Session 21

← Session 20 | Session 22 →

Nyx has a date, Colby and Asa squint at a building, and Sam gets in trouble.

## Characters

* The Party
* Na'arisiel
* Neera Guinn
* Jamie Nejem
* Tressa Gillespie

##### **Tuesday, February 2nd, 543:**

When Asa goes into work, he is surprised to see the head of the coffee shop chain waiting for him. She lets him know, in polite but obvious terms, that unless he can do something about his facial scarring he's out of a job. Asa, who is broke and lacking in options, is now also unemployed. He lets the party know, to which Nyx provides her particular brand of commiseration and Kuno offers him a place to crash if he needs it.

##### **Wednesday, February 3rd, 543:**

It's been a few days since Kuno provided a home for the man he found in an alley, and the cold medicine has had an effect. He is less on edge, and able to more or less feed himself if he is given a fork. Once, when Kuno returned to the apartment, he found the man wandering the apartment, seemingly exploring his surroundings. The man is still effectively deaf and blind, and had no reaction to a sheet of Braille writing provided by Kuno. Kuno adds a few extra locks around the apartment, so he feels safe leaving the man home alone.

Colby attends the filming session scheduled by Fells, and reluctantly does a handful of miracles for the cameras.

#### **Un-Murder Turnabout**

Sam drops by Nyx's apartment. He asks why she is so reluctant to do anything about Zacharie, and doesn't give an answer that satisfies him. After pressing, Nyx agrees that if Sam can convince Pax to turn Zacharie, she will track him down. Sam also asks for an introduction to the wolves so he can ask about Walz's location, which Nyx says she can do in a few days. Nyx mentions she's attending the Children's study session tomorrow, and that she will let him know what she finds out.

#### **Nyx Goes on a Date for "Work Reasons"**

##### **Thursday, February 4th, 543:**

The next afternoon, Nyx goes to the Children's study session. There are several members of the congregation, particularly the older members, here to ask Neera's opinions and advice on current events. Neera's advice is more community-minded than Nyx expected, and it seems she genuinely wants the best for her congregation and the City, even in the midst of the food shortage and impending Parousia.

Nyx gets a chance to pull Neera aside and ask a few questions. She learns that Neera's role as the Vessel means she's essentially the Guide's representative in the City, a position which she fell into after being contacted by the Guide, who offered her a purpose when she was at a low point. Neera had been working with Anthony, and was essentially next in line to be Vessel, but she expected to have more time with Anthony. She was abruptly instated to Vessel, due to Anthony's untimely demise, and hasn't had time to choose a successor yet. Nyx also learns that the process of gaining the Guide's protection directly is to die at their hand in the seal, which is a very private affair that occurs on a few auspicious dates. Neera asks about "Amaranth"'s history, and Nyx fibs that she's doing a religious studies PhD at Faraday. At this, Neera says she knows the religion program there, and invites Nyx to coffee after the study group so they can chat more, which Nyx accepts.

While Neera is changing from vestments to street clothes, Nyx texts Sam. She lets him know she's going for coffee, and while Sam is concerned Nyx assures him she can handle herself.

At the coffee shop, Neera immediately calls out the fact that Nyx lied about being in a PhD program. Nyx admits she dropped out of college, and Neera responds that she never finished high school. The two have a nice conversation, with Neera willing to talk about work. Nyx asks Neera's opinions on other demons: they certainly exist, but tend to be uncaring or without enough power to affect the City. After they've finished coffee, Neera says she had a nice time and that they should go out again.

#### **A Very Slow Moving Sidewalk**

##### **Friday, February 5th, 543:**

The party meets at Nyx's apartment to discuss what they've learned and figure out what to do next. After laying everything out, and some discussion, they decide Colby and Asa will look into Morena's bunker before Nyx and Sam talk to the werewolves. Kuno is taking extra shifts at the university, to be able to afford the rounds the werewolves requested.

While on campus giving lectures, Kuno does some looking into Cliff Devereaux. He conducts a reasonably thorough search, and doesn't find anything that stands out as notable.

Nyx texts the werewolves, in an effort to get Sam an introduction. While fine with seeing Sam and Nyx, the wolves are currently occupied, and aren't free for a few days.

#### **What Do You Think Happened Here**

The location from Cat is an alley in a very bad, and empty, part of the City. There isn't any obvious entrance, but after poking around for some time Asa finds a section of the floor that depresses, revealing machinery around the edge. Asa fries this machinery, and the plate falls into the revealed bunker. One precarious ladder climb later, Colby and Asa join it. Asa melts a door, and the two find themselves in the bunker proper. The space is disorganized, and covered in dust. There are two doors out of the main room, one with several locks on it, as well as a kitchen off to the side. In the kitchen, there is a chest freezer full of very old pieces of people. The dining room table has been converted to a place to strap down a person. Among the junk scattered about the main room, there are a few empty capsule casings.

Through one of the doors, there is a spartan desk and cot, as well as outlines where things used to be hung on the walls. The doorframe and back of the door are covered in claw marks. A tattered lab coat is draped over the back of the desk chair, with one of the pockets containing a wallet with (among other things) a picture of Jamie.

Behind the locked door, there is a cleaned-out office space. One of the desk drawers contains a small device connected to the door security devices. The rest of the drawers are fairly empty, with evidence of past paperwork but nothing obviously useful.

With the bunker explored, Colby and Asa make their way back to report their findings.

#### **LET'S BURN SOME BRIDGES, BAYBEEEEE🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥**

Back at Nyx's apartment, Colby and Asa relay what they learned. The party wonders what the bunker's contents could suggest, with Kuno bringing up the fact Tressa used to do some kind of unspecified work for Morena. Without any clear conclusions, they decide to ask the werewolves.

Jamie welcomes the party in, though she is a bit wary of the fact the whole gang is here. The party returns Tressa's wallet, which she is obviously pleased to have back. When Kuno mentions anything beyond visiting Morena's bunker, in hopes of asking Tressa what happened there, Tressa freezes up. Jamie recommends not bringing that up, but Nyx pushes the issue, and Jamie gets between the party and Tressa, keeping them from dredging up her girlfriend's trauma. Kuno, in an attempt to salvage the situation, brings up Sam's quest after Walz. Jamie gives a location, but underlines the fact it would be a suicide mission. With this, she kicks the party out of the apartment.

#### **We Knew You Didn't Think Things Through, but *REALLY,* SAM?**

##### **Monday, February 8th, 543:**

Sam visits the business district, to scout out Walz's new operation. Once he's there, he realizes the wolves will be able to tell he visited. Throwing all logic away, he tries the direct approach--and is swarmed by security as soon as he gets in the door. Sam manages to escape, with a dislocated shoulder and a bullet wound. On the way home, he leaves Ben a frantic voicemail to not be in the apartment for a few days, before calling Asa. Asa is impressed he managed to do something so dumb, but is on his way over. Sam gives the address of Ben's apartment to the group chat, to go with Asa's warning that the Bratva is now after the party.

## Quotes

**Kellen:** "There have to be consequences for actions."

**Abby:** "Kuno is taking his father business very seriously."

**James:** "I don’t think hate crimes and mercenary work are mutually exclusive."

**Colby:** "I mean, I’d rather not go into a mob hideout by myself."

**Parker:** "This could have been accomplished with some braincells."

**Asa:** "Guys we’re fucked and it’s all Sam’s fault."

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