(On the Hunt) Underground Party

[Yumyumcrow]

Colenel Davis Jefferson Smith knew the way as he took the group down into the old tunnels beneath the city. In some respects he needn't have bothered for subtle lights and a muted pulse of base also served to point the way. Closer to Harcourt's party den they encountered little huddles of the desperate and the not-so-desperate. There were bouncers after all - and it was obvious that not all who appeared at Harcourt's den were admitted...

Davis could see how the space had been newly kitted out from before: less chairs, more futons and bean bags; a bigger bar; less crude lighting with more sophisticated light effects - alternating shades of blue, green, lilac, yellow, gold, red, pink flowed gently along the walls, bringing out the brickwork and illuminating little nooks and crannies. Some were occupied. Some were not.

The 'Den' had also spread into the surrounding network of tunnels. Clearly the host wanted to give his party friends options: a crowded dance area; a moderately crowded central area with the bar; side tunnels were the lights were dim and partitions created much more intimate booths.

The Kindred arrived separately and in a straggled fashion.

Davis passed unnoticed into the crowd, his usual persona thoroughly repressed. He spotted some of his fellow gamblers and none of them recognised him. He was, for the first time in Sacramento, completely unnoticed in the crowd.

Theo is pumped! Maybe its the Vitae seeping through his dead heart; maybe its the music; reverberating in his ears; maybe its the sweet aroma of perfumes clashing against the base scent of brick and the feel of his shirt across his shoulders and the looks he is getting from the Made Up Things as he effortlessly blends with the milling crowd, gently bouncing along to the dance floor.

Clara forces her way through a knot of wanna be's hanging just inside the Den. This Daeva has work to do tonight! She roves briefly, obtaining her lay of the land before she sets her sights on the bar and some the huddles near it. Vaguely, she espies Theo's head bobbing through a seething mass spilling into the dance floor section. The Duchagne Whip has her target now: a little gathering of Industry types hunkering down by a hookah and in prime place to get to the bar.

"I've worked on his camera crew for many years," says Anaemic Dude.

"A leading lady," utters Bubbly Voluptuous, making eyes. "And this gal is a reporter. Don't worry hun, we're being gentle."

"Dad's a diplomat and I'm home alone. He and Bruce, like, went to the same frat or something." Coughing Guy is not good with the Hookah.

Lina Moretti succeeds in breaking through the ring of sycophants at the door next. By this point Theo has disappeared and Clara is already settling into her corner group. She rides the wave to the bar, orders a drink for starters and cover while she gets her bearings. The chatter and bubble of the Kine is exhilarating: Jerry Game has already claimed a spot in the quiet zone; Bruce Harcourt is yet to arrive; everyone sniggers at the story of how some low life hood called Ronnie G didn't get past the door; and check out the sorority girls on the dance floor, they are killing it.

Edgy Ashley Cohen, decked in leather, arrives last. By then the ring of sycophants has dispersed. Her look earns her a raised eyebrow and then a laugh from the bouncers. Her look clashes with the overall party theme of the guests but they don't seem to mind that much. This little Ventrue has piercing eyes, a resolute presence that goes beyond confidence, and she somehow makes her attire a fashion statement to boot.

Ashley can tell that there are eyes on her.

"Quiet zone. Look for the bat signs and go north." Someone brushes past and whispers in thickly accented English.

[Clara E. Verne]

The Coughing Kid scratched at an itch deep inside Clara. She just wanted to take him home and ruin any chance at happiness he might have had. But tonight was all at about business.

Clara gracefully inserted herself into the group, inserted a hot pink mouth piece onto the hookah pipe's mouth, and used her uncanny ability to not breathe to inhale ungodly amounts of vapor and nicotine. She then pursed her pouty lips, held the pregnant moment with a meaningful gaze at her target, and blew three smoke rings at Bubbly Voluptuous.

"Who said I wanted gentle?" Clara insinuated with a wink. She passed the hookah pipe to the next recipient and took her mouth piece in manicured fingers. She then leaned forward towards Bubbly Voluptuous, almost dominating the woman with her captivating presence, and asked, "So, where's the real party, leading lady?"

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-09-27 23:39:45		Clara E. Verne rolls 6 to smoke trick seduction at Bubbly Voluptuous ( Pers + SL + Pres + Seduc Speciality Maxed at Humanity) (10 Again)		3, 8, 3, 6, 8, 4		2 successes

[Ashley Cohen]

A smile spread across her lips as she followed him. As the stranger spoke, she tried to determine what the man's native language was, and gave him a nod. Still she remained stationary, as her eyes drifted across the kine. They held their own Danse, and she watched for the mover's and shaker's in the establishment. It was always the little things, like who the bouncer's would defer to or who was drawing the greatest crowds. More than anything, she was curious about the staff.

Ashley spent a bit of time, people-watching, before she headed off to go find whatever the fuck the bat signal was. As she moved, she focused, as vitae flowed to her vocal cords. The Lord may have left her shotgun, but she had other weapons to work with.

8 success to determine hierarchy of the staff.

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-09-28 20:13:24		[03] Ashley Cohen rolls 7 to Int+Politics (10 Again)		1, 1, 3, 9, 1, 8, 2		2 successes

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-09-28 20:13:24		[02] Ashley Cohen rolls 7 to Int+Politics (10 Again)		1, 8, 1, 9, 8, 7, 7		3 successes

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-09-28 20:13:24		[01] Ashley Cohen rolls 7 to Int+Politics (10 Again)		9, 3, 2, 10, 5, 5, 8, 7		3 successes

[Yumyumcrow]

The Kindred settle in...

John Davis blends into the crowd, moving aimlessly to buy himself time while he racks his brain. The Bat Signs must be new. He has seen old graffiti, new tags, old scratchings and even the odd chalk daubing leading to the secret locations of love trysts - but he has seen nothing like a Bat Sign anywhere in the tunnels. They must be a very new development and very close to the Party Den; something is happening or going to happen soon.

Ashley Cohen is also taking her time before she makes her first move. People watching. Watching the bouncers and the few staff. She notices how the staff and the bouncers rarely mix, and when they do they keep their interactions to a cool professionalism. The bouncers took there cue from an thin man who brooded at the bar like a spurned lover. The staff seemed to take their cue from one of the bar tenders, who on the surface appeared to spend her time chatting with patrons. Clever and daring.

In the main chamber the guests had two focal points: one was the bar; the other was the cluster of persons that Clara had found. Most likely, the bar was a natural starting point as guests obtained their drinks and gossip before fanning out in pairs or little groups to either the Dance Floor chamber or the Quiet Zone with its private booths. Clara's crowd was the for the trend setters and the wannabe's clustered around them in little huddles of their own, waiting for an opening or else simply being available to be seen.

And the man who had whispered to her? Eastern European origin.

Lina Moretti gathers her intel at the bar while she waits for some liquid refreshment. Glass in hand, she follows a flow of guests into the Quiet Zone with its private booths and its nooks and crannies. Jerry Game undoubtedly holds court with a little gathering of his own. Jerry is obvious in his frilly shirt, tight leather pants and... red sash.

In response to her opening, the faded starlet and idle rich stares openly - and hungrily. It is a move not unnoticed by some of his group who almost glare back at the interloper.

"I think you may have me confused for someone else." Jerry Game smiles - and he can still smile, his jaded face lighting up like a beacon. "Why not join us? Sit there... We were just talking of our host. And who might be out to impress him tonight. We are all old hands in the industry so we don't feel the need to slavishly put ourselves out there. Not the crowd near the bar."

Of course Jerry Game gave Lina a spot. She had been placed right next to those jealous for his attention. No doubt as a foil and a spot of entertainment for Game himself; seated as he was, he'd be in prime position to see his little cluster collapse into infighting.

Back in the main chamber, Bubbly Voluptuous can only stare at Clara E. Verne's brazen opening move. There is a collective "oooh" from the group. Cough Kid can only stare and utter a simplistic "Sass!" As if his words meant anything.

Bubbly Voluptuous opens her mouth. Her lips quirk into a smile. "There is here. Brucie is coming. He'll be here. And then the after party is, like, happen at Malcolm Ross's place. Malcolm has been helping Brucie with his move from San Francisco; and its not like they've collaborated before. So Malcolm is holding an open house and some of us are heading over once we are done here. I bet they have a project in the works. So its best to be around when they start casting, you know?"

Anaemic Dude snorts and wheezes as smoke escapes his mouth. He is looking at at Bubbly Voluptuous with a twinkle in his eye. "Yeah. So true. I hear Mal has some ideas and Brucie has vowed to lend him a hand! If you want it, it would be a foot in the door, you know what I'm saying?" That was addressed to Clara directly.

"You looking for a Break?" Bubbly Voluptuous enquired, steering the conversation back under her direction. She was even posing where she sat, posturing against her new rival - Clara.

[Clara E. Verne]

Saucily sassy sensual smoke seduction. Thirty percent of the time it works every time. Clara let a self-satisfied smirk slip onto her features. She internally grasped for the name Malcolm Ross. Not one of the Bushwackers, at least not one the Kindred of Sacramento had anything on. Best to play it cool regardless.

She glanced from Bubbly Voluptuous to Anaemic Dude and let her smug smirk turn shades of bashful. Harcourt's exact business eluded Clara at the moment, she just remembered it being risquι. Casting, she had said. Clara puzzled at the possible connotations while she laughed off suggestions that she could be cast in anything.

"Me? Looking for a Break? Nooooo. Cameras turn on and I'm unbelievably shy," the Bacchante said as she flipped her loose hair behind her. "But you guys are, like, the inner circle of the inner circle huh? So cool." She chortled and let a bit of nervousness creep into her voice. "I'm just a big fangirl. Like, Bruce was an artist. And when I heard about this party it felt like the stars aligned, y'know? Like, who wouldn't want to see what the legend does when he isn't making fucking art?" She glanced appreciatively at her surroundings. "And he sure knows how to throw a party. There any occasion for tonight's bash? 'Sides from, y'know, getting to party with Bruce."

[Ashley Cohen]

With that important task out of the way, she followed after the European. It was more out of curiosity than anything. Part of her wondered if another predator stalked this gathering, one who hid their nature and was unknown to the others. It could have been that Lordly paranoia, but Ashley always looked to see any and all possibilities.

The Lord headed to the Quiet Zone, and looked for the bat signal. She had little clue as to which way was fucking north, or why people were so fond of vague directions.