Malkavian Grin Posted September 7, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 7, 2023 HealthNominal Bruised Hurt: -1 Injured: -1 Wounded: -2 Mauled: -2 Crippled: -5 Incapacitated Nominal Willpower ●●●●●● BloodCan spend 2/turn. ●●●●● PathPath of Humanity Hierarchy of Sins 10 Selfish thoughts 9 Minor selfish acts 8 Injury to another (accidental or otherwise) 7 Theft 6 Accidental violation (drinking a vessel dry out of starvation) 5 Intentional property damage 4 Impassioned violation (manslaughter, killing a vessel in frenzy) 3 Planned violation (outright murder, savored exsanguination) 2 Casual violation (thoughtless killing, feeding past satiation) 1 Utter perversion or heinous acts MeritsEat Food Sanctity Oracular Ability Inoffensive to Animals / FlawsShort Child Tic (stimming) Infamous Sire Prey Exclusion (children) Chloe took greater interest in the biker as realization sank into his face, but there was no time to follow up on it as the meeting was apparently beginning. Hopping off the stool, and taking a handful of peanuts with her that the bartender had finally found, Chloe and her mother walked over to the table with the meth-head. By no means stupid, Chloe understood the need for a fake identity all too well. Obviously this Elsa didn't have demanding pride or she'd have picked something less disgusting. The girl understood disgust as well, feeling a sense of pity for whomever might be behind the face of a junkie. The girl's mother reached out to take one of the cards, putting it into a small, plain brown purse. "So we are the puzzle pieces and the hand that scuttles through them. Or maybe, the peanut and it's shell," Chloe said in German. She popped a peanut into her mouth and slowly chewed on it, savoring the flavor before swallowing. "You think throwing enough people at the problem will ferret out the cause. But did you consider it might be making it worse?" she added, tilting her head to one side. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Spooky Posted September 7, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 7, 2023 (edited) Lily Lily is momentarily surprised when their host begins conducting the meeting out in the open, instead of some back room smelling of old cigarettes – she had always assumed that most family business was transacted in such locations. Then again, she supposes her family is not always representative of the way the rest of the Kindred do things, though it's been hard for her to stop thinking of them as the template – vampires classic, as it were – and the others as quirky divergences from the norm. For the first few years her unlife, she hadn't even realized other vampires even existed. To Kevin, she says, "We all share the same goals, I think, though some of us also have personal passions and studies we want to pursue in peace, now that we have an abundance of time to do it. But it might not be a bad idea to develop some means of arbitrating disputes without excessive violence and property damage, as well as responding quickly to an emergency, and sharing information amongst ourselves, and the sooner we have such plans in place, the better they will work. A stitch in time saves nine, as one of my aunts used to say." That the aunt was talking about zombie repair and maintenance rather than needlework was irrelevant to the discussion. She is very interested to hear the answer to David's question, and to Chloe's implied one. Edited September 7, 2023 by Sister Spooky (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moarhair Posted September 7, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 7, 2023 Emil Fischer Emil retracts his hand as the others join them. He listens to the lady's prepared speech and the questions and comments that follow. Chloe's words confirm his intuition about her clan. Who but the Clan of the Moon would embrace a child? He nods at Lily's wise words about getting organized. "I agree. At the very least, we should do a round of introductions and exchange contact information. I would also suggest we meet regularly to discuss relevant Domain matters and settle disagreements." Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gris Posted September 8, 2023 Author Clone Share Posted September 8, 2023 Methface Elsa faces David to answer his question first: "No one knows for sure exactly. The residents simply stopped reponding. The first team we sent in to investigate stopped responding. The second team was geolocalized and linked via an open channel. The connection was severed while they were in a storage facility that is no longer in use located near the tracks. We didn't even find ash, and we looked thoroughly. That was a night before the invitation went online. Hence the public meeting. We hope it's safe here." She thinks about Chloe's comment for a moment: "How could it get worse? Someone has the power to depopulate an entire city. Time will show what happens. Will they honor their word and spare you? What is going to happen in a few years when you have your 15th anniversary? My prince is a patient one. She has nothing to lose from this. As for me - I am 13 years past, so setting up here for less than two years makes little sense for me." ooc: If you want to see how honest Methface is, feel free to roll perception + empathy. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moarhair Posted September 8, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 8, 2023 Emil Fischer Emil listens to Elsa's answers with mild interest. When she finishes her spiel, he clears his throat. "I have a few follow-up questions. How did you look thoroughly for ash if you lost contact with both teams? Was a third team sent in? If so, could you elaborate on what kind of people you sent and what they found." "You said 'Will they honor their word?' So, the... people... behind these disappearances have been in contact. How did they get in touch, what exactly did they say, and how can you be sure that these are the right people?" Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Perception+Empathy 24 4d10 8,3,9,4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JubalBreakbottle Posted September 8, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 8, 2023 David Macleod David slightly nods at the additional questions and responses to acknowledge their importance. After answers to Emil's questions, the Scot asks in German, "can we get a list and details of the previous residents, so we can look for them to understand what's going on? I'm sure we all don't want to meet the same fate." Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malkavian Grin Posted September 9, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 9, 2023 HealthNominal Bruised Hurt: -1 Injured: -1 Wounded: -2 Mauled: -2 Crippled: -5 Incapacitated Nominal Willpower ●●●●●● BloodCan spend 2/turn. ●●●●● PathPath of Humanity Hierarchy of Sins 10 Selfish thoughts 9 Minor selfish acts 8 Injury to another (accidental or otherwise) 7 Theft 6 Accidental violation (drinking a vessel dry out of starvation) 5 Intentional property damage 4 Impassioned violation (manslaughter, killing a vessel in frenzy) 3 Planned violation (outright murder, savored exsanguination) 2 Casual violation (thoughtless killing, feeding past satiation) 1 Utter perversion or heinous acts MeritsEat Food Sanctity Oracular Ability Inoffensive to Animals / FlawsShort Child Tic (stimming) Infamous Sire Prey Exclusion (children) "You found nothing. You have only assumptions," Chloe said, pointedly but without emotion in her voice or on her face. She tilted her head to the other side. "Things can always get worse for those that don't think creatively. You are looking at but a thread and think you know it for yarn, without knowing it may be spider-silk with a weaver at one end." The girl squeezed her pink bear tightly, smooshing her face into the top of it's head. She breathed its old, familiar air as deeply as her dead organs would allow. "What if they disappeared without dying?" she asked without looking up. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Perception (insightful) + Empathy 10,3,5,8,3,4,7 repeat(1d10,7) 10,3,5,8,3,4,7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gris Posted September 11, 2023 Author Clone Share Posted September 11, 2023 Elsa starts by answering Emil. She seems focused, patient: "There was a third team, three members, a Ludwigshafen-Mannheim cooperation. I was part of it: All kindred young enough to make it out safely. As for contact, you know what they wrote online." She nods at David's question: "We do not have a complete list of the Heidelberg kindred population as it was before this happened, because there were more high-prfile and more low profile residents. But we estimate the number of residents at something between 16 and 18. There was a rather strong Toreador and Tremere presence, some Ventrue, but few Gangrel, Malks and Brujah. At least two Nosferatu. One Lasombra. I can ask around and make a list, send it to those who leave me an email address. Not everyone is talking though: Information is a currency and I can only give you what is generally known. I am sure you can contact Kindred that know more and barter for information if you need it. I can give you the names of players in Mannheim and Ludwigshafen." Chloe's young age does something with Elsa emotionally, but it is hard to read: "We know very little, true. Our home cities are not threatened and investigation can be dangerous. We don't even know if they are truly dust: But Prince Albrecht was quite formidable, and so was his sheriff and the Regent of Heidelberg. It is hard to imagine that they were all overpowered. The first search team was trash, but the second one was led by an experienced Brujah. I personally assume that they are gone, and so do most residents in Mannheim and Ludwigshafen." Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Spooky Posted September 11, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 11, 2023 Lily Lily's brows knit as she listens carefully. "So...just stating this so we're all on the same page...we are operating on the assumption that whatever force removed our predecessors also sent the invitation for the young amongst our people to relocate here. We don't know if they did this because they simply wished for new neighbors, or this is an experiment in community growth, or whether this is some kind of sadistic game and we're the new victims. That's helpful to know." Her voice is dust dry. "Speaking for myself, I would appreciate a list of names, as well as home addresses if you know them, and perhaps the location of that storage facility. There's a remote chance that at least a few of the departed have not yet quite departed Heidelberg." Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JubalBreakbottle Posted September 12, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 12, 2023 David Macleod David slightly nods at the comments to acknowledge their importance. "Thank you, Elsa. I can provide an email address. We need all of the information that you know, including partial information and potential leads who actually won't provide you information. We'll also continue to take additional information as you remember or confirm it." David adds. Motioning to Chloe and Lily, "As they have said, we need to solve this mystery for us to feel comfortable enough to permanently settle here. So, we are effectively the fourth team of investigators who are even more committed to the investigation." And while he looks to his fellow neonates for consensus, he continues, "We might want to go somewhere we can introduce ourselves, review what information we have, and make a plan. Does anyone have another location we can go?" Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaathun Posted September 12, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 12, 2023 (edited) IC Post Kevin Kemmler "So what, this is someone playing games?", Kevin replies, furrowing his brows, before nodding at the table again. "They leave anything else behind? Old boys like that, they're loaded. Bound to have left a mansion, gold under the floorboards, pillowcases full of cash. How does that work, High Prince or King or whatever nearby would claim them, or is it the Clanmaster or whoever? Whoever the hell it is - they're old enough that they can't use it now, can they?" Taking another sip from the beer, ignoring a rumbling stomach, he continues, as his eyes stop once again on the woman in the red dress, then at the child. "If the Prince or the Sheriff or both had some people like the girl's mom helping them - anyone talked to them?" Leaning back onto his chair, he puts his hands behind his head, and turns to David. "If Elsa here has the location of their digs, we check that out. Worst case, it's all abandoned and we rent a van to rinse out the artwork from the walls and the silverware. How's that for a location?" Edited September 12, 2023 by Zaathun (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Spooky Posted September 13, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 13, 2023 Lily The mousey-looking red-haired woman gives Kevin a small smile. "We should talk, later," she says. "I think we might be in...overlapping lines of work." Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gris Posted September 13, 2023 Author Clone Share Posted September 13, 2023 Elsa acknoledges Lily's argument. Clearly, she has heard of the Giovanni powers: "It shall all be provided in my mail. You may indeed be able to provide additional insight," she promises. "If that is all...?", she says, she says, rummaging her bag as she takes your contact information. ooc: I assume you all give her an email unless you state you do not. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malkavian Grin Posted September 13, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 13, 2023 HealthNominal Bruised Hurt: -1 Injured: -1 Wounded: -2 Mauled: -2 Crippled: -5 Incapacitated Nominal Willpower ●●●●●● BloodCan spend 2/turn. ●●●●● PathPath of Humanity Hierarchy of Sins 10 Selfish thoughts 9 Minor selfish acts 8 Injury to another (accidental or otherwise) 7 Theft 6 Accidental violation (drinking a vessel dry out of starvation) 5 Intentional property damage 4 Impassioned violation (manslaughter, killing a vessel in frenzy) 3 Planned violation (outright murder, savored exsanguination) 2 Casual violation (thoughtless killing, feeding past satiation) 1 Utter perversion or heinous acts MeritsEat Food Sanctity Oracular Ability Inoffensive to Animals / FlawsShort Child Tic (stimming) Infamous Sire Prey Exclusion (children) With her chin still propped up by her bear, Chloe looked up at Elsa. She could tell her presence made the woman uncomfortable. Many Kindred had a similar reaction. Being ageless, Chloe often hoped the undead could look beyond such a thing. "Gone and hidden are two of a kind, but rarely the same suit," she offered, but refused to explain in greater detail. Chloe looked up at her "mother" and tugged her sleeve. Immediately the woman pulled a pen and small notepad from her purse and wrote down an email address that seemed to make little sense beyond the Gmail portion, as it was random numbers, letters, and symbols seemingly created by a computer. The woman handed the slip of paper to Elsa and said, "We would appreciate all information you are willing to share." Chloe put her face back into the bear again, beginning to turn at the hips side-to-side. Kevin's reply brought Chloe's attention up. She actually smiled, ever so slightly. "A game? Yes, I think there may be a grand game in play. Are we the pawns or the bishops?" She continued listening to him, cocking her head to one side as he mentioned art. "You wouldn't really get the paintings wet, would you? That's a good way to ruin their message. But I guess maybe the smeary-blurry mess is a message of its own. Like a Nosferatu, right?" Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moarhair Posted September 13, 2023 Clone Share Posted September 13, 2023 Emil Fischer Emil smiles at Chloe, surprised by her concern over the hypothetical works of art. "And some message that would be. However..." He looks up at Kevin. "I, too, would prefer if the paintings remain intact. If you do find any, I'd be happy to take them off your hands. You have my number." Emil gives Elsa his business card. "I have no further questions for now. I'll be in touch if that changes." He then offers a card to each of the other Kindred present. Emil's business card Once every other neonate has either accepted or refused a card, Emil puts his card case away in his pocket. "The gentleman," he says with a nod at David, "wisely suggested we take this conversation elsewhere. Perhaps a place where we don't have to shout to be heard. Does anyone have a suggestion?" Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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