[Official NPC]

It had been seven and a half months since his Layla was killed, and Marshal Cael Oisin was now, finally, staring across his desk at her murderer.

It took every ounce of self-control to keep his backside resting on the supple leather of his chair and his fingers steepled on his desk, the white of his knuckles the only evidence of his still-raging fury and grief. All he wanted was to throw himself across the broad desk and bury his hands in the vampire's neck, but this was so much worse than just being faced with his Layla's killer.

Both of these vlareons had been on Oisin's payroll as trusted employees. He had been financing his wife's killers.

“Do you really want this office so badly, Brennig?” It had been a rhetorical question, however, and Brennig had merely glared at him. The pair of them had been trussed up when they were brought in, and Oisin hadn't seen fit to unleash them. He could tell by the look in their eyes that they knew all too well their fate, and the grieving widower he was trying to hide revelled in that knowledge. I'll bring them to justice, Layla, just as I promised. Even if it had been outsiders to do it.

“Take them away.” He watched, barely moving, as several Guardsmen came forward to cart the pair away, and then turned to face the group responsible for their arrest. “I suppose you think you're something, eh?” Each one of them looked more than a little worse for wear, like children playing grown-up games. He'd refused entry to the two vampires at first, but when they started explaining what they were doing with his second-in-command and one of his vampire hunters tied up, and shown that de Lellan was a vampire himself, Oisin hadn't a leg to stand on. He couldn't continue to hold the city accountable for one vampire's actions, despite his new-found dislike for the bloodsuckers.

“See Tompkins for your reward.” Sitting back in his chair, deflated by the treachery, he gestured for them to leave. It was only as they were filing out the door that he relented. “And talk to Bailey. I'm sure she'll show her own gratitude for what you've done.”

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An audience with Queen Bailey was even tougher than getting in to see Oisin, but someone at the Marshal's Office must still be working with the cabal on the sly because news had filtered down to the Crypt by the time the group got there. Bryan the Bouncer checked them over, letting Txelu and Isabel in without batting an eye over their fangs, but then decreed that the others would need an escort. He made them wait while he entered the foyer and called for Marcus, who waved them in with a deliberate flash of fang.

Once upstairs, they were made to wait yet again while Marcus knocked upon his queen's door and entered at her call, closing the door behind him to discuss the matter. A full minute ticked by before he opened the door to wave in the group, and then he bowed out and shut the door to wait out in the hall.

“I hear you've done us a service today,” Bailey acknowledged silkily. Her red hair framed her heart-shaped face and bloodred lips, matching the black and red leather vest and pants she wore, her gaze skipping over the group one by one. She sighed. “It's a shame. Cael and I worked well together up to Layla being killed, but despite your efforts I doubt he'll ever support us again. Still, Vic's been a thorn in the Rose's side for a long time. I always wondered when he'd make his move, but I never suspected he had this in him. You did well to stop him, and prove to this city that the Rose wasn't responsible. Maybe with some work we can get back to the even footing we had before this whole thing, and according to my sources, we've you to thank for that.”

Moving behind her desk on stiletto heels, she opened a small drawer and brought out a series of flasks, one for each member of the group. “These flasks make you card-carrying members of the Black Rose, so treat them well. They normally hold blood, of course, enough for two meals.” To prove it, she unscrewed the lid of one to reveal the obvious compartment in the top, then separated the top and bottom halves to reveal a hidden container in the latter.

The flasks she had pulled from the drawer were empty, but she then opened another and removed a small wooden box from from it. “But I suppose blood's useless in your case,” although she eyed Isabel and Txelu as if to question that statement.

Taking small vials from the wooden case, she poured a healthy amount of each into both containers of each flask. “Tepumine and golding,” she explained, “enough for ten uses of each. Or would you two rather have the blood?”

With the dispensing done, she fastened the flasks and handed them over. “Remember, these will not grant you access to the Crypt. Some of my vampires are new to this life and come here as much to get away from the temptation of blood, so I'll not torment them with your throbbing veins. Others simply have no conscience and are kept in line only by the laws we've all agreed to uphold; I do not wish to start another war with the locals by thrusting you into their faces. But you'll see the Crypt's main COM number engraved into the lid of those flasks. If you ever need our help, call that number and state your name - we'll be there no questions asked.”

It may not seem like much of a reward to these youngsters, but Bailey considered it generous. Tepumine especially was expensive and golding also not cheap just as the flasks had been custom designed and made (though originally for an entirely different purpose). She did not offer the aid of her cabal lightly, either, as doing so put them at risk, but the Rose owed them a great favour. Who knew how bad things could have gotten if Vicente managed to succeed, or if Layla Oisin's murder went unsolved?

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OOC: Thank you all for participating in this plot! I hope you enjoyed it immensely, and that you like your prizes!

To summarise, everyone who participated (that's Phen, Isabel, Nic, Txelu and even Piper) has earned themselves a new trophy and ζ500 which is a share of the reward posted by the Marshal's Office.

Those who also took part in the effort to capture and drag Vicente and Brennig to Oisin's office (three cheers for Isabel, Phen, Txelu and Kiel!) also got the flask from Bailey which for non-vampires contain 10 uses of tepumine (which heals minor to life-threatening injuries) and 10 uses of golding (which heals minor to major injuries) as well as being a symbol you can flash to any Black Rose member to ask for their help*. (Txelu and Isabel can choose whether to take both healing potions, just one potion and one blood meal, or two blood meals instead. The flask is also a reminder that Bailey owes you one.)

* You could get lots of little favours, or one big favour, but the offer isn't limitless so use it wisely!

Please remember to add the flasks and their contents to your inventories. This forum is now closed to new replies.