Session recap 2

Dark ages Session 2

Following the saying your intuition and the several hints you have gathered (the malkav seems to have a knack for ready the auspices ) you decide to meet Ranulf at The Godlen Lion inn and ask for his help.

Though Ranulf tries to wriggle out of it and doesn t seem to be too confident, you manage to persuade him to help you navigate the labyrintic catacombs that spread under Jerusalem. After a quick word with one of his ghouls he takes you to the entrance and you step into a world of past ages and impenetrable darkness. And it seems rampant bugs because very quickly you see a few of them running in the same direction.
After a few hours of walk you are lead to the place you are looking for. Ranulf stops and declares that he will not go further. You leave him there and decide to continue alone but ask him to stay there because you will need him to trace back your steps.

The rushing river that brings water to Jerusalem speeds through the chamber you walk into. Faint light filters in the back, last vestige of smoldering candles, and reveal a shape bent over the churning water seeming to peer at his own reflection. You try to catch his attention and the few words he utters tell you that he is one of the people you are looking for.

He tells you the story of death and treachery tht you have already heard from five. He screams of bugs and pain, of torture and death. He babbles about a river of blood and the sorrow of one mightier than he.

He asks you for forgiveness and for it all to end. And it comes …

In the shadows springs a raging cainite that falls on One and strikes him down in a flurry of blows.
You manage to contain him but not before he finishes the deed.

When One dies he river gushes blood and Jerusalem shivers in fright and sorrow. You understand that the five are linked to an ancient being and that the fate of the city is closely linked to the fate of the five ghouls.

Maybe helped by the ravings of the ancient or on your own accord you decide to investigate the bugs that are running parallel to the river. Well the blood in the river helped. Curiosity got the best of you.

On your way you come upon and old man sweeping the floor and trying to clean it from the bugs. He tells you a little bit more about the danger Jerusalem is in and gives you a glass container with what looks like blood drops swimming in water. He explains that it might help the surviving three and the soul of the ancient get free.

Leaving him to his chores you finaly end your dark trek in a hallway filled with crawling bugs, swarming maggot and buzzing flies. They are coating the wall so thickly that you almost don t hear the moaning and screaming to Two behind the closed door. He is being tortured over a cooking fire, encased in an iron cage. Two individuals take turns at him.

The brujha has seen enough of this and decide to take the initiative. He sends the door flying and rushes to put an end to this senseless tortutre. Following him the rest of the group join the melee.

Dark rituals are in place and you are covered very quickly with all kind of crawling creatures sucking your blood. In your rage they are no more than a hindrance though.

Once the battle stop you have some time to search the ancient monastery and are surprised to see first that it stand in the desert, far from the city and second the Three and Four are also captive here. More surprising still is the much weakened vampire Jeremiah Mc Donald. You try to understand what is going on and come under attack. Though you manage to locate the interloper he eludes you.

Saved the ventrue explains that he has been manipulated by Aurelius and that he will not go back to him. He is afraid for his survival and that he will leave the seneschal’s dominion as soon as he can. He is prepared to get you also to a safe haven (one not controlled by Aurelius). You readily agree and rush to the city and the protection from the sun. Safe you fall into a fitful slumber, dreams haunting you but knowing that the soul of the ancient one is whole once more.

You wake to find the house deserted, a note explains most of it along with some money. The blood has disappeared but you don t have the time to go look for the ventru and decide to confront Aurelius.

Ready to face whatever comes from this meeting you are surprised to see that the house of the seneschal is empty except for Aurelius and another cainite. Aurelius has lost his favorite ghoul, now serving has a dress to the other kindred, and seems to be much chastised.
He present himself has Yahunde a guardian of the kindred from the Tzimise clan. He asks you to deliver a letter to one of his child, Dracon, in Constantinople on your way to Venice. He doesn t seem to expect you to say no.

He also sends a friend of his on the ventru’s tracks. He can t leave the blood of Malkav in the hands of a young kindred.

He also keeps one of the ghouls. The one named Gregory.

You have a few nights before leaving. It takes planning to cross the desert to Constantinople.
What will you do?

You have three nights.
- Ask around for more information? On who?
- Visit places you didn t have time to yet?
- Look for something specific?
- Anything else? Details are needed.