Well... pick from Column A, or Column B, but preferably not both. ;^) In
other words, this adventure(with different objectives) is designed for an
angelic group containing Dreamers and/or Jeanites, or a demonic group
containing Servitors of Nightmares and/or Technology. Ethereal characters
could help or hinder either, as could any mortals in the mix, as usual.
Naturally, the stages need not be taken in linear order. It is a matter of
what the PCs do and know. Stage 1 can easily be skipped for a shorter game
-- merely assign the PCs to the team and hand them the known information.
It's best to being in Heaven in this case, so the choice of routes forward
isn't biased by already being in one realm or the other.
The purpose of this adventure springs from a line I tossed into a post
earlier on anime In Nomine. Honestly, I think Jean and Blandine should
understand each other a great deal more than they seem to. Both of them
deal in large part with the human mind. Reason and dreaming are different,
but much more alike than either of these and virtually any other Word save
perhaps Judgment. Yet their opinions of each other are cold at best, and
Blandine is Hostile to Jean. I don't like this; the Archangels of the
human mind should be able to find common ground, hence this adventure.
(Its suitability for Beleth/Vapula players is an afterthought.)
Stage 1: Discovery
(Corporeal)
In a city of some significant size, possibly major, sightings of unusual
occurrences have increased dramatically. Investigators find an area where
items -- some of them bizarre -- appear and disappear, seemingly at random.
This may occasionally include teammates. The volume affected is up to the
GM but should include at least a city block. The sightings and
disappearances are enough to make note in public news sources but not
enough for mundanes to suspect any supernatural activity.
If the PCs check out current events, they will find no major unusual events
in the recent past. Among the usual miscellany, a scientist of some note
(Dr. Raymond Thibodeaux) has died, apparently of natural causes. It may
have been a robbery, since some of Dr. Thibodeaux's equipment seems to have
disappeared.
(Ethereal)
A fixed dreamscape has appeared in the Marches. This is almost a
contradiction in terms. Nevertheless, it is in sight of both Towers and
seems to stay positioned almost exactly halfway between the two, which is
as close to a fixed position as you can get in the Marches, other than the
Towers or ethereal Domains.
If PCs investigate the dreamscape, they will find it easy to enter, and
within to be a coma-like dreamscape of very solid reality, although objects
will flicker in and out of existence, as will people that would fit in the
major city which, though nearly unpopulated, seems to form the background.
No sign of the dreamer himself, nor of activity by the Other Side.
Stage 2: Joining Forces
If the PC team contains only one of the types listed for their Side, a lack
of immediate information or more pressing current concerns should cause
them to report the incident as standard. After a remarkably short delay,
they are reassigned to investigate more thoroughly. Joining them will be
Servitors of the other group.
Alternatively, the other Servitors may be encountered "by chance" while
investigating. Also, if they show no signs of going until they have
figured out the mystery, have the other team show up. Each side should
find it in their interest to share the information they have found, so that
the PCs now know all of the information from Stage 1. Don't force it; if
the PCs keep their secrets the mission will not be impossible. It's
somewhat in character, of course, since the denizens of the Marches will
often think the others hidebound rationalists or geeks, while the more
scientifically-oriented may consider the others flighty and unfocused.
Stage 3: The Keystone
There are several avenues of attack. If the PCs know about Dr. Thibodeaux,
they may suggest investigating his apartment. Anyone who has seen the
dreamscape will instantly recognize the local cityscape, and its
boundaries. The dreamscape itself will be centered on this apartment, if
someone thinks to locate these boundaries from the Marches. Careful
analysis of the sightings and occurrences(most likely to occur to the
scientific types) will reveal a linear increase in frequency of reported
sightings and dis/appearances in a roughly circular pattern centering on a
particular building, where speaking to residents will certainly mention the
recent death.
Entering the apartment(which will require breaking in corporeally, or
simply entering the unlocked door if entering the Marches) will reveal to
the PCs' awareness the locus of a Tether, one to the Marches(with potential
for Dreams, Nightmares, Lightning and Technology). A piece of cutting-edge
technical equipment will flicker in and out of "existence," as will
celestials, ethereals, relics, talismans, and the city population outside
the windows. The GM should carefully note the underlying pattern -- though
they seem random at first, in fact, the apartment is such a strong Tether
locus that these people and possessions are moving back and forth between
the Marches(with unpopulated streets) and Earth(with the standard
population), seemingly at random. When the PCs are on the Marches side,
they see the piece of equipment and anything or anyone else on that side,
while the PCs on the Earth side see only items still on Earth, and not the
equipment. Succeeding in a Will roll will fix a celestial(although not his
possessions) on one side of the Tether or the other.
A simple investigation of the apartment on either side will find clues
leading to the following information:
Dr. Raymond Thibodeaux was a physicist and computer scientist who taught at
a local University, and seemed respectable in his field of frontier
computing hardware, although by no means renowned.
Dr. Thibodeaux's wife Allison, a psychologist and neurologist, died several
years ago. He has kept her possessions, like her diaries and professional
notebooks, in good order in the bedroom and living room.
The two of them were doing joint research on AI. Just after she died, work
stopped, then restarted. Any examination of this work by someone who is
skilled in any of these areas will reveal its accuracy and depth. Any
perusal of the later work, done by Raymond on his own, will give different
impressions to different readers:
Dreamers will notice a substantial increase in speculative material which
reflects the Marches oddly.
Jeanites will notice detailed discussions of increasingly hypothetical
constructs which begin to resemble Ethereal Forces.
Nightmare Servitors will notice a growing disjointedness and sense of
urgency to the work.
Vapulan Servitors will notice catch phrases their organization uses.
A detailed investigation of the apartment on either side will reveal a
small hidden drawer in back of the desk in the study. Within are pieces of
a talisman and a relic, along with standard materials that Technology gives
Soldiers doing corporeal research. Copies of reports made to Vapula's
organization are there, as well as notes indicating that Dr. Thibodeaux was
much further along than he reported to his superiors.
Stage 4: The Man
If the PCs stay for substantial time in the apartment, or disturb the
equipment at all, a couple will appear at the door to the apartment. They
will act as any normal humans would upon seeing strangers in their home --
whether the celestials are wearing unusual ethereal icons will be
irrelevant. They will be hostile, although the woman will be more afraid.
Players are pulled into the Marches, although a city population appears
outside the window.
The male is, of course, Dr. Raymond Thibodeaux, now a dreamshade. He
refers to the woman as Allison, and she responds in kind. She does not
understand what is going on and seems to see the celestials as humans in
her apartment.
The apartment's environment will immediately become more mutable and
unstable. Any object upon which Raymond fixes his attention will be held
in the Marches, including players. Common dream effects will occur as if
he is the dreamer -- when he threatens to call the cops, he is at the phone
instantly, and the police arrive immediately thereafter, and so forth. He
will not take any violent moves personally, but if attacked will defend
himself. He will demonstrate a high level of the Lucid Dreaming skill,
enough to be a formidable opponent.
The PCs have a few options at this point. If they fight, the Tether *will*
echo Disturbance on its corporeal side, should they damage any
human-seeming object! This may get celestials from the Other Side
involved, which will up the difficulty quotient considerably... in all
stages below, add conflicts with Servitors of the other side who may have
different goals entirely. Dr. Thibodeaux and the police (automatically on
his side) will together form a considerable suite of opponents. Damaging
Dr. Thibodeaux or the technical equipment will cause the entire dreamscape
to "shiver" and inflict Mind Hits equal to the damage caused, to everyone
inhabiting the dreamscape. PCs who attempt destroying either Dr.
Thibodeaux or the equipment may succeed -- but automatically reduce all
inhabitants of the dreamscape to 0 Mind Hits. (It will also end the
adventure, save for Allison's existence -- see later sections.)
If they try to talk to Raymond about what is going on, Raymond will send
the woman into another room and will ask the PCs to, regardless of their
other intentions, leave her out of it. He will ask what they are and what
they are there for. His story, which he will believe to be true, is that
he has been living in happy wedded bliss with Allison since they were
married, doing research. He will deny knowing about the War, and stare
blankly at any evidence presented. The dreamscape will move toward
Nightmares.
If the PCs humor Raymond and get on his good side by some means -- acting
as if they believe his story, expressing an interest in his work,
complimenting his wife, or apologizing for their entrance will do --
Raymond will relax and the scene will become more homey. The dreamscape
will move toward Blandine's realm. They may talk for a while, about his
work and sundry matters, and learn about his personality. Raymond is a
relentlessly rational and scientific man, and will say he refuses to
believe "some nonsense about angels and demons," although Seraph resonance
or a close body language reasding will get uncertainty from him in this
declaration, and he may betray signs of awareness every now and then.
Allison, on the other hand, is an almost idyllically lighthearted and
laughing lady, constantly speaking of the subjectivity of the consciousness
experience and the instability of the senses, indulging in flights of fancy
which Raymond listens to with fondness. He will, however, ask the
intruders to leave his apartments soon. If they do not, he becomes
hostile. Return to the scene after entrance.
If the PCs retreat or otherwise leave, they can see from the Marches side
that the dreamscape will return to its neutral position in the Marches, and
from the Corporeal side that the locus has strengthened. Regardless of the
circumstances under which the PCs left the Tether, its activity will have
increased considerably; movement of people and objects across the Tether
will increase noticeably. Ethereal beings will be attracted and begin to
appear to perceptive humans when within the boundaries of the Tether.
However, they cannot take corporeal form unless they have enough Essence,
and objects of dream will fade if removed corporeally from the boundaries
of the Tether.
Stage 5: New Orders
It's time to decide what's going on, and what to do about it. Some
considerations when receiving orders from ranking officers in the
organizations: Jean accepts any human invention as integral to the
Symphony, and much of the Drs. Thibodeauxs' work came before Raymond joined
any infernal organization; while not a breakthrough, it does lay
considerable groundwork in the direction of the equipment. He will want
the situation resolved and the underlying material studied. Blandine will
not appreciate the Marches intruding on corporeal reality, an echo of her
Dissonance Condition. She will also want Allison's "status" ascertained,
whatever that means. Beleth will want the Tether destroyed, but will want
to know how it came about. This latter will be Vapula's *sole* objective
in the matter, and if the organization is contacted they will be able to
inform the PCs of Dr. Thibodeaux's status as a Soldier of Technology with a
sixth natural Force, who was of uncertain status -- he seemed too uprightly
optimistic to be really trusted, although some low-level information on
Force physics was imparted to him, nothing he really should have been able
to use without Sorcery abilities, which they might have offered later as
greater infernal temptation.
In short, the Fantasists and the Rationalists are going to have to work
together to get the jobs done that their superiors want.
Stage 6: The Next Step
When the PCs re-enter the dreamscape, they will be immediately transported
to the Marches side if not already there (although the difference is
growing less distinct) and confronted by Allison. She will be troubled
about the previous day's incidents, and will have been kept in the dark by
her husband. She wants to know what is going on.
If examined subtly, Allison will be noted to be made up of all three types
of Forces. She is not subject to Raymond's Lucid Dreaming abilities,
rather the opposite -- anything she focuses on holds its position and the
environment around her seems stable. She believes she is Allison
Thibodeaux, although if research was done earlier a funeral, complete with
body, was well-attended and reported on. She knows everything one might
expect about her life, especially her life recently. She believes she is
an inhabitant of a normal metropolitan area, although she will refuse to
pass the boundaries with a nervous glance. An attempt to *force* her out,
with Songs e.g., will bring Dr. Thibodeaux running immediately; however,
it may also succeed, without damage to the dreamscape. If so, Dr.
Thibodeaux will be despairingly furious. Initiate combat as above; Dr.
Thibodeaux is virtually suicidal, but unaided by officers. He is likely to
lose, with the resultant consequences, unless the celestials restrain
themselves and retreat outside, in which case things wil return to calmness
and he will not seem to remember; loop to beginning of Stage 6 again.
Otherwise, Allison will listen to the PCs' explanations, and invite them
back to her home. As they pass through the dreamscape, odd scenes will
appear on the streets, both idyllic and horrific, which Allison will
rationalize if pointed out to her. Those skilled in Psychology or Dream
Interpretation, or merely regulars of dreamscapes, may realize that Dr.
Thibodeaux is reliving memories of his life with emotional twists to them,
becoming more internalized. Mundanes who see these from the Corporeal side
will react appropriately. The city will begin entering a state of
confusion in the area. If the PCs react to any of the scenes, note whether
they act selflessly or in some self-serving way, rationally or
fantastically; Allison's behavior may begin leaning in this direction.
With Allison beside them, the PCs will gain peaceful entrance to Dr.
Thibodeaux's apartment. He is worried about Allison, and about his
equipment, over which he seems to be obsessing. From here on out,
completing the adventure to the best ending for one's side will require
*both* points of view.
The Rationalists must realize the physical effects occurring. Apply any
skill the GM thinks might be useful -- Physics, Theology, Electronics,
Computer Science, Psychology, or many other skills might work. An analysis
of the technical equipment, even to someone not familiar with the specs
(this is everyone except Dr. Thibodeaux) will reveal that it is breaking
down if one passes any Electronics or Computer skill checks. Dr.
Thibodeaux must be made aware of at least one of these pieces of
information by someone who can speak to him in the coolly rational way to
which he is accustomed -- he will dismiss talk not based in a specific
skillset as "flights of unreasonable fancy." Furthermore, they must be
able to explain the basics of his situation as a Dreamshade. He will not
necessarily buy this, and insist that he and Allison are real, as will she.
The Dreamers must be able to get Allison to realize the unusual dream
effects occurring. Something beyond any rational version of Earth mut be
shown to her, something she cannot rationalize, but can sense and believe.
Displays of celestial powers may be able to achieve this. She will react
well to someone capable of working in the style of the fanciful oratory she
enjoys. Dr. Thibodeaux will try to keep her rational; he still
subconsciously remembers that he was a Soldier of Hell, even if in name
only, and is ashamed and does not want his wife to know. At worst, if the
increasing number of unusual occurrences about does not convince her, she
is vulnerable to attack on why exactly she does not want to venture beyond
the boundaries, or to a demonstration of her own innate Essence Control.
If Allison admits she is not on Earth, and Dr. Thibodeaux realizes that his
situation is finite, he will grasp at one last straw. He will believe that
Allison is the soul of his dead wife returned to him by his experiments,
and will refuse to leave her or give the celestials anything they want, in
the belief that they will separate him from his wife once more (he firmly
believes that she is in Heaven and he is going to Hell). The only way to
convince him is to produce explicitly contradicting evidence, and he will
say so. This is possible: the PCs must go back to the corporeal apartment
(they can do so with a simple Will roll, if they think of this). Among
Allison's corporeal things are her diaries, professional notebooks, and a
few sealed letters she wrote. Dr. Thibodeaux does not know what is in
them, and neither will this version of Allison -- who only knows what
Raymond knew about her.
If the PCs cannot think of this or some equivalent measure, they must work
together in a combined effort -- Rationalists with knowledge of Celestial
workings and Fantasists with knowledge of the Marches must convince one or
the other of the pair that Allison cannot possibly be the returned soul of
a dead woman.
Faced with this evidence, Dr. Thibodeaux will yield. He accept his final
judgment; the dreamscape will fade; the equipment will return to the
corporeal realm and power down; Allison will remain, independent of the
dreamscape.
If he remains unconvinced and begins to get annoyed at the celestials'
efforts, the dreamscape will simply begin to disintegrate as he slips into
obsessive madness. Dream scenes will begin slipping about, possibly
beginning to affect the sanity of nearby persons in the city, whether
horrors of nightmare or euphoric rushes of emotion. If the GM decides the
PCs have failed, the dreamscape collapses completely and Dr. Thibodeaux
heads to his final judgment; all PCs in the dreamscape at this time are
reduced to 0 Mind Hits with all the accompanying effects. If Allison is
left alone or not convinced to join one side or the other before the PCs
lose consciousness, she becomes an independent operator.
Stage 7: Closure
The notes and equipment: these items will admit of examination by either
side's Rationalists, to the tune of a substantial reward from the
Rationalists' Superior, *if* the equipment is in good working order.
Otherwise, the notes are worth a minor reward.
Allison is an independent ethereal being. She honestly believed her origin
story, and only upon exiting the dreamscape will she be fully aware of her
nature and environment -- she was created by Raymond's experiment, and the
real Allison is wherever she went. Her attitude towards Heaven and Hell
will depend on her treatment by Raymond and the PCs and the side the PCs
are on. Since Ethereals with scientific skills are rather a rarity(and
after ten years of marriage and close collaboration, Raymond knew enough
about Allison's fields to implant in this version skills sufficient for a
decent B.S.), Dreamists who can bring Allison to their side will rate a
reward from their organization, and possibly punishment from Beleth if they
are Nightmare Servitors and lose her. Blandine will merely regret her
choice if Fantasists lose her to Hell.
Dr. Thibodeaux's final reward:
Among the reasons Dr. Thibodeaux was capable of becoming a dreamshade was
that neither his Destiny nor his Fate was yet fulfilled, but they still
could be!
If Allison chooses Heaven and the notes and equipment fall into the hands
of Heaven, he has achieved his Destiny - to create a pious, idealistic
Ethereal, advance Heavenly knowledge a mite, and create at least a small
bond between two Archangels who are otherwise at loggerheads.
If Allison chooses Hell and the notes and equipment fall into the hands of
Hell, he has achieved his Fate - to create yet another embittered, spiteful
Ethereal in a position to aid Hell, advance Vapula's dream of further
understanding the cosmos, and forge a link in a possible chain binding the
two Demon Lords of the inner mind.
If only one of these happens(Allison dies, or the notes are destroyed), the
other event chooses his reward. If neither happens, he reincarnates. If
celestials from the Other Side manage to gain a partial victory, choose
which side seemed to gain more - in case of difficult choice, he
reincarnates.
If he reaches either side, he will arrive almost immediately, and be
quickly reported to the appropriate Superior, who will reward his own
servants involved.
Back to the INC Mainpage.
EDG <[email protected]>
In Nomine Collection Curator