Masquerade of the Red Death Trilogy Volume 1: Bloodwar is a fiction novel for Vampire: The Masquerade, and the first novel of the Masquerade of the Red Death Trilogy.
Summary[]
From the White Wolf catalog:
- "He came like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel..." from "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe
- For ten thousand years, a race of immortal vampires has waged a secret war to control mankind. Beings of incredible supernatural powers, they are driven by a lust for power... and human blood.
- They are the Kindred.
- Though mortal, the enigmatic detective Dire McCann knows a great deal about these undead. So does Alicia Varney, one of the world's wealthiest women. They are two wild cards in a global game of chess that has lasted for over a hundred centuries.
- But now a new player has entered the fray. Known only as the Red Death, he controls forces that make even the Kindred tremble. Who is this mysterious avatar of blood? And is his appearance the first sign that Gehenna, the dread apocalypse for both humans and vampires is about to begin?
- The first volume in a trilogy focusing on the vampires from the World of Darkness, Blood War is written by Robert Weinberg, author of dark fantasy novels, including The Black Lodge and The Devil’s Auction. He is also the author of the bestselling Louis L’Amour Companion. This series reveals many of the underpinnings of the World of Darkness and spotlights the dreaded vampires known as Methuselahs.
Contents[]
- Prologue
- Part 1
- Chapter 1 - Chapter 13
- Part 2
- Chapter 1 - Chapter 13
- Part 3
- Chapter 1 - Chapter 13
- Afterword
- About the Author
Plot[]
For ten thousand years, a race of immortal vampires known as the Kindred has waged a secret war to control humanity. These beings possess incredible supernatural powers and are driven by a thirst for power and human blood. The story follows the enigmatic detective Dire McCann and the wealthy Alicia Varney, who become key players in this global chess game. A new and terrifying player, known only as the Red Death, emerges, wielding powers that even the Kindred fear. The appearance of the Red Death may signal the beginning of Gehenna, a catastrophic apocalypse for both humans and vampires
Background Information[]
- White Wolf does not consider this trilogy to be canon. This is due to the fact that the Trilogy leads into Robert Weinberg's Horizon War Trilogy, which is also considered non-canon.[1]
- Ads at the back of the book include: White Wolf WOD Novel Mail Order Service (Truth Until Paradox, Death and Damnation and Prince of the City), Hawkmoon by Michael Moorcock (April 1995) and Midnight Blue: The Sonja Blue Collection (April 1995).
- Robert Weinberg makes dedication to Edgar Allan Poe and to Bram Stoker.
- The inside of the novel lists job positions of White Wolf Exces as of 1995, these include: Mark Rein•Hagen and Stewart Wieck, Owners; Stephan Wieck, President; Wes Harris, Vice President of Marketing; Michael Krause, Vice President of Sales; Richard Thomas, Vice President of Production and Design; Ken Cliffe, Director of Development and Editing; Benjamin T. Monk, Jr., Controller; and Rebecca Schaefer, Warehouse Manager.
Memorable Quotes[]
| “ | The tavern burned satisfactorily. They watched the blaze race through the structure until the roof collapsed with a roar. "That should wipe out all traces of our visit," declared Jean Paul. He nodded to Le Chair. "Scattering the wine bottles among the bodies was an excellent idea. Obviously, the poor fools drank themselves into a stupor and never realized their peril until it was too late." "An incredible tale," said Le Clair. "But humans are such fools. Manipulating their thoughts is hardly a challenge. They believe the most incredible fabrications without question." "Don't we all?" asked Jean Paul, always the philosopher. -pg. 198-199 |
” |
| “ | "You are Dire McCann," she asked her companion. "That's me," answered the detective. "I am Madeleine Giovanni, of the Clan Giovanni," said the woman. "My sire sent me to America to find you." "You found me," said McCann, treading water. "Now what?" "My instructions were simple," said Madeleine. "Pietro Giovanni commended me to protect you." "Good start," said Dire McCann. - pg. 291 |
” |
Characters[]
- Father Naples - Society of Leopold, Died
- Reuben - Masquerader (Khufu)
- Monsignor Ameliano
- Dire McCann - Euthanatos Detective, Lameth’s Host
- Alexander Vargoss- Ventrue, Prince of St. Louis
- Fawn, "Eleanor James" - Vargoss’ Bodyguard, Flavia's Twin, Assamite, “Dark Angel”, Destroyed
- Flavia, “Sarah James” - Vargoss’ Bodyguard, Fawn's Twin, Assamite, “Dark Angel”,
- Nuckalavee, “The Skinless One”
- Gorgo, the One Who Screams in Darkness
- Lameth - The Dark Messiah, Vampire, childe of Asshur
- Harry
- Oliver Pearson - Owner of Club Diabolique
- Brutus, “Arbitrator of Souls” - Doorman of Club Diabolique, Vargoss’ Ghoul
- “Fast Eddie” Sanchez - Vampire, Destroyed
- Iverson - Toreador
- Melville - Vampire
- Rachel Young - Melville’s Ghoul, Reuben’s Sister, Singer
- Tyrus Benedict - Tremere, Destroyed
- Baba Yaga
- Makish - Rogue Assamite
- Prince Marcus Vitel
- Phantomas, “Varro Dominus” - Urgahalt’s childe, Nosferatu
- François Villon
- Urgahalt - Nosferatu 5th Gen., Destroyed
- Anis, Queen of Night - True Brujah
- Madeleine Giovanni - Giovanni 6th Gen.
- Pietro Giovanni - Madeleine’s Sire
- Daniel Giovanni - Pietro’s Son, Giovanni, Died
- Don Caravelli - Brujah, 5th Gen., Mafia
- Tony “The Tuna” Blanchard - Mafia, Caravelli’s Ghoul
- George Kross - Mafia, Died
- Harvey Taylor - Mafia, Caravelli’s Ghoul
- Sol Cohen - Mafia, Caravelli’s Ghoul
- Troile
- Don Nicko Lazzari - Giovanni, Caravelli’s second-in-command, 8th Gen.
- Asshur - Lameth’s Sire
- Brujah
- Augustus Giovanni
- John Thompson - Toreador, Destroyed
- Darrow - Brujah 9th Gen., Agent for Don Caravelli
- “Uglyface” - Nosferatu,
- Etrius
- Mosfair - Tremere, Sabbat Agent
- Amos - Vargoss’s Contact
- Peter Dorfman
- Meerlinda
- Alicia Varney - Justine’s Ghoul, Mage, Anis’ Host
- Stanford Jackson - Alicia’s Servant, Human
- Sumohn - Alicia’s Pet; Black Panther
- Leo Taggert - Ghoul, Died
- Justine Bern - Archbishop of New York, Lasombra, 5th Gen.
- Melinda Galbraith - Cardinal of Mexico City, Missing
- Hugh Portiglio - Tremere Antitribu
- Molly Wade - Malkavian Antitribu
- Violet Tremain - Vanished
- Shawnda Dirrot - Vanished
- Le Clair - Brujah, Unholy Three, 7th Gen., Louis’s Childe
- Jean Paul - Brujah, Unholy Three, 7th Gen., Louis’s Childe
- Dziemianovitch - Tzimisce, 6th Gen., Destroyed
- Baptiste - Brujah, Unholy Three, 7th Gen., Louis’s Childe,
- Louis Margali - Brujah, 9th Gen., Diablerized
- Madame Zorza - Gangrel
- Walter Holmes - Inconnu Monitor
- Vlade Tepes
- Saulot
- Tremere
- Goratrix
- Xavier de Cincao
- Victor Lindsey - Society of Leopold, Bureau Chief
- Junior - Madeleine’s Spy, Human
- Sam Carroll - Madeleine’s Spy, Human,
- Pablo Luis Alvardo Cortina - Madeleine’s Spy, Human
- “Old Man” Adams - Human
- McGraw - Human, Died
- Sergeant Grayson - Human, Died
- Luigi - Brujah 10th Gen.
- Nefertiti
- Seker (Red Death, Count St. Germain)
- Peter Spizzo - Tremere, Blood Bound to Etrius
- Abetorius
- Absimiliard
Terminology[]
1992, 1994, Abyss, Adam, Adam’s Long Haul Parking and Storage, Alamut, Anacostia, Anarch, Andes, Antediluvian, Antitribu, Archbishop, The Army of Night, Asia, Assamites, Assyria, Atlantis, Australia, Austria, Beast, Bishop, Blood Bond, Blood Doll, Blood Guard (Justine’s Shocktroops), Blood Hunt, Bloodline, Blood War, Bowery, Bridge of Sighs, Brood, Brooklyn, Brujah, Buenos Aires, Bulgaria, Caine, Cainite, Caitiff, Camarilla, Capitol Hill, Cardinal, Childe, Children of the Apocalypse (Entertainers), Children of Assur, Children of Dreadful Night, Children of Set, Church, Clan, Club Diabolique, Coney Island, Constantinople, Cour Marley, Crypte Archeologique, Dark Thaumaturgy, Darwin, Deadlands (Club), The Devil’s Playground (Club), Diablerie, Discipline: Body of Fire, Fires of Inferno, Form of Mist, Mask of a Thousand Faces, Materialization, Obfuscate, Temporis; District of Columbia, Doge’s Palace, Domain, Egypt, Eiffel Tower, Eighth Generation, Elder, Embrace, England, Enoch, Europe, Euthanatos, Eve, Fifth Generation, Final Death, The Fingers of Death (Band), Fire Dance, Fledgling, Followers of Set, Fourth Generation, France, Gangrel, Garou, Gehenna, Generation, Geppi’s Restaurant, Ghoul, Giovanni, God, Golconda, Gran Vilaya, Hanoi, Haven, Hellhound, House Tremere, Hudson, Hunger, Île de la Cité, Illinois, Inconnu, Indiana, Inner Council of Seven, Inquisition, Israel, Italy, Justicar, Jyhad, Kentucky, Kindred, Kine, Lasombra, Las Vegas, Lexington, Lilith, Lincoln Memorial, Louvre, Lucifer, Lupine, Luretia, Macdonnell Ranges, Mage, Malagris Keep, Malkavian, Manhattan, Marseilles, Maryland, Masquerade, Masqueraders, The Mausoleum, Memphis, Methuselah, Mexico City, MG Enterprises, Middle East, Monitor, Moscow, Neonate, New Jersey, New York, New York City, Nictuku, North America, Nosferatu, Notre Dame, Oath of Caine, The Octagon House, Pack (VTM), Paladin, Paris, Path of Enlightenment, Path of Evil Revelations, Path of Power and Inner Voice, Pentagon, Perdition Club, Peru, Pontifex, Prince, Prisci/Priscus, Progeny, Prospect Heights Park, Ravnos, Reality, Regent, Retainer, Rome, Russia, Sabbat, Saigon, Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Saint Mark’s Square, Sanctum, Second City, Second Generation, Sect, Seine, Seventh Generation, Sheddim, Sicily, Sire, Society of Leopold, South America, St. Louis, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Switzerland, Tanami Desert, Tenth Generation, Thaumaturgy, Third Generation, Toreador, Torpor, Tradition, Tradition (MTAs), Transylvania, Tremere, True Brujah, “The Twelve”, Tzimisce, Unholy Three, United States, Ur, Varney Enterprises, Vatican, Vampire, Venice, Ventrue, Vienna, Vietnam War, Virginia, Vitae, Washington DC, Washington Navy Yard, Werewolves,
References[]
- ↑ MTAs: Horizon War 3: War in Heaven, p. 375
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