(2211) An Ever-Expanding Circle

[Connor OBrien]

The Haunt watched as Adeline left the group to seemingly go meet the Seneschal before turning his attention back to Helen and Edward. "I would have to agree, if only for the experience brought by Alders, though I wouldn't say there would never be a Meister who is not also an Alder. It may be rare, but I have no doubt that a young upstart who worked hard could beat out an Alder who was simply content with their station." He ends his statement with a small shrug, it didn't matter to him how old one was; all that matter was whether you could back up your implied power when push came to shove.

[Helen Kingsley]

"True that, most fangers make lousy soldiers in a normal conflict. Got other uses, though."

O'Brien has a point, of course. She frowns as he closes his statement.

"Ostentatious... What's that ?"

She chuckles as Edward talks about the book in question.

"Sounds almost like somebody took a page out of the basic vampire handbook. Apart from the last bit." Which to her sounds most like it's the basic Invictus handbook, really. "I think I can see why you like parts of it.

Funny though, I always think immortality is a term that writes checks our condition can't cash." She inserts herself in that particular argument. "But then, can you reach that station and simply call it quits in the first place ?"

[Edward Heinrich]

"Of course, a good evening to you, Ms. Martin."

Edward listened with a polite smile. He generally disagreed with Conner but expressed the segment of his opinion that aligned with the Haunt's. "Of course, never is such a strong word, and there are many powers behind the throne, so to speak. The wise beyond their years oft find themselves in such roles."

Edward repressed a flinch as Helen asks after the meaning of a non-technical word. Remember the word, and look it up when you're home. How could people not know to do that? Was she trying to look simple?

"You are no doubt correct, Ms. Kingsely. Perhaps this is precisely why I identified with the novel as a Neonate to such a depth that it retains sufficient emotive force to inspire nostalgia within me to this night."

Helen contemplated achieving station and what that meant, a matter Edward had opinions on. "A station is a duty, not a reward. Those who fail to make that distinction either achieve nothing or eventually bite off more than they can chew." He felt some regret even as he spoke; Edward did not like to be forceful. "I, naturally, mean to give off no implication regarding your own faculties of discernment, Ms. Kingsely. To quit the climb upon reaching the station in line with one's own talent is exactly the aim." Minor backpedalling.