The Unloved Ones - Bloodlines and Black Magic

Game Master Patrick Curtin

Nace, standing a bit ahead of Miren but behind Miyuku, mutters, ”Christ, there’s the stuff of nightmares...”

He steps a bit closer so that he can speak to the child. ”Is someone in danger?” he says in a low voice. ”Are you I’m danger? Where is he now?”

The small ghost shudders

“He won’t let us go ....”

The apparition looks terrified suddenly and vanishes

"Is it a child?" Mirren asks softly, her expression darkening. "The wicked always begin by tormenting the weak and helpless. If there's anything I hate, it's a bully."

At the mention of danger she decides to not go into a possible fight blind.

Pierce the Veil

Nace looks rather shaken by the child’s appearance. ”It was, but it is gone now,” he says quietly to Miren. ”Something is very wrong here. The child was clearly terrified of something it called... Santa Claws.” He finds no way to say this that doesn’t come across as awkward.

"Something perverts the kind god of the winter season." Miren looks coldly furious and somehow older than her years.

"Is it a child?" Mirren asks softly, her expression darkening. "The wicked always begin by tormenting the weak and helpless. If there's anything I hate, it's a bully."

At the mention of danger she decides to not go into a possible fight blind.

Pierce the Veil

Miren is just in time to see the small apparition vanish

Miren steps to the nearby map, studies it for a moment, then points to a feature.

"Time to pay Santa a visit," she says in an "I'm all out of bubblegum" tone.

Her finger rests on Santa's House.

"Yes, lets" Miyuku, says with icy calm.

Santa’s house is nearby, a kitschy northern-European building. There is a group waiting for Santa pictures. The group can see a nondescript man in a Santa suit doing the traditional picture taking and toy promising

Miren stops to survey the house and its denizens.

"So, do you think it is a person person doing the mischief, or someone - something - less substantial? But more sinister?"

The house looks innocuous, but there is a hint of .... something... beyond it

Miren opens her senses to the world beyond as she examines Santa's House.

Pierce the Veil and maintain concentration

"Where are you?" she whispers.

There is a small child crying on Santa's lap. It looks like the typical small child fear one sees when talking to Santa. With her occult sight, Miren can see a silver-colored smoke emerging from the child's crying mouth. It wafts out, slowly being drawn out the chimney and disappearing behind the rear of the building

"It's in back..." Miren starts to make her way around the building, retaining her magical sight to follow the silver wisps.

Behind the building is an empty patch of scraggly grass. A few Christmas decorations are set up. A storage building occupies a part of the lot, but under the occult sight it enlarges into a funhouse mirror of Santa’s House, only if done by a Halloween decorator. The spectral house looks abandoned, but the silver smoke is drifting into the chimney

Nace follows around back, and looks at the storage building Miren is looking at. He also pierces the veil. He seems to steel himself, as if expecting a confrontation. ”This looks dangerous,” he says. He looks around to see if there are any other people hanging about the area.

Miren nods solemnly. "You go first."

Following the others' Miyuku also lets the scales fall from her eyes, peering into the world beyond. As she takes in the ominous house, her eyes following the silver stream of spectral essence drifting into the chimney, her body language shifts, carrying the silent grace of a predator, as she instinctively fans out alongside her new companions nodding silently to each of them.

"What's the plan? I have no weapon... well, one. But it is a precious one." She glances around to see if they are alone.

Are any other people around?

Nace was looking for the same thing. We definitely need to know whether people are milling about back here.

No, the back lot looks like a prop storage area. There is the shed/dark Santa house and several sad-looking broken snowmen/gingerbread men stacked about. It is mostly shielded from the crowds by several buildings and trees

Miren sighs. "If you please, be calm and friendly."

She closes her eyes and whispers to herself. "Yázhi, come out and meet our new friends," she breathes.

After a moment, the translucent form of a child seems to slide out of Miren's body and tuck under her arm for protection. Its face is unnaturally stretched in a grotesque exaggeration of fear.

"Yázhi, these are Miyuku and Nace. They're friends. They're... special like us. We need your help now, OK?" She speaks softly to the child.

Its face slowly re-forms into the normal features of childhood, peering shyly at the other two. The features are familiar, much like a twin of the child Miren must have been.

Hello, it says softly, as if from a great distance, then buries its head into Miren's side.

Nace gapes speechlessly at Miren’s revelation. Demonic possession? he wonders. Miren doesn’t seem especially diabolical.

”I... hello... Yazhi,” he manages to say.

The ghost child looks at Nace and unexpectedly breaks into a laugh. "My name's not Yázhi! That's just what he calls me." She points to indicate Miren.

"My name is Miren."

Miren winces.

"It's a long story." She swallows noticeably. "Shall we proceed, maybe follow the silver traces?"

Nace looks confused, but merely nods and leads the way carefully toward the sinister building.

Perception rolls please. Also, are you going up to the door?

I would think I would start at the door, unless there is a window that allows a good view of the interior to inspect.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Miren perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 llv

Miren gestures at the house and speaks to her ghostly companion. "Will you look into the house for us, child?"

Phantom Miren can move through a solid wall as long as it's less than 5' thick.

Phantom perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5 Darkvision 60'
Phantom stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Miren will stand back and let her Phantom move up to the wall. No need for the door.

Phantom Miren walks hesitatingly towards the shed/house. Suddenly she shimmers, and her connection with flesh Miren is sundered. The child phantom looks back, a scared look on her face. Then the door of the phantom house opens and a dark figure in a red suit emerges. He scoops Phantom Miren up as if she was made of matter and slams the door behind him. He doesn’t seem to notice the others. Miren is shocked, she has never experienced anything like this before. Her perception of Phantom Miren is gone!

That plan worked well...

Does Miren take the penalties for her phantom being booted to the Ethereal Plane, or does she feel OK.

Miren shrieks and rushes the door of Dark Santa's house.

Seeing the child taken - even a ghostly child that could possibly be a demon as far as Nace is concerned - awakens a protective instinct in Nace. He unholsters his pistol and follows after Miren.

That plan worked well...

Does Miren take the penalties for her phantom being booted to the Ethereal Plane, or does she feel OK.

Miren shrieks and rushes the door of Dark Santa's house.

For now lets say all is in equilibrium. If it’s an extended severance for any reason we can discuss repercussions

As Miren runs forward she shudders as a wave of ...Something washes over her. Suddenly the scene has changed. The busy background noise has faded to a sourceless hissing. She cannot see anyone walking outside the lot. The rides and businesses are all quiet. The light has gone from Fall day to a grey twilight. The spectral house has gained mass, it dominates the area, draped in cobwebs.

Meanwhile

The group sees Miren waver and briefly vanish. Then she becomes visible again, but only while the occult sight is focused on her

"Miren! Fight!" she calls to her specrtal self. "You are not helpless! This is not your father! It's a monster! You may strike back!"

She hesitates, looking back for the others.

Nace follows close on Miren’s heels, headed into the house.

Nace feels an odd frisson as he steps forward. He sees the scene change. This new Santa’s House becomes the reality, and the storage shed the faintly-seen image superimposed on it.

Santa’s House in this realm is a brooding dark mansion. Shuttered windows stare blindly out. There are spider webs all over it, lining the windows and eaves in a cobwebby blanket.

Im assuming Miyuku goes with

Miyuku travels in as well, and the three stand before the doors. A faint trace of song can be heard from within

I hope you all appreciate how I suffer for my craft. That song will haunt me for days

Miren shouts and she feels Mirens presence again. Her link has been restored. The small phantom is within

Do you have access to ghost Miren’s sensory input?.

Shared senses are next level :(

"She's here. But where's 'here'?" Miren whispers.

As the contemplate the mansion they hear a rustling behind them and a young-sounding voice Yells. “HEY!”

They whirl around and see two small figures. They look like children, but wizened and wrinkled. They are dressed in dingy tattered elf costumes, and they even have pointy ears. They are also fat, bulges of pallid flesh erupting from the gaps in their costumes. They are both licking giant lolipops. The lolipops are whirled silver and bilious green in color. Sticky drool covers their many wrinkly chins

“You’re not supposed to be here. Santa doesn’t like naughty people “

The two advance at the group

Roll initiative!

As things rapidly grow south, there's a silent flicker of movement, and Miyuku is wielding a short, curved black blade in a reverse grip, her body instinctively shifting into a combat stance, weight perfectly balanced on the balls of her feet.

Moving in right behind Nace, her eyes shift, pupils expanding to fill almost her entire iris with black, a shimmering silvery light flickering within as she whirls to face the new enemy with unnatural grace and silence.

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

"You took Miren. You haven't SEEN naughty yet," Miren growls.

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Nace’s gun is in hand as he says, ”Where has he taken the child?”

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Init: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Miyuku:
Elves:
Nace:
Miren:

The elves advance, brandishing their sticky treats in a menacing fashion

Nace’s gun is in hand as he says, ”Where has he taken the child?”

One creature smirks

“To show her his magic lights. You’ll see them too. Then you’ll float. Just like we all do”

Miyuku foves forward with fluid grace, a deep violet glimmer spreading from her hand to the edge of her blade as she makes a quick cut across one of the vile child things. "Iyana te o jibun ni shite!" she hisses.

Butterfly’s Sting/Karate Style/ Psychic strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Magic/Slashing: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

GM: Nace has done quite a bit of reading. Is there a Knowledge check he could make to find out if his reading described creatures such as these?

Sure. I’d take any applicable Knowledge check. I saw you score high on (planes) that would be applicable

Miyuku foves forward with fluid grace, a deep violet glimmer spreading from her hand to the edge of her blade as she makes a quick cut across one of the vile child things. "Iyana te o jibun ni s@+@e!" she hisses.

[dice=Butterfly’s Sting/Karate Style/ Psychic strike]1d20+7
[dice=Magic/Slashing]1d6+2

Miyuku, does your weapon count as magical, or is it just an effect you have on the weapon? It’s a subtle difference, but it will become important in a bit

OK, Everyone from this point on, you are in an unlucky aura. This means that any D20 rolls you make you need to do twice and the lesser counts. So Miyuku please roll again, and everyone else keep this in mind going forward

It does if it's in my hands. as does any striking surface on my body

Harvester's talon: Black Butterfly
The brawler begins play with the feats Bonded Weapon and
Psychic Strike. Both of these feats apply to the brawler’s natural
weapons (arms, elbows, feet, knees, and so on).

Benefit You gain the ability to channel your magical will into a
singular bonded object or weapon as a swift action that does not
provoke an attack of opportunity. When you do, treat the weapon in
hand as if it had been the target of the spell magic weapon. While
active, you may use this weapon to strike supernatural creatures
and similar foes.

The dark harvester forms a supernatural bond with
a light simple or melee bladed weapon, such as a dagger, sickle,
handaxe, or short sword. Regardless of the weapon’s normal
damage and critical characteristics, it acts as a 1d6 damage weapon
with a critical of 19-20/x2 in the dark harvester’s hands. It is in
every other way treated as a standard bonded weapon.

I should quantify that non-combat related checks like Knowledge won’t be affected

Unluck reroll
Butterfly’s Sting/Karate Style/ Psychic strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Magic/Slashing: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Miyuku’s blade draws across one of the creatures, and slashes its belly. The creature shrieks incredibly loudly, Miyuku feels her sword vibrate in her hand

The elf is casting Shatter Ill need a DC 10 will save, and saving throws are affected by the unlucky aura

The other monster sees the gun in Nace’s hand and also screeches. The gun vibrates madly

Same ST Nace

Thats their actions, so you folks make your move