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My Fair Invictus

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  1. #1
    R
    Rebecca Simmons

    The design of the office was modern, to be sure. Walking in one's gaze would immediately land on Rebecca's desk; glass, simple and uncluttered. In front of the desk were two short, black leather chairs. Inside the office, to the right of the door, sat a black couch and another black chair around a glass coffee table.

    Behind Rebecca's desk sat a wide walnut bookshelf that contained books related to many things, including pharmacy, drugs, and medicine. Among the books, separated by beautiful bookends, sat several devices from long forgotten medical eras. There were tools for the process of lobotomization, connectors for electroshock therapy, and a case of old scissors and scalpel that had seen god knows how many surgeries. On top of the bookcase was a collection of beakers and flasks and connectors. And at the end of it all sat a single flask, corked at the top with a dark powdery substance at the bottom. To any who entered the office there was the distinct impression that everything there had a place and that nothing would be out of it's designated space.

    Sitting at the desk was Rebecca, her outfit a simple yet elegant red dress with floral designs. A notepad sat in front of her, her pen carefully tracing over the contents within. Upon her face rested her usual mask of friendliness and politeness, concealing her darker emotions. Luckily tonight was a night for the Invictus, and her first night to officially act as Au Pair, though she had already offered counsel unofficially. She would have to do her best not to disappoint her covenant's trust.

    Ellis Meadows

      2 successes
    Date Action Roll Result
    2019-04-29 22:23:55 Rebecca rolls 6 to Tatemae (Man+Exp+Kamen) (10 Again) 8, 6, 7, 5, 8, 5 2 successes

  2. #2
    R
    Rebecca Simmons

    For bookkeeping

  3. #3
    Ellis Meadows's Avatar

    Presence
    (Suasive)
    Striking Looks
    (Handsome)
    Ellis Meadows

    Mister Meadows, Interpreter

    +1
    SL
    3
    PRE

    Ellis descends into the underground, taking note of the difference in the atmosphere when the room is not packed full of other vampires that are mingling like so many shades of red paint in a bucket. He wears a simple black suit, being of the opinion that something more sober and timeless was more appropriate to a meeting that was under the shadow of the First Estate.

    There would be plenty of time to play peacock on other nights, of course.

    He stops before the door of Rebecca's office, steeling himself for what he expects to come in a moment. And then he knocks.

  4. #4
    R
    Rebecca Simmons

    Rebecca looked up towards the door and smiled, offering the one behind it a simple "come in."

  5. #5
    Ellis Meadows's Avatar

    Presence
    (Suasive)
    Striking Looks
    (Handsome)
    Ellis Meadows

    Mister Meadows, Interpreter

    +1
    SL
    3
    PRE

    As he enters the room, his mental image of red paint in a bucket shifts to that of a butcher's abattoir, blood flowing across the slaughterhouse floor to gutters clotted with filth. Would Simmons be as reserved, as welcoming, hung up on a hook?

    The trials one endures for immortality.

    "Madam Harpy, my most sincere gratitude for making time to meet with me with such alacrity. I am under no illusions that your time lacks value." Ellis sounds grateful because he is. Simmons' time was valuable, and it was vital that he recognize that. It didn't stop him from taking in the room as he approached her desk and bowed to her. The historic medical tools did not strike him as particularly odd, in light of what he had heard of her at April's Court. "As I said in my letter, I am Mister Meadows, Interpreter."

    "I hope your evening has been without undue strife?"

  6. #6
    R
    Rebecca Simmons

    Rebecca's Catalyst saw the suasive man enter and had the urge to shred him to pieces. But her mind and training in the first estate resisted such actions, for it would be entirely counter-productive. With a friendly smile Rebecca said, "I'm glad you appreciate the time of others. Not everyone does. But I always make time for a fellow member of the First Estate, Mister Meadows. Please, have a seat," she said, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of her desk.

    "My evening has been quite well thank you, how about yourself? What language do you interpret in regards to?"

  7. #7
    Ellis Meadows's Avatar

    Presence
    (Suasive)
    Striking Looks
    (Handsome)
    Ellis Meadows

    Mister Meadows, Interpreter

    +1
    SL
    3
    PRE

    Ellis takes the offered seat. "Busy, busy. But the city hasn't stung me yet. Nights are getting shorter of course, there's less time to do everything that needs to be done, so my dance card never really empties. It's my first time transitioning to a new Domain and it's practically a full time job establishing yourself properly." The lightness of his choice of words glosses over the fact that what he's talking about is arranging for a place where he can safely hide during the day so the sun does not burn his cursed flesh to ash, a collection of people to eat so he doesn't starve and go mad, as well as getting his fangs into people well placed throughout the city so that he can use them to his advantage, all while hiding his nature. "There's so much to do. I prefer to tackle things one at a time, so I'll be glad when I'm in a position to do that."

    "Spanish, for the moment. But I've looked into the demographics of the area, and I'm making the effort to learn Chinese, and after that Russian, and then others." Sacramento spoke many languages, and the logical way to go about learning was in order from most spoken to least. "It's a long list. But no different than mastering any other skill. I also want to fit Italian in there somewhere, because Her Grace the Duchess owns a property named in Italian, and the Prince has expressed a passing interest in Italian theater. And of course, any languages spoken by Kindred here are going to have to fit on the list somewhere. I can only hope the Lance or the Circle doesn't speak some private dead language that will prove impractical to find a tutor for."

    "Do you find that there is a particular need for an Interpreter of one sort or another in the Domain?"

  8. #8
    R
    Rebecca Simmons

    With a smile she said, "When one finds themselves too busy for the night hours we have, I see that only as a positive thing. Better to be in high demand than no demand at all, wouldn't you say? And if you need any assistance in your transition, well...that is partially why're here after all."

    "My word," she said playfully, "sounds like you'll have your work cut out for you. I'd wish you good luck, but if your work indicates anything I would bet that you must have a way with languages, so you may not need luck."

    At the mention of Italian Rebecca smiled wider. "You pick things up very quickly Mister Meadows. Italian would be a wise choice, since both Her Grace Duchess Twist and Her Majesty, Madam Prince Antinori speak it. In addition to Italian though I know I speak Dutch and Mr. Garrett Prosper of the Ordo Dracul speaks German. I also believe Priscus Krieg may speak Russian, but I'm not completely sure." She then shifted in her seat. "I don't believe there is a special need for an interpreter at the moment, but many times people arrive and they, like myself, are the only ones who speak their native tongue. I think there could be great value is connecting with others through your skills with languages."

  9. #9
    Ellis Meadows's Avatar

    Presence
    (Suasive)
    Striking Looks
    (Handsome)
    Ellis Meadows

    Mister Meadows, Interpreter

    +1
    SL
    3
    PRE

    "I couldn't agree more. I'd hate to to be thought of as drab." Ellis supposed that it was perfectly possible to show up and promise to behave and all but molder in Sacramento if you weren't ambitious. "I'm glad to hear it, should I encounter any difficulties that prove insurmountable, I will of course reach out."

    Ellis did not miss how Au Pair Simmons was peppering the conversation with the titles of the Duchess and Prince, appreciating the grace of her method. "Spanish goes a long way in Los Angeles, I've always found value in being able to speak with others in the language they are most comfortable in. I can not imagine that it would be any different for Kindred, especially those far from the lands of their birth."

    "Speaking of Her Majesty," Ellis segues, "I recently had the honor of encountering Her Majesty out in the wild, as well as Mr Boyle. She invited us to join her for conversation and insisted on it being a casual, first name basis kind of gathering, insisting that I refer to her as Sofia. While obviously her insistence, and the nature of it as an assumed name mitigates the size of the faux pas on my part, I admit to some lingering discomfort. Essentially, my education on how to refer to someone of Her Majesty's importance in public and when surrounded by mortals would be to address her as 'Madame Whatever-her-assumed-last-name-is' and now I am concerned that it represents a minor schism in my understanding between two branches of the First Estate." Ellis is being very careful to not insinuate that his education was mishandled, or that the Prince or local First Estate was somehow in error. "While I would never ever be foolish enough to presume to call Her Majesty by even an assumed first name in Court or a private meeting, I was hoping that you could assist me in understanding the best way to ensure this is not a future issue for myself?"

  10. #10
    R
    Rebecca Simmons

    Rebecca chuckled at the man's words. "From what I can see you certainly don't appear drab, so you're making a good start." At his response about possible difficulties she nodded her head.

    "So true. I for example have not spoken Dutch openly with another in...I'm not sure how long. It's not a widely known language and I haven't been in Europe for many, many years. But you are right. I believe people let their guard down, just a little, when one speaks to them in their first tongue."

    Rebecca again chuckled at Ellis' words. "So true. I still to this day find discomfort in using Her Majesty's alias in public. But I have gathered some information that may be somewhat enlightening for your future interactions. Since my embrace I have been with the First Estate. Obviously that has affected my use of Titles and view on first names. Judex Twist," she said, shifting to the woman's covenant title based on the focus of the conversation, "has been with the First Estate for many years and too as learned about Titles. Her Majesty and Madam Seneschal York, from what I understand, were unaligned until several years ago. So while they are full-fledged members of the First Estate, they have not been inundated with decades of training as it would seem you and I were, so I've slightly adapted my methods to compensate for that."

    Rebecca leaned forward slightly onto her desk before continuing. "I always refer to all members of the First Estate by, at a minimum, one title and their last name when in private or in Court. Prince Antinori. Seneschal York. Archon Twist. I'll change it up depending on the topic but I always refer to them as such, or of course Your Grace or Your Majesty, depending on the person of course. Now, even for those not among the Invictus I always refer to them by their title, if they have one, or Mr. or Ms., and their last name. Never by first name when among Kindred. In public, among Kine, it's a much more nebulous area. I usually continue to use Ms. or Mr. with their last name unless requested to use their first name. I rationalize it as keeping the masquerade intact. And don't forget that some, like Her Majesty, have aliases that you must remember. So while our training is against, I refer to Her Majesty by Sophia among Kine purely because it is what she desires, but I always call her 'Your Majesty' when speaking in Court or private. Does that help?" she said with a smile. Of course Rebecca left out the issue of how Rebecca speaks to her as a coterie-mate. They weren't exactly 'intimate' as would usually be required for first names, but they were close enough that Rebecca could allow it.

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