6th January:

Like many other things in my life, my journal has been neglected. In the time that has passed i have traveled around the lands, partly with Vad, but occasionally alone. I returned to Marble island some few days ago and joined a family meeting. We discussed the past-life visions of an elf, named Miyuki.
Tonight i woke alone, and hungry. After picking up a few items from the market and taking them home, I traveled to the Swaggers Inn for a glass or three of wine. To my surprise there was another undead present. Another family member without a doubt. He was a strong character indeed, but polite enough. After he had gone, i was left alone with the bartender. He said his name is Reywal. I ask him to run and get me some raw meat for my pet horses, and after explaining how tame and sweet natured they are, i manage to persuade him to come and see them. In my basement. On entering my house he trembles and looks around all wide-eyed like a scared young girl. It relaxes me. I lock the doors and lead him down the stone cold steps into one of the rooms containing two cells. He starts to get a bit panicked on realising no horses are around, and i grab him by the neck and kiss him softly on the lips. He calms considerably. I pull him close to me and whisper some nonsense into his ear as i slowly stroke his hair and face. He drifts into a heavy slumber and i lower him to the floor.
Several seconds pass and his blood is gushing down my throat so fast i can't quite swallow it all and it falls thick and fast down my clothes. I drag myself away from him and seal his blooded neck. He tastes pretty damn good.
When he comes to, i confess there were never any horses, and that i brought him here for the use of his body only, but unfortunately he got a bit excited and passed out. He laughs it off and i walk him to the door. Unlocking and opening it, i bid him a good evening and wave him off.
Nice man, i hope to meet again.

27th January:

After shaking myself from a long and well needed sleep, I returned to Marble Island for a family meeting. I'm told that Fargo and Flipper are currently being held by the Duchy, and given orders to return them to the island. Myself, Jade and her servant Jaston made our way to Vesper to vote for the new Baron.

On the way i stumble across some leaflets, promoting those nominated for the position of Baron. I flick through them, and after a minute or two of debate, i decide Van to be most appropriate.

Upon arriving, i happen to bump into Reywal. He is quick to point out to his freinds that i tried to kill him, which i stress is a complete misunderstanding of the situation.

We are shown to the voting booths by a guard, and i announce my choice for Van Cocidius. After walking back outside and suffering a minute or two of Reywals whining, Jade comes out and he slips away. Then almost straight away the voting is called to a close, and we gather inside the building to hear the result, which i am relatively pleased to hear as Van is announced the Baron of Vesper.

I leave Vesper and am unexplainably drawn to Vad's house, where i find a young man resting. I wake him and for a moment i am lost in what seemed to be the eyes of Vad. I am nothing short of stunned by his striking resemblance to Vad. Slightly unnerved, i ask him who he is and he tells me his name is Omadon, he explains that he is Vad's older brother and that after years of searching for him he had recently found him and wishes to join us. I tell him that soon, when he is better dressed and better informed on the House of Tremere, I will take him to Lady Jade and offer him to her as a servant. I bid him farewell and promise to return the following night with some finer threads for him.

28th January:

Today i stumbled across the remains of somebody's belongings, from where their home had once stood. I was more than surprised to find Lord Fargo there, rummaging through some crates. He told me of his recent capture and how he has been held prisoner, and will be up for trail, yet the guards spoke of no convictions. He made it clear that Kaelyn has been irrational, and her actions have been unjustified. He said she is insane..

I told him Jade has been seeking him, however he had more pressing thoughts to put to rest. He asked me to search for Gwen at the Trinsic Rose and to bring her to the Moongate, where he would await her. I did so without question, i followed her to Fargo to ensure her safety, then traced back our steps to make sure no one had followed us.

I returned to Omadon, and we travel to several shops to find him some new threads. When we are happy, i take him to the island and we find lady Jade at the hospital. I offer Omadon to Jade. I give her my word he will remain loyal, obedient and will thrive in combat. After some debate, she accepts him and warns me not to get too close to his neck.

I show him around the island and then show him to Swaggars and around Vesper as Jade had asked. Only once did my eyes fall upon his neck. The night draws on and i bid him goodnight, and retire to my abode.

January 30th:

I joined Vad and Omadon at Trinsic tonight, Vad was having an unnecessary argument with some of the guards. They refused to let us enter for a drink. When they had quite finished we went to the Trinsic Rose instead, nobody was there and i jumped behind the bar to look for some ale when a disturbing spirit entered. It's face was half gone, burned possibly? I was unnerved by it, it seemed lost..

Ikus enters the tavern. He explains he wishes only to keep peace with the family and he serves us an ale. When he had gone, my eyes were drawn to a torch on the wall.. a face, in the flames...

It takes me several seconds to realise who it is, and when i do i hurry over to it. Flipper tells me she is being held in trinsic cells, and that she is to be put to her death. I recall Jade at our last meeting, she said she wanted flipper out.

Vad, Omadon and I quickly make a plan to free Flipper. Vad dresses Omadon as a monk, and tells him to cause a distraction, while me and Vad sneak to the jail after dark. We collect some tools, a hammer and a metal shaft.

At trinsic we are delighted to find no guards around. We hurry to the jail and vad is just about to get to work on the first locked door when a guard approaches the building... We both hide and Omadon who is at the door, steps outside and gets talking to the guard.

Few minutes later, The guard is showing Omadon to the healers and Vad gets the main door's lock destroyed. We rush to the cell Flipper is in and it takes a short while to break the lock.

The doors are left slightly ajar, locks damaged.

Without wanting to hang around any longer and increasing our chances of joining flipper in a cell, we flee from the building.. passing a guard or two on the way.

Flipper, who was looking a shade or two paler than usual was not herself. Behind me, i saw Vad cut his arm and flippers eyes snap straight to it. It strikes me then, she has been bitten, and turned. She feeds from Vad as i open a moongate.

When we arrive safely at the island, I collect some blood from the tavern and feed flipper before she devours my sire. When she is well fed she seems a lot calmer, yet her memory has departed.. She remembers nothing since being in prison...

I leave the island and return home alone.

30th January:

After a few hours of sleepless rest in my coffin, I noticed i was becoming hungry. It has been a while since i had a fresh meal and i am craving it. I go to the island tavern and grab a bottle of blood from a cupboard. It will keep me going 'til my next meal.

I sat alone in the tavern for an hour or so. Thinking about recent events, and how pleased Jade would be about the break out. I slip into a trance, lost in thought. I snap back to full consciousness several minutes after a man has entered, and sat down. I look at him and ask if i can help him. He introduces himself as Casal Bastiere. He tells me he has come to visit the home of Tremere out of curiosity, I Tell him my name and offer him a tour of the island. He accepts. I show him the Mage hall and to the town hall, where Jade and Flipper are talking. I introduce Casal to Jade. We talk for a while then go to the tavern for some Naleaothian wine. It tastes very nice indeed. Jaston comes along with us and sits himself down. Jade Shouts at him to remove his purple shirt, as she does not wish to look at the colour of the enemies threads. Me and Vad are amused by this.

He returns several minutes later wearing what i would call pink. I had to laugh. He did not seem to mind though. He left shortly before Flipper and Jade retire. Myself and Vad chat with Casal for a while, then he leaves. Then me and Vad leave.

February 3rd:

Tonight i went to the island; Straight to the town hall where i found Flipper, alone. She told me that Gwen had left and that she'd heard Gwen's plans to betray Jade and serve to the Duchy. I was appalled. She told me she had been possessed by a dark lord. Which had done something to upset Jade, who cast her out of the family. She seemed upset.

She told me she had suspected of Gwen's disloyalties for some time, and that she wants to ensure no one is disloyal again, and to stop anybody who tries to overthrow Jade in their paths. I considered this for a while, i thought about Gwen and the way she always put Jade below her. She told me she plans only to eradicate of any impurities within the family. Anyone disloyal or anyone who threatens Jade's position. I made a decision a little too quickly.

I swore to Be loyal and to protect the mistress, as part of The Black Hand.
I sat as flipper tattooed a black hand onto the back of my hand, and she added the word Tremere in thick, fancy, Blood-red writing, through the palm of it. I copied the same image onto Flippers hand, and added the word Tremere.

At the Trinsic Rose Flipper and I meet Casal, and discuss a few matters before heading to the island in good time before the meeting.

Jade takes us through a gate to the library in Nealoth, where we are taken to the meeting hall. For quite some time we discussed the matter of Trinsic, and what was to be done about a truce or war with them. Muldoon, Flipper and Casal started to row amongst themselves. Mainly because as Fargo had said....Even though Gwen has left.. Her spirit lives on. Muldoon appears to be of the belief that every quarrel or problem can be solved with the spilling of blood. He was told to rest his raised weapon. He did so and walked out in a fettle. Jade followed.

A wind surrounded us all, whispering softly, Jade's voice calling us to the tavern. We go immediately. Down in the arena she and Muldoon are waiting. Jade calls all those wishing to become Blade of Tremere, to step into the ring. I am disappointed to see Lucius doesn't enter. I had told Omadon to come to the Island earlier, so i quickly rushed out to find him to get him to compete. I find him near the harbor, and lead him to the ring.

Muldoon, Flipper, Casal and Omadon enter, and step to the four corners of the ring. Jade casts a wall of flames and explains that when it burns out, the fight begins. No rules. The fire burns down, me and Vad cheer for Omadon and to our absolute delight he takes the other contenders out.

I cheer and clap for Omadon, who is announced Blade of Tremere. I am pleased; This will give him a chance to prove himself as the lethal Knight he clearly is. Muldoon can't take the blow to his ego and becomes upset. He demands a rematch and is denied. He then tries to put Omadon down and Vad steps in. Muldoon knocks Vad to the floor.. Something about an ettin was mentioned beforehand.. not sure exactly but Muldoon was way out of order.

Jade puts a smile back on my face by putting him in a cage in the arena.
The family give Muldoon a verbal scolding, before leaving him alone. Me, Vad and Casal take Omadon to the tavern for a celebratory drink. What an entrance into Tremere! I am very proud of him, and so is his brother.

Fargo leads us to his home, on the island, where we have a look around. Very splendid place indeed. Especially the basement, where he has a small room that reminds me of a church..

I hunt down Jade, who is just about to see to Muldoon when i unfortunatley distract her, and ask for a word. She leaves and takes me to her home, leaving Muldoon caged and alone. Unintended, but a highlight of my day.

I tell her i wish to help with the sacrifices made at Fargo's home. She orders me to lure fighters and brigands to Fargo's and slay them, letting their blood saturate the soil below. I ask about why Flipper had been cast out, she replied that Flipper had opened her mouth when told to be quiet, therefore, disobeying her.

A twist in my gut tells me Flipper hasn't explained everything to me.
I explain i am concerned only about my mistress at this moment, and that whatever she decides to to about affairs, mainly do to with Trinsic, she will have the back up of me and Vad, at all times. She seems somewhat assured, but stresses that Flipper is now below servant status, and that should i see her away from this island, i am to knock her unconscious and bring her back, and cage her.

When i return home alone, i find my thoughts are troubled. I argue with myself about joining The Black Hand. Vad joined.. And we both joined with all intentions for the good of Jade, of the family.. But, if Jade dissaproves.. will she be disapointed in me for keeping this from her?

It is for her own good she does not know of this at this moment in time. It will only worry her further and that, is not something i wish to do.

February 11th:

*written untidily with lack of care*

The past seven days I have been training relentlessly. I have improved my Magery considerably. I have been taking combat lessons from Lucius, he has shown me many tricks. Today was the time to put what i had learned to the test. Or so i thought. It appeared only myself, Vad and Flipper would be competing. Jade announces that she has decided, instead of combat, we have a task to complete. A number of items have to be collected. Some ridiculously tricky to find. Lucius assists me in my hunt for them. We slay deamons, rip the flesh from unicorns and
Some time later we have collected what we need, and I return them to Jade.

I was first to return, but Flipper had some excuse.. and so a tie breaking task was put into place. We were given clues as to what it was, in riddle. She said she wanted three. Something a mage needs.The dead need it most. People are often too quick to give it away... As i think, my eyes scan the room, stopping on Vad. I snap out of thought as Vad catches my eye. For a moment i thought i felt my heart beat hard like it used to, before my mortality was taken.
And then it hit me...

I dash straight home to my basement. In a jar of saltwater i find a heart from one of my patients, from long ago. I remove it and bag it. I then sneak to Haven and keep to the shadows. I track a couple of gentlemen a little way through the town, towards the outskirts. Upon entering the thick woods, i creep up, and grabbing the larger of the two men's head, i twist it so hard and fast his neck breaks with ease. He drops to the floor. Paralyzed. Meanwhile - his 'friend' who is gaining some distance fast, suffers his fate; I pounce on him and bite into his neck, and hold him still. I drain him awhile before dropping him. I pull out my small blade and make a quick and untidy incision in his abdomen, and steal his heart.
His alive, but paralyzed friend mutters something to me as i kneel beside him. His pupils dilate when he sees the blade.. No time to play however, I'm in a hurry. I quickly remove his heart, and head back to Jade.

I offer her the hearts and she is pleased. She has what she wanted. She calls flipper back and although she lost, she has been declared no longer an outcast. Her flame is returned to her. I am declared Archmage! I celebrate with a drink in the tavern with Casal. I am content with myself, i feel as though i have earned this after all of my efforts of late. I only hope Flipper is not feeling too bitter about my win.

February 12th:

Lucius visited me tonight, I persuaded him to assist me in the sacrifice of some peasants at Fargo's keep. Flipper arrived and i suggested we look for a meal, they claimed to be full but came anyway. At swaggers i ordered a red wine and watched as Lucius got harassed by the Bar maid about his hood. He was threatened and eventually booted out. Literally. I was also told to leave for simply stating that Flipper was in fact, not 'stupid'. It is now clear to me why the Swaggars inn is lacking in customers lately. They were extremely rowdy gentlemen, even the wench with them, who reminded me of an Orc, was keen to provoke.

After the Bouncers kindly walked us to the city boundaries, I visited a local shop for some Reagents. Again i am reminded of how small a world it is when i spot Casal amongst the shop's goods. We talk briefly and i help him hunt for some cloth he is looking for. I gate him to the Blue Wolf shop in hope of better variety. There, i come across a handsome man who looks almost familiar. He suggests a few names that he could be known by when i ask him. I decide he looks more like a Simon, and proceed to address him so.

I manage to persuade him to come to my house, and taste some wine for me. I told him me and some friends had brewed it. We sit together and he seems weary, but drinks the wine i gave him. It has blood in it. He tells me it is not completely to his taste. I thank him anyway for his time, and ask how the wine could be improved. I start to think about how i can get him downstairs and chained securely so i need not worry about an attack from him.

He tells me he can suggest a way to make it better. I close my eyes at his request, and feel his lips brush against my neck momentarily before he kisses it. His fangs pierce my neck and I'm too damn stunned and confused to do much about it. He wraps his mouth around the wound and starts to suck my blood. I half fight him off me but he tightens his grip and carries on draining me. I start to feel dizzy and try to fight him off but his tight grip increases, i grow frustrated and scratch at his arms, and wrap my hands around his neck. He seals the wound on my neck before releasing, and pushing me away.

I am tormented by the fact i deemed him to be human. Sensing nothing from him. I thought i heard a heartbeat.. I'm sure..

He stands and gives some advice before his attempt at departure. 'Be careful when choosing your prey'. I feel like !!!! and promise him my Sire will hunt him down for this. He threatens Vad's life and angers me further.
I stagger to a cupboard and swig a bottle of blood. Simon pushes at the locked doors, then becomes annoyed. The refreshment helps a little.. but i still feel number than usual. And weaker.. I go upstairs and summon a gate to Omadons house, hoping to hell he is there. He marches through and i tell him to kill Simon immediatley.

They fight for a while, Omadon fights savagely but Simon is skilled, he is fast and his blows are nasty. I heal omadon, and Simon attacks me, knocking me unconscious for a moment. In my dreamlike state i recall calling out to Vad, he was angry. When i woke he was there in the house helping Omadon fight Simon, who fled. Vad demanded to know what had happened and i told him the details. When he had assured me that Simon will be chained up in my basement on his very own deathbed before long, i bid them both goodnight and retired to my coffin for some much needed rest.

February 13th:

When i arrived at Marble Island today i seen to some business at the Mage school and checked the tavern over. I then went to Fargo's to see if he was about. When i concluded he wasn't, and was about to leave the building, The man i named Simon appeared from nowhere. I asked why he had shown, after i had told him to stay away. He told me he had traced my every move tonight.

I asked him a few questions, tried to get some info from him but he withheld. He did tell me that his name was, in fact, Michael. I told him it was a mistake to feed from the Tremere family, and that he ought not to repeat it. He seemed not to care. He opened a gate to Trinsic, and walked me to his house. His house was comfortable, cosy and neat. We sat together in front of a large stone fireplace and talked.

He asked me if i had tasted vampire blood. I told him i had drank from Vad several times. He sliced open his finger and waved it under my nose. A mix of temptation and lack of self control forces me to grab his hand and suck on the open wound. He tastes better than i expect and the small amount of blood i manage to draw leaves me feeling strangely charged up.

His fingers sweep across my lips and he tells me to stay quiet as his tongue runs over my neck, a few seconds before his fangs pierce me. He drains me. As he does, i argue with myself in my head. He is using me and i am letting him.

I am left weak and dizzy. He brings me a pitcher of human blood but it does not satisfy me. I grab another pitcher from his desk and devour it. He tells me that i am to be his blood doll. His toy. I promise him i am nobodies 'toy', and if i am to let him have my blood, i will want something in return. His offer is to let me keep my life. I assure him i am well protected and he claimed to slay my protectors, before offering to show me what he'd do with their bodies.

He took me to a strange place i have never been before. We ride on horseback through the woods. This place is dark. A destroyed village. He takes me to a deserted building, which i could smell from quite a distance. The bodies are savagely destroyed and piled up in a corner. Brutal, yes, but no worse a mess than i had made as a sixteen year old girl.

I take him back to my house and offer him a proposition. I promise to let him drink from me, and be discreet about him and in return he must bring me bait. Fresh, live young girls. He said he would consider it, but that he had to go to his Sire. I bid him goodnight and watch him walk out into the night. I sit alone and question my own motives for a while.

February 14th:

Valentines Day.

I traveled to Marble early tonight, and sent a pigeon to Vad to discuss some matters with him. I planned to tell him about Micheal. And give him the card i had bought him. As i made my way to the hospital i encountered two people. One male, one female. I assumed they'd be seeking Jade and asked if they were looking for someone. The female jumped down my throat a bit asking if she needed a reason to go where she wanted to. I explained i had merely assumed her to be seeking my mistress and apologized for having bothering them. I walked away and when out of sight, hid amongst the shadows and traced them a while...

I confirm my suspicions about the attachments to the straps around her legs.. Stakes!

Flipper strolls into sight, and notices our guests. She demands to know what they are on Tremere grounds for. Her and the bloke get into a tiff. He pulls out a blade and flicks it around his fingers. I recognise the blade, and the way he plays with it. It's Michael.. but who is this sharp tongued madam he has brought with him..

Meanwhile Flipper has clocked sight of the blade, and burst into a mass of flames. Vad shows up immediately and tries to subdue any rash behavior.
Michael remained hostile, driving Vad to the point of lashing out. Michael ran and Flipper and Vad gave chase. I stuck around and kept an eye on the girl.

Flipper returned looking dazed and confused. She had been injured. I took her to the hospital, and sat her down. I set out to the tavern to collect her a refreshment, and standing outside, bold as day, Michael. He is about to speak when Vad barges out of the hospital doors and starts questioning him. Michael taunts him by telling him I had taken a man called Simon home with me, gave him tainted wine, let him feed from me.. Vad dismisses his story as a lie. Michael asks to see Jade and we refuse him. They exchange a few more unpleasantries, then Michael leaves.

Vad buggers off and i catch up with him at his house later on, he was blatantly huffy about the fact i had not yet explained the situation with Michael. He shouted at me, annoyed i had let another drink from me. I told him that i resisted, that he was too strong for me and i couldn't do anything.. Vad thinks his name is Simon.. I decide not to tell him otherwise.

I try to make him less angry at me by reminding him it is valentines day. Pathetic, but it worked a treat. We exchanged cards and he gave me a handsome little stuffed dragon. We chat awhile then on realising Vad had no drinks about, I wish him a good night and return home for a bottle of wine.

February 17th:

I awoke several hours before the family meeting. Michael was in my house, making himself comfortable. I acted cross and asked him to leave but really i was passive. He held out two dresses to me one red the other black, then told me to chose which. Usually being asked to dress differently would annoy and insult me but tonight i had little care for much of anything and took the red dress upstairs to slip into. I think it's fair to say he liked the change. He also gave me a pair of gold studded earrings and i pushed them through my ears. He slips into the shadows half a second before Vad walks through my door.

Me and Vad go to the island for the meeting. Jade decides to take no immediate action on the subject of vampire hunters and dismisses it as rumor. Me and flipper insist there are active hunters, and that they have been to the island. Jade quietens us and assures us that we are the hunters, not them. She tells us to protect the island and the family and keep our wits about us. I am reminded i have been asked to get a meeting with the Baron of Vesper, a task i had passed to Omadon to do, to get him on Jade's better side. He has evidently not yet done so. A few other matters are discussed before we are dismissed.

As i arrive home i wonder if Michael will be there, but when i enter i can't see him. I slip into my hooded shroud and return to the island, everyone appears to have gone, and i go back up the steps of the town hall, and through the hidden stone door to where Black Hand meetings are held.

The meeting is brief and before Flip has us fight each other i claim i have to meet someone and make some distance. When i get home Michael is there. He tells me that he has had an acquaintance of mine, Kory, in my basement for some fun. I demand to know what happened and he jokes around a bit before promising me she is alright and unwounded. He asks about some body parts he'd seen down there.. and accuses me of torture, i laugh it off and explain that i am simply curious about the body and how it functions, and the body parts were part of a medical experiment.

He pins me up against a wall unit and kisses me. I wriggle free of his grip and storm upstairs, he follows and i stare at him. I tell him Vad would murder him for his actions and he said that Vad would fail, and become killed himself. I sit down and tell him to leave me alone. He agrees and wishes me goodnight as he walks through the door.

March 16th:

Vad has been sleeping, I was glad to see him awaken with a smile. The rest has done him well, his color is a little off though, meaning he is in need of a good meal. I explained there was a meeting. I assumed he would find it of interest.

Today was the day of Jade's lecture about rituals. I was intrigued, and it turned out to be very interesting i thought. Those attending greeted at the meeting hall on the island at eight. Jade explained what rituals are, and how they work. She told us of how a simple mistake could result in the ritual backfiring onto the performer, or other dangers.

She showed us how to perform a basic ritual called the Wytch's circle. It is made up of five gems in the position of a five-point star, resembling the pentagram. With this set up, and a few other items and the right incantations, a ritual can be performed.

She said a ritual can fulfill us of what we desire. She suggested we make up our own ritual and return with it next time to share with the others. I have not decided upon anything as yet, I must give it some thought.

When the lecture finished I lead our guests to the tavern and served them Naelothian wine. They seemed to enjoy it. I bit open a bottle for myself and joined them at the bar. We discussed the previous hour or so. It seems i am not the only one struggling with ideas for a ritual. They said they had found the lecture interesting. Vad, who had disappeared momentarily, entered the bar and decided to spend some time infuriating me, suggesting i get up on the stage and dance for our guests.

I flicked through a book Jade had given him earlier, and after finishing my wine i said goodbye to Vad, then bid our strange guests, who i had overheard verbally re-arranging their home furnishings, a goodnight.