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Sorry for the wait. I wonder, can one have their head re-attached and be revived through the application of Vicissitude...?
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 Outside the City of Padua - Einar nods with a grim frown and briefly rubs the fingertips of his right hand across his thumb in anticipation. The instant the woman disappears she’ll be behind; I can’t let them surround me. ”I’ve sworn not to implicate my sire by word or action in the course I’ve chosen to undertake.” Much as he did to Bernardo, he gives Belisarius an apologetic shrug.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 Outside the City of Padua - ”"We are ready, let us walk to the ship or boat you have procured…You must know, my patience are not endless, especially these nights, for those who do not answer my queries plainly”. Einar stops walking. ”Then let us speak plainly. Once we're on my boat, exactly where do you think I’m going to take you? I've come to barter a coalition, not play helmsman to your dodging Princely introductions.”
Will have post up tonight.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 Outside the City of Padua - ”I’m Einar Arnesen, and honestly, I’m not inclined to explain myself again this night, no matter if you’re a milksop Prince with two mute witches or a hard-ass Ventrue with just the one.” He sighs. ”These f***ing politics and lies frustrate me. As I understand it we both want the same creature dead: you as a matter of honor, and me as a matter of employment. I can bait the shadow-Prince into a trap, but I lack the strength to spring it. Strength you possess. “Another resource I’m running low on is time. So, I ask you: How bad do you want this drittsekk dead? Are you willing to ally with a mercenary to get it done, or are you content to twiddle your thumbs and wait for a more reputable opportunity to come along?” Norwegian:
s**t sack OOC/Dice:
Should have gameplay post up tonight.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Einar notes Morosini’s blood but doesn't let his attention linger on it. Perhaps he has smell even keener than mine? Him being able to track me may not be a bad thing if my dealings with these two take a turn for the worse… "Who sent you Viking?” ”Mi-Kail.” I think the less I say to these two the better!
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Einar blinks and the woman is behind Morosini.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - This one acts as if he's in charge even while in another's domain - definitely sounds like a Ventrue as Mykos described them. Even to his heightened senses the woman seems perfectly still, implying exceptional grace or control. Probably both. Best I let these three settle any Princely dispute among themselves. Einar looks to Bernardo and gives him an apologetic shrug, but makes no move towards the pair until the Italian responds to them.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Einar nods in greeting to the pair before addressing the male with a chuckle. ”Sir, you’re too kind – it wasn’t our skill at tracking, but yours at ambush, that prevailed. “I’m Einar Arnesen, and this is Bernardo Morosini. We each seek you and the lady for our own reasons, but out of necessity combined our efforts - for all the good it did us. I have a personal matter to discuss with you, while his duty is more civic in nature. ” He looks expectantly at Morosini. Hopefully this Ventrue can dismiss him once he's spoken for the Prince, and then we can get down to business.
Had a busy weekend - I should have a post up Monday afternoon.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - ”Very well.” Einar thinks a moment, then hunches back down and flips the cloaks off the two inebriates before giving each a long sniff, trying to pick out any distinctive scents beyond the alcohol reek. Once done he replaces the cloaks and stands. ”Let’s get back to it.” Presumptuous Dice Rolls:
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - ”Sacks? No.” Einar takes another swig from the bottle. ”If you’re going to sort out these two, I’d best continue my search. We can meet back at the campus square an hour before dawn to prepare our report for the Prince.”
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Einar squats down between the two and gives a sniff. Seems like somebody with a taste for blood's been through here recently. He grabs the bottle as he stands back up and takes a long pull, nodding his satisfaction as it burns down his throat. "This seems a versatile spirit - good for drinking, polishing your armor, or poisoning your enemies. Care to try?" He holds the bottle out to Morosini, an encouraging grin on his face.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Einar combs the streets with Morosini.
Sorry about delay - post is up!
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - ”Thank you, Prince.” Einar gives the Prince’s two strange servants one long last look before turning and taking his leave. Once outside, free of crowd, music, and silent words, he feels his mind clear some. Well, that definitely could’ve gone worse. ”You were looking for these two near the school. Let’s return there and continue the search, Morosini.” The Norwegian strides purposefully forwards in what he hopes is the proper direction. ”If the grounds are extensive, perhaps we should find your assistant and divide the area between the three of us to hasten our reconnoiter.”
I've had a busy week; will post in gameplay tonight :)
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Einar rises to his feet and approaches, keeping his eyes downcast both to avoid meeting the Prince's gaze and avoid seeing the soundless mouthings of the witches. He draws up just short and to one side of Guilelmo, attempting by his positioning to rob Bernardo of the opportunity to read his lips. Then, head bowed, he whispers in a tone quiet even to his own improved senses. ”Prince, my clan is that of -" Screw it - I can’t very well be cowed by every creature like me, nor fail on the first step of my task! "- Ventrue, sired by Alfonso Ramirez. I am come to your city seeking a Cainite, an Eastern woman, who likely does not wish to be found by my sire. I mean the woman no harm, and beg your indulgence in allowing me to search for her in your realm, and in not announcing my identity until after I have discharged my duty." Surely if there are thousands of us, even a Prince cannot know all our names. I just hope there are Cainites in Spain. Einar strains his senses to try and get an impression of the Prince's reaction to his lie. Unbidden, memories of his treatment at the hands of his true sire flash through his mind. On the bright side, I doubt this Prince's punishment for deception is any worse than Vykos's for failure.
Working on post now, hope to be done tonight. Trying to choose my words very carefully. ST Shadow: In the spirit of Einar thinking on his feet, I'll spend 8 xp to increase his Wits from 2 to 3.
The ability to do internal monologue is pretty much my favorite aspect of pbp gaming :) I should be able to get a gameplay post up sometime tonight.
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Steeling himself against the strange influence of the two witches, Einar notes the subtle shifts in the music and the crowd that seemingly mirror the Prince's words. These folk are as alive as Vykos's hangers-on were dead - alive with their master's spirits. He reprimands this Morosini and they become more agitated; he is bemused by my awkwardness and they become more calm. This Guilelmo acts a true monarch, expecting respect and subservience from those he rules. Let us see if I cannot show up my chaperone in this regard. Vykos may not want my connection to him known, but I dare not be caught out in a direct lie. Also, if the 'two others' the scholar spoke of are the two I'm meant to find, better to have the aid of those who know the city in the endeavor. Let their quest and mine be the same - and allow me to sabotage their efforts if needed. Einar raises his eyes to look at the Prince's feet. "Your majesty, my heritage and my business in your city are connected, and of a delicate nature. Might I inform you of them in confidence?" He gives a meaningful sideways glance towards Bernardo.
"Tell me Einar, what Clan do you hail from and who is your Sire? What is your intended purpose here in my City?" And there we have it! Mission going off rails in t-minus 3... 2... 1... Should be able to get a gameplay post up tonight :)
Or, y'know, this morning :)
Venice by Night - Saturday, March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - Damn it all, this is what I get for not bringing Cristoval and his silver tongue. The Norwegian goes down to one knee, bowing his head. "I am Einar Arnesen, your majesty, originally of Norway. I..." He pauses, trying to think of something more to say, but is distracted by the strange, mute utterances of the pair flanking the Prince. Their unspoken words weave themselves in and out of his thoughts, great invisible eels swimming through the river of his mind, disrupting its flow. What the devil are those witches saying? "...I'm not a courtly man, your majesty; you'd likely get better discourse from an ass than from me. Honestly I'd hoped to have a night to get my bearings here before being called to answer to a G*d-d*mn Prince." What the devil am I saying?! "With all respect, your majesty." He winces. Keep your teeth together, you idiot! Keeping his eyes down Einar awaits the Prince's response. Storyteller Shadow:
I will have a post up tonight.
Venice by Night - Saturday March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - "Come along then to meet the prince. I am Bernardo." Einar follows the shifty Italian, his long strides trying to compensate for the man's quick steps. Not a man, remember? He glances back over his shoulder to make sure they're rid of the scholarly fellow before engaging his new escort. "Can't a man get his bearings in this damned city before he's expected to parley with royalty?" he grumbles. "What's twisting your Prince's knickers to make him so damned impatient to meet folks?" Einar's irritation is plain and unfeigned.
I should have a Padua post up late tomorrow afternoon.
Venice by Night - Saturday March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - As the man’s mouth talks fast and his feet step faster, Einar’s hand goes from his sword to his purse and he focuses intently on him. What’s this line about the Prince of Padua – did this bastard steal my clay? Padua has no - Suddenly he gets a very strange sense of the man and realization dawns on him. S**t. This man is a “Cainite” like me. Like me, except he knows what he’s talking about. Is his Prince the same one Vykos wants dead? Best tread carefully... "Wait, this man does not fit the other two descriptions at all. Still, he is a stranger. When did you arrive here Stranger?" Einar relaxes and grins. Straight answers always make easier the lies to come. ”I arrived not two hours ago and I’ve spent that time wandering the streets without a f**king clue as to where I’m going and I’m tired of it. If you two are a welcoming committee I’d appreciate direction to someplace with strong wine and passable women. A night of relaxation will do wonders to my disposition towards proper manners.”
Will have post up tonight. Also hope to review possible xp expenditures, but first things first :)
Venice by Night - Saturday March 29, 1309 The City of Padua - ”Did you get yourself lost there fellow or forget your manners? What is the idea?” ”Guds baller!” Einar almost jumps out of his skin in surprise, whirling around wide-eyed to face the Italian as his hand flies to his sword hilt. ”What’s your idea, sneaking up on a man like that?!?” Norwegian:
”God’s balls!”
I should have a post up tonight.
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn -
”Quite.” Once Dragan leaves, Einar sizes up the accommodations. He gives a shake of his head before dragging the tub to the corner of the room farthest from the windows. He then gathers up the blankets and tips the tub up onto its end, crouching beside it and slowly lowering it down over himself. Once inside he scooches his basin-cave over until it’s firmly in the corner and sitting stable. Laying the blankets along the inside rim, he blocks up any gaps between tub lip and floor. Once satisfied that he will be safe from any errant sunlight he leans back as best he can in a hunched sitting position and attempts to fall asleep, one hand on his bundle of wet clay and the other on the haft of his axe. So, this is how gods sleep. Delightful.
Apologies for delay from me as well. Will have post up sometime tonight.
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - Einar takes his leave of Vykos and departs the inn by the front door, stopping just outside to enjoy a deep breath of the night's relatively clean air. He can smell the water, and even the moss, of the canal, the timber of the building behind him, his own dried sweat and blood; and then realizes that upstairs he'd barely smelled anything, had only taken breath to speak. He stands transfixed by this realization until a noise down the street snaps him back to attention, Vykos's warning echoing in his mind. Looking down at himself he shakes his head. I look like... well, like I've been through exactly what I've been through. He looks to the canal. Let's test my breath, then. He strides purposefully to the water's edge and jumps in, letting himself sink until his feet hit bottom. He waits for a minute to see if he needs breath, and when he does not, he laughs, sending what air was left in his lungs bubbling to the surface. He disrobes, then scrubs himself clean with his ragged shirt, trying not to notice the holes and rents in odd places caused by his torture, his eyesight seemingly keen despite the dimness of the depth. He looks down to see muddy clouds slowly spreading upwards from his feet. Bound to the soil of a swamp. Seems like a poor portent. Stooping down he digs into the canal floor with his hands until he's able to claw out a good-sized chunk of relatively firm earth. Once done he wraps the clump of mud and clay in the remains of his shirt and climbs out of the water, quickly glancing around to make sure no one is near enough to take notice before he darts back to the inn, naked and clutching his soggy prize. Once inside he strips the corpse of the guard he'd killed and - after taking care to wipe the mud from himself with the cleanest rag he can find - he fits himself into the man's clothing. Thus relatively clean and newly attired, he returns upstairs to Vykos and (unfortunately) Dragan, holding the still-dripping cloth full of canal mud way from himself.
Sorry for the delay, I should have a post up tomorrow.
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - "Alter my memory? Knulle meg..." Einar shakes his head. "Any other questions I have are of particulars, which I can better learn from these assassins themselves. Once I have formulated and fixed a stratagem, I will take your pawn to bait the trap and let them spring it. "Teach me what you must." Norwegian: "F*** me..."
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - "I need you to capture my pawn to lure the foe into a proper place for an ambush from my assassins. He is far too powerful to defeat within his own lair, I know that now. Can you do this? Can you coordinate this attack all the while staying dis-associated from me?" “I can,” the Norwegian nods, “but I have some questions...” “Who - or what - is our target? What are their capabilities? If you haven’t set a locale for the ambush, we’ll want to choose a battlefield that plays against them. “If there are no objections, it may be better to kidnap this pawn without warning them first – less risk of them giving themselves away. “Do these assassins and pawn know they work for you, or are they beholden to Dragan?” A cocksure grin spreads across his face. “Or perhaps one of your less repulsive servants, like the Szlachta? Dealing with them under the authority of whomever they believe they’re working for will make their acceptance of my direction much easier; however, if I’m to present myself as separate from any of the players they’re currently aware of, I’ll find a way to convince them.” "And finally, if these assassins fare poorly against your foe, should I intervene directly to aid them?"
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - Thousands... Centuries! The implications of what has been done to him begin to loom in his mind, threatening to smother him. Rather than succumb to their weight he instead shifts his attention to Vykos's words that ring familiar. "Foes, assassins, the settling of scores and shifting of power - life as a god sounds very much like life as a man. A man like me, anyways. The bargain we made was power in exchange for my skills at war; so far as I can tell, you've made an acceptable down payment. Now it's my turn. "What war do you need won?"
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - Einar inclines his head. "I understand - blood is all that will sustain me... You speak of our clan, and of elders. How many like you - like us - are there?"
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - "I prefer action to deliberation. Besides, why waste time wondering when the answer is at hand? You say you have made me a god. Until today I did not believe in gods; I've met too many priests. But now..." Einar shrugs. "What does it mean to be a god?"
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - ”A god…” He watches the pair exit by the stairs as he withdraws his hand from his mouth, fingertips smeared with the dead man’s blood. A god? Sacrifices? He stares hard at his hand. What does all this mean? The blood has quickly cooled on his fingers, despite the almost oppressive warmth of the room. He focuses his attention and is shocked to realize that he can see every crease, every speck of dirt, every pore of his hand in nauseating detail. His stomach turns and, as he remembers what it’s filled with, Einar looks away and fights to keep from retching. What have you gotten yourself into, you fool? He’d done distasteful things before, certainly. Most of them had even resulted in people dying. But to kill someone for their blood? To drink them to death? Suddenly he hears Bernardo’s voice in his head, as clear as if the man was standing right next to him. Killing men for meat instead of coin now, captain? Always looking to cut out the middle man, aren’t you, sir. Einar starts at the voice, then shudders at its message. The listless near-dead that fill the room pay him no heed, seemingly unaware of even their own existence now that things had died down. Pull yourself together, damn it! Hearing voices? Taking advice from Bernardo? You may have gone mad, but don’t make it worse by becoming stupid as well. The mercenary straightens himself to find the excruciating pain of Vykos’s tortures gone from his body, if not his soul. A look of determination settles across his face as he heads towards the stairs. You have questions. Vykos has answers. Make him give them to you, one way or another. He smooths his beard with one hand as he ascends, finding it full of vomit, spittle, and blood. The image of his hand, its excruciating, filthy detail, flashes momentarily before him. And then, a bath.
Apologies for the delay; fell behind a bit this past week with RL duties.
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - The corpse of the guard falls from Einar’s hands to the filthy floor as he reels with the thrill of strength and power the unfortunate man’s blood gives him. In a few moments he returns to his senses, and slowly his hand raises past his blood-spattered beard to his mouth, his fingers trembling as they feel out the fangs that now grow from his gums. ”What - what is this?” he whispers. He turns to Vykos with a growing sense of horror, far more disturbed by the last few moments than by everything else he's experienced this evening. ”What have you done to me?”
I'll get a gameplay post up sometime tomorrow evening.
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - Einar jolts back into awareness compelled to consume. Thirst, hunger, and an almost abstract need combine into a drive to consume more of whatever he's been drinking, whatever he can lay hands on, the whole of the world itself. His mad-bright eyes, full of strange visions of shadow and color, pick out every detail of Dragan's repulsive face - the creases of his eyes and jowls, the flare of his nostrils, the cracked lines of his lips as they shape his words. The listless body offered to Einar elicits craving and repulsion in him - he can smell the man's rank stench and see the jaundice in his eyes. But he can also feel the heat, the life, within him, see it coursing through his veins, hear it pumping through his heart...
Einar's eyes go back to Dragan's, and his contempt gives him the strength to resist his irrational urge to... to eat the sickly man offered to him. "Ease my hunger - with that?" he rasps with a sneer, pushing past the unwholesome pair to fling open the door to the street. The rush of fresh air and the sharp smell of water wash some of the confusion from his mind. What new madness has befallen me? The startled door guard turns and gasps at the sight of the wild Northman, his hand fumbling to draw his weapon. Suddenly a rage wells up in Einar the likes of which he's never felt, even on the most desperate battlefield. He gives an animalistic snarl as he yanks the man off his feet and into the common room, traps his arms in a bear hug, and - by some inconceivable instinct - sinks his teeth into the hapless man's neck, drinking until his thirst is satisfied.
I get the idea that folks in this game like vampires and other nameless, timeless horrors. A 1 player rpg game where you play such a creature is currently up on kickstarter - Thousand Year Old Vampire (link) - that I found fun. There's a free pdf of the playtest version of the rules linked on the page. It's basically a guided writing game, where you create characters and events based on prompts the game provides. Anyway, I found the free version a great way to spend an evening, and thought some of you might too!
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - Trembling, Einar pulls himself to his feet. Face drawn and haggard, hair plastered with sweat, beard covered in spittle, and his clothes and armor seemingly hanging more loosely on him then they had a half hour before. The only strength that remained to him was in his eyes, locked on Vykos. Despite the apparent strength of his gaze, his mind was almost completely numb, in contrast to - and in no small part a result of - the wracking pain that still echoed through his body, from the tips of his fingers to the center of his heart. To walk... amongst the gods...? ”Is that what you are, Vykos?” he croaks, voice hoarse. ”A god?” His head bobbling as if his neck can barely support it, he turns his eyes about the filthy room and Vykos's motley entourage. The living shells of men and women, listless and vacant-eyed; the hideous Szlachta, monstrous yet somehow pitiable; and finally the treacherous Dragan, who led him here expecting to watch him die a coward and a fool. He smirked to see the wretch cowering on the floor like a beaten dog at the heel of its master. Why not? ”You’re right.” His gaze returns to Vykos. ”I have earned it.” OOC:
Venice by Night - Friday March 28, 1309 Greetings Inn - I'll not give you - or your walking bag of excrement, Dragan - the satisfaction! The Norwegian grunts as his back twists out of shape, defiantly eyeing the now-beatific monster that is Vykos. As Einar's torments drag on, they only serve to strengthen his resolve, until his world is reduced to naught but unimaginable pain and spiteful silence.
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