The Howling Moon Comedy Club

Regina enters the club, her squire following dutiful behind her, as she seeks to learn more information from this Sean character.

Sean follows them in walking beside Regina "Hey, you know, I never caught your name. If you tell me I promise I'll watch my language and be good."

(17:29:11) Shouldabeenadog: (whispers to Premsyl) "Very well Mr. Sean, I suppose that is quite fair. I am Dame Lady Knight Regina Pia."

Dame Lady Knight? Must be Invictus Sean thinks.
"Well it's good to meet you, Regina. Do you mind if I call you Regina?" his question seems sincere in nature.

"Yes. Miss Pia will suffice." Obviously he was not of the estate. "And to what covenant do you hold yourself Mr. Sean?"

"Alright, then. Miss Pia it is. Ehh I make it to a Circle ritual when I feel like it, so I guess you can say I belong to the Crone. My sire was pretty into it, but ever since I left San Fran I've been a little less enthusiastic about that sh- uhh that stuff."

was that just a hint of a smile that creased her lips. No, must have been his imagination. "An acolyte, that is good to hear. I was just in san fransisco the other day on my way here. A very nice city."

"It really is. Great music scene, real liberal. A lot of Kindred, though. You can hardly throw a rock without hitting one. So when I heard something about Sacramento emptying out and I figured 'how bad can it be?'"

"What do you mean the city emptying out? A week ago this was the domain of a powerful Invictus prince, well populated. What happened since then?

Sean shrugs "I heard a rumor a week ago from some freaky Haunt that Sac's Elders were getting axed by something. I figured 'a city without Elders? Sounds good, right?' Then on the way here I talked to clan-mate of mine who told me that all the Kindred in Sacramento were gone. Like, just... Gone. When I first got into town it seemed like it might be true. You're the first Kindred I've felt since I got here."
"Can't say I know what happened, though."

"That is most discomforting. Have you seen any others of our kind since then?"

Sean shakes his head "Can't say I have. More kine for us, though. Right?" He grins

"Yes, and whatever killed elders and ran most of the other citizens out." She states this flatly, with a tone of impatience.

"I've never been afraid of death, Miss Pia. This just seemed like too great an opportunity to pass up."

How comforting; a fatalist. How many had he killed, she wondered. "Well, I would ask a favor of you Mr. Sean. This is my cell phone number. If you come across any Invictus, I would consider it a personal favor if you notified me."

Sean takes her number with a simple smile and an easy shrug "Hey no problem."

"Thank you. Now, i must depart." And with that she leaves just as briskly as she came in, the girl following her like a good servant.

Sean grins as watches her leave, enjoying the sight. Then he leans back in a seat and watches some of the lousy comedy for a while.

Sitting just a few tables down from Regina and Sean is a rather tall individual in a finely tailored pinstripe suit with shoulder-length blond hair. The comedy here was lame, that much was for sure, and the lack of good entertainment on stage left Taylor McCoy with nothing better to do than eavesdrop on the conversations of the patrons nearby. Most was just idle chit-chat, but when Taylor overheard the talk of 'Invictus, Kindred, and Elders' that was more than enough to snag Taylor's attention.

Waiting and listening near by, Taylor waited until the female kindred stood and left. Once the woman and her servant were far enough gone, Taylor stood up and approached Regina, hand outstretched open for a handshake. "Hello, I'm Taylor McCoy. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Got a minute?" The voice was entirely neutral -- offering no hint as to what gender this individual standing before him was.

Sean's Beast growls at the approach of the new Kindred, but it doesn't urge Sean to rip them a new one, so he figures they must be of similarly powerful blood. He looks up at Taylor, and grins. He doesn't speak, but suddenly one of the chairs slides out from under the table, like Sean had kicked it out for Taylor to have a seat.

(OOC: My bad, I totally messed up and thought Regina stayed and Sean left. >.<)

At the movement of the chair Taylor smiled to the other kindred and took a seat across from him. "So you've come to Sacramento on hearing word that there's an absence of elders?" The blond chucked lightly causing some hair to drape down across the face. "Sorry, I know it sounds like I was snooping -- but with comedy this bad you were the far better choice to listen to."

Sean smiles at the blond man/woman. "You heard it right. Haven't you noticed? I haven't felt any real powerful blood since I've got here. The name's Sean, by the way."

Taylor returned the smile while brushing the hair out of the way. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sean. And yes, I've noticed the lack of particularly potent blood as well. With the lack of elders would you, by chance, know who the current prince is?"

"I sure wouldn't know. I guess it used to be some Invictus high muckety-muck, or so Dame Lady Knight Regina Pia says." He says the title in a satirically official manner. "Maybe it still is? I dunno. I don't care much, this is a city isn't it? A Prince is bound to pop up somewhere, somehow."

He seems bored with Official Kindred talk "So what's your story? Tell me about Taylor McCoy."

Taylor's facial expression visibly became happier when he (she?) became the topic of conversation. "Me? Well, I moved here from out of state and I'm relatively new to town. I'm part of the Carthian Movement and looking for the covenant, or whatever is left of it, here. How about yourself, Sean?"

Sean leans back in his seat, watching as a very unfunny man is booed off stage. "I'm new to town, myself. Just got here from San Francisco. I'm an Acolyte when I want to be anything at all. I like hard drugs, and fast music and right now I'm just looking for a good time."

He leans back in, looking Taylor in the eye. "So what clan do you belong to?"

The clan question caught Taylor off guard. In all honesty, Taylor hated the stereotype of the Nosferatu, contrary to popular belief not all of them were hideous. With a bit of distaste and a moment's hesitation, Taylor replied. "I am Nosferatu. And you?"

Sean answers. "Gangrel." He seems oblivious to Taylor's unease and answers the question with a casual air. "All the Haunts I knew in San Fran were ugly fuckers who smelled bad. Lucky break for you, huh?"

Taylor quickly gets over his minor unease in speech from the question. "I suppose lady luck was on my side during the embrace." Looking quickly to the watch on his/her wrist, Taylor notes the time. "Would you like to get out of this lame place and go see if we can find out who's running this city?"

"Well I agree with you on at least one thing, Taylor my good person. This place is lame and we should get the hell out of here. As for that part about finding out who's running this bitch..." He leans back, snickering, seeming to think for a second. After a moment he wrinkles his nose, shrugs, and says "Yeah, sure. Why not, am I right? You got a direction in mind?"

Taylor nods to the Gangrel across the table and reaches into his/her pants pocket, a second after the hand emerges with a ten dollar bill and places it on the table -- a tip for the service which the duo never received. Taylor stands as Sean's question is considered, "I don't quite have any particular place to start looking in mind but I, for one, am in no particular hurry or rush. How about you, have any ideas where to start?"

"Weellll... I saw some tags on the way over here, marking this as the rack. A few clan symbols, covenant markers. Maybe if we follow them we'll get lucky. Plus if the Prince is an Invictus then that probably means the more upscale the joint the more likely we'll find em." He stands up, digs in his pocket, and casts a handful of change onto the tabletop, where most of it bounces off and clatters to the floor. He laughs. Because it's funny. "So what if there is no Prince. Won't that be a trip?"

"If it's true that this new prince is Invictus, then we should just follow their covenant markers I suppose." Taylor takes a few steps away from the table, then looks over his/her pinstriped shoulder back to Sean saying jokingly, "Speaking of their symbol, is it based on the letter 'I' for their 'irritant' state of being, or their 'ignorant' one?"

Sean laughs, maybe a little too hard. It was the only laughter heard in the dead comedy club. This guy/girl/whatever is a hoot!

"How about 'idiotic' or 'intolerant?'"

Still laughing he emerges into the night. He stops as soon as he emerges and scans the skies and the rooftop for the owl that he and Regina had sighted earlier.

Taylor can hear him muttering about it to nobody in particular. "...Fucking owl. Gonna watch me, are ya? Where the fuck'd ya go?"

Upon stepping outside the slight breeze grabs a hold of Taylor's hair and blows it slightly. Looking around, Taylor is unable to ascertain whatever it is that Sean is trying to talk to. Something or other about an owl, that much was for sure. "Not to be rude, but what the hell are you talking about? I don't see any owls watching you..."

Taylor looks around one more time, but sees nothing. He/she gives Sean a look of confusion.

Taylor nods in reply. "Very well then. So let's start looking for those Invictus symbols and see where the lead us to."

As Taylor walks and looks for the covenant symbols, he/she glances upward every so often watching the rooftops and sky above for any signs of owls or other birds despite being told to nevermind them just seconds before.

Sean just strolls through the rack, checking out the place and keeping an eye out for symbols and owls.

((Let's let DaevaDude catch up a little bit))

Narration:

Look as he may, Sean doesn't see any sign of the owl that seemed to be watching him and Regina earlier.

As they walk along, they approach a place with garish neon lights spelling out CLUB INFERNO. The colors switch back and forth. As a few people emerge from the club, Taylor and Sean can hear loud, bass-heavy music blaring from within. There are a few people hanging around outside the club, in pairs or small groups.

Club Inferno appeared to be quite the popular place, Taylor gathered that much by the loud music and people standing around outside. Taking one more quick glance upward for any signs of the owl that Sean spoke of, Taylor looked to his/her companion, "This place looks pretty crowded, and where there's people there are predators. Maybe we can find some of our ilk inside and ask them what they know?"

Sean eyes the club, somewhat dubiously. It wasn't really his scene. Aw hell. When in Rome.

"Right, yeah. Let's check it out."

Moving toward the entrance of the club Taylor flashes his/her perfect smile at the people standing outside. Hopefully the duo would be able to get inside and look around for some other kindred without any trouble...

Sean's smile is less than perfect, but he flashes it anyway - though he looks more like he's just baring his teeth at people. A few folks back away a few steps.

Narration:

At the door is a big, burly bouncer, dressed in motorcycle boots, jeans and a black wife-beater t-shirt. His arms, upper chest and neck are covered with tattoos, many depicting snakes, skulls, flames, nude, winged succubi, red-skinned devils and the like. There is a group of young men clustered around the front of the club, and as Sean and Taylor approach, they give them the look-over. As the two vampires pass, one of the men - who appeared to particularly pay attention to Taylor - mutters "Freak", eliciting laughter from his friends.

Taylor stopped mid-stride and spun on his/her heel to face the man who made the comment. With a look of amusement Taylor took a few steps closer to the man and looked him in the eye.

"I couldn't help but overhear what you said." Taylor chuckled then continued to speak. "Perhaps you should say it to my face this time."


Taylor was used to this kind of ignorant intolerance and standing up for himself/herself against it even before being embraced. His next words would decide if he needed to be made an example of or not.

Narration:

At first the young, obviously drunk man seems stunned that Taylor confronted him; he says nothing for a moment. Then, perhaps due to the false courage granted by drunkenness, or perhaps in attempt to save face in front of his companions, he takes a step forward, moving into Taylor's personal face and looking him in the eye.

"I called you a freak, you he-she pervo creep. Whatcha gonna do 'bout it?"

A couple of the others break into laughter. One, perhaps sensing something bad about to happen, says "C'mon, Jake, not worth it. Let's go find somewhere else and maybe get laid." He grabs Jake's shoulder and tries to turn him away from Taylor, but Jake seems intent on staying where he is and shakes off the other man's hand.

One of the others, who hasn't said a thing, keeps a wary eye on Sean.

Amused by the man's drunken demeanor Taylor does not dignify him with a reply, but takes another step closer and leans in close to the ignorant bastard.

Just a foot or two from the drunken man's face, Taylor locks eyes with him and uses the power of his blood to show the man what exactly he planned to do about it...

Spoiler:

Sean grins, watching the exhange with Taylor.

The man to the side of the main conflict, the one who's watching Sean, notices Sean glance in his direction for the first time since the argument began. Then all of a sudden Sean is in the man's face, cursing at him. "Hey, punk! Who the fuck do you think you're eyeballing, mother fucker? You keep eyeball fucking me and my friend here I'm gonna take your tongue and pull it out of your throat, you catch my drift, chief?"

Spoiler:

The man who had insulted Taylor was literally paralyzed with terror: shaking, pale, incapable of speech or any sort of voluntary movement. His friend tries pulling him away again, but to no avail; it is as if he was rooted in place.

The man Shawn cursed at doesn't appear to be fazed by Sean being in his face. He just gives Sean a half-assed grin, then slams his head forward against Sean's forehead.

((OOC - Sean takes 1 Bashing damage and needs to roll Resolve + Composure with a +2 bonus for being in so public a place.

Each of these guys has Def 2, except for the guy tugging at the loudmouth. ))

The appearance of Taylor's grin went from amused to sadistic. Taking another slight step forward and inching his/her head in even closer, his/her lips were only a mere fraction of an inch from his ear..

Taylor whispered so only he could hear, there was a hint of pleasure in his/her voice. "Us freaks don't quite appreciate your kind. Now get out of here, and watch your tongue next time or I'll do worse."

Taking a step back from the drunk, Taylor crosses his arms in a cocky fashion and drops the effects of Eye of the Beast on him.

Spoiler:

Sean's head snaps back, and his eyes roll around a second. Then he barks out a laugh, looks back at the guy who had headbutted him, grins and yells "HEADBUTT CONTEST!!" He expends some vitae to toughen himself up a bit then answers back with his own headbutt.

Spoiler:

The guy that started the headbutting contest has his head slammed back by Sean's blow, then grins more widely and looks ready to take another turn. However, the guy that had insulte Taylor, finally able to move, leans in and stammers "N-n-n-n-n-no, le-let's get the fu-fu-fuck outta here." One of thir companions nods and adds "C'mon, there's a titty bar down here somewhere supposed to have hot chicks."

The headbutter shrugs and gives Sean a thumbs up. "You're alright. I gotta go keep these pussies outta trouble, but let's do it next time we run into each other."

The first loudmouth glances over his shoulder at Taylor, then turns right back around and keeps walking, not saying a word.

Taylor looks to Sean as he/she approaches the door with the bouncer standing in front of it. "Thanks for the backup." Turning his/her attention to the bouncer, Taylor begins to speak.

"Hey man, we got rid of those annoying drunks for you. Mind letting us in?"

Spoiler:

Sean keeps grinning and points after the man he'd headbutted, calling out "It's a date, bitch. Ha HA!"

He bounces around to join Taylor and the bouncer. Still a tiny bit woozy from the headbutt. It felt good. He pops Taylor on the arm real quick "Hey no problem, Tay." He flashes a big grin at the Bouncer, trying to look legit.