Kingbeast's Lair

[ Author’s Note: This is the log for the 12th session. Instead of posting your standard log of everything that happened during the session I will post “Then” and “Now” sections that summarize the story. The players will need to recall the details as to how it unfolded. This means that the players will be responsible for remembering any loose ends that may come back to haunt them in a later Episode. ]

Then

A Lush Study, New Orleans, USA – July 7th, 2015
The large woman walks across the room to the brandy decanter. After pouring some of the golden liquid she turns towards the large desk knowing that the interrogation with begin shortly. “Barker is brilliant but trapped between you and the hunters. You really did not give him much of a chance to succeed.” The woman turns with a glare, “I don’t want sheep reporting to me I want lions. We’ll see, Black Tamanous is quite resourceful and powerful in her own right.” After a brief pause the voice with the English accent continues, “I think my son and his hunter friends are a lot closer than you think.” Gently stroking the rim of her crystal tumbler she continues, “Maybe…but Boston and Ms. Barker completed their parts of the plan.” “I guess that is not inaccurate…but now the fated three are down to one…”

Now

Birchwood Schoolhouse, Sulphur, USA – July 11th, 2015
Once MD and Ron had left in the truck Val and Hunter settled into a grove that they had experienced after many successful monster hunting missions. Val gathered up weapons while Hunter started setting up the schoolhouse to burns down both quickly and completely. Working in silence the pair complete their tasks. As Hunter pulls out his trusty Zippo lighter Val walks over with hands on hips, “I wonder what happened to that little girl?” As if on direction the pair spot a small ghost with her head down emerging through the schoolhouse door. When she spots Hunter and Val her head comes up with a smile. It is then that her head unnaturally cocks to one side showing that her tiny throat is cut ear-to-ear. The small ghost then skips off towards the nearby meadow with her head lilting to one side. As she dances through the wildflowers she sings…

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

Waiting in the field are two ghosts dressed in very old garb that must be her father and mother. With a wave back to Val and Hunter the three ghosts vanish. Hunter flips the lighter into flame then lights the building with a small grin. The pair of hunters drive off knowing that on this night they have made a difference.

[ Author’s Note: This is the log for the 11th session. Instead of posting your standard log of everything that happened during the session I will post “Then” and “Now” sections that summarize the story. The players will need to recall the details as to how it unfolded. This means that the players will be responsible for remembering any loose ends that may come back to haunt them in a later Episode. ]

Then

A Lush Study, New Orleans, USA – July 7th, 2015 –
After taking a sip from her aperitif the tall redhead takes a seat in the plush red armchair. Looking through the velvet curtains she recognizes the sunset but only as it pertains to the passing of time; the beautiful tapestry of azure and pink clouds escapes her. Her thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the study door. After the knock her butler ushers in the visitor that she had summoned. Once settled the redhead stands, straightens her slacks, and continues in a business like tone, “As you have no doubt heard there is a group of hunters in New Orleans. This rag-tag gang of misfits has taken down many minor threats but now they are starting to encroach on some key assets in my chain-of-command. It is time that these burrs be eliminated from my side. I would like you to setup a trap that I have devised with your particular organization in mind.” As she pauses to take another sip of her drink her visitor speaks up, “I’m sure that my devotees can enact whatever trap you have in mind but currently my people have other priorities. I’m sure you can get someone else to do your dirty work.” Leaning over towards her guest the tall redhead continues through clenched teeth, “I can see that maybe stronger words are needed. I will completely wipe you and your disgusting cannibal cult from the face of the earth if you do not follow my orders! I am only barely able to stay in the same room with you right now. Don’t tempt me to take action! It is your decision…setup the trap or die.” With that the visitor with hate in their eyes slowly nods in assent. With a smirk the tall redhead explains her plan to use a hunter as bait for a trap…

Now

Dr Roth’s House, New Orleans, USA – July 9th, 2015 –
Astryd Trudeau sighs as she picks up the black and white photo on Roth’s fireplace mantel. Ferguson, Kyle, and her were a great team back in the day. They never considered what the future might bring. After a dusting she gently places the framed photo into a cardboard box labelled “Research”. Dr Stone wakes her from her daydreams, “Um…Astryd…can you hand me that bin?” Noticing that Astryd seems lost in her thoughts the sensitive young occult scholar pauses briefly then says, “I wish I would have known the ‘real’ Dr Roth. His writing reveals a brilliant mind and his collection of books on ancient Mesopotamia is unparalleled.” Astryd smiles and continues in a soft tone, “I never really considered how hard retirement from huntin’ would be…I reckon’ us hunters are born to die alone…chased into the grave by our fears. Sobberin’ thought…” She continues in a straight business like tone, “Kyle’s brother was given the house but all of his research was willed to me. I would ask two things of you chéri. First I would like you to take all of Kyle’s research journals and book. You can keep any that you want then give the rest to the university.” After a solemn nod of assent from Dr Stone the voodoo mambo continues, “I have also decided that I want to celebrate his passing with a Sumerian death rite…at least the ‘old man’ taught me somethin’ eh??? I want to bury Kyle’s glasses and sword cane under his basement in the house. That is how the Sumerian’s did it…I guess they used clay pots but we’ll just use cement.” Alastair nods then respectfully replies with, “I would be honored to help in any way that I can.” The two occult scholars continue boxing up the large quantity of book in silence.

[ Author’s Note: This is the log for the 10th session. Instead of posting your standard log of everything that happened during the session I will post “Then” and “Now” sections that summarize the story. The players will need to recall the details as to how it unfolded. This means that the players will be responsible for remembering any loose ends that may come back to haunt them in a later Episode. ]

Then

Outside Of St Louis Cemetery #1, New Orleans, USA – July 6th, 2015 – Like most things that happened lately the call from the janitor at St Louis Cemetery #1 seemed a bit “odd”. The elderly worker claimed to have heard ghostly drum beats and seen several strange black men without shirts and face paint entering from one of the gates. Acting quickly the Detective Kazahiro Takashi grabbed his lightweight police windbreaker and headed out. When he got into his unmarked brown Crown Victoria a chill went down his back. Shaking his head and smiling Kaz revved the engine and headed towards the incident.

About a block away from the cemetery the New Orleans detective spotted 2 strange panel vans. Parking about a block away he shut down the engine and radioed in his position. After unbuckling his seat belt and checking his sidearm the Detective felt uneasy. Steadying his nerves Kazahiro wondered if he should ring MD. “Probably just some college kids with some alcohol,” he muttered. With a jolting crash the front windshield of his car shattered into a thousand tiny glass cubes! Covering his face Detective Takashi pulled his Glock releasing the safety. Standing on the roof of his car was a huge bare chested black man with his face painted like a skull. Acting on instinct the crackshot Detective fired four shots into the center of mass on the man. After bucking slightly the man turned with a smile and in a booming voice responded with, “HA! HA! HA! Such violence from such a little man!” With that the large Haitian man grabbed the small Japanese officer from the front of his jacket lapels and yanked him through the open front windshield as if he was a rag doll. The last thing the Kazahiro considered before blacking out was that maybe he should have called MD…

Now

A Plush Study, New Orleans, USA – July 7th, 2015 – The morning sun peeked through the red velvet curtains bathing the wood paneled study in a soft warm glow. As the door slowly opens a female form wearing a plush bathrobe walks across room to a large wing-backed chair and takes a seat setting down a glass of tea on a nearby antique end-table. As she tucks up her feet a strong male voice comes from a large desk on the opposite side of the room, “So how did he do? I assume he failed miserably?” After taking a small sip the woman replies, “You were right. D’Arcy was short sighted. He did not setup his dolls before enacting his plan of summoning Marie Laveau. It was foolish to underestimate them. With each challenge they seem to become more of a team and less a collection of individual talent. It’s a shame because D’Arcy had potential and support to back it up.” The man continues but not before considering his words carefully, “The only encouraging news is that at least there is no fallout and apparently no connection back to us…at least for time being it appears that way.” She nods and continues in a lilting tone, “That true but your son and his friends will not stay quiet for long. Tenacity has proven to be one of their annoying strength…but we will not take their talents for granted as D’Arcy did. Planning will win this war for us my friend…just you wait and see…”