The Body Politic - Session Notes by Jay

[Uthoroc]

Operation 1: The Antwerp Bombing

Session 1:

12th July
Pavel Kodac, ex UN Blue Beret field medic, has organised a group of burned operatives who have been exposed to some supernatural truth. Along with Marcus Whitby, an abandoned field asset from MI6, they are based in rooms in Brussels where Michael Challenor, recently fired from ENISA, has set up software tracking of a number of datastreams they think may be connected to the conspiracy. Multiple financial trackers raised attention when significant short positions appeared overnight in Antwerp based logistics, shipping and freight businesses, as well as European transport insurance firms. Further financial investigation revealed smaller long positions in Rotterdam, mostly invested in the conglomerate VHL Group. This, combined with Pavel’s longstanding suspicion that medical waste anomalies covering human trafficking has been going on in Rotterdam port led them to investigate VHL Group further.

The team travelled to Rotterdam, where they met up with Atticus Caine, a freelance wet-worker whose Commando Recce Group was slaughtered by something unexplainable. They soon head out to Rotterdam port where they have located a particular unloading site owned by a VHL company with anomalous and regular shipment drops which they stake out. They infiltrate the port, and manage to plug into their closed network to view shipping manifests, but bail when they think they have been made, with their vans plates being recorded by a woman who looked like private security. Viewing her with an IR drone showed that she had an inverted heat pattern, warm extremities with cool core body temperature.

13th July
Locating VHL Groups head office, Marcus disguises himself as an auditor for an EU shipping authority (with guards/assistants) to infiltrate their office rooms. He is greeted by Adrian Van Heurne, the new CEO, who background research revealed is a high risk businessman with possibly psychopathic traits. On shaking Marcus’ hand, he feels physically normal but emotionally artificial.

Session 2:


13th July

Marcus and Atticus investigated VHL Groups offices, lifting a strange business card for The Equilibrium Movement and an old book “Common Health: The Social Order” and identifying more business dealings. Crucially, they determined that VHL Group is being bankrolled by “ Altoviti Capital Trusts and Management”, and that they had hired Manticore Securities off the books for a huge sum, who then went on to hire some Kosovan mercenaries. Atticus’ knowledge of the mercenary scene in Europe told him this was probably Dervishi and the L.O.X., known for bombings that look like industrial accidents. They also learn that some of the infrastructure VHL are investing in is for transporting liquid gasses.

That evening the whole crew tail the suspicious shipment as it is taken out of the city on a lorry to an agricultural supply warehouse. This place was being guarded and was surrounded by a circle of iron nails as a perimeter. After some surveillance they kill or medicine the guards and bust in, finding the dangerous private security woman rolling a hospital bed out of the lorry. Various mentions of “The Priest” are bandied about by the security and Petra herself. They also mention that whatever is happening in Antwerp is happening tonight. After a very brief exchange they open fire, blowing her brains out with a shot through the eye, she recovers and tears the neck out of her patient. This leads to some freaking out, fleeing, and even more shooting. Eventually Petra ends up dead, decapitated, with a civilian male captured. In total 8 people in chemically induced comas were being transported, with vans ready to take them elsewhere, 7 of them were left comatose and ambulances phoned, with one killed by Petra. The agents take medical records, Petra’s head, her phone, and the knowledge she had her liver completely removed.

Session 3:

With a hostage and head in tow the agents drive back over the border into Belgium towards Antwerp docks. From their captive they find out that Petra was an “exsanguinate”, a being of biological perfection that can accomplish things beyond reason. His ultimate handler was “the Priest”, who left suggestions in his mind about when and where to meet for instruction.


14th July

In Antwerp, Michael intercepts false radio transmissions to 3 shipping vessels instructing them to dock in bays not suited to handle liquid hydrogen gas originating from a shady hotel. He managed to shut down their network and spoof replies, stopping the third ship from coming into the port at all. The other 3 infiltrate the hotel and break into the room the mercenaries were operating out of. Atticus shoots the single occupant through the chest with his shotgun, they bundle all the tech and head to the port. Having learned there are 4 highly trained and tooled up mercenaries in the port, the agents decide they want some official backup in case they can’t get to both ships. Unfortunately the mercs get wind of their tipoff to the authorities and accelerate their plans, setting fires at the hydrogen tank on the first ship. An inferno spreads through a section of the port and emergency services respond.

Atticus predicts where the mercs might flee, and they pursue by van. They track the escaping team to Antwerp airport where they switch vehicles, the agents put a tracker on their new vehicle and retreat themselves back to their safehouse in Brussels. Here, the agents can complete some longer form research and analyse the blood samples taken from Petra. They resolve to investigate Altoviti Trusts and Management in Florence next.

Heat Benelux: 3

[Uthoroc]

Operation 2: The Florentine Gala

Session 4:

21st June

With Bora Dervishi and the L.O.X. fled into Germany the agents recuperated in Brussels and begin some detailed research into their adversaries, performing blood panels and various lab tests on samples taken from Petra, exploring the financial web surrounding VHL Group, and brushing up on their vampirology and marksmanship.

They decide to leave Belgium for Florence, the seat of Altivolti Capital Trusts & Management, the modern financial institution responsible for managing the modern day fortune of the Altivolti mercanti dynasty. They smuggle out their weapons and spycraft, evading a heightened police presence following the port fire, thanking Schengen for unrestricted travel.

Upon arrival they make contact with Arturo Milani, who was removed from the DIA ostensibly for corruption (of which he was guilty) after he started investigating why the local clans never crossed the Altoviti. He shares that in a week the Altoviti are hosting their annual gala, raising money for their charity the Altoviti Foundation. Atticus makes contact with Olivio Bionjoti, a banker who fixes criminal contacts, who procures the VIP list for the gala for him. Research on this guest list reveals a number of interesting threads to pull on, the most fruitful lead being that the cardinal in attendance, the archbishop of Florence, seems to resemble a 300 year old portrait of a “long deceased” Altoviti.

Deciding they need to attend in person, Arturo reaches out to an old flame in the mafia who is working security for the event to get a job patrolling the event. Marcus and Pavel activate some covers of theirs as generous and productive humanitarians respectively, meeting with Eleanor Altoviti-Barrymore who get’s them an invite (plus one for their bodyguard, Atticus).

The night before the gala the agents get wind of mafia activity. One clan has abandoned a longstanding heroin import and recruited another family to take on the work, instead focussing on some sort of bizarre reclamation of cultural and heritage artefacts to deliver to the Palazzo. The gangsters who are sent to deal with the drop are attacked, the crate meant to hold the drugs instead holding a hidden person who attacked and killed the whole crew in a frenzy of violence, reading abnormally on infrared (cold core and slightly warmer extremities at first, and then very hot). They hightail it out of there, and later find that the police seem to be misreporting it as an inter clan dispute, presumably having a take of the money and heroin left on site.

27th June

At the gala itself, security protocols using a smuggled IR camera during the initial reception reveal that Magda Weiss, Swiss banker and major donor, is running slightly cold, with warmer extremities than core temperature. With his cover, Marcus approaches her and engages her in conversation. Other gear that has been smuggled in includes Pavels’ covers medic bag (with one hidden surgical knife), and Arturo's suitcase kitbag, currently in the staff lockers.

The mafia lads that were handling the van driving are present, with someone who looks like their boss, and all three seem fairly paranoid.

Session 5:

27th June

At the charity auction itself, the agents enter into a bidding war with Magda Weiss over a private tour of the Altoviti family chapel, currently mid restoration. They win with a well timed security threat disrupting proceedings, a spoofed threat by Michael who had accessed the palazzos security network. Professor Davide Rinaldi (who will conduct the tour) is intercepted by Signor Gino before he can congratulate Marcus on the bid. The Signor is emphatic and agitated with Rinaldi, telling him that Marcus must not get any access to the vaults. Rinaldi is clearly uncomfortable, and later on is deliberately vague about a fresco of 4 saints that has allegedly been uncovered on site.

In the chaos of the security threat on the President of Tuscany, Arturo spots Nico Sabattini the investigative journalist slipping away into private areas of the palazzo. He tails him, but Nico seems aimless, searching for any lead rather than something in particular, photographing some documents with a film camera he has smuggled in. Arturo confiscates his camera and chides him (in role as security), but is himself told off by Altoviti private security as he leaves. This man carried a black sling bag (later presumed to be some sort of ghost containment device), which gave Arturo a chilling sensation as he brushed past it on his way out.

Later his film role was developed. Nico was investigating the Altovitis, mostly making copies of records and images, though seems to have conducted some surveillance on Thomas Altoviti too. The first images on the roll however are photographs of paper CIA reports. These reports concern “L-Types”, people who display hyper-sociopathic tendencies, and seem to have no emotional or physiological response to any stimuli. They don’t seem to experience stress, pain, trauma, cognitive dissonance, or any heightened or elevated state at all. Techniques used by the CIA included waterboarding and other torture as well as administration of opiates in addition to more conventional psychological testing. Marcus recalls his inability to be able to make any sort of read on Adrian van Heurne even in circumstances where he knew Adrian was lying.

Pavel ingratiates himself further with Eleanor Altoviti-Barrymore, talking to her about her family and noticing she is being somewhat shunned by the older generation at the gala, though she seems oblivious. He introduces her to some Italian filmmakers who are interested in collaborating, solidifying their own relationship (3 point network).

Noticing that two mafiosos from clan Maggi have been blocked from leaving by household staff, Atticus engages them in conversation. He reveals that the rival clan (Calovilis) who took over their heroin route weren’t picked up by the police, and shows them a video of them being killed by whatever it was that attacked them (currently speculated to be an Exsanguinate). He bugs one of them, then encourages them to go and find their boss (who has currently been squirreled away into the depths of the palazzo). They have some drinks and eventually steel themselves, forcing their way in to see their boss. Through the bug the agents learn that they have been collecting deodands, but that the recipient (Colonel Giulia Ferraro) is displeased with their haul, claiming that almost all of them are fakes or concern run of the mill deaths, not the strange and sudden circumstances she demanded. Eventually the mafioso all seem to be poisoned, and so the bug is killed remotely by Atticus.

Outside the room where the mafia are being interrogated are two household staff, one of whom carried another black side satchel. By the combined efforts of Pavel and Marcus they steal the aluminium cylinder inside, replacing it with an empty thermos flask. The stolen item makes its way to Arturo’s staff locker, and eventually out over the wall with his other contraband into the hands of the other agents who have made their exit. Arturo finishes out his shift alone, after being subject to a security lockdown and bag searches.

28th June

The following morning Arturo takes the agents to a private chemical factory where he had had off the books/second opinion analysis performed for law enforcement. They use a lab to analyse the container they lifted from security. They find it is a two chamber module inlaid with a copper and iron faraday cage, with likely both chambers containing gasses based on the weight. It is continuously giving off heat, consistently reading about 50C on one side and a little lower on the other. The cooler chamber was drilled into, it was filled with methane (fuel) and also had an ampule of ammonium nitrate that would be broken if the module was twisted open as intended to dissolve into surrounding water (an endothermic reaction, which would have cooled the whole module down). In the central module was also a device that would drip feed methane fuel into the neighbouring chamber, at a rate that would be consistent with maintaining a continuous combustion reaction, provided some sort of catalyst and oxygen rich environment were present on the other side (ie the agents speculate that this is burning continuously). After removing the methane the module began to steadily approach ambient temperatures, and electronics began to glitch and flicker in the surrounding room. The agents placed the module over an active bunsen burner and have left instructions for it not to be tampered with in their absence. This seemed to revert the electronic field effects.

Michael managed to clone Fabio Panetta’s mobile phone, which is currently being decrypted. Marcus receives details about his tour, which will take place on the 1st July.