Actual Play: Buffy: The Night Watch

[SteveD]

Wow, triple colons! How very Phantom Menace of me. Teh roxxorz.

So, the pilot ep of The Night Watch kicked off today (for characters and background, see this thread from last week: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?threadid=54167&highlight=Buffy+Meet+the+Cast). This will no doubt be going up on the website, for those who care (website incoming, thanks to wonderful players).

Main thing I noticed right from word go is that running with voice very different from running with keyboard (on IRC, as my last few games have been). I spoke a few sentences and went, woah, yeah, I have to use my VOICE now. I'd been resting my laurels on the techniques of prose, which I do so much easier and faster, and it was kind of a shock to have to voice all my characters and world instead of describe.

Anyhoo.

In the teaser, a vampire is threatened with a cross and cares not. He eats the priest in question, and we cut to the theme music: Pulp's Common People.

We cut back to the action in the library, the "home base" for the series. Eddie and Tom are in full fencing gear, practising their epees. A mysterious visitor arrives - a priest played by Shean Connery - and tells the gang that his friendly priest was killed after telling him he thought a girl in his parish was possessed. Dead priest had cast a horoscope to verify, thought it was ooky, but died before non-dead priest could find out why. Our crack team is put on the case. This is tricky, as Eddie's roommate Jack knows not of the existence of the occult.

Jack: Why are we looking at horoscopes?
Eddie: Well, the world's about to end, and only horoscopes can save us now!

Jack was quite the quotemaster.

Jack: So you're reading the horoscope of a dead person? Let's see, rot will set in at 3pm, lucky numbers 6 and 12.

The gang do some research (which they suck at) and find not much. So they go to the church. Eddie and John distract the bobby on duty (by inviting him to John's wedding) while Tom and Eirion break in the back. They find a lot of carnage and religious symbols etched in blood. Going back outside, the bobby spots someone around the corner. He goes to investigate and his helmet bounces back around the corner, with blood on the rim.

Vamps close in, the players freak and gibber. But they're not here to feed, just deliver a message - stay away from the girl. THey fade into blackness as silently as they came. As soon as they're gone, Eirion yells out "yeah...and don't come back!"

At this point, Eddie calls Pru (their Watcher-Trainer) and wants to tell her that vampires are in Oxford (impossible, given the warding spells), without tipping off John. They decided to use code.

Tom: "Pru? The pineapple has been buried."

Bad codes became the superb running gag of the game, and thus impossible to truly capture their genius in quotes. Every time a plan had to be suggeted to John, it had to be done in code. It started out as dogs barking, and then someone mentioned wood, for stakes, and people told John that the vampires were just militant goths, so at one point, Tom was just yelling "Um, wooden goth dogs!" And John goes "Of course! Two of them!"

Later, after staking the vampire priest from the start, Eddie calls Pru:
"It was a dog...that became a dog....like a cat changing its spots. Into a dog."

More to come....

Steve

[SteveD]

Our intrepid team come back into the library shocked and dismayed. Pru asks what happend. John presents the helmet he has clutched to his breast and screams:
"MILITANT GOTHS KILLED A POLICEMAN!!"

Yes, they convinced John the vamps were militant Robert Smith fans. Pru didn't think this would work.
Pru: We may have to tell him.
Eddie: No, the militant Robert Smith fans story is working perfectly
Pru: Yes, but I don't think it will continue to work for much longer
Eddie: You really don't know John well, do you?

John is convinced the whole "murder" was a prank, and goes to the pub in a fit of pique. Our boys realise the order of Golconda are around - Vampires for Jesus, as twere - and they may want the girl in question. Our boys go to the morque to see the priest's body. John is told it is a revenge prank. While John is stealing a corpse, they examine the body. Lots of lacerations, in the shape of crosses. Tom pukes. Eddie notices the holes in the carotid. Eirion opens the body's mouth and is surprised when his eyes open. Tom tries to stake him, but misses. Doesn't matter, as the crosses burn the vamp to death. Eddie fumbles his fear roll and goes catatonic. Eirion carries him into the hallway, as John appears with a dead body, and the doctor comes around the corner. Things get stuffed into cupboards, and the gang runs.

Our boys split up - Eirion hits the books. Eddie distracts John by saying they need to make another prank. John buys shaving cream and fills an innocent man's car with shaving cream. Meanwhile, dashing young Tom (Attractiveness +4!) goes out to woo Charity, the girl in question. Herein he discovers that Charity is 10 years old. And a potential slayer.

Meanwhile, Eirion discovers that the Order of Golconda believe the Slayer to be the anti-christ of their twisted Chrstianity (vampire Jesus, baby!), and work solely to eliminate her from the earth. Eddie and John turn up as Pru figures out why the horoscope is weird - our girl's a slayer. The wooden goth dogs are barking, so the crew jumps in Eddie's MG and drive out to get Tom and girl and mother.

John and Eddie lead the (child protection) cops away (John still thinks its all a prank) while Tom and Eirion rush to the chapel where a ritual is going to be performed to protect the girl from vampires. They rush inside and barricade the door hard. Then they realise that Sean Connery is the leader of the Order of Golconda, and he's very happy they've helped him out.

A big fight occurs. Tom and Eirion get their asses whupped, but Eirion manages to stake someone. As things look bleak, Eirion finds a suspicious sword tht makes him kick unholy ass. And Eddie and John, unable to break in, bombard the church doors with the MG. BOOM! In the distraction, Eirion grabs the girl, and Tom goes mono-a-mono with bad dude, normal human (who has taken 40 pts of damage from bites and fists) vs someone with Darla's stats almost.

Eddie leaps out of the car with his mobile ringing. he chucks it to a vamp and says "it's for you!". The stunned vamp is staked before he can figure out what's going on. John, still playing pranks, flashes his camera in a vamps eyes, fills his mouth with shaving cream and kicks him in the groin. Charity the proto-slayer finishes him off. Tom slashes the bad guy a few times, then feints expertly and closes in for a stake. Bad guy go bye bye.

Pru is found tied in the cellar. Cops and ambulances arrive - the former grab Charity, the latter take Tom away to hospital. The church is completely wrecked. The college is going to be so pissed. John still can't work out why all this was necessary just to stop militant goths. Pru tells him it will make sense in the morning. Eddie agrees he could use some sleep. Pru agrees, because, after all - school starts tomorrow!

The end.

[SteveD]

Before I forget: DP to Eirion for barricading the door and thus helping the bad guys so perfectly, and DP to Eddie for driving the car through the door.

Plus the general 1 DP each for quotage means 2 DPs each total. I must make you spend more....

Steve

[Heronymus]

Say...

Are you going to run another Buffy game on IRC? 'Cause if you are, I'd like to play.

/whine

This sounds so cool, I want more!

[Pseudo Nymh]

A fun read!

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this before, but your vamp priests are maybe the coolest sect of vampires I've ever heard of (vamp Jesus...it's priceless!).

[Mr. Analytical]

I like the idea of militant goths :-)

"We're here, we stink of pachuli oil... get used to it!"

[Jody Macgregor]

Originally posted by SteveD
As things look bleak, Eirion finds a suspicious sword tht makes him kick unholy ass.
That was Tom who found the sword of unholy ass-kicking, I (Eirion for the readers) was the one who got my butt handed to me and wound up lying on the floor saying "Ouchie", handing the potential slayer my stake with the instructions: "Just do what comes natural."

Great game Steve. I felt a little rusty because the only gaming I've done in the last year is PBEM, but hopefully I'll have a better grasp on the character -- and the rules -- next week. Can't wait.

[Burgonet]

.. And Steve is leaving out the two or three exciting escapes to the pub. Do you think John and I set a bad example of drinking and driving in a roleplaying game?

:)

Prudence came along to the Pub to help plan. That in itself proved we were in England.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
The gang do some research (which they suck at) and find not much...
This is clearly some kind of karmic revenge for the heroes of the pilot being a pretty good trainee Watcher, a bloody amazing trainee Watcher and a guy who'd spent decades in a library.

You either can't find a researcher or can't move for them...

Damn those militant goths, spoiling the Goth-Metal Peace Process for the rest of us...

[Funksaw]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Damn those militant goths, spoiling the Goth-Metal Peace Process for the rest of us...

I know. It's almost as bad as the hardliners who don't want to see an end to the Tom Petty "New Country"/"Contemporary Rock" debate.

-- Funky.

[SteveD]

Hero....I'm afraid you'd have to line up behind Craig!

Pseudo: thanks!

My players: thanks for making it all work.

Steve

[dalziel_86]

Yes, though I didn't intend it that way to start with, my character Tom seems to have become the main character of the piece.

I wanted to be more dramatic and vocal in the finale, but the energy I had at first was somewhat depleted by that time. I blame the going out the previous night and not getting home until 9am that morning. It's not something I plan on repeating.

I'm very much looking forward to some more character development stuff in the next episode. I have quite a lot of stuff in mind for Tom's future, as I tend to follow Tex Avery's old maxim that "what you did with a character was more important that what the character was".

Overall, great game, Steve. Looking forward to the next one. :)

[SteveD]

Yeah, I sucked at good lines at the end too.

But I'm really looking forward to next week, too. More than I have for a session in a long, long time.

Steve

[SteveD]

Episode Two: Splitting Hairs

Tom wants so desperately to live up to his father's time at Magdelen, so he must join the Magdelen Squires, a club devoted to upholding the Magdelen name. To do this, Tom must pass three challenges. The first involves Tom streaking through the dining room at luncheon.

He runs off to face this great test. Screams echo off the spires. Roll opening credits. Now that players have had a few adventures, they fill in what they are doing (and expect to be doing). Last shot (of course) is them all in a line, walking towards camera, Tom wth the sword on his shoulder.

We return to the action as naked Tom squirms past the Scouts, runs into the quad and knocks over Miranda - girly swot, teacher's pet and always under-foot when there's slaying to be done - landing right on top of her (in a scene inspired by Evangelion). She's horrifically embarassed. The others pick Tom up and go to the library, where Pru tells them they have to catalogue all 5000 books because one is missing (and because they're in trouble for wrecking the chapel). They also have to write an essay on the Order of Golconda (see last week), attend poetry classes with the Master (no, the Master of the college) and prepare for Fresher's Fair tomorrow. Busy busy busy.

Sir Urqhart (the Master) knows their secret and picks on them in class for wrecking the chapel, but at least it means nobody notices Miranda's embarassment. John and Eddie meanwhile are matchmaking the two and putting Tom's naked run on their website.

After a hard day's work, the team head to the pub and get smashed. Next morning, they head to Fresher's Fair to sign up for the clubs and socs they want in on. Some want rowing, others football, others classics, but they all agree on playing cricket. (yes, it's autumn, but who cares, it's Buffy). While running around trying to sign up for all these, among 5000 other students, Tom faces his second task: streak through the hall wearing a bobby's helmet. On his head, that is. Wacky hijinks ensue.

John didn't understand all this nudity: "THis is so....it's...it's just so..."
Eirion: "Homo-erotic?"
John: "Yeah"

His friends run interference, but John is distracted arguing with the Feminists society, and didn't move a chair, so Tom goes a over t and lands on....Miranda. Again.

He slips away and John convinces the now livid Miranda to give them her number, so that they can warn her of any further hazings. Then Tom comes back in wearing an academic gown he pinched, because his clothes were thrown in the river by Ducky (the head boy who is making him do all this). He spies Miranda and goes to talk to her. She seems nice and has no memory of meeting Tom beforehand. They chat and join the Classics club. John and Eddie make a gentleman's wager that withing three weeks, they'll be a couple. Five hundred pounds (Resources 4 and 5 respectively).

As they're leaving, John spots Miranda walking in. Which seems tricky. The team then proceed to get the drinks in again. They all get royally smashed and forget Pru wanted them to find her missing magic book. Pru calls halfway through the night. Eddie answers:

Pru: "Edward?"
Ed: "Ah, Pru! Can't be there - we're fighting this terrible amber demon! Help help!"

(lots of giggling, Ed gets a Drama Point).

They return to explaining cricket to Tom, also mucho laughs. Last quote: "Okay, I get it. But I have one more question:"
John: What?
Tom: Where does the pitcher's mound go?

Cut to: Next day, Pru makes them get up at six and shelve. Hangovers abound. Miranda is in the library studying. Does she have NO life? The boys are eventually let go to play their first cricket match. John has all the gear. After passing Miranda in the quad, they suit up and take to the field. Surprisingly, the American (Tom) is a natral and performs admirably. Miranda is spotted clapping in the crowd as John is heading off the field. He then looks over to the next field where the women's team are coming out to play, and sees Miranda. John does a massive double-take and falls over a table.

Cue commercial, more coming.

[SteveD]

John and Tom converse. How can this be? Clearly, Miranda has a twin sister and is paying for one tuition, thus ripping off Oxford. Eddie: Wait a minute...does this change the bet?
John: Course not. He just has double the odds.
Eddie: But does he have to get off with just one, or both?

They figure out what's going on when Eirion wakes up (the hangover knocked him out) and shouts "I FIGURED IT OUT! There are TWO Mirandas!!!!". And everyone looks at him.

Meanwhile, Tom is facing his final test:streak through the girl's locker room, across the cricket field, and back through the stands into the tea-tent. Wearing cricket pads and bishop's mitre, and shouting "Squires Squires RA RA RA!" all the way. Ducky and his sidekick Toby think this is hilarious.

Tom: Where did you get a bishop's hat? No....wait, I don't want to know.

Back to the others:
Eddie: If we could some how grab them both, we could expose her.
John: Yes. Which means one of us has to run out on the field....

And behind them, in the distance, Tom bursts into shot running madly, naked. This time, field-Miranda decks him before he can run into her, but he eludes the Scouts again and runs back to his clothes. In the confusion, stands-Miranda is cornered by the other three, and decides to confess.

They go down to an abandoned circket pavillion (not, as I originally said, a coffee shop, bad GM!). She explains she cast a spell to clone herself (using the missing spell book that Pru lost, and the GM impresses everyone with minor-detail-which-they-thought-was-set-dressing becomes major plot point! Woohoo!) to get everything done, but she means no harm and will stop the spell once its over. John discovers the occult is real and freaks...then decides its all another PRANK played by Miranda and her twin. Everyone ignores him. Miranda says that she just wants to be left alone until she can make the spell permanent. And thus, the boys will have to stay here for a while. Two more Mirandas walk in the door.

John: QUADS???

And two more in the back door.

John: SEXTUPLETS????

The five Mirandas try to tie up our team. John submits, thinking that it is sexy. So Eirion says "While John is distracting them with surrender, we run". Tom and Eddie make it, all five Mirandas jump on Eirion, who spends a drama point to climb out the side of the pile and also run. But John is taken "hostage" by the Mirandas.

Back at college, Eddie does some research (into Sports Illustrated) and Tom and Eirion go to Miranda's digs to search for the spell book to find a counter spell. Tom picks the lock effortlessly, then realises the door is open anyway. Inside is Miranda, tied and gagged.

Cut back to John. The Mirandas decide they may need reinforcements to get the book. Cut to POV shot of John's eyes widening as the shadow of five girls becomes a shadow of ten, then twenty strong....

Another commercial, I gotta eat dinner.

[SteveD]

Tom: Wait....how do we know you're the real Miranda?
Miranda: er...I...
Tom: WHAT'S FIVE TIMES FIVE?
Miranda: Twenty five.
Tom: Wow, it is you....I mean, wait, that proves nothing!

But for some reason, they decide to trust her and she hands over the spell book, which she hid after she cloned herself but before her clone(s) turned on her. They run back to the library.

Eirion: (to Eddie) Found anything yet?
Eddie: uhh...(drops front book to reveal he's reading Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition)

Pru says the only way to reverse the spell is to kill the original caster. Everyone turns to look at Miranda. Tom: .....but we won't be doing that, right? RIGHT?

Miranda says the spell can be undone, but it requires a trichobezoar like she used to cast it. A trichobezoar is a human hairball - it lodges in the stomach and over time becomes a calcified mass (and often kills people). Not having a long time to get another one, Tom proposes a brilliant solution. They cast the cloning spell again, and produce four Mirandas, all chewing their own hair in massive amounts.

Meanwhile, the Miranda army (now 20-something strong) appears in the quad, demanding the book in exchange for John's life. Tom spends a drama book to give the book a dustcover. They meet on the balcony, do the swap, grab John, run backinside and slam the door just as the hear the Mirandas go "HEY!". The Mirandas start attacking the door. The team realise they need something to make the (now 8) "good" Mirandas throw up the hair they've eaten.

John: Wait, I have an idea! (grabs Tom. Yanks his clothes off. Mirandas are overcome with embarassment and hurl. I don't know why, it was just FUNNY.)

Tom: (surverying the eight hurling Mirandas and the twenty something amassing in the courtyard, and his naked self) This is just wrong in so many ways.

Tom gets dressed again. Stones and flaming cloths come through the window. John puts them out with the fire hydrant. Eirion starts preparing the counterspell, and collecting the hair-vomit in a bucket (nobody said being a Watcher was all tweed and scones). Eirion is ready to do the spell but it'll take four rounds, and the girls break down the door at that second!

The other three line up at the door and go full defensive. Most are thus able to dodge the rain of blows of the half-dozen Mirandas trying to get through the door, but John takes a few cricket bats to the face and goes down, so he spends the rest of the combat spending Drama Points on dodge, and thus running around the library, dodging behind stacks and throwing books at the Mirandas chasing him. Tom and Eddie hold the others back behind filing cabinets and desks. Miranda chucks a Smith and even more appear, pusing on the door, climbing in the window, coming through the roof and then finally, Eirion casts the spell.

Lights flash. The library shakes. And then pop...pop....pop pop pop! All the Mirandas wink out of existence. Leaving one tired, embarassed girl on the floor, with a bad haircut and a guilty conscience.

Eirion, Pru and Eddie sit down to explain to a freaked-again John just What Is Going On with the occult ("Those weren't militant goths..."), and Tom walks Miranda back to her room. They agree to help each other deal with college, and smile at each other.

Cut back to the library:
John: And that time with those guys in Scotland -?
Eddie: Also, real.
John: And the men you said were just wearing rubber suits with tires?
Eddie: (annoyed) Real.
(black out)
John: And that time I saw the Loch Ness Monster?

Executive Produer: Joss Whedon. Roll credits. Play themesong.

Thanks again to my players. Tune in next week for 1.3 The Enemy Within.

Steve

[Kai Tave]

Hey Steve! Guess what? You rock out. Your players do too.

I'm really enjoying reading these, so keep it up.

[SteveD]

Thanks Kai.

Actual play threads don't get a lot of responses - mostly cos there's little to say. I know I'm guilty of reading and enjoying, but not replying on other such threads. So thanks for letting me know you read and cared.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

:D

Fame at last.

[Pseudo Nymh]

I like the excess of male nudity. Good stuff. :)

Seriously, this is me offering thumbs-up. Must have been lots of fun to play!

[SteveD]

It was all tastefully done - the PG rating was maintainted (but only just).

Steve

[Patrick Y.]

Good Stuff.

Personally, I think you need a Harry Potter riff in there.

Something to do with some form of whackjob middle age obsessive fandom.

Patrick Y.

[Heronymus]

Steve, et. al.,

You make me want to give up RPing, you guys rock so hard.

Thanks for the posts; love the read. Vicarious enjoyment is better than none at all.

[nemo]

Originally posted by Heronymus
Say...

Are you going to run another Buffy game on IRC? 'Cause if you are, I'd like to play.

/whine

This sounds so cool, I want more!


What he said.

Sounds like you guys had a blast.

[Aegypto]

So, Steve, any spoilers for the season?

[SteveD]

I will not stoop to Potter parody - it's too easy.

Spoilers for the season? Hmmm....not really. It's very first season, so not really spoilerific.

Glad you enjoyed it, all.

Steve

[dalziel_86]

Again, this was a lot of fun. I'm glad Tom's getting some time to pursue a romantic subplot now too. Hopefully I'll be able to mess it up for him. :D

Originally posted by ARPress
Personally, I think you need a Harry Potter riff in there.
I think we ruled that out from the moment I suggested that the series was something like Harry Potter meets Degrassi.

[SteveD]

Hmm. I misread Mr Younts' post. A parody of Harry Potter-purchasing-mania would indeed by appropriate.

Perhaps one of the party spills his guts one night, and two months later, all their adventures appear in a best-selling book called "Eddie and the Vampires", by Jocelyn Rowling.

The Council is NOT pleased. Find the leak and stop it leaking before it's all too late.

Oh, the possibilities....
Steve

[Pseudo Nymh]

Originally posted by SteveD
Perhaps one of the party spills his guts one night, and two months later, all their adventures appear in a best-selling book called "Eddie and the Vampires", by Jocelyn Rowling.

The Council is NOT pleased. Find the leak and stop it leaking before it's all too late.


:D

[SteveD]

No game this week; reruns of my old Warhammer campaign run instead.

[EvilBrennan]

*Looking Forward to next fix*

[SteveD]

1.3 The Enemy Within

It's a quiet night in Oxford. We pan down from a bright moon to the dreaming spires, and then a cold foggy night on Christchurch Meadow. All is peaceful.

And then, into frame, come the tumbling bodies of our heroes. Oof! They hit the ground. Then get up, and ready their weapons. Pan across. Six vamps of the Order of Golconda are ready to take them down - in revenge for their master. And FIGHT!

Tom uses the sword to great effect and cuts off a few heads. So does Eddie with his cavalry sabre. John kicks a vamp in the nuts for great amusement. Then he stabs one in the back with an arrow, just missing the heart. The vamp turns around and decks him, so Eddie pulls out the arrow and goes "More to the left John" and stabs the vamp in the right place. Dusted.

Finally, after a fair bit of punching and kicking and ouchy, there's one left - the same one they had left last week. They let him run away. As he does, Eirion gives him a swift kick in the butt and shouts "That's for making me write an essay on you"

Limping bruised and bloody into the library, they meet Quentin Travers, big high poobah in the Council (see Buffy episodes Helpless and Checkpoint for more on him). Quentin remarks that they've investigated the breach in the shield, and found that the shield was created by Christian mages, hence the Order of Golconda was specially able to breach it. Since they seem to be easily handled by our crew, it is quite obvious that the matter needs no further attention. Oxford is entirely safe from the enemy without.

Roll opening credits.

We cut back to our crew in the library, bitching about their workload. Things are busy and the pressure of college is tightening like a noose around the neck. It doesn't help that they were out passed midnight patrolling last night, only to get the shit kicked out of them. Not fair.

Today, meanwhile, it's time to shelve their essay writing time and go off for a stupid Duck Hunt. It's the first of November, the first of winter, and Magdalen has a duck hunt. Not with guns, they try and find Quackers, the mascot of the college, to represent the holy duck that was disturbed when the college was erected in 1280. My players ask "Is this a formal event?" I say "Well, it's formally silly"

Arthur and Terry Anderson, the two porters officiate events, while John and Eddie argue over their bet about Tom and Miranda getting together. If they aren't officially a couple in two weeks, Eddie loses, so matchmaking was plied. Then Arfur read out the riddle, and John grabbed Miranda and set off in hot pursuit!

Cut to the pub.

Of course.

First commercial.

[Ian ORourke]

We have funny lines applenty in our games, it's just hard to remember them all. As Steve says, it works in Buffy because quite often it's the thoughts gamers have in their head anyway but they don't say them because it ruins the atmospher. As long as you edit yourself a bit, you can put them into Buffy as part of the game.

[SteveD]

The gang come up with a brilliant justification why the riddle points to the pub. Meanwhile, they drink. Then Tom comes up with the real solution and they set off to the stables. On the way, they see Terry arguing with star cricketer Jack. Tom and Miranda find the duck first...only to discover Quackers has been KILLED. Ewww.

They question Jack about terry but he is very agitated and defensive. Miranda and Tom head back, talking about ducks and college and everything and nothing. Meanwhile, Eddie and John spot Armaryhllus, head girl, popping out of the bushes. Investigating, they run into Ducky (head boy) who tells them to push off, but not before they hear a third person skulking about.

Before they can do much else with all this newfound knowledge, they have to indulge in the other part of Winter's Day, and have the Last Punt of the year. Eirion is a natural and wins this rather silly "race"...but not before the girls' boat capsizes. The boys (except Eddie) leap to their resuce, and Tom bravely carries Susan to the bank, holding her very close. John rescues Rebecca, and Eirion saves Miranda with his mighty muscles. Miranda notices Tom fussing over Susan on shore, too. Miranda's lips tighten.

Examining the boat reveals that it was sabotaged - the rudder cut off with a saw.
Eddie: Sabotage! John, are you thinking what I'm thinking?
John: Yes!
Eddie: Communists!
John: Ah, actually, no then.

The suspected culprit is Oriel, who are playing Magdelen in a cricket match this very afternoon, and might be trying to destroy morale. Despite the mood, John whips people into a fit of pride and triumph, which Tom cheers.

Tom: Wooo! Yeah!
Eddie: Some colonialisms, eh? (posh accent) "Woo. Yo. Yo. Go it hard."

The gang go off and change into their whites for cricket. Tom and Jack are opening. Jack seems even more agitated, so Eddie brings him a nice glass of beer. John asks him if he's taken anything. Jack says back off. Jack and Tom go out on the field and score well, until Jack collapses. They strecther him off, then call for the ambulance. People applaud. Tom doesn't get it.

Tom: Why are we applauding?
Eddie: Because he showed courage in coming out and playing despite his illness, and staying out until he couldn't stay up any more.
Tom: Oh, okay. (cheers) YAAAY! WAY TO GET SICK, DUDE!

Tom is rushed to hospital, John and Eddie follow. The coach demands a sub for John. John sends in Eirion. Tom explains cricket to Eirion.

Tom: Okay, so you hold the bat up like this (he holds it like a baseball bat) and when the pitcher throws the ball, you whack it and then run to that base, and then back to this base. And sometimes, the ball bounces before you can whack it. Okay?

Eirion gets out for a duck first ball.

Eirion: (looking at destroyed stumps) Do I run now?

At the hospital, Jack has gone critical and they have to operate. The nurse asks what happened. Eddie tells them about the beer. John pulls out a bag of pills and says it might have been these, also.

Second commercial break.

[SteveD]

Eddie and John talk. John says he never took any, but that Jack slipped him some stuff to keep him awake. Eddie goes home, John stays on vigil.


Back at the library, the others research a strange checklist they found on the floor of the change rooms, near Jack's stuff. They find nothing at first. John sees Jack come out of emergency, stable but comatose. They explain it was an OD of some kind. Eddie realises the combination with the beer may have killed Jack. He gets a bit crazed and sobs

"I mean, I've killed before....but never with a beer!"

John memorises Jacks charts (Photographic Memory) goes back to the library and writes it up. Our boys return from supper (and the funeral of Quackers) to find that an old book has gone missing - a book containing the college's charter. The list begins to make sense:

Blood and Bone (Quackers)
Wood and Stone (boat and ...?)
Words of Old (the book)
Man of Gold

Eirion discovers that it's the ingredients of some spell to effect an organisation, wherein things special to the place or group are selected and brought together. But no copy of the spell can be found. The gang realise that Jack is the man and the stone is probably the foundation stone in the chapel.

They run into the courtyard and run into Ducky and Rhyl skulking again. Eddie confronts them and demands to know what's going on. "If you let us in on what we're not supposed to be talking about, we'll stop talking about it". Ducky reveals that he isn't dating Rhyl all along, he's covering for her because she's actually dating Someone She Shouldn't (ie a professor). Eddie goes "That's not what we were talking about....". Ducky "well, what the hell are you talking about?" "Oh....uh....nothing....just....watch the shadows!"
Tom,as they leave: "Watch the shadows? What the hell are you talking about?"

The stone is missing a chip, and some black suit fibres have been left behind. John figures out that Jack's illness isn't occult, purely medicinal. They think John is in danger. Arfur, the porter, appears and tells them he knows what his brother Terry is doing, and he's already heading for the hospital. While they drive over, Eddie hacks into the hospital and puts Jack in a different room to slow down Terry. Tom and John guard Jack, Eddie and Eirion (who has become Eddie's default muscle suddenly) go and face down Terry.

Terry panics when they won't let him see Jack, screams about the urgent need, and pulls a gun.

Commercial.

[SteveD]

Bravely, Eddie talks Terry down, and gets him to drop the gun. Then the interns grab him and the cops lead him away. The guys grab his spellbook and ingredients though. They page through the book and make a nasty discovery. The spell is a protection spell, designed to find the "bringer of death" in a group of people, or place. It doesn't kill anybody at all. In fact, it finds the bad egg.

The gang drive around the block discussing things, but it's pretty clear what they have to do: do the spell themselves. They walk up the hospital steps shoulder to shoulder (this becomes the end shot on the opening credits, of course) and get to work. The ingredients and combined (Jack is the Man of Gold) and the guys get a vision. A vision of a rife and profitable drug trade throughout the college. All of it coming from not Terry Anderson, but his brother Arthur.

The guys run to the cops and tell Lieutenant Harker what they found. She says she can't do anything without a warrant. The gang calls Prue and ask her to talk to the Master. She agrees, then rings back and tells them the Master wants to see them.

In his very flash office, wearing his night gown (it is very late by now), the Master sits them down and Explains. Arfur has confessed, and in exchange for his silence, he will be punished internally, by being moved to a less cushy job. The police will be politeley encouraged to forget about it. They will be expected to keep their mouth shut rather than ruin the college's good name. If they have any love for the college, they'll agree.

Downstairs, the gang finally exhale. At the gate, Arfur smiles and waves, then walks to a very nice car. Meanwhile, in a dingy hospital room, Jack remains comatose. Fade to black over the beep beep beep of his ECG.

Executive Producer: Steve Darlington. Roll end credits. Zombie at the end says "Drugs are bad mmkay"

A downbeater, but still fun.

Next week....oooh, um, Potential Slayers, Vampire Bounty Hunters and back to the main plot arc. Working title: Vampire Proof Fence.

Steve

[Pseudo Nymh]

*sniff*

Quackers was such a brave duck... :D

I'd like to see more male nudity in future episodes. Or maybe not. I guess we'll see.

Seriously, though, good stuff.

[SteveD]

Line of the night: (gasp) "NOT QUACKERS?!?!?"

Said by about five NPCs.

BTW, Quackers the 2nd is now the new mascot.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

Nice one.

I suspect that the "enemy within" spell will be put to more vital use later on...

"Poor Quackers. I mean, I eat chicken, but those chickens get killed by professionals..."

[SteveD]

I suspect that the "enemy within" spell will be put to more vital use later on...

You know, I like the way you think about the future a lot. So far, my players haven't done that, so I'm getting less ideas from them.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

Sorry to Steve's players.

Wait, no, I'm not sorry at all! I envy and hate you! DAAAAMN YOOOOUU ALLLL!!!

Ahem.

Sorry guys. :D

[SteveD]

Don't be sorry for that last one - it's something that can HELP them.

And help me. Now I can do that classic Buffy moment of "wait! That thing from episode 3 is just what we need to save the day in episode 12!"

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

Indeed. And that's always good. Especially if the players think about it themselves with at most subtle suggestions.

[dalziel_86]

BTW Steve, the confusion over who was being taken ill that we had during the actuall game is captured perfectly in your posts. :p

[SteveD]

Hush, miscreant!

I tried to edit that, but the window for editing had elapsed.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Sorry to Steve's players.

Wait, no, I'm not sorry at all! I envy and hate you! DAAAAMN YOOOOUU ALLLL!!!

Ahem.

Sorry guys. :D

:) Heh heh! It helps that Steve is an immensely talented writer as well - nicely conveys all of the hilarity that has taken place.

I should introduce myself at this point: I play John, our resident blue-blood and recent initiate into the occult part of the Buffyverse. After Episode 1.1, it became clear that despite the semi-serious nature of the character history that I'd written, I was obviously the comic relief, so I took the character rewrite opportunity to add the Clown drawback. I love Nicholas Brendon's work in the original series, and it was with no small pleasure that I put myself into the Xander role of the group. You all probably know more about my character anyway because of the other thread, so I won't bother saying any more about him.

Ahem... Actually, I'll add something to the above - the quality of players does help some, ja Steve? I remember when we did WHFRP a little while back, and you said that you were grateful that you had good players in that, after your earlier RPGing experiences. (Remember that you almost fainted when I suggested that I put the magic sword back in its tomb after defeating the big village o' evil? :D) Adrian, Scott, and Jody are pulling out some sterling play here, lemme tell ya.

Gotta say Steve, loving the game. The world and the plots are very unforced, and I feel that we have a lot of creative freedom. The system lends itself to the dramatic, which is another bonus.

[SteveD]

Thanks Col. And oh god yes, my players are all fantastic.

[Burgonet]

Nah, the guy who's playing Eddie sounds like he's coming off a bit wooden...

;)

As for our futures... I would hope Steve suspects where I intend to go with my character. I'll send you something in email Steve, later in the week.

PS. That episode we just played felt like the episode that, when viewed for the first time, felt self-contained.

Until, of course, later in the season, where THE major plot development occurs, and the audience goes... OOH! I get it now!

(Really)

:D

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
Thanks Col. And oh god yes, my players are all fantastic.
DAAAAMN YOOOOUU ALLLL!!!

:D

I really needs me a game to run.

[SteveD]

As for our futures... I would hope Steve suspects where I intend to go with my character.

Re futures, I was talking more about PLOT future, rather than character stuff. Your character stuff is great.

As for the later season thing coming back in....I'll see what I can do....

Steve

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
Re futures, I was talking more about PLOT future, rather than character stuff. Your character stuff is great.

As for the later season thing coming back in....I'll see what I can do....

Steve

Steve,


all I am saying is this... He's called the Master, Urquart, right?

No good can come from such a title. Or can it?

Story in game has been good so far. Just as so long as we team up with Nessie to fight evil in Season 2! And if [edit] She joins us for a pint at the nearest pub to the Loch, its golden...

;)

[SteveD]

Actually, yeah, the Nessie idea you gave me WAS appreciated.

And Urqhart is definitely more than he seems, oh yes.

After all, you don't cast Robert Lindsay as anything other than a total badass. :)

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

Urqhart... reference to House Of Cards? Making up for Ian Richardson's involvement in Strange?

And hey, Nessie's a girl. Doesn't everybody know that?

[SteveD]

Urqhart: keep guessing.

Nessie: I knew that. But in Buffy, who knows what's true.

Steve

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Urqhart... reference to House Of Cards? Making up for Ian Richardson's involvement in Strange?

And hey, Nessie's a girl. Doesn't everybody know that?

So, Nessie's a lass. I guess I get my make believe monsters mixed up. :)

Got to wonder who She's dating though? And how does Leonard Nimoy figure into all of this??

[SteveD]

Yes, it's that time again....

1.4 In Loco Parentis

Here's the prologue my players got:


“Another Slayer?” The tone wasn’t incredulous. It was mocking. Like a snake-oil salesman hearing his own lines fed back to him.

“She – “
“Cos let me tell you, boys –“ here the figure swung his tall cowboy boots off the fine mahogany table, leaving a trail of grease, mud, and other substances behind – “I ran into two of them in Sunnydale. I always thought there was suppos’ta be just one. Ain’t that how the story goes?”

Mr Taylor smiled kindly. “She is not a Slayer yet, Mr Gorch. But she has the Potential. The power.”
“What? You sendin’ me after some slip of a girl? A plain ol’ human?”
The kind smile continued. Mr Taylor’s face wasn’t a book, it was a welcome brochure. “She is more than just human, Mr Gorch. Her powers are quite substantial already, and if she is allowed to continue, she may one day be an unprecedented threat. She is also not lacking safeguards and protections. That’s why we summoned someone of your exemplary reputation and efficiency.”

For a second, the cowboy’s smile flickered. “Well, yeah. I mean, you got human problems, I’m your vamp.” He smiled a grin that would have made a crocodile blush. “For a price, of course.”

Mr Taylor’s smile became one of bliss. “Excellent. Here is the information we’ve been able to gather.” He slid a leather-backed folder over to the cowboy, who wiped his fingers on his greasy shirt before opening it. “Our informant indicates that the girl is called Charity, and is about twelve years old. We have a description, and some leads, as indicated therein.”

“You said somethin’ about some guards?”

“The girl is in Council grounds, but our informant indicates that she is being watched over by four…schoolboys. They should present no problem to one of your talents. Our informant would also be very grateful if you were to deal with them in adjunct, but this is in no way a requisite for you receiving your fee.”

“Uhuh,” the cowboy nodded, and his Stetson fell lower down his forehead.

“The only difficulty we perceive is in finding the target, with so little to go on.”

The crocodile smile returned, combined with a spark of pride in the cowboy’s dark orange eyes. “You leave that to Princess. She c’n track a black-eyed coot clear cross Texas, if she had ta. Caincha, Princess?” The cowboy’s voice suddenly dripped with sugar as he bent over to nuzzle the giant black dog sitting patiently by his chair. Princess gave no reply Mr Taylor could see. She stared straight ahead, her eyes flickering with unnatural fire, and – far more disquieting – the unfocussed rictus of pure, rich insanity. Her vampire teeth distorted her jaw, so that the teeth protruded like a risen infection, and the ten-inch fangs which hung far beneath her chin dripped a constant stream of spittle onto the fine polished floor.

Mr Taylor’s smile didn’t flinch, however. “I’m sure she can. The offer stands – deal with the girl and the money is yours. Would you prefer cash or – “

“Wait a minute,” the mocking tone came back. “I’m not some rube who just got off the boat. I heard ‘bout this Oxford place. Word is, them Watcher-types got some kinda magical wall, that stops any of us kind from getting in there. I ain’t goin’ off to up and kill this morsel jest ta find out the damn door’s lock’t afore I even get there.”

Mr Taylor looked at his silent companion. “Mr Tyler?” Mr Tyler simply nodded. Mr Taylor returned to the cowboy, the wide smile glowing reassuringly. “Mr Tyler assures me that this will be no impediment.”

“No what?”

“The door will be open, Mr Gorch. We guarantee you that.”

[SteveD]

Roll credits.

Aerial shot of Oxford - we zoom down onto the High to see the boys and Prudence returning from the Secret History of Oxford tour. We track them down the street and into Magdelen, where Eddie receives a letter, and the new porter announces they have a visitor - Mr Travers again.

In the library, Mr Travers tells them that Charity is a very special girl and the Council want to look after her. They are thus *asked* to testify that her mother is unfit to be a parent. They all agree. Only John is troubled about the moral justification of separating a family.

Meanwhile Eddie finds out his father is arriving. After a night of reading about the law (and how the Council gets around it whenever they want) the gang goes off to court while Eddie meets pater (played by Ian Richardson). Eddie and pater have a very cool relationship, Eddie never forgiving his father for not greiving over the death of his mother. So Eddie gets a double shock when he sees his father with a young blonde woman, quite close. Sir Charles makes polite chatter and indicates he will meet his son for lunch.

Eddie catches up with the gang at the courthouse. Tom is grilled by the mother's attorney but manages to stay on message despite it all. On the way out, they see Mrs Caldwell, Detective Sergeant Harker and a strange man dressed as a cowboy. His big dog nuzzles their crotches as he explains he is looking for his long lost niece called Charity. The gang explain they can't talk about the case, and he demurs (if a cowboy can demur)

Back at the library the gang uh...trying to remember....split up to go to class. John has a nap, as he's been having nightmares of late (no shock to Eddie, who has them too, except I forgot he did. My bad.) Eddie goes to meet his father for lunch and is stood up. Not unusual. Tom completely fails to realise Miranda is way pissed at him, and begins to pitch woo at the lovely Ms Susan Brackenwood. Eirion gets a note under his door indicating annoyance, and assumes its for him, perhaps explaining why Tom doesn't get a clue.

Our gang meet again in the library to discover that the late papers have news of a girl found dead. Tom wonders if its a vampire, and asks about the strength of the barrier. Pru shoots him a withering glances and exclaims "Well, we don't actually have a barrier-ometer, Mr Brooks! Can't simply glance at a dial and go 'oh dear the barrier is only at 60, expect slight flurries of ghoulies and 10% chance of death!" Pru is pissed about the Charity thing, hence her outburts.

Eddie meets his father for a drink and they cross swords.
Charles: Edward.
Eddie: Who is she?

Lots of tense exchanges and things left unsaid. "Remember when you used to patrol, pater?" But at the end, Charles seems actually concerned about his son's welfare. Weird.

Thought its late and cold, they go and investigate the murder site. After trying to come up with the plan (Tom: Wait, are you distracting or am I distracting? John: I'm distracting. You're merely stunning) John talks to the copper on guard (and makes a great Influence roll, so that the copper thinks he's "making the signals") and the gang discover dog footprints and boot prints. The gang speculates on whether the barrier works on dogs - perhaps this is person with a hell hound, Eddie suggests.

Tom: HELL HOUNDS??? They exist?
Eddie: Oh yes.
Eirion: Yeah, I had one. (long long pause as everyone looks at him). Her name was Patches.

I can't do justice to that lin in text. Jody's deadpan delivery - as if it was the most normal thing in the world to say - was EXQUISITE. Choirs of angels sang (plus he got a DP).

They make some good notice rolls and follow the trail (the police in Oxford are, as with sunnydale, IMMENSELY STUPID)...into the forest, across some fields and discover a camp fire. Eddie and Eirion come round the corner and face a very angry vampire rotweiler.

Eirion: N-n-n-nice doggie?

Then Mr Gorch comes back from attending to nature. "Well, gawly, you've come to ma cookout. I'm short on grub, but maybe we can still have dinner." And then Eddie says something highly amusing I've forgotten now. Cut to commercial.

[SteveD]

AND THEY KUNG FU FIGHT! HA!

Dog jumps on Eirion and ends up doing 40 points of damage to him over the fight. But thanks to the sword and Eddie spending lots (LOTS) of DPs, they cause Princess to run off, and Lyle Gorch (for it is he) runs after her. They help Eirion up, who whimpers: "I think I'm more of a cat person...."

The gang limp back to the library, where Prudence tends to her wounded sodliers and makes them cocoa. The gang research cowboy vampires and find out heaps about the Gorch bros. The guys however cannot figure out how Lyle got through the barrier. Tom points out: "As far as I know, worshipping Elvis is not an official religion". Pru is worried, and says she'll take it up with Quentin ASAP.

Eddie hacks into the computers and tries to find Charity. He can't but finds Ms Harker. Tom and John go to talk to her. John turns on the charm and says he'd like to be an informant (or something). Tom and John then follow her to North Oxford. She stops at a nice house for a moment, then drives on. John stays, Tom follows. Tom blows his crime roll and upon arriving at her house, Ms Harker walks out to wave hello. Tom does a bootlegger reverse. Harker purses her lips in annoyance and turns around. A chest is in her face. She looks up to see a big stetson and a face full of fangs.

"Howdy, ma'am"

Commercial.

[SteveD]

Our gang meet John oustide what they suspect is were Charity has been lodged. Eddie and Eirion do a montage scene before where they go through the armory and grab all the ancient weapons they can. Eirion hurts himself with the nunchuks. Tom spends a DP to create a park to skulk in. The gang wait. They discuss Tom and Miranda. Tom finds out about Eddie and John's bet. Tom doesn't understand - what do they mean Miranda has the hots for him? Eddie lets something slip when he says:

"God, you can tell a demon from a vampire, but you can't spot when an eighteen-year old girl is interested? What's wrong with you straight people?"

Then they go back to picking on Tom, so Tom spends a DP to cause the conversation to end. And end it does as a big black Rotweiler comes sniffing through the park. The guys fire, and there's a lot more fighting. John gets bitten, but the guys loaded up for bear this time and the dog is wounded, so he goes down. Lyle goes all attack in rage (silly boy) and does a fair bit of damage before everyone gangs up on his now low Defence and hurts him back.

(Side question - does stab damage not double on vamps? Could not find a ruling on that. I said no doubling, because it only says it doubles for humans)

Then Eddie makes with the wit: "Mr Gorch, we've been reading about you - we hear you have a drinking problem!" and hurls a molotov cocktail at the cowboy. He leaps around trying to put out his flaming skin, leaving himself open to a massive sword chop to the back. With only a "well, damn and doggone it" Lyle vanishes in a poof of bulldust, thus the gang do what Buffy never could, and take down the last remaining Gorch. Of course, they had to haemoraghe DPs to do it, though. (Wide GM smile)

The next day, Tom testifies eruditely for their lawyer that Charity is definitely in danger with her mother, just as the Council wants. The Council gets the girl. Mrs Caldwell screams of bloody revenge.

Eddie isn't there, though. Eddie is finally catching up with his father somewhere private. Eddie explains his wounds, and proudly announces their victory. "Chalk one up for the night watch" he intones, which is the quote of the series.

His father brings up Amanda, his consort.

Eddie: Ah. The replacement.
Charles: No. She - no-one could ever replace your mother. But she's -
Eddie: I don't want to hear it.
Charles: It's not what you think, Edward -
Eddie: It's not my business what you do. I mean, say if I were to be -
Charles: LET ME FINISH. She's not my lover, Edward. She's my nurse.
Eddie: Your nurse?
Charles: Yes, Edward. I'm dying.

BLACKOUT.

Thanks to sheer luck and personal timing, not only did that go down well, but we managed to make Charles not find out about Eddie's tendencies in a beautifully smooth manner. Amazing considering I didn't know Eddie was gay, and Eddie didn't know his dad was dying.

Can I also just say that I've never written a pregen adventure before until this campaign, and I've just written and run four in a row. The pace is killing me, but can I just say BOOYAH! to me.

Steve

[SteveD]

BTW, the website is being assembled. I just put the first four eps up there. Man am I tired. From now on, my players can work on the damn website.

Steve

[SteveD]

So damn tired I forgot to list the URL
http://www.geocities.com/buffynightwatch/

[Pseudo Nymh]

Damn...sounds good. I'll put my name on the 'jealous of Steve's players' list. :)

[Joe Dizzy]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow

I really needs me a game to run.

Well... FWIW... if all goes according to plan, I'll be in Edinburgh from October to July and looking for a group to game with, once I've settled in.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by Joe Dizzy
Well... FWIW... if all goes according to plan, I'll be in Edinburgh from October to July and looking for a group to game with, once I've settled in.
Innnnnnteresting... :D

And yes, another darn nice episode. (Which I can't rip off directly if Joe wants to play. dang!)

[Phantom Grunweasel]

Great episode.

I've been readng them all so far, and I just realised I hadn't posted yet. I don't like it when people do that to me myself.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
So damn tired I forgot to list the URL
http://www.geocities.com/buffynightwatch/
The website's very much a skeleton at the moment. I'm going to muck about with Dreamweaver and fix up most of the placeholder pages, hopefully today.

The general consensus amongst the group is to make the website look as much like a real series website for 'Buffy' or 'Angel' as possible. Fake forum posts, bad fanfiction and more have been suggested. :D

[Craig Oxbrow]

In that case, the site for Slayer (http://www.oswego.edu/~kirker/slayer) is a good model.

Personally, as long as there are pictures of Miranda I feel my work has not been in vain.

Hmm. Logo needed. Yes. Logo... Hmm...

[SteveD]

Holy shit, that Slayer site is GENIUS. Particularly how they did the ep guide exactly like the buffyguide listings (www.buffyguide.com if you missed it)

Steve

[dalziel_86]

Dude, they've got Tom Baker as their Watcher! And we only have Paul McGann as a PC...

When do we get to meet Eoin Clay, Steve? :D

[SteveD]

Hmmm. Perhaps there's a Watcher's Christmas Brunch you could attend....when you're old enough....

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Hmm. Logo needed. Yes. Logo... Hmm...
Please! My graphic design skillz0r are n00b-like, and I'd really like something spiffy to put at the top of the page...

...and on the cover of 'Night Watch: the Licensed RPG'. :D

[Craig Oxbrow]

At that point we come to require a whole cast...

[SteveD]

Craig, if you sign up for the mailing list, you'll have access to all the character pictures.

Steve

[SteveD]

BTW, for my records later: John's pater, Lord Chetwynd-Talbot:

http://www.northernstars.ca/media2/neville.jpg

And Lady Talbot:

http://www.actorsbenevolentfund.co.uk/images/pkeith.jpg

Bling bling!
Steve

[dalziel_86]

I've just put pictures of just about all the main and recurring characters (i.e. all the ones in the College Roster) up on the website too.

If you want to give me a short description of those two as well, Steve, I'll add them.

[SteveD]

Did you get Sir Charles also? And Ms Harker?

Lord Chetwynd-Talbot is your classic eccentric English gentry. Owner of one of highest peerages in England he takes his title lightly enough to stop any resentment and seriously enough to make people believe in him. He's fastidious, enterprising and has very little trouble with this thing people call morality. Oscar Wilde would have loved him.

Lady Talbot is an excellent wife, a devoted mother and a powerhouse of the local community. She does these things so perfectly one might wonder if she's some sort of machine designed to produce English graces. Her only vice is sherry, her only virtue is when she stoops to mock her husband, or anyone else with a stuffed shirt.

[SteveD]

Dude, put my picture of emma up, and fix the text for Dervla, and add Fay. In other words, use 2.1, not your version.

That said, your picture of Jack Davenport is fine.

And John is played by Cary Elwes!

Are you going to do locations?

The Miscellaneous section could have a house rules part, I have some stuff I did on RPGNet I might as well post there.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

The site is deeply Netscape (6) unfriendly. It puts up the background and the directory - and not the content.

And there's a mailing list now?

[Peter LaCara]

Originally posted by Phantom Grunweasel
Great episode.

I've been readng them all so far, and I just realised I hadn't posted yet. I don't like it when people do that to me myself. Yeah, I've been reading this whole time too. This game is simply beautiful, Steve. It captures the feel of Buffy perfectly, but it has its own British (and all male) twists. It's really really neat to read.

Gack! So many games I wanna run, so little time...

[SteveD]

Thanks Pete. I'm going to need a break soon (mid-season, I guess) because it's really killing me, so it's nice to know my blood and sweat are hitting the right buttons.

Yeah, it does not surprise me the site is glitchy. Yo, Ade! Didn't they teach you anything in that IT course? FRAMES ARE THE TOOL OF SATAN! And so on.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brisrp/ is where we talk smack about this game.

Steve

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
BTW, for my records later: John's pater, Lord Chetwynd-Talbot:

http://www.northernstars.ca/media2/neville.jpg

And Lady Talbot:

http://www.actorsbenevolentfund.co.uk/images/pkeith.jpg

Ooohhh, check it out... Peneleope Keith is my mother. I'm now in a warm warm place.

Still, can't beat casting the devastatingly gorgeous Samantha Bond as Harker... :D

[Dan Davenport]

Originally posted by Kai Tave
Hey Steve! Guess what? You rock out. Your players do too.

I'm really enjoying reading these, so keep it up.

Amen to that. Great job, Steve. Sounds like you've finally found a group that's worthy of you. Or is this your old nightmare group, reformed (literally and figuratively)?

And I echo your experience with running IRL after running mIRC for an extended time -- it does feel odd. Like exercising an unused muscle group.

[SteveD]

Or is this your old nightmare group, reformed (literally and figuratively)?

No chance. They are irredeemable. Also, I swore never to go back to them, and I stand by that. These guys are all new, actually, except for Col who was in my WFRP game before I left Oz.

Steve

[EvilBrennan]

http://www.angelfire.com/oz/evilbrennan/Night_Watch.gif

Because I love you.
If you want a better one, Lemme know.

[SteveD]

Woah. I don't suppose you could silhouette Magdelen Tower in front of that moon, could you? Cos then it would be perfect.

Steve

[EvilBrennan]

http://www.angelfire.com/oz/evilbrennan/Night_Watch2.gif

Like Diz?
Want some stars in there or something?

[Craig Oxbrow]

Evil's photomanipulation fu is stronger than mine. I'll do something for the Night Watch comic series...

[colbabe]

I like the logo without the college tower. I could really see that in the opening titles. Thanks EvilBrennan.

A comic, Craig? Ah, I'm in a very contented place now. I feel loved by the fans.

And hey all, sorry for the lack of quotable quotes from John last episode - I was feeling a bit ill, recovering from something flu-like two days previous to the game. Luckily John was feeling out of sorts himself - Steve didn't mention the endless stream of sytrofoam coffee cups that seemed to follow John around all episode.

[EvilBrennan]

A pleasure.
If there's people want more in it, It's all good.

[SteveD]

Um, Magdalen Tower looks like this:

http://images.google.com.au/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Magdalen+Tower+Oxford&spell=1

[SteveD]

http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/index_js.html

All the lowdown on Magdalen. Hmm. David Souter went there!

Wow, they have a virtual tour, too! Damn, that's gonna help!

Steve

[SteveD]

http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/oxfordtour/pubs/pubs.html#

My players: go here for the guide to the pubs of Oxford. Your local, the White Horse, is about center from top to bottom, on the right, next to the King's Arms.

Steve

[EvilBrennan]

I THOUGHT that was a wussy lookin' tower....

Back to the photoshopery!

[SteveD]

Ah, check out the University Challenge bit as well. For one thing, the way they introduce themselves on that show would make a perfect episode starter. Four to a team, four PCs....brilliant! I can't believe I forgot about doing an ep around it!

- big fan of UC D

[Craig Oxbrow]

Oddly enough, the Buffy comic covered a similar schools challenge. When one of the team got vamped out, Cordelia decided she wanted to demonstrate her superiority in all fields (and appear on TV) and so stole an amulet of Giles's that allowed her to absorb knowledge... then keep absorbing knowledge, at the risk of going mad...

[Shadow Rat]

Just adding my voice to the praise. And please keep these comming.

[dalziel_86]

Brennan, you are teh rawk... :D

[EvilBrennan]

How about....http://www.angelfire.com/oz/evilbrennan/Night_Watch3.gif

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/oxfordtour/pubs/pubs.html#

My players: go here for the guide to the pubs of Oxford. Your local, the White Horse, is about center from top to bottom, on the right, next to the King's Arms.

Steve

Truly, a map to live by. Cheers!

:)

[SteveD]

Brennan - perfection.

[EvilBrennan]

excellent.

If you ever want me to tinker with perfection, (Add stars, clouds, stc) just ask.

[SteveD]

Clouds might be cool, actually.

BTW, no game this week (Steve catches his breath with relief). To keep you occupied, here's the preview/prologue of next week's episode, entitled "Frankincense and Myrrh":


The unseasonably cold winter had brought a thick frost already. It wasn’t snow, but it had the same appearance, coating the trees and grass with a white dust and making the streets slick with ice. The powder on the stone made the tiny castle church look smaller and lonelier, all evidence of the path to it buried, and all semblance of life taken from its tumble-down graveyard. The strains of the hymn tried to break the chill silence, but faded quickly, as did the song itself.

It was the Sunday before Christmas, and because of that so-near celebration, attendances at the tiny estate church were even smaller than usual. Lord and Lady Talbot were there, of course, and some of the staff, and the groundskeeper and his wife. Mrs Weathers who had made the crèche came every time, and Mrs Corrie would never miss her young boy singing in the choir of eight. The crooked old chaplain didn’t modify his voice for this tiny crowd, however. Even if he could see well enough to count them, he always spoke as if he was in Albert Hall.

“And the story says the wise men came, bringing gifts, gifts we know the names of oh so well. Gold. And frankincense. And myrrh. But so easily do we forget what these are, and what they mean, eh? Gold – gold for a king. No one of Joseph’s family would ever even see gold. Only the kings had gold. Frankincense, an oil for anointing, an oil for baptizing, oil associated with a newborn baby. With new life.

And myrrh, a balm…mmm, something like pomade, hair oil. Used for covering the skin and face of a dead body. Useful, for a baby, perhaps, but at the time, associated always with the dead. No equivalent today…except perhaps a coffin. Mmm, yes, one today could see the wise men bringing a Chateau Lafitte for the boy, and some expensive baby powder, and a fine white coffin.

Not a nice gift for a young lad. But like everything in these stories, it’s a symbol. The kings, and Matthew, know what’s going on. That this Saviour has come not just to rule, but to die. And this is true for all of us. When we are born, death is already there, waiting for us. And we must never forget that even in the midst of life, we are in death.”

As they stepped gingerly back through the frost to the Castle, Lady Talbot chatted to her husband beside her.
“Perhaps for the best the boys didn’t come down for that service. Rather chilly and rather grim, I thought”
“Yes, what. Yes, quite grim”
“All that stuff about death. I mean, at Christmas? I don’t think the children want to hear it.”
“Mmmm”
“Dear, are you listening?”

Lord Talbot was listening, but to something else. And then she heard it too, over the wind and very very faint, and echoing, as if it had come up through some massive pipe or organ chamber, and yet unmistakably a bestial cry, and undeniably one of unceasing rage, and frustration, and loss. The Chetwynd Ghost, they called it in the village, although they heard it there even less. If only they knew the truth, mused Lord Talbot. If only they knew.

“In the midst of life, we are in death,” he said grimly to himself, and staring fixedly at the snow. “Yes, I think so…”

[colbabe]

Hey EvilBrennan, good improvement. Thanks for the work you've been putting in.

Now I have to think of what to get the other lads for Yuletide. Hmmm... weaponry could cause a few raised eyebrows...

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by colbabe
Hey EvilBrennan, good improvement. Thanks for the work you've been putting in.

Now I have to think of what to get the other lads for Yuletide. Hmmm... weaponry could cause a few raised eyebrows...

Dammit!! It's bad enough I have to spend countless hours, casting serious thought on what presents to get REAL people! Now, I've got to think what to get Eirion, Tom and John!

:)

I'm sure I'll think of something. I just hope the funny factor will be able to match everyone else.

..

As an aside... Colin, we need to review some Abbott and Costello riffs before the next session. I smell a request I bleated about a certain type of House coming up, all wrapped in glitter and ribbons. I'm scared now...

:)

Good scared, that is.


Heeeyy.... Aaabbbbbb....bbb...bbbb....Abbot!!

:D

[SteveD]

I don't want to give anything away, but I equally don't want you to go in with completely off-base expectations, so I'll tell you this: this is not a haunted house episode.

at least, not your traditional haunted house episode.

Nyuk nyuk nyuk....
Steve

[colbabe]

Dear God... The Night Watch will never be the same after this ep. Some friendships strengthened, some lost...

Don't miss this stunning episode summary of Night Watch, coming to RPG.Net soon.

[EvilBrennan]

Give us a preview!

*Next week on night watch.....*

[dalziel_86]

Steve promised an update today, so you can expect to read all about the conflicty goodness soon...

[SteveD]

I can't give you a preview of next week....I have no idea what's going to happen yet. The plot arc keeps going more and more off my chart so I can never plan what the ep plot will be until I sort out what the uber-plot is doing. And in this case, I need to do that with Eddie's character, and possibly John's as well.

But it will most likely involve a cameo by Wesley.

Steve

[colbabe]

Originally posted by EvilBrennan
Give us a preview!

*Next week on night watch.....*

Well, there's this from the Night Watch (http://www.geocities.com/buffynightwatch) site:

1.5: Frankincense and Myrrh: It's Christmas at Chetwynd Castle, and more people are dying than is considered seemly, even for the West Countries.

Good enough for ya?

[colbabe]

EXT. CHETWYND CASTLE

From the bottom of shot, we follow an old-style Rolls Royce limousine driving up a gravel driveway into an expansive estate, then a slow reveal of Chetwynd Castle.

PRUDENCE: (VO) Tonight on Night Watch…

INT. TRAIN CARRIAGE

English countryside rolls in background outside window.

TOM: So, what do we call your parents?

INT. CHETWYND CASTLE DINING ROOM

LORD CHETWYND shakes hands with Eirion.

TOM: (cont’d VO from previous) Lord? Lady? Sir?

LADY CHETWYND: (rising from seat) It’s so good to have you boys down here for the festive season.

INT. CHETWYND CASTLE DRAWING ROOM

Eddie, Eirion, John and Tom exchange Christmas presents.

INT. WORKER’S COTTAGE FAMILY ROOM

A roaring hearth warms the cramped room while the grounds’ help enjoy roast lamb and eggnog.

JAMESON: (to John) It’s been a fairly lonely place around here.

INT. CHETWYND CASTLE HALLWAY

On the open doorway to the grounds, snow falling steadily in the background, Lord Chetwynd purposefully inserts rounds into a hunting rifle.

JAMESON: (cont’d VO from previous) Things have been a little… on the cold side since all of the other lads left.

EXT. MOORS

A black shape darts between trees in the ill-lit afternoon. A low growl emanates from the shape as it pads out of shot.

INT. CHETWYND CASTLE DEN

LORD CHETWYND: (to John) I don’t care for you hanging around these Watchers. They have a very black-and-white view of the world.

EXT. MOORS

JOSHUA: You come up and visit any time now.

INT. JOSHUA’S CABIN

Joshua looks up in horror at the black shape that casts a menacing shadow on him. The look turns into a scream.

EDDIE: (VO) (sarcastic) I guess I’m a little disinclined to go into the house of someone we just met on the moors when there’s some wild escaped animal about.

EXT. JOSHUA’S CABIN

In the background, a gaping hole which was once the east wall of Joshua’s cabin.

EIRION: The tracks lead off in this direction…

INT. CHETWYND CASTLE DEN

JOHN: (to Lord Chetwynd, frantically) If there’s anything I’ve learnt from my friends is that there is an advantage to being plain with one’s peers. They have been nothing but plain to me. (whirling on Lord Chetwynd) For God’s sake, Father, stop it with the vague act and just tell me what is going on!

INT. DUNGEON

Eddie picks up a set of manacles and peers at them worriedly. He’s lit only by the single flashlight that he holds.

EDDIE: Oh dear.

EXT. FOREST

The foreleg of John’s horse sinks into a pothole, and John somersaults off the front of the horse, landing badly.

INT. CHETWYND CASTLE SECRET PASSAGE

Clad in black, the boys search around the dusty unused hallways.

LADY CHETWYND: (VO) I don’t feel safe. Please Charles, don’t let them go searching. Not out there.

INT. SECRET CHAMBER

Tom holds a jade sword up and examines it with awe.

EXT. FOREST

John is on foot and running for dear life. He holds a tattered stuffed bunny in one hand.

LORD CHETWYND: (desperately) No John! No!

EXT. CHETWYND CASTLE GROUNDS

Tom and Eddie look around behind Eirion.

EIRION: Where is it?

EXT. CHETWYND CASTLE ROOF

John clambers out of the window into the high snowy wind, holding a spiked ball and chain. A woman’s scream resounds, and John looks dead on into the wind, blinded by the snowfall.

JOHN: (VO) (bitterly) It? How can you dare to call him “It”?

EXT. CHETWYND CASTLE BATTLEMENT

Lord Chetwynd raises the rifle. Tom throws himself at Lord Chetwynd to prevent the shot.

TOM: No!

A gunshot rings out as the rifle is jarred from its aim.

EXT. CHETWYND CASTLE ROOF

John leaps for the tower, and barely makes it.

EXT. TOWER

He scrambles up and over the lip of the tower wall. He spies his mother, dishevelled and bloodied, who holds her hand up desperately.

LADY CHETWYND: No John!

Suddenly the shape interposes itself between John and his mother. It’s all spiny fur, fangs, drool and claws. It growls menacingly. John is taken off-guard and looks at the beast with terror in his eyes. The beast makes a move for John. A flash of claw, and John screams.

EXT. TOWER

John is kneeling near the tower wall, almost curled fetal. He’s obviously in pain. Suddenly he throws his head back and emits a loud, echoing scream. Slow reveal of the tower from above.

CLOSE-UP: JOHN’S FACE

John’s eyes glow with an unearthly yellow light.

SNAP TO BLACK.

[SteveD]

Col, did you see the new thread I started, with this week's write-up?

That was great, though.

[dalziel_86]

That was indeed cool, Colin.

Just for those following this thread, the second thread (covering this week's episode, and presumably future ones as well) is here:

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?threadid=63395