(Confidants) A Ruby in the Barrens

[Seryna]

"I am able to set up a proper haven now." Ruby considered. "Perhaps I shall do as you say. Yet if you or Albert meet with me, we can meet here."
"An interview. Would she trust my word? I would speak with her, if she does not want to use Blood Gifts upon me."

"I could meet with her. I have the protection of being acknowledged, now." Ruby muses. "I would be comfortable meeting Madame McIntyre in Elysium. Yet I would like to know what she plans to question me about. Has she made any accusations?

I know that I don't trust Madame McIntyre. She is the childe of Lady Technologist Mary McIntyre, childe of Baron Edmund Van Woods. She is connected and can rely on the Invictus to protect her. She's rich. She has connections. I know that she was Embraced about fifty years ago. She does not have any childer.
I heard that she wants to work as a Deputy."

[Helen Kingsley]

"That's the question. I guess it depends on whether we can get some more from the other folks involved. I can offer a room at Elysium and if you think that's necessary, some more people to make sure there's no se of mindfuck stuff that hasn't been agreed on beforehand."

Helen flips through the notepad and frowns. "She hasn't. If she isn't lying, she just wants to talk. But there's rumours." She makes a few notes as Ruby talks about McIntyre. "What's your family's relationship to McIntyre and her family ? And how do you guys get along with some Carthian Gangrel by the name of Healey that everyone just calls Tiff ?"

Helen eyes Ruby and her reaction very closely.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-01-01 15:02:12	Helen Kingsley rolls 5 to You lying ,bro ? (Wits + Empathy) (10 Again)	2, 2, 4, 10, 4, 4	1 success

[Seryna]

"If I meet with Madam McIntyre at all, it would be in Elysium, with all of it's protections. I wouldn't mind meeting in one of the side meeting rooms, yet if you can reserve a room that would be best.

More witnesses can only help. Although it opens the door for her to bring witnesses of her own. Most of the Invictus have more influence than I do."
All of the Invictus with the exception of Aiko and Connor would have higher social standing than Ruby.

"Rumors?
Are you clear on what my account is? This is our first meeting, and I am unsure what Albert has told you.

Our relationship is that my Sire and I stay out of the way of the Invictus. I'm Unaligned.
The Invictus have money, influence with mortals and a good track of information from many sources. I politely nod at court. I've spoken to Madame McIntyre only one time. I have never spoken to her Sire, Lady Mary, who doesn't socialize with mere acknowledged Kindred. Her Grandsire the Baron is at least one hundred years old. He's scary. He doesn't seem to have any screw ups known, I asked around before I left the city.
Either those who know of his mistakes were well compensated, I didn't talk to the right people or they're too afraid of the Baron or Lady Technocologist to speak to me about it.

I did hear a rumor that Madame McIntyre was trained by someone about forty, forty five years ago. The identity of this person would upset her Family due to the Mentor's allegiance. I know only that the mentor was a man and possibly was connected to one of Lady Mary's friends.
I know that Tiff recently had the Right to Embrace granted by the Prince. Which is why this assault on his prospective Childe is so grievous. I have spoken to him a handful of times. I don't really know him, yet he doesn't snub me.
What do you think the odds are that if we clear my name, I could stay here? Are the Invictus here willing to hear the truth that I was only a witness to the crime? Or will they assume Madam McIntyre's position?"

Ooc: as a side note, one can only use information from threads once they close and enter continuity. Did you want to close this thread to utilize information from it?

[Helen Kingsley]

"That room shouldn't be a problem."

Helen flips through her notepad.

"Rumors, as in stuffs I have heard, some of which might be true, but some also clearly is false. So far, I've heard three versions of the story. One might be a cover story, one I'd normally have taken to immediately, but won't because there's a complication that could help clear the whole thing, but contradicts the story as is and one is allegedly second-hand and so far unconfirmed. Which is the main reason that brought me here to see how your accounts fits together with the others."

Some of the information on McIntyre figures. Helen makes a few notes on them as Ruby speaks.

"It depends on some stuffs, I guess. The more your story can be confirmed, the better your position should be." She shrugs. "The Invictus is the Invictus. They're pretty sensible on many things and annoying on others here. If there's no trouble or issues, I don't see why they'd kick you out of town. As for taking McIntyre's position, so far, she presents herself as undecided if you're a witness or worse, that's why she's looking for you to interview you for the Sheriff in that other domain. Or so she says at least. Guess she sees you as a ticket to get that job she wants and wants to do a thorough job on it ?

Anyway, let's start right at the beginning. What happened that night ?"

[Seryna]

"Three versions." Ruby nodded slowly. "That doesn't bode well for me. My Sire, Mr. Sam Tressilian and myself, witnessed Nikko Camp beset upon by three individuals. The beating was vicious and definitely suggested it was committed by Kindred. The three left Camp on the ground. As Sam and I were drawing closer to see them, the three attackers fled. This was in the streets near Elysium.
As we were about ten feet from the victim, Madame McIntyre came upon us, attended by a ghoul. She asked us who we were and who was this person on the ground. She asked if 'we did this'. The ghoul called for an ambulance and McIntyre examined the unconscious victim quickly for signs of Breach. As far as I know, there were no bite marks or other signs that could suggest our kind.
My Sire gave his name. I stated 'There were three of our kind who attacked this person'.

The ambulance pulled up and my Sire pulled me apart and took me to one of the back up Havens that we have set up. He went to Court first thing the next night and was pulled away by the eeve who was looking for me. My Sire gave his honest account of what we saw. He called me to tell me what happened when he left and I set up an alternate Haven in a neighboring town, one that my Sire wasn't responsible for.

Priscus Baker summarized the situation in about four sentences for the Alder Prince for me at my acknowledgement meeting.

"What can I be doing to help you?"

[Helen Kingsley]

"Three versions." Helen confirms, maybe needlessly. "So your Sire got snatched and decided to send you out of town ?"

She makes some notes as Ruby describes her side of the story. It does line up pretty well with Tressilians story, but then, that was pretty expected.

"Yah, you could say leaving the place like that didn't look good, but that happens. If your observation is right, we might have a little more looking out to do for those..." she flips though her notepad, apparently looking for something. "... Hamleighs." A short pause as she thinks a few things through. "The more I hear of those, the more fun they seem to be around." Even though Helen and Ruby very likely have a pretty different definition of 'fun'.

"For the time, keep your head down and an eye out for those three girls and most of all try not to get torched or something like that. I'll see what I can do about McIntyre, set nup a meeting right away or just get a feel of what she's about."

[Seryna]

"My Sire was interviewed. I chose to leave town." Ruby clarified.
"I expect that any of the rumors about me are being started or fanned by those Harpies." Ruby declared with some annoyance. "They may try the same thing here. Alright, I will keep an eye out for those troublemakers. I can meet anytime as this is the only thing I need to do." Ruby agrees.

[Helen Kingsley]

"Or that, that also works." Helen closes her notepad and puts it away. "Well, I haven't seen someone of their description at court yet. Or heard of someones like that. Unless that happens, I'm not too worried about them starting rumours or something. The Prince looks down on unannounced guests. If there's any trouble, give us a call. Apart from that, there's two more things I can think of right now.

One, is there anything else you can think of that I should know before I go and talk to Becky ? I don't know if you're into Law and Order much, but I've always hated that bit when something comes up that hasn't been mentioned because it 'didn't seem important' or people 'didn't ask'. I'd be really happy if I dont get into that kind of situation. Two, could you keep those harpies off your ass if they run into you ? Not saying you should because you definitely shouldn't, just because its nice to know. Three, what do you know about the three ?"

[Seryna]

Ruby nods slowly as she listens to you.

"I am unsure. She is ambitious. She is connected. She adheres strictly to Invictus protocol.
Well, I can fend off a physical attack, in most situations. I can disenage and contact you if they try something. Well, the history that they have is with Albert and my Sire. I know that there is real bad blood there. We left a pretty good situation in a Domain because the Harpies had tracked us down.
I don't know any real details other than the Harpies blame Albert and my Sire for something personal."

[Helen Kingsley]

"I see, makes sense."

Helen gets up and stretches her legs a little. She ponders adding some more stuffs, but they're all adults here and Ruby stated she should be able to handle things, so she leaves her to it.

"Good, if there's nothing else, I'll go talk at some people and see what can be done to get this whole thing over with. Take care."