VtM Part Two - The Owl's Debt

Necrominus wrote: »

Still holding her gaze, Lysander continues.

'Thank you Catalda. Should the time ever come when we meet again, you will agree to my request, no matter how bold it may seem to anyone else around you.'

Lysander breaks the gaze and leaves the room.

He heads back to find the Lord.

Catalda stutters "...meet again...yes...who...who..."

Lysander hears from a chambermaid that the Lord is in his study.

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander heads for the study to speak with the Lord.

The lord is dictating to his scribe when Lysander approaches. He turns.

"Cleric...who do you believe is the Strygis?"

"The one who lives by the river...a harmless lunatic, if it keeps the villagers happy to think she can cure an ailment, who am I to argue?

Why?"

Necrominus wrote: »

'I fear it is more sinister than that. I would ask permission to freely travel in your lands so I can get to the bottom of this.

It might be nothing, but it needs to be investigated. His... Holiness demands it.'

He looks a bit frightened by this.

"I may be a cynic on occasion in matters of the faith, but know I am faithful, if you are concerned you certainly have my permission. A contingent of Moorish warriors is arriving on the beach tonight, should you need them"

The hut lies a head of him, near the riverbank, it's quite well maintained from the outside. Though the taint of a vampiric presence is obvious. He can feel the Vitae in the soil.

As he approaches the hut, a woman steps out.



"Hello?" she says narrowing her eyes.

Necrominus wrote: »

'Greetings, my name is Lysander Karpov. I came as I heard of the trouble at the Lord's manor...'

He pauses.

'Bodies should not be left out for humans to see... particularly in these troubled times.'

"I know...I was low on blood, I encountered a very aggressive member of our kind here...at least I think it was our kind. When I found the kitchen maid, well the beast had to feed.

I marked the corpse with my clan, to acknowledge my guilt.

A Lasombra speaking through a human, how are you doing that?"

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander looks at the woman oddly.

'Through a human? Something... happened to me. I was in a battle.. the beast - as you said. I fed - and awoke here. I do not know how.'

"Odd...never heard of that. Do you want me to take a look?"

Necrominus wrote: »

'No harm. I presume you do not mean to harm me. I merely needed to find your location. I have the Lord's ear, for now.'

He smirks.

'Posing as an agent for the Anti-Pope, quite ironic I find it.'

She smiles.

"How is that?"

Necrominus wrote: »

'Our kind, posing as Clerics of a faith determined to wipe us....'

He pauses.

'Never mind. It's not important now. But I should tell you, be careful of the Church. They might align with us for now... but that will not always be the case.'

"Wait...for now?....I understand, you're...."

Lysander feels a pull on his Vitae.

"Lysander Karpov, don't trust the Babylonian..." She kisses him on the forehead, before all goes white.

Lysander finds himself lying outside Catalda's mansion back in LA.

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander looks around him and attempts to climb to his feet.

He gets up easily enough and is definitely back in the land of the living.

The front porch of the mansion has some minor masonry damage to it. More than that is the crushed bodies of several humans turned to paste by the sphere of shadow Lysander produced. Most of the kindred are just dust as typical upon death except for two neonates who look like broken rotted corpses.

Lysander feels different, something has changed about him, though he doesn't manifest obvious signs of diablerie.

When he gets to the door Clarissa is waiting for him.

She runs to the car.

"Hunt? Hunt? Hunt?"

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander opens the passenger door for Clarissa.

'Yes, let's do this. That club you wished to go to, remind me of it? It's been a long night.'

"It's on the UCLA campus, I've only been feeding on suburban blood in a place where they're willing to let us feed. I want to hunt for high quality educated blood.

I'll show you the way"

She looks a bit deflated.

"I was looking forward to being gung ho, but I suppose."

The gets in, seatbelt and all and they begin to drive to college.

"So Ly, there's rave clubs or quiet fancy bars, which is the kind of place you'd hit?"