Open Chronicles A Dark Dalliance (Snacks invited)

[Adagium]

Adagium finsihes off his glass as well and looks at the two vampire women approaching the bowl of drink to refill. “If thou would excuse me my lord, my ladies,” He gives them a bow, “I go to get a breath of fresh air.” The vampires refills his drink with a simple shape liquid spell and heads out the cave to get some fresh air passing a few feet by Jürgen and the queen.

 

[Jürgen Kaiser]

He did not like what he saw.

None among those he surveyed stood out as having merit--at least, no observable merit by Jürgen's lights. And what did he expect at a ball hosted by vampires, other than hedonism and vain self-indulgence? If there was anyone here who lived not in the ceaseless pursuit of these two things but rather by higher ideals, then Jürgen had yet to spot them.

Look at them all. Look at the two women dancing together. Degenerate. And yet such displays as that were not only accepted in vampire "society" (how loosely Jürgen used that word), but openly embraced. He had met eyes with a tall albino vampire, who nodded in invitation toward him, but the two salacious vampire women approached him by the table with the wine and the albino engaged with them. And Jürgen would rather not suffer being in the mere presence of those two.

A vampire elf passed by Jürgen. And he paid the elf no mind.

Jürgen resolved simply to go and confer with Sofia and Lucius. He strode around the edge of the ballroom, avoiding the dance floor. A few curious, hungry, or wonderstruck glances at the Bloodstone came from some of the vampires, surreptitious or otherwise. He stood beside Lucius, who was dutifully sentinel by the sitting Sofia's side, she with her clawed hands placed primly in her lap.

"What do you make of all this, Lucius?"

Sofia spoke up, saying serenely, "I believe it all to be quite lovely." She was roundly ignored.

Lucius glanced over to the King he served, both in life and in undeath. Said, "May I be frank, Sire?"

"Please."

"'Tis a godawful waste of our time, Sire. The manner in which we secured the aid of the Mistweaver House was far more preferable."

"I agree," Jürgen said. "But the diplomacy of decapitation has its limits."

"Are you thinking that we should perhaps approach this more in the manner of our affair in the Kinniger Duchy?"

"That may well do." Jürgen's eyes trailed over the dance floor. Over those dancing and past them to the other side of the ballroom. "Or there may yet be useful individuals to sway to our cause, despite initial appearances. At the very least, information and leads on vampiric artifacts may be had."

"Shall I inquire?"

Jürgen gave a small wave of his left hand. "Not just yet. I've yet to wade into these murky waters myself to see if there lies indeed a jewel worthy of the effort. Sofia."

"Yes, my light," Sofia responded dutifully, looking up with a bright smile.

"Do for me a kindness and engage with that man there," Jürgen pointed out a vampire lord, an orc--rare as it was--conversing with a few others at the more northern end of the ballroom. "I believe that the Slaughterns have made contact with his house in the past. See what you can do."

"Of course, my light," Sofia said. She stood, carefully ran her palms across her gown to straighten it, then started toward the orcish noble.

"And what would you have me do, Sire?" Lucius asked.

"Attend me," Jürgen said.

And Jürgen, followed closely by his Lord Commander, started around the edge of the dance floor. Despite his cold first impressions of the ball's participants, he had nonetheless earmarked a few potentials with whom to speak.

The albino was one.

 

[Victoria O'Connor]

Victoria was in a much better mood after her dance. The flirtations between herself and Velera had been shameless, but what else was to be expected at an event such as this? A vampire ball without at least a quarter of the attendants breaking off into lascivious affairs was considered a dull event, and she lead her playmate back to the white figure and the table of refreshments.

"Greetings, ladies. I don't believe we've met? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lionel Armon, a foreigner to your courts."

She met his gaze, paused for half a beat, and then gave a practiced curtsy at the introduction. His voice confirmed his alienness, as if his appearance had left any doubt. It was not unpleasant, though, and Victoria found a fascination in it. "Victoria O'Connor, a pleasure to meet you, sir." She extended her hand, a sizeable ruby upon her finger, and awaited the customary touch of Lionel's hand or lips, whichever he so chose.

"Where are you joining us from, Lord Armon?" she asked, picking up a fresh crystal glass and holding it out to be filled by a thrall. There was a small bruise forming on his neck, and Victoria clicked her tongue. Sloppy. She commanded the thrall to fill a cup for Velera as well with a lazy hand gesture before turning her attention back to the pale lord.

 

[Velera]

Victoria was in a much better mood after her dance. The flirtations between herself and Velera had been shameless, but what else was to be expected at an event such as this? A vampire ball without at least a quarter of the attendants breaking off into lascivious affairs was considered a dull event, and she lead her playmate back to the white figure and the table of refreshments.

Oh she was so easy. Victoria Sean earth easy woman to woo. Not that she wasn’t enjoying it herself. She fully anticipated and looked forward to handing Victoria the whip she had brought with her, or using it on her depending on her preferences, she enjoyed both positions when it came to other women. She followed the woman with the fiery hair.

"Greetings, ladies. I don't believe we've met? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lionel Armon, a foreigner to your courts."
He bowed respectfully to them.

Velera curtseyed, hooking her thumbs in the cuts made in her dress that exposed her hips, and pulled the skirt away from her legs, and she was standing in just the right place for Victoria to be able to see all the way down her shapely leg. “Master Lionel, it is a pleasure to meet you my lord. I myself am not native to this area, and am here on behalf of my Master. Do you have a home clan that you will return to after this soirée is over? It would be highly beneficial if we might be able to negotiate trade while we’re here. Or I feel you would rather speak with my Master directly, perhaps we can arrange a meeting for you two.”

She accepted the goblet, and took a sip. The blood that went into her throat was delicious, and fullfilling. She licked her lips, making sure to be slow as she did, and intentionally meant to be sensual as to further tempt her current mistress.

 

[softXbunni]

Isabella walked over to Victoria and Velera smiled softly as she watched the two dance from a ways away.

 

[softXbunni]

Isabella approached the two girls and greeted them politely but also very matter of match and straight to the point. "Lady Isabella Evans of Northland" she bows smiling softly at the women standing in front of her

 

[Velera]

Isabella approached the two girls and greeted them politely but also very matter of match and straight to the point. "Lady Isabella Evans of Northland" she bows smiling softly at the women standing in front of her

“Velera.” She replied, repeating her curtsy. “Would you like to join us for a beverage? If Mistress Victoria would permit it that is.”

She said looking with a subservient gaze at Victoria O'Connor and awaited a response.

 

[Victoria O'Connor]

”But of course, it is party,” Victoria replied. ”A pleasure, Lady Evans. I am Victoria. I have not had the pleasure of seeing Northland. Is it far?”

 

[Lionel Armon]

"Victoria O'Connor, a pleasure to meet you, sir."

He gently yet professionally kissed her offered hand, "Victoria? That is a strong name, M'lady. The pleasure is mine to meet a flower of the deepest red on this auspicious evening."

"Where are you joining us from, Lord Armon?"

"Another continent far to the South. I and my house have been here in Arethil for little over two years now, by human reckoning. My siblings are elsewhere on business or they would be here to make your acquaintance as well!"

“Master Lionel, it is a pleasure to meet you my lord. I myself am not native to this area, and am here on behalf of my Master. Do you have a home clan that you will return to after this soirée is over? It would be highly beneficial if we might be able to negotiate trade while we’re here. Or I feel you would rather speak with my Master directly, perhaps we can arrange a meeting for you two.”

He bowed and greeted Velera as well, kissing her hand and disregarding the metal around her throat. She was a representative of her master and therefore was far from a slave in his eyes.
"It's truly a pleasure, my lady. As I said, I'm head of my own house, or do you call it clan here? But indeed we're on the path to establishing ourselves as a noble house among the mortals and should be receiving recognition by the counsel soon."
He indicated a hand towards his entourage that remained lounging around the couch he had left earlier. the thrall he had been feeding from was awake again and no doubt very dizzy.
"We're here to establish relations with any who would be willing to give us an ear. In my country success came from who you knew and the connections you made. While speaking with your master will be more expedient, I would be loathed to pass up the opportunity to speak with his servant at length on the matter."
His people were alert but had a relaxed ease as they observed all around them, mostly watching him but also warily observing the king vampire with his bloodstone as he stalked about.
That bloodstone was interesting, this country had many objects of great power found in nearly every corner of the map, and while he was home his power would have outstripped all of them.

But he has no home anymore, the exile of House Armon was total. When they arrived all the extensive magical knowledge he and his siblings possessed was rendered absolutely useless as if the rules had simply changed with their arrival to Arethil.
His sister was the greatest sorcerer his country had ever seen, but now she was studying magic all over again in Elbion because even casting her most simple and useless cantrip took more out of her than her strongest apocalyptical spells ever did.

Whatever purpose that stone had, it certainly had an effect on the vampires in the room.

He turned his attention back to the ladies and Isabella had joined them.
He smiled and unobtrusively joined in, "Indeed, I've yet to see the Northlands as well. What sort of people are there that produce an immortal beauty such as yourself?"

 

[softXbunni]

"But of course!' she agreed to drink with the girls. "And yes, it is wondered. although my kingdom recently got burnt down."

 

[Velera]

He bowed and greeted Velera as well, kissing her hand and disregarding the metal around her throat. She was a representative of her master and therefore was far from a slave in his eyes.
"It's truly a pleasure, my lady. As I said, I'm head of my own house, or do you call it clan here? But indeed we're on the path to establishing ourselves as a noble house among the mortals and should be receiving recognition by the counsel soon."
He indicated a hand towards his entourage that remained lounging around the couch he had left earlier. the thrall he had been feeding from was awake again and no doubt very dizzy.
"We're here to establish relations with any who would be willing to give us an ear. In my country success came from who you knew and the connections you made. While speaking with your master will be more expedient, I would be loathed to pass up the opportunity to speak with his servant at length on the matter."

She blushed a light red when her hand was kissed, and turned her head away in aneffort to hide it. She wasn’t truly embarrassed but she made a show of it so that she seemed to be the nervous kind, as men of his standing often found to be the more attractive and desirable quality in a woman. “Well, it seems that we are both in luck Master Lionel. Perhaps Mistress Victoria May be included in our talks. It seems that three agreements can be met at once should Mistress Victoria agree.”

She looked at him, “unrelated to our potential agreements. Are there any... private rooms, my Mistress and I might use?”

 

[Victoria O'Connor]

She nodded politely at Lionel's greeting, and appreciated meeting a man of class and poise. His foreign appearance and accent were intriguing, but a new house would be perfect to align with. Not only would they be less likely to look down on her own humble beginnings, they would not have any obnoxious ties to the old, domineering covenants that she loathed.

"This is all very agreeable," she said in answer to Lionel's request and Velera's asking permission. "Lady Evans, I am very sorry to hear of your kingdom's fall. Fire is most tragic. I hope that Greyrock can assist in its recovery."

She laid a hand on Velera's shoulder at her more intimate request. "Time enough for that, pet, let us enjoy our new friends first," and she raised a glass of crimson decadence and toasted, "To new beginnings, and loyal friends."

 

[Velera]

"This is all very agreeable," she said in answer to Lionel's request and Velera's asking permission. "Lady Evans, I am very sorry to hear of your kingdom's fall. Fire is most tragic. I hope that Greyrock can assist in its recovery."

Velera looked at Isabella with sympathy. “As am I. And as Mistress Victoria has stated, my own Master would be more than willing to offer help and even shelter. (She’s actually in asylum with him in another thread). I hope that it turns out well for you and your people.”

She laid a hand on Velera's shoulder at her more intimate request. "Time enough for that, pet, let us enjoy our new friends first," and she raised a glass of crimson decadence and toasted, "To new beginnings, and loyal friends."

She shivered euphorically when she was called ‘pet’. “Of course Mistress.” Then she raised her own glass to Victoria’s with a soft clink, and echoed her Mistress’s toast.

 

[Lionel Armon]

“Well, it seems that we are both in luck Master Lionel. Perhaps Mistress Victoria May be included in our talks. It seems that three agreements can be met at once should Mistress Victoria agree.”

She was clever, provocative, tempting... It made him wonder what her blood tasted like, or if her strain even had blood. Sometimes it was hard to tell with those who were turned...
If he wasn't familiar with such tactics with over four hundred years of political experience he might have fallen for her wiles and been tempted to steal her away from Victoria. She clearly had her fetishes. But instead he simply appreciated her antics and moved on.
"Indeed, if you're master is as powerful as you make him seem then I would be more than happy to explore avenues by which he could aid us."

"And yes, it is wondered. although my kingdom recently got burnt down."

She said that and it caught him off guard. Such a bold statement for such an occasion, without any build up or follow through. He raised an eyebrow, his silver eyes scanning her critically.
It could almost be translated as a shamelessly desperate call for help from her peers, had she made this statement in the courts of his homeland she would immediately be picked out as weak and a target for shame and mockery. Requests for aid were done tactfully and never from a position of weakness.

But these were not the courts of his homeland. Victoria and Velera made apparently empathetic and supportive offers which he might otherwise have assumed to be veiled threats or offers of exploitation.
But this was not so, and he found this refreshing that they might truly be willing to offer support for a weakened sister of the blood.
So he decided to offer his condolences as well.
"Such an unfortunate fate. I'm sure those responsible will meet quick retribution. House Armon has little to offer as of yet, but when we do perhaps we can support your claim on your kingdom once you're ready to reclaim it."
It wasn't an idle offer...

"Time enough for that, pet, let us enjoy our new friends first," and she raised a glass of crimson decadence and toasted, "To new beginnings, and loyal friends."

He chuckled good humoredly.
"While I feel I'm being excluded while you get to taste of your new morsel, Lady O'Connor, I am honored to be called your friend."
He joined in the toast raising his own glass of blood.

 

[Velera]

(BTW, this is her appearance. Sorry that it isn’t better.
)

 

[softXbunni]

"Although, I miss it I shall not obsess over my problems." She pauses for a moment. "Someday, I vow to have my own people. And I will give them the world." She says this very matter of factly.

 

[Velera]

She was clever, provocative, tempting... It made him wonder what her blood tasted like, or if her strain even had blood. Sometimes it was hard to tell with those who were turned...
If he wasn't familiar with such tactics with over four hundred years of political experience he might have fallen for her wiles and been tempted to steal her away from Victoria. She clearly had her fetishes. But instead he simply appreciated her antics and moved on.
"Indeed, if you're master is as powerful as you make him seem then I would be more than happy to explore avenues by which he could aid us."

“I’ll inform him once I return home. We can organize a meeting for you two while here.” She said with a grin, he was definitely harder to tempt than Victoria, she’d have to work a bit harder to catch his eye.

"Such an unfortunate fate. I'm sure those responsible will meet quick retribution. House Armon has little to offer as of yet, but when we do perhaps we can support your claim on your kingdom once you're ready to reclaim it."
It wasn't an idle offer...

(Don’t worrying too much, She and Velera’s Master ArchNemesis are already in an RP in which they merge clans.)

He chuckled good humoredly.
"While I feel I'm being excluded while you get to taste of your new morsel, Lady O'Connor, I am honored to be called your friend."
He joined in the toast raising his own glass of blood.

“Fret not dear host. I can entertain more than one person.” She said sultrily. “That’s what my Master has me do. No need to feel excluded, I’ll be able to satisfy you once Mistress Victoria has had her fun with me~”

 

[Jürgen Kaiser]

Jürgen had been making his way around the dance floor, intent on eventually going to speak with the tall albino vampire. Yet as he went the dam of curiosity broke for a duo of vampires that had been eyeing the Bloodstone earlier. Jürgen was approached by a pair of fledglings, clearly here accompanying an older vampire lord (who at present was elsewhere) and as part of said lord's retinue--perhaps solely to make the size of the retinue larger and thus somewhat more impressive.

The fledglings approached, these two once a young man and young woman in life. The male fledgling asked with a slight awestruck stammer if he and his mate might possibly be allowed to touch the Bloodstone. Lucius was ready to step forward, to give them a flat "no" as the answer, and guide them back and away from Jürgen such that he might pass. But Jürgen granted the request of the fledglings. Said that they may. Held out the Bloodstone toward them, his claws still in an adamant vice grip about the orb.

First the male touched it. Then the female. The black and red swirl within the Bloodstone shifted ever so slightly, like the creeping expansion of thunderhead clouds into the heavens above. And Jürgen knew that their thirst for blood was being satiated, quenched as if by a divine sanguine nectar whose exquisite purity could never be matched by the blood pumping through the necks of the mortals populating Arethil. A small fright became them both (as both through their touch sensed the malign intelligence housed within the Stone), but then this was replaced by the quivering smiles of transcendent bliss.

They each knelt down before Jürgen. Knelt as their hands rested upon the Bloodstone.

When first he'd acquired the artifact, Jürgen despised this reaction. He loathed on an instinctual Reikhurstan level that anyone should kneel before him, save those like Lucius who had chosen to directly swear loyalty to him. But Jürgen had since grown accustomed to it. The Slaughtern Vampires he had painstakingly assembled into a formidable and unified force to achieve his ends were his new knights, the undead replacements to the Order of the Golden Blade that he knew over four hundred years ago. And they had proven victorious under his leadership over the soft and pitiful Knights of the Golden Blade that existed today (or once existed, five years ago, it should be said). Mortality, Jürgen had come to realize in his long years, was a blessing in disguise: it kept one from seeing the eventual ruination through degradation of that which was once strong and beloved.

Jürgen withdrew the Bloodstone from the fledglings' touch after some time. And they appeared as those roused from an intensely pleasant dream, mildly distressed that they were back in the confines of dreary reality. Jürgen cast a glance over toward Lionel Armon, saw that he was still busy with the two harlots, then turned his attention back to the two fledglings.

Providence, then.

The fledglings' lord--a vampire who had been turned at an old age, older than Jürgen had been when he was turned--came off of the dance floor and had approached Jürgen while the two fledglings stood up and composed themselves. Jürgen got to talking with the lord; Lord Mulder, as it turned out. A scholar of fleshcraft. Intriguing...

And soon, Lord Mulder and Jürgen Kaiser got to talking about monsters. How Lord Mulder thought he could create vampiric beasts of frightening vitality and power, and how to make such monstrosities loyal. This...and how Jürgen could possibly provide the means Lord Mulder needed to make such beasts and gift them to the Slaughtern host.

 

[Victoria O'Connor]

”Do not take it personally, Lord Armon. I am afraid my tastes have always run towards the fairer sex, but we needn’t let that dampen the mood. There is more than enough blood for a lovely evening. Do tell, how are you finding Arethil? The Allirian Reach has been my home for some time, I would be happy to guide you through its details.”

She took another drink and let her hand fall to the small of Velera’s back as she spoke. As she did so, she caught sight of the two vampires kneeling before Jürgen, hands on the odd stone he carried. She could feel its presence, and something about it was familiar. It was as though she’d heard it spoken of but couldn‘t place any more details about it. A transient desire to ask about it inhabited her for half a second and was quickly quashed. It could not overcome the unease that accompanied looking at the old king and his misshapen escorts.

 

[Lionel Armon]

“I’ll inform him once I return home. We can organize a meeting for you two while here.”

“Fret not dear host. I can entertain more than one person.”
“That’s what my Master has me do. No need to feel excluded, I’ll be able to satisfy you once Mistress Victoria has had her fun with me~”

He smiled again, it seemed to be an expression that came to his face easily and often if not intermittently.
"I'm afraid I'm not the host this evening. Perhaps in the future when I've established my house I will have the location and means to host a soiree of my own. I'll be sure to invite you and your master when that time comes."
She seemed to misunderstand his interest in her, while her body was pleasing to look at it was her blood that drew him. Even as a vampire he found their blood equally as flavorful and unique as mortal blood... At least those that had blood.
"I'll await your pleasure, then. I'm sure you're very persuasive in the service to your master when you put your mind to it."
He was getting bored with his glass of blood, it lacked warmth.
He set his glass down and motioned for a female thrall to join him. She was a demure elf girl with flaxen blond hair, her eyes were dead like all the others but she trembled all the same as she came up beside him and he looped her close with a hand around her waist.

”Do not take it personally, Lord Armon. I am afraid my tastes have always run towards the fairer sex, but we needn’t let that dampen the mood. There is more than enough blood for a lovely evening. Do tell, how are you finding Arethil? The Allirian Reach has been my home for some time, I would be happy to guide you through its details.”

He already guessed about her preferences, hardly uncommon among vampire kind. Their existence was sin, so what did it matter if they sin a little more?
He dismissed it with a friendly wave of his hand, "Think nothing of it. Only blood interests me these days in the realms of desire."
He tilted the trembling thrall's head to the side and whispered soothingly to her, bit by bit her trembling slipped away and he took a little sip, barely breaking the skin to take a few warm drops. Even though she stopped trembling she shivered as a wave of euphoria washed through her.
"There is still much of Arethil that I've yet to see for myself. I've learned much from my siblings and servants but my focus has been on the political stage so I've not had much time to travel."
He sank his fangs into her throat and her eyes almost came alive again as sheer raw pleasure replaced any motion of pain. He drank deeply from her while simultaneously holding her up as her knees weakened.

One of his own entourage approached and tapped him on the shoulder. She was similarly dressed in white but functional clothing even as it denoted her noble class. She bore herself like a lady though her dark hair was cut short like a boy, her eyes were an odd purple and she had the look of one who killed for a living.
He withdrew his fangs from the moaning elf and leaned down a little and she whispered in his ear.
"My Lord, the one with the stone has looked your way more than three times. I will take over from here."
He looked up at the king and noticed that he was indeed making a circuit around the room towards him. Perhaps the time of confrontation had arrived at last.
He turned to the ladies.
"Apologies, I'm afraid politics have caught up to me once more. Please excuse me."
He gave them all a bow before handing the thrall over to his companion and walking directly towards the vampire king.
It was time to see what the top of the food chain was made of in Arethil.

The short hair lady bowed to them.
"I apologise for the rude interruption. I'm lady Khali Tha'Seen of House Armon."

 

[Jürgen Kaiser]

"Then it is agreed," Jürgen said to Lord Mulder. "Shall I send a labor force to help you and your kin relocate to Reikhurst?"

"Yes, yes, yes indeed," said Lord Mulder, turning his old hands over one another with a brimming excitement. From his throat came the low rumble of a scheming giggle. "Do instruct them to be careful. I've many delicate devices and tools. Many scrolls and books that ought be shielded from the rain."

"I understand." And Jürgen, a head taller than Lord Mulder, wrapped an arm around him from the side. A gesture of goodwill and camaraderie, but also one that placed the hand which held The Bloodstone closely within the periphery of Lord Mulder's view. Jürgen then spoke with a rousing vigor, "I eagerly await to see the full glory of your creation, Lord Mulder!"

Good. Jürgen could see him taking peeks at the Stone. Could hear that giddiness still in his voice when Lord Mulder replied, "You will see. Hmm, hmm, oh yes. You will see...Sire."

Jürgen gave a slight tip of his head. Let Lord Mulder go and spoke briefly with Lucius to set up the finer details of the Mulder clan's move to Reikhurst. The two Mulder fledglings stood by, looking serenely pleasant, perhaps not having truly heard anything of Jürgen's talk with their Lord. They took in a near synchronized fashion every chance to surreptitiously steal glances at The Bloodstone with small flicks of their eyes.

Seemed that this venture into the mockery that was vampire court politicking would produce something of value after all.

Lionel Armon Victoria O'Connor Velera softXbunni