"I did not attend your meeting en personne and this squad was miles distant hunting a vampire, so there is no cause to link this to you.  We have left them with two new threats, and a riddle.  They must now wonder, which of their foes are allied?"  Still wearing the blindfold of otherworldly fabric, Mistral added, "The hunters have been given more to worry over.  Our objective was to relieve pressure on our allies, and we have done just that."  She added, "I invite them to try to come for moi.  It will be their undoing."

Once Milo arrived Mistral remained quiet on the sidelines, making no move to offer greeting nor take credit for the rescue.  She would leave it to Sal to serve as ambassador toward his own kind, and to extract advantage from it.

Noah shook his head, this was about the longest he had been fully human from the first change. "Last time they had only seen me and the appearance and disappearance of things. They will at most be linked to me due to that."

"So there isn't a huge risk because I have some serious backup and knights in shining armors."

"Though you are the expert. If she pulled me from an ambush do you think it wise for her to pull me into space as an escape route? Can they follow a teleport?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:12, Sat 04 Dec 2021.

Sal greeted Milo warmly in the foyer, "Consider it a favor repaid. I must say, old friend, I was worried about you, when you didn't answer my call. I had Mistral scatter your pursuers to the four winds and bring you here to safety. How did the Hunters find you, anyway?"

 Milo returned Sal's smile when he was greeted (in the foyer of Sal's house). "You were just in time too... I felt my link to one of my ghouls seer and went to investigate. My driver, who had been chauffeur to Nefertiti, was Killed and she was nowhere to be found. While investigating, I was set upon by Hunters.

 On that note, you may wish to prepare for another visitor. Seeing that I believed I may have been about to meet my Final Death, I called my father. I'm certain that you've heard of him. Even the Kine have. His name is Dracula."

 As if to punctuate that sentence, thunder rolled from miles away off the coast.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:15, Tue 07 Dec 2021.

"They possess technologie to crack into a closed but active Porte.  Appropriate measures are available to me to counter this, though I would very much like to capture this device to discover its workings.  I intended to pursue this, but other matters have taken priority."

Milo's report on what led to his predicament was interesting.  If he had been searching for Nefertiti then it would seem that he was not involved with the meeting she had descried.  Nefertiti had not appeared to be there against her will, but Milo's driver being slain to bring her there did not bode well.  Mistral asked Milo, "Are you aware of your driver's location when they were taken?  It may lead us to who has done it."

Then, Milo reported that Dracula himself was enroute.  Mistral remarked drily, "Legends are not content to remain legendary, cette nuit...  Will he come in peace?"

Sal was shocked, not that Dracula was real, or even that he was still alive, but that he would be coming to his estate. His amenities were wholly inadequate. "The Dracula? Here? I'm afraid I've not had time to prepare for such a distinguished visitor. I hope he won't judge me too harshly. I also pray the Ordo doesn't find out. I'm sure they're not fond of me, already."

Michael was sure all the other Hunters would have both pissed their pants and been excited to be in the presence of The Dracula. Which reminded him of something important. “So considering vampires and my…history with them, should I be concerned about being in the same room with him? I assume someone of his standing would at least tolerate my presence if you vouched for me Sal. Just rather not fight him if I don’t have to. Probably wouldn’t win in a straight up fight.”

Noah sighed, "I am so far out of my element on this one I may as well be in outer space." He was doing his best to plot out what would happen in the event that the son of the dragon met a mixed bag. "All and all how is your dad? Think he would pop heads off and drink us like a Capri sun pouch?"

He started thumbing through a few programs trying to turn on the social media program on Milo's phone. They listen for ad words so he may hap have access toa hot mic.

 Milo seemed a touch concerned. "Considering that he believes I am in danger, it may be in your best interest to hide until he has confirmed that I am not."

 Thunder continued to roll in the east, a storm cloud gathered. Lightning streaked angrily through it... almost approaching the intensity (but not the magnitude) of the last major storm to strike New York.

 Milo stepped out into Sal's yard and the group could feel the hairs raising on the back of their necks. Speaking became difficult as some sort of inaudible white noise began to interfere with speech...

 a few moments later, that white noise could be identified as squeaking and flapping of wings. Thunder and bats filled the air, drowning out all speech as Dracula made his presence known.

 The cloud sank suddenly as it made landfall, turning into lightning-laced fog and the bats crashed into the shore like a tidal wave, swarming the land with overwhelming force as a figure materialized from within. He wore a sword at his hip and crimson armor with a thin moustache and goatee, well groomed black hair, and an intense, predatory aura.

 He observed the surrounding area imperiously as the lightning and bats began to disperse. Milo approached him hesitantly. "F-Father. I apologize for calling you out here. A friend of mine saved my life soon after I called you and I lost my phone-"

 Milo's excuse was cut short as Dracula reached out with both hands, fast as lightning and pulled him to his chest. He wrapped one hand around Milo's shoulders and another around the back of his head for several seconds in a father/son hug before letting him go. "I would like to meet these friends of yours."

 Milo nodded his head. "Yes, Father."

 Milo began leading Dracula back toward Sal's estate. However, when Milo entered, Dracula stopped at the threshold of the door, waiting expectantly. Milo's eyes went wide as he turned to Sal. He didn't say anything but his hands were shaking slightly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:44, Thu 09 Dec 2021.

Michael shook his head. “No offense Milo, but Fate and I are the only mortals in this building right now. I doubt someone as powerful as Dracula wouldn’t be able to detect my presence here or at least this.”He gently swings the powerful rosary artifact from an actual angel. “I won’t hide, but I will make no threatening moves against him. I will take precautions in case there is a misunderstanding before he realizes I’m not a threat. I haven’t stayed alive this long by being completely trusting of people I don’t know.”

The Hunter poured holy water in a three foot circle around himself. He knelt down and made several quick prayers of protection to various saints in preparation for the worst. His muscles swelled and veins bulged. Celestial armor covered his body with spectral wings in full spread behind him. A small dropper syringe of olive oil was produced from his belt to anoint his forehead. His right index and middle finger were used to draw a cross over his heart creating a magical shield that radiated from him. Just in case the phone given to him by the Hunters was enhanced somehow, he made sure to shatter it with the tip of his Mage Breaker sword.

Michael stood with arms crossed holding the sacred rosary in his right hand. The Hunter stood ready to stand firm in the presence of the Vampire lord.

OOC: Supernal Vision, Magical Shield, Epipodian Safeguard, Blessed protection of Saint Agripinna (ward 6 specifically targeting Dracula), True Sight of Saint Abel, Armor of Saint Martin, and Fortitude of Saint George all in play.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:44, Wed 08 Dec 2021.

The following is heard IF you have met Sariel. If you have not ignore the following.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
"... That's mine... He has my signature all over him... but I haven't made it yet... There is another branch of me on this world... ah hell..."

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This message was last edited by the player at 05:40, Thu 09 Dec 2021.

Mistral vanished prior to Dracula's arrival, as if she'd never been there.

Then, when the legendary vampire lord approached the door, the otherworldly form of the Mistress of the Ebon Tower materialized from nothingness, gleaming white-and-blue hair flowing on an unseen breeze.  Porcelain-pale, blindfolded, and garbed in magnificent robes streaming with the threads of reality, she inclined her head and spoke from blue lips in a voice that echoed across dimensions, "Bonsoir, Seigneur Dracula.  Your legend precedes you, but has not done you justice."

Noah smiled as he watch Mistral shift to her most potent self. "I love it when she goes beast mode." Noah twisted around to break line of sight allowing him to shift into his base full dragon form. This time, however, his tail drooped past the floor and was a clear life line portal out of dodge.

With his life line out he made an exit just encase Sal didn't want Dracula in his home. It was custom a long time ago to meet people at the door anyway.

He simply inclined his head to Dracula. More than let smarter people than he talk.

Fate stayed as unnoticeable as possible to both keep out of the way and keep as out of sight as possible without openly hiding. She knew very little of this Dracula character, but what she did know was that he was a powerful vampire, a combination which she knew better than to tempt.

 Dracula's lips tucked upward into the barest hint of a smile as he bowed slightly with a flourish. When he answered, he did so in a French accent that would have made Mistral swear he was a native speaker. "Bonsoir, Madame. You seem to have me at a disadvantage. You know my name but I have not yet had the pleasure. There are many legends about me by now, I'm sure. I've all but lost track of what people think I'm supposed to be."


 Even from the other side of the doorway, the group could feel the presence of malice and bloodlust... but not from Dracula himself. This feeling of existential dread was coming from his sword. You did not need special senses to notice it... even a sleepwalker could notice the overwhelming dread of the blade at his side.

OOC: those present may roll Wits + Composure. You'll need at least 3 successes to notice anything other than Dracula's presence :P

Noah looked around and about as his ADHD brain was not something that could be pinned down by a collateral aura. Add in a perfect memory and he was looking at the background. "That is an unfair amount of vampires." He was chattering more to distract from Dracula's aura more than anything else. "Vampire spikes at the hip, minions with silvered weapons, I'd bet even a sniper or two in the weeds just for a bad day."

"You're here with an army..." Mist's name wasn't Mina and Noah was John... "Blood and bone, the shadows have teeth and swords..."

 Dracula looked at Noah from below his brow and slowly straitened. He still had not yet crossed the threshold of Sal's door into the mansion, instead waiting patiently for Sal to either invite or reject him. "I have made war over lesser reasons than the safety of my son."

Fate watched Dracula from her distance as she stood within Sal's home away from the front door, but not so far that she couldn't see out. She did not like nor trust the malice she felt from him.

After taking in Dracula's aura of menace, Sal came to one conclusion: If Dracula wanted him and his friends dead, he could have his way whether invited inside, or not. Besides, what Kindred would pass up the chance to invite such a legend into his home? No wonder Milo had never mentioned him before! So, holding back a mix of terror and giddiness, he said, "Honored to meet you, Dracula! I'm Sal. Please, come inside. I'm afraid I've got nothing to offer you to drink."

 Dracula closed his eyes briefly and inclined his head before stepping across the threshold. Closer proximity did not diminish the sensation of no longer being top of the food chain here, though he did not seem to be doing anything intentionally. "The honor is mine. You and your friends saved my son, so I would like to offer my gratitude to you all. I know it may seem an odd request, but might I have a glass of water? Fighting in the desert makes one appreciate it all the more."

 After waiting on his glass of water (assuming you agree to bring it), he puts the glass to his lips and drinks, taking time to swish the water around in his mouth as one might do after having it dry out. By the look on his face, he seemed to quite enjoy something so simple. "Since you saved my son, I was hoping to learn more about his new friends, and of those who wished him harm."

Sal gladly offered Dracula the water. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised that the legendary founder of the Ordo Dracul could drink it. "We are a diverse group, mostly comprised of mages, who have fought together for common goals. To my knowledge, those who targeted Milo were Hunters who came to town in the wake of the massive storm that hit New York city some time ago, though their timing suggests there may be more to it, as does the fact that they found Milo in the first place." A horrific thought occurred to Sal, and he said, "if they knew he was your son, they may have drawn you here on purpose. The cult have had no compunctions about targeting very powerful people through their children. Its as if the collateral damage itself is their goal."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:12, Sat 11 Dec 2021.

 Dracula stroked his goatee and took another sip of water. "Hunters, hmm. I suppose I'll need to question them once the sun sets."

 As he mentioned that, the roup could see the sky brightening out in the distance. It would still be an hour or two before sunrise and Dracula seemed unperturbed.

Noah got quiet but his smile on that long dragon face grew wide. It was a coping mechanism when he was facing off horrid odds. The same smile he has had and always will have when he was outclassed and outgunned.

"If you need to, you may choose any of the bedrooms here for the duration of your stay. All have heavy curtains secured to block out the sun.  I can give you a tour of the place, if you like. Milo, you're welcome to pick a room, as well. As for your forces..." Sal was unsure of their numbers. His estate had about 10 bedrooms, each with king sized beds. There were dozens of folding cots in the basement, as Sal had anticipated the possibility of an emergency forcing all of his Halloween guests to sleep there.

Mistral was stunned into stupefied stillness as Dracula approached and spoke in that dreadfully fascinating voice, her eyes wide behind the blindfold.  She had been wiser than she knew to not to face this being in her new and frail mortal body.  She answered carefully in a level, otherworldly voice, "I am la Maîtresse de la Tour d'Ébène.  It is interesting to draw comparisons, but I prefer to trust my own judgement over ancient hearsay."  What was that dreadful blade?

It seemed that Dracula was in fact bound by the legendary restriction against entering a place without invitation, but thankfully Sal was wise enough not to refuse.  It seemed the lord of vampires wished to know more about those who had rescued her son, which she was not at all comfortable with.


"That may prove a challenge, as those directly responsible for the assault are rather scattered, but most probably still alive.  I confess I have not checked back on them."