The Sacrifice

# Introduction

"The Sacrifice" is a playable version of Clan Lasombra's induction into the Camarilla. This chronicle focuses on other vampire factions' influence over the ongoing event, and the players have the option to play Camarilla or Anarch Kindred.

Throughout the chronicle several characters and locations already mentioned in Chicago by Night will appear, giving the Storyteller and players an opportunity for interaction. New characters and locations are also introduced as a part of the chronicle. Although the chronicle follows a set timeline and chapter development, it opens a world of opportunities for exploring Chicago and interacting with interesting characters.

Players required: 3-5 Duration: 10-15 hours

# Character Advice

Prince Kevin Jackson will, at the start of this chronicle, decide which group to approach for assistance. The Prince has different reasons behind approaching Camarilla- or Anarch-leaning coteries:

- The Camarilla: Prince Jackson chose vampires from his own flock because they can be trusted. He knows who they are, and if not, he knows their sires or grandsires and therefore is aware of their capabilities. Via his agents — the Sheriff and the Hounds — he may be aware of their mortal connections and responsibilities, so he can exert some pressure should they refuse or fail the mission.
- The Anarchs: The Anarchs, being detached from both the Sabbat and Camarilla, are a neutral choice. The Anarchs aren't known for their enmity toward the Sabbat or Lasombra, potentially making them more sympathetic and reliable as bodyguards and shepherds, with no old grudges to complicate matters. Also, Anarchs are expendable assets to a Camarilla Prince such as Jackson.
- The Others: The Bahari have a strong Lasombra membership, as does the Church of Caine, should

Jackson choose to get either faction involved. Any given methuselah cult may be the kind of distinct mercenary outfit Jackson hires for this task. Vampires of independent clans and bloodlines likewise carry little political baggage but have everything to gain from winning the Prince's favor. Of course, any character who owes the Prince or the Sheriff a boon is eligible for enlistment on this mission.

No matter which sect the characters belong to, it is assumed the PCs have at least a slight knowledge of one another before they embark upon their mission. This is necessary for the sake of the length of the chronicle and will also assist the players in creating deeper relationships within the timeframe. Use the relationship map in Vampire: The Masquerade (p. XX) when creating your coterie.

# Prologue

The PCs have been called together by Damien, the Sheriff of Chicago, at a local O'Tolley's fast food restaurant. They are told nothing but that this is business ordered by the Prince and the need for a meeting is urgent. Damien has already arrived, sitting

in a booth with an uneaten burger and fries in front of him. His normal laid-back demeanor is instead one of barely concealed nerves that can be picked up with an easy Wits + Insight roll. A bulky, brown-paper envelope lies neatly in front of him on the red plastic table and his right leg restlessly taps against the floor.

As soon as they walk through the door and place themselves in front of him, he slides the envelope across the table and gets up to leave, saying "the Prince only requested I ensure the envelope reached you. The four phones inside are burners and connect to one of my people. You'll get one use out of each of them and then they'll go dead. Clear? Enjoy the rest of your evening." He then departs the restaurant.

Certain acronyms and nicknames are used in the prologue handouts that the PCs can try to decipher using Intelligence + Politics or Intelligence + Investigation rolls. For the Storyteller, the coded language in the handouts means the following:

SC = Succubus Club

Our social club = Kindred Society

PKJ = Prince Kevin Jackson

The elite club = The Camarilla

My family = Clan Ventrue

### HANDOUT #1: THE PRINCE'S LETTER

My trusted kin,

I write to you in complete confidence. Confidence you will remain silent about the information in this letter and confidence you will perform this task competently and swiftly.

Tomorrow night, a delegation will arrive at O'Hare. You are to safely guard and transport them from the airport to the third floor of the SC the night after at 21:00 - no later. The night of their arrival, it is your task to keep them somewhere safe, bringing them to the SC on the night following. I should not have to mention I expect the delegation to arrive at the SE intact and well-rested.

Our visitors consist of two individuals of our kind, a small-framed younger East Asian woman with long, dark hair and a bald, bearded older white centleman who I choose to describe as "unkempt." Meet the delegation at 22:00 outside the Terminal Five Herrick's Grocers, in the arrivals area. A car will be ready for you at the Terminal Five parking lot, in zone 422, the registration and keys for which are also in this envelope, though you may wish to arrange an additional car of your own.

Do ensure certain troublemakers from within our social club do not disrupt your task. I am confident you are aware of whom I speak, but for clarity's sake I have enclosed files Damien compiled. Use the night you receive my message to subtly kill the fire before it begins. Do not cause unnecessary trouble by leaving stains on the ground. Merely subone potential issues, temporarily, for your own and the city's sake. I don't want anyone feeling like they need to cause a rebellion due to your actions.

Payment for the successful completion of this task is guaranteed and in keeping with my family's generosity.

### HANDOUT #2: NOAH GREWAL

NAME: Noah Grewal ALIAS: "Flyboy"

BACKGROUND: This member of our club followed in Tyler's footsteps with his interest in the city's air-travel system. He believes O'Hare is his territory and claims to control everything entering and leaving Chicago via flight. He will undoubtedly raise questions about our guests and their business and perhaps prevent them from passing security, though we suspect they have methods of bypassing mundane checks. He has influence over the Department of Aviation's executive team, specifically one Felicity Miller.

### HANDOUT #3: CHARLES DAWSON

NAME: Charles Dawson

ALIAS: "Crook"

BACKGROUND: When Charles becomes bored, unnecessary drama occurs, and we believe he heard of this coming delegation. Therefore, he will undoubtedly do whatever he can to draw unwanted attention and disrupt proceedings. He will most likely send out thugs to spy on you and sabotage your mission just to prove his relevance in the city. He will be around Crooks' Lounge near Rogers Park, as they are currently renovating.

### HANDOUT #4: GENGIS

Name: Gengis

Alias: -

Background: If you haven't lived under a rock for the past few years you would know about Gengis and his alternative methods of dealing with his hatred for the elite club. He would happily go out of his way to release PKJ's hold on power. When he hears about a foreign delegation arriving, and I suspect he will due to his high status among the local rebels, rest assured Gengis will have eyes on the airports. I cannot say where he is at the moment, as his movements are completely unreliable. An informant tells me he has a haven on the Gold Coast at 126 E. Cedar Street, but security will be tight.

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# Part One: Pave the Way

Give the coterie legroom to discuss what its approach to the Prince's letter should be and what to do next. Damien is not of much help if they turn to him and will brush them off with him only being the messen ger in this case. Prince Jackson will not be available for a meeting regarding the case, and if the group chooses to call him (in the rare event they have his number), they will be met by a voicemail.

The coterie can choose to approach the trouble makers mentioned in the files. They might also choose to only approach one or two. If they instead want to use their last night before the arrival on something else, skip the following three sections.

### Approaching "Flyboy" Noah Grewal

O'Hare Airport is the only place to find Noah. If characters approach the front desk or the security guards in the airport, no one responds to the name Noah, but most are familiar with his mortal contact Felicity Miller, as the head of a long chain of authorities at the airport. They point the coterie in the direction of the head offices with a successful Manipulation + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 4) or Manipulation + Subter fuge roll (Difficulty 3) if they make up some reason to be visiting the Aviation Department commissioner, as she keeps late hours. The coterie might also choose to search for the Aviation Department without assistance and can find it behind a locked door meant for em ployees only, with a successful Resolve + Awareness roll (Difficulty 3) to find the offices and an Intelligence + Larceny roll (Difficulty 3) to bypass the electronic secu rity measures. Walking to their destination, the coterie will see unusually heavily armed guards patrolling the airport with weapons in hand.

If surprised, Felicity's first response is to summon security using the phone on her desk. She isn't under thrall to Noah however, and can be simply intimidat ed into revealing the location of his secluded office in the winding corridors looping behind the forecourt of Terminal 2.

Noah's office, and those of many in the Aviation Department, is behind three security checkpoints and four locked doors, with codes required for entry, requiring Felicity to guide them through or use of a successful Resolve + Awareness roll (Difficulty 4) to

find Noah's specific office and three successive Intelligence + Larceny rolls (Difficulty 4) to get through the security doors. Manipulating other security staff, using ventilation shafts, or PCs disguising themselves as workers reduces the difficulty of any tests to reach Noah.

All the offices on Noah's floor are made of transparent glass and, though with the coterie visiting in the evening at the earliest, few workers beyond security are present. Noah's office door stands out as the only frosted one, and is at the very end of the corridor behind a bright overhead light. It is locked (one of the Intelligence + Larceny rolls above) but a square of light glows from inside the office.

Inside, Noah taps away on a laptop with his back to the door, the screen bright enough to illuminate the room. When the door opens, he slams the laptop shut and turns on a desk lamp. The entire back wall of his office is one big window, facing the runway. He watches the planes take off and land throughout the PCs' conversation with him, barely glancing at them. His intent is to appear cool, but his subterfuge disguises his concern. The most important thing to Noah is his laptop stays shut during the confrontation and it never leaves his left hand. He was reporting to one of his mortal masters when the coterie arrived.

Grewal is keen to get rid of the PCs as quickly as possible, and doesn't hesitate to tell them he's aware a group of "alternative" Kindred coming through his domain tomorrow night, via a couple of heavy-duty speaker cases due to be unloaded and delivered directly to arrivals without scanning. Someone paid for this service up front and he's already arranged it, but he absolutely intends to find out exactly who he's receiving into Chicago. He fully intends on preventing them entrance if they have "doubtful motives" or if news arises, compelling him to lock the cases and put them on the next flight back to their origin point of JFK in New York.

### Coterie Options

Bribing: Noah is cash-happy and will gladly receive money in exchange for him letting the visitors through without trouble. The amount will have to exceed one dot of Resources (with a character losing that dot for the remainder of the story) via direct transfer or cash for him to make a deal with the coterie.

Manipulation: If the group takes the social route, trying to either charm or threaten their way around Noah, they either make a successful Charisma + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 5) or Manipulation + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 3) to convince him. It's easier to intimidate the thin-blood, as his grip on the airport is pretty weak.

Combat: Noah has an alarm button in his office. Should any of the PCs jump him or use a physical approach he will have up to a dozen heavily armed guards (use the Gangster statistics on p. 371 of Vampire: The Masquerade) at his side 20 seconds after pressing his buzzer. They will not attack the coterie unless the coterie proceeds to fight Noah or them, ordering the PCs to stand down and back away from Noah's office, through the gauntlet of guards and down the corridor. The PCs can attempt to fight and subdue the guards and Noah in the cramped corridor and glass offices, leading a to a lot of potential destruction and bloodshed.

### Approaching Charles "Crook" Dawson

As mentioned in his files, Crook will be available in Crooks' Lounge on the North Side of Chicago. The bar is visibly closed and barred off with a large warning sign on the front door reading "Please wear safety equipment when entering." All doors will be closed off and there is no sign of life if PCs look through the windows. Crook will be sitting in the basement of the bar with his fangs plunged into the limp body of a young blond man. A small window at street level allows the PCs to witness this, should they get on hands and knees to peer through. The PCs can knock on the window to catch Crook's attention, though he'll quickly throw the body across the floor and disappear into the dark. The coterie might also look for the back entrance on their own and can find it using Investigation + Awareness (Difficulty 3).

If the PCs linger around outside the building, one of Crook's mortal retainers, Ina Miller of the Steel Horse Lounge, is also looking for Dawson and will approach them to ask if they've seen him. She's unaware he's a vampire, just thinking the Nosferatu is a horribly deformed, but kind (to her) man. The PCs may be able to use her presence to get Dawson's attention, as Ina is dear to him despite his monstrosity.

If they knock at the bar's back door, an eye-height slot will slide open to reveal Crook's eyes staring. His immediate response is to say "we're closed, go to the Steel Horse Lounge." The PCs will have to convince Dawson to admit them with a successful Charisma + Persuasion (Difficulty 4) or Manipulation + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 4). They might also want to use force on the door with a Strength + Brawl roll (Difficulty 5) but this will result in a furious Crook.

The basement of Crook's bar is a damp and moldy mess, with raw brick walls dripping with water from the heating pipes, the foul, sweet smell of rotten flesh, and the occasional yellow eyes of rats observing the PCs from the dark. The slight smell of blood forces those at

Hunger 4 or higher to resist a Hunger frenzy (Difficulty 4). By the time the coterie heads down there, the man from whom Dawson was feeding has disappeared, hiding in a wardrobe while business takes place.

"Please, make yourself at home. Yes, excuse the mess, we are…renovating. I'm sure you understand."

### Coterie Options

Bribery: Crook's interest in material goods has slowly dwindled over the years. He can get by without chasing cash and knows the only thing he truly has to hunt is blood. If the players offer him money, he huffs with disdain and tell them money has no interest to him — no matter the amount they present.

Manipulation: Although Crook lacks both appearance and money, his years of street life and rough environments, on top of his clan abilities, have granted him with an initially stubborn mentality. He does not bow down quickly, and especially not to a group of new faces. Promise of chaos and city sabotage to come is a good way to win him over.

Combat: If the coterie uses violence or physical threats to get their way, they will have to fight Crook, who is fully fed and quite the striker, and his prey, the blond man he's brainwashed into service who is currently hiding in a closet. Refer to Crook's statistics on p. XX and Crook's Meal on p. XX.

# Approaching Gengis

There are two locations at which Gengis might be found, though Jackson's information only leads to the Brujah's penthouse. The Mohawk, where Gengis actually is, requires a little investigation to locate or for the PCs to be Anarchs with connection to the Brujah rebel.

### The Penthouse

As the coterie nears the high-end Gold Coast of Chicago and makes its way to Gengis' penthouse, they can clearly hear the raw sound of the Sex Pistols cutting through the otherwise quiet night. Following the sound will lead them to a gorgeous villa three floors high, with a gravel driveway and a couple of cars parked inside the gate. As they approach the fence, they hear aggressive barking and with a Resolve + Larceny roll (Difficulty 4) spot the security cameras monitoring the grounds. The coterie can ring the gate bell and the night security will answer via intercom. Any requests for Gengis result in a minute's pause before the security guard responds to say, "the resident is not answering his intercom. Maybe try during the day."

If they try to climb the fence, they can do so successfully with Strength + Athletics (Difficulty 3). The gate can also be lockpicked with Dexterity + Larceny (Difficulty 4) or the security lock destroyed with a Strength + Melee roll (Difficulty 4). Four Doberman guard dogs sniff around without chains to keep them at bay (see p. 373 of Vampire: The Masquerade for their statistics). Charisma + Animal Ken (Difficulty 4) or Dexterity + Stealth (Difficulty 5) are required to subdue or bypass them without conflict.

Unfortunately, even if the PCs do reach the villa and Gengis' locked penthouse, they do not find the Brujah within. He left the music on loud to annoy his downstairs neighbors, but is in fact elsewhere during this scene. If anyone breaks in to his penthouse with an Intelligence + Larceny (Difficulty 4, Difficulty 5 to do so without setting off alarms that summon security) they find a plush, well-appointed, and beautifully furnished apartment not befitting the Anarch stereotype, but no sign of Gengis. On a Resolve + Investigation (Difficulty 4) however, they do find a matchbox from the Mohawk, an old punk joint on Clark Street. Anarch PCs know this if they have at least one dot in Status as an Anarch or a personal relationship with Gengis.

### The Mohawk

Gengis is at the Mohawk, a grimy club still adorned with the peeling posters of bands long gone and marred with graffiti inside and out. It's no tourist joint, with all its inhabitants regulars or friends of friends. These nights, few live bands play the Mohawk, it being more a place renowned for its jukebox, impressive record collection, and nostalgic atmosphere.

The door to the Mohawk is closed but anyone may enter. Outsiders are given a frosty reception from the regular patrons, with regular hazing taking place for the business-dressed and obvious middle and upper classes.

Gengis sits on the top steps of the stairway leading up to the second floor of the club, smoking a cigarette while talking to a young woman standing on the landing next to him. When he sees the PCs, he flicks the cigarette toward them to try and make them jump, before laughing.

"This is my night off, doggies. I'm guessing you're not all here for a social call, so," he cracks his knuckles, "Give me one good reason not to wreck a few of the Prince's drones right now. After all, word on Anarch street is you're inviting some nasty elements into town."

### Coterie Options

Bribing: Gengis has all the money he could ask for and will simply laugh at the coterie if they try. If the coterie bribes him with boons or perhaps insider information about other Kindred, they gain his interest. The group has to offer him a small boon in order for him to leave them be and not cause trouble around the delegation.

Manipulation: Although it might prove difficult for the PCs, they can convince Gengis to focus Anarch disruptions elsewhere in the city (against a fundraiser Ballard's hosting, or an Annabelle-backed gallery, for instance) with a successful Manipulation + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 5).

Combat: If the players engage Gengis in combat, they will also have to deal with the old punks in the club, who love a knock-down, drag-out fight. See Gengis' character write up on p. XX for his stats, and p. XX for the Mohawk punks. Gengis isn't interested in fighting to the death, but will attempt to humiliate the PCs and have them thrown off the premises.

# Exploring the City

The PCs might choose to not follow the Prince's orders. Following are short scenarios the Storyteller might decide to use depending on where the protagonists go.

### The Nightlife

Exploring the city nightlife provides the PCs a chance to know the different feeding grounds, territories, and where other Kindred use their nights.

### THE SUCCUBUS CLUB

As one of the most popular spots for Kindred in the know, the Succubus Club welcomes vampires provided they maintain the Masquerade and respect the establishment. The PCs can feed from kine here, and gather information from Kindred.

If the PCs ask about the visiting delegation, the only Kindred who knows details is the Minister, Thea Noel-MacCrain (see p. XX). She has a stalkerish lust for Prince Jackson and overheard him speaking to Damien about the visitors while eavesdropping the night before. The PCs can find her hanging around the bar, speaking loudly to the bartenders about how much time she spends in Jackson's company and how marvelous he is. If they make a successful Charisma + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 4) or a Manipulation + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 3), Thea will inform them the delegation involves some vampires called "Lasombra" but knows little more than that.

### BLUE VELVET

Tucked away on Rush Street and attracting Kindred with particular and exclusive taste in blood — and a full wallet — is the Blue Velvet club. Although the club is smaller than the Succubus and Red Noº 5, it serves some of the most exquisite and rare blood in Chicago.

To have heard of the Blue Velvet, one of the PCs must have a Status of three dots or more or possess an influential Mawla or Kindred ally in the city. The ghouls on the door are under orders to allow mortals in, but restrict obvious Kindred unless they possess a VIP invitation. There is no queue at the door, meaning the ghouls are accessible and can be persuaded to let them in with a successful Manipulation + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 5), though they will call ahead to the owner, Bronwyn, to confirm the coterie is making its way in.

The Blue Velvet is a dimly lit and petite lounge with no access to natural light. It is elegantly decorated with deep-blue silk drapes hanging neatly from the ceiling. The tables, chairs, and bar are mahogany and every glass is crystal. Inside, the coterie meets the owner of Blue Velvet, Bronwyn. She will let the coterie taste some of her finer bloods as a friendly gesture, if they're polite, and can provide them with information if they make a successful Charisma + Etiquette roll (Difficulty 5). She will tell them she was asked to increase her stock, not because a vampire with peculiar tastes is coming, but because Damien told her imminent bloodshed is possible, and her reserves may be in high demand

### RED NOº 5

As ever with Red Noº 5, the line is long and cutting is not permitted. Groups of expensively dressed mortals smoke, vape, and chatter away as they wait, actually enjoying the atmosphere outside the club. It doesn't take long, however, for a couple of young men to start pushing each other when one accuses the other of hopping ahead in the line. The doormen shout at the crowd to push the young men out into the road so they can take their fight away from the line, but the fighting spills further into the line unless the PCs interfere with a Strength + Brawl (Difficulty 3) or Charisma + Intimidation (Difficulty 4) roll.

At this point, the players are introduced to Bennett Steadman (see p. XX), who controls the guest list at the bar. He steps out and briefly adjusts his suit before he goes up to the loudest and rowdiest of the group. He whispers something and the man turns around and walks away without question. Shortly thereafter Bennett looks over at the PCs, scanning them from top to bottom. If they assisted in defusing the situation, he waves them over. Otherwise, he gives them the finger before disappearing back inside.

Bennett cannot provide them with any information about Prince Jackson's actions and advises the coterie to talk quietly if they're going behind the Prince's back. He does know Jason Newberry was in his bar recently and appeared extremely agitated about newcomers heading to Chicago. Bennett offers the PCs a round on the house (which they can't drink, of course) and leaves them to enjoy the live blues band playing on stage.

### Prince Jackson

It's not possible to arrange a meeting with the Prince, even if the PCs somehow have a secure line to him. If a PC already knows where Jackson makes his haven, or one of his business fronts, it's possible to look for him, but they will only find his assistants. They do not keep Jackson's schedule (it's known only to the Prince and the Sheriff), but the Prince will respond with severe punishment if he finds out his employees were harmed or coerced.

### Clan Advice

PCs might want to seek out their Mawla or other elders after receiving the letter. Most of the Primogen and clan representatives respond to enquiries with curiosity, as many are unaware of the full nature of this visit. Typical responses are as follows:

Khadija and Marcel: "I can tell you these newcomers are not of our clan. I am fully aware of our clan's intentions toward this city."

Critias, "Khalid", DuSable, Ballard, and Rosa: "I am sure if this was something that concerned the whole city, the Prince would have consulted the Primogen and city elders."

Maldavis: "Jackson and I had a rare meeting about this, but I need to keep you in the dark. I don't know who you'd tell and secrecy is important. For once, do as the Prince says."

Michalis: "I believe shadows encroach on our city, but nobody sought to provide me with detail."

Alexa: "None of our concern. And Primogen Newberry has gone to Gary on business, so you'll not find any answers from him."

Galura: "I see shapes moving toward Chicago. Dangerous. Dark. One wears manacles while the others pull chains leading into a cloud of smog."

Annabelle: "Oh yes, the Prince asked me to prepare a party at the Succubus for the arrival of some diplomats, but I assumed they were Archons, Prince Decker of Milwaukee, or the like."

# Part Two: New Blood

The second chapter begins just after sundown the next day. It is up to the PCs to have found a place to rest during the day. Immediately after they wake up they receive a call from Damien on one of the burner phones (if there are any remaining), reminding them they have to be at the airport in two hours to pick up the visitors and telling them he hopes they have taken care of Jackson's little problems, so everything will run smoothly. If there are no burners left, the call doesn't come through and a Resolve + Streetwise roll (Difficulty 3) reminds the players how far they have to travel to pick up their guests. Give the players a little time to talk things through before warning them about their strict time limit.

O'Hare Airport is full of travelers at arrival. A sea of people with suitcases and trollies shuffle and sprint past them, glancing into their cellphones or looking at their watches. With a successful Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 4) the PCs see the airport guards are heavily armed and there seems to be a surplus just standing around, occasionally speaking into their earpieces.

If the PCs make their way to Herrick's at Terminal Five, as instructed, the delegates arrive soon after. They walk silently toward the store and the long walk from arrivals to the grocer's gives the PCs plenty of time to study the two vampires. The young woman is short but has broad shoulders and a muscular frame. Her hair is long and chestnut brown, her face indicating East Asian ancestry. She ties a colorful belt firmly around the waist of her long coat as she approaches. A successful Wits + Investigation roll (Difficulty 5) reveals a black heart tattooed on her left wrist. She looks polished and confident, much in contrast to her traveling companion. Where people might turn their heads to admire the girl's confident beauty, they quickly withdraw their looks because of her male companion's stench. His anemic skin stretches across sharp cheekbones and his hollow eyes do not help his emaciated look. His bald head is wrinkled and flaky, his beard wild and untamed around a pair of chapped lips. He holds his arms in front of him with joined hands, so his many rings on one hand scrape against the surface of those on the other as his large eyes shift nervously, almost manically, from side to side.

The two vampires reach the store and do not speak with each other. A pair of mortals catches up to the two of them, if given time, both of whom have a military air. These ghouls are Arkady and Dmitri (see p. XX), Malenkov's servants. They will wait to be approached rather than go to the PCs.

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If the coterie's vampires introduce themselves, Sierra holds out a hand to shake, before pulling in the first vampire to clasp it. She whispers "Clan Lasombra appreciates the welcoming committee" before letting go.

# Flyboy's Ambush

If the coterie has successfully bribed, fought, or socialized its way out of trouble with Flyboy, skip this section.

Give the PCs a few minutes to greet the two Lasombra and talk together as a group. However, as soon as the initial greeting is over, a successful Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 3) reveals more and more security guards converging on the group, speaking aggressively, with some even going for their guns. Shortly after, they see a group of four to 10 guards approaching them. The concourse undergoes a security lockdown, alarms blasting through the area as a speaker tells everyone "Stay calm, this is just security test." As the concourse empties of civilians, the security remains in place, ordering the PCs and their guests to "stand still, do not move." All doors to the concourse are locked. Eventually, Felicity Miller (see p. XX) appears flanked by three

additional guards. While Noah Grewal himself does not make an appearance, he's watching via security cameras.

"You two" she points at the new arrivals "breached security regulations on entry and will be detained. You did not clear this entry with Mr. Grewal or sign the relevant documents. The rest of you may leave, unless you have the green form required for entry."

The "green form" is code for the bribe Grewal requires to allow the two visitors to pass. A Wits + Finance (Difficulty 4) roll allows you to reveal this to the players. When Grewal met the Lasombra upon arrival, they did not have the required cash for bribes. He therefore waited for them to meet the coterie, whom he now intends to extort. He expects the PCs to sacrifice at least two dots of Resources, split among them however players decide; one dot is lost until the end of the story, and one permanently.

### Coterie Options

Escape: Escape is a hard option and should be described as such. The PCs will need to act before security locks down the concourse to escape without incident, but their faces will still be on airport security footage,

and future chronicles should see Grewal blackmailing them. It's possible for the coterie to distract the guards through use of Disciplines such as Presence (to manipulate the crowd), Dominate (to make an individual do something dangerous), or even Oblivion (to darken the area and provide convenient hiding spots).

If the concourse is already locked down, the coterie's best route to escape is through Herrick's Grocer's, as the service entrance doubles as a fire escape without electrical locks and takes them into one of the chainedoff parking decks outside the terminal.

If the coterie successfully evades security, Damien will call them later to say the Prince is furious there's been so much media activity at the airport. He holds Grewal responsible, but the thin-blood in turn blames the coterie for not clearing this use of his territory with him. Jackson expects the PCs to pull strings, make peace with Grewal, and make the media look the other way for the cause of the disturbance.

Manipulation: Felicity Miller doesn't know who Prince Jackson is, so any attempts to use Camarilla status or titles to manipulate or intimidate her won't do much other than cause a Masquerade breach. The coterie can ask to speak with Flyboy and try to convince him this visit is by the order of the Prince. Providing the letter to Felicity for passing on to Grewal (she will hold it up to a camera for him to read) will, after a few minutes, persuade him to let them go. Otherwise, they will have to make a successful Manipulation + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 4) or a successful Charisma + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 5) to convince Miller to let them go. No matter what, they will receive a letter later in the week with a fine for loss of income and setting off the security alarm, which equals three Resources dots. How or if the PCs pay is up to them.

Combat: Either Flyboy's patience has run out or the PCs decide to attack the guards (see p. XX) and Felicity Miller (see p. XX). Malenkov (see p. XX) engages in combat with abandon, but Sierra (see p. XX) will hold back. The guards will attempt to neutralize the group with lethal force, if necessary. If the group successfully subdues the guards, Flyboy admits defeat and allows them to escape. He won't pursue costs in this case, as knocking out or killing his security is a problem enough, and will likely lead to his quick death at the hands of the Sheriff or the Hounds. Likewise, a flagrant Masquerade breach in an area like the airport will lead to heavy penalties from Prince Jackson, if not a Blood Hunt. The Storyteller should make the players aware of the cost of murdering mortals in a place like this, to the Camarilla as well as their Humanity.

# Leaving O'Hare Airport

Outside, the rain is slowly falling on the parking-lot pavement. A black van with tinted windows and its lights on is parked in the space noted in the letter. If the PCs didn't subdue Crook the night before, there's already a driver inside: a young woman wearing spectacles and overalls. If asked who she is, she says "compliments of the Prince." Otherwise, if Crook was handled, the driver is absent. That they've been given keys should tip them to the fact that a driver shouldn't be provided.

When the players enter the van, they have a chance to engage in conversation with the two Lasombra. The young woman speaks briefly, and constantly has her sight on the road and the people the van passes, but the older male Lasombra begins talking as soon as everyone enters the van.

"What a shithole this is. I've been on the frontline and fought wars with the worst this planet has to offer and Chicago is still worse."

He spits on the van floor and proceeds to stare at the PCs one at a time, before continuing his rant, his ire different depending on the clans represented in the vehicle. The Storyteller can decide how vicious the Lasombra is, but it is important the PCs dislike him early in the story.

The coterie can ask questions to both the Lasombra delegates during the ride. Following are examples of possible questions and suggestions for the delegates' answers. The Storyteller has the final say in the communication between the two parties, but let the following act as a guideline for gameplay:

### WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

Sierra: "We are here on matters that, as for now, only concern Prince Jackson and ourselves."

Malenkov: "The little Prince wants to speak to us. Or we want to speak to him. I don't fucking know, it's my sister who is on this mission. I'm just here to get fucked up in this Camarilla shithole."

### WHO ARE YOU?

Sierra: "My name is Sierra Van Burrace and this is my blood brother Malenkov. As mentioned, we are both of Clan Lasombra and we thank you for acting as guides for us."

Malenkov: "I'm Malenkov. I'm the first and the last of his fucking name. I fought in wars with a longer duration than your time as a bloodsucker. The frontlines were mine and I destroyed everyone in my path, Cainite or kine. Don't bother telling me who you are, because I don't give a fuck."

### MALENKOV'S CRITIQUE

Following are examples of criticism Malenkov can use. The Storyteller can use these as inspiration to truly make the coterie dislike him:

Banu Haqim: "I was murdering a bunch of you bastards back in Afghanistan. I might have killed your sire. Your clan turns to begging so easily. Too easily. I guess fleeing from your problems like a bunch of cowards is better than standing up for what you believe in."

Brujah: "Oh! One of those self-entitled extended pricks. How goes the brainwashing of fledglings and neonates? I'm sure you punish those who dare think outside the box of the Camarilla with a firm hand. Good for you! Individuality is toxic, as we all know."

Caitiff: "And here we have it. The "Oh Caine didn't have a clan, that makes it okay for me to walk around clanless" type. Only fools seek away from the flock in nights like these, and I suppose you just don't have the mental capacity to comprehend that."

Gangrel: "It must be interesting to suck up to a sect and kiss their feet just to be the absolutely cast out of it. You must really think the top view of the Ivory Tower is amazing since you so desperately claw your way towards it, despite all claims to the contrary. Nothing but mutts."

Malkavians: "So…what exactly do you do in the Camarilla? I mean, aside from acting as comic relief. Watching your clan interact with normal and well-balanced beings is like watching a shitty movie with a hero and his useless sidekick. You just feel pity."

Ministry: "What's the matter, did you finally work out that your god is dead and now you've become an all-faith church? Christ, the fact you're even allowed in a domain makes me sick. My kind have spent centuries stamping on your kind."

Nosferatu: "How the Prince of this domain allows walking breakers of the Masquerade to emerge from their rat nests and sewer homes is beyond me. Maybe he just doesn't give a fuck if you're destroyed by a group of hunters."

Thin-Bloods: "I won't even waste a second of my time on you. You glorified blood-bag. Disgusting."

Toreador: "You are that clan everyone knows exists, but that's really it, isn't it? You are too politically unintelligent to contribute anything of value and you can't use your hands for anything practical. So, you resort to your looks. What a waste of vitae."

Tremere: "The clan that murdered its way into the curse and the Camarilla. Although it's something I can stand behind, you can't escape your usurpations. No wonder nobody trusts you and you sit isolated in your libraries. Always treacherous."

Ventrue: "Ah… the wonderchildren of the Camarilla! The Clan of Kings! Tell me, does the Prince like his balls played with or is he more of a straight to the point kind of guy?"

### WHY ARE YOU MEETING PRINCE JACKSON?

Sierra: "To discuss important matters. I'm sure the Prince provided you with whatever knowledge you needed to complete this task."

Malenkov: "I'm sorry, I didn't know this was an interrogation! Tell me, who's the good cop and who's the bad cop?"

### HOW LONG ARE YOU STAYING?

Sierra: "As long as Prince Jackson allows us to. Perhaps longer than any of us expects…"

Malenkov: "I come when I please and I go when I please. The same goes for my sister. You think this is your territory? Try again."

### ARE YOU JOINING THE CAMARILLA?

Sierra: "Who really knows what the future holds? We might meet a pack of Lupines on our way to our destination. I'm sure the Prince will provide you with what you need to know."

Malenkov: "Do I look like someone who'd want to be a part of your special little club?"

# Crook's Hijacking

If the coterie successfully subdued Crook, skip this section.

Rather than heading into the city, the van drives west away from it. If nobody sat up front with the driver, she won't respond to knocks on the metal panel separating her from the van's back, having received a hefty payment to deposit the van in Busse Woods. They are now driving along the outskirts of town on a side road surrounded by dense forestation. The driver pulls over at the side of the road.

A successful Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 3) reveals the group is not alone and is surrounded by fast-moving shadows in the bushes and trees.

The driver locks the driver-side and passenger-side doors, but remotely unlocks the back doors to the van. A voice from outside calls the PCs:

"Cammy cats! Come out to play!" Anyone familiar with Dawson recognizes his gravelly voice. The Nosferatu is here with a paid band of seven thugs (use the stats for gangsters on p. 371 of Vampire: The Masquerade) with no agenda in mind other than to mess with Jackson's plans.

### Coterie Options

Combat: Combat will begin if the coterie attacks the driver or exits the van. The driver (use Joe Q. Average's stats on p. XX) is pretty harmless, while the gangsters outside are paid well by Crook to gun down the van's inhabitants, in old Chicago style. Dawson will attempt to flee into the woods if the odds are against him. If he's captured or otherwise staked and Damien finds out, the Sheriff compliments the coterie's actions. If he's killed, Damien chastises the PCs for their rash actions. "All Kindred have a use and none should be terminated without the Prince's say-so."

Escape: It is possible for the PCs to escape if they bust through to the driver's seat of the van and speed away, though the gangsters will attempt to shoot out the vehicle's tires. If the PCs escape, Crook bans them from his bars. If the coterie tells the Sheriff or Prince about the encounter, the Prince starts taxing Dawson heavily for his actions.

Manipulation: The gangsters are unlikely to turn on their employer, but the driver could be persuaded to drive on with a successful Manipulation + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 5).

# Gengis' Deception

If the PCs convinced Gengis to look the other way, ignore this section.

If the PCs decide to head into the city with their guests rather than stashing them in the outskirts, they will find roadworks and diversions pushing them toward a specific road. If a PC succeeds on a Wits + Academics roll (Difficulty 3), they know Chicago well enough to know they're being funneled. This is a coincidence, but one Gengis is utilizing to his benefit. The PCs can choose to take the long route around the city and avoid this, but doing so puts them at risk of being on the road for too long, thereby risking the dawn.

Approaching the city along the intended route, they approach a point where two cars appear to have collided, blocking the road. A queue of six vehicles stretches back to the PCs' van.

Gengis and some of his punk friends set up this incident to slow the coterie on their journey from the airport, having scouted that they were en route. The drivers of the two "collided" cars are pretending to exchange insurance information while the cars blocked from passing beep their horns.

If any of the PCs leave the van, Gengis and another three punks wait for the characters to approach the collision before leaving their car (four cars back from the incident) and coming up behind the coterie. If they remain in the van, Gengis himself will grow impatient, leave his car, and approach the van with his three compatriots trailing behind.

"So, are the new kids in the back of that van of yours? I've been jumping up and down waiting for them to arrive, and I don't see why you gotta keep them hidden away. Although the urge to kidnap your little friends and store them in a basement is pressing, I'm not suicidal. I know you're working for the Prince. But is he gonna forgive you if he finds out I got the drop on you? He probably won't hire you again. So, let's make my silence worthwhile. You're gonna pay me taxes for storing Sabbat in this town. Shall we say…feeding rights in your territory for the next month?"

Gengis reaches out a hand toward the PCs. If they look around, they see the cars are starting to move, but the three mortal punks aren't going anywhere without Gengis.

### Coterie Options

Pay up: If the coterie agrees to Gengis' request for territory, they will be let through without any other issues. Obviously, if the coterie lacks territory of its own Gengis has gone way off base with his request, but won't believe the Prince hired licks without a domain to their name. They have to roll Manipulation + Persuasion (Difficulty 4) to convince him they have nothing to give before Gengis calls them "fucking losers" and frustratedly demands their van by way of payment.

Combat: Should the PCs engage in combat, Gengis pulls out a cell phone, telling them he has the cops just one click away. A successful Composure + Insight (Difficulty 3) reveals he is bluffing. Gengis just wants a quick win without bloodshed.

Manipulation: With a successful Manipulation + Subterfuge roll (Difficulty 4) the PCs can convince Gengis they possess no territory, even if they do. On a Charisma + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 6, Difficulty 3 if the PCs are Anarchs) they can charm their way out of

### OTHER ENCOUNTERS

Some encounters on the journey from the airport are mundane but suitable for worrying the coterie. These might include:

- Hitchhiker: The coterie will see what appears to be the same hitchhiker multiple times. It isn't the same man each time, but they do look eerily similar.
- Toll Booth: A new toll booth on the road into the city has been set up during the day and none of the PCs knew about it. The amount of time their vehicle is kept at the barrier should serve to increase their paranoia.
- Police Tail: For a 10-minute stretch, a cop on a motorcycle appears to be tailing the van. The cop will only act to stop them if they do something illegal.
- Recognizable Car: The car up ahead belongs to another vampire in the city whom one of the PCs knows. Their presence is just coincidence.
- Gas: The van is short on gas. There's an Endron gas station en route, but the woman operating the cash register is new and delays the coterie.

If the PCs find the journey too easy, the Storyteller can spice up any of the above encounters.

the situation by promising more chaos than Gengis can dream of in the near future. They will escape unharmed.

If Gengis walks away pleased, lower the difficulty of all interactions with him by one level for the remainder of the chronicle.

# Damien's Call

If any burner phones remain in their possession, Damien calls the coterie two hours before dawn to ask them if they made their pickup and if they've found a place to stash the Lasombra during the day. He suggests the PCs guard them while they sleep and utilize any retainers they have to hand. He is noticeably unhappy about the Lasombra presence in his city.

The Sheriff does not assist the players in guarding the Lasombra, as all his Hounds are to be kept in the dark for now. Give the players time to discuss what the next step should be. If dawn fast approaches with nowhere to keep the Lasombra, Sierra and Malenkov reluctantly agree to spend the day in the van, in an underground garage. Sierra has hotel contacts but wasn't expecting to have to use them at such short notice.

# Part Three: Be Our Guest

If they've not already done so, the PCs have to make a decision on where to keep the Lasombra delegates

during the day. The PCs also have to decide if they will guard the delegates or leave them unattended. This chapter takes place the night before the introductions at the Succubus Club. Let the players choose where to hide the Lasombra and use the scenarios described below to determine the events of the night:

Hotel or Motel: Chicago has hundreds of small motels and hotels. Most hotels are owned by kine, but with a successful Intelligence + Streetwise (Difficulty 4) they players know hotels like the Diamond Yama contain internal rooms famed for their spa-like atmosphere and surprisingly comforting lack of windows. What they won't know is Sierra Van Burrace, one of their Lasombra charges, owns the Diamond Yama. She doesn't intend to announce this any time soon and doesn't really want to run the risk of checking in to her own property her first night in Chicago. The PCs can choose whatever hotel or motel they wish, but if they check the Lasombra into Diamond Yama, the coterie gains a guarded room without having to request it.

Coterie Havens: If any of the PCs are native Chicagoans, own a haven in the city, or have an ally or contact whose haven they can use, the Lasombra can stay there for the day. Most non-Sabbat vampires will resist housing a Lasombra, and especially two they do not know. The PCs have to make a Charisma + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 4) or perhaps owe an ally Kindred a small boon in order to convince them to store the delegates.

Public Space: The PCs might leave the Lasombra delegates to find their own havens for the day, leave them use of the van, drop them off at a homeless shelter, or trust them to a church. The Lasombra delegates will not be pleased and try to convince the coterie that its

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decision might result in catastrophe. Such a decision adds a level of difficulty to future interactions with the Lasombra until the end of the chronicle.

# Night Becomes Day

Rules for staying awake during the day are on p. 219 of Vampire: The Masquerade.

Jason "Son" Newberry (see p. XX), the Malkavian Primogen of Chicago, has a terrible fear of the Lasombra. It isn't what they can do so much as what he believes they know of him. A Lasombra-led Sabbat pack once witnessed and encouraged his diablerie of another vampire, and since that time his paranoia has led him to believe the clan is holding evidence of his cannibalism over him.

For this reason, when Newberry caught word through his few remaining Sabbat contacts of a Lasombra delegation heading to Chicago, he realized these diplomats needed to be stopped. Not trusting any Kindred in Chicago to handle it quietly, he personally traveled to Gary, Indiana disguised as "Frank Gaughan" to recruit a

bunch of no-hope Kindred with promises of fast pay and influence in Chicago in exchange for their service. He fully intends to hang them out to dry or murder them when they outlive their usefulness.

As a result of Son's plot, the Gary coterie (see p. XX for its members' stats) uses its three ghouls (use the ghoul stats from Vampire: The Masquerade p. 372) to track down the PCs and their wards during the day.

This part of the chronicle plays out differently depending on where the Lasombra are stashed, if the PCs chose to guard them by sleeping alongside their wards, let their ghouls or other allies perform guard duty, or if the PCs left them abandoned. The following events take place at 8:00 A.M. If the PCs have servants, consider allowing the players to take on those mortals' roles briefly to take in a daytime perspective.

### PROTECTION+

If the delegates are in a secure location such as one of the internal rooms at the Diamond Yama or a safe haven, and guards protect the site, the Gary ghouls don't accost the PCs' location. One remains in place to watch the location, however, while two return to their regnants' communal haven in the city outskirts, prepared to inform them that the haven is impregnable and any attack will need to take place on the road.

If the PCs' retainers are being played during this scene, they can make a Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 4) to spot the ghoul spying on them. If noticed, the ghoul attempts to flee by leaping into the nearest taxi, bus, or train. It's possible the PCs' retainers can capture the ghoul and bring her to their sluggish masters, though interrogation is tricky during the day due to the vampires' weakness at this time. Following successful Discipline use or a Charisma + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 5), the ghoul reveals she works for a vampire out of Gary named Snowman and was asked to scout the location of the visiting vampires from New York.

### PROTECTION

If the Lasombra are in a safe location but lack bodyguards, or vice versa, the three ghouls do not access the haven, but one of them returns to the Gary vampires to inform them of the entry points to the site and that an attack there should be successful.

As with the Protection+ example, the PCs' retainers (if present) might spot the two ghouls watching the location. Unlike their single counterpart in the previous example, these ghouls stand and fight, seeing it as their only opportunity to get to the targets before they're moved.

If the Gary ghouls defeat the PCs' retainers (Arkady and Dmitri are absent), they enter the haven to douse the sleeping vampires with fuel, with the intent of burning them to ash. If the PCs are present, follow the rules for awakening (Vampire: The Masquerade, p. XX) when the fuel splashes them.

A fight with the ghouls will be fraught with danger given the flammable liquid and one of the two ghouls holding a lighter. From the moment the coterie wakes, it becomes apparent Malenkov is missing. If the ghouls aren't killed, they name their employers as Snowman and Malort, from Gary, and say they were recruited to follow the new vampires from the airport and burn them during the day.

### UNGUARDED

If the PCs leave the Lasombra on their own, the following night they arrive to a trashed haven with broken furniture, holes in walls, dried blood staining the carpet, and three dead kine lying motionless on the floor. Sierra has a stake through her chest and burn scars up one side of her body. It will be up to the coterie to get her ready for Elysium, which may require their vitae to replenish her lost health (she has taken four points of Aggravated damage). As in the previous example, Malenkov is missing along with his two ghouls.

# Where is Malenkov?

However the day proceeds, unless the haven was securely guarded and situated, Malenkov is missing. Sierra has no idea where her elder blood sibling has gone, nor where his ghouls are. If the PCs utilized their own mortal associates for guard duty or have access to security footage, they discover Arkady and Dmitri left the haven carrying a body — presumably Malenkov — in a large cement bag. The PCs' mortal retainers didn't stop them, as Malenkov's ghouls persuaded them the coterie instructed that the two delegates should be split up and their locations kept secret.

If Malenkov is still with the group, he resents it. He will take the first opportunity to split off with his ghouls, looking for a moment where the rest of the coterie is distracted.

Remind the players that Jackson's letter said they're to head to the Succubus Club for at 9:00 P.M., which is unlikely to allow them enough time to scour the city for Malenkov. They can dispatch their retainers to do some digging (this will be touched upon in "Retainers Mission" later in the chronicle) or leave Malenkov to his own devices.

# Gary Attack

See p. XX for the Gary coterie's respective stat blocks. As a general rule, Snowman and One-Round act as the muscle with Snowman also being an obnoxious bully. Baggie is quiet and hangs back in support, while Malort acts as the coterie's driver.

If any of the Gary coterie's ghouls made it back to their masters, Snowman, Malort and the rest lurk outside the haven in cars or shadows fit to hide their presence. If the Gary ghouls were all eliminated, the Gary coterie does not know where the Lasombra are and does not perform a night attack.

It takes a Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 5) to spot Malort, who, with her levels of Obfuscate, is able to hide effectively and act as lead scout for the Gary coterie.

How the Gary coterie attacks the PCs differs depending on the method by which the characters travel to the Succubus Club:

Walking: If the PCs are bold enough to walk to the Succubus Club with their Lasombra charge(s), Snowman's coterie performs a drive-by shooting, with Malort driving and Snowman shooting. During the chaos, Baggie will attempt to snatch Sierra Van Burrace

### WHAT IF THE GARY COTERIE SUCCEEDS?

It's possible Snowman's coterie succeeds in snatching Sierra (and possibly Malenkov). Their intent is to get a stake in both vampires, take them somewhere secluded — an alley, abandoned building, an underground car park, woodland, or, at a stretch, the outskirts of the city — and then immolate them. If the kidnapping is successful, the PCs have to engage in a chase. The Storyteller shouldn't ever let the Gary coterie drift out of the PCs' sight for long, rewarding successful Drive rolls to keep up with the antagonists, Awareness rolls to anticipate their actions, and Survival or Streetwise rolls to predict where they're headed.

If the PCs show no interest in recovering their wards, the chronicle takes a turn not accounted for in this story. They will need to explain to Prince Jackson how they lost the two Lasombra and take whatever punishment he decides to visit upon them.

and bundle her into the car or the sewers, while One-Round physically holds off as many of the PCs as she's able before fleeing.

Driving: If the PCs share a vehicle en route to the Succubus Club, the Gary coterie intends to run them off the road. Malort hijacks a bus to plow into the side of their vehicle, requiring the PC driving to make a successful Dexterity + Drive roll (Difficulty 4) to avoid getting hit. Damage from this attack should be four Superficial damage to vampires on the bus side of the vehicle and up to two Superficial damage to PCs on the other side of the vehicle. If they're still driving the van and filled it with gas the night before, consider the threat of a destroyed gas tank and a possible explosion. The rest of the Gary coterie arrives in a car 20 seconds after the collision. Their objective is to snatch and murder the Lasombra, but they'll kill Sierra (and Malenkov, if he's there) at the site if it's too difficult to extract them.

Bus or Train: Should the PCs opt for public transportation the Gary coterie throws the Masquerade to the wind. Baggie, Snowman, and One-Round catch the same bus or train as them and will attack them in plain sight, using mortals as human shields or threatening to murder

kine if they don't hand over the Lasombra. If on a bus, Baggie holds the driver at gunpoint and intimidates him into continuing to drive until the Gary coterie gets what it wants. If on a train, the driver is likely oblivious to any fighting in a distant car, and simply stops at the next station, where Malort is waiting with the Gary coterie's car.

If subdued but not killed, the PCs can attempt to get information from the Gary coterie on who hired them and the nature of their objective. This contest should be a social conflict involving the erosion of Willpower or requiring use of Disciplines, as Snowman's group was told explicitly by Son that describing him would lead to their eventual, painful deaths.

If their Willpower is successfully whittled away, one of the Gary vampires states, "Some Camarilla bigwig from this city, calling himself the Ventrue Primogen, asked us to do it. He paid us well for it, too. Damn well. Said there would be territory in it for us as well, if the mission went off as planned. We were to deliver their bodies or ashes to him."

The Gary coterie recalls the vampire called himself "Frank Gaughan." There isn't a Ventrue Primogen in Chicago, but they didn't know that. As far as Snowman's gang was concerned, the money was good and that was enough. On a successful Intelligence + Politics roll (Difficulty 4, Difficulty 3 if there's a Ventrue in the coterie) one of the PCs knows Frank Gaughan as a Blue Blood who was murdered in the 1990s and that this new Frank is likely a pseudonym. The Gary coterie describes the man as nondescript, kind of average looking, and in fact struggle to recall his exact features. This is due to Jason Newberry using his Obfuscate Discipline to disguise his appearance.

The only method by which the PCs might identify the Gary vampires' employer is by asking where they were supposed to bring the bodies or ashes once the mission was done. They say they were asked to head to Lakeshore Hospital's medical-waste-disposal facility at 4:30 A.M. On a successful Intelligence + Streetwise roll (Difficulty 5) or through personal familiarity with Son, the PCs will know this as one of the Malkavian's territories. Otherwise, heading there at that time or after will lead to them getting caught in a Second Inquisition sting, as Newberry placed a called to the Feds to describe "blankbody activity" (a phrase he's heard before and come to love) planned at that site.

# Part Four: Elysium

This part of the chronicle follows a strict narrative for the sake of continuity and game direction and will mostly consist of information gathering. Suggested answers to questions are provided, but the Storyteller can put in her own interactions. Remind the players of the strict ban on Disciplines and the

no-weapon policy in the Succubus Club, as violation of any of the aforementioned rules can have serious consequences.

When the PCs arrive at the Succubus, they find the club buzzing with Kindred and kine activity. Anyone who's anyone is here, along with a thick crowd of mortals for ease of feeding. Kindred emulate the behavior of mortals dancing, laughing, and rubbing bodies, all while pretending to drink alcohol. While some Kindred are there to spend a night in the arms of music and company, others clearly have the easily available meals or business upstairs in mind.

If any of the SPCs other than Jackson or Damien have become aware of Sierra's (and Malenkov's) clan before this scene, all the Kindred turn their heads to behold the alleged monster in their midst. They goggle at Sierra like she's some anomaly and whisper as if she's an exotic beast. Scores of predatory glances pierce the crowd and analyze the PCs as they make their way to the third floor, where representatives of all clans in Chicago are already mingling in the soundproofed chambers. The upper lounge's entire back wall overlooks the second and first floor beneath them, bulletproof glass cutting out the noise. Annabelle arranged for a large chandelier to light up the room over a newly built circular bar attended by two bartenders, both silently busying themselves with mixing and pouring crimson drinks into crystal glasses. Any vampires at Hunger 4 or higher must roll to resist a Hunger frenzy (Difficulty 3) or embarrass themselves in their haste to down the blood on offer. Though there's little to sate a vampire in a glass of dead blood (see p. 212 of Vampire: The Masquerade), the serving of blood is all a part of the Toreador pantomime, designed to rouse the Hunger.

Baby Chorus, including Sheriff Damien, plays a little experimental jazz on a semi-circular stage, sending relaxing tones into the room. Damien's eyes never leave the PCs and their guest, however.

Between sets, Damien jumps from the stage to greet the group. He is clad in a button-down, blue dress shirt with an untied bowtie dangling around his neck. "Glad you made it here safely. No one knows who is hungry for Magister blood these nights, and who can blame them?" If Malenkov isn't present, he follows up to ask where the other delegate has gone.

The PCs now have to decide what they will tell the Sheriff. They can tell him the truth, and how they or the Keepers were attacked during the day, or they can lie and keep him out of the action. If the PCs know Newberry was behind the attacks and tell Damien he orchestrated the entire ordeal, the Sheriff's expression changes to one of anger, followed swiftly by concern as

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### A GOOD TIME TO FEED?

Mortals are available for feeding throughout the Succubus Club, but it's poor form to just bite someone on the dance floor. For that, there are private rooms, restrooms, and, if on good terms with Annabelle, Portia, or Aluc, the under-club Labyrinth. The sub-basement maze houses a dozen tourists drugged and strung up for feeding. This thoroughly inhumane method is only available to Kindred high in status or who offer one of the three mentioned Kindred favors. Any attempt to release the tourists receives firm admonishment from Annabelle, increasing the difficulty of social interactions with her and the other city Toreador by one for the remainder of the chronicle.

he suppresses his Beast. He tells the PCs he'll look into it either way, and that it's troubling a member of the Council might be acting against the Prince in this manner.

# Making Nice

The PCs now have a chance to engage with other vampires at Elysium. Remind the players of grudges against them if they previously crossed any of the troublemakers. Gengis and Crook are both present at Elysium unless otherwise subdued, Crook finding the entire escapade hilarious. Crook will have told most anyone about the Lasombra if he wasn't made to stay silent. Meanwhile, Gengis keeps slipping the PCs sly winks, nods, and threatening glares. He wants them to know that he knows they've been working with Lasombra, and he's made sure all the Anarchs know. For a change, the Anarchs know more about the Prince's activities than the Camarilla.

If the rest of the city's Kindred know about the Lasombra by this point, they will not be sympathetic about any attacks the PCs endured on their journey, and consider any Lasombra delegation a Sabbat ruse to launch an attack from inside the Camarilla's "Jewel," Chicago. They hope Prince Jackson has brought the Lasombra here just to make a humiliating example of them.

If only the Anarchs know about the delegation, mocking laughter from Kindred such as Anita Wainwright, Maldavis, and Gengis soon angers the Camarilla Kindred in attendance. They all feel the Anarch Movement is in on a joke, and they're the butt of it. The humor's cause is soon revealed when Gengis loudly announces "Prince Jackson has his doggies bringing Sabbat into our Elysium and none of you Ivory twats knew it!"

A fight will start between a riled Alexa Santos and Gengis, with the PCs best placed to step in and separate the two vampires. If they allow the fight to spill onto the floor, Anita joins the fray if Alexa gains advantage, while Rosa Hernandez will hurl Gengis across the room if he pins Alexa down. Damien will break up the fight if the PCs do nothing, though their inaction will be noted. If any of them are the Prince's Hounds, they lose their title that night and are at +1 Difficulty to all social interactions with Alexa, Damien, and Jackson.

Jason Newberry is present at the Elysium, though for obvious reasons the Gary coterie is not. Newberry is restless and prone to angry outbursts, while constantly evading Sierra's eyeline.

# As the Night Progresses

Give the coterie time to sniff around Elysium and interact with the Kindred present, but cut in after they have visited the third or fourth vampire. The band stops playing and both bartenders stop taking orders and mixing drinks as they look toward the small stage. The low buzz of laughter and conversation quiets down, and even Gengis' razor-sharp voice falls silent when Jackson steps onto the stage. He briefly corrects his burgundy pocket square and does the button up on his suit jacket before stepping into a beam of light on the stage. The Prince smiles, baring his teeth, and he makes a short and calculated gesture with his arm:

"Welcome to our Elysium. As always, it warms this old body to see so many familiar faces among our number tonight. I want to take this opportunity to thank our escort group, or should we call them bodyguards after last night's activity? It's Kindred like you that make unlife just a tiny bit easier, so props. So, without more ado, I introduce the elephant in the room, as they say." He points to Sierra (and Malenkov, if present). "I'm aware my decision to invite such uncommon guests into Chicago is controversial, to say the least. However, I'm sure there's a good reason why our dear guests have embarked upon such a dangerous journey into Cam land. If it wasn't clear already, our visitor is of Clan Lasombra. Please, approach the stage under our banner of peace. We're all interested in what you have to say."

Sierra steps up, and just as Jackson is about to continue his speech, she grabs the mic out of his hand, steps to the edge of the stage and proclaims:

"I am Sierra Van Burrace. My presence in this town is not a matter of flight, betrayal, power hunger, or destruction, as mentioned by many in this Elysium tonight. My brother and I have been sent here as representatives of our clan with one purpose in mind: Our clan wishes to join the Camarilla."

Chapter Four ends with the Lasombra announcement, even with Jackson looking shocked at the statement. He was expecting the defection of two vampires, not an entire clan. Let the players discuss briefly before continuing to the next chapter.

# Part Five: Bloody Bargain

Nobody present at Elysium was aware of Clan Lasombra's true intentions. Immediately, Gengis shoots up from his chair, throwing a glass of blood against the painting (one of Annabelle's) beside him, yelling to the Prince he cannot allow decades of Sabbat supporters to infiltrate and destroy the Camarilla from within. Aluc retorts, "that's the Anarchs' job," in a mocking tone. Gengis' reaction sends a wave of frustration and anger through the room. The calm atmosphere in Elysium is quickly replaced with one of fear, frustration, and anger. Prince Jackson demands Damien and his Hounds take the Lasombra away, as he tries to calm down a room full of angered predators.

# Talk to Jackson

The Prince convinces the assembled Ventrue to exert their powers of crowd influence to calm the Kindred on the third floor; an action that causes Maldavis to bolt from the room and down the stairs (she's not willing to be subject to some Ventrue mind control) and compels Critias to seethe and drag his clanmates from the Succubus Club, leaving Damien the only Brujah present (outside of any in the PC coterie).

The rest of the Kindred hang around to enjoy a somewhat-awkward night, some enjoying Annabelle's grief at the ruin of her painting while others, such as Tamoszius, dryly comment "it's an improvement." Portia ferries an equal number of mortals as there are Kindred to the third floor to dance as Baby Chorus starts up again, sans Damien. The chandelier starts to rotate — Annabelle's favorite attraction — bathing the entire room in twinkling lights of green, red, and violet. Newberry is even more anxious than before, now that the Lasombra delegate(s) are in Jackson's custody. During this scene, encourage the players to mingle with the Kindred in attendance and get their respective opinions on the Lasombra proposal.

Eventually, Jackson steps back into the room. He looks dissatisfied. With a successful Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 5) or effective use of Auspex, the coterie hears him whispering to Damien. If Malenkov isn't at the club, he whispers that the second delegate must be found immediately. If Malenkov and Sierra are both at the club, he instructs Damien to find out if similar delegations are visiting other cities.

Jackson will not dedicate much time to answering questions, distracted by conversation with the remaining Primogen: Rosa (stoic and loyal), Newberry (panicking), "Khalid" (quiet and contemplative), and Annabelle (embarrassed she wasn't consulted). The Prince walks past the PCs and to his office on the second floor unless they make a successful Manipulation + Persuasion roll (Difficulty 5) or find some other way to grab his attention.

If the PCs succeed, the Prince responds in a clipped and quiet fashion. "Yeah, you delivered your quarry and performed your task. Tomorrow night we'll talk payment. Go tell Bret Stryker I owe you a boon or something, so it's all on the up and up." He claps his hand on one of the PCs' shoulders. "You did good, but the night's not over yet. If you want to visit our guest, she's down in the basement maze where the hanging meat usually is. Password is 'Lodin.' She's still under Elysium rules though, so no harm comes to her."

# Newberry's Gambit

If the PCs make the mistake of confiding in Son, letting him know where the Lasombra are being kept, he will leave Elysium soon after and get on the phone to the Gary coterie (if its still around). If he reaches them, he'll tell them where the Succubus Club is, have them introduce themselves as "guests of Prince Jackson" at the door, and ensure they head straight to the basement to start a fire.

If Newberry can't reach the Gary coterie, or worse, the PCs have the Gary coterie's phones and he reaches the PCs, he'll enter the sub-basement on his own and attack the Lasombra in a frenzy. The maze is soundproofed, but a bleeding mortal stumbling up the stairs in the Succubus Club proper should indicate what's going on down there.

If pushed effectively, Son could meet his end in this chronicle, terrified of finally being outed for his sins. In truth, Sierra knows very little of Newberry's crimes, only having heard rumors.

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# Hidden in the Basement Maze

If the PCs weren't able to persuade the Prince into giving up the location of the delegate, they can localize her by either making an Intelligence + Streetwise roll (Difficulty 4) or through finding out about the sub-basement maze and how it's been closed off since the delegates arrived. It stores a lot of the wreckage of the precious Succubus Club and acts as an emergency haven for Toreador Helena favors, as well as being a store of doped-up blood dolls for Kindred in need. Sierra is stashed in a storage room in the sub-basement, with the mortal blood bags removed or disposed of.

The sub-basement can be reached via the service corridors or the more direct, visible route of passing behind the central stage in the Succubus Club.

### The Service Corridors

The corridors are in dim contrast to the colorful and extravagant façade of the club. Concrete walls and flooring with darkened marks from spilled drinks and years of humid, unchanged air cover the pathway, while uncovered lightbulbs illuminate the darkness with a dim, orange hue.

Half-naked dancers run back and forth in high heels as floor managers issue commands into earpieces. Bartenders rush by, balancing elaborate cocktails on darkblue trays, barely noticing anything but the task at hand. The service corridors are at a constant buzz to make the Succubus Club the perfect place to spend a night out.

The staircase to the sub-basement is at the end of one of these corridors, but three heavyset bouncers block the door. They're in conversation with each other, and on a successful Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 3) their conversation is clearly about the woman that "Jacko" stashed downstairs. One of the bouncers, a well-built woman with a green fishtail braid hanging over her right shoulder, turns to face the PCs as they approach. "Password or fuck off."

The guard will not let the PCs by without the password. The PCs can convince her to get out of the way with a successful Charisma + Intimidation roll (Difficulty 5) or through use of a Discipline such as Dominate. However, if she behaves strangely the other bouncers will contact Jackson on their earpieces.

If the PCs attack the bouncers, use the Security Guard stats (see p. XX), keeping in mind they're mortal and only armed with stun guns. These bouncers will attempt to restrain or incapacitate the PCs, slamming heads into walls, twisting limbs, and calling for the Prince, Annabelle, or Portia to make their way down.

### Walking Through the Club

An alternative, direct route to the storage room is behind the stage in the main area of the club. An elevator fit for two people (three at a push) goes as low as the basement, and from there the PCs can reach the sub-basement via the only stairs heading down from it.

However simple this may seem, it does require the PCs navigating the club and its drunk and hopped-up patrons, as well as drawing the eyes of other Kindred in the room. Doing so requires no rolls, but will be time-consuming and prove difficult for the coterie.

The Succubus Club is pulsating with rapid dark-techno beats. Occasionally a high-pitched laugh pierces through the music, followed by the sound of glass smashing against the ground. The dancers never fall silent as the beat goes on continuously through the night. The club is packed even further to the brim than when the PCs arrived. They will run into several hindrances if they try to make their way through the crowd. Following are examples of who they can stumble into:

### THE SOCIALITE

A woman with long, loose dark hair and a bright-yellow skater dress adorned with black symbols and rhinestones approaches the PCs as they pass her by. She sends them a coy smile as her finger glides around the perimeter of her wine glass. Her attractiveness almost seems intoxicating or addictive, and many heads turn her way with even the smallest of her movements. This is Helena, in her guise as Portia. "So, are you the brave vampires that brought Night Clan scum into our city at the request of our dear Prince?"

Portia does not seem to have any regard of the laws of the Masquerade as she flips her hair and givess the PCs a curious look.

### THE MUSIC LOVER

Beside the largest bar on the main floor, a smallframed and silver-haired man suddenly grabs one of the members of the coterie. His head turns toward them with determination, and his intense blue-green eyes look almost manic as he puts a finger to his lips and whispers in a way they can somehow hear over the music's volume. "Shh… Listen… The music. It speaks. Can you hear it? It's crying for help, it's in agony, but deep inside it knows it can only help itself."

The PCs have stumbled upon Nero from Clan Toreador. If the coterie allows him, he goes on and on about the music, without letting go of his victim. He is not threatening in his behavior but insistent someone listens to his review. If they hear him out, he can be purchased with Experience as a Mawla.

### THE DRUNKEN DISRUPTER

Near the stage, a six-foot-tall red-haired man is thrown, with what seems inhuman strength, to the coterie's feet. He grunts in pains as he hits the floor and grabs the leg of one of the characters as he drunkenly tries to stand. A successful Strength + Athletics roll (Difficulty 3) is needed to not lose balance. "Oy, ye fuckin' Jessie, I'm not too drunk for anythin'! Get me up from 'ere an' I'll smash yer fuckin' head in."

The drunk tourist will try to attack the PC to whom he's clinging, as in his confusion he believes it was this character and not a bouncer who threw him from the stage (where he'd errantly climbed up to join the DJ). Use the Joe Q. Average stat block (see p. XX) but add one dot to his Physical Attributes.

### THE DESPERATE STALKER

One of the PCs feels a tug on their sleeve. A young, frail-looking man stands beside them, shifting his eyes nervously from side to side and grabbing both his elbows. If any of the characters are Malkavian they will recognize this person as Alexa Santos' stalker, Anton Carillo. "Hey dude… I know you're like Alexa. I just want a drink. You know, to make me like them. You know? I'll pay you back."

Anton will not do anything to stop the PCs if they do not pursue him, but he uses every card up his sleeve to gain a mouthful of vitae. He wants to be closer to the object of his "affections."

### The Succubus Club Maze

The staircase to the sub-basement leads to a large cellar of stored-away art pieces, most of which are water damaged, along with old tables, chairs, and a bar. A small supply of liquor bottles, stacked bar chairs, staff t-shirts, and an odd number of freezers and coolers buzz in the darkness. Light sources are scarce, as most individuals roaming the lower parts of the club have no need for them, and the floor looks like it has not been swept since the opening of club. The PCs' shoes stick to the floor where many unknown substances have been spilled.

Tucked away behind the central storage room are winding and confusing corridors of chicken wire, half-molded wooden planks, debris, and building material. Once through, there is the hidden storage room containing Sierra. Navigating the pitch-black maze requires a Wits + Survival roll (Difficulty 3) to avoid toppling any of the precarious furniture and masonry here.

Sierra is in no distress or surprise that she's been captured. If Malenkov is present, however, he's pacing and close to frenzy. Sierra tells the PCs this was exactly how she expected Jackson would react, and she does not blame him for keeping the city and her safe. Following are examples of answers Sierra will give, if questioned:

# (IF MALENKOV IS ABSENT) WHERE IS THE OTHER DELEGATE?

"I know just as much as you do about where he is. Sadly, he decided to bail on our assignment. If I know him, which I do, he is probably at some strip club showing off his fangs. He is not really accustomed to the rules of the Camarilla, you see."

# HOW DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE CAMARILLA?

"Our clan has resolved to take whatever steps the Camarilla deem necessary, or that is what I'm supposed to say when the Prince asks me. You see, I'm sure as soon as he collects himself, he will come to his senses and hear out our proposition."

# WHY DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE CAMARILLA?

"Oh, many reasons. Most are above your pay grade, I suspect. Most are above mine. At its simplest, our current sect has devolved and we have ever been a clan of survivors. We always survive and we always strive to win. The Sabbat offers neither of these things. We have pride and history, but it's not as important surviving. Besides, I truly believe we can acclimate to our new friends if we are given the chance — and perhaps we can actually be of use to the Camarilla and even strengthen it."

### WHAT IF YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO JOIN?

"That is not an option. The Lasombra do not lose."

# The Meeting Between Sierra and Prince Jackson

When the conversation is over, Sierra reaches into her pocket and pulls out an envelope sealed with the Lasombra crown in purple wax and asks the coterie to hand it to the Prince. If the PCs didn't go to meet her themselves, they'll find the envelope dropped on the floor of the Succubus Club. The name "Jackson" is written in gold ink on the envelope's front.

Prince Jackson is located in his office and, immediately after receiving the letter, dispatches the PCs to

### HANDOUT #4: LETTER TO PRINCE JACKSON

Dearest Prince Jackson, of our ancient enemy the Camarilla,

I write with full authority from the inner council of my clan, and hereby extend the offer of peace and friendship between Clan Lasombra and the Camarilla. It is our wish to call an armistice and join your flock, to best survive the nights to come.

I am aware this letter will come as a surprise, and you may ask why we did not approach your Justicars. It is the belief of our clan council that the Camarilla is governed by its respected Princes, such as yourself, and ultimately it is to you and your peers to decide whether you wish for us at your side or as opposition.

This is a sincere offer. My delegates have authority to make deals on behalf of the clan, though please defer to Ms. Van Burrace for matters of politics and Mr. Malenkov for matters of war.

I hope to be a formally admitted guest to your domain in years to come, without fear of reprisals from your mighty Sheriff, and without you having to be concerned that we act against you.

With great respect,
Sir Talley, Legate and Templar for Clan Lasombra
Childe of Lord Leopold Valdemar
Grandchilde of Tercio Bravo
Great-grandchilde of Boukephos

fetch Sierra if they've proven trustworthy, or places a call to one of his ghouls to bring her to the second floor. The PCs are permitted to stay in the office as the conversation between the two takes place. Notably, if Malenkov is in the club, Jackson orders that he remains in the basement. He doesn't trust the Keeper warlord at all.

Though the interaction could just be between Jackson and Sierra, both vampires turn to the PCs periodically to allow interjections and suggestions. For Jackson's part, he believes the PCs should join in as he laughs at the Lasombra's ridiculous proposition. For Sierra's, she looks to the vampires with whom she spent the previous night for reason.

Jackson announces to Sierra that he doesn't take her

proposition seriously at all. What could the Magisters possibly offer the Camarilla to make up for five centuries of war? In no way does he place the Camarilla as responsible for waging war against the clans of the Anarchs and Sabbat.

Sierra reminds Jackson of the contents of the letter, and is not intimidated by the Prince. Likewise, she reminds him that he responded favorably to Talley's overtures on their clan's behalf. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't feel there was something worth gaining.

Throughout this discussion, the players should feel as if they're a part of the conversation, whether to highlight the dangers of admitting Lasombra to the city or to speak about the potential benefits of

war-hardened allies. If they require encouragement, a clearly amused but slightly troubled Jackson invites them to speak their opinions freely, without judgment. He will then proceed to judge them if they make what he deems a foolish statement.

### The Crux of the Matter

The back and forth between Jackson and Van Burrace goes nowhere, with the Prince increasingly mocking the Lasombra, and the delegate in turn hissing her retorts through her teeth, trying to refrain from breaking in front of the Ventrue.

Eventually, Sierra asks "What would it take? Just name the price for admitting the Magisters as a recognized Camarilla clan in your city and I'll have it done."

Jackson's reply comes with a laugh. "I don't know, girl. How about you just deliver all your Sabbat elders with stakes through their hearts?"

Van Burrace pauses only briefly before responding. "It will be done. I will arrange for an obligation on all Lasombra who want recognition and peaceful passage through your city. They must each deliver a vampire older than themselves to a place of your choosing, for

> whatever fate you deem appropriate." She bites into her palm and extends her hand, vitae freshly risen to the surface, in Prince Jackson's direction.

Jackson, stunned, does not take her hand. Sierra continues speaking. "We understand in order to reform to an entire new way of existence we cannot reform some of our more egregious kin. It will jeopardize the security of the Camarilla to try. Younger Lasombra will have a better chance of getting used to the new ways. By your order I will inform our clan of the decision."

Jackson turns around so he faces the Lasombra again. He clasps Van Burrace's hand with a stern expression on his face. "You've got a deal, but it's only good for as long as I remain in power, you understand? And as

much as I'd like to think otherwise, my influence only extends to Chicago. Maybe the Midwest. Membership in our club is determined on an individual basis. Every young vampire managing to provably restrain or kill an older one picks up a membership. If you want your whole clan in, you'll need to persuade the whole city. For that I'll arrange something a little uncommon for our kind. Tomorrow night I'll lay out your proposal and let the city decide with a democratic vote. Without it, my word might as well be worth spit. Oh, and you can start

### LETTER OF THE DEAL

If followed to the extreme, Clan Lasombra could find its numbers radically reduced as a result of Prince Jackson's pact, though so far it only extends to Lasombra seeking domain in Chicago. It's an appealing deal to many Camarilla Princes however, so depending on its success, other Princes such as Decker of Milwaukee might soon adopt it.

Of course, the letter of the deal was not to deliver elders of the Lasombra, but elders of the Sabbat. Princes interpret this rule differently, and before the Justicars know it, individual Princes are enforcing their own Lasombra admittance rules. Some are more relaxed than others, some are far stricter.

The Amici Noctis believe the Camarilla will tire of the taste of Lasombra blood when they realize they are purging useful Keepers in the same way Stalin executed almost all his effective military officers. Until then, however, they will state which Lasombra are exempt from the internal hunt. Obviously, the Amici Noctis are on top of the exemption list.

by setting an example for your fellow clan members and bring Malenkov with a stake through him to the vote tomorrow. A Keeper war criminal like him would make a fine first sacrifice. To show you're willing, you know?"

# Part Six: Shadow Hunt

Prince Jackson tells the PCs to keep the conversation in confidence, and if Sierra is as good as her word, he'll be able to establish a Lasombra-specific Blood Hunt, where Lasombra are permitted to hunt fellow Lasombra to gain entry to the sect.

After leaving Jackson's office, the thumping sound from the Succubus Club around them acting as a nervous pulse, Sierra turns to the PCs and asks them to help her deliver Malenkov and at least guarantee her safety. In exchange, she offers them temporary havens in any of her family's hotels as a boon. Sierra Van Burrace is no combatant and stands no hope of taking down Malenkov or his ghouls.

# The Hunt for Malenkov

If Malenkov arrived at the Succubus Club, he has disappeared from the sub-basement, leaving a short trail of destruction in the Succubus Club service corridors where his ghouls came to fetch him and take him into the city.

Van Burrace cannot provide the group with much information about Malenkov, other than his preferences for hanging around shady establishments and for letting his Beast off the leash in areas where he can gain a little notoriety. He's not stupid enough to frenzy in the Elysium, but won't hesitate to do so in a hospital, mortals-only club, or at a concert in the park.

The PCs can make an Intelligence + Streetwise roll (Difficulty 4) to gain information about the different bars in Chicago and thereby acquire information on where Malenkov might be, with Red Noº 5 seeming likely if he's intending on flexing his muscles in front of other vampires. They can pursue the hunt themselves or ask clans present at Elysium for help to find him, though they are sworn to secrecy on the reasons why, and Jackson will punish them for breaching his confidence.

### Nosferatu and Malkavian Assistance

Wauneka and Bronwyn saw the PCs enter the Prince's office with Sierra and want answers and future favors if the PCs want to use the city spy network to track Malenkov. The group can tell the two vampires what they spoke to the Prince about, thereby breaking their promise. If they successfully lie with a Composure + Subterfuge roll (Difficulty 5), the two Kindred agree to assist out of plain curiosity.

It takes a couple of hours, but the spies pull their strings in the nightlife environment and inform the coterie Malenkov was spotted at Red Noº 5 earlier in the evening, clearly on the edge of frenzy and smashing glasses against the wall in anger when no one believed his war stories. He even manhandled Bennett Steadman and drove a stool through his ribcage. Adze and Erzulie allegedly requested Damien's aid, as none of the personnel could overpower the Lasombra.

The city spies will not aid the group on the hunt, but give them enough leads to get them on the right track. They offer to keep a constant eye out for him and contact the PCs if they spot him other places in the city, provided favors are paid in the future.

### Gangrel Assistance

Rosa Hernandez is the only Gangrel left in Elysium. She stands at the glass wall overlooking the club floors beneath her with an annoyed look on her face, occasionally checking her phone before putting it back into the inner pocket of her leather jacket. If the group approaches her for help, she does not know why they want to find the Lasombra, and dislikes that the Prince has left her in the dark.

If given details, Rosa tells the group any hunt for a Sabbat in the city is a good hunt, while looking intensely at Sierra. Hernandez uses her title as Primogen to demand they tell her where Malenkov is, if they find him before she does. She's determined to wet her claws on the vile Keeper.

If the group refuses, she will hunt him herself, potentially becoming a secondary antagonist when the PCs find Malenkov, if necessary. If the group agrees to work with Rosa, Sierra protests and reminds them of the deal they made with the Prince.

# Red Noº 5

The usual queue outside Red Noº 5 is absent when the PCs arrive at the bar. Alexa Santos is outside the bar, scanning the street slowly. When they spy the PCs, they flip them the bird. "This is the Sheriff's business. Keep out of it and go back to your havens."

If the group spoke with the Malkavians and successfully gained their help before arriving at the bar, they can use this to leverage their way inside, though Alexa cautions them to avoid Damien, who is currently spitting bullets at the thought of Lasombra running rampant through the domain.

If they cannot gain access to Red Noº 5, Alexa smirks at them and tells them to join the nonexistent queue, if they're determined to wait. If they do wait, make the players aware that the waiting time is two hours before Damien emerges from the club. He eyes the coterie coldly before departing with Alexa.

Adze is present at Red Noº 5 but is remaining sequestered upstairs. He has no desire to talk to the Prince's goons. Steadman and Erzulie are more talkative, however.

### Bennett Steadman

As the host of Red Noº 5, Steadman is leaning against the open back door, staring out into the barren street adjacent to the bar. He has no shirt on and dried blood down his chest. He looks unusually pale, as if in shock. If the PCs approach, he attempts to act cool but is clearly traumatized from having a stake plunged through his chest.

Steadman was present in the club when Malenkov entered. He greeted the Lasombra and showed him to the bar, as Malenkov demanded something to drink as soon as he came inside. He did not want to engage in conversation, but his money was good and Steadman brought him a choice of vessels from which he could subtly drink in a corner booth. Instead, Malenkov decided to tear into his prey with abandon, his ghouls standing in the way to prevent sight of the act, but not preventing the screams. Many in the club reacted and fled, police were called and then

### CELIA AND MICHALIS

Two Lasombra unaccounted for in this chronicle are the fledgling Celia and the cult leader Michalis Basaras. Celia is unknown to the majority of the city Kindred and Basaras is firmly apolitical, but when the Lasombra Blood Hunt becomes known to them, they're each likely to beseech assistance. Neither is an accomplished hunter, and while Celia unduly fears for her existence (she's unlikely to be an elder by anyone's estimation), Basaras has good reason to be afraid of his clanmates.

Working for these Lasombra is a good way of earning allies within the clan, especially with Celia's media contacts and Basaras' reach through the Jewish community in Chicago. In fact, their enlisting the PCs for this dirty work is exactly how the majority of Lasombra react to the news of the Camarilla defection. Few go out armed and ready to take down their clan or sectmates, preferring to hire coteries to do the staking and delivery for them.

called off. When Steadman tried to usher Malenkov and his vessel into a side room, the Lasombra grabbed him and tossed him across the bar. Malenkov then threw his meal, barstools, and glasses, before jamming a stool through Steadman's chest and storming out with Arkady and Dmitri in tow.

### Erzulie

Erzulie leans against a red Chevrolet in the club parking lot. She is dressed in a black, low-cut gown beaded with small crystals from top to bottom. She looks sadly toward the entrance where Steadman is scouting the street.

She expresses her sadness to the PCs, about what an unforgiving introduction Bennett just received to the weaknesses of their kind. She was untouched by Malenkov's frenzy and informs the groups she once owned a disco where types like him — vampires who needed to let loose occasionally — often visited. She watched the entire ordeal with the vessel and then with Steadman from her corner table, and overheard Malenkov demand the location of the nearest brothel from one of the club's dancers.

Erzulie points the coterie in the direction of the Glory Pit a few streets away and tells them her guess is he went that way, but they should be careful: he looked like the kind of Lasombra no respectable domain would want in it, war hero or not.

# The Glory Pit

The Glory Pit is notorious for its reportedly celebrity clientele. Supposedly, movie producers visit the ostensible bar for a little of what goes on in the back rooms.

The Pit remains one of Chicago's most popular brothels, rumored to cater to every fantasy imaginable. Situated in the basement of an apartment building on the West Side, it is nearly invisible from the outside. The PCs will have to either ask around the neighborhood to figure out where to find it or use their knowledge of the city's nightlife with a successful Charisma + Streetwise roll (Difficulty 3). Payment to a sex worker on the street will also help them find the small den of iniquity.

A small neon sign in the narrow basement window pulsates with a red message, "Come in and Play," but there are no other indicators a

brothel hides behind the steel door. Entering the building, the PCs find themselves in a small bar fronting agambling den, which is easily accessed despite its illegality in this state. The host, a large, pale man in his mid-30s, wearing acid-washed jeans and sporting a soul patch asks them their drink and game. From all appearances, Malenkov hasn't been pursuing his path of destruction through the brothel.

Asking after Malenkov returns positive responses. Discretion is a reason for the Glory Pit's success. However, if the players roll a successful Charisma + Intimidation (Difficulty 4) or use a Discipline like Presence or Dominate to make him more agreeable, the host explains three Russians stopped by earlier and currently occupy the VIP room with a group of willing partners. The host's sweet smile and glazed expression implies at least once dose of Lasombra vitae was forced down his gullet.

Beyond the gambling room, where a mixture of civilians sits (one of them recognizable as a local news anchor) playing cards, is the brothel's front room. It contains a small bar with a few customers, one in a bathrobe and two struggling to squeeze out of their BDSM leather clothing. They look panicked and explain "there's some

extreme shit going on down there and if they don't stop screaming, someone's going to call the cops."

### Malenkov's Hideout

The Glory Pit brothel consists of two adjacent hallways with one large room at each end. The VIP lounge is isolated from the others rooms and a soundproof door keeps out most questionable noise (though clearly not enough tonight). The door is locked with a bar when the PCs arrive, but can be worked open with a successful Dexterity + Larceny (Difficulty 3), Strength + Brawl (Difficulty 4), or by asking the hosts to use the heavy-duty magnet they have for events when the VIP guests lock themselves in for a little too long.

As the door opens into the large room, the intoxicating smell of blood hits the PCs' nostrils and any PCs on Hunger 3 or more have to roll to resist a Hunger frenzy (Difficulty 4). The paper lamp in the ceiling sends a beam of light through its bloodied cover, giving the room a spotted red look, while candles glow on shelves around the chamber. Malenkov sits on a large bed behind a meat pile of what was once five kine, his two

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ghouls languorously standing to the side of the room, sharing a joint. His beard sticks to his neck and chest with congealed blood, and his nude upper body is covered from navel to neck in thick red fluid. Bits of bone, skin, and hair cover the entire room. With a satisfied smile, Malenkov rises from his seated position, stretches, and places his hands on his hips.

"You invite Sabbat into your domain," he gestures at the gore, "this is what you get. And this is just the start. Just one room. Imagine this in an entire city. Still, don't be shy. I bet the hunt for me made you peckish."

Malenkov cocks his head at the corpses on the floor. Every member of the coterie must again roll to resist the temptation to indulge in a Hunger frenzy, no matter their Hunger level (Difficulty 3) or feed from the bloodbath in front of them.

The PCs can decide if they want to talk Malenkov into following them back to the Prince, or use physical force. Regardless, he will not go without a fight. He steps up on the bed and yells into the room, pointing toward Sierra if she's present. "No Camarilla cowards are getting the better of me. And you, you little betrayer, I will never give you the satisfaction of killing me to earn your place as a Camarilla underdog!"

Malenkov's first actions are to compel his Discipline of Oblivion into action (see his stats on p. XX), darkening the room and making the shadows come alive. His ghouls drop their joint and go for the knives they were using to cut up bodies, their guns buried somewhere in the mass of offal.

Shortly after, Malenkov leaps into the group fully intent on pummeling his way out of the brothel. The fight in the Glory Pit should be messy, involve the use of furniture such as lamps, bed posts, and even the chains and other BDSM props brought into the room. The horror the Storyteller needs to evoke here is one of extremes: Do not be afraid to have a character using a dismembered limb as a bludgeon or for another character to slip in a puddle of gore. With the candles present in this room, along with the paper partition between changing areas and sheets hanging on the walls, there's a real risk of fire during this conflict. Emphasize the space available, the destructive and combustible nature of the room, and have characters move around — rolling over the bed, ducking behind partitions, and slamming the steel door into anyone who tries to escape.

The coterie will have to subdue Malenkov to transport him to the Prince. They can kill him, but Sierra will remind the PCs that Prince Jackson asked for Malenkov to brought back staked. By the time this event resolves, dawn will be fast approaching and they'll need to secure Malenkov themselves.

### MALENKOV'S ESCAPE

If Malenkov overpowers the PCs, he creates a race against time and potential Masquerade breaches. If the mess in the Glory Pit wasn't enough (and is something the coterie should really report to Damien), Malenkov will enter full Wassail and break into the nearest home, killing the family and resting there during the day.

Following this, the Wight formerly known as Malenkov stalks Chicago as a terror. He can still be brought in for punishment, but won't be conscious of the event, while the Prince will be dismayed at the havoc the Lasombra caused. Certainly, his degeneration won't put Sierra's clan in a good light.

# Part Seven: The Sacrifice

Damien calls the coterie the following night. He tells them they missed Prince Jackson informing the rest of the city Kindred about the Blood Hunt for Malenkov following the Lasombra's actions at Red Noº 5, with Jackson instructing members of all clans (minus the thin-bloods, who the Prince barely considers vampires) to assemble in LaBagh woods at 10:00 P.M., to decide Clan Lasombra's fate.

If the PCs have Malenkov in their custody and inform Damien, he sounds relieved and instructs them to bring him to the woods. He also informs them that the Prince expects Sierra to be present at the meeting. A Wits + Insight roll (Difficulty 4) reveals Damien is hiding some agenda, but it's impossible to tell what it is over the phone.

Before the meeting with the other clans of Chicago, the PCs will face different challenges since not every Kindred in the city agrees with the Prince's decision of providing the Lasombra a hearing. The Storyteller can decide in what order these events happens, as long as they happen before the Sacrifice.

This chapter is open-ended and highly based on character interaction and sectarian alignment. The players will be responsible for deciding the fate of the Lasombra in Chicago.

# Malenkov's Offer

The Lasombra ancilla is aware he will not exist much longer. If he's in a position to speak and rational enough to do so, he bitterly explains his actions as "born in ice, raised in blood, a century of nothing but war. What else did you expect? What else can I do…?"

If the PCs lend a sympathetic ear, he decides his only way of survival is to strike a deal. He offers them the secrets of his entire clan (as much as he knows them) and to teach them how to use the art of shadow-bending to a degree that will greatly benefit the PCs, if he can just be permitted to survive.

If the PCs free Malenkov, they will be crossing Prince Jackson, Damien, the vampires who run Red Noº 5, and any other Kindred keen on pursuing the Blood Hunt. His freedom is a guarantee the Camarilla of Chicago will not permit the Lasombra entry to their sect, but might yield an unstable, yet highly effective, Mawla.

# Anarch Interaction

The Anarch Movement in Chicago has been following the entire ordeal on the sidelines via Gengis, and they believe Malenkov could be of much better use with them than being destroyed. Maldavis, Anita, Gengis, and the Hurricane approach the coterie on the way to the woodland rendezvous, demanding the PCs hand Malenkov over. Maldavis tells the coterie she has no intention of letting strong blood go to waste at the hands of a Prince who does not know what to do with it. She offers them formal membership in the Anarch Movement (at least as far as Chicago recognizes it) and positions of prominence once the Camarilla regime in the city falls. If all that sounds too hollow, she offers them the Glory Pit as a personal haven and business, it having once been in the possession of fallen Anarch, Dickie Fulcher.

If the coterie agrees, Malenkov never reaches the woods. If Damien or the Prince were aware the PCs had him, they earn the same ire as in the Malenkov's Offer example. Prince Jackson still calls for the vote, but without a sacrifice, it's unlikely to pass and Sierra is denied entry to the sect. She starts eyeing Michalis Basaras and her own sire as potential alternative sacrifices.

# Damien's Prerogative

This event takes place right after Prince Jackson's speech at the late-night meeting. The city's Sheriff steps in front of Malenkov and announces to the entire city if the Lasombra is voted into the Camarilla, he and his Hounds will go on a Blood Hunt for every single Lasombra stepping foot into the city. He can no longer stand by and watch his beloved city turned into a haven for senseless beasts who obey their own rules.

Prince Jackson pulls Damien to the side and immediately asks the PCs to take care of him while he tries to hold the outdoor meeting together. The PCs can decide if they want to support the Prince or Damien. If supporting the Prince, they have to convince Damien of the Lasombra's place in the Camarilla. If supporting Damien, they may need to launch a coup this very evening. Where the Hounds sit on this matter, with Prince Jackson or the traitor Sheriff, is down to the Storyteller.

# The Meeting

A large lake reflects the light of several battery-driven torches circling Chicago's assembled Kindred. Every clan is represented, although many vampires neglect to show due to the potential for Inquisition scrutiny. If the PCs arrive with Malenkov, Damien offers to take him from them. If they refuse to hand him over, the Sheriff instead barks at them to strap the prisoner to a chair balanced on a central pile of sticks and lumber.

An eerie silence dominates the circle with Jackson silently watching from the perimeter, observing Malenkov's limp frame (if present) lashed to the chair. The circle of vampires creates a wall around the Lasombra, and all eyes glare at him and Prince Jackson with anticipation. Sierra stands beside the Prince, her expression unreadable. Prince Jackson steps forward and places himself in the middle of the circle.

"Brothers and sisters, please accept my sincere apology for taking up another of your nights. I'm aware you're all busy, but I guaran-damn-tee this trip to the woods will be worth it. Yesterday my speech was interrupted by a Lasombra with a very important message from her clan. A message that, potentially, will change our history. The Clan of Night, longtime enemies, wish to join our ranks. Of course, my first response was dismissive. However…"

Prince Jackson turns around to face Sierra.

"Sierra came with a proposition I found very interesting and perhaps even plausible. In fact, why don't our firsthand witnesses step forward and tell the city what Clan Lasombra offered."

Jackson turns to the coterie. They are free to speak as they will at this point. The Prince will speak over them if they try to make outlandish claims, but he allows them a little creative freedom if it elevates their positions in minor ways, strengthens his hold on the city, or disparages the Lasombra or Sabbat.

"As the Prince of this blessed city, I'm not gonna make this decision singlehandedly. I'm no tyrant, unlike our brothers and sisters in other cities. Instead, every

individual present tonight, fledgling, elder, neonate, and ancilla has a say. And it's very simple. Do we accept the Lasombra and the potential murder of hundreds of our kind, or do we extend the olive branch and take advantage of new alliances? Whatever we decide will be consecrated with him," Jackson points at Malenkov, "being burned. He's an example of what Clan Lasombra needs to purge from its ranks."

The silence breaks into loud talking and shouting back and forth. Some Kindred are still opposed to the idea of the Lasombra joining, not only because they are Sabbat but because the idea of mass murder of a clan makes younger Kindred balk. Indeed, high-Humanity vampires may also object to the burning of Malenkov and attempt to deliver a quicker final death. Gengis and others speak loudly of the Anarch Revolt anew, and when it will be their own elders' turns. Abraham DuSable and the Tremere speak quietly to the Nosferatu present about how the Lasombra proposition might work, and how the clan could bring several positives, such as influence over the Church, to the table. The Gangrel dispute the costs of letting Sabbat into the domain, but the potential gained from learning about the sect's strategies. Give the players time to explore the different clans' thoughts and get a sense of where their votes will land.

Ultimately, all votes must be submitted to their Primogen to announce before Prince Jackson. Where clans lack Primogen, they must nominate an individual to speak for them. With the thin-bloods not present, they do not get a vote. Likewise, Jackson bypasses the Caitiff even with Maldavis present, and Michalis Basaras and Celia aren't there to speak for the Lasombra. PCs are able to influence their elders' votes through persuasive argument, though it's unlikely intimidation will work on a vampire many centuries their senior.

If the PCs do not influence the voting, clans vote as follows:

### CLAN MALKAVIAN

Jason Newberry shouts "No! Never!" His clanmates appear stunned as he shrieks out in this way. It's clear he's not speaking for the clan. This should lead to repercussions in future chronicles.

### CLAN VENTRUE

Ballard says "Yes" for his clan, drawing a series of interesting murmurs from the assembled Kindred. A majority of the Chicago Ventrue find the prospect of young Lasombra murdering their elders appealing. Once the Lasombra are in the sect, Ballard and his clanmates reason they can always be thrown out again if they run out of uses.

### CLAN BRUJAH

Respecting the spirit of democracy, Critias votes "No" despite his personal wishes to see the Camarilla strengthened. The Anarch members of his clan are fiercely opposed to a stronger Camarilla, so he abides by their decision even as it rankles some of his fellow Hellenes.

### CLAN TOREADOR

"Yes. And we also oppose the burning alive of one of our kind, no matter how monstrous he may be. Can't we just cut off his head?" Annabelle laughs and the other Toreador laugh with her. While seeming frivolous, the city Toreador unanimously agree new allies against the Sabbat are welcome. Influenced by Helena, who stands among their ranks as Portia, they each feel the Lasombra deserve the chance to choose their destiny, and many Keepers Embraced into the clan following the Sabbat's establishment never had that choice.

### CLAN TREMERE

"We vote no. This will bring nothing but chaos." DuSable sees no good reason for letting the Lasombra join the sect his clan has spent so long securing from Sabbat clans. He cannot see the benefit of opening the doors to Kindred that have been brainwashed for centuries.

### CLAN GANGREL

"Yes…" Rosa speaks and then quietens swiftly, her decision made for her by Helena. Few Gangrel are in attendance and none speak up against their nominal Primogen.

### CLAN NOSFERATU

Cedrick Calhoun stands for the Nosferatu, as Khalid appears absent. "We say yes, bearing in mind all that could be learned were they at our side." Though they make the decision based on different principles, the various Nosferatu are in favor of the defection. Nathaniel Bordruff was not, and stalks into the night as soon as the vote is cast.

### THE BANU HAQIM

"No." Khadija is emphatic in her statement and doesn't provide further detail. In truth, she feels her clan needs to take advantage of being the newest clan in the Ivory Tower, and the Lasombra threaten this role. The Banu Haqim could lose potential territory and positions of influence if Magisters suddenly show up to plant their flag.

### THE MINISTRY

"As a traditionally non-Camarilla clan, we do not feel we should be responsible for the deciding vote."

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Marcel speaks with a smile, but bows and defers to the other clans in attendance. The Ministers hold precarious positions in the city, and they do not want the blame for this vote going awry.

As the PCs had time to get a general idea of which way the clans are voting, give them time to decide what they want to push for. The result is a deadlock unless the PCs shift it one way or the other. A Lasombra PC could speak up on behalf of their clan, while a Caitiff, thinblood, Hecata, Old Clan, or Ravnos PC might push for representation and swing the vote.

The PCs do not have to agree on this. Encourage the players to take their characters' views into account and how one way might be advantageous to them. The players should consider how the other clans are voting and realize that by supporting or sabotaging them, they could earn new allies and enemies.

If the vote ends in a tie after the PCs make their decision, Prince Jackson has the final say.

### YES

An excited, terrifying rush runs through the veins of the Kindred present as they realize they will now share their city with the Lasombra. Prince Jackson takes a few steps toward Malenkov. Jackson checks his bindings to ensure they're secure and removes the stake, asking him to speak now, for it will be the last time he will does so. Malenkov lifts his head and his gaze wanders over each Kindred in a slow and calculated manner:

"You know what you have done? You have just allowed a mass genocide of your own kind. Do you seriously think you will be safe? Have you learned nothing from previous revolts and wars with us? I don't give a shit if I die. What I care about is the future of the Sabbat and my clan fleeing like from their problems to the enemy line. Fuck you. Fuck Talley. Fuck the Amici Noctis and their ridiculous plans. I hope the shadows of guilt eat you up on the inside for the rest of your miserable, undead existences."

Jackson gives Sierra the choice of how to end her clanmate. He has brought Lodin's broadsword, for which he's famed, and offers it should Sierra wish to take the merciful route. She takes it from him and uncomfortably hefts the blade, placing the tip against Malenkov's collarbone. With a calculated swing, she parts his head from his shoulders, and his body drops, rapidly crumbling to ash in the chair.

The Prince lays a hand on Sierra's shoulder, takes the sword from her, and turns her to face the other Kindred. He lowers his head to her left ear and whispers loud enough for most of the silent vampires to hear:

"Sierra, welcome to the Camarilla."

### NO

Prince Jackson smiles confidently and nods at Sierra as he walks up to Malenkov, laughing. "I'm as good as my word, and if you're not killing him, you're not joining our club." He attempts a couple of times to kindle the fire beneath the Lasombra, only to delegate the task to Damien who orders the gathered Kindred to stand back. He starts the fire and the flames slowly lick around the Lasombra's body. Malenkov's screams resound through the woods as the apparently "civilized" Camarilla Kindred watch and the Anarchs do nothing to stop this execution. Many vampires leave as the fire grows, fearful of succumbing to Rötschreck. PCs who watch the burning up close need to roll to resist a terror frenzy (Difficulty 3).

As Malenkov crumbles to ash, Jackson picks up a few choice bones, including his skull, and throws them to Sierra's feet.

"You can take the ashes back to the rest of your kind. Now, get the fuck out of my town before you end up like your brother."

# Epilogue

The PCs have now been the decisive factor of Clan Lasombra's fate in Chicago, and Prince Jackson addresses them after the Kindred in the woods go their separate ways. Depending on their behavior he might reward them with feeding grounds in the city, impressive havens, or even a direct line to him. Consider making these rewards a couple of free dots in appropriate Backgrounds. If the PCs crossed Jackson, he threatens to take their territory or just goes ahead and removes it, warning them it'll be their very existences he eliminates next. This shouldn't rob them of rewards, but those rewards might come from Jackson's enemies, such as Maldavis, who appreciate the PCs' efforts to hamper Jackson's agenda.

Give the players time to vent and talk the last events through. Answer raised questions if possible and let them discuss if necessary. When every player is ready, present them with the epilogue, in the form of a letter dropped at the site of the sacrifice.

### HANDOUT #5: LETTER TO PRINCE JACKSON

To whomever finds this letter,

I hear rumors my two delegates successfully delivered the message from my clan, and dear Malenkov must lose his life as a result. I was hoping they would both return safely, but I can understand the nature of our proposition did not exactly prevent that. It's a crying shame to lose someone who served his clan for over a century, but we all agree sacrifices must be made.

It seems my efforts might have been in vain, sadly. While others of my clan might join the Camarilla as a part of this offering and future sacrifices, I found out last night the clan I served loyally for half a millennium is prepared to execute me to show their dedication to the Camarilla cause! Cold, don't you think?

I suppose that means I will have to leave your lovely city soon. It's been a delight watching how a Camarilla domain of this strength acts when confronted by unexpected political events such as this, and I might have interfered once or twice, but I am getting carried away and should pack my bags.

Of course, if there's a Blood Hunt for me in Chicago as a result of this letter, I welcome the chase. Send your best. Think of the status they might earn by capturing me.

Allow me to show you why you do not want the Lasombra as adversaries. Until then,

Talley