Jack's London - Campaign Log

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== Friday 20th March 2015 - First Session ==
Out of seven who are due to return, only four have appeared. Arriving back at about 20:00hrs and safely back in the freehold by about 20:30hrs.
They were introduced to Poppy, Big Zach and Mr Tweed as well as the others and invited to join the Freehold.
Poppy offered them the deal of three.
* The White Van for three days and nights
* A place to stay (the freehold) for three days and nights
* A loan of £300.00 for the group (to be paid back whenever you can afford to)
in exchange for three moderate favours.
They discussed their fetches and fell in with Big Zach, with three of them joining the Summer Court, only the Fox remaining undecided. They agreed to sort out each others fetches and to look into the Equinox murders.
There was also talk of forming a Motley.
They stayed the night at the Freehold.
== Saturday 21st March 2015 - First Session ==
In the Morning the Apprentice, Metal and the un-named one (Azrael) swore to the Summer court, picked up some weapons and went out clothes shopping. The Fox went out to hunt for her Fetch alone, sensing something strange when she was in Kings College. Checking her parents place it was empty. presumably both were at work.
== Sunday 22nd March 2015 - Second Session ==
Waking up in the flat alone, they go about fixing breakfast, although Fox doesn't seem to rouse until there is a prospect of bacon.
Apprentice goes off to check on his fetch in Green Park (Where he finds his business closed, and after trying to bust open the door he eventually clambers in through the window. Where he finds both his new address and divorce papers for his wife. His new address is smaller and empty, whilst his wife lives in his old house, but was not in when he called. He instead finds her taking their young son Toby for a walk. Without knowing the actual issues he urges his wife to give him another chance, caught in the middle of a walk in the park she wants to think about that and take things slowly. Asking him to call back later in the evening.
Fox goes shopping for food (And discovers the horror of modern inflation as a single days shopping for 4 costs about £50)
Metal stays behind and reads up on the increasingly disturbing details of the Equinox murders with the only mobile phone.
Azrael goes off to check on his fetch in Docklands, unable to find the bike called "Pearl" parked outside he breaks into "Samuels Wheels" a showroom beneath the flat where the old Laundrette used to be. Channelling his anger and frustration, he rips the door handle and the door clear off its hinges with great gouges in the metal surface. Finding elegantly decorated bikes inside but no sign of Pearl he heads upstairs ignoring the alarm that is ringing but taking the contact number for the alarm company. The police show up to answer the alarm call and seem quite understanding about an alarm that won't turn off. However when Fabian and the Fetch turn up with conflicting claims they arrest the pair of them and try to sort it out down the station.
After many hours and no contact, the rest of our intrepid heroes, unable to find Azrael, go searching for him, asking Slim Jim for directions. They find Fabian at the flat above the shop, however they hesitate unsure if Fox was spotted or not when she went scouting. Meanwhile Azrael contacts them on the police monitored line and asks them to "take care of" Fabian. Metal, Fox and Apprentice go shopping for kidnap supplies (£10 of duct tape) and arrange an ambush with Fox luring him down. Metal with his new-found powers is able to capture Fabian within a metal bin. Then he's thrown in the back of the van where Apprentice finishes his beat-down and ties up the now unconscious Fabian in duct tape. They then drive to Seven Dials, rendezvous with Azrael (who has been released from jail pending a court date on Monday 30th at 10am.) who helps them drag the bludgeoned unconscious Fabian into the Seven Dials safehouse (Although Seven Dials is quite well populated, so its almost certain that somebody saw something odd. The only question is, did anybody care or report it?)
Secure in the Safehouse, they tend to Fabian's wounds, Fox seemed to lightly marinade him in various sauces. However oddly this improvised medical care did seem to help more than would be expected otherwise.
Finally at about 2100 hours Fabians phone rings, It's his Samuel (Azrael) calling...
== Sunday 22nd March 2015 - Third Session ==
At about 9pm, the fetch Samuel calls up Fabian. Azrael cancels the call and turns off the phone.
Now they are in a fairly bad situation, with the abducted Fabian bound and gagged. So Azrael releases Fabian and tries to calm him down with only moderate success.
Meanwhile Metal has left for the evening making his excuses as he realises what a colossal mess this has turned out to be and leaves to look into work possibilities. Whilst Fox and Apprentice both cram into the small kitchen to make tea and then later pasta Carbonara staying out of the way. Azrael tries to gain Fabians trust by showing him the hedge and goes over to a nearby window to open a hedge gate. Alarmingly there is an angry wolf made from briar thorns that pads towards them as the gate opens. Acting quickly Azrael shuts it before there is any danger of rending.
Two police officers (Officers Corinne Greensmith and Bhari Singh) come to the door after being alerted to a possible kidnapping. Apprentice answers the door and as courteously as possible attempts to smooth things over with the police, inviting them up. Thankfully Azrael has talked to Fabian in the Kitchen and has sweet talked him into not raising a fuss, assuring him that there's a rational explanation to all of this.
The officers seem quite concerned by the evident bruising and bloody nose, and after making copious notes agree to escort Fabian home and write up their reports as Fabian does not seem to be lodging any immediate complaints.
The situation not deteriorating, Fox and Apprentice go to a pub a short walk away, whilst Azrael just goes for a walk to clear his head. News in the pub is predictably depressing. The Civil War in Iran continues to deteriorate. Lady Gaga still missing last seen in Paris and Richard Branson celebrates the one year anniversary of the first regular commercial flight of Virgin Galactic into space, with plans to create a new craft that can reach full orbit.
People get in at various hours and fall asleep to disturbing dreams of last nights kidnapping, and how it reminds people of how their keepers acted, the stark sociopathic attitude to the freedom of others being irrelevant or unimportant. (No Clarity loss. Hurrah!)
== Sunday 23rd March 2015 - Third Session ==
In the morning Poppy phones up and asks people to check into see Bobby Chill, a quiet ice-man who people met on their first night.
Putting off plans for job-hunting they quickly mobilise and hop into the van. (now they are down to £110 after a couple of cheap pints and the van is getting low on petrol) and drive over to a bunch of terraced back-to-back housing. When they get near however there is a terrible scent of burning. Azrael quickly springs into action to smash down the door, but apparently without Fabians life in the balance he can't muster the same reserves of strength and the door is resolutely solid. Apprentice however fetches the pocket-knife blade from the van and snicker-snack slices the door like butter near the hinges. The interior is a roaring inferno of cheap carpet and burning furniture. All three of them head inside, keeping low and trying to avoid the smoke. Apprentice, long familiar with the extremes of a furnace fairs fairly well, but Fox's delicate lungs quickly fill with smoke. whilst Azrael hulks-out and beefs up to well over 7 feet tall and gets even wider, causing some unpleasantly torn clothes.
They find Bobby's flat upstairs, but Fox feints from smoke inhalation and the flagging Azrael drags her outside. Leaving Apprentice to boot in the door (after a couple of attempts) and drag the unconscious Bobby downstairs, who mutters about being "so cold" despite his horrific melting burns.
The fire and ambulance crews arrive (Or rather the Paramedics and the "Fire Police") and set to work on treating the victims and quickly rush Bobby off to hospital. Whilst Apprentice is lauded for his heroism and given oxygen to breathe and both arrive at the nearby hospital where a Dr Santorini treats them. When they finally bring the unconscious Fox in, they find out that she and the good doctor are sisters. The nurse also notices that Fox has a bad case of fleas (which is quickly scribbled off by Fox herself). Fox showers and cleans up. Whilst Azrael did not seek treatment and Apprentice is pronounced fit to leave, as long as he gets a check up with his local GP in the next couple of days.
Azrael and Apprentice go to visit Big Zack at his home, in the former Olympic Village. They tell him about the police involvement with Seven Dials, and he points out that Poppy would not be very impressed by the information that the police are now aware of the property. He explains about how to harvest glamour (By deliberately inciting a strong and genuine emotional reaction into a person (The Summer Court find Anger easiest) They arrange to hand the flat and the van back to Poppy sometime the following day.
Azrael goes out and finds a promise of work bouncing at a (possibly illegal) club in Docklands for three evenings this week (Wed 26th to Fri 28th).
Apprentice also hits the job market but with no success.
Meanwhile in hospital Fox has another visitor, Mr Tweed and Poppy who are visiting Bobby and stop by for a chat.
== Monday 24th March 2015 - Fourth Session ==
In the Morning Fox is told that she can go and is given some medication to help her lungs recover, and told that she should avoid straining herself for the next week or so. Azrael did not get in contact and was last seen at the flat. Presumably taking care of personal business. Apprentice meanwhile stayed at the flat overnight, ready to hand back the keys to the van and the flat when Poppy arrived. Metal (Now named Magneto by popular vote) is still away. Fox and Apprentice meet up at the flat, where after some discussion they decide to spy on each others Fetches. Although apprentice seems to think he knows enough about his for now and plans to kill it that evening. So he helps Fox track down hers, who is surprisingly elusive. Swinging by the Kings College Campus near Hyde park, Apprentice locates the office of Jessica Santorini, who is working there as a research assistant (whilst presumably preparing her PhD Thesis) and shared with a few other grad students. Apprentice asked to see her supervisor Dr Howe, but he was not in. However he did get a chance to look at Jessica's desk including her schedule for that day. A meeting at 11:30 with the "Baker Street Irregulars" seemed particularly noteworthy. Beating a hasty retreat before raising any more questions, Apprentice heads back to Seven Dials. At Seven Dials they do a bit of research and prepare for the evening. Apparently The Baker Street Irregulars are a Sherlock Holmes appreciation society. Digging a bit deeper it seems that they meet at 221 Baker Street, in an upper room of the Sherlock Holmes Museum there and that they have in the past assisted the police in small ways with cold case mysteries by suggesting new lines of enquiry. However this is very much downplayed by the MET. They even have a fairly compelling case for the culprits behind the Equinox Murders (A shadowy group of Jack the Ripper enthusiasts who have taken things too far and work as an efficient cell to commit the murders in overly theatrical ways)
However feeling that they may have exhausted that line of enquiry for now, they instead turn to the business of dealing with Apprentice's Fetch. The plan is that Fox stakes out the place and waits for the Fetch to go to sleep, then she breaks in, leaving the back door open and calls Apprentice to help finish the job.
She lurks in the alleyway, much as she did in Jack's London, motionless and alert, hiding in the shadows as a primarily human-looking Redcap gang (led by a changeling with their skin flayed off) walked past. Both she and Apprentice fortunately manage to avoid them, by hiding and running respectively.
Finally near midnight the Fetch turns off the light and another half hour later, Fox makes her move. Deftly slipping through a gap in the hedge at the back of the house, crawling around the perimeter of the motion sensor and determining that the alarm system was just a cheap fake box. Picking the lock and sneaking inside, she enhances her keen vulpine senses with a contract and determines where the sleeping Fetch is.
She calls apprentice who makes his move, a short while later, the Fetch awakens startled as apprentice enters into range. Hearing the disturbance Fox leaps into action and tries to subdue him. A couple of ineffective punches, do little but keep him occupied until Apprentice arrives and with two strokes of the Pocketknife blade, ends the creatures life. After a few moments the creature fades and is replaced by a scarecrow made of old tyres, leaves and hessian cloth, oil staining the bed sheets. Memories and his lost shadow come flooding back, showing him images of the sad and lonely man, unable to relate to his wife or truly understand the love his son. Instead lavishing his affection onto his car and other inanimate objects, letting his friendships slowly fall by the wayside.
Fox meanwhile starts making herself at home (Claiming the guest room for herself) and checking the internet for more information. Creating a new unverified Gmail account and contacting the Urban Exploration society she was once part of (under a false name), who tell her to come along to the Thursday meetings at 19:30 in the Lion and Oak pub, as well as stressing that they could be in no way responsible for anything that happens whilst taking part in UX expeditions.
== Tuesday 25th March 2015 - Fourth Session ==
Getting up and making breakfast Fox ponders what to do with her day. Apprentice takes stock of his life and decides to put in an honest days work to catch up on his life. Fox cleans and clears up the house, putting up some cheap pictures and going shopping to stock up the fridge as well as making beds ready for Magneto and Azrael when and if they return. When Apprentice returns Fox has fixed a lovely treat of pasta Bolognese. Which apprentice cheerfully tells her is lovely, despite his private reservations and they discuss taking another shot at Fox's Fetch. Fox with a bit of growing confidence in her supernatural abilities decides that her namesake might be useful at following the fetch through London. So heading out to Hyde park with Apprentice she offers a morsel of food and a collar (on which she marks the name "Basil") to an urban fox, who she sets to follow the Fetch when it emerges from the campus that evening.
Fortunately after a while, the bizarre exchange of vision tells her the Fetch is nearby. The fetch whips out her smart phone and takes a picture before they can flee, then starts making calls. Meanwhile Basil has his target.
Half an hour or so later, Fox can tell that Basil is in distress around Green Park tube station. She rushes in to extract the poor creature, who has caused a small stir in the station staff, who try to herd poor Basil out.
Claiming to be a Veterinary nurse, Fox comes in and with pre-prepared bacon, helps Basil out of the station. Although in the process she notices an older gentleman with a tweed jacket and leather patches on his elbows very deliberately not noticing her.
As she leaves the station, her keen senses show that she is being followed, by people who seem to at least know what they are doing, even if they are not completely hidden from her sharp eyes. Three figures, including the elderly man start following, although when she stops and sits down they continue to walk past her, seeming to be uninterested bystanders.
However a fourth person picks up the trail as they leave the park and Fox turns to confront them.
The old man they met in the tube confessing to being a spy thriller author admits to having followed her, and demonstrates at least a reasonable level of knowledge on the subject, claiming it to be research for his book and makes a couple of careful observations about Fox's own unusual behaviour.
They part company uneasily, but peacefully, the old man heads off down the street.
In the pub Apprentice explains the basics of harvesting glamour by inciting emotions in others and manages to insult a football fan, successfully raising his ire (Gaining 3 glamour quite successfully). Fox encouraged by this targets the same gentleman, however her own efforts turn out to be fairly feeble and instead she earns an annoyed sneer and a rather indelicate pinch on the bum as she turns away. As the night wears on they slowly make their way back to their new home in All Saints.
== Wednesday 26th March 2015 - Fifth Session ==
Apprentice ejected Fox from his newly reclaimed house in All Saints citing a need to patch things up with his wife and to get fresh keys cut. He handed over the group phone and the remaining cash.
Fox, Azrael and Metal agree to meet up in Covent Garden where they discussed what to do.
They talk about Fetches, debating to what extent they are real and if they know they even know they are fetches. However even bringing the Summer King into the argument gets very little in the way of conclusions. However Metal experiments with strengthening the mask. Returning his features to a somewhat more drawn version of his old self. a slightly portly man in his late forties with thinning hair.
Azrael has his job that evening starting at 20:00.
Metal and Azrael agree to follow Jessica Santorini, Fox's Fetch.
However arriving at Green Park they realise that they have no idea what the Fetch will look like. Being a fox conceals a lot more than just your cheek bones. So they hit the library, which shows signs of wear in these trying times. They sign up for a slot on the computers at 12:45 and whilst they wait they do some research on the state of the world. Metal finds a few hints of Fae activity. Alien abductions have become an increasingly common story and are believed by many. The Red Caps is an old term for evil and violent faeries who dipped their caps in blood and a number of gangs by this name dominate the Tower Hamlets area including activity around the famous Tower Bridge (Which spans between Tower Hamlets to the South and Southwark on the North bank), a few details about the Equinox murders that he already knew and little else. They then hit the stacks for newspaper articles looking into the current economic crisis. {C}Eventually they get computer access and whilst Azrael has trouble accessing his own Facebook page due to the password having been changed, Metal is able to bring up a picture of Jessica Santorini and print it out.
Camping outside of Green Park station with the printed image, cheap ham sandwiches from Tesco's and topping up their Oyster cards they wait. At around 17:30 Jessica makes her appearance and they follow her as she gets onto Green Park tube station. She stays on the Jubilee line until Kilburn. However after following her on the streets for a short distance, she seems to suspect she is being followed and tries to shake of her pursuers discretely. Not rising to the bait, the pair switch over trying to appear as if they were going somewhere else to allay her suspicions. She makes a phone call after a while and knocking at the door goes into one of the many terraced houses there. Metal quickly spots her attempts to photograph himself and Azrael, due to his keen senses he has plenty of time for both of them to get out of sight before she can take a shot. Azrael has to make a move if he wants to get this evening job as a bouncer. so leaves Metal alone.
A while later a marked police car turns up and an officer takes Jessica in the car. Leaving Metal unable to follow. He makes his way along to the Big Zach's residence in the former Olympic Village swinging by to visit Fox first.
Fox who has impatiently been nursing a drink in a low-brow pub near Covent Garden all day (But not eating) and talks about sleeping rough in a bush, but eventually takes £20 from the group funds offered by Metal and stays in a youth hostel for the night. Giving the phone to Metal.
Azrael meanwhile takes up a job with a group who wear red crescent shaped logos on black polo-shirts. Acting as a simple bouncer, he managed to do an acceptable but not exceptional job keeping people under control. However when a drunk city banker gets up in his face he keeps a cool head managing to not blow his top. The crew happily invite him back the next day, with £150 cash in hand.
Apprentice after a hard days work tinkering at the garage takes his wife out to a delightful Italian Bistro not far from their homes. She confesses that after he left she was forced to get a lodger with whom she could share child rearing responsibilities. After a while they developed a romantic attachment. However Apprentice managed to show his sincerity and as long as they take it slowly Susan Harding (The other woman) will give them some space and Veronica is willing to give it a shot. They reminisced about their old times including how they first met at a nightclub and part ways refreshed at the honesty on one side of the table at least.
Thursday 27th March 2013 - Fifth Session (Morning) The group meet up at a greasy spoon café in Vauxhall. Azrael pays for the breakfasts out of his newly acquired funds, whilst they talk about what to do and share last nights experiences. Metal is left with only £20 of the initial £300 left. Azrael goes to visit the solicitors firm that will be representing him on Monday in court. Damien & Driscall Solicitors. Fox with £10 of the communal funds goes out and registers as a big issue vendor, but due to the poor economy, her inexperience and poor positioning, she only really manages to shift half of the 20 papers she purchased, meaning that she was only able to break even after a day of work and pay Metal back.
Metal looks into getting some work as an accountant. However all reputable firms would require some form of identification which he lacks. There are some shady groups however who might be interested and Azrael asks the group he has been working with about the possibility. They tentatively mention they may have somebody who might be willing to help and will get back to him. Apprentice spends his day at work tweaking his workshop to perfection.
== Thursday 27th March 2015 - Sixth Session (Evening) ==
Azrael goes back to bouncing
Fox visits the Urban Exploration Society
Apprentice heads down the X & Theta to relax and meet up with old friends (I should have awarded some willpower here) who invite him to join their regular bowling on Wednesdays (An easy and regular source of willpower)
Metal after much deliberation goes to the address in Tottenham Court Road where he finds out that the mysterious employer is in fact Poppy (Queen of Summer) and agrees to work for her in exchange for regular cash.
Travelling back on the tube, Metal and Fox encounter a middle-aged woman in the reflection of the tube glass. She stares at Fox and pulls the emergency stop chain inside the reflection. The train stops abruptly. The figure breathes on the window and writes "Thief" staring at Fox. She starts trying to break open the glass and reaches through a hand, Fox avoids her and tries to swipe at the ghost with her claws. but they pass straight through leaving her with a painful ice-cold sensation penetrating to the bone where she met the ghosts touch.
Metal ripped off a piece of the carriage, a simple metal cover and used it as a shield. The ghost seemed to vanish, only to re-appear later in the reflection of the metal cover. Metal bent it into a circle causing it to reflect internally and the train became quiet again. They quickly hurried off before anybody could blame them for the extensive damage.
They all meet up back at Apprentices place and bed down for the night
== Friday 28th March 2015 - Sixth Session ==
Next morning, Fox gets an irate call from Mr Tweed who demands to know how she is getting on with the task she promised she would do for him. She is about to leave the house but then realises that she has no glamour and so can't bring out the keen sense of smell that she would need in order to track a blood trail so she appeals to the others for help
Metal and Apprentice agree that foraging in the hedge might be their best bet, Apprentice makes a hedge gate in the boot of his car and they dive through. Although they search diligently for the Goblin Fruits that they require after an hour or so they are unable to find anything useful.
However they do meet a Goblin merchant hefting a large sack by the name of Nobbler. He offers a sample of his wares if the players will come to the market and bring one extra person each. The next market is at the full moon. (Metal remembered this as being on Sunday, however further checking indicates that the moon is full over 3 whole days. Saturday being the first and Monday the last) they agree to this in exchange for 6 goblin fruits. (2 feather-like leaves [called Croup-nettle according to Big Zach], 2 Orange plumbs, a neon green banana and a strange hybrid of a passion fruit and an orange). {C}Arriving back at Apprentice's flat safely they settle down for the evening.
== Friday 28th March 2015 - Sixth Session ==
Fox having gathered enough glamour went off to Seven Dials and using the hedge gate there, goes in search of more Goblin fruits and the gate through which she was taken (A metal fire door, off of the defunct British Museum Station, where she intended to pick up the trail of blood that Mr Tweed informed her was left there. She followed an indistinct trail back to Tower Hollow (A large tower in the hedge that was part of the Library that once stood there, with a hedge-gate leading directly back to Tower Bridge in London, part of the old-freehold) where at least one Changeling stood on guard around a larger camp. Not wanting to start a fight, she backs off and retraces her steps. She peeks in through the fire door, attracting the attention of a policeman watching over the crime scene. She quickly closes the door and retreats, but a short while later hears the voice of the officer. When she heads back there is no sign of him in the hedge or on the station, so she takes the opportunity to look around. Finding some odd but faded scents, of a crisp coolness, the subtle whiff of sulphur and anti-septic cleanness. She contacts Mr Tweed with the information who seems pleased, until she tells him about the police officer. Apprentice and Metal decide to spar in the garden and get practice for Sunday.
Fox returns (Finding a golden apple, a thick succulent vine and a patch of delicious looking grass, the first two she kept but the grass turned out to inspire a ravenous hunger in her, which nearly trapped her there for over an hour hungrily munching on the stuff until she worked up the willpower to leave it alone) and explains the revelations she received to the others. Who seem rather worried about the missing police officer. However the deeper implication that a member of the Winter court could still be alive and that a member of the freehold could be a traitor are also pondered.
== Saturday 29th March 2015 - Sixth Session ==
Big Zach tells the PCs that due to Slim Jim's availability, the raid has been moved to Sunday. However eager to complete their deal with the Goblin, they persuade him to swing by the market.
Metal contacts Poppy and likewise arranges for her and Ginger to make an appearance. {C}Metal, Apprentice and Fox go in search of the missing police officer, however they arrive at the market.
Fox buys a plasma rifle (Clip depleted) in exchange for her left eye from a bloated arms dealing goblin.
Apprentice noticing Fox's pain purchases an analgesic in exchange for the finger nails on his little fingers. However Fox appeared to have overcome the pain by the time he completed the transaction and he found that he needed it a great deal more.
Goblins make various offers, which Metal urges people to turn down.
Fox leaves the market via the hedge leaving the Plasma Rifle in Apprentice's capable hands, as she goes off (Sporting her new eye-patch) into the hedge to seek out the missing police officer.
Shortly afterwards Azrael receives the message and turns up to meet them.
== Saturday 29th March 2015 - Eighth Session ==
(Catch-up for Azrael's encounter with the lawyers over the last 2 days: Invited to Matson Daiman & Driscoll, a firm of solicitors in the city with impressive offices, featuring thick carpets, living plants and oak panelling. He's guided down into what seems to be a basement area, still as lushly appointed as it is above. where a pair of solicitors discuss his case with him. Azrael sticks mostly to the truth, but claims not to remember the last 3 years. They take a blood sample claiming that private labs can analyze it quicker and guide him through courtroom techniques.
Apprentice has however worked out some of the mechanisms of Fox's newly purchased plasma rifle, realising it needs to be filled with blood.
In the Market
* Azrael catches up and is filled in about what the group have done previously.
* Apprentice + Magneto visit a scribe looking to make a fusion reactor to more conveniently power the plasma rifle. Unfortunately he doesn't stock that sort of esoterica.
* They all meet up with Big Zach and chat about the raid on Sunday
* Slave auction: Where they come across a dragon, some zombies and a human doctor for sale. They don't bid on anything, but make careful notes about what is purchased and sold.
* Azrael meets a man with flayed skin (Another Changeling) And asks him if he knows about Fabian. He doesn't but introducing himself as Skinner, he shows him a picture of fae, and Skinner says he will keep his ear to the ground.
* Visiting the seemingly telepathic spider-like woman the Widow Mactan to discover if Fabian is a fetch or not.
** She trades the information for the strength of Azraels arms. After a bit of banter and negotiations she agrees to take enough not to damage him. However she also offers a free secret to sweeten the deal. to which Azrael replied: "I don't care what you throw in".
** As a result she drains him of some strength and "throws in" a spider, that crawls under the eyelid of the helpless Azrael itching the inside of his skull. She also reveals that Azrael has given his blood to the wrong people. Azrael now knows with unerring certainty that the real Fabian has been living with his fetch.
* They pass a very appetising seller of fresh meats.
On the way back to Apprentice's place they come across some convenient fruits: 5 white cucumbers of unknown properties and they demonstrate the convenience of travelling by hedge to the reluctant Azrael.
== Sunday 30th March 2015 - Eighth Session ==
At home Magneto researches Matson Daiman and Driscoll and finds that they have made relatively large contributions to the conservative party. He also requests some further financial records under the freedom of information act, but they might take time to arrive. Meanwhile Apprentice constructs a holster for the rifle. They discuss hunting for Azrael's fetch and performing a carefully timed switch, but there is little time and few ideas about how to do it.
Prepping for the attack they meet up with Big Zach, Slim Jim, Molly Bitchen and Polish (The young 14 year old drudge) at a bar called the "500 meters" built into the old Olympic Athletics Stadium near Zach's home. Zach tells them, they are raiding the goblins because they are all slavers and they serve the fae, causing a few people to question this, but nobody outright objects, so they pile into the van and Apprentice's car and head off to Camden.
Behind Camden Market, where a large new M&S stands, there is a hedge gate in a window slightly above ground level, but easily reachable with a stepladder. Everybody but Molly and Polish (Who both hold weapons of their own) goes through the gate. Led by Slim Jim, they make their way to the slums, they will be attacking a cul-de-sac of the slums, moving quickly and escaping before others can react, taking with them anything valuable they can lay their hands on.
Apprentice's phone goes off however, with Veronica inviting him to come and play with their son and meeting Susan on Monday, to which he agrees. Sparking conversation about why there is phone signal in the hedge. Metal tried to download an app, which turns around and tries to bite his fingers off. They spot a tall metal construction, which might be an antennae of sorts. Magneto warns people to be on the lookout for mechanical surveillance devices. They split up and agree to attack in 5 minutes time.
They spring out and a few seconds of frantic combat against 4 hobgoblins in a nearby shack and 2 velociraptor mounted guard-hobs who mount a rapid response leaves them with 2 dead hobs, 1 dead velociraptor, 1 badly injured and stunned dismounted rider, one lightly injured dinosaur rider still in the saddle and 2 hobs only lightly wounded. With the PCs taking an unexpectedly brutal amount of punishment in return from the Hobs spears and sharp knives and shouts of "Death to the oppressors", whilst Zach and Slim fight elsewhere.
The Plasma rifle is however powered up now as the fight rages on around it. Azrael wielding his length of chain, Magneto and his sledge hammer, covered in razor sharp metal spikes, with Apprentice suitably tooled up with the pocket-blade knife, Basalisk shield and the plasma rifle plugged into a goblin corpse.
== Sunday 30th March 2013 - Ninth Session ==
Continuing the fight with the Hobs. A few blows back and forth. The Hobs taking more damage than they deal out. The injured hobs were quickly dispatched and after Apprentice gave a fearsome speech, backed up with a flourish of his blade, the remaining hobs simply fled. Leaving them free to loot the camp Metal grabbed a handful of goblin knives, Apprentice found some old bread and Fox's eye seemingly embedded in a camera and Azrael hit the jackpot with a poorly spelt cardboard sign saying "Hungry and Homeless, please help" that seemed to grant a limited perception filter. A grey misty bottle with the word "Aegis" written on it and the bladeless hilt of a sword. All of which had a touch of magic about them. They each took some of the white cucumber to alleviate the worst of their wounds.
They met up with Big Zach and Slim Jim on the other side of the cul-de-sac as an alarm bell was raised.
Eager not to waste time they fled, although shortly they realised that the hedge had changed shape, blocking their way back home.
With Slim scouting ahead to find a path, followed by Zach with the injured Metal and Azrael in the middle and Apprentice taking up the rear they moved out at a hustle. Apprentice took a small dart to the back of the neck causing a burning sensation in his veins. Looking back for the Hob proved that he had already ducked away, but that no doubt more were coming.
They sprinted onwards, only to step into a hidden gulley which opened up swallowing Apprentice and Metal. Leaving Azrael Slim and Zach. Loyal to a fault Azrael tried to extend the chain he had been using down, but when realising that they weren't responding simply slid down after them.
On the way down Metal had cunningly tried to slow his descent with the knives. An excellent plan, although flawed, as Apprentice followed heavily afterwards, dropping on top of him and ruining the attempt.
At the bottom of the nearly 10 meter mud-slide they had stumbled into a beautiful field full of wild flowers with a heady aroma, not unlike Poppy's fragrance, only much more potent. Metal and Apprentice were almost instantly overcome collapsing into a deep slumber. Azrael made a more careful descent and managed to resist the heady soporific for longer, Trying in vain to get Apprentice away from the field, until he too collapsed.
They woke eventually, after a long and restful nights sleep, naked, with all of their gear neatly cleaned and folded. Finding that almost a whole day had passed them by. Leaving Azrael late for his court date and Apprentice late for family time. The flowers had closed and the musk subsided. Metal clambered up the slippery path using the daggers to help his ascent. However at the top of the path, he could hear voices. A party of Redcaps led two prisoners, Polish and Molly Bitchen away at a limping speed. Both prisoners and some of the Loyalists had obviously been wounded in the attempt
Back down in the clearing Apprentice killed a Hob he had found sleeping nearby and used the blood to recharge the plasma rifle (the previous charge having long since turned to brown sludge).
They gathered their gear and one at a time ascended up the slope with the daggers. They chose to save Molly and Polish over their real world commitments. Racing off down the path after the Loyalists, and using Fox's eye as an improvised dousing tool, they rapidly gained ground. Although they experimented a bit more with the sign. (It can't cover more than one person, it leaves anybody who uses it dishevelled and odorous for a long time afterwards, causing them to become almost a parody of the "smelly bum" in the public consciousness.)
However the Hedge took advantage of Azrael's perception filter, grabbing him with a tight vine and dragging him nearly 20 meters backwards down the path, before he could get out a shout. Thankfully he was easily released, but he put away the sign for safe keeping all the same.
They finally caught sight of the kidnappers: An elven looking man at the rear, an ogre carrying a swan maiden, the Molly and Polish chained together with a fine silver chain (held by Skinner at one end and the Ogre at the other) and finally Skinner the redcap with the flayed skin at the front. Each one was wearing Black hob-nailed Jackboots.
The Elf opened fire with a couple of arrows, causing some nasty injuries to Metal and finally dropping him before he could make an attack. However Apprentice came over the top and with two clear strokes killed the elf dead, before advancing on the ogre (Carrying the swan-maiden now over his shoulders). The Ogre gave a solid kick to the face, but with Azrael's weight behind him, it caused the Ogre to lose his balance. Apprentice tried to intimidate the huge green thug, but the only reply he got was "We have no choice, the boots will take us back to him.". Apprentice tried to lunge, but even on the floor the Ogre was too fast. he countered by grabbing apprentice's sword arm, twisting painfully and forcing him to drop the blade. Whilst behind him Azrael noticing a sound turned to face the obviously dead body of the elf walking of its own accord towards him and impaling it on his spear. Azrael hearing what the ogre had said, tried to shake the elf off of his spear and into the hedge, Failing at the second part, but at least able to get the weapon clear, he turned to face the ogre as Apprentice had his feet swept out from under him, and in turn managed to pull at the laces of the boots. However they re-tied themselves almost instantly.
Azrael lunged over apprentice and the brute waited patiently, catching the spear and using it as a lever to fling Azrael onto the thorns, whilst Apprentice got up, sword back in hand. Azrael bled heavily, unconscious on the thorns that seemed to lap up the blood eagerly.
Leaving only Apprentice standing, he moved forwards with blood in his eyes. The Ogre surprisingly told Apprentice that he would never take his Swan from him. Apprentice not particularly worried about Swan retorted that he was only after the prisoners. So the Ogre, unable to directly go against his orders, grabbed Apprentice by his collar and executed a clean judo throw, throwing him beyond the Ogre and Swan. The Ogre simply picked up the swan-maiden and using some strange gestures, created a new path in the hedge, through which he escaped. Leaving only Apprentice and Skinner.
Skinner drew what looked like a flint-lock. and got of a grazing hit. Whilst apprentice closed the distance and unable to use any other weapon, he turned his knife on Molly "Come any closer and the bitch dies". However recklessly Apprentice steamed into his attack anyway. As soon as the sword arm twitched however he drew the knife across his hostage's throat and let Molly fall to the floor, releasing his end of the chain.
Apprentice got another clean hit in against him and Skinner turned to flee. Apprentice tried to use his brand new Plasma Rifle. However his inexperience and the weapons unusual quality, not to mention that the power cell was starting to coagulate combined, so that the plasma charge detonated prematurely. Burning Polish and covering Skinner's own escape.
Metal, by sheer force of will, made himself get over to the injured Molly, and stemmed the flow of blood, just enough to allow Apprentice to feed her the last of the white cucumbers. Temporarily stabilising her.
They dragged their shattered bodies, guided once again by Fox's eye back towards the real world, where they piled into Apprentice's nearby car and Zach directed them over the phone to drive to Camden General Hospital, where they were told to rest.
Apprentice got chewed out by his Wife's lover Susan, who chastised him for standing her up on his first real attempt at reconciliation. However he told her that he had been waylaid by the Redcaps (to her a local gang) and was in hospital. Which gave her pause for thought.
Penny dropped by with flowers and fruit (not the healing kind as she didn't want to attract attention with miracle cures)
Metal and Azrael received a visit from the police, who transferred him to the secure ward under arrest for the Breaking and Entering charges and a failure to appear at court. Azrael almost immediately creates a hedge-gate and escapes.
Leaving Apprentice alone in his ward,
Metal likewise alone on the ward.
Fox wandering through the hedge, one-eyed
Azrael Weakened and seriously injured also on the run.
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