Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

The sudden cry of a goshawk pierces the lonely street as the magnificent bird flutters down to land on Anabelle's outstretched hand. I tilts it's head to look at her eye to eye before giving another cry. Once the initial surprise has worn off Anabelle notices a piece of parchment tied to it's leg. Once the parchment is removed the bird simply waits on her hand and looking around.

The tightly rolled parchment contains a short missive from Jourdain in English, a small key almost identical key to the one Anabelle received from him long ago is attached.

"Anabelle,

Valerius has gone missing and I'm currently trying to arrange for you to receive acknowledgment at Mithras court. If you could speak with Albrecht Tharnheim, the harbormaster I would much appreciate it. He can usually be found just past the bridge in Southwark. Ask him if he has seen anything suspicious regarding Valerius or my clan mate, Eliza Guiscard. He'll know who you mean but if he's stubborn simply present him with my key. I will do my best to arrange acknowledgement for Vezina as well if she is willing to aid you.

Jourdain."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Staring in wonder at the bird, Anabelle gently stroked the feathers along the back of its head, smiling softly. When she noticed the note she carefully untied it from the bird's leg. As it sat on her arm she unrolled the small scroll and looked at the words, squinting trying to make some of them out.

"Um... can you help? I'm alright with basic English, but some of these I just can't make out," Anabelle said showing the note to Vazina.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

It did not bother the Tzimisce to have mud on her clothing. She had grown up a fur trapper's daughter, living in little else than a hovel in the woods. But her Sire had selected her to receive the Embrace and follow the Road of Kings. Whatever his reasons, she had learned to appreciate his view for her destiny - and this meant caring about appearances.

Vezina looked at the bird appreciatively as Annabelle took a first look at the scroll. When she admitted to having trouble with it, Vezina nodded and wordlessly extended her hand to receive it.

Looking down at the paper, she read the words aloud so that Annabelle could hear Jourdain's message as if he had spoken it, omitting nothing.

"How kind and thoughtful of him to offer me more assistance," Vezina said, though her voice was cold. With Valerius gone missing, it meant she would have to put a hold on her plans with him. Who had that ghould brought her blood to? It was meant for consumption damn it, not to be housed away and forgotten.

Turning to Annabelle. "I suppose there is no reason for me to refuse such a simple request, if you are unopposed to my presence?"

Her hand extended to the goshawk and she locked eyes with the creature. Using her basic skill in Animalism, she wished to commune with it, and to discover the location where Jourdain had given it this message to deliver.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"You helped me read it, so it would be unseemly of me to deny you now," Anabelle said, taking the note back and shoving it into the small pouch at her hip.

"Might as well head down to the harbour," she continued, holding her hand up to let the bird fly back to its master, not bothering to let Vezina finish talking with it.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

The bird takes off before Vezina can catch it's eyes though it doesn't fly off entirely as expected. It perches itself on a painted tavern sign further up the street before looking back and giving it's gull-like cry, almost as if it wants them to follow.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Rach air muin" Anabelle muttered under her breath before glancing at Vezina and trudging down the road, following the bird's path.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Vezina called the bird back to her intent on communing with it despite the Gangrel's apparent desire to be rid of its presence.

"Show us the way to the harbour, yes, little creature," she told it as it alighted on her hand. "But stay with us then, I may have a use for you."

She cooed to the bird softly and brushed its feathers with her slender fingers before sending it back out into the air ahead of them to chirp and show them the way through the new city.

Lifting the hem of her dress again, the Tzimisce walked down the streets, letting her gaze sweep from the bird to the shops and residences around her, getting a general feel for the immediate vicinity.

There wasn't much to talk about with her companion, and Vezina did not desire to push the issue of conversation to the point of embarrassment, so she walked mostly in silence, content to observe until they reached the bridge and Southwark and they could set about finding the harbormaster.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

The bird eventually agrees to lead them to the bridge despite it's limited intelligence in such human matters. The bird seems very vain though knowledgeable about the city, leading Vezina to believe it is often used as a messenger by some Cainite of London. Flying off ahead of them it gives it's call every so often pulling them through the slick and narrow streets of the dark city.

Off to the east they catch glimpses of a many towered fortress standing guard over the city during the night. Very few people are on the streets at this time but the shops and residences indicate they are in a better portion of the city. Eventually they reach a broader street that during the day serves as a market offering everything the kine of the city may need. Several blocks down the street they find themselves at a magnificent bridge lined with shops on both sides. The central path is just wide enough for a carriage or wagon to move cross, though it is relatively quiet at this time of night. The Thames stretches in either direction as they cross over to Southwark, allowing them a much better view of the grand Tower of London to the east.

Having lead them to Southwark the bird returns to perch on Vezina's arm. Intent to receive it's reward and continue aiding them. The main docks seem to be in this area particularly off to the east from the bridge. The area around the docks looks to be a much rougher and less refined area than that which they started from.

Spoiler

The inn is in Lime Street and you're currently at the Southwark end of London Bridge.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Well Vezina, you know cities better than I do. Any idea where to start looking for this harbour master? According to the note we're roughly in the right area," Anabelle said as she crossed her arms over her chest, throwing both the bird and her fellow Kindred a glance.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

The Tzimisce did not, in fact, know cities better than the Gangrel. She'd never been to one in her life before last night. Still, it wouldn't do for her to go on and admit something like that - not when she hoped to claim her upbringing as being one of noble blood.

"I was never one to mingle with harbour masters. A crusader such as yourself might know more about the habits of such men, though I would wager an educated guess he could be in a tavern. Mortal men awake this late in the evening usually are."

She scanned the road and structures for likely haunts of the harbour master before turning to the bird and ushering it to wait for them by this bridge. It was free to search for food if it wished.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

The bird flies off as the pair begins to look for a tavern or some other place that looks like the a harbormaster might be found. The docks seem strangely quiet despite the large number of ships docked in the river. One tavern at the far end of the docks seems to be well lit and rowdy from the sound of it. A building sits near the docks with the words harbormaster and a coat of arms on the door, though it seems empty as they pass by.

Getting closer to the tavern they can clearly hear that it is full of a large and boisterous crowd, most likely sailors and longshoremen. An appropriate place for the harbormaster, Albrecht Tharnheim, to be found. A shingle above the door shows two ornate keys crossed over each other, similar to the keys that Anabelle wears around her neck and the one carried in her pocket.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Well, let's try this place. Let me lead, this crowd is a little more primal than those at the inn you were in last night," Anabelle said, placing her hand against the door of the inn.

"Just... act dumb or something," Anabelle said as she closed her eyes for a moment, remembering nights this drunk when she was a soldier, remembering what it was like to be amongst her comrades.

After just that slight pause, she pushed the door open, and stepped within the noisy tavern, her eyes flicking between the drinking men, the women who served them with low cut dresses. Yes... this was as she remembered.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"By all means, take the lead," Vezina gave way to Anabelle, letting her step first through the threshold. "I'll do my best..."

She stepped into the tavern and adjusted back to the days amongst the trader villages in Banat, back in the old country. She kept her dagger within quick reach and shadowed Anabelle closely. She had seen men such as these before.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Anabelle looked back over her shoulder briefly. "Don't let anyone notice that," she said with a quick glance down to Vezina's dagger as she pushed her way through the rowdy crowd, looked through sailors for the harbour master.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Vezina shrugged and kept her dagger well hidden within the folds of her cloak as she always had.

"Not all eyes are as swift as yours, and most within here will have them glued to my other assets no doubt."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Anabelle couldn't help but laugh. "Good point," she said just loud enough to be heard over the din of the crowd. One particularly drunk sailor spilled his ale over her cloak, but she quickly pushed the man aside and vanished amidst the swarm of people, not wanting to start a bar brawl.

Not yet anyway. One later might be fun.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

The small tavern is packed with at least a dozen or so sailors and at least half that many barely dressed women who were busy serving them. Once in while one of the drunken sailors emerges from a back room with a satisfied look upon his face. The drunk denizens take little notice of Anabelle though a few smile lustfully at Vezina as she passes by. A couple of the serving women give the pair a hard look but say nothing as they pass by looking for the harbormaster.

Making their way through the room is slow work as Anabelle and Vezina try to find Albrecht. The occasional bump or spill of a drink only adds to the crowded scene though they finally notice a thin, sickly older man sitting alone at a table in the far corner.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Returning one of the hard looks with a predatory glare of her own, Anabelle continued to wade through the crowd until she stood above the table. Without waiting to be asked she sat herself across from the man and leaned forward.

"Are you Albrecht Tharnheim?" she said in enough of a shout to be heard by the man.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

The old man looks up as Anabelle sits across from him and nods his head rather shakily that he's Albrecht. His whole body seems to shake even though he's sitting still. he lifts the mug of beer to his mouth slowly his hand shaking the whole way and spilling half of it as he says. "Aye, I-I-I'm Albrecht, t-t-the harbormaster. Can I-I-I help you with something."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Let us hope that you can," Vezina said, sliding into another free chair once the man had confirmed his identity. "We are here on behalf of Jourdain. We want to know if you've seen anything suspicious regarding the whereabouts of Valerius... or Eliza Guiscard."