Is there anything we need to discuss out-of-game on how we, as a group, can make it more enjoyable?
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Everyone still okay? Just checking in.
Alexandru goes to the table where the goblets rest and begins to fill them with wine. He places the goblets on a silver tray, and carries them back to the old woman. He knows that she will berate him, but that she will most likely clarify her earlier, vague instructions about where they are to be delivered.
"Come Child," Alexandru says to Sophia. "Let us be about our business in the kitchens." He indicates to her to lead him there.
Take care, Lucian. It was fun gaming with you.
As the infiltrators enter and move towards the kitchens, Alexandru whispers to Alexander and Lucian, "Now is our chance to separate and start searching, if you wish. I will go with Sophia to the kitchens. If you go, see if you can get into the upstairs area."
"Well done, My Dear," Alexandru says approvingly. "Now lead us round to the servant's entry." He turns and gives a bow to Elena. "My Lady," he say, before turning to follow his ward.
"Long enough to accomplish what is asked of us," Alexandru replies, "But rest assured that it is not permanent beyond this evening."
"By all means, Dear Cousin," Alexandru replies to Elena. Once he has shaped the faces of all who wish him to do so, he begins to change into the servants livery. He hands his clothes to Sophia, gesturing to the others to do the same. "Take these and hide them about three or four streets away from here, somewhere dry, clean, and out of sight of the main streets. Return and tell me exactly where you placed them."
"Yes, my dear. In the meantime, I have work to do." He sets his hands to altering the faces of each of his companions, making them look so similar as to be mistakable for twins or at least siblings with a strong family resemblance.
Is everyone else okay with the face-changing plan?
"Here and now is your final chance to speak up, if this plan does not suit you," Alexandru says to his companions. "I will be using my power to change my appearance to that of a common servant. I will change yours as well, but only if you permit me to do so. If you wish to waylay some of these nobles and ingratiate yourself into their entourage, you should do so now. If you have another plan to enter, mention it now. Otherwise, I will take silence as a statement of assent, and change all of our visages."
"I will make our appearances all similar and unremarkable. That way, you can ignore an order and apologize later for being mistaken for another servant. One of us can stay in the ballroom area while the rest search the Count's offices. Once the documents are found, we all leave quickly and quietly. I will remove the disguises, and we will disappear into the night."
As the group is dismissed, Alexandru turns to the others. "Young Sophia seems to be our simplest route in. I can use my power to change the shape of our faces, and make us appear as ordinary, nondescript servants. In the meantime, Sophia can procure us suitable livery. We then enter, make our way up into the residence, and find the evidence we seek. If any of you prefer a more diplomatic method, I will not dissuade it. It may prove more profitable to attack the problem from more than one perspective."
Alexandru feels like he should know the meaning of the sigils, but he cannot bring it it mind. He listens respectfully to Prince Jürgen’s account of his interrogation of the priest. Once the Prince has finished, he bows respectfully, then asks, ”What service can we provide, My Prince?”
"Get plenty of rest, Sophia. You must be alert at all times when the Sun is up. We will return soon," Alexandru says to his apprentice, giving her a familial pat on the shoulder. "Yes, of course,"[b] he replies to the men. [b]"We..." he pauses a moment to be sure the others are also acknowledging the summons. "We are at His Highness's disposal."
It's been quiet for a bit. Just checking in to see if everyone's okay.
Sorry about that! Glad you're still with us.
Are Alexander and I the only two left playing? I haven't see anyone else post in a while. Do we need to recruit new players, or can the story continue, as-is?
"Thank you, My Prince," Alexandru replies, waiting for Jurgen to turn away before moving. "Come, Sophia. We have work to do," he says to his new assistant. "We must establish our reputations as upstanding members of the community." He places a hand on the shoulder of the child and leads her from the Cathedral into the night.
Before he turns to leave, Alexandru asks another question. "Doubtless, my Prince, you own many properties throughout the city. Is there one available that would suit for a doctor and his apprentice? If you require rent for the use of the property, or a retainer of my services, I would be happy to agree to such terms."
Alexandru licks the cut to close it, then turns to the Prince and echoes Alexander's statement. "By your leave, My Prince," he says, giving a respectful bow, and indicating to Sophia she do the same.
GM Cat: Should I create a separate Avatar for Sophia, or do you wish to do so?
"I will not harm you, Child," Alexandru says to Sophia in fairly competent German. "On the contrary, I am saving your life. From the moment you entered this Cathedral, any chance of an ordinary mortal life was lost to you. I take you as my apprentice and assistant. I have not the Prince's leave to make you one of the Kindred, but only to bind you to me by blood. It will grant you long life and health, but also assure your obedience and silence." He reaches into his medical bag and retrieves a small, gleaming blade. "Come, take my hand," he says, offering his empty left hand to the girl. Once she has taken it, he makes a clean incision with the blade along his wrist, allowing the vitae to well up in the cut. "Drink," he says gently. "Drink, and you will live and serve."
I could bind the girl, My Prince, and ensure her Silence. If, however, you object to my doing so, I will find a suitable candidate from amongst the populace."
"My Prince," Alexandru says, bowing respectfully. "I would be honored to make my haven here in your domain. If I may ask one small favor: may I bind a mortal to myself as a ghoul, so that I may have one to watch over me as I rest during the light of day?"
Increase Linguistics from 3 to 4 (learn German): 6 pts. New Background - Retainers 1: 3 pts. (Alexandru is going to request permission to create a ghoul to 'watch his store' during the daytime hours.) Keeping remaining 1 XP for next experience awards.
GM Cat: Based on Alexander and Elena’s posts above, there might be some confusion about whether they are now back at the Cathedral with the rest of us, or if they are still trying to get back from the inn.
Alexandru replies with a companionable smile and a nod to Lucian’s comment. ”We hide out natures to the Kine, but it is best not to forget our own place as their predators and masters. This one will pay a far worse price for his hubris than did his conspirators.”
"Thank you, My Prince," Alexandru replies, giving a respectful bow.
Did we lose everyone when the website crashed?
"Yes, my Prince," Alexandru replies. He turns and places his hand on the underside of the priests jaw, and begins reshaping the bone so that it once again hinges properly.
Just checking in. Are we moving forward with the campaign, or are we still on hiatus?
Sorry to see you go. I hope everything works out, and best wishes for your wife's recovery!
Alexandru leads the priest forward. "The priest, alive, as requested My Prince. He is currently unable to speak, but I can rectify that as you will," he replies in Latin, giving a respectful bow. "The others are in the bag, brought back as evidence your order has been carried out in full measure." He motions to the others to bring the bag of heads forward.
Once he has emptied the rain barrel, he sets it back in its original place. Once the heads are collected and the bodies disposed of, he says to the others, ”will one of you retrieve the Lady from the inn? The rest of us need to return the Good Father here to the Cathedral as quickly and quietly as possible.” As he talks, he casually shakes his left hand, causing it to soften and resume its customary non lethal shape.
Aleaxandru moves over to assist, still amped up on the vitae he expended to strengthen himself during the fight.
"There," he says, pointing to the rain barrel. "That will do. Help me pull it over and dump it onto the bloodstain."
Looking forward to it!
"The blood is still fresh. It should wash away." Alexandru looks around for a rain barrel, horse trough, or pail that might potentially hold water or some other liquid.
Alexandru nods. "We should remove the heads, and bring them back to the Prince as proof of the deed done. It would also prevent the off-chance of some ambitious young cainite creating progeny from our kills as soon as we walk away."
Catching sight of the sewer grate at the end of the alley, Alexandru points to it. "There. We can drop the bodies in there."
Alexandru slakes his thirst on one of the remaining guards (or the dismembered corpse, if it has any blood left), then replies to Alexander, looking around for an iron grate, if there is one to be found. "I am unfamiliar with the city. Are there sewers here? If so, we can dispose of the bodies within. The smell of the corpses will not be noticed among the rest of the reek. If there are no sewers, I would suggest we prop them up on our shoulders and walk along in a group, posing as drunks stumbling to their beds after a night deep in our cups. When we get near the river, we toss them in, and let the current take them downstream." He pauses a moment, then adds. "There is also the matter of my dear cousin." He says the word with a clear tinge of sarcasm. "She is alone in the inn, and is unaware of our success here. One of us will need to inform her, and retrieve her without arousing suspicion."
”Good work, my friend.The priest will be the one the Prince wants alive,” Alexandru says to Altan in Arabic. ”I will impose a vow of silence upon him until we reach our new master.” Alexandru grasps the priest’s face with his still-normal hand and applies pressure to the hinge of his jaw, causing it to lock closed. .
He also staunched the priest’s bleeding, ensuring he doesn’t die before the Prince can have him.
Once satisfied with his work, he says to the others in Latin, ”Let us feed, and replenish ourselves.”
Alexandru draws on more vitae to further enhance his physical might . He then slashes at the priest again.
Alexandru calls upon his vitae reserves to bolster his strength . As he hears the priest closing, he turns and lashes out with his knife-fingers.
Alexandru turns and runs down the street into the darkness, heightening his senses as he moves into the unlit portions of the street. As soon as he finds a blind alley, he turns and runs into it, drawing his pursuers into following.
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