Vampire: Dark Ages - Scene 2: Harrowing: Taduz

[Goatkiller666]

Gabrin approaches Taduz, clearly of Rom ancestry. He never quite stops moving as he talks, walking in circles around him. He recognizes Taduz's similar heritage, and speaks in Rom. "I see Claudio has finally invited someone of real character to one of these parties. Welcome, cousin."

He takes out a small throwing dagger, and starts to lazily flip it from hand to hand. As he procedes, the knife begins to execute more complex motions in the air. First a single 180 degree flip, then a 360. Then lateral twists as it flips, etc.

[This is not unlike Taduz' brothers used to do while practicing, and isn't particularly a sign of hostility.]

"You are young to be away from your wagon. And you have put aside the dress of our people. Tell me of how this happened, of your family, your kumpania, and your heritage. I must know of others of our kind nearby, in case I need shelter from the giorgio."

[Taduz Illyannovich]

In Rom: The slaves of the scarecrow slaughtered my family, my sister, who danced for the money they'd throw was denounced as a harlot and then....
My father slain, my mother also. My brothers fought back, using knife tricks much as you are now showing, and took down a few. Was by an order to the northeast of here. I talked my way into an education based on stories mother told me as a youth and making the correct responses to the old priests questions. I was saved by the language barrier as much as my wits.

There was much there, that was, condoned, that from my understanding was wrong. I left there after taking everything I could from their teachings.

I struck out on my own adapting to survive, finding nobles who didn't want to be shackled by the alleged faith of their church, teaching them of freedom, and more importantly, teaching their children of that same freedom, and to never submit to that groups demands. It has made me a modest living. To my knowledge there are no others nearby.

I was last of my kumpania, my family, and now have found myself here at Lord Claudio's, not knowing why I'm here. If not for my teaching capabilities, then why?

[Goatkiller666]

"And you have not been forced to... how do the giorgio put it?... steel to stay alive? These westerners and their strange ideas of property. The walk into the places we know and declare that those places are for them alone. Then they accuse us of steeling from them, when we continue to visit those same places."

"Their nobles preach about charity and honor, then the rape all the beauty from the world and lock it up from the people of the world. They do not need a thing, and do not use a thing, but would begrudge one of us using it to stay alive. They'll horde food and let it rot, rather than share with the ones who starve for lack of it."

"How do you feel about this property?"

[Taduz Illyannovich]

If the churchmen and nobles continue to do as they do now, then they'll fall, and if they are right, then it gets just that much worse after their fall.

Property, fleeting. My kumpania traded honestly for goods we needed, yet still were accused of everything except being honest. They think they own the world, but they are just transient. Everything flows, almost nothing is permanent.

[Goatkiller666]

"My grandmother always used to tell me that nobody owns anything. That we merely use the stuff that's here, but nobody had a right to it any more than anybody else. This is why the giorgio call us thieves, because we don't accept their claims that something I need should go to me for the moment."

"Come, let us step outside. There is a courtyard through here. I find I would feel the moonlight on my face, tonight. It is a full moon tonight."

He leadds you through a side door, down a short hallway and to a small interior courtyard within the castle. There is a well, a small apple tree, and walls that climb up 10' before revealing the clear sky. The corner of the moon is now visible over the wall.

"Claudio insists on calling me LordGabrin. I'm no lord. I have no lands, no title. Do you think titles give life meaning?"

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Peering up into the moonlight peeking over the wall

"Titles only hold meaning if you can convince others to serve your ends. He may call you Lord, and make his servants call you by that title, but it's simply a word. It can be used to demand obedience or command respect, but it only goes as far as the people around you will go with it."

"Your grandmother was wise, the giorgio would see us all dead rather than have the slightest comfort, while they hoard it all, *needing* it for another day, knowing in their deepest hearts they never shall, and if they do, they will have much larger things to worry about if it comes down to that."

Looking around the peaceful yard "I can see why this appeals to you, feels more right. I can almost see Marishka dancing, keeping in practice, while Father harvested the local plants for his potions and oils, Mother fretting at Milosh and Petru, as they made knives dance in an almost hypontic pattern between their jumps, turns, and rolls. Reminds me of my young days, days I'll never see again, days that have given me purpose though."

"I can almost hear Father now... Taduz, El Crallis ha nicobado la liri de los Cales. They have stolen everything from the Rom, do not seek revenge against their Crallis*, their acts will invoke spirits of their own demise. Pity them for their blindness"

"I've tried over these years, but I cannot let it go..."

"Your pardon, has been a while since someone of the People has brought back memories like this, nostalgia at my age."


El Crallis ha nicobado la liri de los Cales - The king has taken away the law of the Gypsies

Crallis - King

[Goatkiller666]

Gabrin nods, sadly, walks over and puts his arm around Taduz' shoulders. "Your father was right, and he was wrong. Their acts will bring their demise. But it will be because they have spurred us to rage."

He leans in closer, with his hand gently on the top of Taduz' head, and rests his forehead against that of Taduz. "Do not let go of your rage, cousin. Do not forget your father and mother, your brothers and sister. Let them drive you to strike at the heart of our enemies."

"We will take what we need from them, because we deny their right to claim it."

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Staring deep into Gabrin's eyes, emotionally unstable and caught up in his rhetoric "I shall, I will. There will be blood, paid for every Rom they have killed, for sport or in their crusades. We will show them their ineffectual godling is powerless. We will purge the land of their taint. The Rom will be free, to ride, to take, to live as man should. Free."

[Goatkiller666]

Gabrin grins, and claps Taduz on the back. "Excellent. Blood indeed." Gabrin leans in closer this time, and kisses him on the mouth. When the kiss ends, he bites Taduz' lip, drawing a small amount of blood. [Feel free to role-play how long or quickly the kiss takes.]

He grins, wolfishly. Licking Taduz' blood off his lip. "Speaking of blood, what would you say if I suggested that even one's body, one's very blood, were no more yours or mine than one's mansion? Again, it all comes to who has the greater need."

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Taduz is a bit suprised by the kiss, but returns it with fervor, caught up in his cousin's speech and rolling with it, then blinks a few times as memories of Father Antoninious's care return to him.

Realizing that this whole episode just took a rather huge unexpected turn off-road on the the Path of Reality...

"Why shed the blood of the People, when there are others whose transgressions make them more worthy?"

"Our blood, of the people, is pure. Rom with Rom, Gadje with Gadje. Sealing a deal with blood is binding to us. No matter what happens to the body, the spirit will survive, and become a part of and one with everything in the world."

Taduz smirks and adds "That in no way makes me want to give mine up, my blood or my life. I have much left unaccomplished and would hate to disappoint a certain priest by not fulfilling a vow I made by running out of time or life."

[Goatkiller666]

"But you see, that's exactly why your blood is so precious to me. It is pure. The blood of these sheep here is so dead, even warm from the vein. They can break oaths so easily for that very reason... there's no soul to their blood, no magic."

Out of the corner of his eye, Taduz begins to see motion in the courtyard. At first, he is not sure what he's seeing; when he glances at the place, there is nothing there. But shortly, he starts to see dozens of tiny spirits, exactly as he remembered from the books his mother had.



"They're drawn to your purity, Taduz. They need to taste some real Rom blood, or they'll perish. Would you deny them that?"

[Taduz Illyannovich]

"If they've lived thus far, they won't perish. Unless you've had Him summon other of the People here to sup for those you make deals with. Which would make you slightly above a kept dog like Lothar."

"Appeasing the spirits is all and well, but to feed them on the blood of the People, that sounds like something the Church does with their bread and wine trick."

"So yes, I would deny them that, deny them a taste of the purity that is not required for their existance, when obviously others would suffice. As you said I have to keep my rage, and as you know, I have a vow to keep. In blood."

[Goatkiller666]

Gabrin takes a step back from Taduz. "They are not bound to this place. They follow me. And they hunger. I am sorry for your oath, Taduz. Perhaps these spirits will take up your blood's promise as they take your blood."

The spirits swarm over Taduz, clawing and biting. None of them are very strong, not breaking skin at first. But there are so many of them...

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Seeing this man has betrayed the Rom, turns towards the door and runs, drawing his dagger in his hand and palming it, so the blade lies against his forearm, hidden from view.

Beseeching the spirits "Spirits, I know thy hunger, I've been there, take not the blood of this Rom, I have bonds to keep, vows to fulfill, and have done you no harm. This kantino mindj has done you wrong. This is not the way. I shall seek to find proper meals for you, if you spare me. Let me live, and I shall. Betray one who has been good to you All, and you only condemn yourselves to being a slave to that khul."

[Goatkiller666]

Taduz quickly dashes past the small swarm of spirits and runs for the door back into the castle. As he approaches the door, more spirits begin to materialize from the walls and plants. One or two of them are fully solid by the time he gets to the door, but he is able to get past them and into the hallway. (To return to the main room, go left.)

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Khul khul khul khul khul khul as he dashes through the door. Right, left, come on, left, to the main room. More people, more targets. Less chance of Taduz being deaded.

[Goatkiller666]

Taduz enters the hallway and darts left to get back to the main room. Once there, he is presented with:

A large room, approximately square. The huge dining table, with enough space to seat 30 around it, including two at each end occupies the left half of the room. Candlesticks are places every four seats to light the table, plus tapers in wall cages behind it. A large fire burns in the fireplace across the room from where he enters. The right half of the room is empty in the center, with a pair of comfortable chairs in each corner of theroom. The large doors through when the party originally entered are along the right-hand wall, opposite the dining table.

At the head of the table (the end away from Taduz) Lord Claudio sits with Marianna, talking queitly.

At the foot of the table (the end closest to Taduz), Lady Almanov, and Sir Leopold are gathered around one of Claudio's maids. Leopold has a whip and is vigorously whipping the girl.

To Taduz' right, Lord Valdemar is sitting and talking to the blind nun Constanza.

In the far right corner of the room, Lady Theophania is also sitting, with Georgette. Theophania is laughing hysterically, while Georgette is sobbing.

Seated at the table are Lord Al-Nasir and Gedeminas, speaking amiably.

In the center of the room, Alina is kneeling facing towards Taduz. Her eyes are closed, and her face is lax. Behind her, and holding her arm, is Lord Casmir.

There are guards standing by the main entrance, which is locked. There are various maids and servants standing around the room as well, waiting for commands from the guests.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Taduz bursts into the room, totally forgetting the local parlance, ranting in Rom into the hallway and room towards Gabran "DEVILSPAWN! CORRUPTER! DEFILER OF SPIRITS! BASTARD"

At Claudio, in Rom "You bring us here for your sick amusements, you're no better than the christ's slaves. Worse, they at least pay lip service to the a zombie, others here, actual bind hungry spirits to their will with no care. I hope you have your are ready, for there will be a reckoning"

At the nun screaming in Rom "SPIRITS. THEY WORSHIP EVIL SPIRITS YOU BLIND SLUT! Get your christ, get your child rapers, and do something for once in your life you whore."

With continued ranting he heads for the other side of the room, looking around frantically for something to help him reach the windows high up, away from the rooms behind him.

[Goatkiller666]

Those in the corners merely laugh as Taduz runs past, gibbering in his meaningless foreign tongue. After he passes Casmir and Alina, Taduz hears Alina slowly rise and shout something at Casmir in yet another meaningless foreign tongue before running out through the door he'd just come through.

The hungry spirits move around her as she goes, some jumping onto her shoulders and over so as not to be trampled. Nobody seems to react to the growing horde of gibbering little sprites, and they continue to run towards Taduz.

With the larger room, Taduz was able to get ahead of them for the moment.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Taduz begins running towards a wall, looking for something, a tapestry, chairs, something to reach the high windows.