2024.12.21 Session Notes

Intro: Character Voice Over

Glass Factory

Characters: Daniel, Kevin, London, Sergei

Scene investigation

• Tire tracks that end abruptly in the yard.
• Footprints that continue around the back side of the building, multiple sets; seems to be a high traffic pathway.
• In the back, there are bags of Candy (see below).
• There’s a door back here (that we didn’t try).
• The interior looks completely abandoned, with some graffiti on the walls and a general dusty, undisturbed air.
• The basement area has a tangled network of pipes and an antique piece of factory machinery spattered with equally antique bloodstains. But there‘s no sign of recent activity.
• There’s no way that the outfit that Briana told the team about could have vacated the premises as recently as 10 minutes ago.
• Based on what we’ve experienced with Briana and the other girl, the Furnace seems to be a one-way exit.

Briana

• Stumbled out of the furnace.
• Quickly started making up a justification to herself as to what must have happened and why she was here.
• After some prompting, she remembered that she was at a post-match MMA party. She passed out and when she woke up, she was in the basement of a factory, cuffed to some pipes. (Corroborated by bruising on her wrists that looks fresh.)
• Other people from the party were there in the basement with her, but not everyone who attended the party was there. Only a select few.
• There were some people she didn’t recognize, who we identified as patrons of the coffee shop.
• She mentioned an “Asian Mafia” that was part of keeping them hostage. This could be one of several groups in The City.
• She identified a man named “Silvio” among the hostages who was desperate to get back to his daughter. He slipped his restraints and helped break out a few of the others before seemingly escaping the building. (London knows this person, and knows that if he got out, he’ll be back home in Chinatown.)
• She doesn’t remember how she got here or how she got out; checking her pockets, she has all the stuff she came in with (wallet, keys, etc). Nothing unexpected or missing in her possessions.
• After Daniel forced her to remember her experience with some clarity, she stammered out the following bits of information before passing out.
  • She had black wings like a crow.
  • There was a witch.
  • The witch put her in the furnace; there was a fire.
  • They “took something” from her.

Candy

• Drug that’s relatively new to the scene, known for making the user’s “wishes come true.”
• Wrappers are emblazoned with an ornate “C” logo.
• When asked about Candy, Briana mentioned a woman on the MMA circuit fighting in “The Bowl” named Will who was rumored to have been taking it. Will got on to a hot streak, winning matches she shouldn’t have been able to win. But then she got into trouble, missed some matches, and went back to sucking.
• Briana gave us a card with a message to Eddie Dreamtime, proprietor of ”The Bowl,” asking him to help us with information.

Enclaves

• Enclaves are places that exist outside of the physical world.
• They are usually controlled spaces that are impossible to breach.
• To enter, one needs permission from the controlling party or some kind of key to get in.
• Example: Gateway Tunnels in La Colonia. Successfully accessing the many doors and branches of these tunnels requires a certain attitude or mental state.

Chinatown

Characters: Daniel, Kevin, London, Sergei

Scene investigation

We didn’t do much investigative work here; we were too busy avoiding being set on fire, dropped, or otherwise maimed.

Silvio

• Got out of the candy factory “through the truck.”
• The magic drum toy given to Xian-Gang, Silvio’s 6-year-old daughter, caused the enchantment of the festival dragon (and London’s shoes).
• Silvio is sure that the drum was a warning from his clients; they can always get to him. Will do anything to keep his daughter safe.
• He procures antiquities and artifacts for his client; all of them have something to do with longevity.
• The artifacts all have “power“ that is tangible to Rifts.
• He thinks that his client’s name starts with an “A.”
• Drops of retrieved artifacts are never the same person or the same place; his next acquisition is later tonight. He refused to tell us when or where.
• Especially emphasized that Moon Wraith needs to stay out of this before he disappeared. (Romeo and Juliet vibes.)

Moon Wraith

• Reminded us that Rifts will see and feel things that normal people cannot.
• Pointed out that all the Sleepers were already justifying the fire dragon animation and destruction as a show or special effect. Except the six of us (the 4 PCs, Moon Wraith, and Silvio.)
• Theorized that Briana has gone back to her sleeper state after being awakened briefly.

Xian-Gang is currently with the party as of the end of the session.

Open Loops

1. Examine the enchanted drum more closely.
2. Follow up on “The Great Teacher.” (These are Fadi’s initial recommendations, which came with a warning that this is a terrible idea.)
   1. Research ”Alchemy of the Soul”
   2. Talk to “Ariadne”
   3. Talk to Gregory Clay
3. Visit “The Bowl” and get information about/from Will.
   1. Proprietor - Eddie Dreamtime - we have an introduction from Briana
   2. Wilhelmina (Will) - MMA fighter on the circuit w/Briana
4. “Asian Mafia” who might be involved with Candy production/distribution.
5. Maeve’s socials - can we find the streaming content?
6. We will have to go back to the factory and explore that back entrance but … it’s not time yet.