November 2007 Archives

The Five Hundred - Night One

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I received a call from the Senechal, to go to investigate a case of Masquerade rupture at a Night Club. I went to the scene, rendevouz with my coleage (Luigi) and get into the scene of the crime.

To say that it was a massacre would be an understatement. Everything was covered in blood, and there where people in pieces all around the club.
First things first, I searched around looking for supernatural beings. I didn't find any "dead" Cainite, but found two interesting bounties: a dead Mage and a dead Lupine.
Searching the dead Mage, I found a very curious necklace, which I slipped into my pocket.

Using my powers I managed to reconstruct the whole scene:
There were two too-young-to-be-here girls drinking a the bar. One of them (long haired, with a white shirt and a skirt, named Mandy) was very nervous, and the other was trying to cheer her up. Suddenly Mandy saw two males approaching. To the disgrace of her friend, Mandy was a vampire, and got into frenzy almost immediately, killing her (I bet it was unintentionally).

She then focused her attention on the two males, and started running to them, slashing everyone in her path.
One of the two males, wearing a long black coat (the Mage) removed the necklace I found from the other male and ordered him to attack. The other guy (the Lupine) got into Krynos form and ran towards her.
But instead of a dead Mandy, the result was a dead Lupine. Mandy killed him with but one single slash from her claws, without even stopping her march towards the Mage.
The Mage, after seeing this, threw some fire ball towards her, but she didn't suffer any visible injury. And shortly the mage was a corpse.
After all the killing, she just went out using the front door.

I also discovered that the necklace can be used to suppress the Lupines, to prevent them from transforming and make them docile. I wonder if it can be used on vampires to the same effect.

I called the Seneschal, the Princess and the Regent to inform what happened here (I "forgot" to mention to the Princess and to the Seneschal the necklace that seems to pacify Lupines).

Then, out of nowhere (actually, from the first floor) an Obfuscated Kindred fell down the ceiling. I think that she was a writer here not long time ago. She told us that there were some "intruders" in the building.

Just a second afterwards, two lupines appeared in the scene. The first one was not a problem, as it just floated upside-down in the middle of the club. After making sure that a vast supply of water was available (throught the fire prevention system), the second one was soon trapped in a water cage. The "dead" lupine started to move (obviously it was not dead enough).

I started to flex my muscles to test the necklace, but (Luigi) appeared and killed all three lupines. You can always count on Gangrels to do the things in the most primal way possible.

(Luigi) and the other kindred went up to see if there were more of them, but if they were, they left.

The "reinforcements" arrived, and at that very time a La Sombra did his entrance, obscuring everything, removing the bodies and fleeing, killing several humans in the process (due the cloud of darkness).

After this little scene, the Gangrel primogen unmasked an Obfuscate Kindred (well, unmasked to those of us with the proper level of power), and demanded him to present to the Princess. He "gently" offered to escort him personally. An offer the stranger could not refuse.

We all went to the Elysium to talk to the Princess. On the road, I called the Regent to suggest her that it was the interest of the Chantry for her to be present.

We arrived to the Elysium, went through the usual procedures, and ended up in the Princess private offices. I feel rather proud with the design and building of this structure: Tremere Thaumaturgy at it finest to guarantee the Princess security, second only to the protections of the Chantry in Vienna.

The Princess introduced us to a very peculiar person: He called himself "Boss", and is supposedly the head of an organization that overwatches the supernatural beings to prevent them from overruling (or destroying) the world. Remembering some of the big botches made by mages, the massacres made by Lupines and the continuous "parties" made by the Sabbat (not to mention the very existence of the Midnight Circus), I can see that they are a very "effective" organization.

Afterwards, the Princess asked me (who else) what happened, so I gave her a nearly complete recount of the events, and asked her to bring someone to make a spoken picture of Mandy. Then the Boss told us that we will work for him now (no choices given) and that our first priority was to find and perhaps neutralize Mandy. We will move and live in the organizations headquarters from now on. Also he told us that they retrieved a Lupine corpse from the scene, so I will have the chance to check it out. Nice.

As a sidenote, the organization is called "Helsing". Did these human have absolutely no creativity?

Anyway, short afterward the Nosferatu Primogen, came by along with his "sidekick", Otto (both as ugly as ever... Sometimes I wish I was not this powerful so I could be spared of that vision). Otto ended up being a top-noch artist, and with a little telephatic sending he draw a perfect picture of Mandy. The  Senechal and the Nosferatus will work based on that picture to  locate Mandy.

Where is my Childe? She should have been here by now.

When we went out something felt very, very wrong. As soon as the first of us went out, we where ambushed: Outside where four police cars and a black car, plus a dozen of police officers pointing guns at us that started to shoot. Given that the Seneschal, the Nosferatu Primogen and our newly arrived vampire are quite good at combat, I concentrated on the car. It was not difficult to project my mind there, and I saw to bald figures with snakes tattoo. My first though: Setites (man, I hate them nearly as much as I hate Assamites or Baalis). But as I was preparing to kill them both, our new arrival and the reporter took care of them (you got to admit, Celerity is a handy discipline to have). Predictably, all the police officers were also finished.

But then, something very curious happened: The police officers started to rise again. Ghouls? I really didn't care too much at the time, and I was a little upset, so they burned. And burned. And then burned some more.
When the fire was extinguished, I noticed that the skeletons of the officers had metal plates in them, and a clock-like thing in the belly. This doesn't look good.

From time to time I called my Childe, but she never answered. I couldn't locate her with my powers, so she must be in the Chantry. Or is she?

We then went to "Helsing" HQ. A subterranean complex.. I would have never imagine...

Inside the complex, there are a lot of other supernatural creatures. I hope none of them try to demonstrate "who is the best".

Finally, I had the chance to examine the corpse of the Lupine. To my surprise, I found the same kind of metal plating and clock-like mechanism. After a little sensing of the plates, I saw that they were implanted in a very crude... surgical room. I felt anger and frustration. But I can not discern where this room is.

This does not bode well. Whoever is implanting this things may control any supernatural creature. And they have the means to subdue a Lupine.I'll need to talk to Vienna on this.

I tried again to contact my Childe. Still not responding. I'm starting to worry.

Last thing I tried was to locate Mandy. I could not. There are only two possible explanations to that: either she is in an untraceable place, or she is by herself untraceable. Both explanations are troublesome.

We'll see what happens tomorrow.

The Five Hundred - A New Begining

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Today I have received a letter from my Childe. The council has asked her to go to New York. It seems that the old Regent had an... argument with a Garou, and the Garou arguments were more convincing. Given that she is one of the Kindred with the ability to heal wounds (a Thaumaturgical Path that is nothing like the wonderful Salubri ability, but without equals among the Kindreds and which I spent decades developing), they want her to attend him.

She asked the Council for me to go with her, because the lack of a healthy Regent calls  for a powerful and  cunning Tremere for to keep the situation under control and I am the oldest of the Tremere in the continent (actually, I'm among the oldest in the Clan, one of the last survivors among the Magus from the House of Hermes that where in the birth of our glorious Clan). That was her argument: perfect, implacable and uncontestable.But I know she has another reason...

I know how much she suffered when I left her 50 years ago in Vienna, after 150 years roaming around the world but it was needed for her training that she severed her ties with me... or perhaps I was affraid to care too much about her. We live in a harsh world, in an even harsher society that seems refined and civilized but is, at the end, controlled by the Beast we have inside. She has to learn to survive without me... I have cheated dead for more than 1000 years, the time must  be coming for me to have a fatal face to face encounter with the Reaper.

At the end, the Council agreed with her (did they?). Tomorrow I leave this god-forsaken city, to New York.

Midnight Circus - The End

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I'm back in New Orleans. It has been a year since I arrived to the city for the first time. I would have never imagine that what I though at first to be a simple mission to consolidate the Tremere influence in the city would become a  frantic search around the world, following the shadow of a long forgotten myth. the Midnight Circus. We almost lost our existence, our very essence, almost becoming slaves for all the eternity. I still have daymares about the horrors and terrors that I witnessed, suffered and lived.

The idea of spending the eternity as a slave of the circus makes the prospect of having a sunbath at noon to be tempting and pleasurable.

I consider that my mission was accomplished: The Tremeres have improved their image at the Prince's eyes (which does not means that he trust us... nothing farther than the truth), we established several powerful "allies" that may prove to be be useful in the future, and the Vienna Chantry will send two Tremeres to help Alexandra strengthen the local Chantry.

Anyway, I long for the day I leave this city. There are very few kindreds, there is a very tense relationship with the faes, the Baron Samedi completely controls the (???), the Sabatts are always coming and going, waiting to perform a new strike, and so are the Garou. It's a disaster in the making.

I cannot perceive an interest in the other clans to strengthen their presence in the city, and that is understandable: the whole city smells decay. Old. As if the Time itself has trouble to go forward.

In short. the kindreds of this city are on their own, and the future is gloomy.

Midnight Circus - Night Twenty One

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I reported to Vienna the existence of Immortals, and the existence of a Fairy Court in New Orleans.

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Midnight Circus - Night Twenty

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The night is still young.

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Midnight Circus - Night Nineteen

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Midnight Circus - Night Eighteen

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Today Melissa steeped over the line. She showed her powers in public to bully Mona (the youngest Kindred in the city) in front of the chantry. The end result is that Mona will now talk to the prince and accuse her of breaching the Masquerade, of course following my subtle "advice". I doubt that the prince will burn her for that, but will put her off-balance in this game of power.

I talked long with Alexandra about Melissa's behavior, and I know for sure that she talked long with Melissa about it. Now it's only a matter of time.

I tried to find Alex and the immortal, but I'm still new to the city. Definitively I have to expand my influence somehow.

Midnight Circus - Night Seventeen

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Today I learned that there are another kind of supernatural creatures in the world: They call themselves Inmortals. They have true immortality, not like our curse. Their aura has very bright colors, and is swirling with energy.Had we found them before, we Tremeres would not be cursed by the beast.

I need to capture one of them to study, or send him to Vienna.

Another vampire was killed. The crime seems to be related to the one last night. Who killed them is still a mystery, but there are several hypothesis. It could be a personal vendetta against the city Brujah's, an immortal demon hunter, or one of the fairies.

That last possibility send chills down my spine. I remember very well the elfs with their flaming swords and portentous presence. They're not a lot to be taken easily.

Midnight Circus - Night Sixteen

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Today a vampire was killed. Who killed him is a mystery. The images collected by the Prince are those of a "Demon" with a "Flaming Sword"

Midnight Circus - Night Fifteen

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Today the Archon came back. The Prince announced that he was going to help the Archon. As was expected, the Seneschal resigned to help him, Christine Bradox expressed her intent to go (of course, to be with the Prince without all the princedom stuff), and Alexandra sent me "in the name of the Tremere". All of the Primogen (except the Brujah, personal friend of the prince) stating that they will stay in the city to "protect it". I'm sure that the Gangrel Primogen is not overthrown while traveling around the world.

The following days will be somehow slow and boring, but I hope thing will get more interesting as the time goes.

Midnight Circus - Night Fourteen

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Expanding our power base in the city will be difficult. The police is the domain of the Brujah primogen, the underground/illegal part is the domain of the Sheriff, one hospital is the domain of the city's Seneschal, the cementery is the domain of another vampire I don't know, and the black quarter is the exclusive domain of the Baron Samedi (and he has more power and control over there than the Prince in the city).

I think I'll have to work on the bankers, the docks and some other hospital.

Perhaps the Ventrue will be in the way, but I'm sure that he will see things MY way at the end.

Midnight Circus - Night Thirdteen

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Booring night. Nothing to do.

Midnight Circus - Night Twelve

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There is something curious in the way the sisters behave. Alexandra seems to be shy and insecure, while Melissa is extroverted and rebel. Yet Alexandra has the authority and Melissa obeys. That makes me think that Alexandra is more dangerous that she seems (either that or Melissa is little more than a little annoyance)

What is really troubling me is Melissa attitude over things. See seems more like a Brujah than a Tremere, following the "Noctum diem" instead of following the clan's ways.

She's endangering the Tremere influence in the city... something must be done about it.

Midnight Circus - Night Eleven

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Finally I had the chance to fully check out the chantry library. To my surprise it seems to be very well stocked. I wonder how many rituals are there.

Mikea must have been a very powerful and knowledgeable Tremere, given the size and quality of the library. I'm not surprised that the city want these books...

Midnight Circus - Night Ten

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My mentor told me that the clan is interested in the Midnight Circus, and so they're sending me... I think that Alexandra and her sister will be very happy with the news.

The weird thing is that he also told me that there are registers in Vienna that "proves" that both were presented to the clan. I can bet those registers were not there when I searched. Something very strange is happening here.

Midnight Circus - Night Nine

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I talked with my mentor. He'll answer me tomorrow.

In the meantime, I spent the night gathering my notes and creating a "Who is who" in New Orleans.

First, "Who is Who" in New Orleans:

  • Jacques LeBlanc[a.k.a Remy LeBeau]: A Toreados, the current City Prince
  • Alexandra: Tremere Regent, childe of Mikea, biological sister of Melissa
  • Melissa: Biological sister of Alexandra. Still in doubt if she is a Tremere.
  • Alex LeClaire: City Seneschal and the Voice of the Prince, also responsible for the security of the Elysium.
  • Alexander: Gangrel Primogen.
  • Blacke Corven: Gangrel, city Sheriff.
  • Jhonny Giuliani: A Gangrel I meet long time ago. He is the childe of the Gangrel Primogen, Alexander.
  • Christine Bradox: Toreados with Gangrel/Brujah tendencies. She is the Prince Blood Puppet

Now, the questions:
  1. Why the prince didn't ask the Regent?: Because the Voice didn't think that it was necessary (yeah, right).
  2. Who is the City Regent?: Alexandra, child of Mikea
  3. Who is this Alexia?: a.k.a Alexandra City Regent, child of Mikea
  4. There was any other candidate for prince when Remy was elected?: There where so few Cainites left in the city when he was "elected" that there weren't many options. And he was more or less the "leader" of the remaining Cainites, so he was the logical choice. 
Questions left unanswered:
  1. Who was the mysterious vampire that killed several vampires in the city?:
  2. If the rumors are true, who was his child?
  3. What happened and why during the confrontation with the Mayfair family?
  4. Who is this Mikea, and why there is a veil of mystery surrounding her?
  5. What happened to her?
  6. Who is Alexandra, and her twin?
  7. What does the Prince really want?
  8. How did a bunch of Sabbat kill a Tremere that manage to cast so many preoccupied glances over so many Tremeres in Vienna, one who managed to sever connections with the Council without retaliation?
  9. How did the letter stating that Alexia and Alexandra are Tremeres came from Vienna if there are no records there?

Midnight Circus - Night Eight

Something strange happened tonight. A Nosferatu Archon came to "ask" the city to help find out what a thing called "Midnight Circus" is. He will came back in a week to see what is our answer.
It seems that at least two Camarilla members that where investigating it disappeared without trace.

I went to our library to find some info, but to no avail.
I'll talk tomorrow with my mentor to see if Vienna is interested.

Midnight Circus - Night Seven

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I talked with Alexandra and her sister. I point out my views that the city prince and followers don't take the Tremeres too seriously, and that they don't respect us, because they distrust/dislike both sisters.

The reaction was what I expected: Alexandra acted as if she was confused, and her sister was very enraged... Then I asked them to submit themselves to a ritual to know if they are really Mikea's childe, and her sister was very quick to point out that she don't need to be submited to the ritual, as only the Regent identity need to be verified. We had an exchange of very subtle insults and she ultimately refused to be part of the ritual.

Alexandra gave me some of her blood, and I found out that, in effect, she is a child of Mikea, thus is a Tremere, and have the required link to the clan. As long as the Vienna chantry don't tell me otherwise, she is the Regent of the New Orleans Tremere, and I'll burn whoever say otherwise... Her sister, on the other hand, don't have neither my "trust" nor my sympathy or support as I don't know for sure if she is really a Tremere.

Later today I talked with my mentor about the current political situation of the Tremere clan. I also notified him that Mikea was "dead"... and he showed very incredulous about it. After a mention with the incident with Alexandra and her sister, we agreed that he's going to investigate if they were presented to the clan.

After that I went to talk with Alex LeClaire to tell him that the Clan Tremere recognize Alexandra as the Regent, and that every future request to the clan must be channeled thought her. Also, to maintain my "cover", I asked some thing I would need for my "investigation" of the Vodoo cult. Christine Bradock was there, and she gave me a hint that perhaps is more valuable to us that she imagine: there is a Mayfair that was embraced. I wonder....

I have my orders: The strength of the clan must increase, no matter the cost; I have to find out what happened to Mikea, and I have to gather information about all the vampires in the city.

Midnight Circus - Night Six

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Today I found an old "friend", a Gangrel called Jhonny Giuliani... He nearly tored me into pieces once during a frenzy, and I had to put him on the air until he calmed. He showed me a bracelet from a Garu and asked me advice... As soon as I have time I'll look into it, one never know what can be found in one of those.

I managed to talk to Alex LeClaire. I asked about Mikea, and he told me the whole story: Mikea was killed in a Sabbat incident, Alexandra and her sisters appeared soon after that claiming to be childe of Mikea. Of course they asked Vienna for the veracity of that statement... what is puzzling me is that he have a letter from Vienna saying that they really are childe of Mikea, but I know that in Vienna there are no records of childs of Mikea.

I think I'll have to talk with Old Wolf, and have a word about it with Alexandra.

Questions left unaswered:
  1. How did a bunch of Sabbat kill a Tremere that manage to cast so many preoccupied glances over so many Tremeres in Vienna, one who managed to sever connections with the Council without retaliation?
  2. How did that letter came from Vienna?

Midnight Circus - Night Five

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Today my Regent and I were summoned for an out-of-the-city operation. I guess that it went very well, as we didn't have to do anything. It was a very boring night.

The only thing that I learned is that the Regent is not respected here. I don't like that. I'll fix it... very soon.

Midnight Circus - Night Four

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Today Alexandra presented me to the Prince. For some reason (security, he was busy, I presented
myself to his voice, a vampire called Alex LeClaire. She looked nervous and very passive. She said that I was the vampire sent from Vienna, and showed him the letter from Vienna to the Regent. Now I'm sure that there is more than meet the eye in this city.

I had to present myself just before leaving (she "forgot" that), and gave him the letter from Vienna to the Prince... I think I have to talk to him again... alone.

I take that Alexandra is the current Primogen and Regent of the Chantry. I wonder what happened to Mikea... I will ask Alex LeClaire tomorrow about it. Something smelly is happening.

Midnight Circus - Night Three

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Today I met the vampire Alexandra. She looked very nervous about my arrival and very unsure of herself. I'm sure that she hides something.

She has a twin, the only thing that differentiate them is the hair color. Alexandra has flame red hair, and
her sister has golden yellow.

I notice that there are no other Tremeres living in the chantry, and none came during the night... Is that there are no other Tremere in the city?

If the prince want to increase the Tremere population it would reinforce my suspicious that the prince want us as allies for some reason.

Questions left unaswered:
  1. Who is Alexandra, and her twin?
  2. What does the Prince really want?

Midnight Circus - Night Two

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The regent is called Mikea. There is something strange with her, as she is somehow disconected from Vienna. I manage to get a lot of raised eyebrows, some frowns and very heavy silence when asking about her.

I investigate a little about the latest events in New Orleans. That city was an "interesting" place to live lately.

Some time ago the prince was a Toreador named Dider Gunt. The Brujah primogen (called Rake) wanted the princedom, and the war erupted in the city. At the end the prince managed to stop the war and keep the princedom.

Not long after that there was a silent invasion of Setites, who kidnapped and killed the prince. The crisis was solved, the Setites exterminated and a new Prince (a Ventrue called Jefferson, who was the former second-in-command) was established.

Not long after that a powerful vampire appeared in the city, wreacking havoc among the vampires. Who was he we don't know, but there are rumors that he was the sire of one of the older vampires in the city. After a long fight, he was contained and anihilated.

At this point the prince (Jefferson) resigned (I guess it was too much for him) and they elected a new prince. The new (and current) prince is a Toreador called Remy LeBeau.

After the election, the Sabbat decided to make an assault upon the city. The vampiric polulation was severely diminished. Also there was a public attemp of assassination on the new prince, who "died" in the mortal's eyes. Now he use the name Jacques LeBlanc.

Taking advantage of the situation after the Sabbat conflict, the Setites returned to the city for retaliation. Somehow they city managed to survive again.

Six month ago, there was a confrontation with the Mages of the Mayfair family.
There are no detail of what happened or why, but it seems that most of the family was anihilated. Among the vampire casualties was the former prince Jefferson

Lately the city has been in a tense calm. I'm sure that something will erupt soon...

Tomorrow I'll flight to New Orleans. We'll see that's in the store.

Questions left unanswered:
  1. Who was the mysterious vampire?
  2. If the rumors are true, who was his child?
  3. There was any other candidate for prince when Remy was elected?
  4. What happened and why during the confrontation with the Mayfair family?
  5. Who is this Mikea, and why there is a veil of mystery surrounding her?
  6. What happened to her?

Midnight Circus - Night One

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Today I was dispached a curious letter from New Orleans, USA. It is an invitation/autorization from the City Prince (a Toreador called Jacques LeBlanc) for the Tremeres to study the Vodoo culture and history in the city.
What is curious about this is that the letter didn't come from the chantry Regent but from the prince, and that they ask nothing in return for this "kindness"

Nobody gives something for nothing. This smells like a political plot of some sort. The facts that the regent was not asked by the prince and that the regent haven't informed us about this, means that the clan is very weak in the city or that the regent is an incompetent. Any regent would have taken a letter like this as an insult (to his pride, if nothing more).

Perhaps the regent is in the midst of the political plot. Hmm, now that is an interesting thought: The prince don't like or trust the regent, want him replaced, and is trying to involve the clan so the removal and substitution is painless. Very clever. I wonder if he planned that all by himself.

Expanding the above idea, the Prince is trying to have us as allies which means  that his possition is not consolidated (or has strong enemies).

Anyway, this is a very good opportunity for the clan to get a hold in the power structure of the city. And if there is a war for princedom, we will be the winners no matter who emerge victorious.

Another curious thing is that it say that the Primogen is a vampire called Alexia.. but there is nothing in our record about her...

I think I'll accept the job. Besides studying Vodoo, I want to be in the first row when the show starts.

Questions left unanswered:

  1. Why the prince didn't ask the Regent?
  2. Who is the City Regent?
  3. Who is this Alexia?

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