Sunday 9 December 2012

[actual play] Vampire the Requiem - The Two Thrones

Episode 2 - Bloody Mary

 

Part 3

 

Galen sat in the dark, trying to focus his own senses and mind on the Mithraeum, to tap into the voice that spoke to him. He sat there in the dark, his mind open to the shadows, and yet he heard nothing. But a part of him nagged at his mind. Jealousy and envy. He wanted things, and part of him whispered his desires.


The next night Tristan awoke, again his dreams disturbed. But later the dreams would seem even more real. Dressed and ready to go out to his club, Tristan, and his ghoul, Carl, heard the screams of a woman. The screams came from with in the building, from the floor below of the apartment block. Tristan, with some hesitation, went out to see what was wrong. The apartments all opened out onto the atrium, and from here all floors could be seen. Two floors down a woman was screaming. She was screaming for her dead husband, and for her daughter.

Others were out of their apartments and also listening, and so with them, Tristan headed down to the woman. Some tried to console her, and others tried to ask what had happened. All Tristan could see was the large amounts of blood - not her blood - on her hands and clothes.

Tristan went inside, looking to find the daughter who should have been inside. It seemed the mother had been working late at the theater and so her husband and daughter were at home. Tristan could see that there was blood, red stains across the plastered walls and the door handle. Hardly fresh though.

Tristan crept into the apartment, noting the expensive furniture, the type of thing his parents liked. There on the floor was the dead husband, and as Tristan stepped forward there was the unsettling squelch of blood as it seeped up from the carpet. Blood had pooled all about the man. But there was something strange. He was face down before a large mirror, and the blood - it had some how flowed up to the mirror. The mirror it self was old, and the frame was ornate with pealing gold leaf. And it was cracked.

Tristan went forward and crouched down, and found that the man had lost his eyes. They were torn from the sockets and he was left with a grimace of pain. Tristan could hear the police sirens getting close. Someone had called the police. It was then that he also heard a frightened panting. From the bedroom door he could see crouched in the wardrobe, peering through the crack of the door, was the daughter. Tristan beckoned her to him in his most sympathetic voice, and lifted her up, taking her quickly from the apartment and the body of her father.


At the club, Tristan and Galen met and spoke to each other about what had happened and what they had learnt. Tristan explained how he would later go back and into the apartment once the police were done with the crime scene. Galen of course obtained the written invitations from Tristan, and was planning on going back with the gift for Nails. But Galen was also planning on going down to the Mithraeum again to see if he could determine the source of that voice.


In the darkness of the canals and tunnels Galen walked, trying not to fall in the water, dodging rats and trying to ensure he did not get lost. As he shone the torch around, he saw in walking towards him a figure, walking tall in a long overcoat and top hat. As the figure got closer Galen stood still. The Beast in him did not stir, but he was scared of this strange being. Galen stood still, and simply said 'Good Evening'. The figure did not reply, except to tilt his hat in respect. As they walked past, Galen for a moment though he could see the true form of the being. That the hat was long ears, the face was fanged and with a bat like snout, and the the coat was in fact wings through which his torch shone.

Galen's first stop was with Nails, back in the Undercity gathering spot. The chamber was not empty, and again there were fires lit, laughter, whispers and the exchange of goods. Nails was unfortunately not present, but some of the others did say that he would be along in short time.

Galen was approached by a bald, gaunt looking vampire, who introduced himself as Ralf. Ralf listened to Galen and confirmed for him the rumours of the blood sorcerer employed by Natalia Kerkfot. Ralf then went on to offer his aid in future and that he would see Galen around.

Galen finally got to see Nails and  gave him the invitation to Elysium for which Nails was greatful. Galen then left the gathering in the sewers and headed back to the Mithraeum in the hopes of communing with the entity he thought lurked there.


The club was strange that night, and Tristan felt constantly on edge. Always as if he was being watched. In the crowded club no-one ever noticed his blurred reflection, but he began to get the feeling that something was off with the mirrors. He then spotted it, the dead husband, his eyes missing, and somehow reaching for him in the mirror.

Tristan made a quick exit from the club and head back to his apartment haven, only to be haunted by the apparition future. Both he and his ghoul, Carl, saw the eyeless man reaching out for them, blood pouring forth from his empty eye sockets and mouth.

Tristan and Carl left the apartment and decided that until the haunting ceased then
they would stay  in a hotel. It was while they were leaving the apartment that they realized they were being followed. Choosing to confront the person, they were met by a small, lanky man. There was something strange about him. He called himself Mikey, and said he knew that they were being haunted, and knew what was killing people. But he would only help if they would promise his own safety until the killer was stopped. Mikey then reached out with his hand to shake on it. Tristan was wary of this stranger and had learnt the simply touching other vampires could cause trouble. Who knew what he was dealing with here. He told the man to leave them and that there was no deal, but Mikey, as he left, suggested they look at the bloodline.

Saturday 1 December 2012

Darker Days Radio Episode #40

Dave "Death and Arcana" Brookshaw

Mike and Chris are joined again by Dave Brookshaw, a writer for Mage's recent Left-Hand Path sourcebook. In the Secret Frequency, the hosts explore Fengdu, the Chinese City of the Dead, and also discuss the legend of a slumbering dragon beneath Beijing. Following that is a lengthy Q&A with Dave Brookshaw, looking at Requiem's Blood Sorcery, the God Machine Chronicles, and the upcoming NWoD game, Mummy: the Curse.

Don't worry, we have some CWoD discussion in this episode too! And get pumped for our upcoming NWO Conventionbook review.

Darker Days Contest Information:

Send us some feedback, questions, or Forgotten Lore material and you'll have a chance to win a White Wolf novel or anthology.

Be sure to check us out at http://www.facebook.com/DarkerDaysRadio or our Posterous forum at http://darkerdaysradio.posterous.com/#!/. Be sure to subscribe through iTunes!

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Dave Brookshaw on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaveBrookshaw

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: http://www.kenandrobintalkaboutstuff.com/

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