Ended on: Wednesday 1st of October 2003
The characters are given two missions:
One, they must escort Goratrix an influential Tremere to Ceoris.
Two, they must help Zelios finish the web he unknowingly built to bind the demon Kupala.
Date in World of Darkness: Friday 3rd of October 2003
Played at: Philippe
Octavio bursts in and spouts words in bad German:
"Listen! I have warned you a long time ago, but you did nothing to prevent the rising of the Demon. The first signs of his coming are already passed and still you do nothing but wait! Do you refrain from acting until it rips the very heart from the dry bosom of the land? Can’t you see the coming of the eternal night? The demon stirs and with him the Eldest awaken in their deep hiding places of stone, screaming for our vitae. The loss of a Holy Land, the end of a Holy Order en the passing of a mighty Mage. These signs have already come to pass. Recently the next signs have been shown: a whirlwind of the dead and the blinding flash of the gypsies. And behold: Grandmother has been eaten by her own spawn. You have to withstand the thunderstorm that follows. You shall stand, or you shall break and fall. On your shoulders rests the heavy burden of redemption of destruction. Don’t disappoint me again!"
When Octavio has screamed these words, he convulses and loses consciousness. When he comes to, he doesn’t remember the incident. He doesn’t want to talk about Kupala either. He leaves soon afterward, claiming that he has to check up on the stones and the trees before returning to Budapest.
Zelios arrives with a messenger he met on the road. The messenger has a message for the Coterie of Lucius, coming from Myca Vykos. He delivers his message and waits for the answer.
"Greetings to you all,
You will remember this token, which you agreed to honor. I now request you aid me as I once assisted you. It is my fervent hope that the duty I ask of you shall not prove too onerous. It has been made known to me that an old acquaintance of mine, by the name of Goratrix, travels to Transylvania. He has been summoned to the Tremere chantry known as Ceoris, a fortress that rests among the Transylvanian Alps. He is alone in the hostile land, where so many of my own clanmates would wish to do him ill.
Thus, I make my request of you. Go to Timisoara, to the crypt beneath the Catedrale Metropolitana, where my own agents shall make certain he awaits your coming. Though clever, they lack a Cainite’s powers and stamina. Guard him through these dangerous lands and escort him to the chantry. He knows the way to Ceoris and has been commanded to appear there. I would not like to see him fall before my Tzimisce kin: that would be far too lenient a punishment for one such as he. No, with your help, he shall not escape attending upon his Usurper brethren.
It is my great hope that you understand me clearly. I offer you my thanks. Should you accept, your debt to me is paid.
With fondness,
Myca Vykos. "
Zelios tells the Coterie he wants to ask them a favour. Can he make an inscription in the walls of this tower, and can they leave an inscription in a certain place on the map? There has to be a castle there, but he isn’t sure since the area is rather obscure. Since both demands miraculously coincide it is decided to honour them both. The ring the messenger brought with him is joint with the other half, and he leaves for Myca Vykos again.
It is decided that it might come in handy to ask a guest with their journey. He was a guest to the festivities a few days ago, but he stayed as a financial advisor to the newly appointed Prince of Brasov Alexander. For the moment, Thibalt Lasalle is to join the group in their journey.
To get the prisoner, the Coterie leaves quickly for Timisoara. They should meet in the crypt beneath the Catedrale Metropolitana. Once there, the Coterie is greeted by two henchmen of Vykos, one dressed in a traditional Turkish outfit. This Hussayn leads them to the next chamber, where Goratrix lies staked in a coffin. Hussayn prepares to get the stake out, while his colleague pushes a bound female to the coffin. Before they can object to this treatment, he pulls out the stake and pushes the woman to Goratrix. In the chaos that follows two members of the Coterie almost drain each other of their last drop of vitae. Emotions run as high as they can be when Thibalt arrives and everything gets pitch black. The darkness is scary enough to stop everybody in his tracks. When the darkness disappears everyone can see what has happened. The woman, Catharina, is saved from Goratrix by Harold, but she is barely alive. Goratrix has drained a lot of blood from some members of the Coterie to quench his undying thirst. Both Alexander and Maud are in a bad shape. Harold feels the life of Catharina ebbing away, and decides it is enough. He embraces her then and there.
Goratrix leaves the crypt and walks away from the Catedrale. He walks as if in trance, and the Coterie kind of hobbles along. They offer him a lift, and it is gladly accepted. When they try to drive in a different direction, Goratrix escapes and walks again in the right. Since they apparently cannot hinder him, all the group can do is help Goratrix.
In Alceditz, a little distance from their final destination, they stay the night. There are some strange figures in the tavern, looking a bit like the Men in Black, but in this case they are dressed in a coat of arms of sorts. Goratrix tells the group that these are remnants of a long lost order. They carry a huge trunk and guard it with heave weaponry. Goratrix sees an opportunity to escape his fate and asks the Coterie for help. Just before the sun rises they try to rob the chest, but the fail, almost to the Final Death of Alexander.
