Menntun i Bretlandi

General Summary

The Main Thrust

Omarosa transports her new Childe as part of the crew, making her work her passage. They arrive in England, again, and Omarosa gave her a letter and pointed her in the right direction. Emma walked across the Isle of Wight to a Roman ruin in a marsh in the forest. There she met a coterie of three Vampires, Alethia's Circle. She delivered the letter, was directed to read part of it, and found out that the letter placed her in the Alethia's care for one year and that it did not count towards the agreed upon two decades that Emma would serve Omarosa.

The Slash

Emma is immediately sent hunting before being put to training tasks the next night. One of Alethia's Circle is a Gangrel Elder named Ivar, and Emma was tested by hunting him through the woods and bogs. After a long chase, Emma proved herself in single combat against Ivar, who proved annoyingly resilient and crafty.

After testing Emma on her hunting capabilities, Alethia and Emma cross swords. It does not end well. Even though they are evenly matched, Emma wins, which infuriates Alethia. Alethia storms off and works to improve. Ivar just leaves Emma to her own devices, reminding her to Hunt. Alethia returns monthly for another duel with Emma, and though each improves, they remain evenly matched and Emma wins each time for the first six months of Emma's stay.

Then they fight with Alethia wearing her full armor from the Crusades. Between Alethia's armor and greatsword, Emma lost that fight, ending the battle by slipping into Torpor.

The Parry

Surprisingly, Alethia cared for the new Vampire, and then began to train Emma in combat and Vampirism. Emma had already grasped her in-born abilities well, and had learned the Protean discipline from the blood she took from Ivar during their fight. But using them in combat, and forcing the blood to power her physical intensity, those were done on instinct. Alethia taught Emma to control it, harness it, use it.

The Riposte

The Side Quests completed by Emma were simple, she only did one: The Saving Grace.

The Saving Grace

Emma saved a mortal woman named Grace Dewitt from Bandits as a kindness one night, after training with Alethia's Circle. Grace repaid the first kindness to the wretch in ragged clothes she met by helping her to warm herself, bathe and get new clothes. The clothes had belonged to her sister who had already passed from the sweats. The next night Grace was saved again, and this time witnessed the unearthly power and speed Emma possessed, as well as her red eyes. Grace, knowing now what Emma was, brought her back to the house, and slaughtered a sheep. The bucket of blood was brought in and Grace ladled out a cupful and passed the small horn cup to Emma. Grace told her without preamble that she knew what she was, at least partially, and that no more needed to be said about that. Then they talked of other things until late, and Grace merely asked her to latch the door when leaving and went to bed, ordering her to return for a roast lamb the next night and to do "the thing she did near the fire."

Emma learned to mimic humanity with the Blush of Life, learning to use it as she spent time with the lonely woman. Neither woman expected to be the fast friends they became, and both were shocked in turn when Grace demanded to travel with Emma when she left, and Emma surprisingly accepted. When Omarosa arrived, she was merely amused by the fact that Emma was already gathering her own followers.