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Post by Krakenbox on Oct 18, 2021 22:19:49 GMT -8
Though Henley and Yuan were sociable, neither would consider themselves socialites. Getting a hold of Ser Alexandrite wasn't hard, but they had to admit that they had absolutely no clue where they were, and because of that, asking was probably off the table. Both had received an invite inside a basic reply and summons by the Knight of Masks. Whether they owned the Hollow, or they had been extended some sort of exclusive membership to a Spring speakeasy for the evening was up in the air. The concentration of Mantle was dizzying, with other wards and spells in place where it felt like they were moving in a James Coleman painting, or the collective zeitgeist of the Romantic Era. Conversations outside their immediate area were muffled with glamours of pleasant smells and music, sea breeze and liquid light making movements airy and spacious. A clash of space and time where they were both in a Moroccan night club, and one of Marie Antoinette's bustling garden salons. They didn't recognize her at first, but the hardened Mask stood out in the stage of the strange. When she noticed them in the crowd, a hand was gestured as the Contract was dropped and her borrowed skin flashed to stardust across the Telluric's mien. The cutout of space then erupted into her Mantle, as atoms and light were pulled into sprouting minerals that flowered to a crystalline geode of vibrant and dizzying riches. Staring at it directly was a hypnotic kaleidoscope, splitting one's vision into swimming futures that played out all at once. The newly promoted Darkling changed voices and faces freely, often mistaken for a Mirrorskin to the uninitiated. But no, Alexandrite knew exactly what they were, and tonight she wore a white pantsuit and black choker across her throat. "Good evening! I don't think I've had anyone stress for a meeting in a while." Despite the lack of features, her voice as rich and she was a bit of hand-talker. "I would say I'm unfamiliar with both of you, but that would be lying. So we can skip introductions." |
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Oct 19, 2021 11:21:11 GMT -8
It was suffocating - the overload of colours, smells and Mantles. It made him want to sneeze. Every step was a voyage unto itself. Yuan had been apprehensive, what with the nature of the response. He had thrown together an outfit with the help of his best friend to make himself look presentable (and succeeding, to the exasperation of said friend), but next to Henley’s, it still looked homely. Hopefully, the Ogre’s very presence and the opulence he was exuding would be enough to prop the Playmate up. The rest, as it were, was up to his Arcadian-born charm.
“Good evening,” he responded with his pearly smile. “Thank you so much for having us.”
At the comment about introductions, Yuan’s mouth formed into a soundless ah before he nodded in acknowledgement. Twice now, an Officer hadn’t needed introductions. His posture was relaxed and he was turned slightly towards Henley, to include him in the conversation.
“Then I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. One I hope to correct, in due time.”
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Post by Henley on Oct 20, 2021 14:25:50 GMT -8
The place was a dizzy and strange place, uncomfortable but oddly familiar all at once. The Knight of Masks kept shit weird, it seemed, hosting the meeting in a place that would tend toward keeping people off balance. The Ogre was dressed in stunning finery, Georgio Armani meets the little old Italian man who tailored works of art out of a back alley laundromat. Simple. Black, save for a pastel red shirt and a paisley tie blending the dark and the light. Hedgespun it was not, but moneyed it certainly was, every bit of fabric perfectly pulled to highlight the best of his lanky form.
He flashed a smile.
"It's nice to be known. And to meet you."
The lanky Ogre gave a polite bow.
"Thanks for taking the meeting. How are you tonight?"
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Post by Krakenbox on Oct 21, 2021 17:41:08 GMT -8
Yuan gains the custom Condition Networker - the character finds themselves getting names and going places, as long as they steer social atmosphere. Gain +2 in Socialize rolls used for political maneuvering.
The Knight nodded for the Ogre to straighten, before shaking his hand. She then excitedly gestured for them to sit, clearly already in a good mood about meeting other courtiers.
"Not terrible. You are Nate Henley, yes?" He had been the one to request the visit, though Alex could guess such abrupt notice threw both of them off. "I do not meet many pilots, though I am sure it is a rewarding hobby. And Hua Yuan, I am glad to see you out of the Summer trenches." The Darkling rattled off Mandarin with a different accent and tone, almost like a different person from another angle.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Oct 22, 2021 21:19:08 GMT -8
The Playmate barely skipped a beat to shoot a glance at Nate. How much did the Knight know? He shielded half of his mouth with his hand, a cartoonish gesture given the circumstances, as if he was letting Alexandrite in on a secret. "Well, someone had to make sure that they made it out as well," he quipped back in his native tongue. He had decided to set surprise aside, because otherwise it looked like it would be a very long meeting.
Taking up the offer to sit, Yuan moved closer to the Noble. The board was heavily tilted against him - he hadn't the slightest idea of who the Knight before them was, what they liked, how he could make them happy. Sure, outwardly they seemed content, but the Beast's brush with Mitch had thought him that appearances could be deceiving.
He sat down, letting the person who actually initiated the encounter to speak, now that rapport had been established.
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Post by Henley on Oct 23, 2021 14:53:24 GMT -8
"I am," the Ogre replied. A tight smile crossed his face. "Rarely do I find myself known as a pilot first before a financier, but I suppose it fits, given recent events. The Blood God required her due, and we were all so inclined to be..." His teeth were close to clenched as he whispered the last word. "...obliging. I should hope I can enjoy my vehicle as a hobby going forward without further need to be close air support."
Henley seemed a little bitter about it all, like something had gone far past where he thought it would and he hadn't yet processed the passage of the line. He folded lanky fingers into the pockets of dress pants covering lanky legs.
"For my part, I do not meet many new Nobles. Congratulations. It is good to see our Court's strength grow through your efforts. How have you been settling into the office?"
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Post by Krakenbox on Nov 3, 2021 22:27:54 GMT -8
The Darkling's face shimmered hypnotically as her head tilted, "Thank you. There has been an eagerness since Her Grace opened the door for vassalage. We are a Court of change and many are looking for opportunities to make shifts in longstanding hierarchies, with no insult to the Mantle, of course." The cut-out of space that was her hand flicked dismissively, "Her Grace has lasted longer than our previous sovereigns, God rest their souls, and I aim to keep it that way as we have time to finally heal from the civil war."
There was a sort of assured pride that radiated from the Knight, where she was bold enough to state her intent of legacy, but self assured that nothing negative would dare come of it. Transparency from an individual who wore countless faces was a rare treat, but just as reliable for staying satisfied.
"The injury to our Blessing needs to be addressed as well, as it would seem Sir Chugunkin's realm is not that of occult matters, nor is Nimbus." Her tone didn't indicate insult to either, just signaling that she intended to make up for the void in research.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Nov 9, 2021 16:18:26 GMT -8
The Beast perked up when the Contracts got brought up, enough to let slip his careful and poised persona. Realizing what had happened, he tugged at the cuffs of his shirt nervously before returning to the conversation at had. The Wyrd provided a course of action, and Yuan sprang into action.
"A commendable?" He sounded like he was unsure if he had used the right word. "Goal, and something I've been looking into myself. Restoring the Contracts would be a great first act as Knight." He left the sentence hanging for a moment, trying to convey silently to Henley that this was the angle he was trying to play.
"Which brings me to why I wanted to meet with you. My mundane life is taking quite a lot of my free time because of circumstances I can't shake on my own - something money can't solve easily. Until those circumstances go away, there isn't much I can do for our Court. I was hoping you'd be able to help? Not for free, of course."
He had hoped to barter information, but given how much the Noble knew about them already, he was afraid that he didn't have much to offer after all.
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Post by Henley on Nov 14, 2021 18:45:04 GMT -8
Henley's long, thin fingers found his pockets as he listened, rocking gently back and forth on his heels as he heard about the eagerness of people to try something new. Chugunkin was a gangster. Nimbus was a... cloud boy. He could see why people would want someone who was interested in healing and change.
"I'm surprised the Archivist isn't all over it. It seems the sort of thing he'd want to solve, especially if the Knight of Coins felt like providing motivation." He shrugged. "My other blessings work fine, but a lack of healing means the Terrible are inevitably going to be expected to bleed. Color me inclined to assist with correcting that issue before the invasion demands that I exsanguinate myself half to death to keep soldiers standing. We can do better."
He glanced to Yuan, then back to the Knight.
"I'm considering my options, Alexandrite, but there is one thing I will give you because it's the right thing to do. I've got apartments I'm invested in that could use upkeep. Jobs for people who don't mind cleaning and odd jobs for honest cash while they find their feet. If any newcomers to you come with need, I'm happy to provide document-free jobs and a place to stay. No oaths, no traps. Call it... my way of helping with healing. People can't chase self-actualization without shelter."
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Post by Krakenbox on Nov 17, 2021 19:30:11 GMT -8
Alexadrite tilted her head at Yuan's request, "Well, I would certainly need more information before I agreed to play the role of a hitman for a vassalage." Her tone was pleasant enough but there was danger in her sparking crystals, with an intrusive thought of flashing teeth in a razor grin.
"The Archivist is representative to more than one aspect of Desire. Thrusting oneself into the madness of The Pantheon's blood pacts would require appropriate compensation that goes beyond scientific curiosity."
Her hands laced together as the Knight rocked back into her chair, "Thank you for this gesture. I shall send them your way." It was a profit, sure, to have Lost occupy your rentals. Except he was opting to lend his space to chaotic beings over the mundane; for the sake of the community.
"...I wish to restore Spring's virtue as well, but tread carefully with how this would change you. A Season of change can mean a lot of things."
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Nov 17, 2021 20:05:22 GMT -8
Shock.
Hitman? No, never. If anything, the Playmate had proven himself more than capable of taking a life at Autumn’s coronation.
“Triad. Wah Ching to be more precise. They arranged my- immigration. Now, it would seem I’m eternally in debt. Quite literally..”
“If vassalage isn’t enough, I’m willing to commit information as well. I don’t have money, or strength, but I know people. They tell me things.”
Dandelion seeds faltered in the air as Yuan’s smile fell. “I just want to be my own person again.”
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Post by Henley on Nov 19, 2021 14:41:34 GMT -8
Henley gave a tight nod, slipping his hands into his pockets casually as he loomed over the pair, reed-thin but ever the Ogre.
"I don't think murder is going to solve his situation, personally, unless killing a lot of people is in the option plan. Not great. More like... replacing the asset. Or making them an offer they can't refuse." Thin fingers rubbed together, like an Overwhelming Amount of Money might solve the issue. Alexandrite wasn't known for swimming in scratch, though. "Still. If you want to negotiate an outcome, Yuan, I'll bless your efforts."
The thing about doing the work to fix Spring's power changing him earned a bit of a raised eyebrow.
"I don't have context, I'm afraid... how would fixing it change us? Do we have much of a sense of what the issue is rooted in to begin with?"
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Post by Krakenbox on Nov 21, 2021 15:27:13 GMT -8
Alexandrite's finger traced the stem of the wine glass, head tilted slightly. "If you could provide me with a dossier and a time to observe, I can manage." She didn't extrapolate on what that meant, exactly. "We would not want to see anyone forced into bondage, of course... How long are you willing to wait to get your wish?"
At Henley's question, a twinkling laugh flashed across the star scape. "To understand how things are written and executed, almost on a cosmic level I suppose. Would you understand that the more knowledge you have on such things, your perspective changes forever? Like when you sign a new Contract."
The liquid disappeared into the ring of sharp crystals like a lamprey's jaws. "But not to ignore your other question; her Majesty ordered a cease and desist with drawing power from mortal sacrifice. Now we must deal with those changes, of course. One cannot dictate what will please a deity without divine communication, and unfortunately her Majesty was not privy to that particular conversation."
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Post by Henley on Nov 25, 2021 11:28:50 GMT -8
"That makes sense," the Ogre agreed with a shrug at the sensible point. "I've gotten the sense that the only people who truly know the answers to the questions we have are the very people who set things up the way they are. And those conversations are unlikely to be pleasant, but they do need to be had at some point."
With Saturday. By someone other than him.
"So. Business." He clapped his hands together gently. "You're a Knight in need of vassals. My man Yuan here is in need of help that you sound like you can provide, and I'm curious as well. What do you ask from your vassals in terms of service, generally?"
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Nov 25, 2021 11:55:17 GMT -8
“It’s been five years already. I can wait fore-“ He stumbled on his words for a moment. “I’m willing to wait,” he simply said.
If there were hidden occult implications in what was being said, Yuan missed them. All he understood was that the new Spring policies didn’t please the Powers That Be, causing them to cut off their blessing.
“Could that same reason apply to what happened at Mabon? Something happened, we all saw it.”
He wasn’t certain if he had cut someone off or not and he looked around for any signs of annoyance. The question had been bubbling quietly in the back of his mind for some time now. But Nate had moved on to business, apparently satisfied with whatever information he had gleaned from Alexandrite. The Ogre knew the dance of deals better than the Playmate, already working out the details.
Yuan shuddered to think what he would have done without Henley. Out of the pan and into the fire, most likely.
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