A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"We have something of an understanding the lupines and I do, I avoid their territory and they avoid mine. They are rather weak looking specimens but they can be dangerous in numbers but they do not leave their small section of forest." Aethelwulf answers as he sets the map down and stands.

"To the northeast you say. It sounds as if you mean Battleford from the description. It would be a wise place to hide, a small village with little more than the church. If we are leaving tonight I won't be able to gather more than a dozen ghouls to help deal with any minions these Tremere might have. Though one word of advice before we leave, be careful of Richard. He is a coward and will betray you if afforded the chance."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"Every night that we give the usurpers a chance to prepare themselves is a night wasted. I would that the court had seen the threat more plainly but as ever, politics play into our enemy's hand. A dozen of your ghouls should be enough, and as for Richard, cowardice is unbecoming in a Sheriff. Let him prove he is worthy of his position and the blood. I shall take heed of your warning though."

The Tzimsice would then follow with Aethulwulf as he summoned his ghouls to him. At the same time, she called the owil to her, and opened her veins with her fang, so as to let the raptor bird of prey peck and sip of her vitae.

"You have proven your use to me, and shall enjoy a taste of godliness," she told the owl, encouraging to become a ghoul unto her will.

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"Come then we shall gather Mithras' elite troops and march upon these usurpers. They will rue the day they chose to take such a gift. We shall see if more than Richard is deserving of his position I am sure." Aethelwulf says before using his powers of animalism to send two messengers in the gathering of his troops. He has few other preparations to make as he is already clad and armed for battle.

The raptor seems tentative at first but soon takes it's first drop of Vezina's blood. A few crimson stains on it's beak as it turns it's eyes to Vezina's own, already eager to do it's new masters bidding.

A short trip out of the forest and to area beyond the Cripples gate and the three are joined by Richard. There is an obvious tension in the party as they begin traveling to the northeast but none of the others says anything.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

With her new owl companion gliding above them, Vezina kept an eye on Sheriff and the Warmaster, noting the tension between them. There had obviously been some schism between the two in their history together - and whatever it was, she hoped that it would not spill over tonight. There was too much at stake. She recognized that for beings that had eternity in which to live, direct action was a fundamentally foolish exercise when it could otherwise be helped. Working through minions was far more preferable, but Vezina did not have that luxury at the moment - and to suffer the usurper to go on with unlife was to put her at more and more peril with each passing night.

The court may well desire to capture this Tremere and wait what could be centuries for Mithras' judgement, but Vezina had a much more final solution in mind for the usurper. Who might know what forces could overcome combatants in the heat of battle? If she had an opportunity, she would end this Abetorius' unlife, and take back the vitae which he had stolen from her clan. Justice and power back in the hands of the rightful bloodline.

"What do we know of this church? How large it is? How deep its catacombs?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Despite the obvious tension between Aethelwulf and Richard, the warmaster and sheriff show nothing but politeness to each other. They even seem to get along in a more businesslike manner which considering their positions is unsurprising. Lysandra doesn't seem immune to the tension either as she occasionally will cast a suspicious glance at the others as well, even at vezina herself. It would stand to reason though as the rather disparate coterie has been assembled in a small amount of time and amongst vampires trust is hard to come by.

Once the silent tension is broken by the coterie's young leader things seem to relax a bit more. Richard is the first to answer his voice seeming floating from the depths of his dark hood. "That is what most intrigues me about this information you have fortuitously come across, Lady Vezina. The only church that I know of near Battleford is rather small, it is little more than a small farming village after all. Still I feel there is some truth to the confession as my past inquiries into disappearances amongst mine and Aethelwulf's clans points to Battleford."

Aethelwulf seems to agree with Richard's statement only adding. "Perhaps the creature was simply confused when it said a church. The creature might have exhibited an animal cunning but it didn't seem very knowledgeable in it's description. Are there any other large buildings that might be mistaken for a church?"

Richard shakes his head silently as they continue their ride to Battleford. However the brief silence is broken by Lysandra who politely interjects. "Perhaps the creature meant a different kind of church than we are thinking. The village was the sight of the last battle between the Romans and the Boadicea's Iceni. If you believe the legends she is said to be buried within the bridge that crosses into the village. Perhaps the gargoyle used the term church to indicate a pagan place of worship."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"That is a clever thought, Lady Lysandra. Well worth looking into, as the creature did mention the bridge when it answered me. Whatever this sorcerer's haven, he must have room to work, to rest, and to house his stony servants, and he must also be able to hide himself from observation during the daylight. Would this bridge's stonework allow for such a space?"

For her own part, Vezina knew that an impromptu coterie such as this was bound to come with a baggage train of trust issues, but as Gyulu had taught her during his many history lessons, nothing has ever brought together distrustful factions so much as a foreign enemy that was a threat to all. As a rule, the enemy you know is better than the one you don't. These three companions would know this. And if they succeeded - when they succeeded - the experience might go far in gaining Vezina some powerful allies.

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Lysandra simply gives a pleased nod as Richard answers Vezina's question. "I doubt if the bridge would be large enough to hide such a base of operations. Perhaps in the nearby forest though, the village is little more than a logging camp. If these Tremere choose to hide amongst the trees we are quite suited to find their lair no matter how hidden it may be. I suppose you have already dispatched a contingent of troops to aid in our mission, Lord Aethelwulf?"

A simple nod in the affirmative is all the proud Gangrel gives in response to Richard's question. Though after a few moments he adds. "I have given them strict orders to remain hidden till we arrive though. I thought it best not to alert these wizards of our presence till then."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"Then we shall reserve judgement until we see this village with our own eyes. It could be that this bridge is simply where the sorcerer meets with its stone servants to send them on their nightly war against us. I still say it is a mistake to suffer them to live. Tonight they come for only some of the clans, but tomorrow they may yet desire Brujah or Toreador blood. Any who would dare tempt the wroth of clan Tzimisce would not balk at more transgressions. What we attempt tonight is for the good of all true Cainites."

Vezina did not hide the pride she held for her own bloodline in her voice. And certainly the scorn for these Tremere dripped from her tongue as well. There could be no middle ground on the matter from her point of view.

When the came to the village, she observed from afar the bridge with her heightened vision, picking out the details of the stonework, counting, if there were any to count, the number of hunched stony grotesques that lined its walkway.

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Moving close enough to the bridge so that they might observe from afar without being seen, the others wait patiently while Vezina examines the bridge. The river gently murmurs off to their right winding towards the ancient bridge and the small village beyond. The bridge was built in the time of the Romans though it is indeed far to small to hide the Tremere they seek.

Looking past the bridge to the village she can see smoke curling from the handful of chimneys and in the center of the village sits a relatively newly built church. It is certainly the largest building in town but it doesn't seem large enough to be the hiding place of the usurpers. Though she does note that the bell tower has at least 3 stone gargoyles facing in each direction.

The remainder of the left bank where Vezina's coterie stands sits empty as the farmers wait for spring to plant their crops. The right seems to be made up mostly of forest, the village sitting within a dale. A path leads from the rear of the church deeper into the forest. Further up the road sits an inn to small to be a hiding place but convenient should this task take up more than one night.

While the others are searching and planning Aethelwulf calls a raven from the trees and sends it off after passing a message along.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"The bridge is small and I see no sign of the gargoyles there," Vezina said as her eyes scanned the village from afar. "The church has three statues at the bell tower, however, and it is the best vantage point in the village for those guardians to use. You are right though, the church seems small. Unless it masks a deeper haven beneath, it stands to reason that the Tremere are hidden within the woods."

She turned to Aethulwulf. "We would need to get closer to investigate further. If the grotesques atop the tower are servants of our prey, we might be able to follow one back to its master's hiding place as it runs to warn him of our presence. Or we could subdue them, taking apart our opponent's forces in smaller groups. I defer to your greater tactical experience, Aethulwulf."

Vezina trusted the warmaster to know what course might be best for infiltrating the village. All she had to work with was theory, while surely the Gangrel was a veteran of many campaigns. He also knew full well what 'troops' he had to command. Vezina was still in the dark as to the resources her coterie possessed, so not the best to make a command decision.

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"These Tremere may deserve the final death that is coming for them but you must admit they are no fools. They are well prepared to spot any intruders into their usurped domain." Aethelwulf muses to himself as he gazes towards the distant town.

"We will use the inn as a base of operations, from which we can further ascertain our enemies abilities. I'm quite sure Richard and Lysandra have the abilities necessary for this task. I will use my men to ascertain if their is another route across the river besides the bridge. A back door if you wish." Aethelwulf commands to each of them in turn. Both nod in agreement though a subtle grimace can be seen on Richard's face at the thought of being ordered about.

"The Lady Vezina is in command until I return from passing along the orders to my troops." He adds as he starts his horse along the road toward the inn.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Pulling her cowl over her head, the Tzimisce made no remark as to being put in charge while the Warmaster was away giving orders to his troops. As primogen, she supposed her title surpassed that of the Sheriff, but given that everyone knew she represented a clan of one, she could see that her grip on command would be a tenuous one.

Vezina trotted her horse towards the inn as well. If there was a place of relative safety, it would be at an inn where the Tremere would hesitate to send their inhuman harbingers of woe, lest they be spotted by the mortals.

She hoped that her business here would be resolved within one night. She had already made plans for the morrow's eve and to shelve that opportunity would be most disappointing.

"Where could they be hiding in the woods?" She thought out loud to either Lysandra or Richard. "Some cave perhaps?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"Most of the caves are further to the east of London, though there are a few within London itself. Though it is quite possible that there are caves within this forest or perhaps an older settlement or temple now overgrown by the forest. I remember trying to follow a unusually honeyed speaker for a Cainite to the east before your arrival but he disappeared into the forest. What was his name...Targus...Talbus...I can't quite remember."

Richard says casually as he rides up beside Vezina. He keeps his horse equal with Vezina's as he rides though it doesn't seem as if he means to flaunt the rules of the nobility so much as he is simply ignorant of their rules.

Lysandra simply nods that it indeed could be a cave as she spurs her horse to stay a little behind and to the left of Vezina as they ride. Aethelwulf soon melts from view into the fields off to the right.

Arriving at the inn Vezina can easily see that the place is open though it has seen few guests as of late. Richard mentions going to find some useful creatures for spying within the barn and offers to take their horses while he does so.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Vezina did not take umbrage with the Sheriff for being ignorant of noble customs. She was aware of his faux pas, but not intrinsically angered by it. She was of a high clan, yet she had known what it was to be a peasant, and would not balk at this. Not until their task was done. Then perhaps she could rebuke Richard.

She made no remark when Richard claimed that he had followed Tarbus. Perhaps he was hinting that he knew of her sire's haven - but even if he did, he would be foolish in the extreme to have pursued into the limestone caves. Gyulu would sense him and end him if he had.

"I prefer to tend to my own horse," she told him. She did not trust the Nosferatu with the spare bags of her earth in the saddlebags. "Besides, we should be sticking together when in the domain of our enemy."

She would bring her horse into the stables and unload the important items from her horse, bringing her pack with her into the inn proper. Once there, she would arrange for a room for herself and Lysandra - and one for Richard as well, if he thought it wise, but being a Nosferatu, he may wish to remain hidden some place else, and besides he had animal spies to gather.

Her ghouled owl was allowed to hunt around the inn, but to be prepared to return to her beckoning swiftly should she call for it.

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

"As you wish." Richard murmured from within his hooded cloak as they entered the small barn near the inn. "You may arrange a room for me though I will probably enter in secret. My presence even with a hood to cover my face tends to disturb mortals so it is better for me to bend myself to the task of spying from here."

He watched curiously as Vezina removed her saddlebags from the horse carefully but said nothing and soon walked further into the darkness of the barn. Disappearing as though a figment of Vezina's imagination though she realized it would probably take her little effort to find him if she wished. The owl flew up into the rafters of the barn to find a meal prepared to do whatever it's new master might wish.

The inn had obviously seen better days and the keepers eyes lit up as he saw customers enter. He seemed more than eager to rent his rooms and Vezina and Lysandra soon found themselves looking at a rather drab room on the first floor of the small inn. After showing them the rooms the keeper bowed his head and thanked them profusely for their patronage mentioning that travel wasn't nearly as good as it used to be before returning to the main room of the inn and leaving them to their task of gathering information.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Vezina arranged two rooms, one for herself and Lysandra, and one for Richard. If need be, Aethulwulf could arrange for a room himself since the inn was so empty however, she took note of the innkeeper in the same way that she had viewed the owner of the Gilded Merchant. It stood to reason that anyone within this village could be a servant, willing or unwilling, of the Tremere sorcerers.

Regardless of what her aura speculation discovered, she would go to her room with Lysandra. Once there, she would relate the story of what happened to her at the inn upon coming to London - that it had been a method of procurement used by the man who had possessed Abetorius' journal. They were most certainly not safe here, and if possible, Vezina would endeavor to not spend the day within these walls. Mortals here could not be trusted.

Vezina would have her owl ghoul fly up to the bell tower of the church to investigate the statues there, demanding that the bird look closely and tell the difference between stone and grey flesh. The gargoyles would not smell of stone, and if they were sentinels, then their eyes would move. The bird was to notice these things.

After sending her owl out on this task, Vezina would turn back to Lysandra.

"And now it would appear that we wait until Aethulwulf and Richard complete their tasks. Can you tell me, what sort of troops does Aethulwulf have at his disposal out there in the woods? Ghouls I presume?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Her owl on it's way to investigate the church and the stony gargoyles upon it's tower Vezina turned her attention to the innkeeper briefly. His aura hides very little as she follows grey's and reds scrambling together and straightening once more. Sadness or depression mixed with a bit of excitement and anxiousness about something. At the very least he didn't seem to be lying about anything he has said though he still comes across as a little untrustworthy.

After inspecting the room and closing the door Lysandra listened to her question and said. "I believe most of them are ghouls, though perhaps a few might simply be dominated mortals. Mithras attracts a rather large following amongst warriors, though some might call it more of a cult. They can certainly be trusted to do whatever Mithras wants and they won't easily be turned against us."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Vezina dropped her aura perception and pondered the implications. Emotions were helpful but could also be misleading. There were many things the man could be depressed about, and his excitement could simply be from having customers, much as he had said. Still, best not to be at the man's mercy during the daytime.

"So how does the Lord Mithras feed his ghouls while he sleeps?" Vezina asked, curious about this as her own interests in ghouling had been piqued earlier tonight with that chance meeting in the alleyway with the girl and later the young noble. Ghouls were a Cainite's access to power under the tyranny of the sun, and a Tzimisce would never pass through eternity with their presence felt only at night.

Vezina desired to do more in the hunt, but for now, she was relying upon Aethulwulf and Richard to do what they did best. She would reside here as long as she could without feeling too exposed.

 

[dmronny]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Lysandra stopped at Vezina's question as she set down her own saddlebags upon a bed. She looked thoughtful for a moment before saying. "That is a good question. Perhaps Mithras doesn't reside in torpor as often as is surmised by the court. He does always seem to be rather up to date on affairs of state in his empire and even the other Cainite nations."

She sat down near her saddlebags and began to unbuckle one as she added. "Or perhaps I am simply mistaken and the Cult of Mithras is simply held together by the blood oath. I always have pictured Mithras as something of a spider at the center of a great web of deceit and lies. Perhaps that is why he frightens everyone so much."

She pulled forth from the satchel a few small bags and some candles and set them on the bed before turning to the other bag. "I fear our comrades are not the most honest mates. Perhaps you would care to join me in a ritual to aid in our hunt when it comes time...though I understand if you choose not to partake. I am no more trustworthy than they after all."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse (Vezina)

Vezina's eyes narrowed, but not with any malice. More accurately, she was keenly interested in the mention of a ritual. She knew that the practices of the death cult were potent and to be respected.

"I am not above aid from any source, Lysandra. Pray tell me what your ritual entails and if I find it not offensive, I shall join you."

Regarding the tales of Mithras, Vezina chose to not make any presumptions. She had no interest in entangling herself with such an ancient methuselah from a rival clan. She only wished to understand his methods.