Tag: america

Gotham Tales: Cogs & Compass against Chaos

Gotham Tales: Cogs & Compass against Chaos


 

Lady Mechanica’s letter to the Guardian Angels vigilantes: 

We need your support!
Sometimes the world goes black and white. And everything seems to flicker almost imperceptibly, like a strobe light flashing faster than the eye can register.
When the Flicker Effect starts, strange things often happen. They may be subtle or they may be screamingly obvious. But they usually involve some intrusion, arriving out of nowhere, from the alternate realms.
The balance between Law and Chaos is disturbed, technology fails while magic runs rampart!
Remember the influx of refugees from the Oasis some time ago?
They escaped the Men in Black, but lost two important artefacts of Law during their flight.
Find the Cog and Compass and bring it to my Bastion to enforce the rule of Law!

Letter from ‘Archangel’ Bruce:

Situation at the border is very tense, the Legionnaires are still holding the bridge over the Raging Waters, but the skirmishes between tribes and bandits might become open warfare anytime!
We cannot send a large detachment, that will escalate the situation, we will send some scouts instead.

On the road they went
Crowbane the clockwork scarecrow 


Marq the hunter

Delph the technomancer…
Following the refugee trail, our heroes approached the tribal camp to consult the medicine man:

What you seek is at the old ruin!


Later they supported the running battle  between the tribes and the bandits: many times the bandits gunshots fizzled while the tribal arrows found their mark!
While the tribes chased the retreating bandits, the adventurers were able to cross the battlefield safely until they saw the old ruin!
Entering the ruin, descending in the confusing maze below, confronting the demons at the portals, our heroes retrieved two artefacts for Lady Mechanica!

One strike in the battle of Law against Chaos, the Reality Wars will continue in another saga….

Ping:

https://hgoei.com/2024/12/10/lady-blackbirds-flight-to-gotham/
Lady Blackbirds flight to Gotham

Lady Blackbirds flight to Gotham


A special team of ‘Guardian Angels’ escorting Lady Blackbird through the dense woods were ambushed by a storm of crossbow bolts!
The scarecrow absorbed the bolts in his straw body…
The tin man let the bolts bounce from his armour…

Peter took flight, attacking the bandits from above…

Alice started running to find a hiding place in the woods..

Our heroes succeeded in routing the bandits, but after the battle they discovered that the Lady disappeared during the confusion!

Searching for the Lady, they found signs  at a clearing further away:  some trees blacked by lightning strikes, a few threads from a ladys cloak, hoof prints, it seemed the Lady fought the bandits valiantly …

They followed the hoof prints: four ponies single file, the last one carrying a heavier load…

After noon when the sun was already traveling to the west, our heroes arrived at an old guard tower and decided to make camp.

Waning moon, cloudy sky hiding the stars, while a dark shadow approached the tower…

Trying to fight the shadow, discovering that physical weapons just passed harmless through…

The scarecrow channeled  Gaia’s life-giving force and chased the enemy away!

After dawn our heroes continued following the trails…

Look! An old castle! It seems there are no living souls around, only a murder of crows were circling around….

Using a Swiss knife, the Tin Man unlocked the front door easily!

Our heroes proceeded through the mead hall.

Peter used at last his artifact to detect the Lady’s whereabout: we must go down into the dungeon…

Unlocking a barred door: we found her!

While our heroes unchained the Lady, a large bell sounded the alarm….
‘Who dares to disturb my rest?’
“Run, you fools!” Scarecrows took his last stand, while our heroes escaped with the Lady!

Ping:

Angels flight to Gotham
Angels flight to Gotham

Angels flight to Gotham


After Haven fell to the Men in Gray, diaspora began…
Some members of the scout organisation ‘Guardian Angels’ heard rumours of another branch who already arrived at Gotham, and decide to travel through the broken land to their destination… The guardian and the traveler escaped the fall of Haven while their group scattered in the broken lands…
They followed the trail of their friend through the black forest, but had to flee before the approaching hostile gang of  the Hoods!
Crossing the broad river was quite a challenge because the raging storm …
Approaching the Ashinaabe camp,  they were chased away by the guarding warrior!
Wandering to the salt lake, they discovered some precious stones…
Now they had some leverage to negotiate with the tribe!
A few tribal scouts escorted our heroes to the jagged mountains, where they found their friend!
She was badly wounded and had to be transported in a travois…
Continuing their journey, they heard the pursuit of the Hoods nearby…
The Guardian decided to hold the pursuing bandits, sacrificing himself in a battle he could not win, while the Traveler escaped with her friend! Ping: https://hgoei.com/2023/11/13/angels-in-gotham/
Gotham Tales: Magicks & Machines

Gotham Tales: Magicks & Machines


Flashback…


The High Priestess of the Clockwork Cult fell from the skyship…
while the victorious teenage  ‘Guardian Angels’ celebrated their success, the High Priestess activated her enhanced clockwork cloak to glide away, but her flying device malfunctioned!

CRASH!

…

Hooded cult members carried the body away to their hideout, it seemed The High Priestess will survive this defeat to return another time!

…meanwhile some adventurers who survived the mythago invasion gathered information on Leonardo automata.

“Da Vinci had the right idea but not the right materials”
Visiting the library, they had some trouble with the janitors who resented their ‘disruptive’ discussion and research actions.
With some luck they discovered interesting symbols in a book mentioning golems!
They continued their research with visiting a Qabalist…
“Erasing the magick symbols of a golem will destroy the entity”
…
The adventurers remembered using a portal to the netherworld for information.
“Lets do this”
…
This time the portal delivered the adventurers to the realm of the MachineGod!

A confusing realm with border-wars between automatons  and mages…

After some confrontations with automatons, the adventurers found their way to the regent of this place: Lady Mechanica!
The Lady showed the way…
…
to a guarded portal!
After a hectic combat the guardian was defeated, now the adventurers were free to return to Middle Earth!

 

 

 

 

Gotham bastion under attack

Gotham bastion under attack


Some members of the Guardian Angels’ vigilante group were enjoying R&R in the community center where the Sisters of Our Lady  offered some soup and bread to the needy.

A Chinese New Year Parade passed by…
After the passing of the parade, the vigilantes went to the streets..

Suddenly they  were aware of a sound of screeching and wailing…a flock of birds was attacking a small child!
“Angels Assemble”…the vigilante came to the rescue, chasing away the evil birds!

Where are these clockwork birds coming from?
…
Rumour on the street mentioned a gathering of birds at the temple of Electra…
Investigating the temple, looking at the four Karyatids…
Looking at the amber eyes, one of the kids tried to steal one..
ZAP!

Apparently some alarm was triggered…
A flute playing priestess arrived and summoned birds to chase away the intruders!
The vigilantes retreated to an office nearby…
The caretaker of the place provided them the clue to speak with ‘Mister Night S.’ the director of the current theater drama ‘the Arrival‘ 

Sneaking out of the office, meeting ‘Mister Night S.’  who apparently was the guardian of the small boy that was attacked by the birds, he was able to give more clues:
Go to the Wang Triad, they know how to fight the evil birds!

Meeting the Elder of the Wang Triad went quite well…

“The master of the evil birds hides in the cloud-castle in the sky…”


“We will summon the Dragon-energy and arrange an all-out attack against their cult-members in the city, then you can surprise their garrison|”

The Wayne corporation provided a sky-ship, the Wang Triad, lent them some of their crew ..
 
 
 
Battle ensued on the streets, the vigilantes captured a leading priestess and boarded their sky-ship while the Wang Triad fought the Thunderbird Cult…

Using the captured priestess flute, the vigilantes chased away the Thunderbird, surprised the High Priestess in the Cloud Castle and destroyed the doomsday clock!
The vigilantes escaped with their lives while the explosion went off…
 
https://hgoei.com/2023/12/11/gotham-mythago-invasion
Gotham: Mythago invasion

Gotham: Mythago invasion


‘Mister Johnson’ delivered his instruction to some members of the vigilante ‘Guardian Angels’ who were aware ‘something’ weird changed in Gotham while most ‘normal’ people reacted as if ‘business as usual’.
“sometimes the world goes black and white and everything seems to flicker, like a strobe light flashing just faster than the eye can register…When the Flicker Effect starts, strange things often happen. They may be subtle or they may be screamingly obvious, but they usually involve some intrusion, arriving out of nowhere, from the alternate realms”

…some weird sightings …:

Clusters of clouds gathering as if having a conference.
Dreams manifesting on the rooftops.
A statue of goddess Elektra.


Mechanical birds

Mannikins with pointy hats and sharp swords parading fashion district
…some rumours about Gotham Below..:
An ancient cult practicing dark rituals.
Disappearing cats.
Chaotic plumbing.
A stargate.…
Tricky Shib, Shining Azoth, Arty Cassy, Kiddo Ralph gathered at their Treehouse in the park. 
Suddenly ‘something’ crashed on top of the tree!
Shib shape changed into cat to investigate and found a vaguely flickering humanoid person, but as soon as he touched the person, it fell down the tree.
It seemed unharmed but unconscious!
After some care, the person came by…
‘I Rhl fell down from the Heavens because an evil wizard bound me with his summoning!’
The person was still very confused, difficult to understand.
After a while it wandered off, singing to a magic egg in its hands, at last it started fading into distance.
Following its trail, passing an old woman sitting at a street corner..
Asking her for information, receiving some small blessings and a gift…
Now Arty Cassy carried the Magic egg!
Looking for more clues, joining an Free Mason information meeting…
‘Aleister the wicked is hiding in Gotham Below!”
…
Leaving the gathering, walking on the streets, suddenly burning paper lanterns fell down!
Fleeing the fire, going to the market, where a squad of Mannikins with pointy hats and sharp swords were parading…
A lone mechanical bird flew down to a Mannikin and started twittering in its ear.
Suddenly the Mannikin pointed their swords in the direction of the investigators…
Melee and total chaos!
…
Surviving the battle, continuing looking for clues in the library, finding a vague reference about a legendary hidden Stargate.
…
Decyphering the clues, finding and entering the gate…
Into Gotham Below!
The lights are failing, what’s wrong with the Generator?
Several workers are busy fixing cables and turning the wheels…
“Och, the engines cannae take it Captain!”
Steam and sparks escaping from the machines…
‘Where is the mayor?’

The investigators went searching for the mayor at his office, but it seemed he left !
“Lets go back to the Gate!”
“It is not there anymore!”
“Quick, maybe there is some more information at the Library!”
Department ancient historical maps:
“Here, at the other side of this place, a hidden gate”
The lights are dimming fast, heavy tremors shake the buildings…
“Run!”
“Look! Somebody opened the hidden gate!”
A long corridor ending at an underground river…
“Quick! He escapes with the boat”
Charging the boat about to escape, grappling with the Mayor…
He fell overboard while the boat sped up downriver!

At last the adventurer escaped, but where did they end up?

Ping:

https://hgoei.com/2023/11/13/angels-in-gotham/
Angels in Gotham 

Angels in Gotham 


Some refugees from the Haven met again at Gotham
Esther ‘the Strange’, Gabriella ‘the Aeronaut’, Ralph ‘ the Tinker’, Justin ‘the Clown’… a bunch of misfits that bonded because of common dreaming Paradise Lost

Words on the streets: the teenage vigilante group ‘Guardian Angels’ disappeared a month ago, what happened?
According to rumours, the vigilantes went missing during the  hunt on spooks in the woods.
Any threat that was able to destroy these vigilantes, made other gangs very nervous also!

Gathering information in the slums, they convinced  vagrant John to show them the last known ‘Guardian Angel Treehouse’.
Graffiti on the wall confirmed the location!

The house apparently had been used by squatters: broken windows and door outside, terrible amount of garbage and offal inside…
Surprise! A vintage carpet in the centre of the room, hiding a secret trapdoor!
Neutralising some hidden sigils, unlocking the trapdoor, going down a spiral staircase, entering a long corridor with warding sigils…
Discovering a savage tribe!

Gabrielle made an impressive entrance with spread wings and some firework support from the Clown: instant shock and awe, chasing the  tribe away!

Following the trail, arriving at a guarded bridge, paying the toll…

Entering a mysterious room, looking at three paintings: past-present-future!

The futuristic painting drew them into another place…

A room with several alien prison cells, containing several teenage vigilante ‘Guardian Angels’!

While the adventurers were liberating the vigilantes, they heard ominous footsteps approaching ….

Talos is coming!

Esther prepared her sigils, Justin lit his fireworks…

The explosion halted the monster!

Escaping the monster, the adventurers escorted the vigilantes through the underground maze…
Discovering a gate, but how does it work?

Justin found a loophole in the timetravel-paradox:
‘This is a time/space gate we can walk through to our own time, there we can write a letter to ourself how to do this, then we return to this place to hide the letter here to find it now!’

It worked in a way…

‘We are back, but what happened really? Who abducted the vigilantes? Why? Who created the gate? ‘

 

Ping: Flight  to Gotham – Dreamquest

Flight  to Gotham

Flight  to Gotham


After the Authority took over the Garden,  the Rebels scattered to the four corners of Gaia

…

Honora the Guardian escorted Bondi to a new save haven:
Bondi remembered a friend mentioning a safe space at The Sisters of Our Lady:
‘Ask for Sister Margareth!
On the road you will see the ruins of the war rumoured to hide many artefacts of the old times but also invested by several gangs.
Beyond that are the hunting grounds of the Mohawk who are at war with the Authority’s Vigilante Corps.
Avoid the main road!’

They decided to avoid the ruins…
…cursed by fire from Heaven during the War…
At the sight of the ruins in the distance, Bondi remembered nightmares of the battles…
A road block…

Toll collectors!

Bondi and Honora tried to escape through the woods, but a couple of the  thugs followed their trail…
Confrontation at the ford: one thug down, one fleeing away to call reinforcements!

Evading the thugs, our heroes arrived at a Mohawk warcamp…

Using sign language, Honora started a palaver with the war-chief.
Apparently they had a very ill tribe-member.
Bondi offered some healing…
Looking at the patient, they discovered some bite marks
As soon as Bondi put her holy symbol on the patient’s head, he started twitching as if having a seizure, apparently a vampiric infestation!
They had to put the patient down…

The tribe was grateful for the help and were willing to listen to our heroes
Honora warned the tribe of approaching bandits…

Within an hour the tribe went packing!

Our heroes continued their journey, while they heard the sounds of a distant battle…
Did the tribe confronted the bandits or the vigilantes?

Escaping through the woods, arriving at a clearing…
They found some traces of a boy scout party that recently made camp at this place:
Scattered teenage clothing, as if just lest behind!

Almost nightfall, time to rest.
Honora decided to take watch most of the time…

A sneak attack from behind…
The attacker already tried to put its claws around Honora’s neck, but was surprised by the opponent’s martial skill!
In a smooth move Honora grabbed the monster’s arm and threw it to the ground, following up with a quick axe swing through its neck!

After neutralising the monster, our heroes investigated the mystery of the vanishing boy-scouts, wondering what happened here..
Suddenly Sister Margareth appeared!

‘Come with me quickly! I will explain later!’

…To be continued…

Ping: Escape from the Garden – Dreamquest

Escape from the Garden

Escape from the Garden


The Bard sang the myth while the refugees traveled their Exodus 

“The Administration took power over the Garden, the Rebels lost the War:
How you are fallen from heaven, O Lightbringer, son of the morning!
Hear! Azrael will  rebuild  our Republic of Heaven“

Hearing the song, the traveled wondered what would lay ahead.

Random thoughts:
When they came for yours, you had the plan, the escape route already mapped…
You may never reach a promised land, like the one you tell stories about, but you’ll find a home, if you can make it one…
When things started to get bad, you knew whose side you needed to be on…
You couldn’t stay where you were, could never spread your wings there

Ping:
https://hgoei.com/2023/07/09/dreams-askew-in-mythago-world/
Malachim in Gotham

Malachim in Gotham


Gotham Malachim Voices/Images manifesting in Mythago World

We are angels, fallen into our world, wandering in unfamiliar, fragile bodies, looking for a people, places, and selves we can find comfort in.
…
The Nameless One perceived Its intention to create, and immediately the intentions scattered as fragments in the material time/space.
….
…
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.
…..
Ping: https://hgoei.com/2023/07/09/dreams-askew-in-mythago-world/