Max - I was wrong you did stat your two major contacts as follows:

Contacts ** (Dennis Dwight - Travel Broker/Agent, Constance Brimley - Grey Market Supplier)

Any occult contacts in NY would be minor, and your backing with Arkham is such that you wouldn't know of anybody through them.

The information I'm seeking, specifically:

1) Any information regarding Mr. Strakovski - it's unlikely I'll get anything, but seeing as Aeon was expecting him, someone might know something extra. He got us into this mess, any information regarding his entrance into the game is likely to be valuable.
2) Information on Rasputin in particular - Aeon has quite a few jetsetters, it's not impossible that someone might know someone who knew someone in Russia about that time.
3) Information about Rasputin's Followers in New York in specific - I've seen two of the Followers personally, someone might have seen them specifically, which would give us some clues as to where to head next.
3a) Information on any weird (well, weirder than normal) activity in New York. Obviously, connected to the previous question, but also useful just for general natter. It's an Aeon thang.
4) As a favour to Janos, I'll look for information regarding his sister. Again, a long shot, but if she is mixed up with the Followers, not impossible that there's information to be found, and likely that such information would be very useful.

As for who has the shard, I've been making the assumption that it's been in a hidden safe in the hotel room since we've arrived. (Most large suites would have one for jewelry and such). Ben would probably think it safe there; I'll leave it up to others whether they share Ben's unbridled optimism.

Also, I'll define my Contact with you via PM, of course spending 1 Inspiration to define the contact in situ.

if somebody could get me the other group's goals ... I hope to update tomorrow.

Marion plans to do the following as part of her group:

1) Check to see if she knows of any occult resources in New York City, and consult them to see what they know of Rasputin and his followers. She explicitly is not asking them about the Heart of Darkness yet...she doesn't want to start spreading rumors at this point.

2) She'll suggest checking the New York Public library as well as the university library for periodicals, especially newspapers, that mention cult activity or occult crimes. This will be part of that 8 hours of research. The idea is that some of these crimes at least will likely involve Rasputin's people, and they may have photos of the crime scenes or other mention of details that would help in figuring out their activities and perhaps how to identify them.

3) She'll suggest to Mia that she might check with the local press directly and see if she can get any dirt from the reporters, or find out who wrote the pieces that they find (in number 2) and talk to them to see if there were details that didn't get published. And of course, Mia might be able to speak to the police to see if there's any info she can rustle up that way. Perhaps explaining that she's doing a piece of a cult called "The Followers of Rasputin" and that her leads suggest they might be based out of New York?

Those are my ideas so far...anyone else have anything?

Daphne can physically track one of the followers, if we can get his trail.

FYI the Kurgan are a real people not just a cool character/villain from the Highlander played by a young Clancy Brown

Daphne's tracking roll: 8,4,1,2,3,9,9,5,5,9, = 4 sux

I'll let you guys talk and post over the weekend and hopefully update Monday

Just a double-check, because the context doesn't make it obvious - is that Kolya in the black leather, or one of Kolya's... victims? :P

the context was intentionally unclear but to answer your question for the purposes of the scene and allowing you 3 to post accordingly the person appears to be dressed the same way that the assassin from the Docks was dressed ...

Mia - examination of the safe shows that the door was literally ripped off the hinges/housing. The safe itself was very nearly ripped from the wall in the process. It would take somebody of truly massive strength to accomplish that feat, somebody more than normal/human.

crafting the assault will take some time, hopefully something will be up today but if not I'll do my best to get it out tomorrow

FYI for clarity's sake - the dead assassin was NOT the one who killed the Russian, he's dressed the same is all.

It's brilliant! I'm feeling right back into the game! Wonderful!

Archibald senses nothing from the dagger. Though Catori registers very strongly, and Ben and Kolya register moderately though now that you open yourself to it you notice that both have crystals around their necks that are rather potent magical reservoirs.



Marion gains 1 Success ... +1 soak against cold attacks

Cool. I edited my post to show her entering the house after invoking Psychic Hand for some defense.

Joani appears to be out with an extended illness so please continue forward and I will put Catori on autopilot until he returns.