Revenge? (OOC)

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The way I which Persephone and Emma have been kind of trading off being traumatized and having lighter scenes has been interesting, to say the least! Such a contrast, first in one direction and now the other. Which is all to say I am impressed with your description of Emma's trauma, @Delirium. I really feel for her and recognize that numbness, for sure.

meanwhile, Benji is actually doing something to figure stuff out! I'm glad someone is.

Agreed. It is almost disturbingly evocative.

@Delirium are you alright with how this is going? I know it is hard on Emma (though we know fixing the scars is well within our capabilities... for a 'price').

Let us know how long you want to wallow in your hollowness, I brought ... Waterman into the scene to move it along, but don't want to rush you or Emma, also let me know if you have any desires for how the scene goes from here.

Ha! Good luck with that.

Yay!

Any idea what you will be taking? No hurry.

Let's take a look...

Yes, it is definitely 'a Move', so you are welcome to take it if you want.

Personally I generally find pure Stat boosts boring, but this one does help with your frequent rolling of Let It Out, so it is, by no means, a bad option for you.

Can you describe how you, somehow become more 'Potent' though recent experience? (Or grow into it, even if you don't feel potent right now.:). Not necessary, but it is fun to let the Move names inform the character so they are not just Stat boosts. :)

We can talk about any other Advancement thoughts you have as well, if you want.

I only glanced at the playbook when it came out, but you we could also look at taking a magic Move now and getting your Spirit up later (possibly via Corruption Advance?). If it were just for 'Witch Magic' I would say taking a Stat boost to power that is a subpar option (we never know how long it might take to get another Advance), but since you are already, maybe, leaning towards 'slightly magic' we can start to flavour your Let It Out as having a magic element and make it more Potent now.

You can also grab a Let It Out Ability from another playbook (via your If You Can't Beat 'Em Corruption Move) giving you more options with that.

Speaking of... Do you think you have 'ignored your mortal commitments or relationships to deal with the supernatural', leaving David bedridden and alone? If so, that is your Corruption Trigger, so Mark Corruption. :)

I am not sure what parts of that Playbook you are looking at, the only Move that see that would really benefit you is Fur Black as Black for a familiar to allow you to use Heart for Let It Out. The Benign and Dangerous Magics are not Moves they are Features like your Relationships.

If you want to learn those Magics you will need to find a coven to teach you, this can be done by Changing to a new Playbook when you Advance (we can talk about waiving the 'after five advances' since PbP is slow), but can also be done in the fiction by finding and befriending a coven and convincing them to trust you enough to teach you... (doing it in the fiction would not (necessarily) change you from the Aware Playbook, though that could be a price they ask of you, we would need to see how it goes).

Also, I am curious what other people think about something. I am considering bringing Circe in on Persephone's secret..

My question is, that would definitely change the narrative tension with Circe, AND it would mean that Persephone has some familial support, which I think would change the tenor of her story. Do folks think that would be an improvement? A mistake? Or just an option to explore?

Urban Shadow is particularly hard on that style.

I have been toying with running a Monster of the Week game without Hit Points and Experience: If you get hurt you deal with the narrative consequences of your injury in the ways that that Condition would affect you in the fiction; if you want to gain a new Feature or Move, or improve a Stat, you come up with a plan as to how you would do that in the fiction. You don't have a Playbook, as such, you start with a reasonable assortment of Features from the various playbooks (possible the more mundane ones?) and add on as you play.

This, obviously, requires trust in the players, and the GM, so we don't end up with power-loading all the 'best' features from all the playbooks.

Personally, I would definitely be interested in seeing how it plays out if you decide to take your story in that direction! :D

So true.
We can always change the Playbook later, when the time is right. That can be a big rejigger of the character, so planning it out now is often counter-productive. As you say: just keep playing it as you have and see how it goes.
Sounds about right. :)
Up to you.

Not being able to keep all the balls in the air is, I think, the point of this Trigger?
You did, however, choose to wander into a nest of vampires, even after seeing the dead bodies, you figured getting to the safe was more important than keeping yourself safe for your loved ones... seems a bit like you are putting the supernatural before your Relationships...? It's not like you could not predict something like this could happen. :)

You also chose to let Tara feed on you, but maybe you thought it would be more like when Elliot did it, or when you had friends to back you with Chablis and you were 'in control'... you might know better next time, especially after the scar-scare.

But, as I say, it is up to you.

Circe certainly thinks she is up for it. Not including her could have repercussions, too.
You think so? It could also lead to Persephone losing that familial support if things go badly. As Delirium says, maybe glossing over some of the more horrific specifics would be in order?

:)

The difference here is that you did actually abandon David who was relying on you to get back home and take care of him. The situation he has found himself in is your doing. But it is up to you. Maybe reserve judgement till after you get back?

If only it were that easy. :(
Doing your job might work, but there may also be other ways, or other 'costs'.

Oh this is too good! I had actually forgotten that she had lost the power to change! But YES, this is a perfect narrative moment. Now she has to choose between betraying this naive girl that she has just started catching feelings for in order to prove herself to her sister, or find some other solution.

We've talked a bit about the fact that 'getting out of her contract' is a campaign goal, and not something I would want to happen any time soon. So I think it is unavoidable that Persephone do some jobs. Also, I think we got a glimpse of Persephone trying hard to be her better self, but I'm not ready yet for that to actually 'stick.' I think instead she will try to play both sides, doing the job for her patron (and thus regaining her ability to show Circe she's telling the truth), then getting Circe and Henry (and Emma) on board the idea that Persephone wants to get out of her contract, all while continuing to do demon work on the side, maybe.

In short, I want to explore a subtle, messy, fractured response to her traumatic murder, one where she is almost split in two (but not going into D.I.D. territory).

Well, not just 'to prove it to you sister' (and David?), also to avoid any other prices for shirking your responsibilities. :)
Absolutely. This is just a little light at the end of tunnel, not, in any way, a getting you any closer to that goal.
Not engaging with that part of the Playbook would be a pity, so yeah, just sad it is with someone like Viviana... but that may be part of the point... these are not exactly saints you are working for. :)
I worry for her, betraying Viviana may cause her to come unstuck... but that is also part of the Playbook.
Good luck with that.
Sounds like a plan.

Showing her The Devil Inside is not the only way to prove to Circe that you were not teasing her, of course.
It is hard to imaging what having such a thing be proved to be non-permanent would do to someone... :)

Agreed, and, I think, an unavoidable result at this point. Well, at least I don't plan to avoid it!
Yeah, I've thought a lot about what that would do to a person and, well, I think it would fundamentally change a person, scarring them psychologically forever. Can the victim heal from that? Yes, eventually, but that's not something you shrug off.

For some reason that post made me think about Persephone (eventually) changing Playbooks to The Angel...? Not sure on the logic there...

I haven't actually looked at the Playbook, just riffing off assumptions of what it might be...

Yeah, I noticed the 'drinking already'...

I assume they are deliberately left vague, so you can treat them independently of each other (if you only have one but not the other?), or link them together if you have both and want to make the blood and smoke of Dark Bargain be part of your 'brokering deals' and possibly 'collecting souls'.

'They' might not allow you to be part of the 'contract signing ceremony', not until they trust you... but you may be able to convince them?
As we saw in the sacrifice room, you don't have complete carte blanche to makes these deals, (and, this is for sealing a deal, not for negotiating one, as you tried), but something bigger than you enforces them.

These Bargains are not mechanically tied to your Jobs or their 'Contracts', you can use this in the fiction to force someone to do things they agreed to for you (4-Harm will kill most NPCs if they don't), or to make yourselves better able for the duration of a task (Henry (and Circe) won't mechanically benefit from a +1, but you (and Emma, if you can get her helping you:) might benefit from the +1 to Let It Out while seeking your Chaudry Revenge?).
They need not be the same thing. 'Bargains' might be street-level deals with people to help you, the 'Contracts' (a term only used twice in the actual mechanical text of the Playbook (and once as a synonym for Jobs?)) are part of your deal and Jobs. Bargains could be spoken-contracts (with smoke and blood, but that is your doing), while the contracts seem to be more corporate stacks of paper filled with legalese?
How did it happen for you?
You can weave Dark Bargains into the brokered contract, but they both exist independent of each other (you might not have both). Showing the good use of your Dark Bargain ability might get you closer to the paperwork during a signing, but who knows. Depends how you play it?
For the part of this that stems from your character's experience we rely on you for the details. But your experience was unique and may not have much bearing on what Viviana goes thought... it probably serves as a guide for us, though?

We don't need to know till we see (or don't see) the next Contract (Soul) being signed (away). But we can talk about it if it helps your shaping your approach with Viv?
There is no concrete in my mind!

OK this all works for me! Let's figure it out in play! OK, sleep for me.

You will only be able to learn what is reasonable for you to learn within the fiction. So mainly 'hints' from her tone?

You may need to probe her for answers, but, I can tell you for free, she is in the room with David, you maybe don't want him hearing what the nosy neighbour has to say?

Go ahead and roll it if you want, but she is a nobody (unless you roll real bad and turn her into a threat?), so it might not be worth the risk?

Could do, she may be miffed at your wasting her time. Do you want her to agree or do we force you to lean on Persephone ... or even Circe as a last resort? If it is too early to start mending fences, then you may have to Owe Kenedi one for deal with the snooping neighbour. :)

Make it so.

No problem. Please use the NPCs as much as you need to show us your characters (without contradicting their personalities, of course, this seemed spot-on.).
Thank you for that.

Maybe a 'trigger warning' on the post? But I don't know that it is needed when done with the grace and eloquence you used.
I don't think either of them will have any idea how to 'fix' this.

Do they end up calling an ambulance so you end up in the 'violence against women' ward where Emma is?

If you say so. ;|

I got the impression that part of your falling out was that you may have texted 'multiple times' (as in 'more than once'), but then gave up and figured "She's dead, so I may as well focus on my spa weekend, so that I am more relaxed... which is what really matters". :)

Do you want Circe, in a nearby room, to overhear you talking and come to your rescue? She still likes you, even if she is worried about what role you and your ex have in fostering her sister's delusion (she might relish the opportunity to poke around your place and see)? David knows her so her getting you clothes would not come as a surprise.

Else your mother-in-law can bring you something (something much more dowdy:) tomorrow.

Else, it might be amusing to send Benji over to get your clothes, hopefully while Evelyn in there to judge. :)

Else Kenedi is still an option, but NPCs can't drop everything to cater to our whims. :)

That was meant to add to the story, not block it. We can find a way around this, we just need to decide how we want to do it.

We can scrap the whole idea if we need to, give you back your Form and have a bit reveal. But that feels like a last resort?

I am not sure your being separated from your friends and family should mean you get back your ability to prove to your friends and family you are for real and fix the separation... It seems your expert manipulator Dark Patron would understand this?

We can get Benji in, but having him cut you loose seems a little off.

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You do have a Job to do, and you can't do that from the hospital bed. We can say that Viv would not respond well to such an environment, she does not need to have the 'gay is a mental disorder' argument reinforced.

As foreshadowing for the Invocation Playbook Move (whether you take it or not), you could and up being teleported out (empty restraints and hospital gown left behind, cameras showing you there ... and then not there) so you can 'get on with it'?

This would not serve as the strong evidence you want for Circe, but will be a start? You can start mending fences, and save the proof (which is, unfortunately, also 'proof that you were right!' which implies that 'they were wrong!', which is a bit negative:) for later, maybe when you get your powers back, or by some other means? This might get Circe out looking for answers and finding them on her own (which is a bit more 'positive')? Possibilities are nearly endless.

I don't want to waste all this delicious trauma. The scars scene [ref] should have weight going forward (and maybe Titianias can help you too?:)

What do you (the player) want to see happen? We can shape things to get there.

Maybe not completely wise to leave that soon, but you can do it, especially if you think the other surgery can fix you better.

We can arrange clothes for then.
Sure. Whichever you prefer.

Narrate away.

Drgwen: Or, if you want a little more direct involvement, you could risk rolling Let It Out and use your • move through or past a physical obstacle created by mortal hands ability. This carries the risk of rolling low and both dooming you to being stuck here (which we don't want) and of showing that that ability is taken from you too... or of rolling high and showing that that one, somehow, is not... which could be interesting to explore?

If you don't risk it you Patron still could, which would put them in charge and define the power-dynamic. No Debts, though, since it is only so you can do your Job that they are transporting you.

Just spitballing.

I’m open to this, if you’re still interested in this idea, @Drgwen. I was going to have Benji realise he has messages from Persephone (who he thought was dead!) and try to call her pretty soon. (Not sure if Persephone can answer the phone right now what with being restrained but maybe Circe can answer it for her). If Persephone asks Benji to break her out of hospital, he will do it, so that is definitely an option on the table.

I want to stick to the rules as written, so to speak. I want to see her earn that back by doing the thing she doesn't want to do, namely, betray Viv. She mostly avoided real responsibility for Howard; she needs to really feel the corruption. That's the only way her Patron would restore her, I think. I also like the idea of foreshadowing the Invocation move, but that also feels a bit like a cheat.

I wrote a post with Circe reaching out to Emma and Benji. Obviously they can react to it however they like, or ignore it.

But here's an idea. Wentworth. He already has Persephone under thumb, insofar as he is her superior in the organization. but, if he does something to really put her in his Debt, then he can ask for special side favors as well. So maybe HE comes in, in demon form, and frees her?

I like this idea because (a) it lets Circe know that there is something to this demon talk. This is not just Persephone's delusion. (b) it adds an interesting complication to Persephone's life. (c) It adds some complexity to the Wentworth character. It doesn't use one of the "cheats" we mentioned above. And it doesn't require her to be bailed out by another PC.

Thoughts?

I'm also open to this idea, but perhaps Benji calls Persephone shortly after Wentworth busts her out?

Sure! Whichever you prefer! I had Benji call Circe, but if you’d prefer to have Wentworth come to Persephone’s aid, we can just have Benji talk to Circe briefly and then call Persephone back to talk to her properly once she gets out

Well, the rules don't say what it means to not be able to 'invoke their influence again'. A strict reading of the rules could be that it only applies to the Dark Bargain Move, especially since the Playbook Move Notes section mentions that it might possibly not be your Dark Patron that you call upon to sanctify these deals, leaving it open for you to have some other power (especially if you took it as an Advance Take a Move from another Playbook).

We decided that it also included your Demon Form because you failed to transform right after that failure, so testing that Let It Out Ability in the same way is not unprecedented? But that does feel a bit like it should fall under the same umbrella of 'not working'.
I do see that point, but this too is not unprecedented. You were already —while 'powerless'— teleported out of restraints and brought home... as part of your End Move. This is actually why I thought of this solution, only afterwards did I look at the sheet and see the Moves and Abilities that could do that sort of thing.
Sounds great. We can do that.
Yeah... and possibly sends her into the looney bin in your place? Wouldn't we rather she have a sightly more gradual introduction, and do so when you are around to explain it to her?

I also don't see Wentworth barging in and showing his form to the hospital. That does not exactly fit the 'subtle manipulator vibe' of your organisation.

I can see Wentworth freeing you, possibly in a way that leaves Circe with questions. If you want him to show his form to her as your proof, that may need another Debt? If you want him to bring her along for the ride when he spirits you away, that also sounds like an extra Debt?

We can work on the flavour if we agree to the premise.

Depending on how Wentworth pulls Persephone out, maybe we well need Benji to come to Circe's rescue and comfort her?

You two have met that one time, after the Chablis encounter.

That is not an option.

Please find a way for Emma to work around that. Be it 'ignorance is bliss' or whatever else you can find to justify it. This is a requirement for the game.

Persephone wants to find a way to get out of that contract, so she is 'willing', but that is end-game stuff, so maybe that has to be enough for you? You could be willing to help her, but there are currently no clues as to how to do that, or what it will cost (and there won't be till we are ready to completely change the player's character), so that is relegated to a background objective.

Yes, but Emma has no idea about those other options. All the characters know is that Persephone has to do the Jobs she is given or else. She does not have a choice in the matter.
She might think that, but, to an outside observer Emma is by far the most 'evil' player character in this game. The others don't have a choice, Emma chooses to destroy people's lives (I am thinking about poor Sarah, for instance) for her own comfort and convenience.
I don't know what you mean by 'commits to' and Persephone can not 'change her ways' at this time. She has no choice in this matter.

Persephone is actively trying to get out of the deal. That will have to enough.
Remind me where that revelation happened for Emma. We can maybe work within the facts presented there to find a solution to this impasse.
This can be a very difficult game to play. We all have our own images of our characters in our own heads, and the game is about playing those characters and how they feel (it isn't simple 'orks are evil so we kill them'). Asking someone to 'be flexible' can undermine their character, so we want to find a way forward that does not break the character.

I say again, though: Persephone wants to get out of her Contract. If Emma cares she can try help her. This is not on the cards to happen soon, but that is a meta-game issue and the characters don't know that they will not find ways to do this in a hurry, this just means we will not focus the story on that aspect till it becomes relevant and interesting, the characters can still be trying to deal with it in the background, all the time.

We don't know the terms of the price, it could be worse than that. We know from the mechanics of the playbook that the Dark Patron is willing to involve friends and family in the deal, even Emma is at risk (see the Tainted's End Move).

I am telling you outright that Persephone does not have a choice. And that she is looking for a way out.
Fair enough. You don't have to be friends, but you do have to work together.
Like Elliot or Benji? You are stating that your character has made a choice that this is 'worse', but the people Persephone is brokering deals with obviously think otherwise, they think the price is worth it, so your opinion on 'the worst fate imaginable' is just that, your opinion.

Setting aside what we, the players, think about the existence of the soul and hell, is that such an important part of Emma's beliefs that it should derail the game or force a drastic change of character?

Cool, no need to be 'friends'.

So long as Emma can work with the other PCs there is no problem. I mistook your "we can't be friends" to be a issue with playing with the character. They will have to work together, even if they don't like it.

I would like to see some effort to repair their relationship, but that is up to the players if they want that or want to play with in-game-tension between them.

We can retcon that sentence? We don't know what happens to 'souls' and such, it could be made all about recruiting people to work for demons if that makes it better?

That is exactly how I read her. Forced to do repellent things, but very sympathetic.

Maybe she needs to be more circumspect with telling people about what she does? Maybe the rift with Emma gives her enough pause that she leaves that bit out when telling Circe? (Or we strike that from the record with Emma as well?).

I think this discussion is mostly resolved?

• Persephone wants to get out of her contract and does not want to do this to people, especially not Viv.
• Persephone currently has no way to get out, and has to do the Job.
• Persephone believes she can get out of the contract... so she is not dooming others to eternity, they can get out as well, if they want to.
• Emma does not approve.
• Many do not approve of Emma's choices, either.
• Emma does not know all the details.
• Emma does know that Persephone wants out. So we have a way forward.
• We don't need to be friends, so long as we can work together.

If you want to change your character, we can talk about it. It might be a bit too disruptive to the game at this fragile stage, though, and I worry it will bring its own set of similar difficulties.

Did you have thoughts about what you might choose?
Did you have thoughts about what happens to Emma, I am afraid she will end up 'returning as a Threat' if she does not have a player to guide her out of her self-destructive spiral.

I think we are coming to the end. The faerie problem is coming to a head and we will need to 'deal with it' and then may take a break ('end of season' or 'end of show'). And Emma is a big part of that (everyone wants a part of The Aware).

@Drgwen: Let's find a way to get Persephone some traction on her quest to get free.

Getting hold of your Contract might be hard to play with, once you have it you might end up stuck in the legalese of the reams of paper, looking for a loophole. Do we want to go that route? I don't know what is in your Contract, shaping and defining the Dark Patron is up to the player, so I can not give it to you, but if you think you can make having it fun we can have you find it, no problem.

Another option is for a third party to offer you an out? If you want 'salvation' and are seriously thinking about transitioning to The Angel, then that could be 'divine intervention'; else it could be some other power wanting you for their own ends.

Another option could be to show that you are actually 'working towards the greater good'? I figured your Dark Patron was likely against the invasion of the Faeries? This could put you on the same side as the others. We can link Viv to that cause (her purpose is clearly not the same as yours, she could not do your Job).

Another, though related, option could see us aligning your Dark Patron with the Faeries, so your 'get out' help comes from someone working against them both?

Yet another option might be us aligning with the Faeries (who says they 'the bad guys'?) and working to bring them into the world? This could break your Dark Patron's hold?

This is mainly about Persephone and her Contract, but @oopsylon and @Delirium should weigh in on the 'Faeries' direction.

Both those ideas are really cool! If you want Circe to still have concrete evidence that Persephone was telling the truth, I could have Benji go to the hospital to ‘rescue’ Persephone (too late) and, if you like, run into Circe and convince her that Persephone is not delusional by proving that he’s a vampire or something like that? Completely up to you, of course, but I just thought I’d throw the idea out there!

Is there anything Benji could do to help?

If the stumbling block is too big to get over, we can move it aside, they are meant to enhance the story not derail it.
We could probably go with either of your proposed scenarios and avoid needing to commit to a Playbook change at this time. Either could still lead to a place where both those Playbooks are viable changes.
Can do.
That works. We can definitely use the fiction to change the Jobs on your sheet, though the objectionable one is also sorta central to Persephone's character. They were recruited because of how well suited they were to enticing people in... We would need to address this change, but finding that they can not do that Job —without suffering a psychotic break— may be enough to justify it? Falling for Viv and forcing a change is also good story.

@Delirium: Would "I have altered the deal, now all I have to do is..." be enough for Emma?

You can also remove one of your Jobs via an Advance, we can ignore the 'only after five advances' since PbP makes that a long way away. We could make a quest that calls for all your 'friends' (and I use that term loosely) and sends you to all the Circles to get you (and those who help you) the needed Advance. This may sidetrack the characters from the objective of dealing with the weather, but that is fine.
You think that is feasible? I think it is more likely they are already tackling that issue, and Viv is part of it. Why else were you sent to London at this time?
Buy off or fight off, yes, this is an option.
Sounds fun.

Aside from the complications with actually having a 'written contract', I was thinking that, however Wentworth got you out, it left you in a place where you could sneak a peak (possibly not getting all the piles of text so you only get a clue). But if you would prefer to find leverage on Wentworth, then that is cool too.

This does mean that a 'coup' is possible... which might sorta undermine your Dark Patron... but I can easily make that work.
That sounds quite appropriate. And we will see how much this 'agreement' contains 'help' rather than sabotage. :)

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Do you have a preference for how you get out? Remember that whatever happens will have knock-on effects. Don't base your decision on potential Playbook changes, let's play out this story and see how it goes.

• How do you want this to affect Circe?
Maybe Wentworth 'teleports' you out, leaving an empty bed, and Circe sees that something happened but can't explain it... and the hospital don't have a record of you, so they don't come looking, and your aren't 'on the lamb'?

If you do the committed and meet 'an angel' or the 'lost in transit' then that leaves Circe in a pickle, worrying about you. We can do that, but it is complicated and will get in the way of your other plans.

Up to you.

Then let's try avoid changing characters.
Those are all fixable. They may just require a little flexibility.
Yet everyone seems to want a piece of The Aware. This is not a Playbook that the supernatural world takes seriously, you have no 'power' other than the value of being you.
I am sorry you got that impression. That was not the intention. But the sheer fact that the high and mighties even talk to you shows they do want you (even if just as a pawn).

I thought we made that clear (even to Emma) while speaking to Federico. Emma can do things they can't, there are places where they can not act.
See? They do want you. :)
That can be fixed. If you are willing to take a chance on Titanias. Your name was approved, and even your dubious credit check did not put them off... surely that alone should interest Emma?
To be clear, OOC: The drive you stole from Elliot is not lost. You left a handbag full of money in the car of the security guard, and he did not want to leave it with the hospital, he waited around for as long as he could but you did not indicate a desire to see 'your boyfriend' so they did not let him in, then you went to surgery and they sent him away...

You could try following up on that.
I am sorry you feel that way. How can we help. Ultimately it is up to you, but Emma has many options. Just remember the scale she operates at, she is a mortal with no power, those with power have hinted that this gives her freedoms they lack, everyone you have dealt with wants you on their side (over those you actively wronged, even if you deny it).
'she feels'? Or you feel? We need to deal with those problems in different ways.
If it is about Emma feeling like she does not know where to go next, we can pull her into something.

I think if Emma voiced these concerns to Benji in-fiction, he would do whatever he could to help— whether that means ‘taking her under his protection’ or helping her track down Elliot. I recently took the Bloodhound move which could be very helpful in regard to the latter, I think?

That could be a problem. You are a low Status Mortal, putting yourself in dangerous situation is dangerous. You walked right into the middle of a vampire feeding party —even after seeing the dead people— and expected to be 'safe'?

Given that you even got out at all shows that people are not inclined to just sacrifice you... sorry... too soon?
Yeah, but now they fear you, they don't know what you who you are, you put the fear of sod into them... Even if it was a lie.

If the titular 'revenge' goes off, people will know not to mess with you... but you are still a mortal with no real power, that is the Playbook, this need not limit your ability to play the character, even if they are scared.
Some people tried to elevate him to higher Status, but he did not bite. He is currently still a nobody, like you.
He could physically protect you, but you may be adding his enemies to your own.
Yet, even a uncontrolled neophyte like Tara did not drain you dry... in fact she does not think she did you any harm at all, what are a few little scar, in the grand scheme of things.

And I assume Circe's call with Benji will wrap up after another post, maybe, at which time she will try Emma again.

All this is fine. We can shape the Wentworth plan however you like and deal with the consequences.
My worry is about Circe and what comes after. Your disappearing while in transit is not something she can ignore and she will address it... probably in much the same way Henry did when people disappeared last week, by involving the police...

Do you want to go that route? We can, if you want to. My proposal of having her 'see' you vanish, at least puts her on the same wavelength as everyone else, this is 'proof' that you are not just crazy. Benji can come and comfort her... (unrested and still hurt and hungry?)

The hospital have had to deal with this sort of 'crazy person' before, so getting the paperwork and the case cleared up and dropped (lost, forgotten, ...?) is no problem.

Maybe as she turns away to speak to Emma? Turns back and you are 'gone'?
Do you want 'another team'? You could just find the information you need while dealing with Wentworth? You can always seek out another team as a result, if you want.

Do we want this to be a surprise to Wentworth as well? That could give you a few moments to search his office with him away? Or do you want Wentworth to be the one who made this happen? You can still get a moment at some point, this question is about Wentworth's agency in this.

Yes. I am saying we can do that if you want to, but we can also do it later if we don't want to commit to that course of action right now as part of the asylum escape.

@Delirium: What is Emma's plan? Is she going to take a rest for a few days and regain her strength so she operate alone; talk to her husband; or is she going to prepare for going out soon, possibly with the needed aid of her father in law?

When you do 'go out' where to first? Titanias? Or back to 'Elliot's' once your mind clears enough for you to think that you are pretty sure you had your purse in the car, but not when the orderly wheeled you into the hospital.

@Drgwen: Do you want to finish up with 'The Education of Circe', or should we set the scene with Persephone's new situation and run them concurrently? Up to you.

The nurse [ref] obviously was there when Persephone was strapped in, so she is working from her own memory.
• What is the situation with the hospital? Is there no record of Persephone? Do the computers show she was officially 'released'? Has the doctor who was attending to her been 'reassigned' to another area? Or are they now looking for a 'dangerous psych patient' (who the cops already have on their radar from an indecent at the hotel and the luggage that was never picked up)?

Both please! I figure Benji and Circe can chat and we can leave Persephone to recover for a moment. Let me know if the way I wrote that scene works for you. I left it open what exactly Wentworth will ask of her.

We can work with that. :)

It seems like Circe may need some 'proof' from Benji [ref]

What are we thinking about doing?

(Biting her might work... no, nevermind, I did not say that, that was just the Hunger speaking...:).

For starters, Benji is planning to ask her to check his pulse. If that is not sufficient, he might show her his fangs or ‘vampiric strength’. It would be convenient if there were a silver mirror around so that he could show her his lack of reflection, but that seems unlikely…

Those are good options.

I wonder if Circe would have any clue about finding a pulse?
How obvious are your fangs?

Do we want to have to roll for vampiric strength or do we assume it works? There is no real 'risk' unless we want to make it so (the risk being Circe's reaction?), and this 'good deed' should not bring Corruption, surely?

This is London, it should also be possible to find an antique shop and seek out an old mirror.

@Drgwen: We can go with whatever you feel is appropriate for the NPC.

Pretty obvious, I think, to anyone who’s paying attention. Maybe like twice the length of a normal human canine and very pointy
I don’t think it would make sense to roll as, like you said, it doesn’t really make sense to get corruption from it

Cool, you are welcome to just play it out.

If we want to add an element of risk of her not being convinced, we can roll without corruption.

She definitely has! She told Benji about it on the phone earlier. She obviously didn't take it seriously then though, so maybe she's just processing it now?

@vagueGM I thought I'd throw in a wrinkle with that emotion suppressing tattoo. It's demon prozac!

[ref] that's creepy.

One wonders if one needs to check Circe for such forced-calming as well, her freaking out and causing a fuss can't be good for business...

Wentworth did not mention it, so we will need to see if he covered for you with your Dark Patron. Else you could end up in trouble for blabbing about the supernatural to people who are not equipped to deal with it.

Fair enough.
Could be, though we still have to honour the mechanics of how the Dark Patron works, acting against their ways could get you into trouble... but possibly this is part of Wentworth's plan? To use you as a scapegoat if it comes to it? We shall see.
Yes, I can already see how it could be an issue tonight, when Viv does not find your new, flat aspect as appealing...

It can be weird to play two characters interacting with each other in a scene, so I may pilot Circe a bit more when you all get to the condo, but we can share the NPCs, and what you did with Circe was great, feel free to continue as appropriate.

Yes, I saw that.
You can't take anything that is tied to another Feature, (like The Devil Inside from the Tainted, since you don't have a Demon Form for it to trigger).
Two points:

First, it is good manners to ask the player playing that Playbook before taking Moves from their Playbook. If it is a core feature of the Playbook, ask twice. :)

Second, if you can make it make sense in the fiction, then taking that would be allowed, but that can be hard with such Moves. Eternal Hunger implies all sorts of physiological changes, but, by the rules, it can be taken.
I can't comment on that one, I have not looked at it. If it is important I can take a look. Else apply the above treatment to the Move. It must be a 'Move', though, listed under the Playbook Moves section.

Understood. I used it thusly too. :)

As you say, it would require a heavy justification in the narrative, and that vampire core Move makes you some sort of monster that feeds off others to stay alive, it is not just the healing, it is also the driving Hunger, so you are not exactly human anymore. Not sure how this would be different to being a vampire, but it could make you a vampire with Relationships? You would be a vampire using the Aware playbook, it may not hold and you may end up slipping into full vampire over time, losing those relationships and gaining corruption... but this is all narrative, in-fiction stuff, and not addressed by the mechanics.

You can (hypothetically) do it, it will cost you.
That looks pretty easy to take, but, as with Persephone's experience, dying and coming back will change you, I am not sure how long you could reasonably stay The Aware once that starts happening, so it may be more reasonable to change to that Playbook, or need to do so at some point? Maybe only a century from now, but the game's timeframe will dictate how much it affects you, how often you die and come back will also affect you. Mechanically the Move changes you, too.

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By the rules you are allowed to take those core Moves, they are 'Moves in another Playbook'.
Taking a Move from a Playbook in play comes with a conversation with the player playing them.
Taking a Move from Playbook that is not in the book comes with a conversation about whether that playbooks is part of the game. Assume they are not unless the GM says they are.
The GM might also 'limit the field', only allowing certain Playbooks. This is common practice when the GM wants to shape the game. We ended up with soft restrictions on The Fae and The Wolf, but only because they got entwined in the story due to initial player choices.

If they let you... :)

@Drgwen: I assume we are saying your 6 means you do not know who Elliot is?

When Benji awakes he can tell you, else Henry can give you his view on the subject.

It is completely up to you if you stay awake or sleep. I don't have anything planned, it just seemed like the logical next step. :)

No need to roll unless you want to.

If you sleep, I will ask you what you dream... it could be important... or, if we want, you can dream tonight for simial effect... I did not know this until I wrote it right now, so don't read too much into it. :)

Yes, that makes sense.

How do we think Wentorth will feel about 'being given instructions' to acquire out of the ordinary victuals? [ref].

One assumes, if he does provide, it will cost you, you will owe him a Debt... and Benji will then Owe you a Debt... and so the wheel turns...

It’s fine with me!