Chicago By Night - for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
Created by Onyx Path Publishing
Help create a beautiful Chicago By Night tabletop RPG hardcover source book for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition !
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Kindred of Chicago: Sun Che
over 5 years ago
– Mon, Nov 19, 2018 at 05:56:38 AM
Hello Kickstarter Coterie & Curious Spectators,
Our second-last kindred preview today, from the Clan Tremere, as we begin our 10 Day countdown. We've had a strong middle campaign with Chicago By Night, but are still very interested in growing our numbers and unlocking a few more Stretch Goals (or, really, more than a few!) And we can do it with your help!
If you are interested in what you see here and in past previews, join in and pledge today - all backers that join during the campaign will have full access to the manuscript and can start running their Chicago chronicle immediately! Join in on the fun!
Sun Che
Epitaph: A Curse is a Curse
Quote: “I am the embodiment of the Goddess. You ought to be afraid.”
Clan: Tremere
Mortal Days: The Idea of Liberty
Sun grew up in a strictly Catholic Korean-American family. It was in college, in very stereotypical form, that she was finally allowed to rebel. Sun tried ever subculture possible, searching for an identity other than the one she grew up with. She fell in love with witchcraft.
Sun’s attraction to the occult was more about controlling her world than anything esoteric. Her parents and the Church governed her life, and she desperately wanted to break free. Joining several occult groups in Chicago, Sun met many charismatic, social community leaders, who believed in love and freedom. She looked up to them and their healing retreats, and wanted to be like them.
It was during this time that Sun was exposed to the idea of polyamory. She quickly moved in with a group of women, all witches, and became a part of their polyam family. It was the happiest time in her life, practicing witchcraft and delighting in all things feminine and love-focused. Sun became known in her community as an up-and-comer, diversifying a white space and adding traditional Korean goddesses to the altars. A changed woman, Sun would never return to her family or their faith.
Sun was about to change even more. On a trip to Toronto to a goddess retreat she met a Tremere named Jennifer Rees. They hooked up after hours, and completely enamored of Sun, Jennifer displayed her practice of blood magic. Sun obsessed over the performance, begging the Regent for an explanation. On Sun’s final night in Toronto, Jennifer Embraced her. It did something to Sun, awakening a deep bloodlust that not even Jennifer could have anticipated. There was a massacre at the goddess retreat that weekend, and Jennifer’s admiration of Sun diminished. Her attraction had been to her purity, her heart that seemed so full of love. Now it was only full of lust. Horrified at what she had created, Jennifer fled, leaving Sun to fend for herself.
Kindred Nights: The Reality of the Beast
Sun returned to Chicago and the coven she had left behind. As much as she tried though, she just could not contain her lust. Soon after she came home she fell into a blood rage and murdered every one of her covenmates, drinking them dry. That night, she experienced a vision where a naked woman covered in blood came to her and spoke to her in an ancient tongue. This woman said she was now inside of Sun, and could grant her great power, but sometimes she needed to let Sun give into her, and do as she pleased. She would love Sun and protect her, and she didn’t need anyone else in her life. Sun woke from the vision covered in blood tears and the innards of her coven.
Years passed, and this blood-drenched woman would sometimes still appear to Sun after a murderous haze. The Tremere of Chicago took her in as one of their own, and Erichtho in sympathized with Sun’s situation. Although Erichtho’s philosophies are similar to Sun’s in many ways, both desiring peace, Sun’s violent outbursts disturbed the older Tremere. None of the Warlocks could figure out exactly what was going on in Sun’s head. Was she really possessed by some entity, or was Sun just permanently mentally damaged by her transformation? All their blood sorcery couldn’t figure it out, but Erichtho saw Sun as a useful ally. Two powerful witches were better than one, after all.
Sun became a competent thaumaturge, and currently uses her knowledge to lead a secret cult of worshippers in Chicago, a woman of the coven named Kaitlyn acting as her mortal face and often lover. Sun says it’s the bloody demon who guides her, and her cultists all willingly give themselves to her for sacrifice. To her followers, she is the dark goddess who grants them brief powers in exchange for their blood. The Tremere tolerate this because she keeps the cult very secret, and under the guise of her actual status in the occult community of Chicago. She’ll still do talks in the community, infamous as the only survivor of her coven’s massacre. Sometimes both her and Erichtho will speak at the same event, working the mortal witches in tandem.
There isn’t much solace in Sun’s life as a vampire. She had her dreams stolen from her by a woman who, in her mind, murdered her and then gave her over to a demonic goddess. Every time the bloody woman takes her over and commits some depraved massacre, Sun gives more of herself to bloodlust. It does, after all, feel incredible every time.
Plots and Schemes:
• Beast Whisperer: No amount of research has been able to reveal what’s going on within her. If a powerful occultist suddenly became accessible to her, perhaps an older vampire or a werewolf with stranger magics, who knows what they might discover together? Sun is always on the lookout for someone who could give her more insight to her bloody friend.
• A Different Kind of Unity: Sun is devoted to stabilizing the Tremere of Chicago. She actively encourages Erichtho and DuSable to introduce new Warlocks to their coven so as to present a stronger front. Despite her care for her Chicago clanmates, Sun is deeply afraid of what Nicolai, the former city Regent, might do with her if he ever returns.
• Spiritual Guilt: Sun is in a state of constant atonement for the terrible things she does. She prays to her goddesses every night. However, when the “demon” catches her doing this, it just laughs at her. Sun is in constant struggle with herself. She’s not sure how she can truly atone or take revenge against the demon inside, but she will take any action to do either if given the chance.
Domain and Haven:
• Edison Park House (Haven 2) Sun lives with her cult in a fancy old Victorian house off Edison Park, where they masquerade as a rehabilitation center for women with drug addiction. The cult financed the house for her, and all members are devoted to her either via the Blood Bond or genuine admiration. The house contains a library that occupies the entire third floor, in which Sun meets guests. It’s rare for Sun to hunt across Chicago, as her cult doubles as a food supply. Therefore, she rarely leaves the house. Most of Chicago’s Kindred prefer this, as she’s a danger to the Masquerade when she loses control in public.
Thralls and Tools:
• Sun Cult (Allies 1, Contacts 2, Fame 1, Influence 2, Herd 4) Sun’s cult is her anchor. They have a co-dependent relationship, relying on each other for spiritual and psychological support. The cult, numbering just over 20 adherents, keeps her balanced, the witches occasionally bleeding her to “let forth some of her demons” while making a communion of her vitae.
• Kaitlyn Hammerstein (Retainers 2) Kaitlyn acts as the coven’s mortal face. She is Sun’s ghoul, but even before the Blood Bond set in developed a full love for the troubled Warlock. Kaitlyn knew Sun as a mortal witch, and while she wasn’t of the slaughtered coven, does know the reach of her domitor’s depravities.
Kindred Relationships:
• “Erichtho” Tracy Graves (Mawla 2, Aspiration) Sun knows that Erichtho is using her for her own purposes, and wishes she had a bit more freedom in their otherwise strong friendship. She deeply resonates with Erichtho’s horror at being a vampire, and should she ever find clues toward Golconda, Sun would certainly try to join her in that enlightenment.
• Annabelle (Patron) Annabelle loves Sun’s demon. She tries to coax it out of her at parties, to create an entertaining slaughter for her guests. As a result, the Toreador Primogen is always keen to get Sun invited to the more decadent underground parties.
Whispers:
• Mad as the Moon: Sun is a murderous psychopath whose mind fractured when she became a vampire. Any talk of demons is from Sun’s own delusion.
• A Different Bond: Sun and Erichtho are lovers. If true, this whisper would be far from a scandal, though DuSable may resent a bond such as this among his Tremere. Sun rarely sleeps with any willing partners beyond Kaitlyn these nights. She lost her taste for sex after she murdered her coven.
• Avatar of the Council: Sun is actually the manifestation of an ancient vampire who’s trying to take control of her mind and body. A cult beyond her own grows in worship of this broken Tremere.
Mask and Mien:
• Sun wears long flowing skirts and blouses with decorated patterns in dark hues. Scarves often bedeck her shoulders falling quite low on her petite frame.
• Her long dark hair is often worn loose, and although she’s conventionally pretty her expression is often twisted in such concern that it’s hard to see.
• When the demon is in control her mannerisms completely change seeming both wise and bemused. It’s quite disturbing when the switch happens.
• Sun’s name among the kine is Han Sung-kyung, otherwise known as “the witch mother” among the members of her coven. Han Sung-kyung has the papers to prove she’s a professional drugs counsellor, though she rarely leads a session (Mask 2).
Sire: Jennifer Rees “the Purple Sign”
Embraced: 2003 (Born 1984)
Ambition: Discover the truth of what lurks inside me
Convictions: Protect everyone from myself
Touchstones: Kaitlyn Hammerstein — ghoul and lover
Humanity: 5
Generation: 12th
Blood Potency: 1
It's Vampire James, your point person for this Kickstarter campaign. He's also had his share of interesting nights in Toronto!
NEW ADD ON
Add +$20 to your Total Pledge Amount to add a copy of the card game Prince’s Gambit to your reward list. This is a physical item, and will be shipped with your hardcover copy of Chicago By Night. You must have the Chicago By Night hardcover book as part of your rewards list to select this Add On reward. Add On Rewards will be confirmed via Backerkit survey after the campaign has concluded.
To increase your total pledge amount, click the MANAGE YOUR PLEDGE button (on my screen, its on the top right; on mobile, I think it's listed on the pledge screen). It should take you to a screen that allows you to CHANGE YOUR PAYMENT METHOD or CHANGE YOUR PLEDGE.
When you select CHANGE YOUR PLEDGE, It will show you your current pledge amount. (For me, it's currently $73, which includes my $50 Kindred Reward Tier, +$7 for the Old Traditions PDF Bundle Add On, +$6 for the Beckett's Jyhad Diary PDF Add On, and my +$10 shipping to Canada).
Now just increase your total pledge amount by +$20 and press CONTINUE. (I changed mine from $73 to $93 and pressed continue)
The extra $20 will be part of your pledge amount, and after the campaign is over, you'll use the BackerKit pledge manager to allocate those funds and confirm Prince's Gambit as part of your reward.
NEXT STRETCH GOALS
At $86,000 in funding - DIGITAL WALLPAPER: PRINCE’S GAMBIT – An evocative digital wallpaper for your computer desktop featuring the art of the Prince’s Gambit card game. This digital file will be added to the rewards list for all backers receiving the Chicago By Night PDF.
At $90,000 in funding - LET THE STREETS RUN RED – A third chronicle, set to explore the domains of Milwaukee and Indianapolis, will be added to Let the Streets Run Red.
We're in the final 10 days now. Remember to share your excitement and interest for this campaign in your social circle and on your social media! Let's embrace a ton of new backers during this final stretch and unlock our $90,000 Stretch Goal... and more!
#ChicagoByNight
Sunday Story: First Trip to the Second City (part 3 of 4)
over 5 years ago
– Sun, Nov 18, 2018 at 05:50:07 AM
Four Trips to the Second City
3
When Sierra Van Burrace accepted the Wolf Pack’s demand to see her, she requested that they obey the Asako Penthouse dress code of tasteful, modern formal wear. When they finally arrived at the hotel, only Nadine and Ramrod fit the criteria. She still had some good clothes that she hadn’t sold off yet, and let her sire use her brother’s dress shirt and pants. The plaid Civil War-era getup Dread wore fit the spirit of the law, if not the letter. Tyrus didn’t bother, wearing the same leather, chains, and boots he always wore.
Sierra looked him over with a sneer. “You can’t even follow simple directions.”
“Directions are for chumps,” Tyrus said.
“Just what I wanted to hear from an Archon.” She motioned to an attendant. “Bring us the drinks.”
She sat them at a table. They heard a chorus of screaming from the room next door. The screaming faded to whimpers of pain. The attendant returned with glasses of warm, fresh blood. One of the glasses was placed before Nadine, who gulped it down in one go.
Sierra smirked. “Is she new?”
“Not that new,” she answered, still taking in the flavors of terror the blood had. “A couple of nights.”
For all his fear of going soft, taking the pack on their first hunt with a newly Embraced Nadine was a smashing success. It was serendipity: a whole family’s car broke down on a private road. They even trusted the Pack, right up until they unleashed her on them. Naivety was a rare thing nowadays, Tyrus thought. Something to treasure.
Sierra slid a manila folder over the dining table. Tyrus caught it and pulled it towards himself, marking it with an oily handprint.
“That,” she said, “is Clan Lasombra’s petition.”
Dread rose from the table, hand on his shotgun. “Lasombra!?”
Shadows snaked up the walls and ceiling around Sierra. Tyrus grabbed his friend and threw him back on his seat.
“Easy, easy!” He hated to admit it, but this was a fight he couldn’t afford to start.
The room returned to normal. “He didn’t know?” Sierra asked.
“I kept him in the dark,” Tyrus said. “No pun intended.”
Dread glared at her. “I’ve had bad experiences with shadows.”
After a moment to regain her composure, she continued. “The petition describes what we hope to bring to the Camarilla, and what we have done to earn our place. I trust that you will bring it to the Prince as soon as possible, so we can begin negotiations.”
“Yeah, he’ll get it.” Tyrus sniffed the blood in the glass. It was human enough. After taking a sip, he said, “You know, it’s funny.”
“What?”
“The Lasombra had everything in the Sabbat. If these negotiations screw up, you get nothing. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were rushing it to this. I’d say it looks like you’re all running from something.”
Sierra gripped her empty glass.
“You might be right.”
To be concluded...
It's Vampire James, your point person for this Kickstarter campaign.
STRETCH GOAL
We're well on our way to unlocking the ELEVENTH Stretch Goal of this campaign, another chance for backers to add more Vampire to their rewards list:
At $84,000 in funding - NEW ADD-ON REWARD: PRINCE’S GAMBIT CARD GAME – A new Add-On Reward will be created. For +$20, backers will receive the Prince’s Gambit card game. Only available to backers receiving the Chicago By Night hardcover book; the card game will be fulfilled as part of the same shipment as the Chicago By Night hardcover book.
Wanna see the game in action?:
And then, another quick stop to celebrate our accomplishments...
At $86,000 in funding - DIGITAL WALLPAPER: PRINCE’S GAMBIT – An evocative digital wallpaper for your computer desktop featuring the art of the Prince’s Gambit card game. This digital file will be added to the rewards list for all backers receiving the Chicago By Night PDF.
... before exploring a bit more of the mid-west with an additional chronicle:
At $90,000 in funding - LET THE STREETS RUN RED – A third chronicle, set to explore the domains of Milwaukee and Indianapolis, will be added to Let the Streets Run Red.
Our next three Stretch Goals are in sight, and attainable! Let's see if we can embrace new backers and unlock these before we conclude our Sunday Story in one week with our fourth trip to the second city!
#ChicagoByNight
Backers Only Sneak Peek - The World of Chicago
over 5 years ago
– Sat, Nov 17, 2018 at 06:21:46 AM
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Kindred of Chicago: Annabelle
over 5 years ago
– Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 05:28:48 AM
Hello Kickstarter Coterie and Curious Browsers,
It's Vampire James, your point person for this Kickstarter campaign.
Today, I'm going to share the Chicago By Night write-up for Annabelle, the Toreador Primogen. Each of these previews is a tiny taste of what's inside the book. Backers of the project have been able to read about 70% of the Kindred of Chicago chapter so far, with 2 more sections still to come. Tomorrow, I'm going to be sharing one of the first chapters in the book - the World of Chicago, which covers a lot of the metaplot built into the city and provides fuel to a Storyteller's imagination.
Those who have pledged to this campaign have access to these manuscript Sneak Peek previews throughout the campaign - and we'll have the entire manuscript revealed before the end. After the campaign, I'm going to compile all of these sections into one big document, which will be available for the backers that participated in this campaign.
The manuscript previews are a perk for those who pledge during the kickstarter - one of the thank you rewards we offer in exchange for your support. The links will remain behind a Backers-Only update and only be accessible to those who joined in during the campaign, so jump on this ride with us if you want to check them out! Don't miss out, is what I'm saying here!
We're also MOMENTS away from hitting another Stretch Goal target and unlocking more content for Let The Streets Run Red, a PDF supplement set in and around the Chicago and Midwest area, incorporating characters absent from V5 Chicago by Night and exploring the activities of Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and the rural Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana areas.
So, hop on board and join our Kickstarter Coterie! We're happy to have you join our community, and looking forward to spending the next 13 days sharing more information about the book!
Annabelle
Epithet: Toreador Primogen, High Society Host
Quote: “You don’t have to know art. I will tell you what’s good and what’s bad.”
Clan: Toreador
Mortal Days: Handpicked for Greatness
Annabelle was born at the turn of the 18th century, the daughter of a musician and a Parisian sex worker. Though the couple attempted to provide their child with stability and material comforts, neither of their professions guaranteed a steady income. When her father was between patrons and the authorities threw her mother in jail, Annabelle knew what it was like to go hungry.
Her father spent a brief period as one of King Louis XV’s musicians, and brought Annabelle to court. It was there she determined to make a noble match for herself, so she’d never again have to worry about money. She soon found herself welcome in courtiers’ ballrooms and bedchambers, but her prospects at marriage dwindled.
Then, in 1722, a Spanish noblewoman named Maria visited the court. She took particular note of Annabelle’s father, and was delighted to learn his lovely daughter had inherited some of his musical skills. She confessed her secret nature to Annabelle, offering the chance to stay young forever and live out her nights surrounded by wealth and beauty. Annabelle accepted the Embrace, and Maria brought Annabelle to the New World as her student. Though neither knew it, Maria operated under her sire Helena’s control, tasked with finding suitable women from whom the Methuselah could feed.
Kindred Nights: Puppet with Too Many Masters
Maria and Annabelle roamed the New World for 200 years, arriving in Chicago at the height of the Jazz Age. As one of the oldest Toreador in the domain, Maria could have claimed the title of Primogen. However, she refused the position. Annabelle saw the chance to wield the type of power she’d dreamed of as a girl, and pursued it.
Annabelle’s power plays yielded little success until, in 1983, a dispute with Lodin caused her to switch sides on the Primogen Council. Her support of the Anarch Maldavis kicked off the Council Wars, which strengthened both the Anarchs’ power and Annabelle’s own. In the end, she switched her vote back to Lodin’s side, but only after he made several hidden concessions.
Since becoming Primogen, Annabelle’s balls and parties became the must-attend events of Kindred society, drawing established creatives and promising innovators. As much business gets done at the Primogen’s parties as it does at Elysium, and Annabelle has a reputation for both shrewd dealmaking and subtle betrayal. For neonates, spending time in Annabelle’s entourage gives them an insight into Kindred politics.
It’s an open secret Annabelle backed Gary’s Prince Modius and played him against Lodin, though few know Annabelle was Modius’ sire. She’s Embraced several childer, though only Bret Stryker, the clan’s aspiring Herald, still remains. The others have all died their final deaths or disappeared.
Annabelle spent decades in a psychic tug-of-war between Helena and Menele. Though Helena controlled her first, toward the end of the 20th century Menele gained control — without his enemy catching on. When he succumbed to the Beckoning, his grip on Annabelle snapped. What freedom she might have enjoyed was fleeting: Helena’s formidable will slipped right back into place, and her recent actions are once again guided by Helena’s plans.
Recently, letters have surfaced implicating Annabelle and the Brujah Primogen Critias as Maldavis’ supporters in the Council Wars. This is a potential PR disaster, unless Annabelle can find a way to refute or discredit the letters... or spin the narrative to make her look like a tactical genius to the Camarilla.
Plots and Schemes:
• Many Veils: Annabelle is well aware some Kindred find her artistic tastes lacking and view her musical talents as nonexistent. She lets them underestimate her, occasionally playing into their expectations to reinforce the image. After all, if they’re busy talking about how her latest protege can’t carry a note in an autotuned bucket, they’re not watching Annabelle maneuvering mortal politicians. In a self-destructive fashion, she intends for everyone to think her the fool before she reveals something startlingly profound and informed.
• A Sliver of Light: For a short time after Menele’s death, Annabelle was no longer under a Methuselah’s control. Helena had yet to reassert her will, and Annabelle felt her freedom ebbing back. Though Helena’s influence soon returned and set Annabelle back on the intended path, those inklings of doubt remain and she now wishes to know the truth. She isn’t yet aware of Critias’ own epiphany in this regard, but should she find out, the two have some interesting notes to compare.
• The Eldest Toreador: Many blamed Annabelle when Maria disappeared. She’s quietly started investigating Maria’s last known movements; though much of that information is three decades old, she has a few leads. In recent nights, another Toreador, Eletria, has gone missing. The circumstances of that case bear a striking similarity to what Annabelle’s learned of Maria’s habits. She wants to hire a coterie to discover what befell these two Toreador, but finds herself struggling to make a deal.
• The Power of the Media: Annabelle’s looking for potential media outlets to insert herself into, especially now Joseph Peterson has flown the coop with his news network contacts. She recognizes the need for caution, as so many modern kine get their news online — where the Second Inquisition’s always watching. She’s looking to scoop up a set of foreign language stations including Pulso del Mundo, and wants someone to make the introductions.
• Deciding Vote: Annabelle’s calendar has been full of meetings regarding the Lasombra petition to join the Camarilla. Should the Camarilla accept, adding a Lasombra Primogen could either split the Council’s votes evenly, or stack them. She’s been the Primogen’s swing vote for thirty years, and used that to her political advantage. Now, that position is threatened. Annabelle’s not entirely against the balance shifting, as long as she can ensure she’ll benefit. She is going to actively manipulate the Lasombra negotiations to put her in a stronger position, even if it means denying them entry to the city or allowing one of them to join the council.
• Siren’s Call: Annabelle hears the Beckoning calling her just before dawn, but it abates by the time she rises again at night. Unknown to her, the vitae Helena feeds her is currently sufficient to keep the Toreador Primogen grounded in Chicago. She wants to know who is cutting the call, which she finds oh, so tempting.
Domain and Haven:
• Stanley-Greer House (Haven 3, Herd 2, Resources 2, Retainers 2) Annabelle maintains the sprawling Stanley-Greer House in one of Chicago’s posh North Side neighborhoods, often using it as the venue for her lavish parties. She rarely sleeps there, but when not at Elysium, enjoys dressing the place up for her next show.
• Succubus Club (Herd 4) Annabelle feels the call to the renovated Succubus Club just before dawn, sleeping in the labyrinthine basement there with Helena during the day. She never remembers or questions her sleeping arrangements, nor how her Hunger is rarely pressing.
Thralls and Tools:
• Neil Russo (Allies 1, Retainer 1) City Artists (Contacts 3) Annabelle has considerable influence in Chicago’s mortal art world. A pop-up gallery comprising the work of a dozen or so art students has really grabbed her recently, with their demonstrations of blood and other bodily fluids on canvas, sheets, and blotting paper. The leader of this artistic troupe is a young man named Neil Russo, with whom she carries on a clandestine affair.
• John Greer (Contacts 2, Resources 3) Annabelle has a loose grasp over local media via her recent marriage to retired newspaper publisher John Greer. She’s considering whether to encourage her husband back into the business, but to concentrate on online venues.
Kindred Relationships:
• Bret Stryker (Divided) Annabelle’s noticed Stryker’s waning adoration, and she’s not pleased. She’s split between letting him off the leash to see what he can accomplish on this own, hopeful he’ll fail dismally, but equally drawn to reinforcing the Blood Bond and guaranteeing his undying adoration.
• Aluc Romas de Leon (Admired) As a fellow patron of the arts, Aluc has earned Annabelle’s admiration. However, his parties make him a rival for new talent and influence within Kindred society. She hasn’t yet decided whether he’s an ally she should cultivate or an enemy to crush.
• Primogen Council (Unworthy) Annabelle doesn’t consider any of the other Primogen her equal. Critias is too lost in his own head these nights, Rosa is insignificant, “Khalid” is increasingly quiet, and Son is more concerned with individual issues than Kindred society. She’s tempted to encourage the rise of a Ventrue Primogen — perhaps Ballard or Naomi Stewart — just to give her some competition.
• Helena (Mawla 4, Nightmare) Though unaware of her ancestor’s patronage, Helena keeps Annabelle safe and positions her in places of Kindred influence, for now anyway. Just as Annabelle’s attention on Bret has frayed, so does Helena’s for Annabelle.
Whispers:
• She Wrote the List: When Kevin Jackson took power, Annabelle suggested a few names of Tradition-breakers for his purges. Most of them were guilty. A few were merely political thorns in her side she wished to be rid of. So long, Andrei. Au revoir, Tammy.
• Shared Mawla: Maldavis wields abilities beyond what her questionable Caitiff blood should allow. Those who’ve felt the weight of her Presence and Annabelle’s have noticed an eerie similarity in the feelings of awe the two women evoke.
• Another Failed Party: Previews from a gallery opening Annabelle’s sponsoring suggest the show’s going to be godawful. Tickets sales are flying as everyone wants a ringside seat for the disaster.
• Earworm: The song “Kiss-a-belle” is tearing up local music charts. The woman described in the ridiculously catchy song’s chorus could easily be Annabelle, and social media places the singer at several of the Primogen’s parties in the months before the album release.
Mask and Mien:
• In the 1960s, Annabelle began appearing in the society pages as Ellen Stanley-Greer, wife of Sentinel newspaper publisher John Greer. The Sentinel closed its doors in the late 1990s. In 2003, papers covered John and Ellen’s move to the Chicago suburbs, with a footnote that their home near downtown had passed into the hands of Ellen’s niece Jacqueline — a woman who bears a striking resemblance to her aunt (Mask 2).
• Annabelle is a white woman who appears to be in her mid-20s. Her stunning good looks would be at home on a runway, and her connections to (and sponsorship of) the top fashion designers keep her in couture year-round. She keeps her ash-blonde hair shoulder-length, though the style varies with current trends. Aspiring poets have penned odes to her piercing blue eyes, or commented on the fullness of her mouth.
Sire: Maria
Embraced: 1722 (Born 1698)
Ambition: Be the final decider on the Lasombra proposal
Convictions: Art is essential and must be supported
Touchstones: John Greer — husband, for whom she has a real affection
Humanity: 6
Generation: 6th
Blood Potency: 4
