So Lavender and Blake were forced to skip a week thanks to the GM’s business-related trip. THIS week, we needed to spend time talking minutiae; we all feel we’re getting too bogged down in little details and not concentrating on specific character goals and more important plot threads. We spent some time going over the recovered files kept by Raphael LaDue, self-proclaimed Regent of Cicero. These files were primarily for blackmail purposes, but also contained significant information on Kindred in and around the Cicero area. LaDue, currently sentenced to a year in torpor for defying the Prince, kept files on everyone of interest to him; mortals he could blackmail for services and influence; Kindred who live in Cicero; and Kindred of general interest in the Cicago area.

Kyle, LaDue’s Childe, knew of the files and found them in one of LaDue’s hiding places. Being good Invictus, Lavender and Blake are having Kyle make copies of all the information. Our plan is to have Kyle turn the files over to the Prince’s right-hand Gangrel, Garret McLean, to score Kyle some much-needed brownie points – after we’re done making copies and removing any damaging information about our allies, of course. As we were leaving, we hear that one of the blood hunted group – one of the same Kindred who attacked us at Blake/Anton’s warehouse a few months back – has been apprehended. We rush to the scene…

At the scene, the Kindred Kate has been put into torpor prior to our arrival. Kate shot Anton with as-yet-unidentified- and far more powerful than normal bullets, necessitating Anton’s evolution into Blake, Anton’s ‘Nephew’. A pile of Kindred were hanging around, not all of whom were involved in tackling this renegade. Blake is puzzled that he wasn’t involved or even notified that this was happening, particularly considering his direct link to Kate; Lavender seems less fazed. Blake and Lavender’s mentor, Michael “Hard Head Mike” Czarnecki, Regent of the Stickney suburb, is present at the scene, along with fellow Nosferatu Lance Higgins and Filthfoot. Also present is Sheriff Norris and several of his henchmen, one of whom is a mortal mage said to be a thrall of Norris’. The official business over with, the Nosferatu, the group of Kindred thugs known as “The Machine,” Blake, Lavender and Kyle retire to Stickney for chit-chat and regrouping. As all are leaving, Blake slips a CD containing a copies of LaDue’s files to Regent Czarnecki. Scratch and Johnny Piano, members of “The Machine,” talk to curious neighbors, using their skills and Disciplines to cover-up any potential breaches of the Masquerade.

While in Stickney, Blake attempts to be slick, using Obfuscate to surreptitiously slip Regent Czarnecki a note describing the contents of the CD he handed the Regent earlier; he fails, and so clumsily pushes the scrap of paper into the Regent’s hand for everyone to see. Lavender engages Scratch, another Nosferatu and leader of “The Machine,” in a discussion regarding the recent turmoil at court surrounding an Ordo Dracul emissary. The OD apparently feel the Prince violated an agreement with them regarding the sanctity of their traveling messengers; we later hear that allegedly, this messenger was up to more than just a delivery while in town – and got caught with his hands in the proverbial cookie jar – leading to his capture and detention. Whatever message he was carrying was important enough for every last member of the Ordo Draul to risk going to war with the Prince and the Invictus at the previous court…

Blake has a brief discussion with Lance Higgins, the Nosferatu Blake and Lavender rescued from the clutches of his so-called coterie-mates among the River Rats pf the Chicago River. Lance apparently has developed entitlement issues, inquiring after his ‘cut’ of the loot recovered from the Chicago River. He was instrumental in locating the lost treasures, but also owes his existence to Lavender, Filthfoot and Blake for saving him from the treacherous Gangrel, “Wet” Willie. Blake suggests they have a ‘discussion’ about various payment issues in the near future, to which Lance seems amenable. Lance expresses a desire to stay in Stickney, at which news Blake is disappointed; he had hoped to recruit Lance to be part of the coterie and make his home in the East Division Street area. Blake will need to discuss this development with Lavender, Filthfoot, and perhaps Regent Czarnecki before covering the subject with Lance again.

Lavender has a discussion with Filthfoot about F’s Ghost Rock; we’re able to offer a few tidbits, but he’s clearly impatient for greater progress on finding out what this rock can do. We discover that he did not tell Giovanni Cavallino about this ghost rock; Mr. Cavallino, Ventrue, Invictus and with strong ties to Northwestern University, unsurprisingly has sources of his own. As the meeting breaks up, we call the game for the night. Much remains to be resolved – or at least furthered – next week. Also next week is monthly court, with all the machinations and deals that brings…

If you’re interested in catching up on previous sessions, read:

• Vampire: the Requiem in Chicago. First Night.
• Keep Your Friends Close: Actual Play Update from Lavender
• Keep Your Friends Close: Actual Play Update from Blake
• Keep Your Friends Close: Treasure Hunting?
• Keep Your Friends Close: Inside the Box
• Keep Your Friends Close: Researching Loose Ends and Rocks

Tags | vampire the requiem