Session 5 - 2026-02-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Player Characters

Recap

Gus, left to his own devices with a goal of advertising the anniversary bash, decided to leverage The Rat Pack and his newly learned ability to conjure swarms of beetles to deliver hand crafted flyers with somewhat coded language to inform people of the event and despite using almost exclusively trash the flyers were not only distributed, but distributed thoroughly and without drawing any unwanted attention. When the group returned from hunting battered and beaten they found Gus’ efficient operation and were surprisingly happy with the results.

With 2 weeks left still the Velvet, Rhys, Pete and Paul decided to hunt a little more while they waited so they could shore up their Dust reserves. Meanwhile, Gus and Purrcival stayed behind to work on a decoration project.

The hunt started out fairly well, with the group hoping to track smaller Lunatic game and finding a trail for a group of wild turkeys, however, each time they thought they were close Pete would do his best to make a Turkey call. The first time an annoyed bird of prey did a low pass over him. The second the group had found a watering hole and set traps, however Pete call attracted a small pack of wolves which attacked, but the group was quickly able to handle. A bit worse for ware and with more time spent then they had planned the crew returned with 15 more Dust to add to the Sips stores for the big event.

Purrcival and Gus teamed up to refine trash and simple paper and foil to generate some art deco style decorations, table coverings, and center pieces. Once again stunning everyone with just how good things came out.

With all the preparations made, Barnabas and Jimmie paid the crew for their services and also extended them some gifts. Each received some custom tailored fine clothes which suited their styles and a token of appreciation engraved or stitched with their names.

With half a week until the party everyone got what rest they could while returning to their daily lives.

Purrcival had a sudden visitor in the form of Cipriano Duran, a made man of the Duran crime family who young Purrcival had learned some of his early street survival skills with. Cipriano had been shot and was carrying a case. Not one to turn a wounded old friend away, Purrcival let him in an heard him out. He’d been shot acquiring a case with some documents in it and was hoping Purrcival could take it and hand it off to Luther Minks for him. Purrcival was curious, but after some back and forth Cipriano convinced him opening the case would just pull him in deeper. He’d have to deliver it and that would be the end of it. They agreed and Cipriano went to go turn himself in so he could get the gun shot wound looked at without extra questions. Purrcival had to dig a little to find where Minks was, but eventually learned who he was and where. He went to the butcher’s shop the cleaner used as a front and after a tense back and forth was able to deliver the package without getting drawn in any deeper to the Duran business and Cipriano’s crimes, but when he departed he was given a warning that the Duran family might be experiencing some turbulence soon, and if Purrcival caught wind of it he should keep his head down.

Pete, while working the streets and his usual haunts, passed by an alley where he heard the familiar sound of two coins rubbing together. Thinking it the practiced spellcasting of a priest of Mercury, he went to investigate with some minor caution. There, waiting in the alley he found an even more familiar figure than anticipated, The Argentine Huckster, his parton Mercurychilde. After some swift pleasantries Huck laid out why he wanted to talk to Pete… he wanted to pay him to steal a personal item of Barnabas Moon's. Any one would do as long as it was one he carried often. Somewhat concerned, Pete pressed Huck for the reasoning. Pete was convincing enough that Huck decided to lay most of his cards on the table; he wanted it so he could perform a ritual to get information and answers concerning Mr. Moon, he was concerned he might be a threat and wanted to use the ritual to see more into that. Both concerned and relieved in equal measure, Pete ultimately agreed to try, especially since the party coming up would give him a decent opportunity.

Gus, absorbed in the creative spirit of advertising and decorations, was visited by Minerva. Minerva let Gus know about the fact that Star had gone into the alley their nest was in and hadn’t come back, and the alley smelled bad. Minerva wanted help from the bigger and braver Gus to find out what was happening in the alley and the nest. Gus agreed and once at the alley took great caution to take in as much information as possible, here a raspy sound being repeated and smelling both something foul and blood. Gus, still even more cautious now, summoned his beetle swarm friends and sent a few into the alley to scout. When they came back they informed him that a lone rat was coughing and bathing in a puddle. Gus decided to head in, hoping it was Star. It turned out to be the missing rat, but she kept coughing and trying to wash away “the curse” put on her. When pressed she pointed toward the nest and said that a “striped demon had put the stink curse on her.” Gus wasn’t certain, but it reminded him of an old rival… But Gus wanted to focus on helping Star for now and explained that a bath in tomato juice would help a bit and sent the beetles to collect some tomatoes from the supplies for the upcoming party. After helping Star get the smell under control Gus faced the end of the alley and demanded answers. A skunk cautiously revealed himself, The Rat Bastard, Gus’ old rival, but he was wounded and while exchanging words the two shared a moment of mutual dislike for the vehicles the two-legs drove around and came to a loose understanding. Gus, came close enough to heal the wound, but a scorpion’s nature is to sting, and a skunk’s nature is to spray, and as soon as his wound was closed The Rat Bastard sprayed Gus and fled.