*comment ñáéç *hide_reuse *gosub_scene util lore_3_check *gosub_scene util timejump_defaults *set progression_in_time 0 *if male *set mr "Mr." *else *set mr "Ms." *if stl_public_diablerie or ((exiled_from_stlouis and stlouis_tribune) or (stl_patricide_tribunal and exiled_from_stlouis)) *page_break You make it across the Merchant's Bridge and into East St. Louis shortly before daybreak, *if stl_patricide_tribunal taking refuge in a cheap hotel that you had reserved earlier in the evening. *else sliping into a cave just before the dawn's rays catch you. Upon reflection, you doubt that Memeskia would consider this outside the city, but you have no other options. The next night, you @{stl_patricide_tribunal depart the hotel|emerge from your cave} and head northeast towards Springfield. The capital of Illinois is small, but it can sustain you for at least a few weeks while you decide what to do. *page_break You @{literate write|dictate a letter} to @{stlouis_valet_alive ${stlouis_valet}|a lawyer} and instruct @{stlouis_valet_alive ${valet_him} to pack your things|him to organize the packing of your things} and send them to you. @{renter |You also instruct him to rent out your home until a good price can be found for it.} Your things arrive several days later. @{(compassion < 65) You are somewhat surprised at the relief you feel to have them in your possession once again.|} *if (exiled_from_stlouis and stlouis_tribune) or stl_patricide_tribunal *set stlouis_tribune false This leaves you with only one possible destination: Chicago. *else Later, you learn that Memeskia has stripped you of your standing in the Society. You are [i]persona non grata[/i], at the mercy of any vampire that may come across you. Everyone who is loyal to Stone will utter your name with disdain. *if heard_of_odonnell = false *bug How can you get through STL without hearing of O'Donnell? Which leaves you with only one possible destination: Chicago. *elseif early_chicago_entry *page_break *comment *if stl_valet_alive *comment *bug Valet killed by PC? fair_nights.131 else how did the game get here? *if heard_of_odonnell = false *bug How can you get through STL without hearing of O'Donnell? You make it across the Merchant's Bridge on foot and into East St. Louis by midnight. The short summer evening gives you little time to hesistate. You hire a coach and command it to drive north and east, towards Springfield. The capital of Illinois is small, but it can sustain you for a few weeks while you regroup and decide what to do. Once in Springfield, you @{literate write|dictate a letter} to your lawyer to close out any remaining obligations in St. Louis@{renter | and organize the sale of your haven}. Correspondence remains difficult, however, as you change accommodations several times…the better to evade any pursuers. ${stl_postscript} Putting the Mound City behind you, you head north to Chicago. @{(revolutionary_credentials < 40) From what you've heard, you expect that you'll receive a warm welcome from Quaestor O'Donnell. That is, you suppose, cold comfort.|} The journey is unpleasant; the feeling of being watched, once acquired, is hard to dismiss. Somewhere, @{sod_plot someone is|the Pinkertons are} hunting you. *if cuba_return > 0 *page_break *set wealth +cuba_return *set cuba_return 0 On the bright side, you receive notice that the balance due to you from the Cuban expedition has been returned to you. *if atrocities > 10 Sometime along the journey, however, you have the most peculiar experience. Taking a strange woman's hand into yours, you recoil in shock and pain. She's a young woman, probably of an esteemed family but living a bohemian lifestyle. She sports a variety of adornments, including a gaudy necklace, droopy earrings, and other jewelry. Peering closely at her hands, you note a number of rings. "What are those made of?" you demand. "Oh, these?" she says, unconcerned. "They're just silver." *page_break *goto_scene scoring The years pass by quickly. Almost in the blink of an eye, the Great War has come and gone, and now the US Congress has passed the 18th Amendment, outlawing alcohol. Hunting for prey will be more challenging in the nights ahead. *set wealth +(income*5000) During the intervening years, you have had time to devote to improving yourself and your circumstances. How did you spend those nights? *choice *if literate = false #I learned how to read and write. *set literate true *set anachronism %-20 *if agility < 4 #I was practicing my balance. *set agility +1 *set anachronism %-50 *if charm < 4 #I refined my poise and wit. *set charm +1 *set anachronism %-20 *if ((charm > 1) and (oblivio = false)) #I learn the [i]verba oblivionis.[/i] *set oblivio true *set anachronism %-20 *if creation < 4 #I was busy improving my art. *set creation +1 *set anachronism %-20 *if fighting < 4 #I learnt to defend myself. *set fighting +1 *set anachronism %-50 #I carefully nursed my investments. *set income +250 *set wealth +50000 *set anachronism %-50 *if intelligence < 4 #I travelled within the circles of the intellectual elites, learning all I could of the world. *set intelligence +1 *set anachronism %-20 *if lore < 4 *selectable_if (literate) #I sought out the history of my kind. *set lore +1 *set anachronism %-35 *set lore +1 *set anachronism %-15 *if lore = 1 One of the most important lessons you learn during these investigations are the Three Rules of Reserve, Respect, and Restraint: don't get caught (by the mortals), don't interfere with another vampire's territory, and don't kill another vampire. *if knows_about_territories = false *set knows_about_territories true In particular, it behooves you to make sure you do not try to take up residence in the territory of another without their permission. *elseif lore = 2 *set senators_representation true With some investigation, you discover that in addition to the hierarchy of governors and quaestors, there is a political body known as the Senate. Any city that has an quaestor can also have a Senator, and the Senators—gathered both for their Province and for the structure as a whole—have a slew of advisory powers. This includes the ability to displace quaestors when they feel called upon to do so. They also are charged with maintaining decorum when and where necessary. Notably, they represent the Senate to a city, rather than a city to the Senate. *elseif (lore = 3) and (consul_praetor_explained = false) *set consul_praetor_explained true During your investigations of vampire society, you discover several of the positions that modern vampires have adopted. Quaestors, as you already knew, manage cities. They are appointed by Governors who oversee Provinces (generally, several mortal States in the US). Above the Governors is the Consul, to whom the vampires of North America more or less owe their fealty—in theory. This body of vampire is collectively known as "the Society." *if senators_representation = false *set senators_representation true In addition to the Society's hierarchical structure, however, is the Senate. Any city that has an quaestor can also have a Senator, and the Senators—gathered both for their Province and for the structure as a whole—have a slew of advisory powers. This includes the ability to displace quaestors when they feel called upon to do so. They can also be called upon to hear cases of heresy or treason by titled individuals, should a Praetor bring such a case before them. Praetors are traveling judges and executioners, individuals who see to it that the citizens of the Society toe the line. *else In addition, you learn that it is the Senate that judges matters of heresy, should a Praetor bring an acccusation before them. *elseif (lore = 4) and (joined_kkk) During your studies, you see sketches of the writings of the Ancient Egyptians. Upon reflection, you realize that the images on the walls of the underground chamber where the member of the Klan initiated you were decorated with these symbols. You wonder how a chamber decorated with the letters of the Egyptians ended up beneath the city of Memphis. And how did the Klan discover such a room? *elseif lore = 4 *if consul_praetor_explained = false *set praetors_explained true *label rand_heresy *if rand_heresy = 1 *if (heresy_of_abraham > 0) or (heard_of_heresy_of_abraham) *set rand_heresy +1 *goto rand_heresy *else *set heard_of_heresy_of_abraham true As you delve deeper into the culture and history of your kind, you learn something of the heresies the praetors are tasked with extirpating. For that is their true purpose: the pursuit of the heresies. In particular, you learn of the Children of Abraham, a cult that posits Isaac as the first vampire, created when God saved him from the blade of his father. These vampires see the history of their kind written in the holy texts of the Jews and Christians. *if rand_heresy = 2 *if (heresy_of_osiris > 0) or (heard_of_heresy_of_osiris) *set rand_heresy +1 *goto rand_heresy *else *set heard_of_heresy_of_osiris true As you delve deeper into the culture and history of your kind, you learn something of the heresies the praetors are tasked with extirpating. In particular, you learn of the Disciples of Osiris, a cult that holds Osiris as the first vampire, raised by his wife Isis from the dead to something resembling life. It is said that they wish to raise that first vampire from his slumber, so that he may rule the world as he once ruled Egypt. *if rand_heresy = 3 *if (heresy_of_masons > 0) or (heard_of_heresy_of_masons) *set rand_heresy 1 *goto rand_heresy *else *set heard_of_heresy_of_masons true As you delve deeper into the culture and history of your kind, you learn something of the heresies the praetors are tasked with extirpating. In particular, you learn of the Masonic Brothers. These vampires seem to have infiltrated the fraternal order of the Freemasons, but came away with certain democratic and spiritual notions of their own. Stone's revolution is often accused—in very hushed whispers—of being riddled with Masonic Brothers. *page_break *if stealth < 4 #I improved my powers of stealth, allowing me to move among mortals without their notice. *set stealth +1 *set anachronism %-10 *if stealth = 2 Your powers of deception have reached supernatural levels. While you remain still, mortals are incapable of seeing you. *if stealth = 3 You can move among the mortals without their sensing your presence, unless you wish for them to. *if stealth = 4 You have learned to make people see and remember someone else when they interact with you. When you choose to, you can even disguise your ethnicity and gender. *if perception < 4 #I practiced extending my extrasensory perceptions. *set perception +1 *set anachronism %-50 *if shapeshifting > 0 #@{(shapeshifting < 2) I further developed my ability to command animals.|I learned how to change parts of my body to mimic the abilities of animals.} *set shapeshifting +1 *set anachronism %-10 *if shapeshifting = 2 Your ability to communicate with animals has now evolved to the point where you can give them simple commands that they will rush to obey. You can even summon small groups of animals to you. @{knows_about_vegetarianism When absolutely desperate, you imagine that perhaps you could use this to feed.|} *elseif shapeshifting = 3 *set compassion %+10 Your communion with animals has begun to take new forms, specifically your ability to morph portions of your body in animalistic ways…make your eyes glow with the fury of the beast, turn your ears into those of a bat to better hear, your fingers into claws to tear your enemies to shreds. @{(rationalism > 60) Sometimes, however, you wonder what this trafficking with the beast in your heart is doing to your soul.|} *elseif shapeshifting = 4 You have now learned to fully change your physical form, turning into a bat or wolf as the need arises. *if speaks_english = false #I learnt to speak English. *set speaks_english true *if literate and (speaks_latin = false) *selectable_if (intelligence > 2) #I learnt the father of languages and the sign of true erudition, Latin. *set speaks_latin true *if status < 3 *selectable_if (charm > 2) #I solicit the favor of the other vampires of the Society, and thereby increase my standing among them. *set status +1 *set anachronism %-20 *temp correspondant_num *rand correspondant_num 1 7 *label correspondant1 *if correspondant_num = 1 *if lockridge_correspondence or met_lockridge *set correspondant_num +1 *goto correspondant1 *else *set heard_of_lockridge true *set lockridge_correspondence true *set lockridge_contactable true *set lockridge_rapport %+20 *set revolutionary_credentials %-5 In fact, you manage to engage Arthur Lockridge, Senator of Charleston, in a brief back-and-forth. *elseif correspondant_num = 2 *if bailey_correspondence or met_bailey *set correspondant_num +1 *goto correspondant1 *else *set heard_of_bailey true *set bailey_correspondence true *set bailey_contactable true *set bailey_rapport %+20 *set revolutionary_credentials %+5 In fact, you manage to engage John Bailey, the newly-elected Senator of St. Louis, in a brief back-and-forth. *elseif correspondant_num = 3 *if coffin_correspondence or met_coffin *set correspondant_num +1 *goto correspondant1 *else *set heard_of_coffin true *set coffin_correspondence true *set coffin_contactable true *set coffin_rapport %+20 In fact, you manage to engage Abigail Coffin, the Quaestor of Cincinnnati, in a brief back-and-forth. *elseif correspondant_num = 4 *if ashmore_correspondence or met_ashmore *set correspondant_num +1 *goto correspondant1 *else *set heard_of_ashmore true *set ashmore_correspondence true *set ashmore_contactable true *set ashmore_rapport %+20 In fact, you manage to engage Rebecca Ashmore, the Senator of Philadelphia, in a brief back-and-forth. You learn that she is the offspring of Governor Overstreet, and the "niece" of Samantha Withers. *elseif correspondant_num = 5 *if bowater_correspondence or met_bowater *set correspondant_num +1 *goto correspondant1 *else *set heard_of_bowater true *set bowater_correspondence true *set bowater_contactable true *set heard_of_townsend true *set bowaters_sire true *set bowater_rapport %+20 In fact, you manage to engage Abel Bowater, the Senator of Savannah, in a brief back-and-forth. You also learn that he is the offspring of Henry Townsend, the Governor of Philadelphia. *elseif correspondant_num = 6 *if timmers_correspondence or met_timmers *set correspondant_num 7 *goto correspondant1 *else *set heard_of_timmers true *set timmers_correspondence true *set timmers_contactable true *set timmers_rapport %+20 In fact, you manage to engage Gerard Timmers, the newly-elected Senator of Buffalo, in a brief back-and-forth. *elseif correspondant_num = 7 *if davison_correspondence or met_davison *set correspondant_num +1 *goto correspondant1 *else *set heard_of_davison true *set davison_correspondence true *set davison_contactable true *set davison_rapport %+20 In fact, you manage to engage Anne Davison, the Senator of Montréal, in a brief back-and-forth. *else *bug *if streetwise < 3 #I dealt in illicit things, and made friends in shadowy places. *set streetwise +1 *set anachronism %-25 *if strength < 4 #I sought to improve the raw might of my undead form. *set strength +1 *set anachronism %-50 *if (anachronism > 60) and (technology < 4) *selectable_if (rationalism < 60) #I studied the latest scientific inventions. *set anachronism %+10 *set technology +1 *if willpower < 4 #I focused my attentions on withstanding the terrors of the night. *set willpower +1 *set anachronism %-50 *if priest As the years have worn on, the matter of your faith has increasingly vexed you. What do you think of the fact that you continue to conduct yourself in the manner of a Catholic priest? *choice #My faith in God remains steadfast. *set rationalism %+10 *set anachronism %-10 *goto chicago_or_no #I could care less about God, but being a priest has its perks. *set rationalism %-20 *goto chicago_or_no *if rationalism >= 50 #As God has abandoned me, so to do I abandon God. *set mr "Mr." *set priest false *set rationalism %+10 *set anachronism %+10 *goto chicago_or_no *if rationalism < 50 #God? There is no God. Enough with this charade. *set mr "Mr." *set priest false *set rationalism %-20 *set anachronism %+20 *goto chicago_or_no *elseif (religious_tradition = "pagan") and (rationalism <= 60) As the years have worn on, the matter of your continued dedication to Hushtahli has been subjected to scrutiny more than once. What do you think of your continued dedication to him? *choice #My faith in Hushtahli remains steadfast. *set rationalism %+10 *set anachronism %-10 *goto chicago_or_no *if rationalism > 40 #My people have been abandoned by Hushtahli. Perhaps the Christians are right, and their God is supreme? *set religious_tradition "reformed" *set rationalism %+10 *set anachronism %+5 *goto chicago_or_no #Hushtahli? There is no such being. Enough with this charade. *set religious_tradition "reformed" *set rationalism %-10 *set anachronism %+10 *goto chicago_or_no *else *goto chicago_or_no *label chicago_or_no As the 1910s come to a close, there is some desire in you to see the skyscrapers of Chicago rise over Lake Michigan. You have heard tales of their ascent from afar. Now it has come time to witness their majesty for yourself. I am Chicago bound! *page_break *set exposure 0 Chicago has grown explosively in the past thirty years, built on its position as a junction of railroads and waterlanes. The national census has recorded an increase of half a million people for each of the past three surveys and is closing in on three million. Blacks from the South arrive en masse to fill the factory jobs left empty by America's entry into the Great War in 1916. They settle into the South Side, which becomes - over the next few decades - the black capital of America; but their arrival is not necessarily welcomed. Violence spikes in the summer of 1919--known as the Red Summer--as race riots break out in cities across the Industrial Belt. Unlike most previous incidents, this was the first time that blacks responded to the violence with (somewhat) organized resistance. Chicago is wracked by thirteen days of violent hysteria that summer. Certain elements of the federal government and the press try to blame the problem on communist agitators, and the name 'Red Summer' refers not to the violence itself but rather to these fear-mongering allegations. The 19th Amendment, which grants suffrage to women, is ratified by Illinois in 1919, and comes into effect in 1920. Warren G. Harding, in an infamous backroom deal at the Blackstone Hotel, is appointed Republican presidential candidate, and shortly thereafter wins the national election. In 1920, over 80% of the residents of Chicago are foreign-born, making it a cultural melting-pot of epic proportions. Hand-in-hand with this, however, is the corruption and exploitation that distrust and miscommunication breeds. Maximizing upon this, Al Capone will take over (in 1925) the Chicago Outfit and become the most famous mobster in history. But that is years in the future. Right now it is the summer of 1921... and this city is ripe for the picking. *if lore > 0 Asking around before you set out, you learn that a vampire by the name of O'Donnell holds the title of quaestor. He is said to rule with a cruel but efficient hand. You arrange for a traveling-coffin to transport you safely to a warehouse near the heart of the city. *choice #I am here to pass the nights with others of my kind. *set independence %+10 *goto_scene chicago_warehouse #I am here to better understand myself and my condition. *set independence %-10 *goto_scene chicago_warehouse #I am here to capitalize on the mortals and their petty struggles. *set compassion %+5 *set income +5 *goto_scene chicago_warehouse