dmronny
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So the other day I randomly got the urge to try writing a story, something I've never done except for grade school assignments. Too many influences on the story to name, but it's mainly based in the World of Darkness. Specifically vampire: the masquerade though some of the other creatures will make appearances. Also many thanks to Sinful for being my editor, and giving me the urge to write after reading her stories. Hope you enjoy it, and comments are welcome but please leave them here.
http://www.ulmf.org/bbs/showthread.php?t=2947
The brisk salt breeze from Lake Pontchartrain blew through the Spanish moss covered mansion that had stood for so long along its shores. Though the villa itself was dilapidated and it's once beautiful ivory paint was all but gone it still retained all its majesty. In no way did it compare to some of the beautiful palaces of his homeland he was still glad to call it home for a while. Well, almost home he actually lived in the old mausoleum tucked off in the back of the estate. He sometimes wondered if any of the other inhabitants of the crypt were far removed relations of his, an odd thought considering how much older he was than any of them.
Finally he awoke to the darkness that he knew all to well. Looking about the crypt he thought how it could us a bit more cleaning and perhaps some more luxuriant furnishings, but he had time after all he had only been here a month. Angelique had offered to help him with this quite often, but he had kept putting it off as he wasn't quite so obsessed with making everything as beautiful as she was. He had once been obsessed with having the best things in life, but over the centuries he had grown far more used to the darkness that always seemed to pervade his existence.
He sighed despite his nature as the image of his beautiful Adria came into his mind suddenly. Despite the centuries her image had never faded from his mind, her beautiful alabaster skin framed by the luxuriant dark curls of her hair as they descended over her shoulders and down her back. If only he could have persuaded her to come away with him and hide, but no she felt she had to join the others. How very similar in appearance she was to Angelique perhaps that's why he had been so drawn to her since coming to this city.
Shaking himself from his reverie he thought to himself how perhaps he had been spending too much time of late with Angelique. Her beauty was a thing to behold, but like most of her kind she was a bit too prone to distraction, something which seemed to be affecting him as well of late. He wasn't used to being so easily distracted he had always been a being of action. Not wanting to waste more time he finally heaved himself up from where he had lay during the night.
He quickly moved about the pitch black mausoleum as he busied himself with making sure his resting place had not been disturbed during the night. Finally sure that nothing had occurred he attempted to make himself more presentable for the night. Though he was sure Angelique would make some comment about him having forgotten to look in a mirror after he got up. Diego would probably join in the ribbing as well though he's definitely not much of one for all the decadence. He laughed to himself as he imagined Angelique being unable to use a mirror; it would probably drive her insane. Finishing with the necessary preparations, he moved towards the heavy marble slab that covered the entrance to the tomb. He stood concentrating for a few moments before his body seemed to melt into the darkness of the crypt and left his resting place for the night.
Outside the mausoleum he stepped from the shadows of the doorway as though he had been simply hiding in the shadows. Looking about to make sure no one was around he moved over the grassy yard to the front of the house to look toward the city before heading on his way. As he walked out of the fenced yard toward the brighter areas of the city he could hear what must have been the grand party that went on every year in this place. From the sounds of it Angelique must not have been exaggerating too much for once. No wonder she and Diego had been so adamant he come out tonight, after all it would be so easy for their kind to move about and feed on a night such as this. For him the trip through the dark alleys away from the celebration went quickly and before long he found himself at his destination.
He had only been here once before on his arrival to the city, when he had presented himself to the prince of the city as their laws dictated. They hadn't been happy when they learned who he was but he was granted permission to live and hunt here none the less. He knocked on the door and the cheery voice of Edgar answered from behind the door, "Who's there?"
"It is Jourdain, Edgar. I am supposed to meet with Angelique and Diego here." He answered.
The door opened slightly and Edgar's smiling face popped out, "Diego's already over in the sitting room." He said taking a quick look around the alleyway before ushering Jourdain in while closing the door behind them.
"So are ya looking forward to your first Mardi Gras," Edgar asked looking up at the much taller kindred who had just entered while they walked down the hall way. "I sure wish I could go out but someone has to keep the place safe. Makes me wish I weren't so important sometimes."
Jourdain smiled to his jovial companion, "Yes, I think I am. After all it has been quite a while since I even attended a normal party much less one as grand as this one has been described to me. I would have thought Angelique would have been here already, but she probably got distracted trying to put her face on."
"Trust me when I say it’s like nothing you'll have ever experienced before," Edgar said with his usual smirk before he parted to return to his post at the entrance. "Make sure ya let me know how it was this year, eh."
Jourdain thought to himself as he reached to open the door that Edgar must be one of the strangest Brujah he had ever met. He stopped just as he was about to grab the handle however for he could hear raised angry voices form the other side of the door. Deciding to listen a little before barging into some argument he could hear Diego snarling something to Sarah. As much fun as it would be to berate Sarah for raising her voice in Elysium he instead decided to continue listening.
"I'm only asking you to try to negotiate with them, Diego. Your sire would have done this for us without a thought, so why won't you," Sarah whined.
"Because, I'm not my sire and I don't like to fucking negotiate that's why," Diego said his voice more of a growl by this time.
Deciding to defuse the situation before bigger problems started Jourdain pushed through the door as if just arriving. He wasn't exactly expecting the scene that greeted him for Sarah's normal outfit of posh business suit had been exchanged for ragged jeans and a flannel shirt both of which were a little too big for her small frame, not to mention the mud that was caked in her hair.
"Oh, pardon my intrusion Sarah. I had no idea anyone but Diego was here at the moment. You see we were supposed to meet here before heading out to the festivities," he said with a bow and a rather poorly concealed smile. "Though to be honest I barely recognized you with your new look. I must say it fits you quite well my dear."
Sarah just stood there, staring at him as though she wanted to hurl something more than a pithy comment back but she couldn't. Finally realizing how stupid she must look, she just pushed her way passed him with a slightly bowed head. "That's alright, lasombra. I was just leaving anyway."
After the door had closed behind her, Jourdain moved to a seat opposite Diego and smiled, "Ah, what a wit the blue blood has. Would you not agree, Diego?"
"Indeed though I must say I'm glad you came in when you did, else I may have ripped her silly brown head from her shoulders," Diego said as he visibly relaxed from the rage that had been building up inside him. "I would have been glad to do it as well, Elysium or not."
"I could tell. Though I would much rather you did not do something such as that since you are one of the few who I can stand to be around here. So how much do you want to bet that Angelique is only half way prepared for the night? I think it is a wonder that she ever gets anything done at all, considering she has to change her clothes just to walk into the next room." He asked of his companion.
Diego responded with a smirk, "Even as a gambler that would have to be the worst bet I've ever heard of. I hope Angelique won't take too long though, as I'm a bit hungry after dealing with that bitch, Sarah."
"So have you any news from the last few nights? We have not seen you since Sunday." Jourdain asked nonchalantly as he absentmindedly played with a marble ash tray that had been lying on the table.
"Nothing really, though Sarah has apparently been having some sort of troubles with some kindred out in the bayous. Something about them not allowing her to investigate something the prince asked her to look into. Apparently Gangrel so she thought I might be able to speak to them for her. However I'm not much for diplomacy, unless the negotiations involve claws and teeth. Now you on the other hand you're probably the most diplomatic person I've ever met. Something tells me that she hoped I would ask for your help, since she would never do ask that of you herself." Diego said getting up from his seat and pacing the floor like a caged animal. "I don't know how you do it. I swear you could talk your way through a pack of raging Garou if you needed to."
"Yes well I was not always so diplomatic, Diego. In fact I was very much like you, ready to run off and fight just for the sake of fighting. I have just had more time to learn more diplomatic means is all." Jourdain responded, his mind once more wandering to distant memories of his past.
http://www.ulmf.org/bbs/showthread.php?t=2947
Prologue
The brisk salt breeze from Lake Pontchartrain blew through the Spanish moss covered mansion that had stood for so long along its shores. Though the villa itself was dilapidated and it's once beautiful ivory paint was all but gone it still retained all its majesty. In no way did it compare to some of the beautiful palaces of his homeland he was still glad to call it home for a while. Well, almost home he actually lived in the old mausoleum tucked off in the back of the estate. He sometimes wondered if any of the other inhabitants of the crypt were far removed relations of his, an odd thought considering how much older he was than any of them.
Finally he awoke to the darkness that he knew all to well. Looking about the crypt he thought how it could us a bit more cleaning and perhaps some more luxuriant furnishings, but he had time after all he had only been here a month. Angelique had offered to help him with this quite often, but he had kept putting it off as he wasn't quite so obsessed with making everything as beautiful as she was. He had once been obsessed with having the best things in life, but over the centuries he had grown far more used to the darkness that always seemed to pervade his existence.
He sighed despite his nature as the image of his beautiful Adria came into his mind suddenly. Despite the centuries her image had never faded from his mind, her beautiful alabaster skin framed by the luxuriant dark curls of her hair as they descended over her shoulders and down her back. If only he could have persuaded her to come away with him and hide, but no she felt she had to join the others. How very similar in appearance she was to Angelique perhaps that's why he had been so drawn to her since coming to this city.
Shaking himself from his reverie he thought to himself how perhaps he had been spending too much time of late with Angelique. Her beauty was a thing to behold, but like most of her kind she was a bit too prone to distraction, something which seemed to be affecting him as well of late. He wasn't used to being so easily distracted he had always been a being of action. Not wanting to waste more time he finally heaved himself up from where he had lay during the night.
He quickly moved about the pitch black mausoleum as he busied himself with making sure his resting place had not been disturbed during the night. Finally sure that nothing had occurred he attempted to make himself more presentable for the night. Though he was sure Angelique would make some comment about him having forgotten to look in a mirror after he got up. Diego would probably join in the ribbing as well though he's definitely not much of one for all the decadence. He laughed to himself as he imagined Angelique being unable to use a mirror; it would probably drive her insane. Finishing with the necessary preparations, he moved towards the heavy marble slab that covered the entrance to the tomb. He stood concentrating for a few moments before his body seemed to melt into the darkness of the crypt and left his resting place for the night.
Outside the mausoleum he stepped from the shadows of the doorway as though he had been simply hiding in the shadows. Looking about to make sure no one was around he moved over the grassy yard to the front of the house to look toward the city before heading on his way. As he walked out of the fenced yard toward the brighter areas of the city he could hear what must have been the grand party that went on every year in this place. From the sounds of it Angelique must not have been exaggerating too much for once. No wonder she and Diego had been so adamant he come out tonight, after all it would be so easy for their kind to move about and feed on a night such as this. For him the trip through the dark alleys away from the celebration went quickly and before long he found himself at his destination.
He had only been here once before on his arrival to the city, when he had presented himself to the prince of the city as their laws dictated. They hadn't been happy when they learned who he was but he was granted permission to live and hunt here none the less. He knocked on the door and the cheery voice of Edgar answered from behind the door, "Who's there?"
"It is Jourdain, Edgar. I am supposed to meet with Angelique and Diego here." He answered.
The door opened slightly and Edgar's smiling face popped out, "Diego's already over in the sitting room." He said taking a quick look around the alleyway before ushering Jourdain in while closing the door behind them.
"So are ya looking forward to your first Mardi Gras," Edgar asked looking up at the much taller kindred who had just entered while they walked down the hall way. "I sure wish I could go out but someone has to keep the place safe. Makes me wish I weren't so important sometimes."
Jourdain smiled to his jovial companion, "Yes, I think I am. After all it has been quite a while since I even attended a normal party much less one as grand as this one has been described to me. I would have thought Angelique would have been here already, but she probably got distracted trying to put her face on."
"Trust me when I say it’s like nothing you'll have ever experienced before," Edgar said with his usual smirk before he parted to return to his post at the entrance. "Make sure ya let me know how it was this year, eh."
Jourdain thought to himself as he reached to open the door that Edgar must be one of the strangest Brujah he had ever met. He stopped just as he was about to grab the handle however for he could hear raised angry voices form the other side of the door. Deciding to listen a little before barging into some argument he could hear Diego snarling something to Sarah. As much fun as it would be to berate Sarah for raising her voice in Elysium he instead decided to continue listening.
"I'm only asking you to try to negotiate with them, Diego. Your sire would have done this for us without a thought, so why won't you," Sarah whined.
"Because, I'm not my sire and I don't like to fucking negotiate that's why," Diego said his voice more of a growl by this time.
Deciding to defuse the situation before bigger problems started Jourdain pushed through the door as if just arriving. He wasn't exactly expecting the scene that greeted him for Sarah's normal outfit of posh business suit had been exchanged for ragged jeans and a flannel shirt both of which were a little too big for her small frame, not to mention the mud that was caked in her hair.
"Oh, pardon my intrusion Sarah. I had no idea anyone but Diego was here at the moment. You see we were supposed to meet here before heading out to the festivities," he said with a bow and a rather poorly concealed smile. "Though to be honest I barely recognized you with your new look. I must say it fits you quite well my dear."
Sarah just stood there, staring at him as though she wanted to hurl something more than a pithy comment back but she couldn't. Finally realizing how stupid she must look, she just pushed her way passed him with a slightly bowed head. "That's alright, lasombra. I was just leaving anyway."
After the door had closed behind her, Jourdain moved to a seat opposite Diego and smiled, "Ah, what a wit the blue blood has. Would you not agree, Diego?"
"Indeed though I must say I'm glad you came in when you did, else I may have ripped her silly brown head from her shoulders," Diego said as he visibly relaxed from the rage that had been building up inside him. "I would have been glad to do it as well, Elysium or not."
"I could tell. Though I would much rather you did not do something such as that since you are one of the few who I can stand to be around here. So how much do you want to bet that Angelique is only half way prepared for the night? I think it is a wonder that she ever gets anything done at all, considering she has to change her clothes just to walk into the next room." He asked of his companion.
Diego responded with a smirk, "Even as a gambler that would have to be the worst bet I've ever heard of. I hope Angelique won't take too long though, as I'm a bit hungry after dealing with that bitch, Sarah."
"So have you any news from the last few nights? We have not seen you since Sunday." Jourdain asked nonchalantly as he absentmindedly played with a marble ash tray that had been lying on the table.
"Nothing really, though Sarah has apparently been having some sort of troubles with some kindred out in the bayous. Something about them not allowing her to investigate something the prince asked her to look into. Apparently Gangrel so she thought I might be able to speak to them for her. However I'm not much for diplomacy, unless the negotiations involve claws and teeth. Now you on the other hand you're probably the most diplomatic person I've ever met. Something tells me that she hoped I would ask for your help, since she would never do ask that of you herself." Diego said getting up from his seat and pacing the floor like a caged animal. "I don't know how you do it. I swear you could talk your way through a pack of raging Garou if you needed to."
"Yes well I was not always so diplomatic, Diego. In fact I was very much like you, ready to run off and fight just for the sake of fighting. I have just had more time to learn more diplomatic means is all." Jourdain responded, his mind once more wandering to distant memories of his past.
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