Ack: James Bolton

[Martha Villiers]

One of the more useful Elysian staff helps out new arrivals by discreetly directly Kindred towards The Stairs.

The Stairs lead away from the mortal nightclub to a subterranean area set aside for Kindred use...

Anyone descending The Stairs will detect the tangy aroma of freshly squeezed lemons wafts up from the sub-space.

Once at the foot of The Stairs a new arrival can see the layout more properly.

http://nwod.org/wiki/index.php/Avalon_Underground

In the cellar vault beneath the nightclub the lights are low. The silence is almost tangible.

A calm atmosphere prevails.

Recessed lamps cast a soft glow and the bright and rich scent of freshly made lemonade and squeezed lemons fills the air.

A Latin motto is inscribed over the doorway as one descends The Stairs. It reads in delicate silver lettering: "Per Ardua Ad Astra" ~ through struggle, to the Stars.

The Court area is decorated with long black and purple silken drapes cascading from floor to ceiling. Draped in elegant bunches and gathered into valances across door frames and between supporting pillars.

There's a rich and lingering scent of exotic rose incense; the lighting is intentionally low.

A delicately painted pattern and illustrations of ancient and strange Zodiacs adorn the ceiling.

Adorning the walls and carefully lit are truly large digital prints of NASA's renderings of the largest galactic entities and the very farthest reaches of Deep Space.

Martha's costume and attire for the evening seems almost fully black. A long velvet hooded cloak. Her cane is resting across her lap. She's shunned her Blush of Life.

As she sits, it's obvious that she's probably wearing a pair of thigh high boots. Her sturdy leather gloves are, however, more obvious.





To those initiated into the mysteries of the Marvel Universe Martha's dressed as Selene, the psychic vampire Black Queen of the Hellfire Club.

There's a simple coffee table in front of her along with notes, printed out copies of maps of Sacramento and copies of many US newspapers and various academic periodicals.

Somewhere close by the butler, Dal, may be lurking to attend and the Reeve cannot be far behind too.

Martha is currently engrossed in reading a copy of 'Population and Food: global trends and future prospects' by Prof Tim Dyson.


@Xander

[Xander]

James made his way down the stairs. Finding Elysium in a nightclub was no surprise, but finding photographs of the stars and constellations was definitely unexpected for the Gangrel. He took a few seconds to admire them before moving on. At the very least they were interesting to look at.

The young looking Carthian had chosen to try and dress up to make a good impression. Not that clothes actually gave any indication of a man's character, but some people were stingy about that sorta thing. He silently hoped the Invictus weren't to dominant on the political landscape as he moved on to the Herald. James felt like he had been walking on pins and needles for long enough.

The Gangrel smiled as he approached Martha. "Excuse me, are you Seneschal Villiers?" He asked with a tone of voice that made it clear he knew who he was talking to. "Name's James Bolton of clan Gangrel. I was hoping to stay in this domain and was told to speak to you."

[Martha Villiers]

Martha lays her book aside and steadies her Beast. It was a slow process tonight and she rubbed hard at her crippled thigh while studying James.

"Good evening, Mr Bolton!" she chirped after a few moments of careful observation. "You are correct, I am Herald Villiers!" she smiles sweetly and makes a small hand gesture to invite James to be seated.

"Have you traveled far, Mr Bolton? Please...do be seated! Might I interest you in some freshly made lemonade?" she asks with wide eyed glee.

Watching James, she studies his demeanor. Trying to assess his mood and intentions.

[Xander]

James smiles happily to the Herald, trying not to look as she rubbed her thigh.

"Traveled from Salt Lake City, but that's not as far as the last time I moved. Far more comfortable this time as well." He takes the offered seat. He sat back and slouched a little, obviously making himself quiet comfortable before looking to the lemonade. "I'd love some."

He continued smiling for the Herald. He didn't mean to do anything but talk, so he didn't see the point in trying anything but exchanging pleasantries and getting cozy.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha, smiling, nods and gently pours him a glass tumbler full of freshly made, tangy scented, lemonade...handing it to him with clear happiness.

"Splendid!" she chirps as she listens. "Salt Lake City, eh?" she muses. You can almost see her mind calculating travel plans and distances as she thinks it over.

Sitting back once James has his beverage Martha returns to absently rubbing at the flesh on her crippled thigh and smiles to James, adding, "Well, you are very welcome, sir! I have a Presentation to show you...lots of charts and data to help you settle in." she nods towards the Meeting Chamber where the charts were held and adds, "...but we can get to that later! I wonder, did you have any news to share of your travels or matters you wished to talk upon?" she asks with great cheerfulness.

Watching James with a sweet gentility and rubbing at the flesh on her thigh still.

[Xander]

The happy smile shifts to worry as Martha mentions news of his travels. Worry only made worse by the fact he could see the desire to travel in the Herald's eyes.

"Um, don't go there unless you really get along with the Crone. The Circle kind of, how to put it, obliterated the Sanctum. Carthians were also weeded out during the 2002 Olympics." He paused for a second to sigh. The smile slowly began to return as he thought of something to say. "I figured being a Carthian that got a long with the Sanctum it was probably best to move to a new city."

He takes a sip from the lemonade before continuing. "If I may ask, what are the covenants like population wise? Who has a strong presence and who is teetering on irrelevancy?"

-1 vitae to drink lemonade

[Martha Villiers]

Martha smiles and nods as he explains things. She raises her hands in gentle reassurance; "Sir! Please be certain...no one is irrelevant here!" she giggles happily. "All Covenants are welcomed...it is true that some are more populace than others. But such is the way of things and in no way reflects a secret or official policy!" a happy giggle.

"Rather, the Duke of this Domain, His Grace the Alder Clarke, seeks to discourage only those with treacherous and hostile intent." a happy smile.

"I suspect, as a mere estimate, of course, that the Ordo Dracul and the Invictus enjoy a numerical advantage at present, sir. We have some who proclaim non-alignment." another smile as she plays with the fringe of her cloak for a moment, watching James with a happy demeanor.

[Xander]

The Herald's assurances put James at ease once more. Knowing a covenant wasn't going to rise up and butcher a rival was reassuring. It was slightly disappointing to hear Invictus instead of Carthian, but the mention of Unaligned put a small amount of hope into the Gangrel's head.

"It's always promising to have an open minded leader." He said before taking another sip. "Is that a view shared by all the officers of the court? And will the presentation include a list of important people of the Domain?"

[Martha Villiers]

Smiling, Martha nodded, giggled happily and crossed her false leg over her flesh one...helping it over the knee joint by lifting it with her hands. It wouldn't move itself.

"Ah! Quite so! I fully agree, sir! Well, to answer your questions...yes and yes. We needn't make haste to the Presentation...unless, that is, you wish to?" she asks cheerily, reaching for her cane as she speaks.

Martha wasn't keen to stand up.

"I wonder, sir...you come across with such confidence and so forthright. Experience tells me that such confidence is rarely without purpose or drive as an animating principle. So, I...I wonder; do you have grand ambitions?" she chirps merrily. Gripping now at her cane. "If so...in which direction?"

[Xander]

While trying not to linger on the subject, James had noticed Martha rubbing at her thigh. That with the cane and prosthetic leg told the Gangrel asking her to move before she was ready might not be the most polite way of going about business. "The presentation can wait. I was just curious."

"I'm not sure about grand, but I'm seeking a Domain where the Carthian Movement can truly flourish. If I have to build that environment from the ground up by myself then so shall it be." He paused for a few seconds as he tried to piece together a to do list from what he had heard so far. "Given that the Carthian population is low enough to not garner mention for a numerical advantage, my first order of business would be to address the Unaligned and try to recruit. After that I 'd like to try and secure a Regency for the Movement. That way we could conduct meaningful political experiments without interfering with the greater Domain."

The Carthian raised his glass for another sip but stops half way. "Actually, I don't imagine it matters when we pick up the Regency. If we get it before recruitment we have treats to hand out and encourage meaningful participation. If we wait till after recruitment we, at least in theory, have more hands to help secure it." He takes a sip of the lemonade and shrugs, his line of thought complete.