(1806) A New Depth of Shadow
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12
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In a much quieter, darker corner of the Nox, Taft waits patiently for a new (and suddenly important) face. Another like him, amid seas of brutes and dandies and beautiful women. It strikes him almost as deeply as a desire: this need to connect with others of his clan. Some prefer books, sporting activities or the pleasures of the flesh... Taft prefers to know the playing field. If the Danse is a card game, Mr. Mills isn't just another card. He's a new variation to the rules.
| Willpower 
| Vitae
Jason walks heel and toe over to Taft, a stride absent haste but with deliberation, obviously he isn't here for a party and any socializing to be found is ultimately to serve the purpose of becoming acquainted with his surroundings, the time for mingling would come later. As he approaches his beast makes one final attempt to squirm loose from the tight grip he'd managed to maintain over it thus far, he was now face to face with the head of his family, an authority figure that going forward he would no doubt be answering to at some point and yet in this particular moment he wanted nothing more than to lay into him and exchange blow after blow. He didn't even want a clean fight, his beast lurching to get in reach of his fellow shadow, his beast wanted a blood bath. A blood bath, Jason refused to give. "So..Priscus Taft, tell me of our families presence in her Grace's domain. Are there others?"
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When Mills departs from the larger group, Taft inclines his head in welcome. The man's Beast challenges his own. It's an oddly refreshing feeling, amid so many fierce predators waiting to devour him. A challenge he can handle. Or, rather, that his own Beast believes he could. Taft himself is not a man of violence. Not often.
The man - this new Shadow - doesn't beat around the bush. His question is direct, aligning with the man's assertive demeanor. No pretty words or riddles. Yet.
"One other: a woman of eastern descent. I know her as Madam Goto. She is here, in Court tonight. Though she may have been indisposed." He shakes his head. "I digress. We are a small group. But what we lack in numbers? Well... perhaps we can make up for in depth. Tell me about yourself, Mr. Mills. We are in Court, and I realize your openness may be limited by prying eyes and ears, but indulge me. Before Madam Goto, I had been alone in this Domain of Succubi and Savages." He allows himself a small smile. "This status seems to have changed overnight."
| Willpower | Vitae
A sly grin spreads across his lips for a moment, a domain full of Daeva and Gangrel one faction a slave to their desires the other wild and unfocused. Though few in numbers the cunning shadow was ironically in it's ideal position. "I see, I will be sure to introduce myself to her, in fact the three of us should get together soon and get to know each other better" Good, too many players didn't always make for a better team, a sentiment that he hoped his Priscus shared, he leans forward and speaks slightly lower and more directly to Taft, he isn't whispering but being mindful not to say so with any particular volume, "It would seem to me that it is in their nature to gather strength in numbers. Maybe that works for them, and that's cool. But us, we perform at our best when the limelight shines elsewhere. I do my best work in the shadow."
Jason wondered if that counted as telling Taft about himself though he did still offer a more direct answer just in case, "How about this. It was something my father used to say. It takes more than the magic of vitae to breath life into the lifeless. It takes purpose, and motivation. I find my purpose in the thrill of it all" he says, waving his fingers, midly miming sparks and excitement, "he'd tell me that pursuit would get me ashed, I'd tell him that my motivation is that it hasn't happened yet"
Jason lets out a breath he didn't need, maybe that was a bit wordy for this kind of event. Way more abstract than he would typically prefer, but his Priscus had asked him, very directly, to tell about himself, and so in a way that little anecdote was the most straight forward answer he could think of that would perhaps convey a meaningful answer. Jason might not be too old in his Requiem, but even as a human he'd been around the block enough times to know that one needed allies, if only a few. Though there was definitely cause to watch your back among friends, at some point somewhere, you were gonna have to take a chance and align with someone sometime. Why not here, why not now, with not only a clan mate, but one that was established enough in this domain to be named Priscus. Him and Taft, they could do work.
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"Well spoken." he responds to the first. Taft is well aware of the cliche of using shadow to describe Shadows, but it doesn't bother him in the slightest. "In a sky full of stars, one more light is hardly worth noting. It may be in our nature to seek solitude. To a point." As he speaks, it's clear he thinks Sacramento's sky has room for one more star. His dark eyes are alight with interest.
A single brow quirks. "A thrill-seeker? That certainly is one way to seek wisdom. The hardest, truest, most exhilarating truths can be found in the wake of self-discovery. I can honestly say that I don't walk the same path, though I can understand the appeal in it."
Mills isn't a Shadow wrapped in riddles. This much is apparent. And Taft most certainly meant what he said: the man's path strays from his own. But this makes him all the more intriguing. What role would he play in shaping the city's future? Where do his allegiances lie?
"If you'll forgive me for asking," he starts, bringing his thoughts to words "what else drives you? Do you serve a higher calling? Aspire to power?" He wouldn't ask outright if the man belonged to a Covenant. Not in such unimaginative words. Words that could draw prying ears.
| Willpower | Vitae
"Nah, no higher calling. I can't say that I have ever heard one to even know what to do if I did" Tafts second question was a bit tougher to answer, most of the time he acted mostly out of curiosity, he was the type to try and break into a drug den and swipe some stash money before the miscreant kine found out. Just to blow the cash on something frivolous like speakers for his car or maybe he wouldn't spend it at all, instead opting to stash it away just like they did only to forget about it a month later.
For Jason, everything was in the pursuit, where he was going and what he'd do when he got there were of lesser concerns. "However I do intend to have words with a guy I've been told is this domains resident Crone. My father...and his mate, were both quite devout. I'm sure they'd be happy to know I at least made the attempt" He had mentioned his sire yet again within the same conversation, not something he had intended and now he wondered if he was comfortable sharing that much information about his family. For now at least, he decided would refrain from going into further detail about them unless asked directly.
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"Just as well." he answers after pondering for a moment "I certainly have things that are important to me, but I don't ascribe to any particular group's philosophy." Taft will be the first one to attest that lacking allegiances isn't the same as lacking purpose. He isn't about to judge Mills for following the whims of the moment.
"You're referring to Kreig? He's an interesting one to converse with. I learned much about the Circle's beliefs through him. Though, I admit, their level of devotion is limiting to the scope of what I hope to accomplish." The bald Shadow pauses. This hasn't been the first time Mills has mentioned a 'father'. "I've noticed you bring up your father a few times. Were you turned recently?" It might seem like a cutting assumption, but Taft has long since stopped thinking about his family in life. Even his family in death has become little more than a memory.
| Willpower | Vitae
"I was turned just under a decade ago, the man who I call father was my Sire. It was something..he insisted upon. He has a mate, that I likewise call mother. If not for her, I can't say for certain he wouldn't have left me for dead. Its...complicated" that was likely the least assured statement he'd made all evening. Jason wasn't familier with the relationships others had with the ones that turned them, but even still he always knew that there was something strange about the way he related to his. He would often wonder why two immortal beings, gods in comparison to his status as a mere mortal who had chosen the wrong car to jack, chose him to be their joint project. "None the less it was by their recommendation that I headed out west to begin with. I was told this region would be well suited for me to step into the Danse Macabre for my own" With that, Jason had offered enough, now satisifed that he'd shared enough true information about himself and his past that he had possibly purchased enough clout with Taft to ask a few questions of his own,"And you? How long have you been a resident of this domain? Has it treated you well?"
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Stern brows furrow as Taft considers Mills' approach. Or, rather, his Sire's. Much more intimate than his own relationship. Tabitha would never call herself his 'mother'. It wasn't her style. She'd always keep him down a notch by referring to him as 'little man', and point out how little he actually knew. Even after decades of study.
"It sounds as much. But I'm not one to press for convention. Perhaps, some other evening, you might relate the story of this. IT sounds... interesting."
Taft shrugs lightly at the question. "Six months, if you can believe it. I can hardly complain. There are opportunities to pursue here just as there are on the east coast. But, again, that might be better discussed on another evening." A pause. Taft's head tilts lightly to one side. "You have a place to stay, I'm assuming? there currently isn't a place dedicated for our Clan's meetings. Though this may soon change. It really depends on the resources we have, collectively.My own haven would be unsuitable. Barely more than a crawl-space."
| Willpower | Vitae
Jason nods, "Not at this moment, but I should be setup pretty soon. I came here with a bit of cash, enough to get a small apartment. Shouldn't take too long to make it safe to rest in during the day. My I.D and social are still good so I don't expect to have any trouble with that." Jason ponders the current state of his clan in this domain. It would seem that at the moment they were not only few in numbers, but also quite lacking in resources. Not a huge deal, ultimately having a place to meetup and chat wasn't at all hard to come by, if anything an established place to do so would be more so useful for the sake of not having to take as many precautions against potential eavesdroppers, not to mention the prestige of it he supposed. "Well, unless our third has somewhere secure in mind, it sounds like we are going to be renting a hotel for an evening. I'm sure we can talk potential revenue sources then. At least until I get my ear to the streets"
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