Tale Weaver's Vampire: The Masquerade Game Board

[Tale_Weaver]

University Of Denver

Ruby felt for the frightened creature as her eyes saddened. "It will be okay, we will find the rat again, we won't leave you alone"
She decided not to ask any questions until he was calm down, so Ruby cuddled with the rabbit and proceeded to sit in a cushy chair next to Koln. While she was conversing with Icarus, she overheard what was happening between him and Clover earlier, even though she could not release her eye contact. Looking at him, he seems like he doesn't realize what he said earlier, just laying about and petting Socrates. She smiled at him weakly, trying to wipe out the cruel and chaotic words he said earlier. Ruby sat down and began to softly hum one of her mother's old lullabys that she used to hum to her before bedtime. She closed her eyes as she hummed gently in a light tone to try to calm Icarus, stroking him gingerly every now and then. She would later ask Clover if there was any food in the fridge for him.
lol, even though i'm qualified to draw nudes, I don't think she would approve

The rabbit seems to calm down in Ruby's arms as she sings to him.

Koln
[sblock]
When you look over at Icarus he turns to you and says "Be careful, that rat was trying to take over the world. Socrates knows!"
[/sblock]

I can drew nudes too!

 

[izillama]

'I can't believe I'm taking a shower at 4AM...'
Clover felt like a wreck. The confrontation with Koln aside, she had never in her life ever felt so... dirty. The sewer water clung to her like the scent of bad cologne, and she undressed as quickly as she could once she was safely within the confines of the bathroom.
In the private shower stall, she took a good long look at herself in the mirror that someone had hung on the back of the door. This was the first time she had really looked at her own reflection since her Embrace.
She was pale.
And not just her normal, I-don't-get-enough-sun-because-I-spend-too-much-time-studying pale, either. She shivered a little as she reached up to trace her hands over her own skin. Her veins showed through as though they were protected by nothing but a thin sheet of plastic. Her pallor was not attractive at all, she concluded.
She looked pasty.
Sickly.
Clover shook her head in disgust, wondering if she would always look like this. She had never taken herself for narcissistic, but this entire experience had left her with a very clear picture of what she had always enjoyed seeing in the mirror.
Turning her back on her reflection, she turned on the shower and stepped into the stream of water. She knew that it was hot, however she could not seem to take in any of that heat no matter how high she turned it up.
The knob stuck. The heat was up as far as it would go. Any normal human would be suffering second degree burns by now. But not her. Clover pressed her lips together in aggravation, realizing that she would never again feel warm. Where a nice hot shower had always been a comfort, she now found it mocking. An agonizing reminder of her situation.
She washed her hair, practically smelling the stench of the sewer drip off of her.
This was the first time that she had been alone. Away from Ruby and Koln. She was glad for the time she had to reflect. It was difficult to watch Koln suffer. And Clover was still trying to get a grasp on Ruby, too. As someone who normally found it so easy to read people, she found herself struggling with these two. She felt lost and confused.
But at the same time, she knew that she had to keep a stiff upper lip. The three of them were in trouble. There was no doubting that. But Clover felt an unebbing need to stay strong for them. To maintain some kind of control.
Koln kept losing touch with reality. Ruby kept switching back and forth between her wild and demure natures. Clover realized, with an ounce of mortification, that she might just be the only sane, mature one left.
And so, right there on the spot, Clover suddenly found herself promising to stay strong and responsible for Ruby and Koln, who could not seem to be able to care for themselves. Suffering... acting... for them.
It was going to be a long eternity.
Clover was just finishing up when she turned and suddenly saw a hole in the wall behind her.
She froze for a moment. She took a shower here nearly every day. Was that hole always there? Or was it new? It seemed big enough that a hand could fit through it.
Cautiously, she peered into it, seeing only blackness.
It was unnerving.
Frowning, she quickly turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing her towel and wrapping up, looking accusingly back at the non-descript hole. It was probably nothing, but it made her worry.
She would make sure to take a shower in the next stall over, next time.

PS- No, I will not draw Clover in the shower fan art! She wears little enough clothes as it is. Use your imagination if you're so curious

 

[Strider_Koln]

The rabbit seems to calm down in Ruby's arms as she sings to him.

Koln
[sblock]
When you look over at Icarus he turns to you and says "Be careful, that rat was trying to take over the world. Socrates knows!"
[/sblock]

I can drew nudes too!

Koln sighs, laying on his back on the floor after pocketing his small black journal. Just then his ear picks up Icarus, to which he turns and nods, silently whispering to him "I know too."

His mind begins to cloud again, the paranoia creeping over his sanity as an all-encompassing poisonous vapor. He can feel everything around him start to darken, and become scary again. That is until Ruby starts to hum.

Koln's finger stops on Socrates as he looks up at Ruby from the floor. He closes his eyes as she hums. Soon he quietly mouths words along to it...

"Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam
et lingua eius loquetur iudicium
beatus vir qui suffert tentationem
quoniam cum probatus fuerit
accipiet coronam vitae

Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison
Oh quam sancta
quam serena
quam benigna
quam amoena
Oh castitatis lilium."

Koln's eyes open to Ruby looking down at him, "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, just that your lullaby was very nice. It reminded me of an old hymn I used to hear all the time when I was younger, a mere student in Rome. It reminded me of better times... thank you." Koln then sits up, gently placing Socrates on his shoulder. "A shower would be nice... it would help me sleep. By the way... are you happy being a vampire Ruby? Do you like what you're becoming? I ask not to judge, but more out of interest. I still believe that humans are a unique species in that they can move up and down the great chain of being at will. In acting with virtue they are like angels, but acting according to base desires they act as.. well animals. This theory isn't mine of course but rather of Pico de Mirandolla, but he's absolutely right. Still, am I wrong? Is there pleasure in abandoning the ceaseless pursuit of absolute virtue in favor of our more animal instincts? I'd figure you'd be the one to ask... I used to know the answer to that question, but I don't know anything anymore..."

Translation, from Latin: The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom
And his tongue shall speak judgement
Blessed the man who resists temptation
For when proved he shall receive the crown of life
Lord, Divine Fire, have mercy
O how holy, how serene
How benevolent, how comforting,
O Lily of Chastity.

If anyone can name where I got this from without cheating, you will win a prize and become my new best friend!

Oh and I hear everyone loud and clear, I'm hard at work at a nude of Koln as a fallen angel.... or catboy. Maybe a catboy with wings? Idk, it's coming though. Get ready fangirls! Oh, and a Socrates nude will follow!

 

[ladyphoenix]

Koln sighs, laying on his back on the floor after pocketing his small black journal. Just then his ear picks up Icarus, to which he turns and nods, silently whispering to him "I know too."

His mind begins to cloud again, the paranoia creeping over his sanity as an all-encompassing poisonous vapor. He can feel everything around him start to darken, and become scary again. That is until Ruby starts to hum.

Koln's finger stops on Socrates as he looks up at Ruby from the floor. He closes his eyes as she hums. Soon he quietly mouths words along to it...

"Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam
et lingua eius loquetur iudicium
beatus vir qui suffert tentationem
quoniam cum probatus fuerit
accipiet coronam vitae

Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison
Oh quam sancta
quam serena
quam benigna
quam amoena
Oh castitatis lilium."

Koln's eyes open to Ruby looking down at him, "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, just that your lullaby was very nice. It reminded me of an old hymn I used to hear all the time when I was younger, a mere student in Rome. It reminded me of better times... thank you." Koln then sits up, gently placing Socrates on his shoulder. "A shower would be nice... it would help me sleep. By the way... are you happy being a vampire Ruby? Do you like what you're becoming? I ask not to judge, but more out of interest. I still believe that humans are a unique species in that they can move up and down the great chain of being at will. In acting with virtue they are like angels, but acting according to base desires they act as.. well animals. This theory isn't mine of course but rather of Pico de Mirandolla, but he's absolutely right. Still, am I wrong? Is there pleasure in abandoning the ceaseless pursuit of absolute virtue in favor of our more animal instincts? I'd figure you'd be the one to ask... I used to know the answer to that question, but I don't know anything anymore..."

Translation, from Latin: The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom
And his tongue shall speak judgement
Blessed the man who resists temptation
For when proved he shall receive the crown of life
Lord, Divine Fire, have mercy
O how holy, how serene
How benevolent, how comforting,
O Lily of Chastity.

If anyone can name where I got this from without cheating, you will win a prize and become my new best friend!

Oh and I hear everyone loud and clear, I'm hard at work at a nude of Koln as a fallen angel.... or catboy. Maybe a catboy with wings? Idk, it's coming though. Get ready fangirls! Oh, and a Socrates nude will follow!

Eh, "Lilium"?
Ruby stops humming and ponders Koln's words. "I'm not quite sure how to put this.." she starts. She begins to slowly pet Icarus again. "As much as we deny that we cannot achieve full humanity once more, I believe we could at least come close. Sometimes, I feel the pain of the fact that I may be damned, but then another part of me speaks out. a renewal of sorts. For once, I am discovering that I could help others with what I have become. This "dark gift" is probably one that is like the forbidden fruit. Maybe it was meant to be for me to be this way, in His plan..at least I always hope so. As long as I can retain myself without losing to the Beast's murderous rage on humanity."
Ruby looks up at Koln and half smiles. "Sometimes, my animalistic side can overthrow my reasoning, and my desires overtake my heart.." she looks back down. "But I will do what I can to quell them.."
"All I know, is that I am happy to experience this world to its fullest. I am glad to have met you two.." she says as her smile finally becomes genuine as she hugs Icarus gently to her chest.

"I know you a good man, despite what you are on the outside.. virtuous and true to our Lord.."

 

[izillama]

Stepping from the shower stall, Clover looked disparagingly at her uniform, which lay in a crumpled heap in the wet tile floor. She shuddered at the sight of it. Her white shirt was stained with blood. She could not remember, however, where this blood had come from. The police officer? The other vampire? The bull? Herself? It was also stained with sewage.
She sighed. It would have to be disposed of.
Grabbing her shirt daintily, she tossed it into the trash bin. Next so looked at her skirt. It seemed like nothing a good run through the washing machine couldn't fix. But still. It stunk. Wrinkling her nose, she also tossed it. And her stockings--ripped and shredded. When all was said and done, she was left with only her shoes (which were also a bit worse for wear, but she would have to find replacements for these, first).
She sighed, carefully holding her scuffed black Mary Janes in the middle of the bathroom and appraising them as though she had never seen such things before. She wrapped her towel tighter around her, then practically jumped out of her skin as the door suddenly opened and two girls walked in.
They stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of her. She was not known to be one to shower so early in the day. In fact, she was also known for being very modest. Clover realized that Alice and Jasmine probably thought that Clover had finally lost it--standing in the middle of the bathroom clad only in a towel at 4AM. (it was not strange for the two of them, though, as they were both on the swim team).
Alice spoke tentatively. She was one of the few girls in the dorm, besides Mindy, who ever even acknowledged her, "Um... Angie? Are you... feeling alright? It's pretty early in the morning... on a Sunday."
Clover stood frozen for a moment, holding her shoes and standing next to her ruined school uniform, now trashed in the garbage.
If she could blush, she would.
Murmuring, "Excuse me. I've been feeling a little... sick," she pushed past them and threw herself back into her dorm room across the hall, slamming the door and pressing herself against it as though they would be breaking in to find her any second.
She looked up and saw Koln staring at her from the floor while Ruby cuddled Icarus in a motherly fashion.
Clover--again--wanted to blush. Koln was here.
She averted her eyes in embarrassment, internally wishing that he would excuse himself for just a fraction of a second, if he were any sort of decent priest!

 

[Strider_Koln]

Eh, "Lilium"?
Ruby stops humming and ponders Koln's words. "I'm not quite sure how to put this.." she starts. She begins to slowly pet Icarus again. "As much as we deny that we cannot achieve full humanity once more, I believe we could at least come close. Sometimes, I feel the pain of the fact that I may be damned, but then another part of me speaks out. a renewal of sorts. For once, I am discovering that I could help others with what I have become. This "dark gift" is probably one that is like the forbidden fruit. Maybe it was meant to be for me to be this way, in His plan..at least I always hope so. As long as I can retain myself without losing to the Beast's murderous rage on humanity."
Ruby looks up at Koln and half smiles. "Sometimes, my animalistic side can overthrow my reasoning, and my desires overtake my heart.." she looks back down. "But I will do what I can to quell them.."
"All I know, is that I am happy to experience this world to its fullest. I am glad to have met you two.." she says as her smile finally becomes genuine as she hugs Icarus gently to her chest.

"I know you a good man, despite what you are on the outside.. virtuous and true to our Lord.."

Koln shudders at the thought that the corruption of his bloodline was part of God's plan. "True, God is omnipotent, but I am simply not comfortable thinking he planned this and set me up like Job. You are almost right, I used to be virtuous and true to our Lord. I used to have all of the answers and walked always in Grace. You like me now, but I think your attitude would have been different if you met me before I was turned." Koln looks down at the floor, confused. He knows that he would have killed her without a second thought just a few days ago, but now the thought of the slightest bit of harm coming to her pains him greatly.

Koln stands and stretches his arms over his head, letting out a yawn. "Do not fool yourself Ruby. God now looks down at us with scorn and disgust. We are a scourge, a backwards joke of his most Loved creation -humanity. I cannot bare to wear my collar much longer, it hurts too much." Koln unbuttons the top of his shirt and pulls off his collar carefully with his fingertips. He pulls back the neck of his shirt, showing Ruby what appears to be burn marks around his shoulders where his collar was.

Very close, actually that is correct! but I was looking for the name of the anime it's from, which you probably already know. It's my new favorite series.

 

[Strider_Koln]

Stepping from the shower stall, Clover looked disparagingly at her uniform, which lay in a crumpled heap in the wet tile floor. She shuddered at the sight of it. Her white shirt was stained with blood. She could not remember, however, where this blood had come from. The police officer? The other vampire? The bull? Herself? It was also stained with sewage.
She sighed. It would have to be disposed of.
Grabbing her shirt daintily, she tossed it into the trash bin. Next so looked at her skirt. It seemed like nothing a good run through the washing machine couldn't fix. But still. It stunk. Wrinkling her nose, she also tossed it. And her stockings--ripped and shredded. When all was said and done, she was left with only her shoes (which were also a bit worse for wear, but she would have to find replacements for these, first).
She sighed, carefully holding her scuffed black Mary Janes in the middle of the bathroom and appraising them as though she had never seen such things before. She wrapped her towel tighter around her, then practically jumped out of her skin as the door suddenly opened and two girls walked in.
They stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of her. She was not known to be one to shower so early in the day. In fact, she was also known for being very modest. Clover realized that Alice and Jasmine probably thought that Clover had finally lost it--standing in the middle of the bathroom clad only in a towel at 4AM. (it was not strange for the two of them, though, as they were both on the swim team).
Alice spoke tentatively. She was one of the few girls in the dorm, besides Mindy, who ever even acknowledged her, "Um... Angie? Are you... feeling alright? It's pretty early in the morning... on a Sunday."
Clover stood frozen for a moment, holding her shoes and standing next to her ruined school uniform, now trashed in the garbage.
If she could blush, she would.
Murmuring, "Excuse me. I've been feeling a little... sick," she pushed past them and threw herself back into her dorm room across the hall, slamming the door and pressing herself against it as though they would be breaking in to find her any second.
She looked up and saw Koln staring at her from the floor while Ruby cuddled Icarus in a motherly fashion.
Clover--again--wanted to blush. Koln was here.
She averted her eyes in embarrassment, internally wishing that he would excuse himself for just a fraction of a second, if he were any sort of decent priest!

Koln blinks at the sight of Clover... taking a few moments to register at what he's seeing... then, dropping his collar on the floor, he shouts in shock "Oh, In the name of the Virgin! Please cover up more!" Koln snatches his hat off his head and uses it to cover his eyes, clenching them tightly.

 

[izillama]

Rather than angry at the fact that Koln had accidentally seen her (no matter how much it was her fault to begin with), Clover suddenly found herself more irritated by the fact that Koln seemed utterly... repulsed by her!
Not normally so forward (remember her all-girl Catholic school upbringing where men were basically shunned as an entirely different species!) Clover felt momentarily livid, challenging, "What, Koln? Mr. Holier Than Thou? I must be really hideous! It's not like you've never seen a half-naked girl before, I'm sure!"
In a huff, she grabbed her bathrobe and (at his polite request... lol, yeah right) added another layer between her and the world.

 

[Strider_Koln]

Rather than angry at the fact that Koln had accidentally seen her (no matter how much it was her fault to begin with), Clover suddenly found herself more irritated by the fact that Koln seemed utterly... repulsed by her!
Not normally so forward (remember her all-girl Catholic school upbringing where men were basically shunned as an entirely different species!) Clover felt momentarily livid, challenging, "What, Koln? Mr. Holier Than Thou? I must be really hideous! It's not like you've never seen a half-naked girl before, I'm sure!"
In a huff, she grabbed her bathrobe and (at his polite request... lol, yeah right) added another layer between her and the world.

Koln stutters, trying to explain himself lowering his hat from his face. "Oh it's not that Clover, you're incredibly attractive! In fact so much so that I should not look for I will surely be tempted and fall deeper into vice through thoughts which are..." Koln stops at her mention of him never seeing a half-naked girl before, and that hits a nerve. He has had intercourse before, for the sake of providing an heir of his branch of the Clergue bloodline, his son who's somewhere out there. Koln's expression, now obviously hurt, grows dark and solemn as he stands. "I should probably shower now... I will only be a moment." Koln slowly walks out of the dorm, passing by Clover without expression, walking out into the hall and into the fortunately empty men's room.

 

[ladyphoenix]

Koln stutters, trying to explain himself lowering his hat from his face. "Oh it's not that Clover, you're incredibly attractive! In fact so much so that I should not look for I will surely be tempted and fall deeper into vice through thoughts which are..." Koln stops at her mention of him never seeing a half-naked girl before, and that hits a nerve. He has had intercourse before, for the sake of providing an heir of his branch of the Clergue bloodline, his son who's somewhere out there. Koln's expression, now obviously hurt, grows dark and solemn as he stands. "I should probably shower now... I will only be a moment." Koln slowly walks out of the dorm, passing by Clover without expression, walking out into the hall and into the fortunately empty men's room.

Ruby's mind has seemed to focus on the conversation earlier with Koln. She felt bad for Clover and the towel incident, but she found herself in a frozen state of emotion. Finally, like a piece of marble breaking, she began to softly cry to herself. Every once in a while, a red stream flowed out of the corner of one of her eyes, the only fluid that was apparent in her body. she noticed, they were staining Icarus' fur, so she tried to lightly brush them off. She held her other hand up to her face to try to catch the other tears. That only made her sob a little harder. Her emotions began to run away from her..again.