Post by Cassian on Oct 23, 2023 20:56:11 GMT -6
Desires for the Night:
- Jack:
- Harri:
- Cassian: To secure protection for Papagenno
- Jack:
- Harri:
- Cassian: To secure protection for Papagenno
NOTE: In his report to Ivan, Cassian leaves out that Vulpa’s body was staked with the supposed Spear of Longinus, and that Brother Solomon told Cassian that he was intended to be the wielder of the spear.
December 25, 2004
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District
6:31 p.m.
6:31 p.m.
- Jack wakes and leaves a note for his father: “I’ll be outside.”
- Harri wakes and does not see Girl. No sign of her. He decides not to feed this evening.
- Cassian rises without Blush of Life and goes hunting. He feeds on a bloodbag in his herd, slaking 3 Hunger and gaining Phlegmatic resonance (Herd Bonus).
- Jack Sr. wakes. He’s hungry and discusses feeding and hunting options with Jack. They discuss how kindred can survive on bagged blood.
- Jack teaches his father how to hunt. Jack Sr. is successful on his first feeding, but Jack has to tear his father’s fangs from the neck of a security guard. Jack Sr. says, “More!”
December 25, 2004
Shenanigans, [Insert location here]
7:56 p.m.
Shenanigans, [Insert location here]
7:56 p.m.
- Harri decides to break into Shenanigans, located inside of a local mall. He gains access to the mall easily (Resolve + Larceny roll yields 5 successes!) through a door propped open by a shoe.
- Inside the mall, Harri sees a guard doing his rounds and a tile polisher cleaning the floors.
- As Harri enters the costume shop, near the entrance he sees a life-sized cardboard cutout of a vampire silhouette that says, “Let’s all be Lestat for Christmas!”
- Among the shop’s wares, Harri spies a girl mannequin. It suddenly animates, looks at him and says, “They are awake, Harri!”
- Harri finds masks for sale, among them the same clown masks the coterie found in the rubber factory. He takes a mask and, for a split second, one of the masks changes into a cuckoo mask.
- In the office, Harri finds rotted food and disarray. The records are shit. Inventories don’t match up and it’s evident that teenage employees must be stealing stuff.
- Among the credit card receipts for recent sales, Harri finds a receipt dated November 13, 2004 in the amount of $9.99 + tax. The purchaser’s name: “Harrison Maddocks”.
- Harri heads out of the shop and again sees the girl mannequin, at the end of an aisle now, pointing at him.
- As Harri leaves Shenanigans, he grabs a sharpie and draws a huge Roman numeral VII on the Lestat cutout.
December 25, 2004
St. Jude’s Park, St. Jude’s Cathedral District
8:42 p.m.
St. Jude’s Park, St. Jude’s Cathedral District
8:42 p.m.
- Cassian calls Brother Ishmael to to ask for an audience with the Bishop. Upon his arrival at St. Jude’s Cathedral, Cassian sees that Christmas Mass is underway.
- The Bishop exits the cathedral and stands framed by the large cathedral doors. Cassian cannot bear the leering crucifix revealed within the nave.
- The Bishop arranges for Ishmael to bring a large black sedan to the adjacent park so that he and Cassian can meet within privately.
- Cassian tries to hold back details, but succumbs to the blood bond with the bishop and spills everything to him… the trip to the church outside the city limits, the coffin with Cassius Vulpa, the ensuing attack by the Ordo Dracul, the death of Solomon, and the loss of the Spear of Longinus.
- The bishop dismisses what Solomon told Cassian about Golconda and the spear. “It is impossible for the Spear to have left Europe and to be here in Newcastle.”
- He explains that Solomon was Malkavian and suffered from the delusions to which those of his clan are susceptible. The bishop suggests that, since Solomon sired him, Cassian likely inherited the same weakness.
- The bishop says he would be interested in knowing the whereabouts of Cassius Vulpa, but warns Cassian not to wake him for it would be extremely dangerous.
- Cassian asks the bishop for a security detail for Papaggeno. The bishop says he will assign “Viktor”, a former Inquisitor, to the task.
- Finally, Cassian feeds on the bishop for the 5th time, increasing the strength of the blood bond and gaining Presence 1: Daunt for the night.
December 26, 2004
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District
12:38 a.m.
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District
12:38 a.m.
- Harri shows the coterie the credit card receipt. The vampires discuss how this could have happened: Did someone steal his credit card last month? Who else had access to his apartment? Kimber’s name comes up...
- Cassian explains the kindred political system to Jack Sr. and speaks long into the early morning hours about Elysium, the Prince, vampiric law, etiquette, regents, elders, clans.
- When the conversation turns to Balthazar, however, it becomes clear that Jack Sr. is Balthazar’s thrall and loyal to him. The vampires have grievously erred by bringing Jack Sr. into their inner circle and haven.
- The vampires lock Jack Sr. in his own room and proceed to discuss options, including possibly staking Jack Sr., or ending him surreptitiously while Elysium is on hiatus.
- With no good options, the vampires retire for the day.
December 26, 2004
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District | Newcastle Freeway Underpass
6:28 p.m.
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District | Newcastle Freeway Underpass
6:28 p.m.
- Harri wakes to Hunger 5 and the vampires successfully feed in their own hunting ground. Jack and Harri gain Choleric resonance until their next feeding (Herd Bonus).
- Harri calls Sheriff Fakkir and gets no answer. He emails the sheriff’s geocities account and gets a response within 20 minutes to meet at an underpass near the freeway.
- On the way to meet the sheriff, Jack stops to purchase a new mobile phone.
- At the underpass, Harri approaches Fakkir alone and tells him about the visions he’s been having and of the mysterious portents about the Prince being in torpor.
- Fakkir produces a parchment letter he says was delivered to him the evening before. It is from the Prince and bears his authentic seal.
- Harri reads the letter. He tells the sheriff that their coterie will continue to investigate VII and report back to him any findings. Fakkir seems pleased and leaves.
December 26, 2004
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District
10:00 p.m.
Marshall Manor, Marshall Campus District
10:00 p.m.
- Harri tells Jack and Cassian the contents of the Prince’s letter: [Need notes here.]
- When Jack sets up his new phone, he sees that Alanna has sent many text messages to him: Jack, where r u? call me. i can help u, babe.,… etc.
- Jack also has a single voice mail message from the Duke: You have disobeyed a direct order and you have not restored contact with me. You have abandoned the Invictus. If you do not report directly to me by midnight tonight, I will have no choice but to issue a Blood Hunt. I would hate to lose you. You have so much… promise.
- Another text to Jack from Alanna: come by the club. don’t be seen.
- Jack takes his father back to the haven and calls the Duke. Jack lies and tells the Duke that Papagenno is dead. The Duke asks for proof of Papagenno’s death.
December 26, 2004
Odds & Ends, University District
10:08 p.m.
Odds & Ends, University District
10:08 p.m.
- Harri and Cassian visit with Ivan to claim their payment for their investigation of the van and its contents.
- Ivan allows them to drink from him. Both vampires now have access to Tremere disciplines.
- Harri asks Ivan about the letter from the Prince and Ivan produces the same letter, which he received the previous night. Ivan says he has no reason to question its authenticity.
- Cassian asks Ivan how to break the blood bond of a thrall. Ivan informs him that it takes separation from the regent and time; but it will not be easy.
- Ivan says he would be most interested in the whereabouts of the coffin. He offers to provide Cassian a solid lead to find the Tzimisce.
- Jack calls Cassian. He is desperate. He needs physical evidence of Papagenno’s death, and he needs it now.
- The vampires brainstorm for ways to provide proof of death: Faking a burned body? Dental records? Stealing personal effects?
- The vampires remember that Papagenno has a white wolf tattoo on his forearm.
- With Jack still waiting on Cass’s phone, Harri contacts a local tattoo artist and tries to bribe him into making a wolf tattoo on a cadaver’s forearm within the next hour. No dice. Literally.
- As their options dwindle, Jack suddenly hangs up on Cassian.
Sacred Heart Seminary, Wicker Village
11:17 p.m.
- Jack takes his father and drives to the seminary where Papagenno is convalescing. He enters the seminary alone.
- Upon entering Papagenno’s room Jack feels a powerful aura and presence preventing him from crossing the threshold.
- Two green eyes peer at Jack from the shadowy corner of the room and a voice says, “Come no further. Speak the name of a friend.”
- Jack replies, “Cassian Bartolomeo.” The voice says, “What is your relationship to this friend.” Jack responds, “Coterie.” And the green eyes disappear.
- Meanwhile, Cassian uses Premonition to focus on Papagenno and sees a harrowing vision of Jack feeding his own blood to Papaggeno!
- Back at the seminary, Papagenno wakes to find Jack standing over him. Jack compels him to tell him why his life is in peril. Papagenno tells all... He knows all about the Ardelinos’ operation and is prepared to turn state’s evidence.
- Jack draws his blade, cuts his own wrist… and makes Papagenno drink!
- The voice in the shadows solemnly says, “This will be in the service of the Lancea Sanctum.”
- As the dark premonition flashes in his head, Cassian loses his mind and enters a fury frenzy! Harri, completely caught unaware, manages to restrain Cass.
- After Cassian calms down, he stammers to Harri, “He’s taken him. It’s done, Harri. Jack has turned Papagenno. He’s made him his ghoul.” (Cassian suffers two stains!)
- Harri and Cass get into Harri’s car and race to the seminary.
December 26, 2004
Duke Almengore’s Penthouse, Hoyt Cross District
11:47 p.m.
Duke Almengore’s Penthouse, Hoyt Cross District
11:47 p.m.
- Jack enters the Duke’s penthouse flanked by Jack Sr. and Papagenno.
- The lavish apartment is empty except for the Duke himself and Masuko.
- Upon seeing Jack and his companions, the Duke says, “Well… I can’t wait to hear all about this.”