A Hazy Shade of Winter - Fourth Floor

[ArcaneDesperado]

The bright cherry glow from the windows seemed to intensify even more, nearly to the point of flooding the room.  Despite the tension in the room, there seemed to be another far more sinister feeling of dread starting to creep over everyone present in the room. 

 

Those of the Malkavian blood felt something breaking? Something was wrong.  The Madness Network. Images flashed, nearly bringing every Malk to their knees as it bombarded their brain. Undead or not the torrent of information swirling nearly sent him down to the floor.  One image seemed to rise to the top. Most had  never see the face before, but knew who it was. Vitae howling in agony.  The face of Malkav.  The face swirling in torment, twisting and turning in on itself.   Malkav's face contorted again and swirled, before finally forming into a solid black orb. 

 

Brujah, Absimilard, Lasombra, Haqim, Ennoia, Venture, all alike in a similar manner, found themselves slammed with screaming voices. Swirling images. And the face they all recognized somehow as their clan's antediluvian.   The only one that seemingly stood confused and unaffected was Lady Egerton and Solomon Wolfe.  Their Kindred bloodlines having been corrupted creations of vampiric blood and sorcery.   

 

 The sound of earth cracking rolled through the air.  The ground seemed to tremble, through it didnt move.  Then the black orb shattered. 

 

Everyone would find themselves blacked out, except the Nagaraja and single Tremere on the fourth floor, left alone staring at each other and the unconscious bodies. 

Edited September 23, 2022 by ArcaneDesperado (see edit history)

[Nordal]

The feint red light was piercing through the windows, and Cainite were having arguments all around her. All of a sudden, her beloved to whom she was holding arm for support, along with everyone in sight, fell on the floor making her loose her glass of red wine. The sound of broken shards echoes in the now empty room; blood splatters on the floor and her dress.

 

Bewildered, she glances around the room and she finally notices another figure standing.

 

'Sigh' 

 

It was merrily time to make acquaintance. She nods at him in politeness. Then look around in desolation. At this point, the laws of Elysium are no longer relevant. If there is a threat, it must be uncovered. She activates Eyes of the dead and glances at the Prince (4 Suxx), hoping she could gain insight of what evil keeps them on the ground. 

Edited September 23, 2022 by Nordal (see edit history)

[Hannah Lane]

“Oh, hell.” Elizabeth's voice was shrill with confusion.

 

Things had spiraled out of control, were still spiraling. Stien causing an embarrassing scene, Belmont and Corbin, a Sabbat and a host of screeching voices rattling her skull. And all the while … all the while that reddish glow at the windows grew. Sparks of panic ignited in her brain. 

 

Something was very, very wrong.

 

The last thing she saw before her mind switched off was a woman in a old-fashioned dress.

Edited September 23, 2022 by Hannah Lane (see edit history)

[ArcaneDesperado]

Solomon Wolfe stood in surprise and confusion for a moment as he was the only one remaining besides the Nagaraja across the room from him.  Solomon's eyes looked over the rest of the fallen court members, the wheels in his head turning to the point it was probably almost audible. The look on his face a clear indicator that the idea of literally clearing the field of political rivals in one quick strike had not gone unchecked. The Flesh-Eater was there, and watching however. He had no relationship with her, so the idea of plausible deniability in a surprise bloodbath was an unknown.  

 

Lady Egerton however had focused her sights on Prince Belmont.  Opening up her Necromantic powers and breaching the veil of death to peer into the Brujah's future demise.  Her vision indicated that the Prince however was not meant to die tonight.  And not at the hands of the power-hungry Warlock.  A Kindred however would be his demise. A Clansman.  Though the exact Zealot in the matter was unclear.  Multiple outcomes layered over each other, indicating that factors still to playout could change the would-be Brujah kin-slayer.  It would be soon... before the winter's thaw. 

[UTasteSoSo]

Benji's mind was not often clear and certainly not calm but when the assault came it was something so utterly overwhelming that it dwarfed every voice, thought, or affliction within. He spun inwardly as the face came to the fore. He knew who it was without knowing. It was a face that etched itself in madness within his very vitae. It was the face of their progenitor. It was the antediluivan Malkav. So profound was the revelation that Benji reached toward it without reaching but was still so far away that he might as well be reaching for the moon in its silent orbit in the sky. When he failed to grasp him his world went black, there was an instant of silence and calm before the abyss took him. It was so peaceful and serene, then nothing. Benji smiled as he collapsed to the floor. Techno still drumming away in his head phones. 

[Thot]

By the time he had regained enough of his sense, Bistri's Childe was in someone else's hands, and John couldn't do a thing for her. He started tiptoeing in her general direction though when the Nosferatu, along with all the other Cainites around, got struck by a Sight like nothing he could have ever dreamed of before.

Absimiliard, the Founder of the Nosferatu, the First of their cursed brood ! Being able to see his actual face - because there was no doubt in any cell of his whole body, it was... momentous ! unique ! 

And it was also too much for John, who collapsed limply on the ground, a puppet whose strings got all severed at once.

[Nordal]

"Perhaps, the Prince would meet final death in the foreseeable future, by a clanmate nonetheless. Such information should find its way to the Prince... When required" 

 

Oblivious of what could have happened to the Kindreds, they seems to be in some kind of torpor state, should she hasn't break her glass, she could have tried to feed and wake up Carlo, alas.

 

She looks at the other man still standing. 

 

"I suppose you have no clue either about their conditions. What madness has taken them down? I wonder why only the two of us are still standing... Perhaps, they are lacking determination."

 

She does not understand. They are not dead, but presumably, they wouldn't wake up so easily. And what is the man thinking? He is certainly not after the Prince, but seeking more power? 

 

The Nagaraja isn't nervous, but would be ready to use her blood and boost her aptitudes should a danger present itself. 

[ArcaneDesperado]

Something seems off... Not sure what exactly.

  

Solomon's eyes had seemed to glazed over with a shade of reddish hue for a moment as she scanned the downed Kindred in a manner similar to her own Necromancy powers. Likely a form of the Warlock's Thaumaturgy. 

 

Their blood... all of them. The auras' are in flux.  I would need time to study them further to better understand what the possible cause might be.  A theory based on what little information there is, in this short period would be some sort of attack on "the blood" in general. 

 

Before he could voice any further ideas on the situation those on the floor would stay to stir and awaken once again. 

[Khakhan]

Lou was up the stairs following after his Sire and Corbin when a face filled his vision. Androgynous, gender indeterminate, he still knew it was the progenitor of his clan. The oldest Brujah. Blood sang in his ears as the realization stole over him. 

 

He managed to stumble a few feet more, making it to the doorway of the fourth floor before his vision went black and he sagged against the doorframe and collapsed across the floor.

[UTasteSoSo]

Benji awoke to the throbbing bass in his head set as another ACID TRANCE track dropped. You would think that would be a thing that might jar someone as they regained consciousness but it was nothing compared to the fractal voices, screaming within his head, threatening to shatter his mind! Malkav's face exploded with shrieking laughter in his brain. 

 

He stood and tried to shake away the static before he noticed that he was not the only one that suffered that fate. He looked for Jack first and then Mary. Neither were in eye sight. 

 

"What the F*ck just happened?"

[TheRealSife]

Carlo Luciano

---

Carlo can't see. He can't hear or smell. He feels no sensation at all, save a vague sense of dread. He is floating in an endless void naked not just of his clothes but his skin and bones too. He is nothing more than a pale shadow enveloped by a much deeper darkness.

 

"You're dead," He tries to tell the deeper darkness, "We killed you."

 

The deeper darkness does not reply.

 

Time seems to stretch endlessly and Carlo wonders if this is what it feels like to be digested. His consciousness drifts off as if to sleep and like a vivid dream the world gradually returns to him.

 

His first coherent thought is that these Camarilla bastards finally decided to take their shot at him, but as he sees most of the others are similarly picking themselves up off the ground its apparent that that isn't the case. The only two who were unaffected seem to be Solomon the Tremere and the maybe-elder who he'd met just tonight. Was she a Tremere as well? Had they worked some kind of ritual together to knock them all out?

 

"F*cking Warlocks," he growls.

 

Darkness explodes out of him as he activates his Shroud of Night, aiming to fill the room completely and snuff out all light. The darkness briefly reminds of the vision he experienced just moments before and he shudders involuntarily.

 

'If that was truly the founder... surely not even the Tremere could conjure that old monster up?,' he thinks, doubting his initial theory.

 

Not that it matters, really. Elysium was just attacked, and whatever protections the prince had setup for this place did f*ck all to stop it. It was time to leave.

 

Uncaring of any disturbance his darkness causes, Carlo stands up, dusts himself off, and walks down the stairs. The darkness in the room gradually recedes as it follows him.

 

 

 

 

[Hannah Lane]

Aided by the fancy leather armchair against which she had collapsed, Elizabeth climbed back onto her wobbly heels. The situation was more than a little bit surreal. All around her Kindred were picking themselves up, some crawling up jerkily, some managing with as much grace as the situation allowed, but all of them shocked.

 

Her head hurt. Not the usual hurting coming from the chorus of soul pieces crowding her mind. No. They were nowhere it seemed, shocked into silence as well. She had her mind completely to herself for the moment. No, it was from the being that had flashed through her consciousness just now. With the rock-solid certainty of dreams, she knew who it was even though she’d never seen so much as a picture of it. A great being, ancient, powerful, monstrous and terrifying beyond belief.

 

“What just happened?” she asked, a no-doubt rhetorical question aimed at some Nosferatu standing close to her.

 

Wait a second. Elizabeth looked left and right, to the bar and then to the door, searching for spider legs, and searching for Cate.

 

“Where is that Sabbat?” The Malkavian hurried towards the bar where Cate had put the spider-thing in a headlock. “Cate!”

Edited September 27, 2022 by Hannah Lane (see edit history)

[Valsai]

One moment Cate was staring down the bodyless head, letting her know she was completely done with her BS, and the next weird visions exploding through her mind. None of it made sense -- even less so that the feminine figure she caught glimpses of she innately knew was the founder of her clan -- and even in the dull pit her emotions usually resided in she couldn't help but feel a rising sense of fear and panic at seeing that face. She knew little about the antediluvians, but what she did know was more than enough to freeze the blood in her veins and pray that that wasn't her bloodline's progenitor.   A voice calling out her name brought Cate out of her stupor, slowly coming back to consciousness. "I'm up, I'm up," she called back, not quite registering yet who called out. She shook her head to clear the lingering fog of the weird vision before jerking her head up in search of Bistri's scion that she had just been speaking to, and hoping that her grip hadn't failed during that ordeal and the head managed to get away.

[ArcaneDesperado]

The various members of Baltimore's Court were beginning to stir again.  Corbin was the first to get back to his feet.  He looked around seemingly confused. In a blur of speed he shot off like a rocket, nearly throwing Solomon across the room as he rushed past. The nearby window exploded as the Brujah leapt out the window and went crashing to the alleyway below four stories.  Anyone that looked out the now broken glass would see him rise to his feet and run off again out of sight. 

 

Belmont, Jordan, Alandra, Robert, and Abigail were all attempting to get to their feet once more.   Samantha the Harpy, the Toreador Primogen, meanwhile started to thrash and convulse like someone experience a seizure. Blood started to gurgle from her mouth and bleed from her eyes and ears. 

 

"Arikel...."

 

Her voice was a mix of a whimpered cry and a scream of agony. Her back arched to the point where it sounded like bones were breaking. She bit down hard, her jaw nearly cracking teeth.  She convulsed again. A vomit spray of blood and vitae came forth from her mouth into the air.  She screamed again loudly and then her voice faded.  Her body seeming to mummify before everyone's eyes. 

 

Cate meanwhile on the other side of the bar saw the Tzimisce spider-head girl slowly start to come around herself.  The girl's eyes darted around as she seemingly tried to remember where she was, or what was going on.  Then the head screamed as well.  

 

Oh my god!  What is going on....  ??  Where ... Where is my body..   What ... the ... My god...  legs... What... Oh God... Jesus.. oh god oh god oh god.. ..

 

Her voice was trembling and scared. 

 

Who are you?!  Where... Where am I?  What is going on?  My body.. .am I a f'kin head?!  Am I dead? What the f'k  what the f'k?!

 

Her spider like legs flailed about like she had no idea how to control them, or if she even could. 

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by ArcaneDesperado (see edit history)

[Hannah Lane]

Elizabeth covered her face in a reflex even though the glass shards didn’t spray far enough to reach her. The Prince’s childe had just jumped out a four-story building. The sentence sounded ridiculous even while she was thinking it. The Prince’s childe has just jumped out of the window. Why, what was going on? Did he know what had just happened, why nearly every Kindred in the room had just dropped to the floor? Was he responsible, or did he know enough to leave here as quickly as possible? I should get out as well, she thought. Before the next bloody crisis hits. And considering the kind of evening this was turning into, that probably wouldn’t be long.

 

A quick glance at her phone. Nothing from Stone yet, no reply. Perhaps Baltimore’s Sheriff had also just collapsed like the rest of them. Someone needed to take charge here. Someone like the Prince, or Stone. Elizabeth was a nervous woman, always had been and she didn’t need a reason for it. She just was. Twirling her hair, playing with a necklace, checking her nails, fidgeting with whatever wasn't bolted down. Undeath had diminished it from an obnoxious tic to an occasional nuisance. But looking at a shrieking head on legs was enough to make anyone as anxious as a teenager on a first date.

 

“Hey!” Elizabeth shouted, hoping to attract the spider’s attention.(Dominate – Mesmerize) “Stay still and be quiet!”

 

At this moment, there was enough reason to be anxious. Reasons even. Plural. Her head was reeling with them as she joined the circle of Kindred quickly forming around what was left of Samantha Gonzalez. A first, selfish thought that popped up was why it couldn’t have been someone else who died, someone pointless. Someone other than the Toreador Primogen whom Elizabeth had been working to forge a close relationship with. After Alandra insulting the Prince and now Gonzalez’ final death, Elizabeth’s circle of potential allies was growing small. The clear, carefully-laid path towards Harpydom suddenly stretched a lot further.

 

Looking around those standing around, the Malkavian woman sought to make eye contact with any who might have the faintest idea of what was going on. The lady in the preposterous dress who somehow had remained standing. Solomon Wolfe who, as a Tremere, dabbled in all kinds of black practices. The Prince of Baltimore who just had his Elysium violated …

“Does this feel like the Sabbat’s doing … or is it something else?” She asked anyone who felt like giving an opinion.

Edited September 28, 2022 by Hannah Lane (see edit history)