"I guess upward mobility is kind of limited when everyone's immortal," Angelina says to Antoine...then breaks off as Adrian comes over.

He knows that trick Trent showed me, she realizes when she doesn't sense that strange convulsion of fear and angst inside her. She has intentionally stopped doing that for now, not wanting to be mistaken for a mortal.

She gives Adrian a smile and shakes his hand. "I'm Angie. I guess we're in the same club then. Hi."

Adrian seems happy to have his hand shaken. He offers his hand to Antione in turn, though he keeps talking.
"Club? Oh ... yeah." That earns Angie a shy smile.

"So, what do the two of you do? I'm kind of a street guy, but I do a fair share of investigating. I'm actually taking on-line courses to get a PI's liscence. I figure it will make good cover for dealing with the kinds of mysteries and problems that can occassionally arise with our existance."

"Oh, I have that covered," Angelina replies with a grin. "I work at Mercy General doing autopsies." She shrugs. "It's a living. So to speak."

Adrian smiles and nods.

"Maybe we can work together some time. There is a whole bunch of stuff - mainly forensic science - that I'm not too good at. Its like finding the clues but not knowing how important half of them are."

"How do you keep working in the Real World? That's been one of the things I'm still puzzling out how to do."

Antoine shakes Adrian's hand with a freindly smile. "Antoine LaSalle, I'm a musician." Antoine listens as the two talk and his mind drifts for a bit recalling a similar meeting long ago soon after his embrace. Shaking off the memory he scans about the room once more. The old fuddy duddies are still talking, probably working on some hundred year old scheme. Ashe looks ready to pounce, depending on how that works out for her I may have a rough evening ahead. Antoine smiles to himself at that thought and turns back to the conversation at hand.

"Adrian, are you new to the city?"

"New? Yes. I've been here just a few months. For that matter, this is the first time my sire has let me do something on my own. He is coming to the city himself before too long."

He hesitates slightly before continuing,
"I have started pursuing my own interests because, after all, we change and what becomes of us is dependant on how we handle and accept that change. We are mutuable, or can be. If we are to learn, we have to rise above our current state and create something new and better for ourselves. Don't you agree?"

Now THAT sounds familiar, Angie thinks. I wonder if it's supposed to be secret.

"It's not as hard to work as you'd think," she answers his question to her belatedly. "I worked graveyard most of the time even before. And pathologists work mostly with people who are already dead so...you know...blood's not much of an issue. Plus, I have a friend who can help pull strings if necessary."

She pauses as well, then adds, "One thing I've been working on is trying to understand my...our...condition from a medical standpoint. After all, if something can be understood, it can be treated, right?"

Antoine raises and eyebrow but nods in agreement. "I do agree, in fact that is why I came here. To have continued in my previous home I may never have been able to force myself to change. So I have uprooted myself and come here. After nearly one hundred years I seek to become more than what I am."

"Rabbi Berg and I met here, in service to Longinus," Galiana said, the 'right' words following off her tongue. She smiled fondly at the other man, her face showing only courteous fondness that two members of the same club might share.

She glanced around the room, her dark eyes taking in the guests and visitors. She fought to not curl her lip when she saw the so-called Crusader - he was no Crusader. She remembered what they were like.

"If you need help with your ... understandingsof the vamiric condition, I would be willing to help - if you share the knowledge?"



"One hundred years," Adrian sounds impressed. "That's a lot to go through. It's good to see that the quest for self-understanding keeps going. I feel like I've learned so little in my short time ... here and there always seems so much more on the horizon."

Adrian looks at the two vampires,
"If I may enquire, does the nature of what we want change as we progress? Is is pointless to hold things from our pasts close to us, or is our pasts something we can't, or shouldn't escape?"

"In my experience everything changes. When I was born there were no cars, no radios, no cell phones. Since my embrace I have struggled with change. At first thinking I could simply live as I had forever, then realizing that as the times changed I was forced to do the same lest I become an... anachronism. I cannot imagine being one of those who fell into the long sleep with horse drawn carts and muskets only to away to jumbo jets, submachineguns and the internet."

Antoine shakes his head an amused smile on his face, "And yet it seems that many things come back around again if you wait. I have seen the birth of jazz as well as its resurgance in recent years. Whiskey was once king and is only know beginning to reclaim it's past prestige.

"That's probably not the answer you were looking for but in the grand scheme I think we are all looking for answers. Some of us may even be lucky enough to find them someday."

Adrian nods in response.

"My sire once speculated to me that is another reason that vampires embace progeny - out of fear of a world that has become more and more alien to them. They create a proxy who can deal with the world of mortals."

"Or, perhaps - and I doubt a ... " Adrian looks down and hesitates.
"Well, that we have been created as a bridge to the modern world. Even as we are taught about the world we have now entered, our existance teachs our sires about the modern age."

Adrian looks more and more hesitant, but he digs in and carries on.
"My sire said that our relationships are many-tiered and can cut either way. This is never more true than in the relationship with our sires. After all, our embrace ripples out in both the mortal world and the Night Realm. Just as we exist now, we have been taken away from another existance."

"I apologize if I'm boring you. This has been the first chance I've had to really talk to some Kindred since coming to the city."

"I see. Well, I hope during our time we have opportunity to become better acquainted." While she had been attentive to the current conversation, she had also been watching the introductions and interactions going on around them. Her eyes flicked over to the departed giant, taking in Galiana's disdain.

"I should probably circulate a bit, see if there are other newcomers in need of direction or advice." She clasped Galiana's hands in parting and nodded politely to the rabbi. To Galiana she said, "Please find me before the evening is run out. I would much enjoy resuming our previous friendship and showing you my home, so if you find a lost cub or two you'll know where to send them."

With that she took her leave and began circulating around the room, listening to what conversation reached her ears and taking measure of the Kindred so far gathered. Karol ghosted after her, silent and alert.

"No, it's fine," Angie replies. "Maybe a little melodramatic, but that's fine too. If you can't be melodramatic in the middle of a theater full of vampires, I don't know where you can be."

Adrian stifles a laugh, but smiles at Angie.

"Yeah, there is that. Next thing you know, you will be telling us we are in the Theatre of the Damned. Go figure."

"So, do either of you have an idea why the Prince and Regent have wanted to see all of us here - together?"

Angie shrugs and shakes her head.

"I just figured it was because I was kind of new and...well, I don't get OUT much, you know? Busy. Not to mention, I'm in a position where I sometimes have to cover tracks, if you know what I mean."

She feels an old stab inside at that...she always did when thinking about the conflict of interests that defined what she did every night. On the one hand, her duty was to determine and record causes of death.

On the other, she sometimes had to do exactly the opposite. Sometimes, she'd learned the hard way, vampires have problems with control. It had certainly happened to just about everyone in this room. She was in a room full of killers...and was aiding and abetting their crimes.

Fortunately it hadn't happened much, on her shift at least...but it was always there, waiting to jump out and pinch her conscience.

"Honestly I haven't the slightest idea. I've hardly made so much as a puddle splash in the city since I have been here." Antoine laces his long fingers to gether and inverts them creating a resounding crackle and pop from his knuckles. "I must say that as far as get-to-gethers go this is fairly well boring, perhaps he hoped I would provide entertainment."

Looking around Antoine sees that the threesome of Robin, Galiana, and the Rabbi begins to drift apart and move about the room. Quietly he says, "Don't look now but the old fancy folk look like they might try to actually talk to one of us!" Antoine mimics a completely astonished expression.

Adrian looks over his shoulder for a moment. As he turns back, it is clear he is worrying his lower lip in concentration.

"That's Sir Robin Dee-Alsace and Karol, HER ghoul," he says quietly, but stressing that Sir Robin is a lady.
"The one sitting down is Priestess Galiana and that's Rabbi Berg with her ..." Adrain looks back and forth between Angie and Antoine, "or so I believe anyway. I don't know who the woman talking to Jeanette Lajoie is, or the Big Blonde Guy."

Sizing up the situation, Adrian makes a daunting assessment.

"Should we invite Rob ... aahhh Sir Robin over?"

Antoine smiles, "That gorgeous little woman with Jeanette is named Ashe, and she's with me. Never seen the blonde guy but it's rare for me to feel short so he may be worth talking to just for a change of pace."



Antoine rolls his eyes, "Ugh, no offense to either of you but I'm not terribly fond of these stuck in past vampires who insist on running about using outdated titles, outdated clothing, and outdated methods." Antoine smiles, humor in his eyes, "But if you wish I ought to be able to suppress my gag reflex ..."

Angie frowns a little. "Wouldn't it be Lady Robin then? Or Dame Robin?"

She shrugs.

"I'll talk to whoever. I'm just sort of here, wallowing in my ignorance."

Inwardly she tags each face with its name and files them away with all the infallible organization endemic to one who's passed through the dizzying maze of terms and facts that is medical school.

"In fact...okay, I'll just ask. There's all these things that define vampires, right? There's the bloodlines, or the clans...which comes from who made you. Then there's these 'covenents,'" she makes her fingers into quote marks for that term, "which are more like social groups. Like-minded vampires collecting around organized ideas. I get that much, but are there any taboos about them? Like, you introduced yourself by name and clan...is that normal? Should I do that? And where do the covenants fit in? Are they supposed to be secret, or should that be on my Vampire ID Card too?"

She quickly adds, "I mean, I go over this stuff with my...you know, the one who made me...with him too. I'm just wanting some outside opinions. He keeps to himself a lot."

Adrian is hard pressed to not pull out his note pad and start writing all this stuff down, his not-the-sharpest-tack-in-the-box intellect is so over-stuffed with new information. For a second he almosts asks Antoine if he knows his Girlfriend is planning to beat the crap out of other vampires to gain favor. Somehow, he manages to contain himself.



In mock seriousness, Adrian replies,
"We have a gag reflex? Seriously, with the three of us here, what's the worse that can happen to us?"

Quietly, his fear answers, Terrible things and not just tonight.



Adrian's poor lower lip is having a rough night of it.
"Letting people know my clan isn't a big deal in this city, so I suppose, because the Prince is in it. I think the Harpy knows because she works for the Prince and needs to know such things. Plus, your Pricus probably knows ... or should know - the Sheriff, Keeper of Elysiums, and Regents of course. So that's six vampires minimum who know your clan."

"Covenant is tougher. Were I come from, there's nothing wrong with my covenant, but things could be different here. I wasn't told that it was outlawed, so I'm guessing its okay, but without revealing what it is, how am I going to find someone to help me further my advancement?"

Adrian looks frustrated.

"Maybe Ro ... Sir Robin knows."
Its worth a shot anyway. Inwardly, Adrian sighs becuase he really shouldn't be the one doing this. He is so uncomfortable in social situations, despite his sire's tutelage.
He turns and clears his throat.

"Sir Robin", he calls out in an unschooled voice, trying hard to be calm. "Could we have your input on a matter of Vampire etiquette?"

Robin looks up as she's called out for and makes her way over to the small know of Kindred. The tickling in her mind has returned and she keeps glancing at the statuesque black man in the group; but etiquette schooled her to respond to the man who had addressed her with a shallow bow.

She smiled, her Beast restful enough since her last torpor to be undaunting to younger Kindred, "A matter of etiquette? The first would be to learn the habit of referring to yourself and the rest of us as Kindred. It may get you odd stares if you are careless in mortal company, but is less likely to cause a breach of the Masquerade and the unfortunate events that always follow." The response was not a rebuke, but a friendly initial piece of advice.

Upon closer inspection her clothes revealed themselves as part costume and part modern interpretation of medieval styles; akin to what one would see in a particularly well-funded play or SCA event. The sword belted to her hip was the exception, looking not only purely authentic but probably functional as well. She laced her hands behind her back, "How else may I help?"

As Robin approached Antoine thought he heard an odd buzzing. Something half audible and half felt he couldn't place the sensation. Looking over the woman he repressed a chuckle, she looked like she belonged on the stage tossing out "thou"s and other such archaic speech. Antoine noticed that she kept looking up at him. Thinking it nothing more than the appeal of his good looks he put it behind him. Fooling around with mortal woman was one thing but he really had little intrest in seeing just what course Ashe's jealousy might take should he take comfort with another Kindred.

'Oh boy. I just keep getting schooled tonight. Were the hell is Bernard?'



Adrian clears his throat once more.
"When we meet unknown ... Kindred we, ummm ... don't know, how are we to address them? Do we name our Clan? Our Covenant? Neither? Both? And what is it polite to ask about in turn?"

From the corner of her eyes Ashe saw how Antoine got swarmed by several kindred. It didn't matter to her that the majority were women the beast within stirred no matter who got close to him. She surpressed growl and felt how her claws slowly extended a few inch before she managed to calm herself again.

The Harpy had sent her on an errant and she was eager to prove herself. The Priscus was still involved in conversation so she opted to join the quarry around Antoine. It would certainly help to hear how the other kindred thought of Sam.

Curtseying in respectful distance Ashe introduced herself bowing to Sir Robin whom she considered the highest ranking present, then she continued bowing to Angelina, Antoine and last Adrian.

"Please excuse my late introduction, I had important matters to tend to with the Harpy. My name is Ashe, Gangrel of the Ordo Dracul."

(ooc: as a side note, Striking Looks Merit(4)- picture in the PCs of note section. She is wearing that dress right now)

William
He nodded, sort of. This was obviously the best he was going to get from this idiot. Worst case scenario would be that he has to stake him later. Or unstake him, if Pietro got to him first. "Ok, Sam. Sounds like a plan. You go on back inside, I've got a few calls to make."

Robin smiled and nodded to the new arrival, "Sir Robin D'Alsace, Daeva of the Invictus." To the others she replied, "That sort introduction is the basic at gatherings like these, usually. Name, clan, and covenant; all the pertinent information for basic interactions. If the even is informal..," she paused and searched for a word while Karol looked around at the other Kindred, sticking close to her regnant and protector. "Casual, if the event is casual, then perhaps only your name. We're this to be a formal introduction, I would have introduced myself as Le Chevalier Noblesse Sir Robin D'Alsace, Speaker, Au Pair, Master of the Fair Blades of Blades, daughter of the First Estate and of Clan Daeva."

She chuckled, "But as you might imagine, in the nights of this past century or so those not of the Invictus rarely desire so formal an occasion to spend half the night listening to the recitation of titles, covenants, and clans." The words were touched with just a hint of sad nostalgia. She motioned to Ashe, "My apologies if I seemed to ramble on. I was asked a matter of etiquette before your approach."

Adrian waited to respond until Robin answered his question. This was as good a time as any. Not surprisingly, his acknowledged last. He was used to it. He was only a tad bit jealous of her, to be honest. Being so good looking certainly made hunting that much easier.



"Thank you for your assistance, Sir Robin," Adrian responded. He didn't know what to make of the titles and was curious what kind of weight they carried. Only vaguely did he understand what the First Estate was, and he doubted he was a part of it.

"I'm Adrian Moss, Mekhet of the Ordo Dracul."

Antoine noted Ashe's arrival with a smile, he noted her appearance with a momentary leering look that only she caught.

As the noble introduced herself Antoine could barely control a series of quips befor they left his lips. An old stuffy type and a member of the Invictus. How very unsuprising. He noted that she was a Daeva as well, and wondered if the odd buzzing was a case of simply meeting an elder of his clan. Clearly this woman had been around the block a time or five.



Interesting, looks like I may be seeing more of this one. Antione stepped back an bowed as well, despite his dislike of older vampires that held to their old ways from life and his dislike specifically of the invictus he would not be impolite.

"Antoine LaSalle of the Ordo Dracul," he said as he took Robin's hand and laid a kiss upon it. "Daeva as well ..." he finished quietly.

Angie shrugs amiably and adds, "Angelina Rosetti. Mekhet. Ordo Dracul too."

She grins. "So much for the secret society. It's more like a convention in here."

Antoine nods, "I had seen you before but as we had never interacted I was unsure if you were part of the order or n