Carnival of Death

Carnival of Death
Location:	Santa Monica
Reward:	3 EXP Optionally: Masquerade Redemption Humanity Gain
Type:	Side Quest

Carnival of Death is a quest available in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.

Acquisition

The quest is received by reading one of several newspapers. The first one can be found right after the tutorial in the hallway of the Pawnshop Lodgings.

Walkthrough

Brief

1. Head for the Santa Monica Pier
2. Go up the ramp and down the pier to inspect the corpse
3. Do the A Bounty for the Hunter quest in order to get the Mudd Hunt quest
4. Head Downtown (only possible after completing a major part of Explosive Beginning)
5. Enter the Skyeline Apartments
6. Listen to the answering machine on the second floor
7. Leave the building
8. Head down the street until you reach the Last Round
9. Enter the warehouse across the street
10. Ask the bum what happened 1 (optionally use a social feat for Masquerade Redemption)
11. Collect the keycard next to the corpse
12. Head for Hollywood (only possible after completing Patron of the Ancient Arts)
13. Enter the Luckee Star Motel
14. Open the door to the last room on the left side using the keycard
15. Pick up the business card on the dresser
16. Go back to Santa Monica
17. Enter the Brothers Salvage junkyard
18. Traverse the junkyard until the conversation with the killer begins
19. Either sympathize with the killer and persuade (7) him to stop murdering people for a Humanity Gain or simply engage and kill him 2
20. Quest Complete

Detailed

After first obtaining the quest by reading the newspaper found in the hallway of the Pawnshop Lodgings head for the beach through the staircase parking garage. Once there enter the pier by going up the stairs and follow it all the way down until you reach the crime scene. Next pick up and complete the A Bounty for the Hunter quest from Arthur Kilpatrick in order to get the Mudd Hunt quest which is heavily intertwined with Carnival of Death.

Once enough story progress has been done, specifically after blowing up the warehouse during Explosive Beginning, take the cab in order to reach Downtown. Once there head for the Skyeline Apartments (which will also hold a haven if the fledgling is in good standing with the prince). Enter Muddy's apartment on the second floor either by picking the lock (lockpicking level 5 required) or entering it through the vents which can be both accessed from the ground floor or any other apartment. Once there, listen to the answering machine to hear a message from an eerie caller. The caller told Muddy to meet him at a warehouse across some bar. The bar in question is the Last Round, so leave the building and head all the way down the street to the left until you reach it, then turn right to find an abandoned warehouse just across the street. Enter it to discover the scene of another brutal murder. First ask the bum what happened. 1 Optionally use a social feat or dominate him to convince him to keep the things he just witnessed to himself for a Masquerade Redemption. Next climb up the boxes to reach the upper floor without touching the fire. Approach the mutilated corpse and pick up the keycard lying next to it.

Once enough story progress has been made, specifically the completion of Patron of the Ancient Arts, use the cab to reach Hollywood. Once there, enter the Luckee Star Motel, head through the double doors, up either stairs and reach the last room on the left side. Enter it using the keycard found before and witness Muddy's brutal murder. Pick up the Brothers Salvage business card on the dresser.

Next head back to Santa Monica by using a cab and enter the Brothers Salvage junkyard located next to the oil tank where Bertram Tung is hiding. Carefully traverse the junkyard, avoiding the wrecked cars and other objects thrown by the killer. When the killer sets a large area on fire avoid it by squeezing between the wall and some stacked cars on the right side. A few moments later you finally meet the killer in person and a conversation begins. Either be sympathetic towards the killer and persuade (7) him to stop murdering people for a Humanity Gain or engage and kill him to complete the quest, earning 2 either way.

Quest Log

Quest Log Updated: Upon receiving quest. Gruesome remains were found on the Santa Monica pier. Perhaps you should look into this.
Quest Log Updated: After going to the pier: You saw the murder scene on the pier, but weren't able to find out anything significant about the killer, except that the killing was very brutal, vicious and beast-like.
Quest Log Updated: Upon viewing Milton's body. You talked to a bum inside an abandoned warehouse, the scene of the latest grisly murder. The bum witnessed the killing and told you the killer grew claws and ripped the victim apart while saying something about "revenge".
Quest Log Updated: Picked up the card in the Lucky Star motel: You found a business card from Brothers Salvage in Santa Monica at the latest murder scene.
Quest Log Updated: Upon completion (if the serial killer is destroyed): You have killed the killer, thus ending his reign of terror. And protecting the Masquerade to boot. Quest Complete
Quest Log Updated: Upon completion (if the serial killer is convinced to stop): You have convinced the serial killer to give up his quest for vengeance now that the killers his family are all dead. Quest Complete

Notes

• The serial killer, tagged as the Southland Slasher, can be found and spoken to at the Surfside Diner in the initial portion of the game, although none of his dialogue options yield any useful information or rewards.
• The 2 experience points earned by witnessing Muddy's murder at the Luckee Star Motel are actually a reward for completing Mudd Hunt rather than progress in the Carnival of Death quest.
• It should be noted, that even if the Southland Slasher can't be persuaded to stop killing, simply attempting to convince him will net the Fledgling a Humanity gain, even if he refuses to change his ways.