Ember at your Own Risk (Open)

[Gallows]

The music in the Ember was markedly different from that of the Rage--the Rage was a nightclub, while this place was a higher class strip club. The music was loud enough, but Gallows couldn't feel it rattling in his bones the way he had at the Rage. As he sat at one of the chairs in the main room, Gallows couldn't help but feel a little more comfortable here than at the Rage. Plus, there were the mostly naked women.

Gallows was wearing a suit and tie, though the tie was loose and his top button unbuttoned. Apparently it was enough to pass muster for the dress code, because the bouncers had let him in without any problems. One of them had gotten in his way, though, when he headed for the private booths, thinking to grab one for him and Vaeltia. Apparently, those were only for customers who had bought lap dances--and while Gallows had beaten Vaeltia here, it seemed polite to wait. Who knew? Maybe the inspiration she needed for her painting would involve lap dances. Gallows honestly had no idea, he was mostly here to help out a friend. He would just have to enjoy himself in the process.

Gallows ordered himself a rum and coke as he waited in the main room, at a decent seat for watching the main catwalk. It was almost 10:00, and the main shows hadn't started yet. While the drink was being made, he looked around, familiarizing himself with the new place. It was more upscale than he was expecting. Looking at one of the signs, Gallows noted that the club apparently hosted a Ladies' Night ("The Dirty Dollar"), a GLBT night ("Climax"), and Amateur Night. Fortunately--or unfortunately--this was just a regular business night. Gallows couldn't help but reflect that coming on amateur night might have been an entertaining experience...besides, Vaeltia had a cop uniform now...

He drove that thought out of his mind and took a long swig of his drink. He and Vaeltia were friends, and though she had looked surprisingly good in uniform the other day, he was here to help her with her art. Not hit on her, or be a stereotypical male pig at a strip club. "Stay classy, Gallows," he muttered to himself. "Stay classy." He then steeled himself by taking another gulp of the drink, and positioned himself to watch the door for Vaeltia .

Cast at Sanctum

  Prime Sight

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-20 14:39:03		Gallows rolls 6 to casts Prime Sight (10 Again)		1, 9, 7, 10, 5, 8, 4		3 successes

  First try for Mind Armor, fail

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-20 14:39:21		Gallows rolls 8 to casts Mind Armor (10 Again)		2, 5, 2, 5, 2, 2, 1, 3		failure

  Second time, success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-20 14:39:33		Gallows rolls 7 to casts Mind Armor...again (10 Again)		7, 1, 3, 3, 8, 9, 5		2 successes

[Vae]

Vaeltia walked into the club, realization slowly dawning on her that it was a strip club. Why hadn’t she checked that ahead of time...at least it made sense why the guys at work kept smirking after she mentioned it. Her partner had asked if she needed back up.

But the Obrimos had decided to fly solo.

Well as solo as someone with a date...sorta.

She surveyed the room before her, the asymmetrical hemline of the midnight blue dress showed off a generous amount of legs.

How do you dress to go to a strip club as a chick anyway?

That was probably the most embarrassing part of it all.

But a job was a job, even if Mr. Miller had set her up.

“Goodevening, Mr. Hanson, mind if I join you?”

[Gallows]

The name Hanson coming from Vaeltia's voice still sounded weird. Gallows chuckled a bit and stood up, pulling out a chair for her. "Not all, Officer Gideon. Or is it Miss Gideon, now that you're off duty?" After Vaeltia sits down, Gallows will sit as well and take a sip of his drink. "Congratulations, by the way. You were the first person in this city to learn my name who wasn't a roommate, as far as I know." The idea that other mages in the Consilium might know his true name was a bit unsettling, but he pushed it out of his mind. There was sense worrying about things you couldn't control--not unless you could learn a way to control them. That was Mage philosophy in a nutshell, though there were very few things a mage coulcn't conceivably control...eventually.

"Think a drink would help with the inspiration, or is the environment enough on its own?"

[Vae]

“Miss is fine.” she said with a grin before taking the seat offered. She waved the congratulations away.

“I have to say, though, you’re not my first.” Vaeltia delivered the line with a wink. “Actually V or even Vae works just fine, it’s a nick name you know.”

The Obrimos looked down at his drink. “Actually that’s probably a good idea.”

[Gallows]

Gallows snorted as Vaeltia bantered. It had been too long since he really had a chance to unwind. "Vae it is,then," he said, gesturing to the bartender. "The lady's drink will be on me." He grinned at Vaeltia and added "Consider it a belated promotion present."

Looking around the club, it appeared that the main show would be starting soon. Gallows didn't have a lot of spare money lying around these days, but he had managed to scrounge together enough cash that he could at least afford to tip, or do whatever it was you were supposed to do. He had to admit, strip-club etiquette was not his forte. "So, what kind of piece are you working on?"

[Vae]

“If you’re paying for it, you might as well choose it too, I’m not well versed in alcohol.” she’s had her tips here and there, and that lesson with Clark ( Asa )... she tended towards wine now anyway.

“Thank you, badge and all.” Vaeltia looked around at the club, it was a nice club...nothing to say about the fact that it was a strip club, but the aesthetics alone were good.

“Something visible.” She said quoting the words of the commission. “I’m thinking something maybe like what I did for the Avalon. Have you seen it?”

[Ermon]

First days in Sacramento were hell. He spent nearly all his time driving around the city, meeting people, promising information, persuading. And, as often as not, he didn't go out as himself. Amazing things could be done just by dying the hair a little and applying a couple theatrical make-up tricks.

But all this gave Ermon a headache. He needed to relax, to have fun, to lose himself. He'd love to just hit the city with no supernatural aid whatsoever, but those days were firmly behind him. It simply wasn't safe.

Still, as he enters Ember in a slightly disheveled suit, Ermon does his best not to pay attention to people's emotions and thoughts. Thankfully, there is very little of the latter and the former are very easy to screen out.

Without looking around him the chef approaches the bar:

"Double vodka."

They always mess up cocktails at these joints.

He looks at the stage appreciating the dancers' skills.

  Cast at home

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-26 11:17:43		Ermon rolls 5 to Misperception (Gno + Mind + HS -2 24 hour duration) (10 Again)		7, 7, 4, 6, 9		1 success
2013-03-26 11:17:26		Ermon rolls 5 to Third Eye (Gno + Mind + HS -2 24 hour duration) (10 Again)		4, 5, 6, 7, 8		1 success

[Gallows]

"Rum and coke, please," Gallows said to the bartender. He wasn't sure what Vaeltia liked to drink, but his own favorite seemed as good a choice as any. Besides, it was sweet--most people liked sweet.

"Something visible," Gallows mused with a grin. "Well, I'd imagine most painting is visible, as are most things..." he trailed off, and took another look at Vaeltia. "Unless this client is one of ours?" If a Mage had hired her, 'something visible' could have different connotations than it would for a Sleeper. "Either way, we're surrounded by the visible. This entire place is based off look, don't touch. It's all about indulging in sight, really." He took another sip of his drink, and added "And numbing the senses too, I suppose."

  Complete failure to notice that someone else with spells active in their pattern has entered the scene

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-26 19:16:43		Gallows rolls 6 to rolls Perception (10 Again)		7, 6, 6, 3, 3, 6		failure

[Vae]

Vaeltia smiled at the former Lictor, who hadn’t answered her question. “No he’s not....but, he might be.” The Obrimos said as her Sight caught the glimmer of spellcraft around another ( Ermon ).

“Very much the look and don’t touch, but that’s the point isn’t it?” she asked. It was a good idea to bring along a male.

After all, most of the crowd was male, not all, but that was what she was looking at as a target audience.

“I’m not sure if ‘numbing the senses’ would carry too far in a painting.”

She managed to get in as the show began.

  4suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-27 11:05:08		Vaeltia rolls 6 to I sees you? (10 Again)		10, 9, 2, 10, 2, 7, 8, 2		4 successes

[Ermon]

Ermon gulped down half of the vodka and closed his eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the burning warmth permeating his body. He never could hold his liquor well, but saw it as an advantage. He could have fun without needing to kill his liver.

More out of habit than of necessity he started to look around the room examining the patrons. One girl caught his attention: young, beautiful, in an evening dress. At a strip club.

Weird, but damn me if she is not hot. Definitely above the crazy-hot line.

He started to move toward her when his augmented vision picked up the spells hanging in the air near her and the black man she was with.

Ermon froze in his footsteps for a moment before continuing in their direction. However, he didn't approach the two. Instead, he rose his hand and bowed his head a little in their general direction before sitting down and looking at them with interest.

Best not to interrupt two Awakened on a date if they don't want it. Especially if they picked a strip club for a venue and dressed as if they went to a restaurant. Might be more insane than we typically are.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-27 11:33:01		Ermon rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Comp) (10 Again)		2, 1, 2, 10, 5, 1, 5		1 success