The Tides of April

[Alfonso Valencia]

Alfonso arrives at his Duke's cavern Haven not long after the last gather and waits for both his liege lord and vassals to arrive.  There was much to be discussed.

[Raetus]

Sounds of wings resonate from outside and then the cave fills with bats swirling into every nook in the ceiling above. Once the blinding swirl of creatures cease Alfonso realizes the Duke sits on Scultone in the middle of the room. Slipping from the creatures back he drops to the ground and looks at Alfonso.

"Baron, business must be pressing to call meeting so soon. I've just been trying out my hand. Being one handed was somewhat inconvenient and certainly made riding Scultone impossible."

In the background Scultone slides lazily up the side of the wall.  Once at the apex he begins to wind himself around a stalactite. His tongue flickers agitating the nearby roosting bats. Raetus makes his way to the stone throne to sit but continues to speak. 

"I believe Morrigan & Severus will be here shortly I sent them envoys (Raetus points to the ceiling) when I heard. The mud men are rousing the rest."

  

[Alfonso Valencia]

Alfonso wastes little time as he launches into a angry tirade.

"Forgive my impertinence your Grace, but one of my sworn vassals is missing and most likely in the unholy grasp of the fucking usurper! Disrepect and an utter lack of civility and class is one thing, but taking one of my sworn vassals is another matter entirely."

[Raetus]

Several bats alight upon the tzimsce's lap and shoulder desperately clambering across his tunic and shirt. 

"During gathering Healh  asked me about ignoring prestation and my opinion on such. I informed him that nothing of the sort would be tolerated and he would bring shame to this domain doing such. He did not tell me the nature of his inquiries but I suspect that the two issues are likely linked. Healh I suspect is a prisoner of his sworn oath nothing more. Liabach is the most likely candidate considering his idiotic tirades which clearly had raised the ire of their domain. You have rashly offered considerable prestation for his return and now face considerable debt should the matter turn out to be a simple object lesson. You might have used said prestation to petition sage council to help divine his fate or even speak to our own koldun as to what could be done. You are powerful Baron but you are impulsive and that makes you vulnerable."

[Alfonso Valencia]

"My Duke, let us be frank. If Healh betrays my honor or that of this Domain I would punish him appropriately as is my duty, however until such a situation occurs his healing abilities and knowledge of the Infernal make him useful to me.

This disappearance of his may be a matter of prestation or it might not be, however even if it was proper protocol states that the creditor should have informed me as I am his liege lord. I was not made aware of any Boon even existing, much less it being called in. They told none what they were doing and disappeared into the night, thus I am forced to consider the worst has happened. Furthermore, have the Kindred of Liabach done anything to show that they are men of honor, that would completely honor the Boon's terms? They show no regard for the divison of High and Low clan, they fall to Frenzy repeatedly as guests of other courts, their Duke tried to rend my mind apart while I was fighting an honorable duel for Christ's sake! They have a Usurper in their midst after all, we've all heard the rumors they've tried to spread about the noble clan of healers. Even if they honor the boon they have called in, what is to stop them from simply ambushing him along the road or blood bonding him? We would never know what happened to him.  With all due respect your Grace, the idea of Laibach teaching a lesson to anyone in anything other than how not to act is quite laughable."

"My Duke, I did not offer that boon rashly. I offered Blood because I would spill blood to see him returned if the situation required it. My honor is the foundation of my very existence, you know this, you know the Road I walk. I cannot be anything else, even if it might be inconvenient to be so."

"I also never intend to give out that Boon, it was simply a ploy. Now they will be motivated to keep him alive for the time being, in case they had other designs on him. My honor has certain demands, but those demands can be skirted from time to time with the proper skill.

Duke Galahad will admit publicly to ordering the kidnapping and blood bonding of my Vassal. When that happens, we must be ready to teach them a lesson in fear, your Grace."

[Alfonso Valencia]

"Besides Laibach and the lowborn dogs that infest it we also have other matters to discuss."  Alfonso says after calming down a bit.

"I will be leading the Crusade soon, and I wanted to meet early so that we would have a chance to put into motion our plans before that happens.  The Infernalist is still at large and I am running out of ideas with regards to how we might locate him."

[Raetus]

"Actually if you have only have limited time before leaving for the crusades I must address first the matter of the psychic assault performed by Duke Galahad during the tournament. A few days hence I will travel to the court of the Ard Ri to present matters along with Duke Galenzia in concern to that night and Liabach's behaviour. You will bear witness to Duke Galahad's crime."  

[Nunzio]

Nunzio walks with even stride into the caves mouth. "Your excellency" Nunzio Bows. "There are a great many things to discuss. The plauge spreads now to klagenferd, we can not let it enter our borders."

"We have means to errect a slave market, and it would be fool hearty not to capitalize upon it. "

"We should mend or improve relations with the other duchies, Liabach aside. And the free city. We do not need to fight wars on multiple fronts just now, as Alfonzo and my forces have taken grevious casualties. And Alfonzo is off to the crusade."

"I seek permission to act freely to assist in these regards, I seek word from my Baroness and Duke."

[Alfonso Valencia]

Alfonso nods. "While some of my men have been slain, I can boost their numbers with some of my tournament winnings. We will ensure that no infected traveler enters our domain. I would also like permission to begin building the slave market with Nunzio."

He turns back to Duke Raetus. "Of course my liege, in fact we could do both at the same time."

[Raetus]

Raetus leans back into his throne and closes his eyes for moment. A bat reaches his neckline and licks greedily on his chin. Without opening his eyes he replies.  

"Good evening Nunzio I have brought thought to all the matters you have just listed; with the possible exception of the slave market. We may address each concern in time but I must focus on those that are most pressing and time sensitive. Perhaps you unaware I was discussing the disgraceful behaviour of Duke Galahad last gather. Should we deal with this matter carefully and diplomatically we can obtain leverage against the Duke a much finer thing than a simple alliances of words. However there is merit in taking precautions in protecting against back-lash from pox and perhaps this Mother Isis will know her place better than the priest."

Raetus opens his eyes.   

"Please feel free to speak."   

[Symeon of Jerusalem]

*quietly makes his way into the cave and bows his head respectfully to Raetus then to the rest who have gathered*

Greetings, it was good to see our city faired so well in the battles, congratulations Alfonso on the victory and very well fought Nunzio.

[Raetus]

"Good evening Symeon. We were just beginning to discuss matters although in truth we may have to get a scribe to keep a record of the entirety of our concerns. Please have a seat."

[Nunzio]

"i can act as a scribe, if we lack one, liege."

[Alfonso Valencia]

"In any case, it seems like we have come to a consensus on Laibach. Let us hope that the Ard Rhi is receptive to our grievances with him.

As for the Infernalist, it seems that finding this Nosferatu might be our next move, but that is easier said than done. I will of course go on the account if pointed in a direction, but I am currently not much of a hunter or scholar and cannot find him by myself. Any ideas on that front would be most appreciated.

Are there any other matters I've missed?"

[Nunzio]

"Item by item thus far.

(quoting his notes)

-The disgrace and leverage of the Ignoble Galahad

-Halting the plauges advance

-investigateing and destroying the infernalist Archer

-Bolstering our domain, the slave market

-Relations within Gull

Any other matters of import to handle?"