Seriya DeLacey7th-February-2003, 15:53
A note from Seriya’s diary

I had a very strange night last night…. There I was sitting in Nujel’m relaxing in the evening sun – and boy did it feel good to be out of the mask I had to wear to fool those stupid Templars – when this red-robed person walked up and sat down next to me. His face was hidden behind a metal helmet, but I spotted a claw where normally a hand should be… it could only be Ra’Karn Moon, the vampire who’d been our first judge at Kurt’s trial.

Ra was clearly uncomfortable to be out in open, and besides one of the local guards was taking offence to where I’d sat down, seems that particular bench is reserved for the Vizier. They should bloody put a sign on it!

Anyway, Ra seemed to want to talk, so we decided to go to the neighbouring tavern.

Ra said he wanted to ask a favour. I sat down, curious what it was that Ra wanted… but I surely did not expect what he came out with next! “Have you ever been with a man, Seriya?” he asked, in just the same nonchalant tone as one might ask the time. I felt myself going bright red; this is not exactly the sort of conversation I am used to having…

With some embarrassment, I told him the truth: that of course I hadn’t. That news seemed to please him a great deal. He went on to explain that his Childe, Shannon, was about to come to the first anniversary of her turning, an event that would see her become a full-fledged vampire (I’ve no idea what the difference between an initiate vampire and a full one is, but I guess I’ll find out….). For this ceremony he needed the blood of a virgin, which is why he came to me.

I thought for a bit and asked him if donating some blood would have any effects on me or if it would even turn me into a vampire myself, but he assured me that was not the case. He’d only need a vial full at any rate.

I couldn’t see any harm in helping Ra, who after all has done us a big favour with Kurt’s trial – even if Kurt was being bloody unreasonable about it – and to be honest I rather like Ra, sure he’s ugly but he’s also charming, and quite unlike anyone else I’ve ever met…. Besides he’s an interesting person to talk to, he knows an awful lot of stuff about things I’ve only ever heard the Master talk about like planeswalking and drawing power straight from the land, and unlike the Master he actually explains stuff!

Well anyways, to cut a long story short, I agreed.

It was only afterwards that he explained to me how he’d have to draw the blood himself, and how that would make me feel….

*the pen trails off for a bit*

Christ, I need a long hot bath, I’m all giddy. If the other Cloaks find me like that I’d lose all respect and authority that I’ve worked so hard to gain…

[Note: Seriya’s diary is well hidden, so don’t assume for a moment you can know about this IC. I’ve written it up mostly for the records, although I'm sure it will come out before long ]
Seriya DeLacey
13th-February-2003, 16:52
I went to Naeloth again a few days ago. I’m not quite sure why, but the place fascinates me. It is old, and while many of its buildings are seemingly empty, you can still really feel the ghosts of the past and the rich history the place has.

Arriving at the Poisoned Elf Tavern, I set off southwards, passing dead trees and occasionally stumbling over a half-sunken gravestone. After a while I came across an impressive old building. Despite its obvious age, this house was still held in good repair, and obviously inhabited. A bright yellow and black signpost proclaimed it to be the Naeloth library.

I’d heard rumours that Naeloth was home to a great collection of old tomes containing forbidden knowledge of old rituals and evil creatures – could this be it?

Carefully I crept up to the entrance and placed my ear against the door. Inside all seemed quiet. I tried the handle – the door was not locked!

I tiptoed inside to find a dimly-lit room with rows upon rows of bookshelves, holding thick, dusty tomes bound in ancient leather. I wondered only briefly just what kind of creature the leather might have been stripped from; then my curiousity took over and I started to read the titles of the books.

Most seemed to concern the two main races of creatures inhabiting Naeloth – the Vampires and the Drow. I went straight to the shelves containing the lore on the Vampires; perhaps here I would find the confirmation that Ra had indeed spoken the truth when he told me that I would not be permanently affected by his bite.

I had not been reading for long when the door swung open and a pale young man entered. I tried to hide myself behind a bookshelf, but he must have seen me move. He started asking if I’d seen the owner of this house, a certain Garod Tremere. I recognised the name as the author of many of the books on Vampire lore I’d been studying; but unfortunately I could not help him in his search. I peered closely at the young man’s teeth as he spoke; while he lacked the pronounced fangs seen on some other vampires, his teeth had distinct points to them and there was an inhuman hunger in his eyes.

I could see his eyes on me and I knew he was getting hungry. Not wanting to become his next meal – I can do without getting covered in scars like DeadCal was, thank you – I suggested that he speak to the barkeep in the Poisoned Elf who I am pretty sure keeps a good supply of fresh blood behind the bar.

Just at that moment the door swung open, and a tall man of undeterminable age, long grey hair spilling over his black robes, strode in. His eyes immediately fixed on me with a very unfriendly stare. “Who are you?” he thundered. It seemed I’d found the Lord of Tremere, or rather, he’d found me.

I pulled myself together. “My name’s Seriya DeLacey, of the Dark Cloaks. I happened to come across this library when I was strolling around Naeloth. I was merely curious of all the knowledge you have compiled here, I did not mean any harm,” I said.

“Who gave you permission to come in here?” Garod pressed on.

“Permission? I did not realize I needed permission. Are not all libraries public buildings by their very nature?”

Garod gave a small laugh at that, but his manner remained hostile. “This is Naeloth. None of the buildings here are public.” Garod advanced on me, cutting off my escape route to the door. The other younger vampire, who had gone out to find some food, had also returned, and positioned himself next to Garod, all the while still wiping blood off his chin.

I could feel the sweat beading my forehead; this situation could get ugly. Time to see if a little bit of name-dropping would get me out of my predicament.

“Alright then,” I said. “I am in fact an acquaintance of Ra’Karn Moon…. Hence my presence here in Naeloth, and my interest in the place.”

“Is that so? How do you know him?” Garod asked, still suspicious.

“I met him through the trial of Kurt, the Knight’s Templar, at which Ra took the role as the judge.”

Garod considered. The silence was deafening. He looked me straight in the eye. “Are you telling the truth?”

I returned the stare unblinking. At least that’s one benefit of living with the Master, once you get used to him, nothing much scares you anymore.

“She is,” a female voice answered. I looked up, to see that another woman had walked in behind Garod. She lacked the sharp teeth of the vampires; instead her curved and elegantly pointed ears proclaimed her to be an elf. Her face seemed familiar somehow. “I saw her at the trial, she was talking to Ra afterwards.”

“Ah I see,” Garod said, his voice already much softer. “Very well, you may study the books here.” I breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

I didn’t pay much attention as he droned through the rules of the library – most of it was commonsense stuff anyway, like not spilling your drinks on the books – my heart was still racing from Garod’s stare. Even though I was used to the Master, I decided I did not want to face Garod when he was enraged.

I would have to return to this place another day; I’d had enough excitement for one night.