Its been a long night after a busy day and it's still not time to sleep. The Task Force reviews their plans for the next day: But before they can finalize anything, they need to understand what's happened to one of their own.Is Michael Clay the weapon they've desperately needed all along or has the horror of deadly field work driven him insane? What starts as a simple vetting quickly dances to the edge of a n inquisition. The long night just keeps getting longer and darker...
Knights of the Night
KOTN Actual Play Podcast 38: Shit Luck Ep: 39 "Aranged or Deranged?"
[Music] Hello, and welcome to Nights of the Night actual play podcast. This world of darkness storyline, shit luck, was written and run by our storyteller Scott. [Music] And now, please enjoy chapter 14, scene one, titled, "Arranged or Deranged." [Music] This world of darkness story, shit luck, with us tonight, starting from my left is Mike playing Michael Clef, Bob playing Special Agent Cheapart, Bob playing Jay Alton, and Jim playing Sister Katie O'Connor. All right, we left it last week, was around midnight or so. Michael had just been brought back with his friend, Nico, to the uh, rector of the church, St. Patrick's. We have Chew and Jay and Lucius and Kate who'd gone for a drive-by of vitamin B to see what was happening. And I believe you then retired back. We built out the neighborhood to see what was going on, and one thing that we noticed was the tower of the church. Right, which is very strategically positioned. Very nice, it's like 70 feet tall, and it's only one straight away from the thing. So we've got a camera up there now, and my sniper rifle, ready to go. And we're all in a somebody's room, it doesn't matter who's room you're at, but you were all sitting there talking as Michael came back, seemingly having just communicated with some spirit or some creature from another realm. That Nico could not see, and Nico was very worried about Michael. I think it's a little more than communicated. Or ranting, you never know. Yes, it's being written. There was a little more, yeah, I think that was a term used. Written, you like it. He's possessed. Who is? You got anything for that? Possessed. He's possessed, but not currently possessed. I don't know. Well, I mean, it depends on your definition of possession. I think he's still possessed, the spirit is still in him. There was a curious fact that I can't remember if I told you. Yeah, we know you had a chosen one. No, that got that part. Before I could start hearing the spirit speak to me in my head, apparently, I heard music. You did mention that, but you... And it was a... Could tell us what this was. It wasn't like a, you know, took out a fugue and D minor. It wasn't, you know, pure gint or anything, you know, like classic. It was a popular... It was Hannah Montana? It was some popular contemporary song. I don't really know the name of it. I couldn't quite get the gist of it. I couldn't tell you who the artist or the song panel is. But I'm having maybe second thoughts about... These were the lyrics. There were lyrics to the song, but it wasn't like it was... Were these the gist of the lyrics? What were the lyrics to the song? I can't remember unless I can roll a, some type of thing to remember and you could play the song for me. I mean, I tried listening to the lyrics, but I just, you know, but that's my, I've got a tenure for that kind of stuff, so... And then your character does it. Well... Yeah. So anyway, I'm just saying that, you know, now that I've seen some of the looks of, you know, doubt and skepticism on everyone's face, that maybe I wasn't really getting into it. You gotta remember what you came in telling us. But I was also... I'm very desired. It's coming off of us all, and I'm the chosen one, and I'm, I mean, it's a lot of... It was a lot, and I was coming down, it's called acting children. No, it's one of those... Of course I think you. I'm saying... No, no, no, no, but that's... Yeah, I hear you. In that regard, because you gave in to your Greek last week, you get one full-power point where no one else had anything that really fed into their vice or virtue last week to any major advantage or detriment. But when you feed into your vice mic, you get into your detriment or to a good storytelling turn. You get one full-power back, so you receive one back. But wasn't it prudently trying to... Now, it's going to begin how allowing some other spirit for another world to possess you is prudence. No, I was somewhat warning you that that had happened, and I, like, try to conceal it. I was trying to have my cake and you did too. I was trying to give both things. So I agreed what... All right, all right, all right. My greed rebark was when... I'm going to send a text message for my last week, and I'm going to text them this, and I'm going to tell the voice, and I'm like, you do realize you're thinking of the words as you're typing them, right? It's the goal that... I'm going to give you a role to remember some of the lyrics of the song. Okay. And that role is going to...I don't see any skills that speak to me. So I'm going to actually combine two attributes, which you don't do all the time, but occasionally it does happen. And this is one of those cases where there just is no skill in my...to my mind that fits nicely. Okay. So you can go ahead, and I think composure would be a good statistic because it's keeping your head about you in certain situations and wits, to be able to recall information. I don't think it just...I don't think it really falls in the pre-perview of intelligence as much as it falls into catching little bits and pieces of what you remember. So I'm going to say it's a wits plus composure role is the role for you to make. Okay. Let me know how many things you have. I believe for wits and composure, I have a total of five. All right. Because of the extreme duress you were under during the time in the library, I'm going to subtract three dice. Oh! Okay. Here we go. One success. Okay. All right. You recall that the first couple lines of the song, the first line was slow walk. And the second line was, it's landmine, as in it is. It's landmine. Landmine one word or landmine two or two words. It's coalmine. It's a bad fella. Then you don't recall anything for a while, but you recall that there was one line that said, I'm on my way to God, don't know or even care. My brain's the weak heart and my heart's the long stairs. And then the last part that you remember a bits and pieces of is in this place that I call home. My brain's the cliff, and my heart's the bitter buffalo. And then you remember the song ending right before the spirit spoke with, on this life that we call home, as you know, said, the years go fast and the days go so slow. I would have to think, heart cooks, brain, lyrics, the song by Maris Mouse. Well, there was so many imagery of like, well, am I here to see MP3? You do not hear it again, just point. This is not in your head. This is you guys downloading the MP3. [MUSIC] I'm on my way to God, don't know, my brain's the burger of my heart's the cold. [MUSIC] So, the relevance of that song, you don't know who then, it's interesting. Oh, Maris Mouse also has a song called Shit Lock. Mike, do you recall anything about particular song title from your experience earlier in the evening, when you were at the library? I don't recall. Go ahead and make the same role, please. Two dice, one success. Tonight seems to be, like hopefully, it's lucky night, is the chosen one. Let me see here, if I can, if the strikes are valid, we'll be. [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] What did he say first? [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] No, before that. [INAUDIBLE] The only name is "Difficult to Pronounce." In your tongue. Oh, OK. I thought he was actually pronouncing. No. So you said, "My name's difficult to pronounce in your tongue. You can call me "Heart Cook's Brain." And you know, Michael, from your experience with spirits in the past, they generally take names that's-- That's a good answer, meaning? Yeah. That have meaning to them. So, you know, a spirit wouldn't be like Joe the Spirit. It would be if it was a spirit of a racing car that crushed people, it might be bloody grill or rubber tires of blood or whatever. I mean, they have like things that they call themselves. So that's not unusual to the spirit would have a name, especially a spirit that's proclaiming itself to be the platonic ideal of Cleveland or the archetype of Cleveland to use a different term, the spirit of Cleveland or whatever you want to call it. So, you all know Cleveland doesn't have any spirits. Right, you're here to save it, man. Sister Katie, what can you do about possessions, spirits? I can't do it. There's other people who might rip the can, but I cannot do the thing. You have nothing that can-- I have nothing right. Well, I'm not going to-- I'm not currently possessed by my group, but I don't have any little skills yet. What's your definition of possess? Well, first you say you're not sure if you're possessed, it might be some kind of mind control kind of runs, you know, and now you're possessed. I'm very confused. Well, that's why we want her assistance or someone who can verify what's going on with you. You said written. Yes. So, you're still carrying it around. That, in my definition, is possessed. Okay. It's got its hooks into you. It's not currently controlling you. Can you communicate it with it now? I can certainly try, but I don't know if that-- And what-- Sure, I mean, I can certainly try. Is it? They were trying to figure out. I don't think Jim has any idea of what happens last week. Well, in short, I was researching the ritual for the ban and using the ritual against the B-lord. I was-- I was-- I started having either a hallucination or a telepathic contact or something. It was a voice that only I could hear of the people that were robbing, couldn't hear it. And the voice was a-- said it was a spirit which was essentially the platonic ideal of Cleveland. And it said that I, Michael Clay, was the chosen one to defeat Shartha. And that I needed to give the spirit entity permission to ride a B into battle with Shartha. And that I had to give-- I had to willingly give my permission to do so. Which I know was a dangerous move. But-- Did you use protection? I mean, yeah, I mean, you know, a rhythm method more than anything. A weapon was presented to us. And with no guarantee of my safety or my sanity, I reluctantly agreed. Well, not really. Well, greedily agreed. I didn't greedily agree. But I did try to take precautions to kind of get it both ways. But then I don't have a lot of experience working in the field. So Niko has recently left right around midnight. He brought Michael back. Michael was kind of action and shook it up by the whole experience. Michael told his story to everyone when he got back to the guest room in the rectory. And then Niko after a little while said, "I'm gonna go." You guys got it under control here. He asked Michael if he wanted him to stay and watch over him for the night. Mike said, "No, I'm fine." So Niko took off. So you're all sitting there 1230 at night. Listen to MP3's about what is exactly, you know, heart-cooked brain. What does it mean? Who is it? Or what is it? Or does the lyrics give us any indication? Or, you know, what could it be? And then Mike remembered that heart-cooked brain was actually the name the spirit gave itself. It would also be a message in the sense that our spirit or emotions or feelings are what are necessary to defeat the logic or the organization of like a hive mind. You know, the heart cooks the brain. Maybe it's a, you know, kind of like a moniker of what we need to do. I don't know. It's full of symbology. I'm tired. I'm confused. Can you, I'm a little bit disappointed that no one really, you know, sees me as this chosen one that I was with. I don't even think you're a friend believe you. And now Niko. No. And I just, you know, if you have to, you know, there's a very real danger and I'm aware of it that you guys may have to restrain me, preferably not with a bullet to the back of the head. Well, that's why we're asking Sister Katie if she had anything. I mean, I said there's other in my group. I don't, I probably have to try out on somebody now who can do those things. This is something that we can do there. We can give you some resolve to, who, who are, get exorcism. Well, I don't think I wanted an exorcism. If I have a choice in the matter here. At least until after facing Charva. Right. So you think when the time is right, the spirit is going to possess your body. I would imagine that when we get, you know, when we face Charva or we get near to locus or when we begin the ritual, I suspect that is what will trigger the writing. And then I will either, I'll be the gliding rod for the energies that we will use against her, whether we'll somehow block her from the source and somehow scatter the hive mind or what do you call it, banish the B-lord away from vitamin B and get control of locus again. You know, in some ways, maybe we're just like the antibodies working on an infection in the area that is Cleveland. Okay. If you want to take it in a sense of, that's the, an ideal of an area that we would be kind of like fighting that infection that it doesn't want. So you don't know. Right. I mean, these are just, these are just, you know, I'm not even hypothesizing. I'm just trying to put it into a metaphor that I can smart right my head around. Can you, can you have the spirit now or? I can try. I haven't tried yet. And that's what we were. If we try. I'm a little bit afraid to do it. Well, how about we, how about we, you know, take a precaution. How you down? Hang coffee, tie me down, restrain me. Maybe have a, you know, a gun ready to go. Do you want to have a sister Katie do that for you? Is that when you're a fantasy? No. Being tied up by an indirectory. No. It's not. It's pretty high up there. It's your value to that. Well, if you're saying that, you know, if you're worried about it, if you want to ask some questions that I couldn't think of or if you want to get a sense of what, what it was about. Maybe we could try it. We want, we, you are going to find out the ritual. I believe I have the information on the ritual. Correct stuff. No. Tell me that. No. The, the research that we were conducting when I was interrupted by. You got some notes before you got interrupted. Yes. Right. The ritual contained in there or do I need to analyze it a little more? Just tell me to answer. Well, the answer was choose choice in, in episode number six or whatever. Yeah. Some of us had a little more restraint as opposed to fighting, you know. Well, why don't we go back to Benjamin's. You can go back to the dream world, but you can go get that envelope. We are going back to Benjamin's. You don't have to. Anyway, yeah, but I'm just saying while you're done. That was one of the things we need 22 wings, pinions from bees, and some blood from the queen bee. And we're going to Benjamin to get that. And I have to leave that our coin will take us right through the waves and we'll get it to the back yard. That's kind of the look that Aol had last week when they realized that they had to go back to Benjamin's. That look doesn't translate well on the podcast, but let me tell you that's a, that is a sort of a look of it. Why don't we decide what, what queen and what bees we need to do to stop Michael last week or someone. You decided that it wasn't just an EP. It said specifically the. Well, I know it said a specific time. It said it's the same time. It said you have to go to the apiary of the St. Claire's. Yeah. And get 22 pinions and the blood of the queen bee. And then you're like, well, does that mean her? You know, Lucius Dr Lucius thought it meant it thought it meant Meredith Burke, whose maiden name. I don't know if you were here for that one or not Jim, but her maiden name before she got married was St. Claire, and her father who married her name was Benjamin St. Claire. So that's the whole, that's why I thought you'd wrap your heads around last week. No, if I was mistaken, that's okay. I'm not telling you it's the answer. I'm saying that's what was discussed last week. Sorry. Michael, did you want to say something like that? I didn't say that. Don't try to put words in my mouth. I found lips moving on. I know. I was going to say plantar. I was told when I was saying. But I restrained myself. You're incapable of restraint. That's because you're handcuffed. Well, that happened? No, I don't. Not yet. Another option is Tammy's song has been calling my phone wanting to meet with me again. Yeah, but you don't bring your personal life into the work. Oh, there's nothing going on between us. Let me tell you. She's actually kind of cute. She was cute, but she's kind of possessed by these evil spirits. And she knows Karate. So it's your best friend, so what's the difference? Him? I'll shoot him right now. She doesn't want to admit it, but he got a little excited when she tackled the hall and landed on top of his room. She's strong for a night like at around five foot in one girl. Yeah, she's got the food going on. The food going on. But that's another option. She had bees with her when she assaulted me. Is that what we're calling it? Yeah. So... Listen, just because the best writing you can give her is the spirit of Cleveland. Don't be giving in, Mark. She wants me, man. She keeps it on. His spirit's cuter than yours. Well, I haven't seen my spirit yet, so maybe with all my life. If things don't work out with Benjamin, if we are going there, then maybe we can... We've got a number of things on the plate. We've got to go to Benjamin's tomorrow to get the bees at a certain time until the evening. All right. In the meanwhile, we're having the band delivered with all the equipment from siren so that we can do the steak out. So we do the steak out until... It's time to go to Benjamin's, then we go to Benjamin's, then we go back and resume the steak out. Was it? Yeah. What's the best for? What's the best for us? What's the best for us to be? Yeah, a period. The best for us is a period of time. We're just the same prayers. It's the evening prayers. The best mint is the... God bless you. Where are you saying that? I don't know that. Well, Katie knows that. Right. Jim's a heathen. He don't know shit. Character. So it'd be the time we need to be banded. Yes. According to boats from Crowley, that would come. How do you gather a single cup of wood for a bee bee? Um, I wanted to get one of those... Something about the ritual said that we could do this without harming the bees. Like, why would we get the wings without harming it? I'm sorry, I don't know if I said anything about harming the queen. I could see working bee wings off and not killing the bee, it would be easy to do. Like it'd be my harm itself, but you weren't going to kill the bee. The bee's going to kill the bee. The bee's going to kill the bee. It's only maybe my trying to sting you. So you know about rituals and stuff, Michael. So what do we need to collect? You would need a hypodermic needle or something. Just like some... Just a little pen on it. It's only a drop. But it's a... A bee's not like a person. Well, let's be clear about... You'd have to have blood. Spotted vein. You want it. It'd be tough to spot a vein. Let's be clear about... Are we talking about the... I think we agree that the pinions of the wings are the actual insects. The blood of the queen. I am still assuming to mean the bee in a hive as an insect. Not the queen bee, the sharka, or a burk. That's according to this pamphlet here. Right. Maybe like a little vacuum cleaner that's sucked the bees up. And we just don't hold them without killing them so we can remove the wings and get the blood from the queen. So, 12.30 at night, what are you guys deciding to do? You call it a night? Well, I know that I need to get rest. I'm still damaged and bashed and... The last time we slept, we got poisoned and attacked. So, I had a building call with me too. I'm calling it a night. Either we're going to register something in or we're going to call it back jade. Because of me a lot. Bee catcher suits. And, because if we're going after these bees. Right. We would need to wear some kind of protective gear. And shoe found something where there's actually, it's like a little wand and you suck bees into it. It's electronic little things so that we can have them restrained for handling individual bees like taking wings off of them. So, those two items would have to be added to our equipment requirements. So, it stands club. They really. And Walmart. There you go. One's like that. I think I said you did the link, Scott. I don't know if you got it. Good enough. So that and then we just texted her and then add this to the list. Right. So, you guys called a night of any watches or any precautions being taken at night or? You said that Tammy Sung called you. Yes, she did. If you have any concern that you can find out where we are. I have concern that we're only about 300 feet away from. Well, there is that. But I didn't plan sight. That's what we're doing. Yeah, I was kind of concerned how she found me in the first place. I'll let you that we were taken to the house and she had probably had a hunched at you either. All right. So, obviously, there's enough concern that we set up a watch. Yeah. Yeah. The spirit boy over there. Your exempt. You get to sleep for the knowing. Does that make you happy? He was the one that was stuck by bees, right? He didn't willingly take them into his body and let them ride him around. I haven't either yet. And I killed mine. I'm sorry. It was your words that you accepted this spirit as a writer. Have you got a problem with it? How can I say it? Any other way? Your exempt. You're not taking lots. Yes. I have a problem with it. Right. Then why don't you just kill me right now, Dre? I'm not saying that you can't possibly be useful, like a tool, perhaps. But I am saying that you're not taking lots. I'm not putting my life in your hand. Did you try to talk to your spirit yet? Nope. You want to do that before you go to bed or? We're just going to have faith when the moment's right. The spirit's going to take over and it might be like a get out of jail free one time use car. You never know. I'm going to try a few guys. All right. If you want to try some of the spirits, sister, sir, you got like handcuffs, right? The handcuffs? The holy handbag. The handcuffs. The holy handcuffs. Of Antioch. Yes. Get the holy ball gag. The FBI detected that he's going to send a handcuffs. Your sister, yes, I thought. I'm not the father. I'm not the father. I've got the fuzzy handcuffs or anything like that. Are you ready for your confession? I'm willing to go through with the procedure since you guys are all, you know, mocking me. Mocking me? I'm mocking you. We just have concerns. I think concerns is a good word. Are you phobes? Come on. Time me up. It's called the spirit. Thank you. All right. This is the face of an ominous man. I made him questionable decisions in the last few days. So the guy who injects drugs into his eyeballs. I saw chemistry that's not all. That's perfectly reasonable. Look, I'm sorry. I mean, run by demons being run by drugs. So the other people who craft, well, I'm gonna get it. Apparently I'm the only crazy one in this group. I'm the only one who has issues, I guess. Which is why I like to read about it and have to be in it. Makes you feel any better. I don't want to trust anyone. I want to trust it. I see. Okay. So until you guys take your precautions to protect yourselves from little old me, I'm not going to attempt it. Little you doesn't bother me. Little little spirit you're carrying around. I have concerns. It's not. Heart cooks brain? You know, baby. Is that inside you? It's not inside you. Right? You sat. Do you feel the spirit inside you? No. So what was your agreement to let it ride you? You were creating drinks in a back massage. You were creating a docking bay for later. It's not currently walking, you know, attached to you in any way. It sounds to me like you left a new piece. So whenever it wants to, we can just open the door and jump in. When the time is right, when, you know, when it's needed most, when the time is nigh, that's when I obviously did. You could try to make a roll if you want to get whips in a composure. Like to remember what was said again with the same mind as the conversation is hazy and frightening. Wow. Someone's success. Out of few dice, one success. Yes. Three times in a row. Three times today. You remember the spirit was saying something along the lines of when the time is right. I will arrive. Make your decision now. Yeah, please thank you for not saying I will. I will arrive if not, I will. Well, that's what he recalls the spirit saying. And that's saying that's what was said. That's what you recall the spirit saying. He's telling you that, not me. I mean, what's I making up this part where the spirit was writing you? I swear that's what you said. No, I didn't. I should select your connotation of metal writing thing. It's more of a possession, but you didn't use the term to be fair. Well, yeah, but that's what it was. Typical spiritual lingo. You don't seem so sure about this whole thing. That's why I have concern. Well, I've never experienced it before, and I don't really have a clear idea of what type of abilities or powers will be conferred to me when it happens. Sister Katie, you can't see anything in a spiritual nature. I didn't take a look. Like when you look at him. Yeah, that'll give me the TSA of spiritual investigations here. The aggressive pat down. That thing you did when we were in the car and we saw the werewolf. Yeah, that was cool. Do that again. You guys are going to run me dry. Just look at that. Look at that. What, his powers are cool. I... No, I'm not going to go there. I just think it's very interesting. Do what you do. It's so awesome. Hey, idiot. Over here. Being written by the possession. Oh, is that one of your skills? Hey, spiritual jockeys. I am just saying. It has the "I" to... Yeah, I know. That's why he is sleeping in the corner. It's passed out. You might be able to wake him up, but you don't know if he'd even have the strength to be able to do that particular feat. Or that particular endowment. Because of the fact that he's been just being cracked today. I mean, he's just from you, from his handlers. And just beat him a little bit. Right. He's using his own powers and, you know, he's just, he's had a rough day. So he's crashed out in the corner. Seemed like... Have I ever beat you to a pub? No, I think not. So stop your whining. Dr. Lucius, I beat him. Don't hear him complaining. Because he's not here. Yeah, I know. I beat him and he thanks me. Let me see this picture. He likes that strip. Yeah, that strip. All right, so we're just going to go with when the time's right. Well, no. Well, I think it's worth trying to investigate. But I'm just saying, I don't know what... I don't see, I mean, from what he's describing, what his story is now. It sounds like... I'm not changing my story. It's not... I've never heard anything about when the time is... So it sounds like... You know, I think you did. To be fair, you did great role-playing. Some speaking, metadaming here. He did a great job of role-playing, someone who was just infinitely confused and shook. Well, that was very easy. [laughter] You were... You definitely played that nicely. So I think that their response to you is quite fair. Yeah. Because it's fine. Yeah, I just don't want you to take it like... I don't want you to take it personally. Just look back at what we've been dealing with in the last three days. And then you come off in the mirror and say, "I'm possessed and you want us to trust you." No, in fact, that's why I warned you ahead of time that you shouldn't, that you should be ready to put me down. I'm upset when I say you're not taking a watch. You are not in the rotation of... It might be something to be careful of, so we're being careful. Right. Exactly. And I think it was a wonderful job of role-playing. Yeah. [laughter] You'll see it when you see the experience points did. Oh, it will be frustrating. Oh, and you'll be passionate about this. Also, because of your flaw, you'll get an extra experience point for that. My flaw. Oh, that's right. Right. Yeah. So, see. They don't know about my flaw. They don't. Sorry. If they did... Another one. They would... [laughter] Wait, which one is... The one that makes me so comfortable to possession, hey? You should know one that makes you a narcissist. I'm the chosen one. [laughter] That wasn't my fault. I'm just repeating with this part that no one else could hear said. [laughter] Being called the chosen one by Cleveland, that doesn't actually work for people. I don't know if you know. That's true. That doesn't even go over somewhere. Come on, witness. [laughter] All right, LeBron. Oh, he did completely destroy us when he was here. Yeah, that he did. Yeah. All right, so... All you can do is put it up for me. I will take the first four hour watch. Okay. So, we're not attempting to communicate with this spirit. No, we're not expecting anything to talk to me about it. Okay. The first one to apply to it. Thanks for listening to the Knights of the Night of Actual Play podcast. Visit kotnpodcast.com for more information on this and other adventures. Where you will find character stats, photos, storytelling props, and even a form for comments and suggestions. Or you could email us directly at feedback@kotnpodcast.com. Or contact us via Twitter or leave a message on Facebook. All music for this podcast was created and performed by Zen Audio Smith. If you'd like custom professional music created for your podcasts or business, please visit ZenAudiosmith.com. And please join us next episode for more mystery and adventure. Do you want to have a sister Katie do that for you? Is that when you're a fantasy? No. Being tied up by a director. No, it's not. It's pretty high up there.