Journal Entry 3: The Inn of the Lion

April 7th 1444
Lucy Sommers

What were you thinking Alessandro? Why did you fight your sire? I never was able to read your mind clearly. But I sensed a sadness I could not fathom. And almost I wanted to trust you. But what were you not telling us?

A sword and ashes. Is this all that is left of you, Alessandro?

Is he really gone Mina? Another of our number stricken down? Yes, I owe you one my mind's twin. But did you really have to gouge Wilfred's eyes? It echoes in my mind still; his agonized scream I heard from behind the curtain of glass you pushed me into when you took over. Nevertheless, it was enough to wake him from the blissfull torpor induced by the elder's raging blood.

Yet, more haunting were those howls. They drive icicles to your heart and force frost to your blood. Those were no ordinary wolves. I shudder to imagine what would have happened if Wilfred was not able to find the others. From the safety of the inn I saw them run. Wilfred breaking the scribe's arm in his haste. Faolan covered in blood, carrying Khalid on his back as if he were a child.

Then came the tempest. Its darkened clouds carried not rain but the faces of the dead. How did you call them to you Claudious? Those spectres with voices wrenched from the throats of hell? How easily they threw three of the monstrous beasts back into forest gloom.

Your eyes were glowing Raven. Who did you see following us? Yours are predator's eyes. I still can not look at them without a slight shudder. I know that arrow hurt. And I hurt you more when I pulled it out. But what was I to do? I couldnt leave it stuck in your neck. At least Mordecai took care of that horrible monk.

Yes, there we were ambushed by Templars. Can you believe it? Waylaid by the knights of God.

It would have been funny to see that cross burned on your forehead, Mordecai, given other circumstances. I could see the pain in your eyes and sense your wounded pride. But I could not laugh.

I thought we were lost Raven, when I shared your pain. I felt the sword thrust into you driven into my own body, deep and excruciating.

Then it was over. But who killed you Sir Knight? You who ooze blood out of every orifice in your body? I saw no bruise, no wound. Who's delicate hands covered your eyes and sent you to eternal sleep? Can it be...?

At last, the Monastery of St. Timothy. Pain assaulted my senses as I entered the threshold but became eventually bearable.

Well met, Japhet Cappadocious. Did you know what will happen when you bid us bring Claudious in a week's time?

And you Cappadocious, do you really believe that when you make a sacrifice of God and feed upon Him you will rise above God? The holy undead. Is this what you are?

How wonderful to find you alive and well, dear Uncle John. No, its Uncle Henry now, is it not? Well, not really alive but you know what I mean. Why will you not tell me your secret? What tragedy can so torture a man's soul as to make him deny his own existence?

Yet who can blame you? Has it really been only three days when my world turned upside down? When the blood opened my eyes to the undead who hunt in the night. When the blood tore down truths long held and replaced them with the stuff of legend. I used to hear the world's thoughts. I still do though with no better clarity. Now, if I wished I can also hear its every whimper, the brush of a sleeve, the drop of a leaf. But then, I can no longer trust what I see. Because there are folds in the reality's fabric. What can I believe? Who can I believe? Who can I trust? The whole world has gone frighteningly mad.

Or is it just me...?

The Haunting of Lady Deverick

This scene deserves special mention. Particularly since this was the first scene I felt had a disturning effect on the players. Even if the room was pretty much well lit and that people were coming and going in the pantry.

The Last Supper makes mention of the Founders' headqurters in castle Deverick. They are guests their, having dominated the current lord to ensure obedience and use his standing troop as their own. There was not much material written about the Devericks except that the husband was hosting the Founders. So I decided to use the lack of information as a way of freaking out the players.

Joan, Lucy's player, wanted to investigate Castle Deverick. She was a Malkavian so I used this opportunity to give her a glimpse of what that entailed for her. Malkavians are notoriusly insane but some do have visions that turn out to be predictions of the future. Whether it was due to divine providence or an unconscious formulation of certain fact, no one could really say.

I had given my players free reign to talk to the Founders after being tortured but Lucy decided to wander around the castle. She came to a room that seemed to call out to her. Mina, Lucy's "imaginary friend", was being summoned by it. Before she could enter, she was warned by a servant that no one was allowed to enter.

With Mina seemingly entering the room, Lucy followed. The room was well furnished with a bed, crib and a dresser laid about neatly. A woman sat by the window, humming to herself as she paid no heed to Lucy. Even though she called out to her, she ignored the intruder.

As Lucy approached and was about to reach out for her, a baby cried. Turning, towards the crib, there was only silence. Turning back to the Lady Deverick, she was gone. The room had changed; the furniture was still there but they were broken, covered in dust and cobwebs.

Lucy wanted to leave and was almost out the door when she heard another cry. She approached the crib tentatively. Inside was a ragged doll. The crib started to swing, but there was no wind. Lucy left, deciding that somethings were better left alone. Outside, the chamberlain reprimanded her for entering the room. He explained that ever since the Lady Deverick died, her husband has forbidden anyone to enter the room.

I'd like to think that Joan was a frightened by the scenario I ran for her but she's a tougher cookie people give her credit for. I think it was the other players who were more frightened. Hehehe!

Journal Entry 2: The Red Lamb Inn

1444 (at sea)
Mordecai de Firenze

I stare out at the blackness of the sea. I know neither what lies ahead nor why I go so willingly. I find myself contemplating my motivations to take this journey. I trust not the person who asked me to go on this journey--much less the reason he so readily provided. Was it the lightly veiled threat he gave as I took the invitation? Is it the blood on my hands crying out, the ghosts of my conscience making me flee? I know little. Yet I find myself standing on the prow of a ship headed east, to endure a few more days travel on horseback. As I look ahead through all the uncertainty, I feel a nagging fear for my life, and as proposterous as it may sound... I feel as if my very own soul was in danger of being devoured.

I stare out at the blackness of the sea, like a dark maw gaping wide to swallow me whole.

April 3rd, 1444

I arrived at the inn of the Red Lamb along with my retainer Khalid just as the sun set on the horizon. Guides employed by the Giovanni helped us make our way from Florence to the Carpathian region. The trip on land proved to be uneventful, but tiring nonetheless. I offered to pay the guides' services but they declined.

We were welcomed by the innkeep, Sigismund. He knew my name. Whether he knew more than that he would not say. Seems he was employed by the Giovanni's to welcome their guests. I asked a few questions but did not get anything worth noting down. I met some of the other guests invited by our mysterious host: A storyteller, a drunk, some weapon makers, a priest, an english lord with his aide and some others. Other than being invited to a "dinner" by the Giovanni's I did not see any other thread that binds us together. I spend some time talking to the priest Alessandro but he was as in the dark as i was so to speak.

One person of note would be that beggar-woman sitting by herself. She wasnt bothering anyone in the inn. I had Sigismund bring her food. She thanked us kindly enough. What struck me as odd was for a beggar she didnt seem at all interested in her food. It was as if she was waiting for something.

I offered to pay Sigismund for the woman's food and for the second time this night I was declined. It seems that the Giovanni are paying their people well. But when did working men ever turn down a chance to earn some extra coin? This had me wondering what kind of masters the Giovanni were.

The candles shed their sickly light in the Red Lamb Inn. While nothing remarkable happened, I could not shake the unease that settled like lead in the pit of my stomach. Maybe it was the days travelling here, maybe it was the gloom of the night, but everything didnt seem as it should. Everything seemed to be out of place.

I went up to my room. Khalid stands watch by the door as i write this entry. What awaits us tomorrow?

Game Review 2: It was Torture!

Last Sunday, I ran the 2nd session of the Giovanni Choricles for my friends at the office. Although my players said they had a good time, I felt that I was severely lacking in making the experience more detailed. I have to admit that part of it was due to exhaustion. Unlike the previous game, I was playing several different characters extensively. And the players asked some questions that I found it difficult to answer. Here are some highlights:

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- After having been rounded up by the Founders, all but 1 of the Children of the Conspiracy (CotC), was active; Father Alessandro, an NPC, surrendered and was left unmolested.

- Mordecai, Faolan, Lucy and Wilfred were all beaten into torpor; Raven was staked. The other guests had died...at least, that's what they all thought.

- First revived was Raven, then Mordecai, Faolan, Wilfred and Lucy. The order came about by assigning numbers to the people and rolling a die. Not really scientific, I know but it worked out fine.

- Raven was in shock; Mordecai was acting hysterical (good job Karlo!); Faolan was desparate to escape; Wilfred was in mourning for the death of his lord; Lucy, however, didn't wake up immediately. Unlike the rest, when she was fed blood, she awoke a few minutes after.

- The scene with the sunlight didn't turn out well, at least for me. Though they understood it's significance, I felt I hadn't played it to full impact. The Brujah was directly in line of it; due to his Potence, he was able to break the hooks attaching the chains to the wall. However, he was not free as the others were tied to him. All he did was have Lucy and Raven stretch their arms uncomfortably.

- Because Wilfred's player had a shift then, we had to improvise. We decided that Wilfred had been beaten back into torpor during the torture session.

- The book indicated that during the individual torture scene, Hardestadt would be the chief inquisitor. I decided to change it by having each of the Founders take charge for each of the torture sessions like the harrowings. How I paired them off was pretty random. Unlike the vignettes in Casa Giovanni, I didn't have the players choose who among the Founders they wanted to be tortured by.

- The first to be tortured was Alessandro. Since he was an NPC, I simply gave the other players the impression he was in pain by the screams and moans emenating from the torture chamber.

- Like Tobie, my mentor, I decided to give the players to understand how their actions can affect the lives of other people. Faolan mentioned that Roderigo was the one who brought them to Claudius's castle. Hardestadt had him dragged to the torture chamber where they heard him screaming until he "died".

- First tortured among the PCs was Mordecai. Like a true Ventrue, he kept his cool and tried to find ways to make himself valuable. His torturer was Hardestadt, who found his attempts at brokering laughable but interesting.

- Lucy was retrieved by Camilla Banes. Because they both suffered from a multiple personality, I thought it to be quite apt. Here, I showed Hardestadt displeasure in dealing with Malkavians, giving Camilla a good reason to be the one asking questions. Mina, Lucy's alternate personality, appears and makes comments about the Founders present. What she does not realize is that Camilla's sadistic personality can see her, corners her and asks the same questions the one with Lucy asks.

- Mina found an opportunity to get out of the situation unscathed by cooperating and telling them everything she knows, much to Lucy's chargrin. As a "reward," Mina is pushed into Lucy's body while Lucy is locked away - reversing their normal arrangement; Mina was now in control. Joan did a pretty good job of portraying Mina with just a few suggestions from myself.

- Faolan seemed to be ready to throw in his lot with the Founders, offering them his fealty for a chance to kill Marchettus, his sire. Josef, the Nosferatu founder, could not help but ridicule him and accuse him of being dishonorable.

- Rafael "tortured" Raven with seduction. This was the hardest session as I wasn't sure Maybelle, the player, would react to it. Luckily enough, she seemed to share Raven's disappointment at not being able to find release. Hardestadt found Rafael's technique to be ineffective.

- After each torture session, the Children were brought to another dungeon. When a new PC was brought to be tortured, Hardestadt was described to have been brushing away ash or wiping away blood to give the impression that the previous victim had suffered final death.

- After the last victim had been tortured, Mordecai mentioned to alessandro that the Founders were less inclined to torture the female sex than the male sex. Perhaps. But there is more than one way to skin a cat. Hehehe!

- As Roderigo helped the CotC get cleaned up, he answered their questions regarding Kindred in general. Mordecai was infuriated that Roderigo had pretended to be tortured. But then, Roderigo explained, he did not have much of a choice. Like the OOC reason, it was a test to gauge the characters to find out if they were telling the truth.

- Before being sent to the Conspiracy of Isaac (CoI), I allowed the players an opportunity to talk to other characters as a way for them to put player and character knowledge at more or less the same level.

- Mordecai chose to speak to Hardestadt and Durga Syn. The former in order to learn what it means to be Ventrue. The latter, to get an idea of what they needed to do. In both instances, the answers were not what he expected. Hardestadt demonstrated how Kindred were made to rule over men through the gifts of Caine. Whereas Durga Syn spoke to him of

- Raven/Blyss chose to speak to Rafael and Milov. I chose to make the meetings opposite from one another. Whereas Rafael exhibited the importance of being a "modern" Kindred by having her dressed up, Milov showed that all Kindred were animals deep inside and that dressing up was just their way of moving among their prey.

- Faolan spoke to Adana and Durga Syn. The latter was to get an idea of what it means to be Brujah. I was afraid that Dennis, Faolan's player, may end up patterning his character into a stereotypical Brujah rather than being his own person. As for Durga Syn/Synovea, Dennis was in for a surprise when she mentions that his son is still alive.

- Lucy's discussion with Synovea became a philosophical debate about good and evil. The old crone makes mention of the story of Caine and Abel, revealing to her that the first murder was not borne of jealousy but love. And that Caine's sin was not murder but pride.

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I had intended to have the game encompass act 2, from the moment the characters are captured by the Founders until their decision on which side of the conflict to be on. However, the characters spent a lot of time talking to the Founders and Durga Syn to get an idea of who they are and what they are.

I didn't mind really. It gave me a chance to explain the game to them further. But I was also hesitant about giving them too much information. I didn't want to limit their choices or follow a set path simply because that was expected of them.

Still, it turned out great. The next game looks to be just as wonderful.

Journal Entry 1: The Arrival

April 2, 1444
Alessandro di Rossi

The invitation warned not to arrive early. One would have thought of it as an advisory, surrounded with flowery letters and perfumed paper. But for someone in my profession, one must learn to read between the lines. And what I learned was most intriguing.

I arrived at the Red Lamb Inn just before sundown. The proprietor, Sigismund, was surprised to learn I was a guest of the Lord Claudius Giovanni. He had been told that we would be arriving on the 3rd. Immediately, he set about cleaning the main room and cooking the stew. Though I protested and said it was unnecessary, he continued on.

He showed me to my room when I asked for a place to rest. It was small and spare, but not rundown as the inns I had passed on my way here from the Holy Land. The travel had been long and weary. I decided to take a nap after washing up.

I awoke a few candlemarks later; I hadn't meant to fall asleep so deeply. I suppose the journey was taxing. The sun had completely set and the moon had just risen. Below, I could hear people talking, though their voices were subdued, almost whispering. Dressed in my cassock, I went down to the common room to eat and learn more of my host from the common folk. However, conversation soon died when they realized there was a stranger in their midst.

Smiling as friendly as I could, I sat in a quiet corner and waited for Sigismund to arrive with a bowl of stew. All eyes were on me in those few moments. I think I understood what Moses must have felt when he returned to Egypt. When Sigismund arrived with the food, I began to eat heartily; conversation among the other occupants of the tavern began once again since I seemed no more than a priest.

I say this because I overheard an old man sigh in relief. They all assumed I did not understand Slavic. I did not correct them as this kind of assumption has served me well over the years, especially in my travels. It allows me to know what people truly feel, since they may be intimidated to talk to a man of the Church.

Bits and pieces of conversation drifted from the farmers and shopkeepers. Most were regarding the coming harvest and the safety of roads between here and Wallachia. Tradesmen could not travel south as the war between Christians and Moors had reached Transylvania. Hunyadi's plea of support from the Holy Roman Empire remained unheeded.

I was told the reason why and it makes me ill knowing that this was a political move by the Holy See. Just as my move to Prague came as a result of it; I was tasked to monitor the political situation and ensure that Hunyadi remained pressed for support. As if by divine Providence, I was given that opportunity.

The invitation came a few months ago by messenger. Claudius Giovanni, Earl of Stavlachia, requested my presence for dinner. To what purpose, I did not know. I had the vaguest feeling that he was interested in me as I was in his political leanings. As a native of Italy, I know of the Giovanni and the considerable wealth they have accumulated. Wealth they have used to buy land and acquire titles. I also know of less savory rumors.

Though peasants are prone to exaggerate, I found their stories similar to those told in my native land. Servants from the Giovanni manse are known to become sick with a wasting disease. This is usually evidenced by a deathly pallor due to an imbalance of humors. Most of the prominent members of the family exhibit this. They also share an aversion to sunlight. As a result, they have become more nocturnal.

One would think that this would put a strain in their business dealings and day to day activities. But due to their considerable financial clout, people are more than willing to do business with them regardless if it night or day.

Finishing the stew, I felt I had learned more than enough for the night. The Cardinal may be interested to know of these things, especially the rumors being similar here as they are in Italy. I felt it best to retire to my room and draft a letter to him.