Vampire The Masquerade RPG
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The Times
The Kindred Chronicle
Key Figures
THE MONSTER OF EALING
Last night, several people reported the sighting of a "screaming red monster" in a quiet neighbourhood of Ealing. After a power shortage in the area, a building caught fire. It was then when, what was described as a "man shaped, footless creature" emerged from the flames, leaping, running, and screaming. One woman has told our reporters that the man had "teeth like a wolf, and the face of the devil". Police officers are still trying to get to the bottom of this; neither the power shortage nor the fire have still been explained. A spokesperson from Scotland Yard has stated that the "so called monster" might be a wounded person, escaping the fire.

TRAGEDY IN TOOLEY STREET
The police has found the bodies of three TFL workers in the construction site at Tooley Street. One of their colleagues raised the alarms last week, when the three workers didn't attend their shifts. The bodies of the men have been found in a deep hole, uncovered by the refurbishment works that are taking place in the area. According to the Police, the bodies were horribly mutilated, which has led to the wildest speculations. The names of the three workers are being kept anonymous, following the wishes of their families.

HOROSCOPE
MARCH 8 - PISCES
You are used to making sacrifices, to prioritising the happiness of others before yours. Even though that is a noble attitude, there are times in life where the only healthy alternative is to embrace your own selfishness and allow yourself some enjoyment. Reserve one hour per day to do something you really like. Treat yourself! Your colour for this month is blue.
Echoes from the past ring back into London. Their intensity increases until they are deafening. What once was a faded memory of a glorious time, now becomes a shocking reality. The consequences of actions taken decades ago ripple into the present, altering the lives of everybody in the City. Unguided and blind, Kindred wander around, trying to make profit out of the reigning chaos.


The appearance of four mysterious figures turned the city upside down. Mistrust and jealousy became the official currency of London. Serpents and fiends rise to power, misdirecting the blaming eyes of the Camarilla towards imaginary enemies. Only those with clear vision and the ability to trust each other strive, while the rest run towards a shallow grave.



Across The Board
Current Chronicle: Dragons and Lions; Pride and Fire
Current Season: Spring
Controlling Sect: Camarilla



Index
Getting Started
General Information
Central London
North London
East London
West London
South London
Miscellaneous
Out of Character


Population: 31

Camarilla
Anarchs
Other
Ventrue: 1
Toreador: 5 (6)
Brujah: 2 (3)
Malkavian: 7
Tremere: 2
Nosferatu: 3
Gangrel: 1
Ventrue: 1
Toreador: 0
Brujah: 2 (3)
Malkavian: 0
Nosferatu: 1
Gangrel: 1
Setites: 5
Sabbat: ???


THE CAMARILLA

Prince

Nobody

Sheriff
Meredith Furlong
Hounds
Robyne Sheridan
Rosella Marie Allain


Keeper of Elysium
Davvad Bisset

Grand Harpy
Catherine Wilke

Primogen
Ventrue: Marcus Antonio Russo
Brujah: Thomas Krusen
Gangrel: Alexa Mallik
Malkavian: Ellora Reese
Tremere: Hannah Sundling
Toreador: Arsenio Pozzi
Nosferatu: Dogan Khojak



ANARCHS

Baron

Khoza

Baronets
Enfield: Leslie
Haringey & Barnet: Clarice Harris
Harrow: Jelena Korolenko

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Welcome To The Night

You find yourself in London on a dreary, foggy night like any other. But what lurks in the shadows is the stuff of fantasies and nightmares, far from mortal reality.

This game uses the cursed and immortal vampiric condition as a backdrop to explore themes of morality, depravity, the human condition, salvation, and personal horror. We are a writing and roleplaying community dedicated to telling complex and engaging stories.

Your fate is your own. Mingle among the ivory-tower elite in the Camarilla, join the fight of the discontented and chaotic Anarch rabble, or set out independently and attempt to survive in London's nighttime underworld. Anything is possible in our World of Darkness.

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The Shadow of the Dancing Bear; North West side of Epping Forest; close to Lupine territory
Topic Started: Thursday, 4. September 2014, 12:23 (1,112 Views)
Tsar Ilya the First
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* * * *
A nightly walk had taken Ilya to the border of Epping Forest. What looked like an accident, was instead an obvious machination, a trick on his mind. Someone was really interested in getting him closer to nature, out of his comfort zone. That, or this was just another fake memory, haunting him from the back of his mind. Turning his back now was the best way of never finding out. Bad choice.

He stepped forward, clearly noticing how the dry leaves were crushed beneath his feet. He was inside the forest. After barely two minutes of walking, any thread of civilization was absolutely gone. Not even the lights of the city could penetrate the thick wall of trees and bushes that separated him from security. Who wants security anyway? In his life, security was the equivalent of uncertainty, and that was the worst form of slavery.

"Yes. Enter the forest. I need to feel the earth. Melt with the earth, vessel. Go melt with it."
"I can't do that, Oleg. I'm not an animal, like you are."
"Nonsense! You have to do as I say! And I say melt!"
"Have it your way. I've tried to be reasonable."

Ilya decided to ignore the Gangrel's ghost. However, Oleg's presence was reassuring. Now he knew what was pulling him towards that place. Switching off the ghost's voice was not an option; he haunted him whenever he felt like. The best thing he could do was to ignore the complaints and demands of the childish creature. It was mostly inoffensive, although certainly annoying.

He pondered for a couple of seconds if he should stay in the forest, now that he knew why he was there, or if he should just turn back and head home. He had a lot of work to do; his merchandise was waiting for him to advance in their training process, and that demanded a lot of attention from him. On the other hand, that forest seemed like a place full of dangers. What was the most logical and plausible course of action? What would a memory pusher make him remember? Probably, staying there for no apparent reason, and living some archetypal adventure. He turned back and walked towards the exit. Oleg's shouting was nearly unbearable; the Bear wanted to stay close to nature, and he was not happy about Ilya's decision. He could shout, but he was not stopping the Ventrue.

A crazed raven flew straight into Ilya's forehead, in a suicidal attempt to poke his left eye out. Ilya shouted in pain, still confused. The creature had broken its own neck crashing upon the vampire's face, leaving a nasty gush right above Ilya's left eyebrow.

"I said STAY! You are not leaving this forest until I'm done enjoying myself!"

So, that was it? The Gangrel was going to throw against him all the wildlife of Epping forest, just to make him stay five minutes more? That was just stupid. He took another step forward. A rattling noise made him stop. He looked in front of him, and saw them. Dozens of silhouettes, blocking his way. Squirrels, rats, cats, ravens, coots, rabbits, ducks, geese, frogs, snakes... every small animal was gathered there, creating a living barrier, looking at him with threatening eyes.

"Alright. Let's negotiate. Five minutes. No crawling, bathing or jumping in the mud."
"One hour. And you'll make your best to melt with the earth."
"Half an hour. Forget about melting."
"Deal. But you'll go where I tell you."
"Unless it's stupid, I'll do that."

So, Ilya and Oleg reached some sort of arrangement. It wasn't the first time they faced a stalemate like this. Ilya didn't want to get shredded to pieces by a horde of vermin, and Oleg wanted to be able to enjoy nature through Ilya's body. They walked. After ten minutes, there was no way of telling where the path was. It was all closed forest. Dark. Disturbing. Probably full of lupines and deranged Gangrels. Ilya just wanted to go back home.
Edited by Tsar Ilya the First, Thursday, 4. September 2014, 18:37.
Languages:

Russian, Japanese, English, French, Finnish, German

Oleg's Voice

You may know me as Yuri Mikhailov or as Khoza.
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Leslie
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Flemish... furry... flirty... feline! (YODO) Perfection Purrs!
* * * * * * *
What a surprise! Of course our beloved Gangrel could be found in the Epping Forest. This place was amazing. There was barely enough nature in London but the patches of land that were filled with nature were wonderful. The Flemish girl was running around and jumping from tree to tree enjoying the dry air. Here and there a lonely night bird sang its song.

The wind made the leaves dance on the branches. It was Mother Nature's symphony of life. Leslie was pleased being a part of it. She sat down on a branch and stared around her with a smile. A Gangrel was typically satisfied when in nature and Leslie was no exception.

With her legs swinging back and forth she hummed a song. An unknown song. It was probably a melody of the moment. Suddenly her ears picked up on an unnatural noise. Footsteps were breaking leaves and twigs on the ground and there was a distant whisper of a voice.

The young vampire remained seated were she was. Having the advantage of a higher view. Her feet were were hidden in black sneakers. A pair of dark brown shorts and a white sleeveless T-shirt which was already stained by nature was wrapped around her body. Her Frenzy marks were well hidden.

Nervously awaiting who or what was near her eyes peered between the trees. Her nose wriggling in the air trying to discover the scents in the wind. Was it someone familiar or a stranger. An animal perhaps? Waiting and hiding in plain sight...
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Demon: Leslie's ghoul cat!

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Tsar Ilya the First
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* * * *
Still walking. Aimlessly. Pointlessly. How stupid could that spirit be? Ilya cursed his life once again. Being haunted was bad enough, but being haunted by such an imbecile was just unbearable. Such a rural imbecile, to make it even worse. That idiot Oleg was enamored of the world of nature, of the smell of the forests, of the majesty of its creatures... For Ilya, the world of nature was just a boring endless landscape of dark green, away from civilization and wireless connections. Away from spreadsheets and gadgets. Nothing to learn, nothing to entertain himself with. The smell of the forests was... Animal feces with rotten plants. That was it. No charming aroma. It stank worse than the room of a barely trained whore after a hard day's job. The majesty of the forest creatures was the worst of them. Vermin, small monsters trying to kill him, or to defecate on him to claim his body as their territory. Underdeveloped creatures, worth even less than the most useless flesh machines.

If it was up to Ilya, the forests would be all cut down and replaced by huge complexes, training facilities for flesh machines, where they could learn their basic programming and go out to the world, to serve their undead masters. Huge steel and concrete structures, sheltering hundreds of square miles from the cruelty of the sun. That was Ilya's paradise; a dream that would never really come true, much to his disappointment. Knowing that his most elevated fantasies couldn't be realized didn't make this nightly walk in the forest any easier on him. It was even worse, like having his eternal failure rubbed against his face.

A noise above him made him stop, with his senses in high alert. Was that another damn animal? Or was there something else watching him? He looked up, focusing his gaze as if his eyes could penetrate the darkness. They couldn't, but nobody needed to know that, if he was being watched. He adopted a combat stance, ready to receive a blow from any side. He considered talking, but the idea of starting a conversation with an owl dissuaded him. However, Oleg was becoming more and more talkative. He wanted Ilya to melt with the earth. Not again. What the stupid animal called 'Melting with the Earth', was a humiliating dance Ilya had to made, lying on the ground and trying to cover himself with leaves and dirt. He was not going to humor the ghost that night. Not when he felt he was in danger.
Languages:

Russian, Japanese, English, French, Finnish, German

Oleg's Voice

You may know me as Yuri Mikhailov or as Khoza.
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Leslie
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Flemish... furry... flirty... feline! (YODO) Perfection Purrs!
* * * * * * *
It was a good thing Leslie had no idea what the stranger really thought about the forest. Cutting down trees and removing nature was just pure blasphemy! However Leslie could not read minds and she could look at the person with a unbiased mind the moment he came in view. Her glowing eyes took in the sight. He was quite handsome and had a stern looking face. One you wouldn't easily forget. Nothing about him gave any sign he was where he belonged or wanted to be. How odd...

A giggle escaped her when the tension took over and the man took on a hostile vibe and defensive stance. The young Gangrel dropped down and landed in crouched position behind the man. This position had its advantages as she could jump up to his throat and her claws could do severe damage if he decided to kick her. For now she had no claws visible. Her nose wriggled because he had a strange scent. He was vampire but what kind? There was something wrong as she could feel that pulling sensation in her guts telling her to be careful. Not many traveled through the dense part of the forest so not only was she curious but also careful.

The wind blew through the forest making the lower foliage sway on its waves while it had to go around the strong trees leaving only a cold touch upon the wood. All the children of Mother Nature were playing nicely together but many times before it had shown how deadly it could be. It was why this young Gangrel had so much respect for it.

A sweet whisper emerged from her. Nothing threatening about her. "Are you lost kind sir?" She had the image of a young child, slightly bewildered with her chocolate doe-eyed gaze, broken off twigs and leaves stuck in her dark hair which was held up in a messy ponytail. Her head was tilted to the side. She was looking at him like a curious animal awaiting the next move.

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Tsar Ilya the First
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* * * *
So, it was a fact. He was being watched. Whoever was his watcher jumped through the branches and dropped behind him. Bad. Really bad. If this was a lupine, he could say goodbye to his life at that very moment. But... What? A woman? This was getting more and more confusing. Why was a woman jumping through the trees in a forest so late at night? Was she a werewolf too? She didn't sound hostile but, again, she had decided to jump behind him. Ilya's mind double clicked on his inner Excel icon, and analyzed the possibilities.

Options and Outcomes
Option:Turning around, kicking dust against her face, and jumping for the kill.Raising arms and fully surrendering.Turning slowly, and talking.
Best case scenario:She gets blinded by the dust. Ilya jumps gracefully, grabs her mid air, and lands on top of her, immobilizing her. She begs for her life, but he knows she is just a Camarilla agent coming for him. He sinks his fangs in her neck and drinks her dry. Then he melts in the Earth to quiet Oleg's spirit.She admires his courage and trust, and pledges loyalty and obedience to him. He is magnanimous, and declares that he doesn't need her obedience. She puts her army of werewolves at his disposal to wage any war he wants. He conquers London. Then the UK. Then Europe. He becomes the new Czar of the world.She reacts positively to his diplomatic approach, and engages in a useful, enriching conversation. Over time, she becomes a useful asset to his cause.
Worst case scenario:He tries to kick the sand, only to clumsily fall down. She draws a chainsaw and chops his arms and legs off. She stakes him, puts his body in a box and puts him in a plane. He gets freed on Moscow, in the palace of the Prince. His brother and his sister are there, staked too. Beside the Prince, his sire is laughing. They are burnt alive.She takes advantage of his weakness and sets him on fire. After some seconds of agony, she throws water on him and stakes him. She carries him to a basement where she sets him on fire every other day just to enjoy witnessing his suffering. She does that for ten thousand years. Then, one day, she decides not to put the flames down.She does not care for his talking, but it's not that bad. The problem doesn't come from her, but from her man, her brother and her father, who are using her as a bait to hunt Ilya. These guys have come all the way from Russia, and are a joint unit of Sabbat and Camarilla, working together to hunt him down and preserve her virtue from him.
Most likely outcome:He kicks the sand. She doesn't understand what he is doing. He jumps. She dodges. They fight for a couple of seconds. She has better combat abilities. He pushes her mind into stopping the violence and they talk. He regrets using his mind control powers over her. Any chance of making an interesting contact is lost forever.She takes his reaction as a sign of weakness and loses any potential respect for him. She may even attack him for sport.She is as scared of him as he is of her. She finds the idea of talking like civilized creatures much more interesting than the perspective of fighting someone who could be really dangerous.


He slowly turned around, without raising his hands from a defensive stance. In front of him, a small framed girl, crouching in a way that could be seen as the portrait of pure innocence, or as a very aggressive position. Not an entirely relaxing situation. To make it more uncomfortable for Ilya, the darkness was not helping him at all make out the girl's silhouette, as just a few moonbeams could get through the dense layer of trees and leaves on top of them.

"Lost? Yeah, something like that. Are you some sort of local guide? I was told this forests were... dense... but this is more than I expected." He tried to look confident, and keep his cool, even though he was obviously out of place, surrounded by nature.
Languages:

Russian, Japanese, English, French, Finnish, German

Oleg's Voice

You may know me as Yuri Mikhailov or as Khoza.
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Leslie
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Flemish... furry... flirty... feline! (YODO) Perfection Purrs!
* * * * * * *
If his reaction would have been any slower she might have fallen asleep but eventually he did turn around. It was fairly obvious he was indeed out of place and not to mention he seemed nervous. What he said gave her the right indication that he wasn't used to places like this. Her eyes had a glimmer of red due to her night vision (Eyes of the Beast) being turned on.

To her it was so natural she had absolutely no idea how hard it was to see in the forest. He gave off a certain vibe of confidence but not enough to convince the young Gangrel. Seeing that the first interaction went without any hostility Leslie rose to her feet. "Guide? Sure I could be your guide if you want me to. I can guide you anywhere you like but I suspect for now a bit more light will do us good."

There were two reasons for this. One: this way he could see her as well and she came across as friendly. Two: he would be slightly deeper in the forest and be at her mercy as she knew her way around the dark.

Slowly she approached him and spoke with a calm voice. "I'm going to grab your hand to guide you to a clearing not far from here. Do anything stupid and only your ashes will leave this forest." There was no threat in her tone. It was informative but just that calmness in the way she warned him was hopefully enough to give him the assurance she would indeed not hesitate to defend herself.

Whether he understood or not she did try to grab his hand with a smooth and gentle touch. If he let her she would make sure they could go to the clearing on an easy path so he would make it there safely. Once arrived if everything would go well the other vampire would be able to see her in a better light as it was a clear sky with a bright moon above them. She let go of him and looked at him with regular eyesight now. There was enough light for her now as well.

"So tell me who is this beautiful stranger I'm looking at right now?" And Leslie did have a confident bubble flowing around her. As Gangrel she was used to an environment like this. Nature was her home away from home.
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Tsar Ilya the First
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* * * *
She grabbed his hand and guided him through the woods. At first, he was uneasy; physical contact was a dangerous tool in the wrong hands, and he was well aware of the dangers of proximity. But he decided to trust. Any other option was too much of a risk, anyway. He let her walk him to the clearing, focusing on not stumbling on any branch or rock. It was amazing how she walked silently, as if she was part of this environment, while he found every single step a whole new unwanted and annoying adventure. That sort of variety deeply fascinated Ilya. Further more: this Vampire was a woman. A woman, alone in the forests, without a man to protect her. She was facing him, talking to him, even defying him in some way. And he knew that she could even be dangerous. That was absolutely crazy, from his point of view. But accepting the 'crazy', and taking it as the mundane was part of his survival program. He looked at her, avoiding her gaze. Small frame. That meant fast. Confident attitude. That meant danger. In case of conflict, his best chance of survival was to mess with her mind, and to do it really quick.

"People call me Khoza. New in town, just landed. Gotta place there, in Enfield, but no connections to anyone. I was just taking a walk, scouting the area, when I found the forest. I don't know why... I just felt compelled to enter. It doesn't remind me of home, it's not that. Just following an impulse."

He looked around, and found a fallen tree. He approached it and sat down, looking at the sky, as if he was deeply entranced by the beauty of the place. He wasn't, but he needed to have a way of avoiding her gaze without looking distrustful. Most vampires didn't understand how powerful could a simple stare be. For Ilya, avoiding it was a sign of confidence and respect. The sight of the clear sky, framed by the trees, seemed to calm down Oleg. It was an inspiring situation. Ilya's mind was thrown into the past.

"To be honest, this place reminded me of a man I used to know: Oleg. Not a friend. Quite the brute, indeed. He loved forests, and lakes. I followed him through woods and swamps. His trail was so obvious... He used to climb up the highest trees, and howl to the moon. Then he danced, holding himself with his legs, and shaking his arms in the air. The dancing bear. I tried to hurt him, then he got me in real trouble. We fought. It was hard... very hard. We hurt each other badly. Then we started talking. We talked a lot. I don't like him, and he doesn't like me, but still... we talked. He said nonsense. He was angry. I tried to reason. He refused to listen. The conversation was awful, and I couldn't get away. I didn't want to fight him again, and I couldn't leave the place. So I howled, and then I danced. I danced like him. I became the dancing bear. He softened. His anger went away. He laughed, and he danced with me. I became his shadow, and he liked that. So... this place reminded me of Oleg. Not my friend, but someone who is always close to my soul." Quite literally.

Ilya was smiling, but there was something uneasy and anti natural about his smile. Not insincerity, but not honesty either. The smile reflected an attempt to relax in the middle of a currently painful situation. The story Ilya was telling was clearly more than just a memory.
Languages:

Russian, Japanese, English, French, Finnish, German

Oleg's Voice

You may know me as Yuri Mikhailov or as Khoza.
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Leslie
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Flemish... furry... flirty... feline! (YODO) Perfection Purrs!
* * * * * * *
No eye contact whatsoever. He did not look in her eyes but looked at her. His gaze did its research on how she looked probably estimating her and his options. Leslie thought he must be really scared or lost or both. She almost felt sorry for him but she couldn't let that feeling take over as that was a sentiment that could get her in danger too fast. He was bigger than her and if he was Brujah it would be a long fight but her claws hurt every vampire badly. She wished he wasn't a mind fucker. Those Kindred with such abilities were better to be avoided or to have as a friend but even then you needed to be on your toes. Mostly she hoped he wasn't a Tremere. She disliked those magical stuck up vampires. They always had fire with them. A shudder went down her spine at that thought.

Leslie focused on the other vampire present while he sat down and looked up at the moon. His words were confusing her. Khoza seemed to be talking about a Gangrel but not a good way. She disliked how he spoke of the brutz, Oleg, but he knew him better than her. It was mere a sting of anger that he seemed to have made a bad encounter with one of her own clan. His words were falling from his lips like a tornado swirling out of the sky. He sounded like a... Malkavian? Why was it that Leslie seemed to attract the clan? Up till now she had always found a friendship or a love (where was her Emily?) with them but would it be the same now?

The Gangrel tried to stay calm as Emily started haunting her mind. If she got lost in that thought it would get dangerous. It was getting harder and harder to keep it under control and that was the reason for why she was so deeply in this forest. Solitude soothed her sleepless soul.

Okay then weird person... "Ok. Nice story. I am glad there is something you... erm... like (?) here in London. So you just arrived and you live in Enfield. Why Enfield?"

Enfield was Anarch land. Now the question was did he knew that and was he Anarch like her or did he just accepted a quick home here in London? If he had to leave wherever he came from in a hurry he might not be aware of where he was living. The fact she didn't reveal her name was with a reason. It was to let him know he was where she wanted him. For now she would try to keep the upper hand.
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Tsar Ilya the First
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* * * *
The lady's matter of fact tone shook Ilya out of his trance. Oleg was gone, his wailing far away from his soul. For some reason, the Gangrel's spirit was at peace, and that allowed the Ventrue some freedom of thought. He was sitting on a log, in a very relaxed attitude. Yet, the lady still kept he guard up. She was asking the questions now. Interesting. Different, at least. He found the whole situation quite enjoyable, and he had to make a willpower effort not to chuckle. If she wanted to play that game, he would have to be a gentleman, and give her that status that she was so bravely demanding. He didn't move. He didn't look at her. He kept on staring at the sky, and letting the words pour out of his mouth.

"Enfield? I heard it was the place to be. I was in Berlin, before, and some friends in Los Angeles told me that the North was where I was going to find what I'm looking for. They warned me against the West and the South; stuck up bastards, freedom haters there. Rebels on their own, in the great scheme of things, but definitely castrating, for the free thinking man. They also told me about the dangers of the East, where life is apparently worth nothing, even if your loyalty lies in the pack mentality. I came here following advice, looking for people like me, who believe in personal freedom and equality. Did I come to the right place?"

His voice was quite monotonous. Even though his words were rich, his thick Russian accent made some of them hard to understand. His attitude, although cold and distant, was somehow humble. He did not allow any of his natural arrogance transpire. After all, if they were playing that game where she was the dangerous and powerful local and he was the naive and innocent visitor, wouldn't it be terribly boring to turn it into a rude fight for the power, where the loudest voice wins?
Languages:

Russian, Japanese, English, French, Finnish, German

Oleg's Voice

You may know me as Yuri Mikhailov or as Khoza.
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Leslie
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Flemish... furry... flirty... feline! (YODO) Perfection Purrs!
* * * * * * *
Her biggest concern was that he still refused to look at her. Instead his gaze was fixed on the sky and the stars. She had to admit that she loved staring at the universe above them as well but not now while a stranger just happened to pop up. His explanation about why he was at Enfield confused her a little but basically he said he was Anarch... she thought.

"This is indeed a rather free part of London and hopefully we can keep it like that. So you certainly are at the right place."

The Gangrel wanted to see what sort of person he was. At the moment he seemed like a lost Malkavian. She attracted Malkavians so it wouldn't surprise her he was one.

With a smile she watched his stern contours and distant demeanour. "There is a place close by that represents a special kind of freedom. Woodland burial is here as well. Instead of a grave they can rest their ashes in the wood and a tree gets planted on top of it. So basically they live on in the wood and the leaves. A little notification tells the name of the person. The thought pleases me. I believe that is why these woods are so full of life and energy. Can you feel it as well?"

Exactly what she was asking him: do you hear voices?
Leslie wondered what he was. Maybe the reaction to her story would show her something about him. The girl really enjoyed the fact humans became a part of the ground and trees. This was the place she wanted to die as well when/if it ever needed to happen.

To emphasize her story she closed her eyes and spread her arms next to her like wings. She swayed with the wind and hummed softly. So much energy the nature gave her. It crawled into her and wrapped her heart with a warm calmness. She felt secure between these trees. Even though her eyes were closed her ears were attentive. Every change around her made her head tilt ever so slightly and calmly in that direction. It betrayed she wasn't as relaxed as she wanted to appear.

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Tsar Ilya the First
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* * * *
Ilya surprised himself staring at the Gangrel while she danced in the forest. Her soft and harmonic contortions, as if she was actually an integral part of these woods... there was something deeply evocative about that. Her movements, and her words, transported him to a better place, a world where no Kindred had to worry about ever being in danger, and where any of them could express their true identity without fear of rejection, or worse. He had seen many dreamers go through the years, dead, destroyed, annihilated by greed and fear, their flames often extinguished by his own hands. Now, in just a simple and short exchange with a complete stranger, all the voices of those dreamers vibrated back in the air, giving significance to the whole scenario.

The trees around him were somehow alive, as death was the beginning of life. Her point of view was clear and consistent, and Ilya's most lyrical side couldn't help but agreeing with her. The trees were 'souls', or aborted projects of future Kindred. Those dead creatures could have been immortal, as they both were. They could have lived forever, and created art so sublime their whole history could be fully justified in cosmic terms. They could have originated thoughts of a depth so abyssal they would have found the proverbial meaning of life. They could have advanced science up to a point where their species wouldn't have to feed, or hide from the sun. They could have made them all gods on Earth. And now they were trees, those trees that sheltered the two of them at that moment, witnessing her dance and his quiet realization. His mind smiled upon the magnificence of such thought, but his soul was untouched by the flora.

"The energy? Yes, I can feel it. It is primordial, purely creative, and yet wise and philosophical. These trees have the experience of centuries, and the drive of what's immediate. I can feel it."

His eyes turned back up to the sky. What could he tell her? That he felt nothing? That was not what a gentleman was supposed to do. She was allowed to feel whatever she wanted. He wasn't going to spoil this moment for her with his square headed lack of sensibility. The most he could aspire to in terms of emotional involvement with those trees was tearing them down, building a piano with them and playing the most beautiful sonata on it. He wasn't sure that was the kind of energy she was referring to. He nearly laughed at the idea. That mortal, who could have been a Vampire, who could have been eternal, who could have created the most fascinating works of art, died before his time, planted as a tree, only to be chopped down, to be transformed into a piano for him to entertain his guests. That same cycle, that idea of an impossibly unfair cancelled potential, was repeated over and over. Wherever Ilya placed the eye of his mind, he could find it. Of all the decisions any given creature could make, the ones that this same creature didn't make were always more, and more extreme. They all lived in a world over populated by rejected possibilities.

Where did the two of them, at that very moment, fit in that grand scheme? Maybe all of that was just a way of taking the whole concept too far. Maybe Ilya just needed to let his square headed nature roam free. Still, he didn't want that. He was at peace with this fit of lyricism.

"To be honest, I came here tonight following a dark instinct. My heart was demanding me to put myself in danger's way, to test how much luck I've got left. Apparently I'm good on that department, considering I got to meet you, instead of some creature who wouldn't even dignify my presence with some warm conversation before destroying me. Why did I follow this instinct? If I could answer that question, it would all be way simpler for me. All I know is that most of the times we are just puppets of our darkest impulses, and no rational or emotional explanation can save us from ourselves. I... I just hope you understand what I mean. It's been a while since I had the chance to... to actually talk like this with anyone. Even if this was my last night on this Earth, sharing this kind of ideas makes it all worth it."

Even though what he was saying was quite personal and important for him, his face and the tone of his voice were not affected by it. He just said it, as if he was talking about something else. Only twice he hesitated, and those hesitations were short and sharp, barely noticeable.
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Leslie
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His words pleased her. The lack of soulful empathy didn't. Just like her he only seemed to show the shell they were. Every real glow, feeling, sensation and vibration of their inner person was hidden somewhere. Though there was no reality in what they were it did tell both of them that they were safe with each other. However being cautious didn't harm them. They were stuck in this moment of space and time. A connection they unwillingly had created but would linger between them for eternity. The trees were their witnesses and would forever remind them of this night.

The moment she let her arms fall beside her she opened her eyes and noticed how he looked back at the sky. Not only Leslie but also her Beast disliked the fact he was still avoiding her eyes. Her Beast felt it was being ignored but Leslie knew how dangerous eye contact could be. There was so much power and meaning in a stare. Though she would have loved to be acknowledged by a simple nod or approving look. Finally her humming stopped and she went to take a seat right in front of him in the grass. She sat in Lotus position and rested her hands on her knees. Her eyes were first upon him and she let them slide to the sky. There was only a small part of the twinkling bright spots visible from the dark blanket above them.

Was it to taunt him or just to show him he was safe close to her and more importantly in her eyes that she sat like this? She didn't really know it herself either but at least it did give some sort of safety.

"You shouldn't want to question it. There's a reason why it is called an instinct. Whether it is meant to be, dumb luck, some sort of serendipity or another mysterious source just accept this meeting and this night. I try to avoid questioning what does not have an answer. But everything, whether it was good or bad, has a lesson hidden somewhere in it."

Normally Leslie could be found amongst some young, vivid and living human beings. Dancing to a beat like it was a drug. An addiction. And in so many ways it maybe was an addiction. Or she was in nature, like this night, far away from anything but the pure essence of the world. Exploring the trees and learning from the animals or talking to them. This night however she met this man. A man who provoked somewhere deep down her that she should fear him.

"Khoza?" It was the first time she let his name carefully roll from her lips as if she was testing it to see if it was appropriate to say it out loud by her. When he would look at her she would merely smile. If he wouldn't look at her she would still smile. Either way she would speak again whether their eyes interlocked or not. "I'm Leslie." Was all she said but by giving her name she also gave a bit more trust.
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She stopped dancing and sat in front of him, on the lotus position. Two walking corpses relaxing by night in a forest, probably not far away from the hideout of several extremely dangerous shape-shifters, counting stars and telling tales. Not what a vacation brochure of London would announce, precisely, but it made Ilya feel good nevertheless.

"Leslie..." He savoured her name for a short while. "Instincts are a complicated matter; following them seems to be the smartest decision, but sometimes they are treacherous, specially for people like us. You seem to be quite keen on following them. I had to make a huge effort to start trusting my own instincts and, still, I'm wary of their suggestions. So many times I've faced mortal danger just for being naive and listen to my inner animalistic nature... Finding the right balance seems like an impossible task, one of those that can keep your heart busy for a couple of lifetimes. However, it's still a commendable quest."

He kept on thinking about what instinct meant for him and for the ones that had crossed his path through the years. Some people were more honest and open about them, like Sir Hewson. Some others, like Ivan, fully negated the existence of their instinct, and revelled in their monstrously cold nature.

"There is only one thing I fully believe in, and my instincts are quite about it. They don't deny it or approve it. Freedom. I believe that each one of us, creatures of the night, have the right to be free of action and thought, and that nobody has the right to directly attack that freedom, unless forced by the most unusual and extreme circumstances. What do you believe in, Leslie?"

For some reason, Ilya considered important sharing this with his new acquaintance. He couldn't understand why was he trusting her so much, but he did. Maybe he just needed someone to bounce off his own head... Maybe there was more to it.
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Leslie
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Naive... yes. She knew how that could be. He was right in a more ways than one. She knew that her instinct could get too heavy, too much and too dangerous. How many times had she gotten in trouble because she had just followed her gut? Sometimes it was very hard to find the difference between your gut and your curiosity. Or maybe she was just too young for it. Anyway it was indeed a complicated thing.

"I understand. You speak wise. But I don't know. I have been able to survive up till now just be going with my gut. I never had someone who showed me the way. On your own you need to get to the next night one way or another."

Balance was not easy to achieve and she believed she had some most of the time but she had weak moments. Especially because she was so young. The only luck was her training with Tzimisce. Meant she was a little more stable. Well it was nit all luck. She had been in much darkness and terror in the beginning to prove herself.

What did she believe in? His speech was enough to let her think about what she believed in. Through the years her view on the world and the nights had changed a lot depending on her master at charge then. She had been easily influenced during the past nights. She knew that and was honest about that in her mind. But now she needed to know what she was believing in this very night.

"Freedom. That is one thing. I always wanted to be free but I never really succeeded in that. I was either a prisoner of my own mind and focused on revenge. Or had found myself stuck with a master, someone who believed in me and wanted to mold me in something."

With a sigh she leaned back on her hands. The stars seemed to smile at her to let her known she could speak freely. "I believe in love though it seems to have forsaken me." Again she sighed. Young and foolish. That was what she felt. Maybe she was a hopeless romantic who would find an end some night soon if she didn't learn how to listen to her head instead of her heart.

"Maybe I shouldn't believe in much as I always find disappointment instead of truth." Her chocolate brown eyes looked at Ilya again. Trying to catch his gaze.
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The air between the two Vampires was getting warmer and more intense. They were past the introduction stage, and already opening their souls to each other. Still she kept on poking at his face with her gaze, trying to catch his eyes. Was she trying to mess with his mind? If that was the case, his natural defence was working.

"Each one finds the ways to survive and to find some meaning to this life. I had many teachers; some gave me pieces of truthful information, some showed me how to do all the wrong things... teaching by example. At the end of the day, the only teacher is the one we have inside. I could try to teach you, but it would be useless, as you already know better than me how your instincts work, how your gut tells you what to do."

Ilya was enjoying the conversation. It was a nice change of pace, after all the tension in the last few weeks. His frustration with the lack of organization of the Anarchs, all the paranoia and loneliness he was perceiving from all the people he was meeting... Getting to talk to somebody who was actually open to chat about the deepest issues of their conditions... that was wonderful. If only she could stop staring at him like that...

"Love? I haven't thought about that in a while. Well, I know about the love one has for his family. That's very important. I'm not talking only about the family you get randomly in life; there is a form of family you choose. I love my family... And I miss them much. Apart from that, I don't think I've loved anyone since my heart stopped beating. It's commendable that you keep those feelings alive; it must give you some sort of... 'quest' sensation."

Even though his tone was still monotone and informative, there was a subtle hint of trust and candour somewhere in his words. His eyes were still fixed on the sky, peeking fascinated at all the different constellations he could see in that starry night.
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Leslie
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Eventually Leslie gave up trying to search for his gaze. If the man wanted to remain upon his high horse than he could but the Gangrel didn't like it. Ah well... nothing to be done about it.

"I had to learn to understand my gut. It was that or death. Sometimes the best lessons in life are the hardest ones to learn and to undergo."

A teacher wasn't something she was looking for. She only wanted a good conversation and find out what this stranger was doing here. A shiver went down her spine. She felt afraid of him. As if something powerful was lurking within him. However she was good at hiding her fear and unless he was able to read into her hidden emotions, which some Kindred could do, he wouldn't notice it. Had they shared their clan already? The night felt longer than it really was.

"Good thing a cat has nine lives." she said with a hint towards her animal side while she purred.

His look upon love made her sit in silence with her mouth agape. Really? Was this guy serious? Either Leslie was too young to understand or he was too old to still know how it felt. She wasn't sure how to respond to him and looked at how she ran her fingertips through the grass to feel the midnight moist creep up.

"Love comes in many shapes and sizes. It could be material like a certain way of appreciating music, books, movies, clothes... Or a bit deeper like caring for nature, your environment, family, friends and to some degree you have to love your enemies as well. But I was talking if a thing most search for but hardly ever find."

The girl sighed as her thoughts started running wild with memories. "There's a part of a person that always yearns for that special touch from that special person. We were unique together. It was like coming home and not having to fear a single thing in the world. But now I'm alone because it has been taken away from me."

With a rather angry frown she ended her fragile moment. She suspected the Prince might be involved but she still hadn't found enough clues to know for sure. Emily had more secrets than Leslie could ever know. With a sigh and in a whisper she said. "I guess I failed my quest."
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His new acquaintance had somehow opened a part of her heart to him; she had just trusted him with some part of her deepest emotional reality. Maybe she had not given him any details, names, or anything truly specific, but the pain this creature was feeling was as real as that very night. Any suspicion of being trapped inside an implanted memory disappeared from Ilya's mind. That little woman, with her despair, and existential anguish... the resonances were far too strong to ignore.

She was talking about love, a word Ilya rarely used, or thought about, but the sentiment was really close to him. The idea of being alone, of being abandoned by someone close; the feeling of being betrayed by existence itself. How one can enjoy the best things in life for a second, only to lose them soon, for no apparent reason. That was the true meaning of death, above all things. Out of his control, in a unique display of empathy, the microscopic thread that was his mortal soul made a bloody tear roll through Ilya's left cheek, as he stared at the sky, perfectly still, like a marble statue on a red tracksuit.

"It is said that, if a human being is kept inside a closed room, separated from any stimuli, fully detached from the outside world -excepting two meals a day, and a piece of cake every Sunday-, and if that man is denied his piece of cake one Sunday, the amount of pain his soul will feel is the exact same as the pain a mother feels when losing her children. We, night-dwellers, are cursed to live forever. Every small thing we like, even if we only appreciate it subtly, for us is a Sunday cake, and our existence is just a progression of denied cakes. The truly important things, those related to our ways of coping with loneliness, are thus more important, and therefore more painful. The pain you feel right now is as immense as the universe, and then some more. It is such an unbearable torture, it even gives meaning to your whole life, as it gives you an unequivocal hint: you are equipped to feel. The ability to feel, to have a "gut", to bend to the wishes of a voice that is not the demon living in your blood, that trait is sacred, and that is what makes you unique. Tonight, you have made my soul feel a pain it had not felt in decades, and for that I will be forever grateful."

Still, his voice tone was nearly neutral, but it was breaking at some points. He didn't even move his body by an inch. But that red tear was reaching his jaw, and getting closer to his neck. The cold monster was alive, after all.
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Leslie
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The young Gangrel feared that she might not really understand what he was saying. Her head got tilted to the right side and then the left as if she was a curious little puppy that was trying to comprehend the very command that its master was telling her. He spoke with such odd monotone that it was hard to stay awake but what he was saying did have a context that Leslie started to dissect so she could examine it bit by bit. His words were cold but the tear that suddenly saw live upon his cheek. Leslie watched it with awe as if it was the first time she had ever seen a blood tear. And to be honest it nearly felt like it was. This man was so different than herself. "We are all unique."

Where she was colourful and bouncy he was a dark rock that didn't move but didn't they always say that you can build on a rock? Then what did that mean for Leslie? Wasn't she a person one could rely on? Loyalty was very important to her and so was being honest and truthful especially when it was about matters of the heart. Most of the time she had been her own rock as everything else she had ever wanted to build upon had been made from sand and had disappeared with the first few waves of difficulties crashing upon her.

When his story came to an end a pale index finger slowly extended itself towards his face. If he allowed it she would sweep away that single blood tear and watch at it while it sat on the tip of her finger. She held her hand up and made sure it wouldn't slip of her finger.

"I guess I should stop having cake then." she moved her finger down and dropped the tear on a brown and yellowish leave that had fallen off a branch. "Now two small parts of a soul have found a final resting spot on the ground. Nature will accept this gift and feed of it so it can give birth to something new. That's how it always goes. Maybe when spring comes a flower will grow here and that flower will have a reminder of you and maybe even of me. A never ending circle of life and one night our ashes will feed this earth and the process will start again. Each tear is letting go of the flood of pain we have inside of us so something else can find life and grow within us. We need it to cleanse ourselves."

However she didn't understand why he was grateful for sharing her pain in such an extent that he could feel it. She had barely given any information and just told him the vague feelings she used to have but what she had said hadn't compared to what she was feeling. Maybe she had given off such a vibe that he had felt it. Could some vampires feel or see such things? Maybe in her aura? If he could see that. She wondered how that looked like. Perhaps like a halo around her head.

Doubtfully she said... "Grateful? I feel slightly upset for making you feel something like that. I shouldn't be bothering others with such trivial things." Was there a hint of shame in her? Most likely, yes. And so she tried to downplay what she accidentally shared with him that had made him cry one bloody tear.
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Ilya didn't move when Leslie touched his face. He quietly allowed her to take his tear, and then watched her hands as she offered the mix of their blood to the Earth. That small ritual was strangely familiar, like a twisted version of a Vaulderie. It was beautiful, and made him feel at ease.

"Thanks you. You give meaning to my emotions. I needed that. It's been a while..."

He stood up, and approached the small Gangrel. He offered her his hand, while looking elsewhere.

"Dear friend, your pain is anything but trivial. What else can be important in our lives, if we are cursed to walk this Earth forever? Sharing this kind of truth, that is a priceless treasure, something that I'm keeping with me. Now, would you care to walk me out of this place? I'm not used to this kind of environment, and I'm starting to feel uneasy about this forest."

All of his ideological questions, the essential issues that seemed to press everything around him lately, were not present at that moment. For all he cared, this little girl could be Mr. Blucher's best friend, and he would not have cared about that. Every now and then, his unlife gave him that sort of peaceful moment, of small secret place where he could have a real conversation with another real creature, and share some of their reality. This was probably the only way his sense of reality was solidified, made concrete, apart from his random self mutilation episodes.

It didn't mattered for him that they could eventually become enemies, or allies. She made him remember Julie, his brother's loved one. She was all for him, and he was all for her. One day, their paths put them in a place that was forbidden, and both acted according to their sense of duty. Julia got the easy consequence: the stake and the sunrise. Maxim had to deal with her loss for decades, however. He told Ilya many times how much he envied her. This Leslie was even physically similar to Julia. And there was something so terribly familiar with her way of ritualizing his tear... He wanted to ask her if she had any connection to the Sabbat, if she was part of a pack, if they would accept him... But he shook himself back to reality. His past was his past, and now he needed to look forward, to a new life.
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Leslie
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He startled her when he got up suddenly. Leslie looked up at him and took his offered hand to stand up herself. With her hands she dusted any dirt of her clothes and when she was done he had finished his words as well. The girl wrapped her arms around him and snuggled him close while whispering to him. "Welcome to London Khoza."

How awkward but very quaint that he had called her dear friend. Maybe it was childish and stupid but whatever had happened here this night had such an effect on the young Gangrel that she couldn't help herself but to hug the big and strange man. Though her Beast kept whispering to her he was a dangerous man and she had to look out for him. Be careful. Be careful. Always look back. Be careful.

With a purring giggle she pulled herself back from him and took him by the hand to guide him out of the forest. Her Eyes of the Beast gave a red glimmer while she made sure the two of them could pass every obstacle without much trouble. Meanwhile her mind traveled further than only this forest in this city. It flew to her past, her human life, the bumps in the road she had encountered multiple times.

Nothing in her life and even the start of her unlife had ever prepared her for such events like the ones that had been given birth this night. Once back on the streets Leslie felt like the reality of the world hit her again. The cold concrete giants that consumed all nature and swallowed the world in one go only to spit it out and make it grey and sad.

With a sad shrug she looked at him and placed her hands on her back. "If there's anything you need just contact me on (think of a number, any number to go here). So anything else going on in that mind of yours or are we going to wrap this night up?" she said with twinkling delight.
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