Tag: Camarilla

#Lore24 – Entry #300 – Sentinel City by Night #26 – The Threat from the South

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“I’d been on the case for another couple of weeks when I finally caught a break; Sentinel City had its first big snowfall of the season as the year wound down.  In that time, I’d seen the rollout of the Vamp-Out drug in full, but so far there had been no further incidents like the first one.  Think maybe that was a case of an overdose, or a batch that was way too potent.  Still, what was the bigger play here?  Why spread this stuff around the city if it wasn’t going to spark up like it had that first time? 

I’d asked that very question to the Tremere, but so far hadn’t gotten a response.  The apprentice, Elizabeth Powell, had been made my official contact, but so far she and her clan had been of little value in my investigation.  Figure they needed to get out more, but who am I to try and convince the Warlocks of anything?  Even after all the shit that had happened over the last twenty years, you still couldn’t trust them.  Some things never change.

Anyway, I’d not sensed my Lasombra shadow for some time now.  Wondering if they thought I was dead, or if they thought I’d just gotten the warning to stay away.  I had been more careful in my stalking since my beatdown.  Think that’s what allowed me to finally get close to the old brewery tonight, see their operation up close.  Could smell the meth cooking from a block away.  Took plenty of pictures on the way.

Once I got inside, saw the two war ghouls acting like forklifts, spotted the other Johnson clan members directing the workers.  Finally spotted the mysterious Pillbilly, grabbed some photos of him, too.  Couldn’t tell he’d been modified, but my aura sight picked up some hints that he wasn’t entirely stock anymore.  He came in with a fervor, though.  Snapped everyone to attention.  Not sure what he told them, guess Cajun is another language I need to brush up on.

Didn’t have to wait too long to find out, though.  Heard a big V8 rumble up outside a few minutes later.  An old late 70s model Ford pickup pulled in once the garage door was opened up, had a big camper in the bed; no, not a camper, more like a modified refrigeration setup, patched together with extra sheets of metal.  First thought was that it was loaded with more gear or supplies for the drug operation, given how the back end squatted down.  That thought didn’t last long, though.  I was about to get my first look at some full-blooded Tzimisce.”

#Lore24 – Entry #299 – Sentinel City by Night #25 – A Growing Conspiracy

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“Blumenthal’s people came through on some IDs on the mysterious Johnson family, even if it took a little help from the FBI; reckon they’re big-time drug smugglers down south, known for their use of the Louisiana bayous in their distribution operations.  Five brothers, with some rather…thematic…names:  Harry, Richard, Willy, John Thomas, and Peter.  The “Pillbilly” remained anonymous, though the alias was a known element.  Which meant the FBI probably knew who it was but wasn’t saying.  Still, apparently, they’d gone quiet over the last few months, assumed to have been laying low, though now it seems they were shifting operations a few states north.

Not sure if they were part of the Tzimisce’s operations before now or not, though.  I’d only seen three of the brothers so far, and those two war ghouls that had torn me up looked awfully similar once you peeled back the layers of thickened bone and exoskeleton.  They had a Lasombra with them lurking in the shadows too, apparently with ghouls of their own if Ramos was to be believed. 

Then there was the eastern connection, the Kuei-jin and the triads or yakuza or whatever is running out of that district.  They seemed to have quite a bit of information on the Sabbat, and were working with them to some extent, though how far that would go, who could say?  Despite her appearance, my gut told me this Koike girl was dangerous, and whatever plans the Kuei-jin had for Sentinel City couldn’t be good.  They’d apparently kept to themselves for a good long while though, and I don’t think Sokolova is ready to try and push them out of town on my suspicions, especially with them having that massive underground operation going.

My corkboard was filled with names, photos, and a web of red string, and I couldn’t make it all make sense, not yet.  Too many question marks, too many unknowns, too many uncertainties, a big one being that “Sabbat leader” hinted at by the Kuei-jin.  Who was it?  One of the big names that had been involved in the taking of the east coast back in ’99?  Had they survived whatever it was that happened twenty years ago, or were they just as scattered and disorganized as the Camarilla had been after the reckoning?  Gehenna?  Whatever it was we were calling it; had we even come to a decision on that?  Had anyone even cared?

Only thing I could say for sure was that this stank of a Sabbat destabilization operation.  They usually tended toward as much violence as possible, just overwhelming brute force and surprise attacks.  Here though…maybe whoever it was in charge now was using a different kind of cunning, was being subtle, elusive, careful.  Didn’t seem in character for them, but maybe even the Sabbat could evolve.  The Camarilla had evolved, or whatever it was that Sokolova was calling her experiment, at least here in Sentinel City. 

I could only be sure of one thing with any certainty:  I was in for some very long nights as I worked on this puzzle.”

#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.”