VtM Part Two - The Owl's Debt

Necro

Lysander chucks the assault rifle he found on one of the hunters to Bronwen.

'Sister, if you can shoot I'll attempt to outmaneuver them.'

Fourier

Without a pause Lysander burns some Vitae, its magical essence summoning more nerve fibers into existence in his arms and legs and tightening the muscles, enhancing his dexterity.

Lysander swerves to the right, avoiding the fire and drives straight through somebody's back garden and out into the street beyond.

The other cars follow without much delay, but they can't get a clear shot as they do.

Lysander sees a road leading to the airport runway, or he can continue on the current road.

OOC: Either case Drive roll, still with the six dice.

Fourier

A big smile runs across Bronwen's face as her hand changes to a strange biomechanical fist and punches through the roof.

She aims the assault rifle, wiring sprouting from her head and connecting into the rifle. She shoots and damages the car, but just before Lysander has to make his choice or not, she says:

"Not good enough, do over"

Lysander finds himself back a bit on the road coming out of the garden again, with the cars following.

Bronwen shoots and does essentially the same damage.

"Aaarrrggghhh! Fuk it, once more, it's a risk but what the hell. Right Vamp?!" she says manically, before the scene repeats.

This time she hits the fuel and wheels of one of the cars, it tumbles off the road into an all night shopping mall window.

Lysander approaches the turn....

Fourier

He stays on the same road.

Both cars stay level distance swerving in and out along the road, preventing the shooters in either car from getting a hit.

"Lysander, think you can stop and do a 180?" Bronwen shouts.

OOC: It'll require a critical success, i.e. two 10s. Telling you just to reflect Lysander's feeling of how unlikely he is to be able to do this. If you don't do it, another drive roll

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

He stays on the same road.

Both cars stay level distance swerving in and out along the road, preventing the shooters in either car from getting a hit.

"Lysander, think you can stop and do a 180?" Bronwen shouts.

OOC: It'll require a critical success, i.e. two 10s. Telling you just to reflect Lysander's feeling of how unlikely he is to be able to do this. If you don't do it, another drive roll

'Fuk it, I can try - and hey, you can always do that time thing if I fail, right?'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

'Fuk it, I can try - and hey, you can always do that time thing if I fail, right?'

"A bit risky to do it, might attract attention...but yes"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"A bit risky to do it, might attract attention...but yes"

Lysander shrugs whilst still holding the wheel.

'Ha, sister - three - now two cars are shooting at each other driving down a narrow road. You blew one up and it crashed into a mall. I think we've already attracted attention. Now, let's do this thing!'

Fourier

Lysander quickly changes gears and spins 120 degrees.

Bronwen sees no indication of wanting a rewind, so she fires on their pursuers. The damage makes their car wobble a bit, while they miss Lysanders car.

Bronwen shakes her head and rewinds time.

"Upping the ammo a bit" she grins.

The front of the gun distorts, gaining magnetic coils and a blue glow. The next few shots race out of the barrel with a blue streak and a laser like sound. The other car explodes in a fireball that rises onto the cars on the bridge overhead as they pass.

They pass into Ventrue territory shortly thereafter and make it to Lysander's house.

Necro

Lysander pulls into the driveway and turns to his sister.

'Nothing like the smell of singed hunter in the dark of night to get the pulse... if I had one... racing, eh?'

He gets out of the car and looks around him for any signs of people. If there is anyone about, he pulls into the garage. If there isn't he goes to the back door and takes the Sheriff inside.

Fourier

As Lysander enters the house, he actually rushes into a small white room with no windows. When he turns there are no doors.

A middle aged woman in white clothing sits at a desk.

"Hello, name?" she says in a robotic tone.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

As Lysander enters the house, he actually rushes into a small white room with no windows. When he turns there are no doors.

A middle aged woman in white clothing sits at a desk.

"Hello, name?" she says in a robotic tone.

'Lysander Karpov. This is... or I thought it was... my house. Who are you?'

Fourier

"You will be returned to your domicile shortly. Lysander Karpov..."

Lysander hears an odd sound, like television static.

"...ah, I see. I have your information now, but you died a long time ago. Supernatural then. Vampire?"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"You will be returned to your domicile shortly. Lysander Karpov..."

Lysander hears an odd sound, like television static.

"...ah, I see. I have your information now, but you died a long time ago. Supernatural then. Vampire?"

'Yes. Something I did not have much of a choice in, but..'

He laughs.

'I feel I...grew into it as I came to terms with my new life. What is this place?'

Fourier

"Hmmm, explains why I don't have your current information on file. Your kind exists outside our systems. No matter.

This place is an interview room, plain and simple. We have several thousand in pocket dimensions dotted about the city. If you were human I'd wipe your memories after this. However the amount of supernatural energy it will take to do that to you isn't worth it, considering you're hardly going to inform mass media and your kind have never opposed our plans or factored into them much.

We detected four temporal anomalies near your location. Have you come into contact with a being that can reverse time?"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"Hmmm, explains why I don't have your current information on file. Your kind exists outside our systems. No matter.

This place is an interview room, plain and simple. We have several thousand in pocket dimensions dotted about the city. If you were human I'd wipe your memories after this. However the amount of supernatural energy it will take to do that to you isn't worth it, considering you're hardly going to inform mass media and your kind have never opposed our plans or factored into them much.

We detected four temporal anomalies near your location. Have you come into contact with a being that can reverse time?"

If he could, Lysander would be blushing.

'Temporal anomalies...? Reverse time? Those that reside with me are my sister, my lover and my ward. And yes, they are three different people. I am not aware of any of those who could reverse time.'

He gives the impression he is thinking.

'However I did meet with one that might have the ability. I believe most call him Dracula - although I've taken to calling him Mike. Keep up appearances, you know?'

Fourier

She gives Lysander a cold stare. Then stands and opens a slot in the wall, behind which is a terminal.

She opens her mouth and the skin peels back, a machine like body rises and connects into the floor. She then emits static into the terminal.



In less than a second she then returns to human form and hands Lysander a sheet of paper.

"I feel you are lying, but my superiors disagree that I should attempt to force the truth out of you"

The sheet is a report indicating their analysis. The being in front of Lysander is simply called 'Interogator-117BLA'. The report indicates the chance that Lysander is lying is too low to justify the 145.67 milicrons of Aether required to power the spell to get him to tell the truth. It then details forty-eight better ways the energy could be spent, including a bizarre mention of moving a cat out of a tree four days from now and rusting the lock on a garage in Redondo beach so a bike can be stolen.

It then details that the entity they are pursuing, identified as 'Facilitator-41CLA', will most likely cause significant damage should he be found. They question 'Interogator-117BLA''s motives, suggesting an emotional reason for requesting this unjustified use of resources.

The note ends with a section informing Lysander that they are being open with him to ensure vampires know they operate on reason and are not arbitrary.

They thank him for informing them that temporal effects may be within Dracula's reach and that they have added this to their files.

The woman speaks again.

"Any final questions?"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

They thank him for informing them that temporal effects may be within Dracula's reach and that they have added this to their files.

The woman speaks again.

"Any final questions?"

Lysander stares at the woman, mouth slightly open in shock.

'I have lots of questions, but I doubt you will answer them. So I will just ask this final one...

Why are you pursuing this... what did you call them... Facilitator?'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander stares at the woman, mouth slightly open in shock.

'I have lots of questions, but I doubt you will answer them. So I will just ask this final one...

Why are you pursuing this... what did you call them... Facilitator?'

"You'll find us surprisingly open. There is no purpose hiding anything from you, as anything we don't want you to know, you don't even know enough about it to ask.

The Facilitator was meant to help in completing a project in this city during the 1850s, we estimated a high likelihood that the then town would become a major city in the United States by the 1940s and so wished to have certain control measures, work units and so on in place before increased human presence would mean spending too much energy hiding ourselves. I worked with the Facilitator on this and things went well for four years. Until he had a change of heart...or perhaps a heart in human terms and abandoned the project.

Falling from our realm and grace and now existing in your world. His very presence is a bug in the system, like an irritant beneath the skin"

She grinds her teeth.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"You'll find us surprisingly open. There is no purpose hiding anything from you, as anything we don't want you to know, you don't even know enough about it to ask.

The Facilitator was meant to help in completing a project in this city during the 1850s, we estimated a high likelihood that the then town would become a major city in the United States by the 1940s and so wished to have certain control measures, work units and so on in place before increased human presence would mean spending too much energy hiding ourselves. I worked with the Facilitator on this and things went well for four years. Until he had a change of heart...or perhaps a heart in human terms and abandoned the project.

Falling from our realm and grace and now existing in your world. His very presence is a bug in the system, like an irritant beneath the skin"

She grinds her teeth.

'So, a personal friend at one time? Doesn't sound like Dracula, I'll give you that. He was looking for someone buried beneath the dirt in the Sabbat mansion here. I went there with him but.... I don't know to be honest. Either his spell failed or my memory was affected.

Is this Facilitator dangerous should I come across them?'

Fourier

There is a twitch of excitement when Lysander mentions the church.

"Thank you. He had sealed himself beneath the church, I knew it, though I could never justify the energy to undo the spell. Of course it would come easier to your kind. Thank you. I will ask my superiors for permission for an audience with this Dracula. The energy required to obtain somebody so crucial, they'll probably say no. Still I have a lead.

The Facilitator is not a danger no, to you at least."

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

There is a twitch of excitement when Lysander mentions the church.

"Thank you. He had sealed himself beneath the church, I knew it, though I could never justify the energy to undo the spell. Of course it would come easier to your kind. Thank you. I will ask my superiors for permission for an audience with this Dracula. The energy required to obtain somebody so crucial, they'll probably say no. Still I have a lead.

The Facilitator is not a danger no, to you at least."

Lysander nods.

'I am glad I could help you. Is there any way I can contact you if I learn anything more of this Facilitator?'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Lysander nods.

'I am glad I could help you. Is there any way I can contact you if I learn anything more of this Facilitator?'

She hands him a USB.

"Just play the song 'An Angel is coming' when you want to speak. I'll be there pretty fast"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

She hands him a USB.

"Just play the song 'An Angel is coming' when you want to speak. I'll be there pretty fast"

Lysander pockets the USB and smiles at the...woman - who he's starting to get the impression isn't actually a woman.

'If I learn of anything that I feel can help you I will be sure to do so.'

Fourier

"Wonderful, any remaining questions?"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"Wonderful, any remaining questions?"

'Well... what are you exactly? And why must you hide completely?'

Lysander leans against the wall.

'I mean, we vampires have the Masquerade - but we are still present in society to a degree.'

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

'Well... what are you exactly? And why must you hide completely?'

Lysander leans against the wall.

'I mean, we vampires have the Masquerade - but we are still present in society to a degree.'

"I am an angel and I work for God"

She lets that sink in for a bit.

"Though in my 18,456 years of service I have only heard its voice four times. Mostly I communicate with the archangel to whom I am assigned or his council.

The Facilitator was one of us who fell, a demon. We are more mechanistic and bureaucratic than human religions depict us. Though you know how inaccurate their myths can be.

We manage the world in accordance with the part of the plan we are shown. None of my kind know the full plan or sometimes the reasons for what we do. The Facilitator did not understand that this must be so.

Our actions must be subtle, otherwise we would disturb the world's development too much. Like a gardener cannot step into his own flower bed, but prune it gently but occasionally"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"I am an angel and I work for God"

She lets that sink in for a bit.

"Though in my 18,456 years of service I have only heard its voice four times. Mostly I communicate with the archangel to whom I am assigned or his council.

The Facilitator was one of us who fell, a demon. We are more mechanistic and bureaucratic than human religions depict us. Though you know how inaccurate their myths can be.

We manage the world in accordance with the part of the plan we are shown. None of my kind know the full plan or sometimes the reasons for what we do. The Facilitator did not understand that this must be so.

Our actions must be subtle, otherwise we would disturb the world's development too much. Like a gardener cannot step into his own flower bed, but prune it gently but occasionally"

'Amazing I would not burst into flames in your presence like the humans believe as well... a real Angel?'

Lysander considers this.

'Well, thank you... I apologise, I don't know your name. I really should be on my way though. I have pressing issues back at home.'

Fourier

"A real angel, yes. My name is Facilitator-41CLA as funny as that might be to you"

A door appears.

"It would be....nice....to meet again"

She gives a light smile and gestures to the door.

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

"A real angel, yes. My name is Facilitator-41CLA as funny as that might be to you"

A door appears.

"It would be....nice....to meet again"

She gives a light smile and gestures to the door.

'Very well, I'll call you Felicity for ease of use. Felicity the Faciltator-41CLA, it was a pleasure to meet you.'

Lysander winks at her and turns to leave but stops at the door.

'It most certainly would be... nice... to meet again.'

He steps through the door trying not to think about how Angel blood would taste.

Fourier

He enters the house with the Sheriff.

Clarissa runs forward, but halts as time stops.

"Thanks, I won't forget that" Bronwen says.

Time starts again and Clarissa runs up to look at the Sheriff.

"Damsel...oh my god...Lysander what happened. And you brought Bronwen, she's just a human Lysander!

Ly, I've...I've been feeling strange...I...feeling angry...I drank from a human and it did nothing"

Lysander feels himself struggling not to kneel. Clarissa's beast is growing stronger.