⚠ <b>Aiden⚠ </b> :Painful.
The burning sands still flowed around us as if to taunt our immortality. I was already damn sick of this place before we started walking again into the ever shifting dayscape. The four of us argued and theorized about the other inhabitants and settings located here, though we never left the idea of it being a torturous mirror.
By chance or foolish luck, our path led us to Theodoric burning tree and a unstable (though different than usual) Strauss. He was stuffing the forty-nine balls full of ashes and ran off screaming when he saw us. Multiple efforts ensued to contain, control or even catch him but they failed and he disappeared into the horizon.
Walking continued until the walls of Fort Detroit's crude sister appeared in the distance. Somethings had changed - there was the addition of a tripod and access to the well that held Archimedes anti-chamber but the three figures remained eternally locked in the blue flame. After a brief moment of contemplation, the well forcibly spit out Mai and JT making our party complete. Truth be told, she was not herself. The delusions and nightmares seemed to have taken an unnatural hold on her.
The scheming began immediatly for it was our mission to rescue the burned figures and that task was not in the least easy. I kept to myself and watched the circling flame grow larger in the sky. Our timer and our salvation were locked into that swirl of fire. Almost immediately, He returned to thwart our mission - but I am still not sure if it was really him or just an echo. The black-tar creature was also rapidly approaching and in a moment of unexplainable magic was devoured by its Master.
He began to change and shift into a large black hand with a face in the palm. We held on tight to our rescued kin and planned for ways to get in the path of the phoenix. Nothing manifested because in horror, we watched on as Randolph attempted to attack both the demonic hand and the prized phoenix. Seemingly frozen in time, I could not begin to think of his motives as he cut deep into the flame-bird shoulder. The decision was automatic. JT grabbed the bodies and the rest of us ran head-fast to the dying bird to travel its temporal journey. Randolph did not follow.
Detroit. It was there as we left it but due to the binding on our prisoners, they had traveled safely with us. Once in the privacy of the warehouse, we begin discussion on how to handle the next few moments. Time was short and the sun would be coming up soon but fearing the inevitable disappearance of our treasures, it was decided to awaken Theodoric as soon as possible.
The discussion was painful. Not only do they not understand my concerns in releasing an enemy of Him into my land but they clearly do not have have knowledge of my clan and its politics. After angry words got tossed around and issued settled, only then did Jenny show a glimmer of understanding. Looked a lot like pity.
After securing some food for the awakening beast, we revived him. I was thankfully mistaken. Theodoric was noble, helpful and gave us much information we had been needing. Archimedes was the Master (also known as the Survivor) and He could not kill a one of them if He desired return to the realm. There was some reassurance in that statement even though He has already returned.
At the last moments before dawn, we were graced by the presence of Heath Egan, Saturn and Irving. The time had come for the torch to be passed - we are to become them.
⚠ <b>Mai adds...⚠ </b>
"I want to talk to Jenny!" the voice boomed.
JT and Mai stand stunned. Neither says a word. Perhaps reading her mind, Achadremenos can see that Mai is currently thanking her stars she does not actually know where Jenny is.
JT and Mai are lifted up by the nape of their necks. Mai hangs limp, hoping this is a sign of frustration from the God. They are given an aerial tour of Detroit and then plopped back down onto the demented grass again.
It is not over. The road is still twisting. JT wants to drive somewhere so Mai tries to get into the car. They have trouble. The car is thrown about and twisted with Mai in it. JT is having difficulty with the car even as he is telling Mai, perfectly calmly, that this is a delusion.
Then Myrrha walks by. In a straight line. She tells them it looks like they are lost and perhaps they should follow her.
JT hesitates but Mai notes that Myrrha is the only person here who can walk in a straight line and at least they'll get somewhere...anywhere.
They go to Myrrha's house. It's a nice house, except for the slapping and howling that issues forth from the upper floor. Myrrha has advice to offer Mai and JT.
"Look for the truth in your dreams" she tells Mai.
Then, to JT, tells him something along the lines of "Don't look for the brother where you are, look for him in the other realm. Look for the father in his children".
Having dispensed her advice and received her reluctant and somewhat delusional thanks, she dismisses the two.
Mai hears another slap and howl and continues a litany of dog breeds in her head.
They step out the front door and into... sand. Aiden is standing there looking about as surprised as Aiden ever looks... which is not surprised at all. Randolf and Manfred are also there and of course Jenny who is doing exactly what Jenny normally does in this place and working on a nice crust of burnt skin as she again tinkers with the fire and the figures that hang above it.
Maybe this is sanity now?
JT goes off to help Jenny freeing the other three prisoners that we had left last time we were here as Mai quizzes Aiden and attempts to discern whether this is reality and ultimately... why we are here again.
We unshackle the prisoners but He comes and is not too happy. We close the gates on him. Fat lot of good that will do... and wait for the Phoenix... which Randolf slays.
Why?
But Mai, Jenny, JT, and Manfred run towards the dying flames of the bird and find themselves back home with the three bodies.
Now the debate... to waken them or not, and if so who. Snacks are procured. Mai points out that those are just that... snacks. Not a meal. Not what the prisoner will need... and Mai asks if we are willing to risk what the prisoner will need.
The opposing argument is that we have to... that they will eagerly help us... and that we brought them back to save them.
Save them? Mai points out that she thought we were just preparing the prison by emptying it. Mai suggests, somewhat to her own consternation, that we should lock the prisoners away somewhere never to be woken.
That doesn't fly.
We awaken Theodoric and gather a little bit of information... not worth the price, Mai thinks, but Manfred certainly is pleased.
And then in comes Saturn, Irving, and Eagen. "We have replacements" says Theodoric.
⚠ <b>Manfred⚠ </b>
Manfred adds that he fed theordoric of himself to awaken him then we fed him the kine. Also one other amendum Thoedoric said to Saturn, Irving and Eagen; "we are being replaced". He did not say "we have replacements."
⚠ <b>Mai adds...⚠ </b>
Yes, Manfred is right.
⚠ <b>Jenny⚠ </b>
The shadows continue to swirl around me, as our partial band of Brothers and Sister continue on our quest to find this "reallities" version of Fort Detroit. But first, we must encounter Strass, as he was so many years ago. Is he sane, a mere Ghoul to the nameless one? Perhaps his embrace was incumbent on the act of preserving Theodoric so his "master" could use Theodoric latter... Perhaps we shall never know.
We finally arrive at the end of our quest, and as others have mention, so took place. We managed to retrieve the 3 nameless bodies, at the loss of Randolph. Perhaps, that then is his destiny... Its so very hard to tell.
We then take our "bounty" to Randolphs ware house, and begin to debate what *should* be obviouse to all involved. Strangly, it is Aiden who argues the most against reviving the body suspected to be Theodoric. Until, she admits, that she knows NOTHING about her Great Sire... Manfred comments something about this being how the Gangrel are, but still, I am stunned. It turns out that both me and JT know more about him than a blood relative... I must reconsider what little I know of Aiden. Is she truly as unknowing as she claims to be? And Mai, what are her true goals and motives now? True, she was not with the rest of us when we entered the nameless ones domain, but, does anyone trust me anymore? The shadows twirl and whirl around me, yet no one has asked anything... Perhaps, my recent sudden appearance is so fresh on their minds, that they feel my judgement is not to be trusted... If so, what will they do, how will they react once it becomes clear that the time to act is now?
Theodoric is eventually awakened, and as he answers questions thru Manfred, its all becoming clear. Who our enemy truly is, and if I am proved correct, where he is. The appearance of Saturn, Irving and Egen only confirm what it is I must try to do, before the failure of long ago becomes the poison that stops all of us from doing...
But the time is not yet. The pieces must be brought into the propper positions, deals must be struck, bargains made, and the final gambits I then must play, all without knowing if I truly know enough. Will they listen, I wonder? Will I have found that what I need to know, in order to render judgement, and set the end game in motion? It all depends on who the final two Kindred are. Now, if JT would just be kind enough to retrieve them, tomorrow night, it will begin...
Randolph w/ comentary from Dan
-Had written something, but was not satisfied with the quality of it.
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