I Don't Drink Wine [IC]

[Lone Star]

KC moved next to Equinox. He nudged her and whispered "This doesn't look legit to me. I don't think they'd try anything before dinner, but should we get our weapons prepared just in case?" KC was shaking slightly, and was clearly fidgeting. "It's just that these guys are seriously giving me the creeps."

[Ecalsneerg]

Greco-Roman deities, huh? Nick thought. Could indicate vrykolakas... or could just be a healthy interest in Hades. Or Hecate. Kinda doubt it'd be Apollo...

"That'd be interesting," he said. He took a seat across from Collins and the men in the robes. "Pleased to make your acquaintance," he said to Collins. "This a standard gathering for your circle, or a special event?"

"Well," said Mr Collins, in a voice curiously high-pitched for his age and gender. "Not a normal gathering, no. I must confess, we're usually a bit less..." He pondered for a second, swirling brandy round the glass held in his hand. "Tame." He grinned wolfishly.

"And what is it you do, Mr... Cimitiere, was it?"

KC moved next to Equinox. He nudged her and whispered "This doesn't look legit to me. I don't think they'd try anything before dinner, but should we get our weapons prepared just in case?" KC was shaking slightly, and was clearly fidgeting. "It's just that these guys are seriously giving me the creeps."

"Not until they try anything. They're creepy, yes," said Siobhan in a low, low voice. "But other than that, we've no proof." Nonetheless, she produced a packet of cigarettes and a lighter, holding them up. "Mind if I smoke?" she asked, with a false smile.

Garfield inclined his head. "By all means indulge your vice." He held up a hand, and a servant appeared from a small side door with a tray of cigars. "Would anyone else like any? Made from the finest... herbs." He looked at Kid Cthulhu inquiringly.

[trollthumper]

"Well," said Mr Collins, in a voice curiously high-pitched for his age and gender. "Not a normal gathering, no. I must confess, we're usually a bit less..." He pondered for a second, swirling brandy round the glass held in his hand. "Tame." He grinned wolfishly.

"And what is it you do, Mr... Cimitiere, was it?"

Nick knew he wasn't exactly on solid ground here. He wasn't sure how clued-in these visitors were to his profession; the invitation had addressed his talents in necromancy, but it probably hadn't been run by the host. For all he knew, the revelation that he was a necromancer might get the same reaction as a member of the KKK attending a Black Panthers function. And vampires knew their way around the rules of hospitality; if any blood was spilled here tonight, the host could always feign ignorance, passing the blame off to his guest. No better way to get rid of a possible problem.

Maybe it's best to be frank...

"I deal in the arts of the dead," he said. "I'm a wanderer of realms and a speaker with spirits. I help resolve unfinished business, and try to keep both the living and the dead safe."

[Lone Star]

"Well," said Mr Collins, in a voice curiously high-pitched for his age and gender. "Not a normal gathering, no. I must confess, we're usually a bit less..." He pondered for a second, swirling brandy round the glass held in his hand. "Tame." He grinned wolfishly.

"And what is it you do, Mr... Cimitiere, was it?"

"Not until they try anything. They're creepy, yes," said Siobhan in a low, low voice. "But other than that, we've no proof." Nonetheless, she produced a packet of cigarettes and a lighter, holding them up. "Mind if I smoke?" she asked, with a false smile.

Garfield inclined his head. "By all means indulge your vice." He held up a hand, and a servant appeared from a small side door with a tray of cigars. "Would anyone else like any? Made from the finest... herbs." He looked at Kid Cthulhu inquiringly.

KC raised an eyebrow. He didn't like the cut of his jib. "Thanks very much, but I don't smoke. It's bad for your health." Not that it would matter to you, you undead weirdo! "So, what exactly do you do study, Mr. Garfield? I'm a student myself."

[Ecalsneerg]

"I deal in the arts of the dead," he said. "I'm a wanderer of realms and a speaker with spirits. I help resolve unfinished business, and try to keep both the living and the dead safe."

"Ah!" exclaimed Mr Collins in apparent satisfaction. "How... refreshing... to see a proper necromancer. One does tire of these necrotheurges animating the dead rather than seeking knowledge from them. You must have seen and learned a thing or two! You know, my friends and I do particularly enjoy a good anecdote..." He took a cigar from a tray proffered to him. ""Hmmm?"

KC raised an eyebrow. He didn't like the cut of his jib. "Thanks very much, but I don't smoke. It's bad for your health." Not that it would matter to you, you undead weirdo! "So, what exactly do you do study, Mr. Garfield? I'm a student myself."

"Good point, kid. Don't start now," murmured Equinox, flicking the lighter on and inhaling deeply. "They'll be the death of you."

"Obviously, I lack that problem," chuckled Garfield throatily. "I study a variety of things. Alas, science and magic have come on much, and the renaissance man is dead, but I still seek to uphold that ideal. A favourite topic of mine is on the forces beyond, such as the one you act as an emissary for. I must say, you are not what I expected. A student? How odd, if my comment does not offend."

[trollthumper]

"Ah!" exclaimed Mr Collins in apparent satisfaction. "How... refreshing... to see a proper necromancer. One does tire of these necrotheurges animating the dead rather than seeking knowledge from them. You must have seen and learned a thing or two! You know, my friends and I do particularly enjoy a good anecdote..." He took a cigar from a tray proffered to him. ""Hmmm?"

Nick passed on the offer of a cigar, then thought on the best anecdote to share with the vampires. "There was a hospital I went to once," he said, "where a ghost had managed to turn the entire spirit side cancerous. He never got to the acceptance stage of death -- then again, it's not as easy as it sounds -- and the disease just... continued on after death. After a while, it started to infect other ghosts, giving them wracking pain. I was able to excise it, but... well, it was a hell of a thing to witness." He turned to the vampires. "How 'bout you? Learned anything interesting in your devotions?"

[Lone Star]

"Good point, kid. Don't start now," murmured Equinox, flicking the lighter on and inhaling deeply. "They'll be the death of you."

"Obviously, I lack that problem," chuckled Garfield throatily. "I study a variety of things. Alas, science and magic have come on much, and the renaissance man is dead, but I still seek to uphold that ideal. A favourite topic of mine is on the forces beyond, such as the one you act as an emissary for. I must say, you are not what I expected. A student? How odd, if my comment does not offend."

"Yes- I do like to learn a little something every day." It would probably be best if the vampire didn't know he had a human form as well. "I study under a few teachers, and I know enough about what lies beyond. Too much curiosity can kill you, especially with those sorts of things. I also am a budding artist, and I study liberal arts. Have you an interest in art?"

[Ecalsneerg]

Nick passed on the offer of a cigar, then thought on the best anecdote to share with the vampires. "There was a hospital I went to once," he said, "where a ghost had managed to turn the entire spirit side cancerous. He never got to the acceptance stage of death -- then again, it's not as easy as it sounds -- and the disease just... continued on after death. After a while, it started to infect other ghosts, giving them wracking pain. I was able to excise it, but... well, it was a hell of a thing to witness." He turned to the vampires. "How 'bout you? Learned anything interesting in your devotions?"

"Hmmm... that does sound awful," agreed Collins, "I have once seen something similar. Someone once bound a plague demon into a wolf, which ran riot, biting and tearing at people all around. But it didn't spread lycanthropy. In fact, it was bringing back the Black Plague. I don't know who stopped it, but by the end, all that was left of it was a burned skull on the gates of a nearby town."

"Yes- I do like to learn a little something every day." It would probably be best if the vampire didn't know he had a human form as well. "I study under a few teachers, and I know enough about what lies beyond. Too much curiosity can kill you, especially with those sorts of things. I also am a budding artist, and I study liberal arts. Have you an interest in art?"

"Of course! In fact, I have some rare originals upstairs if you'd care to see. There is a little-known painting by Van Gogh, most are unaware of its existence. I own it, naturally." The vampire looked deeply pleased with himself, then jumped slightly as a bell was rang. "Ah! Dinner! Would you all care to follow me?"

He led the group to an exquisite dining room, with a huge mahogany table, laden with plates, glasses and bottles of wine, spirits and some darker, redder liquid. "Sit down, sit down!" pronounced Garfield as he seated himself at the head of the table.

[Lone Star]

He followed the vampire, wary for any sudden movements. He had a feeling that they would be too polite to attack their guests before dinner, but he wouldn't put it past them.

Kid Cthulhu nervously sat towards the middle of the table, while at the same time admiring the craftsmanship of the house. Sure, they may be immortal undead monsters, but they had class, if nothing else. He had his hands in his pockets, and was fidgeting with the rune in his pocket, his fingers tracing over the blasphemous symbol.

[trollthumper]

"Hmmm... that does sound awful," agreed Collins, "I have once seen something similar. Someone once bound a plague demon into a wolf, which ran riot, biting and tearing at people all around. But it didn't spread lycanthropy. In fact, it was bringing back the Black Plague. I don't know who stopped it, but by the end, all that was left of it was a burned skull on the gates of a nearby town."

"That's demons for you," Nick said. "Infernalism's really something I don't care to deal in. Death's something clean, when it isn't being perverted, and souls have the right to their own liberation and purpose in undeath. Demons, however... the things most of them deal in just twist all sense of propriety."

He led the group to an exquisite dining room, with a huge mahogany table, laden with plates, glasses and bottles of wine, spirits and some darker, redder liquid. "Sit down, sit down!" pronounced Garfield as he seated himself at the head of the table.

Nick took a seat at the table, considering the liquids. Well, I know which vintage I'm not drinking...