June 15, 2021

Military action

Amongst the combatants who attempt to win the Queen's favor, two stand out: Dawn (played by Skyra) and Thomas Blackwood. Thomas is the favored fighter, one of the strongest in Baltimore and known for his prowess and skill. The Queen informs her champions that they can choose either to fight until yield, or to the death. But there must be no quarter given.   Björn, an honorable vampire from the northern regions of Europe, also enters into the pit. Though he fights well, he is summarily beaten and slain by Thomas - most of the vampires who know him say he would have preferred such a death.   Dawn then took the ring against Thomas, but again, she was no match for the Gangrel Primogen and was beaten and ashed.   Christof Romauld, a newcomer to Baltimore, was the next to step into the ring with the Gangrel - he had the foresight to bring a trick with him: an artifact known as waxen poetic, which did much to slow Thomas down. Though it was not enough, and Christof eventually yielded, the only one of the combatants to do so.   Thomas stood triumphant, but the Queen was not yet satisfied. She gave one more challenge to him: to beat a creature from Martin Isaacs's Haven. Thomas, having no choice, agreed - though as he bit into the creature, Martin rose up in his mind, furious.   Thomas was a Protector of Haven, and as such was sworn to protect its inhabitants as well and to neer, ever feed from them. Having broken that promise, Martin shunted him from Haven and the Protectors, but did not kill him, as Thomas had once been a great champion for the mage's creations.   Thomas slew the creature, cementing his place as the third and final childe of Queen Eleanor, concluding the night with his embrace and the beginning of a new clan of vampires: the Plantagenets.