Vampire: Dark Ages (Vienna) - Chapter 1: Court

[Goatkiller666]

Charles interrupts with a chuckle, "Think carefully what price your soul carries. Do not let it go cheaply."

[Lucretia]

She thinks for a moment, although it is difficult to tell with unblinking pools of darkness for eyes. "She would welcome any uncommon insight about the shadows. There is much she has yet to learn and such knowledge may help her proficiency in its manipulation."

[Andrius the White]

"Insight into the Shadows? My my. She does not sell her soul cheaply at all. Nothing less than absolute power, she asks for. This will be quite a favor you would owe me, girl."

"But, my followers and I are staying with the Doktor at the monestary of St. Denis. Make an pilgrimage out there, and we will begin your instruction."

[Lucretia]

"She is familiar with the monestary." She nods in agreement with a pleased smile.

[Lord of the Gyre]

"Ah yes, my mistake. I must again admit my ignorance of his affairs. From what I was told, he seems to me to be but a traveler interested in the city's affairs. Why this is so, I know naught. On the whole, he was polite and treated me well, so I cannot discern much." Casper shakes his head regrettably.

(I'm gonna take a nap before I make another mistake with my posts.)

[Goatkiller666]

Maria nods, content with the answer. She looks about to continue asking questions, when Isabella and Otto stroll over, Luigi following behind. Maria rises from her mini-throne and extends all the courtesies to them both. She and Isabella exchange pleasantries for a few minutes, barely enough to satisfy courtesy, and then Isabella excuses herself to talk to Casper and Fritz.

"Come childer, things are winding down. It is time we departed." Then she pauses, "Why... you are released to society now, aren't you? You may stay as long as you wish, without my chaperonage." She pulls out a kerchief, and dabs it at her eyes as if she had been crying. "My how the young ones grow up so quickly." (The lack of blood tears on the pure white cloth demonstrate that she was only pretending to cry.) "Still, Casper. Do not stay out too late. I'm sure I'll be up worrying about you until you're back home safe with me." She chuckles, squeezes Casper's arm in goodbye, and departs.

Otto remains talking to Maria briefly. Then, nodding to Fritz, he returns to his primogen's chair. [Etiquette and Subterfuge rolls both hint that his glance at Fritz was somehow meaningful.]

Fritz fills a quiet moment (Maria talks a lot, mostly of social events in town) by asking, "So, my Lord. What would you have me show you here? What great plans do you have for the world, until your sire gives you responsibilities to fill your eternity?"

[Goatkiller666]

Andrius then performs a courtly departure, kissing Lucretia's hand in a manner very proper but somewhat at odds with his priestly garb. He bows to the Doktor, and then heads over to the Prince to take his leave.

Before he makes it full there, someone rushes into the chapel. It is a knight, armed and armored. As he enters the room, he removes his helmet, revealing little more than a skull, covered in skin. No flesh at all exists between bone and skin, and yet the monster seems to take no notice. He... it... moves quickly to the alter and crosses itself before bowing to the Prince. "Your Highness, Gottschalk is dead. Murdered yesterday ev'n."

Gottfried, no less hideous but at least kind enough to wear a mask, rises from his table, where he was playing chess with Adalbert, to ask, "How do you know this? What has happened?"

The knight, Gottlob, turns to his primogen. "My Lord, we were making the rounds of the leper colonies by Passau [on the border between Austria and the neighboring Kingdom of Bohemia]. I went to the western camp, and he went to the eastern one, like normal. The following night, we were to meet up at the church in Passau, but he did not arrive. I waited the full night, but he did not come. The next evening, I went to the eastern camp to look for him. The lepers..." He looks about to cry. "They couldn't not tell me what happened. Each had a different story. But all agreed that Gottschalk was killed by something. An angel. Demons. A unicorn. One man, who had fought as a soldier in wars in Hungary swore it was some kind of Tzimisce monstrosity. Others saw a pack of wolves."

"I found his armor, filled with his ashes. It had been torn, as if by a gangrel's claws." Blood can now be seen coming from the dissicated eyes in the hollows of his skull. "I asked the lepers to spread his ashes downstream from their camp, as he would have asked. And then I rode directly back here to tell the tale."

[Lord of the Gyre]

Casper winces at the appearance of the leprous-looking figure, and mutters to Fritz. "I'd say any plans I might have had may be delayed, no?"

[Lucretia]

She listens to the knight because of its commotion. Risking impertinence, "Her Luminous Highness, she humbly suggests the descriptions match a glamour Lupines possess which befuddles the weak of mind. Though seen clearly, they are shrouded by the mists of confusion."

[Goatkiller666]

The Prince stands. "Lupines? Why would lupines be in a leper colony?"

Gottlob answers, "My Prince, I can only assume they just wanted to destroy Gottschalk, and that was where they chose to do it."

Gottfried walks up next to Gottlob, and kneels in front of the Prince. "Your Highness. I ask that we gather all of the undead knights of the city and seek them out, now. The attack of one of our own cannot be allowed to stand. They must know this. If they would do this, they must be planning to attack the city next. We need to meet them on the field and crush them before they can begin to cause problems."

Many of the Ventrue call out cheers in response to this, with Ludwig even drawing his own sword in support. "My Prince, they might be in Linz already. But if they control the river, they can cut off much of our trade. We must hurry."

[Corrozus]

Lament tugs her worn, but neatly hemmed cloak tighter around her shoulders, eyes widening slightly at the mention of Lupines.

She presses further into the somewhat shadowed corner she is standing in, her hands gripping the cloak enough to leave her knuckles even paler then normal, and whispers emphatically to herself, "No, no we are not getting involved, you can't make us."

[Lord of the Gyre]

Casper frowns again and hesitates, internally deciding his own position.

[Lucretia]

She curtsies. "She has only supposition with suspicion to support her. She is willing to investigate if protection is afforded."

[Goatkiller666]

The Prince waves everyone to silence. "Ludwig, you will lead our Knights. Take all of the Kindred under arms we have. I believe that with the help of the Doktor, the Toreador, and those [childer] of Lars who are not sworn knights, I can defend the city from a surprise attack. I shall summon you if your urgent return is needed. Gottfried and the Knights of St. Lazarus are to be given the honor of being the Vanguard of the attack. Their brother has already fallen to these beasts, and theres is to be the first strike back."

She turns to Wisdom and Luminita, who are still seated at the lower table. "You and yours aren't warriors, but your power is still great. We will find ways if we need to use you. Keep yourselves at my disposal, if you please."

[Andrius the White]

"Your Highness. Charles and I, with our own knights, will remain here in Vienna. It would be unseemly for us to be involved in your hunt, but our role as guests certainly obligates us to help defend the city from attack. Therefore, we shall make ourselves available to you as well."

[Goatkiller666]

Charles bows to Andrius, then turns to gesture at Ludwig. "If I may. There is no strain to good manners if my good friend Ludwig were simply to invite me along on a bit of evening's sport. We shall go hunting lupines, all in good fun." He turns back to Andrius, "I would be quite interested in hunting lupines, my friend. Might I go with them?"

Ludwig smiles brightly, and the Prince even adds "Yes, My Lord. May Charles come out and play?"

[Andrius the White]

"Well, if it is but an evening's sport, there is no impropriety at all. I merely did not wish to seem overly involved in the affairs of the city." He looks to Lucretia, then says to Charles, "Be careful of this one, will you? She looks fragile. And she cannot repay my favor if she is destroyed."

[Goatkiller666]

With that, Charles and Ludwig head for the door, several knights behind them.

• Those who go to fight:
  
  Charles
  Ludwig von Modena
  Dieter von Modena
  Rolf von Modena
  Otto von Habsberg
  Hermann von Habsberg
  Fritz von Kaufstein
  Karl von Rohrbacher
  Faxon von Rohrbacher
  Ivan Karpenku
  Krinn
  Gottfried
  Gotthard
  Gotthilf
  Gottlob
  Rashida

[Lucretia]

She chants as she skips.

Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestohlen,
Gib sie wieder her!
Sonst wird dich der Jäger holen
Mit dem Bogen.

Seine große, lange Bogen,
Schießt auf dich den Schrot,
Daß dich färbt die rote Tinte,
Und dann bist du tot.

Liebes Füchslein, laß dir raten:
Sei doch nur kein Dieb,
Nimm, du brauchst nicht Gänsebraten,
Mit der Maus vorlieb.

[Lord of the Gyre]

"Ah, this I was not prepared for. However, I must do whatever is asked of me." He adds in his head, if only Isabelle were here..., and frowns to himself, feeling remarkably vulnerable.