Vampire

Vampire:??The Endless Waltz

Episode 4: Live by the Sword???????Part 1

It was Monday evening, the 25^th??of October. It was a cold evening and the last vestiges of life on the trees were disappearing. Halloween was coming, and of course the chaotic night of Devil???s Night, known in the north of??England??as Mischief Night. Kane emerged from his haven in the earth. His new haven, a section of a park in Newton Heath, with lots of cover, was allocated by the Priscus. He went to dig up his trunk and went to get ready for the evenings meeting.

Meanwhile, Thessaly was back in her creaky old house in??Salford, sat reading from the dusty books. With the festival of Saimhein coming she was busy preparing, knowing that she would be taking an active role in the rituals performed by her grand-sire, the Magus Gregor. Aware of the time she tidied herself and for once wore something more presentable for this meeting.

Dimitri awoke hungry. He got out of the bath in the windowless bathroom, and quickly sort out Karl, and taking him to the bedroom, he fed from Karl???s wrist. They lay together as Karl was taken by the euphoria of the Kiss. Dimitri has been had at work these last few weeks. He had been planning a party for Elysium where he might be able to better push Patrick Falken???s agenda, and also increase his own prestige. Following his feeding, Dimitri is quick to get onto the streets, and soon finds an appropriate girl at a bar and is able to feed once more in the toilets, drugging her with coke.

Later, at the museum, Dimitri, Kane and??Thessaly??are waiting at a side entrance so that they can be let in. The party at the museum, hosted by the Chairman, is to showcase a new collection of Roman busts on loan to the museum, and also a chance for the Chairman and the Board of Representatives to discuss business and influence people with the city council and companies located in the region. They are greeted by one of the Chamberlain???s ghouls and are led through the museum caf??, and then through the display on dinosaurs, before being led up into the display of animals. All about, on two levels were stuffed examples of mammals, monkeys, tigers, exotic birds and a model of a whale hanging from the ceiling. Above a skylight let in the orange of the city, staining the displays in a dirty umber. Walking along??Thessaly??thought she saw one of the Amazonian horned birds move, watching Dimitri. She did a double take and stood against the glass of the display looking at the inanimate bird.

They carried on, walking through the glass bridge that led to the next building and the display of Mediterrainian artefacts. Beyond was the main room being used to host the Roman busts, and within were almost 100 people, waiters with hors d???oeuvres and trays of champagne. AS they approached the door they were asked to wait and Patrick Falken met them. He explained their goal of the evening, which was to gain the support of the Board of Representatives and more importantly the Chairman. He reminded them that this was not Elysium and so the Masquerade was to be maintained. They also learnt that in a few days they would be interrogated by officers of the Myrmidon as the case of the death of the Prefect was investigated. Lauren Esten was being watched and that the truth would come out in the end.

Through the evening the troupe spoke to a number of Kindred. Kain had a brief talk to the Lancea Sanctum Bishop, Michael Kenner, a bearded and rotund man in a tweed suit. He tried to convince Kain to come and join him at one of the Sanctified midnight mass. Kain said he would think about it, Kain knowing that it would be just the thing to learn more about the Covenant and possibly get some more votes for Falken. Kain also had a chance to speak to the Chairman himself. He was congratulated on his acceptance into the Carthians and that he would like to see Falken take the position of Prefect, but of course cannot influence things directly.

Dimitri spoke to the Daeva Priscus, Max Neils. Max made it clear he had no enmity to Dimitri, and that their confrontation at the caucus was simply so that the laws of the Carthians were upheld and that the Spokesman did not overstep his position. Neils then goes on to offer the use of his club, Hangman???s, for Dimitri???s party, in exchange that he may in turn gain the help of Dimitri in the future, possibly with regard to Carthian policies on domain and Elysium. Dimitri then had an encounter with the Invictus lord, Advisor, the Good Alder Lady, Natalia Kerkoft, Viscountess of the South of Manchester. She kept the formalities at a minimum and brought up Dimitri???s possible deal with the Invictus if he was able to give them the information regarding the final death of Jacob Lewis. Dimitri did not budge, he wanted to know what Kerkoft was willing to give him in exchange. She was insulted that this neonate, an upstart, a traitor, and a murderer, was wanting to haggle with her. He would get what he deserved, and she simply told him that he would be lucky to survive to see the election of his patron.

Thessaly, not being the most sociable, spent her time near to the Egyptian exhibit, looking at the mummies. It was here that she was approached by Desdemona, the leader of the Acolyte Cult of Hathor. She spoke to??Thessaly??about the upcoming election and the effect that it would have on the Crone if the Lancea Sanctum was able to gain the favour of the Carthians. She also spoke of the unease she felt knowing that there were potential Ordo Dracul within the city. Finally she revealed to??Thessaly??that she had been using the Blood to speak to the aethers. She had a vision of three things. A lion, an angel and a throne.

However,??Thessaly??was not just spoken to by Desdemona, but was also approached by the Harpy and Invictus lord, the Daeva, and Gulikan, Tabbitha Goa. She at first hoped her perfume would overpower the mind of??Thessaly. Failing at this Tabbitha applied a small amount of further perfume to her hands and touching??Thessaly???s own hand. In moments??Thessaly??was overcome and began to talk about practically everything to the Daeva.

As the evening wore on the Chamberlain gathered up the troupe and took them to one side and there they came before the Constable, Ihram. He was urgent. A silent alarm in the museum had been triggered.