Chapter 7
Weather: Cold and
Wet
Mage / Garou War:
Both sides calm
Tales of the Black Hand
Jack
by
Palika Goldstein
Prologue:
Things
to consider about this storyline-
1-Jack the Ripper was at first a created ghoul in the service of the Sabbat Hand in Europe in the mid 1500's. He was a loyal servant, who could keep his mouth shut about the things going on around him, and lived 200 years under the Sabbat Hand. When the column moved to London, England in the mid 1700's he was injured in a brawl with Black Spiral Dancers, sent by the True Hand to decimate his master's pack. Only slightly conscious, his Pack members brought him over to the other side in the London graveyard, and waited until he surfaced.
He
never did...
2-Years
latter, a grave robber uncovers a body in looting a recently deceased rich
woman's grave. It isn't of the woman, it's that of a servant, freshly buried and
still pale. Much to his surprise, the man awakens and kills him. Sebastian is
awake from voluntary topor, and has sated his appetite. The long maddening
thoughts that consumed him while being buried alive has changed him to the path
of evil revelations- with a bent. He believes that there is a ritual that can be
performed to unlock the evil with in a city, and make it his to command. He
believes that by performing these rituals, he will be granted eternal youth and
life. By drinking the blood of those he kills, he will be able to out live his
enemies and see his eventual rise to power as complete. He is bent upon
researching a ritual of blood and suffering that gain him power.
He is mostly correct...
It
is 1788, the rise of the European city of London is well on it's way. Sebastian
has the gift of immortality, and uses his time to study his new found powers. To
facilitate the practice of his arts, he becomes a Doctor in the fledgling town,
and maintains this identity while researching the proper rituals to grant him
more power. He works nights in the rapidly growing morgue,
dissecting bodies and drinking his fill on the warm ones. Sometimes they
don't come in all dead, and he makes the ritual carvings to speed the journey.
He fakes his own death and travels abroad, only to return to London again as a
new Doctor, working again in the Morgue. With no one wanting the dirty job of
Morgue duty, he is never questioned on his credentials or background. His
research starts in books and works by some of the vampires of this time.
The
work continues...
After
100 years of study, he believes that the occult rituals must begin. His study of
ancient Mayan calendars, Inca rituals, and sorcery of Blood has lead him to the
ritual he needs to unlock the evil in a place. With his new found powers, he
starts to perform the ancient ritual of massacre that will increase him powers.
He begins with the prostitutes in Whitechapel, and uses his considerable skill
in surgery to make the exact cuts for the Ritual. With each murder, the blood he
drinks from then lowers his generation and increases his abilities
The
Ritual grows...
Members
of the Tal'Mahe'Ra come to the city and begin the hunt for Sebastian, known as
Jack the Ripper, using the ghouls in the Victorian Guard and police force in
Scotland yard. Sebastian confronts the first of the Ghouls that find his lair,
and slays them. He knows that a powerful forces is trying to prevent his rituals
from succeeding. He creates a prodigy of one of the prostitutes that he has
waiting in his basement lair, and gives her half of his notes for the complex
ritual. Bending her mind to his, he places subconscious commands in her mind to
survive and seek the ritual to bring him back from death, if that should happen
to him. He then sends her off to Paris to hide from their enemies. The Victorian
police find him, and he kills most of them in a vicious brawl. The Hand shows
up, and a Qadi stakes Sebastian into torpor. The body must be disposed of
quickly, and many loose ends must be tied up with Scotland yard. The surviving
members of the Hand dominate members of the Yard, turning some into ghouls to be
better controlled, and arrange for an unmarked coffin to be sent upon the next
ship leaving to Africa, where the Hand sect there may question and dispose of
the body at there leisure, away from the investigation of Jack the Ripper.
The
boat never makes it...
The
ship is capsized in a terrible storm that sinks it, and all members of crew are
lost at sea. The special coffin is buried at the bottom of a deep trench in the
wreckage of the Demeter, and African trading ship. Nothing is heard from the
African sect, and the war there with the Baali and Settites flares up again. All
concerns for the Whitechapel Killer are lost- the Hand believes that the end of
Sebastian was too good for him.
Jack
Sleeps...
It
is 1995, 107 years after the sinking of the Demeter. A research grant
enables Samantha, a powerful member of the local archeologists group, to
find and raise the Demeter from it's watery grave. The Vampire Samantha has been
hiding her true identity in the Camarilla for an equal time, she is the progeny
of Sebastian and a powerful Vampire. Her Domain is the Archeological Museum that
the pieces of the Demeter have been brought to , including the coffin that
houses her sire, Sebastian. She removes the stake and awakens him to the 20th
century. Jack is free to continue his ritual in blood sorcery, gathering power
and strengthening his ritual.
The
PCs notice that a powerful clan of vampires have entered the city, and have
moved into the parts that control the art institute and the research institutes.
This shouldn't surprise them, the city has been with out a prince for several
weeks now, and all sorts of strange ones are coming here. The group is from the
Cambridge Research Institute, and are a cell of ghouls preparing the arrival of
Samantha Sebastian, their queen, and mentor. Assisting them are 6 progeny of
Samantha, her get, coming from far and wide to the city to meet with their
esteemed mentor and sire. All this is culminating in three nights.
The
PCs also are aware that a Justicar is coming to town in a week or so, along with
his or her Archons, to administer a ruling and hold a Conclave on what and
who is to take over London. Rumor has it that a new prince is coming with
the Justicar, as much as for protection as for prestige. The gathering will take
place after the Justicar has made the proper arrangements.
Those
in the Research community will hear that a very important find has been made:
The long lost wreckage of the Demeter has been raised and shipped back
to it's original port of origin, England, and awaits the perusal of the
known world. It has been bought by a research institute for study abroad, and
will be sent to various locations around the world. Sheffield is one of those
places.
A
part of the lower deck comes to Leeds-Bradford Airport in the middle of the
night- a strange time for such things to arrive. The ghouls have made the
arrangements for it to be flown via container to Sheffield airport. Some of the
children of Samantha Sebastian are arriving at the airport before then, and
awaiting the delivery. Others are arriving sooner and overseeing the ghouls
work. When the cargo plane from Europe lands, there are not less then 5 ghoul
workers and all of the six children of Samantha awaiting it. Samantha has given
telepathic orders that this cargo is to be treated with the utmost of care, and
delivered to the Art Institute for the unveiling. What unveiling this is she did
not say.
Samantha
is already in Sheffield, scouting out the rumors that the Justicar and Archons
are coming with a new prince. This could be upsetting to her plans, but she
believes that the Justicar will be too late to stop her from attaining her
perfections.
The
PCs do not know of the cargo, or where it came from. Only that it seems
odd that it would be off loading in the middle of the night. A contact
tells them of this, and it might be interesting to see what's in the goodie
boxes.
The
art institute is crawling with hidden ghouls in the shadows. Samantha has
chosen this area well, the former Prince has declared that the Institute is
Esylum for those who come there, and to have a battle in this holy place would
bring attention to anyone who wishes death from the Justicar in the city. A
private door is accessible, and one of her children is their with five ghoul
bodyguards, taking one blood point from any who wish to see the unveiling. They
will not be swayed.
After
the one blood, the PCs can enter the Institute and make their way through the
hall of weapons and down the stairs to the lower atrium. Several vampires
are around, commenting on such and such painters style, weither or not he
was a good kisser, and how the art community suffered when he/she perished. If
the PCs have any contacts with a dot or so in status, they can be here at the
approval of the Storyteller. Among the gathered are several mages of
note, a few of the more prosperous Garou, several Wraiths that have embodied for
this occasion (a few who are skin ridding instead) and an Immortal. The
changelings have foreseen this event, and avoid it like the plague. Perhaps
there is something they know that
the PCs don't.
The
soft chimes drift through the lower atrium, and the soft gong of brass heralds
the beginning of the gathering. The theater style doors of the lower Atrium open
and the guests start to file in. The lower atrium is a large viewing hall
designed like a medium sized theater with two rows and three seating sections.
The guests move down to the first few rows and start to take seats in the room,
in front of the drawn curtains. Everyone is speaking in hushed tones and softly
to each other, this appears to be a quiet time.
Ghouls
are ushers, and help people find seats. When they close the doors, some 80
guests are seated in the audience. The ghouls discourage all members who choose
to stand out in the hall, but do not make them go inside. Who cares if they want
to miss the show. There is no way to get to the back part of the stage from this
part of the lower atrium. If a PC wants to find a way back, have them roll
Intelligence + Investigation [5] and get 12 successes to find a way. They will
see a locked door that leads to the lower atrium halls. No one is behind it, but
if someone tries to pick the lock, they will find that it is barred from the
other side. If the door is broken open, Samantha will send 5 ghoul body guards
and two of her children to investigate what is going on.
The
curtains are drawn back slowly after the doors close, and the audience sees a
large part of an old rotted ship sitting on the stage floor. Have PCs make
Perception + Investigation [7] to get a rough approximation of the century and
period of the vessel. 1800's and European is the best guess. Ringed around the
ship are black candles, and to one side of them stands a low table with dragon
feet legs. The table looks very much the part of a occult ritual, but the
purpose of the old ship remains to be seen.
The
lights dim, and the candles flicker to life. From out in the back of the ship,
six forms come and start to rip apart the hull of the vessel, and delve inside.
Ghouls come and take the rotting remains of people, wood, chests, furniture and
all sorts of junk off to back stage. The six delve deeper. It all seems like
some kind of silly play when the six pull out a wooden coffin that looks as if
it has stood the test of time and the deep. The coffin is in remarkable shape-
some kind of force or magic must have prevented it from rotting away. The six
put the coffin on the table and step away.
From
over the heads of the audience, above and behind them, a soft chanting is heard.
As everyone cranes their neck around, they see a floating woman in a black dress
above the crowd. She floats slowly down towards the stage, and approaches the
coffin. It is apparent that she is very beautiful. Not only is her voice
enchanting, but her very presence seems to make you happy, and long for the time
when she would look upon you and smile. (Samantha is using her Presence).
With supernatural strength, she rips the lid off.
The crowd strains forward to see.
The
woman gasps and reaches in to the coffin with her hand, and with a gut
wrenching sound, comes back with a ivory inlaid stake, with brass or gold
carvings on it. She disgustingly tosses it into the ship wreckage, and
takes a
step back.
A
hand reaches out from the coffin and grasps the edge. Clearly, a ring is
adorned on that hand, and it's silver inlay shines out in the candle
lights.
A
man emerges from the box of death. Dressed in a grimy black suit caked with mud
and dried blood, he is a ghastly sight next to the beauty of the woman. As one,
the six bow and kneel upon the floor. The ghouls stand and shift about, unsure
about this turn of events. The woman looks up at the man climbs out, and it
seems that as he moves, the candle flames flicker and dance away from his form.
Have
PCs make Perception + Alertness to notice that this man's shadow is not his own.
It has a demons visage and has a definite tail and claws. Something here is not
right.
The
man gestures to the ghouls, and straight away they come to him and lay before
him. He reaches to the woman, and she guides his hand to a set of hither
unnoticed instruments of surgery laid upon the table. He bends over the man and
slices his neck open, and the audience shudders. Blood sprays into the first
three rows of the audience, and that prompts a frenzy of activity. Several
vampires rush the stage, hunger in their eyes and tackle ghouls. The six move to
intercept them and shout "No one is to leave here! You will all be food for
the Beast Within! Hail the return of the Master! Our Sire has Returned!"
At
this point, several battle break out. Each PC is assailed by three people from
the audience. If you have a middle level bad guy that you have been thinking
about tossing at the PC group, now would be a good time to do it. The audience
is made up of mages, kindred, Garou, and wraiths. The PCs must defeat the three
opponents (each) to be able to move though the crowd.
Example:
* ST: Ok, everyone roll initiative as the place falls apart in a bar
brawl.
* PCs: I wanna do. PCs: Can I.
* ST (Shouting): Roll Initiative!!
* (after counting dice)
* ST: Ok, what do you do?
* PCs: I rush the stage and tackle the man with the surgeon's tools.
* ST: OK, you hop the first chair and get swamped by a man wearing black
and
leather. He looks like he's frenzied and wants what's in your veins.
Dodge.
(and
so forth, until the PC has defeated three opponents of the ST desire. Once
that happens, the PC gets to where ever he or she wanted to go to.)
The
man consumes the ghoul and disappears further back behind the ship. The woman is
surrounded by her six progeny and moves through the crowd to the side exits.
In
the second round of initiative, Sebastian uses Temporis to slaughter and escape
the crowd. Any Hand with Temporis will feel the ripple in time as he uses it to
decapitate a mage and three Garou. Things have just gotten worse.
Combat
continues until the PCs have made it all out of the audience area. Until they
defeat three opponents.
The
woman will use her presence on any of the crowd that looks hostile towards her
or her get. The get of hers will destroy anyone who comes with in striking
range. They have a variety of specialized weapons that they have mastered in
the 200 years of their creation, and use them for ranged and melee
attacks.
When
the PCs exit the Lower Atrium and leave the Institute, the Prologue is
finished.
Act
One
The
PC should be wondering about a few things now-
Who
was the woman, the six followers, the pack of ghouls, and the coffin man?
Why
was everyone their at the unveiling? I haven't heard of it.
What's
the deal with the ship, anyways?
What
is going to happen now?
All
very valid wonderings. All very deadly in intent.
The
following time line is a good approximation of what should happen in Sheffield,
and the various groups that are involved in the maturation's of Sebastian:
Justicar
snoops around for information on what has happened in Sheffield. Any PCs that
have a bone to pick with what happened in at the Art Institute can appeal before
the Justicar Windsor or take it up with the Prince.
Samantha
disappears into the alternate Haven in Sheffield, over a bar in the Rush and
Belmont area. She has her six progeny with her, or whatever is left over if the
brawl in the aisles went badly for her. She heals her wounds and plans what is
to happen next. She will send her six out to look for the PCs and bring them
bound to her for questioning.
A
limo is reported missing to the third division of the Sheffield Police
department.
The
Killings Start Again The ritualistic killing in Sheffield starts just one night
after the Unveiling and Awakening of Jack (Sebastian).
Victim
One
The
city's police force are controlled by members of the Inconnu, and contain many
spies and informants to the Ventrue clan (developed by Leylend), the Tremere,
Set, Black Hand (throughout the Yakuza and Mafia connections) and the Anarch
population, which also means some sympathetic Brujah. They hear the reports that
a very strange ritualistic style killing occurred, and it looks just that
occultish to merit speaking to the Clans about it. The Ghoul retainers give a
call to the required clan contacts, who just might happen to be one of the PCs
contacts, who passes on the word.
PCs
can go to the crime scene, which might be a good idea, to look for them selves
and roll massive amounts of Perception + Investigation [8; the area has
been highly combed by the police several times already]. At the crime
scene are members of the Sheffield police and the Federal Bureau of
Investigations, who's branch office is pretty close to the crime scene. PCs will
have to dodge the Police and Feds to get into the back room where the body was
found. A successful stealth roll or fast talking role-playing will get them in
for a look around. There is blood everywhere, but it is mysteriously lacking in
the remains of the victim, a young woman prostitute. Her body parts have been
scalpeled neatly and with great care, as if the killer had a definite
need to place them in such a manner.
Each
PC must roll Self Control to resist the effects of Blood Lust Frenzy while
examining the corpse. This happens each and every time that the PC examines the
scene of the crime. The difficulty of the roll starts at 6, and raises one per
each victim that Sebastian kills. More about why latter in the Module Story.
The
name matches that of the first victim of the 1881 Whitechapel slayings: Maryanne
Nichols.
PCs
on the scene that have succeed in the Perception + Investigation roll may take
their notes and determine some of the specific singularities of this crime scene
against their occult knowledge, which this looks very much to be. Have them roll
Intelligence + Occult [8] to get an idea of the nature(s) of the slaying. This
is the Stage Roll, and will be referred to latter in the Module whenever the PCs
get to a point that they have information leading to the mystery of Jack. Here
are the questions that the Stage Roll will eventually answer when the PCs
acquire enough information and successes:
1. Who is doing this [The late Jack the Ripper, who seems not so late
after
all.]
2. Why someone is doing this [To perform and complete an ancient Ritual
of
Dark Blood Magic]
3. To what purpose is this Ritual being performed [The Thamaturgy Ritual
is
very high, and lowers the Generation of the "caster" by one for
every
victim sacrificed in that manner. Also, some side effects are noted, and
increased abilities are in conjunction with repeated uses of this Ritual
of the Flesh.]
4. Where the Hell did this horrid Ritual come from, anyways? [Origins
have
been traced back to the Baali in Haiti and the Set also in that region.
The cause of it appearing in Europe in the mid 1800's is still up for
debate in scholarly communities]
5. Possible weaknesses in the Ritual that might lead to the capture of
Jack
[The Rituals are horribly specific in nature as to when, where and who is
to be considered for sacrifice. The culmination of the fifth victim leads
the PCs to the knowledge of who and where the sixth victim is. As such,
this will be the last Stage the PCs acquire when making these rolls.]
As
the PCs move through the Plot of Jack, each Stage roll becomes easier and easier
to complete; the PCs have more and more knowledge to build upon. The target
number [8] is reduced by one for each victim that the PCs investigate first
hand. This applies only to the PCs that goes into the room, warehouse, alley,
etc. to investigate the crime scene. Merely standing around looking out
for your buddies and guarding the back exit does not constitute this
special bonus. More about that in a minuet. Thus, by the fifth (and hopefully
last) victim that the PCs get to examine, the cumulative target number to both
look for clues [Perception + Investigation] and figure out just what the heck is
going on [Stage roll] will be 3. Duck soup. Lightly sauced.
The
drawback. Yeah, of course there'd be one, this is a Goldstein Module. From the
very first time the PCs look upon the extreme carnage of the victims, have them
make a Self Control roll, difficulty 5, to avoid frenzing in Blood Lust at the
sight of so much blood. It just isn't all that good vitiate gone to waste, but
the residual effects the Ritual of the Flesh has on supernaturals. Furthermore,
as the PCs continue to investigate the crime scenes, the effect intensifies. Add
one to the Self Control roll for each victim the PC investigates (cumulative).
By the fifth victim, a PC who has scene everything that Jack has to offer the
world will be in the best position to give an accurate portrayal of what is
going on, but have the hardest time dealing with all that knowledge that she
has; Self Control [9]. If Sebastian is successful in completing the Ritual of
the Flesh, which means that as a StoryTeller you are one evil mayhem seeking
pancake flipping Republican voting Top of the America Most Wanted list, then at
the least of your players worries is the Self Control [10] roll. Revel in your
evilness, and go join the post office, or alternately, the Student Loan Office
in your nearest Financial Aid University campus. Either way, you'll be among
friends.
As
the Storyteller, you may set the amount of successes in each case to get to the
next Stage of information, and successfully fight off the Blood Lust Frenzy. A
good number is 5 per Stage, and you may want to use a group amount if the PCs
are missing out on all the horror.
Storyteller
note: A brief History of the Ritual of the Flesh
As
the PCs are poking around the first victim's house, the Inconnu are sending word
to one of the oldest groups undead on the planet. As per the agreement arranged
in 2315 BC, the eldest member of the Assamite Guild departs her sacred Sanctum
and journeys to the city that the Ritual of the Flesh has been performed in. The
Inconnu have long known of the horror of this Ritual, having first scene it's
effects upon Kindred who first used it. The Inconnu stumbled across it in the
sands of Haiti, where they spent some centuries unlocking the Ritual and
discerning it's nature. Once they found that it could lower a practitioner's
Generation, they were horrified, and destroyed their notes in the cleansing
fires. Reluctant to totally destroy the most ancient writings until satisfied
that the Inconnu knew it's place in Gehenna, they intrusted it to one of the
eldest sect members in a far remote place on the main land. Time passed, and the
Inconnu, like they so often do, forgot about the Ritual of the Flesh and the
location of the writings. Some three thousand years latter, the ancient tablets
found their way back into the kindred society, at the hands of a fiendishly
cunning diablerist. The diablerist had just finished off the Inconnu Elder's
tasty heart blood, when she spied a hidden floor board that had ruptured in the
battle. Her fleeting memories of the Inconnu Elder's mind told her that this was
where a most powerful and dangerous Ritual lay, and not to use it. It was the
Ritual of the Flesh, and the diablerist stole it and returned to Haiti to unlock
it's secrets. Taking a century or more to both decipher the Inconnu code and
learn the required level of Thamaturgy to practice it, she started to perform
the Ritual on the population around her to reduce her Generation. The Inconnu,
ever wary, hired the Assamite Guild on a special contract. To the eldest of
their members would go a tithe of 200 blood from the store that the Inconnu
created, to destroy any and all members of the Ritual of the Flesh, and any
associated with them. The knowledge of the Ritual must die with the
practitioner, and any who seek it's knowledge must perish also. Clan Assamite
agreed, and thus the stage was set. Assamite blood records show that the elder
assassin was successful in destroying the diablerist, after the Ritual was
performed twice in Haiti, but notes that there was ample time for kindred to
create offspring, which took the Ritual in their flight across the globe. The
Inconnu chose to wait until the interest in Haiti died down, before doing
anything about the Ritual or the diablerist's offspring. Thus more time passed
until the Sabbat in Europe found the Ritual buried in the old ruins of a
medieval church they had claimed. The Black Hand Tal Mahe'Ra became interested
in the Sabbat cult in Europe, especially since they claimed to have a manuscript
that was as old as Caine was himself. Sending just one Qadi and her elder
Archons into Europe, the sect watched the Pack until the first of the Killings
started again. It was 1882, in Whitechappel Europe, and someone was using the
Ritual of the Flesh to again reduce their affinity to Caine. The Black Hand
demolished the Sabbat Pack that they were watching, and all ghouls and
retainers, herd and all who had contact with them in a great fire that burned
for three nights. The killer was tracked, very wounded but still displaying
incredible powers, to the alleys near the docks, and staked their by the last
surviving Archon of the Hand. She bound the horrid looking man in chains and
used her Thamaturgy to seal a casket against the ravages of the weather, and put
him on a boat bound for the new land- where she was to bury him in hold ground
far from England. The ship, the Demeter, never reached port, and decades latter
the ship was found by Samantha, one of the progeny of Sebastian, who called out
to her in his torpored state from the bottom of theocean.
The
eldest member of the Assamites prepares herself for the journey and sends word
to her ghouls to meet her in Sheffield. The battle for the Ritual has begun
again.
The
next night's papers tell a chilling tale. The Police and FBI have reported that
the body was found in a meat market in the northside, and was the apparent
victim of an enraged ex-postal worker who got laid off during the Sheffield
Postal Commissions cutbacks, and took up butchering to get by. The authorities
have the profile and picture of the killer plastered all over the front page of
the tabloids and Tribune. To the PCs, none of this makes sense. A sharp player
or Intelligence + Politics [7] roll will confirm that the cover-up has a few
holes, but generally in doing a good job at enciting panic over the city.
Because of the reports of the "Butcher of Baker Street", all hunting
rolls in and around Sheffield are at a +1 difficulty. People, dogs, animals and
barnyards are just too jumpy to make decent victims. To discern who is running
the cover-up, PCs can roll Intelligence + Politics [10] to look for insight in
the Occult supernatural community about this. It will take ten successes to
receive an anonymous phone call, with a single whispered word as their answer-
"Inconnu."
Act
Two
The
Second Victim
The
PCs again hear from their contacts that another murder of a woman
prostitute
has occurred. This time, when the PCs get to the scene it is
deserted.
None of the fanfare of press or police is around to sneak by. The
cover-up
seems to extend very deeply into the police force. This victim's body
is
found in the pier areas west of the loop and northish.
As
the PCs travel there, have them roll Perception + Alertness [8] or Awareness
[7]
and add Auspex dice to the roll. Those with three successes feel that there
is
something wrong in the air, and keep looking over their shoulder to peer
back
into the shadows. Hmmm.
At
the piers, the PCs may examine the second victim for clues and roll again to
theorize
upon the Stage maturation's of the killer. All this takes about an
hour,
and the PCs take frequent trips to the water's edge to look at something
else
besides body parts arrayed on a dinning room table.
Each
PC must roll Self Control, as always, to resist the effects of Blood Lust
Frenzy
while examining the corpse. Add one to the difficulty of the roll
[tn=6].
Have
the PCs roll Perception + Alertness [9] to perceive the forms standing
upon
on the roof tops of the one story buildings adjacent to the piers. The
figures
are dressed in leathers and coats, and all are concealing some kind of
ordinance.
They quietly watch the PCs until a PC attacks the one of the group,
or
the leader of the Assamite Ghouls gives the silent word to approach. The
leader
is Obfuscated in the near corner to the PCs, and has been overhearing
their
conversations and reading their notes among them. She is old, and wise,
and
knows the difference between childer banter and a real follower of the
Ritual
of the Flesh, and will await the PCs reaction to her Ghouls. If
hospitable,
she will have the Ghouls Obfuscate and follow the PCs individually,
while
she takes more to another crime scene to look for clues elsewhere. The
Ghouls
will fight until crippled, and their leader will Cripple any PC who
harms
her Ghouls. Under no circumstances will the Ghoul Assamites attack first-
they
are loyal beyond belief for their leader. Note that all of the Ghouls use
silenced
weapons that do aggravated damage, including their leader.
At
this part, the death of victim number two brings this interesting
development
to the ears of the Prince, Francis. Francis is a Sabbat Arch
Bishop,
recently railroaded into election by a coerced Primogen Council of his
own
design, and knowledgeable on the methods of the Thamaturgy Rituals.
Thinking
it note worthy, he sends a Pack from the outskirts of Sheffield into the
City
to find out more about these `messy slayings' and if there is any worth to
them.
Francis is, of course, privy to higher information in the Sabbat network,
and
is wondering if this is one of the rogue Sabbat members on some kind of
frenzy
kick to get his attention. Add the Sabbat Pack to the list of Groups
that
will come looking for answers, in this case; by carving it out of the PCs
hides.
The
news also reaches the land of Haiti, and the Baali Occultists. They
recognize
the similarities to the Ritual of the Flesh that are written in brief
to
the Followers of Baal. They read the Prophecy of the Dark Lords, and realize
that
the Ritual has again surfaced, and is needed for the Baali to summon their
Great
Lords from below. Realizing this, they cough up three members of the
Baali
and send them to Sheffield to get the Ritual for the Baali's exclusive use.
Enter
the Third Group for looking for information from the PCs.
Act
Three
The
Third Victim
PCs
again are contacted, this time in earnest, by member of their underworld
cohorts.
The latest victim is again a lady of the night, and found in the back
alley
of a drunken dive called the Cascade Bar and Grill. Note: kindred who
drink
from the easily accessible patrons of the Cascade Bar and Grill will be
drunk
on their blood for one hour per blood point consumed. The effects of
large
quantities upon kindred systems add a =1 target modifier for every two
blood
points consumed, lasting for as long as the kindred holds the blood in
her;
up to as many hours as the vampire remains drunk and light headed. Damn
strange
beer they serve in the Cascade Bar and Grill.
There
is now no doubt that someone is diverting the press in all of this. The
papers
have dropped the story of the "Butcher" and even the shock radio
sessions
seem alittle tame. PCs can continue to roll to generate successes to
look
into who might be causing this black out.
Sebastian's
third victim is intricately carved, and specifically tailored to
the
PCs. Arranged around the body of the woman, and in it also; are little
trinkets
for the PCs from Sebastian. A little black glove for each of the Hand
members.
A plastic toy businessman in a cheap suit [Ventrue]. A nifty wood
carving
of a toy poodle [Gangrel]. Big juicy raw steak and dog bone [Garou].
Book
on Ghost Stories and Sightings [Wraith]. A poem on the youth of Peter Pan
[Changeling].
A cheap magic trick toy, like hide the penny [Mage]. And so on.
Insert
nifty idea for your Players here, that they can ponder over.
Each
PC must roll Self Control, as always, to resist the effects of Blood Lust
Frenzy
while examining the corpse. Add one to the difficulty of the roll
[tn=7].
The
PCs can now be introduced to any of the Groups that you see fit. The
Assamites
may come back for another try at information gathering, bringing
along
some deal or cut rate discount on your next assassination contract. The
Sabbat
pack is hunting around for information, and could be in the area, having
recently
been fed on the Cascade patrons and wacked out of their minds. Or
perhaps
the Baali have made inroads into the location of the best informed on
the
Ritual Killings, and want the PCs to meet the Great Lords first hand. After
torture.
Investigation
into the clues at the scene and the corresponding information
they
bring with them gleans the PC more insight into the mind of the Killer.
The
difficulty again is reduced by one for Perception + Investigation and the
Stage
roll, Intelligence + Occult. Now, the PC knows much about just who might
be
doing this, and insight into why.
The
attention this kind of suffering and pain has had in the Shadowlands is
remarkable.
The continuation of the Ritual of the Flesh has awakened the
desires
of many a Shadow, and Specters can be heard howling in the distance of
the
victims bodies. A concerned group of Reapers have taken acute interest in
the
Ritual of the Flesh, and have moved into Sheffield's grim Shadowlands to
pursue
the awakened Sebastian through his nightly hauntings. They want the
killing
to continue, and are feeding off of the terror and helplessness that he
ensues
in his victims. The Reapers are harnessing the energy bleeding off of
the
victims bodies in their transition into the Shadowlands, becoming more
powerful
much in the same way that Sebastian is. Revel in them, for they are
the
newest Group to haunt the PCs actions and hamper their efforts to find
Sebastian.
Act
Four
The
Fourth Victim
By
this time, Sebastian is either 4th generation and HUGE, or if you are
playing
by the Less- then-Hanious setting of the module, around 6th. Enjoy.
Roll
some dice then pick out a few of the PCs and inform them that a note is
pinned
to the chest of each of them, inviting them to a private meeting with
the
host of the Unveiling, again in the Art Institute. This time, a private
room
will be provided for their comfort, as the host has a special request for
the
PCs. Bring a friend, and come at 10pm. Samantha has sent her progeny out to
search
for the PCs, and found a few of them. The entire group is invited to the
Institute,
which is still under Elysium even after the large brawl that no one
seems
willing to talk about (WHAT? YOU broke the Elysium in my domain? Eat
stake,
rule breaker.[snarl]) least they upset the Toreadors and perhaps the
Prince.
There they can meet privately in a special room that Samantha has
created
with her rituals- one in which the Disciplines of the PCs are rendered
inert,
while hers are unaffected. There she explains about the Unveiling, and
how
it went totally unexpectedly wrong. She was supposed to assure one of the
old
ones into a rebirth, a spirit that she says guided her in her dreams to
find
the Demeter and salvage it. She thought that the Demeter was the final
resting
place of one of the Progeny of Caine, and that she was doing the
research
community, of which several were in attendance at the unveiling, a
great
service by using her arts to awaken him. If the PCs would just return him
to
her, then she will be eternally grateful and take him away to her Sanctum,
where
he will not hurt anyone and she can convince him to relinquish his pagan
ways.
Samantha is indeed alone in the room, and allows weapons to be brought in
if
in the possession of the PCs. She is using a higher level of Obfuscate that
projects
her image into the room, while cloaking her true form elsewhere in the
Institute.
If the PCs make a show of it, or attack her with physical items, she
will
wink out of existence. The Institute will slowly start to flood with a
toxic
gas that infects the blood of kindred and mortals alike, making them sick
and
unable to burn blood while in the presence of the gas. This should force
them
out of the Institute and back into the plot. If possible, the PCs may be
able
to pinpoint the location of Samantha's Haven- in the basement grounds of
the
Institute, and she will attack with her Progeny and Disciplines. Yes, her
haven
has the same wards on it. Consider the Progeny of Samantha immune to the
effects
of her haven also.
The
PCs have no need of the contact rote anymore. The PCs can now make a
concerted,
group effort to find the location of Jack's next victim. They must
roll
Intelligence + Occult [7] and get a group success of 5 (or 10, or more if
you
are running with a group of scholars or a very large PC group). This allows
them
to get to the next site of the victim, with in the same hour that
Sebastian
has been there.
The
4th victim is found in a place that the PCs frequent allot- a night club
called
the Raven. Hanging entrails and flayed strips of skin line the blood
stained
walls of the women's bathroom stall, and the steady drip of some kind
of
intestinal fluid against the cold floor is enough to drive PCs mad. The
chilling
effect of the slightly fresher blood and proximity to the end of the
Ritual
makes the target numbers for Self Control jump again, to [8] to resist
the
Blood Lust Frenzy. The blood is still running down the woman's vicerated
corpse,
and the trinkets left for the PCs are even more unsettling. A staked
and
gasoline soaked dirt trodden black glove [Black Hand]. A real dead Toy
Poodle,
drawn and carved as one would a beef cow [Gangrel]. A rack of lamb
soaked
in the brain fluids of the dead woman, with toes for garnish [Garou]. A
burnt
essay on how Peter Pan had a lusty affair with Tinkerbell [Changeling].
The
mage card from Tarot, with the stapled reversed card of the Ten of Swords
attached
to the back, with ten tiny plastic mixed drink stirrers impaling the
cards
[Mage]. The Card of Death, burned black and laughingly depicting the Grim
Reapers
own shadow decapitating him [Wraith]. And so forth. What an exciting
picture
this all paints.
Awaiting
them at the mostly vacant bar slash nightclub is a curious man. Rojin
has
journeyed from the mystical lands of the Umbra on a path his Avatar has
chosen
for him- and it leads to this bar and this group of PCs. Rojin demands
to
know the answers for the corpse in the bathroom, and attempts to take them
from
the minds of the Kindred if sorely pressed. The rogue Mage has been
Outworld
for far too long, and his grip on reality is slipping. That either
makes
him a better Mage, or a lightning fireball spitting hazard. The rules in
Mage
are hazy about that, and if someone could read them all and sort it out,
I'd
like a copy of the post. I sure as hell can't figure it out. Rojin
constitutes
the last of the Groups to show up in Sheffield.
PC
are now at a +2 difficulty to hunt in the city and surrounding lands for the
duration
of the Module Story. The city is gripped in a supernatural state of
fear,
and the PCs aren't doing so hot either. This, of course, makes it that
much
more easier for an innocently hunting PC to botch and meet something
nasty.
In this case, it just might be a many on one confrontation with one of
the
Storyteller's favorite Groups, or perhaps an evil bay guy or four from the
PC's
past. Feel free to pull out the stops on a PC that tries to make in on his
or
her own during hunting season. The smart ones will option to hunt in a Pack
to deal with any unnecessary evils
Act
Five
The
Fifth Victim
Sebastian's
stats are now going through the roof.
The
PCs are damned close, if not right on the heels, of the entity known as
Jack
as he departs from the scene of his latest spree. The PCs have arrived in
the
next night mere moments after Sebastian has committed just one more to the
Ritual
of the Flesh. Kinda of makes sense, for Sebastian vicerated the body in
the
ritual right on the dinning room table of the PCs own living room (roll
some
dice and choose a PC that has a nice, safely locked haven). Using the
curtains
and a bathrobe, Sebastian has stained the carpet and ceiling with
strange
Thamaturgical Signs and Rotes that seem to move on their own violation.
They
should, the blood is still warm to the touch, and dripping off the ceiling
into
the clear crystal goblets below, just waiting for the PCs to drink their
fill.
Now
would be the time to have them roll Self Control [9]. Have plenty of
weapons
of old archaic design just lying around for PCs to use against each
other,
courtesy of Sebastian. Try not to demolish the Haven, it takes practice
to
find a good, "safe" spot.
Arranged
on the table are party favors, hats, balloons and more all made of the
woman's
own skin and intestines. At the place setting for each is a trinket
again
left by Sebastian. A favorite knife belonging to a PC impaled into the
chest.
A lighter given as a gift to another PC in the finger-less hand, still
lit.
The fettered wedding ring to a beautiful wife, bent and bloodied on a
finger
resting at the bottom of a goblet especially placed to catch the brain
fluids
from the cranium. Stuff like that. Really interesting arrangement.
Sebastian
has left a cryptic symbolic message to the PCs- "stay away."
By
now the PCs should have all of the Stage information at their disposal. If
the
group is not too bright, and perhaps more of the soloist Justicar wanabee
type,
then have a messenger deliver what ever horror information that you want
to
give to them in the Stage part to the PCs.
If
any of the PCs have been looking into their hostess, Samantha, then this
information
becomes available now. She is old, powerful in Thamaturgy, and is
rumored
to belong to some kind of save the Occult following in Europe. Very
well
connected, and very interested in Occult lore. Sources don't know why, but
she
has never join any organization that they have heard of, and chooses to
spend
the time with her own progeny instead of the company of other
supernaturals.
If given the choice, the contacts would leave town if they were
in
the PCs shoes.
Here
is a rough run down on the information that the PCs should now posses, in
some
manner or another (by clue dropping, Stage rolling or just plain
deduction,
dear Watson.):
1. Sebastian is Jack the Ripper, the Not so Dead European serial killer
that
plagued Europe's White Chapel area in 1881. He was never caught, and he's
living undead proof as to why.
2. The Ritual Sebastian is trying to finish is the same that he
researched
and started in Europe, 115 years ago. Sure, it doesn't take that long to
finish it, but he got staked before he could complete the Final Rite. The
Ritual is name the Rite of the Flesh, and similarly name ghastly
alterations, and is among other things rumored to lower the `caster's'
Generation by one for each `sacrifice' rite you perform. The rites are
very exact, very complicated, and all evil- being of the Dark Blood
Thamaturgy school of thought.
3. The Ritual has though to have sprung up from an ancient Death Cult
that
worshipped a great undying lord that had great powers and drank the
essence of their enemies. Yeah, this could just about count for any of
the
World of Darkness sect types, and should because all religions have
something like this in their beliefs. Helps keep them huddled together
and
afraid in the dark. Guesses towards the Baali and Settite clans are
probably not far off, but more generically to their ancestors rather then
the current sects.
4. A pattern has developed, and the PCs now know where and when the next
victim is to be sacrificed.
PCs
can now be assaulted by the remaining groups that have made progress into
the
PCs trail of evidence. As the PCs are stalking Sebastian, Groups are
stalking
them, and it all makes for a lovely combat as you toss NPC after NPC
at
them to resolve the Groups. Wonder why there is such a high experience award
at
the end of all of this? Devastating Horror and Overwhelming Combat help rack
up
the challenges. Save one group for the last scene, as it requires a three
way
combat to work best. Alternatively, you may select the Goldstein Most
Hanious
Option and use the above Groups, as there is a new one(s) that descend
upon
the PCs at the final Scene.
PCs
can make preparations for the next night, when the stars align and the
Astrological
sign of the Scorpion is high in the sky.
Act
Six
The
Final Victim
PCs
can make their way into the apartment of the very high class prostitute
rather
easily, she is entertaining a guest when the PCs arrive on site. The
lady
has been experiencing sexual bliss, and hopes that will drive away the
awfully
bad dreams she's been having lately. That news paper article about the
`Butcher'
shook her up, and she thinks there is more here then meets the
untrained
eye. She has access to a shotgun where ever she is in her apartment
(neat
trick, huh?), and will use it if she sees something definitely
supernatural.
Why take chances, especially in her line of work?
The
Ritual is slated for completing sometime before or around midnight. The PCs
will
probably wait around for Sebastian to show up and geek him, and save the
woman
from eternal hell. If all things would ever go as planned.
At
10 to midnight, the door breaks open and a Group of your choice rushes in to
kill
everyone. This can either be the group you saved from the encounters with
the
PCs before this (perhaps one that lost a member or was made to look really
bad
on account of the PCs), one of your own choosing ("Hello.My name is Indigo
Souleater,
you have decimated my clan.Prepare to join the Collective."), or the
Goldstein
Most Hanious Option. Have either Samantha and her Progeny (all six of
`um
if they still live) storm the apartment, looking to grab the woman and
spirit
her off while killing the PCs, or have a detachment of Church Knights
raid
the place, determined to rid the Earth of the Psycho Vampires that keep
slicing
up innocent women. If you use the last method, refer to the Modern
Church
Knight template at the Manus Nigrum server for a download of the typical
God-fearing
Church Knight. Modify and have fun.
In
the middle of all this confusion, in walks Sebastian, toting a sporting look
of
19th century clothes and a silver cane. He is firmly in the grip of the Rite
of
the Flesh, and is not affected by Dominate or Presence based rotes or
Disciplines.
The sphere of the Mind does not work against him, and his aura
causes
all to view him to suffer a +1 to all target modifiers (as a
distraction).
He promptly finds the last woman and opens up his black medical
bag.
Excavating surgeon's tools from the latter part of the 18th century, ones
that
would make any man wince at the thought of such things being used;
Sebastian
proceeds to demonstrate first hand the intellectual and dexterity
capacity
needed to carve a live human up. Slowly. While keeping her alive until
the
very end. At the sight of all this, the PCs may (at the Hanious
Storyteller's
disgresion) be required to roll their last Self Control [10] to
forestall
the Blood Frenzy. Be warned, though, ten frenzying vampires with some
Garou
and mage counterparts mixing it up in an apartment is sort of like a
blender
on `Frappe.' Heck, I wouldn't play in your campaigns at this option. I
have
to pay my players to stick around for the Beta Test. And they call me
weird.
If
the PCs are having a tough time of it, then introduce the Inconnu Monitor
that
is across the building on the adjacent roof. She will be able to use
obscure
powers to save the PCs collective butts and balance the odds if your
group
is more book readers then medieval sword swinging time stopping Black
Hand
types. I propose this as an option, the Inconnu are notorious for leaving
things
alone to sort out their own messes. Why not this one too? Up to you- see
how
it goes.
At
the end of it all, Sebastian should be dead, the woman saved and treated
like
a lady, the Groups repelled and the night saved. The Inconnu Monitor, if
used,
will fade to black and the PCs are left with just one option. Should they
diablerize
the evil bastard Sebastian? You might entertain the idea of the Rite
of
the Bitter Rose, from a module somewhere (Diablere Mexico? I forget), and
drop
all of the participating kindred by one Generation (or to a feasible
level,
depending on your power level of your campaign). Sebastian can be as low
as
4th, but he will not last long in that condition- his death precedes the
Ritual
of the Flesh, and his true form is reverting (Sebastian is 13th). It
will
have to be an on the spot decision, and one that you will have do decide
if
it works or not. If so, then feel really free to make all kinds of
drawbacks,
flaws, derangement's, losses, trait altering, skill tweaking changes
to
the PCs on a case by case method that you see fit. For allowing something so
evil
to become a part of them, raise Sebastian's willpower to 10 for the Shards
roll
(for Diablere), and double the amount of successes that his will gets
against
the new hosts. At the very least, a new host will get one shard (he is
just
too powerful to resist), and all of the PCs veins will glow black. Heck,
some
PCs out there are really into this kind of stuff. Who knows?
Storyteller
Information:
Exp.
award is 15 over all for role-playing and story advancement. Additionals
include:
* +3 if the Woman Victim Six was saved.
* +2 if the Inconnu Monitor should have intervened, but took notes
instead
* +1 per Group defeated.
* +5 if you took the Goldstein Most Hanious Option and used Samantha, her
Progeny, AND the Church Knights in a four way, six hour long combat. You
are insane, and should come work for me writing modules. Send me email.
Thus the Horror ends, and the Real Rite of the Flesh Begins
Stay tuned for Jack II coming soon!