Court: War of the Haunts

[Heathcliff Staley]

Heathcliff's anger over this situation is abated by neither argument, but he can not believe Hatori would try to unseat a clansman so publicly. And obviously the get up they were in wasn't their idea. To see his family humiliate themselves so...why not fight each other with floppy Nerf swords for the entertainment of the Court while you're dressed as clowns anyway? Another Haunt sat propped up above? A foolish one, to be sure, but this was a bad day for the Nosferatu any way you look at it, and the ambitious Keeper was turning it into a farce. In so doing, however, she had revealed herself. The Seneschal smiled blandly as he listened to the proceedings. The Nosferatu...most of them, anyway...know better. He is surprised to hear Michael Hall stand up in the Reeve's defense. Hall has proven increasingly ambitious himself. Ambition should be rewarded, is this not true? Heathcliff muses on these things while he waits to hear where Dirge will throw her support, and wonders whether either the Reeve or Hatori thought to enlist allegiances prior to tonight.

[Dirge]

Dirge was listening quietly to both arguments from her seat. She found it a little irritating that this was being handled in such a public and showy manner, but it had been a long time coming. Ever since that night at the Nosferatu meeting when Culler strong armed his way into being made Priscus, while doing nothing to resolve the Horizon thing. Then at court when his blatant disregard for the honor of the man he stole the job from, by rubbing it in his face at court while talking with the Prince didn't help any either.

The blind haunt was shocked that Culler would call for her to speak. After everything that happened between the two of them she is the first person he thinks to call on? Does he really have no one else to support him? As her name is called she takes a moment and slowly stood up. Not knowing the layout that it was a courtroom and that there were witness stands Dirge speaks from where she was.

Before she finalizes what is going to be said she is reminded of all the warnings she gave the man and then most recently her meeting with him in court when he informed her that he had betrayed her by not backing someone that she was involved with after all she had done for him. Unbeknownst to her Markos, the very person in her thoughts, was only mere feet from her. An irony not lost on those in the know.

"Reeve Culler is correct. I have been investigating the homeless and the Rev'rend from my first nights in the city. It began back at my first court, the Carthian Court I believe, when I informed him that there was a homeless man speading tales of monsters and vampires hunting and preying on the homeless. Instead of looking into this issue personally, as import as a breach is, he instructed me to handle the issue. I was given no support or official recognition, but told to kill this Rev'rend and handle it. That night I also brought to his attention a kindred of Scandinavian decent who was operating outside of our societal laws. Later in a shared dream sequence we learned that this man I warned about was Brood, I do not know if this man was ever hunted down and taken care of either."

She paused for a moment collecting her thoughts before continuing. "The homeless proved quite difficult to contain. I was having much trouble making headway as they are very secretive and are operating in what i believe to be groups or maybe even cells. They have many people acting as guards and cut outs protecting the Rev'rend and I was not able to get through the lays of protection. After several months of little headway and getting a few clues the Reeve sent then Deputy Pia to assist me. We hit up some of my contacts at Squattaville, a homeless camp near an abandoned train yard and got a few more clues. After further investigation at a homeless shelter I found, along with Deputy Pia, who had ordered me to remain silent during our investigation to show that we could handle the problem, that at the shelter there were people preaching to the homeless and trying to recruit them into a fighting force to attack the monsters preying on them. Despite my best efforts they were very convincing and with the support of a local nurse backing an attack story able to convince many there listening. It was after this that I left a voice message for the Reeve, back in February of this year. In that message I informed him that the homeless situation was far to big for me to handle as they are more organized than we thought. I told him masquerade containment unlikely to impossible at this point. I implored him to contact me back concerning this to arrange a meeting and I would discuss this. I was met with silence."

"Next at the Nosferatu clan meeting I stepped up and warned the Reeve there and the Seneschal of the danger and that containment of this threat to be impossible and that action must be taken immediately. I offered several plans to try and break up the homeless at that time, scatter them, and make them less organized. I was mocked and told that despite my intimate contact with the city's homeless from my first nights in the city that I did not know what I was talking about and it would never work. At the meeting Reeve Culler seemed more interested in taking Mr. Hatori's position permanently as Nosferatu Priscus than anything I brought forward at the time. Basically ignored there I was force to come to the Prince myself and inform him of the critical danger we faced from the homeless. It was welcoming to see that Prince Clarke possessed wisdom in leadership to be able to see the immediate danger and even proposed some solutions similar to those I had presented to the Nosferatu clan meeting."

"Concerning the Homeless, Squattaville from my recent visits after being able to secure a meeting with the Rev'rend is a fortress. There are in my estimation dozens of homeless there all armed with roaring bonfires and trashcan fires so intense that I was not able to approach the compound a second time for a second meeting. They are organized, and I was there at the battle between a group of Kindred at a homeless shelter and the homeless, they were in such numbers that the forced back the kindred and they were forced to retreat. I was able to secure and protect my cover among the homeless community." After her long account Dirge stood silently waiting for any questions or reactions to her statement.

Maybe you should have backed Markos you backstabbing bastard. I still had uses for him, Dirge thought to herself as she waited.

[Premsyl]

Arnold's face does not change as Dirge takes this opportunity to attempt to lambast him further to the Court "Thank you, Miss Dirge."

We'll have to see about you, Miss Dirge

Turning back to the Prince, Arnold says "While somewhat subjective in their scope and delivery, the point of Miss Dirge's words is that the Homeless issue, while deceptively simple on the outside - even so simple that I would be foolish enough to think that one such as Miss Dirge could produce its solution - is a problem of grave intensity. Something that, perhaps, I - just like so many others - realized a bit too late in the game, but am now working with diligence to make up for lost time. The important thing is that there are plans in the works for these issues. Just like Horizon, however, these issues will require the aid of the entire Domain. That was the intended purpose behind the letters I sent to the Clan Priscii. To present a unified front against our enemies, who are numerous and powerful."

"There were powerful foes taking aim at Sacramento's Kindred before I came here. I did not bring these elements with me, indeed the Lost Nights were perpetrated by a foe amongst us whom none of us saw coming, and it is not due to my tenure that these elements have arisen. Now is not the time for infighting. I am dedicated to the service of His Majesty and the protection of His Domain and all Kindred who claim allegiance to Him. Even if I should be stripped of my position tonight I will not stop until the enemies of this city are destroyed. That is my vow, made before His Majesty and his Court."

[Lesingnon]

How very interesting. Culler had miscalculated it seemed, in asking Dirge for her opinion. A potentially costly miscalculation, as it seemed that the Reeve was on his heels for the first time this night. Something he seemed to realize as well. His vow, spoken now, almost seemed desperate. And something that might backfire as well.

"It sounds as though Miss Dirge warned you some time ago of the threat that the Homeless represented. How then, can you claim ignorance of its scope, and why did you decide to ignore her and not pay more attention to the threat then when it was a problem that might have been more easily dealt with? I would also inquire as to what the diligent action you say your at taking now consists of."

"And...I must express concern. The Domain has faced three notable threats during my tenure here. There was the aforementioned Horizon Complex, which I lead the attack to destroy. There is the homeless problem that, from what I have heard, was allowed to fester despite the the urgings of someone who is quite familiar with that segment of society. And then there is the Brood." He briefly considered mentioning Jessi again, but that had already been covered, there was no need to beat a dead horse. "You have spoken about action against the Brood, but to my knowledge none has been taken. You took a secondary role in the attack upon Horizon, and despite the reasons you give for not actively attacking the Homeless now there remains the issue of the months in which they were allowed to organize and become a foe capable of actually threatening this domain. Months in which it seems, from what I have heard tonight, you did practically nothing to address them."

"The position of Reeve is one of authority, and of leadership. I would expect that the man holding the position would actively seek to address threats facing this realm as well as organize any action taken against them. But it seems that you have become content in assuming a role no more important than any other in the Domain when it comes to addressing the foes that threaten it. And your vow makes it seem as though you are content to remain in such a role." And could he even adequately serve as Reeve when he seemed to have lost the support of the Domain?

"I would also like to ask Miss Dirge if she has learned of anything that would corroborate with Reeve Culler's allegation that the homeless have...practitioners of magic amongst them."

[Joseph Hartman]

Joseph sits quietly wondering just how exactly such a threat had been left to grow. The kindred staked in the basement comes to mind and he resolves to press the matter as soon as this....event is over. Not wanting to have to match himself against any others in the Domain, he had other things to worry about.

[West]

"Enough," Asa said, standing.

"Thank you, Miss Dirge," he added to the still-standing Haunt. Now that the waters were Bloodied, Arnold deserved better than to let every Johnny-come-lately neonate take a shot.

The crux was, that ruling a Princedom could not be wholly based on fear, unless one wanted to become wholly reclusive or was impossibly powerful, like Freddrick. Without some measure of support of the residents, Acknowledgment and Tenancy was little more than a matter of poaching; conversely, with that support came the expectancy to be protected. Ishani had been a Sheriff that anyone could --and would-- approach. One who managed her Deputies, and one who knew every city member. An impossibly high standard, made moreso now that it appeared Arnold had lost the good will of the populace.

Still; I trust him and he is feared. Perhaps that will have to be enough.

"For the next month or so, I will consider the position of Sheriff of the Domain. If any besides Regent Culler or Deputy Heinz has interest in the position, come forward and state your case."

Asa already knew which others he might consider; there was no chance he would entrust an unknown with such power.

[Lesingnon]

There was no further delay on Wilhelm's part. He had already cast his die, taken his biggest risk, when he spoke out against Culler. His biggest risk tonight, that was. Leading the attack upon Horizon had been an incredible risk. Had Ishani or Twist been lost to Final Death he would have had little chance but to flee the domain or face his own Final Death by Asa's hands.

And with the cards on the table, when the attack on a foe that outnumbered his forces many than twice over came. An attack on a fortress, whose defenders fully exploited the weaknesses of the Kindred came, he had succeeded brilliantly. Losing just one of his, against over twenty confirmed kills of their foes in addition to however many had been caught in the armory when it blew. And the end result was an unmistakable victory, with the compound wiped from the map. An extraordinary success by any measure.

And he had expected something for it. Increased respect within the domain, perhaps a Primogeniture that seemed to be a title given mostly for show in this domain anyway, something. Instead, there had been nothing. Barely a pat on the back for orchestrating a resounding defeat of the most dangerous foe any of them were likely to ever face. To say that it was frustrating would be an understatement. He had earned something, but apparently steps were still necessary for him to seize it.

He stood.

"I believe that I would be able to serve well in the capacity of Sheriff. From my arrival in the domain onward I was involved in every step of the operation to bring Horizon down. Impressing Hound Naetesh with my capabilities so much so that she appointed me to lead the attack within four months of my arrival. When the time for the assault came I was able to forge a disparate collection of warrior Kindred into a cohesive and effective assault force. And despite the regrettable loss of Paladin Wells we proved triumphant. Not only was their research halted, and data destroyed, we walked into a fortress specifically designed to exploit the weaknesses of our kind and inflicted overwhelming casualties on the opposition. Despite the fanatical fervor with which they committed themselves to the fight, they did not stand a chance."

"Horizon was a threat to our kind greater than any I have encountered in a Requiem that has spanned over a century-and-a-half. I was there every step of the way, since my arrival, to neutralize that threat. I was instrumental in taking down that threat. And I was the leader when it came to neutralizing that threat. Rightfully so, in Reeve Culler's own words. And I did so with relatively little authority of my own within the Domain. Furthermore, I have never once shied from responding to any threat to the domain that has been brought to my attention. I believe that my performance has shown that I would be able to fulfill the position admirably."

And he had, to this point at least, enjoyed the wholehearted support of Hound Naetesh, Primogen Nagaraj, and Harpy Stamford. All Kindred who seemed to have the ear of Prince Clarke. With luck, that would work to his advantage here.

[Roxie Hart]

Roxie sat down, and contemplated. It was difficult, every instinct told her to keep nagging at Culler, to make some kind of perfect comment that would drive him off the edge of propriety and into another disastrous mistake. These almost compulsions were heightened by the look of undisguised contempt that Oversized Quasimodo had graced her with when he responded to her question.

The thing was, doing that wasn't where her strengths lied. No, and if she made a mistake, it would bite her in the ass. He was her neighbor, and it was obvious that he thought he still retained the advantage, even if he lost the Reeve position. She mentally reviewed the borders they shared, and her own personal Rack was a point of... concern. It was right snug up against his Regency like the ass of a well paid whore. If the locations were switched, she would be looking for people to set up across from it that she could nudge into poaching for her. She'd have to get that going tonight. Someone she could trust to be more interested in stabbing Culler in the back than settling in her domain. That Dirge woman, or maybe Mister Pirate, but that might be... too rash. Culler would certainly be watching him, and trying to attract him would be an obvious declaration of intent. She planned on extending a more... permanent position to Dog, but she doubted that she wanted Fόhrer Mekhet sticking around her land, being all... Shadowy and shit. Unless he tried to claim Culler's old position. If he did, there were any number of things she could use him for, both against Culler and others.