[IC]Princes of the City

[Prak]

"If vampires have any recorded knowledge of hunting Amarok, it's unlikely they would have known it by that name. But we can at least look for anything in the books about a pack of vampires hunting a giant wolf. If there are no further bodies nor bound demons that need to be dealt with, I think I'll go back to the manor and start looking for that. I also have other matters to arrange for." Kel says, and leaves unless anyone gives him reason otherwise.

[radthemad4]

(I'm guessing occult documents are probably not OCR friendly, and crowdsourcing via hacking facebook CAPTCHAs or something would still take pretty long)

"I'll dig through your collection later tonight. I'd better put these back though."

Seth will start manually driving the cars back to where they were before he moved them.

[Prak]

If Kel could, he'd have made the scans searchable, even if it was just through keywords attached to individual pages.

[Shady314]

Upon returning to the haven Ia removes his jacket and rolls up his sleeves. Time to see if scrying can reveal anything.
Like a doctor before surgery he begins to scrub his hands and forearms thoroughly and methodically with a flat etched stone in the bathroom sink under running water.

He heads into the kitchen and retrieves a large bowl made of thick glass. He got a great deal on it from a local supermarket. He takes a gallon of distilled water he also bought at the supermarket and pours it slowly down the inside of the bowl, letting the water pool.

He lights some incense with the lighter he carries. It's not particularly necessary he just finds it focuses the mind and relaxes him.
He scrapes a tiny amount of the vitae he took from the crime scene. The blood that had formed the warding circle into the water. "Blood to blood. Like to like" He chants this softly staring into the bowl willing a connection to form and image to appear. All in all it takes about twenty minutes before he sees whether he is successful or not.

Int 4 + Occult 5 [Rituals] Difficulty 7 I'll spend a willpower point.

If made aware of the scrap of cloth Ia can perform the ritual on it as well or can hold off until the beginning of tomorrow night.

Whether the ritual succeeds or fails Ia will text Victoria telling her to stakeout the palmistry parlor and record who comes and goes.

[Ancient History]

(I'm guessing occult documents are probably not OCR friendly, and crowdsourcing via hacking facebook CAPTCHAs or something would still take pretty long)

If Kel could, he'd have made the scans searchable, even if it was just through keywords attached to individual pages.

Some of them at least are OCR friendly; and any good library has an index. That said, there are no direct mentions of Amarok and elder vampires - at least not by that name/those search terms.

He lights some incense with the lighter he carries. It's not particularly necessary he just finds it focuses the mind and relaxes him.
He scrapes a tiny amount of the vitae he took from the crime scene. The blood that had formed the warding circle into the water. "Blood to blood. Like to like" He chants this softly staring into the bowl willing a connection to form and image to appear. All in all it takes about twenty minutes before he sees whether he is successful or not.

Int 4 + Occult 5 [Rituals] Difficulty 7 I'll spend a willpower point.

The image resolves...slowly. Ia stares intently, focusing his will as the sample of dried blood clouds the pure water, turning into in a grey cloud, tinged with black, surrounded by the slightest pink halo. Deeper and deeper his gaze is draw into that cloud. He can almost smell the blood...gallons and gallons of blood raining down...dampness, darkness. He can see her, so clearly, with her arms across her chest. Blond hair, strong features, Mediterranean or North African, the cheeks and bridge of her nose tattooed with blue-black lines. She seems to be sleeping in a river of blood, in an iron coffin...no, not a coffin, Ia knows...something else...a tube...then the eyes flash open, and the vision collapses, the bowl now filled with nothing but polluted water.

Shaking and tired, Ia fixes the details of the image in his mind. He can feel the dawn coming; a deep lethargy coming into his bones.

[Prak]

Kel is searching for any mention of giant monsters, giant wolves, or beasts hypothesized to be errant ghoul animals/packs of elder vampires hunting them.

[Ancient History]

Kel is searching for any mention of giant monsters, giant wolves, or beasts hypothesized to be errant ghoul animals/packs of elder vampires hunting them.

References to such actions are scattered - and those you can find are old, mere fables of Noddist lore. It was said that in elder days the Antediluvians hunted the werewolves, and some became addicted to their blood; and it was said as well that there were giants, dragons, unicorns, and other creatures of legend whose fabulous blood was attributed many unique and powerful properties. Of giants, the literature is confused - a mishmash of Christian and pagan tales, calling them the Nephilim or faeries or titans of old. The one point where they agree is that it was said that a vampire who managed to fell and feed from such a powerful creature would gain the giant's strength - and how some elders even preserved the blood for later in enchanted vessels. Of specifics along this line, however, you can find nothing.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Stan takes his leave from the museum and returns home, dropping Fr. Yazzie off at his car at the practically-adjacent cemetery if Verge had no further use of him.

He then uses Malleable Visage (used on another: 6 Dice, TN 8) on Stan 4, and briefs Stans 2 & 4 on their tasks in a few hours.

Stan 2, operating as Stan, will go to the Office of the State Veterinarian, so as to obtain inspection reports regarding the beef recall. He will attempt to find out if a local farmer is suspected as the source of contaminated meat, or if Panhandle Dairy needs to grease some palms. While bustling around the few federal buildings downtown, he will also attempt to gather hubbub regarding which members of state government are implicated in the prostitution scandal.

Stan 4, after taking on the appearance and fake identification of Elizabeth Martin, will approach Llewellyn Diaz of Glacial Distribution. This persona already serving as this ally's contact, she will attempt to ascertain if he's heard any rumors regarding the human trafficking aboard the Midnight Venture, as well as obtain assurance that Diaz's smuggling aboard Thorton's Misfortune has stuck to narcotics and people not subsequently sold into slavery.

[radthemad4]

If he's cool with it, Seth will spend the night at Kel's mansion, and help out with the research. He'll try to find more info on the internets on giant monsters, their blood and their relation to vampires,, using Kel's findings as a starting point.

He'll send everyone a text with a hyperlink that leads to a secure page which provides realtime coordinates of Erika's phone.

"If we have any spare agents, we might want to keep an eye on the burglar's daytime activities."

Before retiring for the night, Seth will spend some time on technomancer message boards and help other technomancers out with learning the discipline and with specific problems.

[Ancient History]

Juneau, Alaska
24 March 2015
Two hours after sunset

As you make your way to the Juneau Arts & Communities Council building, you pick up the chatter of the kine, from their televisions and bluetooth conversations, from scattered headlines and billboards, emails and voicemails... Rosalynne Zapeto's death is still a news item, though the victim's identity has not yet been revealed, and the sensationalized "Vampire murder" is only circulating through Huffington Post and the Daily Mail; increased bear sightings on the edges of the city; three cases of rabies confirmed among stray dogs by Juneau County Animal Control; the price of beef is up...some of those may have to be dealt with.

But more pressing business attends tonight. You have guests.

Memphis lounges easily in Elysium, sipping from a small plastic jug of pig's blood, and chatting quietly with the very old ghoul standing next to him - a fit-looking, cleanshaven androgynous figure in a spotless three-piece grey pinstripe suit, with slicked-back grey hair.

NebuchadnezzarStan

Stan 2 reports difficulty in gathering the information asked of him; the Panhandle Dairy was extremely short-staffed today, with three-quarters of the employees calling in sick with stomach flu or other illness. He's meeting unofficially with an FSIS representative tonight for drinks, and plans to press them for more information then.

Stan 4 reports that Diaz denies any connection with the Midnight Venture or its activities, but reports that the Thorton's Misfortune has been contracted to make an unusual "pick up and delivery" and will be back around midnight.

radthemad4/Seth

The internet is not terribly helpful, but further searches on Kel's finding contain more references to "giant's blood" - whether or not it came from a literal giant, several Noddist scholars seem in agreement that mystically-sealed vessels of potent blood are supposed to have survived from prehistory, and that the vampires who drink from them are said to gain permanent increase to their strength...although no one has seen such a vessel to record what it looks like, the names of those who have said to have drunk from them includes several legendary elders...

[radthemad4]

Seth will do a background check on the androgynous person and text the findings to everyone.

He'll also check what places Erika's phone has been to during daytime.

[Shady314]

Ia awakens and goes through his usual "morning' ritual preparation including meditating to quell his beast for the evening. Once those are complete he again prepares to scry. This time on the scrap of cloth from the burglar. Before doing that he checks for messages from Victoria and texts everyone asking "where would one find a metal tube and a river of blood in this city?"

To Suzanne he texts "Does Torres fit this description? Blond hair, strong features, Mediterranean or North African, the cheeks and bridge of her nose tattooed with blue-black lines?"

Then he casts his gaze into the water for the owner of the fabric. This time he places the fabric underneath the glass bowl drawing the connection up from the fabric to display in the water.

Int 4 + Occult 5 [Rituals] Difficulty 7

Ultimately an hour has passed once he has finished with everything but hopefully has a current vision of the burglar's location.

[hyzmarca]

Verge sits crosslegged on a straw matt on the floor of his loft, trying, and failing, to enter a state of zen calm. After several attempts, he leaps up and kicks over a pint of stale cow blood.

They screwed up. He screwed up. He squandered all of his leads last night.

He was getting complacent. For years all of his adversaries had idiots who didn't exactly clean up after themselves, and mortals at that. He wasn't prepared to be on a defensive footing, against an enemy that was prepared and had the initiative, and it showed. He'd made too many mistakes. His best leads were gone. He'd have to start over from scratch. But he knew how to do that. It was basic, simple, you talk to people.

Verge focuses his efforts on the cult members families and friends, roommates, acquaintances, and known hangouts, people and places that they care about. If the cult has been taken over by an evil vampire, they've probably been ordered to cut ties with the outside world just for this reason, but few had the discipline to follow through with leaving everything behind, and under stress they tend toward the familiar.

He'll make calls when necessary, interview in person when possible, and use all of his tricks to look for clues.

[Perception 4, Investigation 3, Manipulation 2, Empathy 5, Heightened Senses, Aura Perception, An Ear for Lies.]

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Before leaving home, Stan gathers specifics regarding the OIEA/FSIS agent and, contingent upon happenings at court, tentatively plans on taking the unofficial meeting himself.

At Elysium, Stan moves to address Memphis.

"I apologize for not introducing myself last night, and count myself fortunate that your stay has afforded me a second opportunity. I go by Stan Willis, and for those concerned with titles, stand as Keeper. Please let me know if there's anything by way of accommodation I may humbly provide."

[Koumei]

Suzanne doesn't sleep well, but when she does wake up in the basement of her club, she checks her phone.

"Shit."

She then reads the next message.

"Fucking shit."

However she sends a reply that conveys more than that: "Pretty broad description, but probably? She's contacted me so knows what's up."

Eventually ready, she makes an appearance - given the club is in full swing - but doesn't spend too much time mingling, and doesn't bother looking for breakfast. That can wait.

Elysium awaits - and specifically, a full discussion on the message left in demon form, the "guest", and the events surrounding them.

[Whipstitch]

Max will pace around inside the Arts building until people are ready to talk shop.

[Ancient History]

Seth will do a background check on the androgynous person and text the findings to everyone.

He'll also check what places Erika's phone has been to during daytime.

The androgynous person is someone you have seen only once before - a ghoul from the old country. They are an emissary from the Camarilla elders. The last time you saw this ghoul was several years ago, when they confirmed the dominion of your group over Juneau. Discreet investigation shows that the individual might be as much as 500 years old - or possibly the position is hereditary, and they merely inherited it - and they are known as Hermes, the Messenger, the Voice of Ages, the Voice of the Camarilla, the Untouchable, blood-bound directly to the eldest. While not themselves terribly powerful, their injury or death would be tantamount to a declaration of war...

Reviewing the records, it appears Erika's phone has been in Elysium since shortly after dawn.

Then he casts his gaze into the water for the owner of the fabric. This time he places the fabric underneath the glass bowl drawing the connection up from the fabric to display in the water.

Int 4 + Occult 5 [Rituals] Difficulty 7

All Ia sees reflected in the water are flames and ash.

He'll make calls when necessary, interview in person when possible, and use all of his tricks to look for clues.

[Perception 4, Investigation 3, Manipulation 2, Empathy 5, Heightened Senses, Aura Perception, An Ear for Lies.]

Worried parents, lovers, roommates, teachers. No calls, no texts, no mail, no homework; broken dates and library books overdue. The young women are gone, as clearly as if they had disappeared off the face of the earth, but it is too soon yet for their loved ones to declare them missing. Yet there is one lead - one of the young women was microchipped. With careful manipulation, Verge wheedles out the name of the company and the serial number.

At Elysium, Stan moves to address Memphis.

"I apologize for not introducing myself last night, and count myself fortunate that your stay has afforded me a second opportunity. I go by Stan Willis, and for those concerned with titles, stand as Keeper. Please let me know if there's anything by way of accommodation I may humbly provide."

Memphis smiles, showing his gold teeth and lack of incisors. "I have other business to be about tonight, so I hope we can make this quick, Mr. Willis. I only came by to say that my hangars-on located your...associate." He gestures at the empty air beside him, as though introducing a guest. "Mr. Juneau has been delightful company, but I believe he is eager to speak with you."

[Prak]

Kel's always got room at the manor, so long as people stay out of his room and Jennifer's without permission.

When Kel wakes up the next evening, he goes over some of the leads with Seth and then looks into anything he can find about Gangrels ending one another. Kel's not much of a fighter himself, so if using Ursula is legit, he'd like to. If it's not, he needs to know and figure out what to do instead. Kel probably knows a fair amount about it, but I the player don't.

Kel also looks into anything he can find about pregnant ghouls who've been heavily Vic'd, and if there's anything about creating an independent womb for the child and what effect that might have on the mother/child relationship.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

I hope we can make this quick, Mr. Willis. ... I believe (Joe Juneau) is eager to speak with you."

"I am certain that our resident necromancers, as they filter in, will be unable to ignore what I've been led to understand is Mr. Juneau's rather dynamic personality. With hopes that you'll allow me to serve in the interest of expediency, Sir, I will ask about the identity of the ghoul accompanying you, so as to facilitate necessary introductions to the Prince and to more quickly see you about your evening's business."

[hyzmarca]

Verge come into Elysium fashionably late and dressed casually in jeans and a leather jacket and sporting an antique gold locket around his neck.

As her enters the building he sends off a text to Seth, containing the name of the company and the ID chip number. "I'm not sure what you can do with this, but it could be useful. We need to find one of these women, alive.

Stepping into the room, he opens all of his senses and takes it all in, scanning the area and people for anything unusual. [Perception 4, Empathy 5, Enhanced Senses, Aura Perception, Medium Merit]

[Ancient History]

When Kel wakes up the next evening, he goes over some of the leads with Seth and then looks into anything he can find about Gangrels ending one another. Kel's not much of a fighter himself, so if using Ursula is legit, he'd like to. If it's not, he needs to know and figure out what to do instead. Kel probably knows a fair amount about it, but I the player don't.

Kel also looks into anything he can find about pregnant ghouls who've been heavily Vic'd, and if there's anything about creating an independent womb for the child and what effect that might have on the mother/child relationship.

It is a thing, but not unheard of for one vampire to feel that they were coming to the end of their span, and arrange a legacy for a worthy successor... of course, it amounts to suicide, and at the last the elder will probably fight with everything they have out of sheer survival instinct. There are no rules for such a combat, though of course in the old days it was traditional to rend one another by fang and claw.

Pregnancies in ghouls tend to be lengthy affairs - and you have no idea how it might affect a ghouled bear, who typically puts their fetus in stasis as they build up fat for the winter months. This being the spring, that must mean that she was already pregnant all winter...no wonder she's been touchy the last few months.

"With hopes that you'll allow me to serve in the interest of expediency, Sir, I will ask about the identity of the ghoul accompanying you, so as to facilitate necessary introductions to the Prince and to more quickly see you about your evening's business."

"This is...Mme. Hermes. Here on her own business." The ghoul nods once in Stan's direction.

"I require an audience with the Prince." Hermes' voice has a cultivated Boston accent.

Stepping into the room, he opens all of his senses and takes it all in, scanning the area and people for anything unusual. [Perception 4, Empathy 5, Enhanced Senses, Aura Perception, Medium Merit]

Hovering next to the strangely vibrant aura of Memphis is the familiar, pale aura of Joe Juneau, his aura rippling in agitation and...fear.

Among the rest of the group, Suzanne seems unusually agitated.

[Shady314]

Ia dumps the water and decides to try again later. Time to get to Elysium.

He'll amble in hoping he isn't the last to arrive which would be rather rude. He bows to Suzanne once he enters and stands off to her side.

[radthemad4]

Seth is probably still in Kel's manor and checking on Elysium happenings via the cameras there. He'll cross reference GPS coordinates with Elysium camera footage, and try to get a visual/past visuals.

As her enters the building he sends off a text to Seth, containing the name of the company and the ID chip number. "I'm not sure what you can do with this, but it could be useful. We need to find one of these women, alive.

"On it"

He'll try to see if he can trace the current coordinates of the chip. If it's somewhere with cameras, he'll try to get a visual. If not/afterwards he'll try to find more about the nature and/or history of that particular chip and/or that kind of chip.

Intelligence 5

Security 3
Computer 5
Investigation 3
Enigmas 3

Technomancy 5

Higher Purpose (Finding out what's really going on) +2 dice on purpose related rolls
Computer Aptitude -2 difficulty computer related stuff

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Upon seeing Verge enter, Stan looks for some confirmation that V. has noticed Joe Juneau. He then speaks again to Memphis.

"Albeit not strictly necessary, we thank you for serving as herald to the spirit's message. I will now take my leave to introduce Madame Hermes, in that your stated business here would appear to be at an end."

Stan relays what little he knows to Suzanne upon her entrance (Hermes' name/ghoul status/apparently not being bound to a present vampire) before hanging back.

[hyzmarca]

Verge approaches the spirit of Joe Juno.
"What the hell is going on?"

As always, an Ear for Lies is on.