TVC II Chapter 8 - Stealth and Subterfuge

[The Dread King]

OOC: this post was co-written by myself and GoW.

Morturion waited outside the council meeting room for a time, after realising he still had a matter to discuss with Karl - although one to be discussed in private, given that the details of his mission were only to be divulged to the cell going to the Amethyst college, to avoid traitors - by which Rowhaine probably - hopefully - meant Kraskor - gaining dangerous intelligence.

Heinrich Kelrak strode out of the hall with his men, they had waited until the Council had left before exiting. On his way out the new Captain of the Regent's Guard stopped as he saw Morturion pacing back and forth, waving for his men to carry on the Blood Dragon approached the human.

"Master Morturion? Can I help you with something?"

"Er, yes," Morturion said, somewhat lost in thought about the proposal he intended to make to Karl, "could I discuss council matters with the Lord Regent as soon as he is available to do so?" The sergeant nodded affirmatively and said the words, "This way." As the sergeant turned and walked to the Regent's room, Morturion followed behind him.

"One moment please Master Morturion." The vampire said before knocking briskly on the Regent's door and walking inside. The door remained shut for a few moments until it opened once more.

"The Lord Regent will see you." Kelrak told the Necromancer, once Morturion had entered the room the Captain stepped back out into the hallway, closing the door after him.

The Lord's Regent's chamber, Karl's most private refuge in the world, it was suitably decorated as one would expect.

"Master Morturion." Karl said from his armchair "I was not expecting you but your timing is impeccable I need to speak with you."
Karl waved to an empty chair near him. "Please, sit and tell me how I may help."

The necromancer raised an eyebrow at Karl raising the need to speak with him on another matter, and pressed on with the original subject of discourse: Lord Regent, if it would not inconvenience you, might I station a small force of a few hundred here at Drakenhof? They'd only be special forces, mind you, but I feel they might be able to add an edge to any military might the council have due to their...unique...skills, and I don't think it would be very practical to summon them here all the way from the land of the dead at short notice."

Karl frowned for a moment before speaking slowly. "I will be honest with your sir, I would not normally grant you such a request but the truth is I don't really know you, I had assumed you to be untrustworthy as I've found all former Nagashi to be however Dieter spoke to me in private of your action during the Skaven attack." The Regent smiled "And he got to know you in that engagement much better than I, thus his opinion's are more trustworthy than my mere generalizing misconceptions."

Karl lifted a glass of blood from the table next to him, sipping on it before speaking. "I will allow this, the Council may need your men in the coming days and it shows your dedication to the cause that you would make such a request of me."

"Thank you, Lord Regent," Morturion said with a small bow of the head - and an internal grimace due to Karl's comment about the Nagashi. "I will act on this directive straight away and will also send the aforementioned soldiers up here at once." Instantaneously, the necromancer issued a mental summons (and a signal, for his mortal servants) and a number of necromancers started to lead a group of flesh golems, soul eaters, spirit hosts, and other hellish creatures and constructs through the mountains towards Sylvania. It would be a long walk, Morturion speculated, but the invigoration of the lesser undead by the nearby necromancers with spells would speed their journey, and ultimately, the investment of time was worth the advantage the unconventional undead would bring to the council's military prowess.

"Now I have something to tell you." Karl said before taking another sip of wine and setting down his glass. "Satsu shall not be accompanying your group to Altdorf I'm afraid, something has come up that requires his immediate attention however I should still be able to help you in your endeavor to the Imperial Capital."
Karl pointed his cane at the door and with firing a swift flash of blue arcane light, the door hummed in a slightly musical tone which caused it to swing open revealing Karek. The Blood Dragon strode over to the his master.

The Lord Regent opened a wooden box sitting on the table next to him, he lifted a large scroll from within and handed it to his guardsman. Kelrak leant down to take it and murmured something to Karl who replied equally quietly.

Karl turned back to Morturion and grinned slightly "I have a favour to ask of you in return Master Morturion." he explained and lifted a second, smaller, scroll from the box which he held out to the Necromancer "Give this to the Lady Helena, no one else is to see it and certainly not open it." as he spoke he pulled the scroll back slightly "No one." he added before handing the scroll over.

"Lady...Helena?" Morturion said quizzically, and almost gulped, although he managed to internalise the expansive doubt that had washed over him with Karl's latest request. "Yes, Lord Regent, I shall make haste to meet with Lady Helena at the carriages at once. I take my leave."

The necromancer took the scroll and turned to exit the room..

"Gods speed." Karl said with a faint smirk and waved Morturion away as he lifted his glass and took another drink.

"Come with me Master Morturion." Kelrak requested.

The Blood Dragon led Morturion towards the courtyard in silence, stopping in the hallway to the castle exit.

"Master Morturion, this is for you." he said holding out a scroll, it had "Master Morturion" scrawled across the surface, sealed with the Lord Regent's own seal. The wizard took the scroll without question, deciding to leave the reading of it for a later opportunity.

"These are instructions to our safe house in Altdorf stationed by the senior regional agent of the Triumvirate. Our man has already been sent orders to give you refuge and his assistance."

Kelrak frowned suddenly and glanced at a shadow over Morturion's shoulder before sighing softly.

"I must be going...you know I never did understand how much Dieter had on his plate." the Blood Dragon shook his head and when he spoke again it was more gruffly "Good luck in Altdorf my Lord."

With that Kalrek took his leave.

Morturion stepped outside into the cool evening air, having just exited Castle Drakenhof. He looked at the carriages for a moment, working out that they'd either been refurbished or these were new ones. If the former is the case, I'm impressed. We certainly left the repair teams with quite some work to do, he mused, his mind drifting back to the events that had previously transpired at the Silver Pinnacle. I'm glad I'm not returning to that frightful place. Even an Empire stronghold will be better than those hellish ravines. Still, the necromancer reflected, it was not a particularly welcoming prospect. He turned around to look towards the entrance to Drakenhof's courtyard, and waited for the others going on this venture.

Not welcoming, no, Morturion continued to muse, his train of thought stretching on, before coming to an abrupt halt.

But it's better than child vampires, shattered mirrors and flying chicken.

He was still angry about the chicken.

 

[Bounce]

Elanor walked down through the hallways of Drakenhof alone. Where had her skeletons got to? She would have to summon them before they left. Couldn't have them standing around being all bone idle and lazy, she might have need of them. She concentrated and felt through the tendrils of magic connecting them and whispered a silent call. It was slightly draining to keep them sustained all the time but they often came in handy.

She passed a myriad of guards and servants as she walked. It continued to surprise her how fluidly everything ran here. At least where the council wasn't concerned anyway. The council had enough dysfunctionality for the whole world she thought.

It was nice to exit into the stone courtyard where the carriages waited. The air was cool and clear and whispered of the mountains and forests. It was still twilight and the sky held a faint azure glow that was quickly darkening. The carriages reminded Elanor of their ill fated journey to the Silver Pinnacle and she was glad she would not be returning there again. Instead she would be going home, well sort of.

"Master Morturion," she exclaimed realising the necromancer was already waiting. She had lost sight of him upon leaving the throne room and yet had beaten her here. Obviously he had the layout of the castle a lot more learned than she did.
"Won't this be fun? Us taking a little trip together. A road trip you could say. Who else are we waiting for, anyway? I assume we will not be a very large group but I do hope we can take several carriages with us."

There was a tramp of bones on stone and Elanor turned to see her skeletal guards shambling forward.

"Mistress, you called us." One of them spoke in a weathered and dreary voice.

"Indeed I did. We are going on an adventure and I desire you to accompany me. At least for now. I doubt you shall be able to enter Altdorf, it may cause a panic."

 

[TMS]

Helena had in her excitement already gone to her own carriage to retrieve the equipment she would bring on the journey to Altdorf. With a couple of servants behind her now carrying a heavy adorned wooden chest she returned to the center of the courtyard where, after rounding a corner of the royal Drakenhof coaches, she found Morturion and Elanor waiting. Helena approached them without delay.

“Hello!” she cheerily addressed them both. The notion of the coming trip had done much to improve her sullen mood from before. “I suppose it will be you who leads our mission to the college of magic?” she asked Morturion. “I will be bringing my own armour and weapons with me but if we need anything else you will have to tell me.”

 

[The Dread King]

Morturion responded, "Indeed, Lady Elanor, this is likely to be a most useful trip. We are waiting for a number of others, including Igor, Faust, Roland and Colonel Canaris, so I'm afraid we could be waiting for quite some time yet, although, rest assured, we will leave as soon as we can." He replied to Helena, "I believe I may be taking a leading role in this trip; I know the way to a contact of the Triumvirate we will be meeting to aid us and so will be leading this expedition to that point, at least. I also know what we are looking for in the Amethyst College and how to navigate such a dangerous place, so it's not inconceivable that I will be taking a prominent role there too. Although - " the wizard said with a faint twinge of discomfort, before pausing, "I have been given something for your eyes alone, Lady Helena."

The necromancer removed Karl's scroll, which he had pocketed as he left the building, from his robes. He could see the Von Carstein seal of a wolf head with a dagger hanging over it, but he dared not open it. He was one to pry, but he had been given strict instructions not to and besides, it was out of the question when maleficent enchantments were involved in the act of scrutiny: despite not knowing what exactly the arcane nature of the scroll was, the wizard knew that it had been enchanted in some way, and was not one to tempt fate regarding simple surveillance of a message given to a child. It can't be anything too important, anyway... the necromancer attempted to reassure himself, or can it? Morturion briefly questioned both Karl's judgement and whether or not Helena's childlike behaviour was in fact a facade for a more sinister nature, before dismissing both thoughts. It was a matter for later, but for now, all he could do was hand over the message.

The wizard outstretched his palm, the scroll balanced on it, to Helena, at such an angle that no-one present but the two could see the scroll. He knew it could seem distinctly suspicious to anyone behind him, such as Elanor, but nothing could be done about it until the scroll was out of his possession anyway. "Take it," the necromancer said in a measured tone, affirming that he no longer wished to be in possession of the message. Take the damn thing away, young Carstein, before I come under scrutiny that could endanger my position.

 

[the hidden one]

Igor approached silently, nodding to the other members of the council sullenly.

What is he giving her? For her eyes only? It can't be too important can it? She is a von carstein, but seemed to be alienated from her kin, but do they simply not trust the necromancer so much that they would entrust orders to a child?

Pausing and inspecting the other members of the expedition, Igor was not impressed.

Mortuion was formidable, to say the least, but he may not be skilled at stealth. Losing the assassin is a blow. The human seemed intelligent, while Elanor can do something, hopefully. Helena may be old, but she may not have the required patience for the task at hand.

 

[TMS]

Helena looked quizzically at Morturion before reaching out to accept the scroll. She examined it and upon seeing the seal of her family let out a quiet gasp and opened it, breaking the seal with a sharp draw of her finger, the scroll unfurling in her hands. As she did this she felt a curious sensation, like a wave of magic washing over her. Helena looked first at Morturion with suspicious eyes, then at the scroll, then to Morturion and then back to the scroll again, briskly turning around to hide it from the necromancer’s sight.

Helena began reading the text on the parchment. Or, at least, she meant to; while she was certainly quite capable of reading at advanced levels it had been more than a century since she had last actually read anything by herself. Resorting to an old practiced aid she slowly read the text out to herself, for the most part mouthing it silently but in other places mumbling unnecessarily loudly.

“…headmaster shall not be joining… meeting your assigned mentor… for training. Morturion…”

She paused upon reading his name and shot Morturion a brief, angry glance over her shoulder to make sure that he wasn’t spying on her. She then returned to reading the scroll.

“…told the way by… Regent… Obey and… your brother… brought you… be in touch... watching… the Shadows.”

Helena finished reading the text and was about to contemplate on its meaning when it suddenly ignited in a spark of black fire. She shrieked and threw the scroll to the ground, but before even a second had passed it had been wholly consumed by the flames and reduced to ashes. She had felt something in her fingers when the scroll had started to burn but she had been quick enough to release it before anything worse could happen. Still startled, she spun around to face Morturion. She was certain that this was some kind of scheme on his part. He was seeking vengeance for the pieces of chicken that she accidentally threw in his face earlier.

“Was this your doing?! Was this supposed to be a trap?!”

 

[Bounce]

With your ample wisdom to guide us I am sure we shall be successful in our endeavours, Elanor said with a cheerful smile.

How did I wind up getting led by a necromancer? Is this really what my life has come to? Elanor thought disconsolately.

She watched as Helena approached. Surely having her along would prove nothing but trouble, but what was this? Morturion was giving her something. A piece of parchment? Some sort of secret message? She stepped idly closer trying to get a furtive look at what it might contain. Helena opened the scroll and like the child she was began reading it out aloud but just too quietly for Elanor to catch more than the odd ominous word. She was about to simply walk over and demand to get to read the letter when the whole thing caught fire and disintegrated.

What were they scheming about? Betrayal? Why was she never included in these conspiracies? She would find out though, one way or another.

 

[The Dread King]

Morturion anxiously attempted to give the appearance of utter disinterest whilst straining to make out what Helena was mumbling. Although he thought he might have been able to discern a few words, he could not be sure of about any of them but the last few. Those were, of course, the two queries Helena had expressed to him, and they, like the combustion of the scroll, caught him off guard. Only, the burning letter shocked Helena and so was a nice coincidence, as it provided amusement.

"N-no!" the wizard stammered, "Er, of course not! I had nothing to do with it! I was just...busily reading my own scroll." The wizard duly procured the other Von Carstein missive from his pocket, and began reading it. It was a fairly simple set of directions...the real challenge is convincing everyone here that these instructions are more complex than they seem to me. The wizard furrowed his brow, desperate to seem engaged in the scroll and thereby - with luck - end the uncomfortable conversation with the child vampire. A vampiric tantrum was not a prospect that Morturion was looking forward to.

Quickly realising such a strategy was doomed to fail, the necromancer attempted to change the subject by resurrecting a now defunct subject of conversation. "Thank you," he replied to Elanor, "your knowledge of the colleges of the magic should aid our efforts too." If she doesn't respond quickly enough, or Helena catches onto this, the averted madness could return.

 

[Bounce]

"I certainly hope so. Although I have little experience of the Amethyst college itself I have extensive knowledge of most of the city and dare I say the ability to get into wherever we need to go with little fuss. If that is of course the rest of you can avoid exploding scrolls and throwing tantrums." Elanor said sweetly.

 

[TMS]

Helena looked at Morturion's fidgeting and found his answer unsatisfying. However, she knew what the unbroken seal of her family meant; it meant that the scroll was impossible to tamper with, and the self-combustion was most likely just a means to avoid having the text read by anyone aside from herself. It had just caught her unprepared and startled her, that was all. A momentary fluster from which she was already recovering. Helena snorted sharply to show her annoyance but would not press it further.

"I have been to the capital a number of times also. The guards are not as competent as they would have you believe. If she can not get us where we need to go then I will." she said to Morturion, with a glance towards Elanor.

 

[TMS]

Noticing his silence where he was standing off on the side, Helena turned towards Igor, eyeing him intently. She hadn't paid much attention to him before but now she saw his appearance, from his unsightly features to his short stature. She could also immediately sense that he was much younger than herself and of a different bloodline, although that much was certain without any kind of doubt given his uncouth person. What a sorry state he was in.

"How about you? Why are you not saying anything?" she demanded from Igor.

 

[The Dread King]

Oh no, Morturion thought with an internal grimace, the bickering is beginning anew... The slight accenting of certain words, the insinuation in the tone of Helena said all it needed to. This child-vampire is looking for an argument without a good reason. It's not that they are lacking, it's simply that she's failing to utilise them.

Not sure how to avoid what seemed to the necromancer to be an inevitable deterioration of the situation, Morturion said, "It's good to know we have someone who can navigate the city, and it's also good to know that we have confidence in our ability to deal with any guards we might encounter, although I will say now that I expressly intend to avoid contact with the mortal guards wherever I can. What are your thoughts on this mission, Igor?" Morturion said, curiously turning to the silent vampire. I suppose it's best to get these doubts over the mission that any of them might have dealt with now, rather than in the colleges. A lack of planning here could very conceivably be fatal for the expedition and for its members.

Perhaps Colonel Canaris might be able to inspire more respect in these bloodsuckers, Morturion mused. I do hope he arrives here soon.

 

[the hidden one]

Igor slowly turned his gaze toward the child-vampire.

Why are you talking so much? Igor said, quietly and clearly. Glad that Morturion had intervened, for he had very nearly said something more along the lines of "stop talking now." My thoughts on the mission? It may well be a failure, and we may well die, and it I have no idea what Morturion is planning, but it can't be good. I think we should stress caution over everything else. Another failure will be crippling for the council, and may result in our deaths.

 

[TMS]

Helena was visibly annoyed by the curt reply that Igor gave her.

"Fine," she snapped at him. "It is better to speak your mind than to remain silent, but perhaps not when you are spouting off things as stupid as you do." Helena said this without truly listening to what Igor had actually said. She was more interested in simply using it against him.

"And I think it is quite clear to see why you would not want to draw needless attention to yourself." she said meanly, moving her eyes up and down Igor's scarred visage.

 

[the hidden one]

I've made a huge mistake joining this trip. Igor thought, his anger rising suddenly and being brought back under control just as fast. Morturion is useless, and Helena is worse.

Seeing as we are going on a trip requiring subtlety, Igor hissed, emphasizing the last word, I did not planning on spouting anything, but if you really think that is best?

Maybe I shouldn't be goading her, but this will be a long trip.

 

[TMS]

Helena looked at Igor with a blank expression for a short while before she burst out in a bright smile rather unbefitting of the situation.

"No! I don't want to hear what you have to say after all!" Helena said to Igor, after which she turned away from him. She doubted that such a young vampire, and one of Igor's kind in particular, would have anything worthwhile to say.

 

[Bounce]

Elanor watched the escalating conflict with despair. They hadn't even left yet and they were at each other's throats. They should be leaving that for the humans.

She grabbed the child vampire and the brutally scarred one around the shoulders and pulled them in together.
"Children. We are a family here. There is no need for all these thinly veiled insults. We need to get along. Tell them Morty" she demanded with a toothy smile.

 

[the hidden one]

Igor, both grateful that Elanor had intervened and irritated by her choice of intervention, shrugged off her grip and went back to brooding.

 

[The Dread King]

All had seemed calm, before Igor, who Morturion had assumed a man of few words except where speeh was deemed necessary, asked Helena why she had talked so much. Exasperation which had fled from the necromancer's mind returned, renewed. And another voice joins the cacophony, Morturion lamented, will I never be free of these inane quarrels?

The wizard's anxiety was once again banished, this time by Elanor's deft handling of the situation. "Yes," he responded to Elanor. He looked with a faint air of melancholy at Igor and Helena. In truth, he wasn't used to dealing with such situations with diplomacy: were these people serving under him in the days of Nagash, then he would have reprimanded them far more brutally. As it was, they were council members and Helena was a direct servant of the triumvirate, which Morturion was trying to do business with through acquiring a somewhat less tarnished reputation than his current standing with them. A shame, the wizard reflected, almost mournfully.

He set his terms out bluntly, as if speaking to a child (for, in a sense, he was doing so): "We can't afford to argue, no matter how insufferable we might find our comrades to be at the moment. Not here, not now. Believe it or not - " Morturion said with a slight hint of disdain " - each of us is capable of saving another council member's unlife. Obviously we want to survive, so it is imperative that our mission is coordinated. Coordination requires trust. Trust, unsurprisingly, requires not trying to infuriate each other. So act your age and stop this bickering at once, before I have to." As Morturion finished his speech, he glowered darkly at Helena and Igor, though this expression quickly faded when Morturion changed his disposition so as to avoid unnecessarily riling tempers.

 

[TMS]

Helena was about to snap at Elanor for pulling on her without permission but she lost the idea when Morturion addressed them with his hard tone. She wouldn’t want to admit it but she knew that he was right. This was an important mission of stealth and she would need to focus on the task at hand instead of wasting time and energy on bothersome people.

Defiant before the necromancer’s dark glower, Helena replied to Morturion with a smirk.

“Yes, yes. Like I told you before you will not have to worry, old man. I will get whatever is so important to you.”

She noticed how Morturion’s face had softened by now. He must have come around and seen that her confidence was not at all shallow but the real deal.

“Although, if it really was that important you should just have sent me on my own,“ Helena continued smugly. “I might have been back with it by now. What exactly is it that is so important, anyway? I do not think you have told me yet.”

 

[Bounce]

Neither vampire may have appreciated Elanor's move but it seemed to have worked to end the disagreement, at least for now.
"She is right, tell us more about what it is we are looking for. If we are to trust each other than we need to all have the same information. No lies between us."

 

[the hidden one]

Annoyed that the conflict had ended with Igor being painted as the one at fault, Igor briefly considered a final retaliation, before deciding against it in an instant.

I to would like more information about our mission, Igor asked Morturion.

 

[The Dread King]

OOC: written with permission from and inspiration by @Ghouly

Morturion paused for a moment, hesitant to divulge the details of the objects he so desired. In the face of unilateral questioning, however, he had to buckle, or he would have risked the trust of three vampires that his plans would depend upon in the hours to come. Addressing Igor, Elanor and Helena at once, the wizard explained, "Er...I'm looking for three magical items. They not incongruous in appearance, but I will be able to recognise them because of their magical properties, and they will be well guarded. They should be able to aid us in sour efforts to stop the draining of necromancy, directly or indirectly. Whilst I know of some of their applications, their properties are not all known to me, though further research should unlock their potential - "

The necromancer's voice was cut off as shock, albeit the momentary kind, overcame him. Behind the three vampires he was addressing, an unexpected presence was lurking. Its very eyes seemed to growl, burning into the soul as if it was a predator, and anything it looked on was prey. If not for the menacing glare, Morturion would have mocked it with contempt, but this was rather unsettling. Shadows played across the wizard's hands as he readied himself, in case the creature pounced. "Graveclaw?" the wizard questioned apprehensively. "What are you doing here?"

 

[TMS]

Helena spun around to see the hulking Graveclaw, but what the surprise that shone across her face wasn't frightening so much as exciting.

"Oh! Have you been gifted to me?" she exclaimed, smiling brightly with her eyes shining. "Are you my pet now?"

 

[Ghouly]

With a low growl the Strigoi stepped out of the shadows, the predatory hunger fading from his eyes like dying embers “Graveclaw doessssn’t anssssswer to you Necromancer” he rasped. With a heavy tread Graveclaw advanced on the group, walking right past Helena with total disregard “your leading this group to Altdorf” the Strigoi growled as he moved directly in front of Morturion and loomed over him.
“For every mortal your party killsssss in Altdorf….” The Strigoi scrapped an index talon against the Necromancers chest plate “Graveclaw eat one of your organssssssss yessssss”.
The Strigoi inhaled deeply “ It hassss been awhile sssssince Graveclaw hasssss had a good haggissss”