Grand Theatre - Déambulatoire Monday March 28th 2011

Corinna nods at the information given by Claudia, but chuckles quietly when she hears her nice way of saying 'you stood on the side and watched all the time instead of mingling'.
"Ah, well, if you think so, I'll do what I can. Another opinion certainly doesn't hurt, don't you think?"
The Tremere waits for Felix to come over before greeting him with a slight nod, just as the one she gave Neb. She also doesn't wait for him to speak up first.
"My name is Corinna Ansons. You were just accepted, were you not, Monsieur? Welcome to the Kindred society of Bordeaux."
Standing next to her clanmate, the contrast between Claudia's casual demeanour and Corinna's reserved politeness is more stark than ever. It likely makes her look sterner than she actually is, especially with her formal suit and tight bun.

Perception+etiquette >4:

perception+alertness>4:

Neb-uau looks to Corinna and smiles.

I for one would be most grateful for your assistance as well.

Once he was waved over, Felix quickly approached the formed group and gave a bow.

Perception + etiquette >5:

"Yes, you're both correct. I was just accepted. My name is Felix Sommier. I was embraced by Mr. Lehin. I certainly would love a tour, if it isn't too much trouble. I'm afraid I still don't know particularly much about this whole kindred and eternal darkness thing."

Claudia smiles widely as both neonates accept and talk quite freely. She gives a look at her clothes when Felix mentions eternal darkness.
(Claudia) That's just Mr Griffin's way of putting things.. Don't mind him, the less one hears of him the better I'd guess.

The tremere seems to feel sorry for Felix, she witnessed the scene. She adds in a little comment.
(Claudia) Magister Mikael wa great at this game of standing in a corner and taking bets on verbal discussions between harpies... And make sure he's not seen by them. So.. well you've met Prince Gosuin.. The two women there are Alicia Vanderstree and Neve Rosetti. With Mr Griffin they are the only surviving harpies. Uh.. Ah, the sheriff isn't here, but he also takes the role of watching the borders, and he is a.. Very scary Malkavian. I think our most peculiar feature is that everyone behaves and everyone is quite cooperative to each other... I think Theo's pressuring the primogen into being representative of their clan's interest may be a cause. Ah, we have one prince and six primogen. Prince Gosuin holds office as primogen for his own clan, the Ventrue. We also have a Gangrel primogen as locally their clan stayed... Hmm...

The Tremere reviews the city in her mind.
(Claudia) The Tremere chantry is right in the hotel. We also have a public Elysium.. There's another Elysium in that bar next to the victoire plaza, it's also where Theo receives people, somehow, Brujah hangout... Ah, by Theodore I mean Theodore Jacob, the Brujah primogen. He is.. Maybe a little too friendly.

She smiles and nods.
(Claudia) If you step there, there is a huge map where Theo will certainly indicate the general domains of the city. Domains that aren't private havens of course, those are secrets !

She thinks again and, putting a finger close to her lips.
(Claudia) Uh.. There are very little clan ties, allies and adversaries, because we tend to negotiate as individuals. For instance I know your sire very well, She says to Felix with great sympathy and care, because we are close friends, since we were in a coterie together a century ago or so.. But I do not know Alicia Vanderstree or her Sire. I also don't know much many Brujah. The Nosferatu are.. discreet but I do not know them as I've never needed their services. Ah, unlike other cities, many of our oldest members aren't of noble blood, so it explains our informality in general. Except Miss Ansons here, but it's an education thing. I wasn't as good in those fields...

He gave a nervous smile.
"Actually, that was how my sire put it, not Mr. Griffin."He admitted to Claudia.

He listened carefully as Claudia spoke, keeping quite a bit of it in mind. He recalled the general discussion of what a clan was and little bits about each one from his sire earlier. He looked to some of the others that Claudia motioned to throughout her talk, always being quite attentive.

"It sounds as though there are quite a lot of individuals in this city. I honestly never had any idea that such things were going on at night until a couple of days ago." He gave a friendly smile, then looked to Claudia and Corinna. " So, who would I go to if I were looking to find someone? Specifically, another kindred?"

Felix blinked and glanced to the other male present in their little conversation group and gave a confused look.

"Is everything alright, er, Ned, was it? No - wait, Neb, right? I'm sorry, I can be horrible with names."

Perception + Alertness > 4:

Neb-uau relaxes as Felix addresses him. His expression softens some. When he responds his voice is formal and just a touch cold, but not greatly so.

It is Neb, and please don't try to mangle my full name.

Relaxes just a bit more.

I am sorry. I am very tense. I am fully aware to the prejudices that those of my lineage face in society.

Please, tell me a bit about yourself.

Glances over to Claudia and gives another warm smile. Then his attention focuses on Felix.

Felix visibly relaxed a bit, though at the mention of Neb's lineage, his expression showed confusion.

"Prejudices? What is your lineage to receive such treatment?" He asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

"I'm afraid there isn't much to tell, honestly. I was bitten a few days ago and my sire has been keeping me and teaching me since. This is my first time ever actually meeting others. I suppose besides that, there's not really anything interesting about m-"

He pauses as something catches his eye. His head turns to Claudia, as if spotting something.

"Forgive me, is that a clock you have? May I perhaps see it?"He asked.

Neb-uau looks thoughtful.

Well, I am a Setite, and we are one of the so-called Independent Clans. That alone sets us apart. Add to that we tend to have a rather unearned, unlovely reputation that I am sure that others here will be all to happy to tell you all about.

Sighs

(Claudia) Oohhh Jerome...

The Tremere sighs with a certain sadness when Felix says the eternal darkness wording comes from her Toreador. She spares a glance to him; the mandataire is sitting and observing calmly, probably thoughtful. The Tremere answers Felix's question with a smile.
(Claudia) It depends on who you wish to find. Over the years each one of us tends to constitute our own address book, and there is an official log held by the Harpies. Mr Griffin is almost always present when there is an official gathering, if you can survive his stare he may allow you to take a look.

She mimics what is known to be the death stare of the Tremere Harpy, opening a little her eyes and stopping smiling an instant. Claudia is seemingly capable of displaying a little of the Tremere serious look but she's just not scary and it ends up like a kitten trying to hiss itself against a mirror. But she does enacts well the scary glare Griffin has given earlier during the night.
(Claudia) The correct manner to find another kindred, especially one you do not know, is to ask your primogen, who will ask their primogen. But once you grow used enough, you will see that kindred you meet often have.. A pattern. Hunting habits, known favored places.. If I need to find Emilio, I know that if I sit long enough on the right bank of the river, he will show up. Most of us have a phone number, however, as well as an email; so you may contact most of them directly if they give you such information. Ah, please, "embraced", not bitten ; we bite much more often than we embrace...

She knows the Etiquette rules, and proper manners, but somehow she finds them out-dated and not necessary. Considering who her Primogen is, it's fairly unlikely that the Regent would contact another Primogen to allow Claudia to meet with someone of another clan.
She glances over at Neb an instant.
(Claudia) Of course, for those without Primogen, that's another issue. Exchanging phone numbers or meeting locations is the easiest and simplest... It's true your choice of a name is surprising.. You might need to baptize with another with your interactions with mortals, if you have not already. It may serve your interests best. Normally my name pronounces Cla-u-dia as the Latin pronunciation, but because I look neither Spanish nor Italian, I go with Clodia, as French pronounce it. Nowadays nobody would care and thanks to Mrs Rice they all know it, but back when I was embraced it really was a problem.

Like "Claude", and like most words with "au", indeed, in French it's pronounced O (the O from Optical). The "gn" part of her last name, Vonigner, she pronounced like if it were the spanish ñ, or like in mignon ; a "ni" actually. But without a doubt, even with a French pronunciation to it, Vonigner is a Germanic last name.

Without an hesitation she takes off her watch and hands it to Felix. The bracelet is simple beige leather but very well well sewn. The actual clock itself is very minimalistic and simple ; However it's not a quartz nor a battery watch, but one that has to be set each day to tense the mainspring. It tics softly. It's slightly off and could need to be cleaned from the inside, but it's normal with those kind of mechanical watches.

Perception+Alertness>3:

Perception+Alertness>5:

"Ah, I see. That is a most unfortunate situation. Surely once others begin to know you, the harsh rumors of your clan will shift though, right?"
He asked Neb with a light smile.

Felix's eyes moved back to Claudia, listening to her words carefully and keeping a mental note of them. The more he heard, the more he realized just how much he would have to learn to fit into this society. The process of finding someone seemed much more complicated than he had initially suspected.

However, once Claudia removed the watch, there a certain light within Felix's eyes. He held the watch in a tender manner, examining it fully with care. He leaned close to listen to its ticking for a moment before he looked back to Claudia.
"It's quite a lovely piece, but the ticking sounds to be off. When was it last cleaned?"

Corinna listens to what Claudia says, and occasionally adds something when her clanmate stops to think for a moment.
"Monsieur Griffin is a Harpy for a reason, if he weren't harsh, he wouldn't be doing justice to his position. He takes etiquette and proper demeanor very seriously, but you should mind your manners around Kindred anyway, especially your elders. And don't try to play him for a fool, he notices such things quickly. Then again, playing anybody for a fool is not a good idea in any case."
The Tremere gives a motion of her hand, a wave of dismissal, as if what she said should be obvious, and then falls silent again for a moment.
"You should also acquire one of the Nosferatu's cards for their hotline. If there is an emergency situation that you cannot solve on your own, they are the ones you want to call. Of course, this service has a price, so only make use of it when there is absolute need. Let me see..."
She takes a look around, to see if there is one of the Nosferatu nearby.
"Well, I don't think one of them is here yet, but do make an effort to get hold of their hotline. It can be a life saver, so to speak."
Again, she leaves it to Claudia to continue explaining, but gives her a soft smile when Claudia calls herself uneducated.
"Don't hold yourself so cheaply, Claudia. You're just as intelligent and academically educated as I am."
Corinna seems to remember something and turns back to the neonates again, the softness fading from her smile.
"As Claudia mentioned, the Chantry is directly opposite of the Grand Theatre. We Tremere do not have a hotline like the Nosferatu do, but if you require ... hm, assistance in Thaumaturgical matters, come over to the Elysium in the Hotel. I'm Bordeaux's Librarian, so chances are good if you do need anything, you will be dealing with me or Magister Horsman, if I cannot provide what you need."
Seemingly out of habit, the Librarian tugs at her blazer's sleeves and smooths out some wrinkles while talking. It seems she just wants to keep her hands busy.
"I assume I don't have to tell you that these kinds of favours come at a steep price aswell, so as with the Nosferatu, you should have an emergency situation ... or be ready to pay well for mere curiosity."

Corinna then falls silent again, listening with a hint of curiosity on her face to the little dispute between the two men at the table, and seems slightly amused at Neb-uau's quick change of demeanour. However, when Felix talks about being 'bitten', she makes a slightly disgusted face.
"Please, Monsieur Sommier, do not make the Embrace sound like those awful modern novels depict us Kindred. Your sire surely has told you how precious the right to Embrace is, so don't make it sound like a disease. That demeans not only you, but every Kindred here aswell."
She doesn't make the reprimand sound as hostile as, for example, Griffin would have made it, though the implication of what she calls 'awful modern novels' doesn't sit right with her at all. Better she mention it than one of the Harpies.

Neb-uau answers Felix with a sigh.

Not really. These rumors and falsehoods have been around for centuries. The best I can hope for is an acceptance of myself. If I get that it will probably be grudgingly given at that for a very long time. Shrugs. Ah well, there is nothing I can do about it except put my best foot forward. You can ask anyone else though about the Setites and learn about all the untruths for yourself.

Smiles at Claudia and Corinna then turns back to Felix.

I must agree with our elders here. I spent many years as a Ghoul before I was embraced. It is a great privilege to be brought into this society. Give it the respect that it is due.

He lowered his gaze in a nervous manner as everyone brought up his minor statement.

"Ah, forgive me. I am afraid I haven't seen it as much of a blessing as of yet. My, as you call it, embrace, was rather sudden and without warning. I am still getting used to the, er, lifestyle changes."

Alertness+ perception >3:

After a moment, he smiles and looks to the others again, trying his best to remain pleasant and polite.

"Thank you all though, for being understanding."

Shakes his head slightly.

And that is why, if I am ever given the honor and privilege of being allowed to embrace someone, I would only choose a ghoul who has a long service, was deserving of the honor and wanted the change. Embracing someone who doesn't know about our society does them no favors.

But that is not your fault and none of that is on your head. Just remember this for if you are ever given such a privilege.

Looks to Claudia and Corinna with a warm smile.

Does that sound about right to both of you?

Corinna sighs quietly and makes a dismissal wave once more at Felix' apology, indicating that she is not too offended.
"You will have to get used to choosing your words carefully, but that skill comes with time and practice. Just try not to blunder in front of the Harpies, they might take it badly, to say the least."
Her gaze sweeps around the whole room, taking in the scene, then she turns back to the small group.
"Many Kindred go through what you experience know, you might want to keep a low profile around Elysium while you are still adjusting. It may take time, I guess. Your sire should be able to give you more guidance on the matter."
She seems unsure how to deal with Felix in this manner, and looks to Claudia, as if to hand the situation over to her. On Neb-uau's words, however, she nods understandingly.
"Yes, that's preferrable, Monsieur Neb. Though sometimes, for a multitude of reasons, this period of ghoulhood may not be possible. It's up to the sire, however, and I don't want to presume to judge."
That's the Harpy's job, and all of them know how well Griffin took to Felix' Embrace and presentation.

Smiles at Corinna.

I make no judgments on his sire. I leave that to my betters.

The young Tremere gives a curious glance at Felix. "Cleaning" ? She seems unsure what he means. She makes a gesture, mimicking cleaning the front and back of the glass as if she was cleaning eyeglasses.
(Claudia) Every week or so I clean the glass with a little product. I just turn the button each night. I don't mind if it's not really precise, I only use it to keep an idea of a regular pulse.

Felix:

Claudia gives a little glance at Corinna when she mentions her education, then she winks and jokes.
(Claudia) I was excused by the Regent from those classes. At the time, Lord Tarcisus thought it was more important to direct my studies elsewhere, even if Magister Horsman insisted I learn proper vocabulary and how to bow.

She crosses her ankles and makes a slight bow. She still remembers how to do it, but because of her clothes, it's fairly teen, polite bow, than actual lady of high society bow. She listens as the two younger kindred discuss, and nods.
(Claudia) Jerome is a very caring person. Don't worry, even with the best preparation, once in Elysium or in society, what one studies is always forgotten. Childer are expected to make certain mistakes, and this is why they're encouraged to form coteries ; groups, to act and protect each other's back, pool resources, and work together without exchanging boons.

She speaks obviously from a personal point of view, with a pleased smile on her lips, nostalgic.
(Claudia) Jerome and Laure were great at hunting together. Thomas was very good at making sure we kept a good reputation as a group, which is also how he became a Harpy.. I was the most perceptive of them all and kept them informed in general occult matters. I was also in charge of fixing places for us to sleep, should we be out of our havens, when I moved out from the Chantry.

When she hears the term ghoul, she gives a glance around, then shrugs.
(Claudia) Our clan has very specific rules concerning ghouls, and I never thought about having one. As far as I could have noticed, sudden embraces are by far the norm.. I know the Setites have several ghouls working for them, however. I am not really that surprised... Surely you've already adapted more into this "not being alive" anymore better, yet ghouls have other flaws that mortals embraced do not. Yet.. "Privilege", no, I wouldn't say such words concerning our existence.

She smiles widely when Felix mentions "lifestyle".
(Claudia) Ah, don't worry too much about saying "the other day", "this morning".. We've generally kept this idea that "it's not morning until you've slept". Well, we don't really sleep either, we do not rest during the day, but saying "rest well" is still something many of us do. Switching from life to existence or to unlife, wording around.. As Corinna says, it comes with practice. Primogen Darvault is great about using adjectives and turning his phrases around, without making it sound cheesy. Just try not to be too noticed, and if they try to get on you, the harpies, don't answer back, say "I understand", and look down.. She lowers her voice a little, looking around as if the wolf could show up. I still can't understand why Mr Griffin got so angry with Jerome about embracing. I don't think it had anything to do with you, but he is really in a bad mood. Maybe I should have ironed my dress.

The Tremere stretches up a little.
(Claudia) The great thing about coteries is also a way to confront teachings and come up with your own vision of what we are, and why.

He gives a nod, listening carefully to all the suggestions given by everyone in regards to adjusting. He made a mental note to keep them in mind for the coming nights.

"I'll be sure to keep that all in mind. I didn't have much of an inclination to try and involve myself too much until I understood everything better, so it sounds like my thinking was for the best. Once I get a handle on the basics, I am sure I'll be looking to find a group to hang around with."

He kept rather calm and pleasant. However, when Claudia mentioned "cleaning her watch," he merely smiled ever so slightly.

ST:

Perception + Alertness > 3:

"Ah, I see. Well, I am a clockmaker, so why don't you just let me tune it up for you a little bit?" He asked.