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[corporeity]

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[corporeity]

As can be expected, indeed.
But of course, Giles.

[ripher]

You've been rather caught up in the investigations. Do you still suspect vampire involvement? Or the presence of some supernatural being?

[corporeity]

I’m afraid I do, yes. By sheer numbers, the vampires are like to have one amongst their number, similar to the Yellowjackets and the superheroes.

If it comes to light we caught but one wolf this vote, I believe that wolf to be Shauna and not August. And that aside, I do not believe one wolf — in this case, August — would be responsible for nearly every aspect of the murders, from the compulsion to the cauterisation to the runes and canine at the scene (which did not, in fact, attack any this round; a curiosity, to be sure, one that leads me to believe it was a shapeshifter and not a summon).

The compulsion, in particular, points to a vampire, when few witches have admitted the skill. And if we’ve werewolves among us, they’ve wisely gone quiet.

[ripher]

Werewolves don't tend to compel their prey. They are beasts, animals, when they're transformed. A vampire is far more likely to toy with their victim. But I don't recall any sense of compulsion in whoever attacked me, only hunger. And violence. I've been thinking about it and I believe it could be that we need to look for a creature who has aspects of both. A shapeshifter, as you said.

I've heard there are some powerful vampires here. Are you familiar with them?

[corporeity]

A harrowing experience, Giles, but perhaps your insights will prove vital to catching a true wolf. Or two wolves, in fact.

And so we seek a shapeshifter, who attacked you, and likely a vampire (or another capable of compulsion), who attacked Paul. There is much talk that a vampire would not “waste” the latter’s blood but it was not wasted — it was meticulously drained and collected. Louis and Armand both have offered my Astarion “delicacies”, created with preserved blood.

If we believe a Diamond attacked you, that narrows the field — that except I cannot name a shapeshifter amongst their dwindling number.

For the vampires, Louis, Lestat, and Armand are powerful creatures. They name their progeny fledglings, for they inherit their skills. Similarly, Klaus and Caroline have powers of compulsion. Good Stab… I could not say.

It is not so for Astarion, whose maker can only create Spawn, incapable of wielding the same powers as their vampiric master, cursed by both hunger and obedience.

[ripher]

Unfortunately, I don't think we can fully discount him. If the master of the wolves could drive him with that hunger, we can assume he would succumb to it like the others of his kind. Spike, too, could be similarly compelled, though in terms of other powers he's somewhat useless. A hungry vampire is quite vicious, after all.

[corporeity]

You misunderstand me. He has no powers of compulsion, which is our only reason to think a vampire was involved, and so he should be discounted on those grounds.

Additionally, if you believe a vampire and not a shapeshifter attacked you, I again point to the Diamond rumour, suggesting you look towards Armand, Caroline, and Spike.

[ leave astarion out of this or perish. ]

[ripher]

[ Quietly circling Astarion in his notes. ]

I've been attacked by vampires before. It didn't feel like a vampire. The scale of the injuries suggest a frenzied nature. I don't suppose anyone found the attacker's clothes anywhere? It must have been quite a mess.