Matters Temporal

[Cameron]

Julian knocked once on the door before entering the shop. He knew he was expected, but giving people that second of notice before barging in would hopefully prevent any... surprised reactions. He'd made better time than he thought he would have; and he breathed a silent prayer to the near-divine aid of Google maps as he entered the flower shop. Julian wore black slacks with a matching collared shirt, tucked in with the sleeves rolled up. It was decidedly on the smart side of smart causal, and that was usually a safe place to be.

"Good evening, Priscus Baldwin" remarked the Haunt pleasantly, pausing for just a second as a dozen following pleasantries flashed to mind. He settled on "Thanks for meeting with me tonight." Finding the appropriate balance between formality, utility and appropriateness was always a difficult game. He didn't know this man well enough to inquire as to his health, or his affairs, and Julian found small talk difficult enough without trying it on someone who all but radiated tension.

Inferences aside, he didn't know which, if any, faction Baldwin was tied too, nor did he know what agenda lay behind the Haunt's curiosity. He liked to assume the best in people, but the naivete had been beaten out of him fairly brutally. He was no doubt going to be assessed this evening, though whether that was as a potential recruit or as a political pawn remained to be seen. In any case, Julian was content to let his Priscus make the opening move, letting him set the tone and agenda for the evening.

[Cameron]

Julian accepted the offered cigar as he seated himself. His pleasant smile turned into a wide grin at the recognition; partly embarrassed but certainty quite pleased. He wasn't sure if his Priscus was a fan of his work, or if he'd done his homework. Furthermore, he wasn't sure which of the two options were more terrifying.

"Heh, an amateur writer, perhaps, but artist may be too great a compliment" he remarked cheerfully, wondering which if any of his novella's Baldwin had read...In the Mire of Madness was his best know book, but that was only one possibility.

"I'd say that is a fairly accurate assessment, though. Living night to night on the road hasn't been the most...pleasant of lifestyle choices I've made. I'm hoping to be able to put down some roots in Sacramento. Generally, I think that the best way to do that is to try and join a... social network rather than lurk on the fringe of our society. From there, I'd like to be able to offer whatever aid I can in making the Domain a safer, more stable place. If I can improve my station while doing so, well, that'd be a nice bonus" he concluded with a slight shrug, the grin having settled back into a pleasant smile "Whats good for the swarm, is usually good for the bee."

To some, that may sound like an overly altruistic sentiment. It may have even seemed sinister, given the dread that emanated from the young Haunt. But for Julian, it seemed nothing more than a pragmatic approach to the situation at hand. At the end of the night what this little bee wanted was security and blood, and the more the better. They were the temporal foundations one could build a secure Requiem upon. The question was whether Baldwin was willing and able to assist him in securing those foundations; and if so, whether the cost was such as he was prepared to pay.

[Cameron]

Julian paused for a moment before replying, playing with his cigar as decided how he wanted to proceed. He mimicked his Priscus as best he could, he'd never tried to smoke since he entered this new world, and playing with matches felt unduly dangerous. But, well, he felt obliged.

This was one of those questions which had a right answer to them, and what that answer was depended entirely on the audience. His best guess was that Baldwin had ties to the Invictus within the domain, so an affirmative answer was hopefully the one he was looking for. The exact opposite could be true, of course, but that was the gamble. In either case, he wanted to be able to express his thoughts earnestly, if judiciously.

"I think there is value in tradition" he continued carefully "Stability is good, and I think change for the sake of change is dangerous for our kind" so is becoming hidebound, but that can be left unstated. "I think, though, that we can learn from the things that have worked in the past, and building upon them gives us a strong foundation." He sat and watched, a slight smile across his features as he waited to see if he'd rolled a six or a one.

[Cameron]

Julian struggled not to quiver under that gaze, the tension was palpable and wore at already frayed nerves. The Laws he had read were still fresh in mind... his Priscus probably couldn't destroy him legally if he didn't like the answer. Netherless, under the lunacy of the gaze before him that was a cold comfort.

And then, the tension abated, atleast a little. A nod, a critique; not glowing but probably satisfactory, and an explanation. Julian felt himself exhale in relief; a useless, reflexive gesture. He nodded as Baldwin gave his full title, if only to show that tense nerves didn't keep him from following the conversation.

His smile ceased looking quite so awkward as he responded to the question. He wasn't out of the woods yet, but atleast he knew where he stood.

"Not a lot, I'll admit. Most of what I've heard is the sort of stuff that has filtered down the grapevine; and not always from the most flattering or unbiased of sources. What I've gathered is that the Invictus is an old organisation, which places a lot of emphasis on formality, tradition and respect. I can infer that it has something like a psuedo-feudal structure, but I'm not really sure what that means in a practical sense. I've also been told that Invictus domains tend to be stable, atleast organizationally."

Julian paused for a moment, before continuing

"In short, not very much, and the things that feel like information, rather than Carthian propaganda, are fairly broad and overly general. Anything you are willing to share would be appreciated, but I'm particulary interested in the need-to-know stuff. For instance, would you prefer for me to address you as Lord, or Priscus, or both?"

[Cameron]

Julian grinned at the joke, taking a small puff of his cigar before speaking, letting the smoke drift into cold, dead lungs. "Indeed you did, and you've presented a very compelling image, Priscus Baldwin, and given me quite a lot to think about..."

He paused for a moment, trying to assemble his thoughts. Honesty could be dangerous, and while the atmosphere felt a little more relaxed; the Curse born of Sir Baldwin did no favors to a man's frayed nerves. Nevertheless, the Haunt decided to speak with blunt candor, and there was a light flickering behind his eyes as he rested his dread gaze on the Knight before him.

"To be honest, I'm a little torn. On one hand, I don't want to seem whimsical or over-eager; on the other hand, I'd kinda like to ask you how you sign up" he remarked cheerfully, the grin still on his lips "I mentioned that my Requiem has left me rather more concerned with the aforementioned temporal issues. With that noted, the Invictus sounds almost a little too good to be true. If you don't mind me asking, what price do its members pay for such privileges?" he asked, his tone friendly but coloured by a polite undertone.

The pitch had been excellent, and he couldn't help but wonder if Baldwin had spent his mortal years selling property or used cars. It was informative, but enticing all the same; hooks had been baited seemingly with the young Haunt in mind. He'd rejoiced inwardly at the notion of a meritocracy; and the repeated reference to new arrivals seemed to contain an invitation to inquire further. He wasn't sure if they were looking for fresh blood, or whether his Priscus had assessed him as suitable or not in any case. But if it was half as good as it sounded, Julian wanted a slice of the pie.