Anton Rossini
Anton Rossini
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Height = 190cm (6' 3" Weight =72kg
Apparel & Accessories
Very stylishly dressed, with immaculately groomed hair and beard.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
As the son of the caporegime for the 'Ndrangheta at the port of Gioia Tauro, Alessandro was born into the life of a criminal, and born for it. Angelo Rossi's crew ran the syndicate's smuggling operations at the port, including drugs, weapons, valuables, even people, although he was also renowned for his extensive portfolio of associates and contacts, most of whom were the result of bribes or extortion.
Angelo tried hard, but unsuccessfully, to keep his son out of that business - even as he entered his teens, Alessandro was wise to the world in which his parents had ingratiated themselves and, against his father's wishes but with the surreptitious collaboration of his mother, began to learn and partake in the artistry of organised crime.
Alessandro's mother, Emilia, had been the owner of a prosperous bordello she had inherited from her grandmother, although she sold the business after complications with Alessandro's birth made her infertile and she realised she would never have a daughter to pass it onto. Thus, wealthy in her own right and wise to the machinations of the underworld, she wanted Alessandro to armed with every possible advantage and knowledge. She was also a fervent believer of upholding cultural and family values traditions, and ensured these were instilled into her only child.
Thus, it was a devastating blow to both mother and child when they discovered that Angelo had been an informant to the Guardia di Finanza for nearly a decade. Realising that all their lives were forfeit when the syndicate discovered the betrayal, Emilia got Alessandro aboard a ship as a stowaway, with a stern warning he should change his identity and never return to Italy.
So it was that, six months later, 19 year old Alessandro slipped off the Grande Cotonou and found himself standing on the docks of Port Melbourne, with nothing but the clothes he was wearing and a leather shaving bag stuffed full of cash.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Embraced 30 July 2018
Social
Contacts & Relations
Sire = Callidora
Side Dish = Willow Hewitt
Family Ties
Father = Angelo Rossi (possibly deceased)
Mother = Emilia Rossi (whereabouts unknown)
No siblings
Anton is tall, with pale olive skin, an immaculately short-shaved beard and swept-back hair, wearing a tailored suit with silk tie and matching kerchief. His mien is sophisticated class, but his vibe is simmering volatility.
View Character Profile
Age
46
Date of Birth
7 April 1972
Birthplace
Villa San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria, Italy
Children
Current Residence
3004/27 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Gender
Male
Eyes
Blue
Hair
Black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale olive
Height
190cm (6'3")
Weight
72kg
Ep 60 - Loadout
6 Mar 2021
Saturday, 6th March 2021
Anton awakes to find a message from Sonny requesting a meet at (Bianca’s) bar.
At the bar, Bianca says she is having a group of paediatric doctors in. When they arrive, Anton notices it includes Dr Sharif (suave, average height, slightly grey hair, neat beard) - about a year ago, this doctor got himself in a bit of trouble and the Coterie pulled him out. Larissa was fond of him.
Bianca is spending a lot of time chatting with him.
Sonny says there was a forklift incident and it cracked open a box and he knows there are “space age” weapons in it. He also says that agents claiming to be from Penne & Jones Holdings are asking for the weapons; these agents are apparently dressed similarly to Anton and wearing the same lapel pin.
Anton strictly advises Sonny that the business is not based on a “free exchange of information” and he should be minding the business and not be asking questions. Patch the broken crate and the goods will be moved on shortly.
A short time later, Sonny starts pestering Anton with messages and calls, then Fredo turns up, so Anton travels with him to the docks. Nora’s agent is demanding handover of the cases, so Anton instructs his team to load them out.
As the trucks finish loading and move out, Anton receives a text from Larissa saying she needs help and mentions "maquerade", so Anton gets one of the crew to drive him over...
Ep 58 - The Third Option
5 Mar 2021
Friday, 5 March 2021
An eye-catching woman pulls up
a mutual acquaintance has asked for a meeting and she invites him for a ride
Car pulls into the underground carpark of a skyscraper in central Melbourne.
Anton is handed a small leather folder containing an access card for the elevator to the 14th floor
Door opens to a small hallway and open doorway, leading to a modern but minimalistic two-tone lounge-like meeting area.
Seated in the midst of the room is the red-headed woman wearing a well-fitted suit, who Anton immediately recognises as Dr Sutton.
She says she is aware of Primogen Nora Pendragon’s plan to instigate a coup. Anton, incidentally, is intrigued by the full naming of Nora - Pendragon is spoken in Ventrue circles with utter reverence, and he is curious why she would keep this information private.
Sutton suggests that Nora’s ambitions are not what was best for the city, and that her ascension to Princehood puts Melbourne at great risk. Anton does not disagree with either premise but, when she asks if he thinks Nora is the best choice for Princehood, he replies that his thoughts on the matter have no influence over the outcome.
She then proposes a third option as a way to save Melbourne and, incidentally, promising protection to the coterie as well as being instrumental in Anton’s escalation and longevity.
When Anton suggests that this is in contrast to her multiple attempts at assassinating and otherwise causing them all harm, she alludes to the emotional fury and randomness of “a woman scorned”. However, as the prime Primgen, she states she will have influence over these whims, and will also promote Callidora to a senior associate role.
You bring me Malady and I will supply the arms.
Elysium is in 3 days, and she requires an answer by daybreak.
Monique arrives and announces there will be an Elysium at the Trade Union Hall in three nights, and we (along with all other kindred) are required invitees.
Malady tells us that she was killed by Sutton when she was unwell, presumably as Sutton wanted to re-make Malady in her own image.She became a ghost, but Sutton continues to pursue Malady.
Callidora will request a meeting with the Schenesal (John Saxon).
Ep 57 - The Know-It-All
4 Mar 2021
Friday, 5 March 2021
Anton messages Oxford and subsequently travels to meet him, finding Larissa also there, as well as a strangely dressed vampire who quite clearly likes the sound of his own voice. Oxford appears to be enviously infatured with this person, Beckett, who seems to know far more than is good for him - and, more importantly, is good for us. Trusting Beckett even less than his sycophant , Oxford, Anton refuses to engage with him, though he talks at length with the others, remaining irritatingly vague and cryptic and, as far as Anton is concerned, not saying very much of import.
We learn that:
Sutton is a Tzimisce and is also Goliath;
Angela is blood-bonded to the Prince.
Ep 56 - The Tzimisce Problem
4 Mar 2021
Thursday, 4 March 2021
We were asked by Angela Taylor to look into Mason Family Trust. We went to St Kilda (Hell House) because we identified it was owned by someone associated with the Trust, who was also associated with Goliath. It is owned by Goliath's daughter; we found Jonathon
What we know about the Mason Family Trust:
Sutton is the principal
It is the largest funeral homes company in Australia.
We were asked to obtain the services of the Arms trader (Goliath) or eliminate him.
We know about:
The Praxis attempt on the Prince
Ep 55 - The New Enemy
4 Mar 2021
Thursday, 4 March 2021
Larissa has gone missing.
Anton escorts Oxford and Malady towards the church, but they are attacked by large flesh golem monsters. Malady and Oxford start running, but Anton faces down the nearest, shooting it several times until it disintegrates at his feet.
However, this is witnessed by some kine. Unable to contribute further to defending Malady without risking being seen and identified, Anton heads away, phoning a Masquerade breach in to the Ventrue, for which he is required to accept two minor and one major boons owed.
With no assistance likely to be forthcoming from the Coterie, Anton goes to collect the box as directed by Nora. He unlocks the easily picked padlock and discovers the box contains:
· 2 x stakes made up with multiple types of woods with runes carved into the silver handles
· leather jacket
· corset, runs embroidered with spiderweb-fine silk
· MP7 SMG
· sawn-off shotgun, double ceramic barrels
· box (6) of dragonfire shotgun rounds
Anton accompanies his driver to the destination address and delivers the box. The recipient, presumably a well-aged vampire, tries to mind control the driver to commit suicide, but fails. Anton tells her she is now an enemy.
Ep 54 - Oxford the Treacherous
3 Mar 2021
Wednesday, 3 March 2021
Anton feeds, then arranges to meet with Larissa, advising her that he has an errand to attend to (collect the box marked with the golden trident from the weapons shipment and deliver it to the address on Nora’s note).
When he arrives, he hears Larissa calling out and finds Oxford attacking her. Anton shoots Oxford from behind with a dragon round, refusing to accept Oxford’s subsequent claims that he is "better", or that there is urgency to rescue Malady from her plight..
Ep 53 - Nora, then Joel
2 Mar 2021
Tuesday, 2nd March 2021
Nora instructs Anton to find a box in the weapons shipment, which will be marked with a golden trident. He is to unpack contents and deliver to an address. She hands Anton a folded slip of paper.
Anton and Oxford pay a visit to Larissa's "stalker", recovering the evidence he has gathered and encouraging him to lose interest in Larissa and her business.
Ep 51 - Dinner Date
1 Mar 2021
It is a month since the Coterie last got together…
Mon, 1 Mar 2021
Oxford organises a gathering of the Coterie at a city park for a catch up. Larissa tells Anton that Malady is “missing” and she is concerned about what may have happened to her, but Anton is dismissive of this being a significant concern.
Anton presents a proposal Kinsley has prepared regarding a property investment opportunity on the corner of Victoria Pde and Brunswick Street - includes a pawn shop, mortician's office, independent theatre/cinema (capacity of 130), a number of restaurants, several medium-grade offices and some residential spaces.
It requires substantial investment and Anton advises Larissa that this will hamper discretionary spending for some time and she will need to get used to it.
As hunger is now an issue, the group decides to go hunting. Heading towards the theatre district, Anton almost immediately (deliberately) bumps into a suitable target, apologising and charming her into a drink with him at Lennon's - an exclusive hip but high-end hotel bar. Larissa takes her leave, and Oxford sits on a stool and (enviously!) watches Anton at work.
After a time, Anton offers to escort his lady home, where she invites him in for a nightcap and he successfully feeds (2 pts).. but he will follow up over successive days to make sure she recovers from her “bad turn”.
Returning to the bar, Larissa and Oxford ask to view the property location but, on the way, Anton notices a solid looking woman who approaches the group and recognises each by name. She asks that we go to a shop for a quick discussion and Anton recognises the voice as one he heard before the explosion in the high rise - she is Malady’s Sire, who caused the blast.
Anton’s beast arises suddenly and he grabs her by the throat and throws her into an alley, pulling his gun on her, and suggests she starts talking from there.
She accuses us of having been a pain in her arse and coming between her and her “child”, but tells us Malady has been missing for some weeks and she doesn’t know where she is. She offers a deal to deliver Goliath’s resources if the Coterie will find and recover Malady and inform her where Malady has been.
Anton unsuccessfully tries to stake her (piercing skin and meeting some form of subcutaneous armour, but ultimately agrees to the deal.
Ep 50 - Kiss of the Abyss
1 Feb 2021
Monday, 1st February 2021
Anton, Larissa and Oxford travel to the trial of Malady for stealing and reading a book.
Ep 49 - Nora the Usurper
29 Jan 2021
Fri, 29 Jan 2021
Anton collects the Capos and Kinsley from the warehouse and they drive to the docks. There are a number of people standing around, that Anton take to be soldiers of the other Ventrue who have been summoned. He leaves the boys at the car and takes Kinsley into the building, but she is stopped at the door and Anton is let into the gathering of all the Ventrue leadership.
Nora begins:
"For far too long, Prince Taylor has allowed the bruja to run unchecked though the city."
"Quite frankly, the ivory tower needs to be stopped. It is not the bruja's place to rule, nor let demented seers (alludes to Malkavians) and whimpering curs (alludes to clan Gangrel) take root in the city."
"Under the Praxis of Prince Taylor, Melbourne has suffered and it is time for Clan Ventrue to rise and take control. I intend to rise up and take Praxis. As our Prince I will lift the Ventrue to it's rightful place."
"The retinue will be our vanguard and we will take Taylor's head."
After she finishes her spiel, she tells everyone else to meet downstairs in 15 minutes, then asks Callidora to join her and leaves the room.
As we walk down into the warehouse we see a shipping container being loaded onto a truck, bearing the clan mark (pair of crossed sceptres). This shipping container was one we saw on the very first night.
A large black van reverses in, and a man Anton recognises as the Seneschal of the City (John Saxon) - he checks the shipping container, which contains old world wealth of the Ventrue, starts to drive away. Saxon opens up the van to reveal a number of Samsonite briefcases and he hands out a couple to each board member, and hands Anton four (for the retinue) and another more compact version.
Upon returning to his own warehouse, Anton opens a (larger) case and finds a KS12 (shotgun) and 3 x boxes of Dragonfire rounds, and several stakes, knives and brass knuckles. The smaller case holds a P90 (SMG) and 50 rounds of Magnesium-tipped ammunition.
Anton instructs Carlo to ensure the weapons are stored securely and dismisses the retinue. Kinsley makes an issue of a $3000 spend at David Jones, which she attributes to "that Russian woman".
Anton arranges to meet with Callidora and asks her opinion. She agrees that overthrowing the Prince is a concern but acknowledges that the Ventrue must take precedence over the other clans. Anton suggests that supplanting Nora - with Callidora - would likely rally more support from the board and bring about a better outcome, but Callidora advises she has her own plans in that regard and that we are better served letting Nora take the lead and so deal with the repercussions.
Anton also suggests a more surreptitious approach may be better than an all-out clan war, and she suggests a careful approach to the Seneschal or Sherriff might elicit some ideas on that front.
Anton also notes that Nora has risked beaching the Masquerade by including kine soldiers (for example, the wooden stakes in the cases) and, given that Nora was seeking a head count, he will replace his key people with mercenaries and leave them safely out of clan business.
Ep 47 - Voice and Body
28 Jan 2021
Thu, 28 Jan 2021
Anton awakes in his apartment. The last thing he remembers is Monique slamming her hand onto the green glowing ward.
He checks his watch: it is 8:30PM Thursday 28 January
A voice begins to sound in Anton’s head: “Hey buddy, how you doing? You had a hell of a night last night.” It continues to ramble but Anton refuses to engage with it. He checks himself for visible signs of harm or change and finds none.
There is a corpse on a couch, it is the La Sambre - Jonathan Colton (the ghost from the property that was causing the problem). He is injured and emaciated and completely exsanguinated. Anton feeds him once from a cut on his palm, but he remains in torpor.
He texts Larissa to find out where she is, and gets an address in Chinatown. Anton calls a car service and bundles the body up into a duffle bag, hauling it down and travelling to Larissa’s address.
Upon arriving, he finds Malady lying almost comatose, complaining about being “weak” and ready to die… so nothing new, although she does not look well.
Oxford returns to the room and tries to feed Malady raw meat, but she immediately vomits it up again.
Moments later, Colton bursts from the duffle bag and ravenously launches himself at Malady. Anton breaks a chair over his back, grabbing a fractured chair leg as Oxford wrestles Colton to the ground, and manages to stake him. Anton then invites Malady to feed on the corpse, but Oxford dissuades her.
Oxford and Anton agree that making Colton available to the Council - and, in particular, the Sheriff (Angie) - is probably in their best interests.
There is a knock on the door - it is Monique. She says that she has a letter for him regarding Clan business. Anton accepts the letter, and takes no notice of the odd interactions between her and Oxford (the latter follows her out the door).
“Mr Rossini,
It is a requirement of your clan that tomorrow evening within an hour of waking you make your way to the docks at North Ward Road. This is clan only. Please bring any ghouls or retinue at your disposal.
Nora”
Anton sends a text to Calidora, paraphrasing the instruction and expressing his concern that the Council have not been kind to his people previously. Anton receives two successive responses:
“Clan business”
“Praxis”
Anton, with Oxford and Malady, waits for Larissa’s return. He lets Carlo, Fredo, Sonny and Kinsley know they are required to attend a gathering at the docks tomorrow evening.
Ep 42 - Crawlies
27 Jan 2021
Wed, 27 Jan 2021
Ep 41 - The Bottom of the Stairs
27 Jan 2021
Wed, 27 Jan 2021
As Anton walks into the room he is stuck with feelings of inadequacy and self loathing: he is not good enough for the clan, nor is he good enough for his gang, standing with three who look to him for guidance and failing them...
Time slows down and he hears a voice in his head : "You're failing them. Every single night. Look at them... one who is deranged about who she is, one who cannot stop crying, one who has no respect for you. They are going to die."
Ep 40 - Mirror, Mirror
27 Jan 2021
Larissa notice there are "beads" of what looks like blood "rolling" down the passage and wanders off to investigate them, while Anton uses his camera phone to see if he is able to touch Malady... he cannot.
With daylight coming, Anton locks himself into a panic room for safety and, when he emerges the following evening Malady is visible again. Anton reminds her that she was sent into the house to find the other apparent ghost. A short time later, Anton is called into the bedroom to consult on whether a mirror is broken - but Anton and Larissa both think the mirror is broken with a fist-sized hole, but Malady says it is whole. Malady asks Anton to break the mirror, which he does with the butt of his gun.
There is a (one-way) conversation between Malady and, presumably, the ghost in the mirror - it turns out he is a young boy that Larissa tried unsuccessfully to treat some five years ago when he presented at the hospital with bullet wounds and signs of sustained abuse.
Anton intuits that the ghost is using the tzimisce, who he calls "Smooshie", to persecute Larissa and that it is her responsibility to attend to the "unfinished business" intrinsic to being a ghost. Larissa isn't helping resolve the unfinished business, so the ghost has implored Smooshie to hurt Larissa in some way.
Larissa makes a phone call to Arthur, and says she can meet Ugor the next night.
Malady mentions that the ghost told her someone was watching Larissa... Anton thinks this may be the tzimisce, and goes to review the security cameras. He sees interference blanking out the internal cameras, and back-tracks that to start in the lounge. Larissa mentions that seemed to be the end point of the flow of blood drops - they were disappearing into the floorboards. After a lengthy investigation around the room, Anton discovers an out-of-place sconce with a hidden button that reveals a hidden trap door and stair case.
Ep 39 - We Did Knock
26 Jan 2021
Tue, 26 January 2021
Anton searches and finds a camera. Accepting they have probably been seen they walk down the driveway towards the house. Anton suggests to Malady that she uses he special powers to slip through the walls and go and have a look through the house and see who is there. He continues around the back and finds all the doors locked, so he tries to pick one; in the meantime, Malady opens the front door and lets Larissa in, and they come through and open the door for Anton.
Gari appears on a screen asking Malady who she is and why she didn't use the doorbell, although Larissa tells her that we did knock! Anton asks about the contractor vehicles out the front and she says the ghost frightened them off and they ran... it turns out the issue is not so much with the contractors but the apparent haunting of the house.
Anton wanders down to the basement and finds a "man cave" smelling of cigar smoke and spirits, but there is a p0ol of old (maybe several weeks) blood on the carport. When Oxford wanders down he tells Anton that he has captured some interesting recordings from the internal security cameras.
Larissa calls us both upstairs and tells us there is something wrong with Malady - again! She has apparently disappeared - again - and is injured and trapped in the room somehow. Larissa mentions something about a mirror and breaks down into one of her hysterical turns. Oxford discovers he can see Malady by using the camera on her phone, and hypothesises she might be using something called obfuscate, although she should be to control it.
Anton decides to start making the house safe for staying there during the day and closes up the shutters in the rooms he is able to. The basement, one of the bathrooms and the two panic are already light proof, and Anton manages to further blackout the library and one of the bedrooms. He suggests they will wait until dawn and see what happens, then possibly retire to a panic room (with the option of moving around the house fairly safely).
Ep 38 - Gari with an "I"
26 Jan 2021
Tue, 26 January 2021
Oxford discovers that Mason Family Holdings are the biggest owners of funeral homes and mortuaries in the country, and also have investments in environmental and medical concerns.
Anton arises, prepares himself for the meeting, then takes the car service to collect the others from Maladay's apartment before driving to the meeting near the Telstra Dome.
On the top (fifth) level, Anton tells the driver to park and he and Larissa walk towards the black SUVs at the other end of the floor, where he sees three "heavies" with earphones covering a smallish guy in the centre.
Gari appears to be very young and flighty, behaving much like a ditzy teenager, but clearly takes a fancy to Anton (and Larissa), so Anton turns on the seduction charm. Gari advises that "everyone is a businessman", that she needs to vet and become friends with anyone who wants to get involved with Goliath, and that she can arrange a meeting but we need to take care of a job for her to prove our worth...
She is trying to get renovations done at 21 McMillan Road, St Kilda, but the builders are refusing to complete the work, but she is very vague and Anton compels her to tell him the full details.
The short answer seems to be that there is apparently a "ghost" in the apartment. Gari wants Anton to force the builders to get on with the work they have been commissioned to do without doing any damage to the properly.
When Oxford shows Anton and Larissa what she has found out about Mason, Anton spots that the address of the property is shown as an item on the financial documents.
On the drive out to St Kilda, Oxford further discovers that Interstory Holding Trust bought the property three years ago for $3.2m; previous owner was Professor Emitus from Latrobe University. It is a modern (10 years old) three-storey building with private garden and beach., with boat shed and private dock. Oxford also find a floor layout: it has seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, a jacuzzi on the roof, and notes that it includes a panic room on both the ground and 3rd floors.
As they arrive at the property, they see contractor's vehicles parked outside (at night!), and a sign sitting atop the wrought iron gates: Mason Estate.
The gates swing open for us as if on command.
Ep 37 - Sweetcakes
25 Jan 2021
Mon, 25 January 2021
Malady suggests the company, Mason Family Holdings, that links back to Goliath, is a mortuary/morgue, and seems to believe they might have been using bodies for some kind of "testing".
Sonny "knows a guy who knows a guy..." that seems to be the path to making contact with Goliath, so Anton tells Sonny to make an appointment with his contact ("Sweet Peter") at the cafe on the corner of King and Little Lonsdale Streets at 9:30PM.
Malady spends some time talking about the mortuary, and phones one of her contacts there.
Anton receives a call from Sonny, who says that he's arranged for Sweet Peter to meet at around 11:30.
Anton and Sonny meet the contact at the cafe. Sweet Peter does not endear himself to Anton, less so when he refers to him as "honey" and "sweetcakes". Anton grabs him by the collar to give him an eye-to-eye threat, realising that he is a vampire using blush of life . Anton Compels (7 successes) him to tell what he knows and he hands over a card with the name "Gari" and a phone number.
Anton calls this Gari but does not identify himself, demanding a meet, which is arranged for 9:00PM tomorrow at the car park near the Telstra dome.
Anton returns to Maladay's apartment and swaps information with her and Larissa.
Ep 36 - Downtime
25 Jan 2021
A month (of downtime) passes...
Anton works on developing and expanding the business (5 successes). He also looks at finding another Domaine, ideally an extended space in one of the "front" businesses.
After the second floor of a defunct Charcoal Chicken business is deemed not suitable due to the smell of smoke and old chicken grease, Anton decides to hire an accountant to look after the business' investments, including searching out properties and small businesses that can be picked up cheaply and have good capacity for cash turnover.
Anton secures the services of Erberto Ferreiras . Despite being exceptionally intelligent, as a Mexican refugee Erberto was unable to to make a successful living in the US, so he emigrated to Australia a year ago, not knowing that he needed to be needed to be certified to operate as an accountant. Thus, he provides "unofficial" financial services and has been looking for a major client to put him on retainer and let him earn a baseline living.
Malady has a note pinned to her gown about a POI called "Goliath". This name is known to Anton - Sonny has been trying to meet with this person as he is importing "clean" firearms and stores them in warehouses south of the casino district. He operates south of the casino district, but Sony has not been able to organise a meeting as yet. The Sheriff (via the dossier pinned to Maladat's nightie) advises it is possible his arms are going to either the Second Inquisition or lupine elements. We can pass the information back to the Sheriff or, if we feel confident, liquidate him.
Ep 35 - Another Big Bang
22 Dec 2020
Tue, 22 December 2020
The boat is called Two Men and a Little Lady, named after the owner crew.
Anton's mobile phone rings,, with a blocked number - an oddity, as Anton rarely takes calls. The caller, who knows his name, says that The Greek is sending a helicopter to take him to Melbourne and return him the same evening.
The helicopter, marked as Orpheus Shipping Lines, arrives about an hour later. Anton sends a message to Kinsley asking for information on OSL; she replies that it is a subsidiary of a Greek shipping conglomerate, headquarter in Melbourne, Chief Operating Officer is "Callidora".
When he arrives in Melbourne he is met by Callidora.
Callidora asks if Anton is familiar with the thinblood problem, and passes him a dossier on a particular thinblood in the financial district. This individual works for a financial services company, which Anton is familiar with as it is where Kinsley comes from. The dossier has keywords include references to Clan (Ventrue) business. The objective is to get rid of the thinblood, retrieve any relevant information and return it to Callidora.
She also advises Anton that the domain has been reclaimed by the Toreador.
Anton catches an Uber to the Financial Services company, Barnham, Barnes and Bunkem Financial Advisors ("Triple B will make you Triple A"), forces the security guard to let him in and get him to the 7th floor. He breaks into the office and, after searching, finds an active terminal that he quickly determines is Kinsley's. He searches the computer and desk for anything incriminating and, finding nothing, leaves and returns home.
He sends a message to Callidora that he has investigated the office and not found anything or interests and so is trying to determine another avenue of approach.
Thu, 24 December 2020
Anton makes his way to Christmas drinks at Bianca's bar.
Anton attempts to escort a disruptive patron from the bar, and Bianca tells him that this person,, Trevor Kidd, has been causing trouble for her daughter and then in the pub. He compels the trouble-maker out, then rings Sonny to organise a couple of boys to go sort out Kidd.
Tonight is Anton's weekly catch-up meeting with Kinsley (postponed from Wednesday).
Sat, 26 December 2020
Anton prepares to make his way to the dock to meet the expected arrival of the others,but there is a mighty explosion from the direction of the docks. Arriving at the docks, he tunes into the news, which is reporting a search for nine bodies - there were only six on board when Anton left the boat.
He rings Callidora to update her.
Returning home, he finds the Sheriff, Angela Taylor, waiting for him. She asks for information about what went on in Queensland and how it might relate to the situation in Melbourne, and Anton tells her what little he knows. She tells him the Coterie is still alive and gives their address, but advises he is to lay totally low for a month.
After she leaves, Anton ignores this advice and goes to find his colleagues.
Ep 34 - The Blood Hunted
21 Dec 2020
Mon, 21 December 2020
As we exit the asylum. It is about 1:00 AM and there is no sign of Malady. Larissa wants to go back in to look for her, but Anton and Oxford agree that’s not a good idea, that the smoking building (Council Headquarters) is our biggest concern and we need to get off the streets and to a new safe house to plan our next move.
Anton uses Google to find a conveniently close motel - in this case, the Surfside Motor Inn. He books an Uber and rings the motel to negotiate a weekly rate for three rooms ($2000).
As they are walking down the street to wait for the Uber, we see Malady near an old phone box. She tells us that a Blood Hunt has been declared and we are all in extreme danger.
The Uber arrives and then delivers us to the motel, where Anton uses Forgetful Mind to instil a memory of the rooms being paid for.
We settle in our rooms for a few minutes and then meet in Larissa and Maladay’s room.
Malady advises that we are in mortal danger and we need to get out of the city and back to Melbourne. Anton rings Kinsley and asks her to book a private charter boat with at least three berths that can pick them up at the Gold Coast marina and cruise down to Melbourne.
Kinsley advises she will ring back in the morning to confirm the arrangement.
Malady tells the story about her dying and becoming a ghost. She was “created” around 100 years ago in Louisiana by Dr Camilla Sutton, who killed her and “made” her a ghost. Dr Sutton wanted to make Malady be like her but something went wrong.
Malady “haunted” a house that included vampires, which enraged the Prince, who subsequently told Malady that Sutton had been killed and dismembered, then banished her by boat. She landed in Australia, where she was not well received and struggled until ending up in the care of Angela (Angie - the Sheriff in Melbourne).
Oxford tells us the creature we encountered in the asylum was a warghoul - created out of the bodies of Oxford’s friends; we believe this was made by Dr Sutton. Oxford also tells us that Malkavians cannot create warghouls.
Oxford asks Malady if it’s possible she was created from a piece of Dr Sutton. Malady does not know.
After contemplating as a group why Sutton is so aggressively pursuing Malady, including why she has gone to the trouble of contriving to destroy the Anarch Council and implicating all of us, we retire to our rooms.
As evening comes, Kinsley calls to confirm the private yacht has been booked and will pick us up at the Gold Coast dock just after 8:00.
We all go hunting just after dark; Anton's specific taste mean the hunt takes a little longer than expected and he is late to the boat.
We expect the trip will take about 5 days.
Chef = Kylie Quong (trained in Milan, specialises in Milanese cuisine Captain = Cpt Powney; Crew = Charles, Charlie
At the last minute, Larissa decides to go shopping for "essentials". Oxford and Anton are keeping an eye out when she returns and Anton is unnerved by a sixth sense that suggest all is not right. He redirects Larissa away from the boat and suggests she may be tailed - Larissa senses a rat is following her, which she dispatches immediately and brutally (8 successes + Messy Crit). As they get on the boat and prepare for departure, Anton gives Larissa a nod of respect.
Ep 33 - The Mad Foundlings
20 Dec 2020
Sun, 20 December 2020
Prowling through the asylum Anton finds a fire escape and wends his way, progressing to the fourth floor. With the distinct scent of Larissa’s perfume in the air, he investigates three rooms with open doors that are empty, then hears screaming that is unmistakably Larissa.
Heading towards the screaming, Anton is knocked over by Oxford barrelling out of the room, but is pleased to discover the three of them sage. Urging haste and discretion, he leads them out of the room to head back down the stairs.
Heading downstairs, we see a bright flash of light and flame, shortly followed by a rumble and billowing smoke, indicating a large bomb has been set off downtown - likely in the vicinity of the seat of the Anarch Council.
The doors to the staircase seals shut, and the intercom comes to life with a voice proclaiming that we are being implicated as responsible for the bombing: vindictive Camarilla taking vengeance on the Anarch.
Realising that we are being both watched and listened to, Anton uses Larissa’s lipstick to obscure the cameras then, indicating for them all to be quiet, heads back down the passage until they find the wardroom. At Anton’s direction, Oxford switches on the few monitors that are working, but there is little indication of what they are viewing.
We catch a glimpse of a strange creature flashing past - a head with two arms as legs - but it is gone in a moment.
Realising we will need to make our way through the day room to find an exit, or the security control room. As we enter the room the creature bounds through the opposite door. Anton tries to shoot it, but Larissa leaps onto his back and breaks his aim but Oxford leaps forward and attacks it, killing it quickly while Anton tries to flush the screaming Larissa from his back.
Larissa runs off through the door, but Anton consults with Oxford about trying to trace how the cameras are being monitored. They discover the cameras are wifi, and Anton breaks one off the wall and takes it with him before they descend the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, they find a monster - a construct with the face of Morty on its head and of the Night Manager on its abdomen. It attacks - Anton gets several good shots at it, but it keeps coming. Oxford yells that he will try and pin it so Anton can shoot point blank, and he switches the magazine to incendiary rounds and does so, unloading five or six rounds into it before it finally succumbs.
Ep 30 - The Hunter and the Hunted
18 Dec 2020
Fri, 18 December 2020
Anton goes hunting again but, once again, is not successful. He does not sight the woman who he believes has been following him. After a fruitless night, he returns to the b&b but ignores the rest of the Coterie and retires to his room without a word.
A short while later, he hears Larissa escalating into one of her rages, but her reference to their embracing attracts his interest and he goes out to listen. Larissa is presumably arguing with Malady or Oxford and, in tears, she storms out of the common area and into her room. Anton follows a few moments later and finds her throwing clothes around in her room, and he just watches her until she finally settles down.
Anton rails at Larissa...
Sat , 19 December 2020
The next evening Anton goes hunting again. He is not successful at finding prey, but he believes he intermittently spots the “plain” woman again.
Ep 32 - The Fire & the Lost
Begin writing your story here...
Ep 29 - Working the Streets
14 December 2020
Mon, 14 December 2020 (cont)
Antons spends a little time prowling for a potential feed but does not find anything suitable.
He also makes contact with Fat Larry and continues to work on establishing a local communications and information network, but he is not as successful on this occasion and realises he will need to spend a few nights working on it.
Tue, 15 December
Anton again goes hunting and is not successful but, with hunger now at 4 he is feeling it!
He continues to work on his network.
Wed, 16 December
He is somewhat successful with his hunting this evening and manages to assuage a little hunger. He collects the incendiary rounds from Fat Larry and then continues to work on the network.
Thu, 17 December
As he leaves the bed and breakfast, Larissa and Oxford are talking in the corridor and Larissa says Malady is missing and has been gone for some time. Anton replies that seems fairly typical and, if she has nothing more to say to him, he wishes her a good evening and leaves.
This evening, Anton notices that a fairly "bland" looking woman is sitting across from him and he realises he has seen her on several other evenings when he's been moving around town. He hides to see if she comes looking for him, and she does, so he then follows her in a taxi to see where she goes but, when she appears to not be able to locate him, she settles back into a cafe and starts reading a book.
Ep 28 - "Riposare in Pace"
13 Dec 2020
Sun,13 December 2020 (cont)
The Coterie gathers on the ground and looks for anyone they recognise, unsuccessfully. Oxford chats to someone and comes back to advise they gather at the “muster” point, which belongs to the Anarchs. Anton suggests that we have been attacked and getting ourselves off the radar would be a better idea, and a quick search on his phone brings up a small bed and breakfast not too distant that would seem to suit.
As the wounded group make their way along the street and check to see they are not being followed, they notice a figure following them. Anton hangs back to see who it is and discovers it is Mikaila and she is severely wounded. He phones Larissa and asks her to come back to tend to the injury, and calls Fat Larry and tells him they need a pickup and medic urgently. Larry says a car will be there in about 20 minutes, but Larissa does not believe Mikaila will last the distance.
Malady suggests that “turning” Mikaila might be the best solution, but Anton immediately rejects that idea. The others first gently and then more aggressively try to argue with Anton that it is the only way to save Mikaila, but Anton remains adamant. After proposing amongst themselves that they simply do it anyway, despite Anton’s objections, Oxford makes a move towards Mikaila and Anton immediately reacts - Larissa attempts to knock him over, but he brushes it off and manages to successfully Compel Oxford to “stay away from Mikaila”.
Anton continues to urge Mikaila to hold on until help arrives, despites Larissa’s protestations, but she passes just before the car arrives. The driver advises that he will take care of the body and arrangements. Anton asks him to try and get information on Morty.
He then proceeds wordlessly on to the bed and breakfast and checks the group in, before retiring for the rest of the night.
Mon, 14 December 2020
The following evening, Anton goes out without checking what any of the others are doing.
Ep 27 - The Tzimisce and the Bomb
13 Dec 2020
Sun,13 December 2020 (cont)
Anton goes and looks over the balcony to see if there is any sign of the creature and sees the railing on the balcony below is bent as if something has hit it. Taking Oxford in tow, he goes downstairs to the room directly below and hacks the electronic lock while Oxford talks his way into the room next door.
Successfully hacking the lock, he finds the room dark and, looking out through the curtains, there is no sign that the creature either entered the room or even landed on the balcony.
A moment later, Maggot peers over the balcony from above holding a shotgun and asking what is going and who has been shooting.
With no further information available, Anton and Oxford head back upstairs to meet with Maggot. Oxford asks him to check the CCTV for any sign of a creature on the ground, and they then go back to their room. Larissa is tending to Malady, who tells us the creature is a tzimiscze and is responsible for making her a ghost. Anton confirms the creature is an enemy, to all of us, and asks Oxford to research the most effective way to bring one down, then sends Fat Larry a message advising he wants to order a magazine of 9mm dragon rounds and a shotgun with a dozen rounds of dragon fire shells. Larry advises they will be available for collection at midnight the following night.
In the meantime, Larissa is poking around the room looking for a strange buzzing sound she hears. After unplugging all the alarm clocks, she discovers another device with a non-operational clock attached to a stack of dynamite. Anton investigates (4 successes) and notes that the device has a motion sensor attached, which he attempts to black out with Larissa’s nail polish, but that seems to trigger something in the bomb mechanism.
Deciding that it will be best to follow Larissa’s panicked cries to get out of the room, they exit… but, moments later the bomb explodes.
Anton is badly hurt and takes a long time to dig himself out of the rubble, but eventually digs his way to Larissa and then out onto the balcony. Larissa, looking for Oxford, vanishes, but Malady is out on the balcony. Anton assists her as they clamber down to the lower floor and then make their way to the ground.
Ep 26 - We Need Guns!
13 Dec 2020
Sun,13 December 2020 (cont)
Anton sends an email to Callidora to update her on the happenings since arriving in the Gold Coast and that the mission has been successful, then heads out on the street to scout for “opportunities” (Wits + Streetwise = 7 successes).
He easily makes contact with the underworld, finding numerous contacts, including Anarch-allied Ventrue who are happy to trade information, secrets and products. Many are talking of an uprising that will burn itself south and there is a war between Camarilla and Anark coming, and it will spark in this very city.
Anton locates a weapons dealer named Fat Larry (dufro, wears sunglasses at night), who advises the weapons needed to support an insurgency include firearms, dragon fire rounds, stakes, swords and machetes, holy water. In the midst of setting up a mutually lucrative arrangement, Larissa calls to tell him the Malady is in some for of difficulty and he needs to return to the hotel. which he treats with his usual disdain, but eventually makes his way back.
The creature says something along the lines of, "If I can't have her, no one will!"
Larissa, Anton and Oxford enter a room that contains Malady and a creature (Tzimisce) that appears to be threatening her. Anton shoots at it and hits, Oxford intimidates it, and Larissa ushers Malady out of the room. It leaps over the balcony and drops out of sight...
Ep 25 - Victim of Success
13 Dec 2020
Sun, 13 December 2020 (cont)
As the explosion subsides, the fire alarms and sprinklers go off. We grab the wailing girl and push her out, making our way west through the trees to try to avoid the security guards that we can see running through the park.
Unfortunately, Oxford, still in the form of a wolf, is overcome by The Beast as he tries to hide and kills a security guard. We move on, finding another guard near the warehouses… this time it is Anton’s messy critical that inspires him to creep up behind the guard and tear open his throat, taking this opportunity to feed.
As we escape from the park, Larissa learns that her name is Kylie Burrows and, from the remorse she expounds, we ascertain she appears to be the source of the blister. We learn that she receives phones calls from either a man or a woman with an instruction as to what male she is supposed to seduce and sleep with, which started soon after she was embraced, about five months ago, but she claims she does not know the name of her Sire.
Suddenly, Kylie attacks Malady and starts tearing at her - Malady attacks back and kills her, and Anton notices that Malady consumes Kylie’s flesh with more voracity than she drinks the spilled blood.
With the target of our mission now “dusted”, as directed, we call Lucy for the car, who drives us back to the hotel.
Back at the hotel we are invited to dinner, although none of us have any need to eat. Oxford disappears out to the balcony and a local security person ("Maggot") goes out with her. Meanwhile, Anton goes out to advise Lex the mission has been completed. Lex advises that he’ll be closing in an hour; when Anton questions why, Lex says he always closes at that time, but Anton knows that’s a lie and makes sure Lex knows he knows.
Anton returns to the room.
Ep 24 - A Night at the Park
13 Dec 2020
Sun, 13 December 2020
We notice that the hotel seems to have locked itself down - even the window shutters have not opened and the close/open button has been disabled. Larissa hears someone outside and Oxford opens the door to investigate, and sees it is Mikaila and Morty (red-headed man) who says they have been sent by Callidora. Mikaila has a briefcase handcuffed to her wrist, which she unlocks with a key from Morty and gives it to Anton.
The case itself is locked only with a small three-digit lock, and it has been sent by Sunny and contains a debit card and bank book, with the book showing us the balance of the laundered funds.
Oxford says something about the D-Lounge Uni Club being closed for an event at Movie World, and the Coterie prepares to visit.
Lucy, the Malkavian driver, gives Oxford an envelope, and he passes out IDs - Anton is Henrik Ibson, an exchange student from Norway. It is about a 30 minute drive and we are dropped off at a large park. Oxford is given a “beeper” to summon the driver back.
We show our passes to enter, and Larissa convinces Malady to go on the Superman ride.
Ep 23 - Crisis of Faith
12 Dec 2020
Sat, 12 December 2020
Larissa says that she and Malady are going to go out to investigate the “blister”.
Oxford organises fake medical IDs for us, and Anton is not impressed when he is given one that identifies him as a nurse.
The hotel supplies a car and Larissa drives us to the medical centre near Salerno Street. The rest enter to bluster their way in, but Anton remains out front unobtrusively keeping an eye on the comings and goings and, in particular, any potential criminal activity or anything else out of the ordinary. He notices that it is exceptionally busy and also that there is an unusually high proportion of male university-age students coming and going from the centre.
After some time, Anton notices two young guys sitting on the bonnet of an old Holden across the road, and a woman he presumes to be a street walker (but wearing a hoody and track pants) down the street. He approaches the woman and attempts to seduce her to get information, but her reaction is far more intense than he anticipates and he is forced to resist her brazen attempts to drag him into the bushes at the back of an empty block. He eventually gets her talking about any experiences she has had with tricks with diseases recently, and she says the “girls” are all talking about it, but Anton determines that she is misleading him and so uses Compel to attempt to get her to tell him her name, where she lives and what she knows about the spread of any STDs she knows of. She says her name is Sasha, she’s from the Gold Coast, and her experiences with STDs are “I don’t want to get one”.
Anton also notices there is a tattoo of circles around her right wrist but he does not get a good look. Despite her seeming resistance to the Compel, she seems human and, with no other ideas for her to make further progress with her, Anton turns and walks away as she hurls insults at his back.
As he walks back to the centre, he notices Oxford putting the girls into the car and he returns to it, and Oxford drives them away,
As we get onto the highway, Oxford thinks we are being followed and asks Anton to check, who confirms we are being followed by somebody who knows what they are doing. Anton instructs Oxford to take us into traffic and, when we can, stop at some traffic lights, and tells Malady to get out of the car and walk across the street and back to create a distraction. When that happens, Anton also gets out of the car and sneaks back, jumping into the back seat of the car following us, discovering that it is Sasha following us. She turns towards him in surprise, and Anton sees that her tattoo is actually a rosary (prayer beads that are kept by Catholics) and she has a gold crucifix around her neck, which starts to glow, causing willpower damage to Anton and driving back out of the car.
Anton gets back to the Coterie’s car and tells the others we are being followed by a religious acolyte of some sort who has a crucifix pendant she is using as a weapon. Oxford puts the pedal to the floor and, after a wild bumper-car-like ride back to the hotel, we arrive without any indication we have been followed. Anton tries to tell Lex that they have had some misfortune and some damage was done to the vehicle, but his greater concern is that a Catholic fanatic tried to follow them home and it might be wise to keep an eye on visitors and loiterers. Lex doesn’t seem that interested and sends Anton back upstairs.
However, Anton recalls that Callidora once spoke about True Faith being something we always had to fear, and the pain she describes matches what Anton experiences. This makes it almost certain that Sasha is from the Second Inquisition, and the fact that she could trigger this power by prayer suggests that she is of the Church, one of the two prongs of the Inquisition (the other being Government-driven).
A short time later, a woman bursts into our room and demands answers about why a ruined car is now in the car park and why Lex is making noise about the Inquisition being in the vicinity. Oxford introduces her as Madame Night Manager, the most senior member of the Camarilla on the Gold Coast. Anton explains that we were sent on a mission to investigate a potential breach of the Masquerade, that he was approached by a woman who subsequently attempted to follow them back to the hotel. When Anton attempted an interdiction, she used a weapon to drive him out of the car, strongly suggesting she is from the Society of Leopold, so we decided to escape and get back to the hotel, ensuring we were not followed. And he didn't think that car was that badly damaged [it was!]
Ep 22 - On the Beach
11 Dec 2020
Tue, 8 December 2020 (evening)
As we arrive back at the Haven we are met with a piercing but seemingly simulated scream, like a petulant child. Larissa pulls open the doors and, after we move through the lobby, we see a pulsating bulbous veiny mass of something, about 4’ x 2’, with a human hand sticking out of the right-hand side holding three plane tickets.
While Anton ignores Malady’s whining about nobody checking on her well-being and Larissa’s irritating and unnecessary shrieks of dismay, he circles around it attempting to determine what it is and how it got here. A sudden pulsation towards him causes him to set off a defensive shot, and a pustule seems to bleed out and deflate.
As this seems to be an encouraging sign that the thing can be killed, Anton takes the tickets from its hand and looks at them - they are business class tickets from Essendon to Coolangatta for two nights hence.
Malady suggests we call the Sheriff, Angie, who subsequently arrives a couple of hours later. Unimpressed by Anton’s seeming (unwitting) reluctance to share information, she threatens him with dire consequences and Anton tells her that they were expecting tickets to be delivered and outlines the story behind them. The Sheriff tells us it looks like Tmitze work, which is old clan business, and we must lay low for a couple of days while she investigates, which we do until our flight to the Gold Coast.
Thu, 10 December 2020 (midnight)
We are met by a smallish female of Eurasian appearance with strangely pallid skin holding a sign with our surnames. She escorts us to a car, introducing herself as Lucy and telling us we are VIPs at the Mercer Hotel. Forty five minutes later we are delivered to the hotel, which is regrettably fashionable, and met by the concierge, who bears a signet ring with the Ventrue sceptre and directs us to the VIP room. Anton and the girls settle themselves into their respective rooms. A short time later, there is a knock on the door and Larissa answers it.
The new guest introduces himself as Oxford, advising that he’s been sent to stay with us and that he’s been tasked by the Camarilla to “babysit” us.
The introductory video is presented by Lex, the Concierge, who advises the hotel is the foothold of the Camarilla in the Gold Coast, which is operating covertly, so all Kindered are considered to be Anarchs.
He reinforces the brochure that local Kine are not to be touched, and we are not allowed to feed off the population. We are collectively here to undermine the Anarchs to further the Camarilla’s battle against the Sabat in Brisbane.
He then provides our briefing: there is an issue with a blister (a kindred infested with a kine blood disease) who is feeding and spreading the infection, and we are tasked with “dusting” the offender. The constraint of killing a vampire outside of a blood hunt has been waived.
Oxford says he is aware that there were muted news reports of a wave of sickness in the south-east corner of the Gold Coast, but it was vague and not widely reported.
Oxford disappears for an hour, and returns to inform us that there was an outbreak of STDs in Surfers Paradise and that might be a useful point to begin our investigation. After being reprimanded by Oxford for their communal lack of productivity, Anton asks him if a computer would be beneficial to his research and suggests that, if it would, we will purchase one.
Before going to bed, Anton asks Lex to organise a laptop computer to be delivered that evening.
Fri, 11 December 2020
That evening, Anton leaves Oxford to play with his new toy and the girls to do whatever they’re doing and goes out to scout the area. At his request, Lex recommends a small hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant three blocks away run by Sicilians, and also suggests that if he heads down to Hooker Boulevard, there is a working remnant of our Haven called Vlads.
Shortly after he returns to the hotel, Lex calls to advise that the car is ready and we are to meet with the Senate to introduce ourselves. The car takes us to Q1, and the girl at the desk recognises Oxford and directs us to the Executive Meeting Room. We walk down a richly appointed and well lit area to a hallway and into the room, in which are four individuals: two bruff, bearded types wearing leather, one well-dressed man and a scantily dressed woman with pale skin wearing a tight dress and fishnets.
Oxford introduces us and is mocked for his prim Camarilla-like “stick up his arse”
Vivi (Toreador), Jack (long hair and beard, Bruhah), Frank (long braided hair and black jacket, Bruhah), Michael Winslow (Ventrue) and Michael Fairbank (Nosferatu), who we cannot see.
Winslow tells Anton there is a Ventrue gentleman’s club in Mermaid Beach and will put his name on the approved guest list, and that he is always welcome. He also notes that his signet ring will be replaced with a sceptre and sword motif.
Ep 21 - Show Me the Money
8 Dec 2020
8 December 2020 (evening)
There is a knock at the lobby door - it is Morty and Mikaila, who say they have someone at the “lineup” area, which they have created, and who wants to see us. Anton tells them to go and bring the visitor to the door.
The woman is about 5”7” with bottle-orange hair under a grey beret and wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt and cargo pants. She introduces herself, rather impolitely and with much unnecessary vulgarity, as “Rebel”. Anton reluctantly invites her in with a pointed suggestion that she watch her language and manners and get to the point of why she’s here.
Rebel says she’s part of a “little” organisation and is an “anarch” and asks if we have ever heard of one. A little birdy told her we were heading north into the anarch state of the Gold Coast and that we might be amenable to a little mischief. All she is asking is that we take a good squizz at the government up there and, when we get back, there might be a seat at the table, with the implication being that this is their “table” and outside the Camarilla.
When Anton says he would like to know more about this so-called “little birdy” that apparently knows so much, Rebel replies that a good journalist never reveals their source. We can drop by the bar and get to know her and her colleagues, but she asks that we approach our foray into the Gold Coast with an open mind. Anton suggests we’ll keep that in mind and watches her leave.
Anton asks Malady what she knows about anarachs, and is told they are all for themselves and not “for the team”. When Larissa returns, Anton briefs her on the meeting and suggests that we are better remaining loyal to the Camarilla, maintaining his core principle that success is derived from strong leadership and a clear hierarchy of authority.
Anton receives a call that the goods are ready to travel and summons his car service to take them down to the docks, where Fredo has assembled the convoy and security force. It takes us about half an hour to get to the drop-off point, where we see Ray waiting for us. He opens his climate-controlled storage unit and subsequently spends about an hour investigating the paintings while Malady chats away, presumably attempting to maintain a mild distraction but ultimately distracting him so much he pierces one of the paintings.
As Ray challenges Malady for causing him to damage the painting, Anton steps up and clouds his memory, then accuses him of deliberately damaging the goods which, given he has the knife in hand, seems likely. Anton claims his patience is exhausted and they need to conclude the transaction now. Ray says that he can only offer $5 million, which does not go over well with Anton, although he agrees to discount the goods to $20m in acknowledgement of them being unframed. There is some protracted bargaining for a minute but, when Ray will not budge from $12m to get to Anton’s final offer of $15m, Anton daunts him into accepting the offer.
We leave with two cases containing $15m in cash, and Anton discusses with Fredo how he wants to allocate the money: we will keep $1m as cash at hand, allocate $1m for bonuses to the crew and to fund payroll for a while, and $13m to be laundered at about 25% cut to leave about $10m to be invested. Anton asks Fredo to liaise with Kinsley to secure an investment planner and set up a legitimate portfolio.
Ep 20 - Closing the Deal
7 Dec 2020
7 December 2020 (cont)
We go to Bianca’s bar, where Anton introduces her to Malady and Larissa and we have a drink while we wait for Ray. When he arrives, we carry the lie that we managed to arrange a private transaction when the auction was called off due to a disruption with the stock. However, Ray is annoyed that we were not able to recover the frames and suggests there will be a significant consideration applied to the fee.
He then grabs the Providence and makes a hasty exit, but Anton chases after him, using Compel to have him return the document and then Daunt to suggest that they had a deal and double-crossing Anton would not be in his best interests. With Ray suitably shaken, Anton lets him leave, with the agreement that the paintings will be delivered tomorrow evening.
We return to the Haven and find Mikaila and Morty prowling around nearby, with Morty dribbling something about Mikaila being scared of birds and hiding in a dumpster because she saw a kookaburra. Anton walks away in disgust and, upon entering the Haven, finds contracts of employment from the two and a pamphlet from Mind’s Eye Psychology.
Anton allocates Fredo to take responsibility for their remuneration and direct supervision, although they are assigned to security of the Haven.
Malady vanishes, and Larissa unsuccessfully attempts to follow her scent.
There is a knock at the door and Larissa opens it to find Willow. She is limping, and advises that Miss Nora is about to visit us. Willow’s visit and apparent mistreatment for someone we used to be fond of upsets Larissa, who begins to cry and runs off into her room in distress.
When Nora arrives, she haughtily advises that the Camarilla is making inroads into the Gold Coast, which is currently under Anarch control. The Camarilla has contacts there who are in some sort of trouble, and we need to make contact to cement our foothold, which will be of benefit to all the Clans. There are plane tickets for 2 nights hence. We will arrive at around 2:00AM, where we will meet one of her associates who will brief us on the plan, and we are expected to start work straight away thereafter. A temporary Haven has been prepared and we are to report back to the Council when we return.
After Nora leaves, Anton visits the Capos to check in on progress, and grants the boon of keeping the next week’s tribute to themselves. On the drive home, Anton sees someone who looks remarkably, but not quite, like Malady walking along the street. Curious about what would bring about such an outrage, Anton has the car pull over and tells her to get in. She spouts some story about the remains of The Treme (John) [Ray’s character], although she thinks he was still alive, and she says she called the Sheriff to take care of it. She also says she has seen her “stalker” again, although with different hair.
Morning comes…
8 December 2020
Ep 19 - The Heist
7 Dec 2020
Further discussion brings us to an agreement that we will try to subvert the two guards to allow us to get access to the store. We will destroy the paintings in compliance with the request of the Mages, then steal them, hand them over to Ray with the providence to get paid, then convince him he was the one who destroyed them in a fit of madness.
Anton has Kinsley obtain a copy of the auctioneer’s stamp and licence, which can be used to validate the transfer of ownership for the providence.
At Anton’s request, Carlo organises a white Mercedes sprinter, very beaten up with a lot of kilometres and no regular servicing. The Coterie uses that to drive to the museum.
Once there, Anton approaches the guards, Mikaila and Morty. Mikaila says her name is “498” (her badge number), and Morty says he is “101”. Antion’s patience runs out when he tries to bribe them to work for him, and The Beast intimidates them to comply… the meekly accept the offer and then leave.
Anton and the girls enter the back of the museum and begin to look around. Searching the office, Anton finds high resolution images and names of the paintings. He also finds a list of upcoming auctions along with description of the item type and auction code (six digits), and we notice that the same seller code applies to all the forthcoming auctions.
However, the providence for the paintings is not lying around so, with the aid of Larissa’s supernatural hearing, Anton cracks the safe and finds it. He bundles it up with the other documents and instructs Malady to put it safely in the van but, when Malady returns and claims she saw someone lurking, Anton and Larissa decide to keep them in sight.
We find the paintings and Anton tries to slash them with the silver knife Larissa obtained, getting a painful jolt the first couple of times until Malady works out the correct order:
Caine Kills Able
Caine Cursed by God
Caine Meets Lillith
Caine Spurns Lillith
Immediately after we destroy the fourth painting, a fiendish creature appears and begins stalking us, but Anton finally puts his gunplay skills to good use, with some token support from Larissa while Malady literally vanishes. The creature is killed and disappears into whisps of ash.
After loading the frames of the destroyed paintings into the van, along with a few choice other pieces of art, we investigate a mysterious passage in the museum and find very high quality replicas of the Garden of Eden paintings, which we also load into the van.
We call Gunther and organise to meet and hand over the destroyed paintings to prove we have completed the task. He does so and seems very pleased, and advises a major boon is our reward, offered at-call by Mages’ Cabal when the “heat” dies down.
We then take the forged copies and other stolen goods to the docks, where Mike (an associate of Fredo) puts the van with the paintings into a container, giving Anton the key and combination. He also hands over a town car.
We return to the Haven to await the conclusion of the auction and our opportunity to meet with Ray.
Ep 18 - The Mages
6 Dec 2020
We discuss the various ways we might be able to interfere with the bidding or reconciliation process in order to have Anton’s bid determined as the winner. Anton’s objective is to be seen to acquire the Kane and Lilith in the Garden collection legally, and thereby gain the providence legitimately, although the amount actually paid is to be much less than expected/bid. Anton anticipates this significant undersell will both hurt the Ventrue financially and disgrace them politically, and being able to on-sell to Ray for $35m should generate a tidy profit.
Larissa goes off to talk to some of her old contacts while Malady and Anton continue to bounce ideas between themselves.
When Larissa returns, she tells us her contact has asked her to attend to a task to “remove” a person named Candice McLaren. Larissa is not keen on attending to this task, but Anton and Malady are curious about what makes this girl a target and why Larissa’s contact thinks this is an appropriate “price” for providing information on the auction and/or auctioneer.
Anton summons an Uber to take them to The Rack, but the German-sounding driver persists with annoying conversation and driving slowly. When he pulls over for some makeshift excuse, Anton threatens him and, when he locks the central locking, Anton shoots him. Anton’s shot causes just a scratch on the side of his head, but his return shot blows a hole in the frame that starts burning - presumably he has dragon ammunition.
He tells us that he does not wish to do us harm, and that he has picked us up because we “looked up” his employer - Miss McLaren. Anton acknowledges that they seem to have no choice but to go meet with McLaren, and ignores all further attempts to engage in conversation, including the driver’s reference to Rossini being an old and powerful name.
After about 45 minutes, they arrive at a public park in Moonee Ponds. The driver tells Anton to look in the glove box, where he finds two clips of 9mm ammunition with bright orange tips. They then walk into the park where they find McLaren, accompanied by two people who the driver introduces Dr Thresher and Dr Wilson.
She introduces herself and companions as “mages”, and asks why the Coterie were looking her up. Larissa tells her that someone had asked to have her eliminated.
McLaren states that the four paintings are a danger to the world and she wants them destroyed, and that no buyer should get possession of them. In return, she offers access to one-time use of her cabal for any purpose we require. Anton remains sceptical that this is better than cash.
On the drive home, he starts to consider whether it would be possible to convince Ray that he takes possession of the paintings even if they get destroyed.
On the way back, Anton takes a call from Carlo, who says that the back of the museum is being guarded by two figures who, by description Anton recognises as the two guards on the door at the Aurora - Mikaila and Morty. Carlo says they are “not smartest to talk to but very mission-focused.” There is discussion amongst the Coterie of how we might make use of this information, although we do not know if they are vampires.
Ep 17 - Arming to Strike
6 Dec 2020
Finding the rosary bead is a significant concern and each member of the Coterie reaches out to their Sire as those associated with the Inquisition are very dangerous. Callidora advises Anton to keep his head down, not draw any attention to himself and stay in (at his residence).
During the week, Anton does some research on vampire lore on the internet and by asking his Sire for help, and gets some helpful advice from a Tremere… he explains that vampires come in many shapes and sizes and bullets from a small handgun are unlikely to have much effect. Fire is supposed to be effective, and something called “dragon rounds” that are used in shotguns or large calibre pistols.
Anton also runs an induction ceremony for Sunny, Carlo and Fredo to make them “made” and promote them as capos in his new organisation. He allocates one to head the drug running operation, one to manage the commencement of the smuggling (which, to start with, is fencing premium cars that are stolen in Europe, shipped to Australia and resold with fake licences).
Anton also cultivates a new consort, Kinsley Carrillo, a paralegal working for a small law firm specialising in criminal defence. She gives notice to come and work for Anton (temporarily costs 1 Resource point).
When they return to the Haven, Larissa tells Anton and Malady about the Inquisition - there is a church-sponsored one and a government one. Some of the churches emit lights that are so bright they are painful. This gives Anton the idea of light being used as a weapon, being both effective and very quiet, and he goes shopping for a high luminosity strobing torch.
At the same time, he purchases a couple of calf straps capable of holding stakes, and then starts to carve prepared stakes with metal caps suitable of being stored and easily retrieved from the makeshift holsters.
Anton also tasks Kinsley to start looking into reports of people becoming sick after eating at the Aurora. He is particularly interested in whether the Health Department has looked into any complaints there, and whether Kinsley can get any interest by victims to join a potential class action lawsuit.
Mon, 6 December 2020
Larissa has been looking into the purchases of the artwork and, in particular, "R Stance", who bought the statue for $2.5m and turns out to be Ray Stance, owner of the bookstore we went to last year when trying to track down the book.
We drive down to Ray’s bookstore.
He talks to Anton of the Garden of Eden series - unknown artists from Cappadocia who created biblical paintings, sculptures over the period of about 100 - 150 years.
He’s looking for a four-piece portrait set called “Kane and Lilith in the Garden”, with providence. Asking price for all four $35m.
Auction being hosted by Southbys at La Crox Gallery (City Road, South Bank) in 3 nights from 9:00PM. Viewings by private invitation tomorrow night at the gallery.
Before leaving, Ray prints a viewing invitation for tomorrow night and gives it to Anton.
Options for acquiring the paintings:
Steal
Buy
Destroy
Manipulate the auction
Ep 16 - The Seeds of Retribution
24 November 2020
Anton’s research reveals that the artworks are biblical in nature, by largely unknown creators but valuable because they have been completely out of circulation for over two hundred years. He estimates the collection to be worth around $60 million(?).
Tue, 24 Nov 2021
The following morning, Anton texts Mr Morano asking for a meeting, and also checks in with the Soldiers. Sunny advises that the second package has been a little slower to move, but they expect to be completed by the end of the week.
Larissa says that she is going to meet Ronny and Anton, thinking he might gather more information about the documents he sent to Nora, decides to go along with her until she mentions that she’ll be looking for Ronny in various nightclub venues and such. With Larissa’s rambling subsequently devolving into a diatribe about some absurd calamity about shoes, Anton loses interest and decides to make his own plans.
Morano replies and sets an appointment at the Aurora for 9:00PM. Malady says that she’ll stay with Anton, who picks out an appropriate dress for her from Larissa’s wardrobe. Anton sends a text to Willow telling her to get his other suit dry cleaned but does not receive a reply.
On the ride to the Aurora, Anton tells Malady that he would like her to get to know the chef. He is interested in following up on the information from Dr Perez about people getting sick at the Aurora, and Anton is wondering whether gaining leverage over, or even replacing the chef with a hand-picked subordinate would be a positive step into setting up harm for Nora.
The Aurora is bustling with some event and there are armed guards at the door. Anton avoids an unnecessary altercation with them, and enjoys a glass of wine and appetisers until Morano arrives. Anton rectifies the perception that Malady is a consort and sends her off to the kitchen. He ignores a text message from Larissa ab0ut something going on near the Haven.
In their subsequent discussions, Anton advises Morano that he wants to infiltrate the docks and establish a smuggling operation, probably by utilising contacts in southern Europe. Morana advises him to prove his capability to deliver a profit, which Anton takes to be an inadvertent revelation that Morano already has people working on the docks. Morana then talks about the event going on at the Aurora, which is a sale of rare and valuable artworks. Anton recognises some of the pieces from the documents he took copies of.
He meets back with Malady, and goes out back to disable the chef’s car. When the staff leave, and the chef cannot start his car, Anton speaks with him and learns that the people getting sick are on the nights he has off and, on those nights, the kitchen mostly makes bar food and that they are supervised by Cassandra Stratton.
Anton and Malady returned to the Haven and investigated the roof where Larissa claimed to have seen a figure lurking, and finds a rosary bead that he associates with the Society of Leopold (Second Inquisition)
Ep 15 - Willow In Absentia
23 November 2020
After the misadventure at The Rack, Anton ultimately manages to feed successfully and then returns to his home.
Mon, 23 Nov 2020
Having still not heard from Willow, Anton goes to her apartment to see where she is. He finds the apartment empty, with signs of a struggle that has been thoroughly (as in professionally) cleaned up. All of her personal items are missing and it appears that she "disappeared" sometime during the day Sunday.
Anton goes to speak to the caretaker and finds out that the security camera footage is retained by Guardian Security. Anton phones Callidora to ask if she has any suggestions for getting access and Callidora advises her that Guardian Security is one of Nora's assets, suggesting that there might be a correlation between Anton upsetting Nora and his assistant vanishing from a building monitored by Guardian.
Callidora advises that she will put feelers out but that she might demand a boon in payment, which Anton agrees to.
Anton suggests to Larissa and Malady that he is considering retribution against Nora, which does not go over well with them.
The apartment buzzer sounds and Anton is told that he and the Coterie are summoned to a board meeting immediately.
Something suddenly happens to Malady - she cries out, sweeps backwards, breaching the wall into the adjacent apartment, and then she disappears. Larissa chases after her into the next apartment, but she is gone.
Larissa and Anton are driven to a building, ignoring the ramblings of the Nosferatu driver who insists on commenting on the serious nature of being summoned to a board meeting and how few ever return from one.
Once arrived, they are escorted through security and sent to an elevator, which takes 3 minutes to climb to floor 33. Larissa is then directed to the gallery and Anton is taken into the boardroom.
Nora is at the head of the table, along with five other prominent Ventrue. Callidora and other known Ventrue are in the gallery, observing.
Nora advises that the Board will decide whether or not the asset will be disposed of and then quizzes Anton about what benefits Willow provides, with many questions focusing on the nature of his relationship with her.
Nora asks Larissa if she believes it would be beneficial to dispose of Willow; Larissa advises that she provides multiple services to Anton and it would be disadvantageous to dispose of her.
Nora comments to Anton that expressing some humanity is to his credit, even though he refuses to acknowledge a sentimental attachment for her. Anton states that defending this particular person, which he would not do for any kine, should adequately demonstrate the value that he places on her, sentimental or otherwise.
After consulting in seclusion for 30 minutes, Nora advises that the Board's decision is that Willow will be confiscated as an asset, "ghouled", and then loaned back to Anton, although she will remain the property of Nora.
Anton reluctantly accepts this decision and leaves (quietly swearing at her as he leaves the room), and the Nosferatu returns Larissa and him to the Haven.
Anton goes to a nearby Internet cafe to search for any references to the artworks that he took the "backup" copies of.
Ep 14 - Ronnie and Nora
22 November 2020
31 May 2020
Sun, 22 Nov 2020
Anton contacts Morano to obtain the product.
(rolls 6 successes, with Messy Critical)...
The hand-over goes ahead, but Anton is suspicious of the mule's behaviour and believes that the meet has been compromised. This results in the mule being wounded during the exchange. Anton leaves a message advising Morano of this and suggesting that his courier may be exposed and that he should sever ties.
Anton distributes the first batch to his crew and then leaves them to see how they do. He walks to the Haven, and finds Larissa ready to feed on Malady. He drags Larissa back, but she is raving about Malady saying nothing but "Victoria, Victoria, Victoria" over and over again, which she is not. Anton eventually manages to settle her, and she goes to freshen up while he talks to Malady.
Malady suggests that something from the spirt world might be calling out to Larissa, and reminds Anton that that the Coterie passed near Victoria Wharf when they were attending to their first mission together. Anton decides they will go down the Wharf to see if that has any effect on Larissa. When they get there, the Malkavian Primogen, Ronnie, who gives Anton an "eyes-only" folder to deliver to Nora, the Ventrue Primogen. Anton leaves the girls to attend to this task... which takes most of the night.
Flicking through the folder as he searches, it looks like valuations of "odd looking" artworks. Anton takes "backup" photos of any of the documents that have pictures.
Anton eventually finds Nora, who bides him to walk with her. After Nora questions whether or not Anton checked the contents, the Beast forces Anton to grab the folder back and spill the contents out onto the street. This does not go over well with Nora, who subjugates him, forcing him too crawl around like a dog and collect the papers, then offer them up to her in his mouth.
After Anton picks up the girls and returns to the Haven, he sees somebody standing out the front wearing a trilby, brown jacket, olive green slacks and brown boots with Cuban heel, but the figure has disappeared as the car pulls up.
He drops the girls at the Haven and, after being unable to contact Willow, has the driver take him to The Rack, where he starts an altercation with a redhead bloke who appears somewhat inebriated. The patron strikes him and the buncer turfs Anton out for starting the fight. Anton compels the bouncer to throw the other person out, but he is taken out the back door. Anton goes round the back and daunts him, taking him into the shadows and begins to feed, but discovers that it is a thinblood.
Anton decides to shoot him a few times, but he escapes after blowing smoke from a cigarette devices, and he gets away in a Falcon, licence plate 423XFW.
Ep 13 - Mr Morano
21 November 2020
17 May 2020
Sat, 21 Nov 2020, 1:00AM
It is the wee hours of the morning, back at the Haven...
Willow arranges dinner for Anton and the mysterious Mr Morano, with Malady and Larissa to join him, for dinner at 8:00PM.
Anton vaguely recalls the name "Morano" being attached to a gangland killing.
Sat, 21 Nov 2020, 8:00PM
The following evening. Willow drives the Coterie to the Aurora restaurant, which is a large building lit up in all colour of the rainbow. After a brief but largely uneventful altercati0n with the doorman, the three enter the restaurant. It is garishly modern, with menus sitting on the table and the sounds of nightclub beating softly in the background.
Anton orders a bottle of red while we wait for Morano to arrive.
Upon his arrival, Morano introduces himself as someone who overheard Willow referring to an Anton Rossini, and decided to make his acquaintance. He is interested in forming a business relationship with Anton and, as a trial. offers 3kg of "product" to be offloaded. Anton advises that shifting product is not his main stream, but agrees to consider the offer, and takes a business card with Moran's number on it.
After dinner, Anton makes contact with a small group of young wise guys who are drinking at the bar - Sunny, Carlo, Fredo.
He tells them he is setting up a crew and, if they're interested, he will make it worth their while. They need to move 1.5kg in three days and, if that goes smoothly, another 1.5kg at a higher cut. The three are interested and tell Anton to make contact as soo n as he's ready to go.
Anton then gores home to Willow.
Ep 12 - The Elysium
20 November 2020
19 April 2020
Anton goes to seek out Vas, who indeed has brown skin and gold hair, and is also 5'4" and appears to be more animal than human.
Human's message from the Prince is accepted with a shrug, and Anton leaves a message for the Primogen as requested by the Jade Court.
Time passes from August... to November.
Fri, 20 Nov 2020
The Coterie are summoned to a formal occasion at the Elysium. They meet at the restaurant haven, and are picked up at 2 hours after sunset by a chauffeured Rolls Royce.
When we get into the vehicle it is occupied by the new Ventrue Primogen, Nora Sinclair, who tells us that she has decided to provide our transport for the evening. As idle chatter, she asks if we have yet named or Coterie, and is surprised that we have not.
She tells us we are asked to wait outside after the proceedings of the evening are over.
She also talks about Sabat being welcomed back to the Camarilla in some parts of the world.
After the Elysium, which is largely uneventful, we meet with the Primogen and are asked by Dr Perez, the Tremere Primogen to observe where thinblood are and report back; Sheriff will then send someone to deal with the situation. We are not to engage with their Sire, but may be rewarded if we eliminate any thinbloods. Perez says that they take damage much as a human, but the surest way to ensure permanent death is to remove the head.
Last sighting of thinbloods is at the Aroura club, which is a concern as people have been reported as getting "sick" and may be a Masquerade breach. It's in North Melbourne, off Prime Street.
The Aurora club is also a known underworld habitat, and establishing a network would be of benefit to the Council. Nora wants Anton to establish people who can do "loud wet work", and people who can do "quiet dark work".
After returning to the Haven, Willow turns up at the door asking about a meeting with Mr Morano, which Anton knows nothing about and has no idea who Morano is. Anton asks Willow to book a table at the Aurora for two at 8:00PM.
Ep 11 - Summoned to The Prince
28 August 2020
1 Mar 2020
It's the end of August, 2020
Church meeting: Mon 24 Aug 2020
Meeting with David Williams: Wed 26 Aug 2020
Fri 28 Aug 2020, 9:00PM
Anton has taken Willow to Cutler & Co, Italian-fusion candlelit restaurant.
Part way through the meal, three well dressed men enter. anton notices the the lead has a small tattoo above his collar on the left side, and can see the top of a circle with a red dash at 11 and 1 o'clock marks (would seem to b a circle with a red V through it) - Anton has seen this tattoo on one of the Brujah aids at the Union Hall (where the Prince was). #2 is carrying a wooden stake under his jacket. .
The men come straight to Anton's table and tell him he's been summoned by family, and reminds him of the last time he had an encounter with "family".
Anton reluctantly sees Willow off home, and then steps into a blacked out SUV, and is taken to Jupiter's Casino. He is led through the lobby of Crown Towers, taken to VIP elevator and up to a suite that looks out over the cityscape. About 10 minutes later he is escorted to a stateroom to see the Prince, Leslie Taylor.
He asked why a Camarilla "Malk" (Malkavian) was hanging out at a sabat church and subsequently going to dinner with a sabbat.
The Prince advises that Anton caused him great inconvenience at the Bishop's church, with the Bishop being an invited guest, and Anton is obligated to provide a service in return: head to Festival Hall on Spencer Street, slightly out of the main city. Go there and make contact with: Vas (brown skin,. gold tinter hair). Holding a shindig there tonight, and pass on message: GTF out of my town.
Anton is concerned that the recipient may not receive this message well, to which the Prince expresses a lack of interest.
Anton sees a female, maybe early 30s with an ornately styled hair do, who smiles at him and comes over to chat. She makes it clear she is a vampire and knows that he is too. Anton suggests that the front door is not a particularly safe place to hold a confidential discussion. The woman introduces herself as Kwan Bichwi, but says he may call her Jade. She invites him to join her at a small Chinese restaurant she owns.
In the car, she pours a glass of old blood, which Anton enjoys, asks after his dressing-down from the Prince, and whether or not he is happy with "the current state of affairs". Anton queries why that matters, and why she is interested in knowing hbis thoughts on it. Jade says she is Korean and that, as a member of the Jade Court, is interested in speaking to the Primogen and that this meeting not come to the attention of the Prince. At that. we arrive at the Jade Court restaurant, and Jade escorts Anton to an office. She says she does not wish to "take the city", but wishes to restore the balance, although failure of Anton to comply with passing along the message, or the Primogen to receive her, will force them to take action.
Anton is advised to leave a reply with Management at the front desk staff, and is warmly dismissed with the bottle of blood given as a gift.
As he leaves, Jade also tells Anton to pass on a greeting to Vas,, who Anton has not mentioned; when Anton asks who that is, she chckles.
Ep 10 - The Blood Gift
25 January 2020
We finish with Mr Williams at around 2:00AM.
Anton decides that he wants to fulfill the Blood Gift, and asks the others if they want to come with him. Anton suggests that they meet Harry in about 90 minutes, then he Malady and Larissa walk to the Rake (the sanctioned hunting area), but Larissa goes her own way.
Ep 9 - David Williams
5 January 2020
Anton gets a phone call from Harry, who requests an urgent meeting with the Coterie. All return to the Haven.
Harry asks Anton and Larissa if they are loyal to the Prince. When all confirm their loyalty, Harry advises that his Sire has advised him that the Bishop is the gest of the Prince and has instructed that no further investigations are to be made with regard to him.
We go to Waterfront City to meet with David Williams, who seems to have a problem remembering names a couple of seconds after being introduced.
He asks for the favour of getting a pop singer named Lizzie Whizzie to meet him when she arrives to do a series of concerts in about two months.
Larissa asks him about the Settites, and he advises that they are all anarchs now and called The Ministry, and that we should have noting to do with them.
Larissa also asks about Bishop Judas, but Harry interjects and advises that Boris has given strict instruction not to pursue inquiries about Judas. David makes disparaging expletives about Harry's Sire, and then asks what we would like to know. Harry does not take this well, and David reinforces we should respect our Clan first, Camarilla second. He then makes reference to a "vendetta" that Harry's Sire is involved with.
When Larissa and Williams notice that Harry has been attempting to record the meeting on his phone, Anton's emotions boil over and he attacks Harry, which does not go well for Anton, but as soon as he is release Anton *dominates* Harry and, after having Larissa search him for further devices that could be used to incriminate the Coterie. At Williams' urging, Anton eventually puts his weapon away, warning Harry that his motives are now suspect and he will not be allowed a "second chance".
Daniel lets slip that the Prince has a "Scourge".
Harry advises that his Sire, Blade, is ex-KGB, and recruited Harry specifically to hide bodies.
Ep 8 - Blood on the Floor
14 December 2019
Anton finally bumps into Malady coming back into the church and manages to convince her not to "take a nibble" of the severely wounded ###.
They head back into the reception area of the church, and Larissa escorts them from the church.
Larrissa says that the bishop has asked for a blood gift in recompense for the harm caused to his cleric.
Larissa and I go to a Greek bakery next to Stalactites to meet with Callidora.
She tells us that a blood gift is a person who can be used as a physical gift; she suggests Willow, but Anton is reluctant to "donate" his own friend and resolves to find an alternate "gift".
Ep 7 - The Book
14 December 2019
We found the book.
I flicked the lever opposite the portcullis - down turns the torches off, up turns them on; lever to the left of the portcullis puts the lectern down, and up; lever to the right raises the portcullis.
The ghouls are sedites, either Anarch or Sabbat aligned.
There was a lengthy discussion about what to do with the bodies, and whether or not this should be our future "burial ground".
We exit through the tunnel, and there is a Butcher's Barbeque van waiting outside. Malady and Fozzi go up and are invited in, while Larissa and Anton watch from a distance. When we join them, a Mr Harry Carpenter tells us he's been sent to offer us sustenance and take us to wherever we need to go.
He tells us he will take us to the Neko no Nyan nightclub (cnr Victoria Pde & Gore Street), which he does. He introduces himself as Nosferatu, and he asks after all of us.
The bouncer directs us downstairs to Alex. He takes us the rear, where we are introduced to Professor Mandarin of the Ventrue, who gratefully accepts the book from us. She gives us a card for Edith at the Nosferatu club, The Painted Lady.
Alex pays us $1050 each, cash in a brown paper bag. Anton deducts a tax of $300 from Fozzi's and Carpenter's bags, giving $200 to Malady and Larissa, who then puts $100 back in each of the bags.
Carpenter drives us to The Painted Lady. We are directed through a closet and then along a passage in which people are dressed in fetish gear, having sex, getting tattoos, and feeding. Anton sees several clans, including Ventrue who he recognise. The door we are directed to looks like the outside of a vault, and we are let in and asked to wait.
Fozzi, as usual, lets his mouth get him into trouble, and he is muted, manacled and used as an example of why respect is demanded while in the domain of another.
Edith directs us to find where the sedites are coming from. A man in the city - Judas - who the Anarchs and the Camarilla should have expelled. He is an ambassador of the sabbat city of Brisbane. Edith gives us a USB key, and tells us that all that matter is putting the program onto his computer; she is not concerned with what happens to Judas, who she describes as an abomination, and she wants to know what there is a sabat in a Camarilla city.
Went done, we are told to return to her at The Painted Lady; she gives us another card, and invites us to partake of the party, which Anton does.
Embers of a Past Conceit - The Embracing of Anton Rossini
30 July 2018
“Your private booth, sir,” she said, gesturing through the door.
Anton nodded and stepped in. Immediately, the deafening music was muted, the dizzying array of blinding lights filtered, the general assault on the senses taken down several notches. Electronic noise cancelation and double-glazed windows, he guessed. Classy. One could at least hear in this space, speak, think.
“May I bring you a drink, sir?” she said.
“Glenfiddich, double shot, two blocks of ice.” He stepped up to the window, surmising, correctly, that its angle and mirrored surface allowed one-way vision only, and looked down onto the dance floor. The girl was still there, still dancing, although with markedly less enthusiasm, glancing repeatedly towards the stairs up which Anton had gone, her face a mix of anger, disappointment, frustration.
“And that girl I was dancing with, blonde, dark blue sequined dress, please invite her up here to join me.”
“You won’t be needing her,” said another voice, female, soft and sultry even against the dampened din of the music. Anton turned in surprise to look at the new arrival as she stepped into the booth, the door closing behind her.
“I didn’t say I need her,” he retorted, after a moment’s pause. “I want her to be with me.”
“And you are used to being given what you want.” It was not posed as a question, and Anton’s lips twitched with the hint of a smile.
“I like to get what I want. Whether given, or taken, makes little difference to me.”
“Indeed,” she muttered, moving over to also look down onto the dance floor, her gait so subtle that she seemed to glide across the floor. “I like to have what I want too. But things are so much more likely to be cherished when they are given. I like to be given the things I want. I cherish such things.”
Anton could not help but stare, drawn by the ethereal beauty of this woman. Her dress, formed from layers of overlapping bands of white satin that seemed to shimmer as she walked, was held up by an ornate lace collar around the neck and left her shoulders, arms and back exposed. The effect was exotically sensual, but she was slim, much too so for his usual taste, with skin exceedingly pale and glistening slightly, as if oiled, giving the semblance of ivory. But the ghost-like mien was dramatically offset by deep auburn hair, strands of it woven so that a golden tiara holding it in place was only just visible, the rest cascading down over her shoulders and almost down to her hips, so vividly in contrast against her dress and skin it was likely rivers of dark blood oozing across snow.
“And what is it you want?”, he asked.
“But she is pretty,” the woman continued, as if not hearing the question. “Young, vibrant. Delicious energy. I can see why she appeals to you.”
“But you were not invited here for casual pleasures,” she exclaimed suddenly, turning away from the window and looking at him directly for the first time.
“I expected that I had been invited here for business,” Anton replied. “It’s why I came. The opportunity of a casual pleasure is bonus. It makes the experience of attending to business all the more, as you say, delicious.”
She laughed, her face remaining serenely smooth even as her lips, glossy with vivid candy red lipstick, beckoned him with their warmth. But it was her inscrutable eyes, dark as the night sky, that held him as she seemed to caress him with her gaze, leaving him feeling powerless to move… feeling certain that he did not want to move.
“You came here expecting to do business?”, she asked, her voice once again soft, sultry. Anton thought he detected the hint of an accent, but it was hard to place. “That’s not out of the question, and we have time. So much time.”
“Is that so? And what business are you in? I do not believe I’ve had the pleasure of making your acquaintance.”
She was still smiling. “And I have not had the pleasure of making yours, although I know who you are, Mr Rossini.”
“Then you have me at an advantage.” His instincts alert, Anton reminded himself to remain wary, but the voice was so warm, those lips so inviting, those eyes deep enough to dive into and lose yourself in forever.
“That is true,” she said. “But not because we are not yet acquainted. Nevertheless, my name is Callidora. Now we are acquainted, and you need not feel so… disadvantaged”. She smiled, as if about to burst into laughter again.
“Callidora?” Anton replied, savouring the sound of it. “Unusual, but appropriately pretty. Of Greek origin, I suspect. Your family is from Greece?”
Her smile became enigmatic, and she looked away from him for a moment. “My family is very old. But it has always ensured that each generation takes on something from the previous, so we never lose touch with our origins.” Her eyes darted back to meet his. “That is important, don’t you think? Each of us passing along something of ourselves to the next in our family, so that you never, really… die?”
“I prefer to make the most of my life while I have it,” Anton replied firmly. “It won’t last forever.”
“It won’t last forever,” Callidora agreed, almost murmuring. Then, quizzically, as if talking to herself, “The only thing that lasts forever is death. Do you not find that profound? The very thing people most fear ultimately becomes their greatest achievement, a triumph that supasses imagining – defeating the burden of time.”
Anton shrugged, his skin suddenly and inexplicably cold, as if the temperature in the room had plummeted. “There are triumphs aplenty in life, and I am content to seek them. We were speaking of my invitation. Was I invited here for professional reasons?”
“Did you accept the invitation for professional reasons?” She stepped up close to him, slipping a finger under the lapel of his jacket and sliding it along the length of the seam. “Or did you accept because it might be pleasurable?”
“We have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted. Perhaps it is time to be professional. Was it you who invited me?” Anton’s entire body felt oddly chilled, although he knew his senses were deceiving him, the room could not be that cold. He could not decide if he was being deliberately seduced or was simply besotted by the exotic sexuality she seemed to naturally exude.
“I think you accepted because you want something, even if you’re not quite sure what that is. If you get something you want, what difference does it make who invited you, or why?” Callidora purred, leaning in an inhaling, as if to take in his scent.
“Why would I not know what want?” Anton thought he should move back to create a more comfortable separation between them, but could not, as if his brain no longer had control over his body. Every sense was alert – he could smell the sweetness of her perfume, feel the back of her finger against his chest, the calm flow of her voice was like a lullaby, and he could not tear his eyes away from her. But the cold surpassed all else, a frigidity that seemed to penetrate to his very core. “You did not mention what business you are in. Are you involved in the club?”
“I am involved in the club,” she acknowledged. “It is a place where we bring people together, people who want something more than they have. And here, we are able to give it to them.” She had both hands gently gripping his lapels now, and was looking up, as if expecting him to lean forward and kiss her. But he could not move his head even if he had wanted to.
“This is your business?”
Callidora smiled again, and began to move around him, her movements still so gentle she seemed to float.
“My business is pleasure, and my pleasure is business.” She continued to slide her finger under the collar of his jacket as she slipped behind him. “As I told you, am a person who likes to have the things I want, but I want those things to be given to me.” She leaned forward, pressing her cheek against the back of his shoulder, whispering, “That means I cherish them. I cherish everything that is given to me. Forever.”
“You want me to give you something? What is it you want?” Anton’s mouth was bone dry, and he realised suddenly that his drink still had not been brought to him.
“You accepted the invitation because you wanted something, although you are not sure what. You came hoping for a business opportunity. I will offer you both, what you want and what you hope for.” She had both hands on his shoulders now, her touch so light as to be barely felt, head still held against his back and her mouth at his ear. “And you came here hoping for at least a little... pleasure. I know it, and I will offer you that too.”
“Thank you,” Anton croaked. He felt desperate for a drink, longing for the Scotch that would soothe his parched throat and splash warmth into his icy body.
Her voice was now so soft he should not be able to hear it. “You will join my business. You will be my agent, my delegate, my envoy, my instrument. You will serve me, and I will honour you for your service and give you things you want, and things you hope for. And you will find pleasure in these things, and cherish them, as I do, because I share them with you.”
“What business? What things? I don't understand.” he sighed.
“You do not need to understand, dearest Anton, just accept. It is what you were born for, and it is what you will die for. You will give me what I want, and I will give you what you need - a gift that surpasses anything you have ever imagined. What we need, what we want, what we find pleasure in, this is our business, and we will share a lifetime of it... and then more than a lifetime.”
"I don't understand," Anton repeated, barely able form the words, his tongue little more than a dry solid lump in his mouth. “You said you wanted to be given something. What do you want me to give you?”
“Everything, my beloved.” He felt her hands now, at the top of his shoulders. He felt her nose graze the back of his ear, felt her lips against the side of his neck. “I want you to give me everything.”
A sharp pain, as if she had stabbed him with a small knife. He gasped in surprise… and then warmth, at last, radiating from that point like a wildfire set alight by a fuse within his body. He realised his eyes were now closed and, for the briefest instant, thought he was dreaming. And then, in the moments before oblivion overtook his senses, an explosion of pleasure unlike anything he had ever known.
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