North for the Summer: Michael

[Acanous]

Things have gotten a lot more hectic lately.

You woke a few days ago to find that the United States had declared war on Vampirism. Your flock was distressed, and the priests serving under you have been a little more skittish and testy lately.
You reminded them that through Christ, everyone can find redemption, and they were suitably chagrined.

Still, it's been a very unsettling week, and the number of calls you've had that lobely young secretary field for you regarding "Vampire Exorcisms" has been alarming.

Kind of reminds you of the Inquisition. Thank GOD that at least this time, there's no Giovanni about.

You've been keeping quiet for years. The Camarilla in this city should not know of your existence, and so long as you manage to keep quiet, and the Church remains your ally, this too shall pass.

This evening, however, when you awoke to the familiar sounds of Vespers upstairs, there was a red envelope on your desk.

It's sealed with wax, and marked by a Cardinal's ring.

Opening it, you find the letter to have been encrypted with an ancient church cypher. It takes you the better part of an hour to find the necessary key- but given the letter's contents, that's probably a good thing.

As you carefully decrypt the message, it reads:
Father Michael. Blessings of our Father and His Host upon you.
The news from the New World is alarming, and could not have come at a more worrisome time- with the Holy Father stepping down, Mother Church has been thrown into suspicion.
We fear that there may be enemy agencies attempting to compromise our secrets, using this recent news as an excuse.
We have weathered such things before, but in this new age, with these new tools, it is feared that our measures may not be enough.
You may be in danger. Do not trust the locals.
-A


(You begin play with 9 Blood Pool)

[Scholar23]

Sighing as he put the letter down, he pulled out a candle and lit it. Eyeing the crest he held it over the flame and watched the paper burned till only ash remained. "Hmmm, looks like I will be needed to have service suspended this evening." he said as he reached for an brass hand bell beside his candle. Ringing it he called out "Gabiral come here please" he vioce wheezing with the susposed effort. Lord in Heaven guide me, last thing I need to day is another ghost popping up.

He was scooping off the ashes from his ornate oak desk as Brother Gabiral came in. Dressed as an fellow minister and blond curls he came forward and asked "Yes father ..... you do know service will start in an hour ..... right?". His face seem worried as he looked upon Father Micheal, his face seem to bear a great sorrow as the man dropped the ashes into the trash can.

"I'm fine lad, just got a letter from a Cardinal detailing some new procedures he wanted me to look over. Nogthing much realy, just tired" he said as he sighed once more. "Looks like though I will have to close earlier tonight. Keep the doors open but please tell that the sermon has been placed on hold for the following friday. Please apologises for me and tell them it is due to my cold." Chuckling at that he though And the day catch a cold is when the nine levels of hell all freeze over. "Now hurry along I think I have some work to do befor I may rest. As Gabiral rushed out of the room muttering about working to hard Micheal turned back to face his book shelves. Running his hands along the edge of each volume he stopped at To conjure and Bind; By J.F. Faust. "Ahh, here you are." he said as he went over to his favorite armchiar and began to read.

[Acanous]

Alright, nobody is going to be bothering you tonight, do you have any actions or preperations you wish to make?

[Scholar23]

Could you tell me were I am in relation to the others. Also what can I do with my resouces? I have the points but ...

[Acanous]

In relation to the others, you are in a downtown catholic church. You know for certain there are Camarilla vampires in the city, and that they operate out of the Big Four building in Stampede Park. You have kept under the radar since your arrival, and it is unlikely they know about you. The Church looks after it's own.
Resources are hard cash. If you want to spend some money buying supplies transportation, armaments, rare books, artwork, what have you. That's a Resources roll. Certain purchases do not require rolls, and some would cause you to lose a point of Resources (Like if you bought an expensive new car)

[Acanous]

The next night, you wake a little late. Getting your papers and references in order, you are surprised by someone pounding on the cathedral doors.

One of your junior priests answers it, but the hysterical look, and sound of the young man on the other side catches your attention.

"Help! A woman was just shot! Call the police!"

[Scholar23]

"Move brother, call the hospital quickly now" said Micheal as he rushed through the door ignoring the startle looks his fellow priest gave him as they saw him run for the frist time. Grabbing the man as he went by he stopped at the bottom of the steps and asked "Where is she now, who shot her?"

[Acanous]

"There was a man out walking over there by the corner. He started a conversation, I wasn't paying much attention- but then he shot her! She started running, and made it about 3 yards before she fell over!
He gestures in a direction west of your church. The streets are fairly well lit, give me a Perception+Alertness.

[Scholar23]

Looking down the street he focused his mind as he said "What did he look like, where is she?"

OOC

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Shouldn't my apperance of Zero cause him to act shocked or something?

[Acanous]

He is already shocked. He's not talking directly to YOU, either. He's talking to the young priest. And avoiding looking at you.
2 successes from you, plus one from the NPC.

You follow the man down the street, leaving your brother to call the police and or ambulance.
As you make your way into an alley, you catch sight of an unconsious girl. There's a man there as well, bandaging her wrist.

[Scholar23]

Standing still for a moment he asked "Is he the one who shot her?"

[Acanous]

"I...I can't tell. Maybe?"

[Scholar23]

He walks forward slowly trying to see anything else that would be distinctly familiar about the man. Calling out he said "You there, what happened, did you do this?"

[Acanous]

Turning around, he quickly flashes a police badge towards Michael.

"Calgary Police Service."

[Scholar23]

"Now how did you get here so fast, my brother is just calling the station?" he said as he step closer looking for the officers gun or anything else that would prove that he was a true policemen. Glancing back he called to the witness "Come here and have a look at him and tell me if he shot her?"

[Acanous]

"I saw someone shoot this girl here. Came running 'cause I thought she was done for, but all she's got in her are darts. Perp probably wanted to have his way with her."

James said, pointing in the other direction.

"Saw him running that way, and I would've gone after him, but I couldn't leave her here alone. Both of you, see to her and make sure she gets medical attention. I'm going after the perp!"

Your keen eyes detect that yes, he is wearing a gun, under his coat and strapped with a police-issue holster.

The witness comes in closer. "He's a cop? I.. I'm not sure. Can I get a lawyer?"

[Scholar23]

"I will watch over her don't you fear and don't be afraid to call for help young man." he said as he bent over the gril and check the bandages. Taking a closer look at her he tells the witness "Go back out where we came from and flag down the ambulance. It should be coming soon."

[Acanous]

The man takes off running now that he's sure someone is here to look after the girl.
It's about 3 more minutes before an ambulance pulls up to your church. You and the Witness irect them to the girl, who is loaded in. "She's lost a lot of blood, but she'll live."

They take a statement from the Witness, who happens to be named Bruce Thiele, your junior priest, and yourself.

Given that the girl will probably be awake in a day or two to give testimony, they don't hassle you too much, although the Police do rope off the scene and take some pictures.

When you tell them about the officer who responded, they ask if you got a badge number. Since you did not, they take a general description.

[Scholar23]

Going back to the girl he looks for anything that the Officer had left behind on her (a strand of hair and the such) in the hopes of finding something he could use to trace the man. Reaching her befor she is loaded into the vechical and begins to pray over here for good health and protection as he blesses her.

[Scholar23]

Sure but I know a little ritual to find him Knowing stone pg 177 on the book.

Just wanted to add an addtional ingrident to find him

oops what was I thinking:smallannoyed:

[Acanous]

The bandages originally on her hand (And wetted with her blood) belonged to the man. The Paramedics are cutting it off and checking the wound, then applying thier own bandages.

Police are nearby, and will collect the bandages as evidence, unless you stop them.

Searching the alley for a stray hair or other detrus will require a Perception+Investigation roll, and the DC starts pretty high. Gets lower if you spend more time on it, to a minimum of 6 if you spend the whole night searching.

You are at a stable 9 BP though, and with your own herd, you're in no danger, aside from looking like a crazy old man scrounging in an alley.

[Scholar23]

Determined to find something to act as a focus for his ritual he begins his search ignoring the others as he begins. Dtermined to find something he begins to go through the area around the site, avioding the marked off area as he poked around. Halfway through the alley he stumbles and finds ...

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[Acanous]

Two successes.
The dart that hit the girl. It wasn't easy to spot, and the police seemed more conserned with finding a bullet. A tiny syringe in an alley looked more like a discarded drug addict's last high, than part of this crime.

It's a small thing, looks like it was designed to be fired from a handgun.

Much of the night has passed, though you still have about 4 hours before sunup.

[Scholar23]

Grabbing the two with the hem of his gown he wrapped them both in his sleave as he walked back to the church. Noticing the time he hurried along and after giving instructions to the brothers that he was not to be distrubed. Setting the two on his desk he went back to his shelf to recover his work case.

Grabbing the knife out of the case he cut his fore finger till it welled up with blood. Tracing out the name Bruce Thiele onto a stone that he had removed from the case as well he began to focus his power onto the stone chanting.


"Sanguinem vicissim nigrum et caro vicissim hyacintho
maledicam si iubes me
cibus inmundus in sinistra
i maledicam tibi oculos
sanguinem vicissim nigrum et caro vicissim hyacintho"

OOC
Rolling check: (int + occult)
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]

Dc=4

Time is determined by you, good night test tomorrow:smalltongue:
Edit: Lenght of time is up to dm and rituals are on the page I mentioned eariler for the ritual

[Acanous]

(So you're aware, Bruce was the name of the Witness, not the person who you found with the girl.)

[Scholar23]

Yes, just checking on where bruce is

[Acanous]

Alright.
Bruce has returned to an apartment building on 10th avenue downtown. Probably where he lives, since it's really getting early.

[Acanous]

(Was waiting for you to reply, but eh. Guess you were waiting on me.)

The day passes uneventfully. You wake that night feeling especially well rested, after your good deed the night prior.
A few questions still linger in your mind, though. Who was attacking people in your neighborhood? What will happen if they draw suspicion, and hunters, to you?

Due to your sensible arrangement with your herd, you're still at full Blood Pool.