conversations.from: system
conversations.value: A band of petty crooks has been scrabbling for a living in the hard, cold streets, struggling with rival groups and cops as they try to make a name for themselves without attracting the wrong kind of attention.
  
  That's all about to change.
  
  They've just been contacted by a wealthy client who has an important job for them...an item he wants them to steal. He promises riches, fame, and future security.
  
  They may find all that...but in the process, they will become embroiled in a struggle that has lasted for centuries, dealing with powers far greater than themselves.
  
  They will fight to survive...but it may yet end in fire.
  
  ----
  
  This is a game of mystery and crime set in modern times. The world, so far as you have always known, is pretty much our world...but there is something more in the shadows.
  
  There will be elements of fantasy in this game, but the player characters are all regular humans caught in the middle of something big. You can certainly be capable and/or dangerous characters and will have the chance to demonstrate those elements, but you will nevertheless not be fully suited to the task before you. Characters may gain access to mystical artifacts or spell scrolls or such over the course of the game, but do not start with them and do not start with or gain inner mystical power.
  
  I ask that you design characters who will willingly investigate events that seem above their level and keep going despite hardship.
  
  ----
  
  Player characters are members of a small-time criminal band--more than a street gang, less than a crime family. They've established a sense of brotherhood among themselves, and have a variety of members.
  
  I'd like us to aim for a group that is criminal but not psychopathic. The group may be willing to use violence to accomplish its goals, but these aren't serial killers or casual murderers, nor do they engage in particularly deranged crimes (rape, etc.). These are criminals that are "bad guys" but still have an element that can let readers root for them and feel sympathy for them.
  
  This story will contain violence but will not contain sexual situations.
  
  ----
  
  Please feel free to create your own cards, but please obey the limitations above.
  
  For strengths/weaknesses, I prefer that the initial ones for a character be pretty wide in scope, so players can be sure to be able to apply them to tasks that come up. 
  
  My philosophy on challenges is that they are all intended to come to a result, one way or another, so there should never be a time when no one has enough cards to play to complete one.
  
  **Please Note: If a player leaves a game my intent is to keep their character around as an NPC to maintain character stories as best we can. If you would prefer your character die, get arrested, or otherwise leave the story please talk to me if it comes to that and I will work with you to do what is best for the story and for you.**
  
  I am aiming for 4-6 characters, but will run with less than 4 if it seems like it will work.
  
  ----
  
  *Interested in my Narration style?* For info, see: https://sites.google.com/site/storiummatjaza/narration-style
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: These are your early nights as a vampire. Eternity sprawls before you. Lust steams within.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Alluring
  
  Suggested Weakness: Naïve
conversations.prefix: Novice Vampire:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Many lifetimes lay fading behind you in the dark. Every night’s another risk that it all ends... at last.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Wise
  
  Suggested Weakness: Heartbroken
conversations.prefix: Ancient Vampire:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’re just learning what it’s like to be a lycanthrope: terrible power and great torture.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Agile
  
  Suggested Weakness: Angry
conversations.prefix: Young Werewolf:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’ve survived as a werewolf long enough to know the life’s mix of passion and guilt.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Tough
  
  Suggested Weakness: Guilty
conversations.prefix: Aged Werewolf:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Death, it turns out, offers no escape from this world when you don’t know how to let go.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Witty
  
  Suggested Weakness: Ephemeral
conversations.prefix: New Ghost:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’ve now been dead longer than you were alive. You’re getting pretty good at it, sadly.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Perceptive
  
  Suggested Weakness: Stubborn
conversations.prefix: Old Ghost:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Meddling with magic felt rebellious at first but now you see it’s a lot like school, except deadly.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Educated
  
  Suggested Weakness: Crass
conversations.prefix: Green Wizard:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’ve been a practicing wizard for many years now and you still wonder if the money’s worth the trouble.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Wise
  
  Suggested Weakness: Doubting
conversations.prefix: Practicing Wizard:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Strange and dreadful things tread the world. You do business with the bad to hunt down the worst.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Strong
  
  Suggested Weakness: Naïve
conversations.prefix: Rookie Monster-Hunter:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: If there was any way to quit this job, you might take it, but the only way to avoid being hunted... is to hunt.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Stealthy
  
  Suggested Weakness: Obsessed
conversations.prefix: Veteran Monster-Hunter:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’re physically strong and probably look it, whether you’re lean or built.
conversations.prefix: Strong:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’re quick and nimble, capable of moving swiftly and performing feats of dexterity and agility.
conversations.prefix: Agile:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’re perceptive, perhaps from years of watching and observing. Nothing gets past you.
conversations.prefix: Perceptive:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your hardy body has seen a lot of pain and you’re still here to suck up more.
conversations.prefix: Tough:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You have a brilliance that comes from experience and intuition more than study or memory.
conversations.prefix: Wise:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: With that smile, backed up by your silver tongue, it’s hard not to like you.
conversations.prefix: Charming:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your mouth is sometimes quicker than your mind but you’re a master of making that work for you.
conversations.prefix: Witty:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're the knowledgeable sort, with a good education that makes you familiar with a variety of concepts.
conversations.prefix: Educated:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You don’t have to say anything. It’s in that smile, in the way you move. It’s almost hypnotic.
conversations.prefix: Alluring:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Subtle and sneaky. People don’t often notice you until you want to be noticed.
conversations.prefix: Stealthy:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’re blunt, rude, or even gross sometimes. Maybe you don’t care what others think, maybe you don’t know better.
conversations.prefix: Crass:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your abilities are sometimes diminished and dampened by your greatest enemy: yourself.
conversations.prefix: Doubting:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your blood sears your veins and when you lose control, you lash out.
conversations.prefix: Angry:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You can only act on the physical world when you concentrate; otherwise you’re just an image and a voice.
conversations.prefix: Ephemeral:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You think you know how things work. You think people are basically good. You’re wrong.
conversations.prefix: Naïve:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Something you did gnaws at your heart and screams nightmares at you when you sleep. It’s holding you back.
conversations.prefix: Guilty:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Are you sure you’re right or are you just unwilling to admit when you’re wrong? Either way: stubborn.
conversations.prefix: Stubborn:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’ve come too far, done too much, worked too hard to put up with this shit from people like this.
conversations.prefix: Proud:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: When you get an idea, a mission, or a fear in your mind, you can’t just let it go.
conversations.prefix: Obsessed:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Someone broke your heart and you’re not willing to heal, not yet, because the pain’s what you have left.
conversations.prefix: Heartbroken:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Love leaves you open to pain. The only thing worse than keeping it inside is being rejected. Will you take that chance?
conversations.prefix: Reveal Your Love:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Living alone is hardly living. You need allies to watch your back. You need friends to fight for.
conversations.prefix: Something Worth Having:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Even if you think you don’t know anything good, act like you do. Secrets are why they keep you alive.
conversations.prefix: Air of Secrets:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: It’s not love, it’s infatuation. It’ll go away. It’ll go away because it’s not love, it’s infatuation.
conversations.prefix: Deny Your Love:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Don’t let the worst of you take over. Don’t become a monster. Be better than those monsters.
conversations.prefix: Be Humane:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Don’t let your weakness hold you back. Don’t let humanity slow you down. The monster is powerful.
conversations.prefix: Be the Monster:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’ll never know safety until you know power, territory, control over others. It’s the way of the world.
conversations.prefix: Achieve Power:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Control is its own reward. You deserve it. They deny you out of fear, out of jealousy. Don’t stand for that.
conversations.prefix: Achieve Control:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your heart bears a wound that might heal if you could only stop meddling with the scars.
conversations.prefix: Heal the Hurt:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: They’ll keep hurting people until they know — really know — what it’s like to be hurt themselves.
conversations.prefix: Spread the Hurt:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What’s the secret behind the photo of Hank Farrow, ancestor of the Farrow hunter family?
conversations.prefix: The Secret of Hank Farrow:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Victor Castle’s keys aren’t where they belong. Get them for yourself or return them to him. They’re worth a favor.
conversations.prefix: Get Victor’s Keys:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The vampire enforcer, Brickhand, has a secret mission. What is it? Who is he out to hurt?
conversations.prefix: Brickhand’s Mission:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Damned Diary, in Alistair’s possession, seems to say you did something bad. Does the diary lie?
conversations.prefix: Does the Diary Lie?:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The mortal, Brian Becker, is missing -- maybe dead -- and Delia Becker’s paying handsomely to know what happened.
conversations.prefix: Brian Becker Is Missing:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Just what spells has Brigid been casting for mortals around town? Is she someone’s scapegoat?
conversations.prefix: Investigating Brigid:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Syrupy, hot, metallic — drink it in.
conversations.prefix: Get Blood:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The P.I., Edgar Crease, knows things it would be good to know.
conversations.prefix: See Edgar’s Files:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Bring down the rampaging werewolf in a way that doesn’t get you killed — by it or its old friends.
conversations.prefix: Rampage:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Who left a vampire chained up beneath the city? Why? What are you going to do about it?
conversations.prefix: Dead In Chains:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Shiny and sharp.
conversations.prefix: Straight-razor:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The so-called Damned Diary captures thirteen confessions a year, out of the air, and records them in old script.
conversations.prefix: The Damned Diary:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: With these magic words you can name a target and conjure a spying eye in their presence. Hope they don’t notice.
conversations.prefix: Magic Words: Scrying:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: These magic words turn any circular portal (like a manhole) into a passage for a ghost or spirit you invoke.
conversations.prefix: Magic Words: Summoning:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A warm vial of wizard blood. A drink of it either gets a vampire high or gives her magic powers. Depends who you ask.
conversations.prefix: Wizard Blood:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Big, blunt bullets, wrought in silver. You know what they’re for.
conversations.prefix: Silver Bullets:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Angular, sharpened, and ready for work.
conversations.prefix: Wooden Stake:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Someone thinks this machete is magical -- that it stops bullets. Maybe they’re right.
conversations.prefix: Machete Etched with Alchemical Symbols:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Victor Castle’s favorite bike’s spare keys. Are these where they belong?
conversations.prefix: Keys to Victor’s Hog:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A photo of youngsters in love, circa 1940. Written on the back it says “Hank Farrow and Edith.”
conversations.prefix: A Photo of Young Lovers:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Blood Red is a cheap, moldy old club deep in a part of town rotten with vampires and ghosts.
conversations.prefix: The Blood Red Club:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This hot new club opened near Rathbone & Highland and caters to the living -- all the living. It won’t last long.
conversations.prefix: Petite Mort:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This dangerous intersection marks the point where werewolf and vampire turf touch -- and have for fifty years.
conversations.prefix: Rathbone and Highland:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Young werewolves grow up here and pretty much everyone knows it.
conversations.prefix: Highland Ave Trailer Park:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Ghosts guard the graves of vampires, sleeping off the centuries, in this old Victorian cemetery. Dangerous place.
conversations.prefix: Edgebrook Garden Cemetery:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The New Sussex Tower is a gothic skyscraper capped with swooping buttresses where vampires dance.
conversations.prefix: Atop the New Sussex Tower:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Dank and rotten, this scary stop is a favorite dead-drop and graffiti spot for modern monster hunters.
conversations.prefix: Crawford Street Subway Stop:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: In the old foundations of the city, deeper than parts of the subway, is an old private wizard’s club.
conversations.prefix: Deep Underneath Miller’s Pub:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Like a dead part of the city, haunted by ghosts straining to hold onto the world with both hands. Don’t go alone.
conversations.prefix: Grove Ave Rowhouses:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Victor Castle’s domain. Here he holds court for visiting werewolves and passes judgment on crimes in his turf.
conversations.prefix: The Junkyard:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’re being followed by echoes of the dead. They’ll watch where you go and they’ll remember. Get rid of them.
conversations.prefix: Shed the Ghosts:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The crowd’s getting surly, angry. Show them their place or slip out before things get ugly.
conversations.prefix: Throng:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The Highland Ave trailer park is trapped with tripwires and alarm bells. Get around them if you can.
conversations.prefix: Ramshackle Traps:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Poltergeists don’t just crack headstones and throw rocks. They bend flesh and break bones.
conversations.prefix: Angry Ghosts:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you dare take the escape route they don’t think you’re brave enough to try?
conversations.prefix: Rooftop Escape:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Try to breathe like a normal person, like the living, like you belong in this crowd.
conversations.prefix: Blend In:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Can you dodge the surveillance of a wizard’s ward? Is that even possible?
conversations.prefix: The Evil Eye:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This part of town’s a warren of rotten allies and broken blacktop. Watch your step.
conversations.prefix: A Chase Down Dead Streets:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The whole block’s on fire. The populace burns hot, flipping cars. They’d grab pitchforks if they could find them.
conversations.prefix: Fires:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: They say Castle’s hounds come from Hell itself. They see things. They’re smart. Don’t piss them off.
conversations.prefix: Junkyard Dogs:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Biker, heartbreaker, werewolf. Victor rules from the Junkyard he owns. He might be the oldest werewolf in the city.
conversations.prefix: Victor Castle:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: An unpopular but skilled wizard, Brigid is on the outs for selling spells to customers not vetted by the Conclave.
conversations.prefix: Brigid Douglas:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Alistair’s a new name, just a century or so old. This vampire’s old; they say he knew Emperor Nero, back when.
conversations.prefix: Alistair Wright-Smith:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This guy’s an enforcer for Alistair. Devoted, maybe in love with him. Huge dude, takes no shit.
conversations.prefix: Brickhand:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: 300 pounds of angry muscle in a speedy panic. No way it doesn’t kill someone.
conversations.prefix: One High Werewolf:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Supposedly Edgar washed out of wizard school and now works cases for monsters to pay the rent.
conversations.prefix: Edgar Crease, Private Detective:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This young mortal woman is looking to sic a monster or some magic on her problems. Who will help her?
conversations.prefix: Delia Becker:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bone-thin and starved nearly to dust. Crazed from years of isolation chained up in a basement. Who did this?
conversations.prefix: Starved Vampire:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The Farrows were a famous hunting family in town in the 1970s. Jean’s the toughest of a new generation.
conversations.prefix: Jean Farrow:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Officially he’s the wizard in charge of the county, feared by all. Secretly? They say he’s a dragon -- an actual dragon.
conversations.prefix: The Drake:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You know things that ordinary folk don’t know, be it magic or science, and that gives you power.
conversations.prefix: Educated:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’re quick and nimble, perhaps superhumanly so, whether you look it or not.
conversations.prefix: Agile:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're not really a *member* of the group, per se, they just can't get rid of you. Young and adventurous, you're just a kid or young teen that looks up to the others and wants to be like them. Still...you never know when you might turn out to be useful.
conversations.prefix: Urchin:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're the tough guy, the street fighter or brawler...the one the group turns to when things need a good punching.
conversations.prefix: Thug:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: "What's mine is yours" never made sense to you. "What's yours is mine" is more your speed. You're an expert at taking what you want, when you want it, and dealing with obstacles in your way.
conversations.prefix: Thief:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're the man with the plan, or rather, plans. There seems to be one for every letter of the alphabet, and you're the one the group tends to look to for decisions on whether to start at A or Z.
conversations.prefix: Planner:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're that guy--the one people trust or get along with, the one that talks people into doing things they shouldn't...and leaves them none the wiser about the manipulation.
conversations.prefix: Face:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sometimes crimes involve getting information out of people...but sometimes, you've got to deal with machines. That's when they bring you in.
conversations.prefix: Hacker:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Old tunnels underneath the city.
conversations.prefix: Tunnels:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This quiet area of the city houses a few small business and the bar that serves as your current base of operations.
conversations.prefix: Mirror and Clover:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The straps holding Rory to the table are no problem. The strange symbols that surround him...those might be more trouble.
conversations.prefix: Mystic Bonds:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A thin old man with a long, long beard. He walks bent over with the aid of a staff. Owner of this house and the pendant you were sent to...acquire.
conversations.prefix: Itzal Baines:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A cheerful old man, if a bit of a space cadet. Presently your boss.
  
  Surely he has to have some information about the target that could be useful...
conversations.prefix: Alvis Douglas:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This castle-like old mansion is the home of Itzal Baines, current owner of the pendant you were contracted to "acquire."
conversations.prefix: Weyerhaeuser Manor:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A young redheaded boy. Is he involved?
conversations.prefix: Boy:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A resourceful little lad who seems to have ended up mixed up in something big.
conversations.prefix: Rory:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A cheerful old man, if a bit of a space cadet. Your boss, currently.
conversations.prefix: Alvis Douglas:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A cheerful old man, if a bit of a space cadet. Your client...who just *may* have hidden something that just *may* have almost gotten you killed.
conversations.prefix: Alvis Douglas:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A thin old man with a long, long beard. He walks bent over with the aid of a staff. He also casts lightning bolts into people's faces with that same staff. He's a wizard, after all. And he's quite irritated, with "quite irritated" translating to "in a murderous rage." Do try to live, won't you?
conversations.prefix: Itzal Baines:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: It took a little work to keep Alvis focused, but you eventually dragged a bit of useful information about Baines' alarms and guards. Maybe it'll help you evade them.
conversations.prefix: Baines' Security Information:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The pay is great...but do you want the job?
conversations.prefix: Make a choice.:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A piece of floorboard that bears an unnatural uniform discoloration. The full piece bore the discoloration in a perfect circle. Maybe it will come in handy eventually.
conversations.prefix: Flooring Sample:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Dougal's Meadow is a thriving (and rather seedy) city with a massive industrial area and...not much nature at all. Which makes the name rather ironic.
conversations.prefix: Dougal's Meadow:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You've learned a bit about Baines from your client, but it's probably a good idea to take a look at his home yourself...just to be sure there's no nasty surprises when you break in, and perhaps to figure out just where Baines might keep a valuable item.
conversations.prefix: Observing the Manor:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Baines' manor is actually rather large, considering how frequently the man appears and disappears. It's a historical home...maybe you can get some old plans or design records so you'll be able to find your way around.
conversations.prefix: Acquire Blueprints:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Seems like the history between Itzal Baines and Alvis Douglas is at the heart of all this. If you don't find out more now, you'll probably regret it later.
conversations.prefix: Investigate Baines and Douglas:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Preparations are complete. Things are a little strange, but you've got what you need. It's time to get in and get the goods.
conversations.prefix: The Pendant Job:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A gold pendant in the design of a chained dragon. No matter the temperature around, it always feels hot...
conversations.prefix: Dragon Pendant:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Historical records related to the layout of Weyerhaeuser Manor. They may not be current, but they might still come in handy.
conversations.prefix: Weyerhaeuser Blueprints:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Walking around near Baines' house, you discovered the place seemed unnaturally cold. You aren't sure what that might mean, but you feel like you ought to be ready for something...
conversations.prefix: Something's Strange...:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Baines and Douglas loved the same woman, Sylvia or perhaps Sophia. From all reports, they both still carry a torch for her. If you get wrapped up in this any further, maybe this information can help get you back out.
conversations.prefix: An Old Flame:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The manor is ablaze--you've got what you came for, but now you have to get out alive!
conversations.prefix: Fire!:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This castle-like old manor was a historical relic and treasure of Dougal's Meadow. Emphasis on *was*. Now...it's kindling.
conversations.prefix: Weyerhaeuser Ablaze:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A part of the city that's handy for meeting to deliver items. Busy enough to hide in, but not so busy you can't see people coming. Plenty of escape routes. At least...that's how it seems.
conversations.prefix: Hapatish and Lasadan:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Someone is watching the meet...you feel their gaze upon you, but you can't quite place where it is coming from...can you find it?
conversations.prefix: Being Watched:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bleys is an ex-spy, skilled in stealth, assassination, and manipulation. Good thing he's on your side.
  
  *Bleys may be removed from the party's control, requiring this asset to be dropped, depending on events of the story.*
conversations.prefix: Bleys:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rough, tough, and gruff, Benjie is a scrappy fighter. He may not have much in the way of grace, but he hits hard, and sometimes that's just what you need.
  
  *Benjie may be removed from the party's control, requiring this asset to be dropped, depending on events of the story.*
conversations.prefix: Benjie:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A young boy who just had a run-in with one of Baines' men. His shirt seems to match the design of the cloth Agnus saw. Could he have been watching the meet?
conversations.prefix: The Kid (Optional):
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Baines' servants and, apparently, hitmen...they're garbed in suits, armed with swords, and can take a heck of a beating. Fortunately, they're also pretty slow.
conversations.prefix: The "Husks":
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A piece of a pale blue shirt with a faint pattern of lines on it. On the *inside*, you can see about half of some kind of symbol, drawn in thin lines of what looks like black paint. Small bits of ink to the sides suggest more symbols are on the rest of the shirt. There's also a bit of Pat Murphy's vomit on it.
conversations.prefix: Piece of a T-Shirt:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Texts that Liang received during the events at the cafe. Agnus sent over a few pictures and a message. For details, see https://docs.google.com/document/d/16pYcx4BWMXZ-0vr1IvlFsecAuSqZYIseD2pBSGCy-Ms/edit?usp=sharing
conversations.prefix: Agnus' Texts:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A very quiet part of town with a number of senior centers and businesses frequented by retirees. And bingo games. Lots and lots of bingo games.
conversations.prefix: Moon and Hermit:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The pendant is one of the biggest mysteries you've encountered. It is becoming increasingly clear that it isn't just some piece of old jewelry. But...what is it?
conversations.prefix: (Liang) Examine the pendant:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You know people are looking for you: keep an eye out and see if anyone shows up.
conversations.prefix: (George) Keep Watch:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: When you tried to catch that kid before, you ended up with a small torn piece of his t-shirt. On the inside, there's half of a symbol of some kind. Now, for some reason, that half-symbol is glowing a soft orange color.
conversations.prefix: (Pat) Damaged Symbol:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A small wooden block painted with odd symbols in black, with one in dull red. A note was tied to it: "Block with this."
conversations.prefix: Wooden Block:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You've been affected by a damaged magical symbol. Incomplete, it had adverse effects instead of whatever it was made for. This card is still neutral, but when you play it, show some negative magical effect happening to you. Effects can be random, and should lean more towards "inconvenient" rather than "devastating."
conversations.prefix: Damaged Enchantment:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This old library doesn't see a lot of use, and many of its shelves are dusty. The computers may be from the 1990s...or earlier. But, everything still works (mostly), and the books are in good condition.
conversations.prefix: Meadow Public Library:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Agnus is a skilled pickpocket who is quite good at moving unnoticed and avoiding suspicion. These things are...a little much for her, but she owes the group her life (even if it being in danger in the first place was kind of their fault too). She's not going the whole way with them, but she can help out if called.
conversations.prefix: Agnus:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Okay, it might be a cave, but it still looks to be a library of sorts. Maybe you can find some information about the pendant, or *something*. But be careful--this place could be dangerous.
conversations.prefix: Research:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A runic puzzle stands between you and the book that should explain at least *some* of this mess. Hopefully you can figure out how to solve it...safely.
conversations.prefix: Runes, runes, and more runes:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A strange ancient cavern, filled with books, scrolls, and various (probably magical) trinkets from across the ages. Also filled with magical runes which could be quite hazardous to one's health.
conversations.prefix: Strange Cavern:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Where are you? Where are the others? What the hell is going on?
conversations.prefix: The Fog:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Make your way through the fog...what do you see along the way? It seems like your whole life is within this strange mist, and even your own form reshapes itself to suit the times that pass by...
conversations.prefix: The Fog:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The question has been asked, and your soul shall answer. How does it reveal itself? What does the Ghost Dragon think of you? And what gift do you receive?
conversations.prefix: Can I Trust You?:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The question has been asked. Your soul answers. What does it say about you? What is the truth it tells to the eyes of fire? The Ghost Dragon answers...what does he think of you, and what gift do you receive?
conversations.prefix: Can I Trust You?:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A silver band around your arm, shaped like a dragon's tail--a sign of the guilt you still hold. And a sign of that of others. Hold it forth, and they will see...their worst deeds, their greatest failures...it will all be new again.
  
  *(This item is a gift from the Ghost Dragon. Should the group end up opposing him, this card **cannot** be used in challenges facing him.)*
conversations.prefix: A Sign of Guilt:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A little pendant, a memory of long ago, when there was someone who cared for you. You protected her--and now, it has power to protect *you*, shielding you from harm.
  
  (This item is a gift from the Ghost Dragon. Should the group end up opposing him, this card **cannot** be used in challenges facing him.)
conversations.prefix: A Memento of Care:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A cane, which once belonged to someone else...a person with an interest in molding you to suit her wishes. It lets her aid you now...or perhaps, to turn against you should you go another way.
  
  *(This is **not** a gift from the Ghost Dragon. Should the characters end up opposing him, this item **can** be used in challenges facing him. Should it be willing, of course.)*
conversations.prefix: Liang: A Token of Wisdom:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A pair of brass knucks, like any other...but when you really need it, close your eyes and take a swing. Whatever is in your way, it won't be in your way anymore.
  
  *(This card represents an item that works for Benjie. You do **not** have to play his card to play it. This item is a gift from the Ghost Dragon. Should the group end up opposing him, this card **cannot** be used in challenges facing him.)*
conversations.prefix: Benjie: A Symbol of Strength:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A simple playing card, the Queen of Hearts. Show it, and for a short time others will think of you as someone they are close to, until you leave their sight or shatter their image by your actions.
  
  *(This card represents an item that works for Bleys. You do **not** have to play his card to play it. This item is a gift from the Ghost Dragon. Should the group end up opposing him, this card **cannot** be used in challenges facing him.)*
conversations.prefix: Bleys: A Keepsake of Love:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: First things first. The red-haired boy was captured somewhere, from what the letters of light told you. You need to find a trail that could lead you to where he was taken.
conversations.prefix: Find the Trail:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: An old meat-packing plant, supposedly abandoned. Filled with grime, rust, old stains, and misery. Poorly lit. But the power is still on...which is rather suspicious, wouldn't you say?
conversations.prefix: "Abandoned" Plant:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You've found the place you needed to find. Now it's time to get inside.
conversations.prefix: Break and Enter:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: One of the man in the duster's accomplices, this guard bears a single line tattoo under one eye that seems to be glowing cool blue. The tattoo is the rune Isa, for ice. Guess what he creates.
conversations.prefix: Ice Mage Guard:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: More than your average tough, this man has been enhanced by runic magic, able to take and dish out damage well above what humans are normally capable of.
conversations.prefix: The Muscle:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The street is breaking open, spurred by a supernaturally-powerful punch delivered with all the strength the bruiser could muster. It dealt with him, but if you aren't careful, it might deal with you too!
conversations.prefix: Shattering Street:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: One mistake was all it took to ruin your entire life, leaving you bitter and prone to self-destructive behavior.
conversations.prefix: Ruined:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You know that something strange happened to Oxana and you won't rest until you figure out what it was.
conversations.prefix: Figure it out.:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You take things slowly and carefully, and you always keep the goal in mind, even if it seems far away.
conversations.prefix: Patient:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your personality and various bad habits make others completely ignore your input, leaving you to hang in the wind by yourself.
conversations.prefix: Rejected:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You spent some time digging through the internet or old records to find out useful information that you can now use.
conversations.prefix: Research:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A lifetime of operating on the fringes has allowed an accumulation of gray market materials and equipment and every so often, put it to the test.
conversations.prefix: Got the Goods:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A burglar who respects his art always takes his time before taking anything else.
  
  -- O. Henry, "Makes the Whole World Kin"
conversations.prefix: Breaking & Entering:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Having dangerous people after you changes a person, making them less confident, more cautious and a lot more likely to jump at shadows.
  
  Especially if the shadows move.
conversations.prefix: Fear:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: With a lifestyle as a thug, getting out of tight spots has become a second profession.
conversations.prefix: Fast extrication:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Not very big, not very strong.
conversations.prefix: Physically Small:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: It is possible to become so hyper-vigilant and convinced of one outcome that the evidence of other activity is missed entirely.
conversations.prefix: Tunnel Vision:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You can't resist poking into things that aren't your business.  Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it does not.
conversations.prefix: Nosy:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Most people don't realize that you used to be quite the hellion in your day. Its a skill that only comes out when truly needed.
conversations.prefix: Aged Fighter:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Pat's not a fighter but he's also not about to back down when the fight comes to him.
conversations.prefix: Not Going to Back Down:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: It's time to step up and take point even if it also means taking one for the team
conversations.prefix: Unto the breach:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What happens when the very nature of reality changes?  Do you come to accept it?  Deny what you are experiencing?  Go mad?
conversations.prefix: Through the Looking Glass:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: There's got to be more to life than survival as sole purpose. It would be good to find something worthwhile to live and possibly die for.
conversations.prefix: Find Meaning:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: As part of formal training and practical use, under fire at times a certain amount of pathfinding skills have been developed.
conversations.prefix: Trailcraft:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A sudden and pervasive recollection of an identical circumstance, exact down to every detail. "I've seen this somewhere before".
conversations.prefix: Random Recall:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: These apartments have seen much better days. No one lives here now--no one but rats and roaches, anyway. Doors are broken or missing, windows the same, and the floor threatens to give way under your feet.
conversations.prefix: Condemned Apartments:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You've been attacked by someone who moves so fast you can barely even catch *sight* of her. She's trying to take the kid!
conversations.prefix: A High-Speed Assault:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The alleys here are maze-like, lined by old buildings and abandoned shops and housing. Garbage, both in and out of designated containers, is pretty common. This isn't the nice part of town.
conversations.prefix: Alleyways:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The woman with super-speed has Rory! She was hurt in the process, though...you've tracked her to an abandoned apartment building. Now you just have to get her cornered...
conversations.prefix: Corner the Speedster!:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A skilled planner with technological and even some mystic knowledge, Liang is a good resource should the group need to plot a way through a variety of situations.
conversations.prefix: Liang:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Bleys evidently knows this woman, and doesn't want to hurt her...but she shows no sign of any similar knowledge or compassion. They struggle over the gun...
conversations.prefix: Oxana:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: At long last, Bleys has found his lost love, Oxana, but she is confused, lost among fragmented memories. Can he help her recover?
  (Bleys: A Keepsake of Love or Bleys count as Strong for this challenge)
conversations.prefix: Oxana and Bleys:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The boy who, for now, goes by Rory may be something quite a bit more powerful...but for now, he needs your help badly. Can you remove the enchantment draining his strength?
conversations.prefix: Poor Little Rory:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Alvis hired you to get the pendant as part of his ongoing feud with Itzal Baines...he seems more affable than the others, but is there some way you can get him on your side, or at least pointed away from you?
conversations.prefix: Plan: Alvis Douglas:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Itzal Baines wants two things: his pendant, and your deaths. Negotiation doesn't seem to be an option...how can you get him focused on something else?
conversations.prefix: Plan: Itzal Baines:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The man Rory unceremoniously named "Dusty" would very much like to recapture the boy and probably doesn't bear any fond feelings for you. Can you find a way to point him at one of the other wizards?
conversations.prefix: Plan: "Dusty":
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Everything is in place--everything but the last plan to stop Alvis. Somewhere in his home must be more information about his old flame. Can you find it before things progress too far?
conversations.prefix: Prepping the Finale:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A cheerful old man, if a bit of a space cadet. He's also a powerful wizard, which matters a little more at the moment.
conversations.prefix: Alvis Douglas:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The shadowy figure stands revealed at last. His plans are shattered, but he is still a threat--can you best him?
conversations.prefix: "Dusty":
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A gated community, peaceful and quiet. Home to Sophia Powers, the love of Alvis Douglas' life.
conversations.prefix: Peaceful Pines:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The home of the ancient dragon Shanvhorashneroth, currently going by "Rory." Filled with magical trinkets, scrolls, tomes, and a load of runes to protect the whole place.
conversations.prefix: Rory's Cavern:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: What happens with the pendant? Do you give it back?
conversations.prefix: The Pendant:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Anything can be a used as a tool ... or a weapon.
conversations.prefix: Resourceful:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Tagging is a kind of artistic expression, right?
conversations.prefix: Artistic:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Not a professional but Pat is a skilled amateur electrician based on experience disabling alarms and surveillance equipment.
conversations.prefix: Electrician:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild: