The Seven
Episode Six
"The Last Few Days"
Vampire the Masquerade
Classic World of Darkness
Antonio Ruiz remembers how the winner of the fight was lead away, the Cainites congratulating him of his coming freedom. There was no truth to the promise, however. Antonio knew the poor mortal was bound to be destroyed, or worse, turned into one of them.
He meets Alexander Giovanni and subtlety uses Echo of the Subtle Vizier to snare him into a Dominated whisper if he would need him later tonight. But as he makes to leave, Antonio finds himself unable to exit using the staircase before him. A late comer has just arrived and her massive dress has made passing through the corridor impossible. At some point, the woman finds herself trapped in the narrow passageway. Her massive petticoat has snagged on the walls and trapped her from moving forward. She pulls out a pair of binoculars to look through and sees Antonio at the foot of the steps.
"A Lasombra," she exclaims. She asks him to help him get out. Antonio carefully summons the arms of the abyss to coil around her and gently tug her towards him. Freed, the woman thanks him profusely and introduces herself to him as Jadviga Almanov, a guest of honor for the upcoming festivities to happen on the 4th of April. When Carlito Giovanni approaches them to apologize for the problem and to gently explain that she has arrived early, Almanov insists to introduce Antonio Ruiz as "Valdemar". Carlito was assigned my Mario Giovanni to wait for the guests. Carlito takes it to mean they are both the honored guests to represent themselves in the reenactment, and welcomes them both. A painting will be made of them - the last supper - to mark the event and there's mention of the collector of secrets who has not been heard of in a while. Ruiz realizes the Collector of Secrets he's been hoping to track was supposed to feature a role in this reenactment.
As Jadviga and Antonio leave, Jadviga invites him to accompany her to her haven. It is there when she drops all pretenses and admits to Antonio that she knows he is not Lord Valdermar. "I know this because I killed Lord Valdermar." She asks him if he's here to dig around the Giovanni for answers, and eventually suggests that she knows he's here to learn more about.. the Seven. She offers to embrace a child for him to diablerize as a gift. Jadviga is extremely perceptive, however, and teases that the late Valdemar actually had memories of the Seven.
He meets Alexander Giovanni and subtlety uses Echo of the Subtle Vizier to snare him into a Dominated whisper if he would need him later tonight. But as he makes to leave, Antonio finds himself unable to exit using the staircase before him. A late comer has just arrived and her massive dress has made passing through the corridor impossible. At some point, the woman finds herself trapped in the narrow passageway. Her massive petticoat has snagged on the walls and trapped her from moving forward. She pulls out a pair of binoculars to look through and sees Antonio at the foot of the steps.
"A Lasombra," she exclaims. She asks him to help him get out. Antonio carefully summons the arms of the abyss to coil around her and gently tug her towards him. Freed, the woman thanks him profusely and introduces herself to him as Jadviga Almanov, a guest of honor for the upcoming festivities to happen on the 4th of April. When Carlito Giovanni approaches them to apologize for the problem and to gently explain that she has arrived early, Almanov insists to introduce Antonio Ruiz as "Valdemar". Carlito was assigned my Mario Giovanni to wait for the guests. Carlito takes it to mean they are both the honored guests to represent themselves in the reenactment, and welcomes them both. A painting will be made of them - the last supper - to mark the event and there's mention of the collector of secrets who has not been heard of in a while. Ruiz realizes the Collector of Secrets he's been hoping to track was supposed to feature a role in this reenactment.
As Jadviga and Antonio leave, Jadviga invites him to accompany her to her haven. It is there when she drops all pretenses and admits to Antonio that she knows he is not Lord Valdermar. "I know this because I killed Lord Valdermar." She asks him if he's here to dig around the Giovanni for answers, and eventually suggests that she knows he's here to learn more about.. the Seven. She offers to embrace a child for him to diablerize as a gift. Jadviga is extremely perceptive, however, and teases that the late Valdemar actually had memories of the Seven.
*
Back at Jeremiah Ash's haven, Marianna shares with him, Viktor Smith, and Samantha Fletcher the chronology of events as how she remembers them happening. She tells them of the Week of Nightmares that caused an explosion of psychotic episodes to emerge worldwide. She tells them of the hordes of people that were overcome by an undeniable urge to march to Jerusalem, some drowning themselves in the process as they attempted to literally march across the sea. She talks of the wars erupting as countries accused each other of biological attacks and the like. Of the great red star in the sky, as brilliant as a second moon, crashing into the world and obliterating the most of Eastern Europe.
But none. None of them recall a single thing.
Marianna then brings up her surprise that both of them are working and trusting Viktor Smith. This statement surprises Smith given it means she knows him. He has no recollection of her at all. The group starts considering the impossible - that memories have been tampered with at a world scale. Smith finds himself recalling the words of the Malkavian Prince, "The Angels know things. And if you're lucky, they will talk to you too."
Ash admits to vague recollections of rumors of the Eldest rising from the depths of New York. They discuss the rumors of the Last Daughter of Eve and how it turned out to merely be a metaphor rather than an actual person. Marianna still believes New York has to be avenged. She understands that the murders and sacrifices were all necessary to help the city to stand. Ash believes the sacrifices are tasked for the rest to survive. Some forget, he believes and that's what just happened in New York. The sacrifices knew what was happening to them, which is probably why none of them struggled or tried to fight back. They sacrificed themselves.
Given there were no sacrifices done in Venice, one has to wonder if these are done on a per city basis. And whether or not they were just about to happen to here.
Fletcher starts sharing the things she knows about Smith, sharing about how they used to gather artifacts that helped them understand Noddist lore even more. She admits to having survived the war with him. She chooses not to mention any role Moncada played in their time during the war. But somehow, Smith recalls only his time as sheriff and of working under Madame Faqas in New York.
**
Back at Jeremiah Ash's haven, Marianna shares with him, Viktor Smith, and Samantha Fletcher the chronology of events as how she remembers them happening. She tells them of the Week of Nightmares that caused an explosion of psychotic episodes to emerge worldwide. She tells them of the hordes of people that were overcome by an undeniable urge to march to Jerusalem, some drowning themselves in the process as they attempted to literally march across the sea. She talks of the wars erupting as countries accused each other of biological attacks and the like. Of the great red star in the sky, as brilliant as a second moon, crashing into the world and obliterating the most of Eastern Europe.
But none. None of them recall a single thing.
Marianna then brings up her surprise that both of them are working and trusting Viktor Smith. This statement surprises Smith given it means she knows him. He has no recollection of her at all. The group starts considering the impossible - that memories have been tampered with at a world scale. Smith finds himself recalling the words of the Malkavian Prince, "The Angels know things. And if you're lucky, they will talk to you too."
Ash admits to vague recollections of rumors of the Eldest rising from the depths of New York. They discuss the rumors of the Last Daughter of Eve and how it turned out to merely be a metaphor rather than an actual person. Marianna still believes New York has to be avenged. She understands that the murders and sacrifices were all necessary to help the city to stand. Ash believes the sacrifices are tasked for the rest to survive. Some forget, he believes and that's what just happened in New York. The sacrifices knew what was happening to them, which is probably why none of them struggled or tried to fight back. They sacrificed themselves.
Given there were no sacrifices done in Venice, one has to wonder if these are done on a per city basis. And whether or not they were just about to happen to here.
Fletcher starts sharing the things she knows about Smith, sharing about how they used to gather artifacts that helped them understand Noddist lore even more. She admits to having survived the war with him. She chooses not to mention any role Moncada played in their time during the war. But somehow, Smith recalls only his time as sheriff and of working under Madame Faqas in New York.
**
Jadviga begins to narrate the events of the Last Supper to Ruiz and as she narrates the story, images begin to manifest in the surroundings. Ruiz sees her narrative take form around him, but the images of the various roles in the tale instead reflect the likeness of the various vampires Ruiz had met in the last few years. At one point, she narrates how a man manifesting with Smith's likeness was helping Brujah in one of her rambles... and then shifts to mention the Seven and how they feed in different ways.
She admits to Ruiz she has told him more than most know and asks him if he will choose to join her. She welcomes him into what she calls, the Black Hand.
***
"Carthage will never forget!" she hisses and reveals what she knows of him. Smith, as it turns out, has long been emotionally detached and calm (for a Brujah) because his lineage is not of the Rabble. He, to be truthful, turns out to be one of the children of the line before their name was stolen.
He was of the True Brujah.
***
Visitors. Cars arrive with Giovanni stepping out. Panicked, Marianna grabs Smith and uses her Necromancy to pull him with her into the underworld. Fletcher slides open the hiding hole that was built into the location and hides behind it while Ash welcomes the guests inside.
As it turns out, the eight Giovanni are here to talk and answer any questions he may have of the coming Reenactment. When he questions why they would come to his haven with weapons, they admit they brought it out of fear of his power and age. They discuss the basics and even admit that they still lack guests to portray the roles of the Tremere and the Nosferatu. Ash suggests he knows a Tremere and they call Fletcher that moment to get her to attend. Fletcher (who pretends to be far away) graciously accepts to play the role of Lord Casmir.
The Giovanni leave, eager to see the family reunion come to pass.
Fletcher admits she needs to feed, and spends some hours taking small doses of blood from various victims. Ash on the other hand starts mapping out escape routes, using his considerable wealth to purchase a yacht as one option to leave (with the keys being left in the nearby hotel for him to take when possible.) He also books plane tickets to have an instant trip back to Sweden.
The day is April the 3rd, and midnight is soon past.
On April 4th, everything will change.
On April 4th, everything will change.
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