Thresh Street Runners - Session 1

This is the write-up for the session that I ran on the 17th Feb 2014

Session One, Omens Part 1

Had our first session, those present were;

Joshua H. Headlam (played by Nick)
Lucian Gilmore (Adam)
Agnew Uptil (Tori)

Session started with a brief introduction and description of each character, then a briefing by Magistrate Mattius Cathmore (the leader of the Tresh Street Runners) before heading out on the streets to patrol and deter would be pick pockets. They mingled at a local street market, by the Rudshore Gate, basically having a presence to ward off footpads and street urchins with itchy fingers. They'd been patrolling for a short while when they noticed a disturbance, heading other they discovered a couple of the city guards dealing with a woman who was shouting out. "He will be killed after the Feast but before the Dance!"

The players took charge of the woman, noting that she was blindfolded and wearing fine robes. After getting back to the office they discovered she wore a medallion with the symbol of the Abbey of the Everyman on it, citing that she was one of the clergy. Agnew knew a Father Sondheim and with Magistrate Cathmore's blessing they went to visit him. Father Sondheim helped shed some light by explaining that the woman was probably referring to the Feast of Painted Kettles and the Dance of Investiture, a process by which a new High Overseer is selected (basically Dishonored's version of the pope). He also stated that the woman was probably an Oracle, but didn't know who she actually was and would make enquires.

The players headed back to the office where they were informed by the desk sergeant that the Oracle had screamed a few ramblings in their absence and had been given a tot of whiskey to calm her down. The Oracle's ramblings however were written down;

"Two of the cloth, one vain and the other devout. Both set sight on the high altar, one destined to go before the Harvest whilst the other by the Rain's end."

"Out of the darkness of the rising sun it shall come and hundreds shalt weep unto death!"

"Blinded by trust the Queen shall fall, brought low by a keeper of secrets. Checkmate."

"Many maidens shall become one with the water as he searches for Him."

"The house of fallen timber he shalt go, but other forces lurk."

"Like brothers they shalt go unto a bastion of sorrow."

"A clothier shalt meet his end by those whom meant to protect him."

"An iron road will see trice men fall."

"Idle hands shalt wrought a flood of despair to wash away the city's heart!"

"The northern road they ride with pistol and blood soaked coin left in their wake."

"He watches from the shadows, taunting you he shalt. In the time out of time he shalt strike! Slash! Slash! Slash!"

"She'll be a sly one, hawking her cobbled bits of bones like a merchant hawking his wares. Fools she'll seek to make of the lot of you! In circles she shalt lead, all the way to the Far Continent you shalt go!"

The players figured out some of the correct meanings, drew connections to the present case with others whilst the rest they could only give their best guess at. Regardless from Magistrate Cathmore they found out there was two candidates to be the new High Overseer; Jonan Hurlough and Thaddeus Campbell. From here they were able to figure out that these were whom the Oracle was referring to and realized that now was the Month of Harvest. So a visit was paid to the Office of the High Overseer where they talked to both Hurlough and Campbell, the former proved to be quite devout whilst Campbell turned out to have risen through the ranks by using blackmail and was acting like he'd been chosen to be the new High Overseer (he was rehearsing his speech). The players also learnt that a band of assassins led by a man named Daud, who were suspect to use black magic, were the most likely suspects to kill any new High Overseer. Though they also suspect that Campbell might be involved, but dropped this theory due to the fact that he was a blackmailer and therefore wouldn't want to get his hands dirty. Regardless they got access to the Abbey's archives and dug up all that the Overseers had on Daud.

Through informants and contacts they managed to arrange a meeting with Daud, though they were a bit wary about it. Turned out to be an "oh crap..." moment when they found out that Daud's assassins were pretty good AND that the rumours of black magic were true. But they found out that whilst that was a job out to kill whoever became the new High Overseer, Daud didn't take it as he wished to avoid confronting the Abbey. Though they managed to eke out a name of one of Daud's contacts who told him about the job, a man named Jonas who was known to frequent the Hounds Pit Pub in the Old Port District. After Daud and his fellow assassins vanished in front of the players' eyes, the players returned back to the office and reported some of their findings. The desk sergeant informed them that Father Sondheim had come up with a name for the Oracle, an Evelyn Grimes who'd gone missing from the Annex of the Office of the High Overseer. The players weren't keen on returning there, but Magistrate Cathmore suggested having the Overseers come and collect Evelyn themselves, something the players agreed to and then turned in for a paranoia filled night.

Next morning at the office they found the desk sergeant arguing with a couple of Overseers over some paperwork, but they managed to calm things down before going to fetch Evelyn. However they discovered that somebody had broken in and strangled Evelyn in her sleep, Magistrate Cathmore fobbed the Overseers of with some story that Evelyn had left during the night as the players investigated. Turned out the nightwatchman had filled out the log book in one go and snoozed for most of the night, there was the footprint of a boot in the muck in the alley outside and the killer had caught their arm on the broken glass.

Session ended with the players setting about trying to find Evelyn's killer and then finding Jonas to get some more info.