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 The camera opens with a wide, time-lapse shot of Wilderstein Manor. The sun arcs across the sky, seemingly reluctant to fall, but fall it does. As the night falls, the camera races through the door of the manor and through the twisting halls towards the master bedroom. It lingers on the elegant double-doors a moment, then zooms through... to reveal an empty, though equally elegant room with an undisturbed bed. Smash cut to Grace's makeshift office in the ruined cellar. Grace rolls off the battered couch, looking for all the world like she's three pots of coffee shy of being a functioning member of society. After a moment longer, she clambers to her feet and stumbles back to her desk. The answering machine, like it did when she fell asleep, still has a flag indicating a new message — probably Bob, badgering her about work. She looks up to the corkboard, a web of articles and photos, all connecting to a central point: the Brooklyn Slasher. This is the key to a great story, the kind of thing that'll keep Bob happy and protect the Masquerade. She hopes, anyway. The possibility that the Slasher is some sort of supernatural critter, vamp or otherwise, has crossed her mind. Still... it's worth reaching out to her network. She flips open her Rolodex and begins to make a few calls as the camera zooms back out of the manor. The night is young, after all, and her people still awake. There'll be time for some research before midnight. ------------------------------------------- Elsewhere in Oldtown, the honorable Judge Cox presides. It's a quiet night, particularly given the threat of the Slasher keeps the people indoors. The monotony of ruling after considered ruling is broken only by a note passed to him by the bailiff. He reads it, a lawyer still arguing a minute point of law, then pockets it. Grace wants to know what requests for warrants and the like have come through his courthouse. For a moment, he looks old and tired, then it's gone. He's the king here, even if she does have him by the balls. The camera soars across the block, the sound of hymns briefly mixing with the soundtrack. Deacon Halton tends his to ghostly flock, offering song and scripture to calm their rage. The camera doesn't linger long, but one ghostly figure stares into it. It's hard to tell, being an indistinct phantom, but is that a ragged gash along it's neck...? The camera doesn't seem to care as it sweeps out into a broader view of Oldtown. The Victorian architecture throughout the area is striking, despite age having taken its toll. Well-dressed figures walk in pairs and trios, though the energy of the night is apprehensive. ------------------------------------------- The camera does a slow, considered loop throughout, then returns once more to Grace's office. She hangs up the phone, seeming satisfied, and checks her watch. Her eyebrows arc upwards, subtly, and she quickly puts on her more courtly attire — a nice, well-cut blazer over a modest blouse and slacks. Denim may be her fabric, but the Baron was somewhat particular when it came to events. What was a little discomfort in the name of love, anyways? A moment later, she heads out the Manor's front door. She tips the door back towards closing, then it aggressively slams shut and a click indicates the lock being thrown as well. She looks at the offending aperture, considering launching a few barbs at the resident spectres, then sighs. Not worth it. Walking to the sidewalk, she seems to fade from view, growing less and less memorable. A couple pass by, briefly obscuring Grace from view, then she's gone. ------------------------------------------- Grace fades into view next to her tenant, Gyges, and she greets him with a polite, though cautious tenor. She says, "Good evening, Gyges. Rare to see you at court." The question of why he's here is on her mind, though unasked in the moment. His power is unmistakable, his ambitions... less clear. The Baron had not been extremely pleased with her decision to offer tenancy, the full political implications thereof still somewhat unclear to her, but the fact of the matter was that his aid had proven invaluable. It is decidedly of interest to keep him both where she can keep an eye on him and also where he's committed his prowess to her causes. A night of service every three months is quite sizeable when speaking of someone who reversed a rather nasty curse with little apparent effort.  Rolling Wits + Empathy + Motives to determine what our good friend Gyges is playing at tonight = 4 successes.Her eyes flick across the ship, taking in those present and those still to come. Mary is here, the visceral desperation dripping off her as always, though she seems in good enough spirits. The figure in the Baron's chair... Her eyes narrow, thinking, but she can't put a name to the face just yet. A guest? A rival making their power known? It remains to be seen. After a moment, her attention turns to one of the side walls — not the one where framed posters and the like hang, but the opposite one — where a pair of interlocking poems are painted on a bulkhead. One being hers, of course, the other a stunning example of the Baron's poetry. The lines intertwine, offering myriad possibilities of meaning and interpretation. The other members of the coterie recieve pleasant smiles and nods as she meets their gazes, though there's a touch of tension as she sees Frank sitting in the front row.
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Mar 26, 2019 02:03
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 16:09 |
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After Zedd's performance, Grace takes the stage. She doesn't make near the show of things, though her own attitude and bearing leave no question as to her devotion to her liege-lord and Sire. Grace says, "Baron Jessica, there are two matters of concern in Oldtown: First, as Zedd has mentioned, there has been a disconcerting shift in the activity of the ghosts. I've begun inquiries into the cause and exact nature of the disturbance with the assistance of Gyges. His expertise in the field has already identified several potential sites that may be causing or aggravating the current circumstances." She lets that sit a moment, hopeful that it might ease the Baron's attitude towards the warlock, but she doesn't hold much hope of that just yet. Perhaps when the hauntings are resolved. Attempting to ease tensions between the two by rolling Manipulate + Persuasion, but no successes.With renewed vigor, Grace adds, "The second matter is the Brooklyn Slasher. The stories in the papers and the news at large are causing a mild panic among the people of Red Hook. I believe our ability to hunt will be negatively affected if the killings continue and paranoia begins to take root. By your leave, I plan to take steps to uncover the identity of the one behind this and ensure their activities cease." As the words finish ringing through the ship, she bows deeply and says, "If you have learned of anything related to the Slasher, Baron Jessica, I would request that you share your insights with me."
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Mar 28, 2019 03:50
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Grace watches Gyges's attempts to navigate Kindred politics with a trace of sympathy, though she had hoped he'd prove more adept at reading the room. Perhaps an avenue they might trade knowledge? His expertise in the arcane is clear and with Dead Amsterdam looming... that may prove very useful. Her musings are cut short as the Baron describes the tasks at hand — and glosses over a slight. That was unusual. She thinks a moment, trying to figure out why her Sire would excuse so much from a guest, and comes to a quick conclusion — it must have to do with the Gamut. If Eustacia is speaking there on behalf of the Baron, then she'd likely have a touch more restraint in the moment. Though, with that said, Grace wouldn't want to put herself in Eustacia's shoes. Jessica may forgive in the moment, but she doesn't forget. Grace resolves to find a quick moment to meet with Leticia and Jeremy before the coterie goes their separate ways for the night, if only to underscore the importance of their guest's satisfaction during her stay. Wits + Empathy (Motives) to figure out why Baron Jessica is allowing these slights. Two successes.Grave steps forward, "Baron Jessica, I volunteer to observe the Seaside Hotel."
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Apr 1, 2019 00:44
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As court winds down, Grace allows herself to leave the moment and start thinking about the problems she's got at hand. First, of course, is the small matter of keeping her job. The coup of solving the Slasher murders at the gamut is certainly noteworthy, particularly in how it benefits her Sire, but it serves the double-purpose of something juicy she can feed Bob to keep him happy. The second issue is solving the spectral... whatever it was Gyges was on about. The hauntings are undeniably different of late, that much is clear, and she suspects that the busier she keeps the warlock the happier and more pliable he'll be. It's not as personally or politically rewarding, though, so she's inclined to let it sit until after the night at the hotel. Add in that he left and, well, the choice seemed settled enough. With that thought through, she begins to put together the information she's learned so far. Baer's children seemed a likely lead, though the lack of address and the general location would be a bit of a problem. If the Sheriff's eyes are on this... well, she'll just have to cover her tracks. Grace chuckles, still amused by the dramatic turn her life has taken, and makes for the streets. Her presence fades, step by step, until only a whisper on the wind marks her passage. Her first stop is to a small stash of petty cash she keeps. If this is going to escape notice, she'll need to be circumspect — and discretion does have its price. Resource 2 spend on her Contacts (Informants) for +3 to her Investigations for the night.There is certainly something to be said for a career in journalism and the strange friends you make along the way. It doesn't take long before a visit to a few of her informants brings her some actionable intelligence. The Baer estate is in a ritzy part of the Slope and, of course, smack in the middle of Veck's territory. Dropping in for a visit won't make her any friends if she gets caught, but... it's certainly worth the risk. She makes a beeline for the subway, hoping that her talents in Obsfucation will prove enough to avoid any unsavory entanglements. If she's quick, she should be able to case the joint, hopefully find a few clues, and get back to her haven before sun-up. Intelligence + Investigation + Contacts Bonus - Covering Her Tracks, 1 hour increment; 4 successes.
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Apr 5, 2019 04:23
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 The Want is a solid link to the killer's identity, the Expect is something small the police would have overlooked and the How would be examining the scene of the crime.Grace pulls her coat a bit tighter as she stalks up the steps of the brownstone. The streets are all but empty, a mixed blessing, as her talents in avoiding detection aren't going to help much if there isn't a crowd to get lost in. Still, she looks at the lock on the front door and the distant trash collector trundling along. It'll take some focus, but it wouldn't be the first time she'd had to let herself in somewhere with a hairpin. She fishes one out of her pocket and gets to work. The lock is a little finnicky, but less than ten seconds later a telltale click indicates that she's made it inside. It takes three intervals of Dex + Larceny - 1 + WP to accrue the necessary successes. The subsequent test for the trash collector to notice Grace was a failure.Grace allows herself a self-satisfied smile as she slips inside and quietly closes the door behind her. Nobody should suspect a thing. Now, turning her mind to the mystery, she thinks through what she might find. There's a solid chance that her senses can pick up something that the police would have missed — especially if there were supernatural forces involved. She opens herself to the Beast, though is careful to keep it leashed. She isn't sure exactly where the murder took place, of course, but there'd be telltale signals her other self couldn't possibly miss. Blood. Terror. Dominance. Using her free invocation of the Beast's Hackles this scene, Grace tags three successes and primarily wants to know "What here is most likely to give me what I want?" If there's any benefit for multiple successes, she'd also want to know "Who here is most likely to hurt me?"Almost in a fugue state, Grace prowls through the halls of the brownstone. Her eyes flick from corner to corner, the Beast pulling her towards what she desires. The scent of blood, even dried in splatters, is unmistakable. Her fangs briefly glint in the light as she stops her advance and considers a door. That primal force within her, the creature of wanton desire, is screaming that this is the place. With a moment to steel herself, she swings the door open and begins her investigation. Wits + Investigation (Examine A Scene) - 1 for no successes.
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Apr 16, 2019 18:05
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The ghost is troubling, of course, it's not the sort of thing you ever really get used to seeing. Grace has seen spectres before, given the infestation of Oldtown and the spectral residents of her own haven, but there's just something... off about them. They grate on your senses, send tingles up your spine, and are generally best avoided. Still, with the proper expertise, she has no doubt that this could break the case wide open. The temptation to track down this trash collector, likely the Brooklyn Slasher, is incredibly hard to tamp down, but the political implications if she slip up are too much to bear. If it were just her on the line, maybe, but to drag her Baron down with her... It couldn't be countenanced. She'd have to take a different tact. As the sun rises, Grace slips from the Baer residence and hastens back to her Haven. No pursuit. Grace will head back to her Haven and plot how to get the Baer orphan into territory she can leverage Gyges in as the week goes on.
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Apr 16, 2019 19:23
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As the sun dips over Oldtown, Grace's eyes snap open. There's a helluva lot to do tonight. The task at the Hotel, of course, but also planning and plotting and coordinating her coterie mates to help break the Slasher business wide open. Her 'morning' routine goes by in a blur, the majority of it spent on catching up on the news and scanning the headlines for any progress in the Slasher case and the rest spent reviewing her notes. She's pretty drat sure she's weeks ahead of the police on this one, given how well the prior night went, but it's still too early to loop in Bob on what she's found. Soon, though. Soon. Grace leaves a quick message for Bob, reassuring him that she's working on breaking a big story — and hints that it might have to do with the Slasher, though with enough plausible deniability that it's hard to say for certain. That little element of her night taken care of, she gathers a bag of essentials — her notebook, some pens, a camera — and heads to rendezvous with her compatriots at the Hotel. Even if her career was increasingly looking shaky, the Baron would find no reason to doubt her devotion — nor Grace's worthiness to hold Oldtown in her name.
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Apr 27, 2019 05:06
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 16:09 |
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Grace has spent the majority of Penderghast's monologue leaned up against a wall and writing down the finer details in a tight, neat shorthand. Spooks and haunts may be something she's become passing familiar with, living and ruling where she does, but only a fool hops into an investigation without an honest grounding of the facts. As he comes to a close, she snaps her notebook shut and slides it into the breast pocket of her jacket. She says, "You've been most helpful, Mr. Penderghast. I expect we'll be seeing each other again soon — one of my vassals is most interested in sites such as these and, I must admit, it seems a good idea to familiarize myself with the more... spectral inhabitants of town." Looking to her coterie mates, she says, "I figure checking in with Crow Jane is as wise a move as any. If she's lucid, there's a good shot at getting some leads on whoever the new guys are. If not, well, still worth getting eyes on her for the report."
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Aug 7, 2019 21:36
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