Cyberpunk Meets Thousand Year Old Vampire (Session 6, Ghost Heat)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclaimer: Images and some of the writing here were created with the assistance of AI tools, which I use for fun and to enhance my solo Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) hobby experience and storytelling. I enjoy using AI as a creative companion, but I also understand that not everyone is comfortable with its use, and I fully respect that perspective. While AI helps me explore new ideas and streamline parts of my creative process, I do want to emphasize the importance of supporting real artists and creators. Human creativity is irreplaceable, and I encourage everyone to credit, commission, and celebrate the work of talented artists in the TTRPG community and beyond. Thank you for being here and sharing in the adventure. Again, this is all just for fun. Hope you enjoy!

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Man, what a week, too much life stuff cutting into hobby stuff, haha. But, on the train to my girlfriend's house the other day I was able to get some game time in. When on the go I use a dice app on my phone and have my TTRPG rulebooks available in Google Drive. Plus ChatGPT and a bunch of notes that I organize later when back at my PC.

Ok, so, Turn 3 of Cyberpunk Meets Thousand Year Old Vampire. I was on prompt 7, and on this turn I rolled 1-1=0, so I stay on prompt 7. There are three prompts under each number, so I'm going to track them as a, b, c.

7b says, "People see a horror in you that you cannot perceive in yourself. What Mark do you possess that you do not know about? Create a Mark and a suspicious mortal who has seen it. What name do the people call you when your back is turned?"

As a reminder, “a Mark is a visible indication of your vampire's undying state, or any other thing that sets them apart from mortal people. A Mark is something your vampire carries for their entire existence. When creating a Mark, consider whether your vampire conceals it, and how.”

I like this twist that prompt 7b puts on it. For this place in the story I decide to stay in the year 2077. I imagine that this mark for Jeffrey has something to do with thermal sensors in the future being able to see his wounds, but I’m not sure who noticed it. Then I think that perhaps it's the Fixer mentioned in the last post who’s trying to get a Meeting with him... and the Fixer and the dancer with the 03:00 audition are somehow in cahoots together. Hmmm, yep, I like it!

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Night City, 2077 – Neon Kiss Nightclub

Jeffery kept his eyes on the dancer. Her gaze tilted up, fixed on him. She shouldn’t have been able to see through the one-way glass, but she did. He stayed perfectly still, didn’t blink. She was no ordinary dancer. She was a probe. Her eyes weren’t on the floor, the performers, or the crowd, only on him.

The Fixer’s persistent meeting requests now made sense. Jeffery’s team should’ve caught this. He’d deal with that later. He reopened the bar manager’s meeting invite, stared at it a beat, then typed, “Send him up.”

The overhead lights dimmed as the elevator doors slid open. A man stepped out, composed, precise, subtly cybered. A smart Fixer’s coat, low-light optics, one arm fully chromed from wrist to shoulder, filters humming silently. He offered Jeffery a curt nod. “Thanks for your time. Name’s Oscar.”

Jeffery motioned to the chair opposite his desk. Oscar sat, scanning the room’s perimeter before settling on him. His voice was smooth, practiced. “Been hoping to meet you for a while now,” he said. “Neon Kiss has quite the reputation. You run a clean floor here. Staff’s tight, flows are smooth, and your people don’t talk, you should know that.”

Jeffery said nothing. Let Oscar fill the silence.

“I move in logistics, soft security, talent brokering through Night City,” Oscar continued. “I keep things low heat. You do too.”

Jeffery simply listened.

What Oscar didn’t say was, six weeks prior, he’d seen Jeffery on a thermal scan during a rooftop Op that went sideways. Every body scanned had glowed dull orange, except one, barely warm, with three hot spots - one behind the jaw, one on each forearm. They called him The Burned One. Oscar had watched that footage over and over, but never shared his thoughts on it with his crew.

Taking the silent cue from Jeffery, Oscar continued, “Seems we could be useful to each other.”

Jeffery’s gaze shifted to the club security feed, the dancer at the bar, still scanning, still jacked in. He asked, “She yours?”

Oscar’s grin was faint. “Trial run, thought she might fit the vibe.”

Jeffery stood. “I’ll think about it.”

Oscar nodded and rose with him. “Of course. Appreciate the hospitality.” He left as quietly as he arrived.

Jeffery watched the elevator panel drop back to ground. On the security monitor, Oscar exited the club, and the dancer fell in step, coat over her shoulder, eyes forward, no hint she’d ever looked anywhere but the door. Neither spoke.

A ping on Jeffery’s console: “0300 dancer audition cancelled.”

Jeffery sat and leaned back in his chair, feeds flickering across the glass. They were gone. He exhaled slowly through his nose. Someone on payroll should’ve flagged the girl, tracked the Fixer. Instead, she’d walked right into his view, and he’d been forced to react like a fucking human.

Not that he cared.

...Except that he did.