[V20] Maiden, Mother, Crone

[Esbilon]

Landon

The black-feathered bird tilts its head to the other side and looks like it considers Landon's suggestion. "How much more? Do you have some now?"

 

[Arynne]

"Let us test your assertion," Justine replies. She nods at the splatter of half-dried blood outside Theodora's cage, farther than her manacled and weighted limbs would let her reach even had the bars not been in the way. "If the Beast is not your master, tell me why you struggle to reach that stale vitae."

 

[Esbilon]

Justine

"Because I hunger," Theodora answers, "because any source of sustenance is a welcome one. Because I have felt the wracking pain of true starvation, and nothing so pedestrian as licking dried blood off of the floor even begins to compare."

 

[Silanon]

Landon

There is little reason to carry food; except for rare occasions like this one. Perhaps, he should have brought an appropriate snack - but different birds rarely ask for the same. "More than you can eat, for little effort. Not now, however; later, when my hunt ends. Perhaps earlier, if the opportunity arises. Certainly in time before you starve - you just had a meal if I'm not mistaken."

 

[Arynne]

"Tell me what you know of hunger, Theodora." Memories try to force their way into Justine's mind as she speaks. The smell and clammy feeling of wet earth, the icy cold of rain, the chafing of soaked and rotting clothes.

And the hot and terrible sweetness when at last she gave way. "What has hunger driven you to do?"

 

[Lord-Leafar]

"I need a ride and eyes on my back to check on a potential follow up job, can you pick me up in 30 minutes?" Alvaro as always was blunt and to the point. He went over the address of this Bela in his mind, and wondered at the kind of man, or creature he was, and the manner of encounter he would be finding once he finally met him.

 

[Esbilon]

Landon

The bird looks thoughtful for a little while and then proceeds to nod and hop a bit further out the branch towards Landon. "I will follow you now and caw if you a threatened," it agrees, "later I will eat. Where do we go?"

Justine

"It is the pain without exultion, the need that must be answered, an eternal fact of life, even of unlife," she says sombrely. "I have killed for hunger, killed with savage rage rather than deadly elegance, killed children, killed those who thought me their friend. Hunger teaches us just how much greater we are than animals, for when we are in its grips, everything we have built falls apart. Much of what Humanity has become, it has become to live a life free of Hunger."

Álvaro

"Yeah, sure boss! Wanna have me get C.C. first? Oh, and, ah, where're you at?" Ramón replies, the words practically falling over themselves to get out of his mouth.

 

[Silanon]

Landon

The first success of the night is achieved - from here, things might become slightly messy. His Sire is not interested in ordinary investigations as far as Landon knows; if it concerns the kindred, it will be special in one regard or another. "Good question - I don't know, not precisely. Not yet, at least." If the cellphone stays silent, he'll have to look on his own; well, not quite. "The harbor - where the two-legged people climb their islands of metal. Noisy two-eyed monsters with flashing lights on top, if there are any." How much do birds understand of boats and police cars? "They should be easy to spot from above." He turns around towards the park's exit. "One more thing: Try to not raise too much attention. It is easier to hunt if the prey is not wary."

 

[Grey]

Bela Dragosani

Bela offers a hand mirror to Miranda to survey the results.
"Not my finest work, but it will suffice for now," he says, "and too gross a deviation can have... unforeseen results."

Camille should already have the car ready.

 

[Lord-Leafar]

Álvaro gave an address to Ramón, 2 blocks away from the hotel where he was currently staying. He patted the little flask in his jacket, feeling the weight of the liquid inside, alongside those drops of his precious vitae. "Bring C.C. as well, I'll see you in 30 minutes."

 

[Esbilon]

Landon

The bird caws in acknowledgment and follows the vampire from above, circling slightly to compensate for its greater speed. As Landon crosses the boundary between the park and the city proper, the phone rings, Roberts.

"I'm a bit busy at the moment," the cop says once pleasantries are out of the way, "brass stuck me with one messed up crime scene, so unless what you have is pretty damn good - or bad I guess - it'll have to wait a few days."

Bela

Miranda rises and looks at herself in the mirror. "Not bad," she says trying out what smirking looks like with her new face. "Not bad at all. Pretty fucking crazy to be honest," she adds with a laugh. "So? Where do we go?" She asks as she follows Bela to the car Camille does indeed have ready.

Álvaro

"Sure thing, boss," Ramón replies, eagerness to please coming to the fore once again. "I'll be there," he finishes, clearly already on the move from the changes in the background noice.

 

[Silanon]

Landon

As the phone in his pocket vibrates, Landon is quick to turn left into one of the sidestreets - less traffic there, and fewer ears. "Damn - sounds awful." Messed up crime scene sounds exactly like something his Sire would be interested in. "Met someone at the harbor, thought you'd want to take a look at him. Can wait a bit, though, no worries. More of a personal thing, won't kill people." A few steps in silence, eyeing the crow above him. "That's for later, though - need help? Got nothing to do right now, could be at headquarters in a bit if you're there."

 

[Esbilon]

Landon

"Why did you think I'd want to look into him?" Roberts responds, sounding on edge. "And when was this? I'm there now with the most disgusting scene I've ever seen, and if your guy could be a PoI for this, I'd say it's a priority." He hesitates for a few seconds before adding, "and yeah, maybe you can. Come and take a look if you'd like tempting fate regarding keeping your dinner in your stomach." He rattles off an address on the docks.

 

[Grey]

Bela Dragosani

"We are to visit an acquaintance of mine," Bela explains, "something strange is stirring these nights, and she may have a piece of the puzzle."
He makes himself comfortable, as much as he can, and tells Camille to bring them to the address Ms. Adler provided.
On the drive, Bela invites Miranda to ask questions.

 

[Silanon]

Landon Scott

The vampire quickly repeats the address - his feet already follow an alley that will get him there. "Got you - I'll be there in a few moments. You sound like the devil himself made a mess." A moment of silence as he hurries forward; time to think of decent lie. "Dude tried to sell half-dead whelps, late afternoon." He names a street on the other end - one where someone might do shady business, but most likely didn't. "As I said, not important right now. See you in a bit." His thumb moves to end the call, unless the officer has more to say.

 

[Esbilon]

Bela

"What's vampire society like?" Is the first question out of the girl's mouth, "I don't know if you know this, but vampires are, like, huge right now. People have dreamed up all these different conceptions of who rules who, if it's just a bunch of solitary ancients spead across the world, or city-level intrigues with feuds stretching back centuries." She seems enthusiastic about the concept, and would perhaps be a good source of information on humanity's current perception of the undead.

Landon

"Alright, then," Roberts answers with a sigh. "I'll see you in a bit."

The sight that greets Landon when he arrives on the address offered is a large number of police officers and cars spread around a large warehouse on the outskirts of the harbor, right by the railroad tracks that bring goods from the surrounding area to the port and from there to the rest of the world. The building itself is perhaps two stories high, but a sprawling thing spread across both sides of the tracks, and all around it are men and women in uniform keeping a close watch over the taped-off crime scene. One of them approaches him as he comes nearer. "This is an active crime scene, sir," a young, black woman says, "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave." There's an edge to her voice, and if he were a betting man, Landon would put good odds to her having had to throw up earlier this evening.

 

[Silanon]

Landon

The building seems mostly unfamiliar - he must have seen it from time to time, but it certainly never caught his interest. Thus, his eyes wander over its front as he steps closer, trying to pick up the owning company's name. That alone is enough to get the officer's attention, one of many to keep the curious in check. "I understand, but my presence was asked for." His hand moves to search his pockets for something as he responds. "Officer Roberts just called me, and I offered my assistance. If you could let him know that I arrived..." He finally presents an identity card - out of date, but his name is on it. "Landon Scott. Doubt we've met before. He didn't give many details on the phone - it's really as bad as he indicated, isn't it?"

 

[Grey]

Bela Dragosani

Bela ponders for a moment, watching the city pass by.
"It is... fractious," he says, "a vast serpent circling the world that is, all the same, eating its own tail."
He turns his attention to her, internally nitpicking his work. He should have added a scar.
"I consider myself something of a scholar of our history, such as it is, but so much is lost to war, betrayal, and murder. In antiquity, we ruled as god-kings, but later many of the Clans took to the shadows to thrive as parasites on the vast hide of Empire. My Clan ruled openly, for no mere mortals could challenge our power."
He cocks his head, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Tell me, Miranda, what is the inevitable consequence of tyranny?"

 

[Esbilon]

Landon

The warehouse wall has clear indications that the company logo has been replaced several times with signs of varying sizes. The current one marks it as the property of "DI Biomedical," but based on the age the graffiti, it's been a while since that company did very much business here.

The woman frowns at the ID card, but pulls a radio to her mouth and says, "Roberts, there's a man here claiming you sent for him. Landon Scott." The answer comes shortly afterwards, "yeah, he's mine. I'll be right there. Roberts out." The man's voice is scratchy from the poor quality of the radio equipment. Moments later, he approaches and makes a waving motion at the other police officer. "Let him through, Reynold's." The woman nods and holds up the police tape and lets Landon through.

As he approaches the building, the Gangrel picks up the smell of rotten meat emanating from the building and the faint buzzing of flies. Roberts hands him a set of blue latex gloves and another of shoe-covers. "I gotta warn you again," he says, dragging a hand through his thinning hair, "whatever happened here, some sick fucks were involved. But if you're not going to miss your dinner too badly, go ahead," he finishes and nods towards the warehouse entry.

Bela

Miranda listens raptly to Bela's ruminations. "Rebellion," she answers his query right away, "even if they don't stand a chance, people will eventually rise up."

 

[Grey]

Bela Dragosani

"Precisely," Bela says, bringing his hands together in a gentle mimicry of a clap. "And not just mortals; young Kindred rose up against their elders. Anarchs, they called themselves, rejecting the dictates of what fragmented society we had, but most of all - devouring their elders where they could."
Bela settles back in his seat, warming to the subject.
"A war between undead was not a subtle thing, then. Aghast, the more powerful vampires established the Camarilla, to enforce a Masquerade to hide us from mortal society and keep their childer in line. Today, they span the globe and appoint themselves de facto rulers over the Kindred of each city they inhabit." He explains.
"A secret society of immortals so well-linked is a taxing foe, but despite their dispersed hierarchy the Anarchs have seemingly proven able to band together in self-defense, when necessary, and most are sensible enough to maintain the Masquerade with or without the Camarilla. I understand they are fond of this nation for that reason, and are quite well-entrenched in a place called Los Angeles."
Bela leans forward again, a predatory glint in his eyes.
"Can you tell me, my astute student, what an immortal fears above all else?"

 

[Esbilon]

Bela

"Death," Miranda answers, her eyes glinting in response as if they were a mirror or her Domitor's. "Where do you fit into all this, though? It doesn't sound like you have much sympathy for either side."

When Bela later offers her his blood, she drinks eagerly, as any good Ghoul would, and thus bringing her one step closer to having he fate eternally tied to his.

Bela & Justine

Cleveland is not the sprawling metropolis that New York or Los Angeles is, and there is no distance within its confines which is truly far. In no more time than Bela would in ages past have spent on a leisurely stroll around his estate, they arrive at Madame Adler's vine-covered estate.

 

[Grey]

Bela Dragosani

As they exit the car, Bela straightens his collar and examines the estate. Enviably well kept, and the vines add a certain something.
"Like my forebears, Miranda, I recognize no master but myself. If memory serves, Madame Adler is likewise independent - let us make introductions," he says. He instructs Camille to wait with the car. Once his finances are secured, he thinks, Camille has earned a boon for her loyalty and diligence.
He takes the lead to the front door.

 

[Arynne]

Justine would have been gratified to hear Bela's comment: when she had arrived at the rundown mansion, all her spare funds had gone to mending the roof, structural repairs and simply making the place habitable. There was nothing she could do about the ivy and creepers everywhere, so she had left them in place. Like Bela, she felt the added a certain...ambiance.

​

Instead of pulling the vines out, she installed trellises and begun to train them. It took a few false starts, as she had not been raised to know about pruning or fertilizing or other activities that normally involve dirt and stains and smells. But now a maze, of vine-covered "walls" rather than hedges, stands where most estates have smooth green lawns; a pergola runs from the front gate to the house, and the overall effect is planned rather than simply overgrown.

Also, frankly, a bit spooky. But after all, it's a vampire's domain, not a daycare.

The door is opened by a uniformed maid, but Justine Adler herself waits in the entrance hall to greet her guests. "Welcome to my home, boyar," she says with a smile, as she approaches to shake hands. It is on the tip of her tongue to add "enter freely, go safely", but she suspects a Tzimisce hears enough of that joke already.

 

[Grey]

Bela Dragosani

Bela is already about to offer a polite bow, but shakes hands instead with hardly any hesitation.
"Thank you, Madame Adler," he says, with an approximation of a warm smile. "You have a lovely home - I must ask if you can recommend an architect, later."
He gestures to his ghoul; "my assistant, Miranda."
"I trust all is well in the House of Adler?"

 

[Arynne]

"As well as can be expected, considering these worrisome discoveries," replies Justine with a nod of thanks for his courtesy. "Welcome, Miranda. It's good to meet you."

She guides Bela (and Miranda, if Bela wishes to bring her) upstairs, through hallways lit by dim glass lanterns. "The more I've learned about the situation, the more disturbing it gets. Your theory about someone using Kindred as a vector for something was absolutely correct, but it's no mundane plague we're dealing with here."

The room she brings them to is, unlike the rest of the house, brightly illuminated, with several floor lamps brought in an tilted to cast a harsh glare on the table in the center. A man, or rather, a vampire lies there, stark naked and staked through the heart with a broken piece of furniture. This would normally be enough to immobilize one of the undead, but his hands have been cuffed and pulled up tight above his head, and his legs are also shackled.

"This is the fledgling I told you about, boyar. Since we last spoke, I discovered he is..." Justine grimaces, "...Baali."