The All Night Society

"Debt is a mistake between lender and borrower, and both should suffer."- Nassim Nicholas Taleb The training wheels come off for Alex Scott as he's asked to justify his existence in a one-on-one meeting with the Prince. Elsewhere, Ivy is confronted by Gangrel Primogen Rosa Hernandez about an unpaid debt and a crisis facing O'Hare International Airport, while Maya makes an early exit from to investigate Anastasia's past life. This episode is brought to you by our loyal patrons. Special thanks to our Duke-tier supporters, Callie, Ben, and Mark; and also to our newest supporters, Josh C., Ru-Doragon, Nico, Alex, Alex M., and Matt P.CAST:Alex Scott - PJ Megaw (@pjmegaw)Anastasia Khan - Adrienne WilsonIvy LaRoux - Vee Locke (@veeisforvampire)Maya Lugasi - Clara Allison (@clearly_golden)Storyteller - Aaron Hammonds (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on them, and to let them know that you trust them."- Booker T. Washington The Prince has summoned Chicago's Kindred to Elysium at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he promises news with potential to reshape the city's delicate political structure. Whatever awaits, it will come on the heels of a dangerous introduction. Tonight, in between the usual web of social obligations, the coterie must reveal the existence of two uninvited Kindred, and plead the case of Anastasia Khan and Alex Scott. This episode is brought to you by our loyal patrons. Special thanks to our Duke-tier supporters, Callie, Ben, and Mark; and also to our newest supporters, Josh C, Ru-Doragon, Nico, Alex, and Alex M. CAST:Alex Scott - PJ Megaw (@pjmegaw)Anastasia Khan - Adrienne WilsonIvy LaRoux - Vee Locke (@veeisforvampire)Maya Lugasi - Clara Alison (@clearly_golden)Storyteller - Aaron Hammonds (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

The Coterie has agreed to inform the Prince of Jason Newberry's childe at Elysium, but Maya Lugasi has other plans, and other masters. CAST:Anastasia Khan - Adrienne WilsonMaya Lugasi - Clara Allison (@clearlygolden)Storyteller - Aaron Hammonds (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"Why waste money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics, and your opponents will do it for you."- Mark Twain The ritual reveals more questions than answers and the coterie no closer to truth. Ivy's investigation will have wait, though. Annika has yet to reveal what she knows about Schmendrick's disappearance, and with another fire burning in an important Chicago landmark, the coterie will need to make sure they've got their story straight. After all, Elysium is coming.This episode is brought to you by our loyal patrons. Special thanks to our Duke-tier supporters, Callie, Ben, and Mark; and also to our newest supporters, Conrad, Ankh, and Kim.CAST:Alex Scott - PJ (@pjmegaw)Anastasia Khan - AdrienneIvy LaRoux - Vee (@veeisforvampire)Maya Lugasi - Clara (@clearly_golden)Storyteller - Aaron (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance." - George Bernard Shaw An unexpected guest with curious timing interrupted the coterie's getaway plans. Maya insists her claims are ridiculous beyond belief, but the scientist Tremere requires hard evidence. The coterie returns to the Ducheski manor where Ivy begins a bloody ritual, and Alex gets a Lasombra lesson about alternative morality. CAST:Alex Scott - PJ (@pjmegaw)Anastasia Khan - AdrienneIvy LaRoux - Vee (@veeisforvampire)Maya Lugasi - Clara (@clearly_golden)Storyteller - Aaron (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"There is nothing left to do but get drunk." - Franklin PierceAfter weeks of preparation (and no small amount of nagging), Schmendrick is finally ready to pull a hunger-slaking heist at the University of Chicago's Duchossois Center. It's technically Tremere Regent's turf -- the Nosferatu swears that won't be a problem. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. CAST:Alex Scott - PJ (@pjmegaw)Ivy LaRoux - Vee (@veeisforvampire)Maya Lugasi - Clara (@clearly_golden)Storyteller - Aaron (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." - Theodore RooseveltThe basic rules of Kindred survival having been established, Ivy and Schmendrick turn their education efforts to matters of the Blood. The trio departs for a familiar abandoned grain silo where Alex learns the full spectrum of his new abilities -- and their costs. The young vampire is forced to confront both rage and hunger as Cain's curse makes its demands, events which lead to the most important vampire lesson of them all: the danger of the Beast when left unchecked.CAST:Alex Scott - PJ (@pjmegaw)Ivy LaRoux - Vee (@veeisforvampire)Schmendrick - Zoe (@zoetrooper)Storyteller - Aaron (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be." - Kurt VonnegutAlex Scott has only just begun to accept the new rules that govern his existence, but a great many more lessons remain to be taught. The site of his Embrace now swarms with police and investigators are scouring the city for their missing witness. If the young Kindred intends to survive these early nights, he'll have to change more than his behavior, which means Ivy and Schmendrick have shopping and teaching to do as the sun sets and a new night rises. CAST:Alex Scott - PJ (@pjmegaw)Ivy LaRoux - Vee (@veeisforvampire)Schmendrick - Zoe (@zoetrooper)Storyteller - Aaron (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"Children are educated by what the grown-up is and not by his talk."- Carl JungWhatever Joshua has planned for Alex Scott, he hasn't shared that information with Ivy and Schmendrick. The two Kindred, possessed of very different world views on vampiric morality, are left to scramble toward an explanation of what Alex is, and what that means. When the conversation turns toward hunger and the Beast, Schmendrick is forced to take her leave, as the mounting trouble of "food" insecurity continues to threaten her moral code. Meanwhile, Ivy continues to deliver the basics of vampire living to an increasingly confused fledgling.CAST:Alex Scott - PJ (@pjmegaw)Ivy LaRoux - Vee (@veeisforvampire)Schmendrick - Zoe (@zoetrooper)Storyteller - Aaron (@aaroninwords) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

"The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision."- Maimonides Whatever peace the coterie had earned with their successful investigation of the Lasombra, the Diamond Yama, and Jason Newberry is shattered when a fresh summons arrives from the Prince. Kevin Jackson has big plans for Chicago's Primogen Council. The meeting is more than courtesy. With the rise and fall of certain clans now tied directly to the coterie's actions, they'll need the advance warning to prepare anew for political scrutiny -- and its consequences. They don't have to tackle the future alone, though -- an old ally is back from the shadows and ready to inject herself into the coterie's plans. Meanwhile, across the city, a certain Hound's investigation of outlaw Kindred operating out of Chicago's ports leads him to a grisly crime scene where both mortal and Kindred laws have been violated. The aftermath leaves him questioning his own conscience, and putting a fresh new problem in the coterie's lap. This episode contains a graphic depictions of a violent assault against a woman. The scene begins at 1 hour 43 minutes, and continues for 4 minutes. If you find this kind of content uncomfortable or objectionable, please skip ahead at that time. CONTENT WARNING: Blood/Gore, Kidnapping, Paralysis/Restraint, Prostitution/Trafficking CAST:Alex Scott - PJ (@pjmegaw)Ivy LaRoux - Vee (@veeisforvampire)Joshua Crozier - Andrew (@borgermen)Maya Lugasi - Clara (@clearlygolden)Schmendrick - Zoe (@zoetrooper) QUEEN'S COURT GAMES:Web - https://queenscourt.games/theallnightsocietyTwitch - https://www.twitch.tv/queenscourtgamesYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/QueensCourtGamesTwitter - https://twitter.com/queenscourtrpgPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/queenscourtgames

As Chicago's political landscape evolves in the aftermath of Newberry's trial and sentencing, Ivy briefs her sire on important developments.

In the aftermath of Newberry's trial and sentencing, Schmendrick takes a moment to bring an important person up to speed on recent events.

"A small debt produces a debtor; a large one, an enemy." - Publilius Syrus Past relationships are called into question when the coterie receives a curious, unsigned missive demanding they make good on a debt. Who do they owe, and what are they being asked to do in return? The answer begins in one of Chicago's quaint middle class suburbs, but ends somewhere much more dangerous. And when the face of their puppeteer is finally revealed, once-trusted friends find themselves cast in an entirely new light.

"It’s a very dangerous and lonely thing, I imagine, to be a spy: to have friendships that are deceptions, that are not honest." -Mark RylanceWhile Ivy, Schmendrick, and Rebecca were busy prosecuting Primogen Jason Newberry, Maya found herself taking a meeting of a different kind. It's a foolish thing for any Kindred to ignore the summons of their elders, but this master deserves a special kind of respect. When the Amici come knocking, you answer.

“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”– Haile Selassie The time for investigation has passed, and the coterie must now present its findings to the Prince and his Primogen Council. At a glance, the evidence seems insurmountable: Son Newberry not only violated the Camarilla’s most sacred traditions, but did so in a way that has attracted much unwanted attention from the Second Inquisition. But Kindred politics are not so differen than mortal politics in Chicago. Merely being guilty isn’t always enough. In this season finale, the coterie puts their wits and wisdom to the test. At the end, whose unlife will be foreit? Newberry’s? Or theirs?

“Discovering witnesses is just as important as catching criminals.”– Simon Wiesenthal The coterie remains hard at work as the last nights before a Primogen’s trial tick away. Rebecca, having fled the human horrors residing temporarily in her haven, seeks out a sympathetic ear among Chicago’s Anarchs (1:12) while Maya lures a powerful Ventrue ally to their side with a promise of revenge (24:23). Meanwhile, Schmendrick is left to care for the victims of Lakeshore Hospital — a hungry Gangrel among them — and wait for Khalid to make good on his promise of rescue (39:38). Only after the human casualties of their investigation have been dealt with can she secure the final piece of the puzzle. Schmendrick and Maya, with the help of a new friend, finally confront the would-be assassins captured at the Sky Hotel (58:30).

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” – Carl Sagan The ill-timed arrival of a private security patrol jeopardizes the coterie’s investigation of Lakeshore Hospital and their evacuation of the prisoners held within. Any hope these interlopers will depart without incident is crushed when Zion reveals their presence (3:52), forcing Maya and Rebecca into impromptu problem solving. Schmendrick arrives to find the situation handled — sort of — and turns her attention to the hospital’s victims (21:06). Working with Rebecca, she formulates a plan for their safe keeping while Ivy and Maya make arrangements for a meeting with the Prince for the following evening. Schmendrick finds herself further in debt to Edith Beaubien (40:31), Maya finds herself summoned by Sierra Van Burrace (51:20), and the coterie finds itself explaining their findings to a very skeptical Prince Kevin Jackson (1:01:27).

“There is nothing like an insane asylum for gently incubating death.”– Antonin Araud All signs point to Chicago Lakeshore Hospital, an abandoned psychiatric facility on the city’s North Side. After handing Makayla over to the Sheriff for safe keeping, the coterie heads for the hospital with hopes that Zion is still inside. They find the evidence they’re looking for — and more — but hopes for an easy investigation are thwarted when unfriendly faces arrive on scene.

“The trick to surviving an interrogation is patience. Don’t offer up anything. Don’t explain. Answer the question and only the question that is asked.”– Laurie Halse AndersonRebecca and Ivy reconnect with the rest of the coterie with the help of Big Bob (0:55). While they wait for rescue, Maya learns more about Makayla and the Gary Coterie (13:22). Schmendrick introduces herself to their Second Inquisition hostage (21:17), Ivy and Rebecca are introduced to Big Bob’s conspiracy theories (26:50), and their hostage is introduced to the powers of Dominate (37:24). The coterie learns the basics about FIRSTLIGHT, the federal government’s “official” vampire hunting program, and even more about what FIRSTLIGHT knows about them. The mood changes, however, when their captive makes a chilling allegation, planting seeds of doubt about the coterie’s trustworthiness (57:41).

“As a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information.” – Benjamin Disraeli Abandoned by their allies, Maya and Schmendrick are forced to find their own way out of Gary’s industrial sewers with two captives in tow (02:42) while Ivy and Rebecca chart their own course to the surface (12:02). The two formulate a simple enough plan to escape the coming dawn, but the situation takes a lethal turn when the Beast injects its own needs into the conversation (20:41). As Ivy and Rebecca deal with the consequences, Schmendrick and Maya secure their own rescue with the help of a big friend (32:27). In time, both pairs of Kindred will make their way home, but not before one survivor is forced to confront their inner-most fear (45:46), another peels back the curtain on a Kindred conspiracy (58:30), and a third comes dangerously close to breaking the Camarilla’s most important rule (1:07:40).

“Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”– Winston Churchill It was an ambush — of course it was an ambush — and the coterie now struggles to find a way out of this heavily-armed hornets nest. Maya is the first to notice reinforcements closing in on the perimeter (3:08), Ivy is forced to reckon with the compulsions of her Tremere heritage (11:30), Schmendrick makes a risky play for a tactical advantage (21:22), and Rebecca clears the way for Charles’ rescue (34:31). While half of the coterie makes a hasty escape into the sewers below (53:27), the other risks their unlives to secure a valuable hostage (1:01:56). Only after the four battered Kindred have escaped to the sewers below can they finally answer the question: what happened to Charles Dawson (1:15:12)?

“The more cunning a man is, the less he suspects that he will be caught in a simple thing. The more cunning a man is, the simpler the trap he must be caught in.”– Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment With their investigation interrupted by the sudden appearance of Charles Dawson, the coterie makes hasty preparations (10:16) and departs Chicago for an abandoned refinery near the Indiana border (33:47). But Mr. Dawson isn’t waiting for them. Schmendrick and Rebecca uncover the ambush only moments before the trap is sprung (48:05), leaving the coterie to fight their way out of calamity as a new player emerges on Chicago’s scheme-covered stage.

“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.” ― Arthur Conan Doyle With their new Lasombra ally in tow, the coterie sets their investigative sights on Charles Dawson. When their search reveals an abundance of too-convenient clues (7:00), they begin to wonder if someone might be playing an elaborate game with the Nosferatu as a scapegoat (21:53). The mystery takes on new layers when Schmendrick sets her technological skills to work on the evidence (39:42), revealing the identity of Charles’ accomplices (56:19). Maya is forced to call in a Princely favor for the information that might tie it all together (1:15:00), but just as those efforts are beginning to bear fruit, a panicked phone call from an unlikely source forces the coterie to change gears (1:32:10).

“The weakest of all weak things is a virtue that has not been tested in the fire.”– Mark TwainThe coterie are invited to an informal meeting of the Prince’s government, where a handful of Primogen might pick their brains about the challeneges and opportunities that will face his city as the Lasombra’s numbers grow (8:00). Whatever plans Prince Kevin Jackson had are derailed by cataclysm, however, when a famous hotel — owned by a famous Lasombra — is set ablaze, and the likely culprit has Camarilla ties (21:17). The Prince deputizes the coterie anew, but the Lasombra refuse to let the Ivory Tower conduct an investigation without their own blood involved (40:52). The coterie adds a Lasombra attache to its number (47:13), and follows its first lead to a familiar Chicago haunt.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Every Kindred schemes. Some for political gain, some for personal fulfillment, some for no better reason than to stave off the emptiness of a never-ending life. On any given night, every vampire is up to something, and its the interaction of those plans that causes the great wheels of Kindred society to spin. That Kindred are by nature a covetous and territorial sort only exacerbates the inevitable consequences when wants collide. Not every scheme begins as something grand, however, and plenty begin with honest intentions. That can never change the outcome, though. Undeath is a zero sum game. No matter your currency of choice, turf or prestige or plain hard cash, nothing can be gained except by taking it from someone else. When Schmendrick enters under an elder Nosferatu’s tutelage to further her mastery of Obfuscate (11:48), does the world move? Will history teeter on the outcome of Ivy’s struggle to retain that what makes her human (27:29)? Should Chicago take note of the gifts bestowed by a grateful Prince (34:41) or the steps taken by a Regent to rid himself of a troublesome neonate (59:22)? What of the Nosferatu who chooses an unlikely retainer (1:22:30)? Or the ambitious Tremere whose dreams of higher station lead her to curl up to another clan’s Primogen (1:37:50)? No, of course not. But as those schemes mature? That’s another story.

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.” -H.L. Mencken Kindred do not believe in self-governance. The Camarilla has its Princes, Justicars, and Inner Council. The Sabbat has its Prisci, Cardinals, and Regent. Even the Anarchs, for all their brow-beating about the wisdom of the masses, still rely on their Barons and folk heroes. To be Kindred is to be subject to hierarchy. But not tonight. Prince Jackson has called Chicago’s Kindred together for a vote of singular importance: will the Lasombra be admitted into the city, and by extension, the Camarilla? The coterie assembles in advance of the night’s gathering for a private meeting with an unusually nervous Prince Jackson (10:30) before he begins this singular convocation in earnest (20:14). As the crowd breaks into heated debate, the coterie sets about the difficult work of swaying the vote in their favor. Schemes of all sorts unfold, with Schmendrick enlisting the Nosferatu (25:52) while Joshua and Ivy add a democratic twist to the tabulation process (48:59), Gengis decides to call in a boon (57:16), and Ivy attempts to sway the Tremere out from under DuSable’s grip (1:12:33). The final vote will reveal the fruits of their plotting (1:32:48), but no matter which side wins? Chicago is going to change. Forever.

“We need the sweet pain of anticipation to tell us we are really alive.” – Albert Camus There is no greater disquiet than the evening before an important event. For some, its an opportunity for deep and considered thought, a final act of reasoning before stepping over the precipice of decision. For others, its a chance for the tendrils of anxiety to latch hold; to strangle away the last chance for good judgement. The Kindred like to claim immortality gives them a cerebral distance from moments like these; that they approach their problems with an incisive reasoning only ages-long existence can develop. That, of course, is a lie. With Malenkov subdued and Prince Jackson’s vote lurking behind the next sunset, our coterie depart for their respective havens to wait out the sun. The past few nights have been a wake-up call for those who thought they could hide from the political machinations of the Chicago Court, and Joshua (00:39), Ivy (29:58), Schmendrick (1:00:01) and Rebecca (1:25:09) are forced to reflect on this sudden change in circumstances. How are they handling the violence of the past nights? What do they make of their newest Kindred companions? And what guides their thoughts as they look toward Clan Lasombra, a historic vote, and their own role in history?

“If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the gods must clearly smile on hunting.”– Aristotle Princes aren’t known for their patience. Kindred are perfidious by nature, and to govern a city requires strength enough to wrangle the ceaseless tide of squabbles, schemes, and ambitions into submission. Failure puts the Masquerade at risk — conflict between vampires invariably spills over into the mortal world — and a Prince who can’t uphold the Masquerade won’t stay Prince for long. And while there are tools aplenty ready for use, some problems demand a permanent solution. The Destruction. The Blood Hunt. Lextalionis. When Joshua helps set the terms for Clan Lasombra’s admission to the Camarilla (18:15) Sierra van Burrace is forced to condemn Malenkov to death. The coterie is dispatched to hunt down this rogue agent, and quickly finds themselves following a trail of destruction (31:30) to a secret brothel tucked in one of Chicago’s seedier neighborhoods (51:50). The Lasombra isn’t going to come quietly, though. Can our coterie triumph over the might of a war-hardened veteran of the Sabbat (1:20:40)?

“Hear no evil, speak no evil, and you won’t be invited to cocktail parties.”– Oscar Wilde Elysium is a place where Kindred can meet without fear of harm. No matter the city, violence and the use of Disciplines is strictly prohibited within its walls. The location — or locations, if a population is large enough — is usually of cultural signifiance. Theaters, operas, and museums are popular choices, but in Chicago? There’s no Elysium quite like the Succubus Club. It’s important to note: “violence” doesn’t include scheming, plotting, or the myriad forms of social aggression that Kindred are capable of. After delivering their Lasombra charge(5:44), the coterie divvies up their time conversing with an Ashirra ambassador (17:22), the local Sheriff (26:46), an Anarch thirsty for Garou blood (31:06), and a Chantry colleague (37:41). But when the Prince takes the stage to make his big announcement (1:00:00)? We see just how much the sanctity of Elysium is worth.

“Every houseguest brings you happiness. Some when they arrive, and some when they are leaving.”– Confucius When Kindred speak of hospitality, they’re not referring to the virtues of being a good host. Vampires are at their most vulnerable in the daysleep — to allow another Kindred into your home, to reveal the cradle in which you slumber, is to put yourself at risk, should the relationship sour. A Cainite only finds themselves under another’s roof in the most dire or strange of circumstances. Unfortunately, the coterie has been thrust into very strange circumstances. They now await the arrival of their secret guests at O’Hare Airport, and soon learn why the Prince was so keen to keep these strangers away from prying eyes (13:15). Dangerous visitors are in town, and the coterie is responsible for keeping them safe until Elysium the following evening (26:47). Our four Kindred manage to deliver their charges to the Prince, but not without risk, and not without cost (54:26).

“A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of society.”– B. R. Amdbedkar What are Kindred without politics? Clans and cities alike are held together by centuries-old treaties, the occasional promise, and an ever-shifting web of boons and debts. As much as any one vampire might prefer to live independent of these obligations, they can no more ignore political intrigue than a ship can ignore the wind. The current still nudges the vessel along, whether or not you choose to acknowledge it. No doubt, our four Kindred have yet to realize the gravity of their errand. Chicago’s Prince offers little more than orders, even as he casts the coterie into the grandest of Kindred tides; the kind that shape sects and histories. What starts with a list of names passed via courier in a greasy diner (9:36) will see Ivy, Joshua, Schmendrick, and Rebecca wringing favors from the thin-blood lord of O’Hare Airport (49:16), trading secrets with an infamous Nosferatu broker (1:13:47), and making promises to one of Chicago’s most notorious Anarchs (1:37:44). Welcome to The All Night Society. a Vampire: the Masquerade Camarilla chronicle.

“All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.” – Ellen GlasgowThere’s an irony in immortality. When you’re set to live forever, you become even more afraidof the things that can kill you. For Kindred, that means being forever-paranoid about the fourthings most likely to do you in: sunlight, fire, hunger, and other vampires. This is whyKindred tend to be creatures with strict routines. The better you know your surroundings andthe creatures that populate them, the easier it is to keep yourself safe. They need an awfully good reason to switch up the scenery. None of our characters were Embraced in the city they now call home — so how did they get here? Ivy LaRoux (1:17) and Joshua Crozier (19:35) are refugees of a sort, each fleeing their former homes under threat of Final Death. Schmendrick (34:00) and Rebecca Mitchell (47:33) arrive by choice — hunters, instead of the hunted. Welcome to The All Night Society. a Vampire: the Masquerade Camarilla chronicle.

“That is will never come again is what makes life so sweet.”– Emily DickinsonIt’s hard to say Emily was wrong; immortality comes with burdens aplenty and none live so free as the mortals ignorant to the monsters that live by night. Never forget: the Kindred are cursed. They feed on the living, burn in the sun, and wrestle for eternity with an alien predator that lives in their soul. Only the most bizarre and twisted of individuals goes looking for the Embrace — unless they have an imperfect understanding of what being a vampire means.What makes someone choose to live beyond death, then? Ivy LaRoux (1:14) sees an eternity’s worth of knowledge and recognition. Joshua Crozier (20:22) has no choice at all. Schmendrick (34:38) is forced to decide under duress, and Rebecca Mitchell (51:12) can only choose after wrestling with cultural contradictions. Welcome to The All Night Society, a Vampire: the Masquerade Camarilla chronicle.Note: This episode was republished following a technical mistake in the original release.

“Every thing must have a beginning, and that beginning must be linked to something that went before.” – Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Ms. Shelley was talking about a different kind of monster when she put that phrase to paper, but any Kindred with an ounce of self-awareness will tell you the same. Immortality doesn’t change who you are; it boils down your mortal neurosis. You want to know who a vampire really is? Figure out who they were before, then add a few decades’ worth of wallowing in those flaws. In this prelude episode, we introduce our vampires: Ivy LaRoux (1:05), the perfection-obsessed Tremere consumed by her quest for praise; Joshua Crozier (12:22), the rage-blind Banu Haqim disguising bloodlust under the cloak of “justice;” Schmendrick (27:23), the crowd-shy Nosferatu who sacrificed her humanity to the Digital Age; and Rebecca Mitchell, the Gangrel frozen in time, unwilling to bend to the new millennium. Welcome to The All Night Society, a Vampire: the Masquerade Camarilla chronicle.