Mayday Plays - Vegas By Night | Episode 17, "ReRaise" | Vampire: the Masquerade

Episode Date: July 15, 2024

Return to the craziest coterie on this side of the rocky mountains. The new generation returns to stake their claim in Vegas and move past their wild first months in town. Find out what Mal, Niles, Sybil, and Burrows were up to over the past few months, and how Raguel finally returns to the world. Can the coterie work together to build their empire or will they get smacked down by the tower? #vampirethemasquerade #vegasbynight #worldofdarkness 👕 MERCH: http://ko-fi.com/maydayrp & https://mayday-merch.printify.me/prod... 💵 Patreon: / maydayrp 📰 Join our newsletter: eepurl.com/iIVUjo 🎙 Listen to us: 🟣 Apple Podcasts : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5vdTgXo... 🟠 Soundcloud: / mayday-roleplay 🌟 Other Socials 🌟 🐦 Twitter: / maydayroleplay 📸 Instagram: / maydayrp 🔴 Website: http://maydayroleplay.com/ 🎵 TikTok: / maydayroleplay 👾 Twitch: / maydayroleplay 🔵 Facebook: / maydayrp Thanks for your support!

Hello, good morning kindred and welcome to season two of Vegas by Night. Mayday roleplays vampire the masquerade chronicle we are so excited to be back everybody thank you so much for coming back with us. I just want to personally thank everyone for being here you could choose to be anywhere else but you choose to be here with us and that is a remarkable feeling it's a remarkable feeling to be back for season two. And welcome to the table. Grab a blood bag, hug your ghoul, and remember that the best thing we can do for each other is include ourselves in each other's stories.

If you're not familiar with season one of Vegas by Night Don't Fear, you can still check it out on Spotify, Twitch, VOD, and our YouTube channel as of right now. If you're wondering how you can get more May Day in your life, you can catch our stream here every other Saturday for our main show, and on all other platforms for everything else, we're all over the place.

The Discord is really where we've had the chance to build a great little family around the content we've put out, though. If you're not already in our Discord, we have patrons running some incredible games out of the community, and members of May Day themselves have been inviting our Discord members into tables on a monthly basis for Mayday Ran 1 shots. So if you've ever wanted an opportunity to play with one or two of us at a table this is your best shot is to join our Discord and get in on those games. If you're a fan of Vegas by Night we have three one-on-one sessions we've recorded this summer that are coming at you. Now, Raquel's summer vacation and a one-on-one with our newest Codery member are on the horizon, so

keep a lookout. Those should be coming out the next few weeks. We'd like to give a shout out as well to our handler level Patreon contributors. It's because of their involvement or content that we can begin thinking of all the big picture ideas we have for May Day. One that we just had a few seconds ago was we're getting catheters installed for all of us. So we do not have to get up to pee during streams. If you see during our streams at all catheter alert, just know that one or multiple of us are peeing at that moment. Other than that, please check out our Delta Green campaign, Dune to Repeat.

It's returning for our third season. It's ongoing now some of our best work I'm so proud of what we put forward for that our special presentation of Black Project Gaming's run of God's Teeth and Delta Green is still going and it's arguably one of the best things that we've hosted on our channel It's so very good. I need you to go check out what Vince has been doing It's really beautiful. And the rest of our lovely back catalog of campaigns, all of which are available on all major podcasting platforms, YouTube and Twitch.

Before we get started today, I just wanna remind everyone that Vampire the Masquerade can be a dark setting. And as such, there are content warnings for any watching. Please be wise that there may be violent themes, plenty of adult language, and the exploration of darker subjects. Please take care that there may be violent themes, plenty of adult language, and the exploration of darker subjects. Please take care of yourself and be aware. Take

special care of this episode for hoarding, filth, implied neglect of children, body horror, and cults. I'm also gonna talk a lot of **** about a person who lived, but most of it's true, I think. Who knows? Anyways, let's get started. I'm going to be a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a

little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a Music Humanity was cursed, and in that curse there were some who sought to sleep past the world's troubles. The longest of us have held this curse for more than any mortal can understand.

Time for them is finite and granular, sand, while for us it flows like water. And as we let the river take us, it can become tedious and unchanging, or even worse, it can become tumultuous and dangerous. For some, then, the only option becomes the sleep of the ages, a call that precedes the beckoning, usually reserved for the elders of our curse. Kindred unable to rectify with the mistakes of this generation, or their own made in efforts against it, to save themselves many elect for a time more receiving to a god of their stature. They put themselves to sleep in that death that is torpor and wait out the world for something new, something that calls to them.

But while that sleep is long, arduous, and quiet in the inky blackness of their dead minds, there is always a reason to rise. One day through the faults of fate, someone will inch back the stone over the coffin and mistake their slumber for funeral, only to discover what they have awakened. Humanity was cursed, and in that curse formed a being believing itself more important than the hourglass. You will convince yourself in time that anything can be left, that all of your problems can be erased and you can start again. You'll have decided that for you there are second chances, and third, fourth, until everything that you were was dead, and you live only as a museum piece of a world that no longer breathes, and a place where no one knew you when you still had a heart that beats.

And then you will know what true loneliness does to the beast that still rattles in your corpse. There is no second chance for you to get it right. You'll never find the answer. You will try, try, and try again. And in each new venture, you will bury more of the parts of you that cared. You have made a fatal mistake in believing

that because your curse makes you strong and makes you capable, it only makes you careless. We will kill the last memories. We will kill the moments that mattered past the present. We will kill our darlings. Welcome to Vegas by Night. I'd like to introduce to all of you our cast. I'm Caleb James Miller. I'll be playing your storyteller tonight.

I'm Amanda and I'm playing Jackie Santana. I'm Eli and I'm playing Niles Ames. I'm Lev and I'm playing Mel. I'm Sergio and I'm playing John Burroughs. I'm Vince and I will be playing Ry-Gel. I'm Zach and I'm playing Sybil Geyer. Beautiful. Welcome back to the NGen. We're getting started yet again.

Maybe not the newest generation anymore. Maybe we'll have learned something this time around. Or maybe we will end in the same way we did last season with a fiery fiery exit. But before we get started in what has happened in the nebulous amount of time that has passed from season one's finale to now, we will discuss a little bit. Does anyone have anything to declare that they've changed on their sheets that they'd like everyone listening to hear? Maybe you've added new

disciplines that like everyone to know about or shifted your character around to to a new vision. This is now your time if you'd like to speak up and let us know. speak up and let us know. I'll explore that in game. Beautiful. Okay, looks like we're keeping our cards close to our vest. I know that some of you are lying, so I guess we'll see as the time comes. With that being said, I'm a teacher in my regular day.

I might as well be a teacher here. It's now to discuss what we all did with our summer vacations We are going to go through one by one seeing how everyone has got up to since the season Has passed we're existing in a nebulous amount of time Vegas vampires and the curse never truly have any dialed down dates But we're working in a nebulous amount of a month, a month and a half, two months, um, towards the end of summer vacation here. Um, and we're going to pick up first with Sybil. Sybil, a lot of things happened for you in

our first season. We saw heights, we saw lows, we saw you take on your first ward and lose them, unfortunately, very quickly to the spirits of Lake Mead. But Sybil has persisted since. I want to know where is it that Sybil has been spending their time? What have they been doing with this time off? What changes have been made for Sybil while we were away? The girl bossing has continued and will continue and will never stop. Of course. Just gonna open that. I'd like that to be the first thing I say in season two.

Can't stop, won't stop. They have started a business in an effort to secure feeding for themselves and for some others, mostly through generous but ambiguous donations of blood bags. They have some new property in Naked City and maybe a little closer to the Strip for them to operate said business, or mostly just to have as a backup in case things get really fun as they have in the past. There's, I don't know how much detail we want to go into. As much as you want to share here. Yeah, I think that's it. They continue to be with the circulatory system and have used that as a wonderful networking opportunity.

Beautiful. There is one other thing that Sybil got up to this summer that is very important to the rest of you. Sybil, you took a meeting with a very important group of people. Stibble elected after the blood hunt last season and the horrible situation that left NGIN in a place very precarious in nature, where somehow against all odds we convinced the sheriff of the Camarilla to agree that they would find nothing at Lake Mead and essentially report back that it was a false alarm given by our beloved and now deceased Kingsters, which brought on a blood hunt calling for the two

former members of our coterie that resulted in one of their deaths, final deaths, and the other, who knows, MIA for all that we understand. But that left the rest of you in a very harmful situation of being co-conspirators, or at least standing directly next to the two people that everyone was trying to kill. And it calls into question whether all of you can be trusted. In an effort to rectify this situation, Sybil, you decided to approach Elysium with an opportunity to bring Enjin at least back to neutrality, and at best, back into the loving arms of the ivory tower.

Sybil, we're going to go there now. You're standing at the foot of the Echelon Casino, still in construction, although over the summer there has been some new developments as they begin working on more and more of the floors that cascade up into the skyline of Las Vegas. And you Vegas and you are left to climb those steps. The first time we appeared here at the Echelon, you were navigated by Santos, the Brujah Primogen within Las Vegas. There is no such escort this time, only a time and place given to you, Sybil, and it was gracious enough that you even received that invitation.

There were moves in the background between you and Slow, you, Sybil, and it was gracious enough that you even received that invitation. There were moves in the background between you and Slow, the Toreador Primogen and Harpy of this, this Camarilla, this city, who conspired with you as well with the Nosferatu Primogen Bugsy to get you this meeting to begin with. How are you feeling at the base of the echelon, feeling the cold wind of Las Vegas whip against you in late August here? The moon is high in the sky and the neon is pushing out along the strip in the skyline behind this construction fencing that keeps you inside.

Where's Sybil's head at? Sybil is trying to keep it as cool as possible. They are shaking a little bit, just a little around the fingertips. They have practiced this again and again, and it seems right every single time, but surprises happen. And there's that anxious energy of just wanting to kick the door open and scream what she wants to say. And that has never been how these games are played. So she's just trying to relax. There are those many, many steps up the echelon's endless staircase until you reach the gates to Elysium essentially. You cascade across what is that transparent glass walkway from the center of the penthouse floor of this unfinished

casino and you begin floating high above this tower. Looking down, you can see the black ichor, the gas, the empty air of the many, many flights below you as you step out onto that pane glass that makes up the walkway to that first door. And you are uniquely aware that should this glass decide to go out now, you'll be falling many, many floors. Who knows whether you would survive or if it would be your final death, but the thought is present.

And then through the doorway into Elysium here where the dark club atmosphere is only illuminated by these beautiful red, blue, and white crosses and religious iconography that lines the intersection of this club. The booths along the sides are canopied out and host a lot of the same people that appeared in the first visit to Elysium. But you notice that most of these booths are empty. The blood dolls are not out to play, besides a few circulating around the edge by the bar itself where Prince Grant once sat in the very furthest portion of the cross intersection. None of the lower vampires are out to play. In fact, it feels a lot like a club after closing time. Only the folks on the board are here tonight. And it seems as though they are all ready and

in attendance. You step forward. Is there anything you'd like to do as you're coming into this space, as you're in the club itself? You can see that there is this half dome of people, this half circle of people that have congregated behind Prince Grant's desk and booth in the back there. But outside of that, it doesn't seem like anyone else is here. I think she's looking directly for Slow and Bugsy if they're there. Also Emrick, yeah, looking for faces that she's very, very familiar with to also kind of get a vibe check on them. Like, are you with me or are you in like, primogen mode? You step in and where usually the lo-fi music of this place at least gives a hum, a heartbeat to the dead inside. Without music, it is so much louder with each footstep. You can hear

each clack of, I'm guessing some girl boss heels? Correct. Yeah. So the clack of your heels, you know, is a Kamala Harris warning down the hallway here. As you step through and you crack through each step of this elevated surface that runs the center cross and then layers down into the booths themselves, you do find that slow is here and in attendance around in that half circle. Slow is at the center. And then on either side are the tremor twins, you know and I

go Korean twins of which I believe really only the King stars got a chance to speak with last season. Next to you know is Dharma which if you remember is the nose for up to second in command the woman who wears that medusa like mask over her her face and wears those gauzy white drapings over the lesioned skin of her body. On the other side by Iko is Sisko, the sheriff of Las Vegas, small buzzcut frame, five foot two, five foot three with this massive great sword on their back, a big coat, a smiley face embroidered into their kneecaps on the pants they're wearing there,

and an unsmiley face in their expression, intimidating in their small frame, dangerous at all times. and also the only reason you're in this room opposite from Dharma or I'm sorry opposite from that side next to Dharma is a man you don't recognize not anyone you've seen around Las Vegas beautiful long black brown hair chocolate brown hair that comes down to his shoulders. It is either greased or gelled to a point where there are these artificial curls put through, and they're slick to his head, almost like a UFC fighter who's about to walk into the

octagon and does not want anyone to grab his hair. He has this very large trimmed black beard that sits out in front of him, who's about to walk into the octagon and does not want anyone to grab his hair. He has this very large trimmed black beard that sits out in front of him and then very prominent eyebrows. You imagine him to be of Middle Eastern descent. He is wearing a full tactical vest with two incendiary devices, you would guess, grenades of some like right there on the center of him. And then strapped around his back is this very imposing AR-17 type assault rifle. He's jackbooted up and very imposing, maybe six foot four, six foot five.

And that is the entirety of everyone who has come to Elysium to hear whether you're worth keeping. Prince Grant is not in attendance. OK, Emmerich is not in attendance. Bugsy is not in attendance, but you know that to be the norm of Elysium. OK, there are some missing pieces. OK, then to be the norm of Elysian. Okay. There are some missing pieces. Okay. Then Sibyl just approaches the group a good enough distance, trying to get like courtroom staging in this like empty club atmosphere. So being a little distance from

everyone, not quite joining the group, which says, hello, thank you all for coming today and for inviting me here. There is some general discussion, you can tell, taking into place. It is very much a court-like setting where you have been brought here as plaintiff, essentially. But there is gossip being shared the second

that you speak up and you step forward, especially between the twins who sort of speak behind Slow for a moment. But Slow measures his eyes onto you. And they are very kind. Slow is that waspish, bowie-looking individual in those multi-colored robes that are sort of cascaded over himself, always in this couture fashion, sort of hunched over in his tall, small frame.

But even here, he has this wiry kind of smile about himself as you introduce yourself in pity to the court and he speaks up and says Sibyl you have come at the time that we have just finished our revelry and prepared ourselves to hear what it is you have to say so please do not thank us we would be here anyways to hear you is only to consider that you have something worthy to say consider Consider this the night's entertainment, yes? And he looks to the others, the others sort of laugh and some of them reach over and they clink glasses to each other with this very fresh pourings of blood into martini glasses the blood dolls circulating around slow have kept them basically IV Tubed into the martini glasses themselves so that they have some semblance of drinking at the club

It seems largely that slow is in charge here It doesn't seem as though the others are here more anything than to hear to listen to respond But slow seems to be moving things forward though the others are here more anything than to hear, to listen, to respond, but Slow seems to be moving things forward. He speaks, when you initially approach the prince with this opportunity to be heard, to share your side of the story, I must admit that Prince Grant was not excited to hear. He believes there was a grand slight from this new generation, from this group, that all of you took into your own hands

to deceive this beautiful tower and all that it had been to give you when you first came here. But when it was learned that these two miscreants, those the victims of the blood hunt, were indeed made liars, there was a sliver of hope in the kind golden eyes of our prince. And in that sliver, you and all your friends live. I would hear what it is you have to offer in the way of your group's innocence. I would hear why it is that the watchdogs

were in Lake Mead to begin with, if there were indeed nothing for the prince to find there. And then finally, if you all would like to continue to enjoy your undeath as you seem fit to do, I would hear what it is you offer as a mea culpa to this, our ivory tower. Of course. Well, I would like to start off by saying that the new generation acknowledges

that the boy who cried wolf was rather unfortunate and that you can expect no further cries. And of course, by extension, no further wolves. What we were doing in Lake Mead, interesting, interesting and wonderful question, thank you, was doing what our coterie has been tasked to do, maintaining the territory of the Prince in all forms, not just the Strip or Naked City, but the extended parts as well. As we all know, I am a gangrel, and that tends to favor the desert, not the city as much. And we were just covering our bases. This experiment that we

have that makes this coterie is something that I know that all of you have observed, that all of you have spent your wealth of intelligence investigating independently. And we are grateful for your surveillance, guidance and mercy. You have seen us stumble like a newborn foal. And you have also seen us steady ourselves this past summer in the quiet that we have chosen to take before this meeting today. It is a very good thing, this quiet.

You have proven, at least in this time, that you have the capability of sitting still. It was called into question. Of course, of course. We have learned much in our first few months in steadiness and silence. It's very good. You have been given an opportunity to learn much more than most. Usually it is on the second mistake that the final lesson is given. But it seems as though you all are worthy of many. There is some indication though that you were operating under your directive.

In that regard, I'm going to have to ask our great sheriff, Cisco, do you see that this is in line? These were hired as watchdogs, yes, to keep the supernatural at bay, though they speak to none of what do you have to say? Cisco sort of writes their shoulders up and adjusts the sheath of the sword across their chest, and they speak to you directly, Sybil, and they say, do you have any proof whatsoever that the lead that you were investigating into Lake Mead was

one of a supernatural nature? Because if you cannot provide some proof that you are doing your job, there's no reason to let you keep doing it. Of course. We were investigating, or one of the first tasks that we'd received as a coterie was returning a piece of, if I may be frank, I think this is part of me also somewhat out of character asking if I can just refer to the disk without incriminating us. Go ahead. This will start a series of roles we're going to take. I want you to make a wits plus politics role. Okay. plus politics role. Okay. Yeah. Politics or insight, wits plus politics or insight,

whichever you have the higher pool. Wits plus politics. Okay, lovely. That is four successes. Sybil, the boss is not here. He didn't deign to meet you. The folks who are speaking are speaking as though they do not have an awareness of what it is you were doing in Lake Mead to begin with, just that nothing was found.

And Cisco even is offering to declare the supernatural not what Cisco already knows. Okay, great, great. Okay, so we were investigating a strange supernatural occurrence in the desert that led us to Lake Mead, some sort of ritual that affected not only myself but another gangrel in our party. I see. Can you speak to the nature of this supernatural force, or is it to be kept behind locked doors, which I will warn you may not be good for your public image? There's a little bit of laughter that cascades across the Elysium. Sypple does a horribly thin laugh along with them. across the Elysium.

Sybil does a horribly thin laugh along with them. Yes, we didn't investigate it much because we were already on an assignment from the Prince. But there was a triangle of some of you were of that, that Witches Dancing in the Forest era. It looked like that. But everyone was in white and there was some sort of bestial forms that we had already witnessed. It wasn't just kindred or humanoid. Okay, let's see how we're doing on our first sort of foray into the willpower battle here. Could you give me, willpower battle?

Give me a manipulation plus subterfuge because we are lying. Yeah. Yeah. Girl boss it. Okay, I'm gonna spend a willpower. Yeah. So willpower will let you reroll three dice that are not hunger.

Yes. Make sure the ones you're rerolling are not your red guys. Excellent. Two successes. Two successes. OK. Slow speaks up. Yes, there are rumblings that there are issues among the tribes of the Red Rocks and some of their people going missing. It would corroborate what you are telling here, should they be arriving in all

forms around the perimeter of the city. If they were spotted out by Lake Mead, obviously this is something to consider. I at least accept this for what you say. I think then the final conversation you come to Elysium we are gracious enough to hear you with your head still attached to your neck we have not hunted your friends like dogs though we have plenty of the right to do so one of them more of a breach than the rest of you, which is truly saying something with the company that you keep. We have been more than kind to your existence. And now it is time to step out from the cocoon to decide for yourself what it is you offer to the tower and decide whether it is that we allow you.

What do you have on offer? We as a Coterie offer the extension of the completion of our first task which was finding a portion of a very important artifact for the prince. We'd like to guarantee the finding of the second half of that artifact and investigating. Another question, can I talk about Kerr? Because I want to talk about how we're going to find Kerr. But- Go ahead and give me another wits plus insight. Great, great, great. Not letting us off easy.

Just giving us anything. Hell yeah. Gotta work for it. Four successes. You believe that you can discuss Kerr in context of his involvement at the Hekata mansion, but something in your gut, the beast in you, keep the key to yourself, keep the key in you, keep the key to yourself.

Keep the key to yourself. Keep the key to yourself. And that part of you that your sire burned into you, that tea gave you, always reminds you to keep the manila folder inside the desk, not on top of it. So there is a modicum you can say, but be careful where you dance. Okay. Yes, then we hope to investigate the events occurring in the desert and how they are related to the missing half of this artifact that the princess tasked us with finding. We would like to return what we have been asked to do

with interest. There is a moment where you feel the rush of air before you actually are aware that the person is behind you. But in that moment, there is a hand on the back of your left shoulder as this taller form is now standing next to you. Six foot two, very pale, redheaded with these massive freckles along his face, his hands, everything about him. Uh you recognize him as the the Ventrue

Primogen Lucius, who we met very briefly speaking with the prince last season, his hand on your left shoulder. He golf claps for a moment in front of everyone says, God, this one could talk to any court couldn't she? She's got the corporate speak down. I'm surprised you're not one of me. She's got the corporate speak down. I'm surprised you're not one of me. It's been discussed. Now, I truly hear what you're saying here, and I think the rest of us are entertaining what she's offering.

Yes, there are some general agreements across the Elysium. Slow has not moved his face. He's dagger-eyed on Lucius and Lucius speaks up, but there is a hitch in this little used car salesman pitch. Sibyl, unfortunately, and I don't mean to be the guy that wants to crack on negotiations. I want to get a deal, right? I want to shake hands at the end of this. I want to know that you and I are walking out of here both disappointed because that's every great compromise. Right, kid? Exactly. And so he wheels about and he gets so that he's just an inch off of you, right? We can all agree on that, right? Speaks back to theisa. Comes back to you. You see, when our lovely Sheriff Cisco, and Cisco kind of rolls their eyes, clearly them having an antagonistic, or at least playfully antagonistic relationship here, was pulled away to deal with these, I hate to say, but miscreants, the little leftovers of your sires that have decided truly to run amok among our tower because we pulled you out of some coffins in Colorado. You see, they were working on something for me. And as a result of that, my hosting of the echelon here, the construction of which has

been slowed, I would say, oh God, dramatically. And you know, I don't want to get down to emotional damages. Can you prove loss of income sort of thing? But babe, I can prove loss of income. So what I'm proposing to tack on to this, you go, you find that artifact, that's all well and good, but in addition, you're going to owe myself and the Echelon a major boon for delay of business. delay of business.

This major boon is the Coterie's boon to the echelon, just for clarity's sake. Yeah, let's call it a little thank you gift for getting to keep your heads. Sybil thinks about what is visualizing the last time she really felt like she was in the coterie and it was the time that Burroughs ripped somebody's balls off. You know, I think that'll do just fine. Good. One major boom. He looks to slow and he says, Well, then, let's call

that capitalism, baby, I feel much better about the situation. I would say that I've been righted where I was wronged. I think we're good to move forward here, whatever you would like slow, it gives sort of a half bow, and now goes to join the sort of council back there. And Slow speaks up, looks at you, gives a long, long pause, and before he speaks, let's get one final roll to decide whether the engine will be brought back into the folds of the Camarilla

at a very preliminary don't fuck up basis. Let's give... what are we feeling here? I'm feeling manipulation plus politics. That works for me. Yeah, manipulation politics. And go ahead and roll and then we'll see what the coffin has to say. I'm gonna spend a willpower. That's two down so far. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. How you doing?

Just remember you can only spend one willpower to reroll. You could rouse the blood to give yourself a little extra die in the pool. Okay, so I can blood surge. No, it's fine. I that was a pool of five dice. Okay, my blood dice succeeded. Beautiful two of my regular dice success. So I believe that's four successes.

That's six successes total. One, okay, six successes total. Wow. Yes. Two of these kids for the folks at home. Oh, okay. You got a crit. And then two of these kids. Oh, man. Beautiful. That's insane. With the spent willpower. Okay, so we're going gonna do our first little coffin roll of the session here to decide the engine here. Let's see if we get to go back to our good graces.

Okay. Just thinking about it. Oh, you said of the session. Not of the season, but of the session. Correct. It's been a long summer. Mm-hmm. I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page. Correct. Slow goes to speak. Those strange green amber eyes studying on you, so large on his face,

gives him almost an alien quality. And just before saying anything, he stops, closes his mouth, he claps his hands together. He looks over to that stranger in the tac vest with that AR-17 around his back there. AR-15, whatever assault rifles are. 15. 15, thank you. I think I said 17 earlier too.

You did. Fifteen. AR the new AR seventeen. Um strapped around his back and comes back to it and there is this silent conversation between those two. And then the other individual jackbooted with that gun across his waist, walks out through a secondary door down the intersection. And just as he slams the door behind him, there's a level of distaste in what he's just done. It returns back to slow. Slow measures you, civil meets your eyes. back to slow, slow measures you civil meets your eyes. Consider yourselves under the very watchful eye of Sherris Cisco reinstated as watchmen at the very preliminary level, you are

to be in a state of parole, we will call it, in an effort to ensure that your coterie is acting correctly. And as such, the Prince has given directive to have you all watched carefully. Consider that in future deliberations, so that when you go to Lake Mead, know that we go, too. Of course. Thank you. Enjoy Elysium. Feel free to dine of our blood dolls and stay for as long as you like, Sybil. Thank you." And Elysium breaks forward, breaks up. They segment off into these corners. They go off to their usual partners, leaving you standing empty in the center of this cross

section bar, and the lo-fi music begins to bleed back into the room. And you seem to have gotten what you came here for. Is there anything else you'd like to do here, Sybil? Sybil stands there for like five minutes. Just breathing she doesn't have to do. I think she turns and has never felt more human she instinctively turns to one of the blood dolls and does like a whoo and then remembers who she is and that that blood doll is probably thinking that she wants to feed from them instead and bristles and leaves.

As you step out that door back onto the glass walkway, you look to the right and you see the sea of neon, the stars overhead, and the meadows that you now call home. And you see off into the distance the building where you now house your office. You have this understanding that leaving here, you've repaired something, sutured a wound, and you're taking the first step to a skyline you can call yours. Good work. Yeah, she texts the coterie, we need to meet right now.

You can feel the panic immediately. And then she walks off into the neon. You all receive a series of texts in the group chat confirming that you are still Camarilla bound if you want to be. And we move to John Burroughs, our boy. I'd like to know Burroughs, it was a very chaotic first season for you. You ate a lot of food in Las Vegas, you introduced yourself to a lot of mortals, got a little wrapped

up in the fuck you clique, tortured your stepson a little, and found a lot of room for growth. Working hard to bring about the Midnight Gospel, the Midnight Mass, but not yet exceeding those qualities yet. Tell us a little bit, Burroughs, what has summer been like? What do you've got going? What has changed for you? Well in contrast to Sybil's very kind of sobering and kind of intense meeting, probably the first image of Burrows is driving baby blue, his open Cadillac, blasting some Destiny's Child probably I'm a survivor and he's like singing along to it and it's in complete contrast to Sybil and he's just kind of going about his business the last couple of months or how long it's

been during our summer break there's been a lot of trying to move the needle forward on the midnight gospel like you mentioned. He thinks he's got a new perspective preacher, a man named JT Dollar. That is his preacher name and he is a kind of over the top grandiose guy that I think Burrows realized that he's looking for. Right. And so he's kind of in the initial phase of talking with him. Burrows has changed physically a good deal. Whereas before he had a big old gut thanks to a lot of the Meyer and his interaction with her, he is now much thinner, he's lost that gut and it almost seems like it's gone to his head in a way.

He, you know, his printed red shirt that he would normally wear big and boxy has now been replaced by the exact same print and color but it's much more form-fitting it's much more like an Ed Hardy style kind of outfit his hair is noticeably blonder than it ever was before and I think the coterie probably puts together in these in these months that he was probably putting like shoe polish in his hair to make it darker than it really was. But now that's gone and now the hair instead of just kind of being wild and crazy is is quaffed. His kind of gnarly beard has been trimmed down to something very fashionable. And you really get a divorced dad vibe from Burrows these days.

We're getting very hard. Yeah, a midsummer crisis from Burrows. I love it. Yeah, pretty much like an undead crisis. And he's been spending a lot of time with the Anarchs getting to know them, getting to know Ellis and gracing himself with them. And I think when he gets that text from Sybil about, you know, the towers looking at us favorably, he kind of rolls his eyes

and doesn't really pay much mind to it. He doesn't feel like he... I don't think he understands the gravity that they were all in, you know, the amount of danger they could have been in, and he thinks he's home free now with a new group. But I think kind of the last image of him before we continue is, you know, the music, he turns the music down in baby blue and he pulls up to that same little like CVS or little rinky ding store that his love, that his woman that he takes care of. I'm looking at her name now because I swear,

Burrows knows it, but I've completely forgotten what her name is. Is it Casey or Lydia? It's Lydia. So Lydia is still at the same place in that window, similar to the first time we saw her, kind of sadly. But instead of kind of hon kind of sadly but instead of kind of honking for her instead of going to go see her he holds back and he

reminds himself when he sees her that he's not interacting with her for a reason for her own protection to keep someone else away from her and it breaks him up because he's also doing it with his girl Casey and he's having a hard time having to stay away from his family but he does it because he hasn't solved this problem of champagne gouda nesca yet so he just kind of drives on past and doesn't say hi to her. You look in and there she is, bagging the last customer of the night

before the late shift ends. And you've done this routine so many times of waiting until the last second she clocks out and then she'd hop in the side seat. You'd take her for a drive and she'd complain about how fast you drive. It would only make you drive faster. But this time there's this awareness that

what you are closes doors to what she will always be. And this door really is closing for you. And as Destiny Child, Destiny's Child starts to drown out in the radio and it starts to switch on to something new, you pull yourself out of the driveway and drive starts to switch on to something new, you pull yourself out of the driveway and drive out from that parking lot and you swear just for a moment, you think you can see some Italian men in suits standing at the corner of that CBS and you shake your

head and hope to God you're just seeing things, you're just paranoid. God who knows? There is one other thing that you accomplished this summer, Burroughs, or at least you wanted to. Do you want to tell the group here what the plan is? Paint me a picture of how this begins. Yeah, I think, you know, when we ended the last arc, Burroughs realized it was important that his coterie come to understand who has been kind of guiding him before he was let out. And he really wants everyone to meet double H. So I think he'll probably, you know, send a group text or, or, you know,

wild them all together and have them all pile into baby blue and come meet. H.H. Double H. Yeah. had them all pile into baby blue and come meet. HH. Double H, yeah. Perfect. I'm assuming Ragel, Sybil, Mal, Niles, we all accept this opportunity. If I'm around.

Ragel, you are absolutely around. We will get to your awareness, but you can assume that at this time you have returned. Yeah, for sure. It's been a long summer for you. Yeah. And you're, it's a lot, the weather's different, but you're here for sure. Weather's different. Yeah.

I've been places, man. So you all pack into Baby Blue, and anyone can't fit into Baby Blue, maybe Niles is on their bike. Is there any conversation before this road trip takes off? You all meet in a parking lot somewhere, maybe at Club Canaan, which used to be Lucky's, our little abandoned club, or maybe at the church that Mal has been renovating all summer where hopefully the midnight Gospels will take place, who knows. Where is this?

Is there a conversation or do we all just take out into the night silent? Well, I mean, all I got to say is a little warning for everybody. Just whatever you do, don't look double H in the eyes. He doesn't really like that. And I know this is obnoxious, and I'm looking directly in Mal's direction, but don't speak unless you're spoken to. It's just gonna be a lot quicker that way. Ah.

I know, I know. Ah. Okay. Just be cool, babies. We're gonna be nice and easy, and I think you'll come to find him Interesting and maybe useful at some point, but we can't talk to him or look at him He's gonna address you he's gonna have questions. He always does

This is normal Yeah, just remember the main focus of this thing is I need a new samurai sword is I need a new samurai sword. I mean, there's a bunch of shops on the strip. Just go down to the strip. That's fake crap. I need the real thing from him, especially if I'm going to meet swords with the old CP. Champagne.

I don't think we should call it that. Yeah, I'll realize as soon as I say it, it was a bad idea. Is you're meeting swords. I was going to leave you to your business, you know? But that's fine. Give me one second, my headphones have gone out. It's alright. We'll just talk amongst ourselves. Talk amongst yourselves, get to know the cuterie.

Why is this man the supplier of samurai swords? Is it just one sword you're after? He gave me the first one. It was a great quality. I could tell. And I just want to go back to the source. Okay. If I go somewhere else, it's going to be cheaply made.

You know, no one double H is probably a straight up Japanese swordsmith. You know what I mean? This is important to you, bros. It's important for me to keep my family alive. Yeah, you've been out of it for a little while, but old Champagne Pudinetska's got a... I think he's taking a liking to me and I need to sort that out before I get too close. That's what happens when you cross swords with someone, John. You did leave your last sword in his face.

Yes, I did. Quite the call to card. But I didn't have enough time to pull it out. You did leave your last sword in his face. Yes, I did, but I didn't have enough time to pull it out. I like the color card. Not listening to background cackling. But like old Arthur and his knife, I'm gonna pull that sword out and get it back. I just needed one in the interim. Because you're the king, baby. Exactly.

Because you're the king, baby. Exactly. King, uh, King Arthur there, um, leads the journey in baby blue with, uh, Niles, uh, trailing behind on that big chopper. Um, Niles has the bike improved at all this summer. Have you done anything to fix that thing up? Is it souped up? No, it's about the same. Just trying to keep it as maintained as possible between Mal riding the other one. But at least this one is not very scratched. The other one is scuffed to fuck. It is very, very ugly now.

Fair enough. Niles, do we have air support on this little road trip or are we keeping the bird at bay? We don't. The bird is at home. I guess we'll figure out why that is in a second here. We drive out to south of Sloan, out into the boonies. And eventually, excuse me, I'm coughing so much today. I don't know what it is. Eventually, Burrows takes you off the beaten path and down into the desert where you're beyond confused as to where you're going. It gets tough. At one point, it becomes too much for Baby Blue and you all have to pile out and go out on foot. But Burroughs shows

you an old spot along the side of this path that he must have memorized the whole way through. And you can see the tire tracks where obviously Burroughs has parked here before. And Burroughs it might be a little tougher for you, it's been a couple months since you've been here, but I think that there is that remembrance of the trauma associated to this place that would be a little hard to forget too. Is there anything along the way, Burroughs, you're thinking, you're feeling, you're saying, as you're retreading this path you've done maybe a thousand times?

Yeah, I think if anything, he's probably distracting himself. And when he's talking to the coterie, he's probably pointing out that there's a ranch nearby. I keep my good friend and traveler there. Maybe one of these days you can come by and meet him. It's a horse, by the way. It's not some person.

I was about to ask what species traveler was. So thank you for clarifying. It was I don't know what the whole science name is. You're fine. Yeah, he's mostly just bullshitting the whole way. Got it. Burrows, did you bring anything for HH? Is there any stop along the way?

Anything as a as a gift, maybe? Anybody got a gift? Sybil just pulls it, just kidding. I don't keep a gift. Why would I do that? Yeah, I would have remembered something. I'm gonna, oh my God, what am I doing? If you like, we can make a roll for it. See if you remembered.

Take him your little badge. Take his little badge. Shoe polish. Go ahead and give me a wits plus insight. I think that makes sense here. Wits plus insight. Or actually you have a MOLA, right? Don't you have a MOLA as a merit?

Yeah, yeah. Roll wits plus your MOLA dots. Okay. So three successes, one of them on a hunger diet. Okay. Yeah, that's enough to remember what you usually bring. Wren did suggest that we bring a harpoon as a gift. So thank you, Wren.

So you'll remember Burroughs as you ask everyone else if they have a gift to maybe put on top of these. But in the passenger side, who would be sitting passenger next to burros? Mal is pointedly as far away from Ragel as they can be. So maybe you're in the front and Raquel is in the back there. So now you'll notice that your seat is a little uncomfortable on the way there as by your feet and sort of around your lap sort of piled up are six gallons of banana nut ice cream that are starting to melt at the foot of your ankles, basically. Mal tries to find some kind of snarky thing to say about banana nut and finds too many of them

and gets stalled on which one to say, so they just kind of go, wet. And then, it's like smelting. Burlz would probably have a couple of sacks to put those in, and he's like lugging them through the desert. There you go, yeah. You put them onto your back there. You've got like these Vons bags you're keeping them in. You guys march off, treading these footsteps into the desert. It's maybe another 35 minutes walking before you arrive at the destination. To which, Burrows, how much of a navigator do you think you are? Do you think

you find it the first time through? I mean, if we're calling it the question that it's been a couple of months, I might need a role to confirm it. Okay. I'm not quite a survivalist, but let's give a wits plus survival to see if Burrows doesn't get you guys lost at midnight. Okay. Pitch blackness. Two die being my hunger die. Let's see how we do. Two successes. Hell yeah. It only takes one little whip around of birds going, I think this is it.

Maybe? No? Oh yeah. And then eventually you do find this outcropping of four rocks that beat into this massive red rock wall. In the back there are these beautiful landscapes of nighttime Vegas out here in the no man's land. Where you see this defining cactus that sits in the center of four rocks and you know that's where the shelter sits. Moving through, you stand in the center of those four rocks and you brush across the layer of dust right by that cactus and reveal this very large, maybe two person wide square essentially of a fallout shelter patch entrance essentially. It almost looks like a

missile silo sitting out of the middle of the desert there. All right everyone, I'm gonna press the button everybody on. Yeah. Yeah. I'll press it and start heading down. Yeah, the button presses through, you have to enter in a keypad code at this little hatch access spot there. And then the hatch itself shoots open

and decompresses and then it opens itself. And there is this massive ladder that extends down and you know it for real, Burrows, this thing has been the bane of your existence since you died. It's a damn long ladder. It's gonna take maybe 120 feet down into the earth. I try to be courteous and make sure that,

like, I let everyone in first and then I go last, but the problem is with all the melting ice cream, there's now drips of ice cream hitting everyone as we go down. You're all getting banana nutted as you're going down the ladder there. And it is cold against your skin, but enough that it's getting real sticky and liquid. But eventually you climb down this ladder to the bottom.

And who would be the first one down if Burrows is not? I can go. Okay, Niles, you step your combat boots down onto a collection of newspaper clippings, old cereal boxes, plates of food that are decomposing that maggots and ants have gotten to down here. There is a layer of filth and grime that collects around the sides of the newspaper clippings. And essentially as you step down, you're visited with this tube vision, this tunnel that extends out and then intersects once.

But that is the entirety of this space. It goes on very long, but is very condensed. At its best, it is claustrophobic. At its worst, it is suffocating. There are so many things along the sides of these walls, old Tupperware containers and cabinets to keep things in. There are portraits along every inch of the walls. It's a maximalist nightmare of filth. There is a line of, as you all start to file into this room, there's a line of jars

that run along this counter space that runs the main tunnel of this that are filled to the brim with what you imagine is this ammonia filled urine in the mason jars themselves that have been sealed. And the smell is treacherous down here. Even for the corpses that you are, it is awful to be in here. There's old curios of a long dead Vegas lining the walls and a lot of it looks surprisingly as though it came directly from the desert inn, which closed as a hotel in Las Vegas in 2000, but was one of the oldest running hotels in Las Vegas as far as 1957, essentially, or the 50s themselves. And it's all been recreated here. It looks as though this fallout shelter has been recreated into an old Las Vegas hotel

and then dumped with a hoarder's paradise on top. There are old aircraft pieces that line the walls and stick out into the hallways. There are pictures with like every star from the 1950s on to the 70s. You know, Frank Sinatra, the full Rat Pack, everyone you can imagine is in here. There is a shrine of sorts with pictures of an old decrepit man standing next to John Crawford, Betty Davis, Ava Gardner, one of Katharine Hepburn, bent over his lap, Hedy Lamarr, and others, all women that are collected in this 30-some photos of the same man standing next to them in

various portions of his life, and below is an array of lipstick set into a makeup display below them and for each lipstick there is a line of initials next to the lipstick itself. In the center is a portrait that is a rendition of Jean Peters with a written note from her at the bottom that reads, till the moon burns lover from January 1957 and then below that is a jawbone that sits on a silver dinner plate in a note in cursive scrawl reads old gabie boys lying mouth and you all sort of out into this place boroughs this is all exactly as you remember it in fact it's a little dirtier from the last you were here yeah just just mind the piss bottles that they can knock them over once in a while, but

It'll be fine I promise If you say so Step through Yeah, I think once I get down all kind of like go through the crowd and try to lead the way the rest of the way. Got it. Burrows, you know where you're going. There's really only three different directions you can go in. HH's room is at the very end down that one tunnel. And moving through and bringing everybody to the full berth of this place, you step into the center of that intersection and something catches you, Burroughs,

where you look to your left and see the sealed hatch door that extends into your bedroom on the left-hand side where for so long you stayed. Is there any part of you that feels anything for that room, the call of that room, as you step into the center and your new friends sort of climb around all of you looking at the curios and things to be seen in this place, does anything call to you? I think maybe I mentally acknowledge that it exists but I think Burroughs feels so far from what it was and how it housed him and all that that I think he would rather not even spend much time concerning himself with his existence.

I think he barrels on to double H's room. He wants to get out of here as soon as possible. Got it. Is there anything anyone is doing in here that they'd like to declare here or are we moving straight to Howard? I'd like to be the last one in. Okay, absolutely.

Niles will be the last one into HH's room. And we keep moving. Y'all can imagine what it was like being down here for a decade or so. More. Yeah, this this makes sense. This makes a lot of sense now. About me or about Double H? Yes.

Yes, indeed. I'm not nearly as weird as this guy, but he sticks. He's true to his word. So what's up with the pictures and the like? I mean, I guess there's a lot of weird shit in here, but the pictures and lipstick for some reason really stuck with me. I don't know. He always kind of views them as his prized possessions, these women that he's interacted with in his life.

I don't know, he, Double H is a weird guy. He's been around a long time, you know? Obviously, he's seen a lot of folks. He's a collector. He collects. Like you, John. Well, I don't know if I'm a collector. I like to have nice things, but

No. He seems a little bristled by the comparison. No, no, no. You misunderstand. It's not important. Shall we? With those cryptic, mystic words from Rogel, kind of sit over the rest of you. You step forward into what is the main hallway into Howard's room.

Music is blaring. It is the rap pack, it is jazz, it is the 50s. You've stepped into the center of any casino in the 1950s, and this is the track that's playing. But it is unbearably loud. Someone with a hearing aid would still be struggling here with the amount coming through. The deaf would enjoy this room.

The music is so loud. Coming through, in addition to that, there's also a TV on an old black and white tube picture that has been braced onto stacks and stacks of books that even from the disarray of how that thing has been put together. You can tell Burroughs did this. It is this like haphazard.

Well, let's get a TV on him, position that is sitting an inch away from a queen size bed that sits in the center of the back wall of this fallout shelter. And they're seated amongst the filth and a queen size bed is HH. He is a very old, decrepit version of Howard Hughes to anyone in this room that would recognize him as being such. He looks the day he died, and he is stark naked with the sheets drawn only just above his genitalia, at which the peak of an old pink hotel napkin is draped over his most sensitive areas.

So one along his nipples, the other along his crotch, and the other two peaked in between his armpits. Sitting over him on his naked belly are six separate plates, all housing the same meal. A New York strip steak that has been cooked to the pink, a dinner salad and small peas. All of the large peas have been removed manually, something that Burroughs is aware of uniquely. uniquely. He claps his bony little hands together as all of you move into the room. Niles in the back there and says, Burrows, my boy along with the music just enough to try to convince him to turn the music down. But doing it enthusiastically along with the music. I love that. Knowing that he likes it.

But I am trying to like do it just enough to where he's trying to turn the music down to hear me better. Give me a charisma plus persuasion to see if you'll get what you want from old HH. Okay, Charisma and Persuasion. So that's six successes, two on my hunger die. He immediately, to hear that angelic voice of yours turns down this old record player that you've positioned on top of the black and white TV where he is watching film. And he cascades that trigger down just to hear you sing and quiet. I did it my way. Oh, you always had such a heavenly voice on you, boy.

The world never appreciated you for the raw talent you had. So what, you stole a few tubes. And the world never appreciated you, my friend. It is ours to carry a flag that no one marches for. Isn't it right, my boy? That's right, That's right. Well, you know, my friend, I come bearing gifts and friends. I wanted to introduce my coterie to who I think is an essential cog of

the wheels of Vegas. You brought me something. What did you bring me, Burrows? My favorite? brought me something. What did you bring me, Burrows? My favorite? Your favorite, yeah, I hold up the sopping wet bag of ice creams. Bring it here, bring it here. And he cascades the stakes over the side, tossing them over and the peas go flying. They join the stacks of plates that sit around his bed now. Set them on me, yes? Come here, my boy. You want me to just dump it on you or kind of set it by you? So the gallons, stack them six and a half diamond across me, yes?

I've done this before, so I'll set them down around him. Takes one out. He opens the center most now sitting on his belly, and he takes from the side of his drawer this tiniest little soup spoon. Can barely take anything off of it and he begins to spoon the now melted banana nut into his mouth as he looks to all of you. It begins to dribble along his old decrepit lips as he meets all of you.

You have brought new friends, but first, Burrows, you look so skinny. What have they done to you on the surface? Well, I found a couple of those amici who are kind enough to help reshape me. You've been speaking to the dragons under the hill, huh? Yes, come here. Let me grab your former fat boy.

And he brings you forward and he, with your permission, with your consent, will lift that patterned shirt and pull at your tummy, essentially trying to fill for the new changes. Yeah, I don't think I'll put up with it for very long. Maybe a lifting of the shirt, but I don't want to embarrass myself in front of my coterie, so I'll probably sheepishly bat him away.

He laughs and it's like a grandmother pinching your cheeks for a moment. He's like, oh, boy, always so afraid to be seen. Oh, I got friends with me. Come on now. But you look good. Good. Look at your hair. Oh, you're doing well up there since you left me. Do you enjoy it up there?

Is it better than down here? It's it's different. You know, I have to adapt up there. I got to be a little bit more. No. OK, good. Just different then. Just different. Yeah, yeah, you know. You know how terrible

it is up there. Yes, yes. It's unsafe. It's not safe for you, Burrows. You'd be safer inside. But, you know, there are some assistances with you being up there, I suppose. You know, talking about safety, actually, it's something I want to get to. Real quick, let me introduce everyone, though. We have the leader of the Coterie, Sybil. Yes, yes, come here, come here. Oh, yep, okay. Nice to meet you. And they try to quickly grab both of their hands in a handshake.

He does go to grab your cheeks first, you catch his hands and he accepts it. He sort of looks down at those hands. A firm grip on this one. Look at you. Beautiful. Beautiful. Yes. Very interesting.

Good. Good. Who's next? Niles, why don't you come say hi? Niles kind of shudders at being called out, but will walk at least forward enough to introduce themselves. I think Niles cut out. Am I crazy? If you don't hear Niles, maybe, yeah, just jump back into the OBS. Let me get you guys back. Maybe come back.

One second. Could you guys speak for me? Check, check. Hello, I can hear you. Okay, we're good. Okay, cool. So Niles, you approach, that me? Check, check. Hello. Hello, I can hear you. Okay, we're good. Okay, cool. So Niles, you approach, that's what I heard last? Yeah, Niles kind of shudders at being called out by name,

but we'll come through the crowd. Won't go to shake HH's hand, but we'll give a wave from afar. Ooh, this one is shy. Yeah, they're modest. They don't approach burrows. Are they afraid of are you? Are you afraid of me? No, I'm not.

I just prefer it. Are you looking at me? No, I'm not. Niles doesn't make eye contact with people. Niles has their feet to the ice. Because if you were looking at me, you should tell me. Yes. Yes. Double H. She wasn't looking at you.

She tell you. They're all real honest. Good. Keep that one far. Next. Well, we got Mal. Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next!

Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next!

Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next!

Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! Next! seen one of these before. Hello. Look at you. Mm, don't like that. What is this one's name, Burrows? This one can tell you themself. Go on then, speak.

And then I remember what Burrows said about not speaking until spoken to and goes, ugh. It's a little too late now. Yeah. Go on. Mal. Use those supple little vocal cords. Okay, wow, I hate this.

I'm Mal. It's nice to meet you. Good, good, good, and the last. Well, the last is my boy, Raquel. He's been a little sleep. This one, come forward, yes, you. Raquel steps forward, yeah, you. Right, he steps forward. Keeping all three eyes downcast.

Oh, you are touched. I've only met one of you a handful of times. Do come forward, yes, may I touch? You may. And he reaches forward May I... may I touch? You may. And he reaches forward and he takes those gnarled little hands and he presses it pretty obtrusively into your third eye.

And just sort of runs over the surface of it. Hmm, burros, I like these ones. you need to bring me folks more often Yeah, yeah, we're planning to come around more often for sure just his burrows frozen for anyone else I'm like going insane. I've lost burrows. Maybe let me join real quick. Okay, okay? Because I see levels everyone else hears me right? Oh, yeah. No, you're good Just gotta have there we go So can you hear me Caleb? Yes I can, I can hear you. Love it. Um, that explains a lot.

Okay. Burrows, you have to bring me these people more often. I love having guests and these are so interesting. Are these the ones you've been telling me about over the phone? Yeah, some of them. We lost some in the beginning of the summer, but yeah, pretty much.

Hmm. The two, the artists, yes? Well, one of them. Yeah. They had a little falling out. The bride gave me a call about that whole situation. Such a shame. Although the other seems to be doing

quite well out west. Really? Any word about them? How's she doing? Only was mentioned that she was working with the Vormin sisters. A very equitable situation for them. She's making good time and good place. It will only be a moment before she's made a name for herself, I'm sure. Although she'll never return out here. Well, uh, double H, you know me. I'm kind of a kind of clumsy sometimes. And, uh, well that very gracious gift that you gave me, um, it's, uh, it's gone missing. And, uh, I find myself in a situation where it's not enough to go around not carrying one of those things, uh, one of those swords.

And so, uh, I was wondering if maybe you had an extra one laying around or maybe you know the guy who, uh, made that thing? The rose. You lost the sword. It's less that I lost it, more like I misplaced it. It's buried in somebody's head at the moment. Oh! Well, why didn't you say so?

I thought those fat fingers of you must have greased through and the pommel just fell from your hands. Instead, you've done exactly what I asked you to. You've used it to its fullest extent and became the knight asked you to. You've used it to its fullest extent and became the knight that you are. Yeah, I'm a fat knight, though. Anyway, I was wondering if maybe, I don't know,

you think you know where I can get another one of the same quality? But by all means, I have something that will fit right in those hands of yours, won't slip for a moment. Would you like another sword of the same make, or are you in the business of new toys? No, no, if you got something that was similar to what you gave me, I'd love that. I do, I do. Go fish over there in the corner of my bedroom here. I believe it's under the pile where the bookcase has fallen over, and he directs you to this corner of the room. And indeed, there is this bookcase that used to be fully functioning and standing up the last year here that somehow has moved and fallen despite him claiming to be bedridden. The books have cast over it. It's over another mass and he directs

you to lift the bookcase and search under there. As I'm doing that as I go to work to lift the bookcase I probably make some comment out loud like, Oh, you had some visitors got wild while you were, while I was last out of here? Something like that. I've had trouble finding new help and we had some, um, unwanted guests earlier this month. Some of the terrible, awful things that have happened since you left me all alone but oh we persist terrible awful things I mean you okay is somebody hurt you oh burrows don't worry for my safety especially now that you've left here you you can't worry for something you've given up, can you? No, no, grab your sword.

I haven't given you up. I'm just working on a couple things and I'll finish moving it over. You lift that bookcase and underneath the cascade of books themselves is a corpse that is face up. Its face has been sort of sheared in half and is populated with this gore. Judging by the freshness of the gore presented, this is maybe a few days old, and they are mangled underneath that bookcase. It looks like unspeakable things have happened to them. But immediately adjacent to it is a hard case on top of another hard case that is very similar to the one your sword came in. It's almost like a Gator case or one of those heavy carry rifle boxes but made for blades.

Yeah, I'll try my best not to get any gore on me and just try to move The box out you kind of have to elbow this dead guy out of the way to get the box out as you do this Sort of cascade of things fall through as a new pile is formed and this rocket propelled grenade Falls to the floor there this RPG that is not loaded but ready And a series of other metal clanks fall through at the bottom there and you you bring out the sword case. Do you open it right there? I think I'll first reference the body to the coterie and just be like, you can see what happens when people cross double H, right? I'll bring it over closer to the bed, probably lay it on the bed and open it. Caleb yeah can we do a little premonition action see if I can see what happened here. Absolutely you want to go ahead and give me an active premonition roll.

I absolutely can and will. It's actually free or resolve plus aspects. Let's do that. And that is two successes. Okay. Two successes. You see this vaguity invade that third perspective as your own eyes go black for a moment, and you are almost like in a fisheye lens of the same bedroom at a different time and place.

And there is that form, the faceless one, having a conversation with H.H. in the bed, yes? You don't get words, you don't get interpretations of what the conversation is, but it is antagonistic on the perspective of the invader. The invader is threatening something to HH. HH is disturbingly calm during the conversation. You can see their mouths move once, HH's.

And then almost like some horrible spider, the bookcase, and he's just him gnawing at the face of this being as it collides into the bookcase. The bookcase falls over on top of them. And HH goes through the motions of peeling this man's face. Yeah. Right. Get a little open that third eye and remain silent. Okay. While Burroughs is opening the box.

What does this blade look like inside Burrows? Tell me what your latest blade is. I feel like it's... Like you're making me think that maybe Double H has a lot of really old stuff. Maybe it's like a relic. I mean, maybe it's even... I don't know, a samurai sword? Do I want to't know a samurai sword do I want to tread that ground again or do I want like a claymore or something yeah you know

maybe Scottish claymore or something in there who knows maybe that's too big although yeah but he's kind of just like a swing the sword around kind of guy so yeah we'll go with that it's like it should totally be in a museum or something. It's maybe not as big as the sheriff's blade, but it is sizable and noticeable. And it's got like a maybe like a green emerald in the scent in the hilt of it. Love it. Yeah, it looks uniquely expensive. And where the katana got caught in Pudineska's face, you can't imagine this thing doing anything more than cleaving it sheer off. It is definitely a warrior's blade meant for hacking, slashing and burrowing through crowds. This is the

sword of someone who removes nuts. Oh, this is this is this is even better. A double H. Oh yeah. Hell yeah. I'm like not safely at all. Kind of start swinging it around too close to everybody. The space in here is so claustrophobic that all of you come within maybe an inch of being heaved. Probably like sparking on the ceiling as I lift it up and

H.H. is doing little happy grandpa claps in the corner. Oh yes, yes! Good! Yes! Now I know something as gracious as this doesn't come without a price, double H, so anything you need from me, please let me know. Me and my coterie are available to you. This presents a unique opportunity for all of us in the room as I had something to deliver all to you to begin with. I have become uniquely aware of your presence here in the city, both through boroughs and

the conversations I've had with Bride and some of the others throughout this city. I have made some treks, as it were, and I've discovered something. That you all have very precious information to me and my estate. And so I would offer not a payback, but instead of partnership burrows, the same that we have always had, but with these beautiful, delicious new morsels you've brought here.

The supple ones, new to my place, would join in on our partnership, and just like the 60s, we'd all meet in a room and make it happen, as dirty as we can, yes? Now, I have a request that supersedes all of our actions here in Vegas, but should you see it through, I guarantee that I would give you everything

you have ever desired in your lives. And I make no promise that is not seen through to its extent. If you desire power, you shall have it. If you desire a weapon with which to cleave your enemies, you will have it. If you desire love, we will find it, whatever it may be. It would be yours. But you would have to agree to circumstances that if we were to betray, would mean the removal of our partnerships. Well, of course, any double crossing is due for the justice it deserves, but what is it you need from us? Is it the information? There is power in portals, burrows, and all of you have seen one I have come to understand. And not only have you seen portals, but you have seen the keys to which that open.

I understand that you all have been in service not only to a door, but to two keys. Am I to be understood. News sure does travel fast, even down here. Yes. I'm gonna look to everyone just to, if there's any immediate, like, don't say a fucking word, but if I don't see that, then I'll just say something to the effect of,

you're right. I mean, Niles is a little concerned about how far we go with that. Stone cold glaring at Burroughs. Well, look, we will admit to one thing. We did find one of those keys and we handed it over to the Prince. Now whether you're asking us to stage a haas to get that thing, well, that might come with some negotiations, but we're happy to look for a key

and for whatever else you think we might find. Yes, well, if those two keys were to find their ways back into this room, I would guarantee, just like in the 50s, we would wipe the slate of this city clean and create something new. We would rid the corruption of this place and erect you all as new arbiters of a Vegas that sees this place for what it is. Paradise. Burl, you are presented with options,

options that are no doubt enticing. I am sure that many others have given you options with these keys. I would only ask that when the time comes, they come to me. The opportunity would be life-changing. Burrows, you have seen what I've done for you, even locked up in this place

Imagine what I could do if I had everything I wanted You've been good to me double H. I'll admit that you've shown me the ropes you've given me guidance The sweet sword I have now I get it look As you can tell we're a diverse bunch and there's gonna be some talking out if we find what you're looking for if we finally that's worth it I'll let you know you know you know I'm good with you Burrows what give me one. My mic is going crazy. So sorry, guys.

If you could advise Mr. Holmes, I can advise him on another path. Advise him on another path? Well, I mean, double H? Are you OK with hearing out my boy? I guess he's working on his mic. He's like, he doesn't hear us, I don't know. He's not okay right now. I do think while we have this team huddle maybe,

what insurances, this man, Burroughs, simple just turned sort of to a huddle, a whisper. This man seems insane. Okay. Burrows, what assurances do you have that if we deliver the keys to him, that he'll give us anything other than the melted ice cream bag?

I think Burrows looks at you and tries to get across, like, I know he's crazy. I lived with him for like three decades. I'm trying to just get us out of the room. Like just go along with it is the vibe. I think you can tell from Burrows disgust from entering this place that he doesn't want to be here any longer yet than he asked to. And he's not loyal to this guy in any kind of real way. That's fair. Okay.

Please, Sybil. you don't know double H the way I know double H. Double H, I think that, I think what you've offered is fair, and I know that you've been in charge of this place once before. Not a lot of folks know that, but I do, and I know how well you ran it.

And, well, if we find what you're asking for, I'll let you know. That's the most I can promise right now, because there's a lot of things up in the air. Yes, so much up in the air. Promises are hard to make, I understand. It's a shame you couldn't make one. And promises are hard to make, I understand. It's a shame you couldn't make one.

Here, how about, as an offering of good faith, I reward you all something. What do you want? No strings attached. As a declaration of my good intentions. Well, he did give me a sweet sword, so I'm out. Come now, speak up. It's not often that a former prince gives you boon. It should speak to how important these keys are to everyone involved. What do you know of the Lomea?

The snake that now infests this city? I know plenty. I could give you information. If... if the Coterie agrees, that would be my request. Why does everyone give a fuck about these keys? That's what I want to know. There is power in the ancient. The door you found, you have an awareness of, is one that I have been trying to open for some time. It is biblical in nature. That door cannot and will not be opened.

Okay, alright. Now let's not get too hasty, Ragail. We're just talking here. Everyone says, you know of us, Mr. Hughes, you know of us and what we can do. I have an awareness that in your ignorance, you have a bravado that befits success. All I will say is I've seen things.

As your people do. Nothing good will come from that door. That is where you are wrong, Boyo. My dear boy, listen and listen well. You are right that for many nothing that comes out of that door will be good. But for those who open it, it will be wonderful. If you would like to count yourselves among those there when the creek of it rocks across cragged cave,

then I would pick the winning team, Love. You will be named. I always appreciate the monks and their ramblings almost as mad as my clan and equity. So, all right, as Sybil says, looking at Fragile, I think that's a thing to say. Additional assistance locating the Lumea. additional assistance locating the Lamia. Oh, I don't know. I'm thinking perhaps I should rescind this boon. Given that one of you has just declared, there will be no intention of giving me what I like. It seems as though maybe the chips have moved across the table. Such a shame, my boys. Such a shame. Don't speak so soon, Double H.

There's a lot of convincing and talking that happens in this coterie. You know, these folks, they like to talk even though they're real shy right now. Yes. Well, then perhaps we will save our gifts for Christmas, yes? I will see to it that I will treat you well should you follow through with anything that I have presented here, and if not, perhaps some distances involved. Burrows, our partnership still stands. Of course, yes.

I appreciate it, and don't worry, we'll get to talking and I'll get back to you. You will soon learn someone has to hold those keys. You have both pieces of the puzzle and have done well enough to see them both. You will be a deciding factor in where they go. You must bet the right horse, John. I appreciate your confidence in me, double H. I think me and my coterie will make the right decision when it comes to it.

You know, you never picked up your things from your room. Oh, that's okay. I like to leave them there in case I ever need to come back for some reason. You don't mind right? Of course there's always room for you in my home. I appreciate it. Anybody else got something to say? No. Not that you want me to. Well, double H, we don't want to outstay our welcome. No, of course not. Well then, my picture is on and the pain is immense. Leave me. I'll kind of give an awkward curtsy and just kind of start shuffling everyone out.

Nice to meet you. Yes. Good luck with everything. I skirt close to the TV so it gets all fuzzy as he tries to watch his show. He doesn't seem to mind the fuzz so much as the analog of the jazz does okay off of that record player and the TV begins to flicker. He does this bizarre movement of pressing his forehead against the black and white TV and mumbling to himself as you're leaving. But the fuzziness does take over. You all leave, I assume. Burrows, is there anything you'd like to do before

you go back up that ladder? Because you're walking amongst the piss? Uh, no, not really. I don't, uh... Um, Sergio's curious as to what's in that room, but I think Burrows would want to just get out of there. I don't I don't feel like there's anything that he wants here Okay, you all step up to the surface after a long snake eater ladder up to the surface standing out in the moonlight Where your footprints are the only thing that disturbed the sands a coyote is peaked up on a hill far from here watching peaked up on a hill far from here watching, but you all stand there. Is there any discussion in this moonlight or do we call this a successful meeting?

Well, first, I appreciate everybody putting up with it. I know exactly how weird and obnoxious he is, but, you know, all that talk about handing him the keys and shit. I mean, he's an old man. You know, I mean, he wants to rule Vegas again. And you got to playate him a little bit. What happens if we find the keys and we can't get it to him? I don't know, he'll be upset. It'll fucking piss his pants or something. But what the hell is he going to do?

I mean, to be fair, he does have a lot of influence. His fingers are everywhere, but he's stuck down there. I mean, he's a long ways away from Vegas. Why is he down there? Half of his own choosing half because it's what the tower wanted. He was a former prince, like you said. Don't you have to like kill the prince

or something to become the prince? Something like that, but that's not what happened to him. I see. He's got influence, but he's, I don't know. I don't know if he's really that harmful, unless you're in his presence. Just, I don't know. He is powerful, but we don't have to pay him any mind.

The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we'll all... the better we'll feel about it. Sorry, John. Hey, it's alright. I'm doing better now. I'm with you fucks instead of him. That door, it has to stay closed. What was that you will be named shit? Oh, he's going to die.

Yeah. Okay. Okay. I just, you had to tell him that? Is that important that you say that to his face? He knew. He knows. Okay. Okay. I will say as the request. I was just going to say, it looks like old Ragel's getting a little confidence in his snap. Is that a good thing? I was just gonna say, it looks like old Ragel's getting a little confidence in his snap. Is that a good thing? Confidence never did me any harm. It is what it is.

When you've seen things. We can't afford to let these things fall into the hands of people who would just treat them as toys. Because when that door opens, there's nothing left for us. For the people we love, for the people we care about. I mean I was down there you weren't down there so I believe everything you're saying and I don't have any problem with playing this game of juggling this thing around a little bit longer I'm fine with it I will I will do what is necessary to help you maintain that relationship in that relationship. We will need to talk at some point.

Yeah. Maybe that's the next thing we do. If we're all square way. I mean, we've been going months now not talking about it. Everything's just fine. Do we really have to bring it up? I would say yes. The way that my week is gone, we need to bring it all up. You need to know. As soon as possible. Because the price that this city will pay if we do not get our shit together collectively is nothing

short of fucking biblical. And with that, we are going to take a short break and we'll return with Mal, with Niles, with Rygel, and with Jackie's introduction. Yes! And I'm gonna speak. Yay! All right, we'll see you guys in about 15, 10, 15 minutes. Same bit. A couple of minutes back.

Hello guys, welcome back. We left in a vignette, a little flashback of the meeting of H.H., who we now have discovered is Howard Hughes, the Maula to our beloved John Burroughs, who is not anyone else. He could never be anyone else. All likenesses to Elvis are heavily disputed. With Raquel's warning that there's much to discuss and that if that door opens, something of a biblical nature will fall through. But before we get to that discussion of what comes next, we need to declare some more things about our coterie over the summer vacation here.

Starting with our favorite resident shadow, Mal, let's pick back up. Tell me what you've been up to this summer. What has changed for now? I think at the end of last season, Mal talked about leaving their their church. And then very quickly decided against that because they this is theirs and they want it and they're very tired of running.

Embracing the Luzombra. Taking some dominion, baby. Yes. Making it theirs in a few different ways. Every piece of religious iconography in their church is gone. Every cross, every hymnal, every prayer book, there is no hint of the Lord except for any depictions of St. Catherine of Siena remain. And that's it. Beautiful. We can talk more about what else it looks like on the inside, but that's a big one, especially with all the talk about biblical nature of things happening. Val has aggressively gone against it. If you want to roll through the aesthetic changes, I know I'm sure everyone listening would love to hear how it looks.

Sure. Um, yeah, the windows are now covered in tapestries of like really deep, dark, rich colors, like almost jewel tone. And it's bolted into the wall. So it's, it's not like a curtain. It is just a full window covering. Um, there are all like all the pews are set up right. Everything's swept. It's technically clean, but there's not like there's kind of an emptiness to the, to are set up right, everything's swept, it's technically clean, but there's kind of an emptiness to the hall of it, I guess. All of the hymnals and prayer books, as I said, are gone. They have been replaced with just empty notebooks, just to have all around.

Beautiful. Different colors, different sizes, just in those little seat back pockets. Their room is a little bit of a mess. There are different colored piles of ripped paper in every shade. Every shade is its own different color. All of the trash that they've collected has been separated by color. There's a basin of what is essentially like street rainwater. And on their wall, there is a new... or I'm sorry, on their door specifically to their room, there is like a series of locks that have been added since Mr. Sawyer made his way into their home. Got it. Okay, beautiful. So renovating the church has been a huge part of the summer, obviously. Is there anything else you'd like to declare to the audience that's been done, changed, moved towards?

Mal's started making inroads with a couple of kindred in the space, Bride for one, Cisco for another. and has just kind of been putting a focus on like, trying to stay safe, not even comfortable, but just like safe. Safe. You want something that's grounded and survivable. Yes. Have you been spending a lot of time at the asylum? A fair amount.

I think it's been like a slow trying to like, get into Brides good graces. And also keeping an eye out for Lin Torres, who was the monster in the basement, or who was the vessel of the monster in the basement that Mal still doesn't fully understand. So it's been a lot of kind of hanging around Terra, looking for Lin and trying to get into Bride's Good Graces. So far there's been no mention or sight of Lin at the asylum as thus, but the word has been put out. You've talked to some people that know Lin, know Lin comes around and says that it's only a matter of time, but it's most

nights you and Tara drinking at the corner of that gothic structured bar in the big open space almost church factory setting of the asylum. Before we move forward, there is one thing that we need to accomplish that was done this summer. It needs to be set right. In season one, you were obviously attacked by someone from your hometown, who then warned you that someone was coming for you, and that they wanted to meet you at the penthouse of the Aria Casino and Hotel. You were given a room number and a key card to

get you in. Obviously, obviously, it was important for you to appear. I want to know, Mal, does Mal appear to this meeting place at the Arya Casino and Hotel to see what is on the other side of that door? After everything that happens at the end of season one with the Asylum and with going down to see Rugal, I think there's probably a night that Mal paces the perimeter of the Aria, trying to make themselves go in. And it hits probably like two in the morning.

And they finally kind of push through the doors and plug in the key card to go up to the penthouse. You get on the elevator, you take it to the penthouse level, you look for the room that you're accessing, the key card goes in, and for a moment, it is as though you are alive again, because if you could be nervous, this is what it would feel like.

You don't feel much outside of the inky blackness that comes with being with Lissombrara the oblivion that lives in your veins But here this is enough to be a smart spark of a light and that darkness and awareness That whatever happens on the other side of this it might Maybe mean something against everything else that doesn't Push right go ahead right before the door opens against everything else that doesn't. Pushing through. Right. Go ahead. Right.

Before the door opens in a fit of uncharacteristic, not even optimism, but just near hope, but not, but like a step off. Mal's going to activate Blush of Life. Okay. You suddenly look more human. You are not the pallid beast that you usually are. You pass for someone just sick enough to be alive. And for a moment you feel more like your old self,

the person who manned the cashier at that vintage rental store, person who won the court case for their sister, the person who became a parent too young, it was far too good at it not to person who was live breathing before that car spun out. The doors open on the other side, a penthouse, large king-size bed, massive bathroom that is glass walled in against an in-floor shower, a secondary room with a living space and a TV, and a huge

panoramic view to the rest of the strip down below you. The room initially feels empty. Give me a wits plus awareness. Five, six. Five successes with a critical. Five successes with a critical, exceptional. You believe yourself to be alone. There is one thing that is in this hotel room that is not from the hotel itself. It is a Polaroid photo on the coffee table of the living room section. Mal goes and picks it up.

It's a picture of Lydia. She's older now with a haircut. A haircut you would have never given her. She's wearing jeans that are too short for her about the ankles from the growth spurt that's hitting her. She looks like an entirely new kid. In her hands is a guitar and she's fumbling with fingering a chord. The Polaroid is taken from the perspective of the outside window of your third floor apartment. Yeah, that's what I thought, that's gross.

Mal, with shaking hands, puts the photo in their pocket next to the two canisters, the two little film canisters. As you do, you can feel Sharpie move underneath your thumb as it thumbs the back of the polo. Oh, fuck. I'll flip it. underneath your thumb as it thumbs the back of the Polar Way. Oh, fuck. I'll flip it. It reads, If you met God, do you think you would know? She does. She thinks she would know? Is that what I assumed that question?

If you met God, do you think you would know? Is that what I assumed that question? If you met God, do you think you would know? Question mark. Space. She does. Period. Mal tears the room apart, looking for anyone or anything that is left. Roll me a Dexterity plus Athletics. Two successes. The coffee table is the first thing you flip before he tackles into you. There's a forum inside the room, large, square-shouldered, buzz-cut, all-black techwear outfit. He lands on top of you.

You go colliding into the room and you're aware that that person is above you. They're going to make an attack against you. And you can feel two powerful fists come down and crack you across both sides of your face as two hooks hit you hard and fast. You're going to take three superficial damage because it hits you that's superficial, not aggravated. Yeah. This person on top of you is very strong.

Go ahead and give me a wits plus awareness. OK. 2345. plus awareness. Okay. 2, 3, 4, 5. I'm gonna spend a willpower. That sucks. I'm spending a willpower. Okay. Three that are not your hunger die. Yes. Whew! All right. Well, that didn't even matter because I got the same roll. I have one That didn't even matter because I got the same role. I have one special onk on the normal die and two fails on my hunger die. Okay, so you have one success. Yes, oh, that's right.

They don't matter. That doesn't matter unless there's no successes. The two bad ones only matter if we don't succeed, but one success is all you need because this is a very easy tell. You recognize this individual. You went to high school with him. He has a name tag on his front that reads Rembrandt. That's not his name. You know, his name is Reggie. He went to school with him.

He was on the football team. He was on the D line. He was all state and was going to do very well for himself in college to tell it towards meniscus became used car sales. He stayed in his hometown for as long as you knew him and you knew a very long time ago. He was put to court essentially for domestic abuse with his now ex wife. He is on top of you. He's just cracked his fists across you. You can see these huge fangs across his canines

and blood dripping from his eyes. He has insanity in his face and it is up to you. What are you doing here? I am going to, um, so he's, he's got me pinned basically. Yeah. Cool. Does he seem alive? Judging by the fangs, he's probably as alive as you are.

Oh, you said fangs. I missed the fangs part. My bad. No worries. Um, then I'm going- The nebulous alive. fangs part my bad. No worries. Um then I'm going to use um where is the thing that I want? There it is. uh prowess i believe it is um i'm gonna use prowess to try and get him off me okay uh this is a discipline you're employing which discipline are you using here potence

oh potence okay it says uh vampires with potent gains far straighter greater strength in their blood than those who don't. It's a rouse check. When activated, add potence rating to the user, potent rating of user to their unarmed damage value as well as feats of strength half to melee. Okay. So. So rouse check. Describe the hits that are coming here.

What exactly is the attack you're making here? Mal gets their feet up under his hips and just pushes. Okay. And tries to essentially flip positions with straight strength, which is foolish for them, but they're gonna do it anyway. Okay, go ahead and give me strength plus brawl and then whatever potence adds to that pool. Since I'm real pissed off, can I use my specialty in rage?

Is your specialty in brawl rage? Yeah, it's brawl rage. We wrote this many years ago. Absolutely. No, totally. If it says rage under brawl, then you can add one additional dice to your pool. Sick. So you said strength. Plus brawl.

Plus brawl. With your rage die. Okay, hold on. Okay, that's strength. That's rage. Great, okay, I got it. One, two, I'm using another willpower to that's to willpower down I'm using another one for this role okay there we go, baby. Yeah. Crit, so four, five, six, seven. Seven successes. Holy shit.

With that, if I make this, I want to land on top of him and just have my hand around his throat, ready to rip. Okay. Yeah, you do land this. He collides with the ceiling as you just rabbit kick him into the top of the penthouse. It cracks through with this glass shielding that they have for the mirrored surface of their penthouse and he falls back to the ground with this huge shower of glass over him bleeding and cut up off the sides. You definitely hit him well and

then you're running over and you're priming your hand against his neck. He's going to retaliate by trying to grip your biceps essentially and wrench them back behind you so that he can wrestle you into a sort of hold. So the two of you are fighting for a hold. How are you responding to this so we can get it contested? I would like to just try and dip out of the way, like, not full like Wing Chun in the sense of like trained, but just like, okay, your movement's going that way. I'm going a different direction. You want to push them one way, go the other. Yes.

Got it. Okay. Give me a dexterity plus brawl. Cool. Two. Two. Okay. Unfortunately, he overpowered you. He gets you around the the arms. He picks you up and he takes you over to the window and smashes your face into the hard, resisted glass of the Aria Casino's panoramic view. It is very resistant glass because obviously casinos have a very tough time keeping people

inside of penthouse apartments. So it does not crack on the first, but you can see this massive pain, shoot with a lightning bolt of break along the glass there and it threatens to break through again. And it's clear, he's got one hand on the back of your head and the other on your bicep and it's just pummeling you through. You're going to take another two superficial damage. Okay.

That sucks. All right. to superficial damage. Okay. That sucks. Alright. So, now it comes back to you. Um. This last little round here. I, since he's got, so I've got one arm free, right? Yeah. I want to reach back around and grab the arm that's on my head and use Touch of Oblivion.

Okay. Okay. What does Touch of Oblivion do for you in this context? Withers a body part on Touch. Fuck, yeah, and you're grabbing him where again? Just on the hand that's got me. Gotcha. Let me read the version on Demiplane. Yeah.

Because I've only been reading the Wiki one because I can't ever find it in the damn book. Following a rouse check, the vampire grips their victim, requiring a strength brawl. I've only been reading the Wiki one because I can't ever find it in the damn book. Following a rouse check, the vampire grips their victim requiring a strength brawl. If the victim is trying to avoid, once gripped, the victim suffers two aggravated damage as well as a significant injury. If this injury inflicts it on an arm or leg, target one is rendered useless. Vampires can mend the damage like regular aggravated.

Okay, so two aggravated damage if you succeed. So give me first the Rouse check. Let's see if you get hungry. Six and above, you're not hungry. I got one. Okay, cool. So Mark hunger there. And then we're working with the actual attack there. So give me a grapple roll that's strength plus brawl. Oh, I have to. He's of course going to fight back against you. I'm rolling so bad today, I'm using another willpower. Just three because I can't reroll.

Okay. Three successes. Uh, unfortunately for him, he did roll horribly. So you will succeed. You add two aggravated damage. You have control of him. What does this look like? What do you want to happen? You're right there grappled against the glass. He's shoved your face in and casted blood across your face.

There's your start to bleed vitae. You're drenched up or pressed up against that glass there. You pull back, you grab his hand. What happens from there? Mal grabs his hand and feels it just start to disintegrate. Time has sped up and he is decaying as he should be. He screams out as it happens. I'm gonna shove him back.

Towards the glass or towards the room? Are we sending him through the window or back into the living room? Just I mean, almost perpendicular to me, not really necessarily into one or the other because I want to know what the fuck he's doing here. Okay. Um, we'll say that the withering you take them, you push them against the glass there and we'll say that the withering you take them. You push them against the

glass there and you have a firm hold on him enough that you maybe could get something out of him as you have them pressed against the glass not out not through but at least enough that you you could question and we'll call this

resolved for at least now you have enough of the hold as his arm continues to decrease and wither and go and you can see he's even younger than you are in terms of all of this and not fighting a winning battle with you. Let me the fuck go. What the fuck are you doing? Oh my fucking arm. Reggie, you had to expect this. You fucking bitch. You fucking bitch! I'm a fucking bitch, I know. What the fuck are you doing here? What the fuck do you think we're doing?

You won't go the fuck home, and so he sent us after you. We're gonna do everything it fucking takes to get you back, bitch. I'm not allowed to go home. Take it up with Prince fucking Grant. He wants you, and he's gonna take you. And you got days and you got days you got days on your fucking bill bitch. What does he want with me? He wants you to do what you were supposed to. You were supposed to meet with him. You were supposed to hear him out. You were supposed to know and now you don't know

anything do you you bitch you really need to expand your vocabulary this is I mean I know you're I know you're busy doing all state back in the day but god you laugh it up right now just wait until he gets his hands on you they'll be over from there you'll either get with it or you'll get in the fucking dust did Did he ask you the God question? Yeah, he asks all of us. What'd you say? I said I would know the Lord if I saw him. I went to church. I know what it's about.

So you see him? Yeah. Why do you think I'm here? Did you see him? Yeah. Why do you think I'm here? Look what he made me. Look what he let you do. And that's just when you drink from him, imagine what he can do.

You're telling me that's not God? What the fuck is? God is nothing. God is void. Maybe. Maybe there's nothing. God is void. Maybe, maybe there's nothing, but I'd rather be with him if there is. Coward, again, afraid. Okay, I'm over, I'm with it.

I drag it now, cool. Well, you can go tell him, like the good little puppy you are, that he can come talk to me himself. He's a little busy right now. Well, if he wants me, then he'll make time. He's been taking up photography. Mal does clam up at that.

They don't have any anything smart or snarky to say about it. Yeah, bitch. That's what I thought. Again with the bitch. I need to keep a tally. Got to get you a bitch jar or something. Just tell me where he is. At that point, he begins to squirrel again, and it's very obvious that he's going to

make another move for you. Uh, fucking hell. I'll call you first action. Uh, let me, sorry, I'm reading. I'll, he's bigger than me. He's probably stronger than me. I'm going to I'm going to go on just a defensive, not defensive in the sense of like fighting back, but defensive and just

like an avoidant kind of way. Okay, you're trying to escape. Okay. Are you trying to escape so much that you're creating distance in the room or are you trying to get out of here? I think I'm trying to create distance. How bright is it in this room, I guess? It's pretty bright. It's a hotel penthouse. They got way too many lights. All the lights are fucking on. Yeah. Okay. Then being in the shadows will be as obvious as not being in the shadows. Yeah, there's not really a whole lot of shadow

going on in this room. You imagine that he knows that that's what we do. He's a Lasombra like you are. Yeah. Then I'm trying to create space to ask one last question and then I'm fucking out. Okay, all right, so you're trying to get away and then on your escape, you're calling this back to him.

Okay, give me a dexterity plus, let's call this athletics to get out of grasp. And he's gonna roll strength and brawl to try and put you through the window. Help my daughter! Ha ha ha! Tell me about my kid you fucker three Three oh my god. Okay. Well, unfortunately he crits

Pretty substantially. Yeah for sure. Give me what is this final question? See if you can get it out If he wants me so much where the fuck is he done if he wants me so much, where the fuck is he then? If he wants me so much and that's about all you get as he scrolls through, breaks the withered hand, takes the other and choke slams you back, spinning through and hits you through that window. The window cracks and breaks and you are now airborne from the Aria hotel floating through. Let's give you another two superficial damage as the glass breaks and you cut through.

You are now flying, Mal, outside of the strip, essentially to your death. What are you doing? This building, does it have balconies? Does the Aria have balconies? I stayed in the Aria. Oh, this is a real building that we can ask that of. Yeah. The Aria does have balconies, yes. It does have balconies, yes. It does have balconies.

Does, yes. Great, I would love to try to- Possibly cold, the wind is whipping about you and you're trying to shoot for one of these balconies? I would love to try to do that, please and thank you. Are you like free-basing flying squirrel over there? Is this a lasombra trick? Are you just hoping the wind takes you?

I think Mal like wraps themself in a shadow cloak. Okay. It doesn't add anything. It doesn't add anything to their ability. No ability to jump to shadows, huh? No, I don't have that somehow, I don't think. So sad. Yeah. Well, something to look into from now on.

There is one where you can just leap to the next available. There is. And I didn't take it because I'm a dumbass. You wanted the cool with her guy. Uh huh. I want to fuck someone up. But now I go ahead and give me a dexterity plus athletics. And let's see if you can wanted curve the bullet. That is your body at the balcony below. You're skating off, the glass is falling with you, people on the balconies are

looking up, there's screams from the strip below as everyone sees it happen. So I have a question for you. I have an answer for you. Okay so with a willpower you get to reroll three die. I only have one die that isn't a hunger die. That's the only one you can reroll. Can I reroll it three times? No, you can reroll it once. Cool, cool, cool, cool. So cool. This is so cool.

Well, I'm doing it. I'm three health away from death. I am one willpower away from no willpower. Three aggravated damage or superficial? We filled up my superficial. Yeah, so you have one aggravated. I have two aggravated because you said I hit the two. What you mean?

So I'd filled up by the time I went through the window. You said there were two more superficial damage as I went through the window. Yeah, so that would be one aggravated damage. Then your ticker comes back. Oh, wow. Wow. Incredible. That's way better than I thought I was doing.

Am I going crazy? Hold on. Because you don't you only have three aggravated health points. Do you? How many health points? I have health in total. And as I understood it, it was your aggravated is double your hip like? How many health points do you have? I have five health in total, and as I understood it, it was, your aggravated is double your hip,

like is just the same as, like you can take the same amount of health, but your... Yeah. Did they take any damage during the fight? Like I remember you saying something about superficial. I got to five, I got to my full health, superficial damage, and then I went through the window and took two more superficial damage,

which I thought meant that I was over. That I have three more until I'm fucked. Because that would be ten with me. Well, did you half the superficial that I gave you? I'm sorry. What do you mean I only took half? Because vampires take half of the superficial damage applied, so when you take two, you take one.

Oh, I'm sorry. Equal margins of successes in attack roles. All superficial health damage is halved and rounded up for beautiful. So I took seven in total. So it'd be four now. Four. Yeah. Great. Thank you so much for your patience, everyone. As I learned the rules of the game, we've been playing for forever. It's OK. I've never gotten these rules right in the comments. No. And they're watching me and I swear I'm trying to forgive you for it. I'm trying to do better this season. I'm sure I've already fucked it up. You're doing a great job. But the story is good, huh? At least I know the lore.

We're not here for math. I'd rather be a vampire storyteller that knows the lore, that knows the rules. Come on. Than a vampire accountant. Yeah, okay. I will say I did fail, even with my willpower remorsel. You failed pretty spectacularly, right? No successes. I thought I could maybe pull one out of it. I didn't. I'm in trouble. It's fine. So now the question is, do I want to kill you?

That is an option. Do I want to start season two with a time pair. Let's ask the audience Should mal die I think we can do YouTube polls can't wait Yeah, we could actually I don't know how to do that. Oh, yeah start a poll start a poll Honestly if we want to enter like media red no Someone else will return to this No, wait a minute if she just if they just fall and smash into the ground I mean high up the problem is it creates a paradox because then how did they then survive to go to HH like? creates a paradox because then how did they then survive to go to HH? Like-

Clown armor! Clown. Okay, I'm gonna roll right now and we're gonna decide. Yeah, super fit. Equal opportunity. Mal's just got the worst concussion, does not remember that entire beating with HH. Yeah, right. Okay, um-

Can they just fall into baby blue and I just drive the body away? You guys were poised at the bottom Where's there a pop-up WWE event where they were doing a special effects right outside that window? I don't know we're nine votes in 43 33 to 67 oh boy No, no Oh boy. No, no.

If this is the end. That'd be great if I introduced the first time paradox into a vampire campaign. Like you're dead, but not dead. In a ghost this whole time. You fail dramatically at catching one of those balconies, but the world is on your side in one way because you do collide with the side of the building and crunch your arm on the

way down and plummet into the side of the balcony where you are draped onto your ribs and what would undoubtedly have killed anyone else leaves you barely alive. You're you're gonna take one aggravated damage, okay, which we've confirmed does not kill you. No. Yet. No there and you are looking at a very terrified couple that are dressed in like tourist vacation clothes, little patterned shirts and Vegas fits. The man is halfway through putting his club fit on, like pulling on far too tight white leather pants, and they look over to find you crunched and crippled into the path of their balcony. He goes, oh, holy shit, what the fuck, holy shit!

And they're terrified, and they're opening the door out to their room. Help us, help us somebody! They're hurt, they're hurt, we need help. They're crawling out into the hallway. What you imagine might be a masquerade breach to someone who just could get up and walk away from this. What's the plan now? How far above the ground am I at this point? You'd say you fell from the penthouse,

you fell a few floors, you're still pretty high up there, but you're away from the quarterback upstairs trying to kill you. For sure. You've still got to make it to an elevator or some stairs. Right. Or I guess you could just jump off the building again and hope you roll some more successes. Aim for the pool. That's what I'm going for.

Pull other guys. And just remember you hit water. It's like concrete. The one untaken name says that you should say Hopital, Hopital, Hopital. Oh, Jesus, fuck. Um, so we're afraid of we're afraid of a masquerade violation. Maybe. You could pass it off, put on some acting skills. Yeah, it's a little weird you survive, but who knows?

How visibly injured is Mal? You just collided with a balcony falling pretty fucking fast and spun out when your elbow cranked back off your shoulder. It's like this thing is jelly on the side there and then your ribs are probably exposed and bleeding. It's bad, it's definitely not good. Hmm, interesting, interesting.

Okay, so sorry everyone. I would love to. Um, God, dumb as fuck, I'm gonna. So I hate this. I'm probably just going to go off the edge again. I know. But that was only one.

No, no, no. I'm more afraid of a masquerade violation. You're really taking that plot armor to heart, dude. That is a masquerade violation. It's not the plot armor. I'm more afraid of a masquerade violation after all the hard work that Sybil is going to do for us, although Sybil hasn't done the hard work yet. I'm I'm fighting for our lives now. What are as as you're falling, you fall past the window where I say, we're going to be more careful.

You're not now. So that's that's the timeline. Excellent. Good to know. Then. I'll do a cute thing. Oh, so cute. A just find a shadow. I'm going to just shadow cloak and just try to get the fuck out of there. OK, shadow cloak.

Does that add on to a stealth role or is that a role itself? Or my intimidation, which I'm trying to avoid. Go ahead and give me Dexterity plus Stealth plus that addition for the Shadowhide there. And let's see if you can get yourself out of here. There's plenty of shadows on the outside here. Right, but as we established, can't walk through the shadows. Yeah. Plenty on the balcony you're on. I think you're muted. I was being to roll. I've rolled so many fucking beast deal failures that would be so bad if I hadn't any successes, but I

have five of them. any successes, but I have five of them. Oh, terrifying me. Five successes, no failure. You know, no failure here. That's by far a success. You meld into the shadow before you. What does this look like as Mal? Is there one moment draped in falling off of a balcony?

Absolutely shattered the glass. These people screaming and calling for help out there in the hallway trying to fetch someone to come get you. What does it look like as you shadow Mel? I think Mel tries to let out a whisper like that of a ghost. Tries to let out a whisper like that of a ghost. Disappear, dis-apparating into the nothingness. Something along the lines of, oh, I'm finally free.

You speak the words, finally free free into the ether. And it causes the couple screaming at the door to stop and look back as they were in this rush to try and get the police, the people work for the hotel, the ambulance, anything, the woman is on a call with 911. And as you call that, they look very puzzled in the direction of this woman, in this person, and you are gone, completely gone. The crunch of that balcony is the only thing left. And they are left with this remembrance of the ghost that was just here a few moments. I want you to give me just one more Dexterity plus Stealth roll with your added bonus here, just to see if you can hide long enough for a moment that you can get away from these people. Because really the only way out is jumping off the balcony again or going through their room.

As we've established, a bad idea. One, two, three, four, another five. Another five. Good. Great successes. There is a long, arduous hour and 32 hours of you waiting on this balcony, concentrating on everything that is your curse

to stay in the shadow on this balcony. As the crying club couple finally get hotel employees to come into the room, then police, then paramedics who get called off and sent back. The police and the hotel employees come in, the club couple explain an exasperated, terrified tones. We swear they were right here and they hit the balcony and they were pleading.

We were trying to get into Caesars tonight and they're just going on and on and on. And the police Obviously used to dealing with a lot of Las Vegas people Immediately come to this conclusion that they probably got drunk and hit the hit the the balcony. There's this discussion There's talk of you know, cooling it with the drinks, and the hotel obviously talks about removing this from their room. We're so sorry. It's going to have to come out of your bill. And eventually, eventually, the two sobbing couple left alone

in this hotel room keep assuring themselves. You saw them, right? Yeah, I saw them. And while they're sort of tending to each other, you slip out in between and make your way out of the Aria Hotel, dooming this couple to like a egregious hotel bill. But alive with aggravated damage, a lot of pain, you're hobbling, you're hurting, insane, basically, that this happened to you, and that somehow you're still with us. But nonetheless, you are. Despite my giggling as a player, Mal has been like shaking with absolute just like terror, confusion, frustration, rage, just like on a loop.

And, and eventually crawls back to their, their church. Give me a rouse check just to heal your superficial damage, get you out of that mess at least. You guess what it is? You get hungrier? Mm-hmm. Okay. It's a one. Yeah.

Let's at least just get you some food then. Let's roll that you at least ate out of here. Let's call it manipulation plus persuasion to see if you can feed that night to save yourself from all of the shit that's happened. Everything I'm rolling is a hunger die. Beautiful. Good luck.

I'm so sorry, everyone. Live your lives. Follow your dreams. Great start. Okay, silence is deafening. Yeah, I have no successes. Okay, here's the thing. We're going to slake your hunger, but mark a stain as you you feed messy tonight enough that it doesn't look good on you.

And since you feed at the asylum, there's maybe something that will come up between you and Bride and your time there. So we'll mark a stain and we'll assume that the consequences, maybe you're not being so subtle at the asylum like you're supposed to be. Where do I mark stain? It should be the superficial version

of your humanity, essentially. Or just mark anywhere on your sheet that you've got one stain. That we can... I'll just write it in. And remember, guys, stains sort of the version of marks against your humanity that haven't actually happened yet. You remove them before you actually lose humanity. Enough, and you become more of the beast. Okay, now you had one last conversation you want to have this summer. I'm assuming this is weeks later after you have come around on some of these things

that have happened to you this summer. We'll handle the aggravated damage healing off screen in between this session and the next so that we can see just how hungry you get and whether it causes more trouble for you. But we can assume you've at least healed the superficial and you're feeling a lot better. This is weeks later after the meeting with HH,

you said that you wanted to give a call to someone. Did you wanna go through with that? Yeah, I think it's not really, like we probably haven't even gotten far from HHs. We're probably still walking back to Baby Blue. And I think Mal will just kind of pluck at the back of Burrow's shirt and kind of jerk their head back toward the back of the pack.

Nice night. Yeah. That guy sucks. Yeah. Very observant of you, right? Yeah. So... A lot happened that I'll explain at some point to everyone because I think it's going to start affecting everyone. Um, but I've been reconsidering our conversation about the church.

You say you want me to baptize you? Well, what do you mean? Fuck no. Absolutely not. Sorry. That was your church. My church. Yeah. Not the church is like a concept, but my specific church.

I'll look to the others to see kind of look look back at them and you're saying you're okay if I try to have that Midnight Gospel at your place? For a trade, yes. What's a trade? I just need you to have my back. Well, you know, Mal, I to have my back. Well, you know, Mal, I always got your back. That's easy. Specifically with your sword? Like I gotta use it?

If the opportunity arises, I'd appreciate it. So we're trading access to your church for I have to kill a guy for you. Kinda, yeah. You've been good to me and this is an awfully gracious gesture on your part. After what I did, I understand. I'll be fooled and not accept. Yeah, absolutely. That's awesome, man. Okay, okay. We're gonna have rules. We're gonna set up rules for the Midnight Gospel, okay? Oh yeah, there's gonna be lots of rules, like how much money you get for this, how much blood.

Not even that. I mean, you and me are gonna have rules about who can go where and what you can have in there. I don't want any fucking old, young, skinny white twink with a thorn crown anywhere. Is that a reference to something I'm supposed to know? Or? It's, it's, I don't want, I don't want any Jesus anywhere. Oh, no actual religious paraphernalia? No. Damn, it's gonna be hard to tell everybody we're a church if there's no sign of it. There, I mean, you can have Catherine of Siena. That's the church that it is. So if you want, if you want a saint, you can have a saint. That one saint. All right, I like your thinking. I see what you're saying. Non-denominational.

Get everybody in on it. I like your business sense. That makes sense. Yeah, sure. Um, no one goes upstairs. No one goes downstairs. We stay on one floor. All right, well, we'll, you know, when we're installing lights and stuff, we might need to go upstairs, but we'll have that conversation when we get there. Yeah, this sounds great. I appreciate it, man. Okay, and you just... I just, I wanted to... You can't let anyone... Just have my back, okay? Look, I've seen the movie The Godfather. I know what you're implying. You

need me to do something for you. Count me in. It's fine. Okay, great. Come to my ass more than one occasion. Yeah, I don't hate your singing. I like hearing you sing, so I get something out of it too, so... Thanks, I guess. That's probably the damn near sweetest thing anyone said to me in a long time, so I appreciate that. You're gonna hear a lot of it in your church coming up soon enough. Yeah, that'll be nice. As long as I don't have to participate, right? I don't have to participate? If no one's looking, you can participate.

Okay... Everybody likes to sing, Mal. Give me a break. Don't be so tough. If no one's looking, you can participate. Okay. Everybody likes to sing, Mal. Give me a break, don't be so tough. No. And I'll just bust out in the song and start leading the way back to the car. Whatever tension was settling up in Mal's shoulders and bringing him up starts to loosen a little bit

and they keep in Burroughs shadow as the as the rest of them walk back. In the days following the meeting with H.H. the church is filled with organ music again as Burroughs begins to very fast move in, I'm sure of it, and I'm sure soon enough JT Dollar will get a chance to see the insides as well. With that, we're going to move to Niles. Niles, do you want to give us a little update on what's been going on for Niles over the summer? What's some things that have changed, some things that moved around? What's going on with Niles? going on with Niles? A couple of things. Niles has established a small business, a tattoo shop known as the Four Crows. Niles has also been doing

some house renovating, trying to tidy up Bubblegum Mansion into something somewhat both within the tolerance of the masquerade as well as a nice new home for Spoons. And the rest of the time has either been fulfilling my debts to Cisco and being a part of the Watch Dogs and spending time with Hugh and the Anarchs on Fremont Street. Very good. Niles, it has been eerily quiet for you this summer. The moves that you have made have been successful. Meetings with Hugh have calmed down and it has become almost mundane in the amount that you guys get to spend time together.

It's becoming regular. Even Cisco has started to take a liking to you. The two of you spend so many evenings very quietly, abundantly quiet, in Ubers around Las Vegas, in the back seats, going from investigation to investigation, you reporting back to them of all the things you've been noticing throughout the streets.

And one day in the heat of summer, you are told directly by Cisco to appear at a location in McCarran Airport by word of Santos to assist with what they call an unboxing. Yeah. Perfect. It is a lonely drive out to McCarran. Do you take an Uber? No, I'll take my bike. Okay. There's no long Uber drive. There's no strange Uber driver to talk to you.

It seems that that profession is dying out in this city. On your bike, driving through the city, the traffic is rough but eventually you do get to McCarran right there by the strip and you pull up. You pull through to the gate that you were told to. It's this off the the main airport drag where obviously this is where they do a lot of storing of the planes and cargo and such. And there is a private plane that has been parked into the garage itself, and out of it is these large crates that have been set sitting in the hay that they've been used

to be packed in. And Cisco is standing next to them, Santos as well. Santos looks a little worse for wear. He's still wearing that green utility coat, almost something off of a Vietnam vet, still patched in, something he bought from a, like in Surplus Army Store, essentially. But he looks grayer around the beard,

if that's possible for a vampire. There's just something about this kindred that looks like they haven't been doing so well. But they're standing next to Cisco very quiet. And when you arrive, they hand you a crowbar. They say, well, these two are for you. We're going to leave you to it. And Cisco says goodbye to you. Santos shakes your hand,

and the two of them go walking off, clearly in conversation, almost as though Cisco and Santos had been having a discussion before you got there, and they kind of picked it back up once you arrived. But with that crowbar in hand, they kind of leave you alone in this garage. leave you alone in this garage? I'll try to follow the gaze of Cisco and Santos until they're far, well far out of sight. And I'll palm the crowbar for a couple minutes and head over there and open the nearest crate. Okay. The nearest you open, you crack it through, and there is like this huge packing material, and as the top comes over there is a coffin, heavily embroidered, marked with so many different reliefs across the surface that it almost

looks like to run your hand along it to touch every new crevice and texture to it. It is metal and ancient. It almost looks like those old Iron Maidens. It is in the shape of a person's body, even has a head and everything to it, and extends the entirety of the duration. It is locked tight, but it does not seem to be... I'm sorry, it's shut tight, but it doesn't seem to be locked. Before I open that, I'll open the other box too so I can try to figure out both of them before I pick and choose which I open first.

You open the other box and you find a familiar sight as the top cracks open and the hay kind of buffets out of it. And inside this very large like arc of the covenant box is Ragell with his hands crossed over in an X and his book, a new book clasped between his fingers. No beanie. His eye looks very different. His main eyes are closed, but the third is open, which Raquel will describe for you in just a moment. And he's wearing robes that match Mok'hur's. He's not half clothed, he's fully clothed, but they are in these ceremonial, almost monastic robes and blacks and reds that run across the length of his body. I just drop the crowbar out of the unexpectedness of seeing Regal's face in a box once again. And Regal, you are awake. You've been awake for the entirety of the journey here, or at least until night took over the plane. And as that, you know, shuffling of wood cracks open, you're

visited with a site of Niles a couple months older, all tatted up and ready to rock. We gotta quit meeting like this. Yeah, I don't think I like every single time we've met this way. I don't think I do either. I don't have the capacity to ask you things right now. So Niles reaches a hand and tries to help him to his feet. Yeah, he'll take it and, you know, book in one hand, Niles' hand in the other and he'll stand up. And Niles, oh god, the last that you saw of Rogel was in a state of torpor, his body decaying to reflect the corpse-like nature of the day he left and an awareness that he was going away for maybe forever

a week and taken by mo ker but now he looks revitalized maybe even stronger different physically more confident a bizarre sereneness to him i'll let vince describe the rest yeah um the robes kind of hang off of him but the the third eye in the middle of his forehead now is no longer that the flesh around it is no longer like cracked and Broken-looking it looks like like a very natural third eye just in his forehead like any other But the iris is gold is like this pure bright almost bird-like gold. I didn't think you were going to be back in the city anytime soon.

Oh, yeah. I woke up in Louisiana, of all places. Why there We had to meet with some people Things are happening Niles I've bitten through a lot. I've seen a lot. And we've got a lot of work to do. I'll text the group chat then. If you don't want to.

What's that? And I'll point to the other box with the Whole thing last time I came now I Don't know what that is I wouldn't know what that is right Caleb you do it's my idea. Oh, okay. Oh, okay got it That would be mo car. Oh What are we supposed to do with that? I'm gonna give you this to hang on to. I'll take the crowbar. I'll get him. I'll get him up. Niles, you swap items, giving the crowbar to Ra'Gael, and now you are holding this very strange book that is almost the size of your chest. It's massive.

It is made with a kind of vellum. You don't recognize that maybe even human skin you get the feel. It does not feel great in your hands. It is carved with similar tattoos to Mokur and the pages are frayed and old and broken. And a lot of the language, if you choose to flip through or even look at the cover, are runic in nature, runes you don't recognize. And it feels awful to hold. I'm holding it out from a distance because I don't know what to do with this. While I watch

regale open the the moaker. Yeah, cracking open moakers, coffin, you find that he is awake as well as bald as ever with that triangular, triangular bleeding eye and all of those tattoos that dot him. This time he is not in a half-naked state. He's wearing his robes, but on his top, he is wearing a bright sage green shirt that reads, I love Nola, and it has a depiction of Bourbon Street behind it. It's very out of place on what is the Devil Monk.

And he looks very serene as Raquel frees him and steps up and sort of blindly steps in the frame. Doesn't even really regard Niles, but looks to you, Raquel, and says, and so we will have meeting to discuss the ritual, yes? We will. You have done me proud, and I have seen you grow, and soon the Lamb will know why he chose you.

Yes, he will. And he reaches forward and he touches his third eye to your third eye. And Niles, they hold this intimate hold for way longer than you would think. And then finally, Mokur breaks, he claps Ragel on the shoulders, and then walks off into the darkness of the McCarran Airport strip, sort of out into the rest of Vegas, leaving you with Ra'Gel. Fun. So fun. Yeah.

It is good to see you again, though. Likewise. Everyone okay? Well, I mean, relatively speaking, after the twins. Everybody's been more or less keeping busy on their own things. I don't really hang out with anybody much unless we have something exciting to do. Niles, it strikes you, Raigel has mentioned the twins. Something Raigel wasn't even awake for. How did you know about the kinks are happening. Like I said, I saw things.

Like what's so cool? Well, then I don't have to tell you anything that has happened then. I can save that for civil or burrows. No, you don't. We can drive in silence. I can save that for civil or boroughs. No, you don't. We can drive in silence. We can drive in silence now. Excellent. You're gonna have to ride with me, I guess, on the back of my bike. Or you can take in... Well, no, you shouldn't take an Uber. Or you can take in, well, no, you shouldn't take an Uber.

That just does not know what to do with them. I know this is super awkward for you, so I appreciate everything. I will ride with you on your bike if you don't mind. Yeah, no, fine. I got it. I'm going to text people and then we'll get on the way and I will hit the group chat and tell them I found somebody and I'm bringing them to them. And getting, unless Cisco or Santos needs me for anything else. They're gone.

Left you completely alone. Oh, they left completely. Yeah. I didn't know if they were waiting outside or anything. But if not, if that's the case, then I will put Ragell on the back of my bike. Look at the eye for a second and notice that he's not concealing in any way.

Don't know if that's okay, but I kick my bike on and start their foot on the ropes. Yeah, sure. But I'm gonna be on the back of a bike. The one's gonna blow it off anyway. I'm just gonna keep my head down real low against Niles is back. Let it fly. Rogel. Let him breathe. Yeah Yeah, and then I'll kick the bike on and I will drive to whatever central location we've agreed to meet during meetings and Bring regal there There is a reunion between all of you, let's say at Club Canaan, our decrepit little abandoned

space that we haven't decided what happens to it next. But you all meet there, circled beneath the dim bar lights, no furniture added to this place, we were working on it. There's still the dog house that a beloved member used to sleep in and the bodies downstairs in the fridges and a lot of remnants of Alison's sculptures artwork that you all have stuck on to just to keep her in memory. Yeah Yeah it's probably like still frozen in time like it probably hasn't changed at all. It's probably still got like the blood, the bullets, and the trash from when we slaughtered like 20 people in here.

All the above. The majority of you meet up, is there a discussion with Hragal? Do we get caught up? Do we want to see that happen? Do we want to keep moving forward? I'm open to whatever. I just know that when Raquel comes in, Burroughs kind of bear hugs him and it's just really loud and boisterous. Probably makes a comment that it's like when his cousin got out of jail, just like, it's just like so exciting.

And he's just very positive and, know very happy to see Rygal. We'll just catch up yeah because because we've established that the discussion won't happen until after the meeting with HH so yes so with that in mind I think we're going to skip to that discussion. We take weeks. Raquel is brought back into the fold. All of you have accomplished what Sybil did, what Mal did, what HH happened. We brought Raquel back. And on a Saturday, sometime after all of this, Sometime after all of this, you all come together in the bowels of Club Canaan, of the former Lucky's Bar, to discuss what comes next. But before we get to that discussion, I'd like to introduce you all to someone new.

Jackie, you have been in Vegas only a short time, but you came with a mission given to you by your sire. One that we have been working hard for over the summer, at the same point that people were falling out of buildings, meeting Howard Hughes, and solving the world's politics issues. Now for you Jackie, could you give me an idea of where Jackie is staying in Las Vegas and how she looks and where she finds herself on this Saturday? You're in your haven, you're in your place. Tell us all about it Jackie. So Jackie is actually due to not just staying, knowing that this is possibly going to be a longer trip than previously, has actually not just got like a hotel room, was actually arranged, I would say like almost an Airbnb house actually so if anything she has I Would say

Let's go with a ranch style Single floor with a basement She does have I would say you will see An SUV parked in the driveway she in in this house it's gonna actually be like nice furniture enough that you would say like okay sit down but it's the appearance of a normal kind of and also boxes so she's moving in so it might show to the neighbors like a new neighbors moving in the garage that it's attached to. Even though there's an SUV parked in the driveway, the garage door will be closed.

That's going to be kind of an extra workstation, if you will. Got it. But when people actually see Jackie for the first time, she is, I would say, very well put together. You'll see her in black jeans, purple tank, probably breaking stuff down. She's actually, I would say, you will see stacks a lot of books, especially on journalism, on a lot of different medias of like also worldwide,

not just you'll see books from the Middle East in South America, ranging from occult to, I would say medical books from hematology and all of that. You also see things of the occult. So you will see little trinkets. Like if there's any kind of personality, it'll be in the trinkets of like the arts and knickknacks from especially Middle Eastern and European.

You are in the middle of breaking down something that strikes very familiar from you, from one of the first missions ever given to you by your divine purpose, by your sire, and it is this beautiful ornate curved dagger that sits underneath the display case, and you're in there trying to discover where that thing might fit. Where do you end up putting it? Where does this dagger go? This dagger is... You're gonna... Jackie... And also, well, you'll notice is Jackie's actually quite tiny. Jackie is literally 5'2". Even her... Everything about her is just smaller in stature but very I would say just I want to give off like a kindergarten teacher like of good and like just like very nice fate very kind of like me not really stands out a lot high ponytail

but even though her hands are tight this This dagger is quite intimidating. She is going to, it's very treasured, she's going to put it into a little sheath, a leather, and then you're going to see kind of like an extra strap and then you'll notice her assembling almost like where she was going to attach this onto a harness. So you can see that this knife is going to be on a harness, but also other you'll see on the side a belt with a lot of vials, maybe some little boxes, little flasks. You will see glasses like of tubes.

You will definitely see containers of blood. So you will see like even little blood beds, Petri dishes, there, you will see signs of her blood sorcery that it cannot be high because that requires a lot of equipment and actually a lot of little things on standby. So you will actually see quite organized in like boxes of like ash,

powder and other things that she's organizing. You're organizing, you're putting this harness together. You're strapping it in because you know that you're about to go off on a lead that finally has come through for you and about to discover why you're strapping it in because you know that you're about to go off on a lead that finally has come through for you and about to discover why you're here. You do see as you put that dagger into the sheath, you see the letter just below it or at least the note that was left for you by your sire, Calota, and it reads, you will do more than anyone was ever lived my feather, I will see you rise. You'll see like she Jackie will actually you'll see like,

because it's in a little note, that little note, she will put that probably in a little, uh, in the container. Like one of her like containers, like actually put it in those little special spots to prop it up. That is something that she would just like to have that propped up. Beautiful. So you put that message from Coloda up, uh, another reminder. Good to hear before you're about to step out, and then you get a call from one of your sources. Now, I would like you to make a roll for me and let's decide how well this source does

in telling you where it is you need to be tonight. Let me get a wits plus investigation to see how well your source did. Okay. I gotcha. Okay, not bad. Here we go. Why am I nervous? I know. First roll. You got it.

Four successes. Hell yeah, man. Here we go. Jackie starts out. You get a call. It picks up the name on the phone itself as a lie, a little trick you picked up to hide your sources just in case anyone were to see your phone come up. But when you answer the other side, this very chipper, manic little voice on the other side speaks up. So I, manic little voice on the other side speaks up. So I think I know where they're going to be

tonight if you want to see them. Yes, please. Thank you. So I cut wind that their new one is back. The one with the third eye the salubra you were talking to me about. Yes. Tell me more. the salubra you were talking to me about, yes? Tell me more. So, I think that they're meeting at their club tonight, Club Canaan in Naked City. The one that we scalped out before, the one that was their old little haunt.

Right, right. The broken down fences, we drove around for a few hours. No one came through It doesn't really seem like they used it all that much, but it seems like maybe they're getting together now hmm now now It seems like they've got something important tonight Came in like a bat out of hell that that blue convertible I was telling you about and then the two bikes too, okay that blue convertible I was telling you about, and then the two bikes too. Okay.

Thank you. I will take, thank you. I look forward to hearing more soon. Bye. Perfect. Bye. With that, Jackie's gonna go ahead and immediately, you'll see her very kind of, almost kind of little stylistic and military.

You're gonna see her like assemble this belts with her vials Sheath and then she's gonna put on a very thick red hoodie right on top so like the one I'm wearing much setting it is a very very heavy and then she's going to go ahead and Grab her SUV I will say though, is it possible instead of driving directly she is going to drive but not park directly near Club Cannon? Yeah absolutely. So you're getting close but you're not parking in the parking lot? Correct. Got it. Perfect. Okay could you roll me a stealth plus dexterity? Let's see. I'm very glad you've said that. Yeah, stealth plus dexterity just, uh, you know what? Let's make this stealth plus wits, actually, to see how well you park away.

Okay. Alright. Wits, you said? Yeah. Okay. Wits and stealth. Gotcha. Yeah, and stealth. Thank you. Viral. And we got... Alright, not the best. I got a two. Two successes. We'll call two a success. I don't think that anyone's looking out for anyone tonight.

You parked far enough. What's the move once you're parked? Once I move, I'm going to also reach under my glove compartment. And I'm going to pull out kind of like a thick, it looks like a medical folder, but it's actually kind of like what police and Like what has investigation so it's multiple yes, you're gonna see me pull out one of those thick dossiers and then I'm gonna just tuck that sucker under and Jack is gonna go ahead and pull out her like these very stylish glasses put them on mostly because she, she, even though she looks very kind of innocent, but her eyes can sometimes give it away. So she tries to cover them. So you'll notice her wearing glasses and she's a poker player.

She's high hotel. And she's going to go ahead and activate silence of death. Okay. So as she's walking, and I'm gonna do another one, unseen passage. So while, cause it's a free rouse check, free action, silence of death, she starts walking so you will not be able to hear any of that, like stomping or anything like that. Do you have to rouse check for either of those? I only have to rouse check for unseen passage, which I will do now.

Go ahead and give me that now. Success. Perfect, okay, so you're not even hungrier for this. You are a shadow, you are gone, you are not even there. Are you walking all the way up to the club, or are you just trying to get close to get an eye through a window? Are you passing through the broken gates?

What's the plan? I would like to do, because I know the back entrance of this club actually has an underground passage through the basement. Is there any way I can just go ahead, go up through the basement so where everyone is at, they will not see me coming up through the front door? Give me a dexterity plus stealth. I'm just going to lower the DC considering that you're silent, invisible. All those things. OK, let me just grab that and. Oh, that is that's a five successes.

Beautiful. OK, consider yourself in the, that's a five successes. Beautiful. Okay. Consider yourself in the lower floor of Club Canaan. And as Jackie steps in, harness close to their hoodie, dossier in hand, stepping in cool glasses on the tip of their nose there, I'm going to move the camera back a little and pan it up a floor to the arrival and the sitting of all of the engine in the main room of Club Canaan as everyone's around the furniture, maybe the one couch we've got left, someone's position on the bar. You guys want to tell me how this looks, what the vibe is on the first major meeting of season two? Braggale's probably just sitting like very still, peaceably, just by the bar or in an area where everyone can kind of gather around those who desire to. His sermon on the mount.

desire to his sermon on the mount. Well, uh, you know, I know it's been a little while you've been out and all, but, uh, you know, I had everybody chip in, got you a little something, right? Gail and, uh, Burrows turns around and he's got a brand new beanie, uh, for him. It's says like, I love Vegas or something on it. And you know, I noticed you didn't have your old one So I figured you know here you go This means a lot burrows. Thank you. No, I appreciate it He'll slide it on ah

That was actually a little bit more of a test on burrows as part to be like is he now a dude who doesn't wear the Beanie or is he cool wearing the beanie? That's interesting Burrows approves. It's birth the burrows the beanie or is he cool wearing the beanie? So that's interesting. Burrows approves. Burrows approves beanie. Burrows will remember that, yeah. And he is wearing, he's out of his robes obviously now at this point, but he's wearing like a white dress shirt that's buttoned all the way up to the collar.

Wrists buttoned, black dress pants, like he looks like the blend in a little bit better. Well, now that we got the team all back, what's the plan? Anybody got any bright ideas of how we can make some money in this town? Sybil is behind the bar, basically where they can keep an eye on Regale the entire time. They're not like eyeing you, but they are keeping you in focus. Well, we as a Coterie owe a major boon to the echelon, everybody now. So that's something we don't have to really spend time on. That's just sort of passive. When it comes, we should be prepared for that. spend time on that's just sort of passive when it comes we should be prepared for that. When do we not owe them our lives? When do we not owe them for keeping our heads? This is nothing new. Mal says from their like perch in the corner on the bar.

Right. This just is it's like a little like a little ticket that can be called upon. There's a little bit more of a ritual to it. But effectively, yes, Mal, you're right. They're they're they're saying they get something from us, even though they already get everything from us. What else is new? Well, that's the game they play. What are they saying they need from us? Find Kerr, find the other half of the disc, Key, whatever you want to call it. I tried to leave a little bit of smoke still in front of that because I think that should be ours but the moment you get a beat on it they need to know something. I know you all were at the bottom of the- oh go ahead. No that's it we're allowed to live and

they're watching us always. Regular stuff. Go ahead. I know you all found the door at the bottom of the... Oh, go ahead. No, that's it. We're allowed to live and they're watching us always. Regular stuff. Go ahead. I know you found the door at the bottom of the lake. Sentinel, right? I am Sentinel. I... I was asleep. I wasn't asleep. I was in pain for... It felt like years. It felt like every nerve ending in my body was on fire. Black. Just nothing but black.

And I thought I was going crazy. I thought I would go crazy. I thought if I ever woke up again, Ethan and Rag-El would be dead and something else would be in its place, because it was... It wasn't like anything I've ever experienced before. It was fire and pain and agony, and then it was light. And then I was someplace else. And I was back in Vegas, so I was back in my old apartment. But outside was different. A lot different.

It was Vegas, but the moon was bigger. Like it was colliding with the earth it was about to. It was massive. It was dark. Remember those triangular, those formations we saw, the white animal gangrel things outside of Vegas? Hordes of them, all marching towards Vegas. And at the front of them was a horse, bigger than any horse I've ever seen, but black fur. A skull in place of its head and it was leading the way. I knew it was Sentinel.

Or what's called Sentinel. The thing on the door, right? Horse skull. So Sentinel's got plans it's not just this inanimate thing. No, no, Sentinel's behind that door and we got to keep that door closed because well what happens next? I was back, I was back in my old office and there was a picture on the screen of me and someone I used to know. Rufus was there and this homeless man I'd never seen before. Middle Eastern looking, Middle Eastern descent. but he had these pupil-less white eyes. Six different coats. His pants were rolled up past his ankles, and on his ankles were these brands. They resembled stalks of wheat. That was from the door too, right? There was these engravings on the door, and it looked like that. But his feet were decayed. They were rotten. There was bone showing through.

And then I moved. It was a screensaver right up on the monitors. Right? Like I'm back in my office. I'm back. I'm Ethan again. I'm back in my office, back at my desk. I moved the mouse. And there's an article I was Keeper. It was by Braggel, and then there was Hebrew beneath it. It said, the meal of the brother. It's something connected to Cain, something connected to Abel, like Keeper, brother's Keeper, right? I've been having visions of this rock from the beginning, from when I died. This gray rock with blood and hair and on it is written, Keeper. It's the rock that Cain used to kill Abel. It all goes back to Cain and Abel. on it is written keeper it's the rock that Cain used to kill Abel it all goes back to Cain and Abel and this article there's pictures and there's bodies piles of bodies on Fremont Street there's two people walking among them I can't tell who they are the strip has collapsed the buildings are gone there's an inferno burning out in the north. There's normal people,

citizens. Yeah. Yeah. But there's a wall surrounding Vegas now. It's medieval. Ancient artwork, there's sand piled up against it. It's like it's been there forever. But then there's a castle in the middle of the strip built from all the remnants of the buildings that used to be there. I look away, I look back and then there's a giant fucking boulder in the middle of Vegas with the word keeper written on it. And it all comes back to keeper. But if that door opens, that's what we're in for. That's what's gonna happen. If that door opens, that's what we're in for. That's what's going to happen. I mean, we all knew it was a fucking weird door.

Everybody wants at it, but they don't know what we just kind of run our own things and do our own things. Like, is this really our problem? Bros, they're going to get their hands on those keys. And we all know they're gonna do anything they can to keep themselves in power. It doesn't matter who it is. If it's the Anarchs, if it's the Camarilla. Anarchs will use that door to destroy the Camarilla. Camarilla will use it to destroy everybody else. But they don't know what they're unleashing. They don't know what they're letting out. They don't know that

It's just gonna come for them too. I mean, it doesn't, HH was wrong. It doesn't matter who opens that door. And I'm telling you right now, Underwood and the Lamia, they've got something to do with it. One of the last visions I had before I went, Underwood was there and he was covered in these Saints tears remember the Saints tears we got from three foot he was covered in that stuff and he was holding the door open for someone a

female figure I couldn't see who it was or what it was but he was holding the door open for her it's definitely a her and then they were waiting for someone else and I think they were waiting for Sentinel because the person that was there that I was that I was close with said don't open that door and they're waiting for someone and so whatever the Lamia are up to whatever that whole Saints Tears thing was up to that's all part it, it's all part of the process. I mean, it sounds like to me, maybe one of our options is just, we have to go about figuring out how to make sure nobody gets access to this door. Our own little campaign of making sure nobody gets through.

We kind of discussed this when all this hell came to fruition at first. I mean, first things first, we can get our hands on that second key and destroy it. I mean, nobody can use it to open it, open the door. I mean, it's done, right? Is it something that takes a lot to destroy? First we can get our hands on that second key and destroy it. I mean nobody can use it to open it open the door I mean, it's done, right? Is it something that takes a lot to destroy? It's just an object at the end of the day, right? We can just crush it or something That's what the first one looked like right? It was just clay or stone or something I mean you fucking smash it hard enough and long enough it'll break

I sure hate to break something that everybody wants. It's really going to come down on us if we do something like that. Yeah, it's not. I don't feel like being a martyr. No, I know. But there's. Apart from Laudan, who's very interested in keeping that door closed.

Who do we trust to do the right thing with it? Is it wild to say the Second Inquisition? I'm not saying that we clue them in consciously, but if they already hate us, and that's something all of our enemies know. What do people want more than anything? Even living, breathing people? Power. They just can't understand what it is. They can't? Everybody needs a seat for themselves, right? Everybody needs a seat for themselves, right?

There is no faith. There's only just seeing. Well, I'll tell you this. Seeing is definitely... Wow, really hard to believe, Ethan. Holy shit. What the fuck? I'm sorry. Do I see you now? Who the fuck are you?

Yeah, stepping. I'm gonna go ahead and step out of the shadows. Are you visible, Jackie? Yes, I am blankly visible. So from the bottom floor, stepping up from the stairs, is this small, unassuming form and this hoodie, shorter on the sides. Yeah.

Ethan, you, roll me a wits plus awareness, Ethan. Yeah, you bet. Rurro's just giggling from like being surprised at her appearance, but then like seeing how small she is, he like kind of brushes it off. Malice-sitting con. of her appearance, but then seeing how small she is, he kind of brushes it off. That's Four Successes. Four Successes, I won't even have you exist in vaguely. You know this woman, she's a journalist.

In fact, years ago when you were both alive, there was a bit of a squabble back and forth when both of you were in the news for powerful stories. Yours, of course, being local reporting and hers being wartime reporting. And there was a lot of discussion within the circles on whether one or the other was a hack, whether you were both hacks and who hated each other more and who was more powerful than the other. While it never rose to actual animosity, of course, you remember Ethan, you remember Jackie.

Yeah. You ever win that poll, sir? Didn't live long enough for it. Do you know each other? Hi, not like this though. You're one of us now? I'm, trust me, when I saw your name pop up, I had to do a double take when I saw it as well. So, evening everybody.

Hi, hello. I'm just going to, name is Jackie, uh, Jackie Santana. Uh, you can call me Jackie. Is it? I don't know. Is anyone worried about this situation? Is there anyone taking tackles up? Are we taking Ethan at it?

At his word? Are there any moves we would like to make while Jackie? Yes. Yeah. I was just listening. That was so funny. I was just listening. I was just listening. I was just listening. Are we taking Ethan at it or at his word? Are there any moves we would like to make while Jackie introduces himself? Niles is positioning themselves closer to the exit.

Got it. Niles goes for the exit. Anybody else? I just want to Sense the Beast on Jackie, which is... What does Sense the Beast do for you? It basically allows me to see if they have any hostility. There's a little bit more if I crit, like I can see clearly they're kindred, but what kind of kindred? Do you want to make an active roll then?

Yeah, it's resolve and animalism on my end, and then Jackie, composure and subterfuge on yours. Jackie, give me a composure plus subterfuge. I will gladly do that. Oh, shoot. I think you're going up against a big pool here. Oh, I failed all of them. I got to go.

I succeed on all of them. Five successes. Yeah. Jackie, do you mean harm to these people? Absolutely not. It is very not. And if possible, I would like to actually Jackie's gonna go to each one and shake like, hi, I'm Jackie and try to get your

names officially. Can I also discount as a crit? If I get all successes? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. We'll call it a crit. Yeah. What information would you like? I just wanna know about your hunger and your resonance. But I think that is something that Sybil gets when they take your hand and shake it. Jandee, you're pretty normal, right? Too hungry?

I'm actually at zero hunger right now. From how I thought we were starting off, I probably would have fed earlier, especially with how I feed. You, you didn't kill when you fed, right? No, no, no, no. Okay. So you just at one. Yes. Yes. Yeah. One. That's fine. She relaxes a little bit and a resonance. It doesn't seem to come into play here. No, no. Does it read clam? I don't think it tells you what clan they are doing.

No, just exact type of creature, but nothing else. Well, kindred. You get the sense that they're kindred. Okay, Jackie shakes all of your hands. Does everyone take the hand? Yeah. No. Niles doesn't.

Niles gives you a big no, Niles gives you a no. Well, have a good handshake. Niles circled around behind in the shadows in between the basement stairs and Jackie. Got it. Just watching. Pearls is entirely too naive. He doesn't throw up a single kindred ability, just, you know, welcomes her in and he just is delighted by how small this little thing is. And so Jackie, what you got to tell us? Quite a bit actually.

And I'm gonna just slap my big folder. I know you're in the shadows, but you might wanna see this. So I'm gonna open the folder up and I'm gonna just show like any and everything I have on Vegas of you're going to see sections devoted to each and every one of you. And there are exposés into the prince. There is a breakdown tree of the camera. Ella's ivory tower. There are a few names missing that you know, but for the most part being outside of Las Vegas, it's pretty impressive to know the inner circle that much. There are Anarch names being named. Ellis has an

expose. And then the fattest of the folder deals with an individual page on each one of you, starting with Ethan and then working back to Burroughs. And the Kingsters have their own pages as well. They're separated from that grouping, but essentially it lists locations you've been seen at, usual haunts you go about, routines, how you may like to feed, very cursory basic things, but enough to show that maybe you've been tailed when you didn't realize. Uh it's not as in depth to the point where like uh Jackie doesn't necessarily know about the church or bubble gum mansion or anything like that, but Jackie does know about your routines and about the big

splashes you've made. For example, in Mal's folder, there is uh security footage snapshots of the hospital and everything that went down that night. And then the most recent addition is a newspaper article about a possible suicide off the balcony of the Aria Hotel that then was proven to be a hoax. And in addition- Why would you assume that's me?

Why would you assume that's me? The fuck? Well, your attitude didn't just get that away. That flip the page and it goes on to Niles. And there is some interesting theories that Jackie has been going into on why Niles has come to Las Vegas. And there is a page on that. It is gone nowhere. It's mostly just guesswork right now,

but it's clear that it was a question Jackie was trying to answer. We get to the Burroughs section. And Burroughs, could you make a wits plus awareness? Yeah, standby. Wits plus awareness, which I don't think is high, but oh no, it's okay. Here we go.

That's five successes. Burrows, even from the first glance of your page, you're very worried that this thing is going to call you Elvis. You're very worried that Jackie might be so close to that that it's barely even a theory anymore. You can do what you will with this information. Maybe you switch the page real quick and go, oh, whatever you may do here. But if that information is let out, the others reading might see some credible theories

and evidence to the point that you might be a certain rockstar. Yeah, I think he probably would try to make an attempt to pull the page out. Like, oh, let's see what you got about me. And I'm just trying to get it away from everybody. I'll let it totally happen. Let it I kind of like. OK, for the others, let's get your role to see on whether they allow you to do this without any sort of hackles being drawn.

Let's do a charisma. Actually, let's do this, uh, persuasion plus dexterity. How quick you pull it. Do you have any kind of opposed role or no? No, no opposed role. We'll just blanket this and make it a grand DC for everybody else. So, so just Burrows rolling here. Uh, Burrows is doing, uhity and Persuasion. I'm technically, technically gaslighting them, aren't I? Sure, yeah. Throw your gaslight in there.

We just need Gatekeep and then we'll have them all. We've got girl. We've got gaslight. We're keeping the door closed. We got gatekeepers. You're all gatekeepers. We're all gatekeepers. With one success, I'll say it's not a hard DC.

Burrows runs off with his little page and everyone shocks it up to him being him. Uh the page on Sibyl actually has uh for the rest of you if you look long enough or if Sibyl allows you long enough, there are um a lot of pictures with Sibyl and a a young woman who is maybe a little bit older than Sibyl. Beautiful. You think either half Latino or half African, you can't really tell. She's girl bossing just the same in this like cream orange pantsuit and a white dress shirt. Way too much chunky necklace,

way too much chunky bracelet, huge heels, big poofed out, full blowout hair, and absolutely drop dead gorgeous, like an AOC type standing next to Sybil in a bunch of pictures, like conventions almost, business conventions. Sybil, do you allow that page to stay visible to everybody for long enough for them to at least take in some of that information? Yeah, I think Sybil just calmly goes to pick up the paper and reads it and just puts it back down, flipped over. It's just excellent homework.

Good. Thank you. And Ethan is the last. It has way more to do with your living before you died, Ethan, than it does after. I think you've been the hardest one for Jackie to crack, mainly because you've been down asleep in torpor or sitting in sewers for four months. So it's a little harder. Burrows, you had something to say? Yeah, this is all very impressive. Little Miss Jackie, of who you're working for. What's the point of all this?

This right here is the truth, your truth. That's what I've come up with so far. And the thing you've got to know with me is. That's how I will operate with you guys. And I will tell you my truth. My truth is that I'm here in Vegas because of you, all of you. I don't know if you guys are aware,

guys did a lot of stuff to require a lot of eyes very quickly on a group of baby vampires that you guys bring on a new second issue and I like you get where I'm coming from so that's got attention a lot farther away than you realize and that's where I come in. So you're saying you're our babysitter or something? No, I'm trying to find out why a prince would basically go to DEFCON 1 over a bunch of baby vampires. So you're not from the Camarilla then? Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.

I'm not Camarilla and I am not Anarch. That is very, please be, I'm very clear on that. I have, but I do, just so you know, I am diplomatic with both sides. Like they are diplomatic with me. Banu Hakeem. Bingo. The Banu who? I've never heard of that. Hmm. Bono who came?

You know? What do you know about them? Seekers like us. Judges. Executioners. Juries. Big time. Are we on trial?

Nah. In fact, you guys are my witnesses. You guys are my go to because it occurred to us. It's not so much the small guys. It couldn't be. It has to come from up top, but which side? It's hard because right now things with the Camarilla, Anarchs, it's very tenacious right now. I'm here to give a third objective point of view to find out where the real rot is coming from. And then you guys didn't and then I heard apparently there's something about a key and now this kind of makes a little bit more sense as to why a group of baby vampires has

everybody's attention. Okay. So what you want to follow us around like a curious little cat just trying to figure us out? Honestly, I'm just trying to get started off in the right steps. One thing I would like to do is be your guys' friend. Seriously, I'm new to town and trying to establish my own life here.

It seems like I'm gonna be here for a while and it seems like out of everyone here, you guys will be the most truthful with me because out of everyone here, you guys will be the most truthful with me. Because out of everyone here, you guys know what is at stake. On both sides. If you have the Anarchs that don't trust you, Camarilla doesn't trust you. But we... This could be something that could be a helpful alliance.

And I feel like if I just became very upfront with you to see what my capabilities are, to see what I can do, this is just a fraction. Well, she's got guts, you gotta admit that. We'd rather have them with us than against us. And if you have questions, please ask. I will be open book. Really? When did you, how old are you? Like, how old do I appear?

How long did I, human lives? Like, kindred time. Jackie, you're older than them. Not by much, but for sure. I'm definitely a couple years older than you. No more than... A decade, maybe. Yeah. Okay. years older than you know more than a decade maybe yeah okay don't worry if it helps i we ethan here definitely knew me when i was alive we ran into each other in iraq afghanistan

Afghanistan. He was a lot younger than, wow. I've got a few things like him. Well Jack, I don't know if you know, but around Vegas you don't just get to join groups and stuff. I can see that. You're going to have to kind of prove yourself here. What's so impressive about you anyway, besides you're real into stalking people?

Bono Akeem. Do you know anything about them? You keep saying that word, no I don't. Just sounds like some weird clan. I'm gonna take my serenade, my my knife out from under my hoodie. Relax. Chill baby. Chill baby, cool.

And I'm going to go ahead and like slice my hand and the whole point is for like a pool of blood to get into my hand okay and I'm going to do scorpions touch which is I believe I will have to do a strength and blood sorcery check, but basically it's like I can create a poisonous paralyzing effect on blood. So what you're going to see is I'm going to take out a spider from one of my little tubes, like a little, just drop him on the table and you're gonna see me as this little thing is crawling away, kind of just squeeze the blood back onto it as it drips onto the spider, and you will see it twitch, kind of bubble, do effectively a corrosive, very intense, uh, poise, paralysis

type poison onto the spider. You're gonna see it twitch. You watch as this spider curls its legs in, freeze in the paralysis of all of it as the acid begins to eat away from the inside out. And you watch as it pools into this matter of, uh, half congealed, the poisonous blood and the decay of the spider on the surface of the bar. Hey. Ew.

That hurt Kindred just as much as people? The point of the Bano Hakeem is for judgement and all that, and the best way to do judgement is to get the truth, and a lot of times, you have to be aggressive in getting the truth out of people. So, it works very well. That's what I'll say. What gives you the right to be judgment, though? Did you just decide you guys were special enough to be in charge and make all of the rulings?

What the fuck? It's a selection process It is from my understanding a lot more carefully Vetted To become a Bono a game. You're just not given this. Oh, I'm sure. Well, between Captain fucking Nightmare over here and you, you'll be well placed to be the most important people in fucking Vegas. To you, yes.

Hey, looks pretty useful to me. That's not gonna stick, is it? Captain Nightmare? Yeah, that's not gonna stick, is it? Captain Nightmare? Yeah, that's not gonna stick, right? Are you a captain? I don't know, are you gonna stick? Are you gonna fucking stay around? I deserve that.

Not an answer. I will. I will, yes. As you can see, we are in a bit of a delicate spot as a coterie. I understand truth is important to you. We're gonna need a little bit more than just lies of omission. That's fair. We have several things moving right now.

If you want to be a part of this coterie, I need to see some flexibility on your end. Jackie. It doesn't have to be tonight. Were you tracking the Lamia situation in the city they were on my radar I am a little I'm just gonna get into it by the way and if I'm just I'll be honest this place is a shit show there is so much shit going on so what's going on with the Lamia use Jackie can roll a wits plus investigation I will decide how much you know about the Lamia situation

oh that's a good question I practically forgot about that Lamia situation I was hoping it would solve itself we got a six six You know almost as much as the people in this room that the police force were working with a cartel to sell false tears of the Nephilim essentially to the Nosferatu under the guise of it being a solution to their ugliness, but instead was the blood of a Lamia, which is, as you know, as corrosive as what you just did to a spider. And you know that they're operating out of the west side of Las Vegas, southwest, in a shipping company. And you know that a lot of ins and outs have been going through there, through the work of a cartel, working with the Little Mia out of that shipping area.

So I'll be frank, as you could tell from my dossier, it doesn't have more than what you have on that. But I'm not- Well, we got names. Yes. But the one thing, Ethan, maybe coming back and vouch for me, this is something that I do take serious. I don't fuck with corruption. I hate it. It's actually one of the reasons, I'll even be frank, it's one of the reasons I died. It is a personal vendetta.

It is something I truly live, think, and breathe. That's my f- I hate it. I'm unearthing it. I'm annoying as fuck, and that's what I'm gonna be doing for the rest of my own life. So you guys are not my prey if that makes sense. I have other people and I have a feeling everyone here can help me with that. So is that what we're starting with looking into this whole Lumiah thing?

It plays into all of this in some way and we got to figure out how. I mean and listen, the Hakata wanted you to go after them anyway. Maybe it can buy you some goodwill after you buried the fucking sword in the champagne put in Nesca's face. I'll remind you that it buys you guys a lot of good in multiple directions. Bugsy asked for this, as well as the Hakata,

as well as it would get you information on the next, if, if Ragel's visions are to be trusted, then yeah, those must have something to do with the larger story of the keys. I think it's a good idea. I've got three names. We've got total transport distribution. It's the name of the trucking company

that's operating out of outside of Sloan. Jeff, he's already taking a notes and already writing this stuff down and Tiago runs up the operation guy named Tiago. You sure saw a lot of your visions, huh? Well, though that was before I took the stake to the chest. That was after I ripped out under underwoods throw.

We learned that from underwood. Yeah. Or three. Actually three foot gave us a Tiago. Yeah And then I think Mal actually saw that you saw the name Ezra on the phone Me I saw the name Ezra on the phone Always see part of this. Is this something that Mal would know? You know, it was when you guys were You know, it was when you guys were looking like when Underwood was in the room, Ezra showed up on his phone, but it was during one of your Lissombra freakouts

where technology doesn't work around you. Okay, Mal tracks that remembers that as Lev does in this moment and stops pouting so aggressively in the corner and sort of comes up behind Jackie. They are the same size. Oh, that's so cute. The two of them standing next to each other. Look at that. John. Sybil, aren't you short too? Why don't you get next to him? I'm not that short. I'm like two inches taller than the both of you.

Look, I don't mean to... I know I've dropped a lot on you. Well, I mean, not as much as Jackie here. When I went under, I was not convinced about any of this, and I think you all knew that. I thought Mo'Kerr might have been behind it. He's not. And I believe now, because I don't have any other choice. I Don't know if that's how belief works Mott's out's working for me That sounds forced I

Mean we're glad to have you back Jackie you seem kind of cool. You still got some shit to prove. But we use all the help we can get. Think of me as like a special guest star until I get upgraded to another full status. I say welcome. Welcome for now. We don't have time to really live in forever and eternal life. We're still trying to fix this week.

Sibyl of the Boss. Let's just make a promise to each other here and now, you know, things have been a little rocky with us all in the beginning. We're back. We got each other back. We lost some, we gained some. Let's move forward with positivity in mind, you know synergy all that shit they talk about in corporations We can be the new generation and with that call to action and

With an awareness that the Lamia being the largest we're looking after and all our personal qualms in between We have at least a direction to move in and a full coterie to work with. We'll consider that Jackie has now joined on a temporary guest star basis. We'll see if we like her enough to bring her up to the full cast. When we meet next session, we will move forward

with a lot of our personal stories, see the Midnight Gospel, see what all of our summer vacations have brought for ourselves, and continue the smaller stories that lead to the larger. And perhaps, sometime soon, we'll be taking a visit to a snake. Thank you all for being here. Thanks everybody for staying with us. We're going to call it quits on our first session back for season here. Thanks everybody for staying with us. We're gonna call it quits on our first session back for season two. Such a great time being with all of you guys again. I thought you guys had some great love to every second. Amazing. And we'll be back in two weeks. Same time, same place. We'll be back on the 20th everybody. Yep. Same time, same place. Love y'all. Same place.

Yes, thank you. Bye guys. Love out to everybody.