Vampire the Masquerade - V5 - Interlude Session - 'The Killing Spree'

I'm currently running a Vampire the Masquerade chronicle using the 5th Edition rule-set for a small group of fellow role-players. These are the chronicles of their adventures.

Our chronicle is set in Los Angeles and features a small group of Camarilla agents sent into the 'Free States' to bring them back under Camarilla control. Over a year of plotting allowed the coterie to gain control of two North-Eastern Baronies and a large part of a third. Now they are moving on to the final stage of their campaign and have their eyes on taking over the entire city, either directly or by proxy.

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The now obligatory warning bit - Unlike my other RPG write-ups this one will contain swearing, sexual references and other references that might offend. If you can't tell the difference between real             peoples opinions and grown-ups role-playing predators who crave blood then this probably won't be for you. There are however a list of potential triggers listed before the introduction. I've also used actual photographs to represent some characters which I'll give acknowledgements to at the end if I've any idea who they are.
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The introduction to this campaign, the first story and all the other parts can be found at the following links and are in chronological order. If you'd prefer a summary of each session rather than read everything then there's a more detailed link page HERE as well as links to the first episode of each story in the blog sidebar.
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Chronicle One - 'Infiltrate L.A.' 

Welcome to L.A. - Introductory Session
Story One - 'Three Murders' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five
Interlude Session - One
Story Two - 'The Pasadena Problem' - Part One, Two, Three, and Four
Solo Session - 'The Neillson Library'
Story Two Continued- 'The Pasadena Problem' - Part Five, Six, Seven and Eight
Story Three - 'Becoming Baron' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five
Solo Session - 'The Gather'
Story Three Continued - 'Becoming Baron' - Part Six, Seven and Eight

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Chronicle Two - 'Foothold L.A.' 

Solo Session - 'Hostile Takeover'
Story Four - 'Countdown' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Five - 'The Missing Chantry' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five
Solo Session - 'The Anaheim Assassination'
Story Six - 'A Meeting of Barons' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Seven - 'The Carmelita Situation' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Eight - 'The Blount Sisters' - Part One and Two
Story Nine - 'Blood Money' - Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six
Story Ten - 'Anathema' - Part One and Two
Story Eleven - 'Predators and Prey' aka 'The Blount Sisters' - Part Three
Story Twelve - 'Aftermath' - Part One and Two
Story Thirteen - 'The Messiah Complex' - Part One, Two, Three and Four

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Chronicle Three - 'Incursion L.A.'

Story Fourteen - 'The Rant'
Story Fifteen - 'Ties of Blood' - Part One and Two

Solo Session - 'A Gathering of Roses'

Story Sixteen - 'The Southern Solution' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Seventeen - 'The Baker Disappearance' - Part One, Two and Three

Story Eighteen - 'Inevitable Betrayals' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five

Story Nineteen - 'The Marius Contracts' - Part One and Two

Story Twenty - 'The MacNeil Protocols' - Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five, 

Story Twenty - 'The MacNeil Protocols' - Part Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten

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Interlude Session One - After Griffith Park

Interlude Session Two - Divide and Conquer

Interlude Session Three - On the Brink of War

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Chronicle Four - 'Conquest L.A.'

Story Twenty One - 'Veni, Vidi, Victor' - Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Story Twenty One - 'Veni, Vidi, Victor' - Part Six, and Epilogue

Story Twenty Two - 'The Unbound' - Part One, Two, Three and Four

Story Twenty Three - 'The War Council' - Part One, Two, Three and Four

Interlude Session - Recon

Story Twenty Four - 'Resistance' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five

Interlude Session - Damage Limitation

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The PC's

Some Shovelheads...

The Storyteller

Garreth - Everyone else...

If I think something needs a bit of out of character explanation then those will get a storytellers note that will helpfully be in red. Where particular NPC's have a mention in a faction profile you will be able to reach it by clicking on their name or faction beneath their picture.

Trigger Warnings for This Session: Blood (Obviously), Buried 'Alive', Murder.

Storytellers Note - I once again only had two players for this session so I decided to do something a bit different but that would still drive the plot forward...I told the players that they'd need a notepad, some dice, and nothing else...

This write-up will have a lot of Storytellers Notes in it, sorry if this makes it a bit disjointed but you'll understand why when you read them...

Introduction

"Buried Alive...Or Maybe Not..."

It's dark, you have an intense feeling of claustrophobia, You can feel cold soil on your face. You're instinctively aware that you've been buried alive, you should be suffocating now but inexplicably you feel no shortage of breath. In fact you don't feel like you're breathing it all.

Storytellers Note - I informed each player that I required them to roll seven dice. 

Both the victims managed to control themselves despite a nagging voice in the back of their heads screaming at them to go berserk. They both pushed the voice back, conscious that the strange thoughts seemed to not be their own, as if something else was attempting to drive them to acts of violence...

Storytellers Note - The previous roll was actually a Willpower roll to avoid frenzy, but they didn't know that. After they both passed, I got them to note that they were both Willpower 5 and Humanity 6...

You both manage to maintain control, you are however still buried alive. What the hell are you going to do now?

Each of the burial victims came to the same conclusion, that whatever was the cause of their predicament, what they needed to do now was to get out, get to the surface and to do so quickly. Each began to dig their way out with their bare hands...

Storytellers Note - I also informed them that Shovelhead 1 was Composure 1, Resolve 4 and that Shovelhead 2 was Composure 2, Resolve 3.

Scene One - A Burial Party

"A Clearing, Somewhere in the Mountains..."

The ground above you is relatively loose, as if your internment was hasty. Your 'graves' are also relatively shallow compared to the six feet of earth you were expecting...

Storytellers Note - This seemed like an excellent time for the players to discover how fit they were for the task they were attempting. Shovelhead 1 learned that he was Strength 4, Athletics 2 and that Shovelhead 2 was Strength 2, Athletics 3.

It's night-time and you find yourself in a wooded clearing, there are some mountains to the North. About twenty other dirty individuals in tattered clothing are around you. You notice that you have all extracted yourself from shallow graves around the clearing. Not all the mounds of soil are disturbed,  apparently not every victim has had the necessary will to extract themselves. A pile of shovels has been discarded nearby, apparently the tools that facilitated your recent fate.

From what the first man could see of himself he was a well muscled man in his thirties perhaps older, he also had a slight paunch. the second man was obviously much younger and had a slim but wiry build. A brief check of pockets revealed them to be empty of anything passing for identification.

The younger man moved to pick up a shovel, intending to assist those who were undoubtedly still buried. A pale skinned man, muscular yet with a sickly complexion, wearing a tattered leather jacket grabbed the shovel from their hand and snapped it in two.

"You dig yourself out, or you stay buried..." he said, menacingly. The recipient of this warning felt a sudden and inexplicable feeling of fear that came from nowhere. Wanting only to avoid this persons attention, the young man took a step back and nodded his compliance.

'Sunder' A member of the Sabbat Pack known as 'The Killing Spree'

Storytellers Note -  Daunt can be pretty effective for a 1 dot discipline power....

Neither of you have any memories of how you got there. You should be cold and tired but you are neither. In fact you feel nothing at all, except an intense Hunger.

Storytellers Note - Both Shovelheads were told to note that they were Hunger 4

Scene Two - Shovelheads

Consuela Maria Martinez - Lasombra
Leader of the Sabbat Pack 'The Killing Spree'

A woman is observing you all. She's wearing a long black skirt and a dark blouse covers her neck and wrists in a way reminiscent of Victorian sensibilities, like she is from a different time. She is a woman of obvious Hispanic extraction and possesses a strange yet cold beauty.

Despite her Hispanic features her skin is very pale indeed. She also seems somewhat out of place, as only one other present is well dressed, the others are wearing unkept and bloodstained clothing. However, it's also apparent that these half a dozen others surrounding you, obviously haven't had to dig themselves from anywhere. 

One is an attractive man with precisely trimmed facial hair. He is also dressed formally but in modern clothing. His outfit seems to be slightly tight as if he's actively attempting to show off his chiselled physique. The others regard you with complete disdain. They obviously consider you to be beneath them, less than nothing in their eyes.

A middle-aged, slightly overweight man, one of you, not one of them, seems to suddenly panic and makes a break for it. He get's about five yards before a vicious looking young woman intercepts him and tears his throat out with her teeth, then drinks deeply of the blood that spurts out, before tossing the body aside like one might discard a chicken bone.

The obvious leader addresses you all.

"You run only in the direction we tell you, or you'll share that one's fate. If you survive the night then I may grant you the honour of joining us. Our enemies are now your enemies, fight well and perhaps we will teach you more of what you have become. Failure equals destruction, remember that well."

She then gestures to a pile of weapons on the ground. The bladed ones are dull machetes, axes, kitchen knives and cleavers. There are also blunt weapons such as tire irons, crowbars and baseball bats. The bats are wrapped in barbed wire or have had nails hammered through them randomly. 

A small quantity of firearms are scattered in the pile but they seem poorly maintained. Amongst the blunt weaponry are a number of improvised knuckledusters, mainly just leather straps with nails through them or rectangular pieces of steel.

"Pick a weapon and follow me..."

Storytellers Note - I told each player to roll four dice, each success would allow them to dredge up an instinctive memory related to their capabilities with such weapons. This also allowed them to learn that Shovelhead 1 was Intelligence 3 but only Education 1, Shovelhead 2 was slightly better educated but also less intelligent with Intelligence 2 and Education 2.

As the older man looked at the pile of weaponry, several images flashed through his mind. He saw himself, much younger, in a boxing ring, he was rather good, even if he did say so himself. Then he saw a deer, it was through the sights of a rifle, he fired and the shot hit the animal but not quite where he had aimed for. He heard himself swear, before he snapped back to reality. 

Storytellers Note - Shovelhead 1 was Brawl 3 with a speciality in Knuckledusters, Melee 1 and Firearms 2. Shovelhead 2 was Brawl 2, Melee 2 with a speciality in Knives and Firearms 1. I also told them that both the Knuckledusters and Knives gave them +1 damage, while the .22 Pistol was +2 and had a nine round cylinder though only five of the chambers had unfired rounds in them.

Having nothing else to go on, he reached into the pile and took a pair of leather straps with spikes through them. He then selected another similar weapon, a set of brass knuckles, and slipped them both onto his hands. Noticing a second knuckleduster he discarded the improvised weapon and took these instead. Whatever was going on here he'd have more chance of surviving with familiar weapons to hand.

The younger man reached for a large kitchen knife. As soon as he had it in his hand it felt...right... After testing the balance he noticed a small revolver near to it. It appeared to be loaded and though obviously low calibre, it at least looked functional.

For a moment the blade looked different in his hand, it was more like a combat knife and the edge was smeared with blood, he was sure that he'd used it before, and quite effectively. Then it was a simple kitchen knife once more. Shaking his head to clear the strange thoughts he picked up an extra knife and tucked it into his belt. 

Scene Three - No Way Out

Carlos Griffouliere - Lasombra
Pack Confessor of 'The Killing Spree'

As you walk you notice that your apparent jailors are to your sides and rear. Once a direction has been established for you they drive you forward, leading from the rear. Another of your group makes a run for it, she almost makes it to the tree-line before, at a gesture from the well dressed young man, the darkness itself seems to come alive and a tentacle of pure blackness brings her to the ground. He then strolls over to the unfortunate and casually snaps her neck. Just before the act he shakes his head as if admonishing them for the stupidity.

Seemingly undeterred by this, two other escape attempts are made, neither give you much hope.

An old man in overalls begins to lag behind, seemingly attempting to match pace with their guardians and then suddenly turned and ran back the way the group had came. A large muscular figure appeared in front of him, some twenty metres from his original location and drove his fist through their chest sending bits of bone and flesh exploding out of their back. 

Apparently hoping this would act as a distraction another of their party made a break for it and actually made it to the trees. The vicious woman who had made the first kill ran after them. Though they hoped that this person had made their escape, the screams from the forest painted a different picture of their end. When next they saw the pursuer she was far bloodier than when she had began her pursuit.

'Copperhead' A member of the Sabbat Pack known as 'The Killing Spree'

Neither of the men who had emerged from the earth at about the same time did anything to interfere. Though both knew they were in danger, neither were they so stupid as to attempt what three others had done and failed. Helping these victims hadn't occurred to them either, this was perhaps for the best.

'Cowboy' - Brujah
Member of 'The Killing Spree'

No-one else has subsequently been foolish enough to make an attempt to escape. You eventually reach a dirt road, there is some activity ahead, a small group of containers turned into temporary accommodation. A hooded figure with several pistols in his belt mutters something. the word is unfamiliar but it sounds like 'Camarilla'....

The cabins remind you both of a construction site and elusive flashes of memory make you believe that perhaps you once worked in such a place, perhaps not, the memories fade as quickly as they came.

The older man attempted to focus upon these random thoughts but the images were confusing and the more he attempted to focus on them the more elusive they became. The younger man wasted no time with such efforts. If he was to find a way out of this predicament his focus needed to be on the now, not the past.

You are urged forward with shouted commands and if that fails, fists, feet and claws. Those to which you are been herded shout warnings to one another and several draw guns. One shouts something that means nothing to you, the word he uses is "Sabbat"

A tall, dark skinned man to your right falls to the ground, riddled with rounds from an assault rifle wielding figure atop one of the cabins. Several others of your number are hit but are able to keep moving.

That there is danger ahead is of no doubt, though with certain death behind, what choice do you have?

Scene Four - A Surprise Visit

Some of the recently exhumed had ran forward as commanded and were now wounded yet seemed to treat even major bullet wounds as relatively minor. A few who were still milling about were getting further 'encouragement' to move forward.

The two shovelheads who had walked together all this time seemed to have slightly more awareness than the rest and had moved forward but not yet into danger. This gave them both some time to think before acting.

Storytellers Note - Shovelhead 1 had Wits 3 and Awareness 1. Shovelhead 2 also had Wits 3 but was Awareness 2. Both rolled well enough to gain some information...

The area seems to be a staging point of some kind. Judging from the vehicles and the layout it looks like items are being stored here temporarily before being moved somewhere else. Whoever they were, they weren't expecting trouble as the defences are fairly light, but this situation is changing rapidly. More people are emerging from the buildings, weapons in hand. A well dressed but heavily built man in a cheap suit is attempting to organise his people.

From somewhere in the camp you hear a howl that reminds you uncomfortably of the vicious woman you saw murder the first of your group to be destroyed.

The young man nudged one of his fellows and pointed towards a building. "You head towards that building, I'll be right behind you..." Apparently craving some direction, they did as asked. The younger man did indeed follow, but only to use the other shovelhead, as he had heard them referred to by their captors, as a meat shield.

Concluding that there were very few alternate targets to himself, the older man made the decision to move forward also but headed the opposite way to the young man he'd been near to. Running towards a machine-gun wielding man in an elevated position seemed to be a bad idea. In his opinion this kid was obviously crazy. However, the coppery smell of blood that filled the air was enticing and a voice in the back of his skull was urging him forward as well...

Storytellers Note - Shovelhead 1's disciplines were Potence 2 (Lethal Body and Prowess) and Celerity 1 (Rapid Reflexes). Shovelhead 2 had Potence 1 (Soaring Leap) and Celerity 2 (Cat's Grace and Rapid Reflexes). As I work on the basis that 'Free' disciplines are activated more or less instinctually it seemed appropriate for them to know what they were capable of. 

Intending only to begin to climb towards the gunman, he was amazed when he covered the distance from the ground to the roof in a single leap and landed with a dexterity he didn't know he possessed.

Storytellers Note - Shovelhead 1 added Dexterity 2 to his list of known stats, Shovelhead 3 was slightly better in this area and had Dexterity 3

Watching this leap with amazement the other man barely noticed the figure that dived towards him to attempt to bring him to the ground. He was even more surprised when he managed to avoid the surprise attack. Lashing out wildly his punch caught the ambusher full in the face, surprise became shock as the blow removed half of their head. As blood and brains splattered across his chest and face he couldn't resist licking the blood from his knuckles. It tasted better than any meal or drink he'd ever tasted in his life. Unable to resist he fell upon the partially decapitated body and began to lap at the blood, before driving his teeth into their throat.

The gunman saw this attack from his vantage point and turned to avenge his fallen comrade, but unfortunately this was to be his last act. A wiry fellow pulled the gun from his hand and drove a blade under his ribs and deep into his heart before tearing the blade out sideways. Before it had even stopped beating, he felt fangs penetrate his throat as the young man fed for the first time. While the bestial voice urging on his comrade merely faded, his disappeared completely and he felt utterly at peace. This was a feeling he could learn to enjoy.

Storytellers Note - This also seemed like a good time to inform the players of several important stats given their current situation. Shovelhead 1 was Stamina 3 which made their Health 6, Shovelhead 2 was Stamina 2 and therefore Health 5.

Scene Five - Predators

The visceral pleasure of your first kill(s) as kindred changes you fundamentally and you both realise that this is the way you shall take prey from now on...

Storytellers Note - Both Players noted their Predator Type as 'Alleycat' and gained the benefits thereof. Both gained the Brawl speciality 'Grappling'. I raised Shovelhead 1's Potence to 3 and gave them Brutal Feed. The other shovelhead gained Celerity 3 and the Blink power along with it. However their Humanity scores dropped 1 point to 5...

The gun in his hand felt far less familiar than the blade did. Nonetheless he aimed it roughly in the direction of a group of defenders using a pile of crates as cover. Assault rifle rounds zig-zagged through the stomach of the first and the chest of the second as the muzzle climbed due to the inexperience of the young man with such a weapon. After the weapon clicked empty, two defenders lay dead and another had a minor wound to one arm. As the wounded man raised a weapon to retaliate, the young man leapt down, familiar knife back in hand, to finish them off.

Hands now covered in blood and brain matter the elder of the two ducked into a doorway for cover as gunfire was now coming from both directions. Several of the other shovelheads had grabbed weapons from fallen enemies and more of the defenders now had firearms in hand. Still more afraid of those behind him than those in front he then ran forward in a low crouch. Several small calibre rounds from handguns kicked up the dust around him but his young 'friend' had drawn much of the defenders attention. He watched as the young psychopath laughed while stabbing a wounded man repeatedly in the stomach and chest.

The tide of battle seemed to be turning in the ambushers favour. Despite being initially better armed, the defenders fell like mortal men. The attackers did not. However not all was going their way.

The seeming leader of the staging point had entered the fray. He had no style to his fighting yet his strength was unnatural in it's power. Flesh and bone shattered under his blows and despite a number of wounds inflicted upon him by sheer weight of attackers, he nonetheless fought on. He was also heading in the older man's direction.

The knife wielding youth felt an exhilaration like nothing before. He had discovered that he could cover distances at tremendous speed and was darting in and out of combats, inflicting what wounds he could and then retreating again. Though the voice in his head had returned along with his hunger he no longer cared. The blood of the fallen was all he required.

Pre-empting the inevitable, 'Boxer' ran towards the approaching enemy, ducked a hastily thrown punch and pressed his own attack. Instinctively he knew that this man was like what he had become and wouldn't fall like his followers. Nonetheless he pressed his own attack. His foe was strong and quick but lacked his own hand to hand combat skills and was already slowed from multiple wounds from bullet and blade.

'Shiv' stopped for a moment, looking for new prey. However what he saw approaching gave him pause.

One of the defenders howls like an animal before tearing apart two of the attackers with jagged fingernails, that cut through flesh like a sharp blade through paper. Though already wounded they head towards you..

Shiv hastily threw their second blade at the approaching enemy. The blow was glancing and did nothing to slow their advance. The howling creature leapt forward and both of them tumbled to the ground, one clawing at their foe, the other driving their blade into whatever targets revealed itself.

Consuela Maria Martinez, Pack leader of The Killing Spree, watched the battle with some satisfaction. Though she considered the tactic of mass embraces as messy, it had been necessary in this case. Someone needed to soften up the defenders so her own pack could finish the job without risking casualties. She needed the full strength of both The Killing Spree and The Misery Lords for the mission against the Camarilla and Anarchs within Los Angeles. 

The weaponry they would soon acquire from this Camarilla staging point would also prove useful.

She noted that only two of the Shovelheads had survived, both were currently engaged with the two Camarilla kindred that were running this particular convoy through the San Gabriel mountains. She waved her own followers forward.

Shiv felt the weight lifted from his body as copperhead pulled the Gangrel off him and twisted off their head with claw-tipped fingers, before falling upon the body and drinking deeply from it. He noted with surprise that she continued to drink even after the corpse was clearly empty of fluid. As it turned to dust he realised he had much to learn about what he had become.

The leader fell back as Cowboy shot him several times in the head and heart, before Sunder stomped down upon their skull, exploding it like a ripe melon. Boxer didn't know how to react when one who had been his captor mere hours before helped him to his feet. "Not bad..." commented Sunder as he walked away.

Scene Five - The Killing Spree

Carlos had produced a metal goblet from somewhere within his belongings and the two survivors watched as each of their captors sliced open hand or wrist and added their own blood to the container. 

Copperhead offered Boxer a flick-knife. Not sure what or why he was doing it, he sliced open his palm and did as the others had done.

Shiv of course had his own blade, and joined in the ritual. Each member of the pack then drank of the mixture. Realising they were now part of something beyond their understanding, both Boxer and Shiv drank too.

The remaining feelings of fear flowed from them. These were now their comrades, their pack, and they knew that they would fight with them from now on.

The conservatively dressed woman approaches you, there's something about her eyes that draw you in. Despite the nature of your recruitment you feel inexplicably proud of surviving and part of something important. As she speaks, you find yourself hanging on every word as if she is the most significant person in your world.

"Welcome to the Killing Spree..." she says. 

To Be Continued in 'Personal Agendas' (Part One)

In Conclusion

I like to do a round-up of how the session went in these features but if you couldn't give a shit what I think then feel free to skip this bit...

This was very different from any session I'd ran before and I wasn't sure how well it would work. Fortunately it flowed a lot better than I had hoped and the players seemed to really enjoy the sense of the unknown.

If the pack survives the events currently going on in my L.A. then perhaps, in the future, we might give them a short chronicle of their own.

Acknowledgements
“Portions of the materials are the copyrights and trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB, and are used with permission. All rights reserved.”

I've used pictures of real people to represent some of the characters and art for others so in no particular order 'Sunder' was Bill Paxton, Consuela Maria Martinez is Aubrey Plaza, Carlos Griffouliere is Adam Rodriguez, 'Copperhead' is Jenette Goldstein, 'Cowboy' is Lance Henriksen

Everything else is from vampire related folders and searches and is as far as I know is all of the 'fair use' variety. If there's something that you feel should be attributed to some-one then feel free to let me know and I'll happily add an acknowledgement.

Vampire the Masquerade - V5 - Interlude Session - 'Damage Limitation'

I'm currently running a Vampire the Masquerade chronicle using the 5th Edition rule-set for a small group of fellow role-players. These are the chronicles of their adventures.

Our chronicle is set in Los Angeles and features a small group of Camarilla agents sent into the 'Free States' to bring them back under Camarilla control. Over a year of plotting allowed the coterie to gain control of two North-Eastern Baronies and a large part of a third. Now they are moving on to the final stage of their campaign and have their eyes on taking over the entire city, either directly or by proxy.

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The now obligatory warning bit - Unlike my other RPG write-ups this one will contain swearing, sexual references and other references that might offend. If you can't tell the difference between real             peoples opinions and grown-ups role-playing predators who crave blood then this probably won't be for you. There are however a list of potential triggers listed before the introduction. I've also used actual photographs to represent some characters which I'll give acknowledgements to at the end if I've any idea who they are.
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The introduction to this campaign, the first story and all the other parts can be found at the following links and are in chronological order. If you'd prefer a summary of each session rather than read everything then there's a more detailed link page HERE as well as links to the first episode of each story in the blog sidebar.
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Chronicle One - 'Infiltrate L.A.' 

Welcome to L.A. - Introductory Session
Story One - 'Three Murders' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five
Interlude Session - One
Story Two - 'The Pasadena Problem' - Part One, Two, Three, and Four
Solo Session - 'The Neillson Library'
Story Two Continued- 'The Pasadena Problem' - Part Five, Six, Seven and Eight
Story Three - 'Becoming Baron' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five
Solo Session - 'The Gather'
Story Three Continued - 'Becoming Baron' - Part Six, Seven and Eight

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Chronicle Two - 'Foothold L.A.' 

Solo Session - 'Hostile Takeover'
Story Four - 'Countdown' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Five - 'The Missing Chantry' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five
Solo Session - 'The Anaheim Assassination'
Story Six - 'A Meeting of Barons' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Seven - 'The Carmelita Situation' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Eight - 'The Blount Sisters' - Part One and Two
Story Nine - 'Blood Money' - Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six
Story Ten - 'Anathema' - Part One and Two
Story Eleven - 'Predators and Prey' aka 'The Blount Sisters' - Part Three
Story Twelve - 'Aftermath' - Part One and Two
Story Thirteen - 'The Messiah Complex' - Part One, Two, Three and Four

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Chronicle Three - 'Incursion L.A.'

Story Fourteen - 'The Rant'
Story Fifteen - 'Ties of Blood' - Part One and Two

Solo Session - 'A Gathering of Roses'

Story Sixteen - 'The Southern Solution' - Part One, Two and Three
Story Seventeen - 'The Baker Disappearance' - Part One, Two and Three

Story Eighteen - 'Inevitable Betrayals' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five

Story Nineteen - 'The Marius Contracts' - Part One and Two

Story Twenty - 'The MacNeil Protocols' - Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five, 

Story Twenty - 'The MacNeil Protocols' - Part Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten

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Interlude Session One - After Griffith Park

Interlude Session Two - Divide and Conquer

Interlude Session Three - On the Brink of War

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Chronicle Four - 'Conquest L.A.'

Story Twenty One - 'Veni, Vidi, Victor' - Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Story Twenty One - 'Veni, Vidi, Victor' - Part Six, and Epilogue

Story Twenty Two - 'The Unbound' - Part One, Two, Three and Four

Story Twenty Three - 'The War Council' - Part One, Two, Three and Four

Interlude Session - Recon

Story Twenty Four - 'Resistance' - Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five

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The PC's

Michael Tomassio - Toreador, 'Baron of the North East'
Vincent 'Vin' Ghast - Brujah, 'Constable'
Dr Daniel Matthews - Banu Haqim, 'Fixer'
Hope Romero - Gangrel, 'Census Taker'
Mr Hertz - Nosferatu, 'Seneschal'

The Storyteller

Garreth - Everyone else...

The player characters stats and backgrounds can be found HERE should any-one be interested, but be warned that the page is usually several stories ahead of the most recent write-up and may contain some spoilers. 

There's also some minor 'house-rules' HERE that have occurred as we went along.

If I think something needs a bit of out of character explanation then those will get a storytellers note that will helpfully be in red. Where particular NPC's have a mention in a faction profile you will be able to reach it by clicking on their name or faction beneath their picture.

Trigger Warnings for This Session: Blood (Obviously), Imprisonment, Murder, Torture.

Introduction

Los Angeles is in complete chaos.

With their leadership removed in two decisive strikes by the Anarchs, the Camarilla in the city have reacted in a variety of ways. Some have simply dug in, others have launched strikes against the Anarchs that were presumably their targets anyway and a few have cut their losses and attempted to leave the city.

Unfortunately given the amount of kindred activity and outright warfare, Masquerade breaches are increasingly common and are becoming more and more difficult to sweep under the carpet. Marius's normally efficient 'clean-up' service is stretched to it's limit and it's response time has been severely reduced due to the sheer quantity of work.

The Anarch themselves have responded in several different ways depending upon the preferences of the individual Barons...

Storytellers Note - The coterie had recently gained control of the computer system used by Jeremy MacNeil to infiltrate, influence and alter police records and I wanted them to have a chance to utilise it in an interesting manner. I also didn't have the players for very long this session, so I tried something a bit different.

The 'The MacNeil Protocols' story began HERE should you wish more details.

I gave the players information on certain baronies response to the disrupted Camarilla invasion and the problems and potential masquerade breaches that had resulted. It was then up to the players to come up with a plan for damage limitation.

Interlude Session - Damage Limitation

Baron Louis Fortier - West L.A.

Marco 'Joey' Joseph - Gangrel
West L.A.'s 'Census Taker'

Fortier's scourge Marco, has shown that his somewhat unorthodox methods (for a Gangrel at least) are formidable in their ability to pre-empt threats as the full scale assault upon the Fortiers mansion resulted in a massacre of all involved.

His intelligence gathering skills gave Fortiers military mind all the assistance it needed to position his forces to maximum effect. The attackers didn't even breach the walls of Louis's fortress, though rumours seem to indicate that Catherine DuBois has taken some prisoners.

Marco reclined in his chair, satisfied that his plan had been implemented perfectly. His intelligence gathering combined with his Baron's military training had made success inevitable. Though the Anarch Council had focussed their reconnaissance efforts on the Camarilla base within Harvey's Barony, Marco had been given permission by Baron Fortier to undertake his own investigations of local threats.

A combination of external observation and some internal eavesdropping via technological and supernatural means had given him all the information on troop strength and enemy resources that he needed.

Once he knew what he was facing, calculating the likely approaches to the mansion had been relatively simple and ambush sites were selected carefully to minimise both witnesses and collateral damage. Those he had allowed to reach the mansion had been blissfully unaware that their support would never be arriving. Perfectly calculated lines of fire had decimated the first attack and an attack to their rear led by the always efficient Jean 'Jax' Thomas, Fortier's eldest and most deadly ghoul, had caught them completely by surprise.

Atarah - Clan Lasombra, Ally of Baron Louis Fortier

The few who attempted to retreat, found the shadows themselves were waiting for them. Atarah made sure that none made it back to their base. Instead they were delivered to Catherine DuBois for interrogation.

Catherine DuBois - Ventrue
Childe and Mistress of Baron Fortier

Catherine DuBois looked over the few surviving inhabitants in the cells beneath the Fortier Mansion. She had undertaken the interrogations personally and was disappointed with how easily the prisoners had been broken. The information they had provided taught them little that they didn't already know but at least it had given her something to do for a few hours. She then noticed with no small measure of irritation that she had broken a nail at some point. She turned to her assistant. "Be a dear and book me an appointment with my manicurist...oh, and do something about the prisoners. We won't be needing them anymore."

Catherine returned to her quarters, paying no attention to the gunshots as her personal assistant executed the few prisoners who had survived her interrogations.

--------------------

The coterie sat around the meeting table in Galerie Sanguine to discuss the data they'd received from the kindred rumour-mill, legitimate news sources and the information provided for them by Zipper via the MacNeil System.

"Covering up a gun battle that big isn't going to be simple." stated Vin. "Especially when there's witnesses." Daniel then pointed out that the lack of physical evidence gave them something to work with. Michael asked him to elaborate.

"Fortier is known in mortal circles as a millionaire entrepreneur too, right? so how about we leak the story that it was an anti-terrorism exercise? Zipper can add a few files into the police system, a few authorisations here and there. Then we leak them to the media?"

"I guess it'll add a measure of doubt and explain the lack of bodies." agreed Michael. "Fine, get Zipper on it straight away..."

Baron Harvey Caplan - The South Coast

Harvey Caplan - Ventrue
Baron of the South Coast

With the Camarilla base in the South destroyed by explosion, Harvey Caplan, now Baron of the South Coast had little to worry about. He therefore concentrated on purging the docks of any infiltrators from San Francisco attempting to enter or leave the city via ship. A single vessel managed to escape, though three kindred and a dozen mortals in their company were not so lucky. Vinicius's 'Hunters' were brutally efficient in acting upon Harvey's intelligence. No prisoners were taken...

Harvey had been surprised when rather than attempt to fight their way through his defences like the others, two kindred had simply requested a meeting to discuss terms. Intrigued, he had agreed.

The two kindred now seated in his office were very different. The first was an elegant and beautiful woman in her sixties, her companion was a much younger man. Her handsome and muscular assistant hung on her every word and Harvey concluded that he was both lover and protector to the older woman.

"I believe we can help each other in these difficult times." began the lady. "I have influence of my own in San Francisco's docks, much as you do here. If you were to grant me free passage to my own vessel and allow us to slip through your blockade there is much I can do to facilitate your own operations both legitimate and...less so..."

Vera Vignes - Ventrue
Former Baroness of Pasadena

Harvey pointed out that he had accrued significant expenses due to the Camarilla operation and 'favours returned later' didn't mitigate his immediate costs. The elegant woman glanced at her companion who wrote a number on a piece of paper and slid it over to Harvey. Harvey smiled, added a zero to it and then slid it back.

"Very well." she replied, as if this had been exactly what she had expected. "Half now, half when my vessel is through your blockade. Then, when I have returned to San Francisco, I'll be in touch once more to see how we might assist each other in the future."

She held out her hand to Harvey who grasped it lightly then kissed it somewhat mockingly. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you Miss Vignes." said Baron Caplan as she withdrew her hand and headed to the door. Shen then beckoned to her companion. "Fetch my bags Henry, we have a boat to catch..."

Knowles White, Harvey's own bodyguard, waited until they had left before speaking. "Is it odd that I felt like we were the ones in danger during that meeting?" Harvey reply indicated that he felt the same way. "Well we're allies of convenience now which I imagine is far less hazardous to ones health than being her enemy..." Knowles nodded in acknowledgement. He was happy to see the woman leave, but less keen on having to deal with her in the future.

--------------------

"Reports of gunfire off the coast of Los Angeles is hardly an uncommon event." commented Daniel as he read the reports spread across the table. "Though a missing Coast Guard vessel is going to be newsworthy." Mr Hertz was less concerned and explained why. 

"We can easily release news stories about cartel drug smugglers operating outside L.A., as few criminals match the cartels for ruthlessness. If the Coast Guard got in the way, they wouldn't think twice about eliminating them. Am I correct in presuming that Mr 'Zipper' can insert a few reports of cartel activities into the police files, or modify some existing ones?"

"I'll add it to his growing list of tasks." replied Michael

Baron Myranda Maria - The Wilds

Myranda Maria - Gangrel
Pack Leader of 'The Wilds Pack'

Myranda has given word to the council that the threats within The Wilds have been 'neutralised'. It's probably best to not think to thoroughly about what she meant by 'neutralised' given the predatory natures of her Pack.

Myranda's pack were gathered in a clearing in the woods where they had bought down the last of the Camarilla who had foolishly based themselves within The Wilds.

Lola's avian followers had carefully monitored the Camarilla bases from the air and noted the escape routes of those who abandoned their posts when word of their leaders destruction had reached them. Packs of dogs and wolves under Lezabel's command had pursued them relentlessly, bringing them to ground one by one, or driving them into the waiting arms of Samael and Nicodemus.

Samael favoured melee weapons despite having access to natural ones of his own. Though killing with his own claws was an option, Samael much preferred the feeling of bone shattering impacts with bat, bar and club, the slicing through flesh by blade or the visceral tearing through both flesh and bone by chainsaw. Samael's was named 'Shirley'. No-one had ever been brave enough to ask why. Those killed by Samael got off relatively lucky when compared to the victims of Nicodemus.

Lola, Lezabel and Samael - Gangrel of the Wilds Pack

Centuries of frenzies, combined with his potent blood had resulted in a myriad of arachnid mutations being permanently added to Nicodemus's appearance. Most ancient Gangrel with this problem had a wide variety of different features. Unusually Nicodemus's were universally arachnoid. These weren't merely external changes either. Nicodemus's fangs injected a necrotic venom which liquified the insides of his victims. This liquid was then consumed by Nicodemus. Flesh and blood were ingested with equal vigour making the ancient Gangrel an Organovore as well as a vampire. Rarely was the victim granted death or final death first, making this an excruciating and terrifying manner of destruction.

'Nicodemus' - Ancient Gangrel, Ally of 'The Wilds Pack'

The mortals had been drained of blood, dismembered and disposed of. The kindred had suffered a far darker fate as the Wilds Pack had taken not only their vitae, but their souls too. Diablerie was frowned upon even in Anarch domains but Myranda and her pack cared nothing for such petty concepts. Within The Wilds they made the rules and the fate for kindred trespassers was well known. There were no exceptions.

--------------------

"You can't as much as breathe loudly in The Wilds without one of the pack jumping out at you and yet they manged to somehow miss a youtuber with a fucking video camera." stated Hope, the coteries Census Taker.

"It's not like you can make it disappear now it's out there..." added Vin. "...or discredit it. It's very obviously some poor bastard being torn apart by a pack of wolves..."

"They didn't miss the person taking the film." corrected Daniel. "He's 'missing'...It was the camera they didn't notice. One of his friends came to investigate why he hadn't come back from his morning ramble and all they found was the camera and a bloody smear."

"We'll just have to get a few reports circling about wild animals starving due to deforestation or human interference or whatever." concluded Michael. "Hopefully it'll be resigned to 'urban legend' status soon enough..."

All agreed that this was about the best they could do under the circumstances.

Baron Marius Walker - Downtown

Marius Walker - Gangrel
'The Fixer', Baron of Downtown

As for Marius, all of the threats in Downtown have disappeared except for the Camarilla representative, Kelvin Wee based in Chinatown who has had no actions taken against him at all. His position as a diplomatic agent of the Justicars has made his removal too much of a risk, even for the fiercely independent Anarchs and even Marius isn't that unpredictable...hopefully...

Marius's priority had been to acquire as many prisoners as possible. Information was an important part of his business and he had several highly skilled interrogators in his employ. Disappointingly the Camarilla had carefully kept operational information partitioned between the various bases so Leanna and Victoria had extracted very little of use. The kindred prisoners were equally useless when it came to information retrieval, fortunately they had other uses.

Several of Marius's grandechilder and kindred followers had joined him in his garden on the upper floors of Hallowbrook which was his primary base of operations. Arrayed in front of the stone altar within his garden were five kindred prisoners, captured from the Camarilla bases within his domain. Each was restrained by heavy chains and manacles. 

He then addressed the kindred he had gathered. "All of you have proven yourselves in my service and I have decided to reward you appropriately. Kneeling before you are kindred that number themselves amongst our enemies and for that fact alone, their fate was sealed. Their vitae has been sampled and each is more potent in generation than yourselves. Take their souls and become more than you were..."

The victims attempts to free themselves grew more frantic as they realised the full horror of what was about to be done to them but it was to no avail as Marius's followers fell upon them...

While his followers completed their tasks, Marius walked over to Victoria and Leanna who had been watching from the side-lines. "Kelvin Wee has slipped out of Chinatown with a minimal entourage and headed into Hollywood." Victoria informed Marius.

Victoria Anne, Ancient Ghoul of Marius - Leanna, Duskborn Blood Alchemist

"Leave him alone, don't interfere with him when he returns either." he replied. "Isaac seems to have something big planned and I have no intention of doing anything to unknowingly disrupt it unless it turns out to be greatly against our interests..."

Victoria bowed her head slightly in reply. Isaac wasn't a kindred you wanted as an enemy unless the reward greatly outweighed the risk. Though Marius respected Baron Fortier, he genuinely seemed to fear Baron Abrams, Victoria never asked why, but she had her own suspicions...

--------------------

"Nothing at all?" asked Michael, not sure if he had heard Zipper correctly. "Not a thing out of the ordinary in the whole of that domain..." repeated Zipper. "...just the usual run-of-the-mill murders, robberies and the like. Nothing that screams 'Masquerade Breach'."

"Well that's one less thing to worry about." observed Michael. It made sense to him that even stretched thin as he was, that Marius would have prioritised the integrity of his own domain

Baron Isaac Abrams - Hollywood and San Fernando

Isaac Abrams - Toreador
Baron of Hollywood and San Fernando

Baron Abrams is involved in his own talks with the Camarilla within his own domain which has resulted in an agreement of a mutual 'cease-fire' until the citywide situation can be resolved. He has apparently been assured that the attack upon himself was quite unauthorized and that the perpetrators would have been punished...had they survived...

"We both know that is a lie..." said Isaac in a matter-of-fact tone. "...so I think you need to be aware that this meeting will go much smoother if you do me the courtesy of not treating me like a fool..."

Kelvin Wee, negotiator and chosen mouthpiece of the Camarilla Justicars, paused before replying. The Isaac he faced was nothing like the unfocussed kindred, barely hanging on to power and relevance, that he had been briefed upon. This was a kindred in complete control of both himself and his domain and Kelvin was going to need to adjust his negotiating strategy accordingly.

"Perhaps I should elaborate..." continued Kelvin, thinking quickly. "...what I meant was, the assault was not authorised by myself nor the Primogen of San Francisco. Ambitious kindred under the influence of Vannevar himself decided to act against you. No doubt out of fear of your power and influence."

Isaac knew that this was also a lie, but kept the knowledge to himself, as it amused him how quickly Kelvin had changed tactics. It was also of interest to him that Kelvin seemed so keen to lay all the Camarilla's mistakes at Vannevar's feet and he filed the information away.

Vannevar Thomas - Prince of San Francisco

"Let us put such things behind us, for now." continued Isaac. "We are both aware that continued conflict serves no-one except the enemies of both the Anarchs and the Camarilla. A meeting between the interested parties in both of our cities needs to be arranged and I am willing to put my own influence behind such a proposal. For a price..."

Kelvin listened intently. The price was high, and within his powers to promise, but not grant personally... "I agree to your terms, though the finer points will need to be confirmed by kindred other than myself..."

"That will be adequate...for now." replied Isaac

--------------------

"It looks like Isaac has also dealt with his own internal problems." said Michael, looking over the various reports they had gathered.

No-one was particularly surprised.

Baron Henrique 'Hank' Boyd - The Crypts Sons

Henrique 'Hank' Boyd - Brujah
Baron of The Crypts Sons

The covert Camarilla base in The Crypts Son's territory has fortified itself and without the overwhelming forces formerly possessed by Hank, it has resisted any attempts at assault.

This site is of particular interest to Hank as he is convinced that it was from here that the car-bomb that decimated his forces, and almost destroyed him, originated. Vengeance is high on his list of priorities.

"Maybe if you led an attack personally?" suggested Kayne Lowe, One of Hank's most trusted advisors. "Or send Deacon? At least then we wouldn't lose anyone important..."

Deacon had been taken on my Hank as an emissary and mouthpiece for The Crypts Sons after the dissolution of the Barony of the Angels had left him without his own feeding grounds. He was young, good-looking and had a certain personal charisma that should have made him ideal for the role.

Kayne's assessment of his performance in this role was less complimentary. Hank had more trust in Kayne than Deacon and so had moved the younger kindred to the side-lines where he would have no influence. Deacon's pride had been hurt but he had said nothing so far.

Deacon - Brujah
The Crypts Sons Emissary

Unfortunately Hank couldn't afford to sacrifice any of his limited resources on an ultimately futile attack. He also lacked the variety of other weapons available to his fellow Barons. He lacked covert operatives and mortal political influence.

When he had the raw power of his forces to fall back upon, these weaknesses had seemed unimportant. Now he had begun to realise why the other Barons favoured these other areas of influence so highly. Maybe this was something that Deacon might be useful for.

Of course he knew that Kayne would object, but Hank was still Baron, if he had to knock some heads together then he would.

--------------------

"The increased gang activity can easily be explained." stated Vin, whose knowledge of L.A.'s gangs was considerable. "But there's a shitload of bodies been found with suspiciously low amounts of blood in them and that's a headline that's bound to draw the kind of attention we don't want."

"Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone with this one?" mused Michael

"We leak stories that rival gang members have been tortured and bodies dumped on street, and then link that to a gang called 'The Young Bloods', drop in some occult connections, and then connect them to the gang war."

Daniel could see where he was going with this. "That would point a lot of attention at the Young Bloods, and that's going to make their vampire hunting activities all the harder to pull off..."

All agreed that this was a good plan. Anything that reduced the threat that the Unbound ghoul gang posed to the kindred inhabitants of Los Angeles was a good thing. Hopefully it would also make them a less useful tool to Vannevar and effect any deal he had made with them.

Barons Martinez and Maller - El Hermandad and Anaheim

Camarilla bases in El Hermandad and Anaheim have proven equally difficult to crack and have made a number of successful hit and run tactics against Gloria and Allison's assets resulting in bloodshed on both sides. Several members of the Unbound Ghoul gang 'The Young Bloods' have also been involved though whether as independents or agents of Vannevar is open to speculation.

Baron Gloria Martinez - El Hermandad, Baron Allison Maller - Anaheim

Gloria Martinez and Allison Maller sat in a long forgotten nuclear fallout shelter below an abandoned and boarded up former local government office building, Amara Martins, elected leader of 'The Liberated' had joined them. 

This site sat near the border between both their territories and the area that they'd recently granted to the Caitiff and Duskborn who referred to themselves as 'The Liberated' and was therefore an ideal meeting place for representatives from all three baronies. Kindred from all their forces were keeping guard.

Abandoned Nuclear Fallout Shelter

A table and chairs had been set up in the shelters meeting room and the two Barons and Amara were deep in discussion about how to unite their war efforts to better effect.

"So it's agreed?" said Gloria. "We combine our sweepers into a single unit to monitor Vannevar's forces, they then transmit any intelligence on movements to strike forces made up of our hardest hitters and we take out the enemies a piece at a time?"

"It seems preferable to throwing ourselves at a brick wall." replied Allison. "Historical sieges have been succeeded by starving the enemy of resources. I don't see why this problem can't be resolved the same way. Any attempt to leave we punish, eventually they'll need to either negotiate or make a break for it, either way we make progress."

"I will provide whatever support I can." added Amara. "Marius has kept to his word and one of his people has been teaching those of us with potential, the rudiments of the blood sorcery we duskborn call alchemy."

"What was his price?" asked Gloria

Amara Martins - Duskborn
Elected Leader of 'The Liberated'

"There wasn't one." stated Amara, to Gloria and Allison's surprise. "We were told that we could repay him what we believed the service was worth, once things had settled down and we'd established ourselves."

 .

Both Gloria and Allison exchanged a look. They'd need to ensure that it was they who influenced the growing duskborn population of L.A., not Marius or any of his stooges. It was fortunate that many Duskborn and Caitiff still recalled with bitterness that it was Marius who had destroyed so many of their kind during the so-called Cross Rebellion.

Even so, it was something they'd need to monitor. Kindred could be fickle and 'The Liberated' were not a weapon that either Barons intended to lose to 'The Fixer'.

--------------------

"Well this is a fucking shit-show." announced Hope, voicing out loud what they'd all been thinking.

Various unexplained murders had been reported across both territories, gang activity was at a new high which had attracted police attention, and there was camera footage of gang members being shot then carrying on fighting on various social media platforms.

"Zipper will just have to mitigate what he can using the system access to police files." said Michael. "But we're not doing this lot for free. Daniel, contact Allison and tell her what we can do to help but that it'll cost her a boon or two. And get her to relay that to Gloria as well."

Daniel agreed to make the arrangements. He was sure that he could persuade Allison that what they were offering was more than worth the price they asked.

Santa Clarita, Simi and The San Gabriel Mountains

The Baron-less Gangrel domains in the North of Los Angeles have been in running battles with Vannevar's forces that have been transporting resources through the mountains, from San Francisco via San Jose. Though these domains are technically under the protection of Marius, the reality is that they are effectively independent entities and getting them to co-ordinate their attacks with the dictates of the Anarch Council are next to impossible.

Layla and Lola Mae - Gangrel sweepers for Santa Clarita

Layla and Lola Mae, currently based in Santa Clarita, left the blood-stained cabin, once inhabited by three Camarilla ghouls, satisfied that they had gained some small measure of revenge for the attack that had cost them their home in San Jose. They knew that Lewis Wheeler, one of the Simi Valley Gangrel was nearby with the same purpose. His wilderness skills were poor given significant time spent in the city and he hid both his scent and movement poorly. 

"Who's next?" asked Layla of her sister. "Whoever we can find..." replied Lola

Zipper - Caitiff
Operator of 'The MacNeil System'

--------------------

"Isn't this Marius's problem?" asked Vin

"Twenty-three missing people and three blood-stained cabins are everyone's problem." replied Michael

Daniel then interjected. "According to Zipper, the occupants were using assumed names and are effectively untraceable so no-one's going to be reporting them missing. So that's something at least."

"Unresolved murders are hardly uncommon in L.A." added Mr Hertz. "The fictitious identities will no doubt interest the conspiracy theorists but if anything that will help. After all, no-one takes those people seriously..."

"I think we've done all we can and gained from it enough boons to make the effort worthwhile." concluded Michael. "Now we just need to see what the Camarilla's next move will be...oh, and Mr Hertz. See how many of the abandoned sites you can acquire. Properties already prepared as bases for kindred will come in useful."

Michael made a mental note to find some way of rewarding Zipper for his efforts. Given the amount of tasks they were throwing at him, it seemed only fair.

Epilogue - The Diplomatic Solution

Kelvin Wee - Ventrue
Camarilla Negotiator

Kelvin Wee has agreed to meet with a representative of the Free States in order to discuss a more diplomatic solution to the current situation than outright warfare.

The potential collateral damage from those agents of Vannevar within the city preferring to go out in a blaze of glory rather than admit defeat to the Anarchs is a definite concern. 

Also worthy of consideration is the certainty that the Sabbat are observing the situation. The havoc they could wreak against a weakened San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles doesn't bear considering.

Kelvin will however, not leave Chinatown and therefore any meeting will have to be there. 

As expected, the council has given the task to Michael Tomassio. Both Marius and Louis will also be attending in order to ensure there is no 'foul play' and a number of Camarilla agents have been allowed passage to Chinatown to act as additional security for Kelvin himself. 

Though a cessation of hostilities has been promised by Anarch and Camarilla forces this has already been broken by both sides, several times, and is unlikely to hold for long on a broader scale.

To Be Continued in 'The Killing Spree' (Interlude Session)

In Conclusion

I like to do a round-up of how the session went in these features but if you couldn't give a shit what I think then feel free to skip this bit...

This was an unusually formatted session but it allowed me to give the players more of a sense that all of the baronies had their own agendas as well as letting them utilise The MacNeil System'. As they spent ten sessions acquiring it, I figured I'd better let them play with it a bit, lol.

Now we're moving into the different but equally dangerous area of kindred politics. let's see how that goes, shall we?

Acknowledgements
“Portions of the materials are the copyrights and trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB, and are used with permission. All rights reserved.”

I've used pictures of real people to represent some of the characters and art for others so in no particular order Michael Tomassio is represented by Matt Bomer, 'Vin' is Scott Adkins, Dr Matthews is Mads Mikkelsen, Hope is Deborah Ann Woll, Mr Hertz is Charles Dance, Catherine DuBois is Margot Robbie, Harvey Caplan is Harvey Keitel, Vera Vignes is Helen Mirren, Myranda Maria is Shannyn Visceral, Marius Walker is Tony Curran, Victoria Anne is Lilith May, Leanna is Leeanna Vamp, Isaac Abrams is Gary Oldman, Vannevar Thomas is Bryan Dechart. Henrique 'Hank' Boyd is Michael Clarke Duncan, Deacon is Michael Ealy, Gloria Martinez is Ariadne Artiles, Allison Maller is Chloe Grace-Moretz, Amara Martins is Indira Varma, Layla Mae is Minka Kelly, Lola Mae is Leighton Meester, 'Zipper' is Johnny Galecki and Kelvin Wee is Rich Ting.

Everything else is from vampire related folders and searches and is as far as I know is all of the 'fair use' variety. If there's something that you feel should be attributed to some-one then feel free to let me know and I'll happily add an acknowledgement.