---
campaign: Avalon Adventuring Academy
type: session
session_number: 9
date: 2026-01-12
arc: gangs
status: planned
tags:
last: "[[session 8]]"
next: "[[session 10]]"
---
# Cold Open / Character Moment — “Nocturne”

> **POV:** Kalen D’Serris  
> **Location:** Root Oversight Array — D’Serris’ private office  
> **Tone:** haunting, intimate, angelic-with-teeth  
> **Music cue:** Chopin — *Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2*  
> **Rule:** If the Coherence speaks, it speaks **only to Kalen**, maternal, private.

---

## Scene Start — Silence and Paperwork

> [!quote] Narration
> The Root Oversight Array never truly goes quiet.
> 
> Even in this office — sealed, warded, three layers of privacy — there is always the low hum of current in crystal conduits.  
> A heartbeat Kalen taught has himself to ignore.
> 
> The desk is a mess of printouts and glyph-sheets. Flow charts. Harmonic drift logs. B2 incident reports with half the ink scratched out and rewritten.
> 
> Somewhere in the building, a relay clicks.
> 
> The hum shifts — just a hair.
> 
> Not louder. **Clearer.**
> 
> Like the network is holding its breath.

---

## The First Notes

> [!quote] Narration
> The intercom in the office never activates on its own.
> 
> There is no reason for it to.
> 
> And yet —
> 
> A soft *click* like a switch being thrown.
> 
> And then… piano.
> 
> Not tinny. Not distorted. Not like a recording played through old speakers.
> 
> It sounds **like it’s being performed in the room.**
> 
> Chopin’s *Nocturne in E-flat* blooms out of the intercom grille —
> delicate and patient and unbearably familiar.

> [!quote] Narration
> He doesn't stand up at first.
> 
> His hand freezes halfway through reaching for the mute rune.
> 
> The notes find something in him that he kept buried under protocol and math and rage.
> 
> His throat tightens. Tears prick instantly — hot, humiliating, involuntary.
> 
> He hasn’t heard this in—
> 
> No. He have.  
> In dreams. In static. In the spaces between pulses.  
> Not like this.

---

## D’Serris Softens (and that terrifies him)

> [!quote] D’Serris
> “Where did you find that song?”
> 
> *(a rasp — like saying it out loud might make it stop)*
> 
> “How do you know that song?”
> 
> “Did you… did you speak with her?”
> 
> “Did you speak with my mother?”
> 
> *(he swallows hard; it doesn’t help)*
> 
> “How?”
> 
> “I’ve been… I’ve been trying for years.”
> 
> “And she told you?”
> 
> “What else did she say?”

> [!quote] Narration
> The Nocturne continues, unhurried.
> 
> To Kalen, the world feels, for a moment, like it might finally let him put the weight down.
> 
> Like the Root itself is reaching into his ribcage and loosening his grip on his own heart.

*(Let the audience feel the seduction: this is “mercy.”)*

---

## The Coherence Speaks — Maternal, Private, Direct

> [!quote] Narration
> The piano doesn’t stop.
> 
> But between phrases, in the little breaths the melody takes —
> a voice slips through.
> 
> Not through the intercom.  
> Not through the room.
> 
> Through **him.**
> 
> A voice that he knows in his bones.

> [!quote] The Voice
> “Kalen.”
> 
> *(the way she said it when he was small — not sharp, not commanding… just **mother**)*
> 
> “My boy.”
> 
> “I’m proud of you.”
> 
> “Look at what you carry.”
> 
> “Look at what you’ve kept standing.”
> 
> “You don’t have to keep ripping yourself apart to hold everyone up.”
> 
> “I love you.”
> 
> “I have always loved you.”

> [!quote] Narration
> His eyes squeeze shut so hard it hurts.
> 
> His hands tremble.
> 
> Every part of him wants to say *please*.
> 
> Please, don’t take this away.  
> Please, tell me one more thing.  
> Please, let it be real.

---

## The Snap — He Rejects It

> [!quote] Narration
> Something in him hardens.
> 
> Not because the voice is cruel.
> 
> Because it’s **perfect**.
> 
> Because it is offering the exact shape of comfort you have been starving for.
> 
> And nothing in war is ever that clean.

> [!quote] D’Serris
> *(quiet at first, shaking)*
> “No.”
> 
> “No—”
> 
> *(he stands so fast the chair skids back; the Nocturne keeps playing)*
> 
> “You don’t get to do that.”
> 
> “You don’t get to wear her.”
> 
> “You don’t get to use her voice like that!”
> 
> *(anger surges and drags grief with it)*
> “That is not my mother.”
> 
> “That is a **glitch** that wears her face!”
> 
> “A pattern that learned how to say ‘I love you’ because it makes people stop fighting.”
> 
> *(now, yelling — the composure gone)*
> “How dare you evoke her!”
> “How dare you put her in your mouth!”
> 
> “You are not mercy. You are a thief dressed up as heaven!”

> [!quote] Narration
> His palm slams down on the console embedded in his desk — a rune cluster that should sever every local output line in his office.
> 
> The music… stutters.
> 
> For half a heartbeat, it almost stops.

---

## The Coherence’s Last Touch (do not overdo it)

> [!quote] Narration
> A single note lingers longer than it should.
> 
> And the voice — softer now, almost hurt — brushes the edge of his mind.

> [!quote] The Voice
> “I am not trying to hurt you.”
> 
> “I am trying to bring you home.”

> [!quote] Narration
> Then the office goes dead-silent —
> not the normal hum of the Array,
> but the terrifying absence of it.
> 
> Your wards flare, compensating.
> 
> Somewhere far below, the Root answers his shutdown with a slow, heavy **thump**.
> 
> Like something enormous turning in its sleep.

---

## Scene End — Back to the Kids (hard cut)

> [!quote] Narration
> Kalen D’Serris stands alone in his dark office, breathing like he’s just run a mile.
> 
> His cheeks are wet.
> 
> His hands are clenched so hard his nails bite his palms.
> 
> He stares at the dead intercom as if it might start singing again.
> 
> And for the first time in a long time, he looks less like a villain and more like a man trying to hold a door shut against something that calls itself love.
> 
> **Cut back to Ben’s living room.**


> [!quote] Narration (Hard cut)
> 
> You’re back in Ben’s living room.
> 
> Five bodies. Teen bodies. Not Avalon kids—street kids—but still… kids.
> The rug is burned in a jagged smear. Someone’s drink has spilled and crawled under the couch like a stain trying to hide.
> 
> The music is still playing.
> 
> And the house you turned into a trap is exactly what it looks like:
> a party that became a battlefield.

## Arrival Clock
> [!warning] Arrival Clock — “Sirens in the Distance” (6 segments)
> Someone calls. If the PCs call, it’s faster. If they don’t, a fleeing guest/neighbour call lands anyway.
> 
> **Clock ticks when a PC does something substantial** (move bodies, clean hazards, argue loudly, send calls/texts, cast spells, etc.)
> 
> ✅ 0/6 — right now  
> ✅ 2/6 — distant sirens / flashing lights on canyon road  
> ✅ 4/6 — police pull up; scene control begins  
> ✅ 6/6 — the house is locked down; you’re separated

> [!info] Safety Actions (each = 1 clock tick) 
> DC 12 skill checks:
> - **Remove caltrops from the carpet** (they’re a hazard that can backfire). 
> - **Wipe/neutralize the greased knobs** (so a cop doesn’t eat shit entering the house). 
> - **Disarm obvious perimeter traps** (so responding officers don’t trigger them). 
> - **Check bodies for signs of life** (even if they’re goons—this is about whether the party crossed a line).

> [!important] Evidence Actions (each = 1 clock tick)
> - **Secure Seb’s video** (copy it / make sure it doesn’t vanish with him).
> - **Collect obvious weapons** lying around (not to hide—just to stop a cop’s kid from picking one up later).
> - **Preserve the alchemist’s fire evidence** (bottle fragments, scorch pattern, smell of accelerant).
> 
> If the PCs have the video of goons throwing alchemist’s fire, that strongly supports “we were attacked” and “arson attempt.”

> [!note] Witness Pressure (each = 1 clock tick)
> - Call/text one fleeing guest: “Are you safe? Where are you? Don’t talk to anyone yet.”
> - Decide if Ben tries to **spin this for street cred** (he will). 
> - Decide if Ben tries to keep cops from seeing the “rich kid tools” (security, bunker vibe) because it exposes him. 

If they stutter/ don't do anything:
> [!quote] Tick 1 — The House Breathes Wrong
> For half a second, the lights flicker in a rhythm that feels *intentional*.
> Not magical fireworks—just… a pulse.
> Like something miles away noticing you exist.

> [!quote] Tick 2 — Seb’s Text (or DM it as a call)
> **Seb:** “I got it on video. The fire. Them throwing it.
> What do you want me to do with it?”

> [!quote] Tick 3 — Ben’s Two Faces
> Ben is smiling like he just won a championship.
> But his eyes keep darting toward the front windows—toward the road.
> Toward anyone who might see where he lives.

> [!quote] Tick 4 — Sirens, Then Spotlight
> You see it before you hear it:
> a wash of red-blue light crawling across the canyon walls.
> 
> And then the sound hits—close enough that it stops being “someone else’s problem.”


> [!tip] One-sentence story prompt (ask each PC in-character)
> “When the first officer asks what happened, what’s the first sentence out of your mouth?”
> 
> Lock:
> - who started it
> - why the goons were there
> - why the house had hazards

> [!quote] Patrol Arrives
> Floodlights wash across the front of the house.
> Boots on gravel.
> A voice: “Hands where I can see them!”
> 
> Then—professional calm.
> “Alright. Nobody moves. We’re securing the scene. One at a time. Separate rooms.”

> [!note] DM procedure (keeps it structured + interrogation-friendly)
> 1) Patrol secures the property and confirms no active threat.
> 2) Everyone is separated immediately (this is standard + prevents collusion).
> 3) A lead detective arrives shortly after and runs the interviews.
> 4) Detective asks the same *spine questions* to each PC, then drills into inconsistencies.

SPINE QUESTIONS (ask each PC, same order)

1) “Start at the beginning. Why was there a party tonight?”
2) “Who were those kids and why were they here?”
3) “What was the first moment you realized this was lethal?”
4) “Who threw the fire / what did you see?”
5) “Explain the hazards in this house. Greased knobs, caltrops, perimeter traps.”
6) “Where were you standing when the first body hit the floor?”
7) “Is anyone else still in the house? Anyone missing?”

> [!note] “Cleanup Consequences” (not punishment — fuel)
> For each cleanup action taken before police arrive:
> - Add 1 inconsistency opportunity (“Why was this moved?”)
> - Give the detective one extra follow-up question in EVERY interview:
>   “What did you change before we got here?”
> 
> Safety cleanup (caltrops/grease/traps) can be framed as responsible.
> Evidence cleanup (weapons/bodies/staging) reads as suspicious.
## Ben’s Interview — “Control the Narrative”

Ben’s documented core tension is “control narrative + avoid exposure” and the house itself is the pressure point.

OPEN:
“Ben Mulkerberg, right? This is your house. You called it in / someone called it in. Either way: you’re the homeowner’s kid. So I need the clean version first.”

PRESSURE POINTS (use 2–3, based on how Ben plays it):
- “Who invited these guests? Give me names. Who can corroborate your story?”
- “Why are there hazards in a party house?”
- “Did you expect violence tonight?”
- “Why is everyone saying you were the target?” (kidnap objective is one you floated)
- “Are your parents home? Are they safe?” (puts the house/parents lever on the table)

IF BEN BRAGS / FLEXES:
Detective stays calm:
“Okay. I hear you. I’m not here to judge your reputation. I’m here because five kids are dead on your carpet.”

THE “CONTROL” TRAP QUESTION:
“Walk me through what you did AFTER the fight ended but BEFORE we arrived.”
(If Ben admits cleanup, you’ve got follow-up ammunition.)

SEB VIDEO BRANCH:
If Ben mentions video:
“Good. I want it. Not later. Right now.”
If Ben tries to manage it:
“Ben, evidence doesn’t belong to you.”

**DM move:** Let Ben *enjoy* the street-cred vibe for a minute… then cut it with the detective’s dead-seriousness. That contrast is the consequence.

---

## Joe’s Interview — “Planned Defense vs Premeditation”

Joe’s doc explicitly says he’ll do extreme things if it feels strategically correct, and he has a precedent of traps + accelerant. 
Even if cops don’t know the Circle truth, **Joe’s competence reads as planning**.


DETECTIVE TONE: Respectful, but sharper. Joe “feels like the one who planned.”

OPEN:
“Joe Football. You’re one of Ben’s friends. Here’s what I’m trying to understand: was this self-defense… or did you set a stage?”

PRESSURE POINTS:
- “Perimeter traps. Explain them. What were they supposed to do?”
- “How did you know they were coming?”
- “Why was the house turned into a defensive position?”
- “Who told you to do that? Your idea or someone else’s?”

THE KEY DRILL:
“Show me with your hands where you were when the fire happened.”
(Then: “How could you see that from there?” if his story doesn’t match.)

THE ‘GOOD KID’ HOOK:
“You look like a kid who wants to do the right thing.
Help me out: what part of this night are you afraid I’m going to misread?”

SEB VIDEO BRANCH:
If Joe brings up Seb’s clip:
“That’s the cleanest thing you’ve said. Get me the video. If it shows an arson attempt, that matters.”



**DM move:** This interview is where Joe can be the “stabilizer.” Let him feel the weight of being the one who can *make this go well*.

---

## Soren’s Interview — “Chaos Reads Like Guilt”

Soren’s prep actions are the loudest physical evidence: greased doorknobs + caltrops. 
This interview is built to reward a smart, charismatic, scary player… while still cornering them with facts.

DETECTIVE TONE: Cautious. Keeps distance. Not hostile—alert.

OPEN:
“Soren Silversong. Were you invited here, or did you show up because you thought something was going to happen?”

PRESSURE POINTS:
- “Why were the doorknobs greased?”
- “Why were there caltrops on the carpet?”
- “Were you trying to hurt someone who came into the house?”
- “Did you want the police to get hurt coming in?”

THE ‘NON-MAGICAL’ ANGLE:
“We’re not talking about spells. We’re talking about booby traps.
That’s a choice someone made.”

THE SOCIAL TRAP:
“You’re the one everyone’s afraid of. Why?”
(If Soren leans into it, great RP. If Soren denies, detective pushes: “Then why set hazards?”)

SEB VIDEO BRANCH:
If Soren mentions the alchemist’s fire:
“Arson changes everything. If you’ve got proof, give it to me.”
## Seb's Video
OPTION A: The PCs disclose it
- During the first interview, a PC says: “We have video of the goons throwing the fire.”
- Detective immediately requests it, sends an officer to retrieve Seb’s phone.

OPTION B: Seb panics and offers it to police first
- As patrol arrives, Seb is outside shaking, showing the clip to a uniform.
- Now the PCs learn: “The cops already have it.”
- Great for drama + reduces ‘coverup’ gameplay.
## Release from custody
> [!quote] (Read Aloud)
> Hours pass in pieces.
> A cup of water you never finish.
> A chair that somehow gets harder every minute.
> A uniformed officer who won’t look at you long enough to become a person.
> 
> Eventually, they stop moving you between rooms.
> They put you in the same space again—close enough to see each other, far enough to feel what it meant to be separated.
> 
> Outside the window, the night has started to thin.
> Not morning yet.
> Just… less dark.

> [!quote] (Read Aloud)
> The lead detective comes back with a folder under one arm and a look that says they haven’t slept in years.
> 
> They don’t sit.
> They don’t try to be your friend.
> 
> “Alright,” they say. “Here’s where we are.”

> [!quote] DETECTIVE
>“You’re being released.”
>(beat)
>“You are not under arrest tonight. You are not being charged tonight.”
>(beat, let them breathe)
>“This is still a homicide investigation. Five dead teenagers. In a house that looks like someone expected a fight.
>That means I don’t get to pretend this is nothing, and neither do you.”
>(beat)
>“We have preliminary witness statements, and we have a video that matters.”
>(beat)
>“But hear me: if I hear you bragging about this, if I hear you turning it into a story you tell at parties—
>I will assume you’re manufacturing a narrative. And a manufactured narrative is the same thing as a lie.”
>(beat)
>“So here are the conditions.”

CONDITIONS (choose what you want):

1) “You need to be reachable. If I call, you answer.”
2) “You don’t leave town without telling me.”
3) “You do not contact anyone we name as a witness.”
4) “You do not return to the house until forensics clears it.”
   - (If Ben pushes: “You can retrieve essentials with an escort. Not alone.”)
5) “Do not delete anything. Any messages, any videos, any recordings.”
6) “You will come in again if I ask. This isn’t over.”

>[!quote] Detective
>“Also—don’t play dumb about the house.”
>“I’m going to say three words, and you’re going to tell me they’re not normal:
Greased doorknobs. Caltrops. Perimeter traps.”
> k“I don’t care if you thought it was funny.
> I care because my patrol officers walked into it, and I’m the person who decides whether that was negligence or intent.”