☬ 4th of Seariing, Year 123, A.o.S ☬
Company: Victor and refugees | Thoughts: Time to get serious | Mood: Calm, Collect, Concerned
Company: Victor and refugees | Thoughts: Time to get serious | Mood: Calm, Collect, Concerned
☬ The estate was bustling with the sounds of movement, as the refugees that were saved by Dreyfus had been busy getting settled and seeing what repairs needed to be made. Dreyfus walked the halls of his home, casually touching the walls, finding it oddly nice having bodies and movement in the manor once again. He felt something tugging on his pant leg to find children gathered around him.
Internally he wasn't sure what to do but they were mere children and he gave them a polite smile patting one of them on the head. Moving passed them he found his way into his father's study. There he found Victor and Donivan standing around his father's desk, a map on top of it and Victor drawing lines on it. "Making plans already I see?" he jested coming to sit in the chair.
"Merely trying to plan our next move." Victor mused, making three distinct marks on the map. Next to that, he made three smaller marks on it. "Give me the lay of land. I've been gone for a year and need to know what I'm up against." Victor nodded as he pointed to the three large marks on the map.
"As of right now, from what I have gathered in the time you were on vacation, three factions are vying for control of Zaichaer. There is Government in Exile, The Dornkirk Contingent, & The Generals on the Ground." he began, though he stopped as Dreyfus seemed to react to hearing the name Dornkirk. He couldn't help but burst into laghter as the last he heard of the Dornkirks, they had a bounty on their heads for their involvement in the Black Wedding.
"Forgive me, but the last time I heard of the Dornkirks, they had been implicated in the murder of the Sovereign of Kalzasi. Both men have a bounty on their heads by the Iron Queen." he sneered, overly amused by the thought as Victor continued. "From what I've been able to ascertain is that each faction has been careful in their movements, but have consolidated quite a force behind them, though no group is giving the other recognition of authority."
Dreyfus looked at each point on the map, choosing to start with the Government in Exile. "They are what remains of the old ways, led by General Overman. The General gathered together the rest of the military, air, and army, that were still fighting that meaningless war. They have taken refuge in Kathiid and the man is calling himself the de facto Grand Marshal." he scoffed, giving the impression that there was something he knew Dreyfus & Donivan may not have been privy to. In any case, he continued.
"Next is the Dornkirk Contengent. They are going by the Sky Islands now as the Windworks is now airborne. Somehow they were able to lift the factory and the surrounding area into the air. They have accrued a unique group of people, remnants of the Order of Reconciliation, the coven mages that helped with the breach in the sky that first spewed chaos into the world. From what I have gathered, they seem to be more of a council in terms of leadership, collaborative if you will." he added as he set his eyes on the last.
"And last but not least we have the Generals on the Ground. They consist of fort commanders and other influential officers who together, boast the most military presence in the aftermath of everything. That said, none of them will acknowledge the other as a key authority figure among them as they all believe they are worthy to lead. They by far pose the greatest threat as they hold the majority of the military and resources." he noted, as there really wasn't much else to discuss about the topic.
Motioning for both men to follow him Victor moved to go out towards the courtyard. Friendly faces nodded and waved as the vampyre followed his former mentor through the halls of his childhood home. "Next thing we must deal with is repairing the estate, finding a stable and secure food source, and dealing with the Anarchists that threaten the perimeter and the city as a whole." Victor stopped and turned to Dreyfus, his eyes looking to the vampyre for input.
"If anything we should reach out to the Sky Islands, If I know the Dornkirks, they will definitely be out trying to help the people." Dreyfus noted, looking out one of the many windows to the horizon. For a moment he was simply taking in the view, as he liked the way the sin hit this side of the house during this time of the day. He then reached into his breast pocket and took out a piece of paper that had been there.
Taking the writing instrument Victor had used to draw lines on the map he wrote a letter. It was one addressed to Stefan, as he wasn't sure how Brenner would react or receive such a missive from a man who should be dead. Hells he wasn't even sure how the eldest Dornkirk would respond. Folding it up, he handed it to Donivan, placing his hand on the mortal's shoulder. "Take this to the sky Isles. Give it to no one other than Stefan or Brenner Dornkirk, understood?"
The human nodded, taking the piece of paper, and headed off to deliver the missive. Turning his attention back to Victor the two continued out into the courtyard. There they were joined by two other folks. "And who might you two be?" he asked, to which both figures bowed as if to a divine figure. It was something Dreyfus was coming to find......offputting to witness. These refugees seemed to see him in a light he was not used to nor that he asked for.
The first of the two was a tall stocky man, given his build it was hard to tell where his muscle and his fat began as both blended well on his frame. The other was a woman well within her years but holding an air of elegance to her as she gracefully curtseyed to him. "These two are Argo and Hannah. Argo worked in construction, he had a hand in some of the city's building projects and can handle all the needed repairs. Hannah is a field medic and was among some of the volunteers helping with relief aid. They wish to put their talents to use and are looking for direction."
It was clear they were eager to aid the vampyre in his endeavors, and taking a step he came close to them, pricking both mortals enough to draw a single drop of blood. Tasting Argo's first he saw the man's memories, his capabilities and talents, his pains and sorrows, and as he did so a crystal rose would form in his hand. Next, the same thing came for Hannah. Both mortals looked with awe as he collected himself, as walking through every detail of one's life up till now was.......an experience to say the least.
"You both are more than qualified to do so, I leave the repairs of the estate and anything that needs to be built to you Argo. As for you Madame' Hannah, help the people get what they need. Report back to me, Victor, or Donivan when he returns with whatever supplies the people need to be comfortable here." With that both mortals bowed, smiles wide on their faces as they departed from the vampyre and his mentor. Dreyfus was about to retire to his room when Victor tapped his shoulder and motioned for him to follow.
He led the vampyre into the estate's greenhouse, a shell of what it once was, but a place Dreyfus planned to rejuvenate in the coming days. It wasn't till they reached the solitude of the inner garden of the greenhouse that Dreyfus could see the concern on Victor's face. It was a rare sight to see, so he knew the hardened veteran wouldn't bother him with it if it wasn't important.
"I know it's a lot to ask of you, among the responsibilities you already have on your plate, but you know me well enough that I wouldn't ask you if I had any other choice. Before you showed up, I lost contact with three agents of mine. If I am to be quite frank about it, if they were there, I doubt we would have needed your assistance." he began, finding a place to sit. "However that is not the case and I need your help, these three volunteered to help us and I can't just leave them behind. If something happened to them....."
His words were interrupted by the feeling of Dreyfus coming to rest a firm hand on his shoulders. "When was the last time you heard from them." the vampyre inquired, glowing eyes of crimson and orange looking down on the mortal. "About a week or so before you found us. Pyrrhus was checking on the anarchists who have taken over the estates near here. Then there is Ellasir, an elven warrior whom I tasked with keeping tabs on some recent Warrens activity, another entrance had opened up a while ago. And then there is Liliana, a mage who is looking into rumors of a cult settling in the mines."
His eyes looked up to meet those of the vampyre, a sense of pleading welling up in them. "If I never ask anything else of you Dreyfus, all I ask is that you find them. If they are alive, bring them back here. But if the off chance that you find them and they are already dead....." he paused in those words, his eyes dipping down away from the vampyre for only a moment. "Then I want you to salt the earth with the ashes of those responsible for their deaths." Victor's eyes held such intensity it brought a smile to Dreyfus's lips.
With a sinister laugh, the vampyre turned to exit the greenhouse, only uttering a single parting phrase.
"So be it." ☬
"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
