Headstrong Socials

[Jacque]

The Lord had to appreciate every subtle expression and emotion the Priscus displayed. The enticement gently pulled at the Lord- but when you're critiquing someone for being very intelligent with their political moves, one has to wonder if every bit of it served a purpose. Blushed with life and dressed to the nines... it could be genuine. It could also be part of a plan. Either way, the motive mattered little to the Lord. He enjoyed every moment of it. If it was genuine, good and if it was calculated- even better.

Invictus with copious amounts of resources? Not unheard of. But the rest of the matter? "There is an old idiom... something to effect of 'the best negotiations end up where both parties are equally unsatisfied'." He pondered the terms and the fading enthusiasm of his guest before he quipped, "I must confess though that I don't quite understand Mister Northbridge's refusal as you outlined. A Major Boon would have been a sufficient debt enough to request basic knowledge in Auspex." Was this abrasion from the deficiencies of a neonate or was the Priscus just that experienced? The closing remark sat with him, "I can't help but feel that I'm missing some context, Priscus. It is clear to me that the result has left a sour impression of him with you, even though you've agreed to remain amicable." A flick of his wrist as he leaned forward, curious for the details, "I'm just trying to understand if you feel you'd be ditched before the first dance, or left on the side of the road after a ride in the backseat." Crude in nature, but tastefully phrased.

"Very insightful," he remarked about the details. "A Lord gets around the awareness of the subject by inducing a trance. As with the limits of your blood's creativity, the devil is in our details. When we wish to paint a picture of what a subject saw or did, we can't just present a stick-figure. We have to be very careful to define emotions, significant detail and actions. The more thorough we are the easier the false memories are to take. When the mind can't imagine critical details from the memory, it becomes too jarring to accept." Jacque didn't have to share details in kind, but it seemed fair to volunteer. Knowledge for knowledge was always a good trade in his book, and one he hoped the shadow appreciated.

The promised circling back arrives, "So, your Sire was an Invictus but you chose the path of the Dragons? I'm curious what led you to that outcome. You were very clearly educated for the First Estate with all the knowledge you've shown in regards to our etiquette."

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn began to realize something as she listened to the Seneschal, and attended his words and body language closely. She had been avoiding Jack due to his family's gift and his being Invictus. As if that strategy could ever truly last? You could minimize your exposure to Kindred gifts but in the end it always came down to ones word. What was someone's word worth to them? Fighting her own innate Kindred paranoia was a constant struggle. She found the best tactic was sticking to facts.

A thought was working its way through the Shadows mind. It was either the craziest thing she ever could do, or one that would put to bed mindless fears, or prove her fears right and be on guard from now on. If her ambitions were to be realized, she had to trust him at least that far. Every fiber of her being screamed 'don't do this,' and yet she was gunna fuck around and find out.

She didn't want to tell him the truth about Milton because really at the end of the night, the Domain needed all the Kindred with Dominate gifts they could take on. It's why she had gone to Milton to give him a chance to help her and in turn she would help him realize his ambitions and goals as well. To bring him up with her as she felt his gifts precious and worthy of her respect and fostering a good working relationship would go along way to achieving her ultimate goals of stability. Quinn feared Milton was like her brother David. Lacking humanity and driven only by a cult of self. It would explain why he has no Covenant. Those who lack honor, lack the willingness to truly serve. That was a big negative to the Shadow.

She watched his wrist flick, and swallowed past the lump in her throat. "It's the latter rather than the former, Seneschal Jack. It is disappointing, but it is what it is. If you would like the entire matter, after all strife between Kindred in a domain is as insidious as things like poachers, you may look at the memory for yourself, as we are both accustomed to mental powers and gifts, I see a way for you to make your own counsel on the matter." Did Quinn just roll out the welcome mat to the Priscus of Lords? Yes. She did. Nothing like being willing to back up your story with a little Vulcan mind meld action. When Quinn came to this poker table, she knew she was going all in. If she wasn't willing to truly bend the knee, she knew this wouldn't work long term. Quinn had promises to keep. Promises to those who counted on her.

She leaned forward a bit when he spoke of his own discipline and how it worked differently. He could tell she was interested. Ahhh. That made so much sense. It was the distinction between the two powers for sure. It also highlighted how Jack's power was more aggressive than her own. More invasive potentially. More bending others to the will than simply seeing the truth. Which was quite appropriate considering the Ventrue's other innate disciplines of the blood. As a scholar of a discipline herself, she deeply valued his insights. If given half the chance she would have loved to spend the night debating strategies and best uses. What worked and what didn't. There was so much they could discuss together, but they didn't have all night just to talk of their interests. Which lead her easily to bat away the bait to talk about her Covenant decisions. That was a hot mess, and not something she really wanted to explore with him.

"Please keep in mind I was embraced with the intentions of my skills being useful for an upcoming full assault on a Domain. I didn't have a conventional manumission. My sire was quite consumed with his goal, and it split his attention." She shrugged her shoulder slightly. "I suppose it cost him something he didn't think he could ever lose." He got the city alright. He made all those monsters bow one by one. He cut through every Kindred who slighted Quinn in those early nights of infiltration. Which of course because she was an unreleased childe was seen as a slight to him. His ego wrote the checks, and Janos and David saw them hauled to the bank and cashed. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. "Perhaps ask me again when we are better acquainted and I could provide more lengthy detail, Seneschal Jack. I will say this much, I have come to question the decision since moving here to Sacramento. Mostly due to the lack of a firm leadership."

[Jacque]

The Lord nodded and smiled at the breadcrumbs the Shadow left for the future conversation. He had wondered about the aftermath of Mister Quilz, and it seemed there was still some things up in the air with the Ordo. As much as he wanted to press for more details on both her history and current politics, it was clear she had shared all she was willing to at this time. From all assumptions that could be gathered, he could tell he had been right to pause any involvement with the Dragons under that reign.

He considered her offer... and the consequences. The annoying part with the verbiage he was sworn to was it was subject to his interpretation, and he had proposed the Laws in a manner with little room for interpretation. "Priscus Durant, I am confident in my ability to spot deception so I am willing to take you at your word." A simple gesture of words that laid a groundwork of mundane trust. He flicked a wrist out to the side, in consideration of the analogy she related to, "However, I empathize with the weight of this grievance and if you feel it would be best served in the manner you proposed then it would simply require a change of scenery. I am happy to accommodate that following our business discussions." The trip would be distracting from the debrief he needed from her, so it was best to level-set with priorities now.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn's gaze stayed trained on the Lord. Using human heart beats to measure how long to stare at each feature. My grandmother what big eyes you have. My grandmother what big teeth you have. The children's rhyme played through her mind. Everlasting paranoia. It was hard to put all that down. To put the luggage down, aside from even natural fears of another predator. All Kindred had one thing absolutely in common. They have all been betrayed by another Kindred. It was a horrible juxtaposition. To need one another, and yet unable to ever truly trust one another.

His words surprised her and she internally cringed at yet another wrist flick. She bowed her head in assent of keeping their priorities in order. "Thank you Seneschal, I would be happy to attend the lesser matter after our business is concluded." She paused a moment, and then moved on. Quinn leaned down, and removed a red file folder from her messenger bag, and stood from her relaxed pose, and laid the folder on the Seneschal's desk. "This is an updated master file of the case of the missing bodies coming up dead that have been touched by the Kindred's kiss. I so far have the only first hand account of the creature as I took a bit of a gamble to lure it out for the purpose of observation. Currently events have turned out that J.C Smith and I are working alongside one another leading the investigation." She moved back from him and sat back down, and reached down again to pull out her laptop, and place it on her thighs. She was pulling up her digital copy. To go over everything with the Seneschal, and making sure she was following along with what the Seneschal wanted more detail on.

What's in the folder

http://nwod.org/forum/showthread.php?42771
http://nwod.org/forum/showthread.php?42851
http://nwod.org/forum/showthread.php?43328
http://nwod.org/forum/showthread.php?43438
http://nwod.org/forum/showthread.php?43436
http://nwod.org/forum/showthread.php?43437

Business had begun....

[Jacque]

Jacque took the time and read through the pages of detailed notes Quinn had provided. Upon reaching the end of his first scan he looked up and relaxed his posture, "Allow me to try and echo the overview back to you and please let me know if I've overlooked any pertinent details,"

"There's something killing our prey, and then seemingly tracking back to Havens," He thumbs through a couple of pages and adds, "I've read descriptions of it being bipedal in nature and the size of a large feline species, as well as a suspicious mouse snooping at a your Haven. This presents the possibility that the suspect can shapeshift or there is more than one culprit in the matter." Flipping over a couple of more pages, "There's also a gray-eyed poacher who is believed to be connected in some manner with the creature." A few more flips of the pages, "Priority efforts are being made towards the capture of the creature using Mister Smith's Haven, and there is a team engaging with the Coroner's office in an attempt to suppress or dissuade any further investigation on the bodies. There doesn't appear to be any signs of Kindred activity related to the deaths in the reports, but it is still too close for comfort." Lifting a corner of a page and glancing at it, "Not to mention the notes relating to an unknown gelatinous substance found on the lips of one of the victims. All Kine testing has failed to identify thus-far."

"From what I can tell, there hasn't been a plan drafted yet for apprehending the poacher?" The Lord asked with curiosity.

[Quinn Durant]

She had nothing to contradict or add. Except to answer his last question. That was quite pertinent.

"As correlation is not causation, the idea that perhaps the Jackal and the poacher are connected, even though they are seen in the same places frequently, if you look at the sightings map on page xyz: we decided to leave the poacher until after the Jackal is dealt with." She paused a moment.

"The Jackal is a breach of the Masquerade and thus must take priority. Realizing this, we abandoned the idea of taking them both the same night by splitting Kindred manpower on two separate missions in the same night. Safety also should be a high priority with a Kindred Poacher, so we bowed to the better part of valor before we move on to tackle the Poacher we stumbled upon. Slotting that to be dealt with after the Jackal."

[Jacque]

The Lord nodded at her response, "Thank you," he flips a page over and glances at the sightings map. "Just be mindful not to allow too many nights between capturing the Jackal and taking care of that loose end."

His brow furrowed as he turned to the pages with the pictures of the scenes and information related to the coroner's examinations, "I'd be cautious on how hard we press the issue with the Coroner's office if you're successful in capturing the Jackal." His hand lifts passively against his chin, "From my vantage point, there's nothing directly pointing to Kindred activity and the nature of the building makes it very difficult to infiltrate without leaving traces of our interest. When there is no tangible proof, mortals enjoy rationalizing to something that makes sense to them. With the absence of any more victims of the Jackal it should close up those cases without a fuss. The only open item then would be the unknown substance." A light shrug with the presumption, "With the capture we may get answers to that directly."

"Anything else to add?" he inquired, taking a moment to press a button on his phone before placing it back in his pocket. A little too quick for a text message... unless it was already written?

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn nodded emphatically to what he was saying about the coroner's office. "We decided to go in anyway, on the recommendation that the coroner could know more than what he is putting in that report. The fear of hunters speaking with the coroner and the official giving his private fee fees account to someone is a concern. The exact nature of the creature still eludes us, and we were hoping for any last minute intel before attempting a capture." She spoke straight forward about the various motives, and then seemed to relent and nod her head a bit more gently that she understood his concern.

"The fact that so many Kindred wanted to assist in any way they could, also colored that decision. Without the Title of Reeve, which I want, I cannot guarantee that a Kindred told they can't help, and there is no room for them, that they would be so willing next time if I want to ask without a Title to further prove myself." She spread her hands. "Before Dirt Nap left, I wanted him to be Reeve and myself his Deputy. Then he left and everything that I did to be here in Sacramento, just hoping for a Mentor in the Order was for nothing. Before he left he invited J.C Smith to stay with us in the Chapter House. Our shared haven. I let him stay after Dirt Nap left, and he stepped up to help me carry on where Dirt Nap and I left off. He is quite green however, Seneschal Jack. I discovered it so suddenly really, from what he confessed to me through Telepathy. The dear." She paused and made a small gesture like she was tucking a strand of hair away from her ear, however; her hair was up. Quinn's gaze cutting to the door. And indication that there was more, for outside Elysium's nosy walls. She fell silent and sat back in the chair, watching the Seneschal. Keep your friends close, and your 'enemies' even closer.

[Jacque]

"I can understand the motive," he closes the file in a single motion. "Hopefully the team that goes in has considered their plan enough to demonstrate agility in case the situation turns." The warning was in between the lines. When it came to government buildings, the Laws were clear. It was easy enough to gain reputation through success, but almost guaranteed irreparable harm to one's reputation for a dramatic failure.

Now that was a change for the Shadow. Was there simply no better play, or did she decide dancing around her ambitions was no longer needed? Jack's brow furrowed at the thought of simply giving the whelps ambitious busywork for the sake of not offending them somehow. Though, to her point, the Lord agreed the matter would be moot with a Reeve steering the efforts. And then... more breadcrumbs, this time regarding the state of the Ordo. As he listened, it appeared not to be so much of breadcrumbs but rather putting the whole loaf on sale.

He watched her movements carefully and nodded as he rose, "I believe it is about time for us to move on to our next order of business," He lifted the folder up with a glance to the Shadow, if it was his he would lock it in the desk drawer and if she wished it back he would return it. "If you don't mind obfuscating your Beast once more," The devil was in the details and there were a few mentions of dissuaded tracking with its use.

Heading up the stairs, the Lord extended his vitae to his features. A wholly unnecessary gesture, but one that allowed the two to present in unison. Exiting the club, two black Cadillac Escalades waited curbside for their arrival. Why two? Because the third was still on the assembly line, that's why. Stepping ahead of the Shadow, he opened the door to the rear one for his guest to enter. The SUV itself had tinted windows through the rear, and a soundproof panel installed to separate the driver's cabin from the passenger area. The second bench of seating was reversed to face the back of the vehicle, so that anyone claiming the rear bench would face them. Following Quinn in, he took the seat facing the rear, and gestured for Quinn to sit across from him.

Once the door closed he resumed where they left off, "There is quite a bit to unpackage, Quinn." The conversation had steered clear of the normal walls that Kindred placed with each other. The luxurious rear cabin of the SUV plucked them gently from Kindred society where the Lord reciprocated her unusual openness with relaxed decorum. "You wished for him to Mentor you in the ways of the Dragon. You wished for him to step up as Reeve of the Domain. He left for a short time and now you sound like your present and future support of him is very... damaged?" He considered the word and then offered a shrug. The Shadow would correct him if she could state it better. "You wish to step past him by earning the responsibilities of Reeve, but how would that solve your roadblocks within your covenant?" A part of the Lord felt fortunate for receiving a better offer that closed the door on his own pursuit with the Dragons, but the other part wondered how it might have been different with an ounce of influence on the matter from within. He glanced off to the side, looking into his past. Fucking Moretti.

Returning his gaze to Quinn at the mention of JC, "I'm a bit confused on the details. He stepped up to what? Mentor you?" He had a puzzled look on his face. It was not surprising that covenants recruited, but as far as he knew JC had been unaligned from his arrival. The mentioning of him being green further implied a lack of prior insight with the Ordo, so how would he have filled the void Dirt Nap left? And what couldn't she speak of in his office?

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn nodded once. She understood the stakes, and like him was wary of the repercussions. "Understood, Seneschal." She replied softly, her expression serious.

Quinn watched his body language and when he was 'gathering' up so to did she follow suit. A few taps on the lap top, and she closed it, placing it securely inside the warm leather messenger bag.
"Of course Seneschal." A moment of concentration, and her camouflage was complete. There was no longer her beast to press the Seneschal. She took it for what it was, caution, and perhaps how he preferred to conduct his business. The beast was distracting.

Quinn stood with the Seneschal and followed just a half step behind, sensitive for what this was. She was not leading this outing. She was there at his pleasure. They left behind the hallowed halls of Elysia and immediately found themselves ushering away. Quinn's smile was slightly bemused. It was a little over the top for Quinn, but hey, it was his money, not hers. She settled into the seat across from him, crossing one leg, flashing a bit of café au lait skin kissed with cinnamon.

One eyebrow lifted at his first observation. "It has been eight months since I came here. A lot has transpired. I have taken my time listening, watching, and waiting. Getting a feel for Sacramento and its court of Kindred." She paused a moment and chuckled softly at surely what the Seneschal must see as a quick turn around in attitude towards Dirt Nap. "Dirt Nap has great potential, if he could just be roused to start looking outwardly more instead of just inward. He also sucks at reading people's intentions. He focuses on actions and what is said. He has never once tried to actually get to know me in any way that even remotely matters. It's dangerous. He's so blind to the motivations of those around him he can't even see that J.C Smith is lost in love with him. It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic."

"It will assist with the Covenant matters because I can help him realize what I referenced above as a failing naturally. Through having him work investigations with me. You have to be able to empathize with your enemies in order to pull up problems by the root. It will help him look at things from a higher level because I can help him see how valuable it is from a place of authority." She chuckled slightly, and grinned at the Seneschal. "Dumbo needed the feather to fly at first too."

"He stepped up to help me with the investigation into the bodies dropping and Haven discoveries happening. Dirt Nap literally left the Domain when we were in the former Seneschal's office informing her of what we had discovered."