Father Balaam - 1198

[Rule Hound]

February 25 Downtime Quest

Downtime 1 & 2
Father Balaam will be seeking as much information as he can regarding the Cult of Ezekiel, and any suspected allies of Nicodemus Petras.

Downtime 1
Simple Quest difficulty 3

Requirements
Someone with Knowledge concerning pagans, cults and Shadier Cults - Or more about specific details concerning events at game
Someone Else with more specific knowledge about Demons
Court to learn Nicodemuses former allies

Result on Win:

• After searching high and low Father Balaam is unable to discover any information concerning a Cult of Ezekiel. As his frustration reaches a peak at the deviously clever ability of this cult to hide itself from the public eyes and cover up it's dirty dealings. He does learn that Eziekiel is a very minor demon, almost ore of an imp, not one to be granting the powers that were demonstrated by Nicodemus.
  
  A stray comment made by one of those questioned triggers a vision, Balaam's Eyes of Chaos activate.
  
  " A reliving of intruding on his mind. A flash of a Large demon, not an imp, Nicodemus being forced to his knees... this vision is interrupted by another. The Ard Rhi speaking with Raetus, talking of dirty deeds not suspicion, that there is no doubt about his guilt. That he intends to interrogate him and learn more about this Be#^%$... fading, screaming pain looking down and your leg is missing but you are still alive, no not you, who ever's eyes you see through...fade coming out of the trance you feel satisfied, full..."
• Bonus test:
  outright win - Digging into your Church Lore you learn: Bezekiel... Bezekiel. Bezekiel is a Major Demon of greater power. Rumor has it that the Church once fought him in England. That a Bishop had faced a great plague upon his flock all his prayers could do nothing, at least until Beziekiel answered and promised salvation. After imprisoning and interrogating this Bishop they learned that this Bezekiel come in and offers his servants something they can never refuse, binding them to his will in the process. Some come willingly some are set up so that accepting his help is their only option. But once he decides to pursue someone he usually wins.
  

Penalty options for failing quest test

• Gaining 1 Beast Trait
  
• Down 2 pts of blood
  
• Gaining a Derangement for the game (or 2 derangement traits if you have one – ST discretion)
• Gaining 1 Derangement Trait (if you have a derangement)
  
• Losing 15 minutes of game time
  (Due to entering a fugue/vision state - ST's will tell you when it happens)
• Taking 3 points of lethal damage
  
• Down 1 Willpower
  
• Taking 1 points of Aggravated Damage
  
• Influence reduced by 1 until you perform a trivial favor for your influence
  
• Only acquire enough components for 2 rituals not 3 (only if this is your quest)
  
• Minus 2 penalty to one attribute for 1 game

Downtime 2
Father Balaam will be seeking as much information as he can regarding the Cult of Bezekiel, and any suspected allies of Nicodemus Petras.

Simple Quest difficulty 3

Requirements

• Investigation x 3 - Or more about specific details concerning events at game
• Court x 2 or Ally x 2
• Lore Church x 4 or Lore Infernal x 2

Result on Win:

• Nicodemus out right destroyed his known allies. He killed them and it is assumed he drank their soul or provided it to his masters.
• The Cult of Bezekiel was known to have been active in Carthage. There is rumor that Both Nicodemus and the Ard Rhi were somehow involved in it's destruction
• The Cult of Bezekiel has had minor following pop up here and there in the not to distant past. Somewhere to the west a coven of Witches are said to have been active but since destroyed. 
• Bezekiel was thought to have been locked away and unable to return to our plane for a 1000 years but apparently he has either found a way around this or it was only a ploy to get his opponents to back off while he rebuilt.
• There is rumor that at least one of his Acolytes fled Carthage carrying a book containing Beziekiels secrets and those of his kind.

Bonus Test: 
Outright win: The follower is said to have fled into Croatia. Nicodemus was the Ard Rhi's right hand man and Protege. Together they were main activists and instrumental in the destruction of a Beziekiel's pit. 

Our tests: Scissors, Rock, Rock, Rock, Scissors
Balaam's tests Paper, Scissors, Paper, Rock, Rock

Results: Loss (1 penalty and down 1 willpower), win.
bonus test: win

Downtime 3 - Retainer
My retainer's downtime action will be to coordinate a holiday for the Free City.
Simple Quest 1 downtime difficulty 3

Requirements
Seneschal Skill lvl 3 to co-ordinate everything
Labor Force for set up and to perform - the Cult covers the labor force
Resources x 2 to bribe the Mortal Mayor and buy some decorations

Result on Win: 

• Raise the Domain happiness for 1 year
• Second static test:
  
  outright win - Not only does word go out but it draws attention abroad. Peasants, street performers, thieves and all are drawn to town and the event is spectacular. In addition to a happiness increase add 5 blood to the blood pool for the next year.
  
  Loss/Tie - Nothing
  
  

Penalty Options for failing initial Quest test (1 year)

• Too many thieves come to town -1 Domain wealth for a year, +1 Blood
• Police/soldiers tied up trying to reduce crime -1 Domain defense for 1 year, +1 Blood
• Violence in the Streets/Riots, -2 Blood
• Random Cainites drawn to celebration, -1 Silence for 1 year
• Retainer has to clean up the mess left from celebration. Tied up for next year (loose retainer for 1 year)

[Storyteller]

For the second scenario a lead on a forbidden book?
The lead on the other cults in the area?

For the lead on the allies tell him the truth that Nicodemes out right destroyed his known allies.

[Rule Hound]

Downtime 1 Tests: Rock, Paper, Rock, Paper, Scissors
ST results: Rock, Rock. Scissors.

Results
First test was a tie. So choose one penalty from the list.- I will take a Beast Trait for this tie.
Second test you won so got the Win result.

Bonus Test: Won All information sent.


Downtime 3 Retainer: Paper, Paper, Scissors, Rock, Rock
ST results: Rock, Scissors

Results
Standard results on win
Bonus Test: Loss no extra bonus.


Yes, I will continue to seek for Downtime Action 2 ... I've come this far ...

[Rule Hound]

Holiday festivities
As Pentecost is a holy holiday for Christian, Jewish, and Cainite Heretic alike, this will be the holiday that "Jonah" will organize for Father Balaam. (Though, obviously not to the extent of the Heresy's potential depravity).

It was May 24th in 1198.
Deacon "Jonah" Frost will gather and organize the Cult to prepare hosting a feast. Pentecost is traditionally a three-day festival held seven weeks after Easter, beginning with an All-Night Vigil on the eve of the Feast Day. The Convent of Black Magdeline will be decorated with flowers and assorted greenery, though most of the celebrations shall occur outside. The Cultists will prepare bread, cakes, and what ales they can procure. Music will be provided by the melodious voices of the Convent's Choir.

The Vigil begins shortly after sunset, as guests arrive from their Saturday activities. I will begin the evening with a Sermon of how the Descent of the Holy Spirit cleanses the soul of sin, paraphrasing Acts 2, as the bonfire is lit. The fire should aggravate my 'derangement', which should allow me to finish the sermon while Speaking In Tongues (for greater effect). Song, dance, eating and drinking then will occupy the rest of the Vigil, with Jonah and I liberally utilizing Passion (Dementation 1) to help loosen the inhibitions of the guests as they Accept the Holy Spirit into them.

Morning Services will be held inside the Convent, with Deacon Frost presiding (expenditure of Willpower/Blood, and having tired/hungover guests should allow my attendance without arising suspicion). The guests then can travel back to Trieste, as I retire for the rest of the daytime. The second night of the Feast will be between myself, my cult, and any Cainite guests who would like to remain behind ...

[Rule Hound]

He was inquiring at the Shield about infernal lore. I replied

"Thank you. There is no Infernal Lore available at the Shield. And they make a point of saying someone who inquires to deeply might be marked as a potential infernal. The knowledge is to dangerous to allow into hands that have not been confirmed as purified. And should you hear leads on such lore being available or in the hands of layman they would appreciate it being passed on to them and they might be willing to pay.

You can get use of a mortal thief hunter, NPC lvl 3 at the Shield of Safety. He has Survival, Investigation and Archery specialties. (they have a special on today and they will loan him out for a trivial boon)

Seraphina receives your letter of regret. She responds with a note that says how she wishes it were otherwise and how she wished to extend your relationship. But perhaps another time. If there is anything she can ever do for you feel free to contact her, she is always open to new business opportunities.

OOC) don't worry any debts should hopefully be worth the results..."


So if you get a message to Seraphina he is basically looking for someone to pull some court influence.

[Rule Hound]

Total penalties acdrued
Q1) one penalty from the list.- I will take a Beast Trait for this tie.
Q2) 1 penalty and down 1 willpower - 1 Derangement Trait; this means I will begin next game with a psychotic breakdown (3 Derangement Traits total) and reset to 2 Derangement Traits (as my Beast Trait triggers my derangement as well) instead of resetting to 1.
ST NOTE) The break will not happen right at the start of game. We will tell you when. Some kind of flashback involved in your studies will set you off mid game sometime on our cue.
Q3) Retainer - NO PENALTIES


Total: 2 Penalties, -1 willpoewr