ATTG Session 3: The Mystery Deepens

 GM Recap

Casting

• Adelphin "Adel" Jean-Baptiste (Laurie) Domains (Death and Magic), child of  Werethekau and Baron Samedi. Machiavellian meddler. Power unto herself. Adelphin can kill with a glance, manipulate magic as if she were born to it (she was), and doesn't seem to be able to actually die. Tagline: "I'm not the devil, but betray me and I will show you hell".
• Liam O'Shea (Randy) Domain (Strength) and child of Dagda. A huge, powerful, and deadly warrior. A druid and generally a likeable guy. Taught the old ways but is comfortable with the modern. He's traveled much of the world and is looking to see even more. Tagline: "I told you I wouldn't fit."
• Mitzidu Ito (Rory) Domains (Business, Hearth/kitchen), child of Inari and Kojin. The teams business guru, event planner and entertainer. Taglines: "Life never tasted this good before!" and "The Hearth is the heart of the home, but food is the soul of a community"
• Suveer Patel (Christian) Domain (Clearing Obstructions), child of Ganesh.  Martial artist and student of a thousand styles, Suveer is one of the teams upfront fighters with fists or his gauda (mace). He can get past any obstacle put before him. Tagline: "You are in front of me and no obstacle can stop me. Find a better place to be."
• Yannis Papadopoulos aka The Courier (Chris D.) Domains (Communication, Secrets, Rainbows), child of Harpocrates and Arke. Team sneaker and postman. If you see him, its already too late, your package has been delivered. Tagline: "The thirty minutes or less policy is for those that like to live dangerously."
• Siv (NPC) Child of Odin, handed to Adelphin for protection.
• Chad (NPC), child of Cupid

This session pretty much started with dinner. We briefly introduced Chad to the others and talked about the party the night before and that the Thule Society was in town and watching godlings to kidnap them for sacrifice. Yannis excused himself early to do some private stuff.

Liam announced he wanted to see casinos since this was his first time in Vegas and invited others to come. Mitzadu, Suveer, and Chad joined him while Adelphin had business to take care of.

The group started at the Luxor, because Pyramid! Suveer hit the roulette wheel, Mitzadu played Blackjack, and Liam and Chad played the slots.

Chad won a car and $50k early on then strutted around. As the group left for the next casino they noticed they were being followed by presumed Thule Society goons. Suveer turned them in at the casino where they were detained for carrying firearms and threatening patrons. Liam won 100K in pennies, hes not sure how but had fun sorting it out. Mitzidu blessed a down on his luck patron, giving him a card with some hastily jotted down stock tips and using his divine powers to grant the guy Filthy Rich and Independent Income 20 for the next month and a half. Th

e rest of the night was uneventful and not played through, though Suveer was called back early for work.

Yannis retraced the drive trying to get more info, none acquired.

Adelphin checked on the Lady in Red and found a locket in her effects she could not open so called Suveer to do it for her.  Inside was a picture of the patients daughter, unfortunately breaking the seal also broke a concealment spell.  As Adelphin was using a scrying spell she saw someone knock on the door and then shoot the lady taking care of the daughter then kidnap her. Yannis portaled the three over but as they appeared he created a portal and left. They jumped through before it could close, arriving in Olympus.

A lightning bolt hit the ground in front of them, followed shortly by Zeus who told them they were not welcome before spotting Adelphin and then flirting with her. Poseidon also showed up and took custody of the daughter who apparently was his? Poseidon made dagger eyes at Yannis and the group was told to depart, Zeus opened a portal to the street in front of the Karnival hotel and they left.

The casino hoppers were coming back at the same time, spotted the group coming out of the portal and asked what was going on. Adelphin was in a bad mood at what happened and told them she would tell them later.

Thats when the session ended (had gone over about an hour already).

Afterthoughts

This was the second session where the group was mostly separated and hopefully it starts to work together soon.  However the setting strongly encourages self-reliance as the godlings and demigods are all in competition for a small number  of ascension slots, or just to not lose their heads. Few people seek help for things they can do themselves, even if someone else can do it better.  As long as its "good enough" why get help?

Adelphin is crazy powerful, a multimillionaire, powerful mage, and has numerous connections. For example Odin just assigned his ward to her for safekeeping. Her "good enough" covers just about everything and she has two player characters in her employ, a strong warrior and a courier who can find out just about anything. Asking Liam or Mitzadu for help is pretty much playing out of character, at least if she can do it herself. 

Yannis is a godling of secrets so keeping things to himself also seems in character and outside of combat he is unlikely to need help with much of anything.

Liam is the strongest demigod in the campaign and a druid, but also new to town so is out of the loop on the plt hooks thrown out so far.

Mitzadu heard some information about the Thule Society and shared it but is largely unaware of things and so far totally unaware of the Poseidon or Lady in Red plots (this might change next session) and so far thinks things are normal and is just trying too help the new godlings get properly prepared for the Harrowing.

Everyone seems to be playing their characters well, but the GM is a bit frustrated and having to do extra work because not everyone is together much of each session. I expect this to change soon, however the setting and power level encourage self-reliance are obstacles that need to be overcome. The current plots (that I know of at least) may not be enough to do this as the situation appears to be something the outsiders can offer little to help with (though if given the opportunity I do have a few ideas) so it would be in character for the Karnival group to try and work out for themselves. Again, the very setting itself (think Highlander) encourages independence. If this plotline does not work right away hopefully another will.