Konrad and Tomas ReAck

[Konrad Roth]

Equipment: Athletic Shoes, Reinforced Clothing, Combat Knife, Lockpicks

  Touch of Shadow(Combat Knife), 3suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-01-11 09:22:52		Konrad Roth rolls 8 to cover a combat knife with the Touch of Shadow [WIT+Larc+Obf] (10 Again)		2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 10, 8, 3, 10, 7		3 successes

A light wind pushes around the cold air at the edge of the river. The cloudy winter sky reflects orange from the artificial light of the port. The few pedestrians and drivers passing by are dock workers, either coming or going from their shifts. Konrad is made to look like them, bundled in his long leather jacket, a hoodie beneath comes up and over his features to obscure them. He looks cold with his deathly pallor, warmed by the smoldering light of a cigarette he holds to his lips. No reason for the blush just yet, not unless one of these mortals stop to speak with him.

His eyes scan the sidewalks for signs of the predator he is meeting there. He has a job to do, least if he wants to keep it. But as always, Konrad has more business on his mind. Depends how things go.

[Konrad Roth]

The arrival of the rival incites dark desires from Konrad's Beast. The edges of his vision blur while whispers urge him to take gratification in the violent imagery that filters through. The domesticated man maintains control, for now.

Konrad makes a salute gesture with the cigarette pinched between his fingers, cautious of the burning embers as he tests his luck with the prop. "Tomas. Same to you. Let's take a walk, get away from prying ears," he suggests as he turns to head down Terminal road's sidewalk towards a deserted side street between buildings.

As he walks he looks to his cousin. "Been about eight months since you got here, ain't it? You came in from more rural pastures, if I remember rightly. I guess things have changed a whole lot since then, surprisingly. People coming and going from our little group. So how's the city life been treating you?"

[Konrad Roth]

Konrad nods at the vague reply. "Keeping busy is good. I suppose I have been too. Though what keeps me most busy is dealing with other folks. Which folks have you been dealing with lately?" he asks, still using his masked terminology as they near the entrance to the side street.

Konrad thought he knew all of them, to an extent. At least a name and a face for each Kindred in the city that had rights to be there. Konrad wonders if Tomas has been avoiding the Danse, seeking a simple solitude, or maybe he just stuck to crowds Konrad is less chatty with. Between Ale, Katya, and Richard he aught to be talking to somebody now and then.

[Konrad Roth]

"Hmm." Konrad pauses in his speech as they round the bend for more privacy. As Konrad hoped, the street remains deserted, with perhaps one empty parked vehicle sitting back behind the brewery. Konrad slows his pace but keeps his forward direction away from the brewery.

"Well I guess that's fair. Considering you two share the same beliefs," he remarks as he looks carefully around their surroundings. "Trust is hard to come by too. I should know. But you can get by without talking and without trusting, so long as you show up to pay your respects. We all owe Clarke that much. You get my meaning? After you missed that last Court you've lost the benefits your Acknowledgment gave you. Now, it used to be you didn't have to show up each and every Court, but you weren't at the one before that either. So, I've gotta decide if it's worth giving it back to you. And to do that you gotta convince me that you're not going to skip out on it again."

Konrad pauses again, dipping his head to try and find Tomas's averted gaze. "So what's all this brooding and paranoia? What's got you spooked?" Konrad is no psychologist, but some problems could be dumbed down enough to find a simple solution.

[Konrad Roth]

"More like a turf war, really," remarks Konrad, partially under his breath. "Not that I take it any less seriously. I've seen my fair share, Kine and Kindred alike. It doesn't take much to demonize one of our own, for the sake of justifying one side over another. We're all demons in our own right. So don't think of it as us being right and them being wrong. Think of it as kill or be killed. Two of our Clan were Diablerized based on their agenda. That's how far they're willing to go."

"And it doesn't help your situation to start sympathizing with the enemy. If this here is a war, like you say, then that kind of talk is treasonous."

Konrad flicks his cigarette butt away against the alley wall where it gets pushed around by the wind. He stops walking and turns to face Tomas.

"Not that I really think so. But you get my meaning. We all gotta take part and follow the laws. That means coming to the Prince's aid, no matter who the enemy is. That's just the way it is."