Session 15 - Who’s Naughty or Nice

Session 15 - Who’s Naughty or Nice Oct 8, 2023 21:40:00 GMT -6

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Post by Cassian on Oct 8, 2023 21:40:00 GMT -6

Desires for the Night:
- Jack: To track the crate and report back to Ivan
- Harri: To track the crate and report back to Ivan
- Cassian: To track the crate and report back to Ivan

December 25, 2004

Unknown Church, Outskirts of Newcastle City Limits
12:22 a.m.

The vampires are standing outside the burning church in stunned silence. The red tail lights of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van are long gone.
Jack receives a voice message on his phone. It is Balthazar taunting him, saying that he’s with his new childe, Jack’s father, and that he’s going to make Jack Sr. feed on Papagenno to silence him once and for all.
Jack is enraged and throws his phone off the cliff into the sea far below. Jack (at Hunger 5) feels ravenous and is on the brink of losing control.
Cassian’s phone rings. It is Allison Shaw. She’s in Papagenno’s room and is upset because he is awake and raving. Cassian can hear Papagenno shouting in the background. Allison says a man in a white suit was there, smiling at the whole scene.
Cassian tries to calm Allison and tells her that Harri is on the way to help. He asks her to notify hospital security to keep the man in the white suit out of Papagenno’s room.
The vampires get in Jack’s car and speed back to Newcastle. Jack makes a successful Drive skill test and avoids a hunger frenzy.
Cassian pleads with Harri. “We’ve already lost one father figure to these monsters. Don’t let them hurt Papagenno!”
Cassian is dropped off at their haven. He feeds Bones and wearily settles into the library to investigate names and terms he heard Solomon speak earlier at the church.

December 25, 2004
Museum of Natural History, Marshall Campus District
12:43 a.m.

Jack drives like a madman. He needs to feed desperately. He and Harri drive to the Museum of Natural History where they find a late-night Christmas party at a special exhibit titled “The Mind Parasites”. The exhibit banner shows an ant, a rat and a cuckoo bird.
The vampires wait until a young, sharp-dressed male exits the museum, making his way to his parked car.
Harri intercepts him and uses Mesmerize to tell him that his friend “needs jumper cables” and to walk to Jack’s car. The human complies.
As the man approaches Jack, Jack feels the bestial hunger rise within. He makes a successful Frenzy Roll and Compels the man to get into the back seat of his car.
Jack drains the man to slake 5 Hunger, chooses to kill him, and gains two Stains!
Harri gets in the driver’s seat and heads directly to Morgan County Medical.

December 25, 2004

Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District

12:58 a.m.

A knock on the haven’s front door startles Cassian. It is Roger, Ivan’s ghoul, asking for an update on the evening’s recon mission.
Cassian tells Roger that he is gravely injured and shows him the piercing wound. He asks if Roger is aware of any healers for kindred.
Roger says he has heard of vampires who are called “Valerens” — kindred that possess control over pain and the healing arts. But they are exceedingly rare.
Roger calls Ivan for more information. He hangs up and says that Ivan understands the situation.
At Ivan’s behest, Roger offers himself to Cassian to feed. Cassian slakes 2 Hunger.
Cassian tells Roger that he will deliver a full report to Ivan before the sun rises.

December 25, 2004
Morgan County Medical Center
1:22 a.m.

Jack and Harri arrive at the hospital. Harri makes a successful Dexterity + Streetwise roll and gets to the 5th floor ward undetected. Jack remains hidden outside, waiting for Harri to open the window to Papagenno’s room.
Jack Sr. clouds the mind of the security guard outside of Papagenno’s room and enters. In the hospital corridor, Harri sees this exchange.
Harri approaches the same guard and uses Mesmerize to force him to stop Jack Sr. The guard is confused and tries to eject Jack Sr. from the room.
Harri enters Papagenno’s room, finds Allison Shaw within, and compels Jack Sr. to leave and go back to his sire. Jack Sr. obeys.
Harri sends Allison out of the room to fetch him a snack. Alone with a sleeping Papagenno, Harri opens the window.
Jack uses Soaring Leap to scale the hospital exterior and enters the room undetected.
On his way up, Jack spies Jack Sr. in the parking lot below entering a black sedan. Moments later, Balthazar, Jack Sr. and a goon exit the sedan and begin making their way toward the hospital entrance.
Harri feeds on Papagenno (slakes 1 Hunger) to deliberately cause alarms to go off. Harri uses Cloak of Shadows to conceal himself in the room. Jack takes a seat across from Papagenno’s bed and waits.
Nurses enter the room in a flurry of activity. They quickly stabilize Papagenno.
Balthazar and his crew enter the room. Jack Sr. is stunned to see his son and they exchange words. Balthazar orders the nurses out of the room.
Jack and Balthazar have a stand off. Jack tells Balthazar, “No. Medical.”, to which Balthazar responds, “Are you the Prince now, Jack?”
Balthazar again tries to order Jack Sr. to feed on Papagenno, but Jack brazenly uses Compel on Balthazar and orders him to leave! Amazingly, Balthazar turns and leaves the room with his goon! Jack orders his father to wait for him outside the hospital.
Harri uses Dominate on a nurse (Jack winces) to secure a wheelchair for Papagenno. Jack puts the drugged and comatose man into the chair.
Harri uses Cloud Memory on the nurse (Jack winces again) and tells her, “Ignore everything from the last few moments.”
Jack and Harri enter an elevator with Papagenno in the wheelchair and descend to the emergency ward.
The vampires find Jack Sr. waiting by Jack’s car. They put Jack Sr. and Papagenno into the back seat and peel out of the parking lot.
As they drive away, they see Balthazar and his goon exiting the hospital. Balthazar suddenly stops walking and snaps out of the Compel. Fury flashes across his face and he wheels around to re-enter the hospital without seeing Jack’s car driving away.

December 25, 2004
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District
2:31 a.m.

Harri calls Allison’s cell to let her know that Papagenno is safe with him.
Cassian investigates “Golconda” and discovers an ancient reference explaining that it is a state of enlightenment for vampires discovered by Saulot. It is a state of perfect equilibrium between the Beast and the human aspects of a vampire. There are benefits to achieving Golconda, such as lack of frenzy and being able to withstand the sun. It is a state of perfect serenity or perfect bestiality.
Cassian learns that the Tzimisce are a clan of vampires.
When Papagenno is brought into the haven, the coterie accept that it is not safe for him to stay there.
Cassian uses his Lancea Sanctum Influence and reaches out to his network for help.
Cass contacts a ghoul doctor at a nearby Jesuit seminary who offers safe haven for Papagenno until New Years Day. Additionally, Cassian arranges for a security detail for Papagenno and Harri drops off Papagenno at the seminary with no trouble.
Jack and Cassian patiently explain vampire unlife to Jack Sr.
With dawn nearing after several hours of talk, Jack Sr. says to Jack, “Thank you… for all of this, son. I feel like this new world is a way to remedy all those mistakes I made in life. Take me out tomorrow and show me what we truly are.”
Cassian thanks Jack for saving Papagenno. He then asks Jack to barricade the library door and to check on him when he wakes as he may be in need of a “big breakfast”.
Jack retires to his lair in the manor’s office.
Cassian prints a full report about the events of their evening and has Roger deliver it to Ivan. Note: Does this fulfill Ivan’s requirement of the task?
On his way back to the haven from the seminary, Harri feeds on a local bloodbag and slakes 2 Hunger.
Harri ascends to his lair in the attic for sleep. As he settles into his coffin, he hears the sound of soft footsteps ascending the attic stairs. Curly, blonde hair appears over the edge of his coffin. It is Girl! She gazes at Harri and says, “He sleeps!” Then, she is suddenly wearing a clown mask and says, “But they awaken!” The mask disappears and blood pours from her face… death slumber overtakes Harri.
And with that, the early hours of Christmas morning are in the books.

The next evening, Cassian fails 3 Rouse Checks for his Aggravated Damage putting him at Hunger 4! Mercifully, he passes his final Rouse Check and avoids a frenzy.

Harri passes his Rouse Checks and wakes at Hunger 2.

The vampires earn +2 Experience.