Ollie unceremoniously kicks the rat corpses into a nearby sewer grate, the Nossies might not appreciate it, but who are they really going to complain to? They're the one who chose to live in the sewers.
Having fed and disposed of the bodies, Ollie finds himself with the remainder of the evening to deal with in whatever manner he chooses.
The male youth staggers back into the crowd on the dance floor, woozy from blood loss, while Calliope leaves to find Savanna.
Having watched Calliope in action, Savanna starts to mimic her, moving eerily like her at first, but soon she uses more her womanly assets (and the fact that she can easily pass for human) than her words, forgetting subtelty, sensuality and charm to target a redneck-looking guy gulping beers.
For those who can hear the few words exchanged, Savanna's voice seems to have taken an hint of Southern drawl matching her appearance
Ollie wanders the park's edge for now, getting a feel for what might be his new hunting ground. He knows other Gangrel might be about, or worse things if he goes too deep.
To most, it looks like he's walking with his dog.
While she's not quite able to find her prey of choice, the Succubus Club has a reputation to uphold and only cater to a certain clientele - one that does not typically include the beer swilling redneck types - Savanna is more than able to find someone to slake her thirst.
A few moments later, Savanna and Calliope see each other exiting the dance floor.
Calliope runs her tongue along her teeth, making sure there are no leftover blood spots to give her away, and approaches Savannah. "Sorry to disappear," She says with genuine apology in her voice.
"I would like to escape for the evening, back to my place. Share an Uber, or do you want to make your own way?" Calliope smiles, pulling out her phone. "And here's my number." She shares her phone number with the other vampiress, quietly happy to have another woman to talk to in this little group.
Nothing in particular seems amiss to the Gangrel as he strolls along the edge of Grant Park, but something deeper inside the park interior - closer to Lake Michigan seems to have Button's hackles up.
Savanna nods, happy to have gained a potential ally and some sustenance in the night.
And dancing was fun, too, and the dark-skinned woman could do with more fun in her unlife.
Smiling at the Toreador, she even slowly raise Cal"s own hand to her lips for a sweet kiss before taking her number
Please, allow me a little bit more of your time. We'll share a ride together, and the Uber will drop you to your place. I will pay. It's not really important, but I'd like, nay, I would be honored and enjoyed, if you allow me the gallantry of the act.
While chatting in the Uber with her fellow vampiress, Savanna sends her a message on her phone so she would have her number too.
Sharing a ride with Calliope, Savanna continues her conversation until the driver arrives near Calliope's haven. The Toreador exits the vehicle and the ride continues on back to Savanna's haven.
You awaken in the evening and make your preparations for meeting with Critias again. Alexander is at the temple, as is K, but there is no sign of Calliope or, yet again, Jack.
"Jack has been missing for a number of nights now, I wonder if his temper and lineage has gotten him in trouble." Alexander rasps. "On the other hand it's not like Calliope to be late." the Nosferatu adds with a bit of concern in his voice.
I wonder about Jack as well, do you have anyone not directly connected to us that can perhaps ask around about him?
Alexander, what are your thoughts on this sudden influx of newcomers and can you dig up some information on them?
K, can you find us a car? You drive me and circle around, I will text you when the meeting with the Elder is complete".
Ollie avoids going closer to Lake Michagan. Making a mental note to be extra careful near it.
Ollie
Thinking discretion is the better part of valor for the evening, Ollie chooses not to go any deeper into the park, despite Buttons protestations.
Savanna will go home, read a little, and then rest , having satisfied both her thirst for blood and her need for some socializing time
Ollie and Buttons call it a night, the dog getting his kibble for his help.
The next night you awaken with a message flashing on your voice mail, indeed the patient you had called, Brenda, will be in this evening.
Brenda arrives right on schedule. "Thanks for seeing me early, Dr. Baker, I would've hated to have missed a session."
You arrive at university and K stops. "Here ya go, boss" just give me a yell when you're done."[/b]
Edwin pats him on the shoulder, "Loyalty is important to me my friend".
He then steps out of the car and briskly walks onto campus, finding the proper building and heading down the hallway to the Elder. Edwin hopes that Jack and Calliope will be here as well. If they are not, well, that is something he will have to discuss with he Elder...
He pauses by the door to see if it is open, either way, opened or closed he will knock politely.
Dr. Baker rises in good spirits. He had labored for so long in attempting to get support for his research into the peculiar condition of his community, and finally he stood on the precipice of having the matter given the serious consideration it deserved. This was not a path without risk, but what true vision had been achieved without a little struggle?
Even more exciting was this new coterie he'd be working with, the thin blood in particular. K. What a delightful name! An alias, certainly. Matthew wondered if the young man had adopted it before or after his embrace.
Regardless, he was a lucky one. Very few of his lineage were afforded a community, and scorn and hatred seemed to follow them everywhere. Much of this was due to the superstitious habits of the older members of his kind, habits that inevitably flowed down to those younger in an unending cycle of abuse. But there was also the harsh reality that thin bloods were not considered true vampires, and they lacked the power of those with a connection to a clan. Dr. Baker also suspected that jealousy played apart; he'd heard tales that some of them could eat or withstand the sun, things that many of their kind missed whether they admitted it or not.
"It will be most interesting to dive into this K, Winthrop." he tells his cat as he puts out his feed. " Pick his brain. The youngster is going to be very helpful to my research."
But building trust takes time, and he knows he'll have to be patient. Its unfortunate, but he's a man of reason. For now he commits to his more mundane work. Its no less important, if perhaps less exciting.
Brenda was one of Dr. Baker's special patients, meaning that he fed from her. To his mind it was a transactional relationship; he gave her a discounted monetary rate as she did not have insurance that he accepted, and he took the rest of his fee from her vitae. She did not know this, for both of their safety. But Matthew was sure if he explained it to her she would understand. She had a very agreeable personality.
Matthew had started feeding on his patients shortly after he had been turned. For one thing, it was practical. He could neither rely on seducing kine at the clubs or skulking about like the Nosferatu. But he was also savvy enough to realize that his particular line of work already meant he had ample opportunities to feed. And if he took just a little from one of his patients every day, they would hardly feel any ill effects. This also kept him nearly always sated, which helped to prevent any unfortunate losses of control.
"Good evening Brenda. And please do not worry, you know I am always happy to accommodate if my schedule allows for it." He smiles, glancing down at his notes-- He was somewhat old fashioned and does not record any of his sessions. "Now, I believe you were struggling with some life changing decisions. Did you make any progress on them?"
Having no time to dream or sleep by night, Savanna gets back to work, tracing notes on a sheet of paper, and the name of Alex Bridger, the Ventrue who owns Penumbra, a security company which can be helpful in her own researches.
Bronwyn will make her pay later for these informations, of course.
She prepares herself for the appointment, putting on some smart clothes, her old "business suit" that she used to wear when she was still a young and hopeful accountant trying to work her way up in the atttorney firm. What was the name of that firm, anyway? "Lebberkin & Starves", right.
A quick glance in the big mirror in the side of her resting room. Of course she couldn't see herself anymore, but old habits die hard. She will still be young, young forever, or at least as long as she "lives", but hope was a word fading away with each passing year.
With a sad smile, she puts on her ever-present trench coat, and orders a cab for the Gold Coast.
Let's meet mister Bridger. Time is money.
Entering the "Professor's" office, you are dismayed to see that you are alone. Seemingly the old Brujah is surprised as well. "Good evening Edwin. Were there not more of you the other night? Where might they be?"
Brenda sheepishly shrugs. "A little, maybe?" she says with no real sense of confidence, and confidence really was Brenda's biggest issue. All her life she had been kind of a push-over, all-too-easy for Matthew to manipulate her into being an unwitting vessel for his unholy thirst.
"I know, I know you said I have to be more assertive, but it's just not that easy for me, ya know?" she says in relation to the changes she needed to make in her life, mainly standing up for herself and getting away from a verbally (and potentially physically) abusive significant other.
Getting dressed as business-like as she can muster, Savanna hails a cab and makes her way the Gold Coast and the headquarters of Penumbra Inc.
Arriving at the office building, you look at the directory of offices in the lobby and see that Penumbra is located on the twelfth floor. Taking the elevator up you find yourself in an office lobby. A mid-thirties, red-haired woman of average build sit behind the welcome desk. A custodian mops the floor while listening to a rather outdated Sony Walkman (cassette version).
As you enter the woman looks up from her computer screen. "Good evening, madam. How may I help you?"
Rat soup for you, Ollie Boy.
I was with Calliope last night and we discussed the fact that we were to be here tonight, but when I attempted to contact her earlier tonight, she did not respond. I believe that she and her Sire had a misunderstanding earlier in the evening last night so she may well be with him and subject to a reprimand.
As for Jack, he has been missing for a few nights. I asked our Nosferatu ally to see what he can see related to his disappearance. His lineage and that of the Prince have been at odds as I understand it. I don't know if that has anything to do with his sudden disappearance as well.
Regardless, I am here and certainly interested in what it is you have to say". Edwin stands, waiting for an invitation to sit.
Dr. Baker represses a sigh. He had been seeing Brenda for awhile now, and her confidence was not improving. No amount of cognitive exercises really seemed to strengthen her self actualization. The sad thing Matthew had learned over his many years of practice was that some people were beyond help through traditional means. Brenda would keep making decisions and placing herself in situations which delivered to her reliable outcomes. These outcomes were damaging to her and unhealthy, but ultimately felt safe to a woman who strongly appreciated stability.
"I'm aware you find it hard to stand up for yourself and admit to yourself that you have value." Matthew says, jotting something down in his notebook. "I'm sorry to see that this is such a problem for you. But do not feel guilty. Different people struggle with different things. But tonight I would like to try a new approach that I believe will help you approach things differently.
"As you may be aware, I'm also a hypnotherapist. So I'd like you to close your eyes and take a deep breath in for me." He demonstrates, walking her through it. "Very good. Just listen to the sound of my voice as you breathe in and out, in and out. Deeply relax for me."
Continuing to walk Brenda through the exercises, Dr. Baker takes a moment to congratulate himself on his genius. Hypnosis already had a somewhat infamous reputation; the ignorant ascribed all sorts of powers to the skill. Using it as a mask for his vamperic abilities made the process of feeding all the easier. It also helped to explain why the recipient may wake up feeling drained; therapy was an intense and emotional process, after all.
After a few more moments of making sure Brenda was perfectly docile, Matthew gets to work. Though his traditional abilities may not be able to help this woman, he possessed other tools-- ones that could directly address her subconscious.
"As you listen to the sound of my voice, you find a fresh resolve springing up within you. You understand that by coming to see me some part of you has always desired change within your life and already been strong enough to achieve it. As you wake, this part of you will take prominence in your actions going forward. You will no longer meekly allow others to abuse you and will end your association with those who do not treat you with a modicum of respect. This will be a challenge for you at first, but the more you stand up for yourself the more natural and easier it shall become."
As the command takes hold, Dr. Baker places his notepad on the table next to him, and slowly rises from his chair. Moving towards Brenda, he continues to mutter soft, reassuring noises in her ears as he unveils his fangs and reaches down to bite into her neck.
It was time to collect the rest of his payment.
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Seemingly taking note of Edwin's looking for formal permission to sit, a wry grin crosses the ancient's face. "Please sit, Edwin."
"You sought audiences with Nicolai and Khalid. I have made that possible for you - provided you are willing to pay the price of admission." Critias says.
"To meet Khalid, you will travel to Harms Woods, northwest of Evanston. There is an unpaved trail northeast of the parking lots, follow it to a cave on the southside of trail. Khalid will meet you there two nights from now. This is potentially dangerous, beyond exposing yourself to one as old as Khalid. Many dangerous things lie within the woods." the ancient Brujah claims.
"As for your Clanmate, Nicolai, he was a bit more difficult to track down, but he has agreed to meet you for a price. He did not say what that price was, but if you are to meet him it will be tomorrow night at 10 at the Donnelly and Lee Library on the Lake Forest College campus."
"Is there anything else, my boy?" Critias asks in his heavily Greek accented baritone voice.
Much like last night, something seems to have grabbed Button's attention. You feel it too, but you just can't put a finger on it...almost like you are being watched.
You feel that your powers are not as convincing as they usually are, but
fortunately for you, Brenda is a willing subject and even the poorest display of the power is more than sufficient to achieve your goal. When all is said and done, Brenda feels better - if a little tired, and you have slaked your thirst for the evening. Following the appointment, Brenda takes her leave and leaves you to the rest of your evening.
The red-haired woman behind the desk lowers her glasses and turns back to her computer screen and types in a few keystrokes. "Ah yes, here it is. Just one moment." she says, picking up the phone.
"Mr. Bridger, Miss Douglas is here. Of course, sir."
Hanging up the phone she turns her attention back to you, "He'll see you now. Down the hallway and to the left. First door on the right."
"I...I can show her the way. the custodian says, mop still in his hands.
(Perception + Alertness)
Dr. Baker can tell his powers do not influence Brenda to the level he anticipated they would. Brenda seems slightly more confident, but not to the degree he intended her to be. The good doctor ponders why this is; certainly it could not be a failing on his end. He's an excellent psychiatrist and his vamperic powers are well developed.
This instead must mean that Brenda is so set in her identity of being a doormat to others that it paradoxically strengthens her. Its the central truth of her being, one that is not easily changed. Matthew finds his interest in his patient piqued.Modifying her may not be as simple as he planned, but that was fine; he enjoyed a challenge. And it did mean she would be coming to him longer, which meant she would remain a viable source of sustenance for longer as well.
All in all, not the worst outcome by any means, and he sees her off in good spirits, reminding her to practice the confidence boosting exercises he had taught her.
If Matthew has any further appointments (they would be earlier in the night-- he likes to bunch them together if possible and get them out of the way to give him time to tend to anything that needs doing.) he mundanely handles them before turning his attention to the new coterie he may have found himself apart of. He checks his phone to see if any of them have sent him a message. Perhaps Mr. K has seen the wisdom in his offer?
"I presume that you could read my mind if you wished to and so I will simply be transparent for the sake of expediency. It was the rest of my Coterie that believed that the pursuit of Maxwell's plan was in our "collective" best interest. I was never entirely sold on the idea as my Regent quite frankly made it abundantly clear that he is on the side of the current Prince.
However.
If one such as yourself, Khalid, and the Sire of my Regent all believe that the return of the king, as it were, is a better choice than the current Prince, then it would behoove me to, "get with the program" as they say. I shall then pursue a meeting with both Nicolai and Khalid and accept the price to be paid as there is always a price to be paid. There are no solutions, there are only trade-offs and in our existence it seems doubly true.
My greater personal interest is in acquiring knowledge, as a Tremere, knowledge of magic should be my first passion, but my greater interest is in seeking out and understanding the History of our kind.
You are literally one of the eldest that walk among us active in these perilous nights. Thousands, nay tens of thousands of questions run through my mind to ask you. So I will ask my first of two questions as I know that your time is valuable and short for one such as myself.
If you were me, what would you ask you?"
But Savanna is a Malkavian, so she nods and smiles gently at the janitor.
I appreciate the curtesy. Chilvary isn't dead, it seems. Thank you, mister?
Having no other appointments scheduled for the evening, you check you phone hopeful to have message from K, but no such luck. You could go back to the Scientology Temple, but that might look desperate, that would never do. But how to advance the goals of both you and your new coterie?
A thought flashes to your mind, there was another kindred was there in Gary that night...Maldavis. Could she be a lead into something more?
The elder lets out a low rumbling laugh. "What a philosophical question to ask, young Edwin."
"Philosophical and astute." he concludes. "As to what question I would ask, I suppose that would depend on what exactly I needed. If were mere curiosity it might be something about Carthage and what happened there. If I were trying to attain something I could use from the past, perhaps it would be something along the lines of what I have seen that works for our kind as a society, and more importantly what does not."
A small grin crosses the ancient's face. "So the first question you must ask yourself, what is it you really want to gain knowledge of?"
"Oh, no problem." the janitor says. "I'm Jacob, by the way." he adds walking you down to Mr. Bridger's office.
"Well here we are." he says, knocking on the door. "Hey Alex, your visitor is here."
Matthew frowns. K was avoiding him. He had hoped the man would have seen the logic in his offer--been excited in his role as a pioneer. He does hope the lad's not having second thoughts. Or even worse, his new allies are trying to keep him from Matthew out of some misguided sense of protection. That would not be a promising start to their arrangement. He suppresses the tempting voice that tells him to report them all to the prince, reasoning that he himself would find himself destroyed as well. Besides, he would lose K, and the boy was priceless.
But he was not paranoid, and he was in control. He'd just have to prove his good intentions. Certainly he had dealt with reluctant patients, and he always won them over. It was even very rare that he had to stoop to dominating them to do it!
Maldavis... yes, he vaguely recalled her. The doctor thinks, trying to remember everything he knew about the young woman from his time in elysium.
Nice to meet you Jacob.Too bad you can't dust out my social skills, but it has been a pleasure to meet you, even if not for long.
I'll pose my first question thusly, based on what you have seen of Prince Jackson, would the former Prince make for a better Prince based upon what you have seen that works for our kind as a society?"
As you move toward the shadows that you thought you saw move, Buttons seems rather reluctant to approach.
In the back of your mind you hear in a chiding voice, Careful, careful...we wouldn't want to break your precious masquerade...
Scouring your memory, you realize that she will be difficult to find as she rarely keeps the same haven for more than a week at a time, but another name come to mind Anita Wainwright...another of Chicago's more famous/infamous Anarchs.
You get the distinct feeling that Jacob was studying you, perhaps even reading things about your body language and maybe even your soul.
Jacob waves and heads of down the hall, leaving you in front of Bridger's office door. Moments later, the door opens and standing before you is a caucasian man with short dark hair and of average build and height.
"Please come in." the man says gesturing to chair in front of a substantial wooden desk.
Taking a seat behind that desk, he says. "Good evening, I'm Alexander Bridger. To what do I owe your visit this evening?"
"The former Prince? You refer to Maxwell, yes?" Critias confirms.
"Young Kevin is a child playing a game perfected by much older men and as child he is prone to rash decisions that ultimately are self-serving and infantile." the ancient says, hiding very little of his true feelings about the cities nascent Prince.
"That is not to say that all who are young are incapable, quite to the contrary, there are number of Ancillae and even Neonates that perform well beyond their years, it is simply that Kevin Jackson is not one of those...he is little more than an upranked street thug. Quite honestly, I am surprised that he wasn't embraced by the likes of Gengis rather than someone like Lodin."
"As to Maxwell, he has seen much in his existence. He knows what it is to be the lowest of the low as much as he knows what it is to be the highest of the high. He will treat the Kindred of this city much fairer than any of Lodin's brood could ever dream of."
"What else would you know, Childe?" the ancient says a tone equally malevolent and fatherly.
You don't sound like my usual train of thought so I'm assuming whoever you are you're actually in my head. Name's Ollie, and YOU are?
Despite his attempt to sound casual, he's a bit intimidated. This mind to mind stuff is pretty upthere from what he hears, for Kindred at least.
And Buttons' reluctance has him reconsidering.
"That is quite helpful, thank you.
My second question is more of a request, would you be willing to meet with me one night per week to answer one question per week? Most of my questions would be related to matters such as the history of Carthage or the recent fall of the Sabbat for example, but modern sensibilities may, on occasion, intrude on matters that I would rather discuss.
I of course would offer you something in return as I know that your time is not to be spent frivolously".
Dr. Baker racks his considerable brain for anything he could recall about Maldavis or failing her her fellow Anarch Anita.
Maldavis
Anita
A friend, an enemy...who's to say...but someone who knows this city is ripe for change. The question is which side will you be on? the voice inside your head says. For now, let's just call me The Hound...
"I would be willing to entertain that notion, young one." the Brujah elder says with a predatory grin beginning to widen on his ancient face. "The question becomes, what is it you are willing to pay for this arrangement?"
You rack your considerable mind, trying to remember details of the two women in question and ultimately come to the follow conclusion:
Maldavis - Maldavis is a Caitiff who is rumored to have come from Tremere stock, who revolted against Lodin's rule and nearly managed to overthrow him. She wants to bring Prince Jackson down. While she was too wrapped up in her grief to strike back, she always hoped she would one day have a chance to take vengeance on Prince Lodin. The War of Chicago took that from her, so his childe will have to do.
Maldavis reaches out to anyone of any background who is open to her idea of a horizontal leadership for the city, even the thin-bloods. She believes that most Kindred who seek entrance into a sect do so because they have no other options and cannot imagine a better way to run the undead. She’ll give them one.
Anita Wainwright - Anita Wainwright is a Brujah and the de-facto Baron of Anarchs in Chicago - a precarious position at best these nights. She has moved from being "occasionally useful" to "extremely useful" in the eyes of many powerful Kindred on all sides. Now, she wants to tread carefully and reinforce her power base before making any big moves.
"Indeed, I have access to a number of...specialized facilities. What is it you have in mind and what sort of transaction are we looking at? Cash? Boons? Some sort of combination of the two?" he asks, getting right down to business.
But for now, focus. He seemed to recall she was controlled by grief for some reason or another, possessing some sort of vendetta against Lodin that had triggered her rebellion. She preached an egalitarian leadership in a sense, and her support of Maxwell suggested she truly did believe it, or at least had little ultimate interest in seizing power for herself.
As for Ms. Wainwright, the leader of the city's Anarchs was someone of value who was worth getting better acquainted with. If she was as cautious as they said, Matthew would have to play this carefully, but if he could swing her to Maxwell's side, he'd have more than proven his worth to his new employer.
Perhaps it was time to set up a meeting with her and gently ascertain her intentions. Its a pity he never asked for young Hawkins number. He could have helped to break the ice.
The Hound huh? Can amusement leak through this contact? Possibly. Oh well I like dogs so you're taking a decent approach I'll give you that. Okay, Hound. Don't suppose you want to give me some info on what sides there are and which one you think I should be on? We both know I won't trust it but at least you'll have that seed planted whether it will take root or not.
He doesn't like intrigues and such, but they're a fact of unlife, and ignorance isn't going to help him or anyone he wants to help either
I arrive and offer to tell you something about what is taking place here in the Windy City that you would not otherwise know and you tell me something of the past that would be difficult if not impossible for me to discover.
Both Parties leave the meeting slightly more well informed than when they arrived".
As for the transaction itself, I am acting as an envoy for a client. But I'm confident we can work a business deal both parts will agree to.