Around the Grand Wyrm's Table

[Madcap]

Madcap listens to the lively Grand Wyrm. The woman nearly looked like the kine, a sharp contrast to his own demeanor. At times, Madcap forgot to blink and at others his chest sat still, as he only truly breathed to speak.

Moretti's cordial gesture was noted, prompting the Gangrel to grant a brief, if firm handshake.

The Bruja's brows perked up slightly as the Sheriff spoke of the covenant's good relationship with the First Estate.

"Note the case in a lot places," he says, "Makes you wonder."

However, the thought was left incomplete. Madcap was rough, but he wasn't an idiot. The Invictus ran Sacramento and you'd best believe at least one or two would be listening in. If things went well, maybe he'd put his thoughts out there for the Grand Wyrm in a more private setting. Far away from power hungry Kindred holding on to waning values.

"Good to hear I won't be lone-wolfing it," he continues. The studies of the Beast were already dangerous enough, that difficulty only increased when you lacked a support system. "Came from Sante Fe last, roamed around for a few years before getting there, and spent time in Pheonix, though most of that was a long sleep, if you catch my meaning. Before that, I was pretty nomadic. Kinda the way of the bloodline."

The second statement lacked the underlying subtleties of his words on the Invictus and inbetween them had been some significant pause. However, unlike the thoughtfulness for which Dirt Nap was known, Madcap's silence was alert and sure, like a cougar at rest. The man before them lacked much in the way of a desire to imitate the kine. This was a proud monster.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods, his eyes not dropping though, maintaining visual awareness of Madcap's location and doings without any break.

"Good to see you, Madcap." he says. He lets the Grand Wyrm, Lina Moretti direct the conversation and ask the questions, though he listens and watches alertly.

[Madcap]

Madcap only manages a half-shrug as Moretti closes the discussion on the local chapter's relations with the Invictus. Wasn't his place to say much right now seeing as he just arrived. Covenants varied from region to region and not every member of the Invictus that Madcap had met were complete shitbags, but many were elitist. Time would tell where the First Estate of Sacramento fell on his radar.

At the Grand Wyrm's casual request, the Bruja dug absently in his pockets, fishing out an old receipt and a pen. After scrawling his contact details on the back, he'd hand it out to her, taking hers in turn if it was provided.

"Works for me," he offers, "I ain't got shit to do except for the whole acknowledgement bit, so you just let me know a time and place. It's your turf."

"I believe it," he offers as Lina confirms him to be her first encounter with the Bruja, "My brothers run a few nomadic chapters, but they don't really venture up this north that often. Thing is, they've been this way as long as me. It wouldn't feel right to ride under one of them. That and Carlos left me to do my own thing once I woke up. His way of apologizing, I guess."

"We'll see how we click then," he'd offer at the affirmation of a large Gangrel presence in the Order, "We Savages are a varied bunch. Some ignore their instincts, others try to be 'noble beasts.' I ain't either. Came to terms with what I am a long time ago. No sense in hiding it."

Finally there was the real question. Why Sacramento?

"Part wanderlust, part curiosity, and part utility I suppose," he'd say, "Spent a lot of time in Arizona and New Mexico. Guess you could say I wanted to see what another place had to offer. Then there's the family's rep. Made things a little hard even when I wasn't rolling with them. Lots of folks seem to think bloodlines are rigidly organized and I'm sure some of them are, but not the Bruja. When a few folks in Santa Fe heard a Bruja had settled down there, they decided the actions of greater line was partly my fault. Probably because I was one of the first, I guess. Or maybe it just felt better to give something they feared a face. I dunno. Either way, they really started to annoy me. Tried to make things difficult. So I decided 'fuck it' and headed out for better pastures that weren't grazed by a bunch of feeble idiots. Plus I heard the Prince here ain't afraid to bloody up and I like a Kindred that knows when action is necessary."

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap listens carefully, present, but not interjecting himself between the new Dragon and the Grand Wyrm. He watches the interaction intently.

[Madcap]

"Oh I ain't worried about it," Madcap offered, his expression shifting on the side of nonchalant, "Like I said, I don't roll with the Bruja direct anymore, but left 'em on good terms. Family's family. As for the... esteemed Kindred in Santa Fe, I don't think they'll bother me. Most of them were just trying to look good for the Court in Albuquerque so I doubt they got much pull this far north."

'Esteemed' was naturally spoken with a heavy air of sarcasm. It was clear that Madcap didn't think highly of at least some of the Kindred in Santa Fe, but in truth that was putting it generously. He thought nothing of them.

The Bruja would follow the Grand Wyrm's gaze and note her less-than-thrilled expression. For a moment, it caused Madcap some concern, with lingering worry over the untold state of Clan Gangrel. However, then a glint of cunning hit the man's intense features. Considering Lina's words for a moment, the Bruja didn't avert his eyes from Mable Wood.

Instead, he smirked.

After some pause, he'd glance back to the little Sheriff.

"Buttering me up already, Moretti?" he joked as she spoke of the possibility of granting him the right to feed within Florin. It was a risk, but the Sheriff didn't seem like a stiff. Perhaps, she'd allow the lapse in etiquette.

Then the brief shake of his head, "Nah, let's just get to it. Sooner I get acknowledged the sooner we can see to other things."

[Madcap]

Madcap's smirk broke into a small smile as Lina took the humor in stride.

Yep, not a stiff. Good.

Madcap watches as the short, athletic woman rises from her spot. It'd be a lie to say Madcap didn't note Lina's significant beauty, but he was subtle about it. For a Savage. Simply put, the Bruja's eyes lingered only for a moment before he averted them, taking the Grand Wyrm's request to Dirt Nap as an excuse to look away and finally engage the silent watcher.

"Looking forward to it, Nap," he said, "Talk soon, yeah?"

It was clear from her actions that Moretti wanted to get his acknowledgement out of the way quickly. He wasn't going to keep her waiting, as it seemed their desires were the same. Madcap wanted to see his acknowledgment efficiently.

Thus, with a parting nod to the red maned Supplicant, Madcap followed the Grand Wyrm.

Madcap returns to the main thread