The Elegy (Vampire: The Requiem)

Every once in a great while someone has an idea in the world of the Kindred that is just so good that it’s undeniable. 
Take  Lawrence Van Doren for example. He was Embraced Ventrue because his family was rich and they expected he had what it took to make it among the Invictus. 

   He didn’t. Not at first. Not really.  He was actually too full of the milk of human kindness and his political and religious leanings were progressive and agnostic. Sure, he was bright and certainly personable but he kept screwing up.

    What they did not count on was this. Many of his screw ups were somewhat calculated. Obviously, there were things like Diablerie that were beyond the pale, of course, but the kind of screw up that would have to be cleaned up in-house were the sorts of things that Lawrence did.  It was his way of learning how far was too far and what you could get away with. It taught him quite a bit about the psychology of his covenant mates into the bargain.

Lawrence is a thinks deep. And for someone rich, he’s unafraid of hard work.  It’s mainly because his family made their money in hotels, motels and resorts and “Little Larry” was picking up pocket money for housekeeping and yard work as soon as he could do it. When he was Embraced, he had 4 full-service hotels of his own. His family has many MANY more.

So, Lawrence began thinking. Obviously, there is a need for vampires to have a secure place to stay when traveling. But hotels and motels and the like are incredibly unsafe and porous.  Not to mention, it would be prohibitively expensive to put all the 2nd and 3rd shift staff on the payroll so they’d keep their mouths shut. and even if you could manage it, It wouldn’t be comfortable for the undead guest at all. How can you day sleep in a cold bathtub, half expecting housekeeping to come barging in and opening the bathroom door letting in all that pesky sunlight? It’s not as if you can paint all the windows without someone noticing.  They’ll either assume you’re cooking meth or something equally unsavory.

Then he hit on an answer. He liquidated his resources, gave a somewhat convoluted story to his family about needing to disappear into the witness protection program. (So he could break ties with them in a non-hurtful way, but still inherit down the line.) and then he disappeared.  He also fell off the radar at the local Elysium. There were questions of course, but he’d shared his plan with his astonished sire and she stood up in front of court and stated categorically and for the record that he was working on a project and that NO, he was not, in fact, going Carthian, Brood, or becoming a member of VII or anything tasteless like that.

In a years time. he returned to announce the opening of “The Elegy.”

The Elegy is a hotel specifically designed for vampires.  The rise of digital technology has led to a number of places that process old school chemical-based film going entirely out of business. These laboratories are very often entirely light tight. They are built without windows and many of the doors going in and out of the places are shrouded or possess a phone booth like vestibule. Even those that possess a loading dock are well-shrouded in order to keep out the light.  Lawrence bought a number of these structures. The largest being in the Hollywood area. He extensively remodeled them and turn them into comfortable accommodations for vampires visiting Los Angeles. At the Grand Opening of the original “Elegy” in L.A. visiting vampires...visiting harpies even could not say enough nice things about the place and in one stroke erased his troubled fledgling-hood and endeared himself to the Prince.

In fact, He’s created 4 other Elegy’s in large urban areas. He gets bank loans on the fact that there are still certain types of media that require this sort of development and there is a vast market for places where digital technology hasn’t penetrated completely. With some Invictus help, he’s managed to fake up a film development consortium that covers most of Asia and Africa. On paper, they cover the development of 96.4% of the media that requires these processes. It’s all bullshit of course, but since the company isn’t publicly traded, who exactly is going to check? and how?

The Elegy is staffed entirely by blood dolls and ghouls chosen for their extreme discretion. The front desk staff is trained in auspex and they pride themselves on anticipating their guest needs. The portage staff and the maid service make good money, so they are a little disappointed if they are tipped in currency as opposed to the odd playful nip. 

Those Elegies that have a loading bay may receive coffins and a tiny Transport and Logistics concern has grown up in order to move parties of kindred back and forth across the nation. In fact, if you’re nervous about the trip. The Coffins can be opened via keypad access and locked securely from the inside.  They can also be filled with flame retardant gel for an additional fee.

Most of the Elegies feature a blood-warm pool and a pleasant bar area. The Hotel normally has an arrangement with either the local stockyards or multiple hog farms in the local area to keep lightly chilled pig’s blood on hand at all times. (The holidays can get a bit tricky.)  The Bar is also stocked with various forms of Lacrima, Forbes Mill and Calvino Brothers wine.   The manager of the bar also may have stock of lightly relaxing drug additives that may be added to your animal blood.  He or she will also have a list of carefully vetted prostitutes from a local service that is willing to turn up on short notice. Just in case, you don’t feel like hunting.

The rooms are tastefully appointed but there are some basic differences from an ordinary room. There’s wifi of course, but the hotel also features an actual bookstore. just in case you don’t go in for that stuff. There’s no kitchen area because there is no need of one for most guests. Ghouls are encouraged to stay off-site. There’s no kitchen on the premises. However, the Concierge is most adept at acquiring delivery until late in the evening.  The rugs are heavily scotch guarded and most patrons are asked not to bring just ANYONE through the doors of the establishment. But still, occasional accidents happen. The rooms are well soundproofed and the concierge will arrange for the removal of a corpse if you should happen to get too frisky. (Naturally, you’ll be in hock to Mr. Van Doren for the privilege.) The LA Elegy has a nearby underground parking structure and a keypad access that allows a connection to the loading dock.  The water pressure in the showers is quite good as well.  Wake-up calls are obviously not necessary, but you should schedule the time that you plan to be out of your room so that housekeeping can tidy up for you.  The HK staff prides itself on NEVER barging in. Also, They’re scared shitless of what might happen to them if they do.

Over the course of time, the operation has expanded just a bit. Some of the Elegies, but not all of them, even possess an in-house “kennel” for housing animal ghouls and other less identifiable creatures.

The whole works are protected by Mystical wards procured from local practitioners in exchange for prestation. Additionally, the Guestbook you sign is an Invictus contract enjoining you from hunting with a 10 block radius or engaging in violence (Except self-defense) while on the premises.  It is known that the violation of this contract means Harpy censure, City-wide ostracism, and in some cases, Aggravated damage.

Lawrence Van Doren is doing very well now. He makes as much money at his concern as he did with his old assets and he has a portfolio of Prestation now that is truly breathtaking. (It’s a trivial boon to be allowed to stay there at all.

No one thinks he’s a doomed fledgling now.