Interlinked: Blade Runner RPG Solo Campaign - Session 1: Part 2 - Painful to Live in Fear
Welcome back to Interlinked!
Last post we got the investigation kicked off. We spoke with Mr Wyman’s head of security and discovered he recently got a job offer from his political rival. Detective Jay also found a secret camera in the residence of Flora, also discovering it belongs to Mrs. Wyman.
If you haven't caught up with the first couple sessions, make sure to give it a read here.
Now let's play!
Tuesday, 15 September 2037, 1st Shift
I have to take this new information to Deputy Chief Holden, no way am I equipt to handle this alone. The humans already don’t trust me as is, if I go around accusing Mrs. Wyman they may decide to retire me right then and there. But as the clock ticks over into 1st shift I realise I’m the only one at the LAPD Tower. Chief isn’t going to be here, so there isn’t much I can do at the moment. It’s getting late and even replicants need to rest.
Downtime event: Plays some soothing jazz and spends time with a key relationship or DiJi.
So it’s time to head home. I jump in my spinner and fly to Little Tokyo. If the city is sleeping, Little Tokyo didn’t get the message. Stalls are still serving up noddles, ladies of the night are still plying their trade and the markets are going as if it was midday. My little place is a shoe box, but it’s my shoe box.
“Astrid I’m home,” I call out as I walk inside. The dim lights flicker brighter and I see the holo display of Astrid start to form.
“Honey, how was your day?” she says to me. She’s always asking about my work. “Was it a hard day? I hope you weren’t in any danger.” Astrid worries about me. I wonder why she was issued to me if all she does is badger me about quitting.
“It wasn’t bad dear. Just a new case, a tricky one.”
“Well relax. Have a drink Honey and we will get some rest. But first, tell me all about your day…”
 |
| Astrid always keeps me grounded, even if she wants me to quit the LAPD. |
Tuesday, 15 September 2037, 2nd Shift
Well rested, I say goodbye to Astrid. She looks like she is going to cry, she’s never happy when I’m this stressed about a case. And god damn it, I’m about to cry myself. I rush out the door so she can’t see the tears in my eyes.
I dial Deputy Chief Holden, he would have received my report on the camera belonging to Mrs. Wyman by now and my conversation with Prei Loyoun.
“Well, shit Jay. You sure stirred up a hornet's nest over there at the Wyman residence. Camera in the replicant’s room? And it belongs to the wife? Seems like she just moved up to suspect #1. But hey, Jay, be careful with this one. She can’t know we suspect anything otherwise she will go find a lawyer so expensive the LAPD prosecutors will personally come down here and kick my ass. Call me with more updates”.
So, how do you interrogate a suspect who can’t know they are a suspect? You have to sympathize with them. Get them to trust you and then get them to open up. You’d be amazed at the number of people who have just admitted to crimes after a casual conversation.
Phone records place Mrs. Wyman at the Grand Central Market in Sector 9 just an hour ago. With any luck, she will still be there.
Sector 9, the Commercial district. You’ll never find a greater microcosm of LA than this small slice of heaven. The Fashion District, Financial District, and Grand Central Market butt up against Retirement Row, the worst place in LA, period.
I fly into Grand Central and being my search. I follow the records to a place called ‘The Exotic Pet’. A nightclub? Maybe a brothel?
I step inside and I’m greeted with a vast array of animals of different types, shapes, and sizes. All artificial of course, most of the natural ones have been extinct for decades.
I spot Mrs. Wyman looking over a marmot with rainbow fur. I approach her.
OK, I’m fully expecting Mrs. Wyman to be hostile to any line of questioning. I’m using another tool from JeansenVaars called his Scene Unfolding Machine. I’ll be using the NPC Emulation table. I’ll start with the Behavior Table. Mrs. Wyman will approach in a taunting manner, with strength.
As I’m about to introduce myself Mrs. Wyman says, “Detective Jay. I was wondering when you’d approach me for an interview. You won’t mind if my lawyer Alejandro Mirai joins us? Purely as a precaution, you understand.”
A man steps out from behind a cage he was clearly using to hide. He is a smirk dressed in a suit. So it’s an ambush.
“Mrs. Wyman, your lawyer isn’t necessary. I just want to ask you a few questions. I won’t even record the session or take notes.”
Mrs. Wyman laughs at this. A deep cackle. “Oh, Detective Jay. Do you think this is the first time I’ve had to speak to authorities because of my husband's stupidity?”
The lawyer quickly interrupts, “Mrs. Wyman, I suggest you say nothing to this officer. I’ve seen her record and she is quite talented at making people talk.”
“Thank you for your concern Alejandro, but I can handle myself. And there are a few things I’d like to get off my chest, maybe something Detective Jay can help with. Detective, would you like to continue this conversation next door over some breakfast?”
We move ourselves to an upscale restaurant. A brief look at the menu tells me I wouldn’t be able to afford anything here, not even the water. Especially not the water. The wait staff shows us to a private room in the back.
 |
| Mrs. Wyman, a wealthy and sever woman. |
The lawyer speaks first, “Detective Jay, we feel it is best if this conversation is recorded. We will make our own recording, which will ensure my client’s words are not taken out of context. Do you agree?”
I nod and start my recorder.
Transcript of the Conversation Between Mrs. Clara Wyman, Wife of Mr. Wyman, and Detective Jay. Legal Representation Alejandro Mirai is in attendance.
Detective Jay: Mrs. Wyman, I’ll cut to the case. We found a camera in Flora’s residence and it was traced back to your ownership. Can you tell me why you were recording Flora and if you know anything about her disappearance?
Whispers between Alejandro and Mrs. Clara Wyman.
Mrs. Clara Wyman: Is it a crime to install a camera in your own house? Are replicants entitled to privacy protections as humans are?
Detective Jay: No Mrs. Wyman, to both questions. I’m not concerned with the privacy and legality of installing the camera. Frankly, my concern is that you had this camera installed, Flora has gone missing, and you never once felt the need to tell the police you may have recordings of what happened.
Whispers between Alejandro and Mrs. Clara Wyman.
Mrs. Wyman: I have no further comment regarding this camera.
Detective Jay: Ok, thank you for your time Mrs. Wyman. I’ll be sure to take this information to Mr. Wyman and see what he thinks about this.
Roll Empathy (A a D12), and Manipulation (B a D10) - Three Successes - Critical Sucess
Why does Mrs. Wyman say she installed the camera? The Reason oracle in PUM says Secure Revenge. But our critical success gives us more. We discover something expected, but what? Another role of the Reason oracle gives us Desire Safety. What is going on in that house? Let’s see.
Mrs. Wyman: Wait!
Whispers between Alejandro and Mrs. Wyman.
Alejandro: Mrs. Wyman, I recommend as your council that you stay quiet.
Mrs. Wyman: Oh do shut up! I am an adult and you’ve made the risks quite clear. Now be quiet and let me speak. Detective, I am tired of men telling me what to do all the time. My lawyers, my husband, etc. You see my wealth and you see someone with power. But it isn’t true.
Detective Jay: What isn’t true Mrs. Wyman?
Mrs. Wyman: All of it. My husband… is not a nice man. Do you think Flora is the first replicant pet he’s had? Oh no. As soon as the prohibition was lifted he ordered a dozen. All female models of course. Oh, you weren’t asked to investigate the other 11, were you? They weren’t to his liking, you understand? But he found his Flora, didn’t he? He loved her. Can you love a thing? It’s a machine, no offense. Not a person. He doesn’t love me, not anymore. Does any of this make sense?
Detective Jay: Yes Mrs. Wyman.
Mrs. Wyman: Hmmm… I’m not sure it does make sense to you. Well, I hate him for loving that thing. I put the camera in there. I wanted to blackmail him. To tell him I’d show the world what he did with that replicant. All I want in return is to be free of him. But, to do all this, I need that replicant to stay alive. Dead and I can’t use her as leverage anymore. So you see Detective, that is why I had a camera in that room.
Detective Jay: Thank you for your honesty, Mrs. Wyman. Still, if you had nothing to do with it, who do you think is responsible for Flora’s disappearance?
Mrs. Wyman: Laughter If there is one person who hates my husband more than me, it’s Dimitry Koslovski.
Alejandro: Mrs. Wyman, I must insist this interview end. Detective, I am formally closing this interview. I you want to ask more questions, you’ll have to charge my client with a crime.
Transcript Complete
Dimitry Koslovski, that’s the second time a subject has discussed that person. I reckon that’s my next port of call.
Now with the close of the session, we can doll our promotion and humanity points. Let’s see what Detective Jay has received.
Promotion Points +2
Found one or more clues that led to real progress in the investigation.
- For the discovery of the camera and finding out that Prei got a job with Dimitry
Uploaded at least one piece of important evidence to the LAPD Mainframe. If this was not discussed during the session, ask the player now.
- Uploading the camera to the LAPD Mainframe
Humanity Points +3
Learned something significant about someone’s life.
- Learning that Mrs. Wyman was so afraid of Mr Wyman
Interacted with their key relationship
- Speaking with Astrid
Played a downtime scene
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Thanks for reading everyone and see you next week as we get get to the next session of Interlinked!
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