World of Darkness: Hunter.

So we’re “wrapping up” a World of Darkness (Hunter) game to head into Vampire: The Masquerade. We played Hunter very much like Supernatural meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer – with the characters being a little off beat and fun.

I made a character named Sam Branor, who worked at a Warehouse as a security guard (his father’s side comes from a line of police officers, Sam simply lacked what it took to become an actual officer; so to appease his father, he took a job as a security guard – and I figured a warehouse created a potential for the game master – Aaron – to use if he wanted). Sam’s true love, however, was music – more so, heavy metal – for which he was in a band called Steel Destiny that played that 80’s vibe of metal. (Definitely a part of me was what made up Sam’s character). In the game, I began writing “lyrics” for the band based on each session. I figured I’d share them here and some of the images I made along the way too.

First, the Steel Destiny band logo –

Next, Sam needed a van to drive all the band equipment around. So I found the most 80s type of van I could find that screamed “heavy metal” and photoshopped the above Steel Destiny logo on it – and this became Sam’s van.

First session dealt with ghosts possessing people – so this came first:

“Wrath of the Skin Rider” – by Sam Branor, for Steel Destiny.

Cursed in life, damned in death
The Skin Riders took their final breath
Seek the living to usurp their souls
So that the Skin Rider can take control.

Riding the Soul, feel the Wrath of the Skin Rider
Burning to take control, it’s the Wrath of the Skin Rider
Churn and burn, feel the Wrath of the Skin Rider

Blood on the knife, the Skin Rider approaches you
He will make you do things you’d never do
Because the Skin Rider is here
Feel the intensity of his vile, and taste the fear

The Skin Rider is after you
The Skin Rider brings damnation
There’s nothing you can do
Seek salvation

Riding the Soul, feel the Wrath of the Skin Rider
Burning to take control, it’s the Wrath of the Skin Rider
Churn and burn, feel the Wrath of the Skin Rider

Blood on the knife, the Skin Rider approaches you
He will make you do things you’d never do
Because the Skin Rider is here
Feel the intensity of his vile, and taste the fear

Made (Note: When I say “made” – I am not the artist behind it) this as the “Single” cover –

The next session dealt with “sirens” in a pond, and one of the other characters (run by Jessica) name Colette is a Mafia worker, who does sniper business – so even though Sam got pulled into the pond, she was sniping from a tree – so Sam wrote this –

“The Darkest Angel” – by Sam Branor, for Steel Destiny

From the moment our eyes met
I knew you were someone I wouldn’t soon forget
Supernatural forces swirling about
And all I wanted to do was ask you out

From time to time when you’re not around
I can barely pick myself up from the ground
Where does she go?
Does she even know?

The Darkest Angel, with the brightest light
She spreads her wings, and she takes flight
The Darkest Angel, she’s always ready to fight
With her weapons, and destroys the blight

When I was tempted by magic to look away
You came in and saved the day
I was pulled beneath the waves of despair
And you came and saved me, you were right there

I heard their songs, and turned my back on you
You took to the skies, and ran them through
Breathing your life into me
When I opened my eyes, you were all I could see.

The Darkest Angel, with the brightest light
She spreads her wings, and she takes flight
The Darkest Angel, she’s always ready to fight
With her weapons, and destroys the blight

In another session, Jessica wasn’t able to make it, and another player (Mike) had a character goal to visit a stripper joint, because he’d never been. So Sam and Satoshi (Mike’s character) went and there Satoshi was enthralled by a red headed woman who took him to a private room while Sam was promoting his band with the dancers/entertainment. When Satoshi came out he looked all anemic (we’ve not yet figured out what was going on). But Sam wrote lyrics about it calling her “Ruby Red”…

“Ruby Red” – by Sam Branor for Steel Destiny

She moves like a feline on the prowl
Hiding beneath a cowl
Of shadows and grief
She’s looking for some relief

Meet her gaze, and be entranced
Watching as she dances
Can’t tear you gaze away
You’re frozen and you can’t get away

Her lips lure you closer and closer
And you just got to be with her
Her red hair like the fire in your heart
She’s got you now and you don’t wanna be apart

She dances for you, my Ruby Red
She enchants you, she’s in your head
Fall into her trance, my Ruby Red
This is your chance, my Ruby Red

She knows how to move her body for you
You love the things she can do
Anything will suffice
You will pay any price

She calls you closer, her blood red nails
You try to resist, but your heart fails
Her red hair is like a burning fire
Exploiting your wildest desires

When she’s done with you, you’re drained
Feeling a way, that you can’t explain
But still, before you walk out the door
You say you will come back for more

She dances for you, my Ruby Red
She enchants you, she’s in your head
Fall into her trance, my Ruby Red
This is your chance, my Ruby Red

I determined that the bar that my band, Steel Destiny, plays at is a bar named Spinal Tap (named after same said fictional band; but because you have beer on tap)… So during the session I made this fictional flyer…

This was another flyer… I can’t recall where I got the base image from, however.

In another session, we were tracking a racer who seemed to have some form of supernatural powers behind the reason for his winnings, so we tracked him to a club named Club Succubus – so I took a picture of a real club and photoshopped the front –

When we were researching Vampires, Aaron said there was no Ann Rice Interview With A Vampire so I said, “I look for this book instead.”

We ended up breaking into the suspected vampire’s apartment and bugging it with camera equipment, which led to Sam writing these lyrics…

“A Thousand Eyes” – by Sam Branor, for Steel Destiny

Nowhere you go is safe from my eyes
No matter where you are, I will find a way to pry.
Behind your computer screen
Information I shall glean.

Do you think you’re truly free, in this society?
Do you think you’re safe, behind that security?
Use a device to track
Another camera to hack

In the skies, there’s a thousand eyes
In the skies, they’re digitized
In the skies, there’s a thousand eyes
In the skies, revealing your lies
A thousand eyes!

Walk down the streets of your neighborhood
Feeling safe, like you think you should
But a thousand Ring doorbells track your every step
And in the shadows, those who have crept

Do you think you have privacy, in this society?
Do you think no one knows you, in the city?
Take this device, put it in your bag
And now you’re branded with a tag.

In the skies, there’s a thousand eyes
In the skies, they’re digitized
In the skies, there’s a thousand eyes
In the skies, revealing your lies
A thousand eyes!

Another session Jessica (Colette) missed, Mike (Satoshi) and myself (Sam) drove up to Los Angeles to investigate a theory Satoshi had about Nicolas Cage being a vampire…

We brought along with us, an NPC who’d been with the party from the start, named Maybelle – and used her as bait. She ended up going up into Nicolas Cage’s place and coming out looking anemic – simply to when Satoshi had spent time with Ruby at the strip joint. This led Sam to conclude one thing – Nicolas Cage was a stripper. (I did say we were silly). Sam did get Nicolas Cage to sign one of his flyers…

This led to two sets of lyrics…

“Hollywood Horror Story” – by Sam Branor, for Steel Destiny

Stars of Hollywood, a path to fame
People caught up in all of the flash
Sell their souls, burning in eternal flame
Living filthy rich, tossing around all that cash.

The streets glitter with Hollywood stars
Luring the hopeful to devour their dreams
Doesn’t matter who you are
They won’t hear your screams.

Hollywood Horror Story
Come out here for the glory
Hollywood Horror Story
Blinded by the flicker of gold
Hiding the truth, it’s gory
Welcome to the Hollywood Horror Story

Chance encounter with a Hollywood Star
You know who you are
We met you, and let you out of your cage
And you took the stage

Cold as ice, then so kind and generous
You won’t fool us
I see through your disguise
I see through your lies

You’re just another page of the Hollywood Horror Story
Come out here for the glory
Hollywood Horror Story
Blinded by the flicker of gold
Hiding the truth, it’s gory
Welcome to the Hollywood Horror Story

And then, because of Sam’s (dumb) conclusion…

“Nicolas Cage Is A Stripper” – by Sam Branor, for Steel Destiny

Nicolas Cage has a secret
That he doesn’t want anyone to know
And I’m afraid I can’t keep it
So I have something to reveal at the show

My friend and I met Nicolas Cage in L.A.
And as a movie star, he was O.K.
But when we caught him at brunch
He didn’t care for talking to us over lunch

Nicolas Cage is a stripper
If it’s been a bad night, he’s not very chipper
Nicolas Cage is a stripper
If you pay enough to hear the sound of his zipper
Nicolas Cage is a stripper
And if you order his service, you better be a good tipper

Nicolas Cage has a secret
Even if his movie’s a hit
He needs a little extra cash
And I know this sounds really brash

But I have proof, because my friend went up to his room
Looking like her blood has been consumed
Just like my friend who met a stripper at the strip club named Ruby
So clearly, this proves me right, unequivocally

Nicolas Cage is a stripper
If it’s been a bad night, he’s not very chipper
Nicolas Cage is a stripper
If you pay enough to hear the sound of his zipper
Nicolas Cage is a stripper
And if you order his service, you better be a good tipper

This was the latest flyer I had made for the band – the background is from the Savatage album Dungeons Are Calling.

In the latest adventure, a warehouse had a haunted ghost – and we discovered, that they’d gotten killed on accident during illegal avocado trading – and that they’d wanted to actually be a singer and never got to fulfill it.

Sam, then wrote the following (with “fruits” referencing avocados since avocados are a fruit)…

“The Fruits of our Labor” by Sam Branor for Steel Destiny
Dedicated to Jimmy Romano

I’ve worked my fingers to the bone
This is the only life I’ve ever known
During these desperate times
Led to a twisted life of crime.

Always paranoid, looking over my back
Never saw ahead of me, now fading to black
Now I can’t seem to be put to rest
A crime here, that can never be confessed.

A tormented spirit
With music pouring from my soul
But no, they’ll never hear it
Because I’m buried in this hole.

These are the fruits of our labor
From flesh to bone to ash
The hate that we harbor
Just to earn some cash
These are the fruits of our labor

I was so much more than what people knew
But I never got a chance, so that talent never grew
There was a music box full of songs
Deep in my soul, where they belong

But it was buried beneath the reality
So that I could never be free, to express my creativity
If they world had only given me a chance
To hear my song, to feel the dance

Damned to work day in, day out
For this trivial amount
When I longed to do so much more
To go beyond this door

These are the fruits of our labor
From flesh to bone to ash
The hate that we harbor
Just to earn some cash
These are the fruits of our labor

So Sam, learned their music (the deceased was named Jimmy Ramano and were very into Frank Sinatra type music) – so at the next Steel Destiny show, Sam played his music first – then played Jimmy’s song as an encore… and despite, Sam wanting to prove to the world how great his music and singing was – he shined more during Jimmy’s song – dice rolls helped tell that story.

Which, by then I realized, I’d – well, ahem – Sam had – written enough songs for an “album.” So, then I took this amazing piece, by the late and great Ken Kelly…

Let me tell you, I am going to miss playing Sam. Sam allowed me to not only RP with people I absolutely love (Aaron, Mike, and Jessica are in my regular D&D game I run, as well as the Off Week Game that I run) – but it also allowed me to write lyrics (which I love doing) and coming up with these fantastic flyers and album covers.

• Tawmis