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  1. #1
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    (Blush)Vitae 1 Spent
    2
    PRE

    Amazingly, the reservation process for a table for two at Nox was expedient. Conner had to marvel at the staff's efficiency at this hive of late-night activity.
    His body aflush with the glow of borrowed life, Conner arrived early and was sitting at his table. The white noise of the other patrons was an odd comfort to him. If nothing else, meeting in public was a good way to make sure they were both on their best behavior. To be forever armed with the Beast is to be forever looking for a fight.His sire's words ringing in his mind's ear. Choose your battles. I just didn't think it would also refer to discussions of faith.
    The words of the past having made their point, Conner awaits JC Smith .

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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  3. #2
    JC Smith's Avatar

    Attribute (Presence)
    (Quiet listener)
    Aspect of the Predator
    Mask of Tranquility
    JC Smith

    Cacophony Whisperer

    1
    PRE

    JC was moving across the club towards the private area of Elysium when he spotted Conner at a reserved table. He changed directions since obviously the Lance preferred here to downstairs. They wouldn't be able to talk as openly but they also wouldn't have to be on 'best behavior' either.

    "Good evening, Mr. Wells," he greeted the Mehket. A little formal for the setting but first he needed to confirm "Or would you prefer less formal address?" He worked to feel out just where to land on conversational tone.
    Presence (Quiet Listener) 1 / BP1 / Mask of Tranquility


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  5. #3
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    Though his initial instinct was to bristle at Mr Smith, the opportunity for more casual conversation softened Conner's response quite a bit. "Just Conner for tonight at least. Thank you for agreeing to meet." He offers an appreciative nod; any interaction at this point in his career was a Godsend. "I haven't ordered anything yet, but I can flag down a waiter if you'd like a drink of some kind."

    ​As Mr Smith settles into his seat, Conner decides to open the floor. "So, you mentioned having some exposure to the church before, or at least some connected to it. What do you know about it? I can certainly try to fill in any blanks you may have." He was sure most of JC's questions would be of the theological kind; the kind were complete strangers try to figure out terms and articulate thoughts. Conner would be welcome to those. But there was the ever so slim possibility that JC may be more interested in the Second Estate's position than its beliefs. That would be the real challenge.

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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  7. #4
    JC Smith's Avatar

    Attribute (Presence)
    (Quiet listener)
    Aspect of the Predator
    Mask of Tranquility
    JC Smith

    Cacophony Whisperer

    1
    PRE

    It was a little odd to be offered a drink when they both knew he’d be throwing it up later, but it seemed impolite to say no. “Alright, I could go for a Long Island Iced tea.”

    “And it was my privilege to meet. There haven’t been a lot of church goers around lately,” If he wanted to learn more about the Lancea Sactum he needed to do it now, in case Conner vanished like the good sister.

    “Some exposure but not a lot and never really talked with any clergy.”

    “It’s an offshoot of Christianity, though I’m not sure if you consider yourselves ‘Christian’. You believe we’re all damned but it’s somehow different from the concept of original sin?" He didn't really understand that, it had never been properly explained "And You’ve got your own scriptures outside normal Christian canon. That was about it.” Even if they were able to talk more openly, there wasn’t much more he knew. Though he could have mentioned some of the rumors of the church being willing to convert at the point of the sword. Literal, bloody sacraments. Crusades against unbelievers. Yet even those rumors tended to leave out any actual theology beside ‘evil vampire Christians’. And honestly, nothing too surprising considering actual Christian historical acts. Though that fact that history attested to it made it all the more believable that those ancient practices might have somehow survived into modern Kindred society.

    “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather talk downstairs? Public religious discourse can be a little awkward.”
    Presence (Quiet Listener) 1 / BP1 / Mask of Tranquility


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  9. #5
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    Conner nods at JC's drink order. He flags down a waiter. "One Long Island and one White Russian, and then if we could close the tab please?" The waiter leaves with a brief nod, the service again crisp and professional.
    He was honestly impressed with the level of information the Gangrel brought to the table.
    Even as a layperson, he's well informed. Lots of building blocks for discussion. "You have a good, basic grasp of the history at least. We grew alongside the early Christian Church, as I'm sure you're aware of our origins." Longinus was certainly a fixture of Kindred lore even among some secular circles. "This led to the development of the Monachal Creed, which borrowed heavy from Catholicism given that most of its converts grew up in or around it. I was brought up in the Westminster Creed, which was born out of the Protestant Reformation. While the majority of the key Tenets are intact, several others were edited or removed. There was a desire to look past ceremony for its own sake and to educate and apply the Testament for all walks of life."
    At this point the drinks arrive, and Conner settles his tab with the waiter. His eyes light up with a scholar's delight. "Now as far as original sin, that is an interesting discussion in and of itself..."
    3 successes

    There may have been just as worm's wriggle of satisfaction at the idea of JC being uncomfortable, but Conner was in no mood to isolate a potential ally. "Of course, forgive my assumption. I was eager to experience some of what the city's nightlife had to offer. We can take this discussion downstairs. I'd love to hear your thoughts on some of the finer points." Goodness knows Maeve wasn't one to talk theology. This might be his only chance to get some decent knowledgeable conversation.

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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  11. #6
    JC Smith's Avatar

    Attribute (Presence)
    (Quiet listener)
    Aspect of the Predator
    Mask of Tranquility
    JC Smith

    Cacophony Whisperer

    1
    PRE

    After the waiter brought the order back, JC sipped while Conner explained. He knew about the belief that the Roman was the first vampire after spearing Christ, but he didn’t know how that led to the formation of the Lance. He also didn’t recognize the terms Monachal and Wisterminster Creed. Were those double speak terms? JC wasn’t sure. He’d save his questions for when they got to Elysium.

    There was something… odd about Wells’ expression when JC brought up going downstairs. Almost… revelatory? However, the Gangrel couldn’t discern why. Maybe he was misreading something.

    In any case, the Lance agreed, so JC quickly finished his drink so he wouldn’t have to bring it along, before getting up and moving to the ‘VIP’ area and away from mortal ears.

    “So the Roman that speared Christ, how did that lead to the church forming? And I don’t know anything about different Creeds. Would you consider yourself a different religion? Would you be able to attend or preach in Monachal services? And I know the Protestant Reformation took place in Germany. How does Westminster come in?” He expected the conversation on original sin might get explained along the way. Once he had a better grasp of the religions structure, he’d get to the important questions.
    Presence (Quiet Listener) 1 / BP1 / Mask of Tranquility


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  13. #7
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    (Consume Food/Drink)Vitae 1 Spent
    2
    PRE

    Conner finishes his drink, allowing the smooth buzz of the alcohol to run down his throat. Leaving the glass on the table with JC's, he walks abreast of the Gangrel towards the lower levels; towards Elysium.

    There's a child-like earnestness to JC's questions; an urgent desire to know and to learn. Conner remembered a time when he had been similarly eager to learn when he was newly Embraced. That path to knowledge had been rough, maybe he could afford to be a little softer? More flies with honey than vinegar.

    Conner takes in the barrage of questions, mentally running through the answers swirling in his mind and how to best articulate them. "When Longinus stabbed Christ on the Cross, he was transformed into a Vampire." He let those words sit for a few seconds, sure that further questions would be bubbling up in the Gangrel's mind. He knew they did with him when he first heard them. "In that instant he was made aware of two things: the knowledge that God Himself had cursed him beyond any curse in Creation, and the ever-consuming hunger that has defined Kindred since our kind's inception. But it wasn't until Longinus visited Christ's grave that the mission of the Lancea Sanctum was defined."
    He takes moments between exposition to check in with JC. Maybe to gauge any further questions or interest; maybe to make sure his claws weren't out.
    "Longinus found himself an empty grave, and was visited by an archangel. The angel gave him a new purpose: to remind Man of his place in the created order and to drive them to God through reverent fear. Just as the angels were created as an expression of God's power and mercy, Kindred had been created to show Man what he should never become: Vice incarnate."
    "It was from there that the Lancea Sanctum was born. Longinus took on an apprentice named Monachus, from whom the Testament of Longinus and the first expression of faith, The Monachal Creed, was born. Think of the Creeds as like denominations in the Christian church: all sharing the same God and similar origins, but very different practices and theology."
    He grins ruefully. "To answer your question about preaching between Creeds, it would be highly unlikely at best. It would be like asking a Catholic priest to preach in a Pentecostal congregation." The comedy wrote itself from there. "One could attend a service just as easily as you could walk into a church and sit under a sermon; but you wouldn't be expected to hold any doctrinal weight amongst those present."
    "The Westminster Creed gets its name from the Westminster Confession of Faith; one of the keystone writings of the Protestant Reformation. The Sanctum had before chosen to evangelize through power as the Second Estate, but many Kindred saw that as a disservice to the Covenant itself."
    Standing as they are, on the threshold of the Eternal Court, Conner can't help but feel a weight to his next words. They were his Sire's before; spoken with a tenderness rare to her otherwise stern form.
    "All Covenants offer power, and the Lancea Sanctum can provide that. But only the Sanctum provides purpose. Only by embracing our role in the Created Order can we bring meaning to the endless night that is our new home."
    He lets the words settle, and Shadow looks to Savage to see if those words sunk in.

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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  15. #8
    JC Smith's Avatar

    Attribute (Presence)
    (Quiet listener)
    Aspect of the Predator
    Mask of Tranquility
    JC Smith

    Cacophony Whisperer

    1
    PRE

    Conner paused… for dramatic effect? Or maybe he wanted JC to look more impressed at the ‘miracle’? The Gangrel wasn’t sure, so he simply nodded to show he was listening.

    The story of the vision at the tomb was new though. A courter point to angels to rule by fear? JC seemed to remember people being plenty afraid of angels already, but he supposed that wasn’t the point. Giving purpose was the point.

    The creeds were more interesting to him politically. Though that those did in fact seem to be the names and he had blurted them out in public was bit worrying on a more personal level with Conner himself. “So if clergy from the Monachal creed were to come to the city, who would be representative of the covenant?” Bit forward. It might not even come up if the Lance was as rare as it had been. However, it was important to know for future scenarios.

    Aaaand there was the pitch. Not especially strong. Though JC agreed that meaning making was important, claiming that only the Sanctum provided that seemed to indicate Wells was used to preaching to the already converted if it was expected to be accepted without question.

    “Other covenants, particularly the Circle, might disagree that they don’t provide purpose. Did you grow up in the Sanctum after your Embrace?” It wasn’t to make the man question his beliefs, though JC knew it might make him defensive. Rather, he wanted to get an idea of how Conner’s feelings of belief had grown to where they were (or at least seemed to be) now.
    Presence (Quiet Listener) 1 / BP1 / Mask of Tranquility


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  17. #9
    Conner Wells's Avatar
    Blood & Faith
    Presence
    (Earnest)
    Allies
    (Academia)
    Obfuscate
    (Mask of Tranquility)
    Eidectic Memory
    Conner Wells
    PRP Stats

    HP: 0/7 [7 Bash]
    WP: 0/2
    Vitae: 2/6

    Equipment: Reinforced Jacket, Broadsword, Messenger Bag (flashlight, pen, notepad, binoculars, duct tape), Phone, Wallet ($50 cash)
    Combat Stats

    Def: 3 (Dex; Tonfa +1)
    Armor: 1/0 (Reinforced Clothing)
    Initiative: 4
    Speed: 9

    2
    PRE

    Of course...
    It seemed even the atmosphere of Elysium turned discussion to matters of dominion and politics. Conner shrugs, not dismissive but simply indicating a fluid answer. "If a Kindred from another Creed were to come to Sacramento with a higher position in the clerical hierarchy, I would defer to them. I would disagree with some of their doctrine for sure, but I would still respect the position they had earned within the Covenant. Similarly, if I were to advance in status in the Lancea and a neonate came here, they would be beholden to me and my leadership. In cases of greater numbers, different Creeds may hold separate services. But ultimately it is dependent on the Domain and its people." ​Just like the saying went: "where two or more are gathered...". "The Creeds represent expressions of faith; but the Covenant itself will unite in matters of preservation or purpose." But like all collaborations, those tended to be few and far between. He certainly didn't look forward to the possibility of being a major figurehead, but maybe there was no way out of it?
    4 successes

    Mr Smith mentions the Circle and Conner's face remains unchanged, muting the Bestial roars of outrage at the mention of the Circle and the Sanctum in the same league.
    "I'd be surprised if they didn't: each Covenant touts their own role to play. But where does that role take them? The Invictus cling to power and tradition that whittles away with time. The Carthians seek power in mirroring the governments of modern Man, but suffer from the same shortcomings. The Ordo look within themselves and see only the cursed beings they are. And the Circle looks to dead gods without power to save or protect." There was, of course, more to that last part that Conner wanted to admit. Maybe someday the Savage would earn a fuller answer to that question, but not today.
    But there was enough of an answer for JC's next question. ​"My Sire was Lancea. She taught me in the Testament of Longinus and the ways of the Sanctum. As a human, my faith background had been...lacking in my recent years. I took comfort in the simple things of the world." Simple things that still called to him, even through time and blood. "I thought I could get by living without concern of the eternal. But I was proved very wrong."
    But perhaps it was time for answers of his own? "And what about you? Does your interest lie in the Sanctum's faith? It's power? Or both?" JC hadn't outright mentioned being aligned with any Covenant, even if the Circle seemed close to his mind in this discussion. Was he looking for a possible home?

    PRP Stats: In Minisheet

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  19. #10
    JC Smith's Avatar

    Attribute (Presence)
    (Quiet listener)
    Aspect of the Predator
    Mask of Tranquility
    JC Smith

    Cacophony Whisperer

    (Bookkeeping (Drinking))Vitae 1 Spent
    1
    PRE

    It made sense but JC wondered if it was true in practice. Was covenant not represented well in Sacramento because it wasn’t popular or did internal disagreement tear it apart before it had a chance to grow when there was no purpose to unite behind aside from ‘be a vampire’.

    “So how would you say the Lancea has given you purpose and meaning?” It would be helpful to know Conner’s personal experience, even if it wouldn’t be a view of the whole. Conner, after all, was the one who was here.

    And his reaction to being told there would be disagreement was… troubling. Insults and degrading comments. Granted, Elysium was quiet now with no one of importance in sight. But even the faceless crowd could carry Wells’ words to ears not present.

    One part of JC said to end the conversation now. The risk of Breaching upstairs, the danger of insults downstairs. And of course the scene in court. It was apparently dangerous just to talk with the man without him making a misstep in the Danse. Part of him wanted to scold. Tell him he was ill trained and needed to be minded. Most of this came from a desire to spare Quinn. However, at the same time, he knew that he’d already been seen as overstepping when it came to helping her with her clan.

    So, he had to go somewhere in the middle.

    “You can’t dismiss other people’s feelings.” It’s dangerous “People seek out different things. Find different things fulfilling. You might disagree but that doesn’t make those feelings invalid.” Would the Mehket understand? JC wouldn’t bet on it, so he moved on.

    “Both. I’m looking into the different covenants, seeing if I would be happy in any of them. I’ll admit, I’m not very religious but I know that faith can and does help some people. So I thought it would do to be thorough. Additionally,” he added after a few seconds “From a purely practical view, the Lancea Sanctum is a powerful organization in Kindred society. Knowing who they are and what they believe is important to integrating with society as a whole.”
    Presence (Quiet Listener) 1 / BP1 / Mask of Tranquility


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