7.20 pm Wednesday, 12 December 11 hours until sunrise, 2 days until the S.C. Petersham
As time was of the essence, Stallion cantered around the building looking for the entrance to the kitchens. The only doors on that side of the building, however, were double emergency door with no external handle. He looked around.
Windows. No.
Camera. Yes.
Climbing up on a nearby skip bin he knocked aside the camera aside before attempting a shoulder charge on the door. The door bulged inwards, just enough to give him access, but dislocated his shoulder in the process. His right arm dangling uselessly, Stallion pushed the door aside with his leftand entered the building.
The room beyond was a leeway, a no man’s land of lockers and deep freezers. Beyond that, a busy professional kitchen was at full-service. Staff from the head chef to dishwashers scrambled to keep up with orders coming in from the hotel restaurant. Stallion looked around. No uniforms he could wear, no one to ask. He looked around and spotted a staff sign, and made straight for it. Kitchen staff glanced up from their work as a tall young man in black robes and making an odd clip-clopping sound, marched through the kitchen and into the staff area.
The hotel were a very considerate employer, he discovered. Instead of the usual Male and Female facilities, there were four: male, female, disabled and non-binary. He picked the male one and found two stalls and the urinals as expected. The second stall was occupied, so Stallion took the first and closed the door. Hoofed and armless as he was, Stallion balanced himself on the toilet seat and reached up with his left hand to grope inside the cistern. It wasn’t hard to find the timer and a large lump of grey plasticine floating in the water. Harder was pulling it out without knocking the porcelain lid off. He fumbled the device down and turned the timer to face him.
What was that number again? Thirty? three-zero? He started to turn the dial to thirty before recalling Guiseppe’s words of just moments ago, Okay, so the number is five-zero. He moved the dial to fifty seconds. Returning the device to where he’d found it, Stallion didn’t waste any more time. Heading back the way he came, he marched out.
He made it back to the car, where Guiseppe was already waiting, a look of exasperated impatience evident.
“Get in.”
Stallion did, and Guiseppe drove off.
7.35 pm Wednesday, 12 December 11 hours until sunrise, 2 days until the S.C. Crow Bar
While Stallion was busy performing an act of terrorism, the rest of us were busy with our own pursuits. I was driving Mads to The Rocks, Dominic was enjoying his night out at the theatre with Mother and Eclipse was waiting for her date.
She’d ordered two drinks, one for her and one for her guest. As she waited she sipped from her glass and looked out at the crowds slowing filling the V.I.P. lounge. Across the room she spied Monday, a statue among the other more mobile statues in the Lounge. He was early, and though he’d seen where she was, still made no move towards her.
He’s old. He’s probably waiting until the appointed hour or something, She thought, and left him to stand and sipped her drink.
7.40 pm Wednesday, 12 December 11 hours until sunrise, 2 days until the S.C. The Rocks
“Do you think he’ll require another sacrifice?” Mads asked as I found a parking spot on Hickson Road and stopped.
“Possibly,” I shrugged. He’d eaten well the night before, but as the flies were Bobby’s only payment for his services, I would expect it would be rude not to offer.
“Shit,” Mads replied, and I had to agree. The two the night before had given me a scare, and I wasn’t looking forward to marching another one into Bobby’s lair.
“This is your show, Mads. What do you want to do?” I said, hoping she’d step up and hunt herself this time.
She stared around at the people enjoying the summer evening by the water. Even individuals with their backs to her felt the cold shiver of death and moved away. I sighed and, making a little distance between me and where she was scaring the flock, started searching for marks.
Someone alone. Someone distracted, drunk or otherwise affected. Someone others wouldn’t necessarily miss.
There were two. An executive loudly talking on his phone on a park bench, and a young backpacker lining up a selfie with the Harbour Bridge in the background. I chose the tourist.
“Would you like a little help with that?” I asked the young man who was surprised, but not scared to be addressed by a stranger, “There’s a better view down further.”
“Hey, yeah, sure,” He nodded good-naturedly and together we walked along the waterfront, Mads trailing behind.
“This is very kind of you. You know, it’s always hard to find a good spot for a selfie…I can take dozens of images trying to get a good one. It’s my lucky day that you came along,” He prattled, and I could only nod and smile and lead him to his death.
“It’s all about making visitors to Sydney feel welcome,” I choked out, spotting Bobby’s pipe silhouetted against the water.
“Is this good here?”
“Yes…one here would be good. A little further and the Bridge will…dominate. As the bridge does dominate the harbour, you want to capture that…vibe.” Can you believe this bullshit? I cringed inwardly at my own drivel and took a photo with his phone.
“I can’t wait to show the family when I get home,” He said, happily and of course, my mind filled with the image of a grieving family looking over the last moments of their beloved son.
Stop it! Just get it done!
I looked ahead, willing Bobby’s lair closer than it was. All the while, the young man was thanking me for my help and heaping undeserved praise on me for being “…such friendly people…”.
A few photos later, and I was running out of pretext.
“I think that will do. Can I have my phone back?” He asked, and I stepped in, I placed the phone in his hand a stirred the blood for Presence. His eyes glazed over and, at least until danger revealed itself, he was mine.
“I know an even better spot. Come with me.” And I took his hand and led him the rest of the way to the pipe.
As with the two the night before, the tourist’s sense of self-preservation kicked in at the black void of the pipe. “That’s dark.”
“It’s okay, I’ll show you,” I looked back over his shoulder for a helpful Mads. This was for her after all. Nothing, she was nowhere in sight.
I felt his hand clench in mine and he pulled back. I glanced back. Bobby was there, blood-soaked and lurching out into the night, more monstrous than even his spider-like appearance the night before. What he was doing there, I have no idea, but I took the opportunity and swung the poor tourist into Bobby’s waiting arms. Bobby unhinged his jaw, the mouth gaping wide. It was quick and very final. I took back the young man’s phone before it fell to the ground.
“Sorry if we’re overfeeding you, Bobby,” Mad’s voice drifted out of the darkness as she now made an appearance. Bobby, the whole of the young man’s throat in his mouth was oblivious. Caught in the ecstasy of the moment, he drained the young man dry before releasing him and realigning his jaw.
“What is it you want?” Bobby asked as casually as if we’d knocked on his door.
Thankfully, Mads knew what she wanted, “Clarification. You mentioned last night about someone.”
“I talked about many someones…you have to be a little more precise.”
“In relation to me. You said he’s fine, by the way.”
What? Who is she talking about? Alex or Izaac? I thought, but kept quiet, as I said, this was not my show.
“Yes, I probably said something like that.”
“Can you find this particular person?”
“Haven’t you found them yet?”
“Nope,” Mads said, which wasn’t strictly true. We knew where Izaac was…approximately and where he’d be…but we couldn’t get to him until the Succubus Club.
“Huh. I thought you did. Or at least, you know where they will be.”
“Explain.”
“How would I go about doing that?”
“Listen, you seem to know who I’m looking for, and you have that information. We’ve given you what you want, and now I want what I want.”
I’d witnessed the lengths Mads would go through for this information before, but demanding the answers you want from a seer is just foolish. Many a suplicant to Delphi were happy with the information they received, only for it to lead to their demise.
“Mads, he doesn’t necessarily have that information, “ I tried to explain, but Mads was adamant. Bobby was holding out on her.
“I see a few pages ahead of the story,” Bobby tried to explain, “That doesn’t mean I’ve read the book.”
“Then tell me as far as your story goes.”
“You knew where he was. You didn’t tell me or anyone else, “ He replied vaguely, speaking of future events as if they’d already occurred.
Mads sighed, barely keeping up with Bobby’s thoughts, “Where do I go next?”
“You already know that. Tick-tock.” The one place we were all heading: the Succubus Club.
“This sounds like a bum-fucking deal,” Mads complained bitterly.
“Well, you started off with one. Why would it get any better?” Bobby quipped back merrily, only frustrating Mads further, “We were flesh and blood once, and now we’re just blood. Sounds like a pretty poor deal, doesn’t it?”
“It’s not like I exactly asked for this.”
“Maybe you did, whose to know. Maybe I didn’t, maybe he did,” And he gestured towards me. I wanted to disappear into the dark, but was compelled by my own insatiable curiousity to stay and watch the story to its end.
“The Succubus Club then,” Mad finally relented, accepting the fact we’d known for days.
“Do you think he asked for all this?” Bobby waved the limp body of the tourist at Mads as if it were a wet rag, “The asking ain’t got much to do with it. But you should know, one of the little whispers that are sometimes missed, when the Prince goes looking for the Princess, the story ends in tragedy. But, this time the Princess is looking for the Prince, so maybe it will end differently for you.”
“Maybe,” Mads wasn’t convinced, and neither was I.
“You’re following the wrong story. In a way, the Petal here may understand it better, when Brunhilde looks for Sigfried, the story changes.”
I blinked. I hadn’t expected a lesson on Norse literature. In the story, the great hero Sigfried is brought to his end by the obsession of the Valkyrie, Brunhilde. If this was the reverse, wouldn’t Brunhilde’s demise come at the hands of the hero, Siegfried? I shuddered and feared that the Succubus Club would not end well for Mads.
“I’m not familiar with that one, but I’m sure I’ll be enlightened,” Mads replied, oblivious to my own state.
Bobby turned his luminous eyes on me, “Is there anything you want, Rain?”
“Ah, no,” I confessed. As enlightening as visits to Bobby were, I thought I’d had my fill for at least a while.
“The next time you see the….shadowed moon, could you please invite her down to speak to me.”
Twice in two nights, he’d asked after Eclipse. Suddenly, my curiosity flared again at what Bobby might reveal about our black flame.
“Sure, Mr Cryptic,” Mads said, her sarcasm firmly back in place.
“We did ask her, but she had made other arrangements, “ I explained, careful not to give too much away in front of Mads.
“She sure does,” Bobby agreed, nodding his shaggy head, “But nevertheless, I would like to see her, and she would like to see me.”
“I’ll let her know.”
“And now? If that is all, I would like to relax a little. There’s too much noise, too much happening. The City is getting loud again. Surely you understand what this means?”
“Yeah,” Mads said, thoroughly done with Bobby and his fortunes.
“No, “ I admitted.
Bobby looked at Mads in amusement, “Will you explain, great thinker?”
“Nah,” She shook her auburn mane and started walking away.
“Would you tell me?” I was still curious to know how Bobby experienced the City.
“Would you like to know?”
“Yes.”
“The web gets ever more crowded. One spider in a web is fine, but with many spiders in a web, every little movement sends reverberations and interference. Some things become obvious, some things get caught in the noise.”
“I understand.” And I believed I did. I’d not known the City before the imminent arrival of the Club. He did, he saw the movement of all the International visitors through the lens of perspective I lacked. His vibrations imagery rang true to me. Was it these vibrations I was getting caught up on? I hoped I got a chance to put his perspective into practice for myself.
“That’s why I’m so pleased you brought me such an amount of food. I can rest easy without making any more of a scene.”
“I’m glad it was good for someone,” I couldn’t help it, my eyes flicker down to the young man who was.
“Don’t worry about the food,” He replied coolly, “You didn’t care when you were breathing, why would you care now?”
Bobby’s words were like a slap in the face. Of course I care, haven’t you all seen me angst every death? Once initial shock and sting subsided, I had to admit that was a lie. More disturbing still was the thought I had never cared? I’d made a life of running cons, stole and manipulated to have my way. So why do I now? Maybe because now, I could see what I’d lost, and I found myself clinging to what was left of my humanity.
“That’s true.” I said quietly. There’s no point in lying to a seer.
“The eyes of the lamb, mouth of the wolf…” He said, the words trailing off into a whisper at the end as he slowly returned to his tunnel.
If my heart still beat, it would have stopped in my chest at that pronouncement. Dominic liked to say we were all monsters. Until that moment, like everyone, I wanted to believe we chose our course. I didn’t like the thought I had been a predator, destined to this life from the beginning. At least since a grave in Srebenica.
Walking back to Hickson’s street, I distractedly dumped the phone into the back of a parked ute and continued to the car.
8.00 pm Wednesday, 12 December 10 hours until sunrise, 2 days until the S.C. Crow Bar
Eclipse’s phone flicked to 8.00pm and Monday finally made his way across the room and joined her at the table. She handed over the drink and made an effort to smile.
“Sunday, what’s happening?” He asked, sipping his drink.
“Pretty slow. How about you?”
“Monotenous. But this is a nice break. Is there something important you didn’t want to tell the rest of the family?”
“No, I just thought you’d have the answers.” She confessed, playing with the stem of her glass.
“Answers to what?”
“I was curious what the coterie will be doing during…the Event.”
“A bunch of things. Collectively, we’re checking in with cousins without drawing too much attention.”
Eclipse wasn’t sure what Monday meant by ‘cousins’. Either they were the fellow Baali, family by blood, or those like the Padre who have the same goals, family by conviction.
“Are there many cousins to see?”
“I’m not sure. There will be signs, of course.”
“Where were you yesterday? I was hanging out for a while waiting for you,” Eclipse finally mentioned the reason for this meeting.
“I was pretty busy. Preparations, making sure there is always a fresh supply. And checking for those signs I mentioned. So much to do. Though we are all united by blood, we don’t all share the same mission…goal. So we like to look for collaborators whenever we can. As for the signs, certain people disappearing, cultist murders, those sorts of things…we don’t want a mess up like last time.”
Like last time? Eclipse knew the Baali had a volitile relationship with other clans, so finding out information about them without tipping her hand had been difficult. Whatever Monday could offer would help her navigate her very dangerous new life.
“Tell me about it?”
“Have you heard about the Week of Nightmares?”
She shook her head. What she’d read about the Baali came from the Encyclopedia Vampirica. A Week of Nightmares hadn’t been mentioned in the entry.
“From 28 June to 4 July 1999. The clan was dessimated and we’re still feeling the repercussions. The werewolves went into a frenzy as they often do and we lost a country. Do you remember a place called India? No, I guess you wouldn’t, no one remembered it afterwards. All that’s remembered is Pakistan and the sense of a tragedy. I’m sure you have questions.”
Eclipse contemplated his words. Six months before Y2K, and the turn of the new millennium. There must have been many who thought the Week of Nightmares was the beginning of the end for the world. It was a big concept to wrap her head around, and though she did have questions, working out what those questions were would take some thought.
“Some…but it doesn’t seem to be a fitting time to ask,”
“For our kind, it’s pretty common knowledge if you’re educated well enough,” He said casually enough, but Eclipse stared at him for the assumption she wasn’t educated, “Isn’t that why you brought me here? With all those beautiful words committed to paper.”
“Discoverable and traceable with my own fair hand,” She let the indignation subside. Yes, it was why she’d brought him here.
“Were you making preparations alone?”
“Everyone in the family has their role. You’re still young, I didn’t want to burden you. You’re still transitioning after all.”
Eclipse was fed up with Monday’s patronising. That was another reasons she’d asked for this meeting, to see how she can be more involved with the coterie.
“Well, maybe there will be enlightenment before dawn,” She quipped back, “Is there anything I must prepare for? Besides the usual?”
“No, as I said before, don’t be foolish.”
“Do you think I’ve proven otherwise?”
Monday shrugged, “You haven’t bombed anything yet.”
“I don’t tend to make a scene.” Which was true, for the most part.
“Except that one time,” Monday said cryptically, and Eclipse narrowed her eyes. What indiscretion of hers was he referring to? The debacle in Redfern? That was hardly her fault. She shouldn’t be held responsible for the failings of others.
“What did I say about enlightenment? How would you suggest I do that?”
“Sure, getting your food free-range is fine, but you can always refine the process. You could offer them a good supply of heroin, and you just pick one out of the blue. You can create a charity so they come to you, which would also give you a reason to engage with your chosen type. Make the gathering methodical without risk. Rather than stealing another generation, it could just be given to you.”
“They didn’t care the first time, I’m sure they won’t care the second,” Eclipse mumbled to herself, but Monday either didn’t hear it or didn’t deem to comment.
“So, any other business?” Monday said, seeming to be done with the meeting.
“I bought you a drink. It doesn’t always have to be about business.”
Monday smiled, leaning back into his seat and casually took a sip of his drink.
“It is nice to sit back and drink in comfort. It used to be trickier…way back. Only moving at night, stopping at a tavern or inn at a crossroads, only to have to move on again before the bodies were found. People would go missing, stories would spread. Not like now…no reason to claw away the dirt. How do you find this life?” Monday asked, checking himself as he remembered that Eclipse was there.
“As trailing as the last, and the one before that,” Eclipse admitted, draining her glass.
“You’re young…and look it…I guess you lack perspective in both lives. With age, you will realise there is always another tomorrow. Of course, when it comes to us,” He tilted his glass between the two of them, “We assure there will be another tomorrow.”
Eclipse smirked, “You take it very…slow, however.”
“When age isn’t a factor, there’s no reason to rush. To it well and do it right in ten years and never have to do it again.” Monday seemed to enjoy the sound of his own voice, and Eclipse was in a mood to listen. Cradling her empty glass, she let him talk and soon he returned to discussing the good old days.
“Food is much easier to get now. It wasn’t always so.”
“When you were embraced?”
“Then and during. When the only people within two days’ travel of you numbered fewer than ten, it was hard to guarantee a meal. Cities were always easier when tens of thousands lived together; someone was bound to go missing. Now with cities of millions, it’s just expected that people would disappear. But I’m babbling. Tell me about yourself. Give me your fresh perspective to enliven the evening.”
“I found it interesting you decorated my room,” Eclipse said, thinking back on the work Monday had done to make her feel welcome.
“With age comes…habits,” He shrugged, trying to make light of the work.
“Others might call it consideration…even care?”
“Think more…appreciation..for the task yet to be done. Have you decided how to take your little trip?” Monday said, turning the conversation to her future trip to Lightning Ridge.
“No, the Succubus Club has taken up all my time,” She lamented, “A two-day trip is not a simple task. But I will get my own dagger.”
“I’m sure you will.”
8.15 pm Wednesday, 12 December 10 hours until sunrise, 2 days until the S.C. Various
“What’s next, Guiseppe?” Stallion asked once several minutes and kilometres had been put between themselves and the soon-to-be exploding hotel.
“Yeah, you’ve done a pretty good job so far. Now it’s your chance for some relaxation.”
“Are you talking about the place we went to before?” He asked, not sure he wanted to head there quite so soon.
“There or elsewhere, wherever you like. Where can I drop you off?”
Drop him off. What? Didn’t Guiseppe just say he’d done a good job. Stallion had wanted to spend the night tooling around, and now after two job he was getting fobbed off.
“Ur…I left the bike at the carpark,” He said, not wanting to sound too desperate.
“The carpark it is,” Giuseppe said, then headed the car back toward the Crystal Street Carpark. Once there, Guiseppe wished Stallion a good night and sped off without another word.
At the same time, Dominic and his mother were two-thirds through their show. There wasn’t as much death as Dominic would have liked in the performance, and thirty minutes from the last curtain, he started scanning the auditorium for kindred. There were more than he’d expected, certainly more than he’d noticed before the arrival of the big event. Two in particular, Dominic knew by sight. The first was a stooped old man in his 50s, jowly and nondescript, among the cattle. Known through the sixteenth century as Doctor James Howarth. Dominic didn’t know his generation, but did know he usually avoided contact with other kindred as a rule, so it was interesting to see him at tonight’s performance.
Dominic was also aware of a Nosferatu hanging in the rafters, above the audience. He was a particularly hideous specimen of his blood and therefore had no way of blending in with the herd. He did seem to be enjoying the show, having no interest in the audience at all. Dominic wasn’t all that surprised, though it was like seeing a Gangrel at an Arts Exhibit.
“What do you think, Mother? How are you enjoying the performance?” Dominic felt it was a little lacklustre, but Mother never complained.
I was thankful to fall back into the driver’s seat of the Audi and closed the door on the Rocks.
“You owe me,” Was all I could say. No, I could have said a great deal more, but bit down on the string of expeletives that wanted loose. Instead, I pulled the car out onto the road and pointed it in a direction. Any direction.
“Yeah, consider it a favour,” Mads sighed.
“I just don’t know what you expected. The message doesn’t change just because you don’t like the what’s said.”
“I just wanted…my own answers,” Was all she could say and shrugged, “I want to know…I want to get what I’m owed.”
Owed? That had an ominous sound. Answers that probably even Izaac can’t give? A pound of flesh? His heart? Regardless, I feared Mads was always going to walk away disappointed.
“Well, as Bobby said, Tick-tock.”
“Yeah, more waiting.”
“Not long now.”
“And yet, I feel I can be doing more.”
Speaking of which.
“What would you like to do? If you were free to do your own will.”
“Would it surprise you to know that I don’t know. I’ve been doing this for a long time and once its over I don’t know what I’m going to do.” I wasn’t surprised. I heard Inigo Montoya’s words from The Princess bride, You know, its very strange. I have been in the revenge business for so long,…I don’t know what to do with the rest of my life.”
And just like Wesley, I launched into my own, Have you ever considered piracy? spiel.
“I am at the start of a long term project, or at least what I would have considered a long term project only a few months ago. Dominic has asked me to build a new bar, however I choose. He’d take his cut, but it would be, essentially, my first step into Sydney society.”
“Becoming your own man, so to speak.”
“Yeah. There could be room for you there, if you wanted.”
“There’s room for me in a lot of places, but if you’re offering, I’ll think about it.”
Lacklustre, but a start. As she said, she’d spent forty years in the revenge business, it would be hard to adjust to a new way of thinking.
“I don’t know how this is going to end,” She admitted, and I think it was the first time she’d even hinted, that there may not be an after.
“I just want you to know there are options. A chance at a future.”
“Well, if that future does come…I’ll consider it. Thank you.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. I tried a different tack.
“It’s a small start, I know, but as Dominic keeps saying, I’m stuck under him for the next fourty years anyway…”
“We’re all stuck under someone.”
I shook my head, “I’ve never had to worry about being beholden before. This is a new experience for me.”
“You get used to it after a while.”
Used to the cage? Used to the chains? Even the guilded sort? I physically shuddered, “Do I want to?”
“Never had a mortgage?”
“No. Never owned a credit card until I was embraced.” I thought back. Though I’d often gone without a great deal, there was always hope of something better just around the corner. Now, I had a great deal and the struggle of just getting to the corner seemed the harder task than finding a meal. I shook my head to snap out of the maudlin path my mind was taking and focused back on the subject at hand.
“Look, I know you’re intelligent, resourceful and charismatic…”
“Sorry, did you just call me charismatic. Even I know I’m sledgehammer…” Mads said with a smile and I had to admit her common crassness sometimes ground against her common sense.
“Well…maybe more charming. I find you charming.”
“People literally fled at my glance just twenty minutes ago…”
“We can work on that,” I smiled in return and for a moment, we drove in companionable silence.
“I guess we’ll see how the Succubus Club goes, and then, we’ll talk,” She finally broke the silence, bringing the thought of the club to the forefount of the conversation.
“Yes, that does hang like a huge raincloud over…everything,” My entire unlife in fact, “and I don’t know who’s going to survive the storm. Of what I’ve heard of these big group events…sometimes they don’t go so well. People don’t survive them. And I don’t mind telling you, I’m afraid.”
“I know some ones not going to make it through…one way or another.”
Oh God! Was I going to have to choose between Izaac or Mads? My only solace, was in the end, it would probably not be up to me. But I’d have to be ready to pick up the pieces.
8.40 pm Wednesday, 12 December 10 hours until sunrise, 2 days until the S.C. Crow Bar
While Eclipse and Monday chatted about ancient history, Stallion rolled his bike down into the carpark. With the night he’d planned already over almost as soon as it had begun, Stallion moved to the next item on his agenda: finding a surfboard.
Climbing the stairs to the common room, Stallion spent some time chatting with locals asking if they knew of a surfboard for sale.
“Have you tried Facebook Marketplace? Ebay?” Said one helpful customer.
“I was hoping to pick up one from someone I knew, is all,” Stallion shrugged.
“Well, I’ll let people know,” They shrugged in turn, unsure why one of the bouncers of the establishment would be talking to them, “Are we okay? Like, we’re not doing anything to get in any trouble…”
“No, not like that, “ Stallion waved away their concerns, only to compound them by asking, “So, how’s your day been?”
“Ah, well I’m here drinking on a weekday, what do you think?”
When his inquiries didn’t provide any results, Stallion headed up to the office and spent sometime doomscrolling Gumtree for options.
Much like Mads and myself, as we doom-cruised through the inner suburbs, desperately not trying to think about what tomorrow would bring and how else to constructively use the rest of our night.
“Well, I’ve been told to shut up and wait, “ Mads said bitterly, “Is there anything you want to do tonight?”
“I disagree. No one has told you to shut up. In fact, that’s part of your charm, you say what’s on your mind,” Which reminded me of Bobby’s request to speak to Eclipse, “I do have to message Eclipse, unless…could you text her and she’s available for a chat?”
YOU BIZZY? MR EUROVISION WOULD LIKE A CONVERSATION, Was the text she decided to send. As I said, charming.
HE ALWAYS DOES, Came Eclipse’s quick reply. It was like these people knew me or something.
SO R U 3?
GONNA COME GRAB ME?
SURE, WE’LL SWING BY.
9.00 pm Wednesday, 12 December 9 hours until sunrise, 2 days until the S.C. Crow Bar
Notable NPCs
Abram: Ventrue, and one of the six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Agaricus: Children of the Moon, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Alex Holmestead: Husband of Mads. Location and status unknown.
Alicia: Toreador Vampire met at the Crow Bar
Ambrogino: 5th Generation Vampire, Cappadocian and Elder of the Giovanni Clan.
Avel: Rain’s mother, a wraith.
Beelzebub: Fallen angel, demon entity in Rain’s pocket watch.
Blanco Falzo: A man who had made into the likeness of Stallion’s dog for a time. Now deceased.
Bobby Lisner: Malkavian seer who lives in an old Sewer pipe in The Rocks.
Brendan Virgil: A.K.A. Miss Divine Intervention. Rain’s close friend.
Bruce: Ghoul of Mr Giovanni
Cabolut Hazzim: the name given by a vampire who cleared out the homeless at Rain’s old squat. Prince’s Assassin.
Days of the Week: Pseudonyms for members of the Baali group Eclipse (Luna) is now part of. She is Sunday, and they are missing Wednesday. Tuesday seems to be their nominal spokesperson, though they seem to have no leader.
Delith: Ambitious Ventrue bar staff at the Crowbar.
Detective Woodman: NSW Police ‘premiere’ detective and a sufferer of schizophrenia. He currently has an assistant named Notetaker.
Doctor Willis Hodge: A ghost acquaintance of Dominic Giovanni’s from the Coroner’s Court.
El Torcedor: “The Twister” or ore accurately, “The Fleshcrafter” A Tzimisce from South America
Founders of Sydney Masquerade: Those still alive: Abram, the Ventrue, in Canberra, Wid, the Nosferatu in Wollongong, Agaricus, Child of the Moon, Tasmania, Montague Layton, Toreador, current whereabouts unknown.
Francesco: a werewolf, part of the Spiral Dancers who investigated the Pyrmont basement.
Francis Tuttle: Name given in charge of the investigation into the deaths of the homeless in Surry Hills.
Garcia: Sire. Unknown location.
Giuseppe Giovanni: Ghoul of Mr Giovanni and nephew.
Harold Zettler: Chairman of the board of Pentax multinational. Standing member of the Sabbat.
Joel Mitchell: Mads’ friend. Deceased.
Kenneth Stahl: South African Giovanni (exiled)
Laibon: Vampire Clan out of Africa
Lady Merritt Stone: A very old and powerful vampire who has taken an interest in Izac. Rain spoke to her about the Coterie and Izac’s mission
Lambach Ruthven: Kin met at the theatre. Sire of Dracula. Drug addict.
Lenny: Rain’s Ghoul and artist friend, now with mages. Location unknown.
Lucretia: Childe of Ambrogino, now caretaker of the Pyrmont House and teacher to Dominic
Madeline Blackwell: Ghoul of Mr Giovanni, working at the State Coroners Court.
Montague Layton: Toreador, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Night Rider: Red-haired vampire? Works for the Prince.
Pangea: a Nosferatu (tunnel builder)
Padre Craneo: Nagaraja vampire met at the Crow Bar
Paul: a Nosferatu of the sewer rats
Pentax: a multinational group that is involved in a secret project called Omega.
Persephone: Sixth gen Malkavian who works security for Pentax an multinational company. Her sire is Harold Zettler. Something to do with the Spiral Dancer.
Prince Lodin: Prince of Chicago (until his final death in the 90s) and sire of Al Capone.
Prince Sarrasine (Sar-ras-seen): Toreador Ruler of Sydney*
Rumplestiltskin: A Kiasyn mixologist who uses fairies in his drinks.
Sebastian Melmoth: Kin met at the theatre. Powerful Toreador. Oscar Wilde.
Shara-had: Banu Haqim (Assamite).
Sparrow: a Nosferatu of the warren in Pyrmont, closest to home
Sydney Sewage Pumping Station number one: Known access to Nosferatu waiting room.
Tailor: Dominic’s Tailor who has a shop in Leichhardt
Teeth of Titanium: Werewolf dingo met in Leichhardt.
Tar- Anis: see Persephone.
The Prestiege: The speak for the four Tremere met at the Blavatsky Lodge.
The Twins: A pair of Tzimisce of Dominic’s acquaintance. The creators of Blanco Falzo the Dog??
The Woman: A powerful being of unknown name who kidnapped Izac and enchanted Rain. Lady Merritt
Tom: A sleeping head awakened by Dominic in the Dreamtime.
Vida Goldstein: an Australian suffragette, originally interested in women and children welfare. Malkavian. Diablerised by Dominic.
Wid: Nosferatu, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Glossary of terms:
Anarchists: a faction of Vampires. Caused issues in Los Angeles recently, killed the Prince.
Antediluvian: from before the time of the biblical flood. The third generation was the progenitors of the thirteen clans of vampires.
Baali: A bloodline bent on keeping beings old before time from waking up and destroying everything. Eclipse and the Days of the Week are Baali.
Banu Haqim: Also know as Assamites, Assassins though sometimes just mercenaries for hire.
Bone Gnawers: A pack of werewolves
Blood hunt: A process to destroy a vampire who has broken a tradition. Specifically mentioned in the sixth.
Blood worm: What a possessed vampire can turn into.
Black Spiral Dancers: A pack of werewolves that worship a being of entropy.
Brujah: One of the twelve clans of Cain.
Canaanites: Those descended from Cain, the first murderer and vampire.
Camarilla: a faction of Vampires closest to the Princes. Believe in hierarchy and order.
Children of Osirus: Bloodline outside the Caine family tradition who practise Bardo, a discipline to control the beast. Izac’s current Bloodline.
Children of Seth: Bloodline the Prince is rumoured to be (originally?)
Clan or Bloodline: From one of the children of Caine or subsequent established lines of vampires.
Christopher Charlton: Rain’s pseudonym.
Marauder: A mage gone mad. Living in his own pocket dimension that answers to the whim of his broken mind.
Diablerie : the drinking another vampire blood and soul
Favour: How Vampires pay for things they want or need doing.
Fetter: A place, person or thing that binds a wraith to the Shadowlands.
Gangrel: A bloodline of vampire. Stallion’s Bloodline.
Ghouls: Servants of a vampire who have been fed vitae. They are loyal, stronger, and more resilient, and sometimes, they show other powers gained from the blood. They must receive the blood at least once a month or they return to being human. Can be addictive.
Giovanni: A vampire bloodline that keeps within genetic family ties. Dominic is a Giovanni.
Glasswalkers: A pack of werewolves
Hunter: Members of the Society of Leopold, a branch of the Catholic Church. Fanatical vampire hunters and killers.
Kiasyd: Part of the La Sombre Clan.
Kin: Short for Kindred. Vampires, a name among themselves
Kine: Humans
Marauder: a rouge mage, often mad. They are likely to act in a way that exposes the Otherworld of the Masquerade to exposure.
Masquerade : The rule that keeps vampire society safe. Hiding ones nature from the world.
Nagaraja: A bloodline that are obligated to eat the flesh as well as the blood of their victims.
Men in Black: An international unit dedicated to controlling supernatural and alien entities.
The Red List: a universal kill list of vampires. Maintained by the Camarilla, anyone on the list can be mudered without question.
Sabbat: a faction of Vampires that believe that the progenitors of the clans will one day awake and eat all their young.
The Theosophical Society: A private society of learning and tolerance based out of the Blavatsky Lodge, St. Leonards (https://sydney.theosophicalsociety.org.au)
Tremere Pyramid: A strict hierarchical structure that all Tremere are part of. Every member knows their place within the Pyramid. The antidiluvian, Tremere, sits at the top of this pyramid.Below him, the number seven is repeated through the clan’s structure.
Toreador: Bloodline of Vampire. Rain’s Bloodline.
Traditions: Six laws that vampires live by.
Tzimisce: Bloodline of Vampire. Body sculptures.
Vaulderie: A ritual where Kindred swear loyalty to each other.
A Strange Life 