Dark_RP

New Lacadaemonia I
+ Downtime

And so The Itinerant Company rested in the city of Venice, taking their ease under the aegis of Narses, and living off the small fortune he had paid them.
Both Brother Anthony and Gregoire spent time at the Abbey of St Pentalaemon engaging in Heretical studies there until the Company convened a meeting at the inn of the lacquered swan where some of them still stayed. There it was decided that they would take a years leave, after their long and traumatic hire from the Archbishop, then meet back in the same inn in the city of Venice as, despite it being responsible for the sacking of Constantinople, they had come to like the place.
Not long after, Baradeus received a summons from his sire in Nicea, once second city in Byzantium, now capitol of the Empire of Nicea.
He soon made preparations and then sailed for Nicea in a merchant vessel. There he was subjected to a hearing by a council composed of his sire, Helena the Armenian, his grandsire Belisarius, Theodorus, at who's side he had briefly fought during the fall of Constantinople, and Anna Commena, a Cainite of Imperial lineage and now head of the Antonian Ventrue.
He was censured on many matters, most severely for diablerie and the embrace of a childe without permission.
But both Theodorus and his sire spoke in his favour, as Belisarius and Anna Commena impassively looked on.
In the end he was pardoned of his past transgressions and readmitted into the Antonian Ventrue, though told to continue his travels with his Company, as they would need all the eyes, ears, and allies, in western Europe as they could get in the years to come.
For the rest of the year he stayed in Nicea and it's territories, re-learning the Antonian way and fighting with Byzantine-Nicean troops along the borders.
The others of the Company decided to visit Toth for various reasons before going their separate ways. Mortius was sent there by Narses to bring the Heretic cult he had founded into the fold, and with him went his own cult and various ghouled monks with another Cainite representative of the Heresy.
Gregoire went to watch the formation of a cult, and how one went about doing it, with Mortius even allowing him to lead various rituals.
Maelduin returned with them on his way west, for respite and to once more see the dramatic beauty of the Vale of Toth.
Volund flew there ahead of the others in the form of a raven, owing to the longer journey he intended to make. While there he was treated as an honoured guest and presented to Bodor the seal of Geuthier Du Dampiere, who he had slain in retribution for the fanatical Knight's murder of Bodor's son.
Before the others could arrive he took to the skies oncemore and continued his journey north, to the Freestate.
The others were treated with the same honour as Volund when they arrived. The town of Toth was largely rebuilt and the castle repaired, Pietre was now the mortal boyar, and Kilian, the third son whom Mortius had inducted into the Heresy, had been granted the embrace by his father and managed the local Heretic cult from behind the scenes.
They stayed in Toth for some time, before they departed on their journey further west, and in separate directions.
Mortius made straight for France proper, seeking out the infamous Carnival Moriendi, and Simon the Spiritician.
After a long search for the travelling circus of horrors he found them in Anjou, freshly arrived at an unsuspecting village. Simon was both surprised and glad to see his old friend and clanmate again. And so Brother Anthony spent the remainder of his time travelling with the Carnival, learning more of the arts of Necromancy from Simon, and even participating in the secret blood rituals of the Carnival Moriendi, alongside Malgorzata, Ori, Hrothulf, Searcy, and Simon.
Maelduin travelled on unto the far-west and the shores of Eire, seeking out his sire. He found her in the south of the island beyond the Pale, lairing still in her old barrow with several of her younger childer. He spent much time there, telling his sire of goings on in the east, and how Christian slaughtered Christian there. Before out staying the welcome of his territorial sire he moved on, seeking out and finding a new retainer to both venerate and serve him.
Gregoire made for Burgundy and his old home town. Once there he approached the current head of his own merchant family, claiming to be his own grandson, also called Gregoire, and convinced him to embark on a business venture with him, where by he would find contacts and buyers/ sellers for his relative, and then take a small cut of the profits directly from the trade with these newly made partners. Gregoire spent the remainder of his time there, in his Burgundian home town, and with his family.
Volund meanwhile at last reached the frozen wastes and high planes of Finland, and thus his the Freestate. There he sat in the long halls with his fellows and told boastful tales of his own deeds, and listened to those of other Einhejar. For a time he sojourned there, among the halls and houses of the rogue Norse Freestate, but before his time there was over he accompanied some of his fellow Einhejar on a raid led by the infamous Sixmund Sixganger into Christian Norway, and on the raid spent many a happy night burning churches, pillaging, killing, and draining man woman and child alike.
Dragovich had said that he would be returning to see his father and visit his family seat in Moldavia, and so had split off from them before they had reached Toth.
But the year passed, and the disparate members of The Itinerant Company made their way back to Venice, and the Inn of the Lacquered Swan.
They met there and after obtaining rooms discussed their doings since they had seen each other last. Dragovich though, while on his travels in the Baltic and eastern Greece, had passed through Thesalonika, and while making enquiries there had come across a Cainite named Antiochus, of clan Brujah. He said he represented an island Prince of his own clan, and wished to invite them to his lord's island to discuss a hire. He also mentioned that the Itinerant Company had been mentioned to his lord by the Byzantine Brujah Natalya Svatoslav, who the Company knew as a member of the Covenant of Three.
Antiochus had told Dragovich to relay his offer to his Company, saying that he would wait in the port of Thesalonika with his ship for a couple of months incase they wished to accept. He also said that both the hire itself and the payment would be discussed between them and Hektor, the Dictator, and not before.
Upon hearing of the enigmatic offer from Dragovich they debated among themselves on whether to accept, in the end deciding on the afermative, and after some days of rest in Venice, they set out for Thesalonika.
After a month they reached their goal, and it was not long before Dragovich led them to the harbour, and there found the waiting galley still at anchor.
After hailing the sailors and identifying themselves they were told to wait, and shortly afterward a gentleman dressed in a Byzantine toga and with an aristocratic demeanor emerged, introducing himself as Antiochus of New Lacadaemonia, and bade them come into one of the cabins were they might discuss matters. Once inside he reiterated what Dragovich had already relayed to them, and answered some of their questions about the island of New Lacadaemonia, it's Cainite senate and system of government, and it's Dictator, Hektor of the Brujah.
After the Company had agreed to his terms and some had gone to feed before the voyage, they set sail upon the clear waters of the Aegean.
Antiochus told them that they would reach their destination after dusk the next night, and so Mortius took to one of the cabins while others stayed on deck talking under the stars as wave broke on the prow.
The next night they awoke and emerged from their cabins in time to see Antiochus release a white dove shortly before land was sighted. The ship dropped anchor in a small and picturesque fishing village with crystal clear waters, there they were met by a Cainite dressed in a white toga cut to the ancient greek style. He greeted them and introduced himself as Therius of Clan Malkavian, and informed them that coaches were waiting to take them to the City of Lacadaemon, though they were welcome to strech their legs before embarking again.
Their short journey took them over sparsely forested rock hills, and into small un-walled city. Lacadaemon looked perhaps like many Hellenic towns, composed of white walled red roofed houses, many with roof teraces, there were churches, but also a Temple, and a Senate House. The roads wre paved and the streets clean and well-ordered, with many public drinking fountains. They were taken to the Palace Keep, a large walled structure on a hillock in the centre of town. Upon arrival both Antiochus and Therius disembarked from their carriage and went inside, while servants aproached the Company and led them down the plain but expertly built and brightly lit corridors to a waiting area with a wide balcony overlooking the town.
After a short time they were sumoned ans led into a wide hall with large windows open to the sky and the full moon's light pouring in. Opposite them sat four Cainites behind a long wooden table, Therius and Antiochus they had already met, but sat with them was a midle-eastern woman with crimson shawl and headdress, and in the centre a wide-shouldered, well groomed man, also dressed in the classical Hellenic style, though his toga had a trim of purple.
In a firm and clear voice he introduced himself as Hektor, lawful Dictator of New Lacadaemonia, and the woman at the table as Muria, priestess of the Island, and of clan Baali.
While refreshments were brought to them in the form of beautiful maidens, Hektor asked them of their past deeds and other lords that they had served.
He told them that the matter he wished to hire them for had to be kept quiet to prevent unease or panic among the local Cainite population, who incidentally also sat as the island's communal Senate, thus why they had not revealed anything to them as of yet, or used locals for the job.
Hektor told them that there was another island, a few hours away by sail, by the name of Santorini. On this island rumour had it that an ancient Setite, known only as the Medusa, slept, long separated from her clan and of an ancient lineage, Hektor stated that he had reason to believe this was true, and recently fishermen, known to have stomped off at Santorini for fresh water, did not return.
The matter was simple Hektor told them, he wished for them to ascertain if the stories were true, and if so whether the Medusa was indeed awake, or slept still in torpor.
After discussion the Company agreed, and Hektor negotiated payment individually with each of them, some wishing access to the island's library, some things of a more material nature, most notably however was Maelduin's request to be tough in some of her ways by Muria, the Baali priestess.
However all was settled in the end, and the Company was shown to spacious and comfortable rooms in which to spend the day. Upon awaking the next night the Company was shown to a small boat in a harbour on the other side of the island, there was room for all of them and the lone fisherman who was to take them and then wait off-shore for their return. The trip to Santorini took some two hours on calm, near windless seas. But at last the spotted the rocky outline of Santorini and it's single peak. The fisherman wayed anchor and they waded ashore, Dragovich, remembering Hektor's advice to spend as little time as possible on the island, suggested that they split up into two groups, and notify each other at the first sign of the elder. The others agreed, with Maelduin, Gregoire, Jean Sebastean, and Dragovich in one group, while Volund, Baradeus, and Mortius were in the other. Volund ordered Skoll to go with the other group and run to him at the first sign of trouble. Using the arts of Animalism Volund also summoned a local bird to go with his own group so the he might send word to the others in case of trouble.
And so they parted, one group going north around the crescent-shaped island, the other south. They walked through heavy undergrowth for some time before Maelduin attempted to summon one of the local spirits for information, only to fail mysteriously. But just as he came back to Gregoire, Dragovich, and Jean Sebastean, they caught a glimpse, in the moon light, of the terrifyingly familiar outline of Mary the Black. But when they looked again she had disappeared.
Unnerved, they attempted to search the area where they had seen her, but found no traces.
Not wishing to take any chances, they dispatched Skoll to find and warn the others, and off he ran, into the night.
Meanwhile the others walked over rocky ground and through sparse trees, but they all jumped with a start, and looked down to see a wave of small black snakes having glided over their feet, now disappearing swiftly into the undergrowth on some inscrutable purpose. But before long they found a worn trackway among the rocks, leading up the slope ahead. Carefully they followed it as it wound it's way around the small broken mountain, till at last it reached an open ledge. In the centre of the ledge was a carved statue in white stone on a raised base. It was of a woman wearing a long dress, open at the chest exposing her breasts, and holding a snake in each of her outstretched hands. Before the idol was a small crack in the earth, out from which emerged a noxious, sulphurous vapour, caresing the statue as it rose. Just behind this was a cave mouth, and a tunnel extending down into darkness. Mortius, Baradeus, and Volund debated whether or not to go down without the others, before releasing the bird to both find and summon them, then entering the cave mouth and beginning the descent.
They walked down the dark tunnel, though it was obviously hewn straight from the rock they passed several places where the rock it seemed had fallen away, revealing the remains of painted frescos and scenes from an ancient past. They continued down ward until they came to a wider space, out from which led two arched passages of differing sizes. Unsure of which way to proceed, down one Volund heard a low growl that he knew belonged to skoll.
Down the other Morius heared a faint, female, chanting, echoing down the tunnel.
Baradeus pressed on to investigate the chanting, but Volund set off down the other tunnel in search of Skoll, and with Mortius on his heels.
Outside the others had also cought the sound of female chanting, but theirs was on the wind, and coming from above.
With trepidation and stealth, they followed the sound, and once or twice caught a glimpse of the back of a procession of women, all dressed in white.
With greater haste they climbed, and at last reached an opening, much like the one through which Mortius's group had entered. In the sand outside the cave entrance they could see delicate female footprints, freshly left.
And so in search of the women in white that they had seen, they too, descended...



Santorini: