View source for Logs:Word of Ward

PCs: [[Xenofon]], [[Grant]], [[Andy]], [[Greenthumbs]], Luz, [[Antanas]], Zane, Tova

NPCs: [[Danielle Washington]], [[Aibreann MacGabhann]], [[Zelle]]

== The Assembly ==
The raven came back and delivered another scrap of paper, giving the time and date, and the address.  Here, Aibreann awaits in the dark, with Zelle and Danielle, and (probably) that very same raven.  He's sitting fat and sassy and feathery on the fence that wraps the property, watching the door and giving a little gronk-gronk whenever someone that he gave his cute little letter to shows up.  A fire has ben set in a barrel in the middle of the cavernous space, providing foul-smelling light.  A couple of stolen lamps hooked up to a hefty battery give the warehouse a touch more clarity, but their bulbs are weak, just enough to afford those without the gift of glowing gangrel eyes something to work with.

Xenofon is there, somehow, in his black trenchcoat and iconic iron mask. Just standing, still and silent.

"You know I'm all for shunning the Camarilla's sexless, joyless Salon aesthetic, but would it kill us, just once, to deck outselves out in some Catholic hypocrisy and meet in a place with couches that doesn't smell like a grease trap at a Six Flags burger stall *took a shit*?"  Andy says, as he arrives.  "Just consider that a slip put in the hat.  'Esbat that doesn't fucking smell.'"  Andy sticks his hands in his pockets.  He's wearing a black suit tonight, and black sunglasses.  He manages to convey the impression that under that expensive suit, he's completely naked.

Grant arrives on foot, silent, looking rather neutral.  He lacks the on-edge hostility that he so often carries himself with. His usually meticulous hair falls more tousled and casual, but his manner remains respectful and silent.  His light eyes take stock of the bird acting as a headcount chime and he moves into the space.   "There is a missing individual," he tells Andy, and when he speaks it's with a hint of an accent of the Estuary variety.   Like Gordon WHERE'S THE LAMB SAUCE Ramsay.  "I don't think there's going to be a lot of pomp when we're finding out what happened."

There's a lot of faces that make the trek to this place. The raven, perhaps, knew who to find and how because a raven is a raven, not a man, and Obfuscate may or may not work so well. But it matters not. In the shadows outside slinks a CREATURE, with limbs long, fingers long, moving on all fours and two legs, its teeth clack-clack menacingly from the dark...then it's in the rafters. Poised and posed on high, crouched, it's something that can be described as a 'goblin'. Gangrenous Greenthumbs Gregory the Gruesome Gloryhound. Or something. With large red eyes peering down and giving a shake of his head, those dreads (or kelp, whichever) rattle this way and that. "Heeee." When others come, Greenthumbs is joyous, jubilant, even. Giving a wave of a webbed, monstrous hand at each face. "Faaaaaamily." The voice is deep, thrumming, as the throat expands with a 'croak'.

Zane arrives with Antanas and Luz just a bit before the meeting time provided on the invite. Tonight, like most nights he's dressed in a gray wool-blend overcoat that is worn open over a white collared, button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone and the shirt untucked. A black leather belt holds up a pair of gray pants. On his feet, he wears a pair of black high-top sneakers and he walks with cane. A nod of the head is given to Andy, Greg and Grant before another nod is offered to the trio hosting the event. "Good to see you all again."

Discretion seems the best policy. Shrouding herself in obfuscate for the last leg of the journey, Tova makes her own arrival, revealing herself as she steps across the threshold and into the old warehouse. Her sensitive nose crinkles up, taking in the rank stink of layered decay. 

Clad in thick athletic pants, and a sleek, snug fitting tank, both in charcoal grey, and her fancy running shoes, she makes her way towards the gathering, the piece of paper that was her invite held in a loosely fisted left hand. Tonight, she's completely shaven her head down into a high and tight buzz cut that eliminates a handhold. Her approach is cautious, but lacks the hesitation of someone overtly afraid.

That Luz arrives with two packmates makes it clear that he's not just some random hobo that shuffled in - if his unsettling aura, unblinking eyes, and unnatural chill didn't already mark him as a Cainite of some stripe, anyway. He looks over the room, his gaze fixing on the raven briefly, skimming over the others already there - Andy gets a nod - before coming to rest on Greenie. Who gets quite blatantly studied.

"If only we came together in different circumstances."  Danielle speaks, as those invited start to file in.  As Tova walks in, the woman's eye is drawn. But the raven's little positive gronk-gronk call seems to be all the litmus test she needs for now, as she continues.   

Mama is a woman in her thirties, dressed in practical and plain streetclothes. The cold undertones of undeath dust her richly dark skin, giving her heart-shaped lips an almost purple-blue blush. Hers is a face that smiles generously thanks to those full, prominent cheeks, but those smiles are rare. Her upturned nose is blunt, but petite and feminine. Her naturally soft, cloudy hair is protected in a practical set of corn rows that cord into a bun at the nape of her neck. "I would like the Ducti to step forward and tell me they have done what I have asked of them.  Who is with whom?"

== Announcements of Packs ==

Andy looks over at Zane, and then he heaves a massive sigh.  "By all means, *after you*."  He gestures, with one hand out.

The presence of unknown entities has stirred Xenofon into some form of action. He turns silently and points at Tova and says, "Is this one Sabbat?"

Antanas arrives with Luz and Zane.  His expression is incredibly neutral. Deliberately so. It's classic Resting Slav Face.  When Tova's identity is questioned he pauses and looks at her.  He double blinks.  Looks to the man (Luz) in his company. Looks back at Tova.

At first Danielle's eyes are sharp on Xenofon, but then she looks back to Tova as she hears the nature of the question.   "Bhusunda."  Gezundheit.  The bird hears its name and spreads its wings, dipping from its perch to go find Danielle.

"Your hair looks nice." Andy says, to Grant.  "...He's gonna throw a fit, later."  He shrugs his shoulders, as if this is expected, and accepted. "Are you two still leaving each other hate notes in your room?"

Zane lifts his cane and taps the silver skull topped handle lightly against his brow in salute to Andy. Lowering that cane he leans lightly on it and then looks to Luz and Antanas and motions to the pair then himself. "We three have formed together to make a pack. I know I was ordained as priest, but in this newly formed pack it seems more fitting for Luz to take this role on and I its Ductus." Pausing he looks to Danielle, then smiles to add, "But we come as a pack."

When Mama asks if the priests did what they were told, Luz finally stops studying Greenthumbs like he was a particularly interesting science experiment. He lets Zane answer, then turns his attention to Tova - who gets regarded like a much less interesting science experiment, his gaze cool and detached.

Greggles. The monstrous thing up high stares across the faces, those long, long whiskers attached to his face wriggling and shifting; rising and falling to touch things, or just poke the air at times. Luz is stared back at but Mama speaks and then Xeno... "Heeee." Amusement. The monstrous goblin-thing shifts, rolling on the beam until it hangs upside down - clutching with all fours to the beam, kelpy hair hanging down, and Greenthumbs shimmies closer. "Nnnnooooooo, that's not a REAL vampire." A click of the tongue towards Xeno, "Not like Ussss." The hiss, chattering teeth, before the head turns slowly to look at Mama. "Yet." The large fangs chomp-chomp-chomp at the air then, large eyes turning to regard Tova with an upside-down smiiiile.

Grant's eyes flit over to the newbie.  He takes a step back to give himself a better view, looking Tova over.  "Thank you," he tells Andy as a quiet aside, but he doesn't answer the questions.  As Greggles calls Tova out, his attention funnels in on her.  "Who are you?"

"No." The answer simple and to the point as to her loyalties, attention drawn upwards the to where Greenthumbs is resting, brows furrowing slightly before she focuses back on the task at hand. "I'm Tova. I have information that might be of interest to you, if you are willing to hear it." She says, setting her to a relaxed-but-ready posture as she lifts her left hand, the one with the paper that has the directions for arriving here, displaying the invitation.

Silently Xenofon taps a single desiccated finger on the bridge of the nose of the black iron mask adorning his face. His reply is a question. "Will you drink with us?"

Danielle lifts a quieting hand to Zane to ask that he go no further.   She reaches up to her raven to draw a finger down along its dark beak. "Bhusunda, who do you bring to me?"  She gestures towards Tova.  A click and gronk from the raven's throat accompanies a ruffle of neck feathers.  "You did not bring the man?"  Bhusunda ruffles again and as Greggles shimmies over like an un-necssarily large spider the bird calls out once more, a slightly louder 'caw' that almost sounds like protest.   Danielle, Aibreann and Zelle are looking at Tova as well. 

Aibreann is as ugly as ever. She looks like  a burn victim with a bear trap of needle teeth, she drips water and mucous onto the cold concrete.  Zelle is a Hispanic man in his thirties with a buzz-cut faux hawk, and a lot of intricate tattoo work along his arms and around his neck, creeping up through his skull.   The two flank Danielle, who ... Laughs.  She double-blinks, tilting her head, watching Tova with surprise and amusement and maybe a side of contempt.  "I am interested to hear it if you drink."

Andy giggles. "Man, what poo-flavored lollypop did YOU get handed, being told to bring a message here?"  He giggles, once again, his hand over his mouth.  But then he   tilts his head.  And he looks up at the Archbishop, and back again - and then he says - "Hold on.  We don't fuck with messengers.  Otherwise nothing would ever get fucking *done*."  He looks over at Tova.  "I bid you welcome.  Come freely, go safely, and leave something of the happiness you bring.  Now that the old form's out of the way - you probably need to be a little freer with who you are, because our mental arithmetic tends not to be that new Pearson bullshit.  Time's tickin'."

Luz watches silently, his attention moving between those who speak, though it always gravitates back towards Tova - who's now regarded more carefully - or Greenthumbs or Aibreann, both of whom seem to be fascinating to the man. At least in a detached sort of way. Greenie's whiskers appear to be of particular interest to him.

== Word of Hunters ==
"I bring word of Hunters, what might be the fragmented remains of what was Ward's pack. And a breach caused by a suspected packmate." Tova takes an uneeded breath, posture holding steady at ready to move, but not yielding or shrinking from the task she's set herself to. "It is... in the best interests of everyone in the city if I maintain my status as an Anarch. I am a childe of Clan Gangrel. I need to be able to move freely to try and remove these indescretions from the public record." Picking her words with obvious care.

Xenofon has an artificial poker face, and his body language is fairly unchanged. He tilts his head to the right slightly and says, "Her Excellency said that you can verify the voracity of your information by drinking with us. Do you have difficulty understanding these words?"

Frost appears in the lamplight, belly on the ground, chin propped up in his hands, and legs kicking to and fro like a teenage girl on the phone with her dreamboat. "Everyone's best interest. Is that right?" He smiles. He's always smiling.

Zane listens, tapping his cane lightly as he looks from Tova back to the assembled group. Pursing his lips a bit in thought he looks to Andy then nods replying quietly, "Well. She comes with a message, not as a messenger." A wider grin splits his features as he looks to his packmates then back to Tova, then Xenofon and the Archbishop last. Thoughtful it seems he looks back to Tova to study her reaction to the turn of events.

"Who do you represent?" Antanas asks, breaking his silence from his post near to Luz.

Grant. Andy. Xeno. They all get a click-of-tongue from the noisy monster over there, hanging, and he grins his grin while whiskers twitch. Wearing nothing. Fins and whatnot twitching every now and again. Slowly though, Greenthumbs is moving on all fours, creeping, and as he enters into the light of the burning barrel one can see...things...growing off of him. Out of him. Brilliantly colored things. Some of it like moss, others like little mushrooms, but still more just looks like either bad tumors or - cordyceps trying to sprout from odd areas of his body. "She will drink with Usss." Teeth clacking together, and the head turns to Mama while Greenthumbs moves to sit behind Tova. Feet and hands planted down on the concrete floor like some beast, or gargoyle. "I'm sure of it." Then the head tilts sideways, glancing over Tova, over the others, and then tilts some more until cheek presses nearly to shoulder. Then the eyes tilt to Andy, tongue clicking at the pretty man.

Luz fixes his gaze entirely on Tova, leaving Greenie and his oh-so-fascinating barbels behind for the moment. "And why is it in everyone's best interests for us to let you see us all, speak with us, and then leave to do as you please." The accent is a bit incongruous, maybe - Asian man, Spanish sounding accent - and the tone is cold and unfeeling.

"Ward."  Danielle repeats the name as if that puts things in a new light.   She spreads her hands once, palms overturning, as if her generosity were a thing she could put on display and hold out for the Gangrel to see.  "So you come representing Gonzalo Lopez.  Tell me more, and do no more, and I will let his cub walk home tonight. Bhusunda."  She looks to the bird. "Make me happy."  The bird's attention turns over to Tova again, head tilting, then flies off, towards and out one of the broken windows.  Aibreann takes a step or two back from Danielle, away from the poor lighting, towards the shadows.

Antanas's eyes travel up and down Tova for a moment longer.  He doesn't speak, but he's got his own thoughts going on behind that resting Slav face.

Tova is distracted by the finned monstrosity, slowly turning in a circle to face him, briefly, then turn her back to him - unafraid of his presence at her back, so close. Facing the others, she takes a half step back and to the side, seemingly away from Greenthumb's... until she absently reaches to play with one of the longer whiskers of his pseudo moustache. 

"I come on my own. Out of concern that Ward was routed from his last city by Hunters. Out of concern that tending to matters of the Sabbat, and your people, is best left to the Sabbat. Out of concern for bodies left in dumpsters, drained of blood, and that there is clear video footage of what seems to be a woman feeding from a stab wound on a murder victim on the campus. Your laws are not my laws are not Camarilla laws. But I don't think anyone wants Hunters to come in and fuck everyone up the ass."

Pulling her hand away from the whiskers, she rubs her slimy fingers together, then absently wipes them on the side of her leg. Yuck.

Frost stops kicking his feet. Fun. Over. Ah well. Maybe the afterparty holds promise. At least there are some interesting creases to inspect on the Nossie's back.

Pressing his palms together almost as though he were in prayer, Xenofon says, "We have no reason to trust the veracity of your claims. You do not drink. You are merely a pawn in the Antediluvians game."

Andy looks like he's about to say something, and then the Archbishop speaks up, and he actually shuts his mouth with a click - for the moment.  Then, when all is said and done he mutters, "I don't care about dead kine.  But I do care about hunting sites getting shut down.  We're not like you, starving while your Barons feast - for the good of the revolution.  We have the *right* to good hunting and if someone's carelessness is depriving us of that right, then we should investigate and act."  He crosses his arms.  "Next time you're looking for some salt to put on your Mommie Dearest-"  That's a dead rat lovingly presented, "While your Baron's got fresh blood on his lips... come see us."

"You come representing your/self/." Danielle repeats the statement, and with it comes a small scoff.  She shakes her head.  "Child, I asked you for your message. Is that you are concerned your message? Tell me what you came here to tell me and leave, or just leave." As Danielle says this, Aibreann disappears into the dark.

OooOoOOOoOoh! She touched Wee Baby Greggles! The very touch causes whiskers to wrap around digits. Curling like vines. It illicits a shudder from Greenthumbs who now comes closer behind Tova, oh yes, daring to sit riiiiiiight behind her and grinning that wide, wide tiger fish grin - while the whiskers reach to poke, and prod, and invade Tova's personal space while she has a conversation -- because she's not a real vampire. Not even on the same level. As far as Greenthumbs is concerned, she's like one of his many, many fungi. Probably. Head whipping to the side to peer at Andy, "Loooook! She touches meeee! Heee." There's a look to Xenofon, and Greenthumbs clicks his teeth together after Mama speaks. Listening to Danielle, and the others, before giving a nudge to Tova's backside. "So, when Big Sister bites your legs off, I was thinking - can I have your torso? I mean, you won't be using it. But your tits look pretty decent. I could maybe, you know, use them...for something." Then a smile, almost too wide for his face, as whiskers keep invading Tova's personal space. "You're not even a vampire. You're just...a wanderer." The smile grows wider, threatening to break the Nosferatu's face.

"Ward was chased from his last home by Hunters that broke his pack up. There's reason to think two Nosferatu, George Otsuka and Gabbi Ramirez have fled to San Francisco. I think the woman that was stabbed to death on campus may have been fed on by Gabbi. As well I'm working on getting into the vital records system to alter the cause of death on a drained body that was found in a dumpster. I'm not sure, yet, if the two corpses are related or not, in terms of who killed who. But I do know that leaving dead bodies in dumpsters with Hunters looking for Ward or George or Gabbi is a problem. That's the message. There's just.. a lot of shit going on that might keep Hunters around, if they come sniffing after Ward." Tova says, frowning faintly and looking back at the finned Greenie, yielding to the distraction of his prehensile face danglies, making a face at him. "Ew." Still.. not afraid of him, brows furrowed as she thinks - studying the murloc as she asks. "What does drinking entail?"

Frost chimes in from the floor. "Your juice. Our juice. Together forever."

As the others talk, Xenofon listens, standing like some statue of a long forgotten religion, his fingers steepled in a faux prayer. "You will renounce the Antediluvians, the Blood Bond, and the shackles of the Anarch Movement and their Camarilla masters. You will drink with us and become truly a free Cainite. Perhaps if it is to Her Excellency's liking, you may join with our pack. You already seem to have a liking for Gregory."

Luz just stands and watches. Doesn't blink, doesn't move, doesn't fidget. All the little signs of life, the hundred tiny things humans do without thinking about them or meaning to, he doesn't do any of them. He just stands, still, and watches. And listens. Creeper.

"If he hasn't presented himself, that means one thing - he committed some sort of crime that's bad enough that he doesn't have the *nuts* to show his face to the rest of the Sword."  Andy puts his hand on his chin, and holds up his hand.  "While I appreciate how fuckin' amazing you ALL know it is being one of us, brothers and sisters - and how much I HATE party pooping, sequence and order, timing and *stress*."  

"...It's like you said, she's not one of us.  The Vaulderie is only for those who've been re-created.  *Sabbats only*.  Otherwise you'd have a bunch of-"  He looks over at Tova, and then says, "...Well, Anarchs, fucking around with the rite and debasing it.  No offense pumpkin, you're not good enough yet."

"It is not good enough to /add/ its blood to the cup," Grant says.   "But it needs to commit to a side of the fence."

Xenofon nods, "Of course, we would have to put this one through Creation rites first. But the information should not be trusted without it."

== The Newest Pledge ==
"She can drink without adding her own blood." It's Luz, turning his unblinking gaze on Andy. Who at least doesn't get studied like a particularly interesting beetle that's just been speared with a pin.

Andy pivots on his heel.  "*Technically* yes.  But *I* ommitted that fact in order to get my way, because I don't like that!"  He rolls his eyes.  "*Duh*."

Whiskers sliiiiide, invade, and poke and prod. Breasts, navel, hair, ears. Oh yeah, one of them is def going to prod into Tova's ear canal -- and Greenthumbs is closer, standing now, behind the Gangrel and still grinning, hunched over with hands twitching. Kelp-like hair hanging down towards his toes, when Xenofon mentions joining Pack? Joining FAMILY? The Nosferatu's smile clicks at Tova. All the answers. "She liiiiikes me." It's said over at Andy, echoing Xeno's observations, then those large eyes peek at Tova. "No more hiiiiiding." The word is croaked out, growled out, and then there is a violent shove to her back; to send the small Gangrel directly at Mama. "Mama can teach you how to grow into your claaaaaws, little beast." The eyes tilt up to Mama then, as Greenthumbs falls back down to the 'squating goblin' pose. "She will be our dog, to find Ward, and prove herself. Or we eat her. Yes?" The look travels around to Xenofon, then Andy, and Grant, then back to Mama.

Danielle watches on, and as Tova speaks, Zelle steps aside towards the burning barrel.  From his jacket he pulls his ritual knife, and he holds the sharp blade over the fire, passing it slowly through.   He walks towards the battery powering the lights, atop of which is his bag.  Danielle raises her hand.  "No.  The man is right.  You either are or are not a Cainite.   You either do or you do not deserve the gift of conquering the blood bond, the privilege of solidarity among those who have also /earned/ it.  I will not cheapen the Ritus with the dance of technicalities.  Tova.  You are on cracking ice."  Her tone is cold, commanding, and brokers no argument. "When I see you again, if it is not with either Ward or the others you have supposedly discovered, then I will be the last vampire you see."

Tova jerks her head away from the nose and ear invasion - those are far worse than letting Greg go spelunking for belly button lint. Distracting enough that it takes a moment to realize what Andy was saying. A snort of laughter is cut short by the hard shove that sends her stumbling forward, towards Mama.

She's nimble, light on her feet, recovering quickly with the next step, after the stumbling, and taking half of one back, body tense. "Ward is probably dead. I'd guess Winder ashed him a while ago. Probably." Throwing in that ass-covering wiggle room in case she's wrong about the outcome. Eyes track the heated blade and she turns her head slightly, listening intently for any signs of others moving. "I don't know what would make me deserving."

Andy shrugs, "My job is to counsel you and administer Ritae.  I can't do fuck-all about her, she's not mine."  He looks back and forth, and then lets out a sigh.  "...Here's the thing, honey.  Till Xenophon here's snorting the ashes out of the bag and confirming it, I don't believe *anyone* is dead."  He looks over at Greenthumbs.  "These Nosferatu.  Can you find them?"

Frost jerks his face up from the floor where he had been trying to stick his tongue to the floor. Too gooey here."It takes more than a hot streak at pool, Tova. Maybe I'll devise a test."

Danielle wasn't kidding, it seems.  Tova gets her answer as to what would make her worthy, just not directly.  "I /said/, either Ward or the others you have supposedly discovered.  Bring them to any of these Cainites here.  Call for Bhusuda when you need to drop a line.  If someone else decides to sponsor you, you will know." Her fingernails start to grow long, betraying the claws that aren't fucking around.  Now get the fuck out before I have several Cainites take you out in individual pieces."

Zane simply nods his head, looking from Danielle back to Tova and then offering her a wave. "It sounds like you have a chance to prove your worth. I wouldn't squander the opportunity."

Grant's own hand heads for his jacket.  There's a blade that he's getting.

Wellp.  Antanas /is/ an instrument of his Archbishop's will, after all.  And so out comes the blade, amidst all this flexin', to have at the ready.

"God, it gets me *hot* when you pull that old Rebel-sticker."  Andy says, before he looks over at Tova.  "This is when you say 'yes ma'am' and skedaddle, ho - these guys have already been a model of restraint tonight, and I'm honestly pretty fucking astonished."  His eyes have turned black, and look uncannily like a shark's eyes.  "But don't worry!  We'll be seein' you real soon."  He beams, wide.  He's still pretty, even with the fangs.

Frost looks around and slowly picks up on the hint. Somewhere in that horrible trenchcoat is a sword, but lying on the ground isn't a great way to reach it OR look menacing. Frost manages, eventually.

Looming ominously, Xenofon adds in, "It has been ages since I have studied a total dismemberment."

Luz doesn't pull a weapon, but his gaze sharpens and turns more menacing. He's gone straight from creepy hobo to probable murder hobo.

Everyone's talking and ordering and growling and really, Tova's gonna get ate in a way that isn't fun (for her) but during the ruckus? Someone wanted some Nosferatu found...and that made one Nosferatu giggle and start to crawl backwards on the floor, fading into the blackness of nearby shadows. Probably to go look for some Nosferatu -- or follow Tova home and bite off her legs. Or go eat a raccoon.

Knives, a sword, claws. It takes an effort not to respond in kind, the neonate bristling up and setting her feet as the urge for the fight rises before she stomps it down, rolling her shoulders to force some of the tension out of herself. Inclining her head towards Mama, she takes a couple of steps back, then turns and starts for the way out - doing her best to leave with the same dignity and limbs she arrived with, message delivered, after a fashion and feet set on a quest she was already chasing.

"You were not dismissed," Danielle growls at Greenthumbs, her voice still iced.  As Tova leaves, she watches after.  Her attention returns to Zane. "Brother Zane.  You were saying to me you have brought together these two and wish to have someone else ordained.  Is this correct?"

On the way out, Andy serenades the retreating Gangrel with some of Gwar's 'Metal Metal Land', not bad, if offset by the lack of noisy guitars or cascading spurts of blood and (hopefully) fake jizz.

"Bullet belts and denim jackets / Crystal meth in tiny packets / Witches, warlocks, demon seed! / Booze and cooze and weed and speed~"

Antanas keeps his knife on hand.  As Andy starts singing, it seems he may be considering a new way to use it.

Grant also keeps his knife on hand.  He passes it from one hand to the next.  Once Tova has left, he puts it up.

The growl from Mama causes Greenthumbs to quite literally freeze in place -- though still crouched low on the ground. The eyes look from Mama, to the fleeing Anarch, licking at his maw hungrily like some hungry-yet-salivating beast watching a T-Bone just get up and fuck off.

"You are barely on key, Andy," Luz remarks, some of his menace draining away as Tova leaves. As much as it can, anyway. He's still an unnaturally cold vampire on a Path, after all, who never goddamn blinks.

Zane chuckles softly, watching Tova leave before looking back to the rest of the group and then finally back to Danielle. Nothing more is said though as he instead waits to see how things will proceed now that the Anarch has left. Most of his weight rests lightly on the skull head handle of his cane, the stained wooden shaft carved with intricate carvings.

Danielle resumes the Gathering.  Aibreann, notably, is missing still.  Her eyes are on Zane.  She repeats herself.  "Brother Zane.  You were saying to me you have brought together these two and wish to have someone else ordained.  Is this correct?"

Xenofon returns his hands to his sides and resumes his impression of a statue.

Grant tilts his head Andy's way to make a small, quiet comment.  "We're up next.  Are we all here? -We're- all here."

Zane nods to Danielle, motioning to Luz and Antanas. "That is correct. Luz has the skill and ability to be our pack priest. With the position filled it would allow for me to take on the role of Ductus of the pack. That is if you'd wish to ordain Luz for the position in my stead."

"It's GWAR.  I'm *supposed* to be off Key.  Key is someplace else.  But you'd love it, they feed people to a giant maggot, stuff them into a giant meat grinder - true, they're just humans in suits putting on a show, but it's just... such art, you know?  It's fun.  They spray the kine down with gallons of fake jism and blood, it's like a little Festivo party."  Andy shrugs, and looks back to the others.  "Are you still a Metamorphosist, Luz?  Wasting the gifts of Caine sitting in a basement putting nipples on, taking nipples off, a vulva here, and a vulva there, here a vulva, there a vulva, everywhere a vulva-vulva...  Or am I forgetting from all the drugs I was on in Miami?  If yes, I regret nothing.  You can't get good Miami cocaine over here.  It's all cut with powdered sugar because the hipsters can't handle their nose candy."  He flicks his gaze back over to Grant. "I think so.  We good to go, everyone?"  He's actually keeping his voice down a bit, so as not to interrupt Zane and his pack, who're doing important stuff.

Frost waggles his eyebrows at Andy and decides it's time to get off the floor. No point in dusting himself off. It all adds up.

"Luz."  Danielle's eyes shift to look for her, but then find him, instead.  Her eyes move up and down the Tzimisce's form.  "I recognize your reputation, I recall you from Sabbat in Miami.  Zane's trust in your skill is not unfounded.  I see no harm in this."  Her hand indicates Zane. "Lord Zane."  Then to Luz: "Reverend Luz."   And that is that.   Her eyes move over to Andy who, while he hasn't been speaking loudly, he has been speaking.  "And Chatty Cathy.  What is -your- pack? Who are you bringing to me?"

Luz turns his unblinking stare on Andy. "I would say the same about you, that you have the ability to be so much more, and instead choose to spend your time partying." The words are matter of fact: Luz might not agree with Andy's Path, but he's clearly not too fussed about it, either. He turns his attention on Danielle and nods exactly once: up, down. "Thank you, your Excellency."

"You can get some decent coke out here," Antanas mentions as an aside, as he puts up his knife.  A tiny little click from the blade recoiling into its handle, and he tucks it quietly away.

== The New Packs ==
Andy looks up, and brushes himself off.  "Well *Your Eminence*,"  He says, because he's Uppity and he has to put some acid on it when he ought to know better, "We are the Wages of Sin-" He gestures the others forward - "Dedicated to violating and tearing down every moral precept and ethical precept, statute, law and code the rotten world of the Kine has to offer in pursuit of self-exaltation as Cainites and Sabbat, in whatever way we see fit."  He pauses, and looks behind him at the others.  "Who did we decide was ductus again?  I've been feeding my vessels a *lot* of cocaine lately guys, I cannot lie to you.  Anyway, the guy with the cute butt is Jackson, he and the other guys co-habitating in his head are our ducti, I think?  The badass in the iron mask is Xenophon, he's our corpse-get-rid-of and make-more-corpses specialist, the Pigpen-looking motherfucker is Frost, who's studying the Ritae with me in hopes of becoming a priest himself, and Greg really ties together the Silent Hill vibe of our little family.  Oh, there's also Twitch, I think... wherever the fuck he is, probably tweaking out *somewhere*-"

Zane gives Danielle a polite bow of the head at the acceptance of Luz as priest. Smiling a bit he watches as his pack mate is ordained and then smiles to Antanas as well as things are settled for the new pack. Looking back he doesn't speak, instead staying silent as matters move on to Andy and his packmates.

Grant (Jackson) listens on and his expression vaguely sours when he's called out in the manner by which he gets, well, called out.  "Grant Kavanagh and Jackson DeCourtenay are the Ductus and I am Jackson DeCourtenay.  We are the ductus."  He looks to Frost, then to Zane and Luz and Antanas.  "Perhaps Tova will prove herself and you guys can have her.  Or maybe we'll thicken your numbers with Gary and Twitch."

Frost blows the two of Grant a kiss. He bets they still remember the knifeball incident.

"Yeah, our pack's getting a little top-heavy."  Andy admits, looking down, almost somewhat abashed.  "It's because we're so awesome."

"Gary is the Nosferatu?" Luz asks, and looks over to Greenie. Or where Greenie last was, if he's gone and vanished into the shadows. "I am interested in talking to him about his whiskers."

"No, that's Greg.  Gary is a Coyote who havens in a creeper van."  Andy muses.

== The Iron Shields ==

Danielle doesn't really make her reaction and skepticism for the idea of a Ductus with ... Two identities, a secret.  She just kinda looks at 'Jackson'.  Then she looks to Andy.  A pause, then she nods and accepts it, for now.  "I suppose I am to understand that knifeball must have cut your brain in half," she clips.  But then she takes a step back and spreads her arms.  "Brothers and sisters, we will soon celebrate our coming together to create these familial bonds as packs.   The next step will be for ourselves to better secure our communal haven in Folsom.  Now, it is true that Manuel Ward is missing. It is true that he runs with the Iron Shields.  Half a year ago in Richmond, Ward was part of a pack calling itself Visalia.  A cell of hunters took them down, and Ward was a survivor.  He moved onto the Iron Shields pack.  This is in Richmond, on the other side of the bay, within the outskirts of my jurisdiction.  We will need to verify this little breadcrumb from our friend Tova."

"Disappointing," Luz remarks quietly to Andy. "I'd still like to speak to your Nosferatu about his whiskers." And then he shuts up, because Mama's talking.

Andy says, out of the corner of his mouth, "It's actually a pretty nice van.  But I'm gonna shut up now or Mama's gonna send her bird to eat my eyes."

"George Otsuka, Gabbi Ramirez, Nosferatu both, man and woman. Allison Lewis and Leslie Diaz, a couple of Toreador.  Ward was the latest addition to the Iron Shields.  Perhaps this talk of hunters is mere fiction from the Anarchs, but it is wise not to rule it out, and to go forth carefully.  I don't thik that Ward would be clever enough to escape from a group of mortals but not clever enough to avoid capture at the hands of the Camarilla.  If you do find him, or the others, keep them in a location that you do not hold dear.  If we are dealing with hunters, it is perfectly possible they let them go to see where he would run."

Xenofon speaks from under his mask. "If it would please Her Excellency, I can perform a ritual of Necromancy to locate Ward before that failure of blood has even a chance to begin any such investigation. I would simply need a stone large enough to write Ward's name on it."

Danielle asks Xenofon with interest: "Can you do it with everyone in the Iron Shields?"

Andy glances up at Xenofon.  "Have you ever studied the effects of various kinds of narcotics on a Cainite?  You might find the experience interesting."

Antanas looks on in interest toward Xenofon.  He tilts his head Luz's way to comment, "Xenofon has offered to arrange a sentinel at the Church, of sorts.  A means of alerting us of tresspassers."

The Harbinger nods. "Yes. This is something I can do for each individual. I will need a stone to prepare for each of them. As Brother Antanas has mentioned, I am also willing to force the soul of a recently slain Kine to watch the church."

"If you want, and if you bring me the Kine stock and animals you want me to work with, I can make Szlachta and Hellhounds for you."  Andy says.

"I am also able to make fleshcrafted guardians for the communal haven," Luz says from where he stands.

"Xenofon, I will take you up on this gladly," Danielle says.  "Let's solve this mystery soon.  Any rock?"  She turns her attention towards the others. "Thank you for coming.  I am pleased that you have arranged yourselves in packs.  You will hear from Bhusuda soon."

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Sabbat]]
[[Category:Metaplot]]