The Night After The Party We Don't Talk About

[Valentina Audley]

"Please Elder Keane, how many gods are in the Tuatha De Danann? Are there stories about any of the others? Please will you tell them to us? Is Elder Dukes surmise correct? About the Morrigan?" She stumbles a little on the unfamiliar pantheon name and her aura flickers briefly as she names the Morrigan.

She gives him another pleading smile. "I would add a minor boon to your collection for the answers...."

[L .]

[alanwrotethis]

Niketas nods, relaxing as more kindred join the conversation and he pieces together the topic.
"Hmmm... done some reading on this.. I have... there are specific things I'd like to know about, if you can enlighten us."
He leans back, gatheing thoughts.
"The Tuatha de Danann are an oddity among cults, yes, for a few reasons," he gives a nod to Aurelia. "In their own stories, they were not native to the region... they came from overseas."
He shakes his head.
"Well, some of them were born there, many more arrived from other lands, might not be relevant. But they were always acknowledged as visitors, and they were acknowledged as heroes before they were perceived as gods.
"So yes, this wouldn't match the normal pattern of syncretism, of a vampire claiming a local god's identity for their own. This would be... something other than human, or something which became other than human, that was later revered as a deity."
He rocks a little in his seat.
"Other oddity... the pantheon's end. Newer visitor arrived at their home, challenged them for the island. The Tuatha de Danann wagered and and lost, but the newcomers insisted the Tuatha de Danann keep the under half, below the surface.
"Were they vampires buried in the earth, something different that stepped sideways into a similar, adjacent land? Unclear."
He leans forward, looking at Keane.
"Elder... do you know what these creatures are... and if they are vampires... do you know what they were before that? Because if they are vampires... I do not think they are just vampires. I have my doubts about the Morrigan, sorry , one of the Morrigan, they are a triumvirate. I have my doubts about... I won't say her name specifically, because if she is what I think she is her name casually invoked is a bad idea."

He pauses, turning to Aurelia.

"Interesting coincidence. Vortigern's seers were named for stars, the Black family named for constellations. By coincidence I mean what does that mean?"

[alanwrotethis]

"Actually, remembering more... Mor."
His hands are twitching, his excitement rising.
"Morrigan's name derives from roots outside of Ireland, confirming her journey to the region from elsewhere. And her interactions with... other kindred have included visions of Athens... possibly older. Her kindred allies in Ireland did not start there, I know that... one... especially was known in the eldest cities of the kindred... if you believe in such flighty tales."
His eyes swivel to Aurelia, back to Keane.

[Manacledairman]

Aldrich whilst he's been listening to the conversation his mind has been focusing on something altogether different, eventually his face lifts as if he's had an internal Eureka moment.

"Falco. Do you mean Marco Falco? As in Architect Marco Falco?" He chuckles "I suppose I'm not the only one to have spotted opportunity within Sulis."

He claps his hands together

"Excellent, what an exceptional state of affairs." He notices his interruption and returns to more relaxed seated position. "Apologies each, Please continue."

[Jean-Jacques]

Jean-Jacques mind seems to be racing taking in the story and piecing something in his mind.

“Elder Keane, zere ‘as been zom talk ov ze cup and ze fact zat eet ees perhaps unexpected zat eet should surface now, and indeed zat Prince Mithras ees anticipated to offer eet for new ownersheep.”

He pauses , pondering something.

“Elder Aurelia ees sayieeng ee sink earlier zat ze owner ees leekly a target, zat would make sense...”

He pauses again, internally battling before asking his next question.

“elder Keane, ee ask whezzer zere ees perhaps a curse rumoured to follow zees object sroow time, or indeed whezzer ze owners conseeeder ze recent movements to be a portent to make the ownersheep move...”

He looks quite nervously around the room.

[Valentina Audley]

[Madam Zaragoza]

“I have heard that if you drink from this cup all kinds of things can happen. Rich rewards or terrible curses. Are we all ready to risk that as part of a game? I mean simple truth and dare last night caused enough problems in itself.”

She looks around the assembled group. She smiles broadly.

“I, for one, am prepared to do it wholeheartedly and to seek adventure with whatever happens!”

[Posh-Tim]

Keane sits for a moment and lets the questions and conjecture wash over him while he thinks. He concentrates in thought making sure he is getting all his facts in order.
He turns to Valentina to respond.
"As you have offered me a boon I will answer your questions first. How many numbered amongst the Tuatha De Danann? How many beans in a pot? Even being there I can only say what I knew, and even that changed as the years rolled on. The was the Dagda as I have said, often, but not always seen as the leader or highest amongst them. Then there was Lugh, Nuada, Engis and yes, even the Morrigan and many more. It is impossible to say for sure for each if them had as many names as they had faces and changing depending on location. For example I knew Nuada as Nudd because I am from what has become Wales. But even in my time that name changed to Lludd, then Lludd Law Eraint.
Those that were real, were often named wrongly. Confused for another or ascribed them traits of many at once. Of stories on them, there are as as there are tongues to tell them. Perhaps we could explore the fantastical after we have scrubbed some truth from the actual. So as not to confuse things any further. I promise we can return to them"
He smiles at Valentina then turns to the Sheriff,
"There are a lot of things you are asking and some things you aren't, not least of which is your poor description of Danu. Would you care to add a boon and compose your thoughts?"
Keane regards Dukes with a friendly expression. His aura filled with a sense of excitement and focus as he tries to disseminate what he knows with clarity.

[alanwrotethis]

Niketas, eyes glazing while looking at Aurelia, snaps his head at Keane, hia face and aura more agitated than they should be.
"Compose my thoughts!? You too!?"
He halts, hand in the air, a tense gesture of apology.
"First of all, my description of Danu, Dana, whichever name she chooses for herself, is not poor, it is cursory. If I have to repeat every scrap of lore from the lost tomes of Invasions to recount her history-"
He pauses again, something has rattled him.
"Apologies... not you. I have something on my mind."
"Tuatha de Danann... what are they, what were they, what are they trying to become? Do you know, or have any suspicions?"
His eyes flick to Valentina.
"The seers and the Black family have a knotted history with Vortigern. His magical knowledge is... erratic... but one thing he has frighteningly excellent comprehension of is the nature of souls - how they link, how they reincarnate, how they can be moved from one vessel to another. He has killed and watched his own family die, knowing they'll be reborn as useful tools in a few centuries time, and he has an appalling skill at surviving and benefiting from the dreaded Amaranth, as feeder and feast alike."
His eyes, back to Keane, scrutinising his aura.
"My guess? Constellations carry stars, maybe the Black family are potential vessels for dead allies, waiting to be reborn. And as for you elder Keane..."
He tries to smile.
"I offer you a trivial boon for a satisfactory answer to the questions I just asked you about the Tuatha de Danann, and about your honest opinion of the Amaranth. That may seem a small price, but I have a great deal of knowledge that you need, and I am done dispensing it for free."
A sigh.
"I really do want to like you, you ass, but your timing is.... hmm, very well timed, actually."