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Re: (TFT) SOLO II
You are standing there over the shattered bodies of your assailants.
Their spilled blood seems to be slowly flowing back into their bodies. Very
slowly. You shake your head and realize you are seeing things. Vampires
they may have been, but you have a silver tipped spear. A magical one at
that. The blood is not moving. They will remain dead.
The pounding of your heart is slowing. You become aware of the park
around you. The old bent man with the net-on-a-pole is staring at you with
his mouth open. Aghast. When he sees that you are now looking at him he
drops his pole as though it had bit him, but remains where he is. He looks
too scared to move.
Around the courtyard you can see monks and friars on the second story
balcony of the Presbyteree. Businessmen are standing still outside the
Cabildo looking your way. Work has stopped on the docks, and all the
workers are watching.
There is a sense of expectation in the air. Like they are waiting to
see if you will slay the rat catcher as well. He seems to become aware of
this and makes a noise. Eeeep. He looks sad and scared.
You point at the body of brother Io. Bring him. You turn and stride
to the Cathedral. As you approach you can see monks, friars, businessmen,
and dock workers gathering. When you reach the large double doors quite a
crowd has gathered. They are staying well clear of you and just watching.
Curious, expectantly. You mount the steps and look back. More people are
coming. The crowd is still growing. The rat catcher is carrying brother
Ios body over his shoulder. He is coming through the crowd unhindered as
they make a path for him. You turn and enter the Cathedral.
The Saint Louis Cathedral is empty, peaceful, and smells of incense.
You direct the rat catcher to place brother Ios body on the floor before
the altar. Monks, priests, and friars timidly start coming in and filling
the place up. There is no conversation. No murmurs in the crowd of holy
men. Total silence. They seem to be waiting. It will probably take a few
more minutes before the bishop can be fetched.
You turn to the rat catcher and address him. Everyone listens. What
is your name. He looked as though he was turning to sneak out when the
sound of your voice startles him. He turns back to you, drops to his knees
and removes his grimy cap. I am Roget, Father. He pronounces the name
Roget like this; Row-jay.
Are you a rat catcher? you ask. He replies Rats, dogs, opossum,
armadillo. Vermin and strays. It has been my job for two score years,
Father. Suddenly he blushes. The blush looks strange on a man as old as
he. Apparently he has become very self conscious under the eyes of so many
silent priests. Um, yes. He wrings his hat and looks at the floor.
I am to need your skills old man. You will become a catcher of rats
for the church. You raise your voice a little. The crowd is listening
anyway. All those rats that came through the gate yesterday are nosferatu.
Vampire. He raises his eyes to meet yours. You continue the city is
under great threat. We must catch every one of them, and slay them with
silver.
A murmur breaks out in the Cathedral. The tone sounds negative.
Someone in the back snorts with disbelief. Just then the crowd parts and
the bishop comes strolling in. He has a long staff (a crosier) and a tall
hat with a split in the top (miter) on his head. As he comes striding up to
you he speaks aloud. A bloody spear in the house of God. Bodies of men
laying on the lawn. He is almost upon you. The body of a monk before the
alter. This last bit seems to be directed at you like an accusation.
He stops one pace away from you. He moves his right hand a little,
presenting it to you. It has his bishops ring on one of the fingers.
There is a tense feeling in the air as everyone waits to see if you will
slay him too.
You lay your spear on the ground, step forward, and kiss the ring. The
bishop gestures for you to rise. He addresses you loudly so that all may
hear. You have done well Father Lubik. To survive this secret errand on
which I have sent you. To free the village of vampires, and restore the
church there. Very well indeed. He turns to face the crowd, standing
beside you.
An elderly priest of another order steps forward to protest. This is
preposterous. I saw this... He seems to be searching for the right word.
This, MAN, slay the guard with my own eyes. Are you saying the Church
condones this action.
The bishop looks to you to answer. You step up Those men were
nosferatu. The crowd erupts in open disbelief, snorts, and even laughter.
Before you left, you remember hearing rumors that some thought the bishop
was becoming senile in his advancing age. You see now that the majority
firmly believes it.
The other priest speaks again. You think his name is Arnold, or
Arnault, or something. There are no vampires left. Remember? They were
all slain over a hundred years ago. The crowd is nodding in agreement.
These words seem to be an obvious truth to them.
Now the bishop speaks. In this new land we have discovered that the
blood drinking still exists. I have suspected for years that there were
much older, much stronger nosferatu here than we ever vanquished in the old
world. He pauses dramatically. ``We now have proof.''
There is an eruption of shock that ripples through the room. Everyone
in the crowd takes a step back in fear. The body of brother Io has stood up
behind you and the bishop. He was slain by one of the guards halberds, it
wasnt silver, and he has regenerated. You turn and scoop up your spear.
Brother Io bares his fangs and tries to leap on the bishop.
Brother Io
ST: 21 Bite 1+2
DX: 15
IQ: 15
MA: 10/10
\__/ \__/A \__/ \__/
/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \
\__/ \__/I \__/ \__/
/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \
\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/
/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \
\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/
/ \__/ \__/B \__/ \
\__/ \__/L \__/ \__/
/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \
A: alter
I: brother Io
B: the bishop, ST: 8
L: Lubik
He will try to engage the bishop in HTH and bite him. Anyone bitten
must roll 3D vs. DX or be turned. No one will help, they are too stunned.
The bishop will only try to resist HTH but will not try to escape from it.
[slaying brother IO is worth 36 experience.]
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