God damn it it's Nash. He's the one who took pictures of us and started "blackmailing" Valerie.
I believe Nash is getting blackmailed by mortals, and it's directly related to the girl he drank from. But our blackmail situation? We haven't done jack to get on the mortals' radar. Nash set this whole thing up so that we'd be incentivised to help him with his problem. He didn't ask us for help because oh he has such faith in younger Kindred, it's because he knew we'd help.
[X] [Nash] "I'll ask around the Prince's court for dirt on Walter Nash."
-[X] I'll tempt the Beast to add two dice to my roll.
-[X] I'll spend a point of Willpower to reroll up to three regular dice.
We need to get as much information on this guy as possible.
[X] [Investigation] I should pay a visit to Honored Drinks, the bar on Goose Island that Nash mentioned.
Besides the fact that I don't want other Kindred involved, Nash recommended Gabriella, which makes the option suspicious as hell.
I believe Nash is getting blackmailed by mortals, and it's directly related to the girl he drank from. But our blackmail situation? We haven't done jack to get on the mortals' radar. Nash set this whole thing up so that we'd be incentivised to help him with his problem. He didn't ask us for help because oh he has such faith in younger Kindred, it's because he knew we'd help.
That's makes a lot of sense. While a picture of us feeding on people could be explained away as a hard core Vampire LARPer. It is nonetheless damning evidence of us being a potential a severe masquerade breach. The Prince would likely work hard to discredit the source and provided a cover story along the lines 'Passionate Vampire LARPer enthusiast and up-and-coming local artist commits the die after being publicly shame on the internet'. The thing is though that we would be screwed. Nash tricking another vampire into thinking they have the same problem sounds like something a Ventrue would do.
[X] [Nash] "I'll ask around the Prince's court for dirt on Walter Nash."
-[X] I'll tempt the Beast to add two dice to my roll.
-[X] I'll spend a point of Willpower to reroll up to three regular dice.
Let's try to get some dirt or at the very least expand our knowledge on this man. Let's hope we don't get a Beastly failure.
[X] [Investigation] I'll ask Gabriella to mine information about the blackmailers from the Internet.
That being said I think it's a good idea to bring another Nosferatu in on this. One, if it is Nash Gabriella is more likely to stand with her clans man than with if things turn violent. Two, if it's Son or hunters same thing. I'd put more money on Nosferatu camaraderie than on the trust ability of a Ventrue like Nash.
Let's roll some dice for the Manipulation + Persuasion check to gather intel on Walter Nash.
Failure on the Rouse check means Hunger increases to two.
One success on the Hunger dice.
Four successes mean Artie successfully digs up dirt on Nash.
Without spoiling too much, going to Gabbie is the safer of the two roads ahead, but paying a visit to Honored Drinks may result in more XP. If you have other questions, I'll answer them if they don't give away too much.
I'm not dead! Just very busy with my last quarter of graduate school! In any case, I've decided to break the tie and present you with the next update!
[] [Nash] "I'll ask around the Prince's court for dirt on Walter Nash."
-[] I'll tempt the Beast to add two dice to my roll for an automatic win.
-[] I'll spend a point of Willpower to reroll up to three regular dice.
[] [Investigation] I'll ask Gabriella to mine information about the blackmailers from the Internet.
The rhythm and heavy bass pound your ears as you ascend the stairs leading up to the upper floors of the Succubus Club. Chicago's premier nightlife spot is as popular as ever. Despite having fed on Haros not long ago, your Beast stirs and presses against your side, aching to break through your ribcage and sup upon the writhing mass of mortal flesh on the dancefloor. However, you're not here to dance or feed but to learn about your newest Kindred acquaintance, Walter Nash.
As you make your way up to the lounge where Prince Jackson likes to hold court, you spot a familiar head of dyed green hair standing guard outside the door to the Prince's office. For her part, Brianna acknowledges your presence with a tilt of her head. "Hey, Artie."
"Hey, Bri." A thought then occurs to you. "Is Jacko working in his office tonight? I'd like to ask him a few questions about Walter Nash."
"I'll see if he's available," Brianna replies as she presses her earpiece. The soundproofing on the upper floors is good enough for her voice to still be audible, even over the club music emanating from the main dancefloor below. "Sir, Artie Delacruz wishes to ask you something about a Mr. 'Walter Nash'?"
Brianna listens intently for a few seconds before nodding. "I'll let them in, sir."
You nod your thanks to Brianna as she opens the door to the Prince's office for you. As you step inside the Prince's office, its occupant briefly acknowledges your presence with a moment of eye contact and a nod before returning his attention to the letter in front of him.
As much as you might like to move more quickly, given the 48-hour deadline hanging over your head, you know better than to badger the Prince. Thus, you wait patiently at parade rest until Prince Jackson finishes his handwritten letter and can focus on you. "Delacruz. I understand you had questions about one of my fellow Ventrue."
"I did, sir. Walter Nash approached me tonight - promised me a major boon if I helped him deal with some hunters." It's a true enough statement. While you're hesitant to describe Nash as a buddy, you're not enough of a blue falcon to screw him over by snitching - not while you're both aboard the same boat about to be hit with a Masquerade breach the size of an iceberg.
"I see. Still playing the part of the penitent, huh?" The Prince's tone isn't quite a sneer, but it's close enough to betray a conspicuous contempt for Nash.
"He's told me his side of the story, but I wish to hear your perspective as well," you say in the most diplomatic tone you can muster. "It's no small thing for a neonate to have an ancilla in their debt, but I want to know what kind of person Nash is. Having a loathsome debtor is worse than having no favors at all."
The Prince raises an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you uncovered something unsavory about our mutual friend, then?"
"Yes, sir," you reply after a moment's hesitation. "I found evidence of him being sloppy with his feeding. To make matters worse, the victim was a teenage girl who died in the hospital. Has he always done stuff like this?"
"For as long as I've known him, yes. Nash probably likes that kids make easier targets than full-grown humans. He was never the discerning type, you know? You think that after a few decades of unlife, he'd know better than to drink too deeply."
Your mind reels in disgust at the thought of feeding on kids, but the Beast roiling in your gut fills your head with intrusive thoughts of what young blood might taste. You force yourself to shake your head and clear your mind before asking your next question.
Your Hunger has increased to 2.
"There is one other thing I'd like to ask, though. It's no secret that you're not exactly on Christmas card terms with Nash. He said it's because of past disputes over your domain before you claimed praxis over the city. Is there something there that I should be made aware of?"
You can't help but flinch as the Prince unexpectedly slams his fist down onto the polished surface of his writing desk. It's an expression of honest emotion that's surprising from a Blue Blood, but perhaps not this particular one. It's easy to forget that Kevin Jackson led a street gang in life - an existence that's about as distant from the coldhearted corporate background typical of modern members of the Clan of Kings.
"Disputes? Bitch went on an arson streak in Cabrini-Green a few years back and told the firefighters to take their sweet-ass time when the people in my neighborhood called 911. It should have been him who burned, not them."
At this point, Prince Jackson seems to realize. If you didn't know any better, you'd say that the Prince was self-conscious at his outburst in front of a lowly fledgling Sewer Rat. "My apologies, Delacruz."
"No offense taken, sir. I appreciate your candidness." You go so far as to give the Prince a short bow. "If you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to your business. Good night, sir."
You have earned one XP for learning why Prince Jackson hates Walter Nash.
It doesn't take long for you to find your clanmate, Gabriella, at one of the cybercafes off Lincoln Park. Though the two of you have never officially introduced yourselves, you know a few things about her. For one, she's one of the Sheriff's Hounds, tasked with monitoring the interwebs for Masquerade breaches. When not handling cybersecurity for Chicago's Kindred, she plays video games for a live online audience on Twitch.
However, there's no chat to distract Gabriella's eyes from the battle royale game she's currently playing. Given the intensity of the game face underneath Gabriella's oversized hoodie, it's a wonder the monitor hasn't exploded into a shower of sparks. Finally, a smirking Gabriella takes down her last opponent with a well-placed shot to the head.
At this point, Gabriella finally seems to take notice of your presence, and she removes the lime green gaming headset. "Hey there - Artie, right? I thought I could squeeze in a quick Bloodhunt match before we talked. Sorry if I kept you waiting."
"Oh, it's no problem at all. You racked up quite the kill-death ratio in that last game." You sit down in the gaming chair next to Gabriella at her gesture. At this angle, you have a pretty good view of her face.
The right side of Gabriella's face is flawless, with braided red hair draped down over her shoulder. However, it's the twisted scar tissue on the left side that catches your attention. It's like looking into a funhouse mirror that changes the gender of its onlookers. Judging by the smile on Gabriella's face, it's clear she's delighted by the similarities in your shared curse of Clan Nosferatu. "What do you need from me?"
"I'm helping Walter Nash track down some hunters, and I need to find them fast. I figure my best chance of finding them would be to look online. Will you help me?"
"Sure, but my time is valuable, you know?"
You nod. "I do. I'm good for the money, I swear."
"Oh, I know. But how about we make payment more interesting, eh?" Gabriella gestures toward the desktop gaming PCs lined up before the two of you meaningfully. "Play a round of Bloodhunt with me. If you get more kills than me, I'll help you for free."
"And if I lose?"
"Then I'll still help, but you'll owe me a small favor. What do you say? Shall we play a game?"
You take a moment to consider your options. Paying Gabriella would be the most straightforward course of action. While you sometimes still have trouble believing that you're rich now, you know that your bank account will eventually recover from whatever price Gabriella demands of you.
However, the idea of potentially getting Gabriella to work for free sorely tempts the cheapskate in you. While you aren't exactly a starving artist anymore (at least in the usual sense), old habits die hard. Even if you lose, playing video games with Gabriella could be a fun way of getting to know your fellow Sewer Rat.
[] [Gabriella] "You're on." I'll indulge Gabriella and try to beat her at her own game.
-[] I'll make a Rouse check to add two dice to my roll.
-[] I'll spend a point of Willpower to reroll up to three regular dice. Wits + Technology (Difficulty: 5)
[] [Gabriella] "No, thanks." I can't afford this distraction, but I can afford to pay Gabriella a dot of Resources for her help.
Honestly, the idea of playing Bloodhunt of all games has me giddy. I wanna see that even expecting to lose.
@Rogue Attican could we use Insight instead of Technology? Rather than fighting anonymous players, we go for Gabriella first, using Insight to figure out her playstyle and bait her into unwise tactics.
Could we use Insight instead of Technology? Rather than fighting anonymous players, we go for Gabriella first, using Insight to figure out her playstyle and bait her into unwise tactics.
[X] [Gabriella] "You're on." I'll indulge Gabriella and try to beat her at her own game.
I have a proposal, when playing against an expert a noob will never be able to beat them with the Meta strategy. Because the expert knows it better and has been playing at it longer. However it's been shown that simply bump-rushing or button-mashing can defeat experts because they'll have no idea what your doing.
"The best swordsman does not fear the second best, he fears the worst since there's no telling what that idiot is going to do"
So can Artie just play 'Leeroy Jenkins' and rely on his superior spatial awareness to get as many kills as he can before he's killed and re-spawns. Like Wits+Awareness.
Note: Spacial awareness, as in recognizing an enemy on the screen as he runs past and reacting with appropriate speed. This might be more Dex than Wits, though.
So can Artie just play 'Leeroy Jenkins' and rely on his superior spatial awareness to get as many kills as he can before he's killed and respawns? Like Wits + Awareness.
Bloodhunt is a battle royale first-person shooter, so Artie will only have one shot to rack up more kills than Gabriella. I will allow changing the Attribute from Wits to Dexterity to represent their twitch reflexes, but no substituting Technology for Awareness. Relying on game sense relies less on being able to differentiate between pixels quickly and more on a knowledge of the map that Artie lacks, especially compared to Gabriella.
Bloodhunt is a battle royale first-person shooter, so Artie will only have one shot to rack up more kills than Gabriella. I will allow changing the Attribute from Wits to Dexterity to represent their twitch reflexes, but no substituting Technology for Awareness. Relying on game sense relies less on being able to differentiate between pixels quickly and more on a knowledge of the map that Artie lacks, especially compared to Gabriella.
Okay I think I understand now. I haven't played this game before but see the gist of the gameplay. I wasn't sure which attribute + skill my idea fell into. Dex+Tech makes sense and I think this will be a cool activity.
At this point, I will roll to see if Artie can beat Gabriella's kill count in Bloodhunt. This roll of the dice will utilize Artie's Dexterity of 4 instead of their three dots of Wits.
We have two successes on the Hunger dice.
Aw, only one success on the regular dice. Artie does well for a relatively new player, but they ultimately fail to outdo Gabbie.
If Artie winds up playing a Fantasy TTRPG, what class do you think he'd be?
A Beast Master Ranger would be my first guess, my second would a College of Creation Bard.
Aside from Ranger, I could see Artie playing other Dexterity-focused classes like Rogue and Monk. They've probably played a few one-shots with Nick acting as the Dungeon Master.
Aside from Ranger, I could see Artie playing other Dexterity-focused classes like Rogue and Monk. They've probably played a few one-shots with Nick acting as the Dungeon Master.
Awesome, might have to look into Brawl again. If Artie liked playing monks I could see getting into the fighting style once realizing real life isn't very different from D&D.
Speaking of which I'm currently playing my first Monk character in a D&D campaign. My experience can be summed up with two quotes; "I have the power of God & Anime on my side!" and "Watch 1v1 the boss with 1 Hp."
[] [Gabriella] "You're on." I'll indulge Gabriella and try to beat her at her own game. Dexterity + Technology (Difficulty: 5)
"Alright, then. You're on."
Gabriella's half-burnt face breaks into a wide smile as she motions for you to sit in the gaming chair next to her. It doesn't take you too long to create an account with the Swedish game studio behind Bloodhunt. While this is your first time playing Bloodhunt, you've spent a fair amount of time in the barracks playing first-person shooters like Call of Duty. That experience serves you well in your first match.
Almost as soon as your in-game avatar picks up his first weapon, a team of three other players enters your line of sight. That was a big mistake on their part. You hold the right mouse button down to aim down the iron sights of your bolt-action rifle and pull the trigger with the left mouse button. One down, none to go - Gabriella has already defeated the other two players.
That first encounter sets the tone for the rest of the match. You find a super rare assault rifle glowing purple in an alleyway, only for Gabriella to announce that she's found a legendary sniper rifle by popping open a dumpster. You score one kill, and she kills two. By the time the gameplay area has shrunk to its minimum size for the last showdown, you've accepted that you'll have to owe her one.
Debt to Gabriella Rudge (Debt 1)
In exchange for her help tracking down the hunters blackmailing you and Walter Nash, you owe your clanmate Gabriella a minor boon.
"GG!" Gabriella crows, pumping a fist into the air as your monitors triumphantly announce your team's victory. "Looks like you owe me one for carrying you."
"Seems like it," you reply as you remove the gaming headset from your ears. "That was fun, though."
Fortunately, Gabriella is a gracious victor. After you give her the threatening messages the hunters sent to Valerie and Nick, she quickly gets to work on getting the information you've requested. As she works, she strikes up a conversation with you - a talk that perhaps inevitably leads to discussions of Kindred affairs.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's with you and Horatio Ballard? You're the only lick in town who seems to like the guy for more than the green in his pockets."
"Oh, Ballard? He was the first Kindred I ever met. He found me feeding near the Blue Velvet when I was just a fledgling abandoned by her sire."
"Really? I'm surprised he didn't just destroy you on the spot and curry some favor with Bronwyn that way."
"Yeah, I got lucky. I told Ballard that I was good with code and cybersecurity, so he had me work for him for about a year before introducing me to the rest of the court. Even gave me an apartment downtown."
"I see," you reply. Real estate in that part of town doesn't come cheap, and Gabriella's gratitude is readily apparent.
"If you want, I can put you in touch with him and see if he's got work for you to do. Believe me when I say that he's still got money to burn, even if he hasn't got as much as he did before."
"I'll think about it. Aside from Ballard, I'm curious about your career as a streamer."
At this, Gabriella looks up from her laptop screen, her one eyebrow raised. "Really? You're famous enough with Annabelle's support in the art gallery scene, aren't you?"
"True, but I'm thinking about returning to my roots as a digital artist doing commissions online. I've even considered becoming a vampire-themed VTuber - RT Aswang."
Gabriella nods. "So you plan on preserving the Masquerade by…pretending to be a vampire? That might work."
"Or it could give Prince Jackson a reason to sic you and your fellow Hounds on my undead ass," you acknowledge. "It's all just theoretical at this point. I have other things to worry about at the moment."
Gabriella nods as her gaze returns to her computer screen. "Well, if you have other questions about streaming or Kindred stuff, ask away."
[] [Gabriella] Write-in.
-
In the end, it only takes Gabriella an hour to get you a full page of information about the hunter blackmailing you. "Paul Sterry, CEO of a data mining company called NeverLost. Likes to use 'Redwood' as an online handle. He has a wife named Alison, a son named Paul Jr., and a daughter named Michelle. Michelle died in the hospital not too long ago."
So this is the father of the girl who Nash killed. You stare at the professional photo that dominates the front page of his official website. Paul Sterry has short black hair waxed into a fixed combover and thick glasses that make his eyes look like tiny pinpricks. Standing out from the blue suit is a pendant around Sterry's neck. Hanging from the cord is the Eye of Providence, popularly associated with the Illuminati. Is he a conspiracy theory buff? Or something more dangerous? You never know in this world of shadows you now call home. "Is that all you could find?"
"All I could find was his address in Arlington Heights. Other than that, he's got no social media presence and no contact information available online."
"What about his wife and son?"
"Them too. If I had to guess, the Sterry family went off the grid after Michelle died."
So this is the man you're up against - a father looking to get revenge for his deceased daughter. Nash drank too deep from a teenage victim, and now Papa Wolf is out to expose you two for what you are. What are your feelings on the situation?
[] [Redwood] Paul Sterry has good reason to hate Kindred. I can't say I fault him for his actions.
[] [Redwood] I'm tempted to put a stake through Nash's heart and hand him over to Redwood for what he did to Michelle.
[] [Redwood] Grieving father or not, Paul Sterry must be stopped. He's too dangerous to be left unchecked.
[] [Redwood] Maintaining the Masquerade takes precedence over any one human, even a child.
[] [Redwood] My opinion differs from the options presented here (Write-in).
[X] [Gabriella]
-[X] Why is the Book of Nod illegal?
-[X] Why don't Caitiffs and Thinbloods have representation on the Primogen council? This is America after all, seems a natural fit
-[X] Speaking of, are the Lasombra gonna get rep?
-[X] Who are some Chicago Kindred I should steer clear of?
-[X] There any Kindred who were celebrities that faked their death? Elvis? Biggie?
[X] [Redwood] I'm tempted to put a stake through Nash's heart and hand him over to Redwood for what he did to Michelle.
Critias touches on this subject back in Gengis on Trial 5.05, but basically, the Book of Nod is technically illegal in the same way marijuana is banned under US federal law. You're not supposed to be smoking the reefer, but as long as you don't give the cops a reason to come snooping for bongs, your weed will be left alone in favor of tackling more pressing matters.
In V5, the Camarilla's previous irreligious stance has reversed to the point where some domains have the office of Noddist Bishop. From a Doylist out-of-universe perspective, this was done to refocus the political conflicts of Vampire: The Masquerade back on the Camarilla and Anarchs by dividing aspects of the Sabbat between the two sects.
However, in the continuity of this Quest, the Ivory Tower continues to deny that Noddism or any of the supposed prophecies contained in the Book have any veracity.
Aside from a few exceptions who've proven themselves useful to the elders, the Camarilla has barred membership to the Caitiff and Thin-bloods for as long as it's existed. Given the importance that the Camarilla places on Kindred bloodlines, allowing orphaned trash into the "elite club" would invite potential usurpers to overthrow the established structure. The Tremere and Giovanni got to where they were by diablerie, and no elder wants to become the next victim.
It's also important to consider Kevin Jackson's political position. While he may have decades on you, Prince Jackson remains one of the youngest Kindred to ever claim praxis over a major city like Chicago. To some of the more hidebound elements within the Ivory Tower, his relative youth is a mark against him. In other words, Prince Jackson suffers from the opposite of an "only Nixon could go to China" situation. If he wants to be taken seriously as a young Prince, he has to show his wholehearted devotion to the Camarilla, and that means keeping the Ivory Tower free of the so-called "Duskborn" and "Unbound."
Fortunately, the Anarchs are always looking for new blood, as is the Sabbat.
The Camarilla is admitting the Lasombra into the elite club on a city-by-city basis. Some Princes have stricter requirements for membership, while others are more accepting. All require that a potential newcomer sacrifice an older Magister before being allowed entry. However, the Lasombra are banking on the Ivory Tower realizing that killing off so many Magisters will be harmful to them in the long run, like how Stalin offered many of his best generals just in time for World War II.
In the case of Chicago, there aren't yet enough Lasombra in the city to act as a voting bloc worthy of consideration. However, with your help, that could change.
