Vampire: The Requiem - Lordenshaw Opera House (Elysium)

[Loredoctor]

The Invictus vampire nodded at the group, "Hurry up, I'm keen to kill that thing. Nwoso will have my head if I don't."

He then glanced at Maddoc and frowned in disgust. "We can leave that one behind," he continued. "I don't feel comfortable with him behind me."

When Khalida walked down the corridor, he followed with his gun braced on both hands.

[Jonathan Belmont]

His brows knotting, Jonathan dipped one finger in the pooling blood the shadow had left behind and sniffed it. Its scent was strange, different from anything he had encountered before and not entirely unpleasant, but there was no way he was sticking it in his mouth. Not without knowing what manner of creature bled it.

Looking up he noticed that the young woman had followed the blood out into the corridor, so he stood and followed her, taking care to avoid the Malkavian feasting on the blood staining the pillar. Out in the corridor she was already making her way towards the stairwell. Turning back to the box, the Malkavian looked unlikely to follow any time soon.

The Invictus vampire who had followed him upstairs nodded, "Hurry up, I'm keen to kill that thing. Nwoso will have my head if I don't."

"Yes. I imagine he found the possible accusations implicit in my choice of landing-pad quite offensive. I'll have to apologise to him later."

Turning away, Jonathan started down the corridor after his fellow neonate, who had by this time reached the door and entered the stairwell. Holding his knife ready he followed after her quietly, noting that the trail of blood on the floor was showing no signs of lessening.

[Maddoc]

Having licked the pillar clean, Maddoc drops to his knees and begins slurping at the floor. The carpet fibers make him gag, so he scrapes the viscous fluid up with his hands, then hungrily sucks his fingers. Seemingly lost in the sensation, he appears not to notice as the other three Kindred continue their hunt.

Maddoc straightens, licking the last of the now cold and clotted blood from his hands. His lips and cheeks are stained red, but the heat has retreated from his gaze. He neatens his clothes theatrically, then casts a practiced eye about the booth before searching the leather jacket.


OoC: Maddoc searches the booth and the jacket.

[Ivan Karpenku]

Seeing his prey exit the private booth and run to the left, Ivan sprints to the edge of the stage and jumps down to the main floor. He exits the main hall to the left as well, then tries to catch the attacker on the way down the stairs from the third floor.

...faster faster faster faster...

One more vitae on celerity, for increased run speed.

[Loredoctor]

Perception (Wits + Composure) roll: 3 successes (Jonathan) & 1 success (Khalida).

This stairwell leads to floors above and below the upper tier. Tiny blood stains mark the fine carpet and the walls, leading down to the floor below. However, there are marks on the railing leading up. Looking up, they see blood marks at the edge of the landing.

[Loredoctor]

Having licked the pillar clean, Maddoc drops to his knees and begins slurping at the floor. The carpet fibers make him gag, so he scrapes the viscous fluid up with his hands, then hungrily sucks his fingers. Seemingly lost in the sensation, he appears not to notice as the other three Kindred continue their hunt.

Maddoc straightens, licking the last of the now cold and clotted blood from his hands. His lips and cheeks are stained red, but the heat has retreated from his gaze. He neatens his clothes theatrically, then casts a practiced eye about the booth before searching the leather jacket.


OoC: Maddoc searches the booth and the jacket.

The booth has several bullet holes, and some of the furniture has been damaged. There is nothing of note. However, the jacket contains a wallet stained with blood.

[Loredoctor]

Seeing his prey exit the private booth and run to the left, Ivan sprints to the edge of the stage and jumps down to the main floor. He exits the main hall to the left as well, then tries to catch the attacker on the way down the stairs from the third floor.

...faster faster faster faster...

One more vitae on celerity, for increased run speed.

With vitae depleted in his veins, and a hunger like nothing else, Ivan surges up the slope of the hall. Kindred move out of his way, some baring fangs. He moved down a corridor like a predatory animal racing with supernatural speed. Reaching the stairwell he noted that it is empty.

[Jonathan Belmont]

Perception (Wits + Composure) roll: 3 successes (Jonathan) & 1 success (Khalida).

This stairwell leads to floors above and below the upper tier. Tiny blood stains mark the fine carpet and the walls, leading down to the floor below. However, there are marks on the railing leading up. Looking up, they see blood marks at the edge of the landing.

Although there doesn't appear to be anyone above them in the stairwell, Jonathan starts moving up slowly. He hugs the wall as he does so, his knife poised in front of him to strike his attacker, or to ward off any further attacks.

[Khalida Mufarrij]

Khalida pauses to look at the tiny specks of blood leading down from the stairwell. They seemed more a spattering, as if shaken from something a distance away, whereas the blood on the railing and the landing above indicated passage by an injured party.

Nodding her head in agreement at the youth's decision to ascend, she readies her blade as well, and follows.

[Ivan Karpenku]

Health: [ / ] [ / ] [ / ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Blood: 4

Ivan growls at failing to find his prey waiting for him. There were enough people milling around outside or running from the main hall that they'd have seen someone running away. So the target must be in the stairwell.

... Where ARE you, little bunny? Quit hiding from me; I can't wait for dinner much longer...

Spend one vitae to activate celerity (down to 3)

Spending some more of the little remaining power left in him, he races up the stairs faster almost than the eye can see. Guns held ready in front of him, in case the thing is hiding around the next bend. (At this speed, he's circling around the outer edge of the stairwell, not the inside lane.)

Depending on how crowded the stairwell is with 'friendly' characters, try to run around them and keep going upwards, if he hasn't run into an enemy below them.

[Maddoc]

Glancing over his shoulder as if to make sure no one is watching, Maddoc rifles through the wallet. Then he heads back down towards the theater, making the wallet disappear with one deft flick of a wrist.

[Loredoctor]

Ivan infuses his dead muscles with vitae, running up the stairs with inhuman speed. The walls ripple past him, and the stairs become a blur. He ascends several floors and eventually reaches Jonathan and Khalida, who have just reached the highest landing of the stairwell. A door, partially open, is before them with its handle covered in blood.

The three vampires can see that the door leads to the rooftop. A warm breeze flows through the opening, along with the sounds of traffic many floors below.

Perception (Wits + Composure) roll: 3 successes (Jonathan), 3 successes (Ivan), & 3 success (Khalida).

They can hear someone running along the top of the opera house.

[Loredoctor]

Glancing over his shoulder as if to make sure no one is watching, Maddoc rifles through the wallet. Then he heads back down towards the theater, making the wallet disappear with one deft flick of a wrist.

Maddoc reaches the opera hall and sees that it is almost completely empty. The Hierophant is striding across the stage and gesticulating angry, whilst Callidia is making imploring and conciliatory gestures. Their voices are hushed but severe.

To the far side a vampire in a leather jacket leans against a wall, arms crossed and looking with disdain at the pair on the stage. Near the stage is an attractive looking vampire seemingly lost in thought. She had been standing with him on stage over ten minutes ago.

[James Randel]

James, realising he was as near to alone with the Hierophant as he would likely ever get, decided to take the opportunity to have a few words with her. The... thing seemed to have left and now was as good a time as any.

Clapping slowly, James swaggered towards the stage.

"Oh bravo prince, bravo. You stand there, your head firmly lodged up your arse, and have the nerve to call ME a coward. YOU stand there demanding ME to come and bow before you. Yet you, the most powerful vampire in this city is POWERLESS to stop that... thing from gate crashing this little blood suckers anonymous meeting you got going on. WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU to demand such of me, when you cant offer anything."

reaching the base of the stage James paused for a moment.

"Look prince, I'll be honest with ya. I don't give a fuck what you wanna call yourself. I don't care if all these pale idiots will let you lord it over them. All I care about is me. And all I want is to be left alone. I wont rry steal your throne, I wont fuck with your shit, I wont go around breaking your little rules that demand we keep our heads in the gutters. And most of all, I wont bend over and take it from you. Ill mind my own business and stay the fuck out of yours. You wont even know I'm here, and noone else needs to know about this talk. Deal?"

He knew that it could never be that easy, but he had to give it a try.

[Loredoctor]

Callidia whirled around and bared her fangs. Her hands were like claws, and her eyes were blazing. With a single touch on her shoulder, the Hierophant calmed her immediately or she realised her place. The priestess lowered her hands and stepped back, but she did not take her eyes off James.

The prince glanced around the room before finally stopping her gaze on him. They were like two cold novae set against pale marble. The blue veins were etched out against her skin and were pulsing. Despite her poise - she stood as still as some statue of a goddess - fury radiated out from her.

The prince stepped toward the edge of the stage. "You want to be left alone. So be it. You do not care for this city, for the society of vampires here. So be it. You will not take orders from me or respect my position. So be it. I decide who feeds in Lordenshaw. The Circle of the Crone are the dominant force here, and as I am the Hierophant I have at my disposal a willing force that will exert my wishes."

The prince smiled grimly, triumphantly, before continuining. "My wish is thus; I banish you from this city. Tonight. If you are seen within my domain, you will be reduced to ash. If you feed within my domain, you will be reduced to ash. If you so much as stand at the border, you will be reduced to ash.

"I pronounce you a fugitive. You have until sunrise to leave my city. But you will be followed as soon as you leave the opera house, for all I respect Elysium." She paused, glaring at James with pure malice. "Do I make myself clear?!

"Get the fuck out of my city you pathetic and insignificant worm!"

[Jonathan Belmont]

As the sound of running across the Opera House roof grew fainter, Jonathan decided it was time to throw caution to the wind, if only for a moment. Throwing the door open he strode out on to the roof, knife poised. Ready to attack, or defend, or give chase if his ears hadn't deceived him.

[Maddoc]

"Oooh, late night soap action!" Maddoc whispers, avidly watching the fiery exchange between James Randell and the Heirophant.

He stays to the rear of the theater, glancing once towards where Montefiore and he had sat earlier, the seats now empty.

[Ivan Karpenku]

Health: [ / ] [ / ] [ / ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Blood: 3

Seeing the faggy goth kid go through the door first, Ivan glares, then stops to give the kid some respect.

... I didn't think you'd even have the guts to be here...

Then he reached for nearly the last of his power and raced past the kid, going for the enemy faster than should be possible.

... I have almost nothing left, so this had better count...

One vitae on celerity (down to 2)

[Loredoctor]

The rooftop was largely open. Several bulky air-conditioning vents were scattered about, blocking the view of the entire roof. Other vents were issuing steam into the night sky. To the right of Jonathan, Khalida, Ivan and the Invictus thug was the edge. A busy road was sixty feet below. There were no buildings adjoining the opera house, as it occupied its own small block.

Perception (Wits + Composure) roll: 2 successes (Jonathan), 1 successes (Ivan), & 1 success (Khalida).

Jonathan notices a figure running around an airconditioning vent.

[James Randel]

slightly taken aback, James looked the prince in her eye.

"Ah yes, of course. Damn your so powerful with all these people willing to do your every whim... so why aren't they hunting that thing? From where I was sitting it looks like the new little kids on the block are the only ones making any effort to stop it while you sat there shrieking. Really, you have far bigger things to worry about than me and you know it. Are you that insecure with your position that you must make sure that someone as insignificant as me takes it up the arse from you or runs a mile? And you call me pathetic? I fail to see your logic prince."