(IC III) San Francisco by Night: A Requiem in Fog

[Thundercracker]

Anna nodded and kept quiet. Her suspicions about Estella and Miho’s mirror would remain just that until she could confirm them.

[Haval]

Rachel wasn't really worried about Patrick but on the other hand she had only just met him. Being outside of the city for the first time in a while put her out of her comfort zone. 'Why? Because sometimes even people like me need to work. The Duchesse...I'm very curious where the title comes from by the way...wanted to meet with Mother about something, but Mother is busy and sent me instead. This woman might be expecting someone like me to show up if she has any sense.'

Spoiler: ooc

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I think things like heartrate or sweat would do it. Or I suppose it's the equivalent of rolling Scrutiny in 40k and you're just trying to judge his reactions by looking very closely.

I may be conflating this with Werewolf where they might be capable of picking up on how much someone is behaving like prey or whatever.

[Bennosuke]

"Good," Tony replies with a satisfied nod. He pauses, perhaps giving those gathered to speak up before he continues, "Very well then. Shall we discuss... more general security concerns? We are concerned that some of the Kindred who were loyal to Gorman might cause trouble while The Prince is out of the city. There are not many, and they are not very powerful, but with my Sire gone, they may seek to capitalize."

************************************************** **

Patrick shrugs and replies, "I'm not really certain where the title comes from." He chuckles a little and adds, "I had actually kinda assumed it was self-given or something." When Rachel mentions the Circle Primogen, a confused sort of expression crosses his face. "Mother? I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I follow."

Spoiler: OOC

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In reviewing both the description of Kindred Senses (pg 90) and in the description of the Acute Senses merit, I don't see anything supporting that Kindreds are better able to read human emotions based only on there improved vision, hearing ect... though of course they have plenty of available additional powers that could possible help.

I'd suggest that what Rachel was trying to accomplish would again be an Empathy roll as per page 168. As previously mentioned, because Rachel's roll was so good, if it was converted to an empathy roll she would have succeeded anyways.

[Daishain]

Karl nods, "I had been wondering about that myself. Has the prince expressed any preference on our default approach to any such matters? We could crack down on any hints of rebellion, but I suspect that simply making it clear that we are watching may cut down on much of that."

[Thundercracker]

Anna nodded and waited for Tony to tell them who to keep an eye on.

[Haval]

On Oleander, 'So either she's pretentious or she's somehow old enough to have come by the title honestly. I can't say I'm not interested either way.' On the second point, 'You do know where I got your number Patrick? I feel like Mother Blackstar would be difficult to forget about if you ever met her.' Perhaps he had not.

[Bennosuke]

Tony's face wrinkles with a frown momentarily. He pauses for a moment, picking his words carefully as he replies, "I think less is more... unless force is absolutely necessary. One of our greatest strengths so far has been not policing as hard as Gorman and Schultz had." He runs his tongue across his teeth, and with a shrug adds, "But of course if the Traditions are being broken, or violence breaks out, we trust you to do what you must."

He pulls his cellphone out, and for a moment it seems that Tony is about to act the part of the spoiled millennial, but as he starts pecking away he says, "Here is a list of Kindred you might want to keep your eyes on. Not a hard list, just people we are concerned about."

Both Karl and Anna get a ping on their phone, the list has a number of names, about twenty in all and mostly familiar. But among the names a few stand out, including Mother Blackstar, Ivanov, Dennis Collins, Ozzy Mandius, and a few Spear members. At the end of the list it just says, "The Carthians?". As the two are reading the list Tony adds, "I also wanted to mention Zach Thomas. I'm sure you've heard the rumors as well... but it sounds like he's got a bit of a vendetta with you two; chopping off his hand and all. Just thought I'd mention it since we can likely expect the most anarchy with The Prince gone."

************************************************** ********************

"I've honestly never heard the name," Patrick says insistently. He pauses for a moment and then says, "... However, assuming this is a female vampire from San Francisco, could you be talking about Ms. Jackson?" The name sounds familiar, but then he starts describing Mother Blackstar, and Rachel is certain they are talking about the same person.

As Patrick finishes this, he gracefully decelerates the car, pulling off the narrow road into a small wooden garage. Only once the car is parked in the garage can Rachel see the stairs that lead down the side of the hill from the parking spot to a modern looking two story house surrounded by gnarled redwoods and finger-like sycamores. "Here we are," the man says with a grin, "home sweet home." He gets out and races around to open the passenger side door for Rachel.

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

“Zach Thomas… After I saved his life?” Anna asked, “talk about ungrateful…”

You would think he’d get the picture after she saved him, paid for the damage to his apartment, and embarrassed him in front of his sire. It wasn’t like he even lost the use of his arm! Nobody would have even known if he hadn’t gone and blabbed about it.

“We’ll keep our eyes open,” Anna said as she continued to scan the list.

[Haval]

Rachel will take a moment to curse her slip. But better here then with someone who actually mattered. 'That's her. I imagine she's had a lot of names over the years, but she seems to consider you a useful man to know.'

Rachel is amused by Patrick's chivalry but will take his hand anyway as she gets out of the car. 'Nice house. I take it you're alone here?'

[Bennosuke]

Tony D'Agostino barely reacts to Anna's response, his eyes narrowing just slightly. With a small nod of his head, he replies flatly, "Indeed."

After she finishes he says, "Unless you have any further questions, or unless there is something else you wish to discuss, I suppose we should finish by talking about bringing in this new member to your coterie."

************************************************** ********

Patrick blushes slightly at the supposed compliment, giving an awkward shrug. As he leads Rachel out of the car and down the stairs he replies, "Indeed. We have... plenty of privacy." The stairs are lit by a series of electric lamps planted into the rough soil that runs down the hill. Rachel can see the grin, the excitement now glowing on the blood doll's face as the two of them descend down to his private domain.

[Thundercracker]

Anna cleared her throat.

“With Aisling gone, we’re needing to round out our numbers,” Anna said, “and it just happened we had a referral, a recently arrived kindred named Rachel. She doesn’t have much history with us, which is ideal. We were planning to ease her in, give her a trial period, so to speak, before bringing her in formally. We wanted to check first though, since our position as hounds complicates things a bit.”

[Haval]

Rachel will only grin at Patrick's reaction. There was something to be said for a willing potential meal. She'll let Patrick lead her towards the house before passing him her coat when they were inside

When they'd found somewhere to sit, 'Can't say I'm not curious over who else you've been talking too but I don't need to intrude on anyone else's business.' How would he deal with one of the less civilised bloodlines? But he had met Blackstar and didn't seem overly worried by it. 'I will need to speak to Oleander tonight though. Would you happen to have her number or do you think she'd be willing to join us?'

[Bennosuke]

The stairs lead to a large stone terrace, lit softly by the yellow glow of surrounding lamps. Patrick's house is all geometric angles, tall glass panels, and off white walls. He opens the door, inviting Rachel in. The question lands as the two are standing in the entryway. Patrick's face tightens at the request, and he studies the vampire as the weighs his options. "Uh... I can maybe give you her number, but I don't really have the eh, power to summon Duchesse Oleander. She, normally calls me," he says, face turning red.

[Haval]

'She would be angry with you if you tried I take it?' Rachel replied. 'Fair enough. Let me have her number.'

[Bennosuke]

Patrick shrugs again uncomfortably. He mutters in reply, "Well, I mean... you know how it is," before saying, "give me a moment to get a paper and pen." He ushers Rachel into the house, slipping through an opening in the entrance hallway into the kitchen to a pen and paper. He calls out from the kitchen, "Just uh... don't tell her how you got the number; just in case?" His face is slightly red, and there is a sheen of sweat on his upper brow that some mortals get when they are nervous.

[Daishain]

Karl nods at Anna's explanation, "To be clear we have not decided to bring her in just yet, we wanted to be sure the possibility would not present an issue, given that she would naturally be close enough to learn the business of the prince's hounds. A potential conflict of interest if she is not selected to be a hound herself."

[Bennosuke]

Tony shrugs, his face blank of expression. In reply he says, "I am glad you are not being rash about this. How about this; why don't you figure things out a little more, and come back and report to me. If you two think she will be a good fit and can give me reason to believe so, we will be in full support of her joining you, and on your recommendation, can consider her for a position as Hound." He grins slightly and extends a hand, first to Karl then to Anna to shake, saying, "My Sire trusts you two deeply, and there are few outside the family where that is the case."

After he has given the two Hounds a firm politician handshake, Tony says, "Now is there anything else we would like to discuss? It is getting close to sunrise, and I believe you wanted to formally present your Childe Karl?"

[Haval]

'Don't worry about it Patrick.' Rachel will take the note. 'She'll likely assume Ms Jackson told me. She is certainly capable of finding it.'

Rachel will tap out a quick message.

Spoiler: Text Message

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I'm told you have something to show us? I'm already in Sausalito if you want to discuss it. Mother is busy so she sent me instead.

[Bennosuke]

Patrick nods ambivalently as Rachel tells him not to worry. He watches with idle curiosity as she types out her text message to The Duchesse.

Within moments Rachel gets a reply. it reads, "Who is this?"

[Haval]

Within moments Rachel gets a reply. it reads, "Who is this?"

'My name is Rachel, but I'm not that important. I thought it would be politer to reach out then interrupt another Kindred when they're in the middle of a hunt.'

[Daishain]

Karl nods, "I do not recall if you formally met him before tonight, but Gabriel here has been my faithful ghoul for quite some time. He more than earned the right to ask for the embrace."

[Bennosuke]

Rachel is greeted with a reply only moments after her last. Oleander's message reads, "And you are a member of The Mother's Covenant I presume??? I am sorry Rachel, but it would be MORE POLITE to fully introduce yourself to this city's leader." Now this was a power play. Above and beyond the frustrating correction of Rachel's grammar, it was clear that The Duchesse was trying to establish dominance in this relationship (typical Kindred behavior), whether or not she eve was truly the leader of the Kindred in Sausalito.

************************************************** ******

"Oh yes, we've met," Tony says with a grin that is actually directed at the Fledgeling, "And I have no doubt that he was more than deserving.". Gabe gives an appreciative and affirmative head nod. The Prince's childe shrugs and says, "I just wanted to make sure we had, taken care of all our business before we close out the night. I think we can both agree that introducing Gabe is mostly just a necessary formality at this point." Impulsively, Tony brings a hand up to rub at a bloodshot eye. He looked gaunt and tired, like all Kindred do this close to sunrise. And as if to punctuate this he adds, "Let's go upstairs then. It is getting close to sunrise, and I am sure none of us wish to be out much longer."

Tony bids the group to follow him, and leads the way out of the lavishly decorated study, through a pristine but unused kitchen, and to a flight of stairs that lead up to the second floor. Down a long hallways with sumptuous hardwood floors, Tony opens the door to The Prince's office, a room that Karl and Anna have both been in before. The lights are off in the room, but The Prince sits at his desk, lit by the glow of a large computer monitor. He is busy pecking away at the keyboard, fingers flying with an inhuman celerity. He does not rise, his face remains unmoved and fixed to the screen, but the Prince speaks, "Come in, come in. Welcome. It is good to see you three. Please, have a seat." He does not gesture, but it is clear he is referring to the two chairs that sit opposite his polished wooden work desk. Other than his hands, the Prince's body remains completely motionless, and in the glow of the computer, he looks like an animatronic corpse.

[Haval]

Rachel is greeted with a reply only moments after her last. Oleander's message reads, "And you are a member of The Mother's Covenant I presume??? I am sorry Rachel, but it would be MORE POLITE to fully introduce yourself to this city's leader." Now this was a power play. Above and beyond the frustrating correction of Rachel's grammar, it was clear that The Duchesse was trying to establish dominance in this relationship (typical Kindred behavior), whether or not she eve was truly the leader of the Kindred in Sausalito.

Ha. And how many vampires do you rule over out here in this...city? Technically Rachel herself predated mobile phones for a few years, but the grammer correction was the sort of thing she would expect from an elderly person if they were Kine. Perhaps she should have opened with a telegram. Rachel does not care enough to be that irritated, but it was hard to respect anyone this petty.

My apologies your grace. I seem to have been misinformed about your august rank. I am a witch of Mother's Covenant. If you would like to give me a location I can always introduce myself to you properly.

[Bennosuke]

Another Pulse message from The Duchesse returns in rapid time. It reads, "Very good! If you are in Sausalito, I can meet you on the docks outside of The Trident on Bridgeway. Be there at one." Midnight was maybe a little under an hour away.

[Haval]

I will be there. Rachel will briefly google the Trident to see how open the area around it was. She wasn't expecting any trouble but it would be better to be prepared anyway.

When she finishes she'll turn back to Patrick, 'Well she is charming isn't she? I can understand you wanting to keep your involvement quiet. She has agreed to meet me though. You didn't tell me that she considers herself in charge around here? Would you happen to know if she has any Kindred friends I should be aware of?'

[Thundercracker]

Anna enters and takes one of the offered seats. She is anxious to get back to the haven to rest before sunrise, but she doesn't let any emotion cross her features. This is Gabe's presentation, so she'll leave it to Karl to introduce him.

[Bennosuke]

According to Google, The Trident appears to be a restaurant located out on the bay side of Bridgeway. Google images actually shows that the restaurant is actually on a large wooden dock that extends out over the water, with the dock also used as a place for valet parking. It was well past closing, and Rachel could imagine herself standing out on the dock alone, waiting for a car to pull up. The nearest building appeared to be either across the street, or another restaurant called Scoma which was also on a dock, probably about 30 yards down the block.

Patrick nods his head, listening to Rachel. He chuckles when she brings up The Duchesse being a leader and replies, "I mean, I suppose she is. But I think there are a couple of vampires in this city who see themselves that way... to be completely honest." In reply to her other question, "I mean... does your kind ever really have friends?" He winces as the words escape his lips, as if he were prepared for Rachel to wind up and hit him. "She has allies though, if that's what you mean." he adds hastily, "There are only so many vampires in Sausalito you know."

*************************************************

The Prince allows his gaze to stray from the computer to Anna as she sits, and he gives her an attempt at a welcoming smile, though it appears strained.

[Haval]

Rachel smile gets wider at Patrick's display of attentiveness. 'No friends? You have been spending a lot of time with us. You're not entirely wrong though.' She'll assume that if Oleander had anyone with her there was a decent chance that Rachel would at least be able to see them coming.

'The Duchesse wants me to meet her outside 'The Trident' restaurant at one. Do you know it?'

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

“We are at your service, my Prince, whatever needs to be done while you’re away,” Anna said.

Spoiler

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killing time until daishain presents gabe.

[Daishain]

Karl steps up and gives a formal bow, "Sir, it is my pleasure to formally introduce Gabriel Hudson, my first Childe." He gestures for Gabe to step up.