Vampire: Dark Ages - Scene 6: Over the river and etc.

[Sabine]

"I'm Sabine."

I walk up to him. I gently bump my head into his hand. It's a puppygirl hello.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

"I am Taduz Illyannovich, a reluctant courier"

I bow deeply.

[Gedeminas]

"I am Gedeminas, an eager learner turned reluctant serf."

[Alína Nyárí]

Approaching meekly, while grasping firmly to her satchel with herbs, bandages, and other medicaments inside, the Jewess says only, "Alína," in a quiet voice.

[Goatkiller666]

[Since Seven Words is AWOL, we'll assume that Olaf also introduces himself.]

Japheth takes the offered scroll from Seska, and absent mindedly tousles Sabine's hair. He looks at the seal on the letter and frowns. "From Claudius, eh?" He breaks the seal and unrolls the letter to read it. His frown deepens. "He wishes to meet? Interesting. I must seek wisdom. I will speak with my father."

He walks to his chair and sits, then closes his eyes for a moment. The diffuse glow in the room, from no source that any can find, grows brighter, then dims again.

"You may tell my nephew that he may join me here in a week's time. And my father wishes to speak with you, as well." The glow in the room increases again, and it can finally be discerned that the glow emanates from the central chair. The glow condenses, and eventually can be described as a luminous man. While he is translucent, all may clearly see an old man with pure white hair and a pure white robe. He has a long beard, and a beatific smile. On closer looks, each person can tell that while he appears to be sitting on his chair, the ghostly form is actually hovering slightly above the surface of the chair. [You each individually made your rolls.]

He speaks with a strong but gentle voice. "Welcome, my children. I am he who was once Cappadocius. I am Son of all Kindred. Unburden your hearts unto me."

[Sabine]

I tug on Lady Seska's sleeve. I whisper, but pretty loudly, "He's all see-through! Look!"

I try to turn see-through too. [Protean 5] But I don't look like a person anymore.

[Gedeminas]

Gedeminas uses all of his senses to attempt to discern what Cappadocious actually is, and simulataneously says, "If I may ask, what exactly did you do to attain this state? I've never even heard of something like this?"

[Seska Karantanija]

[This will happen after any response and discussion, so as to not interrupt. I didn't want to have the conversation completely skip it being said though.]

Seska plays with the mist, swirling her finger through Sabine with a girlish grin while Gedeminas asks his question. She otherwise follows the discourse as to Cappadocious' state quietly.

When they are done, she replies to his offer of unburdening their troubles. "I am sorry, good sir. We are all... young. Our hearts are more confused than anything, as we have been thrust into politics beyond our current comprehension."

[Goatkiller666]

In answer to Gedeminas' question, Cappadocius merely chuckles, but says nothing further. [See PM for other observations.]

To Seska, his expression turns more somber, "I sense doubt, and concern in you." He looks towards Seska, or perhaps the mist. "And this one... she has killed innocents. I smell death upon her."

His eyes look again to Seska, "Do you regret the deaths?"

[Seska Karantanija]

She tries to explain, "We have been embraced by happenstance, told of conflicting rivalries by empire-spanning armies we knew nothing of a week ago, and thrust into their machinations with naught to guide us."

She starts by staring at the floor before looking up at the entity before her. "The deaths I have witnessed were not of innocents, though they were unfortunate. I will not find fault with her for defending herself. My hope is that she can be taught some restraint, for her sake and that of others."

[Goatkiller666]

"Perhaps they weren't clean of sin. But those she has killed weren't cursed as you are, as we all are. Your own kill is free of that burden. A monster to be put down for the betterment of all. But what of those who were still mortal? Those who can still find redemption?"

[Sabine]

I condense back to girl form.

"I didn't kill any innocents. I only killed bad people who hurt me."

I giggle. "Oh wait, I killed a deer. She was innocent."

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska pets Sabine.

"Dead is dead. What does it matter if they were good or evil beyond whatever benefit or ill they inflicted upon those they passed? To what end would they seek redemption?"

[Goatkiller666]

Cappadocius' frown is strangely similar to Japheth's behind him. "To what end? Dead is but the body, child. Your present form should convince you that there's something more to you than the frail flesh. That soul bears the burden of all the ills the flesh has committed. And in a mortal, that soul can be freed of the burden."

"It is only those of us bearing Caine's curse who cannot hope for redemption. And why is that, do you think? Where is the free will in your damnation? Where the choice?"

[Seska Karantanija]

"You speak in riddles."

"Are you saying our," she indicates herself and those in the room, "spirits have already fled? Would that not make us naught but flesh then? If our spirits still reside within our frames, then what is damned about them? It is true I did not ask for this existence, and am still adapting, but how does that make it a curse? Children do not ask to become adults. Are they cursed?"

[Goatkiller666]

"Not cursed, you say? Have not you felt your beast, clawing within you to be released, and to revel in the bloody glory of slaughter?"

Cappadocius' shade rises from its seat. And just for an instant, everyone is ravenous, as if she were entirely spent of blood. All vampires in the party sprout fangs and go a little wide at the eyes, but before they can act on the uncontrollable urge to feed on whatever is nearest, the feeling ends. They are again the masters of their beasts. "You think that because your Specters do not choose to take over that they are not there? That you have not been impregnated with these foul spirits?"

"Yes, I say you are cursed. We are all cursed. Perhaps some few might overcome this curse, like my brother or my sire. Japheth tells me that fool Osiris may have managed it, before he was killed. But two who were cursed and resisted, out of many thousands who were cursed and simply succumbed."

"Yes indeed, cursed. Without a doubt. We must strive to do good in the world. Good to balance out the centuries and eons of death and destruction we bring. My brother would destroy entire villages to the south. For centuries, he killed everyone he met, just so that he could find the perfect child to adopt as his own. The great kingdoms of Africa far surpassed those here in Christendom, and he brought them down to savagery. And his children have done nothing but pit one group of mortals against another ever since."

"A man who lives to see 50 summers is very lucky indeed, and revered by his tribe. He is valued for his wisdom and experience. But when a man sees 50 generations, he is worshiped as a god. And he is valued so much, by himself as well, that in order to feed his Beast, many generations must suffer and die, just so he can measure his own worth. 'That all these die at my word, all these of great worth themselves, I must be that much the greater.' thinks the man."

"Perhaps your share of this burden will be less than others. I consider myself a good[/i] man, and yet I cannot count the lives and generations I have ruined."

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska doesn't respond beyond a wide-eyed stare. She wonders to herself how a truly good man could cause misery. After Cappadocious' explanation turned rant, she decides to hold her tongue on the matter.

"Ye... yes. I see," she acquiesces. Perhaps Claudio was right. Best not to provoke this thing's ire.

"Who was your brother? Or your sire? How did they overcome this curse? Would not striving to do as they at least reduce the misery we bring?"

[Goatkiller666]

"The story of my sire, and of my siblings, will have to wait for another time."

"Perhaps you might reduce your damage of the world somewhat. But consider, after my first mortal lifetime, any of my childer who are less benign than I will have had eons by now to spread suffering. Ask the infant Claudio if he remembers what happened to most of my line, when I finally saw the scope of my own corruption. We might take efforts to mitigate the damage we cause. But sometimes, the best you can do is to burn away the cancer so it damages no further. And perhaps the best you can do is destroy everything, and start over in a different way."

"God had His flood, and I suspect that His fire will come later. Mighty Caine has hidden from the world, while the first to leave the Host now walks hidden among us. Who is to say the Jyhad is not just Caine's hidden plan to cleanse himself from the world, so that Seth's brood may start over unencumbured? When Gehenna comes, who's fault will it be?"

Japheth puts his hand on his sire's shoulder, or at least holds his hand against the space where his sire's imaginary shoulder would be. "Enough Father. This cannot help them." Cappadocius' translucent hand reaches up to cover his childe's in a comforting gesture, and then he simply fades away.

Japheth's expression is sad for a moment, before he says "You may tell my nephew that I will see him one week hence. The Abbey will be prepared to receive him, and I will be at his service."

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska nods, replies, "We shall do so," and turns for the door.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Upon the finishing of the disgusting interlude... I am not unburdening myself to that thing. Probably want me to say something about a virgin and a father. Bah and heads with Seska to the door.