Post by Wade Garrett on May 19, 2010 22:51:13 GMT -8
Jack climbed out of the box that had been air-freighted to Mexico City. He had to be quick if he was to reach the Esbat on time.
There was a car waiting for him. The driver was a low-level pack priest that clearly didn't like being on chauffer duty. Her aura showed a moderate level of irritation and impatience, though her demeanor was reasonably professional. Jack had seen this in many cainites that were given shit work on grand esbat nights. It was doubly frustrating for sabbat responsible for the Ritae of their packs. She must have offended someone important to be stuck doing this.
Jack didn't make small-talk. Though he was reasonably skilled at this sort of social interaction, he found it to be a bothersome exercise. He felt a bit of impatience of his own, wishing he could have simply travelled here Astrally to make his report, but learning new skills from outside teachers required one's physical presence. And so it was that he soon found himself entering the building that would lead to Mexico City's largest esbat. Possibly the largest esbat in the entire world.
Of course Sascha would be here. The conflict between His Excellency Venere and His Excellency Charles VI for the Regency appeared to be heating up. Jack knew better, of course. The information provided by the shade of Bishop Genovese had proved most illuminating. Vykos would be interested to know this information, but Jack was under direct orders to keep silent on the matter. Revealing that information without violating the orders of the Black Hand would require careful strategy, but it was doable.
On his arrival, Jack saw several large Fire Dances in full swing. Numerous Vaulderies were being conducted, along with a handful of creative Games of Instinct. Academically, Jack understood the reasons for all of these Ritae, but many had never truly meant anything to him. Most of the Auctoritas Ritae served hard, practical purposes, though some seemed just for show. Almost all of the Ignoblis Ritae seemed useless to him, mere excused for formalized camraderie or butchery, as if sabbat ever needed such excuses. Jack played along with the purely social Ritae because that was what was expected of him. Nevertheless, being here physically, he was satisfied to have both the authority as a Templar and a pressing errand to have the excuse to move past all these activities reasonably unmolested.
Jack moved out of the main esbat gathering to one of the innumerable siderooms scattered about. He flitted past a pair of chest-thumping szlachta and a young gangrel with her claws bared, looking as if they were about to tear eachother apart. It would have been interesting to observe their interactions, but Jack had a schedule to keep. Vykos did not like to be kept waiting.
Sascha Vykos was in a private room, engaged in conversation with a pair of mid-ranking Bishops over a territory dispute. Jack could tell that Vykos was quickly losing patience with their bickering. He could politely interrupt, but that would deprive him of the opportunity of seeing if the Bishops were smart enough to maneuver the conversation to a peaceful resolution and walk away in their normal shape, or perhaps push the Elder's patience past all tolerance and get themselves ashed. Instead he just stood off to the side and waited for the inevitable conclusion.
The question was answered 37 seconds later when one of the Bishops said the wrong thing and had his head turned into something resembling a grotesque balloon animal for his impudence. The other bishop, wisely realizing that the conversation was over, retreated hastily. There was no further point in waiting.
"Master."
Sascha turned its cold, alien gaze around, swivelling its head 180 degrees without turning the rest of its body. "Welcome back to Mexico City, Jack. I trust you bring news along with your desire to learn?"
"Yes, Very Revered Sir. I bring an update on the infernalism situation. A band of mortal demon-worshippers have been routed and destroyed, and the demon that seems thus far responsible for the city's demonic problems has been confronted. I believe that it has not yet been properly been banished as a portion of its essence has been bound into a book. I am currently researching the proper ways of destroying this object, and have uncovered several methods that I am working to employ in the matter."
"I am glad to see that you are making progress. How soon will the task be completed?"
"If all goes according to plan, I expect to have the situation resolved within the next three months. That assumes that there are no new variables to interdict against this goal."
Vykos nodded, its marble black eyes unblinking in their observation. "I expect results on this matter, Jack. I am providing you with considerable resources with which to complete this task. Anything less than success would be... unfortunate. Now, tell me of the city's political situation."
"The city's internal politics have been rather unvolatile of late. It seems that since our last discussion, there have been no more infernalists popping up within the sabbat's ranks, at least that I know of. Everyone has been focused on sieging Detroit's surrounding cities. There have been some problems with Tremere and Giovanni and Setites, but all are being dealt with. One thing of interest is that a pack uncovered an elder cainite or kindred within a Tremere chantry they were raiding. It was staked and secured, yet seemed to have the power to control their emotions even in this state, forcing them to free him. He appears to be a twelve-year-old boy, calling himself Shaitan. Does this mean anything to you?" (OOC: waiting for ST response and relevant conversation. Conversation here continues after this is done.)
"Understood. Also, there is going to be a large quantity or Ritae at this next esbat to properly induct several new bishops into the city. It seems that they were in need of replacements, as one fled the city to join with Charles VI and another was assassinated."
Vykos nodded, as if already knowing all of this, or just being indifferent to it. "Are either the exodus or the assassination relevant to my concerns at all?"
Jack had to be careful here. "I would not presume to know what is or is not relevant to your concerns beyond what you tell me, Very Revered Sir."
Vykos offered what might be a smirk or a sneer. "A very carefully couched answer, templar. If you were in my position, would you consider the information relevant?"
"I would, Master. But I am not you."
"Then tell me, just the same. To be certain." Vykos' eyes burned with intensity. Jack knew what he had to answer with.
"There is nothing of interest I can speak of, Very Revered Sir." If Vykos took the hint, it would already have penetrated Jack's mind to find the truth of the matter. If it hadn't, then Jack could say no more without betraying the Black Hand. He had seen too many people die for such things. He was not yet ready to experience that final mystery.
Vykos stared at him long and hard. Jack deliberately put his defenses up. If Vykos did pluck the information from his head, he wanted to be able to say he had done everything in his power to keep to his instructions.
Finally the silence ended, Vykos' face as inscrutable as ever. "Very well, Jack. Why don't we begin your lessons. You have travelled a great distance to be here for this, and both of our time is valuable." And so Vykos began teaching Jack the secrets of seeing magic.
There was a car waiting for him. The driver was a low-level pack priest that clearly didn't like being on chauffer duty. Her aura showed a moderate level of irritation and impatience, though her demeanor was reasonably professional. Jack had seen this in many cainites that were given shit work on grand esbat nights. It was doubly frustrating for sabbat responsible for the Ritae of their packs. She must have offended someone important to be stuck doing this.
Jack didn't make small-talk. Though he was reasonably skilled at this sort of social interaction, he found it to be a bothersome exercise. He felt a bit of impatience of his own, wishing he could have simply travelled here Astrally to make his report, but learning new skills from outside teachers required one's physical presence. And so it was that he soon found himself entering the building that would lead to Mexico City's largest esbat. Possibly the largest esbat in the entire world.
Of course Sascha would be here. The conflict between His Excellency Venere and His Excellency Charles VI for the Regency appeared to be heating up. Jack knew better, of course. The information provided by the shade of Bishop Genovese had proved most illuminating. Vykos would be interested to know this information, but Jack was under direct orders to keep silent on the matter. Revealing that information without violating the orders of the Black Hand would require careful strategy, but it was doable.
On his arrival, Jack saw several large Fire Dances in full swing. Numerous Vaulderies were being conducted, along with a handful of creative Games of Instinct. Academically, Jack understood the reasons for all of these Ritae, but many had never truly meant anything to him. Most of the Auctoritas Ritae served hard, practical purposes, though some seemed just for show. Almost all of the Ignoblis Ritae seemed useless to him, mere excused for formalized camraderie or butchery, as if sabbat ever needed such excuses. Jack played along with the purely social Ritae because that was what was expected of him. Nevertheless, being here physically, he was satisfied to have both the authority as a Templar and a pressing errand to have the excuse to move past all these activities reasonably unmolested.
Jack moved out of the main esbat gathering to one of the innumerable siderooms scattered about. He flitted past a pair of chest-thumping szlachta and a young gangrel with her claws bared, looking as if they were about to tear eachother apart. It would have been interesting to observe their interactions, but Jack had a schedule to keep. Vykos did not like to be kept waiting.
Sascha Vykos was in a private room, engaged in conversation with a pair of mid-ranking Bishops over a territory dispute. Jack could tell that Vykos was quickly losing patience with their bickering. He could politely interrupt, but that would deprive him of the opportunity of seeing if the Bishops were smart enough to maneuver the conversation to a peaceful resolution and walk away in their normal shape, or perhaps push the Elder's patience past all tolerance and get themselves ashed. Instead he just stood off to the side and waited for the inevitable conclusion.
The question was answered 37 seconds later when one of the Bishops said the wrong thing and had his head turned into something resembling a grotesque balloon animal for his impudence. The other bishop, wisely realizing that the conversation was over, retreated hastily. There was no further point in waiting.
"Master."
Sascha turned its cold, alien gaze around, swivelling its head 180 degrees without turning the rest of its body. "Welcome back to Mexico City, Jack. I trust you bring news along with your desire to learn?"
"Yes, Very Revered Sir. I bring an update on the infernalism situation. A band of mortal demon-worshippers have been routed and destroyed, and the demon that seems thus far responsible for the city's demonic problems has been confronted. I believe that it has not yet been properly been banished as a portion of its essence has been bound into a book. I am currently researching the proper ways of destroying this object, and have uncovered several methods that I am working to employ in the matter."
"I am glad to see that you are making progress. How soon will the task be completed?"
"If all goes according to plan, I expect to have the situation resolved within the next three months. That assumes that there are no new variables to interdict against this goal."
Vykos nodded, its marble black eyes unblinking in their observation. "I expect results on this matter, Jack. I am providing you with considerable resources with which to complete this task. Anything less than success would be... unfortunate. Now, tell me of the city's political situation."
"The city's internal politics have been rather unvolatile of late. It seems that since our last discussion, there have been no more infernalists popping up within the sabbat's ranks, at least that I know of. Everyone has been focused on sieging Detroit's surrounding cities. There have been some problems with Tremere and Giovanni and Setites, but all are being dealt with. One thing of interest is that a pack uncovered an elder cainite or kindred within a Tremere chantry they were raiding. It was staked and secured, yet seemed to have the power to control their emotions even in this state, forcing them to free him. He appears to be a twelve-year-old boy, calling himself Shaitan. Does this mean anything to you?" (OOC: waiting for ST response and relevant conversation. Conversation here continues after this is done.)
"Understood. Also, there is going to be a large quantity or Ritae at this next esbat to properly induct several new bishops into the city. It seems that they were in need of replacements, as one fled the city to join with Charles VI and another was assassinated."
Vykos nodded, as if already knowing all of this, or just being indifferent to it. "Are either the exodus or the assassination relevant to my concerns at all?"
Jack had to be careful here. "I would not presume to know what is or is not relevant to your concerns beyond what you tell me, Very Revered Sir."
Vykos offered what might be a smirk or a sneer. "A very carefully couched answer, templar. If you were in my position, would you consider the information relevant?"
"I would, Master. But I am not you."
"Then tell me, just the same. To be certain." Vykos' eyes burned with intensity. Jack knew what he had to answer with.
"There is nothing of interest I can speak of, Very Revered Sir." If Vykos took the hint, it would already have penetrated Jack's mind to find the truth of the matter. If it hadn't, then Jack could say no more without betraying the Black Hand. He had seen too many people die for such things. He was not yet ready to experience that final mystery.
Vykos stared at him long and hard. Jack deliberately put his defenses up. If Vykos did pluck the information from his head, he wanted to be able to say he had done everything in his power to keep to his instructions.
Finally the silence ended, Vykos' face as inscrutable as ever. "Very well, Jack. Why don't we begin your lessons. You have travelled a great distance to be here for this, and both of our time is valuable." And so Vykos began teaching Jack the secrets of seeing magic.