V5 Preview

VtM 5, 27 pages out of 400+. Free on the worldofdarkness site.

Toreador are distracted by ugliness instead of beauty, Celerity has dot-specific powers, vampires have Touchstones (which are narrower here than in Requiem 2, specifying them as mortals) and Theo Bell killed Hardestadt. Good for him.

Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer

Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer (and producers and surprise guest Denis O'Hare) were charming as you'd hope.

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For: Ten

Vampire: The Requiem

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For

Ten: You're the only thing worth dying for

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Nine 

Sarah found Daniel's sire at the cafe.

"Did you know I was looking for you?"
"I thought you might be."
"Where is he?"
"Looking for Matthew. Trying to keep you safe."
"Then why aren't you helping him?"
"I am. You're safe here with me."
"But Matthew could - "
"Yes, he could."
"So, what. he's gonna go and die for some macho bullshit?"

The older woman - how much older? - studied her for a moment, a brightness in her eyes.

"You'll find Matthew at the old medical school. You best hurry."

...

The medical school had been used for storage since they built its replacement in the 1940s. As Sarah approached, she reflected that it would be the perfect place for something like Matthew to hide out near campus.

Daniel sat watching from the rooftop of the old quad tower, across the way. He stood up as she pulled her car to a stop, and clambered down the fire escape one floor at a time. 

"He's inside. You should go."
"I'm not leaving you."

He paused, looking into her eyes, and then nodded.

"Do you have the spray? Keep it ready."
"Actually, I have an idea about that. He really doesn't understand the modern world very well, does he?"

...

Daniel pulled open a goods door at the side of the building, one he knew Matthew used, and walked into the dark halls.

"So now you think you can challenge me on my own domain." 

Matthew dropped from the ceiling behind him. He spun around, bringing up the spray and blasting it into Matthew's eyes. 

Nearly blinded, he ran after Daniel - and was just starting to turn as he heard the engine as Sarah slammed her car into him, pinning him against the wall.

Her airbag went off, hitting her in the face.

Matthew clawed at the hood of the car as she ground the gears up. Something more cracked, his legs gave way and he slumped over, skin peeling and cracking, collapsing to bone and dust before her eyes.

Sarah went to open the driver's door, found it was wedged. Daniel came over and tore it open, helping her out.

He saw her bleeding nose and cut lip... shivered for a second... and gave her a handkerchief.

She saw that hesitation, and then smiled as she took it.

The End

Alice Glass

Therese Voerman has a new band? ;)

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For: Nine

Vampire: The Requiem

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For

Nine: We're still aching for tomorrow

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Daniel broke the kiss, looking into Sarah's eyes as she opened them. She saw longing, and pain, even as he smiled slightly 

"Don't go," she said softly, raising a hand to his cool cheek, keeping his lips close to hers.

"I can't be what you want. I can't be what I want."

"So be what you can." And she pressed her lips to his again. This time he held the kiss.

They agreed to meet the next evening.

Mentioning this to Caitlyn and Gemma the next day, Caitlyn insisted on being there.

It was a minute before he was due that he called, to say he couldn't make it.

"Has something come up?"

"I'm being followed. Stay there, or go somewhere else that's public."

"I can help. I've still got that spray..."

"I don't want to put you in danger."

"I don't particularly want that either."

"I'll call tomorrow, if it's safe."

He didn't call the next night...

She went to find his sire.

World Of Darkness Challenge 2018

From the Facebooks and Twitters:

250 posts!

... And no game session to talk about.

Solo

Solo: A Star Wars Story was pretty fun.

Girls' Middle School D&D Club

The Girls Middle School D&D Club is the best.

"D&D Club has expanded into a D&D elective class and an upcoming summer camp for these passionate girls."

Summer

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For is more off than on (when you have two players that'll happen) and V5 arrives in August, so in the meantime should I run or play something that isn't about vampires? That seems weird.

Storytellers Vault: Minds Eye Theatre

Hmm.

We will deep fry your kebab

Avengers: Infinity War gets Edinburgh's geography better than Trainspotting.

A short review

The twist in Ghost Stories was probably clever when done with theatrical effects.

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For: Eight

Vampire: The Requiem

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For

Eight: We're still waiting for tomorrow

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Daniel's sire stepped into the light.

"What do you want?"
"I came to warn you. Daniel... feels very deeply. That was what first drew me to him. And what drove him away."
"You're saying I shouldn't see him?"
"He is what he is, you are what you are. There is no way back for him... would you want to be like he is?"
"Seems like he doesn't want it either."
"So it seems, yes." The woman smiled sadly.
"Why did you do this to him?"
"He was kind and brave, and I thought he would not miss the day like he does."

With that, she stepped away, gone into the dark.

...

Caitlyn and Gemma took Sarah out the next day, food and some drinks, believing she was suddenly single and in need of a good time. She was somewhat cheered, but not as much as they'd planned.

"So, seriously, mopey unreliable boy. Where is that going? Because the mopey is clearly contagious."
"I... I don't know."
"Welp. At least that's an honest answer."

...

She called to meet him at the cafe the next night. He was there when she arrived, reading a new book bought to make up for his lack of drinking coffee. He was already standing as she saw him, like he spotted her first... perhaps he caught her scent.

"Your, uh... maker came to see me."
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, she... wanted to warn me. About you."
"What did she say?"

She moved in and kissed him.

The Forgotten: Sixteen

Colds and snow delayed this final session, but here goes...

Samuel grabs Carlin's coat collar and it bursts into flames under his hands. Carlin snarls and struggles to get away, giving the group a chance to run past him.

Jones signals for Samuel to get back, and slashes Carlin's throat with his fingernails.

"Keep moving! He wasn't alone!" Davis calls back to them as they linger.

"How right you are." Elise steps out of the dark, red eyes catching the dim light.

Jessica steps forward, with a can of hairspray and a cigarette lighter.

Elise burns.

Jessica looks horrified by what she just did as Elise runs, shrieking.

"This is too much. We have to get out of here." David leads the way to the next manhole.

Up above, they can hear the crack of gunfire in the distance.

"Are the police gonna come?" Jessica asks.
"Out here?" Mia shakes her head.

Jones heads toward the sound of fighting. Mia calls after him, but he doesn't look back.

David starts ushering Jessica away.

"Are you coming with me?"
"No. We... I can't let any of them win."

Jessica starts to nod, visibly scared and shaken.

"We'll go," Mia says, looking to Samuel, who nods in agreement.

And they go their separate ways.

...

Ending on the decision rather than the fight seemed like the right way to go.