The Resurrectionists Urn Garden

[Seryna]

Fingers claw over Connor’s collarbone, stretch the collar of his shirt as they scratch at him for purchase. His jaws snap like a wild animal. Connor manages to hold off the frenzied attacker.
Maeve feels the press of the Beast close as the creature on all fours lunges for her. The yellow eyes are searching, rolling wild. The mighty swing of an unkempt hand brushes Maeve’s head, her ponytail swinging as her head jerks away instinctively. Howls of anger at their impertinence rise. One was definitely behind you!

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-29 14:08:48	Storyteller rolls 5 to Arkwright haunts grapple Connor (10 Again)	1, 2, 3, 5, 3	failure

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-29 14:11:58	Storyteller rolls 5 to Arkwright haunts grapple Maeve (10 Again)	1, 2, 1, 3, 6	failure

[Milton]

Out of the shadows, horrors materialize, descend. Slavering dogs born of filth and blood and sin.

Typically, Milton is open, even friendly, with Haunts. But these...creatures, their thoughtlessness, their sheer monstrousness, triggers his sense of disdain and superiority.

They are mere animals. And Milton is a Lord.

On either side, they try for his compatriots and miss. For the moment, Milton is unimpeded.

He steps forward, locking eyes with the one individual who seems to have retained its wits.

"You will defend my comrades and I in any way necessary from your fellows or any others who would do us harm."

It is not a request. Not a suggestion. Milton has commanded the creature and he feels the force of his Blood traveling the distance between them, transported by his gaze and his words.

Hopefully, it works.

Dominate 2, 4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-29 17:43:17	Milton rolls 9 to Intelligence + Expression + Dominate (10 Again)	5, 10, 1, 5, 8, 1, 4, 10, 2, 3, 9	4 successes

Milton has targeted the Haunt who is clearly not frenzying, per ST's last post.

[Maeve]

She feels the creature whip past her, trying to do something to her. Grab her? Attack her? Fuck that shit. She hears Milton call on one of the beasts to aid them, protect them and at first, she is unsure if she should full attack. Should she fire a warning shot? No, don't let them get the jump. Her beast is raging against whether to fight or to take flight and she puts away her thoughts of doubt and turns to shoot the one right behind her.

Fire! - 1 Success

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-01 10:01:34	Maeve rolls 5 to Fire at the one behind (Dex + Firearms) (10 Again)	7, 5, 6, 6, 9	1 success

[Seryna]

A moment hangs between Milton and the unknown Haunt. The haunt regards Milton. The creature begins to move down towards the scuffle and into gunfire. It finds a good perch overlooking the desperation fueled fight.

" Arkwright haunts," A surprisingly melodious voice. " - my brothers. They mean no harm."


Somewhere behind Maeve, there's an animalistic grunt. The bullet has found a mark.
Yet in the same moment, hands grab at Maeve, clutching her head. Her head is bounced off the ground, her teeth clattering together. Scrabbling hands move over Maeve's torso and arms. She feels a blow to her ribs.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-01 11:33:27	Storyteller rolls 5 to Arkwright haunt 1 Grapple Maeve (10 Again)	8, 10, 9, 4, 1, 3	3 successes

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-01 11:34:04	Storyteller rolls 5 to Arkwright haunt grappling Maeve (10 Again)	3, 8, 8, 6, 10, 5	3 successes

[Milton]

How good it is to be truly heard.

Unfortunately, Milton only has a moment to relish his success with the Haunt before things go very wrong.

The sound of a gunshot brings him around, tearing his attention from the performance of his new friend. More annoyed than anything else, a knee jerk reaction of the eternally entitled.

He turns just in time to see Maeve brutalized.

Locks eyes with the grappler closest to him, says: "Would you stop." His tone drips acid condescension. In that moment, he is a member of the landed gentry silencing a swineherd.

Dominate 1, failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-01 19:54:12	Milton rolls 7 to Intelligence + Intimidation + Dominate -2 Subject Frenzied (10 Again)	5, 7, 7, 2, 1, 2, 5	failure

And yet, the words ring flat. Shit.

Hopefully O'Brien takes this as his cue to get off his laurels and do something.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn followed the sounds of commotion as she got closer, which wasn't hard to do. She felt like she was racing against the clock in more than one way. She had to be careful with the terrain not to bump into anything that would break her Cloak. Easier said than done.

The scene before her was a chaotic mess. Milton was looking like an angry geezer who had dogs shitting all over his perfectly manicured lawn. Then you had Connor seeming to be being grabbed at by frenzied Haunts. Maeve was overrun and being held down, which turns out actually worked in Quinn's favor since she was the genius who fired a gun right near a residential area, and with security guards probably now heading this way to check things out. The Masquerade was everything.

This bullshit had to stop. Now. They didn't come here to fight with the fucking locals, which this was theirs by right. They came to get something and get the fuck out. It was time these three learn why its so very very important to follow fucking directions. Not jauntily go off on your own like this is an every Kindred for themselves adventure book.

Initiative is 12, holding until actually in Initiative Round.

1

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-02 10:39:03	Quinn Durant rolls 1 die for initiative	8

Continued from The Resurrectionists: Arkwright Cemetery...

[Connor OBrien]

The scene before him is unraveling faster than he care for, if not for the shot of the gun, things may have been settled amicably. He scans his surroundings, four haunts that he can see. The situation seems grim, and he is scrambling for a solution to end this as quickly as possible.


Then it clicks.


Haunts.


The Nosferatu holds the sword in his hand high, as if ready to strike down any who would approach. "ENOUGH!" The haunt's voice booms, filled with a rage that none of the others have yet seen from him. "I am Connor O'Brien, Whip of Haunts of Sacramento! You will respect the authority afforded me by Clan Nosferatu and stand down, or I SWEAR; each and every one of you will meet the sun!" He stares down each of the Arkwright Haunts, rage boiling over into his normally calm eyes. They may live here, but this is still HIS territory as far as Nosferatu are concerned, and they WOULD respect that.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-02 21:01:31	Connor OBrien rolls 9 to Verbal Intimidation (Manipulation 2 + Intimidation 2 + Nos Status 1 + WP 3 - Frenzied Target 2) (10 Again, WillPower)	6, 1, 1, 5, 2, 5, 6, 6, 7	failure

Took advantage of combat rounds time limit. If I am wrong, please consider this happening after Maeve, as I don't believe anything will change enough to make a difference

[Maeve]

Maeve grunts and groans at the blows. She's hurt and really feeling it. It isn't anything too ugly. It'll heal quick, but it feels nasty.

Maeve is going to hold upon her action, trying to gauge what all is actually going on.

Fuck. I let my beast get the better of me at that one. Should've... fuck. Now I look like an idiot. Though, at least I got the fucker. At the same time, she reasons they were attacking. The heck was she supposed to do? Let them get the jump? She isn't the fist fighty type. Though, maybe getting a silencer for her gun would be pertinent.

[Seryna]

The man who Milton addressed gave up on speech and grabbed the beast who had grabbed Maeve's head. With great strength, he used a controlled throw to move her assailant a good three feet from Maeve. The beast landed with a snarl, twisting athletically on the ground.
The red and black check plaid wearer plants himself in front of Milton and Maeve. Although his eyes look off to the left... At the inky black night, for a beat.
At Connor's speech, he makes a small nod to Connor. Yet he doesn't dare offer respect of bowed head or bowed back, his eyes on the Haunt who had savagely kicked Maeve in the ribs.
Like a wave, creatures seemed to wrestle the Beast into cages. Each made a hand gesture to the one in plaid, a c shaped hand to the head.

Now, he faced Connor.
' Whip of Sacramento, it's been a minute since any of your shining Court visited us here in the mud. Whatcha doing in front of our Haven, with one of our meals inside?
My family was driven out of their minds to see these two at the door to our Haven." Eyes on Milton and Maeve.

" Was that a ... gunshot?"
A touch of outrage. A hand, shaped like a pinch, touched his left leg.

At the gesture, Quinn noticed a slightly off center of fog. It parted to reveal a hidden pair of vampires. Holding concealed iron spikes, tucked up the wrist of their right shirt sleeve.

The men look white men. The skinny sort, who lifted weights but ate nothing but cheap food. The clothes were raggedy, black and dark blue. Save for plaid man, who spoke
Two remain on all fours, mouths gaping open. The other two wipe off mud and stand, straight back. The two who were obfuscated remain still in the dark.

[Milton]

Connor makes a forceful appeal based on his supposed authority. Had Milton known he was whip of Haunts? No. But he does now. And somehow he doesn't believe this information is having the desired effect on these provincials.

And then his new 'friend' steps in and Milton feels a wave of relief. The command still holds. Very good, Milton. Very good.

A saying, favored by Toussiant Louventure, Haitian revolutionary hero, pops into Milton's head. He'd read a biography of the man last year and found the turn of phrase quite apt:

The softest way goes the farthest.

Indeed, now is the time for the soft way. Diplomacy. Kind words. Perhaps inducements.

Milton steps up to flank their unwitting ally. Purposefully standing side by side with his thrall, their seeming leader. When he speaks, his voice is even. Tempered.

"Peace now, everyone." A glance to Connor and then back to the assembled Nosferatu.

"Arkwright Haunts," using the mode of address utilized earlier by their leader. "I apologize for encroaching on your Haven. It was not our intention to disturb your home, or threaten your meal. My associates and I, including Mr. O'Brien, Whip of Haunts, are here on Domain business that does not involve you in the slightest. I am sure, should you allow us to continue unimpeded, Whip O'Brien would be happy to overlook this...misunderstanding. Further, as this fine fellow," a glance at the creature beside him, "has agreed to defend myself and my compatriots in any way possible against all threats, I would welcome your protection while within your territory. After all, you know this ground better than all of us combined. And of course, both Whip O'Brien and I will mention your kind assistance to Priscus Jennifer Hazelton, who is a dear friend to all of us here tonight." The discovery of the Priest means that there are, indeed, other players on the board tonight. Why not recruit some bodyguards?

Manip + Persuasion, 2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-03 16:18:26	Milton rolls 7 to Manip + Persuasion + 2 (per ST) (10 Again)	9, 1, 5, 3, 6, 4, 8	2 successes