Dirt Nap arrives without a sound on silent owl wings and without any indication of his Beast, the Mask of Tranquillity concealing it.
He shifts to the shape that walks on two legs down at the beginning of the long, private driveway and ambles slowly and cautiously up the driveway towards the farmhouse.
”Hello the house.” Dirt Nap says softly, expecting unnaturally acute hearing to allow his quiet greeting to avoid any rude surprises.
Mable was watching the tree line and almost jumped at the soft sounds of Dirt's voice. "Hey there. How are you this evening?" She asked as she stood up.
"Quiet is good. And no thanks its all cleaned up." Mable marveled at how nice it was to have another kind kin in the domain. So many were so bitchy and nasty. "You are very sweet to offer. I really appreciate it. And thank you again for joining in on the ceremony, it means a lot to me."
"So, how are things going for you? Are you studies going well? Anything new that you can talk about?" Mable knew much of the rituals the Ordo do are private and dangerous.
Dirt Nap smiles and nods. He can't remember being called 'sweet' before. "Well. I 'preciate the invite, and all the work that went into it, Ma'am." He says.
As to her questions about his studies, Dirt Nap pauses in thought. "Pretty much the same." He says after a minute. "People coming and going makes it a mite more difficult, but I mostly study on my own anyways." He says. "I'm working on, generally, being able to live off the land, animals indefinitely, not just for the weakling stage." He ventures to explain in vague, general terms. "Like all that kind of study, it involves a bit of experimenting, which I choose to do on myself, so it's a little dangerous. Possible I will go to sleep and not wake up sometime." He shrugs. "I'm holding off on the big risk until I think the odds are in my favor."
He pauses and then says, "Thank you again Ma'am for your suggestion about talking to the Nosferatu Clan about my exploring the Underground. Even with the Bishop gone, I think it might work out. At least I got to make amends for any trespassing I already did before I knew it was their spoken for territory."
Mable nods. "Listen, if you ever need me to guard your body while you are experimenting let me know. I would pry into what you are doing, just do what I can to keep you safe." Mable was very sincere about keeping him safe. She would lay her own existence on the line for him.
"I'm glad it worked out speaking with them. I have been underground several times a few times was with Krieg and also with John. I know of a few tunnel entrances and where there is a map of some tunnels. It's a bit scary under there but I think we got most of the hunters out of the tunnels now." Mable was lost in thought for a moment thinking about the cat person she had found and who had died because Mable couldn't nurse her back to health.
Dirt Nap smiles and nods gratefully, "I appreciate that, Ma'am. And I admit, I need protection right now. That's part of the temptation to rush things; I've been keeping myself the runt of the litter, living on animal blood. When I'm ready, if thinks work out right, I can get stronger without having to expand my diet in directions I am not partial to." He says.
He listens carefully, then after a long moment of silence, Dirt Nap says in an apologetic tone. "Ma'am, I aim to keep my promises, and not get distracted, and I am here to share what I learned so far about keeping our Beasts under wraps. I would very much like to hear about your times in the underground, though." He confesses.
He shrugs. "It'll probably be a lot easier for you to learn than it was for me anyhow." Dirt Nap says. "It involves being sneaky, which doesn't come natural to me."
Mable looked concerned, Is there someone specific giving you problems? Whatever you need just ask. You have had my back at very crucial moments, and I am forever in your debt. You’re family and that means something to me.”“
Mable sits down and gestures to the other seat, “Hmmm so tunnels… John brought me to his haven which was in the tunnel system in like an old ummm…speak easy I think. Anyway, there was a map of some tunnels on the wall there. I could probably find the area again. There’s an easy access tunnel in one of the cemeteries I work in. There are also access point all over the city.”
“One of the entries is in a little sidewalk park, Krieg, John and I found a trap left by either hunters or the Brood there. Later, Krieg and I accessed the area when we were tracking the hunters who were using the tunnels to hold meetings. The suckers kept coming up like in a whackamole game. Also, there are a lot of small tunnels which connect homes. I found some when chasing gun runners.”
Mable paused a moment and looked at the tree line. She was remembering the trouble both men had caused her and the danger they each had put her in. She wasn’t sure if she was angry or excited from the dangerous situations. She was trusting and a protector, but Krieg had left when the alien things came and almost killed her. Neither really cared about her. She smiled at Dirt. He was a good one, horses don’t lie.
“So about me being sneaky? I should be offended but compared to you, I am sneaky.” She grinned.
Dirt Nap looks startled and chagrined, "Oh. Sorry, Ma'am. No, I didn't mean it like that. I don't have a problem with anyone in particular. Just, you know, always needing to bear in mind there are those who look for the chance to expand their diet in the other direction from how I aim to do it." He 'explains'.
"Thank you kindly, Ma'am. I feel the same." He says simply, though perhaps tightly controlling some emotion or other.
Dirt Nap listens intently with his whole being, not even breathing for the whole duration of Mable's description of the tunnels and her experiences and the others who shared them. He nods without comment, taking it all in.
Then when she grins, he looks embarrassed, "Oh sorry again, Ma'am. I just am more clumsy tonight than usual with my words. I have always found you to be straightforward and honest." He declares. "I should have said, 'quiet' more than 'sneaky'" He explains.
"Anyway," Dirt Nap says, producing a writing instrument, a 'sharpie'. "When I learned, it we started with hiding a small object, by basically sheer stubbornness and knowing how to hide things, which I don't really, but I made up for it with extra stubbornness."
Dirt Nap holds the sharpie in the palm of his hand, plainly visible, and concentrates. Nothing happens, and Dirt Nap sighs.
"I am sorry Ma'am, my teacher did say at the time that this doesn't come natural to our Clan."
Dirt Nap concentrates for a while, actually long minutes pass, and then the sharpie suddenly just isn't there anymore. "That was the first step." He says.
Obfuscate 1 with 0 Larceny AND Gangrel penalties to Wits based skill roll!
failure
Date
Action
Roll
Result
2020-04-16 23:23:33
Dirt Nap rolls 4 to Touch of Shadow on ordinary pen ( Wits 2 + Larceny 0 -2 + Obfuscate 2 + 2 size bonus, concealable within hand) (1s Subtract)
5, 1, 10, 2
failure
failure
Date
Action
Roll
Result
2020-04-16 23:24:00
Dirt Nap rolls 4 to Touch of Shadow on ordinary pen ( Wits 2 + Larceny 0 -2 + Obfuscate 2 + 2 size bonus, concealable within hand) (1s Subtract)
6, 6, 1, 1
failure
failure
Date
Action
Roll
Result
2020-04-16 23:24:21
Dirt Nap rolls 4 to Touch of Shadow on ordinary pen ( Wits 2 + Larceny 0 -2 + Obfuscate 2 + 2 size bonus, concealable within hand) (1s Subtract)
3, 6, 3, 7
failure
1 success
Date
Action
Roll
Result
2020-04-16 23:24:44
Dirt Nap rolls 4 to Touch of Shadow on ordinary pen ( Wits 2 + Larceny 0 -2 + Obfuscate 2 + 2 size bonus, concealable within hand) (1s Subtract)
2, 8, 4, 4
1 success
I know in a non training situation there'd be more penalties for multiple attempts! They might have been there all night!