Vampire: Dark Ages (Vienna) - Chapter 6: The Road South

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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

"Wallachia? I know not the distance, but I could be there in a few days easily if alone. Traveling overland, I can't say."

King of Cats. Why does that fill me with unease.

"This Draconic Temple, is in Wallachia? Did your King give you a sense or urgency? I maybe able to find out what we could come across there given some time."

They are right, Mother should hear of this. Given what I've seen at this canine cavorting, Mother definately needs to hear of this.

"Ekaterina, I think she's in her element there, who knows how long she'll be shouting her orgies to the heavens. We had best move, this cold does not agree with me either."

And I know just which to let know.

"Shall we return to Vienna to resupply? I'll nose around a bit to see what I can dig up, talk to a few people, and we'll be on our way."
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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Sasha
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Post by Sasha »

"I don't know where it is. The King says that's where my prize is. So, the urgency is from me. But I don't want to go to Vienna. I didn't like that place. Too much fear."

"But lets go to that city by the water? Oslo? Where the pregnant woman left us. They had inns and hot food. And they didn't rape each other as much."
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Kaldrenzi hears: many voices.
  • Mother sends a message.
    Ravaging! Mother wishes to know what you know.
    You must go. Meet with Mother.
    But not in her home. This one means danger. Do not bring her to the colony again.
    Not again.
    Not until more is known.
    Speak a place aloud.
    Yes, speak the place. Mother will meet you.
    A place of safety. Mother must know what you know.
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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

Kaldrenzi closes it's eyes in concentration at the barrage of voices and says with finality...

"The battlefield where Sasha was found, the last of the Garou pack I've mostly slain was abandoned, and the Nexus Crawler was unleashed."

Eyes open, Kal continues, "On the way to Wallachia, we must stop at that place where you were found. It will skirt Vienna and allow us faster travels. I will reconnoiter Wallachia as best I can while we travel."
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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Goatkiller666
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Kaldrenzi hears: many voices.
  • Place of the battle!
    Ravaging! Mother will hear.
    You must go. Meet with Mother.
    Yes. The dead place. No secrets there.
    Only what you hide within you.
    Mother hears.
    Mother will be there.
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Sasha
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Post by Sasha »

I look down into the valley.

Ekaterina is there, with her wolves. She's not here with me.

"Fine."

I turn into hispo form and start walking down the mountain.

Away from the valley. Ekaterina made her choice.
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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

Shift to Crinos, for the added warmth of the fur and trudge through the snow towards the meeting place.

"Don't be too upset, she is with her own kind." Insane as they are, "Dog seek groups, like wolves seek the pack."

Pulling the hood of my cloak up, we make our way towards the meeting place.
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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Goatkiller666
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

This time of year, the days and nights are each about half of the day, but the cold is bone chilling... some might call it biting.

A week later, even in their tougher forms they are close to their limits of being outside unprotected. Just as the sun sets behind the hills to the west, they crest a final hill and can see the ocean in the distance. The sky is still bright, since only the mass of the Scandinavian hills currently block the sun. Oslo must be close, but full dark cannot be far away.
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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

Holding their cloak tight against the cold, "Think we can make it before dark? Not many places are keen on visitors once the sun sets."

First things first, get in contact with the local colony.
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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Sasha
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Post by Sasha »

I shrug. I'm still in hispo form. I start moving towards the city. If there's a fire somewhere, I want to sit on it.

I'm so cold. I would roll around on glowing coals naked.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Once the sun has passed below the horizon (itself behind the hills), the sky turns full dark. The two fera can see a dim glow to the southeast, and hear the gentle sound of waves. On the breeze, more importantly, is a faint smell of smoke, a sure sign of humans. Smoke and fish, and the typical stench of the unwashed.

[I did a quick search of wikipedia, and it turns out that the brown rat (typically called the Norwegian Rat) didn't come from Norway, it came from China. And, in fact, it only arrived in Norway in the 1800s. The black rat got there first, in the 1500s. Before that, there were no rats in Scandinavia. They had only lemmings. Go figure. So, there is no colony here. And no, I will not create the were-lemming.]

Oslo is a port city, used to strangers from the ships. Especially near the docks, there are taverns still open and still hosting sailors in various degrees of intoxication.

The city is a strange mix of old style viking buildings and more recent Christian immigrants. There are several churches here and there, to help with the missions into the hinterlands to convert the heathens there.
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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

[I will learn of this when I find no rats!]

"Guess they are open for travelers, let's hurry, this cursed cold is not to my liking."
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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Sasha
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Post by Sasha »

I shift to human form. Now I'm just in my wolfskin an ankle bracelets. It's very cold. I wait for Kaldrenzi to look human, too. Then we run over to the nearest tavern an go inside.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

The nearest tavern is a very viking establishment. There is one table filling the narrow room, a fire at one end, the door at the other, and several burly norse men occupying the place, quaffing mead. Fewer than the men, but no less quaffing, are the norse women. They seem to be holding court, and encouraging the men to compete against each other for them.

When the door opens, the noise hardly stops, but one of the three women does look up. She sees Sasha, naked but covered by a wolfskin; and Kaldrenzi, androgynous and fully dressed. Through the haze of alcohol, she imagines that there are two more women come to compete with her for the head of the table. Her demeanor goes cold.

One of the men orbiting her notices her tense up, and turns to look. He catches a hint of Sasha's breast through as she steps in, and lets out a loud whistle. Immediately, all other eyes in the place are turned towards Sasha.

The tavernkeeper looks also, and immediately announces, "No fighting inside!"
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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

Of course, the cat doesn't stop to get clothing, nothing bound to her.

Once all eyes are on us. I reach a hand under my cloak, gripping my pain dagger, ready to draw.

"There will be no fighting unless someone starts it. It's cold out, we're road weary, and just want a room and food."

Before the leering vikings can comment, "One room for us."
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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Goatkiller666
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

One of the men stands from the table and says something in Norse, which Kaldrenzi and Sasha do not speak. Their knowledge of German, accompanied by the surprisingly eloquent gesture that seems to describe exactly how he would hold one of them while doing something with his mouth, and at the same time impaling the other with his hips; tells them that he was offering them space in his own room.

One of the women says something to him then, beyond suggestive, and he agrees immediately. The two head towards the back through a dimly lit hallway. The man makes a rude gesture at one of the other men at the table on his way past, with a derogatory comment. This brings fourth a round of jeers from everyone else at the table.

The tavernkeeper waits for the noise to die down, then replies in German to Kaldrenzi. "Our rooms are full. There are missionaries in the others, so all the vikings are here. If you want a room, there will be Christians there. And they won't like her clothing." It's clear from his tone that he's not a fan of the influx of missionaries.
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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

Sighing "Looks like we're stuck with the Christians if we want someplace warm."

To Sasha "Let's go, I'll think up a sob story they'll buy so they don't try to burn us at the stake for whatever it is they do that about."

Head outside to the next available inn

Let's hope the cat can keep place with the rat's story. Let's hope the rat can get a story in place quickly first.
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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Goatkiller666
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

The Christian Inn looks to be as much a small church as an inn. It follows the normal pattern of long tables with benches running the length of the room. The ceiling is low, and there are various dried or salted foods hanging from small nets or sack, attached to the low support beams. At one end of the table is the fireplace, warming the whole room. And at the other end is a small podium with a cross behind it. The kitchen isn't even separated from the main room, with a smaller cooking fire and the barrels of ale simply stacked along one wall.

There are fewer people in this place, with a more somber demeanor to them all. Three men, clearly vikings by their dress and features, are seated together near the fire. Three other men, clearly foreigners from their missionary robes and southern features, are seated together near the podium.

As always, all eyes turn to the door as it opens, and the vikings seem to be unsure of how to respond to Sasha's undress. They falter between eager appreciation and flashes of shame. The missionaries, on the other hand, all start making protests. "Cover her!" or "What's this about?"
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Sasha
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Post by Sasha »

I pull my cloak closed and glare at them.

I whisper to Kaldrenzi, "Make them stop."
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Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff
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Post by Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff »

Glaring at the missionary starers, "A room, food, clothes. She's been attacked and you gawk at her?"

They're supposed to give succor to those in need, let's see if it works.

Keep a hand inside my own cloak, ready to grab and throw a regular dagger if anyone decides to make an issue of it.

But we won't be stupid about it.
Kaldrenzi Culls-The-Chaff

Jenner: Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We...
[sees Justin]
Jenner: We were just talking about you.
Justin: That's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us.
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