[WIR] Beckett's Jyhad Diary - The Big book of Metaplot

[Athanasius]

No connection there, and she was written before the newest version of the show was announced. I took Serenna from VTES and gave her cats because very few vampires seem to have pets.

Seriously? Well, I would have a hard time buying that - just look at that: https://pmctvline2.files.wordpress.c...nale.jpg?w=620 - but I know how these things happen in a creative process.
I think animals have a hard time liking vampires...

[CTPhipps]

Seriously? Well, I would have a hard time buying that - just look at that: https://pmctvline2.files.wordpress.c...nale.jpg?w=620 - but I know how these things happen in a creative process.
I think animals have a hard time liking vampires...

I don't even think they look that similar. Blonde and attire do not Sabrina equal.

Besides, Beckett's Jyhad Diary=January of 2018

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina=October.

Unless you mean you think she's similar to Melissa Joan Hart or the comic.

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

Beckett's Jyhad Diary was published in January of 2018. The first season the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina appeared in October of 2018 - nine months later. BJD would have been published before the first trailers for CAoS even dropped - which is to say the BJD art had been created and approved a year or more year before CAoS even appeared on the scene.

[Bluecho]

I mean, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was originally a comic book before it was (loosely) adapted to TV. And that comic was based on...well, the Sabrina the Teenage Witch comics put out by Archie for years now. If BJD was cribbing from anything Sabrina, it's more likely to be the original comics, not even the horror one. Which I doubt. "White haired lady" is hardly a novel concept.

[CTPhipps]

Chapter Twenty-Five: Dreams and Nightmares

Hesha gets Beckett a plane to get him out of a disastrous mission gone wrong in Istanbul.



Beckett proceeds to head to the Villa de Prospero in the Cayman Islands. The Caymen Islands are the domain of a mysterious man named Prospero. Prospero is apparently the Brujah Infernalist Ameirin in the Tome of Secrets. He is also not your typical Infernalist in that he doesn't seem to hold any malevolence, is very helpful to our heroes, and also lends refuge to many misfit Cainites (some of whom don't deserve any refuge). It's also possible he's a member of the Baali clan, Others believe him to be a Salubri or a member of the Inconnu. Given the Inconnu use demonic magic, are seekers of Golconda, and the connection between the Baali/Salubri or ability to join the former--it's possible he's multiple examples of the above.

My own theory? A Molochian Baali who may be seeking other ways to deal with keeping the Infernal from destroying the world than just engaging in child sacrifice over the sleeping Earthbound.

Much of the chapter is actually lacking action and consists of Beckett dealing with Prospero while possessing the torporous form of Sascha Vykos. Beckett was wounded with a Baali weapon during his escape from Istanbul and it requires surgery to remove a gestating monstrous thing growing inside him (possibly with Prospero's Dark Thaumaturgy also needed to save Beckett from it).

I'm going to say Prospero is probably one of the more memorable and personable characters in the book, having most of the chapter to establish his personality as well as peculiar brand of dry humor. After he removes Beckett's demon-baby from his body, Prospero then gives a short summary of Constantinople's history as well as that of the Trinity. It's an entertaining summary because it's clear Prospero is not impressed with Constantinople, "The Dream", or the love triangle of Antonius, Michael, and the Dracon.

Vykos then emerges from the bodybag they've been inside and have undergone a remarkable metamorphosis (no pun intended). The irony being that they do NOT look like an enormous golden ant anymore but a "normal" (albeit idealized) human visage. Prospero helps them heal and a very amazing snark-fest occurs between three individuals of very-very dry wit. Beckett explains Vykos and he had an encounter with Mary the Black. Mary is alive and carrying around the spirit of Michael the Methuselah within her. Prospero makes a joke about how much commonality exists between Vykos and Beckett, which I agree with. They really are Indiana Jones and Belloq--except they're both Belloq. Cesare makes some fun transcript notes like "horrified pause" when Prospero says they should just fuck and get it over with.

Mary is attempting to develop a new Trinity with Vykos as the Dracon but that seems to have been prevented. There's a Baali pit under Hagia Sophia, which seems like a really shitty place to put it given it's predominance as one of the great centers of Faith in the world (strangely, also a place for frequent Cult of Ectasy orgies according to the Book of Chantries).

Prospero decides to help them againt this group by helping Beckett temporarily fake his death, modifying his plane, and encouraging them to work together.

Adventures

This is the chapter dealing with the city of Constantinople in the Modern Nights, which is an interesting thing because I was of the mind that the plotline of Constantinople was resolved. It's a Dark Ages storyline that is being updated by literally something akin to a 1000 years, that had already reached a conclusion. I'm not sure how I feel about that, especially since there is not ONE reference to the song "Istanbul not Constantinople" by They Might Be Giants.

The big change is to Vykos as the removal of the Dracon is implied to be something that will have a profound change about their character. This has been discussed on other forums and some have speculated this will relate to Vykos becoming less of a character who is meant to revolt others and more of a traditionally evil genius vampire. Given they are the most prominent trans and non-binary character in the game, I find that a very good change. Then again, I've never much cared for the "freakish EVIL" Tzimisce hottake. I feel like alien Necroscope vampires just don't really fit with the setting as written. Having it all be because of the Dracon's influence would be a sensible excuse for making changes to Vykos' personality while keeping them a terrifying genius and dire enemy for PCs (plus potential ally).

What do I think of the Third Trinity that is being set up in Istanbul? Honestly, I'm not overtly impressed with the concept. There's a lot of, "Neonates and younger vampires possessed by much older vampires they've diablerized" in this book. As much as I like the character of Mary the Black, she's still "just" a Baali and out to bring about hell on Earth. That's fine for a season ender of Buffy but will never be that particularly interesting of a plotline. I'm also not sure that even in-universe that Michael's attempts to create the Trinity and rule over Constantinople was never anything more than a Toreador 4th generation satisfying his own immense vanity rather than something spiritual.

I do find it funny that Bruce Dylan, who looks like a rockstar is someone both Michael and Mary want to incorporate in their polyamorous sex-cult.

Prospero is probably the most interesting character in this section and could easily be a patron of the PCs that could send them on adventures to prevent the End of the WorldTM while also being entirely untrustworthy. His interactions with Beckett and Vykos while also possessing demonic powers make him a very fascinating charatcter. Does he suffer remorse for selling his soul long ago and if so, to who?

Thoughts

I think the Constantinople plotline probably should have remained in the past personally because it is a story that already has a beginning, middle, and end. This is a bit hypocritical, I admit, because Carthage is still a lingering storyline among Kindred and it's a thousand years further in the past than the sacking of Byzantium by the Fourth Crusade (as well as the Giovanni--who are perfect substitutes for the RL parties involved). Mind you, I kind of wish the Giovanni had their role in the sacking of Carthage spelled out more but that wasn't where the writers chose to go with that.

I should note that I actually did use Mary the Black and Michael in my games, but I did a non-canon version of the characters. In my games, Michael was never a separate character of himelf and was actually the Brujah Methusaleh Menele. I had him as the party responsible for Constantinople because the idea of it being a "Second Carthage" appealed to me. In this scenario, Mary was still trying to get revenge on Menele by 2019.
Just a side note.

(I can't help but think Critias would spend much of his time in Constantinople as it was the Greek intellectual and financial capital of the world for a while)

Really, my favorite part of this chapter is definitely Prospero and his interactions with the other characters.

[Zorin001]

This was one of the chapters I was most looking forward to, but I ended up a bit underwhelmed in all honesty. It hints at more but it doesn't pull the curtain back enough to be fully satisfactory.

I get the impression that Michael/Mary have cut the Dracon out of Vykos so that the Dracon can be reborn and take his place as the second of the new trinity, that leaves the 3rd space open of course.

I agree on Prospero being the best thing about this chapter and I'll definitely be using him in the future.

All in all I'm a bit disappointed with this one, especially since Constantinople by Night is one of my favourite Vampire books of all time and began a lifelong interest in the Byzantine Empire, like you I feel there were more interesting places to go than an inverted Trinity.

EDIT: With Vykos so involved in this chapter I would have maybe gone for a reconstituted Cult of Gesu as the focusz but that's personal preference.

I'm glad we've gone from androgynous monster Sacha Vykos to a more subtle and reflective Myca Vykos, we will see more of that in a.later chapter and they are a more interesting character for it.

[Reasor]

I'm also not sure that even in-universe that Michael's attempts to create the Trinity and rule over Constantinople was never anything more than a Toreador 4th generation satisfying his own immense vanity rather than something spiritual.

That’s always been my read on it as well. The whole Trinity concept would have been an awfully shocking blasphemy to ask all those faithful and penitent Cainites to get behind without throwing the effects of Industrial Strength Toreador Presence at them. I think that when you read the words of a Kindred who misses the Dream of Constantinople in the modern nights, you’re reading a vampire who misses the last time they were compelled to feel anything that strongly. For every vampire who was outside the Trinity and looking in, it was all about being mesmerized by Michael’s terawatt smile.

Now that I think about it, this probably does a lot to explain why sufficiently old Brujah miss Carthage the way they do. They miss the way proximity to Troile made them feel. One could easily imagine Mary/Michael’s new Trinity cult quickly dividing Cainites into “but what if it works this time” versus “aww, not this shit again” camps, based largely on exposure to cult elders’ Presence and the ability to resist it. The inevitable recruiters coming to town could make for a fun story.

[CTPhipps]

That’s always been my read on it as well. The whole Trinity concept would have been an awfully shocking blasphemy to ask all those faithful and penitent Cainites to get behind without throwing the effects of Industrial Strength Toreador Presence at them. I think that when you read the words of a Kindred who misses the Dream of Constantinople in the modern nights, you’re reading a vampire who misses the last time they were compelled to feel anything that strongly. For every vampire who was outside the Trinity and looking in, it was all about being mesmerized by Michael’s terawatt smile.

Well said,

There's another element that isn't addressed in the book that Mary the Black isn't Mar-ri-ah. Mar-ri-ah died millennium ago and had her body filled with a succubus that possessed all of her memories, before being sent as a weapon against Michael. In Demon: The Fallen terms, she was a Defiler with a possessed body (i.e. not Earthbound) and low Legacy. Which, in simple terms, means she's a demon that remembers being Mary more than she remembers being, I dunno, Gulfora's sister.

I don't know what the rules were for vampires who were possessed then Embraced but that's Mary's situation in a nutshell. It also adds another layer of weird to the whole thing as she's an ACTUAL goddess stuck with a vampire who THINKS he's a god. It's even weirder because Mary the Black's demon canonically is still a demon and ate one of her superiors in the Baali's demonic masters, becoming even more powerful in the process. Notably, the Decani could be the same demons that include the master of Montreal.

https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Mary_the_Black

[Reasor]

I now badly want “Mary and Michael are having another go at Moloch’s and Troile’s experiment and you can clearly see how doomed it is until they put the Whammy on you” to be a significant thing in V5.

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

There will be more later, but for now;
A. Prospero depicted in the art in the book looks a great deal like Terrance Stamp - so I read all of his dialogue with Stamp's voice.
B. I presume "Prospero" has an "Ariel" in his service - and possibly a "Calaban" as well.
C. Vitel would make a fine addition to the New Trinity, if he doesn't have to be in Istantbul.

[CTPhipps]

There will be more later, but for now;
A. Prospero depicted in the art in the book looks a great deal like Terrance Stamp - so I read all of his dialogue with Stamp's voice.
B. I presume "Prospero" has an "Ariel" in his service - and possibly a "Calaban" as well.
C. Vitel would make a fine addition to the New Trinity, if he doesn't have to be in Istantbul.

I imagine they might try to recruit Mithras as another resurrected Kindred but he's unlikely to want anything to do with these nutjobs.

[Jargal]

A. Prospero depicted in the art in the book looks a great deal like Terrance Stamp - so I read all of his dialogue with Stamp's voice.

It's one of most strange part of the chapter for me. Beckett describe Prospero: "He rose and straightened to his full, impressive height, all windswept dark auburn hair" - but the image does not look at all like a description.

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

Prospero will show you a damned good time

There is a joke in the Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy series where there is a popular alien sport – the fans are always stuck outside the stadium, knowing there are good shots going on which they cannot see. They just missed the awesome thing.

This chapter has some of that vibe going on – we just missed Beckett and Vykos (who hate each other) going on an adventure in Constantinople Istanbul, traipsing through the sewers and having a run in with horrifically dangerous infernalists. It all happened off screen and isn’t that funny?

Also, I suspect the bickering of the two is why the Baali detected them and were able to chase them off. Like, Mary and the others working with her watch Vykos and Beckett on a magic security system until they get bored of it, and only then attack the pair.

I must disagree with CTPhipps and a few other here. I do not mind the return of the Trinity, specifically because it has not returned. Not yet anyway. This gives the PC - neonates, ancilla or elders – a chance to say “Oh, no, not this shit again” and to intervein in some manner. Vykos might support this role, given recent developments with the character. Even if they would never admit to as much. There will be more on this below.

Prospero is the standout feature to the chapter. His actions contrast nicely with those of Vykos and Beckett. Prospero, with grace and apparently little effort, works dangerous magic and directs his team. By comparison, Beckett usually manages to offend every single person he encounters, and only manages his ghoul because of blood addiction. And at least until this chapter, Vykos was ridiculous in their over-the-top Evil nature. Prospero’s statement of “You’re both adorable” is more dismissive of the two than him asking them if they want to hate-fuck.

Like Hazimel, Prospero possesses so much confidence, power, and wickedness, that he does not need to smash things or people to establish his “street cred.” After all, Prospero is providing a haven to Lambach, someone directly connected to the Tzimisce Founder. That takes chutzpah.

As a subtext, Prospero’s removal of the demonic tumour-foetus from Beckett probably mirrors the removal of Dracon from Vykos by Mary the Black.

In terms of the timeline, this chapter falls after Azhi Dahaka and False Caine, but before Drowning Rasputin and Omega. At some point Beckett visited the Caymans, spoke with Lambach prior to his trip to New York and also visited Prospero. It was possibly at this time, Prospero told Beckett not to visit Constantinople Istanbul.

Then, in Constantinople Istanbul;

Vykos: So, apparently, we must work on this together, in order to succeed. It is not as though you were warned off such an endeavour, were you?
Beckett: …
Beckett: …
Beckett: …
Beckett: No.
Vykos: Well, I’ve never known you to lie to me…

The pair heads into dark tunnel, outside of which is a sign reading “Baali inside.” “Baali” has been crossed out and “free cookies” written below it.

Vykos

I am ambivalent with the presentation of Vykos here, but what there is a lot of potential to what the character might become based on events in this book. Too often Vykos comes across as a cartoon villain as designed by Stan Winston. They might grow past that based on events in BJD.

A New Trinity

Michael makes entreaties to Cainite philosophers in efforts to find a vampire who was destroyed and rose again. Michael will rebuild his Dream in Constantinople, or wherever he discovers his Holy Spirit.

1 + 1 + 1 = 3.

Dracon is accounted for, as it Mary-Michael. But what about the third?

I think it is Vitel.

Both Vitel and the original Michael thought highly of the Roman Empire, and sought to preserve it or recreate it. Mary-Michael seeks a “vampire who was destroyed and rose again.” Vitel was destroyed and rose again. Both Vitel and Mary-Michael have grand (deluded) visions of the future. Mary wants to see the world burn. And Vitel is willing to set it afire to deal with his enemies.

And apparently, there is nothing to keep Mary-Michael, and Dracon, in Constantinople Istanbul.

So why should they not move to Washington D.C. ?

[Reasor]

I would have chosen Anatole or Victoria Ash, if only for the joke that they died in novels only to rise again when they had their deaths retconned with the launch of V20.

[CTPhipps]

There's also Monty Coven, as mentioned. You could also have them grab Hardestadt out of a misunderstanding. Ilias and other Tzimisce are similarly resurrected. Hopefully, they're not stupid enough to try to grab Cappadocius.

But really, I think they are misinterpreting things.

The Trinity should be Three in One.

Ergo, Mary the Black, Michael, and the Dracon inside Mary's body.

Already completed.