The woman in the corner continues to rock back and forth paying no mind to Meredith. Meredith can see that she seems fixated on some object she is holding but she can't tell what it is.
Lacey goes over to the table and places the tape into the player.
"My studies proceed at a languid pace. I'm mired in a foul ennui as my wife's illness advances. My subjects grow restless without proper supervision, but I cannot pull myself back from this black depression. How many nights I've wasted now gazing from the tower walk, pondering the frailty of existence.
After decades of solitary study into this affliction, I have learned that it is by no means mine alone. Indeed, the city is home to an entire society of similarly afflicted individuals with whom I've only recently made contact. They are an understandably standoffish sort, by and large, but I have been able to confirm with them that the condition is indeed vampirism which apparently comes in a multitude of strains, each with a spectacular set of symptoms such as invisibility and even a sort of lycanthropy. Through numerous official interactions with the governing body of this secret society, I have concluded that their fundamental understanding of the vampiric condition is woefully lacking and mired in suspicion and pseudo-religious dogma that would make a Turk balk for its strictures. Indeed, they seemed impressed with my studies and the eloquence with which I was able to present them, apparently the typical suffer of my particular strain of vampirism is far from the vanguard of the king's English. So impressed where they that they even offered me an office in their government, a rather high office by the sound of things. I believe I shall accept. If nothing else, it should provide a lofty vantage point from which to observe the breadth and epidemiology of the afflictions so that I may move more expeditiously toward a cure."
As the tape ends the woman in the corner seems to snap out of a trance, reacting to Grout's voice. Meredith can see that the object she is holding is a knife. She turns to see Meredith and starts laughing manically "Come to take me have you? Do your experiments please you? You will not have me!"
GM: | Everyone roll initiative. Also, place yourselves where you're supposed to be on the map. | |