Dark_RP

Under The Black Cross III
Shadows at Court III




Lord Jurgen Swept from the hall with Baron Von Achern and other attendants in his wake, and the screams of Silas could be heard receding into the distance, as he was dragged to the unknown dungeons below.
The Company returned to Brother Mortius' chamber and discussed their strategy, how some of them should seemingly be concerned for the Ravnos, while others should appear to wish for his end via painful methods.
It was also decided that one among them should remain ignorant of whatever secrets they might extract from Silas in case they implicated their secret lord, Rustovich, and to inform Lord Jurgen without the knowledge of the lie, and at first,Volund volunteered for this role by virtue of his plain speaking.
When at last they descended into the dungeons of Castle Magdeberg they were led past numerous cells by the attendant Teutonic Knight, desperate screams emanated from some, while only a quiet shuffling could be heard from others, including the lightless and damp stone cell in which they found their captive.
They began by merely talking to Silas, but the Ravnos appeared resigned to his fate as scape-goat and refused to cooperate or admit his guilt, in the end simply ignoring them. Gregoire, Mortius, and Baradeus then began their tortures, while Maelduin and Volund went to hunt beyond the stone walls of the city. Gregoire and Bother Anthony their ministrations with simple beration and violence, interspaced with "friendly" visits from Baradeus, alternately imploring or commanding him to simply tell the others what he knew, for his own sake. The torturers then began to escalate with the use of their vampiric disciplines, Mortius withering him to a frail old man with his seemingly gentle touch, and applying will-breaking salves to his wounds, Gregoire using his demented arts to heighten to now terrified Ravnos' sense of fear, before Baradeus entered using his preturnatural charm so that the thief would now both trust and believe him. But all to no avail, Silas would admit nothing in truth, though his maddened fearful screams he promised he would say whatever they wished if only they could secure some leniency for him and end his suffering. Broken, he simply begged to be killed sooner rather than later.
At this point they adjourned, to discuss whom they wished to implicate in the theft of the sword. Clan Tremere were a favourite, as many already held them in low regard and such an implication would disrupt any alliance between the Eastern Lord Ventrue and the Usurpers. But there were those who said that such an accusation would be going to far, and perhaps prompt further investigations by Lord Jurgen as he had already offered the hand of friendship to Clan Tremere. Others were suggested, such as Morrow and her Gangrel, or simply forcing Silas to admit total culpability and thus close the matter and gain Jurgen's favour without arousing suspicion.
They descended back to the cold dungeons to break Silas one last time, which was accomplished without great difficulty, as the formerly witty Ravnos entertainer was not less than a shadow of his old self. Mortius was the last to leave, but before he did he was interrupted as the heavy cell door swung open to reveal Lady Lucretia Von Hartz, childe of Jurgen, and The Sword-Bearer and grandchilde of Hardestat, looking down upon his cruel ministrations.
She coldly asked Bother Anthony to leave the vitae stained cell, and when he had done so, explained herself to him.
She stated that it was all her fault, and that the guilt for what had happened wrested partly upon her shoulders. For it was she that had hired the services of Silas and his troupe for the Court, and she that was now dishonoured by their actions.
However, of the theft of the precious sword, she belied they were innocent, and personally requested Mortius and the Company to continue their earlier investigations, and find the true thieves. If they did so she suggested that she would owe them a boon, and be in their debt.
Mortius readily agreed, sensing the opportunity to further ingratiate themselves with their Ventrue hosts.
Lucretia also suggested both that they talk to Lady Rosemund of Islington, for if they were to find the thief they must find out who replaces the sword with the fake, for it surely could not have been done in open court, and lady Rosemund was the only one who had been with the sword at all times, and that they attempt to track down Morrow and her pack, in case the Gangrel were still close by and were complicit in the event.
Assuring Lucretia that they would return to her after speaking with Rosemund, Brother Anthony left to find his companions as the cell door was once again locked on the hapless Ravnos.
Mortius found the others in their chambers and relayed to them what Lucretia had told him, before they began to plot their next move. Volund flew from the castle in the form of a raven, to find Skoll and continue tracking his fellow Gangrel. Baradeus and Mortius went to the chambers of Lady Rosemund to see what they might learn, while Maelduin and Gregoire awaited their fellows return in their own chambers.
Volund had by this time located Skoll where he awaited his master not far from the city's main gate, and set off tracking Morrow The Sage with all speed, through darkened wood and over rocky peak.
Baradeus and Brother Anthony found the chambers of the emissary of the Courts of Love without difficulty, a beautifully appointed suite on the top floor of Jurgen's castle. They approached the doors and the two French guardsmen, dressed fine velvets, though with long and sharp swords by their sides, and informed them that were there on the business of Lady Lucretia Von Hartz. After a word with their Lady the door was opened and they were admitted into the chamber. Lady Rosemund sat before her mirrors, as beautiful as ever, with her golden hair falling around her pallid face and down her back over her rich white gown. Respectfully, Baradeus and Mortius questioned her as to who had been near the sword since its forging, and if its makers were to be trusted. Rosemund replied that its makers had been conditioned for loyalty and then had their memories erased afterward, and that her own entourage were to be trusted beyond reproach. while it was true that Silas had performed at a fete she had held before leaving, she added that the sword was not displayed at the time and that he could never of approached it. They asked her who had been near the sword once they had arrived in Magdeberg, and she told them that save her entourage and Lord Jurgen, none had approached them, none save Jurgen's Catiff slave, Albin, who escorted them into the city while talking to her servants. After probing politely a little further they realised that there was nothing more she could tell them, and after kissing her delicate hand, took their leave.
Volund found himself flying low above the running form of Skoll through the dense and damp forestland of the East Germanys, near to the banks of the Elbe, after a time he noticed that the woods seemed to have emptied of creatures, for no sight or sound save the dark trees and bushes surrounded them. They continued on, and suddenly found them selves surrounded by all the nightime creatures of the forest, owls, wolves, stags, rats, and ravens. All watching them with an eerie silence and lack of motion. Volund returned to the form of a man, and when he turned he found Morrow The Sage, Childe of Arnulf, standing tall and feral over him. Her only garment was a long and ragged fur cloak which flapped in the wind behind her. Through her long hair Volund could make out eyes glowing a bright red, and extended Cainite fangs. By her side stood the two bearded and tusked packmates, their eyes glowing as their mistresses, and their claws shining in the moonlight and hanging by her side. She challenged him, asking why he had come to the wilds from the comfort of Jurgen's hall. Volund replied that he came to speak with them, over the stolen sword, and that though he sat among them in the hall, he was not one of them. She derided him, saying that he was not a true childe of Gangrel, and that unlike him she cared not for swords and such trinkets, saying that Kara had come to her and told her of the Grand Court and of Jugen's intentions, and that she came only to give her warning. She left saying that perhaps they would meet again on the field of battle. Volund replied saying that he hoped it would not be so, but nodded his head.
Flying at full speed Volund returned to Magdeberg and its castle but a few hours later.
After seeing Rosemund, Mortius and Baradeus sought out Lady Lucretia, finding her in a hall stood around long wooden table with four generals of the Teutonic Order, pouring over maps of Eastern Europe. Seeing them come in Lucretia dismissed the ghouled generals and heard Mortius recount what Rosemund had told them. She stopped him when he mentioned Albin approaching the Toreador Convoy, for Albin, she said, had been specifically ordered not to approach them. Instructed by Lord Jurgen, who did not want to offend Rosemund's dignity by having a clanless curr dirty the air around her. Something was wrong there she said, giving them permission to question Albin on the matter, and to use the appropriate amount of force in doing so.
Her brow knitted with suspicion, Lucretia called her generals back in.
The Company adjourned to their quarters and there encountered Volund, whom they informed of the goings on in the castle since he left, as he did with his woodland meeting. Maelduin, Gergoire , and Mortius decided to find and question Albin, while Baradeus and Volund sought out Myca Vykos in case he may be able to shed light on their current situation.
Maelduin, Gregoire, and Mortius, went down to the dank chambers beneath the eastern tower of the curtain wall and knocked on Albin's door, but no answer came, and no light came from under it. Not wishing to show their hand just yet there returned to their chambers while Maelduin used the power of his blood to summon up one of the minor spirits of the castle, sending it to see if anyone was within Albin's rooms in return for the Vis of his Cainite blood. The spirit returned saying that the room was empty, and so they returned to it, Maelduin putting his shoulder to the door and breacking the wood that barred from the inside. What they saw within was chaos, a gaping hole in the wall and pieces of smashed stone littering the floor. Gash marks were cut deep into the hard granite of the walls, some of the reddened with Cainite vitae. Approaching the hole they saw that most of the debris had been smashed into the room, indicating that it was an entrance and not an exit. In the distance they heard a scream, and shouts from the city across the moat. They wasted no time, rushing out through the hole and leaping or swimming across the moat, before running headlong into the streets of Mgdeberg, following the trail debris and the sound of screaming chaos ahead. On their way they passed small knots of terrified and confused townsfolk, as well as deep claw marks in the walls and corners of buildings.
They run on as shutters open up above as locals are woken by the commotion, and at last, just as they turn a corner, they catch sight of Albin just as he turned another. Gergoire called upon his preternatural speed and shot ahead round the corner. Upon nearing him Gregoire leapt, and tackled Albin to the ground. Albin's already pale features seemed whiter still as he said, Let me go, its coming!...
Just as he had spoken, and as the others turned the corner, a great black chitinous beast scuttled down the wall next to them with blinding sped, long scythed forearms swinging out as it focused directly on Albin and Gergoire, cutting deep into both of them as Albin screamed out his fear.
Maelduin quickly planted himself between the Reaper and its prey, swinging his great sword down upon it, cutting into its many black eyes.
Brother Anthony leapt onto the creature's back, attempting to use his clans arts of Mortis upon it. But Just as the Reaper struck again, so did Maelduin, slaming his blade down in a wide arc, and bitting deeply into its head. With a creak and a his from its multi-fanged jaws, the creature died, as its brains spilled out into the mud.
They quickly questioned Albin, intimidating the already frightened Catiff into spilling all his secrets. How he had been approached by Alexia of Nicosia on behalf of Jervais, and offered freedom from his Lord in the embracing arms of Clan Tremere, and promised to teach him their arts of Thaumaturgy, if only he would steal the sword from the Toreador envoy and replace it with a carefully crafted fake. He had done so, and then Jervais had unleashed one of his creatures upon him, moving to slaughter him instead of save him in the hoped of covering his tracks...
Maelduin wrapped the carcass of the Reaper in some of their cloaks and carryed it as they led Albin firmly back to Magdeberg Castle.
Baradeus and Volund gained little from their conversation with Vykos, once again giving away more than they learned, save for when asked directly, Vykos replied that he would suspect the hand of the Tremere.
Once the Company was united again they went oncemore to Lucretia, presenting Albin, his story, and the dead creature, to her. She stepped forward sticking Albin so hard that bone was heard to break and his jaw hung lose. You are a dog! she screamed at him, before regaining her composure and thanking the Company, stating that she was in their debt. Albin was led away in chains as Lucretia went to inform Lord Jurgen. She returned with her sire, who was dressed in mail and girt with the Toreador sword. Lord Jurgen also thanked them, both for recovering the sword,c and for uncovering the Userper plot. They were told that they had the freedom of the city of Magdeberg for as long as they remained before returning to Sophia, and that they should carry tidings of his friendship to their master, Prince Basilio.
Jervais and his Tremere delegation were publicly humiliated by Lord Jurgen in open court before being exiled from Lord Jugens domains. There would be no alliance with them. Alexia took the fall for the plot claiming the she sought only to bring their clans closer together, and that Jervais was not aware of it. She was exiled with the rest of her House.
Albin was shown the dubious mercy of the Sword Bearer, and not put to Final Death, but rather sealed at the bottom of a deep well bellow the castle, with only rats to sustain him.
Some days later as the Itinerant Company prepared theie wagons and steed for departure, there was a commotion in the courtyard, a group of Teutonic Knights rode in in disarray, and were quickly met by Lady Lucretia in full armour. They rode with haste out of the wide gates and the Company saddled up and quickly followed them, wondering what the cause of concern was.
At last they reached the east bank of the Elbe, and there found a fleshless body lying on the grass, and next to it, stretched over a small boatman's hut, was the flayed and fleshcrafted skin of Brother Kurt, the very Knight that had moved to attack Lady Kara during the presentations. Scrawled across the fleshy canvas was a bloody message:
Let it be known that we are at War. Bring your forces if you wish. Victory will be ours.
Rustovich had sent his true message at last, war had been declared.




Arms of the Usurper Clan of Tremere