Page 207 - Chronicles of Darkness

Linchpins disturbance, but that isn’t what’s going on. Michael, a stu-
dent, is horrified by something he’s seen, but he’s not willing
The characters work at the school, but they answer to Edu to talk to you or anyone. There’s got to be a way to get through
Tech. Edu Tech is a national corporation that swoops into to him. Roll Wits + Empathy to find a way to build trust.
bankrupt school districts, takes federal money, and gets the Subterfuge: The meeting with Edu Tech’s HR director
schools running again. They do it by cutting corners and hir- went well enough, but why did she insist on a lawyer being
ing unqualified staff, but the test scores look good, so they’re there? Roll Wits + Subterfuge to get a sense of the relation-
staying profitable. The local branch of Edu Tech, though, ship between them.
has been brought under the God-Machine’s influence, as Eye for the Strange, (p. 44): Maybe one of the characters
mentioned. The Linchpin is their legal staff, a collection of is a student, or a former student. Whatever the reasons, this
three seemingly-human figures. The characters might notice character is also resistant to the lies and illusions of the God-
that these lawyers’ breath seems smoky — it’s not quite as Machine. She’ll sense something wrong, something off, and
opaque as smoke, but their breath has a woody, burnt, and help open the door for the other characters.
not-unpleasant odor. Hobbyist Clique, (p. 51): Schools are great places for
The God-Machine has also sent an angel to receive reports minds to meet. An afterschool club that’s reading horror
from the characters. The angel makes deliveries of school sup- comics to keep off the streets is a step and a hop away from
plies and Edu Tech-approved texts and tests once a week. Its a team of occult researchers at hand. All these kids need is
name (as far as human beings are concerned) is Emil Rubio. a little nudge.
To spur the characters into looking into the occult nature
of the school, Rubio might find it necessary to help things Escalation
along. His attacks on the school itself and its student body
should start out mundane, or at least dismissible. A tragic The characters have moved from simply investigating the
death, apparently by accident, is easy to ignore. Maybe some nature of Wellington to full on protecting the students. They
of the kids are whispering about ghosts, but the characters see may live out their days protecting and training the students
no signs at first. After their first glimpse, maybe they think for war, they may be destroyed by the God-Machine, but in
they’re dealing with ghosts and spirits. But the ghosts seem many ways, there is no escape from Wellington for the faculty
to be made of smoke (and carry the same odor as the lawyers’ once they’ve discovered its secrets. Nowhere else is safe.
breath), and the “haunting” only seems to become intense on This raises the question: What is so special about
days when Rubio makes deliveries. The Storyteller’s goal here Wellington that makes it invisible to the God-Machine? The
is to start the players down a path thinking they’re just deal- answer to that question varies based on what the Storyteller’s
ing with traditional Chronicles of Darkness strangeness, only plans are for the chronicle. Here are three suggestions:
to find that all the strangeness is tied to the God-Machine. The architect of Wellington was a devotee of Marco Singe,
and built the school as an exaltation to the God-Machine.
Methods He got it wrong, though, as the characters can discover when
they find his notes hidden in a compartment in the wall. If
Academics: The investigative reporter planted too many they correct his mistake and grant the God-Machine more
questions in your mind. Could it be true that the teaching power here, what reward might the characters receive? From
methods you’ve been handed are harming these children? Is here, consider running The Moon Window (p. 212) or The
the pedagogy all wrong? Why would they need to be brain- Invisible Citadel (p. 219).
washed instead of educated? Roll Intelligence + Academics Or, maybe Sarah Andrews (see p. 249) is responsible for
to find out more. the God-Machine’s blindness. For whatever reason, she emits
Crafts: You and three children are trapped, cornered by a a psychic frequency that acts like static, and at Wellington,
creature with mirrored eyes and smoky, harsh breath. Looking it become especially powerful. The God-Machine, of course,
around, you realize you’re in the metal shop. Roll Intelligence might respond to this by sending agents to kill Sarah — or
+ Crafts to build a trap to stop the specter. to capture her for further study. The characters might have
Larceny: The truth has been scrubbed from the records to grab her and run, or live with exposing her to the God-
at school. Whatever actually happened here — is happening Machine. From here: Missing Persons (if Sarah disappears
here — isn’t within Wellington. It looks like you’re going to into a portal; p. 210) or Do-Over (if they search for a way to
have to break into Edu Tech headquarters. Roll Dexterity + correct what happened to her; p. 199).
Larceny to start your foray into B&E. For a more cosmic possibility, maybe this isn’t the only
Weaponry: Covered in soot and blood, you stand back blind spot that the God-Machine is experiencing. All over
from the ruins of the playground, your eyes turning to count the world, it is losing its influence and its power. Is this a
the teens. Still seven. Next time you won’t be so lucky. Next good thing? Is it withdrawing from a doomed world? Will
time, they’re going to need to know how to defend them- it grind the Earth into dust trying to correct the problem?
selves. Roll Presence + Weaponry to start training. From here, consider: This is Hell (p. 231) or Sister City (if it
Empathy: They told you these kids were “troubled,” tries to revert to a backup copy; p. 201).
which usually means some kind of emotional or development

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Tales of the God machine