Fantasy Hunter's Moon [IC] [CLOSED]

[joshuadim]

Ethraeil was lost in thought as Aleister and Mariette returned into the carriage, his vision still fixed to the floor before he himself was briefly interrupted by Aleister's greeting. He seemed startled as he quickly looked around, before realizing he was in the carriage and loosened his tension.

"Hello." Ethraeil responded somewhat awkwardly. "I, uh, I've been somewhat disconnected from the flow of time... Is it time for us to travel?"

 

[K0mori]

Mariette hadn't noticed when Aleister greeted Ethraeil, but was clearly annoyed when the lich chose to reply. She gave him a cold stare. "Indeed. Perhaps you should stay disconnected. You'd arrive at your destination before you know it."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Aleister didn't notice her expression as he produced a small silk ribbon from underneath his sleeve, evidently wrapped around his wrist. The very same silk ribbon from his hat he was so enchanted with, and he was already wrapping it around his fingers, relishing that cool, smooth touch. Ever since loosing the ability to enjoy food and drink, he found himself drawn to whatever pleasurable stimulation he could find to make up for it. Be it as simple as a soft piece of cloth, a more elaborate euphoria from a musical or theatrical experience, or as natural as sharing a bed with someone. He didn't find too much issue with his pursuits - it was a bad habit of the clergy overall to enjoy the finer things in life.

"To become a pureblood... I would do a great deal of things to achieve that. I cannot think of any greater dream to pursue at this moment than that. Yet, as the process is held by enemies most dangerous... I rather heed to caution than excitement. Ending up dead certainly won't be beneficial to myself. I can't imagine it would be easy to capture our foe, either, and wring the proper information from them. I am not always a patient man, but in this regard... it is something I feel must be done carefully. This Cassandra, it seems to me that she must have become a pureblood relatively recently, and she is already several centuries old, is she not? She must have waited quite a long time."

"I do think it is possible, as you said, to do well and advance our own causes. I certainly don't plan to walk away without knowing the process to become a pureblood. I support the church, but this information is far too important for us. And I think it could be helpful for the church as well, if they were smart on the matter. To have people like ourselves, the so-called 'good vampires' as purebloods would surely out weight the more... self-interested and dangerous purebloods out there already."

He paused when Ethraeil made a half-hearted comment, and Mariette gave him a slight rebuke. Aleisted simply shrugged.

"I am perhaps far too caught up in cautionary tales. The church deals a lot in myth and legends, and I simply can't help but feel that if I were to chase becoming a pureblood without due caution, then... I'd end up in a far worse position than before. Its like the knowledge to becoming a pureblood is locked in the middle of a fully fortified castle, with traps and monsters stalking the hall, and here I am, with a cow-bell around my neck. But, if it takes me one step at a time to get there... then so be it. Running in head first may not work out too well."

 

[joshuadim]

Ethraeil only grunted in response as he leaned back in his seat and stared out the window. He wqs slightly annoyed by the continued rebuke of Mariette, but otherwise did not dwell on it in his mind. He had more important things to reminisce about in the meantime. Such as: why now?

It had been well over 110 years since his last nightmare, what was bringing up the pain of the past once more? Was it the situation at hand? Did it awake something in him? He didn't know as we wrested his mind for answers as he sat.

 

[K0mori]

"Or... Maybe it will," Mariette replied, mysteriously. "I have lived a long time, Aleister. I've seen many faces, done many things, but not enough to fill my days with the kind of meaning they once held, before there were an unlimited number of tomorrows to work with. I've sought to turn Chalmette Florissante into a haven for our kind, starting first with my estate at La Cygne, and then the entire county, once I was able to obtain a title on it. I was the first vampire to gain such a title in that duchy, although there were more than half a dozen immortal barons and baronesses in the area. Now the neighboring county of Verdigris is controlled by Count Barnabé Comtois, a gentleman of the night with the utmost poise and dignity. Our kind have flocked to our lands, and we've tightly controlled their behavior as to not upset the Duke or the King...

"But... In time, we will gain control of the entirety of Chalmette Florissante's county holdings, and should that happen, we will petition to place the duchy title in the hands of a vampire as well. My hands, to be exact. And as I do this work, it doesn't feel like a conquest, or anything of a personal nature. It feels inevitable... predetermined. I feel as if fate has willed that I walk in the footsteps of so many who came before me, as the alternative is simply stagnation and obscurity. Mademoiselle Giguere demonizes this simple fact... calling it greed or a lust for power or some other nonsense like that. If I were still human, it would simply be called ambition. But even then... it would be almost more daring not to climb. We are immortal, powerful creatures, Aleister. Why do we suffer the indignity of being labeled parasites? Why do we allow the humans to rule us? They used to say that the Gods ordained the reign of kings and queens, bestowing a divine right to rule...

"To be what I am and not be noble, to not rule, feels wrong. But as I said before, it doesn't feel like a conquest. It feels like waiting, and I want to do more with my life than wait, even if logic dictates that waiting is the most prosperous action I can take, as an immortal. But to bring back the secret of becoming a pureblood- that is a goal I am willing to fight for, to lie for, to kill for. It's a goal that makes me feel alive enough to face this fear that Cassandra has put into me." Mariette grinned a bit wolfishly. "I would rather be dead than miss this chance!"

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Aleister continued to fiddle with the ribbon as Mariette spoke. He wasn't surprised with the passion she spoke with, but it seemed... different after what he had originally thought of her. It seemed to him that Mariette had been seeking an understanding with the mortals, and now she was willing to put that aside to become a pureblood. Cassandra's words had clearly taken some hold in the woman. Really, he couldn't blame her for wanting to take hold of the chance with both hands. He felt the same drive even as he did his best to suppress it. Perhaps he was simply a coward for wanting to avoid the dangers associated with a a mad dash to the prize.

"It has forever been the nature of the misunderstood to suffer the indignity of being chastised, mocked, and ridiculed. The mortals have that luxury because it is all they can do in their pitiful lives, and so we must endure their misplaced admonishment. What has been done in Chalmette Florissante and the surrounding county is incredible, to say the least. It is an important milestone on a long, exhausting journey for our kind. But, as our society exists now, we walk a tightrope. We exist under scrutiny, even while we have the ability to raze towns, kill thousands, and exert our rule past our small domains and into other locales."

"Mortals, however, are somewhat of an enigma. They are just as dangerous as wolves in a pack as they are frightened little sheep who know not where the shepherd takes them. We cannot... startle them too much, or make them think too ill of us, for then they will react. And like the blind animals they are, they will react poorly and instinctively, but even the fearful beast has claws. I understand your desire to act - especially for the secret of becoming a pureblood. Gods, its nearly too good to be true. I want that information dearly, not just for myself, but for all of us, too. And I think we shall have it... if we are careful. This Cassandra and her employer are clearly dangerous. Turning all those people into ghouls, and attempting to slay us so boldly goes to show that they are ruthless in whatever goal they have. And I do not think it is a very noble goal if it involves such arrogant slaughter. I cannot for the life of me decide if Cassandra was truthful with us or not. I am inclined to distrust her, but what does she have to gain from leading us on now as it is? Its clear the capability exists to attack us at any time, and quite easily. In fact, without you or the lich - we'd be dead. Well, I admittedly had already planned my escape, but my point stands. Making enemies of the mortals now - even simply scaring them - will be far more detrimental than it will be worth. And a vampire with a goal they would seek even at the risk of death is... terrifying, to say the least."

"You see, the inquisitor strikes me as a reasonable woman. I support her so long as she acts as such. As for Marquess Camille... the woman is sour and twisted, but clearly broken from her past. I had made some inroads, I think, to unwrapping her thorn covered heart the other night. We both confided in each other important stories. Her long time mentor, you see, had strung her along for her whole life as she waited to duel her. To truly prove herself as a student to surpass her master. And her mentor, when the time came, had become a vampire. The mentor rather foolishly gave Camille the option to turn, or die. Foolish, foolish, foolish. It irritates me to no end to have heard that," he said with a frustrated growl. "And because of that, Camille hates our kind so deeply. Because her mentor betrayed the trust between teacher and student, and made their duel one to the death. The Marquess seems hellbent on proving herself to the world now, while at the same time forever carrying out her ire against vampires because of the attachment we have to her fallen mentor. The brightest lights burn out the fastest, or so they say, and the Marquess burns far too hot for her own good. And if you decide to burn too bright yourself... then, I can only foresee misfortune."

"Nothing is more important than becoming a pureblood, but if in doing so makes me shatter important boundaries I respect, then I will bide my time. That does not mean I will give up, for I will never do so, but I rather weather the storm than risk sinking the ship."

 

[K0mori]

Mariette slowly nodded as Aleister responded so neatly to her viewpoint. While much younger than the Countess, it was clear that Aleister had experienced more in his life through his travels abroad than Mariette had by simply tending her estate for a century and a half. His words helped to set an agitated spirit at ease, and inspired a virtue of patience that Mariette had recently begun to ignore. "You're a wise man, Monsieur Germain, and you have a way with words. How else would you have gotten that woman to tell you her story?" Mariette smiled, a friendlier smile this time, but added rather ominously: "You're very right about the power of fear to shape human behavior- a vampire with fatal determination is terrifying. Until I know for sure what it is that I'll do with this fire I possess, I'll keep its existence hidden from the rest of this inquisition."

Mariette considered whether her decision to haunt Camille might have damaged the progress that Aleister had made with the woman. She decided not to reveal her actions to Aleister after receiving his advice on not frightening her contemporaries with bold strokes. It would certainly seem in poor form to hex one's own comrade, she reasoned, humorously.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Aleister finally looked up at her fully with a smile, and he gave a little nod. "I thank you for your kind words, mistress. And I am glad you understand my warning. Rest assured, I think we shall have the secret we so desire, and perhaps even more. Imagine what can be done if the knowledge and goods that Cassandra possesses are in the hands of more... capable vampires, hmm? While I like to think our cause is righteous, we will naturally be a reflection upon Cassandra's actions... and she already casts a fairly poor reflection. It will be no great task to achieve a little more for our cause without having to sacrifice so much dignity in the process. Even should the fire of your passion spur you on, so long as you maintain mastery over that primordial light, both soul and mind will be at peace I believe."

"After all," he snickers, "its not so hard to be better than a bloodthirsty murderer like Cassandra, no? We are saints in comparison."

 

[Infab]

Eventually, it was time to go. All the gear that was once on the carriage a few days ago was strapped back to it, and all the horses were prepared for the journey to Tresomin. "Mount up, everyone." said Valeria aloud, climbing onto her horse and lookng back to the others. Rosanna was quick to do so, making sure her new guitar was secure on Rayham before slipping into the saddle. Jakob assumed his previous position as the carriage driver, and soon enough the group was off. Jakob waved to his fellow constables, as the group strolled through Bromwich, eventually departing through the same gate they had entered before.

The day was sunny. A bit moreso than the past few days, though there were still large fluffy clouds that dotted the sky. Better than rain, really. Thankfully they weren't a bit further north, where the rain would have been replaced with snowflakes. The hilly terrain made the journey a little slower towards Tresomin, as compaired to the mostly plains and forest between Airedale and Bromwich. There were also a few patches of forest here and there, mostly filled with pine trees near the few mountains west of Bromwich nestled amongst the hills.

During the group's journey through one patch of forest, they began to hear yelling. A woman's screams for help. Rosanna was the first to speak up. "Y'all hear that, right?" she said, looking to the others as she drew her lever-action from its holster on the saddle. "Indeed. Lets check it out." said Valeria, motioning for the group to follow her in the direction of the screaming. They ventured away from the road, into the woods heading north before they eventually came upon a rather nasty sight.

There was a woman dressed in black with long silvery-white hair chained to the ground, surrounded by what appeared to be corpses of various animals. "Oh thank the gods! Please! Help me!" she said, frantically tugging at the chains binding her to the ground. "S-Some lady dressed like an inquisitor ambushed me a few days ago! She chained me here! Left all these...disgusting dead animals around to draw a werebeast!"

Rosanna glanced to Valeria. "Cassandra." she said, before dismounting her horse and walking over to where woman sat on her knees. The woman perked up. "T-Thank you! Oh thank you! I don't know why she attacked me! I was just...just minding my own business! I'm just a nun! W-Why would she want to ambush me of all people!?" she said, as Rosanna inspected the shackles. "The woman that attacked you ain't an inquisitor, sister. She's a pureblood bloodsucker with a grudge." she said, before pulling the shackles apart. The iron bent and creaked, as Rosanna's dullahan strength easily pulled them apart.

Soon enough, the woman was free. "There ya go, sister." said Rosanna, stepping away and rubbing her hands together. The woman straightened up, rubbing her wrists. The odd thing was, she seemed to be giggling. "Well now, that was easy enough. I thank you, dullahan." she said, a grin inching across her face. As Rosanna and the rest of the group eyed the woman, they noticed the woman's eyes shift to a pure black. Then, searing yellow irises appeared to replace the brown ones she once had.

Rosanna quickly backed away, lever-action shouldered. Valeria had also quickly drawn her revolver, leveling it on the woman. "Its a gods damned demon!" spat Rosanna, shouting to alert the rest of the group. The demon chuckled. "No need to be alarmed. As long as you bear no violence against me, I shall not bear violence against you. I am sorry for the ruse, as I was sure you would not assist me if I had shown you my true nature." she explained, before looking amongst those in the group.

"My name is Sazak."

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina raised her rifle and stepped up next to Valeria.
"If we can keep her talking I'm sure Aleister can figure something out," she said in a hushed voice while still eyeing and aiming at Sazak.

 

[Infab]

"Oh! You mean the vampiric priest? Sadly, it would be quite impossible to exorcise me from this vessel, as I am the only soul inside it. You see, I consumed this woman Ermina's soul over three millenia ago. Thus, this vessel is mine and mine alone." explained Sazak, her yellow eyes studying Galina. "I can read lips, you know. Walking the mortal realm for over three thousand years allows you to pick up on some things."

 

[Radley]

Erwin had begun having doubts about the inquiry over the few days they stayed in Bromwich. His trust had moved nay an inch for the two vampires, but at least the Countess keep to herself, unlike the preacher.

By the five divines he could not understand someone that had lived supposedly over a century could not be tired of sound of their own voice. And since Aleister could never shut up, he certainly loved to hear himself talk.

His relation with Camille had not exactly improved either, but something seemed to have humbled her abit after the attack. And since that night he could be sure that she indeed was as skillful a hunter as she claimed to be, even though he proclaimed it with annoyingly short intervals.

The rest of the inquiry he had gotten along with to a certain degree. They all had quirks that irked him, but not so much as the afformentioned. Surprisingly, Theodore was the person he had come to terms with the best. The scholar was ingenious, and rarely spoke unless he had something of worth to contribute to a discussion. Erwin not being a man of faith, he prefered Theodores inclination to the sciences. It interrested him far more than the talk of morality and virtuousness.

---

Erwin rolled his eyes, when Rosanna so trustingly pryed the chains off what turned out to be a demon. After having overheard some parts of the vampires conversation in the carriage, grown weary of Valerias trust for the two and grown mightily irritated by Jakobs cheerful singing, Erwin Van der Pol had the air of a man that was positively fed up with events currently unfolding.

He strolled down past the party and walked up to next to Rosanna. "All right, hellspawn. Since we're already at your mercy since this southerner here couldn't forego her hospitality..." he said while casting a scournful eye at the dullahan at his side, "why don't we get to talking instead.

Erwin held his rifle in his hands, but he held it laxly without aiming at Sazak.
"Either you're working for the Pureblood and this is a trap." Erwin paused and looked around at the group. "in which case we'd all be dead by now." he muttered and turned his attention back to Sazak, "Or you used to work for Cassandra and you simply ran out of usefulness."

"So which one is it going to be, Sazak?"

 

[KRIY]

Wesley aimed his crossbow dead center to Sazak's head. his gaze looked towards Erwin when he spoke before foccusing on the Demon in front of him.

"First, The pureblood who wanted to suck me dry and then she has a Demon associate as well? This week has been crazy!"

 

[Infab]

"Well, now..." she said taking a few steps towards the group, as her gaze shifted from Galina to Erwin "Aren't you the forward one, brigand? Don't be in such a dour mood." she responded, before taking note of Wesley aiming his crossbow at her head. "My...very young, handsome, inexperienced friend. You better hit what you're aiming at, if you release that bolt. If you don't, I'll beat the hell from you."

Sazak's gaze returned to Erwin. "Now, normally I don't hand out information freely. But since your dullahan friend here has released me, I suppose I can consider that a favor done. Yes, I used to work with the inquisitor-turned-vampire. In fact, I was the one that found the Romanov here on the island for her."

 

[Radley]

With the favour used, they had gotten at least a semblance of information out of the demon, and quite a sizable chunk as well. "And rhe reason for your abandonment?" Erwin continued.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob looked upon the innocent young woman, chained to the ground. He immediately wanted to help her, but soon enough Rosanna offered herself to free the lady. He let out a sigh of relief, happy that they'd be helping a stranger. However, that feeling quickly washed away as that 'innocent young woman' turned out to be a hellspawn. Jakob quickly popped up from where he sat on the carriage, aiming his revolver at the creature. "A gods damned demon?! Uh..." He looked to Erwin, as he talked to the thing and how it teased young Wesley. "Well, I'm glad you answer to reason at least, demon lady..." He let Erwin continue, furthering the interrogation.

 

[Infab]

"Her employer saw fit to have me killed, but since Cassandra likes to do things her own way, she decided to leave me here to die by werebeast. The corpses here were supposed to attact creatures, but none came." said Sazak, before looking to Jakob as he spoke. "The form before you is a lady. I, however, am not." she responded, with a grin.

 

[Radley]

Erwin nodded slightly to the revelations. If Sazak had helped procure the Romanov blood to Cassandra and she had knowledge of her so called employer, she could indeed be of value to the inquiry. But he needed to be careful, in the event that Sazak also intended to betray them, a prospect which was not impossible in any sense.

"We're hot on the heel of that wicked woman. Perhaps you could assist us with some useful advice in exchange for her head?"

 

[Breadman]

The days passed quickly as Theodore worked around his projects while waiting for the letter. The more social of the group passed time as they could, but outside lecture halls or topics he has looked into, the man was a bit of an introvert and a recluse. His roommate wasn't a talkative one either. He spent day and night practically staring a hole in the wall opposite to him.

Never the less, he tinkered and worked on whatever he had access to. As well as continuing to go through the books. On the morning of their departure he was surprised as the flipped the page to find a chapter on someone familiar to him. Perrault. Raising an eyebrow, he marked the page to be read for later. However biased or exaggerated the information in the tome, it could still be useful in the following days.
---
Theodore found it suspicious how a nun managed to escape the slaughter from Cassandra, but soon enough her true nature had been revealed. He reached for his own revolver and loaded it patiently while it was being interrogated by his fellow hunters. Now might be as good a time as any to test them. Gold tipped silver bullets. Might work or might only serve as a means to annoy it. In the end of the day, the revolver was only a secondary.

 

[joshuadim]

Ethraeil immediately perked up when Rosanna had called out a demon in their midst. He exited the carriage upon reading the aura and took a look. As he saw the 'nun', he stilled as he absolutely realized who they had come across. His eyes narrowed as he walked next to Valeria.

"Hello, Sazak." he said with a tone of hostility.

 

[KRIY]

Wesley looks towards Ethraeil, crossbow still pointed at the demon.

"You know this demon?"

 

[Infab]

Sazak sighed. "What use would I have for Cassandra's head? She's far more useful to me alive, but I know that I would never acquire her in a useful state." she said, waving a hand towards Erwin.

As Ethraeil emerged spoke, Sazak's grin grew wider. "Ethraeil! Its been FAR too long. Last I saw you, I was cleaving through your undead horde with a zweihänder. Perhaps the most fun I ever had fighting undead, in fact." she said, spreading her arms out wide as she took a few steps towards him. "How's life under the boot heel of the Church?"

 

[joshuadim]

Ethraeil's hand gripped into a fist in a silent anger as he stared at the demon. "Unfortunately, yes." He replied to Wesley. "I should rip your soul out and torture it in a million different ways, abyssal filth." he spat at Sazak with an uncharacteristic rage.

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina's grip around her rifle tightened. "Quiet demon, you will speak only when spoken too."

She nodded towards Sazak. "What do you gain from telling us about Cassandra? What's your angle?"

 

[Infab]

"Someone's still holding a grudge." commented Sazak, before cutting a glare towards Galina. "I speak when I feel like it, insect. And if you speak to me in such a way again, I'll make you wish you had died as a child."

Her gaze returned to Ethraeil for a moment, before continuing. "She left me to die here. Do I need a better angle? I'll give you one last piece of information. The Romanov I found for her is still very much alive. She drains blood from him every week or so. Just enough that he remains alive. Now, if you would like more information, deals need to be made."

She cut a glance to Rosanna. "I want nothing from you, dullahan. Someone has already staked claim over your soul." she commented, before looking to the others. She looked up to Jakob. "My dear constable friend. How would you like to see your son again?"