Demons, Adamantite Symbols, Holy Hand Gernades, Blessed Bullets and a Sherrif Named Hank

Ben Monday (played by +Ken H) and Jules Bennot (played by +Chris C.) were greeted by three people wearing gorlon masks.  Jules recognized the masks, they are soul eaters who practice necromancy, but often use other pseudo-mystical groups as camouflage.  Ben and Jules were hesitant to say anything and moved back toward the door.  One gorlons pulled out a shotgun and took a pot shot at Jules.  They escaped out the front door and into their car. 

They returned to Ben's house to allow Jules to heal.  He'd been hurt in the previous encounters.  Ben was doing research on the metal they found inside two bodies.  The metal turned out to be adamantite.  A material not of this world, used to store magic.  When he was studying the two adamantite symbols they locked together.

"Ben, what did you do? - Jules Bennot

Soon after a pair of demons crashed through Ben's upstairs windows.  Ben did not mess around and grabbed his holy hand grenade, an explosive with shrapnel, holy water packets and shards of sacramental wafers.  BOOM!  A demon struggles to move.  Jules swings around the corner and hits it again with a blessed bullet from his Saturday Night Special.  Before he could move the demon was on him, forcing itself down his throat into his ear and nose.

Ben tossed another holy hand grenade.  BOOM.  The demon on the floor and the one that was attack Jules were both hit.  Jules managed to grab the vial of holy water in his pocket and dowse the demon.  Both died.  Jules was struggling to stay concision.  His wounds even worse.

They deduct the symbols are acting like beacons.  They needed to act fast even though both were in bad shape.  They decided to go to Rose, the minister with the blessed ammunition.  She gave them coffee and asked what caliber they wanted.  Restocked with holy ammunition, they decided to head to the Beckett House.

In their studies they discovered there are six symbols.  Three they destroyed.  Two were in people they melted.  On the way, the car was attacked by a demon.  Again Jules was wounded.  And as the concluded the fight with the demon, Hank the sheriff, pulled up.

"Ben.  Jules.  Stop this now.  Drop your gun." - Hank

"I squirt him." - Ben

"Could you be more specific?" - Me

"With my super soaker." - Ben

Ben couldn't hit water if he fell out of a fucking boat.   Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn even if he was inside.  He missed.  Jules got frustrated.

"I get into the car and run the motherfucker over." - Jules

Jules runs over Hank.  Ben whips out his super soaker and melts Hank.  They find the sixth symbol.  Jules is nearly unconscious.   But they continue on to the Beckett House.  They get jacked up on a special concoction that will allow them to go a little longer.  

Ben and Jules stand in front of the Beckett House, armed and jacked up on drugs ready to fight demons and close a portal to hell.

Session ends.

Next week: Assault on Beckett House!

When the Door Finally Opens...My Way of GMing

After a week of waiting, the players, +Chris C. and +Ken H, got to see (or in this case hear) what was beyond the opening door.  But wait, let's back up.

Ending a game on a cliff hanger, something as simple as an opening door, leaves the players with something to think about for a week.  Their own imagination will create a dozen or more wild scenarios you as a GM hadn't thought of.  When I end a game session on a cliffhanger I sometimes know what will be on the other side.  Most times I don't.

The way I process the situation is I consider what occurred during the last couple of sessions and the first two or three ideas that come into my head I toss out right away.  The first thing I think of is always too easy, too obvious.  If I'm not surprised, the players aren't going to be surprised.  When you wait for the door to open for a week, I want it to pay off.  I want it to be worth the wait.

My first thought was to have the shadow creature they encountered in the very first session leap out.  Tossed.  Then I thought they would see one of the main NPCs walk out and say something important.  Tossed.  Both were playing on visual reactions.  But instead, after thinking about it, they players heard a noises.  A creepy symphony of millions of damned souls screaming out in agony.  Bam!  Keeper.

Not only does this surprise me, but it allows me as a GM to engage another sense of the players.  RPGs are often focused on the visual aspects of the game, but it is a lot of fun to engage the sense of hearing.  I'm not a fan of engaging the sense of smell.  No need to go there.

In the end, the opening scene from my Exoterrorist game creeped the hell out of my players.  Mission accomplished. 

Mail Call: My PO Box is a Treasure Chest

I guess I've been in a acquisition mode.  +Ara Kooser was getting rid of some of his loot, so we set up an exchange, I sent him a bundle of Manors and he sent me...

Originally I just asked for Spirit of the Century.  +Ken H spoke highly of it and I've been enjoying non-medieval fantasy lately so I thought it would be a cool get.  Ara threw in the +Brave Halfling Publishing White Box.  It looks new.  I have one, but with box sets I almost prefer to have a spare.  Big thanks for Ara for his generosity.

The next score was on Amazon.  I've been really enjoying Exoterrorists.  That book has got my idea factory churning over time.  So I checked out a few books that went along with it.

 

The Factbook was something I was very interested in.  It sounded like a good resource to get a foundation built for an adventure or two.  I really want to take this for a spin.  Profane Miracle was priced cheap and thought it might be good to see how they build an adventure using the system.  The Book of Unremitting Horror is to run more of a horror type GUMSHOE game, but I plan on integrating into Exoterrorists.  

Lastly, I've been hearing about True Detective for many months now.  I think everything I read about it was positive and people were excited about it.  This time I just went to my local Wally World and picked up a copy of the blu-ray.  

I'm looking forward to watching this.  Sounds like my kind of show.  And actually sounds a lot like the game I want to run.  Although is it me or is McConaughey looking extra creepy lately?