[Sodium_noir] A saturday in Darktown

[eagandigh]

Maurice, Goldie, Panic
Serpent, Whore, Mage
The Chaste Dragon


>
>"First .." Panic replied, a look of hesitation on his face. 
>"those who destroyed it wouldn't be too thrilled if I shared 
>their names with anyone. And my position would be screwed if I 
>didn't keep their confidence. I'm sure you understand! 
>Secondly, I'm not sure if they know or not. They've gone 
>silent and your guess really is as good as mine!"

Maurice was digesting the boy reluctance to tell him the names of those
who did destroy the relic of the bitches. He understood him, although he
didn't like it. There were secrets he wouldn't tell the boy either,
especially if certain confidences would be involved. Which left the
problem of who did it. The one must be so powerful that he wouldn't be
some hidden secret that Maurice didn't know of. The Camarilla whuzzboys
were out of the picture, they hadn't enough mystical power to lift a
pebble from the ground much less lifting an x-wing out of the swamp. Not
since all their Tremere went kablooie a while ago. He wasn't sure how
strong the Lupines were, who still hid in the outskirts of the city, but
he doubted Panic would be involved with them. They would probably tear
him apart, before he could say 'evil artifact'. Then there were Mages.
Actually, apart from the colourful child before him, he doubted mighty
mages were around anymore. And Panic's might hadn't been enough. Which
left Santiago and the Harlequin, since Akril could be struck from the
list, obviously. Santiago and the Sabbat goons struck him as being more
of a physical and, well, vampiric power, than a mystical one. He
couldn't imagine Santiago snapping his fingers and away the relic went.
Leaving Harl... Unless there was a bigger player around somewhere, that
he wasn't aware of. But he was sure that the Harlequin would know that
player.

>
>"Thirdly, as to why the Ahua Can revere? Most of them are 
>devoted to the founder of their Bloodline, an ancient Vampire 
>they call Quetzacoatl among other names. I'm no expert on 
>Vampire genealogy but I'm pretty sure he's the same .... God 
>that gave birth to your Clan! But these three, they are 
>turncoats, a break away cult if you like. They worship the 
>less savoury Gods that creep around down there. The Gods of 
>darkness and magic."

Maurice's attention turned back to Panic, snapping out of his thoughts.
What had the boy said? Quetzacoatl. Again some ancient American
bullshit. Hadn't someone told these Indian rejects that they had lost.
That they hadn't been strong enough to fight the European interlopers.
Unlike the African slaves they brought with them. They had needed to
rise up and throw the colonialists out. It had been the former slaves,
who had freed Haiti at last. By then, the natives had only been a
footnote of history. Although, Papa Saturday had hinted that there were
some elements of the former natives still present in voudun. Loas, that
had aligned with the original ones, had submitted to Damballah to
survive and free the world from the frauds. "I don't know any Quetza...
whatever. I doubt 'im being sse great Damballah, but I might be
misstaken and Damballah 'ad been pressent 'ere, before our forefasserss
came to sse Americass ass sslavess." He thought about it. Was there a
connection, an ancient one, to the original inhabitants of this land?
"But ssey are traitorss? Revering Godss of darknesss and magic, you
ssay? Are you talking about demonss? Sse open sslaverss of creation.
Chainerss of ssoulss and desstroyerss of freedom?"

He took a puff from the cigar, his eyes narrowing. "You want to tell me,
ssat ssey exchanged sse promisse of freedom ssat sse Great Sserpent
bringss for sse russty chainss of sse demonic aeonss?" His eyes bored
into the boy. And what entity do you owe your allegiance to? But he left
the question unspoken.

[a demonic TAG]