Fantasy Hunter's Moon [IC] [CLOSED]

[Viper Actual]

Galina approached the man and bowed her head. "Katarina Fedorova, at your service." She gestured towards the door. "A couple of friends and I just finished a job on our way south. Caravan guard. Bartender dropped your name so I figured I'd take my chances and see if luck is still with us."

Galina crossed our arms. "We got five years experience working together as a team. Alone I've freelanced for ten years, same for them. Name's are Kewin and Eodoor." Galina shrugged. "They're from Nirvaden and Daristein."

 

[Infab]

The man tossed the broken horse shoes into a metal bin as he approached. As he grew closer, Galina could easily tell that he was just as that mercenary had described. Heavily tanned skin, short black hair. Marks of an Eshaxian. His clothes were of Atracan make, though. Probably moved up north, away from the Empire. "You're a bit late. Still got room, though, so you're in. One silver note up front, a gold note when the job is finished. Camp is at the Bristol estate southwest of here. You'll get your assignments and pay there. Ask for a man named Dover. He'll get you squared away."

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina studied Keswick for a moment. He looked rough. Capable. She nodded. "Bristol estate. Southwest. Ask for Dover. Got it." With that out of the way Galina made her way back to camp. She briefed Valeria, who had just gotten back, on the situation alongside the aliases for Erwin and Theodore.

After that Galina had one more thing to do before she could go to sleep: immobilize the opposition. She spent a good thirty to forty minutes at the local market looking for specific spices and a way to mix them. The result wasn't poisonous- at least not without a few key ingredients- but it would be enough to force a platoon of soldiers to spend a day at the shitter from dusk to dawn. It was called "Winter's Sting".

She chuckled to herself. Her unit had used the same mix to great effect against Atracan rifle brigades during the war. Add some of it to the water supply or to some food and those that consumed it could be out of action for days if they were unlucky enough.

Galina returned to the Rounded Shield Inn and began to scout for a secondary entrance where she could sneak in. If she played her cards right the effects wouldn't kick in untill the next morning.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

It was a little strange, Aleister thought, that Mariette suggested he drink the blood if it was addictive and... maddening. There were some benefits involved apparently, but he didn't think it was much worth the risk. Perhaps the downsides weren't entirely noticeable with only a vial or two? It would explain why Mariette seemed fine for the most part... and why she would want him to drink it too.

Aleister watched closely as Morgane bestowed upon Mariette a grimoire and a vial of Romanov blood for spellcasting. He couldn't imagine what sort of spells she would be able to cast from a book granted to her by a goddess. At a time like this, any help went a long way, but a gift of this nature seemed to level the entire field, if only a little bit. When she looked to him, his heart would have fluttered had it still been beating.

Carefully, he reached out to accept the amulet she offered him and he held it with both hands. He smiled widely, but was caught off guard by the quick peck on his cheek. The brief touch sent a tiny shimmer of life to his heart again, just a gentle, brief, teasing ember of heat. Just like her kiss. The wavy, warm sensation of a blush reached his cheeks, though thankfully his state of undeath meant nothing but his pale skin would be eternally visible. It was embarrassing enough to feel like a boy with a first crush at his age, but had Mariette and Morgane been able to see his blush, it would have been almost shamefully debilitating.

"U-until next time, mon chéri," he said, already feeling the pain of her departure as he watched her leave the inn.

It took him a moment longer to collect himself as he sank back into the couch, as if falling into the embrace of some cloudy, eternal realm.

"I... I am... I don't know what to say." Aleister glanced over at Mariette, his eyes still a little wide and his cheeks still smudged with make up. He looked like a fine society girl who had her first pick at the ball decline the pleasure to dance.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Unable to rest for long, due to his previous memories, Jakob now walked about his room. Trying to find new ways to occupy himself. He had already cleaned his guns, and made sure that his suit was in optimal condition, but as hard as he tried to, the memories of war were slowly getting to him. "Come on, Jakob, why now?" he said to himself, as he looked around his room. When he finally decided to go downstairs and drown his memories again, he thought of his family for a brief moment. His eyes opened wide as he tried to look for a paper and pen. It had been days since he left Airdale, and he needed to pen a letter to his wife and daughter! That's when he remembered he had a small notebook in his suitcase. He took it out, and found a pen that was in a desk in the room.


"To my dearest Cecil, my lovely wife.

I hope that during this short time apart, you've been able to take care of yourself and our little angel. I know you're more than capable, of course. You were always the strongest of the two of us! Despite the short time I've been away, I've come to miss you and Lucy so much. I still do not fully comprehend everything that I've been involved in. The Inquiry's quest is to investigate the large amount of paranormal activity in the isle, and according to the inquisitor herself, I was the constable with the most experience. At the same time, it just feels that we are getting involved in greater and far more dangerous things. I don't know how long that this is going to take. You and Lucy bring light to my heart, yet each day I feel strange. As if a darkness was engulfing me. I wish to feel your warm embrace again. I want to feel your kisses at night, and I want to read stories of Daristeinan knights to my little Lucy, or show her stunning pieces of art that our boy made before his departure."

As Jakob tried to write the letter, he felt an overwhelming sadness take him for a moment. His breathing became heavier, as he tried his best not to let his emotions take over. He tried to shrug the feeling off, and continued to write the letter.

"I'm traveling with an interesting group of characters, to say the least. Rough around the edges, like everyone, yet capable of so much. The inquisitor, Valeria Witlock, seems like a cold and serious woman, but I can see through that serious gaze that she's a woman of convictions and justice. She reminds me so much of you back when we were part of the university, honestly! Then there's this wonderful lady named Rosanna, from the south just like us! She's an angel, but she's also a Dullahan! A headless horsewoman! Brave and fearless, yet she's incredibly nice and friendly! I want our little girl to grown up just like that. Strong, independent, but also never forgets to be nice and kind to others.

Then there's this small, yet incredibly interesting man named Theodore. A scholarly man from Escaria, I think, but I could be wrong. Everything he says fascinates me, but I am sure the man thinks I'm a yokel. I don't blame him honestly, you were always the sharper of the two of us. There's another man named Erwin. Mysterious fellow, incredibly rude and offensive yet I can see that he's a decent man. I think he might see me as a liability, but I am used to those sort of people. Then there's Madame Galina, a noblewoman from Tsavania and part of some royal hunting group if I'm not mistaken. She's nice to me, and I can see that she's a woman of iron just like all Tsavanians."

"Then there's Wesley, a brave young man with a lot of good intentions. Green as it gets, but he has a lot of potential that Galina is helping with. He was an artist just like Abraham. Kinda reminds me of him in some way. There's Madame Camille next, and dear, if you were in this camp, you'd beat the soul out of that woman. She's mean, and incredibly hostile to some people, but I can see that she bears a lot on her back. She treats me well, for the most part, and I'll do my best to treat her with the respect that she deserves. Now get this, there's this ancient being, powerful yet totally at the mercy of the inquisitor. They call it a lich, a powerful undead sorcerer. Like a necromancer! But he's a conflicted soul. He's lived hundreds of years and has thousands of stories to tell...yet I pity him. I know he is far stronger than me, but he seems broken. I wish to help him, but I just don't know how.

Then there's two vampires...oh my dear, interesting the both of them! Madame Mariette is so beautiful, and at the same time emotional. She treats me with humility, something I wasn't expecting from such an old vampire like her. I like her a lot. Then there's this young man, though he could be in his own words 'my father', hah. His name is Aleister. Incredibly beautiful just like Mariette, and also a priest of Gyasis and Undite! Flamboyant and extravagant, yet I can tell he is a man of the heart. The other day we had an argument, and he thought I was mocking him. I can see that he's just stressed. Everyone is."

"We are heading to a party, my dear, following the trail of a very dangerous vampire! We also think there might be other dangerous vampires and individuals there too! This powerful vampire is named Cassandra, and she's very vile. I won't go into details, though. I want you to know, my dearest, that I love you with all my heart. You and Lucy are the joy of my life. If something happens to me...please, move forwards and don't let me hold you back. I love you, Cecil Jenkins.

- Jakob Phillomon"

 

[Infab]

Galina's plan to poison the food at the Rounded Shield Inn, as she was able to find a side entrance that lead straight to the kitchen. Once inside, she laced the food that was being prepared and quickly vacated the inn. Soon enough, it was time to get back to the camp.

The rest of the night passed by quietly, as the members of the group got some rest at the local inns or back at the camp outside the town. The next day, it was time to get prepared. Those that had ordered their dresses and outfits in town went and picked them up, and prepared themselves for the party that would occur that night. The others, meanwhile, prepared themselves in other ways. Erwin and Theodore dressed themselves to appear as simple mercenaries, so that they could sneak into the party in their own way. They were also filled in on their aliases by Valeria and Galina, and they were also instructed to sneak Ethraeil into the basement of the mansion when possible.

Galina's poison certainly did the trick, as everyone in the Rounded Shield Inn had a nasty case of diarrhea. Hopefully some soldiers or mercenaries had been caught in the mess.

Eventually, the group met back at camp dressed in the attire than they had chosen for the event. Valeria had chosen a lovely crimson and black dress, the outer crimson portion mostly covered in intricate black designs. It matched her hair, which she had exquisitely styled early that morning. Meanwhile, Rosanna had chosen a more simple dress. The upper portion was a simple white blouse, with a black corset-like midsection portion. The lower part of the dress was a light blue, covered in faint flower designs. Rosanna was more modest in her hairstyle choice, simply tying her hair back off in a ponytail after combing it out and fixing a blue bow where it had been tied. Both recieved hats to go with their dresses, much like the hat that Aleister had wore when the group first met at the church in Airedale but colored to match their individual outfits.

"...I really don't like wearing dresses..." said Rosanna, frowning a bit as she looked herself over. "Don't worry too much. We won't be wearing them for very long. Just for tonight." said Valeria, glancing over to where she was standing in camp. As she spoke to Rosanna, she fixed the necklace that bore Ethraeil's soul back around her neck, the beautiful sapphire stone gleaming in the light.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille arrived at the camp, wearing the dress tailored for her with her hair tied into a neat bun. She still had her two prominent bangs remained to keep up her youthful yet sophisticated look up, and of course her rapier was still fixed at her waist. The golden necklace of her family crest contrasted nicely against the deep blue dress she was wearing, and the huntress took care to hide her quills underneath it. The matter of reaching them when the time came would be a different story, but she was at least prepared.

"Perhaps you just haven't found the right one yet." the Marquess chimed in, hands on her hips. "Though looking the part is just on the surface, and we really shouldn't be getting too wrapped up in the festivities anyhow."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

The following day, Jakob departed from the in he was staying at to give the letter to a courier. He was already wearing his suit, heading towards the camp where the others were. He hoped the letter would arrive to his wife, safe and sound. Once he arrived, he smiled rather wide as he gazed upon Rosanna, Mariette, Camille and Valeria. Jakob cut a look to Aleister, trying to be friendly with the vampire once more. "My dear sir, what did I tell you about summoning angels!" he said, looking back to the women. "We can't waste the time of such graceful and divine ladies." He poked at Aleister's shoulder with his elbow, before looking back to the women and giving them a small bow. "My ladies, it is an honor!" he said, jokingly.

 

[Infab]

Valeria cut Jakob a look, meanwhile Rosanna stood there for a moment. She tried to remember exactly what her mother taught her all those years ago. Eventually, she remembered. She placed her right foot behind her left, and gently bent down a bit as she held her arms out to the sides of her dress. A curtsy. "...I think that's right. Did I do it right?" she asked, looking to Camille. She felt so strange walking around in these fancy, yet ridiculous clothes.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille continued to stand as she had been, rolling her eyes at Jakob's merry entrance. Despite that there was the slightest smirk on her face, and she looked at Rosanna just in time to see the curtsy. She gave a nod of approval, finding it about as appropriate and well executed as any. "Yes, that is how it is done. I'll have to avoid doing such a thing to avoid drawing attention to my boots. At the very least I found some black gloves that slightly match them." she said, inspecting the back of her hand. Long black gloves that went all the way up to her upper arms.

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina had spent the night at one of the smaller inns. Alone. She had taken a well-deserved and much needed bath to rid herself of some of the dust and dirt that usually accompany one during travels. In the morning she had checked out and headed back to camp.

Unlike the other ladies Galina was dressed to fit the role as a mercenary. Greyish-brown riding pants, a white tunic and a somewhat military-looking olive overcoat had replaced her usual attire.
She wore nothing on her head but her hair had been braided with the braid itself resting on her left shoulder.

On her hips she carried two of her pistols with her rifle bring slung across her back.

Galina chuckled at Jakob's remark. "Be careful, constable. Women, especially wives, tend to know more than you think. Watch it so you don't make her jealous."

She then turned towards Witlock. "I managed to diminish some of our opposition. Let's just say that one of the inns is busy dealing with food poisoning."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Not long after Morgane departed, Aleister bid goodnight to Mariette and retired to his small room at the inn. He felt physically and emotionally exhausted. All from just the brief encounter with the goddess. Some of it, he figured, must have been the result of his brief reanimation after touching Morgane's hand. Going from a state of undeath, to living, and death again was not an entirely trifling experience. He felt breathless - and he didn't even have the need to breathe.

Surprisingly, he fell asleep rather easily and slept for several hours before awakening a little bit before dawn. Sleeping like this was a little taxing on his body, as the night was his proper domain. It was not an easy adjustment to make. Still, Aleister wasn't one to dally around in bed when he had things to do, and he rather enjoyed his long rituals of grooming. Much like the other day, he spent a while in the bath, but this time he had the benefit of submerging himself in warm and soapy water. He sank himself down to his neck in the tiny wooden tub and scrubbed himself vigorously, content that he wasn't having to submit himself to a cold country stream. The only thing he missed about that was being able to look up at the brilliant glow and twinkling of the stars overhead.

He carefully washed and combed his hair, drying it to the best of his ability, but he had the benefit of having a natural bouncy curl that he didn't have to work too had for. A number of acquaintances had expressed their jealousy at this blessing of his, to his private enjoyment. Once entirely dry, he spent a while ensuring his makeup - powder, eyeliner, and shadow - was perfect.

The suit he had to travel with was not as extravagant as most of his wardrobe back home, or in the parlor's of associates and friends around the continent. This particular suit was of a slightly older style, was easier to pack in his limited space, and was made of surprisingly durable and high quality fabric and silk. While other items of apparel wilted or frayed, this jacket and ensemble remained healthy and attractive. The black jacket had a high collar with wide, ornamental lapels which bore a pleasant scene of careful gold and silver embroidery. Accompanying it was a fine white shirt with pearl buttons and a silk white cravat, and a waistcoat of similar style. The sleeves of the jacket were slightly puffed out at the shoulders, but slimmed down along the middle of the arms and waist. It was of a somewhat feminine cut, but that was common for this particular style of coat, and it matched his slender frame well regardless. His black pants were tucked into his leather calf-high boots, which he had scrubbed and shined before putting them on.

Not one to forget about his articles, he pulled out a small collapsible cane with a simply ebony and crystal globe handle and his top hat. He feared the top hat would have lost its form due to being strung down to fit into his suitcase, but the damn thing jumped out of his hands after he undid the twine compressing it. In fact, it retained its shape perfectly. A credit to Atracan hat making. He kept his rings on, along with his religious amulets, including the one Morgane had given him. He didn't think he would ever be able to remove the divine relic. It would likely remain around his neck for the rest of his life.

It wasn't easy, but he was able to adjust a belt with his holster and pistol to fit along the small of his back beneath his jacket, but over his waistcoat. Most parties he had gone to forbade weaponry so it was important he could conceal it, though it was difficult to reach. The entire pistol was loaded with six silver bullets and he had only a couple more to spare, attached to a small pouch on the belt. No one would be able to see it, but it would take him a moment to remove the gun from its holster if it was needed. Thankfully, he was far more proficient with using his hands to deal with people. He rather enjoyed the intimacy of it.

All finished up, he made his way out of the inn and met up with the others at the campsite. He couldn't help but smile at Jakob's joke as the man approached him. It was a quip he would have made had he thought to make it.

"Well, allow me to say how wonderful it is to see all of you darlings looking so absolutely delightful today," Aleister said, waving his cane around and spreading his arms out wide.

"I am absolutely smitten with that dress of yours, inquisitor. The red and black is positively breathtaking," he beamed, placing his hand over his chest as he examined everyone's attire. "Marquess Camille, and Rosanna, blue suits you both most excellently. You make me long for my velvet waistcoat back home, which is of the softest and most exquisite blue you have ever seen. Though I must say... blue looks far more dashing on you charming ladies than it ever did on me."

Aleister then eyed Jakob up and gave the man a simple nod. "A rather dapper cream three-piece. Had I known this was your style, I would have recommended a modest straw boater, with a little red... no, rather a gold ribbon to match it. But unfortunately that would be somewhat out of season, I'm afraid. Though this far north, I doubt they understand the intricacies of high fashion to realize that."

 

[K0mori]

Mariette, of course, wore the same dress she initially approached the inquiry while wearing back in Airedale, although this time she was equipped with a recently-purchased leather bag which contained both her new grimoire as well as several vials of blood, including both the genuine Romanov blood sample and the stand-in that she gathered from an ordinary werewolf to cover up her earlier experimentation. When the time came, she'd know the difference by the smell. Additionally, she had managed to attach her holster to the underside of her bustle in a way that it hung without being visible beneath her skirt, so that in a pinch, she would be able to reach through the low cut of the dress back to get her Remington out. Inside, six silver bullets awaited use while another six were primed in a second cylinder that she also kept on her person.

She was wearing heels. They were thick ones which didn't hinder her walking or even taking a brisk pace, but they weren't suitable for running. She planned to kick them off her feet if she was absolutely forced to run, but all in all, she figured that if her spells, the pistol, and all the help she could receive from the inquisitors wasn't enough to keep her safe, then there was no point in running anyway. Cassandra would simply catch her, as the woman seemingly flew as fast as a bullet whereas Mariette was more like a gazelle when she had ingested the Romanov blood. She licked her fangs under her lip; it was purely insidious that something so blessed tasting would be so addictive and harmful to her mind.

While the others present joked and spoke of their roles in the coming operation, Mariette was silently having a million different conversations with the enemy in her mind. Some of them were straightforward and bluntly honest: As tempting as you make it seem, vampires like you are the reason the rest of us suffer. Some were more apologetic and shrewd: If you were in my shoes, wouldn't you have done the same? Some were simply humorous: Between you, me, and the Gods who want you dead, I think we just aren't going to be friends, madame. Je suis désolé."

Deep down, however, Mariette doubted there would be any words exchanged. She figured they would either somehow miss each other entirely, or Cassandra would finish the job as soon as she realized Mariette wasn't going to fall to her knees and beg for the sort of medicine she was offering, and Aleister was even more stalwart. The thoughts were mainly just a routine to avoid locking up at the critical moment.

 

[Infab]

The day proceeded on, as the time wound down towards the start of the party. Rosanna mentioned to Aleister and Mariette about potentially hiding everyone's aura, so some magic was cast to conceal the supernatural members of the group's aura. At least, Rosanna's and Ethraeil's, that is. The vampires would simply blend right into the crowd that would be attending the gathering. The group that would be sneaking into the party through other means made their way towards the Bristol estate, to blend in with the other mercenaries that would be attending the party. Ethraeil disguised himself as, you guessed it, an easy to conceal pile of bones. A lich floating about would be far more noticeable, so a cluster of bones shoved into a few military packs would be far easier to hide.

The estate was rather lavish, from what the trio of Galina, Erwin, and Theodore could see as they rode up upon it. The mansion itself resembled the plantation homes of south-central Atraca, overseeing vast fields of cotton and other popular crops. Off to the left from the road leading into the estate were the mercenaries tents, while on the right were where most of the soldiers were set up. Out of the way, and off the actual grounds of the estate. They reported in to Dover, whom paid each of them up front as stated by the Eshaxian before, and were assigned tasks for the event. They would be acting as a simple patrol for the grounds, making sure no unwanted guests would be trying to attend the gathering. Lucky for them, the patrol route put them rather close to the rear entrance to the mansion's basement. When nobody was looking, the sacks containing Ethraeil's bones were tossed into the basement, unfastened so that the Lich could reform out of them later on during the party.

Soon, the time came. A little past dark, the attending group made their way to the estate, used the carriage as their method of travel. As they arrived, they noticed that several other guests had already arrived. And quite a few of them appeared to be other vampires. As their carriage arrived, a man dressed in a suit opened the door to the carriage, allowing Valeria, Rosanna, Camille, Mariette, and Aleister to step out. Wesley and Jakob climbed down from their spot in the driver's seat of the carriage. "Reminds me of home, ya know." said Rosanna, smiling as she looked up at the mansion.

 

[joshuadim]

The door to the basement was shut quickly as the sacks were thrown into the darkness within. The basement itself was spacious, but still was moist and reeked of dampness as a few bones rolled out lifelessly from the bags. However, slowly they began to crawl their way out of the bags and out into the open area of the basement. As Ethraeil began to reform, his blue fire returned as it connected his bones together like ligaments. The first to come together was Ethraeil's skull and neck, joining the two together and bringing Ethraeil's eyes back to life. Then came his shoulders, upper chest and arms. Followed by ribs and spine.

As he came together, his blue flame enveloped to create a pseudo-body around his bones in order to cover them up. Without his armor, he felt a little naked to show the calcium underneath. As he continued to reform, he muttered some quiet complaints about being stuffed into bags and being cramped in there. He periodically checked to see if he was still alone in the basement as being caught at the current time would be... less than ideal. After a few minutes he finally recollected his entire body, his flames now substituting for flesh. As he focused he could feel the auras of the people above him, as well as those of what he assumed was members of the Inquiry. For now, he could only sit and wait and listen in on if he was needed or not.

He took cover behind a massive barrel of ale, reducing the intensity of his flames so as to not draw any attention to himself in case someone ventured down here.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob looked to Galina as she joked. He then let out a friendly chuckle in response. "If she was here and she saw me complimenting pretty ladies, she'd snap my spine in two!" he said, before looking to Aleister as he complimented the ladies himself. He nodded. "I completely agree, you all look absolutely lovely." Jakob was surprised that Aleister even took his time to look at Jakob's suit. While a good outfit, it certainly lacked the grandeur which the vampire's attire had. "Well, thank you very much Aleister! I did look for a straw boater, but sadly the tailors didn't have one." he said before adding "And you certainly look as refined and as graceful as our dear ladies here!" He smiled, then walked towards the carriage, helping Wesley and the others prepare for the party.

-----------

As the Inquiry approached the party, Jakob grew more and more worried. He was aware fo the risk of this party, but the fact that there would be countless other vampires in it made him fear for his safety as well as the safety of the other members. When he saw the manor, he let out a small giggle while admiring the building. It reminded him of his university days, being invited to parties by his prestigious and certainly extravagant friends that he had made during that strange time of his life.

He looked to Wesley for a moment. "Listen, be careful in there. You hear, son? You stick close to us, and try not to grab a lot of attention. Clearly Cassandra has...some sort of fascination with you." He then patted the young man's shoulder. "Don't worry, though. I'll watch your back." he added, as the inquiry finally stopped in front of the mansion. He climbed off the driver's seat, and looked to Rosanna as she talked about the manor. "It reminds me of home too, sister...oh man, what a crazy time that was." He smiled, then offered his arm to Valeria. "M'lady! I think its time we head into the party. Shall we?"

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina adjusted her rifle sling and sighed. They had been patrolling for at least half an hour now. She looked at Theodore and Erwin. "Think we could ask some of the guys to rotate with us?"

 

[Breadman]

"Well, you're the one who did the talking last time." Theodore said while looking around the grounds. He had little time to change into something that resembles something else as the revelation for the plan came to him too late. The best he could do was put away the markings that indicated his status as a hunter and adjust a few things. Bombs and the revolver were not hard to justify, tools of the trade and all, but the vials of chemicals would no doubt arouse suspicion. "They might listen to you rather than us if you ask nicely to change. If they refuse" He glanced towards Erwin "We may need to use other methods."

 

[Dmaster]

Camille looked to both of the vampires as they approached the camp, keeping silent as she allowed Aleister's compliments to temporarily wash over her. It was difficult for her to tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but she felt it easier to assume that he had been genuine in his compliments. After all she was trying to be as inoffensive as possible at this point, which meant she'd have to continue to shove what she was actually thinking to the back of her mind. "Thank you, Aleister. Your outfit suits you nicely as well." she replied back, genuinely. The suit he was wearing actually looked far less effeminate than the other outfits he had chosen to wear, and this time he wasn't wearing a hat meant for ladies, so she considered that a better look for him. The huntress glanced toward Mariette, finding her prolonged silence eerie as could be but again deciding not to comment on it.

---

Riding in the same carriage that the undead had used earlier was off-putting to Camille, but she kept on biting her tongue as fiercely as she could manage. With what lied ahead of them she was certain that any outbursts or complaints were completely unnecessary, and she reminded herself to stay on-task and prepared to alleviate such thoughts. After they disembarked from the carriage she looked up at the mansion with a scrutinizing view, finding Atracan architecture particularly drab and boring compared to what she was used to. Though it was said to be sturdy above all else, function over form and all that. Rosanna's comment was completely ignored by her as she was made aware of the more obvious vampires in attendance at this party, and she balled her hands into fists. Many of the guests were human, did they know or were they accomplices? It would have to be something she would piece together once inside.

"Let's not try and get so caught up in nostalgia or awe, oui? Whatever happens next is bound to be difficult." she reminds them. Made even more difficult by the fact that she did not have a way to hide her hatchet on her dress, and that meant her wooden stake was left behind as well. Camille was quite certain that the stake wouldn't be all that useful on the pureblood Cassandra, but the hatchet would be sorely missed for the task of beheading her. There was probably a cleaver or something she could pilfer from the kitchen... The huntress would need to spend time inspecting the floor-plan of the building to properly craft a plan for the slaying.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

It was exciting to be back at a party again after traveling relatively alone for most of his journey in Grimtham. It was not always a fast process to make friends and acquaintances in a new land. He knew of only two people he could easily call upon in Airedale, not including that delightful young pianist he had his eye on. Galas and balls were often more entertaining when accompanied by associates, but venturing through one alone often led to plenty of interesting opportunities as well. The real issue was finding a party that was worthwhile. The social atmosphere of this isle was as grim as its landscape.

Once they arrived, he excitedly stepped out of the carriage and looked all around at the house and the other guests. It was funny that the others felt nostalgic looking at this place. He could feel that, too, in some ways. His own family manner was of a much older inner country style without the plantation pillars and balconies, but there was an unmistakable... home like feel to the place. It was somewhat odd, but not entirely unpleasant.

"Would any kind ladies like a ravishing young man at their arm?" He asked with a playful grin, glancing between the women. "It would only be proper at a soirée of this nature."

"Perhaps the Marquess would enjoy a Marquis at her side, hmm? A natural pairing. Or perhaps the Countess desires a courtier to properly reflect her status? I, of course, could never object to any of our other beautiful ladies." He then cut an amused look towards Wesley and Jakob. "Though if we were in Escaria, I couldn't object to a monsieur either...."

 

[K0mori]

Mariette stepped out of the carriage carefully and took in the scene. Her lips curved just so, leaving her with not quite a smile but rather a dignified and refined sense of satisfaction. Although less elegantly drafted and decorated than the estates of rural Escaria, the plantation-style property reminded her of her own property at home, especially so with so many other vampires present. To Camille's warning, she finally broke her icy silence, as the familiar sights and sounds had calmed her nerves. "Au contraire, mademoiselle. Until the pureblood makes her entrance, we ought to enjoy the cheer and hospitality as best we can, in order to avoid suspicion. Stay on your guard, as I know you will, but on the surface... relax," she said silkily.

Then, to Aleister, she added, "Ah, but I am a widow, mon ami. I shouldn't seek the wrath of my late husband's jealous spirit, no?" She let out a clipped laugh which was noticeably laced with spite. "I'm sure he still expects me in Hell, any day now... On the other hand, he ought to haunt me everyday, but he doesn't. Perhaps he's come to accept that he deserves his fate. Shall we?" She walked past without taking his arm, but was clearly amused by Aleister's antics.

 

[Dmaster]

She simply raised a hand at Aleister's request to escort any of them, twisting her mouth into a curious expression as she started to step past him. "Believe me, I do know how to mingle at these gatherings. Gods know how vampires prefer their lavish parties." Camille begins before looking back at Aleister, looking him over before shaking her head in disagreement. "And I cannot think of anything less relaxing than having Aleister's arm about my own." While on the surface such a justification might have seemed motivated by her hatred of vampires, she was really more concerned about him getting the wrong idea. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile, as they say, and she was confident that the next step of being escorted would be sharing a dance with him. If she had the choice she would rather fight Cassandra alone and barehanded.

"Nothing more for it, allons-y." she said, beckoning for the others to follow.

 

[Infab]

The group moved inwards, being greeted at the door by another member of the mansion's staff. Each gave the man a false name, as to not arouse suspicion as them moved inward into the central room. The inside of the mansion was far more lavish than the outside, featuring finely polished hardwood floors, beautiful furniture, and rather interesting paintings and sculptures. Either the baron had plenty of money, or he had rather wealthy friends. And from the looks of things, the latter was more likely. There were guests from across the various kingdoms and nations of the continent here. Atraca, Escaria, Tsavania, Daristein, Eshax, Nivarden, Stiusil...so many faces. And a large portion of them were vampires, from the looks of things. Either their fangs gave it away, or their red eyes as some of them looked upon the group.

Above, on the second floor, Cassandra watched the group as they entered and began to mingle. She was dressed quite bit differently compared to the other women, wearing a tuxedo with white gloves and a derby hat, hair tied back in a bun and propping on a simple black cane that matched her suit. Much nicer than the inquisitorial outfit she always wore. After all, she had to dress for the occasion! She grinned at the sight of Aleister and Mariette, and slightly wider upon seeing Valeria and the others. Well well, they didn't kill them after all...eh, I can just hand the job over to someone else. No blood on my hands, and I still get what I want...Might ask them to bring Wesley to me, though. Tasty little morsel, that one.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Unable to get others to play along with his antics, Aleister follows the rest into the mansion without any worry, his attention now occupied by all the other vampires and interesting looking people in attendance. Now this... this is more like it, he thinks, glancing over the art and fanfare. They may have been here for a mission... but this made up for the dreary journey so far.

As always, he didn't waste any time introducing himself to prospective party goers, bowing and tipping his top hat to all he met. On one hand, he was doing what he could to gather names and titles from the guests, though he was a social butterfly who simply liked talking to people. If there were any entertaining guests around to have fun with, he would certainly spend some time with them. Most importantly, he kept his eyes out on anyone who he could have known.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille had been allowed in still carrying her rapier at her side, using the fake name Louise Bellerose and her Escarian heritage to her advantage. Duelists such as herself carrying their blades into formal gatherings had more or less been acceptable, much like military carrying ceremonial sabers or coming to parties in their dress uniforms. It was humorous, as she was expecting them to put up a much larger fight over her bringing such a weapon inside but she chalked it up to vampiric hubris.

Once they got inside she wore a warm smile on her face, though deep inside she was both in awe and terrified at the sheer concentration of vampires here. Just what had brought on such a gathering? So many of them had come from all over the world, and creatures such as themselves are often reluctant to travel abroad. Whatever this party was meant for was big, and this inquiry was dreadfully under-equipped for this situation. Thinking on all of this the Marquess could only chuckle, not one to shy away from situations where the odds were terribly out of her favor. They would all just have to be extremely careful, and Camille would have to turn down many dances from any vampire suitors like Aleister.