Blood of the Earth - News January 2073

Synopsis of Session 3

The group took a job in Poland to take out a known arms dealer. It paid very well. While there were some initial complications, they were able to tail him when he left his compound to conduct his business. They were able to take on his caravan en route and finish the deed. They were promptly paid and then went to a small town in the middle of nowhere. At first, there was nothing unusual but a lot of teams began showing up, none of which seemed to notice the group until the day the book predicted, after which all hell broke loose. The group went down into a well and found a book of darkness, which they took with them back to the states.

Stuff happening in the world - January 2073

The number of cyber psychosis cases has gone up world wide. So far, it is primarily those who are extremely heavily cybered but it appears that the 'threshold' for the essence point that is considered 'human' is slowly going down. Scientists are baffled as to what may be causing the phenomena. This is not instant death but rather random fits of madness at times of extreme stress.

A New Great Mandarin has been chosen. The gangs of China have stood down and the chaos that was reining during their war has slowly ended. This was not in time to stop the new magically active volcano near the three Gorges from erupting, covering the entire area in molten lava and ash.

Two major factions are now fighting in Tir Taingaire, at the same time while incursions at their borders are taking place with the Salish and the Ute Nation. The city of Portland was saved from a massive battle at the last minute by intervention by the local corporations appealing to the two factions to move their fighting elsewhere. Saeder Krupp is now openly backing one of the two factions and supplying them with a wide variety of weaponry. Corp Employees have overrun the royal palace and are beginning to make their presence known throughout the area. However, this has been countered by an alliance between Tir Na Og and Tir Taingaire. They engaged in a powerful magical assault with some of the largesst spirits ever seen to manifest. The background count of the entire region has gone up slightly.

Open warfare has broken out between Aztechnology and the California Freestate. The California Freestate is losing. Badly.

Concern over another VITAS plague has caused a huge number of nations and corporations to donate as many people as they could spare. The result has been what promises to be a successful vaccine, eliminating all concern that it will break out in the Amazonia region.

The Great Dragon Hephaustus has killed the swarm of locusts in South Africa. The locals are extremely pleased and praised his actions.

*Explorers inadvertently set off a discarded nuclear weapon in Micronesia, causing a radioactive cloud to appear over the area. It is unknown where it will spread. People are concerned.

*There is a major ghoul infestation in Australia. Their numbers are increasing rapidly, and no one is sure why. People are concerned.

*A magical rift has opened up near the city of Birmingham Alabama. Scientists are studying it. An unknown corporation has bought up all of the land around the area.

*Scientists have discovered a new source of Orriculcum in Pakistan. A large number of private individuals are heading toward the area to begin mining it.

There is a major gang war in Poland right now due to the loss of a local arms dealer. Several corporations are expanding their territory as a result. Armed conflict has also broken out again between both Polish Factions and it is believed that the Russians may be sending in a major arms shipment soon.

Someone had indeed stolen the journal of one of the original journals in the Great Ghost Dance. He was last seen wandering around in the border lands between Salish Sidhe and Tir Taingaire, however he was intercepted by unknown assailants.

Lone Star continues penetrating deep into the shadows in Seattle. Life is becoming very hard for the runners there, thought the best can still find work if they work at it hard enough. No one has discovered much about the chaos that occurred a month ago however.

The Aztechnies have something new. Something powerful that lets them avoid being traced as easily with magic. This has been independently confirmed by several sources and it is slowly turning the balance of power with several of their more magical neighboors. They are winning the war in the Yucatan and tensions with Amazonia are increasing.

Rumor

Renraku has restarted the Seatle Archology research and testing in a new base in Samoa.

A new great hive has been established in Amazonia.

The Vory have started distributing a new drug that temporarily gives one access to the astral plane.

A number of European nations are in discussions about strengthening the EU.

A fungus has been discovered which makes life in outer space significantly easier by generating oxygen at a remarkably low rate.

Powerful Elven sorcerers from the Irish Tir na Noq have arrived in Tir Taimgiere.  A new treaty between the two Tirs have ended old fueds in the face of anti-elven attacks. 

Visitors from the Native American nations to Tir Tamgiere have begun to undergo more screening that in the past, and licenses for previously possible equipment are not supported as much for the non-elven.

The royal family of Tir Taingaire have all been made blood sacrifices.

Very large air/sky spirits have been seen working in conjuction with UCAS military train manuvers in Seattle.  Similar large water spirits in the harbor have many convinced the UCAS has considerable underwater assets nearby as well.

Evo is developing a line of cheap, biodroid bodies that will allow AI's to interact with and pretend to be human with relatively low cost.

The Vitas IV-like outbreake in Caracus is an Azlan test of a blood magic enhanced weapon, and one more provocation from Azlan to Amazonia.

A titanic shedim has been spotted beneath the London Sewers.

UCAS and California Free State are negotiating California's return to UCAS.

The CAS and the UCAS are also talking about a merger.

The number of Wyrms are on the rise and significantly increasing.

Status and Stuff:
Dennis: 0 Stored DP
Anarch: 3 Stored DP
Brooks: 7 Stored DP
James: 9 Stored DP

Group Edge: 0. Cost to Increase: 5 DP

Accelerated Karma: 2 Per Session. Cost to Increase: 15 DP

Darkness Index: 2.2/4 (Effect/Countdown)

Magic Index: 2

Tech Index: 1

Group Assets: $10,000 Vehicle Harbor in Seattle
GMC Bulldog step van with $15000 in improvements including Chameleon Coating, Shielded Components and A Hard Point.
Base outside of Atlanta. This is a major facility, stealthed and quite nice.  It has repair gear and a moderate medical bay. Has a Virtual Programming Environment
Corporate Patronage: Renraku – Level 1. By spending 1 DTP the group can pay up to 100,000 NY to get up to 1 Avail 16 item per character. This represents using the Book of Life to benefit Renraku.

A E D G T F S

+1 +1 +4 +2 +2 0 +3

The book informs the group that the next 'location of significance' on January 9th, 2072 will be Mexico City.

Starting Character: 415 BP.