Fantasy The Configuration - The Dygarian Mansion - [CLOSED]

[Drakenbane]

Nolan rubbed his scruffy chin. His eyes closed momentarily before finally reopening and looking back up at the woman. Again, he fixes his glasses.

"Well... Vampirism is not one of my fields of study. While I have seen it within ancient texts, with my new circumstances I'm feeling quite enthusiastic and interested. So....It makes me feel like I have a new hand of cards dealt to me. Opportunity for continued study and research, now with a more interesting topic than merely whatever pops into my mind. I have a purpose now."

He gives a smile.

"So the knowledge of me now being an immortal vampire for no reason at all. Well, I'll need to make a reason for myself to continue this newly given life. I'm not the most fit or physically strong individuals, but my skills for the book and pen are at your disposal....I'm guessing since he is my father..you would be my mother?"

mothspit

 

[mothspit]

She listened to his words intently. Despite that little outburst from before, he seemed enthusiastic about his new life. That was good. It was natural to feel cheated, but the way Emma saw it, this was better than whatever sad excuse of a life any of them lead before. They did them a favor. Now they'd have access to wealth, literature, power, and so much more. What more could a person want?

Emmulsia stiffled a small chuckle, "Heavens no, darling. It doesn't work like that. Daedric is my son, and you are his. Of course, I'm here to help should you ever need me. I know this can be a hard adjustment."

Just as she finished her statement, the servant sent away previously had returned, carrying a set of business-casual clothing. There were a few accessories draped over their shoulder-- An assortment of ties, belts, and of course, a hat. In both hands, they carried two sets of shoes. Emmulsia clapped her hands together, "Ah! Here we are. What do you think, Nolan?"

She began taking several ties off the servants shoulder, pressing them against her new grandson's chest to see which color suited him best. Fashion, after all, was her expertise. Anyone could tell just by looking at her-- The elegant green dress, coupled with beautiful glittering jewelry and tall heels. She looked like she belonged on the cover of a magazine. Maybe that's what she did for a living? While she was testing color selections, she smiled curiously at the mention of his research into ancient literature.

"Interesting. What did you do before? Some kind of research?"

Drakenbane

((ill let you decide what the clothes look like))

 

[Reis]

Lucas almost shook his head at Lance's offer. However, he thought back to when Emma struck Daedric across the cheek. If regeneration was an innate part of vampire physiology, that meant he could smoke without doing any lasting harm to his lungs. With this new power, he could enjoy all the benefits of drugs with hardly any of the consequences. Realizing this, Lucas plucked a cigarette from the box.

When the tip was lit, Lucas hesitantly put it to his mouth. He was quick to cough the inhaled smoke out of his body. Feeling lame, he took another puff, and this time it went better. "Yeah, I don't like the way Ajax does things. He's the type to act like he's the best person around. And he believes it, too. Not only because of self-delusion, but also because nobody around is powerful enough to stop him." He takes another puff, enjoying the flavor. Smoking felt alot better than he would've imagined.

"What kinds of things did Ajax go through to become so powerful? Vampires clearly have more than enhanced strength or regeneration. Is there something more to vamp society, something that would create a hierarchy so easily?"

 

[mothspit]

Lance chuckled and gave the kid a pat on the shoulder when he started hacking. He remembered his first time smoking, too. Good times.

When he mentioned the power structure, he shook his head. Lance could write a three-part series about all the things Ajax had done over the course of almost 800 years, but there were very few events that lead to him gaining power. In truth, he was only the leader because no one else had stepped up to the plate. The Forebears of the other families didn't serve under him, it was more an alliance; With Ajax as the ambassador. Since his family had more decendents than any others, his was considered to be the most powerful-- Of course, there was no real way of testing that. He merely assumed his role, and everyone else fell in line. Lance chalked it up to his personality, his.. weird way of convincing others to give up their control to him. It wasn't Miasma. That ability only worked on humans; It was just.. how he was.

He pauses, trying to think of the right words to describe the man's mindset. How do you accurately describe the thought process of a psychopath, anyway? "He's got this way with people.. It's like mind control. He's managed to convince most of them that this order is what we need to survive."

He takes a second to take a long drag from his cigarette, pushing the smoke out through his nose, "I guess in a way, he's not wrong. He's the one who brought the families together, started this whole.. secret society thing. I think that's why everyone is hell-bent on supporting him no matter what."

He sighs solemnly, rubbing the space in between his eyes. He wasn't angry with Ajax's blindness followers. He was more angry with himself for being so complacent, for telling himself this was all he had. But, it was the truth. Even though he hated every moment spent near that man, where would he go? And more importantly, go to who? Besides, they weren't all bad. Leone was a decent guy, and even though Emma was.. a handful.. there were times where even she could be vulnerable. He had friends here. Maybe even people he could call family. This was just how things had to be.

He takes a small puff of the last of his cigarette, snuffing it out on the bottom of his shoe before tossing it into a nearby trashcan, "It's not just because no one here can stop him. It's that they don't want to."

Reis

 

[Drakenbane]

Nolan would have stepped behind a conveniently placed screen and chance, two servants blocking the side views. Stepping back out moments later would reveal a different man. One of intelligence and poise. He wore brown dockers with khaki pants, a white button up and a nice brown vest. The shimmer of gold from his pocket watch chain snaked up the right side of the vest. And finally, above his glasses, his most requested item: His fine, tan hat. He smiles, finally feeling like his old self again. He tips his hat to Emma.

"Well, yes, you could call me a scholar of sorts. I finished college in the top five in my class in history and culture. I had hoped to use my skills as maybe a bookkeeper or eventually open my own book store..."

He sighs, taking off his glasses and wiping them off.

"...but, the world is cruel and corrupt. Those with power gain more, while those who work hard to try and scrape by or pursue our desires are stomped on. And..that's why I am here now. I'm not the best with numbers, but dates, facts and events I am quite knowledgeable in."


(Picture attached for reference)
mothspit

 

[mothspit]

Emmulsia clapped her hands at Nolan's wardrobe change. That was better. So much more chic.

"Wonderful," She said with a smile.

She stepped forward to adjust his tie a bit, and brush away a few pieces stray lint from the front of his chest. The servant who brought the clothes bundled his dirty ones in their arms, along with the extra accessories, and hauled them off somewhere-- Presumably to be thrown away.

"Appearances are everything, darling. Don't forget that."

She listened intently to his description of his job, casually crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head to the side curiously. Cruel and corrupt might be true, but if he thought that success was brought on by hard work alone.. he was more naive than she thought. Sometimes, such deceptive measures were necessary; Especially in their case. The humans would never accept them on their own merits alone.

"How interesting. You'll have to give me a history lesson sometime, dear." She said with a playful wink, "Well, don't let me talk your ear off. The night is yours, do with it as you please. If you see your father about, do return him to me, yes?"

She made a sweeping gesture to the entirety of the foyer, and the slew of people inside it.

Drakenbane

 

[Drakenbane]

Nolan chuckles.

"I do not know if you would be interested in my studies. Ancient history and lore of ol'. Legends and tales of the far east as well. But....with my newest situation at the moment, I think it may be best of myself to study up on the ancient lords of the night, and our kind's history."

He watches her give a gesture. Nolan would do so in kind, taking off his hat and giving a bow.

"Of course, may you have an enjoyable night, ma'am."

Nolan places his hat back on his head and leaves for the bar.

 

[Reis]

Lucas tensed as Lance went deeper into his description of Ajax. That man's role in vampire society was even worse than he expected. Sure, it would have been an issue if he ruled over the undead with raw power. A single vampire alone could already wreck havoc on all of human society, so one would have to be unimaginably strong to rule them with an iron fist. But if his power was all he had, maybe Lucas could find a way around it, some kind of weakness to expose.

Ajax was an entirely different issue, one that sounded more dangerous as Lance elaborated. He manipulated other people through influence, a far more versatile and devastating tool than intimidation. It sounded like Ajaxius controlled these vampires not through sheer force, but because he successfully made them believe that they needed to be controlled in order to survive. Somehow, it made Lucas even more weary of him than he was during their welcome ceremony.

Lucas tried to relax his muscles, his body instinctively prepped for flight or fight. Ajax was far more capable than he initially thought. He'd have to be careful if he wanted to survive in the kingdom he ruled. "I think I understand what you mean. I don't know where I'd go either, if not here." Lucas sighed. "It's not like I have a home to return to. No friends, a shitty family...wouldn't exactly have a life to return to." Besides, it's not like dying again would be so easy. Lucas thought for a moment. "Is that why vampires are drawn to this community? To bring a sense of bonding to people like me, people with nowhere else to go?" mothspit

 

[mothspit]

Lance nodded, "Something like that. You wouldn't be here if you had people that miss you."

His expression drops, realizing what he just said. That sounded a lot less douchey in his head. But technically, it was true-- Based on all the information they collected on their new adopted family, all of them were estranged with relatives in one way or another; Otherwise, the disappearance of someone people abundantly cared about would draw unwanted attention to the society they've kept hidden for so long. It was the one common factor they looked for.

"..I mean, uh. I'm sure some people miss you.."

Oh god. Shut up, Lance.

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "You know what I mean, alright? Everyone here was out of touch with their life for whatever reason."

Whether or not it was also used intentionally to give the newbloods a sense of community was unclear. If anything, it was more of an added bonus; It helped feed into the idea that this life was necessary in order to continue their species. But even then, in Lance's case, that was a huge joke. The handful of people he could bond with were just as miserable or out of touch with reality, and the one person who genuinely understood his feelings.. was gone. This was a bleak existence he forced himself to suffer through so he wouldn't be alone.

"But hey, at least you aren't alone, right?" He gives Lucas a mediocre jab with his elbow, "Welcome to the club."

Reis

 

[Damafaud]

Drevis Senade
Foyer
Tipsy; Relaxed
Interaction: mothspit
Mention:​

A feeling of lightheaded registered in his senses as Drevis left the kitchen. The alcohol kicked in, he guessed. His mind would be dulled, his caution less alert, his instinct blunter at the edge. And everything was fine, he let a smile inhibit his face. He could see why the drink was addictive. The fuzziness, the blur of perceptionand surreal feeling of being in a dream, all made whatever harsh reality less vivid and easier to face. In fact, he felt like talking to a stranger now. Surely a vampire was not too different than a human, no?

There he felt like he was in his element. Exiting the kitchen was a Drevis with calm confidence, who made the wrinkle on his shirt a statement of his hard work. He did not walk. He waltzed. Like a graceful cat dancing among the sea of legs. He weaved his way through the crowd, scanning faces to find one that piqued his interest. One not surrounded by a circle of friends, one that did not exude an aura of hostility. Someone open for stranger, and preferrably good looking.

It was after he added three candidates to his conversation list Drevis found someone that filled all of his requirements, and more. A beautiful young girl, with no other distinguishing feature, all alone. The fact that she was a girl, not a woman, stood out more than anything else. Everyone he had met during his short life as a vampire, was among 20-30s in age. A small detour around the crowd to look unassuming, he approached the girL.

"You look a little young for a gathering of this kind," he stated curiously.

"Would you mind my company?"

 

[mothspit]

Winona scanned the sea of guests as people talked amongst themselves. She stood against the wall, a half-empty champagne glass in hand. It was always awkward for her to attend these parties. She didn't even have any children this year-- Why bother showing up? Just for appearances sake? A good enough reason, she supposed. She crossed one arm over her chest, staring blankly at nowhere in particular behind short, dark bangs. He could at least have the decency to include her in his conversation with Marcus; She felt almost lost by herself, standing as a lone wallflower. She glanced over at him; The two forebears appeared engrossed in some kind of amusing conversation, laughing and clinking drinks together. It was difficult to relate to Marcus, anyway. They wanted different things.

It didn't take long for her to notice the stark red suit make a path for her through the crowd. She took the opportunity to drag her eyes up his frame, starting first at his feet and stopping just at his eyes. Curious, Winona tilted her head to the side, her expression blank and indiscernible. This was the man who refused to shoot the victim of Ajax's game. She took a step forward to separate herself from the wall, smoothing out a long, plain black dress.

Yes. That joke. She certainly hadn't heard that one before. Hilarious.

"..Am I young, or do I just look good for my age?" She said with a feigned smile, "Not at all. Winona. Winona Oriasus."

She extended her hand for a handshake.

Damafaud

 

[Damafaud]

Drevis Senade
Foyer
Tipsy; Relaxed
Interaction: mothspit
Mention: -​

"Drevis. Drevis Senade."

He shook the offered hand with a smile. At a gathering of strangers, the first few lines of conversation would be nothing meaningful. Pleasantries to fulfill social expectations. Carefully placed bait to see the stance of your conversation partner against your benefit. Dancing on the edge of the meaningful topic one would like to communicate to the other party. Even then, the flow would not be straightforward. Drevis' previous conversations with Gwenhwyfar and Daedric were more on the casual side, where both party actively seek to start an honest social interaction.

Miss Winona, however, had showed nothing close to interest.

"I can say with confidence that everyone here looks good for their age," he answered with twinkles in his eyes. "that is, if we are still using humans as a standard."

It was a theory backed flimsily by folktales, myth, cheesy romance novels, and legend, but if he was to guess, he would say that vampire generally keep their appearance at the age of their death. Almost everyone not humans he had met kept the appearance of someone between his 20 and early 30s. A very convinient age to look as. Of course, that was what drew his attention to Miss Oriasus, looking closer to a girl than a woman.

"And you do look young for your age, Miss Oriasus. Younger than everyone else I had met here, if nowhere else."

Yes, it was certainly a curious case, the more he thought of it. Why would anyone convert a teenager opposed to a young adult? Drevis slightly tilted his head to the right. Curious.

"Is it difficult to be young -- a bit too young , if you would forgive my word choice -- forever?"

 

[mothspit]

"I'm not sure I understand your question," She said plainly.

That, of course, was a lie. She understood what he meant perfectly, it was just tiring going through these same conversations every time someone noticed how she looked compared to the rest of The Configuration. The least she could do was play dumb, if only for a moment. It was the only scrap of fun she could have during these kinds of talks. The looks on their faces when they realized she wasn't turned, but born this way-- That made it all the more sweet. Sympathy was always annoying.

"From my perspective, nothing has changed," She shrugs, and takes a sip of her glass, "I have simply always looked like this. It's no more different now than when I became what I am."

Even though entertaining these conversations was boring, one thing did interest her-- Him. He didn't shoot the man on stage. Winona was watching from the row behind theirs, and she could only wonder why. Sure, it was an unpleasant situation, but Ajax was clearly offering him a possibility she had to earn-- Friendship. And he threw it away. If he had asked her to do the job, she would have done so with gratitude. But, that was unfair; Just because she would do it, doesn't mean he would. Or that he should, for that matter. He was his own person, after all.

"It only becomes difficult when people show me pity. People tend to think I'm incapable because of how 'young' I look." Her smile widened. Drevis wasn't showing her pity, but she could read that look on his face; Curiosity. Who would turn someone so young? The answer to that question was easy-- They wouldn't. Or at least, no one here would. For all their cruelty, unfairness, complacency, and sycophantic actions, that was a line any of them had yet to cross. That only left one other option.

"I'm more interested in you, Mr. Senade. Tell me, what was going through your mind during the game? You had quite the dramatic flair up until.." She trailed off, and made a small, meek gesture with her hands.

Damafaud

 

[Damafaud]

Drevis Senade
Foyer
Tipsy; Relaxed
Interaction: mothspit
Mention: -​

"Pity? Never, for goodness sake," Drevis firmly shook her head. "maybe curiosity, apprehensiveness, caution, but never pity. I don't believe anything in this world deserve pity if they don't ask for it."

Miss Oriasus, Drevis determined, owned grit. His thought was momentarily returned to one of his cases. He represented a real estate developer at the time. On the other side was a blind woman, stubbornly working on a case to protect her right to keep her house. It was a typical lower income individual resident; a small house, not even 10x10 meters wide. But how persistent she was to keep it. Some people were born with grit, and pity, to them, was an insult.

Of course, a dinner with the judge made the just, well intended samaritan saw the truth. A truth framed with dollar bills of a mercedes, the woman in Sunny Side Eldery Care, and the marsh turned into an elite real estate complex with golf course.

"Oh, nothing too dramatic. I just decided I'd like to hold on to my morals for a bit longer. Peculiar thing, morals. All they do is restrict you, but abandoning them is a frigtening thought, is it not?"

Drevis answered cheerfully. A bit too much so. His smile, wide and forced, was frustrating. His chuckle, unnatural and low, was insulting. Really. He really made a fool of himself by not pulling through. He shouldn't have stood out so much on stage if he couldn't pull the trigger. It marked him as a meek prey too easily.

"How about you, Miss Oriasus? Do you think you would be able to pull the trigger?"

It was a question to keep the conversation flowing, nothing more; he would be very surprised if the answer was no. She might not like it, but she would pull the trigger, was his opinion.

 

[mothspit]

Winona paused, polishing off her drink and passing the empty glass to a nearby servant. Drevis' answer wasn't as interesting as she hoped it would be, but that was fine. This world would change him soon enough. Of course morals were important-- They weren't all blind, mindless monsters.. Well, most of them weren't. But sometimes, letting go of those little self-proclaimed rules was necessary. Everyone here didn't get to where they are because they were 'moral,' and those that were, well.. miserable. It was a bizarre concept for Winona to comprehend; Emotions. They were always getting in the way of things, weren't they?

She looked into his eyes, her smile fading into a statue-like stare, "Only frightening if you had the luxury of having them to begin with. You find it frightening because it's all you've ever known, and change.. Well, change is a scary thing."

Winona held out her pale hand. At first, her palm was empty, exposing the dark veins beneath her dead skin. Then suddenly, something.. ghostly began forming in the center of her hand. It was as if the air in the room was being drawn to her, and a small cloud of fog had formed, hovering there. How did she do that? What was it? She held it up for Drevis to get a better look.

The cloud turned dark suddenly, like it was about to storm. The color began fluctuating from a soft, pillow-y white, to a harsh, blackened gray. It was like magic, something you'd only see in movies. What kind of power was this?

"That is the duality of man. The internal conflict you all fight at any given moment. It isn't new to you, but the jump from one end of the spectrum to the other, is. But, you have the spectrum."

With a soft blow of air from her lips, the cloud dissipates, and she lowers her arm back to her side.

"Some of us, do not. Enjoy what you have while you have it."

When he asked her if she would have done it, she reached up to tuck a stray stand of hair behind her ear. Would she have done it? Of course. If that's what Ajax wanted, she would have done it with a smile and no questions asked. But he knew that already, didn't he?

"..It might seem like a regular test of loyalty to you, but how would you feel if I told you it was more than that?" She looked into his eyes, as if she were trying to look directly into his soul, "How would you feel if I told you that all three of them were going to die, no matter who you chose?"

Damafaud

 

[Damafaud]

Drevis Senade
Foyer
Tipsy; Curious
Interaction: mothspit
Mention: -​

"It is a frightening thing, change," Drevis nodded in agreement to Miss Oriasus' statement.

For his whole life, Drevis knew of order and stability. His academical career to university was paved in state-of-the-art technologies and manned by experienced teachers, tutors, and instructors. Psychologists, career advisors, and counselors guided him to choose the right job and the right way to succeed in it. To Drevis, every change should only be faced with proper planning, caution, and preparation against unexpected turn. He, however, could not plan against the tip on his own morals. His option was only to struggle, or to embrace.

Drevis eyed the opened hand curiously. What was she trying to do? When mist, soft and thin, gathered over her palm, he felt himself flincing involuntarily. His right hand wandered to his neck, scratching against the collar in a nervous tick. What was that? What was it? And how? A fancy magic trick? If it was a trick, he had never seen it before. Drevis gazed toward the lump of mist with guarded interest.

"It's something I intend to hold on to, if nothing else."

His answer, though held the truth, was not the whole truth. His mind was still on the trick. How did she do that? The cloud over her hand could easily be made with some chemicals, but the flash between dark and light, the pulsing... he couldn't imagine it as something as simple. Drevis mulled over the matter and shifted his weight from a foot to another as he replayed the scene over and over in his mind. As a result, it took him a while to react to Miss Oriasus' question.

"Oh? The game? That it was inevitable and unlucky for them, but as long their death was not by my own hand, I doubt it will change the meaning of the game to me. Although," he added as an afterthought. "the other New Bloods might feel different to it, so I would feel a bit betrayed, I suppose. Mr. Dygarian did promise to let us save one life."

Was there a hidden mechanism under the sleeve of her dress? It would be strange to bring such device to a party but it was not unheard of. Or could it be as she said? She could see the struggle in my soul? Then a vampiric ability? Miss Oriasus' trick still burdened his mind. Unable to hold on to his curiosity much longer, he bursted into a question.

"Tell me, how did you perform that trick with cloud and moral spectrum? Is it a racial ability of some kind? It was not a party trick, was it not?"

 

[Reis]

Lucas endured Lance's awkward attempts at being friendly with a nod. His life had been filled with suffering, largely because his uncle actively worked to make every day a living hell. Sure, the amount of undead vampires surrounding him made this almost a literal hell on earth, but at least these manipulative, narcissistic bastards weren't as incredibly cold-hearted as that man was. Most of them, anyways.

Lucas sighed. His problem was that he wouldn't have even needed to deal with this in the first place, if not for Lance. The vampire had reassured him that he'd somehow survive in vampire society, but he wouldn't even need to make that effort without Lance's intervention. Now he had to deal with the threat of an undead society full of literal and figurative monsters, along with the mental burden of socializing with his fellow newly turned vamps.

"Thanks for the welcome, I guess. It's good to know that someone around here is at least a little normal." Lucas thought back to the figure with a bone mask. Their solemn voice still echoed in his mind, beckoning him towards a surely horrible fate. He suddenly looks around, distracted. "Thanks for the smokes. I'll see you around." He walks back into and through the crowd, exiting the foyer to head deeper into the mansion. mothspit

 

[mothspit]

Winona chuckled at Drevis' understanding of how the game worked. In Winona's opinion, regardless of who pulled the trigger, they were all responsible. Even if they didn't want to be. No matter how they wanted to absolve themselves, it would be a sin they'd carry well into the afterlife-- And if anyone here understood death, being well-versed in the occult and the dealings of the death, it was her. At least, that's how she saw things. Getting inside Ajax's mind wasn't exactly her specialty; She liked to think that, with their close bond, she understood him quite well. But even he did things that often threw her for a loop-- Like the game in general. But, that also fed into her theory..

"The illusion of choice, Drevis." She said, tapping the side of her head with a simple, cryptic smile.

After all, aside from their previous life, the only interactions the newbloods had with humans in a place like this.. was as slaves. Mindless puppets to feed upon. Trapped in their own bodies, all the while painfully aware of that fact. But for some reason, those in the game got special treatment? Death was akin to mercy. This information didn't change anything, though. Did it matter how many lived? Did it matter how many died? No, not really. Not in the grand scheme of things. The illusion was all that mattered, and Winona was more than experienced with those, too. There was no sense in lying to them... Even though she had no proof it was fake herself.

"Simple illusionary magic. Something that, unfortunately, you won't be privy to. I'm the only one here who carries this ability."

She snapped her fingers. Suddenly, the pale digits erupted into sparkling conflagrations, white-hot fire dancing across her fingers. The white flames traveled down the tips of the fingers back to the center of her palm, reducing itself down to a simple orange flame. It exuded a soft, subtle warmth, and even a low level of light.

"This fire can't hurt you, because it isn't real," Winona explained, "I've merely convinced your mind that it is. Go ahead, touch it."

She held her hand out to him again.

Damafaud

 

[Damafaud]

Drevis Senade
Foyer
Tipsy; Curious
Interaction: mothspit
Mention: -​

The mention of illusion of choice brought a smile to his face. An old trick in the world of business. A modern anecdote he liked to tell when explaining of the illusion of choice had a bar with various soft drinks on its menu. However, whatever drink a customer order, the bartender would always ask 'is Pepsi okay?' and the costumer would be forced to agree or took back his order. Most just agree.

"Just another reason not to think of the game too deeply, no?"

If his choices never affect it, he shouldn't dwell on it too much. Thinking too much sometimes hurt. Besides, the game intrigued Drevis much less than the magic trick Miss Oriasus just showed.

The relevation that he couldn't use it disappointed Drevis a bit. The ability to conjure up visual image would be a very amusing one to have. Why, he could think of twelve different ways to surprise someone with it! ...not that he would. A lawyer simply wouldn't put himself low enough to perform petty tricks... maybe.

He wouldn't admit it himself, but Drevis was petty when it comes to his humour and involves his pride. Did someone just insult him? He might find himself sitting on a seat rigged with a mechanism that simulate the sound of a whopee cushion. A car stole the parking spot he had been aiming? Flat tires wouldn't be out of question. When it came to his pride, Drevis was very much like a spoiled, rich brat. A spoiled rich brat with resources and cunning, that is.

When told to abandon all hesitation and put his hand into the fire, Drevis just did so. Oh, it was not a bad move; he had decided that Miss Oriasus was not the type to play a trick on him and made him burn his hand on fire. Of course, since nothing was absolute and the chance that the fire was real exist, thrusting his hand into it was not a smart move. Drevis could have just put a finger in, but the alcohol in his system dulled his judgement a little. It was too late to ponder, however, as his hand was already covered in flame.

And it did not hurt one bit.

"Amazing," he whispered, breathless."you have mentioned that it's an ability? Does it mean other ability exist as well?"

Do I have a magic ability too?

Was the question on the tip of his tongue that he bit back. Sounding too hopeful and eager was not a positive in social talk. It could provide an opening in conversation for others to test the water. Even so, magic was always a thing of fantasy for Drevis. And now that he knew it existed, he wanted to bring that piece of fantasy home.

 

[mothspit]

She shrugged. There was no sense in trying to uncover a hidden meaning, she could understand that. It just made it so.. difficult to grasp. Then again, she had a hard time understanding anyone's motivations. Living in peace, with these abilities and this.. condition was next to impossible, and yet it was the one thing she craved. She seemed to be the only one here who had such ambitions. If it meant participating in a weird, arbitrary game, then so be it. Ajax must understand the implications better than she did.

Winona drew her hand back with an amused chuckled, curling her fingers back into a fist. The fire snuffs out, leaving nothing behind. Mortals were so easy to impress-- Though, not mortals anymore, she supposed. She had her fair share of fun with these tricks, but grew tired of simple party tricks after the first few centuries. It was rare when she thought to use them for anything other than manipulation or power.

"Oh, yes. Many of them. Everyone here, in fact, has some sort of power."

She made a sweeping gesture, her palm resting on Ajax from afar. His ability, in particular, always fascinated her. His lineage trait, the one he shared with all his kin; She couldn't speak to animals, but always wondered what they had to say. Probably very little. The dead, however, had far too much to talk about..

But it was the ability unique to him that was also much more interesting.. Because she had never seen it. Hundreds of years spent alongside him, and not once was she ever lucky enough to catch a glimpse of his true power. He never needed to show it-- When you have insurmountable wealth, political influence, and charisma, brute force was often the last resort. This was one of many reasons she remained so devoted to him. Without needing to lift a dead finger, not only did the he climb the ranks of this secret society, he practically built the ranks himself. What better display of capability could there be? Nobody in The Configuration really knew how obtaining abilities worked, but there seemed to be some.. odd link between ones profession when they were human. But to her knowledge, the oil business was all Ajax had ever done. So what sweet secret could he be hiding, she wondered?

"Even your darling father. Don't go getting on his bad side."

Damafaud

 

[Damafaud]

Drevis Senade
Foyer
Tipsy; Curious
Interaction: mothspit
Mention: -​

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."

Getting on the bad side of an accomplished leader? The thought made Drevis chuckle internally. If Ajaxius was similar to him on how to handle power on his hand, opposing him openly would only result in death... or something worse. The previous game proved to Drevis he still had something limiting him, but Ajax had nothing him back. The actions such a man able to take would be terrifying, at least. He didn't want to know the rest.

"By everyone, does it include the Newbloods? Does it include me?"

Magic! It would be too great if he could have something like that. How to say it, to be something more than just humans. It was a childlike desire for Drevis, but he didn't deny his desire for it completely. He had phrased the question formally, but a child would go straight to the heart of the matter. Can I do magic too?
The core of the question he asked was as simple as that. And it showed.

Alcohol loosened up one's guard, one's facade. Drevis didn't drink a lot. Just enough for him to be tipsy, but enough was enough. Though his intonation was still under control, the light in his eyes shone with expectation. The edge of his mouth curled upward. He did not realise it showed, but it was clear he was very interested with the answer.

 

[mothspit]

Winona seemed uninterested in his newfound enthusiasm for magic. It was nothing to get excited over-- For every ability, there was always someone who was stronger. Or perhaps there was someone else's ability they coveted, cursing their own. It didn't matter. If Ajax had been so clever so as to hide his for all this time, then surely it rivaled hers. These kinds of simple displays impressed and excited only the naive. The infants. She'd seen it several times over-- It was amusing in the beginning, but quickly lost its luster.

"That's right," She confirmed, shifting her posture to lean back against the wall, "A handful, to be exact. Some we all share, and a few unique to each bloodline. I wouldn't go testing them just yet, though-- You'll know when they start to manifest."

She shrugged, and waved dismissively with her hand, "You're far too fresh from the womb to have any now. It varies between each of us, but it usually takes a day or two before they reach their full potential. A week, if you're a late bloomer."

Winona spoke as though it was as normal as a human going through puberty, but this conversation was starting to bore her. It meant nothing to her to reveal this information, it would all come to fruition regardless. Though, unless Drevis could suddenly impress her with some divine insight, or something attention-grabbing, it didn't look like she wanted to discuss the matter further. She had done so countless times. It was something they always immediately inquired about.. How tiring.

She diverted her attention away from him, her eyes drifting over to Ajax, playfully speaking with Marcus.

Damafaud

 

[Sacrosanctus]

Katya advanced into the foyer, watching the crowd of vampires going about their business and glancing at their faces. She started to grow unsettled by the crowd of monsters. They had the power to kill her and the other fledglings at a moment's notice, but perhaps they had some use for them. But what exactly was she supposed to do here? She understood that her usefulness would probably align with Ajax's goals, but she couldn't gain insight into them without more information. Katya had never felt so unsure about what would happen next.

She paused once she found her target: the same man that had driven her to her current location. What was his name again? It wasn't important; she needed answers.

"What's the deal? You could've warned me that I was about to be forced to become a judge. And what drove you and this 'Emma' person to turn me into one of you things in the first place?" Katya grew noticeably angry as she spoke, her face twisted into a scowl. There was no reason for her to restrain her indignation, as it was entirely justified for her to say that... Lucius? Laurence? That man and Emma were completely responsible for her current position.

 

[mothspit]

Once Lucas had left him alone to his own devices, Lance had since moved now to his good friends side; Leone. The two didn't speak much, but both enjoyed the others company. It was nice to just sit with someone they both knew, even if the only thing they were doing was scrolling mindlessly through social apps, occasionally showing the other a funny picture. But once Katya had made a clear line of sight for Lance-- Something Leone noticed almost immediately with a small 'uh oh'-- The two straightened up, tucking phones away. Lance put on an empathetic, sheepish frown. He threw his hands up defensively, "H-hey, take it easy. We're both adults, right?"

Gosh, it really didn't help she was cute. He passed a look to Leone, who merely shrugged in response, "I am so not in this, dude." He said flatly.

"Listen Katya, I'm really sorry about this." He reaches up to rub the back of his neck, "The game is, uh.. not fun. But if I told you how things were going to work, it'd be both of our necks."

In response to her question about why she was turned, he pauses, unsure of how to word his thoughts without coming off like a total jackass. At the time, Emma hadn't feasted for a few days-- Something she refrained from doing during a week of heavy drinking. They all had their issues, but despite having many years to come to terms with this way of life, even they had relapses. She went missing, and when Lance found her, she had her fangs buried into Katya's throat. The hunger had overtaken her, and her poor victim was empty. When the red glasses lifted from her eyes, the only way she could reconcile her guilt after the fact was to revive her. There was no grand cosmic reason; It was Katya simply because.. it just was.

"I wish I could give you an answer that you'd be happy with," He said finally, "You've got every right to be pissed. If you want to call me names, hit me or something, I get it."

Leone remained silent, his face turned to the floor. He could relate to how she was feeling, but it'd be better for him to stay quiet..

Sacrosanctus

 

[Damafaud]

Drevis Senade
Foyer
Tipsy; Good mood
Interaction: mothspit
Mention: -​

The discovery that he will have magic thrilled Drevis. For the first time since he was dead (what a weird way to phrase it), Drevis was filled to the brim with amusement, and just amusement. Oh, the theatrics on the stage was amusing in its own way, but he had a noose on his neck at the time. Now he had something simpler, but more amusing. Magic!

"Thank you for your enlightenment on the matter, Miss Oriasus. I appreciate it."

Drevis gave her a nod of acknowledgement. He would have given her a bow, but Ajaxius' warning, though given lightheartedly, was still fresh in his mind. He also knew it was time for him to walk out of the conversation. He did not have a topic he could discuss fervently with Miss Oriasus, nor he felt the lady in front of him would tolerate more small, meaningless talk.

"I will take my leave now. Do enjoy yourself -- and pardon my intrusion."

With that, he gave her a light smile, with the intention of dismissing himself, and turned toward one of the doos in the foyer.