Tensions rise as the coterie navigates a tangled web of politics, intrigue, and supernatural threats. Katherine meticulously catalogs the Giftenshrank, while Jardani fends off an enigmatic werewolf attacker in the Night Market. A burned Salubri is discovered, fueling speculation about a hidden conflict. Meanwhile, Dragon reemerges, wounded and shaken, revealing he smuggled Salubri warriors into the city to strike at the Tremere, only for one to succumb to mind control and self-immolate. Discussions of revenge, independence, and the looming presence of a wooden monstrosity ensue. At the Three Kings Tavern, Dalibor and Zemislav gamble with a Ventrue who hints at fractures in the prince’s court and warns of an impending raid. Gregory, a well-connected Kindred, shares unsettling tales of faith-driven vampire hunters and offers an alliance. The episode closes with an intriguing proposition—removing a problematic innkeeper through a high-stakes card game.

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