Endless Storm
The world has been battered. Storms rage across both spirit worlds. As the red star looms in the sky like an eye watching in the darkness, monsters of legend took flight once again. Humans and vampires and stranger things still rioted in the streets. Maquerade and Litany alike were violated completely. This was it. The final days.
Sounds pretty badass, don't it? Well, I gotta tell ya, it sucked.
The end of the world. Apocalypse. Armageddon. Gehenna. End of All Things? Well, if it's coming, it's certainly taking the scenic route. We just call it the Cataclysm now. Scary as balls. But we're still here. Well, most of us are. Yeah, those first couple years after the event were terrifying. Brutal. But, y'know what, lookin' back on it... I kinda like the changes. Things are so much quieter. Y'see... now... everyone knows better. Yeah, we got our asses handed to us. Yeah, doesn't matter if yer vamp or wolf or whatever, everyone's hurtin'.
But that's just it. Hurtin' like this? Is the good kind. Like lancing an infected wound. It's gross and hurts like hell. But it's better in the long run.
I know, I know. That damn christmas light sittin' up there... ya see it just like everyone else. Scared ya, did it? Don't feel ashamed. Scared ev'rone. Third brightest light in the sky, next to the sun 'n moon. Wanna know a real creepy secret? It's everywhere at once. Don't matter where you're standing or when. Call up a buddy in Amsterdam an' another in Australia and another at the north pole. Hell, have someone take a boat out to the dead center of the ocean. Don't matter. All of ya can see that star all the time.
During the day? Yup. Clear as a bell. Or, at least, 'dats what I'm told.
There's a slang for newbies like you. The ones who aren't old enough to remember the time before. We old folks... which is funny, we use to think old was the ones who remembered the Roman Empire. Now, those of us who were around to see the colonization of the new world are. Go fig. Anyway, we call you 'Starbloods'.
All da other freaks out there have names as well. 'Cept the demons, suppose they don't have a reason to, since they all came after the star.
Yeah. Demons. They're real. Why would you think anything else? Now shut up and pay attention.
Anyway. You guys have it easy. All of us, we had a system. Not a good system. But it was ours. Completely screwed over the newbies, hard. Now. That system's gone. It's like the wild west out there. But with better guns and more comfortable shoes. No laws. No responsibilities.
It is glorious. Have fun, kids.
~ Raolf de Foish- Anarch, and eldest remaining Malkavian.
