Across to Recap of July game
Back to recap of 2000 game.
It was a hot, hot night in New York. The Kindred were gathering on Ward's Island in an effort to make a decision on several key issues. External pressure was being exerted by Democritus to find a solution to the Grendel problem. For whatever reason, the Ventrue Justicar had decided that Grendel was a problem of utmost importance. He (Democritus) had gone so far as to threaten the rest of the elders with his legendary wrath.
Armitage saw it important to gather the Princes and the Primogen together to decide what to do about the problem. She summoned everyone to Ward's Island, where she had a visiting director ready to perform a play for the entertainment of the other Kindred. The entire Primogen, led by Chariman Wilhelm Gearhart, was present, ready to make some decisions.
There was a lot of hub bub about Grendel, and what to do. Should the Primogen and Princes unite against him, to give Democritus what he wants? Or do they ignore the problem and hope Democritus gets distracted in another way?
Another important issue -- a few years back, the Camarilla and the Sabbat have formed some sort of cease-fire between the two sects. While everyone knew it wouldn't last, it was a temporary respite from the centuries of war. At this point, Ambassadors were being sent to certain key cities throughout the world. An elder Ventrue Antitribu named Charles Lancaster was making his New York City debut. There was some trepidation about his presence.
Also present were a couple of ghouls belonging to a heretofore unknown entity -- a vampire from the Far East. Some form of Oriental undead whose customs, strengths and weaknesses were foreign to the more traditional Kindred.
Two young Toreador -- Siren and Warhol -- had captured and killed a Sabbat pack in New York City earlier that week. It was evident that something deeper was at work here -- the Ventrue and the Toreador were playing particularly close attention to this issue. As was the Sabbat Ambassador...
A wide variety of influences were also being struggled over. The New York City Subway system was being warred over between the Nosferatu and a group of Lasombra, led by the elder Moncada.
Cade Palmer, a Media Mogul, was an up-and-coming Donald Trump type who several vampires wanted a key piece of.
A handful of Kindred had traveled from Boston to petition New York's Primogen to approve a Bullet Train between New York and Boston. In addition to convincing the New Yorkers to approve it, these Kindred were all seeking to control the Bullet Train influence.
Ontario Telecomm was rumored to be a Sabbat holding company, containing key elements of their communication lines.
The Lasombra elder Moncada and some of the Tremere were looking for some form of magical focus. Some form of shadow gate, the casual observers heard. Others scoffed at this, saying that Moncada was making up something that sounded dangerous to other people just to make others nervous.
The night started with a bang -- literally. Shortly after the beginning of the overly pretentious introduction to Gomme Staedler's play, a pair of gunshots rang out in the night. Gomme Stadler's stomach exploded -- apparently, he had been shot. His most immediate concern was about who was interrupting his play.
Armitage was not so lucky. Another bullet (?) had hit her, and the mighty Archon was felled. As a handful of Kindred surrounded her, another couple chased after the location of the shooter. The Primogen quickly determined that Armitage was in torpor, unconscious. Gearhart and Robert Lockley were amongst the people who placed her in a secure room.
Although the shooter got away, his "nest" was found, where they found the gun, as well as a supply of ammunition, which had been specially treated.
Denver Hammersmith set about investigating Armitage's blood. He discovered that there were two unusual additives in her blood: one of which was the same substance as found on the ammunition, the other was some compound of a Thaumaturgical nature.
A Brujah from Jersey named Rao came forth with some information about Yin & Yang, the Asian ghouls. Apparently, the entity that they worked for was a Cathayan vampire -- a Chinese vampire whose ultimate goal was the complete control of New York City. Although Yin & Yang protested this, information that the Nosferatu had confirmed this. And when it was discovered that Yin & Yang had been responsible for Armitage's shooting, the next step was obvious.
The Princes universally blood hunted Yin & Yang, and virtually everyone gang tackled them. Yin & Yang did not fight back, and died quickly and ugly. Whatever masks they were wearing dropped, and the mortal bodies they had been inhabiting were not Asian at all... A couple of minutes later, it was discovered that killing Yin and Yang had done nothing at all. The spirit of the ghouls had simply moved to another mortal body.
Between the Nosferatu and Rao, it was learned that there were five Cathayan "Anchors" that needed to be removed -- a natural, a supernatural, a political, a financial and a metaphysical.
It was quickly determined that the political was the easiest -- a certain amount of Asian culture is founded on propriety and social obligation. If they were not welcome or allowed by those who claim domain over the land, they are harmed. All the local Princes blood hunted them, and that was done.
A particular stock that the Cathayans controlled was also important. If too many people invested in the INY stock (in the Ventrue game), that would provide the Cathayans with sufficient financial support to make their position in New York stronger. This, too, was easily done.
A third anchor related to a natural presence. Apparently, there were animals around the site, which were connected to Yin & Yang somehow -- using a Tremere ritual and a drop of Yang's blood, they were able to track down the moths and the cocoons which had spawned them. Upon destruction of these, another Anchor had been removed.
There was an influence which the Cathayans were dependent upon -- the Jersey Kill was a key breeding ground for their animal servants. The Brujah Rao acquired the Jersey Kill, and he chose to develop the land, thereby eliminating the fourth Anchor there.
The final Anchor was a key magical item. It was a magical focus, some odd blend of Obtenebration and Thaumaturgy that took both Tremere and Lasombra to learn about. This particular item was some form of gate, or the seal of a gate, that was important to keep Cathayan energies from flowing back and forth. Apparently, a young Tremere named Samantha Hall had found, in the belongings of her old Chantry Elder (now deceased), an item which allowed her to move the previously immovable item, and she had taken it to Denver Hammersmith's Chantry. Hammersmith wanted to study it, but did not allow it to be broken or moved from there.
This was the only positive thing for the Cathayans.
So, with only four of the five Anchors displaced, the Cathayans remained in New York. Critically weakened and on their hypothetical deathbed, but still a threat.
After much debate, the Primogen elected the Ravnos Rebecca Rockefeller to fill the vacant seventh seat on the council. After much debate, and difficulty getting ahold of Grendel, they gave the Brujah elder an offer he couldn't refuse: stand against the entire collective population of New York AND the Camarilla by remaining Prince of the Bronx. Or move across the river to New Jersey, where he would be the Prince of Jersey, solving those problems over there.
Grendel thought for some amount of time, and finally agreed on three conditions. One was that the Bayonne Shipyards be acquired and given to Rebecca Rockefeller, in turn to be transferred to Grendel. Another was that the gambling ordinance in the Bronx was approved. The final condition was that he be allowed to name the new Prince of the Bronx -- he chose Jermiah Hartwood, Malkavian and former Archon. Although perplexed by this all, the Primogen and other Princes agreed and Hartwood was put in power. Once this was done, Grendel agreed to move across the river.
The Primogen then voted in favor of both the Bronx Gambling Ordinance, as well as the Bullet Train. Ransom, the Brujah from Boston, went home with the Bullet Train and the Sabbat Telecommunications company.
The alchemical research on Armitage that Hammersmith conducted resulted in the discovery that the serum which had entered Armitage's blood stream (via the bullet) had mixed with the serum already there to knock her into torpor. Research also determined that she should recover shortly.
Amongst others, Angelique Montgomery discovered that the person who had hired the assassin and arranged for the poisoned blood to be fed into Armitage was her own ghoul, Adrian. Angelique killed the traitor on the spot.
Armitage woke up a few days later with a piercing headache, but by and large no worse for the wear.
Influence Results:
Silas Thompson, City Councilman : Warhol
Subway : Masters
Ontario Telecomm : Ransom
Bayonne Shipping : Grendel
Cade Palmer : Siren
Ward’s Island : Masters
Elaine Kramer : uncontrolled
Jersey Kill : Rao
MSG TV : Denver Hammersmith
Matthews-Berry : Monroe
Troy McHart, U.S. Marshall : Rebecca Rockefeller
Bullet Train : Ransom
Gambling in the Bronx : yes
New Primogen Member : Rebecca Rockefeller
1 : Guinevere
2 : Tobias Rockefeller
3 : Charles Lancaster
Continuity-forming, combined Results of the 2001 Vampire Game.
