Fantasy Hunter's Moon [IC] [CLOSED]

[Emperor Sagan]

Aleister nodded along to Jakob's words in response to Mariette. "I rather think it was likely under duress, and the poor chap may be somewhat confused on his standing. As I said, this Cassandra is quite the hellion. There is no telling what she did to the boy."

Camille never did notice anything suspicious about the bartender and her drink, as the red-head was more occupied with checking on the kitchen and listening to the vampires. It seemed that she didn't quite top the list at being interesting enough, or perhaps the abundance of silver and her look kept the bartender a few steps back. She likely knew who was and was not someone to tease.

When Jakob was done eating, she stepped over and grinned, flashing her fangs. "Glad ye loike it, sah. Plenty'ah more where that came from, if yer feel'n the mood. And 'course we got whiskey, this ain't no wee 'n dainty ale house." She turned and looked over some bottles on the lower section of the wall, and brought back a large typical bottle and a tumbler glass. "Highlander brew. Good stuff for'ah lad yer size."

She poured it out and slid it over to him. "And, we got ah new icebox now. Cost extra if ya want to try some ice shavi'ns."

Aleister glanced between Mariette and Camille, and gave the latter a little nod, hopefully to ease her mind or calm her undoubtable ire that he could practically feel from his seat. She mentioned wanting to talk, so he'd have to catch her when they had a chance to discuss things privately. With the others here, he kept to his bar seat and cleared his throat.

"Any idea on where we are to go next, and what we are to do? Things are beginning to look rather poorly in the countryside. The military will have to get involved eventually if enough villages and hamlets go under into the darkness. I have half the mind to write to the Church and request a frater militia levy. A force of some of the faithful may prove quite valuable in protecting the roads from the mindless thralls which will be stalking them."

The bartender had drifted towards Mariette when the woman asked about what wine Camille was drinking. "Ah Gnoppenkopf, madam. Escarian blend."

With Mariette's extensive knowledge on wine and the scope of the discipline, Gnoppenkopf wine was Escarian practically only because it was made in Escarian soil. A Daristein family had been growing wine on some Escarian land, but without care for the art and passion in the craft, they simply sought to maximize production for their wine and sell it as a common drink. They were some of the cheapest wines out there, and nearly any swill likely sold something from them. Their drinks weren't bad, but they may as well have been stale water to the likes of Mariette. They did produce some higher grade wine, but most went with other producers for those.

 

[K0mori]

"Oh la la..." Mariette remarked with a chuckle as she heard the name of the wine they were serving Camille. "You can call Gnoppenkopf whatever you like, but don't call it Escarian, mademoiselle! You'll sully my homeland's good name. Ah... I tease, but it is a simple fact of life: wine can be good, cheap, and common, but only two at the same time. As for me," she added quickly, not wanting to bore the woman with her elitist attitude as she placed a few high-denomination coins on the counter, "I'll have something good."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

The bartender snickered along with Mariette, giving a half-nod and half-shrug at the same time. "If we'ah poured the good stuff like watah, our custom'ahs wouldn't be able to pay!"

She eyed the coin and pocketed it before turning about, walking down the bar a little ways, all while eying the shining elixirs of blood on the shelves. There were easily several dozen on display, and there was almost certainly more upon request. The fiery Atracan lass went to grab one bottle, but shook her head and grabbed another with a smirk. It was a thin glass bottle with a little yellow ribbon tied about the top. Aleister's gaze was drawn to it as well.

"You want good, this here is good. La Fleur de Soliel. Very special," the bartender explained, her Escarian more than a little rough with her already strong Atracan country accent. "Lady Marie Baptiste is ah long toime friend of Mastah Devonhall. Human lass, quite ah beauty truth be told. Won't be too long ah reckon for she takes the blood kiss, but 'till then she's ah friendly donator. This here is a small blend of 'er blood, and a good Escarian vintage. You sound like ah connoisseur, madam, maybe ya can guess the blend?"

She poured the small drink into a similarly small glass - there wasn't much of it, but it was clearly a premium and special item. Mariette possibly knew this Marie Baptiste, for she was a rather prominent Baroness and poet in northern Escaria. And friendly to the vampires, most importantly.

Once tasted, the beverage was indeed rather magnificent. It was rich with the tasteful blood of an esteemed and well bred noble, but what was perhaps most exquisite was the blend of wine mixed into it - it was one the came right from Mariette's own vineyards. The bartender almost certainly didn't know this, but was entertained in seeing if Mariette could guess it.

 

[K0mori]

Mariette vaguely remembered crossing paths with Marie Baptiste once before, at some get together at the home of Baron Apollinaire Babineaux. She didn't remember much about the woman as Babineaux, being a younger, recently-turned noble, was socially ambitious and his parties tended to be a bit more crowded and noisy than the countess preferred. Baptiste had been there, but Mariette doubted that she had spoken to her. Still, it was good to be reminded that there were sympathizers all over Escaria. I'd better warn her, she thought, Giguere shouldn't be privy to this knowledge. Or should she? Perhaps I should make it known that les gens de la nuit will stand together.

"Ah, a baroness? That is good, très bon. There is truly an undercurrent in Escaria, unique to that beautiful land... I've heard of many noble vampires there, some of whom are quite open about their gift, and as I approach the beginning of my third century, I do believe that the number is increasing. In due time, I think we shall see a magnificent transformation there- the formation of a society in which all of us can live as we are. This Marie Baptiste sounds like a forward thinker," she added with a sly grin, casting a sideways glance at Camille as if to warn her that she was up against more than just the pureblood sitting at the bar, but the forces of time and civilization itself, before breaking away with a wistful sigh. "Our time will come," she concluded as she held the drink up and examined it in its glass.

She regarded it rather fondly before bringing it to her lips, but then paused and smelled its aroma; the color was practically ideal, and the smell was enticing and yet classic and familiar. She took in a sip and savored it. "Oh... I do know this variety. This comes from the south, like all true Escarian blends, but the taste is supple and elegant, and its rich bouquet is unmistakable. This is a Desrosiers... one of the finest. Dearest me, it is good to find this taste even this far from home," she said with a subdued, sentimental smile. Inside, however, she was awash with pride. She had a few bottles of her product tucked away in her luggage back at the inn, but the opportunity to show off to the others was well-worth the coin she had to waste for this blooded variety. That, and the blood itself was delectable. "The baroness's donation couldn't have found itself a more appreciative buyer," she added.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille tiredly drank of her barely serviceable wine as the vampires conversed, her mood now soured with the countess' presence. That just left her and the words Velin imparted on her, and for a time the marquess looked distant as she stared at her near-full glass. Her arms rested on the counter as she chose not to look at any of them, trying to pretend that this was just some backwater bar without any vampires walking among them.

The way she saw it, vampire sympathizers allow this sort of behavior to persist. These parties of opulence and celebration of their affliction did nothing to stave off whatever madness consumes them in the end. Once one of those creatures find reason to turn on the world there is little that can be done to stop the death they ensue, and there was no changing that. When it came to mention of this baroness and her vampiric lover, Camille took note of those details and chose to hang on to the name. With her, there was always a list that was being tallied and compiled, as these vampire nobles made it too easy to be found. If Mariette was trying to look for any kind of reaction, she merely looked up from her glass once those details were given before turning her eyes back to the drink.

Those eyes rolled practically out of her skull as the countess gushed about her own brand, trying to downplay it and act humble. Was it just to be an annoyance? The marquess opened up her mouth to speak yet again, so desperately hungry to cut off that tripe with 'it's her blend, from her own vineyards', but she stopped herself. They were undercover, under alias. Any one of these vampires could be working with the Duke. With a sigh she kept herself quiet.

"It is all up to Valeria now." she replies to Aleister, not wanting to go too much into detail beyond that. "And it all hinges on how she decides to use what we've risked our lives over." They're undercover, avoid using words like 'the sword' and other pertinent details. "The Church is busy dealing with a werewolf problem. We can only bide our time and stay low for the moment."

 

[Infab]

Shortly after Galina slipped off into dreamland, she found herself standing inside of a dark forest. She recognized it simply based off the trees and general landscape. Dense pine trees, snow covering the ground and tree limbs in splotches. A cold northern wind was blowing, and there were wolves howling in the distance. Tsavania, near the highlands. All too familiar. Galina began to walk through the dense forest, looking about in the darkness. The trees had a habit of blocking out the sun here, especially if they were so densely clustered together like these. Eventually, she began to smell something. Wood burning, and food being cooked.

Galina glanced over, and noticed a small house nearby, smoke gently wavering up from its chimney. How did she miss the house? She began to approach it, quietly moving along and avoiding stepping in the crunchy snow. When she neared the home, the door suddenly opened slowly. Galina quickly moved behind one of the pine trees and waited....and waited. Nothing happened. No talking, no gunshots or movement. Galina peeked around the tree to see that the door was still open. As if to beckon her inside. She then continued her approach, arriving at the door a few moments later.

She peeked in, slowly inching her head through the doorway. It was warm in the little house, and apparently SOMEONE was living here. Wooden furniture, covered in cloth or fur pelts. The fireplace inside crackled with activity, as the fire appeared to be cooking something in a large pot. As Galina took a step inside, the door quietly eased shut behind her. She glanced back just as it closed. Movement further in the room caused her head to snap back about. She soon found herself looking upon a pale woman with blonde hair, dressed in a robe made out of what appeared to be bear pelts. The strangest thing about the woman was that she appeared to be blind, the color of her eyes a dull grey, yet she was moving about as if she could see perfectly fine.

The woman turned her head towards Galina, appearing to glance towards her, before moving across the room and taking her seat next to the fire.

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Cassandra gingerly took a sip of the wine in her glass, gazing upon the stoic dullahan in plate armor as he simply stood nearby. "...You don't talk much, do you?" she commented finally, tilting her head as she gazed upon the lower half of Tristyn's face. He gurgled in response. Cassandra sighed. "Right, all you do is gurgle...ah well, at least Rosanna will be talkative." she muttered, before glancing across the room at where a few of Wesley's things were. She had allowed Wesley to venture out in search of his own blood source, making sure he took his hooded cloak with him so he didn't burn. It was his first hunt as a new vampire, and she hoped that he did well. She was sure that he'd find a good source of blood in Grimsby. The place was packed full of people. Tasty little morsels.

She was still tracking him, obviously. She had sired him, so she was always going to be bound to him. Able to track him regardless as to where he may be on the planet. And so far, he was doing what she had let him. She gulped down the rest of the blood laced wine that she had stolen back in Oar's Rest, before standing. It was time to check on the twins. She headed out of the room, descending through the abandoned medieval guard tower just off the main road a few miles from Grimsby, till she traveled a few yards beneath the surface in a small sort of barracks. Here, there were scattered wooden bunks and cobwebs. The twins were here, the telltale signs of witchcraft being heard and seen throughout the room. Candles lit up a part of the barracks, and symbols had been drawn about in order to strengthen their powers.

In the center of a large rune on the floor, Rosanna had been chained to the floor. She looked miserable, her hair down and a mess, and her clothes ruffled from her struggles to get out of the chains. The look on her face and in her eyes was far more revealing. Pure delirium. The twins were hard at work, continuing to cast their dark spells upon the dullahan in an attempt to warp her mind and force her down the path that Tristyn had gone. Cassandra stepped up next to one of the twins, folding her arms as he gazed upon Rosanna with a smile. "She looks as loopy as ever." she said, tilting her head a bit and trying to see Rosanna's face a bit better.

"This one has been...difficult to corrupt." said one twin, while the other spoke up afterwards. "Still, we are making progress. She's stopped trying to break the chains at least." Cassandra grinned. "Excellent!" she said, before stepping over in front of Rosanna. She reached down and tilted Rosanna's head up with a finger, leaning down close to her face. "I told you there wouldn't be a repeat of the mansion, dear. Now...just give up and this will be over much faster." she said, with a smile.

There was a moment were Rosanna remained in her delirious state, but a split-second later, her eyes refocused and she shifted her head back forward. She then forced her head straight up, right into Cassandra's face. The impact made Cassandra stumble backwards clutching at her nose and shocking the twins. "You BITCH!" spat Cassandra, looking into her hand as she pulled it away. Blood. Rosanna had broken Cassandra's nose. She growled, looking to the twins. "Double the effort. Your strongest spells. I want her licking my boot like a fucking dog." she barked, to which the twins responded with rapid nods.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

The bartender nodded as Mariette spoke, giving a light chuckle as she explained her vision and the way things were looking in Escaria. "Lofty ideals'n the sort. Good stuff. A bit high minded for the likes'ah me, though. I reckon I'll be tend'en this here bar 'till there ain't no bar, or ain't no me left to stand here. Master Devonhall's ah sight more involved with nobles 'n sympathizers 'n politics and the sort," she explained. She then nodded towards Aleister. "Yer friend here was hope'n to meet 'em, too. The master's a sociable man - 'ell listen."

When Mariette finally took a sip from her drink, the vampress lit up a little more, somewhat impressed. "Aye, so you really do know yer stuff. Plenty'o lads 'n lasses come through ere think'n they know all 'bout bloods 'n liquors."

Aleister ordered another drink and seemed almost a little embarrassed to be seen drinking human blood. He rarely did so - it was primarily a treat or for special occasions - but he always disliked the image cast upon him for doing so. He was of the few who lived on animal blood for a number of reasons, partly to sharpen his moral image, partly as an aesthetic, and partly because he had grown so use to it that he liked it a great deal. There was also the issue of consenting donors. He went after artists and such people plenty often, but some never yielded regardless of his honeyed words and wooing.

There was some small movement at the door, and the bouncer admitted a group of two vampires, two humans, and a woman with a werebeast aura. They entered with modest fanfare, greeting the bouncer warmly, and then the bartender - who was named Moira. These newcomers looked relatively lower class like the rest of the establishment, dressed in working clothes and flat caps, with the vampires wearing hoods and gloves. The vampires in particular were pleased to removed these warm items as they entered the comfort of the dark den.

Moira waved and chatted at them as the group went to sit at a booth, but one of the vampires strode over to the inquiry group and gave a friendly hello.

"Nice to see some new faces about, name's Reginald. Howdy y'all," the vampire said. Of the group he looked the most well dressed, but upon closer inspection it was clear his clothes were mostly to mimic being wealthier than he was. The grey linen shirt was old and slightly sun bleached, the red cravat he wore had faded patterns on it that showed it was actually a bandana, and his slacks were actually workman's pants with heavy fabric at the knees and lower. Common for lumberjacks, and the man did have a pine smell to him.

Aleister was always fast on these matters and shook the man's hand. "Good afternoon to you, sir. I'm Johannes - these are my friends here. We're just traveling through, but found this fine establishment and chose to rest a while here."

Reginald grinned. "Ah, no finer place in Grimtham, if you ask me." He then glanced over at the others to make introductions - he seemed quite friendly. Apparently a regular of the bar.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

As the others were talking, Jakob drank his whiskey and payed attention to what they were saying. He also couldn't help but feel a sensation of nostalgia to the good old days when he was a strapping young lad right out of school. Everything was similar to back then, the drinks and food, the seedy yet charming tavern, his companions egos at the verge of clashing with one another. The only difference is back then he had hair. He let out a little chuckle while the others continued to talk.

Jakob then felt the auras of vampires and a werebeast approaching the building. He eyed the door as they got closer, just in case. Apparently it was a group of regular patrons. Jakob let out a sigh of relief and got back to his drink, finishing it just as a vampire named Reginald introduced himself. Jakob looked at the vampire, and gave him a friendly smile as he offered his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, bucko! Officer Jefferson, at your service."

 

[Dmaster]

"Francine Dubois." was all Camille said out of obligation, perfectly content with not responding one bit to yet another vampire that rolled in. Coming here was a bad idea, and she could only think of how great it would be to burn down this bar were it not for how Aleister wouldn't forgive her for such an act. In fact, she really wanted to get up and leave now that the countess was here, but doing so would implicate herself when it comes to the other members of the inquiry present. To leave so suddenly and not as the group they were would suggest that she would be getting up to report this place to the authorities, and the marquess was at least mindful of how that would impact the mission at large. Unlike certain other 'honorary inquisitors' that she had been forced to work with...

'No finer place in Grimtham' indeed. If this was the best that these parasites had to offer she shuddered to think on what else could be hiding on this backwater isle.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Reginald shook Jakob's hand heartily, giving the man a slight clap on the shoulder. "Pleasure to meet you, mister. Glad to see a brother in uniform. Molly's always complained that there weren't enough friends in the constabulary," he chuckles, jerking a thumb back towards his party that was settling into an open booth further back into the den. The woman with the werebeast aura must have been Molly, on the context.

The vampire then turned and looked Camille over. "Well, right nice to meet you too, Miss Dubois. More friends of the family are always welcome." He did look a little curious concerning her attire and weapons, but it didn't seem to bother him much.

 

[Dmaster]

"I appreciate the hospitality." came her reply, trying her absolute hardest to hide any scorn or frustration in her voice. To her credit she was mildly successful but it did nothing for how genuine her tone sounded. Camille only obtained her cursory glance of Reginald out of the corner of her eye, not exactly deeming him a threat as things were now. Not like a bar fight between her and countless vampires would go well anyway. This whole little excursion was looking more futile by the minute.

 

[Viper Actual]

As Galina spotted the woman inside the cabin she froze up. She fixed her gaze on the woman, staring at her silently.
Once the woman seated herself Galina followed albeit very cautiously.

Having seated herself in front of the woman Galina finally spoke up: "Who are you?"

If she was right she dreaded the answer.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Reginald gave the woman a nod, but he could tell that perhaps she wasn't in a particularly sociable mood. He tipped his cap to her and glanced over at Mariette, somewhat taken aback at the woman's much stronger aura. He had figured it was the group of them giving off that feeling, but once focused on the pureblood he realized most of it came from her.

"Afternoon, ma'am," he said, another nod and tip of the cap, done in an almost nervous fashion.

Aleister was watching Camille from the corner of his eye, and he could tell the woman was quite barely hanging on to her nerve. His fingers danced on the bartop as he thought over the situation.

Nudging Jakob in the elbow, Aleister leaned in and whispered to the constable. "Perhaps we should make our way soon, Camille seems rather more... unhappy than usual."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob was taking another drink when Aleister nudged his elbow. Jakob looked to the priest as he talked about Camille. "Hm? Aww! But I thought we were going to have a nice, good ol' friends talk over some good!" He then showed his harmonica to Aleister. "Maybe even play some music!" But as he showed the instrument to the Priest, he looked to the brooding marquess. "Oh dear." He swallowed some saliva and looked to Aleister. "Y-Yeah, maybe we should." He looked to Moira, and payed for his meal and drink. "Thank you very much, Moira. You're an amazing host!" He took off his hat and gave the bartender a little bow. He then approached Camille and poked her shoulder. "Madame, I think it's best if we go back to the inn."

 

[Dmaster]

While her mood wasn't exactly the greatest it was far from visible anger, for the most part she had been incredibly tired and downtrodden from the countess' meddling. Go out of her way to do a nice gesture and her whole experience is soured by such a vile woman, let alone the fact that she couldn't ever get a word in to say what was important to her with these vampires interjecting. "Do not let me keep you from any fun. I am just tired." she admitted, slumping forward in her seat as she burned a hole into the surface of her wine with a deliberate squint. Her enjoyment of alcohol was through more refined tastes, preferring to get drunk over several glasses of finery rather than this tripe. On top of that she would potentially physically wretch if they all started to cloud this atmosphere with whatever merry drawl they would decide to muster up, so her experience was pretty terrible all things considered.

Still, Camille was the type to suffer in silence. Having the inquiry group get up and escort her out would be terribly embarrassing, and perhaps even more suspicious considering how many of these vampires had taken note of her equipment. It was perhaps her own fault for baring the look of a mercenary at best and a textbook hunter at worst. By and large the best option for her was to stay in her little corner and let them have a good time, even if it would pain her to do so.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob crossed his arms and looked at the Marquess as she slumped a bit in her seat. "I know you're trying to act selflessly, but you look exhausted, madame." He then chuckled. "You should relax more. You're among friendly people, and we're your companions." He then placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her with a friendly smile. "We're your friends. Don't forget that, ya hear?"

 

[Dmaster]

"I certainly haven't." Camille said, not reacting to his hand on her shoulder. With a sigh she shook her head, trying to find anything to keep her mind off of what that vengeful goddess just told her. The trouble with being so engrossed in work was that it was terribly difficult to unwind at times like this. There was nothing more frustrating than having nowhere to go forward, made worse still by her having nowhere to hone her skills further. "I'm not the type to break up something for my sake. I'll leave when the rest of you want to leave." she affirmed.

 

[K0mori]

"The name is Violette Descoteaux, monsieur," Mariette replied to Reginald with a playful smile. It was proving quite fun to play pretend at the moment, especially since Camille seemed dreadfully miserable at the same time. "Don't mind my good friend, Francine. She's just lovelorn, poor thing," she made up on the spot. "If you meet a vampire out on the prowl tonight by the name of Neil Ross, tell him he's a dead man if he ever breaks another woman's heart."

 

[Infab]

The woman turned her head slightly, in Galina's direction. "My name is Sasha." she responded, her voice sounding rather rough. She looked back to the fire. "...I believe you encountered my mother long ago." Then, Galina began to feel an odd sensation. Her wrist was burning, where the banshee had grabbed her. "...You feel it now, yes? The burning." she added, looking back towards Galina where she stood. The woman paused for a few moments, letting silence fill the cabin before speaking again.

"...You have banshee blood in you, and my mother brought it to the surface when she grabbed you...Its why you've been able to sense things before they happen to yourself and others." she said. "But it won't stop there...soon you'll become a banshee like her, as well as myself. You will gain other gifts...use them wisely." When she finished speaking, the door behind Galina opened yet again. But nobody entered. Instead, a gust of wind blew into the room and snuffed out the fire in the fireplace as well as the candles scattered about. She was now in total darkness.

A moment later, Galina found herself awake. No longer was she in a secluded cabin in the woods, listening to this Sasha. She was back in her room, lying on her bed.

 

[KRIY]

Wesley merely walked along a few times around the streets. It was his first time hunting for some blood. his thirst for the red liquid was immense. It had only been a few hours when he drank from the vials that Cassandra had around. Wesley guessed that the vials he was drinking weren't really pure blood that came straight from a living being. but it was mixed in with something else, Wine perhaps? if the sweet after-taste of the mixture wasn't a dead giveaway already.

he roamed around for quite some time around Grimsby. eventually reaching the outskirts. although. something was starting to annoy him, like it was an itch that he can't scratch. his thirst was taking a toll at him. he then came across a barn that held some sheep. maybe he can find some livestock to sink his teeth into and not harm a human. fantastic!
he decided to go to a secluded area near the barn and used his vampire powers to slowly makes his way from different roofs of other buildings and landing quietly on the barn's roof. Wesley manages to slip in without being noticed. fron there. he found the sheeps separated from each other. Easy pickings with no one around.

His vampiric instinct took over him as he quickly dashed towards the nearest sheep. he then gripped the snout of the animal to prevent it from making any noise and sank his teeth into its neck. The animal flailed around for some time before dying. Wesley continued to drink the blood of the animal. noting how... odd its taste was. its taste wasn't that good. he can compare it to the cheap, Tsanvanian mule that he'd drinks with his friends back in University.

He pulls back his fangs from the dead animal, A trail of blood flowing out the corners of his mouth. he then had to cover his tracks. he used a small dagger that he used as a backup and made some cuts and slices in some parts of the body of the dead sheep. to give the impression of a wolf slipping into the barn unnoticed and feeding of one of the live stock. he then cleaned the blood from his lips with a handkerchief and slipped out from where he came. his first hunt wasn't really big, but he was glad he didn't have to sink his teeth into innocent people yet. he then proceeded to make his way towards Grimsby and see anything thst interests him. probably some new weapons? or maybe a new stylish outfit that can better match himself?

With that in his mind, he was off towards the city.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Reginald smiled and gave a short bow to Mariette. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, madam." When she mentioned Camille's rather uncomfortable state of appearance, the man gave a polite chuckle.

"Ah, of course... there are always a few of that sorry sort around these parts. If I ever see this Ross, I'll give him a right proper adjustment," he said, then glancing at Camille. "Fret not, madam. Enjoy the drinks and company, you'll be back to your ol' self in a jiffy. In fact, myself and some of the crew have some instruments in the back. Music always uplifts the soul."

That sounded more like something Aleister would say, and indeed the vampire had glanced over when he heard that. He seemed a little uncomfortable himself with Mariette's teasing of the hopefully not-so-short-wicked vampire hunter. She seemed to wish to stay here having rebuffed Jakob, so perhaps the woman was not as upset as she seemed to be. She certainly was a sour one, Aleister figured.

It wasn't much longer before Reginald, one of the vampires, and one of the humans of his group had taken to the squat stage in the back. They adjusted some of the nearby gaslamps and went backstage, returning with chairs and their instruments. It was a rather typical assortment - a fiddle, trumpet, and small box piano that rolled out with a little squeak. The latter instrument had seen better days based on the condition of the outside, but really that showed it had been loved plenty over the years. When they started playing, it was a relatively quiet and ambient number. The piano sounded rather fantastic, and it paved the way for the dancing fiddle and wailing trumpet. There was a distinct blend of the upbeat country rhythm and the smoother inner city drawl.

There must have been a workshift ending around midday, as three more humans showed up to the den. These men sat in a booth and lit up their pipes, while a solo vampire arrived at sat at the bar further away from the inquiry group.

"The new Leicester Mill's letten out their late shifters," Moira explained, bringing more refreshments to the group if they needed it. "New work, but right dirty. 'ows the pay, Henry?" She turned to glance at the solo vampire at the bar, who had fingerless wool gloves, a flat cap, and a soot stained jacket.

"Eh, its okay.... they got me work'n the boilers. Stoker's an okay job, no windows in the basement, but hot as all 'ell. Easier than being on the up floors. Too many windows."

Moira nodded, glancing over the inquiry group. "Ya lot a bit proper dressed fer mill'n work, but Mister Leicester will'n te hire vampires if they behave. No werebeasts, I'ma 'fraid," she said, looking at Jakob. "Though wit the uniform, I don't think ye look'n for that work either."

Henry reached into his jacket and slid a pamphlet across the bar towards the inquiry group. He had an earnest look in his eyes. "If you lot know any of the top lads... or friendly wit the well te do sort... maybe look into the movement, yeah? Some fellers look'n to form a union. Any help is mighty grand. Many lads 'n lasses - they not getten the pay they need, yeah? And this 'lil lass, barely up te here, done lost her hand in one o' the rackers when it came swing'n around."

It was a cheaply printed and dirty piece of paper that had some grievances and requests on behalf of the labor force at at four of the mills in town, which was probably over half of them. There was some 'friendly' meeting places listed, but no names were given. Likely for safety. It was apparent this vampire thought the inquiry group was well a step or two or three above the rest of the people in the den.

 

[Dmaster]

She knew exactly what Mariette was trying to pull, rile her up with the idea that she would pine after the heart of a vampire of all things, but Camille was not having it. At the very least such a cover on her terrible mood would require no input on her part to confirm or deny it. In yet another excellent display of restraint, she stayed silent and did little to move the conversation. Things were only made worse by the vampire believing Mariette, and she seethed just a tiny bit more in her seat before the performers got to playing.

To her shock, their music was quite nice. As an Escarian noblewoman she had certainly heard better orchestral arrangements, and on a technical level the group would need much improvement to be anywhere near the concert halls of her land. Yet... Art was sometimes not about technicality and who had exactly been performing it and/or creating it, and there was some merit to their performance despite her hatred of this place. In a way, it did wonders to ease her mind so long as the tones were more on the easy listening side rather than upbeat and obnoxious.

Yet Camille was brought back as this vampire was gingerly pushing them to contribute to some union or other, shaking her head rather politely. "Unfortunately we do not plan to stay in town for long. Though I wish you luck in getting better working conditions all the same."

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina woke up and immediately grabbed her gun, training it at the door which, to her relief, was still locked and closed. She sighed and put down the pistol. Sasha.

Looking down, Galina pulled up her sleeve to check her arm. The mark was still there. Growing. It wasn't burning though, not like when someone was about to die. She sighed again and looked towards the window. How long had she been out?

She could hear Sasha's words echo in her mind. "But it won't stop there...soon you'll become a banshee like her, as well as myself. You will gain other gifts...use them wisely."
Other gifts? Becoming a banshee?

Galina pulled down the sleeve and shook her head. If this is my fate I will choose to control it.

A couple of minutes later she was geared up and heading downstairs. Before going out into Grimsby it was time for a warm meal. Chicken stew, didn't look half-bad honestly. Galina found a spot near the common room's stove.

 

[Infab]

Wesley soon found himself walking the narrow streets of Grimsby, traveling through the market district in search of new equipment and clothing to suit his needs. He found both at a general store, which had an armorer's shop fixed to the side. A variety of weaponry hung from the wall in the armorer's shop, while the general store had its own selection of numerous goods and clothes. If he needed something, it was rather likely he'd find it here. And lucky enough, he had brought the coin to pay for it.

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Valeria eventually found herself sitting along in her room, clad in fresh casual clothing and with her hair done up in a ponytail. It was nice to take a proper bath every once in a while, and Sazak had finally left her alone for the time being. She could try and unwind for the day, like everyone else was doing.

Sadly, she could only try. A plethora of things still sat on her mind, namely Sazak and her contract with him. She needed to tell the others. The question was if Sazak would allow her to do so, and if she could talk to them one at a time and gauge their responses. She thought of Camille for a moment, before shaking her head. No. She couldn't tell her. The woman was a hardliner, and would likely attempt to kill her. She'd be the one she'd have to avoid.

She rubbed her eyes for a moment, before eventually standing. She needed to go purchase some ammunition and supplies. She was running low on silver laced shotgun shells, so she needed to make more. She was also halfway out of revolver ammunition. She fetched her revolver, tucking it into its holster on her hip before fetching her cloak and giving the sword one last glance, as it lay on the bed. She then headed out the door, and through the inn she walked. She gave Galina a wave as she passed through the common room on the way to the exit.

It was a short walk down to the nearest general store, which appeared to have an armorer's shop attached to the side. Convenient, really. She stepped inside the store, greeting the shop clerk behind the counter with a nod before walking about and inspecting the goods. There was another man in the room, wearing a cloak of his own with a hood. He seemed to be looking over some of the male clothing options that the store had. She cut him a glance for a moment, as she looked through the selection of ammunition that the store had. Then, as the man turned slightly, her eyes widened.

"...Wesley?" she said, shocked by his sudden appearance. If Wesley was here, Cassandra was nearby. And that wasn't good.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

He gave Camlle a respectful nod. If she didn't want to leave the builing, then there was nothing he could do about it. He simply got back to his seat, and looked at Moira with a big cheerful smile. "Guess I'll be staying a bit more." As the time passed in the den, more patrons arrived. Moira and a vampire named Henry then started to talk about the new mill, and talking about the rather poor working conditions the workers were facing. Henry then gave the group a pamphlet about a possible workers union. "You have my utmost support, my friend. Its time for the common man to stand together against the oppressive reign of the bourgeoisie and the nobles." Jakob then looked at Mariette and Camille. "No offense." He then looked back to the vampire. "If I meet any decent men and women, I'll show them these."

Jakob then looked to Reginald and his band, providing some nice music. After drinking another shot of whiskey, Jakob looked at Moira with a smile. "Last one for the day, don't want to embarass myself later on the job." He looked back at the band for a moment, then an idea popped up in his mind as he felt his mother's harmonica in his pocket. "Although on second thought..."

Jakob drew the harmonica from his pocket, and approached Reginald and his band when they finished one of their songs. As he stepped up, he asked "Do you mind if I play a song, man?" Reginald gave him a nod, and he and his band moved back so that Jakob could have the front of the stage. Jakob turned and looked to the others in the tavern. "Howdy, y'all! I hope ya all have a nice day. Normally I'd have my friend Rose playing the guitar, but sadly she ain't here at the moment. Maybe in the future! She'd have loved to play for you." He cleared his throat, and began to play a song on the harmonica, typical of Southern Atraca.