The Story Guide Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Monday, June 1st Early Evening Many things were said of Prince Giles Del Mar, but all could admit that the Invictus Ventrue certainly knew how to throw a party. Word spread among the Kindred community of his latest diversion for his court and subjects: a midnight safari in the countryside around Cape Town. A meeting place was set, the Belville Veladrome, and the Prince’s limoes were waiting when the city’s Kindred arrived. The drive took nearly an hour and a half and lead to mostly empty field; massive tents with low tables and large piles of multi-colored pillows filled out the ‘safari’ feel. Paper lanterns lit the area in a warm glow. True to form, the Prince was dressed in the quintessential British safari hunter’s outfit. He beamed at the gathered monsters and welcomed them with open arms. “Greetings, my fine hunters. This evening has a few rules, and then we can begin! First, the prey: scattered around the area are small camps of rhino poachers. They’ve been a pernicious problem this year and particularly crafter for their breed of pest. Your goal is to take as many of them as you can tonight. You will receive a point for each body, with bonus points awarded for cleverness, style, and good bragging.†He grinned, then wagged a finger at the crowd. “However, anything that needs to be cleaned up before morning, other than the bodies brought here to camp, will subtract points. Have fun, but mind the Masquerade.†He gestured grandly at the tents behind him. “For those not of a hunting frame of mind for the evening, you may earn points by entertaining the court back here at camp. Tell stories, jokes, dance, sing, whatever you think will please. Not all of the court is here yet, and some will go hunting themselves no doubt, but Madelaine and I will be here all night.†The seneschal nodded when the Prince motioned to her. She was dressed unusually casually for her in camo sweatpants, a white t-shirt, and an army surplus jacket, but her standard issue clip-board was still cradled carefully in her arms. “There isn’t a safety net on this one, ladies and gentlemen. The poachers are armed and paranoid. If you get in over your head, there’s no rescue waiting in the wings. I strongly suggest you team up. Points will be evenly split for team efforts and will give you more chances to earn points for style and clever group tactics. Also, the Prince prefers comedy acts and has a penchant for pop songs.†Del Mar clutched at his chest and bemoaned, “You give all my secrets away, my dear!†Turning back to the gathered predators he announced with a grand gesture, “Let the hunt begin!†ST Notes and Pictures This is open RP, feel free to introduce your character and mingle. If your PC is going to go straight for the hunt, please give me a Survival roll to track them (or whatever else you're doing to find them). If you want to make rolls for entertaining the court (currently just Madelaine and Del Mar), please give me the appropriate skill roll or PM with what you want to do if you're not sure what roll it should be. Have fun, guys! Prince Giles Del Mar: Seneschal Madelaine Von Gruskov: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeacques DuFresne Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Jeacques steps out of the Limo, nodding politely at the chauffeur. Taking a moment to enjoy the cool breeze and straighten his suit, he observes the area, a flicker of amusement passing over his face. Leave it to an Invictus to organise something like this. Still. An adequate enough way to pass the evening. Making his way through the crowd, offering greetings to each gently conversing group. Coming to a stop a respectful distance in front of the prince, he bows formally with a softly murmured "Your Highness. Seneschal Von Gruskov" and takes his place beside them, as the Harpy of the Court, engaging the Seneschal with some minor trivialities about the heirarchy. As more of the court arrive, he takes note of those present and any interest worthy absences while idly twirling a cigarette between his fingers. Once the Prince has announced the rules of engagement, he takes his leave and begins to Mingle properly with any other Kindred who remain behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
||gauwasi Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 As the evening's festivities commence, a seldom-seen figure arrives: a kindred of native African heritage who has, over the past couple of years, occasionally participated in the affairs of the local court. Often distant and never entirely welcoming, he marks himself as an outsider both by his appearance and his temperament. This evening, at least he is dressed in modern, if cheap, clothing. Those who don't speak Khoekhoegowab or a related language might have difficulty with this kindred's name: ||gauwasi. ||gauwasi makes no effort to circulate. He makes no effort to approach those who exercise dominion over Cape Town and its surrounding lands. He listens to the details of the hunt that no doubt drew him to attend this gathering and... smiles. That smile lingers a touch too long before subsiding. He watches the other kindred present to see what form and combination his opposition might take this night. And... of course, if any dare approach and partner with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Cole Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Charlie came out for the event in just a tank top and shorts. It might have seemed rather under-dressed, but given what he had heard of the location, it seemed best for the weather. All right, so the weather technically meant nothing to the undead - living habits died hard. Charlie walked through, delivering the bog-standard polite hellos and good evenings to anyone who approached - plus a half-bow and extra smile for the benefit of Mr. Big and his second-in-command. The Prince and the Seneschal had met once before, when Monique had for once came out of the shadows for the official entry rigamarole. But he stayed back. Feeling that thing at the back of his mind, sizing up everyone else around him did not help produce social ebullience. And hearing the recitations, Charlie decided firmly he'd rather stay back and try out his Taylor Swift. Making sport of killing people, poachers or not... this was not a pleasant thought among monsters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Rick Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Rick fumbled with his hand-me-down, barely functional Samsung phone as he got out of the car. God forbid the ringtone went off while the Prince was speaking! He put the phone in the pocket of his suit trousers, pausing a second to remember which of the pockets on the borrowed second-hand suit had ripped lining. He stood awkwardly outside, glancing around for anyone he might know - mostly unsuccessfully. His head spun to face the Prince when he talked. Unconsciously he walked away from the other monsters, looking for a patch of shadow amongst the lanterns, then caught himself and sighed. Logically there was no point in hiding from vampires in the dark, but the ambush hunter instincts of his Beast weren't much for logic. He made an effort to look up. To look at they eyes of those around him, then look away before it became a challenge. To show teeth in a smile. The Farm was very keen on looking human, acting human. It was one of the first things they taught the Revenants. You had to learn to override the Beast, or you might as well become one. He paused as he realised what was happening. Blood filled his mouth, and his Beast started growling, deep down in his gut. The Prince offered the right to Hunt. To Kill. Even to Clean up afterwards. He wanted it - badly. But go down that road and you'd never even feel yourself slipping away. All too easy. Death fed the Beast. He blinked, and realised he was alone, off in a corner. That was a bad sign. He needed to talk to someone, push the Beast back down. Needed Farm kids, or Family. One of the other things they taught the Revenants at the Farm was how to look for Family. For who Made you. You always felt it, but everything else covered it up. Needed to get rid of that first. He closed his eyes. That was the easy one. Hear the murmurs. The voices blending together into a chorus. Let it go. Smell the petrol exhaust. The smell of wet earth. Let it go. Feel the gentle breeze. The cold of winter night air. Taste the tingling flavour of this evening's meal. The hunt so recently concluded. The awareness of his self. The positions of his limbs. Careful with this one. Let them fade out. Now, below everything, else was the Beast. The feel of the Blood. Blood calling to Blood. Reaching out. Looking for those of the Blood. Reaching up, up through their senses. Trying to know where they were. Taste what they tasted. Feel what they felt. Smell what they smelled. See what they saw. Carefully now he opened his eyes, looking for the Gangrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
||gauwasi Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 After observing the gathering for a time to see whether any will organize themselves into an effective squad for hunting, ||gauwasi shakes his head in clear disappointment. The native figure had clearly and openly been looking forward to some form of challenge from others. "It seems that there will be little competition in this hunt," he says caustically for any who might overhear in accented Afrikaans. "Then I will track some of these poachers myself and see what threat they are capable of posing." The native African kindred pauses long enough to see if his disdain has brought out any others who will either be competitors or seek to join him in the hunt. Once the lines are clearly drawn, he leaves with a hint of blood lust clearly rising at the notion of the hunt. Tracking Poachers Wits + Survival + Specialization (Hunting) = dice pool of 6. Not sure what the target is in an extended challenge, so I'm leaving that to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Dekker Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 One of the limousines conveyed the familiar form of Hans Dekker: tall, well-kept, and in the familiar livery of the Hotel St. Jude. After providing the driver with a tip -- "No, I insist" -- he made his way directly to the main pavilion. Politely waiting his turn with carefully noncommittal greetings and niceties to the others present, he eventually made his way to the Prince, complete with a crisp bow. "As always, I am at your service, Your Highness. If you don't mind, I'll remain here in the camp and assist where I may; I'm afraid that a grand safari such as you have provided simply isn't in my blood." The man's ability to make you feel regal while rejecting your plans was an art that only a century in the hotel industry could create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Story Guide Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Prince Del Mar chuckled at Dekker's brownosing. More than being just amusing, the hotel owner's obsequios attitude was just damn useful for what he did for the city. "Of course, Hans, of course! That's why we've got the tent set up. Not everyone enjoys this kind of hunt." He gave a heavy sigh, smoke curling out from the cigar he'd lit when he'd sat down. "But, it needs to be done. Bad men and the monsters that keep them in check and all." He glanced over at Madelaine, grinning at the young-looking woman. "My dear, it seems we've a bevy of shy monsters this evening. Shall you start off the festivities? Get everyone comfortable with showing off?" The brunette nodded and stood, going over to one of the limmos and pulling a guitar case out of the back seat. One of the Prince's ubiquitous ghouls followed her over and pulled out several other instruments, a small amp, and what looked suspiciously like a karaoke machine. Those that had lived under the prince since his ascension to the throne were hardly surprised: Del Mar enjoyed pagentry and absurd juxtopositions. Karaoke in a field while others went to brutally murder brutal murderers seemd quite like his sense of humor. The equipment was swiftly set up in front of the tent, an oversized battery also materializing to power the electronics. Madelaine moved a stool over to the impromptu stage and hooked up her guitar to the amp. She strumed a few different chords, tuning the insturment and setting the amp to a reasonable level. The karaoke machine was started up and a song selected; Madelaine played the guitar portion and sung the lyrics to Loreena McKinnett's The Bonny Swan. Her voice was clear and mostly on-key, but she was quite obviously not a trained singer. Her guitar playing was of a bit higher quality, though again not that of a professional musician. At the end of the song, she grinned at the prince and addressed the rest of the assembled Kindred. "Alight, now it's someone else's turn or he's going to keep subjecting you to me and I only a handful of songs. That was the best one, just fyi." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsNJuhBfbPg Meanwhile..... Out on the hunt, ||gauwasi found the poachers dissapointingly easy to locate. In less than a half-hour he'd located four different camps: two small ones to the north and south, one large almost-permament encampment well to the east, and a caravan of large trucks spending the night in a gully to the northwest. They did at least patrol their territories, but the guards were overconfident and sloppy. In the small camp to the south, the one closest to the safari "HQ", the lone guard was even mostly asleep. Certainly none were expecting to be hunted this evening, and from their lax attitudes, they seemed to believe that if they weren't expecting it, then it wasn't going to happen. The two small encampments would be easy enough for a lone, combat-trained Kindred to take out, if they were careful. The larger groups, though, were more heavily armed, had advantages of landscape, buildings, or trucks to aid them, and enough humans to mean that a stealth attack would not remain stealthy very long. The African warrior has spotted several other patches of darkness and undead flesh moving through the semi-wilderness with him; he wasn't alone out here, but so far none of his hunting companions/comptetitors had decided to break the quiet of the night. ||gauwasi I rolled for you to get the scene moving. Malachite *rolls* 6d10: 7+6+9+8+9+5: 44 5 suxx Feel free to describe him getting into combat. We can do rolls if you want, but I'd rather then do "overall" rolls instead of individual (time-consuming) combat rolls. As long as you generally follow the guidelines I put in the post, I'm also fine with you freeforming this. It's meant to be a fun way to show off and get the game rolling, so I'm not concerned too much with the crunch. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Rick Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 'Rick's instincts hammer at him. His Beast was not really social, but as an ambush hunter he felt the need to blend in, to hide. Right now his instincts pulled him in three directions. On one hand he could feel himself drifting further away, into the outer dark, hiding from the others. On the other, he felt the urge to ingratiate himself with a desperate attempt at Karaoke. On the last, though, he felt the urge to go out in the dark and hunt - and show this clique that he was a killer like them. But that road is a Feast for the Beast. That monster that went off to hunt - how much of his soul will he leave out there in the dark? He looked around. Whatever was going to happen, he wasn't going to volunteer. That was a way to stand out. Spotting a familiar face he edged over towards DuFresne. Careful to avoid triggering the other vampire's instincts, he approaches slowly from the front, letting himself be seen. "Been a while Jeacques," he nods politely "Good to see you. Doing ok?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Cole Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Well, that was a hint like any. The pressure felt on him to do something, but Charlie was really rather anxious. Man, this is like stage fright, you can handle stage fright... Stage fright. Eureka, except, Charlie had no reason to shout or anything. Do what he knew - and there were some goodies from avidly watching Rowan Atkinson Live. Yes, there was a good starter. Bravely, the pale youth stood. "Okay. I may have something." The first couple might need a partner for bit lines. Well, there was one person would would be polite enough to agree, probably. "Mr. Dekker, would you mind providing me with your assistance?" About a half minute passed as the two came to the front and Charlie quickly briefed Hans on all he needed to say. Then they took their places and Hans Dekker narrated the start with smooth eloquence. "Did you ever have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? I did, unfortunately, it was my wedding day. And three men in particular were to blame..." Thus began one skit. And then a few more. And Charlie's acting chops showed. He had watched those skits on Youtube so much and memory did show through with heart. That was one clear advantage of being a Mekhet. OOC [Jeremy] 7:45 pm: Presence + Expression + Drama Specialty - 5 dice Jeremy *rolls* 5d10: 4+5+10+8+2: 29 Jeremy *rolls* 1d10: 8: 8 [Jeremy] 7:45 pm: 3 sux Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeacques DuFresne Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Jeacques listens with interest as the Seneschal finishes her piece, laughing quietly at her parting quip. He is visibly happy to see Charlie step forward to perform, and even more so when the comedy routine begins. Upon completion, he applauds and steps forward himself, congratulating the two, and taking his place on the makeshift stage. "Thank you Gentlemen, for such a wonderful performance. Too often Kindred become enamoured with High Drama. Rarely do we take the time to appreciate the simpler aspects of a decent comedy skit. Well done. For now, though, as Harpy I feel it would be remiss of me not to make some form of contribution of my own. As such, I will be butchering a piece that I admit I am rather fond of, it being a product of my Homeland. As such, I ask that you please bear with me while I subject you all to the horror that is my singing." Self deprecating humour aside, he launches into a rendition of "Valjeans Soliloquy", otherwise known as "What have I done". Despite his claims to the contrary, he has a rather pleasant singing voice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP31L6AhB3M Stepping off the stage, he makes his way back to the crowd, once more engaging in polite conversation. When Rick addresses he seems surprised. "Rick. I wasn't aware that you had come out of Torpor. Likewise, it is good to see you. I'm doing well enough that it would be churlish of me to complain, but there's always room for improvement." He smiles lightly "But what of you? When did you awaken again and what have you been up to since?" OOC Dice Pool of 5. Kaoleth *rolls* 5d10: 7+1+9+10+9: 36 Kaoleth *rolls* 1d10: 9: 9 4 Successes Lyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/what-have-i-done-valjeans-soliloquy-lyrics-les-miserables.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
||gauwasi Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Meanwhile..... Out on the hunt, ||gauwasi found the poachers dissapointingly easy to locate. In less than a half-hour he'd located four different camps: two small ones to the north and south, one large almost-permament encampment well to the east, and a caravan of large trucks spending the night in a gully to the northwest. They did at least patrol their territories, but the guards were overconfident and sloppy. In the small camp to the south, the one closest to the safari "HQ", the lone guard was even mostly asleep. Certainly none were expecting to be hunted this evening, and from their lax attitudes, they seemed to believe that if they weren't expecting it, then it wasn't going to happen. The two small encampments would be easy enough for a lone, combat-trained Kindred to take out, if they were careful. The larger groups, though, were more heavily armed, had advantages of landscape, buildings, or trucks to aid them, and enough humans to mean that a stealth attack would not remain stealthy very long. The African warrior has spotted several other patches of darkness and undead flesh moving through the semi-wilderness with him; he wasn't alone out here, but so far none of his hunting companions/comptetitors had decided to break the quiet of the night. ||gauwasi I rolled for you to get the scene moving. Malachite *rolls* 6d10: 7+6+9+8+9+5: 44 5 suxx Feel free to describe him getting into combat. We can do rolls if you want, but I'd rather then do "overall" rolls instead of individual (time-consuming) combat rolls. As long as you generally follow the guidelines I put in the post, I'm also fine with you freeforming this. It's meant to be a fun way to show off and get the game rolling, so I'm not concerned too much with the crunch. Have fun! The Beast growls deep inside ||gauwasi as he carefully approaches the smaller encampment in the north. The late Spring/early Summer wind blows from the southwest so that the kindred can smell his prey, but they have little chance of catching his scent. While the primal nature within wishes to fling him forward, his rational mind remains in control as he slips behind a guard. A swift, unarmed blow to his throat leaves the guard unable to call out and then the African kindred is on him in earnest, his lean body bearing his target to the ground. The ground is soon soaked with blood as ||gauwasi's fangs tear into the target beneath him. Some of the hot, coppery liquid gushes into ||gauwasi's mouth and he feeds. All too soon, the target ceases to struggle... and there are others to prey upon. Quietly, methodically, and brutally, ||gauwasi works to eliminate the poachers in the small northern encampment. He keeps an eye out for the other kindred he has sensed, to see if they will join in the hunt, or merely observe. The African kindred does not hide his martial prowess as he tears through the mortal men with hand and fang. Unarmed combat Strength + Brawl + Specialization (Musangwe) = 12 dice. Plus things like Martial Arts for targeted strikes and ignoring bits of armor, and some brutal uses of Vigor. Happy to have an overall roll to cover how things went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Rick Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 'Rick looks away for a second into the darkness, towards the Farm, then back. "Oh, I only woke up a couple of weeks ago. I've been hanging out at the Farm since then. Adapting to this future." he shakes his head slowly "It's incredible how much has changed. And it's true what they say, you adapt so fast when you wake up - even if it hasn't been that long. I finally lost my accent within a day of waking up. I'll give you my new number, if you like." He coughs "Most of those back at the Farm don't know my history. I'd like to keep it that way. It'd scare some of the new blood if they knew." "Not much room for improvement from Harpy - 'congrats." He looks carefully at his cousin "Guess you must be one of the Elders now - how's the rest of the Clan doing? I heard Deborah's down?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Story Guide Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 The most dignified Prince of Cape Town laughed and cheered through Cole's skit like a rowdy teenager, and even the reserved Seneschal was seen to chuckle at some of the more riebald jokes. The rendition from Les Mis brought the jovility down to a more somber note, but the mood was well set and other members of the city began to drift on and off the stage. Songs, stories, comedy routines, even three ghouls took to the platform, performing small magic tricks and juggling. Most of the Kindred still at the camp were milling about and socializing now, keeping an eye on the outskirts for when the hunters came back while making battles of words and innuendo of their own. Del Mar and Madelaine were ensconced in the center of the large tent, easily accessible to anyone that wished to talk, though privacy of conversation would be non-existant. To the north: The first few of the mortals fell before they could know to feel proper terror. Blood soaked the ground, as it had for a thousand years and a thousand reasons in the dark of night. Some of the others managed to scramble for weapons or cover, though no more than a shot or two was fired before the monster in mostly human skin was upon them. In less than a handful of minutes the camp was silent again; the other creatures of the night had fled the area and even the insects were hesitant to approach the waiting feast. ||gauwasi paused, listening to death; to his right the moment was shattered by the shrill buzz of electric static. A man cursed in the darkness at his radio and bolted from the campsite. ||gauwasi You and the humans ended up rolling pretty close, so you got most of them. The man running away is an easy target and he does have a way of warning the other camps if he's not taken out first. Feel free to free-form your actions, no rolls necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Dekker Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Having assisted as the "narrator" for Cole's skit, Hans stood back and enjoyed the selection from Les Misérables. Eventually, after various other numbers, he looked about, and then with a bit of seeming self-consciousness stepped forward to the area passing for a stage. "If you will indulge me," he explained, "I would like to present to you my rendition of a selection from the American satirist, Tom Lehrer. This number is titled 'The Irish Ballad'." And with that, he set in with gusto. Presense 3 + Expression 3 Jess-OOC *rolls* 6d10: 5,8,6,6,8,10. Successes = 3. The target number was changed to 8. Jess-OOC *rolls* 1d10: 3. Successes = 0. The target number was changed to 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
||gauwasi Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 To the north: The first few of the mortals fell before they could know to feel proper terror. Blood soaked the ground, as it had for a thousand years and a thousand reasons in the dark of night. Some of the others managed to scramble for weapons or cover, though no more than a shot or two was fired before the monster in mostly human skin was upon them. In less than a handful of minutes the camp was silent again; the other creatures of the night had fled the area and even the insects were hesitant to approach the waiting feast. ||gauwasi paused, listening to death; to his right the moment was shattered by the shrill buzz of electric static. A man cursed in the darkness at his radio and bolted from the campsite. ||gauwasi You and the humans ended up rolling pretty close, so you got most of them. The man running away is an easy target and he does have a way of warning the other camps if he's not taken out first. Feel free to free-form your actions, no rolls necessary. ||gauwasi feels the sting of competitors who were willing to fight back with joy. It is not an appropriate test of his skills if those he faces do not put up some struggle. Just as the African kindred pauses, thinking all is over the electric static of a final poacher echoes in the night. As the man begins running, ||gauwasi pursues. He stretches his legs and breaks into a sprint, the sprint of a wild animal pursuing its prey. In short order the panicked man ahead comes into clear sight and then ||gauwasi is upon him. The man's scream rips through the night moments before the kindred's teeth rip into his neck. After quickly glutting himself on blood to replace the vitae he has spent in the fight, ||gauwasi grabs the final figure and circles back towards the camp. The other poachers may have been notified either by the gunfire or the fleeing man and there may not be much time to cover the less mundane signs of attack. If the camp is not already swarming, the African hunter plans to use a knife or machete and hack away at areas of the poachers' bodies that might otherwise display signs of bite marks. Should the other poachers already be clearly approaching... well, that is unfortunate and will no doubt be held against him in the tabulation for the midnight safari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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