Act opens to a very pissed off Kate Denisson and Tom Hayes arguing with Chief Physician Murthy Chandrawati of Life Sciences about recurring nightmares. Tom has been experiencing Nightmares while going under, while Kate has been having dreams when on Beach. The doctor reassures them that the dreams are perfectly normal and are merely a psychological aftermath of dealing with things the human psyche deems supernatural and morbid. Tom Hayes mutters aloud, �"Why didn't anyone tell us there would be these kind of dreams?" and after nearly assaulting the good doctor, leaves. Kate Denisson tries to console him and that is when he admits his anger is more in part due to his daughter Sarah having run off somewhere. She has not come home in a week�s time now.

Players are to be given experience points (for ending first arc):
1 � auto, 1-learning curve, 1 � roleplaying, 1- heroism
1 � success, 1-danger, 1-wisdom
1 � unity, 1-growth, 1-grace

costs:3 new ability, 15 new horror, x4 attribute, x2 ability, specialty (current rating), x3background, x3 vitality, x2 willpower, 2 buying new backgrounds

Mission #black ops � Fumigation: threat tag: Foe The crucible is tasked to handle a black-ops mission. Ernesto Hernandez (45) , a pigment user and dealear has been stalking Alana Blair (44) approximately 3 months ago. She met him in a nightclub, Inhale where they spoke about business. She suspects it was for money laundering drug money. He got attracted to her and started sending her gifts and proclamations of affection. She refused his attentions since her husband died barely a year ago and the man took the rejections badly. He began threatening her and getting violent. Repeated vandalism and threats. Authorities investigated but found no reason to do more than issue a restraining order. Blair has submitted enough credible evidence that if action is not taken, Hernandez will kill her. Agents are to ensure he is no longer able to bother Ms. Blair. Otherwise unsanctioned extreme measures are ill-advised. Secondary objective is to study and uncover any info on the pigment trade. Agents are warned that there have been reports of pigment users seeing projectors. Blair may have used pigment in the past as well, but she is not currently our focus of investigation. Record and note any interactions between Hernandez and ghosts. Take action to protect your identities.

Crucible encounters a group of Terrel and Squibb agents also in premises, hired by Hernandez to get rid of the presence of three ghost women whom he had killed and are now haunting his home. The agents may prove hostile against Orpheus agents if they are seen.

Ernesto Hernandez (45) � Physical 4, Social 3, Mental 3 � combat 7, stealth 6, others 5 (pigment user) Hispanic man, criminal record, manslaughter, possession with intent to distribute, conspiracy charges. Graying hair, scar on face(self inflicted) inspired by Scarface. [Addict, Skin Rider V5 S5 WP 7: no manifest training. Uses stains Hammer Fists +7b but+2diff dex, Brutish +2bruised,+3stre, -5init, shark appetite str+2l on bite/grpple]

Thugs of Hernandez (5 = Manuel Cobasa, Juno Marez, Jimmy Faruk, Diego Degateras, Anton Egante)Combat: 6, (pigment users but cannot affect them) Information they can share: 1) Ernesto does plan to teach Alana a �lesson� 2) The pigment is sent to them by a contact from Tijuana named CDC 3) They know the boss hired some helpers to stalk the place and were told to let them do their job.

Terrel and Squib agents (13)
There are 13 Terrel and Suibb agents in the premises. 10 of them are ordinary people with lots of devices, machines and mumbo-jumbo. (2 dice for any rolls). Three of them on the other hand may prove to be a problem. They were hired to seek out a ghost supposedly haunting the premises. What they don�t expect is that there are three.

Karen Adams, T&S Parapsych Tech (p.276)� witnessed the first manifestation of a �Hyde� in Queens NY. The Hyde (a spectre possessing a Arthur McAlester) killed off her team in Forest Hills mansion. The event was recorded in Kirllian and standard cameras of a Spectre possessing the pigment user. The ax-wielding Jason slaughtered over a dozen personnel and burned the mansion to the ground. 5 additional people died in the blaze including the client�s wife and 3-year old daughter. Arthur MCAlester�s body was never recovered.

Roger Voight, T&S Ghostbreaker (p.276) � formerly in SWAT, now getting rid of ghosts in exchange for money. Very good agents and has ghost-shot ammo.

Kelly Michaels, T&S Ghostbreaker (p.34, Orphan Grinders) � later introduces Crucible Horrors. For now, is another Ghostbreaker Skimmer Polergeist currently projected: [Defender, V6 S5 Wp6, Helter Skelter, Congeal] Also a mole of Orpheus in T&S to be revealled in end of the act.

Ghost Victims
Currently, there are three ghost victims in the house who have been haunting Ernesto. Only one of the three is not a Drone nor a Blip.

Betty Fagamon � 17 years old, druggie. Dones (vitality 1) Repeatedly appears in mirror reflection of the bathtub, washing her hair. Died by beating and severe physical trauma. [haunter, socialite] Tether: tell her she is beautiful

Candice Kenmona � 19 years old, runaway; Blip (vitality 2) Manifests as a floaty apparition of a woman with self-inflicted cuts on her arms and screams, �You love me!� [banshee, martyr] wail -3 dice, up to 5 people Tether: Tell my mom I loved her, Burn the copy of the videotape of me being raped while drunk

Michael �Michelle� Quitely � 18 years old, transsexual; Mirage class. Seeks to avenge himself upon the cruel druglord. Appears as a soft glow, or an almost angelic form. Michelle knows about Orpheus but never believed it was real.

Str 2 Dex 3 Sta 2 Cha 3 Man 3 App 3 Per 1 Int 2 Wits 3 [Wisp Hue, Gallant V6 S1 Wp6]
Alertness Empathy Expression Intuition Streetwise Subterfuge � 3 Others � 1 [Unearthly Repose, Inhabit]
Stains: Dagger tongue str+1L speak cruel things, Bad Blood 8Lto those hit by blood, bleed 2 a day or 2L/day auto, Infestation (spiders in body reduce vicimts init 5 and+2diff perception, distracting -2Perception rating Visage � 3, Memoriam -1 (Blitt Flick club, picture honoring drag Queen for three years straight)
Tethers: Kill the man who killed me, Ask my family for forgiveness, Find my father�s ghost and talk

Mission results: All Terrel and Squibb agents are killed. The druglord (while possessed by Vincent Fiorello) has his men execute the agents, then begins to shoot at them himself. In the end, 19 people are slain. Kelly Michaels, a ghost, discovers that she is not alone. Her lover, Voight, has been transformed into a hue by pigment, but has also been consumed by his Spite, transforming into a Spectre. Kelly Michaels escapes the Spectre with the help of Quitley.