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Role Playing Games => Drakilian's Games => Vampire The Masquerade => Topic started by: Drakilian on April 27, 2015, 10:10:07 pm
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Chapter 2: Venetian Nights
In August of 1198 the young Pope Innocence III called for a new Crusade to recapture the Holy Sepulcher. The Angevin Kings of England and Capetian Kings of France were once again at war with one another even as the others contended for the recently vacant German thrown.
By 1200 it became clear that it would be lesser Counts who would take up the cross, and they did. Even without the Great Kings of Europe the Crusade became inevitable, the Counts declaring that they would take Egypt by sea.
In 1201 the Counts: Thibald of Champagne, Louis of Blois, Baldwin of Flanders and his brothers Henry and Eustace sent six delegates to Venice to broker a deal to allow the crusaders to use the floating City as a jumping off point. The aged Doge of the city, Enrico Dandolo, accepted them willingly and made a deal, he would taxi the crusaders for a fair price, which was to be paid upon their arrival and would lend fifty armed galleys in exchange for half of the crusade’s prize. Little did he know that the delegates had lied, seriously inflating the number of crusaders that had taken up the cross. The pope, unaware of the deception sanctified the arrangement. These events would alter the course of the crusade irrevocably.
When the Doge learned the truth the Crusaders were already in the city. Seeing that the numbers present did not constitute more than a fraction of what were promised Dandolo was furious. He’d spent a great deal of money preparing for the battle that was to come, and was unwilling to forgive the Crusader’s debt.
Seeing the opportunity for what it was Dandolo demanded that the crusaders repay them, at a later date, in plunder, allowing the crusaders the delay that they so desperately needed for the price of a small favor...
It is in Venice that our Conspiracy finds itself. The Cainites who would use the Crusaders to further their own goals are in deliberations to determine the course of the war to come. The Lasombra crusader, Tommaso Brexiano demands that they attack Palestine head on, bolstering the Crusader states already there and striking a significant and symbolic blow to the Saracen who nest there. His most vociferous opponent is the German Lanzo von Sachsen, a vassal of High Lord Hardestadt.
The Masters of the Cainites who four years ago laid claim to Tihuta Pass in the wilds of Transylvania in the name of Count Radu have asked them to intercede on their behalf.
Anton Petrov Veranin, the Ashen Lord of Kronstadt, was already in Venice, readying himself for war when his sire, Basilio sent word that he would soon be joined by two other emissaries; his own brother, Kiril, Dark Prince of Sofia, and John the Deprived, Butcher of Temechburg, would be joining him as part of a Delegation to support Tommaso in his arguments. Basilio warns of this newcomer, saying he has a history of instability and violence, but that he might be a welcome ally against any danger that might befall them in their travels.
Heldric has also been sent to Venice, though unlike most of his compatriots' sires, Malachite is opposed to war and would have Heldric advocate the collapse of the crusade.
Kiril in particular has been instructed to act as Basilio's eyes and ears in Brexiano's camp - Basilio has become suspicious of his fellow clansman's motives and would have his childe assure that nothing untoward comes to pass during these negotiations. Saladin, having no interest in remaining during Sophia while Kiril is gone, follows the Dark Prince - who at the behest of Husayn, allows Saladin to sail in the same boat with them to Venice.
As for the fifth member of that conspiracy, he too is in Venice, though for reasons that are his own, as none of the others is aware of his presence.
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Steeple - The Souleater
Steeple rubs at his temples gently as the whispers fade away. He's still getting used to the aftereffects of the Assimilation project - having dozens of voices in his head to contend with - weak as they are - is something that takes a while to get used to. Still, at least there's one REAL voice he can still talk to. Passing his eyes through the room, by Celestyn, Nadia and Maximus, his eyes settle to the sconce on his shoulder.
Yes, that's right, Prince Maurice.
"Aww, I love you too Steepleton. But back to Celestyn now, we have important work to do!"
Turning his attention back to the mage, he sees a look of concern plastered onto the stolid man's face.
"Are you well Steeple?"
After the Malkavian nods his affirmation, Celestyn hesitantly continues.
"Do you need a refresher on the details?"
Steepleton does not, in fact, require any - he can remember perfectly well the details of the Tremere's request.
After Radu had come to Steeple asking him to represent his interests in Venice, Steeple had (of course) accepted - having little other choice in the matter. Radu wants war between the Ventrue and the Assamites (and thus war between the crusaders and the saracens), as such military campaigns would free pressure on the transylvanian region and allow the Tzimisce to "clean house", so to speak. The Tremere were growing more dangerous with every passing day with a growing horde of gargoyles and more and more tzimisce ancients disappearing to the hungry fangs of the bloodmagi.
The Tremere, aware of the Tzimisce's desires, wish to avoid an attack on Egypt or Palestine (supported by Roland and Tommaso respectively), and would have Steeple approach Heldric to help avert a war.
In addition - though of far lesser importance, Celestyn added - Etrius wishes to establish a chantry within Venice to eventually serve as the new main fortress for the Clan. He believes that the Tzimisce will eventually rally against the Tremere and that they will be forced to flee Transylvania once the defenses established on Ceoris are weakened. Etrius requests that while Steeple is in Venice, he identifies and secures contacts for Etrius to use in future efforts. No reward has been identified but Steeple remains confident in his options - proof of Celestyn's generosity present in in the room himself, as Maximus stands tall and proud with Minimus nibbling gently at his ear.
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Kiril - The Deceiver; Saladin - The Devoted
The streets were more crowded than Kiril was used to. It seemed that one could not take a step without jostling some other pedestrian. Sherazhina, one of his constant companions, walked with her arm in his. Their entourage, and that of Saladin, had made arrangements, renting out a series of rooms not too far from here. Saladin currently walked only a few steps behind, taking in the sights of this Italian city.
Saladin, for his part, was astounded by the way that so many people jostled back and forth in the crowd. How one could be ignored and noted all at once. Eyes saw but did not see. There was a lesson in that he was sure, one Husayn would have drilled into his head were he still able to. One that Kiril had, no doubt, taken to heart. Behind him walked Hashim, dressed in a thick traveller's cloak and combat leathers, an ever-present sword strapped to his waist, his rough, scarred face that was nonetheless comforting in its familiarity scanning the crowds for any sort of danger to his master - or, just as likely, scanning the crowds for attractive italian women. At least, that's his conclusion when he sees that Hashim has his eyes trained on a particularly attention-grabbing woman carrying a bouquet of some fascinating flowers - she was standing by a flower shop and would glance back at the group every now and then.
Kiril, when he left Sofia, left it in the hands of Eken, a favoured ghoul of Basilio's who Kiril's sire agreed to lend to him as governor during the time he would be gone.
Eken is reputedly the first mate of the Dark Queen, Basilio's flagship, carrying the most reputedly dangerous crew in the history of any seafaring venture.
As they moved through the streets Sherazhina took notice of the girl standing near the flower vendor. She looked to Kiril, and then back to a girl behind her. The girls giggled into their hands and looked away quickly when the revenant took notice, giggling even harder.
“You have a fan, Kiril.” – Sherazhina, amused.
She pointed to the girl
“Really?” – Kiril
The girl took a basket filled with flowers and made her way over to the small group.
“I am sorry to bother you, please ac… accept this gift.” – The girl, stammering
She held out the basket of flowers to Kiril with a blush deep enough to remind the Lasombra how hungry he was.
“It’s is a Venetian custom, giving flowers to those who just came over the bridge.” – Flower Girl, embarrassed.
She turned and ran into the crowded street, her nerve spent.
Saladin, fascinated by the display, went to look after her but couldn’t find her in the throng.
He plucked one of the flowers from the basket and examined it more closely. The flower itself was lovely, its white petals were lined in crimson which seemed to sooth some unknown part of the assassin's sensibility.
“She’s gone, vanished.” – Hashim
With a quick scan Kiril noticed the same - even despite his senses.
“That’s odd isn’t it?” – Kiril
Perhaps not so..., Husayn utters in a low voice - though he refuses further inquiries.
“For a mortal to be interested enough to bequeath you with a flower, or for her to disappear so completely even to our rarified senses?” – Saladin, with some degree of playful mockery
“That’s what I thought.” – Kiril
“Do you suppose she was as one of you?” – Elias
“Probably, and she was more skilled at staying hidden than I am.” Saladin
“So why did she bring you flowers?” – Sherazhina
“Maybe it was as she said, maybe it was a custom.” – Carinus
“Or maybe she’s planned something dark and treacherous and these flowers are but one step on the road to our eventual destruction.” – Barabus, speaking for the first time in quite a while.
The members of the small group laughed as they walked toward the fountain at which they were to meet with John and Anton.
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Anton - the Fallen
Anton, for his part, sat at the fountain re-reading the letter sent to him by an old mortal friend, Gabriel of Blois, a French crusader with whom Anton had fought alongside decades prior - as a matter of fact, the man was the one who originally taught Anton the ways of the Lord. Despite Anton's best efforts Gabriel refused to stop sending him new missives. This one, after asking after his health, went on to explain that Gabriel had recently run into an old aquaintance of the two, the Knight Gauthier de Dampiere. The letter asked why it was that Gauthier spat whenever he spoke of their mutual acquaintance.
Once, Gauthier and Anton had been rivals within the order, each a knight who fervently believed in and sought to enact the will of the Lord. They had grown to respect one another for each other's faith and purpose, and while Anton never went on the crusades as Gauthier had, they nevertheless had developed a sort of kinship in combat when the two of them destroyed several monsters that had been harassing a local village - Anton would later learn they were minor demons, repelled by the powerful faith possessed by the two knights.
When Anton fell to Basilio's fangs so many nights ago, however, things changed. The next time Gauthier saw him, he knew instantly the monster that Anton had become. He felt the evil that lurked in Anton, the Beast that raged in his blood.
Gauthier declared that he would avenge his friend’s death by destroying the demon that had stolen his corpse. Anton has thus far managed to evade Gauthier, wanting neither to kill him nor to face the knight in battle - for though they were rivals, Gauthier had always been the better with a blade, and his faith was not merely the faith of casual believer - God spoke through Gauthier, in all his glory, just as he spoke through Anton in all his horror.
Complimenting Anton's own melancholy is Joseph - the relatively new childe stands besides Anton, the wounds from that night 3 years ago have scarred his body with the marks of Gabor's cruel mutilation but worse than any fleshcrafter's touch has been the scars left on the monk's psyche. He still wears his monk's habits, and though Anton demands he keeps it hidden Joseph has continued to refuse to carry a cross within the folds of his robes. An air of desperation and regret surrounds the young Lasombra, and his constant proximity has done nothing to ease Anton's guilt - nor, Anton suspects, Joseph's hatred. He cannot doubt that Joseph has yet to forgive him for his crime, and knows that it is not unlikely he never will.
Anton's ’ melancholy is interrupted by a sweet sounding voice. When he looks up he sees Anna Sgorina, the Byzantine Delegate. The two had struck up a friendship of sorts - Anton's queries regarding Michael and the Dream and Constantinople have served as enough of a bridge to the gap formed by their support of different patrons for the crusade effort, and since she needed some time away from the cacophony of the Blood Court she’d accompanied him to greet his friends.
“I believe that those are them, yes?” – Anna
Anton looked up to see Kiril and Saladin, with their translators and more in tow. Sherazhina, Kiril's ghoul, carried with her a peculiar set of flowers.
Joseph drags his eyes up from the floor to Sherazhina, and then the flowers. He makes a weak attempt at a smile.
“Those are pretty.” – Joseph.
“Thank you, they were a gift, some girl said that it was a Venetian tradition.” - Sherazhina answers back, giving a radiant smile back to the poor man.
A strange look comes across Anna's face then,
“Its not a tradition is it?” – Saladin
After knocking them from Sherazhina’s hands Carinus bent down to pick up three or four.
“There is no way these are native to Venice, the area’s too dry for this sort of flower.” – Anna
“This is bloodroot. An extremely poisonous perennial plant that flowers in the springtime. it exists in several varieties, I do not believe I have seen this one before. I apologize, I was not paying attention to the gift the woman offered.” – Carinus
Hashim stomps on the flowers.
“I think we should get off the street before some mortal ends up dead from bloodroot poisoning.” – Hashim
Anton shrugs and escorts them all to Narses Chambers.
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Heldric - the Hidden
John - the Butcher
The Chambers afforded the Delegations were beyond exquisite. Hand carved murals spanned the ceilings walls and floors, each inlayed with gold, bronze, mother of pearl, sapphire and a myriad of other precious stones.
To Anton's eye it was all blasphemous trash that should be put to fire. Narses wasn’t just the Prince of Venice, no, the Lasombra was also an Arch-Heretic. The archbishop of Nod, as he called himself, was the black patriarch of the Cainite Heresy. A cult of the damned that believed that Christ was the second coming of Caine and that Cainites were blessed to drink of the very force of life. According to them it is the purpose of all Cainites to bring the world closer to god by making them vampires, or by killing them to pave way for their Messiah, the Third Caine.
The art in the room was all in some way tainted by the Archbishop’s twisted beliefs and it filled Anton with rage to look upon them. Yet another reason for his distaste. Venice held little for him, it seemed.
Kiril helped Sherazhina through the next corridor, crowded as they were as if they were not but cattle being led to the slaughter.
Heldric immediately takes note of the newcomers as they enter the room. Octavius hums contentedly, "it would appear reinforcement has arrived for Tommaso. My condolences, things do not appear to be going your way."
Sicilan disagrees, "This council of ancient, bickering fools? Nothing will come of this, Octavius. They will spend days arguing with one another over what the mortals will do, because days are nothing to them. Then the mortals will leave, and the assembly will squawk and haw with indignation, like the plumped up birds that they are, and they'll be left as impotent spectators to the crusade."
Sicilan is a little bitter about the amount of time he's spent in this room. Heldric does have to admit, it has been far too long already.
He looks across the room at the rest of the congregation, his eyes passing over Lucita and Anatole - a welcome sight, the both of them. While he's kept his identity hidden from them so far, he remembers the help they gave at Tihuta Pass and recalls them leaving on good terms, and is pleased to see them again - though Lucita appears to be a close ally of Tommaso's, and thus the two will unfortunately likely be unable to find any sort of common ground. Anatole hangs around Lucita, clearly not a part of the proceedings, only here for the woman's company.
His eyes also pass over John - the butcher of Temechburg, a new arrival to the scene. He remembers Steeple mentioning that he had been offered Temechburg before he rejected his sire and left to serve Radu. He wonders what sort of relationship Edward Mordred and Vladivostok must have that the city could be given to this man.
A short recess is called and the members of the court disperse, although Heldric sees that Lucita and Anatole have noticed his old aquaintances and head towards them to make their greetings.
---
Steeple watches Heldric as he examines the others. The Malkavian had asked a favour of Mercurius, and with some amusement the mage had accepted. Pinpointing Heldric's presence (with great difficulty) through his magics, Mercurius had teleported Steeple directly behind the Nosferatu, where he remains completely undetected. Maximus will follow Steeple through the city, rooftop to rooftop, posing as, well, a gargoyle, unable to conceal his inhuman appearance through obfuscate (yet). Nadia has been sent to Steeple's chambers.
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Anton's past calm demeanor has faded. The blasphemy by this silly rabble is an ofront to everything. Christ, the lord's own son, a caninite?!? How can kindred be such fools? Michael at least has the right goal, if a mistaken means. This is a perversion of everything true.
Anger isn't natural to him. Gabor's influences still creep in, while his soul knows this anger will do him no good, but it doesn't help reign in the taint. And that Assasimite retainer Kiril has aquired. He is surrounded by danger.
At least the childe of the Archbishop of Spain is here. What was her name? Lucita, probably. Anton can't recall the malkavian's name. Something ridiculous, no doubt.
"It is good to see you, brother." Anton says to Kiril. "The crusades need all the support we can give it."
-
Heldric sighs again, he is remembering why he preferred a cave to living too closely with others. He wouldn't admit it outloud (or too often in his own thoughts just in case) but Scilian was right. They were getting nowhere and even if the ancients decided one way or another, they were liable to be late to actually be in controle. This must be at least a part of why Malachite wished for the crusade not to happen, join a war late and you are liable to take all of the damage with none of the rewards, a war here would also put the dream in danger and that was not permissible.
"Time to greet old friends, though common ground will be hard to find. I also do not know enough about this 'John' who received tremechburg, we should find out where he stands... Why was I sent for a diplomatic mission anyway, my sire knows my disposition well enough..."
With one more sigh Heldric resigns himself to yet more 'diplomacy' and moves forward to meet Anatole and Lucita half way.
"Greetings! It has been some time since we last met." He begins with a slight bow to each and a vain attempt at a smile, at least these two were more trained in diplomacy and dealing with Nosferatu so might not recoil at the smile...
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Steeple continues to shadow Heldric, going so far as to mime his words and bow to the others, before grinning broadly and stepping out from behind the Nosferatu.
"Hello! A pleasure to meet you all again in such interesting assortment of kindred!"
As he meets and greets, Steeple will give everyone important (including his old friends) a good peeping of the aura and a look through his Mirror of Second Sight.
-
John walks, silent at first until he is with a few feet of Heldric, "Ah, welcome to Tremechburg. A city under my control through our benefactors." He says, a grin on his face which meant to be disarming.
"So what brings you all into my borders?" He says with a quirked brow.
-
Heldric pauses, this is why he hates social situations. He was going to talk to aquintences but now has Steeple to one side and the newcomer to the other... Heldric is beginning to get uncomfortable again, not to mention his path's distatste for politics.
If either of you are good at reading people, it would be appreciated with this one. he thinks to his two spirit companions while he tries out a new ability for the first time pulse of undeath to try assess John.
As he does he speaks up "Steeple, my friend, it is good to see you again. And The new Prince John I believe? We are here for a meeting, you may have noticed it going on around you?" He gives a bow he thinks appropriate to another Prince.
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Steeple nods to Heldric and greets John with a tilted head.
"Tremechburg, hmm... never had much use for it," Steeple says dismissively, "But I was not aware it was now a part of Italy? Pretty good trick of old V-Stock though I must say! Haha!"
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Anton looks to Heldric and Steeple.
"Ah, I was wondering if you would be here, Heldric. Am I too assume you side with Anna then?" Anton asks, somewhat disapointed. The more pushing for peace the harder it will be to push for the Good Lord's work.
"And Steeple? What are you doing here?"
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"Yes, though I was never the best at those." John sighs, "Knowing what to say is one thing, sitting for a long while and trying to keep full track of matters can be tricky as some people around could be detractors or could scheme, were it not for the 5th law I'd be swamped in assassins."
He then looks to Steeple, "Yes, until most recently, though a while before I was made prince of it, I had no idea that this was a place. Then again I was initially Illiterate."
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"Speaking in a plain manner here?" Heldric accidentaly says outloud in surprise to John before realising and attempting to cover for it by continuing "It can be refreshing to hear honesty in a room like this."
He nods to Anton "You are correct, I was sent to argue peace here for what little good it will do, this war is more likely to tear down what little we have than to progress anything."
He sighs audibly "I did not think I would miss our time fighting together so quickly but this room seems more dangerous."
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Anton nods.
"I am not found of Venice either, Heldric." Anton says, clearly wanting to say more. But to openly discuss his distate for the heresy in their own halls would easily weaken his side.
"As for the war, I suspect my position regarding it is quite clear. The Church pf the Holy Sepulchre needs it's support. The remaining Crusaders there need to be reinforced, supported. We can not leave a place of such faith to rot. It's unfortunate Malakei does not understand that."
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...as some people around could be detractors or could scheme, were it not for the 5th law I'd be swamped in assassins."
"Without a doubt," Steeple agrees, and then chuckles.
To Anton, he admits, "Oh, I represent the interests of hidden players in the matter, these "schemers", our new friend here (John) aforementioned."
"Though personally, I am inclined to side with Heldric in the matter, not that my personal wishes amount to anything in this case."
"But this war does seem wholly unavoidable to be quite blunt. Too many stand to gain from it to stop it now..."
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Anton shakes his head.
"I wish I shared your pessimism, Steeple. An attack on the holy lands helps the Lord, not much else. The Ventrue warlords have bigger intrests then the barren land of Zion, and the crusaders are already small in numbers. It's not a time to assume anything."
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Saladin smiles sadly at Antons words. "Is that what you believe dark one?"
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"I fear that this crusade shal not follow proper order, yes." Anton says, gazing at the Assamite. He needs to talk to Kiril privatley about him. It's dangerous.
"That is why I am here, after all. If there was no difficulties, I would not waste my time fighting for us to actually crusade in the Holy Land."
-
Lucita starts at Heldric's sudden appearance - though Heldric is happy to see that it is from surprise and not disgust.
She then puts a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh at Steeple's antics behind the Nosferatu.
"Heldric, how long have you been here!"
Heldric notes with a bit of surprise that Anatole has vanished.
"Oh, it's wonderful to see you all again, though I wish it could be under better circumstances. Where's Lucien, and Sylvian?"
A moment of awkward silence ensues.
Lucien was reportedly destroyed by a pack of werewolves as vengeance for something or another while visiting Sandor's lands. It is said that the Koldun's wrath was such that the earth shook for hours, destroying Castle Arad in the process.
Of course, Kiril knows the truth - that Lucien has given himself over to Kupala, who has destroyed Sandor and installed the fleshcrafter in place as his impostor.
Sylvian, meanwhile, is said to have apprenticed himself to Zelios, enamoured with the Nosferatu's artistic abilities.
-
Steeple notes a veritable plethora of black-stained auras, similar to the stain in Maximus' aura after he devoured that craftsman.
As a matter of fact, literally everyone here except for John, Saladin and Lucita appear to have commited diablerie.
"Yeesh. You know you're in some dangerous company when the Assamite is the one with a clean rap sheet," Maurice says.
---
Heldric senses through his subtle power that John is a very strong cainite, possessed of an inhuman strength greater than even his own, though nowhere near the level of mastery attainted by Andreas.
-
"I thought as much." He let his eyes gaze right into Antons for a brief moment before speaking again. "You fight to fight even more?"
-
Heldric 'Smiles' back at lucita "I am not sure of the other but acquaintances keep apearing which is a welcome sight here. Regardless of the side they are taking in this debate."
He pauses then looks at Anton, whether he wanted to or not he was here to make a point at his sires behest "I believe that if my Sire thought this new crusade was to be successful or properly lead with the intent of furthering the right cause he would support it, Anton, but listening in this room it seems like neither of those conditions are being met."
-
"Yes, there is far, FAR too much to gain. The Blacksmiths would profit through making weapons and fixing them, The Bakers and Butchers can easily feed the troops and gain a sizeable fee per head, those who seek power could easily use the war as a smokescreen to follow their own agendas, not that I'm disagreeing with their timing of the strategy..." He says was he walks about, "Minstrels could find tales to tell from the end of said war, even if there is no one to tell said story to, and that isn't even getting into ourselves and what agendas that could benefit..."
John then turns to Anton, "You hold faith heavily, and I will not accuse, though certainly is of no use to me or to most of us. We all need something to keep the beast at bay." He mentions with a grim smile befitting both sentences.
-
'My, my,' Steeple thinks to Maurice, appalled at all the stained auras. 'Et tu, Heldrick my friend?' he frowns, seeing Heldric's stain.
They had not been chosen, as he was, to remain pure from such and act, as was proven by his sparkling clean aura. That meant he was approved, while the rest were not.
'Not sure about the dark one though,' his thoughts continued, regarding Anton, 'He, supposed to be evil, right? I mean that's his thing? Evil for the Lord or something, so I guess it's OK for him.'
To Heldric and Anton he speaks once more, "I would meet with you each privately, at your convenience of course, to discuss the thoughts of those I represent. Real closed-door back-room politicking I must say haha!"
-
Heldric nods to Steeple "That would be good as I have much to discuss with you as well my friend."
Heldric thinks to the spirits with him "Steeple is frowning at me, I am assuming he sees my current aura, I will need a way to disguise it soon, too many people are finding out it for safety."
-
John nods, "Of course, as is proper while the ones truly in charge decide things, by the way, I do have some wine, nothing completely off a peasant's pay but something fine." He says, extending an invitation.
-
"Oh, it's wonderful to see you all again, though I wish it could be under better circumstances. Where's Lucien, and Sylvian?"
A moment of awkward silence ensues.
Lucien was reportedly destroyed by a pack of werewolves as vengeance for something or another while visiting Sandor's lands. It is said that the Koldun's wrath was such that the earth shook for hours, destroying Castle Arad in the process.
Of course, Kiril knows the truth - that Lucien has given himself over to Kupala, who has destroyed Sandor and installed the fleshcrafter in place as his impostor.
Sylvian, meanwhile, is said to have apprenticed himself to Zelios, enamoured with the Nosferatu's artistic abilities.
"Lucien was devoured by wolves, if I am not mistaken." Anton replies, with all the gentlness of a bull. "I know not what exactly the Toreador is doing, aside from him being unrelated to the Crusades."
He pauses then looks at Anton, whether he wanted to or not he was here to make a point at his sires behest "I believe that if my Sire thought this new crusade was to be successful or properly lead with the intent of furthering the right cause he would support it, Anton, but listening in this room it seems like neither of those conditions are being met."
"Proper leadership will never occur if proper leaders do not show up." Anton replies. "This crusade would be perfect if the children of Caine were not to intervene. But as they will, we must make sure it is not corrupted."
"I thought as much." He let his eyes gaze right into Antons for a brief moment before speaking again. "You fight to fight even more?"
"I fight for the Lord. If the Saracens wish to give back the Holy Land and convert, I would be far happier. As it is, however, blood must be shed." To Heldric and Anton he speaks once more, "I would meet with you each privately, at your convenience of course, to discuss the thoughts of those I represent. Real closed-door back-room politicking I must say haha!"
Anton nods. He's not really sure if he even wants the Malkavian's 'politicking' involved with Tomasso, but it probably can't hurt.
-
"Give back? They were never yours to begin with."
Saladin pauses to contemplate the right words.
"Does your religion not allow peace? All i have seen of your religion dictates that they must join you or die. Have you maybe not considered that there are more roads open to you than one that involves slaying the indigenous population?"
-
Kiril is content to watch the rest of them speak.
-
"Give back? They were never yours to begin with."
Saladin pauses to contemplate the right words.
"Does your religion not allow peace? All i have seen of your religion dictates that they must join you or die. Have you maybe not considered that there are more roads open to you than one that involves slaying the indigenous population?"
"The Church would never be so cruel." He says, incredulous. "To let all those in the arabian lands to burn eternally?"
"The Holy Land is ours, as it is The Lord's, as is every other land and sea."
-
"That's terrible, my condolences to you as his comrades and for his sire." Lucita says with a heartfelt tone.
"Ennius died as well then? Such a shame, those two seemed so close."
"Please," Lucita continues, to the two bickering vampires, "we've been given an opportunity to greet old friends, we can save our arguments for the deliberations. Anton, I see you've made Joseph your childe! Stranger," she says, looking to Saladin, "I've yet to meet you! There are better things to speak of among friends than the petty feuds of mortals, like these."
Joseph inadvertently flinches at the mention of his... condition, while Saladin suddenly sets his mind racing for an answer to her question other than "Kiril devoured my sire and now i'm following him around to complete my training as an Assamite and because my master Al-Ashrad has a vested interest in keeping an agent near the prince of Sofia."
"And you, John is it? You've been made prince of temechburg, part of the Concord of Ashes along with these bumbling halfwits then? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Lucita finishes with a smile.
-
"The Church would never be so cruel." He says, incredulous. "To let all those in the arabian lands to burn eternally?"
"The Holy Land is ours, as it is The Lord's, as is every other land and sea."
"Stranger," she says, looking to Saladin, "I've yet to meet you! There are better things to speak of among friends than the petty feuds of mortals, like these."
Saladin suddenly sets his mind racing for an answer to her question other than "Kiril devoured my sire and now i'm following him around to complete my training as an Assamite and because my master Al-Ashrad has a vested interest in keeping an agent near the prince of Sofia."
"She is correct. We can continue this debate at a later time." Saladin replies with a smile.
i kinda get why Fariq stabbed him. I've only been talking to him a brief moment and *i* almost feel like stabbing him.
Saladin looks on with interest. "Greetings, i apologize for not introducing myself earlier." He says with a apologetic tone. "My name is Saladin Al Fatim. Explorer, Delver of tombs and searcher for lost knowledge, at your service."
While it wasn't a complete lie, it wasn't a complete truth either. Thats what he'd rather be doing anyways.
"And this here is my lifelong friend and my protector Hashim Nassar."
-
"And you, John is it? You've been made prince of temechburg, part of the Concord of Ashes along with these bumbling halfwits then? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Lucita finishes with a smile.
"Likewise Milady. Fools they may be, bumbling might not be the proper word as I've yet to see their true potential." John says nodding to Lucita.
-
Heldric cuts in after John "Actually John, she has some reasoning for her choice of terms. Our company didn't have the most auspicious start due to a few... Interferences from other parties. Due to some well timed assistance though all ended well."
He looks over at Steeple "if you all excuse me for a moment, Steeple has asked for a moment of my time."
He indicated to Steeple that now might be a good moment to talk privately
-
Heldric cuts in after John "Actually John, she has some reasoning for her choice of terms. Our company didn't have the most auspicious start due to a few... Interferences from other parties. Due to some well timed assistance though all ended well."
"Certainly not our finest moment. I still wish to repay that debt to the false saint." Anton says, nodding.
-
"Ah yes, that would make for a spicy evening!" Steeple replies to Anton, "I should like to be a party to that rotter's comeuppance one day haha!"
Steeple then shakes a fist in the air and hisses his arch-nemesis' name through clenched teeth - "SANCHEZ!!!"
-
He looks over at Steeple "if you all excuse me for a moment, Steeple has asked for a moment of my time."
He indicated to Steeple that now might be a good moment to talk privately
"Of course; if we could find a private room then? Bound to be many burning ears among this lot haha!"
---
http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2029.msg119366#msg119366 (http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2029.msg119366#msg119366)
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John is silent, 'I'm doomed...' he thinks to himself.
-
"I'm sorry, i have only heard the name 'Concord of ashes' in name before, but im nut sure who they are or what they do, would anyone mind.. Whats the word for it again.. light? Enlighten me?" He says politely while looking at Lucita with his blue eyes.
-
Anton looks to Kiril.
"You have been silent, brother. Are you alright?" Anton asks, masking his worry. Perhaps Kiril is already gone, and the assamites have replaced him. It's certainly a danger.
"Your retinue keeps getting larger."
-
"You remember Barabus. Neither Steeple nor Lucien appreciated his talents. And this is Elias, my guard captain."
-
"Ah yes, I thought he looked familiar." Anton says, refering to Barbarus. Last time the man was a wolf. Weird.
"I suppose he escaped the attack on Lucien then? Does he know anything about what happened?"
-
Steeple takes Heldric off into an empty side room, that the two might have a private conversation.
-
"It is good to see you again Heldric," Steeple begins, "been a while, but not too much to those who stop counting years haha!"
">Can you do something to cover our conversation?<" Steeple asks in Blood Apocrypha.
-
Heldric replies as he looks around with heightened senses just incase there was a lurker around "It is excellent to see you again too, and yes, time does seem to matter less than it once did!"
"This will be a tricky conversation, anything either of you could do to ensure we are alone and not ease dropped on would be appreciated" he thinks hard to his two spirit companions.
He then cloaks himself and Steeple, burning a will point for his obfuscate to work well.
Giving everything a moment to work and assuming no warnings from the spirits he speaks again in a whisper, moving closer to Steeple so he can be heard without raising his voice
"We should be as protected as I can make us now, there are many sensitive issues to discuss, not least of which being the Tremere."
-
"The Tremere?" Steele asks, genuinely surprised to hear Heldric bring it up first, "What have you heard of them? What do they seek to get out of this war?"
-
"What they seek I do not know, it worries me however." Hr pauses unsure how to proceed but decides to just lay things out, if the madman was going to attack right away thus would be the best place for it to happen. "I have gained... A lot of knowledge, as well as some abilities from a Tremere who attempted to kill me recently. I wished to discus that with you amoungst other things."
He keeps his senses heightened to gauge the responce from Steeple
-
"Oh, yes, the black stains," Steeple waves dismissively with his hand, "you shouldn't have eaten a Tremere of all things, but I forgive you my friend; we all make mistakes and learn from them. It's when we make mistakes and learn nothing that we have to start assessing the state of our sanity."
"I wonder if you know that there are two factions of Tremere, no?"
"The vile vile evil disgusting rapist kind, headed by Tremere himself and his loyal, equally horrendous, Goratrix the something-intimidating-or-another - - - and the good kind, lead by Etrius the not-as-bad-as-you-might-think-for-a-Tremere."
"It's Goratrix and his ilk that are kidnapping Nosferatu and Teetzees to melt them into Gargoyle slaves - and worse - they are digging up Antediluvians for Tremere to diablerize. I imagine old Gortie is biding his time to suck Tremere dry the moment all the antis are gone haha!"
"Those loyal to Etrius on the other hand, are too small to stage a rebellion or break from the pack just yet, but maybe with the right help, they can be given that opportunity."
"You see, Lord Radu and his Teetzees want war between the crusaders and the Saracens, which will translate nicely into war between the Ventrue and the Assamites - as such military campaigns would free pressure on the Transylvanian region and allow them to maneuver unhindered against the Tremere."
"This would be good, in that Goratrix and his kind would suffer, and a fair number of Teetzees, but it will ultimately smash any hope of liberating the 'good ones' from the vile lot."
"As I officially represent Radu in this matter here at the talks, I come to you Heldric, as a friend first, and ask if you know of any contacts that would consider entering into negotiations with Etrius and his fellow refugees to establish a chantry within Venice. A place for them to flee from the tyranny and growing madness of Tremere and his thug Goratrix - as well as the extermination designs of the Transylvanian Teetzees."
"We need to give them a place to preserve the unsullied secrets of thaumaturgy and build up enough strength to help take down their evil counterparts!"
-
"Yes." Barabus rumbles.
Anton is quite surprised by the appearance of the brute - he wasn't nearly so large the last time he saw him. At least, he doesn't think he was. Anton feels as if the nearly seven foot muscle-bound monstrosity in a blacksmith's ransom's worth of plate armour and that small metal tree he called a sword would have made more of an impression. Something dark in his eyes too, though they currently seem to be pointed away from Anton and to the room that Heldric and Steeple disappeared into.
"He died horribly."
Not an ounce of remorse present in the giant's voice.
Joseph seems to regard Barabus with something akin to suspicion then, "How did you escape?"
Barabus just smiles then, in such a manner as to make Joseph visibly uncomfortable. He does not answer the question.
Carinus, then "It would seem that the Blood Court's short recess is coming to an end, we'll wait outside for you Kiril."
Sherazhina lets go of Kiril's arm and slips it into Carinus', while Elias and Barabus follow close behind.
It is well known that servants are not allowed within a Blood Court, only the undead may participate in the discussions. For this reason Saladin also sends Hashim out along with Kiril's retinue, though the bodyguard goes only with extreme reluctance.
Lucita gives her farewells as she goes to join a man whose description reveals him to be Tommaso Brexiano - a member of the Friends of Night and the leader of the Lasombra Delegation. He is a surprisingly slight man, whose cool demeanor and soft language belies both his passion and the dark power he held over the audience - the man is known as a skilled orator and a most cunning individual. Torches all across the room are snuffed out one by one by fellow members of the Lasombra delegation, who send out small butterflies from the darkness to slay the flames.
Soon, only a select few torches are left burning, so as to make only Tommaso visible in the dark room.
Four others - the conspiracy assumes they are his translators - stand near the man, waiting for him to speak...
-
Heldric can tell that Steeple's... exaggerating a little bit, but he doesn't seem to be lying to him.
Octavius speaks then, "No one appears to be listening in on us, though a few are trying. Just the usual spies i'd expect at a gathering like this though."
Sicilan - "I'm not sure about that, did you see that brutish thing out there following... what was it? Kirl? Kril? Kirli? Whatever his name is, that servant of his looks like he wants blood."
Octavius - "And? What could a simple mortal do to our man here? Hell, you could melt the flesh from his bones and annihilate his soul without much difficulty at all!"
Sicilan nods uneasily, "Maybe, but that man's a ghoul - and at that, he's been altered. Something about him feels off. Same with that master of his. I would not relish such a task."
---
Steeple, for his part, notices as Heldric's attention seems to shift almost imperceptibly between himself and the empty air besides him. Perhaps the man is just nervous? He can't seem to hold eye contact, at least.
Maurice seems to have other things on his mind, however - "My God! Did you see the way that Barabus was looking at us? Like a dog drooling over a bloody steak! What's his problem? And what's he doing with Kiril?
I mean, so what, we gave him over to a fleshcrafter who turned him into a dog and then made him fight another dog to death in a pit - he came out fine didn't he? So unreasonable!"
The rock seems to just be babbling, Steeple feels it mimicking his own unease over the reappearance of his old manservant.
Steeple, too, had heard the rumours of Lucien's death at the hands of a werewolf pack. Yet Barabus is here, fully restored (and visibly enhanced), completely fine...
-
Heldric smiles in his own way and visibly relaxes slightly after Steeple amd the spirits talk to him
"There are a few trying to listen in on us but it seems my precautions are holding and keeping our talk secret for now, I'll keep checking though. As for eating a Tremere, it wasn't really intentional but it was Goratrix's favoured servant so she was very strong and lack of blood after the fight let me beast gain the upper hand for a moment." Heldric visibly tremors as he mentions Goratrix. It would be obvious even saying the name was more than uncomfortable for him.
"If These... Good Tremere oppose him I will aid in any way I can and send you work of contacts I might have in Venice. If I cannot find any myself I will ask my Sire and speak on your behalf in the matter"
He pauses and glances around the room "That is most of my news and secrets though I would like to discuss paths and rituals with you at some point. What about yourself and the Prince? Do you both fare well. Also do you know much about what has happened with Kiri and his new servant?"
-
"Excellent!!!", steeple silent claps at Heldric's willingness to help his Tremere allies. That would soften the blow of his failure to avert war and hopefully be enough to keep on Celestyn's good side.
"I would be happy to share whatever you would be interested in learning, my friend!" Steeple agrees; "I have even learned a few of Lucian's fire tricks, a while back, if you are interested. When we have the time, I'll fill you in on some of the Rituals I know."
Out of habit, Steeple glances into his Mirror of Second Sight, at the spaces Heldric had been looking toward.
"As for the Prince," Steeple continues, presuming Heldric refers to Prince Maurice, "He's glad to see you. After having only my sorry face to look at lately, he says you are a 'sight for sore eyes'."
'Hmm...' Steeple wonders to himself, 'or did he mean the sight of Heldric gave him sore eyes...? Ah well, no matter.'
Concerning Barabus, Steeple frowns, "Yes, typical of Kiril to steal something that wasn't his, but at least he's not my problem any longer. I think they deserve each other actually. Pretty sure however, that Lucian was not devoured by wolves. It was the land that swallowed him. And I blame Kiril for it."
-
John now has his attention not on the giant, but on his surroundings, intending on making sure that no one is trying to glide their way through the dark.
-
Heldric grimaces "Please do thank Prince Maurice for his kinds words thpugh I do know is is my appearance that usually causes the sore eyes."
He looks more serious then "Devoured by the land? That is news to me, I will have to look into it later." he looks towards the door "I will definitely take you up on discussing the rites and paths later but I believe it is time for the latest 'session' to start. I wonder of anything at all will be different this time round..."
-
To his left, Steeple sees a man of average height with a giant burning hole in his chest, a heavy beard and wise eyes. To his right, he sees a heavily armed and armoured warrior with what appear to be a large number of spear wounds. They appear to be chatting with each other.
Heldric sees the discreet movement, despite whatever efforts Steeple put towards it.
"Seems we're not the only ones hearing dead people's voices," Maurice says.
-
"Ah, yes, I'd like to see how they do all this," Steeple agrees, then adds before Heldric can exit, "So, I thought you were over the whole ghost thing with Seelie. Yet here you now have twice the trouble on your hands?"
-
"Yes, I notice you still need the mirror though. When we have time to share knowledge I can let you know a few things about conversing with the spirits."
He vaguely indicates the air near him "Seelie was... Terrifying but these two gentlemen are rather pleasant company. They are also very knowledgable and powerful in their own ways, I also owe them a debt so we travel together for the moment."
He looks at the door again "They also warned me about Barrabus. Out of every undead and ghoul in the room, they picked him out as dangerous."
-
"Well, dangerous to you", Octavius says.
"Dangerous to a lot of people, really, but specifically to you," Sicilan continues.
"Probably more dangerous people there. That Anton seemed like a truly nasty fellow, the spot he occupies in the spirit world is a screaming maelstrom of pain and hatred and anguish. Quite unpleasant to be around, really."
"You're much softer," Sicilan agrees.
"Like a doe," - Octavius.
A short pause then.
"An ugly doe," - Still Octavius.
-
"I do find it interesting that he mentions Etrius - the man was exceedingly loyal to Tremere in life, Tremere's favourite apprentice, I would say. Extremely powerful, but with none of Goratrix' mad genius and overwhelming ambition, they were, in many ways, opposites. Perhaps you would like him. Still a filthy bloodsucker though. Traitors to the Order and all that, they all deserve to burn."
He exaggerates matters quite a bit, your friend. Goratrix does not possess nearly as powerful a hold over the Tremere as Steeple would have you believe. Maybe a fifth of the House belongs to him, the rest are loyal to either Tremere or themselves. None defy him.
There is no risk of Goratrix rising up if the Fleshcrafters attack the clan, he is bound to Tremere by the most powerful Geas known to us - the blood bond. All the council members are.
-
"he is also quite mad, but an ally I wish to help, especially if he is in anyway opposed to... Him."
Then out loud he adds to Steeple "It seems nearly a fifth of then clan follows him but he is still bound to Tremere as are they. Which luckily means he cannot try and sieze controle even if war happens, I'll help your benefactor either way, though keeping my identity and knowledge a secret would be appreciated as I have had several warnings that if it get outs even your benefactor might decide to come after me."
-
Tommaso begins his speech as he always does - "To anyone who knows anything, the course of action is clear. We must strike at the head of the serpent of the Moslem world, at Palestine, where there are Crusader kingdoms already present who not only need our aid but will be able to then help us create an overwhelming force to topple the enemy’s most secure powerbases. Our victory must be symbolic and loud, we need to show them what fear is, show them the power of Christ’s army - and of his devils too…”
Even as the orator speaks in Spanish, four servants, each standing ten feet from Tommaso creating a circle which acts as the stage, translate into the four other languages of the Delegation: German, Italian, Greek, and Arabic.
Anton has heard this speech before, as Tommaso had led with it every night of the deliberation thus far; at his side stands Lucita, who is acting as Tommaso’s aide.
Nothing untowards appears to be happening among the crowd, just the usual rapt attention from the Lasombra delegation, the deliberate sneers from the Ventrue delegation, subtle disappointment from the Byzantine delegation, and the studied indifference of everyone else.
Now comes the part where the various members stand to give their support.
“I, Lucita, de Aragorn, lend my support and adulation to Master Brexiano.”
More members of the Lasombra delegation step up to announce their own support, soon it will be Anton and Kiril's turn to announce their own and, then, their sire's allegiances.
-
"Oh, that is interesting. I wonder if Etrius is on more equal footing than I had originally thought." Steeple replies thoughtfully. "Never-the-less, your help is most welcome and will of course remain in the strictest confidence!"
"While Tremere does have the Bond, I think that won't be an issue for too much longer. He's bound to self-combust or some other horrifying result (torpor probably being an option in there somewhere as well), due to all the powerful wills he is consuming."
"As I am sure you can attest, bringing into yourself one greater than yourself is terribly taxing. Imagine what it must be like with a whole hoard of them in your head!" Steeple concludes with a knowing wink.
-
Saladin narrowdms his eyes at Kiril. It was going to be interesting to see Kiril's choice since Husayn was givibg him advice. Cant ignore him either. He smiles at the thought.
-
Well? Kiril asks Husayn. To Anton, he says quietly "Do you intend to speak for our sire?"
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"If you wish." Anton says bitterly.
-
"Does this upset you?"
-
"I should not speak for Basilio." Anton says simply, clemching his teeth. It's a weird feeling, anger at a beloved sire.
-
"But in speaking for him, there is an opportunity, yes?"
"Your "beloved" sire offered you freedom from him! Did you forget that? Your payment for saving his life. You need not speak for him anymore.
Attacking the palestines head-on would be a foolish proposition - Egypt is a weak point in the Muslim world right now, strategically it would make the most sense to strike there.
Every day you've proclaimed your support for idiocy, every day I tell you to choose more wisely! Support von Saschen, stab at Basilio's treasured reputation!
-
"And everyday, I say the same. I will not betray the tenents of my code to strike at Basilio. The Lasombra are My clan. I will not go against them. Nor will I advocate for a misguided crusade. We must strike at Jerusalem. It is our purpose.
"It has been many nights since we began this debate. Each night here is another one missed back in my princedom. But this decision is crucial, so I stay.״p
Lord Tommasso has expressed the merits to an attack Palestine, and his strategy is well formed and thought out. We must support the crusaders in the country of our Lord. We must strike a meaningfull crusade, a crushing blow to demoralize the Muslems and their allies."
"What Master Tommasso has not expressed is the absolute folly of an attack in Egypt. The proud Venture, have explained their own strategy. Egypt is weak! They cry out!"
"This is a fearful retreat from the crusade. What purpose does taking Egypt have? To create another mal-equipped crusader outpost? I would not balk from destroying the Setites land but we will have better oppurtunities to do so. Now is the biggest chance we have to restore Christian rule in Palestine. We can not hide from our duty. For this we were damned."
"I, Anton Petrov Veranin, Prince of Kronstadt, lend my support to Master Brexiano."
-
"So steeple has also eaten and elder? as an ally that makes him stronger and more dangerous at the same time"
"Indeed, I gained much and suffered an equal amount to balance things out. I cannot imagine what he must be going through, or if his mind is even intact."
He pauses and decides to make the guess outloud "It must have been of great help to you to have Prince Maurice aiding you during the tricky parts."
-
"Oh, yes," Steeple replies, thinking about his 'Assimilation Project', "I couldn't have done it without him. His wisdom in these matters has been a true godsend."
-
Heldric nods "For now let us return, we can meet again later in a safer place."
-
"Oh, glad we didn't miss much," Steeple says, entering the hall and catching the last of Anton's speech.
---
Returned from http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2029.msg119624#msg119624 (http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2029.msg119624#msg119624)
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"Agreed," Steeple says, heading back to the meeting.
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Tommaso gives his regard to Anton, as e always does, nods warmly, acknowledging his word.
-
Being that entering late has drawn some attention, Steeple capitalizes on it and loudly declares - "Radu - Prince of Bistritz - also pledges his support to Master Brexiano!"
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Heldric then also steps forward "All present also know that my Sire Malechite is against the war. The current crusade is miss timed and badly prepared, it will only bring destruction and no gains."
He then heads to the side of the room where he can wait as normal while everyone says the same speech over again.
-
A host of booing interrupts Heldric's declaration, at which point Brexiano makes a calming motion towards the crowd.
"Please, my brothers and sisters, let him say his piece. It is why we have called this court, after all, to hear the thoughts of all to be involved."
After Heldric finishes - to a bit of clapping from the Byzantine delegation - Tommaso continues - "How I would that war could be averted, Heldric of Balgrad. How I would that peace was a reality, that none of the immortal blood need be shed. But war is a reality we must face, a reality that comes ever closer, snapping out our heels like an impatient dog. If we do not guide the mortals, who will? So if there is to be war, as there must, then let us make use of the opportunity."
Cheers at that, this time from both the Lasombra and Ventrue delegations. Once more Heldric feels that hint of desperation, of uselessness when he sees just how many people are arrayed against him.
"Oh, how your world will burn for the arrogance in this room", Octavius murmurs ever so quietly.
-
John had been silent throughout the proceedings, knowing full well how much of a sham the whole vote would become. "For the record, I am against this war for while pain can be inflicted, I don't see it as sublime. Though my Sire desires war, if that is what he wants, that he shall get. I throw my weight into the war under protest." He would chime in after the cheers subside.
-
"Kiril, Prince of Sofia, supports Master Brexiano."
-
A host of whispers accompanies John's statement - mostly, as far as Steeple and Kiril can tell, comments about the many horrible things the man's sire was going to do to him when he found out about this, and of how the Ventrue delegation has just been given a huge advantage in this momentary display of doubt. Even now the cainites can feel the air in the room shifting.
Tommaso turns his eyes onto Kiril then, and smiles.
"A newcomer to these courts, it is good to see new blood in these dusty halls - even the young can be wise, it seems."
Tommaso barely acknowledges John's proclamation.
Tommaso then cedes the floor, and other, lesser speakers come up to repeat themselves and the points of the Lasombra representative. All the the Conspiracy can see the growing anticipation on the side of the Ventrue delegation...
-
"This is not good." Saladin mumbles to himself in Arabic.
-
Kiril, unaccountably pleased by the unexpected praise, heads toward Master Brexiano's group.
Tomasso seems a most charming, intelligent man. And yet, Basilio harbors suspicions as to his motives.
Kiril ought to try and become closer to Master Brexiano.
-
Anton's internal rage grows.
-
'I say,' Steeple thinks to his astute Prince Maurice, 'Is sir Anton's eye supposed to be twitching like that?'
-
"It seems this new Prince, John, is even less adept than I at this sort of thing. I do believe his speach did more harm than good to the warmongers. Though could this be his Sire playing both sides? Claiming that he was supportive and a foolish childer spoke badly if they win or claiming it was a set-up to make people doubt if they loose. Sigh, my head hurts just trying to work this farce out and it isn't as if being here is doing any good, they are set on war already."
Heldric keeps his senses heightened and scans to room, trying to make note of who is on what side and those who he knows, planning to talk with them quietly while the lesser speakers repeated themselves once more. this whole 'debate' was pointless and he had spoken before but he had to at least make a good showing for his Sire, that came before his own distain.
-
John bows, "I am sorry to pollute the room with my foolishness, I should know better." before he walks out, muttering about how badly he bungled the whole thing, basically proving his point at not being good at these meetings.
-
"I'm not sure, but it sure seems natural on his face. Welcome. It looks like it belongs," Maurice says.
---
Husayn absent-mindedly interjects in Kiril's thoughts then, He is an orator, he gave you no special attention. Do not be so easily seduced by kindness.
---
Soon, the head of the Ventrue delegation takes the stand.
A mob of individuals begins to pour in as it comes time for Von Sachsen to speak, the torches that the Lasombra delegation put out for dramatic effect have been replaced, making it into a well lit room. Von Sachsen stands at the center, four translators separating him from the crowd. The man is tall and powerfully built despite his having noticeably reached his middle years.
The gray-bearded general is all fire and conviction, blindly boasting and carrying on. Where Tommaso seemed a man with a mission, a clarion voice in the midst of a mob, this man was the head of that mob as those around him wanted nothing more than to be near him as he bellowed. The only real difference between the two theaters was that this one, with the exception of a single corner where the Lasombra delegation dwelt, was very well lit.
Ana and Anton tell the others that this was Lanzo von Sachsen, vassal to High Lord Hardestadt. Nearby sat his two aids, Roland du Rocher and Aimery du Versey, Ventrue both; Roland was also Lanzo’s childe and confidant. While Aimery de Versey was a confidant and blood brother.
“My opponent would have us challenge the dragon by charging blindly into its teeth. He would, in the name of gamesmanship, demand a fountain of blood that would not be ours to wade through, but for on which our enemies could feed, and grow stronger even as we are made unto ash! What foolishness would it be to go to their strongholds and loudly gnash at our teeth? We must use tact and guile to defeat this enemy, for the enemy is filled with cunning and duplicity and so must we. Egypt is the crown jewel of their empire but they leave it weak! They know our prize lies in the Levant and they prepare for our eventual coming. We must strike at their heart while they are guarding ours! We must lay waste to their jewel and, as we drink our fill there we will sunder the rest of their empire, cutting it in twain. Then we can come at their backs and they will never know what hit them. Their empires will crumble and we shall walk into Jerusalem with our swords in sheaths for our enemies will have already fallen!” – von Sachsen
His bluster and ego are commendable.
"Subtle. Very subtle, but it's there isn't it?", Octacius says.
Sicilan squints for a second, then confirms it for Octavius.
"Indeed."
"He's working some sort of magic on this crowd. Not powerful magic, but just a nudge here, a nudge there... with a crowd like this, maybe that's all he needs."
The ghostly warrior then leans back, a pensive look on his face, "No. No, there is something subtle at work here... but I don't think it's coming from him. Not all of it, anyway."
"A most interesting observation, Sicilan, but if there is someone else, I can't find them."
"Neither can I."
-
"If it is that well performed, it might be very powerful in this situation. though if found out it would destroy him. You cant have been the only two who noticed either, the lasombre have invested too much to have not prepared." glancing around "We are hunters, they are hunters too, so let them find the prey while we find them. Search for others tracing the magic if you are able!"
Heldric keeps his senses heightened and searches for anyone that might be concentrating unusually hard while not looking at the speaker.
-
Why do you have to ruin everything?
Regardless, Kiril's mission is to observe Tommaso. Which he still plans on doing.
-
Anton looks out.
"Are you so fearful of assasins that you would divert our purpose?! We have a single crusade, we can not waste it on frivolties! We do not need to include the Setites in our holy conquest." Anton says, as he usually does, assuming he's allowed to.
-
As if on cue Aimery leapt to his feet, he was as tall as his master and seemed to be made of wound muscle ready to spring. He found Anton in the crowd and pointed.
"You lose your way, young Crusader. Our attack is against moslem interests, which the Assassins will leap forward to defend, for they draw their power from such sources. The Setites are worms, riddling the hearts of the eastern kingdoms, spreading their doctrine of corruption wherever they go - but the true power, the foundation of power in the eastern kingdoms, is the Assamites. You do not see far enough ahead, Dark One."
-
A large burly man wearing ornate armour with the symbol of the Teutonic Order emblazoned across the front, steps forward.
“I, Erasmus, representative of the Black Cross, lend my support and adulation to Master de Versey and Lord von Sachsen.”
There is a certain sort of boredom in Erasmus' voice - the knight would clearly prefer to not be wasting his time here, presumably the same with most of the other visitors. Duty keeps him here, wasting his time.
A cheer came from the crowd while de Versey and von Sachsen each gave him a small nod.
A thought strikes Anton then - almost out of the blue - He had forgotten to present his companions to the Prince. Narses was not a forgiving man, and despite Anton's own distaste he knows far more than enough to anger the Archbishop of Nod.
Due to the massive influx of Cainites in Venice recently, Narses has delegated the welcoming of new blood to a servant of his, Lord Aliprando.
-
"There", Octavius says.
"The second one, that one with the muscles like ropes strung onto his frame. It's him, I'm almost sure of it. I don't like that one in the back though, oh no, brooding the way he is. Something feels wrong here, about all of this."
"I wouldn't reveal any suspicions", Sicilan murmurs, "Just yet, lest you find yourself thrown out of the assembly with a few knives firmly set in your back for your troubles."
-
"Who cares where the fight starts, as long as it starts?" Steeple whispers to Prince Maurice, wondering how long this is going to take.
-
Heldric sighs internally but tries to keep it from showing on his face as he scans over the crowd to get a look at the man without seeming to concentrate on him "This is why I hate politics. Now I am aware of magic being used, it appears by my own faction and I cannot say anything incase it is some form of trap or I make enemies for myself and my sire. Please keep an eye on him any if any others are aware of what he is doing."
Slowly developing a headache from being forced into this situation Heldric tries to see which of the main parties pay attention to the man.
-
"Our way must be focused! It is foolish to waste our strength on the worms before we destroy the Vultures! Our focus must be on Palestine, not the putrid waste of the Setite lands." Anton retorts.
He of course, begins to look for his companions. They need to be introduced to the Prince, even if the Prince is filthy.
-
"Besides," adds Kiril, "attacking Egypt leaves us vulnerable on two fronts."
-
"Quite right!" Steeple agrees loudly.
-
'Might as well be done with formalities,' Steeple thinks, heading over to the local authorities to officially introduce himself...
-
John stops leaning on a wall and walks over, "Meeting finally over?"
-
"Nowhere near finished, I would guess," Steeple replies.
"I don't suppose you have already spoken to Lord Aliprando to announce your presence? Going there now myself."
-
"My name is Saladin Al Fatin. Childer of Husayn Al Fatin, who is now deceased. I see no benefit for any clan in this war and that is why i support peace."
-
"Nowhere near finished, I would guess," Steeple replies.
"I don't suppose you have already spoken to Lord Aliprando to announce your presence? Going there now myself."
"I was waiting on the rest of the group I've been asked by my sire...who will be more than a little displeased with my words at that meeting possibly making him lose face...to accompany, though I can walk with you, it'd be nice to get to know the group of 'misfits' I'm going to be riding with." John says with a sardonic, wincing *at mention of how displeased his sire would be* grin.
-
Anton scoffs at Saladin's proclamation. Surprising. The Assasimite is against the war against the Assamites.
-
"Not sure about your sire, but I hear Vladivostok can be quite nasty to those he takes a disliking to," Steeple replies to John.
"I wouldn't know however, as I don't remember a thing!"
-
"Besides," adds Kiril, "attacking Egypt leaves us vulnerable on two fronts."
De Versey swings around with a sort of manic enthusiasm that feels strange in the otherwise contained room, “This beast we face is not whole. It is not some ant hill filled with lockstep drones. It is a man who has lost feeling in his hands. When we attack his left his right will be unaware. When we attack his Heart his right hand will still be unaware! We shall attack on one front against a small force not ready for our coming, and only when that force is laid low and the ground they bled upon salted shall we turn again eastward and, well rested and ready for battle shall we engage.”
He says very little with quite a few words doesn't he? Husayn murmurs silently.
"My name is Saladin Al Fatin. Childer of Husayn Al Fatin, who is now deceased. I see no benefit for any clan in this war and that is why i support peace."
Not even the Byzantine delegation cheers Saladin's statement. The cold silence following his announcement is telling enough of the feeling in the room.
He does, however, see that pleased looks from members of the Lasombra delegation... strangely enough, some of its members appear to be dressed in the traditional garb of moslem men, it would appear that the dark ones are not wholly united in their intentions.
-
Anton and Heldric then usher out their companions so as to introduce them to Lord Aliprando. It takes ten minutes to navigate the packed corridors until they reach a tall red door shut and barred. In front of it is an engraved and well crafted chair, upon which sits a man who looks to be reaching middle years. His brow is furrowed as he listens to this or that complaint from the guests.
Custom would dictate that Anton take a knee and either introduce his companions or allow them to introduce themselves.
-
Anton bends his knee to the Lord, knowing that he does not have much choice in the matter.
"Lord Aliprando, I come to introduce my fellow visitors into the city of Venice. Among them are Kiril Petrov Veranin, Prince of Sofia, Steeple Trevesky, Sensenchel of the Tithua Path, the prince of [Whatever that city is called. Farking silly transyvanian names], John the Deprived, and Kiril's friend, Saladin Al Fatin."
-
"Steeple Carson Olaf Trevesky the Fourth," *COUGH... Steeple clarifies, just in case another of his kin had decided to attend the summit as well...
-
Aliprando’s face changes so completely that the conspiracy members think for a moment that maybe it had been some cunningly disguised mask revealing the face of a kind and generous man.
“Welcome, welcome. Honored guests of Narses, I am Guilelmo Aliprando, Seneschal to Prince Narses, my sire. Please come and make yourselves welcome.” – Aliprando
“It is only appropriate that we host you. We have only two rules: none die and none are made. You come with what you left with, nothing more and nothing less. I am sure Lord von Kronstadt can show you the rest.” – Aliprando, the mirth still not gone from his face.
-
"Excellent!" Steeple says with nod, admiring the man's salesmanship.
'I bet he could sell copies of the Kama Sutra to the Pope haha!' he thinks to Maurice.
-
"Excellent!" Steeple says with nod, admiring the man's salesmanship.
'I bet he could sell copies of the Kama Sutra to the Pope haha!' he thinks to Maurice.
John nods, "Of course good sir." He flashes a friendly grin.
-
Heldric gives a small bow of the head to acknowledge the rules even if he had heard them before, best not to anger an elder.
-
Anton mods.
"Then if there are no more questions for the lord, we shall be off." Anton says, returning his knee to where he originally took it.
Assuming so, and that the Venetian Sensenchel lets them go, Anton will ask.
"Does anyone feel any need to return to the Courts? Nothing much will have changed."
-
No sooner that they took a step back that the Seneschal’s brow once again furrowed, his attention turned from them completely.
As Anton suggests, the group is free to either tour the city (perhaps to feed at their leisure), or to go back to the Blood Courts where the debates have likely begun between the various delegations.
-
No sooner that they took a step back that the Seneschal’s brow once again furrowed, his attention turned from them completely.
As Anton suggests, the group is free to either tour the city (perhaps to feed at their leisure), or to go back to the Blood Courts where the debates have likely begun between the various delegations.
"Here's a suggestion because I feel those meetings were not exactly fun to sit through: We do everything in our power to try and find some enjoyment that is to be had." John suggests, "Though not to the point where our sires if you still have them and if not then the elders, would have us put to death for it."
-
Anton glares at the Prince for a moment, before shrugging.
"Steeple, you wished to speak with me?"
-
Unless he suddenly recollects a compelling reason not to, Kiril wishes to go back to the Courts (and Tommaso Brexiano.)
-
Saladin glares at the man. Then shakes his head slowly. "Dont act like a child, it is not fitting for a warruor such as yourself."
Then he will ignore him for the time being. Obvioisly a fool.
Saladin makes his way to Heldric. "Greetings. I dont believe we have spoken yet." He ends with a bow.
-
Heldric nods his head to Saladin in way or a bow
"Greetings, did I see you arrive accompanying Kiril? I am Heldric, Prince of Balgrad." He glances around "My brother Andreas is here somwhere though I fear he enjoys politics even less than I."
Seeing a possible assassin right in front of him Heldric uses pulse of undeath to get a basic read of the foreigner.
-
Anton glares at the Prince for a moment, before shrugging.
"Steeple, you wished to speak with me?"
"Ah, yes," Steeple answers, "Now would be as good a time as any - though this place is crawling with spies."
"And I am not as apt to deal with them as Heldric was..."
-
Heldric nods his head to Saladin in way or a bow
"Greetings, did I see you arrive accompanying Kiril? I am Heldric, Prince of Balgrad." He glances around "My brother Andreas is here somwhere though I fear he enjoys politics even less than I."
Seeing a possible assassin right in front of him Heldric uses pulse of undeath to get a basic read of the foreigner.
Saladin smiles in a friendly manner at him. "I did. My sire, Husayn Al-Fatin were a friend to his Sire. I honour that friendship." He says with a pause, as to elaborate but in the end chooses not too. "I myself am no great fan of politics i admitt, and yet i was a mortal... i believe your word for it would be prince? Son of a leader of a a nation"
"My name is Saladin Al-Fatin. This is my friend and bodyguard Hashim Nassar." He gestures at the man.
-
Heldric nods "Then welcome to our, I would say 'Group' for lack of a better term. We have had many experiences together but I wouldn't call all of us friends quite yet." He sighs and looks in the vague direction of the ongoing discussions "Sadly I must return to the other delegates and put in the occasional comment, you are welcome to join me though."
-
"Thank you." Saladin smiles warmly at the mans welcome. "I understand. Trust is something earned."
Saladin sighs. "Sadly, honour says i must. Do you share your sire's opinion on the war?"
-
As they walk "I do in fact, I feel this war was a misguided excuse by the humans which certain of our kind kept on to further their own adjendas. It will not go well for either side and ultimately destroy the peace and sucess of the dream in the area." He glances at him again "I heard you speak against the what, though I presume at least partly because it is your homeland being targeted?"
-
"Ah, yes," Steeple answers, "Now would be as good a time as any - though this place is crawling with spies."
"And I am not as apt to deal with them as Heldric was..."
Anton grins, baring his fangs.
"I can assist in that regard, should you not be afraid of darkness."
-
"The only darkness I fear," Steeple replies casually, "is the kind that stains the soul."
"But yes, I would be most interested in seeing.. or not seeing (as the case may be), this advanced darkness of the famed Lasombra."
-
As they walk "I do in fact, I feel this war was a misguided excuse by the humans which certain of our kind kept on to further their own adjendas. It will not go well for either side and ultimately destroy the peace and sucess of the dream in the area." He glances at him again "I heard you speak against the what, though I presume at least partly because it is your homeland being targeted?"
John nods, "I've grown to care in a strange way. How dare they harm my test subjects!? In all seriousness though there is too much to gain for them NOT to go to war, but the cost will be too great in my opinion. Then again the Sire commits to his word and I will not broach that topic...I don't have a death wish...not anymore." He says, mutter that last part lightly and quickly.
-
Saladin listens to what both of the men had too say before replying to either. "For someone not intested in that topic, you do talk an awful lot about it." Saladin remarks with an annoyed look on face.
What a despicable man. Doesn't have the decency to introduce himself before butting in. Human as test subjects?! What a terrible disposition to have.
"Now, excuse me." He turns to Heldroc again.
"Well, it seems we agree on yet another thing." He smiles. "Partly because it is my homeland, though i would oppose the war even if my side would be the aggressors. I do not see a point in thousands of mortals dying over an ancients scheme." He says the last part with a sad look on his face, before a more natural look comes over it.
"But, I hafto admit, I'm not familiar of this... 'Area dream' you speak of. Would you mind explaining what it is?"
-
"The only darkness I fear," Steeple replies casually, "is the kind that stains the soul."
"But yes, I would be most interested in seeing.. or not seeing (as the case may be), this advanced darkness of the famed Lasombra."
Anton's grin remains.
"We must make sure that darkness stays with us, Steeple. With those who are already lost."
He begins to summon a shroud of night to cover the two, and let the two converse.
-
Heldric nods to John "The Nospheratu are not greatly loved due to our appearance and tendencies but many can learn from us when it comes to subtlety. Whether you agree with your sire and sponcer or not, never voice it in a place like this. Many childe, princes or not, have had fates much worse than being torn limb from limb and fed to the wolves."
Then turning back to Saladin
"The dream is our future, no matter which clan or 'country' you hail from. You must have heard of Michaels Byzantium. He leads the dream there and my sire Malachite aids him. The more who follow the dream, the better our future will be. We build an construct a place for our kind to exist safely and progress through the petty wars and changes. Only a war like this one threatens even Byzantium itself."
-
Anton's grin remains.
"We must make sure that darkness stays with us, Steeple. With those who are already lost."
He begins to summon a shroud of night to cover the two, and let the two converse.
It occurs to Anton that using his powers in the prince's very own home and the Elysium for a gathering of dozens of vampires would be grounds for an execution.
-
It occurs to Anton that using his powers in the prince's very own home and the Elysium for a gathering of dozens of vampires would be grounds for an execution.
Anton doesnt know why, but sure.
"Let us head off to a secluded area. I do not wish to offend the Prince." Anton says, heading to a safer location.
-
Then turning back to Saladin
"The dream is our future, no matter which clan or 'country' you hail from. You must have heard of Michaels Byzantium. He leads the dream there and my sire Malachite aids him. The more who follow the dream, the better our future will be. We build an construct a place for our kind to exist safely and progress through the petty wars and changes. Only a war like this one threatens even Byzantium itself."
"Oh, that dream. It is a good dream, were it not for our kinds inherent hunger. Just think of all blood needed to fuel such a place. But then again, how much blood is already flowing because of our disdain for one another." He shrugs. "Though a place of learning like the fabled Carthage of old... Is a place to be desired."
-
"Carthage was indeed great once. Though look at Byzantium, one of the greatest cities seen and the sheer number of human there. Those that follow the dream take what is needed and, the populous is so great that our kind living there could feed on a different human each time and some would be born and die never being bitten." he pauses and looks around "I could speak of it for days but for now there are some here who disagree and some that outright oppose so I shall be discreet as I just advised our new aquintance."
Other than Kirils friendship, what brings you here?"
-
John shrugs, "Well...I guess I should introduce myself, I am known as John the Deprived. For my sire removed many things I once had, including the blinders which rendered me unable to consider things." he says with a bow, "Even if I weren't referring to these people as Test Subjects, a war would kill them pointlessly."
-
"Perhaps." He replied with a thoughtful look. "It is a interesting topic. One i would very much like to continue to discuss at a later date."
"Here specifically or here, among your group?"
-
"Here specifically. I assumed everyone would want to join our group because of our famous sucess and great looks." Heldric replies with uncharicteristic whit
-
Anton doesnt know why, but sure.
"Let us head off to a secluded area. I do not wish to offend the Prince." Anton says, heading to a safer location.
"Of course," Steeple replies, following Anton wherever they need to go.
---
http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2053.0 (http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2053.0)
-
"Yes. The bards of this place sings songs of your heroism." Saladin says with a serious face, which was soon followed by a warm smile.
"The coming war."
-
Heldric nods, humour of the last moment gone again "As it seems, the other delegates will be arguing here long past the wars end, though I fear some information is soon going to come to light that will shift things significantly in the debating room. I sadly I must be spent to represent Byzantium even if all know my lack of ability in these proceedings."
-
John nods, "Well, if you need me, I will be in town square, look for the dazed citizens." He says, silently stalking about for people as he is thirsty.
He looks for someone who is alone, his hair and hood grown long enough to cover his eyes in an attempt to dull the glow into something normal, 'A lovely night indeed.' he thinks to himself, noting how the moon is.
---
http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2054.0 (http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2054.0)
-
"We cant all be playing politicians." Saladin gests. "Shift the tides? In our favor i take it?"
-
Heldric nods politely at John's exit, he was going to be an interesting Prince.
Then replying to Saladin "if only anything here was that simple!" Heldric practically scoffs "Mearly against on of the sides that is not ours but I've been warned that the manner it happens is more important that what is actually going on so it could fall out in any number of stupid ways with how they scheme here. I'm keeping silent as with my political skills interfering would probably only end up with me dying and war breaking out here and now."
-
8th of August, 1202; 2:54am
Somewhere below ground
The Domain of Narses
Prince of Venice
The debate has been going on for nearly an hour now and to everyone’s surprise it is not Lanzo who stands opposed to Tommaso but Roland du Rocher, who is the opposite of his sire in speaking to the Spanish Lasombra - where Lanzo was all impassioned fury that would often lead to interruptions in Tommaso's speech (and subsequent chastisement by lord Aliprando, the moderator) and a method of attack that would bully around the opposing orator, Roland seems to speak reasonably.
The young Ventrue is funny and affable as his opponent throws barbs at him; he seems to be honestly attempting to get Tommaso to change his mind. Asking questions in such a way as to force the answer he wants, much to Tommaso’s obvious frustration.
Kiril was very much enjoying the verbal jousting, eventually pushing himself to the front of the gallery. This was greater than any theater he’d ever seen.
Suddenly Roland was pointing directly at him.
“You, pray tell, do you wish for this war to end in victory or defeat?” – Roland
-
It's a trick question, isn't it? Kiril experiences a momentary flash of panic. What do I say without looking foolish?
Well, not answering is also going to look inane, isn't it?
At a complete loss for an intelligent reply, Kiril goes with absolute literalism.
"Victory for some is defeat for others."
-
Kiril notes a look of approval from Tomasso,
Roland grins at Kiril's reply, seemingly finding humour in Kiril's response "A clever one! Do you wish, then, for us to achieve victory in this war? All of us, and our combined interests?"
-
A split second of pleasure at Tommaso's approval. But then- It's a trick, a trap. There's nothing I can say.
"That's the problem, isn't it? Our interests don't really seem to be combined."
-
"Ah", Roland says, smiling, "but our interests are one and the same, are they not? To topple the Muslim empire, to achieve victory over the Palestinians, to profit from these crusades. In this we are agreed."
And much of the room seems to agree with him, even Tommaso begrudgingly nods his acceptance of this, "and is this not your desire? For this, this is our victory."
-
Heldric decides that this is going too well for the skilled orator and finally feels it has come to the point of the day he has to say somthing. He moves slightly forward and calls out using his enchanted voice to lend an aid to his words, even if he lost this debate, his sire would be represented.
"Your victory?" He begins "You mean this rushed and Ill-planned attack by the humans on an enemy well prepared for the war? Where are the great armies lead by the western kings that rolled across the land in the earlier crusades?" A slight pause "They never came. Nobles sent small piecemeal militia and even they squabble about how few eachother sent against a united empire. So you say we must guide them to our 'United purposes' and claim the rewards? What rewards do you expect from the poor dust-ridden holy lands? This will be a short war ending in slaughter for both sides and no gains other than to weaken those who fight or happen to live near, lucky you live so very far away from the war and what it's fallout will do."
-
"Wise words." Saladin says with a nod to Heldric.
-
A lesser speaker would have simply laughed at Heldric (as even now Lanzo did), or fixated on Saladin's support to attack the Byzantine delegation (from how Tommaso's eyes lit up at Saladin's proclamation Heldric has no doubt he plans to do so later). Roland does neither of these.
"The mortals may be lost, but we shall show them the way. Have we not lead them throughout history? We are their sheperds. But it is true, that our army is not fit to challenge the the full might of the muslim empire", Roland cedes.
"In fact, I would think that to take on an army of that magnitude, with all the power of their empire to back them up while we are alone, thousands of leagues from home with only a few battered Crusader “kingdoms” to aide us and hoping that it comes out in our good to land a ‘symbolic’ victory may be the closest thing to suicide this side of greeting the sun."
A few chuckles then, from members of the other delegations, while Tommaso fumes silently in the corner.
"This is why we must focus our efforts on Egypt, where the empire's hold is weak, where their armies are scattered, we shall not strike for the heart of the snake, but take it apart piece by piece!"
Roland resumes his momentum and continues questioning the others in the crowd, his skill in this matter is unquestionable.
"This one needs no magic," Sicilan remarks.
"Nope, just good old fashionned charisma and discourse," Octavius agrees.
---
When the debates are concluded, Roland approaches all three of conspiracy members personally.
"Well met, Heldric. This new arrival is prince Kiril, I believe? I have not been introduced to your dark friend there, welcome."
Roland gives a little bow in greeting to the three.
-
Saladin matches the mans bow. "Then let us remedy that."
Standing up straight again and looking directly into Rolands eyes "My name is Saladin Al Fatin, childer of Husayn Al Fatin, who'm is now sadly, deceased. I am the apprentice of the head of the Amr."
-
Heldric bows in return "you turned my points against the main war faction skillfully but at the least some of my point were heard for once."
-
Saladin matches the mans bow. "Then let us remedy that."
Standing up straight again and looking directly into Rolands eyes "My name is Saladin Al Fatin, childer of Husayn Al Fatin, who'm is now sadly, deceased. I am the apprentice of the head of the Amr."
"Ah, i'm afraid your title means very little to me, I am sadly unfamiliar with your clan's titles, though that of your master sounds impressive indeed. I must say, I have a great deal of respect for one such as yourself showing up to an event like this; you must feel very uncomfortable in this city. If there's ever anything I can do to make your stay more pallatable, do not hesitate to ask."
Heldric bows in return "you turned my points against the main war faction skillfully but at the least some of my point were heard for once."
"Ah, but it was a pleasure to hear you speak for once! Your distaste for these matters is clear enough but I felt honoured when I saw that the notoriously silent head of the byzantine delegation chose to throw his weight into the debates", he says with a friendly smile to show that he's simply poking fun at the Nosferatu.
"You should speak more often, you raised some excellent points Heldric."
"And you, Kiril, perhaps we serve two of the same sides but you handle pressure very impressively, I hope to see more of you in the courts, yes?"
-
Saladin smiles at Rolands words about Al-Ashrad. "It is. He is the head of the scholar caste."
Did i say scholar caste? Meant Dur-An-Ki. Sorry for lying to you but that information is not for you.
"We all do what we must. I say the risk is not worth the reward. And thank you." Like if.
-
Heldric smiles, he is used to being mocked in political circles but he simply pitied those who take the time to become good at it. They were no longer real hunters. Roland was also loosing the overall debate anyway.
"Well we all know full well I am not at home in these endless debates, I almost wish that we could dispense with it all, if I didn't know that it would lead to greater anarchy and death."
-
Kiril nods politely.
-
Roland grins at the three, "It's been a pleasure to meet you all, really. If I may be excused, my sire Lanzo looks like he's on the verge of trying to start another riot", Roland says, bidding them farewell.
As the four spoke Kiril noticed Tommaso speaking with Lucita. He shot a finger toward them even as he gave them an evil look. Whatever he was saying he was not happy. Immediately after he stormed off, no doubt to be ready for his day-sleep.
Indeed, the sun will rise soon, and it is well enough time for the members of the Conspiracy to rest.
-
Heldric polietly bows "Thankyou for taking the time, it was nice to speak to you directly rather than through rhetoric." He waves his hand toward the stage.
Hen after he leaves "I guess it is time for me to retire as well, being around this many makes me tired and grumpy." Then remembering his companion "Present company excluded of course."
-
why is Tommaso angry with me?
-
"The pleasure was mine." Saladin replies.
Then with a look at Heldric "I know what you mean. And to think, this is what i would spend my time with. And my beautiful 9 wives." He smiles at the thought. "Good times."
-
8th of August, 1202; 11:00pm
Narses’ Chambers
The Domain of Narses
Prince of Venice
The first three hours of each night were given to the Cainites who called Venice their temporary home to hunt as they wished. The influx of humanity that came with the Crusaders had made feeding all but easy. Indeed a few Cainites had been reprimanded or worse for conducting blood orgies some weeks prior.
Tonight though, Anton was not in need of blood and as his compatriots were off hunting he came in search of his allies within the delegation an hour early, wanting to coordinate with them and learn if they had need of him.
He found Lucita waiting in one of the rooms. She seemed anxious to get started, juggling a knife between her fingers and flicking it up into the air in a strange dance of metal.
After exchanging greetings they settled in while the other delegates poured into Narses' chambers - including his fellow transylvanian princes and Saladin, though strangely enough, John the Butcher appears to be absent.
An hour later the Deliberations were to begin but von Sachsen and his childe were absent, though Aimery De Versey was present he did not possess the authority to speak for the Ventrue delegation in Von Saschen's absence.
As time passed people began to murmur. Soon rumors began to fly, had von Sachsen been murdered? Had he given up and gone home? Had he been called home by the High Lord?
A full hour past the time that they should have begun Tommaso stood and addressed the assembled cainites.
“It is clear to me now that these deliberations have ended. General von Sachsen has rescinded his challenge and we shall sail for…” – Tommaso’s roar was cut off by the sound of something massive banging on the large double doors that led from the hall.
The two doors slammed open with the force of a battering ram. On the other side of them stood Lanzo von Sachsen, his eyes were red with blood and rage. As he waded into the sea of undead they rushed to get out of his path, moved back as if by some invisible force. The General stepped up onto a table so that all could see him and bellowed for all to hear:
“Roland du Rocher is dead! Murdered in the hours before dawn in this night passed! His very blood turned unto ash!” – von Sachsen.
Tommaso’s face pales visibly as the assembly erupted into roars of accusation, rage and sorrow.
Aimery, Lucita and Tommaso all attempt to quiet the mob but to no avail. It was only after Guilelmo stood from his seat and demanded silence that things quieted.
“We shall have order within these chambers or I shall see the lot of you meet tomorrow’s sunrise! I have already dispatched men to bring the body to these chambers that it might be examined.” – Aliprando
***
8th of August, 1202; 11:49pm
Narses’ Chambers
The Domain of Narses
Prince of Venice
To assure the masses that politics would not be a factor in the investigation Guilelmo empowered each of the delegations to nominate one investigator to come with them. The investigator could, in turn, bring a single aide. He was sure to note however that only his findings carried any weight in the matter and that he could demand their departure at any time.
Lanzo demanded to be the Ventrue Faction’s Lead, while taking Aimery to act as his aide. The Lasombra nominated Anton and, as it would be impolite to name any other, he took Kiril as his aide. The Byzantines nominated Heldric, who has taken Anna Sgorina (as the other primary delegate) as his aide. The Ashirra Delegation was headed by a Lasombra called Khadijah Saadah, whom none of the conspiracy knew - yet Saladin was surprised to be approached by the man, who asked him to serve as his aide. Finally, Guilelmo nominated the necromancer Vendramino as his aide.
“I must warn you not to touch the body unless you ask first, for it has become very brittle in death and also that you ready yourself. For what you will see will be shocking.” – Guilelmo
When the doors into the little parlor were opened the entire assemblage let out a single sharp gasp. On the floor, in a pose of pain, lay Roland du Rocher. His skin was ashen and gray, putting to mind the Architect Zelios. In his mouth, nose and ears were the remnants of what appeared to be volcanic ash, but lacked the telltale sulfurous smell that would come with it. Most disturbing two of his fingers, the ring and pinky, on his right hand were missing, apparently broken off by the assailant.
Many cainites were visibly upset by the sight of the dead vampire, Von Saschen most so.
Vendramino walked widdershins around the body before approaching. With permission he took a bit of hair from its head and whispered Roland’s name. He felt his own soul stretch out in search of the spirit only to feel the dread sensation of oblivion. Roland du Rocher had left this plane.
It was Kiril who noticed the wound in the Ventrue’s neck.
“Do you smell that bitterness?”
From the door Steeple took a deep breath. He could indeed and he wasn’t the only one. Others in the crowd were nodding as well.
Guilelmo reached down with a probe and prodded at the wound. When the tool came back it had a thick dark pink resin on its tip. Lucita gasped as Guilelmo brought it to his nose.
The seneschal’s eyes narrowed.
“Roland du Rocher was killed with Bloodroot poison!” – Guilelmo
There is a murmur among the gallery. It seemed that none had heard of it, none but the coterie.
“If it is tempered properly Bloodroot is only of only a few naturally occurring toxins that can bring death to one of Caine’s childer. In its natural state it appears as a flower with broad white petals run through with crimson veins."
As he says this, Kiril feels as if he is... recalling this information.
Husayn knew.
“I have seen such a flower.” – Anna, hesitantly.
“where?” – von Sachsen
Guilelmo looked to Anna, who nodded and pointed out that she had seen a bouquet of such flowers in the possession of Kiril the night before.
A sudden noise then - and everyone is surprised to hear a groaning and stirring as a lump previously thought to be a rag moved. Sorceries and fell powers fill the air in sudden response to this presence but Aliprando quickly silences them, while moving forward and roughly tearing the canvasing off to reveal none other than John the Butcher, looking to have been savagely injured, a knife in his hand, appearing to be wildly disoriented.
A low murmur resumed among the crowd. Von Sachsen’s eyes grew dark.
“Murderer! All murderers! They planned his death with the help of that disgusting assassin! I demand that these murderers be taken into custody this instant!” Von Sachsen roared, the general's presence growing more fearsome by the second.
Guilelmo’s men moved in to detain each of the Transylvanian princes and their childer. Kiril was quick to declare the lunacy of the charge, stating, at the top of his lungs that he’d been ignorant of their nature until Anna and Carinus had told him. Anna quickly came to his defense, as what he was saying was true but she also admitted that it would be appropriate to sequester them.
-
Heldric sighs loudly and clearly let's himself be detained with no resistance "This is why I hate politics, first one delegation uses magic to influence the emotions of the listeners and now this." He says it loud enough to ensure the listeners all hear, might as well give everyone else something extra to think of.
"Sicilian, if I can ask you a favourite, please find out for me what you can about the proceedings here as I am detained. Do not take risks as so.e here can detect you and return quickly."
-
"This is silly! Why would we work with a man who backed peace? John is a fool, and has nothing to do with Kiril or I!"
-
"Ooh, sequestering at it's finest!" Steeple preened, hoping that they included him in their definition of the 'official' Transylvanian delegation.
-
That is acceptable. I will keep an eye on proceedings. What should I do when the necromancer tries to stop me?
Meanwhile, Octavius interjects - Should I contact Nicolo for you? It shouldn't be too hard to find them, I doubt they'll know to hide from me.
---
Steeple is, indeed, included as a suspect - being pulled aside and grouped up with the others. For a second he is afraid that Maximus will disregard his previous order and assault the ghouls to free Steeple (even though the skilled thaumaturge's blood magics would allow him to free himself easily enough - at least until more competent hunters were sent after him). Luckily it would appear that Maximus is showing restraint.
"It's probably a good thing that Maximus attacked Anton, really. At least Anton was willing to let it be, I doubt Narses would be so forgiving in regards to the death of his ghouls", Maurice comments idly.
-
"Oh yes, that was most fortunate," steeple replies to his prince, "now, if only I had a clue of what was going on..."
-
"Do not fight him and don't do anything overly suspicious. Once noticed return to me right away, if questioned and unable to return to me first you may admit you are my companion, they never said you were detained after all. Octavius, that would be appreciated but be careful of the wards that might have been put into effect.
-
"Huh, isn't this a plot-twist." Saladin says as he presumably gets taken away with the others.
-
"That guy may look even more suspicious and untrustworthy than Kiril does! But he's hardly from Transylvania. I mean, just look at him! He's probably Irish (or worse)!" Steeple protests to Saladin's inclusion in the 'round-up'.
-
"An assassin arriving on the same day as most of the Transylvanian princes, in the company of the suspected murderer, and kills one of the most compelling Ventrue war representatives?
I don't know Steepleton, it doesn't look good for any of us, much less him", Maurice comments, once no one at all answers Steeple's indignant cry.
-
Saladin shrugs at the malkavians ranting.
-
Steeple shrugs back even harder at Saladin and throws in an eyebrow raise, to up the ante!
-
Saladin unintionally smiles at the Malkavians odd behaviour. He quickly hides it though.
-
9th of August, 1202; 1:24am
A Parlor
The Domain of Narses
Prince of Venice
It had been hours since they’d been brought to their ‘cell’ which was just as comfortably appointed as any other within the Prince’s chambers. Joseph had yet to finish railing, showing more wrath and animation than Anton had seen ever seen in the monk. He would not be jailed, he was an innocent man and would tear apart anyone who would dare call him murderer. Anton practiced his swordsmanship and spent some time doing pushups and even some time reading what little he could find that wasn’t blasphemy.
All of their weapons, regents and such have been confiscated. Steeple in particular is upset due to the lost of his blade, Eternal Thirst - and all of his ritual components. Heldric and Saladin are similarly distressed, having been deprived of any tool they have to contact their sires or enact ritual magic. Worse, the necromancer Vendramino, appears to have chased off Sicilan and Octavius both, for Heldric has received no word from either of his ghostly companions since being locked in the cell - indeed, the place feels barren to him, devoid of any spiritual presence.
Soon afterwards there were footsteps outside the door to the "cell". Then the lock turned.
The door opened and two ghouls entered, taking point to the left and right of the door.
“Lords, please forgive the length of the wait.” – Guilelmo
“We didn’t do it.” – Joseph
“I have little doubt, Master Joseph and Good news, too. Lord von Sachsen has charged you with breaking the Traditions of Caine and demands your blood be burned by the light of the sun, however his case is extremely weak and I doubt that you should worry as it’s likely to fail, but he has the backing of many powerful delegates and you are outsiders here, from the hoary realm beyond the mountains, which makes you truly exceptional scapegoats. Nevertheless, Prince Narses cannot let such charges, even charges that are patently false, go unheard.” – Guilelmo
Under guard Guilelmo led them through the now empty corridors to the doors that had been blocked by his chair before. With a swift jerk they opened into Narses' Audience chamber.
If anything the audience chamber was more beautiful and extravagant. The mosaics were inlayed with gold and porphyry statues stood in alcoves all around the chamber. The chamber itself was large enough to seat all of the cainites who attended the deliberations up to this point and still have a great deal of room.
Not far from where they stood sat the prince on a throne of walnut that was ornately decorated with gold, mother of pearl, ivory, colored wood and precious stones. The prince was well into his nineties when he was embraced and his crooked form was draped in crimson robes that immediately reminded Heldric and Anton of the robes of the Patriarch of Constantinople (at least, those he wore in the few depictions of the self-titled archangel). At his side was a golden crosier.
The Prince’s hand rose and the room grew silent, as if sound had become something alien to the assembly.
“Bring the accused forward.” – Narses, his voice high and lilted.
The group stepped forward, almost as if compelled.
Guilelmo stepped forward too, now dressed in the uniform of a magistrate.
“Those who accuse these men, step forward.” – Guilelmo
Von Sachsen stepped forward, Tommaso at his side. Immediately the audience began to whisper again; it was odd that the two rivals had found common ground - especially given two of the accused were Basilio's childer, and staunch supporters of the war.
“What is your evidence?” – Guilelmo
“They were in possession of the Blood Root that killed Roland du Rocher.” – Tommaso
"They were in the company of a kindred found with a bloodroot-poisonned blade at the scene of the crime." - Von Saschen
"They are in the company of an assassin." Tommaso
“Did either of you see these flowers?” – Narses
Tommaso looked to von Sachsen.
“No, my lord, we did not.” – von Sachsen
“Then on what grounds have these charges been brought forward?” – Narses
“We have witnesses.” – Lanzo, who turns to Anna Sgorina
The Byzantine stepped forward.
“Well?” – Narses
“Yes, my lord, I did see them with the flowers, but they were ignorant of their nature when I found them. When they learned of their nature they destroyed most of them. I believe them to be innocent of these charges, my lord.” – Anna Sgorina
“I demand her opinion be stricken from the record, the low blood is obviously ignorant of the murderer’s motivation.” – von Sachsen.
“You saw nothing wrong with her testimony when this started, Patrician.” – Narses.
"The kindred found at the scene was who?" - Narses
"John the Butcher, another of the transylvanian princes. He was found savagely injured, presumably by Roland, at the scene. He carried with him a bloodroot-poisonned blade."
The necromancer Vendramino then steps forward, "There were no signs of combat on Roland's body. He was struck from behind and killed almost instantly. While the blade John possesses is indeed the murder weapon, his injuries and his disoriented state, as well as his lack of memory regarding the event, would suggest he was either compelled or framed."
"This is utter idiocy!" Lanzo shouts out, indignant, "The fool was found with the murder weapon at the scene of the crime, he clearly murdered Roland! He was seen with the flowers! He was with the assassin! They all were! They must die!"
"Hmm, yes, about that, what evidence do you have to implicate the Assamite Saladin in these matters?" - Narses
It's then that Heldric hears Sicilan's voice from behind him. His eyes immediately dart towards Vendramino, who looks at him carefully but says nothing.
"It's not good lad. They know you're all innocent, even Tommaso, but everyone wants you, the Butcher and the Assassin dead, the Prince wants Anton, Steeple and Kiril dead, Lanzo wants blood - any blood, and he'll take it any way he can. Aliprando, Anna, Lucita and that necromancer are all in your corner but there's nothing they can do more than they've already done - you're going to be scapegoated, left out in the sun unless you can find whoever really did this.
"The assassin arrived the same day as the death of my childe! His clan invented this poison, he was the agent who provided the poison necessary for the killing! He was even seen near the warehouse district with John before the murder of my childe." - Lanzo.
"Do you have witnesses to this?" - Narses
"Yes. Your own ghouls, my lord." - Tommaso
Two men dressed in the apparel of the city guard step forward and utter their agreement with Lanzo's statement - they had indeed seen a man matching Saladin's appearance and a man matching John's appearance near the warehouse district last night, when Roland was killed.
This was starting to look bad. Really bad.
-
Anton maintains his calm. Outbursts won't help.
"These claims are silly. Why would we bring the assassin here to implicate us? Are we such fools in the eyes of the court?" Anton asks. "And why would a prince himself attack Lord Ranzo when an assassin was so readily available? These charges are false."
-
Heldric sighs aloud again "I really do hate politics, this is why I didn't want involved in the first place. It is obvious you know we are innocent, that much is apparent to everyone here but we are a convenient scapegoat and you all get to clear some rivals from your paths." With a slight pause he looks at Lanzo "Don't you want the blood of the actual murderer rather than obvious scapegoats? If I was murdered here, Malechite would go to the ends of this world to ensure the guilty party paid rather than accept some politically chosen stand in."
-
"Scapegoating?" Steeple scoffed sarcastically, "And here I thought politicians and nobility were the bastion of integrity."
"At least grant us the opportunity to track down the real killer. After all, if he's willing to do this, he's willing to do that, as well as one or two of those..."
-
"On the contrary Steeple. The more noble you are, the backstabbyier it get'ss unfortunately." Saladin replies. "And please, do stop refering to me as some lowly hashashin. My name is Saladin Al Fatin, please, use it."
"Warehouse district? I have not been in the warehouse with this John. I do not stand the mans stupidity."
-
"As you wish Sal," Steeple nods to Saladin.
-
Anton maintains his calm. Outbursts won't help.
"These claims are silly. Why would we bring the assassin here to implicate us? Are we such fools in the eyes of the court?" Anton asks. "And why would a prince himself attack Lord Ranzo when an assassin was so readily available? These charges are false."
"And if you did? What fools do you think us for, to boldly murder my blood and then claim that your boldness is proof of your innocence!", Lanzo roars.
Heldric sighs aloud again "I really do hate politics, this is why I didn't want involved in the first place. It is obvious you know we are innocent, that much is apparent to everyone here but we are a convenient scapegoat and you all get to clear some rivals from your paths." With a slight pause he looks at Lanzo "Don't you want the blood of the actual murderer rather than obvious scapegoats? If I was murdered here, Malechite would go to the ends of this world to ensure the guilty party paid rather than accept some politically chosen stand in."
A wicked grin flashes across Lanzo's face, "If Malachite would act to acquire vengeance for his beloved assassin then he can deal with High Lord Hardestat! Perhaps it's well time for the Byzantine empire and it's mad Patriarch to fall!"
Chatter erupts in the room at the significance of such a statement in the presence of Narses - the strongest surviving rival to the Byzantine empire's ruling Cainites. Lanzo must truly be furious, and hot-headed indeed to make such dangerous threats.
"On the contrary Steeple. The more noble you are, the backstabbyier it get'ss unfortunately." Saladin replies. "And please, do stop refering to me as some lowly hashashin. My name is Saladin Al Fatin, please, use it."
"Warehouse district? I have not been in the warehouse with this John. I do not stand the mans stupidity."
Tommaso practically hisses at the assassin, "See how the filthy thing lies even now? You dare presume equal status? Your people are liars! Killers! Poisonners! Backstabbers! Murderers!
You would dare accuse the Prince's own of lying in front of the courtroom? You were seen!"
"Well, at least they own up to it", Maurice says, "Unlike the rest of this lot."
-
"I have done no such thing." Saladin replies calmly. "You know aswell as i, that there are ways to make others see things. Even feel things that are not there. I am saying something like that most likely happend."
Could this man be more of an idiot.
"Equal? Why Yes, yes ofcourse."
-
"This is a transparent and markedly lazy attempt at a frame up!" Steeple scoffs.
"There is risk, losing support for your cause, in acting too hastily over a matter such as this. Wash your hands of us, and you wash your hands of those who sent us, as their delegates."
-
"And if you did? What fools do you think us for, to boldly murder my blood and then claim that your boldness is proof of your innocence!", Lanzo roars.
"Why would we?" Anton asks.
"I have amicable relations with the Black Cross. I house them in my own domain. Why would I upset them in such a obvious set up?! This is madness."
"I have done no such thing." Saladin replies calmly. "You know aswell as i, that there are ways to make others see things. Even feel things that are not there. I am saying something like that most likely happend."
Could this man be more of an idiot.
"Equal? Why Yes, yes ofcourse."
"I claim no connection to this assassin. Whatever actions he commited or not are unrelated to us!"
-
Heldric scoffs at Lanzo openly, his grumpy ess reaching its limit
"You begin with those threats here of all places?" He waves his hand toward Narses in a respectful manner to indicate the only one here who could really be saying that"
Then turning to Tomosso "Your acting at least is still good, we were Seen though? Do you claim to have no idea about the abilities many here posess? Are you truely stupid enough to claim seeing one of our kind is any kind of evidence?"
Heldric burns a will point to take on the visage and mannerisms of Narces himself to make him as indistinguishable as possible then casts cloak the gathering on the real Narces and several lesser delegates surrounding Lanzo and Tomasso so they will vanish from sight at least temporarily, also burning a will for sucess.
"Do you see me now Tomasso?" he says in as close to Narces voice and manner as his ability enables him.
-
Heldric achieves spectacular success in his obfuscation, achieving a perfect mimicry of Narses and making the Prince of Venice vanish from the assembly - aside from a very select few cainites in the crowd, most of the assembly is struck by sudden confusion. The confusion only furthers when Heldric mimics Narses' high, lilting voice when talking to Tomasso. The Lasombra is struck silent by the act.
After a while, Narses rises from his chair and speaks, breaking the obfuscation cast over him, though not the one Heldric cast on himself.
“That is enough of that.. As the Prince of Venice it falls to me to be objective in matters such as these. The death of one of our own is a vile act and a crime against Caine, the weight of the crime cannot truly be put into words. That the perpetrator of this crime must be brought to justice should go without saying, but justice must indeed be done. Now is not the time for easy answers and quick solutions.” – Narses
Von Sachsen nearly loses control of his beast at these words and even his roars were drowned out by the sound of the raging assemblage. It takes Guilelmo a few minutes to get the near rioting mob under control.
“I have no intention of allowing the accused to go free… yet. After all, while the evidence against them is circumstantial and weak at best it’s still the only evidence we have. The Malkavian, out of all those present, speaks the wisest. They shall have three nights to prove their innocence unequivocally; they do not need to bring the true killers, should they exist, to justice, though that certainly will work. Should they do so in the time allotted they shall go free, should they fail they shall go to the sun. And before anyone gets any ideas, should you leave my city I shall send my agents after you and should you by some dark miracle survive them then a blood-hunt shall be declared against you. There shall be no more deaths in my city; any who break my law will be treated with most harshly.” – Narses
Lanzo again howled in protest but was ignored by the Prince. When he came forward he was stopped short by Aliprando, who reminds him that the prince had spoken and the decision had been made.
Kiril and Steeple both notice the little smile that crosses Tommaso’s lips at the verdict.
-
Heldric immediatly releases his obsfucaion upon the princes command, the man might be an enemy and Heldric might be grumpy right now but he isn't suicidal.
Calming himself a little with the new news he speaks quietly "Three days or the sun, it seems we have to work quickly to avoid this." He says this aloud but both of his companion spirits will know he was partly thinking at them. They might well have useful abilities in finding out what happened.
-
Steeple bows to the wisdom of Narses, while raising an eyebrow ever so slightly at Tammoso.
'I wonder what his game is,' he thinks to Prince Maurice.
-
Anton nods.
"Thank you for your graciousness, Prince." Anton says, before turning to the group.
"We should discuss more in private, those who would frame us are conspiring now as well."
Anton then asks.
"Will the debate countinues during these three days?"
-
"Of course, we cannot halt the deliberations due to the urgent nature of the current situation. Now, you are dismissed", Narses says, waving his hand in a dismissive manner as if to accentuate his dismissal of the Conspiracy.
-
Anton nods, before looking to the coiterie.
"I want to talk to Lucita and Anna. Not sure we can trust anyone else." Anton says.
-
John nods, only BARELY awake enough to have heard that, "Yeah...what the HELL was in that blood!?" He asks in an angry mutter.
-
"So..." Steeple asks the Prince before leaving, "I don't suppose we could just ask Roland du Rocher who did him in, could we?"
"I mean, it's practically what Calling the Restless Spirit was made for..."
-
Heldric looks across at the necromancer "I'm assuming talking to his spirit has been tried and failed?"
-
"Would that even matter? He was killed in an instant. Any trained assassin would have never been seen."
-
"The knife saw who did it..." Steeple replied, using Wooden Tongues to try to ask it what it knew.
-
John tries to use his senses to try and find clues, drowsy but willing to help.
-
Guilelmo leads the conspiracy of Cainites out from the courtroom, where he repeats to them Narses' demands - they are the same as those that the Venetian Prince gave in the courtroom. 3 nights to prove their innocence, or be doomed to meet the day.
Kiril seems to be a most dark mood, those who had seen him with Tommaso get the impression that he feels betrayed by the elder Lasombra's persecution. He leaves shortly after being given his freedom with his collection of servants, Barabus throwing a dark look Steeple's way before leaving with his new master.
The others ask Guilelmo permission to go back to the scene of the crime, while Anton inquires as to the location of Anna Sgorina and Lucita de Aragorn so that he can discuss the situation with the two.
Guilelmo gladly gives the conspiracy permission to investigate the warehouse, which he mentions belongs to the mortal Mouzakios ship-builders (the warehouse primarily holds ship-building equipment and half-finished projects), the helpful seneschal even informs them that Vendramino will accompany them all at the scene of the crime to provide them with whatever information they found necessary. He informs Anton that Anna currently resided in her suite in the Prince's palace while Lucita was busy helping Tommaso in her role as his aide. Both could be reached whenever Anton wished for questioning.
Anton gives his fellow conspiracy members his farewell as he leaves to go question his two acquaintances, while they go to investigate the scene of the crime.
---
Anton's part will be continued here: http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2160.0
---
On their way to the scene of Roland Durocher's murder, Heldric senses a familiar and welcome presence - as Octavius' voice echoes in the inner chambers of his mind once more.
Sorry for the delay Heldric, really. It took quite a bit longer than I thought it would to find those crafty bastards. It's no wonder Narses hasn't found them yet, I knew where they were and how to look and it still took me hours...
Octavius clears his throat, and amusingly unnecessary gesture coming from the ghost, before continuing,
He says he's willing to help provide you with information and keep his eyes and ears open about any unique happenings in the city. He's also prepared to smuggle you and the knight Anton out of the city if it at any point becomes necessary. None of the others, however.
A different, significantly less welcome voice intrudes then. It had been ages since Heldric had heard Epistatia's voice - deceiving Goratrix had taken much out of the necromantress, bound as she was in Heldric's mind.
It had not been long enough.
Anton, but not the others, hmm? There's a puzzle...
The sound of her voice sets Heldric's teeth on edge but the inconsequentiality of her observation sets him into a sort of wary ease. Nothing for her to pick at yet.
Octavius continues then, Och, I can feel her stirring in there. She's talking to you right now isn't she? Sorry we couldn't do anything more than seal her away lad, but diminished as we both are there wasn't much to be had for it.
Anyway, Nicolo said he had some information for you but he'll only share it with you in person. He said to lose the ghouls trailing you and find him at the pre-set location.
Heldric makes his excuses and leaves his conspiracy then, using his obfuscation to make a clean getaway with Andreas and Mr. Whitey.
His getaway is so clean the ghouls following the cotterie forget he was ever there to begin with...
---
Heldric's investigation is continued here:
http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2161.new#new
Steeple, Saladin and John's investigation is continued here:
http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2162.0
-
Steeple, Heldric, John and Saladin all return to the palace grounds roughly a few minutes before dawn
Steeple and Heldric both spot the Assamite as he makes his way across the palace grounds seemingly making his way towards Kiril's servants. His normally present bodyguard is nowhere in sight.
Heldric sees Steeple before Steeple sees him, but both notice each other soon enough. Kiril and Anton do not seem to be here, nor is Joseph currently visible among the ghouls.
Steeple notes Barabus' presence - as well as the fact that the ghoul's eyes have been trained on him since the moment he stepped into view.
-
Steeple makes a point to smile and wave at Barabus - "Well now, you're looking less pathetic than when you failed horribly in your service to me."
"But you look sore... such ingratitude for what I have done for you!"
"You would still be nothing, had it not been for me. I would think some gratitude and renewed respect would be in order - rather than doleful glares."
-
Saladin walks up to Elias while looking to Barabus. He did not trust the man in the presence of his old master.
"Greetings" He says in a friendly manner. "Did you a pleasant night?"
-
Heldric finds himself mildly happy to see the mad malcavian being himself despite the situation and walks near, keeping to the other side of Barrabus, that one is still dangerous afterall.
He simply nods in greeting to each present that warrants it and waits to see the responce to Steeples taunting.
-
Elias dutifully ignores Barabus and Steeple, no doubt anticipating terrible terrible things to come quite shortly. It would seem even the captain of Kiril's guard has no desire to anger the giant.
Steeple gives his barbed greeting, and Barabus gives no answer - he simply continues sharpening his weapon, taking long, deliberate strokes off the blade while continuing to train his eyes on Steeple. Shortly thereafter he gives the Malkavian a wide smile, showing off blackened teeth - from the smell and from their solidity, Steeple can tell his teeth aren't rotting - there simply appears to be some sort of unnatural discoloration present.
"A smile only a mother could love", Maurice mutters.
"You should show this fool his place! Spill his blood on the floor, so foul it is that it's not even fit to drink!"
At Saladin's greeting, Elias looks up from his sword and then gets up - "Well enough - hey, listen, we should probably talk somewhere else - you know where Kiril is?"
The guardsman makes to lead Saladin away from Barrabus and Steepleton.
-
"Yes, quite," Steeple replies to Maurice's quip about mothers, then turns to engage the others.
As he does, he takes a look back at Barabus in the reflection of his Mirror of Second Sight.
'He sure is foul,' he then thinks to his Prince, 'not altogether ghoul anymore I should think. His teeth are stained like one's aura, when they commit the vilest of sin.'
-
Saladin unwillingly agrees to go with the man. He was worried about Hashim, but he trusted the man to make the right call, should problems arise.
"No, i do not. He left me no clues as to where he was going. But come now, as you said, this is not place to talk."
-
Seeing the momentary silence Heldric observes the strange reactions to Barrabus "Do either of you feel anything strange from Barrabus, he seems stranger each time I see him" he thinks hard before speaking to Steeple "Steeple, how did you and the prince fair today? I made some progress but will need tomorrow to follow up on it."
-
For a split second Steeple's mirror shows a monster made of a thousand writhing black snakes bound into a man's shape, their fanged mouths open, draining light and life alike from the air around it. The image is present for less than a second but it's enough to startle Steeple, to the point that he almost drops his mirror.
Turning his head rapidly back at Barrabus he sees the ghoul continuing to sit where he has probably been sitting for a while, still sharpening his blade, that ghastly smile widening accross his face.
Looking back into the mirror, Steeple sees Barrabus as he is now, and the man's strangely twisted aura. It seems for all intents and purposes to be that of a normal ghoul tainted with tinges of trauma and anger, though echoes of something... tremendous reside within.
"Perhaps you should see if his blood is as stained as his teeth!", Maurice exclaims, incensed by the ghoul's arrogant demeanour.
Octavius takes a good long look at Barrabus.
"Hmm"
"There's definitely something wrong with him, but i'd say it's with his mind, not spiritual in nature," Sicilan says.
Octavius continues staring, then hesitantly adds - "I don't know about that. Something about him feels.... hollow? Like he's been used. Worn out. There's traces of something but it's so faint... And then there's the geas."
"The what?" Sicilan exclaims
"Ah, perhaps I can see it because I used to be a mage but there's some very, very powerful mental magic is at work in that man. On the level of a higher archmagus. Maybe even an oracle's work. I can't fathom what interest someone like that could have on a simple bloodsucker's slave."
---
Elias leads Saladin to Carinus' table, where the killer takes a brief second to show off his knifework as he artfully carves a flank of steak and adorns it with a blood-red sauce and variety of herbs before depositing it in front of Elias.
"Captain, about time you sit at my table, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Needed to get away from Barrabus, I swear one that man's going to snap. Might even be this hour. You see what's going on back there?"
"Well, we've seen what he's been through first-hand, whatever involvement Steepleton had in his fate I'm certain he will stop at nothing to pay him back.
Emyr Salah, so sorry, i'm being rude. Would you like anything from my table?"
Saladin notes that Carinus does not gesture to the food but to the other ghouls at the table. No doubt, however, it would be rude to ask for Sherazhina.
-
"Hmmph!" Steeple huffs in disgust; "A rotten impostor!"
"Wolves my ass!"
"Damnable liars!"
"Foolish pride!"
"I only hope it bites Kiril first, so I can have the satisfaction of seeing it."
Turning to Heldric, Steeple moves away from the ghouls and the thing inhabiting Barabus.
"Our man was assassinated in a warehouse nearby. Whoever did it took his sword and scabbard."
"Give me some names and I can rule them out or follow to the killer with a ritual of mine."
-
Heldric nods to himself for a moment, Nicolo had not mentioned the weapons being on the mortal when he left "A mortal was there at the time, he has two people with him 'Rodrigue de Navarre, Was the one at the warehouse. the two others, called Jean de Chanaviere and Aignen de Libraire'. I will pay them a visit first thing after dusk." Heldric finally replies.
He glances back in Barrabus' direction "Do you know what damaged his mind so badly and left the Geas on him? He seems a lot more dangerous than before."
-
"Allow me to go with you," Steeple suggests, "or better yet, come with me to the warehouse first to confirm them as the killers. If any of them are, they will not be able to hide from me."
Then giving the later question some thought, Steeple replies "I can't distinguish between what I know for myself and what may just be whisperings of Malkov's restless spirit - or other knowledge bleeding in from the long coma of this game (of life)'s long stagnancy."
"But that is just Barabus' shell. A great demon wears it for it's own ends now, whatever those ends may be. Its power rivals even that of Caine himself and is far older."
"I don't want to fark with it, but at least I know it's not really Barabus being so damn cocky in there. It's just using that to sow discord - the conniving devil."
"Something truely terrible must have happened to our teetzee friend Lucian - and that arrogant twat Kiril knows it. The bastard deserves what he gets playing with infurnal powers such as what lurks inside Barabus now."
"I would say kill it and be done with it, but I really don't think the demon is going to let that happen."
-
"Then at dusk we go to the werehouse before visiting our new mortal friends together." He looks to the ground briefly "And after we are cleared of our crimes we deal with Barrabus too, whatever demon is using him, he is a threat to us as he is. Maybe find away to have him Attack our current host and see who wins" he adds almost to himself) with a small but horrific smile
-
"Agreed on all points," Steeple smiled.
Tomorrow he would have three names to try at the site of the murder with his trail following ritual.
If it was any one of them, their glowing footprints would lead straight to them.
-
Heldric nods his agreement to Steeple then looks around. With the others all in conversation he decides it is a good time to get away from others for a bit.
he nods his goodbyes and heads for his chambers to rest from having to converse so much
-
Saladin nods thankfully at the offer. Indeed, it has been someone time since he last fed. "Will you do me The honor Captain Elias?"
-
The captain looks to have been made uncomfortable by the request - "I'd rather not, Saladin - my apologies."
Carinus cuts in then - "If I could - I would recommend the french dish - it's possessed of an excellent mix of qualities, and as of yet I believe it is unclaimed."
Saladin shifts his eyes to an attractive woman with long black hair sitting by Sherazhina's side. Listening for her voice he notes the hint of a parisian accent, what such a woman is doing here is a mystery. Perhaps an ambassador, perhaps a traveller - no doubt nothing of great importance.
"I intended her as a gift for Kiril but I have the sneaking suspicion he will not be coming back tonight, nor for a while, yes?"
Saladin considers that for a second and then nods.
"Excellent. It shall be served to you this morning after proper preparation. I shall deliver the dish to your rooms personally. Now, I believe you wished to speak with the good captain?"
"You scare the hell out of me sometimes, you know that Carinus?", Elias mutters.
At that, Carinus just gives a smile rapidly followed by a courteous bow.
"Yes, well, to put it quite simply Kiril will be unable to rejoin us for a while yet. He is occupied hunting the assassins responsible for the murder of Roland and has made some enemies in the process. He could not come here personally and entrusted to me this letter explaining the matter, he wrote it in his own blood to make sure you would know it came from him."
He hands the letter to Elias, who reads it and then passes it on to Carinus.
"So we're free? Whatever we want in the city, until he comes back for us?"
"Yes", Saladin replies.
As Carinus finishes he hands the letter to Sherazhina with a smile so chilling as to make even Saladin want to shiver.
"You realize this might cause some problems? Especially with the big guy over there," he says, jerking his head back towards Barabus.
"Yes, I realize that. In fact, Carinus, though Kiril has given you free reign I hope you understand he would want your discretion while he is in another prince's city."
"Of course. I am nothing if not discreet." Carinus gives another half bow as he says this, but Saladin does not fail to catch the glint in the cannibal's eyes.
"As for Barabus, I have assigned Hashim to keep track of him. He is more than capable, and with him guarding Steeple he should be safe."
Elias gets up from his chair and then kneels facing Saladin, holding his hand across his chest. It is the same position he would assume any time he spoke to Kiril
"Saladin, sir, if I could make a request - I don't think Hashim a match for Barabus. If he faces him down with Steeple's help maybe they might drive him off but i'm afraid that if Barabus notices Hashim following him there's nothing to stop him from killing or grievously wounding him. I would like to be assigned to Hashim's side. There is nothing else I feel would be worth doing in this city."
Saladin looks away from Elias before responding - "I don't know what authority you think I have over you but there's no need for you to bow to me. You are Kiril's man, his absence does not mean I replace him. Do whatever you want."
Then he looks back at Elias, eyeing him from the side.
"Stay alive, Elias."
Sherazhina smiles to herself and then gestures for one of her admirers to come to her. A tall, well-defined blond man with long hair, blue eyes and delicate facial features answers her motion at once. She leans in and whispers a request into his ear. With a happy nod, the ghoul takes the letter Sherazhina passes on to him and goes to Barabus.
Steeple and Heldric are at the exit to the palace courtyard when Barabus finishes reading the letter, and they can hear his laughter from across the courtyard, unimpeded by the ghoul's festivities.
---
When Steeple finishes his ranting Prince Maurice jumps in - "I still don't understand why we don't just kill him. If you're afraid of offending Kiril with a public execution, just send Maximus to do the deed - he's as quiet as an assassin, if you lend him Eternal Thirst he could probably kill him instantly - and even if he's discovered the only one who would have an inkling of the gargoyle's association with you is Anton. I don't think Anton would bother to tell Kiril about the cause behind Barabus' death, yes? The two aren't very close..."
"And I think you're being to hasty here. What you saw was so brief... something that powerful wouldn't bother to serve someone like Kiril, I think what you saw was an echo of what used to be. The slime has clearly had clearly made some wicked pact with some devil for those physical enhancements and that unsettling presence of his but if he was possessed I do not think it is so any longer."
---
"A great demon? Ha!"
Octavius laughs at that, and for a while. Sicilan smirks as well.
"I've fought things you would call demons, I would know if something that powerful was inhabiting that man. Even a fraction of its power would be enough to challenge your elders, and a true greater demon... this city possesses a strong vampiric presence, and is also the location of a sizeable Order chantry. A Great demon would slay them all and blacken this city with its breath, ruin the land with its presence. What your people did to Carthage would pale in comparison. Even your greatest sorcerers, the countless ancient ones who inhabit Transylvania, and their children - the Tzimisce, the so-called "nobles", can just barely challenge the might of a single Great Demon. I believe its name was... Kupala?
No, there's no great demon in that man - and your elders at this city, my compatriots in the order chantry or myself would have discovered a lesser one."
Sicilan nods, "I too have had several unpleasant experiences with demonic spirits. A very good friend of mine's brother is an exceedingly powerful sorcerer who receives the majority of his power from dealings with demons - including their mass subjugation. I knew him when he was still young and innocent, though he has since been corrupted, but I have seen what demons can do. Barabus may be wicked, unsettling, unpleasant - but he is no demon. But... now that Steepleton mentions it, there may have been a possession in the past. There is a certain residue around him. Perhaps if I attempted to walk his skin myself I could verify just what was there, if it was powerful enough it would have left a notable trace. Should I attempt it, Heldric? If he is truly mortal he won't notice me riding his skin unless I possess him."
-
Held rid thinks for a moment as he hears the Ghouls laughter echoing across the space "Be fast and subtle, if you feel the faintest chance of failure, retreat immediatly. I will put him down myself if he attacks in responce."
-
Steeple considers the wisdom of his mighty Prince.
"Yes, the cretin's manner has been quite tiresome since day one."
"And if he has made unholy packs with demons, then he is worthy of death."
Steeple signals for Maximum to meet him on a tower overlooking the square, then teleports there to await his arrival...
-
Steeple utters a few words of power bites his thumb, drawing blood, before vanishing from Heldric's sight.
"Oh, it would seem your friend is learning new tricks", Octavius comments.
It is only a few moments spent waiting on the tower before Maximus appears before Steeple, landing into a kneeling position, his wings folded on his back.
"How may I serve, Master?"
Sicilan, in the meantime, goes off after Barabus - who has already left the palace courtyard. It might be some time before he returns.
-
Heldric turns to go then pauses "Can you tell where he went?" we thinks to Octavius
-
Octavius shakes his head, "It was a simple spell - however, he can't have gotten very far."
-
"Ah, my faithful son," Steeple replied to Maximus.
"I have discovered that the one known as Barabus, has made forbidden pacts with infernal demons - in order to make a move against my person."
"As such, it is my duty to redress this great insult - and dispense appropriate punishment for his crimes."
"Being that he is currently the servant of an ally, I cannot simple spill his blood and be done with it. I must work around that and the complicated set of social mores at play."
"So I shall grant the fiend a one-on-one duel to be settled tomorrow."
"In this I want you to do two primary things - first, if he actually defeats me fairly or otherwise, you must save my body and heart, so that I can recover from torpor."
"Second, you must ensure that no-one else interferes with our duel. Should that happen, then the sanctity of it us ruined and you are free to help me end it as quickly and brutally as you see fit."
"Now then, I wish to send Barabus the challenge personally, right now, before the sun comes up - but to do so I need to see him."
"Can you find him and then lead me to him with the utmost stealth?"
As he waits, Steeple begins to cast his Scribe spell.
-
"To feed from a woman..." He mumbles as he shakes his head slowly. "Oh well. It must be done anyway." He then looks away to the place where Barabus had just left. "Don't die now my friend, and closest ally."
"Carinus, if you don't mind me asking - What exactly made you into the man that you are, what made you like your current.. meals?" He asks, intriguided by the man specials diet. While he would never had done so himself, he's curious as to what drives a person to eat other people.
-
With half of those he wished to talk to gone and the other half already in conversation, Heldric takes his chance to slip away and rest. He plans to quickly feed first if there is any blood provided for him, if not, he will feed in the morning on a gutter dweller who might not make it anyway.
-
Carinus smiles, "Perhaps a question for another time Emyr Salah, the sun rises and your own awaits."
"Of course Master, but..." Maximus looks out over the city to the slowly brightening horizon.
"There is not much time left"
-
Steeple looks at the horizon and frowns.
"Bother. Well I suppose it can wait till tomorrow."
"Let's get back to the haven and persue the issue at dusk. I just don't want Barabus to disappear and get the drop on me before I can call him out."
-
"You are right master Carinus." Saladin says with a nod. "Another time then." And with that, Saladin heads to his chambers to await dusk."
-
9th of August, 1202; 7:00AM
Narses’ Chambers
The Domain of Narses
Prince of Venice
The cainites of the Transylvanian Conspiracy return to their rooms one and all, save for Kiril, whose mysterious absence is noted by all - though only Anton and Saladin know the truth of it, and neither are willing to share with Steepleton, Heldric or John. When an inquiry is made all Saladin answers with is a shrug and that Kiril went off to investigate on his own - not even really a lie, by all accounts.
Save the circumstances behind Kiril's disappearance, the princes and assassin are open about their discoveries:
Anton has determined that the killer, whoever it was, was a very skilled assassin. Suspicion currently rests on the Assamite clan, though Anton is unsure what their possible motives might be, save possibly to stall the negotiations currently underway in Venice.
Steeple has determined that whomever killed Roland had skin as black as blackest night. That Roland's death was sudden and unexpected. That he was struck from behind when he was killed, and that his sword was not drawn but at his belt. His sword was taken after his death.`
Heldric has determined that a mortal man dressed as a spanish noble entered the warehouse after Roland's death and left shortly thereafter. He has determined the man's current place of residence as well as the identity of his companions, as well as his name.
Saladin has little to offer, as most of his insight into the matter is that garnered from Husayn - hardly information he could share - but he (somewhat reluctantly) confirms what Anton says, with the addition that if there is Assamite activity in Venice, he has not been made aware of and has no part in it (for all that's worth).
John confirms Steeple's findings for the rest of the group as well.
The members of the conspiracy are free to discuss, and perhaps plot their next course of action throughout the day. There are two nights left before Prince Narses is bound to pass his judgement.
-
"Heldric, do you wish for us to acompany you to the mortal man's residence? Or do you not require our assistance."
-
"I wish to see this man nonetheless. I have.. questions for him." Saladin saysays while pacing back and forth.
-
Heldric thinks that things might be easier with just Steeple but having Anton along would ensure an extra measure of safety. After a moment he replies to Anton and Saladin.
"You would be welcome to join Steeple and I in tracking these humans, the sooner we deal with this mess, the sooner we can leave."
-
"Yes," Steeple agrees, "we will see if one of these three mortals did the old man in, though it certainly strains credulity in the very thought."
-
"Unless they were given a poison blade and were dismissed as not being a threat. We should be careful." Heldric adds, years of watching the downtrodden had shown that humans could be dangerous in the right circumstances.
-
"Unless they were given a poison blade and were dismissed as not being a threat. We should be careful." Heldric adds, years of watching the downtrodden had shown that humans could be dangerous in the right circumstances.
Anton nods.
"If you feel the need."
"Let us go then. The sooner the better."
-
"Then let us be off. Time is off the essence no?"
-
Having made their plans, the conspiracy retires for the day to rest and prepare for the next evening's investigations. Already they could feel they were closing in on the assassin - whoever they were.
9th of August, 1202; 12:00AM
Ports of Venice
The Domain of Narses
Prince of Venice
The journey to the inn had taken an unexpected and frightening turn. As the conspiracy and their servants walked along the canals following Heldric's lead they found the streets uncharacteristically busy. Indeed, there were dozens of people standing around a man who was proselytizing. The princes keep to the shadows but attempt to get closer - the man who was speaking was a knight, a Templar by the looks of it, it would be interesting to see how the mortals are faring. Though his back was to them Anton thinks that there is something familiar about his voice.
Oh? An old acquaintance?
“I implore you, brothers and sisters, Open your eyes! There is evil here, in this very city, walking amongst you! The enemies of God Almighty must be brought low, just as Judas Machabeus did to the Greeks, so must we do to the things that walk these streets” The Knight, turning as he spoke.
When he turned enough for Anton to see his face, the Lasombra's eyes grew wide; if his heart still had a beat it would have stopped. He did know the knight; they’d broken bread together on the battlefield for over a year.
“Gauthier?” - the name slips out involuntarily, and Joseph looks questioningly at Anton.
“What? Do you know this man?” – Joseph asks.
Are you... afraid? Why? He's just a mortal isn't he... Something doesn't feel right.
Then, in a nervous tone
We should leave, we should leave right now.
At this even Anton is stunned. At worse he would have expected Gabor to seek a challenge in stealing Gauthier's head - though the mortal was perhaps one of the finest swordsmen Anton had ever known. Certainly not this... caution? Did Gabor feel that same inexplicable fear that had gripped Anton by the heart?
The same creeping sense of unease begins to steal through the other members of the conspiracy as the knight continues speaking. They all get the distinct impression that they should leave.
The only one who seem unaffected appear to be Heldric's ghostly companion, Octavius - for Sicilan has not yet returned since he left to possess Barabus.
-
I wasn't always forsaken Gabor. He's one of the blessed.
"I know this knight. I should have been more prepared. Let us pray he hasn't sensed us." Anton whispers to Brother Joseph and the cotorie.
"Dont use any of our powers. It would alert him."
-
"Something about that guy," Steeple mutters, "feels anathema to the darkness. Weird, as if the sun rested upon his brow. He is heavy to look at. I do not like it."
-
Heldric nods and begins moving away as silently as possible "A dangerous human..." He mutters barely audibly after moving several feet, continuing slightly louder "Let's do our business and not get involved with him."
Heldric keeps an eye on his surroundings even more closely than before, ready to vanish the entire party at the slightest sign of Attack.
-
If you're one to believe in God's plan, how could you ever think you were unforsaken?, Gabor replies, his usual irksome self.
Watch the monk now. He seems to be getting ideas...
And indeed, looking to Joseph Anton sees an almost eager light in his eyes when he looks at Gauthier now.
"Yes, that would be a shame wouldn't it." Joseph says, the words ever so light as they cross his lips.
He glances back at Anton and then bows his head down at the look of disapproval the Lasombra gives him.
"Yes. A shame."
"Something about that guy," Steeple mutters, "feels anathema to the darkness. Weird, as if the sun rested upon his brow. He is heavy to look at. I do not like it."
"Bah! Nothing but another puny mortal, if anything we should add him to our collection!"
Heldric nods and begins moving away as silently as possible "A dangerous human..." He mutters barely audibly after moving several feet, continuing slightly louder "Let's do our business and not get involved with him."
Heldric keeps an eye on his surroundings even more closely than before, ready to vanish the entire party at the slightest sign of Attack.
Really? He doesn't look the type to be a mage, I feel no great power coming from him. If I recall correctly, you leeches aren't at all negatively effected by holy imagery either. At least, the ones I captured weren't, Octavius ponders.
---
As one the cotterie begins to move on, while Gauthier's sermon reaches its climax - and the knight exclaims out to the crowd, “Go forth my brothers and sisters! Go forth and destroy evil wherever you find it!”
The crowd goes wild, even attacking a few of those amongst them. Steeple sees a Jewish boy taken as he pushes his mother away to safety. Heldric spies an old man being beaten by a group of younger men, the victim of convenience. Yet most disturbing of all was when they grabbed at a pair of men Anton recognized - one was a Ventrue that had booed when Kiril had given his approval of Tommaso's plan of action, the other had been that man’s ghoul. They had wandered in too close, perhaps like them drawn by idle curiosity.
The Ventrue and his man begin fighting back against the crowd but it isn't long before they find themselves overrun. The Cainite's attempts to command and sway the crowd seem to have no effect, and his blood-given Fortitude seems somehow ineffectual against the mob. The last thing the Conspiracy sees before they turn a corner out of sight is Gauthier catching sight of the Ventrue and his ghoul, and walking towards the two. The screaming is mercifully brief, and lasts no more than half a minute.
-
'Hmm, yes,' Steeple ponders, 'the screaming is a nice touch. Maybe we should assimilate him. We could use a man with such a fabulous flair for showmanship.'
-
Heldric thinks "See, not all dangers are purely physical or magical. we could slaughter that small crowd easily if we tried but what happens when he uses that to rally the entire city against us and thousands attack? My brother found to his own peril what happens when the humans are swayed by an orator and turn on us en mass." He begins recalling the events leading to Andreas having his tongue ripped out permanently.
-
'Hmm, yes,' Steeple ponders, 'the screaming is a nice touch. Maybe we should assimilate him. We could use a man with such a fabulous flair for showmanship.'
"You're not gonna touch him. Ever." Anton says, with uncharacteristic anger in his voice. "Gauthier is not to be harmed. The world needs him."
If you're one to believe in God's plan, how could you ever think you were unforsaken?, Gabor replies, his usual irksome self.
I... I know that I was not. God had blessed us, we did the workd in the Lord's name. I was not yet forsaken.
Watch the monk now. He seems to be getting ideas...
I don't like that look.
-
"You are wrong about that," Steeple points out; "fate (or your god, perhaps) has pitted him against us - and it will not be long before you or him are removed from its equation."
"It is as inevitable as the rising of the new day. But I will forebare making any first move, for the sake of your blind faith."
'Hmph... When did he start reading minds?'
-
"You are wrong about that," Steeple points out; "fate (or your god, perhaps) has pitted him against us - and it will not be long before you or him are removed from its equation."
"It is as inevitable as the rising of the new day. But I will forebare making any first move, for the sake of your blind faith."
Anton tenses his fist.
"Even if he attacks, he is not to be killed. For his sake and ours. The Lord would not look kindly on the death of his favored."
-
"Perhaps, your god desires him to be cursed aswell. We dont need him sniffing around, and your desire to preserve him. That is the only solution i see available then." Saladin suggests.
-
Anton tenses his fist.
"Even if he attacks, he is not to be killed. For his sake and ours. The Lord would not look kindly on the death of his favored."
"Let us be clear Anton," Steeple says, bristling like a rabid dog, "I make no such promises."
"To you, your god, or anyone."
-
"Let us be clear Anton," Steeple says, bristling like a rabid dog, "I make no such promises."
"To you, your god, or anyone."
John attempts to grab Steeple's shoulder as though to say, 'Not here, not now.' though he is damn close to throwing a punch himself. He had been following very silently for a while.
-
Heldric sighs very audibly then grumbles loudly as he walks away "Let's get moving or we will be forced to fight him and that mob. arguing now is attracting attention."
-
"Let us be clear Anton," Steeple says, bristling like a rabid dog, "I make no such promises."
"To you, your god, or anyone."
"I will make myself clear. Gauthier is to be left alone. Should his soul depart from this earth, I will personally deal with the killer."
"Perhaps, your god desires him to be cursed aswell. We dont need him sniffing around, and your desire to preserve him. That is the only solution i see available then." Saladin suggests.
"There exists a balance. Without men like Gauthier, my work becomes meaningless. He will live, and he is not to be saddled with our curse."
-
Steeple's countanace does an abrupt 180.
"As long as his soul doesn't leave this earth, eh? Hehehe... Yes, I can work with that."
Steeple doesn't wait for a response before heading off in the direction they were already going - wondering what John was getting on about.
'Of course now is not the time and place,' he thought silently to himself - defying Anton to try reading his mind again.
-
The conspiracy finally escapes the rioting mob and continues on their path, abandoning the danger behind them. Perhaps one day they will regret having not slain a man of such great faith while they still had the slightest chance - but for now, they were safe.
They arrive at the inn in which Rodrigue and his companions are supposed to be staying. From the lights and sound they can tell that there aren't many people inside - perhaps a few drunken dock workers but the place is clearly not too popular. As he has been leading the way till now, Heldric is the one to step up to the door - only for it to swing suddenly outwards and smack him right in the face - certainly not too painful but more than a bit startling. The man behind the door is sickly and frail in appearance - and immediately drops to his knees in front of Heldric.
"Oh, forgive me great lord. I offer my deepest apologies"
He reaches up and grabs for Heldric's hands, the more to beg for his forgiveness - whether the Nosferatu is about to draw them back or not is soon made irrelevent when he notices the man make a hidden gesture. Letting him take his hands into his own, he accepts the hidden message and then the man promptly ups and leaves, thanking Heldric for his generosity.
When the man had opened the door the other members of the cotterie managed to get a look into the tavern. No flamboyantly dressed Spaniards inside, as far as they can see - just a dour-looking inn-keep and a scant few of the night's usual revelers.
-
Heldric steps inside and makes room for others to do the same by heading to the side. He makes it look like he is scanning the room as he does so but really it is all to turn his back on the others while quickly scanning the piece of paper he just recieved.
-
In the Blood Apocrypha of the Nosferatu, Heldric reads
Rodrigue gone. Went to sermon of knight preaching by square; Gauthier de Dampiere. Caution, do not approach. Can see through the veil. Be back soon.
Three are hunters. No experience. Weak.
One here, other with Rodrigue.
Hail Malachite, and through him Michael.
-
Steeple fidgeted impatiently. He wanted to get to the warehouse and use his ritual to see if any of the names were the killer.
Come to think of it, he should check it against Gauthier too...
-
"So, Heldric? Where are the spaniards?" Anton asks
-
"Not here, that's for sure," Steeple yawns dryly.
-
Heldric hides the note in his sleeves carefully before turning around
"One is here, the others are at the square watching the knight's speach about destroying us. We should act quickly and prepare for them. Also avoid Gauthier and be weary of these mortals, they seem to be dangrous, especially Gauthier."
He then scans the room anyone who might be a hunter
-
Heldric does not spot anyone who stands out among the dockworkers.
"Perhaps the spaniard is in their collective rooms?" Octavius suggests.
"I doubt he would find himself in pleasant company among the workers. More likely to get mugged by a drunkard than anything else".
-
Heldric hides the note in his sleeves carefully before turning around
"One is here, the others are at the square watching the knight's speach about destroying us. We should act quickly and prepare for them. Also avoid Gauthier and be weary of these mortals, they seem to be dangrous, especially Gauthier."
He then scans the room anyone who might be a hunter
"Where is the one? We can make short work of him."
-
"Most likely in their rooms" Heldric says back as he heads for the stairs himself, assuming the others will follow
-
Heading up the stairs into the hall where the inn's rooms were held, Heldric realizes that he doesn't actually know which room the spaniard is staying in.
-
"Which one are we looking for?" Steeple sighs; "Give me his name and I shall illuminate his trail."
"Of course, this is why I wanted to check out the warehouse murder scene first, but we do tend to ramble, when working as a group."
-
While Heldric does not know the name of the hunter that stayed behind, Steeple is well aware of the three hunters's names (given Heldric had already shared him). Since they're likely sharing a room, he simply casts the ritual on one of the names - it leads them to the end of the hall, up to a sturdy oak door. Putting his ear up to the door Steeple can't actually hear anything, but the inn is rather noisy at the moment - and the man could very well just be asleep.
There is no mistaking it though, this is the room. The most recent tracks also lead inside, rather than out, so if he's going to be anywhere...
-
"In here," Steeple says, pointing to the door and making way for the more 'direct' of the party.
"Our guy is inside."
-
Anton nods, and looks around. Should he not see anyone, he'll proceed to bring forth a small amount of shadow to cover the sound of Anton forcing open the door.
-
Heldric sees his intent and casts cloak the gathering on them. With his shadows muffins sound, the lambrossa could almost be as undetectable as a nosferatu.
-
Mustering his shadows around himself, Anton stands back as Heldric cloaks him, and then forcefully kicks at the door. It shudders in place, but does not break. Andreas looks at Anton somewhat confused, as if to say "Why didn't you have me break down the door?".
Joseph comments - "Why didn't we just knock again?"
Ignoring all of these reasonable and far more effective courses of action, Anton kicks at the door again, this time splinters shoot out from the door, though it's still intact.
Say, if you're using these shadows to hide the sound of the door being broken down, then wouldn't the hunter on the other end see these shadows? Gabor asks, though it's not really much of a question and Anton knows it.
"This door is also at the end of the hall, meaning the room has a window, which we could have gone up as well. Since we are alerting the hunter by breaking down the door in this manner - with ghostly shadows seeping through the cracks - I do believe he will have more than enough time to escape out the window," Maurice comments.
Surely enough, Anton's third kick brings the door crashing down in perfect silence, to a completely and totally empty room. Steeple's trail of prey illuminates a path headed out through the open window as a breeze coming into the room sends the curtains billowing inwards. Steeple and Heldric's keen senses pick up the telltale thud of a body dropping, and then footsteps as the man begins to run.
-
"Out the window," Steeple says, activating celerity and following with a dramatic flipping handspring leap through the breach.
(Or at least that's how it played out in his mind...)
-
Heldric also moves swiftly, aiming to track the man from the rooftops if there are available ones in that direction.
-
Anton shakes his head, wondering what was going through his head at that moment, and follows Steeple. Hopefully the Gargoyle decides to grab the runner.
-
Steeple leaps out the window with preternatural speed to chase after the hunter as Heldric flips himself onto the roof to follow from above. Anton is about to follow Steeple out through the window when Saladin steps forward and makes a fist with his right hand, jerking it suddenly back towards him - Anton notices blood seeping from the closed fingers. The assassin then makes a pushing motion against the floor just as suddenly, and keeps his arm in that position, a look of mild concentration on his face.
All of a sudden the hunter running away is pulled back by some overwhelming invisible force, his arms and legs are flung forward as he flies back and is slammed into the ground besides Steeple, hard.
The man gasps desperately for air as the invisible force on him presses down harder, pushing the air out of his lungs and keeping him pinned to the ground.
-
With Steeple already close Helric decides that he is better suited to staying in the look out for other dangers, keeping himself cloaked and staying in the shadows he stops on the roof above them and scans the area.
-
Not really sure how to best imobalize the man further, Steeple elects to cut both his legs off at the knees with a mighty swing of his thirsty bonesword.
"Jack be nimble, jack be quick - but I still chopped his kneecaps with an ugly stick!"
-
Whipping out his sword, Steeple takes both of the man's legs clean off - he feels almost no resistance from the man's flesh, it's as if the sword moves of its own accord as it splits skin and meat and blood and bone with equal ease.
While normally there would be an immense amount of blood spatter from such an incision, Steeple sees the blood from the wound run up the blade and sink into the hilt, leaving a red hue behind as it does so.
The man passes out from shock, and now appears to be bleeding to death.
-
"Err... Oh bother..." Steeple frets, "He's not supposed to bleed to death (yet)..."
To Maurice he then asks aloud, "Think we can cauterize the wounds with that fire trick we learned from the Kauldoons?"
-
Heldric Stays above and keeps an eye out. Even if the hunter dies, the others will return to their room and he wants to ensure it isn't before they were ready.
-
"I see no flaw in that course of action!" Maurice confidently declares.
-
"Err... Oh bother..." Steeple frets, "He's not supposed to bleed to death (yet)..."
To Maurice he then asks aloud, "Think we can cauterize the wounds with that fire trick we learned from the Kauldoons?"
"Steeple what are you doing?!" Anton shouts out angrily, looking out of the window.
-
"I was just about to cauterize his wounds, actually," Steeple calls back; "Why, do you have a better idea?"
-
"Are... are you a moron?" Saladin asks the obvious. "No matter right now." He Shakes his head. "Just save that man from the jaws of death
-
"Harumph!" Steeple snorts, it's not like fire is any danger to humans.
"Have it your way then," he murmers in disappointment.
Pressing his Vessel of Transference against the man's skin, he swaps a liter of his own blood with the hunter.
"Cauterizing the wounds would have been way more fun though..."
-
The man is now bleeding both human AND vampiric blood out of his stumps.
-
"Well, that's about all I can do," Steeple shrugs.
-
"Oh, wait..." Steeple suddenly recalls, taking out twine and attempting to tie-off each stump, before it is too late.
-
"So....now what?" John asks, looking out the window.
-
Steeple manages a rough tourniquet of both the man's remaining stumps, then steps back to admire his handiwork.
The man is just barely clinging to life, and Steeple severely doubts he'll live past the night without a large amount of vampire blood to close the wounds over the stumps or professional medical care.
"Maybe get him off the street?
At least your sword drained the blood, so there won't be any traces left behind," Maurice comments.
-
Steeple picks the man up, motions to his companions that he's moving out, and hurries away to the warehouse.
"Heldric will know where I'm going," he smiles.
-
Heldric gets the idea, cloaking the leaving steeple and near-corpse and swings back inside to tell the others where Steeple is probably headed
"Should be headed to the wear house, we can follow or stay here in ambush for the others?"
-
"Do you trust Steeple to not kill our hostage?" Anton adks.
"We should capture the others. They will know we kidnapped their friend."
-
"OK Remind me of force composition...It might do us best to know this as it might influence our decisions." John suggests, weighing his options.
-
"We should have no issues with the returning hunters if it is just 2 or three of them. If that knight accompanies them then we need to run." he looks around the room "Anton and yourself should be enough alone if I leave Andreas too and head after Steeple?"
-
"We should have no issues with the returning hunters if it is just 2 or three of them. If that knight accompanies them then we need to run." he looks around the room "Anton and yourself should be enough alone if I leave Andreas too and head after Steeple?"
"Certainly." Anton says, nodding. "Will Andreas recognize them?"
-
"Can't be sure, but I assume they will be the ones who look out of place and draw weapons when they see their door smashed in" Heldric says with a grin
-
"He'll live long enough to be questioned now." Saladin states with a nod. "Let us be off. And next time Steeple, dont cut the mans legs off. I am capable of holding them for however long you need."
-
"Can't be sure, but I assume they will be the ones who look out of place and draw weapons when they see their door smashed in" Heldric says with a grin
Anton raises an eyebrow.
"You think people won't notice?" Anton asks. "There will be more who show up. I don't think we should stick around, visibly, at least."
"We should search the room. Perhaps they left something inside."
-
"I will leave you all cloaked, try not to make too much noise." He ensures they Dre cloaked and that Andreas knows to stay an help them subdue the others then heads back our the window to follow steeple
-
Anton heads back up into the dying hunter's room through the window, scaling the side of the building using his supernatural strength. Joseph and Andreas wait for him in there along with John.
That was poorly handled. Letting your temper get the best of you. I suppose I can understand that.
When he gets up he finds that Joseph and Andreas have already begun searching the room. Immediately they turn up a series of weapons that the "hunters" had kept in storage. Stakes, holy water (that appears to be harmless), garlic (that is definitely harmless), a series of daggers - clearly of spanish make, and what Anton recognizes from the description Steeple had given as Roland's sword belt, with his sword and dagger still attached.
On examining Roland's dagger, Anton notes something rather strange about it. Looking closer, he recognizes - with no small degree of surprise and even vehemence - that the weapon bears the markings of a Setite ritual dagger.
Oh my, what kind of dirty little dealings was Roland involved in?
---
Steeple and the others soon return to the Byzantine warehouse, carrying the hunter over his shoulders. The scene of the crime remains as it has since the night of Roland's death - as far as Steeple can tell the scene remains undisturbed and isolated.
-
Steeple sets the man down, somewhere out of the way, and hops up onto a crate to keep watch, until his friends arrive.
As they enter he remarks, "It might be easier just to kill him and speak with his ghost. What do you think?"
-
Anton heads back up into the dying hunter's room through the window, scaling the side of the building using his supernatural strength. Joseph and Andreas wait for him in there along with John.
That was poorly handled. Letting your temper get the best of you. I suppose I can understand that.
Gauthier's involvement has set me on edge.
When he gets up he finds that Joseph and Andreas have already begun searching the room. Immediately they turn up a series of weapons that the "hunters" had kept in storage. Stakes, holy water (that appears to be harmless), garlic (that is definitely harmless), a series of daggers - clearly of spanish make, and what Anton recognizes from the description Steeple had given as Roland's sword belt, with his sword and dagger still attached.
On examining Roland's dagger, Anton notes something rather strange about it. Looking closer, he recognizes - with no small degree of surprise and even vehemence - that the weapon bears the markings of a Setite ritual dagger.
Oh my, what kind of dirty little dealings was Roland involved in?
Setites. Anton grimaces, clenching his teeth. Filthy Ventrue
He motions to Brother Joseph, showing him the symbols.
-
After turning the knife over in his hands for a bit, Joseph says, "I think we've got something to discuss with Aimery and Lanzo. Preferably Aimery, I don't think Lanzo would be particularly amicable given the circumstances. This... opens up a lot of possibilities."
-
Heldric sighs looking at the man "It might be the best option left to us so long as you can ensure gaining information. I believe Anton send Andreas can capture another one if you fail."
-
After turning the knife over in his hands for a bit, Joseph says, "I think we've got something to discuss with Aimery and Lanzo. Preferably Aimery, I don't think Lanzo would be particularly amicable given the circumstances. This... opens up a lot of possibilities."
Anton nods.
"Certainly."
Gabor, do you think you could track the Hunters? I have no interest in waiting for them to arrive.
"Andreas." Anton says, motioning to the brute to move in closer. "I need to inform Heldric and Steeple of what we discovered. Can you send a raven with the information?"
-
Gabor scoffs in Anton's head,
Through what black magic? I am a swordsman, not a mage; and there are no tracks they could have left behind in a city that would be obvious.
Andreas rumbles to Mr.Whitey - He could call a pidgeon or some other animal but Heldric likes to keep himself cloaked at all times. Can probably reach Steeple, however.
Andreas then calls out for a pidgeon and summarily sends it off to find Steeple with his directive.
---
It is not long after they arrive at the warehouse that Steeple and Heldric's discussion is interrupted by the crash and flutter of a pidgeon squeezing through an open window into the airhouse and diving at Steeple. It squawks wildly at the Malkavian.
-
Heldric pauses for a moment then unoaks and calls the pigeon to him, forcing it to meet his eyes.
-
"Great madman Steeple, enemy of pigeons." Saladin laughs. Then he will use his power to stop the flying poop machine, and hold it in place without hurting it.
-
The pidgeon is locked in place by Saladin's spell, paralyzed.
Activating his animal speech, Heldric addresses the pidgeon, only to hear it squawk loudly at him - "Ahhhhhhhhh what the Fark let me go what is this ahh eeeh leave me aloooone I was just doing the big two-leg a favor!"
-
"You can release it Salad in, It has somthing for us." He meets it's eyes again "What is the favourite you were sent to do?" He asks
-
Steeple looks at the pigeon, greatly amused, and lightly clapping his hands.
"Ooh, Pigeons of the Night always have the most thrilling portents! Whatever does it want? Can I get it some seeds or something?"
-
Gabor scoffs in Anton's head,
Through what black magic? I am a swordsman, not a mage; and there are no tracks they could have left behind in a city that would be obvious.
Andreas rumbles to Mr.Whitey - He could call a pidgeon or some other animal but Heldric likes to keep himself cloaked at all times. Can probably reach Steeple, however.
Andreas then calls out for a pidgeon and summarily sends it off to find Steeple with his directive.
Anton nods.
Tsk. Fine, we'll have to wait. We need to make sure they don't flee. We should wait outside the building.
-
Saladin stops. "What is it has for us?" He asks.
-
"I should know soon" he says before commanding the pigeon "What task were you asked to perform?"
-
The pidgeon drops suddenly, fluttering to the ground, then - "Big leg ask for you, says found something important!" the pidgeon squawks
-
"If that is all, thank you and you may go" he tells the pigeon then turns to the others "It Looks like they need one or all of us to return, Steeple, can you do the ritual with Just Saladin here to defend you?"
-
"Yeah, sure," Steeple agreed. "Should not be too hard, thanks."
As soon as Heldric leaves, Steeple will set out to cast illuminate the trail of the prey again, to confirm the tail leads back to the tavern rooms. He's content to leave the hunter hidden away and unconscious for now.
As a precaution however, Steeple also uses his vessel of transference to exchange two more doses of his blood with the man.
-
Heldric leaves the group early and heads back to the tavern unmolested. He notes the two ghouls still following him from a distance, as well as the telltale groans of the night's drunkards from alleyways and other assorted nooks and crannys within the city.
When he gets to the tavern he finds a hideous Anton and an even more hideous Andreas waiting for him, Joseph standing to the side holding a strange dagger - unusual, given the monk carried no weapons on his person.
It's like a rainbow, Octavius comments.
Of ugly, he then finishes.
---
Steeple's ritual goes through without issue and he confirms that the trail leads back in the general direction of the tavern. After securing his charge's health he is left free to follow the trail back to the tavern, should he wish.
"We should have insisted John come with us" Maurice begins.
We could have had Saladin and the others go away... devour him here... lead Gauthier to the warehouse...
He has to have ties to the hunters... we have bait..."
-
heldric ignores the comments and nods to the others "Steeple is interrogating the subject so I came, what is the urgent news?"
-
"We found Roland's blade." Anton says.
"The engravings are Setite. Idolators. The Ventrue was part of their cult. We need to remove the remaining Hunters and then find out if anyone knows of Setite presence here."
-
"So..." Steeple suggests to Saladin, "What say you embrace him for kicks?"
"We'll end up killing him anyway, unless he can prove useful of course. Go on, I know you want to. I won't tell anyone. It is in our nature to want to pass along that which is of our essence."
"I'd do it myself of course, but Malkavian essence is not something that should really be passed on haha!"
-
"No." Saladin simply says. "And besides, we" He gests at himself "The assamites, do not embrace on a whim."
Which ofcourse was mostly true, he himself was the exception.
"Death would be preferable for him. He has no legs, he can never truly live again. And didnt you say you could talk with his spirits?"
-
"Ah, the hunter will be fine," Steeple relied, waving the legless man's plight off.
"Do me a boon honorable Saladin - and one I will owe back to you."
"In this, simply go back to join the others, but send John the to me. I require his proficiency in presence to help sway the spirit to our favor."
'You're logic is, as always, flawless my Prince,' Steeple thought inwardly to Maurice; 'I know that Vladivostok sent John here to see to my undoing. I'll show him and get the sweet taste of vengeance on the old miser, by offing his man first, haha!'
Tonight, the stage would be set for treacherous backstabery.
Presuming Saladin would play ball, Steeple would lie in wait to ambush poor John with Celerity, Strength of the Earth, boosted Dex, and the Thirsty Bone Sword. If lucky, John wouldn't even see it coming. Of course, that was what Obfuscate was for...
-
Saladin eyes Steeple suspiciously. "owe me one simply by fetching him?" He strokes his chin lightly.
"Very well. If you think you can manage by yourself untill he gets here." And with that, Saladin walks off without really waiting for a reply.
-
"We found Roland's blade." Anton says.
"The engravings are Setite. Idolators. The Ventrue was part of their cult. We need to remove the remaining Hunters and then find out if anyone knows of Setite presence here."
Heldric sighs "This is more complicated now. We can use it as evidence later but for now do we wait to ambush the others?"
-
Heldric sighs "This is more complicated now. We can use it as evidence later but for now do we wait to ambush the others?"
"Yes. They'll know that theyve been found, and theyll bring Gauthier into our investigation." Anton says.
"But waiting for them will take too long, we need to make use of the night."
-
"so do we split up again and turn in evidence or all go back to meet Steeple?" He asks
-
"so do we split up again and turn in evidence or all go back to meet Steeple?" He asks
"Perhaps. We need to use this information, and need to remove the hunters."
-
As the conversation moves on Saladin arrives with a message from the thaumaturge - "Steeple said he needed some assistance from John with his ritual. I came back to find out what you wanted to... oh. That's a setite dagger." Saladin declares, recognizing the markings on the weapon.
"That's not good."
"No, no it's not" John says in agreement.
"I'll go get Steeple, I don't think we need to know much more about these hunters anyway."
With that, John takes off.
(Continued in: http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/forum/index.php?topic=2181.0)
-
"Andreas and I will stay and watch this place while you pass on the information." He indicates to Andreas to follow and swings back out to the rooftops, ensuring they are cloaked. He heads a couple of buildings away then settles in.
-
"Very well." Saladin nods at Heldric to acknowledge his decision. Then, turning his icy gaze upon Anton. He didn't like being alone with the lasombra. Actually, he didn't like Anton himself.
"So..." Saladin begins awkvardly. "What now?"
-
"Very well." Saladin nods at Heldric to acknowledge his decision. Then, turning his icy gaze upon Anton. He didn't like being alone with the lasombra. Actually, he didn't like Anton himself.
"So..." Saladin begins awkvardly. "What now?"
"I meet with the Black Cross."
"Setites are bad news. They infect and linger and fester." Anton says, anger in his voice. "Filth of the Old World." Anton says.
He then looks at the Assamite.
"I don't trust you, assassin. There are too many puppeteers, for you to just be an admirer of Husayn."
"But this corruption is too dangerous. If youre goal is to strike Basilio, or the Church. Or Clan Lasombra as a whole..., there is no time for those petty games. Understand that. Put your plans on hold until the setites are gone."
"We need to work toghether. Yes?"
-
"Not all assamites are assassins Anton. Most of us... eh nevermind. The less you know about my clan the better." He said with a heavy sigh.
"I'm sure i've already told you this, but i bear no ill will against your clan. Prince Kiril is also my friend. The one i don't like in our little party, if one could call it that, is you. But that is due to your abrasive personality, and your own 'Dark knight' theme you so lovingly embrace."
He takes a small breath, as to contemplate what to say next. Before continuing his rant.
"But as you say, this is more important And that you even feel the need to remind me, when we both know what is at stake here, is quite insulting." He stares angrily at Anton.
"I will go contact my own clan. I need to tell them about the Setite presence here."
Just as he's about to walk out of the door he adds coldly "You made powerful enemies when you told my clan about the nature of Husayn's death. Stop for a moment and think who holds them back."
And with that, Saladin walks away. He knew now what he should be looking for. First things first. If there are asssamite spies in the city, he will need to find them. That means contacting the Amr. He will need to go and find a safe spot to begin the ritual to contact him.
If he is already aware of any assamite spy presence he will go directly to them, no use contacting the Amr without having much information to go on.
-
Heldric finds Guilelmo at his usual spot welcoming newcomers to the city, bored as ever. The Prince's seneschal gives Heldric Aimery's location, along with a new escort of two ghouls and a comment along the lines of "try not to disappear again".
Sure.
On his way out of the castle, he sees (and hears) Steeple leap off the parapets of the castle into Saladin's loving telekinetic arms, and notes his two comrades speaking to each other right now. They seem ready to set off after something.
-
"I cant decide whether to find it pleasently amusing or terrifying every time Steeple is present" He thinks as he watches before rapidly setting off after them.
"Steeple, Saladin!" He calls uncharicteristically loudly as he catches up
-
Saladin swears silently in arabic, half expecting the man to also jump from a building. He, however stops to check whom it is. He's relieved to see that it's Heldric. One of the sane ones.
"Greetings Prince Heldric." He says with a bow.
-
Heldric returns the bow quickly, giving one to Steeple too now that it became formal "Forgive my lack of formality but Setites are here and there will be an assassinstion very soon. We must reach Aimery before he is killed as he is our ticket to freedom here." He begins heading to the location he was told "He should be this way." he calls back
-
"My half brother Heldric!" Steeple replied with a smile, glad to see his fellow Gutka-ite, "Just give me a moment to finish this spell. Maybe we are headed the same direction..."
-
"It can wait." He says to Steeple. Half brother? Huh
"Hardly surprising given the dagger we found, but they usually don't operate this far from Africa. Perhaps they have their own agenda regarding the crusade."
'And thats as much as i can tell you. I'm sorry for deceiving you like this' he thought to himself and hope it would be sufficent for the group.
-
Heldric pauses, Steeple being there would be a great help in the fight and making things less suspicious.
"They do but they also have their own little war with another group going on and that is why we are framed, we must take the assasin alive."
-
"Take an assassin alive?" Steeple relies, abandoning his spell; "Well that certainly sounds exhilarating!"
"Let's get to it then!"
-
"I see. It seems you've learned much i the short time we spent apart. I would very much like to know the details after this ordeal."
I wonder how much he knows. I've heard much about tje nosferatu and their spies, i guess they deserve some credit here
"But for now, lead the way."
-
Heldric nods in thanks then begins quickly leading the way with the cloaked mr. whitey following along too
-
.... saladin follows.
-
Heldric and Anton lead the way to inn where Aimery has made his haven.
Heldric keeps an eye out for the assassin he knows is coming but cannot see anything of note. In fact, all things considered it is almost unnaturally quiet outside. Despite being just past midnight the group can't hear any sound coming from the tavern, which would normally be filled with or surrounded by drunks. He notes Andreas with Mr.Whitey slung over his shoulders, the two of them seemingly unsettled by their current circumstances.
Saladin frowns, and as the group approaches the tavern doors he understands what's bothering him - this unnatural quiet is somewhat reminiscent of the very first power that all Assamite assassins learn as a part of their training, the ability to enshroud an area in complete and absolute silence.
Anton, taking point for the group with Joseph, opens the door to the tavern, not noticing that anything was wrong. On entering he finds that he is unable to hear anything or see anyone. However, seeing as this does not differ very much from his normal senses and everyday experiences, it is only when Joseph pulls on his arm and starts trying to speak to him face to face without any words coming out of his mouth that he realizes a spell has been cast on the building.
-
Steeple Quickens his sight and instincts, then enters with his bonesword drawn - confident he will be more than ready for any ambush.
'Who are we after again?' Steeple thinks to Prince Maurice- 'I thought we were looking for Barabas...'.
-
"Well last I checked old chap we were going off to find him when Saladin joined us, then Heldric found the two of us and demanded we follow him, something about an assassin and a conspiracy and how we should hurry up before we're all killed tomorrow, trivial stuff really."
Entering the tavern hits the highly sensitive Steeple like a brick wall - his fine tuned hearing, used to picking up even the most minute of sounds is immediately cut off. He understands that in this tavern, sound is not just muted, but the concept of sound does not exist.
This just makes it all the more amazing that Prince Maurice is able to defy this magic and clearly produce sound that Steeple can hear without any sort of difficulty whatsoever. What a vastly talented individual.
Directing his attention to his other senses, the faint smell of blood becomes apparent, drifting down from upstairs. It is not the powerful, potent vitae of the elder dead but fragrance and youth of a human.
-
Heldric signals Andrea's and Mr. Whitey to guard the exterior and as the others enter and he notices he can't hear, he opts to scale the walls quickly to try and see in the window or reach the roof. He cloaks himself as he does so in case the assassin is up there also as he climbs he grows out his claws from his knuckles.
-
Growing claws using Protean, Heldric effortlessly scales the outer wall of the tavern. Octavius passes through to the other side and with a minor application of force opens the shutter for Heldric without him having to brute force it open. Octavius gives him the clear, there's no one else on the other side of the window.
What a mess. Doesn't seem like they got to put up much of a fight
Octavius merges back into Heldric so that Heldric can hear the ghost in the soundless building. Climbing in through the window he sees the corpses of two ghouls laying in the hallway, their throats cut open and their weapons still in their respective sheaths. Heldric actually recognizes one of them - he'd been one of Heldric's tails, Narses' man. These men must have been assigned to guard Aimery tonight.
-
Swearing aloud but making no sound Hendric immediately begins examining the room for clues, heightening his sight with auspex, to look for clues or any sign of a still hidden attacker before moving as silently as he could to Aimery's room.
-
'Hmm... Smells distractiony up there,' Steeple thinks suspiciously. 'They want to draw us up there.'
Self satisfied in his master sluethery, Steeple flashes the others with a few random tactical hand signals, roughly translating to "fist - pointing - jazz hands - double fist" and then begins searching for a way into lower levels.
-
Ignoring the smell of blood, Steeple makes his way behind the tavern counter where he finds the entrance to the wine cellar. Pulling the hatch open, the smell of wine and unwashed flesh drifts up from the cellar. Descending a few steps down, his eyes manage to piece out a number of unconscious humans - the tavern owner and his staff.
***
Other than the dead bodies, Heldric finds no clues as to the assassin's presence.
While he does not know which specific room Aimery was guarding, as the guards were unable to draw their weapons and were likely near Aimery's room he tries the doors to the rooms around their bodies. The third one he tries is locked.
-
"I guess with no noise around, kicking a door in might not make a sound either" He thinks to himself, being somewhat unwilling to wait in case the assassin was killing right now but still being somewhat prudent he runs to the window and hand signals Andreas to circle round back. Heldric then runs back and summons his strength and lands as hard a blow as possible right beside the lock in the hopes of breaking the lock, and the door, open.
-
Anton looks at Brother Joseph in confusion and then fear. Magic. The assassin is near.
He summons nightshades into his cloak, and beckons for brother Joseph to follow the group up stairs to find Aimery's room
-
Joseph summons an obsidian sword and follows Anton up the stairs, followed quickly by Saladin. There they see one of the doors in the hallway receive a massive blow from some invisible force and loosen on its hinges.
***
Heldric kicks the door a second time, and on the third the latch behind it splinters and the door falls off its hinges to the ground.
Inside the room is a mess. Oil from an overturned inkpot has soaked into the floor, cuts on the ceiling and broken furniture speak as to the struggle that took place here. Faint dark splotches that Heldric can only assume are blood can be found on the open windowsill.
Other than a large amount of damaged property, the room is empty.
It’s nearly the fright of his unlife when Heldric notices the other members of his Conspiracy moving up behind him - in this environment the only senses he had left were touch and sight, and he only noticed Anton charging to the room when he was no more than two metres away.
-
Anton nods, assuming that the invisible force is Heldric. He draws his nightshades into words.
NOT HERE. OUTSIDE. He writes in the coiterie's common tongue, and summons his black wings. He'll head out the window, hoping to spot anything moving.
-
Down in the wine cellar, Steeple asks Prince Maurice about a quick snack.
'Fancy a nip of tavern wench about now, old bean?'
-
Heldric scrawls and arrow pointing to the window then moves to it and climbs out and up to the roof, hoping to track their quarry with more of a birds eye view
-
Setting a foot onto the windowsill and grabbing the shutter, Heldric drags himself out, suddenly hit by a rush of sensory information as he begins to pick up sound again. It’s a quiet night out but the contrast is still enough to disorient him - living beings are incapable of experiencing perfect silence because even in a perfect vaccum they can pick up their own heart beat and the blood flowing near their inner ear, as a dead man he didn’t even have so much as that, being in that perfectly silent tavern was maddening.
Digging his claws into the wood outside to anchor himself in place, Heldric scrambles up to the roof, leaving furrows in the wood as he climbs, making up for his lack of grace with sheer strength.
Looking down from the rooftop he just manages to catch sight of some shadows moving in the distance. There are too many for just the assassin and Aimery, there must be others in the alleys tonight. It's then that he catches one closer to his position and spots a familiar flash of white.
***
Anton arranges the nightshades in the shape of wings on his back, then takes a deep breath, exhaling thick, viscous shadow that he wills into the nightshades, granting them substance. Steeling his will, he forces himself to believe the wings are real and takes a running leap out the window, exiting the building with all the grace of a falling brick.
The rush of sound and air are only amplified as his soundless wings begin to flap, pushing him up in to the night sky. The alleys are too dark to see anything concrete but shadows hide nothing from a child of the abyss, and all it takes is a blink for the world to shine as white as snow in the sun. There are many people in the alleys of the city at night, but of particular interest are the two fighting their way down an alley none too far from the tavern, one of them pursuing the other as he engages in a fighting retreat.
Behind him Anton hears and then turns his head to see Joseph leaping onto the ground, tendrils stretching out before him to cushion his fall.
***
"Gladly! We'll need to stock up before we go to teach that big bastard a lesson. Not that we need anything more than a thought and a whim to crush him into the dirt he came from! It's just that it would be terrible to go thirsty before then, that would be horrific, a shame, a sham, an anagram! ".
-
Heldric ensures once more that he is cloaked to the best of his ability then sets out over the rooftops, sprinting and jumping to try and get above the pair trying to move away from them
-
Saladin sighs, casts readiness on himself and levitates after Anton. He was a lasombra after all, he shouldnt have any problem in the darkness.
-
"A fight." He mutters, as a test for the sound field. He won't have noticed any real difference from the tavern to outdoors, except for the voices.
He beckons Brother Joseph and Saladin to follow as he flies towards the fighting duo.
-
"Gladly! We'll need to stock up before we go to teach that big bastard a lesson. Not that we need anything more than a thought and a whim to crush him into the dirt he came from! It's just that it would be terrible to go thirsty before then, that would be horrific, a shame, a sham, an anagram! ".
"Saga has a manana hammer!" Steeple shouts, sinking fangs into a few of the tavern patrons to fill up - careful not to completely drain anyone (unless they seem a bit shady, in which case all bets are off!).
Once done, he'll go back to see what's taking everyone.
Presuming they all left, Steeple will head outside and attempt to signal Maximus to come down and help him find out where everyone went.
-
Anton, Heldric and Saladin all make their way towards the fight at varying speeds - Saladin being the slowest, not possessed of Heldric's strength and speed or the superior flying and maneuverability of Anton's wings.
That being said, as a mage he has no need to personally be present in a fight - from this distance he can see the two fighting. It would be a simple matter to reach out and snatch the knife from the assassin's hands mid-swing, or to hinder Aimery and ensure his death to the assassin's knife. The only thing stopping him is the thought that if he uses his magic against the assassin right now, he might just be responsible for the death of one of his own brothers.
Soon he feels the choice has been taken out of his hands, however, when he sees Andreas dashing into the fray. The beast of a Nosferatu roars as he charges the assassin, alerting him as to his presence. Both Aimery and the assassin turn to face their new foe, just in time to see Andreas punch the assassin in the chest with tremendous force - the Assamite goes flying into a solid brick wall.
It's unclear how much damage he took from that blow but anyone who knows of Andreas' prodigious strength would understand that even barehanded he is nothing that any vampire can underestimate.
***
Anton dives out of the sky and pulls out his wings as he's about to slam into the coblestone alleyway, dragging himself to a near sudden stop that, nonetheless, does not produce a blast of air as one might have hoped. Hovering overhead he sees a figure in all black, brown skin and eyes faintly visible through a slit in his face-wrappings. He lays crumpled against a solid brick all, a bloody knife at his feet.
Aimery is also nearby - now that Anton is closer he can see that Aimery's skin is covered in an assortment of white scales, and his eyes have gained a vertical slit reminiscent of a serpent. Some form of Protean?
"Thank god you arrived, the bastard was going to kill me! Filthy assassins really were in the city, I owe you both my life."
He turns to face the struggling assassin,
"We should capture him and give him to Narses if we can, there's no doubt your names will be cleared before long."
***
Following along the rooftops in leaps and bounds, Heldric is abo
Burning pain in the left side of his head. Jaw is broken when the force of the blow forces his head so far back right that the jaw catches on his own shoulder. Skin raw and torn from where he hit the ground and skidded along the cobblestones. Head feels like it's at an odd angle.
Unable to stifle his pained moans, Heldric lifts his head and notes it's at an angle. He feels something horrific burning its way through his brain and reaches for the handle of the blood-covered knife embedded in his temple. It slides out much easier than it might slide out of normal flesh, the acid on the blade loosening the area around it.
Looks like Kiril found him.
"Gods be damned, are you alright Heldric? One second you were about to leap down to join the others then the next you were flying sideways off the top of the building! Talk to me lad, can you still see or speak? From what I remember you shouldn't be too troubled by the acid eating through your brains."
Looking up at the voice Heldric sees Octavius standing at the top of the building that is now in between him the fighting, surprised and maybe even a bit worried.
***
Drinking his fill, Steeple finds himself a bit giggly after the fact - the people had been drinking before they were rendered unconscious.
Stepping back outside he signals for Maximus to present himself. The gargoyle dives out of a passing cloud and skillfully maneuvers himself gently into a kneeling position before Steeple, silent as stone and just as hard.
"Your will, master?"
After asking where everyone is, he responds - "They have gone to chase a man clad in black and a man with a snake's skin fighting in the alley - they left shortly after you entered the building the man with the snakeskin running from the man in black. One of the ugly ones took a mild blow to the head from something I couldn't quite see before he could get to the fight."
-
"Quite." Anton says, looking at Aimery's snakey skin, and raises tendrils from his body to grab and bsqueeze the Assasin.
Rolandlf was involved with the setites... he thinks to himself.
"You did good, Andreas." He tells the brute. "Where is Heldric?"
-
"Good show son!" Steeple claps, genuinely proud of the gargoyle being so alert on the situation.
"Take me to Heldric, the uh, the 'Ugly one'," he directs.
"Oh, and I snagged a piece of tavern cheese for young Minimus."
-
Heldric shifts and stands quickly, Kiril had seen through his cloak easily enough... though he hadn't exactly been subtle either.
"Kiril is here, we need to join the others." he states then glances around. Since the rooftops were a problem he would take a shortcut. Heldric supports his broken neck with one hand and smashes through a window, planning to pass through the building and out the other side.
-
"I got him." Saladin said as he tries to grab the assassin with telekinesis before Anton could. No need to draw further attention to group.
With the assassin detained, it's time to see if he knew who it was.
-
Andreas looks to Anton and raises his arm to point in the general direction of the tavern/rooftops, when a black-feathered shaft sprouts from his belly. Annoyed, he looks down at the shaft and then collapses on the spot, unmoving as a corpse.
The injured assassin takes advantage of the moment to fling a second hidden, blood-covered knife at Anton, though Saladin casually alters the projectile’s trajectory and it ends up stuck in a wall.
“There’s more of them!” Aimery cries, lookng upwards in time to see a second bloody arrow streaking down toward him. He isn’t fast enough to stop it or evade, but Anton notes that when the arrow strikes him it slides off of the scales covering his body, grazing him but dealing no serious damage.
The arrow doesn’t spark when it hits the ground but splinters instead, it’s then that Anton notices the arrows are made of obsidian - not just the head, but the shaft and even the feathers.
Aimery curses and runs at the injured assassin, there’s a flicker of something and Anton sees blood pouring out of a gash at the assassin’s neck - though vampires do not normally bleed unless they desire it.
Aimery hisses and holds a hand up to his mouth as if he’s in pain.
Anton moves closer so that his tendrils can snatch the injured assassin only to have Saladin telekinetically pick him up and hold him middair, just above Anton’s reach, restrained in place.
The assassin does not resist, instead giving Saladin a hard look.
***
On the street, Heldric grimaces as garbled ginberish comes out of his broken jaw when he tries to answer Octavius. Repairing his jaw with a bit of blood, he repeats his sentence as he jumps shoulder first into wooden shutter of the pawnshop - only to find it had a metal frame supporting it, like in an effort to increase security. Summoning his inhuman strength he breaks through regarldess, though he makes no small amount of noise doing so.
Inside the shop he quickly locates a door leading to the back of the shop, and then a barred door that he quickly unbars, unlocking the alleyway to him.
***
Maximus picks Steeple up like a princess and leaps into the air, his powerful wings propelling them up into the sky. From there, with his enhanced senses, he has a clear view of the situation.
To one side of one of the buildings making the alleyway he sees a bit of property damage, where a metal framed wooden shutter was torn open and someone broke into the building.
In the alley, Saladin and Anton appear to have defeated and restrained the assassin, while Aimery appears to be cowering, looking for whatever cover he can find in the alley.
Looking closer at the rooftop, it seen becomes obvious why - there are over a dozen dark, cloaked and hooded figures surrounded the scene on the alley, each with black bows and a quiver filled with black feathered arrows.
One of them looks up and directly at Steeple and Maximus, his features indistinct under his hood (and perhaps a mask).
He raises an arm towards Steeple and all of a sudden Steeple thinks of Saladin, an assassin mage with telekinetic powers, or of the tremere mages he has worked with who have similar abilities.
“Brace yourself my boy!”
-
Heldric quickly cloaks himself again and swings the door open and steps back out to the side so he is not framed in it as a target. Glancing out and seeing the mess in the street he swears a little then shouts "Inside! And bring Andrea's!" He moves to beside the nearest window in case enemies do as he did, ready to strike as he heals a little with blood"
-
Saladin levitates up into the air, above the rooftoops. Meeting the assassins gaze he Will try to tell him to wait for it.
If saladin sees all the other assassins, he'll try to tele blast around him to blast away as many as possible(while keeping the roofs intact if possible). As he teleblasts he'll throw the assassin away from the group. Should any projectiles
fly for him he'll use telekinesis to block.
-
"Assassins on the rooftops!" Steeple curses. "Watch out for their black arrows Maximus!"
Steeple then Teleports right behind the pointing assassins and plies his bone sword among them with celerity!
(Max str dex blood bump)
-
"Shit." Anton mutters. "Let's hide. Brother Joseph, spread the shadows. Aimery, I got you." He says, spreading darkness all over the three (him, aimery, and brother j), and lightly grasping Aimery with his tentacle.
"We're gonna have to swim off. Ill send my nightshades one way, and us the other." He tells Brother Joseph, as he lives with Aimery into the water, sending nightshades to run off in the other direction.
-
As Steeple makes the declaration, Maximus dives through te air, propelling himself forward and then folding his wings to his back, falling as quickly as possible to get within range of the assassin.
Gritting his teeth and waiting for the blow to come, Steeple is surprised when tendrils sprout from Maximus’ various nooks and crannies and begin to wrap around Steeple and Maximus’ wings both, locking them into the freefall.
Maximus struggles to bring his wings out and slow the fall but the tendrils destroy his normally fine control. Just before they hit the rooftop of the building the assassins are on Steeple mutters a word of power to free him from the grip of both the tendrils and Maximus, putting himself directly behind the assassin that raised its hand toward him.
“Nothing personnel kid” Prince Maurice mutters triumphantly.
As he does so, Maximus hits the roof and goes through it into the room below, sending up slat, tar and dust in a massive cloud and making enough noise to wake up the dead. His heart fills with worry at the thought of his servant’s condition after a fall from that height but there are more pressing issues at the moment.
Turning his attention to the assassin in front of him, Steeple is about to lay into him with his bonesword when he notices something rather dreadful - he can see through the assassin.
Casting his head about, he realized he can see through all the assassins. They’re all illusions. Shades. Shadows. Why are the Lasombra leading an ambush on them?
“The real one isn’t here! Be on your guard Steepleton, we might be in a lot of danger right now!”
Just as Maurice says this the shadow in front of Steeple dissolves into a a swirling vortex of shadows that assaults and clings to him, not dealing any damage but confusing his senses, blocking his sight and muting his hearing. (Nightshade debuff -2 dice to all rolls).
Wary of an incoming attack from an enemy he can’t see while his senses are muddled, Steeple leaps away from his current position down the hole made by Maximus’ collision with the rooftop. He notices a roof slate shatter on the other side of the alley as an arrow passes by where he had been standing.
He falls into the second floor of what appears to be a sewing shop, judging by the various instruments strewn about. He sees Maximus struggling to get up, his body covered in cuts and splinters, his rock hard skin raw and shredded. The tendrils sprouted from the folds of his wings are still lashing at him and constricting his wings. He seizes one and tries to snap it in two but it proves too resilient. As he tries to do so two other tendrils wrap themselves around both his arms and restrain him - no, more than that, they squeeze hard enough to bend and crush bone. Five of them altogether work in tandem to restrain and injure the gargoyle.
Steeple sees Minimus leap from the folds on Maximus’ wings and try to chew at one of the tendrils crushing Maximus’ arms, squeaking desperately as he sees his master being savaged by the dark power.
Even as he sees all this, it is only through the haze and chaos of a shadow glued to his eyes and ears.
***
Saladin, Anton and Heldric all hear a tremendous impact from the roof, as something enormous and heavy strikes it and crashes through the structure.
Floating upwards to see what happened, Saladin sees Steepleton leaping into a large crater in the roof of the building, while eleven dark, hooded and cloaked assassins with bows turn their attention to him.
Saladin concentrates on forming a a telekinetic shield around himself, only to find that no arrow is launched at him - though one of the assassin’s immediately dissolves into an insubstantial mist that violently clings clings to and swirls around his eyes and ears, confusing his senses.
Immediately recognizing the power as being a part of obtenebration from his time with Kiril, Saladin understands that this is Husayn’s work - no other would know both Obtenebration and Quietus to this degree. As he watches through his mangled senses, he notices four shadows flit off in pursuit of Anton when he flies off with Aimery.
Anton, meanwhile, takes off into the air just as Joseph arrives at the scene, significanfly behind everyone else who had higher potence, celerity and the power of flight.
Aimery leaps up into Anton’s tendrils and holds onto one even as it holds onto him, while Joseph exhales a cloud of darkness that completely obscures the alleyway from the rooftop.
Heldric is left alone with Andreas’ body, and sighs in disappointmrnt at both himself and everyone else. He walks over to Andreas and drags him into cover, pulling the arrow out of his blood brother. Naturally, there is blood on the arrow. Letting it drip onto the ground, it does not sizzle like the dagger that had struck Heldric. It must be some other sort of poison.
***
Flying away from the alley, Anton swerves and zigzags in the air in anticipation of incoming arrows, though he cannot see or hear any if they are incoming he gets the distinct feeling that he is definitely being followed, which is only reinforced by the shadowy figures that he can feel gaining on him while he’s moving forward. Seeing the canal he dives for it, hitting the water like a rock and diving into the foul liquid, dragging the extremely unwilling Aimery with him into the wastewater that most of the canals consisted of.
-
Saladin looks to the shadowy figures darting after Anton.
"Shadows playings trick on my mind" he muttered.
And besides, Husayn would not end Anton, he put far to much effort into defending him earlier.
With a shrug he turns away and flies towards whereever he heard Helric from earlier.
-
Worried that Maximus may not be able to see or hear him (and mistake him for a threat), Steeple reaches out and touches the gargoyle with his vessel of transference, infusing Maximus with Steeple's own blood. The gargoyle should recognize his master's sweet vitae, which will then allow Steeple to get close enough to try ripping some of the tendrils free with strength of the earth and potence.
"Get the shadow spawn Minimus! Git it!" Steeple cheers the little ghoul on!
-
Heldric cuts his wrist and feeds Andrea's a point of blood in case that helps then sizes up the huge dead weight before him, this wouldn't be easy.
Casting cloak the gathering he lifts him over his shoulders, relying on potency, and starts running with him. At first after Anton but then twisting and turning down alleyways back towards Mr. Whitey. (Planning on picking him up first then going for safety)
"Andrea's, if she are attacked you better wake up" he whispers
-
Maximus writhes in pain pain as the bones in his arms begin to give - worse, his wings have been bent at impossible angles, the white of bone showing through torn skin. In a desperate attempt to save one of his arms, Maximus bites down on his own arm and seizes the tendril he’d tries to snap earlier with his fangs, gnawing on it until it dissipates - though after the tendril is gone his arm still hangs useless at his side, and he trips over again, falling to the ground thrashing.
Even knowing that he can regenerate the damage, Steeple cannot help but feel it’s a rather gruesome sight seeing his servant and professed son being crushed and mutilated in front of his eyes.
“Whoever did this is going to have hell to pay later”, Maurice fumes.
Judging a safe moment to have come, Steeple steps forward and gives Maximus a bit of extra blood. Invigorated by the incoming vitae, Maximus cries out - “Father, help me! Use the sword, I cannot destroy these blasted shadows! Cut me if you must! Please!”
Steeple grabs onto one of the tendrils and pulls with all his might, struggling with the ephemeral shadow - why the hell is something with no substance so absurdly strong?
After making a tremendous effort, he manages to tear one of the tendrils off one of Maximus’ wings, but the thing still writhes in his arms and without anchoring himself in place by holding onto a nearby wooden beam, it should be throwing steeple around like a toy - despite steeple’s strength, he still weighs very little, and the tendril is both strong enough to lift his body weight with ease and anchored to an extremely heavy target, Maximus.
Letting go of his anchor and drawing the bonesword, Steeple deftly destroys the tendril he was holding onto even as it flings him around - Eternal Thirst passes through the shadow as easily as it passed through flesh and bone.
***
Relaxing as he recognizes his master’s work and the deceit with the shadows, Saladin begins to float back down when the arrow hits his shoulder. From the burning sensation he can tell acidic blood was applied before hand.
Just as he begins to reapply his shield from surprise, he gasps and begins to cough up blood. His vision becomes obscured as blood begins to leak from his eyes. Even his mouth and ears begin to bleed profusely.
He finishes establishing the shield and blinks the shadows and blood out of his eyes when he feels something heavy come from above him. He can just barely make out something or someone pressing down on his from above. It’s not just the shadows and the blood obscuring his vision, he can tell that whatever it is, its form is extremely indistinct.
He makes a pushing and grabbing motion upwards, barely thinking, just wanting to get away, when the thing above him disappears and reappears directly on him, body pressed tightly against his.
“Sorry about this Salah, but you’re the most suspicious, so you’ll have to get it the worst.”
Kiril’s familiar voice echoes in Saladin’s ear even as he feels a burning sensation fill his belly. He pushes Kiril off of him, sending a telekinetic blast outwards that fractures the back wall of the pawnshop he’s facing - though Kiril has already teleported out of sight.
Drifting downwards, he’s struck by another coughing fit, as blood fills and then is violently ejected from his lungs. He recalls the third power of Quietus, which lets you cause severe and massive internal bleeding in anyone who you have touched within 24 hours. Recalling that it is a test of resilience, he boosts his stamina and goes to pull out the knife in his belly, only to find that there is no need, his belly was split open and the knife is on the alley floor, along with most of Saladin’s internal organs.
The shadows fill Saladin’s sight again, this time even thicker and stronger. Now he cannot see or hear anything. (Shroud debuff - +2 difficulty to all rolls, nightshade debuff,-2 dice to all rolls, 5 aggravated damage, 4 lethal damage).
***
After giving him a bit of blood Andreas begins to groan. Slapping him a couple of times doesn’t quite get him out of it so Heldric tosses his over his shoulder, at least relieved that Kiril didn’t kill him.
Stepping out with Andreas on his back Heldric and Joseph both see it when Kiril comes down from above the shroud, soon followed by a blood covered Saladin.
Kiril turns his attention to the two of them.
Well, one of them.
“Damn, didn’t think you’d be this slow. Was counting on you going off to save Anton from the four “assassins”.”
As he says this a torrent of shadow erupts from the shroud and swirls around Joseph, clinging to his skin and eyes and ears.
He doesn’t so much as glance at Heldric. Could it be he doesn’t see him? Or is he giving him a chance fo walk away without any further injury?
Even as this happens, Joseph brings the shroud above them down and fills the alleyway, obscuring Heldric’s sight and hearing, but also presumably Kiril’s.
-
Trudging through the sewer water, Anton drags Aimery and, once he feels safe, takes flight, keeping Aimery close.
"We should be far enough." He states, as they fly upwards, keeping care not to look into his eyes.
"What is your relationship to the setites, Aimery?" He questions.
-
Assuming the arrow on Andrea's was poisoned, Heldric pulls it out of Andreas as he tosses him into the air above where Kiril was as a distraction, releasing Andreases shroud but not his own. Then staying low but moving fast (With auspex to increase senses) he dashes under to try and stab the poisoned arrow into Kiril while he is distracted by Andreas' large form seemingly 'leaping' at him.
-
Saladin tries to scream in pain, but is only rewarded with more pain and blood for his effort.
I'm sure he wont kill us, or, well me atleast, but what can i do... to help my friends? Well, Heldric atleast, im sure the madman Will find a way to- his thoughtprocces was interrupted by Another coughing fit.
Saladin will begin to swear profusely in Arabic, coughing while blood flows from various points from his head and and gutted abdomen.
He begins to desperately try and pull the shadows away from him, first with only his arms, then with his mind. (He'll stop if it causes him to lose blood or entrails)
-
"Vengeance. Will be. OURS!" Steeple growls, in affermation of his Prince.
He then teleports to his son, hoping the shadow does not follow and carefully carves away at the tendrils holding Maximus.
"Regenerate your wounds, son!"
(Max out dex to avoid carving Maximus, slide blade into tendrils with flat against Maximus, then turn edge out to slice away from skin.)
-
Steeple teleports to the other side of Maximus - removing the Nightshade clinging to him in the process - where, with extreme care and Maximus staying as still as possible, he restrains the tendril on Maximus’ wing and subsequently destroys it. Any mishap there could have deprived Maximus of one of his wings, and there could be no crueler fate for such a skilled flyer as him.
It is with relief that Steeple moves on to the other 2 tendrils, destroying them both in quick succession. He accidentally shaves off a bit of Maximus’ skin on his leg when removing the last one but his servant suffers the wound without complaint.
Maximus sits down and closes his eyes, and Steeple begins to see His servant’s wounds knit themselves back together - the impossibly bent wings beginning to straighten out, the torn and bloody skin closing back up unblemished, his fingers twitch as the bones in his arm are knit back together. In the spot where he cut Maximus with Eternal thirst a small mark not unlike a bruise remains. Minimus squeaks cheerfully and runs up Maximus’ body to nuzzle his neck supportively.
“This is the second time I have been brought low by a shadow sculptor. I must learn to fight these foes. They are very dangerous, especially when in flight.”
His voice drops low, “I never even saw this one. I was spotted first. I am sorry to have failed you so horrifically master.”
Steeple suspects it will take Maximus another 12 or so seconds (~2 rounds) to finish healing.
***
Unable to see or hear anything in the shroud that Joseph pulled down, Heldric nonetheless throws his irreplacable retainer, blood brother and servant like an expendable sack of potatoes where he had last seen the insane assassin. Rushing forward himself he stabs the air where Kiril had been but hits nothing, Kiril having presumably moved after the shroud was pulled down.
There’s a heavy impact on Heldric’s arm when Andreas hits it on the way down.
Frustrated, Heldric leaps up against the wall and digs his claws into the wall, anchoring himself above the shroud so that he can see.
From there he sees Joseph also pulling himself up the wall, tendrils digging into the gaps between the stone and mortar, insubstantial as they are they fit through even the smallest hole. He disappears over the side of the roof, but if Kiril has made an escape it’s doubtful Joseph will be able to catch him.
Looking around he can’t see the assassin that Saladin had restrained midair. Kiril presumably took him with him before leaving.
***
Saladin finds himself incapable of banishing the shadows using his telekinesis. They both have and do not have any sort of physical substance. Perhaps if he was able to apply enough telekinetic force to bend light itself he could do so, but such an epic application of force is beyond his ability to even imagine, let alone perform.
From his time with Kiril he knows that fire can burn away most all Lasombra shadows, save for the moths that a Lasomrba can create specifically to destroy fires, or the extremely high tier shadows that can be summoned by elders. He does not know how much Husayn’s possession has enhanced Kiril but he is certain that Kiril’s Obtenebration is no stronger than it was before, as Husayn would possess no knowledge of advanced Lasombra magic.
Calming himself as much as he can in the suffocating and oppressive darkness, he begins to heal his internal wounds. It would seem that Kiril is no longer using Dagon’s Call on him, or if he is he cannot overcome Saladin’s enhanced stamina.
He is able to stand and walk in the general direction of his spilled-out organs, where he feels them out by hand and then cleans them telekinetically befofe reinserting them into his body - it would be much more taxing to generate new organs than to re-attach these ones.
Still the process leaves him drained. He’ll need to go hunting or receive blood soon or lest he risk frenzy.
***
Though Anton does not looks at Aimery, he can feel his freeze up at that mention, then hear him sigh in resignation.
“I suppose I couldn’t have hid it forever. Though I never expected you to be the one to find me out.”
Curiously, despite being “found out” Aimery does not sound at all panicked. Nor does he struggle or attack Anton.
“I am an agent of High Lord Hardestat, I was sent here along with General Von Sachsen to keep an eye on the proceedings and ensure that there was no interference from outside forces, the Setites in particular - as our attack is aimed on their homeland, we predicted an effort to stall and misguide the crusade. You might have notes my distinct silence during most of the debates, i’m not much of a talker, I was really just here to root out any of our enemies in Venice.
It would seem that whoever your master is set you to the same task, if you’ve managed to find my name while investigating the Setite presence I cannot doubt your skill as an investigator. I won’t ask your master’s name, only give my gratefulness that despite our different alleigances we can still work together against the real enemy.”
-
Hedlric decides that it is indeed a goood time to leave so grabs Andrea's, giving him another point of blood then cloaks them and sets off after safety. Stopping to get Mr. Whitey on the way.
The wierd arrow he stashes away in his cloak before leaving the shadows.
-
"It is water under the bridge," Steeple replies to Maximus; "and worth the trouble, if we learn something from it."
"But about these shadow workers... I know two of them. Anton is an honorable ally, but the other I don't trust, nor like for that matter. Kiril the hubristic dandy. He thinks he can handle that demon possessed brute that betrayed me. ha!"
-
Saladin will activate his auspex to try and see peoples auras. "One can always hope.." he said doubtfully to noone in particular.
Saladin would then check if he has anything to start a fire with to burn the shadows away
-
It would seem that whoever your master is set you to the same task, if you’ve managed to find my name while investigating the Setite presence I cannot doubt your skill as an investigator. I won’t ask your master’s name, only give my gratefulness that despite our different alleigances we can still work together against the real enemy.
Anton nods, refarining from looking at Aimery. Anton is a notable inquisitor. He excelled in finding the truth, and this will be a simple matter for one such as him.
"Yes, it was obvious that a hidden hand played in these deliberations." He says, careful not to play his hand. Hidden masters? All he knows is that Aimery's brother was a idoloater.
"I find it interesting that the Assasins are attacking the Venture clan." He says. "It seems more that they would appreciate a distraction in Egypt, where they lack influence."
-
“He was not present tonight either, was he?” Maximus asks regarding Kiril.
“The fiend must be plotting against you even now master. Him and the human monster who would threaten you. I beg of you master, send me to slay them both. The human isn’t worthy of feeding Eternal Thirst, black and foul as his blood must be.”
***
Though he tries, he cannot see any auras through the cloying darkness around him - he cannot tell if the reason for it is a lack of other beings present or an inability to see anything at all in the current circumstances.
Reaching into his pockets he pulls out a handful of ritual components - a candle, some fragrant scented wood and the sending stone he uses to communicate with Al-Ashrad.
He telekinetically rubs the two pieces of wood together at a furious pace, striking the sensing stone against the nearby wall to shower sparks down on the wood, while dissolving the candle and pulling out the wick, mincing it into bits and spreading it out onto the spot where he wood was being ground together. After a couple minutes of this, he achieved a brief, minuscule flame that pushes back the cloying shadow around him maybe half an inch. Feeding the candle into the flame it grows to a distance of 3/4 of an inch. The nightshades are unswayed.
At this point he has, however, healed all of the internal damage - though his stomach won’t be repaired for a while.
***
Once he’s out of the shadows, Heldric feeds Andreas a bit more blood, after which his blood brother begins to stir in earnest.
It isn’t long before Mr Whitey finds them as well, the crocodile was not far from the fight and had been waiting close to the shrouded area for its masters to re-appear.
“Well, all things considered that actually went pretty well. Assuming Anton doesn’t lose Aimery,” Octavius comments.
“Though we probably have enough information to exhonerate ourselves at this point, just have to submit ourselves to Aliprando’s lie detection.”
***
Aimery shrugs, “We are their enemies. Our clans have been hostile or at war longer than the holy land has been contested. We plan to lead a raid into the heart of the muslim empire and perhaps even find and sunder Alamut. They don’t need much more of a reason to stop us do they?”
-
Well let us return to the relative safety for now. I doubt even Kiril will follow us into a guarded court". He sighs quietly "I miss my cave and the silence..." He again ensures they are cloaked and begins heading back with the hope that Anton has their new prisoner in tow
-
"Yes, you may have a point about the bastard's foul blood," Steeple replies to Maximus. "I would not want to taint such a magnificent weapon with such gross impurities."
"As for Kiril, until it is proven his conspiracy in this, his station is still to be respected."
"We will deal with Barabus later. For now, we need to find Heldrick. When we get to were you saw him last, I'll track him to see where they went."
-
Saladin will then draw his ebony dagger and try cut them off. 'come on...
-
Aimery shrugs, “We are their enemies. Our clans have been hostile or at war longer than the holy land has been contested. We plan to lead a raid into the heart of the muslim empire and perhaps even find and sunder Alamut. They don’t need much more of a reason to stop us do they
Anton nods.
"Stop us, yes. But they seem to be only targeting the venture delegation." Anton says, his dark wings flapping in the wind.
"But no matter. We should be reaching the Court soon." He says.
-
Anton nods.
"Stop us, yes. But they seem to be only targeting the venture delegation." Anton says, his dark wings flapping in the wind.
"But no matter. We should be reaching the Court soon." He says.
Anton can feel Aimery nodding along pleasantly, "Yes, good, it's about time we clear your name isn't it? I'll be sure to testify about the attack, as well as your saving my unlife. I will forever be in your debt for the service you've provided me."
---
While Saladin fumbles with his knife trying to cut at insubstantial shadows, Joseph finally returns (having lost Kiril's tail).
He sucks back in the shroud that he had coated the alley with - as he does so, the nightshade that assaulted his senses also fades away, much to his relief.
Joseph looks to Saladin, "Are you alright? Looks like you took a pretty bad wound". He nods to Saladin's stomach, which the assassin was holding closed with his arms.
---
Maximus scoops Steeple up and leaps out of the hole in the ceiling from where he'd crashed in, flying down to the entrance of the pawn shop that Heldric had busted through - the building was directly adjacent to the seamstress' shop he had crashed into.
"Human guards will be here soon. Should I slay them for you master?"
"We are rather low on the necessities," Maurice comments.
"It would also make Narses pretty mad", He says, though he says it like it's a good thing more than a bad thing.
---
Heldric leaves the scene with his blood brother and pet in tow.
-
Saladin stares incredulously at Joseph. "I've been stripped of my senses, had my own blood boil inside me, I've even been gutted like a pig, and you ask me if im alright?"
A dry, short pained laugh escapes Saladin. "I will be. But we need to leave. Soon this place will be swarming with humans."
-
"I don't see any further fighting," Stepple observes.
"That means the battle is over. I do hope we get a rematch though, that shadow trick was just plain cheating!"
"Ah well, let's head back and preapare to sneak out of the country, if things have not gone our way."
-
Heldric heads back as quietly as possible, planning to wait just within the courts protection where he can watch for the others return, especially Anton and the prisoner