Inquisition of the Damned - Introduction

[Keira Kelly]

She stood in the corner of the ornate courtroom, behind the hordes of Cainites gathered to hear another dreary speech by the local vampire Lord. Garbed in a dark, heavy travelling cloak with only her lower half of her pallid face clearly visible, hands up the opposite of each sleeve, most other Kindred paid her little heed. Most of these were young ones, half of her generation. Even the Lord here was a younger vampire, a Ventrue by the sound of it, which wasn't surprising.

She listened with only half an ear to the murmurs of the court as she considered her next move. She had come hoping to hear some word of the fate of her Sire. Nitocris had woken from torpor only a year before in Turkey, and had found her Sire, Aloisia, missing from her crypt. In the past almost thousand years, Aloisia had never disappeared without at least leaving word.

During Nitocris's search since, she had heard that an elite army of Inquisition called The Blood of the Fold, were intent on a mission of wiping out all supernaturals they could find. While most of the Inquisition merely went after heretics and those simply accused of being creatures of the night (rather than actually being), these Blood of the Fold were specially trained and equipped to fight actual supernaturals. In one nest of Vampires back in the Germanic territories, one especially keen vampire had told Nitocris about this group apparently scooping up Kindred from all over Europe.

It was said the Blood of the Fold was headed towards where Nitocris now stayed, in the middle of Transylvania. Not surprising as the region was long regarded as a magnet for supernaturals of all breeds.

Nitocris had asked around continuously for any word of this group or of her sire. No one at the court as of yet had heard anything. Soon she would have to head home if the trail truly went dead.

[Veli Alvar]

Desanic had just stood on the left wall of the court with his back leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He had not controlled his anger enough to listen on to the ramblings of a Ventrue. The wall behind him had two spots behind his ears which emitted shadows and he would listen to the rustle of the shadows until the Ventrue called off his announcements.

His left forearm bore a dark purple gauntlet wrapped in silver chains. His greaves the same style. His carapace was a dark purple plate with the Sword of Caine imprinted in black.

The murmurs of the crowd he paid little mind too, however one question caught his ears coming from a slim vampire in dark garbs asking about the Blood of the Fold. She looked disappointed. He had recently been eavesdropping on the Inquisition in their many HQ's around Hungary. He thought he might be of help.

He slowly picked his back off of the wall and approached the vampire carefully, his short black cape waving away with little to no wind around.

He walked to her back and placed his hand on her right shoulder. "Je sais de ces piqûres" he said in a gruff voice.

[Keira Kelly]

Upon feeling a hand on her shoulder, Nitocris turned around slowly and takes in the noble features of the vampire who had spoken to her.
She could smell the blood scent emitting from him, bearing evidence that he had recently fed, (Auspex 1 - requires no roll or loss of blood) which also added vitality to his features. It was a far cry from her own pallid and thin features which could never overcome the pale colour of the grave.

After the lack of willing help from the other Kindred of this coven, she was slightly suspicious but could not let this chance slip away.
"Vraiment, mon Seigneur? Je serait tres reconnaissant pour l'information. Parlais vous anglais?" she asked.

Any little lead in helping her find Aloisia would be a gift from the Gods themselves. There was still so much in the cycle of all that she hadn't yet been taught. She needed Aloisia back.

[Veli Alvar]

"Bien sûr" he said as he lifted his hand from her shoulder and placed it on his fairly rusted longsword.

"I've heard recently from one of the HQ's not far from here that they held a sarcophagus. They went on about the 'ancient' powers it so held. It was frightening to think they'd have caught an antediluvian but somewhere in my mind I deemed that impossible. They aren't the brightest bunch and I'm sure even the aura emitting from the sarcophagus would give them a gruesome death" he said in a welsh accent.

He then looked through the leather bag he had on his waist from which he pulled out a small map. He held it up to his face with both hands and a hole burnt into the shape of a circle near the top right.

"Here is the HQ I heard of the sarcophagus from. It may be here but then again, it could be in any other HQ." he said as he handed the map over to her.

He bowed with his left hand grabbing hers. "Desanic Grim, Lasombra elder. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, milady".

[Keira Kelly]

She spoke in a fairly thick Egyptian accent. "I am Nitocris of the Cappadocians. Also an Elder it would seem." she said with a slight smile of mirthlessness.

"And a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance. One of the Third Generation could indeed be trouble in their hands, but have you by any chance heard of any of the Fifth Generation captured by The Fold? I search for my Sire who I have been lead to believe was taken as she slept. Her name is Aloisia if that is any help." she continued as she studied the map offered, nodding slowly as she considered her next move.

"I thank you for this assistance." She waited for an answer but then thought of something else to add. Her pale blue eyes up at the taller Lasombra. "What are their numbers? How defended are their headquarters?"

[Veli Alvar]

Desanic looks down at the Cappadocian.

"That particular HQ holds certain... 'artifacts'. It's crawling with initiates left and right, mumbling the same garbled words about the damned Creator. It's risky to go alone unless you are reasonably stealthy."

He scratches his head.

"I'm always up for some mortal toying. Trust may be an issue I am aware but I throw a mere suggestion to let me tag along. I'm in no hurry to go anywhere important."

[Keira Kelly]

"I suppose if it is as well defended as you say, I could most likely use the assistance. I am indeed quite 'stealthy' as you put it, but one can never overlook another pair of eyes, or muscles as it were."

She was unable to judge this Kindred based on emotions alone, logic told her that he was in it to feed his Beast. There was also no harm in that as it would allow her to view the subtleties of Death coming from another's hands, one whose emotions were a part of that mayhem. None on her Road could pass by any opportunity to study Death in any form it chose to take.

"I thank you again. Perhaps we can also remove some of those artifacts to.. safer hands. As the night is wearing on, perhaps it would be best to depart tomorrow night."

[Veli Alvar]

Desanic chuckles slowly as his eyes glow and he places his left hand on his chest.

"This should be really fun."

He bites down on his lower lip with one of his canines and licks his lips.

"Tomorrow night it shall begin, milady. I shall not falter in the name of Caine."

[Keira Kelly]

TIME LAPSE - 5 am to 9pm

[Keira Kelly]

Though the forest was pitch black this night, with the absent new moon, Nitocris travelled quickly along the well worn dirt road. There was no doubt that Desanic followed somewhat closely behind as he seemed to manage to step on every stick and kick every pebble on along he way. He didn't have the keen night vision that Auspex granted Nitocris. That he managed to follow her silent trail was almost a wonder to her.

They were half of the way to their destination, the Fold's camp. Sentry posts could start popping up at any point so Nitocris started paying more attention to any sights or smells that she came across. One in particular was a foul stench. Quickly she stopped and just in time, as she noticed a patrol of guards on the road. The scent was not from them. That was the worrying part....