VtM Part Two - The Owl's Debt

Fourier

Lysander rises in his plush suburban house. His new ghoul and Clarissa had gotten on splendidly over the past month, partially due to Clarissa's new talents, she'd taken to Dominate almost as if she were Lasombra herself. Her innate ability had advanced no further however.

The city had been reasonably quite, no political games recently, Jaqueline seemed to be absorbed in the mundane day to day of being a prince and Cock Robin was out of California on some high priority mission, due back this week.

No, instead he had been absorbed in his studies of the Giovanni arts. Speaking of which, the message on his phone from Catalda means that tonight is the night. The final lesson. He was going to breach the barrier between this world and the next.

Necro

Lysander enters his study and checks his emails as he admires the house he is now becoming accustomed to.

Fourier

Just two emails show up.

From: crobin@just.cam.net

Hey kid, should be back in two days. Hope you've got an army of zombies under your command. Things are pretty hectic here. The government knows more than we thought. A lot more.

From: adriano@gang.cam.net

Lysander, something to discuss regarding our new human mayor. Permission to enter Gangrel territory granted.

Adriano, Primogen extraordinaire

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

Just two emails show up.


From: crobin@just.cam.net

Hey kid, should be back in two days. Hope you've got an army of zombies under your command. Things are pretty hectic here. The government knows more than we thought. A lot more.

Lysander writes back to Cock Robin:

'Tonight is the night. Training going well my friend. I look forward to your return.

L.

Fourier wrote: »

From: adriano@gang.cam.net

Lysander, something to discuss regarding our new human mayor. Permission to enter Gangrel territory granted.

Adriano, Primogen extraordinaire

To this he responds:

Intriguing. I shall endeavour to visit to discuss tomorrow night.

Lysander.


He shuts down the laptop and leaves the study, listening out for Clarissa or Martha. When he picks up their voices he will go to see them.

Fourier

Martha is practicing her acting in the sitting room. Standing facing the bare wall.

"No! It can't be, I am a Toreador, I'd never betray my clan...even for you my love...but the others, they know what we are...

Oh! Lysander, didn't see you there!"

Necro

Lysander smiles at Martha. He seats himself in one of the large armchairs and looks up at his ghoul.

'Good evening my dear. What movie are you working on right now? Anything interesting? I must discuss with our hosts trying to extend your work, perhaps make a name for yourself, seperate of me. Your acting brings a little warmth to this otherwise cold body.'

He looks around.

'Where is Clarissa? I must arrange another training night with her in the very near future. She always surprises me, that... girl.'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander smiles at Martha. He seats himself in one of the large armchairs and looks up at his ghoul.

'Good evening my dear. What movie are you working on right now? Anything interesting? I must discuss with our hosts trying to extend your work, perhaps make a name for yourself, seperate of me. Your acting brings a little warmth to this otherwise cold body.'

He looks around.

'Where is Clarissa? I must arrange another training night with her in the very near future. She always surprises me, that... girl.'

It's about a Toreador who loved a Nosferatu in life and how their clans push them apart. Easy enough to play at this point.

I'd really appreciate you nudging my career on like that, really I mean, or at least as much as I still have feelings beyond whatever you lot have implanted or distorted my mind into" she smiles as she says this.

"Clarissa is out back. Appearing and disappearing. Weird even for you guys."

Necro

Lysander stands.

'Of course. I shall see to it that you at least get the chance to progress. Any... agents or indeed directors you would like to work with? I'm sure I could come to an... arrangement with them.'

He smiles.

'Of course, I just hope when you are famous, you won't forget about us. Clarissa would miss you - as would I.'

Fourier

"Ha! Famous I doubt that will happen. Let me draw up a list of who I'd like to get closer to. Thank you Lysander, for this and the blood. Most people's vitae just keeps my youth, but yours...I feel stronger...kind of odd."

From the slight ripples in her shadow, Lysander can tell she is beginning to weakly manifest Obtenebration.

"And I'll always keep Clarissa in mind. A down to Earth girl, who is uniquely odd, funny combination."

Necro

'Never say never, my dear Martha. Power, fame... one day you will have it all. For just like me, you are drawn to it.'

He smiles again and leaves the room, heading out the back to see Clarissa.

Fourier

Clarissa sits with folded legs in the garden outside, near the beautiful California wild roses.

"Hi Lysander, I can do it with ease no. Enter and exit, it's a amazing."

Clarissa in the past few days had claimed her power let her visit a small hut, suspended in a void. Though there had been no proof of this.

Necro

'Really? Someday you must show me this place, do you think you could take someone with you if you tried?'

Fourier

"Yeah totally! I'll just head off now"

Clarissa disappears, but Lysander's Vampiric senses smell the tint of Vitae common to Obfuscate, it smells like Nosferatu.

She reappears.

"Okay it's ready, want to come?"

Necro

Lysander shrugs.

'Yes, why not. But not for too long - I have a very important appointment.'

Fourier

"Okay Mr. Busy..." she laughs rolling her eyes.

"Just place your hand on my shoulder"

Necro

Lysander nods and places his hand on Clarissa's shoulder.

Fourier

Lysander feels sick in his Vitae, the fluid churning about in his veins.

A odd shudder of the air and the whole world goes black.

There is just a void.

Except for the hut about half a mile up ahead.

Necro

Lysander moves towards the hut, looking around to see if Clarissa is with him.

'What is this place?'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander moves towards the hut, looking around to see if Clarissa is with him.

'What is this place?'

"You know Ly, I don't really know, just pushing my abilities and then poof, here I am."

She pushes open the hut door, inside the hut is kitted out in posters of popular bands and a PC run a track of same.

"Wish the view was better than a void"

Necro

Lysander steps inside the hut and takes a closer look around.

'And you can do this at will? Incredible.'

Fourier

"Yes, but it's draining, I need to drink much more when I do it, but it's a pretty safe place"

Necro

'Any reason you come here? Or just to test your abilities. We need to spend more time together, Clarissa my dear... perhaps we can schedule a night to hunt and talk? Right now... I'm afraid we have to go back. I have an important meeting to attend.'

Fourier

"I feel I should come here...or something like that...my blood tells me so. Heh, that probably makes no sense I guess"

She claps her hands and they are back in Lysander's garden.

"I'd really like to go hunting sometime, see a pro at work"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"I feel I should come here...or something like that...my blood tells me so. Heh, that probably makes no sense I guess"

She claps her hands and they are back in Lysander's garden.

"I'd really like to go hunting sometime, see a pro at work"

'Of course. Perhaps in two nights time. I will show you how it is done.

Then... it will be your turn, and I will not interfere - unless it is necessary. Call it a lesson, if you like.'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

'Of course. Perhaps in two nights time. I will show you how it is done.

Then... it will be your turn, and I will not interfere - unless it is necessary. Call it a lesson, if you like.'

"Cooooooooool!!!!!" Clarissa says while jumping a bit.

"Can we go somewhere classy? Like one of the fancy UCLA clubs?"

Necro

Lysander smiles.

'Wherever you like my dear. Make sure to buy yourself something nice for wearing in that case, if you haven't already got something. Martha can arrange the funds, like she does with everything else.'

Lysander waves to Clarissa, heads for his car and makes for the Giovanni compound. Time to do this.

Fourier

Arriving at the Giovanni estate, Lysander sees that Catalda has spared no expense on his final ceremony. A greeting party awaits him at the door, fine blood on offer, sourced from well to do Italian American who've made it big in Hollywood, some movie stars have even shown up, ghouls of the local Giovanni.

Catalda stands at the door frame and nods at Lysander when she sees his car approach.

Necro

Lysander steps out of his vehicle and greets Catalda warmly.

'A pleasure, as always my friend. I thank you greatly for this reception.'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander steps out of his vehicle and greets Catalda warmly.

'A pleasure, as always my friend. I thank you greatly for this reception.'

"No need to thank me, for this has been an exchange my dear, I am know rich in Lasombra knowledge...I felt the shadows move in response to my thoughts last night...soon the discipline will manifest, I know it"

She offers her cheek to kiss.

OOC: First just indicate if you go to kiss her

Necro

Lysander kisses Catalda's cheek respectfully.

OOC: No tongue :P

Fourier

Lysander's senses drink in the smell of rich Vitae just beneath the skin. The power, the knowledge, the secrets. His beasts whispers to him to take it, it's basically being given on a platter.

OOC: Self-Control roll

Fourier

Lysander can't take it, all that power, all that strength his.

The shadows around the Villa rise threateningly, though nobody notices, Catalda looks at Lysander just before the moment where he collapses them.

He leaps backward as the shadows implode onto the reception party, crushing mortals within seconds, that'll scupper a few upcoming movies.

Kindred take a bit longer, but Lysander senses them burst.

Catalda struggles against the shadow, Lysander can feel her rage.

A rage that brings him back to his senses with a shadow sphere hovering in front of him slowly crushing a furious Elder.

Necro

Lysander places his hands on his head, struggling to comprehend what he has just done. But the power.... he can feel it. He wants it, needs it.... he must taste it.

He does not dismiss the sphere, but allows it to continue till Catalda is near the Final Death.

OOC: Presumably I can do that

Fourier

Nearing Final Death, Catalda closes her eyes and enacts a desperate get out plan.

From outside the sphere, Lysander sees the area around the sphere get ripped away. As if they were a drawing and somebody tore out that part of the image.

In its place is a hazy area where if one looks through, the Giovanni mansion can be seen, though blue and with several people in older fashions walking the ground.

A doorway to the afterlife and a major breech of the Masquerade.

Necro

Lysander seizes his moment and strikes towards Catalda, aiming for her throat.

Fourier

Before he can reach her, Catalda plunges into the gateway, though Lysander can see her on the other side, weakened.

Necro

Lysander follows. His blood sings to him to end this, to take the power for his own.

Fourier

As Lysander steps into the gate, Catalda smirks as dark skeletal being bursts from the ground.

"HALT, BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE HIERARCHY OF STYGIA"

Necro

Lysander shrugs and attempts to focus his Obtenebration on the skeletal guardians

OOC: Shrowd of Night

Fourier

OOC: Manip + Occult, Diff 7

Fourier

In this land of shadows beyond the grave, Lysander has much more to work with, the shadows forming a fluid so dense the being within struggles.

"Cazzo!" Catalda exclaims, fear appearing on her face.

Necro

Lysander brings the shadows all rushing down on the guardian in an attempt to crush him.

Fourier

The guardian is completely crushed beneath the weight of the shadows, though in this strange realm something odd happens next.

Lysander sees a bizarre hole appear in the ground. Inside is a massive storm with billions of everyday objects whirling around inside. The sheer enormity of the storm would trigger a panic in Lysander were his brain not long dead.

The guardian is pulled out of the sphere by some force and sucked into the storm. The hole in the ground then seals up.

Necro

Lysander approaches Catalda.

'It is over. Accept your fate.'

OOC: Arms of the Abyss to hold her still

Fourier

As the arms rise out of the ground, one of them grabs Catalda's head, as a second wraps around her body and several more sprout to keep the hold.

The first hand then tilts her neck for Lysander.

"Karpov...this is not the first time you have performed Diablerie is it?"

Necro

Lysander smiles.

'Nor the last.... and you, my dear... you have given me the perfect alibi.'

He takes a moment to let his words sink in before striking.

Fourier

"WAIT!!!" she cries as his teeth sink into her neck.

"LET ME LIVE, I....I'LL LEAVE LOS ANGELES, I...I have information on Jacqueline"

Necro

Lysander pauses slightly.

'I will learn that momentarily though, won't I?'

He begins to feed.

Fourier

Catalda bites into her jaw, Lysander feels a discipline being prepared as he draws on the blood...

Necro

Lysander whilst feeding has the shadow arms he has summoned crush down on their positions with maximum force, everywhere but the neck he is feeding from

Fourier

Catalda's eyes burst from their sockets, her spine and limb bones crack. The scream she lets out is blood curdling, but Lysander barely notices now.

Just at that moment Lysander feels the hearts blood rise toward the neck, but strange dark veins appear on his hands...