awakeHere is the next session of the Primeval RPG campaign featuring the Sunday afternoon gaming group. This session dates back to February 5th, 2012. You can read about the previous session of the game in this journal entry. This post is somewhat long, and I've put it behind a cut so that folks who don't want to read any detailed rpg posts don't have to.
Ninth Session
Friday, March 24th, 2007
Gwen (Tammy), Jennifer (GM NPC), Caroline, Denby and Jombers return to the Estate with Gordon's body. They are met by Cartwright, who orders Gordon's body be taken to Dr. Hartwell for examination. Several of the guests and a couple of the staff see Gordon's body and the gruesome wounds [1 Exposure point]. Jombers leads Caroline away.
Cartwright takes Gwen and Jennifer to see the body of Hiram White. They examine the body and determine that the large, 18 mm, claw wounds didn't kill him immediately, as he was able to drag himself from the veranda into the rear antechamber, taking about 15 minutes to do so. Commander Jacobs of the SAS arrives, and demands to know from Gwen what killed Gordon. She tells him that it was a rhino-like creature. Jennifer corrects her, and says that it was two different creatures, as Hiram White was killed by a different animal/creature entirely. Jacobs asks Gwen to confirm this, and she does so. When they tell him that the creatures are dinosaurs, Jacobs says that dinosaurs have been extinct for billions of years. When Gwen slips up, Jacobs asks them how they intend to get the creatures back to their own time. Cartwright interrupts, giving the two women a harsh look, and orders Jacobs to double the patrols. Jacobs heads out to set things up.
Tim (SteveR), Jimmy (Douglas), Larson, Jones, and the four SAS soldiers who survived the attack of the raptor-like dinosaurs take a moment to recover their wits, and decide what to do about Phillips. Jimmy says that he'll carry the body, but asks Tim to take photos of both Phillips and the dinosaur, which he does. They hear the sounds of barking dinosaurs, close by. One of the soldiers near the edge of the woods is attacked by one of the theropods, and is raked to death by the creature. Larson fires at the dinosaur, but barely wounds it. Jones and the other SAS soldiers fire at the dinosaur, and manage to drive it off into the woods. Jones radios in the situation. Larson orders everyone to back away, and as the characters and the SAS soldiers head back in the direction of the Estate carefully, two more of the raptor-like dinosaurs emerge from the forest, and go for the deceased soldier's body.
Back at the Estate, Jennifer and Gwen discuss who's in the know about the Anomalies and creatures, and Gwen learns from Jennifer about the Home Office project under the authority of James Lester, and headed up by Professor Nick Cutter of Central Metropolitan University (CMU), the business about Helen Cutter, his wife, and the first incident at the Forest of Dean [Jennifer knows Helen.] Jennifer tells Gwen that in order to return the Pachyrhinosauruses back through the Anomaly, they need to study them a bit more. Gwen replies that they need to find the Anomaly, first. The two women talk of going back into the field, but Denby enters and tells them it's dangerous. The squad that went with Jimmy and Tim were tracking the creature that killed Hiram White, and they've been slaughtered. Seven of the squaddies have been killed. Jennifer says she *knows* it was a separate creature! They continue to discuss the dangers, and when Denby says he wants to send a 1/2 squad with them, Jennifer points out that he needs to defend the conference. Denby concedes the point, and goes off to get permission to lead another team out.
Denby returns and says that the mission's a go. He'll be accompanying them with three SAS soldiers and they'll be taking an SAS land rover. They talk some more about the situation, but are interrupted by Robert Horvath, a London Times reporter, who's overheard a bit and seems to know a bit too much. Gwen stammers out an explanation that sounds a bit hollow even to her, and Denby leaves the women's company for a few moments.
Denby returns with Alexander Valentine (GM NPC), who leads Horvath away, using his powers of persuasion to convince Horvath that he's got it all wrong. Valentine returns about 10 minutes later. Jennifer and Alex banter and discuss a previous situation in Africa (it was not her fault... boars/rhinos/tribesmen...). Alex starts asking questions about the current situation, and Gwen interrupts, wanting to know if he's in the loop, which he is. They discuss what they believe is out there in the woods near the Manderley Estate, and Alex says he wants to go with them into the field; Africa comes up again, and Alex is condescending to Gwen about her rhino knowledge and to Denby, calling him "SAS boy". Denby finally agrees to get Alex a hand gun, as the latter informs everyone concerned that he is going with them and Jen on a "field trip".
Meanwhile, Tim, Jimmy, and the SAS soldiers led by Larson return. Phillips's body is taken to Dr. Hartwell. The soldiers are debriefed, and Jimmy and Tim are questioned by Commander Jacobs, and once finished, are dismissed. They are told where Gwen and Jennifer have gone. Jimmy goes and hoses off the blood, cleaning himself of it, and Tim follows suit.
Tim and Jimmy catch up quickly with Gwen, Jennifer, Alex, and Denby. Jennifer introduces herself to the two of them. She talks about going to see the predator dinosaurs up close, and Jimmy describes the raptor-like dinosaurs to her. Jennifer is unconcerned about the seeming dangers. Tim brings up the photos at Jimmy's suggestion, and Jennifer looks at the photos and comments that they appear to be Raptors, but are missing the sickle-shaped toe claw, though she can't see enough detail on the teeth. While they talk, Denby chats up Gwen, and sparks seem to fly between them.
The player characters and the various NPCs prepare to head out on the expedition. Gwen and Tim talk about the Anomaly, and discuss what's needed to track it down. Tim says he'll take the portable magnetometer that he brought for use at the conference, and asks if she has her compass, which she does. With everyone set to go, the group sets off.
The Sunday group continued to play in the Primeval RPG campaign, and the game session went pretty well, not being all that notable in many ways. I think of this session as the lull before the climax and dénouement of the scenario, so to all intents and purposes the session served its purpose in that regard.
The players seem to be getting a handle on their characters (finally), as there was some pretty decent roleplaying in this session, notably by Tammy's characters, but both
spross and Doug gave it the good old college try. I'm still amazed at some of the sheer craziness that these players engage in, though I'm finding that Doug's character still isn't likeable, and he's still having problems fitting the character into the Primevalverse feel. In any event, I'm looking forward to the next game session. :)