This week’s post is inspired by a recent Guardian article about Germany’s techno train running from Nuremberg’s Frankenstadion station to Nuremberg Central Station by a roundabout circuit. Each of its 25 cars is packed with DJs, dance spaces and happy party people. The whole thing runs twice yearly and is organized by nightclub Hauss 33. A kind of techno warp through the mountainsides of Bavaria, with the added advantage that you never have to leave; if you don’t want what’s happening in this carriage, you can always move to the next.
Sourced from Bilder.events
I’m no techno fan. Put me in one of those cars and I would have a very unhappy time. Even so, the idea of a scene taking place on the techno train is weirdly attractive!
Almost any of the NBA plot prods would do, but this strikes me as an excellent opportunity for any of the following:
- Flip. The agents must flip an asset to their side.
- Heist. The agents must steal something
- Hit. The agents must kill someone
- Hunt. The agents must find someone.
- Rescue. The agents must rescue someone.
The enclosed space, the remote environment, the probability that phones won’t work as well as expected or that the police/Edom/your aunty Mabel will not be able to intervene when needed – all those things add spice to the narrative.
Oddly enough this kind of thing has been done before in fiction, but not often.
Jaime Lee Curtis’ Terror Train had a very similar premise. “You’re always walking out of my parties,” says the rich kid who booked a party train for his graduating class, “But this time you can’t.” The train doesn’t stop. It can’t stop. No matter how many pretty young things get carved up by the madman on board. You can’t really call it a techno train but all the German elements are there – dancing, live performances, private little nooks that you can be pulled into for ... fun times ...
As a scene location it’s evocative and has the advantage of being drenched in shadow and light, which means you can play with the players’ senses. In more ways than one; as the article points out it gets hot as hell on that techno train and the toilets will become a nightmare’s nightmare before the run’s over. God alone knows what the cleaners find when they go through the train after the run. Hercules and the Augean Stables aren’t in the same league. The smell! All that sweat boxed up in a small space …
You probably couldn’t set a whole scenario on the techno train; there just isn’t enough space, not enough stuff to do. But as a scene or a capstone moment, it works very well.
With all that in mind:
Uncle Albert's Pain Train
Briefly: the Bankhaus is an investment bank with a murky past and has offices in several major cities, of which the Conspiracy has control over the Paris and Zürich branches thanks to its control over Lisle Klingemann, daughter of the boss and a senior partner in her own right, and Albert Ahrens, controller of the Zürich branch and Lisle's devoted slave. The Bankhaus is mainly interested in software development companies, particularly in jurisdictions within Europe, though it has a significant sideline in mining, especially in East Asia, a holdover from its former interests.
It has swanky offices, lawyers, a ton of assets on the book and off, and when it makes calls they get answered by senior politicians and members of the financial elite. It almost doesn't matter whether this is a Supernatural, Damned, Alien or Mutant game; all factions are going to want a piece of the Bankhaus whether to get access to its bottomless bank vaults or for more esoteric reasons ...
Albert wants to keep Lisle happy, but it's possible that her continued mental domination has awakened certain desires in him that, until now, he's been able to suppress. He may have a collection of Lisle-a-likes kept at private apartments, or be a familiar figure at local BDSM establishments ...
The Agents become aware that Albert Ahrens is after another Lisle-a-like, who happens to be a DJ on the techno train. They also become aware that Albert's current Lisle-a-like is also aware, and none too pleased. Moreover, thanks to repeated injections of something unpleasant she has Renfield characteristics and a broken psyche.
That's all without considering that Lisle, and the Conspiracy, know nothing about Albert's habits and would have a not-so-tiny fit if they found out. The Conspiracy would react violently; Lisle would rather cover everything up for the good of ... oh, the cause, why not. That's as good an excuse as any.
Option One: Flip It. The agents need to get to the DJ and convince her of the danger, thereby flipping her to the cause. She knows just enough about Albert's safe houses to get the agents in, allowing them a chance to confront Albert in one of his dens. Trouble is, that Lisle-a-like is also on the techno train and not only is she enough like the DJ to be mistaken for her (what with the flashing lights and all, though she lacks the tattoos so that might give her away) she has enough blood in her to power two tigers.
Option Two: Hit It. The agents don't need the DJ; they need the Lisle-a-like, and they know that the techno train is the best way to get to her. Try and ambush the Lisle-a-like anywhere else and she'll be dug in and ready to fight, but this is unfamiliar territory for her. Once dead, they can use clues found on the body to break into a Conspiracy facility.
Option Three: Rescue (?) The DJ is the target and, if the agents want the information in her head, they need to get her off the train. They think the Lisle-a-like is the threat and yes, she is in the area. That's not the problem. The problem is the Conspiracy is already on the hunt and the first sign may come when the agents find the Lisle-alike beheaded in one of the toilets. The Conspiracy wants to make a show to discourage anyone else from going rogue, and they don't mind if a few bystanders get caught in the crossfire.
That's it for this week. Enjoy!
Note to the crowd: I will be in NYC for a week so there will be no post on the 17th June. Happy birthday to me and all that; I'll try not to spend too much on books (jk).
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