Posed: A Riddle

Amongst the usual business, Morcant takes a moment.

"My lords and ladies, as the Night Eternal cannot be all work and no play... a riddle.  And, though it be small offering given my newness to the court, a minor boon from me to them that answer it.  It comes from the old tales of Arthur and his knights, and I'm rather fond of it."

His expression unreadable behind his silver mask, he muses, "What is it that women desire above all things of this world?"

(OOC: Happy international women's day to the ladies among us!)

(Ettiquette: Them that answer it correctly)

Giric will smile.  "A good riddle, one who's answer is true of nearly all who walk this world."

Giric will walk forward and whisper quietly his answer to Count Morcant, then take several steps back.

Morcant tilts his head as Giric whispers to him, then he nods, once.

"Correct. Freedom, to follow their own wills and their own consciences. I owe you a minor boon, friend."

"With a glad heart, it is accepted.  Perhaps in time the womenfolk of this land will be less burdened.  This winter was hard, and it seems to strike those with less all the harder.

You mentioned an interest in King Arthur's tales.  What do you think of the King's interest in excalibur?  Cainite and mortal knights have come through looking for it. Do you think such a blade really exists?"

"Hm. That depends, does it not? What is a sword, but for the hand that wields it? In the hand of the unworthy, would Caliburn be anything exceptional? For what it is worth, I believe that the sword of the King of Britain was real. I do not necessarily believe it was sorcerous--perhaps the nature of the man was such that it made onlookers believe that it was."

"Which is not to say that it was not. And of course I am interested in Arthur's tales, my friend--I'm Welsh!" Morcant straightens, ever so slightly and ever so haughtily when he says that, though there's a note of laughter in his voice that is... unusual for a Graverobber.

"Then I may suggest that you speak to a Malkavian by the name of Tericius Ledger.  (ST Jamie)  He also believes truth lies behind the legends, and seeks to find the blade.  

The last I saw him he had encouraged cainites to seeks clues within the church at Scarborough.  Rumor has it that some were successful in finding information hidden there.  
Personally, while I enjoy the tales and believe there to be some truth behind them, I also think much of it has been fabricated and exaggerated by the tongue of men throughout the ages.  As they say, tales grow in the telling."

"Time adds a golden patina to all things. All tales grow in the telling. Such is the way of things. A barbarian chief trying desperately to hold onto the last tatty scraps of Roman civilization becomes the golden High King of all Britain. I do not seek Caliburn." He gives a bitter, acrimonious laugh. "I am not worthy to grip it. But... maybe I will seek him out. I can't help but be curious."

"I am sure he would appreciate your interest in the matter, although I am not sure where his travels have taken him to currently."

::Giric will walk over to his things and pour himself a glass of wine, which he will sip slowly, obviously enjoying the vintage.  Turning back to Morcant.::

"I have not had the opportunity to enjoy your company in any length previously.  If you have a moment I would like to hear more of your tale.  Wine?"

::Kendra smiles at the answer to the riddle, but frowns at the mention of Arthur:: I enjoyed the tales of King Arthur, but he was not anything like the stories would have you believe. He may have been benevolent to the kine of this island but he hunted our kind without ceasing. Many of my sisters fell to his murderous knights and their crusades, the day his blade was lost was a day of celebration for all our kind.

Morcant steps backward, and then makes a sweeping gesture. "Wine. I am Count Morcant of the Clan Cappadocian. Scholar, sorcerer, physic and chirugeon. Currently aligned to Baronet Domnal."

::Giric will pour a glass of wine and hand it to count morcant.  If he is not able to enjoy food at least the smell is pleasant and fragrant.  He will give a warm smile to kendra.::

"My lady Kendra, it is a pleasure to see you and hear your recounting of our history.  Truly I would love to hear your tales more often, few can hope to match your knowledge of this land.  Could I possibly entice you to share more of what you know on this subject?  A tale from that fabled time?"

::Kendra nods:: Very well Master Giric, I will tell you a tale but I would request in turn a song, my young maidens often speak of your fame in the courts of this island, I would say you have fans among my retinue, and I would very much like to hear you play.

Arturus was a king of men, and he was not a man, he was a true beast. There was a reason his men called him the bear-king, I will share with you what I have heard from one of my sisters, who is no longer alive to verify the truth of this tale.
It is from a time when his knights began to clean the island of our influence, keep in mind this was before Mithras was reawakened, and only slightly after the hateful Romans abandoned the island and their own kind to die. My sister, Caoimhe, daughter of Magda, was assaulted in her grove. She gave no offense to those knights, when they asked for water she brought it for them when they asked for bread she baked it for them, she had no desire to cause mischief, like many of my sisters she only wanted to live in peace. They ate her bread and drank her water and when they had finished they laughed and drug her out of her own grove, they did so as the moon was full and with very little fight, the five great men of honor placed a stake in her chest, to keep her from fighting back. Her childe Aoibhe, watched in silent horror as these knights disrobed her, and cut deep into the sacred marks on her flesh, and called her a witch.
She tried to work as a wise woman to the village, not all were christians, nor was it a requirement to live on this island in peace to be one, and yet these men quoted their holy god of peace, that witches do not get to live. Arthur, as you know him rode his horse to her, and removed the stake from her chest, and asked if she had anything left to say, her words were poison to his ears, cursing him to reveal his true form. Aoibhe was young, and I am not certain that she knew what she saw was truth, but King Arthur became a bear man, like the werewolves you've spoken to, but much larger and terrifying. I have never seen one, but her words carried weight and you will notice that in the last few hundred years our kind have eradicated the bears of this island because of his attacks against us.
Arthur tossed the stake from her chest to the dirt, and unsheathed one of his swords, you see the one he drew from the stone is not the same one of legend, they were two distinct weapons, the sword he drew was beautiful even in the darkness of night it shone bright, and power radiated from it. Even in his large bear form he could easily handle this weapon Aoibhe said that even the sword seemed to grow in size as the man became the monster. My sister could not flee, she could not move, and when he brought it down on her she screamed a very mortal scream, and when she died she did not become dust, as one of her age would normally do, she laid in the dirt of her own grove bleeding out like a mortal woman. He took from her the very thing that makes us superior to the kine, our immortality. If I die a vampire, I die a Goddess, if I die a mortal woman, I die as nothing.  
Aoibhe fled to Ireland, where she met with Magda, and a conclave was called, war was declared against this would be king, but too many of us fell to his knights and their savage ways.

Morcant murmurs, "Isn't that the way of it, though. Treachery from all sides."

Then he looks to Giric, and murmurs, "Now. Pardon my rough introduction, but I'd like to learn more about the worthy who answered my riddle."

::Giric listens intently throughout the story, making no interruptions::

"That tale is a sad one, of men too zealous to understand the good in this world.  Of course my Lady, I would be honored to play for you."  ::Giric will fetch his rebec and begin tuning it as he answers count Morcant.::

"I am a musician from the moors to the north of england, but since that time I have traveled through much of Europe.  I am currently in service of Count Richmond, and spend my time traveling and performing across his lands.  Such a life leads to making friends in all sorts of places, and that is the best way to hear new tales and write them into songs."

::Finally happy with the strings, Giric will begin to play a song, melancholic and sad, stirring the hearts emotions.  As it continues it will introduce more cheerful and playful elements, that are swallowed up by the pain that is portrayed.  Until at the song becomes one with a lighthearted ending, as if one who has been in darkness looks out upon a cheerful world they can now return to, leaving those who listened intently at peace with what has come before.  (Performance 5, 21 traits for those who care)