{V:tM - IC} New York by Night

[Shalimar]

Main Entrance - Antiquities Nightclub, Manhattan
Wednesday 11th December, 2003

The loud music had made the child give a small start in the elder's arms, but she quickly got over the noise and seetled herself in more comfortably. Her eyes were constantly moving, constantly searching out all of the differnt things in the club. Her eyes widen at some of the clothes being worn by the patrons. Thats certainly not very lady-like, she thinks about one girl in particular who was dancing awfully close to her boyfriend, er boyfriends to be more specific. The woman was rubbing herself on the men like a wash cloth, not even close to any type of dance that Sabrina knew.

"What is she doing?" she asks pointing her small hand at the woman. She looked puzzeled, and very curious about all the different types of dancing that the people were doing. Sabrina blinks at Cate's question, refocusing on the singer, it took a little effort, the press of bodies and the warmth were over-whelming or would have been if she hadn't been allowed to feed. "I want to meet Miss Maria." she said by way of answer to Cate.

 

[reapersaurus]

The unsettling image of the child vampire at the party mere weeks ago flitted through the Tremere's mind. The paving slabs likely covered a fresher corpse, judging by the ammount of blood that had seeped from underneath it.

The victim on the tree had been Kindred.

Nikolai imagines hordes of soulless children, corrupted and destroyed by The Poet, and flushes with anger and revulsion.

He examines the corpse, and his understanding of vampire physiology, and tries to determine whther the victim could be revived in any way.

He continues his Investigation of the victim's body, then moves on, asking,
"Can I get some help in lifting up the slab?

Let's see who's made an impression here."

 

[Festy_Dog]

Frederick Douglas Memorial Cemetery, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

originally posted by reapersaurus
"Can I get some help in lifting up the slab?

Let's see who's made an impression here."

"Okaly dokaly," Max says, moving over to the base of the pile of rubble where he drops the corpse to the ground and wipes his hand on his jacket.

Damn, do I really want to see whats under this this? Business is business though, I better get to it.

Max helps any way he can.

"Watcha determined from the scene thus far, super sleuth?" he asks jovially, a tone of voice to distract himself from thinking about what he may be uncovering.

 

[KitanaVorr]

Main Entrance - Antiquities Nightclub, Manhattan
Wednesday 11th December, 2003

Those dark eyes widened ever so slightly when Caitlyn realized the type of club they were in - in part with the way their hostess was dressed and reacting to that man up in the mezzanine...wasn't he from that formal party? This place certainly wasn't appropriate for a seven-year old child...what were these two men thinking?

However - Sabby wasn't her responsiblity, not when her guardian was right here and amply amble to attend to his responsiblities.

In fact... Turning that deep gaze right on Nathaniel, she gave him a smile - sort of mix between mischief and expectancy. Wonder how he's going to answer all of Sabrina's questions tonight?

 

[reapersaurus]

"Watcha determined from the scene thus far, super sleuth?" he asks jovially, a tone of voice to distract himself from thinking about what he may be uncovering.

Nikolai makes sure to retreive the single blood-stained white rose from the body, securing it with gloves on. He uses what tools he has to get it, making sure he doesn't hold it and spoil any Auras that may still reside on the rose that can be seen thru a more experienced Auspex-user's eyes than his.

Nikolai climbs down from the tree and straightens up momentarily and looks deep into the Brujah's eyes, weighing his measure.

It is not in Nikolai's nature to trust ANYONE nowadays, much less a vampire, but desperation and fanaticism DOES make strange bedfellows.

OOC: Aura Perception on Max - I'm sure he won't radiate any emotion that would cause Nik to feel suspicious.

"Well, my dear Watson, (exaggerated wink) this ..... victim on the tree is actually a Kindred.
I haven't been able to find out if he was dead before he was impaled. I think a Necromancer would be quite handy to have right about now...... David? You don't happen to know anyone that could help uncover some truths that lie within these cold dead eyes?

David? Are you here?

But anyway, Maxwell, these other bodies were munched on by some rather strong creatures that I would surmise are very similar to Slimer, here.

If I could ask for your guys' assistance, we should all find out what facts can be uncovered by revealing the victim under this slab, and if you all could help to collect any physical evidence you can find of Slimer's friends that may be on the gnawed-on bodies, or fingernails in the clawed earth, or tatters of clothing, etc.

I may be able to use them to track the little horrors down afterwards."

Nikolai steals a look at the feral thing's dessicated body's Aura, trying to determine if it still emits emotions, therefore most probably alive.

 

[reapersaurus]

Nikolai relates to the others:
"If we need to get out of here secret-like, I could... 'cast a spell'..., if you wish, that would make it hard to see all of us - effectively making us invisible.

It would take quite a while to cast, though, so it probably wouldn't help us in this case."

 

[Catulle]

Antiquities Nightclub, Manhattan
Wednesday 11th December, 2003


The Mezzanine

Mazz' eyes strayed across the neonate's perfect form and over at the party entering as Vychtorya spoke. He gave a shrug of his thin shoulders which jostled the long tangle of his hair as if the strands were in turn noncommital. "I think I'd cramp your style, and 'sides, I always did like to watch." His grin returned as he flexed his arms about in their sockets as if straining out the day's cramps, adding "I'm just wondering who you'll greet first..." He winked again, and this time the gesture was less warm, more calculating than it had been before.

He took a few paces away, dropping with graceful abandon into one of the deep seats, and stretching long legs out across the floor in front of him and extending an arm out in the direction of the blonde mortal. "I think Skye and I can keep each other company for a bit, V. You do your thing."


The Entrance

Carrick followed Sabrina's gesture towards the tight press of knotted humanity which was sweating and surging on the floor. He rubed at his cean-shaven jaw for a moment with his free hand, and looked to Vychtorya, Cate and Nathaniel in order before replying. The music cut most of the detail from his speach to all save Sabrina, afforded the perfect position to hear.

"She's struggling to find an instant of hapiness in a life that all too often disappoints. She's striving to find meaning for herself reflected in the mirror of another. She may succeed, or she may fail, but she will have tried. At the end of it all, she can say she has lived. That is what happens here, Sabrina - people come to look for those answers that only humanity can provide. Ultimately, it's my reason for being here as well."

Nathan remained quiet through the exchange, eyes roaming the room as if seeing it for the first time, Cate could almost see the mind at work behind them as they pried out every detail of each sculpture, every painting. Sabrina knew only too well that Uncle Nathan did not approve of this kind of thing; bright colours and such, and it was a little surprising that he hadn't said something yet.

"All in good time, Sabrina." Nathan had to strain his voice to be heard and the ennunciation had the effects of a harsh croak to it; the raven in a nest of peacocks. He caught Caitlyn's look towards him, and the response was unreadable; a stoic visage confronted her and the dark eyes let slip nothing. "Let us see what our hostess has planned for us." He took a few paces, surprisingly determined in his stride before settling into a more usual stroll, towards the stairway.

 

[Catulle]

Frederick Douglas Memorial Cemetery, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

Gabriel followed Max to the 'cairn', dropping his boot atop the corpse with an attitude of vague disdain, prohibiting the body's escape. He leant forward, placing much of his weight on his cane to watch Nikolai and Max at work. "David's gone to watch our backs with the sheriff; I think Legba's talking to him now. You'd be best to make that as fast as you can, though - the police are corrupt, not hopeless."

(OOC - Nikolai per/investigation diff6 - 10,10,9,8,2,2,2 = 4 successes; dex/athletics diff6 - 10,10,8,7,5,4,4 = 4 successes)

With careful hands, Nikolai pried the flower from its cradle in the shattered branch. A single white rose, sprayed in blood - likely the heart's blood of the unfortunate Kindred who hung mere inches away. The poetry was also daubed out in blood, a fine hand and an old style, though the ink of choice was not that best suited to the task. The placard was attached to a length of chain, the back reading "Cemetery Gates close 7pm" in bold black letters. His best guess was that the Kindred was both truly dead and relatively young, likely Embraced in the last few months, had kept the grave's rot at bay - for the time being.

Closer to the ground, it was impossible to isolate a single hair, nail or tooth, such was the carnage - a sample could come from any of the exposed cadavers as much as their 'assailants'.

(OOC - Nikolai aura perception diff8 - 10,8,7,6,5,4,4,3 reroll 3 = 2 successes on Max; aura perception diff9 - 10,8,7,7,6,4,3,1 reroll 9 = 1 success on the feral)

For an instant under Nikolai's level gaze, Max's basic emotional state was laid bare, the young Brujah feeling on an instinctual level the withering intensity of the determined Tremere's scrutiny, then the moment passed. Though he realised on an intellectual level that the feral could be capable of such a deceit, Nikolai was still surprised despite himself when the flickers of a living aura still played about the 'corpse' beneath Gabriel's boot.

It was a simple matter for Max to shift the broken flagstones a little, blood soon caked his hands, dark clotting gore mixed in with filthy soil. It got onto the pair's sleeves, under nails, ground into clothes, but in a few minutes, a broken, tiny hand was visible outstretched in the wan light of the moon. It was cold as ice, and the snow that touched it didn't melt away so quickly as elsewhere. The stones came faster, a child's makeshift grave, the heavy stones had taken their toll, and the cause of death could have been due to the crush as easily as the influence of the Kindred.

The clear sound of sirens caught first in Nikolai's ears, then in those of his companions.

 

[Festy_Dog]

Frederick Douglas Memorial Cemetery, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

Max flinches under Nikolai's gaze, but is relieved when Nikolai stops. Convinced that he found, or didn't find, what he was looking for.

Tremere can see what others cannot, they can look into a person a see whats hidden. Thankfully, it appears I've hidden some parts of me well enough.

He listens to Nikolai intently, his brow furrowing while the dead kindred becomes the topic. Max looks up at the tree again.

Yeah, now that he mentions it, thats a vampire alright.

He goes about uncovering the remains, and isn't surprised to find a child, he fumes silently for a moment though while he imagines ways to cause great pain to another kindred. The sirens draw him out of it.

"Hmm, we best be gone," he says, and brushes himself off before picking the ghoul's corpse back up, "What's in store for that guy?"

Max indicates up to their impaled relative.

"I mean, we shouldn't leave one of our own for mortals to find right?" he queries.

 

[KitanaVorr]

Antiquities Nightclub, Manhattan
Wednesday 11th December, 2003

A dark brow arched slightly at Nathan's look but before Caitlyn could say anything she found herself half-dragged with the quick strides of his longer legs. The sudden movement, though slightly forewarned, still took her off guard and she found herself hanging onto him with more ardour than she ever intended.

What the?!

When he slowed down to a more reasonable pace, she managed to get caught up, though it wasn't nearly enough to stop that flash of indignation curling through her belly. She loosened her grip, putting a more respectable distance between them, yet keeping her hand resting on his arm.

"So who is Miss Maria?" she asked nonchalantly, remembering Sabrina's words and briefly glanced behind them at the child before returning her dark-lashed gaze upon the stoic man beside her.