diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore index 2ad6f29..6e407f4 100644 --- a/.gitignore +++ b/.gitignore @@ -1,4 +1,5 @@ .obsidian .trash +/.obsidian/workspace.json /.obsidian/workspace.json \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/.obsidian/workspace.json b/.obsidian/workspace.json index a888c6c..02a4ce9 100644 --- a/.obsidian/workspace.json +++ b/.obsidian/workspace.json @@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ }, "active": "eca46ba0bc8fd74a", "lastOpenFiles": [ + "Avalon/03_NPCs_Students/Fouadriel “Fouad” Al-Mir.md", "Avalon/02_Sessions/session 7.md", "Avalon/02_Sessions/session 6.md", "Avalon/05_Locations/Avalon Locations.md", @@ -218,7 +219,6 @@ "Avalon/10_Canon/Leyline Crisis.md", "Avalon/02_Sessions/session 4.md", "Avalon/05_Locations/Campus Locations.md", - "Avalon/03_NPCs_Students/Fouadriel “Fouad” Al-Mir.md", "Avalon/10_Canon/The Coherence.md", "Avalon/04_NPCs_Faculty/Kalen D'Serris.md", "Avalon/04_NPCs_Faculty/Pappy Football.md", diff --git a/Avalon/02_Sessions/session 7.md b/Avalon/02_Sessions/session 7.md index 72f0c8a..a036394 100644 --- a/Avalon/02_Sessions/session 7.md +++ b/Avalon/02_Sessions/session 7.md @@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ Let them explore the house for some time. When they're satisfied: > “The level of damage and the magical residue mean we may never have a perfect picture of exactly how it was triggered. But whoever did this knew what they were doing, and we *will* find them.” > [!quote] Anchor (voiceover) -> “Chief Marquez confirmed that while no arrests have been made, investigators are pursuing several leads, including possible gang-related activity.” +> “Chief Nolan confirmed that while no arrests have been made, investigators are pursuing several leads, including possible gang-related activity.” ### Cut to Pip Interview (Hospital) @@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ Let them explore the house for some time. When they're satisfied: > > He gives the tiniest, bitter laugh. > -> “Funny thing about circles, though. You walk ’em long enough… you always end up right back where you started.” +> “You ever notice oil always finds the low point? +**People do too.”** > [!quote] Narration > @@ -237,33 +238,598 @@ Let Ben argue. Call for checks. Ultimately, he will choose to stay above ground, >[!quote] Ben's Dad >“At least stay with a friend, and don’t leave the house dark. Dark houses get tested.” -> [!quote] Narration -> Ben’s dad disappears into the hallway, already tapping at his comm-stone like he’s moving money around. -> -> The house is quiet again. -> -> Outside the big living room windows, the canyon is a black cutout against the sky. -> -> The news anchor keeps talking about “suspected foul play” and “ongoing investigation.” -> -> Then Joe notices something: -> -> A pair of headlights, far down the street, kill their beams. -> -> The car doesn’t leave. -> -> It just… sits there. +## Operation: Canyon View Party (Ben’s Bad Idea / Best Idea) -Call for a Perception check. -- On success: they see someone watching / phone glow / cigarette. -- On fail: they get the creeping sense of being observed. +> [!quote] Narration +> The news segment loops again in the corner of the TV. +> Pip’s bandaged face. +> The ruined Circle. +> The words **“professionally conceived device”** and **“magical accelerants.”** +> +> And then your dad says it, half to himself, half to the room: +> +> “Dark houses get tested.” > [!question] Table Prompt -> “You can do three things right now: -> – Ignore it and go to bed. -> – Confront whoever’s out there. -> – Or use the fact that this house is the obvious target. -> -> What do you do?” +> Ben: What do you do with that sentence? -If they confront them, they flee before they get close. If they do nothing, a dead crow is on Ben's doorstep the next morning. If they go to the police, they are largely useless- "we'll increase patrols in the area", and nothing beyond that. \ No newline at end of file +### The Pitch (don’t tell them “throw a party” — let Ben propose it) +If Ben doesn’t pitch it immediately, give him a layup: + +> [!quote] Narration +> You can’t shake the thought that if someone comes here… you might not even see it coming. +> Not if you’re alone. +> Not if the house is quiet. + +Then let Ben connect the dots out loud. + +--- + +## Party Prep Montage (Skill Checks + Stakes) + +**Mechanic:** The party gets **Prep Points**. +- Each PC chooses **2 prep actions** (below). +- Each success = **+1 Prep Point**. +- Each failure = **+1 Heat**. + +**Prep Point uses (later):** +- Spend 1 to “have the right thing” (camera set, extra lanterns, someone sober-ish, etc.) +- Spend 2 to “have the right person in the right place” (NPC ally is nearby when shit starts) +- Spend 3 to “counter their plan” (spot accelerant, preempt sabotage, seal a door, etc.) + +**Heat (later):** +- At **2 Heat**, someone calls in a noise complaint / ward-ping. +- At **4 Heat**, a patrol swing-by happens at the worst possible time. +- At **6 Heat**, an Oversight scry-eye does a drive-by scan of the property. + +> [!note] DM Note +> Prep Points make the party feel “earned.” Heat makes it feel dangerous without punishing the fun. + +### Prep Actions (pick 2 each) + +**1) Invitations & Social Gravity** +- **Persuasion** (DC 13): “You should come. It’s important.” (genuine pull) +- **Deception** (DC 13): “It’s just a party.” (downplay the danger) +- **Performance** (DC 13): hype it up / make it sound legendary + +**On success:** +1 Prep Point, and you get **one “Anchor NPC”** (someone you *want* present). +**On fail:** +1 Heat, and you get **one “Wild Card NPC”** (someone you *didn’t* want, but shows anyway). + +**2) Wards & Cameras** +- **Arcana** (DC 14): tune the house wards to ping *you* instead of alerting parents/Oversight +- **Investigation** (DC 12): find blind spots, set up sightlines, move furniture for chokepoints +- **Sleight of Hand** (DC 13): rig doors/windows with “if opened, it snags/makes noise” nonsense + +**On success:** +1 Prep Point (and later you get ADV on the first “spot the intrusion” roll) +**On fail:** +1 Heat (and later there’s one obvious blind spot the enemies exploit) + +**3) Supplies** +- **Investigation** (DC 12): find dad’s “emergency pantry” / garage stash / panic suite supplies +- **Stealth** (DC 13): grab “party stuff” without tipping parents off (if they’re still awake) +- **Survival** (DC 12): make the backyard actually usable (fire pit, seating, lanterns) + +**On success:** +1 Prep Point and the party has FOOD/LIGHT/NOISE COVER. +**On fail:** +1 Heat and someone has to do a risky run mid-party. + +**4) The Story** +- **Insight** (DC 12): what will *actually* convince people to come tonight? +- **History** or **Religion** (DC 12): “we’re doing a vigil” angle (if your table likes that tone) +- **Persuasion** (DC 13): get Joe/Soren on-message so nobody says incriminating shit + +**On success:** +1 Prep Point and you get ADV on any “keep the party normal” check later. +**On fail:** +1 Heat and the vibe is off; people ask uncomfortable questions. + +--- + +## Arrival Scene (RP Beats + Micro-checks) + +> [!quote] Narration +> Cars start to arrive in ones and twos. Not a lot—yet. But enough to make the house feel alive. +> Headlights paint the canyon walls in slow sweeps. +> Laughter carries weirdly far out here. + +> [!question] Table Prompt +> Who answers the door? + +### The first wave (pick 2–3 scenes, not all) +**A) The “holy shit you’re rich” beat** +- Someone clocks the floor-to-ceiling windows / the canyon view / the “smart-house rune lattice.” +- **Joe** can roll **Insight** (DC 12): who here is a snitch / who’s watching too hard? + +**B) Joe becomes the vibes coordinator** +- Joe is immediately asked to “run the music” / “be the hype man.” +- **Performance** (DC 12): on success, the party actually becomes *loud enough* to be cover. + +**C) Ben is forced into social leadership** +- Someone asks “why are you throwing this tonight?” +- **Deception or Persuasion** (DC 13): on fail, +1 Heat (people start texting rumors). + +> [!note] DM Note +> This is where you let them roleplay and breathe. The party is not “setup for combat” — it’s a scene where their choices generate consequences. + +--- + +## Party Stations (gives them stuff to DO) + +Pick 3 “stations” and keep cutting between them like a sitcom: + +1) **Kitchen / Snack Raid** + - Someone finds *absurdly expensive* snacks. + - **Investigation** (DC 12): find “the good stash” (success = +1 Prep Point) + +2) **Backyard Firepit** + - Someone starts telling a scary story about the Circle explosion. + - **Intimidation or Performance** (DC 13): success = the crowd is emotionally hooked (cover) + +3) **Living Room / Mageball Highlights** + - Joe can “explain the game” to people who don’t care. + - **Persuasion** (DC 12): success = Joe gains a “mini-fanclub” who will follow him later + +4) **Upstairs “Do Not Enter” Hallway** + - People test boundaries. + - **Perception** (DC 14): catch someone about to wander into a sensitive room (panic suite door, etc.) + +--- + +## The Ominous Breadcrumb (without saying “Pip is coming”) + +Trigger this when the party is at “peak normal.” + +> [!quote] Narration +> The music is loud enough that you stop hearing the canyon. +> The house feels warm. +> Alive. +> +> And then—just for a second— +> the backyard motion lights click on. +> +> Not in the yard. +> Out past the fence line. +> Down the slope where there shouldn’t be anyone. + +Call for **Perception** from whoever is most paranoid (or everyone, DC 13). +- **Success:** they spot a *single ember* drifting upward from below… like someone just flicked a match. +- **Fail:** they only notice the lights… and the uneasy feeling that the canyon is watching back. + +Optional extra breadcrumb: +- A guest says: “Yo, who parked that old wagon down the hill?” +- There is no wagon. + +--- + +## “Party Ally” Quick System (so NPCs matter without bookkeeping) + +When Ben’s “anchor NPCs” show up, tag them with one of these: + +- **Runner:** can deliver a message / fetch someone / lead a distraction +- **Witness:** will later confirm a timeline (“we were here at X time”) +- **Hands:** helps barricade / carry / drag someone to safety +- **Caster:** has ONE useful spell (you decide on the fly) +- **Chaos:** might start a fight, wander, or do something reckless + +> [!note] DM Note +> You don’t need stat blocks. You need *story leverage.* + +--- +--- +## NPC Interactions at the Party +### Elias Vae’lor (AV club artificer vibes) +**Scene purpose:** security + “don’t be idiots” + proof later + +> [!quote] Entrance Beat +> Elias shows up with a backpack that clinks like tools. +> He doesn’t react to the mansion like everyone else — he reacts like he’s already mapping exits. +> “So… you *live* in a deathtrap made of glass. Cool.” + +**Player prompt:** “Elias, what’s the first thing you do when you arrive?” + +**If players engage:** +- Elias asks for access to the ward tablet / security panel. +- **Arcana or Investigation (DC 13):** spot two blind spots (success = +1 Prep Point) + +> [!quote] Elias Hook Line +> “If people want you, they’ll try quiet first. Quiet is what kills you. +> So… where do you want your choke point?” + +**If violence starts:** Elias isn’t a combatant; he’s a *systems guy*. +- He can spend 1 round to lock/unlock a door, trigger lights, or ping a camera feed. + +--- + +### Chaz Ironwick (jock) +**Scene purpose:** crowd + muscle + comedy + +> [!quote] Entrance Beat +> Chaz arrives like he’s doing you a favor by being here. +> He steps inside, sees the view, and goes: +> “Oh nah. Ben’s rich-rich. Like ‘evil in a movie’ rich.” + +**Roll hook (optional):** +- **Insight (DC 12):** Chaz is insecure; he hates being outclassed socially. He’ll overcompensate. + +> [!quote] Chaz vs Joe Beat +> Chaz immediately tries to size Joe up: +> “You play? Like actually?” +> If Joe bites, Chaz becomes loud, friendly, and competitive. + +**If violence starts:** +Chaz’s instinct is to *grab and throw someone*. He will: +- tackle a runner +- body-block a hallway +- shout “WHO ARE YOU?” and make everyone look + +--- + +### Millie Fairweather (nerd) +**Scene purpose:** social leverage + Soren pressure valve + future strategist + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Millie shows up like she expects to be mocked for showing up. +> She freezes for half a second when she sees Soren, then adjusts her grip on her cup like it’s armor. + +**If Soren approaches:** keep it *social*, not predator/prey. +- **Persuasion (DC 13):** Soren can play “normal.” Success earns 1 Formal Lead. Fail means Millie becomes guarded and stays near others. + +> [!quote] Millie Line (if Soren tries to needle her) +> “If you’re trying to scare me, you’re doing it wrong. You’re just being embarrassing.” + +**If Joe talks mageball:** +- Millie can drop one “real” insight that makes Joe look smart for listening. +- **History/Intelligence (DC 12):** Joe can translate her advice into a “football analogy” and win her respect. + +**If violence starts:** Millie becomes a witness and a rally point (“everyone inside, NOW”). She’s useful because she *stays coherent*. + +--- + +### Fouadriel Al-Mir (comic relief) +**Scene purpose:** laughter + accidental clue + future dread seed + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Fouad shows up holding snacks like he’s solving world hunger. +> He squints at the view and says, dead serious: +> “I meet new people every day.” + +**Use him as seasoning:** 2–3 moments max. + +**Accidental clue beat:** +> [!quote] Fouad (to the group, mid-story) +> “Circle’s crew always does the same thing. They stand around like NPCs. +> Like they’re waiting for a quest prompt.” + +**Optional roll:** +- **Insight (DC 12):** he’s saying something real, but he doesn’t realize it’s useful. + +**If violence starts:** Fouad does something stupid that helps (on accident): +- knocks over a table to create cover +- yells “FIRE!” even if it’s smoke, causing stampede (could be good or bad) + +--- + +### Seb Castillo (conspiracy kid / chaos journalist) +**Scene purpose:** camera + rumor engine + “spot the wrong guys” + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Seb arrives already recording. +> “This is gonna be legendary. Rich kid canyon party? The economy is healing.” + +**He will push Ben’s class lie.** +- **Deception (DC 13):** Ben can keep his cover. +- On fail: Seb starts a rumor *immediately* (“Ben’s been cosplaying poor.”) + +**Spotting the goons beat:** +> [!quote] Seb (suddenly quiet) +> “Those dudes aren’t here to party.” +> He lowers his phone for the first time all night. + +**If violence starts:** Seb films the start of it — which creates consequences later — but also proves “intruders attacked us.” + +--- + +### Bobby Rapist +**Scene purpose:** older-kid authority + driver + “I’ve seen this before” + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Bobby shows up like he owns the place. +> “Oh wow. This is… irresponsible.” +> He says it like approval. + +**Boundary beat (keeps the party from turning into chaos):** +> [!quote] Bobby +> “House rule: if someone’s here to start shit, you point them out, you don’t become them. +> I’m not catching charges for your character development.” + +**Optional roll:** +- **Persuasion (DC 12):** get Bobby to agree to be “front door + driveway” lookout. + +**If violence starts:** Bobby’s job is *crowd control*: +- shove partygoers inside +- block a hallway +- yank Ben away from the extraction line + +--- + +### Jax Hollow (vapes + Subaru) +**Scene purpose:** getaway logistics + vibe + chase tool + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Jax parks like he’s hiding a body. +> He walks in exhaling a cloud and goes: +> “Yo. This place has… *echo*.” + +**Roll hook:** +- **Perception (DC 13):** Jax is the one who notices a car idling down the slope / lights off. +- On success he says: +> “That’s a ‘someone’s waiting’ car.” + +**If violence starts:** Jax is your “escape valve” NPC. +- He can offer: “I can move my car to block the driveway,” or “I can get someone out.” + +--- + +### Nico Drift (Circle kid, not Pip-affiliated) +**Scene purpose:** intel + identification + “what Pip’s crew does” + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Nico shows up tense. +> Not excited, not impressed — *alert*. +> “This is a bad place to be loud,” he says, like he’s stating a fact. + +**Intel beat:** +> [!quote] Nico +> “Pip doesn’t come himself. He sends kids who want to prove something. +> They move in threes or fives. One talks. One grabs. One lights.” + +**Optional roll:** +- **Insight (DC 12):** Nico is scared *of Pip*, not scared *for Pip*. + +**If violence starts:** Nico can ID a goon by nickname or jacket patch: +- “That one’s Latch. Don’t let him touch doors.” + +--- + +### Rina Valecrest (popular / effortlessly cool) +(Recommend you describe her as “popular and magnetic” rather than race-based shorthand.) + +**Scene purpose:** makes party feel real + social leverage + witness + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Rina walks in and the party *re-centers* around her. +> She clocks the view, clocks Ben, and smiles like she already knows his secret. +> “So this is where you’ve been hiding.” + +**Social pressure beat (Ben’s class lie):** +> [!quote] Rina (to Ben) +> “You can stop pretending you’re normal. No one here is normal. That’s the point.” + +**Optional roll:** +- **Deception (DC 14):** Ben keeps the mask. +- **Persuasion (DC 13):** Ben can pivot and be charming without confessing. + +**If violence starts:** Rina becomes a *witness anchor*: +- “I saw them grab him.” +- “They weren’t invited.” +That helps later with police/admin. + +--- + +### Sumri Tord ( rumor Soren humiliated them) +**Scene purpose:** moral mirror for Soren + keeps tone grounded + quiet competence + +> [!quote] Arrival Beat +> Sumri arrives carefully — not timid, just measured. +> They glance at Soren and don’t look away. +> “I heard you were throwing a party,” they say. +> “I didn’t believe it.” + +**Confrontation beat (gives Soren a controlled outlet):** +> [!quote] Sumri (to Soren, low voice) +> “You made me small once. You don’t get to do it twice.” +> “If you want something from me, ask like a person.” + +**Optional roll (this is the leash, but it’s fair):** +- **Insight (DC 12):** Sumri isn’t trying to start drama — they’re setting a boundary. +- **Persuasion (DC 13) or genuine apology roleplay:** + - Success: Soren earns 1 Formal Lead + Sumri becomes neutral/helpful + - Fail: Sumri avoids Soren and becomes another witness who doesn’t trust her + +**If violence starts:** Sumri can do one valuable “support” action: +- notice a ward glyph failing +- point out an exit that avoids the choke point +- stabilize a panicking guest +They are not a fighter — they’re *the person who keeps someone from getting hurt*. + +--- + +# Quick “cut list” (so you don’t try to run 10 scenes at once) +Do these in order: +1) Chaz + “Ben is rich-rich” (group laugh) +2) Nico warning (plants the threat pattern) +3) Rina pressure (social stakes) +4) Sumri boundary (keeps Soren from spiraling) +5) Seb spots wrong guests (fight trigger) + +## Party Combat Kickoff: “Not Here To Party” + +### When to Trigger +Trigger this when the party hits "peak normal" — laughter, music, everyone relaxed. +(If you want the sitcom-cut feeling, do 2 quick “party station” mini-scenes first, then trigger.) + +### Quick State Check (DM) +- Prep Points available: ____ (spendable as "we planned for this") +- Heat: ____ (2/4/6 thresholds) +- Anchor NPCs present: ____ (who matters most in this moment?) + +--- + +## The First Wrong Thing (no checks yet) +> [!quote] Narration +> For a few minutes, it almost feels like you pulled it off. +> Music thumps. People are laughing too loud. Someone found snacks that absolutely cost more than your monthly groceries. +> +> And then the backyard motion lights click on. +> +> Not in the yard. +> Out past the fence line. +> Down the slope where there shouldn’t be anyone. + +Let them react. Someone will want to look. Someone will want to ignore it. Either is fine. + +--- + +## The Spotting Roll +Call for ONE of the following (player choice): +- **Perception (DC 13)** from whoever goes to look +- **Group Perception (DC 12)** if multiple people start scanning windows / stepping outside +- **Insight (DC 13)** if someone is watching the crowd instead of the yard + +**Spend options:** +- Spend **1 Prep Point**: advantage on the roll (you “put someone on lookout”) +- Spend **2 Prep Points**: they spot the *pattern* (one talks / one grabs / one lights) + +### On Success +> [!quote] Narration +> You catch movement where there shouldn’t be any — three silhouettes drifting between boulders. +> Not stumbling like lost kids. +> Moving like they already picked their angles. +> +> One of them lifts a hand: a quick gesture. +> The porch light flickers once. +> Twice. +> Like a signal. + +### On Failure +> [!quote] Narration +> You stare into the dark too long and see nothing. +> Then you blink — and the motion lights click off. +> Like someone *wanted* you to look. +> +> From the living room, you hear the front doorbell. +> Once. +> Patient. + +## Entry Vectors (pick 1, or roll a d3) + +### 1) Front Door: “We’re Invited.” +The bell rings again. Someone outside is calm. Too calm. +> [!quote] Narration +> The camera rune by the door shows three teens. Wrong posture. Hands too still. +> One has a cheap gift bag like it's a costume. + +**Door opener chooses:** +- Open it +- Talk through the door +- Send someone else +- Ignore it (they will try another vector in 60 seconds) + +### 2) Backyard Fence: “The Quiet Cut” +If they go outside / to the windows first: +> [!quote] Narration +> The fence line creaks — not from climbing. +> From *something being unlatched*. + +### 3) Side Gate / Garage: “Service Access” +If the party is loud and chaotic: +> [!quote] Narration +> A soft metallic tap from the garage door. +> Like someone testing the seam — once, twice — listening for a ward ping. + +**DM Note:** Use this if you want them inside the house when it starts. +## The Talker / Grabber / Lighter (NPC Script) + +There are 3–5 goons. Pip is NOT present. + +### The Talker (face) +> [!quote] Goon (easy smile, dead eyes) +> “Yo. Party’s sick.” +> (beat, scanning) +> “We’re here for Ben. Just need a quick word outside. No drama.” + +If pressed: +> [!quote] Goon +> “Look, man. This isn’t about you. We can do this clean or loud. Your call.” + +### The Grabber (doesn't talk much) +Stays half a step behind the Talker. Keeps looking at exits and hallways. +He’s holding a folded strip of ash-paper in his palm (the locator tag). + +### The Lighter (problem) +Smells faintly like alchemical solvent. Keeps touching his pocket like checking for something. +If things stall, he starts moving toward curtains / the hall / the kitchen. + +--- + +## Micro-checks (pick 1–2, not all) +- **Insight (DC 12):** They’re stalling for someone to get into position. +- **Perception (DC 13):** Spot the ash tag / oil rag / accelerant smell. +- **Intimidation (DC 13):** Make the talker flinch and reveal the plan (“Fine. Grab him.”) +- **Deception (DC 13):** “Ben isn’t here” / redirect them toward a decoy room. +- **Persuasion (DC 15):** Buy 30 seconds (“He’ll come out—just chill.”) + +**Prep Point spends:** +- Spend **2 Prep Points:** “The right person is nearby” (an ally NPC is in the room when it pops) +- Spend **3 Prep Points:** “Counter their plan” (you clock the accelerant BEFORE it gets used) +## The Exact Moment Initiative Starts + +### Option A: The Grab (fast & clean) +> [!quote] Narration +> The talker smiles like it’s still polite — +> and the grabber lunges for Ben’s sleeve with that ash-paper between two fingers. + +Roll initiative. Objective becomes “don’t let them tag Ben / don’t let them extract him.” + +### Option B: The Fire (chaos button) +> [!quote] Narration +> You smell it a half-second before it happens — solvent, oil, alchemy. +> The lighter flicks something in his hand and the hallway *catches*. +> Not an explosion. +> A crawling, hungry flame. + +Roll initiative. Objective becomes “stop the fire AND stop the extraction.” + +### Option C: The Tell (your NPC calls it) +If you want a **hard RP punch**: +> [!quote] Narration +> Seb goes quiet. +> Lowers his phone for the first time all night. +> “Those dudes aren’t here to party.” +> +> And in that same moment, the talker’s smile disappears. + +Roll initiative. + +## Enemy Goals (keep it simple so the fight ends) + +Pick ONE primary goal: +1) **Kidnap Ben** (classic): Grabber tries to tag + drag him to a waiting car. +2) **Torch the house** (revenge): Lighter spreads accelerant + starts fires while talker stalls. +3) **Tag-and-Leave** (smart): They only need the ash tag on Ben or the house; once placed, they run. + +### “Win Conditions” (for YOU) +- PCs win if: they prevent extraction AND prevent a tag being placed (or remove it fast). +- Goons win if: ash tag sticks OR Ben is in their hands for 1 full round. + +### If the PCs are stomping +Have the talker yell: +> “GREENLIGHT!” +…and a second vector activates (someone tries a back door / a window). +(That’s what Heat buys you as a complication.) + +## Heat Complications + +At **2 Heat** (noise complaint / ward ping): +> [!quote] Narration +> A distant siren crystal chirps once somewhere down the canyon road. +> Not here yet. But *awake*. + +At **4 Heat** (patrol at worst time): +> [!quote] Narration +> Blue-white lights sweep across the front windows. +> A patrol carriage slows. +> Not stopping. +> Just *looking.* + +At **6 Heat** (Oversight scan): +> [!quote] Narration +> High above the canyon, a single pale orb drifts past like a lazy star. +> The wards in the house itch. +> Something just *looked at you*.