Posts from the Rollback
Originally posted by Cross:
A bar night out, one like so many others. How many times had the Kindred of Sacramento run into one another like this? Out at some haunt in the Communal Hunting Grounds, drinking from the Capitol's throat?
For Mable Wood, she'd seen it time and again. This had been her existence for a while. First under Asa Clarke, the mighty Invictus Prince that had held the city for a decade, and now under her Clanmate's reign - this was familiar territory. Perhaps it felt right, by now; a patterned easy two-step in the Danse that the Priscus of Savages had practiced night after night...
For Aaron van Valen, occultist extraordinaire, he was far from his Sire's grounds, and far from his Sire's enemies. Here in Sacramento, he enjoyed a modicum of safety, of solitude, of precious time to advance his studies and grow his power base. His rise to be the Priscus of his Clan had been meteoric. Every Lord had an ego, somewhere in there. His surely had to be feeling good. So far, he was winning. The ability to simply be, to simply hunt, to simply enjoy these erstwhile acquaintances on this night...
For Clara Verne, there was always something new to see, some new heart to take, some excitement to experience. Right now, it was about learning about the others. Where they looked. What they cared about. Things to care about. Things to remember for next time. The Whip of Daeva knew the hearts and minds of others, and this was just such a smorgasbord...
For Rebecca Simmons, the newly minted Harpy of Sacramento, this was a god-damned victory lap. Her first objective was accomplished - the acquisition of Power, the kind of social Power that 'the Doctor' could one night use to catapult herself to the next level of Power. She was Harpy. Of course she was. Could it have been any other way? The proud whispers of the Ventrue Beast confirmed pride. This was just a part of the nature of the Invictus. This was part of the nature of the Doctor.
For Kara Maeve, it was new. Learning the new Danse, learning the new steps, the new streets, the new pitfalls and dangers - all in the Domain of an Invictus Prince who had, to the public eye, approximately as much interest in changing her stripes as any other Invictus Prince. It was treacherous territory, but for the wise and witty Carthian, there was much opportunity. What secrets could the incandescent Lord learn? What knowledge could she leverage? Pay attention. Always. In every interaction was a new chance.
Just another night in Sacramento, this one at the Shady Lady Saloon near downtown. Many Kindred had come and gone from this place. Many stories had began at a dark, velveteen bar in some corner booth. The night was peaceful, and the four Kindred were, as so many Kindred did, simply enjoying an evening's discussion in a quiet corner of the moderately busy bar.
Welcome to Beneath Notice! As you can see, this thread starts off as a social thread. Please feel free to list any items you may be carrying and set up your Private Minisheets with your blood totals, your Willpower and any active effects. Have fun! I encourage you all to remember your Beasts and your Humanity tracks. Violence is always an option, but the question you need to ask yourself is: is it the option that leads to your maximum gain?
@Dark Passenger @Matrixchild @Riks @Psychangel- with that to think about, let's begin!
Tonight Rebecca felt like she was starting out on top. If only Martinez could see where she was he would be both proud and envious. He had acquired plenty of personal wealthy, but had never truly had the knack for acquiring respect or titles. Oh how surprising that Rebecca now had all three. While normally she would go out only to conduct research or further her social connections, this evening she went out in slight celebration. Before leaving she affixed an expression of enjoyment on her face with the power of her blood, though in reality it would just be a mirror of how she actually felt. Old habits die hard. To accent her enjoyment she wore an elegant and sensual partially see-through black dress.
In the trunk of her car she placed her shotgun and knife along with a change of clothes, just in case she needed it, but they were merely precautions for a night out. She made her way to the Shady Lady Saloon and got herself a martini, just for appearances, then found herself a seat where she could see the bar. She would take her time, pretend to get drunk, and people watch. Again, old habits and all that. Who knew what good fortune would bring her tonight.
ST notes 1 success on Tatamae.
Equipment: loose fitting change of clothes, running shoes, shotgun, knife, all in trunk. Purse on her.
Mable decided to go out to a bar tonight to try and find someone, a special someone. She picked the Shady Lady Saloon because it sounded dark and fun. Where better to find someone. She flat ironed her hair into silky touchable tresses. She put on a pink pencil skirt and a white top that she swore looked like a bra, but the sales clerk said it was puurrrrfect for flirting.
She parked in the parking lot, she thought she recognized a car. Oh, Rebecca, that was the car she had seen at the cemetery. She smiled at the thought of seeing her again. A tug to her skirt to readjust it and in she went. Her beast pulled screaming for blood feeling the weaker beast with in the bar. Mable gave a little sexy lick of her lips and a sweet smile pasted on and she went in further. She scanned the room like a woman on the hunt. A little bat of the eyes here and there as she made her way to the bar. She slid into the seat next to Rebecca.
“Fancy meeting you here. You look ravishing.” She said to Rebecca.
To the bartender, “Howdy. A shot of Patron Gold and a raspberry margarita.”Items on her person was a small hand bag with her cell phone and a little cash. Outside was her truck with her tool bag, shorts and tank top, boots, tarps, shovels, saws, flashlights, Rope, Hooks, Camping gear- Tent, Lantern, Hunting Knife, Clothes dressy (little black dress) and work shirt and coveralls.
The Communal Hunting grounds close to the Rack are still pretty good. And Aaron is indeed hunting. His outfit quite simple. Jeans and denim jacket, a simple shirt. He already tried earlier tonight, but so far no luck. He hopes that maybe this bar would have more interesting people.
Well...Definitely interesting. Not really people. They're quickly noticed, standing out in the crowd. The Priscus Lord approaches the Kindred.
'Hello, good evening everyone.' He nods friendly to his Whip, she's wearing a dress more suitable for going to a gala event, but looking good in it. He turns to the Savage Priscus and Kara Maeve then. Had he been attracted to women, he would definitely be attracted to them. 'Looking stunning, ladies. How are you tonight?'
He looks at the bar. Should he get a drink? He's not sure if he's in the mood to socialize here, or if he wants to continue hunting. Of course, he could stay and chat just a little bit. The doubt is perhaps noticeable on his face, for a short moment.
Cities were as big or small as you could fathom them. For someone who suffered from dangerous disinterest, it was important to make the small big. Call it delaying the inevitable.
Tonight, though, Clara's eyes were wide and ready to take in wonder. She'd passed by the Shady Lady occasionally and had pulled a tiny tithe of Vitae from the Communal grounds. All in all a bad night for the Bacchante, but it was still young and she could turn it around.A pale brunette in a Ramones shirt, slightly oversized blazer, and black jeans sauntered in lazily dragging a studded gold purse in tow and immediately felt the overture to a Danse pull her towards the assembling Kindred. She still made a point of taking in the pale reds and late night patrons of the Saloon. Sparkle high top panda sneakers tapped idly as Clara observed the group from the periphery. This was an odd bunch.
"Evenin', how do you do, bonsoir." She said playfully languid and waved demurely each attendee. Of them all the Dragon Lord was the one Clara was most familiar with. She brought one hand up to her hip and let the purse dangle against her knee. "So." She started with a dead serious tone. She would look at each Kindred in turn before breaking towards one. "Why haven't we met?" Clara asked in an exaggerated baby voice immediately shifting focus from the group and onto Kara.
As each Kindred entered her Catalyst reacted, each causing a desire to flee. How cruel that she was here to celebrate and yet her Catalyst would want to leave at the mere sight of other predators. She held her face of enjoyment firm, keeping her cool and steeling her resolve. With a smile she greeted them. "Good evening Mable, Aaron, Clara. It's a surprise to see you here, but a welcome. And thank you," she replied to both Aaron and Mable about their compliments. "I feel I'm far overdressed in comparison, but sometimes you just want to go all out, even if it makes you stand out, wouldn't you say?"
After a pause she asked, "So what brings you all out here this evening?"
"Rebecca, you look smashing. Like you are ready for an opera. I decided I needed to do something besides work. Can't meet any eligible men if I am in the forest all the time." She smiles and glances around the room.
"Good evening Aaron." She slightly rolled the r in his name using a more latin pronunciation for it.
"Clara, how are you? You haven't met Aaron yet? Aaron, Clara. Clara, Aaron." Mable was trying out her new found need to be social.
The bartender hopped to it, filling drink orders, ensuring patrons were well taken care of. Stunning and compelling all, the Kindred among the cattle were attended to quickly, Mable's drinks appeared quickly - though it was Aaron that the handsome young mixologist boy, with brown hair, a deep tan and striking chocolate eyes, let his gaze linger on for that meaningful extra moment before moving on.
Bodies moved, people chattered, a back door opened...
Clara was oblivious to the goings on around her. Serendipity had brought her to face a curious assortment of Kindred. They took up the majority of her attention.
The Doctor mentioned her attire, playing at how over-dressed she must feel. Clara thought the woman was fishing for compliments. The Bacchante could sympathize but had to wonder if Simmons wasn't expecting someone else to walk through the door. "I'd say," Clara responded with a neutral voice and top to bottom glance of the woman's form.
Thankfully Mable was there to shower the Lord in compliments. Clara thought on Mable's polite inquiry and Rebecca's question. "Well the community only stays as good as the work we put in to maintain it, doesn't it, Doctor?" Communal grounds without maintainers were a Domain-wide responsibility in Clara's view. "I'm just appreciating the community. The people, the many places to enjoy oneself, my neighbors...and what brings you here? Finishing a night at the Opera?" She returned the question as she stretched out her arms. "And I'm supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Mable. How're you?" Her tongue rolled over the superfluous language languidly while she cracked her neck. Her expression was one of mild amusement.
Mable started to take a sip of her drink when there was movement near a back door...
'What do you think I'm doing here?' Aaron asks Rebecca teasingly, with a grin on his face. 'Getting a drink of course.'
He is still not seated, and still distracted. The women seem to make small talk and fail to attract his attention. In the back of his mind, he enjoys Clara's short remark on Rebecca's over the top dress.
But luckily indeed, there plenty of politeness to go around for everyone.
Back to my drink.
There is one potential thing he'd like to bite. Looking away from the group, Aaron offers the bartender a playful smile. For men the world can be simple. Looking at each other once for more than two three means you want each other. If he looks a second time now, they'd definitely meet later tonight. The Lord's nonchalant pose makes it easy for the bartender to check him out entirely.
Then he looks away. Can't be tooeager of course, that's not attractive. Besides, more potential targets seem to be arriving...
"With this outfit I probably should have gone to the opera," she said to both Mable and Clara. "But instead I'm just out and about. Enjoying the town."
Rebecca offered Clara a smile before she replied. "So very true Clara."
She chuckled slightly at Aaron's comment. "Well," she said, her eyes looking around at the Kine in the bar. "There's plenty to drink isn't there?"
In the din of the bar, amidst the moving humans and the low light, it could be challenging to track a body. This was especially true if that body did not wish to be seen. Though Clara and the good Doctor did not see him, sharp-eyed Aaron and Mable did; a tall, handsome Caucasian man with sandy brown hair deliberately flowing with the movement of the crowd, glancing in their direction occasionally. He was trying to look natural, and doing a reasonable job of it.
However, once they had eyes on, both Prisci felt it.
A Beast. Weak in power. Unknown in character. An interloper, who disappeared out that back door. Both saw him look over. Both saw him look away.
Rebecca, for her part, was noticing other things. Her keen social eyes noticed that of all the places people could be standing, they were not standing near the back door. A bouncer was, and aside from a person she didn't quite catch getting through, he was turning anybody else who tried to go out that way for a smoke away. It was the quiet bitching she caught of kine, inconvenienced.
Aaron's bartender smiled right on back, obviously paying attention to the confident Lord now. It was stunning. Holy crap, he was gorgeous, and that wicked grin was a promise of fun to come later...
Clara noticed that. It was the most interesting, juicy thing going in the room, after all!
not enough social stealth! and what a hottie
DateActionRollResult
2018-09-13 13:07:18The Bartender rolls 7 to Presence + Persuasion + SL (10 Again)7, 10, 6, 10, 1, 3, 9, 5, 8 4 successes
2018-09-13 12:58:01Someone rolls 5 to do something insignificant (10 Again)8, 3, 5, 3, 2 1 success
Draft this Post
Presence
Presence
Status
Pers 1 suxx