(1601) Steam-Disco Court

[Martha Villiers]

Please remember that Predator's Taint is in effect and role-play is expected, or rolls will be asked for!

This is a great place to get Acknowledged

The Nox Populi Nightclub.

In the heart of downtown Sacramento there is a place of intrigue, excitement and entertainment. The modern fare of this venue is host to exclusive parties.

The seduction of this establishment may take you away as you drink, dance and socialize. There are private services available upon request. The best DJ’s in town are in line to play a wide variety of music. Some of you may dine…as long as you have your VIP pass.

As Kindred arrive at Nox, they are discreetly met and led to the back of the club.

; some may recognize the area leading to rear stairs upward. The space downstairs is decorated in dark, rich woods and expensive furniture. There's a coat room that will also hold one's 'unmentionables'; namely, weapons, at the foot of The Stairs. There are also private areas, dark, and furnished with soft couches, as well as meeting rooms with conference tables and chairs, and an area with several televisions.

The common area circles the Court proper, and it becomes apparent that this is not decorated for a single evening. Small symbols note areas for Kindred only that branch off of the Commons, which will be necessary once those Kine privileged enough to see behind the Masquerade filter in: ghouls, Herd members, or even devotees.

Another evening; another Danse. For some it will their first, for some it shall be their last. After all, this is the Prince's Elysian Field, and subject to the Laws of the Domain.

Eternal Court is open once more... though tonight things are a little different...


Bright neon frames of pink and green illuminate the doorway and descent of The Stairs to the crypt under The Nox.

Glitter balls hang from the ceiling. As do several Steampunk versions of the glitter ball concept...



A dozen large Rubik's cubes act as tables within the doorway. Large enough to sit for Vampires to sit around conspire...

It had taken many days to assemble the unusual mix of decor and Martha had even privately wondered if the Seneschal's choice of theme for this Court had been some kind of brutal examination...

Embracing the challenge, Martha had come to the aesthetic design decision when contemplating the generation that embraced the inherent postmodern intertextuality of 1980s and the Steampunk practice of retro-fitting a fantastic Victorian patina to modern technology that only the most pedantic could complain if, she too, embraced the occasional cliche.

Long strips of neon lighting frames the central columns of Court. The brightly lit dance floor, the many large faux-brass clockwork cogs that hang on the walls next to the retro-themed prints of Leichensteins pastiche's of 1950s comic books and brightly colored photorealistic airbrush paintings of hot dogs, cherries and high ball cocktails culled from second-hand stores and Ebay.


https://www.youtube.com/embed/3DuCIGvsbMA



https://www.youtube.com/embed/uPudE8nDog0

In deference to the dystopian and the counterculture ethos of Cyber and Steampunk and the subtle nihilistic white noise resent to much the nuclear-haunted 1980's, Martha's playlist includes some of the more upbeat tracks by The Clash, The Cure, The Damned, Elvis Costello and, yes, The Sisters of Mercy...

https://www.youtube.com/embed/bJ9r8LMU9bQ

Flickeing CRT monitors are positioned around the nightclub; either silently broadcasting old VHS tapes of MTV musical videos, The Lost Boys, Scarface, Aliens and Die Hard or they sit inertly, intended for use as seating and tables.

The elevator from the ground floor is decorated with retro-styled posters encouraging people to join Dr Steel's Toy Army of Robots.

Martha has taken care to supply a dozen pairs of roller boots and brightly colored polyester short-shorts in various sizes for those keen to borrow them - lest they miss out on the thrill of a a very 1980s roller-disco.

A blue felt topped pool table is erected in one corner under signs identifying the origins of references to either Route 66 (again with that retro-1950's theme!) Men At Work or Slippery When Wet.

The walls also display echoes of Steampunk with two dozen old fashioned clock dials and faces, large and small.

...Time...

The preoccupation of Steampunk and the conquest of which is the ultimate goal of transhumanism, she felt was a good symbol to help introduce this New Year.

Over the PA system synth heavy hits of Kenny Loggins and Jan Hammer will mix with the Baroque singles of Bonnie Tyler. They will soon appear on the playlist along with, arguably, the most hyper-Steampunk artist Martha had ever encountered - tracks by Dr Steel.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/pmvMS8X-Uf4

To add flavor to the event, Martha has ensured that a dozen life-sized mannequins stand at various locations. Posed and dressed as Steampunk versions of Dr Who's Cybermen and Star Wars Stormtroopers...

As Ultravox's Vienna opens with its haunting keyboard introduction, Martha - standing and waiting - brought to mind Dr Steel.

Uniting his intellect, acutely eclectic artistic skill and ability in an effortless fusing of the transhumanistic message of the Steampunk aesthetic with the sense of absurd humor and a powerful, creative, imagination the citizen needs to survive in a world so obviously out of sensible control...

...she smiled as she brought to mind words from his stimulating manifesto...

...in a city where dreams are shattered, in a country where freedom is an illusion, and on a planet where we should not have been placed. We spend our lives afraid, lied to, and too tired to do anything about it. Yet our power is great! Our abilities full of potential! Our vision is our weapon against a blind world! Let us sharpen our wits like swords ready for battle! Let us imagine a brighter future, to blind those who keep us in the dark!

Let us reject the ugliness of this world!

[Konrad Roth]

-1 Vitae for Blush of Life

The 80's. Seems like only a few years ago the Kine were dressing in a tacky multi-colored patterned polyester and denim mess. The psychedelic and punk cultures ran into a prism then, fracturing into a dozen of their own distinct trends inspired by the music and fashion of their chosen idols. Goth, Glam, and of course Ravers saturated youth culture along with acid, ecstasy, and cocaine.

Konrad had been around for a lot of it, the drug culture and the underground scene in LA. You couldn't turn around without seeing another smiling face in the crowd. Those nights went by like a dream. Addiction, the recession, inflation, they were all given a blind eye. And the message of the 70's sensational rockers was passed on by new wave, synthpop, hip hop, and techno.

Of course acid house had been the favorite of the ravers. Mindless funky beats that only served as a background party pulse. Not really Konrad's thing, but that's what ended up playing while on the hunt.

Steampunk, on the other hand, is something he's somewhat unfamiliar with. He understands the concept, a sci-fi alternate reality retro-futuristic theme. The 80's had that too. Dune, Bladerunner, Star Trek, Mad Max movies set the stage for some otherworldly dystopian society.

To follow the theme of this evening's Court, Konrad decided to go with a smokey denim boiler suit, beneath which he sports a yellow smiley face t-shirt that peeks out from his chest. A pair of uni-sunglasses mask his eyes while his hair sticks up, thick with styling gel. It may not win any prizes, but Konrad won't be snubbing the festivities.

Despite the colorful and distracting decorations, Konrad's Beast won't be deterred. It writhes at the sight and sound of Kindred as they pour into the Nox, eager to tear each one apart with fangs alone. Only those masked few that mingle among the crowd of predators are safe from his barely contained ire.

[Asa]

Steampunk.

He'd spoken to Cozette about the concept, at length. Asylum saw enough costumes from every imaginable sub-culture, that he'd be hard-pressed to find a better authority. It was difficult to grasp. Not the concept itself; the idea of an industrial revolution that had never made it past the age of steam, a world without internal combustion or electronics...

It's the monocles and goggles.

And the brass. Had any of the images she'd conjured up on her phone of over-sized firearms actually ever existed, most would have been destroyed upon their first use.

No, it's really just the monocles goggles.

Of course he understood the value of flashy accouterments, but that didn't make it any less ridiculous. Capes looked wonderful as well. Or ballroom gloves. Or thigh...

The sight of the Gangrel Priscus cut through the pleasant tangent his thoughts had been on, shearing through them like Claws might through brass. An interesting man, who had been everywhere and with everyone when he'd first arrived in the city, but either more quiet or subtle of late. Considering he'd held on to his position as long as he had, probably the latter.

"Priscus Roth."

If not for the size, the voice would give away the identity of the blonde. It was rare that Asa Clarke did not summon Vitae to warm his dead body, but the deathly pallor went well with the wig and eye makeup.

After all, the invitation had also said Eighties Rave, and androgyny was all the rage at the time.

[Konrad Roth]

"Your Grace, Alder Prince Clarke."

Konrad had heard the address enough times to get it right, and he makes mention of each portion purposefully. His Grace, by which it is his grace alone that permits any of them to be wholly there tonight. Alder, with respect to age, though Konrad has no idea the age of their benefactor.

The Savage notes with surprise the sight of Asa's monstrous and androgynous form, taking a page from New Romanticism it seems. A Beast resides within that courtly and statuesque appearance, and Konrad's sees his first sign of it. He accompanies his address with a bow, less awkward this time, tucking his arm against his stomach as he lowers his head respectfully.

"Good evening," he adds as he raises his sunglasses to perch within his hardened gelled hair. His gaze wanders cautiously between the man's nose and chin.

At Vivian's approach, Konrad turns her way with a smirk and a returned nod. "Thanks, Miss York. You're looking straight out of an old west cabaret if I were to place it. Tonight's looking to have a lot of variety," he remarks in base observation.

He's not certain if either plans to linger in his company or were simply gifting pleasantries. For now he remains stationary as more Kindred guests filter in from the Stairs.

[Cabochard]

Graves' mind had almost shut down when she'd been confronted with the theme for the court. Steampunk + 80s Rave? In her mind, if anything would clash completely, it would be those two exact things. Plus, she didn't know anything about 80s rave culture - though she figured it had been chosen because most of the other Kindred would have actually been there for that whole craze. Steampunk, though, that was pretty easy. A few quick google searches, plus a trip to some specialist stores, and she had everything she needed. Not that it was perfect, but it was functional.

The easiest part to find had been the bomber jacket. A few patches were strewn about it, designating her as a pilot in a fictional squadron, pictures of gears and steam-powered planes on them. Graves left it unzipped, showing off the brown corset she'd managed to dig up. It was old and faded, but it worked, and if she'd had a need to breathe normally, it would have been intensely uncomfortable. Then, she'd put on a pair of brown leather pants (those she hadn't had to track down, she already had a decent pair in her closet), and knee-high leather boots - though she'd acquired a pair made from tough leather, not the kind a dominatrix would wear. Completing the set, a pair of aged goggles sat on her forehead.

The Ventrue stepped into the room, a big smile on her face, hands on her hips, and then immediately all of that confidence disappeared in the onslaught of beasts. She froze in the entrance, then tried to make herself small and slip in without attracting notice, eyes tracking the Kindred who elicited that fear. One of them was Konrad - which helped. She knew him! He hadn't killed her yet - good sign! Then he was chatting with some other woman. Ooooo, she was pretty. And also very much scary. And then there was some other dude - at first Graves thought he might be a ghoul, but then she realized he wasn't breathing, or blinking, and didn't have any blood. So - probably masked. Probably.

Deciding to go stand near the one person she knew and probably wouldn't try to gut her (as far as she knew), Graves hopped and stepped over to Konrad, raising a hand. "Heeey, Konrad! Nice outfit, I like the glasses. Makes you look like that dude from Star Trek." Graves had never personally seen Star Trek - she was more of a Star Wars fan - but spend enough time in the world and you get exposed to those things nonetheless.

When she dropped into place next to Konrad, she threw a mock two-fingered salute at the other two. "Yo. Graves. Don't think we've met yet." Hey, even if one of them made about half of Graves want to bolt, that was no excuse to be rude.

[Twist]

Twist knew Rave fashion. Perhaps not intimately or with any advanced knowledge, but she had been to enough clubs in the 80's to be at least not be stumped with where to go for a costume.

Steampunk though... that was an entirely different matter.

Thankfully, she had resources. And Kalos.

Neon colors. Corset. Fishnet. Goggles.

The costume required that she take a moment outside Elysium to add finishing touches (were there people who actually drove in boots like this?) but once she was finished she strode into Elysium with full confidence.

Inside though, she paused, an eyebrow lifting at the decor. There was definite effort put into the effects and she couldn't help but wonder whose passion one, or both, of the themes were. Because even she had to admit that this was no hastily thrown together event.

A second benefit of the pause was to quell her beast. A clamoring to stain her white outfit red with the blood of those gathered. Each and everyone she could sense would donate blood to splatter against herself and the walls... in true rave fashion. Once she had reminded the beast who was in control, she resumed her movement deeper into Elysia.

Spotting the growing crowd, a smile curled behind the mask, her eyes sparkling with delight. She was not surprised in the slightest to see the center of attention.

Approaching she sunk into a deep curtsey of respect to Prince Asa before rising and then dipping her head in greeting to the two she knew standing there.

[Alessandra]

The duel theme of Court had been a weird idea to Ale. How the hell did Steampunk fit with the eighty’s? And not to mention the eighty’s fashion was best left forgotten in that era. Sure, there had been some good music, but the neon clothes and loud looks was just bad. For her, business had been good in eighty’s, but she hardly wanted to revisit it by wearing those clothes again!

Instead, she went Steampunk, and with a little internet searching, the costume had been fairly easy to find. The only problem? Settling upon the look. Who knew there was such a wide variety of looks and styles! The outfit was an interesting one. One arm was left bare, tattoos on display, while the other was completely covered. The corset trimmed quite a few inches off her waist, which made her thankful for not being able to breathe. Thigh-high stockings, a top hat with the goggles attached and her hair was bleached out. The inside of the long train added a gold color to the over all look.

Descending into Elysian, her eyes were assaulted by the mixture of themes. The bright neon was not her thing, not in the eighty’s, not now. But, credit to Martha for pulling it together. Next came the pressure on her Beast, who was also a mixture. There was the challenging growl of those who dared rise to meet it, as well as the demand of blood and limbs from those beneath it. It created an interesting battle, one she closed her eyes to, ordered it back, and proceeded into Court.

Seemed there was already a large gathering, with a new face. Fun! As well as Konrad, Katya, Vivian, and some she wasn’t sure about. Might as well mingle.

The newly blonde Italian approaches the group and deeps a bow of her head to Konrad and Katya,

“Buona sera!” greets the Savage with a smile. “Seneschal Harding, Priscus Roth, Whip York, I hope you’ve been well, and you all look amazing!” the compliment was directed to the group as a whole. Dark eyes focus more on the new face and the two she didn't recognize, "I'm Alessandra Antinori, Whip of Clan Gangrel."