Vampire: Dark Ages - Scene 4: In the Halls of the Dead

[Olaf_Magnusson]

Shrug, and do as Taduz asks. "Should I succumb to such mindless fury amongst us, I hold myself to the same standards, I expect to be soundly thrashed until I regain my senses."

[Sabine]

I watch Taduz. I'm confused. Is Gedeminas a bad man or not?

I move over to Taduz when he sits down. I put my chin on his knee.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Ye, how do I explain this, the child has no grasp of higher concepts, and the dane has little either.

I begin scratching behind Sabine's ear the minute her head touches my knee, trying to be reassuring.

I close my eyes and concentrate on Gedeminas, focusing on him.

"Remember, when the Cur's party left us, and we were on our own?"

Step by step, piece by piece

"We fought, for survival. I myself, fought beyond my abilities. Even in the skin of, nevermind. Sabine, you yourself, dogged them quite fiercely." I ruffle her neck fur a little with both hands, then return to the ear.

"Not alot is clear of exactly what happened. But I do know that I wasn't in control."

Tie past to present.

"When Lady Seska's man drew blood, there was a hushed silence over the room. I myself felt, something, the same thing that demanded I attack *dripping with sarcasm* The League *end sarcasm*."

Draw us together

"I saw it in your eyes, my little puppy. You were at war with yourself."

"Olaf, it was in you too, you could feel it in the air, not just from you, from Sabine, from myself. I couldn't see Lady Seska, but I'd bet she felt it too."

Craft the parts together

"Gedeminas felt it too, but he was unable to answer the thing's siren song. It took over."

Try to heal the wound

"We were all caught looking, we got something unexpected. More things of this nature will hit us over the next, well, however long it takes."

And if this works, the rift is mended

"Better one of us succumb than all of us, and with no permanent damage done, mayhap to the wall. We need to figure out why it happened, and how to stop it."

and we may just live, er, survive this together.

"For now, let us hope Gedeminas pulls through this, regains his senses, and maybe he can tell us what he felt, and maybe we can learn to fight to keep ourselves stable."

and so help us all if Olaf breaks next.

Keeping my eyes closed, still focusing on Gedeminas, I bury my face in Sabine's neck and shake my head a little.

Nothing like a dog to help calm ones nerves. Even if she is a girl most of the time.

[Dante Nachtzehrer]

Swarms of bats swirl like a funnel over the courtyard, darting in to bite and scratch Brother Dante and his ghouls. Having narrowly missed his feast, Dante swats at the annoying creatures and turns to look his prey straight in the face. (cast dementate 2 dots)

Dante yells over the fluttering of wings and gnashing of teeth, "Brothers! Witness the evil around you! See how it affects the heretic not! Keep your eyes averted and seize the sorcerer!" At this, Dante begins to run toward Erick.

[Seska Karantanija]

Dining Room of the Red Lamb Inn
----------------------------------------------------

Seska pulls Bojan back to the table with a determined stride and points to his chair. "Sit."

She steps to her own seat and finally notices Pierre and Vida staring at the other table. Not realizing the source of their awe, she dismissively states, "He should get better. May I continue? I believe I left off with the dinner being set before us..."

[Seska Karantanija]

"We had all gathered back at the table, the thirteen hosts and their thirteen guests. I was one of the later to arrive. I must confess I was in rather a sorry shape and only somewhat paying attention." She clears her throat. "Giovanni had the servants bring out all manner of dishes, and a live sheep. Something about being closer to one's meal. Olaf did manage to coat Lothar in an impressive amount of blood." Seska smirks at the thought, perhaps the one highlight of the evening.

"Then the veiled woman began to sing. Violetta I believe. It sapped what little will I had remaining, and left us all lethargic and uncaring. At this point he had Pierre brought out and asked him to stab me to prove his worthiness. Pierre refused and the brute Marchettus brutalized him with unbelievable speed and strength. Like he was a child's doll." She pauses, knowing the real story is beginning. "Giovanni then explained we were the meal. They were monsters, you see. Very much like those we talk about around our hearths, or might catch a glimpse of their shadow, but quite out in the open." She pauses again, this time to look each of those at the table square in the face. She raises her finger to stop as the questions begin to roll off their lips.

"We were not supposed to survive the evening, and Giovanni was so very proud. They had crafted ordeals for each of us to see how it flavored the taste of our vital essences. The revelation was the final hint of seasoning. They put a collar on each of us which connected to a special tap, much like you find on a keg, in order to sample our blood. They were blood-drinkers. Vampires."

Seska gets a fierce look on her face while quietly punching the table. She is not addressing anyone in particular, but does make sure they all understand, "No. No questions yet. I shall finish before my anger gets the better of me."

"And so they went around the room as if sampling wine. Comparing flavors and nuances. I was weak from inebriation, sorcery, and loss of vital essence, however it would be hard to miss the enter castle shaking. It was under assault and our hosts began to panic. Giovanni brought them in line and concocted a plan to use us against the attackers while they fled." Seska pauses for a long moment. "What comes next is a blur. Naught but fevered dreams."

"They drained what remained of our blood. All the guards were gone from the room when I awoke, though it must not have been too long after. The taste of blood was in my mouth, but it was unlike anything I had known from treating simple cuts. Thicker. Richer. And I hungered for more. Amisa obliged by giving me a slight bit more. Soon the main door to the hall was broken asunder and I... we... could smell the blood in those soldiers. Now we were like those who had sought to dine upon us, but without restraint. I know the battle was messy, and confusing, and that we lost."

"I believe Leopold was destroyed in the fighting. The cenobites were not with us when we awoke. I do not know of the others who went to the castle, but presumably they were lost. Where we woke was the dungeon of a man named Hardestadt and his cronies. No, not a man, but another monster like Giovanni. Only there was enmity between them. After some persuasion they came to realize we were not allied and knew nothing of what was happening. After some rather unpleasant treatment I should add."

"Hardestadt is perhaps even more insufferable than Giovanni. His plan for us is to find Giovanni and cohorts to end their existence. He cares not if we survive, only that we try. However, if we fail, he will be quite happy to make sure we suffer in their place. Or those important to us..." She trails off.

[Goatkiller666]

Castle Giovanni
---------------------------

Dante uses Dementation on Erick, then rushes after him.

Erick is assaulted with visions. They are vivid in his mind, and shake his resolve. He does not see Dante moving towards him for a moment.

• Horrible visions of men. Naked, covered in blue painted designs, they were, going to war. A whole tribe of men, the greatest of their realm, cresting a hill and finding before them an empty pit in the earth. Down they descend, and into the tunnels below it. The men soon shift into yet more bestial forms, those of giant pale white wolves, yet walking as the men they had just been. Through the tunnels they creep, looking for enemies and finding none. But they knew their foe to be here somewhere, so further they crept.
  
  Finally, they came to a huge cavern, where monsters waited for them. These were what giant man-wolves called monsters. Great insects, taller than a gypsy wagon; pale things with the same vague outlines of men, but with giant teeth covering all of their faces; many armed men and women; giant boars with fleshless skulls, eating rotten corpses. The monsters were gathered around some light in the center of the cavern, like a bonfire and yet with no sound of crackling wood. Green it was, casting hideous writhing shadows across the ceiling.
  
  The wolves began to howl, a battle cry, and as a pack they swarmed down upon the monsters. But as the first of them arrived, the light began to change. The green light flared up in some directions, and went black in others. A sound could be heard, as of a great wind, though no air moved this far below ground. And then, madness.

Wolfgang throws himself flat to the ground, to avoid the bats. He covers his head with his arms, hoping the thicker armor will protect him from their bites.

Gunter sees Dante chase after Erick. He decidesthat hellspawned bats arriving from nowhere must prove that Erick is a servant of the Devil, and begins to chant a prayer in Latin as he follows his new master. It is clear that he's repeating sounds he's heard, but that he does not himself speak Latin. Some of the words are mispronounced, here or there he'll transpose syllables, and his accent is atrocious. But he chants the litany with zeal, and ignores the flying vermin around him, as he runs up to Erick's confused form, nearly getting to him before Erick regains his senses.

The Red Lamb Inn
-------------------------------

Vida backs away from Sabine, but is shushed before she can say anything to her mistress.

At mention of Marchettus' devastating beating, Pierre glances sharply at Olaf and then at Gedeminas, sensing a similarity.

Bojan, from his seat by Seska, tears flowing down his face, "Oh Mistress, I have failed you in all ways." He reaches for the closest flagon of ale, which happens to be Pierre's, and downs it in one go. He then finds his own, and downs it as well.

Through the front door comes Danukas, a smile upon his lips, and then he sees Gedeminas' beaten form, sitting quietly in his chair. He calls out, "My Lord! What has happened?" and then he inspects Gedeminas' injuries. Soon, he notices that his lord's arms are held slightly aloft, and will not move. He turns to the others to demand, "What curse is this? What has befallen him? And how can you all be sitting quietly and talking while he is thus? Are you monsters?"

[Olaf_Magnusson]

Scowling again, "He sought to assault Lady Seska's man unprovoked. He has been punished. Monster I may well be, but you will keep a civil tongue."

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Thinking fast

Addressing Danukas "There was a, momentary loss of reason, matters are being taken care of."

Great, how to explain this.

"Your master, well, for lack of a better term, well, he's indisposed. As you can see, no greivous wounds are upon him."

Gods, Olaf, you were effective but at least there are no major cuts.

"We are working on figuring out why he is like this. We are also trying to figure out why he attacked Lady Seska's man at arms unprovoked, as Olaf already stated."


Watch who you call monsters little one.

"The matter is well in hand, it appears whatever happened is going to stay happened until he calms down and" *snickers and tries to hide it.* The irony of a barbarian teaching Civility "can be civil."

"Speaking of civility, there is a noblewoman present, yelling names and making accusations without anything to back them up in the presence of a lady, tsk tsk tsk"

Smooth Taduz, he accuses us of being monsters, you just chastise him on it, not for being wrong, but for lacking proof we are.

"I have checked over Gedeminas, and outside of his burst of temper, he seems rather fine. A word of caution, you may not want to stand in front of him, in case he's still...upset."

During this whole ordeal, I still calmly scratch behind Sabine's ears, alternating sides with one hand. Fairness must be maintained. I still have my dagger palmed against my forearm in the other. In case Danukas decides to make an issue of it.

[Alína Nyárí]

In the woods by Zombar
----------------------

The owl circles once more and dives in attack. This time, she doesn't even come close to Alina in her dive, and eventually settles onto a nearby tree branch. She is clearly agitated, and whenever Alina moves closer to her she flutters to a farther spot. But she's still here.

• Monster. What have you done to her? How can you wear her seeming?

"Dara, it is still I. But much has occurred and been done to me since we departed last." [ooc]explain in a similar way as Seska's explanation to her retinue of what happened to her, revealing it all to my familiar...[/ooc] "I know very little of the state I am now in. Although one of the things I do know is that what magick I learned and knew as second nature is now gone from my grasp. There is a chance I may yet rediscover it, but like my connection with you it seems new methods need be learned and mastered to attain it.

"My life...errr...unlife will change. I must feed on blood, yet I have always helped and nurtured...using my magicks to heal. There is no such thing as kosher blood; blood is removed through salting and soaking of the flesh prior to cooking. I know not on what I will feed; the thought of taking blood unwillingly from another disgusts me.

"It seems I must redefine myself, as I am sure the others who were Giovanni's "guests" must do as well. I need a friend, a confidant. Will you remain by my side and allow me to prove my worth again to you?"

[Sabine]

I don't know the new man. He's yelling at my people. But Taduz is still scratching. Maybe it's all okay now? My ears go back, but I don't growl yet.

[Seska Karantanija]

The Red Lamb Inn
-------------------------------

Seska tries to once again console her man. "Bojan, there is nothing you could have done! You likely would have ended up like Pierre. Or worse..." She looks down, sheepishly. "We were not meant to survive the night. We only did because of chance. Thankfully you and Vida were here, safe from the scars of that evening."

She waits a little to let her words sink in, "However now I need you and her more than ever. There are many things we have to learn. To survive. To get out from under Hardestadt's thumb. I need you to be strong for me."

Seska ignores Danukas at first, figuring the stranger is a local, only reacting to his presence by quieting her voice. Upon realizing he is with Gedeminas she lets Taduz handle his concerns, preferring to try to stop Bojan's deepening woe.

[Goatkiller666]

The Red Lamb Inn
-------------------------------
Vida is fully focused on Bojan. Who is resting his head on the tabletop now, continuing to cry. Vida says to Seska, this is unlike him. He's been worried about you these several days, but always he was driven to find you.

Danukas looks from Olaf to Taduz. "Attacked? Pull the other one! Gedeminas has no temper to lose. He would no more attack Bojan as he would curse in public."

He leans in close to Gedeminas' face, noticing the feral snarl still visible beneath all the damage. "And yet, what is this expression?"

"How is he held stiff like this? Is one of you a witch, to ensorcel him thus?" He stands and reaches for his sword hilt, "Free him from this spell, whatever it is. I would hear this from his mouth."

"Bojan, Vida… I know you to be honorable, and believe your mistress, who I assume is this Lady here, to be such as well. And… is this the fallen Pierre? You seem well… Please convince me that nothing nefarious is happening, for I do not wish to lose the friendship we have so recently formed."

Vida says to Danukas, "Friend, much has been revealed to us just this moment…. I know not how to even describe it all… your master did, in fact, snarl and lunge for Bojan here. He was quickly… too quickly to see, even… thrashed into that condition for it… I know not how… and then… the girl turned into that hound?" She seems almost on the verge of tears herself, remembering Seska's back.

"But before all that, what is wrong with Bojan? His spirits are crushed, even before he saw the Countess had returned to us. What happened today at the Castle to change him so?"

Danukas looks to his still-frozen lord, then chooses to answer her question first, hoping that once her fears are settled, she'll help him with his own. "The day went much the same as others before it. But just after sundown, Wolfgang and Gunter arrived with the body of Brother Dante, whom they'd found in one of the dungeon rooms. They claim that he had not been there on previous days… they'd followed his tracks there from the previous night. We began digging another grave for him, not wanting to leave his body there for the wolves to ravage, but before we were done, the man sat up and began speaking."

"He claimed to know what had happened to the Countess, and asked that Bojan drink some of his blood before he would reveal the secret. Bojan refused, and then rushed off here. I followed, thinking he would injure himself, or his horse, in his mad dash. The two brothers stayed with the monk. I expect them along shortly, in fact."

In the woods by Zombar
--------------------------------------

Dara listens, clearly agitated by staying on her distant branch. "I sense nothing of her spirit in you, dead thing. And yet, you speak to me as if you were her. My contract with her was until her spirit left this world. If it is still within your form, I am bound to remain and serve her. For now, I will watch, and determine if you are really her, or if you just occupy her corpse. But hear this, dead thing… if it is discovered that her spirit remains within that frame as a prisoner, all the powers I can bring to bear will destroy you in gaining her freedom. There is nowhere you can hide where I will not find her, and nothing I would not do. Do not cross me in this."]

[Taduz Illyannovich]

I look at Gedeminas, look at Olaf, look at Dunakas.

My lips peel back in a snarl.

I distinctly stop scratching behind Sabine's ear, my hand freezes.

I've been molested by my kinsfolk, attacked by corrupted spirits, tossed into a fire, killed, brought back to life, turned into a troll, then beaten senseless by a noble fop, and forced under threat of death to do his whim.

I maybe Gypsy, and all that people may spit on me for it, but I'm done.

Enough is enough.

Taduz's voice drops to a gravelly pitch "Really, pull the leg?"

I stand, and lackadasically approach him, my almost black eyes seem to be trying to tear his soul out through them.

"Show me your leg, fop. That I may pull it, at your request."

I have had enough.

"My word not good enough? I was the one who kept your oh so gentle and damned insane master from being made a permament fixture to this Inn."

[Blood to 1Str, 1 blood to Sta.]

"You call us monsters"

I will pull his leg. Off. If I can.

"You know not who you are dealing with."

Then i will beat him with it.

"You know not what you are dealing with."

Maybe to death.

"Now, do you wish to cast aspersions on the noblewoman, her lady in waiting, man at arms, a whole room full of witnesses, claiming one of us is a witch?"

Go for it.

I stop about 2 feet from him, concentrating on him. If he draws a weapon or moves in anyway threatening towards me, this is going to get Ugly.

[3 blood to Awaken the Zulo Form if I perceive his actions as such]

"Or do you wish to rephrase your statement?"

[Sabine]

The scratching stopped. Taduz looks mad. I follow him. I growl at the new man.

[Alína Nyárí]

In the woods by Zombar
--------------------------------------

Dara listens, clearly agitated by staying on her distant branch. "I sense nothing of her spirit in you, dead thing. And yet, you speak to me as if you were her. My contract with her was until her spirit left this world. If it is still within your form, I am bound to remain and serve her. For now, I will watch, and determine if you are really her, or if you just occupy her corpse. But hear this, dead thing… if it is discovered that her spirit remains within that frame as a prisoner, all the powers I can bring to bear will destroy you in gaining her freedom. There is nowhere you can hide where I will not find her, and nothing I would not do. Do not cross me in this."]

Alína smiles a sad, gentle smile at this. "Your loyalty to me, yes me, is noted and appreciated, beloved friend. I did die, and this "life" granted to me is as unknown to me as it is to you. Does my soul, my neshama, still reside within me? I beg Shechinah it does.

"I can ask no more of you than you agree to give. Please understand I will need to adapt the mitzvot to this new existence. HaShem will watch and guide me and, while perhaps not forgive me for those laws I may break of necessity, will surely understand.

"It is my hope in time you will come to at least that point as well, my friend."

[Seska Karantanija]

"Calm yourselves!" she shouts, anger rising that people would rather yell at one another than talk.

"He will be fine in less than an hour's time and hopefully his rage will have subsided by then. He has been left..." Her face quite visibly blanches* upon looking at Gedeminas. "Who did this!?! He was no longer a threat once held! What manner of creature would assault him after all we have suffered!?! Are you no better than Giovanni and Hardestadt!?!" She slams her fist against the table several times. For emphasis or an attempt to keep from losing herself to the beast is uncertain.

"Wait. You said the monk was found? He knew of our fates and bade Bojan sup upon his blood to tell him such? What betrayal is this!? How quickly he becomes the dog of those monsters!" She grabs one of the empty mugs by Bojan and throws it across the room in a rage." For the moment she is half-stomping, half-pacing next to their table, too angry to think of a course of action.

[*Seska has Blush of Health. She can quite literally blanch through voluntary or involuntarily redistribution of the blood which gives her a more life-like coloration.]

[Olaf_Magnusson]

"When I betook to chastise him, he was yet moving. And as he reeled from my blows, I knew not he could not move. I did him no lasting harm, and now he knows better the value of self-control"

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Don't loose your head, please Seska, Olaf is rather abrupt.

I continue staring at Dunakas, the snarl leaving my face, concentrating, waiting.

This just gets better and better, Monk Dante is trying to steal away her minions. Ged is still frozen, but at least it's temporary. He has best get over his fury by then.

I raise an eyebrow at Dunakas, beseeching him to answer.

And this waste is frozen like a mouse sighted by a hawk.

"Whichever one of us you accuse of vile witchcraft, I'm sure eagerly awaits whatever you have to say next on the subject."

I wonder just how much you can remove from a screaming idiot before he dies. Assuming I can do the skin sculpting us Fiends do.

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska's back is turned in her pacing while Olaf speaks. She stops, very suddenly, and turns around slowly and deliberately. Her eyes are once again slitted and fangs visibly extended when she begins speaking. She is likely on the edge of frenzy.

Her voice is steady, though in her native Slovene dialect, which makes it difficult for Slavik speakers to understand, "These are not your lands, barbarian. It is not acceptable to burn down buildings, to rape women, to murder children, or to savagely beat the defenseless."

She grabs Bojan's other mug in her left hand and strides up to Olaf, to glare up at him. Her voice rises, "There is no lesson to be taught with such brutality! Look at him! Were he just a man he would be dead thrice over from your thrashing! He does not move, does not react... you are blind and dumb if you cannot recognize this."

She shakes the mug at Olaf, "Would beating you upside the head make you stop being a stupid oaf!? No! We all struggled with the smell." She pokes his chest with the mug, "You moreso than some of us. You could have restrained him, but no, you are nothing but a filthy barbarian who knows nothing but violence! You are the one who needs to learn self-control."

Though finished, she continues scowling up at Olaf, fangs partially bared.