Vampire

Vampire:??the Requiem

Manchester: the Endless Waltz

Episode 3 ??? Part 1: Puppet Show

??Following the events of the art gallery the reputation of the coterie now proceeds it. Since their last job for the Chamberlain Dimitri has enjoyed greater respect amongst the Harpies of Elysium, his sire, Spokesman Mathew Rain, acting like the proud father. Kain on the other hand has now been able to move out of the protection of the Carthians as his ability to shapeshift has improved to the point that he is now capable of merging with the earth itself, and so has claimed the grounds of an inner city church as his own, the Constable Ihram, gladly allowing this. Meanwhile the night of the Autumnal Equinox has past and both??Thessaly, grand child of the Magus Gregor, the head of the Circle of the Crone Cult of Cernunnos, and Verity, child of the Chamberlain David Odans, have both taken part in this important night of ritual and celebration.??Thessaly??more so. This has led to both being regard in high esteem by their respective sires and peers.??Thessaly??more so for her now respected skill in tackling spirits and small gods, and Verity for her martial prowess and temperance that she maintains.

??These four, on the suggestion of Spokesman Mathew Rain and Chamberlain Odans, are summoned again by the Carthian mover and shaker, Patrick Falken. Arriving at his offices in Ship Canal House, in the central banking district of Manchester. Escorted into his office they are also greeted by Spokesman Mathew Rain, who typically is flicking open his silver pocket watch. ???Not late for once Dimitri???? He smiles like a satisfied shark.

Patrick Falken quickly thanks the coterie for their past work, and commends them for their recent work as he has heard good things from the Chamberlain and the Constable. It is for this reason that he and Rain have need for their services. In four days there is to be a Carthian only Elysium, a Caucus. However the location they have to use is the abandoned Odeon cinema on??Oxford Road. The reason for this is complex, suffice to say the Carthians have been handed this property by the Advisor, the Good Alder Lady, Natalia Kerkoft, Viscountess of South Manchester, Lord of the Invictus of Manchester. She handed them ownership of the location knowing full well that there was the upcoming meeting and that it would be impolite to snub her by not using such a location for the meeting. Already men who work for the Constable, Spokesman and Carthian Prefect have been looking at the security of the building, however they would like the coterie to also ensure the security of the meeting as they can operate off the radar. It would be best for them to investigate the location as fully as possible and also keep an ear out in the Kindred population for any rumours or information regarding the meeting.

Given this work the group set out immediately to ensure the safety of the meeting. Kane and Verity, with the maps handed to them by Falken. Concerned there might be underground access the two of them entered the canal network that weaves under the city. It did not take long for them to find a potential entrance, however it seemed secure. During this time Kane, having learnt to shapeshift, had taken the form of a raven. His new found ability has been directed by his previous possession by the Strix. However, it was under here that the two of them almost bumped into another person underground, a man, shambling, skin peeling and, as Verity could see, his body covered in scars and stitching. Verity and Kane planned to go into the building itself the next evening and investigate the current owners of the building, the construction company Johnson & Gurner.

Meanwhile Thessaly had returned to her haven in??Salford, the rundown Victorian house, and in the musty basement she prepared a ritual circle and cauldron into which she spilled her blood so that it could mix with the waters and reveal a vision to her.

Eslewhere Dimitri, on the suggestion of Rain, had gone to investigate the Acension club. This club was being run by a vampire called Zared Zilber (or so he calls himself). It had become popular with the Kindred of the city and so now needed some further investigation so that its risk could be ascertained. Dimitri, dressed up and brandishing his camera, got entry to the club, facing down a power tripping bouncer. Within the club, the venue heaving with clubbers, the smell of hot sweat, alcohol and the pulse of hearts, Dimitri made his way to the VIP area where he asked for Zared. Not long later Zared greeted Dimitri and led him into to a curtained area. Within Dimitri sensed the presence of more Kindred and was confronted with three. Two women and a man. Two of whom he had seen before. The first was a woman with cropped black hair, almost like a 30???s dancer. This was Annabel Barbican. The very same Ventrue who had tried to dominate??Thessaly??only weeks earlier at Club Quicksilver. With her was he fellow coterie member, Robert Woking. He too was a Ventrue and both of them are a team who act for Natalia Kerkoft. The third Kindred present, her hair an ash brown, and wearing punkish clothing, boots, a plaid skirt, was introduced as Liza Smith. Liza was a Carthian and the child of Perfect Arken. Robert Woking engaged in idle chitchat. He too had a camera with him and so was interested in Dimitri???s. Liza Smith commented that she would be at the caucus and wanted Spokesman Rain to stop bugging her and her friends. Annabel however was more than antagonistic. She openly asked why the Carthian lacky was here, a lapdog of the Spokesman. She also asked if Dimitri or the Spokesman had heard anything of the missing Nosferatu, Jacob Lewis.

After getting out of the sewers Verity headed out of town to the pub where her gang of bikers hung out. It didn???t take long for her to organise them to act as extra security at the cinema. Primarily they would act as extra eyes outside of the venue.

Kane, having taken flight and made his way to??Thessaly???s haven learnt of her dire vision. She had seen darkness and a constant clicking. And then in the dark a hissing. A snake. She witnessed this snake eat a moth and then she looked up and found herself inside an hourglass, sand pouring down upon her.