Session 3 - Crisis of Faith

Or at least, that would have been the title, had the crisis not been entirely averted by the party.

In Santa Monica, there exist two cadres of piously religious vampires. The Lancea Sanctum exist as a dark mirror of the catholic church; their faith in God is absolute, as is their faith in their own divinely appointed position as spiritual guides of the kindred community. The Circle of the Crone are a far older, darker and less cohesive network of the most ancient of pagans, bonded together by their blood-fueled worship of the Goddess. And as you can expect, peace between the two is brittle at the best of times.

When we last met our protagonists, they knew nothing of these groups. Now, almost two months on, they are familiar not just with the nature of their being as vampires, but with the community they are now part of. David has spent much of the time researching, and put his considerable skill into the art of discovering answers wherever they may be found. One such answer explained that his own Sire previously held a position of respect in the local community, one that would allow David access to information on the comings and goings of kindred affairs.

Flora, meanwhile, had her trust in her new friends established when the Prince requested that she meet with an old friend of his at the bus station, and deliver to him a certain suitcase. Uncertain at first, she pulled the group together for mutual security, and delivered the suitcase, unknowing that it contained an antique violin, to the visiting vampire. In return, the group were given tickets to the Russian philharmonic orchestra performance, in which the visiting vampire played a beautiful performance.

James filled the time with what may best be called 'handling the local gang problem'. On the trail of a violent gangster, he struck fear into the hearts of the victims (well, except for when he fell into the garbage dumpster), ensuring that the whispers of a dark vigilante now fill the nights of the criminal underworld of Santa Monica. Jude, of course, spent most of the nights partying, kicking back and having a great time. But really, what else is new?

This all came to ahead some nights later, when the Prince requested that the four friends find a way to infiltrate one of the religious covenants for him, and work as his eyes and ears within. He explained, tensions between the two were escalating as the Lancea Sanctum tried to flex its muscle in the region, and the Circle were liable to meet aggression thricefold. Infiltration of either organisation, the Prince explained, would allow him to keep an eye on their conflict and ensure blood doesn't hit the streets.

And before long, the group were invited to attend a local Conclave, a meeting of all regional vampires. The meeting was a cold and formal affair, with young vampires left to gather mutually whilst elders discussed personal business. Dave took the honoured position of his Sire, and opened the gathering with the announcements of local news and affairs around the city. Having done so, he took the time to spend a good while with some acquaintances, including one of his online internet buddies (a geekish young vampire who uses the online name 'Galvatron').

Meanwhile, Flora encountered someone quite startling; a dark-eyed vampire, who she had seen in a dream only a few nights before. Could this vampire, who told her that his name was Andre and that he was an acolyte of the Circle of the Crone, have answers as to the identity of Flora's mysterious Sire? Yes, of course he did. Meanwhile, James was taking the time to discuss matters of faith with Padre Callahan, a priest of the Lancea Sanctum who holds midnight mass at a local cathedral, which James had regularly been attending. Perhaps he could gain admittance into their inner circle?

The word held that to ensure admittance into the Sanctum, a vote would be required. To ensure that vote, an offering (certainly not a bribe!) would be considered. The gift that would most benefit the Sanctum was a Statue of Saint Alessa, an important and revered figure in vampiric lore. The statue was being auctioned in a most peculiar manner, in a strange fashion that the old Padre couldn't grasp; on something called an 'eBay'.

After the gathering had concluded, the plan was set; the party would procure the statue. David took the immediate lead here, but tragedy struck when fate (in the form of a painfully 'oh, so close' dice roll) meant that the statue was won by another. But not to despair, because David called in every skill and hacker contact at his disposal to find the name and identity of the winning bidder; a wealthy mortal businessman by the name of Charles Denroth.

And so, the party came up with a plan. A very elaborate plan. An astonishingly elaborate plan to which there was simply no way that anyone could have either expected, guessed, or planned for. The plan went like this;
- Flora would call Denroth, and warn him that previous owners of similar statues experienced grave misfortune.
- James would slip quietly into Denroth's estate, and use his vampiric abilities to permeate the area with an aura of dread and fear. (and certainly not 'just smell a bit')
- Flora would visit Denroth, and convince him, based on the sense of dread the mortal was experiencing, to give them the statue. Or sell it.

And it was all going so well, too. Denroth was keen to hear what Flora had to say, although as a grounded and realistic man with a history in business, he was skeptical. James had managed to infiltrate the estate undetected, even managing to overcome the party's old adversary- a high fence. The meeting with a nervous and uncertain Denroth was going well, too... Until Flora sensed the presence of another vampire nearby. And sure enough, that vampire had snuck into the estate with the same intention - to recover the statue, but by theft.

Having knocked Denroth out, a fight ensued; one in which David was badly carved up by the thief's blade. James, having made a dramatic arrival on the scene, quickly lost track of the thief due to use of the obfuscate discipline, but David caught sight and brought out of hiding with a hail of bullets. A few bullets more, and the thief was laid into a torporous state. Following a quick clean-up of the estate, the party made their getaway with the statue, and with the thief's catatonic body. It was at that point when the identity of the thief was revealed; Andre, from the conclave.

And now, what to do? Andre was Flora's only link with the Circle, and therefore the only way she could find out about the identity of her Sire. David wanted revenge, having been seriously injured, and hoped to put Andre out of commission permanently, but Flora insisted calmness prevail. Donating her own blood to do so, Andre was awakened from torpor long enough to give answers.

The Circle, it turned out, also wanted the statue. They stated that the statue was of Alessandra, a vampiric goddess of ancient Sumeria and an aspect of the Crone. The statue was a relic of great significance to them, and they would be damned if they were going to let the Sanctum, who they claimed had already bastardised by adapting the legend of Alessandra into one of their own saints, take possession of the statue.

So, what were they to do? This statue could win them favour and membership in one of the sects; but which one? James had already set his heart on the Sanctum, but the Circle was the only way Flora could find out about her Sire. Quite a conundrum, right?

Well, as it turned out, it wasn't much of one. After an application of Jude and his Dominate ability, the party soon had Andre placing a call to one of the druids of the Circle. Druid Samael was firmly informed that the statue was not being given to them, but that they were being given Andre back, live and well, and they should be thankful for that. In a last-ditch attempt to barter for the statue, Druid Samael gave Flora a hint at information; her Sire's name, Lucille Desoto, and confirmed that Desoto was a great and powerful seer, and with the Circle's help Flora's own skill could become even greater. A great temptation? Maybe.

And so, the statue was turned over to the Sanctum, and James was told that they would arrange his baptism. If that sounds ominous, it should. The party now had their 'in' with one of the local covenants, and although they cannot call the Circle 'friends', Flora now has some sense of where her mother came from. As for David? Well... his own Sire's resting place may not be as secure as he thought.

And what favour does the Prince grant for such work? Well... a small hotel had long been abandoned on the seafront, one that would well serve as home and safe haven for the party. He gave this to them as a gift, and...

and...

the party elected to refurnish the hotel, and reopen it as Santa Monica's only vampire-run hotel.

Yes, that's right. We'll see how well that venture goes.