[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Tell our story to those who come after us"

[CCrusaders] Bert exclaims, "Log on!"

Jacob arrives from the east.

Wanda says (to Jacob), "The coolest goth bird guy returns"

Rephyra has arrived.

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Had to figure out who I named my character to last time ;-)"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Forte, Fulgencio, Tristand..."

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Haha"

[CCrusaders] GM asks (of Roger), "Is Zircon joining us?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Hee"

[CCrusaders] Roger exclaims, "thanks for the offer but I've got real life nonsense to deal with; maybe next time!"

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "OK! In that case, I think everyone is here?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Caw"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "I am!"

GM exclaims, "Welcome back to the fourth arc in the ongoing adventures of the CROWNSFORD CRUSADERS!"

GM says, "Before we begin, I'd like to check for opinions on a possible rules change:"

GM says, "The new Fate Condensed rules has a simpler version of stress boxes, wherein they're all just worth one stress and you check off however many you need to."

GM asks, "Do we want to switch to that, or to keep the ones we're using (which have sometimes been confusing)?"

Eben says, "I've played a variety of ways with stress boxes, including 'no stress boxes at all'."

Wanda says, "I'd like to keep the system we've been using"

Wanda says, "because it's the one on my character sheet"

Jacob says, "Yeah, that."

GM says, "Ha. Good reason."

Jacob says, "What Wanda said."

Eben says, "I don't find it confusing either way; I'll just note that fights go longer the more stress boxes there are, and the more they're worth."

GM exclaims, "OK!"

Eben asks, "Oh, hey, I have 'recovering' consequences on my sheet. I assume they have, indeed, recovered?"

GM says, "And any Mild consequences have fully recovered, while other consequences are currently in recovery. If there are any that need to be renamed to reflect that, go ahead and do so."

GM says, "Moderate consequences will finish recovering at the end of this session, and severe ones will finish recovering near the end of this scenario."

GM says, "(A scenario being a handful of session, not the entire story arc.)"

Jacob says, "Sounds good."

GM says, "There's also the https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h88N6VTO6dtQ2RVzk1tqx4NdA5PNyShAjpXcoVjhU8M/edit#gid=1689105620 sheet to help keep track of things."

GM says, "You may notice that on the right, there's a new column for a Mysterious Countdown! It is in no way ominous or foreshadowing of anything evil that is actively going on in the city that you are not yet aware of."

Jacob says, "Oh, whew."

GM says, "And this would also be a good time for everyone to use the fate point object to refresh your fate points to match your Refresh."

Jacob sets her current fate point total to 3.

Wanda sets their current fate point total to 2.

GM exclaims, "Now that all that bookkeeping is over with: it is now a couple of months after the end of the last story arc -- with the Chocolatier and her associates -- and the Holiday Season is now fully upon us!"

Eben sets their current fate point total to 2.

GM exclaims, "After a couple of days in jail, Commissioner Webb was able to convince the District Attorney that the evidence that Dennis Malone (the attorney whose mansion you 'visited') brought was insufficient to hold you, and so you were all set free!"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "One last bookkeeping thing: I don't think I did character advancement for me last time, but I'm not sure? Are we all advancing together, and if so, what are we at in terms of skills?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "You are all advancing together, and... I don't remember where you are in terms of skills."

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "I did advancement (hence my extra +1 Crafts and the fate point)"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "We should all have five +1 skills now"

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "We've hit +5 level of skills, if that's what you mean?"

GM says, "But not all of the news is good news. Taleslinger has written this short piece for everyone:"

GM | Whatever happened to the clawed crusader?

GM | It was lucky we caught it early. After the epic and utterly plot-relevant battle with Bob, the Billiard ball brandishing bozo, Cuddlepaws got a CT after being hit in the head. While what we thought was a concussion was actually due to some illegally procured catnip, the scan showed an anomaly in the zeta-range of the cluster synapses in her wavefield form. Apparently, to all our shock, a walnut sized brain is not meant to host human level intelligence and telekinetic powers strong enough to lift tanks.

GM | We tried a few different methods, but in the end we realized we had run into a limit not of technology, but biology. It was a tearful day when we removed her headband for the final time. She became, for all intents and purposes, a normal housecat again. The change in her behaviour and character was really negligible, though.

GM | And yet, sometimes, when she sleeps in the dark atop Wanda 's massive and slightly steaming form, her paws twitch and shudder, and, on its top shelf between Wanda's high school trophy, the headband LED blinks, just for a second, CONNECTION ESTABLISHED, before going dark again.

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Though I can't remember if that was recent or older."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "I'm at 5/ 4/ 4/ 3/ 3/ 2/ 2/ 2/ 1/ 1/ 1/ 1/"

Wanda says, "Awwww"

GM asks, "So what has everyone else been doing in the meantime?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Same"

Wanda has been dealing with the repercussions of coming out as a, ahem, fiery mutant alien spider to her teachers and fellow students.

GM asks (of Wanda), "How have people been reacting to that?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "brb, about to have company, I guess"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Back"

GM asks (of Jacob), "And have you talked to the rest of the team at all about the ancient book that may have been responsible for your powers, that may also be connected to the 'Quaesitores Perditarum' that Hydrolyx was obsessed with?"

Jacob says, "Probably, yeah. I don't think I would have continued to keep it secret."

Wanda says (to GM), "The teachers are very nervous, most of the students are a mixture of confused and amazed. The girl I share a dorm with is very matter of fact about it and sometimes asks me to help her reheat food in a hurry with fire powers (aka just placing a tray on my back)"

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "Haha, aw"

GM asks (of Wanda), "Would that be Bethany Laszlo, friend of Anna, who were the two girls you rescued from the tiger in the woods earlier this year?"

Wanda says (to GM), "Wow, however did you guess (as opposed to improv, which of course we never do when playing this game)"

GM says, "And speaking of food..."

Eben has been spending a good amount of time in the shadow realm, sometimes helping people move on, but also trying to figure out if there's a way to get someone *back*, especially when they died unexpectedly/too young. Nothing's worked, though.

GM exclaims, "Today is Thanksgiving!"

GM exclaims, "And of course, all of the extended family -- and any other friends you'd like to include -- have been invited to the Morris house for the feast!"

Wanda says, "Obviously Bethany and Anna are invited"

GM says, "Sadly, there's one person who's absent: Thomas Webb, who was too busy at work to be here. But he sent a message with Martha, asking the Crusaders to drop by the station to see him after dinner."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Were it not for the in-game weird repercussions, I would say that Deka should be here."

GM exclaims, "The main course is finished, and Frances has just brought out dessert: a selection of homemade freshly baked pies!"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Deka is motorcycling across South America in Che guevara's footsteps"

Jacob brings the tofurky. It's sad and dry, but he doesn't eat birds and probably doesn't eat much meat at all now that he's polyglot.

[CCrusaders] GM says, "That's a lot better than my suggestion that she was snowed in at school out of state."

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Hehe. (I don't know why The Motorcycle Diaries popped into my head, I saw it eons ago)"

Bethany says, "That apple pie looks delicious! My aunt always had a store-bought one when she had me over for Thanksgiving. But they're not doing dinner this year."

Wanda asks (of Bethany), "What's different about this year?"

GM says, "The words catch in her throat as she looks for the words."

Bethany says, "It's Henry... my cousin. Their son."

Bethany says, "He's missing."

Wanda says, "Oh no."

Eben exchanges a look with Frances, who nods.

Bethany says, "I'm sure the police will find him. I'm sure of it. But they didn't feel much like celebrating this year."

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "(btw: should we remove the Threatened By The Law aspect from the google sheet?)"

Eben says (to Bethany), "Have you filed a missing person report? Who saw him last? Have you... er, um, wait. I'm really sorry about all that. That's really hard. But I think we can help."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Yeah, probably."

Bethany says, "They told the police everything they knew. It happened at the mall, when they were going to see the guy playing Santa there."

Eben says, "That's great; that's exactly the right thing to do."

Eben asks, "How old is Henry?"

Bethany says, "They were outside, and they looked the wrong way for a few seconds, and he was gone. He's only six. Aunt Catherine blames herself."

Wanda says, "That's awful."

Bethany says, "I think he must have just run off down an alley or something, right? And someone is going to find him and turn him in to the police? I hope?"

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "I imagine Jacob is just eating through this discussion. "Mmmmm, pie!""

Eben shakes his head. "Understandable, but of course it wasn't her fault. All sorts of things can go wrong in those situations, and there's nothing you can do."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Hee."

Eben asks, "Even if he had one of those Tide Pods with him, they'd probably have found it dropped somewhere. Or, uh, earth pods? What do they call those tracking things?"

Wanda extends one of her hind legs to tap Jacob in the shin gently. 'Pssst? Maybe your friends saw something?'

Wanda says, "(this is a psychic message)"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Eben doesn't bother remembering the brand names of tech devices because when he needs something, he just invents it himself instead of buying one at the store."

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "Exactly ;-)"

Wanda says, "(I totally just remembered Wanda can send messages into people's head afrer I typed that)"

Wanda says, "(So assume Jacob hears that in his head)"

Jacob looks up, startled. He shrugs at Wanda in a "I'll try later" sort of manner.

Wanda nods and shifts her focus back to the conversation.

Jacob may be able to telepathically talk to birds, but it still seems like a weird thing to do while they're here.

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says, "We're all getting used to the fact that our characters have telepathy :D"

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "'hey, while I'm eating this bird, can you help us out?'"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Or I guess he could go in the other room and do it, lol"

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "I don't eat bird! I covered that a few lines ago"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "I can imagine Jacob just summoning a flock of pigeons to the Thanksgiving table."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Some houses have an adult table and a kid table. The Morris house also has an animal table."

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says (to Eben), "Tofurkey, for furk's sack"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Hee"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "(I'm not sure how old Wanda was before she stopped eating at it.)"

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "Hee"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "snrk"

Jacob will, for the sake of moving things along, excuse himself for a moment to go to the big bird's room.

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Almost choked on muffin upon readinf that :D"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Wait, scratch that. I don't know what this kid looks like yet."

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Good point"

Jacob asks, "I'm sure you told the police all of this, but can you tell us a little more? Do you know what he was wearing when he disappeared? What does he look like?"

GM says, "Bethany describes his appearance, but it sounds like a fairly typical six year old kid."

Eben, at a pause in the conversation, texts Thomas, "Hey, can we help on the missing kid case? Henry Laszlo? Turns out he's related to a friend of ours."

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "All kids look alike to birds :D"

Bethany says, "I don't know what he was wearing, but my aunt and uncle probably told all of that to the police. I think they gave them a photo, too."

Eben pats Bethany's hand. "Don't worry; we have an excellent police force here, and when they're stymied, they have an amazing backup team as well." He grins.

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "Speaking of kids, this one just hit the power button on my laptop."

GM says (to Eben), "He texts back. 'Sure, come by the station when you can. I have another favor to ask you when you get here too.'"

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Oof."

Eben exclaims, "In the meantime: pie!"

Jacob has another slice!

Eben chats with Bethany easily, gradually getting her mind off her missing cousin.

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "Would you like to cut forward to the post-prandial police meeting?"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "Sure!"

[CCrusaders] Eben exclaims, "Sounds good to me!"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Sure"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Let's assume Jacob has sampled each and every pie at least once."

GM says, "You enter COmmissioner Webb's office. He desk is covered with stacks of files and loose papers."

[Setting the zoned flag.]

Eben looks around and sighs. "You know, I keep offering to digitize this stuff for you."

Webb says, "Thanks for coming. Sorry I missed the dinner, but things have been swamped here, especially with all these missing kids cases, and I wanted to let some of my men have the day off. So I'm here instead."

Jacob frowns. "Multiple missing kids?"

Eben says, "*All* the missing kid cases? Sheesh."

GM says, "He gestures at one of the larger piles of files."

Webb says, "Yup. About a dozen or so, just in the last few weeks. The Laszlo case is in there someplace."

Webb says, "But that's not the reason I asked you to come here."

Eben picks up the pile. "May we?" Assuming the affirmative, he looks through them as he listens.

[Crows-Nest] (from Jacob) Webb says, "No. But you will anyway, so go ahead."

Webb nods, then continues. "There's something a bit 'unofficial' I'd like you to do for me, if you're willing. I don't want to make it a 'police' matter. And I don't have the manpower to spare for it even if I did."

Webb says, "Have you ever heard of 'Nick Bishop'?"

Eben asks, "The K-pop band?"

GM says, "(If you follow the financial news, you'll probably be aware that he's a reclusive billionaire. If not, you probably aren't.)"

Jacob shakes his head.

Webb says, "No, this is the Canadian billionaire guy."

Eben asks, "Oh. Who has a different band?"

Webb says, "He runs the, uh, 'Syndicated North Trading Conglomerate, LLC'. He's a real private guy. Secretive."

Eben says, "Got it."

Webb says, "But I have my connections, and I found out that he's going to be flying into Crownsford tomorrow morning on a private jet."

Eben mutters, "(another mall, two parks...)"

Wanda skitters down from the wall where she had been idling. 'If you need a private eye to look up into a private guy, Jacob's right there'

Webb says, "This is a thing he does sometimes, apparently. A few years ago, he made a secret trip out to Tucson. And he got himself mugged, with a broken arm. And that didn't make the Tucson police chief look very good, let me tell you."

Jacob ah.

Webb says, "I don't want something like that to happen here. So I was wondering if you could keep an eye on him while he's in town."

Wanda exclaims, "He sounds a bit accident prone. We'll try!"

Eben cocks his head. "And you don't think people are going to worry more about a dozen missing kids than the fate of some billionairre?"

GM says (to Eben), "Meanwhile, you find a dozen or so cases with ages from four to sixteen. Some are in Crownsford proper, and some are in the surrounding area. All withing the last few weeks. Most of them missing from public places, when someone looked away for a few seconds too long."

Webb says, "Oh, I'm sure they will. That's why I have the entire rest of the police force working on them."

Eben nods. "Fair enough."

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "Maybe they're related! dun dun dun"

Webb says, "That's why I'm *here* working on Thanksgiving instead of having Frances' pie."

Eben says, "Oh, that reminds me! She sent your favorite."

Eben hands over a pie-slice-shaped tupperware.

Webb 's eyes light up. "Cinnamon butterscotch?"

Webb says, "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Eben grins. "With whipped cream!"

GM says, "He opens the container and sniffs it and smiles."

Webb says, "Do you have any more questions before I take a pie break?"

Eben asks, "Does anyone know *why* this guy takes secret trips to random American towns?"

Webb says, "If anyone does, I haven't heard about it."

Eben asks, "And did anything else happen in Tuscon that the public doesn't know about?"

Webb says, "Although I'm not sure if it's just American towns. It could be other places too, for all I know."

Webb says, "That's a good question."

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "I've been wondering why I have all these instincts to do particular types of research that keep seeming 'off' for this game, and I finally realized why: I'm remembering the research we do in my Shadowrun game."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "You're free to do some Investigation -- there's a limit to how much Thomas can tell you, but there's probably more information out there somewhere."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "(Although if that 'research' is kidnapping people and using truth serum on them, then yeah, that's probably more fitting for Shadowrun than here.)"

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "Hee"

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "ha"

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "More like breaking into police networks or hacking public camera records, but yeah ;-)"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I have investigate at a +4, so that's most likely me, just I don't have a better lead yet than "see if there's mention of him visiting other locations and ending up in the news or something""

Eben says (to Webb), "Can I use a police line to call the Tuscon PD? Figuring out his MO (and how it went awry) seems helpful, and I feel like they'd be more likely to help out a fellow police department."

Webb says, "Sure, be my guest."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "You could try to figure out what his company does, and perhaps if it has a connection to Crownsford?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yeah, true."

Jacob, to the internet!

Eben says, "Sounds good. Enjoy your pie break! There's a fork in the left pocket, and I installed a miniature microwave in the bottom that'll heat it up if you push the orange button. Just don't set it down on metal."

Webb says, "Fantastic."

Eben asks (of group), "So: I'll call Tuscon; Jacob's looking stuff up. You want to focus on anything in particular, Wanda?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(Rapport for me)"

GM asks (of Jacob), "With Commissioner Webb's blessing, you're able to get on one of the police computers. So you're looking for news items about Nick Bishop?"

Wanda says (to Eben), "I'm actually not sure, I feel like you and Jacob have it covered. I can assist though if one of you needs four extra pairs of eyes"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yeah, let's start with that. Figure out more about what he/his company *does* and what that might have to do with here."

GM says (to Eben), "Let's say, to get to talk to someone who knows anything useful about an incident from several years and has time to talk, on a holiday, it's a +3 Rapport overcome."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(also, I'm fine with a summary from Tuscon, if we don't want to rp the whole conversation.)"

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "OK! Investigate, +2 for basic info, and then you can work from there."

Jacob rolls Great (4) + 4dF: 0 +1 -1 -1 | Good (3)

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "OK, rolling straight; I don't think it's quite worth it to try to set up a bonus at the moment."

Eben rolls Great (4) + 4dF: -1 0 -1 0 | Fair (2)

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Hrm hrm."

GM says (to Jacob), "His company owns a lot of other companies, and it's got fingers in a lot of metaphorical pies. Hospitals and pharmaceuticals, shipping and fishing fleets, manufacturing and retail of childrens products, information technology. And apparently it's involved in a *lot* of charity work."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Enh, spending a fate point; why not. Tagging '...all my kids' to get the person in Tuscon talking about family Thaksgiving traditions first."

Eben spends a fate point, leaving them with 1.

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(straight +2)"

GM says, "It's in Nunavut, Canada, and there are no connections with Crownsford that you can find."

GM says (to Eben), "OK! A tie being a success with a minor cost."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "A fp is a +2, right?"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "Oh, right!"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Thanks, it's been a while."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Heh."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Given how many times you corrected my 7th Sea rulings, you have more mechanics-advisory credit banked than I'll be able to overcome even with fate points ;-)"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Was mine creating an advantage or an overcome? I realize I could have +2 to investigate using my super sight (it's been a while), which would be a 5 over a 2"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Super sight might be a difficult bonus to justify in internet research."

[Crows-Nest] Wanda exclaims, "I can see the pixels!"

GM says (to Eben), "You gather that Mr. Bishop was found in a dingy back alley in a poor neighborhood. He said that he had gone 'for a walk', even though the alley was nowhere near his hotel. It was clear that he had been in a fight of some sort, but he was only able to provide a very vague description of the preson who beat him up."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I've used it before :D But now I'm realizing my sight is a +4"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Not just a plus 2, haha"

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "I was treating it as an Overcome."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Ok!"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "But you'll have to give me a good justification for super sight applying over the Internet :)"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I can, uh.. process information faster? Yeah, I dunno. I just feel like I'd used it before :P"

GM says (to Eben), "From the way the person on the other end is talking, it sounds like it was a bad time for the department overall."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I'm fine without"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Sure, I'm not saying no. You just have to pay for it with a good narrative description :)"

Eben asks if there were any other difficulties at the time, like missing kids.

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Trying to avoid everyone, but there are now a bunch of people here, so I might get distracted."

GM says (to Eben), "In fact, yes. It turns out there was a whole rash of missing children cases right around the same time. Nick Bishop getting attacked was just the icing on the misery cake."

Eben asks (of phone), "What happened in the missing kids cases? Anyone recovered?"

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "It's up to you. If you give me a good narration of using super sight for it, then I'm happy to trade your boost for juicier info, if you'd like."

GM says (to Eben), "Sadly not."

Eben asks (of phone), "How long were kids being abducted for, and when did it stop?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yeah, I can't think of anything this time."

GM says, "They happened over a month or two. And they ended by Christmas."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Aw. OK."

Eben asks (of phone), "Oh, it was Thanksgiving then, too?"

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says, "We're fighting Krampus, oh no"

GM says, "Close, but the Tucson incident was in December."

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "I mean, that is not so much a joke as it is a reasonable hypothesis."

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "Given the setting."

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says, "True"

GM asks (of Jacob), "Did you want to do anything specific followup research?"

Eben asks if they'd mind sending over the reports from the missing kid cases, as Crownsford is experiencing the same problem.

GM asks (of Wanda), "And were you doing anything right now that I missed?"

Wanda exclaims (at GM), "nope!"

Jacob would like to know more about charities he's involved with

GM says (to Eben), "They agree to do so, but say that it'll take them a few days to get it all together."

Eben exclaims (at phone), "Thank you so much!"

Eben asks (of phone), "One last question: have you heard of any other towns experiencing this problem, either with kids or with Mr. Cash, or both at once?"

GM says (to Jacob), "OK! That'll be an easier one, so you don't have to roll for it:"

GM says (to Jacob), "It looks like it's mostly children's charities. Children's hospitals, toy drives, orphanages, etc."

Jacob hm.

GM says (to Eben), "Unfortunately the person on the phone is unable to help there."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "This is very suspicious, and I really hope that this guy just knows something he's trying to stop, rather than causing the problems himself."

Eben says (to phone), "Well, thank you for your time. If you remember anything else, don't hesitate to call, and thank you again for the records."

Wanda is busy coming up with theories based on what Jacob and grandpa found. 'What if Bishop is Santa and he's been fighting Krampus?'

Wanda says, "Wait, maybe that's a bit far fetched."

Eben asks (of Jacob), "Hey, aren't the private jet flights logged somewhere? Can we see where this guy's been for Thanksgiving/Christmas for the last few years?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Is there anything else to be gleaned from the missing kids' reports we already have available? With a roll."

Jacob says, "Oh, yeah. Good idea!"

Wanda says, "Isn't it funny that he's tied to a village in the Arctic..."

Wanda says, "...near the North Pole..."

Eben says (to Wanda), "I mean, you're an alien princess from another planet. It would not surprise me to discover that Santa is real, no."

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "Not with a short glance. If you wanted to spend a few days studying them in your off hours, and treat all of that as one roll at the end, I'd be happy to do that."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "If Webb is cool with that, yes."

Eben asks, "And do we have pictures of the guy? Is he fat and jolly?"

Wanda is just skittering excitedly around the walls and ceiling. 'Wasn't Saint Nick a Bishop in Turkey?'

Eben asks, "And, wait: Nick Bishop? Saint Nick?"

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "You can't have the originals, but as long as you're willing to spend the time at the photocopier, he's OK with you taking home copies of them to study."

Jacob asks Wanda to help, all those legs and such.

GM says (to Eben), "As a recluse, he doesn't have many photos available online."

Wanda helps carries the copies for Jacob! They're a little singed at the corners.

Jacob will, if possible, follow the lead on the flight plans for this guy's private jet if we can get those

GM says, "OK! The company owns a number of planes, and if this guy is as secretive as he seems to be, it's not going to be easy to track them down. +4 Overcome with Investigate."

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says, "He flies using Blitz Air? That's just on the nose"

Jacob rolls Great (4) + 4dF: 0 -1 -1 -1 | Average (1)

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Ugh"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "These are certainly rolls"

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "Something something dark web, dark vision, lol"

GM says (to Jacob), "You find a lot of records of a lot of planes belonging to Syndicate North travelling at a lot of different times of year. It's hard to tell which of those might be relevant."

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "We can't pin it down knowing that he's arriving tomorrow and the dates of when he was in Tucson?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "At least partial data"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "He probably used a different plane for those two times."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yeah fair"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "You can identify those two flights, but right, what he said."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Rich people, man"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Friggin' Santa Claus."

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "So, what's next?"

Jacob finds a file folder for his copies and tucks them under his arm.

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "I am 100% convinced that Wanda is right, and am reminded of when I was a GM and gave the PCs-trying-to-infiltrate-an-enemy-base an access card with a series of lights across the top. "Oh, it's binary," my friend declared. It was, in fact, binary."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Hee."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "(Based on your current theories, I should give you an access card with red and green lights across the top.)"

[Crows-Nest] Eben exclaims, "Ha!"

Eben asks, "So, um. I can't quite believe we're saying this, but if our working theory is Santa Claus vs. Krampus, how can we track down Krampus? Can we at least look up his basic story?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob can probably recite that one with a lore roll

[Crows-Nest] GM says (to Jacob), "Sure. +1 opposition, since it's not terribly obscure, to know anything from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus"

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "Sure. +1 opposition, since it's not terribly obscure, to know anything from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus"

Jacob rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 -1 +1 +1 | Epic (7)

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "And a success with style would be a boost, if you can find a good use for it in the immediate short term!"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Hmmmmmmm!"

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "Anyone have thoughts?"

[Crows-Nest] Eben says, "I'm reading the wikipedia page ;-)"

GM says, "And the short version of the Krampus story: he's a monster from European folklore who punishes children around Christmas time, either by beating them with sticks or carrying them off in a sack."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Might be useful in some way while I'm pouring through the files. Like, if (assuming we're on the right track) there were silver branches left behind or something weird like that."

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "Alrighty."

Eben asks, "Maybe we visit the most recent abduction site, and see if we can find anything Santa-or-Krampus related?"

Eben says, "Assuming the police already looked for the normal things."

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "As Jota watches us go down COMPLETELY the wrong track, both amused and frustrated with us."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Hee. No comment."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Oh, you could can declare something is true in-world with a Lore roll, right?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "So you could just say that the silver branches thing is true and get a boost from it."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(Do you have to spend a fp for that? might be worth it.)"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(er spend the boost on declaring 'Krampus leaves behind silver branches')"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "That's from the Wikipedia page, which you already have as part of the successful roll, so."

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "So are you going to the site of the most recent abduction today?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yeah, guess so. Probably mostly empty due to it being Thanksgiving, so it won't be weird and busy."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Sure, why not."

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "OK!"

GM says, "You find yourself en route to an ice fishing pond on the outskirts of town, where a little girl was fishing with her father."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Ooh ooh ooh, I can do my thing here."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Where I make the GM come up with things :D"

GM says, "But before you get there -- while you're still not even all that close to it yet, to be honest -- Jacob should attempt a +4 Notice Overcome. Which super sight applies to."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Ha."

Jacob rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: +1 0 -1 +1 | Fantastic (6)

GM says (to Jacob), "It gets late early these days, but... something seems off about those shadows you just drove past, in the woods over to your left."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Oh, it occurs to me that we could check the names of the planes to see if they are things like 'Lightning' or other obvious reindeer-name-analogues."

Jacob asks, "Hey, stop the car for a sec?"

Eben stops the car!

Jacob says, "The shadows back there were.... weird. We should totally just go investigate the woods for no apparent reason."

Eben shrugs, gets out, and pulls out the LED flashlight from the trunk that he's tinkered with.

Wanda says, "We've fought shadows before. We'll do it again."

GM says, "As you enter the woods, you notice the shadows are moving a bit like fog. Wispy, tendril-y... in a disturbingly familiar way."

GM asks, "Do you follow them to their source?"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Can we get a recap on wispy shadows?"

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "Do you remember when you returned from Ganymede, and your portal malfunctioned and dropped you in a shadow version of Crownsford?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Yup."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "These shadows seem very similar to those shadows."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "We didn't see them in the real world then, did we?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Nope."

Eben says, "Oh! Hey! These are like the shadow realm shadows, but in the real world! I haven't seen that before! I should take some readings."

Eben opens a portal back to his workshop where he grabs some of the tools he's been using to measure stuff in the shadow realm, then comes back to see what he can measure about these.

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(assuming that's not summarizing too much)"

GM asks (of Eben), "Are you just looking for general anonymous data (Create Advantage) or something specific (Overcome)?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "I have no idea, I'm just acting in character ;-)"

[CCrusaders] Eben exclaims, "Let's say Create Advantage!"

GM says, "Either way, I think the skill will be Will, to figure out how to use normal equipment to get useful information about mysterious shadows."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "TN?"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "OK! Vs +2!"

Eben rolls Fair (2) + 4dF: +1 +1 0 -1 | Good (3)

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "Success! You now have an Aspect!"

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "What's it called?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Shadow Data from the Real World"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Excellent."

Eben says, "Let me see what the shadow realm looks like here, too."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(unless there are objections)"

Eben opens a portal to the shadow realm in the forest floor.

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(or the street if the ground isn't flat enough)"

GM asks, "Are you going through the portal?"

Eben sticks his head through first.

Wanda braces to rescue Eben if needed.

GM says, "The woods are darker and more washed out in the shadow realm; the colors are less intense. There are shadows rolling across the ground... and you can see an ethereal glow coming from someplace in the woods."

Eben asks, "OK, gang. Do we follow the shadows in the real world to their source, or go there through the portal?"

Wanda sticks her head through as well. 'Light in the shadow realm? That's pretty weird.'

GM says, "FYI, both of those -- the source of the shadows in the real world and the glow in the shadow world -- appear to be in roughly the same direction."

Wanda says (to Eben), "I feel like we should go through the shadow realm because if there are shadows leaking out then something's happening on that side."

Eben says, "Seems reasonable to me."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Also, I finally remembered how this works: I open two portals, but set one to 'exist' in the shadow realm, so you go through the RL orange portal and emerge from the blue portal on the other side."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Perhaps I can set them to overlap, so it's like walking through a mirror?"

Eben leads the group into the shadow realm through the portal, and makes his way cautiously towards the glow.

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "Is there an advantage to doing that, right than just having the two portals?"

GM says, "As you approach the source of the glow, you see several things:"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "I can't think of one?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Just for the aesthetics ;-)"

GM says, "One is a large portal to the real world, floating in mid-air, about four feet off the ground. You can see the real forest, shimmering and distorted, through it."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Hee."

[Crows-Nest] Wanda exclaims, "a rival portal person? no!"

[Crows-Nest] Wanda exclaims, "the only thing between Eben and retirement was the sense of filling a unique niche!"

GM says, "Two is a large chunk of black rock immediately underneath the portal. Cryptic runes are carved seemingly haphazardly into it, and those runes are glowing brightly. If feels like there's some connection between the stone and the portal."

GM says, "And three is a black chain, one end of which is attacked to the rock, and the other end of which is attached to the collar of a dog who is sitting beside the rock, staring wearily at you."

Jacob oh.

Jacob speaks to the dog, first in English and then in dog, switching effortlessly between the two.

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Same sort of mystical black chain as last time, or just a normal black chain?"

GM says, "The dog seems less than entirely solid -- ethereal, like the old woman you met in the shadow realm."

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "I assume we followed?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "Or did we not?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "The same sort of mystical black chain."

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "I also assumed you followed."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Ok, good!"

GM asks (of Jacob), "What do you say?"

Jacob says, "Hello!"

Dog answers (in Dog), "Oh. Hello."

Jacob asks, "What are you doing out here?"

Dog sighs. "Not much. I'm very tired, but I'm stuck here."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "To recap the mystic black chain: it's a thing that leeches the life force-ish of the chained thing? And breaking it (which is very difficult) frees the thing?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "ISTR it unravelling in front of us after we broke one."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "That's how it happened, yes. Although this chain is much smaller than the other one."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "It also turned into a hostile monster when you broke it."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "(But once you slew it, as you say, the chain unraveled and freed the thing it was attached to.)"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "There was also a shadow portal before"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "That was the hydra thing? But... also a person?"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Oh, the chain itself turned into a monster, right."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "That one was as thick as the chains you might use to moor a freighter ship. This one is only about as thick as a normal dog chain."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "So a small hostile monster :D"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "So it'll turn into a very angry bat."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Timing :)"

Jacob asks, "Ho-- How did you die? You are dead, right?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob has been playing Blackwell games, where souls don't realize they're dead.

Dog says, "That would make sense. I don't remember much about before. But I think there were some bad people. And it hurt. And I woke up here."

Jacob looks for a symbol on the dog?

GM says (to Jacob), "You find one: it's the same symbol as you saw on Tyler's back."

Wanda pats dog on head with one of her legs.

GM says (to Wanda), "It leans into you gratefully."

Wanda says, "Awww. Good doggy."

Eben ruffles its ears. "OK, let's get you out of here. Jacob, can you ask it if it's compelled to, I dunno, bark at us or attack or something?"

Jacob asks (of dog), "You're not going to attack us, are you?"

Jacob asks, "If we try to help you?"

Dog says, "No, I'm not a bad dog."

Jacob says, "Of course not!"

Jacob says, "I didn't mean that. But like.. you've got this symbol on you and it's from some bad people, and I wondered.."

Dog says, "I just want to go to sleep."

Jacob says, "We're going to help you, ok? We'll fix this."

Dog says, "Thank you."

Eben asks, "OK, let's try this. Jacob, you keep talking to the dog; I'll scritch its ears and keep talking to it, and Wanda breaks the chain, and we go from there?"

Jacob asks, "What's your name?"

Dog says, "What's a name?"

Jacob asks, "Oh. It's, uh. What are you called? What do you call yourselF?"

Dog says, "Nobody ever called me."

Jacob oh.

Wanda says, "I'll call you Olive."

Wanda says, "Like the other reindeer in that kid's book. It's Christmassy."

Dog says, "I would like being called Olive."

Wanda says, "Yay. I'm glad you like it"

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says, "Can you tell Wanda misses being able to talk to CP"

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "Uh, it occurs to me that the dog doesn't actually speak Wanda or vice versa; can I assume Jacob translated?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Sure"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Jacob is great"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "the bets"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "*best!"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Does the psychic connection work cross-species?"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Telepathy requires near human intelligence"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "So most animals, no. Hence why Jacob is so cool"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "his telepathy bypasses that limitation"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Only for birds"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I can talk to all animals like "non human NPCs", though"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Human, I mean"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "As if they were human NPCs"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "To be fair, this dog is 1) dead and 2) under a spell"

[CCrusaders] Eben nods.

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "So, ready to break the chain?"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "Ready!"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yes!"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "Go for it!"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "I'm petting the dog, trying to keep it in its own mind with Rapport, with Jacob translating, and Wanda strongarms it?"

GM exclaims, "To break the chain, it's a +3 Physique Overcome!"

Eben . o O ( Hmm, maybe the dog's life force is keeping the portal open? )

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "My Physique is only +2 because I sacrificed the dragon strength to redeem myself for my sins"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "I can still try!"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "Good luck!"

Wanda rolls Fair (2) + 4dF: 0 0 +1 -1 | Fair (2)

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "Are you tagging anything? Succeeding at a cost? Or failing?"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "I'll succeed at a cost!"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "OK!"

GM says, "Wanda puts all her might into breaking the chain. It seems to be beyond her strength, but then she feels the shadowstuff begin to melt under her flames..."

GM says, "The chain snaps! And the two broken ends of it immediately begin to writhe and reshape themselves into small snake heads."

GM says, "The dog shivers with fear, but Eben and Jacob are able to keep it calm. But the 'snakes' snap and bite at Wanda. And one manages to sink its fangs into her."

Wanda exclaims, "Yeowch!"

GM says (to Wanda), "You now have the aspect 'Shadow Poisoned'."

GM asks, "The heads are still snapping, and might try to bite Eben or Jacob next -- what do you do?"

Wanda asks, "Some of my flames are turning to shadow and losing their heat! That's not good. Also, why am I narrating like someone in a comic book panel?"

Eben grabs at the snake still attached to the dog, trying to grab it just below the head!

[CCrusaders] GM says, "(They are Unnamed NPC's, so you can attack them both as a mob if you want.)"

GM says (to Eben), "Hmm, what's the Animal Handling skill in Fate..."

GM asks, "Empathy?"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "I was thinking basic Physique?"

GM says, "OK, that can work."

GM says, "An opposed Create Advantage."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Apparently I'm now stronger than Wanda, with a +3 ;-)"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Which is pretty funny."

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Grandpa's been working out"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "I want something like Impose Condition, which I guess is Create Advantage?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Yeah."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Great. TN?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Opposed."

Eben rolls Good (3) + 4dF: -1 0 0 0 | Fair (2)

GM rolls Average (1) + 4dF: -1 -1 0 -1 | Terrible (-2)

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "You succeed with style!"

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Which gives an extra tag to it?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "IIRC, yup."

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "While Eben narrates, what are Wanda and Jacob doing?"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "Attacking the snakes!"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "OK!"

Eben quickly slips his hands off the collar on the dog to the newly-formed snake, grabbing it below the head, where it hopefully can't bite anyone! Or will have a harder time of it, at least.

[CCrusaders] Eben adds 'Snake1: Grappled Below The Head' to the sheet.

Jacob hmm

[CCrusaders] GM asks (of Wanda), "I assume you're attacking with Fight? Do you want to roll your attack?"

Wanda rolls Great (4) + 4dF: +1 -1 -1 0 | Good (3)

GM rolls Average (1) + 4dF: +1 -1 +1 -1 | Average (1)

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "You succeed! Are you dealing two stress?"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Sorry, I got distracted by the fact that there's a Moderate Consequence (healing) on the google sheets that isn't on my updated character sheet"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says (to GM), "Plus an addition 2"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "for Harm"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "(it's melee)"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims (at Wanda), "That's enough to take them both out!"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Go ahead and narrate."

Wanda realizes that some of the flames on her body have turned to shadow where she was bitten, so she goes for a straight up bite, scooping up both heads in her spider mandibles and squeezing them as she glows white-hot for a moment, just vaporizing the shadow snakes.

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "I feel bad that Grandpa's create advantage wasn't needed"

Dog visibly relaxes now that the chain snakes have been vaporized. "Oh. Thank you. That feels so much better."

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "Did the collar vanish, too?"

Dog says, "Can I go to sleep now?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "It did."

Jacob pets Olive. "Yes."

Eben nods, and resumes petting him. "Good night, Olive."

GM says, "The dog lies down on the ground and closes its eyes. After a few moments, it begins to dissolve into shadow as well, until there's nothing left."

GM says, "The runes on the stone dim and then go out. And the portal in the air begins to slowly fade."

Eben takes readings as it does, trying to figure out the energy flow.

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "Do we want to play until five or six?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "(I.e., five minutes or an hour from now?)"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "As in four minutes... right, that."

Wanda asks, "Why would anyone try to bind a poor little dog's soul? Was it a trial run for something, an experiment?"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "I'm happy to keep playing"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "I was planning on an hour from now, but if it makes more sense to break now that works for me."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I can keep playing, as that was the original plan, and I'm avoiding family :D"

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "Sounds good!"

Eben asks, "It looks like it was to power the portal. So the next question is: who needed this portal? Did they use it to abduct the kid?"

Eben takes pictures of the runes for later investigation.

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(or sketches them from memory if they've faded.)"

[Crows-Nest] GM gives Eben's cell phone the aspect 'Haunted'.

[CCrusaders] GM says, "The runes are etched in the stone. They're not glowing anymore, but they're still there."

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says (to GM), "It's close to becoming an SCP"

Eben asks, "Should we try to break or deface this somehow so it can't be used again? Melt it with flame?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "Are these in the same family of runes as we've seen before?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "With the previous shadow magic? They seem similar, yeah."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I've interpreted some before with Lore, on the pillar/hatch/chain"

[CCrusaders] Roger says, "resident magician feels bad for missing this one! sorry team"

Jacob says, "Wait, Eben. Let me look at these before we try to destroy it. Just in case."

Eben exclaims, "Oh, sure!"

Jacob says, "In case it's like "never expose this rock to fire" :D"

Jacob rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: -1 +1 -1 +1 | Superb (5)

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "didn't wait for a TN, sorry"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "It contains a lithium ion battery."

[CCrusaders] GM asks (of Jacob), "Is this a general 'what are these runes about?' roll, or something more specific?"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I think a general idea, yeah, and I was kind of serious about repercussions if we try to destroy them"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "We have the photo, so we can compare to books later"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "for further details"

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "You don't see anything that looks like a warning. As far as you can tell, you think they're all part of the binding/portal spell."

GM asks (of Jacob), "Although while you're looking closely at the rock, do you want to do another +4 Notice Overcome?"

Jacob rolls Superb (5) + 4dF: -1 -1 +1 +1 | Superb (5)

GM asks (of Jacob), "Those hairline fractures... they're not a part of the rock, are they?"

Jacob looks more closely, without touching them.

GM says, "They're almost invisible; anyone else probably wouldn't be able to see them at all. But they seem to extend past the edges of the stone."

GM asks, "As if they were tiny little cracks in reality itself?"

Jacob says, "Hey, look at this."

Jacob forgets not everyone has super vision

Wanda squints all eight eyes.

Jacob goes ahead and pokes with a fingernail.

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says, "ow"

[Crows-Nest] Jacob says, "Hehe"

GM says (to Jacob), "Yup, that's a crack alright. You think you might have just made it *slightly* wider."

Jacob oops.

GM says, "But hey, if Eben and Wanda look really closely, they can see it now."

Wanda says, "Grandpa, you make holes in reality all the time"

Eben opens some portals, looks to see if the cracks are both here and in the real world.

GM says (to Eben), "Inasmuch as you can see it, yes."

Eben tries to see if the cracks go from our reality to the shadow realm, or if it's a crack across both realities.

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Which hmm, seems like Investigate, so maybe I can try a craft/will thing to help Jacob?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "I'm not sure I fully understand the question."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Like, are the cracks sort of like miniature portals in that one end is the shadow realm and the other in reality, or are they cracks in both realities across some other axis/dimension?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Ah, I see."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "That does seem like Investigate."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "And given that the most of the cracks are invisible to the mundane eye, it would be +6 Overcome."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I can do that, but Eben was asking if he could create some sort of advantage"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I think"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Right. Let me think of a narration here."

[CCrusaders] GM asks, "Was that a question directed at me, or just a general thinking out loud?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "(I think Eben knows that the answer to 'can I try a thing to help?' is usually 'yes if you can think of an appropriate thing to try'.)"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yeah, I was just explaining why I'm not going to roll yet"

Eben rigs up his cell phone camera (taking off the two other old attachments he put on it the last time) to enhance detected shadow-realm material, so when jacob looks at the cracks in the real world, he'll be able to see if there's shadow-stuff on the other side or not.

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(which seems like my normal '+2 when building complex devices', I think.)"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "For a Create Advantage."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Yeah. And that's a weird and complicated thing to do, so the opposition is... let's say +4."

Eben rolls Epic (7) + 4dF: 0 +1 0 0 | Legendary (8)

[CCrusaders] GM exclaims, "Success with style!"

Eben says (to Jacob), "There, try this."

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "(and you get a thing with two possible tags)"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Neat, thanks"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Rolling straight first"

Jacob rolls Legendary (8) + 4dF: 0 -1 +1 +1 | Legendary+1 (9)

[CCrusaders] GM says, "And of course it's a success with style :)"

GM says, "If you squint carefully enough, you can even see the leaves on the trees on the other side of the cracks."

GM says, "They're cracks between this world and the real one."

Jacob hms

Jacob says, "Well, that's bad."

Eben says, "Yeah, that doesn't seem great."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I need to get up and make more tea because I'm sleepy and sick and no one else seems to be making me tea."

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "So brb"

Eben asks, "Maybe there's a spell to reinforce things or fix them again?"

[Crows-Nest] GM asks (of Wanda), "Why aren't you using your fire to make Jacob tea?"

Eben says, "Maybe St. Nick knows of something."

Wanda asks, "Maybe Krampus was banished to the shadow world, like Admiral Doz in the original Superperson movie, and has escaped?"

Eben says, "Well, let's look around here for anything else, then head over to the site to look for silver branches."

[Crows-Nest] Wanda says, "Doz was played by Clarence Tramp"

GM says, "Not finding anything else here, you use Eben's portals to return to the real world, then make your way out of the woods back to the car, and eventually, some time later, get to the fishing spot."

GM says, "It's a frozen over pond with trees around it on most sides, and a parking lot on the other side."

GM says, "A sign says 'Potter's Pond. NO FISHING'."

Wanda says, "Hmm, so maybe that's why the girl was on the naughty list, for ignoring the sign"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "back"

Wanda says, "Seems like a very rigid system of morality"

Eben says, "These things are usually just excuses."

Wanda skitters out onto the ice, flails, spins.

GM asks (of Wanda), "You feel the ice is extra slippery. As if it might be starting to melt from the heat?"

Eben ducks into the shadow realm to see if there's anything interesting over there. He's also interested in whether the pond is frozen there or not.

GM says (to Eben), "You look for anything related to the portals or the abductions on the shadow side, but this place doesn't seem to be connected to anything particularly shadow-related. And while you wouldn't describe the pond as 'frozen' -- it doesn't exactly seem cold like ice -- it definitely does seem solid."

Wanda exclaims (at GM), "I skitter back to the group!"

Eben also returns.

Wanda says, "Phew, that was close."

Eben says (to Jacob), "Let me know if I can help search for those silver branches. I bet I could rig up something..."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "(Has Jacob said he's doing anything yet?)"

[CCrusaders] Jacob asks, "I have not, and did we decide the branches were canon?"

[CCrusaders] Eben exclaims, "We did!"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "I was gonna leave it more open ended, but sure"

[CCrusaders] Eben says, "Since they were on wikipedia."

[Crows-Nest] GM says, "Branches are canonically part of the myth of Krampus in this world the same as in the real world, but whether or not it's actually any more true in Crownsford than in reality is yet to be determined."

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Branches are canonically part of the myth of Krampus in this world the same as in the real world, but whether or not it's actually any more true in Crownsford than in reality is yet to be determined."

Jacob looks around for signs of Krampus, such as silver branches or anything else tell-tale and out of place.

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "Is it reasonable to do a Lore Declaration to say that this is definitely A Thing, and thus if we succeed on an Investigate and find none, it's not Krampus?"

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Jacob), "Investigation. Since the cops have already been here and trampled over everything a few times, it'll be a +4 opposition."

Jacob rolls Legendary (8) + 4dF: 0 0 +1 -1 | Legendary (8)

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "The world's greatest detective!"

GM asks (of Jacob), "Hmm. There's not really a lot here, aside from... oh, the ground is too frozen to take footprints well, but you *can* make out some faint hoof-like indentations. And a single fur-like hair on this bush? And what's that tiny silvery twig there?"

Jacob hmmm!

Eben shakes his head. "Geez."

[CCrusaders] GM says (to Eben), "Well, OK, if you really want."

Jacob takes photos with his camera.

GM says, "And at that point, it begins to rain."

Eben puts the silvery twig and the fur in a ziplock bag.

GM says, "It's also getting pretty dark by now."

Eben says, "Well."

Eben asks, "Let's head back. And maybe look for more portals at other kidnapping sites, maybe in the morning?"

Eben says, "My current theory is that the Krampus/Claus feud has made its way to Crownsford, and that the local cult is trying to use the Krampus bit to their advantage. Unless they summoned him, or something? But I'm guessing it's more opportunistic."

[CCrusaders] Eben asks, "We didn't eradicate the cult last time, right? Just shut down one of their operations?"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Right."

GM says, "As you drive back toward the middle of town, the rain gets worse, and it begins to thunder and lightning."

GM exclaims, "As you're driving through a residential neighborhood, there's suddenly a blinding flash of lightning that's almost simultaneously with a massively loud CRACK of thunder!"

GM asks, "Do you do anything about this, or do you continue home?"

Eben drives to the site of whatever got hit, in case there's a fire.

Eben . o O ( Blitzen? Is that you? )

GM says (to Eben), "You find the house pretty easily. There isn't an actual active fire, but you can see scorching on the roof and around an upstairs window, so you're pretty sure it's the right place."

Eben pulls up and calls out, "Hey, are you guys OK? Did you lose power?"

Eben goes ahead and gets out of the car.

GM exclaims, "In response, from the upstairs room, you hear the sound of an explosion!"

GM says, "<TO BE CONTINUED>"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "Whoa!"

[CCrusaders] Jacob says, "Yikes!"

Eben exclaims, "Dun dun DUN!"

[CCrusaders] Wanda exclaims, "Crusaders... converge!"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "In two weeks"

Eben exclaims (at GM), "Thanks! This was great!"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "Hopefully I wasn't too rusty, it'd been so long"

GM exclaims, "You're welcome! And thanks for playing!"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "I think playing without CP was the hardest part because I'd built a whole chunk of RP interactions around Wanda's relationship with her beloved cat"

[CCrusaders] Wanda says, "But you provided us with space to get back into our characters; which was nice"

[CCrusaders] GM says, "Yay, I'm glad that worked out."

Eben exits stage left.

Eben has disconnected.

[CCrusaders] GM says, "I just added the rest of February to the schedule."