Guns for Hire Timeline

September 2010

Week 1

Monday, 27th: Armas worked for the Triads as a guard, met up with Labombard, and made his first supernatural kills in Istanbul. Killed drug addicts and saw dead Labombard moving dead US Navy seals.

Tuesday, 28th: Armas met the Russian contact. He then returned home and ratted out the Pawnshop Owner to the Triads (the pawnshop owner was offering $8,000 to kill a bum who was a regular Triad informant). He bought "Frakenstein", an SKS made out of many different individual guns and a magic Soviet Honor Guard stock from Garbage Pete. He then performed the Russian Job and frightened an employee of the Wizard Khubilai. Afterwards, Armas put in the order to Arkvad for the "Super SVT-40" and agreed to trade in "Frankenstein" for a $10k credit. He spoke to Arkvad from non-secure location.

Wednesday, 29th: Armas met Castelletti, and took the job to kill Barby, O'Connor, Lachlan, and Tyson. He bought flash-bangs from arms dealer Bagatur Yilmaz. [Castelletti was approached by Savoy at this time, and convinced by him that Armas would behave in bad faith.]

Killed Barby the Nazi

Thursday, 30th: Armas completed Castelletti's job. TRAIT UNLOCKED: AMBUSH EXPERT! He then realized Castelletti gave bad information. He collected the AA-12, and four Matebas. As he made his escape, he killed Andre Gustavo, a guard working for Barby, and disposed of his corpse after sanitizing it. He collected Gustavo's wallet, car keys, and pistol (Glock 20). During his escape he fought sewer monsters (Sahagins). After he escaped, Armas ran up Gustavo's debit card in a legit gun shop (no cameras, but credit transaction would have left a record, and the merchant may have remembered Armas). He enrolled in the gym Constanz' Crash Course, meet the Iranians (Hafaz and company), and through them was exposed to Krav Maga. Armas got some Sambo training through Boris Mihailov, gym instructor at the Crash Course. Armas then arranged to trade two of the four Matebas to Arkvad for credit on the "Super SVT-40." He also arranged for Castelletti to wire 75% of money into Gustavo's account, and to deliver the remainder in a week. Armas also arranged with the Triads for help in draining Gustavo's account.

October 2010

Friday, 1st: Armas met Lo Fang in person and gave Gustavo's car keys to him. He then closed Gustavo's accounts using ID that the Triads modified (no cameras in the branch, but the teller may have remembered Armas). Armas arranged to meet Castelletti's representative at Gustavo's house. He planted seeds of suspicion with Barby's followers about Gustavo's loyalties. He then went to the gym and met the Iranaians again (Ahmad, Hafez and Shaya) and the Israelis (Hadar and Yoni).

Saturday, 2nd: Armas met with Arkvad and learned that Smets had decided to swap out the magic parts on the SVT, thus cheating him out of what he paid for. Armas traded in Frankenstein and two of the Matebas to complete the deal and thus be eligible, according to H&H corporate policy, to get Smets' information so that he could seek his own form of redress for being cheated. Armas constructed a credit-card use trail pointing toward Gustavo fleeing the country.

Week 2

Sunday, 3rd - Thursday, 7th: Armas spent time learning Krav Maga from Ahmad, Hafez, Shaya, Hadar and Yoni. One of Barby's men killed one of Castelletti's men.

Killed a Turkish Policeman

Friday, 8th: Armas got the Mafia Confessor's number from Lo Fang. He then purchased a double-barreled shotgun from Garbage Pete. Barby's men shot up Castelletti's restaurant as their gang war boiled over. Armas framed one of Castelletii's men for murdering a Turkish Policeman with the double-barreled shotgun. Armas then called one of Castelletti's more tractable thugs and implied that a Confessor would be looking into things. He then called the Confessor and used the tractable mafia thug to corroborate. Armas confirmed his identity with the Confessor as the man hired to kill Mr. Barby. [Armas later learned through a captured report authored by a government-sponsored intelligence clearinghouse that while the murder itself wasn't recorded, he was spotted and remembered by eyewitnesses and security cameras as being in the area. Adelat, the investigator in charge of the case, noted that the bullet ballistics indicated that the shooter was Armas' height (the Mafia didn't have anyone working for them who is that tall)]

Saturday, 9th: Armas met Galileo Savoy. Took the job to Kill Castelletti, and to retaliate against Barby's men. [Savoy, even this early on, was very cavalier about using his power and was not shy about admitting he had gotten to Turkey impossibly quickly for most mundane travel methods.]

Week 3

Sunday, 10th and Monday, 11th: Armas made preparations for the attack.

Killed Castelletti and Allenaethos

Tuesday, 12th: Armas attacked Castelletti's restaurant, met and killed the Summer Elf Allenaethos, and finally killed Castelletti. He claimed Castelletti's Mammon Device, a large bore pistol, and Allenaethos' rapier. Keihäs drank Allenaethos' blood. Savoy took temporary control of the Mafia operations in Istanbul. Armas arranged to buy body armor through his Ranger contact Sgt. Edward Riker, after presenting a cover story of needing the armor for guarding an academic who wanted to work in the sewers without being attacked by sagahain. Armas worked out at Constanz's gym with Ahmad, Hafaz and Shaya (the Israelis were out of town). TRAIT UNLOCKED: MILITARISTIC MACHIAVELLIAN MANIPULATOR! [Riker has serious connections with A.O.R.B., though Armas would not learn that until much later]

Fought the Doonongaes

Wednesday, 13th: Armas exercised at Constanz's gym with Shaya and learned more Sambo from Boris Mihailov. He then spoke to Arkvad about the elf, and got the tip that the elf's blood would synergize with his sword, if used as a long bayonet for Keihäs. Armas got a briefing about supernatural residents of the Bosphorus strait from Lo Fang, including information about a fully grown Akkorokamui. Armas subsequently agreed to take the Lucky Lady Boat Job. He met May Lee, Diao Yuan, Go Ping, and Long Wang. Together they boarded "The Lucky Lady" and Armas killed a harpy. They found evidence that the mythic monster, the Doonongaes, was aboard the vessel and then learned that the Doonongaes was after the totem of Hagondes. They fought the Doonongaes, and in the battle Keihäs drank the Doonongaes' blood. Armas rode the Emela-Ntouka (magic rhino variant). During the course of the fight, the Matebas became magically empowered. Armas was injured badly, but not fatally. May Lee died from the Doonongaes' potent venom. [Long Wang is notably difficult for encantado to mimic, thanks to his intersexed status.]

Thursday, 14th through Saturday, 16th: Armas, while unconscious, received magical healing from Go Ping (variant of Chi Gong that uses Taoist I Ching) and then was transferred to Dr. Finnigan's care.

Week 4

Sunday, 17th through Saturday, 23rd: Armas remained unconscious while under Dr. Finnigan's care.

Week 5

Sunday, 24th: Armas woke up and met Dr. Finnigan. He got the news about May's death from Go Ping. He then talked to Arkvad (from non-secure location). Arkvad arranged to have Armas meet with other people conned by Smets. Armas arrived home and collected ten days worth of mail from his neighbor, affectionately known as the Cookie Lady (body armor, $45k payment from Lo Fang). Armas checked in with Savoy and solidified his reputation by claiming credit for having battled the Doonongaes. Savoy explained that the mafia is now doing business with Wizard Khubiliai (the owner of the school in the Russian Job) and that the mafia helped him in a fight against the Akkorokamui (and its aquatic allies). Savoy arranged for the Brandt Job to be how Armas dealt his retaliation to Barby's men. Armas arranged to become a preferred customer at Istanbul's Gun World through Arkvad. Armas opened an account at Oyak Securities (they have Armas' real name and address on file). He took it easy at the gym. Hafaz linked Armas' injuries to a question about the Bosphorus. Armas bought additional magical healing from Go Ping after asking him what the prices charged usually were. Go Ping explained that the charge would depend on the relationship between the healer and patient, anywhere from $5,000 for a good friend to $50,000 for someone disliked. He charged Armas $15,000.

Monday, 25th: Armas arranged for intelligence on Brandt through Savoy. He exercised in the gym, and made Hafaz suspicious by his marked improvement in condition. Hafaz revealed he knows the chakra manipulating martial art Gyaketsuote (a style Armas would later learn is heavily reliant on misdirection of the enemy through a tenuous connection of souls). Armas researched Maori and Finnish traditions using purchased books. [While this date was specifically mentioned as being November 1st, Armas had to have gotten it wrong. He probably got his calendar mixed up. See the talk page.]

Tuesday, 26th: Armas received the packet of Mafia intelligence on Brandt. He purchased flashbangs and dragon's breath rounds, and cased the park Brandt favored. Armas exercised at the gym and revealed to Hafaz and company that he might be fighting Brandt in a "free-style competition."

Wednesday, 27th: Armas exercised in the gym, took it easy. Mulled hand-loading subsonic 7.62x55mmR.

Thursday, 28th: Armas received a map of the German-area sewers (notably there are two sagahain nests there). He decided on the gas plan, and arranged for it with Savoy. Savoy displayed distaste at using people as pawns but agreed to the plan. TRAIT REVEALED: REFLEXIVE RETENTION! Armas spent the night at the site, resting in a cot while he waited.

Killed Brandt and the Nazi Posse

Friday, 29th: Brandt arrived with a posse and Armas sprung the trap. Brandt broke out of the gas chamber, and fought Armas. TRAIT REVEALED: GAMBLER'S GRIM GUTS! Armas narrowly won, but was wounded badly. He met the cannibal and thunder goddess Whaitiri of the Summer Court, and she offered a deal: spirit for spirit, she would feast on his soul, and he on her. Armas accepted, and suffered spiritual damage to his Winter aspect when Whaitiri feasted on his soul. Armas' soul was left 'spiritually weak' (with an expected recovery time of at least several months) but he survived and through eating part of Whaitiri's soul gained the ability to regenerate damage by eating human or magical flesh. Armas is classified as "friend" to the Summer Court and as a "priest or champion of Whaitiri" thanks to this. The divine cannibal aspect of his soul makes other cannibals more friendly to him. Armas claimed Brant's heart, and his M16 GatMalite. Keihäs drank Brandt's blood. Armas then used a thermobaric grenade to incinerate Brandt's corpse. The Winter Court representative (later revealed to be Ogrimir) responded, and forcibly severed Armas' connection with Whaitiri, leaving him with few options for re-establishing his connection to her (a trip to New Zealand being the most obvious and simplest). The power of Armas' Winter bloodline was thus restored, but not the respect of the court. After the job, Armas contacted Savoy for debriefing, and then fell asleep.

Saturday, 30th: Armas slept, possibly the entire day. No mention is made of this day.

Halloween, met Sometimes Merchant

Sunday, 31st: Armas got Johan Straus' contact information from Savoy. He purchased demon blood (Straus has Armas' address and account number). Armas then elected to go hunting for sagahain instead of hobos, and met the goblin he would title Sometimes Merchant. He learned Sometimes Merchant has no aversion to cannibalism, and that his clan of goblins have lived under the city for over 2500 years. Armas purchased recipes, supernatural meat, and learned the goblins' brownie servants already knew where Armas lived. Sometimes Merchant offered the reusable charm Bladeward, disposable arrow charms, and arcane nullifier charms as trade goods when asked. Armas traded 3 days of non-hazardous mercenary work that would not enrage the courts for 2 disposable arrow amulets. Keihäs drank Sahagin, Sæhrímnir, and Kelpie blood from the meat, creating jerky. Armas studied Maori and Finnish traditions. [This day was only listed as Sunday morning mid-November, 2010. Again, because of the issue with November 1st, it has to have moved up at least a week.]

November 2010

Week 6

Triple Gate Strikes, met Ogrimir

Monday, 1st: Armas contacted Professor Jagda, and arranged for him to translate the cook book. He then visited Gun World, made purchases, and paid for delivery (Gun World has Armas' address). Armas met Adelat (Emniyet Istihbarat Daire) and had a shooting match with her in Gunworld's shooting range. Armas won and talked her into a date. He contacted Arkvad and learned Smets had been discouraging people from meeting about his con work. The first Palendrome Resonance, later learned to be a NeverNever gate strike, hit. The energy was bled off into the environment by a summer fae (apparently a disciple of Mahuika, a Maori fire goddess). Armas arranged for healing from Lo Fang. The second NeverNever gate strike hits while he is walking, and is bled off by the Disciple of Mahuika. Armas arrives at the Triad compound for healing, and while Lo Fang is tending to him a third gate strike hits, invoking the rule of three. While in a coma, Armas met Ogrimir, who channeled the gate into ice in Lo Fang's magically warded room. Lo Fang was not amused. The Summer and Winter courts agreed to leave Armas alone for now.

Tuesday, 2nd: Armas conducted research on Ogrimir's nature, including a call to Arkvad about it, and learned nothing. He then had some gym time alone.

Wednesday, 3rd: Armas intimidated the tractable mafia goon (see Friday 8th, October) into letting him use a mafia-only storage facility off the books. Armas' face was added to the instant-access list. Armas spoke to, and managed to mildly irritate, Arkvad. He then went on a date with Adelat, and did not enjoy it. He researched her further and discovered she earned a commendation for infiltrating a German extremist cell.

Thursday, 4th: Bought a used GMC Vandura and later named it "The Right Laine." He transferred his body armor and weapons (except Keihäs) to the storage unit. He then met and auditioned with Ito, and did well enough for Ito to declare that he would teach Armas the war form of Jukendo, Jukenjitsu. Armas spoke to Sometimes Merchant and traded the story about Ogrimir for being named a friend to goblinkind within a 75 yard radius of his home, and arranged to trade training in guns for training in useful Goblin techniques. TRAITS REVEALED: WON'T TAKE NO and WORD LIKE GOLD!

Friday, 5th through Sunday, 7th: Armas conducted goblin training. He refitted the van (armored it). He also had another date with Adelat, and set up a small target range in the mafia storage facility.

Week 7

Monday, 8th: Armas rescheduled a date with Adelat. He conducted more practice and training. [Camella appeared under the city today after being and began her fight to the surface.]

Tuesday, 9th: Armas had Jukenjitsu practice. He met with "Mr. Locke, and Ms. Havoc" for the first time to discuss the Get Revenge on Smets Job. During this evening's Goblin training session Armas realizes a quirk in the wording of the contract makes it harder for the goblins to take to it. [The real Locke and Havoc were killed this morning, presumably because they were going to make themselves known to Armas. This is 15 days before Armas learns of their deaths.]

Wednesday, 10th: Armas had Jukenjitsu practice. He manipulated the date with Adelat to set the stage for plausibly breaking the relationship off. He conducted more Goblin training.

Thursday, 11th: Armas had Jukenjitsu practice. He was introduced to Rocco Armani (muscle-bound man, new leader of the mafia in this region) by Savoy. Savoy detected something strange about Armas and commented on it, but did not reveal if he had determined what it was.

Friday, 12th: Armas had Jukenjitsu practice. He conducted more Goblin training (three individuals at a time).

Saturday, 13th: Armas paid his bills. He had Jukenjitsu practice. He conducted more Goblin training.

Met Camella

Sunday, 14th: Armas went to morning Jukenjitsu practice. He was at home for lunch when the Goblins' brownies warned of Camella's approach. Armas met Camella, and after being told by her that she did not need medical attention, questioned her at gunpoint until she passed out. Armas took her into his home and performed first aid. Sometimes Merchant traded knowledge of Camella's origin point deep under the ruins of Old Byzantium six days ago for her first name. Armas and Camella had a conversation, and she discovered she is not on the duty roster for the Ninth Parachute Assault Regiment. She checked her email and found that none of it related to her, but instead to another person by the same name. Armas realized that this Camella is likely a dimensional slider. Armas called Doctor Finnigan to treat her. Finnigan made a house call and helped Armas clean her up, but ultimately decided he wanted nothing more to do with this mess since Armas took no steps to conceal her identity from him. Armas went to the night's goblin training. Camella told him her story.

Week 8

Monday, 15th: Armas went to morning Jukenjitsu practice. He spoke to his gym buddies, and talked Hafaz and Shaya into visiting Ito. He then broke up with Adelat over the phone. She was annoyed. Professor Jagda called back and promised to e-mail recipes that he had translated so far. Armas purchased low-profile body armor. He conducted more Goblin training. [Galileo Savoy betrays the Mafia and attempts to kill Lo Fang. He is humiliated and nearly killed, losing an arm in the process. Grigori the Wizard enters Pobadino, Russia. Shortly thereafter it is covered with a strange mist, and goes silent.]

Tuesday, 16th: Armas had Jukenjitsu practice. Ito noted that Hafaz will likely be a prodigy. Camella electronically bugged Armas as he left the apartment. Armas met with "Mr. Locke, and Ms. Havoc" and convinced them to go along with killing Smets. Armas purchased ammunition for Mammon's device from Johan (nine shots). Camella confronted Armas about his plan to kill Smets, and Armas explained his reasons, and his previous victories. Armas met with Sometimes Merchant, and found him inebriated. Sometimes Merchant dubbed Armas "Deal Maker" and explained he was celebrating Savoy's defeat at the hands of Labombard and Lo Fang, and that Savoy has a high value bloodline. Armas purchased training from the goblins in sneaking and magic item detection. He had his usual goblin training session as well. Armas talked to Rocco, learned about Savoy's ability to teleport, and talked Rocco into having a passport forged for Camella. [The goblin method of detecting magic items that Armas learned is slow, and he was unable to use it after his first NeverNever strike thanks to spiritual damage. Armas may be able to teach it to someone else though.]

Paid a Favor to the Goblins

Wednesday, 17th: The events of this day were wiped from Armas' memory by the goblins. They cashed in one of their favors and had Armas do something with them that they did not want him to remember.

Ito's Dojo was transformed

Thursday, 18th: Armas picked a recipe from the translated ones provided by the professor and served Kelpie Krisps for breakfast. Camella accepted an invitation to visit Ito, and while at Ito's dojo Armas was subjected to a NeverNever gate strike. Ito realized Armas' chakras were all opening up, and advised him to ground the power into the earth. Armas did so, and ended up replacing Ito's entire dojo with an ancient Byzantine-era home (a fairly benign, if irritating, result). Hafaz and Shaya walked in, and Hafaz grew upset at Armas trying to duck questions about what happened. He and Shaya pulled sub-machine guns. Camella pulled her Beretta and everyone had a standoff. Armas talked everyone down, and called Arkvad to arrange for the building to be sold. A second standoff happened in the van, and Armas again talked everyone down. Armas resolved to have a long conversation with Hafaz later. "Mr. Locke, and Ms. Havoc" messaged that they secured the services of a communication expert to perform radio jamming. Armas practiced sneaking in the neighborhood. Goblin training rounded out the day.

Met Cornelius Zosimus and the Disciple of Mammon

Friday, 19th: Armas' low-profile body armor arrived. Camella got her passport and new identity. Armas spoke to Ito and then Arkvad, and arranged to go get drinks to celebrate Arkvad's hefty commission. Armas and Camella visited the gym, and Camella bonded with the gym bros. Ahmad and Camella have a drinking contest after, and then she and Armas meet with Arkvad. Armas couldn't resist trying out his new armor and brought his mere, and Camella packed a pistol on their dinner outing with Arkvad.

Armas noticed the Doonongeas was in the restaurant and observing him intensely. Seeing no other option to prevent being followed and slaughtered, Armas went to his table and insulted him. TRAIT UNLOCKED: DANGEROUS DISCUSSION! Armas goaded the Doonongaes until Cornelius Zosimus (an ancient Roman vampire) intervened and pointed out that threats against Armas and his family could not be followed up on lest the Doonongaes bring the wrath of the restaurant's owner on his head. The Doonongaes left.

Cornelius then pointed out that Armas' mere (a spiritual weapon) and Camella's modern pistol were out of place, and offered a wager in exchange for not using Armas as a pawn to bring trouble to the Doonongaes. Armas was to kill the Doonongaes in three lunar cycles, or submit to being used as a pawn. If he won, Conelius would provide Armas an introduction to the Vampiric Dynasty and contact information. Regardless of if he wins, Armas gets intelligence on the Doonongaes' doings. Armas accepted, and did a little mental math: February 11th, 2011 was the day the wager would end. The witch of the wereclan very politely and discretely contacted Armas through a glass of brandy and offered to shield him from Cornelius and help him slip the bonds the Rule of Three agreement imposed should he be willing to help embarrass the vampire clan.

After dinner Arkvad, Armas, and Camella went to the club Babylon, where Camella and Armas were both snared into an otherworldly staircase. There Armas suffered another NeverNever strike, and lacking options, drained it into the environs. SECRET TRAIT UNLOCKED: TO SCOFF AT THREE! They met a Knight of Mammon, who insulted Camella (deliberately or not) by calling her Armas' concubine, and offered Armas a deal. TRAIT EVOLUTION: DANGEROUS DISCUSSION became DANGEROUSLY DAPPER DISCUSSION AND DEBATE! Armas learned that 8 others in Istanbul had contracts with Mammon. He talked the Knight into letting him sample the offered power, and then rejected the deal, insulted the Knight, and used the power to leave. Later he hooked up with an Elf and a Vampire for a night of carnal pleasures. [While Armas was picking up magic chicks, Camella got into an arm wrestling match and won some petty cash and a shotgun]

Saturday, 20th: Armas treated with Erzsi of Habsburg Dynasty (vampire) and Laetissi (elf). Both acted like magic item groupies, and Armas proposed a deal to show them the Mammon Device being fired. They never agreed to the deal. Camella was irritated that she got ditched for them. Armas got a new cell phone, went shopping, and went to train the goblins (pulling a longer shift to make up for the missed time last night).

Sunday, 21st: A letter from Labombard arrived letting Armas know Lo Fang had calmed down over the damage to his magically warded room three weeks ago. The letter also contained a warning about the mercenary Blackbeard. Yuri Lenkok provided new intelligence on Smets' residence. Camella and Armas go to the gym. Relations with Hafaz normalized. Armas traded information with Sometimes Merchant for more meat, blood, root, and mead-milk. Armas traded the power from future NeverNever strikes for being named a business partner of the goblins of Turkey, anti-regen enchantments on his AA-12 shotgun, comprehensive training on goblin sneaking techniques (performed in the NeverNever, so a lifetime's worth of training was compressed into a night), and information on Florent Smets. Armas thus learned Smets was a vampire of the Zosimus Dynasty.

Week 9

Monday, 22nd: Armas teased Camella by using his new sneaking skills to pretend to have a phantom chef. Camella was irritated but could not deny the food Armas cooked (and claimed to have not) was delicious. Armas let "Mr. Locke, and Ms. Havoc" know that Smets was a vampire. Armas and Camella visited Ito's new dojo. Ito got a place with space for students to sleep over and eat, per Armas' suggestion. Armas showed off his new Goblinic stealth training to Ito. TRAIT REVEALED: BLIND SPOT BRAWLER! Ito agreed to teach Armas chakra techniques later. Armas learned general vampire vulnerabilities and advantages after his training session with the goblins. [Pobadino is confirmed to be completely incommunicado, the secret Russian Black Operations Army sets up an entrenched cordon around the village.]

Tuesday, 23rd: Armas devised anti-vampire loads for his guns. Camella agreed to watch Armas' back in the fight with Smets. Camella was introduced to "Mr. Locke, and Ms. Havoc." Armas talked to Johan the Demonologist about different potential loads for his guns. Armas made anti-vampire rounds at home (mini-stakes soaked in blessed oil loaded into shotgun shells). Keihäs drank the demon and basilisk blood Armas had been saving. Camella broached the ethical issue of killing Smets again, and Armas said that his reasons for not letting the forces he fights turn him into a monster will ultimately be his friends and family. He strongly implied that he counts Camella among them now. Armas called Arkvad, caught up, and let him know what he learned about Smets (Zosimus Dynasty vampire). Arkvad became aware of a problem in Holland and Holland's information department, and promised to call back once it was solved.

Killed Smets, wounded Savoy, acquired Amen

Wednesday, 24th: Armas, Camella, "Ms. Havoc" and "Mr. Locke" go to the church to carry out the Get Revenge on Smets Job. Armas then got a text from Arkvad saying Jason Locke and Gertrude Havoc died two weeks ago. Armas and "Mr. Locke" battle Smets. Armas is attacked by "Ms. Havoc" but his arrow amulet prevents him from being killed by the sniper shot. Camella engaged "Ms. Havoc". Armas evaded both "Mr. Locke" and Smets.

Armas defeated Smets and claimed his blood with Keihäs. Amen appeared and explained that there were two potential masters, since he was still operating under orders from Smets with regard to Savoy, and Armas as the owner of Keihäs was also the owner of the blood Amen was bound to. Armas asked Amen to wear a positively neon-orange pinstripe suit. Savoy stated he told Skorzeny, one of the leaders of the Neo-Nazis in Istanbul, about Armas' involvement in Brandt's death in an attempt to kill Armas, and manipulated Castelletti's Job to ensure Castelletti's death.

"Mr. Locke" (real name: Big Crazy) and Armas both individually shoot to kill Savoy, but Savoy escaped death because of his demon arm, which was capable of catching and shooting back projectiles. All three men are eventually incapacitated. Big Crazy is removed to one of Amen's torture and holding rooms, while Savoy is castrated by one of Armas' shots. With Amen not listening to Savoy, thanks to an earlier order by Armas, Savoy is helpless to stop Armas from order Amen to feed him Savoy's demon arm. The arm and Amen's blood forcibly accelerate Armas' healing, repairing his spinal column. Savoy teleports away when Armas blacks out.

Amen is ordered to legally and non-fraudulently transfer Smets' Turkish holdings to Armas. Disguised as a police officer, Armas escaped the mansion and ventured into the church, where he found Olga and twenty ghouls hacked to death; he surmised Camella is adept with axes. TRAIT REVEALED: RAPID RATIONALIST! Armas drove Camella and her claimed dozen MP5s home, and asked Arkvad to set up an auction to sell off Smets' gun collection. Upon realizing he would have an issue assimilating Amen's blood, he then traded Smets' gun collection, save for those promised to others (Locke's and Havoc's promised weapons), for protection against the backlash of consuming a demon arm and Amen's blood. After over hour, Armas woke and Sometimes Merchant transported him back home. Once there, Armas noticed Camella was working at getting into the sewers, apparently worried for Armas. He popped up behind her, informed her of his safety, and offered to broker the sale of her claimed guns.

Armas then contacted Arkvad, to call off the auction (Arkvad said it would have been problematic anyway, and also said that with one more $100K deal, Armas will have a job with H&H), and Rocco, to inform the Mafia of Savoy's treachery and defection to the Neo-Nazis. He sold Camella's MP5s to the Wyld Goblins, learned the Goblins value used guns previously owned by supernaturals, and gave the 40oz of gold from the goblins to Camella; he also traded 1 hour of credited goblin education to learn the Doonongaes' weakness: cold.

Armas sent a text to Arkvad for help tracking down Havoc's and Locke's heirs. He learned from Amen that four news crews and three individuals (two of which Armas believed he could recognize instantly from Amen's descriptions, and the third being Adelat) came to the mansion after the police left; Armas ordered Amen to give the same cover story Smets had in place for such situations. Armas learned under Ito about trying to perceive his chakras. He managed to feel one and left the dojo one hour after sunset; he then gave three hours of training to the Goblins (Total: 42hrs) and drafted a letter to Labombard, thanking him for placating Lo Fang and the information about Blackbeard, and giving him details on Savoy from the Get Revenge on Smets Job. [Big Crazy spent the rest of the evening imprisoned by Amen.]

Thursday, 25th: Armas and Camella went to Ito for a workout; Camella brings her axes but Ito cannot teach her anything in axes, so Armas introduced Go Ping to Camella. Armas dropped off Camella at the docks, and headed to Constanz' Crash Course. He explains his occupation to Hafaz, who explains himself in turn: he, Shaya, Hadar, Ahmad, and Yoni are all bodyguards, though only he deals with the supernatural (which he survives by focusing on incapacitation). Armas trained with Hafaz and Shaya for most of the day. He picked up Camella after her session with Go Ping. Armas was informed that $29K had been transferred to him from Smets' accounts by Amen. Armas trained the Goblins for 3 hours (Total: 45hrs). [Big Crazy was still imprisoned by Amen.]

Friday, 26th: Armas woke after Camella, who showed him that the altercation in the church made the front page headlines for both yesterday and today. Armas went to the mansion, asked Amen to give the guns promised to Sometimes Merchant, and to give the remains of Savoy's genitals to the Wyld Goblins as well. He further ordered Amen to be courteous, to be non-violent to those who don't offer harm, and plant evidence pointing to Savoy being responsible for the events two nights ago.

Armas then spoke to, and released Big Crazy. Armas contacted Lo Fang, to set the Triad on Savoy and inform them of his intention to hunt and kill the Doonongaes, including a possible request for liquid nitrogen. He set up a facsimile of himself directly before his front door using a mannequin in a cheap pimp suit complete with neon orange tie, holding a non-functioning Mosin Nagant Model 1891/30, complete with a dull bayonet, with taunting writing indicating Armas went to Tijuana on its face and a note indicating Armas was hiding at Smets' estate.

Camella and Armas went to Ito's, where unstructured sparring between the gym bros and Camella took place; Armas used the time to attempt (successfully, for three chakras down the median line) to perceive his chakras. After five, Armas met with Big Crazy, who then gave Armas the blood-stained Tokerov as an axe-burier. Armas went back to Ito, where Cornelius contacted him to discover what happened to Amen (Armas left a parting snarky comment). Armas trained the Goblins 3 hours (Total: 45hrs), after Ito's lessons concluded; he took the opportunity to ask Sometimes Merchant to set up an auction for Mammon's Device.

Saturday, 27th: Camella informed Armas she planned to stay in Istanbul as Ito's assistant instructor; Armas asked her to take care of the Right Laine. He then headed to the storage unit and reclaimed his Judges. He paid Johan to convert the Matebas to be able to safely fire adapted Mammon Device rounds, and paid to have three MD rounds converted into eighteen rounds for the Matebas ($20K for converting the Matebas, $5K to convert all rounds), a job which Johan finished that same day. Armas called Big Crazy, and together they stole Olga's car; Armas noted the car was big enough to hold his minifridge, cutlery and cooking utensils.[THREAD ONE END]

Sunday, 28th: Armas and Big Crazy traveled through Bulgaria, Romania, the Ukraine, and Poland. They encountered little trouble, though it is implied that they did do a little shooting.

Week 10

Met the Mad Drunk and General Chugainov

Monday, 29th: Armas and Big Crazy were stopped by the Russian Black Operations Army as they skirted near the city of Pobadino. Pobadino was under a lock down, having been covered by a strange mist and completely out of communication for two weeks (since the 15th). Armas discovered his attention-sensing knack doesn't extend to cars he is riding in, but just himself. Armas and Big Crazy decide they will not be able to escape by running from the army, and instead openly declare themselves hunters of supernatural monsters. They were taken to meet Major General Vladimir Chugainov, who offered them deal: Find out more about what plagued Pobadino, and be free to walk away with his recommendation for future work. Armas and Big Crazy are forced to swear a blood oath with Lieutenant Colonel Zinaida Jidkova to keep silent about what they learn.

Armas then meditated on his chakra while Big Crazy attempted to use Dirt Snake, his spirit animal, to scout the village. Armas inadvertently caught Amen's attention and discovered he could commune telepathically with the bloodfiend. Armas was then roused by Chugainov and he and Big Crazy were sent into the village. Before they go, Armas managed to antagonize Chugainov by wheedling him for pay in goods. After the mercenaries are out of earshot, Big Crazy and Armas had words about Armas' stupidity in trying to get pay for a mission they've been forced into.

The mercenaries entered the village, wading through the neck-high mist. They entered a gun shop, where the mist did not penetrate. Big Crazy noted that his spirit animals could not even leave his body while they were in the mist. Further exploration found a scene of an apparent suicide, and a room filled with invisible lifeforms. When they are surprised by one of them, Armas and Big Crazy panicked and fought their way out, and ended up leaping from roof to roof to avoid both the invisible creatures and the mist.

They arrived at the most prominent building in the village, a mansion, and detected that the place had been the site of mass murder and butchery. Rather than enter, they moved on to the village clinic. Upon determining that there was someone inside the clinic, Armas loaded his Matebas with the Mammon-derived bullets. When he entered the clinic, he nearly tripped over a drunk old man, and was told by Amen that the man was a mortal. Armas decided to be cautious and not kill the man out-of-hand, which was fortunate as that man was actually Grigori Wowk, a wizard also known as the Mad Drunk. Grigori implanted a knowledge graft of the Russian language into an aspect of Amen's mind that Armas ordered presented in place of his own. Upon determining that the attempted mental intrusion was benign, if a bit clumsy, Armas had Amen integrate the attempted change into his mind.

Armas and Grigori chatted, and Armas learned that the wizard was responsible for the events in Pobadino. He tempted the wizard into leaving with him with the promise of whiskey, and talked him into clearing the mists from the city. Then Big Crazy, Armas, and Grigori were teleported to Olga's car. They drove away, the car left unguarded while the Black Operations Army was occupied with attempting to locate Armas and Big Crazy inside the just-cleared village.

Armas shared the gruesome information that the invisible entities had been civilians with Big Crazy. The information did not sit well with either man, but they were both wise enough to recognize there was little they could do to Grigori. Armas then ditched the Russian army radio they had been given, and escape into Lithuania without incident.

Tuesday, 30th: The trio departed their lodgings for the night and headed toward Latvia. Armas asked Grigori why he didn't just create or summon up the liquor he desires, and Grigori explained that either he would know exactly what he made, or he would risk tangling with the rightful owners of the liquor if he summoned it at random.

Armas spoke to Camella. She relayed a message from Professor Jagda, and the news about Blackbeard. She mentioned that business at Ito's was picking up, and that she had a teaching position with him. She complained about sexual harassment from some of the students, and mentioned that she was tolerating it for Ito's sake. Armas in turn hinted at his latest misadventure and warned her about Adelat, the Emniyet İstihbarat Daire agent. Afterwards Armas asked Amen for an evaluation of his current spiritual status and learned that on top of the recent spiritual damage he knew of, he also lost all memories associated with a day in the recent past.

Armas borrowed a grill at the Tallin central market and fed Hippocamp and Griffin meat to civilians. The exact quantity consumed by any one person is unknown, but likely it was not enough to be harmful. The party crosses into Latvia and spends the evening there without major incident.

[Amen deliberately omitted the month Armas lost between the end of high school and the start of his basic training in the Army. The missing day was erased by the goblins, see Wednesday, the 17th of November]

December 2010

Week 10

Met Radu Hagi, Created Shadowbro, and Rescued the Riihivuoris

Wednesday, 1st: Shortly after entering Viljandi, Estonia, one of the brand new snow tires on the Escalade blew out. While a mechanic's shop changed out the tire, Big Crazy waited with the car. Grigori napped.

On a whim, Armas walked down the street to a bar that opened early, and ordered a beer. Directly after him, Radu Hagi, an assassin hired by Chugainov, entered and ordered a shot. Armas turned the tables on him quickly by engaging him socially, explaining the full story to him (as Radu had been lied to by Chugainov) and stressing that he was traveling with Grigori. Radu decided to cancel the contract, paid for the new tire, and gave the party a bottle of vodka to smooth over any ruffled feathers over the delay.

Radu was covered in tattoos and had a trick for making an opponent's body synch to his own. He earned his moniker, "The Suicider" by using this ability to force opponents to stab themselves in the heart. Radu had no heart himself.

Armas ordered Amen to grant him the knowledge of how to align his chakras with the goblin stealth education he got, and learned the stealth orientation for his chakras. He mused over possible explanations for the missing day, and reasoned that the goblins were the ones to remove the day. He had Amen confirm with Sometimes Merchant. TRAIT EVOLUTION: RAPID RATIONALIZATION became REALISTICALLY RELIABLE RATIONALISM.

Armas then ordered Amen to open all seven of his chakras, and determined that Amen is booby-trapped to cause harm if certain lines of inquiry are pursued (such as what the circumstances of Amen's creation and binding were). Armas decided to abandon the line of inquiry altogether, and proceeded to book passage on a ferry to Finland.

A half hour into the trip the ferry suffered an event that was curiously like a collision, and Armas quickly reasoned that the boat was under attack by Encantado. At this point Armas realized the benefit of his new sensitivity to shadows, and developed the NEW COMBAT TRAIT: SHADOW DELVING. He and Big Crazy sought out the shape shifters, and Armas was able to quietly kill a female encantado with Keihäs. He disposed of the body by letting Keihäs eat it.

Armas could not help himself, and experimented with his Shadow Delving ability, thus catalyzing the formation of a SHADOW SOUL SWAIN. The Shadow Soul Swain was an investment of his soul into the shadows which formed a new being that was connected to, and which shared part of, Armas' soul. The Soul Swain would come to be known as ShadowBro by Armas and his close associates. Amen suggested doing nothing strenuous until Armas grew accustomed to having a split soul. Armas then ran off with Big Crazy to find the other encantado.

Armas and Big Crazy found the other encantado while he was in a public area, and followed him. The shape shifter had assumed the guise of the Riihivuori clan head (Armas Riihivuori), and had both of the surviving children in his custody (Hilja and Eirikki Riihivuori). During the course of their shadowing, Armas learned more about Big Crazy's abilities, and in the process managed to antagonize his companion such that he needed a minute to calm down.

Armas then separated from Big Crazy and pursued the children and encantado alone, as he was far more stealthy. Unfortunately, the younger child turned at an inopportune moment on a mindless impulse, and spotted Armas. Armas played it cool and had Shadowbro break into a room on the ferry for him, so that he could appear to be going to his own booked room. He then spent a moment pondering his feelings for Big Crazy and his problems with interpersonal relationships, and the encantado enters to room to confront him.

With the children outside the room, Armas talked to the encantado (Lord Nazeroth) long enough for Big Crazy to come to his aid and render the children safely unconscious so that they can't tear the ship apart in a fit of rage over their apparent father being killed. The encantado was poor at deceptive truthfulness, and Armas interpreted its attempts to spin facts in misleading ways as lies and falsehoods.

The children, both aquamancers, attempted to suffocate Big Crazy with water pulled from the ambient moisture. Shadowbro helped Big Crazy, and was injured in the process, while Armas killed the encantado and fed his body to Keihäs. He and Big Crazy then moved the children to the escalade, and Armas asked Grigori to modify Armas Riihivuori's identification so that the picture was of Armas Laine. Grigori agreed, and with the identification and some quick lies, Armas managed to dissuade a crew member of the boat from raising an alarm.

As the night dragged on, Armas talked to the children and attempted to comfort them. Eventually it became obvious that the boat was not going anywhere, and thus the blood manipulator encantado Kazadora decided to dramatically reveal via the ship intercom her plan to turn the entire ferry into slaves and food on the magic markets. Armas, against Grigori's advice, attempted to attack her but was wounded, losing his left arm for his trouble before he ever saw Kazadora. Big Crazy likewise suffered a spiritual wound through an attack on his spirit animal.

Grigori teleported the party, children, escalade, and wounded mercenaries all to the safe-haven the children had been fleeing to: the Valkonen family estate, located in a NeverNever demesne. Armas and Big Crazy were both restrained and given medical treatment, while Grigori took his leave.

Thursday, 2nd:

Friday, 3rd:

Saturday, 4th:

Sunday, 5th:

Week 11

Monday, 6th:

Tuesday, 7th: