Getting in the Know

[Verity Carmen]

Eyebrows rise in surprise. 'If you didn't enter voluntarily your lucky to still be walking.' I can't fight either but maybe its time to learn.

Verity tilts her head slightly to one side, a frown marring her good looks. 'Sorry Who is Bonnie in this equation?' A moments pause. 'Actually would you mind naming everyone involved it might help make more sense of things.' Not that I don't follow but names can be tracked, traced and traded.

Her gaze now drilling the Priscus intently. 'Who was this important someone and what did they do the ghoul?' Surely a kindred so slighted is worth knowing about, if only to know to engage or avoid them.

[Albert Baker]

Al nodded with a smile.

"I probably didn't emphasise how good a friend Sam is. But indeed, I was very lucky that day."

He thought a bit as the details were a bit hazy (and Bonnie not that important).

"Bonnie is a fellow Lancea member and happened to be brought along as more muscle, though as I said he luckily isn't important to the tale after Portland. I think his name was Bonifatius von something, a Moravian if I recall correctly."

For a moment he looked at her suspiciously before continuing to speak.

"Well, we have me, of course. We have my friend Sam and his Childe Ruby. And we have the trio of Brangaine, Dindrane and Igraine Hamleigh."


Most of the things from Florida were second-hand knowledge so the details required a certain measure of thought again.

"They put the Ghoul in hospital and implicated Sam in hope he'd try to contact me and leave a trail they could follow, which he did."

He responded to the final question with a short shrug, as he deemed it unlikely Mrs McIntyre would be seen here again.

"The important someone is a Mrs McIntyre, important somewhere in Florida and the matter has been settled."

[Verity Carmen]

As details were added Verity was able to put the pieces together and paint a better imagine her mind of the who's who and what's what, adding a few details she'd heard from court that suddenly seemed far more relevant. ​The Lancea attacked an Invictus' ghoul, that seems kind of stupid if they are meant to be aligned in this civil war.

She inclines her head. 'Thank you Priscus Baker, I think that covers everything, more or less.'

Looking back up. 'I'm aware kindred don't get something for nothing. And I've been asking all the questions.' Verity leaves the floor open, not knowing what if anything might be of interest to the Priscus in return.

[Albert Baker]

Al nodded in agreement.

"More or less, indeed."

Tenting his hands he looked at Verity with a small smile.

"Oh, there are a few questions I do have. Let's begin with an easy one. You undoubtedly know the phrase Cui bono. So, what is your profit in knowing these things?"

[Verity Carmen]

Cui bono? What is that Italian? Confusion very clearly and quickly flickers across her face at the assumption she knows what that is. 'At the risk of sounding uneducated, I don't know what that means.' A little honesty can go along way.

With what she thinks is the actual question, her expression changes to look almost disappointed. 'My profit? That should be obvious. I roll into town only to find a blood hunt under way, what better first impression could I make than seeing if I can get the target first.' Can you imagine.' So I asked the Seneschal how I could get involved and she said to talk to you and given your close involvement, and see what you could tell me about the goings on.' Her look has become appraising by this point. 'I don't like to settle for the surface level, and now I know enough of the history to at least know who I would need to hunt for, if as you assert they weren't already in custody.' Verity seems crest fallen by this titbit of information, hopes rather dashed.

The disappointment is quickly replaced with a sly smile. 'That and oh, the seneschal wants an update on your activities and interactions, and it does behove me to pass on what you've shared.' How do you do when the pressure turns up a notch, still so open?

[Albert Baker]

Al noticed the confusion and for a moment it confused him.

"It's Latin. 'To whom is it a benefit'. It is usually used in courtrooms. I forget Latin isn't taught as much as it used to be."

He nodded, as he had actually sort of expected it, though not at this point.

"I see and it surprises me not."

Noticing the smile he reacted with a slight one of his own.

"Does it? What is your profit in that? Apart from the gratitude of the Seneschal?"

[Verity Carmen]

Oh we are going to play then? no more sharing? Verity sits up straight, not that she had been slouching but the small change indicates a more focused, more serious, stance to her attention. 'And what else pray tell would I have to gain? The currency of the night is after all our reputations, and mine is so very new.'

Entwined fingers come to rest under and support her chin, elbows on the table, as she watches the Priscus, smile still in place. 'You know I'm surprised your first move isn't to try and gain from this revelation. Or do you have other questions on your mind?' It is after all, your turn.

[Albert Baker]

Al smiled while leaning back a bit.

"That is the question, isn't it? Knowledge? Protection? Something else?"

The smile widened and looked almost predatorial now.

"Indeed I could. But perhaps I have a reason for not doing so."

The smile stayed and he leaned forward.

"What is your long-term plan in case you continue to exist for a century or two or even longer?"

[Verity Carmen]

Verity locks her, oh so very alluring gaze to his own. 'Well you've given me knowledge.' She counts it down on a finger. 'As long as I keep the law I'm under the protection of the domain.' A second finger falls. 'But it really isn't all that hard Priscus Baker. I've not hidden that I want to make a name for myself, outside of my Sire. I moved more or less across all of America to somewhere mum has never been heard of to do so.' Sometimes it really is that simple.

That smile rouses her beast just a little, but its growl to fight was almost a comfort, it means she wasn't to out matched if more than his smile turned predatory. Reigning in, she matches his smile with the most flattering of her own, one that could summon someone from across a crowded room, the full weight of her presence behind it. 'This is a new side of you Priscus baker, I can't say I don't like it, but had I known mentioning the Seneschal would bring it out, I might have held off.' And let you keep talking.

Read the change in emotion of Priscus Baker 1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-12-03 15:05:40	Verity Carmen rolls 5 to read emotions of Priscus Baker (10 Again)	4, 9, 2, 1, 1	1 success

She breaks the eye contact by rolling her head to the side, back and around, the smile however much as his own remains. 'My plan in a century of two?' She shrugs. 'Who knows, the world changes so much, so quickly and we've been gifted with stepping out of time.' A finger taps on the table as she gives it some thought. 'I could still be building my reputation, I could have moved on, I might have joined a covenant.' Doubtful, highly doubtful. The smile becomes a smirk as she plays with him. 'The truth. I will grow. I will succeed. I will excel. Whatever comes, whatever I decide. That is my only certainty.' But I will not stagnate.

[Albert Baker]

Al nodded.

"That is entirely correct."

He nodded to the point of trying to get a reputation and moving as far away from her Sire as possible still smiling.

"Of course. Don't we all want to leave home to explore cities and countries we never saw before? I did that as well..."

The smile grew a bit on the point of 'being gifted with stepping out of time'.

"Oh yes, a gift... That will change at some time."

Not lingering on the 'could's he chose to address the 'truth'.

"You are putting yourself on a rocky road there."

Mood

Al is amused and doesn't bother concealing it much