Session #9 – Daring Tale #5 – The Talons Of Lo-Peng
[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 9th session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play. The narrator is shown in italics.]
In this hair-raising adventure of Tesla’s Power Corp you can follow the exploits of the following heroes:
- Jared Caesar – Savvy archaeologist and heroic explorer.
- Mike Callahan – Tough private-eye with a zest for life.
- Johnny Kelly – Self-taught mechanic and chemist who knows he is the best at what he does…just ask him!
- Tommy Kelly – Teen thief with a “Robin Hood” complex.
- Miles Ravenwood – Mysterious man-of-means with knowledge in all things arcane.
Shocking Development
As the story picks up the characters are figuring out how they can safely scale a gigantic Buddha statue so that they can enter the secret tunnel behind it’s head. While the current members of the Corp figure out the details Jared Caesar stares on in disbelief. These strangers are definitely not archaeologists and they seem very ill-prepared. After the rest of the characters enter the tunnel Jared approaches and climbs up the statue.
Inside the members of Tesla’s Power Corp find a vast hidden chamber. The chamber is filled with wooden walkways suspended by chains over what appears to be a nearly bottomless pit. Along the walkways are statues that act as pillars to support the roof. On the far side of the room is a glowing golden coffer.
As the current members of the Corp decide how to proceed Jared knocks loose some dirt and is spotted. After explaining the fact that he is after the same thing as the group and that he has useful skills, including the ability to read Mandarin, they begrudgingly accept him.
With some prompting from Tommy, Johnny rigs up a hook like extension that can be used to move from one chain to another without touching the walkways. This allows Tommy to carefully examine the walkways and coffer.
At the coffer Tommy takes the lead by examining the platform on which it rests. By inspecting it from the underside he determines that it is rigged to swing out on a pivot dropping anyone on the top into the bottomless pit. With this knowledge Tommy and Johnny wedge the platform into the upright position. Next Miles reaches out with his mystical senses. He determines that the coffer is magically tied to the room and sets up a dampening circle around it. Once done Jared reads the writing which tells of an immortal dragon whose heart is split into three pieces. After unlocking and opening the coffer the group finds a piece of the jade amulet. Sensing great power Miles carefully reaches into the coffer to pick it up.
At that moment there is a crack of lightning and the group sees a man in a blue gee appear! After summoning martial art minions he orders them to attack in Mandarin. With this the heroes jump into action! Miles cuts loose with devastating lightning bolts. Callahan lets loose with his twin Colts. Jared takes out some minions with some well placed rifle shots. After taking some terrible damage the second talon falls. Unexpectedly villagers rush in with guns blazing to help out the group. In moments the chaotic melee is over.
Back at the village the group is treated like heroes. Miles and Jared take some time to examine the amulet. It matches the description and photograph of the first piece but is a different segment. When Miles stretches out with his senses to examine it his vision changes to a city on the water with a beautiful domed cathedral. The scene moves down a waterway then under the famous Rialto Bridge. It is Venice! Finally his vision focuses in on a white washed stucco wall then a statue of a cherub that is clutching another piece of the amulet.
Hedge Maze
After touching down in Venice the group is met by Luigi Giovanni. Luigi owns the Palace Hotel and seems to know Miles from a previous visit. He offers the group an executive suite at the hotel. The group asks Luigi if he can protect their bags why they are in town. He confirms that it would be his pleasure to watch their valuables.
The next morning Miles starts asking around about the cherub statue from his vision. He eventually finds an art dealer who has seen it. The art dealer directs the group to a piazza that has a hedge maze that incorporates several fountains that have cherub centerpieces.
Just before entering the hedge maze the group spots several Chinese men wearing trench coats entering from another alley. Using Miles’ mystical senses and their own quick wits the Corp quickly navigates the maze. As they approach the cherub status they find a man in a red gee grabbing another pieces of the jade amulet! After ordering his men to attack in Mandarin he launches fireballs at the group! Acting quickly Johnny orders SAM to protect Miles. This acts to keep the flames away from Miles allowing him to cut loose on the fire mystic. In the meantime Mike rushes forward into the fray sending martial artists flying backwards into Tommy’s spider amulet swarm. In seconds the Chinese thugs are down and the final talon has fallen.
As the group turns to leave an image appears before them. The image is of an old Chinese man with a long black Fu-Manchu mustache. He informs the group that his name is Lo Peng and that he has kidnapped Mike’s army buddy Eddie Chang! He tells them to bring the pieces of the amulet that they possess to the Great Wall in four days so that they may trade them for Eddie’ life.
Don’t turn your dial or you may miss the spine tingling climactic battle between an immortal dragon and the heroic might of Tesla’s Power Corp!
