Vampire

Vampire:??The Endless Waltz

Episode 5: The Price of Blood???????Part 1

Following the break in at the museum much had to be done. Dimitri was organizing his election party for Patrick Falken. Kane was spending time with the Gangrel Priscus, learning more about the ways of the Gangrel blood and the city domains. Kane also took the chance to use his raven form to fly over the Fletcher Moss manor house. But at every opportunity he was being watched as he flew over the manor house. Almost as if they knew he was watching. As for??Thessaly??she had much to do. Halloween had taken place, requiring much preparation on her part as she attended to the rituals of her grandsire Magus Gregor, and also witnessed the powers of a Mekhet guest to the city, a vampire capable of summoning and manipulating ghosts. Thessaly also took the time to investigate the history of the Ordo Dracul in Manchester, finding out about what little is know about their chapter houses, their roles within the covenant, and the links with Manchester???s infamous Hellfire club. She also looked into the symbolism that had been seen in her own visions and those of Desdemona. There was elements of Mithraic mythology, Assyrian cults, Roman history, fallen angels and the history of??Manchester. There was something else at work along with the Invictus and Ordo Dracul.

At the Great Northern shopping centre, the converted warehouse of the Great Northern Railway company, a massive Victorian building, Dimitri was with Max Neils going over the security concerns of the venue. The shopping centre, which was also home to a cinema complex, was mostly empty, not every shop was in use. Max Neils owned the club on the top floor, known as Hangman???s. Outside of the club was a red neon sign in the form of a stick man at the gallows, swaying from side to side. Inside the club was lit with sparing amounts of white and red neo tubes, and what reflective metal surfaces there are had all been scrubbed to stop clear reflections. Happy with the arrangements Dimitri was all ready to leave when Myrmidon Estabelle Duncanson arrived. She asked if Dimitri had time to be questioned and asked Priscus Neils if they may use his office.

In the office Estabelle and Dimitri were sat opposite each other while one of her bailiffs stood watching and another stood outside on guard. She then proceeded to question Dimitri, asking him about the events that led to the death of the Prefect and what Lauren Esten meant when she accused him of being a traitor. Dimitri kept his cool and dodged the difficult questions, but Estabelle informed him that she would be seeking to question Kane and Thessaly now and it the best time for them to come forward with any information before a tribunal is held. Lauren Esten and Liza Smith would also be question before the tribunal, but these two had now been keeping a low profile and so were difficult to pin down.

Following the meeting at the club Dimitri headed to Patrick Falken???s office where Thessaly and Kane were waiting. They had been given a list of people to meet to win over to Falken???s campaign and so promote him to others to ensure his election.

The first person they chose to meet was Vicky Baker, a Mekhet Carthian and a tattoo artist. She operated out of a palor on Oldham Street. There in the studio, with some rock music playing, the sound of a buzzing needle. The guy on the desk fetched them Vicky while a person in one of the rooms screamed in pain.

Vicky was short, had close cropped hair, wore combats and had a leopard print on her hair. She looked at the three of them and led them to the staff room and locked the door. She was expecting them to arrive and knew they worked for Falken, but wanted to know what was in it for her? Kane explained the differences between Julia???s and Patrick???s goals, but Vicky was not bothered. She explained a little about her work and how it helped many Acolytes in the city, but they had never budged to trust her. But based upon this Thessaly, stating she in fact worked for Magus Gregor, could change the situation, get her more work and prestige and maybe even some form of membership in the Crone as well.

With Vicky satisfied the group then headed to the Circle Club in town. The Circle Club was run by Spokesman Rain, and it was situated under the Victorian shopping mall, the Barton Arcade. Here they were let in through the tight security, and made their way down into the club. The club was dimly light and was like something from 1920???s film. Many of the cities Carthian Kindred were there.

Spokesman Rain approached taking the chance to speak to Dimitri in order to find out how the party and campaign were taking shape. He also directed them to the fact that one of the Kindred that Patrick wished for them to see was present, and that after they could use the entrance to the canals, there in the back of the club, to go and find Nails. The Carthian on their list that was in the club was Brad Pale, a Daeva, a party kid and a brash neonate, not much older that the coterie.

Thessaly, Dimitri and Kane sat down with the Daeva, who was also accompanied by a couple other young Kindred and their own ghouled women who giggled at each sentence that Brad uttered. Brad was dressed much like many of the emo/new rave kids seen in town, wear a pair of shades and a loud t-shirt. He was also happily snorting coke and feeding on his ghouls. He greeted the coeterie with his usual brand of ego and proceeded to listen to Kane, but butted in when he disagreed, suggesting that Falken had no plans to make things better for the neonates of this city and that they were just lap dogs. The argument soon caused Kane to rise to his full stature and proceed to shout down the foolish and arrogant vampire whelp, suggesting that if Julia did get her way then the city would be ripe for the Invictus and other Kindred.

With Brad cowed into submission the coterie left him to contemplate his decision. Kane was then approached by Sister Rebecca Castle, a power suit clad woman who applauded him for his strength of convictions and asked if he was going to take up the offer of coming to a Sanctified mass sometime soon. Kane however was not interested. They had other things to do.