RP:The Casket Caper
Part of the The Cenrilian Connection Arc
Blood Fountain
This historic fountain has been magically restored, though with differences. The outer wall stands three feet high in a perfect circle, and a central pedestal rises a foot above that. On this have been raised two figures carved of pure white stone, a noble Lord and Lady of proud bearing, both obviously vampires. They are dressed in elegant robes, the embroidery depicted by fine, spidery engravings on the stone itself. Around the outside of the pool are carved, in slightly less detail than the statues above, depictions of all the races that may be sired, each in a vampiric form. The pool is already filled with bland but nutritious blood, the pipes creating a hypnotic spiraling motion as it flows in a clockwise direction. To the south a dimming path leads to high and ornate iron gates, beyond which may be glimpsed the tops of tombstones glinting below the bright moon as well as several larger buildings, and to the north seems to lie another hub of activity for the citizens and visitors of Vailkrin, to judge by the stream of nobles,commoners, traders and ruffians alike that are constantly treading to and fro.
Celiann is leaning so far forward into the fountain that some might assume she has merely planted her face into the pouring blood in order to drink from it, which is not quite the case but it is startlingly close to it. Celiann of House Ginavi had been reduced to bedraggled rags, her usually pale flesh was marked red and purple with bruises and cuts that did not heal presumably due to a lack of feeding. The vampire was voraciously hungry. Voraciously probably didn’t quite cover exactly how hungry she was, but it was on the right tracks. With every gulp she feels better, her wounds are less noticeable. But the wounds inflicted with holy icons and blessed water appear to be the most stubborn: red, agitated and swollen looking, they stand out the most. Her hair is more messy than ever. Her silver-rimmed spectacles are nowhere to be seen.
Kasyr is simply on his way from the library to the castle, with a box of papers slung under his arm, when he comes to a halt near the fountain. In and of itself, the display Celiann was making of herself wouldn't normally be enough to warrant the revenants attention, given that life in Vailkrin could be fairly rough and tumble - but a combination of vague familiarity, and the blemishes in the shape of religious symbols are enough to make the revenants straightforward path deviate towards the vampire. "...The hell?"
Celiann was normally a shy and timid girl; mousy as some would say. Yet as Kasyr approaches, the vampire snarls like a rabid beast and even bares her fangs at him, only to lift her hand to cover her bloodstained mouth and chin so she might politely whimper out, “K-K-Kasyr!” Had she not been quite so mousy, she might have thrown her arms around the man. “It is y-y-y-you, i-isn’t it?” she asked, squinting to try and see for certain. Without her glasses, she couldn’t see very well.
Kasyr wasn't exactly expecting that reaction, considering the vampires normal demeanour was more 'reserved'. Nonetheless, the revenant takes it in stride, subtly shifting his body off so that his side was facing Celiann- just in case whatever she had endured had brought about a more feral state of mind. A pose he retains even she starts to speak again, "..Oui. Yes, even, it's me. What the hell happened? Who did this to vous?" Even as the revenants inquiring, he's craning his neck in several directions, in an attempt to see if he can recognize any of the marks that had effectively been 'emblazed' into the vampires skin."
Celiann had a few marks from various gods and ascended of Hollow: Arkhen, Lore, Hind, Olric and Lauria as if to counteract her “unnatural” way of living, undeath did go against nature after all. The scholar shook her head, “P-P-Paladins,” she told him, “b-b-but I d-d-d…” she huffs with frustration, it was obviously quite annoying for her to try and power through the stammer, “d-didn’t recognise th-them.” With a shy glance around, she lowers her voice, “It w-was an in-inside job, though, I’m s-sure of it, K-Kasyr,” she nodded with absolute certainty and conviction of her belief, “I know i-it.” But for now, she had lost everything, even her glasses! The littlest hobo vampire.
Kasyr settles the box he'd been carrying down on the rim of the fountain, and then begins to lean on top of it- effectively anchoring it in place, "...So someone's working with Paladins to make some sort of power play." Why Celiann, though? Whilst it could be connections to the Kensai, it could also be related to matters of her house, or even personal business, "What..led up to this, exactement? What were they trying to do, exactement? Et how did tu get away?" Too many questions.
Celiann also settles on the edge of the fountain, deciding to conserve her strength as best she can by sitting down. “Why n-n-not?” she asked in retort, “P-Politics are r-r-rife in the houses, you kn-know this.” The vampire watched his blurry outline for a few moments, listening to what questions he’d pose to her and how she might best answer these questions. “We were l-l-looking to fix the t-t-tear,” to which she adds very quickly, “which I s-see is d-d-done,” she offered a small smile, before moving on, “One of t-t-the house b-b-brothers and I h-had fought before over our work. D-Disagreements on t-theory and ap-application,” she told him. In some Houses, that was enough to try and kill one another over. “C-Coffin. Left at the g-g-graveyard. Some w-w-woman, she was elven, t-t-tipped it over. Broke me out.”
Kasyr grimaces as Celiann speaks, one hand moving up to scratch at his jaw, "You've been missing for quite some time, Madamoiselle." Which means they had kept her alive for quite some time. "Did they ask tu any questions? Or were you ..kept wherever they were torturing you for some time?" Someone who had been researching the problem removed from the picture - the ramifications of which could have potentially led to Vailkrin being wiped out. Was that a gamble someone had been willing to take, or had that been the intended goal? "If tu have returned to your house or your residence, I would highly suggest looking over your notes et the like, et telling me what, if anything es missing." More likely a gamble, when he thought about it- they hadn't simply killed her, but rather kept her around. Potentially as insurance, or something of the like, in case they needed her to rectify the problem. "How long were tu in that coffin, you think? Et were the paladins based -here-?" Was there a faction working under his nose?
Celiann gave a nod to say she understood, that she was very aware of all the possible whys and hows and whats. After all, one has plenty of time to think inside of a coffin. With the blood having dried and darkened upon her face, she looks like an even more startling sight: emaciated and weak, she is literally skin and bone. Her face is so gaunt. It even looks like a soft breeze might knock her backwards. “I h-h-haven’t yet. N-Not decided if I w-want them to know I am q-q-quite alive and here just y-yet,” she told him quietly, almost in a conspiratorial manner. “B-But they didn’t a-ask questions. J-Just dealt the p-p-pain. They were… a-amused!” she told him with disgust, “I d-d-distinctly heard them m-mention how t-they were t-to take their t-t-time,” she said, implying that it was a case of keeping her in one place, rather than gain any information. “N-No, not here. It was w-w-warm. I d-don’t know where, b-b-but it was w-warm. Uncomfortably s-so,” she informed him. “No w-way to tell, really. T-Time is… is odd when h-h-hungry,” and she was so very hungry.
Kasyr gives Celiann a once over, before he picks up the box and begins to walk towards the castle, "Fine then, given you're a missing person- and I had a rather central dealing with the rift, I suppose I can see about seizing your assets and ensuring that they are delivered to the castle to be...archived. Perhaps you can see about finding a proper place to store those items, Madamoiselle. I'm fairly certain that staying on those grounds would likely be one of the most subtle places you could remain. Certainly moreso than gorging yourself here." As the revenant continues to walk, he can't help but inquire, "Any strong scents, sulfur, peut-etre? Maybe alot of black rocks, et tout cela?" ...The revenants becoming rather specific with his questions. Then again, there is that castle, that leads to an uncomfortable hot location- right adjacent to Cenril.
Celiann supposes she’s meant to join Kasyr, so she reluctantly rises from the fountain and staggers after him. She’s still so hungry and weak feeling. “I w-won’t trouble you f-for too long, K-Kasyr. I’ll l-l-leave once my s-s-strength has returned, my a-affairs in order,” she assured him. She didn’t wish to be too much of a nuisance, after all. “I d-d-don’t know,” she answered him, “my n-nose was s-s-stuffed. They seemed q-q-quite experienced.”
Kasyr passes by a guardsmen en route to the castle, and pulls him aside, if only to loosely gesture towards Celiann. Really, given her current state, he's not too worried about her being recognized, "Could you do moi a favour et direct him towards where the coffin es? I think it would do well to reclaim the thing. En fait, I think it's tres important, even." Her nose being stuffed indicates that there's likely at least -some- scent that was likely pungent enough to be noteworthy, though whether it was the area, or perhaps some characteristic of an individual involved is something else entirely. "Yes, well, don't rush. I'd rather this was done correctly, than in haste. Though, speaking of haste- I do believe I ought to contact the coffin maker in regards to this. Perhaps he might recognize his handiwork, and who he sold it to." And depending on if she was shipped in that coffin from where she'd been stored, perhaps there was traces of something discernable on it, that might indicate the location.
Celiann looked to the guard upon being asked for said favour, “Oh, y-yes, erm, it’s b-b-by the graveyard. The g-gates!” she added quickly, “Smashed now, t-though. Silver n-n-nails. Strong wood, but there w-w-was rot on o-one side. Rain-water, I t-t-think, warped the w-wood,” she said, hypothesising why the wood had become weaker over time. “Yes, w-well, I d-d-do not think I c-can rush, given that m-my gold was t-tied up in the h-house and I have b-been missing some t-t-time now.”
Kasyr can only imagine this is going to aggravate officials of House Ginavi. -Noone- likes having assets seized, even if it can be justified. The main concern the Kensai has, however, is if there's nothing present to seize. "Well, I suppose we'll find out if that coffin was acquired here- or elsewhere. There might be some form of signature marking the crafter somewhere as well. J'en sais pas." The revenant shrugs, and simply picks up his pace once more, "Quand meme." The revenant pauses, then adds, "Et hey, if you manage to solve things in relative haste, you can always make your return dramatic, given there's going to be a gala at the end of this month." Silver linings. Those are totally a thing.
Celiann had no idea that her assets had, indeed, gone missing. Carefully redistributed around the House and its members to make it appear as though Celiann’s very existence had ceased; as if she had died in the clutches of vampire hunters. Of course, Kasyr and she knew otherwise. “A g-g-gala?” she inquired, “How d-d-dramatic. True V-Vailkrin style. Do you expect to r-r-reveal me in these r-rags?” While she was shy, she was still a lady and a noble at that. Rags at a gala simply wouldn’t do, unless Kasyr had a very good plan indeed.
Kasyr gives Celiann a look that is almost scolding, "Quand meme, I'm not -that- much of a brute. I'm certain we can get tu presentable...and some clothes tailored for tu by that time." It pays to have Iintahquohae as a Vassal, really. "In the mean-time, let's devote ourselves to figure out the why et how of your little dilemma." And it's with that said that the Kensai putzes into the castle, to see what he might be able to ascertain.
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