Part 31: XXXI - Snuff is Enough

Ash mentioned that the 'Sin Bin' is the place to go if we want to learn more of Hollywood's more... depraved industries.



A question immediately springs to mind. Would kine really know of this tape? Certainly some would be aware of its existence -- as we've seen, Isaac interacted with a mortal distributor -- but do they understand its content? Those monsters on that tape are evidently supernatural in essence. Do mortals really understand what they're seeing when they watch that tape?

What was the purpose of the tape's creation and subsequent distribution? Who or what created it? Why does whatever hellish force that seems to be behind it seemingly hunting those that watch the tape, as evidenced by our dead contact? These questions can only be answered in time.



For now, we'll ask around this place of transgressions.



All lustful desires are fulfilled here, even those that get off to particle physics and dead birds.



Only one man stands in the room, naturally behind the cash counter. Note that there are stairs downwards leading to a peep show. Whoever this is has no problems being associated with all of the store's happenings.



I can imagine how awful it must be for women to be, at times, treated as little more than objects to satisfy male sexual desires rather than true human beings with a worth of their own.

Keep it in your pants, asshole.

Hey, hey! Relax. Sounds like you're a little, uh, pent-up. You came to the right place for that problem.

Hostility won't get us to that tape. Best move on.

Whatever. Who the hell are you?



Another proprietor working the night shift. Unlike Kilpatrick, Flynn here strikes a dissonant chord with me. The cheezey moustache, the 70's suit when it's 2004, the ponytail literally deserving of the name -- big enough to belong to a horse, in other words, the right eyeball that clips through his skin... Flynn is the physical manifestation of the products he sells: cheap and dirty.

Tell me about this place.

The Sin Bin? Oh, we've got filth of every flavor. Just tell me what makes your bits tingle, honey. I'll set you right up.

Melissa only tingles to youtube ASMR videos. Nothing more erotic than hearing absolutely disgusting noises for 4 minutes. She'll have to be more specific.

Yeah? Tell me about some of your, uh, products.



Mmmhmm. By the way, is that a small picture of Nic Cage behind him?

Maybe I can use some of the stuff, show me what you got.

Are you ready for this display of erotic content?!?
















Okay, we can see that Flynn has nothing of value to purchase. Let's get back to business.

What can I do to you, honey?

Nothing, but you can do something for us -- give us information.

Yeah? Whaddaya want to know?

Tell me a little about Hollywood.



We'll just go through the list.

Tell me about some of the hot spots. The Asp Hole, for instance.

The Asp Hole? It's just across the street... some uptight Hollywood club where the drinks cost too much and the girls put out too little. Which ain't bad for me; most of the drunk, horny assholes come straight to my place after last call.

The age of the internet has rendered stores like these inoperable.

How about Vesuvius?

We got all you need right here, but if you like, uh, second-rate smut, head up the street to Vesuvius. One of the strippers actually owns the place. You should see the rack o' lamb on that one.

We'll head over there at some point.

And the Chinese Theatre?

The old Asian theatre? It's been closed for a while. Place gives me the freakin' creeps. Seems like everyone's got a Hollywood ghost story, but you walk by that place and look at it... you'll swear somethin's lookin' back.

Like a Gargoyle, for example.

Actually, I have a few more questions.

Let's get to the reason we're here, the tape. Our best bet very well might be to mention the producers of the tape.

You ever heard of Death Mask Productions?

Those guys? Yeah... yeah, I heard of 'em. Why do you want to know?

I'm looking for a tape they made and I'm trying to find out if it's real.



That's right. What of it?

Look, man, get the hell out of here, alright? I don't want any part of that scene. I hear people seein' that tape ain't been comin' home for dinner. I don't deal in that kind of stuff anyway, so just take it somewhere else.

He suddenly got real nervous. No way we're letting up now. This is his weakness, somehow we can use it to our advantage.

I'm not going to ask you twice, Flynn. Tell me how to find DMP.

Forget it, man. I don't even know what the hell you're talkin' about. Huh? What? Who are they? Seriously, get the hell out of here.

[Persuade] Look. I'm a collector. You can tell me what you know.

We always manage to find a use for persuasion.



And then all you have to say is, "who walks the night with demons of dread". Supposedly, you'll be told where to meet the guy to pick up product. I don't know for sure. I, uh... I never tried it. It scared the shit out of me.

We gained two experience by picking up that little fact of great importance. We've already interacted with the guy on the phone -- right away when we first arrived in Hollywood, in fact. But then we didn't know the password. Now we do, and we know what the callers purpose is. Perhaps knowledge of his intent will come in time.

Thanks for the info. Don't walk home alone tonight.



Notice that Flynn is no longer referring to Melissa as 'baby' or anything of the kind, now preferring to use the term 'man'. He has been since we asked about the tape. Fear excised the perversity from his personality.

Go home and change your underwear. See ya.



Just look at that ponytail. We can see that Flynn's still erect from thinking about the stripper that owns Vesuvius. Even bringing up the tape couldn't get him flaccid.

I'm saying his ponytail is his dong, let's just get that out there.




We now head back to the phone, this time holding knowledge of the passcode.



The Luckee Star motel. Room 2. Don't be long.

I'll be there.

Always the motels. Look to the motels if you want to know where shit goes down in the world of darkness.



Inside...





Did those creatures get to whoever was distributing that tape?



There's so much blood. Look at that splatter pattern, it looks like claws or something.



On the desk, we find a key to the internet cafe, the one we've already been to. What could this mean?

Only one way to find out.



The employees only door isn't the one that's locked.



It's a door behind that one. What could lie behind here, in the back room of an internet cafe?









It's those things from the tape!





The porn studio behind the internet cafe is under attack!









In the distance, another monster breaks the camera, charges ahead, and kills the cowering man.



These monsters aren't much of a challenge. They're certainly quick, an they cause aggravated damage, but they go down fast.



Note the claw pattern. Likely these monsters did kill whoever was sent to distribute the tape to us. Why the monsters have been engaging in these stealth assassinations, however, is its own question entirely. How did they get in here and into the motel room without detection?

Also note the zebra in the background. Whatever studio this is caters to a multitude of tastes -- even those pertaining to fake plastic animals.



Further along...











Good thing Melissa just stood there, rather than trying to help the guy.

Actually, the room is locked behind a lockpick skill check of 10, so we couldn't have got in regardless.



We turn the corner, but the monster breaks the windows and jumps us. After taking it out, we continue forward.



D.M.P.? Death Mask Productions? Is this their studio? This shitty place behind an internet cafe?





The sets back here are all drenched in blood. Soon enough, however...



...we find someone who isn't dead.



Yeah, yeah... I uh mean, uh, n-no. Uh... f-fuck it! Yeah, I'm with DMP. You 5-0?

No, but we don't even get the chance to deny it.

What the hell is going on? Those are the same creatures on your tape.



Flynn's hunch was right. What "house in the hills" could he be talking about? And why would someone be snooping around there in the first place?

What mansion? Where is it?

Please, please... jus-just get me outta here. OH NO! AHHHHHH!!!







Our man lies dead. We deal with the monster, and head to the left.



Through the open air vent.



And into the server room we previously passed.



Huh? It's here?



We received two experience from picking it up. Why the complete tape turned up here is a little suspect. Have they been making copies from back here? Is this the original? Or is this just a copy that they slapped the "devilspawn fleshfeast" label on?



Regardless, we've got to head back to Isaac now.



On our way out, we find the scene deserted. They might have heard the screaming -- I don't know.

Back to Isaac.



Well, we already cleared up the Ash situation, but we might as well tell Isaac how it went.

Ash is in trouble, there are hunters after him.

Were.

Then there is nothing I can do. Involving myself would be... no, I'm certain Ash will find some way out of his mess.

What? Are you scared of hunters?

It would be foolish not to be. Once they've got your scent, they're like a murderous paparazzi.

Isaac, being formerly of the film industry, uses suitable similes considering his past.

Then won't they kill Ash no matter where he goes?

I don't question the difficulty of escape, but I have faith in my childe. I'll say no more about this.

Alright, well, another thing -- I found that tape. And the things on it -- they're real.

Then this is no doubt the work of a fiend. Hand me the tape - there might be something on it that will give us some insight into what its motives are.



Here, we get to watch the tape in its entirety. I'll just link to a video of it, for the full experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thIkFkD-vLg





















Well, it's unfortunate that the prince needs you to see the Nosferatu, because it looks like this fiend knows how to get at them, and I doubt he's going to draw a map for you. Looks like King's Way is your only way in, unfortunately.

Why create the tape in the first place?

I suppose you'll be staying here.

I can have a car drop you off when you're ready. If I don't hear from the Nosferatu within the next few nights, I'll tell LaCroix he's going to need a new leading lady and march a few of my own troops up there.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Thanks, but I'll take a cab.



Who, then, should I trust?

That's for you to decide. I only know who you can't trust.

I don't trust you either. I'm out of here.




So ends this quest -- this chapter in our Bloodlines experience. Another one is incoming. I apologize that this has been a little late. I won't lie: creating these updates is no longer fun for me. Instead, writing this LP has become more of a chore than anything else. I won't abandon this LP, though, since that would mean throwing all of my previous work away.

By the way, we've got a few possible courses of action. I might hold a vote soon for what to do next.