Introduction
Skeleton Keys is a venue wide plot that has been going on for a long time, and a lot of Kindred have participated in it's many investigations, adventures and dangers. It has links to other plots as well, showing only how widespread the story is. 'The Prequel' on this page thus only shows us the last scenes of the Robbing a Bank plot. Because, as turns out later, it may have links to Skeleton Keys!
The Prologue: 2011
2012
This is a short scene where Regent Erika Brady meets with Max Heinz. She has an ancient text with her, written on human skin. It is what she retrieved from the Kindred that robbed a bank for her. She asks Max Heinz to study it. He is able to discern that the text is in fact written in an ancient Hungarian dialect. Then, to his surprise, she translates it before him.
"Today I came so close to completing the great work. I felt my curse begin to be lifted. I felt something in myself begin to evolve as I feed upon that fool Tamás. As his soul left his body, I feasted on it. My strength grew, and my chains weakened. Lucina was correct. She is so right, through this we can be free. I will join her and follow her path. Through the souls of my enemies, I will be free."
Curiously enough, she gives him the text and a suitcase with a box in it. The box contains the old helmet. She trusts he'll take care of it.
The same night that Max Heinz got the skin and the helmet from Erika Brady, he decides to destroy the text, and let the helmet sink to the bottom of a lake. The one who wrote the text was probably a Diablerist, and Max doesn't want anyone to become inspired by it. Or worse, he suspects that Erika Brady wants to say more by giving this to him. In any way, he prefers to hide the helmet and keep the text only safely in hidden in his memory.
Reeve Office Hours 12
Reeve Office Hours 13
Putting the team together
Aileen McFarlane calls Callum McCann
Tracking the Package
Skeleton in the Closet
A Skeleton and a Ford in the Key of E
2013
Nervous over who might be listening and having lost trust in Erika Brady, Martha Villiers sends a text message summoning a few trusted members of the Domain to her air. Under the guise of a research seminar, the group of Kindred investigate a mysterious torpid elder, dressed as a warlord, as well as an enigmatic metal puzzle box.
The group discover that both torpid elder and metal puzzle box carry with them the markings of an 11th century Spanish Kingdom of Castille. Further investigation of the coffin itself, proves potentially deadly. After Teodor Raluca notices that one side of the coffin is thicker than the others, Chris Wooding slides a knife into a thin opening... triggering a trap of razor sharp blades to remove the Hierophant's fingers.
Cowed by the apparent danger, the group turns to the metal lock puzzle. As this commences, Martha Villiers attempts to draw parallels to other happenings within the domain; bringing up Heathcliff Staley, and the slayings of Sarah LaFleur and Thomas O'Connor; and summarizing the events of Hotel Homicide. As she speaks, Martha, brings up former Princes Tobias Straiphen and Freddrick in tones of fear and awe and trying to wrest some common thread with all of these possibilities.
With this in mind, the Kindred agree to meet in two nights time, this time at Avalon.
Just after some of the Kindred depart Reverance leaving Chris Wooding, Callum McCann, and Daniella Sage remain to further mull over the mysteries in front of them. Callum and Chris agree that the best place to start, would be to track down the woman who attempted to steal the Torpid Elder from them. However, with most businesses close ideas to track her through her motorcycle fall apart.
Their second idea is to see the curator of the museum again. Using pull within the Academic community, the trio are able to secure a late-night meeting under the guise of philanthropy.
As agreed, two nights later at the Avalon Elysium, the investigative group comes back together. Dr.Swift came prepared with the book of Grimm Fairytales, found at the conclusion of Hotel Homicide. The good doctor explains that while the book is an English Translation, the message 'This to bares pain' was hidden in the text. While the book does not give up its secrets easily, Dr. Swift does notice that the book is bespoke and the suspicion that there is something else other than pages sneaks in. With this in mind, Dr. Swift convinces staff at a nearby University to allow him to use a laboratory.
Battered but alive, a group of kindred including Daniella Sage, Catherine Keys, Zachary Griffiths, and Ricardo Rodriguez Reyes, recover a briefcase before Gabriel Marcus rams a plane into a building.
Once in Anthony Marroletti's car however, the Daeva makes his own play for the briefcase. Turning the car towards the inferno of the building, he threatens Daniella Sage and Catherine Keys with fire. Both women decide to jump from the car with wildly different results: Keys is rendered torpid by the fall, while Sage lands without a scratch while still holding onto the briefcase.
It's all for nothing though, as Anthony Marroletti's force of personality causes love to blossom in Daniella's mind resulting in her willfully offering up the briefcase to the Daeva. With Catherine Keys torpid on the ground and sirens rapidly approaching, the Kindred allow their hard-won prize to slip off into the night.
Driving Anthony Marroletti's car, Zachary Griffiths attempts some levity with Daniella Sage wondering what the punishment for failing the Domain is. They consider getting the torpid Catherine Keys a drink, but talk is interrupted by a text from Erich Passions as they reach Elysia. Eventually, after being intercepted by Erika Brady and Erich Passions on other matters, Griffiths and Sage are able to report to Martha Villiers.
Ciara Maskelyne covers the Masquerade by seeding the Media with the tragic story of Equipment failure and arson.
The torpid Catherine Keys is delivered, finally, to Cedar Fields.
Successful in setting up an appointment at the museum, Chris Wooding, Callum McCann, and Daniella Sage arrive hoping to uncover a clue or two at ground-zero. However, oddities happen immediately. Mrs. Lewis, who Callum McCann had bent to his whim, does not recognize him.
For the museum matron, Mrs. Lewis sees an opportunity to 'cultivate new donors,' especially with their request to see a private exhibition. After a bit of tit for tat, the group comes to an uneasy agreement and easily gives the group a tour of the museum including a collection of positively fascinating landscapes.
But, not the exhibition the group wanted to see.
After Daniella Sage excuses herself to the bathroom, Chris and Callum attempt once more to gain entry. Though Mrs. Lewis is able to get her pound of flesh from Callum, neither man is able to see the exhibit they come to see and all three leave the museum as uninformed as they came.
With Dr. Swift having used his influence in the Academic Community to secure some laboratory time, the other half of the investigative team including Aïleen McFarlane, Teodor Raluca, and Martha Villiers congregate. Their mission is much the same as the group at the Museum, though they are unaware of the Museum Group's failure.
Dr. Swift is prepared with a battery of tests to perform on the Brother's Grimm manuscript, and the first tests conclude that the manuscript is a skilled forgery. It is then that Dr. Swift realize that the covers, themselves, may hold a clue. After painstakingly prying the covers apart the group find two things. The first, is a sheaf of papers – sealed with a wax seal of a stylized S. The second, is a desiccated hand – crushed as flat as it could be.
Using her gifts to see past the mundane Martha Villiers sees a jumble of strong emotions. From the supreme focus of Dr. Swift to the hatred of the woman who assembled it. As talk once again moves back to Tobias Straiphen, Martha fears inwardly that he is aiming to seize back his throne.
Turning her attentions to the desiccated hand, Martha bears witness. She is witness to it helping remove the Torpid Elder; witness to it supping from another; witness to the hand holding a sword against another; witness to the hand's severing and a woman watching coldly with out of sync reflections. The woman is Erika Brady while Wilhelm Von Schusten slides the hand into the cover.
Immediately distrustful of the group around her, or who could be listening, Martha only mentioned Wilhelm Von Schusten and resolved to speak with the Prince immediately. To the group, the Herald notes that they locate von Schusten and takes care to mention his combat prowess and stands to the side to draft a letter to Asa Clarke.
Meanwhile, as Dr. Swift attempts to pry secrets from the sheaf of letters he finds the wax trapped. It bursts into flames which cause the Mekhet in the room to stay away. Due to quick thinking, the sheaf is saved and what's left, is that the nine pages form a diagram – or map though without any appreciable markings, is hard to tell what it is a map to and only Martha feels the spark of recognition while studying the map.
Deciding to break to run computer searches with the intention of reconvening, the group disperse.
In a lengthy letter to Asa Clarke, the Herald tries to appraise him of the investigation as well as how dire things are looking. Martha Villiers admits that they are uncertain as to who to trust and that the scale and depth of the treason is potentially unknowable.
She goes on to overview the last few years of investigation, name checking who she believes are part of the cabal – Erika Brady, Wilhelm Von Schusten – while also suggesting it is on the behest of Tobias Straiphen. Finally, the Herald theorizes as to the capabilities of the 'enemy.'
Martha Villiers closes the letter with a list of people she believes are still friendly to the domain.
The scene opens with a realization that the map rescued from both book and fire, are ley-lines and potentially from a memory that is much older than the tangible map in their possession. It is Aïleen McFarlane who's mind goes back to Kogaion Muir, wondering if there is a link and Dog's insinuation that he is still alive.
Martha Villiers thinking his knowledge and insights might be of some help, texts David Regan requesting that he go to the Chapter House. He arrives just as the scene fades.
2014
SK - What's in the booooox
SK - The Abandonned - Causality
Keyhole
Skeleton Keys - Nursing Time
Skeleton Keys - The Summons
2015
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