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The Resurrectionists Call to Legate

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(RE: Call to Legate) Sins of the Pope
Aug 17, 2021 - Aug 18, 2021
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  1. #1
    Seryna's Avatar

    Jennifer Hazelton

    Early in the evening, Conner Wells begining a night of enduring the Barrens. There's little privacy to be had. Tonight, he is openly approached by a ghoul. This ghoul introduced himself as Maxwell, employee of Vincenzo, a mutual friend of yours.

    Maxwell was short and stocky, wearing a grey wool sweater. He wore combat boots.

    "Good evening, Mr. Wells. I am an associate of Mr. Crieighton, priest of San Francisco."
    The man extended a note card held in his hand.

    The card read:
    Good evening, Mr. Wells,
    I hope this finds you well.
    I understand that you are newly arrived in Sacramento. I am surprised to hear that you can be found on the outskirts of the city? I do hope that you are not having some sort of difficulty.

    I have heard of some troubling information. There is an important artifact somewhere in Sacramento.

    It is unfortunate to hear that the church has not attracted members in Sacramento. Perhaps the recovery of this artifact can give you recognition that you deserve?

    Are you willing to assist in recovering the artifact? Are you able to relocate to an area on the edge of the Domain of Sacramento, if need be?
    If so, inform Maxwell of your interest. I must warn you- this is time sensitive. You will need to mobilize quickly.
    If you are able to fulfill this need, follow Maxwell.
    I wish you luck.
    -Legate Robert Creighton


    The ghoul stands by, attentive. Expectant. His eyes look behind Conner for a moment, scanning the wild and barren area of the exiled Mekhet. He quickly resumes staring at Conner's chest. Watching with his peripheral vision if Conner is looking at him. Supposedly, the associate of a Legate from San Francisco. That title, Legate, suggested that the priest might travel to other Domains to fulfill his duties. An artifact in Sacramento... yet the inclusion of 'troubling information', with no specifics. Where would this Maxwell lead you? To possible opportunity for advancement. For recognition in the Church. Yet most certainly, to a task that could prove difficult. What plans should he lay to be able to move quickly? What equipment should he gather, and would he find it in the Barrens? Scarce pickings.

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  3. #2
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    Conner is found sitting at the foot of a rather beaten-up tree, scribbling notes into a notepad with a pen. Maeve's bookbag sits close by, along with his coat and arms. He's clearly struggling to focus; perhaps from the hunger, perhaps from thoughts he has yet to vocalize. But he's interrupted by the approach of Maxwell.

    The ghoul's polite cadence and mention of his affiliation perhaps saves him from an otherwise violent awakening. Conner stands to his feet, inwardly cursing not leaving his weapon within arms' reach. There's a numb recognition of this thing halfway between Kindred and Human; a sort of pity mixed with indifference. He gives a brief nod of acknowledgement, then takes the letter and reads it.

    There's a wry grin as he begins reading. Oh Mr. Creighton, the tales I could tell. The grin fades with the mention of an 'artifact'. Conner's hackles are visibly raised. Here? In Sacramento? Something under his very nose. This was either something valuable to the Lancea Sanctum, or something valuable to one of the more occult factions. The former certainly offered promise of extra renown and resources. The latter...

    Conner's better and worse halves clamor for attention. He was eager to prove his worth, to conquer obstacles. And he was indeed hungry for more than blood or flesh; there was a deep, dark part of him that wanted power. He looks to Maxwell.
    "I'm interested. Give me one moment..."

    Conner takes Maeve's bookbag away a short distance to a rocky outcropping. He sticks it in, then wills the shadows to hide it, if only for a time. These books were a gift, and he didn't want to explain away losing such valuable items. He returns to Maxwell after throwing his coat on and tucking his tonfa into its belt sheath. He had little else: a cellphone, his notepad and notebook, and a wallet with some pocket cash just in case.

    "I'm ready."

    Conner follows Maxwell into the night.

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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  5. #3
    Seryna's Avatar

    Jennifer Hazelton

    The ghoul led him to a waiting car where another ghoul sat in the drivers seat. This ghoul looks much like the first - dressed in dark clothing, a wool sweater. The car looked to have been picked to blend in here - its twelve years old and has several dents in the body work. The ghoul climbs into the passenger seat and waits for Conner to make himself comfortable. In the seat beside him, Conner finds a small brown leather messenger bag. His name - Connor Wells - is written on a tag attached to the messenger bag. Suppose this is for him?

    If he opens the bag


    The ghouls drive for about twenty minutes. Finally, they pull up to what appears to be a boarded up, closed down former Family Dollar. The ghoul Maxwell opens Conner's door for him.
    "Sir, if you'll follow me." He requests, with the proper deferential tone. He does not presume to meet Conner's eyes, looking at around Conner's chin to detect Conner's replies.

    The second ghoul slumps in front of the Family Dollar building. He appears to be checking a cell phone. Yet anyone watching him might detect that he's subtlely watching the street. What could he be on the look out for?

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  7. #4
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    As Conner gets into the vehicle he can't help but find irony in the situation: a strange man comes to you in the woods, says he's your friend, and then tells you to get in his car. What could go wrong? A pity the ghouls wouldn't appreciate the joke.

    He settles in for the ride and takes a look at the messenger bag. Quiet, unassuming, worn leather. He makes a mental note to secure one of these for his own use when things get back to...normal? What even was normal in Sacramento? He opens the bag and reviews the contents. The burner phone isn't too surprising, given the apparently sensitive nature of this mission. The lighter and candle prompts a Bestial surge of panic. It's a trap! They're going to burn you! They're going to kill you!!! But, again, ghouls weren't typically that clever; and if Mr. Creighton had wanted to set him on fire he could've done so while Conner was surrounded by forest in the dead of summer. Still, he makes note of those last two objects, wondering if it might related to this artifact.

    He briefly considers texting Quinn during the drive over. And tell her what, exactly? That the Lancea have kidnapped me for a black-ops mission? I need more information. That's what she'd ask for anyway. And so he holds the idea for later.

    Upon arrival, Conner looks over the abandoned store. Yep, nothing sketchy about this at all. Maeve would probably be laughing her head off if she could see this. He'd like to see her laugh; too much of their recent interactions had been wracked with the stresses of their exiles and Court. He gives a nod to the ghoul as he opens the door, keeping conversation to a minimum both out of a desire for secrecy and because he's afraid his hunger might prompt him to snap at the ghoul. And he certainly didn't deserve to be yelled at for doing his job. The second ghoul's position isn't lost on Conner; This really is under-the-radar work. He takes the messenger bag and slings it over his shoulder, and assuming the ghoul doesn't begin leading him to the derelict building he will being to cross towards it.

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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  9. #5
    Seryna's Avatar

    Jennifer Hazelton

    The ghoul does indeed lead the way for him. The windows of the store are all boarded over. The front door of the store is chained shut and boarded over. Maxwell leads the way around the back, where a knock was given at the door. The door had a small hole bored into it and a flap from inside lifted away. A brown eye looked Maxwell over and looked over Conner.
    "All well?" Muffled request from inside.
    "All well. Tell Tuesdays child." Maxwell replies.

    The door was opened. Maxwell walked in and pauses inside until Conner caught up to him. There is another man standing beside the door as Conner walks in, the guard on the door. This man emits no Beast and will not look in Conner's eyes, giving him a head nod as Conner is admitted. You note an umbrella stand with a few baseball bats in it. This door guard also has a large dagger, the size of a spear head, on his belt.
    Maxwell resumes walking towards a small back area of the store. A large room had been sectioned off from the main store. There were two open doorways to walk into an area with two cork boards on the far wall. There was a large wooden group desk space, with seven chairs around it. Two men, dressed similarly to Maxwell, were sitting in two of these chairs. There was a large map of Sacramento spread between them and one of them was consulting a hand written notebook as they conferred over the map. There was a locked portable safe in sight under a far table.
    A man with a buzzed scalp is standing at one of the cork boards, placing a small note onto a haphazard selection of hand written notes. This man possesses a flat mouth, deep-set eyes beneath straight black eyebrows, straight and narrow nose. His face is pocked with scars from life and his hands are forever suspended in a state of rough, grooved palms and dangling cuticles. Vincenzo's body was lived in. This man is often regarded by the men – the men at the table glance to him as he moves, marking his location. Another man walks at his elbow, listening as the first man speaks.
    Yet the more interesting thing was the Beast that hit Connor as the man with the buzzed scalp looked at him. BP 4

    “Mr. Vincenzo, sir. Mr. Conner Wells.” A gesture to Vincenzo as Maxwell looked to Conner.
    The name is known to Conner, for Vincenzo is acknowledged in the Lancea Sanctum. He’s not active in it, you do not believe. Yet he helps the Covenant out.
    “Ah, Mr. Wells. Glad you are onboard. I could really use your help.” Vincenzo says. The Kindred seems genuinely pleased to see Conner. Vincenzo pauses for a moment, likely adjusting to your Beast. To his Beasts’ drive, no doubt. Vincenzo offers a hand for Conner to shake, provided Conner walk up to him.

    "This isn't how we normally work. Yet we heard through the grapevine that you are supposed to stay out here in the Barrens. We didn't want to get you in trouble with your Priscus. Good, you found the bag I put together for you. Not sure on something in there, but our research shows it has something to do with the lenses related to the artifact." Vincenzo says, seeing the bag Conner has brought.
    "Now, I understand that you were appraised that we're on a time crunch, here. We really are." He emphasizes. "We need to find the artifact before the other Covenants in town beat us to it."

    Vincenzo:
    Status: (Lancea Sanctum) 1
    BP 4

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  11. #6
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    Any amusement Conner had sustained coming into this situation was beginning to wane. This was serious work. The number of ghouls, the conspiracy-board style maps, the visible weapons. The Lancea wanted something...

    Vincenzo's Beast briefly draws an uncomfortable snarl from Conner, more from hunger than aggression. But he shakes it off. No. These people can be trusted. He walks up to Vincenzo and accepts the handshake, glad for some measure of human physical contact. "That's why I'm here, though how much help I'll be to you may be in question. I appreciate your concern towards my delicate situation here." It couldn't be helped; the finer graces of Kindred social interactions were lessons he was still learning.

    He perks up at the mention of the possible purpose of the candle and lighter.
    "The letter mentioned an artifact, what exactly is it? And do you think it's hidden in the city or the outskirts?" The mention of the other Covenants 'in town' worries Conner. "Do we know who else is looking for it?" He knew Invictus, Ordo, and Crone had an active presence in the Domain, he wasn't sure if there were any Carthians or if they held any interest in the mystical. But the idea of the Lancea wanting to compete with the other Covenants told Conner that this must be important. "And I suppose I should clarify: are we trying to retrieve this artifact, or destroy it?"

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

  12. #7
    Seryna's Avatar

    Jennifer Hazelton

    The men at the table ignore Conner, continuing their work. The ghoul at Vincenzo's shoulder remains, yet Maxwell walks off to the board where he reads the notes, supposedly doing some sort of investigation.

    " It's not my aim to make trouble for you.

    The details need to be kept secret. You understand? We cannot afford for the other covenants to catch word of what we're up to.

    I was contacted by Legate Creighton because he's had a coterie of Invictus followed to town. Do you have any contacts in the Invictus?

    I know that your Priscus is of the Ordul Dracul. You're comfortable knowing that you can't tell her anything about this.

    It seems he wants assurances before he shares information.

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  14. #8
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    Conner's hackles as up, his hunger driving his predator instincts into overdrive. An Invictus coterie? Here? Sacramento, at least as far as he knew, wasn't an Invictus domain. It felt like an invasion. And then there was Quinn's history with the Invictus...

    "None close at the moment. Though I know of at least a few Court officials who are affiliated with the Invictus. Most of my contacts right now are Unaligned, aside from my Priscus."

    And then came the every so delicate question: could Conner hide something from Quinn. Not in a 'are you willing' sense, but more in a 'can you physically do this' sense. Between Quinn's mastery of Auspex and their Blood Tie, she could read him like an open book. But then again, Vincenzo didn't seem to know that. Besides, if things DID go south, he had the plausible deniability of being a hidden informant by proxy if not totally by choice.

    "Yes, I am. Provided this remains Covenant business. If this turns out to be a threat to Domain security, then if I don't inform someone I could be flagged for treason." Best to cover his bases while he could. "But yes, as far as the other Covenants. My lips are sealed." He had little love for the Circle, little more for the Invictus, and the Ordo could learn to live with it...

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

  15. #9
    Seryna's Avatar

    Jennifer Hazelton

    "I want to impress upon you that it is very serious that the Ordul Dracul does not find out about this. So the Grand Wyrm, your Priscus, can not catch wind of what you are doing." Vincenzo is emphatic.
    "I have no intention of doing something that is a threat to Domain security." Vincenzo gave Conner a look. What an odd thing to say, it seemed to convey. "I was at the last Court." There was a grave tone. The last Court, which included Mr. Kowalsic's sentencing, was not something that would be forgotten for years to come.

    "Can you give me an idea on who may be interested in an artifact that could benefit the Lancea Sanctum? Perhaps details on Kindred who are Invictus? Or are members of the Ordul Dracul?" He inquired.
    "I haven't seen any signs that the Crone are aware of what is happening."

    The kindred studied Conner for a moment. "The artifact is in fact, a former Priest. He adopted the name Rafael Pope. We use artifact to refer to him to conceal the nature of our mission."

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  17. #10
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    Conner gives Vincenzo a nod of assurance. Admittedly, he was interested in helping out his Covenant, but his patience was beginning to wane. I get it: confidential, serious business. I'm not fresh off the wagon.

    He sobers up quickly at the mention of last Court. No other words were needed; the Princes' message had carried loud and clear beyond Elysium's walls. With his anxieties briefly occupied, Conner begins pondering Vincenzo's question. "I know the Seneschal, though not of the Lancea, has at least a great respect and interest in the Sanctum. Several of the Priscii appear to have Invictus positions as well, but there's not too many new members. That said, that still places one of almost every Clan in that Covenant. I also believe that the Seneschal holds influence with the Invictus." He thinks on the gravity of this; having to possibly work under the noses of every major player in Court. ​"The Ordo Dracul are nowhere near as numerous. There's only two members I can think of: my Priscus and a Gangrel named Dirt Nap." His nose crinkles, as he remembers their only real interaction at the Ten Ten Room. "Can't say I know too much of him, but he seems like someone who isn't too accustomed to dealing with the living." He's slightly relieved that the Crone aren't involved just yet. He wasn't exactly in the best state to consider negotiations.

    Conner's eyebrows go up at the mention of the artifact's true nature. "So does that make this a rescue? Or a kidnapping? And what value does he have to the Ordo in particular?" Conner had heard of Lancea members leaving their Covenant and taking their knowledge of Theban Sorcery with them, but the art couldn't be taught further outside of the Lancea Sanctum. Had this priest run with the Dragons sometime before or after his anointing?

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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