobby of the theater, Seth and Vanessa stop to talk with Marcus, Clark, and a nearby Pavo.

Marcus spots Vanessa and says, "What's up, girlfriend?!" Then he leans over to give her a kiss on the cheek. Looking at Seth, Marcus says, "No way! Are you with tall, dark, and grumpy?!"

Pavo begins to circle around to Seth's left side, trying to put himself out of Seth's line of vision.

... And I'm just going to get out of the way of this... Decide how you want this gathering to go down. I'll note that the town's constabulary would be right across the park in case you're ready to brawl.

Seth stands in front of Marcus as he leans over, getting in between him and Vanessa, looking Marcus in the eyes with a viciousness that only a beast could possess, "She is."Shutting him down: Seth Cold Roll: [2d6-1] = 11-1 = 10

He stands to his full height, positioning himself so that he can see Pavo as well, "Vanessa is mine, if anyone has a problem with that they can step forward and be knocked down." He gives everyone a challenging stare before continuing, "I was told to meet with you, to see what your master wants."

If anyone comes to meet his challenge he will not hesitate to strike. Seth Volatile Roll: [2d6+1] = 4+1 = 5+1 to defending his lover. He counts this as defending her honor.