Gathering

[Twist]

~NARRATION~

The Seneschal and her entourage walks in and looks to Karsh and his gathered guests......


When Karsh sees the Seneschal he stands and bows his head, and whispers, "You honor me with your Presence. Are there any needs that your group needs taken care of?"


Well, I guess that answers the question of whether or not we were being discreet.

People began to enter the room, and Asa was glad to be sitting, as his Beast started to snarl and attempt to take control of him as more and more Kindred came in. He managed to cage it, and the tenseness of doing so made his arm throb anew.

Asa stood and bowed to the Seneschal as well. Noticing Erika with Twist, he was slightly surprised. Looks like she found something that interested her. Considering Ishani's statement moments ago, he didn't go out of his way to greet her.

After the greetings, Asa found Neil, and drained the bottle, knitting flesh and repairing damaged muscles and tendons in his arm.

Pointing Coda out to the Harpy, Asa told him, "This is the one I told you about, with the visions."


Glad to have found Asa Neil gives a slight bow, "I brought the one who had the vision but it was hard to keep hold of him he is around here with a girl" Neil thought for a moment before he continued "Pardon my bluntness but what the hell was the plant thing in the trunk of the car out there?"


Erika led Coda in with the others, making sure to keep him a slight distance from those she moved him from in the first place. They are currently standing in the back of the crowd, and Erika releases her loose hold on him.


Having taken all of it in, Ash walks up to the Seneschal:
"I would like to speak to you and Karsh if possible. This is epidemic. On my way here I saw a similar attack. 4 kindred in robes who killed a young woman in the streets, with a similar bramble that grew out of her. I need advice, but point me in a direction where you think I would be most useful. Oh, and one more thing. They chant to achieve this effect. I don't know if that helps."


Karsh hears everyone speaking at once and looks to the Seneschal wondering if she will infrom them all of what is going on or not?

We will get to all the issues at hand as soon as we can, please remain calm while we sort this out.


*Well this is a disaster* Twist thought briefly about both the attacks and the multiple people talking about multiple things.

"The Harpy is correct- if everyone could please give me a chance to explain what I believe is going on. It should answer a number of questions." She waited for everyone to shut-up and then continued.

"Earlier this evening my theater was attacked. My staff found two bodies, I am assuming kindred but I did not imediatly recognize them. They had been staked and two plants were growing from their mouths. I took a few seconds to try and get a closer look- I found that the bodies were connected in 7 places. While I may be overreacting, I am not going to brush by the fact that it was this number and I am working on the assumption that we are facing an attack by VII." She held up a hand to forstall any questions or outcries that this statement may have brought. "I was unable to lift both bodies myself but Erika- " she motioned at the girl standing toward the back, "-was quick to assist me. We removed the two bodies outside where we then burned them. The effect was quick and immediate."
She paused and then continued.

"Now, I have informed the Sheriff of my assumptions. She in turn told me that the Church of Creation had been hit as well. A third attack was made on-" she glanced at Tombs, dredging up his name. "Tombs's car. This plant had grown much larger than the one I dealt with at my theater. I am assuming that this is due to the length of time it was allowed to grow. We torched this plant as well and Davis is currently outside making sure that it is fully destroyed." She glanced at Karsh, "I am sorry for having to make your parking lot a temporary firepit."

"Now- that is three attacks. Ash has just informed us that there was a fourth attack. Unfortuanatly he left it and that means that there is a VII plant growing unchecked in the city. I do not know if the plant dies once the host is fully destroyed but I do know that the plant is sentient enough to reach out for more sustainence for lack of better word. Therefore- Ash, I want you to take a number of kindred who can handle their beast under threat of fire to where you saw this event. Burn what is left to the ground. Go now."


"No problems." Ash looks around at the crowd. "Any volunteers to go with me?"


Tombs was full of anger and wanted revenge on these robed kindred. They were crafty vamps and for that Tombs was even more furious. "Placing a body in the trunk of my car that some damn killer jungle plant grew from. Damn cowards!" he thought as he stared off from the crowd.

Refocusing when he heard his name from the seneschal, he bagan to nod in concurrence to what she said about his dealing with the plant.

Tombs turned to ash "If you'll have me, I gladly put that freakshow plant in blazes. Who knows maybe we'll get the chance deal with those sneaky little robed bastards" Tombs smiled at the idea of payback.


Ash smiled. "OK, one in, need one more. Who's with us?"


Conner enters hearing the tale end of the conversation. "I volunteer" he says immediately with a bow to the Sheriff, Twist and Asa.


"Then let's do it. You have a car? I rode here in a cab, and I doubt we are going to want for a cabbie to see what could break down"

Ash looked at the Sheriff and the Seneschal. "Could I get a contact number from one of you to report our progress?"


Twist pulled a small card from her purse and handed it to Ash. She hadn't used to carry around cards but after seeing a few people trading them, she had had some printed up. This was the second time they had proven useful.

~Myah Torsione. Ballo Della Notte. 555-###-####~

"Be wary Tombs- if those robed figures where indeed VII members you may be bitting off more than you can chew. So if you do get in an altercation- be ready to fight dirty." She doubted they would actually run into them, it was very unlike the VII to stick around in plain sight once they had struck. Besides, she had a sick feeling that the three leaving would have more than enough to deal with when they found the plant.

"Now- I know the church was hit. Can I get some more details on it?"


"HEY!"

Ishani yells this from the front of the room, her voice booming over the others talking.

"Stand down, all of you, now." She turns to Twist. "I apologize Lady Seneschal, but I cannot allow you to send people out half cocked and with very little information."

She turns to the rest of the room. "Are we still waiting on others to arrive? If so, then we will wait. We have next to no information here other then what we have already seen. For all we know this other plant is a set up to start taking out the smaller groups sent first and cull our numbers. As Sheriff, I cannot allow that. Therefore, that order is belayed and everyone needs to sit your ass down, calm down, and let us gather some more intel."


Ash nodded to the Sheriff.

It's nice to see that someone isn't wanting to set us up for failure

He sat down and waited to see how everyone else reacted. He had never seen anything quite like this before himself, and had no problems having someone quell his bullheadedness.


Karsh listens to everyon and watches the Seneschal get her order shot down, well sometimes the Sheriff is correct and this might just be one of them. He looked to the Sheriff waiting for everything to begin but a thought hit him...the parkinglot?

Excuse me why is my parking lot being used as a bonfire again? And since the Seneschal has already told us that the two from her place were not recognizable by her did anyone else recognize the one at the church or even in the Car?


In truth Tombs was intimidated, all the huffing and puffing he did was a means to conceale his true feelings towards VII. He knew he was at a disadvantage against hit and run types. Head on shoot out brawls were his bread and butter not hiding in the shadows waiting to strike.

Tombs agreed with the Sheriff and took a seat. "So, if you guys don't mind me asking who the hell are the VII" he asked in all seriousness?"


Mrs. Scotts runs into the Grindhouse, after throwing some vague approximation of $300 at the cabdriver as she runs inside the Grindhouse.

"Theres a staked something in my house, growing a plant. Icarus sent me here." She says not-quite-calmly as she enters. "The house is in West Sacramento, just across the river."


Conner stops, Looks at Sheriff Naetesh and says, "Yes Mistress forgive my eagerness."

Conner then moves to the back of the room and listens. Pulling out a small note pad to take some notes, Not that he really needed to but, It never hurts


Erika stands in silence, watching the exchanges and doing what she does best: silently observing. She flinches just slightly when the Sheriff overrules the Seneschal, but quickly recovers and leans back against the wall.

When Ms Scotts rushes in, Erika frowns, and finally speaks, "Well, unless there are more to be found, that would certainly match with the current hypothesis."


Asa spoke in the awkward silence, "He," pointing to Coda, "saw seven attacks. The churches, Ballo Della Notte, the ones witnessed by Ash, Tombs, and Ms. Scotts make six. Unless I'm missing one? Seven attacks also support the Seneschal's theory."

Looking towards Coda, Asa continues, "Can you give us any more information?"


Looking up Coda shakes his head no. "No I said I saw Seven Dead faces and then plants..... Have we found out who any of the victims are yet?


Erika steps up, offering information in place of Coda,
"There were two bodies at the Theater. I can't say who any of them are; but it would be nice to be able to live long enough to touch them and use certain..abilities. That doesn't seem possible, though; they're rather proactive creatures."


"The woman who was staked convulsed when I arrived, and the brambles started growing rapidly. Her eyes were gouged out, and she had dowls in her ears. I also will clarify that she was in my bed," says Ms. Scotts.

[Ishani]

Twist's had a brief flash of anger at Ishani for her quick dismisal of her issues orders. But it was gone quickly- when it all boiled down, planning was beyond her abilities and she wasn't dumb enough to deny it to even herself. There was a reason Ishani was Sheriff. Besides- she had already faced two plants and one of them had been in her theater and the respective fires each had ended with, she was on edge and not thinking things through. *Definitely leave planning to the planner.* She mentally chided herself.

"No- you are right Sheriff. I will leave the planning to you- you have better skills in that area than I do." She turned to Karsh slowly, her voice coming out heavy.

"Your parkinglot is being used as a bonfire because one of the plants was growing out of a kindred who was in the trunk of Tombs car. He informed me and the Hound and when we went to go look the plant had grown so much that the trunk could no longer contain it and the kindred host was quickly engulfed by branches. We acted quickly and threw a match on the mess before it could snag one of us. And yes, I recognized the kindred- it was Lucky."


As the Seneschal is speaking his phone rings he grabs it quickly to silence it and is in midresponse to Bella when he hears the last sentence of the Seneschals. Slamming the phone down on the table, it goes in two directions he looks at the room as if seeing all of them for the first time

WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? DID YOU JUST ADMIT TO BURNING MY COTERIE MATE?

Those around him feel the beast rise and come forth, paleing to some in the room but a Gangrel meniced was still a problem to contend with, feeling he was about to lose it he turned and walked down the hall to one of the ready rooms, stepping inside he grabbed the key and flung it back to the crowd and locked himself in...just in time. The read haze covered him and he lost himself to the beast.


Despite the fact that Twist had been expecting it, Coda's rage intinctively had her crouching, poised on the balls of her feet, her hands ready to snag at her daggers. She watched him warily as he struggled to control himself and managed to leave with out loosing himself in the small room.

Sighing she straightened, sorrow clearly showing on her face, but she didn't say anything.


Ash remembered seeing scenes like this is the MOB meetings when he was still 'human'. It was best to stay quiet and still. If you had real balls, you kicked back and lit a cigarette. He neither kicked back or lit a cigarette.

Lighting a cigarette might have offended some back in the day, now it would be just downright stupid.


O-Yama Piped up after taking in all of the information. He had just recently been threatened and warned by men this very night, not twenty minutes ago. He had been thinking hard since garnering all the information the others had revealed and decided to let them know his thoughts, and also tell of his attack.

"My fellow Kindred, I myself was also attack, though not physically harmed five kindred surrounded me, and threatened me and told me to warn Prince Fredderick. I dont know if this has any significance to the other incidents of tonight but i figured it would be worth mentioning. I know that the general concensus is that these attacks are tied to VII, but has anyone considered other possibilities? I have a theory, though I agree with the idea of VII being possibly responsible, that this could also be tied with the satanic Belial's Brood. From what I understand the bramble covered bodies were nailed upside-down, and through the foot, it could be that this is a tie to the crucifix, and upside-down one to represent their ties. Again, this is just a idea to be considered as I dont know the history of their prescence within the city. This could all be VII, to be sure though we should consider all possibilities."


Ishani looks at O-Yama, her face very still and serious.

"You said you were approached by five men and they asked you to warn the Prince? Exactly what did they say. I mean, literally, word for word, what did they say?"

She was intent on O-Yama now, leaving no room for anyone else in her vision. What these five men said to O-Yama could identify them as VII or Brood or just a bunch of stupid young vampires out to give everyone a scare. Sometimes that did happen. Young kindred would come into a city posing as VII just to see the older ones scatter in panic. If that was indeed the care, Ishani would have every single one of their heads.


O-Yama shifted uneasily before speaking.

"This is a warning for your reptile.....we are here to clense this place...make sure you deliver it pronto he who Clownes Around.....I see what your doing and trust me Clown you do not wish to fight us. You are severly outnumbered. Now think this through before you make that move...Good bye Samanosuke “O-Yama” Hatori..." O-Yama said before visually calming himself. "the fact that they know my true name, and I have not spoken it to any within this city frightens me slightly, these people, whoever they are, are very well informed, and well armed as well."


"They Also Disappeared into thin air," Conner said not looking up from his pad of paper...


Well now this is getting interesting killer plants kindred being jumped in the street, it seemed like a bad time to be in Sacramento but then again the current chaos was not a bad thing. If harnessed it could be useful.

Suddenly Neils speaks in a loud voice that carries over most others"It would seem someone wants a war with us. The plants and the disappearing gang it all seems like someone is trying to get us off balance make us scramble." Neil looked around with a small smile. "And it looks like their plan is succeeding, our first reaction was to send a small group after them? Now that is what they want, they want us to rush in blindly so they can take us out. Even the best of sneaks lead a trail and I think we should be looking for that, we have a large number of Mehket among us so I'd imagine a few of them would be decent at finding out the hidden." With a large grin on his face he continues. "We shouldn't go to war on their terms." He stopped and watched the others hoping his plan worked.


"Neil, is it? Well, with all due respect, and I expect it is little, you should mind those of higher station. Personally I have nothing against you but I wouldn't want to see you get off the bad side of anyone here, many here are already on a fang's point, you wouldn't want to be the one who pushed the tooth into the neck would you? Now... Mistress, or rather Sheriff Naetesh, I believe you would have wanted to continue?" O-Yama/Do-Keru says in a superior yet stoic manner as he turns from Neil and brings his attention back to Ishani.


Karsh watched the politicing that was taking place even in the middle of a problem. This is the same chaos that he had fought to put down so many years ago. Nothing productive comes from this standing up he stepped up onto the table and stamped his foot twice, once all eyes were on him he began to talk his whispered voice carried through the room softly

First off remember this is an outside force that is attempting to drive a wedge into the city. Instead of just rambeling why don't we answer the questions that were asked off you.

Do-Keru you were asked to tell everyone here EXACTLY what it was you were told by this group you encountered. You say you were attacked? Where are the marks of this attack

They vanished? Did the other group vanish as well?

I am hearing that the bodies may have peen posed? Is this Correct? Only those that actully saw a body please answer that.

How many bodies have been seen?

How many Plants?

How did the plant get in your trunk Tombs?

As to the telling someone to watch thier tounge in this company, that is not needed right now we need the skills and abilities of the city as a whole to bring what ever this is under control. As long as ideas are stated politely and open to changing this will not cause any problems. So can we have the answers that have been asked for before I lose my Patience.

He stepped off the table and sat back down waiting for the others to tell thier tales of horror. This did not sound like the Seven to him. It reeked of something else.


Erika speaks up once more, after listening politely to Karsh, "The bodies at the theater were staked, and mounted on one of the dancing racks. The eyes and ears were gone, although that may have been from the plants growing out of them."


"The woman in my bed was staked, her eyes gouged out, dowls in her ears, and the plant growing out of her mouth. When I entered, she convulsed, and the plant grew quickly, focusing on her face and hands," said Ms. Scotts.


Erika frowns, as Ms Scotts says her peace, and very quickly asks, "Did you leave it in your bed? These plants grow incredibly quick."


"In the particular instance I saw, they just left her for dead with the thing growing out of her. Unless they have some sort of control over this plant once it starts, I doubt they went back to make some mock anti-christ out of her," Ash added.


"I am not equipped to handle fast growing plants. I was informed to come here, so yes, it is still in my bed. I'll find a new house." Ms. Scotts says offhandedly, with just a slight undercurrent of defensiveness.


Bella entered the room in time to hear Ms. Scotts speak, and decided to add her own experience into the mix.

"The kindred I found nail to my door was in the depiction of Longinus holding his spear. I pried him off the door and brought him into the church. Once there, a plant began to grow rather quickly from inside his mouth. I was unsure what to do and feared the plant would grow further and attempt to consume me. I also feared it would grow into the walls and floor of the church. I lit the fire place in the library and thew the body into it. The plant was consumed very quickly, scrwaming as it died and bleeding a black ichor."

She moved further into the room as she spoke, absently looking for Coda. Finally, she turns to the closest person to her, the Seneschal and asks. "Where is Coda, my coterie mate, please?"


Ash ponders for a minute after hearing more religious references.

"Well, I used to have a tarot deck back home, and one of my favorite cards was the high priestess. Would be, seeing as how it means secret knowledge.

Anyway, remembering back, it looked like they had arranged her like the high priestess on that card.

I don't know much about either the seven group, or the Belial group, but I do know that 7 is the number of completion for god, at least the Judeo-Christian god. What if this is a satanic mockery of some holy rite or ritual? It sounds a little extreme to go through these measures if you are just trying to kill us."


"Oh, I just remembered. She laid on my bed in a white dress gown, with her hands folded onto her lower abdomen as if she should be holding something," added Ms. Scotts.


Erika continues to listen, and when someone makes a comment about tarot cards, she perks up. Her eyes light up almost like one of those light bulbs appeared over her head.

"Tarot...tarot...," she mutters to herself momentarily, before frowning deeply, "The two at the theater were posed in the same way as the Lovers tarot."


Tombs stood before the crowd to answer Karsh's questions, "Well, I saw one body and one plant in my trunk. As far as it getting in my trunk." Tombs paused for a second shrugging his shoulders. "I have no idea how that happened. I guess they could have delivered the body ether while i was resting or while i was feeding. As far as this tarot bullshit.... the body was staked in a trunk of a car". Tombs grinned slightly. " What card resembles that?" He said hardly sarcastic.


"If I may," Conner Said as he stood.

"Do-Keru Said 'the bramble covered bodies were nailed upside-down, and through the foot.' This could be a representation of the Hanged Man tarot card" Conner said without looking at his notebook...


Asa listened to the conversation, interested in the interplay, but also considering the scenarios being presented. Wasn't there a Tarot Killer in the media? It was very hard to remember when things like that happened.

Looking at Tombs, Asa replied, "The card which resembles that would probably be 'The Chariot.'"


"I would say that my own would be the high priestess or the Empress. The high priestess for the white dress, but the empress for her being on a bed," said Ms. Scotts.

[Asa]

Walking over to Bella Karsh lays a soft han on her shoulder

It pains me to tell you this, but your Coterie mate was the one staked and nailed to the trunk, can you tell us all you know about Lucky. Didn't he have some other names as well?


Ishani listened to them all discussing the tarot aspect of the attacks. When someone mentioned Lucky's body in Tombs car being the Chariot, Ishani steps forward, shaking her head.

"No, Lucky was known as Lucky The Fool. I am sure they meant him to represent the Fool. They probably knew his nickname, just as they knew O-Yama's name and as they knew Tombs' car was owned by a kindred. They seem to have more information about us then we have on them. I am not sure how Ms. Scotts bed ridden woman fits into all of this, but the tarot card for the Empress is usually depicted by a pregnant woman. If the victum was kindred, then I highly doubt she was pregnant."


"So lets look at this" Ash says.

"We have The High Priestess for secret knowledge, the Empress for creation, Chariot for discipline, especially as it pertains to military like discipline. Then we have the hanged man, which represents sacrifice, the Lovers for relationships, especially as they pertain to the mind and spirit, and then the Fool, which represents new Beginnings" He pauses a moment

"There are usually multiple meanings in the cards, but those are the ones off the top of my head. What? Don't look at me like that, it was a phase."

"Anyway, I'm certainly under the impression that this is some kind of summoning ritual. Which I don't know if it does or not, but I don't think that is seven's domain. This rings of satanic or demonic cult."


Bella looks at Karsh, bewildered by the news. Then she hears the Sheriff speak and she says, loud enough for all to hear.

"No, the Sheriff is right. Lucky's nickname was the Fool. For his rash and impulsive actions I assume. Although, how they would have known that, I don't know."

She sits down heavily in a chair, numb.


Mrs. Scotts pulls out a notepad and pen, and begins drawing a rough sketch of the city.
"Tarot cards can be read many ways, depending on how they are arranged. So, if we assume that the killers arranged them like we would on a map." She marks a circle where the Ballo Del Norte is, another where her house is, and then pauses.
"Can you all put where the bodies where found on this map?"


Twist nodded along with Erika at the bodies representing the Lover's card. She moved forward to look at the map but couldn't make anything out of it herself. She stepped back to let the others take a gander- maybe they could find a pattern. She herself wanted to think about something else anyways...

Mrs. Scotts had described the woman staked to her bed and it was pulling at her memories. But other than the fact that the description sounded familiar and not in a way related to the Tarot cards, she couldn't recall any specifics.

"Mrs. Scotts- just to make sure: the woman you found was dressed in white, hands folded, and with similar wounds. Dowels in the ears, staked and a plant in the mouth?" Maybe if there was another detail that Mrs. Scotts had Twist could figure out why it sounded familiar.


Asa took a look at the map, shook his head, and sat back down. It concerned him there were still plants growing unchecked, but he wasn't going to question the Sheriff. He was sure the final attack had happened also, and that they hadn't discovered it yet. Why would the bodies be deposited so publicly if it were a warning of intent? A ritual doesn't make sense. They're calling cards, to go along with the warning that Do-K... O-Yama is supposed to deliver. Would the Prince know? Old enemies of his?

Asa spoke, "We still haven't identified one attack, if there are seven. Should the Prince be warned? Also, Hound Davis mentioned that Gaff had re-appeared. Could there be a connection there? Where is the Hound?"


After fiddling with her phone for a few minutes, Ishani closes it and slides it back into her pocket. "Hound Davis is on his way to make sure the Prince is secure. The fire is out and the car has been removed from the parking lot. He will inform us on the Prince's situation, should there be one, as soon as he gets there."


Bella looks at the map and sees nothing at all of a pattern.

That's about what I thought. She thinks, shaking her head.

"I know some of you may not care because you don't know me from shit, but I have experience with VII. They have a tendency to do things to create chaos. When they come in to 'cleanse' a city, they sow chaos first to see if we will rip each other apart. Most of the time they don't have to get past the chaos point because the tactic usually works."


Twist glanced up at Bella, "I agree- the more patterns that come out of these attacks the less inclined I am to go with my original theory. I haven't had much personal experience with them but I have been in a city under seige of them before. Their calling card then was the number 7- which is why I went to that conclussion after seeing the Lovers with their 7 points of connection. But to use Tarot symbology? From my understanding the VII think of the rest of kindred as a plague that they need to wipe out and the faster the better. Killing kindred in ways that have hidden meanings...well, it seems more subtle than what I am accustomed to. Of course- that once again raises the question of who they are."


Bella quirks an eyebrow at the Seneschal. "Do the killings have hidden tarot meanings? Or do we say they do? Maybe it has no meaning what-so-ever, other then the meaning they want us to jump to so we start running around in all directions. I mean, think about it. How many kindred do you know actually use the tarot for anything other then simple entertainment?"


Hierophant Emma

Emma had been observing and absorbing everything that was going on. She hadn't had much to add, but now she felt she should speak up.

"I use the Tarot, actually. But they only have meaning because we attach the meaning to them. And then there is this to consider-different decks depict the cards different ways. They use different symbols, different poses, different animals even. And I don't think the woman in Mrs. Scotts bed is from the Tarot-at least no Tarot I am familiar with. What I find interesting though, is that the Kindred at my church was also depicted as the hanging man. We have two that were in that pose, correct? And Bella, you said yours posed like Longinus? What depiction of the tarot is that from? We may be on the wrong track here."


Ishani's mouth settled into a thin line of irritation.

"There was only one depiction of the hanged man, one of Longinus, one of the Lovers, one of the Fool, one of the High Priestess, and then Ms. Scotts bed mate. That is it. Now, if we could all calm down and only the people who actually experienced their encounter speak of it, I think it will be easier to keep everything straight."

She seemed to calm as she spoke, but there was still a tension in her body that showed the stress of the situation.

"Now, is there anything else that those of you who had the encounter can remember? However small. Please try to speak clearly and one at a time, thank you."


Erika looks over the map, and just shakes her head, frowning slightly. "Some of them match Tarot, some of them match christian iconography, some of them make no sense whatsoever. Perhaps we're looking at this in the wrong way..."

She thinks for a moment, looking rather pensive, her eyes flicking to the recently lit cigarette, and then to those gathered in the room, "What if, instead of what, we look at who? Who was targeted, who were the staked kindred, what connections do all of those have?"


"I would agree with the lady Erika, there may be an unseen connection between those put to True Death. It may not be the matter of how, but who, that tells us the true meaning of these attacks. Whether it be VII, Belial's Brood, or some other esoteric group we need to find the source." O-Yama says, his voice barely above a whisper, though still able to be heard. "In ancient Japan, we found it easiest to brake the morale of the enemy by taking the leadership from them, obviously you all would know this, its a simple ideal, but sometimes the most base tactic is the best for a situation. Why use a katana, when a tanto will suffice? We need to take a step back and try to figure this out calmly..."


Asa stood up, looking at Erika and O-Yama. "Silence yourselves. We will all do as the Sheriff has requested. No one speaks who has not had an eyewitness account with the bodies, and has details to add."

He looks around the room, and continues, "We are not speculating right now. We are gathering facts. Theories will be discussed afterward."

"Now. Does any eyewitness have any factual detail to add their account?"


Mrs. Scotts shakes her head in the negative. She has spoke all that she remembers.

"I will again remind the audience that I have not touched the body, and it will likely be in the same form as I left it, when that is dealt with." Mrs. Scotts has lost all the urgency before, and is now dispassionately disccussing the body in her bed as if it was a washing machine.


One thing Neil learned a long time ago was when to keep his mouth shut that skill seemed to come in handy tonight. He watched ech kindred as they spoke gathering in facts and taking mental notes.

He wanted to say something but was reminded to stay silent for now when Asa yelled at the other two, a small grin formed on his face glad to see one of them was O-yama. And he tried to tell me to watch my tongue he should learn to watch his own he thought to himself.


Tombs waited for Mrs. Scotts to finish before speaking. He shook his head doubting he had any useful information to offer, " I have a human errand boy. He looks after my spot while I sleep. He drove me around earlier tonight. It's possible he had something to do with it?


Asa ignores Tombs and says, "Now. Lady Scotts has said her victim had it's eyes gouged out and wooden dowels in it's ears. The Hierophant's victim was in similar condition, but also had it's lips cut, from what I can remember. Does anyone else remember similar disfigurements on the victims they found?"


"Both of the Lovers were in the same condition at the theater. Staked, gouged eyes, and destroyed ears. I didn't see any dowels for them though. Their mouths were also badly damaged. For them though there were 2 plants- one connecting mouths and one connecting more intimate areas." Twist stated.

The fact that 2 plants were still out there growing unchecked was starting to worry at her. She had seen how fast they grew and while she didn't know when they stopped or what they would do if they snagged someone...letting them run wild was not a good idea. While Ishani was correct- getting information was a good plan, it did them no good if the enemy tore the camp down around your ears as you sat thinking.


"The head of mine was badly damaged as well. Eyes popped out, Branches growing out of the ears, brambles from the mouth. All quite disturbing really, but I'm not sure where that little detail puts us, other than Troll meets Salems Lot" added Ash.


Karsh enjoys watching the childred flounder in a crisis and even more when they attempt to bark orders, but now HE has over stepped his bounds. I am sure the nights activities have worn at him but that is no reason to slap the one that help the Seneschal, she did after all have eye witness evidence and he just stomped on her.....tsk tsk...Whispering and eyes glaring at the Ventru Prisci

Asa I do believe that Erika did have eye witness acount of the events, for if I am not mistaken she help the Seneschal take care of the problem at her theater. If because it was not her place you claim she has no need to speak then should we as well not listen to you and the Sheriff on what you discovered when you arrived to help the Heirophant that you have Demanded a Boon of this night? Now you have all been asked multiple times to only talk if you have something to add and most of you have failed this. It is time to take care of the problems that have been left unchecked.

Sheriff would you like to accompany the group that is going to go and deal with the two remaning plaints? Seneschal do you want to take another group to go and start to brainstorm on what this could truly be about?


Ishani nods and once again steps forward. "Ash, Asa, O-Yama, Connor, and Tombs, I want you all with me. Ms. Scotts, can I please get the address of your home so that we may go and destroy the plant thing that is there. Then, Ash, you can lead us to where you saw the plant thing in your location. For those of you I have selected, please gather whatever things you brought with you. We leave in five minutes."


Mrs. Scotts nods and hands over a piece of paper with an address on it to Ishani. She then goes to stand near the Seneschal. "I am at your service Seneschal". Her tone is calm.


Asa nodded to the Harpy, and moved to stand with the Sheriff's group.


O-Yama also moved to stand with Sheriff Ishani after gathering his katana and wakizashi. He knew not if there would be a battle, but he would be prepared if anyone attacked this time.


Ash nodded to the Sheriff and thumbed his side. Yep, his knife was still nicely tucked away.

"Ready when you guys are."

Rolling in a group wasn't his typical modus operandi, but in this situation where it wasn't a simple whacking, he didn't mind too much.


Erika manages to do little more than politely smirk when Karsh speaks up, and she watches the Sheriff's group gather, waiting for them to move on before she moves over to the Seneschal once more.

She doesn't yet speak up, but looks over the map once more before taking her place, seemingly lost in thought as she tries to figure out what it's all about.


Twist was glad she wasn't the only one who thought lines were being toed if not blatantly stepped over.

"Yes- those who aren't attending the plants with the Sheriff are welcome to rejoin me at my theater. I do believe that we have imposed on the Harpy's generosity more than enough this evening."
She let everyone resituate themselves around either her or the Sheriff.

"Thank you Mrs. Scotts- I appreciate it." Twist replied.


Conner stands, puts his notebook back into his inside pocket, and moves to stand with the Sheriff and her group of warriors.

This should be different, its been a long time since I had to work as a group, Conner thought to himself.