<@Dreol> [London, January 7th 1261, 8:00 PM] <@Dreol> [Rolf has just volunteered to lead the group tasked with following Victoria in her espionage mission into New Carthage. Today he is to return to Mithras with his proposed team and then leave on their mission.] <@Dreol> [Begin] <@Dreol> [Mithras is currently located in the manor where the group first met him.] #06* Eliana is waiting outside of the manor, ten minutes before the designated time. And for once, she's not wearing scholar's robes, but rather a heavy tunic and leggings instead. She still has the hooded cloak and gloves, though, along with a shoulderbag and what's probably a rolled up map, so - still Eliana. #06* Moriel is waiting beside Eliana, silent and tense, though with his cloak wrapped around him the latter isn't too obvious. #06* Cosimo has arrived early as well, in typical fashion. He is dressed much the same as always, though his head and face are wrapped by a turban, leaving only his eyes exposed. He seems to be ready for a fight as he carries more blades than normal, and a scimitar hangs at his side. His hood is pulled low as well, and he keeps to the shadows. Waiting patiently and quietly. #06* Rolf only has a little bit of scruff on him as he tromps up to the waiters, eyes glowing. He looks people over and says, "Here's hopin' that guy we dragged back was talkative." #06* Moriel murmurs, "With the right interrogators, it wouldn't matter. And I am certain our prince has the right interrogators." #06* Eliana nods in agreement. #06* Rolf scratches the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, S'more about time." #06* Moriel tilts his head at Rolf. "Pardon?" #01 They wouldn't have had long with this prisoner. Relatively. Oh. #06* Rolf nods at Eliana. "Yeah, s'more what I mean. We just got him yesterday, n'all." #06* Moriel shrugs. "Torture takes time. Simply tearing the secrets from another's mind...takes less." #06* Rolf looks up at the sky a bit and rocks slightly on his feet. "If ya say so." <@Dreol> [Also present are a short Nosferatu named Carlyle. He keeps to the edge of the group, staying pretty silent and Leonardo, whom you have traveled with before, but is letting Rolf do the leading. He stands behind you all, dressed in some finely crafted chainmail armor. Ysabeau and Thalaba are with you as well, and remain, surprisingly, quiet.] <@Dreol> [After a few more minutes the door opens and one of Mithras' ghouls waves the group in.] #06* Eliana waits for Rolf to take the lead before going in. #03* Alasse is now known as Thalaba #06* Rolf looks around one last time, nods and steps forward to follow the ghoul's guidance. #06* Eliana moves on in! <@Dreol> [Inside the audience chambers, Mithras is seated and standing in front of him is Victoria. She is dressed in torn leather armor that makes it appear as if she was in some sort of battle. She bounces slightly on her feet and her lips are curled into a slight smile. Mithras nods to Rolf as he enters. "Is this the team you have selected?"] #06* Rolf looks to Victoria with a slight smile, then nods slightly at Mithras. "Yeah, this is them." <@Dreol> [Mithras nods. "Very well. Then you should be leaving soon. Our prisoner has not revealed much, but it is clear that Carthage is to the north. Perhaps in Scotland, or perhaps somewhere across the water. Victoria has already been given her orders. She will start ahead of you. You must not be seen." Victoria beams back at Rolf and Mithras nods and silently dismisses you all, at which point Victoria <@Dreol> starts to walk out of the audience chamber.] #06* Rolf nods and says, "Right...." and looks to Victoria before saying, "Uh, stay safe." A tooghy grin. "We won't be that far behind." <@Dreol> [Victoria nods. "Oh... you don't have to worry so much. I'll be okay. Just make sure you keep up!" She smiles and heads out of the audience chamber.] #06* Eliana was silently dismissed, so she walks out, too. She knows what dismissal means. #06* Rolf chuckles a little to himself and heads out too! Woo! #06* Moriel follows along quietly, like he does. #06* Cosimo follows quietly behind Eliana and Moriel, after all, best not to tarry #06* Thalaba actually hurries behind the others having arrived slightly late to this meeting. <@Dreol> [Victoria turns to the group once they get outside. "So I'm supposed to leave now and head north to a village called Glensbridge. That is the first Carthaginian outpost that I am supposed to try to present myself to. It is about four nights' travel from here. You guys keep up, but don't stay too close to me. Once I get there, I'll say that I barely escaped London with my life and hope I can <@Dreol> convince them to take me in. It may take a while to convince them, but eventually we'll leave Glensbridge and head farther north. In the meantime, you should be trying to gather as much information as possible. If I am ever in serious trouble, I'll roar." Victoria smiles, narrows her eyes and opens her mouth emitting something almost identical to a lion's roar (not that any of you have heard one). It can probably be heard for blocks, and in fact, there are several screams from some houses before people going to the windows see that nothing is outside. "Like that... except louder."] #06* Eliana glances around immediately to see if anyone comes rushing out. "I see," she says. #06* Cosimo raises an eyebrow. #06* Moriel 's eyes widen slightly in surprise at the sound, but he doesn't comment. #06* Thalaba wasn't completely paying attention to the conversation but is definitely paying attention now! #06* Rolf nods back and replies, "We'll stay out of sight and keep your movements watched as best we can." <@Dreol> [Victoria nods and starts heading north. "Well... let's get going then. It's a long walk."] <@Dreol> [Just Outside Glensbridge, January 11th 1261, 10:00 PM] <@Dreol> [After four days of fairly uneventful traveling, Victoria has entered the village of Glensbridge in central England. She has approached a door and after a brief conversation with someone, she disappeared inside. Rolf and company are situated on a nearby hill that has a good view of the village. The village itself is small. It has a market, which is now closed, a large inn (the back door of <@Dreol> which is the door that Victoria entered) and around a dozen houses. While there are less homeless people on the streets than in London, there still appears to be one or two. One of which appears to be lying on his back behind one of the stalls in the marketplace and laughing for no apparent reason.] #06* Eliana points out the man from their hiding spot past the edge of town. "That's different." #06* Moriel looks down at the village with a distant expression, his gaze coming to rest on the laughing man. #06* Rolf is in a crouch as he looks onto the town, and says, "Yeah. Probably safe to talk to him, but ain't much goin' on. Gotta figure anyone in this town's layin' real low..." #06* Eliana nods. "Not all of us," she advises. #06* Moriel murmurs, "He's kindred." #06* Rolf frowns and says, "Well, if they're on her side... then you gotta figure almost the whole town's vampires n'ghouls, ain't that their thing?" Bein' out in the open? #06* Eliana nods. #06* Eliana comments, "That's the philosophy," with some distaste in her voice. #06* Moriel is still watching, not turning to look at his companions. #06* Cosimo , also crouching, looks to Rolf. "do we need to speak with him?" #06* Eliana shakes her head, but she also looks at Rolf. #06* Rolf looks over at Cosimo and says, "If the whole town's covered in 'em, you could, but you'll have to do some, uh, lyin'. Well, a lot of it. Just a traveler or somethin'. Since they're all on their side." #06* Cosimo nods. "it is your call" #06* Rolf frowns, then says, "Go ahead, but remember to keep yer head down. Just a traveler or whatever." Least we can do is figure out if we're right 'bout the town. #06* Cosimo nods. "i shall return when as soon as i am able to do so safely" #06* Eliana murmurs as Cosimo leaves, "Is anyone sufficient in obfuscate that they feel comfortable shadowing from a close distance, in case of alarm?" <@Dreol> [Carlyle, who like never talks, nods.] #06* Cosimo stands, places his arms into his sleeves and bows his head becoming as unobtrusive as possible. if you weren't already aware that he was there, you might easily look the other way or not ever notice he was there. quietly, he approaches the edge of town. #06* Rolf seems to be almost thinking about something, then looks to Carlyle and says, "Alright." <@Dreol> [Then you can't see him anymore. It is probably best to assume he is following.] <@Dreol> [The laughing man is still laughing as Cosimo approaches.] #06* Cosimo keeps to the shadows and approaches carefully, taking care not to startle the man as he does so. <@Dreol> [He has shoulder-length brown hair and is fairly thin. He's dressed in little more than rags and seems generally amused.] good eve, sir <@Dreol> [The man stops laughing and looks at Cosimo. He stares for a very long time and then nods. "Good evening, to you." His eyes widen, amused. "What business do you have here? Do you wish to buy some bread? I am afraid the market is closed."] i am but a traveler on my way through this land. tell me of this place <@Dreol> [The man smiles. "A traveler you say? Do you travel... from the south... or from the north?"] #06* Cosimo smiles from behind his turban, which is hard to notice. "i travel from the east" <@Dreol> [The man frowns, apparently displeased with his answer. "I have not long, you see... I cannot say much. But I will tell you the joke that I have recently learned..." He smiles again... "It's very funny... Would you like to hear it?"] it is always nice to turn thoughts away from the road when traveling, even if only for a brief time. tell it to me <@Dreol> [The man nods, and he seems like he can hardly contain his amusement. "In four nights time... at midnight... a bull, a cat and a snake will fly north... the bull leading the snake who is leading the cat..." He looks very serious for a moment and then he bursts out laughing at that. "You see? You see? A bull and snake and cat... flying! See?" He makes a gesture with his hands as if they were wings and keeps laughing.] #06* Cosimo chuckles slightly (and politely, because that's the best he can really do since humor seems to be lost on him most of the time anyway). indeed, sir <@Dreol> [The man nods and then motions for Cosimo to go away as he keeps laughing.] #06* Cosimo nods and bows. "be well, sir" #06* Moriel has been repeating their conversation for the benefit of his companions - quietly, so that he doesn't miss any of it. #06* Cosimo slips away into the darkness of the night beyond. #06* Eliana pinches the top of her nose as she tries to figure out the riddle, if there's anything to figure out. #06* Moriel falls silent again and contemplates the meaning of what he overheard himself. #06* Cosimo leaves the town opposite the way he approached, but just as unseen and silent. after enough time, and as soon as he is certain he has not been followed, he circles back to rejoin the group. #06* Eliana mutters as she still pinches her nose, "A cat... mane, lion. Victoria. Snakes are... Settites?" She frowns. "But why? Aren't they independent?" #06* Moriel glances at Eliana. "Perhaps that's changing. Or perhaps they simply wish to negotiate or such, not join." He shrugs. "Who's the bull, then?" #06* Eliana shakes her head. "I'm not yet certain." #06* Cosimo approaches the group, being careful so as to not startle any who might be unaware. He steps from the shadows. "i am not certain if you were able to hear that exchange... but it was simply a riddle that had him so entertained" #06* Eliana nods. #06* Moriel nods and says quietly, "I repeated it for them." #06* Cosimo crouches next to Rolf. "it was not as much information as i had hoped" #06* Rolf shrugs. "But we didn't lose nothin' either. C'mon, let's move off just in case." <@Dreol> [Annnnd Session End, because it is time for that.]