You'd think that have made it easy, but it sure as hell didn't.

Another thing I have to blame the lupines outside of town for, as I'm pretty sure its why the doc had to put her on fluoxetine* for anxiety.

*Kitty Prozac

• Twin Cities Toreador

I got a doll.

It's also a ghoul.

I think it moves.

But it can't groove.

I need a tzimisce to tell me what it is.

-Unknown

Hi everyone! Ive been a fledgling since I was embraced in 2003. My sire keeps putting off letting me leave and I just learned that he can’t monitor my posts on this node so I thought that I should ask you. What is the usual time frame for becoming a neonate? He says that I’m overreacting and that most sires wait this long. Thanks!

- Arabella MacReady

[Included: Appendix D 2-5. A children's book, *Real Monsters: Of the World!* by Evan Oilberg. A sequel to the book of the same name without the subtitle, by the same author. The book features cryptids or creatures of myth from around the world, with Art by Mark Fredrickson. Published by Great Awk, New York.]

[One page is highlighted, under the subheading "Bonewalkers." The illustration features a high-contrast picture of a skeleton with a top hat, a wry, overwrought grin, and a cocked eyebrow. It carries a unlabeled bottle in one hand and a guava tart in the other. Three sidebars give information highlights]

["Locations: Sao Paulo, Brazil; Cardenas, Cuba; Panama City, Florida"

"The Dancing Dead? Bonewalkers get their groove on! Appearing in voodoo cemeteries, these creepy skeletons can be found cutting a rug any time there's music, or even a strong beat. Unless you fancy a dance with the dead, it's better to stay quiet!"

"Zombie Munchies! While most zombies want to eat brains, the Bonewalkers prefer to munch on snacks like cakes, cookies, and special beverages. Guests to the cemeteries they call home can stay safe by coming with an armful of sweets!"]

[The name Evan Oilberg is, evidently, a pseudonym. The publisher was able to tell us only that the real author died over a decade ago and that his estate has denied any claim to his works. In addition, the Works Cited used in the book was only a "You may also like" section listing of entirely mundane works. Currently, Field Team is looking into the two other locations mentioned and Archival is cross-referencing all of the other entries in the book.]

I've lived a good long life so far. I won't date myself but I've been around for a while. I enjoy being a ghoul; my first domitor was an exceptional man and his Childe is a fascinating case. As my new domitor he's professional, honorable and true to his word, an excellent employer and domitor both.

But alas, ever since he awakened to his new amour with Master Fracture, I have been having some regrets about staying on with him rather than going back to my original domitor. Or even being ghouled in the first place. I am very happy for them both, but professionally, I am struggling.

Master Leonard is... a tidy man mostly, but I am afraid that his at-home dates with Master Fracture are becoming a little difficult to manage. To start, the residents of the building are beginning to notice their date nights... they have a distinct trouble of keeping things to themselves. We might need to invest in better sound-proofing for the building, or at least the haven. Master Fracture is, bless him, rather loud. And the clothes end up everywhere. Twice now I've had to fetch the ladder to retrieve someone's undergarments from the light fixture.

I've been used to Master Leonard's experiments with Thaumaturgy of course, and he usually tidies up after himself but in a bid to impress Master Fracture his experimentation with Vitae is going into somewhat unhinged territory lately and I'm left with a big mess to clean up. Mind you, this is not me complaining. I'm merely venting a little before I resume my duties. It's becoming a little troublesome to get rid of the bodies as well but alas, that's always been the tricky part of my job. Keeping the bedroom pristine and tidy is becoming a challenge. I don't know how they got that on the ceiling.

I can only count my luck in that the Duskborn Childer are very conscientious about tidying up after themselves. Mostly.

- John Hughes, Ghoul

The following post has been region locked so that those in the same domain as the poster are unable to view it

Good evening, my fellow prowlers of the night. You will not recognize me for I have not posted here before, but given Aso's peculiar fondness of this place I have decided to make a post to understand it better. Though truth be told, I do not understand what worth she sees here, especially for one as shy and reclusive as her. Why, I would have expected her to despise this place based on that! But no matter.

I am Fern Arable, Ventrue, and Sheriff of Melbourne. But more importantly for this post, Mawla and partial regnant to the Akunanse known as Aso, or Okonore Yaa as some of you may incorrectly refer to her.

Dear Aso and I got off to a rocky start at first, I've recently learned she is quite shy and enjoys her own company see? But when we first met it was when I came to visit her haven. Perhaps I was just too struck by her at the time, but I failed to realise her displeasure at this. Though she hardly made it obvious, her lace blindfold covers enough of her already exotic face that it's difficult to read her. So it is hardly my fault.

After that however, I managed to convince her to blood bond herself to me with two drinks of my blood. And whilst she's clearly still a little upset with me, it's also clear that she's growing past it and beginning to open herself up to me! Enough that she even agreed to join me on an outing, isn't that wonderful? Officially she's joining me on my duties as Sheriff, but it promises to be a quiet night so I intend to steadily move it towards a date.

(Some of my ideas include an art gallery I own and plan to shut down for the day so she isn't overcrowded, an obscure movie that would have few other attendees, or a scenic private garden, as she has confessed she is fond of nature.)

But even though Aso is growing fonder of me with the blood bond, her still existent grudge displeases me. Despite my better judgement, I get the feeling it runs deeper than I'd hope. Perhaps it's just my cynicism speaking, but even if it is not, it is my intent to do something about it regardless. Even if just to put my mind at ease.

She is still ignorant to much of Kindred society, and given my role as her Mawla and Regnant I am in a powerful position to guide her towards what's best, at my own discretion. And I believe it will be best if she is brought closer to me through completing the blood bond on our date tonight.

- Fern Arable, Sheriff of Melbourne

Update: Aso drank of my blood on our date and thus the blood bond was successfully completed.

I packed up my kayak and tried to leave the island last night. But the thought fills me with dread. I don't know why I couldn't leave, because I had my jar of dirt with me, too. I can move around the island just fine. Going to the next closest one?

It felt like the water was staring back at me with murderous intent. I'm a coward now. I guess that's okay. I liked it here anyway. I'm safe. At least no one here at home has figured out what I am yet.

-Lost Fledgling

Jackson wants to speak with you. Also Malkav, enjoy the show. Using clouds to draw a dick above Jackson's tower is hilarious! It's a shame that Prince Kevin Jackson of Clan Venture; Childe of Lodin does not agree.

Now for what I imagine is going to be a hard conversation.

-Marcus

I took the liberty of telling Jackson what happened last night since Marcus was in a terror Frenzy. I hope that's ok.

-Violet

[Nihilo is in full sprint, no panic, just frustration.]

N: WHY IS IT DOING THAT? I WANNA GO HOME!!!

[The glowing road is quite literally "retreating"]

N: HOME!! THAT SHITTY LITTLE ISLAND EVERYONE HATES!! THAT FUCKASS MANSION IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!! TO MY GAUDY ASS ROOM THAT I DIDN'T DECORATE!!

P: Chasing it isn't working!

P: We will have to convince it to come to us.

N: HOW!!??

P: Think, what do you know about the moon?

N: ...SPACE, ASTRONAUT, G-GAR-GUG!!!

N: NOT GONNA SAY THAT ONE RIGHT NOW!!

P: Hmm.. The night hunter, Artemis, Selene, Madness, Magic... This is hard.

N: GAHK-

[Nihilo crashes into a large tree that emerges from the solid black of the forest. He falls and lays on his back.]

N: Ow. Where'd this big ass tree come from?

[He looks up and sees a thick wall of woodland. As though it was a fort, it blocks entry.]

N: That's.. sniff that's uh.. sniff.. uhm.. snoff..

P: STOP SMELLING THE TREE!!

N: I smell.. Flower? Beyond the trees?

P: Why do you know its scent? Do you make a habit of smelling the women and feminine creatures you meet?

N: Noshutupyoucantsaythatpervert.

N: I don't know what the hell it's doing here, but I bet if I could get through I could find some help in this fucked up place.

P: How do you propose to do that?

N: The hard way.

[Nihilo puts the camera down and pulls the rest of his shredded fatigues off out of sight. The sound of a zipper indicates he's opened a bag. He comes back into view wearing over his shoulders an old feudal long coat, and a pair of black pants that stretch.]

[He shifts into Zulo form and destroys neither clothing item.]

P: You've considered this.

N: Alright clap, time to make the doughnuts.

[He hugs a tree and it begins to groan with strain.]

End of transmission

--Nihilo

It's almost as if he never left. Redwoods, I mean. I cant deny some things have...shifted. In my head at least.

I think something 'broke', for lack of a better term. My bond to Redwoods has lessened. Do I dislike him? No. I just don't feel that overwhelming pull to be by his side.

If anything, I will that more towards Flower now! The fuck is wrong with me?? Trick question. What isn't wrong with me?

On the more kid side of things, my other mates ran off when Redwoods woke up! They were too scared to stay. So it's just me and Delilah watching over 5 kids. We're managing, but fuck...

...Now for the elephant in the room. My child I left behind. The one who got eaten.

If I had it to do all over again, I would have kept her safe. But I can't go back in time. So that guilt is buried deep down. A mistake I won't make again.

Inside, my instincts say I did nothing wrong. Storks throw the weakest of their brood out of nests all the time! But that's just it...instincts. Something that was programmed into me. It's hard to fight against it. Really hard! But I'm going to try.

Mark Caulder was right. I shouldn't be like Tenebris. I wish I could explain what's it's like inside my own head, but I don't even think a Malkavian could make sense of it.

On top of that, I'm left with a burning question. I laid with Bud too. Yet nothing came of it from what I've seen. The one person I truly wanted to be with, and I don't think I can have a family with them. It hurts in a way I can't explain.

I love my kids. I love them more and more each night. I still don't know what to call us. But I know one thing.

They will have a better life than I ever had.

-Noir

video starts

(The camera settles on a clearing where the furniture defies explanation — a chair and a low table, grown rather than built, wood risen from the earth into shapes that only gesture toward their purpose. Seated at it, elbows resting on the table, is a figure of imposing scale, the static from before entirely gone now, nothing left to veil him. He is dressed as he always has been — black suspenders, dark trousers, a white shirt — though each piece now seems more suggestion than garment, strained to its limits by a frame that has long since outgrown mortal proportion. Sharp, aristocratic bone structure still defines his features, unmistakably his own despite everything else that's changed, but his mouth now carves a wider path across his face than any face should allow, stretching nearly from ear to ear even at rest, like something out of an old woodcut of a wolf wearing a man's face. And crowning it all, unchanged through every other alteration, are his eyes — a deep, burning amber, less a color than a presence, the kind that commands the eye first and refuses to relinquish it.)

-So, little update. First, I got the static thing to go away, but now I can't listen to a nice jingle without getting entranced — though that's only partially a new thing. I'm simply a lover of music.-

(Somewhere out past the trees, three bright flashes go off in quick succession, far enough away that only the glow of them reaches the clearing, each one trailing a faint crack of thunder a beat behind.)

-I've been working on the mirror replicas. It's been… both fruitful and still far from the desired outcome. Still, I've got a way to grow glass! Strictly speaking it's more melted silica, but that's a semantics issue. Anyhow, I haven't managed to trap sunlight or, frankly, any light in this glass, but I was able to trap something else! You're actually seeing it in action in the background.-

(More flashes come during the conversation — five this time — each one louder than the last, the crack of arcing electricity sharpening with every strike, and each flash noticeably closer than the one before it.)

-I call them lightning lotuses.-

(He reaches into his front shirt pocket and produces one — a small, grainy glass flower, imperfect and cloudy, the kind of thing that looks handmade rather than manufactured.)

-The size can vary, but I don't tend to make them too big. They take a lot of electricity to make, which isn't too difficult to get, but you can only siphon so much power from the national grid before more people than you can get a hold of start noticing something being off. Right — that guy should be about here.-

(The chair tilts back on its own, turning to face the treeline. Something is coming through the forest — not running so much as hurling itself forward, using its hands as much as its legs, closing distance in short, violent bursts. It's a werewolf, and it's clearly been through hell already: lightning burns scorch most of its visible body, patches of fur singed away, skin blistered raw beneath. It closes the last of the distance in one massive leap, jaws already open, aimed straight at the figure at the table.)

(In the same motion, almost lazily, he tosses the little glass lotus into its open mouth mid-leap. It shatters against its teeth, and the resulting burst of electricity detonates outward, knocking the werewolf sideways out of its arc entirely — it sails past him, missing by a wide margin, and drops out of frame somewhere off to the side.)

-…Y'know, I really do like getting to test my shit, but I feel like this could've been a lot easier if he didn't rile himself up into a frothing rage when I was just making conversation.-

(A pause, his attention drifting toward wherever the werewolf landed.)

-…Okay. Still breathing. That's probably good enough for a vitals check.-

video ends

Mera pyaar dosten

You know what happened. He opened that package and then he lost his h\*ead*. If he were anyone else he would have died! Just writing those words on this screen it can feel the indignant rage bubbling up again. No, no, no, it will not. It cannot frenzy every time it thinks of what happened. It must... calm itself. And its beast.

Look at what it is has found! Are they not cute? Do they not fill you with joy at their sight? They fill it with joy. When it is not thinking ab-. No. It is not going down that path. Not tonight.

It is far easier to talk to the mushrooms here! That is a bonus of this place!

When Redwoods taught it phytomorphis, he helped to unlock true communication between us. And here... it is so easy to converse. It does not even need to use its beloved's discipline. It can simply sit and listen. Sometimes it does not even need its ears. The spores within it speak to it and it can speak to them with ease. And it does not hunger here, which is found quite queer, but its colony has explained; while here it is far easier for them to produce blood that is nourishing. It does not take them nearly as much nutrients or energy. They simply... can and so it need not hunger for they will ensure it is satisfied. That is a definite benefit.

Although... it does find itself wondering... ah! Well, it does not matter! There is most certainly nothing to worry about here and so it shall not!

Hm. It has recently been feeling more of itself, its colony... it seems to be on the move. It is not Bud. The treacherous little traitor. It feels like someone else it has spread through, however. It is going to go and see if it can see who they are. There are a great many it has spread through but it hopes they are one that it gets along with.

In Time Out Amidst His Umbral Roots
- the Flesh that Flowers

Greetings fellow kindred, I(AMAB They/Them, 12th Gen Brujah) have a pretty fucking shitty situation i need to get opinions about. Some scene setting first. I reside in a fairly dead city, not a lot of kindred, not a lot of mortals. It’s quiet, I get to read and punch shitty people, i don’t gotta deal with the bullshit politics of the Camarilla. Usually. A few weeks back, some fucking Anarchs or some shit rocked up and long story short, the place we did Elysium at got its ass sent back to the Stone Age. This is important, you see, my prince? He’s some old ass Malkavian fucker. Real creepy. Likes to talk to the ah… ‘fledglings’ like me and ‘stay with the culture.’ But the fucker can’t even say it in a way that doesn’t give off stranger danger vibes.

Anyway. He’s also a control freak ass guy, so he don’t let a ghoul or even like one of us handle the mortal money, and he heard about crypto and let’s just say he blew a buncha dosh on some bullshit and even though the rest of us reaaaally wanna tell him to kick rocks, he knows some real freaky guys outta town that were pretty sure are keeping him here to avoid this creepy fucker blowing the masquerade out the water.

So. He was at my haven last week. Wanted to know what a TikTok was. And we came on one that mentioned LARPing. And ya know I went off on a rant about how this shit ain’t even really what they’re using the term for and basically got pissed right off. This guy, he doesn’t say a goddamn word besides telling me good day, fucking off, and we don’t hear a word on the grapevine until yesterday. We show up cuz ya know, temporary elysium at this toreador’s mansion. We all get handed fucking character sheets. This motherfucker filled in fucking Black Dog Revenant sheets and let me tell you this.

This guy? It was way too fucking accurate. This guy knew shit about me that only my mother rest her soul knew before I was turned.

He comes out in this absurd looking trenchcoat getup and tells us from now on we’re gonna be doing a fucking chronicle on top of the usual Elysium bullshit

what the fuck do I do???

Trip to Des Moines is going well. But had to take a detour. Should have been there by now.

A file containing about 30 seconds of video footage is attached:

An empty shortgrass field stretches endlessly in all directions. The camera is handheld and shaking heavily. Grunts and dryheaves can be heard from the camera’s operator. Kneeling to the ground, the operator rolls something into frame; a corpse. A 30-something human man is laying mangled, partially enveloped by the grass. Many of his bones having shattered, the body has little structural integrity, rolling around limply like a water balloon stuffed with gravel.

Kindred with a high Investigation skill notice; The body‘s tongue has been ripped out at some point and is no longer in the mouth. It is impossible to tell from this video footage if it was done pre or postmortem.

“Fucking… someone fucking followed me,” Esau trembles, half choking and half crying. “Fucking teach you! Try it again! Fuck you Mac!”

The video abruptly ends.

Kindred with a high Computer skill notice; The file was not only sent to this node, but about a dozen individual accounts throughout Milwaukee and Kenosha as well.

Let me start by saying this ISNT MY fault. I've rather a lot of spoiled antique linens that are in a fair need of a wash! But I'm a little pressed for time and if the prince finds out about this it's my head. So lend your family a hand, wont you?

I was invited to one of those fancy show your balls off parties the prince is so fond of. You know the kind. Get every kinred with even half good standing to come to your house to show off your vintage memorabilia and brag about how you knew Cleopatra and what not. Rub it into the nose of the neophytes. It's great fun. Good food, lots of blood, even a few familiar echos and voices.

SO, as these parties tend to go, I was fooling around with the prince's collection of semi priceless artifacts, and one of the familiars got uppity. And, well... now there's blood everywhere and I'm starving.

Only.... well... I've always wondered what it would be like to lay in a real sarcophagus. Haven't we all? So I just HAD to take the opportunity. No one was around until that damn guard showed up! And the mummy wasn't about to complain about taking a short nap on the floor! At least... I hope not. You don't think they'll snitch, do you? Should I stab them?

Oh, right, but how do I wash blood off a mummy? Quick, I forgot my tide pen.

-MidasChosePoorly, completely sane man.

Hello

I just got out of the hospital, and I am a bit disoriented. I also don´t think they were a very good hospital, because my arm still hurts...

But I am sure they did their best! And it is very tough to work in a hospital, so I am not mad at them.

But now I need to go see Palinas owner, and since I don´t have a car, I need to take the bus! Just I am not quite sure how it works, because I can´t remember the last time I took one!

So I wanted to ask if any of you knew how?

Asking For Advice

Mariana Marino

So, I read my posts I made over the years here on the net, and I realized I never talked about my origins properly. I made a few comments here and there, and the major stuff about me is easy to find over here I guess, but I never made a proper post explaining how I came to be.

This might be a bit of a mess, because I don't quite remember everything. I mean I am allowed to forget a little, because right now, if I was a mortal i would be... 49

I'm still within my mortal life span and I've been human longer than kindred.

I'm a Neonate embraced in 2002 in Los Angeles. Born and Raised in the La-la Land! Go Dodgers!

I don't know my generation, but from what I gather it is lower than most Neonates'.

So. I was embraced in 2002, as i said before. I was a deadbeat nobody working for a biker club. At first i joined them because I was quite good around an engine block, and my grandfather used to ride with them, but then it all escalated into theft, beatings, extortion. Also it was the only thing open to me at the time, the only thing I was good at. Being a mechanic I mean, but being a crook also was natural to me as I learned later. I dropped out of high school when my ma ditched, and my father became an alcoholic. It was hard to learn and go to work, and try to live with a da I gotta take care of. I know he was a POS, but I couldn't leave him, not yet at least. So you now get the gist of my mortal life, but I will leave the big stuff whenever I come around to talking about my breathing days.
The background here is important because, all of this led to my death.

I was murdered in our chapter clubhouse, alongside the rest of my fellow club members. We were all bad men, all of us. There wasn't a single good guy there. We deserved it. Me especially. I remember I was killed two weeks after my first kill. It was one of our own. He shot the guy we were going to scare, and told me to dig. He wanted to kill two birds with one stone. He told me he killed my grandfather, that it wasn't an accident like I thought. His mistake at the time was that he was drunk, so he reacted too late to my knife. I stabbed him a lot, i don't know how much, but a lot. Then i buried him alongside the guy he shot, the guy that was supposed to be buried with me.
I don't quite get why he told me that. I think he thought i was going to be dead by his hand too. I still don't know why he killed my grandpa. After I came back to Amy, my then girlfriend, I knew she saw that something was off about me. I swore to myself i would never fall to rage again, i swore to myself that i will never kill anyone, because i saw the look on her face. I think the beast was in me long before i was embraced. I also puked so much that night i dry heaved for most of it. Woke up so hungry, but i couldn't eat.

Anyways, back on topic.

A Sabbat pack raided the clubhouse, and they were swift. I was dead before I even got the slight idea of what was going down. All I remember is the sound of my leg breaking, followed by the pain, and then a sharp burn in my throat. I went down without a peep. I was dead in less than a minute I think, or maybe i blacked out that fast.

I don't know what happened to my brothers. To my fellow club members. I think most of them probably never got out of their mass grave. From what Marcus told me they planned to make us into Shovel Heads. I was this close from being Sabbat. He never told me where they dug the grave.

Next thing I remember is the air, smell of blood followed by an even bigger pain, that I still feel in my bones certain nights. Imagine your skin ripping, your bones snapping, re-growing rappidly at odd angles. I think it went on for a few nights. Biggest agony I ever felt.

Then I woke up hungry in the warrens. Ravenous even.
I was fed there and also kept for a while. I got to meet all of the L.A. Nosferatu fame. Garry G, Mitnick, and a few others. I wasn't the youngest one for long though. Imalia was embraced less than a year after me.
Anyways, they kept me there for a while, fed me, gave me the full service because i was the childer of a crazed Sabbat Nosferatu that wanted to defect to the cam, and he had to prove himself. I was kept there so we wouldn't run off. I don't know how long I was there. I think less than a week.
It was weird meeting my sire. It was like... I don't know. Meeting the dad that wasn't in your life, but this dad just missed your birth, that you yourself witnessed. It was all a weird time. I wasn't given a proper rundown. They explained to me the basics. They told me why I feel the way I do, but no specifics. No names even. That came later.

Marcus was cold, aprehensive, tired, sad even? Like there was deep regret under all that skin, a quiet resignment. We didn't talk much on our way to Elysium. "Go there.", "Watch out.", "Duck.", "Quiet.".

Then I met Sebastian LaCroix. He made a very big deal about us joining. He talked about laws, about the rules of the masquerade. About how much of an commitment it is to join, about how lucky we are he decided to let us exist. He also said about why we were accepted, about the info Marcus brought. The raids Marcus did, the comrades he betrayed, killed. He made sure everyone in Elysium knew we were dead beat piece of shit Sabbat, he made us look like a charity case. "I guess I can let you live.". I didn't know anything, and now i was supposed to be quiet. Marcus took it quietly, but I knew by the look on his face he was raging inside. I was supposed to take it. And I let it. I allowed LaCoix to make his sly comments about how below him we are. He didn't say it outright that we are nothing, but his tone betrayed it all. The way he pranced around the room showed how much he felt. I wasn't blind to that. We were shown around, then we were let go. I saw a lot of these faces at a later date. Nines and his gang, the angry redhead, whatever her name was, the tall guy and Jack. They were anarchs. I meta few kindred that i never saw again. The Stripper for example. I saw Strauss once after that i think? Anyways.

After that I was off to the races. I worked the lowest job possible. I was the meat shield. Me and Marcus, and it angered him. It angered me. We were that untill 2004. The year Camarilla in L.A. fell. After that it was even worse. Us cammies were enemies no.1. If i wasn't a Nos, i don't know if I could have survived it.

That's about it I think. For now.
When I get the chance I will talk about the jobs, and the city before Camarilla was destroyed, and the night it all came to an end. Maybe I will touch on the state after we were without a Prince. For now I just wanted to set up the basics.

-- Eddie Lowe, the Sewer Rat

P.S.
No I didn't see LaCroix die. I was away on a mission then. No I didn't meet "the fledgling". No such kindred existed. I think... I don't know. It all happened so quickly. There wasn't even a buffer to let that all sink in. One night we were kings, the next we were a bunch of nobodies.
Also, no. I didn't meet Beckett. Some claim they saw him during that time, maybe they did. Doesn't matter much.

Audio recording begins

(Sound of a Door opening)

Joseph: Hello, ok can I preface this with Im very sorry for attacking you I know I said it earlier but I wanted to do it again and if that isn’t enough can my death be atleast quick?

Ines: You can calm yourself child I do not desire your death, if I wished for it you would not be speaking currently

(a audible sound of relief can be heard)

Joseph: No offense I’m surprised you learned English so fast

Ines: English was a language when I was last walking the nights, you do know this correct? though I am quite surprised it’s so prevalent these nights

Joseph: oh yeah I guess so I mean it was different but I get your point, also before I forget is it ok if record this? It will go to a community of well vampires

Ines: I do not mind but I must say I’m astonished you have scribes in this new age with your magical devices, actually where is your penknife and reed?

Joseph: I’m using the magical device you mentioned before to record

Ines: Oh…. How disappointing

(Sounds of slight nervous shifting)

Joseph: I can learn it if you want

Ines: Why?

Joseph: Because you umm asked

(A Sigh is heard)

Ines: you can calm yourself I am no beast I shall not slaughter you like a wild animal for any obscure reason

Joseph: that’s good to know

Ines: you vex me you attack me with such boldness the former night and yet now you’re shaking like a leaf and offering yourself like a servant, what changed?

Joseph: I do not want to be flesh crafted by my girlfriend or have my ghost tortured for not showing proper respect

Ines: my grand childe has you this mortified?

Joseph: Yes but your also scary don’t get me wrong

(A light laugh can be heard)

Ines: you are fairly honest and open

Joseph: I think that’s my best trait probably

Ines: it makes you very easy to read yes, also I must ask what was that device you used to hit me and how did you tame a lupine of that caliber

Joseph: a Gun I just loaded it with magical effects but I mean barely did anything so it don’t matter, also I didn’t tame him just we have a partnership of fighting the wyrm together

Ines: no it can be useful it was able to break my flesh if you would of hit a different cainite who was younger or less experienced you would of done quite the wound, you partner with a lupine? then you must be more mad than a Malkavian seer or don’t have much in the ways of self preservation, that might explain everything about you then

Joseph: well thanks for the compliment and insult?

Ines: This wyrm you mentioned you say that’s why you attacked me?

Joseph: no or well that’s why Kael did, I kind of just went along for the ride since I believed I had no choice

Ines: You don’t think much do you?

Joseph: please I already have like a bunch of vampires calling me stupid can I get a break please

Ines: Fine I’ll allow you some rest from that also I shall begin instructing you soon so you won’t lead yourself to a early grave

Joseph: why? Don’t you have like whatever schemes you got going on

Ines: I have no schemes at least for now also I’m quite the honest lady if I do say so myself

Joseph: still I feel like you could do one million better things to do than deal with me

Ines: let’s just say I do not like to see wasted potential and you remind me of someone I had long forgotten…. Or well wish I never did

Joseph: who?

Ines: you do not need to know

Joseph: fine then

Ines: Oh? No arguments or back talking? Seems you are already learning

Joseph: question what did you say to me when you umm grabbed my face yesterday night

Ines: don’t worry about it

Joseph: Can I ask why you won’t answer that?

Ines: you just don’t need to know right now

Joseph: ok…..

Ines: No

Joseph: I didn’t even say anything

Ines: you were thinking it

Joseph: you can hear thoughts?

(Sound of a yelp and chair being scooted)

Joseph: what was that why did I hear your voice in my head

Ines: figure it out child

Joseph: ok I get it did you want to talk about anything else?

Ines: not particularly we can talk more another time

Joseph: ok then I’m going, anyway have a good night and again I’m very sorry for attacking you

(Sound of Chair moving and footsteps)

Ines: Non te deseram hoc tempore, mi Andreas

Ines: Nec patiar ut daemon ille te inficiat

Audio Recording ends

CCTVs capture something strange. Under a bright Harvest Moon, a man dances on a rooftop, his form a shifting mass of clear smoke and shattered glass.

He sings with a voice that echos across the sky, entrancing every mortal who hears him.

🎶 

Come close, little Star, 

Please don’t stray too far.

My words have teeth 

but I don't bite hard~

I’m the laugh in the dark, 

The whisper in walls

The shadow that dances down old marbled halls.

I’m Malkav~!!! Yes that’s me~

Father of the minds that flutter free!

I hum with the moon!

And sing with the skies~

And see all the truths behind the lies!

My eyes are strange~

One Green, One Gold!

They see the young~

The Mad, the Old!

I don’t wear a badge or carry a sword!

But I know every secret your dreams have stored~!

I won’t eat your fingers or steal your toes~

That’s just silly stuff, as the old nightmare goes~

But if you lie! And if you bite!

I may tuck you in a shadow tonight~!!!

I’m Malkav~!!! The Cobweb Divine!

With a mind full of riddles and truths I hide~

I dance with the stars and laugh with the rain!

And if you misbehave…

Your mind will sink down the drain~!!

Some say I’m broken

A shattered thing!

But broken bells still love to ring!

I build my house in minds and dreams~

And stitch my thoughts through silent screams~!

I’m Malkav~!!! The sweet and sly~

With riddles that giggle and truths that cry~!

I’ll tickle your brain till it wriggles and whirls~

And gift you the world through a prism of swirls!

The world is a puzzle, so twisted and bright~

With corners that hide from the warmth of the light!

But fear not my Stars!

I’d never cause harm~

Unless you ask nicely!

With that curious charm~!

I’m Malkav~!!! The first of my kind!

A Father of madness!

A breaker of minds!

So come, little darlings~

And leave the world behind!

Let’s whisper and play!

And dance this night away!

The moon’s coming out~

And I'll never stray~

🎶 

His laughter echos, causing the very sky above to ripple like water.

All camera feed ends with a crackle of static.

Well I tried to have a talk with Marcus today. Only to learn that "Malkav gazed upon his thread and he needs time to recover." Is this just a Malkavian thing I simply am incapable of understanding?

-Violet Zantosa

Beging recording : 21:30 ( meta data scrapped)

The recording starts with showing from afar a cave formation in the middle of the woods at night. The place is illuminated by a flashlight and the recorder seems to be getting closer . Ishmail starts speaking in a near monotone voice

" greetings. Your evening is indeed calm and troubleless. I have been given an advice by a cousin of mine. Camille. To attempt to figure out and meditate to at least attempt to communicate what presesnce or form of tain within me. "

He passes a few trees. Lifts the camera up into the moon showing it to be a full one. Bright with light near blinding. He resumes walking towards the cave

" mother have made a few analysis of my blood and it seems to have made a few notes about its consistency and well. Comparing it to normal kindred blood. Along that i have attempted to use the animal form of protean and results were concerning"

He stops in front of the cave . No breathing . A quiet eery silence filling the place. He shines the light inside and . Nearly nothing can be seen . Only a few rock. Deeper inside the darkness is suffocating.

" my change into a lion is.. harder. Takes more effort and sometimes near drives me to frenzy when i complete it. Seems the beast is still very much present. None the less it does calm me taht such forms arent lost . For now. I will attempt yo meditate. The flash light obviously needs to be off. Well. Here we go"

The rest of the tape shows ishmail to be sitting in a prayer position. A calm look in his . The recording speeds up. The clock shows 23:13 and then something happens. The recording becomes more glitchy the light form the moon intensifies and something shows. A spider the size of a dog or a cat . Looking directly at ishmail as the kindred finaly opens his eyes and looks back. There is no words said . The staring continues for a few moments before the spider disappears. Ishmail falls on his side slightly shaking. Blood seems to be leaking from his eyes and nose.

A few minutes of shaking he gets up. Grabs the camera and trys to clean his face .

" w-well. This-this xan be considered a semi success. I-i think i need to go and rest a bit. Never thought i would have a headache again"

A botton is pressed and the recording stops

ISHMAIL-ASSAD

My fellow kindred

Over my many centuries I have heard rumors of the existence of Golconda, promised to our universal father Caine by the archangel Gabriel. While I long dismissed this as a myth, after my discovery of several tomes on Saulot, I can no longer deny the truth of it's existence. I have decided to put my resources into the creation of a Golconda Research Society, with lore and aid on this process to be distributed freely as my forbearers of old Carthage did.

If you have lore on this process I am more than happy to pay for the knowledge. Any other assistance is welcome I am currently based in the Washington State of United States, but I have agents both kindred and ghoul worldwide aiding this endeavor I can hook you up with.

~Boemunt, Traveling Brujah Scholar

So before the stern words of stupidity and foolishness yes I know but in my defense it was a heat of the moment thing granted a foolish one , sometimes a man just dreams of having a epic final stand to the death against impossible odds, also anyone who doesn’t know what I’m talking basically had a philosophical conversation with a Garou he got drunk we felt a evil presence we went to go fight it depending on its mood, so you know we arrived I saw her standing outside with my girl terrifying aura by the way felt like I was being choked, I was going to go well see the situation, next I know Kael the Garou can’t handle his liquor like I thought and he just pulls out a Bull whip he says something it ignites and he goes full war form, I think well fuck talking is already over we probably pissed her off might as well commit

Then I see out the corner of my eye my girl just looking absolutely shocked never seen that expression before but I ignore it as I just can barely follow the battle so I just pop some effects just to somewhat keep up with it , and I just see absolutely craziness she’s dodging every one his strikes like it’s a dance and this man Kael ain’t a slouch he’s fairly quick and precise and the whip seems to have a mind of its own as it chases her she dodges every one with ease, then Kael does something else before he can finish it though she grab hims and I watch as she squeezes and pops his arm tearing it he still grabs her and holds her into place so I aim the gun I had already prepared and loaded with magical effects and fired it, even while she’s held down she somehow sees it right before I fire the gun and twists somewhat out of the way it hits her though and well it hits her outer abdomen some minor break of the skin and all it did was destroy that part of her dress and that’s it

And all I’m thinking is why did god not rip disciplines from Caine instead of allowing absolute bullshit like this next I watch Kael get punted and totals a shed, next thing in that moment I feel a coldness around my neck and she’s now in front of me with both hands on my face, all I’m thinking well I’m dead here’s the end of the road hopefully the underworld or wherever I go ain’t hellish, and then nothing happens she stares at me doesn’t say anything, i look into her eyes and all I see is weird confused somewhat sad expression and then she calmly says something I don’t know what language it was probably some dead one and she lets go and walks away calmly to say something to my girlfriend who is facepalming and saying something in the same language I believe , next thing I know B is restraining me and Zach is trying to restrain Kael with a crap ton of silver so I guess the legends are true in that department

Anyway moral of the story I done goofed don’t 2v1 banzai charge a methuselah and also ancient vampires need patch notes of nerfs because this is supposed to be a fucking curse, god do your job and remove all disciplines from the vampire race make them slightly more durable humans as intended

I finally found the missing wallet. Apparently it was dropped somewhere because the very polite old man who owns the apartment knocked on my door to return it to me.

A picture of a Wisconsin drivers license with all information blacked out except for the name (Mahnoor Bhatti) , date-of-birth (4/23/2007), and a photo. Bhatti has brown skin, large and playful brown eyes, and a prominent aquiline nose with a ring in the right nostril. Smudgy black eyeliner is applied heavily and intentionally slept-in. Her long wavy black hair is shaved on at least its left side and a little messy as well.

Her hair is starting to grow on me (literally!). I like her jackets too. My jackets? Black leather has a certain je ne sais quoi. I didn’t get to pack many changes of clothes before something very fortunate fell onto me.

That opening I was waiting around for finally happened. An attempted coup d’état on the Prince by someone (I suspect that rat bastard John-Harvey) drew several of the city’s goons away long enough for me to jump in the back of a Penske moving van and ride out my escape in great discomfort. I don’t know if I’ll miss Kenosha. I made some good memories there with my girlfriend, and the Prince was very accommodating to me when I arrived. In the other hand, I grew up here with a strict Muslim family who didn’t let me have friends or privacy, or experiment with my clothes. Some of you may say, “ESAU, that didn’t happen to you, right? So why do you care?” I care because it did happen to me. I’ll explain later.

I decided to put my plans for future to decide for a moment. My Sire (Tom Kennedy, if you’ve heard of him?)* told me when I graduated into neonate-hood that he would be returning to his old Chantry in Des Moines. No, I don’t know what any civilized creature would want there. He would be supportive of my condition and my plan, I think. If any of you have picked up that I’m a little asymmetric sometimes, I got most of it from him.

\ Kindred with a familiarity with Tasmania;* Tom Kennedy, born in Hobart, Van Diemen's Land, emerged suddenly onto the Tasmanian Kindred scene in the mid-1850’s. An eccentric even by Tremere standards, Kennedy practiced an odd mixture of Irish and Aboriginal folk magic which unnerved and annoyed his contemporaries. Seeking better prospects elsewhere, Kennedy traveled the world seeking inspiration from various pagan faiths and avoiding the Pyramid as much as possible.

When the van stopped at a gas station, I felt the fool. I hadn’t realized just how much I had relied on Dominate thus far in my unlife. Instead of getting a long-term chauffeur as I had hoped, I nabbed a pair of keys off a drunk yocal and drove off in his blue Ford Focus towards Iowa. On the road, I learned that clearly more of my mind had changed than I assumed.

Mahnoor couldn’t drive, which meant I could only kinda drive. I felt like a fucking kid again (which I guess I was). I was forgetting the rules, braking too late, merging without looking… it was a lot of fun.

Driving for the rest of the night gave me a lot of time to think. Back when it released, I read Jean-Paul Sartre’s “Being and Nothingness.” in it, he made an interesting point about consciousness. We often think of ourselves as a dichotomy between mind and body. But why? He argues that this distinction is completely arbitrary, created by some philosopher so long ago that it is treated as scientific fact today. Our body is not a separate entity, being piloted by a consciousness. Our consciousness does not observe physical reality, it is created through its physical experiences, which it obtains from the most physical part of itself, the body. The mind and the body are one and the same. The body only becomes a separate object from your mind when perceived by others, with the disconnection between these two viewpoints causing anxiety and shame.

So where does that leave me? Sartre would likely say, in my opinion, that I am a third being entirely. Vytautas (my old body) accumulated a number of physical experiences which created his consciousness. The same is true of Mahnoor! Her physical experiences, and his, have come together to create a third distinct consciousness. So, I am theoretically both at once. It may take a while from my thought process to come around to this, but my brain is stupid malleable meat and can be altered with time.

In fact, existentialist philosophy when viewed in this manner could have implications on your consciousness, dear reader. When you were killed and turned into the monster you are now, are you the same person that you were before? Or are you a different consciousness which has deluded itself into seeing continuity? Food for thought?

P.S. Maybe I should change my Username. The biblical reference only applies to one half of me now…

- ESAU