R ECENT E VENTS

2nd - 5th September 1666 The Great Fire. Much of London burns. Many Toreador and Nosferatu are lost, but Clan Brujah suffers worst of all – some five Elders meet Final Death. Her Majesty Ana is attacked near her Haven by an unknown assailant, whom She eventually defeats. The city lies in ruins and the vampire Kingdom is left in chaos.

14th October 1666 Ana slips into Torpor. While She sleeps, Sebastian, in consultation with Julian the Scrivener and the Primogenitors, rules the Kingdom of London. Sir Guillaume’s eldest Childe, one Thomas Carlyle, announces that his new Domain will be within the Brujah fiefdom of Liverpool, as he been disallowed his London Domain by Sebastian upon fleeing the city during The Fire.

6th December 1666 Ana recovers from Torpor. She announces that the rebuilding of the city and the Kingdom should begin immediately, and that from this moment She will be known as the Dove, in commemoration. Clan Tremere offers the use of a Ghoul, one Nicholas Hawksmoor, a gifted architect, in the rebuilding of London.

12th December 1667 Melmoth, Primogen Member for Clan Toreador, is given permission to Sire, that Clan Toreador may flourish once again. Similarly, MacHeath of Clan Brujah is allowed Progeny.

31st October 1688 For the first time since Ana’s accession in 388, the Feast of All Souls is not held, owing to the state of disrepair and confusion that still exists in the Kingdom.

22nd March 1714 Sebastian of the Clan Royal Embraces Admiral Horatio Jellicoe, setting him on the throne of the fiefdom of Dover, in order to quell the Anarch rebellion that has slain the incumbent Prince.

4th July 1717 The Lady Agrippina, Master Mincing, MacHeath and Nicholas Hawksmoor found a small Elysium on the Charing Cross Road for the ‘Wild, Witty and Wicked’ Childer of the Age of Reason. The Elysium is named ‘Lagado’s Chocolate and Coffee House’, and the little Coterie, calling itself the Gallants of Laputa, becomes renowned for the volume and volubility of its opinions.

29th October 1734 A small delegation of Tzimisce Boyarii arrive in London to establish an embassy representing the Oradean League. They are granted permission to hunt in Belgravia and, on leaving the Court, are never seen again.

21st September 1743 The Prince officially opens negotiations with Clan Giovanni of Venice for the establishment of an embassy in the City of London, to the conspicuous reaction of the Kingdoms of Rome, Paris, Rheims and York.

11th September 1759 Mortal streetgang ‘The Mohocks’ attack the Toreador Elysium ‘Les Folies Du Monde’.

20th September 1759 ‘The Mohocks’ attack the Royal Bethlehem Hospital. Pater brings the remains of the group to Court. Two are discovered to be Brujah Ghouls, undeclared before the Prince. Examination proves the culprit to be MacHeath, who escapes Lextalionis through the intervention of his Sire, Sir Guillaume d’Alceras. MacHeath is punished by being forced to drink of the Prince’s blood.

10th May 1762 John Blackthorne goes East to the lands of Burma and Siam. Clan Gangrel forfeits its right to the woods of Brixton, Streatham, Dulwich and Herne Hill. Amidst much confusion, Clan Gangrel put forward Lewis, Childe to the Primogenitor Cador, as a ‘Speaker’ for their Clan. As there is no objection from Cador, the petition is accepted.

3rd August 1764 The Royal Bethlehem Hospital, Haven to the Malkavian Primogenitor Pater, burns down in mysterious circumstances.

1st April 1766 The repair of the Royal Bethlehem Hospital is completed, and Pater returns to his Haven.

6th July 1771 A delegation from Rome, including the Justicar and Archons of Clans Brujah, Toreador and Malkavian meet with the Prince to discuss matters of urgency. The results of the discussion are not known, but the Prince is noted to be in grim temper.

31st October 1788 The Feast of All Souls. John Blackthorne of the Clan Royal returns from the East with his coffers full of riches and wonders to tell. The Court celebrates his success with a night of enjoyments including a performance of ‘The Tempest’ directed and acted in by Orlando of Clan Toreador. David, Lord Soulis, visiting ambassador from Clan Toreador of Edinburgh, was in transports of delight over the performance, claiming that, in all of Europe, the Clan of the Rose could find no peer to the beauty and genius of Orlando. Orlando promises the Court ‘greater ecstasies of art’ for the next Feast. The ambassadors for Clan Giovanni are presented to the Court of the City of London. The Domain given to them is that of Farringdon, previously belonging to Thomas Carlyle of Clan Brujah. MacHeath requests that the territory of Victoria Park to be given to Clan Brujah in reparation. No objection is raised from Cador, Primogenitor for Clan Gangrel, whose Domain traditionally includes the area, and MacHeath’s plea is upheld. An envoy is received from the Prince of Paris, with a private message for Her Majesty. The message is never revealed to the Court, but the envoy is returned to Paris in a casket.

13th July 1789 François Villon, Prince of Paris, snaps into Frenzy. The insanity seems without end, as all Clans flee the Methuselah’s madness except his own brood, who fall thrall, defenceless before the terror of Puppet Mastery. Clan Nosferatu are exterminated without mercy, the remaining few hiding deep below the Cathedral of Notre Dame, appealing to the Lords of the Camarilla to defend their ancient rights. Klaus of the Rhineland, Primogenitor for the Nosferatu Kindred of Paris, fights like a demon, but is eventually forced to flee. Her majesty Ana the Dove is in deep council with her Primogen at this time of turmoil.

17th July 1789 Klaus of the Rhineland appears before Her Majesty Ana the Dove and asks for sanctuary, pledging his allegiance in return. His request is accepted, but his wish to represent Clan Nosferatu as Clan Leader is refused, as Richard III already holds the position. Master Klaus asks if the current Primogenitor would be averse to defending his position in single combat. Richard agrees to this and is suggesting time and place when Master Klaus steps forward and tears Richard’s head and spinal column out of his body. He observes to the Prince that there appears to be an empty seat on the Primogen council for Clan Nosferatu, and asks most humbly if it would be possible for him to fill it. For the first time in many years the Prince laughs, and gives Her agreement. The residue of Richard’s body is destroyed by the Prince’s Ghouls, barring one vertebrae, which Klaus gives to Eliza as a keepsake.

20th July 1789 Uprising of Nosferatu Clans of York, Liverpool, Glasgow and Birmingham against the new Nosferatu Primogenitor. The Justicars for Clans Nosferatu and Tremere come to the Court, meeting the Prince. Klaus of the Rhineland visits these fiefdoms, Sebastian of the Clan Royal accompanying him. Of the warring Kindred to our north, chastisement is meted out only to those of York before rebellion subsides.

24th July 1790 The Justicar for Clan Toreador is received by the Prince in private on her Majesty’s river ship, the Black Isis, and leaves before first light.

31st July 1799 John Blackthorne journeys to the East on his new clipper, ‘The Sea Witch’.

8th September 1800 Orlando of Clan Toreador is first seen to have changed gender, becoming female, to the confusion of the Kingdom.

1st April 1801 Necessè Est travels to Egypt, taking with him the Ghoul Nicholas Hawksmoor.

31st October 1801 Necessè Est returns to London, sans Nicholas Hawksmoor, and with a large obelisk, which he presents to Melmoth and Clan Toreador as a memento.

22nd December 1813 Lewis, Speaker for Clan Gangrel, leaves London to visit the Kingdom of Liverpool. His concerns there regard the mass trials and deportment of hundreds of Luddites, in which trade Thomas Carlyle is thought to be involved. The resulting contratemps has been variously described by the envoys of Liverpool as ‘extremely savage’.

15th June 1815 The Royal Bethlehem Hospital is decimated by fire. The damage is repaired within a few months.

7th July 1828 Nicolai Vasilyitch removes himself from the Muswell Hill Chantry, declaring his independence. His following ‘celebration’ is attended by MacHeath, Edwina Slater and Prudence the Gangrel.

31st October 1830 A mysterious magickal error at the Mayfair Chantry leads to the Regent Dietrich van Der Decken and his minions being forcibly ejected from the building by an unnamed force. Van Der Decken and his Chantry take up residence in the surrounding environs of Berkeley Square.

22nd June 1838 Agassa of Clan Toreador presents herself and her master Ramosa of Thebes, to the Court.

1st August 1838 Melmoth of Clan Toreador steps down from the Primogen Council, resigning that place to the Egyptian, Ramosa of Thebes. The obelisk, later referred to as ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’, is placed on the Embankment at Ramosa’s request.

10th June 1839 A cage of monkeys is ripped apart at Regents Park Zoo. Various other mutilations follow, and much suspicion falls upon Klaus.

30th December 1839 John Blackthorne voyages to China once more as Opium floods into London hospitals. Fights break out on the docksides.

16th January 1840 A mortal streetgang known as ‘The Roaring Boys’ is involved in a running battle with other Kine on the Ratcliffe Highway, killing their opponents. The ferocity and strength of this group in battle suggest strong Kindred involvement. MacHeath makes clear to the Court that this is the group through which he is controlling the negative Kine elements in the East End.

1st May 1840 Ramosa is forbidden to speak by the Prince in a meeting of the Primogen. Agassa is removed from the meeting and Melmoth is given the position of Toreador Primogen Speaker for Ramosa.

12th May 1840 Agassa throws herself into the Thames at dawn. Pater is believed to hold some responsibility for this event, but the matter is not pursued.

11th October 1842 Two Brujah Neonates attempt to lever open the sarcophagus of Ramosa of Thebes. Their bodies are found the following night. On examination each is found to have had their brain entirely removed, and the cartouche of Ramosa is found embossed on the interior of their skulls.

19th June 1845 The second attempt at an Oradean Embassy is established by Radu and Berenice Oradea in Belgravia. It appears to be a success, and no dreadful fate befalls it, as it did the first. 6th April 1846 The Royal Bethlehem Hospital is burnt down. Pater begins hunting in the environs of Waterloo Station.

2nd February 1847 Lady Anne Wilde of the Clan Royal leaves London to continue her scholarly pursuits in Dublin.

12th January 1852 Lady Anne Wilde returns to London.

1st May 1852 Lady Anne Wilde of the Clan Royal and Lili of Clan Toreador hold the first meeting of the Literary Society called ‘The Children of Lir’.

15th May 1852 John Blackthorne returns and presents his oriental servant, Lo-San, to the Court, asking for the right to Ensanguinate. Permission is granted, and the new Ghoul begins to operate the London end of Blackthorne’s ‘Golden Poppy Trail’. Blackthorne sails south to the Africas.

20th September 1861 Cador speaks for the first time in 600 years, at a Primogen meeting when business interests of the Clan Royal require the building of a road through Epping Forest, traditionally the territory of the Eldest Clan. Lord Cador says ‘No’ and the rights of Clan Gangrel are upheld.

27th April 1864 Richard Dadd of the Clan of Malkav is found huddled on the steps of the Strawberry Hill House Haven of Toreador Primogen speaker Melmoth. The Neonate begs for the sanctuary and protection of Melmoth and it is granted. He is now resident in that Knightsbridge Haven.

28th February 1865 Reports of violence among the East End Gangs. Edwina Slater the ‘Roaring Gel’ accuses fellow Childe of Clan Brujah, Greta, of inciting the mortal mobs to attack the pawn shops on the Commercial Road, Whitechapel. The Neonate’s response is unrecorded.

19th - 24th June 1877 Fighting breaks out in Whitechapel, Wapping, Limehouse, Bethnal Green, and along the docksides. ‘The Roaring Boys’ and assorted allies battle the combined forces of the Brujah Reverend William Williams and the Ventrue Meacham Squires. The deaths of two Kindred, two Ghouls and eleven Kine bring about the intervention of the Metropolitan Police. The Prince declares that the fighting will cease, and the conflict dies down.

8th September 1877 An unknown Kindred vaults across the stage at a Toreador funded gala, leaps up into the gallery and appears to breathe fire at the terrified audience. The figure is christened ‘Mr Springheels’ by the Kine.

14th September 1877 ‘Mr Springheels’ leaps through the air at a Bethnal Green music hall, and lands on a nearby railway arch, where the Kine pelt him with stones. He seems to be sporting a tail and ears at the time, and makes the front cover of the London Illustrated News.

17th August 1882 John Blackthorne returns from Africa.

1st December 1883 Countess Riemar the Swan, a daughter of Clan Gangrel from Europe, is presented to the Prince by the Lady Elen. Her plea for sanctuary is accepted.

3rd January 1884 The Lady Destrega leaves London to journey to the East in search of ‘New Magicks’.

19th February 1887 For no known reason, Sir Guillaume d’Alceras attacks Klaus in Council, severely wounding him, and must be restrained by the Prince and Her Ghouls.

8th June 1887 Fabian of Clan Ventrue is shoved into the Thames by Mr Springheels.

13th November 1887 A banned Socialist demonstration goes ahead in Trafalgar Square. The Metropolitan Police attempt to halt it and are fired upon by armed men. Under the orders of Sir Charles Warren the Royal Horse Guards charge, dispersing the crowd, with many casualties. The riot is believed to have been stirred up by anti-Monarchists and Fenian sympathisers.

3rd January 1888 The Lady Destrega returns, with mortal magi in tow, to be formally presented at the Feast of All Souls.

21st June 1888 Mr Andrew Winchester of Clan Gangrel arrives from the New World and presents himself to the Prince. Mr Winchester has visitor’s status at present, and hunts in Gangrel territory, with the permission of Lewis.

21st July 1888 A production of Ruddigore, lit entirely by Electricity, is performed at the Savoy Hotel. This new form of lighting is said to be the joint creation of the Lady Elisabeth St. George of Clan Tremere and Dr Polidori, Ghoul to Francis Dashwood of the Clan Royal.

5th August 1888 Spitalfields Church is attacked by arsonists. The church is saved before great damage is done.

12th August 1888 Three mortals claim to have seen a troop of small green creatures dancing in Kew Gardens. In the same newspaper, an infestation of spectres is claimed at the Old Queen’s House in Greenwich.

14th August 1888 Christchurch is attacked by arsonists. The north wing is burnt down but no other damage is sustained. 22nd August 1888 St Anne’s at Limehouse is attacked by arsonists. The church sustains some damage, but is saved. However, the Reverend William Williams, Childe to Greta of Clan Brujah, meets Final Death in attempting to save his parish church.

25th August 1888 Appearances of ghosts, wraiths, et al are reported across the capital; fairies have been seen in Kensington Gardens, and a mermaid is sighted in the river towards Richmond. Spectral Black Hounds of huge size and glowing eyed beings have been seen all around the areas of Charlton, Plumstead and Greenwich. Seances and table-tapping are suddenly rife among the Kine, and all Kindred are warned to be wary.

7th September 1888 Several large meat markets in the East End complain that in some strange manner the legs of many cattle have been neatly removed, and the animals have to be destroyed.

29th September 1888 Two mortals are discovered murdered in the East End. Written on a wall nearby are the words, ‘The Juwes are the Men who will not be blamed for nothing’. Among the Kine, the term ‘Juwes’ refers to the Freemasons, a group of Kine long under the influence of Clan Tremere. Sir Charles Warren, Ghoul to Sebastian, removes the declaration, but too late for the Kine to stay unaware, and the phrase becomes general currency.

30th September 1888 Information on the events of the previous eve is given to the Court. The murders seem to be a continuance of some similar matter among the Kine, wherein two other females have also been destroyed in a vicious and depraved manner. The writing on the wall is a clear indication of Kindred involvement or understanding at some level. The culprit - nicknamed by the Kine ‘Leather Apron’ or ‘Jack the Ripper’ – is determined to have broken the Masquerade and Her Majesty Ana the Dove orders Lextalionis upon him.

1st October 1888 Lo-San, Ghoul to John Blackthorne, meets with Captain Ravenhurst, whose patron is the Lady Destrega, and after a spectacular display of coloured lights, the two part in silence.

24th October 1888 The Duke of Clarence is seen fleeing from the Cleveland Street brothel owned by Master Mincing of Clan Nosferatu. Reports claim that a fracas occurred in which the Duke showed more than mortal strength. He has not been seen since.

30th October 1888 Richard Dadd, Childe of Pater, discovers a Kindred wandering the Waterloo area. He determines this to be Nicholas Hawksmoor, once Ghoul to Necessè Est, and takes him to visit Pater in order to ask if this is a new Malkavian Childe. Pater simply laughs.

31st October 1888 The Feast Of All Souls