House of Cards

[Rhodes]

The Lucky 8 Pool Hall is just on the edge of downtown. After weeks of frequenting their card tables in the evenings, Rhodes had built up enough of a rapport to borrow one of their private rooms at a reasonable rate, and it wasn't so bad to pay the unadvertised extra to ensure privacy. The Fairest had the room, a poker table and chairs set out, though he was only expecting the one guest.

He'd told the proprietor to expect her, a singularly attractive if haughty woman he was here to made a deal with, and asked him to direct her to one of the private back rooms. The main body of the hall was deserted in the afternoon. Only one pair of unemployed regulars knocked the balls around a table in the main room, a few drinks into their cups.

Away from them, in the private back room, the would-be Dread Lord sat in the dealer's chair, waiting for Lucifer to arrive. He had sent her the details. If all went as planned, today would take him another step closer to that goal.

Rhodes took his glass of scotch on the rocks and took a sip. Waiting.

Lucifer Cayce , it is time!

[Lucifer]

Lucifer swept into the back room, looking devastatingly regal in her gown woven of smoke and shadow, the rippling currents of ash and darkness wreathing her sublime body, even if all the mortals saw was black cloth. Nevertheless, her right hand was buried inside the unfathomable depths of her purse, fingers tightly gripping her mace.

It was entirely possible that Rhodes intended to kill her now, rather than pledge with her. But that, was, of course, why she'd texted Echo just before she'd stepped out of her cab, and let her know where she was and who she was meeting.

Just in case.

In fact, she was actually rather surprised to find Rhodes sitting there, rather than some henchmen, or something even more monstrous from the bowels of the Hedge.

"You," Lucifer growled, eddies of thick shadow rippling over her form like gathering storm clouds. "Are you ready to seal our bargain in a pledge? I have one prepared, but I shall allow you to suggest your terms first."

[Rhodes]

The icy wind of the Flowering's Mantle sends small golden leaves across the table as his words lance through the air. "How nice to see you too Lucifer. Please! Let's dispose with civilized pleasantries and get straight down to business, shall we?" If Rhodes' words held any more sarcasm or contempt, they might actually explode. "Have you really been storming around since our little court gathering? Or did you get yourself all riled up for the benefit of your audience?" He gestures violently towards the empty room.

Rhodes gestures a hand to the chair opposite him across the table. "Sit down. I don't know what the hell you expected, but I for one was genuinely hoping we could both leave this room far richer than we went in. If you insist on continuing this pointless charade, so be it, but we will both be better served if we bury this hatchet here and now. There are bigger, more important enemies, Lucifer! Surely you recognize that! And this fractured Freehold needs Leaden wisdom of a unified Ashen Court if it is to shore up it's defenses!" His tone remains hard.

He leers at his fellow Fairest, slowing his breathing. A crack of lightning flashes over his coat. "I am ready to bind an agreement in a pledge. Due to the knowledge I now possess, my offer is somewhat different to it's original form." Rhodes pauses, taking a sip of his drink. "Funderland is not the source of wealth we considered it to be. While I am sure I can convince the Director to allow us use of Funderland for your project, they do not have the finances to support us. So I propose an alliance between us, granting boons of Wealth, rather than Fame, to provide the resource the production needs. If you are set on Fame, so be it, but that will be less use than hard currency to achieve the suitably grandiose designs." He swallows the last of his drink and sets the glass back upon it;s coaster. "We will set aside this animosity. We will work in mutual support of each other's goals, provided those goals do not undermine either Autumn or the Freehold of Sacramento. You will support my rule as Dread Lord, and in return I will support your creative project that may provide a source of glamour for our Court. What are your terms?"

[Lucifer]

Due to house rule, and an OOC mistake, avoiding the mention of Resources

"Do not pretend that I am scorning a kind offering on your part," Lucifer replied, sinking into her seat and tucking the folds of her gown beneath the table.

"Before I offered you this, I scarcely believe you would have lifted a finger if you'd found me bleeding to death in an alleyway. But, alas, as you said, this pledge will erase any need of continued hostilities. We will share an alliance between us, risking death or disgrace, you for your crown, and me for my shadow play, and from this bond we will gain renown throughout the land! But, should we break this alliance, we shall find failure stalking our every endeavor, until the moon has come to cycle around once again.

"Those are my terms," Lucifer replied, her manicured nails resting upon the poor wood of the table, her other hand still hidden inside the confines of her purse.

Vow of Mutual Benefit
Task: Greater Alliance -3
Boon: Greater Blessing (Fame 3: Entertainment) +3
Sanction: Curse (success only on 9 and 10) +2
Duration: Moon -2
http://nwod.org/wiki/index.php/Pledge

[Rhodes]

Rhodes listens intently before replying slowly. "Everything is all or nothing with you, isn't it Lucifer? I believe you sought the crown only for your own ego, and I have seen little of you but a mercurial tyrant that would rip this flimsy Freehold asunder if it suited you. That is not what this Freehold needs. And that you think I would abandon one of my court, even Wolfgang and his blatent idiocy, to such a fate shows how little you know me. I will go to great lengths for this Court." He ruminates for several seconds. "If this is the depth of promise needed to reassure you, then so be it." The Fairest draws himself up, feeling the tingle of power in the air.

"I, Rhodes, hereby pledge myself to Lucifer's success, as she will to mine, until the face of tonight's moon returns to the sky. We will drink deep from the well of reknown, but should we fail to aid our Oathsworn ally, may misfortune strike us at every turn."

"There." He smiles coldly. "Bound to recognition and mutual success. If you wish to take your prize of Fame and leave, I will not stop you. But if you would start as we mean to go on, stay and share a drink with me. The things I would tell you are to your benefit. If we do not talk today, I will have to hound you until you listen."

Yay pledges! So much fun!

[Lucifer]

Pledge added to thread! Don't forget to spend dat WP

"I am not some unhinged Harpy, Rhodes," Lucifer replied, leaning back in her seat and convincing herself that, yes, she could now relax. The adrenaline singing through her blood disagreed, tempting her to rise, and to flee, but she ignored it, forcing herself to try and calm the bird trapped behind her ribcage.

"So get on with what you were about to say. I'm willing to listen. For you are right. This Freehold is balanced upon a serrated blade, unaware of the blood already dripping from its feet. We are so focused upon our petty spats that when the True Fae descend, the best among us will have already been driven away. Like Wolfgang ," the Shadowed Beauty declared. "I allowed him to be dragged through the mud, and for what? He will leave, and when the Gentries' pets arrive, we will down a fearsome ally. So yes, tell me your plans, oh Dread Lord, and I shall think of what I can do to support them."

[Rhodes]

"Wolfgang, the best of us?" Rhodes says scornfully. "I do not question his talents, only his prorities and understanding of language - for us, gaping weaknesses. And fearsome? I think not."

Rhodes watches Lucifer as one tiger would watch another. "If you see the tenuous position of the Freehold, that is something, at least. Here, each Court is too small to survive alone. In supporting me, you are already aiding unity. Though they could not stop you becoming Queen, they would oppose you at every turn. But as for our disputes? Our nature of the Fairest of them all actively encourages such heated engagement. I relish it, win or lose. I would have you speak your mind, especially if you disagree, because I am not infallible. I do not care what you think of me, as long as you trust me enough to do what is best for the Court. Because I will." His voice is hard with sincerity, and his mantle cats another breeze across the table. A leaf flutters down in front of Lucifer.

He leers at the glass of ice, as it it's emptiness betrayed him. "My plans, crown or no crown, are to work against the ingorance that surrounds this place. First, the Hedge. Here it is, on the whole, a mystery - one I would have revealled through exploration and cultivation. Nana has already shown a great interest. Second, I myself intend to work on the side of Oneiromancy - other courtiers have been intrigued by the possibilities that provides. Third, I would look for the eccentrics of the local area - those who might stumble or be captured, and make them fearful of those endeavours, starving the Gentry of mortals in the area we hold. Any ideas or contributions you make are welcome, and will earn you merit to others that may pettily dismiss you as... unreasonable."

He smiles coldly. "And lastly, the cultivation of fear. Something I have not planned for, because you are already creating it. Your success becomes mine. Your ideas are grand, and new, and I was not lying when I said I liked it. However, the coffers of Funderland are small. I seriously doubt it will provide the capital to begin this venture, and we should look elsewhere for additional funding and support. I can try and find support this way, if you wish. The Creation and Direction, as agreed before, are yours to command."

[Lucifer]

Though Lucifer's instinct was to argue, to flout Rhodes at every turn, she forced herself to sit patiently and bide her thoughts, to let them brew and percolate like the contents of a dread cauldron, full of toil and trouble. Just...not for her.

Once the future Dread Lord had finished his speech, Lucifer smiled, the barbed wire grin sitting queerly amidst such beautiful features.

"Thankfully, I will not need to draw funding from the Park. I merely need the space. The boon we have just gained will do wonders, as will the...other sources of income I intend to cultivate. With you support, I know that this project will flourish, and lead us to even greater ventures. But alas, enough on that for now."

The Shadowed Beauty stretched her hands out atop the table, the cannister forgotten in her purse, the manicured lengths of her nails glinting with fresh lacquer in the light as her hands drifted across the expanse of wood.

"You speak of the areas where our court can expand it's influence, and in doing so, correct the flaws in our Freehold. It so happens," Lucifer continued, "that I have discovered one such glaring flaw. The Queen of Winter has laid claim to the title of Notary, the recorder of Pledges. At first I thought that this might be to simply fill the spot, but from what I've seen, the title of Groundskeeper, charged with securing the Freehold, has lain vacant. Clearly, this would be a more dire gap to fill, wouldn't you think? And what's more, I have not heard of the Notary fulfilling their role. Would you not think the Coronation would be a perfect place to enact her duties? And yet...nothing."

The pale skin of her hands, so soft and smooth, yet colored like fouled milk, turned so that her palms were up, displaying the simple void which was held in her hands.

"This leads me to believe that the Winter Court has forgotten its function. I'm curious, have you seen any evidence of the Winter Court ignoring their own Ice Law?"

She let that question sit for a moment, before continuing.

"Regardless, it should be Autumn that holds the title of Notary. It should be you, in fact, as you are bound to become Dread Lord. I would support you in this. Ardently. Our Court must reclaim our rightful place if we have any hope of standing against the coming storm."

[Rhodes]

Rhodes listens carefully to Lucifer's thoughts on the play. "When you need my support, you will have it, of course."

He remains quiet through Lucifer's points regarding the Notary. "I arrived late to the coronation. I had assumed formal duties had been taken care of. This... is troubling." He ponders for a few moments. "I spoke briefly with Queen Sasha. Performed a formal introduction, but we never discussed the positions of the Freehold. We... never discussed Autumn either, although I had made it clear I knew what the purpose of the Dread Court was."

Come to think of it, she was very happy, grateful almost, to meet someone with pledge experience. Perhaps she is not suitable to hold the position.

"One stage at a time, my dear Morning Star. I do not wear the crown yet. But your words do have a ring of truth we should prepare for." The Fairest eyes his counterpart warily. "The coming storm? Is this a specific threat you can evidence, or is this the ever-present danger more naive courts forget? I would know how imminent this threat is." His words are not doubtful, or accusatory. If anything, a hint of concern broaches his enigmatic mask.

[Rhodes]

Bookeeping - Forgot the Pledge binding cost!