Providence by Night – Rhode Island is Famous for You (Session 2)

Welcome back to Providence by Night, our tabletop Vampire: The Masquerade chronicle, which focuses on the unlives of several new (in some cases, very new) vampires. You can look for new recaps and interludes every Wednesday. The full Providence by Night chronicle can be found at its own permanent page, which will be updated in future weeks.

For now, enjoy session 2 – Rhode Island Is Famous For You, wherein the fourth member of the coterie arrives at Elysium, the appointment of a ‘new’ Harpy heralds conflict, and the neonates doesn’t acquit themselves particularly well.

Session 2 – “Rhode Island is Famous for You” – Late Summer 2014

Beth Winston was getting used to her new freedom. Trying to reconnect with her past, she had phoned her mortal brother Paul. He had chastised her for neglecting both her family and the Catholic church over the past decade, but had mentioned that his daughter Rina would be starting at Brown in the fall semester. On Friday night, with no teaching responsibilities, Beth decided to see the city and was drawn to an impromptu Sophie B. Hawkins concert at The Ruins on Weybosset Street.  The shadow of Providence’s Arcade shaded the masses of swaying humanity as Beth noticed a peculiar predatory redhead with a long canine underbite sitting on the hood of a tan Oldsmobile. Beth approached her and learned that she was Kate, a fellow Kindred. Kate was surprised that a lick such as Beth could survive for nine years without being presented. Kate agrees to take Beth to Elysium that night, if only to see what the Prince does with her.

Ventrue real estate agent Jason Dyrell made his way to Providence after trying his luck in the domain of New York City.  New York hadn’t worked out very well, as his first night had ended with a severe beating after feeding in the wrong place.  Letter of introduction from his sire in Boise already sent, Jason had received an invitation to join the court of Prince Jerome Solomon of Providence. Checking his hair and three-piece pinstripe suit in the mirror, Jason locked eyes with four serious-looking kindred as the elevator car they occupied closed its doors and descended. Gulp.

Tony, Spencer, and Nathan were left in the ballroom after the Prince departed. Feeling social phobia setting in, Tony left the party early for the comfort of more familiar surroundings. Spencer tried to reassure Nathan that things would be alright, but warned him that leaving Elysium without acknowledgement of the Prince is congeneric to Final Death. The pair petitioned Caoimhe for advice on what the Prince would do, but were met with a curt statement about the Prince “doing whatever he bloody well pleases in his own city.” Feeling defeated, they returned to the area near the ballroom entrance and noticed two new faces: one sharply-dressed lick admiring the architecture and a lost soul contemplating a long-stemmed rose handed to her by a poofy-haired man in tweed.

Spencer and Nathan introduced themselves, and it became apparent that tonight was the first night at court for many Kindred.  Noticing that Nathan was on good terms with Don Coyote, Spencer asked him for an introduction. Nathan obliged and the neonates excused their way through the masses to one of the blood-filled punch bowls where Don Coyote was spiking his glass of blood with a clear liquid from a silver pocket flask. Shaking hands with Jason, Coyote nearly crushed the Ventrue’s hand his potent grip. Introducing himself, Spencer revealed his affiliation with Clan Tremere and the mood suddenly changed. Don Coyote, fighting a snarl, instructed Spencer in no uncertain terms, to “Get the %#*& to your side of the room before we have a problem!”

Beth, overwhelmed by the situation, felt her perceptions shift as terrifying past events became apparent to her. She wondered aloud if the Brujah were still angry over the Tremere usurpation. Jason, wearing his customary chainmail shirt, tried to calm Beth by offering her a blood-filled human skull. She refused. Nathan did his best to relocate the group before things could escalate even further.

Beth searched the room for Kate, the closest thing to a familiar face, but before they could interact, a procession of vampires returned to the raised dais. An additional chair was added to the table and Marie-Claire grinned coyly as she sat and surveyed the ballroom from her new vantage point.  The congregation took their seats and the neonates quickly located a table far away from Don Coyote’s wrath. They are stuck in the Toreador section with Allison and a displeased Patrick. The Prince publicly welcomed Marie-Claire back to the city after a 26-year absence and announced that he was naming her to the position of Harpy. Polite applause ensued and party lines were drawn. Caoimhe was visibly fuming. Beth, Nathan, and Jason were quickly acknowledged and the Prince casually commented how rare it was to have five Neonates presented in a single night.

Kindred began to depart the room. Nathan and Jason conspired together about contacts and real estate and Spencer invited the gang over to his Newport beachhouse, including an invitation to drink from his entourage. Caoimhe arrived at the kids’ table to inform the neonates that she expected them in Room 403 in ten minutes’ time. Beth took the time to thank Kate for her help and Kate casually invited Beth to check out Providence’s roller derby team, which Kate was apparently a member of.

The Neonates took the elevator to the fourth floor and were greeted by Philip, whose Nosferatu form startles them. He assigned each of the neonates an early 1990s pager, explained their alphanumeric response system, and recorded the serial numbers before departing. The neonates were briefly left alone until Caoimhe arrived.“Well, I’m going to continue doing this until I’m told not to,” she muttered as she sat on one of the queen-sized beds and smoothed out her revealing black party dress. Caoimhe interrogated the neonates on the locations of their havens and reminded them to not feed downtown, not to meddle in mortal politics, and to stay off of Benefit Street. Lastly, she imparted the information that formal Elysium was usually held on the last Friday of the month, and then dismissed Beth, Nathan, and Spencer. Jason was permitted to stay – apparently the Ventrue looked after their own in Providence.

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