Posted by Eldaeros
Episode 1: Beginnings (Part 4)
Game Session 3The session started as Aidan Greyson stepped out of his car and walked into Jack Wright’s martial arts Dojo in North Sydney as he was just setting up for the day. Hawk Anderson, who had planned to meet Jack as well, had been called into the office to cover a co-worker who hadn't shown up for work. Noticing Aidan’s entrance the older man finished off what he was doing and spoke to the young investigator, informing him that Anna, who he had intended to meet to discuss her stalker issues hadn't shown up this morning and he was concerned about her. It was unlike her to be late, let alone not tell anyone what was going on. Offering what little help he could in finding her, Jack provided Aidan with her mobile number and home address, hoping he would have better luck. With that Aidan set a course for Anna’s home address (compel ‘The Reluctant Hero’).
Elsewhere, Michael Hendricks received a call from Sam Weathers, a snitch and con artist he had connections with, who was calling in a favour that Michael had promised him should he even get into a bind. As the ex-soldier always kept his promises (compel ‘Always Keeps a Promise’), he agreed to help Sam and asked what the problem was. Explaining that he couldn't talk about it over the phone, he insisted that Michael meet him at an abandoned apartment building in the western part of town.
Arriving at the address Sam had given him, finding an old, dilapidated apartment building that looked about ready to fall down on itself. Moving inside he found Sam, who looked up startled before realising it was Michael and calming down. Michael demanded to know what was so bad that he had to meet Sam here. The young con artist went on to explain – in a rather round about manner – that he had been involved in several murders, not that he had killed the people per see… but instead he was being compelled to do so by this creature he had summoned from an old tome he had found. He had though it was just some stupid fake, because magic obviously wasn't real… well, that’s what he had thought anyway. He wasn't so sure anymore.
The point was, he explained, was that he now had a girl locked in his RV in an abandoned construction yard in town. She was the fourth person he had been compelled to kidnap for this creature he’d in order for it to feed. If that wasn't bad enough, the intervals between feedings were getting shorter and shorter, and he didn't know what to do. That’s why he needed Michael’s help. Thoroughly annoyed with the level of stupidity Sam had shown, Michael none-the-less agreed to help him and told him to show him to his RV.
Meanwhile, Michael Williams, having slept the night over at Anna’s place on the couch after his run in with the golem creature the night before, awoke to find from Anna saying she had already left and that there was coffee in the mug should he want it. Helping himself to the coffee and a shower, Michael was surprised when his sister called asking him if he might know where Anna was – she wasn't picking up her mobile or home phone, and she hadn't been seen at work. Sarah insisted that Michael help her look for her friend rather than going to work (compel ‘Family Comes Before Business’), starting with her house, which she was only a few minutes away from.
Sarah was surprised when she found Michael standing outside his car waiting for her at Anna’s place, but didn’t press the issue further, just as Joseph Tseng pulled up outside. Joseph had been visiting a friend that had gotten his hands on a rare (and probably illegal) antique, which he was willing to offer to Joseph before putting it on the open market. Joseph jumped at the chance, and had been returning from meeting his friend when he had to pull over to read some urgent messages on his phone. By chance, the very place he pulled over was just outside Anna’s place, where Sarah and Michael were speaking.
Joseph greeting the pair in his usual happy manner (compel ‘Can't Help But Get Involved’), and Michael attempted to brush him off while he tried to get to the task at hand – finding Anna. The argument between brother and sister continued, with Joseph attempting to stay out of it without much luck, just as Aidan arrived.
At that point Michael gave up and told the gathered group that they were welcome to continue talking, he on the other hand was going to do something and start looking for Anna.
Meanwhile, Sarah continued to explain the situation to Aidan and Joseph, the latter of which pulled out his phone and searched the address of Anna’s workplace in the city, thinking that might help. Instead his phone crashed and restarted, rebooting to show a completely different address than he had intended. Showing the address to Aidan with a shrug, the pair thanked Sarah for her help and asked her to wait at Anna’s place just in case she showed, as Sarah had originally suggested.
Cut to Michael Hendricks as he followed Sam Weathers into the abandoned construction yard where he had stashed his RV. The yard had fallen on hard times after the financial crisis, with no one bothering to pick up the pieces after the company went bankrupt – the perfect place to hide a kidnap victim. However, when Sam checked inside the RV he swore as he realised that the girl had escaped. Jumping to action Michael used his Time magic to see into the past and watched the young woman’s action as she untied herself and stumbled out of the RV, her ankle obviously hurting, towards the half-finished construction some twenty minutes before hand.
Just then the ground started to rumble and Sam scrambled to cover as he freaked out, saying over and over that ‘It was coming.’ Prepared, Michael turned to see a nearby rusted old backhoe suddenly crumple into the dirt before coalescing into a twelve feet tall giant humanoid made of metal and dirt, one arm made from the hoe, the other a massive earthen fist.
At that point Aidan, Joseph and Michael (after an unsuccessful attempt to find Anna using the local bus depot’s camera system) arrived at the construction yard. Michael Williams used his mind magic to hone in on the mental signature of Anna while the other two went to help Michael Hendricks against the creature.
Through a short but intense fight involving a combination of fire, blade, and a little luck magic, the trio took down the golem with little more than a few light bruises.
Sam, seeing that the coast was now clear, moved to congratulate the group on their victory, only to notice that they seemed more concerned in the girl than him, and deciding it might be a good idea to make himself scarce. Thanking Michael again, and telling him that all debts were paid, Sam quickly raced to his vehicle and drove off.
Meanwhile, Michael Williams and Aidan tended to Anna, who had sprained her ankle, and offered to take her back to her place. She thanked Michael again, feeling bad that he had to save her again as he helped her back to his car. As they were leaving Aidan called through to Jack and let him know the situation, telling him that Jack should check in with her at her place later to make sure that she was OK, all things considered, to which Jack agreed.
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