Prelude before the Entertainment

[Jennifer Hazelton]

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-05-05 12:19:28	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 8 to Wits + Subterfuge (10 Again, WillPower)	2, 3, 6, 1, 4, 1, 6, 3	failure

JC could see that Jennifer did appear content.

"Changes in the environment." She ponders that for a moment. "I imagine the transition to being a childe. Needing to control the Beast in Court is a substantial transition, and utilizing probing questions could get you in hot water with some. "

“So aside from giving support and security, what kind of goals do they work towards?”

“I will be general here. There are no specifics that I can reveal.” Jennifer was firm. There was a reason that secrecy existed.
“I imagine those on the outside looking in, it appears that we cling to our unearned status. That we work to maintain the control the way a landlord would control real estate. Yet the Covenant has vast investment in mortal affairs. There is far more that I could get into.”

Yet she won't. Public place paired with being uncertain if JC has an interest in the First Estate. Or if he was just interested in learning about them. She couldn't blame him for that.
“I could offer.” Jennifer replied, studying JC for a moment. Determining if he was flirting with opportunity.
“I am biased for the First Estate, as it gave me so many opportunities. I will admit that freely. The ability to have a mentor teach you what they have spent decades gathering is quite special.”
The opportunity to learn from her Grace, the Duchess Twist, Priscus of the Daeva and Archon of Sacramento was quite an honor. An unexpected delight, as well. Jennifer took the time to study JC, determining his emotion at the moment. Or at least trying to.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-05-05 12:22:32	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to Empathy - reading JC (10 Again)	1, 1, 7, 1, 10, 9, 10, 10, 1	4 successes

"I have seen you with Dirt Nap. I am curious if you wish to follow him into the Ordul Dracul." Jennifer indulged in pursuing her interest. "You ask uncomfortable questions. It sparks my curiosity."

[JC Smith]

“Very hot water,” he agreed. He’d had to flee several domains because of improperly asked questions or voiced opinions. And he understood, at least by Kindred standards, most probably would consider him a childe given how long he’d been among them. How quickly his Sire had set him loose to see if he could hold to his principles.

He heard her. Understood even. And he could appreciate her even speaking that the Covenant’s reasons lay in the mortal world. Obfuscation. Protection. If no one new, then no one could hurt you. Still, he almost pushed further. Challenged that keeping things hidden did its own harm.

However, her insistence gave him enough pause to not question just now. Not yet. He gave a nod, acquiescing for now.

Studying JC as he considers her offer, she can tell, at least when it comes to joining the Unconquered, he has deep reservations. However, given the way he speaks. How he tries to match her. He has experience with, if not the First Estate, a similar political organization. He understands etiquette and hierarchy but there’s also a distrust of it.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-05-05 12:48:47	JC Smith rolls 5 to Wits+Subt (1s Subtract)	3, 4, 7, 9, 8	2 successes

“I’d have to decline, at least for now, until I knew more about the Covenant,” he finally says, but enough time for her to get her read.

She seemed content. Which was more than he could say about… almost all Kindred. All the same. The Invictus, or at least what he heard of them, gave him pause. He had a tough enough time in court not rolling his eyes. Constantly watching what he said. Could they truly offer him happiness and fulfillment with the how strict he’d heard they could be?

“At present, no. As much as admire Dirt Nap, given what I know,” what what was said about risking death “I won’t be joining the Order.”

With a pause and a slight smile before granting a little better answer. “So what uncomfortable professional opinion on myself would you like to know?”

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"You had a learning curve, I presume? Over what will be tolerated?" She leans forward slightly, curious about what he could have pried into. Or what the reactions could have been. She could imagine several possibilities.

"You are reluctant to seek entry to the First Estate or the Ordul Dracul." She observes. Simply stating a fact, her dark eyes observing him.
"I am curious as to what your reasons might be. You could see that someone with Mr. Jack's background has benefitted immensely. I don't want to brag, its rather distasteful: yet I have enjoyed benefits from the Covenant. There is solidarity and a sense of belonging that allows one to pursue their goals."

"It makes me wonder if a run in with an overzealous member has turned you off from the Covenants. Or perhaps you are content as you are?" This is a query. Yet she avoids any references to 'alone', 'independent' or 'unaffiliated'.
"To be honest, my formative years were spent convinced that the First Estate was the devil incarnate." She speaks this freely, not looking about for who might be observant. "You see, my Sire had an interesting relationship to the First Estate. My lineage, if I was trying to trot it out for something would go like this: Childe of Joshua Homan, childe of Lady Notary Gweneth Ward; childe of Libretist James Barlowe; of the line Nosferatu; Lady Notary of the First Estate."

She stops there, wanting to see exactly what aspects of what she had shared were of interest to him. If there was anything he would notice in her lineage. Her curiosity over how much he knew about the organization wanted to be answered.

[JC Smith]

“Not all Domains share her Grace’s inquisitive and forgiving nature,” he replied. Though he left out his own pushing and prying having tested that.

“Mr. Jack’s background?” he wasn’t sure what she meant by that. And he couldn’t imagine it being that big of a deal if she was bringing it up in Elysium. Then again, maybe he shouldn’t have asked.

All the same, he didn’t deny his reluctance or her commentary. For a while he was silent, considering how to respond. What to say, especially with listening ears.

“I have heard rumors, about all covenants. From those within and without. But it’s not, entirely, why I’m reluctant to join.” Probably could have phrased that better.

“I get the impression that the Invictus have a strict hierarchy. That they punish mistakes and vulnerability.” He looked to her to see if that was how she saw things. “If that’s incorrect, I’m sorry. Like I said, most of what I have to go on is rumor.” Covering his ass for any perceived insult.

But now for a longer pause. “I’ve been a part of strict hierarchy before.” He’d seen what it could do to people. Felt what it did to him. “I wasn’t happy. Or content.”

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-05-06 03:59:23	JC Smith rolls 7 to Wits+Poltics (1s Subtract)	2, 2, 7, 10, 4, 8, 4	2 successes

He worked to parse through her lineage, noting that her Sire didn't hold a title. That her grandsire held the same one as Jennifer. Yet he didn't recognize Libretist or know where it places in the scheme of things. But he did understand that lineage played a part in how people were seen.

"So your Sire wasn't a part of the Invictus?" he asked for clarification.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Her Grace is unique. I enjoy her non partisan way of running things" Jennifer admitted.

"There's going to be a learning curve in joining. The Invictus strives on no overt clashing or war against fellow members. This means that the Beast needs other outlets.
The subtle way of one upmanship is one that I'll claim publicly. If you were truly curious about joining, I would be more translucent.

There's a reason why the newcomers pay respects to their elders.
Then they get mentors. They attain their own deeds. They do the work.
That's how you rise- by sticking through the trials, through calm waters and turbulent storms.

I think you might be curious.
"My sire was intended to be. He was Embraced by one, he excelled at the education. Succeeded in manumission. Yet once out from Sire's hospitality, he dropped the whole thing.
Went unaffiliated. He did work for the Family, good work. Yet he always seemed malcontent. He blames the Invictus, but they're limited in the influence over him. There was no feud. They let him go gracefully. Yet he ran them down to the unaffiliated, and vowed I would go through my danse the same way.

Yet I crave knowledge. I desire investigating things. Being alone just didn't work out for me. It didn't look good, almost being legacy and my sire not following through. Yet the Invictus here cared about my merits and my desires.
Not my Sire's. That resonated with me.
"Mr Jack's background meaning that he came from a successful career in life. Then he turned the skills and talent into a successful position in the Domain." She clarified.
"You have skills from your life that you can develop into a successful danse, here.

I'm not trying to say that can only happen within the Invictus. The Crone, Ordul Dracul, the Sanctified- all have good points that call to different kindred.
Yes, I left out the Carthians. Every one I've seen here has tried making waves, and they never lasted." She grins, before sobering.

[JC Smith]

So more passive aggressive competition. The Elders’ rise had been a trial, so a rise must be a trial. He paused himself from displacing too much more. Reminding himself that if anything, Kindred society would at least be less likely to have the invisible corruption of privilege that infected mortal society. At least not in the same way. That the covenant here was majority women spoke to that.

“I apologize. I’m not in a position to judge.” Not only not enough information but his own internal biases were getting in the way. “But I do appreciate the explanation.”

She was surprisingly forth coming about her Sire. Though he wasn’t sure he could take her word for it. The cynical part of him pointing out she was running down him down to her like he had the covenant. Or that it was often difficult to see organizations as being to blame for systemic wrongs and easier to blame those that didn’t thrive on personal short comings.

At the same time, he felt she was telling the truth. Or at least… her truth. And that was even more surprising in the Danse.

“That’s very kind of you to say,” he replied, her confidence in his abilities making him want to deny it for some reason. Admit how much he’d lost in the Embrace as the feral beast devoured his mind and still strove to infect his thoughts.

“I always thought of investigation as stereotypically Ordo Dracul,” he admitted “I’m glad you were able to find it also fit fell with the Invictus.” Which probably spoke better than anything in the Covenants favor to offer a place you could fit in.

“And the unaffiliated?” he asked with a half-smile “Any good points there in staying outside a covenant?” It wasn’t meant to trap her but he was curious.

All the same, he politely checked his phone “The show will be starting soon. Shall we prepare?” An easy out to consider the question about the unaffiliated to be rhetorical.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer scrutinized JC is silence for a moment.
"If anything, you are in a position to scrutinize. Perhaps not judge per say, as most Covenants have thrived for decades as they are. Yet I feel you should be very thorough in choosing your future. You need to be confident that the choice you make is the right one. Leaving a Covenant if you have been in for a moment can be tricky. I know Mr. Heinrich is likely enjoying his independence from the responsibilities, yet there are consequences to consider."

She leans in conspiratorially.
"I think you should ask around a bit. Don't take my word alone. I appreciate the First Estate. Others likely have different reasons why they joined the Covenant that they have. As for investigation being for the Ordul Dracul - why would you think that?" She inquired. "Our mentors have the peace of mind of knowing that the proteges that they teach will not take the information that the Elders offer, only for the young up and comers to stab them in the back.

I was able to learn restricted knowledge almost immediately by devoting myself to a worthwhile function. You do know what Notaries do?"
The Nosferatu inquired.

"Any good points for staying outside of a Covenant?" She repeated the question, testing out the words aloud. "That lifestyle suited my Sire and seveal other Kindred in my home town. He was content with putting most of his energy towards the goals of the Family." Jennifer offered the alternative. "I imagine that they think that the Family thrived from being the sole focus."

The Nosferatu didn't highlight what she considered quite serious drawbacks from remaining separate from a Covenant for very long. JC was fully capable of making his own choices with his Danse.
Her cell phone chirped an alarm and she checked it as she replied to JC.
"I was thinking the same thing." She set her phone to do not disturb as she returned it to her clutch. "The car should be pulling up. Shall we?"

She gives a friendly smile.

[JC Smith]

JC raised an eyebrow and half smile when she brought up Edward. He was the only one besides Jacque and Quinn that knew her private feelings on the matter. And one of the few that knew he knew.

“I have been making inquiries. Yet so far nothing has felt right.” The Order wanted you to risk your life. The Invictus brought up his own issues. And he hadn’t really felt a connection when talking about the Circle. Which left the two least populace (and popular) covenants. Plus further research into the others. “I really do hope to find somewhere to belong in the long run,” he admitted, perhaps unwisely in court.

“As I said, stereotypes,” he shrugged slightly to show he didn’t hold to tightly to those “They have a reputation of being scientists.” Or mad arcane wizards if you took the negative rumors.

However, he tentatively shook his head at what a Notary did. “I know what they do within Kine society, but I’ve learned Kindred titles don’t always fully align. If I had to hazard a guess, they oversee agreements. Ensure the terms are understood all parties are of sound mind and not under duress. And witness or certify the agreement.” He looked to her to see if any of the jobs Kine notaries didn’t line up with her definition.

JC nodded at her explanation of what the unaligned had for their advantage. Which, unfortunately, didn’t align much with his own. The Gangrel for the most part, and definitely in Sacramento, were mostly independent. But then again, maybe that was a hint that he should be trying to make that his focus.

Jennifer’s cell chirped in concert with JC’s suggestion. He nodded.

“Let’s,” he replied, ready to head to the taxi.

Good to close.