RB 1-8: The Bella Santiana

Mission Report

Wednesday, November 8, 2017 ((June 17, 2018))
Team: Lyndi Fletcher (Aslene), Jane Irwin (Cael), Chuck Nielson (Ari), Edward Chase (Aunne), Ryu (Dargen)

Morning Briefing

• Max present in person
• Nails joins remotely
• Team is officially RaPT3R Blue Squad (Rapid Paranormal Tactical Response/Rescue/Research); those on temporary contracts moved to permanent contracts
• Joe has been temporarily loaned to another R3M team that needed his particular expertise
• Ed reports on NeoCyclic rebuilding and reinforcing the Iowa site
• Discussion of Joslin coming to the Fort
• Jane shares about her induction into the Order of One Terra, and the incoming prophecy
  • Nails: The Order of One Terra is not a signatory to the Threshold Alliance. R3M is, as well as many of our allies.
  • Prophecy relates to Chicago
  • Nails has heard chatter about a prophecy
  • Ditto Ajami
• Some discussion of Ryu's temple and his reasons for being on the team
  • Temple of the Four Dragon Paths
  • Temple seemed to foresee the formation of the team and contacted Nails to suggest Ryu's participation
• Ajami
  • Troubled by seeing the battle at Quarenzend, happened 9 years ago
  • It's clear now that Lyndi, Chuck, and Draco carry soul shadows; heroes you saw were likely yourselves: an elf paladin, a half-orc barbarian, and a dragonborn cleric
  • Joslin's soul shadow is an orc
  • Jane's soul shadow is a tiefling druid, and her provenance remains mysterious
  • Jane shares her name and Order of the Silver Comet
  • My allies believe that the metabiotic crystals are created using a variation of a powerful necromantic spell; the spell is Soul Cage; at the time of death, imprison a soul and use it to power magical effects
  • The crystals make it possible to transfer the soul into another being, conferring the metahuman attributes, professional training, and paranormal powers
  • Need to travel off world to learn more about the battle at Quarenzend, will return as soon as I can
• Max reports that allies are continuing to report the disappearance of Unbound, worldwide
• Metabiotic Crystals
  • Nails: we still aren't certain that NeoCyclic was using Assemblers or another kind of nanite; if Assemblers, that's huge
  • Surveillance of the Iowa compound, from Ed
• Demonic activity
  • Recruited a solo Unbound, calls herself Query; she's training to be a marshal
  • Oct 15: Reports of missing pets in Pilsen area; found abandoned warehouse, lizards, lizard mouse , traces of a portal
  • Oct 17: Train worker of being attacked by a giant beetle, utility tunnels, beetles tainted with demonic power, manes , ritual site, fresh portal, type called a breach, closed it
  • Nails (looks at Ed): This may be a greater threat than anything you've faced so far; demons are creatures of chaos and evil; they have no kindness in them, no mercy; they exist to corrupt and destroy, to bring destruction for the sake of destruction, and always to grow and grow in power
  • Some discussion of how to permanently kill a demon
  • Ajami: Much depends on how the demon came to be here. The demon may not hold a grudge, but its summoner may. ...assuming there was a summoner...
• Bella Santiana Theater
  • Max pulled plans and history
  • Jane and Ed try to visit Walter posing as architecture students, find Sophia, learn about Raph, get his business card, Raph is on Geek Squad at Best Buy, Ed leaves a voicemail
  • Chuck and Ryu scouted Theater
• Magic items assigned and attuned; Lyndi
• Ryu approves Draco getting a commercial drone and modifying it as a learning project

Best Buy

• 1000 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
• Ed and Jane talk with Michael Paulson, Assistant Manager
• Michael concerned about Raph, covering for Raph
• Raph yelled at Michael's boss, said something like, "You don't know what I'm capable of."
• Michael wonders whether it's drugs? A girl? Raph has potential, could become a pro gamer, or at least get a university scholarship
• Draco mines Raph's social media, finds closest associates are other seniors at his high school: Draco: Colby Diseth, best friend, lacrosse player; Lisette Carrell, dance team captain, possible romantic relationship; Javier "Javi" Denote, automotive mechanic; Francis "Frankie" Regan, Catholic, has apps in at seminaries

The Bella Santiana

• Overcast day
• Negative aura on building
• Team sneaks into alley, then theater (Ed did extraordinarily well picking both locks (nat 20s))
• Theater
• Smells rancid
• Bone mobiles hanging from the ceiling (made from past meals)
• Bone Terror hiding in the mobile, swoops silently down and attacks
• Silver tube appears near Ed
• Heroes dispatch Bone Terror, which wheezes and explodes
• Lyndi detects a huge pentagram, occupying much of the theater
• Silver tube contains a note about Ed being called to a hearing about Vulc@n's death