Session Date: 04/17/2026
Sunday, January 1st, 1998
Introduction
The Librarian
It is a nice cold New Years - the ball has just finished dropping and we have turned to the new year of 1998. It couldn’t be a better night for a certain person. The local librarian - Streiqer in the area has recently obtained The Book of Nod. This book is a powerful artifact sought after by Kindred everywhere - even those within the Camarilla, whom hate this book for its information about the antidiluvians and Caine. Some in the Camarilla wish to know about what Caine was like, what it was back then, or they just want power.
The Librarian has been working with a Ventrue prince - Neculai - who has been given the unfortunate bane of werewolf blood. He no longer sees himself as one of the vampires. Having formed a herd of werewolves, he’s had to deal with their politics and lives. The werewovles are formidable warriors, but they do not live the same lives, which has been changing him. He no longer identifies with Camarilla politics. He’s somehow managed to get this Hecata librarian to betray his original mission and to clan Tremere, but will be giving it to this defector. His childer - Sean - will show up to retrieve the book and take it back home.
This Hecata clearly doesn’t have the Camarilla’s best interests in mind - they are a stain of what a good vampire is.
The Princess
The Tzimisce princess - Adsila - has been ruling over Cleveland for a while now. The main area she oversees is around the ports specifically - she sees those who come into the city through the port from wars or from excitement of the new century coming up. She’s seen many fruitful and promising mortals coming onto her shores, some walking openly into her arms. She has numerous businesses - some restaurants, some manufacturing - and she of course works through the courts.
Manufacturing is booming right now. She’s firmly cemented herself into every part that she can, ensuring her and her clan’s longevity in Cleveland. While she herself is not a public figure, she is still influential around the city as she’s behind the scenes.
There are rumblings that she’s currently in a relationship that is falling out. She’s had five partners within five months or so? She’s burning through lovers fast, and they’re all dead - she’s clearly doing something.
The Princess herself has a very keen interest in this book, and it was she who discovered this plot about The Book of Nod. Her current partner - Afton Eichman V - had been spying around the librarian and figured out that the book was given to the Ventrue defector rather than the Tremere. The Banu Haqim were notified, and they loved this so much that the Camarilla were even notified of what’s going on, and the Camarilla sent their most prized possession to fix this: a young, up and coming Ventrue named Brett.
Brett
Brett’s mission is to get rid of the Ventrue wolf betrayer, and to supplant him. Brett has been given a lot of information about what is going on. Brett has found the childer, and he has figured out that this entire family has deep ties in the Camarilla. The defector’s sire is an Archon, who was currently trying to train him up as an Archon himself. That being said, if we are to take out this wolf Ventrue, then either this childer must be killed in secret, or his sire must be in on this - which, as an Archon, he should be, but something is off here. The entire family is off. They must be expunged.
He knows that…
- The Tremere may want the book, but at least they will respect it
- The Princess wants the book
- The Banu Haqim want the Princess to have the book
- Brett himself? He doesn’t want anyone to have the book
The mission is simple: give the book to the Princess and kill the defector. The Banu Haqim recommend he simply do this to kiss ass and avoid drawing any questions or attention to himself.
On arriving to Cleveland, Brett heads to the Tzimisce Princess. There are a handful of other people walking around the factory. He finds the Princess and she is so very Tzimisce: her skin is very taut and pulled around her skin, with a knot of flesh at the back. There are bright red dreadlocks of flesh coming from the top of her head and are halfway down her back or so. She has medium skin tone and many tribal tattoos over her entire body. Outside of the coat she is wearing, she is naked, but is using a “flesh suit” - clothes created from her own flesh. The coat she wears is very nice long, black coat.
She greets Brett when he walks into her office and she says it is lovely to meet him. Brett says the pleasure is all his. Brett is wearing a nice red suit with a slight black swirl around his waist coat, purple tie, black dress shirt, some very nice Luis Vuitton loafers. As he enters the office proper he was wearing shades, but he removes them and put them inside of a case that goes into his waistcoat.
Brett says that he’s heard there’s a bit of a problem and he felt he should make introductions while there is time. The two speak to each other and around each other, simply complementing the shit out of each other and playing the political game.
The Tzimisce Princess suggests that Brett go speak with a Tremere that she is aware of - Brett figured that there was a time he would need to speak with the Warlocks. The Princess comments that the Tremere is quite upset with what is happening, and they will be further upset when they realize what more will happen in the future. She suggests Brett keep his ear close to them and listen to what’s happening.
Brett asks for a ghoul to move in with him into his apartment to help in general.
Brett, Lorn, Dawn, Garf
Brett goes to speak to the Tremere who was to have The Book of Nod - Oliver Medvedík. Oliver answers the door at a nicer abode, and Oliver greets Brett, recognizing him as who the Princess sent over. Oliver comments that he was wanting the book to compile more information for his own stores. Oliver admits that it’s heretical in the Camarilla, but he assured the Camarilla that the devotion is to them and none else. Brett accepts it and lies through his teeth to keep things going. Oliver suggests meeting his childer, Lorn, who is quite trained in thaumaturgey just like himself.
Oliver also gives some information to Brett: in his quest for the book, he’s found a new vampire that’s now out of torpor. Oliver comments that he’s spoken with this vampire and they are trying to get situated.
Oliver takes Brett back and introductions are made to Lorn and Dawn. There’s some awkward back and forth as there’s introductions, and Dawn is less than enthusiastic to exist at this time. We get all of our things rounded up and head to the library to deal with the Hecata. We aren’t the only ones here as we arrive at the library.
Just outside of the library is someone that Brett had been informed would be part of this mission, but never showed up to the meeting. It’s a Brujah that stumbles out of the library with a couple of books in hand. Garfios “Garf” Lovelander proclaims that they’ve found the books of power! They crouch down and start flipping through the books.
Garfios is a short man with blonde hair and a small patch on his right shoulder in the shape of a hat with the Irish flags coloring it in. He finishes flipping through the last book and starts cursing that he didn’t find it. Brett calls out and asks if he’s lost, and Garfios freaks out and then comments that he’s looking for something, to which Brett agrees. There’s a drawn out discussion while Brett realizes that Garf is less than ideal as a coterie member.
We finally get inside of the library and we see the librarian going around using his Disciplines to be in a few places at once to help his work. Within there are numerous subclans of Hecata around, and some other clans here. Near the back is a Gangrel with some newspaper, marking on them aggressively with a marker. There’s a pistol on the table with him - it’s clear he’ll get us something illegal if we need it.
The Library
There is a sign within that explains that while the area isn’t ruled by a Prince, they do wish we treat it like an Elysia as there hasn’t been such reprieve granted by the current prince. Brett is glad that only follows official rules.
The librarian approaches and Brett greets him, introducing us as his coterie. He asks if we can all speak somewhere more private, and the Hecata member takes us down a side hallway and down - there are plenty of rooms here run by ghouls - and then we finally make it into an office room. He introduces himself as Streiqer. Brett introduces us all and he explains we are here for the Tzimisce and explains that he understands there’s a book here that needs to be collected due to the danger it poses.
Streiqer says he doesn’t believe that there’s anything of that level of danger here, but he can’t argue against the Princess. It’s clear that Streiqer is nervous, and Brett asks why he’s so nervous, since we’re just here to pick up a book. Streiqer agrees it’s just a book, and Brett demands to know where it is. Lorn speaks up to say that his Sire was the one that originally had claim, and he should be the one the book is given to. When Streiqer denies it, Lorn suggests that they will find the book regardless, while stroking the spine of his grimoire.
Streiqer can tell we will not stop and he asks for us to run a favor, which makes Brett laugh. Brett says that he will not do such a thing, as he simply wishes to obtain the book and leave. Streiqer comments that he is waiting on the Princess to officiate things for him, and Dawn speaks up to ask why Streiqer thinks that the Princess will bother to even look upon him if he has us running around and he doesn’t give the book over to the Princess?
Streiqer eventually explains he wants the sire to be killed as nobody likes this dog Ventrue, nobody wants the werewolves in town. The dog wants the book to become more like a werewolf and to forsake his vampirism. The childer will pick up the book: when they do, interrogate them, get them on their side, then have them take us to get in with the sire to kill him.
Gunshots fire upstairs and the conversation is cut off abruptly. The Hecata looks up and his eyes shift and we hear him say, “fucking Sabbat” (who we learn is Valgerd). Strieqer tells us to get rid of the Sabbat and we can continue. He leaves.
A ghoul comes up and says that there’s a problem with him that we don’t see: he has an obsession with the books that is more akin to a Malkavian than that of a Tremere. The ghoul spells it out for Brett, saying that the librarian is crazy and doesn’t see his insanity. Brett asks the ghoul to be a dear and - he pulls out a pad of paper and writes down an address - find this book, take it to this address (the Tremere chantry) and completely carry this out to the best of your ability. He asks if it’s fine by him, and uses mesmerize on him to make it happen.
We get ready to McFuckin JET.
Sean
Sean has had a rather annoying night. His sire has informed him that he wants him to go and get a package for him. He doesn’t quite know what it is, exactly, or what he’s getting into, but he knows that what he’s picking up is extremely important. He pressed his sire enough that his sire got pissed and shut him up - his bond is too strong. He leaves and goes through the city slowly, seeing people going about their nights, some people in an alleyway doing drugs, gangs run around.
Sean noticed a coterie walk inside - they looked rather out of place, a new band roaming town. Given how important this package is, he knows that the less eyes the better. He hangs out in wait and then notices some Sabbat pull up and start attacking the place. Now he’s stuck between getting the book, getting shot by the Sabbat, and this group of people.
He realizes he can’t go back because he needs the book. He goes in through a side entrance to try and avoid the fighting. He enters and a Hecata flies past him and rips the throat out of a Sabbat. He goes inside and he can hear the coterie fighting their way up from the basement, so he heads upstairs. He finds a door and it’s locked and he does his best to break the door in, and it opens.
The door is kicked open and the first thing staring back at Sean is a Nosferatu that sees him, and then immediately attacks him. He gets punched and the Nosferatu pushes past him to run. Scouring the office, he doesn’t see much of anything that looks of interest. It’s ransacked for sure, but there’s no giveaway about where The Book of Nod is.
The Rest of the Party
We make it up the staircases and hear a door get kicked open upstairs. Lorn sees a Nosferatu running down the stairs with a few books. Lorn notices the Nosferatu and the Nosferatu stops and the two stare at each other. Brett asks what Lorn is looking at and he comments about the Nosferatu on the stairs. The Nosferatu drops the Obfuscate and it’s clear that he has a Sabbat symbol on his head and then is carrying books that appear to be the journals of the librarian.
Garf runs over to it and breaks his leg and takes the books. He hits the Nosferatu again, which triggers the Beast and the Nosferatu runs and proclaims about the dark lord Caine coming back.
We find the ghoul who is coming up to get The Book of Nod and we follow up with him to get it. There’s someone else in the room and he throws a knife at the ghoul once the book is revealed. The ghoul ultimately picks up the book and starts to walk out while Brett tells Sean that we are going to take the book and leave. Sean and Brett get into it with Brett eventually walking out, and Sean ultimately keeps him back by offering to take him to his sire. There is more back and forth where Sean tries to convince Brett not to leave, but then the ghoul is killed by a shotgun blast. Garf runs to pick up the book at Brett’s command and we all fuckin leave.
In the car, Brett puts it up to a vote for what we do:
- Take the book to the princess
- Take the book to the Tremere Chantry, which might take the Sabbat to Tremere
Lorn ultimately says that it is more prudent to get the book to the Princess and not take the Sabbat to the Tremere. Brett is pleased with this outcome, then says that it needs to be a unanimous agreement. Garf agrees, and then Dawn ultimately says that he doesn’t care what Brett does with the book.
We make it to where the Princess is. We are let into her office and she’s in the middle of a ballroom. There’s a ball of fire in the room. The flames die down and then fall off of her. The princess stands up completely naked, with her tattooed body fully on display, along with her scars from her life as a Native American. One tattoo stands out in particular on her back: one of her face, the man in the maze. The Princess sees all of us and straightens up, stepping out of her ritual toward us. Her body starts shifting and contorting actively to create a set of clothing for her so that it looks like she’s wearing clothes.
She walks toward us and has an unnatural length to her arms as she extends out a hand to shake Brett’s as he approaches with the report. Brett shakes her hand and then tell Garf to hand the book over, which Garf does - handing the book over to two Nosferatu that had been in the corner.
The two Afton’s - Afton Eichman V and Afton VI - pop out of Obfuscate and they look rather alike - it’s clear they are somehow related to each other. Brett confirms that we are to hand the books off to those things - the Princess explains the elder is her partner, after all.
Brett asks what the Princess wishes to do with the book, and the Princess is going to use The Book of Nod as a source of power to help with her journey. She explains that she is from a tribe in Arizona and she wishes to use this to get closer to her own deities and the like.
Brett looks down at the younger Nosferatu and he comments that it was too easy to get the book - there was a Sabbat raid that made things confused and allowed us to help ourselves to the book, we were interrupted by a rather eager clan of the Hidden, and one heretofor unknown Kindred that was a childer of the heretic. He comments that the he gave the childer his card with his information and the childer seems inclined to be a turncoat.
Garf and Lorn give approval to stay together as a coterie. Meanwhile, Dawn steps forward and bows politely to the Princess. He asks her what would be asked of us should we be officiated. The Princess explains what is going on. Aside from getting rid of the werewolves and putting Brett in as Baron (and then Prince), and then after that she will have us help in ways that appreciates our skill. She does comment on Dawn’s eye for beauty and he smiles every so faintly at that. He tips his head and says that he will be happy to tell - or show - his skill set. Dawn does point out that we are not yet of skill to take care of a Prince - he asks if we are to have additional assistance. The Princess comments about the defector and Brett says that if he doesn’t turn up then that’s on him. The Princess tells her younger Nosferatu to track down the childer, which he absolutely does.
Sean
Sean, meanwhile, had made it back to his place. He feels a bond to his sire, his sire using the power to get him to act more on the mission. Sean resists it for a bit, then goes outside and the sire wouldn’t let up on it. Sean took his frustration out on someone, with the fight going south and he wound up getting cut with a good amount of his vitae left at the scene. Despite his best efforts, he wasn’t able to clean all of it up.
House Rule
For 3-5 XP you can swap out a Discipline power.
Swapping to 2nd/4th week of the month, with Cyberpunk being the 1st/third. Fifth Fridays of the month, if present, will have no session.