Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Hmm...?" Jocelyn asked, meeting Anabelle's gaze for a second before breaking it by nodding vigorously. "Oh, yes, everything's fine, don't worry about me. Just curious, is all." She explained, nodding towards the silent doorman.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Jourdain very softly knocks at the door, which shakes as though it might fall off of it's hinges as Jourdain smiles at Eliza. "You're probably right but you have to admit it was very...me."

Another servant like the one who had taken their horses opens the door and blankly stares as Jourdain ushers the three of them before him. The servant closes the door but stays in the same spot without even seeming to notice the four Cainite's. Jourdain hangs up his cloak as he points towards the servant and says.

"Rodger really prefers to be left alone most of the time. That's what happens to those who poke their noses where he doesn't want them poking their noses."

After the others have hung their cloaks, Jourdain leads them through the halls of the ancient manse. The inside of the residence contrasts with it's outer appearance heavily. Rich carpets and tapestries hang on the walls, muffling the sound of their steps as they make their way through the halls. Finally they step through to a large banquet room just as richly appointed as the other rooms. Roughly a dozen kindred look up at the arrival of Jourdain and a portion of the coterie, looking them over as a butcher does a fat cow. Jourdain simply nods to the gathered kindred and turns to the other three as he steps in the room.

"Play nice with your new "friends" while I go find Rodger, most of them don't bite too hard."

He takes off back through the silent corridors of the mansion with one of the female kindred from the room, her pale red hair being the last thing any of them see before the pair disappears around a corner.

Vezina goes through much the same thing as she arrives though she perhaps takes a bit longer to find her way to the banquet room.

Spoiler

Nothing of note to be heard by anyone, there are plenty of side conversations going on but it seems to be mostly chitchat. Mingle or be a wallflower, just give me some idea of what kind of conversation you're looking for so I can throw an appropriate Cainite your way. There is 13 kindred in the room, though only 12 are visible and you probably don't want to see him.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Anabelle let her eyes linger on Jocelyn for a moment, a slight frown creasing her brow. "If you say so," she said, before following the others inside and to the banquet hall. She stayed near Jocelyn, for some reason feeling like she should be protecting the girl. Perhaps it was the way she had kept Anabelle between herself and Jourdain... or perhaps some Cainite trick that the North woman was not so keen with.

Despite not straying far from the newest addition to the group, Anabelle let her eyes slide across the room, looking for anyone she might feel comfortable talking to. A soldier, a traveller... hopefully a fellow Gangrel but she doubted that one highly.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Jocelyn stopped at the entrance, staring wide-eyes back at the others in the room who had turned to watch the new arrivals. She took a look around for Aubrey, sticking close to Anabelle otherwise and generally just trying to stay out of the way.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"It was very you indeed." Eliza replies to Jourdain with an eyeroll but a hint of a smile.

Once inside, Eliza frowned at the gloomy looking servant. This Rodger was certainly one not to be taken lightly she thought to herself as she began to remove her cloak.

As she did so, she revealed her elegance for the first time, having previously hidden it beneath her plain but immaculate cloak. First she pulled back her hood then unlaced the rope tying the cloak together at her collarbone. Sliding the cloak from her body revealed her pale white shoulders and arms and a long flowing crossed halter red dress that stretched all the way down her form to the floor. Eliza's wintery locks were also impressively long. As she tossed her hair and fluffed it up with her hands, some of the locks fell over her shoulders while the rest flowed elegantly down to her thin but womanly hips. Whether or not one appreciated Eliza's look or not, the contrast from her plain cloak to the deep red dress and long snowy hair was nothing if not striking.

Eliza walked right next to Jourdain with a confident gait as they navigated the ancient hallways of the cainite manor. The young lasombra had her doubts about what she would find inside from the smelly exterior, but the adornments and tapestries met with her approval, somehow seeming to exaggerate Eliza's already burgeoning self confidence. This was the sort of environment where she felt most at home.

The lasombra stopped for a brief moment in the doorway to assess the situation before her. Her first priority was to see if she could identify anyone that might be the other lasombra woman, Genevieve. If not, she would look for someone that appears to be similar to her, or failing either of those, someone that looks powerful. Having briefly analyzed the cainites in front of her, Eliza walked gracefully to whomever she decided to introduce herself to.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Vezina arrived fashionably late, and looking a little the worse for wear from her travel on foot through the woods. Not to mention that the blood from the man was still staining the top of her dress. She decided that she could explain it away as a feisty meal - which in a sense, it had been. When she had reached the banquet hall, she looked around to see who was there with her. She did not immediately see any sign of Jourdain, but she saw others eying her hungrily. She was alone, and young, and unknown. Could they sense her vulnerability? She steeled herself and plucked up what confidence she could muster, looking back at them, trying to size them up just as they were no doubt sizing up her. If one of them approached her, she would do her best to act with proper manners, but if none chose to do so, she would approach any that seemed particularly interested in her - or barring that, the closest available Cainite.

Upon arriving next to them. she would bob with a small curtsy, as was the fashion of the English, and introduce herself, if given the chance to speak. She was careful to speak good English, but hid little of her foreign accent. For her surname, she had taken the name of the local prince of her province. She had never had need of a surname growing up, and her father's surman had been simply been cel Vânător, the huntsman. But if she hoped to sell herself off as a properly cultivated Tzimisce, she must convince them that she came from the blood of a royal figure.

"Good evening. My name is Vezina Prasnaglava of Banat. I've come here to announce myself to the Lord Mithras. Would you be so kind as to tell me where I could find him?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Eliza feels the eyes of her fellow Cainites flowing over, a few of them giving her an approving nod behind their smiling facades. Most of them are dressed in finery similar to Eliza's own, a few wear simpler dress though they still seem equally elegant. A few of them are at least as beautiful as Eliza herself, at least one of them is quite possibly more beautiful. As Eliza feels herself drawn towards this woman with her long chestnut hair, she is suddenly accosted by another woman with a seductive smile on her face and an equally seductive voice. Her golden hair and pale skin contrasts perfectly with her black silk almost scandalous dress as she offers her hand.

"Hello Eliza? At least I assume you must be Eliza, Jourdain described you as beautiful but his words certainly didn't do enough justice. I'm Genevieve, I'm sure he would have mentioned me, though I fear his description of me probably wasn't as kind your own."

Anabelle certainly feels out of place with the gathered kindred though the sound of two swords clanging drifts to her through an open doorway of to the right of the banquet hall. The other kindred seem to pay her little mind as she makes her way over to the open door and peering through she can see two kindred involved in a fencing match. Their clothing suggests a higher station in life than her own though for some reason they don't seem to be as interested in the activities of the others in the banquet hall as Anabelle isn't.

Jocelyn feels the eyes just as Eliza does though they seem a bit more curious about her appearance. Probably from the months of dirt gathered on her once beautiful dress contrasting with her looks. Her hearing is able to pick up bits and pieces of conversations from the smaller cliques: the other newcomers like herself, Aethulwulf, Jourdain, even a whisper of lupines. Jocelyn tries to keep close to Anabelle but as she starts to follow she feels a soft tap on her shoulder. Turning slowly she finds the pale redheaded woman who had left with Jourdain looking at her. She's more striking than beautiful with almost tomboyish looks and curious eyes, she seems to be choosing her words carefully as she softly says

"Jocelyn, I believe. Sir Rodger would like to see you first. Someone, an Aubrey I believe, has already made the arrangements for your welcome to London. Please follow me."

Having arrived later than the others Vezina finds most of them still involved in their conversations. The others gathered in the room briefly look up at her entrance though they don't seem nearly as interested in her as they do Eliza. A few looks of disdain and comments about her bloodied dress are to be seen and heard, though a few of the more aloof Cainites seem to have taken an interest however and it is to one of these that she introduces herself. A very finely dressed gentleman of rougher looks who nods his head at her introduction before offering a seat nearby. A chess board sits on the small table between them as he introduces himself with a thick Saxon accent.

"Welcome Vezina, please seat yourself. I am Ulric of York, a visitor much like yourself. I fear you may have a long wait if you wish to speak with Lord Mithras however, he is currently in torpor I believe. Together with the recent poisoning of good Aethulwulf and the disappearance of good Valerius, it means most of our business must be taken care of by the Norman invader Rodger."

Vezina is able to pick up the multitude of conversations just as Jocelyn does though it is difficult to pick up more than the same keywords. She does pick up the term bloodroot in relation to Aethulwulf. She remembers the term from one of her masters books, an extremely poisonous herb found only in her homeland that is capable of poisoning even a Cainite.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Eliza gracefully walks through the room, unphased by all the attention. Not only was she used to it, but it appeared as if she expected it. Seeing the woman with the flowing chestnut hair, she felt herself beginning to turn in her direction, wanting to find out just who she was....

When suddenly the sultry little lasombra woman pulled Eliza aside. Eliza's kiwi gaze lingered on the brown haired woman for a moment, perhaps two moments if they were of the fleeting kind, until she turned her appraising gaze on Genevieve. And just who might this petulant little girl be? Eliza thought to herself. After Genevieve revealed her identity, however, Eliza smiled a little. She had been looking for Genevieve after all. She supposed the mystery beauty would just have to wait.

"Ah, thank you my dear. Yes, he did mention you..." Eliza trailed off for the briefest of moments as if to confirm Genevieve's fears, a smirk appearing on her face. "Don't worry yourself so. I prefer to rely on my own judgment when making acquaintances... and well, for pretty much anything."

Eliza ran a finger or two through her long wintery locks. "You are a childe of Gratiano, I believe? He must think very highly of you to send you on an important mission at such a young age." Eliza offered matter of factly.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Jocelyn jumped a little at the unexpected touch, watching the woman intently.

"Oh. Oh! Oh yes, good, umm..." She stuttered, then followed her example and tapped Anabelle on the shoulder. "I'll be right back. I think. Don't worry." She told the gangrel calmly, then followed the redheaded woman wherever she was choosing to lead her. "Is Aubrey still here, perhaps?" She asked as they walked.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Watching a few strikes against the other Anabelle certainly felt her interest piqued. When she felt the tap on her shoulder she gently turned. "I'll be here," she told Jocelyn, and watched her depart, before moving to the doorway once more.

Crossing her arms over her chest she leaned against the frame to take in the fight before her.

"Good moves," she called out to the fencers.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Thank you, kind sir," Vezina said as she took Ulric's proffered seat. Despite her road-worn and slightly bloodied appearance, she maintained an air of dignity, observing all the required signs of courtly etiquette that her master had drilled into her during the long years of training in the limestone caverns that housed her sacred earth.

When Ulric had likewise seated himself, she reached over to the chess set and moved a white pawn two spaces forward, inviting Ulric to engage her in a game, if he was willing.

"It would seem I have arrived at a tremulous time," Vezina said sombrely. "My thanks to you for enlightening me as to the current state of affairs. I shall wait then for this Rodger to make his appearance."

She paused, and if Ulric had made an opening defence on the chess board, she would move a knight into place to contend for the central position. Gyulu had taught her an appreciation for 'the game of kings' and had encouraged it as a mental exercise to sharpen her wits.

"Are there suspects for the act of poisoning? It seems a rather elaborate way to go about removing a rival. Who has benefited the most from it?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Well to be fair to Jourdain, I've probably been more trouble than I'm worth till now. Gravesend is a dangerous place for unsuspecting neonates, too be honest I didn't mind being rescued. Your brother is certainly a handsome knight though his armor is anything but shiny."

Genevieve says as she leads Eliza towards a bench along one wall to take a seat and survey the other gathered kindred. "I certainly hope my sire holds me in high regard. Though I sometimes wonder about being sent to such a dismal place as London."


The fencers seem fairly equally matched, the taller black haired man moving with almost unparallelled grace as he counters the shorter gray bearded man. The grey beard makes an unusual feint before catching the hilt of the taller man's sword which clatters to the floor just as Anabelle makes her comment. They both turn and nod with a flourish as the taller man picks up his sword and offers it towards her.

"Perhaps you would care to try your hand, losing twice in a row to Donigal has me worn out. Not to worry though it's a friendly duel."


Ulric takes his seat and seeing that Vezina has made an opening move on the board counters with his own before speaking.

"I'm sure you will receive an appointment with the good chamberlain before long. He may allow us to gather in his home at times like these but he rarely joins us in our courtly affairs. He prefers to study most of his time away in his dusty library of genealogies and more esoteric tomes. You will never find a greater Scion than he when it comes to the teachings of the Via Regalis."

Countering Vezina's next move as they vie for control of the chess board he continues.

"Therein lies the problem, the only one to truly benefit from Aethulwulf being poisoned is Valerius. Then there is the odd use of a poison known only to grow in the lands of the Tzimisce, who abhor it's use under all but the most dire of circumstances. The Saracens prefer their own poisons for use in their art, which leaves us with an unknown assailant who seems to be going down the list of powerful kindred in the area."

----------

Jocelyn is lead back towards the front of the house past the staring lifeless eyes of the servant and follows the woman up the stairs. Going down another nicely appointed hall she opens a door to a grand library and says.

"Yes, I believe he is still around somewhere. Sir Rodger is in the back amongst his records, he won't mind the interruption as he is expecting you. I'll be here in the front when you are finished to lead you back."

Seating herself at a desk she picks up a dusty tome of her own and begins to read at a small desk. Far in the back Jocelyn can see Jourdain leaning down and conversing with someone at a desk filled with papers.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Sitting down on the bench next to Genevieve, Eliza looked aghast at her comments. She leaned close to Genevieve, so she could speak in but a whisper. "To be fair to Jourdain? My dear girl... you are of Clan Lasombra, the most perfect of all the clans. It can be a pain but when you are perfect in every way others will do what they can to put you down." The young lasombra was quoting her esteemed sire of course, but she felt it appropriate.

"You should think more highly of yourself. We can't all be dashing warriors, but that doesn't mean we can't be powerful. Surely there's something you're good at?" Eliza glanced about the room. "If my hunch is correct, you probably know a great deal about the kindred in this room, strengths, weaknesses, how to wrap them around your pretty little finger, perhaps?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Genevieve looks down towards the floor shyly as she responds, "I think I understand what you mean, Eliza. It can be so difficult however being perfect, even if it's only being perfect at one thing. I feel so often that anyone of import can simply ignore me. I assure you I would never show such weakness to the others, something about you makes you seem so much more understanding than your brother or my sire."

She looks up into Eliza's eyes as she says the last part smiling demurely, her soft brown eyes locking with Eliza's own for the briefest of seconds before she continues.

"I do know quite a bit about the more well-known kindred of the court, even a thing or two of the less common kindred. Who are you most interested in, I could probably even introduce you if you wish."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"There is nothing inherently wrong with an interest in genealogy or the privacy of study - at least in my humble opinion," Vezina said as she and Ulric traded the next few moves, until at last the opening sequences were done and the board position became untried and unfamiliar, which was to say, when the game got interesting. "My sire took great lengths to speak to me of his ancestry in relation to Caine, and of the history of our race. I found it rather fascinating. Perhaps I too could be accused of enjoying a dusty tome to courtly intrigue. Books have a way of offering up their lies without malice, and occasionally you can trust that you have gleaned an ounce of truth from them."

She made another move, playing her usual aggressive style, using the queen threateningly. Part of why she had enjoyed chess was the fact that the female piece was the strongest weapon on the board. Gyulu, who had always been the better player, but who enjoyed teaching her by example, explained that one mustn't forget that while the queen was the strongest weapon, she was just that - a tool, and it might be necessary to sacrifice her to achieve victory. That was what being a ruler was about - knowing when and how to sacrifice to achieve a greater good.

"So Aethulwolf is poisoned and Valerius, his rival and the main benefactor, disappears immediately after. Perhaps Valerius knows he is suspect and has retreated to a place of safety? Guilty or innocent, it would be the wise thing to do. But if his disappearance was not his own doing, then this must be the work of a very capable kindred... And yes, I believe blood root is the name of the poison you're referring to. It grows in the land of my mortal birth, and indeed, my clan dislikes its use, though there are always exceptions to that rule."

Vezina's lip curled into a semi smile and glanced at Ulric. "I am of the Tzimisce bloodline, one of the few to make it to these distant shores. I hope that I shall represent my clan well. May I ask what clan you hail from, kind Ulric?"

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Jocelyn took a few seconds to admire the library itself, before focusing on Jourdain and the seated man, walking over to them with the voices going nonstop.

Can't you see what he looks like, we need to be careful, run away!
It's a trick of the light, he may no tbe perfect, but he's kind enough. Keep going.
Well, at least try not to set him off! What did Aubrey say about him again? Does he have a title?
Does he like being called by it? Surely you can't address him by his first name though, you haven't even met yet...

"M-m'lord." Jocelyn says with a respectful bow when she gets close enough, using another look around the library to conceal a slight waving of her arms, to ward the voices away for a little while. Not really knowing what else to say, she just stood there, waiting a reply.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Donigal... my name is Anabelle," she said with a slight bow as she took the offered blade and swung it a few times to get a feel for its balance and weight. She strode to stand before the newly introduce kindred, holding her blade before her.

"I do not suspect I will have much more favor than your former opponent. I am a soldier, but I could always learn much from such a contest," Anabelle said with a smile, sliding her feet into a position where they would be stable.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Eliza laughs softly. "Of course you feel comfortable my dear. That just means you have good judgment." Returning Genevieve's gaze with a self-important smirk, Eliza continues. "Being ignored can be frustrating but also quite useful when it means that others underestimate your true power. And that is something best kept to yourself and perhaps those individuals sufficiently... understanding... until the time is right to strike" Eliza winks before glancing about the room once again. "Best not to speak too openly about these things, however. One never knows who might be listening in places like this. Perhaps sometime we can discuss things more privately."

Suddenly grinning, Eliza leans a little bit closer to Genevieve. "Any juicy details or dirt I should know about? I confess I find myself a bit out of my element not knowing anyone around here. I'm especially interested in that woman with the brown hair over there."

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Ulric smiles as the game continues, it's almost as if he intuitively knows where the pieces belong and quickly and confidently moves them around the board. Vezina's remark about study draws an odd look from him as he answers.

"It is true there is nothing inherently wrong with study but one should be wary lest on the path to knowledge they find themselves traveling down the path of madness."

After the opening moves have finished he smiles once more as he captures one of Vezina's Knights. "Yes, perhaps it is simply a ploy by Valerius to avoid suspicion or perhaps it is two masters of the jyhad capturing each others pawns in a much larger game of chess. We are all pawns in some way and to someone.

Tzimisce you say, how unusual that one of the lords of the east should come here to the Baronies of Avalon. Perhaps you have come to aid the Normans in their usurpation of Saxon lands much as we did the lands of the Celts."

He stares off into space at the board for a second before continuing, "No, you have come to escape the silly battles for temporal power or at least you're sire has. He can not escape the jyhad though they will find him like the rest of us."

--------------
Jourdain nods to the man seated and Jocelyn before quietly leaving them to move back towards the woman seated at the front of the room. Leaving Jocelyn with the man seated amongst the piles of books and papers. He looks as though he may once have been quite handsome, though his regal face has grown gaunt and pale as a corpse. The skin on his bald head is stretched thinly and looks as though it might crack if he smiled as he says.

"Ah, Jocelyn I believe. So good of you to finally join us. I have heard so much about you from Aubrey...who...Hmm, well he is around here somewhere. Perhaps perusing some ancient treatise in the library, it is no matter for I wish to know about you at this time. Please seat yourself and we can discuss your acceptance in my lord's domain."

--------------
Donigal merely smiles as Anabelle takes the offered sword and readies herself. He assumes a similar position before responding in an accent similar to her own, though not Scottish or Pict, perhaps one of the many islands.

"Every one of us can learn something from a fight even one we lose. Sir Guy will never become truly great until he has learned this. Now en garde."

He opens with an easily parried thrust before blocking Anabelle's own attack. They continue like this for a few minutes as though he's trying to feel her out and learn her style.

--------------
Genevieve nods as she looks around timidly, "Perhaps you are right about not speaking so openly of such things. The sheriff was about earlier and he could be sitting right beside us at this very moment for all we know. Richard is certainly abhorent to the sight but he knows how to find the smallest gossip on everyone."

She looks towards the gorgeous brunette indicated by Eliza before smiling and answering. "I should have known you would be most drawn to Edwina, not many could resist her looks. Even the Lord Mithras has commented on the star of the Toreador clan's beauty. She has many suitors and who could blame them for she almost manages to outshine even one as beautiful as yourself."

Genevieve looks down for a second as though embarrassed by her remark about Eliza's beauty. If she could blush you imagine her being as red as an apple at this time. Finally she finishes, "It is said she is some vain attempt by Isleanna, the primogen, to replace someone she favored long ago but who was taken before the embrace could be given to her. Almost like some courtly tale of forgotten love told by a minstrel."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Getting into the back and forth of the fight, Anabelle started to get a sense of her opponent's moves herself.

"If one survives a defeat, that is where some of the greatest lessons can be learned. The key is surviving," she said with a smile swinging downwards towards his shoulder, before flipping her own sword and grasping it by the blade.

Ignoring the steel pressing into her leather clad palms, she pushed her hilt down and forward, hoping to catch Donigal's foot and throw him off balance.