An Epilogue of Finstarnessi - Vatican
A short epilogue created as a rough writing exercise by my game master, following the end of the Finstarnessi roleplay and the off-screen demon-takeover. Features the PC's who were played by the other players and a little bit of This One. Warning: the epilogue contains some pidgin italian that's probably quite inaccurate.
Epilogue for Finstarnessi volume II
Vatican City
“Now what?” Emilie asked, as they observed the fabled Apostolic Palace from a short distance, a top a tower. The area they needed was surrounded by concrete walls.
“It’s like the Berlin Wall all over again.” Alice said with a sigh.
“The Berlin Wall?” Emilie enquired.
“1961. There’s a huge wall dividing the city of Berlin in two. Western Berlin was-“
“Look!” Edith said suddenly, interrupting Alice’s oncoming lecture. She was pointing towards the walled area.
“They are ours!” Emilie exclaimed upon witnessing an armed man shoot and kill a lurking wolf, and then another. Both Edith and Emilie then looked at Alice, looking for confirmation.
“I’ve not tried this before. It’s a new timeline. But if they kill werewolves, it’s unlikely they would be our enemy.” Alice replied.
“Except…. They might consider us the enemy. We’re just some strange people lurking about as well. Who’s to say we’re not werewolves in human form?” Oscar said calmly. The group fell quiet.
“We made it this far, didn’t we? There’s got to be a way…” Edith said. Emilie nodded.
“Could we just try some things and you turn back time if it goes badly? Like you did when we found you?” Emilie asked Alice.
“Dying or getting hurt is no pleasant process. Even if I change the timeline, your soul will remember. Doing this has plenty of consequences, even if the end outcome is more desirable. And things could always turn out the way they did on that New Year’s Eve in London… I’d rather we’d not experiment randomly.”
“I don’t think everyone in the city are werewolves,” Terry said. “It’s possible we could find some humans and talk to them. Perhaps they have a way of communicating with the Palace.”
“How do we tell them apart?” Emilie asked.
“I have an idea.” Oscar replied and gently took out a cross, he’d retrieved from London. “This cross is made of silver. We could use that to identify werewolves.”
“Just walk up to anyone we see and ask them to hold your cross? If it starts smelling like one of Terry’s attempts at cooking, we run off?” Emilie asked, and Terry gave a small chuckle. Edith looked like she wanted to defend Uncle Terry’s cooking, but refrained.
“Or we could casually drop it on the street. Anyone that is able to pick it up, would be clear of any werewolf accusations. We’d observe from somewhere nearby.” Oscar added.
“Well, either this works, or you’re one necklace lighter afterward. I’m willing to try.” Emilie gestured carelessly with her hand.
Half a day later…
“We is Papal Velites Regiment. Before, to be knowed as Corps of Gendarmes. Trick with cross... yes, very rischioso. Fortunatois Papal Velites, no mannaro.” Said the official. He looked like he could be a general, although his actual rank remained a mystery. While he spoke, he gestured with his arms every time he said an Italian word. His body language didn’t seem aggressive, but it sure came across as scolding. While he wasn’t waving his arms about, he was tugging on his moustache or touching his shaved chin.
“Are your people inside the Palace? We saw some of them shoot the wolves. We need to get in there.” Edith said. The official gave a laugh before responding.
“IsPontificia Cohors Helvetica.” He said.
“I’m sorry, we really don’t speak Italian.” Edith said.
“Ah…Guardia Svizzera? No?”
“The Swiss Guard?” Emilie asked.
“Si si!” The man waved his arms excitedly and spoke some more Italian, as if they could suddenly understand him. They could not.
“Guardia Palatina d'Onore e Guardia Nobile…. e la Guardia Svizzera.” He said and crossed his fingers, repeatedly, as if to make sure the foreigners can understand his gesture. “Together, si?”
“Can we get in the Palace? Message them?” Emilie asked.
“Si.I talk. Why? Why go?” He asked. The group exchanged some looks. It was Terry who finally broke the silence.
“We need to see the Pope. There are some things only he can help us with.
“Dio mio…” the official said and leaned back into his chair, then sighed. “Is costoso. Understand? No easy. Need moneta. La valuta? Understand?”
“I have a few pounds-…“ Emilie said, but was interrupted by the Italian.
“No, no! Valore. This!” He said and pointed at Oscar’s silver cross on his makeshift desk.
“If I give you this, you will get us inside the Palace?” Oscar asked solemnly.
“La promessa!”
At nightfall…
This One observed curiously as the group moved towards the Apostolic Palace. Guided by the local Commissario, they took the one path that was safe, and thus avoided detection by the wolves. Or so they thought. This One also saw a white werewolf sitting atop a roof nearby, allowing them to pass, watching. Perhaps it wanted to see how the path to inside worked, so it might make use of it? Perhaps it had other plans. This One didn’t know. This hadn’t happened yet. It was a new experience. This One had managed to change the pattern by getting involved. No lightning bolt had struck This One down for it so far. Time had meaning again. And time would tell This One, if meddling was a good thing. It was also time to go and give the news to Pope Pius XII.