Kingly Carpool

[Jacque]

The Lord's vehicle stopped at the curb in front of the Holiday Inn indicated by the text. Jack stayed inside the back of the vehicle, shrouded in the darkness provided by the blackout windows.

His ghoul stepped out and waited to open the door for Sacramento's newest Lord, Douglas Lamech

Continued from A text to Priscus Jack...

[Douglas Lamech]

The preacher glanced at his phone as it buzzed. "Ah, fantastic." He closed the Testament, stood, and secreted it within his robes along with his phone before striding towards the door. He paused, though, and turned to the restroom where he looked in the mirror to ensure his garb was proper, his stance was unbent, and his hair was properly parted. Then, he practiced the look of reverence and respect his face would show to his Priscus when they finally met. Satisfied, he left the restroom and placed his hand on the doorknob to his room.

"Wait", Lamech heard behind him. "Remember the fifth Rule of Golgotha, Childe". Lamech turned and saw an angel, sitting in the same chair he had occupied just moments ago. "Those who show the sin of hubris and do not keep an unoffending facade when in the company of mortals shall surely bring doom upon themselves." Lamech chuckled. How foolish of him. "Thank you, Vahishtael. I forget myself," he spoke to the air, as he replaced the Testament that usually graced his hands with a Kine Bible, vitae rushed to his skin and he opened the door to make his way to the front of the inn, giving a passing smile to the overnight clerk as he strode through the lobby.

the preacher didn't have to wait long before a limousine stopped in the pickup area, and a man stepped out to open the door for him. Lamech gave the same polite smile to the ghoul with a nod and a courteous platitude, "Thank you, my son," as he moved to enter the vehicle. However, he paused momentarily when he caught glimpse of the Priscus. Well-dressed and a picture of regality, his eyes bore no pupils and dark, terrible set of wings were folded behind his back. If Lamech entered this vehicle, he would surely be swallowed whole by this beast.

As is his right

Not even a second of hesitation marred his otherwise confident demeanor, but it still shown like a beacon of weakness. Still, he entered the limousine and shifted in his seat to get himself comfortable before addressing the Priscus. "Hello, my Priscus. It is an honor to finally meet you. Filling time in an unfamiliar place, under unfamiliar leadership is a rarity for me." Lamech extended his hand in greeting, its trembling damnably obvious.

[Jacque]

Steel eyes watched as the preacher approached the open door. Even through he counterfeited life, the opposing beast was present and it brought forth an anger in his own.

The mood of the man did not help the matter. His ghoul, dressed the part of a driver responded delicately to the Kindred's thanks. It was rare they were acknowledged outside of their regnant yet she appreciated it. Her eyes lowered and she stifled a smirk the best she could. She had heard it before and she assumed to know what was to come. She closed the door behind Father Lamath and began to drive the Escalade.

Jacque watched as his guest made himself comfortable and the door closed behind him. He was immaculately dressed- each fold and pleat in his attire pressed to perfection. His vest was a modest violet over a white dress shirt. Amethysts accented him from his cufflinks to his tie stud. A thin gold chain hung connecting the stud to a fasten concealed by the vest and a Rolex was on his wrist. A firm grip was kept on the leash of his beast for it was beneath him to let loose the control over it. A word... THE word said once more ticked in the Lord's mind, and his eyes traced the movement of the outreaching hand. A part of him almost accepts it for the mundane gesture it was, but instead he would speak. This night he would not be this Father's friend. No, he would be the one to guide him so that his stay in Sacramento might be pleasant and infinitely more hospitable.

After a few cold moments, "Preacher Lamech of the Second Estate, how important is it to protect the First Tradition?"

[Douglas Lamech]

Lamech leaned back in his seat and smoothed his robes against his legs. "Punishment shall be great for he who brings the wrath of man down upon himself and his brethren," he recited. "So says the Testament of Longinus. It is a great sin of pride. Even among the secular, it's considered the most important tradition, even more than the third." He sits forward a bit now, engaged. "Our God-given weaknesses ensure we all meet destruction if it is grossly violated."

[Jacque]

Jacque nodded as the preacher confirmed his understanding, "Indeed it is." He leaned to the side to retrieve a sealed smart phone and a sealed burner phone, "You may wish to have these then to replace the phone you contacted me from. Consider it a gift."

"It is imperative to remain just as diligent to the First Tradition in digital communications. Frustrating as it may be to say, hunters have been clever with their monitoring skills as the technology of the world advanced." His hands parted outwards after the statement, "Where I appreciate the intent behind the use of titles for respect, it should be done in written letter or in private."

He leans back in the seat, "Now that we have that behind us, please share a little more about yourself. What Domain have you come from and why you have chosen Sacramento as your new destination?"

[Douglas Lamech]

The Preacher took the new phone from his pocket, staring down at it as he recited an immaculately practiced sigh of exasperation. "Damned snakes in the pasture" He cursed. Lifting his head from the phone to accept his gift, his eyes flicked to the right-side window. Shaded by the tint, a dark figure loomed outside the moving vehicle, rapping on the window with a golden stake. Back to the Priscus. No reaction from him. Very well.

He reached his hand out to accept the phone. "Thank you, Priscus Jack. I apologize for any danger or headache my ignorance might have caused you. I'll destroy this one." And enact a violent penance. "It appears I was ill-prepared by my superiors in the church before being sent out...On that note-" Lamech places the phone back in his pocket alongside his new one. "I come from a relatively small Lanceum sect in Miami that hid its face as a Catholic church. We lived near to each other, so such technology was not necessary. My Bishop said I was to be sent here to fill a vacant position in the city. One 'Moore house', I think he said." His brow furrowed. "He seemed frustrated, and I was hurried away. So, I can only assume what information he received made him to believe this place is in desperate need."

[Jacque]

A subtle nod was offered- the preacher clearly understood so it was nothing to dwell on. "Miami?" Not unheard of, but not all that common to make the long journey night by night. "Ah yes. You'll find the Moore House in better condition as of late. Your predecessor was Mister Conner Wells who only recently vacated the city due to some personal affair he had to resolve."

"I can't speak to the desperate need of a Second Estate presence, however. There have been only a handful during my own tenure here and yet Preacher Wells seemed to have been the most fervent in practice. He had conducted a black mass that several of the Domain attended, but it was only the one before he left. Assuming all goes well with the rest of this evening, you'll want to approach Seneschal Hazelton to request the key to the property."

"I did not want to presume but it sounds like you've had minimal interaction with other covenants." He waited a moment to be otherwise corrected as needed. "This is not an Invictus Domain, however you may observe that most of its leadership is of the Unconquered. Both the Prince and Seneschal are, but the Reeve is a Carthian." The irony was not lost on the Lord, but still he brisked over the detail. "One thing you should remember, if you remember nothing else is that the use of a possessive pronoun in relation to an Invictus is viewed as a grave insult. 'My Prince' or 'My liege' for example, implies that you are establishing some kind of ownership or dominance over the Prince."

A few moments pass as he let the severity of the matter soak into his guest, "In private, we might recognize that the slight could have been made out of ignorance and we give the opportunity to correct themselves. In public..." His head tilts to the side, "The correction is far more severe, as to leave no doubt in any witness' eyes."

[Douglas Lamech]

Lamech listens with rapt attention to Jack's advice, subtly nodding at each point made. "Yes, Priscus Jack," the preacher practices. "You're correct, my sire handled business with the upper echelons of the Domain while I spent my many years hidden away in his church, studying scripture." Lamech thinks a moment. "I believe I only ever saw Miami's Prince once, to be acknowledged alongside my sire when we moved there."

He shakes his head after another half-second in thought and his eyes rise to the Priscus once again "Thank you for your instruction. I assure you, I will be worth the trouble during my stay here...On that note, I intend to approach Seneschal Hazelton as soon as I'm acknowledged. Before I do, though - and I apologize if this question is prohibitively broad - are there any gestures of courtesy that I would do well to observe before seeking further establishment within this domain? Or perhaps any other taboos an inexperienced Kindred may blunder into? I intend to be the picture of a respectful inhabitant during my stay here, particularly to members of the First Estate."

[Jacque]

Jack nodded as his guest confirmed his instincts and seemed invested in the information, "A prudent question Preacher Lamech. It is indeed a broad question but... if I were to pass along any other advice it would be to mind the pecking order carefully, especially with physical gestures of respect lest you offend someone you would not wish to."

"The only matter of debate might be between myself and the Reeve. I would err towards the Domain official first." Slender fingers slipped into his vest and produced a folded piece of parchment to extend towards Douglas, "Otherwise, following the Laws of the Domain would be your primary focus. Please read them over and ask me any questions you may have."

[Douglas Lamech]

Lamech takes the parchment and reads them over a moment, his eyes working fast to ensure the moment of silence passed quickly. After a few moments, he folds the paper back and places it in his pocket. "I notice Priscii have the ability to grant acknowledgement and privileges. Should these courtesies regarding the pecking order be observed when seeking these?" He asks, hoping to perhaps take care of these formalities all at once in this very vehicle.