Avalon: a meeting between the Herald, a Deputy and Mr Passions

[Martha Villiers]

In the cellar vault beneath the Avalon nightclub, far away from the press of dancing Mortals, the lights are low.

Down in the cellar vault of the Avalon, away from the sweaty press of people and the nightclubs' bright lights it is quieter.

Here a calmer atmosphere prevails in the low lit area which is heady with the bright scent of fresh lemons and lemonade.

Tiny Martha shares a leather sofa in the Common area of the Court with Dillon ( @ Wolven Pryde ). They sit at a low coffee table which is piled with notes, printed out copies of maps of Sacramento and copies of many US newspapers, tables of spreadsheets for various Domain accounts, learned academic periodicals and PDF print-outs of FBI manuals and police procedural documents. A carafe of iced and freshly made lemonade is on the table too, along with a set of glass tumblers.

Martha sits prettily, meekly and sweetly attired in an English school uniform: a neat straw boater, a black blazer...a pair of scholarly spectacles are perched on the end of her nose, she wears a long black gymslip shows her slim legs to mid calf...her ebony black hair is tied into neat twin tails, each tail is tied with a large red ribbon bow. She wears a white kneesock on her flesh leg and a pair of carefully polished black Mary Jane shoes thanks to her C-Leg prosthesis. A crisp white blouse is obvious where the gymslip reveals it, as is her red necktie which is tucked neatly into her gymslip. A satchel and a simple metal walking cane rest at her side and are propped against the couch.

Martha is reading quietly and carefully. Looking up over the page to smile to Dillon and then glance over to The Stairs to see if anyone is likely to join them.

( @Eric Passions )

[Mike]

Erich arrives in the common area dressed in his standard fair. Though is beast growls dissapproval at being in such kindred-centic location, Erich brushes it, wishing to share the company of the tranquil Herald. He carries in his hand a single white rose.

He pauses just inside the room. Giving the two authority figures the opportunity to find an appropriate point to pause in their current activities. When they take notice of him he addresses them. His voice is smooth and crisp, and his words sincere. "Madam Herald, Deputy, may I request a bit of your time.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha spots Eric at The Stairs and lays the document in her lap as a free hand rubs hard at her concealed C-Leg knee joint. Rubbing harder, she tries a shy smile to Eric.

Daintily beckoning him closer with her other hand. Once she has calmed her Beast down, she offers Eric a shy smile and watches him closely over the rims of her spectacles. Still rubbing at her knee.

"Ah! Mr Passions...please come and join us! Do be seated! I wonder...might I interest you in a glass of lemonade, sir?" she speaks merrily and with sincerity. Another small and friendly hand gesture inviting Eric to sit at the chair opposite the well used coffee table.

[Mike]

Erich moves towards Martha, his legs carrying him swiftly with a confident stride across the room. He reaches the seat that Martha has offered and pauses.

"Madam Herald, may I present you with a gift, this single white rose. He offers the rose to her, if she accepts he continues. "I've passion for surrounding myself with beautiful things, present company included. I thought a white rose would be a fitting gift. White is a symbol of purity and innocence, a quality that you remind me of. A rose is a thing of beauty that is pleasant to look upon, like yourself. A rose smell nice, and you wish them to be close to you, and," he pauses for a moment, "a rose has thorns, you take care with a rose lest you incur its wrath." He smiles as he takes a seat.

"I hope you appreciate the gift, it is not one given in haste or without thought. As for lemonade..." His nose crinkles as he gazes upon the sweet and sour drink, one which he loved in life, "a century ago, I never would turn down such an offering." A blissful, nostalgic look passes across his face. "But, I'm afraid I must decline now. Though the offer is appreciated."

[Martha Villiers]

With a dainty gesture and sweetly bashful smile, Martha accepts the offered rose. "Thank you, sir!" she chirped. "A splendid gift, generously given...such kind words too!" she smiled and held the rose in her hands and close in her lap. Protecting the flower.

She smiles and continues to look very bashful as she nods to show understanding to Eric's refusal to the lemonade.

Peering at the lemonade again, she adds happily, "I have begun my lemonade making work, sir, with great enjoyment! Fear not...your polite refusal will not stand against you!" she giggles now.

His silky way with words should sound cheesy and cheap. But...he somehow makes it all...work.

"I am glad you can make time to be here this evening, sir...and, I wonder: now you can share this opportunity to talk, what is it you wish to speak upon?" her tone remains bright and friendly as she takes time to coyly sniff the aroma of the rose.

[Mike]

Erich's friendly tone remains, but his demeanor suddenly becomes more serious. He moves forward sitting on the edge of his chair, and he talks with passion.

"Madam Herald, I wish you to carry my thoughts to the Prince. I have a dream you, a passion. But first let me tell you the services that I can provide for the Court. For the past century I've been used as a tool by the Invictus. I had been a lawyer in life, and my sire sought fit that I continue to perform my legal work in death. I would spend some decades in a city, I'd develop a network of contacts throughout the local courts, people that would be useful to my work. Then I would do things like draft and negotiate contracts for Invictus owned businesses, or appeal against laws that worked against us. Recently, I had a curfew imposed in Chicago overturned for being unconstitutional. More than once I've had to personally appear in night court to get a childe release that had acted foolishly. I can be incredibly persuasive, and I intend to use those skills to strengthen the Invictus' domain here. Only now, I'm no longer under the direct influence of my sire, I've finally been freed to live my unlife as I see it. In return for my work for the Court, which I will do for a fraction of my usual fee. I ask to be able to pursue starting a business here.

Erich stands, gazing off in the distance as if sees his vision. The passion in his words increases, though the volume in his voice decreases, not much more than a whisper that Martha can still hear clearly. "I've already set into motion the first stage of my business, just making contacts nothing against the Laws of course. A lot of land has to be acquired, and a lot of construction undertaken. It will be a monumental task, that will define my time here in Sacramento. A Country Club! Imagine it, Kindred able to go out, on the well lit course and golf all night. Enjoying something I LOVED to do in life, but haven't done since my Embrace. Before they go out and hit the links, they stop at the bar, and there is the governor, and senator from out of town sitting at the bar, sharing a drink with a movie star. Oh no, someone went too far during feeding downstairs in the basement, where a herd awaits for your selective enjoyment. That's okay we have hundreds of acres to hide and bury the body on, where no one will ever look. Erich looks back at Martha, smiling as he takes his seat. He leans back in his chair and crosses his legs. "What do you think? Will you carry my words to the Prince?"

Not sure if it's necessary, but...

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2012-10-05 07:02:15		Erich Passions rolls 9 to Cutting a Deal (Man + Per) (10 Again)		4, 2, 1, 1, 5, 10, 9, 2, 6, 3		2 successes

[Martha Villiers]

Martha watched and listened. Still holding the rose close to her chest, Martha nodded often as Eric made his case. He certainly had her full attention. She tracked Eric's movements and words with wide eyes.

Once his case was made, she sat in silence and gave the matter thought. Her pondering were shown by her meek sniffing again at the rose.

"This is no small thing to ask, sir. Though you are a Kindred of obvious stature and respect, here your reputation must be...if not quite re-won...then at least it must be brought sharper into our focus! To ask such a thing of His Grace as you do: access to real estate...great privileges of access to resources...and the attendant risks of exposure and calamity...without any observance to your locally junior status and standing in the Domain, well, such a request cannot be readily fulfilled just for the mere asking! Nevertheless, sir, I shall certainly mention it to him!" she giggles. Wondering if he was in the habit of asking Heralds and Keepers to run messages thus? Her giggle is playful though, rather than cruel and she adds, "I can also see obvious merit in your project and dream." she begins carefully, still smiling, "To create a club that had enough prestige to attract the Senator and others...? Well...that would have to be a fine club indeed!" she peered at Eric over the rims of her spectacles again. Assessing his words and energies. "Though I suspect that if anyone can make it work, it would be you, sir!" she smiles to Eric to show she is sincere.

Sharing a sweet smile and glance to Dillon as she thinks in silence again, Martha soon adds, "As it happens, sir, another member of the Domain is already making plans for another, and equally ambitious, construction project. Deputy Connery and I are trying to help with that. I wonder, so you may begin to find your way around the local bureaucracy, identify key personnel and learn the tricks of the local planning processes; perhaps you may wish to speak with Mr Zachary Griffiths? He is the gentlemen we are speaking with on his own project. I daresay co-operation with him will be mutually beneficial! I hope so, at least!" she giggles merrily. "Mr Griffiths, Deputy Connery and I are working at trying to scout locations for his project at the moment. So, as you see, the scheme is very much at the stage of inception. Your expertise and skills may prove very valuable. You might ask yourself: what do I, as Herald and Keeper, gain from this? I could, just as easily, fail to convey your scheme to the Prince. You are relying a great deal on a perception of my integrity! So, I wonder: what are your thoughts on the matters I have just mentioned, sir?" she asked with wide eyed eagerness.

The unspoken element to this is perhaps obvious too: with this direction he may begin to 'win his stripes' and begin to earn the reputation required to begin to negotiate for the rewards he sought.

Martha suspected Eric was more than sharp enough to understand. She was also anxious not to underestimate him. Less than a moon cycle in the Domain and already displaying such ambition! This made her smile a little bit more and take another sniff at the scent of the rose.

[Mike]

Erich smiled at Martha's response. "Of course, I understand the need to prove oneself in any given domain. I look forward to finding opportunities to assist the court. I indeed will look seek out Mr. Griffiths, I'm sure that I could help his cause. I wonder myself, how I could help you Madam Herald. Obviously, you are more cunning than your sweet, innocent demeanor would suggest, to have achieved such a position." Erich stands as he speaks, and walks around the table, until he is standing next to the Herald. He glances towards the deputy as he kneels down next to Martha's chair.

He leans over and whispers into her ear. "So tell me Madam Herald, what is it you desire?"

Seduction: Initial physical roll

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2012-10-05 16:12:46		Erich Passions rolls 10 to Seduction (Pre + Per + SL) (10 Again)		10, 10, 9, 4, 3, 6, 6, 9, 4, 2, 8, 4		5 successes

[Dillon Connery]

Dillon had suffered in silence, knowing that this particular game is one Kindred play. He'd thought to sit it out. To wait and make sure nothing is inappropriate.

Because, let's face it. If the Gangrel deputy smashed the face of every petulant newcomer that got - what he would personally consider - too friendly with Martha... the Domain would be a lot smaller.

However, he is a man in charge of her security for a very good reason.

Though Dillon doesn't hear Eric's final words, the actions speak much louder.

"Too close." He stands, voice a heated, throaty growl. "Back off. Right now."

When Dillon Connery starts speaking in two-syllable sentences, you should probably take extra special care.

-1 Vitae to activate Vigor

[Martha Villiers]

Martha was about to respond to Eric's words when she spotted him kneeling closer. Wondering if this was the beginning of some Invictus ceremony she had yet to witness, so she watched with wide eyes. As he leaned closer to her to whisper, she leaned away...anxious lest his proximity be the prelude to an attack. He was mere inches away now and he had fangs too.

Bringing a delicate hand up, she made a defensive gesture as she watched with wider eyes. Trying to quickly take in the activity and raising her Celerity...just in case his words of roses and thorns was more a prophecy than a compliment.

As Eric's seductive whispered words revealed his intent, Martha was unable to reply in time as Dillon barked to cease and desist. Her hand, once warding off potential threat, now gestured for Eric and Dillon to remain calm.

With her Celerity in play she lowered her rose to one side and gathered her cane.

"Golly! Gentlemen...all is well...I believe Mr Passions meant no mischief..." she added with a calm, sweet and reassuring smile to Dillon and Eric. "I thank you for your excellent vigilance, Deputy!" she praised Dillon though and made certain to smile at him before offering a smile to Eric.This, she suspected, was perhaps just the sort of awkward moment the phrase 'no harm, no foul' was coined for.

-1 Vitae to activate Celerity 1