(1604) Sacramento Safari

[Konrad Roth]

Equipment: Full-size van, Combat Knife, Lockpicks(Building), Digital Recorder, Reinforced Clothing, Athletic Shoes

Konrad sends out a series of texts. First to the Keeper, Martha Villiers Chrisie . These sort of tours were her idea after all, and he imagines the petite Shadow would feel slighted to miss out on another one. The second is to Caleb Fischer , who expressed an interest in getting to know the city and its landmarks. After asking around, Konrad manages to get a name for the burnt Kindred. But the best he can do is leave a hand-written note at the bulletin board for Robert Cross to notice. And lastly, just for the hell of it, he texts Alice Hart for some eerie eye candy. The Savage and Haunt party bus with a token Shadow. Hopefully she can arrange a better ride than his van.

He's already expecting to meet Jack Carrigan in the parking lot of the Nox. And if they made it through the ride along then they'd probably stop by the Sterling afterwards to discuss business.

The Gangrel Priscus arrives in his van, a Dodge Sprinter with a windowless cargo space. He makes himself an easy target by getting out of the van and leaning against the driverside door, smoking a cigarette to look like he's doing something other than waiting. Despite the warm evening, he still has on his leather jacket with various things hidden in its pockets.

  Touch of Shadow(knife) 1sux

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-04-18 22:56:45		Konrad Roth rolls 8 to Touch of Shadow on combat knife [WIT+Larc+Obf] (1s Subtract)		7, 8, 8, 4, 3, 6, 3, 1		1 success

[Cabochard]

Equipment: Athame, Reinforced Clothing, Phone, Running Shoes.

To Caleb, Konrad's text had come as a surprise. Not completely unexpected - Caleb had mentioned he wanted a tour, after all. But still, it's the nature of Kindred to be paranoid when someone asks for a clandestine meeting out in the city. On the plus side, the meeting was outside the Nox, which wasn't exactly the best location for an assassination. Just-outside-Elysium is not the place to break the laws. The Prince or Reeve's agents might not necessarily be around, but if they'd be anywhere, it'd be there.

Still, it pays to be careful. Caleb had brought what he'd need to fight, or run. The Savage appears in the parking lot, stalking towards Konrad. Hands tucked into his jeans pockets, a thick jacket warding off the chill of the night, he manages to look even more like the hunter than he usually does, and for a moment as he crosses the parking lot, the hunter in him fights for dominance. Konrad was right there, standing in the open, as if he wasn't afraid - as if there was nothing to be afraid of. The Beast pushes Caleb to show him the truth, to prove that Konrad isn't the apex here, but that Caleb is.

But the Acolyte pushes the primal half of his soul down with promises of feeding and release later. He forces a smile onto his face, and raises a hand to wave at Konrad. "Hey. We waiting on anyone?"

[Konrad Roth]

Caleb's arrival brings with it the rival, the trespasser, a monster in a mansuit. Konrad tenses, still unfamiliar with Caleb's Beast. The Savage are known to favor the fight and Konrad wonders if he ought to make the first move before his cousin has the chance to bring out the claws, if he had them. But Caleb is here at Konrad's request. A guest, as it were. And his Clan won't abide by a Priscus that takes down Family indiscriminately.

"Hey," he answers with a puff of smoke. "Yeah, I kinda made this into a thing. Got a few folks that might show," he starts before turning to see the next figure to approach.

This one comes with no Beast that he can sense. Instead there are hungry eyes reflecting the lights of the Nox in the darkness. When closer, the milky pallor of his corpse-like complexion fails to mask his nature. But the crowd is off far enough that they might not notice.

"Evenin', Jack. This is the cousin I mentioned, Caleb," introduces Konrad. "Just waiting on a few more, but I'm not even sure they'll show. We'll give them a few minutes."

There's no telling what monsters are coming or going from Elysium tonight. The distant rhythmic thumping from the Nox gives the night a pulse.

"Jack and I are part of the same crew, much like you and Silver are," he says to Caleb, making conversation. "Figured I'd help you both out with a tour."

"What're you driving, Jack? You said you had a van, right? This one's mine. Dodge Sprinter. Pretty big cargo space. Windowless for privacy and protection. I'm planning to get more work done on it, but still setting aside the funds for it."

[Robert Cross]

Car parked down the block, Cross arrives on foot, wearing his typical black suit and white shirt open at the throat. His gun is holstered at the small of his back, under his jacket. Above him, the sky is wide and open, flung with stars. He's been spending so much time underground that the exposure makes him uncomfortable. Indeed, it was sheer luck that Cross had come across Konrad's note just the night before on a rare visit to the above-Necropolis world. So, for the second evening in a row, he finds himself on street level, the charms of which are slowly wearing thin. Fresh air, who the fuck needs it.

Such thoughts are cut short though, as he approaches the trio. The monster that lives inside him snarls its displeasure at the two beasts he encounters, every scar on his body burning as if he's back in that car, licked by the flames. For a moment, he considers flight. Better to be back underground, exploring the sewers around the Family Plot. But he steadies himself with a mental dressing down: Come the fuck on, Cross and presses forward.

He recognizes Roth, of course. And the creep with the eyes, who he's seen down in the tunnels as well. Jack. The third is an unknown quantity. Cross is, as always, wary, and the snapping of his beast, even when cowed, isn't helping. "Mr. Roth," he says with a nod, "and associates," acknowledging the others. "Thanks for the invitation." Cross doesn't see fit to mention the common acquaintance he shares with Roth just yet, best to feel out present company. No need to make it anyone else's business.

Equipment: 9mm

[Robert Cross]

OOC

Noting expenditure for blush.

[Alice Hart]

When Alice got Konrad's text she was surprised, but with nothing to do she shrugged at started making her way to the Nox.

Arriving on foot, wearing functional jeans, a light weight sweater under her bran-new white leather jacket and sturdy work boots she bought just for the hell of it when she started work on the Caldarium, to finish her look off she has her purse.

Alice takes the time to prepare herself to the monsters that are sure to be gathered around Elysium, and for the other's included on Konrad's invite text.

Alice hovers in the shadowed corner across the street, her unreal amethysts seeing those monsters, and the Wraith wakens, freezing it's icy trail up and down her spine. She was no match for the Gangrel, and if not for the presence of other Haunts, Alice might not have crossed the street. But the doll wrests control back from the Wraith, checks for the traffic and heads for the gathered Kindred.

"Hey." she greats when she get's close enough. The parody of a smile that appears when Alice sees the burned skin of Robert Cross, stays in place, even as she feels the hungry eyes of the other haunt. "Am I the last?" Alice asks, seeing the group before her, it sure looked like she was the last to arrive.

Equipment; Phone, Reinforced Clothing, Sturdy work boots. Purse, filled with pens, a note pad, wallet. Other misc purse things...

[Cabochard]

Caleb nods at Konrad. He'd figured there might be more people on the way, and now that he seems them trickle in, he's pleasantly surprised. Not because any of them are particularly nice to look at - each one seems to have a problem. But, as they arrive, his Beast continues to lie dormant, content to let these creatures exist unmolested. To some, it might indicate that these are folk to befriend. To the Savage, it means only that they are no threat, even the one who's eyes roam in all the wrong places. Parasites, at best, easily crushed underfoot if necessary.

"It's hanging well, Jack. Like Konrad said, I'm Caleb." Not much more to say, really. Caleb's hands slide into his pockets, and he draws himself to a fuller height. Everything to let the lesser predator know that he wouldn't be able to get his food here.

Eyes slide to the second unknown. Caleb's eyes focus intently on Cross', trying to gauge this man, and avoid looking too intently at the burns - a painful reminder of what happens when you get to close to the Banes. "Caleb. Caleb Fischer. Cousin of Konrad's." Nothing more to say, in Caleb's mind. Not until he knows more about this mysterious stranger.

And, finally, another known element, Alice. Not that she was more pleasant, really. Only in some ways. "I wouldn't know. Konrad sent out the invitations."

[Konrad Roth]

"Cross," answers Konrad, returning the nod. "You saw my note. Good, good. I was hoping to find an excuse to meet outside of a seminar." A lecture on Lance history doesn't allow for much one-one-one discussion.

"Hey Alice. Glad you could make it too." Hungry eyes work their way over the doll-like woman. Even with the semblance of life on her the woman stands out in the lamplight like a ghost. There's a cruel desire to tap at the porcelain flesh to see if it would crack. "I dig the threads. I assume you three have met each other?" He gestures between Cross, Alice, and Jack.

He consider's Jack's answer. "Hmm. It's not a party unless there's a body in the trunk," he says, playing off the joke. "But I think I'll pass on that. I've got the van, but it's not much use for sightseeing. I was hoping our final member might arrange for transport. Martha Villiers. You may have seen her at the Nox. Guess we'll give her a few more minutes."

It's probably too short notice to rent a party bus. And Konrad's blown through most of his cash already. But then the eager Keeper might be tapped out on social rendezvous.