Wednesday, September 3, 2014

the dark twist

Apocalypse World: 10th session
click for previous session

During his preparation for the big (fake) fight the Swampys were going to put on for William H. Esquire Esq., he tracked down and confronted Onyx and convinced him to leave the Slavers and join up with his gang.

Morticia had been hearing rumors that anybody who hurts the Fishers ends up dead, and since she killed Gams she wanted to investigate these rumors. Tracking down Lamprey and Philo she found out that they were scared of her and didn't really believe the rumors themselves, but they were definitely hiding something from her. While leaving the Arcade Morticia noticed a big truck pulling into town that gave a wide berth from the Slavers. She had heard that some of the Slavers wanted William H. Esquire Esq. dead and decided to follow these newcomers.

Spector spent time installing two of the gun turrets on the tops of the destroyed warehouses, and Snail met with her afterward to offer her a relic of the golden age past in exchange for the plant growing on the spine of her assistant and lover, Cullen. She accepted, without discovering how Snail knew about the plant.

Ever since his very public foursome, Boy Esquire had been followed by two girls, Chase and Amex, who began working as whores for him. They were infected with the dark twist and so he was trying to find a way to cure them. Nothing was working, so he went searching for Snail but was blocked by the Garden, and when Snail finally appeared Boy Esquire was coerced into letting Snail dance with him before the big fight.

One of the newcomers, a woman named Susan, found William H. Esquire Esq. and asked to speak with him in private, but Morticia interrupted and intimated that she thought these people were here to kill him. Preparing for the worst William H. Esquire Esq. met with Susan and discovered that she was the mysterious owner of the Stax. Susan didn't like Slaver towns and was pleased to find that William H. Esquire Esq. didn't support them but tolerated them. She also wanted permission from him to get justice over the death of Gams and Braille, and William H. Esquire Esq. explained that disputes are resolved in the Pit, but anything that happened outside of town was also fair as long as it didn't come back into town. Susan thanked him and left, and William H. Esquire Esq. relayed a message to Morticia about who Susan was.

The pre-show dance went off without a hitch, though many people were visibly concerned with Chase and Amex's health. Snail's interpretive dancing was also remarked upon widely.

Gnarly led his gang into the Pit and put on a very good show for William H. Esquire Esq.. They decisively announced that cannibalism is not allowed in Arcade Esquire and at the end of the show the Swampys joined William H. Esquire Esq.'s gang.

After the show Onyx brought Boy Esquire a fancy pistol as a gift. Weaving through the crowd Morticia tried to confront Susan in town, but noticed that they were both surrounded by Susan's guards and Susan refused to talk with Morticia unless they met outside of town. Slightly panicked, Morticia found William H. Esquire Esq. and asked him to accompany her outside and he agreed. They met Susan by her truck, her gang packed into the back seats and ready to leave Arcade Esquire. Susan explained that Gams was an asshole and probably deserved to die, but he was still her employee, and the Stax was hers before Morticia took over in Braille's absence. She demanded to either receive 2-barter every month or Morticia could buy the Stax from her for 5-barter. William H. Esquire Esq. thought this sounded fair and Morticia agreed to pay 2-barter now but insisted she would want to buy the Stax in the future.

Susan confirmed with William H. Esquire Esq. that he wouldn't care about anything that happens outside of town and he said "Yes, as long as the town doesn't get blamed for whatever you do." and at that Susan strolled over to the Slavers encampment and slaughtered them all single-handedly. Both William H. Esquire Esq. and Morticia made a hasty retreat before the shooting started.

THE NEXT DAY
Marlowe's pregnancy was moving further along, he left town to find a safer place where he might be able to give birth.

Spector successfully removed the plant from Cullen's spine and, per their arrangement, she gave the plant to Snail who then took it to his family, Orchid and the Garden.

William H. Esquire Esq. tried to commune with the Tree but received visions of enslavement. He decided that the Tree needed to be freed, and since he viewed Snail as a representative for the Garden went to him to discuss the Tree's enslavement.

Morticia spent her time trying to cure members of her crew who had contracted the dark twist, but the only healer in town, Rags, was also infected. Going to his goat farm, Morticia saw that all of Rags' livestock was infected as well.

William H. Esquire Esq. and Spector spent some time trying to convince Snail to move the Garden out of town, but he claimed he couldn't control them. Snail auguried over the Tree and opened a very large portal that spread across the town of Arcade Esquire, William H. Esquire Esq. and Boy Esquire appeared to be completely untouched by it. In that moment Snail was able to pull on the bonds between the Garden and the Tree and instead of cementing the Garden's control over the Tree he betrayed them. The Tree became Snail's new family, the conflict between the two entities balanced evenly, and as Snail closed the portal into the maelstrom Morticia was enveloped by it and disappeared.

At that moment an earthquake shook the town. Large tree roots disgorged the earth, and corpses beneath the soil were uncovered and vomited out.

to be continued

MC Note: the game might go on hiatus for awhile since we're about to start playtesting Apocalypse World: Dark Age

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