Waltz in the Windy City [V:tM 20th] - Main

[Red Shadow Claws]

Chip was flying silently on the winds, feeling a freedom, with the rush of the wind on his solid skin. He debated with himself whether to actually go meet this Clyde he met a the Elysium. Whatever Clan he was, in had to be a Nos or Gangrel, or maybe another Bloodline that he never heard about had that curse too. But he was too new here to miss such an opportunity, and while he didn't trust him, he did need to get some connections before he can settle in here.
The Junkyard wasn't too far, and he wished that he could survey the area better, but it barely even had one building to be true. Alighting as lightly as possible in the junkyard, he moved around slowly, hoping to draw as little attention as possible, while waiting for this Clyde dude to arrive.

 

[Epiphany]

With the blood taking the edge off, the blonde Ventrue looks thoughtful. "Dianna is a recently Embraced Brujah. Very recently. Enough so that she still collects a paycheck from her old career as a policewoman or detective or somesuch. I imagine she'll know exactly how to reactivate what needs reactivating...or she'll know how to set up a new identity for you, or can point you to those who do."

"To be honest, my dear, I haven't had much dealings with that side of our nature. I honestly don't know how some of our more...insular Kindred function, lacking IDs or credit cards or social security numbers. You may not find any real use for them either, I suppose, but in case you do, I expect she'll ensure you can."

"I want you to have the freedom of choice, that's all. Now, after dinner, I'm going to take a bath, put on my makeup and dress for the evening. You're welcome to my cosmetics of course though I imagine my selection's perhaps a bit limited to what you were once accustomed to. Still, make yourself at home, Roxy. And if you'd like a bath yourself or would just like some company, by all means come with me."

 

[Lord-Leafar]

Beep...beep....beep.

With bony long pale fingers, a spider looking hand fumbled about the alarm clock in the darkness, managing to turn off the small device with annoyance. The creaking of bones was heard as long thin limbs were stretched, and something between a yawn and a growl indicated that the humanoid looking creature was finally awake. The only light in the room came from a small blinking dot not far. Another light shone brightly and suddenly, it came from a watch, illuminating with sickly green light it's owners face, thin needle like teeth straight out of a horror movie adorned the man's mouth, with two incredibly large fangs protruding from it's lips in what would be a dentist's worst nightmare. Small beady eyes shone sunken amidst a pale misshapen face, with a nose practically gone save for two narrow slits.

The creature's eyes blinked a few times, adjusting to the contrast between the darkness and the bright light, and swiftly moved towards the desk like structure where the blinking light shone. With the tapping of a few keyboard keys, a series of screens lit up, illuminating the dark room. Although the word room was a bit of a stretch, the place was very much a dump. A combination of broken devices and gadgets, lose cables, and seemingly unidentifiable trash adorned almost every inch of the place. The creature now sat across a large computer, his fingers moving fast and insect like with great speed across the keyboard, a thin monstrous grin splitting it's horrid face.

"Hello gorgeous, what do you have for me today?" With the clacking of keys, Bug began his usual search of news and gossip, checking on any messages he might have received through the day, and for any updates on the status of cryptocurrency today. The night was full of possibilities, all at the tips of his fingertips.

Spoiler: ooc

Bug is an information broker, and a pretty good one, so if anyone would like to tie in with him via this aspect, feel free to make whatever connection you might want.

 

[Razyn]

After his walk, and hiding in plain sight as a homeless old man, Clyde stumbles into the scrapyard.
Once off the street, he looks back, glaring around for any signs of straggling follows or spying eyes. Satisfied no one was watching, he stands upright and hustles into the scrapyard.
Silent as he is from decades of practice, even in life, Clyde moves through the scrapyard, looking for that big old flyboy.
Once far and deep enough into the scrapyard that the outside world can't see him, he no longer uses much stealth, opting to casually lurk and lope through the makeshift alleys formed by the filthy iron and steel.

Deep into the scrapyard, far from (kine) prying eyes and (kine) listening ears, Clyde offers up his voice to break the silence of the dimly lit metal graveyard.
"...Boy! Boy, where are ya? ...C'mon, let's get this show on the road!"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

From a point not too far behind him, Clyde can hear a growl "I am here". The silhouette of a monstrous humanoid, with horns on his head, and two wings on his back, can be seen, as the camouflage he used fades.
"I do not much like being called Boy, at least not to my face, but i'll let it slide this one time, so we can get things going. I am in need of some info, and some contacts, and I can offer some services in return. I need some pointers on how does one get a domain in this city, and the names and contact info of people who can get me into the local stock market."

Razyn

 

[Esbilon]

"What if I want both?" Roxanne replies with a confident smirk and smoldering eyes as she saunters up to Claire.

Sometime later when they're both bathed, but not yet powdered and made up, Roxanne places her hand on Claire's cheek and looks the other in the eyes, "there's something I should probably tell you before we go out into the world." She hesitates for a moment, letting her eyes flash briefly away from the Ventrue. "You know how the different Clans are all different. Some are created as hideous monsters, some can't hold their temper and some are picky eaters. I... We... I hurt people," she admits looking away again and keeping her eyes averted this time. "Usually I can keep it under control, but some times, there'll be perfect opportunity to deliver an insult, to twist the knife - literally or figuratively - and I can't stop myself. I just want you to know that if that happens to you, it doesn't mean I appreciate everything you've done for me any less. It's just one more way my Sire twisted me in."

 

[Epiphany]

"Then have both," Claire says, breath catching at the other woman's approach. Three nights now she'd known the woman and repetition hadn't lessened the impact whatsoever.

Later, wrapped in a bathrobe and ready to put her face on, the blonde Ventrue looks at the Toreador sharing her bathroom and listens intently. The revelation comes as a grim shock. It's not entirely a surprise. While Claire's not especially studied up on the particulars of the Sabbat, one picks up basic Clan tendencies over the decades and this is consistent with that. The Embrace could very well twist the beautiful girl Roxanne had been into something awful, and she would be a fool not to think about that, anticipate the possibility. But damning someone for something that wasn't their fault, wasn't their choice, was cruel. More than cruel. It would be one more way for Melissa to win.

"Thank you for telling me," Claire says at last. "It can't have been an easy admission, especially with your history so recent. To risk abandonment or worse. I meant what I said, though. For as long as you need it, you have a home here. I can't promise something you do or say won't hurt, or that I won't react badly, in the heat of the moment. We are...passionate creatures, in all things." A ghost of a smile there. "But we're more than our passions, more than creatures. Our reason, our minds, make us more than the sum of our parts. It makes me more than a Ventrue who only cares for blood freely given. And it makes you more than a Toreador made to care about cruelty."

"We decide our lives, Roxy. And I've already decided I'd like you here for as long as you care to be."

 

[Sherwood]

Dianne doesn't have to look at the clock to know that Clare and her guest will be arriving soon. But, there is still enough time to print out the files she's found. For a few moments, all you can hear in the apartment is the soft whir of the laserjet printer pulling in sheets of paper and popping them out for her to read. Once it is all printed, she neatly sets the stack down and heads for the bathroom to give her hair a quick once-over with a hairbrush. There. That's about as good as it gets. I hope this goes quickly; I still have to go meet Dana.

 

[Sherwood]

When Claire and her guest arrive at the address that Dianne sent, they find one of the many high rise apartment buildings in the city. After parking, you make your way inside, you can see that this is a well-kept building, not dripping in money but certainly not run down at all. Dianne's place is up on the tenth floor, and is easy enough to find from the directions that were texted to you earlier.

It takes only a moment after your knock for the door to open and you are now looking at the youngest vampire in the city. "Claire. Good to see you again. Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable." Dianne steps back from the door to give you room to enter, and you can see that she is wearing a lightweight jacket over her blouse and blue jeans, with a pair of low heeled boots wrapping up her outfit. Roxanne's Auspex is more than able to see that Dianne is not armed with any weapons, but as a Brujah, even a young one, she is most likely a formidable opponent.

Looking about the apartment, you can see a mix of modern furniture, family pictures and the occasional piece of framed artwork. It is a comfortable place, well lived in. Once you have found a seat, Dianne smoothly glides around to face the two of you, and spends a few moments looking at Roxanne. "Ah. So you are either the missing model from Atlanta that vanished all those years ago, or one hell of a damn good look alike." Well, that answers that question of what happened to her. She was obviously Embraced. Looking back and forth between the two women, Dianne can feel herself being a bit self-conscious at just how beautiful her two guests are. "So! I would normally offer you some hot coco, but I think that time has passed for all of us a while ago. How can I help you tonight?"

 

[Epiphany]

Claire notes the apartment building with approval, and Dianne's apartment (and comportment) even more so. The Childe is as new as can be but, so far, she hasn't appreciably abandoned her humanity. The police woman still dresses well, still keeps her place clean and maintained. Claire has certainly seen a few people who go off the deep end once Embraced and it's nice when she meets Kindred who haven't. Her instincts were good with this one, so far.

Accepting the invitation in, the Ventrue steps in with Roxanne at her heels and takes a seat on a sofa. She waits for the other two women to size each other up, nodding at the Brujah's observation. "Roxanne here has been in an unfortunate situation. As bad as you can imagine, and I place high marks in what you can imagine given your line of work. I don't think she's in any particular danger now but she's decades out of date and has nothing but what you see."

"I'd like able to function and survive on her own. Beyond the necessities like feeding, of course. Modern living requires more than a bit of blood and somewhere under the soil, after all." Claire wrinkles her nose at the thought, smiling in amusement. "She should have access to her old identity, if possible. A reissued social security card, a driver's license, that sort of thing. Or failing that, a new identity. One that lets her rejoin the greater world rather than remain cast out of it because of someone else's choices. And I expect you can either make that happen or help connect us to someone who can."

Then the blonde Ventrue looks at her beautiful Toreador companion. "Roxanne, what do you want?"

Glancing back at the Brujah, Claire adds, "And then we can get to what you want in return."

 

[Razyn]

Red Shadow Claws

The ugly old man sneers as he pitches his head back, then whistles.
"You are a tall drink a water, now ain'tcha?"
He snarls up a breath and digs his hand into his beard. "If you want some contacts..." He snorts and shakes his head. "Ya got me." The bogeyman's lips part, splitting his face into a grin of fangs and yellow teeth. "Iffin I ain't good nuff... Well, maybe ya wanna talk to some a... Some of my associates?"
His shit-devouring grin turns lopsided as he cocks his head, and his yellow eyes glimmer with mischief. "As for the stock market... Don't know nothin bout that. I'm what you might call... A venture investor."
Clyde cackles, then rolls his wrist to point up at you.
"Now... Just how new are ya? Ya meet the prince? Good way ta get yerself ashed, not introducin yourself to the prince. Let's go see em, hell, ya might even get sanctioned for a Domain! Prince'll be your... Second contact. After ol Uncle Clyde."
Uncle Clyde cackles a full body quaking laugh, and motions for you to follow.

 

[Sherwood]

Dianne nods. Having to set up a new identity is not something new to her in her line of work. "I can do that. It will take a few days, or rather, nights, for me to do so without any mistakes. How quickly is this needed? Is there a time limit that I have to work with? If I can suggest, I believe that a whole new identity would be best. Roxanne has little chance being able to pass herself off as a forty six year old woman, after all. Hell, at her apparent age, if you'd like, I could set you up as your own daughter." Dianne grins at the 'younger' woman that is actually much older than she is herself. "As for what I want in return, lets just call it a freebie on my part for my . . . new friends? I don't know many Kindred, and having someone besides Alex to turn to for advice or guidance would be nice. Someone I can share some girl talk with. If that would be fine with you two, that is." The normally tough cop looks up shyly at the two other women in the room, before her expression turns a bit harder. "The only other thing I want is something that I don't know if you could help me out with. My Sire Embraced me without permission from the Prince, then he . . . abandoned me. No one knows who he is, or where he came from. Hell, it took some Tremere tasting my blood to tell me that I'm some kind of Brujah. Someday, I plan on asking him some very pointed questions, just before I stake his miserable ass and leave his corpse out for the morning sun to deal with. I just don't know where he is, or how to find him. If you ever come across any hints about his identity or location, I would consider that to be a much bigger favor than the one I'm doing for you."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Razyn

Chip rolls his eyes a bit when the Nos begins to talk. He never quite got the accent. But he does assess his surroundings, and the vampire in front of it, and is definitely unfazed about his appearance (which he considers to be better than his own, but he has grown to enjoy it). "I have met the Prince, it was one of my first points of business when i arrived a few nights ago. I may be new here, but I have some knowledge of our rules of conduct. If you know of a way to have him grant me a domain, and preferably one that would be suitable to me, that would be nice."
He stops for a moment, his posture one of tenseness, but then he eases up "Sorry i thought someone was getting close here, but sounds like a cat. If you have need of someone to help you invest, I would be happy to help, But I don't wanna use someone else's investor to handle my investments. I have had experience in the stock market, and know my way to want to do it my way, and with someone I trust. And if Uncle Clyde would need some help in investing, i'd be happy to lend him my services."

 

[Epiphany]

Sherwood Esbilon

"I'll leave the precise identity, or identities, to my friend here," Claire says, nodding graciously in Roxanne's direction.

"But it's not needed swiftly. Roxy's staying with me for the time being and I'll see to her needs until she decides there's somewhere else she'd rather be." Being dead means blushing's rarely an issue for a Kindred but a keenly perceptive eye might notice a hint of discomfiture there, perhaps a bit of emotional investment Claire's trying not to show.

The Ventrue nods approvingly at Dianne's request and says "Very reasonable. Once Roxy's settled, I'd be delighted to have you over to share an evening repast and conversation. In our world, friends are more important than ever. I'd enjoy counting you among them." When the Brujah reveals her parentage, though, Claire just sighs and nods a bit grimly. She'd already heard something of the poor woman's parentage, having been in Elysium when Dianne met the Prince for the first time. But the details she'd been told didn't carry the clearly emotional aspect of the policewoman's ire. "I've been searching for some years for...well, an assassin. I understand what it is to want a man dead. I do." And there's a searingly cold ferocity in her pale eyes even Roxanne's never seen. "Fortunately, our community is somewhat smaller so you may find your justice well before I find mine. If you can give me any details concerning his appearance, his voice, his accent, what he said, it'll help me find him more easily."

 

[Esbilon]

Though she does not appear nosy, Roxanne's quick eyes take in Dianne's apartment in moments and miss hardly a detail. She is dressed in the crimson and black outfit she selected earlier, and the solid silver ring that remains fixed around her neck as an eternal reminder and torment.

At the talk of the futility of redonning her old identity, she nods in agreement. That girl is long dead, best that she remain so. When Dianne makes mention of Claire assuming the role of her mother, she smiles, entwines her fingers with the Ventrue's and smiles up at the other woman as she says, "well, you are old enough to be my mother, aren't you?" She lets Claire squirm for a bit before continuing, "though I'm not sure you look it." She turns her attention back to Dianne, "I guess it would be easiest if my assumed persona were at least 21, wouldn't it?" An amused smirk crosses her face as she adds, "it also wouldn't be the first time I had a fake ID claiming that as my age."

As the others discuss Dianne's reward, she nods her agreement with Claire's offers of assistance both small and large.

"Phoebe," she says at a lull in the conversation, "since I can't be myself, like that for a name. Phoebe Courtright," she adds, her deep grey eyes sparkling with amusement as they find Claire's.

 

[Epiphany]

The Ventrue blinks in surprise at her companion's comment about her age. "...I'm not that much older than you. Well..." She looks distracted for a moment, then dismisses the concern given the decades that have passed for them both.

At least until Roxy's playful suggestion of posing as her own daughter. Which results in a muttered "Oh God" from the blonde followed by a resigned shrug and nod.

 

[Razyn]

Red Shadow Claws

"The quickest way to convince him is to meet him, Chip my boy."
He also cocks an eye toward the sound, but shrugs and looks back up at Chip. "I don't need too much money these days. Things start getting very self-sufficient after a few decades without needing food or rent... C'mon, c'mon, let's walk and talk."
Clyde snickers and pulls his hood tighter over his head as he trudges. "What's a big boy like you need with money anyway? Ya got muscle. Just take what you want, survival of the fittest and all that. The natural way... We are the top of the food chain, after all..."
Clyde's mouth audibly curls into a sneer, dry lips peeling away from wet fangs and dirty enamel creating a smacking sound. "Work smarter, not harder."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Razyn

"Then tell me where I can find the prince, and i will ask her myself."
Chip stops, and in what would be a whisper if he was a mortal, but sounds like stones grinding slowly on another stone, he says "Because money is the means to an end. I could live my life in squalor, or in a run-down or dilapidated part of the city. But that's not my way. I'm used to the finer things in life, and while I could follow yours suggestion, and just take physically what I want, sometimes the honey of paying others for it can leave one with more people willing to help you, than if you had taken from them by force, and now they might be the ones howling for your Blood." A gruesome grin appears in Chip's face, with his fangs visible "We both know that being physical is an advantage against the, generally less physical Clans, but some subtlety can help keep one safe. Besides, if I make them realize that my less physical talents are formidable, they might underestimate my physical ones"

 

[WlfSamurai]

The warehouse smells of mold and oil. Threads of moonlight press through boarded up windows. It’s dark here, but that’s how Argyle prefers it. You all can see or smell that he’s a vampire. Even in darkness, he’s ugly as sin. Nosferatu.

He must have used this particular abandoned warehouse on the West side before. You all sit on rusting folding chairs at a rotting card table. There aren’t any other pieces of furniture on the warehouse floor. It’s completely empty, in fact.

Argyle eyes you all.

“I don’t like sitting in one spot for too long,” he says folding his arms. “Makes me feel vulnerable. Weak. So, I’ll make this short. In the past few months, there have been three Kindred destroyed in our city. Two of them were Giovanni by name and Embrace. The third was Embraced by Giovanni, but was born into one of their secondary families.” He waves a hand, sparing the details. “Prince Samiira doesn’t like surprises. And she doesn’t like Kindred blood being spilled in her streets unless she knows about it. Also, she has an understanding with them. Technically, they have he protection in the City.”

He stands and paces. “This is where you come in. As a small unofficial group, you can go unnoticed, yet be strong enough to fight back if something went wrong. The Prince wants you all to find out who the attacker is and bring them in. In exchange, she will grant power in the city. Perhaps even your own small domain within it. You will report to me with findings and if you have…issues.”

Argyle stops and turns toward you. “Is that something you want to be a part of. And questions?”


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


100 stories off the street, Lucretia Giovanni swirls her Bordeaux glass of blood. The Primogen stares into the night, searching in vain for answers she may never find. The John Hancock’s top floor gives her a view of most pf the city and the illusion of staring into a void of wisdom.

She snaps back and looks at her two cousins standing guard on either side of the room. Her office is large, but it would take the Giovanni twins no time to cross the distance if there was a threat.

Lucretia sits down at her oversized desk. She picks up her cigarette holder and takes a drag as she looks at you.

“City seems so large and small at the same time,” she says to no one in particular. “I used to think I’d never make it here. It was too big. Too much going on. In some ways, I was right.” She puts down her cigarette. “I’ve summoned you here for a reason and I’m glad you came. It means a lot to me. I’d like to offer you the chance to serve the Giovanni and reap a reward for it. Power and status within the Giovanni ranks are what I have to offer. Three of our Giovanni brethren have been destroyed in this city over the last months. This is unacceptable. Especially when we have a standing deal with Prince Samiira to leave us the fuck alone. But, the time for action has come. I need fellow family members and their supporters who have not yet had the chance to make a name for themselves. I need them to figure who is doing this and shut them down. Is that something you’re interested in?”

Spoiler: OOC

Choose a scene to be a part of and jump in.

Sherwood , Epiphany , Esbilon , Arynne , Kassogtha , Razyn , Lord-Leafar , Red Shadow Claws

 

[Lord-Leafar]

The young nosferatu stood at a corner of the warehouse, his baggy clothes and hood shadowed his facial features, but the small beady eyes reflected enough light to hint at his monstrous visage. A bony and pale hand reached up to scratch his chin, thoughtful for a moment as he pondered the offer given. Next came up a mobile phone, the screen lit up and gave others for the first time a proper look of Bug's ugly face.

"A small unofficial group... so what you're saying is there's an official one working as well? I'd like to think the Sheriff is doing his part on this whole investigation." Bug spoke without really parting his eyes from the mobile screen, and only after a good few seconds did the screen go off and Bug paid direct attention to Argyle. "You have any names? any leads? Any suspects? Or do we have to do all the homework?"

 

[Sherwood]

Dianne is quiet for a long time as she leans against the wall, letting Argyle give them the low down. "A question, if I may?" She waits for the hideous figure to nod before continuing. "You say that this 'unofficial' group has the blessing of the Prince, but as of now, I see nothing to prove it. How do we know that we are actually doing the work that Prince Samiira wants done, and not jumping to someone else's tune? I mean no disrespect, but it is a easy thing to say that you speak with the voice of the Prince, and then we find ourselves out in the wind with nothing to show for it and our unlives on the line."

 

[Arynne]

In one corner of the room, Lily Milliner takes a sip from her own glass and watches the others.

It's a tremendous break with tradition and precedent to offer this sort of "in" to outsiders. Having bred carefully over the millennia for the qualities they want, the Great Family hardly ever looks outside its own ranks when looking for a solution. Occasionally, very occasionally, they may take in promising mortal families, binding them to the main bloodline through marriage and adoption, creating new branches sprung from the parent stock. Just such a branch are the Milliners of Boston, whose three hundred-year history eventually qualified them to be assimilated to a still more august lineage. But Kindred of other clans ...

For the first few years of her afterlife, she had not even known other vampires existed.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Chip wasn't exactly sure why the Giovanni had any interest in him, but it was a chance to help a Primogen, and that can be of use to him to settle into the city.
The hulking monster shifted in the big wide seat provided him. His horns and facial features a clear contrast to the Primogen's features.
"I cannot speak for the others here, but if I were to give you an answer now, there are some questions that need to be answered.
1. Besides being Giovanni, is there anything to link the three cases?
2. Besides your gratefulness what do we get out of this? As an outside group tracking this we will have no standing to get answers that other, more formal investigation, can get.
3. We will like need any info we can get on their demise, and what they were doing to try and find who is responsible.
4. What kind of support can we get, if we need it?"
The tone was even and in contrast with his heidous look, but somehow a bit inline with the weird oversized suit he wore.

 

[Kassogtha]

Clay sits in the rusty old chair and shifts uncomfortably as if the sensation of it bothers him. It does not, of course. Many affects of being... alive still seem to sit as a part of the collective that creates his being. Even after fourty years as Kindred Clay still feels like he should breathe, or sigh or indeed shift uncomfortably.

He listens to Argyle pensively and then to Bug and Dianne, their concerns similar to his yet unspoken ones. Pursing his lips he runs his fingers through his wheat blond hair and narrows his eyes in suspicion. Following Dianne’s words closely he grunts, wishing as he sometimes did that he had some chew.

“I’d feel better to hear it from the Prince herself, if’n it was possible, I know she is busy...” he trails off, some part of him wanting deeply to blindly trust and fall in line. “Of course I would like to help however I can though.”
He slumps doen in the chair as if the last sentence pulled something out of him just to say it.

 

[Epiphany]

100 stories off the street, Claire Courtright gave the Primogen a wary look as the other woman looked pensive. The blonde Ventrue had her share of practice at operating at this social level but that didn't mean she had anything resembling social parity. The fact that the Giovanni mentioned ''summoning' her was proof of that.

Still, Claire at least admires her surroundings and the decorum by which these Kindred operate. Once Lucretia seats herself, Claire is perfectly content to give the elder vampire her full attention. Including a brief longing look at the cigarette, a habit she'd indulged in as a mortal but given up once the medical research tilted decisively against it, even being undead as she was.

"I've long appreciated the pragmatic, civilized attitude of the Giovanni family," Claire says, when the question is put to her. "I'm not a trained investigator, though it sounds like at least one of us is," she adds, glancing at Chip. "But I will help if I can. The death of your brethren diminishes us and if I can find out who's doing it, you'll be the first to know."

The favor of the Primogen is nothing to sneer at, that much is certain.