2020-05-19

INVOLVED PARTIES

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

INCIDENT REPORT

A lavish dress from the Byzantium capital of Constantinople, circa 398 CE.

• The coterie reassembles at the MET without further incident.

• Aradia, Kalliste, and Sophia bring Catalina up from the subway station and through Central Park, stopping only briefly at a public restroom to clean off as much blood as possible. Aradia leaves her trusty baseball bat with the security detail outside the MET. She swears to protect Catalina as they enter potentially hostile territory.

• Leah is dropped off via car, and has Archer circle the block indefinitely.

• Josi makes her way through the sewers, emerging in the museum's basement storeroom. She steals a 4th century Byzantine dress waiting to be cataloged, and dons it for the Elysium, tying her Beretta M9 to the inside of her thigh.

• The Elysium itself is being held in the Geco-Roman wing of the museum — an enclosed courtyard and encircling balcony, each lavishly dotted with a number of Hellenistic sculptures. The room is bustling with dozens of people, each caught up in small, private conversations. A string quartet provides ambient chamber music from the far corner. Prince Cortés and Anatoli are spotted along the balconies, but no other familiar faces stand out.

• The coterie is approached by Cashmere, who introduces themselves as the Court Herald. They absolutely adore Kalliste's outfit. Both Kalliste and Sophia are vaguely familiar with them from the local ball scene. When asked, they mention that the Prince is currently meeting with the Primogen Council above, but will take them up.

• Upon the balcony, the coterie is properly greeted by Anatoli. He asks where Jasib Alcala — the second Lasombra delegate — is. He explains that Jasib left his care the previous night, claiming to be meeting up with Catalina after the safehouse was compromised. For her part, Catalina suspects that Jasib is out causing trouble, as he is prone to do. With this in mind, Anatoli suggests that the coterie enjoy the event until the Prince is ready for them and Catalina.

• Returning to the main floor, Sophia entices Catalina to dance. The two whisper amongst themselves as they slowly sway back and forth, moving ever closer. Catalina is keen to turn the room's venomous looks around by flippantly ignoring them.

• Aradia is approached by Lord Ephraim Wainwright. He compliments her dazzling aura — stating that she must be a natural born practitioner — before kissing her hand and introducing himself as the High Regent of the Chantry of the Five Boroughs. The two speak — and flirt — at length, with Ephraim keen to invite Aradia into the fold. He even goes as far as to give her the elevator sequence for the hidden thirteenth floor of the Kenilworth Chantry. Though his chantry tends to practice strict Hermeticism, he's potentially interested to talk shop, as it were.

• Leah and Kalliste approach a pair of out-of-place, leather-clad punks whom are standing apart from the rest of the guests. They introduce themselves as Sage and Rudi. The conversation goes well, with the two expressing their distaste for the Camarilla, as well as that "racist bastard" Baron Bruck. Kalliste mentions the upcoming Brujah rant at Van Cortlandt Park, to which Sage replies that she is the one leading it, and hopes to see the coterie there. Rudi corrects Kalliste on his lineage, claiming to be known as the "Bear Gangrel" among certain circles, and gives an open invitation to his bar, the Red Star.

• Josi picks out and stops the smartly dressed man flittering from group to group. He seems pleased, introducing himself as Omar Fehr. He explains that even though he is not Camarilla per say, he occupies a position of advocacy for the disenfranchised at the Primogen table. He's especially interested in Josi, given clan Hecata's longstanding position as sectarian pariahs. He further hints at his willingness to aid, illustrating the historical partnership between her Cappadocian grandsires and his own in the The Ministry.

Displayed: The front of Persephone's business card. The backside simply contains the club's address.

• Aradia enters a large circle of Kindred, all of whom are hanging onto every word of a decadently dressed woman. She promptly shifts her focus to Aradia, ever intrigued by new blood. She introduces herself as Persephone Rosselini, proprietor of the fetish club, Inferno A-Go-Go. The two make small talk, mostly concerning the local music scene, and reminiscing about summers in Italy. Aradia assumes that Persphone is Tremere, like herself, but she is actually a cousin of the Giovanni family, making her Hecata.

• Anatoli calls out from the balcony above, introducing Prince Cortés as she steps forward. The Prince welcomes everyone to her Elysium, and takes special care to thank the coterie for their contributions to the cause. She then announces the reason for the event, and invites Catalina to speak. Catalina explains that clan Lasombra are leaving the Sabbat, and seek to be officially admitted into the Camarilla. Sharp graps ring out across the audience — and even Prince Cortés herself seems taken aback — before the room erupts into argument. Eventually the Prince uses Dominate on the room, quieting it enough to speak with the coterie, then step away to confer with the Primogen Council.

• Prince Cortés has the coterie take Catalina downstairs, to the storeroom that the caterers are using. She gives them the password to get by the security detail, unaware that Josi had originally emerged from a separate room in that very hall.

• Within the caterers' room the coterie finds almost a dozen mortals — bound and hung — with gravity fed tubes providing fresh blood on tap from each. The coterie speak with Catalina about her request to join the Camarilla, learning that the Sabbat has splintered and descended into a level of barbarism beyond the norm. The Lasombra see the sect as a quickly sinking ship, and — ever the clan of survivors — wish to throw in with a more competent group.

• After some time, the Prince arrives at the storeroom and speaks with Catalina directly about the matter. She was not expecting this request, and had instead assumed she would be hosting a few individual defectors — not an entire clan. After frustratingly going back and forth — as well as asking for the coterie's input — Catalina finally snaps and simply asks "What would it take? Just name your price for admitting the Lasombra as a recognized Camarilla clan and I'll have it done." The Prince flippantly responds that she would see all of the Sabbat elders delivered to her with stakes through their hearts. With only the briefest of pauses, Catalina simply states "It will be done. I will arrange for an obligation on all Lasombra who want recognition that they must each deliver a Sabbat vampire older than themselves to a place of your choosing, for whatever fate you deem appropriate." She bites into her palm, drawing blood, and offers it to Prince Cortés. The Prince is stunned as she hears this, but grasps Catalina's outstretched hand, sealing the deal in blood. The Prince does, however, clarify the terms, saying "My offer is only good for as long as I remain in power, and won't extent beyond New York City. I'll lay out your proposal and let the Primogen Council decide in one night. Without their support, my word won't be worth much. Though you can start by setting an example. Bring that war criminal — Jasib Alcala — to the vote, with a stake through his heart. To show you're willing, of course."