Vampire: Dark Ages - Scene 5: We Are Revolution

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska stares with the crowd, more from how none are objecting than the loss of one of their sires. After a few moments of silence she asks, earnestly, "How does one harness the Tempest to their own ends?"

[Sabine]

He's holding me close. I bite him.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Seeing Sabine in a precarious position, I lean towards my sire whispering "M'lord, how attached are you, and the rest of this party to that Traitorous Rom?"

She can win, she will win, but if he's any part of the People, he'll have some trick.

"During my...final hours of life, he did things that are, well, the church slaves would have called it blasphemy. Let's say it deeply insulted and attempted to desecrate some of the principles I had held, and still do hold as part of my being and as part of the People. He did so willingly and knowingly."

If she looks to be losing though, I will step in. Just don't want to anger this one, he's too valuable a source of information about, well, everything.

"The girl has been an honorable traveling companion, and her abilities have been very beneficial to our escape and travels here. Her ignorance of the higher matters is a product of her education, I am seeking to rectify that. I admit her insights are a bit elemental at times, but her instincts with those insights have made her a valued companion."

[Goatkiller666]

Downstairs

Mieczyslav listens to Taduz, then calls out to Claudio, almost jovially, "My Lord Giovanni. Would you be so kind as to remind me what value the Ravnos has in our midst? I find myself quite unable to recall it at the moment."

Claudio replies, his own glee even more visible, "Why, he looks to be earning me 500 gold, when he destroys that whelp."

At this, Lady Almanov laughs, and slaps Dimitra on the shoulder. Dimitra simply smiles, wickedly.

The Tzimisce gestures towards Claudio while saying to Taduz, "There. It has become a matter of honor. He will live or die by his own strength, and will will all watch it happen. If your girl survives, there should be no onus upon her for it."

Casmir gasps, when Marchettus' ashes fall to the floor. "Oh my. It would seem that the childe's initial surprise attack was too much even for an elder like Marchettus to survive." He turns back to Alina and Gedeminas, "Perhaps this will become more of an object lesson than one of pure facts."

EDIT - Sabine's fangs almost fail to pierce Gabrin's skin, but she does take a small piece of his shoulder away with her. [1 agg]

Gabrin in turn sinks his teeth deep into Sabine's shoulder, and rips out a large bloody chunk with a snarl. [4 aggs]

[Taduz pointed out to me the other day that I was using too few dice for Sabine's damage. To correct this, I'm declaring that she did one extra damage on her second attack.]

Upstairs

Amisa flinches at Seska's question. "Childe, your question is perhaps more apt than you know. But in this case, the answer is the same as one controls a fierce dog. Bribe and cajole it, feed it and pet it, throw a stick once in a while, and pretty soon the dog will want to do what you want it to do. A rider doesn't force a horse to turn by strength of arm, but simply by training the beast for years, and then pressing gently with one leg or the other. It can take time, but for your troubles, you get a beast who is stronger, faster, and fiercer than you are, somehow obeying your wishes."

All the others upstairs simply watch, though Theophania's song, while being no more understandable than before, somehow takes on a different tone. (Some perceive it to be more joyous, others to be like a dirge.)

[Sabine]

Ouch! I frenzy. I bite him again.

[Goatkiller666]

[Other players are asking me about the outcome of Sabine's attack before they can decide what to do. Therefore, I'm resolving it now, before anyone else has posted.]

Sabine frenzies, screaming in pain and rage. She leans far forward and bites onto Gabrin's shoulder again. Her teeth connect, but fail to sink below the skin. She does no damage to him.

[For real, she rolled 7 dice of damage, got 0 successes.]

[Olaf_Magnusson]

"Can no one restrain her? She is but a child, and a simple one, it seems, at that. Surely her death is not necessary? I hesitate to act on her behalf, as there may well be....courtesies...among...our kind...of which I am unaware, and I mean no disrespect. My rage at what that nithinghad done, murdering me...to kill in a fight, even when one outclasses their foe utterly, that incurs no weregeld..but base murder is quite different. "

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Nodding to Mieczyslav "A matter of honor. I understand."

Readying myself, beckoning the spirits to give Sabine the edge to kill Gabran. And being perfectly willing to do so myself if she falls.

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska listens to Amisa's words without taking her eyes off the fight below. She notes the desperation in both as they struggle to bite one another. As the danger registers and Olaf begins to ask permission to interfere she becomes furious.

She is but a child. They make wagers and NOW the oaf acts obedient!?

"ENOUGH!" she shouts below while glaring at Sabine and Gabrin.

[Medusa's Gaze at both Gabrin and Sabine. Spending a point of Willpower for success.]

[OCC: She is about to launch into a rant as she heads downstairs, if this works and more madness doesn't happen. So it'll go quickly lest interrupted.]

[Goatkiller666]

Seska calls down the chilling touch of the Abyss upon both Sabine and Gabrin. Both of them freeze in place, fangs extended as if about to strike.

Several of those on the ground floor look surprised at the sudden lack of motion. They look up to the balcony, from whence the shout came. They see the crowd gathered at the railing, most of which are looking at Seska.

Amisa hisses in Seska's ear, "Childe, what did you do? In front of everybody, no less. tsk tsk."

A few of those on the lower floor look to Claudio for his reaction, but nobody takes any action otherwise.

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska looks at Amisa long enough to whisper, with a hint of venom, "That little fury I at least have some chance of directing..." before walking along the railing and to the stairs. Her voice raised, she continues speaking over the rail.

"Look at all of you! Wagering on the life of a child and a vagabond. Enough of this fighting amongst ourselves. Are we to do Hardestadt's work before he even finds us?"

Her path is angled to walk over to Sabine and Gabrin.

[Sabine]

I freeze in place, fangs extended as if about to strike.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

I watch the stunned reactions of the traitor and the puppy girl. Glance at the rest of the room, gauging responses.

Glancing to my sire. "Looks like a draw, with the Noblewoman usurping the field?"

"A shame she saved that him from the young one. I was interested to see if he'd disappear into dust like Marchettus, or into a pile of ancient offal"

Looking at the frenzied puppygirl "It would be hard to get that out of the pretty dress, not to mention the taste in her mouth."

[Olaf_Magnusson]

A satisfied grunt..."It sits ill with me to contemplate a child being killed. Perhaps one such as we cannot truly be considered a child, but she thinks as one, so she is one to me. I'm glad this was stopped."

[Goatkiller666]

Claudio throws up his hands in frustration, and glares at Seska coming down the stairs. His voice is cold and flat as he says "Not a week under the fang, and already she's lecturing us on proper behavior." To Amisa, who is behind Seska on the stairs, "You should spend some time with your childe my dear. Explain to her that among our kind, continuing to exist is a priveledge which can be revoked whenever the wrong person is offended. Even an 8yr old neonate. Or, a Venetian Necromancer."

Theophania giggles. She turns to Violetta and stage-whispers, "He meant himself. He's a Necromancer from Venice, you see. That was a threat."

Amisa raises her voice, "Not a week under the fang, and already my childe is reminding us of our own foolishness, is that what you meant to say, My Lord? For is she not correct, regardless of her age? Do not we here follow a higher purpose? And does not that purpose suffer at the loss of even one such as Gabrin? But, by all means, if your pride will not allow you to learn of your own mistakes from one so young, by all means destroy her now."

Jadviga and Dimitra are whispering back and forth at the same time. Dimitra says, "... yes, that is sufficient." Louder, to Claudio, she says "My Lord. I submit that our wager still stands. At some point, one of these two will be killed. Be it in direct combat, or by some other means. Then shall the contest be settled."

From upstairs, Violetta calls down, "Does not the Book of Nod say, 'To rid yourself of an enemy, outlive him.'? The victor is the one who survives the longest. Even if the other isn't killed by the one, that is victory nonetheless."

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska stares at Claudio with a blank look as he gives his lecture, but continues her stride down the stairs and over to the frozen scene of Gangrel and Ravnos locked in battle. As Amisa comes to her defense, a small thankful smile crosses her lips.

Petting Sabine from behind she coos, "Now little one, the puppy of a proper lady does not act so recklessly. We shall talk on this matter later, after you have calmed down." Seska lifts her effortlessly and sets her a few feet back from Gabrin.

Turning around to face him with a look of consternation. Weighing the words battered back and forth by the Elders, she begins stroking Gabrin's hair sensuously. "And what of you, my dear? Have you been wronged? Your competency wagered on by a Venetian Necromancer? Your existence threatened by an eight year old neonate? Your rescue by a noblewoman?"

"Perhaps I can make it up to you..." she purrs as she runs her fingers through his hair.

[Alína Nyárí]

The healer stays where she is, and awaits more lessons from her sire.

[Goatkiller666]

Claudio looks from Violetta, to Jadviga, to Amisa, to Seska. He glares around the room at the rest present, and finally throws up his hands in disgust. "Bah! You've spoiled all of my sport, neonate. And I will remember this." Turning to Jadviga, "And yes, our wager still stands. Whichever one of them dies first settles it, however long that takes. But neither of us may, directly or indirectly, cause the deaths of either contestant."

Jadviga smiles, "It is agreed. Fiat!"

Casmir frowns, and mutters, "Well, that was unenlightening."

Claudio nods, and then asks loudly, "Well, is there any more chaos anyone feels the need to commence? If not, perhaps we should return to our previous conversation." Back to Taduz, "So, what do you enterprising young vampires wish of your sires? And tell us of the rest. Are there others out wandering the world, unadvised?" He pauses, then interrupts Taduz' answer to add "Oh, where are my manners? Please, join us at table. Sit. Relax."

Those upstairs walk down and join their childer below. Each sire sits with his childe, if present. Claudio opens the door to the kitchen and shouts, "Cowards! It's safe now, come out of hiding and bring us some blood."

[Seska Karantanija]

With attention turning from the spoiled fight to the gathering at the table, Seska uses the moment of semi-privacy to purse Gabrin's lips. "There, there..." she coos softly. Her back turned to the rest of the room, she engages the hapless kindred in a very passionate, deep, and long-lasting kiss.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Bowing towards Claudio, I move to get Sabine, and sit her in a chair at the table, then move to sit at one next to it, leaving a space on the other side for the Lady Seska. Before sitting, I scowl at Roderigo and mutter "Heel" and point towards my side.

"What we seek is information. After your rather abrupt departure, and our capture, we heard from Him about leagues, castles, nobility, ruling, and basically all the petty things kings seek to impose on people except his was by some claim of competency, grossly exagerrated I might add, and how you were all devil spawned, rabble rousing, ne'er do wells. And probably Christians to boot. All we have is that petty ones ranting about what we have become. You tend to not trust one who thrusts fires into your face and tries to rip off your toes." I smile at my sire "I learned fast." Back to Claudio "We know little about what we've become, and we need information if we're to survive. About ourselves, our...clans, and what is really going on."

Towards my sire "Do such things happen often, bets of this nature?"

While waiting for an answer, I watch the Noblewoman, and the Traitor.