11/03/2016
The Nisab Diary
"Guests"
Episode Seven - 7th Sea
Three days have passed since the group arrived at Heilgrund. Present as guests of the Eisenfursten Stefan Heilgrund, the three find themselves among the company of guests he has welcomed for the last few nights. At Stefan's side, Jan Volta sits with Walden Reinhart nearly. After him, Adeliadis Petronilla Fassequele sits with Crisostomo Felix to her right. Then Gerhard Weinmuth sits beside Reikion, who also sits alongside Vasili and Julianna Onesta. Stefan apologizes for the absence of one more guest and the last three nights were spent discussing topics of interest and showing off stories of their travels. They all know Stefan to be a collector of old artefacts and occult treasures and are given the freedom to explore his manor.
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| Adeliadis Petronilla Fassequele (River Song) |
Adeliadis, dressed in a beautiful gown, speaks only using her Montaigne language, despite seemingly understanding what everyone else is saying. Gerhard and Vasili admit to having traveled together before, and most can only wonder what a Monster Hunter from Eisen and a Wanderer from Ussura could have in common. Gerhard proudly wears the symbol of Die Kruezritter around his neck. Crisostomo Felix eagerly shares his story of how heroes saved him and his sister from a wedding to what seemed to be one of the Sidhe, despite being at the small town of Penitence at the time. Most, however, give a cold reception to Julianna, who clearly is a devout holder of the Vaticine faith, and most likely a practicing Inquisitor. When Julianna tries to start a conversation about the need for people to let go of their superstitious beliefs on the old ways, given "Science shows us the truth and the facts of life. The old ways are ignorance clutching on stupidity. The world is filled with progress and scientific understanding." Vasili simply glares at her. Adeliadis laughs and in her nation's language mutters how the one who has spoken the least has spoken the most. She admits she deigns to speak languages that are beneath her tongue.
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| Vasili (Noomi Rapace) |
People start mingling on their own. Julianna's topic clearly has ushered people to entertain themselves away from her. Adeliadis and Jan Volta walks off to talk about things on their own. Reikion steps aside and follows Vasili who heads for the nearest balcony after making an excuse of needing fresh air. Gerhard asks Stefan about his collection of old texts and artefacts of the Syrne. He admits he finds them tremendously interesting, like an archaeologist finding fascination in the old dead things. Waiters constantly follow them, each carrying an open bottle of wine to refill their drinks. "
Vasili and Reikion talk about how she and Gerhard are seeking a missing party for almost a week: a group of Montaigne travelers who were intended to arrive at Ussura. The group, watched over by a female bodyguard, was traveling via Porte but never arrived. She shares the name of the missing bodyguard to be Allette Lydine Myrmi Moreau and how she was escorting a religious group. Reikion remembers the woman who died after the assault of the Schattenmann. Vasili's eyes glaze over and Reikion recognizes it as when one calls upon Matushka's gifts to See through animal eyes. She shares that she can see camps outside the manor, which she suspects are the Inquisitor's men.
Jan and Adeliadis talk, and she starts asking him about what it is like to have one of the dievas. He is a bit surprised to hear her so plainly talking about them. Jan arrives with two glasses of wine. She identifies him as clearly the one who is educated and moral in the room. She talks about schooling at Montaigne and he admits never having an eye for social graces. She admits she studied all of it and finished them all a year ahead of the rest. Jan suggests they head back to the others, but Adel admits she is starting to enjoy talking to him and asks him if he was going to offer the drink in her hand. Jan laughs, and they talk some more, learning that Adeliadis was refused attendance in the Academy. Jan admits he was taught there too. She smiles, musing he must be good with his sword.
Walden motions for a servant and asks about Stefan's gallery. The servant informs him the master has four galleries and accompanies him to see them. He notices how Heilgrund is definitely faring better than Starke was. He notices an octagonal room as the servant leads him and asks the servant to explain what the room is. He learns it is the Hearth Room and it contains portraits of each of his most favored friends. Stepping inside, Walden stares at each portrait and wonders who the others are. He starts to feel like there's something familiar about these painting, and notices one of them is missing from the walls. The wall where it should be shows it was recently mended. He then hears from the servant the missing portrait was meant for the Master Gamaran. Walden realizes the portraits frames would have matched the one they saw in Gamaran's home near the river. Walden begins to wonder if the others are the other members of the Novus Ordo Mundi. He then notices one of the portraits shows a man in coat tails and a top hat. White gloved hands. A Magician.
A magician.
Reikion and Vasili speak of the Inquisition has men camped all around. He worries they are here for them. When they return to the table and see Stefan alone with Julianna at the table, they divert their return and instead look for the galleries as well. He overhears Julianna talking about Blessures having been sighted, however, in more locations as of the late. She stresses that the careless and heedless usage of Sorcery must be stamped out before things get worse. They are directed by the servant to the three galleries, which start with a massive display of the remains of a huge creature, its fossilized bones reconstructed to stand in display. They also speak of the Montaigne group Vasili was searching for, and Reikion admits he is uncertain if they are the same group as the ones he met in the woods. They note the place is illuminated with smokeless illumination and both realize it is one of the creations of Nisab. Both of them shift to their animal forms as blessed by Matushka as they explore the gallery, focusing on the magnificent yet monstrous creature that is massive enough to swallow a man whole in one bite. Reikion shudders at the thought of someone finding a way to "reawaken" such a monstrous thing. They find more bones of these strange creatures from the time before history, and artifacts which Vasili claim are truly from their past. She wonders if the Inquisitor outside would question the very existence of this room. Terrifyingly, Reikion finds a few old crates which match the ones sent from Montaigne to Starke with that horrible tree monster. He investigates further and finds an identical hatch as well, connecting to an underground water source. The similarities bother him.
Adel and Jan continue talking, with their words dancing around with flirtatious undertones. Adel mentions the Seym are having concerns given the son of the aged and dying King of the Commonwealth has declared every citizen the status of a noble. Jan finds it a bold move, and possibly a great step forward to a brighter future. Adel finds Jan optimistic for someone from the Commonwealth. The discussion then shifts to the darker entities in the lands which offer power for favors, and even likening them to the Sidhe of Avalon, long expelled from the lands of Avalon. Jan never considered that possibility, but does not agree that it sounds very silly. Adel confesses she sticks to speaking only in Montaigne because she hates having to use the other lower languages. When he offers to share information with her, she asks him though if they are "completely alone." When he confesses he is never alone, she admits knowing a way to hide from the dievas. She seems to know more about the Sanderis than expected for someone from Montaigne, and she claims she had lovers - as if that was explanation enough for what she had knows. She admits having an addiction to new experiences and suggests she never has seen one of the dievas before.
Walden learns to his surprise that the Magician in the room is supposedly a man named Montano le Blanc. It was not the name he was expecting, but it was a name nonetheless. He asks for the names of the other friends and notes them down: Maxwell Gamaran, Consuela Boredon, Stanimir, Baron Victor Maison, Onyena Vesna. He is then told that Montano is supposed to arrive tonight, with the animals to be released in the hunt. Walden asks to be shown the gardens where the hunt will happen. Outside, with flashes of lightning in the sky, Walden sees the massive expanse that constitutes the garden and is told how their master Stefan prefers to keep the garden as it was... a tiny forest. But as he asks to be brought to the sculptures outside, they both hear the announcement of something having arrived. It seems le Blanc has arrived. They opt to head back and see the man in the suit with his white gloves and top hat. Walden walks up to the man and introduces himself. To Walden's surprise, the man greets him as if he was "Stefan" and does not look like the magician they have fought with in the past. Montano is definitely not Gasparo Angelo.
Vasili and Reikion talk about how she and Gerhard are seeking a missing party for almost a week: a group of Montaigne travelers who were intended to arrive at Ussura. The group, watched over by a female bodyguard, was traveling via Porte but never arrived. She shares the name of the missing bodyguard to be Allette Lydine Myrmi Moreau and how she was escorting a religious group. Reikion remembers the woman who died after the assault of the Schattenmann. Vasili's eyes glaze over and Reikion recognizes it as when one calls upon Matushka's gifts to See through animal eyes. She shares that she can see camps outside the manor, which she suspects are the Inquisitor's men.
Jan and Adeliadis talk, and she starts asking him about what it is like to have one of the dievas. He is a bit surprised to hear her so plainly talking about them. Jan arrives with two glasses of wine. She identifies him as clearly the one who is educated and moral in the room. She talks about schooling at Montaigne and he admits never having an eye for social graces. She admits she studied all of it and finished them all a year ahead of the rest. Jan suggests they head back to the others, but Adel admits she is starting to enjoy talking to him and asks him if he was going to offer the drink in her hand. Jan laughs, and they talk some more, learning that Adeliadis was refused attendance in the Academy. Jan admits he was taught there too. She smiles, musing he must be good with his sword.
Walden motions for a servant and asks about Stefan's gallery. The servant informs him the master has four galleries and accompanies him to see them. He notices how Heilgrund is definitely faring better than Starke was. He notices an octagonal room as the servant leads him and asks the servant to explain what the room is. He learns it is the Hearth Room and it contains portraits of each of his most favored friends. Stepping inside, Walden stares at each portrait and wonders who the others are. He starts to feel like there's something familiar about these painting, and notices one of them is missing from the walls. The wall where it should be shows it was recently mended. He then hears from the servant the missing portrait was meant for the Master Gamaran. Walden realizes the portraits frames would have matched the one they saw in Gamaran's home near the river. Walden begins to wonder if the others are the other members of the Novus Ordo Mundi. He then notices one of the portraits shows a man in coat tails and a top hat. White gloved hands. A Magician.
A magician.
Reikion and Vasili speak of the Inquisition has men camped all around. He worries they are here for them. When they return to the table and see Stefan alone with Julianna at the table, they divert their return and instead look for the galleries as well. He overhears Julianna talking about Blessures having been sighted, however, in more locations as of the late. She stresses that the careless and heedless usage of Sorcery must be stamped out before things get worse. They are directed by the servant to the three galleries, which start with a massive display of the remains of a huge creature, its fossilized bones reconstructed to stand in display. They also speak of the Montaigne group Vasili was searching for, and Reikion admits he is uncertain if they are the same group as the ones he met in the woods. They note the place is illuminated with smokeless illumination and both realize it is one of the creations of Nisab. Both of them shift to their animal forms as blessed by Matushka as they explore the gallery, focusing on the magnificent yet monstrous creature that is massive enough to swallow a man whole in one bite. Reikion shudders at the thought of someone finding a way to "reawaken" such a monstrous thing. They find more bones of these strange creatures from the time before history, and artifacts which Vasili claim are truly from their past. She wonders if the Inquisitor outside would question the very existence of this room. Terrifyingly, Reikion finds a few old crates which match the ones sent from Montaigne to Starke with that horrible tree monster. He investigates further and finds an identical hatch as well, connecting to an underground water source. The similarities bother him.
Adel and Jan continue talking, with their words dancing around with flirtatious undertones. Adel mentions the Seym are having concerns given the son of the aged and dying King of the Commonwealth has declared every citizen the status of a noble. Jan finds it a bold move, and possibly a great step forward to a brighter future. Adel finds Jan optimistic for someone from the Commonwealth. The discussion then shifts to the darker entities in the lands which offer power for favors, and even likening them to the Sidhe of Avalon, long expelled from the lands of Avalon. Jan never considered that possibility, but does not agree that it sounds very silly. Adel confesses she sticks to speaking only in Montaigne because she hates having to use the other lower languages. When he offers to share information with her, she asks him though if they are "completely alone." When he confesses he is never alone, she admits knowing a way to hide from the dievas. She seems to know more about the Sanderis than expected for someone from Montaigne, and she claims she had lovers - as if that was explanation enough for what she had knows. She admits having an addiction to new experiences and suggests she never has seen one of the dievas before.
Walden learns to his surprise that the Magician in the room is supposedly a man named Montano le Blanc. It was not the name he was expecting, but it was a name nonetheless. He asks for the names of the other friends and notes them down: Maxwell Gamaran, Consuela Boredon, Stanimir, Baron Victor Maison, Onyena Vesna. He is then told that Montano is supposed to arrive tonight, with the animals to be released in the hunt. Walden asks to be shown the gardens where the hunt will happen. Outside, with flashes of lightning in the sky, Walden sees the massive expanse that constitutes the garden and is told how their master Stefan prefers to keep the garden as it was... a tiny forest. But as he asks to be brought to the sculptures outside, they both hear the announcement of something having arrived. It seems le Blanc has arrived. They opt to head back and see the man in the suit with his white gloves and top hat. Walden walks up to the man and introduces himself. To Walden's surprise, the man greets him as if he was "Stefan" and does not look like the magician they have fought with in the past. Montano is definitely not Gasparo Angelo.
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