Topic: Steeple and Heldric - Pillars of Salt (Read 240856 times)

Drakilian · « **Reply #100 on:** June 17, 2015, 02:51:59 pm »

Making their way back to the Tyniec abbey, Heldric notes the abundance of rats in the city - they seem particularly bold here, some even going so far as to try and snatch food from some of the homeless passed by in some dark alleys - yet another sign of the city's current state of poverty.

One of the abbey's guarrison waits at the entrance, bearing the insignia of the city guard. He makes no move to hinder the progress of the vampires or their retainers (mr.whitey, being invisible, gets a free pass).

Steeple remembers the ghouls were brothers Feliks and Jakub, two devout members of the Christian faith and monks at the abbey.

In fact, brother Feliks meets him at the entrance - he and Jakub took care of the abbey at night, they had become accustomed to their master's nighttime schedule.. Looking further into the abbey, Heldric notes another monk praying by the altars, surrounded by the glow of candles.

A look of sorrow and, Heldric notes, hunger, is visible on both monk's faces. In mourning, Feliks speaks:

"Greetings master Trevesky and company, welcome to the house of the lord, may his blessings rain down upon you."

"Greetings master Trevesky and company, what can we do for you this good night?"

Forge · « **Reply #101 on:** June 17, 2015, 03:12:46 pm »

Heldric simply nods in greeting and waits for Steeple to handle things, he was the one with the link to the monks afterall.

He does note the abundance of rats though and plans for their use later.

Drakilian · « **Reply #102 on:** June 17, 2015, 04:20:22 pm »

As Heldric examines the room, Mr Whitey brushes himself against Heldric's leg, Heldric feels the crocodiles vibrating body and realizes it's silently communicating with him.

Andreas says he saw you looking at the rats. He says he thinks you're not the only one who had that idea.

Forge · « **Reply #103 on:** June 17, 2015, 04:45:51 pm »

Have him keep a close eye on them and see if he can learn anything about who or what might be using them. If he thinks he won't be detected ask him to start controlling some for us, they are smart enough to be of use.

He replies through eye contact

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #104 on:** June 17, 2015, 05:18:44 pm »

"Well met friends," Steeple replies with a smile.

"My esteemed colleagues and I are here to see about dealing with the problem plaguing the salt mine."

"What can you tell me about what Kasimierz was trying to do when he went down into it?"

Drakilian · « **Reply #105 on:** June 17, 2015, 06:10:44 pm »

Brother Feliks bids everyone follow him, he bringd the group to where brother Jakub kneels in silent prayer.

The monk looks up when he finishes his prayer and welcomes everyone, his eyes belie his exhaustion. In the candlelight Steeple can clearly see many new wrinkles on both of the ghouls' faces - they've been without blood for a while now, it seems, for they are at least fifteen years older than the last time Steeple saw them. A few more days of this rapid aging and they would be dead.

Brother Feliks starts:

"Father Kazimierz has resided within this abbey for more than a hundred years, with us alone surviving through an era alongside him. He was a holy man, he vowed to subsist on the blood of the faithful as penance to God for the sins of the world. He tended to our dead, he spoke to the spirits and aided them in passing on to the Lord's kingdom. He was a good man, and he shared with us the secret to his longevity, with the power of his faith and his holy blood we have long been with him."

Brother Feliks momentarily puts his head down and says a word of prayer, while brother Jakub continues for him.

"He began to hear of the stories miners told about the monster within the mines. He knew at once that it was some demonic creature inhabiting it, he went down alone one day to exorcise it. We tried to go with him, we insisted, but he declined - he told us that it was dangerous, that only those whose faith was strong enough could survive the coming trials. We were outside, praying with the miners when it happened. He... We heard his voice in a brief scream, and then nothing more."

Brother Feliks lays a hand on his contemporary's shoulder, and continues:

"We have prayed for his return ever since that day, but we both felt something, brother Jakub and I - we felt the power of his faith break within us. We fear he is gone, forever. Indeed, we have begun to age and die, as we can no longer have the father's faith sustain us. We pray night and day, but it is not enough. Soon, I think, we shall descend into the mines to do what the good father could not - and should we fail, we shall simply have to join him once more in God's realms."

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #106 on:** June 17, 2015, 06:28:28 pm »

"There is yet a chance for continued service to our god," Steeple replies.

"I have in my possession, a holy relic of divine power that perhaps can give you what you need if your faith is great enough. Not to mention a new place in Tihuta Pass, if you are willing."

"Steepleton is a little village supporting the fortress there, but it grows daily and could use a bit of enlightenment."

Steeple takes out his Vessel of Transference, a small silver urn, sealed tight (with a hermantic symbol hidden on the bottom).

"If the legends are true, this vessel holds fragments of the thorns that crowned the head of our lord."

"It is empowered by prayer and faith. You must pray over it and then touch the top at the end of the prayer, so that it can renew the strength of your faith."

"It can only be used once per night; though I will bring it back again on the morrow if you wish."

"So, who's first?" Steeple finishes, carefully placing it down where one of the ghouls can pray over it.

Forge · « **Reply #107 on:** June 17, 2015, 11:20:54 pm »

Heldric attempts to look like he is in reverence of the 'Holy Relic' whatever it is

Drakilian · « **Reply #108 on:** June 23, 2015, 12:36:13 pm »

The two monks look at the relic uncertainly. Brother Jakub begins to push Feliks forward but the brother shakes his head.

"No, you have suffered far more than I have from Kasimierz' disappearance, you should be the one to take in the relic's power first."

Jakub, visibly the older of the two monks, nods, and then reaches out to the silver urn. Steeple's blood rapidly changes place with his, and the man freezes in shock.

"This... This is..."

He takes his hand from the relic and stretches his hands, surprise etched into every line on his face.

"Where did you aquire a relic of such power, master Trevesky?"

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #109 on:** June 24, 2015, 08:18:50 am »

"I rescued it from Jewish Illuminati in Prague," Steeple replies proudly, "They were trying to bury any holy relics that could prove the power of the Christ, as they refuse to recognize their grave error in crucifying him."

"Anyway, as reward for doing so, an angel of light granted me stewardship over it, saying that God would withhold its powers from any who tried to usurp it. And, that through a small servant such as myself, great things would be brought to pass by it."

"So... here, try it," Steeple says to the other monk - motioning for him to touch the urn like the first one did.

Knowing that the urn won't do anything for the ghoul, Steeple wants to use this as a display of his "Faith".

'Once the other ghoul touches the urn, Steeple thinks to Prince Maurice, 'I'll pick it up (replacing it with my own blood), say a humble prayer of faith, and have the man try again. Hehehehe...'

Forge · « **Reply #110 on:** June 24, 2015, 09:02:03 pm »

Heldric repectfully leaves them to the ritual and begins subtly examining the church for anything out of the ordinary

Drakilian · « **Reply #111 on:** June 26, 2015, 10:27:43 pm »

"A fitting tale indeed, for a relic of the Faith." Brother Feliks replies, as he takes the urn into his own hands from the still-shocked brother Jakub, before passing it over to Steeple.

After Steeple prays, brother Feliks takes the urn into his own hands and a look of shock, much like that of brother Jakub. Steeple and Heldric, of course, can tell that their reaction is simply due to the severe withdrawal they'd been suffering from.

---

Heldric, meanwhile, leaves the group and begins examining the church for something abnormal - something special, perhaps. He doesn't find much, at least not from his cursory examination - the Benedictine abbey is a small but relatively wealthy institution of the christian faith within Krakow, it is a place of learning and he knows it to have been the haven of a Cappadocian necromancer - and yet it seems so quaint and calm.

Nicely decorated with hanging tapestries depicting various scenes important to the christian faith, Heldric sees depictions of the destruction of Sodom, where God rained hell down on the vile city that would so willingly defile strangers, right alongside tapestries depicting the the resurrection of Lazarus by Christ. It might seem oddly appropriate that scenes of both death and the raising of the dead were so prolifically displayed in Kasimierz' home, perhaps he had arranged for it.

Heldric notes a large wooden door - the latch is closed but there is no visible lock. A sign next to it reads "Crypts".

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #112 on:** June 27, 2015, 06:57:58 am »

Steeple bows his head in false reverence; "It is another miracle! Our need must be dire, to be granted a second helping of the Lord's power in one night!"

"I feel that I must now ask the two of you to accompany us into the mines, to rid it of this great evil within. That is why God has refilled your faith!"

Forge · « **Reply #113 on:** June 27, 2015, 07:44:58 pm »

Heldric looks at the latch and decides that it is clearly somwhere he needs to visit. A powerful kindred was here and likely that is where his haven would be.

"Andreas, I will be examining the crypts with Mr. whitey, if you wait here and they come looking for us you can indicate that I went down here for some solitude to pray via mime." He pauses then adds "I they seems worried or are coming down too make a loud knocking on the door to warn me."

He then heads down with the still hidden pet of awesomeness.

Drakilian · « **Reply #114 on:** June 29, 2015, 12:57:30 pm »

The big door swings open soundlessly, the hinges well-oiled. The air here is dry, and smells mildly of smoke from the last visitor to the area.

Grabbing a torch (with some reluctance) from next to the door, Heldric sets off down the stairs. Other than the occasional cobweb on the ceiling, the way down is uneventful.

At the bottom of the stairway, Heldric notes a long hallway that soon splits off into three different paths, straight forward, to the right and to the left. Doors appear at steady intervals, no doubt leading to rooms filled with the dead.

He hears a light creaking up ahead.

---

Both of the brothers seem unsure of Steeple's proposition.

"Perhaps, but... If Father Kasimierz would not do it then..."

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #115 on:** June 29, 2015, 01:48:38 pm »

Steeple attempts to assuage any reluctance to agree - "It is my hope that Father Kasimierz weakened the demon in confronting it. Perhaps enough that we can finish it off if our faith is strong enough. It is the least we can do to try, given Father Kasimierz's ultimate sacrifice. 'Lay down one's life', etc, etc," Steeple finishes.

Forge · « **Reply #116 on:** June 29, 2015, 02:09:37 pm »

Heldric leaves the torch behind, Mich better to rely on ones own abilities. He activates his new protean ability to see in the dark and proceeds forwards with his glowing eyes.

He heads slowly towards the creaking sound, covering himself by using vanish from the minds eye just Incase he was spotted.

Drakilian · « **Reply #117 on:** June 30, 2015, 06:23:02 pm »

"Perhaps, I suppose there is no greater way to honour his sacrifice. We must wait for the power of the relic to replenish itself, however - we could not possibly defeat the demon without it."

Brother Jakub nods in agreement with Feliks.

---

His eyes now see the hall more clearly. He sees a door gently swinging open, loudly creaking as it does so.

As he turns invisible, he sees the door suddenly accelerate in its swing - it swings with intense force, slamming into the wall so hard that part of it splinters.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #118 on:** June 30, 2015, 06:28:28 pm »

"Right," Steeple says, "So, can you take me to where Kasimierz studied? Maybe he left us something in his manuscripts that would shed light on what we face or how it can be exorcised?"

Drakilian · « **Reply #119 on:** June 30, 2015, 06:40:54 pm »

"Of course master Trevesky. He made his home down in a hidden room in the crypts. He slept among the dead due to his ability to calm the restless."

Jakob's picks up - "when he came here almost a century ago this abbey was plagued by horrid spirits, his presence would calm them. He told us he would do his best to convince them to move on to another life. I fear his passing means that the spirits shall become restless once more."

"Yes," Feliks says grimly.

"We have already been receiving reports of strange happenings in the crypts."

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #120 on:** June 30, 2015, 07:37:47 pm »

"Oh dear," Steeple tuts, "I shall have to see what can be done about them after the mines are sorted out."

"Please lead the way," he then smiles, concerning the hidden room.

Forge · « **Reply #121 on:** June 30, 2015, 09:27:56 pm »

Heldric pauses, hoping that being invisible would ensure he is not directly attacked at this moment. If no other moment is detected after a few seconds he slowly approaches the door, keeping clear of other movable objects, to check out what was behind the door.

Drakilian · « **Reply #122 on:** July 01, 2015, 08:01:54 pm »

The two brothers stand and lead Steeple to the crypt doors - where they find Andreas knocking at the door and waiting patiently, tapping one foot as he does so.

He turns to look at them with some surprise, clearly he wasn't expecting them. He appears to be waiting for someone to answer the door.

---

Heldric detects no movement - the hallway in front of him is clear, nothing there for him to disrupt.

Approaching the door, he looks behind it - and he sees no one. The room is completely empty, save for coffins meant for the dead.

Suddenly, he hears Andreas knock on the door from upstairs.

Forge · « **Reply #123 on:** July 01, 2015, 08:53:10 pm »

He moves quickly back nearer to the entrance where he laid the torch, but out of sight of the door, before revealing himself and adopting the position of what he assumes would look like he was praying with his head bowed and hands clasped.

"they came quicker than I thought, but that does mean I have support if whatever moved the door chooses to Attack" He prepares to dodge if anything attacks him of flies his way, he carefully checks the ceiling and walls around him before releasing his sight and stopping his eyes from glowing.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #124 on:** July 02, 2015, 05:07:53 am »

Steeple waits for the monks to open the door, telling Andreas, "we're going down into the crypts to see if Kasimierz left anything that will help us deal with the problem at the mine."

Drakilian · « **Reply #125 on:** July 02, 2015, 01:37:03 pm »

Opening the doors, they all immediately find Heldric on his knees at the bottom of the stairwell, by some torchlight.

"What are you doing here?!" Feliks asks, surprised.

Forge · « **Reply #126 on:** July 02, 2015, 05:46:53 pm »

Heldric looks up at them as he gets to his feet.

"Ah I am glad you arrived, I came seeking solitude to pray when I began hearing strange noises from here. I assumed there was another brother or pilgrim here so came down but there was only the strange noises and events." He indicates further down the corridor "A door was slammed with tremendous force with nosing of a person moving it so of course I began praying."

"I've heard enough of the superstitious poor say similar things at least" he thinks to himself.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #127 on:** July 02, 2015, 06:27:34 pm »

"They got restless spirits Heldric," Steeple offers, "But they'll have to wait for another time."

"We need to see if Kasimierz left anything that will help us deal with the problem at the mine."

Drakilian · « **Reply #128 on:** July 02, 2015, 07:48:13 pm »

"Of course, we understand." The two brothers say in response.

"Do you have family buried here?"

Forge · « **Reply #129 on:** July 02, 2015, 08:47:08 pm »

"I cannot say for sure as my ancestors are spread throughout this region and sadly much of my ancestry is lost, but if you both are here I should not fear these spirits Steeple has mentioned. If you do not mind I will follow where you are headed?"

Drakilian · « **Reply #130 on:** July 03, 2015, 02:31:55 am »

"Of course. Be wary, Kazimierz' absence has resulted in rather unfortunate restlessness among our dead."

Feliks leads the way forward, and Heldric hears that same creaking he heard when he first came down the stairs.

"That sound... it comes from Kazimierz' chambers," brother Jakubs says, seemingly hesitating to move forward.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #131 on:** July 03, 2015, 10:10:12 am »

"Lead on," Steeple urges, "Can't let the dead meddle in the affairs of the living after all."

Forge · « **Reply #132 on:** July 03, 2015, 10:30:21 am »

Heldric nods "Agreed, men of the lord should fear no evil."

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #133 on:** July 03, 2015, 11:28:06 am »

Steeple mimes a cliché 'BLA BLA! I VANT TO DRINK YOUR BLOOD!' with raised 'talons' behind the two monks' backs at Heldric's suggestion. He finds what Heldric said highly amusing, given that they certainly could be considered any of 'dead', 'meddling', or 'evil'.

Drakilian · « **Reply #134 on:** July 03, 2015, 10:38:29 pm »

As the Kine and Kindred make their way down the hall, it starts to rapidly cool down. The door to Kazimierz' crypt keeps on creaking as it gently starts to swing shut from its previous open position. Everyone hears scratching coming from around them, like the claws of some great beast dragging across the stone.

Nadia huddles closer to Steeple, while Maurice whispers warnings - "I don't like the feel of this place old chap, like something'll jump out of the shadows at any moment. Almost like those nasty Shadow Priest friends of yours."

Andreas briefly makes the sign of the cross over himself - again, Heldric is surprised. He would have never thought Andreas devout (or have thought the terrifyingly strong Nosferatu to be scared by ghosts).

Of course, as if to dispel any worries, the brutish man moves ahead of the group rapidly, almost sprinting to the door that all had heard begin to close.

It starts to swing faster as he runs, soon out of the range of the torchlight. Everyone hears a crash and the sound of wood splintering, and a howl echoes down the hallway.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #135 on:** July 04, 2015, 10:48:22 am »

A bit confused, Steeple mumbles aloud, "Shadow Priests?"

He activates Heightened Senses and moves forward to see whether Andreas smashed the door down, or what?

Forge · « **Reply #136 on:** July 04, 2015, 09:00:09 pm »

Heldric calls forward "Andreas, did you get caught by the door?" He makes to move forward quickly, ushering the priests with torches forwards

Drakilian · « **Reply #137 on:** July 05, 2015, 04:28:01 pm »

Steeple's advanced perception reveals that Andreas is holding the door open by the tips of his fingers, arm stretched out just in time to catch it, straining against whatever force is in the process of trying to close the door. The wood must have splintered from the force of the sudden stop.

Andreas moves in closer and gets a better grip on the thing. Against his prodigious strength the force is nothing, and he opens the door completely.

Heldric and the others soon arrive to take this all in.

Forge · « **Reply #138 on:** July 05, 2015, 10:36:20 pm »

"I guess this was the noise we heard, Excelent work Andreas."

Heldric says as he arrives.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #139 on:** July 06, 2015, 05:30:40 am »

Steeple nods to the man holding the door and goes in for a look around.

Drakilian · « **Reply #140 on:** July 06, 2015, 09:27:20 pm »

The second Steeple steps into the room a skeleton immediately bursts out of a nearby coffin, flying through the air before flinging its arms around his neck, in an almost intimate and entirely unexpected embrace.

Forge · « **Reply #141 on:** July 06, 2015, 10:38:36 pm »

Heldric pauses,waiting for steeple to make a move but prepared to retreat if things turn messy. Even if steeple is ripped apart by skeletons it is best the group survives right?

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #142 on:** July 07, 2015, 05:31:45 am »

"Egads!" Steeple yells, "What do you want? It wasn't me! I didn't do it! You can't prove a thing!"

Steeple activates Strength of The Earth, blood boosts Strength to max plus left over to Agility - to fling the skeleton forcefully to the ground, where he'll stomp on it (Celerity?)

Drakilian · « **Reply #143 on:** July 08, 2015, 07:33:00 pm »

Steeple easily throws the (harmless) skeleton, where it falls to the ground without resistance and shatters as ages-old bones break against solid stone.

Brother Feliks stands perplexed while brother Jakub looks annoyed.

"More tricks by the spirits, rather aggravating isn't it?" Brother Feliks says.

"I shall stay here and clean the body, please, go to Kazimierz' home," Brother Jakub continues.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #144 on:** July 09, 2015, 05:09:24 am »

"Oh you naughty spirits!" Steeple chides, rather embarrassed that he overreacted to the skeleton so badly.

"You always get the false scare, before the axe murderer jumps out for real," Steeple says mater-of-factly - before heading further in, to search around, etc.

Forge · « **Reply #145 on:** July 09, 2015, 11:59:00 am »

Heldric follows in to search, keeping a couple of steps behind Steeple at first just incase.

Drakilian · « **Reply #146 on:** July 09, 2015, 05:23:45 pm »

Prince Maurice laughs heartily in Steeple's mind, as brother Jakub gets to putting the pieces of the skeleton left over into the coffin.

Steeple finds little in the room, if only because he doesn't know where to look, with torchlight being a poor illuminator. It's a simple crypt room, decorated with coffins of the long dead, their names carved in plaques attached to the sides of the coffins. The one of the skeleton that jumped out of him reads "Anamaria Bogza".

A human-sized, surprisingly well-carved statue of an unknown angel stands guard at the back of the room, looking over the dead bodies. Brother Feliks goes directly to the statue, where he reaches up to the angel's eyes. He reaches up and holds the angel's head in between his hands, placing both of his thumbs directly atop the angel's eyes, as if making to gouge them; they recede into the angel's head and there is a grinding sound as the wall behind the divine statue swings open, revealing a small passage to Kazimierz' sacred haven.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #147 on:** July 09, 2015, 05:42:16 pm »

"A modicum of caution," Steeple says, entering the hallway and motioning for the others to hold off a bit so he can 'check it for traps'.

This entails stooping over and swiping the dust off the floor with a finger; tasting said dust; holding said finger aloft; and resolutely declaring - "NOPE. NO TRAPS!"

He them ambles carefree to the other end of the hallway.

Drakilian · « **Reply #148 on:** July 09, 2015, 05:58:02 pm »

Brother Feliks tries to intervene and tell Steeple that there are, in fact, no traps - but he finishes in his trap-finding methods so quickly that all the monk can do is shrug and move on.

Kazimierz' haven is a rather spartan affair. There is a bed shoved into the upper left corner of the room, at its foot is a small wooden desk with two drawers. Atop the desk, leaning against the wall is a tall obsidian mirror. Besides the mirror there is also an inkwell, a small knife and a collection of writing feathers.

Opposite the desk is a fireplace - most likely put in there for show, a vampire would despise being in such a small, enclosed room with an open fire.

Opposite the bed there is a small bookstand, with a collection of religious works. Nothing Steeple sees here would imply anything more than a slightly paranoid and creepy priest.

Forge · « **Reply #149 on:** July 09, 2015, 08:16:14 pm »

"Ah, at least he took care of himself to the extent of having a fire" Heldric annouces as he heads over to the Hearth as a pretext to turn his back to the priest who came with them and search the fires surroundings and disturb the ash a bit. He then proceeds to 'examine' other areas of interest in as not suspicious way as possible.

"there has to be more to that mirror than meets the eye, he couldn't have left without a single clue or better haven protection than this.

He makes sure to look at the mirror to examine the room through it incase the papers or room appear different in its reflection.

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Author Topic: Steeple and Heldric - Pillars of Salt (Read 240856 times)