Ended on: Monday 30th of December 2002
While the war in Amsterdam is still raging, and their hometown is not yet safe enough, the coterie of Lucius gets sent to far-away Hungaria to build an outpost for the Camarilla. They go without the graces of Tremere Franceska. She has her duties to attend to in the chantry in Amsterdam.
Date in World of Darkness: Friday 10th of May 2002
Played at: Arjan
On the events that took place the last few days, I can be reasonably short. Our efforts were mainly involving politics, lots of it, that is. We were told that we were supposed to act as the patron of the villages under our responsibility and act accordingly. We soon found ample opportunity to exert our authority.
Some peasant of a neighbouring community thought it necessary to convince us of his claims to the Tihuta passage fee and brought some armed friends with him to add some weight to his visit. Of course one coterie member after another tried their mind tricks to the poor lads, who probably did not know what hit them. Soon Aalvar had shown poor Theodor Mihaita Marisenii’s (the village chief or whatever) friends out of the door right along with his girlfriend, suddenly leaving Theodor somewhat less convinced of his case.
Finding the tables turned, Theodor relatively eagerly spilled the beans on the details of the toll revenues. They are, after middle-of-nowhere-standards, quite substantial, amounting from 100 up to 250 Lei a day (roughly € 25 to € 62 a day). Theodor agreed on a cut of 10%, of course we have greater need of allies than foes and excluding Theodor would certainly lead to more trouble.
More significantly, the translated text from the clay tables was supplied by Carmen:
“Thus, I set down my true visions that I may remember and keep to the path I have chosen. Only I of us all shall know the truth and this shall be my shield and my spear. Most exalted shall I be in the time of the Final Days. Even the father shall qauil before my might.
Let the lesser ones war upon the other, each harkening to the omens that I have foreseen. Fools, all! By my guile, they know not the actual signs, but merely shadows of those things that shall be.
Let the world tremble when I come in my might and majesty, for I shall rule above our Father, above the Mother who gave succor to our Father, above the children of Seth, yea, even above God himself.
Let the reign of blood commence.”
Now, I know I should take this as a fair warning, but let me objectively assert here that whoever wrote this, took the trouble of composing some very amusing lines. If I will ever have the chance of meeting him, I shall compliment him on his excellent sense of drama, fair choice of words, and I shall give him some hints on adding some lucidity to his wildly vague words. You cannot help but wonder how this man/woman ever gets anything done if this is the way he/she communicates. I understand that this text should be interpreted by someone who actually knows the deal on Kindred Lore a lot better than I do, but in all my blasphemous sentiments I giggle rather than quiver in reading this. Busloads of Kindred would probably flee in horror after seeing this, and I probably should do accordingly.
If only I knew who wrote it, to what purpose (or occasion) it was written and whatever he meant, I could offer you some interpretation, but I have none of this. You will have to make do with whatever you can come up with yourself, and I shall be very happy to receive your version.
Back to reality, back to breaking and entering an abandond stone factory nearby. All in a day’s work, checking out the local business opportunities and exploiting them to the fullest. Móritz Kelemen, the trusted chief executive officer of this wretched company appears to have pulled an elaborate scheme, ripping off the European Union funds (for € 4 million, a respectable sum) in setting up his enterprise and then letting it go bankrupt, after milking this cow completely dry of course. Móritz then probably wouldn’t object to ‘lending’ us his enormous dumper truck and some stone quarrying equipment (a heavy drill and a mobile power unit) he does not use anyway.
Right in time as well, as Zelios, our blockhead-Nosferatu building inspector shows up, in the twillight! How does he do that, for the sun hadn’t even completely set?! Zelios asserts that the soil is of the required quality and the location is apt to supporting a four-towered castle. The castle will harbour us, troops and lots of equipment and will function as a formidable defensive structure against a considerable attack force. Further fortified by several bunkers and pillboxes, anyone considering to take the passageway by force will hopefully think twice.
