Fantasy Hunter's Moon [IC] [CLOSED]

[K0mori]

Aleister tried his best to be a help, but Mariette simply didn't seem the same person after the encounter with Cassandra. Eventually, she picked herself up, went to her room, and dressed herself in her overcoat and boots. She slipped the werewolf blood into her overcoat before carefully loading her cap-and-ball revolver with silver ammunition. She wondered, as she did so, whether it was foolish that she hadn't taken the time to learn if her pistol was even considered viable in a situation like this; she had owned it for nearly a decade but had only fired it a handful of times, and all the while, time marched on. Perhaps Rosanna would be able to teach her more about firearms, but it was hard to want to learn something new when it felt as if her life could end in mere days and make the whole effort pointless.

They hate me, and yet they need me.

The thought stung, but it felt true. The way Camille and Erwin spoke to her, it was clear that they were thankless for a maneuver which likely prolonged their lives. The Senior Inquisitor had called her one of the only advantages the party possessed over Cassandra... They still needed her, the toxic lot of them, and yet it made no difference in their dark hearts. Her newfound fear of death was a laughing matter to some of them. Resentment spread through her like wildfire.

I should have turned on them. They don't deserve my, or anyone else's, help if all they plan to do is use me.

She stepped out the door of her room and walked down the stairs, into the horrifying scene of slaughter from earlier. Despite the sights and smells, Mariette seemed indifferent, colder and with a sharper look in her eye, a stiffer movement in her step. With the night still young, she had the chance to go for a walk to clear her mind, and perhaps even more. For the first time in over a century, she felt... dangerous. This place, Grimtham, was making her feel like a new vampire again; gone was the security of routine, the safeguards of planning, and the assurance of long life. Here she was surrounded by enemies and bathed in obscurity. It felt neither good nor bad, just... intense. She was awake, now.

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina really couldn't stand another minute of Camille's pathetic complaining and was about to leave the room when Mariette, Aleister and the others started to discuss the next step.

"I say that the time for deception is over. No need to strain resources on a task which may not bear fruit. What we need are more men, weapons and a perfect ambush. That is how we will win."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Aleister didn't bother Mariette as she left, and he remained behind with the others, contemplating how best to approach this situation. It was clear Mariette was quite shaken up with it all, and he honestly wasn't sure what he was going to do, either. Purebloods weren't just a step above everyone here - they were several. He had been among the midnight society long enough to know the danger purebloods posed not just to mortals, but to their fellow vampires as well. They were rare enough that you mostly heard of them rather than actually come across them, but of those he was aware of, they were all incredibly ruthless, even the hedonistic ones. He couldn't imagine going against one which was actively attempting to hunt and kill his party. And as long as this Cassandra was alive, he could never step back home, lest he put his own family at risk. Madam Saville was ancient, but she was no pureblood. Even if she had to pull in alliances and allies... would that still be enough?

"More men will simply mean more bodies, unless you plan to call up the army and eventually drown this Cassandra in the lives of young men. The only weapons that could possibly help us would be magical in nature, and an ambush now is far harder to set up than it was before. A pureblood... I can hardly fathom this situation," he sighed, sitting on the bed and fanning himself with his hand.

"I mean, did you see how she moved? She was gone in an instant. She could have killed everyone in this room without us even knowing. The lich saved our lives, and thats only because Cassandra wanted to play along. This wasn't even business to her, this was pleasure. And I know a great deal about pleasure. If she put her full confidence into killing us, then we are dead. Simple as that. We either need an entirely foolproof deception, or enough magic to give us a sufficient boost."

"Or maybe we could conjure up some crusaders of old," he added dryly, "because a crusade is what we will need."

 

[KRIY]

Wesley wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat down a chair. taking on six ghouls with Galina to assist him during the fight has been a good learning experience. however at the back of his mind. words that was spoken by Cassandra disturbed him the most.

"Oh, and that strapping young lad named Wesley out there in the hall! I think I heard someone in the inn below say that he was a new hunter! Perhaps I might show him just what life is like on the other side."

It was the first time he had seen vampire. as well as seeing the strengths of a vampire. if this is really the foes that he will face in the future. he has to adapt or face death. he had noticed Galina's suggestion for the plan and decided to listen.

 

[joshuadim]

Ethraeil took the time to take his leave to investigate the area. His eyes revealed many things, but he would need to go on a hunt of his own. He investigated the hallway, the dead ghouls, and then focused his attention downstairs. Earlier he had been focused entirely on shadowing Cassandra, but now the true extent of the carnage downstairs took hold. The mangled bodies, the gore and blood splattered about, the lives cut short by the work of a creature of the night. Ethraeil would have been indifferent, the horrors of ages past being firmly implanted within his mind to offer desensitization, but something was different. It wasn't fear, no... uncertainty.

He quietly remarked on what Cassandra had spoken. Her 'employer' and the allusion to a wider plot. He narrowed his eyes as he walked his way through, ignoring the constables on the scene. In all his years he had never come across something like this. A direct attack on the Church (and by extension the Inquisition) by whatever would've been unthinkable before. Something has changed, but what? Ethraeil pondered these as he continued his search, although it remained fruitless.

Once more he returned his mind back to the battle. To have been for the most part out-gunmed by an enemy, it was an unusual feeling. Was he showing his age, if a Lich can even do that? He took a look at his boned hand quickly. Another wave of uncertainty hit him. Would he be able to withstand a second assault? The job required him to, but against this anomaly he didn't know. He was practically saved just because of that magic that was put on her.

That magic. He thought for a moment before realizing that he hadn't thanked it's wielder: Mariette. Without her, this may very well have been a short inquiry. Although his disdain for vampires runs deeper than just surface level hate, he did not deny that perhaps she was needing of someone to praise her in the environment of hostility within the group. He then silently went to find her.
---

A few minutes passed until Ethraeil found her walking about. It wasn't difficult to track her aura. But as he approached, he found it difficult to formulate what to say. But he decided on his words as he finally caught up with her. "Hello. Might I impart some words for you? I wanted to thank you. You saved my bones back there, literally."

 

[K0mori]

It was still raining outside when Ethraeil caught up to Mariette, who, surprisingly, had not taken her parasol with her and was instead allowing herself to become drenched. The Countess had realized that carrying an umbrella would mean not having both of her hands free in the event that she needed to cast a spell. She was also drinking from a vial of blood, but it wasn't the blue-labeled gift she had been given by Cassandra. Finishing the meal, she threw the glass vial at a distant wall across the street so forcefully that it seemed to fly without an arc. It shattered into a thousand glimmering little pieces as she wiped the blood on her leather cloaked sleeve.

Back to nothing. Remember what it felt like... Remember this...

Ethraeil's presence interrupted her train of thought, and she paused, looking back scornfully at the lich as it spoke to her. "Not bad for an 'unsightly parasite,'" Mariette replied, unmoved. "...You put yourself in harm's way, and we all owe a fraction of our survival to you as well. Should I say 'thank you, you grave-robbing, soul-stealing freak?' What would you have done to me yesterday if you weren't on a leash!?"

The question was rhetorical.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille had taken a seat at one of the tables of the inn, wiping the blood off of her blades with a rag she retrieved from the kitchen. For the most part she seemed to be in her own thoughts, the talk of magic's necessity in slaying the pureblood had been more than enough to convince her to leave that conversation. Cassandra was far too fast, and immune to silver, so it would seem her skills would not carry her through the future engagement. Not without some consecrated blades or other such nonsense, at least.

The quills were cleaned first, spread out on the table and their shining luster restored as she began to stroke her bloodied rapier with the rag next. Just then she caught Marriete walking out of the inn, her eyes narrowing as she thought where a vampire such as herself was going unattended. It did not bode well, knlowing her.

"Going somewhere, countess?" she asked just a tiny bit snidely, only to be blatantly ignored. "Hmnph..." The huntress would have pursued, but soon after she saw the lich go behind her. Two undead together was exceptionally dangerous, yet she had been made aware of Ethraiel's hatred of vampires. That was enough to put her worries at ease.

 

[Infab]

"We need to improve our tactics. The last group that killed a pureblood wasn't much larger than the group in this inquiry." responded Valeria, looking to Aleister. "It always comes down to tactics and teamwork. Teamwork is a must, and at the moment a chunk of our group doesn't trust some of the others. That needs to change if we're going to survive this."

Valeria turned to her night stand, continuing to write her letter to Father Weston from where she had left off earlier due to Cassandra's interruption. She filled in the details of what had happen, requesting information on Tsavania's House Romanov, as well as any information on what could potentially turn someone into a pureblood vampire. She also added in a request for any assistance that could be provided in the endeavour. Once she finished, she signed it, sealed it, and handed it off to a constable downstairs to be delivered. With it, she sent Atkins' pocket watch.

She then returned to her room, getting dressed once again in her inquisitorial gear and gathering the rest of her equipment to be moved to another undamaged room across the hall. Afterwards, she sought out Camille. She needed to have a word with her about a few things. In particular, the two vampires with the group. Strolling back downstairs, past some constables cleaning up some blood left by one of the ghoul bodies, she stopped at the table where Camille sat cleaning her weapons.

"Camille, I do not know what your problem is, though I'm sure that it has caused you much grief over the years to where you bear this extreme hatred of the vampire. I know what it is like to hate vampires. As a child, I was forced to kill my own father with an axe after a vampire turned him into a ghoul. I've hunted vampires since I was an adolecent. I've seen all manners of vile and horrific activity from them. I should hate them just as much as you do, and without Father Weston's training, I likely would." she said as she stood at the edge of the table, gazing down upon the weapons. "...But if you do not ease up on the vampires in our group, you will be primary reason that they are driven to change sides. And you will be the primary reason that they slaughter us like cattle, should they turn into what Cassandra has become. Mariette saved our lives back there with her illusions, and yet you still treat her as scum beneath your boot. You should be thankful she didn't just let Cassandra rip your heart out. I know I certainly am."

Once Valeria had finished, she gave Camille one last glare from beneath the brim of her hat before walking away. She had other matters to attend to. Primarily the report that she would have to write for the constabulary as well as the church regarding this incident.

------

Rosanna assisted some of the constables with the bodies, helping them carry them out to be loaded onto a waiting cart. This was one part of the job that she didn't like. Dealing with the casualties of whatever monster she encountered. Lives cut far too short due to a creature's bloodlust or ego. And in the back of her mind, she knew eventually that she'd join their ranks in laying waste to innocents. It was only a matter of time.

Eventually, she decided to take a break, standing next to the cart and looking over to where Mariette and Ethraeil had stepped outside. Mariette was practically the main reason that none of them were dead right now at the hands of that pureblood. And she apparently was taking meeting Cassandra rather hard. Who wouldn't? Tricking an apex predator is a risky move. Especially if you should be meeting the same predator later on down the road.

Rosanna eventually sighed, before strolling over to here the two were. "Amazin' stuff back there, Countess. You saved all our lives, and I, for one, am grateful." she said, stepping up with a smile. "You're provin' to 'em that you're a good person at heart, regardless as to what they think." She motioned to the cart with the ghoul bodies in it. "If you hadn't done what you did, we'd be in that cart too, most likely." She then looked to Ethraeil. "You too, bone head. If you hadn't distracted Cassandra, Mariette likely wouldn't have got that illusion set up in time."

 

[joshuadim]

Mariette's words didn't really bother Ethraeil save for the last few, which stung at him like a wasp would sting a human. '...if you weren't on a leash!?' ; Truth be told, Ethraeil did not know the answer to this. Perhaps it was purposefully rhetorical, yet he tried and failed to find an answer at the moment. Freedom had been an unattainable goal for him for so long, whether it be a slave to his own rage or slave to the whims of the Church. Even death was a freedom that eluded him for the longest time. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, as nothing could come out at the moment. But before anything was truly formulated, Rosanna had come over and spoke to the two of them.

He turned his attention to the dullahan to speak: "I... I'm investigating the area right now. Searching for any trace that might give us clues. Will you two accompany me?" he said somewhat awkwardly. It wasn't the best icebreaker he had ever deployed, but it was an attempt nonetheless.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

After helping his fellow constables with the corpses alongside Rosanna, he cleared sweat from his forehead and decided to take a break. He noticed that young Wesley was sitting alone, distancing himself from the rest of the group while listening to Galina's proposal of gathering a posse. Jakob scratched his chin for a moment, then went into the back of the Inn to fetch some beer. The inn's owner was dead, so he wouldn't miss any of his stock, really.

He approached Wesley with a smile on his face, offering him a beer. "Here, boy. You deserve a drink after that ordeal." said Jakob, with a fatherly tone. "You did great, you know? You and Galina are certainly good marksmen. Hope you don't mind some advice, though." He gave Wesley's shoulder a pat. "You're good with a crossbow, but its a slow weapon. I noticed it took you some time to load a new bolt into it. Try using your revolver for larger numbers." He tapped the shotgun hanging from his back. "As much as I love this beauty, it only has five shots and takes forever to reload. The revolver's faster." He took a sip from his beer, then looked towards Wesley's face. "Listen, don't overthink what that vampire said, alright? Pureblood or not, we'll deal with her as a team. I'll watch your back, boy."

After talking with the young hunter, he noticed Rosanna, the lich, and Mariette standing outside. He grabbed another bottle, strolling out and offering it to Rosanna as she complimented the Countess. "You all did amazing, folks. Especially you, countess!" he said, with a cheerful tone. "I'm glad to have you here, m'lady. I'd offer you some of them fancy wines, but they all got shattered in the fight..." He then offered the lich his own bottle of beer. "Want a sip, bone man?" he asked with a smile.

 

[Breadman]

Theodore did not wish to wait for the information to come from him, rather he began to search it out. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, or maybe fate had a finger in it, but the book on cursed Bloodlines he was reading before Cassandra showed herself would prove useful no doubt. After a quick look in the table of contents, he flipped the pages to what he was searching for.

ROMANOVS
The story of the Romanov's fall from grace is as tragic as their blood is ancient. But hindsight shows we should have been prepared for what happened. The family crest of the Dire wolf ( a crude joke of history now) used to fly high in the ancient lands we now call modern day Tsavania. The bloodline itself predates history and has ruled it's lands since before the Tsars themselves came. Going as far as to make others question if perhaps a direct link to the old men that predates us.

As it is stated in recorded history, the Romanovs did not lead the Tsavanian throne at first, choosing to instead be vassals to their southern ruler, while they focused on the ancient forests. But as time passed, their power and influence grew. Not only marrying into the then rulers of the Srebristrov, but eventually taking control of the throne itself. The dynasty lasted for centuries, having a series of aggressive and ferocious rulers as Djana the shrewd, Nikolai the wicked, Ivan the red tooth and Vlado the mad.

As stated above, in hindsight the world should not have been as shocked as it was when their final hour came. As the bloodline was long speculated to have dealings with the Abyss long before that. The forests was said to house witches, demons and cultists. The Romanov themselves were rumored to fornicate with wolves, perform blood sacrifices to the Abyss and to devour children. Alas, many of these things cannot be confirmed as most records have been lost to the fires in the Age of Darkness.

What we can confirm however is that we have the Romanov to thank for at least partially for the centuries of pain as they brought the Demon king into our world. Their fall could not come sooner as the decade long civil war brought an end to their mad reign. The then ruler, Petar the last, was brought out in his wolf form. His body torn apart and head mounted on the central fireplace of the Frost palace, where it hangs there to this day as a grim reminder of that long and bloody age.

As for any relatives he may have had, nothing could stop the mob justice that followed. Men, women, children and elderly all met the same fate as they were dragged out of the palace. The wolves had become lambs to the slaughter as the crowd, hungry for justice, descended on them. The bloodline itself still survives today. As distant cousins and relatives to the main branch lived outside the city or were absent when it happened. Their names are a well kept secret both for their protection and for fear that they may one day try to reclaim what's theirs.

The chapter then had a dedicated family tree of all known members as well as noting all known crimes, speculations and rumors on each one of them. At the same time Theodore kept notes on the relevant information. Primarily the fact that the Romanov bloodline had dealings with the Abyss. It was a good start, but there could be more. Perhaps Gallina would know more. Standing up from his chair, the tutor pocketed the notes with the rest and left for her room.

"Mademoiselle Gallina, do you have a moment?"

 

[KRIY]

Wesley noticed Jakob's offer and took the beer from Jakob's hand and drank from it.

"Thanks for the drink Mr. Phillomon, I really owe you one"

Wesley listened closely to Jakob's advice and took a mental note to himself to apply this for the Inquiry's next battle.

"Listen, don't overthink what that vampire said, alright? Pureblood or not, we'll deal with her as a team. I'll watch your back, boy."

Wesley nodded to the constable "I agree, Thank you again for helping us out earlier Mr. Phillomon. I won't let anyone down in this group."

With that, Jakob wandered off outside and Wesley refocuses his attention back to the planning of the Inquiry's next move.

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina was standing outside the inn. She had grabbed her overcoat and cloak from her room before assuming her current position from which she observed the nearby streets. Her hood was pulled up to shield her from the weather.

When Theodore approached she bowed her head lightly. "Inquisitor Boivin, of course."

Galina shifted her stance and adjusted the hood of her cloak so that Theodore could see her face better.

"Anything on your mind?"

 

[Breadman]

"I'm putting together what we know of the Romanov bloodline. If we are going to carry around a vial of that cursed liquid, I rather know what is swirling around in it. The history books we have on hand provide a picture, but they suffer from...lets call it bias." He reached inside his pocket and pulled out the notes, before handing them to her. "So far this is what we have. But I suspect that you can help shed light on some more details. Seeing your standing in society and all."

 

[Radley]

Although not of the apperance of any learned man or practitioner of scholarly arts, Erwin had in his personal quest to hunt werebeasts gathered condenced writings in a worn notebook.

Even if Erwins notes were not as thorough as that of Boivins, he could glean the same amount of knowledge of the Romanov line. A long line of nobles and rulers, some of whom were proven to be werebeasts and rumored to commune with abyssal powers. Perhaps Galina would be able to shed some additional light on the situation.

Dressing in his hunting attire, along with his hat, concealed face, bandolier and baldric, Erwin made his way downstairs. Seeing only Wesley, he walked through the dinning hall and exited the lodge, finding Galina and Theodore outside.
He glanced from Galina to Theodore, "I'm guessing we're after the same thing." he said.

 

[Breadman]

Theodore looked up to Erwin and chuckled

"Romanov bloodline?"

 

[Dmaster]

Camille had been intently looking to her weapons as she was nearly finished with polishing them, only for her attention to be swept up by Valeria. She knew the look on her face, another lecture was coming and the Escarian merely narrowed her eyes. What had she done this time? She was being far more cooperative and much less scornful, if anything the vampires were the ones who would twist her words into hateful commentary. "You are right to believe that something in my past had started my hatred of vampires, but it is nothing so tragic as your event." she starts, soon looking back down at her blades. "What I had said up there is the truth, I see no reason why such a powerful and experienced vampire should be having a panic attack over our target when I am less than fazed. You wish me to thank her for that? First and foremost our savior should not be so absorbed with her own fears before hearing my gratitude, and I had simply tried to snap her out of it. You do not want me to see them as equals, you want me to coddle such behavior, which I am sorry to say that I simply cannot do. She saved all of our lives, yes, but I am fully complacent with death. Fate spared us this time, and we shall see if our preparations will allow us to slay that parasite proper." Camille had nothing more to say after that, and Witlock was understandably a very busy woman and let her go.

Just then she caught wind of the tail-end of Jakob and Wesley's conversation, parting her lips to perform a sigh as she heard him talk to the new hunter. Surprising he wasn't mobbed by ghouls but that was perhaps due to her and the other hunters' work repelling and dispatching the beasts from the front. Jakob had been jovial as ever, and whether or not it was how he coped in the face of certain doom or that was just the type of person he was had been irrelevant to her. Most anything was better than curling up in a ball and being too frightened to move. Such thoughts plague you and weigh down on you in combat, and all it takes is one mistake. The Escarian found herself chuckling, recalling Aleister's words to her. One mistake. She would not have it any other way.

 

[Viper Actual]

"I see," said Galina before taking a look at Theodore's notes. As she read them Erwin joined them.

Once finished she shook her head. "That is more than just bias, some of it is completely incorrect."

Galina slung her rifle to her back and crossed her arms. "Knowledge of the Romanovs and our other ancient families are hard to get- especially as a foreigner.

Thankfully the founding members of House Kholda were adept at conserving the knowledge of old.

When my father wasn't teaching me in the library I often snuck off to read about the old families. My mother also happens to be a scholar well-versed with Tsavanian history."

Galina paused and eyed two constables as they walked by before continuing.

"To begin with the history of the Romanovs is filled around rumors about them eating children, raping wild wolves and consorting with witches. These are lies.

What they did was perfect the methods of harnessing the power of the beasts which lives inside all of us.

The Romanovs were the most ferocious werewolves to have existed. Larger, stronger and faster. Yet they still functioned in society.

Unlike the mindless monsters which Erwin have hunted the Romanovs only hunted within their own great forest.

During the Dark Age the blame for all the death fell on them, which only sparked more rumors.

The Romanovs never consorted with the Abyss, something most people are unaware of even to this day.

Before the Dark Ages the Romanovs were the best hunters and trackers. Some of their methods are still used to this day, outside of Tsavania as well.

As for Petar, well his bloodline didn't end with him. While his skull remains in place for all to see even to this day it's not entirely known what happened to the rest of the Romanovs.

Because of everything that happened during the Dark Age it is as if the Romanov family faded into nothing.

I know several people whol have tried to track down potential ancestors but they have always returned empty-handed."

 

[Breadman]

"I have to heavily cast doubt on the Romanovs not consorting with the Abyss as the Demon king came straight out the Frost palace in the first place." Theodore said with while crossing his arms behind his back "And Ivan's own deviations are well documented. Most everything else however, I cannot dispute."

 

[Radley]

"Don't mind the abyss stuff now." Erwin interjected with a dry tone. He turned his focus to Galina, "So what you're saying is that the Romanovs bred their bloodline to be some kid of... supreme werebeasts?"
His tone was draped with doubt, as it seemed like a far throw do denounce the business with witches and abyss to jump to another, equally outlandish statement.

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina grunted at Theodore. "I've been at the Frost Palace. I may not be a experienced demon hunter but I'm fairly sure there would be telltale signs at the site had the Demon King actually spawned there."

She turned towards Erwin and nodded. "From what I've read, yes. Imagine a direwolf but in the shape of a werewolf. A beast of terror and war. I imagine that if the Romanovs wouldn't have descended into extinction men such as yourself would have even more work to do."

Galina narrowed her eyes. "And if either of you mistake my admiration for bias you would be wrong. I simply find the history of my people fascinating."

She shrugged. "As for the credibility of my sources: let's just say that House Kholda's history is far more intertwined with that of the Romanovs than you think."

 

[K0mori]

In the night and on the street, Mariette had hoped to rediscover her instincts from a particularly difficult time in her life, but after the others began to follow her she grew frustrated at the thought that she wouldn't be allowed to go alone, at least not immediately. Unlike with Ethraeil, the vampire had some respect for her other colleagues in this ridiculous inquiry and since Rosanna and Jakob had both shown her kindness over the previous days, the Countess felt no need to cast them off the way she had with the lich. They each expressed their gratitude, but Mariette wasn't exactly searching for praise at the moment.

To Rosanna, she replied, "this proves nothing, Mademoiselle, except that I may be useful on occasion. The honest truth is that I wanted to flee the scene when the pureblood revealed herself, but I was trapped in that inn just the same as all of you. Maybe Cassandra was fooled into believing that Aleister and I could have killed the lot of you, but I know better. Surprise and trickery are my only forte, and you can only fool your enemy once. I'd only have had the chance to take one of you down with me, and only one of the weaker ones... or the maddeningly haughty ones who fail to watch out for themselves. Survival dictated that I put myself in that position to deceive her, but in doing so I've sealed my doom."

Mariette looked up at the brooding sky above and wondered how far Cassandra had already traveled. She wondered whether the world stood still when one moved that quickly, or if the mind would race to cope with the blur of movement. Maybe it was instinctual and there was no thought placed into it at all. She hoped that when Cassandra returned, the pureblood would kill her so quickly that she wouldn't know it was coming.

"There was a time, after the death of my husband and his half-brother, when I was called the 'Widow of La Cygne." That's it- not the Countess, not the Lady, but merely the Widow, as I didn't inherit anything from Auguste's death. Our two families were too frightened of me to attempt my removal; they left me there without servants or money and hoped I would either leave on my own volition or simply die, starved of blood, in the empty halls of the estate. I would wander at night in search of blood, but I couldn't wander too far. I couldn't be caught out during day, and if I were to be pinned down in shadow's sanctuary for long, the Perraults or the Desrosiers would take note and reclaim the land.

"Other vampires contend with joblessness and homelessness soon after their turning, but I was a dragon sitting atop a hoard of gold. They began... they began to send killers after me, trying to take it back," Mariette continued, "and I dealt with them as they came. Some, I was able to bargain with, others, I had to deceive or kill in my own defense. I was faster and more alert back then. I could fight... I'm very strong in my own right, but I feel as if I've forgotten it- that instinct. After a while, word began to spread among the people of the night, and they came to me- the other vampires. We rebuilt our lives together, but before I was ready to settle down, I sought out the ones who had wanted me dead. They were growing old and frail, but I was still as I am today. I carved my vengeance into those families.

"I don't respect what I did. I don't idolize that violence. ...But I need it now. I'm more afraid now than I've been in over a century. If I'm forced to fight this pureblood with all of her advantages, I won't keep a single shred of mercy in my body if it will slow me down."

 

[Breadman]

Theodore narrowed his own eyes behind the goggles in turn "On really now? Hmm, interesting. Just how intertwined are your roots and branches?"

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob looked to the Countess as she told her story. While he had a lot of respect for both vampires, he felt that Aleister was more immature than Mariette whom had experienced real hardships in life. He gave her a smile. "Madame, I am sure you are more than capable of getting your past strength back!" he said, before looking to Rosanna and the lich. "I can say without a shadow of a doubt that you are a valuable member of this Inquiry. Please, don't feel like you're useless." He then patted Rosanna's shoulder. "If you ever need help, you can count on me and good ol' Rose here!"

 

[Infab]

Rosanna listened quietly to Mariette's story. "...Well, try to keep at least a little mercy. You know, for the ones that deserve it." she said softly, after Mariette finished. She smirked after Jakob's cheerful statements, before drawing out her revolver and holding it up. "How well do you know guns? I could teach you how to use 'em if need be. That should boost your fightin' ability a bit. I'm sure one of the others can show ya how to use a blade or somethin'." she said, wiggling the firearm next to her head.

Rosanna looked back to Ethraeil. "Jakob could probably help you out better than I could. I just kill things. I'm not all that good of a detective." she said, with a chuckle.

-----

Elsewhere in the lodge, Valeria finally finished penning a set of reports for both the constable as well as the Church. She handed both off to the tall mustachioed constable, before returning to the front entrance where several of the others were standing. It was still raining, though a bit softer than it had been earlier during the confrontation with Cassandra. She folded her arms beneath her cloak, peering from under the brim of her hat around at the others. What was going on in Tresomin? Cassandra had said that she had something to attend to there, but what would it be? Something involving her employer? She also remembered the Colonel and his men earlier. Ethraeil mentioned that he could detect something faint coming from them, and it was likely that the others did as well. The same had happened tonight with Cassandra, despite her being a powerful pureblood.

Was the Colonel linked to Cassandra's employer? Or was the Colonel himself Cassandra's employer? The Colonel and his men were heading west when they left earlier, which is the direction of Tresomin. Eventually, she decided to put away those thoughts for now and deal with the current situation at hand. She strolled over to where Galina, Theodore, and Erwin were standing, looking amongst the three. "Anything to report?" she asked.