Recent Changes - Search:
Blades /

EpisodeFive

30.05.23 - Episode Five

The time had come to do something about the tensions between The Fog Hounds and The Blue Salamanders before it teetered over into war. As usual, however, the Blue Salamanders decided to act in such a way that not only could they get the Fog Hounds back on side, but they could also get one over The Vultures?, maybe even wresting away from them turf. Just how could they pull off such a score? Through a barmaid who dreamt of being a showgirl.

The plan was to tip off the Fog Hounds, fellow allies of The Lampblacks, that The Vultures were not to be trusted, offering them the chance to deal with them and gain favour with The Lampblacks. In doing so, the hope was that not only would The Blue Salamanders gain favour with The Fog Hounds, preventing war breaking out between them, but they might also be able to take advantage of the downfall of The Vultures, and grasp control of land from them. The problem with all this? Persuading someone from The Fog Hounds to listen to them rather than simply shooting or stabbing them. And this is where Esme came in.

Chatting to Esme, Crash was able to persuade her to reveal who might have a weakness amongst The Lampblacks, someone they could take advantage of. To get her talking, he enquired about her dreams. It turns out, she dreamt of being on the stage. Would she reveal a name if they could help her get there one day? The lure of makeup and gaslight was all it took. Goldie?, the Fog Hound's navigator, was also a regular frequenter of the bar, and also regularly slipped out to visit somewhere, something she imagined could be used as leverage, a vice of some sort. He was clearly their man.

Whilst Crash was talking to Esme, Rin set about starting rumours in the fight pits and the shadowy corners around them, that The Vultures were up to something irregular. Mr Hopkins, freshly restored to the Crew after his stay in gaol, set to work in producing compromising documentation that demonstrated that The Vultures were in bed with The Red Sashes.

The trap set, they met in Esme's bar, and trailed Goldie to see just where it was that he slipped out to. Much to their surprise, it turned out to be Miss Mora's Home for the Destitute and Wayward?. Clearly Goldie had an embarrassing connection with this workhouse on the edge of Charterhall?... If they could catch him in a compromising situation, maybe he would be open to their offer.

And so it was that the next day, Goldie cheerfully entered Miss Mora's Home for the Destitute and Wayward, only to find the crew waiting for him [an engagement roll of 6 meant they were in a controlled position]. So far the score couldn't have gone better. He seemed 'open' to their offer, Mr Hopkin's documentation being quite convincing. Of course, in Duskvol, order rarely lasts, and this was no exception. Whilst they were talking, Rin felt the hairs on his neck rise, a growing unease, followed by a drop in the temperature. From out of the adjoining room into which the gaggle of dishevelled girls that accompanied Miss Mora had been sent, came flying one of their number, shrieking and clawing at the air, raking her nails at their eyes with unlikely speed and strength. Correctly realising that the girl was possessed, the Crew slipped into their rehearsed routine, Crash forcing the spirit out and Rin punching it into a bottle; 'find it, punch it, bottle it!' The score ended with Rin nonchalantly passing the spirit bottle to Goldie, with Goldie being oblivious to the fact that the spirit it contained, was the spirit of one of his crew members who they had killed in a previous encounter (see Session Four's entanglement).

And what of Esme's dreams? The Fog Hounds took down the Vultures, gaining favour with The Lampblacks. Tipping them off, brought peace between them and the Salamanders, and what is more, when the Fog Hounds took them down, The Salamanders were able to take advantage of their weakened state to occupy an abandoned theatre and adjacent shop. Perhaps one day Esme might have her chance to tread the boards!

Downtime:

Login for GM Notes