Nomadic:Sessions:20160116

August 31, 2014, 6:00pm - Kell's press conference did not admit that three of the band members had been kidnapped.

Father Martin approaches Golden and asks, "What is the plan?" Golden reveals that a demolitions expert named Roberto Gentry (who belongs to a Mexican anti-US group) is wiring Gateway Ravens Stadium with explosives; "He should be about finished by now." Father Martin confirms that Golden can get us access to the stadium, and suggests that Vicente disguise himself, Father Martin, and Valerie as the three missing band members.

Lori and Pete come to watch the exorcisms, but Valerie sends Pete away and Vicente goes to talk to him. Pete's Aura, Vicente sees, is strong and vibrant; it is not outright evil but has been affected by his actions. He is an intense man with strong will, and is accustomed to violence. There is a fresh mark on his aura inflicted within the past day. Vicente: "You're a Special Ops guy pretending to be a senator's aide. I'm not sure you're on our side." Pete: "All right... I'm with the NSA. According to Dr Kent, Lori is a herald, a prophetess." Dr Stephen Kent of the University of St Louis is a specialist in magic and the occult and an NSA consultant. Pete: "The enemy seems to be able to anticipate us." Vicente: "Maybe they have a 'Lori' too."

As Father Martin cleanses Riva with holy water, she screams and bleeds from her eyes and the pores of her skin. Father Martin realizes that she is a conduit tapped into Hell itself. He wipes away the blood with more holy water, and this seems to calm her. Finally the priest's faith and will break her demonic connection and she falls unconscious.

Jamal's resistance is even higher, though his bleeding is not as profuse as Riva's. At one point he spits out his gag and hisses at the priest. But eventually his body goes limp.

Weston gives Father Martin an imploring look as if to say "Remove my gag, I want to talk." Father Martin proceeds with his ritual, but Weston resists his first attempt. Father Martin focuses on his crucifix, and this time Weston succumbs and he slides to the floor, quivering.

Valerie gathers up the bloody rags, takes them out behind the warehouse, and burns them.

Vicente sees at the base of Riva's skull a fleshy, sickly green object about the size of a pea. He and Father Martin theorize that this new 'organ' was implanted in her as part of the diabolic pact she made.

Vicente questions Weston, "What is a 'totem'? What's your totem? Where is it?" It is the figure of a jackal about 5" long, and it's in a jewelry case on the nightstand back at his hotel room. He sometimes wears it during concerts. He still feels a connection to his totem. Sometimes he can feel Wolf's presence, but not at the moment. Golden adds that he owns a symbol of Ra, but he never thought of it as a totem.

Vicente examines Lori's Aura: Very good; has some magical talent (Magery 1) intertwined with psychic ability; strong will; tempered by difficulties. Vicente: "You have 'visions', right?" Lori: "I thought they were hallucinations." The visions led her to the prophecy, which is hundreds of years old and was originally recorded in Latin. "The Chosen One cannot arise until he defeats the Six Obstacles." In her visions she saw: a man with a computer; a Catholic priest; an athletic, beautiful woman; a magician bearing a flame in his hand; a man with a sniper rifle; and a man resembling Pete.

Vicente says to Pete, "We're about to go break a lot of laws, so you can't go with us."

At the stadium, Vicente casts Illusion Shells to disguise himself as Jamal, Father Martin as Weston, and Valerie as Riva. Once past security, Valerie goes off to locate and disarm the explosives (C-4 with radio-activated detonators). Father Martin learns about the stadium's water system, including its large-capacity storage tanks. Vicente finds and removes some kind of trigger spell on the onstage speaker stacks.

Vicente sees a ghost walking up the center aisle of the stadium toward Golden. Stepping between Golden and Father Martin, Vicente touches them lightly and enables them to also see the ghost. The ghost doesn't seem evil, and Golden says it's nobody he knows. Vicente: "Who are you, good sir?" The ghost is startled to be addressed, and Father Martin adds, "Yes, you." "I'm Ned Griffin... I'm looking for Golden because he was missing... I get to complete my mission... I report to Wolf... There are hundreds of us who report to Wolf." (At Valerie's query, Lori says that despite having the same surname Ned Griffin is no relation to her, though her father had a friend by that name.)

Father Martin performs a ritual on the water tanks that tires him greatly. Vicente casts a spell (Lend Vitality) that re-energizes the priest. Father Martin tells Golden, "You can make plenty of money with music and fame without murdering innocents."

The group heads for Golden's hotel where Vicente sees ghosts standing sentinel almost everywhere. He speaks to one who gives his name as Jacob Amber and claims he was killed in a Chicago alley by a Gambini hitman. Jacob calls out to another ghost named Kelley, "I found the missing ones." In the penthouse is a ghost of Nordic extraction, Milton Wilcox, with a significant aura of evil; Father Martin exerts his True Faith and pushes Wilcox away. Golden gets his Eye of Ra.

Valerie drives back to the warehouse, cleverly losing their pursuit. The remaining Howling Coyotes, Kell and Gene, are scheduled for a press conference in the morning. Vicente instructs Lori to use the Internet to start rumors of a split in the band.

September 1, 8:30am - Vicente awakes everyone who isn't already up. As Lori records video with her smartphone, Golden reveals that Riva, Jamal, and Weston have left Howling Coyotes and formed their own group, Soulless Triad. The camera cuts to the trio who belt out Fall from Paradise. At the end of the song "Riva" blows a kiss and shouts, "See you tonight!"

The Howling Coyotes' press conference is broadcast from the studios of WGTY, the premier TV station of Gateway. All five Howling Coyotes appear on WGTY, but without their manager. As the Soulless Triad video rapidly goes viral on the Internet, chaos breaks out as people begin to ask a lot of questions. Vicente instructs Marcus to follow the Howling Coyotes back to their hotel. A news helicopter from WGAP (rival station to WGTY) tries to acquire the Soulless Triad, but as they are riding in a common-looking sedan Valerie avoids them easily.

Golden explains that according to Kimmler's schedule, a mass death must take place on this day. Vicente finds that the Eye of Ra is a beacon and an object of communication. It is tuned to Golden and he must wear it in order for it to function. "Kimmler must have put a lot of his power into these objects."

Marcus reports that Howling Coyotes are staying at the Old Dominion Hotel, across the street from the Peachtree. Vicente gets Marcus to describe the building across the alley from the Old Dominion; there are law offices on the topmost floor which are vacant today because of the Labor Day holiday.

Vicente Levitates the three over to the balcony of the penthouse. Even from outside, Father Martin feels the evil impinging upon his True Faith; he strengthens himself by focusing on his crucifix. From his remote location, Rick puts the security cameras on loop and locks down the penthouse elevator. Vicente Apportates the simple latch, and on the count of three he shoves the sliding glass door aside and the three charge in, weapons drawn.

The men inside freeze in complete surprise. Valerie orders them to kneel and put their hands behind their heads. Vicente sees a ghost near the bar, tapping on a glass; he casts Affect Spirit on a knife, walks over to the ghost, and sticks the blade into the ghost's shoulder. Startled, the ghost turns and says, "Wolf will kill you." Vicente, twisting the knife, responds "We'll see. Who else is here?" The ghost lists Wolf, two lieutenants, another guard, and the two remaining members of the band. Vicente: "What should I do with you? This hurts, doesn't it?" Ghost: "I didn't know anyone could hurt a ghost." The ghost steps back and Vicente stabs it again. "Leave this place, and don't tell Wolf."

Vicente casts Glass Wall and in the next room, a bedroom, he sees Kell, Gene, and two guards. Kell and Gene appear to be in frantic conversation, at their wits' end.

Vicente, Valerie, and Father Martin step into the room. Valerie aims at Gene, Father Martin at Kell (who he is determined to kill, as he has judged him irredeemably evil), and Vicente shoots the guard on the right (G1).

Gene takes a step back and reaches for something atop a dresser. Valerie shoots him, his arm jerks and he knocks the object onto the floor. The other guard (G2) shoots at Vicente, who Blinks; G2 exclaims "Crap, a mage!" (but there's something "off" about his voice and cadence). Father Martin shoots at G2 who dodges and the shotgun slug goes through a headboard. Vicente double-taps G2; G2's eyes flicker, but in spite of what should be lethal damage G2 takes a step forward. Kell touches his pants pocket, looks up and smiles at Father Martin, then charges at the priest. When he gets within two yards he suddenly realizes his mistake and a horrified expression crosses his face. He jumps away, landing within an arm's length of Valerie.

Gene grabs at his totem again and again knocks it away under a chair. Father Martin fires at Kell who fails to dodge, and the holy slug tears into his chest. However, other than a slight grimace of pain, Kell is hardly affected. Father Martin takes a step toward him. Kell spins away and grabs at Vicente, who parries his arm away with the knife in his left hand, cutting Kell's arm to the bone. Vicente steps back and fires at the hand that Kell still has resting on his pocket; Kell fails to knock the gun off-target and something inside the pocket (Kell's totem) shatters. Valerie shoots Gene in the leg and he passes out. G1 starts to come out of shock. G2 throws a punch at Vicente's jaw and the latter Blinks two yards away.

Father Martin, calling "Val, stay close," steps toward G2 and his shot tears through the guard's chest. Wolf steps out of G2 with no visible damage, though he was hurt by the holy shotgun slug. Valerie turns and stares at Kell. Vicente swings his knife at Wolf who, not knowing the blade can affect him, doesn't bother to avoid it; when it bites into him, the ghost steps back with a what-the-hell expression, turns, and flees into another bedroom. G1, resolving to "take one of you with me," shoots Father Martin.

Vicente shoots at G1 but the guard dodges. Kell shrieks and staggers, pale and bleeding; Valerie shoots him three times and he falls. Father Martin senses Kell's evil being drawn down into Hell. G1 fires at Valerie but misses. Father Martin shoots and kills G1, and Vicente finishes off Gene.

"Where's Wolf?" asks Valerie. Father Martin senses evil in two of the other bedrooms. Father Martin picks up Gene's totem, which is in the form of a German Shepherd dog, from under the chair, then drops it on the floor and smashes it underfoot.

In the next bedroom, sprawled across the bed, is the corpse of what looks like a very aged man, and a ghost moving quickly away.

Vicente casts Detect Magic and finds three totems in the bureau of the first bedroom. He hands one to Valerie and another to Father Martin, and we stomp on them to destroy them.

Vicente flings open the door to another bedroom. Inside is a guard, aging rapidly and barely remaining on his feet; he looks up at Vicente with a pleading expression, and Vicente puts him out of his misery.

Wolf and his ghostly lieutenant have gotten away. Vicente levitates the three of them to the ground and we drive away. Father Martin: "I think this should help with provoking Kimmler." Valerie glances at Father Martin: "Oh, you're bleeding!" Vicente casts Major Healing which completely heals Father Martin's wound.

Vicente: "We need to take the other three band members to the hospital." Valerie "borrows" a car, drives to the hospital, and leaves the car containing Riva, Jamal, and Weston near the ER entrance.

News reports begin emerging about the "penthouse massacre."

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