Thread: A Vampire and his Anchor (Niksis & Ms Catailia)

Vampires, where do they come from? Did they always walk among man? These are the questions that some of the nightwalkers ask themselves as they try to trace their heritage back to where it first began. Vampires descend from Caine, the first murderer, cursed by God. Caine Embraced three childer, who in turn Embraced thirteen. These were the beginnings of the 13 vampiric clans. With each subsequent Embrace, the childe is in a higher generation. The details behind Caine's crime is unknown even to this day. Rumors circulate, though they are just that, rumors. Vampires of the modern world have significant weaknesses, more so than if compared to their older brothers. Stakes do not kill vampires, but if a wooden stake impales a vampire through the heart, then he or she is paralysed until it is removed. Unlike what some movie projections say of the Kindred, Garlic is just a nuisance, a rumor created to throw off the Hunters of old. Sunlight though, this is far more fatal than anything else. Also called the Light of God, it is a part of their curse to never walk among God's chosen again. That is, unless a Kindred can find their anchor to God. Los Angeles, the city of Angels. To this day Vampires couldn't tell you what it is about the city, be it it's name, it's inhabitants or something else. But Los Angeles drew the Undead to it like moths to a flame. Perhaps it was the thought of being closer to that which banished them so long ago? Regardless, the infernal political landscape of Los Angeles is unlike any that existed before the rebels imprisonment in the Abyss, and it is unusual even in the modern context granted to the demons by their mortal coils. The Los Angeles that the Kindred inhabit is one divided by two powerful courts and constantly rumbling with the furtive schemes of those outside the purview of both organizations. The original court, known simply as the Infernal Court of Los Angeles , has been in existence since the Kindred first began to return to Earth. At its head is Baroness Kishar , a straightforward Luciferan Scourge who prefers a face-to-face fight over under-handed skullduggery. This court has secured a significant power base in the city, and it is largely considered the official court there. A second group of Fallen, however, led by the Fiend known as Lady Anat , has brazenly established what she calls the Blood Court of Los Angeles . Populated and governed largely by members of the Ravener faction, this court is quite different in outlook from the Infernal Court. Nonetheless, it actually shares a ruling member in common with that group, and two other opposing members of those groups are like-minded lovers who maintain frequent contact. There is no outright hostility between these two courts as of yet, mostly because the idea of two governing bodies claiming the same territory is such a bizarre concept to the Fallen that they do not quite know what to make of it. Members of both groups are working even now, though, to secure as much power and eminence as they can as insurance against the inevitable day when the courts come into open conflict and must vie directly against one another for supreme influence over the city. Gilbert Lefvre was one of these nightwalkers, a Vampire. He was, or is, a french aristocrat Embraced over nine centuries ago by an unknown sire. Gilbert had clawed his way up from the bottom, building his power base, earning allies, friends... and enemies. It had been paradise for him, his voice was heard at Court, his opinion weighed on the scales of decision. That is, until a few hours ago. Someone had found him, found his Lair. They had come for him, scores of Hunters had entered his sanctuary and slain everyone and everything. Gilbert had lost everything, he had gone from being one of the highest regarded Kindred in the City of Angels, to being nothing. All of his losses paled compared to his Anchor. His power base he could rebuild. Allies could be made again and wealth was just material, but what he had lost of most value, was his Anchor. A woman, someone with a pure bloodline tracing back to Abel or Seth, the sons of God. Anchors was the main power of a Vampire, it was these humans that fueled the Kindred, made them stronger than most others. And Gilbert had found his Anchor, had kept her safe, or so he thought. Here he was, on the sidewalk. Gilbert had caught a silver bullet to the shoulder before he managed to jump out the window from his twenty story apartment. It had been a rough landing, nothing that his body couldn't take, but it hadn't helped his situation either. The pain was searing through his body. A mixture of pain and anger, who had betrayed him to the Hunters? He would find out, he would get his revenge, but first, he needed to have this damn bullet removed. It hadn't been fatal, but the silver inside of him burned, almost boiling the blood around. It was painful, immensely so but he held it in out of risk of being heard by the Hunters still nearby. Luckily, he had managed to drag himself into a nearby alley, away from prying eyes and with shadows to hopefully hide him form whoever might look for him. Though, with the groaning of the burning pain, hearing him would be easy enough.