Category: Person

#Lore24 – Entry #276 – Sentinel City by Night #2 – A Princely Meeting

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“Meeting with Ivanna Sokolova went well…maybe too well.  Won’t call her outright a loon, but she’s definitely got a vision in mind, and she’s passionate about it.  Only time will tell if it’ll pan out, though.  What can I say?  I’m a cynic; comes with the territory. 

Never heard of Carthage outside of a passing mention in my world history class, and certainly nothing of the Prometheans.  Well before my time.  Literal ancient history.  Definitely sounds like a pipe dream, but the way Sokolova spoke of it…maybe it could happen again.  I mean, how many Blue Bloods would so vehemently champion an idea that was so closely tied to the Brujah of all clans?  She’s even roped Grim Jacobs in as her sheriff somehow.  Haven’t seen him since San Diego, but if he’s putting in on this idea, that says a lot, right?  A name like “Grim Fucking Jacobs” has a lot of power behind it, after all.

Might be a dream, but one worth pursuing?  Without seeing this experiment in action over a good long time, I’d count on it staying a dream, probably one that turns into a nightmare, but who knows what the future might hold?  I’m no sorcerer, though I reckon they have a presence here, however distant they remain. 

As for me, I’m willing to play along, see if this might actually work, might even be able to help it along.  Willing to try, at least.  Basically survived the end of the world as it were, so how bad could this be?  Timing couldn’t have been better; Sokolova had a job ready and waiting for me.  Cynic in me says that was too damn convenient, but given what I’ve experienced, what’s another serial killer in a world like this?  I’m honestly surprised there aren’t more of them with the madness the humans spread amongst themselves through social media and their colleges.  Can’t recall it being that bad when I was still in school, but times change, way too quick for most of us.

Of course, nothing says this one’s human; could just as easily be a rogue Kindred who isn’t playing Sokolova’s game, maybe a lupine looking to stir up trouble, or one of the many other horrors lurking in the dark.  I’m expecting a lot of bad-faith Kindred, especially when more anarchs start showing up looking for their piece of the action, looking to test Sokolova’s resolve.  Wasn’t any mention of Sabbat tonight.  That’s odd.  Or is it?  They’re still lurking around out there, reckon they’ve still got the east coast locked down, even now.  Only a matter of time till they start trouble here, I’d bet money on it.  I was still fresh when they pulled that shit back in ’99, but even I heard plenty about it.

Anyway, got a meeting to get to, with a SCPD detective by the name of Walsh.  He’s the lead on this serial killer case, going to meet with him at the scene of the latest body dump; only found it a couple hours ago.  Killer’s still lingering on the corpse, so maybe I can get something from it if I’m lucky.  Won’t count on it, though.  These cases are never easy, especially not if a Kindred is involved.”

#Lore24 – Entry #275 – Sentinel City by Night #1 – A World of Darkness

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“I’ve arrived in Sentinel City later than intended; dawn will be here in less than an hour, and I’ve only just found a suitable place to bed down for the day.  Won’t go into the details of my delay here, they’re inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.  Suffice to say, nothing has been normal since the events of twenty years ago, not that my life has been anything resembling normalcy since all that mess went down in San Diego.  Still can’t parse all that went on back then, not fully.  Who even knows what happened for sure?  Haven’t found a proper elder to ask, assuming they’d even know.  Some still exist, certainly; I still exist after all, and I’m fairly low as far as Kindred rankings go.  I was barely three years into my Embrace when it all started tumbling down, yet here I am, twenty years later, still kicking, still pushing forward.  To what?  Not even I know, honestly.

Anyway, will have to find a proper haven tomorrow night, somewhere more secure, a place I can set up my business.  Comes after the meeting with the Prince, though, lady named Sokolova, Ventrue I reckon.  Imagine that.  Grapevine says she’s different from most of the Blue Bloods, though, real visionary type.  You’d have to be if the rumors I’ve heard of the Sentinel City Kindred community are true.  Well, maybe not a visionary, maybe a madwoman.  Hard to tell the difference sometimes.  Reckon they don’t even have a full Primogen council formed yet, only recently even got a sheriff on board. 

Personally, speaking from my very limited experience, the Camarilla experiment was a failure in the end, so don’t know why they’re going back to the concept here, even if they’re doing something different with it.  I’m no historian though, was barely started into college when I left the world of humanity behind, so who am I to speak on such things?  The name has bad memories attached to it, plenty of failures.  Still, I’ll listen to what the Prince has to say, see if I can figure out if she’s legit or not.  Might be as nutty as your average Malk for all I know, or she might just be onto something.  Won’t lie…having some kind of a proper community again wouldn’t be unappreciated.  Gets real lonely out there when you’re on your own.  Who knows?  After the world got shook up twenty years ago, just maybe this idea they’ve got going here is just crazy enough to work.”

#Lore24 – Entry #273 – Fantasy Month III #30 – The Path of Truth

As Told by Larissa no Synstralia de’Cordova, Confessor of Yurisaya

“I spent some time in personal contemplation of this particular case after my last interview, before I compiled my notes regarding the whole affair.  I won’t deny that previous meditations on the matter had given me some insights into the nature of the conspiracy which these women have become a part of, and that those insights were leading me to the exact things which were suggested by Eri and Hatae.  The Dark Lady is urging me to join them, to root out those who would seek to do harm to her faithful and perhaps even the Church itself.  There is undoubtedly a greater threat in the shadows, and the only way to combat those of the dark is to take that darkness away with a greater light.

I have been contemplating the makeup of this party, and though there are undoubtedly some in the city council who would disagree vehemently with my decision, I have placed my faith above my duties to the city, and will be accepting the invitation to join forces with them, so that the greater conspiracy may be revealed.  As it stands, we will have three faithful to Yurisaya, or close enough in the case of the mercenary, one who remains more or less neutral in her reverence to nature, and two faithful to Erisaya, or close enough regarding the bard.  I am not too proud to admit that I am quite curious as to her true nature; another mystery which I must uncover.

So, with that in mind, I do indeed know of an arcanist whom I think will be rather fitting for the party.  Though his talents are of the arcane, he was trained in the enchanter’s school here in Arcavarlon and is a devoted to Erisaya.  I have worked with Tsukasa Matsubara before on several investigations relating to city affairs, and he has proved quite capable of capturing our targets alive.  We make a good pair, he capturing them through enchantment or magical bonds, and I handling the interrogations once they have been further secured.  His personality should be a good addition to the group dynamic, I think, bringing us into something of a harmonious balance. 

Or at least, I can hope; I have no doubts there will be a period of adjustment to our presence, and no small amount of disagreements, but such is the nature of adventuring parties, as I understand them.  Even though our faiths are aligned and set upon a common goal, we are our own people, after all, and our personalities will undoubtedly clash.  I find myself growing unusually excited by the prospect of another adventure after the last few years working at the behest of the city, whatever challenges we may face.  I daresay we will stand a greater than average chance of seeing this through, for our faith is strong, and I can sense the resolve of both Eri and Hatae in this matter.  I know not where our path will take us, but I am certain that we will get to the truth of the matter, however long it takes, and however many enemies we must face. 

In the names of Yurisaya and Erisaya, we will root out the conspirators and see them brought to justice, and I will oversee their divine punishments with a most zealous vigor.  Thus, I am resolved.”

 

SPECIAL NOTE:  The Path of Corrections

So, along about the middle of June, I got my entry numbers out of whack, classic off by 1 error (on the Wrathful Spirits entry as it turns out…Wrathful Spirits of organization, perhaps…).  Soooo…instead of going back and correcting months worth of entries through the WordPress interface, which would be tediously time consuming since I’d have to edit not just the page title, but the title in the text area too, I’m making a note here that I’m not short an entry, the numbers are just off.  SO, starting on October 1st, the CORRECT entry number is 275 for the start of the next month.  You didn’t miss one, I did!  Maybe one of these days I’ll correct it, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. 

#Lore24 – Entry #266 – Fantasy Month III #23 – A Most Noble Patron

As Told by Teelsa “the Fleetfooted” Dawndancer

“Ah, yes, of course, I will most happily oblige of course, good Lady Confessor!  For you have been a most gracious host you see, and it wouldn’t be quite proper to deny you a tale so grand!  Why, once we departed the magnificent temple district…oh, and might I say, the temple of Erisaya was most inspiring, such fine construction!  Perhaps one day I shall work up the courage to visit the temple of your goddess, but I must say, I find her ways a bit too forceful for my liking! 

Where was I?  Ah, yes, our most noble patron with whom we were to shortly be introduced!  It is no secret, surely, that we met with the most honorable Lochlan Albrecht; even I had heard of his trade business in this region, and his investments in the arts of Arcavarlon.  I must say, it came as no surprise that the Lady Jade was associated with the good fellow given her reach.  And he was quite generous with the meal which he offered to us as well; I had not enjoyed such a fine spread in quite some time.  Though I adore traveling to new places, I really don’t care for the traveling, you know?  I’d much rather enjoy the comforts of the city and not the dirt and the grime and the weather.

Oh, yes, quite right, I do seem to be going off on a tangent, don’t I?  Well, anyway, as I was saying, following our most wonderful meal, we got down to business.  It seems that the Albrecht company had been beset by some unfortunate setbacks, not only from the bandits that have taken up in the regions outside of Arcavarlon, but within its gates, too, for several long-time customers had been driven away to other transporters and many shipments had gone missing before they even reached his warehouses!  To my keen mind, that sounds very much like something nefarious is afoot!  He had his suspicions, some little proof, though, so he needed some talented individuals to look into the matter with utmost discretion, some who were not of the city so that he could be sure of where our loyalties may or may not have lain.

Ah, the intrigue!  This is why I so enjoy the big cities!  One can find inspiration for song and tale wherever one looks!  I have already began composing a new song in fact, though it is in a far rougher state than that of my previous song, but nonetheless, I shall regale you-

Some people just don’t appreciate fine art… Very well, I shall endeavor to keep to the topic without the benefit of my verses, though it shall be a most unflattering telling.  What is it with the chill in the air?  Are you certain there are no arcanists working nearby?”

#Lore24 – Entry #265 – Fantasy Month III #22 – Visiting the Temple of Yurisaya

As Told by Hatae Ulla, Exotic Entertainer, Dedicated of Yurisaya

“Oh, it was wonderful!  I’d always heard about the grand temple, had wanted to visit it for so long!  I’m so happy that I’ve finally gotten to do so!  I have to admit, I’m a little envious of you, Confessor, since you can go there whenever you like and all.  But yes, it’s something of a dream come true for me!  I wasn’t prepared for just how big it really is, nor how strongly the Dark Lady’s presence could be felt there.  Even though I’m not a priestess, I could feel her power within its halls, almost like she was caressing me!  It was almost as if I could touch her power if I but prayed a little harder…

But you know that, I’m sure!  My only disappointment was that I couldn’t spare the time then to partake in some of the rituals with the clergy, though I did take time to speak to several of them while I was there!  I was actually surprised to see that there were so many dark elves amongst their ranks here, and to learn that there was some mistrust of the church here because of that.  Personally, I feel that any of us who can willingly denounce the ways of the Mantis Queen in favor of Yurisaya will be better off for it!  I didn’t feel any of the pressure there amongst my kind like I did back home, none of the paranoia or mistrust!  It was wonderful!

If it weren’t for the business we had to deal with, I would’ve spent the night there at least, maybe a couple days, if I’m being honest.  Of course, I wouldn’t want to leave Eri and the others high and dry, of course.  There will be time enough later for that, I think, and maybe Eri and I can spend some time together in either temple once we settle matters with the Twin Twats and the dark elves.

Speaking of the dark elves…some of the clergy did clue me in on who may be responsible for hunting me.  They still keep in contact with their family back home, and to absolutely nobody’s surprise, there’s a new power struggle amongst the topmost houses, and mine is in the thick of it.  So, it seems, I’m to be a bargaining chip for someone, or insurance for my family in case my mother or sisters finally get brought down by that madness.  If they could only find their way to Yurisaya…”

#Lore24 – Entry #264 – Fantasy Month III #21 – Visiting the Temple of Erisaya

As Told by Erilantielle “Eri” Kitami, Champion of Erisaya

“Of course we wasted no time in visiting the temples since we had to wait before we met with Lady Jade’s associate.  Neither Hatae nor myself have been to Arcavarlon before, and we’ve wanted to visit their grand temples for quite some time now.  There’s no official doctrine or anything that says one of the faithful has to make a pilgrimage, but that’s kind of what it felt like in a way.  It probably wasn’t the best idea for us to split up, but we felt little danger in the temple district, could feel the reassurance from our goddesses as we neared that all would be well.  Teelsa came with me, Siduri went with Hatae, and Kazumi went wherever she pleased.  I lost sight of her when she changed into a cat, but she’d assured us we’d know if she spotted any of our hunters nearing.

I’m certain the Ladies wanted us to see them too; I’ve never felt closer to Erisaya than I did when I entered her temple here, much more intensely than any other I’d visited before.  It was…almost like coming home, I guess you could say, especially with how I was greeted by several of the priests and priestesses.  They knew I would be coming, and made me feel so welcome… It had been some time since I’d last spent time in prayer and given that I am one of the Rose’s Thorns, that seemed like an oversight I’d better correct.

You can relate, I’m sure.  The ways of Yurisaya are different, but not entirely unalike.  Confessors aren’t entirely unlike a Thorn; we both seek truth in our own ways, defend the faith and the faithful with our power, though our methods are quite different…  I can only imagine what it’s like to be able to visit the temples as often as you, living here and all.  I thought they’d be closer to one another, though.  Anyway…

Thank you for understanding; I appreciate that you’re not pressing me to know more of my time within the temple.  Nothing that went on there is relevant to what you’re wanting to know, I promise.

It was evening by the time we met back up and headed toward our meeting.  Sure enough, Kazumi found us on the way out of the temple district, just suddenly appeared walking alongside us, munching on some roast mutton.  I swear she can be as stealthy as Hatae when she wants to be.  She hadn’t spotted anyone she could recognize as having attacked us before, but admittedly she wasn’t accustomed to just how many people there were around the city, so she admitted she could have simply missed them in the crowd.  We remained vigilant but were unmolested on our way.  The real trouble wouldn’t start until the following day.”

#Lore24 – Entry #263 – Fantasy Month III #20 – Another Horrible City

As Told by Kazumi, Druid of the Circle of Claw and Fang

“This one doesn’t like cities, never has, and Arcavarlon is no different.  Too many people, too little reverence for nature, too much distraction… Even the air coming in from the Great Canoma Bay does little to ease this one’s nerves in a place like that.  It was all this one could do to make herself go within its walls…so little in the ways of trees around, only a few small parks, nothing for miles around!  Terrible!

This one did not care what the others had been tasked to do; she was there to hunt those responsible for harming her forest first and foremost.  She knows not the details of the deal, only that we were to aid one of the influential persons in Arcavarlon with some task that could only come from the corruption born of the cities.  Has this one mentioned she doesn’t like cities?  You are aware of how sensitive a kerryn’s sense of smell is, yes?  This one’s is much stronger than that, you see, and this one struggles to ignore everything she doesn’t need to in large places like Arcavarlon.  Think of it like when a sudden flash blinds you, of when your senses are vastly overwhelmed and overpowered.  Yes, this one could learn to deal with it, but that means spending time in cities, and that is something this one never wished to do.

Once we had settled in at one of the inns, word was sent to arrange to meet the person in question, but that wouldn’t be until later.  This one had time to explore, try to make some sense of the chaos that is Arcavarlon.  She would spend much time in the shape of a regular cat, listening, watching, learning paths and routes through the mess, finding the pockets of nature she could in the parks, pondering why nature hadn’t reclaimed the abominable city by scouring it from the land through great storms or ice from the northern reaches of the sea.  This one saw many things while she watched, some good, some bad, many people just trying to survive.  This one may speak of dire matters and affronts to nature, but not all are capable of surviving as this one does amongst the druids.  There have been many debates in this one’s time about such matters in the circles, but this one wishes not to bring them up now.

This one would watch and wait while the others visited the temples to their gods in the time we had before we would meet with the one Lady Jade had sent us to assist.  This one reveres the spirits of the land above all, though this one admits to being curious of the nature of the lost kerryn mother goddess.  This one has had opportunity to speak with some of the nomadic kerryn clans that roam the land of their searching for the goddess, and until she came here, this one had no idea that such hopes still existed, for this one was raised to think that the kerryn were forsaken by the gods for past evils.  Nature is much simpler to understand than the gods.”

#Lore24 – Entry #262 – Fantasy Month III #19 – Cutting a Swath All the Way to Arcavarlon

As Told by Siduri Tamboura, Warrior for Hire

“You know, I’ve thought about what you said about Teelsa.  Does her keeping things from me bother me?  Yeah, no question about that.  I don’t like being jerked around and lied to, but she is a bard, and you can’t really trust them not to try something like that.  They’re almost as bad as thieves in that regard, only difference is you can usually hear them coming because they can’t shut their mouths, right?  Well, anyway, let her keep her secret a while longer; I’ll get it out of her eventually.  Sounds like she’s earned some time with my whip after this mess…

Well, after that dark elf ambush, we weren’t taking no shit from anyone on the way to Arcavarlon, I can tell you that.  You can thank us later for clearing up some of your bandit problem on the road between there and Greenspire, by the way.  Some coin would be fitting enough.  I’ll not hold my breath.  We must have killed nearly two dozen of them, kept thinking a bunch of women were easy pickings, I guess, but they weren’t prepared for us.  Would’ve taken time to clear out their dens, but we had more lucrative things on the menu. 

Cleared out one of them, though; got held up in Orzyn after it got raided and the ferry was burned, along with several other buildings in town.  Guess you’ve heard all about that situation already, though, you’re looking bored.  Guess you don’t really enjoy a good interrogation without a bit of torture, huh?  Not volunteering, just saying.  So yeah, that took us a few days, tracked them down, recovered what we could, brought in a mess of ears, that kind of thing, while we waited for the ferry to be rebuilt.  Doing a good deed, you know.

Anyway, we finally made it to Arcavarlon so we could get this business for Lady Jade settled, and that turned into another mess.  Guess that’s why I’m sitting here, huh?  Don’t know why, really.  I mean, it was legitimate business, a favor for a favor and all that.  Oh, that fire?  No, that wasn’t us, lady, and the fact that you’d try to pin that on us pisses me off!  Do I really need to spell it out?  It was the Twats again!”

#Lore24 – Entry #261 – Fantasy Month III #18 – An Illusive Deception

As Told by Teelsa “the Lively” Dawndancer

“It’s quite true, my fair Confessor, that I am something of an adept when it comes to the art of illusion, as any who have witnessed my performances can most easily verify!  For what is a spectacle that does not spark a sense of wonder, which lacks a grand flare to solidify it in the minds of those witnessing it, if not utterly and irredeemably forgettable?  Why, I have indeed used my talents with illusory magic to aid our escapes on several occasions as well, to draw attention away from us or make it appear that we have gone a different way, and for the most part, those knaves who pursue us have been fooled by them. 

Not so with the dark elves!  They have proven quite adept at peering beyond the illusory veil, and I daresay they’ve been granted an enchantment most magical to see through them, for in our brief encounter with them upon the road, my magic seemed quite ineffective.  Of course, that could have just been the fact I could barely speak or see for their foul poisonous mixture that they employed ruined my performance… But I ask you, good Confessor, what of the possibility?  Is it not possible?

I have given the matter which we had discussed previously some thought, and though I shall not reveal my true form to you just yet, I will admit that my usual appearance is drastically different than what you see before you now!  No, I shan’t reveal myself until the time is right, when my companions can witness it for themselves as well, for no doubt you’ve told them of my deception in an attempt to drive a wedge between us!  Only time will reveal the truth of the matter, I’m afraid, time and a most grand reveal!

Ah, it seems that chill has returned.  You um…aren’t going to try and torture the truth out of me by chance, are you?”

#Lore24 – Entry #260 – Fantasy Month III #17 – The Grand Game

As Told by Hatae Ulla, Exotic Entertainer, Dedicated of Yurisaya

“Being a Confessor, I suppose you’ve had plenty of experience navigating the ins and outs of high society.  Well, that kind of thing is on a whole other level when it comes to how it’s done in my homeland, we even call it the Grand Game.  Though the dark elves that managed to track us down and attacked us that night hid their house affiliations, I could still figure out some details about them that might be useful.  They’re from a very influential house, for one; their equipment was of the best quality, enchanted even, and they were highly trained for stealthy kinds of actions, the kind where you kidnap people and hold them for leverage.  Their use of that poison gas was a pretty clear indicator of that!

There were no women with them, at least not in that particular attack party, though the one in overall command would have to be female, probably a priestess, and in good standing with the Mantis Queen.  We were hidden from normal scrying at the time, so they still managed to find us somehow…that implies either stronger magic at work, possibly from the Mantis Queen herself, OR it means they’ve got a lot more resources at their disposal and have eyes everywhere, scouts spread throughout the whole region.  Could even mean both, really.  So, that narrows it down even further to only the highest-ranked houses, likely one of the Grand Convocation.  That could mean it’s either my family who is still upset that I’ve left, or one of their three main rivals, who wish to use me for leverage against them…or it could also be that one of the others has ideas for how they could use a rogue noble… Guess it’s good to be wanted so much?

That little attack also told us the two groups are likely not working together anymore.  I would have suspected some arcane assistance from those twins if they had been, but there was none of that, no signs of any mercenaries who were associated with them.  So…that meant we could potentially turn them against one another given the right situation, but it also meant that we couldn’t exactly predict when or if the other group would track us down.  It’s all the paranoia and plotting that really gets me about my homeland, you know?  I hate that my mind can still work like that after all these years, even though I’ve tried to forget all about it.  But they keep dragging me back in, I guess…

Well, we were on alert for any further attacks after that, and they knew it.  Even though we couldn’t spot them, I know they were following and watching; Kazumi knew it too, and she was getting pretty antsy about it the whole time.  Another thing about dark elves, and elves in general I suppose…we can be very patient.  They were waiting for a better opportunity to strike, one where they’d be assured success.  Eri’s a little on the brash side for an elf, though; I think that’s one of the things I really like about her!

No, no, I never got the impression that Siduri or Teelsa were working against us.  An illusion, you say?  Hmm, well, that’s unexpected, but I traveled with her a while before that night in the Bronze Unicorn, and I never got the impression that she was plotting anything.  Maybe she’s just not happy with her normal appearance?  No, I wouldn’t think she’s spying on us, I’d trust her with my life.  Siduri…well, I can’t say I know her that good, obviously, but I think she’s rather honest with her desires.  Although…she does have a very mercenary attitude at times, so if there was enough coin involved…maybe she would turn against us…”