Vampire: The Requiem - Lordenshaw Opera House (Elysium)

Post by **Khalida Mufarrij** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:38 pm

Khalida sat listening to the Prince, her head nodding as she took in the basic governing system of her new people. She related much of what Scythia said to the rule of her home country, where she and her father still claimed citizenship. Her father had no qualms against the Al-Saud monarchy; in fact at times after his remarriage and turn to fundamentalism he espoused the sensibilities of Islamic rule over the bickering of the republican government in the US, and the city council of Lordenshaw, which had been the basis for Khalida's interest in cultivating her particular circle of clients.

Leaning in towards Tatiana, she whispers to her sire, "A feudal system? Makes sense for the rule of a hidden people. I can respect that..." then broke off as Scythia continued about the new Tradition she was demanding of those newly arrived, or newly embraced, within the city, her jaw dropping a little as she heard her name called. Her hands clenching in her lap, she looks directly at her sire, "An oath? On our knees? And how do these people even know who I am in two days time?"

Her mind races through all of the political ramifications of this. The Prince was asking for an oath of obedience, nothing more. Nothing, so far, has been said of pledging fealty to this Prince, yet Khalida felt the desperation of the uninformed, the ignorant, and the resentment of the coerced. "I have no problems with following the laws and rule of the established system," she continues. "But to demand an oath, and force us to kneel..." She trails off, watching her sire for any hint of what her own thoughts on the matter might be, while a brief disturbance of some sort seems to occur on the stage.

Post by **Ivan Karpenku** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:02 pm

This is how a city should be run. Order. Solidarity. Ivan stopped that chain of thought before he started signing hymns to Stalin again. But he could find no issues with swearing an oath to obey the laws he was already bound to follow.

A Blood Oath on the other hand, would be a different matter entirely. He still had a duty to his sire, and could not forsake that. The Second tradition worked both ways, and it must supercede this new Fourth.

Ivan waited until the strange man finished having hysterics on the stage, then stood up. Making his way as gracefully as one can, when squeezing past the knees of others in theatre seating, he went to the aisle and mounted the stage.

Perception or Etiquette or Politics roll hoping to figure out if I should go stand quietly by Maddoc and wait for a signal, or if I should introduce myself here. Does the Heirophant give any queues as I approach the stage?

Post by **Loredoctor** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:57 pm

Understanding of court etiquette (Intelligence + Politics) roll: 0 successes.

Ivan is unsure about what to do. He climbs the stairs to the stage and walks towards the Prince. Over a hundred pairs of predatory eyes watch him as he presents himself.

Post by **Tatiana Ivanova** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:57 pm

Khalida in tow, Tatiana calmly follows Ivan. Watching for any signs of approval or disfavor at his actions, mimicking those of merit, and avoiding those which seem importune. She willingly undertakes this simple formality, and murmurs reassurance to her childe as they move along.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:13 pm

Jonathan Belmont wrote:A Fourth Tradition?

Jonathan was impressed with the Hierophant, and a little surprised at her subtlety. Demanding such an oath was anything but subtle of course, but because she demanded it only of newcomers and neonates, the Covenant leaders would be hard pressed to find a legitimate reason to protest.

Pyotr would likely still do so, although Jonathan suspected that his ideological objections to Scythia's proposal had already been anticipated and a solution to offer the Idealist privately formulated. If the Hierophant didn't choose to simply dismiss his concerns.

Sigismund would also be outraged, although Jonathan knew that that had more to do with the Bishop's hatred of the Circle than with any desire to protect those whose oaths Scythia demanded. Besides, the majority of those called were unaligned, a group for which the Lancea Sanctum had little time.

Jonathan turned to Mina with a slight question in his eyes. This she answered with a barely perceptible nod. He knew that she agreed with him - that it was better not to rock the boat right now - but her support strengthened his resolve.

Just as he was about to stand, a scruffy kindred, skinny to the point of emaciation, rushed on stage jubilantly and began thanking God and and anyone else he could think of. As if he had just won an Academy Award.

Jonathan gaped at the fool as he strode into the spotlight in front of Scythia, then grimaced slightly as the her fury washed over him, quelling his exuberance.

Mina shook her head incredulously. "Courts are seldom dull, but this...this is just insane."

Mina stroked Jonathan's cheek, her fingertips gently and sensuously tracing his jaw line and then moved down his neck. "Go, Jon," she said with a hint of concern. "Get this farce over with. Scythia is playing with fire in a room doused with gasoline.

"Do you what you think is right, but be careful not to offend her or the Circle. That bitch will have our heads."

Post by **Khalida Mufarrij** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:18 pm

Trusting Tatiana with all her heart, Khalida rises and mutely follows her sire. As they approached the stairs, there was a bit of a wait to ascend them, as others followed the wiry man's lead and also queued up to be presented to the Prince of Lordenshaw City. Her curiosity about what she experienced earlier in the evening getting the better of her, Khalida takes note of the 20-ish wavey-haired woman supervising the queue, and decided her question to her sire would be innocent enough to not be paid any particular attention to, even by one standing so close by. Attempting to appear to make small talk with Tatiana, she asks, "Have you heard of anyone here in the city known as "The Speaker with the Dreamers?" Or perhaps of "The Ship with the Oft-Repeated Name?" These honorifics are puzzling enough, but I am so ignorant of everything." Her voice trails off hesitantly as the queue moves closer towards the stairs.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:53 pm

Perception (Wits + Composure) roll: 3 successes.

Khalida does not notice a reaction from the curly-haired blonde woman. She faces the group of neonates walking up the stairs to the stage, and her attention is occupied by her Hierophant. Nevertheless, it would have been impossible for her to have not heard the comments.

Post by **James Randel** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:12 am

James scoffed as the other new arrivals made their way into the stage. Weak little lambs he thought to himself.

Arms crossed, he continued to lean against the wall, glaring at the proceedings.

Post by **Jonathan Belmont** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:21 am

Giving Mina a brief smile, Jonathan stood and calmly made his way down the aisle to the line that had formed at the bottom of the steps leading up on to the stage.

As he waited to ascend, he noted the Carthian leadership sitting but a few metres away. Pyotr was red-faced and seething with anger at the Hierophant's announcement, whilst Roland favoured Jonathan with a contemptuous sneer.

Ignoring Roland and his pettiness, Jonathan gave the Idealist a grave nod that he hoped conveyed that he was acting out of necessity rather than desire.

Post by **Ivan Karpenku** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:33 pm

Ivan moves further onto the stage, making room for the others to get in behind him. He would have liked to get a chance to talk to the Heirophant before all this. He hopes he can, at least, have the option of declining and leaving town quietly if the oath is too much.

He chooses to stand behind the Heirophant and to the side. He keeps away from where the crazy person is now cringing, but otherwise isn't really sure what to do now.

Looking down, he realizes that he still has his overnight bag with him. Old habits die hard, but now he's standing in front of the chief monster, nearly armed.... that might provoke her. He puts the bag down by his feet, so that he at least doesn't appear to be about to go for the guns. Not that they'd do him much good here, but... it wouldn't be wise to insult somebody.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:22 pm

Hierophant Scythia silently appraises those standing before her, her eyes narrowing as she glances at Maddoc. One hand is curled like a claw, but with an air of iron decorum she places both hands in front of her and steps back.

"I count five Kindred here. Judging by their behaviour" she looks at Maddoc with malice, "I believe I know who stands before me. It is with shock that I realise we either have cowards in the audience or in the city tonight. Callidia how many neonates signed in at the entrance?"

Callidia stands and bows slightly. "Six, my Prince. I cannot say who it is that refuses to stand before you . . . before us all. However, I can say that Jonathan Belmont is standing."

Pale as marble, with venom in her words, the Prince responds. "If the vampire in the audience does not find the courage to mount the stage I will have Severine drag him down. You have until the last one here names herself."

The audience is deathly silent, although some Kindred are sneering. The obese vampire at the front rolls his eyes in mock dismay and feigns a yawn. An African vampire in an expensive black suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses places fingers against his chin and watches the stage intently.

The Prince adjusts her robes, ensuring that the Circle of the Crone symbol is displayed with any creases, steps closer towards Maddoc and resumes speaking. "Malkovian. Kneel and speak the -"

All player characters.
Perception (Wits + Composure) roll: Every character apart from James Randel scores at least one success.

In the third upper tier booth from the left a figure in the shadows is barely visible standing right against the gilded railing. It shudders rapidly as though experiencing an epileptic fit, and motes of pulsing red surge across the shadowy figure. The crimson, pulsing points of light vanish as though swallowed into the body. Then, a brief moment later, a tendril of black with glowing intestinal-like patterns of deep red erupts from the figure and strikes at the group on the stage. This all happens within a second.

Jonathan Belmont is attacked.

Thing in the booth
Tendril attack (Strength + Brawl + Tendril -3 [Defense]): 3 successes. No damage.

Post by **Khalida Mufarrij** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:36 pm

Reacting from surprise and shock at the sudden unexpected attack upon the young man on stage with the group, Khalida takes a step backwards then looks up in the direction the tendril came from. There were others here far more experienced than she in handling this sort of situation. But she needed to learn, and quickly, about this world she has recently entered. While waiting for a sign from the Prince of what the neonates should next do, Khalida focuses her attention in the direction of the third upper tier booth and attempts to see how a situation such as this is handled.

Post by **James Randel** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:29 pm

Coward James sneered, Fuck you bitch.... Fuming at the name calling, James went to snarl his reply as the tendril shot down to the stage. Looking up towards the high booths, he couldn't get a clear view at the source of the energy.

"Fuck this shit." He said aloud, taking cover behind some seats straining his neck to see what was going on.

Post by **Ivan Karpenku** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:58 pm

Activate celerity

Ivan crouches down by his bag, no longer minding that he couldn't find a coat check earlier. The familiar red is starting to creep in around the edges of his vision... all the talking, and posturing, and... whatever, earlier had gotten into his head. Made him think of how much stronger they were, and older, and all the other cautionary tales Mikhail had told him. But now... in the moment of battle, none of that mattered. We are attacked... he must defend... he gets to let the Beast out, so it can play.

Unzip the top...
... too slow...

Rip open the top...
... that's better...

Reach in to bag...
... hurry hurry hurry...

Grab the pistols...
... move FASTER...

Pull them from the bag...
... shit shit shit...

Pull them from the holsters...
... finally...

Stand up, gun in each hand, target the source of the... whatever that was, doesn't matter... and start blasting.
... TIME TO KILL...

Dexterity (5) + Firearms (3) [specialty: pistols]
Ambidextrous merit
Gunslinger merit
Celerity (3)

Post by **Jonathan Belmont** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:13 am

Activate Celerity

Moving with supernatural speed, Jonathan darted back as the tentacle struck at him again. As it hit the wooden floor of the stage with a smack he swiftly brought the heel of his shoe down hard, sending it recoiling. He then spun to the left, away from the Hierophant and his fellow neonates, and came to a stop five or six feet from the menacing shadow.

There he waited for his attacker to make its next move. Waited to see whether it was actually after him or whether he had simply gotten between a hunter and its prey.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:46 am

Combat

Initiative Order
Ivan (20)
The Thing in the booth (14)
Jonathan (12)
Khalida (10)

Ivan burns the vitae in his veins to attain supernatural speed (-1 vitae). The world slowing down and acquiring a reddish haze, he moves with a fluid grace as he pulls out the pistols and points in the direction of the third booth, fourty feet away (-2 modifier).

Duel pistol attack (Dexterity + Firearms +1 [specialty] +2 [pistol] -3 [Defense] -2 [partial concealment] -1 [range]) roll: 2 successes (1st pistol) + 0 successes (2nd pistol).

Ivan should have been able to inflict serious harm on the entity, but it appears that he has only done minor damage. With a strange, guttural choaking sound it lashes out again with its tendril, attacking Jonathan again.

Thing in the booth
Tendril attack (Strength + Brawl + Tendril -3 [Defense] -1 [Celerity]): 3 successes and Jonathan loses 1 point of vitae.

Jonathan's Health
[/][/][/][][][][]

The tendril strikes Jonathan hard, and he is briefly enveloped in a warm, black mist streaked with veins of red light. The veins burrow into his skin rapidly, latching onto his own and sucking vitae form him. Then the tendril quickly pulls back into the shadow figure, leaving Jonathan feeling violated and cold.

Post by **Khalida Mufarrij** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:19 am

Khalida took note of the young man's movement away from the group, and the tendril of the shadowy creature following after him to attack him specifically. With a quick glance at Tatiana to reassure herself that her Sire was quite able to take care of herself, Khalida drops into a crouch and unsheathes her boot knife for the second time this evening.

Once again moving with a supernatural agility, she draws near the attacked young man, her knife slowly weaving to slash at the tendril of the shadowed creature should it attack again. Remaining in a defensive crouch and raising her voice, she calls out to it, "You are in the presence of the Prince of Lordenshaw City and all of Kindred society. Why not make your resentments against this one known to the Prince for it to be addressed, rather than risking physical retribution upon yourself for launching an unexpected attack during her Court?"

1 Vitae applied to Dexterity to move with enhanced agility against a possible strike. Activate Awe to open negotiation with the attacker.

Post by **Maddoc** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:56 am

"Everyone's a critic..." mutters Maddoc, drifting along the stage, out of the spotlight and away from the malefic tentacle attacking Jonathon Belmont.

Post by **Jonathan Belmont** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:01 am

Jonathan shuddered the tendril, having feasted on his blood as if he were nothing but kine, snapped back. He could feel waves of ice-cold violation spreading from his right forearm where the thing had attached itself. For a moment his vision swam as the revulsion nearly overwhelmed him.

No! He wouldn't surrender to it. He wouldn't give Roland Powell or Lydia Hibberd the pleasure of seeing him go down so quickly. And it was just revulsion - he'd been revolted before and survived. Besides, the thing had only taken a quick drink anyway, so he still had plenty of blood left.

As another of the neonates that had joined him on stage - an exoticly beautiful young woman that under other circumstances he would have been happy to spend an evening with - drew a knife from her boot and addressed his attacker, Jonathan shook his head clear and remembered where he was. As his new ally had just said, this was the Hierophant's Court. All of Kindred society were present. So anyone daring enough to try and kill him as he swore an oath of loyalty to Scythia would have to think themselves pretty much untouchable.

Giving the pale man who had shot at the tendril a brief nod of recognition, he favoured the dark beauty - clearly the childer of the man's female companion, with a smile. "Oh, I doubt this creature has any resentments against me - I'm too newly embraced to have made such powerful enemies myself."

"No", he continued, turning to face the tentacle and making sure his voice would carry across the crowd. "I suspect it is my sire who has inspired hate enough to embolden such an act. Killing me is just a way of dragging out her suffering. Isn't that right, Shadow?"

As he spoke to it directly, the tendril reared back and then struck again. This time he was ready. Still moving impossibly fast, Jonathan dodged the first two blows, kicked the third away, and deflected the forth with his good arm. And finally, on it's fifth attempt, the creature struck low. Leaping forward he landed on the dark limb and began to run. Seeing his intent the beast immediately cracked its tentacle like a whip, but Jonathan had been expecting this. Using the creatures own energy, he jumped away from the tendril.

Right towards Markus Nwoso.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:46 am

Initiative Order
Ivan (16)
Khalida (15)
The thing in the booth (14)
Jonathan Belmont (12)
Maddoc (12)

His body no longer influenced by Celerity, Ivan slows down. The world moves at a normal pace, including himself. He continues firing with both pistols at the entity.

Duel pistol attack (Dexterity + Firearms +1 [specialty] +2 [pistol] -3 [Defense] -2 [partial concealment] -1 [range]) roll: 1 success (1st pistol) + 2 successes (2nd pistol).

The hall is filled with the sound of gunfire, and some Kindred wince with each strident shot. Several vampires leave briskly, and a few are running out of the hall. There is an unearthly guttural choking sound when the bullets hit the penumbral figure and bursts of glowing blood.

Khalida uses Awe (Presence + Expression + Majesty -2 [combat]): 2 successes.

A storm of red motes flit across the black, humanoid shape, and again the tendril of shadow-material stretches across the tiers towards the stage. It appears to be heading towards Khalida, but hesitates and attacks Ivan.

Thing in the booth
Tendril attack (Strength + Brawl + Tendril -2 [Defense] -1 [armour]): 3 successes and Ivan loses 1 point of vitae.

Ivan's Health
[/][/][/][][][][]

The tendril of night veined with glowing red intestines lashes out above Jonathan's head as he jumped off the stage onto the carpeted floor of the hall. Behind him, he hears the strange appendage strike someone and cold, possibly imagined, caresses the back of his neck. Two Invictus thugs leap to their feet. Nwoso sits before him, legs crossed and one hand still on his fine chin. He inclines his head slightly, uncrosses his legs and stands.

"See to it that the neonate is given protection," he says with a soft yet commanding voice. "Escort him to his friends," he finishes as he points to the Carthians.

Maddoc moves away from the tendril, watching it lash at Ivan and surround him in a cloud of black mist lit up with strange crimson lights. He nearly bumps into the Prince, who upon seeing the Malkovian, sneers and walks away.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Vampire: The Requiem - Lordenshaw Opera House (Elysium)