Part 31: Leaves of Three:

Part 28: Leaves of Three - Episode 2


You'd think Luke could have given me a better description of the place. It took me forever to find it.

Hearing voices inside, I enter stealthily.



I find the Seneschal talking with three strange female Kindred. I take cover behind piles of falling debris from the floor above, which has collapsed from water damage.

<Kazi> Regretfully, the warlock put up more of a fight than expected. He had to be terminated within the hotel when his struggle brought the interest of a Brujah whelp. The work was completed, nonetheless.
<Dominic> I am certain, that after my business is completed, that you will hold true to your offer?
<Kazi> Do you still have our pact? It was written using the tradition of the Tzimisce - a contract on skin-parchment, signed in blood, is irretractable. You have guaranteed yourself a high ranking within the Sabbat for turning over this region to us. We would hope that you have prepared an adequate defense, should your loyalty be questioned by the Justicar?
<Dominic> Indeed, I have. Since Michaela’s spurned ghoul has come under my power, I have all the security I need. It was he who, under her instruction, allowed your agents into the haven for their work. Such treachery, all for the promise of the Embrace, which Michaela refuses him. Everything is working as planned.
It sounds like Dominic promised to embrace Campbell. I'm shocked that he'd want to be a fucking malkavian, of all things.
<Kazi> Is it? We’ve received word that the whelp has escaped.
<Dominic> (flustered a bit) Well, yes, he seems to have received some help. We have our squads patrolling the city for him as we speak. All Kindred in the Five Boroughs now know that he is a murderer, so it is my belief he’ll be found. It’s of no matter, since he will not be able to disrupt the Conclave. Security has been doubled at the Barclay after the incursion.
<Kazi> And what of your Prince? Does she suspect your treachery?
<Dominic> (taken aback at the word ‘treachery’, but composes himself) Quite the contrary, now that the Primogen believe this to be a Sabbat attack, it has rekindled their fear of such events taking place in their own havens. Their scrutiny has been directed elsewhere, and Michaela assumes that without the Regent to spur them on, they will crawl back to their holes and behave. Besides, she is too busy languishing with her blood-dolls to see the truth of what will become of her.
<Kazi> The Justicar, has she arrived?
<Dominic> She is expected tomorrow evening. The delay has only mildly affected my plans, but has been more the better, as I have had more time to prepare my…troops. The finding of this little trinket should cause quite a stir at the Conclave (he holds up Mirabilis’ ring). It will give me great amusement to hear how Michaela tries to justify having the Regent’s ring on her person. Hahaha!
<Kazi> We look forward to your success at tomorrow’s Conclave. The plans for the initial occupation have not changed?
<Dominic> No, everything will go as planned. Until we meet again, hopefully within cleaner accommodations… (bows and exits, ducking low to avoid a bit of cobweb).



I wait for the triplets to leave, but they remain where they are, silently. After some time...



I feel compelled to approach the Triplets.

<Kazi> What a resourceful whelp you’ve proven to be. The Seneschal most definitely misjudged you during his selection. But then, we cannot always assume that those we ally with are what they seem, can we?
I knew that Dominic wasn't going to be content with just having a high rank in the sabaat. This is a power grab, and he won't stop at the sabaat.
<MuscleWizard> Dominic is lying to you. He wants to be Prince, not to give this place to the Sabbat.
<Kazi> Do not assume that we are so blind that we cannot see the Seneschal’s true intentions. However we would need proof of this deceit to take action, the pact we made is bound by blood.



I was just going to write the next line in text, but I need to show it in picture so you'll believe me that it actually happens. How do you go from "We need proof" to "I have no haven"? It doesn't make a lick of sense, and I just can't write around it. In Nihilistic's document, this is how they transcribed the conversation:


I just don't get it. At least Daniel Greenberg's writing followed a coherient timeline. It was incredibly bad, you could still make sense of it.

<Kazi> Please accept our offer of ‘safe haven’, as it were. Above this building is an apartment that can be used as shelter during the day. You can access it via the ladder in the nearby alleyway. If you find proof of Dominic’s betrayal, it will be useful to us as well as to you, for it would clear your involvement in the murder. It seems that, for a time, we are to be allied on a common goal. If you find proof of Dominic’s betrayal, we will help to clear your name with the Camarilla. After all, what choice do you have? (smiles)



She was right. It's either follow the whims of these sabaat triplets, or go into hiding again. But this time, because of the blood hunt, I might not make it. I don't even know where to start, but the talkative one won't say even one more word to me, and the others haven't talked this whole time.



I'll check out this haven before my next move.




Maybe I could fit a computer in this corner. It looks like it would belong here.

As a side note, the quest log not only spoils a future plot point, but it tells us to do something two steps ahead of where we are.

I can't figure out what to do. Maybe uptown will have answers. I've got to be careful, though, because I overheard Dominic saying that Kindred are patrolling the streets for me in a blood hunt.



There's the asshole Bill Campbell!



I'm gonna dust these fuckers and then shake down Campbell.



I've never seen a Malkavian like this before. Anyway, now it's time to bring my attention towards Campbell.



Killing him won't get me anywhere. Maybe I can bring him along to my side, and he'll show his hand.
<MuscleWizard> I won’t kill you, but you’ve been duped. Dominic plans to implicate you along with the Prince.
<Bill> Yeah, whatever. I don’t believe anyone anymore. Especially you lick.
<MuscleWizard> It’s true. I heard him say this himself. He also spoke of his promise to embrace you to those weird triplets.
<Bill> (believing me now, eyes widening, then dropping his head again) Ah, it doesn’t matter anyway. Dominic’s got everything in his favor – with the Regent dead, and the Prince about to get set up for his murder, he’ll become Prince. Arianna and Schreck will support him on this. The Justicar won’t have a choice in the matter. And those triplets, they don’t know what they have coming to them. They’ve funded Dominic with weapons and money, so he could prepare a small force to help the Sabbat take over the area from within. But he’s gonna screw ‘em, and kill them their next meeting. The Sabbat packs that enter the city will be ambushed. The Primogen will think he’s a frickin’ hero.
I wanted to get more information out of Campbell, but I couldn't think of anything to say other than stating the obvious.
<MuscleWizard> You betrayed your Prince for the Embrace?
Maybe I need to do more brain reps.
<Bill> I’ve served Michaela for years on end, tirelessly. I broke my damn back for her, and begged her to make me one of you. But she waves me away. I guess she’s looking for a suitable childe from her group of ‘pretty-boys’. Dominic offered me what I wanted – I couldn’t refuse. Don’t think she’s so high-and-mighty. She was in on setting you up, although it was Dom’s idea. She just didn’t know he planned on turning the tables on her. That’s where I come in, I’ll plant the Regent’s ring on her during the meeting with Lucinde, and she’ll be caught red-handed, so to speak.
<MuscleWizard> Where is Dominic amassing his force?
<Bill> In the old warehouse by the docks. Here’s the security code, but going in there is like suicide. He’s been training his childer there for months, and their all a bunch of crazies, lifted from the asylum.
<MuscleWizard> Head back to the hotel. Tell Dominic that I'm dead, and proceed with your plans. I’ll check out the warehouse and see if I can make it back with something to use against Dominic.



Just the word of Campbell doesn't do me any good. I have to find some tangible proof.



There's an army of beatniks!



I'm gonna let the beast out like the old days and dust everyone of these fuckers.



I might have diablerised. I don't know.



I came to and found this tome.




I also found some Malkavian who wouldn't stop running around.



Now I find some Nosferatu in a cell. I'll see what he knows.

A gangly youth with bushy straw-like hair. Smashface earned his name from his large protruding buck-teeth (made only worse by the Nosferatu embrace). He wears grimy jeans, a faded heavy metal t-shirt and a baseball cap.



<MuscleWizard>Why didn’t he come to save you?
<Smashface> Well….Dominic has something else on my sire. The Nosferatu maintain control of the sewers within the city. We also have many secret entrances to ‘secure’ areas, including the Prince’s offices. Dominic discovered this fact, and threatened to disclose this to the Prince.



I can use that entrance Smashface mentioned and get revenge myself. He can find his own way out of here.



After dusting the last of the Malkavians, I find the blood pact on the desk. I've got two options at this point before I head to the sewers. I can either return this blood pact to the Tzimisce triplets and take my chances without it, or I keep it and maybe it'll come in handy as I take matters into my own hands...

(Yes, this is a vote)