Campaign History, Sessions 11-15

## **Session 11: Red Royal, The First Night**

It has been several weeks since the team assisted Void. In that time, an automa hacktivist named E-13, also known by her online handle eLLe, was killed during a police raid in Motor City. Automa in New Unity began protesting, which was picked up by other automa groups, cities, and even human rights groups, who supported their quest for justice. Airheart comes as Dave is watching news coverage of a protest, which Marvel, Balefire, and Beacon are keeping an eye on, preventing violence. Marvel, in particular, is drawing a line between the police and protestors. She turns the television off, and tells the team that they're needed on the Aeneid II.

On the station, they find Void is waiting, handcuffed to a table, with a pile of dust and shattered clone fragments in the corner. They open the handcuffs as the team enters, and begin to explain why they're there. They received a card, which indicates that an event called the Red Royal is happening. The Red Royal is an event put on by Red and Royal, twins who are incredibly powerful. They invite everyone who has clashed with heroes, as well as a number of magical individuals, for an event that lasts several days and typically offers up powerful items. The last occurred in 1968, and Void has attended. Once. The twins are promising an incredibly powerful secret that Void has an interest in containing, and so they called on the team to retrieve it. They explain that this is also repaying a debt that Void owes the team, as the Guard can use this opportunity to spy on supervillains.

Lace, the Guard's technological expert, takes this moment to enter with a large case containing equipment. She shows them the equipment as Void explains: As invitations are sent to all so-called "villains", they received an invitation, but as they're wary of the twins' power, they don't want to go themselves. They felt that sending the New Guardians instead would pique the twins' interest, and they would allow the team inside to see what happenened. Void also takes the opportunity to tell what equipment won't work inside, which is most of it.

The event is a masquerade, so the team dresses up in fine attire and goes into the undercity. After experiencing strange and powerful magical effects, the team finds themselves walking down a road, with tall hedges to either side, toward an English manor. They're greeted by a servant, who examines their invitation as well as Void's card, which is a solid black version of the red invitation, and then dissolves into shadow and is replaced by a tall woman with red hair and eyes. She expresses some amusement at Void sending children to do their work, and permits them inside, since they have an invitation. Sarah picked up a mask inside, while Marlowe was greeted by Taunt, who tried to drain them to prove a point; however, Marlowe turned the tables, and drained Taunt instead.

Red and Royal appeared on a stage in the ballroom, and explained what the event was about, and the rules for staying in their home. They would be giving away a secret, a way to leverage control over the soul, to whoever they found most interesting by the end of the event. They explained that no physical violence was allowed, with Red demonstrating the consequences on an individual and reassembling them after. They also explained that causing damage to the house would not be permitted, with the consequence being expulsion. Any guest is allowed to leave, but re-entering is not permitted; and at this point, all of the invitations crumble to dust.

The twins disappear, and an orchestra appears in their stead. Sarah immediately finds someone, who turns out to be master thief, the Phantom Fox, and tells her life story. The Phantom Fox doesn't care, and teleports away. Meanwhile, Marlowe and Taunt dance together, with Taunt trying to take the lead but provoked by Marlowe into letting them lead. Sarah and Dave dance together, as well as Clarke and Duncan, before they rejoin each other. They meet Isabelle, a skinwitch whose life they helped save, who points out several individuals attending, including Prashil, an infamous negotiator, and Hecate, an extremely powerful witch and crime boss. Sarah tries to get information from the Phantom Fox about her plans, and gets only that after her next job, she will be "on top of the world." Marlowe and Dave perform their own minor tricks to garner attention, gaining some success, and meet with a minor villain named Skulls who actually likes Taunt, which causes some concern. Duncan creates an immense illusion that causes some partygoers to flee, as they think the place is on fire, but he's stopped by Royal.

Eventually, Sarah meets with a young woman who adores the Phantom Fox and wants an introduction. After a lackluster attempt to convince her to stay in school and not do crime, Sarah says she can arrange an introduction if the young woman helps her spy on the rest of the guests, which the girl readily agrees to. Meanwhile, Dave and Marlowe meet with a woman called Hecate, who controls a large portion of territory in the undercity. She says that she can find work for them if they do something for her: If they dig up dirt on 0, another undercity boss, something that will give her an advantage in their negotiations, they're in on her organization.

Marlowe, instead of digging up dirt, goes to 0 and offers to trade some information. They tell 0 that during a tirade where Hecate said she has the power of a goddess, she rubbed a ring on her hand to ensure it was still there. 0 thanks them for the information and (rather rudely) tells them to get out.

Shortly after, Sarah sneaks out of the team's rooms and meets with Red, who is dressed in a decidedly less formal manner. They speak for a while, and Red offers to "cure" Sarah, touching her and returning a small portion of her to human. Sarah reacts with anger, and Red apologises, and points out that the Guard wasn't serious about helping her; they could have asked any number of powerful beings, including Void and Maur and even herself, to help, but didn't. She also says that she sees herself in Sarah, and explains that despite all of the supervillains in attendance, she doesn't want to see this secret go to someone who will misuse it; she wants it to go to someone who will use it to help others. When Sarah offers up the Guard as a recipient, Red says that the Guard will simply lock it away, not use it to help. When the conversation winds down, Red departs, leaving Sarah to return to her room.

## Session 12: Red Royal, The Second Night

Upon waking, the team is greeted by servants who tell them that the house has been rearranged and breakfast provided. Sarah gathers everyone and tells them about her conversation with Red the previous night,

remind me to finish this sometime when it isn't 1am