Bitter Crusade IIII
Fiendish Winter I

Act One: Frost on the Vine...
And so the Company having now taken a hire within a hire took their leave of Prince Gari, returning to the tavern where they had secured lodgings, and thanks to the advance payment from Archbishop Narses the lodgings were fairly comfortable, or as comfortable as could be found in a city damaged and overrun by zealous crusaders.
After discussion they decided to inverstigate the the incidents as soon as possible. and so they divided their attentions and set off into the night.
First, two large grain stores just outside the city were set aflame, the only person to survive was the farmers daughter.
The Company went to investigate, speaking to both the farmer and his daughter. She claimed to have seen five figure running away from the blaze, silhoueted against the flames. The two large barns were one of Zara's main stockpiles for winter, and all grain therin was ruined.
Second, three wells used to provide water for livestock were deemed poisened when some of the catle drinking from them died over night without any obvious marks upon their bodies. The farmer who owned the land still had the corpses, now frozen from the cold, in one of his barns. And upon investigation it was revealed that the cow's throats had been neatly closed up inside the mouth, causing sufocation. Thanks to herbwise Maelduin it was also revealed that the wells in fact had not been poisoned at all.
And thirdly, a merchant at the southern end of Zara had bought eggs from a farmer, only to discover that some contained dead chicks with scally reptilian skin and blood-red eyes. Amob then formed and descended upon the farmer's lands, burning his property, killing his livestock, butchering his family, and then crucifying him.
The merchant was tracked down by Prince Gari's agents, and visited by the Company. He was still in posession of one of the eggs, and gladly showed it to them, the merchant however refused to part with it no matter the amount offered.
Dragovich, who had been there, later revealed that what was done to the chics was clearly the result of Vicissitude, and art practiced soley by the largest clan native to those lands, the Tzimisce. The clan to whom Dragovich Basarab owed final loyalty, for he was born with the blood of the Tzimisce running through his very veins.
Needless to say that this developent unsettled him, right to his very dagger...
After these initial investigations the Itinerant Company met in the tavern above which they were staying, and shared what they had learned.
A waiter sent to their table however overheard some of their conversation, and inquired if they had also heard of the two cutpurses.
They replied that they had not, prompting him to continue. He said that he had heard that a pale woman was assaulted in an alley near the harbour by two local cutpurses.
A passer-by had ran to alert the watch, but when they arrived, they found both the men dead, their hearts missing, and the woman gone.
Volund and Gregoire decided to visit Prince Gari, and see what he knew of the local Tzimisce. However upon rounding a few corners they came upon a comotion of sorts.
A distressed merchant arguing with two Zaryan constables, who now work for the Venetians, in front of a wharehouse small but growing crowd of locals.
The merchant bables about "demon swine" and "devil fowl". The lead constable, a man named Viktor, does not seem impressed by the merchant's babling, and even less so by the crowd gathering about them.
Volund and Gregoire stop and watch with growing unease at the event, but before they could act a group of knights ride up and barge their way through the crowd.
They recognise the lead knight as Sir Gauthier de Dampiere, the very same man they had seen arousing ferment in Venice with his rantings of demons among the Crusade, urging the onlookers to go out and destroy evil wherever they find it.
The knights are armoured, but without helms and their mail shirts seem hastily thrown over mussed clothing. All have the crusader's red cross featured prominently upon their tabards. Gauthier draws his sword and dismounts, demanding to be led to the demons. At this point Volund, thinking the man to be an agent of Narses he had met in Venice, went to him and offered his sword. But was rebufed by Dampiere for the common mercenery he was.
Viktor refuses the knights entry into the barn, stating that they had no juristiction. Gauthier responded saying that a knight of the cross has juristiction given by the pope himself to destroy the unholy. Things got more heated between the two, and the crowd grew larger, and more restive.
Volund, acompamied by ever fathfull Skoll, sliped awar from the scene, circling around to the rear of the building, and upon finding a losely locked entrance, broke it open, knowing full well what would hapen if any more altered creatures were found by a mob.
What he founf inside was a scene of surreal knightmare. In the flickering light of a single lantern, he saw two pigs with the snouts and teeth of wolves tearing into the corpse of a third unaltered pig. They stoped and stared at Volund, blood driping from the maws, and emiting bizzare oink-growls. Then hoping forward came creatures that were once hens, although their severed heads are now attached to the centre of their backs, one leg is removed and the other shifted to the centre of thir undersides forcing them to hop about to move. A cluching claw made from their missing leg is attached where their heads had once been, their neks whiping about spasmodicaly, claws snaping as they hoped ominously closer.
Outside, Gregoire, seeing that it would not be long before Volund may need a distraction, used his arts of Dementation upon a random woman in the crowd of onlookers, causing her to halucinate demonic forms all about her, and she began to scream of what she saw.
At the same time Gregoire noticed a cloaked figure in the crown, stood still and watchfull. The man then carefully took aim and threw a sharp stone dirctly at the rump of one of the knight's horses, causing it to rear up on it's hind legs. The crowd, only really needing a spark such as this, erupted into full scale riot about Gregoire, Viktor, and the Knights.
Gauthier and his knights, seeing that they were surrounded by a blood thirsty mob, began to literally hack their way through the crowd with their swords, leaving a bloody trail behind them
Inside the barn Volund heard the riot start outside, and realising he needed to act, tiped the lantern over into the bloody straw, starting a fire in the building. He then quickly dispatched the two pig-wolves with his hammer, and Skoll quickly savaged all the hens save one, with volund took with him in a sack as he fled the burning building just as the crowd smashed open the doors to find a wall of fire.
After finding a quiet spot Volund conversed using Animalism with the mishapen hen, learning that it remembered the scent of the one who had fleshcrafted it. Thinking that it may come in usefull he returned it to it's bag, as it tried in vein ti claw out his eyes.
Gergiore and Volund at length returned to the Tavern, telling Mortius, Maelduin, Baradeus, and Dragovich what had just transpired, as rioters still ran through the streets outside.
The sun rose and they went to slumber for the day, leaving the hen with Dragovich to try and mend as best he could with his own arts of Vicissitude, and resolving to pay Gari a visit the next night, and then see if the hen could pick up a scent back at the burned wharehouse.
Not long after waking the next night, and with the partaly corrected hen in a bag, the Company went to the large tavern beneath which Prince Gari hel court beyond drying meats.
The Prince, more somber and stern than the last night, and already having heard about the riot, told them that there were many Tzimisce in the country beyond Zara, but that none that he knew of would cause such trouble. He did however urge the Company to get to the bottom of this as hastily as possible, before any more riots.
The Company then returned to the site of the wharehouse, now mainly chared remains, and set the hen down to snif.
After a time it apeared to catch the scent, and set of hoping. Skoll too caught the scent and they set about following it, the strange chiken however was slow, and drew attention to them, so skol devoured it to put the miserable creature out of its misery. Skoll led them through the steets of Zara on the trail, before eventually leading them out of the city walls. Once there he picked up a more recent trail of the same scent, leading back into the city, and so they followed swftly the new trail back into Zara.
After a time Skoll stoped and emited a low growl, turning his head down a side street to look at the backs of a group of men surounding a pale woman.
The Company followed quielty behind them before they turned a corner a little to quickly and were spoted. Three of the men stoped in the alley while the woman and the rest of the men continued. Volund decided to charge them imediatly, and a brief melee ensued before they set off in pursuit of the retreating party.
After rapid chase they cornered them down a blind alley, the remaining men surounding the pale and beautifull woman.
As the last men were engaged, and al slain but one, Maelduin leapt clear over the heads of the defenders, landing next to the Woman, who responded by savagly reaching for his face and melding his eyes painfully shut, rendering him temporarily blind. He reacted swiflty and tore open his eyelids with his bare hands, before gasping the woman, fangs extended,and reaching for her throat.
Seeing it was lost, she called on him to stop, yealding.
Comanding her remaining man to sheath his sword, she refused to reveal her name, demanding why they would chase a woman through the streets and slay her bodyguard, and denying any knowledge of the disturbances.
The Company took her and returned to the tavern of Prince Gari, leading her down into his secret basement.
Upon being questioned by Gari the finely dressed woman introduced herself Lady Erzebet Toth, of clan Tzimisce.
Gari took the papers she was carying and handed Brother Anthony them to read while he questioned Erzebet.
From the letters he learned the following:

Erzebet's actions were performed at the behest of a man nemed Lord Bodor Toth.

Bodor blames all crusaders for the death of his son, Farkas.

Toth is also the name of a town or village in Transylvania.

Bodor is sending more forces to step-up the campaign of terror in Zara.

After this is revealed Erzebet says that Farkas was her bother, who came to Zara some time ago to study with the Obertus Tzimisce at their monastary in Zara, and died with the Obertus when the place was recently burned to the ground by fervant crusader knights, thinking them in legue with the local Bogomill heretics.
Prince Gari then says he must confer with a guest of his and leaves the room for a time.
Gari returns shortly afterwards with a tall pale man with long dark hair, dressed in finely adorned robes of Byzantine cut, a man he introduced as Myca Vykos, of the Obertus Tzimisce.
The Prince informs them that Vykos arrived recently from Costantinople to investigate the matter of the burned monastary on his way to personal buisness in Transylvania.
Myca Vykos accepts the introductions of the members of the Company, and seemed pleased to make the aquaintance of Baradeus, a fellow Byzantine far from home.
Vykos sujested that they journey to Toth with Erzebet as a prisoner, and attempt to negociate with Bodor to put an end to the troubles in Zara, saying that he would natutraly acompany them, as representative of the Obertus.
Gari seconded what Vykos said, going to the source was the only was the only way to end the distubances.
The Company agreed, as it seemed they had time before the Crusade moved on, and of course they had still to earn their fees from the Prince.
They were told that some one would be sent for them in the days to come, and that he would hold Erzebet untill that time, then they would journey north-east, through the mounains and forests into the shadowed lands of Transylvania, and the unknown town of Toth...

Bitter Crusade II
Venetian Nights II
In the opulent council chambers of Archbishop Narses, sat the Itinerant Company sat litsning to the arguments of the factions present, all persuesive, and each of the Company found them selves swayed by different couses of action, though none save Baradeus were certain of their positions.
After the representatives had put forward theit initial argument the council broke up into informal disscusions. Baradeus and Maelduin talked with Anna Sgorina the Byzantine representative, Volund with Von Sachen, and Brother Anthony with Guilermo Aliprando, Seneschal to Narses. Meanwhile Gregiore was party to a discussion between Roland Du Rocher, aide to Lanzo, and Tomaso D'Brexiano, of the Amici Noctis. Though Tomaso would not relent Roland, unlike Lanzo, used both logic and rhetoric in his argument, eloquently framing the Egyptian Plan. At length Tomaso left the discussion, and Volund noticed, went to the side of his aide, Lucita of Aragon, and whispered into her ear, his eyes burning into Roland all the while. A moment later she left the chambers. The discussions continued for some hours yet, Mortius even aproaching Narses himself, but the hour grew late and those present began to disperse after Guilermo called an end to the night's procedings.
They where housed in a townhouse by the Prince, and a resident of Venice, by the name of Nicolo of clan Nosteratu, was waiting to lead them through the narrow streets and waterways of the city to their lodgings.
The Company continued the discussions once they were inside the spartan but pleasant building. But at last the fiery eye of the sun began to rise in the sky outside, anf they retired to restfull slumbers.
Upon waking the next night the Company decided to adopt a united position, to maximise their weight in the council. After lots were cast the Ventrue's Egyptian plan came out on top, and was agreed on at least in theory.
So they perpared themselves and set off to the villa of Narses for the second night of council.
All was as opulent as it had been on the night before, and they were shown down beneath the house to the private chambers of the Prince.
There was, it seemed, some comotion when they arrived. But upon noticing their arrival Guillermo, declaring that all were now present, gave the floor to Lanzo Von Saschen.
With grave deneanor and stern voice, Lnzo declared that his beloved aide, Roland Du Rocher, was found dead shortly before sunrise. Murdered.
The room erupted into chaos with acusation flying, many directed at Tomasso, who vigouesly denied them before storming from the chambers, followed by Baradeus.
Guillermo banged a heavy wooded staff onto the floor, calling for order, and stating that there was to be an imediate inquest, and that none should leave town till it is done with.
After priviate disscusions Guillermo anounced that Roland's body was to be examined in the adjoining chamber, and that each faction should be represented during the process. Brother Anthony and Gregoire were asked to step through to represent the Itinerant Company.
The adjoining room was smaller, one of Narses' personal rooms, though he himself was not present.
Roland's body was laid out on the floor, a namless black powder spilling from his eyes, ears, and mouth. Also it seemed that two fingers were torn from his right hand.
Guillermo declared that he would examine the body personaly using the arts of Auspex, and that any others skilled in said arts were free to use them also, but that his findings only would carry any weight.
After laying his hands on the body, eyes closed, examining the powder, and what appeared to be a small puncture wound on the back of his neck, he stood once more.
After a moment of thought he spoke, saying that Roand Du Rocher had been poisened. Piosened by Sanguinaria, Blood Root.
He went on to describe the pioson which turns vitae to ash, how it was made from a rare red and white veined flower, when Anna Sgorina slowly turned toward the characters, stating through her own disbelief that she had seen the characters with strange flowers of that same description on the previous night. Acusing eyes turned toward the Itinerant Company, who claimed to have merely been given them by a peasant girl near the docks soon after their arrival.
Again there was chaos, but Guillermo ended it with another bang of the staff, saying that it was his duty to charge the Company with the murder of Roland Du Rocher. Guards steped forward to take them into custody, Guillermo saying that they would only incriminate themselves by resisting.
They were taken down further beneath the house of Narses, and placed in a secure and guarded room.
The Company, now fully aware that they had been framed for murder, turned their arguments to who had done it...
After a time the door of the cell swung open to reveal Guillermo Alleprando, who explained in a peacable maner that the evidence against them was circumstantial at best and that the Prince had to be percieved to act swiftly against those who break the Traditions of Caine. However though the evidance was cicumstantial it was still evidence, even they could not deny that. He told them to trust in the wisdom of Narses, before leading them back out, oncemore into the courts of elders.
The chamber, if possible, was even more opulent than those they had seen already. Even the very floors of the dark hall were of intricate mosaic flacked with gold, and Narses himself sat atop a dais in a large high-backed escopial chail set with various precious stones. He sat impassively dressed in the red robes of a Byzanine Patriarch, cluching a scepter of office in one ancient hand.
Present were also all the delegations of the council, and the eminent Cainites of the city of Venice.
At a gesture from the Princes hand the hall fell silent, and he sat forward to speak.

MORE TO FOLLOW BEFORE THE SESSION IF I HAVE TIME...