The place is furnished it has chairs tables, couches, cabinets ect...but the place has been ransacked. Someone was looking for something here. Much of the cabinets are damaged or broken open, the cushions on the furniture is slashed open, walls were broken open at some places and upstairs near the fireplace you find two bedrolls and some tools. You can tell that a fight happened in this room, there is a lot of blood and you find a bullet hole in the wall near the fireplace. One or more bodies were then dragged from upstairs to the basement and then they were moved from the basement thought there is no blood trail for them leaving.
Thom checks possible points of egress. The perimeter in general.
The house is two stories and has a basement. The only doors are the front door and the door leading to the backyard.
Searching the house you find a pamphlet for a cult that worships death
as an empowering condition — in death, one can be memorialized, made pure, remembered without fault and of course, in death a person feels no pain
They also seems to believe that the true faithful can die and become immortal beings.
There is nothing else to find in the chantry the excitement here has moved on and the area was cleaned out.
"Bummer, wonder where the other guy went." Orphan sits in a corner watching the others work through the rubble.
Rick will try to look at the clues and see if he can tell how this "combat" went down, taking particular note to see if it suggests that they did this to themselves (sorta like a suicide pact, even if it looks like a few had a last minute change of heart).
Erik will look at the pamphlet to see if there is a location mentioned or other information that could be googled to find out about the cult.
You find a bullet hole in the wall you can determine it was probably a fight but you can determine much more.
The pamphlet mentions that those interested should come to the ruins of the old church.
"Gentlemen shall we pay these doomsdayists an unpleasant visit or at least one unpleasant for them?"
Erik keeps the pamphlet with him.
Alright so not much more to see here. You heading over to that church? Or do you have anything else you want to do?
If not we can move on to the next night (The zombie walk)
"Fine. Let's go to church. Nothing here for us regardless."
Orphan stands off in the corner picking dirt and soot out of his nails with a small piece of burnt timber. "No where better to go."
Thom agrees, shrugging. Stalking out, he seeks out his car.
Rick gets back on his bike and follows the others, somewhat disappointed that such mystery wound up yielding nothing.
Ok so going to the old church.
You leave the chantry and head to the location mentioned on the pamphlet.
This church is in ruins and was badly damage in a fire years ago and was never rebuilt. A new one was built at another location instead.
Inside there are four men sitting around a small fire in the ruins.
Ben approaches the men sitting around the fire.
"Hey. You guys heard of a Lazlo Varga? Or you know anything about this building?"
Charisma 2 + Streetwise 2:
Orphan watches the four men intently. Waiting for any sign of trouble.
The eternal cop scans the area.
"We know him, are you looking for him?" says one of the men.
You capture the men an interrogate them (most likely using domination).
These men worship lazlo because he has proven to them that he cannot be killed. He stabbed himself right in the heart with a knife and was unharmed by it. He has proven to them that he can bring back the dead as well and they believe that if they serve him he will make them like him.
They know that Lazlo captured two vampires at the old chantry and he killed them in order to collect their ashes for "spell components"
They also know he has big plans for the zombie walk but they do now know the details.
How to dispose of them is up to you.
"Big plans for the zombie walk, eh? I wonder who else might have plans..."
"a snack and some information, this trip turned out to be quite useful."
Erik will begin to drain one of them, indicating for the others to join in.
"Maybe we should call what's-her-name to see if she knows any info on what actions against the zombie walk they have. She might know." Rick suggests, thumbing through contacts on his phone.
Maybe it's a cop in me, but they said... plans. Never against. If Lazlo is puttin' vamps to bed for the big sleep, we've got to find him.
And, Dane only mentioned one vamp... think Vince is the second? Fool.
"Ah, I figured i'd assume the worst. They never were much for playing nice."
You feed on the cultist and dispose of them.
The night is nearly done so you disperse and find places to rest for the day.
You awake on the following night and it is the night of the zombie walk.
Erik double checks his pistol before placing it in his shoulder harness. He stows the shotgun in the trunk of his car before heading to the zombie walk. He texts Thom when he gets there to let him know that he has arrived.
Orphan walks out to the zombie walk, somehow he has gotten his hands on a child size white robe and sandals, hemp rope belt and a small brown wig and beard complete the completely sacrilegious attire. "So what is the plan guys? Me be with you my child."
Rick takes a moment to call Maria and see if she has any scoop on threats to the zombie walk.
Maria isn't aware of any major threat but she has a few kindred there as guards and if you think there is going to be trouble she is willing to hire you on as well.
Getting paid for what I was going to do anyway! Sounds like a plan.
Thom who is usually easy-going seems on edge. At Rick, he raises a brow... Convenient?
Falling back on military and law enforcement training, he tries to organize a stake-out... unfortunate turn of phrase, that.
It looks like Maria outdid herself. There are people here from as far away as Atlanta, dressed in rags and zombie makeup, lurching around in front of Gary City Hall.
Even Modius has decided to make an appearance, watching from the sidelines, sniffs a bit. "Of all the creatures of the night to emulate," he mutters. "What happened to the nights when they would dress in elegant black and play at being us?"
Looking around you see that many of the "zombies" have broken character, swilling beer and drinking some horrible alcoholic concoction called a "bloody brain." Maria DiMatto stands near her RV, still in a tasteful but hideously convincing makeup, smiling over the crowd.
Everything seems to be going well and crowd seems to be having fun.
Around the end of the procession you notice a man climbing on top of Maria's RV. He isn't dressed or made up as a zombie. He’s broad shouldered and pale, and carrying a clay urn. He stares out over the crowd with a look of hatred as he works the lid open.
You start to get suspicious and consider you options but it's already to late as he has opened the Urn and black smoke is pouring out of it and into the crowd...No not smoke...Ash! The Ashes fly as thought possessed of will and cling to people and everyone touched by them drops to the ground and froth and when they stand they immediately attack those around them not affected by the ash and they are spreading them!
The bald man is still on top of the Rv enjoying the scene and Maria's guards have moved into the crowd to try and stop the fighting.
Maria is leaving the area going somewhere isolated followed by her most dedicated bodyguard and Modius is suddenly nowhere to be seen.
"we need to grab the guy on top of the trailer, now."
"Hopefully some gunfire will get the crowd running" Rick says, drawing his firearm. He takes a shot at the man on top of the trailer.
Damage 5
Dumping 2 blood in to dex and one in to strength, Orphan will make a dead run for the car. He attempts to drop out of sight as he runs.
[i]Stupid hero crap, stupid hero crap... why am I running towards the problem.[/dice]
Rick manages to shoot the guy on top of the Rv. His shot hit but the man holding the clay urn seems unbothered by it. The crowd does panic however and starts to disperse.
Orphan hides his presence so he becomes unseen and runs up to the RV.
Erik begins sprinting towards the RV.
Thom tries to keep Maria in sight.
Marie stop just around the corner and seems to be assessing the situation.
In the crowd you see a flash of light and you notice Sullivan Dane!
He is in the crowd touching those infected with his right hand and burning away the ashes in a flash of holy light. However his progress and slow and ashes are spreading faster than he can remove them.
The Man on the Rv continues to watch amused by all this. His bullet wound has already fully healed. You realized this must be the cult leader who apparently uses vampire ashes to power his magic. The one Sullivan said could only be beaten by a vampire according to his vision from god.
You also notice several men (4) around the Rv with guns trying to spot were that gunshot came from.
You can all post again.
Erik will dump a blood point into upping strength for the scene and a point into celerity (Blood dumped into celerity ignores generational max per round) and try to tackle then bite one of the men with guns.
Tackle (str + brawl) (Diffiulty 7) 3 successes
Damage = str +1 +2 extra successes 2 damage
test to avoid knockdown (dex+ Athletics) (difficulty 7)
Bite attack (dex + brawl) no successes.
Rick leaps on top of the RV and try to smash the vase with a well-placed kick.
+1 auto
Orphan is pumping through blood faster than he has had reason to do in such a very long time. It courses and pumps through his long dead veins as he climbs up on top of the RV. He watches as the others charge in and steels himself for what he must do.
Pump three blood into stamina in case I get hit.
Erik manages to tackle on of the goons but fails to bite him.
Rick jumps up and tries to kick the vase but fails to connect to it.
Orphan prepares himself.
Thom can post his action whenever he gets the chance.
Lazlo drops the urn and lets it break open revealing it is empty.
"Ah another vampire come to test himself against me. Now you face a true immortal you undead parasite. Yes your kind claims immortality but the truth is that your all just a wooden stake away from oblivion." he says taking out a wooden stake. He doesn't attack just yet but waits to see what you do.
Rick shoots his hand out in an attempt to knock the stake out of the man's hand.