notes ☩ map ☩ relationships ☩ haven
Getting ready to go to party. Kas has beefed Pam up.
MG calls X. He's going to be on the second floor at the Asylum.
C/Kas go to Maharani on the vespa. D, MP, and MG go to Asylum with the civic and the ducati.
--- ASYLUM ---
D slips the bouncer some money to get us into the secret VIP section on floor 2. password is spotlight. X brings us the lemonade slushy machine for our table. D takes a waitress into a corner and lowkey feeds. X says Jeanette will show up around 11. MG and X dance. Yung Sixxy comes up to MP at the table. He says he may go to the new council party but he's a "free agent." D ingratiates himself with some models.
We go to see Jeanette. Says the New council is okay but a little dramatic. Says Valdez seems too sweet. Thinks Nines got sick of the responsibilities of being a Baron. Says we could move to Santa Monica if we wanted. She could have X look around. D asks if we could set up a meeting with Th later; she says yes. J asks to talk with MG privately. Says she knows MG was instrumental in helping save her; says she could help us move to SM or MG can keep a Major Boon if she keeps quiet about "what happened." J says she would like to get MG in for an event since she's a model. MG says she'll introduce Imalia to her.
--- MAHARANI ---
C is on the list. Goes to the second floor. Kas goes up to the top floor to get a 'special' drink. C sees Ib -- says she's not Sheriff anymore, there's been "restructuring". Says Naylor is a bit of an asshole. Says new Sheriff is a little iffy. Name is Connor, a Lasombra. Upstairs, Victoria is at the bar. Kas introduces them. V says she's trying to win a grammy. C says she's been making friends with the thinbloods of the city and would like to meet up later.
They head up to meet Temple. Says Bite Club should look into moving out of Silverlake. Most of the TBs moved to his domain, safer and more lowkey than the new council. Says he's keeping things civil with Naylor and they meet every so often. Naylor didn't care about the Valley; asked to keep things peaceful. C says she's sworn to destroy him, asks VT not to interfere. VT says no one can break the peace. Says the best course of action is if he doesn't know anything. Says we should maybe move down south if we're looking to sit shit up.
Schmoozing downstairs, C sees a southern man talking to Ib about coming back to the Cam. Says he business with Temple, keeping the peace. He goes upstairs and C talks to Ib for a bit about how to stay safe downtown: avoid making a big scene, keep the traditions.
--- HOLLYWOOD: THE ROSE GARDEN ---
Kas gets them in with Dominate. C talks to Elm, he says MP should stop by because his mom is there. C talks to Natasha. Says she heard about the trouble with the Puttanescas, says they're "rather aggrieved." C says she had nothing to do with what happened after the handover, but Nat says the Ps say otherwise. Says she doesn't care for them and "we've been trying to keep them in line." Asks if C has met "the new one with Bela." Says she's a firecracker. Nat and C make plans to meet again later.
Nelli says she didn't think the BC would come to pay their respects. Asks if we hang with Dean. Says he can be "a bit clingy." Says the tower isn't too bad, not yet. Some are delightful, some are not.
--- INGLEWOOD: FORUM CLUB ---
D gets there first and meets up with some of the other bikers. MG introduces him to Kasey and Sycorax. He asks if they can get him in touch with the Pony Express -- offers whatever they want. They say they'll pass it on. We go in. Guillermo shows us around a bit, says Nines and other may be in VIP section in the back. Damsel sees Dean. He asks why the Cam is in town but then walks it back saying he's just high. Tells her we went to the Asylum, saw Jeanette in Sixxy. Kas tells her that Ib defected to VT, tells her about the southern man. she calls him Vandermont. Says a lot of ivory tower brujahs "suck his dick." says he's from out east, not a primogen or anything. brujah. not a hot head, kind of like an old man. Kas asks what the Barons are thinking letting the Cam bring folks in from out of town. Damsel says we should meet with the others. She goes and C asks MG if she wants to be on the council; MG says the Malkavian clan must triumph. Damsel comes back, takes us to the back room.
Nines, Valdez, Chou, Armando are all there. C says we want to be part of the fight -- ready to kill another Prince. C suggests MG join the council. MG says there are no Malks which is unfair, and it can be helpful to have a seer and a model. Armando asks Kas: he says the alternative viewpoint can be useful. Council says we can't live in Cam territory and be on the council. They say we're welcome to move down south.
Armando says he's thinking of moving down south. Chou says Armando is in San Diego, it's still anarch territory.
Nines says he's heard we've had a "memory lapse." Says he's heard we've been asking questions about the last year. D asks to speak in private. Gets a paranoia compulsion. Valdez asks to take D and calm him down. He leaves the room.
Bite Club goes off with Nines. C asks when the last time he was in the room with us was. He thinks it was a month ago but can't actually remember. We fill him in. MG tells Nines that there are two people who remember that we were gone -- one is the one who helped her with the stake. He asks if she'll take a "lie detector test" of sorts. MG agrees. Armando comes in. Nines tells him to ask MG what happened to make everyone forget. MG says she doesn't know and re-explains the basic details. Nines tells Armando to ask what the man's name is. MG looks at MP who looks upset. MG resists and says we could set up a meeting and they could ask him themselves. Nines thinks and then agrees.
D feels compelled to return to Valdez. She makes him feel calmer and asks him what happened. He spins some BS about a weird rave. She sees through it. D tells her we've been gone and no one knows. Says it's weird shit, says we went through a "crack in time." She tells him we'll straighten it out and gives him a small hug. D says it was all his fault because he fucked with shit he shouldn't have. She says it's good that he's taking responsibility.
we get back on the road from bishop, ca and head towards ely, nv. MG finds an abandoned gold mine to stay in for the day. Kas finds bats, C finds a ghost miner looking for gold. from pittsburgh, sends money back to his daughter edith brown who lives with his parents.
we visit doris' compound. wall around the house. she says her late husband bought it. she has several cats. says she's lonely. kas asks if we could stay with her if something goes wrong with his family. she says yes and kas and mg talk with her a bit.
everyone goes hunting at a local bowling alley but MP has to eat one of K's bats instead. C finds an obituary for edith, died at 86, had a standard life. C saves the obit.
on the way to the california compound, MG hears a howl. doesn't sound like a coyote. MP hears it too. she tells Kas.
Kas sends Pam to speak to someone; they tell us to come in to a large parking bay. D revs his motorcycle as he comes in.
Kas sees his cousin Anastasia. Says his mom has been asking about him. Takes us to courtyard to meet Uncle. nicely manicured garden. Uncle Adrian sits on a bench, throwing out meat. Gives a speech about how it's good for a man to have challenges. Says he's not against Animalism anymore and calls out his komodo dragon. They talk a while and K introduces us. D gives his gift of the physican's desk reference pt 1. MP presents her dragon figurine. K presents Herald's sword! MG and MP try not be visibly upset. Adrian officially offers us hospitality for the next few days. C gives a coffee mug from Bishop, CA to him. MG tells A that she will give him a psychic reading. We are told not to feed from A's "wives" but that the rest of the family is okay. 25 people live here.
K talks to his mom in the kitchen, she tells him about the family. A has been training Anastasia as a "proper dragon." Everyone follows K except D, who walks around the compound for a bit. Sees a few modified people. Lots of lizards. Conservatively-dressed girls. K's mom makes some lemonade for MG. MP asks if she's treated well; she says yes. MG and K think she's mostly telling the truth but seems like she's not allowed to say bad things. MG tells her she should meet Doris down the road. K says he'd like to talk in private with her before we leave. Korinna shows us to our quarters.
MP asks if K wants to take his mother home and MG points out that we're probably being watched since K has cameras all over our home. D says maybe Adrian took up Animalism to protect himself from whatever was howling. MG asks if K really had to give up the sword. C uses hypno-eyes on him and says it wasn't his to give away. MP says not everyone values things for their use. C asks if we should leave with or without the sword. MG wavers but says that 3 of us are good at stealing.
--- LATER OVER THE DAYS ---
MG's reading to A: "I see your garden growing and growing, but there's something inside. There's a dead shrub and it's spreading. I see a skull and a -- a sword. I hear in the distance: something is howling for you." MG gives him a handwritten card for any future readings and suggests maybe he get rid of any swords he owns.
C talks to a few people about religion. Starts talking about atonement through suffering; blood atonement. Says that the leaders that led us here need to atone before they can accept enlightenment. Most don't catch on but a few do.
MG looks for the weirdest person she can find. Meets Demetri, 16 years old, slight Phlegmatic resonance. Misses California and hates church and 'this dumb town'. Isn't allowed to listen to metal anymore so MG listens to radio static with him.
K asks his mom and Anastasia about going outside the compound to hunt. Both say they're not supposed to go out into the wild. Anastasia hints at werewolves. Says she'll try to find him a stray dog.
C and MP go into Milford. MP heads to the hospital and steals some blood bags. C feeds from a man who hates his wife and gives him Kas' number. C checks out the cemeteries and wanders around. Finds a ghost in a lettermen jacket, circa 1960s. Barry. Says he saw something big with claws eat one of the football team. Says he couldn't get into heaven because he had sex; C explains that he has a fetter. Wants to tell his sweetheart that he didn't mean to break his promise to marry her. Julia Napp. Old tree swing looks like a fetter. He says there's a locket in the attic that he gave her, but she's not there anymore. C calls MP to help. MP breaks in and steals it. C keeps the locket so he can find her and she can summon him when she finds Julia.
C tells us about Barry's story when they return.
MG spies around the facility then hangs with/feeds from Demetri again. Gives him the burner phone number and says he can visit Cali if he wants.
Adrian is outside the door after Kas feeds. Talks to Kas in Russian. Says he's concerned about K's "masked friend." Says he wrote to clan members in southern CA that K had come to visit. Mentions a few names, including Armando. MG spies on them. Eventually switch to English. Kas asks if he could take his mother home. Convinces Adrian to "loan her out from time to time" for a minor boon.
Kas tells everyone about the agreement. Tells C that we'll come get the sword back if Adrian ever acts against us.
--- FINAL NIGHT ---
Kas tells his mom that she can come with us. She doesn't believe but Anastasia says it's true.
We formally say goodbye to Adrian. D gives him the PDR pt 2. C warns him about the wolves. Kas offers to return the favor by letting him stay with the Bite Club. He halfheartedly hugs Kas. D revs his bike and squeals his tires as he leaves and tries to sign his name.
We stop in Ely on the way back so C can read Edith's obit to the miner. He realizes he has no reason to find gold anymore and is released.
--- MEETING WITH SPOOKY SHADOW LADY ---
We get back to Manzanita. D revs his bike with MP's permission. MG grabs a weird replacement lemonade. Someone pulls up and MP invites them inside momentarily to ask if the rest of BC can come. They step outside to make a call then says we can all come. MG rides with him and makes him listen to the radio static. D follows on the bike. We go to the USC campus, political science building.
Inside, the intern that came to the house is at the desk. She says we have to leave all electronics behind. Says she'll let us have the key. MG uses Insight and doesn't think it's shady. Takes the key.
Conference Room: woman at the table. Kas thinks she looks very similar to the desert woman. Asks us to sit. "I see we have some joiners."
--- OUTSIDE USC ---
MG says she's not getting in the car and runs off. C catches up with her, asks her to go to the cemetery. MG agrees but says she has to do something first -- write everything down because they wiped Kas' memory. C tells her she made the deal with Zamra and will give her "someone the world doesn't need" in exchange. MG goes to a walgreens and steals a multicolor pen and a locking diary and goes to the cemetery with C.
D, Kas, and MP go to hunt.
--- CEMETERY ---
a ghost in 1920s clothing. hasn't heard of anyone called the gorgon but "there is the one scary broad. she tells me do things and then i just do them. don't tell her about me." points to secluded house across the street. he's lost. came from ohio to be a star, just outside akron. larry, was in 'the grand robbery of kazakhstan'. silent movie, came out when the talkies were getting popular. MG says she took a train to get to california; C remembers hearing about a ghost train and tells him she'll try to figure out how to catch it.
we head to the house. MG sees a cloaked figure lurking between some trees. C says she's looking for the gorgon. long story who told her. sent her to learn, to walk to the path of lilith. black woman, dreadlocks with colorful threads woven in. offers to show us something. leads us inside and around back into a cellar. MG hears muffled screams and scraping. A man tied to an old box spring. A creature that looks like a zombie slowly cutting his penis off. MG asks if he's with the lamestream media; the woman says "you could say so." C sees the zombie's ghost. C asks what is the lesson? The woman indicates that he killed the zombie person. They unstuff his mouth and he yells at MG to save him. C locks Eyes of the Beast with him and makes him explain what he did to Julie. His wife's daughter that he "could have anytime." C says there's a better way, he can learn to change. He says nothing and the woman re-gags him. C offers to calm him; the gorgon (name = Luara) says yes. C uses Obeah and tells him the pain is the lesson and he has to learn. MG is freaked the fuck out.
MG goes to her basement squat because C is scary. C goes to the old haven.
--- HAVEN ---
MP begins writing fake research grants for Zamra. Kas looks up real estate and MP calls Warren about it. He says loans will be no problem. Asks to Kas and tells him he's calling in his boons. Wants to be introduced to Victor and Jasper to "talk business." Knows VT is trying to start SchreckNet again. Says it'll count for both Kas' minor boons.
D is out looking for the Valkyries but finds a Cam Ventrue who starts talking shit. D slaps him and tells him to meet him in the alley. Punches him. Ventrue cries out that he's being mugged. LAPD pulls up. D tells him to mind his business and keeps punching. 2 cops shoot. dean punches one. ventrue gets away, D follows and catches him. Bites him and runs away with him. Hits his head on the dumpster and torpors him. Ditches the cops. Calls Lexi to come pick him up with the trunk open.
D comes in with the Ventrue's body. C sees it and D says don't tell, it's for Zamra. D stakes him and calls the number. Gets an address in Glendale. Gives the body to Jose. They take it into a kitchen restaurant. Limo guy walks in. Asks where D found him; says "he certainly has those who don't like him." D says "I get the feeling I did you a favor." Guy says, "Not a favor. It's funny." D doesn't pry and leaves.
--- NEXT NIGHT ---
MG writes everything that has happened since the mirror crack night.
C searches for Julie Napp or whoever from Utah and goes to the Burbank cemetery to ask about the ghost train.
MP and D search for houses. MP tells Kas she'll ask Jasper to come over. She texts him. Tells him a friend wants to meet. J says come to him. Random cave near the Observatory. Tells him about Warren: maybe not anarch, definitely not cam. tech saavy. J agrees to meet with Kas and W. Tells MP he's been staying around Griffith Park area to stay away from all the cam/anarch/sabbat bullshit. Griffith Park is officially neutral territory.
Kas calls C and asks her to call VT. She stops by the Maharani. Tells VT about Warren. Says he's shady but moderately trustworthy. VT agrees to meet at the club in a couple nights. Invites C and the coterie to the record release party.
C talks to ghosts at Hollywood Forever who tell her to go to Central Station. She goes back to the Evergreen cemetery to tell Larry and then waits with him for the train. He gets on.
D hunts and makes his way back to his bike.
MG calls Warren on the secure phone. Gets a safety deposit box for a minor boon. Tells him it needs to be diary-sized and not to tell anyone, even the Bite Club. W texts MG the bank's address. Double security room. MG feeds from the banker. Stops in a gas station to steal a small chain for the key. Wears it around her neck.
MP returns home and sees a girl walking up. Lei Ju. Here to see MP and show her the new lab. MP runs in and gives Kas J's contact info, then leaves with LJ. She takes her to the Keck School of Medicine. Says she's supposed to be her lab assistant.
Kas tells his mom to consider what she wants to do with her life, then sends her off to Pam's. Texts J and W. They agree to meet tonight.
MG returns. D returns. Says he's paid his debt to Lady Z. MG tells the coterie that she knows about a cool empty mansion they should buy.