The Chapter House Tour

[JC Smith]

The Chapter House was pretty far off the beaten path. So far south he was fairly sure he had left the Domain and even taking the bus required that he walk through fields to arrive at the Chapter House. At least the roads remained paved, even if the single driveway had pools of standing water in a couple potholes. The House itself was grand in size and structure, even if vines grew on the faded peach stucco of the walls and arched windows. JC didn't imagine it was easy to maintain the property with only two Kindred.

The Gangrel approached the Grand Entry and gave three hard knocks on the door, hopefully enough to be heard through the large building, and then waited. He wondered whether Dirt Nap or Horatio Quilz would answer the door.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap answers the door. "Evenin', Doc." He says amiably. "Come on in."

He invites J.C. in and says, "My Superior should be along shortly. You want to hang out in the sittin' room?" Dirt Nap gestures to where some chairs are arranged around a small coffee table.

[JC Smith]

JC gave a half smile when Dirt Nap answered the knock "Hey, Dirt Nap." He followed into the may main foyer. The Savage didn't really have any accouterments to give up to the umbrella or coat stand. It left only the stairs as the major feature to draw the eye as JC entered for now.

"Sittin' room sounds great," Even if he hadn't fully taken in the foyer so far.

"So;... you take take care of most of this?" he asked as he took a seat at the coffee table. It might have been a little rude, but if true, Clay definitely deserved credit.

[Horatio Quilz]

Horatio is on the property running Daemon through a obstacle course, near the end of the sixth run Horatio decides to hang it up for the evening. He heads inside through the back and hears the door, seeing Dirt Nap get it he goes and gets dressed from the outside work. After getting cleaned up and then dressed, he heads down for the sitting room.
Daemon and Horatio come into the sitting room, Daemon heads for a dog bed on the floor and lays down to watch the predators.
"Good evening Mr. Smith, thank you for coming. I was just outside doing some agility runs with Daemon, sorry for the delay." He sweeps his gaze to Dirt Nap to include him in the apology. Horatio finds a seat before continuing and relaxes into it as best as he can. "Now, before we start, please indulge me with what you know of the Ordo Dracul? So I... we may dissuade or stifle any misinformation or ugly rumors." Horatio has a pleasant smile on his face as he talks, and is visibly relaxed and comfortable, no hostility is showing from him.

[JC Smith]

The Mekhet was already there as they entered the sitting room. Was it a display of power? An anticipation of where they’d go? Not answering the door himself? JC did his best to assuage the negative thoughts. “Mr Quilz. Good to see you.” He crouched down on his heels “Hey Daemon, you been a good boy?”

Rising back to his feet JC looked into Horatio’s eyes with a glance toward Dirt Nap. It wasn’t how he imagined the tour to start. So, this was a more likely a recruitment. “That’s not exactly a safe question. I’ve heard some pretty ugly rumors. Are you okay with the honest answer?”

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap answers when J.C. asks if he personally keeps everything up. "I did, when it was just me. Not too difficult with no one around using it. Seemed like the responsible thing to do." He says simply.

The Scholar nods when Horatio enters, rising to give a rare smile to Daemon.

He settles back down into watchful silence when J.C. asks his question, apparently deferring to Horatio, or just eager to hear what each has to say in the way of describing his Covenant.

[Horatio Quilz]

Horatio recalls that Dirt Nap stood when Horatio entered the room and is about to tell him he doesn't need to do that but puts it aside as he concentrated on JC's answer. Horatio spreads his hands out in a open gesture. "I would not be asking otherwise. Please, be honest."

[JC Smith]

"Maintaining this place seems like a tough job," JC replied. Especially for one person

"Very well," he said taking a deep breath. "I've heard that the Order possesses incredible powers that it hordes for its own reason. I've heard that you possess no powers and any proof is sleight of hand. I've heard you intend to achieve godhood to rule over Kindred and Kine society. I've heard that there are claims that Dracula founded and gave the order its name while saying he was made a divine agent but I've also heard that it only used as a way to gain legitimacy. Or that he funded the covenant as a way to spread the influence of the Lance. Or the Circle. Or even the Invictus. Or that he was an insane Ventrue abandoned by his sire. Or insane Gangrel abandoned by his sire." Certainly seemed plausible enough from his own experience."That horrific experiments are performed in the name of science. Or perhaps magic. That the Order is responsible for VII through those experiments. Or the Belial's Blood is an offshoot driven mad but under your control."

He took another deep breath "That the Dracul are aligned with the Carthians to bring down the political order. Or the Undefeated. Or playing them against each other for your own means. The same applies for the Sactum and Circle though those rumors tend towards stealing secrets. Suffice to say, I could probably think of more made up and contradictory opinions and propaganda."

He inclined his head slightly towards to the two Dragons "What do you know about the Ordo Dracul?" he asked. The smile he gave Clay was almost playful.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap chuckles softly at some point during J.C.'s speech and is otherwise silent and watchful. He is obviously at least as curious about Horatio's answer as J.C. is.

[Horatio Quilz]

Horatio chuckles a moment before answering. "Ah, I see. Quite a list there. Let's take this one at a time then. First off no, there is power but it is the same as the power in your vitae. The other is not a power but a change, a transcendence, going beyond the curse as some see it. To be more mortal, human, is that a power or a weakness, depends on who you ask. There is a end goal by some, to reach a transcendence, evolve pass the kindred condition, some even take a Eastern approach in their journey to the goal. Now Dracula is an interesting subject, he has a mythical embrace, no known sire and the ability to use many disciplines and no blood sympathy with any clans. It is still debated to this day, but one thing is not debated is the results of the changes he sought to break from the curse of his god. Horrific experiments, no, I have not heard of those, Most things done in the order are self inflicted, some archaic things that have a purpose but can be substituted such as following the dragon's tail are a bit inhumane, clinical in it's detachment even. No, there is no affiliation between the order and those groups, and I am not even sure where that rumor comes from. The Ordo Dracul are not aligned with any group, we are friendly with the main covenants as much as one can be that is. Their secrets do not hold interest to the order since we seek to change our inner selves and not just change our surroundings." Horatio looks to JC and to Dirt Nap and then back before he answers the directed question.

"What I know is not as much as you may think, I am not privy to the knowledge of my superiors of the order. But, what I do know is enough to sway me to stick with it for a chance to change myself for the better. This coil is static and needs to be fluid, but to do so is to tamper with the very fiber of your being, but that risk is acceptable to be able to kick some of the setbacks of the kindred condition. No need to feed on other kindred as you grow in power, the ability to make ones self show the passage of time with longer hair and facial hair. I digress, as Dirt Nap can attest, the changes are great endeavor to the kindred self. Is the order perfect? No, but it does something no other is and is breaking the mold. Which is something at least."