[IC]Princes of the City

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 1:40 am

Max will spend a blood on Focused Mind (10 Willpower dice vs. Difficulty 8 to activate). The ability is a non-action so he'll also take any time he has to activate Awe (Charisma 5+Performance 1 vs. Difficult 5 or 7 depending on whether Focused Mind works).

"We need to talk."

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 9:32 am

Max forces the blood through his veins, seeking harmony in the surging tides; the pressure builds at his temples as he seeks to focus...and finds his center. (Focused Mind works.)

The women - there are now six of them with a seventh rising - freeze as Max steps out of the darkness. Flickers of emotions - fear, anger, revulsion - cross their faces, but none of them makes a move; it's like their feet are bolted to the floor.

hyzmarca · Post by **hyzmarca** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:59 pm

Ancient History wrote:
hyzmarca wrote:Since Verge has nothing particularly useful to do, he returns to the discussion with Joe Juneau. He asks for details, such as the identities of those who have already been taken, and everything they know about the Ghost Eater and her probable whereabouts.

[Empathy 5, Manipulation 2]

Joe gives the names of three hacker ghosts that have disappeared - Merovich, Basqueath, and George Jay. The ghost-eater he describes as looking like an extra-solid wraith, but present on both sides of the Shroud; definitely female, with a tattooed face. He is not sure where she is currently, she appears suddenly, which is part of what makes her so terrible.

Verge asks if the facial tattoo matches Eris's. He also asks Joe to look at the phone in the circle of blood, to see if he knows anything about this sort of magic.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:04 pm

Stan walks back to Elysium while sending a text to the group: "Max is trailing the chip, which is currently a minute drive away. Meet me outside if anyone feels like tagging along." After retrieving his car he drives to catch up with Max.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 7:16 pm

hyzmarca wrote: Verge asks if the facial tattoo matches Eris's. He also asks Joe to look at the phone in the circle of blood, to see if he knows anything about this sort of magic.

The tattoos do match - the cheeks and bridge of the nose marked with blue-black lines. However, he claims to know nothing of necromantic magic, saying only that the circle "smells funny."

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:43 pm

Max will cross his arms in obvious annoyance and use any pause to try to get a good look at each of the women.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:59 am

The young women stand around, entranced or unsure, with the rest emerging from the manhole until Max counts ten - and recognizes one of them as Jennifer Rickman, the young woman that was chipped by her parents. All of the women are familiar from the photographs on the Daughters of Lilith Facebook page.

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 7:59 pm

Max silently chides himself for his impatience and switches gears, spreading his hands apologetically and taking on a less combative demeanor. He forces himself to breathe in and out, like a mortal, then uses his best guru voice.

"Forgive me, that introduction was unprofessional--the sewer entrance had me started. My name is Max and I'm a counselor with a local crisis center. Your families are concerned about what is going on."

As he speaks he'll try using Entrancement (Apperance 4 + Empathy 3 vs permanent willpower) on the women one by one, ideally targeting those who seem the most skeptical first and leaving Jennifer for last since she'd be the easiest to track down again if she took off. He'll also spend a blood on looking more mortal as he steps closer and will try to figure out which Daughter is missing via process of elimination.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 12:37 am

The women back away from Max slowly, though they have nowhere to run. He can feel his presence starting to work on them - even if their eyes flash back and forth to each other, their body language doesn't lie - and the main undercurrent he's picking up is fear and...hunger? As the women begin to fall one by one under his spell, Max realizes these aren't just girls...they're ghouls...

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:16 am

"Tell me: Do any of you understand what you are now?"

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 11:36 am

One of the women responds by hurling the manhole cover at Max. It's a sloppy attack, and Max doesn't even have to move as it breezes past him.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:30 pm

(Let me know when Stan arrives at Max's location, apparently without backup. I'd be cool with accidental manhole damage.)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:00 pm

(Stan has arrived, post manhole-tossing.)

Shady314 · Post by **Shady314** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:24 am

How long is it till the Camarilla goons arrive at the docks? If it's going to be a long time Ia will have gone with Stan but if he had to choose Ia will have gone to greet the Camarilla.

Ia texts Victoria to send him any pictures from the surveillance and will peruse them to see who he recognizes.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:48 am

(It is currently 10 PM. The Camarilla team will arrive a little after midnight.)

Shady314 · Post by **Shady314** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 2:46 am

Ia arrives with Stan in time to see a young woman fling a manhole past Max. He'll keep an eye on the time though and make sure to leave with plenty of time to make it early to the Camarilla hitmen.

To the pitcher Ia says
"That is spectacularly rude young lady. I've half a mind to call your parents."

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 8:42 pm

One of the women - tall, athletic-looking, her dark hair in cornrows - says something loudly to the others; at once the women assume a martial arts posture, feet spread about shoulder-width apart and bent at the knees, arms up in front of them, and they seem to be spreading out a little to give each other as much room as possible.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 11:32 pm

(Stan spends a Willpower point and activates Majesty. The Charisma+Intimidate for a target's Courage roll is 7.)

Stan addresses the bloodthirsty sorority girls with an air of folksy charm: "You probably have some questions, and we're well disposed to help you. The police are conducting a hunt for the Daughters of Lilith, and I'd guess you don't especially want to be found. We have a safe place nearby, where you will be fed and can speak with our learned devotees of the Dark Mother. Doesn't that beat the heck out of trying to negotiate a small town's sewer?"

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:27 am

Max will produce his butterfly knife with a simple but practiced flick of the wrist.

"Alternatively, you can attack me again and get taken apart."

If people call Max's bluff he'll use Centering (Willpower 10 vs difficulty 3 to activate and doesn't cost an action) to cancel out the normal penalties for defending against multiple attacks for a turn and will otherwise devote his actions for the turn to Parrying. Anyone who attacks him in melee would use their Dex+Skill/difficulty 6 versus Max's pool of Dex 4+Melee 5/difficulty 4, and if it's a Brawl attack Max would deal them damage should they lose the opposed test. It's not a sure bet or anything, but he's actually got reasonable odds against a squad of unarmed mooks.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:49 am

Kel will go to meet the Camarilla party too.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:50 am

The young women seem suitably cowed by Stan's display. A punkish girl who has shaved the sides of her head and dyed the rest of her hair pink says "But...she's expecting us."

Shady314 · Post by **Shady314** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:46 am

As jovially as Ia can muster, "Oh of course! Now it becomes clear. We are delaying you from meeting with your mistress Eris yes? We were under the mistaken belief that you were unspoken for. That is rude and I apologize for that, however what I am certain you are unaware of is that you are trespassing. It has been so long since Eris has passed our way that she must be unaware of the change in territory. Does she still go by Eris or has she changed it again? Oh it doesn't really matter."

"I feel confident I can speak for the Prince in this matter and that we can show mercy and forego any punishment. But simply letting you continue through our territory with nothing but a warning and the hope you will relay it to Eris is obviously out of the question. I hope you can understand we have a duty to others within Juneau. Here is my thought by which I hope to satisfy all parties. I suggest you invite us to accompany you through the territory. This way we can ensure there are no further laws broken or misunderstandings, as our escorts your presence here will be fully allowed and we can speak with Eris directly. In return you will not be delayed further and displease neither she nor us."

Ia turns to his two companions. "Would you agree this is the wisest course of action or have I misconsidered something?"

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 3:18 am

"No objections here."

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 3:50 am

"Sure."

Phone already in hand, Stan looks to the woman in cornrows: "Where were you scheduled to meet? We can arrange transport to there and then to anywhere you'd like to go."

Text: to his retainers Clay and Steven -Bring two vehicles to (so-and-so alley). Likely trouble.
To Suzanne -The person your guest is waiting on has an entourage. Feel like squeezing in a meeting with them before the other thing?

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:31 am

Cornrows is gritting her teeth, tears forming in her eyes as she fights against Stan's influence. "The Panhandle Dairy" she finally spits out.