Innsbruck

[Storyteller]

You meet up and travel from Trento to Innsbruck where Didaskalos will be holding his next public court. The old keep in the centre of town is where the gathering takes place. Inside the keep you are greeted by Duke Arnold a Ventrue you exchange pleasantries and mundane information about the going ons in your respective domains. The court is a buzz over the arrival of Jaak and the eyes of the gossips spread tails of the mystery. After waiting an hour Dorthia presents herself to you and asks you to follow her to your audience. You walk into a smaller room with Didaskalos sitting at a table talking with a Nosferatu a medium built man in a toga who seems very comfortable talking to Didaskalos who are sharing a laugh as you enter. Didaskalos looks up at the Dukes and offers a seat to both of them across from him and speaks.

"You have taken the time to travel to me I hope you are coming to inform my of the destruction of Nicomedes," he says, "the last time I spoke to a Duke from Gaul he lodged nothing but complaints about court stations."

Didaskalos waits.

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

*stands a respectful distance from the four elders, hands in front, head slightly bowed*

[Antonio Galanzia]

I apologize, I do not bring news of the destruction of the hunter one.
I bring news of attacks and gross misconduct within klagenfurt lands by members of liabach.
I will start with the attack from Duke gallahad in an attempt to cheat the tournament, I am told he was using a power near undetectable upon Alphonso of trento, I am to believe it was psychic assault.
I have been informed of Duke gallahad and the Knight Gunnar frenzying within my halls, that is not the real issue there, my quarrel with this is I had stated to baron Raqa that I wished the two be submitted to my questioning, he had agreed to this. I made solid word that both would be free to leave and would return in better shape than they we're at the time. Baron Raqa than returns moments after with a couple as what I am to assume as the undead to collect Gunnar. At this juncture I did as I felt nessecary and pulled Duke gallahad into a completely locked and unknown room to anyone other than myself. At that point I had returned to find Gunnar Raqa and his "undead" not in attendance. Later when I had asked Duke Raetus to come with myself to question the Duke he was missing, the door still locked as I left it. Now this alone baffles me greatly, there is literally no sign of break in or struggle. I ask for your insight on this.

This to what I can recall is breaches of my hospitality just by liabach alone.

Now there is what we assume as archer Driscoll. Jaak was able to track him quite well, I did not ask how but he brought this to my attention, as we we're to leave our exit to capture this individual was stopped as there was combat at the entrance to my halls, lthis was liabach attempting to subdue there own, thus allowing driscols escape.

Onto better news however, I have begun the planning of a watchtower and gaining a force to improve the security of triest and to improve the response times for invasions.
As well, I have recruited a new Knight, his oath has yet to be given, however I feel he can be trusted.
Gentlemen if I have missed something please feel free to speak up.

[Storyteller]

ST NOTE: As soon as you enter this scene you are frozen on the boards till the Down Rime actions are out. This means not SOS conversations or conversations in your Duchy boards.

[Storyteller]

Dorthia passes behind Didaskalos and reaches over to hand a letter to him. She then walks quietly over to a large chair behind the table and sits. Loki Runetounge appears in the chair next to her and begins to smile.

[Alfonso Valencia]

Alfonso enters the room and offers each Lord a graceful bow before taking a post behind a tall-backed chair.

[Raetus]

Raetus enters the chamber and nods his head towards the Ard Rhi.

"My Lord Ard Rhi I apologize for my tardiness. Apparently my vassals require nose rings as without guidance for a few days they become aimless cattle."  

[Storyteller]

Didaskalos listens to Duke Galanzia and very puzzled look crosses his face before he speaks, "Duke Galanzia I have Nicomedes Petras running free in my lands, my protected vassal the Doge of the Free City is dead, Dorthia's appointed Herald MY HERALD IS DEAD,"

Didaskalos looks at both the Dukes, "You come to me to pass judgement on a cheater in YOUR tournament? If my HERALD would not have been killed he could have dealt with this matter. Yet he is DEAD."

Didaskalos looks at Galanzia, "You are the Duke of Verona I have empowered you to enforce the law within your domain. Do you wish I take direct control of the Duchy of Verona to enforce the laws?"

Didaskalos looks utterly perplexed, "As I told Duke Galahad poor manners? This is what you wish me to adjudicate on? I have the true chaos of the world unbalancing the natural order to help set right."

"This letter Duke Raetus is it true?" Didaskalos asks holding the small letter up in the air.

(OOC: The laws of Caine are different then the Camarilla Traditions they are posted in the House Rules section. Hospitality is not a law of Caine.)

[Raetus]

"If the letter carries my seal Lord Ard Rhi then yes. Ard Rhi I realize that you have many weighty issues to deal with. I would ask to what extent is this authority of domain to extend when guest arrive upon your doorstep bloodless near frenzy, frenzying in the middle of your court or attacking your sworn vassals. Last time I confronted the court of Liabach in my domain, slander was placed upon my name and a holy place attacked with crossbow bolts originating from Liabach timber as good Runetongue can attest. I do not wish to appear impertinent but we have been ordered to host these gatherings for each other to engender unity between the domains. It is perhaps true that in your eyes these matters may seem a trifle however it is only in respect to yourself and the respect we have to the oath that we offer you and in turn then extend to my fellow oath mates that I come to you for judgement. However perhaps I am somewhat prepossessed with the concept of hospitality as I am a Tzimsce."  

[Alfonso Valencia]

"If I might be so bold your Graces, I believe that the issue at hand here is not one merely of poor form and poor manners, though the Kindred of Liabach are barely worth being referred to as such it is not why we are here. We come to you for restitution because to take justice ourselves without your permission would likely require violating your authority."

"The Usurper that Duke Galahad has taken into his service is especially prominent in this discussion. In this Tournament he voluntarily fell into a Frenzy to call upon the aid of his beast to win. Had I not triumphed, the Beast would have likely killed me right then and there. He would torn my head off without a second thought. But this is not the end of his misdeeds. Your own Huntsman delivered news that the obviously enchanted crossbow bolts, the ones wielded by mysterious men that sought out our hearts, were crafted from a wood within Liabach's borders. These very same men assaulted us, our property, and captured some of our most devoted and resourceful servants, Kindred among them. He also made one of those, things, the mockeries that the Usurpers create to protect their vile lives. Not only did he create it, but he brought it to court and paraded it around as if we were expected to not immediately reclaim its stolen vitae. The man has not only offered us all great disrespect, but he has tried to kill me twice."

"You have already heard of how Duke Galahad rent my mind and assaulted my person with the powers of Auspex during a gather. Prestation will force him to confirm these words are truth should the need arise. Such a matter could be settled with a Boon offered, but not only has he neglected to do so he will most likely refuse, being the oafish boor that he is."

"The Gangrel himself is a fucking disgrace. The man has no control over his beast, and has threatened the lives of many Kindred in the throes of his frenzies. Just this last gather my two Knights were outside the arena when they were set upon by Galahad and Gunnar, their minds driven by the Beast. They were lucky to escape alive. Furthermore, when the Nosferatu ally of Nicomedes made himself known by staking one of my Knights, do you know what Gunnar chose to do when he came upon him being led away to be diablerized? Did he come to Severus's aid. No, no he did not. Instead he was content to throw a Lantern into the stable and watch it burn, my Vassal included."

"The Cappodocian Raqa is no saint either. Surely you have heard the reports of the risen dead preying upon our lands unprovoked?"

"The Malkavian is perhaps the least offensive, and even she thinks that she is permitted to inflict her insanity upon others at these gathers unprovoked."

"And then there is the matter of my Vassal, the Salubri. The man I sworn an oath to protect was taken in the dead of night, and no word was brought to my attention. I know that my fellow Lasombra in Klagenfurt would not do such a thing, and that the Free City's kindred has no interest in him. That leaves one possibility. The Usurper has taken him, and I am oath-bound to retrieve him. Such an action will require violence to be done. Indeed, it must be done before they no longer have a use for his abilities or decide to have him simply disappear on the roads."

"Most-esteemed Ard Rhi, the Kindred of Liabach are not only very poor examples of proper Kindred, they have crossed the line form disrespect to all-out conflict. They have threatened our unlives numerous times. All that I would ask if for the permission to take justice for myself."

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

*grinds teeth*

"I can support Sir Alfonso's assumptions regarding Father Healh's whereabouts. The Nkulu Zao and I have grown to be fast allies, and neither Klagenfurt nor Triest know of his whereabouts. Klagenfurt and Triest share the concern for his existence. If such a thing was permissible, our three Duchies would have already launched an assault to rescue him."

[Storyteller]

Dorthia looks shocked and covers her mouth at Alfonso's crass tone and nearly faints when Jaak speaks up.

Didaskalos on the other hand looks deadly serious, "I sent Runetounge to find the source of the crossbow bolts, he took the same information to each Duke as a test to see which Duke could unite the domain. Only one leader even attempted to unify the domain with this information Father Balaam. He was to report at the gathering in Klagenfurt about the movements of the infernalist Nicomedes as he had found the trail."

Didaskalos opens the letter, "I ask of you Alfonso what law has Laibach broken?"

[Storyteller]

"I take deep regret that your vassal has been taken," Didaskalos says, "now you must know how I feel now that my vassal has been destroyed."

Looking again at Reatus and Galanzia, "As I had told Galahad treat your rivals better then they treated you. If one of you wishes for my blessing to become the new Prince of Gaul then you must unify the domains and protect them not only for outside threats but themselves."

Didaskalos looks to Dorthia and nods she rises and speaks,

"My Dukes,

It now appears as though I must take my sworn duties to the Doge of the Free City and to my Herald to heart. Firstly if you have any information as to what happened or know the cause of this terrible action towards my protected vassal speak. I am willing to offer immunity and the chance to claim ignorance this one time. Should I be forced to investigate and find any of you complicit in my vassals demise I will wipe your house from this realm.

Loki Runetounge was under my orders to watch Father Balaam until after this gather and he shall be making his report soon.

I will not allow my domain to devolve into chaos and allow the natural order to fail. This terrible crime and another broken law of Caine will not go unpunished. I trust that none of you were involved in this but suspect that you maybe able to lead me to the criminal responsible.

You have three months (next week real time) before I begin my investigation if the criminal is not brought forth.

Didaskalos."

After speaking she sits down.

[Storyteller]

A small man walks out from the comer and approaches the Nosferatu at the table and hands him a small piece of paper. The man bows and slinks back into the corner. The Nosferatu looks at the piece of paper and hands it to Didaskalos who reads it and puts it face down.

[Raetus]

"Lady Chamberlain, in that light I would request as a titled member of this court to review the correspondence sent to the Ard Rhi."