Episode Synopsis – Session 19 – Lyssa Martin’s Face
[ Author’s Note: This is the episode synopsis for the 19th session of the Dark Waters Rising campaign. This is my take as to what happened during the session. Please let me know if there are any comments or corrections. ]
Flashback – Hunters Without Homes
Hunter is loading up Val’s car with Aunt Eva’s luggage when a beat up VW Golf pulls up. As soon as the car comes to a stop Val gives Aunt Eva a peck on the cheek then yells to Hunter that she is going off to study with her friend Christian. The driver of the car is a young man with an earring and a tattoo of a zombie screaming on his neck. Hunter accosts the young man but lets the pair leave to study for their Symbology final in Dr. Stone’s class.
After a call from a hunter friend from Texas, Blake Reeves, Aunt Eva and Hunter discuss her safety. Eva is afraid to go back to her trailer alone with everything that has happened in New Orleans. Hunter agrees that she can stay in the area. He sets up a spot at a local trailer park then asks his friend Blake to get the trailer and bring it to New Orleans.
While buying a new truck Hunter gets a call from his old prison cellmate Lucas. Lucas explains that in a month he is getting out of prison and would appreciate it if Hunter could put him up for a month or so. Hunter explains that he has a friend who should have space for him in her trailer. Hunter also explains that she could use some protection. Lucas readily agrees to the arrangement.
Flashback – Six Anniversary
The Gator Bite is a vibrant and active place on the anniversary of Six’s lost toes and subsequent founding of the bar…the $2 beer and $4 crawdad plates don’t hurt attracting a crowd either. Six gives a brief speech to the crowd then with a cheer dumps his mug of water on the ground as a tribute to the bayou. Later in the evening Lapinto and O’Hare approach MD. Lapinto carefully asks MD is they are “good”. MD says that they are good then the three celebrate into the night.
HOGD House Call
The hunters prepare the meeting site for a visit from the Order. Ron sets himself up on a roof across the street. Hunter hides in the trunk of Frank Kitrare’s car which has been pulled into the warehouse. MD waits in the shadows. Stone waits with Frank inside. Two hours after they have finished setting up a large black SUV with tinted windows pulls up. The driver, a blond gentlemen with short cropped hair and a visible shoulder holster gets out. He walks to the back of the SUV while surveying the scene. Out of the back of the SUV he pulls out a wheelchair. The blond man then goes to the passenger side and carefully helps an elderly woman into the chair. The two of them then cautiously approach the building. They knock then slowly enter. This is not the response the hunters were expecting.
The blond man introduces himself as “Nigel”. He whispers something in the ear of the elderly woman who has dozed off. At this point her eyes go white and she stands up! The PC learn that Medwin Baxter, one of the Hermetic Order leaders, is somehow possessing the old woman! Medwin explains that this “conveyance” allows him to hold a more “personal” conversation. He first conveys that he is the acting Magus of the Hermetic Order and that he is acting with their full support. Next he explains that Dr. Sutherland acted in a manner that does not reflect the current leadership. Medwin asks that the Order be allowed to handle the situation. Stone carefully explains that this will not be possible. Baxter asks if Dr. Sutherland is dead and Stone says no. Medwin then asks if the New Orleans hunters need any help. He explains that his people have detected that the “Outer Dark” is dangerously thin in New Orleans. (Stone takes this to mean what he and Eva have referred to as the Veil.) Medwin asks that the Dr. Stone proceed carefully. Stone assents. Medwin then signs off and Nigel helps the old woman back into her wheelchair. Before leaving Nigel hands Stone a purple business card with a silver pentagram and a phone number in England. Nigel then calms the old woman referring to her as “Gran”.
Lyssa Martin’s Face
After dealing with the HOGD MD and Stone meet with Detective Kaz. Kaz explains that he has a report for MD and that there has been a “break” in the Lyssa Martin case that needs their attention immediately. Once inside Kaz’s office he summons a rookie detective, Kelly Franklin, who has generated a report showing the various locations of the red lightning strikes. Stone notes that the center of many of the strikes are around ley lines. MD pinpoints the center of the strikes near the warehouse where Lamashtu was summoned. He also deduces that some of the outlying strikes are on cemeteries. He also finds some marks in the bayou.
The Detective then asks Officer Franklin to leave. He then shows the PC a video on a tablet. The grainy black and white video is from the outside of the industrial part building where Lyssa Martin’s body was found. The video shows a light colored van pull up. Two men and a woman (Lyssa Martin) get out of the van. Lyssa seems to be holding a conversation with the men. She is not being held captive in any way but her mannerisms seem to convey that she is nervous. The men get a large brown suitcase and several large gray totes out of the van. About an hour later the two men races out of the building and jump into the van. Both are looking over their shoulders as if there is something bad inside. As the van backs up the front bumper folds in half then pulls off of the van! A light then appears in thin air and shines on the tire tracks. It then clicks off and that is all that is shown!
Kaz then explains that they have tracked down the van and the driver. The van is owned by Grossman Studios. The driver is Marty Grossman. Grossman Studios is run out of a local office. Detective Kaz asks the PC to accompany him. At the office the hunters finds Grossman hanging from the ceiling tiles from an electrical cord. Coming out of his mouth is video tape. Searching the office reveals a camera that is in the front office. This higher quality video shows Grossman at his desk upset after the thinner man leaves. He turns as the door pops open. Next the video shows Grossman grab at his neck as he is lifted off the floor by some an unseen force! He struggles as his mouth fills with something that can also not be seen. Stone uses his vision and discovers that the electrical cable and video tape are in fact magical. They dimly radiate with Outer Dark energy.
After getting details on the other man from the Grossman Studios office the hunters race off. They decide that likely he is the next target. They find Matt Taylor’s apartment torn up but there is not a body present. After collecting several clues they find information on his girlfriend. They call her then with some clever phone call antics get the drunk girlfriend to reveal her address.
Hunter arrives at the girlfriend’s address first. He approaches the house carefully then peers through a window. Hunter finds Matt and his girlfriend snorting cocaine and listening to very loud music. Matt seems to be watching something on his mantle. To his shock he is looking at the skin from Lyssa Martin’s face! As the other hunters approach Hunter bashes through the window and quickly subdues Matt. The rest of the PC change into the house and take control of the situation. When Ron goes out to his truck to get some salt he spots a manhole cover opening. From the manhole cover a strange creature built from an old video camera, a brown suitcase, extension cords, a gray tote, and a light stand crawls out. It moves directly towards the house ignoring everything else in its path! At that moment the PC realize that this creature is Lyssa Martins restless spirit who is seeking revenge! Ron grabs the cold rolled iron sword from his truck lockbox and moves up to stop it!
