2021-01-26

INVOLVED PARTIES

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INCIDENT REPORT

30 Minutes or Less...

• The coterie arrives at Cheesus Crust at the strike of midnight. It's a popular late-night option in Little Italy, but seems to be largely unoccupied in the lead-up to last call at neighboring establishments.

• The door swings open and Johnny Five walks in, his shiny new spurs ringing with each step. He pretends not to notice the coterie as he proceeds to the jukebox, and selects Haysi Fantayzee's "John Wayne Is Big Leggy" with a knowing smile. He tips his pink leopard print cowboy hat toward Josi, who responds with her best John Wayne impersonation.

• During the course of conversation, Johnny asks about last week's episode of Alf, then confirms that it was Dr. Margaret Crowley who asked him to secure the video footage. She's concerned being seen at an Anarch Rant might damage her reputation with her fellow Primogen. Her reason for attending was simply to bring some wayward Malkavians back into the fold — to help them via her "group therapy" sessions.

• Josi hands over the copy of the tape that Dave had made, though claims it is the one and only original. Johnny seems satisfied with this. He takes his leave of the location, dissapearing almost immediately once back on the street. Leah and Aradia are able to catch back up with him, but only in time to see him enter a green sedan and drive toward the financial district.

Living After Midnight...

• The coterie regroups at the Mosh Pit. Aradia's newly Embraced childer, Dave, is still there. He's running a fever and only occasionally comes out of unconsciousness, and even then, only to mumble delirious nonsense. He's dying — a "natural" phase in the Embrace, as a Sire's vitae spreads throughout. To help make him comfortable, Aradia moves him to a bathtub full of ice.

• Josi is fascinated by the entire scene, and takes copious notes as she checks in on Dave. For her, there is nothing supernatural about this, it is merely a medical condition in process.

• Leah checks in on Phoebe, only to find her still asleep.

• Feeling peckish, most of the coterie goes on the hunt. It's a busy night at the bar, and the selection of vessels is vast. Aradia finds a big dude to buy her drinks, Leah dances topless with a couple of women, and Kalliste slips out to the parking lot with a guy and a baggie of coke.

• Josi approaches Mrs. Greene. She has been acting as a faux security detail at the Mosh Pit, under the guidance of a sympathetic Archer. Josi asks about that first time she and her met, transporting Catalina from JFK International. Though Mrs. Greene remembers getting the call for the job initially, her memory becomes fuzzy after that, with only fragments immediately accessible.

• Josi hands Mrs. Greene a copy of Dr. Crowley's book, "The God Frequency: Neural Remapping via Applied Theta Waves", and points to the author's picture on the inside of the dust jacket. It's a pretty standard bio, with short pertinent facts about the author — like her position on the advisory board at Magadon, Inc. Mrs. Greene seems to recognize the face, and after studying the photo for a moment, reveals the two of them spoke as she left the parking garage on her way to the airport that night. She can't remember any of the actual conversation however.

For Whom Jezebel Tolls...

• Having decided to track down Jezebel, the coterie heads off to the Empire Skate Building in the Bronx. Sophia and Aradia were once invited there to see one of the Jawbreakers' matches, but never went. Once at the skate rink, the coterie finds Jezebel and Vixen running drills with their team. Jezebel notices them, and breaks formation to exit the rink, leaving Vixen as jammer.

• Jezebel is told of the video footage of the Rant, and its implication of Nero. The coterie is informed that Nero is Baron Callihan's childe. Jezebel also mentions that she vouched for the coterie with Baron Bruck, having seen Aradia and Josi pull Rudi from the burning stage.

• Jezebel agrees to accompany the coterie to Red Star, to act as intermediary for them and Sage. Unfortunately, the bartender at Red Star won't admit to even knowing a Sage... so Jezebel slams his face into the bar, and quietly growls something into his ear.

• The bartender disappears into the back, and Sage herself comes out a few moments later. Her and Jezebel exchange insults and snarls before the coterie steps in, telling Sage what they know from the video tape. They stress that they tried to save Rudi, but he was ultimately taken by an unknown group. A low chuckle can be heard from the back of the bar as Rudi himself steps into view, exclaiming that rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

• Rudi agrees to return to the Center for Thanatology, where Josi not only has a BetaMax to play the tape, but has also a connect-the-dots style investigation board laid out of possible leads. The video is played twice — once to get a look at Dr. Crowley, and twice to peak at Nero.

• Rudi declares that he owes the coterie a Boon for not only pulling him from the fire, but them continuing to investigate the assassination attempt.

• Rudi is very intrigued by the idea of the so-called "Anarch Elysium" that the coterie is putting together. He stresses that he will not simply compromise to keep the current stale Baronies in power — he'd need true representation. To that end, he's highly amused by the premise of inviting the Thin-Bloods to the table.

• Before leaving, Rudi warns the coterie to finish whatever they need to in regards to their investigation, otherwise he's soon to simply tear Nero in half himself.

Like a Prayer...

• A few nights pass. Josi awakens this evening, surprised to find Pius already up — he's never awake before her. He informs her that his friend from the Old World has arrived to aid int he matter of the infernal sigil. This man, Ishmæl Zamora, will be awaiting her at St. Nicholas of Tolentine in the Bronx. Pius stresses that Josi should be forthright, as Ishmæl is experienced in these matters.

• Before Josi leaves, Pius also asks if she knows anything about the "New Coke" that Max Headroom has been talking about on "the MTV" lately. While he knows that he cannot possibly consume it, he wonders if Josi couldn't pick up some on her way home and describe the taste to him later.

• As Josi enters the church of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, the infernal sigil on her arm becomes irritated and begins to itch — no, burn. A nun greets her, and directs her to the ornate wood confessional. As she sits within the small, dark space, she can feel a presence. It's black, cold, empty... like the entropy of Josi's own Oblivious powers.

• Ishmæl slides open the divide, and kindly greets Josi with a soft Spanish accent. He states that he and Pius Augustus go way back, and the he has an immense amount of respect for Josi's sire. Not wanting to lie, Josi answers any questions asked. She tells Ishmæl practically everything in regards to the sigil on her arm, how it feels, what it does, where it came from, and who placed it there. She agrees to have Ishmæl remove the sigil.

• The back panel of the confessional clicks open, as Josi is asked to step through. On the other side, she is able to see the full grandeur of Ishmæl's black and crimson bishop's cassock. The secret chamber houses various implements of torture — racks, a scold's bridle, iron maidens, knee-splitters, breast-rippers, a Judas cradle, etc. In the center of the chamber is a large metal brazier, with a roaring fire.

• Ishmæl directs Josi to an iron chair, and carefully secures her wrists and ankles using the attached manacles. Ishmæl warns that once they begin they cannot stop, for Josi will perish, so she must instead steel herself. With that understood, Ishmæl approaches the fire and pulls from it a long metal rod with a barbed tip. Ishmæl grasps the tip of red-hot rod in his fist, before plunging it through his palm. As the rod is pulled back out, coated in dark vitae, it and Ishmæl's hand erupt in brilliant flame.

• Ishmæl is unflinching as he returns to Josi, placing his burning hand upon the infernal sigil on her arm. He grips with such strength that even Josi' involuntary recoil cannot break it. Ishmæl slowly massages the sigil, literally burning it from Josi's flesh. As this is being done, so too can Josi feel her blood boiling, likely the death knell of the infernal majesty tainting her system. Josi isn't sure how long the ritual takes, as what could have been minutes might as well have been hours of pain. Though once the sigil is thoroughly scorched from her skin, Ishmæl gently unshackles Josi. Before she leaves, Ishmæl asks her to instruct her friend, Aradia, to visit him as well.

Two Witches Walk into a Church...

• Josi is able to contact Aradia via telephone. She has spent the last few days in Long Island, acclimating her new childer to unlife. Along with that acclimation also comes the revelation that Dave now prefers to be called Rasmodius. Regardless, Aradia and Rasmodius make the 90 minute drive back into the city proper, arriving in the Bronx at St. Nicholas of Tolentine.

• Aradia tells Rasmodius to stay in the back of the pews, and out of sight, just in case something happens to her. He's keen to help, donning a lavish cape and holstered tire iron. Aradia briefly goes through the motions, lighting a votive candle for her deceased husband and daughter, before being directed to the confessional.

• Several moments pass within the dim light of the confessional. Eventually however, the light begins to flicker, the filament of the low bulb only barely fizzling back to life, as someone slides into the opposite booth. Aradia cannot see anything at all through the divide. It is as if that half of the booth is made of thick, tenebrous ink. From with the darkness, Ishmæl introduces himself.

• Ishmæl questions Aradia's loyalty to her coterie, her discovery of the infernal sigil, her motives for placing it upon Josi's arm, etc. Even though it is clear that Ishmæl is already quite well informed, Aradia lies and deflects through almost every topic. As the interrogation continues, she can feel the very darkness around her pressing in, weighing heavy against her skin. She fears that it is only through exceptional concentration that she is able to keep pressure from crushing her.

• At one point, Ishmæl slide the chambers' divide open, allowing just the sharpest features of his face to pierce the darkness. His visage triggers a Auspex fueled vision in Aradia. Over the course of seconds, Aradia lives through the events that took place in London, England in 1967.

• Eventually, Ishmæl offers an ultimatum. Be tried "fairly" as an infernalist or submit to a blood rite called the Vinculum. Ishmæl stresses that this offer has been put forward only because Pius Augustus himself spoke of Aradia's sorcerous potential. If she chooses to embrace the path of the Vinculum, then her entire coterie will be expected to concur. It is, after all, a sort of low-level shared Blood Bond between pack mates...

THE CONCLAVE

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