Things could be less embarrassing if Eve had told me that "Mr. David Silver" was in fact the Sacramento's Hierophant. I also wonder if that stupid crow of hers, Badb, had purposefully delayed my travel to make me arrive just in time for the Solstice celebration...
I head to the temple's entrance and, as before, await to be invited.
I announce myself mentally evoking the Oxossi's blessing. That calms down the beast, and all that feral conditioning taught by Eve in order to not show yourself inferior to another vampires is temporally suppressed.
Great?
"Please, I'm the Hierophant, not a Crone or aspect of her. I'm just a Vampire, like yourself. Hierophant Silver is fine if you are looking for spiritual advice. Now, you said that Eve sent you. How is she faring?"
I was used with the imposed reverence demanded by Eve. This egalitarian vies is something new coming from a Crone's authority...
But since Eve grew more and more unstable over the past year, maybe then this can be the 'right approach' to the covenant's spiritual leader. Maybe.
"As you wish... Hierophant Silver. I'm in fact looking for spiritual advice..."
Brief pause
"About Eve, she had stabilished a temple at Las Vegas, besides the Crone not being very welcomed at the domain..."
As he speaks, José takes her backpack and begins to scrutinize its contents without loosing eye contact with the Hierophant.
"Only on the past year I had the feeling that she was 'arranging' things. Some months ago she openly confirmed it, and told me that her blood was claiming its slumber.
She ask me to give you this ..."
David takes one look at the pendant, and there is a moment of stillness.
What is that? No. She. How dare she. That was..
Davids fists clench, and his face hardens into a sharp glare. That was a gift! That was a tribute! And she...Oh Eve. Clever, clever, maddening Eve. I see. Your give him to me, as I once was to you.
David relaxes, slowly.
"Thank you." He takes the pendant, and puts it on.
"What is your knowledge of the Circle, and your place in it?"
Clever and maddening. Yes, David knows her, for sure.
As the Hierophand had allowed his beast to arouse for few seconds, José perceived it's superior strength. He was about to run away, but suddenly the Hierophant calmed down. His beast tamed again.
He thinks: I did'nt fully understand all the back story, but it seems that at I'm a sort of 'joke' or, at worst, or best, some kind of retribution in Eve's plot. It's too early to tell if the Hierophant really took it with all that composure, but I think there is no other option left to me. Let's play.
And then, speaks:
"Well, most of what I've learned is due to observation alone.
I was allowed to attend at the ceremonies and most of the rituals, but as most of them were executed in ... gaelic - if I'm not wrong - my knowledge is limited.
Eve was indeed more interested in my own religious perspective, the african Youruba religion that we Brazilians call "Candomblé."
José makes a brief pause trying to notice the Hierophant's interest on all that. Then proceeds.
"After I feed her with some of what I knew about "Candomblé", Eve told me that I should not ignore my roots. Second to her, Candomblé was already a valid approach to the Circle of the Crone beliefs."
Another brief pause. The Gangrel looks satisfied sharing all that with the Hierophant, as if all that - contained within himself for so long time - could be released at once.
"Evolve from it! She told me once... Following that directive, I've tried to perform on some rituals... dancing Capoeira or playing the Berimbau. Eve liked it."
José looks at the Hierophants eyes.
"I don't expect anything more than to be allowed to join the Chorus, Hierophant Silver. It would be an honor."
"Candomblé" David repeats, and closes his eyes for a moment.
"I hope you are more in line with the Macumba aspects than the veneration of saints. Also, we do our Toques in reverse here, with the public event first, and then the private ceremony. With that being said, Candomblé can be used to bring you close to the Crone. The trap that the Crone has set for you, that you must be watchful for, is that you do not fall into the worship of lesser beings. Candomblé has many spirits, but the Crone is above all. The great beings are aspects of her, the spirits her servats. Focus on a set, and try to see the Crone hidden behind the different faces. Additionally, I want you to research Shintoism, and come back to me in a few months explaining what you found, and its relationship to your faith."
David nods, the task is given.
"If you think you are able to strive and challenge yourself, the chorus will accept you. I also give you temporary acknowledgement within the city. You will attend the Prince's court, and present yourself to him at the appropriate time. You will dress and act appropriately; the circle holds a position of stability in the city, I will not have you jeapordize that. Praxis is the rules we follow, do not deviate.
He don't really understood what the Hierophant wished to mean with "Macumba" instead of "veneration of saints", as most of the Macumba - as he knows it in Brazil - are really offerings to "please/bribe" the Saints into execute the desired "trabalho" (work). Anyway, as to try to correct the Hierophant should not be the best strategy at his first 'audience'...
When the Hierophant talks about lesser spirits and greater beings José expontaneouslly nods.
José is no priest, or "Pai de Santo" (as it's more appropriatly addressed in the Candomblé), but he was honestly interested into that task: to identify the Crone among the various Orixás stereotypes, or at least to identify her 'hidden hand' on the lesser Orixás doings.
When David speaks about Shintoism, José's arcs his left brow, as he didn't make an idea how to 'research' that in his current state. Anyway, few months seems fair enough.
He nods again.
"Yes Hierophant, I'll study the Shintoism."
José remains quiet until the Hierophant finishes all his directions. The 'dress and act appropriately' stuff rings a huge bell into his head. To dress properly is something he wasn't much concerned even on his breathing days. He then decides to play it clear, with some more cards than usually are opened on the desk at this stage:
"I'll do my best Hierophant to not put your thrust on me neither the Cricle's reputation at check...
However I must confess that all my belongings are with me right now.
Beyond that... I'm illegal in the USA."
Any 'real' feedback from the Hierophant at this moment would be better than an 'incorrect feedback' at all.
I'm used to do it the hard way. I can stand it once more.
David blinks.
David thinks:Is he really worried about that of all things?
He shakes his head, then turns to Jose
"Jose. As far as the government is concerned, I am dead. Which puts me in the same legal standing as you. I think, were you to get honest answers from asking around, you would find similar situations from many others. If you need to secure false papers, do so. If you need a loan, one can be provided to you.
If you wish me to coddle you, I can do that, but This." David holds up the pendant, "Says that you no longer wish to be coddled, but to be pushed and tested."
Leveling with someone is just so freeing, so much more comfortable than hiding behind the words.
José listens and took a little idle before answering back - as, again, he was comparing the Hierophant's with the 'High Priestess'.
Eve was at the first look a very polite and educated person, patient and somehow benevolent and tolerant to mistakes.
However, anybody that had saw her 'furious' knows how volatile that mood really is. In that situations her temper could vary from the 'calm cruelty' to the ... claws.
José then directs himself respectfully - and somehow ashamed - to the Hierophant.
"Sir... my only concern is to fail and disapoint you.
I'm a simple man, not accustomed with refinement or etiquette..."
José shows his palmed calloused hands where it's visible the thick yellowish skin and the unkept finger nails, earned from the hard work as a fisher and also, most of the time, from the capoeira moves.
"However, I don't want to be 'coodled' " - as he repeats 'coodled' it seems that it's the first time that he hears the word - " neither being a burden."
After some seconds he closes his hands. José still looks worried, but it's different from before.
It seems that, intentionally or not, the Hierophant in his analysis had touched some painful point of José's soul.
"I can't accept a loan. To work. That's what I'm used to do.
So I respectfully ask if there is anything the Hierophant needs to be done."
Originally posted by Eve:
Draft this Post