Episode 4 - Shadow Hunt

[00:00:01] Speaker A: You're listening to the All Night Society, an actual play podcast brought to you by Queens Court Games. So when last we spoke with the Coterie, they were waiting on orders again after a very eventful elysium, damien instructed them to stick around because the prince had things he wanted to talk about. He hasn't returned. Apparently, his own discussions with the prince are still taking place. But the four of you are nevertheless stuck waiting backstage in the Succubus Club. [00:01:07] Speaker B: As we're waiting for Damien to come back and fetch us for this meeting with the prince. I'm rubbing my temples and going. I just wanted this to be a quick job. Go home afterwards and now we have to go talk to the prince. Just want to go home. [00:01:26] Speaker C: Yeah, well, if you don't know by now, it's never that easy in the Camarilla. [00:01:31] Speaker B: I mean, it's been a pretty busy day for us. Especially with what happened earlier with the Lusambra wanting to join. That's insane. I've never heard anything about that. [00:01:45] Speaker D: I barely understand it myself. It's far beyond anything I ever experienced back home. [00:01:51] Speaker A: Well, in fairness, no one had heard about the Lusambra wanting to join the Camarilla until just now. So you're not alone in being caught by surprise. [00:02:01] Speaker C: I just want to know what the game is. Why now? You know, it's been 600 years, 500 years, something like that. [00:02:12] Speaker B: There has to be a really good reason for it. I just hope they tell us. [00:02:18] Speaker D: 600 years? That sounds like a bit yeah. [00:02:22] Speaker C: I mean, it was late 15th century when the Sabat kind of came around. I mean, it's any other organization, right? Similar to the Camarilla, just complete opposites. [00:02:35] Speaker D: How so? Just a matter of two princes who didn't agree with each other and suddenly there's a split. [00:02:42] Speaker C: In fairness, that's the camarilla. The Camarilla is princes who don't agree with each other. [00:02:49] Speaker B: Do you really not know about the Rebecca? [00:02:54] Speaker D: Well, I sort of COVID my mouth, my hand, as I'm thinking. You have to understand, it was just me and Silas and our people. And not so much our people, you know, that in Tucson was it was really just a trade. Never caught the chance to verse myself in Kindred history, so to speak. [00:03:19] Speaker B: That makes sense in your case, Rebecca. I mean, I come from New York and it was Sabat controlled until 1999. Lots of fighting, pretty ugly. [00:03:31] Speaker D: Jace I didn't know half of these things are happening, let alone that, well, the La Sambra existed. It's just what did I get myself into? [00:03:42] Speaker E: So the oldest one among us has no idea what a Lasombra is? [00:03:48] Speaker D: To be fair, Joshua, I'm a 30th generation American. This was my home long before it prolonged the Sabbat in Camarilla. [00:03:57] Speaker E: I'm fully aware of the reasons why. I just think it's funny. [00:04:01] Speaker D: Fair enough. [00:04:04] Speaker C: Rebecca, you do know what the traditions are, right? [00:04:09] Speaker D: The masquerade. You hide the existence of Kindred domain. Each Kindred is the ruler of their own territory. Progeny don't embrace new Kindred without permission. Accounting, chill. They are their sire's responsibility until they're released. Hospitality, announce your presence when visiting another's domain. And destruction. Never kill another vampire unless the prince calls a bloodhunt. [00:04:36] Speaker C: Okay, that's good. No, I figured if you didn't know something as simple as Sabot versus Camarilla, like the traditions was, like, the next thing on the list, that you wouldn't hmm. [00:04:49] Speaker D: That's going to get a raised eyebrow from me. [00:04:53] Speaker C: You know about the Anarch revolt, right? [00:04:56] Speaker B: How? [00:04:56] Speaker C: Genjis and Anita and the rest of them think the Camarilla is just an old boys club that exists to keep elders in power, so the younger Kindred have to play their games and beg for scraps from the table. Well, that's the second Anarch revolt. The first one happened 600 years ago, ish all the same complaints, except the Inquisition was in full force. So on top of all the normal elder stuff, they were also using neonates as bait for the torch wielding mobs. Like telling their childa, I'll meet you in Lisbon, before informing the local Inquisition, hey, there's a vampire heading to Lisbon and fucking off to Milan. Instead, suddenly, it's every vampire for themselves and a lot of final death. Keep in mind, the Camarilla as an entity only barely exists at this point in time. Sure, there were always elders talking and cooperating, but the Camarilla isn't for real. Founded until 1491, and the first thing they do is call for a peace conference. The convention of thorns. For the most part, the Kindred are ready to agree to the terms, but plenty don't, and they launch an all out attack on the town where it's being held. Open flagrant. Bloody Masquerade violation. That's the Sabat, or what will be the Sabat. Anyway, long story short, the Sabat don't accept all the rules and restrictions that the Camarilla sees as necessary for our little game to continue. They want to openly rule humanity. No hiding, no mercy. The Lasambra are their leaders. Sort of like how the ventru lead the Camarilla. And now those same Lasambra want to switch teams, like, hey, sorry for doing all that murder and terrorism. We're ready to be friends now. [00:07:01] Speaker D: And they've been allowed within our city. All of that just centuries of monstrosities being allowed to run loose and chaos and can't imagine this is going to end in anything but with blood. [00:07:19] Speaker C: I mean, the Lusombra entering the Camarilla doesn't have to end in bloodshed. It's not like Seer is clearing a path for the Lasombra war pack to safely enter the city and destroy it from the inside. Surely they have to understand that joining the Camarilla means following its rules. [00:07:39] Speaker A: One would hope that their intentions are pure, that they are willing to submit to the traditions now as the situation around the world has changed. But can you trust a Lasambra? [00:07:54] Speaker E: Regardless of trust and intention? No historical event of any consequence has ever occurred, human or kindred, without the spilling of blood. [00:08:07] Speaker C: Bloodshed is part of this, but I don't know, ultimately, I guess the question is, why now? Well, first, why second? Why now? And third, how can we possibly trust that their intentions are true? [00:08:27] Speaker D: What you've told me? I can't. I'm shocked that the prince even accepted their invitation, let alone let them have an audience. [00:08:35] Speaker E: What's that old saying? Hope for the best, prepare for the. [00:08:39] Speaker D: Hmm. [00:08:40] Speaker B: I agree with that. We can't trust them. They've given us no reason to trust. [00:08:44] Speaker A: Them at the same time. schmendric, you're more of a humanist than most vampires. Surely the idea of an enduring sect war between the Camarilla and the Sabat, that's bloodshed. That doesn't need to happen. [00:08:57] Speaker B: That's true, but whether or not they're genuine in their offer is yet to be seen. [00:09:03] Speaker D: Could just be more chaos they've brought upon us, more conflict. But as Joshua said, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, because it definitely could get very, very bad. [00:09:17] Speaker C: It wasn't that long ago that the Banukeem themselves weren't part of our ranks. [00:09:23] Speaker E: The Camarilla got along just fine without the too. But I don't think we have time for that, do we? [00:09:30] Speaker B: You guys are funny. [00:09:32] Speaker C: I wasn't being snippy. I was merely stating that we somehow managed to trust that the Banu Hakeem wouldn't come in and eat all of us in our sleep. And that seems to have worked out. [00:09:43] Speaker E: All no, no, let's be clear. We eat people when they're awake. You go for them when they're sleeping. [00:09:51] Speaker A: What the risk of letting the two of them engage in a historical debate over which clan is more horrible? That, thankfully, is interrupted. Damien returns from the stairs, descending only far enough to attract your attention and be with an earshot. He says, Prince is ready for you. But first, go downstairs, grab her, bring all you back up. Of course you can take the stairs. I don't recommend it. That elevator, bottom floor, will get you where you need to go. [00:10:25] Speaker B: All right. Thanks, Damien. [00:10:27] Speaker A: He doesn't say anything after that. He's not being rude. He's just a very busy man. You can see the stress on his face right now. [00:10:35] Speaker B: Well, shall we go get our guest? [00:10:38] Speaker D: No time like the present. [00:10:39] Speaker E: After you. [00:10:41] Speaker A: The Succubus Club is a many floored labyrinth. None of you have been invited into the basement layers. That's for special kindred who know special people or are owed special favors. The elevator exists to keep people like you, to say nothing of mortals, away from those parts of the club and access the storage areas buried deep, deep beneath, without the chance of stumbling across something they shouldn't. Your short elevator ride opens up on a sub basement, a large, unfinished cellar, bare concrete floors, load bearing pillars, the very guts of the building stacked across in haphazard piles, roughly organized. There are art pieces, old tables, chairs, the old bar before annabelle put the upgrades in boxes of liquor, boxes of T shirts for staff, and in one corner, a suspiciously OD number of freezers and coolers all buzzing away. It's dark, but that's more of a blessing, because as you take your first steps out into the floor, you can feel that unwashed, unswept unclean Sticky feeling a grime on your shoes. A great many messes have been made in the basement of the Succubus Club, decades of them, and people have been neglectful in cleaning them up. [00:12:18] Speaker C: Really happy I went with boots today. [00:12:22] Speaker D: It's not the worst mess we've encountered so far. [00:12:28] Speaker B: I decided to wear my sneakers today, finding myself not all that sneaky with this sticky floor, but it is highly amusing. [00:12:37] Speaker A: Schmendrick amuses herself finding an especially sticky part and then just savoring the noise. [00:12:45] Speaker B: I'm going to stand in one spot for a bit and just kind of raise my heels and put them back down. [00:12:50] Speaker A: I'm sure that noise drives Ivy crazy. [00:12:53] Speaker C: Oh, my God, it totally does. Absolutely hate it. [00:12:58] Speaker B: I don't linger there too long, though, for Ivy's sake, but more because we have stuff to do and there's time for goofing off later, I'm sure. [00:13:08] Speaker A: One hopes. It'd be a sad world if tonight was the end of all goofing off for Schmendrick. [00:13:14] Speaker C: I'd be very sad, he says in a highly suspicious way. [00:13:19] Speaker A: Navigating this mess of storage is difficult, but not impossible. It'd be easier if you knew where they stuffed Sierra. That said, there are only so many places you can go with a few minutes of prodding searching. A little impromptu Marco polo. Maybe you find your delegate sitting atop an uneven wooden stool in what appears to be the place where they keep the nicest, art things that can still be salvaged. Maybe she's still dressed immaculately, as she was when she made her plea to Elysium, arms crossed over her chest and frustration etched into her face. Ah, my friends have come to join me. I apologize. I haven't laid out a spread, and you'll have to excuse the decor. This isn't how I usually try to host. [00:14:10] Speaker B: Actually, we've come to take you away. [00:14:12] Speaker A: From this place, so, out of context, that statement might sound ominous. [00:14:20] Speaker B: To see the prince specifically. [00:14:23] Speaker A: Well, I'm not sure that makes things sound any better. Very well. If the prince calls, then let us be to it. [00:14:33] Speaker E: Before we go, Sierra, if you don't mind me asking a question of you. [00:14:38] Speaker A: By all means. [00:14:40] Speaker E: So, of course, the search for Malinkov is ongoing, but in general, I was just hoping to ask, what is the deal there? You come here prepared, polite, diplomatic, and he comes here well, I don't think I need to say much more. [00:15:05] Speaker A: Unfortunately, Mr. Crozier, I know just as much as you do about my brother's current whereabouts as to his reason for defecting from our mission. That's also something I don't quite understand. Yet. As a banu hakim, I doubt you understand the organizational imperatives of clans like mine. The goals of my family are driven by a group called the Amici. Noctus, nothing happens in Clan Lusombra without their approval. And it is their explicit instructions which brought us here. If Malinkov has decided to turn against the Amici, to disregard their orders, that doesn't bode well for any of us. But please do believe me when I say that I believe in my mission. I believe in my clan's mission, and I intend to carry out the will of our elders sincerely. [00:16:00] Speaker C: Why now? Why is the Lusombra choosing to come to the Camarilla now? [00:16:07] Speaker A: History is bending, Ivy. LaRue, the Beckoning, the Gehenna War, the rules that define our existence, they don't apply anymore. Clan La Sambra has always survived. Clan Lasambra always wins. And at the moment, the Sabat doesn't offer us good odds of accomplishing either of those things. The sect is degenerating, its leaders flung into the Middle East to chase legends and shadows. For those of us who imagine a future more glorious than dying in some blood stained desert, the Camarilla is the only option. [00:16:51] Speaker C: I can respect that. [00:16:54] Speaker A: I don't know if you've personally encountered the Sabat, Miss Leroux, or one of mine for that matter. But for whatever my words are worth, I truly do believe we can acclimate to one another if given the chance. We can be of use to the Camarilla, strengthen it. It's just a small matter of trust, some growing pains, and the support of younger generations like yours. [00:17:21] Speaker B: The moment she brings up trust, my expression changes a little bit, recalling our earlier conversation about how I can't trust them. Not yet. Not without proof. And I just kind of look at the rest of the coterie. [00:17:39] Speaker D: I would return that look of what I've learned in the past few hours or so about Clem La Sambra, the Sabat. It's made me look at this task with a new light, so to speak. I fear what she has to bring, and trust is a heavy, heavy word. I hope that schmendric can read that in my raised eyebrows and slight frown. [00:18:05] Speaker A: Well, looks exchanged and thoughts had. You nevertheless, have a delivery to make. Again. Sierra waits for you to lead her back to the elevator. Another quick ride up to the main floor. At this point, Damien is waiting for you. He leads you up the stairs to the second floor of the Succubus Club, where Prince Jackson keeps a temporary office. These are, by all means, not his ordinary quarters. But when the prince shows up at Elysium, there is always business to tend to, and it's appropriate to have a place to conduct that business away from prying ears. This is the office you find yourself in now. Damien ushers you inside. It's a plain space, at least plainer than you imagine any prince would tolerate. Once you're inside, prince Jackson, sitting behind the desk, waves his sheriff on, leaving you alone with a magister, a prince and a dilemma. Well, I have to say, I wasn't expecting that display tonight, miss Van Burris. In the future, that's the kind of detail you want to let us know in advance? Just, you know, a Camarilla thing. We like to be informed, sierra Bristles. Just a bit. Due respect, Mr. Jackson, I imagine we'd have the opportunity to meet and discuss things before being thrust out into the open. And he snaps back, and I expected to be playing host to two La Sombra guests, not negotiating the entry of an entire clan. [00:19:44] Speaker B: That would be our fault, sir. Oh, well, come nightfall, he was just gone. We should have kept better watch on him, I suppose. [00:19:58] Speaker A: Ah, yes, the Malinkov problem. Well, Damien's working on that at the moment. If Miss Van Burris here is lucky, we'll have that problem resolved before the sun comes up. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here facing down a burden of historic proportion. I mean, do you understand the position you've put me in? The two of them begin to spar back and forth, attempting diplomacy through millennia of superstition, of distrust, of violence. It breaks after a few minutes. Prince Jackson asking, and how do I know who you even speak for? They didn't send one of the Amici here. None of your leggets, none of your Templars. I have you. I have your word that at least appears to be a development that Sierra is prepared for. And while at first she raises her hands to her side, the universal gesture for I'm not going to do anything dangerous. I just need to reach into my pocket. She retrieves a cream colored envelope sealed on the front with a lasambra crown stamped in purple wax. She reaches to hand it first to the prince. Prince Jackson waves it off. No, you tramire. You read it. There's some kind of weird bloodshit going on. I would prefer it happen to you. [00:21:23] Speaker C: I tilt my head and blank a couple times before stepping forward, taking a letter from Sierra, and I open it up and start reading. Dearest Prince Jackson, of our ancient enemy, the Camarilla, I write with full authority from the inner council of my clan, and hereby extend the offer of peace and friendship between Clan La Sombra and the Camarilla. It is our wish to call an armistice and join your flock to best survive the nights to come. I'm aware this letter will come as a surprise, and you may ask why we did not approach your justikars. It is the belief of our clan council that the Camarilla is governed by its respected princes, such as yourself. And ultimately, it is to you and your peers to decide whether you wish for us at your side or as opposition. This is a sincere offer. My delegates have authority to make deals on behalf of the clan. Though, please defer to Ms. Van Burris for matters of politics and Mr. Malinkov for matters of War. I hope to be a formally admitted guest to your domain in years to come, without fear of reprisals from your mighty sheriff and without you having to be concerned that we act against you. With great respect, sir tally Leggett and Templar for Clan La Sombra, childa of Lord Leopold Valdemar, grandchilda of Tercio. [00:22:42] Speaker B: Bravo. [00:22:43] Speaker C: Great grandchilda of bucephos. I fold the letter back up and put it back into its envelope. [00:22:50] Speaker A: Prince Jackson chews on the words for a minute, but you can already tell by the way he shakes his head that this isn't looking good. There's a hint of a laugh on his lips when he finally decides to respond. What, that's it? You think that letter is enough for me to wash away centuries, centuries of war? Thousands of kindred lives from across the room? [00:23:13] Speaker B: I've been stewing on everything that has happened in the last few hours. My arms folded, I just kind of look up at the Prince and ask a question. Potentially a very risky question, but I'm going to ask it all the same. Why are you so unwilling to work with Sierra? Was it not you that went to the Gauru and signed a treaty? [00:23:37] Speaker C: My eyes go super wide as I hear Schmendrick's voice. [00:23:41] Speaker D: My respect for Schmendrick has just gone through the roof. [00:23:45] Speaker A: Prince Jackson turns his head to face Schmendrick. Slow. Deliberate. Like someone turning a gun on you. [00:23:56] Speaker B: I do have an uncanny ability to get under people's skin, it seems. [00:24:01] Speaker A: Look, you're new here, so I'm going to excuse that kind of insolence. That was different. Chicago was under siege. That was an existential threat with Garou and Sabat terrorists, mind you, ready to rip this city apart. Our prince was dead, our primigen were in disarray, and the city didn't have time or manpower for some knockdown dragout war down to the last of us. Or the last of them. [00:24:31] Speaker B: I'm familiar with wars between the Sabat and us. But the Sabat also had a hand in riling up the Gauru in that. And if something like that happens again, having the Lusombra on your side may be enough to tip the scales. [00:24:52] Speaker A: Sierra's doing her best to hide a smile, but you can tell she appreciates the voice of support. Even coming from a neonate. The nosferatu speaks the truth. The La Sambra are the strategic and tactical masterminds of the Sabat, Mr. Jackson. And without our hand guiding these terrorists, as you call them, there'll be nothing more than a pack of wild dogs. [00:25:18] Speaker B: With this in mind, though, I do not trust easily. But I'm cautiously optimistic. Something to think about. [00:25:29] Speaker A: Well, that's what it comes down to, isn't it? Who do we trust? I doubt the Magisters here are willing to come in and subjugate themselves entirely to the Camarilla to open their archives to the Justicars, to the Tramire to spill all their secrets. How am I to know that a year, five years, a century from now you won't use everything you've learned about us to accomplish the goal you've wanted for so long to bring it all burning down. Sierra, less concerned with your relationship with the prince, gestures at Ivy and Joshua. She says, twice in your history, Mr. Jackson, both ancient and recent, you've opened your arms to erstwhile enemies. I wouldn't consider the crimes that Clan Lasambra has committed to be any different than those that the ancient Tremere or the Banu Hakeem have committed. And yet they stand among you as equals, as members. They, too, have been taught. [00:26:31] Speaker E: After being gestured to and spoken of, I sort of step forward and say, if I may. Schmendrich is right. We need warriors on our side. And if those warriors happen to come from the other side, that's all the better. Right? But seeing as how trust is in short supply between the Camarilla and the La sombra make them prove it. Make them prove on an individual basis, how badly they went into the Camarilla. Make them pay a price. [00:27:05] Speaker A: Something you have in mind, Mr. Crozier, if it were up to you, what would you charge for admission to our club? [00:27:12] Speaker E: An elder. [00:27:14] Speaker A: An elder? [00:27:16] Speaker E: Yes. Every La sombra who wants into the Camarilla brings us an older vampire staked ready to be judged, and then they'll be granted the clemency that they desire. [00:27:31] Speaker B: These words make my eyes shoot up. Staring at Joshua like that is a high price to pay. [00:27:39] Speaker D: But is Sierra willing to pay that? The very foundations of her clan that she is supposedly on the orders of? [00:27:47] Speaker A: Now, that that's an idea I might be able to get behind. You know what they say about old dogs and new tricks. If I were worried about the schemes of anyone in your clan, it would be the eldest among you, the most intransigent. Those who've had a few centuries to stew in your hideous rejection of the traditions. Yeah, that's my deal. Every single one of you. Who wants access to the Camarilla? Who wants membership? You bring the staked body of a Sabat elder. That seems like a fair trade. Surprising all of you. Perhaps also herself. Sierra pauses only briefly before agreeing. Done. I'll inform the Amici of this obligation. All Osambra who want recognition and peaceful passage through your city must each deliver a vampire older than themselves to a place of your choosing for whatever fate you deem appropriate. And the second that last word leaves her mouth, she raises her hand to her fangs, pierces her own skin, and thrusts it out to the prince. Prince Jackson is stunned. He doesn't stand. He isn't rising to take her hand. But those of you who've seen Scheming in action can recognize that look on his face as the gears are turning, as he considers very carefully the next words that he wants to say. Will, I understand more than anyone that there's no possibility of reforming your more egregious kin? I agree that younger La Sombra will have a better chance of getting used to our ways. You've got a deal. But it's only good for as long as I remain in power. You understand? As much as I'd like to think otherwise, my influence only extends to Chicago, maybe the Midwest. And membership in our club is always determined on an individual basis. If you want your whole clan in, you're going to need to persuade the city. How about you set an example for us and your fellow clan members? Bring me Malinkov. Stake in his heart. War criminal like him would make a fine first sacrifice to show that you're willing. You know, there's no hesitation. There's no bristling. Reading her face, you would think Sierra is getting everything she wants. Very well. It should be said, though, Malinkov is the warrior among us, it'd be a fool's errand to send me alone to affect his capture. This coterie has proven its usefulness elsewhere. Would you allow me to enlist them in this cause? The prince shrugs. Sure. Four of you, Malinkov by tomorrow night. Any questions? [00:30:39] Speaker E: Can do. [00:30:40] Speaker A: That's the attitude I like to see. Now, if you excuse me, I have a city to reign in. If she wants to join you, that's on her. Otherwise, take her downstairs and enjoy your hunt. [00:30:53] Speaker B: At this suggestion that we need to go and fight Malankov or stake him, I'm screaming internally and trying my best to keep it internal because I'm not a fighter. [00:31:05] Speaker D: It's not a genuine beaming, I'm so excited smile. But with this coterie that I've now become a part of, I think we could do it. I've faced down worse than Malinkov, and at my side, I've got a witch, a judge, and a shmandrick. I think we can do this. I know we can do this. [00:31:28] Speaker A: So the prince expels you from his office. Hopefully, it doesn't take that long. Hopefully you can read the wall and leave before you have to be ejected with your La Sambra friend in tow. Judging by her face, she's not at all interested in helping you personally with this project. But that doesn't mean she's not willing to help in other ways. [00:31:49] Speaker D: Sierra does know her clanmate best, so perhaps she has a flicker of where he's gone. Sierra, I know you said that you have no idea where he's gone, but do you know where he might go? What places he tends to linger around? [00:32:05] Speaker A: Sierra lets out an audible sigh. And considering her age and relationship with humanity, that's something that takes a special amount of effort. She says, all I know is that his preferences tend to gravitate towards shady establishments. Places where people don't ask a lot of questions. And he can let his beast off the leash. If it's somewhere he can gain a little notoriety in the process, all the better. That's what happened in Denver, anyway. [00:32:36] Speaker B: Whoa, whoa, wait. What happened in Denver? [00:32:39] Speaker D: I was about to ask denver. [00:32:42] Speaker A: It's just the last time that I saw him go out, he went to some club. Like I said, shady, low rent, off the grid kind of place, number of vampires around. He gets a little proud, wants to flex his muscles. [00:32:59] Speaker D: This boats well for us, but it's enough of a profile to begin a trail. [00:33:04] Speaker B: So I'll kind of say this more of the group, not specifically to Sierra's. Anyone been in Chicago long enough to know the dives, that'd be worth checking. [00:33:15] Speaker E: I want to rack my brain about the seediest. Most back alley kind of places I'm aware of. I mean, as a hunter of Seedy folks, I can only assume that Seedy places are something I'm more or less aware of. [00:33:34] Speaker A: Indeed. Well, that would be an intelligence plus street wise role. [00:33:40] Speaker E: That would be three successes. [00:33:43] Speaker A: On three successes, you're able to eliminate most of the fringe candidates. Unfortunately, Malinkov's been gone for the better part of an evening, so he could have traveled anywhere in Chicago. But understanding that he doesn't know the town so well, and he has a very particular kind of dive he's looking for that shortens the list. Unfortunately, it shortens it down to five or six places, none of which are located close enough to each other for you to circle around through all of them. And look, there are only a few Kindred bars in Chicago in that they are bars operated by Kindred, but there are a lot more where vampires are known to hang out, and that complicates your search a bit. [00:34:33] Speaker E: After racking my brain for a moment, kind of mentally laying out all the places that I believe are at least somewhat likely, I would report to everybody else my, well, mental findings. [00:34:47] Speaker B: Interesting. Well, this is a little trick that I did back in New York. You can find Lasombra via streetcam by the unique signature. They leave, they don't show up. You know, inky black cloud, the camera shorts out, don't record, know all those kind of like technical glitches. But it's always pretty clear when it's a Lasambra, so I could possibly look into some security cams outside of some of these establishments. [00:35:21] Speaker A: The city of Chicago maintains an impressive grid of street cameras. Security cameras, traffic cameras. With the list that Joshua has given you, that would make your search significantly shorter. Going down that road would be an intelligence and technology role. [00:35:40] Speaker B: Two successes. [00:35:43] Speaker A: You don't have that many places to search, and the signs of Lasambra activity are fairly obvious, at least as someone who's seen them before. You can imagine that the mortals operating down in City hall watching these kind of things. They're blaming it on the same kind of cheapskate technology, standard bureaucratic, cost cutting, but you know better. Approximately 2 hours ago, a nebulous, glitchy, shadowy figure passed by a security camera near one of the CTA stations next to the red number five, and there's. [00:36:21] Speaker B: No view of it leaving yet. [00:36:23] Speaker A: No. Okay, the red number five is on Joshua's list of Kindred bars. It's operated by a pair of Kindred adze and Urzuli. They're known in Chicago. They're not explicitly Anarchs, but neither are they explicitly camarilla. They're generally left to their own devices, so long as they follow the rules of the place. But if you were looking for a bar where vampires are probably going to be around, and the crowd doesn't ask too many questions, that's where you would go. So combining that knowledge with the obvious signs of technical malfunction that follow La Sambra around, you can put your finger on the map there. [00:37:07] Speaker B: Okay, so this is how it plays out. We're talking about this with Sierra, and I just take a crate in the basement of the Succubus Club and start tapping away on my laptop. Anyone can look at the screen if they want. And eventually, I'll stumble upon the inky black signature of a Lasomber vampire moving across a security camera feed right outside of red number five. And I'll go, there he is. Now let's check and see if he left. Doesn't look like it. Guess you're right. Joshua. Red number five was a winner there. [00:37:44] Speaker A: The fact that he hasn't left is very, very good news. Could also be very, very bad news. [00:37:51] Speaker E: Yeah, sometimes I hate it when I'm right. [00:37:54] Speaker D: It really depends on who's inside, but at least we've got him pinned. [00:37:59] Speaker B: Do we want to tell Damien we found him? I mean, I guess this is kind of our problem. [00:38:05] Speaker D: Prince Jackson did send him out to go handle it. [00:38:09] Speaker A: The prince sent Damien to go out looking for him. So Damien knows Malankov is loose, and if you were able to get a hold of him on a phone, you could coordinate your efforts. [00:38:20] Speaker C: I mean, we still have some burners. [00:38:22] Speaker B: I was about to suggest that I take out mine and give it a little ring. [00:38:28] Speaker A: Phone still works. That's good news. A voice you don't recognize answers. [00:38:33] Speaker B: Hey, schmendric. Malinkov at red number five will meet Damien there. Can you pass that on? [00:38:41] Speaker A: Yeah, I can do that. [00:38:43] Speaker B: Thanks. [00:38:44] Speaker A: Line goes dead. [00:38:46] Speaker B: Short and sweet conversation. [00:38:50] Speaker A: Is there anything else you intend to accomplish here, or is it time to get in the Mystery Machine and scoot off into the night? [00:38:58] Speaker D: I can't think of any other leads we would need at this moment. We've got everything sorted out. [00:39:06] Speaker A: Well, then it's time for me to ask one of my favorite questions. Who's driving? [00:39:10] Speaker E: At this point, I think it seems customary for Josh to drive. [00:39:13] Speaker A: Joshua's car is back at his joint. You gonna take the van? [00:39:17] Speaker E: I think that's the best option. [00:39:19] Speaker A: Then, for the second time this evening, takoderi slips into the fancy party van and hits the road. It's not a long drive distance wise, but on the weekend, so many people out interested and shaking off whatever's built up over the work week, there's plenty of traffic. It takes you on the north side of 20 minutes before you're on the right side of town. And as you circle the corner to the main entrance of red number five, you can already tell something is amiss. For one, there's no queue. There's no line whatsoever to get into this club. For two, the normal, thick necked dorman has been replaced by a different face. Joshua, you got a real good look at Alexa Santos earlier in the evening. You know that face? [00:40:09] Speaker E: As soon as I see her, I'm probably pretty immediately aware that whatever's happening inside can't exactly be good. So after parking, climbing out, I would rush up to her and say, all right, what's the news? [00:40:26] Speaker A: Looks like we got here a little too late. Malunkov made a mess of the joint, but he's not here anymore. Damien's inside. You can get the rest from him. [00:40:36] Speaker E: All right, thank you. And with that, I will go ahead and walk inside. [00:40:43] Speaker B: Yeah. Upon hearing that, I just kind of tisk and dang. He must have left just as. [00:40:51] Speaker A: He. [00:40:51] Speaker D: Had to have slipped out while we were on our way here, right? [00:40:54] Speaker B: Yeah, I know what I saw. God, we just missed him. That's a pain. [00:41:00] Speaker D: He can't be too far. Then let's hear what Damien has to say. [00:41:04] Speaker A: The interior of the club is likewise abandoned, but you can see signs of a struggle, signs of violence. There are spatters of blood and broken furniture, all of which made more obvious by the fact that the house lights are all the way up in the distant left side of the club. You recognize Damien. He's standing at the bar with a face you don't recognize, having an animated conversation. Of course, the noise of your entering the club attracts their attention. Damien nods, waves you over. This is stedman. He runs the floor here. He saw what happened. You want to fill our friends in? The man standing in front of you is shirtless with dried blood running down his chest. He looks incredibly pale. He's attempting to act cool, but he's clearly traumatized. It doesn't take long for you to figure out why. Blood on his chest where did it come from? You recognize a stake wound? He's only recently been released from its grip. Reaching up and rubbing his forehead, he runs you through events. He explains he was in the club when Malinkov entered. He greeted him, showed him to the bar. Malinkov demanded something to drink almost the very second he came inside. Man's, money was good. His questions were few. That's all it took. So Stedman brought him a few choice vessels, set him up in a corner of the club, a nice booth away from prying eyes, where his activities could be concealed. Normally, when these kind of things happen, the customer drinks subtly and quietly. Instead, Malunkov decided to tear into his prey with his ghouls, standing in the way to keep anyone from intervening. It was enough to conceal the sight of the act, but not the screaming. At that point, people were running, whole club scrambling for the doors. Someone called the police, but, well, we uncalled them. That's when I tried to get in there and stop him. And for that, I was rewarded with a bar stool through the chest. And then Malinkov and his two goons, they were out. [00:43:28] Speaker C: Gotta applaud the bar stool ingenuity. [00:43:31] Speaker E: But did you hear them give any kind of indication about where they might be? [00:43:38] Speaker A: Uh, you know, I would have, but at the moment I was torpid because there was a fucking stake through my heart. [00:43:45] Speaker B: Damien Chuckles my eyes are darting around for a moment before I go. Where? [00:43:53] Speaker C: Which booth? [00:43:55] Speaker A: Damien points you back to the corner of the club where Melanchova been staying. He Shrugs we looked it over. Normal signs of mess. Leather's gonna have to be replaced. But no sign of where he might have headed to. [00:44:11] Speaker B: I have to see it for myself. And with that, I will go and. [00:44:14] Speaker A: Check out the booth without the additional information of Kindred involvement. This looks like the site of a bloody Gory awful beating. Malinkov laid into these poor people with his claws, not his fangs. Why bite when you can tear a wound open? The bodies aren't here anymore. Apparently, the ownership has already taken care of that, but it's going to take a hell of a steam cleaning to get the rest taken care of. [00:44:45] Speaker B: Even without the bodies, it sets my blood a boil. Earlier, I was just going to get Malinkov for Sierra, but now he's made it personal and I returned to the group with very solemn look on my face. [00:45:02] Speaker D: And you don't leave that kind of scene without leaving some kind of trace. [00:45:06] Speaker C: Right. [00:45:06] Speaker D: Any signs of a know? Let's just check out outside. Had to have left something. You don't make a bloody mess and just leave without leaving a footprint. [00:45:17] Speaker A: You can follow Melanchov's wake of destruction through the back of the club, through the kitchen, out into the rear parking lot. Unfortunately, asphalt is not so great at retaining tracks, and the trail of bloody footprints ends pretty early in the parking lot. [00:45:38] Speaker D: Might have gotten into a vehicle then. And we don't have the plates or a description, which only votes well. While one of the caterers had to have seen what was going on, maybe they can give us a lead, or at least a description of who came here and what they were in. I could turn to Damien and the witness and say, is there still staff here? We could speak to anyone who might have been here before the incident. [00:46:09] Speaker A: Stedman Frowns yeah, you know, of course, we didn't let the staff out. They're still around, but after seeing that, I don't know if they're in the talking mood. You can give it a shot, but he trails off. [00:46:28] Speaker D: Any chance at this point, we need to pin down at least something. Did he indicate anywhere where I could go speak to the staff? Because at that point, I would head off to speak with them. [00:46:39] Speaker A: It's not hard to find. There's a cluster of humans wearing the official uniform of people who work in nightclubs at one of the VIP tables. Most of them, all of them in some state of disarray or shock. [00:46:54] Speaker D: Look, I don't want to make you go through the whole thing, what happened tonight. I just need you to answer a few questions, if I can. The guy who was here, the one who started this whole incident, did any of you see what he came in? Car? [00:47:07] Speaker A: Vehicle, six pairs of just dead tired eyes looking back up at you. We're all indoor staff. We don't watch the parking lots. [00:47:20] Speaker B: Just a suggestion. Maybe a private eye should take this one. I mean, I'd go in there myself, but I don't think they're going to enjoy talking to me. [00:47:31] Speaker E: I would say, okay. When he was in here, did you hear them talking about anywhere they're going to hit up next? Any plans for the rest of the night? Anything? [00:47:44] Speaker A: There are some nervous glances exchanged among the surviving staff members, each of them at one point looking at the same person, a young boy, you imagine too young to be working in a place like this. 1617. He looks like he's been battered. Dark skin, not enough to hide the bruises or the swelling. But even as they all point their attention in his direction, he is staring down at the table. [00:48:11] Speaker E: I would regard him and sort of come closer, crouch a bit so I'm closer to his level, and say, listen, I know what you saw. I know what happened is rough, but I'm going to need you to give me information here because otherwise he's going to do this to somebody else. Can you do that? [00:48:33] Speaker A: You're one of them, aren't you? [00:48:35] Speaker E: I am. [00:48:38] Speaker A: You're like him in more ways than one. I don't understand how it's just he was so I didn't even know any of the and he just starts to shake his words, stumbling over trembling lips. [00:48:59] Speaker E: Listen, buddy, I know, but like I said, I'm looking to stop this guy. I'm looking to do some real bad stuff to this guy. So why don't you help me out? [00:49:13] Speaker A: Would you like to try a manipulation and persuasion role for me? [00:49:17] Speaker E: There would be three successes. [00:49:20] Speaker A: Private investigator, Joshua. That's a mode that someone like this is very unlikely to respond to. But of anyone in the coterie, joshua is also best armed to deal with a scared small child. It might require some amount of reaching back into those parts of your history that you don't tell anyone to appear fatherly instead of menacing. But you're able to coax him into a place somewhere safe. And with a quiet sigh, he finally utters he wanted somewhere like this to go. I told him, look, there's this place, and it's not official. It's only a few blocks away if you want a club, but it's real dirty. They call it the glory pit. I told him where it was. [00:50:19] Speaker E: The glory pit. Okay, thank you for this information. I know it's hard, but this is going to help us put a stop to him, all right? [00:50:34] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm sure, man. Whatever. [00:50:37] Speaker E: So after gaining the name of the place from this poor staffer, I would rejoin the rest of the coterie and just say, Melanchol's at the Glory Pit. Or at least he was. It's a real seedy joint a couple blocks from here. Runs out of what looks like a regular apartment building. And when I say CD, I mean CD. [00:51:03] Speaker D: Sounds like precisely the kind of place he'd go. If what Sierra has told us is anything to go off of, it's not too far. [00:51:10] Speaker E: Which means we have a good start on making sure he doesn't kind of gesture around. He doesn't turn that place into this place. [00:51:20] Speaker A: Damien is quick to agree. Yeah, no. So you better get a move on. Look, I got stuff to handle here. Can you take this guy or you need help? [00:51:32] Speaker D: I take a step forward and I look Damien in the eyes. We can handle it. You've your responsibilities here. We have the capabilities to make sure it's contained. [00:51:43] Speaker A: All right? And that's all that Damien has to say on the matter. If you feel capable, he's willing to trust your judgment at the very least. If it goes wrong, you won't be around to yell at afterwards. [00:51:55] Speaker D: I don't intend to become another mess for Damien to clean up for taking Melanchop down. [00:52:02] Speaker B: So as soon as Damien gives us the go, I head straight outside to the van without calling shotgun. I just take it and I sit there, arms crossed, like where are you all? I'm waiting here. [00:52:17] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm following schmendric. There's no time to waste. But when we get there, I do. So, uh, none of you see a problem with what's coming? [00:52:30] Speaker D: As I join everyone in the car, I take a deliberate breath. I've seen terrible things, Ivy. And with the four of us, I sincerely doubt that Melanchov stands much of. [00:52:42] Speaker C: A ah, but see, there's the interesting part, Rebecca. You say that you've seen interesting things. You know, how the gangrel do the claw thing and the nosferatu do their going invisible thing, and I do my blood magic thing. The lasambra's thing is darkness. Supernatural, impenetrable darkness. The kind where you have a light source, like, an inch in front of your face and you can't see it. Kind of darkness. I'm just saying it's kind of hard to fight what you can't see. [00:53:32] Speaker D: As she begins her lecture, I wave a hand over my face and activate eyes of the predator. I've had a century or two together, a few tricks of my own. I've got this. [00:53:44] Speaker A: So Ivy is attempting to patiently explain the gravity of the situation that you are about to get yourself into when Rebecca's eyes flash red. You know what that means? You've seen it happen in other vampires. Eyes of the predator, among other things, allows vampires to see perfectly clearly in supernatural darkness. [00:54:07] Speaker C: Well, thank God somebody will be useful here. [00:54:11] Speaker E: Would you mind answering something for me, Ivy? [00:54:14] Speaker C: I can't possibly imagine what this question is going to be. Sure, Josh. What's on your mind? [00:54:21] Speaker E: The shadows. The darkness. You said they're impenetrable. Are they bulletproof? [00:54:29] Speaker B: No. [00:54:30] Speaker E: Fishmandrick? [00:54:31] Speaker B: Yes. [00:54:32] Speaker E: Joshua in the back there. Pump action shotgun, box of shells. Can you start loading that up? [00:54:39] Speaker B: I say sure, and it may surprise you, but I know exactly how to load this thing and how to work it. [00:54:46] Speaker E: I give Schmendrick a nod and gun the engine of the van. [00:54:50] Speaker A: It takes a lot of muscle to get this much steel moving. You wouldn't expect the van to be able to lurch to life like that. But Joshua floors the accelerator as Schmendrick loads round by round by round as Ivy racks her brain for the spells she might be able to use as Rebecca. Imagines what it's going to be like having her claws out once again thrown into the fight for someone's life. You are at least warned of what to expect. The shrouds of darkness brought about by an elderly sombra are not something to be trifled with. With Joshua behind the wheel, the drive doesn't take as long as it might have. Otherwise, he forwarded out of that parking lot and with the directions the young boy gave him, it's fairly simple. Left turn, right turn, right turn, and you're there. It's the building with the fake stucco facade locating the apartment building that is home to the glory pit. Easy. But sitting inside the van, it's not immediately obvious where in the building this legendary brothel is. No matter how you plan on sniffing it out, you probably won't be able to do that from inside the van. So our four kindred are going to pile into the street, taking their wits and their weapons with them as they zero in on Malinkov's location. What's the next step? [00:56:21] Speaker D: Admittedly, I'm not too familiar with these seedy. Seedy seems the right word. Seedy sort of gathering areas without pushing too much. Seems like something that the private detective might know. [00:56:36] Speaker A: Is that the case, Joshua? [00:56:38] Speaker E: For professional reasons, finding the path to the place in a building where the business happens isn't particularly difficult. Whether it's prost, whether it's drug sales, following foot traffic, and just the trail of almost perceptible filth in the air, it's something you kind of develop as a detective. [00:57:07] Speaker A: You're not wrong. The neighborhood isn't upscale, it hasn't been gentrified. There's a nonzero amount of ambient filth in the air. But the miasma of poverty and crime does seem to thicken as you approach the building. The street walkers are in larger clusters. The number of vans parked in alleyways with illicit proprietors of illicit goods waiting nearby. Multiplies. There's more than one face you could shake down for information. [00:57:39] Speaker E: Given the nearby occupants of the street, I would simply find the face that I think most likely to be a frequenter or perhaps even a proprietor at the Glory Pit. I would walk on up and just looking up at the building, say, so where in the building is the Glory Pit? [00:58:04] Speaker A: Given the nature of this establishment's clientele, there are more than a few people who look like they don't belong in this neighborhood. A little too rich, a little too north side. So you stalk over to someone whose watch looks more expensive than it should be for this part of town and issue your inquiry immediately. There's a defensive, secretive reaction, the human default when someone's caught you red handed with something you want to hide. And this man, this John, he utters a phrase that Joshua's heard a thousand times. Oh, I mean, I don't know what you're talking about, man. I'm just out for a walk. [00:58:43] Speaker E: Oh, really? I'm sorry to hear. Just I've heard a lot of good things about the place, and I've been wanting in for a while and decided tonight was the time to go. But I guess if you can't help. [00:58:56] Speaker A: Me the grime on the neighborhood, the non zero chance that you're a cop, the overall tension that comes along with doing illegal, naughty things means that you're going to have to go down a social role or disciplines route to extract this information. [00:59:15] Speaker E: I just sort of tilt my head back and forth and say, like I said, I've had my eye on this place for a while, and if you were to help me out, maybe some other time there could be around on me, if you catch my drift. That would be one success. [00:59:38] Speaker A: Of course, the old tit for tat, or tit for tit in this case. Would you roll manipulation and persuasion for me? [00:59:46] Speaker E: That would be one success. [00:59:50] Speaker A: You know, the world isn't what it used to. Two grown men can't come to an accord about sexual favors on tabs. Before you can get too much further into the conversation, the man less than politely excuses himself. Oh, my, Uber's here. And he's skittering off into the night around the building. [01:00:08] Speaker C: Are there any doors with cameras or, like, a guy hanging around who might be, like, a doorman? Something that would make me think that there's a little bit more security than the other doors? [01:00:21] Speaker A: Not in the electronic sense, no. I mean, the building has a security system, and there's no one part of it that looks better watched than another. The Glory Pit exists using security through obscurity. And to that end, putting your burly guardsmen outside would give the police a very clear indication of where to start their search. [01:00:42] Speaker E: I'd like to try stepping into the lobby of this building and maybe just waiting to see if there's an obvious client of this establishment that enters and just kind of become a tale? Or could I follow along, note the location that the person enters, and then come back and report to everyone else? [01:01:05] Speaker A: Well, you've already done the hard work of finding out the kind of person who doesn't belong but belongs, can rely on your detective skills to lurk in the right part of the entryway and follow along when a suitable candidate for tailing arrives. [01:01:22] Speaker E: That would be a critical well, there you have it. [01:01:27] Speaker A: This particular patron, we'll call him, he must be new. He's talking too loud about what he's looking forward to doing. If it weren't for this man's conversation, you would expect it was just the metal door that leads down into the janitorial area, the boiler room. But he's almost making a show of it, demonstrating to people around that, look what I've got. I have access. And through his boisterous behavior reveals the knock and the password and all the little things that would be required to convince the man on the other side of this door that you belong there. That by itself is good news. What the customer quickly understands as bad news and what you soon after will understand as bad news is that whoever's on the other side of the door rejects his injury. Sorry, man, we're full up. We got something going on tonight and there's no room for any more people. Sorry, man. To your practiced cop intellect, it is obviously bullshit. And there's something about the way the bouncer is talking that you recognize as unusual stress. And while the customer puts up a fight, promises money, threatens law enforcement attention, no amount of huffing and puffing will in fact blow this house down. And eventually, full of entitled rage, he sloughs off back into the night. Doesn't matter. You got what you wanted. [01:02:54] Speaker E: I did get what I wanted. I will return to the rest of the group. I found the place. Something's real wrong, though. [01:03:04] Speaker D: That's not good. Means he's already gotten down to something. What do you mean by wrong? Is there already blood? [01:03:12] Speaker E: Not that I saw. They're turning people away. And whoever's doing the turning away. [01:03:19] Speaker A: He. [01:03:20] Speaker E: Sounds like he's not having a good night. [01:03:22] Speaker D: Looks like we're going to have to go in the old fashioned way. [01:03:25] Speaker C: What's the old fashioned way? [01:03:28] Speaker D: Just convince or intimidate the guy behind it to let us in and proceed forward. [01:03:34] Speaker A: There are a great many things that separate you from this dejected customer. Among them, your powers of persuasion, or persuasion in finger quotes. [01:03:46] Speaker D: I get two persuasive arguments at the end of my arms. I approach the door, and without waiting, I pound on it with my fist as hard as I can and say, hey, come on in. [01:04:00] Speaker A: Your well trained ears can hear something happening on the other end. It doesn't sound like someone unlocking the door for you, but you can tell there's activity. A tiny slat opens up in the door. Two eyes peering out from behind. Hey, sorry, lady. Yeah, no, we're closed for now. All full up, no capacity. [01:04:23] Speaker D: I lock eyes with this guy and I say, look, buddy, I don't care. It's at full capacity. I paid good money to be here, so I expect you to open that door and let me in. Unless you want a problem. [01:04:37] Speaker A: Oh, so make your strength and intimidation. [01:04:40] Speaker D: Role one success and there's a one on my hunger. Die. So best you'll failure. [01:04:50] Speaker A: You know, the way that you delivered, that the kind of bulk you're bringing to this fight. The intensity in your eyes. There's no way that this little puke on the other side of the door should be able to do what he does. There's no universe in which it would be acceptable for him to hear the demand from you. A kindred. A hulking mountain of violence coiled tight like a spring ready to explode and blow it off. He says, yeah, I don't care who you are, lady. I don't care how much you paid, we're at capacity, and that causes your blood to boil. This man is nothing. You have walked the Earth longer than he and his father and his grandfather, to say nothing of your ability to call on the unholy powers of the blood. You're not going to let this stand. [01:05:47] Speaker D: This door is metal. [01:05:48] Speaker B: Right? [01:05:51] Speaker D: As he gives me this no. And I feel this, the audacity to refuse me, it's just I can't. And with that, I just lay into the door with my fists. You're not going to tell me no. Let me in. [01:06:09] Speaker A: All right. Strength plus strength. [01:06:13] Speaker D: You have got to be kidding me. Zero successes, but could I make a will spend and reroll that? [01:06:24] Speaker A: But this isn't about will. This is about the beast. And he's thinking, you know what? Your fists can't open. I bet your claws could. [01:06:37] Speaker D: That would be a Masquerade violation. But could feral weapons get me in there? [01:06:44] Speaker A: Well, before we go down that road, the rest of you are watching this happen. Your gangrel is getting real gangrel in here. [01:06:56] Speaker C: I would like to grab Rebecca by the arm and pull her away from the door, if possible. Though we are kindred, we are not beasts. And what Rebecca is doing right now is this is embarrassing. So I would like to grab Rebecca's arm and get her away from the door and try and calm her down a little bit. [01:07:22] Speaker A: You didn't specify your mood, but it sounded pretty aggressive. [01:07:25] Speaker D: Rebecca like I'm going to take shit from the one who's been lecturing me all night. No way. Fuck this wedge. [01:07:34] Speaker B: Yikes. Okay, so I'm going to step up here, maybe try to wedge myself in between Rebecca and Ivy to stop them from killing each. [01:07:46] Speaker A: It's not the worst idea. What'd you have in mind? [01:07:52] Speaker B: I want to appeal to whatever part of rebecca is still, I guess, like, I know the beast is in her brain right now, so I'd say whoa, whoa, easy, Rebecca. There are people watching. Like, people people. Let's not make the kind of scene we're going to regret next time. We have to talk to the prince, right? [01:08:14] Speaker D: Does that work? [01:08:17] Speaker A: I don't know. Schmendrick, will you try wits and leadership for me? The door, the masquerade, and I'm pretty sure Ivy would all really like you to succeed. [01:08:28] Speaker B: Okay. OOH, I got a five successes. [01:08:35] Speaker A: Hmm. Well, most kindred would consider talking a gangrel off the edge of frenzy to be foolhardy or impossible. Thankfully, you've proven them wrong, Rebecca. As much as your beast is begging to be let off its chain, Schmendrick's point is a good one. [01:08:52] Speaker D: I'm not happy about this. I'm not an idiot either. Okay, shmendrick. Try it your way. And if that doesn't work, we're going. [01:09:02] Speaker A: Back to plan C. As in claus, I take it. [01:09:07] Speaker D: Yep. [01:09:09] Speaker A: All right, schmendric, what's the new plan? [01:09:14] Speaker B: Actually, I kind of wanted to give Ivy a chance. She's a lot more persuasive. Maybe not as persuasive as Rebecca fist, but it's worth a shot. [01:09:26] Speaker A: All right, Ivy, you're up. [01:09:31] Speaker C: Okay. Once Rebecca has been removed from the front of the door, I would walk up to the door and I would just knock. Just gently knock. Be like sorry. Excuse me, Mr. Doorman. [01:09:49] Speaker A: The slat opens up, very tired eyes looking out. [01:09:54] Speaker C: So I smile at him and say, sorry about that. She's had a very rough night, as I'm sure you are having as well. And I reach down into my wallet and I pull out $100. And I say, I would really appreciate it if you would do me a big favor and just let us inside. I know you said you're at capacity, but maybe you could find some space for us in there. Just our little secret. [01:10:28] Speaker A: What's Ivy's resources? [01:10:30] Speaker C: Three. [01:10:32] Speaker A: Okay, you can try charisma and persuasion. [01:10:36] Speaker C: It's four successes. [01:10:39] Speaker A: The man lets out the most dramatic sigh you have heard in at least, like, the last three or four days. You can tell that he's reached the point where there's no good way to solve this problem. He doesn't really want to let you in. He's also kind of afraid of what happens if he leaves you out there. The gears inside this guy's head aren't very big, but they are turning, and they're turning really slow. But give it some time. And finally, you just wear him down. You see, in the low light just beyond the slat, you can see him putting his hand up to take your money. [01:11:18] Speaker C: I'll pass it to him. [01:11:21] Speaker A: The financing secured. You hear the heavy chunk of the door's lock. He slides the door open only a few inches. Look, I'm going to let you in, but you won't have to behave yourselves. Yeah, don't worry. [01:11:38] Speaker C: We'll make sure that our friend with the anger problem is a little. Bit calmer moving forward. [01:11:44] Speaker A: Yeah, do that. [01:11:46] Speaker C: I appreciate it. Thank you. [01:11:48] Speaker A: While proceeding past the door, down a narrow staircase, you arrive at a bar. It's been fashioned out of what used to be a superintendent's workshop. Bit of an office, a nice open room, where in days past, when maintainers lived on site in buildings like this, they could take care of all the business that the building had. Nothing too fancy, but there's a bar across the back wall lit with the kind of track lights you find at Menards and the kind of Christmas tree lights you find at a Dollar store. If you were expecting signs or sounds of carnage, you're going to be disappointed. Aside from what Ivy would probably consider some of the worst pornographic techno music, the place is pretty dull, it's pretty quiet. [01:12:39] Speaker B: That's actually a relief to me. Not a disappointment. I am glad it's not a massacre in here. [01:12:45] Speaker D: Yeah. It means at least fewer people have been hurt so far tonight and the problems, hopefully, are contained. [01:12:54] Speaker A: The club is not at capacity, as the door man might have insisted. Aside from the normal mixture of customers in their discreet wear, you also see one gentleman in a bathrobe sitting, sipping a drink, apparently between sessions, and a pair of women helping each other squeeze out of their BDSM leather clothing without any obvious signs of terror or violence or even malfeasance. There's not a lot to go off of. [01:13:28] Speaker C: Well, we know that Malinkov wanted to comeplace where he could do whatever he wanted without question. Usually activities like that are saved for somewhere a little more private, somewhere a little more high paying. So might want to ask a bartender if there's a private room and how we would go about securing one of those for ourselves. So I walk up to the bar and I lean into the bartender because I don't want to be too loud about it, and I say, hey, sorry to bother you. I know this isn't a thing that usually happens at the Glory Pit, but my friend came in about an hour and a half ago, like, big, strong, shaved head Russian guy, just really great. And he told me that he was going to be getting a VIP room and told me and my friends over there and I like motioned to them just very slightly so that we could join him in the room. But he didn't let me know which room it was. So I was wondering if you've seen him and you could tell me just where he is so I could go surprise him. And I'm not the best liar, so I'm actually going to blood surge to have a fighting chance at this. [01:14:56] Speaker A: Sure thing. Make a rouse check. [01:14:59] Speaker C: That is a hunger game. [01:15:01] Speaker A: The beast gives, but never without a price. Manipulation and subterfuge. [01:15:07] Speaker C: Two successes. [01:15:10] Speaker A: Yeah, the bartender, she's not having it, and she makes a kind of cute little mockery of the way that you leaned in. She leans back across the bar and gets a little whispery and says, oh, sweetie, you're going to have to do better than that. I've been working this bar a long time. I know all the tricks and all the stories. It was a nice try. [01:15:34] Speaker C: Though. [01:15:35] Speaker E: At this point, I am getting a little frustrated. As far as I'm concerned, the longer we are dealing with this, the longer Malinkov has to cause as much trouble as possible. So at this point, I would like to turn properly to the bar, kind of lean on it, but not necessarily over it, and say, look, enough of the bullshit because I'm beginning to suspect you might be better at the bullshit than some of us are. We aren't here for a friend. We aren't here for a visit. We're cops. And I can tell you now we are interested in our quote unquote friend. Now, you can either lead us to him, so we can arrest him quietly, quickly, or I can arrest everybody in this room, including you. So how's it going to be? [01:16:27] Speaker A: Sounds like that's going to be a manipulation and intimidation role. [01:16:31] Speaker E: I'm going to blood search this and. [01:16:34] Speaker A: We'Ll make a rouse check. [01:16:36] Speaker E: That is a rousing success. [01:16:39] Speaker A: The beast abides. [01:16:41] Speaker E: That is a critical I mean, what. [01:16:45] Speaker A: Is there to say? It's not even acting. You're doing regular old cop stuff. In an instant, this young little waifish bartender thing is imagining what life is like behind bars. Worse, she's imagining to what the owners of this establishment are going to do if it ever comes out that she was the reason all the customers got rounded up, all the girls got taken out, the entire building swarming with police, all because she wanted to be cute at the bar. Even the thought that it might be true. She doesn't check your badge. She doesn't check your story. She doesn't play cop talk games with you. The visceral undercurrent of truth coming through your performance is enough for her to lay her palms flat atop the bar. Swallow hard. Okay. All right, man. There's no need to get wild. I can take you there. I got to be discreet about it, right? Like, the people here, they know that that is some weird shit. Can I have a second to just, I don't know, get, like, a cover story, get some people out of the way, and then I'll lead you there. [01:18:06] Speaker E: Do whatever you need to do, but if I see any playing around yeah, no, it's fine. [01:18:12] Speaker A: Yeah, no, man, I get it. [01:18:14] Speaker E: All right, go. [01:18:16] Speaker A: She slips out from behind the bar, and the next minute or two, you see her disappear down into one of the long hallways that runs parallel to this little bar location. You see other visitors start to filter into this central area. People being flushed out of the hallways, flushed out of empty rooms. The people who might have been lurking a little past the time that they'd rented, or who were just catching up in the hallway with old friends at the glory Pit like you do. The witnesses, the potential witnesses, are being herded out of the way. When she's accomplished what she needs, you see her head poke out from behind the corner, making eye contact with you. No gestures, no voice, just simply locking her gaze to yours, letting you know that it's done, it's ready. [01:19:07] Speaker C: I would get Rebecca and Schmendrick's attention, and with Josh head over to where. [01:19:12] Speaker A: The bartender was standing, you gather your party. Before venturing forth, the woman turns you down a now vacated hallway. In eras past, these were apartments for people who didn't make enough money to be treated like real human beings. Simple doors, no windows, small little rat holes where you could stuff poverty away from view. The bartender leads you down this hallway, straight towards the edge of it, past probably a dozen rooms on either side, and finally, you arrive at the end. A larger door, a steel door, based on this woman's indication, the VIP lounge where your bald headed, sexy Russian friend is waiting. Look, I don't know what's going on there, but I know that the door locks from the inside. You saw the one on the front door? It's like that. So you're going to have to I mean, like, we don't really have a way to open it. [01:20:19] Speaker C: Well, sure. We can find a way to get ourselves inside discreetly. [01:20:27] Speaker A: All right. [01:20:28] Speaker C: Of course. [01:20:30] Speaker A: All right, well, I'm going to get the fuck out of here before I spend any more time being seen next to you. Now, you stand alone in a vacated hallway, a bloodthirsty sabat on one side of the door and the sheriff's posse on the other. [01:20:46] Speaker B: So before we go in there, I've been mulling over an idea. I can go invisible. As Ivy put it earlier, it's a nosferati thing. Maybe we could get rid of this before he makes his shadowy, impenetrable darkness. I was going to maybe sneak up and stake him. Though, admittedly, I'm not the strongest person. [01:21:12] Speaker E: I was thinking something along the same lines, and I'm a bit physically stronger, so perhaps I would stand a better chance. [01:21:23] Speaker B: No, this is great. We can both sneak up, stab them. [01:21:32] Speaker E: I know your dad taught you something. Like you said, can you use a shotgun? [01:21:39] Speaker A: It's going to be a tall order for Schmendrick to restrain his arms and also retain possession of the shotgun at the same time. [01:21:48] Speaker E: Okay, scratch all that. I will just keep it tucked away as backup, then. [01:21:54] Speaker B: There is a flaw to the plan, though. I have no idea how to give a signal to you when I'm ready to help you. [01:22:04] Speaker C: Well, we could have, like, a word. If you guys do your invisibility thing, there's a chance that I'll be able to see you guys. We could have a code word. [01:22:16] Speaker B: Yeah, that's perfect. We'll get into position, you say the code word, we stab, and we go home. Easy. [01:22:27] Speaker C: I admire your optimism to a very small degree, but I admire it. [01:22:35] Speaker D: There's a fine line between bravery and foolhardiness. [01:22:38] Speaker B: No, no, I trip the line of foolhardy all the time. [01:22:42] Speaker E: So what's our code word? [01:22:45] Speaker B: The password is goat. [01:22:49] Speaker C: Excuse me? [01:22:51] Speaker B: Goat. Like big, angry sheep? [01:22:57] Speaker C: I mean, it could be anything else. [01:23:00] Speaker B: It's super specific. It'll work. [01:23:02] Speaker D: Yeah couldn't slip out any other way go to this. [01:23:06] Speaker C: You know, you have a point. Goaded is. [01:23:11] Speaker E: So we ready. [01:23:15] Speaker A: So to make clear that I understand it, your plan is to have rebecca and ivy enter the room under normal pretenses. schmendric and joshua will be obfuscating and attempt to sneak in around their code remates, and make it into the room undetected. Ivy, god willing, will be able to see both of you, recognize that you're in position, and when you are both adjacent, malinkov, she will slip the word goat into her conversation with him. And that'll be the signal for joshua and schmendrick to attempt to stake him. Yes. [01:23:59] Speaker B: Perfection. And if all that fails, rebecca can just tear into him be fine. [01:24:05] Speaker A: That's usually how it works. Yeah. And if all else fails, violence. Well, you know what to say about the best laid plans. But those rules only apply to mice or men. And same thing about kindred. There's only two things left to do now. First of all, joshua and schmendrick, as you slip into that veil of liminal shadow occupying the space where the mind can't reach why don't you make your obfuscate rolls for me? [01:24:36] Speaker E: Oh, we both hungry again. [01:24:38] Speaker B: That does put me at uh oh. [01:24:43] Speaker A: A tense situation made only tensor by the needs of the creature that lives within your bones. [01:24:50] Speaker E: That is three successes on my part. [01:24:54] Speaker B: Two successes. [01:24:56] Speaker C: Okay, as soon as everybody has done their due, I will reach up and knock on the door. [01:25:05] Speaker A: What kind of knock is it? [01:25:06] Speaker C: Not an aggressive one, just one from your friendly neighborhood encyclopedia salesman. [01:25:14] Speaker A: Okay, well, there's no slat on this door. Not like the one in front. So when the door opens, it opens for real. Only an inch or two. Enough for one of the ghouls. One of the original ghouls that you saw accompany malinkov off the plane. He's staring out. Hard to tell if he recognizes you, but two things immediately hit your senses. The first is the thickly accented english that slips from this man's lips. We are busy. And second is the overpowering scent of blood. This isn't the kind of whiff that you get from an errant scratch or a hearty drink. This is the smell of blood spilled wide and deep. Humans carved open pints and pints and pints of the stuff splashed around the room. It doesn't gently reach up into your nose so much as it rips your nostrils open as wide as it can forces itself up into the very stem of your brain. [01:26:30] Speaker C: That's a lot to take in. I try and maintain my composure as I smile at the man behind the door and say, I'm sure you're very busy. I need a moment to speak with Malinkov. [01:26:50] Speaker A: Mr. Melankov is not taking visitors at the moment. Would you like to leave a message? [01:26:55] Speaker C: I'm actually here unofficial business, so taking visitors are no kind of important that we get inside. [01:27:05] Speaker A: Well, at this point, the length of the conversation has drawn Malinkov's curiosity. No one in this building should be talking back to his ghoul or asking second questions, or trying to talk their way in. And you hear that familiar voice roaring out from the back of the room. Who is it? More food? We didn't order delivery. And the ghoul turns ever slightly, never so much that you're out of his view. We have visitors, the same who tended to us at the airport. You can hear the smile on Melanchov's lips. Oh, those kind of guests. Well, by all means, let them in. The ghoul obeys without comment, sliding the door open as wide as it will go and allowing you to witness the splendor of Malinkov's creation. The room is fairly large. There's a large bed in the center. It's the only furniture that has survived. The rest of it the dressers, the tables, the various apparatuses that one might use for your erotic Hobies, those have been torn apart, much like the bodies piled up around the room. It's difficult to tell. Counting feet, counting hands, counting arms, counting legs. How many people? That used to be at least four, maybe five. And that's just the ones that have been torn to pieces. Malinkov's been busy. And now he basks on the bed, propped up against its headboard, shirtless, his beard sticking to his neck and his chest congealed with blood, covered from neck to navel in the thick, red, life giving fluid. He's smiling wide, his teeth likewise stained, picking a bit of bone out from his mustache as he waves you in. No. Come on. Come on. You like what I'm done with the place. You invite the sabat into your domain and this is what you get. This is just the start. Just one room. Imagine this in an entire city. Still, don't be shy. I'm sure tracking me down made you hungry. Please, help yourself. There's a little bit of everything. The sheer carnage, this display of gore. It's enough to overpower you. There's no vampire in the world, save for one who has already slaked themselves to the point of satiation, who could resist the urge to eat here. So let's handle two things in turn. First, can I get everyone to make a hunger frenzy? Check. It'll be difficulty. Three. [01:30:16] Speaker E: I've got three. [01:30:17] Speaker B: I got three successes. [01:30:19] Speaker D: More successes. [01:30:24] Speaker C: Fuck me. Two successes. [01:30:28] Speaker A: Ivy, Ivy, Ivy. What would your mother think? [01:30:34] Speaker C: It's not a good look. [01:30:37] Speaker A: What's not a good look. The way your eyes dart across the room, looking for the body that still has a bit of life left in it, falling to your knees in front of that near corpse, thrusting yourself upon his neck. Drinking, drinking, drinking. Gorging yourself at the beast's command. That look. [01:31:00] Speaker C: Yeah, that one. [01:31:04] Speaker A: Melenkov howls with laughter. Oh, what do you know? The dog is the one that behaves herself, and the master is the one feeding from the floor. I thought I understood this Camarilla stuff, but I gotta say, I guess I have a lot to learn. While that happens, though, there's a short, short moment between the time Rebecca enters the room and the ghoul is going to close the door. And that is the window where Josh and Schmendrick have to sneak inside. Can I get the both of you to make a dexterity and stealth check for me? [01:31:45] Speaker E: That would be two successes. [01:31:47] Speaker B: Two successes here as well. [01:31:49] Speaker A: It's close. Very close. You know that if this were the kind of door that swung on a hinge, there's no way you would have made it. But sneaking through a rolling door, barn style door, that gives you just that little window you need. Even if, in Joshua's case, there's that moment of panic as the little tippy tail of your coat gets caught and your breath hitches as you take that step forward, hoping it'll pull free. And then feel your body relax as it snaps clean and you enter the room. It's not all bad news, Ivy. You're making a mess of your dignity in your outfit, but you'll drink yourself down to one hunger. [01:32:37] Speaker C: Well, great. [01:32:39] Speaker A: In the meantime, Malinkov turns his attention to ah, well, look, I know she normally does the talking, but it's rude to talk with your mouthful. And she seems like the type who's polite. Normally. Not now, obviously, but, you know, we're all animals at heart. So what is it I can do for you? [01:33:00] Speaker D: Well, you can't exactly tear through a town and not expect someone to take notice. It's not how the Camarilla do things. Now, I must admit. Malenkov, seasoned warrior of the Sabat. You're slaughtering humans. That's what you're doing with your old age. You've gotten soft. [01:33:19] Speaker A: No, that's exactly what the Sabat do. They're cattle. You kill cattle all the time. No one gives a shit. You've forgotten what it's like. You're a walking god. These people, they don't know anything. You can bend their minds, you can bend their bodies, you can bend their whole societies to your will. Whatever you kill five, six, seven they'll fuck, they'll make more. There will always be more. Nothing wrong with enjoying yourself. [01:33:50] Speaker D: I'm not a god, Melanchov, and neither are you. [01:33:54] Speaker A: Speak for yourself. [01:33:56] Speaker D: What I see is a hedonistic, bloodthirsty child with a whole lot of power at your disposal. But this is what you're chewing with it. [01:34:10] Speaker A: Yeah, I thought we covered that part. [01:34:12] Speaker D: I know it just seems a bit but yet again, I don't expect much from you. [01:34:20] Speaker A: Don't worry, little doggy. Feelings mutual. I don't think you came all this way just to bitch about my eating habits, though, did you? [01:34:28] Speaker D: Well, your eating habits have attracted not only the attention of mortals in the city, but the prince. That kind of thing doesn't fly around here. [01:34:37] Speaker A: No, a prince found out. [01:34:40] Speaker D: Well, when you rip someone open in the middle of a restaurant, you have to see it's not exactly subtle. It's not the way we do things. Not the way any of us should be doing things. [01:34:50] Speaker A: Wow. He took offense to that morbid. [01:34:53] Speaker D: Offense? You're going to be leaving here with us. [01:34:57] Speaker A: Don't know about that. And he can't be too pissed. Uh, he sent you. Big old bad prince doesn't want to come get me, himself sends Aaron boys. Can't be that important. [01:35:09] Speaker D: The prince couldn't bother himself to come pick you up and clean up your mess? You aren't that important to him. [01:35:16] Speaker A: Well, I'm having trouble understanding what the message is here. It's important enough that it needs to be dealt with because I'm being a naughty, naughty la, sombra but it's not important enough for him to care enough to show up or to send his sheriff or to even send his hounds. So which is it? Do I matter so much that I need to stop right now? Or do I not matter at all? And that's why I get pets instead of warriors chasing me down. No, wait. Hold that thought. It looks like your friend has something to say. OOH. How you doing down there, girly? Looks like you made a mess. [01:35:59] Speaker C: I stand up, wipe my mouth on my arm, and shake off some of the blood that's on my hands, pull my shoulders back and be like, I'm fine. [01:36:10] Speaker A: Yeah, you look good. You look full. You feel better? [01:36:13] Speaker C: Yeah, I feel great. Thank you. [01:36:16] Speaker A: It's nice, isn't it? Not having to give a shit what these people think. Just you know what? You're hungry? Eat. Want something? Take it. Little soft skinned mortal gets in your way, rip them up. That's what we were meant to do. [01:36:30] Speaker C: I've been trying to tell this one, and I gesture at Rebecca, that people are cattle. I'm so glad that there's somebody else that feels that way, too. [01:36:42] Speaker A: I mean, we got room for you on our side. You wouldn't be the first premier. [01:36:48] Speaker C: No, that's true. That's very, very true. [01:36:52] Speaker A: Exactly. And the pyramid's gone. Who's gonna give a shit now? Gora Trix, he was the man. He made the leap back when it mattered. But now you got little Karna flying that way, and poor little Shrek just running around Europe, trying to keep it all together. No one's watching. Come on, you can eat like this all the time. [01:37:14] Speaker C: Well, as tempting an offer as that is at this moment, we're here to do a job. The Prince was very upset about you not showing up. To Sierra's. Big announcement. You kinda let her down. [01:37:32] Speaker A: She gets what she deserves. Little welp like that. It's bullshit. They sent her along in the first place. If Sierra can't hold this whole thing together, then it's not my fault the Amichi made a mistake. [01:37:44] Speaker D: You're certainly not making it easier on your clan, mate. [01:37:47] Speaker C: See, we were hoping that we could just convince you to come along and meet up with the Prince and we could sort this whole thing out. [01:37:56] Speaker A: OOH, I got some bad news, girly. That's not going to happen. I can tell you right now, no Camarilla. Cowards are getting the better of me. [01:38:08] Speaker C: I feel like I've kept Malinkov talking long enough for Schmendrick and Josh to get in position. So I would like to activate sense the unseen. Am I able to see them? [01:38:20] Speaker A: That is an excellent question. Why don't you ask your resolve and auspecs? [01:38:25] Speaker C: That is five successes. [01:38:28] Speaker A: Your eyes peer into the, umbra, the world between the real and the unreal. It's not the most pleasant thing in the world to suddenly be aware of Joshua's stone cold tactician face and Schmendrick's. Schmendrick but they're where they said they would be. Josh having scrolled away a stake from amid the mountain of broken furniture. And Schmendrick in the best position she can be. [01:38:54] Speaker C: I guess I don't get it. Malinkov. As Sierra tells it, the Amici Noctus just want what's best for you and your clan. The camarilla gets your goat. That bad. [01:39:08] Speaker A: Schmendric. Joshua, Ivy just said today's bonus word. [01:39:14] Speaker B: Oh, no hesitation on my part. I will leap into action. [01:39:19] Speaker E: Oh, absolutely same. [01:39:21] Speaker A: Landing a stake is never a simple thing, so it takes a very precise strike with a very firm weight behind it. You're helping one another. You've got that going for you. Strength plus melee. [01:39:38] Speaker E: I am going to blood surge. There's a lot writing on this. [01:39:44] Speaker A: Yeah, there is. [01:39:47] Speaker E: That is another hunger game. [01:39:50] Speaker A: Hope it's worth it. [01:39:52] Speaker B: It's so exciting. [01:39:54] Speaker D: Let me edge of my feet. [01:39:56] Speaker E: All right, I'm clenching, boys. Here we go. One success. [01:40:05] Speaker C: Well, I'm not going to lie, that's a little embarrassing. [01:40:10] Speaker A: High risk, high reward strategy. The ODS of it happening very, very low. But, hey, man, if it worked, that have been one for the ages. It didn't work, though. And that raises the question, just how much age do you all have left? Malinkov is shocked, of course, by the appearance of two kindred. In hindsight, perhaps the kind of thing he should have seen coming. After all, there were four of you when you met, and only two maybe should have been more suspicious. But that thought is itself interrupted by the shock of a stake flying through his field of vision before Alas bouncing impotently against his chest. You'll see Malinkov's grin for a few seconds more, a half second, and hear him say, oh, I've been waiting for this, as the room is plunged into darkness. So as combat starts, Rebecca you get. [01:41:18] Speaker D: The first move as the room plummets into darkness. Malinkoff is going to see two spots of red as I activate eyes of the predator. His shadows aren't going to work on me. And I'm also going to extend my claws with feral weapons. There is no way he's walking out of this room. I'm going to blood search and I am going to launch myself at him in a full blown melee attack. Holy shit. [01:41:50] Speaker B: Wow. [01:41:52] Speaker D: Ow. So that's a critical hit with nine dice. Yacht day, motherfucker. [01:42:00] Speaker A: Tell me the story of a nine success. Claws out. Describe the kind of blow that takes half of this guy's hit points away. [01:42:09] Speaker D: In one spell swoop as I call upon my blood. Decades of rage and anger culminating into this moment, watching a hedonistic beast just sit there like a glutton. He is. I'm not holding back. My claws are fully out. They are sharp black talons that I dive forward with and they are buried in his chest. I'm like a bird of prey. Dig into him and I rip. [01:42:40] Speaker A: The violence is incredible with the same ferocity that a bird of prey tears at the innards of its poor little victim food. That's the energy Rebecca takes into this moment. The darkness in this moment spares Joshua and Schmendrick the sight. Ivy. You see it happen. There's nothing that's going to burn that from your memory, ever. But that's only one moment in the battle Joshua schmendrick. [01:43:15] Speaker B: Since I have no idea what's going on, I'm going to rely on my memory of where his little cronies were and I'm going to pick up some discarded piece of broken furniture and use that to pin them against the wall. [01:43:30] Speaker A: Very well. You have an advantage. And that his ghouls also cannot see in darkness. [01:43:37] Speaker B: Yeah, my goal is less to hit and more to just disable. [01:43:44] Speaker A: All right, so can you give me dexterity and melee? It's a negative free penalty in this darkness. [01:43:50] Speaker B: One success. [01:43:52] Speaker A: Well, you're not going to save any days heroically with one success. But you have accomplished the goal of, in a blind luck kind of way, tangling up one of your adversaries. He is just as impotent in this moment. And now the darkness combined with a table leg between his knees or pinning him up against the wall, you're only adding to his struggle. [01:44:18] Speaker B: Can't pull a gun out if you have a table against your chest, I guess. [01:44:21] Speaker A: Yeah, that's the law, Joshua. [01:44:25] Speaker E: It's a good thing I don't have a table against my chest. I want to level my shotgun and fire around at melenkov. [01:44:34] Speaker A: Ordinary human reflexes would make that kind of move impossible to ready a weapon, fire it in the handful of seconds. But you're no ordinary vampire. You have superhuman speed on your side. It's a shame that it's dark and no one can witness the effect of solarity blink. And the gun is out from Joshua's trench coat pointed at you. Think, Malankov's? There dexterity and firearms for me, please. [01:45:04] Speaker E: And it's a minus three penalty. Correct. Zero. Success. Failure. [01:45:12] Speaker A: That is the power of the Lasambra. You can't fight what you can't see on a day when there's no tramir around, no gangrel. Oh, that makes your job easy. But on the topic of tramir, Ivy. [01:45:28] Speaker C: I am going to attack Malinkov with. [01:45:30] Speaker A: A blood needle piercing your skin to send a spike of crystalline vita into your enemy. [01:45:40] Speaker C: Absolutely. And I'm going to hopefully make it a little bit stronger by blood surging first. [01:45:47] Speaker A: Desperate times, desperate measures. Make that rouse check. [01:45:52] Speaker C: Well, that's a hunger game. [01:45:54] Speaker A: I mean, you did just eat. It's weird that you're becoming more peckish, but there are worse things. [01:46:00] Speaker C: And on the bright side, my check for blood needle, I pass. Rousing success. That is a critical with seven successes. [01:46:14] Speaker D: Oh, my God. [01:46:16] Speaker A: Well, I need you to know as a storyteller, how upset I am right now. History won't be kind to Malinkov, a famous warrior among the sabat bested by a snooty, upstart shamir and a country gangrel. If given the chance, he might defend himself. Talk about luck, talk about the whims of fate. But he won't have that opportunity, because as Ivy's crystallized vita spears through his dead flesh, not even the vampiric body can keep up with the amount of damage, with the amount of violence in that string of seconds. Joshua schmendric you won't have the satisfaction of seeing Malinkov's eyes roll back, or watching in slow motion as his body folds into itself, muscles going limp, collapsing to the floor. But darkness does nothing for sound. And you'll hear, clear as day, the thunk of that much dead, bald Russian weight smashing into the blood soaked floor. The Lasambra's control over darkness requires a conscious mind to maintain. And as Malunkov slips into Torpor, the shadows he thought would keep him safe are extinguished almost in the very moment that he brought them into the world. Leaving Rebecca covered in chest torn gore, ivy clutching her wrist where she only recently pierced her skin, and two ghouls utterly unprepared. For a battle that turned this quickly, that confusion lasts five, six, 7 seconds. They're waiting to see what you do. But these are ghouls who've been in service for quite some time. They know what vampires are capable of. They know when a tide has turned. If the two of you are able to topple Malinkov that quickly, they don't stand a chance. And they don't appear eager to continue the fight. [01:48:21] Speaker B: As the darkness fades, I'm sort of stunned and I look towards the center where the fight had occurred and the fight had ended almost as quickly as it had begun. I'm just as stunned as the guy. I'm pressing up against the wall with a chair and I just, with a stunned look on my face, look towards the guy and say, hold this, leaving the chair in his arms as I go. To inspect on how Rebecca and Ivy are doing. [01:48:49] Speaker A: There's entirely too much shock and fear permeating this man's veins for him to do anything but unblinking accept this gift of furniture. Staring at it, staring at you, waiting to see what happens. [01:49:05] Speaker C: Well, what a pleasant surprise. And I just wipe a little bit more of the gore off of my hands. [01:49:14] Speaker B: Are you two all right? Yeah. [01:49:17] Speaker C: That was the easiest fight I've been in in a long time, actually. [01:49:23] Speaker D: I thought I was getting out of shape there, but not too bad, Ivy. [01:49:27] Speaker C: I mean, I could say the same about you. You're pretty handy when I let you get your claws out. [01:49:33] Speaker D: Handy? [01:49:35] Speaker B: I'll crouch over Malankov and give him a couple pokes to make sure he's actually out before looking to everyone else in the room and saying, See? My plan totally worked. No problem. [01:49:50] Speaker D: I would give Schmendrich a wry smile. It gave us the opening we were looking for. But let's make sure he isn't getting back up again anytime soon. [01:49:58] Speaker E: I have my shotgun leveled at him the entire time. [01:50:03] Speaker B: You still have that stake, Joshua? [01:50:06] Speaker E: I silently handed over. [01:50:09] Speaker A: There's no rule required to stake a Torped vampire. You can just jam it in. [01:50:14] Speaker B: Um, I will do that, but my limp little schmendric wrists, it takes some doing. It's not exactly the cleanest staking that any of you have ever seen. [01:50:26] Speaker A: Schmendrick crouches over Malinkov, his flesh already taking on that waxy pallor that comes with the sleep of ages. Even if you've never seen a vampire in Torpor, or never witnessed what happens when the vampiric body is pushed to its limits, you can tell seeing him now, compared to only a few moments earlier, something has obviously changed. The vita no longer animates this body. It is too consumed with the need to slumber and mend. That said, given time, he would recover. And that's what the stake is for. As nice as it would be to continue to gloat over your victory, though, you do have a handful of things that still remain to be accomplished. For one, Malinkov needs delivering to Damien or to the Prince. For two, something has to be done with his ghouls. And for three, there is a hell of a mess in here, and you're going to need a real masquerade fixer upper expert to get these stains out. [01:51:36] Speaker C: As Schmendrick stakes. Malankob. I stand up and I say I'll go give Damien a call. Hey, Josh, can I borrow your jacket? [01:51:48] Speaker E: What, are you cold? [01:51:50] Speaker C: I take a look at him. I look down at myself gesture as I look back up at him. [01:51:57] Speaker E: Just the barest moment of hesitation. But I do strip off the coat and hand it over. Just leave it on the floor. I don't want it back. [01:52:08] Speaker C: All right. I'll put the coat on and start heading towards the door. And then I will make my way outside to call Damien. [01:52:16] Speaker A: Or Damien's person feels routine by now, right? Dial the number. A voice you don't recognize. Answers. Single word. [01:52:26] Speaker C: Yeah, Malinkov has been dealt with, but we need a cleaner. [01:52:32] Speaker A: Where are you? [01:52:33] Speaker B: Glory pit. [01:52:35] Speaker C: VIP room in the back. [01:52:37] Speaker A: All right, I'll let him know. [01:52:39] Speaker C: Thanks. [01:52:40] Speaker A: Mine goes dead. [01:52:42] Speaker C: There's my use. And I'll make my way back inside. [01:52:46] Speaker A: The bartender wasn't going to interrupt you on your way out because leaving who, great idea. But when you come back in well, that's not exactly what she had in mind. You see this small and mousy woman perk up behind the bar? Is everything okay? Is it done? [01:53:07] Speaker C: Yeah, everything is handled. I was just calling our guys. They got to come down. There's some evidence in the back VIP room. They're going to come in, take care of all of that. They'll let you know when it's safe to go back in there. [01:53:22] Speaker A: Okay, but we're good? [01:53:25] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. No, everybody here is fine. Nobody is going to look at anybody in here any which way. You're fine. [01:53:33] Speaker A: All right. So while Ivy makes her phone call and professes her platitudes rebecca, have you managed to recover your bearings yet? I imagine you got lost somewhere between Malinkov's fifth and fourth. [01:53:51] Speaker D: You know, the blood isn't rushing anymore and he isn't struggling between my claws, reality returns to me. [01:53:58] Speaker A: I'm curious. When was the last time you had to rely upon that level of violence to accomplish something? [01:54:07] Speaker D: Not since I put down a werewolf. [01:54:10] Speaker A: I mean, that was decades ago. [01:54:13] Speaker D: I haven't done this in a while. It's a little frightening, actually. How easily I fell into it. Like instinct. [01:54:20] Speaker A: The beast never forgets. [01:54:23] Speaker D: Much as I'd like to forget that I have, a beast served its purpose. [01:54:28] Speaker A: Joshua. Ivy's. Got your coat. What are you doing in the meantime? [01:54:33] Speaker E: I would be standing at the door, or perhaps just outside the door, to make sure that nobody is coming to investigate this like we did. Make some noise. [01:54:47] Speaker A: Soundproof room. Homie. [01:54:49] Speaker E: Still, I would just like to make sure that nobody is trying to look into anything here. [01:54:56] Speaker A: The hallway remains deserted. Your bartender friend kept up her into the bargain after all. Your position isn't so different from Rebecca's in this moment. When's the last time that you saw something like this? Was it Boston? [01:55:12] Speaker E: It was Boston. I knew that getting involved with things again would be messy. But so quickly and so messy. This is above even my worst expectations. [01:55:27] Speaker A: This is hound's work, Joshua. You've got a long, long life of this ahead of you. [01:55:34] Speaker E: In the end, we're delivering Malankov to sound judgment. So despite the mess, I'm satisfied. [01:55:44] Speaker A: And schmendrick. Even surrounded by gore. In the aftermath of spectacular violence, you've maintained a cheerful facade. Is it the same underneath that mask? This is the first time you've come face to face with the worst that vampires have to offer. [01:56:02] Speaker B: Not so true. I've met some pretty despicable folks in my past. I don't spend a whole lot of time in this room. The sight of the body parts through and about really gets to me on some deeper level. And once I've staked him, I actually would walk out to where it was safe for me to linger and just wait for cleanup. [01:56:24] Speaker D: Joshua, I'm going to go outside. Get out of all of this. You okay here? [01:56:31] Speaker E: I'm good. [01:56:32] Speaker D: Right? Did great tonight. We all did. Told you we could do it. [01:56:37] Speaker E: Okay. [01:56:39] Speaker D: I would head outside, and upon seeing schmendric, who I assume looks quite stricken by what's occurred here, well, I wouldn't lay a hand on her shoulder. I'm a bit, um, messy. But I'd give her a knowing look, and I'd say, you did great, schmandrick. You helped stop something before it got worse. You put down a monster. I mean that. You did great. [01:57:02] Speaker B: You know, I don't need pat on the back. Just it gets to me, you know? I sometimes wonder if I wasn't actually meant for this. I seem to be too soft. But life goes on, I guess. Or whatever it is we have. [01:57:23] Speaker D: It does go on. And I've been around long enough to know that it can be far worse, but we stopped it. [01:57:30] Speaker A: When you say this schmendrick, are you referring to princely business or just the icky minutiae of being a vampire? [01:57:40] Speaker B: Just the being a vampire. Like, part of me is absolutely stoked to be what I am, but the other part of me is, like, I don't actually fit in with most other vampires either, so it's an awkward situation. I'm an outcast among outcasts, and that's. [01:57:59] Speaker A: Without considering how many other nosferatu feel about people. It's one thing to be a vampire in a world full of humans. It's another thing to be a nosferatu among kindred. And you distance yourself yet further by refusing to cast away the trappings that keep you close to humanity. You've come a long way from hacking television stations, haven't you? [01:58:22] Speaker B: Yeah. It's a different world here. I've been this way for a while, but I'm still adjusting to all this. [01:58:30] Speaker A: It raises the question, what's it going to look like dealing with Bronwyn? Of course, no one can know for sure, but if I were a gambling man, I'd put my money on something closer to this than anything else. [01:58:44] Speaker B: I'm honestly hoping for something much more subtle when dealing with Bronwyn. But to let Rebecca know that the chat is appreciated, I will actually tap her on the shoulder. Thanks, Rebecca. You did great. Remind me not to get on your bad side. [01:59:01] Speaker D: Don't worry, shmandrick. I don't intend to find you on the other end of these claws. [01:59:06] Speaker B: It's a relief. [01:59:08] Speaker A: It's not immediate, but in time, the sheriff will arrive, some hounds in tow, and then some specialists. You keep a tramir in your pocket for made to order blood magic. The ventru also have their specialties. Nothing like mastery over the human mind to make a mess like this go away. But neither the sheriff nor his assistants require you for any of that business. Damien is happy to see things having been resolved so quickly, but there isn't time enough in the evening to pat you on the back or go out for a drink with the boys. The sun is coming, and soon enough after that, the most important meeting Chicago kindred will have ever had the pleasure of attending. And with the Prince having been so intent on sharing credit at Elysium, you know that come tomorrow night, well, you can count on being center stage again. So take that with you back to your havens. Let those thoughts drift among your brain as the cloud of day sleep approaches. As for what happens to Malinkov, what happens to Sierra, as to how the kindred of Chicago react to the news and react to your accomplishments, well, that's a story for another night. You've been listening to the All Night Society, an actual play podcast brought to you by Queenscorp Games. If you enjoyed your stay, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app. For more content, including exclusive art and audio, follow us on Facebook or Instagram at Queenscorp games or on Twitter at queen's Court. RPG.