Secrets of The Covenants PDF

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2 Secrets of the Covenants

Carthians 4 VII 119
Blindness 126
New York: The Crowd 5
Fury 136
Cairo: Forever And A Night 6
Faithlessness 139
Hanoi: Everything Turns Gray 8
Los Angeles: Sleep Now In The Fire 21 Ordo Dracul 142
Caracas: The Marxist Brothers 23
Interview With a Researcher 142
Dubai: Eat the Meek 33
The Burlesque Grotesque 144
Houston: The American Jesus 35
You and Me 147
In Closing 38
The Quick and the Red 152
Circle of the Crone 40 Dear Scratch 157
13th Stepping 166
Sacrificial 41
Song of the Brides 169
Effortless Damage 45
Lecture to the Symposium 175
Daisy 54
How I Learned to Let Go
and Love the Movement 57
Appendix: Trade Secrets 176
Carthians: The Tools of Revolution 177
Nasiriyah 60
Merits 177
Tending Gardens 63
Carthian Law 179
Bread Crumbs 65
Circle of the Crone: Grave Flowers 181
Invictus 70 Merits 181
The Game 70 Crac Style Merits 182
Harpys Night Out 71 Crac Style Merits 182
Bad Blood in Saint Petersburg 74 Crac Rituals 184
The Trouble With Carmilla 77 Invictus: The Ties that Bind 187
The Struggle of Sophia Charlotte 89 Merits 187
Facility 52 91 Oaths 189
When in Rome 96 Lancea et Sanctum 192
Merits 192
Lancea et Sanctum 106 Theban Sorcery Miracles 194
The Confession of Ordo Dracul: The Rites of the Dragon 197
Prince Augusto Vidal of New Orleans 106 Merits 197
Hubris 106 Wyrms Nest Merits 199
Sloth 107 Mysteries 200
Murder 107 The Coil of Zirnitra 200
Fear 109 Scales of Zirnitra 200
Suspicion 111 The Coil of Ziva 201
Suspicion (II) 114 The Curious Science of Wyrms Nests 202
Table of Contents 3
CARTHiANS ted
Ano the r thi n g tha t p i sses me off, talk i n g about who sta rWa s
p u n k roc k mu si c. Was i t.. . the Sex Pi stols i n En gla nd? k?
i t.. . the R am ones and the Velve t Under grou nd i n New Yor sta r ted
Who car es who sta r ted i t?! Its mu si c,. I dont know who t we did i t
i t,, and I dont gi ve a shi t. The one thi n g I know i s thamo
har der, we did i t fas ter, and we def i n i tel y did i t wi th re love,
bab y. You cant take tha t away from us.
-Stevo, SLC Pu n k
Welcome to this months issue of FUCK THE REVOLUTION. Its been

three months since our last issue. Sorry about that, we were busy
saving the fucking universe you ungrateful motherfuckers.
So whatta we got for you this issue? Glad you asked. Were gonna
talk a little bit about New York history. By that, I mean Carthian
history in New York. I know what youre saying. Dinasaur! I dont
want to read fucking history texts and

shit! I want to hear about sex, drugs, rock
Well, calm the fuck down, because wer , roll, blood, and fire!
e on the same page. Ill make sure to focu
rock, roll, blood, and fire in the history. s on the sex, drugs,
The thing is, New Yorks got a lot of new
some fresh air into our dead-assed lun faces come to breathe
gs. This issues gonna be their primer.
history. After all, if you dont know you Theyve got to learn their
r history, youre bound to repeat it. Rep
how you get hair metal. Nobody wants eating shitty history is
hair metal. I dont wish hair metal on my
enemies.
Weve also got a lot of other primer shit
. Codes. Tactics. All that jazz. So if it ain
SHA RE THIS. I know one of you guys will t obv ious: DONT
. And to you, I say, fuck you. Every tim
get its head out of its ass, thats your fau e the Movement cant
lt. You. Personally. So do the Movement
Swear to the Inv ictus. Get your pretty wat a favor, and fuck off.
ch. Because if we find you, and you hav
to kick you out. And we wont stop kick ent left, were going
ing until were sure youre out.
Now that we got that unpleasantness out
of the way: FUCK THE REVOLUTION!
Yours,

The thing about talking about the Carthian Movement
in New York is you cant just talk about New York. Lady
Liberty, huddled masses yearning to breathe free, you
know the drill. Except we dont breathe, so that shit
doesnt apply. We cant just talk about New York, because
the Movement is a culture vampire.
Follow with me for a second.
We devour culture. Since night fucking
one, the New York Movement has dedicat
the best and the brightest ideas from all ed itself to finding
over the Kindred world. We take their coo
their ideas. It works pretty well for us, lest, and we steal
because weve been in power for a long
not going to lose power any time soon. fucking time, and were
Then again, it sucks for the cities were
game plans get leaked. Their leaders leav stealing from. Their
e for our brighter pastures. Carthian pow
pretty quickly after we come into town. er tends to collapse
But Dina! I hear you. Youve got a thing
brew ing in your head right now about how
the Movement elsewhere, so were hurting were hurting
the Movement everywhere, including New
treasonous and unethical and terrible and York. Thats
monstrous.
Fuck you; you drink human blood to survive. Get off your high
horse before judging. Its really the same thing. We take what
we need,
because we need it. Sometimes we take too much, and the vesse
l dies.
It sucks (I know, youve heard that one before. Sue me.), but its
the
Requiem. Were just honest enough to do it on a larger scale.
So. Us. History.
We founded the Carthian Movement in 1778 right here in New York City.
New York City? (I know that jokes a bit dated. Im a child of the 80s. You cant take that away
from me.)
It was real fucking early in American history. People were feeling out this new experiment in
Western democracy. As some things worked and others didnt, people started organizing into groups
that could achieve greater influence than their component individuals could. The kine formed a
lot of these groups; the one youve probably heard of is Tammany Hall. It drove most of young New
Yorks city politics in the early nights of America. Our Movement came from that model. Its not to
say Kindred had much of a hand in the mortal Tammany Hall. I think maybe there was a ghoul or
two in the ranks. But we liked the design, and we took it. The big difference though between our
Movement and Tammany Hall, was we didnt have much contest.
Back in that time, New York didnt have a lot of old guard. We had a couple Invictus here and
there. They came with the aristocrats from England and France, but they were mostly younger
licks. Their elders looked at America as a slum. Hell, theres some record of Invictus talk of using
Carthians 5
Pine
ir un desira ble s. Th eres an old Gangrel liv ing down in the
ony for the desirables. Hes
the colonies as a prison col one of the ir first experiments, one of those un
. He wa s
Barrens, we call him Jersey
Devil
vem ent . We mi ght not have survived some of the biggest
a friend of the Mo
independent as fuck, but hes
The French Movement claim to have founded the Movement in 1779.

Of course they would. But 1778 < 1779. Thats just math. We founded
in and stopped them.
attacks if he hadnt stepped Competition aside, we won because
we
s were
appealed to the masses. The masse
were from
unique in New York, because they
sses
all the fuck over the place. These ma
look like
didnt know each other. They didnt
the same
each other. They didnt even speak
in
languages. But they had some things
s, and they
common: They were all New Yorker
the Movement. They snooze, they lose.

they were
were all more like each other than
rs you
like the rich, hoity-toity motherfucke
the blue
expect vampires to be. We were like
ars.
collars to their stand up Dracula coll
bunch of
Long story short, a bunch of us, a
got together,
Kindred from all the fuck over, we
York,
and we decided we were gonna do New
n anybody
and we were gonna do it different tha
rt break
else ever had. Now, lets take a sho
Cairo.
from ancient history. Now lets talk
On the Name
Tammanend
We were gonna be called the
that sounded
Movement. A lot of us thought
it the
stupid. Most of the kids called
Tammament Movement. I like it,
Nobody could get it right. Fool!
Then you had some assholes Of course Cairo knowsrevolution. Fuck, they
ve
trying to say it in Munsee or been having them for millennia. That place is
some other Native American like a hot potato. Except instead of a potato,
they
lang uage they didnt know. throw around rulership. And instead of thro
wing
So we called it the Carthian it because it gets too hot, they typically stake
the
Movement, named after fucker and everyone supporting him.
ered pronoun
Carthage. It lasted a long Sorry to my fellow ladie s for the gend
had a wom an in charge for
damned time, and Aristotle there. But Cairos not
emb ers, whic h is about fucking
as long as anyone rem
thought it was peachy keen. disgusting.
So, it was good enough for us.

Cairos like an object lesson for Carthians. Sometimes, you can have too much revolution. But when is
revolution too much? When is the safety of maintaining a status quo worth the stagnation of progress?
Imagine my saying that in the voice of the wise old man in that curio shop on Canal and Centre.
Were gonna focus on the most recent revolution. The turmoil going on in the mortal world made it
real easy and convenient for the Kindred world to twist turn upside down. The Prince of Cairo was an
old Lancea et Sanctum member called Prince Ali Bagher. Ali Bagher was a typical theocrat. Basically:
Do this. Dont do that. Exceptions are punishable by death. Im sure you know the type.
He did his tyrant shtick, as Princes are wont to do. He got his ass dusted one hot July. It was not your
run of the mill power seizure, either. It wasnt some pompous-assed blowhard stepping up with a bunch
of his toadies demanding the former Prince step down because yadda yadda popular opinion or whatever
lies new Princes tell themselves so they can sleep during the day. A Neglatu took him out.
Neglatu From the few witness stories, our intrepid

ed to know Neglatu raided Elysium when everyone was
I say Neglatu like youre suppos
enants are, present. They marched on the scene, and twenty
what that is. You know what rev
eone with or so revenants outright fucking slaughtered
right? Thats when you kill som
come back. Ali Bagher, his Sheriff, and a few other officials
fang, or kill a ghoul, and they
tty elders, who tried defending him. Most everyone fled.
This is mostly a problem for shi
. Neglatu Some revenants died in the chaos, more than
and licks that kill a lot of people
ey keep stables non-revenants. Fourteen citizens died, the most
are like revenant masters. Th
ir masters popular count says. Point is they took the city in
of revenants who will follow the
an incestuous less than ten minutes of massacre.
right into hell. Its like hav ing
personal army.
k of
hes not Carthian in the way you and I might thin
Thing was, our revenant? Hes Carthian. I mean, be a very
s with a bunch of mindless, hungry monsters to
Carthians, because you and I dont think of raid
Carthian behavior.
d of revenants. The crazy part is he administers
Now, hes in charge. He rules with his little broo pire,
hian domain Ive ever heard of. Theres one vam
whats probably the most directly democratic Cart
nteer committees to advise him on less pressing
one vote for most issues, and he allows opt-in volu leader.
the slobbering monsters at his side, hes a great
issues. Everyone Ive talked to say that except for and
Cairo news; theres some shit thats hit their air
Now, thats a huge except. Because Ive seen the the
le city. Hes teetering on the brink of shattering
print that would get a fucker killed in any reasonab se
p of Israeli Invictus is looking to move in and depo
Masquerade. One of my informants tells me a grou the
up with your cracks about the greater stability of
him for the greater stability of the region (and shut
Middle East).
The leader talks a good game about defending the
Cairo looks stable. Everyone says it looks stable.
to every Kindred in Cairo. Hes defended territory
rights of the indiv idual, and guaranteeing the vote That
prime feeding grounds. Hes democratized policy.
rights, and kept the elders from claiming all the e
vampires arent going to get to vote in any of thes
sounds great until you note that about fourteen
Carthians 7
pretty little elections. Maybe Ali Bagher was
a dick. Fuck, he was almost certainly a dick.
fourteen vampires just tells me youre willing But killing
to kill a lot more for very little reason. Cairos
honeymoon phase with our Neglatu Prince. May still in its
be Im wrong. Maybe hell turn out great. Who
knows?
When we heard word of it, it sounded interest
ing. So we (and a few others) sent people to look
Cairo. They confirmed the best and worst of into
it. The city seems stable, aside from the thre
Masquerade. And considering the turmoil righ ats to the
t now in that area, a broken Masquerade coul
absolutely devastating. But its not our place d be
to fix it, and I dont even think we really coul
Best we could do is adopt some new laws to mak d if we tried.
e sure that doesnt happen here.
Law One: The act of creating a revenant is pun
ishable by death.
Law Two: Anyone involved in forcibly deposing
a government official cannot serve in the next
governing body. elected
Now, these arent pe
rfect, but its not ha
someone, dispose of rd to not make reve
the body. Ashes do nants: If you kill
this shit anyway. If nt rise as revenant
you dont want to di s. You should be do
sp os e ing
Mayor Blasio is mak of bo dies, dont fucking
ing our Requiems kill people.
statistics look so ba a whole lot easier. Le
d, so he can keep up ts not make his
running around. W the good work. We
e can all pretty muc dont want Neglatu
isnt black and white h be on the same pa
, though. The Laws ge there, right? Th
in pl is
heard of anyone bi ac e. It should be enforced
ting it because of th . I havent
Neglatu in the sewe is law yet. But, Ive
r system, so who kn heard rumors of a
alligators there too. ow s? Then again, Ive he
ard rumors of
And who is involved in deposing

government officials? Like, can
if you trick people into revolution you be the one planning the ass
? Thats a tough one. The Carthi ault? What
issue because its a new law. Bu an Law wil l sor t it out. So far, its not been an
t well find out soon enough, Im
government officials. We have sys sur e. Bes t bet is, dont fucking forcibly depose
tems in place. You might not lik
systems, because the systems giv e the sys tems, but they like you. Work wit
e us society. Its all social contra h the
ct.
Theres Cairo out of the way. I lik
e Cairo, because we took some
any of their culture in such a wa adv ice from them, but we didnt
y that they couldnt use it any mo actually steal
We didnt steal shit from them. re. Thats the closest thing we get
to heroic:
There was our positive. Not par
ticularly positive, but you take
what you can get when youre dea
ling with Murder Culture. Now
were going to go for the negativ
e. Oh boy! But its okay; its mostly
about a culture overseas that pre
tty much nobody in America kn
about. Unless you talk to a Vietna ows
mese-American, most American
knowledge of Vietnam ends with s
the Vietnam War, and even then,
spotty and full of propaganda. Ser its
iously. Tell me something you kn
about Vietnam that doesnt relate ow
to a war that ended forty years
or pho. Thought so. ago,

This isnt to say that war didnt cause lasting ripples
you can see to this night. You can. Fuck, across eight
Murder Culture years of war, America dropped a million tons of bombs
ans a culture
Murder Culture basically me per year. Vietnam, for those at home, is a little smaller
blame our
that normalizes murder. We than California, and most of the conflict didnt spread
h our need for
victims. We rationalize it wit to its edges. Not all of those bombs went off when
ing number of our
blood (even though a shock they were supposed to, but decided to go off later. The
g). We say that
victims dont die from feedin US used Agent Orange to shred the foliage so their
uld mean a lot
the fall of the Masquerade wo helicopters could see National Liberation Front forces
We tell ourselves
more death in the long run. using the plant life to hide. That stuff caused millions
to protect our
all sorts of bullshit in order of life-ending complications. Seriously, Google some
ring people.
precious fee-fees about murde photos if youre feeling like getting hit in the gut with
s and forests, some of which

tragedy. It destroyed tons of rice field
l likely never be farmable
were invaded by other species, and wil
to move into the cities, which
again. This hurt the farmers, who had
to beg in with.
werent exactly bastions of great jobs
les. The war might have
Long story short, its always about ripp
simple way of looking at things.
ended in 1975 on paper, but thats a
ir civil war defined them as a
Im also not going to pretend that the
ir modern culture. So lets talk
people, and defines every aspect of the
resting place, because despite
about a little history. Vietnam is an inte
es ever are. Lieu
been united for Kindred in a way few plac
its distinct split in the mortal world, its long nt happened to it.
four centuries. Then the Carthian Moveme
Hanhs Imperium stood strong for nearly
uyen
Co-Authored By: Phuong Ng portant ways.
nh is a rar e exc ept ion to Kindred trends in a few im Kindred
Lieu Ha red yea rs. I cant think of a single
pa rt of fou r hu nd
for the better
First, she ran an Imperium hiatus. This might be some
of my New World
t lon g wit ho ut ex ten de d
who has remained active tha yea rs are rare, and when you do find
them, theyre
over a cou ple hu nd red
privilege talking, but elders variety.
lly of the w ak ing up fro m a million year dirt nap more tolerant to
us ua r blood thickens. We become
old er, we get str on ger . Ou
we get
Context for the kiddies: As he r an d die. Vampires just grow closer
and closer to
not like hu ma ns , wh o wit
influence from the Blood. Its eep. As
igh t of ba da ssi tud e gets to be too much, and they fall asl
entually, the we en
critical mass every night. Ev yr e fre sh , new, and no t so badass. But its like a collag
en they wake up, the
they sleep, the blood thins. Wh y stop being able
tha t pow er wi ll ris e. Wo rse , after a couple centuries, the
e, and imal blood
injection; itll go away in tim a bit alr ead y. Do you know how every night, an
ve probab ly felt thi s
to feed from human blood. You
Carthians 9
ing
g? Th ats how anc ien t Kin dre d are, except instead of eschew
sounds that much less appetizin dred blood.
they eschew human blood for Kin
animal blood for human blood, nt
ha d to be me ga- fuc kin g rid iculous powerful. Since she did
In scientific terms, Lieu Hanh nt is, shes a
du rin g the rev olu tio n eh, Im getting ahead of myself. Poi
meet Final Death
tnam at large.
huge x-factor for Hanoi, and Vie t say she was
mo re or les s a his tor ica l fig ure. She comes up in stories tha
Second, shes stion the
k in lik e the six tee nth cen tury. Maybe. Many people que
a real-world princess bac from
Th is is in par t bec au se the story involves banishing people
storys historical accuracy. cou ld probably make the world thi
nk
l. Bu t she s Me kh et, so she
Earth and her being immorta d of thing we
fro m it. An d you kn ow , vam pire. So immortals not the kin
she was banished
tend to question. huge affair; she
s, she too k ove r the kin gdo m back in the day. It wasnt a
As the story goe conquered
sir e or som eth ing . Wit hin the first century of her rule, she
inherited it from her her influence as the mortal side did
.
me se em pir e, an d spr ead
all Kindred under the Vietna zed much of Vietnams political pow
er
Ng uye n ru ler s wh o sei
Her family wisely sided with the sts, and indeed,
cri tic s acc use d her of sel lin g out her people to French intere
in that era. Her push from
end , the Fre nch we re abl e to conquer the land, thanks to
she may have. In the Kindred world; Lieu Hanh rem
ained
, thi s ha rdl y refl ect ed in the
militant Catholics. However ed to Vietnam to pay
thr ou gh out Fre nch occ up ati on. French Kindred even travel
empowered ce.
to court for her favor and allian
respects to the elder Shadow, e
tim e tal kin g abo ut a ver y lon g period. Im not here to educat
I dont want to spend too much n, one of our
ins and out s of Vie tna me se Kindred history. Phuong Nguye
you about all the cialist.
all abo ut Vie tna me se Kin dre d history if you want. Shes a spe
Ventrue, she can tell you wed all but the
not as a tyr ant , but cer tai nly as an authoritarian. She disallo
Lieu Hanh ruled parison
g Vie tna ms Kin dre d pop ula tion disproportionately low in com
rarest Embraces, keepin e wine of longevity comes from
a
law , as it sta ted , wa s tha t Th
to its mortal populace. Her n as an effort to
we mu st kee p fro m run nin g dry. Critics painted this decisio
small cellar; one r, unilaterally
nim um . Sh e did not hin g to assuage those concerns, howeve
keep dissent to a mi r cases,
and sir e of nea rly eve ry vio lation of her law. In three popula
slaughtering both childe own.
aff air s sur viv e; she kep t the m on as surrogate childer of her
she let the childer in these s, she cut through
ug h, me t wit h fea rso me pub lic destruction. As the story goe
The sires, tho e courtiers
n sw ord one hu nd red tim es before her Court could blink. Th
them with a woode ling to ash.
ply watch ed the ir bod ies slid e apart like cut fruit, before fal
sim ring World
h the Fre nch bec am e the dow nfall of Lieu Hanhs reign. Du
Friendliness wit r of which
an ded Vie tna me se sup por t in both food and troops, neithe
War I, the French dem mo rtal issue, Lieu Hanh remained
vid e. De spi te thi s bei ng a
Vietnam was prepared to pro tnamese Kindred
nt, an d ref use d to reb uk e her French Kindred allies. Vie
decidedly sile speaking up
ly exp res sed the ir dis ple asu re with her rule, while not yet
organized and qu iet
al.
for fear of the ancients repris

In late 1940, the Japanese moved in to attack
Vietnam, or Vichy French Indochina. This was
mostly to cut supply lines the Chinese could use
against Japan. After all, the Japanese were in
the dead middle of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Japan received some help from Germany during
this whole thing, and you kn

ow about Germany in the 19
from the United States, the 40s. Vietnams Viet Minh res
Soviet Union, and China. Ge istance had support
Japan to station in Tonkin rm an y ma de an ag reement with France to allow
(in the north, bordering Ch
Vietnam, this was before Ja ina ). Its wo rth noting that when Japan inv
pans attack on Pearl Harbo aded
of World War II yet. r, so Ja pa n wasnt engaging actively
with the rest
As the Japanese strangled
Vietnam of its resources, mi
effect of this occupation. llions starved. At least one
million died as a side
Hanoi was of particular int
erest in this struggle, since
also housed the Viet Minh go Lieu Hanh held her court in
vernment for its short rule Hanoi, and Hanoi
advisors, locals viewed outsi of the country. Lieu Hanh ke
ders as mostly dangerous. As pt French Kindred
kind. Lieu Hanh claimed thi fam ine too k over, the Kindred hungered in
s as a victory, as proof her
preparation for such a traged rig id po licies on the Embrace were clearl
y. The city wasnt buying it. y in
This got worse after Japan
left Hanoi. The French stepp
wasnt having it. The Kindred ed right back in and took ove
looked to Lieu Hanh and he r. The Viet Minh
this shift in power. It seeme r French advisors, blaming
d Lieu Hanh could do nothi conspiracy for
organizers against her were ng to calm her people. Worse
three of her childer adopt still, the three chief
(of vary ing ages) were supp ed fro m pa st Em brace crimes. Where the thr
osed to help keep her in tun ee
withdrew from her, barely spe e wit h mo der n Kindred and mortal societ
aking to her in favor of the y, they
ir gangs of dissenter.
By this point, Hanoi had fou
r factions. Lieu Hanh mostl
Her three surrogate childer, y maintained the loyalty of
Dung Giang, Khanh Ly, an her French advisors.
None of these factions numb d Huong Do each command
ered more than a dozen me ed another faction.
1950, in the most liberal est mbers (Hanoi had fewer tha
imates) and none official thu n thirty Kindred in
s far.
Carthians 11
In 1955, Hanoi was still in turmoil thanks to the Japanese, the Viet Minh,
the French, and just about
every other fucking world government, it seemed. Shit was tense, and
the Viet Minh revolutionaries just
kicked France out of the country. With it, Lieu Hanhs council fled as
well, leaving her with almost no
support against her three protges and their gangs.
To resist the crises faced by the region, the North Vietnamese govern
ment instated numerous reforms
that pushed the country toward more Communist rule. These political
campaigns targeted landowners,
with extreme rent and land reform that ultimately led to the executions
of many thousands of property
owners. Some voices in the Southern part of Vietnam disagreed with
this path, and numerous world
powers chimed in to support one side or another. The United States aggres
sively supported the southern
part of Vietnam, as part of a push to reject Communist ideolog y for fear
of the Soviet Unions growing
political influence on the world arena. They thought, at the time, that
if one country fell to Communism,
the world would quickly follow suit. That was pretty much bullshit, but
hindsight is 20/20, right? Its
probably worth mentioning that everything suggests the vast majority
of the population would have
voted in favor of Communist power. Famously, a rigged vote skewed heavil
y in favor of those resisting
Communism. One hundred and thirty-three percent of Saigon voted agains
t the Communists. Thats worse
than Chicago numbers.
Lets not get it twisted, though. The Commun
ist
elections typically ended with 99% or mor
e when they
happened. Shit was fucked up all around.
Thats a lot of words that lead to a pretty reas
onable
response: The people were pissed. The peop
le lashed out.
Since Ngo Dinh Diem won the presidential
election, and
he was super conservative and aligned with
the US and
other powers against Communism, the back
lash came
mostly from Communist forces. He was not
some freedom
fighter GI Joe motherfucker, either. If you
collaborated
against his government, he had you impriso
ned, tortured,
and likely killed. This happened to thousands of his oppon

ents. So even in South Vietnam, the supposed side
against Communism, you had massive groups organizing
against this shit. North Vietnam helped that along,
since that kind of organization could lead to its desired goals
as well. It wasnt a hard picture to paint, either.
The United States was a scary fucking place. Vietnam was
close enough to see what it could do if you fucked
with them. So they looked like imperialist bullies. Through
the early 1960s, North Vietnam began to set up
shop and militarize in opposition to Diems government and
its United States backing.

JFK didnt help. He wanted to look like a quiet supporter. He wanted South Vietnam to beat back the
northern Communists on their own. So all his support looked like rich shitbag white people help. Case in
point: The US and the Diem regimes worked together to relocate the non-Communist South Vietnamese
into
little isolated communes, where they couldnt be influenced by the scary Bolsheviks. Repeat after me, kids,
any time a wealthy world power decides to relocate a massive number of citizens from a poorer nation, it
does
not fucking end well.
When Lyndon Johnson took the US presidency, things got worse. Within a year of his taking the seat, he
decided to push hard into Vietnam, in order to fight back the Communists. Three million soldiers, over
a
full percent of the United States population, deployed to South Vietnam. Much of Johnsons justification
for
sending soldiers (like some skirmishes on the Gulf of Tonkin) was fabricated to win over public support.
The Kindred, the childer, they didnt take sides. They couldnt. In a warzone, every vampire has to focus
on survival, first and foremost. This is why Kindred revolutions almost never happen during human
revolutions, but frequently happen after them. Well touch more on that later. Through the fighting, everyone
banded together. The already meager Kindred population in Hanoi fell dramatically, leaving less than
twenty vampires by the wars official end in 1975. Ironically, Hanois human population rose, as more and
more refugees flocked to the city in light of the combat. Saigon fell. Maybe three million mortals died. The
Socialist Republic of Vietnam rose from the remnants.
Sometimes, shits just

not working, a leader re
of change. Lieu Hanh cognizes it, and they kn
was smart. Her city didn ow better than to fight
t fa il; he the winds
have prevented. r people didnt starve be
cause of anything she
could
Lets think perspective
, though. Starving vam
mortals starve, they ty pires are WAY different
pically turn inward. Th from starv ing mortals.
ey might steal food. Bu W hen
Starving vampires beco t m os tly , they , you know, starve.
me spiked fucking wrec
not the destitute people king balls thatll demoli
of whatever third world sh ev er yt hing to get their fix. Th
and-so washed up 80s country you see late ni eyre
actor. Theyre a little bit gh t co mmercials about, featu
junkie, a little bit Hann ring so-
Hulk. W hen half your ibal Lecter, and a little
citys mortal population bit Incredible
from anyone, and ther is on deaths door that
es a good chance they on ly ex ac erba te s the problem. Feed
vampires. This means ll die. That means less
lost control. This means blo od al l ar ou nd. This means hungrie
how that works? Basic more dead humans. Th r
ally, it was hell. is m ea ns less blood all around
. See
So when Lieu Hanhs ch
ilder stood up and said,
And she fucking walked Shits gotta change, Li
. That was 1981. Nobo eu Hanh said, Sure. Ch
dys seen her since. It ange it.
was a revolution met wi
th a shrug.
Carthians 13
e
a ru lin g co un cil to lead the Movement. Th
an election for
iate ly af te r Lieu Ha nh left, the three held Ki nd red public. Their first
act in office
Immed e from th e re m ai ni ng
est and with no surpris s in the city
three won with no cont nd re d po pu lat ion tr ipled, as most vampire
st year, the Ki throw future elections.
Ill
s to up en d al l for m er laws. Within the fir tia l dy na st ies , an d to
wa found influen the
ble d to Em br ac e in a desperate attempt to ru nn in g hu ng ry thanks to the famine
scra m vampires we re
u th at rig ht no w in Hanois history, most at pr oblem any better. Now
in addition
remind yo e mix di d no t m ak e th
a ton of vampires to th ions thanks to some ut
terly
region suffered. Adding had to comm it a nu m be r of ex ec ut
pires, our new regime
to a bunch of new vam
d about
egregious Masquerade
issues.
se as we co ul d fin d. It looks like Hanoi ha
t theyre clo d
t be fully accurate, bu hundred thirty Kindre
These numbers may no 85, there are re co rd s of at lea st on e
died
ty Ki nd re d du rin g the revolution. By 19 is is to sa y, ov er ha lf the Kindred in Hanoi
twen r to sixty. Th
Ha no i, bu t th e ac tu al population was close hu nd re d pe rc en t. Th e population doubling
liv ing in rose over fou r
g th os e fou r ye ar s. The actual population cancerous.
or fled durin of gr ow th is nothing short of
bu t th is ki nd cities in Asia
would be troubling en
ough,
To ky o, Se ou l, Sh an ghai, Manila, a lot of
e Kindre d. population
over one hundred activ w per capita Kindred
Tonight, Hanoi holds not a single m ajo r cit y wi th th e ra
rds
pulations. But theres ce the revolution. Reco
have larger Kindred po red Kindred ha ve di ed in Ha no i sin
me
no i. Ru m or s su gg es t as many as five hund co m m en ts ab ou t th e Tree of Liberty or so
of Ha t a lot of petty
nu m be r to clo se r th an two hundred. Ive go
put the es.
th at s a lot of as h, even in the best estimat
shit. Still,
Undesired Side Effect:

End of the Empire
irety of what
While Lieu Hanh ruled the ent
revolution
we now call Vietnam, once the
tely, her childer
came, that fell apart. Immedia
e Hanoi.
lost control of everything outsid
the void, and 90s,
Outside forces stepped in to fill A few times over the course of the 80s and
e the power to massive
the three childer just didnt hav Hanois Movement made efforts to curb the
y focused on couple of
arg ue the point. So instead, the executions caused by the famine. While a
y could. maybe,
locking down Hanoi the best the licks put forward the idea that maybe, just
three
the Embrace should be limited; the ruling
they said. Instead, in 1997 they looked
shot that down without even the slightest consideration. Its not fair,
causes arbitrary and unnecessary
toward a reactionary Communist-inspired idea: Territory is unfair, and
nobody needs to starve.
scarcity. Without territories, you can feed wherever you need to, and thus
think about all the ways this idea
Now, I want you to put this magazine down, take five minutes, and just
were a Leonardo da Vinci of stupid,
was stupid. Not just stupid, but inspired levels of stupid. Like, if there
Kindred politics (which also came out
this idea would be his Mona Lisa. It was like the BATM AN & ROBIN of
in 1997. Coincidence? Maybe)

t the Hanoi government.
For almost twenty years, the law says declaring territory is treason agains
even.
Saying, This is my haven, get the fuck out is a capital offense. I cant
In fact, it caused quite a few
Needless to say, this didnt help the famine. It didnt curb the deaths.
ce larger factions to help ensure
more. Population fluctuated even more still, as sires scrambled to Embra
l offense to claim territory, but if
representation and some semblance of safe feeding. Sure, its a capita
on that turf and fuck with you.
youre squatting with eight other vampires, nobodys going to move in
ed were executed for de facto
At least, that was the going theory. In a couple of high-profile cases, Kindr
ed those Kindred to be holding
territory claims. Whatever in the fuck that means. Basically, they assum
explanation, but all evidence
territory on everything but paper. Im sure this doesnt require much
ring dissidents.
suggests the trio used this de facto bullshit as a way to justify murde
Then again, at least they bother Long Lo Suoi
lampshading their murder. The Long Lo Suoi was an answer to this
Invictus just say, We have the problem with famine and pestilence brought on
right to kill who we please, by by Hanois Kindred. Its a network of mortals who
virtue of being the First Estate. have looked into the abyss, and come back with
So I cant throw stones and say knowledge of vampires. So youve got all these
theyre any worse than your people who know who were are, and how we work
.
average Western Kindred regime. Long story short, vampire hunters. And not just
Unlike your average Western your average, cross-in-the-face-power-of-Christ-
gests even compels-you hunters. These fuckers learned from
Kindred regime, everything I hear sug
itories the guerrillas.
the leadership kept tight to the no terr
unds The Long Lo Suoi essentially has three wings;
rule. People had havens, but feeding gro
erships theyve got leaders, theyve got a military arm,
were just not really a thing. Yay for lead
isy. Thats and theyve got a political arm. Their leaders
that manage to keep away from hypocr
in a ton exist to organize and motivate the hunters. The
rare and admirable, even if it resulted
ing military arm lays traps, and battles the local
of deaths and some corrupt bullshit tak
, for those vampires through attrition and terrorism tactics.
advantage of their integrity. Apparently
This usually means fire and outnumbering. It
it worked for, it worked for well.
ns almost always means sunlight. Their political
This gets worse. No territory also mea
when arm informs local citizens. They dont run
people dont have to be accountable for
a problem around saying vampires exist or any shit like
and where they feed. If you cant pin
in that that, but they commit to local action campaigns,
on a given vampire, theres no sense
s means instating curfews and neighborhood watches. They
vampire being discreet or sensible. Thi
s get encourage the young to always conceal a weapon.
that sometimes, entire neighborhood
ass. This They dont seem interested in ending the
plag ued with a dumb vampires sorry
e cases vampire menace or anything like that, so Hanoi
lack of accountability has led to massiv
nam hasnt mobilized against them at large. Once
of anemia, which isnt great since Viet
are. you get on Long Lo Suois radar though, youre
already wasnt dealing well with healthc
working on borrowed time.
Carthians 15
When a lick overfeeds in a slum, they can
sometimes leave thinking everythings cool
But then one person gets sick, and that lead since everyone survived.
s to one family, which leads to one block,
dire straits. Then you have numerous dead which leaves everyone in
, and an entire chunk of the city thats com
grounds for months to come. pletely worthless feeding
Hanois is a Movement divided. Dung Giang, Khanh Ly, and Huong Do each manage a faction
owing
allegiance to the Movement. Lieu Hanh was Unaligned, but sometimes her childer call her
a Carthian or
an Invictus to suit their particular needs at the time. The childer tell that the covenants
were not so deeply
entrenched in Hanoi until the revolution. Maybe half the Kindred owed allegiance to a covenan
t, and most
Carthian. Later, everyone was Carthian. Well talk about that in a bit. Our information suggest
s limited
membership in others exist, for example, rumors of a Dao Mau Circle of the Crone cult are
common, as is a
faction of Lancea et Sanctum hiding within the ranks of the Carthian Movement, inspired
and perhaps still
mentored by a member of Lieu Hanhs French advisory circle.
Dao Mau Circle of the Crone

The rumors of a Dao Mau Circle of the Crone cult are widel
y regarded among the Kindred of Hanoi as
less rumor, more inconvenient truth. The state demands
all members pay membership to the Carthian
Movement and no other covenants, but not all members are
so strict. In fact, the three faction leaders
have each independently said that relig ion is not a bane
to the Movement, but that organized relig ion
threatens the sanctity of their city.
If this cult exists (and it probably does), it venerates Thien
Y A Na, or her earlier form, Leiou Ye. Leiou
Ye is the credited first of the Cham people. Their faith, from
the bits and pieces cobbled together for this
piece, appears to be inspired by medium channeling, and
by old East Asian Muslim traditions. She tells
us that one such cult blends its goddess veneration with
a strange anti-elder
dervish-like relig ion from Thailand. It teaches that elder
s must be destroyed,
essentially recycled regularly for the betterment of the Kind
red species.
While this sounds like it wouldnt go over well anywhere,
the relative youth
of Hanois Kindred keep the idea from reaching true taboo
status.
Another less-confirmed cult worships Au Cor, the mythical
creator of the
Vietnamese people.
Dung Giang was Lieu Hanhs first surrogate childe (or at least the oldest that survived to the revolution).
Hes also the most hard-assed. If you hear about an execution in Hanoi, it was Dung Giang.
Early on, he set his gang up to be the best of the best, and the smallest faction. He set extremely high and
often contradictory standards for those who wanted to hang with him, and demanded intense performance if

ew every member
nte d to ke ep it up . Th is ke pt his gang small, but he kn
they wa ers would
also bu ilt a str on g sen se of competition, so the memb
closely. This remov ing
ly inv est igate ea ch oth er for corruption, with hopes of
each meticulous
for their allies.
members and making room
While Khanh Ly and Huong Do didnt necessarily approve of his methods, they
gave Dung Giang due respect. He did most of the dirty work. If there was a problem,
his gang rooted that problem out and destroyed it efficiently. They also see him as a
necessary evil for the status quo. He gets to be the bad cop, which makes the other
two factions look nicer by comparison.
Khanh Lys Faction

the
Khanh Ly has the opposite distinctions from Dung Giang in almost every respect. She was
tired, the
middle childe. Her faction is the most populous, and the least discerning. She took in the
might
weary, the weak, and the disenfranchised. By most criteria, her faction looked the way you
of Giangs
expect a citys Carthian Movement to look, if set upon by a stronger oppressor in the form
gang.
motivated
Her advantage goes both ways. She gets to set her faction up as the underdogs. So theyre
the heroes
to push forward and advance legislation and actions for the people. They get to look like
less terrible
when Dung Giangs people act like utter monsters, even if theyre just acting like slightly
as the bad
monsters. As Dung Giangs forces police her people (read: murder), she gets to paint them
ic relationship
guys, which helps her own morale. Essentially, those two factions have this sick, symbiot
where they cyclically devour each other.
Huong Dos Faction

. We liberated her from Hanoi. Ill get on
Huong Dos awesome. Huong Dos our girl
with that in a bit. But, we like Huong Do.
was the middle of the road, moderate,
Clearly, were biased, but Huong Dos faction d
that way, even. They called themselves a wor
reasonable group. They billed themselves g
time standing between Khanh Ly and Dun
that means mediators, and spent a lot of
from Final Death.
Giang, defending one member or another
to pass more laws than the
This positioning put her in a unique place
the raw voting power of Khanh
other two factions combined. Even without
use. She pulled votes from both
Lys faction, Huong Do was a legal powerho
Do didnt start the bills to break
sides, often both at the same time. Huong
fact, her faction was notably
up territories or open up the Embrace. In
she didnt support? Lets talk
dissenting against them. The other big bill
about that.
Carthians 17
The territories law became controversial over the
course of about five years. So in 2003, Khanh Ly
and Dung Giang supported the law that probably
put the nail in their regimes coffin. Hanoi declared
membership in the Carthian Movement mandatory
without exception. This came with it a few interesting
stipulations:
Membership in other covenants was similarly
outlawed. Even if youre Carthian, you cannot
maintain membership in an additional covenant. This
flies in the face of the Carthians general acumen for
moonlighting all over the place.
Speaking against the Carthian Movement is
considered an act of treason, a high crime that, if
proven guilty, is punishable by death. Proven guilty
changes from case to case. Sometimes, it means hear
from influential members. Sometimes plotting again say
st the regime on camera isnt quite enough. Its one
THOSE laws. of
It means Hanois borders are closed to about 80%

of outsiders. You cannot come into Hanoi unless your
recognized as a member of the Movement, with an influ e
ential member willing to vouch for you. A few Kindred
from China, Laos, Thailand, and other parts of Vietn
am have found this out the hard way. At first, they made
exceptions for those willing to disavow their former
covenants for the Movement upon arrival. THAT chan
quick ly when one alleged spy entered Hanoi with that ged
loophole.
In practice, it means every single new Embrace has
to be introduced to Kindred, the Masquerade, and all
that business before the Embrace. After all, being a
Carthian is an at-will thing, so you have to make the
conscious, informed decision to join. Since you have to
do it immediately after becoming Kindred, you have to
get the skinny before youre bitten. This means every
Embrace must first be a Masquerade breach. This also
means that those not so keen on joining the Movement
have to be killed.
It means fascist outfits arent really that sexy,
because everyones wearing them.
This brought on the first few real attempts at
overthrowing the new regime. These attempts came
from within, of course, with some uprisings against
Dung Giang, and one against Khanh Ly. The attacks
on Dung Giang were put down savagely, and were You chose..... poorly

to conquer
n st K ha n h Ly was a maneuver
tack agai t and
nq uer th e city as a whole. The at at fo r a se co nd : Carthians fough
co ink on th
mostly planned to tes to ca ncel this law. Th
thus sw in g vo
her faction, and join other coven
ants.
in and conquer H
anoi.
pi res ri gh ts to n in g to m ar ch
died for vam om Ho Chi Minh Cit
y are plan
the most optimisti
c
In vict u s fr m e, an d on ly
dre of en at any ti
We know of a ca ly a de ca de. It could happ m at es su ggest most of th
e
e case fo r ne ar ed front. A ll es ti
This has been th ch an ce ag ai n st a truly organiz forcers.
Hanoi has a Dung Giangs en
Carthian thinks defect, bu t ar e af ra id of
ently waiting to
Movement is curr
ne fucked up. e citys a

Hanois Movement do th e Ca rt hi an m em be rship requirement, th
and
law, the open Embrace, e. Theyre overdue for
another
Between the territory ism and ty ra nn ica l po lic e st at
ioning blend of anarch
strange and nonfunct come hard.
it comes, its going to
revolution, and when .
He ar in g this stuff, we had to bunch of
We respon de d in ki nd .
we lis te ne d to he r st ory, and we drafted a
ent),
ong Do (more in a mom
W hen we liberated Hu
have about
new laws. rit y of Ne w Yo rk s Ki ndred population. We
ajo
ent can never be the m n join the Movement un
til
The Carthian Movem up 49% of th e to ta l, no bo dy ca
in the city. If we make ever, we ask a low-rank
ing
two hundred Kindred tside the M ov em en t di es or wh at
ve 49% and someone ou , the volunteer cannot
vote in
that changes. If we ha us. Du rin g th is pr ob at ion
for probationary stat venants in New
member to volunteer th ad vo ca tin g for th e other recognized co
wi
s. As well, shes tasked far. But we straddle th
e line
Carthian or city election is has on ly ha pp en ed tw ice so
their numbers a bit. Th
York, to try to bolster passed.
co ns istently since the law e Big
right around 49 %, an d ha ve
ha ve a re pr es en ta tiv e democracy here in th
. We
be a Big Fucking Deal ven nine randomly; th
ey
The Embrace has to tative. We dete rm in e wh o is in a gi
st
mpire gets a represen brace, you need at lea
Apple. Every ninth va through elect ion . If yo u wa nt to Em
. We ch an ge up re pr esentatives every year a lit tle weird, but when you re
member
vote council . Th is so un ds
of our representative e heard
a two-thirds majority t to wa it a ye ar for the tides to change. Iv
uve only go r of the
youll get approved, yo for their votes in favo
that if you dont think demanding fa vo rs or wh at ev er
about representatives
a couple horror stories ovable way.
or ies wa s substantial in any pr ery
Embrace. But none of th os e st
wi th ev er y sin gle city block tracked, and ev
have maps
recognized thing. We cks of open hunting gr
ounds here
Territorys a hard, ex ce pt ion of a few blo
onsible for it, with the e an app thatll tell yo
u whose turf
block has someone resp e of ou r gu ys ev en m ad
are open for travel. On can turn on alerts wh
en youre
or there. Major streets nction. He se t it up so yo u
time, using the GPS fu you. Its like liv ing in
the
youre on at any given grounds, it vi br at es an d aler ts
of your allowed feeding if theyre okay to feed
hunting; if you go out rcars, they ha ve ap ps th at te ll them
re. Ex ce pt in st ea d of everyone having hove to he ar pointless argumen
ts from people
futu Sher iff do es nt ne ed
ubly nice; because the
somewhere. This is do eo ne elses feeding grou
nds.
cr osse d into so m
that didnt know they
Carthians 19
e
I should probably note that three shitty laws dont defin
, and
Hanoi. My little story here covers a long span of time
that Im
theres a lot of outrage, beauty, and problems between
not hitting on.
Appropriating Huong Do
In 2005, Huong Do reached out, and we answered the call. Her city was falling
apart. She was the smart moderate, trying to save her home. But ultimately, her
efforts were no more effective than polishing the deck chairs on the Titanic. She
l New York
ice . She got ple nty of offe rs from all over Asia. But, in typica
adv
asked for backup. She asked for we ma rch ed in and offered Huong Do a way
out in
broug ht in a cre w, and
fashion, we opted to roll hard. We utiful democracy.
for m of an arm ed esc ort , pla ne tickets, and a place in our bea gs
the
n a bit lim ited , sin ce our vis it (admittedly with jack-booted thu
have bee
In retrospect, her choice might her look treasonous.
Ko rea s Car thi an Mo vem ent look like a childrens show) made
that would make North
Hey, hindsights 20/20, right? ent. Shes already
s us. She hol ds a res pec ted citi zenship within New Yorks Movem
Now, Huong Do adv ise ht years. Shes bought in comple
tely, and its
gro ups for six of the pas t eig
acted as representative for her has bee n invaluable to the Movement, and
shes a
n her e. He r exp eri enc e
beautiful. Youd think she was bor iev ing . Its like shes got a new lease on
life.
king. She s not sto ppe d ach
workhorse. Shes not stopped wor ely holding
utt erly fuc ked . Hu ong Do wa s the stretched, snapping fabric bar
What about Hanoi? Well, Hanoi is es, but alm ost all have turned their backs on
her.
contact wit h her for me r alli
Hanoi together. Huong has some lines. So we cant
t wit h are afr aid to spe ak ope nly across the Internet or phone
Even those she can connec mo st of her faction is now dead or imp
risoned.
s poi nt. Bu t we kno w tha t
even get solid information at thi n and are now striking preemptively agains
t
lea der s hav e dou ble d dow
We know that the remaining two city s ove ral l defenses. We know outsiders fro
m
drama tica lly hu rtin g the
any potential revolution, which is rces are true) to
er par ts of Vie tna m are loo kin g (and potentially colluding, if sou
Thailand, China, and oth
strike and remove the regime. d or locked
Hu ong Do tell the sto rie s, and list those she thinks are now dea
I sat down and listened to revolution that was
t its un for tun ate , but los ing her might be the catalyst for a
away forever. I tell myself tha l pro bably mean Inv ictus outsiders ma
rching in
fac t tha t the rev olu tion wil
a long time coming. I ignore the gra y is goi ng to come in and act like a prime
r
utiful in the city . Ou tsid er
and dismantling everything bea r the canvas, but what
ng ; the y mi ght be abl e to eve ntually paint something else ove
coat over a flawed painti
ever.
theyve painted before is lost for

Then again, maybe its all a tes
t. Maybe Lieu Hanh lies in waitin
g, ready to step in when the city
most. But theres the rub of mo needs her
st sav ior stories, right? Theyve
needed her for a long damned
true, can we forgive her for ove time. Even if its
rlo oking all the chaos and sufferi
ng?
Then I shut up and remember
that now, weve got Huong Do.
Least we can do is preserve the
thing they had, so it cant all most beautiful
be painted over.
Sorry. Ranted a bit there about Hanoi. I know I spent a bit

of time there trying to justify what we did
with Huong Do. But thats the thing, isnt it? Youve got to
tell yourself stories in a way that lets you
control the narrative, and make yourself feel okay. Spin
the story right, and were just shitty, horrible
people. Nobody wants to tell the story about how theyre a
shitty, horrible person.
Now lets contrast New York with its historical foil, Los Ange
les.
(Spoiler alert: This story makes me feel good about myse
lf, too. LA is a shithole; its the worst the
Movement has to offer, and at least were not them.)
Los Angeles was always a Lancea et Sanctum stronghold
. Youd never think of it, with the way everyone
sees LA as some liberal, hippie, progressive, politically corre
ct bastion. But thats mostly because people
dont know the reality of Los Angeles. Just because Brad
Pitt and Angelina Jolie fly around the world
rescuing underpriv ileged babies, doesnt mean that Holly
wood isnt like the most corrupt, conservative
cesspool in the world. Entertainment is a place where peopl
e are willing to overlook terrifying politics and
celebrate the awful. After all, entertainment makes you feel
good, right? To your average sheep, nothings
better than feeling good; and theres no crime greater than
denying a little cheap entertainment.
So. Lancea. I mean, Los Fucking Angeles. City of Angels.
That name didnt come from nowhere. A
bunch of imperialist murdering relig ious fucks settled Los
Angeles. Some of them were Kindred. Some
of those Kindred lived for a long time after that founding,
after all the human founders were long dead.
They ruled the Los Angeles nighttime. Archbishop Felipe
Montrose ruled from (allegedly) 1820 until, well,
now. I say allegedly because all records suggest he was the
only vampire in the tiny little ranch town back
in those nights. I say, well, now because anyone you ask
tells you that tonight, LA is a Carthian city.
Just not on paper. Not yet. When California joined the Unite
d States in 1850, immigrants rushed in, so a
few Kindred followed suit. But Los Angeles wasnt a major
city until later. It grew quick ly with the Santa
Fe railroad from Chicago in 1885. Holly wood and World
War II construction needs blew the place up. The
early part of the twentieth century really marked Archbisho
p Montroses reign.
Carthians 21
Im a Moustache-Twirling
ns came
The joke we tell is, before the Carthia
into tow n, at least the tra ins ran on
time. With LA, Monster Law
they know
the problem theyre run nin g into is, As vampires, we live by three Traditions.
agree on what
shit has to change, but nobody can We have the Masquerade, the Progeny, and
nge to, or
needs to change, what it needs to cha the Amaranth. Everyone knows those. But
Hes been a
how to change it. Montrose is a shit. we have some informal Traditions that most
a moustache-
shit for a lon g fuckin g time. His Im Kindred live by without being self-aware.
citizen of Los
twirlin g monster law is that every My favorite informal Tradition is the Im
This means
Angeles must attend monthly Mass. a Moustache-Twirling Monster Law. This
thin g where
communion, which is a disgusting Tradition says that if a single vampire holds
e, and you feel
you eat a wafer, and it turns into Vita supreme executive and legislative power in a
tever-the-fuck-
all magica lly tick led by Jesus or wha city, he or she will bring about a law that more
ever ma kes Sanctified sorcery work. or less exists only to cement their status as
but this is
Not going to waste much space on it, a total fucking douche. An excessive feeding
of the Crone,
a giant fucking affront to the Circle restriction is a common example. Disallowing
believe that
and pretty much anyone that doesnt
vampire one group from the Embrace
Longinus was the blah blah king shit
cle didnt take is another. Requiring all
prophet whatever. But fuck if the Cir
Some of the potential witnesses to
all that terrible shit and run with it.
own little cult Masquerade violations die,
members went so far as to start their
thats another. Any time
you force an entire city to
practice a single religion,
thats grade-A fuckstickery.
to Santa Muerte, and they even appropriated some

Lancea et Sanctum magic rite shit. Its freaky,
its beautiful, and its a powerful show of how
oppressive religions dont always get the last laugh.
Their cult is amazing. It prohibits violent death
of any mortals, it focuses on bolstering the poor
neighborhoods, and its basically the best thing to
come out of Los Angeles. Folk Catholicism for the
motherfucking win. This cult is more Carthian
than LAs entire piss poor Movement.
No idea if its a real thing or just an image, but
the leader of the cult has a skull for a head. I dont
care who you are: That is badass. A lot of vampires
think its some zany bloodline or whatever. The
cult says its because shes moved beyond the

a head. That is
its a com plicat ed ma sk . Whatever. She has a skull for
nk
need for the flesh. Some thi m cartoons.
than you might imag ine fro
significantly scarier in person ty yea rs, Los An geles has been knee-deep an
d
pa st tw en
d to change. For the Francisco, Orange
Long story short, times neede for ces coming from San Diego, San
crazy div ers e; you ve got
inch thick of a revolution. Its ple of As ian factions. The LA Movement is hu
ge. Youd
Mexican gro up s, a cou ones got
County, and then youve got too ma ny coo ks. Th eres no formal leader. Every
, but its really a sto ry of and
think this was a good thing you get thi s dis org an ized mess that plays pranks
revolution should go. So
their own ideas for how the Shit, he knows
en ts too big for Mo ntr ose to just start killing fuckers.
Movem
ruffles feathers. Of course, the cane for show.
he jus t lea ves the m alo ne , and sometimes rattles his
theyre ineffectual, so not removed a
olu tion, an d the yv e no t upset the status quo. Theyve
l rev
Twenty years of active, voca sti tut ion . Th ere s no Carthian Law. Next pa
rty we do,
not brought ab ou t a con
tyrant from office. Theyve dr un k, the yr e fuc king hilarious. If youre sob
er,
constitutions. If you re
Ill bring some of their draft
theyre just sad. st cap able of actually effecting chan
ge. The
. The young are also the lea
The best of LA are the young d too comfortable to take risks. He
ll, some of the
ent are too div ers e an
oldest members of the Movem ur ch int o some militant Catholic ho
ly army thing.
Carth ian s an d the Ch
Movement fights to align the Do gs, mo st of the m Embraced in the late 1970
s and
Fairfax calle d the Ok i y getting
Theres a cool group out of ad em ic an arc his t pu nk thing, and theyre finall
to push for a we ird ac
early 1980s. Theyre try ing thold. But its still an
ets helpe d alt ern ati ve ph ilosophical thinking get foo
some traction since the Intern e, not com placency. Problem is, there
s a fuckton of
JFK, the y ne ed cou rag
uphill battle. To paraphrase
complacency in LA. y. Los Angeles is a bad exam
ple. As a policy,
gel es. Lo s An gel es is laz
Los An
We didnt appropriate from
we dont touch the poop.
one of our
be tter th an Lo s An geles, lets talk about
ck for bein g ed it along.
d ourselves on the ba more or less just help
Now that weve patte bling, so from wh er e I stan d, we
iti mate fuck -ups . Ha noi was already crum
leg
it, we hurt Caracas. s was doomed from th
e
But Caracas? Holy sh mpelling ar gu m en t th at Ca ra ca
d so m e coun te r-a rg uments. Theres a co
Ive hear t
ra cy to eleva te an Invictus monarchy, bu rdinand and
start, that it was a co
nspi
. Lets let th em te ll their story. This is Fe
em up
ramble. We fucked th
Actually, I shouldnt . I ca ll them the Marxist Br
others.
changi ng m issives
Cesar Rodrig uez, ex
Carthians 23
Mr. Ferdinand Araujo
678 Broadway, Unit C
Brookly n, New York
11206
United States of America
September 9th, 2013
Dearest Brother,
I write with the utmost hope tha
t this letter finds you. I preface
letter by saying I wish for neit this
her your pity, nor your help.
reconciled my lot, I am workin I have
g within my current means, and
settled regardless of why I am I have
here.
When I left Caracas, when I left
our dear revolution, I left not
my own accord. I left when Ame of
rican revolutionaries waving our
that of our Carthian Movement banner
abducted me and brought me to
New York City. They brought me their
under the pretenses that I coul
their faltering revolution, tha d help
t I could rejuvenate their wan
They did so by robbing me of my ing power.
identity. They restrained me befo
their greatest Ventrue, and over re
the course of one horrendous mon
they shattered everything that th,
made me Ferdinand Araujo. Nearly
years have passed, and I am now ten
my own person again. Finally.
Enough with the lament and melo
drama. Dearest brother, do you
you lead Caracas still in my abs walk? Do
ence? Please, tell me your greatn
not waned since Ive gone. ess has
Sincerely,
Ferdinand Araujo
Senor Cesar Rodrig uez Araujo
Avenida Sanz
Residencias Terepaima, Entrada
D
Caracas 1010, D.F.
Venezuela
September 30th, 2013
Dear Brother,
Hearing from you is a light in
the darkness. I thought you wer
from me; I presumed for years e forever gone
that your disappearance was par
grand plan to conquer Caracas. t of our sires
Perhaps it still was.
I wish that I could tell you of
my greatness, and not of my fail
but I do not walk tall. I wal ings. I walk,
k on my knees; I walk the wal
Sometimes, I wish I walked no k of the meager.
further. Sometimes, I stand on
the suns kiss. Then I realize my roof, awaiting
my soul, my ver y sense of self
and that the sun can never tru is too strong,
ly destroy me the way it could
When you left, Caracas became too our sire.
much to handle. Our revolution
but without you there, the city was beautiful,
fell apart. I had my supporter
supporters loved you so, that s, but your
they could not see the revolut
heart and your fire. They did nt ion without your
revolt. They never revolted. The
y simply stopped

rest
Whe n par t of the city stopped caring, the
standi ng. sion, we
caring. They stopped is the can cer of revolution. Without pas
apa thy
saw that. As you know,
entum for war d. mutual respect. A
had no mom
res pec t for territories; we had no
Crime soared. We had no whole. We str uggled
to mai nta in the Masquerade for the
precious few of us bot her ed difficult to rein in.
Emb rac e became more and more
with overpopulati on as the the Caracas Metro
yea rs, Kin dre d could not travel in
Within a short cou ple of sent to solve the
gue of rev ena nts. Every excursion we
tunnels, because of a pla together unraveled
hou t a tra ce. The thr eads that held our city
problem vanished wit
became the expectation.
slowly and lawlessness stood before the city,
and
rs ago , our sir e ros e to the occasion. She hon or and ser vic e,
Five yea through
tha t thr oug h dis cip line and dedication, usi onm ent , a gre at
told them once again. Through the
disill
see the ir cit y saf e t fol low ed, mos t
they could
Tha t nig ht, and in the nights tha
ner . y, she
many flocked to her ban As a show of solidarit
eme nt swo re fea lty to her Invictus order. had the m cap ture
of the Mov
tur n on its for mer affiliations. She
er to
organized this new ord
wor st offenders.
and execut e the ir rs imprisonment,
the cho ice of a years exile, a yea
Our dear sire off ere d me spend a year in
in the cit ys collapse. I chose to
or execution for my par t y of Carabobo.
h som e of the Movement at the Universit
Valencia, where I stu die d wit unteer to shed my
al Mov eme nt politely requested I vol
When I returned, the loc order. I agreed
sta ndi ng, for fea r of upsetting the citys
past reputation and
a neonate once more.
grudgingly. I became as among the living, as liv
ing
on a pos iti ve not e. I am ver y glad you are ill of the cit y,
Let me end ses speak
cal l our sel ves . How is New York City? My bia you r res pon se.
as we can ce. I eagerly await
fairy tales of the pla
but I have also heard
With Love,
Cesar Rodriguez Araujo

Brooklyn, New York
11206
a
United States of Americ
October 21 , 2013
st
Dearest Brother, that envelope confirmed

h tea rs in my eyes. Seeing
I opened you r let ter wit your last. I worried
t you sti ll liv ed, that this decade was not that my negligence led
for me tha nfall, and
abduction was your dow Thank you
so. I fretted that my ief was lik e non e Id ever experienced.
ence. The rel not to.
to that occurr if you chose
ugh I would understand
for responding, even tho s. What of our
r ill s, and those ills of Caraca
But I ache to hea r of you the beautiful words?
our peo ple s paradise? What of all Caracas.
revolution? Wha t of
We had pow er bey ond politics, in our lovely
s?
The chants? The slogan idad de Flores? I never
tro l of the city? Our sire? Car
You say our sir e too k con . She brought two young
typ e. She was lax in her ambitions join the
expect ed her the
nev er onc e scoffed as they decided to
brothers into the fol d, and war ned us when
por ted us quietly, advised us, and
Carthian Moveme nt. She sup ferences between our
ing unw ise dec isi ons . She helped bridge dif
we were mak
Carthians 25
revolution and the Invictus. It just comes as such a shock to me. Its not
that I dont believe it; its that I dont want to believe it, and I cannot
imagine what her city would look like.
How is her grandchilde? How is your childe? Consuela? Is she fine? Is she
with the Movement now? Or did she follow her grandsires footsteps?
You ask of New York City. New York City is very much a city. Its not
Caracas. Its crowded. Its very loud. The crime is just as pervasive, but
not so obvious. The most dangerous criminals wear white collars. The police
are lying thugs who accost anyone who does not look like them. But many of
the people have strong hearts. They have passion. They have a survivors
instincts. These are people who traveled the world for opportunity,
to escape oppression. They wanted to give their families better lives,
and fought tooth and nail, only to risk everything and land somewhere
frightening and foreign, where they were outsiders in every sense.
Opportunity exists, but in a place with millions of people but only
thousands of opportunities, it can look desperate. America sells stories
of hard work bringing reward. Every one of these immigrants works hard.
People work themselves nearly to death to come here, but most barely scrape
by. If America rewards hard work, these people should all be wealthy,
each and every one. Theyre not. Sometimes, one will find work in theater.
Sometimes, one will succeed in the drug trade. By and large, these are
people who have to miss meals to pay rent. Oh, the rent. Brother, you would
not imagine. Some flats in New York City cost more in a month than most
people in Venezuela earn in a year. Many homes contain multiple families,
many of whose members work two or more jobs so that together, they can pay
for the single apartment. Venezuelas people are poor, but that does not
mean New Yorks are not as well.
I know you are likely angry with the New York City Movement. But I want
you to know that if you decide to seek vengeance, some of the Movement
is honorable. Some are worth saving. The one called Dinasaur, she saved
me. She discovered what happened to me, and she found a Ventrue to free
me from those shackles. Now, shes a good friend. I would not want those
wholesome members of the Movement to come to harm. I know your temper.
Best wishes,
Ferdinand Araujo
Senor Cesar Rodriguez Araujo
Avenida Sanz
Residencias Terepaima, Entrada D
Caracas 1010, D.F.
Venezuela
November 30 th, 2013
Dear Brother,
Ive read your letter over each night for a week. It helped me find sound rest,
knowing you fare well.
I must first say, you overestimate my temper. It is you, dearest brother, who has
the fire within you. Perhaps that is why I did not struggle when our beloved
sire
conquered Caracas; I did not have it in me to argue her points, or to prove
that
our revolution was a good thing. I will not be rampaging through the streets of
New
York City in your name, unless of course that is your hearts desire. I would
not
disappoint you, after all. But I do not do vendettas. Remember the nights of
the

Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement, when we took the
opportunity to bring revolution.
I did not engage in fights, save for in immediate
self-defense. I hope you take
this with no offense. I do love you, but I am not
one to engage in campaigns of
vengeance.
What of our revolution? Our revolution is dead.
We laid its groundwork in the
1980s. We engaged in multitudes of planning and
legwork in the early part of the
1990s. Do you remember imprisonment? Your trials
at the hand of the New York City
Movement were not your first time in captivity. You
and I spent a year imprisoned
by the Lancea et Sanctum, by the former regime.
They held us for fear of coup,
which was admittedly a legitimate fear. We could
not speak to the people directly,
but we spoke through agents, we organized the revol
ution from deep underground,
both literally and figuratively. Then when we press
ured the Church to release us,
the revolution heralded us as heroes, as martyrs for
the cause. They knew our souls
were true and honest, and desired nothing more than
to change Caracas in the name
of the People. Do you remember our graffiti in those
cells? Sometimes I visit them.
None in the city knows those cells still exist.
I occasionally dream that if we
build a new revolution, that those walls, those writi
ngs could stand as an artifact
for the Movement.
In 1998, you and I took our city for the revolution
. We rose en masse, standing
strong against the eldest of the Church and their
supporters. We lost many soldiers
that night, nowhere near as many as the enemy
lost. The enemy simply had more
to lose. They lost age. They lost power. They lost
their faade of control and
stability. They could not keep the People down any
longer. That night, we held an
election. They unanimously elected us to a collaborat
ive Presidency. The city stood
as a paradise for the Movement, and an icon of the
Peoples victory.
We held strong for six years, until 2004 when New
York City took you away from
me. From that night, the revolution didnt die, but
it may as well have. Its heart
hung from its chest by weak, decaying veins. Every
night, another vein collapsed
and disintegrated. I was but the gaping chest that
held those veins, and I could
not hope to keep the heart from slowly drooping
and falling off. Make no mistake:
By the time Caridad de Flores took Caracas, the revol
ution was already long dead.
The revolution coughed and feigned life for two years
after you left, but she put
it out of its miser y.
New York City sounds like a desperate, frightening
place. But Im sure one could say
the same of Caracas. Have you learned anything from
the way the American Carthian
Movement conducts its revolutions?
Yours,

Brooklyn, New York
11206
December 15th, 2013
My Blood,
Hearing from you has been delightful, despite any
negativity in the
comments. Perhaps soon, we should attem pt the telep
hone. It is no more or
less secure than our postal correspondence. I worry
Venezuelan or American
Carthians 27
mortal authorities might intercept one of our messages as part of their
efforts to combat terrorism. It appears anti-Venezuela sentiment has
died down largely since Hugo Chavezs death, but I cannot trust American
authorities. Has the anti-American sentiment slowed in Venezuela? I cannot
imagine a world where that is the case. It has been so very long.
I asked you about Consuela. Im sure you missed that paragraph. I do
apologize, Brother. How is she?
New York is a desperate, frightening place in the way that all cities are
desperate, frightening places. Mortals struggle. Mortals must establish
hierarchies and systems, and in every system, some are on the outs. In
American capitalism, it happens that most of those are those with whom I care
to associate most. For millions, its fine. Its a good days work for a good
days wage. I see hundreds of smiling people at night. The feeding is good.
New York needed fresh ideas, and fresh personalities. I fault their practice
of abducting and indoctrination. Clearly, that policy is not universally
popular, and when someone breaks it, they go unchallenged. They wanted
new spirit, and they couldnt rely on finding some neonate to fix all their
problems. They sought out well-tested hearts and ideas, tempered on the fires
of true revolution. They wanted tried talent. As disgusted as I am with their
actions, I am flattered at their choice.
Now, I work to subvert their past behaviors, and motivate them on to
greatness. My language barrier is waning, but has caused some conflict.
Fortunately, a coterie of Spanish-speaking Carthians has been able to
disseminate my messages to the populace. Theyve been clever enough to act as
intermediaries, as buffers for my worst critics. Im helping to build New York
into something beautiful, and something without the corruption that recruits
through mind slavery.
If you have no place in Caracas, perhaps you should come to New York? My New
York. We could plant the seeds of a new revolution. New York isnt paradise,
but Caracas doesnt seem to want you. I want you, Brother. Please consider.
Always,
Ferdinand Araujo
Avenida Sanz
Caracas 1010, D.F.
Venezuela
January 12 th, 2014
Brother my Brother,
New York City, you say? You think Id have a place in New York City? Brother,
I am far more conservative than you are. I dont know that I could look an
American in the eye, let alone feed from one. Your new Movement knew this. They
knew what they needed. If they thought Id be valuable, theyd have grabbed me
while they had the chance nearly a decade ago. No, Brother. I am not a valuable
member of anyones Movement. I let the fires of revolution die. That is the only
true Carthian crime.
No, Brother. Im not long for this world. The world turns, and moves on without
me. Im a bygone. Even when you were here, this was your show. The revolution

tor. A paper pusher.
becaus e it nee ded you . I was a bureaucrat. A legisla
fell apa rt I was not. Youre
a nec ess ary evil , but the evil, the role was necessary:
I was ievements, but I will
er tha n I am. New York saw that. I dont beg rud ge your ach
bett
Im on your level.
not diminish them by claiming d. I want to see it
travel. I want to see the worl
Who knows, though? I want to no revolutionary.
p in New York to visit. But Im
all before I move on. I may sto
Not any more. t live successfully
me som ethi ng abo ut you r new life I can appreciate. If I can
Tell rs.
to live vicariously through you
through my own means, help me
With love,

Brookly n, New York
11206
January 30 , 2014
th
Brother, Brother, Brother, derful.

t denigrate yourself. Youre won
Please, dont flatter me, and don if Car aca s has no place
able. I wan t you in New York, particularly
You re valu you to work.
re a suitable leader, I can put
for you. If you dont think you You gave me
y; I can facilitate that. Please.
You like to have your hands bus Plea se.
my life. Let me give you a job.
mentorship and protection all this mean
answer me about Consuela. Does
Brother, again youve failed to Plea se, shes
the aftermath of my leaving?
shes not well? Did she fall in
family. I wish to know. better. Youre
rt. But I want to know youre
Im sorry if this message is sho to New York . Visit
to New York, but come
sounding fatalist. Dont com mit tog eth er. If its best for
Well soul search
me. Well talk. Well catch up. care for you,
for you, Ill leave with you. I
you, you can stay. If its best
ether.
Brother. Lets find solutions tog
Concer ned,
Ferdinand Araujo
Senor Cesar Rodrig uez Araujo
Avenida Sanz
D
Residencias Terepaima, Entrada
Caracas 1010, D.F.
Venezuela
th
February 24 , 2014
Dear Ferdinand, leave. I dont

? I dont know that I can safely
Do you truly want me in New York tional lines, but
d to smuggle you across interna
know how your abductors manage
Carthians 29
Venezuela watches its borders. If you have any ideas, I
am listening.
Caridad knows were writing. She knows of our corresponden
ce. She knows you
live. I dont know how she knows these things, but she knows.
This is no warning,
no threat, simply a statement so you understand. She brough
t it up obliquely at
Elysiu m, speaking of those of past crimes, those we though
t dead. She knows
you collude with those within Caracas, and she fancies you
a conspirator against
her regime. She said she seeks to root out the corrupted.
I think she aims to
motivate others to pry into my affairs with this speech.
I wont move yet; I will
remain where I am, to demonstrate innocence and not alert
the dogs.
I did not mean to denigrate myself, only to exalt the
truth of the situation
and praise you. What sort of work do you think I can do
in New York City? I feel
every bit the old man. I dont wish to learn English, nor
do I think I could if
I wished. Im too proud for physical labor; Im no thug
or workhorse. I cannot
imagine a job where I could succeed and flourish in a foreig
n land, but you have
a greater imagination than I do, Brother.
What of my prejudices? I am a man of even temper, but then
again I do not see
the excesses of the bourgeoisie each night in my current
home. I dont know that
I could maintain myself indefinitely around their crimes
and exploitation.
I dont know, Brother. This sounds like a pretty thing, a
possibility for dreams
and hypotheticals. But its one Im willing to entertain
with your support.
Tell me: Do the People have control of their Movement in
New York City? Or is
it a revolution of personalities?
Pensively,

Brooklyn, New York
11206
March 12th, 2014
Dear Brother,
Brother, Ill ask only this one last time. Please, tell me
of Consuela. I
wont bother you further on her if you do not respond.
I only wish to know
what happened with her. But I lead with this so it cannot
be mistaken.
You ask of New York Citys Movement? Its democratic. Every
member of the
city has a voting representative. We vote individually for
certain important
issues. City law prohibits any one member of the Moveme
nt from achieving
immense pull within the Movement. Its not perfect, but
it mostly achieves the
goals it set out to. We have nearly one hundred members
in our Movement, and
nearly two hundred citizens in the city at large. While
the Movement rules the
majority and influences constitutional decision-making, they
do not truly rule
in the way Carthians in some cities might.
More importantly, essential laws have a review period. When
voted in,
they take action, but require a follow-up vote by the next
council of
representatives. This way, the bill becomes law largely
through merit; laws
that fail do not fester long. I think this is a very practi
cal way to run such
a collective.

Brother, one in five people in New York
speaks Spanish natively. This puts you
in a unique position, even if you choose
to never lear n English. You can be my
liaison, my eyes and ears in those comm
unities. Youll mostly be dealing with
the working class, so your prejudices shou
ld not be an issue. Frankly, Brother,
if you kill the occasional slumlord or expl
oitative executive, New York will be
better off.
I can get you out of Caracas. I have frie
nds. We could stage another
abduction, so you dont appear complicit
in your vacancy. If you say the word,
I will have you out within the month.
Concerned,
Ferdinand Araujo
Avenida Sanz
Caracas 1010, D.F.
Venezuela
April 1st, 2014
My Ferdinand,
I am sorr y. Ive read your questions abou
t Consuela. Its a difficult topic,
and one I avoided because I struggled with
putting it into words. Its the reason
for such delay in many of my letters. Ive
drafted dozens of letters in one case,
and multiples in ever y. Ive given long-win
ded explanations of the situation with
Consuela. Each and ever y one, I trashed.
It hurts me just to write these words.
But I owe it to you, Brother. While Consuela
was my childe, I know the two of you
were lovers. She resented me for the Embrace.
While I felt we belonged together, you
were the closest surrogate for me that I could
find. So I fostered that relationship.
Caridad, our dear sire, told a gang of revo
lutionaries to hunt down one of their
more treasonous members. That gang incl
uded Consuela. According to Consuela,
when she confided briefly in me, Caridads
lang uage seemed to encourage her to
commit Amaranth upon her former coterie-
mate as a show of good will toward the
new regime. However, in the hunt, her cote
rie fell. She was the only survivor.
She did commit the dread Amaranth agai
nst her former mate. When she returned
to report, our dear sire took her into
custody, and tried her for breach of
Tradition. During sentencing, Caridad offer
ed Consuela the choice of execution
or of a full Vinculum, and eter nal serv
ice to the First Estate. You remember
our sire, Brother. You cannot say no to
her face. You cannot defy her. Consuela
did not defy her.
Now, Consuela is the single strongest
supporter of our sires rule. Shes a
knight, a warrior for our sires whims.
Shes slaughtered no small number of
revolutionaries unwilling to support the
new order.
When I was exiled, she commuted my sent
ence. She escorted me to Caracas
limits. When I parted, I tipped my hat
to my daughter. She spat on my boots.
Shes completely under Caridads sway. Shes
lost to us.
I want out. Please, Brother. I cannot bear
this place any longer. Youre the
only home I know anymore.
Always,
Carthians 31
Brooklyn, New York
11206
April 10 th, 2014
My Brother,
I understand. I hurt for Con
suelas loss. But we cannot
forever. I will come to you continue to mourn
. April 30 th, my friends and
remove you from Caracas. We I will arrive to
will protect you. We will esc
give you a new home, away ort you. We will
from this pain.
My Brother, I love you. I
shall see you soon.
Sincerely,
Ferdinand Araujo
Theres some bias in here. I guess Ferdinand gets to have bias, right? We abducted him. We
brainwashed him. We legit fucked up. Weve got to cop to that. He can never go back home, so well
always make a place for him in New York. Hes a good guy. Hes invaluable. But, hes ultimately
our victim, and we cant forget this, and we have to fight to make sure his voice both exists and is
respected in the future.
Let me finish this story for you. We visited. By visited, I mean we brought eight motherfuckers to
roll on Caracas, and get Cesar Rodriguez Araujo out of that shithole. When we got there, he was dead.
According to the locals, Cesar Rodriguez was wanted for suspicion of treason. One night, he vanished,
never to be seen again. A week after his disappearance, Caridad proclaimed him guilty of evading trial,
and his life forfeit due to his past crimes. Although, the going rumor was that a group of Caridads
thugs found him and fucked him up. Whats the old saying? Its best to not call a blood hunt until after
the target is already dead or in captivity.
We think we found his ashes. Its hard to confirm a strangers remains, even if you have a skilled
Shadow on your posse. But there was enough circumstantial evidence to back it up. We found them
with half the letters youre reading here tonight. Ferdinand gave permission to print the whole lot of
them, to tell their story.
We refused to leave empty handed. I worked with Ferdinand to find Consuela. We cornered her. We
abducted her. We took her home. Now, were in the process of deprogramming her, and getting rid of
all that poison her grandsire fed her. Are we committing the same atrocity we did with Ferdinand?
Ferdinand doesnt seem to think so. He says were liberating her. Of course, we told ourselves we
were liberating Ferdinand. Maybe we did a little too well at assimilating Ferdinand. Maybe I shouldnt
assume we great big American imperialists are so good at erasing people. Thats infantilizing and kind
of shitty. Maybe Ferdinand came to his own fucking conclusions. And maybe, just maybe, were in the
right this time.

FUCK, FUCK, FUCK! That was depres
sing. All full of thinking and shit. We
fucking awful! God, I need to get ove ruined a city! Were
r myself.
Do you know how I like to get over mys
elf when talking about political bullshi
that are a million times worse than our t? I like to look at places
incestuous pit of socio-political juveni
a story about Dubai, written by one of lia. To do TH AT, Ive got
our members who had the distinct plea
time there. Ericas one of our cross-c sure of spending some
ovenant friends; shes part Movement,
awesome. Read her shit. Its from her part Circle of the Crone. All
blog, so never mind references to com
Devotions to anyone that wants to lear ments. She also teaches
n. Hit her up. Give her cash. She love
this zine. Go digging. s cash. Her ads somewhere in
,
The tickets were non-refundable. Any time you do something where you know you re going to
,
face the sun, the Beast pushes back. If your mortal mother s in danger, if it means going out in
the sun for twenty minutes, you might just go back to bed instead of helping. But non-refundable
international tickets? Those even scare the Beast into compliance. You beat that inner monster
back into the corners of your psyche, you put on the heaviest jacket you can, you pop the collar
and wear a hat, and you get your ass to the airport. The worst part of daytime flights is that
last twenty minutes when youre waiting to board and you have to stand around a bunch of
testy pricks in front of a giant picture window. Every time a kid cries in line, you get down on
metaphorical knees and pray the airline boards them immediately, before your Beast decides to
turn the place into a buffet line.
Fourteen hours, twelve minutes. I wish I could have spent the whole time covered by a blanket.
,
If I got too comfortable, I d pass out. Then, I,d look like a corpse in seat 26C. My cure was shitty,
decade-old sitcoms on the in-flight television. Part of me wanted to sleep. Part of me wanted
to die. But I couldn,t do either... I froze watching artistic train wreck after artistic train wreck.
One featured three unemployed twenty-somethings in a million dollar Upper East Side condo. And
me, the immortal monster celebrated by all popular media, I,m flying coach? Next time, I,m Voicing
someone into first class.
I planned it so I,d land as early in the evening as possible. My point of contact, an Acolyte called
Mahmud, offered to meet me at my hotel. I traveled all the way around the world, and ended up
booking the Holiday Inn. There,s some kind of social commentary here, but I can,t pinpoint it.
Mahmud told me the lay of the land. He explained it,d be smart if I just kept to my hotel
whenever possible, since as an outsider without extensive training in local customs, Id have it
rough. I laughed it off. I figured he meant that Im a white girl in a Muslim country. I had to meet
him the next night for the event, for my cult,s winter celebration. I fed well before leaving, so I
could do the entire trip without hunting on unfamiliar soil.
After Mahmud left me, I wandered the hotel. I walked the halls. I listened to some of the people
at the hotel bar, as they went about their business, their flirting, their whatever. I don,t know
Arabic, I don,t know Urdu, but I know people. I love listening to people when the specifics of the
Carthians 33
language and the words aren,t ther
e to confuse me. I like feeling out the
and how they differ from what Im subtleties of their interactions,
used to. The way the women tilt thei
is a little more pronounced than in r heads and bat their eyelashes
the States. It makes me aggressive
it makes the Neanderthals at that and hungry; I can,t imagine how
bar feel. It was a real subtle sexy,
couldn,t say no to it. It,s for the bes and if I had to face it head-on, I
t I didn,t: Girl-on-girl is a huge offense ,
get beheaded for thirty steamy sec . I d hate for my meal ticket to
onds.
A few hours later, I don,t know just
when, my bad luck kicked into gear.
stepping out of the elevator, I sensed On the way to my room,
two other Beasts. Footsteps slammed
that direction. I made the quick jud down the hall rapidly from
gment call to just let it be somebo
want to duck back into the elevator dy elses problem. I didnt
and raise suspicion. The chase burs
Two vampires, both dressed in busines t out into the foyer I stood in.
s suits, slammed through. They sma
busted a water fountain. I clenched shed some potted plants and
my jaw, and slowly walked to my room
mistook the path, and diverted. By . At least, I thought I did. I
the time I corrected my course, the
Three doors down from my room, one stom ping stopped.
door stood open. Traces of dust and
my better judgment, I peeked into water led inside. Against
the room. One of the suited men bore
to the bed. He drained the last of his down on the other, forcing him
victim as I watched. As the monster
into nothingness; it was as if he fed, the victim desiccated
aged a decade a second. I put hand
in place. I carried the weight of an to my mouth and watched, frozen
overwhelming, primeval fear. The vict
murderer caught my eyes momenta im crumbled to dust, and the
rily before I could run. He snarled, and
I ran like Id never run before. The my Beast cried out for help.
monster chased me, but I was more
willing to catch me. I realized it was willing to escape than he was
about 5:30am, and people were on thei
I pushed the Blood to my legs, and r ways to their Fajr prayer.
leaped through the fourth-story wind
eyes of all those praying. They gaw ow. As it shattered, I drew the
ked, and my pursuer was unwilling to
I traveled a few blocks, and charme engage, so I escaped.
d my way into a hotel room despite
shouldnt have been able to make the window of prayer where I
a business dealing. I slipped into my
Mahmud with the cliff notes version room , and dropped an email to
of my encounter.
I woke, and shortly thereafter, Mah
mud reached me. He apologized. He
the celebration. He told me I would then told me I couldnt attend
be best to leave Dubai immediately
pressed him for more, and he agreed , and avoid any Kindred contact. I
to briefly meet me so he could esc
He came by the hotel, and picked me ort me to Dubai International.
up by the loading docks. I couldnt
We drove on back streets and alley imagine what that meant.
ways. He explained that my pursuer,
Ishaq, a mover and shaker in the loca the diablerist, was a man called
l Carthian Movement. I asked why the
against him. Mahmud explained that Movement doesnt mobilize
the Movement,s rules permit Amarant
Movement ruled by Meritocracy, h. As he explained, Dubais
which essentially looks like anarchi
devour someones soul, youre enti sm. If youre strong enough to
tled to it. If youre weak, the populat
the closest thing Dubai has to a Prin ion will intercede. Ishaq is
ce, and everyone knows he,s a seri
because, surprise surprise, he,ll diab al diablerist. Nobody stops him
lerize you if you try. This has apparen
Close to the airport, our car crashed tly happened numerous times.
suddenly. Out of nowhere, we wrecked
out, and I felt his words burning in into Ishaq. Ishaq howled
the back of my mind. I felt his voic
life of me. This happened in public, e like leeches, trying to rob the
on a busy city street. His faade gon
monster. Ishaq looked like a djinn, a e, he was every bit the obvious
devil. Mortals panicked. Some fled scre
positions crying. Mahmud jumped from aming. Some fell to fetal
the car, as did I. Ishaq wasnt the
though. Except Erica,s dirty tricks are only one with dirty tricks,
New York style. He snarled at me, tryi
move in for the kill. I taught him som ng to stun me so he could
e new English curse words, picked up
brought it down on the fucker,s hea that old Lincoln Town car, and
d.
He tossed the car off about three
seconds later. Mahmud jumped him,
Mahmud, but I didn,t think twice. I ran. and told me to run. I liked
I didn,t look back, but I heard Mahmud
heard Ishaq rip him apart. Then, I hea scream in the distance. I
rd Mahmud cry out a prayer in Arab
later. Fortunately, that gave me the ic, which cut off a few seconds
time I needed.
So with Mahmud,s help, with Mahmud,
s sacrifice, I fled. I Voiced everyone
money to buy an emergency one-wa I could find until I had enough
y tick et back to New York. I had to stop
didn,t care. in London and stay a day. I
I will never go back to Dubai. If I hea
r of any Kindred willingly traveling ther
public, I will suspect they,re going to e now that my storyis
get away with murder.

Makes you glad you live in New York now, doesnt it?
We heard Ericas story. We heard it well. Our reaction was simple, but thorough: It takes a two-thirds
majority of all our representatives to allow for a Kindred death. With the way our cycling representation
system works, that means no one Kindred should ever be powerful enough to single-handedly choose to end a
Requiem.
Holy fuck. Permissible diablerie? I get that its shitty to look to other cultures and point and gawk or
whatever. But theres a line. I think its right around the point where you say its okay to eat souls. I dont
think its controversial to say thats utterly fucked. Can we all just be on the same page here and say thats
not okay? Thats what I thought, glad you all agree.
(Also, dont even dare call me an Islamophobe or whatever. Im from Lebanon. Born and raised Muslim.
Im pretty sure soul eating doesnt come from Muslim culture. Im pretty sure it comes from crazy
motherfuckers, which happen independent of religion.)
at we call them)
ize n Te xx (th at s not the ir real name, thats just wh
issue, cit d below), but
In our last feature of this ue nc ed som e of our public policy (discusse
home, Houston . Th is infl a huge fan
writes about their original licy ca me from wh en they voted for it. Since Im
s just where tha t po
Im sure not everyone know xx to sh are a little ditty about Hous
ton.
electo rat es, I aske d Te
of educated and informed
on. But
Sorry everyone. Im not a writer. Im not an educated pers
I think
I love New York, and I love my new home in the Moveme nt.
learn from
we all have a lot to learn from each other. Maybe you can
a drink to
my exp erie nce. I hope you can. If you cant, Ill buy you
this is a
make up for the time Ive wasted. Actually, I wont because
pse udonym. But Ill make it up to you.
in bed.
In most cities, the Invic tus and Lancea et Sanctum are
e else
They form this weird little political/re lig ious bloc. Everyon
its way
g ets to be outside that bubble, that niche. In Houston,
a Christian
more complicated than that. In Houston, the Carthians are
n doc trin e.
Moveme nt, who mod els their who le thing afte r Christia
Carthians 35
fic ult and imp erf ec t. Bu t relig ion s alw ays that way, isnt it?
This is dif
h. Most of the essential
Its not as hard as you mig ht think, thoug
about the g osp els. The n
doc trin e relates to accep ting som e fac ts
and salvation throug h g race.
theres som e stuff about killing , fidelity,
m doc trin e, thoug h. Thats
Its way different than Lancea et Sanctu
is essentially heretical to
the big g est hurdle. Ironically, Christianity
Lancea et Sanctum teaching.
tely the opposite direc tion
How did a Carthian Movem ent g o comple
easy to understand if you
of its usual, hardcore secular thing ? Its
ent is all about exp erime nting
look at the con text. The Carthian Movem
In Houston, the hum an
with hum an solutions to Kindred proble ms.
ck was there to support the
pop ulation is heavily Christian, so the sto
heart, is a solution for som e
Kindred pop ulation. And relig ion, at its
Lastly, its all about science.
deep, fundam ental proble ms we all have.
but in social sciences, all
Kindred science is a dif ficult concep t,
unts to mag ical creatures, a
thing s need to be tested. For what amo
to test.
little mag ical thinking is a log ical thing
What I find is the most

important test is, whe n
does ideolog ical purity
become essential?
Christian doc trin e isnt
inhere ntly incomp atible
with Carthian doc trin e.
But the yre not the sam e
thing. Carthians are about
testing and trying thing s
out. Christianity is about
accep ting truths and
working from the m as a
foundation. You can say
youre testing and trying
the practice of accep ting
truths and working from
the m as a foundation.

an c tu m d o? Is n t th at what the
e Lancea e t S
But isnt that what th
In vic tus do? th in g . I d on t th in k it s som e thing
s a g ood s a g ood thing
I p ersonally think it at . B ut I th in k it
e should look the rest of the
the Move m e nt at larg ils , it s so m e th in g
ve n if it fa Com m andm e nts,
for Houston to try. E ve n fo llo w th e Te n
from. You can e a reality. It really
Move m e nt can learn ce p t re d e mp ti on as
ling to ac
so long as youre wil an ex p e ri m e nt , be cause theres ne ver
on, as cep ting Christianity
works as an excep ti ro up of va mp ir e s ac
spread g w, differe nt,
ac tually bee n a wide S o in a w ay , it s ne
their ideolog y.
as a foundation for
and edg y.
. M os t of yo u sh ou ld be able to g e t on
e Sp ear
It sure pisses off th
? ard the Move ment.
board with that, rig ht e I w as le an ing to w
I left becaus , on e of their warrior
s.
I had to leave, thoug h. e of th ei r so ld ie rs
I was on just that I was
I was in the In vic tus. vi ol e nc e ; it w as
ted hating the defe nding som e thing
It wasnt that I star og y. I w as tire d of
eir ideol d to offer, and I
tired of protec ting th ha t th e C ar th ia ns ha
r m e. I saw w tog e thers,
that wasnt working fo g oi ng to th ei r g e t-
with the m. I started , so their words
started hang ing out a C hr is ti an fa mi ly
. I g re w up in m e out, and
in and out of church ng it . Th e y kick e d
In vic tus wasnt havi I left, and cam e
sounded g reat. The th e ci ty ex ile d m e.
m leadership in
the Lancea e t Sanc tu ht I could be of use.
e w Yo rk. I th oug
here to N
er
g wit h all ow ing Ki nd red to be both Carthian and oth
experimentin
Thanks to Texx, were now Ca rthians who moonlight. There
re always
ction s. Mo st cit ies ha ve
things, openly without restri ion s an d protected information acces
s. But in New
to hig h-r an kin g po sit
restrictions, usually relating Ca rth ian . It do esnt matter if you cross-ide
ntify. You
re Carth ian , you re
York, weve said fuck it, if you fit.
be fre e to con gr egate an d express yourself as you see on our
should d all ows us a convenient loophole
re Ca rth ian vot es, an
have mo
Critics say this allows us to r giv en cov en ants. So, if youre Carthian, Sp
ear,
sus, you count as all you
49% rule. You see, in the cen tha t happen), you count three tim
es. So you skew the
cau se Id lov e to see
and Order (hy pothetically, be the ben efits outweigh the costs. If you
dont want
ism. Bu t fra nk ly, I thi nk
percentages. I get the critic an t if the yr e Carthian. No skin off our
backs. That
let them joi n you r cov en
people moonlighting, dont
en and accepting.
just makes us look more op
Carthians 37
With that, we close out another issu
e. Write me. Mail. Emails. Texts. Tw
Tell me what you want to talk about. itters. Smoke signals. Whatever.
This zine isnt your Movement, but
together. Its just one more avenue it helps to bring your Movement
for organizing this clay into an awe
a big, throbbing you know. some statue of a really hot guy wit
h
I love you all. See you at Rant. Thi
s month, its the 28th at the Double
that still has a Myspace page in 201 Down on Avenue A. Its the one
5. Thats our level of tacky. Good nig
ht everyone.
FUCK THE REVOLUTION!
Letter from Abroad! Dear writer,

Hello Fuck The Revolution,
Ive been reading your magazine Sorry. I dont read Japanese, so I cant address
for a very long
time, but this is my first lette
r. Im Dinasaurs you by name. My person who can is busy, and Im
biggest fan. I am asking for advi
we cannot have a Carthian Move ment
ce. In our city, trying to get this issue out the door. I love to hear
. The Western
covenants are not allowed. We have
three families
from fans outside of New York, and especially
that rule the city, and do not
allow covenants overseas. Im going to be in touch privately
because of an outdated agreement.
I want to star t
a Move ment, but, will I have supp with some contacts in East Asia. I know a few
ort from other
Carthians? Does the Move ment prov
ide any resources Carthians in Seoul and Hong Kong; maybe they
for budding revolutions?
can help you. Kyoto has a strong Movement, but I
In Tokyo, a human corp oration
hold s Kind red
hostage. We must work with them, dont know them. Osaka and Okinawa have some
because they know
enough about us to put us all
in danger. I wish presence. I also know someone from Utsunomiya,
to correct this, for the humans
sake as well as
the Kind red. This will not end pleas and Google tells me thats pretty close.
antly, but the
three families prohibit any plann
ing against the This sounds like an utterly fucked situation.
corporation. I need to be able to
speak freely. I dont have clear-cut answers for you. But Im
Sincerely,
going to publish your letter, and see if we cant
get the word out. If anyone wants to connect with
you, Ill drop them your address. Lets commit to
having a Movement in Tokyo by 2020.
Lots of love,
New Rack
Check out DUMBO. Until this month, a coven of witch
es
ran it. You can see their Melpomene graffiti still aroun
d the
neighborhood. Anyway, they left. Gone. No trace. Now,
its all
galleries, tech firms, and no property owner. Read: Easy
feeding.
It d be political suicide to assign the turf to a Carthian.
So lets
just leave it free for now. Clean up after yourselves.

A C arthian Law Primer
A lot of you come from cities without stron
g Carthian Law. Sorr y. Best we can do
the best we can do there is to give you wha is educate you on how it work s. And
t we know, which isnt much.
Sometime in the late eighteenth century,
the laws in New York began to enforce
there wasnt much rhyme or reason to it themselves in weird ways. At the time,
that we could point to. It was shortly after
The French Movement didnt get Carthian the birth of the Movement (Side note:
Law until like 1830 at the earliest). Whe
would suffer punishments out of nowhere n wed declare something illegal, people
. Which was kind of great, because it reve
our rank s. aled much of the early corruption in
But what is it? Is it the will of the people
made palpable? Is it a chaotic blood mag
dont really know. We know a few things ic like Lancea wizards toss around? We
need to be in place for Carthian Law to
First, there needs to be Carthians. You happ en:
need at least five of them in a domain, or
Second, there needs to be recognized ritua else it just doesnt happen.
ls in the Movement. This can be as simple
raves, but they have to be semi-formally as jumping in ceremonies or monthly
recognized.
Third, you need established laws. These
can be city laws, or Carthian internal laws
they only apply to Carthians. . But if its Carthian internal laws,
For Law to take effect, a few things have
to happen:
First, the law has to be challenged volu
ntarily. Sometimes a Daeva can tempt you
a Ventrues voice is just out of the question into brea king a law or whatever, but
entirely. If youre blood bound to someone
But you might do it for them without coer , they cant make you brea k the law.
cion. Mundane coercion seems to work
the law, it counts. fine; if you threaten a dude into brea king
Second, the Law has to be acknowledged
publicly. There arent hard numbers, but
80% of the city (or the Movement for Mov in our experience, it look s like about
ement-specific laws) has to know about
to respect the law or agree with the law; the Law for it to work. They dont have
they just have to know its the law.
Third, a Carthian of rank has to sign off
on it. This assumes at least an informa
who gets pat on the back a lot counts just l hierarchy. But it seems like the guy
fine. You dont get to sign off on a Cart
off the streets. hian Law if youre some dipshit nobody
Thats pretty much how it work s. Most laws
are prohibitive; you have to brea k them
not always true. Its worth noting that the for something to happen. But thats
law doesnt (and cant) discriminate. If
says, Its illegal for Kindred who arent youre an asshole Carthian Prince who
me to kill people, thats a discriminato
down if you kill someone. ry law, and Carthian Law will smack you
Ill be at the next rave giving a work shop
on the law. Remember, ignorance is no
-Damien excuse.
Carthian
I heard a newbi
e say Carthian Identity
were great, an s are at the he
d thats what it ad of technolo
Nope. Just no means to be C gy and progre
pe. ar thian. ss, thats why
Carthians aren
t the cutting
Theres a lot of edge covenan
Invictus into t. Carthians ar
media and ad tech. The Cir e the self-awar
vocacy. Ordo cle of the Cro e covenant.
D racul are deep in ne has people th
Carthians aren to biot ech and 3D pr at dig social
t always on th inting techno
real. We dont e top of things logy.
lie to ourselve , because were
or woo-woo m s about what w too busy bein
ystical, or dest e ar e. We dont tr g fucking
reconcile that ined, or any sh y to make it so
with our othe it like that. W und noble,
Thats all. That r needs, and ac e drink fuckin
is why were gr cept a slightly g blood. We
ea t. W ere not fuckin al tered hierarchy
-R ashan Maliq g cartoons. of needs.
ue
Carthians 39
D earest D ead Lady, Michael Fallcraft-Minster was in all ways my
elder. He was,
in all ways that he thought mattered, my
enclosed is my experience tall, with broad shoulders, long silken hair,
superior. He was
with Fallcraft-Minster and blue eyes. He was as good looking as anyo
and piercing
ne had right to
the materials I showed to him. be and over the century, gathered enough
wealth to dress
not just well, but perfectly. He was a perfe
I hope it will help prepare his man ners were impeccable but strange.
ct vampire too;
you for his arrival in July. genders tossed themselves at him, letting
People of all
him drai n them
-Regards, Mona. dry emotionally, physicall y, or financiall y.
He commanded
an extensive knowledge of Crac and the sacr
ed trad itions
that he claimed came from Rome. He had
no proof; but
he said it, so people belie ved him. Worse,
he is my great
grandsire, and thought that somehow gave
him rights to
my blood. My work. My city.
At least, thats what his letter said . Michael
had shown me the courtesy of mail ing
six months before he flew into Honolulu
to both cong ratulate me on my budd ing
praxis and to tell me that he would be comi
ng to take over for me. So nice of him.
What I read between the lines was that hed
overstepped in Berli n for the last time
and so he had to throw his weig ht around some
where else for a while. Fucking perfect.
Michael arriv ed at a priv ate airst rip in Haw
aii three hours after nightfall, later
than projected. Just like him to make me
wait arou nd on him in my own damn
city. Compared to my grandsire I am shor
t, thick, and decidedly Hawaiian in skin
tone and upbringin g. The black sands are
in my blood, and I had all rights to it,
but here was Michael Fallcraft-Mins ter with
a retinue of ghou ls and sycophants
getti ng off a priv ate plane to tell me otherwis
e. Id come alone. There was no reason
to expose my cult to his bulls hit before Id
gotten him sorted out.
40 Secrects of the Covenants

at me with all teeth. He tried to
As he approached, he whipped dark glasses off and smiled
ed away harml essly in the night air, the
dazzle me with a trick of the Serpents, but it bounc
Mothers gifts protecting me from his charms.
then. I rolled my eyes at him
Thats how a Lord rolls on his granddaughter? All right
waiting for us. Your people can
and stuck my hands in my pockets. This way. I have a car
manage on their own.
el how to handle it. He waved
The retinue huffed, objected, and quietl y tried to tell Micha
them off, smiling, always smiling, and followed me.
ed by my Command, was an
The car, originally here to pick up a TV exec and divert
oking a bluff. The modest place
uncomfortably quiet place as we drove to my hotel overlo
agant. Much of the staff was my
pulled in tourist cash, but wasn t what youd call extrav
my cult. All of them were, more
mortal family; the rest of them filled in by the mortals in
could mean. As a result, they
or less, in the know as to who Michael was and what his visit
hotel and back to my office.
didnt hide their dirty looks when I lead the man into the
He kept on smiling.
as we walked into my office.
You have a problem with authority. He finally suggested,
tly writing. Files and files full of
My desk was a mess with the letters I kept and was curren
my hub of communication.
Masquerade-breaki ng correspondences from all over the world,
a vampi re dangerous? Wasn t
A dangerous thing, but wasn t Crac dangerous? Wasn t being
d one wall of my office and
also the full floor to ceiling windows facing east that marke
churn ing water?
overlooked a steep drop to perilous rocks and unforg iving
ize it exists in the first place.
To have a problem with authority, I would have to recogn
ed him pace, touchi ng files and
I dont. I folded my arms, leaned on my desk, and watch
the past. Hed given up on that
flipping through papers. Wed fought about my letters in
battle, apparently.
I am better than you. In every way.
I sighed, then looked straig ht at him and yawned.
He stiffened.
prove youre wrong. I have a
Prove it. I motioned to him with a hand. Because I can
prove I know more about being a
hundred thousand letters here, maybe more or less, that
ed years. Thats what youve got,
vampi re, a witch, and a leader than you ever could. A hundr
and their real experiences. Or
more or less; I have the years of a hundred thousand letters
at least their imagined experiences. I have that.
proof. Show me, I dont know.
He scoffed, pacing the floor. Show me. He didnt demand
your court?
How you will handle attacks on your praxis and
rash wannabes. Beyond that?
Well, Ill start out by not calling it a court, like were Eurot
of a photocopy, and handed it to
I leaned back on my desk, yanked a letter out, a photocopy
him. Probably somet hing like this.
Deadest of the
Dead, Sacrificial
Material included. the other night, posted
So I got your clever letter
-Mona arrassment or cowardice.
anonymously to me out of emb
-eight tim es, as a goat
You referred to me, twenty
various other forms of
or a sacrificial sex toy and
that because I am a man in
objectification. You suggested
abuse. You also seem to
the Circle, I should be used to
Circle of the Crone 41

s is inference, I am not
e this city because, and thi
imply that I am unfit to rul may not have removed my
Apparently, because I may or
manly enough to be a leader. and not fit to be Prince.
hin the Circle, I am no man,
penis as a part of ritual wit that makes
to fig ure out wha t you use a dead lump of skin for
I am trying thinking to
lea der , but I sup pos e you mean for this whole line of
you a better part of your
rat her tha n lite ral . So. Let me address the only
be metaphori cal g. Yes. Once
poo rly spe lle d scr eed tha t seems even worth addressin
laughable and party and its
en of Aco lyt es kil ls me. Whats more, its a really rad
a year, a cov
d yourself an invite.
pretty sad that you cant lan t have to live with
icial King, and I guess I jus
You have called me the Sacrif e to submit sometimes.
t. Its not act ual ly a bad thing for someone who died mal
tha going to
, I get dra gge d out int o a field and murdered. I know its
Every winter e both the how and why
damn fine job of making sur
happen, but the coven does a pin s and needles waiting
sur pri se, and so I ten d to spend a month on
are a bit of a l you all about
pen . Sin ce you are cle arl y tragically cool, let me tel
for it to hap leaving my
yea r. It was spl end id. About a week before, as I was
the party las t g pin through
ear ly eve nin g I tri ppe d over a dead sparrow with a lon
haven in the
its body. This is an old sign. and this is the only
run because weve marked you
Run, the sparrow suggests, wledge filled me with
ll get . I kne w pain was coming, and that kno
war nin g you doe when an arrow has
exc ite men t. The buck feels this as well as the
ant icip ato ry h in the literal sense,
ers tan d? Pro bab ly not. So I ran. Not so muc
flo wn, you und most years. That makes
beg an eva sio n tactics. I make it a challenge
but in tha t I when they have to chase
ter at the ir dut ies. It makes them stronger
my wit che s bet to my car and headed to
We are all bet ter for the struggle. I took
and cat ch me. my rule; my mistake was
re I had an edg e. In public, theyd respect
Ely siu m whe psychotropic kicked
fro m a fav ori te vassal, and soon after, the
hab itu al. I fed a glass shard rainbow
gre en and blo od called to me and led me via
in. A wom an in p was over, I was in
She san g, wep t, and we made love; and when the tri
to a fie ld. , so that was new!
und erg rou nd. My cov en has never drugged me before
a box hts. On the seventh,
dark with my fears for six nig
I stayed under, alone in the an erection that I cou ldnt account for.
ang ry, fri ght ene d, and had
I was hungry,
drugs.
Maybe it was something in the r imagination.
unb uri ed the ere cti on fir st. That bit Ill leave to you
The y of my box and wrestled
, maybe little doors in the lid
Then, bit-by-bit, they opened I frenzied. I became a
yank it out to be cut off. Oh.
to catch a hand or a foot and off someones fingers
my tormentors. I believe I bit
raging Beast unable to get at cat ch and cut off what.
was a game to see who could
though. They kept score, it the blo od ran out and
of bounds, obviously. When
My erection and head were out for me. She is always
por, the Goddess was waiting
I fell to the nightmare of Tor mor tal s wer e gon e, the
ards, when I woke after the
waiting for me there. Afterw was kin g of it.
incredible and as always, I
party started for real. It was son the whole thing
bru tal and alw ays gory and I think the only rea
It is alw ays in the coven spend
me cra zy yet is tha t I know some of the women
hasnt dri ven should skip that.
ahe ad of tim e arg uing that this year maybe we
the thr ee mon ths if I put my foot down
e to be me, gra nte d, theyd pick someone else
It doe snt hav dred can keep their
it, but the yd fin d som eon e else and not a lot of Kin
about
ed, ritually or not.
Beast calm while being murder

Since we do it with a full
ceremony including human
they dont know about Kindre members of the coven, and
d, every year we get a few
to murder. Thats kind of who believe theyre party
funny to me. When I turn
interesting to see which of bac k up in a few weeks, its
the humans are relieved,
disappointed. and which ones are kind of
I dont have a vote whethe
r the ritual takes place
feminist thing; its not bec at all. Thats not an angry
ause Im a man. Its becaus
My position as secular lea e its a conflict of intere
der of the city, such as it st.
the sand. Ive found my pla is, is an important line in
ce in the chaos and learne
Heres what I hear, from you d to enjoy it.
ng Carthians who dont get
wont think it through. I it and old Invictus who
hear, Youre just letting
all over you. Its reverse a bun ch of crazy bitches walk
discrimination! How can you
First, its a tragic mistake put up with that?
to assume that anything abo
feminist. Centered on wom ut the Circle is especially
en and progressive or fem
Plenty of covens all over the inist arent the same thing.
world fall into the same pat
Hero Mother Elder Crone ernalistic Joseph Campbell
shit. Gender essentialism
immune to it. I wouldnt get at its finest. My city isn
murdered every year if it t
modern interpretation of didnt follow the beats of
ancient myths. Male narrat a
about the myths men have ive and the stories men wri
created greatly influence te
or in reaction. So, there are the Circle directly, by for
a lot of angry, powerful, and ce,
place who think its pretty dangerous women in one
legit to drag me into a fie
disembowel me, or set me on ld every winter and ritual
fire, or whatever theyre ins ly
Why not use my political swa pired to do. Why do I stay?
y to stop it or leave the
destroyed for what theyve covenant and have them all
done to me?
Because I dont want to, mos
tly. Because I dont need to.
righteous and beautiful and Because the anger is often
the power is sexy; and while
to be dismissed or even occ I dont especially deserve
asionally insulted by gen
powerful hand-in-hand wit der essentialist views, I am
h the Crone. The Mother god
Embrace, and the burning pri des s touched me early in my
nt of her hand on my skin
I saw the Dark Mother the sti ll bleeds and charges me.
night of my Embrace. She
words I can scarcely unders spoke to me. She whispered
tand, but feel to be true.
and uplifted me. She has sin She seeded Crac in my blo
ce shown me how to play, dan od
there is nothing real or ce, through politics becaus
permanent, even the kingdo e
themselves immortal. Well ms made by those who think
all be reaped one night, and
from the kernel. I think tha the hull will be separated
ts a great equalizer.
Now, for your charge that som
eone should rise up and take
am too weak to hold it; let me my position from me because
explain in very simple terms. I
My witches are jealous and
dangerous and they know
coming. As you are readin where you sleep. They are
g this, they are outside you
to the door, you will find r haven. By the time you get
your body twisting in agony
bleed from all parts of you and unable to move. You wil
r body, yes, including you l
nights, maybe weeks, to fin r penis. It will take them
ish the rituals of torment
to your corpse before they and suffering they will app
finally let you die. Even ly
of keeping your suffering then, theres some discussio
ghost around for a while to n
those who threaten the Cir hold up as an example for
cle in my city. Id try to
probably too weak to do any stop them, and all, but Im
thing. Sorry about that.

d.
hed, expression nonplusse
nn ed the let ter and loo ked up at me, dark brow arc t eve n exp eri enc e
Michael sca You don
r sol uti on? Fri ght en the m as if you were a bogeyman?
This is you
Cr ac. of Cr ac.
to. I study the experience
I shr ugged. I dont need e to have the suppor t of
a
and tos sed the pho toc opy back at me. Youd hav ste d and bel ove d
He scoffed . Youd have to be tru
t kind of power behind you t have an y actual power
powerf ul coven to have tha th, especi all y since you don
s of con sid era ble str eng
by elder witche
ld.
yourself. Youre just a chi rai n. Rain spl attered agains
t the window in
and car rie d wit h it
Outside, the wind picked up of our attention
n the gla ss. Th e sud den spl atter brought bot h
big fat drops and streaked
dow Hibiscus, large
gro win g, a tou ch wil d, outside of that window.
to the window. I had flo we rs paradi se appeared
as it fell . Bri llia nt yel low and orange birds of
and red, bounced in the rai n life outside of
hib isc us, the fro nd s, the leaves, and the wild plant
to dance in rhy thm to the
elements.
the glass, vulnerable to the ng. I muttered, he did nt
rai n, cel ebrati ng, not in here debati
We should be out in thi s tured him, stripped to
me flip pin g throug h a file folder. I pic
catch it, hed put his bac k to e ski n lit by sputtering
. Ha ir wil d, whipped by the rai n. Pal
the waist of his fin e silk jac ket is when he glanced back
. It wo uld hav e bee n hot ; I smiled to mysel f, which
torches and oil
and peered at me.
W hat? He said. d.
though and he shook his hea
Nothing, I kept smiling That doesn t make an y sen
se. Crac needs
stu die d the exp eri enc e?
W hat did you mean you k.
You cant learn it from a boo
to be felt to be understood. I dont actual ly want
int end on lea rni ng it fro m a book or from feelings.
I dont actual ly
to learn it at all. the Dark Mothers gif t and
yet
ffed mo re. Yo ur e afr aid of it. You are afraid of thi ng tha t is bou nd to
He sco en you can not even hold the
d a cit y wh
somehow thi nk you can hol ore.
tions of the undead and bef
your lineage, a dozen genera n Im afraid of the
I sig hed . Im not afraid if it, an y more tha
My gri n dropped aw ay and that doesn t mean Im
to sta rt up an y mo ment now out there. But
lig htn ing thats lia ble for the hel l of it.
e wit h a me tal rod and stick it up at the sky just
goi ng to run outsid
uld ma ke you stronger.
If it did nt kil l you, it wo talent for blood magic,
k, the re are those of us wit h a natural
Stronger, but not wis er. Loo , our cities, our family
der sta nd ing of what it does to our bod ies
and those of us wit h an un unity here to spread
rar ely the sam e, and I thi nk I have an opport
lines. Those two gro ups are m Tribul ation. Thats
ng. Th e Mo the r teaches that we learn fro
some wisdom. Som e lea rni have learned so we
tha t we hav e to ign ore the thi ngs that others
great. But she doesn t say what thi s is. Sav ing
sta kes , end les sly, over and over. Thats
all keep ma king the sam e mi e mi sta kes and find
lin gne ss to list en and thi nk, a chance to skip som
those wit h the wil
our un lives.
whole new ways to fuck up en murdering your enemi
es
his hea d. In ord er for your little trick wit h the cov ers in thi s cit y wil l
He shook r eld
nee d the bac kin g of suc h a coven. Do you thi nk you
to work, you r benefit?
ir hard-won magic for you
simply obey you and use the d the room to get in front
of him. Do you
the des k and cro sse
I got up from my sea t on e who looks, tal ks,
of old cro nes fro m Hawaii would back someon
mean, do I thi nk a bun ch , and tal ks like the
or my rul e to tha t of a man who looks, walks
and worships as I do wo uld fav . Yea I kinda do.
rra n the ir isla nds and trie d to destroy their culture? Yea
white fuckers who ove
not occurred to him.
Michael paused. This had eig ht binder.
tur ed to a sta ck of pap er held together in a lig htw
W hat is thi s? He ges a sad one. Its a shame too
;I
his ges tur ed, lift ing it up for him to take. Thats
I fol lowed

thin k I owed her money. Thi s is a
stor y of white fuckers and witchcr
lightning rod tryi ng to dodge ligh aft and being a wal king
tning.
A stor y?
Or a diar y. Were all making up stor
ies, all the time. Thi s one seems to
Despite himself, Michael was cur ring true, though.
ious and flipped open the binder.
Effortless Damage
day light.
it ha pp en ed in broad
to d ay , ng itself
o th er b o y in the streets st ru ct ur e f al ling apart, eati
T hey shot an the power . I know
e he at , th e storm s, and n b ef o re too long, Mona
B etween th to b ur ire and
g to he ll. Tam pas going ab o ut re volu tion and f
alive, it s all go
in ta lk lf to
K in d re d th in k it s fun to m an it y ri se s up against itse
yo ung urn when hu or even
a lot of yo u en o ugh Kindred b ut it isn t glam oro us
Iv e se en tim e, b
people rising up
. rom tim e to t ignore the
at it m ay b e necessary f o d , o f co ur se, b ut I won
understand th ange is go
s to rebirth and ch o uld do it a d
isservice.
le. C ha o s le ad ha t w , shes been
d es irab
pp en s w hi le we chan ge . T
o ne is su rp ri sed; of co urse . Of
suffering that
ha
f o r M er ed ith tonight. N
o
ve he r th e right to do that
d they cam e . Her gods gi eek it was
It s Tuesday, an aw an d pr ac ticing in public ed at th at point. Last w the
ting the l at
directly f laun so it ge ts a little com plic d th at w as eno ugh. With
d s, was m ortal an ws, and how
ade up her go ther m an who ith changing la
co urse, she m ai n w it h an o t ke ep up w
Erik, I guess he
d l ty m uch can
w ay th ey ar e now, we pret
Spear the eing in the
to us . re th ey ju st declare b
they ap pl y b ef o , b ut Im
it s o nl y a m atter of tim e ia l. T he o th ers are afraid
R aven says d in for tr
a cr im e an d have us all calle
Circle e, and Im
as ki nd of a sp ectacl
no t. S he w iful, and
te ll yo u ab o ut Meredith? an d ki ll he r. She was beaut
D id I ever rag her in level, radio
w ai te d so long to d as , o n an em otional
surprise d th ey n. S he w en ergy and
w al ki ng social distortio o r lo ng . She suck ed
intelligent, an d a und he r f f both,
so rt o f ha rd to be aro lo o d . S he w as a m aster o
static and it w
as e suck ed b to die, if
o f th e ro om the way sh . S he pr o b ably des erved
o ut s she sowed
tho ught right sp ected the chao m e. Far less than
m e.
n w ay , I re le ss th an
and in m y ow an Erik. B ut
ghtm ares and
rituals, yo u
d o , an d ce rtainly m ore th se s b et w ee n ni egun to
any of us h ag o , (tim e com pres d an no unced she d b
a m o nt ti ng an
Last week, or
m aybe pray er m ee isted, it was
sh e m arched into a co ul d dispro ve it ex
o last w ee k e no o ne the Lance
understand.) S hi tf uc k. S he said that sinc
e th at th e d istant god of
nam ed S lif ans
wors hip a god th e sa m e po wer o ver her ty st o p f ee d ing from hum
ved to wield of the ci and the
real, and des er em an d ed th at all Kindred o f f ee d in g from the pigs
Shitfuck d n ere
did. She said o ul d al l f o cu s o ur attentio in th e city ch eered, b ut w
sh ed C arthians
asses and we and oft-ab us eded to sing a
hymn to
in the undercl e ev er -s ile nt he th en pr o ce was
e of th dinals m en. S in one place. It
fat cats. Som o f th e C ar d co nt ai ne d
by the looks ever hear
quickly silenced it h as m uc h profanity as Id in k it was very f
unny.
ly an d w d id n t th
Shitfuck lo ud d the Spear
ul, in a w ay , and clever, an
m asterf

her she needed
put her do wn on the spo t, tho ugh. Instead, they told
They didnt proposal.
lea ve and tha t the jud ges wo uld gather to dis cuss her
to
that meeting in good faith.
They, I ass um e, did not hold p a certain distance
e mu st be in her tria ls by now. The Cardinal likes to kee ses to be
Sh
killing, and pre fe rs to lea ve the gruesome deaths he cau
from his acts of s. This is cowardice, bu t
gm ent by the Da rk Fat her rather than his own action ely, shell
jud
t be and Ta mp a has not yet burned to the gro und. Lik
hes the power tha not burning, or som ething
sus pen ded ove r a fir e and told to pro ve her worth by
be
equally impossible. to burn.
sur pri sed by the she er am ount of tim e it will tak e her
Wont they be bodies ready. Its not
be en pra ctic ing fo r the ir fire. Weve been making our
Weve making an
sur viv ing the se tria ls, tha ts impossible, bu t its about
so much about ses shell shriek at him. I
cta cle out of it. I hop e he never forgets the cur
agoniz ing spe ed our death-
in my min d if I clo se my eye s. We all planned and practic
can hear them
throes as well.
Im getting this off to the post in late afternoon, Mona, but thats getting harder and
harder to do. Since that boy got killed, kine have been marching in the streets. They say
he was a good boy and going to college someday and hed done nothing wrong. I believe
them. The Spear, with their fingers in the police, has started hiding their purging
through extra police presence and riot suppression. There have been no riots. But
when Kindred need to be pulled out into the streets and beaten into torpor,
riots are manufactured. I had dreams again, those dreams. I saw inside myself,
Mona, and looked down to the roots of the magic thats grown inside of
me and I found that they root in no soil. In you, I have seen, the roots are in
blood and passion. Thats not how it is for me. There is nothing inside of me
for the magic to root in. Not just nothing, but a lack of thing. There is an
abyss inside of me, Mona, and that abyss feeds the Crac. I am a cursed thing
and my destruction will unleash something terrible on this city. Pray they do not
catch me soon.
gathered three hundred years worth

We decided to burn the tem ple. We d
s in that tem ple. The sea and the gulf
of study, experiments, and sacred sacrifice
rstand and that s all gone now. It wasnt
have given us so much to consider and unde
en was as little too eager to accept
a decision taken lightly, tho ugh maybe Rav
snt root inside of her, but if it did, Id
the sug gestion when I made it. Crac doe
worry more.
chorus in moving undergro und, or maybe
Over the last three months, Id led the
wed begun a process to get everyone
wed started it last night, Im not sure. But e
and into the safety of anonymity. Som
and their retainers out of the public eye , but
another city, or take to Citrus Park
of us talk ed abo ut trying to all move to
to go.
as long as we had the tem ple, it was hard
Change is always good.

They broke in just after dark, several
mortals, and som e of the Cardinals heav
without official positions but plenty of ies
personal power. I thin k they called them
Paladins. Thats the sort of word peop
le like this would use. They pushed in the
with police style pneumatic battering ram doors
s and flas h-bangs. Fran k, who was always
listening for the whispers of ghosts, wen
t down fast when the flas h bangs wen
his sens es overloaded. They didnt mak e t off,
dem ands or tell us to get down. They didn
tell us who they were after. They were t
after all of us.
Of course, theres Crac rooted in mos
t of us, and in me, it feeds off a terr
void. I clos ed my eyes while the lights flas ible
hed and Fran k howled in pain and Raven
one of the mortal interlopers. I clos ed ate
my eyes and felt inside of myself, looking
the emptiness that I tried to suppress. This for
is what it feels like for me, Mora. Not
som e ecstatic glory or act of creation,
which is how I know that I am poison, whe
reach inside I touch the cold of an unf n I
orgiving universe and know that in a blink
eye, everything we are and ever have bee of an
n will be eras ed and dust when the univ
collapses in on itself. erse
In that darkness, in that cold place, I find
Crac has rooted, and Heaven help me,
let it out and let it loos e on thos e Tem but I
plars. The void inside of me cons umed
of their body arm or and ate the muzzle the whit e
flas hes of their assault rifles as they tried
mow us down. I heard Raven scream at to
what I had unleashed, and I realized that
was inside of me had birthed a thing that wha t
I could not take back. It ate at the Tem
slowly, as if it would cons ume their mea plars,
t and blood for hours if it were able.
We have to run, I told the others. Tho
se who could get to their feet did, we
Fran k and I thin k I grabbed on to one drag ged
of the mortal gunm an, he was still breathi
we fled down thro ugh entrance wed build ng, and
into a storm drain to escape the building.
What did you mak e? Raven asked. Ho
w did you
I don t know. I told her. We stood outs
ide of the place, the Paladins still screamin
outside. Elsewhere in the city, there wer g from
e fires spreading, protesters who had bee
sprayed and been beaten became rioters, n pepp er
and buildings were burning.
We have to burn it down. Thats the
only way to mak e sure it doesnt get out.
Those... thos e men were still alive. We
could... Fran k sunk to his knees again and
gag ged but didnt throw up.
We can t help them. I told him.
Im on it. Raven said, without hesitatio
n, and I wondered what was
inside of her, not even for the first time
.
Hours later, the press has abandoned the
rioters, the police have
suppress ed the events as best they can,
but the embers
are still burning.
T he tem ple too , is
in emb ers, and
w h ateve r it
was that I released, well, its gone now. I cannot process where it
would have gone or if it could even be destroyed. I just know, or need
to believe, that the fire was enough.
Change is always good. Many will leave tonight for Citrus and places further from
the Cardinals grip. I wont though. Whats inside of me grew in this place, under these
conditions, and it wouldnt be fair to carry it elsewhere.

have. Raven keeps
hav e sta yed wit h me , tho ugh I wis h they wo uldnt
Frank and Ra ven if I can teach a
tem ple fir e and ask ing if I can teach her what I did. As
asking me abo ut the
d instead of a...
person how to be a sucking voi orts so long as I am
My me lanc hol y help s nothing. Ill keep sending you rep
Im sorry, Mo na. som e night,
se nigh ts are dra win g sho rte r and shorter. I fantasize that
able to do so, but tho ss, som e elder Crone
is ove r and the Ca rdin al grows weak with age or madne
when all of this my chest up
and ave nge all of us. Bu t I guess I also dream of opening
will sweep into Tam pa cursed place into a
insid e of me can fin ally crawl out and turn this whole
so that wh at is crim es only
no one is suf fer ing and no one is punishing anyone else for
scorched pitch where dreams sug gest, though,
I don t pra y fo r sav ior s or apocaly pse, no matter what my
imagined. just to be safe.
t. I still dont pray to anything,
Mona. Dont worry about tha y were
twi tch es in his slee p. Ra ven kick ed him out of the bed the
Frank cries out and he didnt much care
hot el we re hol ed up in. I took him in, tho ugh I sup pos e
sharing at the never used to
tol d me I wa s co lde r tha n even the dead sho uld be. He
for the offer. He ago. Even before
ut tha t, but the n, wh en we were together was a long tim e
com plain abo ck before
oru s. Ba ck wh en he wa s just a lost Carthian hanger-on. Ba
Raven join ed the Ch s inside of me.
rea lly tak en roo t in the cor e of me and I fo und what wa
Crac had checking dead drops
nt, m
I sor ry. To nigh t and tom orrow were spending tim e
This is ind ulge ch hop e at
are oth er Ch ori ste rs stil l alive and in Tam pa. I dont hold mu
for signs that there
rd when I can.
this point. Ill send you along wo
Last night I dreamt about the god we had

made in the tem ple. He had been a little
thing with shades of Bacchus and with jolly
the intention of feeding resourcefully and
herds. Like a god of husbandry, but only grow ing
for us. The orgy rite wed used to celebrat
him at his creation was one that leaves me e
with bittersweet mem ories even now, in
darkest hours. We created him before these
Melissa and Raven. Before Frank. Though
of those who were there the first time most
have by now been purged, he still existed
the tem ple burned. I think. Its hard to say whe n
with the gods we create to fuel our wor
and to understand the Dark Mother. (Asp ship
ects, the girls called them. I called them
In my dream hed wasted away to be gold fac es.)
en skin hanging from a fat skeleton with
or hair left. He cried out, pointing an accu no eyes
sing finger at me, but hardly existed enou
tell me anything. I suppose in his petty way, gh to
he believed I was the cause of his destruct
I rarely let the insults of gods get to me, ion.
but this wounded som ehow. Our Mother
distant from me now, Mona. She has turn is
ed her back and in my abandonm ent, the
inside me deepens. I can look for people void
to blam e for that distance. I can blam e
but at the end of the night, blam e mea myself,
ns nothing. The accusations of a dying god
mean nothing. All that matters is that chan
ge is coming.
And change is always good.
Our Mother is a concept. Our Mother
is a literal entity that exists and can
be fles h or spirit or nothing. Our Mother
is a convention we create
for ours elves so we can exist night to nigh
t without just killing
ours elves. Our Mother is Crac, nothing
more or less than
that. All of thes e things are true. The
one thing I
know that our Mother is NOT is the
void
growing inside of me.

Melissa spok e to Fran k tonight. She was
reckless in her abandon, a person dam aged
before she was tortured to death by Kind long
red who hate her. I hesitate to even say
was a ghost, there are better words for that she
the embodied malevolence shed become
to haunt the Cardinals bloodline until ther . She plans
e is not a drop left. Ill call it extreme,
but it isnt.
Hes a dem on, Fran k said, wiping blood
from his face. Raven watched him clos ely,
her clos ely. I watched
He isnt, cackled Melissa from beyond
the veil. Thats the really funny thing!
the work of even the apex predator he T his is not
claim s to be! Ive seen into
his soul and his hate is purely hum an. His
desire to wipe us all out is a small hum an
child in the skin of a monster. Hell kill and terror. Hes a
hell kill to satisfy this childish fear of
there is nothing left. hims elf until
Or he is dead. I said.
Melissa laughed again, delighted either way
. Oh the havoc hell create! Has created!
I guess, have the sam e problem with time Ghosts,
that I do. Past and future mingle and we
get lost.
We abjured her, because it was the only
way to free her from Fran ks ghost-trap.
wailed at us and hurled insults. I hop e shel She
l mak e good on her oaths to destroy his
blood needs to spill to answer the innocent line. Innocent
blood already spilt. Im sorry Mona. Tha
terrible thing to say. ts a
clues to the
el f, ha s le ft us a series of
he rs abou t.
ons known only to do esn t yet know
Melissa, for reas rs that th e C ar di na l
sleeping Choriste
location of a few ducks.
a fas hion, sitting as arguing with
T he y ar e, af te r
id er ab le venom. She w
w it h co ns Survival
rot. R aven said ed surly abou t it.
Leave them to bro ught it up , an d st ay
Of co urse
rac when Fran k ossed her arm s.
m e abou t m y C yo u as k m e. S he cr
at this point, if
of the fittest and his
m ore fit if ok charge ever,
wed all be m uch of gu y w ho to
. Fran k wasn t th
e sort that thes e old
Shu t up R aven sil en ce . M eliss as clues sug gest
ry know
k sh oc ke d R av en into tem pora ow rit ua ls w e don t. T hey m ay
bar ng. T hey m ay kn e
Acolytes are stro ca n, ju st th e th ree of us. If wer
e
nger gods than w eir help.
how to b uild stro na l, w er e going to need th
e C ar di ts. Hed
going to stop th e f ir es of the last few nigh
anged in th
I nodded; hes ch is good.
ng new. Change l. She co uld do
becom e som ethi st roy the C ardina
ho w to de r! R aven
We already know e it w ou ld be hard for he
seem lik jaw set.
it. It do esn t even d I st ar ed her down, m y
at m e an
pointed a finger .
to happ en, R aven
T hat isnt going us , b urned Melissa
for nights
lled a do ze n of elissa
T hat fucker ki sp ec tr al m on ster! We lo ved M
into that fucking . I rem em ber th
e way he
until she turn ed tt en . A nd Er ik
n t fucking forgo at pray er m eetin
g and have
once, if yo u have d m ar ch in to th
e co ul
he tasted and w cowardly to
sm elled, the way w ex ce pt yo ure both too
the fuc k no
our revenge right
gant, hotheaded, beau tiful face. I did it so
I slapp ed her. I slapp ed her right across her arro
rs stung and we all stood looking at each other
that Fran k didn t feel like he had to. My finge
ly, weakly. This is what he wants, really, at the
for a while. Were falling apart. Fran k said, final
do all his work for him.
end. He wants us to tear each other apart and
atic. I picked up my bag and headed for the
Fran k wasnt wrong, even if he was a little dram
door of the shitty hotel wed been squatting at.
asked, rubbing her cheek.
Where are you going? Raven sulked while she
even wors e things inside of them than I do.
To find the old dead Cron es. Maybe theyll have
possibilities ran across her eyes like she were
I guess I said something she could get behind, the
thos e eyes absolutely sparkled. Fran k fell in
calculating potential wealth after a windfall, and
.
behind us, and we went to follow Melissas clues
If there
confo undin forgiving, le i s a n ything le
g tha n a n a ss com passio ss
Mona, wha ncient god nate, and m
t we fo un , it s an elder o re
that. Mayb d m ad e th vam pire.
e she plans ings worse.
grievance w to curse u s Maybe Me
ith her if for failing lissa su sp ec
Were doo sh e did. h e r. I dont f ted
m e d f o eel any sp e
Is that dra o ls walking t cial
m atic? Do oward obliv
now, and c n t tak e it a ion.
hange is go s such. Ob
od. liv io n w o uld be a ch
Oaklawn c ange from
em etery on w h e re w e
ghost hunt Harrison is a re
ers from t on e of tho
wo und u p h e In t e rn e se sp o t s t h
b uried the t. T he place is a t wo und u p p
capturing e re. T here old, traditio op ular with
vidence of are several nal, and a lo kids and
of the pla ghostly act d o zen videos t o f p eople w
ces that th ivity there, b o n the web sh it h n a m es
as a result; e C ardinal u t I fo und owing them
t h e bo dy o m a r k e d as them uncon allegedly
wo uldnt b f t h e bo y forbidden vincing. Still
e b uried a w ho h a d b . M o u rn e r s w e re , it w as on e
We m o ved ny way, acc een shot w holding a v
under co ve ording to a o uld not b igil o u tside
sn eak into r o f the m press state e b uried a
the place t o urn ers, tho m e n t ; the police t O a klawn. It
friends I h hat was oc ugh it was had lost
ad m urder casionally p d istasteful, t he body.
ed in sp ect atrolled by it was the
I will agree acular and the C ardin surest way
with the su horrific fa als Paladins. to
if y o u did p erstitio u s shion. Paladins wh
nt know t kin e, that t o se
Fran k wasn hat vam pir he place ha
t the sort e elders sle d a palpable
werent a to tell u s w pt in the so feeling of
priority. O h a t he saw un il, y o u co uld su sp m enace, an
nly the eld less it was ect ghostly d
We co uld est of u s. p ertin ent, an activity.
tak e their d at that p
that Melis power for oint, ghosts
sa had indic o urselves.
at that po ated in her R aven whis
int she n ee riddles. R a p e r e d as w
I was pictu ded to die ven lick ed e ap proach
ring her alr before all h e r lip after sh e d t h e c ry
eady dead, this was o v e spok e, an pt
and I have m a ybe she wa e r, if o n ly for Fran d I r e a liz
tim e confu ed
o ur con ver sed again. E s d ead b y k s sak e. O
sation hap p arlier I had the tim e w r m ay b e
they dont en ed in the a con versat e got to t
exactly lea wrong plac ion with Er he cem eter
v e e in t ik. N o t h is y
Fran k took when y o ur im e. T he pro ghost; ju st
bolt cu tte e d o n e with th b le m with pro t h at
pointed o u rs to a n ew em . p hetic visio
t sigils scra chain, wo ve ns is
terribly da p ed into th n t h ro u g h t h e do o r
ngero u s. S e ston e. H s o f t h e cr
he glanced olding m agic y pt, and R
T he room at m e, lik e in and o u t. aven
inside was she was tea She said.
between o b ig e n o u g sin g m e . I T h e y m u st
urselves an h for the ignored her be
d the thr three of u and step p e
ee m arble s to go in a d inside.
coffins sit nd still gav
ting u p aga e u s a few
inst the w feet
alls under
fals e
the view.
windows. As if the sleeping or the dead needed
and ash lay scattered thick on the exposed
One of the three coffins was open, destroyed,
red the creature inside, fitful in slumber,
bottom where the stone had brok en open. I pictu
and have it destroy them because it was
waking and cracking the stone, only to see the sun
I always have had an overactive imagination.
that far remo ved from humanity. Of course,
do it.
Your blood is the strongest. Raven told me. You
was right.
Fran k shook his head and looked at his boots. She
lid. It didn t move, which was ultim ately
I went to the middle coffin and pushed at the
out the crowbars to pry it off. It moved
a good sign for us, so Fran k and Raven brok e
cated mess. Its bones had scattered, the
with some effort, and the body inside was a desic
gone. This was no sleeping elder.
conn ective tissue that held them together long
Its a trick, give it blood anyway.
crawl, but Raven wasnt backing down
The idea of bleeding onto a skeleton made my skin
rse. I split my index finger open with a
and Fran k had returned to a state of passive remo
It would not go easily, and as it slid from
pock etknife and willed the blood to leave me.
pad of my finger and down thro ugh the
the lips of my wound, oozing slowly across the
thick er and moved slower than the last
air into the mouth of the corpse, I thought it was
blacker too? Shining less? Dull like a
time I had done something like this. Was it
the consistency alone said that I
starless night? Who can say? But
had changed. Change is good.
while. Raven smeared my blood
Nothing happ ened. We waited a
but nothing happ ened.
around on the skull s teet h,
who had sank even deep er into
Im sorry. I told Fran k
last one.
hims elf. Well try the
investigate the final coffin when
We t u r n e d to
split with a deafening crack. Earth
the ston e behin d us
out of the crack in the stone and
and worm s spilled up
angular, rose up out of the brok en
slowly a figure, bent and
if dancing to a bumping twisting rhythm
stone floor. She moved as
we could not hear. Whe n she stopp ed, she was thin and covered in soil
she hissed, drag ging the words up a dark,
and her eyes glowed red. I smell thick blood,
of her, and inside of her was the void. In
seldom-us ed tunnel. I saw, in that mom ent, inside
me was inside of her as well and that she
that mom ent, I know that what was inside of
dare to wake me, for what? She swept
recognized that horrible kinship between us. You
though her burning red eyes never moved
a pale hand in the air, indicating all three of us,
from me.
Fran k said with quiet deference. But
Were sorry to interrupt your slumber, Mother,
ce will come to your door. It may be
the city is in danger, and we are worried malevolen
best to flee.
boy. She said to Fran k, or to me, it was
Malevolence is already thro ugh my door, little
hard to say. You brought it with you.
and hes almost wiped us all out. Fran k
The leader here, hes, hes a power-mad Spear,
The Beast stirred under his skin and I felt
went on, his hands form ing white-knuckled fists.
and his Beast from overtaking him. Soon,
it, palpable. He work ed so hard to keep his clan
meant nothing.
I thought, all that effort would prove to have
Raven thought that was funny.

The crowd of
cry pt, we cou ld hea r a dist ant sound, police rif les firing.
Ou tside the no news crews to witness.
urn ers and the ir vigi l we re bei ng dispersed. There wo uld be
mo you are old, and youre
his sho ulders. Were young, and
Frank huffed and straighten ed
escape the city.
in danger. We want to help you To his credit,
she pul led her eye s aw ay fro m me and set them on Frank.
Now, slowly, ld turn a man to stone
l aw ay to ash inst ant ly. I wo uld have tho ught she cou
he did nt fal ing to me,
tha t. Yo u are lyin g. You r min d thin ks you are doing this, com
with a look like nts me to rise up like the
r my sak e, but you r Be ast says thats a lie. Your Beast wa feet. Your
fo
of Ka li and tra mp le you r enemies into paste under my
destructive fo rce nt with, if I could pro ve
ast wo uld give you ove r to me, com pletely, to do what I wa
Be
real your desire for revenge.
to be so powerful and make telling the tru th,
fel l ope n, and we all kne w in a moment that she was
Franks jaw is.
aro und Acolytes as old as she
tho ugh the tru th often warps rus hed in with her words
ld tea ch us how to des troy him. Raven, em boldened,
Yo u cou there by her
dy sta yed stu ck to the spo t shed been standing, pinn ed
tho ugh her bo utiful and
bt. W e cou ld raz e this city and start over. It wo uld be bea
dou
No.
We all stopped.
ered. W-what?
After a moment, Raven stamm . I am old and tired.
old wit ch rep eat ed. No . I wont do your work for you
No. Th e n at you.
you nee d to sur vive the trib ulation the Mother has throw
You have everything ice, and the wisdom
are no eas y out s in life , my lovelies. Only suffering, sacrif
There
that com es of both. the third
you r com pan ion ... Ra ven sta mm ered harder, gesturing to
W-what abo ut
coffin. youd like to talk
fo ol? I ate him fif ty yea rs ago for fun. Hes in here, if
That old shaking
we d bri llian t gre en fo r a mo ment and we all looked down,
to him. Her eyes glo
I eat you too.
our heads. Get out before was an am bulance
d, the n, bec aus e odd s we re good she wasnt bluffing. There
We fle
carrying away a body.
at the gates of the cem etery,
Tam pa is going to burn.
We were followed from the cem

etery. Wed decided to bed dow
from the hotel, and an abando n som ewhere different
ned gas station nearby seemed
We sho uld have gon e further, rea son able.
maybe, or prepared better.
Raven was in the middle of sho
uting at me more. Yo u heard wh
had what we needed to tak e at she said! She said we
down the Cardinal. She meant
She said we had what we nee you , you fucking coward.
ded to survive this trib ulation
abo ut . She didnt say anything
Shut up Frank! For fucks sak
e, whats wrong with the two
your damn spin es? What kind of you? Where are
of fucking monsters are you?
In a flash, in my minds eye, I
showed her what a monster
really looked like. I

imagin ed op ening up my mo
uth and vom iting inky nothin
inside of me quivered at the g onto the gro und to consum
sight. I fo und the fingers on e her. The void
con vulsing. My foot slid and my hand twitching, the mu scle
I shifted my weight and my s in my neck
dance. A twitchy, melody-f hips slid to the side and my
ree dance. No. Not my bo body wanted to
I pus hed the fantasy back. dy, bu t the em ptiness inside
.
Thats when Ravens head
exploded all over me. We did
eno ugh to use a snip er. He wa nt hear the shot; this tim e
s a fantastic shot, and Raven they were sm art
off a moment before she stumbled aro und with half
finally, and sensibly, fell to her head blown
du st yet, bu t as I glanced ov the gro und. She wasnt get
er to Frank, he was alread ting up. She wasnt
That was sm art. y running.
I didnt get her to her feet.
I abandoned her there, or lef
youd like to look at it. I let t her to die, or murdered her
her be the next to the last too, however
know you, Mona; youre kin marty r, if youd like to be
d like that. very gen ero us. I
I ran too, in a different dir
ection to make it easier fo
using the speed my thick de r Frank to slip ou t. I ran fo
ad blood wo uld afford me r three city blocks,
warned them, I swear to you until they cornered me nea
, Mona, I warned them tha r train tracks. I
I let it ou t, and it destroye t I co uldnt undo what I wa
d them, pulling them a piece s going to do.
into the gravel beneath. I thi at a tim e down through the
nk I recognized the Cardinal train tracks and
pulled off his face. Mayb s beloved son am ong the Pa
e it was for the best. Me ladins before it
Im the only one left now, lissa wo uld have been cruele
of Kindred who care, or rem r.
know whats inside the Cardi em ber the Acolytes who die
nal, and what he will be, if d here. Only I
person to do what needs lef t to live. I cannot co unt on
to be done, and so, I have any single other
tom orrow, I will go to the to do what no one sho uld
prayer meeting, I will pry op do. In the evening,
it ou t. I will let all of the pai en my chest with my bare
nful nothing, the hungry ind han ds, and I will let
on the elite of the city. It ifference, ou t of my chest,
will be a display great and and let it feast
our Mother to turn her fa terrible. It will be the only
ce back and look at me one chance I have to get
I miss her, Mona. more tim e.
Our Mother is sacrifice, Mo
na. And tonight, I will go be
with her.

birth
wry grav itas. My lovely Mar y did, in fact,
Epi logue, I told Michael with a certain t. Witn esse s say that
of them, if you want to coun
a horror out into the city of Tampa. A few his futu re for him .
ing if hed had a witch forecast
the Card inal could not have seen it com cam e out of Mar y ate
and went on. The thing that
I thought that was funn y, so I smirked . It ate
still twitching, dancing body a chun k at a time
his eyes first, then his soul, then his , or wha t it was to begi n
knows where it went after
nine other Spears that night, and no one But they say som ethi ng
, murdered Mar y of course.
with. The creation, if you can call it that owfu l look s she d long
ifice. They say that the sorr
changed in her in that moment of sacr h, as
to her eyes, and in the moment of her Final Deat
carried faded and a light returned of a nice stor y, huh ?
more. So. I guess its sort
she fell into dust, she wasnt empty any
Mar y?
Michael pursed his lips. Her name was to keep
the time if they make the stor y better. Try
Of course not, I make names up all
up, will you?
So youre making it all up? returned
hing the binder, which I collected and
Not real ly. Hed gone to sit while finis nst the wind ow as
read, and plants whipped agai
to its spot. The storm picked up while he he was finis hed,
them, considering, and now that
if they were tryi ng to get in. I watched thin g is mos t of
. Everyone makes up stories. The
my attention only half returned to him t ours elve s, abou t
. Even the myt hs we create abou
those stories are more true than false t on som ethi ng.
and about priests, theyre all buil
the neig hboring culture, about witches
the signs of the trut h are there.
Often somethi ng wholly misg uided, but attentive
tried to keep it to himself. I heard, more
He muttered the word fascinating but
to him than he was to me. d. Its
ted out that says Dai sy on top. Go ahea
To your right, that there? The email prin h.
h is how you can tell its the trut
shor t. You wont belie ve a word of it, whic
reached over to pick up the email.
He arched his brow at me, smirking, and
Daisy
Beautiful Corpse,
More about Daisy.
Return-Path: <gary@hotmail.COM> Blessed.
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Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2005 11:40:36 -0400
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like in the movie s.
a bad time to send you an email, but it isnt
Daisys in labor. That probably seems like

She says every thing feels normal and its
okay that its taking hours and hours. She
kine anyway. So who knows? Maybe shes says labor is like that with
right. The whole pregnancy has been too
long too, she says.
Fuck if I know. This whole thing is so fucke
d.
I know that the hierophant sent you word
about it all, but Im not sure what he told
seem like it was our fault. Hell, maybe it you. He probably made it
is, but how could we have known? How could
if anyone had known, they sure as fuck didnt anyon e have known? And
ever tell us about it.
Anyway, about a year ago we were at a
ritual celebration. No big deal. Daisy was
demonstrate a technique she was developing doing some solo ritual to
. Her Crac has always been a little differ
one of the things that attrac ts people to her. ent. A little weird. Thats
Even among the Acoly tes, shes a little bit
just pulls you in. Shes so low key about it. weird and the strangeness
Like the early flower children and their weird
the weird shit she says is totally mundane, spiritu ality. She acts like
no big deal, no airs put on. Shell just say,
feet, not your hands; think about it. You Youv e got blood on your
think about it and damn, shes right and you
came up with it. dont know where she even
So shes doing this thing were shes pullin

g strands of energy from the world aroun
along her legs and settling on her hands d her. Theyre slithering up
and along her body and connecting her to
energy turns black, and red, and green, every thing around her. The
and its as grotesque as it is beautiful and
hard-on. Like, I cant remember the last time I realiz e Ive got a fucking
I had a real, legit, hard-on. It didnt make
I remember a time it would have been like me feel powerful though.
a weapon in my hand, ready to go, you
needy and aching like Im totally incomplete. know ? Now it makes me all
So she seems to know everyone around her
in a typical vampire orgy kind of way. I cant is ready to go. And not
even feel my fangs, but my dick is like a
rock.
Naturally, people start fucking.
She and me, we havent talked much, Im
not all that outgoing, but she picks me out
just no way Im not going for it. I dont blame of the crowd and theres
her. I would never blame her. Im not sure
control either, as out of control as I felt. if any of it was in her
Then we didnt see each other for months.

I was avoiding her, to be honest. Because
weird and Im kind of afraid of another hard- the whole thing was fucking
on. Look, it was complicated, okay? Dont
judge.
But then I see her at a real casual gathe
ring, and shes fat. Well. Not fat. But you
pounds and pretty much all of the weight know. Shes put on twent y
is in her stomach. Heavy. I didnt exactly
wish I could have. break out into a sweat, but I
I didnt want to bother you with it. She

told me when I cornered her to ask her what
was so small and so scared. I did not get was going on. Her voice
a hard-on as I had feared.
Shit, Daisy. You didnt have to do all this
alone. You dont have to do this alone. I
really believed me then, or now, it still seem told her. I dont think she
s like its something thats happening to her
me, if that makes any sense. I want to be and only happening near
more a part of it, to help, but the whole
know where to start. thing is so crazy I dont even
We spent time talking about what it could

be. I poked around and bothered my conta
one had ever heard of anything like this happe cts in the region, but no
ning. Once the baby started moving, when
we couldnt deny it anymore. You could get we started feeling kicks,
the pulse and every thing. What Daisy had
thriving. Life will out, I guess. inside of her was alive and
She told me it was hard; she cried all the

time at the drop of a hat. She was afraid
when the Spear and some of the eldest most of the time, especially
Crones started talking about her in public
going to try to kill us, or at least Daisy and whisp ers. Were sure theyre
the baby. Ill die before I let that happen,
pretty much all I can do. Die for them. Thats thoug h. At this point, thats
life too, though, isnt it?
Sorry, I. Okay. I had to stop writing becau
se she called out for me. Thats the first
help her. I. Shit. She had it. Well, she had time shes called for me to
her, I guess. The baby. It was bloody and
born tonight. I Daisy had a baby. Shes kinda gross, but a baby got
not doing well, Daisy I mean. Shell pull throu
her I dont have the words to describe. gh but theres a change in
The baby, though, shes fucking beautiful.

Youve never seen a baby so beautiful. Shes
my nose, and Im pretty sure some mind got Daisys eyes, and
control.
More later.

hand, Michael stood, slid his coat off,
As he read about Dais y, the emai l held in one
ing. He finished read ing and pulled the knot
tossed it aside on a side table, and kept read
a while. You mean to tell me you thin k this
from his tie. Then he looked at me, silent for
is true? You thin k this is all true?
e his tie had been tied. I have
I sighed, watching the spot of his throat wher the
Diego that matches up, more or less, with
communication from the hierophant of San s its only a little whil e
with panic. I gues
story there. I mean, its drier and more filled
in blood shed . Even were not immune to destroying what we
before the whole thing ends
don t understand.
his hair.
Michael scowled and ran fingers through
g you at all? All of these letters and notes.
Why is the hierophant of San Diego contactin
why so man y Kind red are willi ng to risk
Theyre so, so intimate. I don t understand
ever ythi ng to tell you their stories?
I looked at him plain ly. Because I listen.
s in the air, gesturing. You listen. You
He started to pace, spea king with his hand
that. This is, this is some ritual, it must be.
listen. But there has to be more to it than
to trust you and send you their soul s on a
You ve used some lost Crac to get all of them
sheet of paper.
full of teeth. He was watching me, now, for
Thatd be a neat trick. I grinned at him,
was actually looking at me and listening to
the first time since hed landed. My grandsire t
? I know it seems wild, but these people aren
my words. All of them. Look, I know. Okay
atic. You don t have to buy soul s, Michael.
selli ng me their soul s or anyt hing that dram
.
People will give them to you if you let them
arou nd again.
Mad ness. All of this. He gestured
it is, and Im at the center of it. I talked to
Maybe. Maybe not. The point is, it is what trip
my airspace. Layovers and the occasional
Kind red as they came through my ports and even
along the West Coast, parts of China, and
along the Paci fic. Ive visited Acol ytes all ywhe re. Wer e all prac ticin g
the same ever
visited our weird quasi-sisters in Tokyo. Its , we suffe r, and beca use we
ful that we ache
in shadows and hold ing on to stories so pain
know , no one actu ally learn s anyt hing from that suffering. So when I
don t share what we
without judg ment, and maybe even with an
listen, when Im willi ng to absorb ever y story At
le. Maybe more. I cant answer all of these.
offer of aid, I get all the good will I can hand ns.
can help, when I can make those connectio
best, I try to forward messages to those who
kudzu. Its growing wild. Maybe that is
The workload gets bigger, exponentially. Like maybe
some universal thing in all of ours blood,
mag ic. Maybe its something in the blood, d we
to it. Lonely strangers living lost in a worl
thats the Danse, when you get right down last
intimacy of... of a letter, or a confession, or
only pretend to control, desperate for the
words before facing Final Deat h.
hands to his side. Youre preaching. Not
Hed gone still while I spoke, dropping his
all teeth.
even. Youre testi fying. He grinned at me,
red in blood. Maybe I am. I looked away,
I wondered what his lips looked like, cove
cus slam itsel f into my window.
made myself look away, and watch the hibis
r out of chaos. Sing ing and hold ing hands
And you belie ve all of this is the truth? Orde e
Thats the way of the future? Thats what your
and telling each other our darkest secrets. prax is?
e to the Masquerade and your
reall y going to use to manage this nightmar
with the hand Im dealt. But don t thin k Im
I laug hed once. Im going to do what I can ker it
rol anyt hing. The harder you try, the quic
looking to control anyt hing. You cant cont
all slips away. Sand in the fist.
He nodded, sitting. And the truth?
licated relationship with the truth,
Our blessed covenant has always had a comp d.
that, and I wouldnt want to even if I coul
though, hasnt it? Im not going to change

his lap,
Explain, he said, foldi ng his hands in
scan ned my letters.
though even as he did so, his eyes
Exquisite Dead, He wanted more to read, and I coul dnt even blame him
for it.
I tried to preserve Here. Let the Roman expl ain. I pass
ed him a letter
I could remember
his scent in the from one of my oldest friends, a man
the taste of, and found myself licki ng my
lips thin king of
paper. the Roman.
-Mona
How I Learned to Let Go
and Love the Movement
weve got all the

Rome-fucking-Italy. Weve got, you know, a history. Actually,
civilizations,
history if you want to be perfectly fucking obvious about it. Our own
behind. Shits
the shit we stole from every culture around us, and then we got left
ried.
in the can for the human population, but the vampires arent wor
tal, have the
Vampires in Rome dont worry. They just drink another mor
say were folly
musicians play louder, and drown out the decay and collapse. Id
rise and fall, the
for it, but frankly, Rome, at least, has seen so many cultures
the vampires of
only vampires who should laugh harder about the whole thing is
Cairo, but they dont laugh about anything.
e from here.
The Movement here claims that the Movement everywhere cam
all, the Circle
Which the French kind of laugh about, as so do USians and over
a Kindred from
doesnt care. Its funny, really, because any time you talk to
inced that the
elsewhere in the world and find how many places have been conv
but...
Spear is the Second Estate and that there is a First Estate at all
ts going on
But there I go again rambling when Im supposed to tell you wha
here, right now.
handled, but
Theres a riot going on outside of Elysium. Its a small one, and well
the spontaneity
as I lean out of the window to watch, I feel somehow revived by
ers of conduct
and violence. Inside, the council is sitting around discussing matt
figure out who
and rhetoric. Someone spoke out of turn and now theyre trying to
do about it.
gets to take offense to it, who doesnt, and what someone should
n then theyll
Probably nothing. Theyll talk about bullshit until close to daw

g will really happen. Not inside these
all rush home and as it has always been, nothin
e, it happens out there, down there,
walls and halls. Democracy doesnt happen her
think I do though.
in the street. M aybe I mean anarchy. I dont
wh y let this stru ctu re sta nd or dec ay? Eh . Thats complicated. Too often, I
So
r sto ries of fled glin g cul ts spr ing ing up, wee d-like, in a city and being plucked
hea
e the y wer e too agg res sive . To o dem and ing . Too violent. I like violence, but
becaus
hav e to kno w wh ich win dow to put a bric k through. The rioters downstairs
you
a bric k thr oug h a bak ers win dow inst ead of a bank, and I wonder if humanity
throw
is worth herding at all.
a delicate lie held up by those with
I have long held this: all city structures are
those with less power. Those with
power and slowly scraped away at by time and
re, the M ovement claims some kind
no power just obey the lie so long as it lasts. He
al and ceremony, their practices, and
of historical background for their political ritu
snt matter. Its a funny bullshit.
even if its rooted in the first Democracy, it doe
e thin g is tho ugh ; you nee d shit to gro w good produce and beautiful plants.
Th
wh at I adv ise you , you ng cul t, do as we hav e always done. Find the system;
Heres
the par t of it wh ere you can cele bra te cha os without calling attention to what
find
you are cele bra ting . Hi de the vio lenc e and the bloodshed behind the magic
exactly
the ven eer of wis dom . (If you are you ng and need this, you dont have wisdom
and
r ow n. Ye t. Giv e it tim e.) If you can mu mb le in an old language, read simple
of you
, or bet ter yet , rea d the m; so ma ny wil l trea t you as a seer even if all you ever
omens
the bul lsh it the yv e spr aye d the mse lves wit h in their attempts to control the
see is
system, to control their lives.
chamber of the council and give an
Here, now, I have been called to enter the
mocracy, to be true, but its Kindred
accounting of my study. Rome is an ancient De
M ovement have put into place are
are either young or sleeping. The laws that the
itical ceremony and social engineering
complicated, and tap into older and stranger pol
of that sympathy, though, the young
strong enough to be the same as magic. Because
put on the books. Laws that effect
covenant keeps running across laws that no one
ed in to read the blood of a bull and
Kindred in ways no one expected. So. Im call
to come up. I could give them the real
tell them where I expect the next complication
them bullshit instead of bull blood.
answers, and sometimes I do. Sometimes I tell
rt icu la rly du ll. So m et im es, though, I tell
thing if its pa
Sometimes I say I see no ha t sh it is ch ao s. It s fu ck ing beautiful.
I ve seen. T
them, word for word what at th er e was a traditional period
e, I to ld th em th
L ast year at about this tim e om en s su gg es ted that any Embraces
I sa id th at th
of infertility in this region. I w as pr es se d ab out it, and told them the
ld go ba dl y.
performed that month wou ty -s ev en re ve na nt s for every single intended
result in tw en
truth. A ny Embrace would kn ew th ey w ou ld dismiss me. Exactly 51
spec ifi c I
childer. The number was so
s la te r, I la ug he d m ys elf to sleep for nights.
revena nt
ar e of E m br ac es th is m on th, it will result
them, bew
The thing is if I had told T ha ts th e ch ao s of existence, my little
ve heeded m e.
in revenants, they would ha ow in g an d ea tin g an yt hing in its way.
always over gr
loves. Thats the garden or k in th e sy st em , th ro w bricks through
k M other. W
Thats the glory of the Dar
have more fun.
the window from the inside,
I know this letterhead, Michael said

thoughtf ully. Then his eyes went wide
from... . Is this
I held up my hand. Dont say his nam
e. You know he prefers us not.
Sweet Mother of the Night. He chuckled
, shook his head, and smiled, consider
page. I admit I know him. I remember ing the
his ritual practices. Quite well. He smil
filthy memories fluttering across his min ed, fond,
ds eye.
I swallowed and felt flush, but did not
blush. Its, I uh. Hes.
Michael laug hed, standing, and handed
me the letter. Thi s is charming. All
suppose after a fashion what youre doin of this. I
g has its place. But you can t possibly man
of this by yourself and manage the city. age all
Abd icate to me, focus your energy here
with this. Youll have my protection and , and go on
my support.
I set my jaw, violence flashed through
my veins and I imag ined if I let it, the Beas
lash out, and Id catch my grandsire com t could
pletely off guard.
But then, I might destroy the work in the
process.
Its out of my hands, Michael. The Kind
red of Honolulu would never accept you.
are oaths in the soil here. Mag ic bound There
into the trees and the mor tals. Any bloo
would turn on you. The leaves would be d you dran k
like razors. The rain would burn you like
Youre bluf fing. He put hands on his lava.
hips, stud ying my face closely.
Youd never know if I was unti l it was
too late. The ghosts of the island would
The gods would reject you. Even if I wan reject you.
ted to hand things over to you and I
would be murderi ng you by way of hist don t I
ory, mag ic, and ghosts as surely as fire.
He didnt respond immediately, still stud
ying my expression for any chance, any
that I was bluf fing. He saw none, and then sign
tossed a hand up. Madness. Theres som
wrong with you. You talk about history ethi ng
but clearly have no understandi ng of the
carr y with me. Decades upon decades mak history I
e my leadership the only rational choice.
is a curse on this island, then my talen If there
ts with Crac will be invaluable in brea
king it.

made to the gods and the
Its a pro mi se the Kindred of the island l
Not a cur se, Mic hae l. blood. The island itself wil
eas e the m. We wil l not give over our land to alien
dead to app
revolt against you. a bookshelf and
wa sn t con vin ced , and paced from the desk to
He convinced himsel f he window, and the
we d, the pla nts sto pped banging against the
back. Outside, the rai n slo h of us, though he
am e a qui et lul lab y. Wh ite noi se that soothed bot
patter of the rai n bec
if pressed.
would not have admitted it thi ng you can handle?
eri enc e wit h gho sts and appeasing them? Thats a
You have exp oug h his hai r.
thi ng. Mic hae l ask ed, finall y, running a hand thr
Its a tricky ert.
I do correspond wit h an exp
Not directly, no, but one
ert?
W hat do you mean by exp e files, and then finall y pu
lled one out,
t, fin ger ed thr oug h som
I went to a fili ng cabine s writing you?
ned it, and the n looked at me. Youre serious? She
handing it to him. He ope
nt of you.
Youve got the paper in fro d. Shes practical ly report
ing to you. Do
he sai d, sha kin g his hea
Not just writing you, s means?
o thi s woman is? What thi
you really understand wh means what it means. It
o the sea t wh ere hed been reading. It
I shr ugged, dro ppi ng int ch as I want to know
ow peo ple and she nee ds to know what I know as mu
means that I kn
what she knows. er words.
e blackmail ing her, in oth
He shook his head. Your
d.
I nodded. d the report, pacing as he rea
rou s game. He flipped throug h, then stopped to rea
Dange
Dust Mother,
Nasiriyah What I showed
him next. Be careful
with it.
-Mona
In regard to the events surrounding Nasiriyah:
yah to consult with Acoly tes

As of summer of last year, I was called upon to visit Nasiri
been residing in nearby Kut for
of that city, as it was relevant to my special talents. I had
region. As an anthropologist and
many years, and my reputation eventually traveled the
the Kindred of Nasiriyah began,
medium, it seemed logical that when the disturbances to
one brought in.
in the way that they began, it was logical I should be the
there, I traveled by car to the
After an exchange of favors with the matron of the cult
space had recog nition as being built on the
outskirts of the city proper. Traditionally, this
there was some impor tance and significance
ruins of Ur, and the local Society fancied that
this group ing of ruins had been preserved for
in holding societ y parties there. As a result,
ology or lootin g. At least, in that way, they
the better part of a century from mortal arche
preserved this impor tant space.
ngs had been matter of course
My guide explained that for the last century, Society meeti
ful, things ran as mundanely
here, and since the citys power structure was old and power
us. It was in this static state that
as possible for gatherings of the Dead. Mother, forgive
, (Islamic, I make note for you,
many of my sisters chaffed and rumbled, while those Spear
nce to mortal politics. These
cousin,) had been forced to appear mostly secular in refere

I wont bore you with the political
conflicts are as old as civilization itself, though, and so
mood.
strong presence immediately.
The point is that in these weather-beaten ruins, I felt a
sometimes the sands bled, and
My guide and sister, a woman named Miriam, said that
t winds. Once, she said, several
howling accusations would come dancing along the deser
ground parts of the ruins, nearly
members of society saw a false sun, and they fled to under
causing a collapse in their hurry.
ted dancing candlelight and I
I began my ritual in the sand, the glistening grains reflec
I was summoning a god; that it
felt this was a good place for magic. At first, I feared that
one, a small one, as it had only
was a god tormenting the societ y here. If so, it was a new
started in the few months previous.
was not a god, not exactly.
What arrived as I called out in the oldest words I knew
and the tears we all weep when
Why do you call me? He was made of shifting sands
uncon cerne d with our existence. His shape
we realize the passage of time is resolute and
, and he spoke Sumerian. Such a beautiful
suggested he was once tall, his shoulders broad
speak er, and so, this sounded very correct.
cadence. I had once before heard it from a native
out my surprise to find a ghost
Youre the dead. I expected a god, and so I blurted
instead.
And so are you, what of it?
My companions, my guide, all retreated in fear.
, and certainly not one of your
I nothing. Forgive me. I was not expecting a ghost
apparent age.
as the sands you stand on. If
He made a gesture I did not know, and paced. I am as old
memory of the dead remembered
I am a ghost, I am the ghost of a ghost of a ghost. The
had once been Ane Pada.
by ghosts. By now, I can remember only that my name
. Sometimes ghosts forgot
No one else in the area seemed to note the significance
could remember, so I did not take
themselves and clung to whatever bits of their life they
h, I would call him by the name
his name to be completely certain. Out of respect, thoug
he gave me.
called you here by magic. I will
Im honored to meet you. My name is Allyah, and I have
nd honesty from you.
not keep you long, but in the time I have you here, I dema
ed him even if my magic did not
I have no need of lies. He said, and I would have believ
do, not ghosts.
reinforce my command. He sounded sure in the way gods
r here? You have been here
Why do you torment the societ y of the dead that gathe
ned them with the things that their
forever, as far as it matters, and have not always frighte
hearts fear. Why now?
have been his arms, though his
He made a gesture and a snort and folded what may
shape was not as clearly defined as to be sure.
are afraid of themselves.
I show them what is in their hearts, it isnt my fault they
at her feet, as if ashamed.
I hesitated, glancing to Miriam. She shook her head and looked
these dead of interest to you?
You will do as you will do, but why do that at all? Why are
where. My candles blew out,
A wind broke across the sands and kicked it up every
n sandstorm.
suffocated. If I breathed, I might have choked on the sudde
use I love her, and want her, and
Because I love her! He howled through the sand. Beca
her! I have not thought about anything in
I do not know why! I cannot stop thinking about
now! The apparition, the ancient ghost
two hundred years or more, and yet, I cannot stop

and
fad ed, the sto rm die d dow n,
fly,
car ved into the sand, though brie
iety
was the name of a member of soc
nce.
with some weight and significa
the
Later, after investigation among
bec am e clea r to
Kindred of this city, it
abo ut the love of
me that she brought
ide nt. A ritu al
the ghost quite by acc
tha t had gon e
wit h anothe r targ et
to bin d a per son
awr y. Magics meant
so,
as if by blood over distance. And
t rea l exa mp le of
here we have my firs
st. Mo re on this
a blood-bound gho
as it unfolds.
Yours forever, Allyah.
I had no idea that your

reach was so extensive.
much of the rest of thi s is Michael shook his head. An
by blackmail? d how
Less than you would thi nk
, more than I would hope.
to settle. Harrod contacted Look, I know you need a new
me just after you left and.... place
Enoug h. Dont listen to gos
sip. If hed seemed impre
replaced it. The elder Lord pac ssed, it had faded now, and
ed my off ice, flipping throug anger
He was stalling. He was pla h pages and turning over bin
nn ing. He was reg rouping. ders.
W hat do you know about I wasn t goi ng to give him
god-eaters? I asked, and per the tim e.
of drama, the storm outsid haps because nature has a
e swelled again. My smart sense
warni ngs sent to every pho phone buzzed to life, hurri
ne on the island and broadc cane
interconnected, if you knew ast over the rad io. The isla
how to receive the messages nd was
before it went bad. , you could know about an
ything
Michael glanced at the win
dow, then my phone, and the
them? He scoffed, to ma ke n me. W hat do you know
lig ht and dismi ss, but it did about
I know what Ive been tol nt ring true.
d, which is more than most
stalwart ghouls, a pai r of people. Outside, some of my
distant cousins, battled the more
guards for the hotel window storm to pull down the me
s. They nodded to me as the tal storm
hurricane outside my off ice y came to shut out the com
. I nodded back. The metal ing
while, but not long after, the muffled the sounds of rai
sound changed to branches n for a
wasn t steady, and enough banging against the shutte
to put an yone on edge. rs. It
Well need to move. I sai
d, picking up a single file
W here? Michael asked, box.
reachi ng to take the box
storage under this floor; its from me. I let him. The
dug into the mountai n. We hotel has
He did nt arg ue; the thump ll be safer until this all blows
ing against the metal shutte over.
all familiar to me. To him rs, the creaki ng of the walls
, it was all new, all new, and was
I led him to where some of getting to him.
the sta ff was climbing dow
storage area, and Michael n a trap door in the floor int
scowled. o the
Get over yourself. I told
him, terse, and leant a han
as she went an xiousl y int d to a second cousin by ma
o the trapdoor. rri age

ne lanterns and cots spread
ugh , onc e they got inside, wit h hurrica
It was spa ciou s eno lead Michael past the kine to
var iou s spe cial needs some time ago, and
out . Id see n to the went inside. Michael followed,
r. I ope ned the doo r, glanced at the others, and
a loc ked doo a sol id metal finality.
my box . Wh en the doo r shut behind us, it was wit h
car ryi ng . He did nt ma ke
se peo ple ? He ges tur ed to the door, and I watched him
W ho are all tho out of touch. My
and I wan ted to str ang le him, just a little, for bei ng so
the connection ing.
ybe he wouldnt even see it com
Beast reminded me again ma
Maybe he would. t of thi ng. Were all
cou sin s and a nep hew of sor ts, a few in-l aws. That sor
Ki n. Theyre
connected on thi s island.
ched me, brow arched.
Your cult, you mean, he wat Michael? Dont
t bla ck and wh ite, do you ? Dont you tend to your grove,
You thi nk its tha
ewhere?
you have blood out there, som his chest and showed me
rte d. I hav e all the blo od I need rig ht here. He tapped
He sno
his teeth once more.
, what about the Dust Mother?
Plenty of us tend to a garden ut her? wit h a touch
at me, the sm iled dro ppe d away. W hat do you know abo
He looked
it was the same in thi s case.
of fear, or disdai n, or maybe important one. I thought hed
ded him a letter of yours, the
On ly what she told me. I han nted on the spot and read.
ing into the nig ht. He stayed pla
get a kick out of it, or run scream
Dirt Queen,
Tending Gardens
About you, more
or less, so he Had a boy come to my place, he was deliciou s.
knows. Im kidding! I dont think I ate him. He was a real tulip, you know?
-Mona Well, probably you dont. He was tough, and rugged, and arrogan t, and
I bet he would have been deliciou s if I had eaten him. Which I didnt.
He said that the Queen Father of the city had demand ed he observe my
garden to make sure I wasnt up to anythin g. His bravery impress ed
me, so I ate him. No, so I brought him down into the garden.
Youve been, yes? I brought you down, didnt I? Well. The Tulip and I went down into the abandon
train station that served as my garden here. The biolumin escent moss is enough light for me, ed
but Tulip had trouble with that. mind,
Mind the vines, I told him after he tripped in the dark, and I guess he didnt think I saw the glare
he gave me. Because it was dark and he was prettier than he was smart. Or was. Hell, I dont know,
think he survived the visit. Dont ask me about it! I
I told him about the flora, the families of the otherwis e-extinc t plants I tended, the genus, and
I organize d them. He might have yawned; I love when they start to get bored like that. how
Thats when Granny Mae groaned pleasant ly off to our left as we passed the wishbon e flowers. What
the fuck? he said and reached inside his coat, I guess it only sounds like pleasur e if you know the sound.
That would be my great-gr eat-grea t-great-great-gr eat and some other great grandda ughter.
name is Mae. I told him, matter of fact, and took him by his arm. I guess my grip is more than Her
people expect, so when I took his arm, he grimace d. Come on then, theres more than one way to most
garden. I dragged him; he followed, because what choice did he have, and I introduc ed him totend a
Granny Mae. little
She was, as far as I can tell, about eighty-s even years old, and had been in my care for ten or fifteen
years. I made formal introduc tion, Tulip, this is Mae, Mae, this is Tulip, and so on. He stared,
wide so that I could see the white all around the iris. eyes

Let me explai n.
grand childr en. Demen tia, you
Mae is helpin g me feed the garden. I do this with many of my greate st en turns up unable to care for
know, it runs in my family lines, and so when one of my greate st grand childr ning years safe and sound here,
thems elves, I take them in and bring them here. They spend their remai
enjoyin g the garden. I beame d. He didnt seem soothe d.
moss that helped preven t
Mae sat in an old reclin er, though most of the surfac e had a coverin g of slimy
w, like she were sleepi ng. From the
bedsor es. She rested limp agains t the chair, breath ing slowly, and shallod under her skin. I think he could
ground, vines, grapes in this case, grew up into sweet old Mae and pushe
g in time with her heartbeat.
detect that they twitch ed a little under her skin when she breath ed in, pulsin
but just like when you bite some
Shes not in any pain. Mind. The plants live off of her blood, of course, releas e someth ing, mmm,
pretty little boy or girl, shes in a consta nt state of bliss. Many of the plants
psych otropi c too. So you know shes having some amazing visions right now.
ing please d to meet you.
Mae, at that point, turned and looked at Tulip and smiled at him, mouth
He shrieked and jerked back from old Grann y and me.
or someth ing to shoot.
Shit. Shit! Its fuckin g sentie nt?! I think he was looking for a place to run
that he looked at me, wild
Of course she is. Dont be foolish. I snapp ed at him. That startl ed him enough
eyed.
Youre a monst er.
grand childr en. Harold had an
Yes. I took him by the arm again, and introd uced him to other greate st a little, even danced to music
old TV set he watch ed while feedin g my hemp. Gloria still walked around a blessin g, for them, you see. And
only she could hear, only becaus e she felt no arthri tis pain anymore. Its break down sobbin g. Which would
a blessin g for me. I gestur ed and he remai ned unconvinced. Or ready to
have been delicious if I had eaten him, which I didnt.
You have people here as living fertili zer!
Mand ragora that you, I might
Not at all. Im tendin g my garden. Its a bigger, broade r way than just the of my herd, my offspr ing, my
add, enjoy the fruits of, like much of the Circle in this city. I tend the garden
and tend when need be. I gestur ed
descen dants. I observe their lives, try not to interfe re too much, but trim g from them would kill them, but
out to Grann y, Karl, Gloria, and Harold. Theyre too old to fruit, feedin
this, it gives them peace and comfor t and a use. As I said, its a blessin g.
Youre a monst er! He told me again. I have to get out of here.
want around anymore? The ones
Do you know what your Prince does with Kindre d he cant kill but doesn t like?
the
who are too monst rous to exist among you? Risks to the Masqu erade and
He shook his head slowly.
d by the short ceiling. Inside,
Well. Theres one behind you. I gestur ed to a cherry tree that grew, stunte e ago. We could have killed
decad
encase d by bark, was an old raving Beast that had faced his last frenzy a fresh, fat, drippi ng cherry from
him, of course. But now, hes a useful part of society again. I plucke d a
He recogn ized it, the smell,
the branch and the old monst er groane d softly, offerin g the cherry to Tulip.
hed eaten my fruit in the past not knowin g where it came from.
he ran blind from the place. Im
He starte d scream ing, and ran. I heard him scream ing for a long time as the plants did. That happe ns
not sure if he ever got out. Im pretty sure I didnt eat him, but maybe, maybe
too. I hope he was delicious.
Michael said, distantly.

rd of the gar den , I hav e never been there mysel f.
I have on ly hea tching him.
its of her gar den ing tec hn iques? I asked him, wa
But you have eaten the fru
Of course. We all have. s the weight of age and the
potential of a
et for a wh ile, per hap
I nodded, and he went qui ok his head
pla ce dra gge d his hea rt into his gut. Then he sho
garden as his final restin
g ker?
my box. This is an old bun
tur ed aro und the roo m wit h the hand not carryi ng An yway,
and ges her head.
d on the isla nd . I kn ow people who were... I shook ut it. Well
The War was har ; I sna pped it rig ht up when I hea
rd abo
ose d on a wh ile ago
thi s place was forecl
s.
be safe here while it storm
an
had foldaway cots that I beg
n and fold ed his arm s. It was a ritual space; I
He put the box dow other, but stayed planted.
n on one; he looked at the
pulling out. I flopped dow bri ng it up?
the god-eaters? Why even
W hat do you know about the long run, if were on the
to kn ow wh at I kn ow . Itl l ma ke thi ngs easier, in
Because I want you
same page. pli ment wrapped
e on the sam e pag e you re on, Mona. It was a com
an yon
I dont expect that you let
in accusatio n. ats most of my information
n put my arms up behind my head. Th a
Yeah yeah. I waved a han d, and the bered. Like an outbreak of
pen ing in mo re clu ste rs than an yone ever remem
on the matter. Its hap
vir us evolvi ng over time. pped on a folder.
stronger, more dangerous , and beg an to lea f throug h. He sto
the un occ upi ed cot
He looked to the box, sat on d of trouble you could run
y in Ph ila del ph ia? Do you have an y idea what kin
This is from an Academ
across hav ing thi s? nd of a friend
e I ran acr oss get tin g it in the first place. But a frie
troubl
You should have seen the
s shi t.
knew I was loo kin g for thi hips were fine, his thi ghs
d out alo ng his sid e, and read throug h the file. His
He shook his head, lai cei ling.
, and then gri nned at the
strong. I peeked over at him
Bread Crumbs
From the notes of the Voivodes Scribe, Sept
ember The Voi vode
On this night, the twins Jerome and Jewe
l were brought Can you explain your actions then? In the hope
before the Hier opha nt on char ges of s we might
thre aten ing the learn something from
Masquerade and the as-till-now-untried crim your crimes?
es of stealing
Crac and worshiping alien gods. While these Jew el
crimes were
outlined in the papers of assertion written so Lear n some thin g?
many years ago,
the Academy was shocked to hear them brou She speaks up first.
ght up.
The Voi vode, gre at Genius You couldnt learn anything real if I stuffed
the truth right
Since this citys founding, we have existed straight up your...
in a caref ul
balance between our need to experiment Jerome (interrupting.)
and our need to
respect the energies that make this location You
so ideal for our wont listen. You wont hear. So theres no
research. This place, all of this place, is a part reason for
of the greatest us to say shit.
Grand Experiment I have yet to hear about,
and the Acolytes Many in the Academy grumble, and the Voivo
of the Circle of the Crone have had a welc de silences them
ome place in with an offhand wave.
this delicate balance. The rules were clear
and simple. The
worshipers of gods were welcome to practice The Voi vode
their dark arts,
feed freely and happily, and be safe inside Drag Learning is what we do, though I cannot imag
ine your sire
on protection wou
so long as they worshipped only the gods that ld have bothered to teach you that either. I
forgive your
belong to this igno
place. What you children have done could rance of the Order, but ignorance of the law
destroy all of us. cannot be
All of us. And worse still, this great and Gran so lightly forgiven.
d experiment.
As always, our great Genius looked fantastic, Jew el
walking the
floor of the Academys lecture hall, his arms Standing up, folding her arms.
held wide as he
spoke both to those gathered and to the child You learn from book s and labs and, wha
ren where they t, fuck ing
sat. He is as charming as he is brilliant; mak discussion groups? Not one of you lives in
e no mistake. the real fuck ing
Jerome and Jewel sit stiffly, looking at the floor,
showing not the world. You been out there lately? Reality isnt an experiment,
wisdom to watch the Genius as he speaks in order
to glean what its full of real people living, dying, fuck ing, and suffering
lessons they can from his words. Jewel is in her
mid-twenties, with every day.
deep skin and honey-brown eyes. Her nose is aquil
ine, and her whole
face is beautiful despite the ignorance and comm
onness of her dress Jerome
and manner of speaking. Her brother, twin broth
er, is similarly Stays sittin g, looki ng at the floor, but could finish his sisters
handsome but common. Tragically common.
None of us seems thoughts in his own words with no cues
especially forgiving of their history, being from the between the two. They
streets and all. If just know.
I dare to read the mood of the Academy, it is one
of quiet disdain.

Youre talking about laws and Grand Experiments. The laws The Axes warning pins the Acolyte to her seat.
are inaccessible to people like us. The Experi ment is, what, The Voivode
pretty fucking unethical since none of us signed up for it. Well get to that. One thing at a time. Jerome, Jewel,
Again, the Academy objected, and again, our great Genius please, proceed.
silenced them with a benevol ent smile. The twins exchanged a look and shared a sigh.
The Voiv ode Jerome
I hear what youre saying. We found you all because we had to find something...
He responded, naturally, to Jewel standing by moving to retake Jewel
his seat and gestured to her. ...shit is all fucked up if youre poor. Thats all. Moms
Im listenin g, but I have questio ns. Maybe you can teach me... husband was a fuck and he hurt
Jewel Jerome looks at her and shakes his head.
sneering Jewe l
It isnt my job to teach the ignorant. Well, he hurt us. But it wasnt any different for any other
The Academy kids in our neighborhood. You were kinda lucky if you were
Now see here! only getting beaten on. You know? And that was just the
parents or the people fucking your parent. You got shit from
Some shouts from the Academy, and the Voivodes look alone
school, and the gangs, and the child-touchers, and worst of
silenced them.
all the cops if you was tall and tough like Jerome.
The Voivode
Jerome
It isnt. No. However, thats where we are. I have the power atic violenc e. Horizo ntal violence. All that shit.
System
and authority to have you killed. Youve disrupted my social we had to get out. We had to go somewhere else.
Point is,
order in a way that has sent everyones head spinning. You
may die anyway, it is in fact, likely, but right now, all eyes are At that point, began the twins telling their story.
on you. Were all listening. You can leave a mark here, and Jewel
maybe theres still room to come to an unders tandin g here You all dont do that great a job of hiding. We werent
that can result in someth ing short of executi on. exactly looking, but sooner or later if youre really looking
Jewel remains unimpr essed, Jerome stands up as well, his posture for marks or whatever, youre gonna notice real shady types
slack and loose. As tall as he is, he slouches , though I think this feeding and partying. Thats what it started out as. We met
posture was a defense mechanism, so that he might appear less some guy who was creeping on me. Jerome said there was
dangerous. Or else, he had halfway given up. something wrong with him, so we watched him.
Jerome Jerome
Ask questions. Well give you the answers we got. If you cant play some kinda ball, the only way out is to
growing up. I know you
At this point, our most brilliant and gracious teacher nodded run games. Thats what we heard
all think you all invente d the game, hell, maybe you did, but
and folds his hands in his lap.
that doesnt mean we dont know, you know?
The Voivode
Jerome has a sort of shrug in the way he speaks, his posture. I
Well then. Where should we start? I suppose the most the first time, he glanced up to meet the Voivodes eyes as
think for
important question is this; do you understand what youre
he asks his question.
charged with?
Jewel His Genius nods. By now, the ruffled feathers in the Academy
seemed to have soothed and a tense attentive observation falls on
Figuring your shit out better than you could. the twins. The cult leaned in among themselves; we do not keep
At the risk of editorializing, she wasnt specifically wrong. Those the Acolytes around because they are models of civility.
members of the recognized cult of Maulin Mae who had been
invited to represent the Acolytes share furtive glances. At least on Jerome goes on.
some level, they understand her to be correct.
Like she said, we watched him for a while. He left a trail
Jerome
of strung-out female s and junkie boys behind him like
More than that, I guess, we werent supposed to find out breadcrumbs, you know? I guess he died and thats why hes
about vampires, but we did, and you all are pissed about it. not on trial now, huh?
The Voivode nods. Again, the Genius nodded.
Hm. Tell me then, how did you come to know about us? Jewel
What about the other charges? One of the established Acolytes demand s, up to was crazy. Him and them others.
The shit they were
standing, and her sallow cheeks flush with blood and embarrassment. Jewel said pointing to the cult.
The Voivodes Honor able They meet up in warehouse and in city parks, get naked,
Swor n of the Axe and scream. There was blood fucking everywhere.
Once more and the most recogn ized and wise cult will be
excused from these proceedings.

The Voivode The Genius is wry, then gestured to the Axe. The Axe moves from
And that didnt drive you off? his stationary position by our great educators side and speaks in
Jerome whispers to elder. A moment later, with her grabbed by the forearm,
We seen worse. they two leave the lecture hall.
Jewel Jerome
Crazy people cutting themselves and bleeding all over We didnt kill nobody. I told you this already. What they
aint that much of a shock when youve seen children gunned was doing is what killed them.
down in the streets. Jewel
The Voivod gestures for them to go on. We took advantage of the situation, no mistake, but we
Jewel already been in Hell, so.
They talked a lot of bullshit, you know? Goddess this, Jewel added, and they both nod, solemn.
godde ss that. Theyre all talking about tribulation and The Voivode
suffering being a teacher, and I could tell you these white bit... As best you can tell, what were they doing?
Jerome The twins exchanged a long, heavy look and Jewel turned away
...These Crones or whatever. from her brother.
Jewel licked her lips and then restarts. Jerome
I seen the sorts of people who make suffering for themselves They were eating a god. Or trying to.
because they was bored. They didnt have trouble in their The present Choristers erupt into shouting protests. The Academy,
lives so they made up all kind of drama. Thats what these by and large, also gets to their feet, trying
to shout the honorable
girls looked like to me. cult down. It became chaos for a minute and I watch as the twins
Jerome moved closer to each other, back to back, as if they expect attacks
Since we knew where they hung out, what they did, we from all sides. They are wise to suspect it.
spent the next couple of weeks watching and trying to figure The Voivode, shou ting.
out what we was going to do with what we figured out. We Enough! We have heard the accusations laid out by the
started noticing they could do things. Like magic and shit. Circle and their allies in the Acade
my. What I want right
They could change peoples minds, so the blood drinking now is to hear what these children
have to say.
wasnt just some crazy kinky stuff. These people or whatever His great Genius booms as he speaks, and the Axe and his men
really were what they thought they was. moved in to finish silencing the cult.
Jewel Jewel
And we figured if they could do it, so could we. If we was lying, youd know. You know youd know. They
Jewel folds her arms and sticks out her chin, a defiant posture just dont want us to give up their game!
directed at all of us. All of us anywhere who thought we were Jewel shouts, pointing an accusatory finger in the direction of
somehow better than this woman and her twin. the cult.
Jerome We know all about the Dark Mother. Shit. Makes me
Anyway, we took a few more weeks creeping on them and sound crazy. But She was there with us that
night. How else
figuring out what they was and how they got that way. They can you explain any of it?
was real open, you know? Proclaiming all kinds of shit. Even The Axe and his men stop the cult from responding.
saw their goddess, you know? I still figure its just some kind
Jerome breathes in and out and rubs
of crazy ghost, but you all say it isnt, so.
his face with one hand.
He uses so as a sentence ender, a rhetorical question.
Let me try, okay? To make it clear what happened, step
Jewel by step?
You all arent subtle. The deal used to be that the Acolytes could run free and clear
Beatrice, Eldest of the Acolytes and in this city so long as they kept all these gods, spirits, or whatever
Crone. happy with worship or whatever the fuck it is that gods want.
How dare they try to slander the dead! I cannot sit silently I guess after a while your cult here got sick of all the work and
by while these abominations in the face of the gods say such tried to find another way to handle things. They developed some
lies! ritual that allowed them to destroy one of these god-things and
The eldest of the Crones speaks, rising slowly to her feet. Her eat it. I guess they kept it secret or else maybe the other gods
joints crack as if each joint might break under the strain of moving. didnt know how to directly explain it to the big man here.
We shall not be lied about by those who murdered our Jerome nods to our great Genius.
sisters! But I guess you all notice some shit was fucked and started
The Voivode asking questions and the cult here got real nervous. So this
leech guy that wed been following was trying to break off
And brothers.
from the main cult and ramp up the god-eating.

The Voivode
Jewel
Please. We are at attent ion and attentive. Please, tell us the
He was fucki ng crazy. Screa ming about consu ming What happe ned with the entity and your sister after it
rest.
be
every thing like a black hole. Said if he ate enough, hed
himse lf, and could wipe out the Order appeared in the red light?
,and
a greater god n
everyone else in the city who threatened him. Said he
was Jerome breathes in heav ily, and the
too. Thats when sits back down, still hol ding Jewe ls
going to eat the Dark Mother some night
hand.
every thing went fucking sideways. the
Jerome It vanished, see. There a minute, then gone. Only
red glow was there still, kinda , and it was all aroun d Jewel.
Right . It was in the middl e of a ceremony, theyd brought a s
Suddenly theres blood everywhere. Shes cutting these fucker
was
god in with magic, and they were celebrating the shit they they were made of paper with that knife. I know its
nt thugs . Then Playe r annou up like
nces
about to do like some arroga ?
my sisters body, but shes not the one in charge, you know
to
hes going to be the greatest god and declares hes going s and this shit is bruta l.
every thing , even the Dark Moth er. Jewel Shes just cutting them to ribbon
starts
consu me ne
twitching. See, wed broken in that night to steal some
shit Someone in the Academy said unreliable witness and someo
ting. There are quiet and conflic ted
and figure out what to do next when they came parad ing else declared it an anoin
in
on
for their ceremony. Our way out was blocke d, but they arguments among the honorable Order, though they go silent
didnt
seem to realize we was there. I guess they couldnt smell their own this time.
our
blood or whatever since the whole place smelled like rot and ass. The Voivode
Jewel And what happened then, after the cult was devastated.
Im still not really sure what happened, but the thing on Jerome now let go of Jewels hand.
the table, the god or whate ver, it started screaming and it She sits down beside him as he spea ks.
sounded like children screaming and I guess I lost my
mind Jewel wasnt herself, yet, you know? She comes over to me,
ng
for a minute. walking over piles of ash, covered in blood. Vines are growi
the ash is super fertili zer, and its
Jerome reaches over and takes his sisters hand. up in the groun d like
oes
She started shouting in a language we dont know and spreading every where. These things, they look like tomat
sprou ting off the
rushed into the middle of their fucked-up orgy. She grabb or something, or big ugly grapes, they start
ed
crazy. The vines start rippin g
the knife off the table and straig ht up shank ed Player. vines, and the whole place smells
She
pullin g down the walls. Im pretty sure
stabbed him and the lights in the room dropped. up the flooring and
ver it
Jewel, shiv ering, whisper ed, the place is going to fall, you know, but Jewel or whate
room for her to walk.
is, doesnt look worried. The vines make
It
...there was so much blood coming out of the wound. When she gets over to me, she says, Thank you. She will
be
like he was a water balloo n with ?
spayed fucking every where my blade and you will be my witne ss. Do you under stand
a hole in it She took one of those ugly-a ss fruits and hands it to
I did.
Now the Voivode interrupts for the me, then takes one herself. What was I supposed to
do? I
first time in a while. ate it. She did too. The glow all over Jewel faded and then
while . When we
So you were both sprayed with the vampires blood. Did we was both in a hell of a lot of pain for a
guess
could shake it off, we grabb ed some books and ran. I
you taste it? se
Jewel looks at the ground. thats the stealing Crac part. Right? The books? Becau
Ill admit that, sure.
Yeah, then, but before I stabbed him I tasted it too.
Jerome The Academy discusses this quietly, the Crones barely containing
themselves.
Me too. Fina lly, his most glorious and gre at
The Voivode Genius spea ks.
Intere sting. Please go on. You ate the fruit, but at no time do you actua lly recall
Jerome dying?
Jewel doesnt remember much after she stabbed the guy, The two shake their heads.
ing
but I saw it all. The thing that was twitching and scream The Voivode tur ns and spea ks to an
got up and glowe d. It glowe d a bright red that adv isor .
on the table
and
hurt to look directly at. All at once, it kinda blurred You checked them; you can confirm that they are indee
d
t
morphed like it was melting and for just a moment, it wasn Kindred?
the ugly-ass thing that had been on the table.
The adv isor nods, spea king grimly.
A Circle member broke in.
So far as we can confirm, they are perfectly normal young
It was beautiful and it was terrible. I saw her, there, at that Kindred, though their blood is especially strong for whelps
n
place! It blessed and cursed us all! It was she and it has chose so young.
these children as its guard ians! of
The Academy descends into louder discussion, and a few
The other Circle act swiftly to silence the outburst, and I think, the Circle rush from their spot, howling worshipful chants and
one
but for the Axe being nearby, they may have tried to kill the declaring the twins some great heroes, or divinity, or some
such.
impassioned ly testifyi ng.

They are euphoric and deeply moved by what they
claim to and one I will not burden myself or anyone
have seen. They, survivors of that night, say that they else in the
too saw Academy with. To wit, here is what I propose.
it as Jerome describes, but were silenced by their elder
up until We shall settle this matter by trial. An ongoing
now. She is dead, so they can now speak. trial.
I assume the Axe put her down earlier during this You two shall be educated on the Kindred cond
trial, but ition in
will fact check that later. Suicide is also a possibility. as brief a manner as I believe to be safe, and then
released
on your own honors. You are charged with settli
Despite this display, the twins appear uncomfortab ng with
le. They the spirits or gods that have been angered by the
shy from the touch and adulation thrown at them. They actions
mutter of this grievous cult, as well as rooting out any
quietly to one another, and despite these sudden allies remnants
, the air of these so-ca lled god-eaters. So long as you rema
of us against the world does not lift from the twins in alive
attitude. and acting to resolve these issues, you may be
The Voi vode sta nds. considered
to have been in the right and absolved of guilt
I believe you. . Should
you fail and die, then you must have been lying
and will
The lecture hall goes completely silent. I have never be considered liars in death. Do you understan
heard d these
it so silent. conditions?
His Genius continues. They exchange a look. Jewel nods, then Jerome.
They are
That is to say, I believe you in so much as it clever, these two, and I suspect understand in total
matters. what it is
The evidence, testimony here aside, supports most his Genius is doing.
of your
claims. I have already acted in response to these The Voi vode.
claims,
of course, and what remains are the difficult Then we shall consider this matter settled.
matters of Please,
ethics and policy. Of course, troubling ourselves disperse and return to your good studies.
over these
ethics and policies becomes a distraction for
the Order,
s is
iet for a while. T hi
th e fil e ag ai ns t hi s chest, and was qu g?
setti ng in
He fin ished read ing, w far this is spread
es an yo ne ou tsi de of you and I know ho
sig ni ficant. Do internal issue sti ll.

ad . A few , but it remains an
I shoo k m y he this iss here?
ue
l wi th a sig h. And do you have on my knee.
Hi s chest rose an d fel
ee up to m y ch es t and rested my chin
ad, pulli ng my kn
Agai n, I shook my he
got our eyes out. d rebar. S o al l of
Not here, no. Weve th e bu nk er, tra ili ng the concrete an
the ceili ng of
He nodded, eyes on ck of this... issue.
ax is, al l of this, its to keep tra red opened
this, the letters, th e pr
es s th ats wh er e I wound up. Ki nd
that way, no, but I gu began seeing
It didnt start out ma tio n sta rte d to flow more freely. I
Honolulu. The in for
up when I claimed al ized this was ki nd
of an issue.
nd s an d I re chael breathed out,
patterns an d tre
e in for ma tio n wi ll stop flowi ng. Mi
e praxis, th
And if you lose th me . T hi s is a heav y burden
, my girl.
to loo k at
heav y, and turned though.
ve to bear it alone, to stand above me,
I nodded. I don t ha od fro m hi s cot. He moved
tching me, an d th en sto garden that youre
He sat up slowl y, wa ta ke wh at yo u ve groomed here. The
eek. I cannot t it is un iquely your
s.
and touched my ch wi ll pr ob ably destroy you, bu
ou s, an d
nursing is danger read al l those storie
s.
nt to he lp ou t, th ough? You want to
You wa
, and nodded. I do.
He smiled, no teeth
o?
You wanna fuck to
nable. e oldest
He shrugged. Rea so
m, se al in g a pe ril ous bargai n with th
hi
the cot and ki ssed
At that, I got up on
sort of magic.

The Game
Transcript of Future Panel meeting. youre all eager to get
third generational Future Panel. I know
Welcome to the opening meeting of the
star ted, so lets get to it. as much talent,
t Esta te recr uits from the best and brig htest and it shows. Nowhere will you find
The Firs most important task: to
our ranks. We need it, too, for ours is the
ambition, and determination as amongst
keep the Masquerade. to a model of
t resp onsi bilit y com pels us to keep up with the times. We must guide humanity
Our grea we hold the Future
s us to remain in the shadows. To this end,
society that comes natural to them and allow e the face of
y thirt y year s. If the elite can be said to have an elite, you are it; for you will shap
Panel ever
things to come. ID numbers. A shor t
in the crowd. Or, at least, I see some new
Speaking of faces, I see some new ones paperwork
then , on how the Futu re Pane l wor ks for those of you who didnt have time to read the
introduction,
tsk, I know who you are. Yes, I really do. ours remain largely
between mor tal needs and our own. While
The Future Panel seeks that happy medium ts stability,
ever , mor tal need s shif t with the time s. One generation wants freedom, the next wan
the same, how is beneath us. Forcing
s and instill a model of our own, but that
and so on. We could over ride these need e subtle, and I
wha t you wan t is easy any Car thia n with a hammer could do it. We take a mor
people to do by us. This is good for
organically, but with checks and limits set
daresay lasting, route: let our city develop regimes have
and, mor e imp orta ntly, its goo d for us. It forces us to remain flexible and as past
the mor tals
ied with skill and adaptability.
shown: raw power is irrelevant if not appl urage desired
grooms a handful of mor tals. Often we enco
Every generation, the Future Panel carefully an ideology
les, but a few mor tals com e to our atten tion during their own lives. Each represents
parenting coup , we Embrace them in
ld of tomorrow. When they are at their peak
that we believe will be relevant to the wor relationship
s. Sire s are then task ed with keep ing the subjects ideology intact, whilst fostering a
opposing pair and trust.
relationship that is marked by both rivalry
with its opposite. Our goal is to achieve a best suited to our
a live simulation to see which ideology is
We then invite these opposing pairs to run itor their
an eye to both keep ing the secr et and retaining power. We, that is to say you, mon
purpose, with , you will read later.
l, all that is in the paperwork, which, Im sure
progress and evaluate how well they do. Wel ns pairs.
, let me pull up the profiles of this generatio
Now that we have the theory out of the way
sm and egalitarianism.
Sarah and Mik hail will be representing eliti
representing religion and secularism.
James and Janelle lovely couple will be
ence and pacifism.
Kara and Michelle will be representing viol as much as possible.
yll all be wor king in the grea ter San Dieg o area, though theyll stick to the outskirts
The of 1912 although really,
hing we still need. We dont want a repeat
We have to be careful lest they break anyt
own. Cant take all the credit.
that was the mor tals doing as much as our . Last generations
long the expe rime nts will run? Exc ellen t question. The answer is: as long as they take
How However, I suppose I
is still running in part of the test zone.
experiment on capitalism versus socialism
shouldnt be talking about that. rts bi-weekly and
furt her ques tion s? No? The n I will gree nlight our pairs to begin. I will send out repo
Any
uss any issues.
well have a quar terly live meeting to disc
Thank you all for your time.

SECURE
Sarah:
Hey, baby brother. Harpys Night Out
Mikhail:
Im older than you are by three months.
From: J. Carlton, Ha
rpy
Sarah: To: Bossman
Only in mortal years. Subject: Mission Repo
I wanted to ask if youre good to go? rt, as Requested
Note to self: Inform J. that a

Mikhail:
Yes, I am. Just reading up on the document half-assed attempt at a detective
our sire sent.
novel is NOT the proper format for
Sarah:
Which one?
a mission report.
I knew the buck was
trouble the moment
he walked into my
office. He had hair
Mikhail: straight out of a sham
The new one. You didnt get it? Thats interesting. poo commercial and
I a killer smile. Except
guess Im willing to share though, since it affect he wasnt smiling.
s us He was in deep shit.
both. Its a mission report of sorts, from a Harpy I co uld tell because
in he walked into my off
Baltimore. Kindred associate the First Estate with ice and Kindred only
Princes and CEOs, but no position is closer to our walk into my office
when theyre in deep
purpose than the Harpy is. Its actually a better shit. Im not popula
r or well liked, but
argument for your idea than mine is, as it demo when there is a situa
n- tion, they come find
strates we dont need to hold the reins of powe me . Especially now bus
r to be iness is booming
effective. Maybe thats why he didnt send it to since the Veronica in
you cid ent.
your ego needs no more boosting. Six weeks ago to th
Anyway, forwarding now. e night, a nice
lady by the na me
harpy.pdf of Veronica had an
indiscretion with a
young man. If youre
reading this, you pr
obably already know
Sarah: about Veronica, so su
ffice it to say that
Haha. As always, youre underwhelmingly funny she cut up the body
. and deposited him
But thank you for the report. in waste containers
all over Baltimore.
Yeah, when our kind
has indiscretions,
they tend to be huge
. Unfortunately, for
all involved, Veroni
Some homeless person ca isnt too shar p.
went du mpster diving
Street and found a for food behind Dale
hand instead. Garbag s Bar on Thames
more complicated fo e pick-up in Baltimo
r the next week, wit re became a whole lot
Finally they pieced h detectives combin
together half of the g through ever y pil
to camera surveilla guy, including his he e.
nce (its ever ywhere) ad, which lead them
Well, hell, if we di , which, in turn, lead
dnt have to go and them to Veronica.
Ever since, my boss fix that then.
has been up in my fac
Given that most Kind e to be more proact
red in my line of wo ive and visible.
about as well as yo rk are Shadows or Ha
ud expect. Then agai un ts, that went over
what the hell he was n, Ive never met a
talking about, so th ma na ger who did know
So here I am, being eres that.
all proactive and sh
stuff a body in a du it, telling them to co
mpster. Mind you, I me to me before they
me, and Ill tell yo dont work free. You
u when the debt is come to me, youll ow
need my fucking serv paid. Dont like that? e
ices. Then dont fucking
Invictus 71
could get rich doing this,
Its not about the payment though, not really. I
n over everyones head, but
but I dont care about money. Could hold informatio
teaching discretion. Need me
its not really about the power either. Its about
obviously didnt educate you
once, shame on you. Need me twice, well, then I
Cant get by copying homework,
properly the first time. This aint high school.
this shit, it matters. We need
they need to learn to stand on their own. Cause
n warfare on our asses. Oh, I
to remain unseen or someone is going to go moder
ones faster or stronger than
hear plenty of talk how wed come out on top. No
to be. They carry the day and
we are. Heres the thing though: they dont need
were done. So stay hidden
the world will be a smoking pile of ash by the time
and dont go setting off the apocalypse.
into the alley way that serves
So when Buck thats his actual name FYI walks
h, he opens with Hey J, watcha
as my office, I knew he was in trouble. Sure enoug
that. Hey B, I mimic him,
doin as if we dont both know why hes here. Fuck
inflection. Let him know to
watcha need? I make sure to copy his words and
Some of our kind, theyre
stop bullshitting and tell me the score. So he does.
right, but at least they dont
monsters, but theyre smart. Kill people left and
of bodies in a freezer and has
get caught. I know this girl who kept a whole stack
a month. Others, well, theyre
her shady connections collect and bury them once
people alive, but theyre also
like Buck. Theyre friendly and careful to leave
The issue there is it doesnt
dumb. Buck here got caught making out with a guy.
its a whole lotta sloppier
look like making out. It might feel like sex, but
phone cameras. A lesser man
and Buck got himself caught on one of those shitty
better than that.
might break his neck for being a nuisance, but Im
finding someone is all about
Youve gotta understand that in this day and age,
he was caugh t, hack into the clubs video
having the best toys. I ask Buck where
where now), and have the face of the guy
surveillance (told ya cameras are every
searc hing with a Google Image Search
filming him in two minutes flat. A little
had to hack into the DMV and
beta, and theres his Facebook page. Used to be I
ones on socia l media. Its almost too
hope for a match, but these nights every
whole thing takes less than three minutes.
easy to find his name and address. The
caught Buck and even if I
Now comes the hard part. No way around it. The guy
of course), hes still seen
could stop the video from going viral (which I can
be honest theyre no good.
what hes seen. There are tricks for that; but to
any of that. He has to go. I
There are always hooks and snags and we cant risk
on our hands, one way or
tell Buck to do it. Newbie has to we all have blood
of his way to remain spotless
another, and this way hell learn. Hes gone out
it hurts. I stay and watch.
and I make him throw it away. Im hitting him where
Make sure it gets done, but also make
sure I never take it for granted. SECURE
Sarah:
I let Buck wrap the body in the shower
Lets get this sim on the road.
curtain and carry it outside. I take May the best player win.
it from there Ive got the resources
to make sure it never turns up. Make
sure the neighbors dont see anything Sarah:
either . Im good at my job. It hurts and By which I mean me.
I figur e thats what makes me good. We
mess up and people die. Thats something Mikhail:
that we all need to remem ber. Gotta Put your game where your mouth is, Stinky.
keep the secre t.
Sarah:
Oh, youre asking for it.

From: S.
To: San Diego Citizens Un
ion and focus on getting
thr oug h the usu al cha nne ls, YouTube and whatnot,
eo. Spread it
Ive decided on our first vid
ally. to be,
it to San Diego viewe rs esp eci l youd want your daughter
thi s. Ea rly twe nti es. Dis arming. Looks like the gir
We need someone fresh for
or your son to bring home. some of the garden
por ch wo uld be ideal. Make sure to capture
house. Standi ng on the rage suburban house:
Set her against a whitewash fan tas tic pla stic pla nts . It needs to look like an ave
e to Ikea has
too. Spruce it up if you hav e
nice, but not fancy. A hom e. t she sounds rehearsed. Sh
tim es, so she sou nds nat ural, but not so much tha
a few
Let the girl read the script using, or inflam mator y.
pas sio n wit hou t sounding aggressive, acc
needs to spe ak wit h necessary paper trail.
hol d up, so make sure we have the of
Obviously, the girls sto ry nee ds to representation at the time
for you to fill in, bec aus e I want the most accurate
n
Im leaving the numbers ope ress.
o, pic k a nic e wh ole some name that fits our act
filming. Als
d to speaking in front of a
Script:
se is jus t, yet a litt le ner vous because youre not use
r cau
Youre confident because you the camera.
ort ant tha t you maintain eye contact with
camera. Its imp for a moment.
e] and I want to talk to you fast. Gover nment and
Hello, Im [nice NA ME her but those days are disappearing
the fre e,
America is changing. We are
the lan d of neither need, nor want.
tro l us. Th ey for ce us to pay for insurance that we
con
businesses seek to own and me than to trust their ban k.
m peo ple wh o have com mitted no other cri nt claims
They take hom es fro
ed, hom ele ss, or at risk of repossession. Our governme
are unemploy oil
To date, [NUMBER] people private defense contractors,
p the se peo ple , yet it spe nds [N UMBER] dollars on drivin g the middl e
there are no funds to hel sn t wa nt to help; that its
see ms lik e it doe
sses. It almost
companies, and other busine wonder why that is.
ptc y and forfeit ure. I cant help but e the viewers a moment to
t their job or home. So giv
cla ss tow ard s ban kru
ws som eon e wh o has los
one kno
Pause for a moment. Every
eless.
remember that. making it illegal to be hom
re peo ple are los ing the ir homes, the govern ment is ed by law s aga inst
W hile more and mo car, follow
hav e alr ead y pas sed law s against sleeping in your pri son tim e.
[NAMES OF STATES ] wit h
s, and then threaten them
ran cy. Th e pol ice arr est people who break these law ect ors , force their population
vag
res ent ativ es on their board of dir
These prisons, often with con
gre ssi ona l rep er run up a bill than
eni ties and foc us more on having a prison
to work. They charge money
for sim ple am hope of employment
in wh ich inm ates are lef t in debt, with no
rehabilitating her. They are
creati ng a cyc le you and I. A mother
ple are cri mi nal s, yes. Others are people like
me of the se peo e for a crime not
or prospects to a house. So n wit h no inc om e and no home. Ar rested onc
caught stealing to feed her
children. A vet era urn. They, essentially,
sen t int o a sys tem tha t ensures their per pet ual ret
y are
even worthy of the name, the
ern ment-endorsed slaves. ost makes you
n and talking about it alm
become par t of a cla ss of gov
sen t to jai l in thi s fas hio
you care about was d it together.
Emotional face. Someone ien ce s sym pathy so youre trying to hol
pla y on the aud ss person, or someone
cry, but you dont want to re kin d. Th e next time you see a homele
W hat can we do to stop thi
s? We can be mo here. Im calling
tea d, con sid er wh at might have brought them
dem n the m. Ins orders you are
shoplifting food, dont con an oat h to ser ve and protect the people, yet do the
on the police especially. Yo
u have sw orn which side will you
see ms act ive ly har mf ul to its citizens, on
given really suppor t that?
If the gov ern me nt need to do it now.
and giv e our gre at nat ion back to the people. But we
ether
stand? We can still come tog
Thank you for listening.
Invictus 73
SECURE Bad Blood in Saint Petersburg
Mikhail:
police from the city
Youre trying to separate the nter.
Dear S.,
thin k on my cou
council. Not bad. Lemme
Sarah:
d I hope you dont mind
I blame the Tsar, really. Peter the
While you finish thinking (an
me not waiting for that), I wan
ted to share a letter Great built this city to showcase how
e in St. Petersburg. She is
enlightened he was, while picking up
from an associate of min
of power and instead
eschewing traditional forms
through.
new trade from the West. Pragmatic.
on the ma sse s to see her
calling
st-petersburg.pdf
Mikhail: Opportunistic. It still shows. Saint
You mean shes manipulating
ntio
the masse s. Also , I love
ns the Secret; shes so
Petersburg goes through a new name
nev er eve n me
every time the regime changes. Keep
how she
trol. We need to be on
consumed with regaining con top to focus.
up or get left behind. Were like those
Sarah:
on being in power so much,
little suckerfish, parasites that go
Perhaps weve come to rely
wherever sharks and the tides take us.
it. In that cas e, its not a
that it terrifies us when we lose
tch .
Opportunists surround me. I am one
tool its a cru
myself.
Almost every covenant has had a turn at the wheel in Saint Petersburg. We all
roll in and out on the tide of whomever is in power. Saint Petersburg has been
good to the Invictus traditionally, but these nights the Lancea et Sanctum is the
bigger fish and their control is ironclad.
The Spear holds sway over the church, no surprises there, as well as some of
the more notable hate groups you know the ones who leave a trail of blood all
over YouTube. There is no action too insane or degrading to get some likes. The
Sanctified lack pull with the Organizatsiya though, so thats where we come in.
The Sanctified dictate policy and we carry it out. Sure, we pretend to be Invictus,
Dragons, or Crones, but were all Sanctified by proxy. Leeches waiting for the tide
to turn. Those who dont comply, find themselves devoured by a swarm of locusts
(or whatever the biblical punishment of the week is). No exceptions. We are all
Gods monsters here.
I report to Bishop Borodin and when he tells me to jump, I make sure I get
all the details right when, how high, how often and then I do it. They make
me carry my predecessors knucklebone in my pocket to remind me of the price of
failure. I run a human trafficking ring. Its a streamlined business: snatch women

then sell
off the street, pump them so full of crack that they stop being human,
for the
them to the highest bidder. Rinse and repeat. I organize debt collection
- youd
Organizatsiya and make a point of letting men pay their debt in natura
be surprised how many of them offer their girlfriend or kids for this. One
ian.
time, I blew an entire train off the tracks to assassinate a single politic
eral
Mind you, I could have taken him out without anyone noticing, but the collat
damage was part of the exercise. What the Spear wants, the Spear gets.
fucking
So thats what I do. Im the top Invictus in this city and I serve as
deals,
go-to gal for the Sanctified. The total package when it comes to louche
extortion, and murder and Im putting it to someone elses use.
Not for much longer though. Ive been busy with my own plans, too.
orders
When the Spear calls me, I put on a good show and carry out most
can
perfectly. But some things fall through the cracks. Small things that I
a
get away with. Nothing bad enough to get devoured by locusts (cause thats
but
bad way to go), but enough to add up. A single drop of water is nothing,
the
combined they form an ocean. Ive been preparing an ocean of trouble for
Sanctified.
the
My latest project, and the one I hope will push the Spear overboard, is
t
Carthian Movement. See, the Carthians like to pretend that they built Sovie
elves
Russia, even though they really didnt. The local Carthians may style thems
socialists, but not all socialists are Carthians. It fills them with righteous
it fills
anger that the Lancea et Sanctum stole Russia from them. Correction:
being
them with more righteous anger, since thats their go-to mode anyway. Point
r
the Carthians are always making a nuisance of themselves and the Spea
then sends me to get rid of them.
I look
I think the Bishop would like me to crucify trespassers, but, really, do
like a carpenter? So I string the Carthians upside down and let their guts
ent
slither onto the pavement until the sun catches them. Strictly as a deterr
and
on orders of the Sanctified, of course. But I feign sympathy with a few
my
I let those go. Its all very under the table. I tell them Im just doing
Invictus 75
job, I have to or theyll kill me (which
is true, ironically), but I dont want to.
can prove it, too I keep exact record I
s of the orders Im given. Who, wha
and where to the T. I let just enough t,
rebels off the hook to spread the sto
of Sanctified-ordered atrocities and ry
to come back. Again, and again, and
The Carthians are like sand getting again.
everywhere you dont want it to and eve
patience of saints (and monsters) is n the
wearing thin.
Ive been doing this for years now, nea
rly a decade, and Ive got both sides
seeing red with built-up rage. The Sa
nctified need me, the Carthians trust
and I make sure to counsel action me
. Ive already sent Bishop Borodin
report recommending a full crackdown a
, lest he risks losing the city to a
ending trickle of Carthians. Meanwhile never-
the Carthians, sick and tired of losing
members, are gearing up for war too
. Both are so eager to tear into eac
other that they dont even notice me h
lurking underneath. When the waters
the Spear and the Carthians will hav clear,
e
devastated each other, and the Invictus
in
Saint Petersburg will rise again und SECURE
er my
leadership. Then I will show everyone Mikhail:
how memo.pdf
a real boss runs her city. Sarah:
- From AK with love Really? Your counter is to enlist priv
never work. Were not talking about
ate forces? That will
killing turbans in
some far-away terrorist country. Wer
e talking about
American citizens. Your bill will neve
r pass. Also, the
Lassiter Group? Way to overreach, little
brother. They
will chew you up and spit you out
even our sire
doesnt know who has their fingers
in *that*
particular pie.
From: Consultant
To: Lassiter Lobby Group
Subject: Responders Mikhail:
our boys in blue, Please. I can handle the Lassiters. Thei
While I have nothing but respect for already in place and I consulted for
r assets were
ce forces. After all,
I fear that we are over taxing our poli
them in the past,
so why not make use of that? Its only
the pay low. My
the work is hard, the hours long and
practical.
Efficient. As for the private security
e of their workload forces American
suggestion would be to funnel som citizens go to prison and those have
of private enforcers been handed
onto private contractors. The concept over to private contractors, too. All
I need to do is
minor scandals,
has been proven abroad, despite a few utter the magic words reduce cost
s and the council
welcome the extra
and I am sure we can get our city to will be falling all over itself to sign.
for which cou ncil
help. I have outl ined a sche dule
sure we can draw
members to contact and when, and am
future.
up and pass a bill within the very near I am wondering though, where your
Mikhail:
video girl is?
Ive sent some people to debunk her,
but shes
untraceable. My commendations on
your
clean up there.

SECURE SECURE
Sarah: Sarah:
Can I tell you something freaky? I had Lookie what I found on the grapevine. It arrived as a bit
a weird dream
last day. I was in a round hall filled with of a jumble of messages and attachments, but I think I
some ten
inches of water. Like a sewer, only clea ordered it correctly. Its very interesting. What happens
ner. The hall was
twice as high as I was and there were when all needs are met is there such a thing as power
smaller halls
opening into it about five feet from fulfilled? Change is the only way forward.
the floor.
carmilla.pdf
Sarah: Mikhail:
They were all circular, too.
I could see light at the end of the hall Impressive find. I am almost envious. However, I think
standing there, waiting for me. So I
and someone youre drawing the wrong conclusion. This is not what
began walking
to the exit, slogging through the wate happens when desire is met this is what happens
more water comes out of the side halls
r, and suddenly when we stretch ourselves too thin. The First Estate
water, its words and images. And I
. Except its not exists as a hierarchy, as much as you dream about it
supposed to see them so I avert my
realize Im not not being so, but it does have checks and balances.
running. Thats when the dream end
eyes and start We monitor each other as much, possibly more, as we
ed. do the other covenants. There was no such equilibri-
um in Dublin and that is what triggered this situation.
Mikhail:
Youre weird. Sarah:
Absolute power corrupts absolutely? Never thought Id
Sarah:
hear you admit that. I thought there was no such thing
Thank you, Mr. Sensitive.
as too much power.Mikhail: Power is how we move our
pawns forward on the board, but that is not the goal
of the game keeping the secret is. Princess Carmilla
lost track of that.
The Trouble With Carmilla

T he
The first time I saw her was at the Gate first time I saw her was
at The Bleeding Hor se on Duke
Theatre. She, light as air, glided down the Street. She laughed and her dar k
corridor in a gown ma de of gossamer and silk. hair shook about her slender shoulder s
The fabric shone and shimmered as she moved, like molten chocolate. Our eyes locked;
mine blue as sky, her s dar k ashen,
yet did not reflect the light as art fully as she and I saw only her as she beckoned
her self did. Her eye s were pool s of dar kness, me. I went to her, willingly
withholding the light of moon and star s, but her and already utterly devoted
to this woman who was
golden hair was more radiant tha n the sun. She mor e rad iant tha n
spoke to me then, in the low alto voice of angels, any I've ever seen.
and whispered secrets in my ear. She spoke dar k
and true secrets
to me.
Invictus 77
Lord Nathan,
Inner
I was making my rounds through South
The fi r st City (and part of North since Edward
asked for
time I saw her was in my bedroom. I
literature.
personal time) and found these snippets of
felt something press down on my sleeping
behind
They were in several places, mostly alleys
e. One was
form and pierce my brea st with needles. pubs and bookstores, but a few were insid
Someone is
I woke then and saw her, dar k eyes in red sharpie on a mirror, of all things.
himself,
rising up to meet mine, and pain clearly feeling the need to express herself (or
on a
turned to ecsta sy. I pulled her to but my finely honed instincts are picking up
me and the dra pes billowed around female vibe).
and these
us as even the wind conspired to push The handwriting on all of them matches
bathroom
her sweet perfection into my own body. I musings strike me as a little elaborate for
iration and
surrendered to her, accepting the secrets graffiti. Perhaps a mortal with literary insp
know?
that she bestowed upon me even as she an obsession with a certain muse we both
de to
The colour of her hair changes from blon
already rose. I should
dark, but the eyes remain the same. I feel
that The
mention, though I suspect you know this,
hangouts,
Bleeding Horse was one of Le Fanu's
" in these
so the pattern repeats there, too. If the "she
might
notes is indeed Her Royal Highness, one
leave it in
wonder what she is up to. Either way, I
your good hands.
Sincerest regards,
Derek.
I think of her constantly. Everywher

she cannot merely exist in my ima ginatioe she goe s, there she is. Surely,
dream a goddess of such inca rnate per fect n. How could I, a lowly mortal,
whi spered words of dar kness and blood thaion as her? She spea ks to me still;
between sleeping and waking. How I wisht I only remember in the twilight
tumble from her lips akin to the word godto kn ow her name! To hea r it
My beautiful angel! spoke at the dawn of creation.

My angel She kissed my wri st
visited me again. She was full of dar k wrath, again. Tenderly, soft ly.
gripping my wri st until I cried. Then she She remembered! She
kis sed the pain, piercing the skin with
needles until I was in the throes of spoke her secrets and
pas sion. I kn ow that she is not thi s time I remembered.
angry with me. I see it in her She told me that she is no
eye s, dar k and beautiful, and I angel. She spoke of bodies
feel it in her touch. I am her sola ce. in her wake, once bea utiful
She comes to me to ma ke her world go people now discarded as
awa y, just as she does mine. If we could only empty husks. I begged
remain locked together forever and shut
the world out.
her to use me so. U se all
of the sweet life that cour ses
through me, for without
her there is not hing
Lord Nathan,
f in alleyways to live for. She refused.
Why is the mortal scribbling this stuf She kissed me and
belong in a diary.
and on bathroom stalls? It seems to
Or in the vampire erotica section of
Easons. Christ. said that she felt it
I suppose that when the heart is full
, the pen runneth too, the tie that binds
over. Or something like that. us. She said I
I think she must be her. Who else
do we know to was special.
inspire such madness? I care naught
Last time Her Royal Highness was
infatuated with for being special;
el that left us all I care
an aspiring writer, it ended with a nov
Can we kick
exposed. So what do you want to do?
there is no higher
only for
this higher up the ladder? Of course, being
haps? It would
up the ladder in Dublin. Belfast per her s!
ss back, but
be high treason to go behind the Prince
ces if our All
surely, there are extenuating circumstan
call, as always.
Night Society might be at risk. Your
Sincerest regards,
Derek.
Invictus 79
FROM: Earl Nathan
TO: Baron Catherine
Dearest Catherine, ition in Dublin, which is
in goo d stan din g. I am ver y pleased with my pos
I hope this letter finds you wel l and and the greater society
hon our . All of us are entrusted by our ow n nature
both a great responsibility and a gre at be lax. It matters not if they
it fall s to me to pick up where others might
we serve to keep the Firs t Tra diti on, but squerade. This is a most
g; it is my gre at dut y to ma ke sure all of them maintain the Ma
are neonate, Duke, or Kin
onsibility.
taxing, but also rewarding resp side s, I find myself thinking of you and the
time we spent
nde d by sec rets on all than I will ever
In these times, when I am surrou frie nd, and so mu ch better at keeping a confidence
and stau nch est has a heavy
in London. You were my sister my con fida nte aga in? Som etimes even a servant of silence
ld you be
be. I almost dare not ask, but wou Please Catherine, assure me tha
t you are my sister still.
not kno w wh ere else to tur n.
heart and I do
Your loving brother,
Nathan.
FROM: Baron Catherine

TO: Earl Nathan
Dearest Nathan,
I am quite well. The nature of Belfast agrees with me and I feel like a woman reborn. Their Royal Highnesses
the King and Queen are very wise and benevolent. I have attracted the attention of his Grace the Duke of North
Belfast. He is a kind and gentle man whom I have already come to trust and adore.
Of course I am still your sister! How silly are you for asking. I, too, remember staying up until sunrise and sharing
our secrets (though I dare say Father found out about them in the end). Distance has come between us, with you
in Dublin and me in Belfast, but our minds are still one. Therefore, I declare that nothing has changed! If anything
is troubling you, please, tell me and I will do what I can to help.
Your loving sister,
Catherine.
FROM: Earl Nathan

TO: Baron Catherine
of
Dearest Catherine, side. My most beloved Princess
trou bled , but the re is not hin g I cannot face with you by my atte ntion of a mo rtal . An
I am indeed recently come to the
ak out with great reluctance, has e Her Royal Highness perfection
in
Dublin, against whom I only spe al Highness, has trie to captur
d
tly ena mo ure d wit h Her Roy in rela tion to the Firs t
author who, righ
ting s and exp ress ed a con cern with their nature
writing. One of my agents found
these wri sings then I
usa l. If you cou ld let you r wis dom shine on these artistic mu
your per
Tradition. I include a scan for
would be forever in you r deb t.
Your loving brother,
Nathan.

TO: Earl Nathan
Dearest Nathan, ember that time I
t we stil l spe ak tru e with each other. Do you rem
glad I am tha he found out , but
I cannot begin to express how me hid e her cor pse ? Father was so angry when
cer and you hel ped were discovered
inadvertently drained the dan we sha red tho se nig hts (few as they were bef ore we
the secret
I still cherish the memory of
bac k I can see the humour in it). ir wisdom, but I understand
although looking righ tly elevated above us by the
o are
Of course, we must never que stio n tho se wh the Princess of Dublin, but I
m me be it to presume any insight on
the beginnings of your agents
con cer ns. Far fro you, steel tempered with
ligh t on the matter. He is a man not unlike d
shall beg my ow n lord, the Du
ke, to shi ne his fidence, for I am quite assure
wo uld like him . Do not wo rry about him keeping our con
gentilit y, and I know that you
e my ways.
that he will. You know I hav
Rest a little easier now.
80 Secrets of theYou
Covenants
r beloved sister,
Catherine.
TO: Earl Nathan
Dearest Nathan,
I cannot begin to express how glad I am that we
still speak true with each other. Do you remember
I inadvertently drained the dancer and you helpe that time
d me hide her corpse? Father was so angry when
out, but I still cherish the memory of the secre he found
t we shared those night s (few as they were befor
discovered although looking back I can see the e we were
humour in it).
Of course, we must never question those who are
rightly elevated above us by their wisdom, but
the beginnings of your agents concerns. Far from I understand
me be it to presume any insight on the Princess
I shall beg my own lord, the Duke, to shine his of Dublin, but
light on the matter. He is a man not unlike you,
with gentility, and I know that you would like steel tempered
him. Do not worr y about him keeping our confi
quite assured that he will. You know I have my dence, for I am
ways.
Rest a little easier now.
Your beloved sister,
Catherine.
TO: Duke Anthony
Dear Duke,
Dearest Anthony,
I write to thank you again for the lovely tour of Belfast Castle. I remain impressed by your close connection to
history and am honoured that you would extend the courtesy of a personal tour to me. I will cherish and remember
the beauty of that evening forever.
If I may press upon your courtesy again, there is a matter that weighs heavily upon my heart and which, I hope,
you might alleviate. My brother Nathan who, as you surely know, is an Earl at the court of Her Royal Highness the
Princess of Dublin, has found himself with a delicate matter on his hands. Our bond is forged in blood and fire so
his troubles remain mine, yet I cannot presume to have the wisdom to aid him. Perhaps, if it pleases your Grace,
you would be willing to let your light shine on this matter?
I remain your humble servant,
Catherine,
Baroness of Regents Nightclub, North Belfast.
From: Duke Anthony

To: Baron Catherine
Dear Baroness,
Your note brings me nothing but plea
sure, as did your company on the even
Belfast Castle pale in comparison to ing of which you speak. The flowers
you and it has been a long time sinc of
as I did with you. Perhaps you wou e I foun d myself able to share my thoughts
ld join me for dinner some time so
was too bold, too open, but then I rem we can talk more. Some nights I fear
ember your sweet face and know that that I
As to the Earl: if you love your brot surely I can trust you implicitly.
her, then I must love him too. Please,
assured of my affection and discretio share this burden with me and rem
n. As you told me that evening: frie ain
Yours sincerely, nds must share their confidences.
Anthony
Duke of Nor th Belfast.

TO: Duke Anthony
Dear Duke,
Dearest Anthony,
To know that my brother and I do not stand alone lifts my spirit. I know that I could not wish for a stauncher
supporter than you. You are clever to cite myself back to me and I agree: secrets can be kept amongst friends.
I will not speak directly of the concerns that trouble my brother, for I fear something might be lost in translation.
Instead, I will send you what he sent me. They are writings by, presumably, a mortal and might threaten to uncover
that which must remain hidden.
I let you decide how to proceed next, for I trust your judgement without question. I bare my heart to you and,
standing exposed, hope you continue to think well of me.
Your humble servant.
Invictus 81
Catherine,
Baron of Regents Nightclub, North Belfast.
From: Duke Anthony
To: Belfast Sovereigns
Dear Your Majesties,
My most noble King,
My most beloved Queen,
It is with heavy heart that I inform You of concerns raised by the court of Her Royal Highness The Princess of
Dublin. I would not normally place such troubles at Your feet, nor feign to speak any ill of the Princess of Dublin,
but duty compels me.
I dare not say who imparted this information to me, but I can avow that all involved are of great dignitas. I trust
their sincerity in this matter, for they adore the Princess as we all do.
If it pleases Your Majesty, You find the documents that caused these concerns attached, and upon which Your
devoted servant dare not pass judgement.
I am honoured to remain Your Royal Highnesses most humble and obedient servant,
Sir Anthony,
Duke of Belfast.
Lord Nathan,
Ive increased eyes in Inner City as you
suggested and one of them came across this
masterpiece. There is no name attached to
it of either painter or subject, but the rese
striking. This obsession is getting too big to mblance is
ignore.
The good news though, is that I think I
m closing in on our artiste. Ive tracked
Trinitys Languages, Literatures, and Cu her to
ltural Studies and am waiting for a nam
the distinctive writing style and her talent e. Between
for painting, I hope to find her soon. I
the author and the painter could be two realize that
different people, but that isnt the vibe Im
you should like me to widen the net nonethe getting. If
less, please let me know. For now though,
well find her soon so we can hopefully wor I think
ry less.
Sincerest regards,
Derek.

Lord Nathan,
s.
Forget about worrying les o is indeed also our pa
inter.
nd ou r au tho r, wh Shows
Worry more.. I fou
sh e is an as pir ing wr iter studying at Trinity.
hildes and language those are he
r
Her name is Aislin C ly ar ch aic an d flowe ry
drop the over to give me Childes dorm
promise too, if she can sso r wa s kin d en ou gh
. The profe is marked with the Prin
cess
professors words, not mine mp lic at ed. C hilde s do or
e it gets co
number and here is wher
nt touch her.
lily mark, meaning we ca
sio n might go both ways.
L oo ks like the obses
rig ht) an d fou nd the girls diary as well as
s against tha t, the
I let myself in (no law de s ma ke s me nti on of notes written to her by
rincess. Chil imagining some things, or
she
several sketches of our P the ro om . Ei the r she s
find any in
Princess, but I couldnt
carries the notes on her. tell me B elf as t is taking this seriously.
diary . P lea se
I include photos of the
Sincerest regards,
Derek.
She came to me in truth this time! I was at my desk attempting to write (though I admit
I kept drawing her face!) when she tapped me on the shoulder, light as sunlight falling on
a flower. The sensation is odd to describe, but I knew it was SHE the moment she touched me. I
didn't even start, as one would expect to do when approached alone in her room at night. I merely
turned and, seeing her, fell at her feet. She knelt with me then and, gathering me up in her
arms, carried me to my bed as if I were no more than a child. There, she caressed and kissed
me until my body cried out for sweet release.
After our union, I felt myself slip into a deep slumber and I grasped her hand and begged
her to remain with me. She said she could not and I very nearly burst into tears, but her eyes
narrowed and I knew I must be strong. My angel smiled then, dark wrath disappearing as
night before the day, and when I AWOKE, everything was different.
She left a note on my pillow! A real, tangible note written on paper that still scents of her when
I press it to me. Her words are radiant like the sun and ephemeral like the wind.
"How I have longed to meet one such as you. Your passion and beauty entrance me as surely as
you believe yourself entranced by me. You are more the seductress here and I your devoted slave.
My heart beats only to echo yours. I am yours if only you will be mine."
Invictus 83
e sig ned it wit h her na me . Sh e is real and I remember her
Of COURSE, I am her s! Sh
m
now, as clearly as the da y. Ca ralli
nin g aft er my ang el visi ted . Th e loss of a single day does not matter
I nearly slept until eve rcise
t her , tim e pas ses dar ke r tha n any night. I also admit that our exe
to me though, for withou
left me fair exhausted. did not come. I tried to finish
n wai ted eag erl y for her , but she
I woke in time for dinner and the whe lm me as I considered that she
rib le pan ic thr eat ene d to over
my writing assignment, but a ter the not e tha t my beautiful Carallim
in the dar k, clu tch ing
might have abandoned me. So I sat ce.
d the sec ond s tick awa y. I ha ve nei ther finished my work, nor eaten sin
left, and watche
to that promise.
She has promised to return. I cling
l die!
She mu st return or SURELY, I wil
my an ge l, my mo st bea uti ful Ca rallim, would not desert me. This
She came to me! I knew she spoke. I admit that I did not
t to me an d str ok ed my ha ir as
time she sat on the bed nex
th of her wor ds, tho ug h the pas sion in her sweet voice was clear and
fully under sta nd the dep
true. be. She spoke of eternal
if one as lov ely as her cou ld eve r
She spoke of being a dem on, as e for ces her into hiding, but that
d tha t her own bas e na tur
nights spent in dar kness. She sai a mo rta l dares press a goddess,
on tha t, as ge ntl y as
I ha ve drawn her out. I pressed her a
tha t my wr itin g, wh ich a fri end re ferred to her, reminded her of
and she admitte d
ok en scr ibb lin gs im pr ess one suc h as her! The thought is so
fondness. Ca n you imagine! My br
won der ful , tha t it lif ts my spi rit to the highest hea ven.
ludicrous, yet so
wh en I sle pt. I do not un der sta nd all of it, but here is a part:
She left an other let ter d, dea d hea rt. I cannot
ep an d fee l pas sion sti r in my col
"Beloved, I look upon you as you sle en all
the dr ead I fel t bef ore I me t you . Ga me s of blood matter na ught wh
begin to expre ss eed . I kn ow thi s mu st seem odd to
des ire is a hol low one ind
needs are met, for a hea rt wit hout
an d pr om ise as you rs elf , but one NIGHT I shall explain all.
one as full of lif e
oll y an d com ple tel y. Du ty is a hea vy burden of which I only wish to
I long to be wit h you wh
hol low the fan cies of the nig ht ar e, compared to your ra dia nce and
release mysel f now! How it. Am I that brave? To embrace
lik e fir e an d I lon g to em br ace
love. Passion con sumes me I shall pray for that strength so
we
y obl ig ati on an d sec rec y ali ke ?
the fire, BURNING awa
might be together." great to me as my own. If
ful ly un der sta nd the cau se, is as
Her suffering, though I do not
str eng th, I wou ld bur n the ent ire world to be wit h her.
only I could be her

Lord Nathan, le drew
m
su re yo u ca n se e why this news artic
I e
atten tio n. I sp ok e to an old friend at th
my ar-
e an d it ap pe ar s th is case isnt at all cle
polic
ys th e vic tim s didn t die from smoke
cut. Coroner sa m assiv e blood loss even
rn s, bu t fr om
inhalation or bu wo un ds . How many things
no m ajor
though they have at ? M y contact says the
at ca us e th
do you know th
fire was lit, too.
is the slo pp ies t clean up job Ive ever seen,
Either thi s
us ed the fir e as a beacon of sorts. Im
or someone d for us to see. This isn
t
t this wa s in ten de
worried tha and then pardoning he
rself
g a tra il of bo die s
like leavin ting us know that she
isc retio n. T his is let
for the ind M asquerade if she please
s.
w ill en da ng er the
can and court and I apologize
for
the ba ll is in yo ur
I realize me to
sh y, bu t I ho pe ou r relationship will allow
being pu
express my opinion.
Belfast needs to act.
Sincerest regards,
Derek.
TO: Earl Nathan
Dearest Nathan,
Rest assured that I am passin
g everything you send on to
that he has already informe the Duke of North Belfast. I
d Their Royal Highnesses the have it on good authority
No one here is taking this ligh Kin g and Queen of the situation
tly, but we must consider the too.
powerf ul and she keeps all of delicate nature of the situatio
Dublins secret s. If any thing n. The Princess is ver y
is some worry in Belfast tha were to bef all her, those sec
t the fall-out might be as bad ret s mig ht be exposed. There
Dublin were on our side. Is the as the problem. Things would
re any way you can approach be eas ier if the Duke of
Remain steadf ast , him?
You sister,
Catherine.
Lord Nathan,
myself and
Ive put surveillance on Childes like you ordered. Ive been keeping some watches
can feel her
I can tell when the Princess is with her. I never see her enter or leave, but I
Im not sure
presence. Its like strong wine that makes your head swim (or would have, before).
Childes girl
if shes doing it on purpose to let me know that she knows Im watching, or if this
is really getting to her. Maybe removing Childes removes the problem.
by the
I know Belfast wants to wait, but say the word and Im ready. Girl looks terrible
we can sit
way; she must have lost at least a stone since the Princess began visiting. Maybe
back and watch the problem solve itself. Whatever happens though, it has to be quick.
I could not find the transcript of the Princess words Childes refers to.
Sincerest regards,
Derek. Invictus 85
id wi th m e. N ot in the bed this time. I
d la a
ag ai n, at ni g ht - alwa ys at night - an lled me down to her. She m ounted me as
She ca m e and pu bear
e ho w sh e en te rs , bu t she wa s on the fl oor ferocious, primal even, and I will surely e, but
never se She wa s s of her need would re
pel m
do es a st ag an d I surrendered to her. other , the di re ctn es
lion an y
ar k s fo r ni g ht s to come. If she were re s me as much as I de sire her.
the m
on ly en ha nc es th e pa ssion. She de si ca re ss ed m y ha ir as one does a child.
with her, it chest an d
ne ed s we re m et, sh e pressed me to her as sh e re ca ll ed he r experien ce s. Her
When her der m e ile
e of fir e an d de at h, and she trembled un hidden under the veneer of the world, wh
She spok m on s, in
con fu se m e. Sh e te ll s me of a society of de et underground? Her word s seem couched
word s cr
she talking about a se erity as if I should ta ke them literally.
in g on hu m an ity . Is
prey
t sh e de li ve rs th em with complete sinc g th at sh e ch ose m e for this talent.
metaphor, ye claim in
e sit at m y de sk to write down her word s, which they ca nn ot survive. Without them,
She made m ht in
to ex po se th es e hi dd en dem on s to the lig g toget her, but I know her heart beat s as
She wa nt s m e dn't spea k of us bein
ar t an ew . Sh e di fe.
she sa ys, she could st rock upon which she will build her new li
e
true as mine. I am th
FROM: Earl Nathan

TO: Baron Catherine
Dearest Catherine,
It required considerable pull on my part, but I spoke privately with His Grace the Duke of Dublin. He adopts
an aloof air and refuses to speak ill of Her Royal Highness the Princess, but I suspect he sees the precariousness
of our situation. If he had assurances from the King and Queen of Belfast that They would respect and support a
transition of power in Dublin, I think I could persuade him to embrace our side.
The situation is escalating. We must act quickly or the secret will be lost.
Your brother,
Nathan.
Catherine
FROM: Baron
hony
TO: Duke Ant ested.
Dear Duke, hi eu of D ub lin as you sugg
Duke M at ly forcing
re st A nt ho ny , es t re ga rd s, has spoken to pp or t w ha t fate is tragical
Dea with the high al Highnesses
su
hom I consider is and Her Roy
My brother, w pe rs ua de d if H
n?
e Duke could be speak to Our Majesties agai
He believes th se yo u to
ight plea
us to do. If it m
rvant,
Your humble se
Catherine th Belfast .
of R eg en ts Nightclub, Nor
Baron

We have taken into Ou
r Royal Consideration
Princess of Dublin. W the extensive and valua
e must also consider the ble services rendered
believe We are the gatek greater value represented by Her Royal Highne
eepers of silence and, by by the All Night Socie ss the
devoted to the Princess extension, the chosen gu ty and the First Tradition.
Carmilla, We must no ardians of all Our kind. We
t let such fondness clo While We remain immi
We have therefore tho ud Ou r judgement. ne ntly
ught fit, with the Advic
publish and declare to e of Our Privy Council
all Our loving Subjects , to issue this Our Ro
First The Princess Ca , that We have, with the yal Proclamation, to he
rmilla must hereby an Advice of Our Said Privy reby
as the Masquerade or d forever more abide by Co un cil, decided the following
The Tradition of Silen the First Tradition of Ou :
Second We believe Hi ce. r kind, which is also kn
s Grace Mathieu, the ow n
whims of lesser creatu Duke of Dublin, to be
res, as well as Our loyal a most wise and hono
frien d. urable man, not subje
Third Should the Pr ct to the
incess Carmilla not ab
friendship in Duke M ide by the first of Our
athieu to restore order proclamations as here
to Dublin where it is jus above, We place Our
We do declare this to be t and reasonable. faith and
Our Royal Will and Ple
GOD SAVE THE KING asure. Given at Our Co
AND QUEEN. urt in the one-hundred
-and-twelfth Year of Ou
r Reign.
FROM: Earl Nathan

TO: Baron Catherine
My dearest Catherine,
You are the eternal light of my life. My star in
the dark night by which I unerringly find my way
Duke Mathieu has agreed to step in. He is yet to safer shores.
hesitant to act against the Princess, and let it
too, but he will insist that she acknowledge and be know n that I am
respect the proclamation issued by Their Roya
King and Queen of Belfast. l Highnesses the
Duke Mathieu has also given me carte blanche
to handle the Childes girl despite the Princess
upon her. I hope to resolve the situation peac proprietary mark
efully, for you know me not to be needlessly cruel
remain to be seen. Still, I am optimistic that we , but my options
can resolve this as long as Dublin and Belfast
I kiss your hand in gratitude, stand together.
Your brother,
Nathan.
Lord Nathan,
found her gone. All her belongings
I went to pick up the Childes girl on your order andan abandoned air. I called her
are accounted for; including the diary, but the place has hasnt attended class in days. Guess she
professor and he hasnt seen her, although he admits she
was too busy pining after the Princess.
y. The passion and confusion are
I did an extensive search of the place, but came up emptI found nothing that explains where
but
so thick that they melted into the walls and floorboards,
Childes has gone.
are we left holding a ticking bomb?
Not sure what to do next. Did this just blow over, or
I include her last diary excerpt.
Sincerest regards,
Derek.
Invictus 87
I slept through the day again and when
and wake when she enters. She kissed my I woke, she was there. She is my sun now. I sleep when she leaves
to tell me more about her life and the dem breasts and this time I nea rly fainted with passion. I asked her
as I should have and seeking to alleviate ons that trouble her. She refused, but I, not rea ding her mood
her burden, pre ssed her to tell me. I coul
wrath overcame her, but it was too late to cha d see her face cha nge as
cra cked my lip, but seeing my pain only ng e wha t I had don e. Qui ck as lightning, she hit me. The blow
me close to her hea rt. I begged forgiven reminded her of our love. She kissed awa y the blood and pre ssed
nothings in my ear. ess as she held me. She caressed my hair
as she whi spered sweet
to
I was already hal f asleep when she began
SECURE
had
Mikhail:
talk. As angry as my earlier insi sten ce now.
ma de her, she volunteered the info rm atio n
Can I ask you something? Do you reall
y think the First
Estate can survive without the elite
of
She said she had beg un the great pogrome. I
? We cant possibly
control seven billion people, or even
the three million
her life and laughed as if it were a gam ly
in the San Diego metro area, but we
*can* control
laughed with her. She looked at me curious

their leaders. Ill grant you points for
ideology, but
then and fell in a brooding melancholy. Sheing;

practically speaking??
said she might reconsider burning everyth

that ma ybe adding me to her life would besue us
Sarah:
Youre thinking in old world terms,
enough. She said that they would pur t she
when the pyramid
worked top-down. Things are different
if she exposed them. I still don't kn ow wha go

now. The
Internet is the great equalizer its
shaping the world
mea ns, but I sen se that she will ask me to

from bottom to top. Itll be a while
before we get there
and I will grant you that the elite is
wit h her tonight. I will say yes

pretty entrenched,
but it cant remain so forever. Every
move has a
counter move. Even that endgame
banking memo
couldnt remain secret. And yes, not
many people
believe its true. But *enough* do and
eventually the
scales will tip.
Funds Approved
Sarah: From: San Diego Ci
tizens Union
We can direct the populace through To: S.
mass
communication. Your people are alrea
dy doing it, but Response to the video
their focus is wrong. Theyre pushing
Were keeping her iso is good. People like
lated for now we mi the girl.
for control and
people are *going to push back*. My
proposal is more use her again later. ght want to
organic. Find out what the people wan
t and use *that* Weve also began milit
to hide. Take privacy for example. The
only too happy to give that up afte
populace was The fringe groups alr ia training per your suggestion.
r 9/11, but theyre eady know how to us
beginning to reconsider. If we expe stay off the grid, and e guns and
dite that the others are picking
sentiment, we could live in a less clos Im he sit an t to say up quickly.
ely monitored th at th e ha ck in g gr
world. This is how we keep the secr improving. A few of ou p ne ed s
et. them are very skilled
our people are caref ul , but many of
not to leave an electr
theyve been staying on
away from the Inter ne ic trail so
cannot hope to win thi t entirely. We
Mikhail: s without an online for
so were working on ce,
I remain unconvinced. Most people
use your great it. Perhaps with addit however,
equalizer to look at pictures of cats we could hire professi ional funds
on
. Even those who
would be activists, do no more than training. I have the co als to do some of the work and
sign online ntacts, but they dont
petitions. Meanwhile the elite does Were also making su come cheap.
what it pleases.
and Pikettys theor y re to ke ep Ju lia ns do
in the metro media. It cuments
Also, let us assume that there is an
uprising my side
has the ear of the city council, the Nav between being over- s a fine line
rep
think were finding the resented and forgotten, but I
al Base, and
(despite your efforts) the police. They
are and will rig
remain untouchable. wealth is becoming an ht balance. The distribution of
increasing issue and
people angr y as we its making
hoped. We have seve
in our circle and theyl ral repor ters
Sarah: l keep pushing the an
Thats what Marie Antoinette and Nich gle.
olas II thought.
Those police officers and marines?
They have
*families*. Blood is thicker than law.
We cannot keep
88 hidiSecrets
ng amoofngst
thethe
Covenants
elite, because they *will* fall.
SECURE
Mikhail:
en t of Sophie
nce? The testam
Funny coincide
Charlotte
a
ju
di
st
gi
su
ta
rf
l
ac
vi
ed. From wha
deo and transc
t I ca n
ript in a
te ll, she
tim
la st
ed
24
The Struggle of Sophia Charlotte
anchor ed red in th e
bo x. W ith no passcode ente r m em be rs
drop g to othe
co pi es ha ve been spreadin ce fo rw ar de d
hour s, onymous so ur
za tio n. An an to m e.
of our organi a copy
STAT US OF V IDEO: Authe nticat ed. Subje ct
Sophie Charlotte von Hannover also authenticated.
STAT US OF TR A NSCR IPT: Comp leted and
Sarah: y cute little ass.
t on e, to o. Coincidence m ng. Sophie
found below.
Yeah, I go
e to w ha t Ive been sayi STAT US OF AT TACH ED DOC U M EN T S:
This is way too
cl os ed to be the
ha t, 30 0 ye ars old? She us Kaiser Authenticated.
Charlotte is, w , but since the
of Pr us sia fo r heavens sake po sit io ns of
Queen over for
ki lle d, sh e ha s been passed ili ty to m ov e
was
sin gl e tim e. H er own inab g he r
power every feudal system
was holdin
an ou td ated e fla m es of
beyond fanning th My name is Sophie Charlotte von Hannover and this is
. Bu t lo ok at her now. She is m as se s w ill
back
by, and the do
wntrodden my testimony. For the past fourteen years, the Kindred
revolution, ba of Berlin have been under attack by an unknown entity.
ory.
carry her to vict What began as a few disappearing or dead neonates has
Mikhail:
since spread to decimate our population. The Markg raf
pl aying a
rn dow n Berlin first. Sh es
e. cannot protect us, nor can his secret police. In an effort
If she does nt bu dangerou gam s
to stave off our extinction, the Markg raf has turned to
manipulating morta l hunters and us. We feed on lies
while the Markg raf betrays us, all in a desperate bid to
Sarah: keep power. Es reicht.
game in town.
Thats the only
off. Now, however, it takes neonate, ancilla, and elder alike.

The attack began slowly, with neonates who possibly just ran
Watchful Eyes in 2009, but they too fell; wiped out on their
The tide seemed to turn when the Markg raf established his
nced his plan to draw hunters to Berlin, so they might root
one-year anniversary no less. Then in 2011, the Markg raf annou
us everyt hing.
out the threat for us. He told us this openly. He didnt tell
replace the fallen. We know this. What we did not know, was
Embrace rates in Berlin are high, as we need new vampires to a
Markg raf has throw n our childer to them like bones to keep
that we also needed new fodder to feed to the hunters. The should they ever
unwise. The neonates are already riled up and
hunting dog happy. This is as appalling as it is amora l and
of us would be left to disappear.
find out, they could turn on their elders and none
disappeared. I never had a girl; my two morta l children and
I discovered the Markg rafs ploy when my own beloved Leda
er, drew my attention. She was educated, sophisticated, and
every Kindred I Embraced thereafter were men. Leda, howev ened
l days. Her talent for music was unsur passed and she bright
determined. I saw in her, perhaps, somet hing of my morta
her haven.
my nights. One night, however, she simply disappeared from
uncovering the Markg rafs complicity. Sometimes I forget
Follow ing Ledas trail was easier than I had anticipated, as was
my reach extends far. I reached for Ledas killers and found
that I am, as Johan would put it, one of the old guard and that a
t master. I doubt he led them to Leda direct ly, but she was
the Markg raf instead, holding the hunters leash like a puppe t up in their net.
the hunters on her allies and that she was caugh
social creature; it is entirely possible that the Markg raf set
So where does that leave me?
But at what cost? Bad enough that childer are merely chosen
1 Do nothing. Perhaps the Markg raf will save Berlin yet. e
s. To use them as bait for hunters is as moral ly reprehensibl
to fill the holes in our ranks, rather than for their own talent will backfi re.
l and the Markg rafs plan
as it is foolish; either group could easily spin out of contro
2 Confront the Markg raf. I am old and powerful. Even more so, I suspect, than the Markg raf. However, he must surely
prepared for a confrontation.
have foreseen that someone would find out, and he will have
us electorate of Berlin, but she seems eager to let the Markg raf
3 Let my superiors handle it. Sophia Goldstein is the Invict
hand the reins of power over to a Dragon so completely. Under
make all the decisions. Its almost pathetic to see an Invictus
contacts, but if I said Clan Ventrue has been halved since the
different circumstances, I might have fallen back on my clan
someone else handle it equals to doing nothing.
attack s started, I might be overly optimistic. I fear that to let
se of continuance, yet both the attack s and the hunters are
4 Stand up against the Markg raf. The neonates carry the promi
Invictus 89
er,
them, they would at least be safer. I fear their anger, howev
killing them left and right. If I shared this information with burn it to the groun d. Would they stop there?
rafs haven, and
for surely they would march on the Shadow Palace, the Markg
childe r, I must also be mindf ul of protec ting the elders of Berlin. I say this with great reluctance, but
If I seek to protect the
, I could steer Berlin to calmer waters.
perhaps if I reach out to Johan, the de facto neonate leader
I wish things were different, I must do what is right. I am
I look at the hand Ive been dealt and, no matter how much and
up. I include my proof against the Markg raf with this video
meeting Johan later tonight and together we will lift Berlin house in order and then we will find and stop
I will put our
hope future generations and God judge me kindly. Johan and
the source of the attack s. We must. It is our duty.
LLG
LASSITER LOB
BYING GROUP
SECURE From: Consultant

To: La ssiter Lobby
Sarah: Group
So what about you? Do you really believe the elite are Subjec t: Change th
e conver sation
the way to go? Theyre terrified of losing power (and T he riche st 1 pe rc
they should be, considering how massively outnum- ent in the Un ite d St
ow ns more wealt h th ate s now
bered they are).Thanks to them, theres a camera on an the bottom 90 pe
rcent.
every street corner. Soon, biometric scanners will be I nc om e fo r th e
bo t to m 90 % of A
everywhere. Tell me: how we will remain hidden? fa milie s fel l betwee m er ic an
n 2010 and 2013, ab
the 40 th-60t h pe rcen ou t 6% for
tiles and 7% for the
Mikhail: pe rcentiles. Income 20 th-40t h
ceptio n that wed s in the top de cile ro
Youre laboring under the miscon se 2% .
Imagin e a place T he aver age emplo
have no say in those develo pment s. ye e ne ed s to work mo
a mont h to ea rn what re than
where cameras automatically delete blurry pictures. his CEO ea rn s in on
e ho ur.
Or where biometric scanners do not pick up on body Did you know that?
I knew that. And th
temperature or heartbeat. What we need to do, is Pi ketty and his ilk , an ks to
control the curve. Your position is one of fear. Youre soon ever yone will
know that.
wondering what if humanity, with all its toys, turns
I com mend you on de
bu nk ing conspi racy
on us. Thats why you want society to fall apart and on main strea m webs theories
ite s. Wik iped ia is ve
devolve. Mine is a position of strength. I plan to and fu ll of reasonab ry clean
control those toys. leness though I fo
quotes di rectly from un d both
there. You have also
job on the conspi ra cy done a fai r
sit es; co -opt ing them
Sarah: their cont ent be yond to ma ke
rid icu lou s. Endgam
No, yours is a position of insane risk. Maybe we could GMOs to induce ste e me mos,
control from the top down. But even if no one in the ril ity in the poor, ch
cont rol emot ions, mi em tra ils to
citys IT department notices that the surveillance nd-control ch ips yo
uve made
it impossible for anyo
equipment is a little wonky and thats a pretty big if ne to separate fact fro
m fiction.
its still not a model that will carry us into the future. Ho we ve r, yo u ar e
dr op pi ng th e ba ll
Power is about letting go of the reins and still having econom ic theorists. on th e
you want it. Sometimes a gentler Too ma ny are ste ppin
90 the horseofgo
Secrets thewhere
Covenants touch is better.
with hard data that
shows that ever yone
g forward
s income
SECURE
goes dow n exce
pt for the top ea rn
lo ng er ca re yo u er s. Pe ople no
re pr ov id in g jo bs Sarah: nd your
; th ey be lie ve more digging and I fou
yo ure ho ar di ng
an d, un fo rt un at el Ive been doing some . No t su re Id consider
tal control*
real defe nse for th y, yo u have no New World Order. *To ug From
h.
at. You ne ed to ch of our covenant, tho
publ ic opin ion, an ange the tide of it a shining example g aw ay kine
tire place is rottin
d Im going to he
lp you do that in what I can tell, the en te are on top and the
Sa n Diego. t hey, the eli
and Kindred alike. Bu mes. Or, at
e with bread and ga
Yo u m ig ht w on masses are kept in lin
de r, w hy Sa n D m. *Great job*.
Li be ra ls ou tn um ie go? Si m pl e. least, drugs and nihilis
be r co ns er va tiv
th ou gh Il l gr an es 7 to 6 he re , Mikhail:
t th eyre over-r ep
city gove rn ment. re se nt ed in th e s seem to
Th is makes your s investigator describe
impossible. Its ea jo b ha rd , but not The two Kindred thi ch y. Th ose of
ttom of the hierar
sy to w in on hom
e te rr itory, but have been at the bo tre atm en t. An d, yes,
Sa n Diego could pr e better
ov ide you w ith a merit probably receiv ntr the
ols
the blue citie s. model to ta ck le ty*. The First Estate co
*this is my ideal socie e you the mo ls are
rta too
To ge t dow n to city and I can guarante d in the ir mi dst.
the Kindre
compa nies in yo
bu si ne ss Im su
re one of the dazed to even notice a mo de l of so cie ty
to deve lop
ur Sa n D iego po
rtf *That* is our purpose, ure los ing
st raits. Prefer ably ol io is in di re sily kept. Unless yo
a good old-fa sh io where the secret is ea focus of that?
na me; a mom n ne d household
pop st or e th at gr
chai n. Sell it to on ew into a lo ca l
e of the A sia n grou
jobs are lost. That ps. Make su re
shou ld br ing the Sarah: necessary to
jobs. Change the focu s ba ck on I just dont think its
conver sation. Im not losing focus. ep the secret.
pulation just to ke
destroy an entire po
er ways.
There are other, gentl
Mikhail:
ag ain . Th is isnt about
t word
There you go using tha t being ective.
eff
being gentle. Its abou
SECURE
Sarah:
I had that dream again. This time I got close
exit. I think Mr. S. was stand ing there. He
nt
r to the
was
see
holding
it clearly.
Facility 52
something, a metal object, but I could
Mikhail:
That migh t be
Youre dreaming about our sire?
Stockhol m synd rome , you know . From: [redacted]
To: Sarahs Game
of
Sarah: Kamchatka Krai, at the furthest east tip
do thin gs a
Sigh. Im trying to share here. But never
mind then.
Russia, has always been ours. We
tal
certain way here. We control the horizon
y. Wh en the
Mikhail: and the vertical, and people obe
9
Come on, Sarah. Im just kidding! Russians opened the region to civilians in 198
too.
though, other covenants inevitably came in
the
Mikhail:
Sarah?
Sometimes they clash with us. Recently,
tow n noti ced
Carthian enforcer of a no-name
the
a slow trickle of disappearing Kindred in
Mikhail: sent som eon e
Oh fine then. I apologize.
city surrounding facility 52. He
to investigate. We took care of it.
Sarah:
Youre forgiven. This time.
Invictus 91
From: Kai
To: Madeline
Arrived later than I
expected,
at 02 :11, si nc e th e
ro ad w as
horrible. No mobile
reception
or Wi-Fi, something
about ore
in the ground, but foun
d a motel
with Internet. Will be
in touch
tomorrow.
211 is th e cod e for

intercepted communication.
Som eon e is monitoring
emai ls. Explains why
emai ls ar e going to th e
Mad eline proxy, rath er than
Operations directly.
From: Kai
To: Madeline
town a bit. Tried my cell at several
Found a place to stay and walked around
ere. The owner of the motel explained
locations, but theres no reception anywh
t it has som eth ing to do wit h me tal ore in the ground and surrounding
tha
Soviets. Mining is pretty much dead
mountains. Apparently, this ore drew in the
about that later. Going back to the ore
now. As is the rest of the town, but more
le. Weirdest thing Ive ever heard, but
everyone here relies on landlines and cab
ut.
Im sure they know what theyre talking abo
the edge of the abyss. Soviet funds
The town itself is pretty much standing on
alive until 1991, wh en the USSR cru mb led. I think technically its still part
kept it
bothered to revolt. There isnt anything
of Russia, but thats only because it hasnt
ed in Krokodil. Everyone Ive seen has
worth fighting for here unless youre interest
to expose flesh, muscle, and bone. If the
the signs scaly skin that rots in patches
zombie plague ever hits, it started here.
. I know you like that sort of thing. Be
Attached a pic of some interesting graffiti
in touch.
Checked the picture and found no encrypted data. Later pictures did carry messages and Iv e
decoded those. Someone is working to cut this place off from the world. Interference from ore,
indeed.

From: Kai
To: Madeline
Saw a woman on the
street. Her left cheek
her blackened, toothl had rotted away and
ess mouth. Her tong I could see straight in
enough to offer me ue was half-gone too, bu to
a blowjob. I refused. t she could speak wel
nothing but rats. A lo Walked a bit around l
t of rats I suppose th the old harbor and
a gorgeous harbor bu e locals ate all the ca fo und
ilding, probably erec ts. No dogs either. D
mother state. The faca ted to welcome high id see
de still stands, but go placed visitors from
into the water. Rottin ing round back it erod the
g like everything else ed so much that its fa
Found a high-rise with . lling
some squatters too. M
kids they offered to ostly singles, some pa
sell me their baby. O irs. Saw one family w
showing the first sig ldest child, a boy of ith
ns of Krokodil. I put th around seven, was al
it pained my heart. Th em all out of their m re ady
ere is nothing good isery. The baby too, th
for her here. ou gh
Decoded Message:
Finally found two of our kind. Or mor e accurate ly, they found me. The
Mary and John, which are no doubt fak e nam es. They agre ed to tell y introduced themselv es as
they dont trust me yet. Appar ently, when the Russians abandon ed thisme about the city, though its clear
the vacuum. They control the city and its only source of revenue, which plac e, the Invictus mov ed into
industry. No one leav es without their say so, neither Kindred nor kin according to John is the drug
with Krokodil, that much is obvious, but Mary and John were coy abou e. They keep the latt er in check
stay. Whatev er it is that clos es the ranks against dissidents, its big. M t how they compel Kindred to
newcom ers an offer that they cannot refuse. I ask ed her for proof and ary says the Invictus mak e all
she will
I promise to tak e them with me when I leav e. get me a list of nam es if
From: Kai
To: Madeline on the
is all around me . This ent ire pla ce the city, its people is standing
Decay life. Not out
to oblivion already, but still clings to
cusp of death. It should have fallen ke up, breathe, do Krokodil, sleep. Its
d you , bu t out of hab it. Wa
of desperation, min
almost mesmerizing.
an endless cycle for these people. Its
Decoded Message: om th e ou ts id e, just another

to th e lab. Not hing to lo ok at fr dr ed,
Mary and John smugitsglaledlmgleeainming ha llways, m eta l, and chrom e. Saw ansaotwhermKe, inbut look ed
rust ed sh el l, but insidel to distract him whil e Mary snuck m e in. Guy never rious here. When
though John was carefulunch I dont think th ey take th e third tradition tooouset it later and sh e
at John lik e he was black te eth rotting in his mouth. I pr ess ed Mary ab hers elf has a patch
he spok e, I could se e dr ed suff er from first stage Krokodi l symptoms. She Cou ld it be carried
admit ted that most Kinher show m e but sh e sw ears sh e never touched th e stuff. saw vials of X TC,
on her arm I mad e What th ey cook up in th e lab is no Krokodi l though. Ioks lik e th ey expect al l
through morta l blood?ol ly and stuff that do esnt ev en have a nam e yet. I t lo sl eep.
Cocaine, Heroin, M ed to work for th e company: wake up, fe ed, cr eate drugs,
Kindr
Invictus 93
SECURE
From: Kai Sarah:
To: Madeline I had another dream. This one was worse. Ill tell you if
you promise not to be a twat for once.
To ok an othe r gr af fiti
picture fo r yo ur
collection. Saw this one Mikhail:
building, another Promise.
high-rise full of squatte
rs, covered in the
most beautiful graffiti of
decaying flowers. Sarah:
I have no idea how they This time I knew it was a dream, so I was calmer now. I
managed to spray
the entire side of a twel stopped running to feel the walls and taste the water. I
ve-stor y building, examined the side channels and the water coming out
but there you go. of them, too. The channels were big enough to crawl
into, but I didnt want to. I knew that if I did, Id get lost.
They were like a rats maze and I didnt want to be a
rat. They still had words and images tumbling out of
Decoded Message: them and I saw things like Sophia Charlotte and the
Mary got me the list she promised. Th e names pictures from Kamchatka Krai. I was thirsty, so I began
on it are rea l all lost Kindred accounted for. to drink (yeah, I think I stopped being lucid at that
point) but something became lodged in my throat. I
So are she and John being truthful? I cou ld coughed it up and it was a picture of a dark cavern
push to me et the Invictus and hear their sid e of filled with white trees. I knew I wasnt supposed to
drink that, so I started running to the exit again. Mr. S.
things. After seeing how that Kindred at the lab was there and I was so relieved to see him, that I didnt
looked at John though, I have a good idea what see the object in his hand, but then the light caught
on it and it was a huge sword. I tried to come to a halt,
th e off er I cant refuse is. Decid ed not to press to ask what movie he was auditioning for, but he just
my luck. Leaving. ran me through. I fell backwards into the water and
the blood from my chest swam up so I couldnt see.
The water carried me back into the tunnel, and I
bumped into someone. It was you. I mean, I couldnt
Last email was two nights ago. We must assum see you, but in my dream, I knew it was you. You were
the Invictus found Kai and are pushing him for e there with me and we were both dead.
information. Requ est advic e on further action. Mikhail:

Wow. You have some weird dreams.
And issues.
Mikhail:
Sorry!
From: San Die
go Citizens Uni
To: S. on Mikhail:
We have people That just came out wrong.
inside San Diego
and ou r hacker s key compani
s have done a es
a to ke n am ou small ru n stea
nt fr om ea ch li ng Mikhail:
money from on . B y co nver ti
e e-currency to ng th e
encr yption, they another while Were under a lot of pressure right now. Its not every
claim to be untr using night that youre asked to run a sim on the future of
big, the local F aceable. Once w
ortune 500 wil e go your covenant. People have expectations. Of course,
That should pu l be the Fortune
t a dent in their 000. were both nervous. But no one is going to kill you.
On a side note, abilit y to buy th
we are now the e city. Weve been at our sim for three years now and weve
a million in bitc proud owners of gotten nothing but good reviews. Youre bright.
oins. I hope yo half
purchases plan u have a lot of Almost as bright as I am. When were done, well both
ned. Im kiddin online
money back in g. Shall we funn be on the fast track. Youll see.
to our operatio el the
n?

LLG
LASSITER LOBBYING GRO
UP
From: Lassiter Lobby Group

To: Consultant
Subject: The next step
Thank you, again, for your exc
your point about San Diego as
ellent advice. We agree on SECURE
one of our proving grounds.
With jobs lost to the Ch ine
se, citi zen s are wr iting the Mikhail:
mayor to fur ther enhance tax Sarah? You there? I think
I mi
exemptions for businesses. ght be in trouble.
Meanwhile, were working to
prevent re-regulation of San
Diego ban ks. If we can trigger
another crisis, even on a local
level, well be able to pick up I found something in on Mikhail:
houses, assets, and companies e of my PO Boxes. I cant
on the cheap. We need a good the source. Ive scanned track
spin to sell it, though. We don it and am sending it no
want to come out looking like t w.
the bad guys again. rome.pdf
We also want to be kinder this
time the last crisis drove
people out on the streets and
while it made us money, it Mikhail:
didnt really give us a solid I DONT THINK IM SUPP
handle on anyone. It was also OSED TO HAVE THIS.
far too big. No more nation
wide moves which is anothe
reason were glad for your ass r Sarah:
istance locally. Were thin kin
a work program combined wit g Fuck you. Seriously. Fuc
h food stamps and an incentive k you. Why the hell would
program for behavior. There share that with me? You you
really should be no excuse for re going to get us both
killed.
anyone on welfare spending mo Worst. Friend. Ever.
ney on frivolous things. Our
goal is total control concer nin
g habitat, work, free time, and
consumption even if it wont
be until our grandchildrens
children that they reap the ben Problems love company. Mikhail:
efits. Ive been listening to you
Your advice has been excelle about your nightmares.
Now, stop complaining
nt and wed like to keep you and
on retainer. Are you on board?
help me here?
Sarah:
*Misery* loves compan
y and its still a dick move.
SECURE Sarah:
Okay.
Sarah: local
are ready to collapse the
Fair warning. My peeps Sarah:
economy. Did you send me the ent
ire thing? Ill bury it on
darknet and add a timer
Mikhail: in case anyone tries to gra
us. Meanwhile you burn b
e thing. the original. Im sending
to say the sam a cleaner program run you
Funny. I was about it to delete any trace of
thing from your system this
. Then we will never talk
it again. of
Sarah:
t Control?
Think we should contac
Mikhail:
litt le vag ue on what
Well, the handbook is a uld wa ger
act ion, bu t I wo
constitutes irreversible my cou nts.
that collapsing the econo
Sarah: of
n, Mr. Funny Guy. Ill pro
Lets draw up reports the
yours if you proof mine.
Invictus 95
When in Rome
walking
One of my earliest memories is e lights, and the familiar scent of my mother as she gathers
all th ve.
through the house to turn on I insist she leaves the lights on. I hate the dark; always ha
d.
me up and takes me back to be too. W ell , it wa s da ytime, but I was in a coffin so
it
th e da rk
The first time I saw her was in R ome. With security checks, you cant trust any flight to
ed to al
was dark to me. I d just travel are notoriously tardy in everything, so traveling like a norm c
ns ffi
arrive on schedule and Italia k being caught by the sun. Luckily, my sire is part of a tra ss
ris cla
person was out. Dont want to needed to do was climb in a coffin and theyd ship me first- a
I sh
network and he set me up. A ll tly its the way to travel for those with our condition. Sa
ren
cargo. Creepy as hell; but appa during the hours I d be awake. Bring an e-reader or MP3
even gave me tips on what to youve downloaded everything cause you wont have access
do
re t
player, she said, but make su ugh no access to the cloud while in the clouds but she jus
la too
to your cloud. That made me t joking. It was the first time shed made an effort to be nice, e.
sn Be at ric
stared and I realized she wa bra cin g an oth er Ki nd red ). Way to be awkward,
sire em
(she didnt appreciated her/our wa s dr ea ming, too. My sire claims that my memory.
Kindred
, as lee p. I th ink I
So I was in my coffin nig ht wi th
from
the sensation of dreams slipping e sound comes
t I wa ke up eve ry of wings. Th
rarely dream, bu ff an d hear the far-away beating es already all whipping
ing at th e ed ge of a cli cloth
Im stand ug gle against the gale, hair and ath me and my flesh begins
closer as th e wi nd pic ks up . I str ne
es be
off the cliff. Yellow fire emerg up.
forward, and am blown right face flake off and turn to ash as I fall into the fire. I woke ing
of th
to melt as I fall closer. Strips ion in my little box. I wanted to scream, but I didnt. Some was
at I
I could smell death and stagn l it, just like I could feel my sire when he stalked me. Like me
fee ink
was in there with me. I could d the best I could do was be still and hope that it didnt th
very small and insignificant, an
interesting.
st, I th ou gh t it wa s the ye llo w fire from my dream, but
t fir I
Thats when I saw it - her. A s in the dark. They came closer and I knew they were eyes.
po int limbs. I
there were two of them. Tiny thr as h an d thr ow it off me, but I couldnt move myind them
wa nte d to
did scream then and I as th e ey es leaned in and I saw an ashen ew my fight-or-
face beh
ing bu t scr ea m
couldnt do anyth h go ds. Sasha would laugh so ha
rd if she kn
Th en I pa sse d ou t. O
and then
out. But I did.
flight response equals passing an d th e nig ht cre w wa s opening my coffin. I didnt
were go ne out
When I woke again, the eyes my sire and I knew theyd report back to him if I asked ab
for
tell them anything. They work me. This is the first time Ive been away from him since he ter
anyone being in the coffin wi th
on my ow n for a wh ile . N o way was I going back af
ed to be
turned me and I need this. I ne re probably part of the dream. Thats what I told myself.
we
just arriving. Besides, the eyes w cit y, pa sse d pa rti ally with me writing my sire to
in a ne
That night, my first as Kindred my behalf, and thanking the Prince of R ome for his
ge on
thank him for bartering passa e taught me is to always be polite. It seemed that everyone ns
sir
hospitality. The first thing my study the early nights of our covenant. I endured introductio
in
knew that I d come to R ome to iming to be close friends of my sire and offering to help me
al l cla rth ele ss,
to half a dozen Kindred, sha ta ug ht me is th at Ki nd red do nt have friends. Neve
my endeavor. The first thing Sa names and thank them.
th eir
I made sure to remember all
her
o cla im ed to be my sir es A unt and has lived in R ome all s
wh o wa
Three Kindred stood out: Edda, ogist and offered to proof my thesis; and lastly Giulia, wh
eol
life; Gennaro, who is an arch therefore most like me.
d
the only childe in the group an der a clock
six orbs
tower. It was marked with the ildings
al l ba sem en t un
I spent the night in a sm ha rd ly surpr
lf the bu
ising the Medicis owned ha rt of history.
st, bu t th at wa s ngible pa
of the Medici cre St ill, it was nice to sleep close to a ta t of the stone. Edda,
on e po int or an oth er.
in Italy at ing ou
s feel, as if history is just pour I needed anything before I
to love the wa y old bu ild ing g if
I used off for the night. She kept askin u to
who controls the tower, saw me st be bipolar or something. One moment theyre yelling at yo if
turned in. I swear Kindred mu y (my sire really did that), the next theyre coddling you as
gu
stop being a pussy and kill the de sure to bar the door after she left.
ma
youre a toddler. Its freaky. I
From: Lady Edda
To: Lord Francesco
Dear Francesco,
A quick note before morning comes.
Beatrice arrived safely. She is a darling
girl, very well behaved and clearly
the weariness you spoke of, but Im educated. I could see some of
sure that will pass. A lot has happen
all. You mentioned she majored in Eur ed in her life since she met you, afte
opean History and she seemed to live r
to Professor Gennaro. Im certain we n up quite a bit when she spoke
ll have a grand time here in Rome.
The transporters also performed adm
irably. Ive paid the second half of the
replace the lid, as they claim Beatric ir fee. They charged extra to
e left claw marks on it. Maybe she had
or theyre simply trying to get a littl a sma ll bout of claustrophobia,
e on the top. Either way, the increas
and paid that, too. Ive included the e was nt much so I just went ahead
nota so you can reimburse me at you
but I know how much you hate out r convenience; there is no rush,
standing debts.
I look forward to spending time with
my grandniece.
Sincere regards,
Edda.
Transcript of audio recording

, recovered from Beatrices pho
Beatrice: This is Beatrice ne.
[blanked out] recording. Im talk
to tell me about the early nights ing to Lady Edda [blanked out] wh
of the Invictus. o graciously agreed
Lady Edda: Oh dear, are you
recording this on your phone?
technology! [Brief silence, foll How utterly inte
owed by Edda laughing.] Im jus resting. I never cease to be amazed by
works. Its good to stay up to dat t kidding, darling. Of course I
e with technology as the centur know how it
in due time. Shall we then? ies pass by, as youll discover
for yourself
Beatrice: Uhm. Yes. First,
thank you for agreeing to talk
for arranging accommodation to me. I know you must be ver
s for me. y busy. And thank you again
Lady Edda: Youre ver y welcom
e, dear.
Beatrice: I wanted to start
at the early days, err, nights. Sor
Lady Edda: Dont worry abo ry about that.
ut it, dear. Its something you nee
still misspeak. Just pay more d to unlear n because it shows you
attention to it and do better. r age, but many childer
Beatrice: Yes, I will. The ear
ly nights. My sire spoke about
about that? the Camarilla in ancient Rom
e. Could you tell me more
Lady Edda: Ah, the Camaril
la. Hallmark of the great. Leg
spread with that great empire end of Kindred. The Camaril
. It covered, essentially, every la was birthed in Rome and
Rome lay at the heart of it. You great nation this continent has
ngsters tonight think that the wo ever see
InBoard, and other ways of com rld is small. Perhaps it is. We hav n and Invictus 97
municating with Kindred all aro e vichan,
und the globe. Yet if you travel
from Rome
. The world may be smaller, but its not united. Not
to Berlin, youll find politics are very different there
, gover ned all Nights Society. Can you even begin
so in ancient Rome the same laws, the same rules
to comprehend how magnificent it was?
Beatrice: Yes, I pictures that
trying to imagine what the sun looks like. We have
Lady Edda: No, I dont think you can. Its like close with your own eyes. The Cama rilla was like
show us, but nothing could ever mimic seeing it up ction.
touched. It was perfe
the sun. It changed and enlightened everything it
Beatrice: But it fell. cause and
fell with the Camarilla. Its hard to say which was
Lady Edda: Yes, it fell with Rome. Or maybe Rome you think we could cause the down fall of a human
which effect. You look surprised at that. Dont as the Cama rilla was. Its very
ht is as powerful
regime? We could, and none of the covenants tonig Rome , no longe r suppo rted by its unseen
and that
possible that the demise of the Camarilla came first
masters, fell as a result.
Beatrice: Do we know which it was? hy at best.
no proof either way. Reports of that time are sketc
Lady Edda: No. There is a lot of speculation, but was gover ned by the Dead Julii. Thou gh I suppose
However, we do know some things. The Camarilla
they were just the Julii then. The Julii
Beatrice: What was that?
Lady Edda: What was what, dear?
Beatrice: That sound. all, so unless
many sounds in Rome. Its a very busy city, after
Lady Edda: That sound. You know, dear, there are
you can specify
it.
Beatrice: I No, Im sorry. I must have imagined time. Would
lite to interr upt your Elders, but Ill let it slide this one
Lady Edda: Imagined it. Its really quite impo
you like me to continue?
g you.
Beatrice: Yes, maam, please. And I apologize for interr uptin d
ned the Cama rilla. In fact, the two were so closely intertwine
Lady Edda: Hm. As I was saying, the Julii gover When the Julii came to their demi se, they took the
that you might say the Julii were the Camarilla.
Camarilla with them.
] Julii?
Beatrice: What happened to the Ju- [brief pause d too many
ct that they, like Rome itself, simply accumulate
Lady Edda: Again, no one really knows. We suspe top.
enemies. These things happen when youre at the
Beatrice: But surely, there are theories.
one for idle speculation. I am not a gossip magazine.
Lady Edda: Yes, there are theories, but I am not
that [pause]. I apologize.
Beatrice: Yes, of course. I never meant to imply
Lady Edda: Apology accepted, dear.
the Camarilla? My sire implied
Beatrice: Thank you. Uhm. What happened to of it survived.
When the greater Camarilla fell, a small remnant
Lady Edda: That we are its heirs? Well, hes right. tum is to be believ ed. But wher e the Spea r concerns
Two small remnants possibly, if the Lancea et Sanc Cama rilla had
tend to more important matters. The
itself with the spiritual well-being of Kindred, we utely essen tial to the
fluous, but three are absol
a great many laws and customs, many of them super
are?
survival of our kind. Can you tell me which those
not revea l ourse lves to mortals. The second: A sire is responsible
Beatrice: The Traditions. The first: We must s blood of another Kindred.
for his childer. The third: We may not drink the heart leave the second
Traditions maintained in any civilised domain. We
Lady Edda: Very good! Yes, those are indeed the often come from our ranks , and guard the First
and third Tradition to local Princes, who admittedly the Masq uerad e and guard the silence.
to maintain
Tradition ourselves. Worldwide. This is our duty:
Beatrice: The silence of n.
no word slips to the mortals. To remain forever hidde
Lady Edda: The silence of our kind. To make sure
from the Camarilla?
Beatrice: And we inherited this duty directly although
coven ant show our founding immediately after the Camarilla fell,
Lady Edda: Precisely. Records of our x to vassa ls and Princ es. Rega rdles s of trapp ings, we
we transformed along with the timse. From Sene
are they. The Camarilla that survived. Invictus.
Beatrice: Wow. I mean thats amazing. Lets turn off
for one night. I suspect youll want to see the city.
Lady Edda: Yes, it is dear. Well, thats enough talk
this recording and you can be on your way.
your time maam. I really appreciate it.
Beatrice: Yes, of course. Thank you again for
Edda was first on my list of interviewees. Par
I interviewed anyone else first and partly beca tly because I suspect that she d be offended if
I dont think I made the best impression, but use my sire said she was very knowledgeable.
encouraged me to see R ome after the intervieshe seemed willing to accept my apologies. She
one, everything closes at night. Edda told mew. Ive been here before, but its different now. For
in. I asked her how she stopped everyone from to name-drop her to the guards and theyd let me
tells me all I need to know. abusing that and she merely smiled. Guess tha
t
I didnt take her up on her offer though. I
moment I hit the city proper. The thing is, histplanned to, initially, but things changed the
of the Western world long before they inventedory is everywhere in R ome. It was the largest city
that fell into disuse were simply covered in ear bulldozers, so nothing was torn down. Buildings
exist under modern day buildings; you cant th and built atop of. Entire city blocks and streets
ruin. Some of these ruins are accessible righthrow a shovel here without hitting an ancient
It requires a bit of climbing and trespassing,t off the street or from regular building basements.
the only illegal thing Ive ever done in my lifebut its doable. So I did. I think this might be
fall could break my bones, but theyll heal. I and it felt great. I mean, what do I care? A
time and what? Get myself killed? Been ther might end up in the wrong place at the wrong
whatever I wanted. e. For the first time ever, I felt like I could do
I broke into half a dozen places that night.
site all I needed to do was scale the fence. I Its much easier than youd think at one dig
to keep people out. R ight. I didnt stay anywhethink they expect proper morals and common
sense
fun than actually being there. Until I came re for long; the thrill of getting in was more
sits right off the Piazza Vittorio and historyto the auditorium of Maecenas. The building
philosopher has been to the auditorium, from was made there. Every R oman politician and
was about to leave, but then I felt it. For the the era of Augustus right through to Nero. I
of the stones. I closed my eyes and inhaled. I first time since my embrace. History seeping out
argued. It was exhilarating. Kneeling down, could hear the voices of writers and poets as they
them in an effort to hear more. I examined the stones closely, pressing my ear
s to
Finally, I opened my eyes and saw small bird
some ravens too. I could understand the owls; motifs scattered over the steps. Owls mostly, but
place like this. The ravens seemed out of place,as representations of knowledge, the owls fit in a
came back. I smelled her first the scent of oldso I bent closer to look at them. Thats when she
a lock of my hair forward. I knew it wasnt death. A small breeze passed my cheek, blowing
terrified to acknowledge her. I hated her, too.the wind. It was she. I closed my eyes again, too
like myself again. I knew what I was doing; For the first time since my sire took me, I felt
reminded me what a little bird I am. I startedI was in my element. Until she showed up and
clacking sound of claws on bare stone as she crying from terror and frustration. I heard the
snapped me out of it. I bolted, faster than anycame towards me and that, more than anything,
her I just ran until the auditorium and her human being should be. I didnt look, didnt see
scent were far behind me.
Edda was waiting for me when I got home.
to share with her. I hesitated, not sure where She asked if there was anything I wanted
about my encounter, or about my Masquer to start, and that saved me. She didnt know
ade-breaking flight. She merely scolded me abo
ut
Invictus 99
breaking into dig sites rather than using her contacts to get in the proper way. I apologized
again and we left it at that.
I overslept the night after that. Its hard to explain, but I just couldnt open my eyes. I
dreamt that I was standing on a cliff again and birds knocked me off. I hate nightmares
the only good thing about them is waking up. I had a voicemail from Giulia waiting when
I finally rose. She wanted to hang out. I wonder if Edda asked her to keep an eye on me.
Either way, I accepted. I didnt much feel like being alone. Turned out shes as crazy as
I am.
The first part of the night was fine. Giulia showed me the best places to hunt in R ome and
we snuck into a late-night film. It was fun if wed been snacking on tacos instead of people,
it would have been like a regular girls night out. She smells nice, too. Then we were walkin
back across the Piazza Navona and she started talking about how she can hear them. g
I, like some kind of idiot, asked, Whos they? and she said the owls. I laughed. She wasnt And
joking and it wasnt funny, but I thought maybe if I pretend shes joking, shell stop. She
stop. She told me that owls crawl inside her during the day and that they tell her secrets. didnt
was still talking about them, how theyve been around since the first R oman Kings and how She
one of them still sleeps under the [blanked out], when we got back to our drop-off point. Then
she turned to me and said, I know you can hear them too. You shouldnt ignore them it
makes them angry. and she left. I finally met a girl I like and she talks to birds. So I stood
there thinking could my life get any worse? Turns out, it could.
ices phone.
ing, recovered from Beatr
Transcript of audio record sor, for agreeing to this
tal kin g to Pro fes sor Ge nnaro. Than k you, Profes
[blan ked out]
Beatrice: This is Beatrice
. W hich you then cleverly
interv iew .
to an int erv iew . I ag ree d to look over your thesis
lly I didnt agree
Gennaro: Well, technica
tur ned int o an ext ra interview.
her I like clever
Beatrice: Uhm. I apologi- th kn ow yo ur e no t rea lly sor ry. And I am not eit
dont apologize. We bo
Professor Gennaro: Oh,
girls.
an k you? youve learned so far?
Beatrice : Th
me . No w, let s sta rt thi s interview. Tell me what
are welco
Professor Gennaro: You
an interview goes. I where you can ask me
Beatrice: Thats no t ho w
go es. Ill let yo u kn ow when we get to the part
how this interview
Professor Gennaro: Its
questions. about the Camarilla.
: Ye s, of cou rse . We ll, I spoke to Lady Edda
Beatr ice e to its end?
nn aro : Di d she tel l yo u how that covenant cam
Professor Ge nt want to speculate.
e really knows and she did Praetorian Guard?
Beatrice: She said no on , what do you know of the
sti ng . Te ll me s to the Roman
Professor Gennaro: I see
. Int ere
gu stu s for me d the Gu ard to ser ve as bodyguard the other way
n Guard? Emperor Au n
Beatrice: The Praetoria d the emperors, rather tha
ey eve ntu ally gre w so cor rupt that they controlle no t sur e wh at tha t ha s to do with
Emperors. Th Gr eat dis ba nd ed it in 312 CE. But Im
the
around, and Constantine
Ro me fall? the sacks of Rome
Professor Gennaro: W hen
did
Th e de cli ne of its po we r became apparent with
your view of things.
Beatrice: That depends on

the empire came in 476, when
l push for the Wester n par t of
in 410 and 455 CE. The fina em per or. The Eastern por tion remain
ed as Byzant-
tus res ign ed as last jor
Romulus Augus in 312 and the first signs of ma
Ge nna ro: Yes , so we hav e the end of the Praetorian Guard
Professor
trouble in 410.
Beatrice: Yes, I suppose. car rying a grudge.
s tha n a cen tur y is not a long time for a vampire
Professor Genna ro: Les tigated the fall of
you say ing the Pra eto rian Guard were Kindred who ins
Beatrice: Wait, what? Are
the Empire as payback?
, look into it. Thats all.
Professor Gennaro: Im saying
Beatrice: But ch for your time.
ro: I thin k we ve cov ere d everything. Thank you so mu
Professor Genna
Im terrified of my sire. I like Sasha

Invictus, but really, Im here becau . Im here under the pretense of studying the early
killed me. Gennaro thinks the Praetse Ill take any excuse to get away from the man who
talks to birds. orian Guard collapsed the Empire.
I like Giulia, but she
By now, I was more confused tha
would do: I took a personal day. Edn when I came to R ome. So I did what any sane person
issue. da didnt seem too happy with that,
but she didnt push the
I should have known that my person
al day would be as bad as the others
I visited the Basilica of San Cleme .
the twelfth century Basilica, anoth nte. Its bas ica lly three churches built atop each other:
temple from the first century. The lat er bas ilic a da tin g bac k to the fourth century and a pagan
most interesting and mysterious deities ter wa s ded ica ted to Mithras who is by far one of the
couldnt hurt to take some time off fro aro un d. I did my sen ior thesis on him and I figured it
the Basilica is open to the public (du m my In vic tus stu dy to pursue a personal interest. Plus,
at night. I even made a point of name rin g the da y) so I did nt have to feel bad about entering
because I knew that would make her -dr opp ing Ed da to the guards, who indeed let me enter,
happy.
I had already decided I wasnt going
visiting both basilicas. It felt like wa to do anything else that night, so I took my time
poring over every detail, every stone. lking back in time with every step I took. I spent hours
devotion in ages past. Ive never experiI could hear the mosaics and frescoes sing to me of
feeling the buzz when I finally ent enced anything like it - it was amazing. I was still
bust of Sol and I heard the wailingered the mithraeum. I felt the fiery heat coming off the
the center and I licked the neck of theof the bull as Mithras slew it. I approached the stone at
better than anything Ive ever tasted bull. I could taste the blood it was ancient, salty, and
. Lords. Looking back, I must have
I explored several of the adjoining cha been high.
first, I looked around, hoping that som mb ers an d the n I heard the flapping of wings. A t
sound was coming from behind the wa e pig eon ha d com e in with me. There was no pigeon. Th
back to find the biggest rock I could ll. I hon est ly don t know what prompted me, but I wente
was still high. Maybe I was just tirecarry and then proceeded to bash the wall. Maybe I
go ahead and try it. There were no bir d of playing games. I wanted those damn birds to just
the tourist-friendly mithraeum, there ds. But there was another cavern. It was dark; unlike
I entered the roughly hewn cave. were no lights here. I felt civilization
slipping away as
Invictus 101
ed to a
of th e sa me mo tif s as the mi thraeum, but it seemed dedicatI think maybe
The cave held some yb e Li
walls, so
lith. I saw owls carved on the elf to tell me what it
. Isis perha ps. O r ma
female deity gin
r its
g to me like a chorus falling ove then. I knew what the
Lilit h. The sto ne s we re sti ll sin kn ew
me with understanding and I
had witnessed. The song filled trayed the Camarilla, a covenant to which they had sworn ains
Praetoriani did. How they be ddling like leeches in the dark underground to strike barg s.
allegiance. I could see them, hu brought to R om e by th e sa me sol diers that brought Mithra
I
with a demon goddess. Lilith, rage and loyalty, she and her owls bring only darkness. to a
cou
However, where he embodies thing noble about the Invictus. We were not the proud he irs
thought I knew. There was nos who stole the throne through pacts with demons.
great empire; we were usurper roo m th at nig ht. I just remember dreaming of
owls
t ba ck to my
I dont remember how I go
everywhere I went.
their yellow eyes judging me
From: Lady Edda

To: Lord Francesco
Dear Francesco,
Im afraid I have troubling ne
ws. I am trying to guide Be
discussed. It seemed to be go atrice back towards her dri
ing very well she spoke to Pro ve as we
her to enjoy an evening on her fessor Gennaro and myself, and
own. Rather than be grateful I allowed
broke down a wall in the mithr though, she is becoming recalc
aeum underneath the Basilic itra nt. She
it when asked. I checked her a of San Clemente, though she
room while she was out and denied
I will try to remain gentle, bu she had drawn owls all over
t if this keeps up, Im going to the wa lls.
Sincere regards, have to send her back home
.
Edda.
the ne xt nig ht. A ll I did wa s dream of owls. Stupid owls

e
I think I slept straight throughul, yellow fire. I think Edda knocked at some point, but sh n.
a ba lef barred it ag ai
pushing me off cliffs into ldn t wi th ou t bre aking down the door, as I hade always been
didnt come in. I gu ess sh e cou m it? Iv
inking abou t wh at ha ppe ne d in the mithraeum. Did I dreaane. Was I losing my
I kept th er people dont. But this was jus
t ins
sensitive. I pick up on things oth enough stress.
mind ? I d certainly been under ia sa id, th at one of them is still sleeping un
der R ome.
ed wh at G iul
Thats when I remember r ma yb e sh e
ny, in
was just foolhardy. In for a penBeing
bra ve per son . O thdrawn.
My mother was a very s ne ver like that. I was quiet, cautious, winight. Be brave.
us ed to sa y. I wa
for a pound, she eit he r.
m that
But I decided to be like my mo em tell me about the
embraced didnt he lp me th ere make th
r foo lh ar dy. I wa s go ing to visit one of the owl people and
O d the Invictus.
Camarilla, the Praetoriani an
Oh gods, I hate the dark.

lias inst ruc tions wer ent very spec ific, but I knew exactly where to go. The stones
Giu
through slime-encrusted, too-narrow
told me. I slithered down into the underworld further away from my world. I believed
openings going ever down. Every step took me ianis betrayal and I didnt care about
what the stones had told me about the Praetorhe had lied to me. It never occurred to me
going back. My sire had killed me and then
that the stones might be lying, too.
w how far I had descended, but I think
I came to an underground grove. I dont kno nding me were misshapen, petrified
rrou
this place has always been underground. Su light of my phone. A dark liquid pooled
trees, stunted trunks reflecting like ash in the t see any owls, but I knew they were
around the roots like coagulated blood. I didn t on a tree, only to land again behind
there. They alighted every time I shone my lighoing against the walls and threatening
me. The sound of wings filled the chamber, ech
to overwhelm all other sound.
ved into the floor, the walls, the tree bark
The owls story was everywhere I looked: car I saw R ome, burning, as large owls
everywhere like some twisted victory dance. esentations, no doubt, but symbolism
dove down and killed its populace. Symbolic repr s showed great emperors drinking the
can speak clearer than words. The oldest carving erors and owls together, but these were
blood of people. There were images of the empe, a wing there. Next came scenes of the
bashed in and all I could see was a limb herthe owls waging war on the emperors, and
emperors waging war on the owls, or maybe have always done they dragged their
the emperors did what the emperors of R ome the guard in full regalia, stepping behind
people down with them. The last scenes showed ly. Treacherous. Necessary. Is this what
the emperors and slitting their throats. CowardPraetoriani? Had the latter stepped in
really happened with the Camarilla and the I want to believe that. We have certainly
to save what they could save, by any means? where except here.
kept the silence. No owl wings to be heard any
rly dead. I can barely see what Im
Its getting darker. My phone battery is nea g to read this. The sound of wings is
writing. Not that it matters no one is ever goin I dont know what to do. I cant leave the
overwhelming now. They are waiting for me. can smell her. Shes hiding in the dark.
way out is too steep. I think she is here, too. I
She doesnt like to be seen. Yellow eyes.
the light. Maybe she ll go away. In

Im going to take her picture. She doesnt like
for a penny, in for a pound.
From: Lady Edda

To: Lord Francesco
Dear Francesco,
My people have searched for Beatrice, but cann
ot find anything. There has been no trace of her
we spoke (briefly) on the phone. since
Ill continue the search for Beatrice. I am sorry for
the loss of your childe.
My condolences,
Edda.
Invictus 103
From: Edda
To: KoS the phone, obviously, and
ne. No sign of her, but we did find
We tracked the GPS of Beatrices pho
Please take care of them.
her diary. Ive included both items.
From : Control
hail would
To: Future Pane
l a 62 % chance that Mik
nose s sh ow never makes
Re : Team 1 y fo r th ei r endgame. Prog tim e pa ss es (though she
ey are re ad hs favo r as ve. Therefore,
il an d Sa ra h reported that th , th e nu m be rs change in Sara y be co m es m uch more decisi
Mikha gly enough n Mikhails victor
d now. Interestin s from now, whe
win if they clashe ng point) un til five ye ar
at least, remains
as it was. r us to hide shou
ld
it quite be yo nd th e tip pi
ci et y, fo r th is ge ne ra tio n
an d Sa ra h ha s found ways fo
at the natural so ork in our favor,
it would seem th gi ca l id ea s that should w e ripples in
ral tech no lo tions might mak
Mikhail has seve as w e fe el th ei r ac
four years
or ta l st at us quo change. ll co ur se of their simulation, un de rs ta nd ab le af ter nearly
th e m t to run the fu pa rt,
ed their reques ctance on their
We have declin ne fit us . Th er e was some relu
at would not be e speak. First Estate.
the economy th di sm an tli ng their assets as w ll ha ve a br ig ht future in the
ar e they
of work, but they b interviews so
on and Im sure ing out now.
ac ce pt in g jo ag e, which I am send
Both will be ation in a sin gl e pa ck
d all their inform
I have compile
GSN US | World | Politics | Mone

y | Opinion | Health | Enter
tainment | Style | Travel
BREAKING NEWS
Armed Militants Kill Twelve
Armed militants forced the
ir way into the San Diego
Lassiter Lobby Group, wh office of the
ere they shot all twelve me
local branch. mbers of the
The militants carried autom
atic rifles and refused to sur
police upon exiting the buildin render to the
g. Two militants have been
hospital, the others were sho taken to the
t dead.
Experts speculate that the
timing of the attack, at a shi
and with the full branch in ses ft in security
sion, indicates an inside job
neither willing to confirm nor . Police are
deny this claim.
The Lassiter Lobby Group,
LLG
a nationwide think tank wit
every major city, is known for h branches in
its pro-employee stance and
wages and living conditions eye on the
of workers. The national Las
Group will be issuing a sta siter Lobby
tement on this tragedy soo
NEWS n.
UPDATE
Two militants previously tak
LASSITER LOBBYING en into custody have died
GROUP
hospital. Police were able en route to the
to extract the name of the
although they have yet to dis militants group,
close it to the media.

GSN US | World | Politics | Mone
y | Opinion | Health | Enter
tainment | Style | Travel
BREAKING NEWS
Shoot-out at Militia Ranch
Police met with hostile fire
at the San Diego Citizens
Unions ranch. The SDCU
received instant infamy
for the San Diego Lassiter
killings earlier today.
NEWS UPDATE
The cease-fire at the SDCU
ranch ended in tragedy,
as police reports finding all
inhabitants of the ranch
dead. Cause of death has
not been officially deter-
mined yet, but sources cla
im members of the SDCU
committed mass suicide.
From: Control
To: Future Panel Members
Re : Team 1 ve misled us.
co op era tive at first, it appears they ha ntact with the
While Mikhail and Sarah
see me d
-up cre w fou nd tha t he had already made co
red his assets here, but ou
r cle an or possibly even
Mikhail willingly surrende er go ah ea d wit h the simulation at a later date,
to eith
presume he was planning
larger Lassiter Group. We
go. was thir ty- one while the
expand beyond San Die tot al bo dy co unt for San Diego Citizens Union
d judgment, as the ck the hackers specifically.
Sarah likewise showed ba suspect she is holding ba
me d me mb ers . We u wished to offer
organization had over fift
y co nfir
fut ure in the Firs t Estate. I know many of yo
tly reviewing Mikhail and
Sa rah s ore disloyalt y.
In light of this, I am curren an ce to dis ca rd the ir sim ulation, but we cannot ign
reluct
I have sympathy for their
a position to our pair and
From: Control
To: Oversight
Panel.
Re : Team 1 s sho uld he lp exp lain their disappearance to the
on . Thi
Mikhail and Sarahs rebelli
We have set the stage for cee d with cancellation?
cur ren tly in the ir sires custody. Do I pro
Both are
From: Oversight
To: Control
Re: Team 1
It is a pity. They showed such pro
mise. I liked Sarah especially,
and I appreciate that in a person even if her heart overrode her
. Their sire, likewise, is a great head. She was passionate
Unfortunately, Mikhail was com friend of mine and he will be disa
promised when he received the ppointed to see them go.
Which reminds me : did you find Beatrice file and Sarah when
our leak? Our friends in Rome he shared it.
As for cancellation, make sure consider this a personal affront
Sarah tells you how and where .
inform her sire when its done. she hid the Beatrice file. Make
He requested the privilege of car sure you get all copies. Ill
him that. Perhaps spending som rying out the cancellation himself
e last time with his childer will eas and I am inclined to grant
e the pain, but do politely ask him
for proof when its done.
Invictus 105
The Confession of Prince Augusto Vidal of New Orleans
since my last confession. I hope you will forgive
Forgive me, for I have sinned. It has been too long
directly, but I find a certain clarity in the
me for writing this down instead of speaking to you
takes time and care to express it. Vulgar tongues
written word. Sin is so much easier to see when one
.
are quick to excuse sin. I am not willing to do that
HUBRIS
Embrace , I have found comfort in the rituals
First , I confess to the sin of hubris. Even after my
so-called Kindred call me The Catholic behind
and language of Catholicism. I know that my
they could not reach my ears. I do not flinch
my back , as if by merely whispering the words
subvert the faith of my human life as my
from the title , yet I am not willing to mock and et
fact , let me show you the creeds of the Lancea
brothers and sisters of the Monachal Creed do. In
Sanctum:
s, but not in faith. They emulate everything
The Monachal Creed: Traditionalists in Longinu
everything holy about it.
that the true Church has left behind, and mock
focused on picking and choosing the Word to
The Westminster Creed: English politicians more
e at their convenience.
benefit their ambitions. They pick and choose rita
s who restrict themselves so much that they
The Tollison Creed: A cult of Pentecostal simpleton
s.
have to roam in packs just to nourish themselve
ne Creed, the Exotheists. These stray so far
The Iblic Creed, the Dammitic Creed, the Byzanti
from our beliefs that they are meaningless.
in a union devoted to Longinus. Where does one
Look over our creeds, our divisions of faith with
ere can a man of true faith find a home?
find true devotion to the word of our Lord? Wh
with the Monachal followers because
I cannot find myself here . I bow my head and pray
my heart, I have formed a new creed: The True
it suits them as much as it benefits me, but in
ose for our Holy Damnation, he is not God.
Creed. For as much as Longinus has given us purp
d of God has been handed down to us, and we
He should not replace God in our hearts. The Wor
as much as The Testament of Longinus and The
need to incorporate that into our Requiems just
Sanguineous Catechism.
and sisters in Longinus done better? Even
As I confess to the sin of hubris, have my brothers hide
any who claim to be of the faithful, vampires
with the divisions of faith that give a home to a
own ends. They wear the title of Archbishop as
behind scripture and verse to bring about their our
I the only one who still knows humility before
gilded crown, rather than a call to service. Am
Lord?
I am not my brothers keeper. Forgive me, for I
But this confession is not for them. It is for me.
have sinned.
SLOTH
Next, I confess to the sin of sloth. Since the nineteenth century,
I have been in conflict
with that loathsome Crone , Baron Cimitiere. He represents every
thing that is dangerous
and disgusting about his heathen religion of voudoun. I am sure
he was behind a number of
the attempts against my life over the centuries, but he smiles sweet
ly and tells me I am
as innocent as an angel. Blasphemer! How dare he evoke the name
of Gods servants in his
own defense? But his standing grew within the Crones, and I could
not ignore him or the
strength of his blood.
Then as the nineteenth century moved into the twentieth, there
was Antoine Savoy.
He cared little of matters of faith , and used the time I was distra
cted by the betrayal of my
own childe to take over most of the French Quarter. His hands are
in many pockets in that
area, and I cannot ignore the fact that he holds the economic contro
l over the city in his
hands.
For years, the rivalry between us stood. Shamefully I, terrified as
I was to preserve my
own Requiem, I allowed power to slip through my fingers. Even as
more and more Kindred
came to the City of the Damned to make their home , I would not
create another childe .
I refused to allow my blood to betray me again, and the other Kindr
ed noticed. I began
to hear the whispers behind my back, plotting for the time when
they believed I would
inevitably fall into torpor. Some even schemed to bring that about
faster.
In truth , I did feel tired. The grace of God was further from me than
it had ever been.
I felt the pull of torpor grow stronger and stronger, like gentle finger
s pulling an invalid
back into his bed. And it was tempting. Had I not earned rest? Did
I not deserve peace after
centuries of hard work and eternal devotion? Was I not ready for
my reward?
Hurricane Katrina proved that it was not time.
Oh, precious few Kindred died in the hurricane itself, but plenty
found the roofs of their
havens torn off in the day, or their walls cracked and bleeding sunlig
ht. Certainly, in my
weaker moments I wished in secret to learn that Cimitiere or Savoy
s ashes were floating on
the water. But so many other Kindred died; Kindred with sires, broodm
ates, and childer in
cities all over the nation. Those familial connections, those very
ties of blood, caused chaos
throughout America. Riots erupted in New York. An entire court
went insane in Missouri.
Ive even heard tales from my legates of drowned victims standing
up and attacking
Kindred on the roads. Many of the surviving Kindred fled, leavin
g the court of New Orleans
in tatters.
And all of it all of it because I had grown slothf ul. Forgive
me, for I have sinned.
MURDER
Further, I must confess to the murder, and the temptation to perfor
m more murder.
Particularly against the Carthians.
Many of those who fled the terror of Katrina found themselves welco
me in Houston,
Texas. In my own indulgent sloth, I had lost track of my corresponden
ce with the Invictus
Lancea Et Sanctum 107

that a group of militant Carthians
Prince of that city, but since then I have learned
They brought in a number of poor,
and a traitorous college of Harpies overthrew her.
sent them back to me full of Carthian
disadvantaged Kindred, and after a few years
luxuriating in Houston I was rebuilding
propaganda. Never mind that while they were
and I moved against Cimitiere. The
my city. The newly minted rabble ousted Savoy
and I easily located all of Cimitieres
reconstruction effort left me many tools to use,
their havens as bulldozers and
supporters. For a second time Kindred burned in
jackhammers murdered my enemies.
crawling over everything. They fill in
But the Carthians, they are like cockroaches,
l say in what I do. They claim that the
the cracks of my broken city, and demand an equa
t share the burden of rebuilding. They tell
Word of the Prince is not enough, that all mus
charity begins at home.
everyone that New Orleans is important, but that
g to make this their home.
As if these carpetbaggers had ever done anythin
I know as deeply and as truly as I
There is a web of events. God sent Katrina this
but showing me how important this city
know my own Clan. God was not punishing me,
all over America. Kindred in another state
is. The deaths in that disaster affected Kindred
now I learn that even other countries
create conspiracies to steal my city from me. And
have been drawn into the conflict.
ntion to the first document in the file.
Attached to this confession is a file. I draw atte
old favor sent it to me. I have already
Someone in Saint Petersburg who owes me a very
importance of my city in the web of the
confessed to hubris, but this is absolute proof of the
web shakes when the Carthians pluck
world and the Kindred. Understand how far the
upon its strands.
High Securit y Concern: English Language Only

Excellency Archbishop Cruz,
to whom I have only referred as Deacon A
I have received a most disturbing report from my counter part, the woman
my previous reports, A is a noteworthy member
in these reports. As I am sure you are aware after diligently reading all
work has always been nothing but excellent,
of the Invictus who acts as a troubleshooter for me from time to time. Her
use such a word as trust with one of the Damned,
and she carries out my instructions to the letter. While I am reticent to
context for what I have uncovered.
I value her word and her insight. I tell you this to give you
and I suspect it may be partially your fault.
In short, the socialist Carthians are becoming increasingly dangerous,
distinct messages to the local Carthians. She
As you have instructed, Your Excellency, I had A send very clear and
lack of materials and skill. She made up for it
was not able to crucify the Kindred as you wished, but that was due to a
cut their stomachs open, allowing their entrails to slither
in enthusiasm, choosing instead to hang them upside down and
d a picture for your approva l.
along the ground until the sun rose. I have enclose
already aware of the pleasant noises they are making in
The Carthians have heard of these actions, and you are likely
Archbis hop Cruz. Howeve r, in private, it appears they are planning
Elysia about how terrified they are of the wrath of

iling weapons. No one openly speaks of overth rowing you, of
open rebellion. I have heard whispers and vague plans of stockp
what they say between their words is more telling.
course, because they all fear you so much, but for some time now,
whispered something to her before his death. Two words,
Recently, A has told me that one of the Carthians she educated
States in Louisiana, according to Google. A was unable
Your Excellency: New Orleans. It refers to a city in the United
suppor t from that location.
to determine what the reference means, but she fears they are getting
of New Orleans. You may wish to contact him and see
I understand you have previously traded boons with Prince Vidal
this, as Your Excellency has always shown an incredible
what he can tell you. Under the assumption that you will not do
I have looked into the matter myself. A is not my only
tendency to wait for as long as possible before taking decisive action,
can city (in Texas) once ruled by an Invictus Prince, but has
contact within the Invictus. It seems that there is another Ameri
of Kindred into New Orleans to act as missionaries, or
since been lost to the Carthians. These Carthians are sending waves
perhaps disposable troops.
ans myself, instead of relying on A. This one Rusev,
I decided to take the initiative and capture one of the local Carthi
ing that he only knew of New Orleans from what he learned
he calls himself begged very prettily for his life before admitt
letter, Your Excellency, I remind you that A is the only
from the Invictus. In case you have decided to merely skim this
ans and knows about New Orleans. I am sending the package
Invictus in Saint Petersburg that both has contact with the Carthi
with his ashes in a separate mailing, to do with as you wish.
I doubt that A is playing a game of her own the past
Put simply, I believe that the Invictus are drawing us into a trap.
ng from her that resembles initiative or treachery but she
several years that we have worked together, I have not seen anythi
by using the tension of the Carthians against Prince Vidal
may have had information implanted in her mind. I suspect that
t here in Saint Petersburg. Then, once the trouble has
in New Orleans, the Invictus are hoping to foment a similar conflic
and claim Praxis of your city, increasing their foothold in Russia.
weakened you and your position, they can step forward
I should proceed. I assume that, if I do not hear from you
As you are my Archbishop, I seek your advice and counsel on how
y dire. In such a case, I will take appropriate next measures
in the next three days, that you do not consider the situation suitabl
your reign. If I do hear from you in that time, I look forward
under my own authority to preserve and solidif y the stabilit y of
will bestow upon me.
to the inspiring and detailed words of wisdom and vision that you
if she continues to be valuable to the Lancea et Sanctum.
Regardless, I will have another conversation with A and assess
Yours in Longinus,
Vitya B or odin RETIRE

O P B O RODIN
Bishop of the Byzantine Creed
Saint Petersburg BISH
FEAR
tes. We live
r live in a w or ld of isolated city-sta
ess to th e si n of fear. We no longe s ch ildr en , ev en those who tremble
I conf e are all God
st , w on de rf u l, connected world. W ar e D a mned. This is glorio
us,
in one va the claim th at w e
dred I
fe ar of H is na m e and hide behind t m y ha n d an d touch all the Kin
in stretch ou eard
ta st ic , an d te rr if ying. Once , I could as t k n ew th ei r names, faces, or h
fan but I at le
de d. Th en , th ey grew in numbers, or y, but also in cou
ntries I have
comman ot on ly in hi st
nate n ousands of
actions I take reso inst one another th
of them. Now, the ords and live s ar e se t a ga
.
er se en . I ha ve but to speak the w le , be yo n d th at of any mere Prince
n ev is unimagin ab
es aw ay . Th e po wer at my hands n tin u e. Forgive me, for
I have
mil fact that I m u st co
d of it , and of the
And I am terrifie
sinned.

nctum
Ot he rs ha ve at ta ck ed the Lancea et Sa
ide, but from fact . be allies or even com
rades
I speak not out of pr ose w ho w ou ld ot he rw ise
tack me. There are th ne in New
in an attempt to at
oth an d fi st be ca us e of what has been do
other with to me way that
who now attack each . Th er e ar e th os e w ho live in fear the sa
en done in my city
Orleans. What has be
are my enemies. er. Some of my
I do. Not all of them ve ta ke n st re ngth from that dang
e attacked, an d ha eir own
Nevertheless, some ar er ni ty of Go ds w orld and have found th
ve embraced the mod t their passion and de
votion to
brothers and sisters ha find a pl ac e th er e, bu
e creeds, I would not them danger.
faith there. Like th ti on al . A nd th ei r inspiration brings
inus are inspira but not
the teachings of Long e ta st e of m y bl oo d enough to accept it
Mekhet who desires th t able to spy on
One of my thralls, a gi ve n m e pr oo f of this. She was no
r herself, has rece nt ly r conspiracy
enough to take it fo on , bu t sh e w as ab le to bring me simila
rthians in Houst ery word and every lin
e, fear
the plotting of the Ca sm el l th ei r fe ar in ev
Galveston. You can ful of this new power
, but
from another town, e capa bl e. I m ay be fe ar
hf ul of Longinus ar
of what the true fait bless me.
have never met also
brothers and sisters I
To: myrmidon
From: s.washburn
Subject: Re: SoL gang activity
> So, when you get a chance, tell me what you
find out about that gang calling
> themselves SoL, since youve got pull in that
scene. Need to know if theyre
> ours or a new bunch of players in Texas.
First off, Im not your fucking secretary. If you
want someone to wear a shor t skirt and serv
the desk, go somewhere else. I hear the Invictus ice you under
go in for that bullshit.
Second, you grossly overestimate the pull I have
here. The Spear has this place really locked
know as well as I do that the Church doesnt down. You
have ever y Bible-thumping town in the Sout
but Galveston is the stereotype in action. I thin h under their sway,
k they keep Carthians around just so they have
to preach at. someone new
That being said, it turns out SoL stands for Sol
diers of Longinus, and theyre a bunch of Kind
extremists spun out from the human JCHC punk red
movement. Since punk genres sub-divide as
ever yone in it outgrows the bar they hate, its soon as
hard to keep track. But these JCHC fuckers
Christian punks, if you can believe that. They are actually
re even a little retro, with leather jackets and
their cute little mohawks, but their faith isnt safety pins and
on the side of the kind, benevolent Jesus, but
whip-car rying, table-flipping Christ. more with the
A bunch of young Longinians took inspirati
on from these assholes and a bit from Maledicti
I was still known as the Bastard to some, and on 7:1: And
others called me the Soldier, and to the Jews
of Satan, and I was pleased, for it meant that I was the Son
they feared me. Guess Bastards of Longinu
enough. Anyhow, they thin k that since Longinu s wasnt catchy
s gave no fucks, they should do the same. Und
rambling and loud music, you can find a vagu erneath all the
e party line of fuck the other covenants, but
Invictus. particularly the
Oh yeah, they have a band, too. They also call
it SoL, but they tell people it stands for Shit
downloaded one of their MP3s from downloa Outta Luck. I
dpun k.com. Its got a lot of old-school flavor
mixed with some

Psychobilly and a little Oi! Nothing that violates the Masquerade, and it
aint exactly flying of the digital shelves,
but its a thing. I attached one of the files for you. Fucking Kindred musici
ans.
So I figured, maybe we had some common ground. I went to one of their
shows, in a shitty dive called the
Tattooed Mom. They played a few songs and got some folks beating the
shit out of each other under the guise of
dancing, and I got a picture of them, which Ive also attached. After they
finished their set, their roadie-cum-
ghoul brought me backstage. The leader of the four I met called himself
Freddie Leather, and I was barely able
to keep my eyes from rolling out of my head. But I gave them the sell, told
them that I agree they should have the
freedom to worship however they want, that they didnt need the Invictu
s or the Lancea et Sanctum to make that
happen, blah blah blah. I even put a little bit of my Daeva juice into the
mix.
After I was done, Freddie looked at me and asked me one question. Did
you and your Carthian friends attack the
Faithful in New Orleans?
I paused and got as far as Well, before something hit me in the back of
the head. I got a glimpse of some large
woman with scars on her face, holding a broken guitar in her hands, before
the rest of them jumped me. Fists rained
down, clothing got torn, and more than once, I felt someones fangs in my
skin. I put a little more juice into the
other parts of the Daeva package, and was able to punch, kick, and bite
my way out of the pile enough to run like
hell.
These assholes are a problem. They look and act a lot like a bad stereotype
of us, and a lot of Kindred arent going
to spend time sorting out the difference. Worse, they seem to have a bug up
their ass about the New Orleans situation,
and it doesnt look like the local Lancea et Sanctum are in a big damn rush
to deal with them anytime soon. To top
it all off, from everything Ive seen, they are True Believers, capital letters
and all. And after emailing some people
around the state, it seems SoL and JCHC graffiti is showing up in other
places as well. This might not just be a
few asshole Kindred, but a whole movement.
So, its your problem now. I suggest finding a way to deal with them as fast
as possible. Piles of ash cause a lot
less problems in my opinion, but you do what you have to do. Im done
with these assholes.
- Sam
Attachment: 03_SoL _Son_Of_Satan.flac

Attachment: SoL_Show_Pic_1.jpg
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SUSPICION
ected
fess to the sin of susp icio n. Forgiv e me, for I have sinned. I have long susp
I con years
h the Invictus. I met him once, many
Bishop Solomon Birch of complicity wit believed
th and devotion that I immediately
ago. He spoke and acted with such fai cabre.
wa s a fac ade desi gne d to lur e me int o some oblique part of his own Danse Ma
it seeds of
me, he has also done little for me. The
Although he has done little against gh
oot. This is why they are a sin, althou
suspicion, once planted, are hard to upr
er Kindred.
sometimes a necessary one against oth
I attach proof of his devotion. Still, I am suspicious. Still, the demon of doubt and
paranoia gnaws under my skin, eating away at my insides. But it shows the reach of my
Praxis, how far is the rule of New Orleans. A pluck at the web, and Chicago vibrates.
Listen to how Bishop Birch vibrates now. It is a long-held tradition for sermons to take
the Word and apply it to an immediate situation. Usually, these are problems or quandaries
presented to the flock on a tangible level fears and dangers that affect them now. The
priest gives them guidance and succor through the Word. Using a situation so far away from
the flock in questions feels political, even if it benefits myself. And my mind circles back to
suspicion. What does he gain? How does he profit? Where does New Orleans end and Chicago
begin?
I have faith in the Lord. I have faith in the Word. I do not have faith in Solomon Birch.
But I will take his support and smile at him until I know his game.
[noises of the recorder being positioned]
BIRCH: ... gathered here today to talk of

politics. But particularly, the Rule of Golgotha.
[thumping sound]
BIRCH: I know most of you say you have

read The Testament of Longinus, but I expect
most of you skip to the good bits, like Longinus
selling his own mother in the forum. Dont
get me wrong, reading the Testament can be
entertaining; but all of it is valuable.
Consider The Rule. Its dry. Its dull. Its
really a list of rules for monks to abide by.
Recently it changed heav ily, depending on
whet her you stand with the Authorized or
Revised version. A lot of people in the Lancea et Sanctum love to argue about it, but I dont know how many of
us have actually read it.
[sound of pages flipping briefly distorts Birchs speech]
BIRCH: ... use the Revised version for simplicity. Again, lets look past the arguments of things like word placement
and look to the heart of what is being said. We dont all live like monks. I know I dont.
[soft laughter]
BIRCH: But there are things in here that all Longinians can learn from. Lets jump to chapter ten. Have any
of you read as far as chapter ten? Its long after the rules about honoring the Dark Father and ignoring the works
of heathens. It starts with how weve drawn apart from the workings of the Camarilla. But right away, in the first
paragraph of the chapter, theres this. Let me read it for you:

walls of these sanctuaries pits brother
We know, however, of the insidious nature of politics, which even within the
against brother and postulant against abbot.
g themselves to study and pure thought,
Think about that for a moment. Even these monks, these vampires devotin
comes up every now and then. This isnt
recognize that Kindred are inherently political. This isnt something that
lla itself, and even segregating yourself
something you can blame on the modern world. This goes back to the Camari
of their Rule just to talk about politics.
from Kindred society doesnt make you immune. So they put aside a chapter
it important.
Both versions of the Rule have some form of this chapter. They considered
how stupid humans are for claiming that kings
The chapter goes on to talk about how terrible politics are, and
it says, he who is best suited to rule and most
have a divine mandate. Lets skip ahead to the fourth paragraph, where
aside, we have here an admission that whomever
willing and able to undertake its burdens should do so. Sexism
so, not appoin ted by consensus, not divided
has the power and the desire should take it. Not elected to do
between numbers of bureaucrats.
I want to jump to near the end. It is
Theres some good stuff about our flocks and how were tied to them, but
to abandon our faith, who do not punish
of benefit to us, therefore, to cooperate with the rulers who do not ask us
for such leniency.
our brethren for their piety and who will not commit usury or extortion
[sound of a heavy book being closed, followed by silence]
ing that bothers me every night. These
BIRCH: This is something I worry about, brothers and sisters. Its someth
s right now. Look to Houston, Texas.
arent vague ideas dreamed up thousands of years ago. These are real concern
my boots. Well, you do, Sammie.
Already I can hear, Why Texas? I dont wear a ten-gallon hat or spurs on
[one loud laugh]

horrible problems with Katrina. And
BIRCH: But Houston took in many of the flock from New Orleans after the
speech about the Carthians. All you have
they said, You can come live with us. All you have to do is listen to a little
and join the revolution.
to do is hear our sales pitch. All you have to do is sign on the dotted line
[a heavy thump]
can go back to New Orleans. Help them
BIRCH: All you have to do... is give up Longinus. And in a few years, you
about the Carthians.
rebuild. Help them grow. And all you have to do is give them a little speech
[a long pause]
Prince Vidal of New Orleans.
BIRCH: I dont know how many of you have met the Catholic... excuse me,
[soft laughter]
manages to reconcile devotion to God
BIRCH: Hes eccentric, sure. I wouldnt want to spend time arguing how he
He undertook the burdens of leadership.
to being damned for stabbing his son. Nevertheless, he is suited to rule.
unique perspective. And he certainly
He doesnt ask us to abandon our faith, even if it doesnt agree with his own...
it differs from theirs. The Carthians
doesnt punish us for our piety. But the Crones attack us for our faith because
and assaulted for devotion.
mock our religion as an opiate for the masses. Time and again, we are abused
[another heavy thump]
all other Kindred who mistake devotion
BIRCH: I worry about this, brothers and sisters! I worry not for us, but for
are mutually exclusive! I worry for all
as weakness! I worry for all other Kindred who believe that politics and piety
of the past cannot apply to the problems
other Kindred who seek to destroy us because they think that the lessons
of the present!
[pause]
to make is that politics and faith are
BIRCH: Forgive me. Sometimes I get carried away. But the point I want
beliefs. They can co-exist. They should
conjoined. We cannot exist without politics, but we need not discard our
ber that they think us weak, when we
co-exist. Remember that, as you dance among the Kindred tonight. Remem
are at our strongest. Amen.
[various amens and light applause, suddenly cut off as the recording ends]
MY LIEGE,
SOMETHING
INSPIRATIONAL
FOR YOU. - F.
SUSPICION (II)
Strong words. Powerf ul words. I wo
uld not go so far as to call them sin
certainly sound good. Bishop Bir cere, but they
chs connections with the Invictus
doesnt surprise me that he has che are well known, and it
rry-picked elements of a monastic
even if he uses me as his example rule to validate his point,
to cast off suspicion from his own
plots and schemes.
In fact, it is that very connectio
n to the Invictus that draws me
They have been our allies for a lon deeper into my suspicions.
g time, all the way back to the
believe them. I suspect it was eas Camarilla itself, if you
ier when we were two parts of one
you imagine such an organizatio monolithic society. Could
n coming into existence tonight?
working toward a common goal in One unified society, all
the name of mutual protection an
rubbish , but it is a dream the Inv d harmony? Utter
ictus still hold close to their unbea
be their glorious state church . My ting hearts. And we would
suspicious about our allies grows
wonder what role our faith plays deeper every night, as I
in their plans.
Even our holy word is not immune.
The Testament of Longinus has bee
There were plenty of public reason n revised. Revised!
s, innocent-sounding reasons. Ne
uncovered. We needed a more mo w scripture had been
dern translation to reach out to
on the nature of the material nee new converts. Recent study
ded to be implemented. But what
Henry Matthews, the editor of thi many do not know is that
s glorious Revised Edition, is not
He is, in fact, an Invictus, and ha of the Lancea et Sanctum.
s been for some time. He bought his
way onto the project, with

kind words and hard currency. Of
course , it was all presented as bei
Invictus/Lancea et Sanctum coo ng in the interests of further
peration, but all of the final det
manuscript, were in the hands of ails of the manuscript, of our
one not of the faith.
I am suspicious of the Invictus, but
the concerns about Henry Matth
place of evidence. I want to believ ews come from a
e that he acts alone, but I contin
our allies in this. It is lucky tha ue to suspect the hand of
t I corresponded with Dr. Ballsden
I expressed my displeasure at the in the past, even when
temerity of revising our Holy Wo
concerns enough to pass along a cop rd. Yet , he understands my
y of his journal. I present it to you
I see . , so that you can see what
REV. DR . VICTOR
BALLSDEN,
DPHIL, DD, OXON.
Most Excellent Prince Vidal,

I send these pages to you because I do not know
whom to trust. Since the inciting incident, such
as it was, originated from your city, it seems best
to send this all to you. I have attached supporting
documents and written footnotes to give you more
xt.
information in the interest of providing conte
I send this as a letter of introduction. I am in the
process of seeking passage to your city, and will seek
to become a resident there if you will have me. I fear
my time here is done.
Yours most sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Victor

Ballsden

1 August See Attached
I still cannot believe the details in the New Orleans fragment.
The idea is so incredible, so insane, that more than once I wanted to just throw it away
and never think of it again. However, the legate who brought it to me was very earnest,
claiming that there were some Kindred in the Louisiana area who believed fervently in
this. Unfortunately, all but this copy were destroyed in that catastrophic hurricane, along
with many of the believers. Still, it has the ring of authenticity about it Prince Vidal is
quite notorious for his mixture of Catholic and Longinian tenets, and this certainly seems
to be in line with that. My initial enquiries to Prince Vidal, however, have been pleasant
and fruitless, as he knows little about the source of the apocryphal fragment.
Given the uniquely American nature of the document, I invited Dr. Caroline
Petronius to come visit me in Oxford. Our working relationship on the Revised Edition of
the Testament of Longinus was vigorous and sometimes painful she has embraced the
American tendency to equate disagreement with volume but I cannot deny that she
is a brilliant Longinian scholar, and I valued a second opinion.
My finances are not what I would wish them to be, but the legate in question (I now
recall that his name is Richard I should make an effort to remember that next time we
meet) has ownership of a private airfield just south of Abingdon. He was willing to take on
the cost and planning of flying Dr. Petronius in exchange for us sharing our findings with

him first, and a credit should we succeed in publishing the work. I believe Richard fancies
himself a budding scholar, but sadly, I think his duties and his short temper make that a
long and difficult road for him.
The least I could do was drive down to the airport to meet her. She was much as I
remember her: a handsome woman with short blond hair, a dark business suit, and slacks
with a bright-coloured shirt underneath, and entirely unnecessary glasses. While I have
been a doctor long enough to understand that the line between education and business
is perhaps blurrier than it should be, I can never get over how Americans seem to discard
even the pretense of separation. We shook hands, I helped her with one of her bags, and
I thanked Richard before showing her to my car. I opened her door for her, which irritated
her as it always did. Shortly we were driving back to my offices, and within hours, she had
settled into one of the flats I specifically had set aside for Petronius, Matthews, and other
overseas visitors. We chatted politely about nothing until we made it back to my office and
I showed her the fragment, by this time carefully preserved in a clear plastic bag.
She read it several times before setting it down. Its insane, she finally pronounced.
That was my first instinct as well. But considering the context....
Petronius put her hand up. Please don t lecture me, Dr. Ballsden. Im saying this
isn t just a unique interpretation of our existing scripture. This is outright heretical.
I blinked. But surely....
Consider this: it is entirely possible that there are now sects of Longinians who believe
that Longinus wasn t cursed by God. He was Embraced. Further, that his sire likely was
created by angelic intervention. And two of the most well-known Longinian scholars are
suddenly meeting over it. She took off her glasses and wiped them. Thats when I noticed
her hand was trembling.
I was shocked. It took me a minute before I could fully consider the ramifications. All
of our work on the Revised Edition would be called into question.
She nodded, putting the glasses back on.
Perhaps I should call Matthews, I said, reaching for the phone in my pocket. Hes
visiting in London to check on the second printing
No! She stood suddenly, her eyes flashing with emotion. For a moment, I thought she
would try to force her command on my mind, but she simply put a hand on my arm. I
wouldn t. At least, not yet.

You don t want to drag Matthews down with us? I said.
She snorted and leaned over to search for something in her messenger bag. Quite the
contrary. Im worried he ll be the one to put the weight around our necks.
I don t understand.
She pulled out a copy of the Testament of Longinus, the one we worked on. Have you
read Eschaton recently?
To be honest, while the apocalyptic prophecies presented there have some academic interest,
I don t find much need to reference it on a daily basis.
Read Eschaton 7. She handed me the dog-eared book, and I flipped it open. The slim
volume felt comfortable, and I easily navigated to the section in question.
Verses eight through ten are missing, I remarked.
I noticed it a few nights ago, soon after the print run was produced. Im sure either of
tion for reference
n in qutoes have
sectiohad
us would have noticed such an omission, but Matthews was the finala coeditor.
py of theHe
I have attached
intentionally removed the references.
I handed it back to her. The Eschaton fragments were always notoriously difficult to parse.
Most of them didn t even make sense. I can barely recall what the original passage was.
I have some of my notes still here in town. Im going to dig them up and refresh my
memory. I sug gest you do the same, and we can meet tomorrow at midnight.
I nodded. I will pick you up then.
Her hand trembled again as she put the bag over her shoulder. Actually, lets meet at the
flat. Until I know what Matthews is up to, I d rather not.... She smiled at me. Wel l, if
were seen together and Im not throwing chairs at you, people will become suspicious.
I was reluctant to visit her alone, but I saw few options. Very well. At the flat, then.
The sun is coming, so I must stop for now. Tomorrow night I will look through my notes on
Eschaton again, and find a safer hiding place for the fragment.
2 August
Now that my hand has stopped shaking, I should write everything down before the details
escape me.
I am not a wealthy Kindred, but I understand the value of investing in security. The flat
I used to loan to visiting Kindred is on a sub-basement floor that no one else in the building
knows about. One-half of the floor is storage for items that I can t easily keep on the Oxford

7
The creatures screame
throng and blasted the ground. ged by the
were con sumed, and were no more. 8And some were chan
fell and had had non e and scre amed in
where they
vitriol, and grew limbs and eyes ber, stoo d, and whe n the
a few, ve in num
hate and fear, and ran away. But
9
had ceas ed, stoo d amo ng the corpses and the

ow from the statues mouth for God to
and women, and they waited
10
dead earth, and they were men
raise them up.
judge them, and Damn them or
el said,
el, W hat does this mean? and the ang that
11
And I said to Amoniel the ang . This is only for you to set down
and
This is not for you to underst
others might understand.
into the moun-
and a vast door of iron was set
7 We came to a great mountain,
tainside. 2 A thousand times a
of snow and rain, and the3 claw
thou sand
s and feet
men
of beas
and
ts,
doo
wom
and
r
en
eyes
and
who had skins
made of night
clam ored for it
hammered at the
and many other things. They peo ple rushed in, and the creatures
, and the
to open. The door opened
4
beautiful
demons, and some of them were ed that
behind the door looked 5like ed for mer cy, and vow
demons begg
and some were hideous. The , 6 and the
had not meant to harm them
they had loved the people and the dem ons to
the mountainside and put
people stormed the place behind 7 they desp oile d the eart h and went
e, and
the sword, and took their plac
demons had once done.
out, and took slaves just as the
the angel said,
el, W hat does this mean? and
11
And I said to Amoniel the ang . This is only for you to set down that
and
This is not for you to underst
others might understand.
ESCHATON 7:11 57
grounds, while the other is comprised of the spartan flat. It makes it easy when I need to
fly in consultants to look over objects of particular interest, but not real value, and it means
that there is no possibility of a human wandering into the area unless they are specifically
invited usually for the purposes of nourishment.
When I arrived at the appointed time, I saw that the door was slightly ajar.
My instinct was to call out for Petronius, but my years as a vampire have taught me
that discretion is frequently the better part of valour. I pulled the shadows close to me,
sharpened my senses, and carefully stepped inside.
On some level, I wished I saw signs of a strug gle. If there were broken tables and chairs
strewn about, perhaps the horror of what I saw would have made more sense, or been valid.
Maybe I could have felt better about what happened to her knowing that she fought to
preserve her Requiem. Im babbling, trying to avoid setting this all down.
When I entered, the flat was much as I usually leave it: a simple open-room plan with
enough furniture and supplies to comfortably house two. In the centre of the room when you
first walk in is the collection of couches and television detritus that comprises the living room
area. Next to the coffee table was a pile of moldering ash and dirt that I have unfortunately
seen too many times. On the wall behind the couch were three letters painted in blood.
VII.
I had heard of VII, of course, but only as anecdotes and rumours. No incident of them
has ever occurred in or near Oxford. Certainly, the death of a scholar would seem to be

beneath such bogeymen. Wild speculation of what may have caused this spun through my
head. My hands trembled, but I focused my mind to keep my gift of stealth active as I
searched around the flat.
I went to examine the remains without disturbing them. I forced myself to stop thinking
of the vibrant, passionate Kindred who used to be here, and tried to make observations
about them. The remains themselves were unremarkable, but the environment around
them was illustrative. The lack of destruction I previously noted likely indicated that either
she was taken by surprise, or by someone she knew. The fact that it was close to the door
reinforced that. As I leaned in closer, an unusual scent drifted into my nose. There were
the usual notes of loam and faintly burned flesh, but on top of those was the faintest whiff
of cologne. Although I am by no means a connoisseur of such scents, I recognised it as
Amouage Dia Pour Homme. Specifically, I knew it because Henry Matthews favored
that particular brand of expensive cologne.
What does Matthews have to do with VII? Was the graffiti a red herring?
I went over to search the desk. A small pile of books and documents covered one side, while
an open laptop dominated the space. I hadn t been attacked since I entered, and no other
Kindred seemed to be present, so I carefully let go of the shadows to examine her notes. The
computer password valiantly resisted my attempts, but the hand-written notes were more
illuminating. Particularly, there was a small notebook that I remembered her using when we
were working on Eschaton. Taking it up, I flipped eagerly through the pages until I arrived
at her notes for chapter seven. Most of her translation was relatively close to the final printed
version, so I skimmed to 7:6. My memory is quite good, so I transcribe what I read here.
(6)and the people stormed the place behind the mountainside and put the demons to the
sword, and took their place, (7)and they despoiled the earth and went out, and took slaves
just as the demons had once done. (8)But the demons rose back up, their corpses animated,
their tongues wag ging, and they reached for the people with long fingers, (9)and they said
We are the true children of James, dead son of Gabriel, dead brother to Jesus, (10)and
we will destroy all that Jesus loved and all that Jesus feared.
(11)And I said to Amoniel the angel, What does this mean?...
Even now, I shiver in fear. On the surface, it seems to be more of the chaotic blather that
comprises much of Eschaton. Further, James
is hardly an uncommon name, and many
have used the euphemism of brother of Jesus to mean a wide variety of things, none of them

literal. However, taken in conjunction with the New Orleans fragment, the passage is terrifying
in its implications. A murderous cadre of bestial dead bent on destruction. Could it be that VII is a
reference to chapter seven?
Of course, this is hindsight. At the moment my hands had just taken the translation
and put it in my pocket, a heavy blow knocked me to the ground. I rolled over to see my
assailant, only to discover that there were two. One was a short, heavy-set man, and the other
was a tall woman with scars on her face. Both were wearing black clothing from head to toe,
and both hissed at me in melodramatic fashion. Both were standing between the door and
me. Fangs peeked out from parted lips.
In my time, I have met with the rougher elements of our collective Kindred society. I hear
stories of their ability to land powerful blows or resist an incredible amount of harm, all while
spouting off quips that probably sounded more intimidating in the moment than in the halls
of Elysium. I regret to say that I am not one of these Kindred. I pulled the shadows around
me in the hopes of evading them until I could reach the door.
The scarred woman punched me, and I fell to the ground again.
Please, I said. My teeth felt loose in my jaw, but I didn t seem to have any injury that
a night of feeding wouldn t fix. I ll give you whatever you want. The heavy-set man grabbed
the back of my jacket and picked me up easily, as if I were a doll. He set me on my feet and
held me there, as the tall woman moved to close the door.
As I have said, I am not a vampire of combat skill, but I have learnt a threnody, a personal
hymn. In the past, I have found it useful to simply take the skill of another when I was
pressed for time, but I had to sacrifice knowledge to do so. I took the notes in my pocket and
held them for the two vampires to see. This is what you seek, isn t it? The only translation of
the missing verses. I waved the notes in front of the womans face, keeping my desperate tone.
Its just as Socrates said. The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
As soon as I chanted the words, the woman with the scars began to suspect. Too late I
took the notes in both hands and ripped them in half. As I did, I could feel the mans grip
on me shift as his knowledge of physical brutality flooded my mind. I kicked backwards,
shattering his kneecap, letting the stolen knowledge guide my muscles. He screamed and let
me go, and I turned the fall into a lunge, punching hard into the womans throat. Neither
injury would be serious despite my stolen skills, I am no brute but it distracted them long
enough for me to make my way into the hallway and disappear. They never once spoke.

The skills are gone now, like a torpor dream, which seemed logical at the time but when you
tell it to another seems ludicrous. I cannot go back to my office, but the sun continues in
inexorable climb towards our mutual oblivion. Tomorrow night, I must confront Matthews.
3 August
The meeting with Matthews did not go as well as I had hoped.
Professor Matthews notified me that he would be in London to look over the European
second printing of the Revised Testament. The London office of SPLD was nothing special,
just a small rented office containing a few ghouls who handled the business end of things.
It wasn t even in the City of London, but rather in Islington, a little over an hour south of
where I worked. I drove to the building, walked past the ghouls loitering in his front office,
and entered his sanctum unannounced.
Matthews looked impeccable in his dress shirt, sleeves rolled up the elbow. I always had a
desire to lick the hollow of his neck whenever I saw him, urges long repressed by my Embrace
coming up to the surface just by looking at him. Working with Serpents always drives me
mad. He was writing something down when I walked in.
Matthews, I said by way of introduction.
He jumped a little at the word. Childish, I know, but I felt it suitable retribution
for how he made me feel. He looked up and smiled, setting the pen down. You
startled me, Victor. Are you ready to look over the printing proofs?
In a moment. We have a more pressing issue.
He ignored my comments and came around the desk to perch on the corner, looking down at
me. A whiff of Amouage Dia Pour Homme came with him. I heard Caroline was in town
as well. How is she?
I ignored his irritating habit of forced informality. It seems she is dead.
The long pause. The glance away. Matthews was every inch the man shocked by the death
of a colleague, but I didn t know whether that simply meant he was an excellent actor. How
did it happen, he asked.
She was allegedly killed by VII. Presumably over the omission you made in the Revised Edition.
The eyes came back to me, hot with emotion. I don t understand what youre implying.
Eschaton, chapter seven, verses eight through ten. Theyre missing. See for yourself.

Impossible, he said, rising from the desk again. I just checked the proofs myself yesterday
evening. He opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of pages, loosely stacked and with sticky
notes jutting out at strange angles throughout. He pulled the pages apart, looking for the
right chapter, and then stopped. The long pause. The glance away.
I presume they are still missing, I said when he didn t respond.
Ive looked through these proofs a dozen times. A hundred. Ive never noticed it before.
Youre the editor, I said coldly. I stood up from the chair and walked over to the stack.
Youre the only one who could have removed it. Given your attention to detail, the very reason
you were asked to join in this pursuit, I find it unlikely that you could just miss three verses.
Matthews started to speak, stopped, and then went to lean on the back of his chair. If
you have something to say, Victor, say it. Given all weve done together, I think I at least
deserve to hear your accusation directly.
I tapped the stack of proofs. Why did you cut the verses, Professor Matthews?
I didn t, Doctor Ballsden. And before you ask, I don t know who did, or why anyone
would kill Caroline over it. He straightened up, staring me in the eye. If that is all, I believe
you can see yourself out.
That is not all, I said, idly flipping over the pages of the proof. I was scanning the pages
as I spoke, looking for anything else out of place, any other convenient omissions.
You mean the New Orleans fragment, Matthews said. Do you have it with you?
I let the pages fall back to the desk. I never told you about the fragment.
The long pause. The glance away. No, of course not. That was Caroline.
I started to step closer to the door. I don t think so.
Matthews put the smile back on. The desire to taste his skin intensified. Why don t you show
it to me anyway? Perhaps theres some clue as to why Caroline met her unfortunate end.
I didn t answer. I took another step backwards to the door.
Victor he said, and it was easier and easier to remember that he was my friend, my very
best friend. I don t want to have to tell the Curia Cruentus about your work. Im an outsider
to the Lancea et Sanctum, but my word still carries a certain weight. I d rather we sit down
together and have an intellectual discussion about what youve found.
The Curia. Comprised of powerful Cardinals and other elders, the Curia would be heavily
involved in any declaration of heresy. Matthews worked heavily with them as we worked on
the Revised Edition. I didn t doubt that he had the sway he claimed.

Give me one night, I said with a resigned tone. I have some research notes I have to
compile, and the matter with Dr. Petronius still needs to be cleaned up. We can meet in
my office tomorrow evening.
Matthews checked his phone, pressing and swiping the screen a few times before he
nodded. Very well. Im relatively free tomorrow. I ll have someone drive me up, and we ll
spend a few hours going over everything you have. Hopefully from there we ll be able
to sense who did this horrible deed, and you can investigate further before I fly back to
Harvard. We shook hands, and I retreated into my car.
I cannot let the Curia get involved. If they were to discover that the Testament itself
had been altered to suit the needs of an Invictus (or his VII masters), the understanding
between our two covenants would crumble. They would surely blame Petronius and me to
save face with our peers in the First Estate. And history has taught me that it is always
easier to blame the dead.
4 August
This is my last entry. I must write quickly before I send this all to Prince Vidal.
Matthews never arrived at our appointed time. To be fair, I never expected him to. While
I claimed I was compiling all my notes on the missing verses and the fragment for our
discussion, in reality I was preparing them in a secure location unknown to any other
Kindred. When the appointed time arrived, there was a polite knock on my door. On the
other side was not Henry Matthews, but the short, heavy-set man and the tall woman
with the scarred face. The man slammed into the door as I was opening it, and the woman
rushed by him at incredible speed, slapping a hand over my mouth before I could speak.
It was smart that they learnt from their mistake, but as I said, I was expecting them or
someone like them. I had spent my hours upon wakening preparing a miracle of Theban
sorcery. Much as the soldiers at the Crucifixion whipped and jeered Christ, I was able to call
forth my own whip.
I reached forth my hand, and my own Vitae whipped out across the short mans face.
The barbs of my faith gouged into his flesh, and he screamed. The woman turned to look,
and I sank my fangs into the meat of her palm. Her warm Vitae filled my mouth, and

I swallowed, stealing her strength for myself. She yanked her hand away, tearing her own flesh,
and I pulled the whip back to hit her across the chest. Again and again I whipped them both, as
they tried to fend me off with their arms. Then the short man grabbed at the whip and pulled. I
let the whip dissolve into dust, and he fell backwards in surprise. I reached into my pocket for three
nails I kept there, another miracle of mine. I plunged one into the palm of my hand, chanting
from the Malediction of Longinus as I embraced the pain. The woman grabbed her hand as well,
and screamed as she fell to her knees. The man rose up, but I bared my fangs at him and hiss,
shoving the weight of all my personality at him. He fled in terror.
I used the other two nails untreated by Theban sorcery to pin the woman to the wall of
my office. She fell into torpor during the process, but only after a fair amount of screaming.
I searched her pockets, and found a corporate credit card for Atlas Industries, one of the local
corporations Matthews and the Invictus used for international shipping. The name on the card and
the name of her ID card didn t match, so I didn t bother to retain the names.
I suppose one of those more rug ged Kindred I wrote of earlier would have said something
poignant and witty at this point, but I had nothing to say. Instead, I simply kicked over the can
of petrol I left under my desk and set fire to my office, leaving the woman inside as I made my
way to my car.
I do not know if Matthews is working for himself, or on behalf of the Invictus. I do not know if
he or the Invictus are the puppets of VII, or if it is a ruse. I do not know if VII has anything to
do with chapter seven, or if even in the grace of Longinus there is room for coincidence. What I do
know is that decades of research and translation wore my faith down to a nub. It took heresy and
the torment it brings to reawaken my faith in Longinus. I do not know if I will ever find more on
James, or anything conclusive to show if he was the sire to Longinus, but I will keep looking for
as long as I am able.
Yours in Faith,
Rev. Dr. Victor Ballsden, DPhil,

DD, Oxon (emeritus)

BLINDNESS
I confess to the sin of blindness. I sho
uld have seen the flaw in our approa
ch.
It is one thing to bring fledgling vam
pires into our fold. New Embraces, eag
structure and meaning in their liv er to find
es, are natural assets for the Lance
This makes sense, and is valuable . a et Sanctum.
Further, it is valuable to show the
to other covenants (yes, even the dam word of Longinus
nable Acolytes, if they decide to stop
their pagan goddesses), so that they following
may find structure and meaning in
laity of Kindred makes sense, and their lives. This
is valuable .
The flaw exists in Kindred who lea
ve their covenant to join the true
the surface, this seems to be a benefit faith. On
, but I have seen nothing but pain
betrayal. Yes, I call this betrayal, from such a
for if one were to leave the faith an
abandoning their devotion to Longin d join another,
us and the Lord, would we not conside
traitor? If one leaves a group they r them a
claimed to be utterly devoted to, how
devotion be stronger? can their new
The Fif th Canon of the Sanguineous

Catechism explains the need for eva
and the role of the Testament in tha ngelism,
t evangelism. Does the Monachus not
are to bring all who would hear int say that we
o the darkness of the word of Longin
every betrayer we bring to our boso us? Yet , for
m, we embrace all of their enemies
friends. Our Church grows weaker and none of their
with each convert, not stronger.
I submit that baptism of all who con
sider themselves Longinian is what
asked of us. Once the sinner has ha Monachus
d the blood sprinkled on their head
words I baptize you in the name of and heard the
the Dark Father, the Spear, and the
have seen the way. Do we need to ext Shield, they
end the Confirmation to them? Do
take our Communion? they need to
I do see examples of those who fled the
ir covenant and have truly embod
means to be Longinian. Indeed, the ied what it
y have shown faith when others hav
a means to destroy. In particular, e used faith as
I am thinking of the diary that has
recently from Port-au-Prince. I fee been uncovered
l a kinship with those Kindred
apart by natural disaster, anot another city torn
her court struggling to deal with the
Whereas New Orleans has grown stro aftermath .
nger from its crucible, Port-au-Prin
into despair. However, it is one Kin ce falls deeper
dred, formerly of the Invictus, tha
hope. t gives me the most
I have been blind. Forgive me , for I

have sinned.

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meet up with your ex

Title: #ThatAwkwardMoment when you
Security: Private
Dear Diar y/Journal/Blog/Thing,
t need the rest of the Kindred hearing
Im going to make this post private. I don
: Girl joins the New York Invictus. Girl
my whining. Sure, its a stor y as old as time
fall in love. Girl survives earthquake. Girl
moves to Haiti. Girl meets Crone. They
tum. Crone breaks up with girl. The end.
finds religion. Girl joins the Lancea et Sanc
in 2010, Leila hasnt really spoken to me
Its true, though. Since I converted back
point: our covenants hate each other like
except on official business. I can see her
ing to be star-crossed lovers, able to work
cats on fire. I guess a part of me was hop
es to find true love and happiness. Except
past the differences of our respective hous
course. But when most of Port-au-Prince
that bit at the end where everyone dies, of
and youre looking down the barrel of
gets wiped out in a massive earthquake
ry, I guess there isnt time for romance.
the worst cholera outbreak in recent histo
ting with her even more awkward.
Which makes me asking for a private mee
other. With the recent... reduction in
I mean, its not as if we havent seen each
that he needed a democratically elected
headcount, Prince Raoul Bonnefil decided
Kindred problems in Port-au-Prince.
Primogen council to help wrangle all the
or because hes old, or what, but he
I dont know if its because hes a Ventrue,
Daeva left in Haiti decided I should step
broke the seats down by Clan. The few
consulted whatever lwa they hang out
up and represent them, while the Mekhet
rson. So whenever the Prince wants to
with and settled on Leila as their spokespe
we talk and argue (mostly argue) about
have a meeting or a phone conference,
with her privately, but she acted as if I
city business. I tried a few times to talk
wasnt talking.
just between us. Last night, we all got
But this was city business, even if it was
g that the Lancea et Sanctum and the
a text message from Prince Bonnefil, sayin
r restitution for their transgressions. No
Circle of the Crone would have to offe a
were or anything, and no one could get
indication of what these transgressions or wha tever both
and their High Mother
hold of Bonnefil afterward. My Archbishop
were the closest to the Princes ear, the two of us
decided that since the Primogen
iled her, and we agreed to meet at the
should be the ones to sort it out. So, I ema
le of the National Palace. I spent hours
Champs-de-Mar Park, across from the rubb
years, I still get butterflies around her. I
fussing over what to wear. Even after four
suit, flats, and Longinian pin, although
ended up wearing my charcoal Primogen
I left an extra button on my blouse undone.
checking my phone for the thousandth
Leila arrived fifteen minutes late, as I was
colors for a Shadow, and tonight was no
time. She always wore surprisingly bright
a matching head wrap and no shoes. She
exception: a sunny yellow sundress with

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stepped in front of me before I noticed her.
Genevieve, she said quietly. Sure, my Clan has
the reputation of being the
sex kittens of the Kindred world, but something
about the way she whispered
my name just made my toes curl.
Leila, I responded, trying to keep things cool.
Thank you for accepting my
invitation. I offered her my hand.
I would appreciate skipping the small talk, she
said, ignoring the hand. This
is a serious matter.
I let my hand drop. Sure, of course. The Princes
edict.
So what did your covenant do to earn his ire?
She crossed her arms and
stared at me.
I winced. She always reached right to the heart
of the matter. Usually to crush
that heart in her hands. My Archbishop doesnt
know anything.
You mean the old white man refuses to accept
responsibility. How shocking.
I smoothed down the front of my jacket. A nervo
us gesture. It may not mean
much, but I sincerely dont think anything was done
on our end. I spoke with the
laity and the priesthood, and none of them know
s of anything unusual. Or more
unusual, given the situation. I took a moment to
look her in the eyes. They asked
me to find out what the Circle might have done
.
Her eyes flashed a moment, and then she looke
d away. We have done nothing
to disrupt the Carthians laws.
You mean Prince Bonnefils laws.
She looked back at me, frowning. That is what
I said. Do not waste my time
with semantics. And stop using your abilities to
manipulate my feelings for you,
or I will walk back out of this park and blame you
for this whole problem.
I wasnt using any powers. The emotion she was
feeling had to be her own.
Did she still have feelings for me? I took a comp
letely unnecessary breath and
plowed on, ignoring the insinuation. Its clear
we need to speak to the Prince to
find out why he is so concerned, but I think its
best if we both go in on the same
page. It helps if were both on message.
Leila gave me a crooked smirk. My hands trembled,
so I held them behind my
back. That sounds like the Invictus talking.
I shrugged. I used to work in social media, both
before and after my death. No
matter what team Im playing for now, I know the
value of a consistent message.
She nodd ed, and the smir k disap pear ed.
Agr eed. You will make the
arrangements, and let me know. Then she was
gone.
So thats how my conversation with my ex went
. I need to get in touch with the
Princes people and set something up, if theyll
even return my calls. I suppose I
should be pissed that Im being ordered around,
but Im too busy cycling between
being a lovesick puppy and abject terror at what
ever Bonnefil has in mind. More
later, diary.

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portauprinceatnight.HT
Title: That could have gone better....
Security: Private
Dear Diary (can I call you Diary?),
meeting
Well, I got in touch with one of the Princes secretaries, and arranged for a
always liked Marass a unlike some
with the three of us at the Galerie Marassa. Ive
the Galerie Marassa is a nice, intimat e
of the museum Elysia Ive been to in the States,
amazin g Voudou n flags and Catholi c
place featuring local art, including some
a secular place featurin g religiou s
figurines. It was a master ful touch, really
n, Crone, and Spears sensibi lities. I
iconography perfectly balances the Carthia
guess Bonnefil chooses good people to work under him.
wrap
Anyhow, I met Leila outside. She was wearing an orange dress and head
side gallery
tonight, and my compliment bounced off of her as we were led into a
men in short-sl eeved dress shirts. The walls were seafoam green
by two muscular
images of
and framed pictures and items hung sparsely around the room. Lots of
the lwa and the Madonna.
one sat
In the center of the room sat a folding table and three folding chairs. In
a pure white suit with a matchin g
Raoul Bonnefil, shuffling a deck of cards. He wore
himself as a man of the people ,
trilby perched on his bald head. Our Prince prides
ity will do. If you glanced at him,
and he doesnt stand on ceremony when simplic
g a quiet
you might think he was just another middle-aged Haitian man enjoyin
and authori ty wash over you
game of solitaire. But when he looks at you, power
like a wave. Hes a Ventrue to the core.
us
Good evening, ladies, he said in Haitian Creole, standing up and waving
over to the chairs. Shall we get right to business?
see us,
We sat. Leila crossed her legs. I didnt. Thank you for taking the time to
by our respect ive covena nts
Your Majesty, I responded. Weve been empowered
to discuss the nature of your edict.
Isnt it obvious? he said, smiling. Religion is poisoning our country.
d. We
I paused, and looked at Leila. She was looking back at me, equally confuse
tand, Prince Bonnefi l.
turned back to Bonnefil, and she spoke up. We dont unders
has a rather neutral view
It has always been my understanding that your covenant
of religion.
tish
He giggled at this. It wasnt laughter or even a chuckle, but an almost coquet
believe that religion is the opiate of the masses .
giggle. Im not a Marxist. I dont
out there in the world, and it is angry for what we
I believe there is something
have done.
now
I tried to keep my face neutral. Prince Bonnefil has been known to bluster
about.. . whatev er this
and then, but this was different. He was very calm and jovial

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was. Something was very, very wrong. Keeping my voice even,
I asked politely,
What have we done, sir?
He stood up suddenly. His chair collapsed, falling to the concrete
floor with a loud
bang. I jumped. Leila didnt. What havent you done? he bellow
ed suddenly. In
2010 God sent an earthquake to Haiti, killing thousands. Not
even a month later
he sent another one to Chile. In 2011, yet another one devastated
Japan. Typhoons
have wreaked havoc in the Philippines. Heat waves hit countries
all over the world.
Mortals sweep it all under the rug of global warming, but I know
the truth. I know
that we have offended the anvizib. He pointed to the ceiling, one
finger trembling.
Leila continued to look calmly at him. Perhaps
A second flood! he laughed, cutting her off. This time she did
flinch. You will
bring a second great flood that will destroy us all. The Crones
and the Spear play
at hating one another, but I know your game. You are workin
g together to wipe
out all of those who dont follow your rules, who dont play your
game. He walked
over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. You two dont even
hide it very well. I
bet you warm each others beds while you plot to destroy Haiti,
dont you?
I started to speak, but Leila beat me to it. If you had been paying
the slightest bit
of attention in our council meetings, Bonnefil, youd know that
if I could, I wouldnt
share a building with this woman, let alone her bed. The fact that
we are both here
in front of you is nothing short of a miracle
Witchery! he said, laughing. Spittle flew from his mouth as he
said it.
and should be telling about the concerns we have regarding
your leadership.
If you explain what the problem is, we will do what we can to
ease your mind.
Proof! Problems! Ease! He let go of my shoulder and kicked the
card table over.
Cards flew everywhere, and it slid against one of the walls. In my
hysteria and fear,
I noticed one of the legs was bent. Your very belief is heresy! Your
existence is the
reason Haiti still suffers! You will tell your cults to stop worshiping
false idols and
return to the glory of the One True God, or I will have you all murde
red in your beds!
Prince Bonnefil, if youll just allow us to explain, I pleaded. I unders
tand youre
upset, but theres no connection at all between our covenants
and these events.
All of us are working hard to rebuild Haiti, just as you are.
Bonnefil casually picked up his chair, reopened it, and sat back down,
as if nothing
were wrong. He giggled again. You think Im mad, dont you?
I closed my eyes and said nothing. There isnt a good answer to
that question.
No, I understand, he said calmly. But soon, everyone will see
things the way
I do. Kindred, humans, even babies will see all of you for what
you really are. He
snapped his fingers, and the two muscular men grabbed our
arms and started
shoving us to the door.
As the door of the gallery closed behind us, I could hear the faint sound
of giggling.
I wasnt sure what to do after that. Leila just dusted herself off
and said that she
had some questions to ask. Weve agreed to meet at Cest Si Bon
its a late-night
bar/restaurant with lots of people around, and if Bonnefil does
plan to kill us, were
hoping that he still values the Masquerade enough to not do it
in front of a crowd.
Im terrified. After this, Ill write a report for the Archbishop,
but Im not sure
what will happen. Im just a convert, and for all the Lancea et
Sanctum ideology
that all are equal in the eyes of Longinus, I know my place on the
totem pole. For
all I know, Ill die here in Haiti.
I dont want to die.

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Title: What is Malkavia?
Security: Private
Dear Diary,
component of humanizing a brand or
Its weird. I know all about the psychological
and yet weve been writing to our diaries
a technology to make it more approachable,
uries. Now I have this image of a three-
and journals as if they were people for cent
over a massive journal with guttering
hundred-year-old vampire in robes leaning
the dreamiest guy.
candlelight writing Dear Diary, today I met
h when Im scared too, but since the
Sorry. I babble when Im terrified. Usually I laug
laughter. That s weird, right? I admit I
meeting with the Prince, Im scared of my own
er with Leila didnt help me freak out
havent been thinking about it too much. Dinn
over.
any less. It wasnt Leila, but... let me just start
ts, the kind of clothes anyone in Haiti
I didnt bother dressing up: tank top, shor
ic places: shopping, at museums, even
would wear. I spent the entire evening in publ
d buildings. The point was to avoid
around road crews knocking down destroye
reminded me just how far Port-au-Prince
getting jumped without witnesses, but it also
about how some families are getting
needs to go. Ive even been hearing stories
show up to knock their homes down.
eviction notices minutes before the crews
red supposed to be able to influence
How did we let things get so bad? Arent Kind
s? Watching trucks push rubble around,
human institutions and prevent these thing
point.
I began to wonder if Bonnefil didnt have a
Of course, she looked amazing in
When it was time, I met Leila at Cest Si Bon.
yone around me thought I looked hot in
pastel green. Even though I know that ever
like a slob next to her. She had a natural
the crappy clothes I was wearing, I still felt
cial sensuality I conjured up. We got a
beauty and grace that felt superior to the artifi
visible to most people, and she launched
table that was away from the crowd but still
right into things.
Have you heard of Malkavia?
I shook my head.
a disease that drives vampires crazy.
I talked to some of my sisters. Turns out its
I blinked. I didnt know diseases affected us.
Just not in the same way that they
Of course they do, she said, dismissively.
affect humans.
So you think hes insane?
She looked at me. Dont you?
drink around on the table. I guess I
I leaned back into my chair, and moved my
er, would
was hoping that maybe reason, or even pray
Dont.

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I looked up at her. Dont what?

into this. Not now.
Dont bring your bullshit God was, but Longinus
werent in the same meeting I
This got me angry. Maybe you ever you like, but this
r of Monsters. Dress it up how
is a part of this. So is the Mothe
matter whose.
is an attack on faith. It doesnt . If he were content
lips par ted into a snarl of disgust. It does matter whose
Her
leave you to his insanity.
to focus on Longinians, I would back of my mind
to punch her. Something in the
I had the overwhelming urge her blood just one
n, and sample her body and
wanted to beat her, pin her dow ms on the table and
wanted. Instead, I put my pal
more time. Just... take what I ism in my head. Im
iting the Sanguineous Catech
closed my eyes, mentally rec
of your faith.
trying ver y hard to be respectful of completely
? She lau ghe d not a gig gle, but a full-throated bark
Really treats people
oro us lau ghter. Th ats a cha nge from how your faith usually
unhum
like me. iced a disturbance
comment in her face when I not
I was about to toss some hurtful dful of people had
ned to look, and saw that a han
among the other diners. I tur the cholera outbreak.
for medical supplies to aid with
walked in, asking for donations rdes or even just
g their hands out for a few gou
They were sof t-spoken, holdin t tell if they were
t against the bone, but I couldn
some change. Their skin was tau ter. The other diners
from lack of good drinking wa
dehydrated from cholera or just ay from the charity
some pulled their plates aw
werent taking the risk, though waiters looked like
got up and left. A couple of the
workers, while others simply the manager.
k at high speed, probably to tell
they were heading to the bac locked eyes, and
table when they noticed us. We
The charity workers were by our giv e to the m. As I started
the money I had on me to
I debated pulling out some of to gig gle .
m pointed at us and started
to reach for my purse, all of the
laughs. Blasphemers!
Heretics! they said between
ear.
Time to go, Leila said in my re racing through
stand up. A thousand things we
I nodded and forced myself to Malkavia? Can I get it
they have Malkavia? Is cholera
my head. Did they mean us? Do ural Daeva desire into
trated and focused all that nat
if they touch me? But I concen way past whatever
n. I hoped that I would make my
a gentle push in their directio ile. I could see their
m to love me for just a little wh
gripped them inside and get the e love had taken hold.
to adoration, and I knew the fals
faces change from insane fury up. My associate
I said quietly to the gathered gro
Id like to step outside, please, nce d ove r my shoulder
all about your concerns. I gla
and I would love to talk to you had van ishe d. My new
mselves, and saw that Leila
as they murmured among the as the ma nag er came
me get around the table, just
friends backed up a little to let ran like cra zy.
They turned to look, and I
around to start yelling at them. out already that I
to my car, but I was so freaked
Leila appeared by me as I got sudden appearance.
any more freaked out by her
didnt even have energy to be
This is bad, she said quietly. rd my own voice
nced around ner vously as I hea
You think? I said loudly. I gla d my voice. Yes, this
crete and brick, and lowere
bounce back at me from the con
is bad.

so much. You did good back
Leila gave me that smirk again, the one I loved
there.
. I leaned against the car for a
Thanks. You did a great job of not being there
relationship, really.
moment, just enjoying the night air. Stor y of our
didnt want another round of
In my head, I winced. It just came out. I really
haven, climb into my bed, and
arguing with her. I just wanted to go back to my
pretend the past five years never happened.
her tongue trying to slide into
Instead, I felt her cool lips pressed against mine,
body against mine was exotic
my mouth like a velvet shadow. The feel of her
palms tingled as I returned the
and comfortable all at the same time, and my
when she broke off and took
kiss. My hands started to slide around her waist
a step back.
night. I tried to nod, but she
Call the Primogen. We need to meet tomorrow
was already gone. Damn it.
thy father and refuse thy
O Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny
out of my mind.
name. Because I cannot get the taste of your lips

Title: Worst. Meeting. Ever.
Security: Private
Of all the places to have a top-secret meeting,
I never expected it would be in a
parking lot. I mean, I guess it makes sense no
one will think to look for you there,
especially in the middle of the night. Plus its hard
to sneak up on you when you can see
in pretty much every direction. But I guess I still
had visions of James Bond in my head.
Sorry, Diary. Babbling again. I should probably
delete all this crap, but I want to
get it all down first. Im scared if I dont just keep
pushing through that Ill never do it.
Anyhow, I called the other Primogen. Jean-Clau
de Ambrose is the one I called
first. I figured hes Gangrel, so hell know the best
way to make sure we survive this
meeting. Hes the one that suggested the parki
ng lot, the one by the airport that was
devastated by the earthquake. Le Satin of the
Nosferatu wasnt a hard sell, either. I
debated for an hour whether I should call Villar
d Brsil. Hes not a direct relation to
Bonnefil, but hes still Ventrue, and I was worried
that they would stick together. But
hes also Invictus, and thats what won me over.
I figured I could play the alliance
card between our covenants enough to at least
get a fair hearing before he ran back
to his clanmate with the news.

d and one maybe-
stan din g in a par king lot with three pissed-off Kindre
So, I was in each direction
-pis sed -off ex- girl frie nd. There was nothing else for meters
not -so old chain-link fences
few cars (I don t kno w how Le Satin got there). Some
exc ept a places. From here,
ded the lot, but the y wer e hanging limp in a number of
surr oun th jutting up into
ld see how the airs trip was broken, with jagged asphalt tee
you cou with the Prince, the
sky . Leil a and I too k turn s laying everything out: the meeting
the
the incident at the restaurant.
information about Malkavia, and ssed his arms and
e was the first to speak. He cro
Once we were done, Jean-Claud ced in Creole.
n. I say we kill him, he announ
looked at the group with a frow What, we get one
rd too k a step tow ard him , pointing a finger at his chest.
Villa r?
le, and you jump right to murde
report of him being a bit unstab nes, hell find a
takes out the Spear and the Cro
Jean-Claude shrugged. Once he mad Carthian.
vive all this just to be killed by a
reason to come for us. I didnt sur
rd countered.
You mean a mad Ventrue, Villa
If you like. knew much
rais ed a han d, and the rest of the group fell silent. No one
Le Sat in es. Some of
/he r, oth er tha n he/she wo re a silver, featureless mask and rob
about him assumed it was just
was horribly disfigured. I always
the Kindred claimed that he/she e hom egrown covenant I
ct. He/ she also claime d to speak for Le Mystre, som
for effe
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never heard of before I got here. I would laugh about a group
called The Secret,
but were called The Spear and Chapel, so I guess I dont
have room to judge.
Setting aside the Princes edicts for the moment, he/she
said in French. Le Satin
always spoke in French. The disease that Primogen Leila
mentions does exist. We
believe that her research is sound.
Does it have much in common with cholera? I asked.
Traditionally, no. Malkavia affects the mind, whereas chole
ra focuses primarily
on the body. However, we do know that the disease does
affect mortals. We proffer
that this could be a new strain.
It would certainly explain a few things, Leila mused. Every
ones had a difficult
time wiping it out, and the combination of vampires spread
ing it among the humans
and it not actually being cholera would account for that.
Indeed, Primogen Leila, Le Satin said, his/her mask inclini
ng slightly. As such,
we feel it is at least worth bringing to the Prince that this
disease is a larger, more
pressing issue than his prior edict. His reactions to that will
help crystallize further
actions.
Villard started to speak, but we all saw a white sedan pull
up to where we were
meeting. The conversation fell silent as it pulled up next
to us, and Prince Bonnefil
stepped out, giggling. He was wearing the same white suit,
and carrying a briefcase.
Well, well, well, he said, drawing out the syllables. What
a pretty little conspiracy
we have here.
I noticed all the eyes of the Primogen looked to Villard, but
he seemed as shocked
as anyone else did. Jean-Claude looked away and spoke
to the Prince. Dont recall
inviting you here.
Do I need an invitation to talk to my own council?
No, of course not, Villard interjected. Well be happy
to help you in any way
we can.

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two goons from
monsieur. As he talked, the
Your courtesy is appreciated, car table from the
d
car, and pulled the battered
the museum got out of the se on it. The table
Bonnefil, and he put the briefca
trunk. They set it up on front of ned the briefcase.
Prince ignored it and calmly ope
rocked on its bad leg, but the sity of Miami field
It had markings from the Univer
He pulled out a bag of blood. ove r so that Leila
of the airport. He brought it
hospital set up on the other side
and I could see it. have to look at
t und ers tan d, I said , loo king at the blood so I didnt
I don
Bonnefil. Leila tense.
out a knife from his pocket. I saw
He simply giggled, and pulled an explanation.
u wa nt us to drink this? I ask ed, hoping to get a reaction or
Yo the blood bag.
ed, and the knife went down into
At that point, Bonnefil scream the bag and his
the Prince. He kept stabbing
It sprayed all over Leila, me, and ld see the other
Die, as he did. Behind him, I cou
own hand, screaming, Die Die they were moving
ves in their hands as well, and
two goons had bags and kni
toward the other Primogen. rd screams
rea lly sure wh at hap pen ed next. Leila disappeared. I hea
Im not her mask off to
g fles h, pro bab ly from Jean-Claude. Le Satin took his/
and ren din was Bonnefil
of the goo ns, but I cou ldn t see his/her face. Then there
look at one
was trying to stab me. fast as I could. I
punching him as hard and as
My instincts kicked in. I started ng to get him off
and will into the blows, just tryi
put every ounce of my blood d into the ground
on top of him, smashing his hea
me. When he fell back, I leaped re full of ash.
aming too. Then, my hands we
over and over. I think I was scre on my shoulder.
concrete until I felt Leilas hand
I kept pounding the ash into the
Its over.
Genevieve, she said quietly. was covered in
was the five of us. Jean-Claude
I looked up. All that remained horrified. Leila has
on Villard as well, who looked
blood and ash, and a little got ial spray. Le Satin
that was probably from the init
some on her face and dress, but
was back on.
looked fine, and his/her mask Le Satin said in
Prince, Primogen Paternoster,
You have just murdered the
his/her flat voice. .
Saved us a lot of trouble, I say
Jean-Claude folded his arms. d in horror, and tried
his face, looked at his han
Villard wiped some ash from one . The Carthians
tell anyone about this. Not any
to wipe it on his leg. We cant
will come after us all. e replacement, we
the council decides on a suitabl
Le Satin nodded. I agree. Until the reconstruction
d. Prince Bonnefil is focused on
propose that a fiction is erecte handle all his affairs
ed. The council will, naturally,
of Haiti, and cannot be disturb
in the interim. knew the answer.
. I asked a question, but we all
A conspiracy of silence? I said g abo ut the feeling
hands. I couldnt stop thinkin
I couldnt take my eyes off my ts wh y Im writing
But I couldnt confess to it. Tha
of beating him until he died.
a confession I can do.
this its the closest thing to
agree, Primogen Leila?
Le Satin looked to Leila. Do you
smirk on her face. Itll be fun.
Of course, she said, that lovely
Then she giggled.

I confess to the FURY
sin of fury. W
belief discarded h en I read tales of
, mocked, or ig those of the tr
and I want to n or ed , I become furi ue faith havin
rend apart th ous. My bestia g their
ose who would l nature rises
While there is dare discount u p in me,
a certain pract true Longinia
rest of Kindred icality to con n s.
society that do sider when on
es not belittle or es faith inters
who do well cl deepen the fait ects with the
oistered away h . W
creatures, and to meditate on e are not creatu
we have a duty matters of phil res
to bring the W osop h y . We are socia
We do not use ord to all vam l
faith as a tool pires who wou
of power like th ld hear it .
We do not use e Invictus.
faith as an ex
cuse for excess
We do not use like the Circl
faith as propa e of the Crone.
ganda like th
And we do not e Carthians.
treat faith lik
For all of my fr e a germ to be
studied like th
ustration and e Ordo Dracul.
for Draculas p ou tr age in this con
uppets. The In fession, I reserv
Crones at least victus at least e a special ha
have faith , ev make a show tred
en if it is in a pa of re sp ec ti n g our faith . The
recognize the gan goddess. Th
power of faith e C a
is not somethin , ev en if they trea rt h ians at least
g to be cured. It t it as a tool of
is not a defect m in d control. Howev
The miracles w . er, it
e perform with
the blood that our study of T
can be bottled, heban sorcery
ca te go ri is not another
our connection zed, and reuse power of
with a God wh d. It comes from
murdering His o h a s cursed us to w ou r D amnation,
only son. alk the earth
for Longinus
But where an sin of
y sensible Kin
only sees num dred would see
bers and equa something mir
tions. They act aculous and h
paper or the ri a s if G od oly, the Order
ght study cou can be unders
a hand at the ld unlock the ba to od , as if the righ
levers and swit ckstage door to t
ch es . th e u n iv er se a
but we will n S tu dy only allow n d give them
ever understa s us to approa
study and ma n d H im . We will nev ch k n ow ledge of God,
ster small piece er better Him.
s to better app We can only le
Forgive me, fo reciate the won arn and
r I tremble in der and beauty
dare to discard fury whenever of His plan.
our holy work I even think a
and treat it a bo ut how these cr
attached will s so much dross. eatures
help you unde I h op e th
those of the tr rs tand just a sm a t this report I
ue faith , and all portion of have
how they tru the studies th
ly view our hol ey conduct on
y work .

I. Title Page
Comprise Faith In Kindred (2013)
Study: Isolating The Mental Pathways That
en. Open for peer review.
Author: Master Sigge Vng, Gothenburg, Swed
(svang@ordogothenburg.org)
Corresponding Author: Master Sigge Vng
Ordo Dracul Lodge
Financial & Equipment Support: Gothenburg
Conflicts of Interest: None
II. Abstract l and

al pathways that comprise religious devotiona
A third attempt to locate and isolate the neur t (New
Subject C was a member of Prince Vidals cour
irrational belief (hereafter, faith) in Kindred.
the result of Gods divine will.
Orleans) who believes that the disaster was
m o r e t o this
Ad d
III. Introduction enburg,
y, at the request of the Ordo Dracul of Goth
I have conducted a number of studies previousl Such a desig n would
onal religious thought from Kindred.
with the design of reducing or removing irrati attem pts focu sed on
on and strife in our society. Previous
be applied to the lodges goal of reducing tensi study, it was decid ed
which proved inconclusive. For this
purely psychological and psychiatric methods, . The brain of Subj ect
brain structures would be necessary
that a strictly physical analysis of the affected produced
tial avenues for exploration, although again it
C provided some enlightening insight into poten
additional subjects will be required.
no conclusive evidence. It is my opinion that
IV. Methods e. It is
re examination room of the Gothenburg lodg
Context: The study was conducted in the secu in isola tion. The
investigators to perform examinations
soundproof and has no windows, allowing
typical array of medical tools was available. subject
ine the brain of Subject C, and then induce the
Design: The design is simple: physically exam ). Give n that Subj ect C need ed to
after faith reactions
to perform outward manifestations of faith (here ned to keep Subj ect C alive and
on, the study was desig
actively practice their faith during the examinati s and Kirli an phot ogra phy were
es noted that CAT scan
conscious for as long as possible. Previous studi val
chan ges in the Kindred psyche (see 34.5/2010). As such, remo
insuf ficient for studying fine-grain n is nece ssary. Cons idera tion for
with instr umentatio
of Subject Cs scalp to directly observe the brain that the pain woul d incre ase the
ed as lead researcher
the amount of pain was discussed, but I decid
ions, and thus was not a factor that needed to be reduced.
possibilit y of necessary faith react fled to
g as a mendicant) from New Orleans who
Subject: Subject C is a nomad (self-identifyin ident ifies as a
t by Hurricane Katrina. This Kindred
Sweden in 2005 after the disaster brought abou Long inus was
following the faith that the mythological
male Kindred, as a Gangrel, and as a creat ure ect C recen tly
stian context (hereafter Longinian). Subj
the inciting vampire in a pseudo-Judeo- Chri to cond uct
Dracul, and as such, the lodge was given leave
physically attacked a Carthian ally of the Ordo
(see 37.1/2013).
this study by the Queen-Elect of Gothenburg
g st r a t e g y , st u d y v ariables,
Add samplin e d u r e , a n d analysis
data collec t io n p r o c
is b a r e ly h a lf - w r it t en!
methods! This study
V. R esults seventeen distinct faith
the Fin al De ath, I was able to document
Before Subject C suc cum bed to nginus!), while others
ally var iati ons on the phrase Save me, Lo
reactions. Some were voc aliz ed (ty pic h reaction was par ticularly
sin g the eye s and sub-vocalizing). One fait
were physical reactions (ty pically clo on his chest. During one
jec t C had a scar in the shape of a lance
strong, and worth docum ent ing . Sub tinct lance. Application
an to glo w and rise out of his chest, becoming a dis
faith reaction, the scar beg
in aborted the faith reaction.
to the pain sensors in the bra tha t par ticular faith incident, but it is
my opinion that
any que stio ns abo ut nian-based
Subject C ref used to answer stu dy the Kin dre d brain during the use of Longi
e been abl e to useful data. The
this is the first time we hav is inc ide nt has pro vided the most potentially
heban ). Th in activit y in the
faith sorcer y (hereafter T but to sum ma riz e, there is a marked decrease
tion IX , nt decrease
detailed logs are listed in Sec er fait h rea ctio ns had a negligible and inconsiste
erience . Oth subsequent
parietal lobe during this exp rea ctio n cor res pon ded exactly to the decrease and
eban fait h iversit y of
in such activit y, but the Th res pon ds to the find ings of Andrew Newburg (Un
y. Th is cor
ret urn of parietal lobe activit t a nd
Sec tion IX ).
s a r e ir r e le v a n
Mortal studie this reference.
Pen nsylvania ; see
insignif icant. Toss

to reduce or remove
VI. Discussion
stim ula tin g par ietal lobe activit y is suf ficient
There is not enough evi den ce tha t or eliminate Theban
pos sibilit y tha t such stimulation can retard
faith reactions. However, the re is the ds to fall in order for
hyp oth esi s is that overall brain activit y nee
sorcer y manifestations. On
e wo rki ng situation, the stronger
d in ess enc e, the les s the subject thinks about the
faith reactions to take hol
faith takes hold.
A complete leap in logic with little

supporting evidence. I,m not even bothiering to read
the rest of this. Your conclusions are
spurious, and your methods are faulty. We need to
have a long discussion about what your goals are
before I,ll condone a retrial, but you might as well
have wasted this opportunity.

FAITHLESSNESS
Finally, I have committed the sin of faithlessness.
For many years, I have allowed myself and other Kin
dred to wander from the
path . In the name of politics, in the name of peace,
in the name of civility, in
the name of modernity, in the name of adaptability.
There was, and always is,
a reason to set faith aside as inconvenient or problema
tic. It is Satans greatest
trick to get us to lie to ourselves.
As Kindred, we place high value on our ability to adap
t to modern times while
embodying ancient truths. Covenants born from the
dust of ancient Rome stand
alongside those created within recent memory. We recit
e ancient traditions while
wearing the latest suits. Discussions as old as time take
place while listening to
bleeding-edge music. Call it the Masquerade, call it
using the tools at hand, call
it survival instinct, but we are not static creatures.
Yet, faith does not allow for adaptation. God does not
change His clothes or His
haircut to suit modern times. He is eternal, unchangi
ng, and omniscient. Some
may quibble that the mortal and Kindred forms of
faith are subject to revision
(for did not the edicts of the New Testament supersede
some of the more extreme
tenets in Leviticus?). The line is drawn in different
ways, and some of those lines
have shaken my faith to the core.
God doesnt care about lines. He doesnt argue nuances.
He doesnt quibble on
details. He demands faith , pure and untainted. One
doesnt worship a mask of
God, because God needs no masks. One doesnt claim a
goddess of pain as God, because
God doesnt limit Himself. For all of our creeds, and deno
minations, and titles,
and heresies open and secret, the Lancea et Sanctum
believe in Him. We have
faith that our role in His plan is predetermined. We
can never truly know why
monsters are necessary for His plan, but knowing is
not faith .
This is a point I have struggled with; I suspect all Kin
dred of faith struggle
with this at some point. Faith is not knowledge , but
it is also not the lack of
knowledge . If He wanted unthinking monsters, we
would all be draugr, only
moving from murder to murder. Instead, He gave hum
ans a mind, a mind that
can become even sharper after years of the Requiem.
He gives us tools such as
supernatural sight and miracles of faith to uncover
His secrets. Why would we
have all these things and then be asked not to use them
? I do not question His
plan, but I also do not consider Him a fool. We must
be expected to use them. I
have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow, but I still
wear a watch to know
when it will occur.
Therefore , we study. We question. We quibble and draw
lines, because each
Kindred fills the unknowable with faith and each
of us finds different things
unknowable. In the past , I have conf used questioni
ng with a lack of faith , and
in that mistake, actually lost it.

I fear I am not explaining this well. Let
me illustrate by way of an
example.
When I seized the title of Prince of New
Orleans, I knew that this city
was important. There was no objective dat
a that I was able to point to,
although there was plenty available. The
re was no signpost that showed me
the best path forward; although my skil
l and natural talent held me in good
stead. But a part of me took all of this info
rmation, all of this knowledge,
and used that to commune with the divi
ne. From that, I was able to conclude
this city will be important in the years
to come. That is faith.
Over the centuries, others came to challen
ge me. Suffering betrayal on
all sides, I compromised, I raged, I fought
, and I lost . I was the Prince. In
all of this, I had faith that I was the Prin
ce necessary to make this city
important. In the act of bringing this abo
ut, I lost actual faith, because
I am not the necessary component . He is.
I am His tool, and a tool does not
become self-important about the fact tha
t he is a tool.
Then, Katrina. Terrible , bloody, wonderf
ul Katrina. New Orleans
was devastated. My people were in ashes,
metaphorical and literal. I was
powerless, Prince of a broken city. In my
darkest moments, I blamed Him for
this. I saw this as punishment , as a slig
ht, as a violation of an agreement
between peers that never existed. And aft
er I raged, wept, and swore, I did
something I hadnt done in a long time.
I prayed. Not mouthing old words as a show
, but sincerely prayed to Him.
I did not speak to Him as a peer. I did not
treat Him as a servant to dole out
miracles. I humbled myself before Him,
and asked for guidance, as I had not
done since I started as Prince. I looked at
all the information I had, and
where I could not find the answer, I used
faith. Again, the conclusion was
that this city was important.
And it is. For did not God send this tragedy
to New Orleans just to prove
that Kindred society is no longer a series
of isolated city-states? Is it not
true that Kindred all over the world spea
k of New Orleans as a mecca, as
a warzone, as a cause, as a bloodbath? Do
they not think of me and the
pain of their brood in the same moment?
Moreover, did He not hand me the
opportunities I needed to take back my
control?
Kindred should have faith in themselves
, and faith in Him. Some choose
to vest their faith in Longinus, but Lon
ginus would not be without Him.
Either way, those who put their faith sole
ly in one or the other are doomed
to fall. Faith in Him exclusively is an insu
lt to the tools He has given you.
He does not want blind soldiers, but thin
king generals. Faith in yourself

exclusively is an insult to Him.
A general who leads the army
path is worthless at best and a on his own
danger at worst .
I see now that I had lost faith
in Him and myself. I see that fai
to be restored to the other Kind th needs
red. Certainly, the pagans of the
the Crone need correction. Absolu Circle of
tely, the hollow mouthings of
should not be tolerated. Of course the Invictus
, the arrogant science of the
should no longer take credit for Ordo Dracul
His work. However, I see now tha
concern is those who have no fai t the biggest
th at all. And the Carthians
They have nothing but hate an are Godless.
d destruction at their fingertip
s.
Forgive me , for I have sinned. I
have lost my way. Longinus, Ch
God have all given me sign aft rist , and
er sign, chance after chance , an
blind to see them. Now I have. d I was too
Now you see as I have that He
a new purpose, a new reason to has given me
be. I now know that New Orlean
city but a symbol, a rallying cry s is not a
against those who would oblite
our faith , but also the very ide rate not just
a of faith . They turn it into pro
discard it entirely, replacing Hi paganda or
s will with their own.
They must be stopped. They wi
ll be stopped. And with every oun
Vitae, I will make sure that Ne ce of my
w Orleans does not fall to their
Godlessness.
I send this confession
to the Bishop of Rome,
Vicar of Jesus Christ ,
Successor of the Prince
of the Apostles, Supreme
Pontiff of the Universal
Church, Primate of
Italy, Archbishop and
Metropolitan of the Roman
Province, Sovereign of
the Vatican City State,
Servant of the servants of
God. Hear my words, that
even a Damned creature
such as myself can see the
light.
Forgive me , your
Holiness, for I have sinned.
Prince Augusto Vidal

Catholic

I have a task for you. a. It has
at hr ow , to Ra le ig h- Du rham, North Carolin hen
9 out of He propriate location. W
You will take Flight 31 e wa iti ng at th e ap
for; the tickets ar a man in a grey su it wi
th a black
been booked and paid in al , an d wa it fo r ter
you arrive, report to
the taxi term
od uc e yo ur se lf, an d go with him. His mas
goes by Barnaby. Intr search Triangle. Inte
rview him.
leather briefcase. He em pl oy ed in th e Re
ire, a Dragon
is Doctor Nathaniel M
st told you.
Remember what I fir
-D -
N.B.: The sole speaker

is Dr. Nathaniel Mire,
Interviewing him is the Scholar Emeritus of the
Shadow, Frances Black. Dragons of the Triangle
.
Youre saying this wont
pick up your voice at all
[pause] ?
Ah. I would have liked to
end up with more than ha
your voice didnt ech lf a conversation, but too
o, as it should have in the late now. I noticed, earlie
anatomy, but its the little hall. Some of our kind loo r
things that truly disturb. k like Escher had a go at
[pause] Yo u we re rev ivified postmortem, yes?
Im putting together a pap
er, Anomalies of the Em
With due credit, of course brace. Perhaps I could get
, but if you prefer to kee your thoughts sometime.
I ask a personal question p things con fidential, I can
? ma ke arrangements. May
[pause]
Autopsy?
[pause]
Its what they do, if its
suspicious enough. They
by-piece, looking for wh put your body on the sla
atever killed you. I watch b, and take it apart, piece-
quite so intimate, so carefu ed one of them work, on
l. Someone did that to yo ce Id never seen any thing
embalmed your body, tre u, you know, in the days
ated it with chemicals to before your Embrace. Th
you know what they too stave off decay. Were yo ey
k? If they did, do you no u an organ donor? If so,
youd be willing to submi tice any thing different, do
t to a physical examinat any thing missing? Perha
ion, I could help answer ps, if
[pause] your questions.
My apologies. That was
a bit for ward, even for me
[pause] . Welcome to my labora
tor y.
You dont seem impresse
d. Normally, when I hav
such lovely sparks. I cou e company, I flip on that
ld also replace this suit device over there. It makes
Barnaby play something wi th a suspiciously staine
appropriate on the pipe d lab coat, perhaps. Ha
organ. Were you expect ve
[pause] ing a pipe organ?
Touch. There wasnt any
trouble on the way in, wa
I trust Barnaby showed s there? We are convenien
you ever courtesy. tly close to the air port.
[pause]
Good. Barnaby, see to the
animals.
[pause]
142
the
ditioned, I assure you. Except for
perception. Theyre perfectly con
An experiment in cognition and h hery ou hav ent sign ed the waiver.
hy around strangers.. Dont approac
Florida panther, shes still a bit touc
[Mire laughs.]
[pause] and a meal the same
gm enta l of you , Mis s Black. All she wants is safety
Savage? Thats rath er jud for my kind, but I dislike
ng thin g or oth erw ise. Yes , I know its what passes for a title
as any other livi
the term.
[pause] into doing almost
ld see it. But that s thei r gift, isnt it? They can talk anyone
Thats how the Lor ds wou the proper control of
do the sam e to any hum an if you had the right setup, and
any thing. Really, you cou ld elay, or to trigger more
y. Ma ybe you d nee d something to replicate the time-d
their innate neuroc hem istr every day. And who has
but org anis ms do mo re devious things to each other
complex motor fun ctio ns, d-bending power to edit
-hu man life ? Not the Lor ds, I can tell you that much. The min
mastery of all non
ones own memory.
[pause] ld completely. What
as to beli eve the Em bra ce removed me from the living wor
No, Im not so arro gan t its come up with the
has bee n con sum ing oth er life for billions of years, and
would I gain if it had ? Life see the big pict ure, but
edit ing the pro ces s. Ma ny of my kind completely fail to
most ingenious way s of exp n dismal for decades.
now is it? The edu cati on system in this country has bee
thats not entirely thei r fau lt, in the violence, I admit,
won der in eve ryth ing onl y the violence. Theres an appeal
They dont see the ion.
nt. At best, its a pleasant dist ract
but its not whats truly importa
[pause] just that sometimes
se gift s nee d not stri p me of my mental faculties or civility. Its
Why than k you. The
I smile with a great many teeth.
_____
erial for further

thin g, Mis s Bla ck. It uni tes us, even as it provides the raw mat from
The Blood is a strange have to genetic material. It passes
could call it the closest thing we that,
change and differentiation. You h it som ething of a legacy. Of cou rse, if you call ed it
bra ce, and car ries wit itself in the
Sire to Neonate in the Em is mo re than just a set of genes that reshuffles
fact that the Blo od environ ment in
you would be ignoring the Blo od has a life of its own. It responds to the
sful offs prin g. The use to reproduce,
hopes of producing succes es the que stion: is the Blood the vector we
to und erst and . It rais
ways we have only beg un
petuate itself?
or are we the vector it uses to per
[pause] for your sense of consciousness
ng; what, right now, is responsible
Ver y well. Let me ask you somethi in an imaging scanner, I wouldn
t see
age ncy? You r bra in is a lum p of iner t flesh. If I were to put you a sim ple task . If not for the
and pict ure an object, or perform
I had you spe ak, or
any activity at all, even if , along with the rest of you.
in would have decayed long ago
influence of the Blood, your bra
[pause] e a look.
long as you refuse to let me hav
Well, I wont know for cer tain as
[pause] are a
atible. Bloodlines, in par ticular,
f. At any rate , I don t thin k those two scenarios are incomp que niches, wit h all the
Hm loitation of uni
inat ing exa mpl e. Tha t kin d of specialization allows for the exp e are plen ty of others on
fasc cialization; ther
sing s and cur ses that brin gs. Thats not the only means of spe
bles ue Grotesque?
. Have you heard of the Burlesq
the table. Take, for example hm
e
[pause] for the best, though, after the littl
too, but Ive never bee n able to find them. I suppose it may be
I do, yourself.
ah intercepted. Here, see for
conversation one of my interns
143
E
E
TH
GROTE S Q U eatre
The Orpheum Th
Tonight Only!
Midnight They
are
horrible
ful. horrible
The beauti nything
an to n. beyond a e
The w rrible. age. a gin
g of the te
im
ng and Sav you ca n
S o m et h in th Haunti onderful.
o
NY!
ta cl e b but w
NCAN
spec
Witness a t one for
BEHOLD THE U
They haun still
a w ards. I am
perience in s a ft er
hour ey
gions of ex ha t th
re g at w
the fu rt h er shudderin
flights into showed. n, Chicag
o
Experience ei rd Pageantr
y:
Samue
l Lovema
e Revue
night of W ROI ig ht lif
NTO MO E N
re at h le ss M E IP TEAS
B
S O F FA T E M E
E M O B IUS STR
THE PAT
H A *TH
IC OPER INFERN
ALIS
A B Y S S OPELAG TEUTHIS
THE F VA M P Y R O
SQUE O e audience
.
THE MA fu ll view of th
in
!
s
ESQUE
Forget orphosi
And Dont LIS ing metam
E E P IN G CHRYSA
il l u n d er go a shock
L E S Q U E G R O T
THE BUR
THE CR s and Guis
ers w
e o f Mummer
Ou r tr o u p
ou saw admitted
e n t v o i d y d w i l l b e
di or
Tell the au who speak the passw
ose
only th
will go
in g yo ur ni b in that ink, or it e All
di pp r th
u have to keep or mance ar t fo
To: knine
t a sp ec ta to r spor t, Keyes. Yo e Burlesque Grotesque. Perf
is no to th
The Cacophony u should be accompanying me the signal
dr y. Take to ni gh t. Yo
I kn ow . ve of st iff s. Th ey are an echo in flap into
la
Nighter s no
t your scene t thats still a co
nc e flyer s; they just man.
la ve of fla ke s and freaks, bu e ev er se es who puts up th w. Transhu
co nc
They might be a e countr y. How do they do it?
N o on
er s. I ha ve on e in my hand no
ss th -zone of cloist t a few laughs .
that sounds acro even pop up in the mos t dead be aw ful. Maybe Ill ge than all the othe
rs
th ey ise s to n to do it better at not hilarious?
town. Heard n. G oo d go d, this prom
ph . W e w ill le ar
fashio ement will tr ium Did you know that , Keyes? Is
th
Pos t-mundane at s how the Mov ny .
th e th in g. Th e C ac op ho
The signals came up with th ith teeth!
iracy of Silence it. Samizdat w
do. The Consp t we will perfec t
ro ug ht it, bu
They w
. __ __ __ __
Ear to the echo
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Walter __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __ __
144
From: discord
_scholar
To: knine
The show, K
since I died. T eyes . The show! C Adence
he Burlesque in
Alien. Hideo Grotesque, K theglow. Ah. Fumbling fin
us beauty. eyes . Chthon
The biolumin ic vaudeville. gers . Touch screen. Han
Ghastly. Volu d
hat saying, S es ce nt scripture. ptuous. Gaud s havent trembled
afe home, dea T h e gl ow y. Fantastic. Del
Not just spec r fr iends, and had cadence, Keyes . Then ir ious.
ta cl e, Keyes . co m e ag ai n ! it w as o ve r. The bar ker
the same per
son who wal More. I have to see more bowed in his
tall top
I am so hung ke d in to the theatr . W ill w ri te
ry. e. u p a proper revi
Ear to the ec ew for the fo
ho. rums later. Im
not
_________
_________
_________ _________
_ _
_________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_________ _ _________ ___
____ _________ _________________
_________ _
From: discord _________ __________
_scholar _ _________
_
To: knine
What state am
I in?
I dont know
isnt obsessio w h en Ill be
n. Its due dili back, Keyes . I dont care
Everyone sho gence. what Helen
u ld said last mee
Keyes . Intuitio st u d y the Cacopho ting. Dull-too
n before the ny on the ro thed troglod
the old ones analytical. Su ad. The flavo yte. This
used to do it ch gems in th r of the echo
, sc ra tching symbo e tr u ck es ch an
The flyer s fla
p into towns ls into stone. stops, on the bathroom st ge. You have to feel it o
Tweets that to al ut,
Ear to the ec
ho.
like swar ms o
f bats. I catch ok centuries l walls . Imagine, Keyes, ho
th em , but I keep m to fu lfill. Contemp w
_________ issing the sho late that .
_________ w . Ill find it . I mus
_________ _________ t see it again.
_ _
_________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_________ _ _ _ _________ _ _ _ __
____ _________ _________________
_________ _
_________ ________
_________
From: discord
_scholar@alln
ight.com
To: knine @al
lnight.com
Found it , Key
she handed m es . Went to a used record
e a flash drive shop, reques
The show w . ted the correc
as in a t album from
innovation o p o o l. Under water. a girl with mis
n the black b B la ck matched eyes
o x th eatre. The no as p it ch . Sensory dep , and
We waited velt y! rivation tank
blood in the . M in u te s? H fo r
water, Keyes . ours? Sightless zones . Star an intimate au
dience. An
Something K I could taste ved senses st
indred. I detec it . Something fis retched. Min
were my sens te hy ds tr
es so puissan d ever y nuance. A pre-sho . Then something from th anscended. They put dro
The hallucina t. Never such w fo r th e taste buds, e Suidae fa ps of
womb. Thus tions . The lit tle box was an
sagacity. a silent sonnet mily? Something kine.
pri en on the tongu
wales . Wher med, the real show began dless sea. Reefs . Cities. e. Never
e did depriva . T h ey d an ce P la n et s. I w as
ti o n delir ium en d w in a
They had to d and stage-e ith liquid gr ace. The writh prehis toric ocean. I was in
through lum be Haunts and Savages, ffec t begin? I
dont know.
ing dreams. B
ellows of reve the
inescent pat te K
flesh? I dont rns, like scho eyes . Mutations . Body m nant
know. ols of deep-s odifications .
ea fis h. LED? Black M et am
The Beast no light? Strange orphosis. Communicatio
I swear, Keyes ticed, Keyes. But it didnt ho evolution of n
. wl. It stopped bes tial corpse
Judy show m The Beast became conte p ac ing its ca
eant for the B mplative. I re
Then out of east . alized we wer ge, stopped beg ging for blo
e just in the w o
glis tened wet the water. Then the bar ay. This was a d. It justwatched.
ly, like a mar in ke primordial Pu
_________ e mammal, an r, Safe home, dear fr ien nch n
_________ d a slit ted eye d s, an d co m e
winked at me agai
_________
_
_________
_ from its crow n! His black leather top
_________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ n. hat
_________ _________ __
____ _________ _________________
_________ _
_________ ___________
_________
___
145
From: discord_scholar
To: knine
Im inside, Keyes. They didnt see me. t connects them?
Rum or says ther es a post -sho w for the selec t VIP following ever y burlesque. Wha
Followed the echoes. maybe apprehensive.
act. She was just as mystified by the troupe,
Rumor says Dragons. Spoke to Dragon cont six rooms, each lit a
t elab orat e thea tre yet. As a pre-show, the barker led us through
I saw the show tonig ht. The mos room. No water this time.
a diffe rent mim e show . Then the seventh room, the black box, the chok ing
different color, each lightless pool.
um-s ealed room . No brea thab le air. An odd feeling, more subtle than the
Some kind of vacu er breather had fooled
leap t up, clutc hing his thro at. Fell to the floor, gasping like a dying goldfish. Some hipst
A young man
made faces . Then the show
ever yone and snuck in. We all laughed and
it.
I almost had it this time, Keyes. I near ly saw -show. Through the blue room,
, they ushe red ever yone out. But I hid! Going to see the post
Have to go. After the show whit e room, the violet room , and back to the chok ing room.
gree n room , the oran ge room , the
the purple room, the
Have to see. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
From: knine
To: discord_scholar
Walter,
?
Where the fuck are you? What happened
Keyes ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
From: discord_scholar
To: knine
Mr. Keyes,
joined the show.
We delight to infor m you that Walter has
Safe home,
The Management
Have you heard of the Jiang Shi? I hadnt, either, until I came to the Triangle. Theyre one of the most
fascinating developments Ive encountered to date so much like us, and yet so different. They may well be
a sixth Clan, forming right before our eyes.
[pause]
Yes, its Chinese. Some of them trace their Blood back there, but others dont. Some are from Iceland, others
are from Italy, or Greece, or Turkey, or a hundred other places. If they were uniquely Chinese, then we could
pinpoint a place of origin, and look into what exactly made them and that would be too easy, now, wouldnt
it? Instead, theyve left us to with more questions than answers. Are they a separate lineage, becoming more
like the Kindred due to similarities in ecological niche? Are they a new offshoot of the Kindred, gradually
stabilizing into a form wed recognize as one of us? Does their evolution reflect our own, or is it completely
different? Were the five Clans separate lines that converged over time? If so, why?
[pause]
Convergent evolution the tendency for things to adapt to the same role in similar ways, regardless of
ancestry. Forgive me for stretching the metaphor, but I think its appropriate.
[pause]
If it is the case for us, I dont know if its the case for the Jiang Shi. Still, theres so much that we take for
granted, the Clans for example, and all the myriad offshoots we call Bloodlines. We give them names, and
pretend that theyre something akin to families, or noble lineages. Its all so very neat and tidy, and it helps
keep us from thinking about how it all ties together. Have you ever met one of the Moroi, for example?
[pause]
Hah, point. However, would you believe I have an account from one of them? Regrettably, the man who
collected it didnt survive long after.
146
n. You are the land.
You are the Voivode. You are the Drago
al.
I am Shrike. I am Moroi. The Moroi are loy
Click-clack-crack.
is. He no lon ger can . I wil l wr ite th is. I am not a good scrivener.
Confessor Jacob was to write th
ht me let ter s. He bro ug ht me a boo k of riddles. I like riddles. I leave
But Confessor Jacob ta ug
you a riddle for when you wake.
The one who built it did not want it.
The one who bought it did not use it.
The one who used it did not know it.
it fro m th e sho es of th e liv ing . Con fessor Jacob calls that
I was stuck, until I thought of
er me for em pat hy. You tri gg ere d me for the only thing I am good at.
empathy. You did not trigg ot . I ju st see the solution. I make
ar ith me tic pro ble m or a kn
M is for murder. Every murder is an
them undone.
Screech-scritch-scratch.
d I ha d pur pos e, I nea rly we pt. Bee n so long, in the House of Waiting.
When Confessor Jacob sai
e winters ago.
The others sleep. My music box broke nin
Twelve knots.
C is for children. Your twelve children. nd pieces of it. I stick
tim on ial . He did not fin ish . I ha ve fou
Confessor Jacob was to write his tes
them here.
I, Jacob Horne, Conf

essor to Voivode Hro
Waiting, do declare drick Vogel and caret
this record truthful. aker to the Moroi of
My Lord, I know yo the House of
u, and so I know th
wake, you will believe at your nightmares
the certainty that I alr teem with guilt. I ho
for all of your childer eady hold: you did th pe that when you
is undeniable. They e right thing. The de
to be done. are the backbone of ep love you have
your power in the do
main, but this had
The compassion you
showed in avoiding
laboratory, seeking this final solution wa
a cure. Malkavia, th s commendable. Nigh
might, Lord, you co e ter rible contagion. It ca t and day in your
uld not stop it. We me on an invisible wi
the sy mpathy of your un de rstand so little; only nd. For all your
blood. There is no that it spread throug
result of an experim tel lin g which of your child h your line on
ent gone wrong. er was infected first.
Hesitation only allow Perhaps the
ed it to spread. No
a thorough purge ca telling how many of
n save you. Leave it them are infected. Pe
low cunning, perhap to us. I drove into th rhaps all. Only
s even brilliance, at e su burbs. I selected Sh
wish to be seen, not ending life. Moreove rike. He shows a
even I can detect hi r, he is stealthy. W he
m. n Shrike does not
I write this, because
you asked. You said
Torpor will cleanse yo u needed ever y detai
your mind. It must. l. Ever y death must
We will cleanse your hurt as a thorn.
blood. I already miss
our talk s.
147
When the Moroi arrive, seek shelter of stone. So they say.
Click-clack-crack.
First, the masque. Confessor Jacob called them. Come feast with father. Only six showed. Bolt go
the doors. Roar went the fire. Confessor Jacob once gave me Hop-Frog to read. Six ourangoutangs!
You are the Voivode. You are the Dragon I obey. Twelve thorns. I will make it hurt.
Shriek-shrike-scythe!
N is for Norman. Burned , writhed, and called your name.
L is for Levar and G is for Gabby. Howled like animals on the crackling.
H is for Hester and A is for Arturo. I chopped off their heads as they ran out the door.
B is for Belinda. Nearly got away; rolling on the ground. I bit, ripped, yanked her apart. Voivode ,
your children are tough. It was not tidy.
Trip-trap-tripe.
Confessor Jacob eyed her remainders on me. He wretched red.
and she Embraced her infant child. Maddene

d by the abomination, she fled. Enter two
Gangrel and a Nosferatu, summoned to the Kindred: a
graveyard by the childs wailing. What to do
dead babe? They decided to put it to death. with the hungry
They both decided to commit Amaranth.
instantly cursed the two wretches, twisting Such blasphemy
them into an amalgam both bestial and grote
possessed by the fragments of the infant mon sque. Forever
sters soul. Forever Moroi.
If you believe the old stories, my Lord. Trip
e and nonsense, most likely. Yet, are they
Savages? What is more primal, immoral, and Haunts or
ravenous than an infant?
The others told old stories, at the Hou

se of Waiting. In sleep, I hear sweet sin
gentle rocking. ging; feel
Click-clack-crack.
148
beasts know your name.
You are the Voivode. You are the land. In the city, all birds and
Jacob gave me Beowulf to
Some helped me. I harried your children. I felt like Grendel. Confessor
read. I felt sad for Grendel.
ke, but unmoving. Mouth
W is for Walden. He had a great fall. Then the rats ate him. Awa
with rooting rats beneath.
opened and closed, opened and closed, but no scream. Skin writhing
I know Walden held a special place in your esteem, Lord. Know that he died well. Know
that watching
these deaths has been the single bitterest chord of my Requiem. Know that I carry
on, unblinking,
for you.
R is for Rayna. I put a tiny fear in her head. I wrapped myself in Not-Knowing. I followed
her for
three nights. The tiny fear grew. Laughing, she threw herself to a train. The sleepy crows
laughed too.
They got the joke.
V is for Vanija. Head dashed with a claw hammer. Pulled her into Not-Knowing. She
screamed, but
her ghouls, just two arms away, did not see, and did not hear her.
C is for Caleb. Eaten by bravery. Confessor Jacob used Dragon magic and bright lights,
until day was
night. I came with the noon. Caleb had Dragon magic too. He did not fear fire or
sun. Your oldest,
strongest. I reached inside. Down under my bed. I let out a howl so unspeakable, the
plants withered,
and even I felt uneasy. Caleb fled outside, to the sun he did not fear.
S is for Sachiko. Eaten by bad memories. Your cleverest. Hid in a Perilous Nest. The
house had
many bad memories. The walls whispered nursery rhymes that boiled my blood. It ran
from my ears.
The shadows ate my flesh. I kept forward. I hugged Sachiko to me. The shadows ate
our flesh. When
I walked out, I was naught but bone and gristle. She was naught but ash.
I ate none of your children, Voivode. Confessor Jacob says I must not let the Monster
Under My
Bed out. Confessor Jacob knew so much about your children. At first, squeamish,
but then excited.
At first, his mouth was always clamped shut, but then, it was always open.
er the
to wh ich yo ur ch ilder. They squand
neracy in , you will
ion, I am di sg us ted with the dege ur bloo d. I th in k, when you wake
On further reflect r granted the mira
cle of yo they? Are
go n. Th ey ta ke fo t m ake m e ju st as close to you as
teachings of the D
ra d no
ystery of your bloo
is wa s al l for th e best. Does the M dr ick . Th ey do not!
see th
ey do no t ap prec iate it, Hro
Th
we not connected?
149
One more thorn.
Click-clack-crack.
ssa. We fou nd her at hom e. She shed her skin . I saw . Like a snake. It fell away pale.
O is for Ode
ath ing. Bea ting hea rt. She hel d a bab e. It fed from her breast. I could
She was pink. Warm. Bre
smell sweat milk.
ed my fist s. Rea dy for the scre am. She did not scre am. She sang. No one ever sang
I crept. I rais
g and rocked.
to me. My music box broke nine winters ago. She san
ob screamed. Abomination! He foamed. Had
Confessor Jacob yelled. Kill them all! Confessor Jac
the babe.
the Monster Under His Bed come out? He lunged for
Con fess or Jac obs jaw . I tw iste d off his hea d. He was softer than your children were.
I pulled off
Voiv ode . You are the Dra gon . You are the lan d. I leave these scrivenings for you.
You are the
e, and I wil l lea ve. You wil l nev er find us. I am Shrike. I am Moroi. The Moroi
Odessa , the bab
are loyal.
Z is for Ziva. Secrets and secrets.
Come back to me, Hrodrick.

150
eens Race, Miss Black?
Have you heard of the Red Qu
deer,
[pause] and a rabbit, or a wolf and a
, tha ts wh ere it cam e fro m. Suppose that you have a fox e rab bits are fas ter
Yes generation, som
oth er pre dat or and pre y youd care to name. In each e the fox . The se rab bits
or any suited to sur viv
ouflaged, or otherwise more
than others are, or better-cam nex t generation. The fox, meanw
hile, has
e, rep rod uce , and pas s on their traits to the are mo re like ly to get
sur viv chasing prey
ing of its ow n, and tho se whore better at spotting and stat us quo doe s not.
offspr nge, but the
The rab bit get s fas ter, and so does the fox. The traits cha
a me al.
y can just to stay in place.
Theyre run ning as hard as the
s.
[pause] humans. That much is obviou
yes , you can say we re a for m of selective pressure on are exe rtin g sele ctiv e
Well, parasites,
at I wa s get ting at is this what predators, and what
But wh
pressure on us?
t
[pause] x predator, but the truth is tha
yre out the re. A lot of our kind fancy ourselves the ape Bla ck, tha t loo k at
Oh, the re are things, Miss
ust ecosystem of the dead. The
were just one hunter in a rob Som e of them were not. They are out
there,
e of the m mig ht hav e bee n human, once.
us prey. Som y are out there.
our delusions of grandeur. The
and they could care less about
[pause] uld know. Its just that Im not
not as if the yre her e, in this room. If they were, I wo
Oh, its in.
self at the top of the food cha
enough of a fool to thin k of my
[pause] re are many things out there
yd fit the bill . But even ignoring them, the
Well, yes , of cou rse the to have their own niches
t and tidy my tho logy of the Blood. They seem e
that dont fit into our nea remember ah yes, I do hav
sys tem , and som etim es, their own habitats as well. I the sou rce is far
in our eco speak. Regrettably,
of one of those habitats, so to
it filed. A firsthand account against us. I would kill to have an account from
a more
e, and tran spa ren tly bia sed
from reliabl
respectable observer.
151
r ye ars in Pe ori a , one nig ht . B ega n with ice cream. Ended in the
I spent fou
Weird.
rre d ki d in th e dri v e-t hru wi n do w sai d , Hey, arent you? I nodded.
The acne-sca h all my bi t par ts, goons, and B-movie
He reg ale d me wi t
Oh man! I cant even - rat e de at h sce nes. Ive died so many
an wo rk , all th e ela bo
heavies, all the stunt-m all my na me . No one ever does.
ed my mu g, bu t co uld nt rec
times. He recogniz ha nd s. I passed one to my
loo ke d co mi c ally sm all in my big
The ice cream cones he r ove rsi z ed red hoodie. T hank you,
th e ba ck sea t, swi m mi ng in
little girl, sitting in just rig ht , because Acne Kid all but
tle R ed sai d , and she sai d it
Daddy, L it
went, Dawww!
my ch ang e and sai d, W ha ts in th e box? pointing at the curio
He gave me
occupying the front passenger seat.
d.
Gwyneth Paltrows severed head, I sai o, but she didnt do it
. I lau gh ed . L it tle R ed lau gh ed to
Acne Kid brayed be d, then ducked back inside,
A cn e K id sud de nly loo ke d di stur
right, because d. A nd a mu ffl ed voice from the box
we re on th e roa
closing the window. Then we
said, T hat wasnt funny.
it sh it. Ju st go nn a wr it e this down. As much

Shit. Shit shit sh ls. The thor ns ripped
er . Ev en th e in ciden ta
as I can rememb 9.
. Reme mb er th e th or ns . Remember room number
my memory
it tle R ed did nt . S he let s me do stu ff like that with

I ate my ice cream. L r on th e swing, tucking her into bed.
on my sho uld ers, pus hi n g he
her - carrying her S he get s practice. I get something
end ing th e she ep s clo th in g.
She calls it m lon g next to the thing in the box.
e cre am was a tre at for ridin g so
else. The ic she got it in tune - perfect
ke pt pra ct ic ing he r lau gh . Ev ent ually,
L ittle Red d raven. She can make so many
r. S he mim ics as goo d as a ha nd -fe
child laughte
sounds.
152
Then there was singing. Wasnt the car radio. It was from inside the
box. I leaned left,
keeping my massive bulk as far away from it as possible in that little
car. Sometimes, I
hate my job.
Many miles. All the way up to C hicago and back. Nothing but noth
ing, and the
Woods, and the Weird. Central Illinois has its very own Twilight Zon
e bubble. No
Kindred in or out, save the Savages. Like Little Red.
Dont remember all the miles. The thorns tore them away. Dont reme
mber getting
off I-55 or driving into Peoria. I dont even remember exiting the car.
It was one of those neighborhoods where walking barefoot will get you
an ST D. I
held the box as far from me as I could, followed Little Red into a
small warehouse.
Props. C ostumes. Like a theatre company set up shop and forgot.
Even a cemetery
and park sets. Plastic trees. Styrofoam tombstones. Down the step
s into the
chapterhouse of the Ordo Dracul.
Full disclosure: I dont like the Dragons. Dont like their secret hand
shakes and
code words. Dont like their bullshit Mary Shelley science. Every
Lick in the Four
Fiefs feels trapped, except the Dragons. Theyre happy as clams all
cloistered up. What
the hell are they building in there?
But who listens to the bellyaching of ghouls?
Down below, we got some nervous looks. Even monsters know to be
afraid of my little
red death. We made our delivery.
Hello, Kogaion Jacob, said Little Red.
Greetings, Sherif f, said the Haunt.
Just Jacob? I couldnt believe it. Gaudy names are a fashion statemen
ti
Fiefs. Some Haunts look like Max Schreck took a dump. Not Jaco n the Four
b. Looked
average, save for a ridiculously long scarf wrapped around his face, cove
ring his mouth, just
his nose peeking over. But the scarf never moved when he talked,
and his voice always
seemed to come from other places, muffled by cloth. Dont know
much about these
things, but I think the Haunts have the Weird in their blood.
Jacob opened the box like it was his birthday, pulled out a severed
head - the skin
153
fi ed to an odd blu e-g ree n. He cal led i t Or phe us. No, not that Orpheus, he
mummi
said.
ob gav e Li t tle Re d the gra nd tou r. Re ally tried to impress. I saw some shit.
Jac
ember what I saw in Room Number
I dont remember all of it. The thorns! But I rem
9. Well get back to that.
Woods. The Woods aint woods
Then Little Red gave Jacob the tour of the cities. The desolate fields.
whe re out sid e of our fou r shr iveled cor pse
exactly. Its any in anywhere, like vines. That
Un lit roa ds. Bu t the Wo ods can cre ep
Farm houses.
alle y. Tha t boa rde d-u p fast foo d joi n t. The Wo ods is in the air, that sort of 3
dark
. dre ad. It can cra wl in to you r mi r ror on the wrong sort of night.
A. M
Wo ods lurk s the We ir d. Do nt kno w wh at that is, exactly. All the
In the
c ks are ter rifi ed of the Wo ods and the We ird, all except the Savages. So the
Li
Savages rule.
e. And so Baron Leer sent his
The Dragons paid the Savages something obscen Hau nt had a ledger with a
to give Jac ob a tou r of the We ir d. The
best psychopomp
list of places, called them worms nests. rn-ripped tatters -
at lis t. Pla ce by plac e. M y mem ori es are tho
We fathomed th dow s matched - the truck
sch ool - a cor nfi eld whe re non e of our sha
an abandoned ty by oddity. That night never
hro om whe re wat er dro plet s flo wed up. Od di
stop bat
ended.
Re d guid ed us. Sh e kne w whe re to ste p. Wh ere not to step. What words
Little
say . Wh en to leav e a pi le of stic ks, or bon es, or a saucer of sour milk. She led
to
e she knew all the twists ahead of
the way like shed practiced it for years. Lik
time.
d head. He held it up, like a
No one seemed to notice Jacob carrying a severe nt songs. C ouldnt recognize
Dif fere
lantern, at each stop. Sometimes, it would sing. ger, maybe based on the tone
uag es. The n Jac ob scr ib ble d not es in th at led
the lang
wor ds. Jac ob was afr aid of the We ir d, but he was also getting off on it.
or the
Fucking Dragons.
154
ng rubbery and squelchy
Some places were duds. Some were not. I remember somethi
g it back squealing. Did
rising out of a pond, and Little Red tearing into it, sendin
to it, throwing in
that happen? Do the children really gather there and pray
offerings of hamsters and kittens?
s and shrubs on the
Then, the Brer Patch. Just a tiny patch of stunted tree
Little Red climbed
outskirts of Peoria. Doll heads hanging from the branches.
on. Orpheus sang. We
on my shoulders and added her own doll head to the collecti
es. But it kept going.
entered. Should have come out the other side in thirty pac
shy scarecrows dancing.
Orpheus screamed. I cant remember. Thorns! All over. Fle
with bleeding fountain
Autumn folk. Footsteps that sound like rain. A gaunt man
done. Running.
pen nibs for fingernails. If he signed you into his book, you were hair, my flesh.
my
Thorns! Here, there, and everywhere. Thorns ripping my clothes, mom - stabbing
ng for
Thorns stabbing me now - stabbing me at eight years old cryi
daughter had died in the
me when I woke up in the hospital to find out my wife and
appeared with a counter
crash - stabbing me on my suicide night when Little Red
offer. Ripping.
ked my cheek. Oh
C ame to in the car. Panic attack. Tears. Little Red stro
wrist to my lips and I
my poor C owardly Lion. Her claws were wet. She put her Orpheus wasnt
ken.
suckled, pacified like a sobbing toddler. Even Jacob was sha
making any noise, but his blue mouth still screamed.
The thorns took something from me.
bonfire at a reputedly
Jacob said we had one more stop. It was a dud. We built a
stared into the flame,
cursed campground. Nothing. Orpheus remained silent. Jacob
Savage barons couldnt
his back to us. Jacob said that Old Leer and the other
st the offe ring the Dragons gave the m, but tha t the y probably couldnt afford
resi
to let the Weird become less mysterious.
he said. Is this the
Tonight was more successful than you were hoping, yeah?
part where youre supposed to kill me?
night turned to
No hesitation. Little Red let the Big Bad Wolf out. The
155
fur and teeth, all hurtling toward the Haunt. He stepped closer to the fire,
practically into it. Ive never seen a Lick give so little regard to so much flame.
Little Red couldnt get that close. She paced and growled.
I have a counter offer, Jacob said.
Like a horror film on rewind, the fur and teeth receded. Her hoodie was askew,
exposing pale belly. I caught a glimpse of them, the nightmare menagerie, the
thousand faces of the Beast, all pressing her flesh like its a theatre curtain on
opening night.
Jacob said he could keep what hed seen a secret. He said the Order could
use someone with Little Reds skills. He said that maybe the Order could be
of use to a woman trapped for decades and decades inside a little girl. He held
a flaming brand to his face without a flinch, said that the C urse could be
conquered; change could be achieved. And if Little Red wanted to make her
own independent study in the chapterhouse, he could keep that a secret too. No
one keeps secrets like the Dragons.
Little Red agreed.
I dont like the Dragons. I dont want them changing her. Now I got a crazy
plan. Maybe I had it when I put pen to paper. Going to tear these pages out and
send them to you, Leer.
I know. Youre the big bad baron. Im just a lumbering ghoul. Theres nothing I
love more than Little Red, and the only thing that scares me more than her is
you and your slit-cheek grin. But if youre reading this, and you agree to get her
away from the Dragons, and do it without harming her, Ill tell you everything. Ill
tell you what I saw in Room Number 9. Ive been in the Weird, but Room Number
9 beats all.
Save your childe. Save our little girl.
156
I know you know better, but many of our kind arent so
enlightened. There is more to the Curse
than perpetual stasis, and a body preser ved, forever, at the
moment of its death. I believe the Coils and
Scales arent so much forcing change on an unchanging corpse
as controlling that change and making
it manifest within a time-span that we can perceive.
[pause]
Oh, Ive heard stories. Im sure youve heard stories, too
a few that might hit close to home, even.
The first Mekhet were all like you; but what was once the
norm is now a rare and precious exception.
Thats not even counting records of things that dont map
to any of the moder n Clans. Where did they
go? Were they wiped out? Did they become Kindred, or did
they become something else entirely? And
if so, did they have any say in the matter?
[a low growl, in the distance]
[pause]
Oh. Im sure its nothing. As I said, shes still a little touchy
around strangers. None of the others
have reacted, have they? But yes, where was I? The Coils.
Theyre one means of asserting control, but
theyre by no means the only one. Theres a certain power
in ritual, one that goes beyond humanitys
need to feel things are predictable and safe. In our case, it
offers us a way of dealing with our new state
of being, and as you can imagine, many of us have develo
ped our own methods. Ive kept records of
them, including some that you or I might consider... unorth
odox. Its to be expected, really. The Order
is far-reaching, and therere bound to be little branches
here and there with their own ways of doing
things. I have a number of accounts, but the most recent is
out of Montreal
[pause]
Yes, out of Montreal. I have it right here in my files. It never
reached its intended recipient, but as
touching as it might have been to him, I think it serves a
nobler purpose here.
Dear Scratch,
That diabolic hangover. You slept so
Long time, Spooky. We used to drink out of the same bottle.
Scratch. Beautiful as a wax museum
long. Miss me? Still pretty? You were always pretty to me,
e they pulled me out. Your twisted girl.
fire. My first childhood crush was on a melting face, befor
says it like you, Scratch.
No one says twisted with that kind of adoration. No one
year when that will be impossible.
Anyone living still love you now? Were both coming on the
Howd that happen? We were so young.
limbs break off. Have to drink it
Jeepers creepers! Its cold. The kind of cold that makes dead
t fog for a breath.
away. Have to kiss them so long and savage, you can chea
through the heat. Got away with
Is it cold in Chicago tonight? You bolted up tight? You slept
Scratch? Except the ones behind your
it too. No one can see you. No one can get at you now. Eh,
trust eyes. Cant know which ones see
eyes. Still throttling the dead in your head, Scratch? Cant
aint easy. I know.
the black ribbon wrapping the birthday gift of your soul. That
ng the Devil. Ever do that
Tonight, I ambulated up and down the Rue Saint Paul. Teasi
or leg over bed s edge, daring the
as a squirt, Scratch? I did. Every 3 A.M. stuck an arm
y from home, away from my parents.
Boogeyman to pull me under, down to the all-night town, awa
rules, but everyone knows to keep away.
I teased the Boogeyman tonight. Rue Paul isnt one of its
Bad luck follows.
157
You know about the rules, right, Scratch? They talk about that all the
way in Chicago? R oach
motel Montreal all licks to enter, none to leave. Anyone ever tell you
about the Nameless? The
Devil has six rules.
I. DONT KILL EACH OTHER
II. DONT GAT HER FIVE OR MOR E AT A TIM
E
III. DONT LEAVE THE CIT Y
IV. DONT LOOK FOR ME
V. DONT IMPER SONATE ME
VI. STAY AWAY FROM THE CROSS
I can spy the cross from where I write this, out the pub window. It glows
atop Mount R oyal.
Thats where the one and only Prince died. Anyone who goes up there
dies. I know if I look fast
enough, Ill see the Boogeyman perched up there. Im never fast enoug
h. Think of it, Scratch. Every
monster in Montreal is afraid to go up that hill.
R emember the early nights, Scratch? The roaring nights. Nights of our
idyll. Canines like kittens
teeth. A speakeasy pumping in every chest. The Haunted Hood and the
Flapper Macabre you
and me, Scratch. Course, they didnt call you Scratch back then. R emem
ber the summer nights by
the river? Feeding bread and blood to the ducks. How vicious they turne
d!
I miss that voice. Like flint glass. The best is yet to come. No one can say
it like you, Scratch.
Ive got an itch. Fixing to break rule six. Ill stop at the mailbox first. Then
Ill shove my letter
opener through my palm for clarity. I am Impaled. What can the Devi
l do to me that I have not
already done? Maybe Ill find chrysalis on the cross.
Its been so long, but I wonder if youll feel it, Scratch, feel it like I felt
it when they put you in
the river.
Amelia
Dear Scratch,
r. The real stuff. You can only
Cut a long story short, I didnt go up to the cross. This is terro
ght Id run out of things to fear. Before
squeeze transcendence out of real suffering and fear. I thou
danger you cant flee. The monster you
Montreal. Before the Nameless. The perfect calamity. The
t?
cant hunt. The only way out is to transform. But into wha
y mes since that deranged flapper
To change, you have to know who youve been. Theres been man
just learning to fly. The one you knew.
of his wooden kimono. Drunk on Never-
R emember who you were, Scratch? A skid rogue fresh out
arms, you could do anything. Top of the
Neverland, the copper burn in your gut, the strength in your
. You got to changing. No one warned
world, ma! Higher than an opium den, but then you came down
blood.
you. No one told you about the things wriggling in Haunt
January wind. You came wailing
R emember their laughter, Scratch? Like razor blades and
158
at you r ha nds , afr aid of you r ow n reflection. Their grand joke. No one
into Elysium, staring las t lau gh on that useless tit. Eh, Scratch.
r sire . Bu t you got the
laughed louder than you down and
d lau gh ing wh en I dip ped you an d kissed you deep. I rudely reached
They stoppe t mind
So un- lad yli ke. D idn t kno w you . Didnt flinch from your face. Didn
copped your lot. t suit and down my glad rags. A lwa
ys liked
cra wli ng out of you r dec ay ed zoo
the centipedes
bugs. Mother hated that. ry Kindred eye was on us. Silence.
s jus t a wh elp like you , but eve
A perfect moment. I wa of cal ico like me would go barney mugging
blu sh. Th at a cho ice bit
Gasps. Dead ready to nt cou sin s shu dder. I ate it all up. Tasted like
I cou ld fee l my Se rpe
a spooky grim like you. rov al at my every morbid turn. Felt like the time
y an d da ddy s dis app
freedom. Tasted like momm the pla ns the parents had for me, starting
lon g loc ks, cut aw ay all
I took the shears to my ddi ng da y to the grave. I cut away their doll-
nin g thr oug h eve ry plo
between my legs and run
crafted identity. I cut all my strings. ember,
, we dus ted tha t dea d blo w. Be au ty and the Beast. Perfect exit. R em
Arm in arm
Scratch? s to help me remember. Eight string
s.
e got col ore d stri ng s on my fin ger
Memory is tricky. Iv me etin g with the Order elders. R ed the
x 517 0. A gre en stri ng
Orange visit Post Bo y W est. Pu rple meet with Julien Vasseur.
w me et wit h Tif fan
R ite of the Impaled. Yello go to the cro ss. A white string, caked in gore.
ith out Ey es. Bl ack
Blue meet the Lady W
getting?
What was that for? What am I for x 5170.
the ora ng e stri ng. Ne arl y eve ry lick in the city has a key to Post Bo
Tonight, I cut t society.
am t it up. W e can t ga the r, so we put our words in there. Society withou
Carthians dre l lig ht. By themselves, but never alone.
ath ers do it, trip pin g on dig ita
Just like the bre sav e affectations. Tonight I met
id I tell you tha t, Sc rat ch? I
I collect quirks now. D es on her palms, in magic marker. Zany
ha nds . Th ere we re fac
a girl who talked with her ped her . Th en I snipped those quirks with my
Ca t car too ns. I sip
grotesqueries, like Felix the vey ard in my guts. What do I do with those
m in the sha llo w gra
invisible scissors, buried the
Great Work.
stolen, invisible parts? Its all for the
you into my laboratory.
Write me back, Scratch, and Ill let
Amelia
159
Dear Scratch,
Tonight, I cut off the green string. Gathering of the grey beards at the
Order. Everyone cozy. Everyone
complacent. Just tinkering away in their underground labs below the snow,
below the Nameless. No one
wants to push. Bushwa! The heirs to the wisdom of Dracula, and theyr
e all a bunch of canceled stamps.
Audacity is the only virtue. A finger to the sky is the only prayer. You
know me, Scratch. Bearcat till the
end of days. So I beat my gums and put an interrupt to their static with
something suitably prickly before
blowing out. Maybe I should act my age.
R emember when we first crept to the Orders doors? Two scared kids, skulls
turned to haunted houses. Do
your ghosts still gab, Scratch? Ever look back in on that penny dreadful
hell you call your mind ? Thats
where you heard your sire. Started in one January night and went on
for months on and off till you
put your head through a wall.
R ecall when you first confessed that to me? We were giddy on a hophe
ad s blood behind the Biograph
Theater. Something ate at you. Horrors had dripped like a broken fauce
t till you were bursting full of dead
water and red ruin. Your chin dipped and the words spilled.
Your sire never did adjust to newfangled motor cars. Hard to say what
was wrecked worse, the automobile
or her, but she crawled to you for help. Did you remember her laughter
then, Scratch? Did you say
something snappy before juicing her soul?
Wind back, Scratch. To that moment. Your hand clapped your trap shut.
But the words had already
stained my ears. Your poor eyes, so wide. Did you plot to croak me in that
awful moment? Till I busted up
laughing. Your face screwed into confusion. Then I confessed the same
thing to you only mine was a
broodmate sibling, and I didnt wait for a car. Then we both brayed.
How d you say it? Two can keep a secret if both of them are deadand
in love. No one says it like you,
Scratch. We sealed it blood to blood. A little perversion. A Hungaria
n Wedding.
We had the same dirt on each other. Yin over yang. The perfect friendship.
The only two Kindred in the
world who could be genuine with each other. Two amorous psychopaths
guilty of the same unthinkable crime.
Theres love for you. Eh, Scratch?
The swinging nights. The hungry nights. How much longer did we have
together? Three years? We lived
a lot in those three years ten gallons of revel poured into a one-gallon
jug. You and me, chasing our
dangerous drug. R emember their faces? Every time we said, it would be
the last time.
Then the voices. First your sire. Others followed. Behind the eyes. The ones
you eat remain. Then they eat
you. Dying by bites. Afraid. And who could we tell? We needed some
hoodoo. We went to the Order.
Never telling them why we studied so hard.
We brewed our own solution. Mental thuggee! Our happiest fancy. A
little meditation. A dash of
method acting we learned from that thespian Shadow who was just dying
to get into the silent films. Every
night, we lay on rooftops like fallen snow angels. Guiding each other throu
gh the meditation. Telling each
other, in exquisite detail, how we murdered the voices that night.
Mental thuggee. We got our mitts on the ghosts. Strangling. Electrocut
ion. Decapitation. Boiling in oil.
Feeding to a vat of eels. Every night, a new massacre in our brains. R e-kill
ing the ghosts. Waking up the
Beast and feeding it their bones.
Mental thuggee. You and me. Eh, Scratch?
160
stop, did you Scratch? Always room
We promised each other wed stopped using. But you didnt
sleep, filled your pockets with rocks,
for one more. They made you pay. Beat you down into the big
and threw you into the Chicago R iver. Back in 26.
scabby river water filling my throat.
I felt it, Scratch. In the blood. I was goofy for you. I felt the
nt. I went cold turkey that night. I
I went fluky that night. I tried to find you, Scratch. I could
killed cravings with pain. Then I got Impaled.
dy?
What about you, Scratch? Still riding the D-train, Dad
Amelia
Dear Scratch,
Swear I saw something up on the cross, but it was
gone by the time I got out my pocket binoculars.
Been watching all night. Like the fountain pen ink?
Its freeze-proof. Fancy!
Did the last letter get your dogs growling? Dont
be such a Mrs. Grundy! Everythings Jake.
Snatched three affectations this week. A girl walking
in Parc La Fontaine wore an impossibly
long scarf that flapped like punch-drunk tentacles.
A young poet at an open mic night, in a cramped
bookstore on Sainte-Catherine, sported hair dyed like
a chessboard. Just up the road, at a billiards bar,
a willy crone wielded one fingernail, far longer than
the others, the wicked orange of a pumpkin grown
in Chernobyl. I took out my invisible shears and stole
all three quirks. Buried them in the cemetery of
my guts, just above the voices you and I ate in the
roaring nights.
Now Im in the icy cold. Been watching the cross all
night.
IV. DONT LOOK FOR ME
Does bird watching count? Dont know. Theres no
teachers edition of the rules, just several dozen
Kindred corpses. Im playing chicken with an invisible
bugaboo.
Leeching the warmth off the roof of an all-night pout
ine joint on R achel. Warmed my innards on
spiked blood at a nearby bar. Youd get a laugh, Scr
atch. Its decked out all neo-speakeasy. Gouging
prices just like a blind pig. Mixologists working mad
science in nitrogen fog. Kids playing at being
bohemians. Father times and face stretchers playing
at being kids. Everyone ossified on snazzy coffin
varnish.
I hid the Beast by neurotically tearing the labels
off any dead soldiers in reach and nervously
bouncing my knee. Quirks I stole from breathers. You
forget how much they move till you try to
magpie that shit.
Not a lot of licks in that joint. They do big spectacl
es of juggling flaming shots and fire breathing
in there. But Im good. Got my hound on a short leas
h. Once stole a quirk from a Marlboro Man
who snapped his fingers to light his Zippo. Couldn
t light a lighter that close to my face till I stole the
breathers tick.
Wanna know how?
Scratch that, Scratch. Think I saw something.
Amelia
161
Dear Scratch,
Last night, I cut off the red string. R ite of the Impaled. Night of the question. Whos last off
the spike?
It starts with our mortal followers. You know me, Scratch. Cult of personality. My mouth
is like a circus. I let loose the esoteric on my vintage tongue. The walls echo with their refrain.
Everyones on the trolley. Wisdom only comes from calamity. Transfiguration from agony. Its
an underground boxing society. In Montreal, thats literally under the ground, bellow the snow,
in the sweltering room an abandoned chamber you can only get to through the hidden hole in
the wall of a board game store in the underground mall at the McGill Metro station. One of
our ghouls manages the shop.
After the chin music, blood, and teeth spitting, the floor opens to more rarefied mutilation.
Scarification. Modification. The modern primitives shine. We feed off their clumsy enthusiasm.
We stretch our fleshy limits.
Then its just the chosen, licks, and ghouls. There are three of us fully initiated into the Impaled.
Im the oldest. Wren and Jean-Baptiste round it out. But any Kindred is welcome. The young
Dragons tend to take a shine to me. The Circle digs our style. Carthians wander in, looking for
something to rekindle their fire. The Spear is broken, and the lonesome pieces need some spectacle.
These nights, their prayers dont go answered. The Nameless shut down God. That, at least, I can
respect. Eh, Scratch?
But theres that pesky Rule Two. We keep in tight communication, a guest rotation, so we
dont ever go above that fatal five. Last night, it was a Circle chica crooning to the spirits and a
Carthian named Chad. Hes a dewdropper and gore grubber from way back. Always there for
the free meal. Never put the letters BYOB together.
The rite is a simple thing. Wren played the Impaler. She helped Jean-Baptiste up on the
spike and slid him down. That awful sound. My turn. I waved Wren away. I am the Impaler
and I am the Impaled also. I lifted myself up on the spike. I pulled myself down. Inch at a time.
Howling in whangdoodle tongues.
The Circle chica, infamous for her brutal hoodoo, shivered.
Whos last off the spike? When you succumb to the Beast, blood, or big sleep, its over. Jean-
Baptiste lasted three hours. I stayed up there all night, through the day, and into tonight. In the
dark. Feet off the ground. Sliding down in geological time.
Thats where we find wisdom, Scratch. You see things on the spike. Somewhere between the
Beast, the Woman, and madness. I go inwards. I commune with the souls I ate. I make a
monstrous peace. The young ones think its all about the scars and gashes. Its not where the spear
sticks out from, but where it lays within. Me, and the multitudes within me, are pierced. I am
victim and victimizer, sipping wisdom from both broken cups.
Thats how I murdered the voices. Thats how I killed the cravings. How do you deal, Scratch?
Hanging, scourging, stretching, flaying. What can the Devil do to me that Ive not done? On
the spike, I enter my mind laboratory. I pin all of my nameless fears like a moth collection for
study. And when they wriggle on my cold needle, my fears will be afraid of me.
Amelia
162
Dear Scratch,
Im a new woman tonight. Every time I go up on the
spike, I die. Every time, Im reborn. Step
into my laboratory, Scratch.
On the spike, I go inwards. I sink into the Sheol in
my stomach. I go grave robbing for parts. I
harvest all those quirks and affectations I squirrel
away. I take them up to the lab in my skull and
I rebuild myself. I graft those traits to my psyche.
Big messy stitches. I throw the switch. Sparks!
Something new rises. Im the doctor, and I am the
monster also. Dig my mad science, Scratch?
Let the others toil on the crude clay. My experime
nts are ethereal. R eplace enough parts on a
car, and you have a completely new car.
I must look like a patchwork tonight. Strings on my
fingers. Creepy faces drawn on my palms.
My talking hands. Tapping my teeth with my sing
le, long, nuclear orange press-on nail. My
impossibly long scarf. My chessboard dyed hair. The
staccato laugh I took from a cabbie. The
shuffle-dance walk I took from a vagrant.
Wren and Jean-Baptiste ask me why, if shaking the
shackles of identity is so important, do I still
cling to my slang. Its true, I do. Worse than when
you knew me, Scratch. My mouth is a plastic
clich. Its my mask. Its the level-marked whiskey bott
le a recovering alcoholic keeps in the drawer.
Its the fat before picture in my wallet.
In the shop windows, my reflection is a blurred smu
dge. The people never notice. When I stab a
safety pin through my hand, my focus sharpens. The
reflection clears. I see what the breathers dont.
Starring back is beautiful grotesque. The stitch mon
ster. Several sets of rotting limbs sewn on. The
post-modern, Model T Promethean bitch let loose on
the world. My Great Work.
On the spike, I find chrysalis.
Im off the D-train, Scratch. Been sober now for
a mortal lifetime. Taught myself to eat souls in
smaller bites. Its all about portion control. The gra
fting process is rarely permanent. Those invisible
parts rot away and die. I steal more parts. I take a
wrecking ball to myself, and I start all over.
Always a new me. A different combination. What
combination will free me from Montreal?
Amelia
Dear Scratch, R attled

box ful l of ext rac ted fan gs in my mailbox. Must be on the right track.
R eceived a cigar
eams like the sea in a shell.
it and could swear I heard distant scr nor Im paled ritual of our own device. We
Br idg e. Its a ga me. A mi
Tonight, we played Cross the low is the St. La wrence R iver. One step ahead is
tor ia Br idg e. Be
stand at the far side of the Vic I don t eve n rem ember what road brought me into the
fro m M ont rea l.
Saint-Lambert and freedom
city. This one would take me out.
CI T Y
III. DONT LEAVE THE gle like nervous teenagers. We stick our
rth ian wh elp s, an d I, we gig
Wren, Jean-Baptiste, two Ca
od. Whos last off the spike?
toes just over the edge. We sweat blo
163
The Carthians run. Jean-Baptiste runs. I run. Wren is the
last! Her first time. The nerve! I tackled
her and we went down in a cackling heap. Jean-Baptiste joine
d in. Three tangled Dragons eating
each others tails.
For all I know, the Carthians are still running.
Did the Boogeyman notice us? I hope so. Im rattling the
fangs.
Amelia
Dear Scratch, tness of

off the yel low an d the pur ple stri ngs. Woke up to the embarrassing we
Tonight, I cut
e icy mi tt of the tat s tha t nev er tak e. Then I dolled up and got social.
rejected ink. Th line. Juliens well-heeled bodyguard
ur, a hot sy- tots y In vic tus of my
First stop, Julien Vasse the pal ookas arms out of their sockets and
an au die nce , but I pul led
didnt think I rated for
g.
kicked him in the stomach for sobbin First
of his slic k cliq ue of dru gst ore cow boys and billboards cowering in the
Julien is sick s looking for something else. He see
s it in the
hid ing fro m the Bo oge ym an . He
Estate. Sick of s nest. Juliens full of encouragement
, but he
like s tha t we re kic kin g the hor net
Impaled. He
meless.
dont know from nothing about the Na ist in the Circle. Dropped in on
y W est. Sh es an ava nt- ga rde art
So I went to see Tiffan like a dre am. Like a religious experience.
tra ct ter ror . He r art is
her exhibit, a study in abs but its
wit h hid den tra ps. Th e Na me less plays a role. Theres something there,
Puzz les
en I squeeze.
intangible, falls away like sand wh
Bushwa!
.
Ill have to see the Eyeless Woman
Amelia
Dear Scratch,
Tonight, I cut off the blue string
. Woke with my eyes sewn shut.
Savoring the sensation. Didn Im scared, Scratch.
t want to travel on the surface,
Montreal s Nosferatu are un so I went underground.
derworld Ferrymen. They have
theyll guide you so you never the access. For a price,
have to see the cross or sky wh
the city. Theyre the ones who ile shaking your stilts across
gave me the meeting place for
the toll in secrets. the Impaled. Tonight, I paid
R emember, remember the fifth
of November. 1935. Thats wh
the first and last Prince. In th en the Nameless came for
e 70s, the Carthians gathere
the only survivor. She met the d to take power. I went to see
Boogeyman, Scratch.
The Eyeless Woman. Once up
on a time, she was Eva Dubois
.
164
I met with Eva. Put me wise, I sai
d.
She told me about the night. Two doz
en Carthians. Slaughtered. She ret
ripped out, bearing the six rules. Sa urned, eyes
id she could not see the Nameless, but
her ear, told her not to grow her eye it whispered in
s back. She hasnt, Scratch. Not for
Then the Eyeless Woman leaned in all the decades.
and whispered in my ear. The words
Theyre words I wont put to paper. W , Scratch.
riting those words feels too much like
bridge or climbing the cross. Maybe toeing the
Ill record them later.
I went home. I stayed underground
the whole way.
Amelia.
Dear Scratch, s.
. Turns out, it was just a bindle stiff. It happen
Thought the Boogeyman came for me tonight The
wing the rules. Then theyre stuck. Desperate.
Vagabond savages wander into town, not kno
unds.
apple knockers come sniffing your hunting gro
le pun k plu nge d his cla ws into my stom ach , expecting a shriek. But I only grabbed
The bind
and pul led his han ds deeper into me. I am the Impaler and the Impaled. The look on
his wrists
mel ted his grin to goo . The poo r savaged trie d to pull away, but I only squeezed till his
my face
ged. He cried blood.
wrists crunched. He screamed at me. He beg
ugh, that his neck snapped. His head flopped
I gave him a head-butt. Fast enough, hard eno
back, eyes to the sky.
Go chase yourself, I said. .
dispenser. Poor, dumb mutt. Hes stuck here now
He ran down the street, head like a used Pez
et before he scrammed. Its the thing to do.
I slipped a key to Post Box 5170 into his pock
Amelia
Dear Scratch,
Theyre dead. I was late. Fuck
up in communication. How do
Circle Jerks. It was here. It wa you botch that? Fucking
s in our room. Theyre all on th
switched around. Mismatched e spikes. Chopped up. Parts
jigsaw puzzle. Meat kebabs.
A nother R ite of the Impaled
. Wren and Jean-Baptiste ar
Carthians. A nd then two Acol rived first. A nd then two
ytes. Now theyre all dead. Th
Im going to get on the spike wi eir faces. They saw it.
th them. One last time. Going
what to do. into my lab. Then Ill know
Amelia
165
Dear Scratch, Th en I remembered. It was on the finger of
a
gor e-s tai ned wh ite stri ng.
Two more strings. I cut off the pum p sto ppe d. I too k his blood and his quirk.
ish him , but his
janitor I ate. Didnt mean to fin
up the mountain. Going to the cross.
I cut off the black string. Im going wh ispers . You know. When you cant quite
ch? Fa din g till the yre
Do you still get the voices, Scrat Eh , Sc rat ch? Th e odd word. T V static. Dying ghosts.
at s the wo rst.
hear the words. Just murmurs. Th s? But Im strong at Mental Thug
gee.
voice inside its gu ts? Be hin d its eye
Will I end up just a
a faint voice in its own body.
Maybe Ill strangle it, till its just in the riv er. A nother voice. Put your mitts on
it fel t it wh en you we nt
Will you feel it, Scratch? Like
that. I got no strings now. ch. Say it. Listen to yourself. No one
says it
it one mo re tim e. Co me on, Sc rat
Do me a favor and say
like you, Scratch.
The best is yet to come.
Amelia
Is it science? Thats a complicated que

stion. Modern scientific study has only
or two, and its safe to say that the been around for a cent ury
Orders still got much of the old phil
peer review are cornerstones of mod osophy in it. Reproducibility and
ern science, but unfortunately, they
that we do. There are methods in the arent always practical for the work
Coils, in the Scales, and in all our exp
sometimes all we have are anecdote erimentation, but the truth is that
s, stories, sing ular anomalies that van
Sometimes I wish the world were muc ished as soon as they appeared.
h tidier, but its never seen fit to agree
char m in it, dont you thin k? You neve with me. Besides, theres a sort of
r know what could be lurking just out
[pause, Mire laughs] of sight, waiting to be discovered.
Yes. Sometimes it discovers us. I like
to keep it the other way around, its muc
and doesnt make as much of a mess. h easier on ever yone involved,
Hm, yes, where was I? Science?
[pause]
Underneath it all, I thin k the Order spea
ks to our deep need to know, to underst
have been doing that since they had and, and to master. Humans
brains big enough to manage it, and
have our more fringe elements, of cou we were all human, once. We do
rse, but by and large, I like to thin k
helps keep things from going off the most of us are a rational sort. It
rails. Im reminded though, of somethi
sponsor values anecdotes, correct? ng you might find valuable. Your
I have one, gathered by an associate
Let me see if I can find it who was willing to do me a favor.
[pause, rustling]
There.
You new?
Uh huh.
First time trying the steps?
Yeah.
Itll change your fucking life.
it didnt do shit.
They said that when I got baptized, but
he fronted me my first oxycoffin.
Hehe, yeah. My dealer said it to me when
Bet he was right though. h cream.
; the oxy was like coffee with too muc
Nah. I was already so fucked up on meth
166
s made more sense than this.
Sometimes wish it were still drugs. Drug by ever y Invic tus
rough and eating rats. Getting fucked
You just need to do the steps. I was living dve just kisse d the sun one day,
ing to slum. I probably woul
asshole who came down to the burg look It set me right up.
the Steps.
but I met Dr. Pope, and he showed me
Is Pope the heav y with the bust ed up nose?
out for you too. Last
Hes Pope s guy. You start walking right, and hell be looking
Thats Pushkin. kin brok e his legs with a length of
looking for a little action, Push
time my old man came sniffing around, r to Chris t, I neve r laug hed so much. Getting right
plier s! I swea
rebar and pulled out his fucking teeth with re thing s, and you get powerful.
are is part of the steps. You squa
with the ones who made you who you
Nothing can fucking touch you then.
.
I guess. Confidence is a powerful thing dence without
confi denc e like I need another cunt. You walk around with confi
Confidence? I need rful thing . You got a lighter?
the guts out of you. Power is a powe
anything to back it up, and theyll have
Yeah, here. tly what I thought
sire, I went up and told the old fucker exac
When Pushkin was done stomping my s, and then I set him on fire with kerosene.
carrying for year
about him. I unloaded ever ything Id been
Jesus!
out of the deal.
He survived. More or less. But I got this
Pretty nice flask. Silver?
kerosene. Now watch this.
Yeah. It was his, and I filled it up with
Oh man, dont drink...
And this.
you? How are you evening standing that?
What the shit? How is that not burning direc t repr isals to such people as
Nine means you Mad e
This is the ninth step. Dr. Pope says Step
sure to injure them or others.
harmed you wherever possible, making
a taste for kerosene?
And that gives you asbestos skin and y tough before
g thats your s and only your s. I was prett
No, it gives you something new, somethin .
kerosene, fire just tickles a little
I did the ninth Step, but now when I sip
What does that feel like? You ever get the coke
Im screaming and thrashing around.
Its like my skin is a shell, and inside
bugs crawling under your skin?
Shit yeah. couple other steps
bugs, and Im trying to get out. I did a
Its like that, except it feels like Im the tryin g to claw my way out
s I know, and its the same. Its like Im
right too, and theres some other trick
of my own skin.
ds horrible.
Why the fuck would you do it? That soun not, but its
It feels so fine. Its bette r than anything I ever did, breathing or
No, thats the thing. you. Its all you. Its like
toes because he made a slave out of
not drugs, blood, or sucking your sires
getting high off your self. ts first?
s for you. How do you get started? Wha
Well, if it works for you I guess it work your life has beco me tormented.
over your frailties, and that
Step One is admitting youre powerless
to set somebody on fire?
So how do I actually do that? Do I have rmen or the pagan
for services rendered like the shit the spea
Its not like that. Theres no payment y places where you dont
w the Steps, and you walk them to scar
bitches do. This aint religion. You follo you to decid e if youre going to get
or crawl. And the steps force
know whos going to live or die, stand hear t, then what you
the process, and you do it with an open
fucked or be the fucker, and if you work
take back is a...
.
Asbestos skin and a taste for kerosene ? Did you meet Peg
get, but its what youre supposed to get, right
Hehe, yeah. You get what you
when you came in? goat gave me scared
seen some weird shit, but the look that
Was she the little girl with the goat? I
the balls off me. out as a scared little
but Peg worked all the steps. Star ted
Only people in the program know this, ber Two now. I hear d she got Goat when she did
s Popes Num
thing, now nobody fucks with her. She she swap ped her hear t for Goat s
e kind of god. I also heard that
the eleventh step, and the goat is som ble. I also hear d that shes reall y Goat, and the Peg
shes invulnera
hear t, and Goat is now immortal, and a step work, shes the one
on. I don t know . But if youre having trouble making
we see is like an illusi
e beef liver or a marr ow bone for Goat to gnaw.
if you bring som
to talk to. Shes sweet as carrot cake
167
cult
isnt like a cult, is it? I did the
at once. I got to process. This
This is too much to take in all
thing, and it never helped. You been a victim for a
ple tryi ng to help people through their recovery. do the
No way. Its just peo on instead of booze. When you
tim e. Its all ove r you . This is like AA, but for being shit
long
on you again.
steps, nobody is going to shit
ight?
Well what do I have to do ton y too if you want.
d up, tell us who you are. You can tell your stor
You just stan people.
in front of people. Groups of
Im not... I dont really talk Look at me, and talk
igno re eve ryo ne else , and you just talk to me, ok? re you
Hey, Ill be her e. You ause they were all standing whe
You don t nee d to wor ry about anybody else here, bec find you r pow er, to find your
to me.
wan t the sam e thin g for you. They want you to
are now, and they all
to stand.
strength, and to remember how
how to stand.
I dont know if I ever knew
?
You doing any thing after this
ing for a bite or something.
I dont know. Probably look talk or whatever. I really got
a
get tog eth er afte r. We can work on your first step, or just
Lets d ones.
re going to be one of the goo
feeling about you. I think you
Yeah? e is just
and then hang out? My plac
ut after? Get a bite with me,
Yeah. What do you say abo
down the street. ld just talk to somebody who
thin k... no, fuck it. Id love to. Its been years since I cou
I dont y did.
ing, or who gave a shit if the
had any idea what I was say
Then its a date.
g
it meant lookin
ou s so rt , m ys elf, even when us et ts
ri ch
always been a cu o, up in Massa
rsta nd th at w ell enough. Ive dd en . I go t m y star t years ag e, but m y family was
I unde e be st left hi ld ta ke offens
som e fe lt w er ded so ul w ou ul to finally be
for things that ti m e, some small-min . In a way, Im than kf h
Har vard, Yale,
MIT . E ac h nkles li ke th at ong. I just wis
w ay s of sm oo thing over wri
w B oa rd s an d I never got al
had tit utional Revie
old money, and ia. Those Ins
yl ig ht ac ad em
rid of da
dden. random chance
,
it wasnt so... su gs, completely
e of th os e th in m et hi ng I
[pause] just on t, so
e of an yt hi ng I did. It was ng up a va luable shipmen hi ng th at
ca us hi et
Oh, it wasnt be s to pick somet my an kle, som
m or e. I w as at the dock e. I fe lt something grab ok at its eyes as
and noth in g
w hen it foun d m
th e water. I got a lo
to a co ur ie r I knew , I w as in arent; not like
couldnt leave , an d the next thing ad lo oking, but they h
wasnt quite a
hum an ha nd
at shark eyes ar
e co ld an d de nd them. Its teet
Pe op le sa y th gl im m er of in telligence behi
ose. a
it pulled me cl was as much as a great deal of
blood.
gs ey es . I do nt thin k there er . T he re w as
that thin my should
open, and then anyone. All we
ripped my neck that as well as
ow
[pause] ck. You sh ou ld kn well. None of us
se w ho Si re d us, Miss Bla su pp os e, th at s an option as
We cannot choo not, I
ere given... or
is m ak e th e best of what w w e ne ed not be its slaves
.
can do lo od , bu t
ritage of our B our colleag ues
can deny the he I know some of
ur re co rd s? lightened sort.
[long pause] u li ke an anecdote
for yo
se em like a more en
On that subjec
t, w ou ld yo d yo ur pa tr on what it means
its co nt en ts , but both you an us w ith an op posing view of
ve of id e
would disappro , but it does prov
er se lf-c on gr at ulator y, I feel
Its rath
e of ones sire.
to be the child
168
We are the Brides of Dracula.
We are yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We sing of the Son of the Dragon.
We are the wisdom of the dark earth, Call him Vladislaus. Call him Tepes.
and we do such things. Call him Kaziglu Bey. Call him Dracula.
Call us Mara, Anoushka, and Lisette. He who planted the forest of corpses.
We will wear these names until chrysalis. We who perched in its branches and ate of its fruit.
We have sloughed off so many names. We call him husband.
Let us end. Let us begin.
The Impaler Prince, epic hero of damnation.
Let us link arms and dance What a base thing he was when we met.
ring around, mouth to tail. A bloated tick. A gorged grave maggot.
Hear us, O Mother Night! Fallen in battle, risen as a revenant wretch,
Mother who gave us birth, bereft of clan and rational thought.
so that we might drink the living bones How came this grotesque accident?
to defy the tyranny of worms. Where for this cadaverous afterbirth?
Had a corruption fermented in is breast,
Hear us, O Mother Night! planted by the teeth or blood of some past fiend?
To thee do we feast We do not know.
on banished children of Eve.
By our birthright, the immortal gods Writhing like a larvae, in battlefield muck,
may not lay hands on us. gnawing corpses, licking gore-encrusted blades,
We eat not at their table. slicing his tongue in infantile zeal and drinking what he bled,
pushing fingers into the blood-soaked mud
Hear us, O Mother Night! and noisily suckling the vermiculated tit.
To thee do we sing. All hail the Voivode of Wallachia.
We are the ravenous chorus.
We are the Furies chant. Give this piteous grubbling release, we agreed.
Its discord shatters the chains Then we recognized him beneath the filth.
that fetter the soul, Even as he rolled in slime, he screamed at the sky,
destroys the harmony as if in violent argument with God,
that dulls the mind. as if still in pitched battle.
He prattled on about being a better Lucifer,
Let our frenzied song fall upon the ears of angels. a better Judas.
Let the sky rain feathers and tears.
By our fearful art, we weave words. There is an ignorance of such chthonic depth,
By our fearful art, we paint a legend. that it swallows the stars and gulfs of night.
By our fearful art, we sculpt a paradigm. It is a rarefied delusion to assume
that Heaven singled one out for the curse.
Man doth not yield himself to stagnation, decay, or In the dying light, illimitable ignorance becomes power.
the curse, In the malleable universe, what is believed can
save only through the weakness of his feeble will. eventually be.
A man might be tricked into a stronger will. Knowledge brings intimacy with ones limitations.
A man might be fooled into transfiguration. We bear the curse of knowing.
By our fearful art. He does not.
169
The crawling prince bellowed on.
He has been a brute monster,
The sky did not answer.
and sorrowful scholar,
But we did.
and temperate teacher,
and student and prophet.
We locked together in a lusty knot
What he believes, he can do.
with him at our center.
And so we sheer away all memory of boundaries.
Mouth to tail blood in blood out
Should we desire him to soar,
ever returning in to the self-same spot.
we have but to erase knowledge of the earths pull.
Three sires. One nativity.
He ascended from revenant leech to Kindred kind.
He awoke believing he sired us.
He took the best of our far-flung bloodlines.
And so we became his childer.
He knew nothing of clan or inherited limitations.
He woke believing he mentors us.
In himself, he had no borders.
And so we taught him as his pupils.
Potential everlasting.
Our words became his words.
We shape his dreams and the story.
Our creation rose upright,
We influence the storytellers.
gestalt of blood and will.
Verse, like water, requires only time
The origins of his damnation were a mystery,
to carve the mountains.
but we made his damnation our own,
as the sculptor dares presume ownership
We are the Brides of Dracula.
over earth-spawned marble.
Call us legend crafters.
Call us paradigm shapers.
With the gift of lucidity fading fast,
We refine our creation.
he crowed a bitter war laugh
We guide our sleepwalker.
and charged into the gloom for further battle,
Through him, we explore unlit possibility.
set out to corrupt the earth and confound Heaven.
Through him, we fathom forbidden change.
Our deluded Dragon Knight, tilting at gods.
Through him, we subvert the curse and tyrannous stars.
We are the Brides of Dracula,

We are the Dragon,
and we refine our creation.
by our three heads,
In the deep sleep, he slumbers before us now.
we are greater than our sum.
Let us link arms and dance
Swear to the axe!
ring around, mouth to tail.
Swear to the mysteries!
By our fearsome art, we shape torporous dreams.
Swear to the dying light!
He conquers the nightmare continents.
He impales all past selves and kills
We are the Dragon,
any memory that would make him less than he ought to be.
and he is our son,
With every slumber, we purge his impurities.
our experiment,
With every slumber, the flesh more resembles the legend.
our Great Work.
Every slumber a chrysalis.
Let us end. Let us begin.
170
need to fortify
I suppose. Im sure you understand the need for security. Ive found the
as both that and a novel experiment
my working space against intrusion, and they double
tell whats legitim ate, and whats a
in animal perception. Sometimes its a bit difficult to
false alarm. You havent seen anything out of place, have you?
[pause]
Youre certain?
[pause]
the faintest
I find it fascinating that even after centuries of experimentation, we have only
ries all the time, and find
idea of how malleable the Curse truly is. We make new discove
Isnt it grand?
out that old ones werent as simple as they looked at first glance.
[pause]
See, you get it. I
hissing
[background noise. The same low growl, in the distance, followed by a throaty,
It continu es until the recordi ng ends.]
bellow, and a cacophony of other calls.
Is someone there?
[pause]
Very funny. Is someone there? Can you see anything?
[pause]
Shut that off. Sa lvaged wh at I could. Eithe
[end of recording] th e ma d docto r kept no tech r
nic
notes, or th ey got up and al
wa lked
of f befo re th e fire, oh so
coy
mysterious. Heres a sa mpler and
of
deepest, most perso na l th ou his
gh
instead. I ho pe youll fo rg ts,
ive me.
--Fra nces
I emerged from Chrysalis this afternoo

n. The sun no long er mires my brain
though Ive escaped from a prison. If down in sleep, and it feels as
I so choose, I can devote twic e as much
woul d be a fool not to. time to my research and I
Barnaby suff ered significant injury tonig
ht. I have prepared skin grafts to
is simple, if well practiced. Skin graf expedite heal ing. The proc edure
ts will soak in fresh human blood until
around Barnabys damaged regions (in tomo rrow. I will then wrap them
this case along the scalp, neck, shou
parts blood, one part Vitae) follow, alon lders, and back). Injections (two
g the edges of the graft, at intervals
morphine drip to tide Barnaby over until of half an inch. Ive set up a
then, but its done noth ing to stop his
I have endeavored to broaden the scop complaints.
e of this proc edures applicat ions. Kind
material (human and animal) has alwa red flesh grafted to living
ys resulted in necrosis for me (though
succ essful). There has been some succ a colle ague swears she was
ess grafting animal flesh to human
skin? bodie s and vice versa. Lycanth rope
Come to think of it, this very same proc
edure brought Barnaby into my employ.
The sky still glows over Research Tria

ngle Park. Tonight it is a salmon pink
claim responsibility or knowledg e, and . None of the other Def iant
I am incli ned to believe them. They claim
I am disinclined to believe that. They to be too busy to look into it, and
re wait ing for me to investigate by air.
time befo re curiosity and compulsion win They know it is only a matter of
out. They know me well enough. Wing
s can be a burden of a sort.
171
r. It casts no
grow ing from the wrec kage of the Cabe Lands Cemetery, by the Eno Rive
There is a tree
shadow. Why?
evol ent entity remains elus ive.
sical evidence of possession by a mal
Surg ery was a complete failure. Phy
Barnaby has begun disposal .
al tissue cont inue.

Experiments in the reanimat ion of anim d is introduced to the
proc ess is simp le. A syrin ge of my blood at least 50 mL, undilute
The basi c one on the ventral
cond ucte d thre e injec tions on the ventral surface of the trunk,
animal cada ver. Ive e. My choic e of site seems
, and one on the dors al surface of the trunk, near the spin
surface of the neck and seems to gain both a normal
evan t. The Vita e know s. Once introduced, the cadaver rises,
comp letel y irrel ture cannot feed itself,
e of move ment and sha rpen ed pred atory insti ncts. Of course, this new crea
rang ngement.
source of Vitae. I rath er like this arra
rendering it dependent on the origi nal retains both pre and
the cadaver cannot self -repair, and
The proc ess has limit ations. Of note, to animate tissu es of seve ral
far I can take this. Will attempt
postmort em injuries. I want to see how
animals conj oined together.
hnid features. F ield guide
Martinique, and am now displaying arac
Slept four hours in soil collected from genus Avic ularia. Very colorful.
e to the region, notably most of the
notes many spec ies of tarantula nativ
the Cl na Mna bog in
the acidic muck of peat harvested from
I spent the day asleep, melded with dream anymore. Torch-l it faces
all the more notable because I dont
Ireland. I experienc ed a vivid dream, aps. No, thats not it. I was
me. I was impo rtant a priest, perh
surrounded me, all of them yelli ng at vest had been poor, and they
g sharp struck it, breaking it. The har
a king. I raised my arm , and somethin me in to the dark water, letti ng it
arms over legs, knees to chest, cast
held me responsible. They bound me, ugh the floating layer of peatit
e was no sunl ight , no entry hole thro
swallow me whole. I looked up. Ther A name that looks gigantically
chanting a name. An impo rtant name.
had closed its mouth. They had been
down. Do I dare remember it? ard signs of change.
to find my skin slightly dark er, of a slightly leathery feel . No other outw
I awoke
about controlli ng human
Lordly cous ins will prattle on and on
There are worl ds with in worl ds. Our ure, but it already plays out, much more
poet icall y abou t thei r tink er-t oy domi nion over living cult
thought, wax
dom.
elegantly, across the whole animal king
oorg anis m Toxoplasma gond ii.
Take, for example, the micr n it infects rats or
para site. It spre ads in the feces of the common house cat, and whe
Its a devious littl e attracted to the scent
thei r brain s. They beco me more active and less afraid--theyre even
mice, it reprogra ms back into the cats
h is norm ally anat hem a to rode nt sens ibilit ies. It manipulates the rodent
of cat urine, whic can, with in the feline belly.
inue its life cycle in the only plac e it
mouth, so that the parasite may cont there. Something on the
with great interest. There are patterns
I follow the life cycles of parasites
iliar
periphery of thought. Something fam ent of Americans
Toxo plas ma gond ii affe ct the human host? Between 10 and 20 perc
Back on track. Does age to the fetus. In
even more . Pre gnan t wom en are told to avoid it, out of risk of dam
are infected, perh aps ant. But just how
it was thou ght to caus e littl e effe ct. The parasite rests in the brain, dorm
healthy adults,
dormant is it? ered behavioral modificat ion by the
Czech scientist claiming to have suff
I recently read a paper by a living moto r skills, and lower reaction
ased reck less ness , changes in sexual behavior, impaired
para site. He cites incre r stud ies link toxoplasmosis to a
may acco unt for an unto ld number of automobile fatalities). Othe
time s (whi ch der, and schizophrenia.
ety of ment al disea ses inclu ding bipo lar disorder, obsessive-compuls ive disor
vari look like child ren
boas t abou t thei r layp erso ns know ledg e of operant cond itioning. They all
Let the Lords attic.
t military uniforms discovered in the
proudly tromping about in dusty, adul
172
The living study is limited, however
. It removes the human too far
can get to observe a human in pre from the rat. The closest these
dato ry danger is by how reck less stud ies
data pure. I can study the infected ly one crosses a busy street. I can
human as prey. For the next few make the
conf irmed as hosts to Toxoplasma months, I will limit my hunting
gondii (with a littl e help from the to those
Friedman would be will ing to co-a Duke University med ical reco rds).
uthor. In a second study, perhap Perhaps
feli ne features. s, I coul d manipulate my body to
demonstrate
There are whole worlds that neve
r see the sun. Movile Cave is one
was cut off from the outs ide, and such world five mill ion years ago,
it remained seal ed until a group it
in the rock. The creatures inside of surveyo rs chanced upon it whi
it were trapped, with no way to leav le digg ing
ecosystems outs ide. e, or to obtain nutrients from the
sun-lit
They didnt die out. They thrived.
Sunlight forms the bas is of most
of the worlds ecosystems, but in
energy pick up the slack. In Mov places it cannot reach, other sour
ile, everythi ng revolves around mat ces of
float upon the water. Much like s of bacteria, no thinner than pap
bacteria in the deep sea, they deri er, that
photosynth esis with far more arca ve energy from inorganic compound
ne chemical reactions. In turn, the s, rep laci ng
that crawl, slith er, and swim thr y are food for the countless inve
ough the dark. rteb rate s
Of course, the bacteria arent so
kind as to produce breathable oxyg
soup of sulfur fumes and carbon en; instead, they turn the air into
dioxide. Breath ers start running a noxious
things in the cave have not only into trouble at around five or six
adapted to this environment, they hours. The
instead relying wholly on senses are thriving in it. Many of them
that are far more useful in comp lack eyes,
things, seemingly transluc ent, but lete darkness. Some of them are pal e,
no less deadly for it. They live, bree thin
And its in Wal lach ia, too. I would d, and die without ever seei ng the
kill for samples of its clay, but sun .
about the place beckons to me, and I doubt that would satisfy me. Som
not just intellectual ly. What else ethi ng
Perhaps it will be my Galapagos. lies down there in the dark?
Friedman and I had another fru

itful meeting yesterday. As it turn
with in the Triangle sites he feel s out, hes identified several location
s coul d prove fruitful to my rese s of note
Id be interested in, and used a grea arch. He claims hes seen things
t deal of hyperbole. He does nt do there that
He did provide me with tangibl e that often. It made me suspiciou
evidence of... somethi ng. A cockroac s.
mounted in fine taxonomic fashion h specimen the size of my hand,
. It smelled faintly of oil and pla pinn ed and
I saw its wings were glossy blac stic, and when I peeled back its
k. It reminded me of a garbag e bag carapac e,
Ive designated A-3, a hospital incin . He claims he got it from the test
erator that seems to have fall en site
pleasantly surprised. It would be into disuse. If it bears fruit, I wou
nice to have a novel Nest so clos ld be
e to my labo rato ry.
Everythi ng went wrong. What didn
t I see? Why didnt I see it?
We went to test site A-3, but whe
n we arrived, the place was dese
or dead, much less the hive of crea rted. I coul dnt see or smell anythin
tures he promised me. It was just g, alive
worth of dust , with no signs of an incinerator room , covered in a
disturbance anywhere. Friedman, thou decades
told me hed teach me how to see gh, swo re there was somethi ng the
it right then, that he had a Scal re. He
The poor bastard never got the e prepared and ready.
chance. Somethi ng came out of now
just a blur of steel and blue here. I didnt get a good look at
light. It slammed him into the grou it, at first
I took offense, and got very, very nd, and tore into him with claws like
ang ry. I tack led it off him , and knives.
started to overpower me. I rememb wrestled with it, but it was nt long
er looking up and seei ng its face befo re it
the darkness like tiny stars. Tha a ring of eyes, bright blue and
t was it. blazing in
I still dont remember how I got
out, much less with Friedman slun
me. I havent seen it sinc e, but tha g over my shoulder. I dont think
ts no guarantee its gone away. Wha it chased
No. Fear will paralyze me. I will t if its
make this entity and its lair a kno
that A-3 is off-limits for the fore wn factor. Unt il then, Ive passed
seeable future. on word
Friedman remains in torpor. I exp

ected him to be awake by now, but
than I thought. I should have it seems he was damaged more seve
seen it going in; the Jiang Shi is rely
noto riously frail, and not just by
the standards
173
be moving , and I would nt have his useless, torpid body
of my Clan. If Id warned him, then perhaps hed still
lying under my lab bench.
fool see in there that I did not?
Would he have listened to me if I had? What did the
I must find it. I must make it a known quant ity.
for my instruments. I have three micropipettes

Friedman is still torpid. Ive started using him as a rest
on top of his chest. Childish, perhaps, but am I
secured under each hand, and Ive stacked boxes of slides
in my inner sanctum? Perhaps it would be asking too
not allowed to make use of him while hes slumbering
awakened, angry Friedman is preferable to a compl etely
much for this treatment to actual ly wake him up. An
both inconvenient and incriminating.
unresponsive one, especially when his presence here is
n, but I feel better having eyes on him all the time.
I suppose I could move him to anoth er secure locatio
and Barnaby knows better. I just wish I could do
The only ones who come in here are Barnaby, and myself
and less petty. It feels like hes done this just to spite
someth ing more productive with him more productive,
me, the bastard.
Damnation.
e so loosely tethered to their existence couldnt
I shoul dve known better. I shoul d have known someon
up the mess, but things just became much more
withstand even the most cursory autopsy. Barnaby tidied
compl icated.
More security is in order. They cannot find out.
B-2, a site he thought was related to A-3 somehow.
I found the soil sampl es that Friedman brought from
and fell asleep.
Against my better judgment, I mixed up a bed of mud
me from across campus. It knew where I was, and
I dreamed again. This time, it was the eyes, staring at
from it. Barnaby sustained serious injury before I pulled
what Id done. There was nothing I could do to hide
myself out of it, but as before, he will pull through.
ach to this problem is in order. Someth ing trustworthy,
I can see it. Or can I? Perhaps a more novel appro
and more adept at self-defense than Barnaby.
174
Finally, heres th e doctor
at his best, writi ng his
notes for a speech. Maybe
itll ma ke some of th e
previous notes fall into
pla ce.
--Fra nces
Ladies and gentlemen

of the Symposium, I
findings to ones peers bid you good evening
, and tonight, Ive br . Its always an hono
can probably smell it ought a little somethi r to present ones
already, to which I sa ng to sweeten the po
y its there for a ve t for yo u. Some of you
My latest research su ry good reason. Be pa
bject is, to put it in pr tient.
of Incorporeal Entities oper ar ticle for m: A
. Novel Methodology
for the Consumption
Now, you may be as
king yourselves if su
you know there are a ch a thing is even po
great many things ou ssible. As you are all
or unwise Kindred ha t there that share the learned individuals,
ve learned how to prey night with us. Some
of them have fluids an on them. W hile they en ter prising, curious,
d energies that are clo might not have huma
concer ns, such as dis se enough for govern n blood per se, some
covery, but in some ca ment work. Obviously,
obstacle. ses, the creatures ve there are practical
ry for m proves a seem
ingly insur mountable
Take, for example, a
common ghost. It ha
death. Its the spiritu s no body; it is ectop
al equivalent of a blo lasmic residue lef t be
of some for m of spiri od sta in. Yet, ghosts are co hind after a mortals
tual energy. If we we mmon, easily containe
and novel source of su re to tap into this new resource d, and possessed
stenance, as well as a , we would gain acce
I believe Ive found a me diu m for more esoteric wo ss to a new
way, which I will demo rkings. But how?
a ghost unless its nstrate right here. M
now the other way aro y assistant, Barnaby,
(pause for laughter) un d, in which case hes in is in possession of
trouble.
Say hello, Barnaby.
Let me direct your att
ention over here, to the
filled with a gelatino test apparat us. As yo
us collagen suspensio u can see, it has a lar
part pig, and a little da na little something ge holding tan k,
sh of jellyfish. W hy jel I cooked up myself.
biologically im morta lyfi sh? Because as it turn On e pa rt primate, one
l, and I thought it mi s out, at least one spec
Now, the blood. There gh t be appropriate. Its work ies is allegedly
s always blood, isnt ed rather well.
(pause for laughter) there?
The machinery attac
hed to the holding tan
associated with the ne k is a modified EMF
ural activity of a living projector, broadcastin
the presence of the liv being. This is the bait. g on frequencies
ing, and this little setup So me ghosts are very mu
(Pause for reactions. is en ou gh to fool one into think ch att racted to
Perhaps call a voluntee ing an available body
The spirit enters the r, skilled in Auspex, is nearby.
vat, and cannot escape to act as spotter?)
mystical resonance to . It is, in effect, trapp
seem like a body, bu ed in the gelatin; the
and bubbles in the mi t it is not. At best, the mixt ure has enough
xt ure. gh ost can th rash aroun
(Point out interesting d, for ming shapes
features in the gelatin.
As you can see, the res Perhaps some will be
ults are quite spectac identifiable?)
The only thing you ha ular. The th rashing do
ve to fear is getting yo es look dangerous, but do
a little in your hand ur clothes a little dir ty. nt be alarmed.
like so and consum If you so desire, you
Than k you all, once e it. In fac t, I invite you to. ca n even scoop up
again. Its a pleasure
(end, hold for applaus to be here. Enjoy the
e, laughter) buffet!
175
Each covenant keeps certain tricks close to their chests, With Storyteller discretion, some of the Merits may be used
holding them as edges and advantages. For some covenants, outside their respective covenants. For example, the Carthian
these secrets are expressions of religion, and thus must only be Merit Mobilize Outrage doesnt offer any hard reasons why
shared with believers. For others, these tricks act as recruiting it couldnt be used outside the Movement, or even by human
tools to entice fence sitters. Others still use their trade secrets to characters. Its inclusion here reflects the fact that its generally
ensure loyalty in sworn members. Regardless of the covenant, taught to Carthians, and is an important tool to the Movement.
each uses their unique skills as a method of enforcing hierarchy; While the sections state that such Merits require a dot of
some members are more valuable than others are, and members Covenant Status, use your best judgment for your chronicles.
who are more valuable get the best toys. In some cases, for example Toss That Shit Right Back, it
could apply for non-Kindred characters as well.
Carthians: The Tools of Revolution

In the Movement, you learn tools for survival, and Effect: To activate Army of One, the character must make
tools for establishing and maintaining order in chaotic a call or otherwise contact her allies in the Movement. This
circumstances. Everything runs a tenuous balance between takes an instant action. Roll Presence + Politics + Carthian
practical and experimental. Status. In ten minutes minus the successes rolled, her backup
arrives. She receives one backup Carthian per dot in Army of
One. They will fight for her, or contribute to teamwork actions.
Merits If faced with a deadly or overwhelming threat, they may run if
they fail a Resolve + Composure roll.
Members of the Carthian Movement have access to the
following Merits. Unless otherwise noted, they have an additional CARTHIAN BACKUP
prerequisite of Status (Carthian Movement) or higher.
Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 2, Strength
2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Presence 2, Manipulation 2,
Alley Cat ( to ) Composure 2
Prerequisites: Athletics , Stealth , Streetwise Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Drive 2, Firearms 2, Intimida-
Carthians are the vampires most intimately familiar with the tion 2, Politics 2, Weaponry 2
city streets. A Carthian with Alley Cat moves through the city Disciplines: Celerity 1, Resilience 1, Vigor 1
unseen as any Nosferatu and Mekhet might, and gets where Merits: Carthian Status 1
shes going unimpeded. Initiative 5, Defense 4, Willpower 4, Health 8
Effect: When rolling to navigate, hide, evade, or pursue
Humanity: 5
in your characters home city streets, Alley Cat takes effect.
With the one-dot version of the Merit, four successes mean an Equipment: Baseball Bat (2 Damage), Handgun (1
exceptional success on these rolls. With two dots, three successes
Damage), Shotgun (3 Damage, 9-again), Leather Jacket
(1/1 Armor)
make an exceptional success. With three dots, any successful roll
is considered exceptional. Note that this doesnt affect actual
successes in extended or contested actions, but affords the A character may only use Army of One once per story. For
advantages of exceptional success regardless of successes rolled. each Carthian Backup that meets torpor or Final Death, the
character loses a dot of Army of One. The Sanctity of Merits
rule (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 109) applies. At Storyteller
Army of One ( to ) discretion, the backup may have a couple of additional, relevant
Prerequisites: Carthian Status at equal or higher level dots or slightly different equipment.
Carthians always have each others backs. A ranking member
of the Movement is never alone.
Carthians: Tools of the Trade 177

Casual User () one Experience from the cost of any Devotion, to a minimum
of one Experience. Additionally, she gains the 9-again quality
Prerequisites: Not a member of the Carthian Movement
on all Devotion activation rolls. If she teaches a Devotion to
While your character is not a member of the Carthian another vampire, she gains a Beat, and her student enjoys her
Movement, she spends enough time around them to be cost break on the power.
considered one of the crew.
Effect: This Merit provides a handful of advantages: Fucking Thief ()
Your character receives a +1 bonus to all Social interactions
Prerequisites: Subterfuge
with Carthian Movement members, as if she had a single dot
of Covenant Status. While she cannot purchase Carthian Fucking Thieves, or Magpies to the less resentful, are
Law Merits, she can count as a Carthian with a single Carthians that specialize in stealing the secrets of other
Status dot for the purpose of Carthian Law consensuses organizations. While they cant dig in deep enough to master
and effects. these tricks, they can learn enough to approximate them.
Effect: A Carthian with this Merit can buy a single covenant
Once per story, she can draw on a dot of Allies: Carthians, advantage reserved for another group, at one dot. For example,
Contacts: Carthians, Safe Place, or Herd. This should come she might steal a first level Mystery of the Dragon, a Theban
at the cost of a small favor from the Movement. Sorcery, or Crac ritual, or an Invictus Merit. This stolen
If she ever formally joins the Carthian Movement, she knowledge is imperfect at best. Any failures with the stolen
sheds this Merit and adopts two dots of Status: Carthian knowledge are automatically considered dramatic failures. Any
Movement, essentially jumping up the ranks beyond the Experience costs apply normally; this Merit functionally adds
average recruits. one Experience to the cost.
This Merit may not be taken multiple times. The dot of
Court Jester () covenant advantage cannot be used as a prerequisite for
another purchased Merit or ability.
Prerequisites: City Status , Politics
Many domains refuse to take Carthian members seriously, Jack-Booted Thug ()
since members of the Movement point out the failings of the
status quo, while not having enough power to enact solutions. Prerequisites: Carthian Status , City Status , Intimidation
While this can be a stark disadvantage in the political theater,
some Carthians have learned to manipulate this reputation into A Carthian with this Merit is widely recognized as a loose
a mantle of powerful punditry, where theyre expected to tell cannon, willing and ready to use violence to make a point.
the city when the emperor is naked. The political establishment While everyone suspects shes willing to fly off the handle,
effectively becomes unable to silence its most ardent critic. A intent is (usually) not a crime.
wise administration finds a way to work with a Court Jester, not Effect: If a Jack-Booted Thug makes a threat, it carries weight.
against her. Her menace diffuses political action. Using Jack-Booted Thug
Effect: A Carthian with this Merit cannot suffer political requires a point of Willpower, an instant action, and a Presence
repercussions short of death for the act of criticizing or + Intimidation + City Status roll. Characters with equal or less
challenging the establishment. A Prince or other authority City Status than her successes are affected. Affected characters
figure attempting to enact political punishments, including but may not act against her or other Carthians in the scene either
not limited to: censure, exile, removal of positions, destruction Physically or Socially without spending a point of Willpower.
of property, or stripping Clan, Covenant, or City Status, finds This Willpower does not add to the dice pool, and additionally,
his own City Status reduced by one dot as the city withdraws the dice pool suffers her City Status as a penalty.
support. The Court Jester gains a Beat. Jack-Booted Thug can only be used once per scene. Physical
Note that this does not prevent clandestine punishments, violence from the Thug or any of her protected Carthians ends
or indirect reprisals. its effects immediately.
Devotion Experimenter () Mobilize Outrage ( to , Style)

Prerequisites: Carthian Status , Science Prerequisites: Brawl , Willpower
Since, in many cities, the Carthian Movement has the fewest Your character has the hands of a revolutionary. She fights
elders of any covenant, some Carthians specialize in studying with the passion of the oppressed. She breaks skulls the way
Devotions, in order to make the most of their lower-level a slave breaks his bondage.
Disciplines. A Devotion Experimenters task is to research Effect: Your character gains access to the following effects
new Devotions and teach their effects to her fellow Carthians. at each subsequent level of this Merit.
Effect: A Devotion Experimenter is better at learning and Strike to Preempt (): Against an overwhelming opponent,
utilizing Devotions than your average vampire is. She subtracts a revolutionarys only choice is to strike first and to strike so

hard the opponent cannot strike back. Your character puts Roll Manipulation + Subterfuge. If anyone wishes to push the
everything into a single attack to end things quickly. When issue, they can contest with Wits + Subterfuge, penalized by
spending Willpower on your characters attack, add her your characters Streetwise. If you are successful, the current
Willpower dots to the attack roll instead of the normal +3. This scene ends, as your character drops a rhetorical bomb to end
technique may only be used in the first turn of combat. She immediate debate. It doesnt entirely end debate; the issue can
cannot take an action in the next turn, and loses her Defense. rise again. It also doesnt end captivity.
Unbreakable (): When resisting Mental or Social coercion,
including from Disciplines, spending Willpower adds your Toss That Shit Right Back ()
characters Willpower dots to a contested roll, or subtracts from Prerequisites: Athletics , Dexterity
the opponents roll on a resisted roll. This occurs instead of
When the revolution is backed against the wall and
the normal +3 or -2 from spending Willpower. Unbreakable
outgunned, the best option is to throw the enemys weapons
may only be used when your character is actively engaged in
right back at them.
combat, or will be initiating combat in the next turn. This
includes use of Strike to Preempt. Effect: When attacked by a thrown weapon, you may opt to
have your character dodge the attack. Roll the dodge normally
Dying On Your Feet (): The Carthian with this ability
(see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 176). If your successes exceed
remains standing and fighting long after most vampires would
the opponents, your character catches the weapon, and tosses
fall. Her will forces her forward despite crippling injuries.
it right back. Apply the additional successes as an attack against
While in combat, your character suffers no wound penalties,
the opponent. The opponents Defense does not apply.
and is not subject to torpor when her Health boxes are full of
lethal damage. Only aggravated damage, and thus Final Death,
may stop her. At the end of the combat scene, she will fall into
torpor if her Health boxes are still full of lethal damage. Carthian Law
Carthian Law is a hotly debated aspect of the Movements
Sell Out () place in the All Night Society. From whence does it come? Why
does it work? When does it become unfair to the will of the
Prerequisites: Carthian Status , City Status ,
people? While these questions have many possible answers,
Politics
with no covenant-wide consensus, the Movement cannot
A Carthian that takes the role of Prince often finds herself deny the power of Carthian Law, and wields it as a weapon
assailed from all sides. Critics from without question why shes of revolution, and a method of surviving against established
in the Movement and yet claiming traditional rulership. Critics forces.
within look at her as a sellout. Many Carthians take similar
Unless otherwise noted, Carthian Laws only affect Kindred
but distinctly different roles when they lead a domain. This
characters. With Storyteller discretion, ghouls made aware of
affords them some leeway with the Movement, and enough
Kindred law may be subject.
respect from outside to get the job done.
Effect: A Sell Out Not Prince enjoys the benefits of a single
dot of Covenant Status in each covenant represented in the
Breaking the Chains ()
city. She gains the social advantages and dice pool benefits Prerequisites: Carthian Status
afforded those Status dots, and may learn covenant-specific The Vinculum, the blood bond, is one of the oldest, most
advantages if she can find a teacher. Any time she would lose fearsome tools of Kindred tyrants. To the Movement, blood
City Status, she can instead lose Carthian Status. She does not bonds typically exist as forms of slavery, or in some cases as
lose this Merit if she falls below the required Carthian Status. defense against such slavery. This Law exists as a form of
Indeed, she can be drummed out of the Movement entirely, defense against the blood bond, coming from the combined
and maintain it. consensus of the local Movement.
Additionally, she may count as a Carthian or not a Carthian Effect: A member of the Movement in good standing can
at any time for the purposes of Carthian Law, as she sees fit. only take Breaking the Chains. The character must be subject
to an active blood bond at any stage. She must feed from and
Smooth Criminal () thus become a single step bound to a number of Carthians.
Add one to the City Status dots of his regnant, multiply that
Prerequisites: Politics , Streetwise , Subterfuge
number by three. He must feed from Carthians of combined
Your character always has the right double-talk, alibi, or Carthian Status equal to or greater than that number.
non sequitur to diffuse a situation where she or an ally faces
Upon doing so, his bond to the regnant shatters, and he
accusations of wrongdoing.
establishes a single-step bond to the Carthians involved. He
Effect: Once per story, your character may attempt to becomes immune to further blood bonds from the former
deflect an accusation made against her or another member regnant. Additionally, actions that would normally violate
of the Movement in the city, by mortal or Kindred sources. the blood bond effectively become an additional Dirge for
Carthians: Tools of the Trade 179

the character; thus allowing him to regain Willpower from apply to non-Kindred magics if the character wishes. Changing
those actions. the definitions requires the character abandon his current
The Merit fades and is refunded per the Sanctity of Merits Coda under the Sanctity of Merits rule (see Vampire: The
(see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 109) once the bond would Requiem, p. 109) and purchasing a new instance of the Merit.
have otherwise ended. This includes fading over time, or by Characters using a defined sorcery against the character
death of the former regnant. The character can have multiple suffer his Merit dots as a penalty on any roll to activate or wield
instances of this Merit, reflecting additional regnants. This said sorcery against him. If Defense applies against the sorcery,
requires additional drinks from Carthians. add his Merit dots to his Defense against attacks made with
Breaking the Chains will not work to break a bond weaponized sorceries.
established by a character hes fed from as part of a past
Breaking the Chains effort. Empower Judiciary ()
Prerequisites: Carthian Status
Cease Fire () In many domains, a single Kindred is established as interpreter
Prerequisites: Carthian Status of the law. In Carthian domains, this is frequently not the Kindred
Law, at its heart, boasts the ability to bring peace. Cease Fire is a at the top of the chain. This Carthian Law establishes a single
Carthian Law built on that principle, essentially disarming Kindred delegate, which cannot be the highest executive Kindred in the city,
of their greatest weapons. While this Law can be used to force some as final arbiter of legal matters. The appointed judiciary does not
degree of peace, its usually used after a massive upheaval in order to have to be sanctioned by said executive, however. This allows the
diffuse potential reprisals. After the Uprising of Vancouver in 1989, Movement to appoint a legal arbiter in spite of a Princes decree.
the Movement laid down this Law to stop the powerful, displaced While this allows the Movement a degree of powerful arbitrary
Invictus status quo from striking back. After all, total disarmament power, it has resulted in more than a few judges deaths at the
benefits the less armed more than anyone. hands of an angry Prince.
Effect: Bringing Cease Fire to bear requires a consensus Effect: The character establishing the judiciary needs
of at least half the Status-bearing Carthians in the city. Only possess this Merit, the appointed does not. When appointing
one participant needs this Merit, however. Once the Cease a judiciary, the Carthian sacrifices a dot of Willpower and
Fire takes effect, all Disciplines and Devotions in the domain Blood Potency. These dots do not return so long as the judiciary
cease to work normally. Any attempt at activating a Discipline remains empowered.
fails unless the vampire first spends a point of Willpower, The empowered judiciary can make proclamations of legal
which does not add to the dice pool. This Willpower point interpretation, which remain inviolate. She must make her
can be spent the turn prior in the case of powers that require proclamation in such a way that the majority of the city is privy,
Willpower for activation normally. If the power requires an and the proclamation must relate to established or understood
activation roll, any dice that come up as 1s cause 1 level of prohibitive city law. It does not, however, have to directly coincide
aggravated damage to the user. If the power does not require with the stated message or intent of the law. For example, None
a roll, it causes the user aggravated damage equal to the level shall murder another Kindred can be interpreted as, Jonathan
of the power used. Palmer is not allowed murdering; mortal or Kindred.
Cease Fire lasts until the Carthian who possesses this Merit Characters violating the public proclamation lose a dot of
either uses a Discipline successfully, leaves the domain, or City Status. The effect is palpable, if not immediately obvious.
meets Final Death. Additionally, the user can set a condition Public opinion shifts hard away from the violator. Often, others
for dissolution when laying down the law. will step up to fill the void left. If the character has no City
Status remaining, he instead suffers aggravated damage equal
Coda Against Sorcery ( to ) to the judges City Status. This is immediately obvious, as the
violators flesh chars.
Prerequisites: Carthian Status
With additional Blood Potency and Willpower points (to a
The largely secular Carthian Movement maintains this ancient
maximum of 3 each), the judge may be empowered to strip Clan
practice as a defense against sorcery. Precedent for this Law goes
and Covenant Status from violators. Lost Status dots apply to
back as far as the Code of Ur-Nammu, over four thousand years
the Sanctity of Merits rule, however, buying lost Status should
ago. In essence, it constructs a set of rules for the way sorcery
be difficult at best.
works or doesnt work, and shuts down anything violating those
rules. The Carthian sets a sort of rules of engagement for the Judiciary appointments last until the judge meets Final
mystical, and the word of law enforces them. Death, or the highest executive power in the city changes hands.
Effect: When adopting the Coda Against Sorcery, the
character signifies whether the Coda applies to all sorceries, a Establish Precedent ()
specific variety of blood sorcery, or a single defined ritual. This Prerequisites: Carthian Status
requires the character to have seen the power in effect, or at This Carthian Law forces an enforced law upon on all
least be versed in the basic way it works. Note that this does others to whom it applies. On the surface, this breeds an air

of fairness. On the other hand, a Carthian domain willing to truth for all successful Carthian regimes. To the Movement,
offer up a bombastic martyr can cause immense harm to the revolution is almost a ritual, a celebration; it takes the place of
rule of a tyrant, or can impose a firm example upon would- religious and political observances in some other covenants.
be opponents. When the Movement conquered Honolulu, This Carthian Law marks the beginning of revolution; it
the incoming President had an advisor physically attack him, empowers the lower class to rise up against their superiors. It
executed him as a sacrifice, and declared any harm against the turns the distrust of authority into a harmful force, making
Movement punishable through this Law. every strike against the status quo strike harder and faster. On
Effect: Establish Precedent must be used on the same night the other hand, it also sets up rising stars for rapid removal
a law is. The Carthian invests a dot of Willpower to sign the from their new seats of power. It also protects from invaders
punishment as precedent, which remains gone so long as the from other domains, which while risky, can make a Carthian
precedent remains in effect. For a year and a day, the Law with this Law invaluable to defend a city from outside attacks.
punishes any further actions that match the violation. Only Effect: Once a Carthian activates this Carthian Law, it
actions count, not statuses. For example, being a Nosferatu remains active for a year and a day. It cannot be deactivated.
wont be punished, but using Nightmare to kill will be. The From that point forward, it takes effect in any scene the
violator must be consciously breaking the law, and must be Carthian is present for. Unlike many Kindred abilities, her
aware of the law at the time. presence can mean her torpid body, or a pile of her ashes.
Violators suffer one aggravated damage, and a specific Bane Death does not end Weaponize Dissent.
(see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 108) chosen at the time the In any scene, the character is present for, any characters
Carthian established the legal precedent. This takes the form City Status acts as a weapon bonus to any attack against him.
of a mark burned into the offenders flesh, which cannot be This is to say, on successful attacks, add that much damage to
healed for a lunar month. The Carthian chooses the location of the effect, of the same type. So a corrupt Primogen with City
the brand, and it must be the same for all offenders. A character Status suffers four additional levels of damage any time
may be subject to only one such brand at a time. hes attacked in the Carthians presence.
The Law affects all characters with City Status. It cannot
Weaponize Dissent () under any circumstance ignore a given character. And in the
Prerequisites: Carthian Status case of invaders from another city, count any City Status they
possess in their home city.
Sometimes, regimes have to change. This truism is both
a great motivator for Carthian revolutionaries, and a bitter Weaponize Dissent is not cumulative; a character is only
affected by a single instance in a given scene.
Circle of the Crone: Grave Flowers

The Circle favors creation. They create wildly, and with Once per story, she can draw on a dot of Allies: Circle of
abandon. Their sorceries are often less practical, but wilder the Crone, Contacts: Circle of the Crone, Mentor, or Herd.
than other groups. Theyre also highly personal; any given This should come at the cost of a small favor.
coven of witches might have their own signature rituals. If she ever formally joins the Circle of the Crone, she sheds
this Merit and adopts two dots of Covenant Status, becoming
greater than an average newcomer to the faith does.
Merits
Members of the Circle of the Crone have access to the Mandragora Garden ( to )
following Merits. Unless otherwise noted, they have an Prerequisites: Safe Place (same level), Crac
additional prerequisite of Status (Circle of the Crone) or higher. Your character maintains a garden of ghouled plants. They
move and act on their own in slow, almost imperceptible
Chorister () fashion. As well, they act as a vector for your characters Crac.
Prerequisites: Not a member of the Circle of the Crone Effect: Your characters rating in Mandragora Garden
Your character is not a member of the Circle of the Crone, determines the rough size, which must correspond with an
but is close enough that shes invited to rituals and observances. equal or greater Safe Place. An Acolyte can use Mandragora
Effect: This Merit provides a handful of advantages: shes created herself as if they were her own hands and eyes
for the purposes of Crac rituals. This allows her to use her
Your character receives a +1 bonus to all Social interactions
rituals at a distance. If shes standing amidst her garden, she
with Circle of the Crone members, as if she had a single dot of
may add her Mandragora Garden dots to any Crac ritual
Covenant Status. With a teacher, she may purchase the first dot
rolls. Additionally, the Acolyte may cast rituals on her garden
of Crac and additional rituals. She can also purchase Circle
that would normally last a scene. The magic of the garden
of the Crone Merits.
sustains these rituals indefinitely. She may have a number of

such rituals active equal to her dots in this Merit. Mandragoras Effect: To draw a character into her personal mythology,
transplanted elsewhere wither and die if not cared for by a a character must teach a lesson, show Crac, or otherwise
character with this Merit. exhibit her personal divinity. Roll Presence + Expression after
While she must feed her garden one Vitae per month equal a significant interaction. If the witness denies her divinity, the
to her dots in Mandragora Garden, the garden will produce roll is contested by their Wits + Composure. If successful, the
twice that quantity in sap, nectar, or other fluids, which serve character receives a Seed of Her Divinity Condition. The
as animal blood, on which Kindred may feed. Acolyte achieves exceptional success on 3 successes instead of
Lastly, because of the intimate association a vampire must 5 on all Social rolls against the character. The character may
keep with such a garden, it becomes an extension of her body. resolve the Condition at any time by sharing and spreading
Anyone attacking or otherwise harming the garden provokes the Acolytes myth. The character uses the same Presence +
her to frenzy as if they attacked her directly. Expression roll to do so.
Note: A vampires Mandragora take on qualities of her blood. With this Merit, certain Social Merits become easier to
They will bear fruit symbolic of her clan, for example. Some acquire. If she purchases a dot in Allies or Herd, she gains 2
Daeva plants produce pomegranate-like fruits, for example, dots instead of one. Previously purchased dots retroactively
and Gangrel sometimes create Indian figs. If the character has reward their additional dots as her myth spreads, at a rate of
a Crac style, this will show up in her plants. 1 per story. Mark these dots with a half dot on your character
sheet, as they are not subject to the Sanctity of Merits rule.
Temple Guardian ( to , Style) What Youve Done For Her Lately ()
Prerequisites: Athletics , Brawl , Weaponry
Prerequisites: Crac
The Circle of the Crone is no stranger to persecution. Some
of the Circles predecessors developed this Fighting Style in Members of the Circle of the Crone favor action. Acts of
ancient times, so its Gorgons could defend the group from faith, acts of sacrifice, and acts of creation. The very act of
the newly ascendant Lancea et Sanctums purge of all pagan performing Crac reaffirms an Acolytes devotion to the old
traditions. ways, and impresses her sisters.
Effect: Your character gains access to the following abilities Effect: Once per story, during a scene where your character
at their respective dot levels. Temple Guardian abilities can be has performed a Crac ritual successfully, you may add the
used together in the same turn, but not with other Fighting level of the ritual performed to her effective Circle of the Crone
Styles. For example, Athenas Armor can be used when your Status. This affects her Social dice pools, the level of favor she
character protects someone with Enyos Defense. can pull, and the Social Merits she can interfere with. The
effects last for the entire scene.
Athenas Armor (): Your character stands her ground for
her temple, and remains unshaken. During any turn where
your character is not attacking, ignore the first level of damage
from any attack that hits her.
Crac Style Merits
Enyos Defense (): Your character defends her sisters at Crac Style Merits reflect the inner fuel, the bloody fertilizer
all costs. So long as your character has access to her Defense, within your character that fuels her Crac. They not only
she can reflexively move up to her Speed in yards to intercept flavor the results, but they bring an additional layer to the
an attack against another character. The attack roll is made rituals effect.
against your characters Defense (multiple attacker penalties All Crac styles flavor your characters blood sorcery,
apply normally), and she suffers any resulting damage. regardless of whether or not she uses the advantages in a given
Eriss Glory (): Your characters relentless defense of ritual. Your Merit dots add to any rolls to identify a magical
her sisters inspires them to greatness. Any turn where your effect as coming from your character, if the investigator is
character takes lethal or aggravated damage from a successful familiar with your characters sorcery. She may spend a point
attack, choose an ally to gain the Inspired Condition. of Willpower upon casting a ritual in order to mask these
Additionally, any wound penalties your character suffers add to identifiers, so long as shes not benefiting from her Style.
her allies Crac rolls. Since Crac takes time, this barely helps
in a fight. But your characters blood and suffering bolsters her
allies off the battlefield. Crac Style Merits
Crac Style Merits reflect the inner fuel, the bloody fertilizer
Viral Mythology () within your character that fuels her Crac. They not only flavor
Prerequisites: Crac , Presence , Expression the results, but they bring an additional layer to the rituals
Your character has established and grooms a reputation, a effect. Think of the casting of Crac as a vine, and the desired
personal myth thats greater than the truth. She draws power effect the fruit. Crac Styles are a flower that grows along that
and favor from this network of worship around her. vine. Adding a Styles effect is optional; you choose before
making the Crac ritual rolls whether or not your character

wishes the additional effect. Your character may only have one
Crac Style. She may eventually shed one and adopt another,
but this is a redefining moment in her life that must accompany
a loss in Humanity as she faces the truth of her mystical Vitae
and a rebirth of person.
In addition to their basic mechanical effects, these Styles
should be reflected in narration and effect. Higher-level Styles
have more dramatic effects. While the effects may not always
be obvious, they should be present in the story. If the character
fails her Crac roll, the effects become a burden at least, but
more commonly an outright problem for her. With Dramatic
Failure, they become a persistent menace.
Crac Styles use a feature called Magnitude. The ritual
level used, or the characters Style dots determine a Styles
Magnitude, whichever is lower. Therefore, a character with a
four-dot Style casting a third level ritual has a Magnitude of 3.
The following three Styles are the most common exhibited
by Crac users. Other, rarer kinds exist.
Crac Style: Unbridled Chaos ( to , Style)

Prerequisite: Crac
Your characters Crac exhibits unbridled chaos. When she
enacts her rituals, things warp and change around her. The weather
shifts suddenly in her vicinity. At higher levels of the Style and of
Crac, this may summon forth a natural disaster. Additionally,
objects around her change on a molecular level to other substances.
Effect: When activating Crac, objects around your character
will increase or decrease in Structure and Durability equal to
her Magnitude, as the Storyteller sees fit. If the Crac succeeds,
the changes should be distinctly favorable, but not entirely
controllable. If the Crac ritual fails, the changes should be
wildly inconvenient and undesirable. At levels three and higher,
this can warp and mutate animals, forcing unnatural, rapid
evolutions. This might include adding or removing limbs, or
other animals features (use Protean for a guideline). At level
five, this can affect mortals.
With the expenditure of a point of Willpower, this Style also
causes a violent shift in the local weather. This is determined
by the Magnitude. One dot might mean minor fog, whereas
five could cause a hurricane. Your character remains immune
to any Tilts caused by the weather effect, as she maintains a
primal, intimate connection with it.
Crac Style: Primal Creation ( to , Style)

Prerequisite: Crac
Your characters Crac is attuned to a force of primal
creation. When she casts her rituals, life blooms rampant
around her. Plants multiply in size. Infertile characters become
remarkably fertile. Animals grow.
Effect: When activating Crac, all plants within her Crac
dots in yards (meters) rapidly grow in size, gaining an additional
Size level for each level of Magnitude. Any plant, animal, or
person thats likely to bear offspring in the next year will bear
twice the normal amount, or three times at Magnitude 4 or 5.

A particular plant, animal, or person can only be subject
to one Primal Creation at a time.
With a point of Willpower, the Style forces immediate,
violent, rapid cloning. Any living creatures of Size equal to or Condition: Primeval Truths
lower than the Magnitude begin growing additional limbs and Your character has gazed into the abyss, and
it gazed back into her. She suffers an uncanny
features. Within one minutes time, they forcibly divide into angst and melancholy, having seen truths her
two distinct creatures. Both are near-identical copies, losing Earthly self could not hope to comprehend. She
one dot of each Mental and Social Attribute, to a minimum cannot regain Willpower, and must spend an
zero. This halves the normal expected lifespan of each creature. additional Vitae to rise each night.
Resolution: Face the darkness. Risk Humanity
Detachment, or otherwise take a significant action
Crac Style: Opening the Void ( to , Style) where your character briefly faces the void.
Prerequisite: Crac
Your characters affinity for the Void shows in her magic;
when she casts Crac, she opens a tiny gate to somewhere
unknown. This allows the Acolyte to birth a familiar of sorts. trance. She must enact the Blush of Life as part of the ritual the
Effect: When activating Crac, your character summons cost of which counts as the cost of the ritual. Once complete,
forth a creature of unknown origins. It appears as a strange she falls, sweaty and exhausted. She must spend a point of
conglomeration of darkness and animal parts; the Acolyte can Willpower to force her tired body to stand. When she does, she
force it into a humanoid or animal shape with a Size equal stands proud, fiery, lusty, and invigorated. Add her Crac dots
to Magnitude. Make the creature using the Retainer rules to her Presence for the remainder of the evening.
(see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 123). Its effective dot rating
is equal to the Magnitude. It has Health levels equal to two The Pool of Forbidden Truths (, Divination )
plus the vampires Crac dots.
Target Successes: 5
The creature will follow basic commands blindly, but
will attempt minor rebellions to make the vampires life This rite has the Acolyte spill her blood into a vessel, a basin,
interesting. It fades from existence after one hour per dot of a cup, anything that can hold it. She chooses a topic she wishes
the ritual used, and only one such monster will be present at a to divine. Then, she places within it a vector for prophecy, be it
given time; no matter how many times the vampire uses Crac. tea, bones, or something more personal. The blood swirls, and
shows her truths beyond reality. These truths bend her mind
However, the vampire may buy the monster as a Retainer,
and crush down on her sense of identity. With effort and wit,
rendering it permanently earthbound. This adds one dot of
she can interpret the revelation. She gains the Primeval Truths
a Discipline per dot in the Retainer Merit. The monster may
Condition. Roll Wits + Investigation + Crac to interpret the
learn the vampires Disciplines, and Celerity, Resilience, and
vision. For every success, you may ask the Storyteller a single,
Vigor. Creatures purchased with the Retainer Merit do not
one sentence question about the chosen topic. The Storyteller
count as the one creature allowed at a given time.
must answer truthfully.
With a point of Willpower, the gateway, which allows the
oddity through, can also absorb others and drag them into a
dark place of no return. This only works on living things; the
Donning the Beasts Flesh (, Transmutation )
other world doesnt want for Kindred blood. Choose a victim Target Successes: 7
when using this ability. The victim feels the pull of the unearthly, Donning the Beasts Flesh allows the Acolyte to skin a beast,
and must resist or be obliterated. The victim rolls Resolve + and craft a mystical hood, cloak, mask, or other article of
Composure as an extended action. Each roll requires a point clothing from its flesh. When any vampire dons the accessory,
of Willpower. The required number of successes is equal to the he can take the rough shape of the animal with the expenditure
Magnitude. While fighting this otherworldly absorption, the of a point of Vitae and three turns of transformation. The
character suffers Magnitude as a penalty to all other actions. animal is a vague approximation, but imperfect in unnatural
ways to a trained observer.
Unlike the transformations granted by Protean, the vampire loses
Crac Rituals access to all his Disciplines save for Auspex in the beasts shape.
The following rituals are available to Crac practitioners.
Mantle of the Beasts Breath (, Transmutation )
The Mantle of Amorous Fire (, Transmutation ) Target Successes: 5
Target Successes: 5 As with Mantle of Amorous Fire, the vampire must dance
To enact this ritual, the Acolyte must dance through the into a trance for the entire casting of this ritual, activate Blush
entirety of its casting, putting herself into a sort of ecstatic of Life, and must use a point of Willpower to stand from the

exhaustion. Once cast, she gains the Raptured Condition (see The haunting remains until the last Vitae is spent, or until the
Vampire: The Requiem, p. 305). However, this relates to an ghost is somehow exorcised or otherwise banished from the item.
intimate, sensual connection with her Beast, instead of a passion If the item is destroyed, the ghost spends one of the remaining
for any god. Additionally, she gains her Crac as a bonus to any Vitae, and will haunt a possession of the one who destroyed it.
rolls to ride the wave of frenzy.
Gorgons Gaze (, Transmutation )
Shed the Virulent Bowels (, Destruction ) Target Successes: 7
Target Successes: 6 Gorgons gaze infects the Acolytes eyes with a milky, clay-
Contested by: Stamina + Blood Potency like substance. She becomes unable to see while she has the
Shed the Virulent Bowels only works against living creatures. ritual prepared. The next time a character sees her eyes, the
The Acolyte must have a lock of hair, nail clipping, or other ritual takes effect, and is expended, flushing her eyes of the
waste from the victims body as part of the ritual. Once the ritual substance, and allowing her sight to return in the next turn.
is cast, the Acolyte may trigger it at any time in the course of Roll Presence + Occult + Crac the victims Stamina. Each
the next lunar month. If the victim fails to contest the ritual success causes one of the victims limbs to turn to stone. Five
at that time, his gullet splits wide, and his bowels eject from successes render the victim completely transformed.
his body. This fills all of his Health levels with lethal damage, Each transformed limb causes the victim a single level of
causing one lethal damage per turn until finished. Without aggravated damage, and full transformation causes Kindred
immediate medical attention, he will certainly die. Even with five points of lethal damage. For mortals, the limb is forever
such attention, survival is highly unlikely. transformed and useless. For Kindred, the limbs heal when
An alternative version of this ritual forces the victim to the damage heals. A full transformation is lethal to mortals.
choke on nails that appear within his stomach. Its functionally To Kindred, it renders them torpid until they can heal a single
identical, but the manifestation appears differently, and leaves level of the damage.
a much more supernatural corpse.
Mantle of the Glorious Dervish
Curse of Aphrodites Favor
(, Transmutation )
(, Transmutation ) Target Successes: 5
Target Successes: 6 As with Mantle of Amorous Fire, the Acolyte must dance
Contested by: Composure + Blood Potency herself into a trance during the entire casting of this ritual and
This ritual gifts a subject with a victims love. In many cases, enact Blush of Life. She must spend a point of Willpower to rise
Acolytes use this ritual as an object lesson to neonates cursing from the exhaustion. Once cast, the Acolyte gains a number
their inability to find intimacy after the Embrace, as it creates of advantages for the remainder of the night. First, she gains a
an all-consuming obsession, a lust within the victim. point of armor against all attacks, as her flesh has tensed and
The ritual creates a potion, of which the victim must consume numbed. Any successful attack she makes causes an additional
three separate drops, on three separate nights. The potion lasts level of damage. Additionally, she cannot be ambushed or
until imbibed, and the casting creates three effective drops. surprised, as shes constantly expecting battle.
The victim receives a contested roll against the Acolytes final
activation roll. If the ritual takes effect, the victim gains the Bounty of the Storm (, Divination )
effects of a full Vinculum, all relating to the subject of the Target Successes: 10
ritual. The ritualist herself cannot be the subject of the ritual. With this rite, the Acolyte curses a victim with the force of
storms, which leave the victim battered and surrounded by the
Curse of the Beloved Toy (, Divination ) dead, but rewarded with strange wealth for the assault. The
Target Successes: 6 curse requires a deeply personal object from the victim at the
To cast this ritual, the Acolyte needs two things: a victim, time of casting, which the Acolytes blood consumes.
and a beloved possession of the victims. She must invest Vitae Between one week and one lunar month later, when the
into the casting, at least three (as the ritual requires), and any victim is around a group of bystanders, the storm strikes. It
amount beyond that. As part of the ritual, she must kill the could be a typhoon, a tornado, a hurricane, a dust storm, or
victim. If the ritual succeeds, the victims soul inhabits the any other devastating weather phenomenon. Its effects may be
possession from that point forward, haunting it, cursing it. If widespread or surprisingly localized, at Storyteller discretion.
a new owner uses the item, the ghost can expend one of the The victim suffers a number of bashing damage equal to the
Vitae spent in the casting to make a single action taken by the vampires Crac dots. Approximately a third of the bystanders
new owner a Dramatic Failure. Typically, this occurs at highly not the victim die as result of the storm.
inopportune or dangerous times.

Afterward, the storm leaves massive wealth to the victim. numerous features, some otherworldly beautiful. No matter the
This could be an insurance settlement, found cash, valuables, form, these monsters are alien and unsettling.
or any other form of coincidental wealth. Consider it Cash For every Vitae contributed, the god receives one dot the
Equipment at five dots of Availability (see Vampire: The Storyteller can contribute to Attributes or Disciplines. Ritualists
Requiem, p. 192). must possess the Disciplines. This includes only the basic
Note that this rite kills otherwise unnamed characters. Use Disciplines available to every vampire, and Crac. Alternatively,
of this ritual constitutes Detachment at Humanity 2 or lower. Celerity, Resilience, and Vigor can be given freely. For every
three Vitae, it gains one effective Blood Potency. Each participant
Denying Hades (, Transmutation ) offers up a single Skill they possess, which the resulting god then
possesses. The ritualists do not lose this Skill. The god enters the
Target Successes: 8
world with Vitae depending on its effective Blood Potency, and
With this rite, the Acolyte pulls a recently dead mortals can spend Vitae as if it were Kindred. It exudes an aura thats
spirit forcibly back from wherever it was going, and thrusts it functionally identical to the vampiric predatory aura, but any
back into its corpse. To do so, the vampire feeds the corpse Kindred witnessing it knows that it doesnt face a Beast, it faces
the Vitae used in the ritual casting. The person gasps back something else entirely. Determine its derived traits like Willpower
to life, regardless of the circumstances of death. He does not normally. It cannot learn additional Disciplines, nor can it learn
heal beyond recovering a single Health level. He does not stop Devotions. However, if destroyed or otherwise banished from
rotting. He is, however, fully conscious and aware. He does earth, it can be recreated by the same ritualists with improved
not, and indeed cannot sleep. While he remains alive, the capabilities. For every five Vitae spent creating the god, it has
Acolyte suffers one aggravated wound she cannot heal until a level of Size. Under normal circumstances, the god has an
the corpse is laid to rest. This manifests with her flesh drying, indefinite lifespan. It loses one Vitae per day, and can replenish it
flaking, and crumbling like a long-dead cadaver. by devouring flesh. Causing one lethal damage restores one of its
Denying Hades works on corpses dead no longer than one lost Vitae. It quickly falls apart into nothingness if it loses all Vitae.
day per dot of the vampires Blood Potency. Once crafted, the god rapidly grows inside the ritualist, and
bursts out of him. This causes the ritualist a level of lethal
Mantle of the Predator Goddess damage per level of the gods Size.
The creature has no compulsion to obey or even respect the
(, Transmutation ) participants. The primary ritualist himself receives the 8-again
Target Successes: 8 quality on any Social rolls on the god.
As with Mantle of Amorous Fire, the Acolyte must dance Only the vehicle for the gods birth needs know this ritual.
herself into a trance during the entire casting of this ritual and Participants, however, must each have at least one dot of
adopt the Blush of Life. She must spend a point of Willpower Crac.
to rise from the exhaustion. Once cast, the Acolyte flows with
the grace of a perfect predator for the rest of the night. Add her Mantle of the Crone (, Creation )
Crac dots to any rolls for feeding. Additionally, add her Crac Target Successes: 10
dots to her effective Herd Merit, as most everyone around
her all but begs for her attention, stumbling into vulnerable As with Mantle of Amorous Fire, the Acolyte must dance
positions with a subconscious prayer to prostrate themselves herself into a trance during the entire casting of this ritual.
on her altar. This can raise her Herd above five dots. Any She must spend a point of Willpower to rise from the
character she feeds from gains the Raptured Condition (see exhaustion. Once cast, the ritualist takes on the bearing of
Vampire: The Requiem, p. 305) directed at the sensation, and the Crone, of the unknown that exists at the pit of every
her, not any absent God. soul, of the creation that seeks to grow and consume, of the
pain that inspires curiosity. For the remainder of the night,
every character that witnesses her gains the Primeval Truths
Birthing the God (, Creation ) Condition (see p. 184). Her touch causes one aggravated
Target Successes: 15 wound per turn to any character she touches. A character
With this ritual, a member of the Circle opens himself up to brought to wound penalties in aggravated damage by this
the creative force of the Crone. His coven convenes, and each effect gains the first dot of Crac, if they do not already
contributes Vitae and body parts as a sacrifice. The body parts possess it.
can come from anywhere, from anything, but must be connected By touching an inanimate object and spending a point
as part of the ritual. The sacrificed body parts must be enough of Willpower, she can rouse the object to life. It effectively
to build a full, roughly humanoid form. The coven determines becomes an animal of similar intelligence to a small lizard,
the gods name, with each participant contributing one word to and mobility limited by its form. It cannot become differently
the epithet title. With the name, the blood, and the body, a thing mobile, but can move itself in vague accordance to its shape. It
exists where there was none before. Each such god is different. may be subject to the Animalism Discipline, and dies within
Some patchwork abominations, some strange amalgamations of one night, as its body gives out and falls apart.

Invictus: The Ties that Bind
The First Estate fancies itself the status quo. It teaches its
members how to protect the Masquerade at all costs, because Crowdsourcing ( to )
without the Masquerade, the Invictus loses its greatest claim Prerequisites: Contacts , Resources
to power. On the other hand, they focus heavily on taking
Your character is an expert at networking, and gathering
advantage of and enjoying the fruits of being on top.
together resources for the covenants consumption. In times
of need, the First Estate bands together to achieve great things
and your character is at the heart of that majestic storm. She
Merits knows just the right numbers to call and just the right accounts
Members of the Invictus have access to the following Merits. to make magic happen.
Unless otherwise noted, they have an additional prerequisite Effect: Your character can act as a hub for Invictus resources.
of Status (Invictus) or higher. With an hours effort and a point of Willpower, you may make
a Manipulation + Academics roll. Every success allows one
Courtoisie (to , Style) Invictus character to transfer a dot of one of the below Merits
Prerequisites: Composure , Socialize , Weaponry to another.
Your character specializes in the polite duel, as polite as This can increase a characters effective Merit level above five,
stabbing another person into torpor can be. With Courtoisie, by a number of dots equal to your characters Crowdsourcing
your character can demand a foes attention, and guarantee level. For example, with Crowdsourcing , characters may
the fight occurs within bounds of honorable protocol. Duels increase their Resources to seven dots temporarily. These
with Courtoisie tend to be social affairs as much as physical, monumental levels of influence allows for one massive effort.
as participants taunt and threaten their opponents into fatal Shifts from Crowdsourcing last for one action. Then, those
mistakes. Merits are lost. The original owner loses access to them for the
Effect: Courtoisie may only be used with hand-to-hand remainder of the story.
weaponry. Your character gains access to the following abilities Crowdsourcing can shift dots of Allies, Contacts, Haven,
at each level: Herd, Resources, and Retainer.
Establish the Duel (): The foundation of Courtoisie
establishes the duel. Choose an opponent. If the opponent Information Network ()
engages your character by attacking, the duel is established. Prerequisites: Contacts , Invictus Status
Your character is trained to fend off other opponents with As a member of the Invictus, your character has support to
rapid, shallow swipes. Any other character coming within investigate, maintain, and motivate her connections.
hand-to-hand combat range suffers one level of lethal damage
Effect: Every Contact your character counts as a Skill
from your characters defensive strikes. Add her Weaponry
Specialty related to the information he provides. However, she
to her Defense against characters other than the chosen
may only use that Specialty when utilizing information gained
contender. Your character loses this benefit if she attacks
from the Contact. If she loses the Contact for whatever reason,
another character.
she also loses the Specialty.
Value of the Spoken Word (): Your character can leverage
taunts, teasing, goading, threatening, and otherwise speaking
to create openings to harm her opponent. If she engages Moderator ( to )
her opponent socially, she may substitute her Expression, Prerequisites: Computer , Contacts (Online), Invictus
Intimidation, Socialize, or Subterfuge Skills for either her Status
Athletics or Weaponry in combat, or her Presence for her Your character moderates part of an Internet communications
Strength, her Manipulation for her Dexterity. network for the First Estate. This carries with it access,
Demanding Attention (): With mastery of Courtoisie, privileges, and worldwide connections.
your character can insist an opponent engage, to the exclusion Effect: Your character has advanced access to the network.
of other concerns. So long as hes not threatened by outside She can access information, telecommuted assistance, and
attacks, he must engage your character. Your characters stance investigative aid worldwide. Once per story, she can use a dot in
guarantees his injury if he does not. If he flees, attacks another this Merit as a dot in Allies, Contacts, or Library. The utilized
character, or otherwise disengages from the duel, Demanding Merit cannot be local, and is limited by its Internet-based access.
Attention takes effect. He immediately takes lethal damage
equal to your characters Socialize, and is knocked to the One Foot in the Door ()
ground. If he does not spend an instant action standing, his
Prerequisites: Not a member of the Invictus
physical actions are at -2 dice, and his Defense is at -2.
Invictus: The Ties That Bind 187

Your character is not a member of the Invictus, but maintains damaging information about a victim. Every success offers
close ties and supports the Unconquereds efforts. one of the following:
Effect: This Merit affords a handful of effects: A ten-minute window of unpenalized, safe access to the
Your character receives a +1 bonus to all Social interactions with victims Safe Place.
Invictus members, as if she had a single dot of Covenant Status. A damning piece of information that, when used, removes a
Once per story, she can draw on a dot of Allies: Invictus, dot from the characters Allies, Contacts, Feeding Grounds,
Contacts: Invictus, Herd, or Resources. This should come Herd, or Status. The Merit is eligible for Sanctity of Merits.
at the cost of a small favor. A +1 bonus to a Social roll against the victim, or -1 on one of
If she ever formally joins the Invictus, she sheds this Merit their Social rolls. Another character can access the bonus or
and adopts two dots of Covenant Status, becoming greater take advantage of the penalty if the information is shared.
than an average recruit does. Knowledge of a weakness, including Banes, Conditions, or
other issues at Storyteller discretion.
Noblesse Oblige () A character may only be subject to one Social Engineering
Prerequisites: City Status effort in a given story. The victims Safe Place and Anonymity
Some Invictus lead because theyre power hungry. Your Merits penalize the roll to use Social Engineering.
character leads because she feels its her inherent responsibility
to do so, as the superior Kindred. The one most suited Tech-Savvy ( to )
to lead must bear that responsibility, she believes. This Prerequisites: Computer , Crafts , Science , Resources
sense of responsibility reaffirms her sense of identity. She
Invictus members pride themselves in utilizing the best
believes herself less a vampire, more an embodiment, and a
tools humanity has to offer. In the past century, technology
personification of leadership.
has been an invaluable boon to Invictus supremacy. Your
Effect: This Merit must be tied to an official position within character spearheads these efforts, mastering technology and
her domain. Your character may shed a Touchstone of your both utilizing and disseminating it to her covenants benefit.
choice. Replace that Touchstone with the characters political
Effect: Your character has access to a surplus of modified and
position for all intents and purposes. Losing the position would
highly optimized technology. At any time, she can provide a piece
be identical to the death of a Touchstone.
of technology two Availability levels higher than her Tech-Savvy
Merit dots with an hours preparation. This item will function
Prestigious Sire () identically to a normal example, but you may split her Tech-Savvy
Prerequisites: Mentor dots among the items dice pool bonus, Structure, and Durability.
Invictus favor merit, but often, the concept of merit flows As well, the item offers the 9-again quality on relevant rolls.
from sire to childe; a prestigious sire would clearly choose only
the best childer. Your characters sire is such a paragon. This Travel Agent ( to )
affords her certain benefits other neonates might not receive. Prerequisite: Contacts (Inter-City) , Invictus Status
When she speaks, all but the ignorant listen.
One of the perks of Invictus membership pertains directly
Effect: When your character speaks, she speaks with the to the Invictus strength of organization. Your character has
weight of her sires words. When taking Social action with networked extensively, and can pull favors to make travel a
an appropriate character, she may add her sires City, Clan, more reasonable proposition.
or Covenant Status Merit dots to her dice pool instead of her
Effect: Your character benefits from the following effects.
own. However, if she fails in the action, she loses this Merit
She can also bequeath them onto another character.
(Sanctity of Merits applies). She may not repurchase the Merit
during the same story, and then only after a major success First, your character cannot be pursued or intercepted in
outside her sires shadow. inter-city travel unless the Skill, effect, or power achieves
more successes than your characters Merit dots.
Social Engineering () Part of smart travel is never arriving empty-handed. When
traveling, announce your characters intended receiver, be it
Prerequisites: Investigation , Manipulation ,
a person, faction, or even a Court. Your character can bring
Subterfuge , Wits
a gift, rumor, or other item of value, which can be used as
Your character is a master of digging up little private bits a one-time equipment bonus on any Social action when
and personal information through manipulating associates, engaging with the stated receiver.
piecing together context, or baiting unintentional confessions.
Effect: With an hours work, a point of Willpower, and Once per story, half your characters Travel Agent dots
a Manipulation + Investigation roll, your character can (rounded up) count toward Allies or Contacts dots in a city
machinate a social engineering effort that reveals extensive, where she has newly arrived.

Oaths
These Oaths are available to Invictus characters that meet
the prerequisites. Note that a character may have an Oath Oathbreaker
Merit, without having sworn the Oath. The Merit enables her
to swear the Oath. If the Oath ends, she can swear it again if
(New Persistent Condition)
Your character has broken an Oath, and the
she possesses the Merit. Note that if both participants in an First Estate does not take kindly to oathbreakers.
Oath decide, they can end the terms of the Oath prematurely. The covenant at large will maneuver to limit
All Oaths must be sworn before a character with the Notary your characters influence and advancement.
Merit (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 116). Mark two dots of Invictus Status, one Resources,
one Allies, one Contacts, one Herd, and one
Mentor if your character has those Merits. He
Oath of Abstinence () cannot access the marked Merits so long as this
Condition persists. Additionally, any failures in
This rare Oath is considered anathema to many Invictus, Social Actions among the Invictus are considered
particularly those with strong ties to the Lancea et Sanctum. dramatic failures automatically.
Functionally, it spits in the face of the Curse, and denies the Resolution: Risk Final Death for a member of
vampires predation. The vampire swears to abstain from feeding, the First Estate, and have either that member
and so long as she maintains her Oath, she does not need to feed. or the Invictus at large recognize the sacrifice.
However, this has kept ancient Invictus awake far beyond their Beat: When an Invictus character enacts
retribution on your character, be it directly
years, as they can defy their need to feed from Kindred Vitae. through punishment, or by meaningfully
This Oath is a rare example of an Oath only sworn by a snubbing him in a social situation.
single character. Rumor is, it can be sworn without a Notary.
The character benefiting from the Oath must purchase the
Merit dots.
Effect: Swearing this Oath requires half the vampires welcome her into their doors. The offering of collateral has to
maximum Vitae, rounded up. Additionally, it costs one make sense in terms of the deal; for example, one character
Willpower point per dot of the vampires Blood Potency. The might give the other a sealed letter to a Contact.
Willpower can be spent over the course of a full week. For If the recipient has the relevant prerequisites, she may
example, a Blood Potency 4 Kindred would need spend seven purchase the Merit permanently while she has it; this doesnt
Vitae and four Willpower to enact the Oath. Once the Oath is prevent it from returning to the other character at the end of
sworn, the character no longer needs expend Vitae to wake. She the terms, but it allows both characters to maintain the Merit.
still spends Vitae normally, otherwise. However, if she imbibes
a single point of Vitae, the Oath ends.
Oath of the Hard Motherfucker ()
Oath of the Handshake Deal () Prerequisites: No Invictus Status
This simple Oath features as a foundation for many Invictus Not every Invictus Oath comes down from on high. The
interactions. As the name suggests, it solidifies a handshake Invictus is an inclusive organization, full of some of the most
deal. Both participants offer a service or swear a prohibition. ambitious Kindred known. Some younger Invictus coteries
Both offer a collateral penalty for noncompliance. If they agree, even develop their own Oaths (which can be met with mixed
the Oath takes effect. response from their elders). The Oath of the Hard Motherfucker
is a prime example. This Oath brings a new recruit into an
As it can undermine social structures through the peculiars Invictus coterie, and cements her role in the group.
of its social collateral, some Invictus use this Oath to curry
favor or infiltrate other covenants. Effect: The character swearing the Oath must bring a Status-
bearing member of the Carthian Movement to torpor or Final
Effect: The Handshake Deal is binding. Both participants Death as part of the Oath. Alternatively, they can assault another
must purchase this Oath, which can be taught to non-Invictus. vampire who has violated this Oath in the past. This seals the
One participant must be Invictus, however. Each participant Oath. Once shes completed the Oath, she gains her first dot of
swears to a service, or swears to not commit a certain act. Each Invictus Status. She also gains a dot each of Allies and Contacts
also offers up collateral, as represented by a Social Merit. pertaining to her new role, and a dot of Resources. Choose two
If one character breaks the Oath, the collateral shifts to the Skills pertaining to her new role; she gains the 9-again quality
other character. Mark Merit gains in this way with a half dot, as on those Skills. The new Invictus in this case is the vassal, and
they are not eligible for the Sanctity of Merits rule. The Merit must purchase the Merit. The liege is the new coterie.
shifts for an agreed-upon time, usually a month or a year, but If she betrays the Invictus, or the role in her new coterie, she
sometimes permanently. loses this Merit, and all the associated advantages. Additionally,
In the narrative, circumstances shift to suit the transfer. her former allies are likely to use her as the target of another
Contacts make connection with the new vampire. Allies neonates initiation.

Oath of Matrimony ()
This Oath binds two Kindred together in a powerful union,
where their collective capabilities are shared, but they must
maintain loyalty to one another or suffer grave consequences. Marriage Across Lines
Many Lancea et Sanctum see this Oath as a mockery of Gods Rumors abound of the Oath of Matrimony
occurring outside of Kindred/Kindred unions.
will. Invictus will often rebut that such a marriage is purely Clearly, the Invictus would never sanction one
a political vehicle, and has no bearing on religious doctrine. of its members being beholden to a human (or
Effect: Two characters must purchase this Merit. One werewolf, or something else), but all the Oath
requires is two consenting adults and a Notary.
must be a member of the Invictus; the other does not. As
To the Invictus, a sworn Oath is inviolate, and the
part of the Oath, both characters must swear upon certain other character becomes an honorary member
terms, both promising certain actions, and promising certain of the Invictus with his gained Status dot. What
prohibitions. This is generally dictated by the terms of the effects would it have? Would a mortal character
political climate at hand; often, a ceasefire or other truce develop Disciplines or an ad-hoc Blood Potency?
Would Blood Potency and a werewolfs Primal Urge
is part of the arrangement. Upon swearing this Oath, both
interact? One things for certain; if such a thing
characters enjoy a series of benefits. occurred, it would be the stuff of many stories.
Compare both characters Social Merits. If one character
possesses more of a given Merit, the other receives a free
dot in that Merit if possible. If the Merit does not exist in
a single-dot variety, the character receives the full rating. part. If the Oath ends, all traits return to their original levels.
This ignores the normal limitation for Status in multiple Dots added by this Oath should be filled in with half-dots
covenants (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 113). If both on the character sheet, to denote their source, and that theyre
characters have the same Merit at its highest rating, refund ineligible for Sanctity of Merits. Dots lost by this Oath should
one characters. If multiple such Merits exist, divide the be refunded via Sanctity of Merits, and may only return at a
refunded levels as evenly as possible. rate of one dot per story.
If one character has a superior Blood Potency to the others,
the lesser gains a dot of Blood Potency. If the superior Oath of the Model Prisoner ()
character wishes, he can sacrifice additional points to gift Say what you will about the Invictus. However, they (usually)
the lesser additional dots. These are not refunded so long treat their prisoners with some degree of honor, and Invictus
as the gift remains. imprisoned by others (usually) serve sentences honorably.
Compare the characters Discipline ratings. If one character Prisoners to the Invictus, even non-Invictus, may be taught
possesses more of a given Discipline, the other receives one this Oath. It guarantees certain protections, in exchange for
dot in that Discipline. This allows a character to potentially an agreement of complacency and non-aggression. In these
possess a Discipline for a bloodline to which she does not cases, the Invictus will take prisoners before a Notary as part
belong. of the process.
Both characters are considered family, with blood sympathy Effect: Once a character takes this Oath, he swears to be a
at one-step removed (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 98). model prisoner, which defends him from mistreatment. Hes
the vassal, and must purchase the Merit. The highest relevant
Both characters are considered under the effects of a third authority (usually the Prince) is considered the liege. From
stage blood bond (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 100). that point forward, he cannot attempt to escape or bring chaos
This abolishes any other bonds, no matter the stage at to his captors while imprisoned. If he wishes to do so, he loses
the time the Oath was sworn. It prevents any other bonds a point of Willpower, and takes a single level of aggravated
from taking place. damage as charred lashes appear across his back. However,
As characters increase in traits through play, reassess the his captors cannot brutalize, torture, or execute him unless
couples ratings, and adjust accordingly. sentenced by an authority in the domain with City Status
. If they attempt to, they similarly lose Willpower and
If one character breaks the terms of the Oath, he loses take aggravated damage. Additionally, the highest authority
access to any traits affected by this Oath (from either side). in the city takes a single level of lethal damage, and knows
His Blood Potency becomes 1. Any affected Disciplines exactly why shes suffering it. Her lashes are not charred,
fade entirely. Merits fade as well. The partners traits do not but bloody and stinging. Lastly, she suffers the same damage
fade, however; indeed, with Experience, they may be made for every day the prisoner is not offered minimal Vitae for
permanent. He loses all Willpower points, and cannot regain sustenance (IE: one Vitae).
them until the partner has forgiven his transgression.
Note that this Oath is a rare exception: his captors do not
This Oath can only end by way of a Notary, and both have to agree to this Oath, if he has the Notary Merit and can
parties consent. Or, in more common cases, by death do they stand as his own witness, or previously purchased the Merit.

Many outlaws and Carthians have sworn and maintained While local Invictus know her role, she is in no way obligated
this Oath as a form of insurance against the powers-that-be. to bear a given vampires burden; she judges each case with her
When captivity ends, the character may shed this Oath own ethics and discretion.
under the Sanctity of Merits rule (see Vampire: The Requiem, Effect: A character who has taken this Oath can act as
p. 109), or he may keep it in case hes imprisoned again. a confessor of sorts; a character connects with her before
killing or otherwise risking Detachment in the name of
Oath of Office () the Masquerade and the Invictus. Both characters spend a
Willpower point, and the character with this Merit offers
Prerequisites: City Status or Invictus Status
consolation, encouragement, and sympathy. When the other
This Oath seals an Invictus into an official position. She vows character commits the act, she bears the burden. She checks
to uphold the duties of office, and in exchange, she becomes for Detachment as if she committed the crime herself, but she
more capable and focused. gains an additional die due to her separation from the affair.
Effect: The character swears the Oath upon taking a For this Oath, the liege must be a member of the Invictus with
position, be it an Invictus position, or a neutral domain equal or higher Status. Sometimes, the Invictus allow Lancea et
position. From that point forward, her position becomes an Sanctum or in even rarer cases members of the Circle of the
additional Mask for her. Determine exactly what this means, Crone to swear this Oath and act as confessor for the Estate.
depending on the specific role shes sworn to. Additionally,
when she spends Willpower in pursuit of her duties, she may
substitute her Invictus or City Status (whichever is relevant)
Oath of the Safe Word ()
instead of the normal +3 or -2 afforded by Willpower. With this Oath, two Kindred enter into a trust agreement.
Invictus take their positions very seriously; violating her Oath While mutually beneficial, either party can end the agreement
of Office is considered Detachment at Humanity 1. In this Oath, in a remarkable, crippling fashion. If a power differential
the highest-ranking city official presiding over her position acts exists between the characters, the risks are higher for the more
as the liege. As vassal, she must purchase the Merit. powerful Invictus, so this Oath is often used as a way to show
trust to a slighted inferior.
Oath of the Refugee () Some Invictus have other names for this Oath, such as The
Oath of Mutual Vulnerability.
In some domains, the very act of identifying oneself as
Effect: Two characters must enter into this Oath willingly.
Invictus is criminal or otherwise shunned. Sometimes, Invictus
Both characters must purchase this Oath. As part of the Oath,
ideology forces a vampire to take actions, which would have
both characters offer up a single Social Merit they possess, of
him blood hunted. This Oath allows such a vampire to flee his
any dot rating. The other character receives that Merit; the
home domain, and find safe harbor in a domain less hostile
original character retains use of it. Mark these Merits with half-
to the First Estate.
dots on your character sheet, so theyre known to not apply to
Effect: The Unconquered swears off citizenship in his home the Sanctity of Merits rule. Additionally, either character can
domain as part of the Oath. Once hes outside his former home, access the other characters Willpower pool at any time as if it
he becomes nearly impossible to pursue. Citizens of his former were an extension of her own.
home lose successes equal to the vampires Invictus Status on
At any time, a character may end this agreement. The other
any actions to pursue or attack the Unconquered outside that
character is immediately paralyzed, losing access to their
domain.
Defense and actions for a turn. By spending Willpower, the
Additionally, after one uncontroversial month in his new initiating character may extend this for a turn per point. Note
home, he may shed this Oath under the Sanctity of Merits that since the agreement ended, she cannot use the partners
rule, and take a single dot of City Status and a dot of Invictus Willpower points for this purpose.
Status in the new domain. This ends the protections afforded
A character can only be part of one instance of this Oath at a time.
by the Oath.
This Merit doesnt require a liege, but still requires a Notary
to enact.
Oath of the True Knight ()
Prerequisites: Invictus Status
Oath of the Righteous Kill () This Oath binds an Unconquered into service as a knight,
tasked with defending the Invictus as a whole. She becomes
Prerequisites: Empathy , Invictus Status
bound to none, and must maintain neutrality in all her affairs.
In defense of the Masquerade, sometimes witnesses and It empowers her to maintain that neutrality, and to take action
offenders must die. Invictus ideology teaches that such a death in defense of her covenant.
should be contemplated, but never regretted. A character who
Effect: The character may not be subject to another Oath
has taken this Oath has taken it upon herself to weather the
tying her to a single vampire or a Vinculum (partial or full)
crimes of her covenant mates. She carries their emotional and
when taking the Oath of the True Knight. If she attempts to
spiritual burdens so they do not have to regret their duties.
ingest Kindred Vitae, the blood turns to ash in her mouth.

If another coerces, tricks, or forces her to take his blood, he Use of Dominate, Majesty, and other Disciplines that might
suffers a level of aggravated damage. She can enter further mar her judgment, suffer her Invictus Status as a penalty.
Oaths once sworn, but not at the time of accepting the Oath. When attacked by another Kindred, or a ghouled retainer,
her Invictus Status applies as armor. This has no effect against
mundane humans.
Lancea et Sanctum
Religion is two things to the Lancea et Sanctum; faith Effect: This Style requires the character use a hand-to-hand
and organization. The Spear needs numbers, so it needs weapon. Your character gains access to the following effects at
camaraderie. However, it brings those numbers with the raw each subsequent level:
force of its dark miracles. Shield Against Sorcery (): This technique filters a lost Theban
Sorcery ritual into a practice a non-practitioner (even a Sorcerous
Eunuch, see below) can use with a series of military motions. It
Merits renders the characters immediate area something of a null zone
Members of the Lancea et Sanctum have access to the for sorcery. Your character must be armed to enact Shield Against
following Merits. Unless otherwise noted, they have an additional Sorcery. Any magic targeting your character or any character within
prerequisite of Status (Lancea et Sanctum) or higher. her Willpower dots in yards suffers her Merit dots as a dice pool
penalty. This requires your character have full access to her Defense.
If multiple crusaders use this ability, only the highest Merit dots apply.
Crusade ( to , Style) Silence (): The voice is often the seat of sorcery. For this
Prerequisite: Occult , Resolve , Weaponry , character reason, crusaders train to strike for the enemys vocal chords
must have either Theban Sorcery or Sorcerous Eunuch first. If your character targets the enemys throat, she suffers
Your character has learned the fearsome fighting style no penalties due to the targeted attack. If successful, the attack
of Lancea et Sanctum crusaders. Its designed to debilitate silences the enemy, which may prevent him from casting spells
Kindred opponents, and to shut down other dark sorceries or using some Disciplines so long as the damage remains.
quickly.

A Hammer Against Witches (): With a well-timed strike, your Effect: For each dot of Refugees, your character shelters one
character may interrupt a sorcerer casting a spell, using her knowledge criminal convicted guilty of a heinous crime, usually a violation
of the dark arts to find a particularly weak opening. The victim must of a Tradition. These criminals each count as four dot Kindred
be casting a spell or ritual of some sort, or a Discipline using an Retainers that may not safely leave your characters Safe Place.
extended action. Spend a Willpower point before making the attack. Drawback: Your character is responsible for feeding the
This Willpower point does not add to the dice pool. Make the attack Refugees. Dots of Refugees act as a penalty to all feeding rolls
roll at -2. If successful, the spell or effect is aborted as if it dramatically you make for your character.
failed. Additionally, add the victims relevant Discipline or sorcery
level as an additional weapon modifier to the damage caused. Use Sorcerous Eunuch ()
the level of the ability he uses; not his highest potential level.
Prerequisites: Resolve
Flock (to ) Effect: Your character has been subject to a series of
terrifying rituals and experiments, which affords him a near-
Prerequisite: Herd (equal or greater level) immunity to sorcery. Any dice pool for a magical effect targeting
Your character not only maintains a Herd, he empowers, your character suffers his Resolve as a penalty. If you spend
emboldens, and inspires them. Because of his predation, they see a Willpower point at the time of the effect, instead remove
the glory and grace of God. They draw in additional followers, successes from the casters roll equal to his Resolve.
and achieve unbelievable things. Their blood carries this passion. As result of this, he can never learn Theban Sorcery, Crac,
Effect: First, dots in Flock count as additional dots in Herd. This or any other blood sorceries.
allows your character to have more than five effective Herd dots. This practice is often used on Lancea et Sanctum crusaders.
Second, the characters in the Flock always start a scene Sometimes, this is used as a punishment on captured enemies. The
with a single point of Willpower. They will always use this in ritual requires almost a month of captivity, and can be committed
pursuit of their faith. by any character with four or more dots in Theban Sorcery.
Third, the Flocks blood is potent and livelier than most
mortals are. When using the Flock as a Herd, the feeding Stigmata ( to )
vampire regains a point of Willpower.
Prerequisites: Humanity (three or more dots higher than
the Merit) or mortal
Laity () Your character bleeds in an unnatural, holy way. Usually,
Prerequisites: Not a member of the Lancea et Sanctum this manifests at the classic wounds of Christ; on the brow, the
Your character attends Mass, but has not formally joined the wrists, lashes on the back, or a punctured side. However, some
church. Perhaps shes an Invictus member showing support characters manifest this Merit from other places, sometimes in
for the Second Estate, or shes a Carthian who never quite the place of another saints deadly wounds. This blood carries
lost her faith. the fire of divinity.
Effect: Your character receives a number of benefits: Effect: Each week, the vampire loses one Vitae per dot in
Your character receives a +1 bonus to all Social interactions this Merit. This loss is accompanied by a single level of lethal
with Lancea et Sanctum members, as if she had a single damage, as the body opens to release the blood. It occurs at
dot of Covenant Status. She cannot learn Theban Sorcery times of great danger, spiritual rapture, or other dramatically
unless taught by a member of the Spear. Even then, Lancea et appropriate moments. The blood does not create blood bonds,
Sanctum members would look upon her with intense scrutiny. or cause Vitae addiction. It will still create ghouls, Embrace, or
other effects of the blood. Those feeding from the blood gain
Once per story, she can draw on a dot of Allies: Lancea et the Inspired Condition (if mortal) or Raptured (if Kindred).
Sanctum, Contacts: Lancea et Sanctum, Herd, or Library. Additionally, the vampire receives the 8-again quality on her
This should come at the cost of a small favor. next Theban Sorcery ritual during the same scene.
If she ever formally joins the Lancea et Sanctum, she sheds Because of the intense, divine experience of the stigmata,
this Merit and adopts two dots of Covenant Status, becoming your character always starts a scene with Willpower points
greater than freshly baptized Kindred might otherwise. equal to half her Merit dots (rounded up), if she had less prior
and currently suffers wounds from the Stigmata.
Sanctuary ( to ) The vampire may force the effect by spending a point
of Willpower.
Prerequisites: City Status , Lancea et Sanctum Status
, Safe Place Mortals: Mortal characters may develop this Merit as a
Supernatural Merit. In these cases, the blood from their wounds
Because of your characters exalted status in the city and in
fuels Theban Sorcery. Weekly, the character may manifest one
the church, shes able to offer sanctuary to criminal refugees
lethal wound in a time of stress or high drama, producing one
from the domains authority. This Merit reflects the refugees
blood point. A vampire feeding from this wound gains the
your character currently protects.
Lancea et Sanctum 193

8-again quality on her next Theban Sorcery ritual that night, and The character sees Kindred and other supernatural creatures
the Raptured Condition. The mortal heals her lethal wounds for what they are. This effect lasts until the last bonus Attribute
at twice the normal rate, healing one per day. However, if she dot fades. This requires no roll. It also mimics the effects of the
currently has wounds from the Stigmata, she suffers a -3 wound Clear-Sighted Merit (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 299). This
penalty as if there was a wound in her final health box. also renders the character immune to the supernatural effects
Vampire characters may have a Stigmatic character as a of seeing such a thing. For example, it renders the character
Retainer, under very rare circumstances. The Lancea et Sanctum immune to the Lunacy caused by werewolves.
highly values these individuals, and will not hesitate to take them The character suffers a breaking point as her perceptions
away from all but the most pious and loyal members. open. This breaking point is at -5 to resist. Every time the
character consumes another Apple of Eden, this penalty
Temple of Damnation ( to ) reduces by 1, until there is no penalty. At which time, she
Prerequisites: Safe Place (equal or greater level) can consume the Apple without suffering a breaking point.
Your character cultivates and maintains a temple to his The drop of Vitae, invested in the apple, causes Vitae
faith. It is dedicated to his particular dogma, and supports his addiction and Vinculum as if it were a full Vitae. If the
conception of what it means to be a vampire. sorcerer invests Willpower, it may be used to create a ghoul.
Effect: The Temple of Damnation promotes one key idea A character may only be under the effects of a single Apple of
espoused by your characters brand of the faith. Any characters Eden at a time.
actions in support of that idea gain bonus dice equal to your
characters Merit dots when occurring within the temple. For
example, a faith that espouses resisting the Beasts violent urges Marian Apparition (, Divination )
would receive those dice to resist frenzy. Target Successes: 5
Additionally, those blessed within the Temple of Damnation Sacrament: A piece of pure white cloth, stained with a single
can carry your characters divinity outside the churchs walls. After drop of menstrual blood
participating in a religious service at the temple, a character remains Contested by: Humanity
blessed for a number of nights equal to the temples Merit dots. With the casting, the Sanctified blesses the sacrament cloth,
During this time, your character may use Theban Sorcery rituals which remains blessed until activated. The caster must activate
upon her as if he was touching her, no matter how far away she is. the ritual by ripping the cloth in half. An apparition of Mary or
Temple of Damnation must be keyed to a Safe Place Merit another womanly saint or holy figure appears before the scene.
of equal or higher level. Every single present character sees the image, and sees her as if shes
Note: Like a Safe Place, a coterie may share a Temple of peering into their souls with infinite empathy. This inspires fierce,
Damnation Merit. spiritual guilt in present vampires. Kindred characters contest the
casters roll with Humanity. If they achieve fewer successes, add the
casters Theban Sorcery dots to their Humanity for the purpose
Theban Sorcery Miracles of determining what constitutes detachment.
These are some of the rituals afforded Lancea et Sanctum As a misunderstood side effect, characters casting Crac
members practicing Theban Sorcery. rituals under the gaze of the Marian Apparition add the
vampires Theban Sorcery dots to their rolls. Some members
of the Circle of the Crone who know of this ritual believe
Apple of Eden (, Divination ) its evidence of their righteousness, and that the Lancea et
Target Successes: 5 Sanctums magic is but a bastardization of their ancient gift.
Sacrament: An apple, a drop of Vitae
This ritual has the sorcerer enchant an apple (or another Revelatory Shroud (, Divination )
pome), which carries with it knowledge and understanding, Target Successes: 5
but also bears heavily on the mortal mind. It opens the world
Sacrament: A cloth shroud
of the unknown, and once her eyes open, they may never close.
With this ritual, the caster drapes a cloth shroud over an area
A mortal eating the apple experiences the following effects:
or object. If successful, the shroud sullies, fades, and burns to
The mortal gains dots equal to the vampires Theban Sorcery reveal the face of the last person to touch the object or walk
dots, divided between her Intelligence and Wits. These through the area.
temporary dots may take her above her normal limit of five
dots. These dots fade by one every two days.
Apparition of the Host (, Divination )
If the character chooses to permanently increase one of Target Successes: 6
the affected dots during that time, she may do so for three
Sacrament: A holly switch
Experience instead of four.
Contested by: Resolve + Blood Potency

With this ritual, the caster bathes a holly switch in oils This ritual enchants a rod or staff. A holder may later spend a
and incense. The switch remains active for one month after point of Willpower and release the object to activate the ritual. At
casting. At any time, a character may snap the switch in half to which time, the object becomes a venomous serpent. By default,
let loose an apparition of avenging angels, who storm an area the serpent will do the activators bidding. However, the caster
and chase a victim the breaker can see. The victim makes the may issue a command to the serpent when crafting the object.
contested roll. If the casters roll beats the contest, the victim For example, she might tell the serpent that when activated, itll
suffers the Frightened Condition (see Vampire: The Requiem, attack Maxwell. This compulsion overrides the activators will.
p. 304. Mortal bystanders suffer the Spooked Condition (see The serpent desiccates and deteriorates into nothingness at
Vampire: The Requiem, p. 305) If the breaker is aware of the the end of the scene in which it was activated.
effect, and invests a point of Willpower when breaking the The serpent uses the following traits:
switch, the angels only appear to the victim.
SERPENT
Bloody Icon (, Transmutation ) Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 2, Resolve 4, Strength
Target Successes: 6 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 1, Presence 3, Manipulation 1,
Composure 4
Sacrament: The casters own Humanity (see below), a statue
of a saint Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Intimidation 2, Stealth 4, Survival 1
This ritual is a miracle reserved for the direst of circumstances. Willpower: 8
It offers blood in times of emergency, where the Lancea et Initiative: 7
Sanctum must but cannot access blood. During the Churchs Defense: 6
early nights, it allowed them to survive while held up in siege.
With it, the sorcerer begs the Lord for respite and succor. In
Speed: 6
exchange, the Lord demands the vampire recognize what she Size: 2
is, and abandon her fetters to her past life. Weapons/Attacks:
Bloody Icon must be used in the presence of a statue of Type Damage Dice Pool
a saint. Once cast, the saint cries forth Vitae equal to the Bite +1 (Poison) 4
vampires total successes. This Vitae will store for the rest of the
night, and counts as Kindred Vitae for the purpose of feeding Serpents possess a hemotoxin. It possesses a Toxicity equal
to the vampires Blood Potency. Each success on the Toxic-
restrictions, but does not cause Vitae addiction. ity roll destroys one Vitae in Kindred, or causes one lethal
During the casting, the sorcerer is assailed with imagery of damage to mortals. The effect causes one such wound per
her Kindred self. After the battery, once the statue leaks forth turn until it runs its full course.
sustenance, the sorcerer loses a dot of Humanity. Later that night, Health: Equal to the vampires Theban Sorcery dots
the statue crumbles beyond recognition, and may not be used again.
Blessing the Legion (, Transmutation )
The Walls of Jericho (, Destruction ) Target Successes: 6
Target Successes: 6 Sacrament: A full suit of armor, modern or archaic
Sacrament: A horn This ritual blesses a group of crusaders, members of the
The caster blesses a horn, and scribes into it the name of Lancea et Sanctum or otherwise, with the endurance to carry
a vampire. The vampires Humanity must have one dot plus out a dangerous mission. During the blessing, each crusader
the vampires Theban Sorcery dots or lower for the ritual to spends Vitae up to the sorcerers Theban Sorcery dots. The
take effect. Once blessed, the horn remains empowered for sorcerer may expend her own blood in the ritual, but her blood
seven nights. At any time during that period, the sorcerer may will cause Vinculum on the crusader when used. This Vitae
blast the horn to demolish any inanimate barriers between wells up in the sacramental armor (which the crusader must
herself and the subject. With an instant action, roll Presence + wear), staining it a deep crimson. At any time during the same
Academics + Theban Sorcery. The sound rattles the object like night, the vampire may access that Vitae to heal wounds, above
an earthquake. Each success removes a point of Structure from and beyond his normal per-turn expenditure. He can spend
any wall, vehicle, armor, or other physical barrier protecting one of the blessed Vitae per turn. When expended, the Vitae
the subject. A person touching an affected object suffers one first floods from the armor, bloating outward in an obvious,
bashing damage per success. noticeable fashion, then absorbs quickly into the vampires
At the rituals end, the horn crumbles. body, repairing injury. In most cases, its a gross violation of the
Masquerade, so its reserved for times when the crusader faces
Aarons Rod (, Transmutation ) only Kindred enemies, or will leave no surviving witnesses.
Target Successes: 8 Six successes allow a single crusader to be blessed. Every
two successes above that allow another. Once the final Vitae
Sacrament: A rod or staff
is spent, the armor falls to dust.
Lancea et Sanctum 195

Miracle of the Dead Sun (, Protection ) This rite allows the sorcerer to enact a sweeping prophecy,
predicting a great event in the near future. She makes the
Target Successes: 6
prophecy, which must meet certain criteria (detailed below).
Sacrament: A piece of pure silver jewelry The Storyteller must interpret the prophecy, and enact it how
This ritual enchants a piece of jewelry, in order to be he sees fit. This is not a prophecy in the be careful what you
used later in time of great need. If successful, any Kindred wish for fashion; things occur as the character sees fit. But
character may be taught a short phrase to activate the object. how they come to pass is never truly expected. With the ritual,
The activating character sacrifices a dot of Humanity and she writes the prophecy in silence, in a dark room, with no
recites the phrase. The jewelry tarnishes and falls apart. The witnesses. She seals the prophecy, having not seen the final
vampire coughs up an inky blackness. Dark clouds consume draft of what she wrote. If the ritual succeeds, the words, the
the sun within seconds, darkened with the sacrifice of part of written prophesy is enchanted. Then, she reads the words to
the vampires soul. This blots out the sun completely for ten the affected group to cast the prophecy.
minutes per dot of the vampires remaining Humanity. All The criteria for the prophecy:
vampires in the domain act as if it were night, with no penalties
It cannot target a single character. It can target a clan, a
or harm coming from daytime activity. Slumbering vampires
bloodline, a covenant, a domain, or a family.
are roused to wake briefly. Unaware mortals rationalize the
event as a freak storm, and indeed, rain falls heavily. At least one member of the targeted group must be present to
hear the prophecy when first cast. If its read to the unaffected
Pledge to the Worthless One (, Transmutation ) first, the ritual fails completely.
Target Successes: 8 The prophecy must allow a way out, usually through a
Sacrament: A person content with his life complicated, dangerous, or grossly undesirable task from
one of the affected. It should not be directly deadly.
This ritual is considered heretical to all mainstream Lancea
et Sanctum creeds. It calls on the force of the devil Belial the The prophecy does not predict a highly specific phenomenon.
Worthless One to gift upon a vampire his dark blessings. It must be something that could occur in multiple ways.
The subject of this ritual swears herself to Belial, and slays the The event must come to pass within the next month. The
sacramental mortal. She must consent to its effects for the ritual character has no influence on when it happens.
to take effect, but once its taken effect, it cannot be ended
by any known practice. Part of the oath requires the vampire She may only have a single prophecy unresolved at a given
pledge her immortal soul after her Final Death. This is largely time.
academic, as no vampire knows what happens to a vampire after If the prophecy is beneficial, the Storyteller is empowered
the Requiems end. The pledge affords a number of effects: to add temporary Merit dots reflecting the benefits, up to
The subject chooses one of the seven deadly sins with which the vampires Theban Sorcery dots. They last for a month
to ally: greed, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony, envy, or lust. From afterward, or until purchased and made permanent.
that point forward, every Vitae she draws from a mortal in If the prophecy is harmful, the Storyteller may not directly
the throes of that sin is doubled. Characters not exhibiting kill the affected characters, but anything short of Final Death
those sins provide her half the nourishment; she takes only is possible. This can destroy a total number of Merits equal
one from each two Vitae drawn. to the sorcerers total successes, spread across the affected. If
She gains the advantages of frenzy at all times, even while the curse needs dice pools, use the vampires Intelligence +
completely lucid. Academics + Theban Sorcery dice.
She cannot maintain a Touchstone.
The Guiding Star (, Protection )
She exhibits one physical sign of damnation. This may
Target Successes: 8
manifest as cloven hooves, a third nipple, or any other classic
sign of diabolism. Sacrament: A full, hand-crafted star chart (requiring 10
successes on an extended Intelligence + Science effort), gold coins
She gains a familiar. This is a demon in an animals flesh. It This ritual enchants a visible star, and a collection of gold
counts as a five dot Retainer, with three dots of Disciplines. coins. Any character holding one of the affected coins intuitively
She can see through its eyes, and speak through its mouth. knows the direction of a promised land, a safe place, a Sanctum,
Any member of the Lancea et Sanctum is honor-bound to so long as she can see the star. When cast, the Storyteller comes
destroy her if her pledge is uncovered. up with a location within the same domain. Characters holding
one of the enchanted coins always know what direction it is in,
even if theyve never been there. This location is particularly
Great Prophecy (, Divination ) safe and abundant in mortal life; it acts as a five dot Safe Place,
Target Successes: 8 a five dot Haven, and a five dot Feeding Grounds Merit. Any
Sacrament: A body part of a saint character attempting to find those within or even the location

itself suffers -5 to any relevant rolls. Characters that have been true age. They look the part of corpses, sometimes skeletons.
to the sanctum forget its location once theyve left, but if they They reek of the grave. They attract flies. In the affected area,
possess a coin, they may use it to return. Obfuscate and illusionary Disciplines fail.
The location remains bountiful and safe for one night. The At Storyteller discretion, this ritual affects other supernatural
sorcerer may spend Willpower points to extend its sanctity for creatures in the area, revealing what they are.
one night each, indefinitely. The Apocalypse lasts for one week, ending the next sunset.
Apocalypse (, Transmutation ) The Judgment Fast (, Transmutation )

Target Successes: Special Target Successes: 15
Sacrament: A text, at least three hundred years old Sacrament: A table of rotten food
This ritual peels back the curtain of the Masquerade, across This massive plague curses the entirety of a domain for an
a wide area. The caster conducts the ritual in the center of the entire month. From the moment it starts, until it ends, every single
desired area. At the culmination of the ritual, the book used as Kindred finds her ability to ingest and store Vitae limited. Any Vitae
the sacrament opens wide, hovers in place, and spews forth light a character keeps in her body above her Humanity acts as mortal
for the duration of the Apocalypse. The basic ritual requires ten food. She cannot use it for any normal purposes, nor can she keep it
successes. This affects an area at a radius of a half mile from within her system. Within an hour of drinking beyond her artificial
the center. Every five successes adds a half mile to the radius. fill, she vomits it up painfully. This regurgitated Vitae is completely
All vampires within the area are affected. They appear their worthless, even to the poor wretch who attempts to consume it.
Ordo Dracul: The Rites of the Dragon

Every member of the Ordo Dracul is expected to build Effect: The level of this Merit determines the level of the
and share a body of work. Most of the time, this means Wyrms Nest your character defends. Your character never
weak, impractical, and failed experiments. The covenant has to roll to access the Nests advantages. Her attunement
recognizes that failure is part of the scientific method. to the Nest gives her a bonus equal to her Merit dots on all
However, it exalts, celebrates, and publishes successes; these perception-related rolls on the Nest grounds. Most Dragons
are some of those successes. tie this Merit to a Safe Place. This allows the purchase of Nest
Merits (see below). A coterie may share in the cost of a Nest
Guardian Merit, as if it were a Safe Place. Additionally, while
Merits on the grounds, Nest Guardian Merit dots act as Ordo Dracul
Status Merit dots, if they exceed the characters Status.
Members of the Ordo Dracul have access to the following
Merits. Unless otherwise noted, they have an additional
prerequisite of Status (Ordo Dracul) or higher. Rites of the Impaled ( to , Style)
Prerequisites: Resolve , Stamina , Weaponry ,
Independent Study () Sworn
Prerequisites: Not a member of the Ordo Dracul The Impaled are a warrior subsect of the Ordo Dracul that
prioritizes pushing the Kindred bodies to extremes in order to
Effect: Your character dabbles in the Order.
become something greater. As their name suggests, this often
Your character receives a +1 bonus to all Social interactions takes the form of impaling oneself. Ordo Dracul with this Style
with Ordo Dracul members, as if she had a single dot of ignore many of the limitations experienced by other Kindred.
Covenant Status. Ordo Dracul characters are formally
Effect: Your character gains the following advantages at each level:
disallowed from teaching her the Mysteries of the Dragon,
but its been known to happen. Passion Through Pain (): Your character uses pain as a
meditative force to focus and center her actions. Any time your
Once per story, she can draw on a dot of Allies: Ordo Dracul, character suffers a wound penalty, instead add that amount to
Contacts: Ordo Dracul, Library, or Mentor. This should all relevant dice pools.
come at the cost of a small favor. Beyond the Pale (): Your character does not suffer torpor
If she ever formally joins the Ordo Dracul, she sheds this when her last Health box is filled with lethal damage, unless
Merit and adopts two dots of Covenant Status, becoming she also suffers aggravated damage equal to her Resolve.
greater than a newly sworn initiate might. Action and Reaction (): Your character is an expert of
using an enemys momentum against him. When struck, your
Nest Guardian (to ) character may return with an equal and opposite reaction, in
lieu of her normal action. To use Action and Reaction, your
Your character has been entrusted with defense of a Wyrms character must have an instant action still available in the
Nest.
Ordo Dracul: The Rites of the Dragon 197

turn, and must be successfully attacked and damaged. Spend a Dracul debates and arguments. Her word is law within the
point of Willpower when struck. When making a hand-to-hand covenant. Your characters judgment is sacrosanct. Any
attack, unarmed or with a weapon, you may choose to use the character defying your characters judgment immediately loses
opponents successes instead of rolling to attack. This ignores a dot of Ordo Dracul Status. Characters that lose their final
the opponents Defense. The attack cannot be targeted; it must dot of Ordo Dracul Status in this way are typically put to death
be a general attack to the opponent. It uses your characters to end their disgrace to the Order.
weapon damage, not the opponents. Because of her exalted position, your character cannot be
denied mentorship in a Mystery of the Dragon if she requests
Twilight Judge () it. In essence, this Merit behaves as a five-dot Mentor she
Prerequisites: Ordo Dracul Status can access specifically for Ordo Dracul issues. She may even
determine an exception to normal prohibitions of heresy within
Your character is a Twilight Judge of the Ordo Dracul, a
the Ordo. For example, she can rule that a character is able to
respected position trusted with rendering final judgments in
learn the Coil of Ziva (see p. 201), or she might allow non-Ordo
internal debates. Multiple Twilight Judges can exist within a given
Dracul characters to develop Wyrms Nest Merits (see below).
domain; however, when one rules, the ruling is considered final.
She may be the subject of such judgments; the Ordo Dracul
Effect: Your character is empowered to adjudicate Ordo does not consider conflict of interest or nepotism an issue.
Sample Supernatural Merits

Automatic Writing ()
Prerequisite: Mortal only
Your character can enter a trance of sorts, in which shes temporarily overtaken by a spirit or ghost, and compelled
to write mysterious things.
Effect: Your character must meditate for at least one minute. Spend a point of Willpower and roll Wits
+ Composure to enter the trance. For every success, your character writes a single statement or clue about
something occurring in the area, or relating to a pertinent issue. The Storyteller provides these clues, and they
may seem completely nonsensical. Characters may attempt to interpret the clues with Wits + Investigation or
research efforts.
Drawback: If the roll fails, or the character does not employ a personal item of a local spirit in the meditation,
shes haunted afterward. Any time she fails a roll for the next week, its considered dramatic as the spirit
intervenes in complicating and sometimes dangerous ways.
Laying on Hands ()
Your characters faith or force of devotion becomes a wholesome force that heals the sick and mends injuries.
However, she takes some of those injuries upon herself by proxy.
Effect: By spending a Willpower point, touching the sick or wounded, and rolling Presence + Empathy, your
character may heal them. Every success heals two points of bashing damage, or one level of lethal damage.
Three successes allows for a single point of aggravated damage.
Drawback: For every two points of damage healed (rounded up), your character suffers a single point of
the same type of damage. Additionally, your character may heal diseases and other ailments. The Storyteller
assigns a target number of successes between one (the common cold) and ten (flesh-eating bacteria). This
takes an extended action, and the character suffers a minor version of the illness.
Numbing Touch ( to )
With numbing touch, your characters psychic gifts allow her to numb a person, rendering them sluggish
and incompetent. With intense concentration, she can cause neurons to shut down.
Effect: This Merit has two effects. With the first, your character may numb with a single touch and a point of
Willpower. Against an unwilling subject, roll Intelligence + Empathy + Numbing Touch, contested by Stamina +
Blood Potency. If successful, Numbing Touch takes effect. An affected character suffers no wound penalties, and
suffers a penalty equal to your characters Numbing Touch dots to all dice pools requiring manual dexterity or
sensory perception. These penalties fade by one every turn, until gone completely. Alternatively, the character
may focus her gift into a psychic weapon by spending a point of Willpower, at a range of up to a foot from
her hands or face. When the invisible weapon strikes an opponent, the character may spend an additional
point of Willpower to lash out at the victims nervous system. In addition to the normal effects of Numbing
Touch which do not receive a contested roll the victim loses Willpower points equal to your characters
Numbing Touch dots. If she has no Willpower points to lose, additional points become levels of lethal damage.
This can be employed as part of an unarmed attack.

Wyrms Nest Merits
These Merits reflect a relationship with a Wyrms Nest. All
Wyrms Nest Merits have an additional prerequisite of the
Nest Guardian Merit. Unless otherwise noted, all Wyrms
Nest Merit costs can be shared among a coterie.
Chapterhouse ( to )
Prerequisites: Ordo Dracul Status
Wyrms Nests are commonly used as the foundation for
Ordo Dracul chapterhouses. Establishing a Wyrms Nest
chapterhouse with the proper rites allows all within to study
and gather in peace.
Effect: Characters inside a chapterhouse are calmed and
collected. Add the Chapterhouse Merit dots to any rolls to
resist frenzy, or to end a violent course of action.
Additionally, subtract Chapterhouse Merit dots from all
efforts to Lash Out within the chapterhouse.
Note: Only one character contributing to the Chapterhouse
must bear the Status requirement.
Crucible ()
Prerequisites: Occult
The Crucible Ritual is one of the most important uses for a
Wyrms Nest. Once a Wyrms Nest has been consecrated as a
Crucible, members of the Ordo Dracul find themselves more
capable of evolving into their Coils if they study on the Nest.
Effect: Characters evolving into a new Coil find it easier
if committed on a Crucible. Characters learning Coils on
the Crucible buy Coils of their chosen Mystery with two
Experiences, and Coils of other Mysteries at three Experiences
per dot. They develop Scales for a single Experience.
Feng Shui ( to )
Prerequisites: Academics , Occult
Your character has mastered the complex mathematics and
parapsychology sufficiently that she can arrange the items in
her Wyrms Nest in order to focus its ectoplasmic energies and
benefit those within.
Effect: When taking this Merit, choose a single Skill. While
in the Wyrms Nest, characters may take your characters Feng
Shui dots as additional dice when using that Skill.
Perilous Nest ( to )
Prerequisites: Occult
Your character has secured a Perilous Nest. Usually, this
means a haunted place. But other supernatural oddities may
constitute a Perilous Nest. With her rites, she has harnessed
these dangers to endanger only individuals meeting her
defined criteria.
Effect: If a character meets your characters chosen criteria, the
Nest lashes out to show him he is not welcome. This is different

for every Nest, but as a rule, doubles the owners Merit dots to Upon taking this Coil, Supernatural Merits cost one
use as a dicepool to harass, assault, or otherwise imperil intruders Experience less, to a minimum of a single Experience. This
each turn. Successful attacks can cause bashing damage to the counts retroactively; the character is refunded one Experience
character, or cost the character a Willpower point. He may resist for each Supernatural Merit she already possesses.
the assault normally, depending on the variety of attack. At this level, Supernatural Merits gained through Coil of
Zirnitra no longer require additional Vitae expenditure.
Mysteries The Dragons Breath

Here are two Coils and some Scales available to Ordo When your character spends Willpower to add dice to a
Dracul characters. Supernatural Merit dice pool, add her dots in Coil of Zirnitra,
instead of the normal +3 dice.
At this level, failures with Supernatural Merits are considered
The Coil of Zirnitra failures, not dramatic failures.
This ancient Coil is named after a Slavic dragon god of sorcery.
Zirnitras Coil is nearly extinct; to most Order sensibilities, it Ascendancy
offers limited rewards and great risk. Functionally, it removes an Your character may push herself to extremes in the invocation
oft-overlooked weakness of the Kindred condition: the penchant of her forbidden arts. By suffering a level of unavoidable
for developing mortal magics and psychic phenomena. Some aggravated damage (Resilience does not assist), she can roll a
Dragons have developed this Coil to regain the lost gifts granted Supernatural Merit activation as a rote action.
to them by their heritage as part of a werewolf family. Some use
Additionally, your character is no longer limited in the
it to recover the magics tied to their mortal bloodlines. Merits
number of Supernatural Merits she may possess.
must still be purchased; this Coil allows that purchase.
Below, weve provided a couple of examples of such
phenomena. However, you can find other Supernatural Merits
in other World of Darkness books.
Scales of Zirnitra
Its worth noting that this can cause unintended complications Dragons learning the Coil of Zirnitra may pursue the
for a chronicle. Not every human Supernatural Merit will work following Scales.
well within a Vampire chronicle. Use firm discretion, and
discuss each given purchase with your Storyteller. Grafting Unholy Flesh
Prerequisite Coil: The Dragons Breath
Opening the Third Eye Procedure: The Dragon must take a body part from another
At this basic level, the Dragon develops the ability to learn Kindred, psychic, or other supernatural creature. He must work
mortal magics and psychic abilities. For every dot in the Coil of quickly, and graft the body part onto his own form, letting his
Zirnitra, your character may learn a single Supernatural Merit Vitae vitalize the tissue before it completely decomposes. The
reserved for mortal characters. However, in addition to any Dragon must know of a supernatural ability possessed by the
Willpower or other costs, every such powers activation requires subject, and choose a body part symbolic of that skill. This
a single point of Vitae. Any failures with Supernatural Merits are procedure may only take place on a Wyrms Nest.
automatically considered dramatic. This does still give a Beat. Outcome: The Dragon must spend a point of Vitae in order
to fuse the body part with his own form. So long as the Dragon
Unleash the Mind keeps the body part animate as part of his body, he gains access
to the ability. Any costs aside from Vitae and Willpower costs
Your character may spend Willpower to activate Supernatural
must be paid with both one Vitae and Willpower per point of its
Merits without the normal limitation of Willpower in a turn.
normal cost. If the victim survives the surgery, she loses access
She can spend a point to activate a Merit, and spend Willpower
to the ability so long as the body part remains detached. She
to increase a dice pool.
similarly loses any ability to regenerate that part. The body part
Now, drawbacks do not always occur when using Supernatural has Health Levels equal to its Size, separate the vampires. If it
Merits granted by this Coil. However, all failures are still loses all its Health Levels, it becomes worthless to the vampire.
considered dramatic failures. He may use this to affix a body part to another Kindred or ghoul.
Embolden Potential Psychic Lobotomy

Your characters blood attunes to her supernatural gifts, as Prerequisite Coil: Opening the Third Eye
they become more and more a part of her. She may spend Vitae
Procedure: The Dragon conducts surgery to remove a tiny
to increase dice pools for Supernatural Merits, as if they were
part of the subjects brain, this being the part most prone to
Physical Attribute dice pools.

psychic phenomena. While this causes measurable damage
to the persons identity, it protects him from supernatural
influence of his mind.
Outcome: The surgery causes the subject to lose a dot of a Peculiarities of Kindred Wearing
Mental or Social Attribute of his players choice. The character Human Flesh
loses access to all Supernatural Merits as well. Any power which To say The Mysteries of the Dragon are imperfect
would affect, influence, or read his mind suffer the Dragons sciences would be a gross understatement.
Coil of Zirnitra dots as a penalty to their dice rolls, and he adds Shedding the Beasts Skin even more so. While
it generally does whats expected, it commonly
those dots in any contested rolls he makes. This includes many
exhibits unexpected exceptions. For example, the
applications of Auspex, Majesty, Dominate, or many psychic vampires heart may continue to beat for weeks
Merits. A vampire or other regenerating creature may heal this after its use. In some cases, its taken unexpected
surgery as an aggravated wound. turns. Notably, if a vampire is impregnated in
her human flesh, the body makes due to carry
through to term. But what happens to these
half-damned children?
The Coil of Ziva
This heretical Coil is named after a Slavic goddess of fertility,
health, and life. The Dragon with Coil of Ziva rejects the things
that make her a vampire, and clings hard to her Humanity. Your character can sustain a number of Banes equal to her
Most Dragons see this as a rejection of the Order, and the Willpower dots, not three.
Brides struggle to rise above. Some domains consider Zivas
Coil apostasy against the Order under the rationale of a sort of Shedding the Beasts Skin
devolution to a primitive form, and execute known followers. The final spiral in Zivas Coil has the Dragon literally
Some domains simply do not speak of it. shed her flesh, and with it, her vampiric nature. She spends
three Willpower points to activate Shedding the Beasts Skin.
Denying the Bane Shedding the skin takes five turns.
At this initial level, the character may shrug off some of the Shedding the Beasts Skin lasts for eleven hours, minus one for
more heinous effects of her degeneration. Add her Coil dots each dot of the Dragons Blood Potency. During this time, she
to her Humanity for the purpose of determining the effects of becomes effectively human. Her heart beats. Her skin sweats. She
her Banes. This includes her clan Bane. If this increases her can get hungry, and she can eat. Her sexual tissues may engorge
effective Humanity to 10, such Banes do not affect her. This if aroused, and may orgasm if pushed to that height. No doctor
does not, however, affect the vampires weaknesses to fire or in the world could see her as anything but human. This comes
sunlight. This doesnt affect the Ventrue clan Bane, however, with it a loss of her vampiric Disciplines, her ability to ingest,
Ventrue find particular benefits in the Coil of Ziva due to their store, and expend Vitae, and her immortality. She no longer
challenging relationship with Humanity. suffers a clan bane, or experiences blood sympathy.
At the end of the period, she becomes Kindred again.
Buttress the Soul For nearly a half an hour, she undergoes the sensations
The vampire is able to thrust forth some of the stolen life and transformations of the Embrace again. This leaves her
in her Vitae in order to defend against the ravages of the soul. functionally incapacitated during this time. She can hold off
When facing Detachment, she may spend Vitae, up to her the transformation for one minute for an additional point
normal per-turn limit. Every Vitae spent adds one die to resist of Willpower. Once shes changed back, she possesses Vitae
Detachment. equal to her remaining Health Levels, or her previous Vitae,
whichever is lower.
Enliven the Anima
With this Coil, your character becomes resistant to the
Scales of Ziva
psychological stains of Humanity loss. She finds her souls A character with Coil of Ziva may learn these Scales.
trials invigorating. Any time shed suffer a Condition for
Detachment, you may choose to spend a Willpower point to Bleed the Sin
take Raptured instead. Prerequisite Coil: Buttress the Soul
Procedure: With this procedure, the Dragon bleeds a subject
Embracing the Banes of all their blood or Vitae. With human subjects, this generally
With this Coil, the very essence of the vampires immortality requires a dialysis machine or other technological assistance
clutches onto the threads that keep her from the Beast. Those to keep the subject alive. This flow of blood carries with it the
claws shield those threads from that which would destroy them. weight of their sin.

Outcome: The subject must remain effectively bloodless for Finding a Wyrms Nest is largely up to the Storyteller; every
at least ten minutes in order for this Scale to take effect. Reduce Wyrms Nest is unique, and thus fits different criteria. But in
the subjects next Humanity, Integrity, or similar trait purchase game terms, a Wyrms Nest meets a few criteria:
by one Experience per dot of the vampires Coil of Ziva. A Wyrms Nest has a rating between one and five dots.
A Nests rating is tied to its Resonance, a general vibe,
Siphon the Soul emotion, or idea it embodies.
Prerequisite Coil: Enliven the Anima
Supernatural phenomena occur at the Nest, flavored by the
Procedure: This ability acts as a sort of pseudo-Amaranth. The Resonance. For example, in a Nest of Abundance, plants
vampire drains a Kindred victim completely, and then continues to might grow at alarming rates, overtaking those daring to
do so further. She spends Willpower and rolls Strength + Resolve sleep on the floor.
as she normally would (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 101).
Outcome: Once the vampire has achieved a number of The rating determines the relative strangeness of the phenomena.
successes equal to the victims current Humanity, she steals one One or two dot Nests might appear as coincidences. Five dot
dot of Humanity from her victim. He loses it; she gains one. phenomena appear downright miraculous.
She may only ever strip one such dot from a given victim. The Dragons can manipulate the rating of a Nest by adding ambience,
victim only reaches torpor as result of this; the vampire may or inspiring aligning passions within the Nests bounds.
continue to feast to the point of full Amaranth. Regardless,
A Nests rating determines the rough area it can take. A
the vampire suffers Detachment at Humanity 1 (possibly losing
single dot Nest might be as small as a walk-in closet, where
the stolen Humanity dot), and suffers the Tainted Condition.
a five-dot Nest could comprise a large building or mansion.
A location may have multiple Nests with different Resonances.
The Curious Science of Wyrms Nests
The Ordo Dracul pursues Wyrms Nests as part of their Experimentation on a Nest
traditional protocol. These are places where massive spiritual The Ordo Dracul use Wyrms Nests for many important rites,
energy converges. Some call these ley lines, loci, or verges, including the Crucible Ritual, which helps members evolve
but regardless, these places are beyond the natural. Haunted Coils more quickly. Some Ordo Dracul rituals may only occur
houses, long-lost bastions of the wild, or places of extreme within a Nest. For example, the Grafting Unholy Flesh Scale
emotional resonance can become Wyrms Nests. only works in a Wyrms Nest. No matter how hard a member
tries, the procedure fails when attempted outside a Nest.

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Secrets of The Covenants PDF

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2016 White Wolf AB All rights reserved. Reproduction without the

2 Secrets of the Covenants

Welcome to this months issue of FUCK THE REVOLUTION. Its been

want to read fucking history texts and

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The French Movement claim to have founded the Movement in 1779.

the Movement. They snooze, they lose.

Nobody could get it right. Fool!

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Neglatu From the few witness stories, our intrepid

And who is involved in deposing

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s and forests, some of which

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this whole thing, and you kn

and likely killed. This happened to thousands of his oppon

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Sometimes, shits just

Undesired Side Effect:

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Dao Mau Circle of the Crone

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Khanh Lys Faction

Huong Dos Faction

It means Hanois borders are closed to about 80%

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ne fucked up. e citys a

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Sorry. Ranted a bit there about Hanoi. I know I spent a bit

to Santa Muerte, and they even appropriated some

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24 Secrets of the Covenants

Cesar Rodriguez Araujo

Mr. Ferdinand Araujo

Dearest Brother, that envelope confirmed

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Cesar Rodriguez Araujo

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Cesar Rodriguez Araujo

Brother, Brother, Brother, derful.

Dear Ferdinand, leave. I dont

Cesar Rodriguez Araujo

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Cesar Rodriguez Araujo

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What I find is the most

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Letter from Abroad! Dear writer,

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Circle of the Crone 41

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Circle of the Crone 43

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Circle of the Crone 45

gathered three hundred years worth

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Circle of the Crone 47

Last night I dreamt about the god we had

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Circle of the Crone 51