World of Darkness Text Game Recap: Jason

Between March and May of last year, I had been bouncing the idea off some friends of playing a game separate from our table ventures via e-mail, IM, or text. The response I got was fairly positive, so in mid-May, we worked out that we would try to have a game via text, and I hashed out some quick rules and details after deciding on the new World of Darkness.

Our Chronicle took place in Chicago, and though we didn't make it too far into the game, I found it fun and the game actually ran for almost a year, and could have been longer if not for an extremely long hiatus breaking focus amongst the players.

In this series, I will be posting the character sheet and logs for one PC per post. Along with the character sheet, I will give the background info submitted by the player, as well as various notes from me, including their "tie" to the supernatural, explaining where I wanted to take the game with them. The ties were all made early on, and I'm not 100% sure that's where I would have gone with them as the game progressed.

The logs and character sheet are presented as-is, with typos, etc. Player text is default color.

This one is for David's character, Jason Topperly.

Jason Topperly                        Virtue: Temperance                   Chronicle: Text WoD

Age: 26                                    Vice: Sloth                                Faction:

Player: David B.                       Concept: Student/Sec. Guard    Group Name:

Attributes

Intelligence: •••                        Strength: ••                              Presence: ••

Wits: •••                                    Dexterity: ••                              Manipulation: ••

Resolve: ••                               Stamina: ••                               Composure: •••

Skills

Mental (-3 unskilled)                 Physical (-1 unskilled)              Social (-1 unskilled)

Academics ••••                         Athletics •                                Animal Ken                 

Computer ••                             Brawl                                       Empathy ••

Crafts •                                     Drive                                        Expression

Investigation •                          Firearms •                                Intimidation

Medicine                                  Larceny •                                  Persuasion •

Occult                                      Stealth •                                   Socialize •

Politics •                                  Survival                                   Streetwise •

Science ••                                Weaponry                                 Subterfuge ••

Other Traits

Merits                                       Health                                      Willpower

Eidetic Memory ••                      • • • • • • •                                 • • • • •

Encyclopedic Knowledge ••••    [X][X][][][][][]                              [][][][][]

Meditative Mind •

Flaws                                       Morality                                   

                                                • • • • • • •

Size: 5                                      Speed: 9                                   Defense: 2

Armor:                                     Initiative Mod: 5                       Experience: 11/0/11

Weapon/Attack             Dice Mod.         Range              Clip      Size

Equipment                               Durability         Structure          Size     Cost

Background: Jason is a part time security guard at a particularly quiet (i.e., mostly empty) warehouse/storage facility. He works this job as he pursues his PhD in philosophy at the University of Chicago.

-Trent Ballard, roommate.

-Leonard Bronsky, boss, older Jewish man with a drawn out Jewish/Midwest accent

-Antanas Gilva, Calla Amir’s “COO” in Chicago

Tie: Vampire, working as a security guard at a Calla Amir site. Calla Amir is an anagram of Camarilla, a European Vampire group who is moving into Chicago as their foothold grows in America.

Logs

ST: "Last night, work was weird," you yammer to your roommate as he groggily stares at you
For as long as you've worked at the warehouse, you've never seen a vehicle come through the gates, yet last night, 2 came in.
Black vans, completely unmarked except for their fleet license plates.
The guys in them wore gray overalls. These, sporting "Calla Amir" insignia. That's the company that owns the place, but they sure hire some rough-looking dudes.
Two drops, 4 large crates. 8x4? The guys were speaking Latvian or Lithuanian. 
Jason: 1.1 "I'm making a mental note to steer clear of them." I say as my mind brings forth pop culture references to various Eastern European mobs. Secretly I
1.2 curious as what's in them. Mainly what problems they might bring my way. 
ST: Your roommate chuckles and mumbles something about not thining you have anything to worry about as he grabs some clothes to go shower. [OOC: what days would Jason have class? Also, name of roommate is Trent Ballard, not as studious as Jason, but in same doctorate program]

ST: [OOC: foreground is University of Chicago http://www.hhmi.org/janelia/images/Chicago.jpg ]

Jason: 2.1 [OOC: He would probably have class Tuesday Thursday and TA the other three days]

ST: being a TA is more stressful than your normal job, but the day goes well. Night brings more mystery as the same group of vans and workers come in, unload the same number of crates, then head out again. At most, you're given a polite nod as they show credentials, but that's it

Jason: 1.3.  I keep wondering if I was this dumb as an undergrad. I nod back at them trying to give them as little of my attention as possible.

ST: when quitting time rolls around, and you step outside, there is a man there. Though it is warm, he wears a long, wool overcoat over an expensive suit and leather gloves. He speaks to you, his voice reminding you of some anime voice actors with it's resonance, but not as exciteable

"Greetings, Mr. Topperly," he intones, "my name is Antanas Gilva. I represent the concerns of Calla Amir here in Chicago. I trust everything goes smoothly here? Not much to do, eh?" he smiles at this last bit, then adds "Can you guarantee diligence and...confidentiality in all company business, Jason?"

Jason: 1.4 "Y-yes, pretty boring here. And yes I remember full well the forms I filled out before taking the job. I check IDs and credentials and watch for..

1.5 "People who aren't supposed to be here and then not talk about what is here to anyone outside the company."

ST: "Good. Stay mindful of that and you will go places. Our organization rewards dedication." his voice carries with it a thousand veiled threats that your imagination could run away with, but he doesn't continue further, instead checking his watch then hurriedly walking to his car, an older model Mercedes, where he enters the back seat and slams the door, but not before you hear him bark orders quickly in Latvian

Jason: 1.6 "I like it here just fine" I mumble to myself as his car drives away. I slowly make my way home taking time to think about tomorrow's class.

ST: class goes by rather slowly and poorly, your concentration broken as your mind going over how weird things have been at work. Sleep when you get home is no better, as you seem to have wild dreams, and toss and turn. Tonight was a scheduled night off, but you get a call about 20 minutes after shift start. It's Leonard, your boss "Where are you, Jason?," he says in his drawn out Midwestern/Jewish accent, "I can't be having you acting the shmuck when you're supposed to be working. You've never been late, what's gotten into you?"  
Jason: I shake my head in disbelieve as I look for my schedule. "Did t change, because ii thought I had tonight ooff, but I will be there shortly, sir"

ST: "Jason! No need to apologize, just get to work, I'm worried about you. Perhaps you shouldn't have taken on full-time with all your schooling, eh?" Leonard ends the phone call before you can respond, but you're looking at your schedule... "Tues - OFF, Wed - OFF" perhaps you can clear up the issue later, or maybe a last-minute change swapped Tuesday for another night

Jason: 2.2 I gather my uniform and put it on and clean up a litt.e I stuff my schedule into my pocket. I want to get this straightened out before I lose

2.3 this job. As I scurry out the door I check to see what day it was.

ST: your phone confirms it's Tuesday night, as you had thought, and you're still wondering howyou missed the schedule change, but sure enough, when you walk into the guard shack, it shows you working tonight, tomorrow night, the next, the next, the next...not one day off

Jason: 3.1 Thnk about what the old man I saw and guess he had something to do with it.  "I stop by Leonard's office and say "I apologize, I didn't see the

3.2 "schedule change." "Btw, how long have you been workingg here if you don't mind me asking?"

ST: Leonard looks up at you from the paper and smiles warmly "Think nothing of it, Jason. Were it that I had more employees like you, I would never have to worry. Everyone makes mistakes." he stands up and gathers his things, continuing to talk "Forty-four years. I was a young man when I started work with Calla Amir, younger than you are now. Then, I was an upstart," he chuckles softly, obviously thinking back, then suddenly seems to look much more tired, much older. "I was in Rome, then...after the war, just enjoying Europe, and you could say the job found me," he walks past you, then turns, looking at you as if to remind you of something about your shift, and says plainly, "Do me a favor, Jason? Live your life before you give it to your work." with that, he turns and walks out.

Jason: 3.3 "I will keep that in mind, sir" I wonder to myself if this job has already found me. Anyways with this schedule I am gonna be busy!

3.4 I think I am gonna try and get Trent to cover a period or two for me. I doubt the students will notice.

3.4 After Leonard leaves I settle in for another night. I hope more crates don't arrive I say to myself.

ST: when you call Trent, he complies, but bitches like a woman at having to get up earlier than usual. It’s impossible to tell if he’s serious, but he confirms his agreement, saying something about how you owe him when he gets off the phone.

As for work itself, it’s a quiet night, though you do notice a bit more police activity on the streets outside the warehouse row than usual.

Jason: 4.1 . I do the normal walk arounds, but try to keep an eye on what the police are doing. If they are looking at the warehouse or seem to be watching

4,2. Something else. I will have to pick up a 12 pack of Trent’s favorite beer sometime.

ST: though you hope for an uneventful night at the warehouse, tonight is anything but. A few hours in, the familiar vans pull in, offloading their usual cargo, but some of the workers are dressed not in the usual gray Calla Amir jumpers, but suits and other, less nice clothing

Jason: (4.1) I will keep an eye out for anyone else trying to enter the warehouse area, but give the guys unloading the van their room. I’ll also keep an eye out for my new friend.

ST: during this unloading, the cameras showing feeds from the street shows two cars speed onto the screen, obviously headed for the chain link gate, ramming through and moving rapidly toward the warehouse

Jason: (4:2) I start moving towards where the unloading is happening hoping to give the guys a heads up. As I am moving I search my phone for Lenny’s number or that old guy who keeps talking to me.

ST: you’re able to reach Leonard and convey what has happened so far, he ask if any holdings have been compromised, and if anyone else is there.

You can hear the screeching of tires halting as you reach the area where the van is unloading.

You are able to shout a warning before four figures exit each car, seeming to draw weapons as they do. Leonard asks what kind of cars they are, and you say police cars at first, then correct yourself quickly when you realize you’re wrong. His voice gets very calm and serious and he says “Jason, listen, you have to get out of there.”

As he finishes that sentence, the report of a gun echoes through the building.

[OOC: that’s the last texts you’ll get tonight. Sorry it’s so late]
Jason: [OOC: Would I know if the camera system is recorded off site?]

Would I know if the camera system is recorded off site?

ST: [OOC: You do know that the feeds are recorded off-site, in two separate locations, but you don’t know those locations]

Jason: (5.1) “Leonard someone is shooting” I say over the phone in the calmest voice I can muster. I take a moment to take in where I am at. I start to make for the nearest entrance, but decided one further away and perhaps without a fire alarm on the door would be better.

ST: [OOC: this comes before you reply] As you hear Lenny’s warning, and the echo of the gunshot, you feel the warmth of blood and gore splatter onto you and into your mouth, from one of the Calla Amir workers.

Instantly, your senses heighten, the smell of blood and the glare of fluorescent lights almost overwhelming. You feel your body begin to stiffen, as if rigor is taking effect, though you somehow remain flexible.

Another of the Call Amir workers yells for you to help [insert your action here,], as Leonard repeats his warning, and the intruders continue their assault. When you regain your senses, you realize the first shot ripped the worker’s arm off

Jason: (5.2) I spit out the gore the best I can and wipe my mouth clean. I turn around and begin to run. “I’m getting out of here”, I yell as I turn to run [OOC: what type of guns are they shooting?]

ST: [OOC: the guns seem compact, but pack a punch equivalent to a .50 cal. at least. Whatever they are, you’re unsure.] As you turn to run, you witness one of the Calla Amir men present a crucifix, which turns to ash and crumbles as he intones something in Latin, which causes wounds to open on one of the intruder’s wrists and side

Jason: (5.3) I try my best to hide any shock from seeing him cast Inflict Wounds, Moderate. The less they think I’ve seen the better for me. I turn around and begin to move away from the men with the large guns.

ST: As you turn, you hear more shots, now from both sides, and see another of the Calla Amir employees, a woman in a skirt suit, pick up a cherry picker one handed and toss it at the fun-wielding maniacs that have invaded the warehouse. One of the workers you are more familiar with shouts at you to drag the wounded one to safety.

Jason: (5.4) I bend over to grab the by the legs as his one arm is missing. I start dragging him behind boxes and any cover I can find.

(5.5) I try to keep myself as low to the ground as possible. How many guys with guns have I seen so far?

ST: [OOC: You’ve seen that at least half of the guys from the cars had guns pointed, and two Calla Amir workers have guns, as well]

Jason: (5.6) If I can get the guy to at least some cover I will check to see he is alive or not.

ST: automatic gunfire rattles through the warehouse, a bullet grazing the guy you’re dragging, and another punching through your leg [2 lethal], an instant before you fall into cover with your charge. He looks to you and says “Be calm, child,” as he catches your eyes. As soothing as his voice is, the shit that is happening around you and the fact that this dude has huge fangs and his arm is slowly growing back is making you anything but calm

Jason: (6.1) I stay hidden the best I can. Bullets have hurt me, this thing hasn’t, and hoping they can kill the guys with the big gun.

The number notations in David's logs were his way of keeping track of the current "game session," though some of his notations are off a little. Up next, Jamaal.