Topic: Chapter 2: Venetian Nights (Read 300178 times)

Forge · « **Reply #250 on:** February 13, 2017, 10:17:30 am »

Heldric sighs very audibly then grumbles loudly as he walks away "Let's get moving or we will be forced to fight him and that mob. arguing now is attracting attention."

Not Aman · « **Reply #251 on:** February 13, 2017, 12:23:43 pm »

Quote from: BerkaZerka on February 12, 2017, 04:03:28 pm

"Let us be clear Anton," Steeple says, bristling like a rabid dog, "I make no such promises."

"To you, your god, or anyone."

"I will make myself clear. Gauthier is to be left alone. Should his soul depart from this earth, I will personally deal with the killer."

Quote from: Daedalus on February 12, 2017, 02:54:29 pm

"Perhaps, your god desires him to be cursed aswell. We dont need him sniffing around, and your desire to preserve him. That is the only solution i see available then." Saladin suggests.

"There exists a balance. Without men like Gauthier, my work becomes meaningless. He will live, and he is not to be saddled with our curse."

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #252 on:** February 13, 2017, 03:24:25 pm »

Steeple's countanace does an abrupt 180.

"As long as his soul doesn't leave this earth, eh? Hehehe... Yes, I can work with that."

Steeple doesn't wait for a response before heading off in the direction they were already going - wondering what John was getting on about.

'Of course now is not the time and place,' he thought silently to himself - defying Anton to try reading his mind again.

Drakilian · « **Reply #253 on:** February 13, 2017, 07:36:10 pm »

The conspiracy finally escapes the rioting mob and continues on their path, abandoning the danger behind them. Perhaps one day they will regret having not slain a man of such great faith while they still had the slightest chance - but for now, they were safe.

They arrive at the inn in which Rodrigue and his companions are supposed to be staying. From the lights and sound they can tell that there aren't many people inside - perhaps a few drunken dock workers but the place is clearly not too popular. As he has been leading the way till now, Heldric is the one to step up to the door - only for it to swing suddenly outwards and smack him right in the face - certainly not too painful but more than a bit startling. The man behind the door is sickly and frail in appearance - and immediately drops to his knees in front of Heldric.

"Oh, forgive me great lord. I offer my deepest apologies"

He reaches up and grabs for Heldric's hands, the more to beg for his forgiveness - whether the Nosferatu is about to draw them back or not is soon made irrelevent when he notices the man make a hidden gesture. Letting him take his hands into his own, he accepts the hidden message and then the man promptly ups and leaves, thanking Heldric for his generosity.

When the man had opened the door the other members of the cotterie managed to get a look into the tavern. No flamboyantly dressed Spaniards inside, as far as they can see - just a dour-looking inn-keep and a scant few of the night's usual revelers.

Forge · « **Reply #254 on:** February 14, 2017, 11:20:11 am »

Heldric steps inside and makes room for others to do the same by heading to the side. He makes it look like he is scanning the room as he does so but really it is all to turn his back on the others while quickly scanning the piece of paper he just recieved.

Drakilian · « **Reply #255 on:** February 14, 2017, 01:17:07 pm »

In the Blood Apocrypha of the Nosferatu, Heldric reads

Rodrigue gone. Went to sermon of knight preaching by square; Gauthier de Dampiere. Caution, do not approach. Can see through the veil. Be back soon.

Three are hunters. No experience. Weak.

One here, other with Rodrigue.

Hail Malachite, and through him Michael.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #256 on:** February 14, 2017, 02:00:34 pm »

Steeple fidgeted impatiently. He wanted to get to the warehouse and use his ritual to see if any of the names were the killer.

Come to think of it, he should check it against Gauthier too...

Not Aman · « **Reply #257 on:** February 14, 2017, 08:52:22 pm »

"So, Heldric? Where are the spaniards?" Anton asks

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #258 on:** February 14, 2017, 09:41:38 pm »

"Not here, that's for sure," Steeple yawns dryly.

Forge · « **Reply #259 on:** February 15, 2017, 08:52:30 pm »

Heldric hides the note in his sleeves carefully before turning around

"One is here, the others are at the square watching the knight's speach about destroying us. We should act quickly and prepare for them. Also avoid Gauthier and be weary of these mortals, they seem to be dangrous, especially Gauthier."

He then scans the room anyone who might be a hunter

Drakilian · « **Reply #260 on:** February 15, 2017, 09:26:29 pm »

Heldric does not spot anyone who stands out among the dockworkers.

"Perhaps the spaniard is in their collective rooms?" Octavius suggests.

"I doubt he would find himself in pleasant company among the workers. More likely to get mugged by a drunkard than anything else".

Not Aman · « **Reply #261 on:** February 15, 2017, 11:39:19 pm »

Quote from: Forge on February 15, 2017, 08:52:30 pm

Heldric hides the note in his sleeves carefully before turning around

"One is here, the others are at the square watching the knight's speach about destroying us. We should act quickly and prepare for them. Also avoid Gauthier and be weary of these mortals, they seem to be dangrous, especially Gauthier."

He then scans the room anyone who might be a hunter

"Where is the one? We can make short work of him."

Forge · « **Reply #262 on:** February 16, 2017, 01:10:34 pm »

"Most likely in their rooms" Heldric says back as he heads for the stairs himself, assuming the others will follow

Drakilian · « **Reply #263 on:** February 16, 2017, 01:31:10 pm »

Heading up the stairs into the hall where the inn's rooms were held, Heldric realizes that he doesn't actually know which room the spaniard is staying in.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #264 on:** February 16, 2017, 03:27:00 pm »

"Which one are we looking for?" Steeple sighs; "Give me his name and I shall illuminate his trail."

"Of course, this is why I wanted to check out the warehouse murder scene first, but we do tend to ramble, when working as a group."

Drakilian · « **Reply #265 on:** February 19, 2017, 05:01:17 pm »

While Heldric does not know the name of the hunter that stayed behind, Steeple is well aware of the three hunters's names (given Heldric had already shared him). Since they're likely sharing a room, he simply casts the ritual on one of the names - it leads them to the end of the hall, up to a sturdy oak door. Putting his ear up to the door Steeple can't actually hear anything, but the inn is rather noisy at the moment - and the man could very well just be asleep.

There is no mistaking it though, this is the room. The most recent tracks also lead inside, rather than out, so if he's going to be anywhere...

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #266 on:** February 19, 2017, 05:18:25 pm »

"In here," Steeple says, pointing to the door and making way for the more 'direct' of the party.

"Our guy is inside."

Not Aman · « **Reply #267 on:** February 19, 2017, 05:55:09 pm »

Anton nods, and looks around. Should he not see anyone, he'll proceed to bring forth a small amount of shadow to cover the sound of Anton forcing open the door.

Forge · « **Reply #268 on:** February 19, 2017, 07:57:20 pm »

Heldric sees his intent and casts cloak the gathering on them. With his shadows muffins sound, the lambrossa could almost be as undetectable as a nosferatu.

Drakilian · « **Reply #269 on:** February 20, 2017, 12:01:36 am »

Mustering his shadows around himself, Anton stands back as Heldric cloaks him, and then forcefully kicks at the door. It shudders in place, but does not break. Andreas looks at Anton somewhat confused, as if to say "Why didn't you have me break down the door?".

Joseph comments - "Why didn't we just knock again?"

Ignoring all of these reasonable and far more effective courses of action, Anton kicks at the door again, this time splinters shoot out from the door, though it's still intact.

Say, if you're using these shadows to hide the sound of the door being broken down, then wouldn't the hunter on the other end see these shadows? Gabor asks, though it's not really much of a question and Anton knows it.

"This door is also at the end of the hall, meaning the room has a window, which we could have gone up as well. Since we are alerting the hunter by breaking down the door in this manner - with ghostly shadows seeping through the cracks - I do believe he will have more than enough time to escape out the window," Maurice comments.

Surely enough, Anton's third kick brings the door crashing down in perfect silence, to a completely and totally empty room. Steeple's trail of prey illuminates a path headed out through the open window as a breeze coming into the room sends the curtains billowing inwards. Steeple and Heldric's keen senses pick up the telltale thud of a body dropping, and then footsteps as the man begins to run.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #270 on:** February 20, 2017, 11:09:43 am »

"Out the window," Steeple says, activating celerity and following with a dramatic flipping handspring leap through the breach.

(Or at least that's how it played out in his mind...)

Forge · « **Reply #271 on:** February 20, 2017, 11:43:54 am »

Heldric also moves swiftly, aiming to track the man from the rooftops if there are available ones in that direction.

Not Aman · « **Reply #272 on:** February 20, 2017, 12:17:00 pm »

Anton shakes his head, wondering what was going through his head at that moment, and follows Steeple. Hopefully the Gargoyle decides to grab the runner.

Drakilian · « **Reply #273 on:** February 20, 2017, 04:35:52 pm »

Steeple leaps out the window with preternatural speed to chase after the hunter as Heldric flips himself onto the roof to follow from above. Anton is about to follow Steeple out through the window when Saladin steps forward and makes a fist with his right hand, jerking it suddenly back towards him - Anton notices blood seeping from the closed fingers. The assassin then makes a pushing motion against the floor just as suddenly, and keeps his arm in that position, a look of mild concentration on his face.

All of a sudden the hunter running away is pulled back by some overwhelming invisible force, his arms and legs are flung forward as he flies back and is slammed into the ground besides Steeple, hard.

The man gasps desperately for air as the invisible force on him presses down harder, pushing the air out of his lungs and keeping him pinned to the ground.

Forge · « **Reply #274 on:** February 20, 2017, 08:03:24 pm »

With Steeple already close Helric decides that he is better suited to staying in the look out for other dangers, keeping himself cloaked and staying in the shadows he stops on the roof above them and scans the area.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #275 on:** February 20, 2017, 09:03:50 pm »

Not really sure how to best imobalize the man further, Steeple elects to cut both his legs off at the knees with a mighty swing of his thirsty bonesword.

"Jack be nimble, jack be quick - but I still chopped his kneecaps with an ugly stick!"

Drakilian · « **Reply #276 on:** February 21, 2017, 12:00:04 am »

Whipping out his sword, Steeple takes both of the man's legs clean off - he feels almost no resistance from the man's flesh, it's as if the sword moves of its own accord as it splits skin and meat and blood and bone with equal ease.

While normally there would be an immense amount of blood spatter from such an incision, Steeple sees the blood from the wound run up the blade and sink into the hilt, leaving a red hue behind as it does so.

The man passes out from shock, and now appears to be bleeding to death.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #277 on:** February 21, 2017, 08:20:15 pm »

"Err... Oh bother..." Steeple frets, "He's not supposed to bleed to death (yet)..."

To Maurice he then asks aloud, "Think we can cauterize the wounds with that fire trick we learned from the Kauldoons?"

Forge · « **Reply #278 on:** February 22, 2017, 12:00:26 am »

Heldric Stays above and keeps an eye out. Even if the hunter dies, the others will return to their room and he wants to ensure it isn't before they were ready.

Drakilian · « **Reply #279 on:** February 22, 2017, 12:06:00 am »

"I see no flaw in that course of action!" Maurice confidently declares.

Not Aman · « **Reply #280 on:** February 22, 2017, 12:46:24 am »

Quote from: BerkaZerka on February 21, 2017, 08:20:15 pm

"Err... Oh bother..." Steeple frets, "He's not supposed to bleed to death (yet)..."

To Maurice he then asks aloud, "Think we can cauterize the wounds with that fire trick we learned from the Kauldoons?"

"Steeple what are you doing?!" Anton shouts out angrily, looking out of the window.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #281 on:** February 22, 2017, 08:47:13 am »

"I was just about to cauterize his wounds, actually," Steeple calls back; "Why, do you have a better idea?"

Daedalus · « **Reply #282 on:** February 23, 2017, 01:26:08 pm »

"Are... are you a moron?" Saladin asks the obvious. "No matter right now." He Shakes his head. "Just save that man from the jaws of death

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #283 on:** February 23, 2017, 03:25:45 pm »

"Harumph!" Steeple snorts, it's not like fire is any danger to humans.

"Have it your way then," he murmers in disappointment.

Pressing his Vessel of Transference against the man's skin, he swaps a liter of his own blood with the hunter.

"Cauterizing the wounds would have been way more fun though..."

Drakilian · « **Reply #284 on:** February 23, 2017, 03:45:59 pm »

The man is now bleeding both human AND vampiric blood out of his stumps.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #285 on:** February 23, 2017, 09:01:39 pm »

"Well, that's about all I can do," Steeple shrugs.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #286 on:** February 23, 2017, 09:06:14 pm »

"Oh, wait..." Steeple suddenly recalls, taking out twine and attempting to tie-off each stump, before it is too late.

cdrive1 · « **Reply #287 on:** February 24, 2017, 10:09:21 am »

"So....now what?" John asks, looking out the window.

Drakilian · « **Reply #288 on:** March 01, 2017, 02:48:46 pm »

Steeple manages a rough tourniquet of both the man's remaining stumps, then steps back to admire his handiwork.

The man is just barely clinging to life, and Steeple severely doubts he'll live past the night without a large amount of vampire blood to close the wounds over the stumps or professional medical care.

"Maybe get him off the street?

At least your sword drained the blood, so there won't be any traces left behind," Maurice comments.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #289 on:** March 01, 2017, 03:27:22 pm »

Steeple picks the man up, motions to his companions that he's moving out, and hurries away to the warehouse.

"Heldric will know where I'm going," he smiles.

Forge · « **Reply #290 on:** March 01, 2017, 03:57:34 pm »

Heldric gets the idea, cloaking the leaving steeple and near-corpse and swings back inside to tell the others where Steeple is probably headed

"Should be headed to the wear house, we can follow or stay here in ambush for the others?"

Not Aman · « **Reply #291 on:** March 01, 2017, 05:19:53 pm »

"Do you trust Steeple to not kill our hostage?" Anton adks.

"We should capture the others. They will know we kidnapped their friend."

cdrive1 · « **Reply #292 on:** March 01, 2017, 10:13:07 pm »

"OK Remind me of force composition...It might do us best to know this as it might influence our decisions." John suggests, weighing his options.

Forge · « **Reply #293 on:** March 02, 2017, 05:14:57 pm »

"We should have no issues with the returning hunters if it is just 2 or three of them. If that knight accompanies them then we need to run." he looks around the room "Anton and yourself should be enough alone if I leave Andreas too and head after Steeple?"

Not Aman · « **Reply #294 on:** March 02, 2017, 05:18:19 pm »

Quote from: Forge on March 02, 2017, 05:14:57 pm

"We should have no issues with the returning hunters if it is just 2 or three of them. If that knight accompanies them then we need to run." he looks around the room "Anton and yourself should be enough alone if I leave Andreas too and head after Steeple?"

"Certainly." Anton says, nodding. "Will Andreas recognize them?"

Forge · « **Reply #295 on:** March 02, 2017, 08:12:02 pm »

"Can't be sure, but I assume they will be the ones who look out of place and draw weapons when they see their door smashed in" Heldric says with a grin

Daedalus · « **Reply #296 on:** March 03, 2017, 04:49:27 am »

"He'll live long enough to be questioned now." Saladin states with a nod. "Let us be off. And next time Steeple, dont cut the mans legs off. I am capable of holding them for however long you need."

Not Aman · « **Reply #297 on:** March 03, 2017, 04:46:26 pm »

Quote from: Forge on March 02, 2017, 08:12:02 pm

"Can't be sure, but I assume they will be the ones who look out of place and draw weapons when they see their door smashed in" Heldric says with a grin

Anton raises an eyebrow.
"You think people won't notice?" Anton asks. "There will be more who show up. I don't think we should stick around, visibly, at least."

"We should search the room. Perhaps they left something inside."

Forge · « **Reply #298 on:** March 04, 2017, 08:57:40 pm »

"I will leave you all cloaked, try not to make too much noise." He ensures they Dre cloaked and that Andreas knows to stay an help them subdue the others then heads back our the window to follow steeple

Drakilian · « **Reply #299 on:** March 19, 2017, 01:14:49 pm »

Anton heads back up into the dying hunter's room through the window, scaling the side of the building using his supernatural strength. Joseph and Andreas wait for him in there along with John.

That was poorly handled. Letting your temper get the best of you. I suppose I can understand that.

When he gets up he finds that Joseph and Andreas have already begun searching the room. Immediately they turn up a series of weapons that the "hunters" had kept in storage. Stakes, holy water (that appears to be harmless), garlic (that is definitely harmless), a series of daggers - clearly of spanish make, and what Anton recognizes from the description Steeple had given as Roland's sword belt, with his sword and dagger still attached.

On examining Roland's dagger, Anton notes something rather strange about it. Looking closer, he recognizes - with no small degree of surprise and even vehemence - that the weapon bears the markings of a Setite ritual dagger.

Oh my, what kind of dirty little dealings was Roland involved in?

---

Steeple and the others soon return to the Byzantine warehouse, carrying the hunter over his shoulders. The scene of the crime remains as it has since the night of Roland's death - as far as Steeple can tell the scene remains undisturbed and isolated.

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Author Topic: Chapter 2: Venetian Nights (Read 300178 times)