Mirrors (Episode 1)

Ah, so they were bored. Understandable enough. Lucian stroked a finger down the middle of Useless's head, an action that let him return to normal mentally. "Are there a lot of vampires here? At least, I assume that is what you are." Left hand of the left hand. An odd title but, depending on who the left hand was serving, potentially high up the chain of command.

Sanguinor completes the circuit of the dining table and sits down in the chair closest to the western doors.


A thin smile forms at the corners of the lips. "There are a few of us here in this sanctuary of T'Lorn." The vampire answers Lucian's question. "It is the Eternal City after all and what more fitting a locale for us, No?"

"That depends," Radu says with a smile, "Do you find any shortage of refreshment in such a place? It must get terribly boring in a place where nothing around you changes." He takes a swig of his own crimson-filled glass and continues. "Your work must keep things interesting. Pray tell, what is it you do as the left hand of the left hand?"

"Sometimes the stock runs low, but new vintages can still be procured, unless the multiverse happens to collapse." Sanguinor says dryly. "Information gathering and procurement are some of my responsibilities and you might may surprised at what entertainment can be had."

"Information gathering," Radu says, "I see. So what do you think of us all gathered here? Know you our purpose for being called to this location - if you are a master of information, surely you could tell us of this place and the summons we received. Or are you here to procure more information and learn what you can of us?"

Keltos tries to "Read" Sanquinors emotions. Does he get any impression of hostility, amusement, true curiosity, something else, annoyance, perhaps? - Insight.

Assuming from the Chamberlains reaction he was not invited to this. Keltos already gets the impression, that this newcomer isn't one for procedure and protocol. Additionally his casual attitude in the domain of another lord speaks of power, contempt and disrespect even.

Keltos can feel his hand reaching for his blade and his mind already contemplating escape routes.

Chamberlin finally vanishes through the western doors and Sanguinor takes another sip from the goblet.


"All within the confidence of our Lord Orb have some knowledge of your existence, your deeds, your experiences until this moment. Although, few know everything. You have been invited for a great purpose, but surely you already know this. I will refrain from spoiling any missing elements of your knowledge regarding this for your upcoming audience with our realm's lord."

Sanguinor takes another drink and looks down the table at the hooded monk. "Why so tense, Seeker? Do you think me so crass as to ignore the rules of hospitality at your first meal?"

Casually, the vampire's attention shifts back to Radu. "I am, in confidence, here to assess more about you each in person and convey any insights to the Inner Council of T'Lorn." Sanguinor shrugs. "Observations so far are that, by appearances, the eight chosen are competent, yet in general are not very sociably inclined. Perhaps, this is due uncertainty or the nature of your observer?"

"Perhaps for the same reason a gathering with strangers before dawn may make you tense" Says Keltos somewhat relaxing his grip.

"Please forgive," Radu says, relaxing slightly, "I do spend much of my time in solitude, and it's been quite some time since I've been a position such as this. I am clearly out of the my element. That said, this whole affair is quite off-putting. We find ourselves pulled from our respective realms to this City-out-of-Time. Now our first gathering and a Vampire Lord joins us for breakfast. There are many questions and not many answers as of yet.

I will say, however, this breakfast is quite wonderful." He grins and looks to those up and down the table, "Did you all also find your exact, desired breakfast available before you? 'Tis a nice a trick!

"No, Lord Sanguinor, I believe your hospitality is quite unwavering to this point." He raises his glass.

"So we are to be Champions Eternal, perhaps. Will this place us as allies, or competitors?"

Sociably inclined? Lucian found it hard to imagine the person that would be outgoing and talkative in this situation. Perhaps this sort of thing was more common in this realm. "I find myself thinking we are acting how most people would in this situation. While I am not opposed to conversation with strangers, this isn't quite the time for it. Right now I'm more of the mind to figure out where I stand and where everyone else stands." He gives a small shrug, his demeanor calm but alert.

"If I have a desire to be chatty with anyone, it would be Kris. As we appeared in each other's dreams I am curious about the connection there. But as we have no idea who is meant to be friend and who is meant to be foe, forming genial relationships seems to be getting a tad ahead of ourselves." He turns his head to speak directly to Sanguinor instead of the table in general.

"I would be interested in knowing more from you, perhaps, as you seem to be highly involved. But you have already stated you have no intention of spoiling - that was the word? - what is to come. So, I find myself more inclined to wait for someone who will give at least some answers. From the sounds of it, that may be a wait. I usually only talk to Useless and Marengo as they are excellent conversation partners that are not at all inclined to be mysterious about things." He pauses slightly before adding one more remark.

"The accommodations and breakfast are welcome, if not a bit suspicious in their 'free' nature."

Sanguinor grins at Keltos' words. "Ahh, but T'Lorn has no dawn. Concern on my part—averted."

The vampire takes another sip and inclines its head toward Radu. "Guests are a rare occasion in the palace. So, we here all a form of group solitude for the most part. I am glad you are enjoying our hospitality so far. In the bigger scheme of things, I would say allies. For, none of us will survive for long unless we can combine our strengths." Sanguinor pauses. "There. I have said too much on the matter."

The vampire looks between Lucian and Kris, with a grin, then finishes the blood from the goblet and casually stands. "Connections are one of the key things I am interested in observing. Your wait will not be a long one, I assure you." It tells Lucian.

"Enjoy the rest of your meal, our honored guests. I will be watching and awaiting our next meeting." Sanguinor says bidding the group of Champions adieu, before turning and leaving through the doors it arrived in.

Kris quietly listens and observes as she is eating. She waits until Sanguinor the Curious has departed, before speaking across the table to Lucian. "I too would like to learn more about what any connection between us might mean and learn more about you. Maybe later we will have the chance to talk more privately?"

Taj finishes the contents of the glass she is holding and raises it to summon one of the servants to refill it. "We have now learned that our enigmatic host, Lord Orb, is advised by an Inner Council of which Sanguinor may be a part." She announces to the gathering. "We have also learned that T'Lorn has no dawn. Presumably, this means that there is no rotation of a sun and moon."

Lucian looked at Kris as she spoke, and nodded in agreement to her proposition. Mutual curiosity was as good a starting place as any. "A good idea, and we will hopefully know more of the general situation by then."

His attention turned to Taj as she spoke, appreciative of her ability to sum up key components. "Perhaps 'no dawn' could be an expression? They could have some system that fills the same functions but isn't what we would recognize it as. Your thought is probably more likely, but as this is a realm far beyond the reaches of my own, all I think we can truly say about it is that it is great conditions for vampires. I wonder how plants grow with no sun." If this place truly had no sun, that would mean everything here had to function in a unique way. That was rather interesting, even if eternal night sounded exhausting.

Scene 4: An Audience

True to his word, Chamberlin returns after twenty minutes and announces it is time for the guests to meet their host. He escorts the entire gathering of Champions and their respective companions down the the spiraled staircase two flights and then through one of the side passages out of the Octagon Tower and into another part of the palace. Eventually, he stops a a pair of tall ornate doors of dark wood banded with a bluish grey metal and intricately carved and embellished with swirling patterns and depictions of orb-like shapes.


"Our lord awaits within." He tells them and opens the doors.

Within is a grand chamber, with a high vaulted ceiling rising to at least sixty feet. A long wide path extends down the middle of the chamber, which is lit by large sconces and braziers filled with flames of violet. In the near distance, all can see steps leading up to a higher platform flanked by two gigantic statues of dark stone. These statues are of armored warriors astride their steeds and brandishing huge spears.


Along the sides of the walk are positioned two pairs of masked guards. the first with sheathed long swords

The second, with a matching pair of khopesh crossed on their backs.

With doors open, Chamberlin enters and bids them all to follow with a simple gesture of his hand.



Upon entering, the doors close of their own accord and as the Champions advance they notice, hovering in midair at the edge of the rise, two small silver orbs.

Kris has to consciously hold her mouth closed, as it wants to drop open when viewing the size and magnificence of Lord Orb's audience hall. She looks over at Lucian wide-eyed, "This place is huge.." She strokes Blue's fur as the little monkey hugs around her neck for safety.

Not to be left behind, she tries to keep up and moves forward along the center path.

Keltos can be seen slowly scanning his surrounding, pausing every now and then only to begin again.

Lucian keeps pace, and looks around with open curiousity. "Almost too big...unless there is a creature that requires this space?" He doesn't stop looking around as he responds to Kris, but his head tilts slightly toward her to indicate who it is meant for. If it wasn't know in general.

When he sees the two silver orbs, he can't help but stare. His question is directed to Chamberlin when he speaks. "Are there two Lord Orbs? Or are those other orbs?" So many orbs in this place, hopefully it would be obvious which one he shouldn't go offending.

"This hall is truly impressive," Radu says, authentically awed by the grandeur of it. He takes mental notes - while the aesthetics did not match his preference, there was certainly something to say of the sheer immensity of it all. He strides forward, up the stairs, with his queens falling behind. He stops at one of the orbs and peers into it more closely.