Ustalav - Night 1 -
Murnau looks at the women and sees that all have similar such braids.
As they search they of course find nothing. Whatever it is they serve they are servants after all. They confer and as one disappear down the street in a blur.
Interesting...
Ustalav - Night 1 -
The second guard too succumbs to the Lullaby and slumps against the wall.
Do you kill both or take just enough to sate your hunger.
---
Behind you, you see your Granddaughter now begin to feed on the guards but are not entirely certain if she will sup or slaughter.
Murnau "breathes" a sigh of relief as the women vanish down the alley.
That was.... too close for comfort. Let's return to our room, shall we? No point in risking our cover- we can always return later to satisfy our curiosity, he tells Caligo.
The two mentally nod and vanish into the night, returning to their room and waiting for the night to pass.
Thulmerë makes his way back into the inn, masking his rage from the female guard escorts.
Wretched dogs, I should of drained them dry in the streets. Murnau would have me scolded, arrogant bastard.
He makes his way to the barkeep, curious about the man he dominated.
"Excuse me sir, I noticed outside your inn there was a seal of the clergy of Sarenrae. Who is our humble priest?"
Veldrin walks into the room of the person with the confused mind "Evening. I was passing by and sensed your distress, are you alright?"
Murza kills one and ties the other up, dragging both bodies back to her and Veldrin's room. she removes the head of the dead one to prevent him from turning.
She waits patiently for the other vampire to return....
Ustalav - Night 1 -
---
You remove both guards from the hall and keep one for a snack later. The other you send to meet his God.
Then, with the shades drawn, you begin to rest...
---
As you enter the room, you find that the man whose room you have entered in a Cleric of Sarenrae. Why he has plenty of paraphernalia befitting such a station including a holy symbol around his neck.
He sits up as you enter, "Who are you and why are you in my room?" The look on the man's face is guarded despite your pleasant tone.
"Guards!" he bellows out. There is of course, no response.
---
Veldrin holds up his hands to show he's no threat "Easy padre, I mean you no harm. I am a medic of the mind, and sensed your pain from downstairs. The guards gave me permission to come and try to ease your troubled state."
Ustalav - Night 1 -
He stands up, still a bit confused, "I was dreaming. Odd dreams. I am well, I just need to get back to sleep.
Still... why have my men not responded. Perhaps you can check on them for me?"
He begins to cast a spell.
"What sorts of dreams? They can often reveal deep rooted problems, concerns and desires." The necromancer appears to be genuinely interested in what the priest has been dreaming about.
"It is as I told you before. Your guards have not responded because they allowed me to come up and check on you."
Murza spends her time in the room dancing, using the gaurd's disembodied head as her dancing partner, meanwhile keeping an eye on the other sleeping man... Knowing her spells don't last forever...
Ustalav - Night 1 -
He pauses, "I dreamt that I encountered a Child of the Night, right here in my room. Odd, it felt so real... Still, I was not tired and then I was, now I am not once more. Perhaps my spell had an unintended consequence.
Regardless, while I appreciate your concern, this is a place which holds great dangers. I suggest you leave this place and I do not mean the Inn, I mean Marian Leigh at daybreak. Evil dwells here and I intend to stop it.
If you would be so kind as to send my guards in, I would speak with them about allowing one who I do not know into my rooms at night for that was the exact opposite instruction that I gave to them".
Veldrin feigns shock at the declaration of evil being present in the town. "Evil? What sort of evil? This town seems peaceful enough. Perhaps my companions and I can help?"
Ustalav - Night 1 -
"First the guards..." He moves towards the door to peer into the hall.
"I can't let you do that." Veldrin says, and summons a ghostly chain to halt the priest in his tracks.
Ustalav - Night 1 -
The chain suddenly entangles the Cleric who appears shocked!
The cleric manages to ski out of the Chains, he's quicker than he looks. "My spell will protect me from you. You must serve her but I'll not let you take me!"
Veldrin grabs the cleric by the arm, and casts a spell that will hopefully hold him in place.
He will also direct the chain to once more perform an entangle attempt
Ustalav - Night 1 -
The Cleric tries to get away from the grasp of Valdrin but is just too slow.
Somehow, the Cleric resist the paralysis!
He cannot though, avoid the chain's entangling him.
Stupid Mortal cannot even see that Veldrin is trying so very hard not to kill him!
He grimaces and twists a holy symbol with his hand, though the rope seems to nullify his attempt at spellcasting.
Veldrin once more commands the chain, this time moving the cleric backwards, towards his bed.
The necromancer takes the holy symbol out of the man's hands, and places himself directly between the his foe and the doorway, readying a spell should he break free and attempt to move past him.
"Who do you think I serve? And what evil lurks within this town?" Veldrin repeats, most curious.
Ustalav - Night 1 -
Veldrin tris to clutch at the Holy Symbol but the Cleric shifts his hand away at the last second. The chain once more drags him backwards.
The cleric narrows his eyes at Veldrin, "If you do not serve the Lady than I demand you release me!
Ustalav - Night 1 -
"Excuse me sir, I noticed outside your inn there was a seal of the clergy of Sarenrae. Who is our humble priest?"
The barkeeo shrugs, "Some quack named Leeland. Says that, under his breath mind you, that our true ruler here in the city is some sort of fiend of darkness. I don't believe it, the Lady has been nohitng but courteous to citizens, we've lived as good as we've ever!
He always pays his tab though so I don't mind him. Stay away from him though, he and his see Witches and Vampires in every shadow!"
"I'll release you, but first, inform me of what's going on in Marian Leigh that has a priest of Sarenrae here."
Ustalav - Night 1 -
Though stubborn, the Cleric is no fool, he responds with words instead of actions, "Travelers have been disappearing from this city for years. There is never any proof mind you but I know in my gut that this place has a problem. Too many people to have all been kidnapped by the Whispering Way or slain by mindless undead while traveling. There is some sort of presence here that is unnatural.
I've been here several times gathering evidence of what that presence is and I believe I am close.
It is clear to me you are not one of her servants as you would have caused me harm when you could have. No release me and tell me why I cannot leave this room, what happened to my guards!?"
Veldrin commands the chain to let the priest go, but does not dismiss it, yet. "I believe your guards have been compromised. They had left their posts before I came upstairs."
Ustalav - Night 1 -
The man's face looks crestfallen, "..."
He hardens his face and looks more determined than ever, "Then, it is time for me to take my leave of this place. I have all of the proof I shall need though the blood of my men shall be forever upon my hands... I would urge you to leave as well. Your sorcery will not save you from the fiends that prowl these alleys".
Veldrin nods "I wish you well then. I will confer with my companions, and we will depart as soon as able. Thank you for the information."
With that, Veldrin will also take his leave, and goes to find his allies.
Thulmerë Harzhor listens intently to the barkeep, he widens his eyes when the word vampire leaves his lips.
"Vampires in these parts?! So the rumors are true and it isn't just superstitions of the rural folk. Oh please, thousand pardons. I didn't mean to insult you, I'm new to these lands."
Pretending to be humble and play ignorant, Thulmerë bows his head before the barkeep. Something he's glad Veldrin will never see.
"I will be heading off, prayer that only bedbugs will be biting tonight."
Thulmerë heads up the stairs, towards his allies. He moves slowly, taking more time to slowly investigate the inn.
Ustalav - Night 1 -
As Thulmerë heads up, he sees the cleric he dominated coming down with Veldrin standing at the landing of the stairs about ready to head down as well.
You murmur a few words to the cleric who looks at you oddly and continues on his way, "Sleep off that drunkenness Sir, I've places to be". He rushes out the front door!
Thulmerë nods to the cleric as he walks past him. Once the cleric is out of sight, Thulmerë manipulates his armour the take the form of garish robes typical of Taldor.
He whispers to Veldrin."Ah Veld, how fortunate to catch you at this hour of the night. I will let him travel before calling him back, it would appear that he weaken my charm by spell or by some other matter. You can't blame me, the irony of a fallen sun priest is far too delicious to pass up."
Veldrin looks at the elder vampire a bit oddly "It's the middle of the night, we're always awake now. Regardless, that cleric is enspelled by you? Glad I didn't kill him when we were talking. He revealed that there's some kind of 'great evil' in town, apparently in the form of some 'lady'. I am rather curious as to what that might be, and if said 'evil lady' could be an ally."
Thulmerë will return Veldrin odd look with a smile,"funny coming from people that live under thousands of feet of stone and dirt. I was outside and the sun will be rising soon, we best make sure our windows are covered. When we all awake, I'd like to address something."
He will gesture for the two to return, continuing to whisper in the hallways.[b]"Excellent work, thus far the cleric has shown to be useful. Hmm, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. We'll make sure address this, Excellent work my old friend."
Murza plays with the dead guard, waiting for the other to wake as well as her companion to return to the room.
she take's the guard's weapons, and uses one to mount the head about eye-level to the living guard. giggling as she does this. humans are so fun...
Ustalav - Night 1 -
Veldrin returns to the room he shares with his granddaughter finding her literally, dancing with the dead.
Thulmerë returns to his own rooms to rest the day away.
Ustalav - Day 2 -
The day dawns and in the late morning, while the dead sleep, Alliszah rises!
Thulmerë returns to the comfort of his own, he quikcly makes sure the windows are covered to prevent the unwanted affection of the lights touch.
Once the sun has risen, he recedes to the corner of the room, away from the windows. He sits on the floor and begins to mediate to pass the time of day light and ensuring the hold on his thrall's will.
While the other vampires seek their beds, Veldrin cracks open his spellbook, and beings the hour long meditation to prepare and memorize new spells.
After he's done, he wait till Allizsah awakens and fills her in on what happened last night, that he is aware of.
Murza slips into the other's room, finding Veldrin. What should I do with the second gaurd? she asks the older vampire. He'll wake up any minute now and I think it would be best to dispose of him, but I kept him alive in case one of you want a snack...
"I should feed, thank you."
Veldrin casts a spell which causes him to look quite lifelike in appearance, and adds typical adventuring gear to his otherwise plain robes, including a holy symbol of Iomedae.
Prior to heading downstairs, he attempts to recall anything he might have learned or heard in passing about Marian Leigh
Upon arriving in the common room, he heads to the bar or otherwise flags down somebody who obviously looks in charge.
"The priest who was staying here claims there's some great evil within town and I'd like to investigate. Sadly, I believe he left in the middle of the night, but I am willing to pay for any solid leads or information."
"I should feed, thank you."
Ustalav - Day 2 -
The barkeep scowls, "That quack Leeland?
Yer lucky my shift ain't over for another hour so's I can set you straight. He says that, under his breath mind you, that our true ruler here in the city is some sort of fiend of darkness. I don't believe it, the Lady has been nothing but courteous to citizens, we've lived as good as we've ever!
He always pays his tab though so I don't mind him. Good riddance to him I say, he sees Witches and Vampires in every shadow!
Strange though that he left, I didn't see the other two fella's he was with..."
He breaks off his comment as the Cleric comes striding right back in, thoughtful but looking quite tired. He heads up to his room not acknowledging the only two people in the common room, Veldrin and the Barkeep.
Veldrin chuckles "Yep! That's him alright! Thought I was a servant of her's, can you believe it? Anyways, I'm not sure he's quite right in the head, but one of the priests in Vigil got wind of his crazy rantings, and asked me to follow up on them, as I was passing by already."
He pauses, thinking. "Oh, that reminds me, I seem to recall there being gorgeous rose gardens within town. I was in the middle of doing a study on the aromatic effect of flowers on the human psyche and I would love to do a little research while I'm here."
Once he gets the info he needs Veldrin, true to his word, leaves a few gold pieces on the counter, and heads outside, seemingly in search of the rose gardens.
Murza yawns, bored like she always is. She was old for a child, but still just a child. She diddles around her room, walking on the ceiling and practicing her songs, keeping the ghostly melodies quiet jn the night.
Allizsah awakes to find Veldrin had returned and spoke to her about the evenings... activities. "Well sounds like you all had a long night." Allizsah gave a small smile before she got ready for the day and Veldrin left.
Mayhaps I should check on the others... Veldrin has ways of dealing with the sun but the others... I do not wish to set something in motion that will undo or damage something they began last night... Allizsah's mind toyed with many idea on what to do but finally she settled upon playing her roll to keep up appearances for the group.
Allizsah made her way down, giving a kind smile to the barkeeper while making her way over. "Would you be a dear and tell me if you've seen my, husband? I know he came down but no where he has gotten off to. He can be rather forgetful you see." Allizsah said with a small laugh.
Ustalav - Day 2 -
The Barkeep shakes his head at the Cleric, "Bizarre..." He then proceeds to give direction to the Rose Garden. Dead center in the quaint little village.
Before Veldrin gets too far, his "wife" is able to catch up with him. His disguise hides the grayness of his features by day. No doubt, it is comprised of magic.
The two walk hand in hand, just another couple enjoying a lovely day. The streets are filled with women, many many women. Oh there are some men but not many and those that are there labor and toil on building projects.
Soon enough the two reach the Rose Gardens. The gates are closed though the smell is powerful! As you make your way around, you find there are four separate gates each of which is closed. Suddenly a cloud appears overhead and rain begins to cascade down upon the gardens.
"That's an interesting aroma, I wonder what the cause of it could be?!" The necromancer says, maintaining his guise.
However, in Necril he says.
"Smell of blood, apparently vampiric. Very *interesting*.