[hr][hr][center][h1][color=firebrick][i][b]Vladimir[/b][/i][/color] & [color=fdc68a][i][b]Ludwig[/b][/i][/color][/h1][/center][hr][center][color=dimgray][b]Location:[/b][/color] Wall of Jericho, Northwest Interior[/center][hr][hr]

	It was strange indeed that Ludwig's wagon led the procession of Russian Circus performers. Strange so strange, never stranger, stranger things, unusual things, unusual suspects. The Baron remembered a time when someone other than Circus did this, but it was still fellow Russians (Moldovan actually, but still part of the Empire), and they were acting as guide them toward a hidden Soulless encampment. Ho ho ho, encampment, entrapment, end the mend, mend the end, mend the fence, jump the fence, what a post. Otherwise, this was fully new ground. 

	A German, specifically one with a touch of madness, would only have led the Circus in the most unusual of circumstances. But not madness, just gladness, no madness, only mad when called mad, madness is a mess, gladness is joy. Oh joy, oh boy. Apparently, the entire Circus leaving in the middle of the Season without so much as a warning, only to escape a London held in the aftermath of a Soulless attack by means of utilizing a hidden passage in what was supposed to be an otherwise impenetrable defensive wall, most definitely counted as an unusual circumstance. [color=firebrick]"Is this vay, da?"[/color] Vladimir asked of Ludwig, and not for the first time. 

	[color=fdc68a]"Way, way, yes whey, curds and whey, little Miss Muffet, a tuffet, tough isn't it?"[/color]

	Vladimir and The Baron both flanked the lead wagon, careful to keep an eye out for any potential trouble. To the left to the left to the left right left. The thing was though, there was none. The path they were led down, but a short march from Regent's Park to the questionable section of wall yielded only as much trouble as two members of the Watch could give the might of the Russian Imperial Circus. Double trouble, double mint, anyone have gum? That is to say, negligible. Negligible, negligee, lingerie. Oh nighty night! Breaking off from the rest of the procession's vanguard, both The Baron and The Great Bazhooli chose one guard each and handled them with the best method open to them, circumstances permitting. Circumstances, circumcision, oh vey! 

	For Vlad himself, he approached his man with open arms and a seemingly unflappable sense of optimism. [color=firebrick]"Hellos! Many hellos, Guardian of London-Town! Ve are, eh... little bit lost."[/color] he said, bringing his thumb and forefinger close together in front of him as to emphasize his point. Yes, a point, pointy pointy, stick and stones, to the point! He stepped closer, drawing upon [i]Tizirovat'[/i], a lesser used skill in the Rusyn set. Vladimir's low, raspy voice blended harmoniously with [i]Tizirovat'[/i], drawing upon the strength of his indomitable personality to influence the man. [color=firebrick]"Is okay. Few circus people stopping to ask direction, da? If remember, maybe report tomorrow. Is not important. Vhat is - little farther down Vall. That vay. You might vant to look, you and friend."[/color] Vladimir's voice rolled along pleasantly even as he nodded his head, as if in agreement with something the watchman was saying. The pair of them wandered away, leaving the Circus to their own concerns. [color=firebrick]"Right!"[/color] Vlad called to Ludwig, [color=firebrick]"Vhat now?"[/color] 

	A step of two or three. Two steps forward, one step back and around and around. [color=fdc68a]"To the wall, up the wall, no down the wall. No."[/color] To the left of the wall. To the right of the wall. No, no that wasn't it. [color=fdc68a]"Move must move. Press, no push, no pull, no press. No."[/color] Press, mess, bless, chess. Chess! Towers, towers, knights, knights guard towers. No... That wasn't it. [color=fdc68a]"Oh yes, yes, chess,"[/color] with a snap of the fingers and a dip in the hip. Brushing away vines and binds, and stone and carvings. [color=fdc68a]"Sacrifice a pawn to protect the queen,"[/color] with a punch to the wall and a yelp and an owe from the lips. 

	Here was the problem, so far as Vladimir saw it: Ludwig made no sense and clear sense at the same time. Clear, crystal clear, crystal, glass, mirror, mirror on the wall. He was confident that the German knew what he was talking about. Or to. Unfortunately, he could not translate the man's jumbled mass of words into anything resembling a coherent thought or idea. 

	Now, Vladimir did know about Chess though. Not an extremely avid player, but he knew which pieces did what and some basic strategies. So far as this little chesscapade was concerned, his strategy was to mimic the strange man's actions, brushing away visual obstructions and foliage. [color=firebrick]"Looking for Pawns, da? Pawns or Queens? Am looking for both."[/color] As he spoke, he continued his search, pressing and/or moving anything suspicious.

	[color=fdc68a]"Find the bishop, man of cloth, cloth man, hide in a tower with the good book, book, rook, in the tower."[/color] Back and back, arms out and about point to one stone and then another, the one and then that one, grey and gray, dark and light, black and white. Bare, so bare, the square was bare. No, not bare, it was there. [color=fdc68a]"A battle field! BATTLE!"[/color]

	Taking a step or three back, Vladimir's curiosity was sated as to what Ludwig was talking about. Proceeding with the analogy of the hour, the section of wall that they had cleared looked very much like a chessboard. A quick overview brought to things to Vlad's attention: 1) Someone had a lot of time on their hands, and 2) There was a piece missing from the board. [color=firebrick]"Что это?"[/color] he asked Ludwig, pointing out the gap. [color=firebrick]"For sorry. Vhat is that?"[/color] Vlad began to step forward, anxious to see if this anomaly was pertinent to their task. 

	To the wall, to the book, look at the wall, look at the book, back and forth, back and forth, step, step. Tap tap. [color=fdc68a]"Yes, yes!"[/color] Jump, close the book and look at the wall. Touch the wall, touch the nothing, feel the nothing, feel the wall. Rough, not smooth but smoother here and wait, rough, smooth rough, in and out, ridge, river, between the river, between the ridge. [color=fdc68a]"Move, move! Save the queen!"[/color]

	The eyes of The Great Bazhooli lit up as realization dawned upon him - Ludwig was showing him a giant [i]puzzle[/i]! Like the toy boxes he would see imported from the Far East, where he did not know the language but had a fondness for the foods therefrom; this was a sliding tile puzzle. Vladimir firmly grasped one of the blocks adjacent to the gap and gave it a slide. It moved, but with effort, as a rusty hinge might. Vladimir began to laugh, [color=firebrick]"Ha... Ha HA!"[/color], thick and hearty as horsemeat gravy in winter. Yes, they were in a hurry, but this... Things like this were the pepper in the soup that was life. Vlad cracked his knuckles, eager to get started.   

	

	
[hr][hr][center][h1][color=c0c0c0][i][b]Sister Mary Ignatia Hale[/b][/i][/color][/h1][/center]
[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/cb6f1c76-96bf-4a15-a29a-81b1d7bcbb56.jpg[/img]
[sub][color=c0c0c0]"In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all." -Colossians 3:11[/color][/sub]
[hr][color=c0c0c0][b]Location:[/b][/color] Nottingham
[color=c0c0c0][b]Skills:[/b][/color] The Sacrament[/center][hr][hr]

	Mary gave the slightest look of surprise at Virginia's words, though not at her announcement that she was Pagan. She had assumed something similar. Honestly, she had assumed something more along the lines of ancestor worship. While it bordered along the lines of Necromancy, the concept of venerating one's forebearers wasn't unheard of, even among the Church. But this? This raised an unexpected smile on Mary's face.

	Before accepting Virginia's offer to exit their rooms first, she gazed upon the Lady Crypt with solemn honesty. [color=c0c0c0]"Virginia, I love you as a sister. You are my friend, my adviser, and I would gladly shed blood at your side. I care not that your faith differs from mine."[/color] She gazed at Virginia for a second or two longer, then walked quietly from the room. As she came to the stairs leading down to the common area, Mary glanced behind her, saying, [color=c0c0c0]"I should like to know more about your Veliona. Perhaps afterward, I might tell you of St. Gertrude of Helfta, Matron of the Dead. Thuringian nun; you might like her."[/color] It truly did not matter that her friend was not Christian. As a member of the Graveolase, indeed now its leader, Mary understood the importance of allying with people of many backgrounds and beliefs. All were children of the Divine. Mary was merely an instrument of His will on Earth. It was not her place to judge. 

	It occurred to Mary that she still needed to apply her Trained skill of [i]Timyne[/i] to Veta's tiger. It was only fair, considering the similar ability that she shared with her horse, Cassius. She traversed the distance across the common room downstairs, stepping out into the light of the Nottingham day. It was about time to get back on the road, and she did hope that their paths would cross with the family, especially the child in need.