Box Tickets

[Twist]

Twist waved a hand lightly with an easy chuckle meant to be reassuring, "Oh there is no need to be nervous tonight." She paused and then added, "Unless you have other plans after the show that are causing such concerns and not this particular event?"

Twist's smile deepened at the admiration of her theater and the mention of the praise the show had already garnered. "I do hope that it lives up to your current expectations," though her tone didn't seem to carry over much concern that it would in fact not.

Twist shook her head lightly, her attention on her current box companion, "I have not felt any disappointment, no. And I applaud your desire to better yourself in Sacramento for the covenant's sake. Perhaps the clan's as well..." She added her voice teasing, knowing full well the demands that their chosen covenant placed on increasing one's power.

She decided not to comment about how lately, sadly, it took very little to not disappoint. In fact, if one did nothing, it would almost be acceptable comparatively.

"Does the fact that you are here now mean that you feel you have achieved your goal?" Or was he simply out of a self imposed time limit?

[Ellis Meadows]

"I think a show as excellent as I anticipate experiencing tonight should be savored, Your Grace. Absent a sudden emergency, I have no plans for after it finishes beyond appreciating it as fully as possible. But anyone who does not find themselves a little nervous when they find your attention turned towards them would be a fool, and lack a certain degree of awareness." Setting aside her presence, beauty, wealth and disguised thirst for the stolen blood of mortals, Twist was respected by the Domain at large, as well as both her Covenant and her Clan. So far as he could tell, no one else was as comprehensively respected within their own unique circles.

"Considering how involved the Clan is with the First Estate, I can only imagine that anything good for one would be good for the other." It almost went without saying, as the clan made up fully two-thirds of the first estate, and the only Daeva who was not part of it was Lina Moretti. In an ideal Requiem, anything that benefited the Invictus would benefit the Clan, thus Lina as well, and through her, the Domain at large. These nights? Who knew? Lina had impressed him with her professionalism each time he had spoken with her, but April had been a slap in her and her Covenant's face. It was not an unreasonable guess to assume that there could be a break in that chain somewhere.

"With all candor Your Grace, a number of factors, including our meeting at Mr. Kind's little shindig the other night have forced me to accelerate my plans." Ellis admits with a smile. "I had hoped that I would be able to boast of some success working with the Sheriff, as well as something of a reputation that backed me up from Court before pursuing this matter, but adaptability is it's own virtue. I am curious to know, if you will permit the asking, when I seek the role of Priscus for myself, what would I need to do to secure your approval in doing so?"

[Twist]

Twist smiled, not denying his assertation.

"It's true, we are represented well." And surprisingly enough, it had not been arranged to be so. Though... he had appreciated beautiful women...

An eyebrow arched, "Oh?" Had Seth's silly little gathering truly been something important? Goddess knows she thought it might have, until she had gotten there that is. But then again, political plays were far from her expertise.

His plan to earn a place in Sacramento via Lina was good and was about to comment that she hoped he was going to continue when he announced his intentions on the Priscus position.

An amused smile flickered across her face and she leaned back in her chair as she considered him, "Priscus? When you said you were going to accelerate, you were not joking. What are your intentions if you obtain it?"

[Ellis Meadows]

"I want stability, Your Grace." Ellis says simply. "I would like there to be someone official who, if a future cousin that lacks the refinement of the First Estate comes into court and bumbles their way into offending another clan, or a domain official, has the authority to deal with the issue and impress upon others that we as a Clan have our house in order. If someone has an issue with our family, having a Priscus means it can be dealt with privately and not aired out in public like so much dirty laundry. I want that someone to be of the First Estate, because I am not interested in relinquising that kind of power to anyone outside of it." He looks over, across the stage. "If you, or the Madame Seneschal wish to pursue the position, then of course I shall hapily refrain from doing so, but the fact that neither of you have suggests to me that you both feel it would be a distraction from your other duties and intrests."

"I will not pretend that the ability to dole out Tenancy and Hunting Privileges to the family and myself is not attractive." He admits, not bothering to pretend that he would be meek about his potential authority to the Judex. "That kind of largesse is an excellent tool to reward proper behavior in court, as well as punsish poor behavior." He waves a hand. "But it's something that I can put to a more concrete use beyond my own supply and housing concerns. I wish to put together a Herd that I can use to supply court with refreshments to show off the wealth of the First Estate in a suitably highbrow fashion, but that is something I would rather set up so I can present it as a fait accompli instead of getting special permission to do so and then putting it together over a few months." It was a matter of style. Letting the offhand comment that he had access to so much blood that he could be generous enough to feed the domain every once and awhile had far more impact than begging permisission to put such a supply together and then operating under a deadline to do so.

Let it never be said that the First Estate was incabable of grinding the perks of being part of it in the faces of every vampire at once, while disguising it as generosity.

"I will, of course, continue to assist the Sheriff with keeping the Domain in order. Beyond stability, it shows support for the family. We are the most respected and unified clan in the Domain. That feat should be maintained." All the other clans? They needed to know their place.

Ellis is using empathy to get an idea of what her reaction is to what he has outlined above. Good? Bad? Suppressing sinister vampire illuminati laughter? How DARE this upstart ask me this?
Can contest with (Composure + Subterfuge), 3 successes is enough

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-17 12:11:37		Ellis Meadows rolls 6 to Wit + Emp on Twist (10 Again)		10, 6, 6, 1, 9, 10, 2, 3		3 successes

[Ellis Meadows]

My mistake, the wiki says contesting is (Wits + Subterfuge)

[Twist]

  1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-18 09:29:36		Twist rolls 6 to Contested Empathy (Wits+Sub) (10 Again)		3, 2, 3, 10, 6, 3, 7		1 success

Mood: Mildly irritated

She should have known better. So in a way she brought this on herself. And besides, she was trying to get better. And so it was that she held her relaxed pose as he talked.

A dry smile flickered briefly, "I would not say that it would be a distraction..." she murmured lightly, but otherwise let the comment go.

"Working with Lina Moretti, or those who have held her position before, has led many to strong positions within Sacramento," she said approvingly. "Perhaps even more so than for those who have claimed the position of a clan head." While being the face of a clan was good and brought with it automatic respect, defending the laws of the domain, many times at risk to ones self earned it. And of the two, it was an easy call on which stood for more in Sacramento.

Leaning back, she tapped her lips with a finger, "And what would you consider bad behavior that would warrant the retraction of granted tenancy? Or hunting?"

Her finger stilled against her lips, her dark eyes watching him, "And how will you back up your ... rewards and punishments?" your priscus claim

He could claim the title. But could he hold it? Or was that what he truly came asking for? Her. And the power she already held that he did not.

[Twist]

Per this, I am closing this thread.