Let's Play VtM: Wild Nights - Chapter 10

[Zero Credibility]

Sigh, we should have taken A. I hope we'll have another chance to play a hero some other time.

Immediate goal: B sounds good. We can't openly move against the prince or du Marchais right now - too risky. But I think our long term goals should be C and D - fuck them both.

And with that in mind, I propose E - a meeting with the regent. We need political support, and the regent is the only power in the city that actually likes us for some reason. Or is smart enough to pretend to, anyway - either is a good reason to ally ourself with her.

Plus I think she would make a hell of a better prince then the current one. The way she turns (in disgust?) from the execution shows she's a true . A true prince shouldn't need to stroke his ego by getting his hands dirty (and then fucking it up) this way. Or she has high humanity, which would make her an even better ally, but what are the chances for that?

Hmm, replacing a weak and annoying Ventrue prince with cunning and sympathetic Tremere regent - now where did I see that before?

 

[ironyuri]

grotsnik, bro, I think the first page needs updatan.

Perhaps you could add the map, description/char sheet of our ventrue and our contact list to first page as well?

If you need to lengthen time between updates and give us a hard voting period that would be fine with me, that way we can maintain a bit more order and you won't burn out trying to please us.

 

[ironyuri]

Sorry for the double-post bros, bad form, I know. I want to differentiate the two, so it seems simple to do it this way.

Alright-

Before we decide our immediate course of action, it looks like grotsnik is allowing us to lock down a character development arc or a main quest, so to speak. First thing's first, then, we need to weigh up the options:

A - Regaining the Prince's support will only get us so far. If we don't remove du Marchais, we will be held at arm's length for the rest of our existence. We will not be favoured by the Prince if he has perceived the Rannigan complot as a failure on our part. I don't believe this path bears any fruit.

B - Quietly increasing our power and regaining stature seems the best move to me. However, we should not seek domain under another Baron. The only Baron we know for certain to be sympathetically disposed to our Ventrue is Sammy Earnes, the Tremere regent. We must take into account, however, that our contact list says:

The trick will be to use her without her using you.

If we can claim domain with the help of Sammy Earnes, then more power to us. We must not however, succumb to a blood bond with the Regent or allow ourselves to be used by her. If we're to build our power it must be on our terms, which are as follows:

1. We have information on what the Cathayans brought into London and its link to Rannigan.
2. We are not far off Rannigan's trail and he's our best bet for deposing our immediate antagonist.
3. We have the secret in the sewers up our sleeve.
4. We have a Lasombra spy who we can feed misinformation.
5. We have Oscar and Fellowes in our employ (Oscar will come round, surely, considering we haven't put him at serious risk), we need to reward them both.
6. We have Don Jamieson's number and we should call him.
7. We have Humphrey and Glenville, valuable kine connections.


C - This can be incorporated into B. We build our power in order to topple du Marchais. Currying favour with him is not mutually exclusive with building our power and regaining stature, so choosing this as an obsessive focus would only limit our development. We don't need a nemesis, as that will detract from the big picture. The more we hound du Marchais or make him our focus, the more important we make him. He's just a stepping stone to furthering our long-term goals (just as our Ventrue was to him).

D - Toppling the Prince is, at the moment, an unsavoury option. A war with the Sabbat has begun and war-time leaders should not be removed at the risk of internal strife and annihilation at the hands of the enemy. We need to focus on ourselves and worry about making kings later.

E - As long as this is a possibility I guess it's open. If we become more powerful, or indispensable, then we may be able to consider this. We're still too weak to defect without repercussions.


So, as far as character development is concerned, I am voting B : build our personal power base and regain stature. We should not, however, allow ourselves to be used by Earnes or any other Baron. We must do this on our own terms, but seek protection if we need it.


******

As for our immediate course of action:

I vote that we (P) phone Don Jamieson to establish contact. Find out where he is staying and why he was so interested in us. He may prove a valuable contact.

I vote we take this opportunity to B investigate the sewers. This may be our chance for adventure and I would like to indulge our curiousity, considering it was what we planned to do so many nights ago. If we can take Fellowes with us, all the better. Perhaps we might even invite Don Jamieson to join the party? He sounds like your quintessential American tourist - just tell him we want to show him one of London's more exotic sights. Either way, it's time we found out the secret of the sewers and how it might be used to further our goals.

******

Not immediate, but we need to call Oscar or pay him another visit (hopefully he hasn't packed up and moved on) in order to personally reward him. We also need the data he was tracking down for us on what happened to Rannigan between being put in the black Sedan and the deaths of the Baron's thugs.

 

[Storyfag]

Convincing arguments.

Flip flopping to B and B and Phone Don Jamieson.

Also, guys, how about we tell Oscar about the contents of the Cathayan container? Once he learns that the thing chasing Rannigan was Cathayan and not a Nickutu, he may warm up a little...

 

[Esquilax]

Just curious, grotsnik, what would have happened had we chosen A?

 

[SCO]

So be even more clear:

You witness how big a role our powerbase in Whitehall play in keeping ourselves safe in the eyes of Prince, Regent, and Barons.

And you risk alienating that powerbase by ignoring what need to be done.

FFS we are NOT risking the alienation of our power base by ignoring a shitty fire

Are we Superman? No. Spiderman? No. Any other breed of superhero? No. NOBODY FUCKING EXPECTS US TO SOLVE THE CITY'S EVERY RANDOM PROBLEM. And this fire is just it - a random problem.

Doesn't look very random. In fact, it looks planned.

 

[Esquilax]

BB with the phone call option used to call Erika Schiller to tell her about the Cathayan involvement in this whole Rannigan affair.

 

[ironyuri]

Convincing arguments.

Flip flopping to B and B and Phone Don Jamieson.

Also, guys, how about we tell Oscar about the contents of the Cathayan container? Once he learns that the thing chasing Rannigan was Cathayan and not a Nickutu, he may warm up a little...

If we are allowed more than one phone call before heading out for the night's activities, then this would be a good idea, but if not, then it can wait. Jamieson is worth contacting while he's warm, and Oscar is worth leaving to cool down.

If we can give Oscar some information, especially a copy of the disc we received from the Foreign Office, he may appreciate it, as well as respect our own information gathering skills.

Edit-

Judging by the map, if we're going to claim a new domain then PrimroseHill is not a bad location around our Haven. We could make allies of the Gangrel to the North and focus our base around Regent's Park.

Alternatively, if we decide to enter the employ of Sammy Earnes, we could set up a new haven in Greenwich near the Tremere chantry at #4, which would also place us much closer to Oscar. We would, however, be seperated from the Camarilla zone of influence by several Sabbat controlled areas, so that option is distasteful.

 

[GarfunkeL]

ironyuri has me convinced, I'll be a good sheep and imitate his voting pattern.

B-B-P Yank

 

[grotsnik]

Just curious, grotsnik, what would have happened had we chosen A?

Spoiler

You'd have saved the girl, gaining Humanity and facing some of your fears of your own mortality in the process. But you'd have been caught on one of the street's cameras, and I'd have stuck in a meta-plot bit introducing your face to the nice Scotland Yard Inspector who's getting more and more suspicious about strange events in London of late. So a new character and a new sub-plot.

 

[Esquilax]

Aw man! That would have been cool! Bros, we gotta be heroes next time. And our new pal Don would have been just the guy to get this dude off our scent.

 

[ironyuri]

Just curious, grotsnik, what would have happened had we chosen A?

Spoiler

You'd have saved the girl, gaining Humanity and facing some of your fears of your own mortality in the process. But you'd have been caught on one of the street's cameras, and I'd have stuck in a meta-plot bit introducing your face to the nice Scotland Yard Inspector who's getting more and more suspicious about strange events in London of late. So a new character and a new sub-plot.

By the sounds of it you're not ruling that subplot out should the Masquerade be further violated.... Interesting.

 

[Storyfag]

Overcoming our cowardice *would* be a suitable reward. Damn, I was a fool to advocate B so loudly.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Just curious, grotsnik, what would have happened had we chosen A?

Spoiler

You'd have saved the girl, gaining Humanity and facing some of your fears of your own mortality in the process. But you'd have been caught on one of the street's cameras, and I'd have stuck in a meta-plot bit introducing your face to the nice Scotland Yard Inspector who's getting more and more suspicious about strange events in London of late. So a new character and a new sub-plot.

So, we missed out on chance to play a hero, gain humanity, character development and a new interesting sub-plot?

 

[SCO]

I agree with ironyurl. I vote for his plan.

 

[SCO]

Do we know the origin of the container? This would help narrow down the nature of the beast.

 

[laclongquan]

:sigh:

Ah well! Let's clean up the mess, shall we!

RECAP:

1. We, Sommers that is, know for certain that Terrance pursued by a creature smuggled in through the Cathayans. We could suspect that this creature caught up to the van and caught him. To Londonium Camarilla, he's dead in the hands of Sabbat. To The Prince his status is unknown because his two men got killed. To Sabbat it could be that Dubrik is competent enough to uncover the same things we did, so we assume that Dubrik is as good as us.

2. The Cathayans have reason to keep quiet about this since Cama-Sabba war is beneficial to them.

3. The Sabbat is a mystery. No way to know if they want this war or not.

4. The Camarila is divided. Prince's faction want the war. However, barons' faction may not. erika's streak of honor and loyalty to Camarilla make for her actions unpredictable. This Chaos may just be what we need to survive.

5. Our influence in Whitehall is actually unknown. If we are not invited there, it could be very troublesome in the days ahead. We could manipulate kine's actions from afar but it's very different from direct on-site supervision. It's not that we are unwelcome there, but true influence is reduced after this fiasco. We could force our way back in with Dominate and Presence but it reek of inelegance. Dont forget that in this coming war the politic pressure to coverup strange doings are raising.

The move to invite your ghoul into your house is good. 1st thing, you have somebody to look after your safehouse. 2nd, She still can serve as a willing conduit/agent into Whitehall should we be uninvited there . 3rd, a reliable supply of blood for emergency at your base.

Okay. What's the priority?

1. Reinforce our power base. Visit Whitehall soonest to strengthen the shaky bonds, and ensure of support for coming days. It's vital. And it's convenient to ask the Nos about this creature. Also chance to forge links with them.

2. Phone Don Jamieson. What a fellow! Very much worth collecting just for his skill alone. The fact that he has heard of us is also curious. No need to meet right away.

3. Meet Sheriff (last action). We have met the Nos so we may know more about that creature. And its Cathay connection is worrying, very worrying. We cant just let a hostile power manipulate us into doing as they wish. And it's a chance for closer acquaintance with our buffy Erika.

Our motive:

C. Topple du Marchais. The mere fact that Terrance might just still be alive could set him into a worrying state and lure him to an ambush or rash action. We will have chance to fake submitting and setting new traps.

We dont actually want to run away. And our actions have lead us toward Camarilla faction and Erika. Topple Prince could be very dangerous for Camarilla. And support Prince is too late.

 

[SCO]

Aw man! That would have been cool! Bros, we gotta be heroes next time. And our new pal Don would have been just the guy to get this dude off our scent.

I'd just ghoul him. A detective is useful. Maybe we could play undeniable matchmaker and make a revenant with our secretary and him.

 

[Esquilax]

Aw man! That would have been cool! Bros, we gotta be heroes next time. And our new pal Don would have been just the guy to get this dude off our scent.

I'd just ghoul him. A detective is useful.

Now that's a great idea. Shit man, I am so fucking pissed about going B. Never pick the "fuck off and do nothing" option, that's for suckers. Well... not "never", but goddamn did we miss some cool shit.

 

[laclongquan]

Never say never. The point is just sometimes we need to walk away, when we are hurt, sore and weak.

When we are strong, healthy, and ready for trouble there's no need for inaction.

 

[Esquilax]

attracting the intention of the Yard would be cool?

i think the world has gone upside down and now i'm the one thinking like a ventrue you bunch of brujahs

Dude, you are the biggest advocate of this sewer crawl, I would think you would have been totally pissed about this too. And fuck yes it would be cool, it would be an interesting challenge, and allow us to increase our BRO meter. There are a lot of ways we could have of dealing with it - the last of course, being killing the inspector. But Dominate would be great there.

 

[grotsnik]

Now that's a great idea. Shit man, I am so fucking pissed about going B. Never pick the "fuck off and do nothing" option, that's for suckers. Well... not "never", but goddamn did we miss some cool shit.

Spoiler

Yeah, it actually ended up being quite shitty for the 'do nothing' option, which wasn't my intention; I had drafted something plot-centric happening at home if 'B' won, but it woulda completely railroaded everything, so I ended up cutting it out.

 

[ironyuri]

I doubt that grotsnik has ruled out the Yard sub plot entirely. If there's a detective looking into strange events that our character doesn't know about, then a simple Masquerade violation by someone else may put the Yard onto the kindred of London. Choice and consequence. If the Yard does get onto someone else, then we might be the connected Vampire to solve the problem...



I think going to the sewer tonight will increase our BRO and our balls meters to maximum.

 

[Esquilax]

Now that's a great idea. Shit man, I am so fucking pissed about going B. Never pick the "fuck off and do nothing" option, that's for suckers. Well... not "never", but goddamn did we miss some cool shit.

Spoiler

Yeah, it actually ended up being quite shitty for the 'do nothing' option, which wasn't my intention; I had drafted something plot-centric happening at home if 'B' won, but it woulda completely railroaded everything, so I ended up cutting it out.

Not all choices are equal, there's nothing you can do about that. But I'm sure that there will be opportunities in the future to overcome Anthony's fear of death.

 

[laclongquan]

War is coming. We will have our chance with the good Inspector soon enough.

Still...

:sigh: