Prologue - Virlych - the Seat of Power of the Eternal Council
Sir Didymus seems outraged at the notion, "Do you question my bravery Audbrey!?"
Audbrey ignores him and responds to you, "I fear for his safety if we do not do so Slade as I know he is your favorite pet..."
Thulmerë will rub his brow with this fingers.
"No no, I rather remain amicable with Fennamir. Tell him to come to my chambers when he has a moment, we need to plan a day to go hunting in the country side." He says with bitter tone.
"I shall take them to my chambers then. You are coming as well Thulmerë?" Allizsah told the thrall before asking Thulmerë her question. "Have the refreshments brought there. I'd hate for our guests to have to stand here waiting. It is rude." She told the thrall before she turned her attention back to their guests.
"Please follow me. We can pass the time as we await being summoned. I've been told I'm pleasant company." She said with a soft laugh as she ensured their horses where taken then lead them to her own chambers.
The main room was set up lavishly, with a large bookshelf on the east wall covered in books. Five of which looked far larger and more favored then all others. The desk sat to the right of it and was neatly decorated with all one would need when for writing.
A fainting couch faced the door, draped in silks with a few pillows upon it. Facing the couch was a love seat and four winged chairs that made a half-circle facing the fainting couch. An arched table paralleled the chairs beautifully.
"Please, take which ever of the seats at the table that you wish." Allizsah said as she walked in and draped herself on the fainting couch. "Tell me, was the trip pleasant? Or at least not terrible?" She asked softly.
Thulmerë groans begrudging,"Yes, Fennamir and I may be immortal contemporaries. I'd rather not, drag our house into a blood feud. Exciting as that might sound." he said with a chuckle.
Once Thulmerë reaches Allizsah's chamber, he will observe her book collection. Noting the larger tomes."Ah yes, whenever you wish to continue your research. Nearly slipped my mind."
Thulmerë will remain quiet, observing the guests.
"While I'd love to continue it now, it would be rude. We are here to entertain guests after all." Allizsah said with a slight smile as she shifted to watch Thulmerë look over her work. "Please feel free to read through my work. I would be greatly honored for any feedback you would give."
"Of course, we have guests." He says will a warm smile and a bow.
Thulmerë will drag his fingers across the leather bindings, picking the third of the five tomes. He begins to read the large tome.
"Tell me, you all felt that shockwave no? I've yet to interact with a force such as that since Earthfall thousands of years ago and the fall of Aroden."
Thulmerë will continue flipping through the pages.
"Who will come first, dinner or the other families?"
The book Thulmerë had taken from the shelf was one upon the Aswang vampire. Commonly found in the distant east, only five chapters where written within this book. While it was nothing to sneeze at, it was barely a eight of the book.
Though Thulmerë had to admit, Allizsah had lovely hand writing and the pictures she had drawn within the book where very detailed. This had to of taken a long amount of time.
Allizsah looked over to Thulmerë, noticing the book he had. "Oh please, do some show mercy on your feedback with that one. It is very hard to find an Aswang in these lands. I've only ever come across one and she told me all within that book before departing." She explained.
"Yes, the shockwave was certainly interesting. It ruined several fine sculptures, and nearly as many plots. We assume you've learned the reason for it?"
Rosalind seems if not on edge, sharply attentive. She seats her Mistress, then stands elegantly beside the ancient one. Her smile is relaxed, even if her posture is not.
Lener's voice shifts an octave higher, in mockery. "Why, of course, we shall wait for the delegations. And in the meantime, we all ought to act properly, and mingle, and introduce one another, how delightful, and why shouldn't we all braid our hair and talk about our feelings? Really, I don't know why we keep act this act. You, however-" He points at Saban "You showed bravery in crossing these ruins. What is your name?"
The bloodied man stands a little taller at the compliment. "My name is Saban Wright, sir. Of the Jerusen family. And, uh, who might you be? You don't act as prim and proper as the other guests."
"I'm Lener-" I used to be called Waywriter "-Wardwaver. From House Malkistra. This is my blood-brother Helt Vhis."
"Perhaps it is my young age, perhaps my Orcish heritage, but you won't find me engaging in frivolous, hypocritical pleasantness. If I want something, I'll take it. If I hate something, I'll destroy it. I'm as simple as that."
Thulmerë puts back the tome, smirking in regards to Lener's comments.
"Yes an excellent idea, let's forgo all diplomacy that we've built for thousands of years and just turn back to clan warfare. While we're at it, bring back Tar-Baphon so your family and all orckind could become his slaves again. Those were some interesting times." Said in a dismissive tone.
Walking closer to Saban. "Jerusen? I was wondering which house sent you as a representative. Hard to tell when you're covered in all that viscera. Tell me how are Nosferatu? It's been ages since I've seen one."
Kisara frowns as she stares around the courtyard, her arms crossing over her chest as she surveys the others present. Her gaze lingers on the green one and the ridiculous noises coming out of his mouth before she shakes her head and loops her arm through Angelitos, before following after the civilized creatures.
When they reach the chambers, she wordlessly points towards a spot by the door before strolling in to the room and glancing around. "Charming!" She mutters honestly, before taking a seat at the table, sliding her gloves off and beginning to inspect her nails.
'We travel all this way, endure all we have and they are not even ready for us?' Though they were not truly magically tied together, she could feel her tension being mirrored back to her, from her stocky manservant who stood by the door.
Lener snarks at Thulmere. "Sure, if you want to call it diplomacy. Diplomacy starts with two warriors realizing that they are wasting time fighting each other when they could fight someone else instead. Then each of the warriors picks up some sniveling lackey, who uses words instead of swords, because they want someone who can lie and twist the truth better than they can. The two lackeys then start making up rites and ceremonies to hide lies within lies within lies and in a moment what started out as a honest negotiation has become a party where every drink is poisoned and everyone cares to form more than substance."
"No, I may care for diplomacy but I don't care for form and pomp and circumstance. You want something of me, ask for it, don't make my patience grow thinner through curtsies and titles and all that noise."
"A warrior knows when he must speak or his weapon must speak for him. Your brash foolishness risks your family and everything we've built for millennia." Glaring at Lener.
"That's the why your family were slaves to Mazeflesh. Serving no real purpose save for your battle lust, admirable yet reckless. Regardless, the council has summoned you here for their purposes, to what end we shall see."
"Thulmerë please." Allizsah said with a soft sigh. She looked to Lener, offering a slight smile. "I do this to be civil. Surely just being civil is not unknown to you?" It was far more rhetorical then an actual question, but she was sure she got her point across.
"It is so wonderful to have all the families together however. I look foreword to hearing what the meeting shall be about." Allizsah admitted. "I honestly did not expect them to have us wait, I wonder if that means the meeting thus far has gone poorly?" She asked the group for their input.
Saban looks down at his armor. He'd almost forgotten its sad state. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that. I haven't really had a chance to clean up after my, er, hike out here." He shrugs apologetically. "I don't interact with the Nosferatu often to be frank. They don't think near as highly of me as the true vampires. I stay out of their way and they, for the most part, tolerate my presence."
Kisara continues to study her hands, as she begins to speak. "Maybe the meeting has not gone well, or maybe it is something about our nature. We are the reliving, we do not sleep, we do not count our time on this planet because it does not truly matter to us. We are relentless, our nights are as endless as time. What need we to hurry?" She glanced up then, towards the Half Orc.
"Civility between us costs us nothing. We are ALL tired of the pleasantries now. May I suggest we all sit down and be at ease. We have no need for grandstanding or shaking of sabers. Yes?"
"This meeting was scheduled months before it was originally planned. The council has rarely done, whatever their reason may be, it must be important for their plans to change so abruptly."
Thulmerë turns back to Saban."No need for apologies, brave of you to wander into these lands without properly warding yourself."
Prologue - Virlych - the Seat of Power of the Eternal Council
As you land Sir Didymus exclaims, "Did you see that below! So many of the restless dead, we need to go back and slay them my friends lest they threaten the fine Nobles of this Tower!"
A human wearing white gloves approaches as you land. Nearby a stablehand wrestles with a pair of feisty horses who clearly are Thralls as horses are not nearly so stubborn if they are taught to pull carriages of such obvious value.
He clears his throat, "What Family are you... oh my apologies Master Aldamori. I fear that the Council is not ready yet, would you be so kind as to follow one of these young Thralls to the place where the others are waiting?"
Audbrey frowns but directs the Thrall, one of the stablehands who seems glad to be away from the horses to lead on. Sir Didymus seems exasperated to head in but follows if you so order.
Lener smiles at Kisara, showing more fangs that even vampires usually have. A beautiful one, she is. Fiery hair like a setting sun. There never was time for girls back then...
"Mistress Vulpina, was it? I do not believe that I was lacking civility, I never offended anyone, be it person or House. And if my honesty about old, pretentious rituals offended someone, then I don't believe it's my problem. And with just that same honesty I can say that I am pleased to meet you."
(Slightly earlier)
Murnau's eyes glitter with a light not normally seen in the undead as he accepts Allizsah's offer, "Why, but of course. Do show us the way." His partner stays silent, but the haunting tune 'heard' earlier is still present, though diminished, as they follow the group through the castle. Upon arrival in the luxurious room, Murnau gestures for his fellows to sit, then seats himself upon the third seat in the semicircle, the chair pulling itself back and moving forward again to accommodate the moroi as he takes a seat. His black-armored companion takes up a position just behind and to the right of Murnau, standing guard with his arms crossed.
"The journey here was not terrible, not excellent. Despite a few close calls, we remained undetected and unharmed during our travels. I am curious as to what the council has summoned us for. I presume it must pertain to the fallen star in Riddleport. They say it obliterated an island, but that must surely be an exaggeration. Such an event has not taken place since millennia before even I was born. Do the Drakina representatives have any say on the matter?"
(Now)
Murnau raises an eyebrow when Lener scoffs at ceremony. It's a calculated expression, crafted to convey a point.
"Patience, young one. All in due time. You may mock procedure and ceremony, but it is an important-yet subtle- way to convey information."
"I believe Murnau is correct, the fallen star is an unprecedented event. It's what wiped out my nation. Although what could of caused it this time?"
The moroi regards Thulmerë with an interested glance, "You're Azlanti? My, you are the ancient one, aren't you?"
Kisara stands slowly and walks around the table, keeping her hand resting lightly on the wood. She smiles and inclines her head to the Half-Orc. "I did not wish to imply that you had been anything but civil, I was just stressing that we should strive to be. It is easier for us to keep a civil tongue if we follow the tired old tradition of diplomacy, is it not?"
She grinned before bowing to him ever so slightly. "And I am most pleased to meet you Lener Wardwaver. It is a delight!"
She turned and pulled out a chair from the table, across from where she had been sitting, before returning to her original position and gesturing towards it. "Please, join me. All of you. Let us sit and talk on small things, till we are summoned!"
Thulmerë turns his head towards the Moroi vampire.
"Pure blooded and the first of Zura's spawn. Perhaps as ancient as time it's self. Was it my purple eyes? Perhaps the aura of arrogance?" he chuckles.
Thulmerë walks towards the vampire, looking him up and down."How about yourself? I don't believe I've seen you at the council before."
Helt will give a slight nod when introduced by Lener. Helt is visibly tense based on some of the conversation that is being had.
All the incessant talking...when will this council begin.
Zelic moved forward, keeping a pace or two behind Kisara, and watched intently as she and the others interacted. As they introduced themselves, he made mental notes of each name and paired it with the appropriate face.
The Jair Family had earned their reputation for ruthless efficiency justly, and one never knew who the next target would be. These folk, specifically requested by the Council, were unlikely to be next on the list, but that didn't mean it couldn't happen, or wouldn't eventually. He himself planned on living forever, and a lot can happen in forever.
"Zelic, of Jair," he responds, to all who ask his name, though he contributes little else to the conversation, leaving the pleasantries to his sister as he follows behind her.
As the vampires talk however, Zelic spend a disproportionate amount of time watching Thulmerë and Murnau. These two, known to be some of the oldest vampires in Golarion have succeeded for millennia at surviving, and if Zelic can learn something from any of them, it's those two.
|
For those still watching a large black wolf lands from flight in the court yard and then transforms into a towering man who bends down and speaks quietly to a halfling who says with some dignity very well I shall wait in the stable quarters and stomps off a bit dramatically. The large man then enters the space where all the rest of the vampires stand in wait and speaks
I present to those assembled family Rogavia, and its representative Master Aldamori With this the large man steps aside allowing Aldamori to enter the room.
"The mention of a falling star obliterating your nation. But yes, the extreme aura of arrogance should have clued me in from the moment I first saw you." Murnau grins, showing just a hint of his fangs, "I am Master Murnau Ruthven, Seneschal to Blood Emperor Kalus, representative of the Ruithvein Family, and personal ambassador of Blood Emperor Ruithven himself. This is my aide-"
(Caligo Genitor the Ancient)
The voice, hollow, echoing, and intimidating, sounds in the mind of those present. Those present earlier recognize it as the voice that introduced the Ruithvien representatives as they drifted in.
Prologue - Virlych - the Seat of Power of the Eternal Council
The trip goes as well as can be expected. The carriage holding both Drakina Vampires is not disturbed on their way through the dangerous territories of Belkzen as they fly the flag of Tar-Baphon, a history no Orc wishes to revisit. Outside of the rugged lands of the Orcs, the Council of Thieves of Riddleport is the flag flown, despite the fact that the drow and their retainers are not on any sort of mission for the Council, their ruse works well enough.
The only difficulty comes when the carriage arrives at Sidstalav and the mortal retainers are forced to stay inside the carriage lest they be eaten by the restless dead of the forsaken village. Still it is easy enough for the two Vampires to direct the carriage by this point in the trip the horses have become accustomed to their deathly smell.
As the carriage arrives the courtyard is clear and a Thrall with white gloves bows respectfully to the Drakina representatives. "My Lords, the Council is not yet ready to receive you, please follow me..."
The mortal leads you to a now cramped room full of other Vampires...
Murza scoffs, well, that took longer than was needed, but FINALLY! I guess being as young as me, you haven't learned patience, for I could kill the next mortal who tells me I have to wait.... I wonder if it would be frowned apon if I killed that thrall.
Prologue - Virlych - the Seat of Power of the Eternal Council - Allizsah's Suite
The woman who had yet to introduce herself giggles from her seat next to Rosalind, She screams that at the top of her lungs.
"But Thulmerë and Murnau here in the flesh, this must be something important... Tell me Thulmere, does Azlanti blood taste different? Come to me, I'd like to know". Her voice is husky and full of seduction.
The room pauses and it dawns on each of you that this is the Head of the Thuvian Family, Voracia herself standing, well seated, in your midst. Perhaps one of the most powerful and unpredictable members of any of the Families. Rosalind was not kidding when she introduced this one as her Mistress.
Voracia turns her attention away from the crowd as Audbrey Aldamori enters the room, "Choral, is that you!?"
He simply grins at Voracia and turns, "The Drakina are right behind me..."
=======
Veldrin strides in, surveying his fellow kindred with a practiced, studied gaze. He spots Thulmerë, whom he nods to respectfully, and he actually smiles at Allizsah as he was fond of the Tiefling.
Turning to Murza he says softly "I suppose when you've lived as long as I have, you definitely learn patience. If nothing else, many of my enemies have died, simply due to old age." He chuckles at that, which sounds a lot like a spider laughing.
"Mistress Voracia, Master Audbrey." Allizsah nodded respectfully to them. "Such an honor to have you both visiting my chambers. Though I must ask, why would the council dare keep either of you waiting?"
======================
Allizsah's eyes lit up when she saw Veldrin walk into the room. She stood from the couch and swiftly walked over to him. "Veldrin! I should have known you would be coming!" She said as she threw her arms around the vampire drow. "So good to see you, it has been so long! I believe last time we met I was barely above you waist in height."
As more and more people are being introduced, Lener swallows a yawn, half-heartedly trying to keep track of who is who and utterly failing to give a damn.
Saban talks less and less as more vampires arrive. He winces slightly at some of the more egotistical comments from those around him, but can he really blame them? If he had been alive for millenia, he would likely have a similar attitude. Besides, the raw power in the room is palpable. Countless centuries of wisdom and knowledge are given physical form in the vampires present. He views them with a strange mix of jealousy and supreme respect.
"Ah from Hells mouth no less. House Ruithven, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Master Murnau."
Thulmerë glances over at Voracia, "As bloodthirsty as you were in life, a pleasure to see you Queen Voracia."
'Veldrin is here, now this should be interesting.'
"Veldrin my old friend, it's been too long. I'm surprised you're not surrounded by your necromantic creations. Welcome to our home."
Murza scoffs "What? No attention to the child? Instead we must all admire the head of a house or old friends? well, I have seen enough sniveling nobles to know that they demand respect, have to it then! Tell us, Voracia, do you know why we are here?" she says this while hanging from a banister, having climbed up the wall while everyone was talking. And perhaps, you have a place that we can store our coffins for the time being?
Lener chuckles at Murza's antics. "As much as I share your opinions on etiquette, if you must demand attention it means that perhaps you aren't worth it. Don't whine asking for respect, command it instead."
"Thulmerë, shame shame. You didn't tell me you knew Veldrin." Allizsah said playfully as her tail flicked behind her like a cats who had found a new toy. "Oh what possiblilies this brings forth." She said in a more hushed tone, a grin upon her face.
When she heard a voice from upon the wall she looked up and gave a small sigh. "Do keep in mind you are within my chambers. So please, get down from the wall." She requested.
"It was years before you were born, I know a great deal of people." Thulmerë says with a smile.
looking up at the energetic drow clambering about.
"Veldrin, is this your spawn?"
Addressing the drow child,"You there little one, what's your name?
Veldrin and the little may store their coffins in my chamber. Oh, do ignore the wails from the iron maiden, I'm performing my own necromantic experiments with him."
Murnau returns the greeting with a nod towards his elder, "And a pleasure to meet you, Sir Thulmerë."
When Murza begins climbing the walls, Murnau sighs, rubbing his forehead.
Caligo, would you..?
The black-armored figure standing by his master turns to face the energetic child. He raises a single gauntleted hand, and Murza begins feeling a telekinetic grip tugging him off the wall.
Before he gets a chance to respond to his 'friends', some armored minion decided to attack his 'granddaughter'. "That, sir, is the height of rudeness. Kindly stop." He says with a forced sigh, before unleashing a word of power at Caligo, attempting to wrest control of his actions.
The black armored figure drops his hand, and Murza is suddenly released from the grasp of the nosferatu.
Murnau gives both his cohort and Veldrin a glare, but says nothing.