A summary of the May gathering of Newcastle's Kindred.

With both Prince Black and Keeper Smith absent from court things got off to rocky start as Sheriff Alexander checked people in and the visiting dignitaries looking lost with no official presence to address. However, things soon settled into the usual pattern as kindred shared gossip and schemed. There was a little disturbance caused by Dr. Lawson brining a rat into the Elysium, which seemed to attract the attention of more of its kind. After a few vermin were chased from the premises there was a slight disturbance caused by the creatures massing and dancing in fractal patterns on the entrance steps. They dispersed however when Sheriff Alexander finally got fed up and beheaded Dr. Lawson's rat.

The resulting quiet did not last long as a spectral figure entered the building and tried to make contact with Sheriff Alexander. Although as the Taoist monk seemed unable to be heard in this plane of existence so left in disgust. He returned shortly afterwards with a letter written in Chinese which took the gathered kindred some time to interpret as a request to locate something to stop some random cult. Things were further complicated when it was observed that the exit to the Elysium now lead to a dense forest that the occult experts present identified as Arcadia. Sheriff Alexander ventured out into the hostile and sunlit terrain followed by a few of the braver kindred. Apparently he had a short encounter with a shadow demon that ended up possessing him. At least that was the tale told when his unconscious body was brought back into the court. After some time he recovered from this state claming to have defeated the demon in an internal battle and spat out a terracotta tile that had somehow ended up in his mouth. Apparently the item was part of a hexagram that ties in with the cult the monk had mentioned earlier, however no detail was gone into and most people still seem somewhat confused by it all.

As if that was not enough, the fact that the exit now once again led to the streets of Newcastle was announced by the arrival of a mortal at the court demanding to speak to the Prince. It seemed he had been commanded by Arcus Masterton to deliver a message giving the kindred seven months notice that he intends to take over the domain. At this message Sheriff Alexander stuck a sword through the man's chest in a fit or rage. When he was admonished for this act he sired the corpse, leading to further complaints as this action was clearly taken without the Prince's consent. Amidst this argument the evening came to and end with various parties leaving in various states of annoyance and a freshly made catatonic kindred being escorted out by the infamous Sheriff.