(2106) Eternal Court

[Seryna]

Eternal Court

The Nox Populi is an upscale experience that will take Sacramento nightlife to a whole new level.

In the heart of downtown Sacramento there is a place of intrigue, excitement and entertainment. The modern flare of this venue is host to exclusive parties. The seduction of this establishment may take you away as you drink, dance and socialize. There are private services available upon request. The best DJ’s in town are in line to play a wide variety of music. Some of you may dine…as long as you have your VIP pass.

However the Kindred arrive they are discreetly met and led to the back of the club. The space downstairs is decorated in dark, rich woods and expensive furniture. There's a coat room that will also hold one's 'unmentionables'; namely, weapons, at the foot of the stairs. There are also private areas, dark, and furnished with soft couches, as well as meeting rooms with conference tables and chairs, and an area with several televisions. The Court area is decorated with long black and brown silken drapes cascading from floor to ceiling. Draped in elegant bunches and gathered into valances across door frames and between supporting pillars; the lighting is intentionally low, but without the pulse of the music from above, the place has the feel of a sepulchre.

The common area circles the Court proper, and it becomes apparent that this is not decorated for a single evening. Small symbols note areas for Kindred only that branch off of the Commons, which will be necessary once those Kine privileged enough to see behind the Masquerade filter in: ghouls, herd members, or even devotees. The furniture setting is familiar now: a set of elegant chairs, all dark wood and red leather, arranged in a circle. The baroque lighting leaves the corners of the Elysium commons in deep shadow.

With the permanent fixture that the chess table had become, there was yet another new item. A Steinway concert piano, its cover in an upright position, revealing stunning inner strings strings. The lid was closed on the keyboard, the bench not with it.

Another evening; another Danse. For some it will their first, for some it shall be their last. After all, this is the Prince's Elysium, and subject to the Laws of the Domain.

Eternal Court is open once more...

Please remember that Predator's Taint is in effect and role-play is expected, or rolls will be asked for!

This is a great place to get Acknowledged

Eternal Court is not a singular event. Always open and in constant motion, a compression of the comings and goings of Kindred within Elysium throughout the nights. As such, Eternal Court is also never truly empty; this can include 'faceless masses' of Kindred beneath notice, ghouls, herd members, devotees, or even officials in their offices.

[Connor OBrien]

Connor enters Nox Populi for the first time since arriving in Sacramento. He's dressed in a 3 piece Black and White suit, wearing a black and green lapel corsage that features a black rooster pin as its centerpiece. "This is one of the nicer Courts I've been in." He thinks as he is led to the back of the club. He relinquishes his pistol, breaking the obfuscation he had on the weapon, at the coat check and continues in. He walks around the main room once, getting a closer looking at the furnishings and noting the areas marked by the symbol denoting that only Kindred are allowed beyond this point. If there is any art; sculptures or paintings alike, Connor will stop for a moment longer than anywhere else to admire it before moving on. Should any Kindred who's beast dwarfs his own arrive, Conner will noticeably roll his neck and take a deep breath, as if cringing in a slight amount of pain.

He notes the small crowd of nameless, faceless individuals around, and decides to take a seat and relax until anyone of more note arrives. Tonight is the night for him to try his hand at moving within the true Elite of Sacramento, and the crowd here will not help him do so.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn came down the stairs, and her high patent leather heels announced her arrival before the diminutive figure appeared. Quinn was all of five feet tall, and even with the help of the heels 5'3 was barely hitting a national average much less gaining anything on some of the tall figures in court. Quinn wore a tuxedo style women's suit jacket with white styled lapels, and a smart white button up blouse tucked into her black dress slacks that were tighter and tapered down to her ankle. There was a gold bar linking one side of her lapel to the other, instead of a button, lending a nice flair to the classic style. Her long hair was blown out, so it looked tousled and casual. Her makeup simple, always with an emphasis on her warm hazel eyes.

She was the first to spot Connor this evening. Her beast lurched in her chest upon seeing the other predator. The desire to set upon him was strong for a moment, but quickly passed. She was the master, not the beast. She moved over to him and stopped at a conversational distance.

"Good evening. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Quinn Durant, Priscus of Clan Mehket, Supplicant of Dedicated Terror of the Ordo Dracul." Quinn's voice was cultured and soft spoken. "Welcome to Sacramento."

[Connor OBrien]

Connor, stood to his feet as he heard the telling 'click clack' of high heels upon the floor and turned to face the door. He was surprised when his beast neither lurched or cowered within him. His first though upon seeing the woman walking through the doorway leading from the stairs was that she was beautiful, there was no denying it. His second was that for the briefest moment she must have been a ghoul or the member of a herd, but those thoughts were pushed aside quickly; prey does not carry themselves with such confidence while walking into a predator's den. "She must be using Obfuscate," he thought to himself as he watched her approach. Even in her heels, Conner still stood roughly 7 and a half inches taller than her, and was slightly looking down when she stopped.

When she does stop within conversational distance she picks up on something, something small at first; gnawing at the back of her skull. There would be some presence there, telling her that she is the prey in this situation, whether it is true or not.

He bows a deep bow before her as she introduced herself. "Please Priscus Durant," he said, the low tenor of his voice being accompanied by the slightest bit of his natural Irish accent, "forgive my transgression, It should have been I who introduced myself first." He rose from his bow, and kept his eyes trained on hers as he continued. "I am Connor O'Brien, of the First Estate. I hail from Clan Nosferatu, and I thank you for your welcome." His smile was closer to a confident smirk, though it didn't look quite as arrogant. ​"The pleasure in making your acquaintance is all mine, I assure you."

[Quinn Durant]

Two things happened at once after she swallowed the nasty input from the beast, she felt his curse, and stilled. The input playing on a particular memory. There was only one other Nosferatu she had met with a similar curse. It wasn't in this city either. The second was that he was handsome. Not the aristocratic looks of Janos, surely, but similar enough to give her pause. It was the mouth. She took a moment to regard him, which no doubt he would assume it was his Nos curse.

"Think nothing of it Mr. O'brien. Someone had to break the ice, and you had no way of knowing who I am from Adam. So to speak. Have you met her Ladyship? Priscus Hazelton already?" She was assuming so. Being first estate he probably sent word before his arrival, perhaps even already met and acknowledged, but just in case she asked the question.

She chuckled a little at the last part. "The nights still young, Mr. O'brien."

[Connor OBrien]

Connor noticed how the Priscus halted, though this was nothing new to him it still was surprising to a degree to see one with more power than him be stopped dead in her tracks. "Please, forgive me Priscus Durant, I should have warned you of my curse," he says with an apologetic bow. "It has been some time since I was new to a Domain, most Kindred were aware of and used to it back in New York so it sometimes escapes me that others might find trouble with it." It was true that most Nosferatu had some external curse or, like Priscus Hazelton, their voice bore the brunt of their blood. Connor had always wondered if it may have been more disquieting when the effects of the blood could not be so easily determined.

His face changed from minor shock back to his normal smirk/smile combination "You are in my gratitude for doing so, Priscus Durant. I have indeed met with Lady Notary Hazelton, she did her duty as Priscus justice, she had informed me of who to look out for and who should be respected. We don't tend to show up well in pictures though, so of course I wouldn't have known that the Priscus of clan Mekhet would be as captivating as she is." Depending on the person, flattery would get you everywhere, and he took a risk in trying to see if that were the case here.

He listens to the slight laugh from the Priscus as she finishes. "Not young enough," he says with a chuckle of his own, "if it means I must part from the vision of Venus herself standing before me." Speaking the truth was still risky to some Kindred, and he hoped he wasn't laying it on too thick for their first time meeting.

[Twist]

Even this early in the evening, Twist could feel the press of Beasts. It wasn't the overwhelming surge of last month's formal Court, but it was enough to have her own Beast pacing restlessly within.

Firming her control over it, she resumed her forward momentum, the heels she wore this evening the only announcement of her arrival.

Past the doors was visual confirmation of what she had already surmissed. The nameless masses and only two others. The Mehket Priscus Quinn Durant , who recieved a deep nod of the head and one she did not know. A pretty image the two of them struck as they stood talking. For a moment she considered @Conner OBrien , her dark eyes taking in his build. She could imagine for a Kine it would be enough to cause the feeling she had, but she was no Kine. It must be something else about him that contributed to that feeling of danger around him.

Her curiosity to know what was answered as she overheard the name of the Nosferatu Priscus. His clan curse then. That would indeed explain it. And just prior to that- another of hers it seemed. It seemed she would be joining the conversation this evening.

Approaching she looked to Quinn a small smile of greeting, "Priscus. I hope I am not intruding?"

Twist's outfit

[Alessandra]

Another night, and Court. Which means she should make herself seen. Make sure there was not a repeat performance of Formal Court. Because a repeat would not be tolerated.

Closing her computer and folders, she stands, nodding to Gabriel, the sign she was ready for him to open the door for her.

In keeping with her desire to change up her style, she has decided on an orange-colored silk dress. But it wasn’t an obnoxious shade of orange, it was one that complimented her pale, dead and inked skin. To a trained eye, one would tell it was high end and expensive. Seemed the Prince was dipping her toe into high fashion these nights. Part of her ever changing and adapting style.

As the Ghoul opened the door, the Savage stepped though. The door was promptly closed behind her, he knew his place, and it was not in Court. He had deals to see to, land to acquire.

Pausing, she observed the room and allowing her Beast to settle. It sensed the new one, roared with anger in her mind, urging her to extend her claws and artfully rend the flesh from his body. But it was ignored. The feeling of her hair standing on end was noted, the feeling of danger filed away. Was it coming from him? She wasn’t sure. But she was confident in Elysium.

Seeing Twist , there was a respectful bow of her head.

She see’s Quinn, and offers a brief nod. An acknowledgement of the station she held in her Family, but nothing more. Would there be another Mekhet sideshow this evening? Had Quinn dealt with her family enough to squash any repeat? Only time would tell.

Moving to her usual spot, far enough way to not include herself in the current conversation. One would have to get permission to approach and speak with her. The way it was supposed to be.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn bowed immediately upon the arrival of Twist, counting human heart beats before rising to greet Twist. Looking between the two Kindred, she moved to Introduce Twist properly to one of her own Invictus.

"Your presence is never an intrusion, Archon Twist." She said after she righted herself with a smile to Twist. She was very glad to see her in that moment.

"May I introduce Her Grace, Alder Twist, Duchess of Sacramento, Judex, Hound and Priscus of Daeva." She said to Mr. O'brien so he knew just whom had joined them, and how important this Kindred was to him in Sacramento.

Then turning a bit to reverse the gesture.

"Your Grace, I introduce Mister Connor O'brienof clan Nosferatu."

Quinn hoped she got that right. It had been awhile.....

And on the heels of Twist came the Prince, and Quinn swept into the lowest bow she would give this evening.

[Connor OBrien]

Conner's attempt at flatter had either not been received well, or was overshadowed by the arrival of another Kindred, he would not assume that 'both' wasn't an acceptable answer either. As Quinn mentioned the name "Twist," Connor dropped into a deep, formal bow, waiting until after Quinn's introduction of him was finished before rising. "Your Grace, it is a pleasure to meet you so soon after arriving." He used his previous experience in Invictus courts to remain calm as he spoke, the last thing he needed was to look star-struck in front of the head of the local First Estate.

Then something happened; his beast surged forward, almost to the point that he lost control. He shuddered visibly as he forced the wretched thing back down. Someone else was here, someone he had not quite expected to meet so soon. He watched as Quinn swept into a low bow, lower than the one reserved for Twist. He followed the direction of her bow and laid eyes on who must have been Prince Antinori. In one movement he dropped to one knee, his head bowed in a show of the deepest respect; he was a knight, awaiting permission from his reagent to rise.