Elanorin

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

That Elodie rant deserves a standing ovation. Wow. I... I’m speechless.

Just wow.

Wow.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

CREEP
WHIPPED
TRUANT

Her head swam and she leaned into him. "A werewolf flung me out of a school tower and I had to leave my shirt with the sphinx at the entrance to get everyone here. And Elly-belly very nearly dragged Timmy right past the library to the Angel's room instead, which is why I had to practically tackle them in here."

@Anarion

"Indeed?" Samael said, his voice low and velvet smooth, deeply satisfied to see Annalee accept his feigned kindness. He noticed the flinch but he did not mark it. The fact that she didn't act on it was the important bit. A little bit of instinctive fear was no bad thing. He is dangerous. They'd all do well to remember that. "I don't think I have ever known one as dedicated, resourceful and loyal as you, Ana. For you my door is open. Day and night. Well done."

JEALOUS
DEFINITELY HEXED
CRYBABY

"S-sir, if this is about the assignment," he placated in Samael's general vicinity. (Why couldn't he have left the door open? Why?!) "If you'll give me five minute's peace, I'm sure I could have it done and ready to turn in..."

@TheAmishPirate

"It's not," Sam says in Timothy's general direction. "Though we will get to that too, although, considering how the three of you came in here I am almost afraid to ask." Samael almost smiled to himself, most of his attention still being on Annalee. "No my proposal to you is something else entirely." Then he looks up a little, as if a thought just hit him and his eyes finally turn directly to Timothy, "though it is an act of kindness, so that much holds to the theme, I suppose." Content to string poor Timmy along a little further Samael turns back to Elodie as his hands finally leave Annalee's face, having determined she is more or less unscathed.

"This werewolf," he said, "it doesn't happen to have been your significant other, by any chance, Miss Faucher? I have to give it to you, pursuing a romantic relationship within these walls it's... pretty daring considering our school rules and the... focus, that The Headmaster has on enforcing them. It must be... quite something." His eyes are once more fixated on Elodie, just like a moment ago when he dared her to watch him undress, only now he simply stands there, his voice enticing her, inviting her and welcoming her to drop her inhibitions and wax lyrical about the werewolf.

[Rolling to Hypnotise Elodie: 4+2+2=8 Demand: Gush your heart out about the werewolf right here in front of Timothy Oglevee Crompton even as you realise exactly what I've done to you]

[String taken, thankyouverymuch]

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

SAVAGE

Samael has been sitting. Waiting. It is obvious he has been expecting them for some time by how he is sat utterly motionless, staring at the door, hands steepled, his face grave and unimpressed by the tardiness. He has spent some considerable time and thought on making sure he makes The Most ominous impression when they come through the door brimming with intimidation and feeble excuses.

Only... they don't. Instead some kind of mayhem bursts in. Like a ball of petty hair pulling, ankle biting and face scratching. It's not the loud arguing that gets him to dig his nails in to the fabric of the armrests, however, nor the fact that not one of them appears to be here to actually hand in their assignments and hells, wait, is Annalee just in her bra?! No, it is the fact that not one of them so much as notices him as their chaos collapses in to his room.

Samael Hale was on his feet in an instant and advanced on the heap. His face twisted in to a deep scowl and his fangs bared in a snarl full of contempt.

"Enough!" he snapped, in hope of getting their attention, at least for a damn moment. "What the hell is this?"

"One act of kindness. One." He raised a single index finger to emphasise his point as he pinned a cold stare to each of Elodie and Timmy's eyes. "How you managed to get from that to... this. Whatever this is. Do either of you even want to graduate?" He looked back and forth between Elodie and Timothy and then let out an aggressively exasperated sigh.

He stepped closer, leaning in to reach an arm out behind the small gaggle of delinquents to shut the door behind them, the move bringing him particularly close to Elodie as he did so, closer than ever before. Also conveniently nudging her and Timothy apart as he squeezed through, but it was Elodie he leaned closest to. Can you smell his skin this close, Elodie? Do you hear the breath he draws as his face passes yours? Do you detect that metallic tang of blood? A recent feed. Does it frighten you? Do you know who it was?

Do you wish it was you?

"Before we get to the undoubtedly riveting tale of how this spectacle came about..." with the door closed he stood back and his gaze came to lay heavily on Elodie. His hands rose to his collar and began to undo the buttons of his shirt one by one, not taking his eyes off her as his shirt gradually parted open, silently daring her to watch. "...I have a proposal for you..." He finished the buttons down his front, revealing that he wore nothing underneath.

[Rolling to Turn Elodie On: 4+3+2=9, you choose]

"...Mister Oglevee Crompton," he clarified, then undid his cuffs as well, breaking his eyes away from Elodie.

"But first things first." He shrugged the shirt off his shoulders and finally turned his eyes away from Elodie and on to Annalee. "Are you alright, Ana?" he asked seriously as he reached his shirt to wrap it around her bare shoulders. "Are you hurt?" Tucking away a strand of hair, tracing the back of a light finger to her jawline, checking for bruises or scratches. The concern on his face and in the light touches of his hand were as well rehearsed as they were intimate.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

I'm here, eating popcorn and watching the drama.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

I know what I did. And I'd do it again. Which is why I'm here and not going anywhere anytime soon.

Vampires have long memories.

Our kind don't tend to have a lot of rules. Even murder isn't necessarily that big a deal. A human matters little, as long as it doesn't attract too much attention. But another Vampire is... a bit of a different matter. Even then, depending on the circumstances, it's not necessarily the end of the world. Your own family, though... there is no walking away from that. I guess, in a way, I should consider myself fortunate. It could be worse. At least I'm away.

This place is almost as familiar to me now as my own home. I've been here longer than any other student, in fact I've seen several classes come and go. I've even been here longer than most teachers and I'm likely to see even Mr Dover either retire or pass away mysteriously. Those seem to be the only established routes out for the staff. I guess this is not a place you'd choose to teach at if you had any other options. I've thought more than once of transitioning to the teaching staff myself and I've already started assisting in several classes. It breaks the monotony of attending the same classes over and over again.

My name is Samael Hale. Some call me Sam. Whether or not I like it depends entirely on the tone of your voice and the warmth of your blood.

Introducing

Samael Hale

The Vampire

LOOKS: Aloof. Thirsty eyes.
Male, ashy skin, dark messy hair, blue eyes. Modern expensive clothes.

ORIGIN: Many ages old. Appears as late teens.

STATS:
Hot: 2
Cold: 1
Volatile: -1
Dark: -1

CONDITIONS: SAVAGE

BACKSTORY:

I have Strings on:
Elodie Faucher: 3

Reasons:
- I am beautiful.
- She's got no chill and wears her heart on her sleeve and her heart says: death sucks.

Timothy Oglevee Crompton: 3

Reasons:
- I am beautiful.
- Timothy lives next to you, your bedroom windows face each other, and Timothy leaves his blinds open.

Annalee Sokolov: 0

Reasons:
-

Have strings on me:
Annalee Sokolov: 3

Reasons:
- I think I got a few drops of blood from one of your feedings on one of the days when it was my turn to clean the classrooms. You really should learn to leave less of a mess, some unscrupulous person might take advantage of you over that someday.
- It was you who let me in as dawn broke over the horizon when I was locked out of the manor at the edge of night. The angel's subtle answer to my not seeing the point in attending classes I've already passed in previous years. I'm grateful you were awake, even at that time, and that you unlocked the massive doors and saved my unlife.

Timothy Oglevee Crompton: 2

Reasons:
- Timothy lives next to you, your bedroom windows face each other, and Timothy leaves his blinds open.

HARM:
[X] [_] [_] [_]

When you take time to tend to your wounds, once per session you may heal 1 Harm. If someone else is there with you, tending to your wounds delicately and intimately – and perhaps with erotic subtext – you may heal an additional 1 Harm.

To avoid death, erase all harm and choose one:
- Become your Darkest Self,
- Lose all Strings you have on everybody.

MOVES:
Hypnotic: You can hypnotize people who have no Strings on you. Roll with Hot.
On a 10 up, they do exactly what you wish and have no idea that anything is wrong.
On a 7-9, the hypnosis works, but choose one:
- they realize exactly what you’ve done to them,
- they f'ck up your commands,
- their sanity is unhinged.

The Feeding: You feed on hot blood, direct from the source. If this is the first time they’ve ever been fed upon, you both mark experience. When you feed, choose two:
- you heal 1 Harm,
- you take 1 Forward,
- they definitely don’t die.

Darkest Self: Everyone is your pawn, your plaything. You hurt them and make them vulnerable, for sport – like a cat does with a mouse. Maybe you’ll even drain them dry, though you’ll certainly take your time first. You escape your Darkest Self when you’re put in your rightful place, by someone more powerful than you.

Special: When you deny someone sexually, gain a String on them. When you have sex with someone, lose all Strings on them.

XP:
[X] [X] [_] [_] [_]

IMPROVEMENT:
_ Add +1 to one of your stats.
_ Take another Vampire move.
_ Take another Vampire move.
_ Take a move from any Skin.
_ Take a move from any Skin.
_ You’re in a Vampiric Coterie.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

You had prey creatures the last time this happened.

You remember the faces. Innocent. Vulnerable. Puppets on your strings. You were in their heads and in their veins and the world was good. The hunt was over and all that was left was toying with the already defeated prey like a cat plays with a mouse. Everything was perfect up until it wasn't.

Your hands beat against the lid of the coffin. You splintered the wood. Tore it apart. You didn't stop striking until you had surrounded yourself in splinters and finally acknowledged that they'd dumped the coffin in the back of a cement truck.

Like you said, it wasn't that bad if you were there voluntarily.

They betrayed you. Where had they got the courage? Who had put them up to it? Rache? Her face showed up in your dreams more and more. She had the skill, the power, the reasons to do something like that. But she'd always seemed like she'd sit on her grudges forever. Just as weak as the rest. Until she wasn't.

The room darkens and fills with smoke, and lightning flashes outside. Tell me of the past, Samael.

@Thanqol

There is a lot of past to speak of. Perhaps the war? The last time I was voluntarily confined underground.

Do not mistake me for someone who enlisted because of some deep conviction or feelings of righteousness, it was simply a desire to be in the thick of the smell of blood. In my inexperience I didn't see any real cause to fear for my unlife. That changed. More things fly in the air than mere bullets. It is true that no matter how much you think you know what to expect when going in to war, it is never that. Even I found myself surprised, shocked, perhaps at times even disturbed, by the sights, sounds and smells. Don't get me wrong, it was a banquet to dream of. I had plenty of fun as we travelled, lacing my threads of control in to minds of all ranks, especially those of the officers. It was an enjoyable game that allowed me to shape my own situation to quite a comfortable one. Until it wasn't.

They say no plan survives contact with the enemy. I doubt I'll ever approach a frontline again, even for her.

She found me, just when I needed her the most, as always. Hers was the last face I saw before the coffin lid closed over my mangled body. Her hair still smelled like campfires from the smoke. I dreamed of her then, healing under the earth, as I dream of her now, trapped in this mausoleum. I am no longer buried in the ground but being entombed in this place is not all that different. No warmth. No pleasure. No peace. Mindbreaking monotony day and night. She put me in the ground then because I needed it. Perhaps she was the one who moved me to the cement truck, maybe by then she felt I deserved it. Hexes wear off, sadly. Shame, I had hoped we'd have longer.

I am not sorry.

I guess she doesn't feel the same.

But none of this is what you wanted to hear. You wanted me to tell you about my sister, Rache.

And yet that is precisely what I have done.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

For the record, I actually would really like to get ahold of Timmy and Elodie and bring the whole crew barging in on Samael as the last part of today's story. I think it would be hilarious when they bring Elodie as a BOGO and then there could be a confrontation between her and Samael.

@Anarion

I'm voting in favour of this too but am happy to hold until it makes sense.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

Waiting, Samael? You must be good at that for having lived this long. You've spent a not-inconsiderable amount of your immortal lifespan in vampiric torpor, recovering from terrible injuries under the ground, filled with dark nightmares marking the span of centuries. You have a lot to be bitter about.

Roll to Gaze into the Abyss, and tell me about your experiences lying trapped in a coffin under the earth.

@Thanqol

At first, it is not all that bad. Provided you're there of your own free will because necessity demands it. Then the time passes almost by itself as reality, hallucination, semi-controlled dreaming and complete blank unconsciousness mix, mingle and blend to an existence which is insane but largely painless. The really old gain stronger control and can even create internal mind-escape worlds to live within for at least some of their durance. The stronger your body, the stronger the mind, however, and the harder it is to convince to surrender; it is the final bunch of decades, when lying mostly recovered but not yet strong enough to break free, that are the real purgatory.

Sam is certainly not looking to be back in such a situation if he can help it. He is however looking to know what's happened to dear Ana and Timmy.

[Rolling to Gaze in To The Abyss: 4+1, now I don't have Sam's sheet so unsure what his Dark is but I doubt is enough to raise this roll from a Miss]

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

Pokes thus issued to Elanorin and Amish.

@Thanqol

Sorted. Busy weekend and storm knocked my internet for a bit. All back now.

Sam is so not going to move, unless there's like a fire or something.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

So, brooding and scheming was all well and good but at a certain point the blatant lack of respect and fear was becoming enough to dampen even this unusually good mood. Of course, only one thing was worse than sitting here, staring daggers at the un-knocked door, was getting up and going after the damn students like some whimpering puppy in desperate need for attention and validation.

Hell.

No.

Over his undead body.

So Samael Hale remained, sinking an inch deeper in to the massive armchair, digging his nails in to the armrests as his expression slowly melted from smug to a slow-simmering bitterness.