A bright light overhead made Rutger Leick's eyes squint shut tightly. Why did the entrance to the warehouse have to be right under a light. It broke up the deep darkness that pleased Leick so much, scattering it into tiny corners where it hid, waiting for the light to disappear so it could swallow up the earth again. Leick sometimes felt like that darkness - he too was cowering in the deepest corners of the city, until the moment when he could finally emerge into full view, becoming that power of darkness in the city. As Leick knocked on the door, he wondered why Nalal had asked him over so urgently. He had been called early on in the night and told to make his way over to this abandoned building where Nalal had settled in. That Bulgarian Toreador was a strange one. What could be so urgent. The door cracked open and Leick saw the beady green eye staring out at him. Once Nalal recognized his visitor, he opened the door. "Come in, quickly," the Toreador said in a heavily accented voice. "The light is strong." "So I noticed," replied Leick as he entered the warehouse. The Primogen had been here before, twice he thought. There was little in the way of furnishings. A bed in one corner, with a desk near it. The warehouse had been abandoned for some time and much of it had fallen in. Leick noted that several windows had broken, which had forced Nalal to cover them with black boards to keep out the sunlight. Thick dust on the other windows did the same job. Nalal headed over to a spot maybe fifty feet from his bed, with Leick not far behind. "What is it?" the Brujah asked impatiently. "Why did you bring me here?" The wiry man stopped, turning round to Leick, an odd look in his eye. "Have you ever heard of the Crystal of Darkness?" Leick shook his head to indicate he hadn't. Nalal grunted, bending down to open a trap door Leick hadn't noticed before under the thick dust and grime. In a moment, Nalal had pulled out a huge tome, which he plopped onto the floor before closing the trap door again. He then opened the heavy book somewhere in the middle, flicking through pages until he found the one he was looking for. "Ah, here we are!" he exclaimed. Leick squatted down beside the Toreador to get a better look. "I've seen these before," the Brujah informed his companion, indicating a picture of the very distinctive crystals. "In Laplace's collection." "Ah, yes," said Nalal. "The crystal of blood, and the crystal of death. One was mine. Laplace took it as payment for my stay here in New Chelsea." "And this one," Leick said, pointing to a deep amber-colored stone. "He has this too." "What?" Nalal was shocked. "The crystal of fire. How did he acquire that without my knowledge?" Leick was intrigued at this point and ignored Nalal's question, responding with one of his own: "What are they?" "These," came the reply, "are a set of Ancient Crystals of immense power. No-one alive remembers their origin - unless some Antediluvians are still around. Separate they are strong, but together they fuse into the Crystal of Darkness. It is said that the forger of the artifact was so afraid of the power he had wrought that he split the crystal asunder, sending the fragmentary pieces to all the corners of the Earth. "Of course, that may be simple folklore," Nalal admitted of this last part, "but that is what they say." "How many are there?" asked Leick. "Twelve in all." "Whoever wields the Crystal would have great power," mused Leick. This thought appealed to him. If he could assemble the crystal, he would be able to overthrow Laplace and rule the city fully. Hell, he could rule the world! Leick wondered if Laplace knew what he had. Did he simply collect the crystals because he thought they looked pretty, or was he protecting himself from the ancient power? "Yes," Nalal confirmed, shaking Leick out of his reverie. "He would have great power indeed. But the Crystal consumes the heart of its wielder - or so it is said. No-one has seen it assembled for thousands of years." The Primogen was disdainful of this foolish superstition. All those who have no ambition fear power, he realized. Nalal is simply afraid because he does not understand. If I held the power, Leick thought, if I held it... "Why are you telling me?" he asked suddenly. "Because," Nalal replied, "I fear it is already being assembled. By Fredrick Frost." "What!" Leick exclaimed. "That anarch! He should not be allowed!" Leick stood up. "It belongs to someone with real power. Not some hot-headed youngster with a mind for vengeance!" "It belongs to no-one!" Nalal said with uncharacteristic force, also standing up, managing to look almost eye-to-eye with Leick despite their great height difference. The force of Nalal's gaze caused Leick to sink back to the floor again. "Of course," Leick said then. "I just meant that power like that should never be wielded by anyone." "Frost has three of the crystals," Nalal continued. "We must not let him get the rest. With the Masamune in one hand and the Crystal of Darkness in the other, Frost would be unstoppable." "The other pieces, where are they?" "No-one knows," Nalal informed him. "As far as I know, they are very far from here. But we must keep an eye out. Frost must not be allowed to collect all 12 crystals." "I understand," Leick said then, standing. "You can count on me." And then the Brujah made his way towards the door. I hope I can, thought Nalal. I hope I can. Leick smiled as he passed out under the bright lamp and on into the night. Now I know of a power, Leick thought to himself. A power which will get me what I want. What I deserve. It will be mine! - End of post. Rutger Leick, Brujah Primogen. The lock turned slowly. Frost opened the door quietly. He took off his coat and hung it on the rack on the wall removing his sword from it at the same time. The curtains were drawn. Frost slumped on the couch. "Good to be home," he thought to himself. It had been two nights of sleeping in sewers since he had met Nalal. He had not wanted to lead anyone back to his lair. So he had waited in the sewers until he was sure it was safe. Frost looked around. His expensive, well-furnished apartment was a little dusty but otherwise there was no change. Then he felt it: Masamune warning him of a Kindred, but no ordinary Kindred. There was the sensation of unimaginable pain in all parts of Frost's body. This Kindred was powerful - more powerful, perhaps, than any other. Frost had been wondering when she would arrive. The door behind him opened carefully. A beautiful vampire walked graciously towards Frost. She moved like an angel that one sees in a dream. Her hair was long, reaching almost to her knees. Her figure was gracious and elegant. Her eyes were the most incredible of all because they changed color. Specter was he name. Or at least what she called herself. She was 8000 years old, so she said, the oldest known creature still alive on the earth. Specter was probably not her real name but she had been around so long that Frost doubted if she remembered her true name. "Did you get it?" her voice was soft and soothing, a normal vampire would have succumbed to her will simply by listening to her voice. But Frost had Masamune to protect him. She looked at him a moment. "I didn't think so, I told you Nalal would not still have it." "It was worth a try," Frost said coldly. "But knowing that old fool Nalal, Leick must know by now." Specter had stopped moving. "Laplace has two crystals and we have 4. You said there were 9 in this city. Where are they?" He felt vaguely uneasy talking to this vampire in that manner. "Please be calm," her eyes dropped to the floor. Frost could not help but let his muscles relax. "I am sure that Leick can tell us something. But I shall go speak with him. You have another task." She paused momentarily raising her eyes and looking into Frost's. "There is a female Ventrue called Victoria Treagard in this city. She runs a theater where the rich of this city gather, she might be able to help us." The female vampire threw a bundle of bills on the floor. "Give this to her. It is payment to Laplace on her theater - this little gift may help you earn her trust." Frost fought down a sudden upsurge of anger and hatred at the thought of meeting with a Venture, but he knew better than to argue with Specter. He nodded. She walked slowly over to him and kissed him softly. Then she moved back towards the door. Her black cloak touching the ground behind her. Frost knew that she had the crystal of night and that like him she kept it with her all the time. She claimed even to have been present when the crystal was forged. She was truly dangerous, and beautiful at the same time. Then Frost caught an odor. It would seem that spending two days in the sewers had not left him with a very appealing aroma. Frost went back to his coat. He pulled out the pouch containing the three crystals. He had not let go of Masamune. He went to the shower and cleaned up. He emerged after he had cleaned himself. Then he went to his room. The blinds were drawn. He lay on the bed and rested. Tomorrow he would go see this Victoria Treagard. - End of post. Fredrick Frost, Caitiff. Airegon walked towards the stone gate just after dark one evening. As she got near it she heard a rustling behind her. "Who is there? Come out and show yourself!" the Brujah demanded. When no one came she continued towards the gate. Eventually reaching the gate, Airegon pushed it open with a loud creak, but once again she heard a sound behind her and this time when she turned around she saw someone dart behind a tree. "I know you're there I saw you," she yelled into the night, "Now come out! And that is a command." Slowly and very quietly a small girl stepped out from behind the tree. "Yes?" the child asked. "What do you want?" "Why were you following me?" Airegon shouted at the child. "Please don't hurt me," she blubbered. "My brother and I saw you and he sent me to ask you if you had any food we could have." "No I don't... but come little girl I think you can help me. You see I haven't had any food for three days and am very hungry." "But we don't have any food that's why I had to ask you for some. Now please can I go? My brother will be looking for me soon." "Oh you do have food for me you just don't know it yet. You see," and at this Airegon's fangs grew large, extending beyond her lower lip, "I'm a vampire and I love fresh blood from young ones like you," she said with her voice full of hatred. Quickly grabbing hold of the young girl, Airegon sank her fangs into the young girls throat, draining the hot fluid from the tiny body. When she was finished she laughed gleefully and said, "I haven't done anything that enjoyable for years." And she continued on her way. - End of post. Airegon, Brujah. The night was very dark and, though Victoria had wanted to go hunting, she felt the need for a night in. The new show was playing upstairs, in the main theatre, while the dramatic society meeting took place in the lesser hall. Victoria would wait for the performance to start, then, when nobody would be watching, she would find her usual seat in the balcony area. The crowd was exceedingly large, this evening, the show would be a success. When the show was over, Victoria, moved in on her target. He was a single man, very handsome, upper class. She waited until the crowds had moved to the doors before singeling him out. He took the bait, without even a touch from her Domination. She ushered him through to another hallway, leading him eventually down to her chambers....... The man awoke. He was outside the theatre, where he had a memory of being led out by the doorman. He must have fallen asleep at the show again. Then, the doorman would have helped him out of the building. Victoria's head was spinning. She danced around her room. The blood of the man, from whom she drank, was most exuberating. Then there was a knock at the door. "Who's there?" she called. "It's just me," the 'manager' called. "What do you want?" "There's someone here to see you." "Who is it?" "He calls himself Frost." Victoria suddenly froze. She couldn't quite remember which of the many men she'd had, who this Frost was. She was just going to play this one by ear, until, just then, a thought came to her. Frost wasn't one of her many conquests, rather he was the new Kindred in town. Other Ventrue had been telling her of the rumours surrounding this guy. Not pretty at all, he even killed other Kindred...... "Send him in," she called. She wasn't going to be afraid of him. Footsteps went away from the door and she could hear another set approach, duller toned. He entered the room. Frost stood there with a smile on his face and mischief in his eyes. Victoria could see the sword he had with him, just hoped he didn't use it. "Welcome to the city," she greeted him, cordial but coldly formal. "But the theatre is really 'out of your league' don't you think?" "Well, no actually," he rustled in his jacket pocket, "I think the theatre is a very nice asset to the city." Victoria was all ears, "Go on.." "Well, how would you like me to be your new partner?" "I definitely wouldn't!" she replied in horror. (Sharing with a Caitiff, very funny.) "Here's the deal, I want to pay the prince all your outstanding debt." He pulled out a wad of money, "I have it all right here." "You can just put all that back where it was," she exclaimed, mortified. "I'm not sharing anything with you. Besides, the Prince and I have a contract to uphold." Frost didn't really put up a fight for his proposition. He knew there was sincerity in Victoria's words, which wasn't going to change. Instead he asked: "Where do you stand with the prince, in 'the grand scheme of things' anyway?" "What do you mean, Frost?" "I'm talking about the big picture. I mean, the prince is rather old and.... well you know it's really Leick that's running the city?" "I wouldn't talk that way, here, Frost. I don't know where you come from, but I can see you're not shallow (like the others!) The city walls have ears, ---" "Oh, I'm counting on that!" he interrupted. "Anyway, I believe you were leaving? I can't accept the money and the Prince just won't either. Please go." Frost looked at Victoria with cold eyes. Thoughts of her head rolling over across the floor must have swept through his mind, but he kept his sword sheathed. There was a moment he stood still, before walking out of the room and off into the city. In that moment, Victoria could feel the hatred he had for her. He must have been brought here against his own will. - End of post. Victoria Treagard, Ventrue. "Excuse me," Frost asked the woman pleasantly. "Can you tell me how to get to Wellington Street? I'm a little turned around." The lady he had met on the sidewalk smiled politely and turned backwards, pointing behind her. "Yeah. It's just back there. Turn left and keeping walking, you can't miss it." "Thank you," Frost smiled back. The pretty woman nodded and started to continue, but was stopped softly by Fredrick. "Sorry," he apologized, "but you got a little something on your neck." She bent her head down to where Frost was pointing. "Where?" "Here," he growled as he sank his fangs into her arteries. He sucked hard, draining her as quickly as possible, until he dumped the lifeless corpse on the hard ground. "You know you're gonna have to hide the body," came a familiar voice from behind a bush. A figure emerged from the darkness into the orange glow of a street lamp. It was Nalal. "Can't just leave her lying there like that." Frost scowled. "Of course. What do you think I am, an idiot?" "You *did* kill her right out in the open. I saw it. Someone else could have. You've got to be more careful about exposing the Masquerade." "I don't need lessons from you," the Caitiff grunted as he removed a nearby sewer cover, before kicking the still-warm body into the dank hole and replacing the heavy lid. "That what you came here for? To give me tips on how to kill?" "No, not exactly," said Nalal, taking a subtle step forward. "It's the crystals, Frost." "Crystals, crystals," Frost moaned. "Everyone's talking about the damn crystals. Put 'em together, don't put 'em together. Why can't everybody just leave me alone?" "Because this concerns us all," came the reply. "I've studied them, Frost, I know what they can do." "So do I," the Caitiff said grimly. "I don't think you do," Nalal disagreed. "They have power, but not like you think. They can control your mind. Make you do things." "They're just crystals, Nale --" "No," he interrupted, "they're not. Or at least, they may not be. Everything I've read suggests they influence decisions, actions. They take over your soul..." "No-one controls me," Frost said angrily. "We both know that's not true." Frost lowered his eyes, nervous. What did he mean? Does he know about Specter? Is his Auspex that strong? Or is he still referring to the three crystals I carry in my pocket? "Haven't you wondered," Nalal continued, "why the crystals are here, now?" "What are you talking about?" By now Frost was weary of the conversation, and just wanted to go. "I mean they've stayed separate for centuries, millennia even. Now, all of a sudden, five of them, maybe more who knows, are in this city. What's so special about New Chelsea? Now? It's like some powerful will is pulling them together where it knows some damn fool like you will assemble them." Frost went cold. "A will?" Nalal nodded. "That's what I'm feeling. Some ancient force drawing them together. Maybe it's the crystals themselves, maybe it's something else. What I want to know is why?" "You're crazy," Frost said nervously. "I'm outta here." The sword-bearer briskly made his way down the dark street. Was it Specter's will Nalal sensed? But if she could simply call the crystals together she wouldn't need him. Was she being controlled by someone else? No, that was impossible. So maybe it was all a coincidence. Yes, that must be it. That stinking Toreador was letting his imagination run away with him. And he nearly had Frost doing the same. Coincidence, that was all it was. Pure coincidence. Nalal watched Frost disappear. Some of what he had said was only conjecture, but he'd stated it as fact to startle information out of Frost. And it had worked. That man definitely knew something he wasn't telling. Nalal hoped Frost could survive the power of the Crystal of Darkness. He had a destiny. And all Kindred everywhere depended on it. But damned if Nalal knew what that destiny was... - End of post. Nalal, Non-player character, Toreador. Frost was angry. His night had not gone well. First the failure to achieve anything with that snob Treagard then the meeting with Nalal. What had he meant by a will drawing the crystal together? No matter, Frost had to find a place to hide at least one of his crystals. A safety deposit box would be most convenient. Frost walked around the street corner. There was a bank open on this street for vampires, it should be open. Frost spotted the bank. He made his way quickly to the door. Upon entering the bank he saw that the tellers were vampires. He walked over to one of them. "I need a safety deposit box," he demanded. The young Brujah did not argue. Frost filled out paper work for nearly an hour. After he had completed this he went into the vault. He had the teller open the box then politely asked him to leave. Frost pulled the pouch from his pocket. Which one to get rid of... He chose the crystal of the oceans. He closed and locked the box before placing the key in his pocket. Then he made the final arrangements with the teller and left the bank. Frost hoped that his actions had not been monitored which is why he had taken the second key while the teller had not been paying attention. Now box 456 was impossible to open without Frost present. And no one was going to assemble the crystal without his permission, that meant no one ever would. Now what? Now for Treagard. Frost made his way slowly back to the theater. He knew she would not leave the theater, she only wanted the premium blood that of the rich. She would be there. But first he needed to rest. His apartment was only a few blocks from the theater. He would go there the next evening. Maybe even startle Treagard by attending a show. Now he had to rest. He made his way to his apartment. As before he cautiously opened the door. He sensed no one. He walked in, removed his coat taking from it the pouch - which now contained two crystals - and his sword. He then went to his room. It was dark so he turned on the light. He walked to the closet and opened it which clothes would he need... THE NEXT EVENING Frost entered the theater wearing an gray Armani suit with a red tie. Masamune was parallel to his left leg. It was rather uncomfortable. Also, he had to take a seat in the fist row so he could keep his leg relatively straight, or he might rip his pants. If however the occasion arose and he was forced to fight he would have to destroy the left leg of his pants. That thought did not appeal to him at all. Tonight's performance promised to be quite dull. The performance was not however of any concern to Frost. Frost took his seat and watched the rather boring beginning of the play. About half way thorough the first act he felt Masamune warning him of a Kindred in the theater. He knew who it was. His eyes began to glow gently. The intermission would be most interesting Frost though smiling to himself. At the intermission Frost made his way to the lobby. He struck up a conversation with a gray haired millionaire. He felt Victoria walk in a few minutes into the thirty minute intermission to mingle and possibly find a target. The gray haired man walked over to her. "Victoria I have someone I would like you to meet," the old man said to her. He grabbed her arm and dragged her over to where Frost was standing. She gasped as she saw him. Her already pale skin went paler. "We've met," she muttered to the man as she pulled away from him. Leaning toward the Caitiff, she muttered, "Might I have a word with you, Mister Frost?" She tried to use her Domination to force him to comply. He stood a moment staring at her with a grin on his face. "Certainly." Frost followed her down to her personal chambers. "Now what is it you would want?" "That mister Frost is a question I would like to ask you" She was both frightened and intrigued by the Caitiff's persistence. She noticed a slight bulge on the left leg. "And why do you always carry a sword?" Ignoring her question, Frost said, "In a city like this one needs friends Victoria." He tilted his head slightly to the side. "I would like us to be friends." He pulled the pack of bills from his pocket. "Take this as a gift, no strings attached no partnership, nothing." She didn't move. Frost put the bills on a nearby table. "Think about it. I'll be back soon. If by then you still don't want it then I'll take it and go. Just think that with my help you might take down Leick once and for all." Frost was almost whispering. Then the Caitiff turned around and walked away. Not a bad performance he thought. Not half bad at all. - End of post. Fredrick Frost, Caitiff. Frost was angry. His night had not gone well. First the failure to achieve anything with that snob Treagard then the meeting with Nalal. What had he meant by a will drawing the crystal together? No matter, Frost had to find a place to hide at least one of his crystals. A safety deposit box would be most convenient. Frost walked around the street corner. There was a bank open on this street for vampires, it should be open. Frost spotted the bank. He made his way quickly to the door. Upon entering the bank he saw that the tellers were vampires. He walked over to one of them. "I need a safety deposit box," he demanded. The young Brujah did not argue. Frost filled out paper work for nearly an hour. After he had completed this he went into the vault. He had the teller open the box then politely asked him to leave. Frost pulled the pouch from his pocket. Which one to get rid of... He chose the crystal of the oceans. He closed and locked the box before placing the key in his pocket. Then he made the final arrangements with the teller and left the bank. Frost hoped that his actions had not been monitored which is why he had taken the second key while the teller had not been paying attention. Now box 456 was impossible to open without Frost present. And no one was going to assemble the crystal without his permission, that meant no one ever would. Now what? Now for Treagard. Frost made his way slowly back to the theater. He knew she would not leave the theater, she only wanted the premium blood that of the rich. She would be there. But first he needed to rest. His apartment was only a few blocks from the theater. He would go there the next evening. Maybe even startle Treagard by attending a show. Now he had to rest. He made his way to his apartment. As before he cautiously opened the door. He sensed no one. He walked in, removed his coat taking from it the pouch - which now contained two crystals - and his sword. He then went to his room. It was dark so he turned on the light. He walked to the closet and opened it which clothes would he need... THE NEXT EVENING Frost entered the theater wearing an gray Armani suit with a red tie. Masamune was parallel to his left leg. It was rather uncomfortable. Also, he had to take a seat in the fist row so he could keep his leg relatively straight, or he might rip his pants. If however the occasion arose and he was forced to fight he would have to destroy the left leg of his pants. That thought did not appeal to him at all. Tonight's performance promised to be quite dull. The performance was not however of any concern to Frost. Frost took his seat and watched the rather boring beginning of the play. About half way thorough the first act he felt Masamune warning him of a Kindred in the theater. He knew who it was. His eyes began to glow gently. The intermission would be most interesting Frost though smiling to himself. At the intermission Frost made his way to the lobby. He struck up a conversation with a gray haired millionaire. He felt Victoria walk in a few minutes into the thirty minute intermission to mingle and possibly find a target. The gray haired man walked over to her. "Victoria I have someone I would like you to meet," the old man said to her. He grabbed her arm and dragged her over to where Frost was standing. She gasped as she saw him. Her already pale skin went paler. "We've met," she muttered to the man as she pulled away from him. Leaning toward the Caitiff, she muttered, "Might I have a word with you, Mister Frost?" She tried to use her Domination to force him to comply. He stood a moment staring at her with a grin on his face. "Certainly." Frost followed her down to her personal chambers. "Now what is it you would want?" "That, Mister Frost, is a question I would like to ask you" She was both frightened and intrigued by the Caitiff's persistence. She noticed a slight bulge on the left leg. "And why do you always carry a sword?" Ignoring her question, Frost said, "In a city like this one needs friends Victoria." He tilted his head slightly to the side. "I would like us to be friends." He pulled the pack of bills from his pocket. "Take this as a gift, no strings attached no partnership, nothing." She didn't move. Frost put the bills on a nearby table. "Think about it. I'll be back soon. If by then you still don't want it then I'll take it and go. Just think that with my help you might take down Leick once and for all." Frost was almost whispering. Then the Caitiff turned around and walked away. Not a bad performance he thought. Not half bad at all. - End of post. Fredrick Frost, Caitiff. Airegon was walking through the trees looking for something to eat when two of the princes guards appeared. "The Prince would like to speak with you," one of them intoned. "What? Why?" she demanded. "I don't know. Now come with us please." "I won't!" Airegon declared. "I will have nothing to do with the one who ordered my family's death." "Your personal problems are not ours to deal with." "Well I'm not going anywhere with you. Go back to your little Prince and tell him you couldn't get me to come and you couldn't think of forcing for the fear that I would kill you." With those last angry words Airegon stalked of deep into the woods. - End of post. Airegon, Brujah. "Master," said the young Brujah on his knees, his hard brown eyes never leaving the floor in front of Leick. The neonate was one of Leick's blood-bonded Brujah - a coterie of followers who would walk into Hell for Leick, as long as they were fed regularly with his blood. "What is it, Peter?" Leick said from Laplace's throne on which he sat. If the Prince saw him here there would be hell to pay but Leick knew the Toreador was fast asleep now. He wasn't as alert as he used to be. "It's the Caitiff, that Frost," the young Cainite declared, a low growl rising in his throat. That caught Leick's attention. "What about him?" "He came to the Bank today," he reported, referring to the nondescript storage facility some of the Kindred in the city used, calling it a 'bank' as a sort of joke. Leick never found it all that funny. "What for?" "He deposited something. A crystal." Leick sat up straight. "A crystal. What color was it?" "Blue, Master." The crystal of the oceans. The fool Frost had left it in a bank run by Leick's followers! Oh, this was too rich! "Open it and bring the crystal to me," Leick demanded of the young Brujah. "Now!" "Unfortunately the Caitiff took both keys surreptitiously. I cannot open it." "Never mind," Leick said, unperturbed. "Bring the box. I'll find a way to get it open." The young Brujah nodded and stood up, never looking at Leick's face. He left slowly, obviously hoping Leick would offer him some blood, but the offer never came. The Primogen was too busy thinking. Once the box was opened, Leick thought, I will have four crystals (counting Laplace's three). I'm close. He rubbed his hands together with glee. So very close. - End of post. Rutger Leick, Brujah Primogen. Karenthuras went down to where the girl lay. She had been here for over a week and he'd resisted the temptation of drinking her blood. He was keeping her, feeding her until her strength grew. The stronger the mortal, the quicker the blood flows, and Karenthuras liked his victims to have a racing pulse. Karl had explained to the girl all which was expected of her; she didn't seem to be quite as shocked or upset as she was to begin with. 'Jennifer' must have accepted her fate and got over it, too quickly for Karl's liking, but it just made things easier. Jennifer was allowed to talk now but she didn't say much, perhaps because Karenthuras was always out of the chamber, never around. She could only answer to Karl anyway unless she talked to herself... there was nobody else there. She imagined that Karl was some sort of cultist, or something like that, because of the chanting and other weird 'goings on' of the place. She wasn't allowed to ask questions, else she'd be killed. That was made perfectly clear at the time she arrived. Perhaps soon Karl would be generous and answer her questions which could only be thoughts for now. "Jennifer," Karl called, "Jennifer. I think this has gone far enough now." She didn't say anything for fear of a question falling from her lips. "I can hear you asking questions, so many questions in your head, wanting answers?" "Yes, that would be nice." "No, not yet. But I'm here to untie you." Jennifer's face lit up immediately. She had been bound from the very first night she was abducted and her wrists and ankles were very sore. "Some ground rules, though..." Karl went on. "I will let you go into certain parts of this domain, but where I tell you not to go, YOU MUST NOT GO! Do you understand?" "Yes, Karl, I understand perfectly." Karl then released the girl from her bonds and took her around the lair to the places she was allowed to go. He didn't take her up any levels, but did show her the vast library of sorcery and some other chamber with experimental apparatus of sorts she had never seen before. - End of Post Karenthuras, Tremere. Victoria sat in her room. More thoughts went through her mind, about the theatre. She heard Frost coming back. Frost entered the room, "Thought it over yet?" "Yes, actually, I have," she replied, haughtily. "I don't want the money, even as a gift. I am indebted to one person only and I wish that to remain true." Frost looked at Victoria in disgust, she had rejected his offer twice now and he was getting very impatient. "What?" he grunted, the rage gathering on his face. "You won't even take it as a gift?" "NO! Frost, you have an ulterior motive and I don't trust you at all!" Victoria had gotten over her fear for the Caitiff, for by this time she was enraged in response. He just didn't seem to take no for an answer! She recalled some of his previous conversation and continued. "Oh, yeah, and I do have friends already in this city, you would be surprised at the influence I could maintain!" Frost opened his mouth to speak, but Victoria didn't give him a chance. "If I were to report your meeting here tonight to Leick, I'm sure you'd be dead within the hour!" Frost took a step back. "So, Leick got to you first then!" he shouted. "What? What are you on about? Look, just take your money and get out, don't come back either. You are no longer welcome here! Do you hear me?" Frost was stuck for words, but he was now sure that Victoria knew nothing about the crystals and all the rest of the events which happened at street level in the city. She was too busy in her own world of upper class hunting and preying to bother. - End of post. Victoria Treagard, Ventrue.