Rise of the Fourth Coven: Formalities
 

It was less then an hour before dusk, and the townspeople were convening at the local church for a town meeting. They had done this many times before and to the untrained eye this would seem normal but this, was the tenth meeting since some out-of-towner’s took residence at the old Devereux place. At first it was merely the paranoia of a small town allowing their xenophobia to much power, but as the villagers began to steadily disappear it became apparent to the people that there was much more going on.

Each day the groups outbursts became more and more outrageous, steadily marching towards rioting until they disperse peacefully as night approaches. They always return to their homes quickly, it was the darkness which scared them now, they got you when it was dark. Marc Murrell was the first to voice his complaints about the towns new visitors, “They are never out in the light of day, there isn’t even a sign of life in the place until nightfall when they light up their candles.”

Father Richmond sighed, “And when do you light up your candles Marc, noon, morning or do you wait till it grows dark like the members of our congregation that reside in Devereux manor.”

“It ain’t natural.” Marc mumbled as he sat back down seemingly defeated. Jules was the next to rise to his feet, he held his hat tightly in his hands.

“As many of you know, my daughter Melanie was one of the first to disappear. My call to arms was called foolish then, some of you even said I was insane. But now as your loved ones are starting to disappear your tunes suddenly changed...” his hat’s material stretched under the strain of his tightening hands, “Now you ask for my help, ask me to risk my life because you’ve lost one of your children... you weren’t there for me when I needed you, so I wont be risking my life when you need me. “ Jules threw his hat on his head turning to his nearly weeping wife, “Come Nadine, we’ve lost to much to stay out after night and risk losing the rest.”

The two marched out silently as the others tried to build up group approval for the attack on Devereux Manor with calls for torches and heading to arms, they were stammered out as Father Richmond raised his hands as he stood behind the podium. “Children, my children, please calm down. Now... is there any new business.”


Only a few miles from the small town in an abandoned farm house there were a few unwelcome guests. Fortunately enough for the guests though, there were no living members of the family to complain about the occupation of the heirloom home. A figure rose up from bed sliding the covers aside as he moved towards the window, just as he reached for the curtain he stopped, “It has been a long time since I’ve seen some excitement. I almost started the party to early,”

Throwing himself into a seat he began to moan loudly enough so that anyone at rest would have to rise as well, “Come now, I know you’re all excited as well. It’s not often that the Nightfall invite members of the Spirit over for a get together. It’s been over a century since I’ve even seen a Nightfall.” The man lit a candle revealing his face a little more clearly.

It was Petros, he was one of the Spirit Coven’s elders, he was a heavy set middle-aged man who had been granted eternity and with it the jovial nature of a twelve year old, which rarely befit his Coven’s nature. “So gents, do you think they’ll have any cattle prepared for us or will we have to find some in the wild?”


Deep within a cave sat a few figures all seemingly tired of waiting, they were restless. They wanted blood, yet this wasn’t their usual bloodlust, this was different, this was a desire for vengeance. Eric watched as the candle he lit at dawn was reaching its end, watching the flame dwindle was the only thing that calmed him at times like these.

He turned towards Marcus with a grin, “When I ‘joined’ the fang, we were the most fearsome coven of the three, I’ve met few members of the other coven’s that weren’t taken aback by hearing the name Fang. I probably would have killed them had they not shown that respect.” he slapped a hand firmly against his lean muscles as his grin began to fade. “But to have our brethren slaughtered like they were nothing...” A sadistic look washed steadily over his face, “I’ve never wanted to kill out of hate before... but I’m ready to change that.”


As dusk grew closer the Nightfall coven grew more excited, and there numbers in the main hall grew and grew as members filtered in. They were exhilarated, there blood was pumping, they were ready to hunt, but they were even more excited about what would be happening. For the first time since the cataclysm the coven would reunite.

For others it was a time of mourning, Guy sat beside a chess board his finger gently laid atop a rook. “If I move forward, I run into the queen, moving right and left lead only to death and retreat is not an option...” He’d been staring at this situation for nearly an hour it seemed to befit his current status quite well. “Can I remove the Queen from play to continue my move forward, or must I remain behind...” He stared eagerly at the chess board waiting for an answer.

(Vampire hunters can start anywhere, vamps... I'm pretty sure you can figure out where you belong, or start where you'd like whichever. Remember though, the sun is out.)

"Can you please be quiet? Some of us are trying to concentrate here" Geoffrey said quietly to Guy opening his eyes in annoyance, he feared no reperations of addressing an elder so, for he was equal, if not greater. "You've been thinking over that move for the last hour, make your move or forfeit, any normal enemies in reality won't leave you nearly this much time to think over what your going to do" Geoffrey snapped his voice calm and even, though his features somewhat betrayed his annoyment at the continous disruption of his meditations. At the moment, Geoffrey was sitting crosslegged in one corner of the room, away from many of the other vampires of the coven in the building. Not many wanted to go near such a strange vampire, let alone one that was older and stronger then most three combined.

Geoffrey almost never congregated with the any of his coven, or even any other vampires, he preffered a life alone, and left others to go about their own ways. It took an enourmous event, such as what had befallen to covens, to draw Geoffrey to meet up with even three other vampires at a time, let alone all three covens combined. Of course, he was known to many, if only from rumors. He had been in this world for a very long time, and was known in the community for his pecularities and else.

Artemis entered yawning, but more in the noble way of indicating boredom and an overall feeling that he could be elsewhere than the mouth-sucking gape of tiredness. He did not share the elder's glee in this seemingly monumental occasion. If no one had seen a Nightfall in a century that meant no one had seen the Spirit for the same amoun of time.

"Yes, so so sad that we are being forced to reconvene under such depressing circumstances and all that. Perhaps if our Fang brothers had been more cohesive as a group...no, too pointless a thought, past is gone and all that." Artemis stared around the room he would have to be awake in for the time remaining. Not fitting decorum for his usual tastes but ancient and treasured enough for small stays such as this one. "I could scout ahead at the town for another meal come moonlight. It would rile the locals less if they only saw a pale wolf as opposed to a cadre of pale men, although our remaining Fang brethren are probably planning one of their blitzkrieg buffets as we speak."

"Man, how much algea do they have in this water?"

A very wet Thomas Helsing was kneeling by a river. The water had a pretty thick green layer in some spots.

Lying nearby is the torn up remains of a rabbit, the unedible parts strewn about. He was trying to wash the blood off of his face, but it wasn't working out that well. He had to resort to scrubbing with a piece of bark, leaving a rough sore mark on his chin.

Once he was satisfied with the appearance of his face, he brushed himself off and headed back down the road.

He had recieved word through his sources that a village was being attacked by vampires. Every little bit helps.

Guy scoffed at Geoffrey's outburst but he said nothing, he knew better then that. He was not in the same class as Geoffrey and because of that he would have to remain silent. He merely lowered his eyes to the chessboard, he had been playing against himself, but this was not merely a game of chess, it was a calculated plan of the meeting that would take place that very night.

Guy had chosen a rook for himself, it was simple, direct and powerful, he had given the queen to Geoffrey because his elder was versatile and powerful all in one. Also he found it funny to refer to Geoffrey as the queen in his mind, his mind was shielded due to his own mastery of telepathy but someday’s he worried that Geoffrey might force his way in, because of that, the occasional code was necessary. The other figures placed ostentatiously on the board were the knight, which represented the sideways fighting nature of the Fang, and the final piece was the bishop, cold, calculating, it seemed to fit them quite nicely.

I cannot take the queen openly, Guy thought as he quietly focused on protecting his mind from intrusion, But, if I convince the queen, to step back, to become more accessible to his fellow vampir, then he would be put in harms way. Now, I could explain to my queen that, I would protect her, but rook's can provide no actual protection.. they can only redeem the lives that were taken through a vengeful strike. Guy slide back the queen directly in the line of sight of an opposing rook.

No one ever sacrifices their queen for gain, its foolish, everyone would believe I did my best to protect the queen, the knight and spirit would have to believe me. Damn! Guy tightened his grip on the queen, he had spoken a taboo in his mind, he felt no protrusion from Geoffrey, but if there had been then his plan was upon the table which sit before him, for all to see.


"And feed upon the remnants of a Fang slaughter, I'll do no such thing." Petros still had the beliefs of a forty year-old noblemen on top of his jovial nature, eating someone else’s scraps just wasn't in him. "It would be best not to stir up to much trouble in the local countryside, I don't believe any of us will feel the bloodlust should we skip a meal tonight. Though it will be a shame if the three coven's reunite and there was to be no imbibing to celebrate the occasion..."

A knock rang out on the door, it was three quick taps followed by nothing, the traditional code of anyone using a knock system. "Is that you Piotr?"

”Yes my liege, the sun cannot hit the door from its current position, may I enter?” It was spoken as eloquently as a servant would speak to a master. Piotr entered quickly, shutting the door behind him as if he had been waiting all day to rejoin the members of the spirit clan. He was a man of rather large size, he had spent his days before entering the spirits castle as a hard working farmer, his size had caught the eye of many a spirit female, and his ability to follow orders to a ‘t’ were prize as well. ”I have prepared the carriage, we shall be ready to set off upon your command.”

“Thank you Piotr, you may go now.” Piotr quickly left the room, he knew better then to stay when you had the option of leaving, “Piotr is good help, I will rue the day he is changed into a spirit, because then I will have lost the best mortal assistant I have ever had.”

(For the purpose of roleplaying and for my own lazy nature, Piotr who speaks only russian will now speak in size 1 font. If you don’t know russian, ignore it and so forth, oh and all vampires in game automatically have knowledge of all surrounding languages except for inbred, and anybody who chooses otherwise)

Nikulas rose from his seat and picked his axe up from the floor. "Come on Petros, let go out and bring back a few drinks for our brothers. Besides we might see the fang while we're out, and there's no harm in starting festivities a little early."
Nikulas tried to show as much deference as possible to petros, he had learned the hard way a few years ago that the little boy was no one to be trifled with. "Besides, Artemis can keep me in line no problem. So, what do you say?"

Marcus paced the cave. It was a habit he had developed in "life", you could say, and even a few hundred years later in undeath, he still paced when agitated.

Of course, there was a great difference between the man Marcus pacing, and the vampire Marcus pacing.

"Do not change you're point of view too much, Eric." Marcus growled. "The hole dwelling jackals will seek to belittle us, believing us to be weak. The Nightfallers and the Spirits," Marcus spat the names as if they were the most vile insults he could think of, "will seek to use us for their own ends...but it is us who will use them." The vampire smiled savagely. "Oh, to sure, they will prove useful allies, but we must make sure that it is the Fang who will come out of this the more powerful...as we were."

Marcus chuckled at himself. "Forgive me, Eric." he said, "but you know I am no politician. I'd much rather be fighting this new coven myself than meeting with the hole dwellers."

Scared. Running Scared. That is the tale of two young foreigners who travel through europe on an adventure, yet they did not know the sort of adventure they would face. If they only knew, they would have stayed in Britannia. Countless parties were had with the rich and noble, using the gold of their parents to fund their excess pleasures, with the Head strong William towing the meek Je with him.

Je had decided to forego his full name, out of fear that his name would return back to his home country, along with tales of what William had dragged him into, and his mother would kill him. But perhaps he shouldn't have done so, for his mother was fiercer than even the toughest Vampire out there, and if she had come for him he'd be home and safe.

But let me explain. William was led to a large Manor by a pale lass, who's beauty was only surpassed by the feeling of whorishness Je got from her. She seduced Will to a grand party, full of similarly pale men and women, all underneath a full moon. As the night went on, and a strange wine was passed around,William began to lose his head. And the more he lost his head, the more the girl hung about him, resting her head on his shoulder. Getting close to his neck. Before Je (who was against drinking anything other than his hot tea, which as it happens the vampires could brew quite well) could do anything about it, his friend was attacked by the vampiress. In a panic, Je grabbed his friend and ran, with the vampire girl still attached to William's neck. The other vampires could only watch in amusement as Je whisked them away in his fear, and soon the Vampiress couldn't hold on any longer and hit the ground with a thud.

William hit the ground, pale and weak, and Je finally stopped to catch a breath. But as he did so, he found the Vampiress had no wish for her victim to escape, or worse, become like her. And she caught up fairly fast. Je realized she must be no ordinary dame to have caught up with them so fast, and his mind quickly turned to thoughts of werewolves, ghouls, and Vampyres. Then he found he Vampiress's thick nails against his throat, as she choked him with inhuman power.

His only saving grace was his strong legs, and a thick neck, for he whipped himself up and booted her flat in the face, a wound that quickly healed. "Bloody hell!" Je was back at Will's side in an instant, and then, he was gone, running off into the night.

He found and hid within strange catacombs fate lead him to, their entrance obscured by time and by the deathly mist that covered the night. Yet upon his entrance, there was a light. He stowed his friend against the back wall, and covered the entrance with a boulder. He had a feeling that with whatever power's the vampiress had, the boulder would be of little help.

However upon reaching the end, he stumbled upon something that would change his life forever. It seemed as if this place were a hidden workshop of sorts, unused for decades. Metal and leather were about, fashioned into shapes. On a table, there lay many small pointed pieces of metal that glowed strangely, and a large brown jacket that seemed fit for heavy rain.

But further on, there was a pedestal. This was where the light came from, from a metal object that glowed in the dark a yellow light. He was drawn by this light, until he found that he had the object in his hands. It appeared to be a pistol.

He had seen pistols before, but none so like this....
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3 months later, Present day.
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As they trudged through the wilderness, Je couldn't help but gripe.

"What the blazes are we doing out here? Didn't you hear that man? There are vampires attacking villages around here!" Je yelled to the man who called him his apprentice, and despite Je's pleading, didn't wish to help him escape from this wretched country.

No. What this man wanted, was to take Je out and teach him how to kill vampires. Which, as it happened, was the last thing Je wanted to do. But the man was certainly spirited about it.

"Dalthalagus!"

Alagaldon had called out to his rival. The problem with him was he was too cocky for his own good. That, and he had the experience to back it up.

"What now?"

"We have been designated to round up some cattle. We will be going out in a moment. Get ready now."

Dalthalagus sighed. He hated the thought of blood. Hated it with a passion. However, the others loved it, and he would have been screwed if he didn't join them. Sure, he did love to play mind games with his victims, but the whole sucking blood thing made him sick to his stomach.

"Alagaldon, why do I have to go with you?"

"Hush, don't question your elders."

He was right. Alagaldon was the person who turned him, and was many years older than him. Just recently, Eric had mastered another ability. He was always ahead of Dalthalagus, and this just edged over his superiority.

How the hell am I supposed to keep up with him?

"Okay, let's go."

EDIT: Made a cock. Changed the rival's name. Damn my stupidity.

Jager looked at the young man he had been teaching. "What would we be doing here if Vampires wern't attacking towns in this area. That is the real quesion." He leaned forward and patted his horse, scratching her between the armor plating and her ear. "You can't expect to learn anything skulking around were there arn't any vampires. Sure we could go after werewolves, or ghouls, or witches. But there all kiddy stuff. Vampires are much more fun."

Jager pulled up on the reins bringing his steed to a stop and looked around. "Nothing much around here. But I think theres a castle somewhere around here. Thats as likley a spot as any other."





Far across the land Judeaus rose from his coffin to the cold air of the wine cellar he slept in. He felt not the chill nor the thrill of arising. He felt only the hunger that accompanied his long rest. He walked to the cellar doors and pressed a hand to it. Pushing gently it cracked ever so slightly. Looking through he saw the cold stone building he was staying in. Light filtering in from a far away window. It was no yet time to arrise. Turning sharply Judeaus leapt into his coffin, pulling the lid closed he closed his eyes once again. Perhaps next time he awoke, it would be time to kill.