Open House

[Ashley Cohen]

[ri]http://woodlawnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/history-supreme-yacht-3-thumb-550x366.jpg[/ri]Another open invitation spread through the Domain of Sacramento like a flash of lightning for those that cared to learn more about the Carthian Movement. This time, though, the location led to the Yacht Club upon the Sacramento River waterfront.

The question of which boat upon the docks was the right boat could be answered before a foot ever touched upon the wooden planks of the dock. One above all, moored to the docks, stood out above the rest - in both size and lighting. As one drew closer, the soft, full sound of classical music poured out from the Bose speakers.

Upon ascending the aluminum brow, onto the luxurious yacht, the tiny Carthian Lord could be seen perched upon a sofa next to a glass table. Upon the table were a few empty wine glasses, one partially full glass, and a ice bucket with a old vintage plunged crooked into the cubes. A newspaper was opened upon her lap, as she perused the Business Section, though at this point in her Requiem it was of little consequence. Her wealth generated wealth on its own accord, though she did enjoy keeping up with the business trends.

The night held a certain chill, that she barely noted, yet still wore clothing to defend against. It was more running through the motions and fulfilling the preconceived notions of what one should be wearing when the temperature was in the forties. She was forever cold, unless she desired to be otherwise. And then it was only a fleeting, hallow feeling that was the closest thing she could remember to being alive.

Ashley folded close the newspaper as she wondered how successful this endeavor would be. It was a true reality, that these little torrid affairs either attracted very few, or the wrong crowd entirely; people that held an agenda against the Movement in some shape or fashion. She cared little, as she could always play the politics of family with the same finesse as any could do under creed.

Should be interesting... Ashley thought as she placed the newspaper onto the glass table.

[Hildegarde Bingen]

The Whip of Lords has accepted the offer.

Hildegarde is all business tonight: suit with pants. Closed shoes. Coat with an elegant little scarf decorously flung over her threat and shoulder. Hair bound into a bun on the nape of her neck, locked in place with a barrette. She moved with purpose, straight backed and with a certain speed - if only to cover up her uncertainties as she swept up the gangplank and onto the gently heaving deck.

Someone Else's Territory.

Hildegarde felt the power of the other creature long before she saw her, her mind playing tricks on her as her Beast recalled Ashley's stronger power. Seeing the tiny Lord bought the imagined fear into crystal reality for a few, horrible moments: her creature sank into the pit of her pelvis like an oily leaden mass and refused to budge. Glaring, she forced her legs to move forward; angry footfalls of uncertain footing rang out on the deck.

"Hello," the Whip greeted cooly, fingers of one hand massaging the side of her face and fiddling with her scarf. "I must say this is a rather unique location for a salon. I did not think you Movement cared for such... rich... toys." She made a smile: a nice smile. A doll's smile.

[Ashley Cohen]

"Given the option, which preference would you have between people overestimating or underestimating your capabilities?" Ashley rose from the cushion to pay cursory respect to the Whip through a curtsy. Once that formality was dispensed, she remained standing as she offered a seat.

"If people do not know who you are or what you want, then they can never know what you plan to do next." Ashley added with a soft nod of her head. "A lesson for which I believe you to be a exemplary personification."

[Hildegarde Bingen]

Hildegarde actually looked... abashed.

Coy smile intact, she sank gracefully to a seat and cross her legs, resting her hands in her lap. There was a momentary quiver in her spine and something flashed in the Lord's eyes.

"Why. Thank you, Ashley. I may call you... Ashley? I heard that you were having some sort of open discussion. You have piqued my interest."

[Ashley Cohen]

"If it pleases you." Ashley settled down next to her. "There is wine if you care for it." With a wave of her hand she motioned to the bottle on ice before her hands sunk to rest upon her lap. "Anything in particular you care to know?"

"Hopefully I can cast a light upon any misconceptions you may hold."

[Hildegarde Bingen]

"Thank you."

Hildegarde reached for the one in a decorous movement. Pouring a glass, she turned and offered to pour for the other Lord.

"One hears many things of your Movement. Outrageous things. That you are all anarchists bent on tearing down the old traditions with nothing to replace them. What exactly does your Movement stand for?"

For reference -1 BP so she can actually hold down the wine for a while

[Ashley Cohen]

Ashley gave a soft nod of her head with the offer for a drink as a smile crept upon her lips. "Ah yes, fairly typical. I can say I am quite pleased I do not have to talk about the embraced babies versus the ghouled pitbull fighting ring." Ashley joked with a wave of her hand.

"I think the reality of things is that each of the Covenants espouses ideals to fend off aspects of damnation. The First with their courtesy and formality; the Second and Circle with their religious zeal." Ashley intentional skipped over the Ordo, as she continued.

"The Carthian Movement sprang from the other Covenants, as a way to fend off stagnation through adaptation. For the most part we deal with change like a stone, while the kine change with the fluidity of water. We take ideals and practices from our more fluid base and put them to the test. Much like an experiment."

[Hildegarde Bingen]

That sparked the Dragon's interest.

"An experiment? As... a social experiment? Well. That certainly changes things? Please continue. How does one establish and monitor these... experiments?"

Could this be an alternative form of following the Dragon's tail? Or perhaps another project entirely?

[Ashley Cohen]

"That is a highly subjective, dependent on what you are trying to initiate." Ashley glanced upward for a moment, before her eyes shifted back to the Whip. "No real clear answer for that out of context and even then different people would approach the same situation from different angles. Now if you were to get specific, then I could offer how I would may potentially establish and monitor."

Ashley couldn't help but smirk. "The joy of politics."

[Hildegarde Bingen]

"You spoke of how you looked to the kine for inspiration. That you took their ideals and practices and put them to the test. So... how would you do go about doing such a thing? Assuming that you had the numbers or a parcel of territory in which to conduct your experiment."

The Lord calmly sipped from her glass.

"You wish for something specific? Very well then. I understand that your Movement claims to be the child of the democratic revolutions that had swept the planet over the last few hundred years. So... hypothetically... how exactly would you implement such a thing if you obtained control over a Domain, say?

The Movement had been successful, this she knew. However, Hildegarde wanted to her it from Ashley's own mouth. Rumour was one thing; words from a representative of the Movement were quite another.