Carnevale - Session Two: Escape from Ca'Benicio, Part Two
The water in the canal churned as Ca'Benicio sank under the surface. The surviving members of House Benicio, afloat on Chiara's floating bed, were pushed to one side of the canal. Exhausted, they clambered up on to the pavement. But they were not out of danger yet. Crossbow bolts narrowly missed them as one group of killers made their way across the canal on a boat, but the darkness and the heaving of the water made it impossible for them to aim. Meanwhile, another group of assassins rushed out of a nearby house to attack.
Chiara looked around and noticed a small barge for transporting goods, moored only a small way down the canal. It would be large enough for everyone to ride on, and the few crates and the tarpaulin on it could serve as rudimentary cover. She directed the others towards it, while she, Stefano and Naso engaged the assassins coming for them. Stefano shattered one's skull with his hammer, while the dog sprang at the other two and knocked them into the canal. One of them hit his head on the way down and sank. Meanwhile, Greta applied a rough bandage to Via's wounds to stop the flow of blood. Stefano grabbed her body and carried her to the barge. The group hurriedly erected some shelter and cast off from the docks. Naso and Chiara hurried on to the barge just before it departed. Greta and Stefano grabbed poles to steer it. The third assassin emerged from the water and stabbed Stefano, but Deltorro was able to knock him unconscious. He fell back into the water and drowned.
Meanwhile, the boat with the other assassins had crossed the canal and was in close pursuit. Greta was shot with a crossbow bolt, and almost passed out from the pain. Matilde moved to the back of the boat and chanted an incantation, A kaleidoscope of lights burst from her fingers into the eyes of their pursuers, blinding them. Distracted, they dropped their own barge-pole into the water! Stefano and Greta seized the opportunity and quickly poled their barge away down a smaller side-canal. At the first opportunity, the group abandoned the barge floating down the canal, and hurried up a small alleyway. Their diversion worked: in the darkness, their pursuers did not notice that there was no one on the barge, and the children of House Benicio were able to escape.
Adrianna picked the lock on a dressmaker's shop, and the group piled in. They were exhausted, soaking wet and freezing cold after their ordeal. They created a small magical fire while they planned their next move. Chiara thought that they might go to the di Barbarro family for help, while Adrianna suggested going to her mentor Paolo, leader of a small criminal group, for help. After some discussion, they agreed to meet Paolo. They all took fresh clothes, and Chiara left money on the counter for the owner to pay for them - while Adrianna pocketed the minute that Chiara wasn't looking, and returned to her.
When the group went outside, Naso whuffled quietly. Looking down the street, they could see that there were men looking around. Via could see in the darkness better than any of the others, so she led them through the shadows, away from the men hunting for them. Fireworks were still exploding in the sky, so they made their way to the Piazza Drago, the city's main central plaza, where the celebrations for the first night of carnevale were being held. They could lose the men in the crowds there.
The piazza was full of celebrants dressed in costumes, with elaborate masks. There was food and drink, dancers, singers chanting a bawdy song about gondoliers' poles, under-dressed men and women chasing each other, performers and jugglers and acrobats and contortionists, fortune tellers, and all sorts of entertainment. As the group moved through the crowd, Via caught the eye of a handsome young man wearing red, with a Pantalone mask, surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women. The man gestured to her, and Via felt a great pressure on her mind to come to him, but was able to resist it, and the man departed, his companions following in a daze behind him. Matilde wanted to confront the man, but some of the others recognised him as Carnelio, one of the red dragon overlords of the city. Rumour said how he enjoyed the company of beautiful virgins, before eating them - certainly, women who were seen with him were never seen again. It was horrible, but picking a fight with a dragon would be suicidal.
Shaken, the group found a sedan chair to help them carry Chiara's chest and Gustavo's body - up until now they had been telling people he was just passed out from alcohol! Adrianna led them through the city to the poorest part of town, and they stopped outside a derelict church of San Luigi. Adrianna took them into the cellar, where a gang of rough-looking men eyed them up very suspiciously. Paolo, Adrianna's adopted father, appeared and agreed to offer the children of House Benicio shelter and assistance in exchange for their help. He was a Humanist, working for the overthrow of the dragons, and he had a mission for them. But in the meantime, Gustavo's body was entrusted to an embalmer and a priest, and a short service held for him in the church's crypt. Then, finally, the siblings were able to rest at last.
Chiara looked around and noticed a small barge for transporting goods, moored only a small way down the canal. It would be large enough for everyone to ride on, and the few crates and the tarpaulin on it could serve as rudimentary cover. She directed the others towards it, while she, Stefano and Naso engaged the assassins coming for them. Stefano shattered one's skull with his hammer, while the dog sprang at the other two and knocked them into the canal. One of them hit his head on the way down and sank. Meanwhile, Greta applied a rough bandage to Via's wounds to stop the flow of blood. Stefano grabbed her body and carried her to the barge. The group hurriedly erected some shelter and cast off from the docks. Naso and Chiara hurried on to the barge just before it departed. Greta and Stefano grabbed poles to steer it. The third assassin emerged from the water and stabbed Stefano, but Deltorro was able to knock him unconscious. He fell back into the water and drowned.
Meanwhile, the boat with the other assassins had crossed the canal and was in close pursuit. Greta was shot with a crossbow bolt, and almost passed out from the pain. Matilde moved to the back of the boat and chanted an incantation, A kaleidoscope of lights burst from her fingers into the eyes of their pursuers, blinding them. Distracted, they dropped their own barge-pole into the water! Stefano and Greta seized the opportunity and quickly poled their barge away down a smaller side-canal. At the first opportunity, the group abandoned the barge floating down the canal, and hurried up a small alleyway. Their diversion worked: in the darkness, their pursuers did not notice that there was no one on the barge, and the children of House Benicio were able to escape.
Adrianna picked the lock on a dressmaker's shop, and the group piled in. They were exhausted, soaking wet and freezing cold after their ordeal. They created a small magical fire while they planned their next move. Chiara thought that they might go to the di Barbarro family for help, while Adrianna suggested going to her mentor Paolo, leader of a small criminal group, for help. After some discussion, they agreed to meet Paolo. They all took fresh clothes, and Chiara left money on the counter for the owner to pay for them - while Adrianna pocketed the minute that Chiara wasn't looking, and returned to her.
When the group went outside, Naso whuffled quietly. Looking down the street, they could see that there were men looking around. Via could see in the darkness better than any of the others, so she led them through the shadows, away from the men hunting for them. Fireworks were still exploding in the sky, so they made their way to the Piazza Drago, the city's main central plaza, where the celebrations for the first night of carnevale were being held. They could lose the men in the crowds there.
The piazza was full of celebrants dressed in costumes, with elaborate masks. There was food and drink, dancers, singers chanting a bawdy song about gondoliers' poles, under-dressed men and women chasing each other, performers and jugglers and acrobats and contortionists, fortune tellers, and all sorts of entertainment. As the group moved through the crowd, Via caught the eye of a handsome young man wearing red, with a Pantalone mask, surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women. The man gestured to her, and Via felt a great pressure on her mind to come to him, but was able to resist it, and the man departed, his companions following in a daze behind him. Matilde wanted to confront the man, but some of the others recognised him as Carnelio, one of the red dragon overlords of the city. Rumour said how he enjoyed the company of beautiful virgins, before eating them - certainly, women who were seen with him were never seen again. It was horrible, but picking a fight with a dragon would be suicidal.
Shaken, the group found a sedan chair to help them carry Chiara's chest and Gustavo's body - up until now they had been telling people he was just passed out from alcohol! Adrianna led them through the city to the poorest part of town, and they stopped outside a derelict church of San Luigi. Adrianna took them into the cellar, where a gang of rough-looking men eyed them up very suspiciously. Paolo, Adrianna's adopted father, appeared and agreed to offer the children of House Benicio shelter and assistance in exchange for their help. He was a Humanist, working for the overthrow of the dragons, and he had a mission for them. But in the meantime, Gustavo's body was entrusted to an embalmer and a priest, and a short service held for him in the church's crypt. Then, finally, the siblings were able to rest at last.
Art: 'Carnival in Rome.' Aleksandr-Petrovic Mjasoedo, 1839.
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