Empire City: Apocalypse Keys—Unsleeping Metropolis


“The only thing standing between us and the Apocalypse is you monsters. God help us. Now, about those occult murders in Central Park…”

Operating out of the secret D.I.V.I.S.I.O.N. headquarters in the Flatiron Building, you are a team of monstrous agents working to solve mysteries and cancel the Apocalypse.

Apocalypse Keys is a game based on Hellboy media, designed by the Gauntlet’s own Jamila R. Nedjadi and in development from Evil Hat.

We’ll play four sessions set in the shared New York City-based urban fantasy setting of Empire City. The sessions are May 3rd, 10th, 24th, and 31st. (I am skipping the 17th for a separate celebration of Miracle Monday.)

NUMBER OF SESSIONS: There will be 4 sessions in total. Being able to attend each session is ideal but not required. You must RSVP to each session you wish to attend.

DURATION: 3 hours

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4 players total. One slot is reserved for Jesse A.

SAFETY TOOLS IN USE: We will use CATS, the X-Card, Lines & Veils, and the Open Door Policy. This event abides by the Gauntlet Community Code of Conduct.

SET UP INFO: We will play over Streamyard. Expect a set-up email from me about a week before the first session, with a link to a Google sheet character keeper.

BREAKS: two ten-minute breaks (and more as requested)

RECORDED: Provided all players give permission, sessions will be recorded and posted to the Cloven Pine Games Youtube channel.

PRIOR EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: No, rules will be taught in play.

Session One 2021-05-04T00:00:00Z2021-05-04T03:00:00Z
Session Two 2021-05-11T00:00:00Z2021-05-11T03:00:00Z
Session Three 2021-05-25T00:00:00Z2021-05-25T03:00:00Z
Session Four 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z2021-06-01T03:00:00Z

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Empire City: Apocalypse Keys—Unsleeping Metropolis (Session 1/4)
Starring: @GroupSoliloquy, @Jesseabe, @Ferret, Steven S
We meet our crew of monsters tasked with holding back the Apocalypse: Newt Nightbreath the Summoned is a fae-marked disaster, Yawachika Opessa the Surge is a sacrificial victim returned with terrifying powers, Untitled the Shade died for an experimental art piece, and Biff Brown the Fallen is the former god Odin moonlighting as a pitcher for the Mets. DIVISION sends the quartet to begin investigating four corpses found floating in the air around Cleopatra’s Needle in Central Park.

1 Like

Empire City: Apocalypse Keys—Unsleeping Metropolis (Session 2/4)
Starring: @GroupSoliloquy, @Jesseabe, @Ferret, Steven S

Our monsters unlock Doom’s Door and face what awaits them at the conclusion of the mystery Threading Cleopatra’s Needle. Biff demands worship and receives a ruinous premonition; Yawachika balances on a knife’s edge between light and darkness; Newt punches teammates and enemies, and maybe falls a little bit in love; Untitled steals the face of a departed soul to gather clues and forestall the Apocalypse’s harbinger.

Empire City: Apocalypse Keys—Unsleeping Metropolis (Session 3/4)
Starring: @GroupSoliloquy, @Jesseabe, @Ferret, Steven S

We return to see our monsters explore New York City (and their feelings for each other) before taking on a mission that falls close to home: agents have been disappearing in DIVISION’s Forbidden Gallery. Yawachika chafes at the presence of his treacherous mother-figure, who’s consulting for DIVISION. Untitled and Biff circle each other’s most dangerous secrets. And Newt shows why he might be the most dangerous monster of them all.

Empire City: Apocalypse Keys—Unsleeping Metropolis (Session 4/4)
Starring: @Ferret, Steven S, @Jesseabe
In our grand finale, the monsters unlock the case of the Rogue Gallery and have a dramatic showdown in the Guggenheim Museum. Yawachika gains new powers and spreads his wings. Newt solves problems with his heart instead of his fists. And Biff comes face-to-snarling-face with his greatest secrets and regrets.