MaclayInsquequo Totus Es UnusHere and ThereRegistered Userregular
Danny generally preferred to meet with people he didn't really know in a public environment with multiple exits. He wasn't very hopeful on that count right now, but understood the need for privacy. At least they weren't going to his place.
"Deke's will suffice for now."
He nodded and gave them the number for his burner phone. He carried three cheap phones, none of which held any true personal information. The green for Ana, the black for his sire and this one, in a blue cover, that should as of this moment only ring if one of these people called him.
"If there is time before we go to Chinatown, we may be able to dig something up on the Kuei-Jin, but we should perhaps save any meaningful discussion for when we reunite... elsewhere."
Alex nodded slowly, turning from his seat to face the others. There seemed to be a moment of deference to Deke amongst the group given his knowledge and with that, his suggestion was being accepted. "Your place works for me. Hope you have some booze." He jested with Deke, mostly. There was a levity he felt was lacking from the group that he was trying to introduce. They all seemed very serious and introspective, which were traits he didn't really have or even prefer to attempt to mimic.
"Though, if we're going to be serious about all this cloak and dagger secrecy, it's probably best if we all went our own ways now. The longer we sit here, the most likely it'll be noticed that this group isn't elsewhere. Deke, you have a time you think it makes sense to meet up?"
The young vampire offers a half shrug. "If we would like to enter the Kuei-jin's territory tonight, we should do so soon. If we want a full night, an hour after sundown next evening makes sense."
FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
"The sooner the better, probably. The longer we wait, the more likely someone finds out what we're doing. Unless some of you have plans? Doesn't make a lot of difference to me"
"Fair Enough" Alex stands, brushing off a stray piece of lint on his jacket. "We should move quickly then, as if we're going to do this tonight, we still all need time to gather whatever we might need ourselves. I certainly intend on changing, and I would assume most of you would as well."
Seeing the other jabber about their plans, Elizabeth decide that it might be smart to learn about the Kuei-jin from the Seneschal.
"So what knowledge can you give to this... makeshift band?
Hopefully something that will make it out alive of their lands?"
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cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
The place of the meeting is effectively sealed off following the group's departure, the Sheriff at the door leaving you all to your devices unless approached. As expected, the Seneschal is waiting not far from the hall, near the top of the stairs. He maintains a pleasant demeanor at your approach, Elizabeth in particular soon the object of his attentions.
"My dear songstress, have you ever been to Chinatown? That is... unfortunate. I do not advise you to tread lightly, or alone. Though you seem cut of fiercer cloth than most, you may find the darker streets of the Orient well beyond your reckoning. That said... alas, no, I have naught to offer but information. I was given the, apparently accurate, impression that you all are quite capable of fending for yourselves on the level of preparation. What I will share will hopefully prove just as valuable as items of a physical nature."
The suited man pauses, resting his weight to one side on his cane, ensuring he has the gathering's attention before proceeding. "You will be looking for a man by the name of Li Feng Chai. He is the proprietor of an occult shop somewhere in Confucius Plaza, as I understand it. The sort not on the proverbial grid, so... alas, you may have to do some scouring to discover its precise whereabouts. I believe this is by design. Even those who know the address one day find it unknown to them the next. That is the information I have been privy to. Should you need more than that, ask and I will share what I can. If you wish to press elsewhere within Elysium, that is your right as well... though not all members of the Regentia's circle are as, shall we say, generous with knowledge as myself."
Deacon thanks Kenneth for the information before stepping outside, phone in hand. He makes a call as soon as he's outside, not even out of earshot yet.
"Petey. It's Deke. You heard of a herbalist shop in Chinatown with a shifty owner? Yeah, yeah, spare me the racist monologue..."
FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
After Elizabeth and Kenneth are done speaking, Max approaches the Primogen.
"Greetings, sir. I just have a few questions concerning the target of tonight's assignment. A shifting address is only the first line of defense. Should we expect any organized hostility? Obviously requisite care must be taken, but is there any formal threat at the moment?"
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cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
"They're a dime-a-dozen in that godforsaken shithole." After more pressing, you manage some useful information filtered through unpleasant descriptors best not repeated in polite company. You know there aren't many occultists who set up shop in that part of town because of who's in charge, a ride-or-die gangster that would make the Triads run back to Shanghai. While you don't have an exact location, you have a very good idea of where to look, and what to look for. It's underground.
"Greetings, indeed. Always a joy to meet a fellow patron of the arts. But formalities can wait, yes." Kenneth straightens, hesitating only briefly before answering the question. "We have an armistice of sorts, friend. There are no open hostilities... but it is their territory, and they do not like unannounced visitors. Tread with extreme caution."
cj iwakura on
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FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
"Thank you, sir. We shall return here shortly. Successfully, I hope."
Max heads home to change, taking Alex's advice. He wears some jeans and a blue long sleeved shirt. Nothing that would catch the eye. He then heads to Sarasvat's brokerage, hoping there was someone there. If not, he could at the very least pick up some equipment.
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MaclayInsquequo Totus Es UnusHere and ThereRegistered Userregular
Despite not having anything to speak to Kenneth about, Danny thanks him in passing. He pauses just slightly too long, in case Kenneth has anything to say to him.
Once he gets outside, Danny texts Ana:
"Pulled into some Cam stuff. Availability may be spotty for the near future."
Having no desire to share potentially sensitive information over the phone, and not enough time to both do some research AND effectively lose anyone who might be following him, Danny settled for the latter and eventually made his way to the meet.
Once getting the low down from the Prince and the Seneschal, Bulldog milled about a bit, then headed out to gear up and get out of his suit.
On his way back, he made a couple of calls to some of his Herd who frequented Chinatown, they may have heard rumors about the weirdoes that ran Chinatown.
Heading to one of my Havens to switch to my van. The van has enough stash spots in floorbloards, sideboards etc to stash the larger equipment you can't hide on your person, stakes, swords rifles, etc. Stuff I can hide on my own person in a jacket like knives or pistols I'll carry.
I'll also switch to my normal biker leathers, jeans, and boots. If my investigation turns up any additional Kuei-Jin weaknesses like wood, etc, I'll also bring additional weapons of that nature if they are easily obtainable. After that I'll head to Deke's.
I'm using Herd as a resource to get info on the Kuei-Jin, if that doesn't make sense feel free to ignore those extra 3 dice. Wits 3+ Investigation 1+ Herd 3
Geth roll 7d10o10h8 for Hungry Ghosts
Deke, having secured the information he wanted ducks back into the party briefly to do a bit of glad-handing -- dad always impressed the importance of pressing the flesh -- and trades contact information with everyone he hasn't yet. He heads back out, towards the Opticon pretty directly, but texts the Coterie: "This will be dirty, dress accordingly."
In his apartment, he changes into what he wears when he wants to go unnoticed on a work site: battered Carhartt jeans, a heavy flannel over an undershirt, steel-toed boots, and suspenders. Never doubt the ability of suspenders to render you uninteresting.
Alex didn't have much information that he could think of that he needed to gather himself. He let the others ask some questions, and then followed them out the door. He returned to his apartment and quickly changed, throwing on more casual clothes, jeans, white tennis shoes, and a simple button up shirt. Perhaps not exactly what would be appropriate for fitting into Chinatown, but he didn't specifically had a "sneaking around" outfit.
With one last look around his apartment to decide if there was anything else he needed, he headed out the door to meet up with the group.
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cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
Word on the street is mostly anecdotal about the residents of Chinatown. You know better than to explicitly name drop the Kuei-Jin to the kine, so the extent of your information is about the Asian Occult scene. It's got a small but tightly knit society, and even the locals stay the hell away from them. It's nasty, nasty shit.
The text has some difficulty being sent. It takes four tries, and finally goes through, yet goes unanswered for the time being.
Then, finally, on your way out the door, a simple reply: "What sort of stuff?"
No one in Elysium has much in the way of concrete information to offer. At best, the Kuei-Jin are passed off as crazy mortals aiming above their station, ideally kept at arm's length. At worst, they're derided as a crackpot Tremere fairy tale. Those with particular disdain for the Princedom speculate that the sorcerers are sharing trade secrets with them and selling the Camarilla up the river to learn more witchcraft.
The reception desk of the Opticon is typical for the middle of the night. The overnight staff at the desk is a half-asleep college student with their face buried in a book, more asleep than not.
Anyone asking for Deke is sleepily waved on by without a second thought. Once outside, it's clear the city remains as awake as ever. It seems like there are more distant wailing sirens than before, and a few cars speeding by seem to be directly connected; whether they're the cause or the effect.
Shortly before your group manages to depart, a haggard man in tattered rags happens along. His rounded black glasses suggest total blindness, but he seems to be navigating the streets without a care for someone who has no walking stick of guidance. He stops just outside the exterior of the building, offering a smile of broken teeth as he extends a rusted metal cup. "Change, my friends? Spare some coin for the night?" Despite his wretched appearance, he seems remarkably sober and clear headed.
Getting to Chinatown will not prove difficult, though please specify on how the group means to arrive. Getting a taxi for six people is just about impossible, and it's no short walk.
cj iwakura on
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MaclayInsquequo Totus Es UnusHere and ThereRegistered Userregular
Danny's Response to Ana:
"Probably just a bunch of legwork tonight. I'll stop by if there is time after."
No one is ever what they seem, and this guy more than most. He wondered if loose change could be used against him (in the magickal sense) but it had to be something that carried meaning for anything like that, right? Danny reached into his pocket, grabbing whatever change was there and threw it in the cup. He avoided eye-contact, carefully watching the man's hands and backed up immediately afterward.
Not taking his attention away from the stranger, he asks Bulldog quietly,
"Are you parked nearby?"
Presumably we discussed transport before leaving and @Boozer is the only one I recall mentioning a ride big enough for all of us. If we decide(d) to go with something else, feel free to ignore the query.
Bulldog ignored the bum, instead clapping a large hand over Whelan's shoulder and squeezing, hard.
"Danny, right? Call me Bulldog." It didn't sound like a suggestion. "Like I said upstairs, I gotta a ride big enough for all of us, if you don't mind the mess. Brought extra gear along too in case you guys forgot your homework."
MaclayInsquequo Totus Es UnusHere and ThereRegistered Userregular
Again with the touching... This crew was going to take some getting used to. Danny tried to remember if he'd gotten Bulldog's name wrong at some point, he didn't think so, but he suspected that might not be the point right now.
"Sure Bulldog, I'll call you whatever you like. I'm just, y'know, pretty cautious about revealing people's personal information in front of... 'company.' And yeah, it in fact does perturb me greatly that in a single night the number of people who know my full name has doubled, if not tripled."
Alex digs into his pocket to pull out a bill for the beggar. With a smile, he placed it into the man's cup. Small favors here and there, he learned that as he grew up. He stepped towards the other two.
"Gentlemen, perhaps we should just get on our merry way? " He motioned to the beggar with his head. "Caution is probably wise for now, and as much as I love a good chat, the night drags on without us."
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FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
Max has learned that small bills can answer big questions, and so places one in the blind man's cup as he arrives.
"Alright then, your ride it is. I gathered a bit of my kit, although I don't know how useful it will be."
[It's a standard investigative kit, including stuff he probably doesn't need, like gloves and a red tinted penlight, and stuff he might like an extendable baton, lowlight camera(can record as well) and lock picks. Nothing fancy, nothing extraordinarily special, but standard equipment from the brokerage. If this is too much, let me know.
Deke nods. He'd told everyone about the underground stores...as in the literally underground ones. Not the most pleasant of nights by his reckoning, but sorting the problem out would earn them a lot of credit with the Cam. Might even pique Magdalena's interest, if he was lucky.
He pulls a thumb inside of one his suspenders, waiting for Bulldog's direction.
cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
The homeless man bows his head several times in a gracious display of appreciation, as if the meager offerings were worth a fortune. "Splendid, splendid, good travels to you all, though it would serve the canine well to keep his fangs in check. Bite not the hand which extends for aid. Sing your melodies to the broken night, and stare not at that which isn't truly there." The man shuffles off down the sidewalk, vanishes around a corner, and is gone.
The bustling activity of the city remains as vibrant as ever along the way to the Oriental district, though it doesn't take long for the streets to narrow once the surroundings turn foreign. Less than a block from the ideal destination, they are barely wide enough to allow even a regular car passage, much less a van. The sidewalks are less choked with tourists than they might be in the earlier evening hours, but even in the ongoing late night, there are still more than enough to make driving any further considerably difficult, if even possible. If the numerous pedestrians weren't trouble enough, there are also several ramshackle booths lining the street and on-foot vendors peddling assorted wares. It doesn't take long to discern that most of what's for sale isn't even remotely legal. Assorted drugs are clearly in open market, while the sight of assorted women in flashy cheongsams suggests the existence of another buyer's market altogether.
The trip from the Elysium to home takes longer than she would have liked, thanks to New York traffic and some underground rave in Williamsburg being shut down just blocks from her apartment slowing it down even more. Once home, Lizzy got out of her business outfit and into something she could ruin in the sewers, some cut up jeans, a Jet Li T-shirt, and a black leather jacket, and some old steel toe combat boots she got from an army guy she spent the night with. She thought briefly about taking her metal bat that sat next to her bed but decided against it. She was going into the Kuei-Jin territory, a clan so powerful that even the Camarilla wouldn't touch them. Going into their area armed seemed like a bad idea. Since she knew she wasn't going to be able to meet with the group at Deke's place, she would just have to meet them there. She sent a quick text to Danny, hoping that he was going along with this. Without her Malkavian Music to clue her into the world at large, she felt exposed most of the time but with another Malk close by, maybe he'll noticed something she would miss.
Or maybe not. Danny seemed young and twitchy, which may have been just the event or his mental malfunction. Despite being a Malkavian herself, she really only dealt with a handful of Malks before and the experiences were... something. It seemed odd to her that she might be older than Danny, with her being in her mid-forties but looking like a young nineteen year old. That thought made her wonder about her mother. She would be in her seventies or eighties right now, if she hadn't OD'd before that. Was she even alive? Even her old bandmate and now boss, Benjamin, didn't talk about Detroit or "Heir to the Devil", so she doubt that he'd know. The thoughts faded from her mind as she left her apartment and hailed down a cab.
"Take me to Chinatown.
And there is no need for conversation or sound."
The quiet (Thank God) ride from Williamsburg to Chinatown took only 20 minutes. Lizzy made her way past the Tourist area and into the more crowded places, where the shops and bars were, along with ramshackle booths and drug pushers. Lizzy sent another text to Danny saying that she was here in Chinatown once they got here then looked around to see if she could spot the Kuei-Jin among the crowd.
Geth roll 6d10o10h8 for Perception (3) and Streetwise (3)
Perception (3) and Streetwise (3):
6d10o10h81 [6d10o10h8=8, 4, 6, 2, 1, 7]
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MaclayInsquequo Totus Es UnusHere and ThereRegistered Userregular
Danny didn't imagine anyone would have trouble tracking them down, but to speed things up he texted their approximate location and heading to Lizzy. He then continued to watch the group's back as casually as possible.
FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
Max keeps an eye out, as open air black markets are not exactly the norm in NYC. They are guests in the territory, and Max is perfectly aware how quickly "guest" can turn into "intruder"
Deke's information hadn't been terribly specific except to say that they were going to the sewers. Finding easy access into the sewers isn't exactly easy, but Deke's background in construction might help.
Assuming you're cool with me using Architecture + Intelligence here...
As far as you can tell, it's nearly if not literally impossible to spot a Kuei-Jin from a crowd with mundane means. However, you can discern that a teenager near a street corner has kept an unusually close eye on your group since their arrival.
Apart from the ever-pleasant option of using a manhole cover, no particularly useful means of entering the sewers catches your notice. Fortunately, another more relevant detail does; your information didn't refer to the literal underground, but rather the fact that certain buildings have stairways that lead to additional businesses run out of basements. While they aren't that common at a glance, there seem to be enough of them that some legwork will be required, or at very least communication with the locals.
Alex looked around casually, waiting patiently as Deke pulled together whatever information he had. "So, Deke, what next?"
The blonde man was comfortable taking a backseat for now, as there were little in the way of leads to guide them. He doubted, however, that feeling would last indefinitely. Hopefully there was someone they needed to schmooze, or charm, or otherwise pull towards them. The Toreador hated being bored, and he was feeling that familiar itch starting to claw at him internally, begging him to start doing something grandiose.
Sorry for double post, but don't want to try editing above, not sure if Geth roles work with that
Alex's patience for waiting actually ran out faster than he had expected. "You know what...How about I just ask around? People seem to like me." A large grin spread across his face and he wiggled his eyebrows at them before setting off to go find someone he could attempt to persuade to give them a little more information.
Charisma+Subterfuge+Presence. Not sure how to work in Friendly Face, but it's a -1 to difficulty. Maybe should have put h7 instead of h8?
FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
Max knows that just because one can't see the attention, it doesn't mean he hasn't attracted it. Max is going to keep an eye out and see if anyone is paying special interest to the small group.
Geth Roll 5d10o10h8 for Streetwise+Perception
Streetwise+Perception:
5d10o10h83 [5d10o10h8=6, 4, [10, 6], [10, 9], 5]
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MaclayInsquequo Totus Es UnusHere and ThereRegistered Userregular
Danny decides to follow Deke's lead and look's around for anything meaningful.
The others probably did well enough, but just in case. Going Perception 3, Investigation 3, Auspex 2, I guess?
Geth roll 8d10o10h8 for Investigating
Elizabeth acts as if she doesn't notice the teenager and decides to see if he'll follow her. She quickly types out a quick text to Danny before going through her phone's playlist of songs, not clicking any just yet. As she moves through the crowd, she looks for an alleyway or dark place where she might slip from everyone's sight so she can set up her trap.
Dexterity (3), Stealth (2), and Obfuscate (1) once she is in the dark.
Geth roll 6d10o10h8 for Follow The Crazy White Rabbit
It doesn't take long to find one of the vendors who's willing to hear you out, a middle-aged woman peddling jewelry that looks to be a mixture of absolute junk and the occasional high ticket item. The mention of the occult results in an expression that suggests you might be barking up the wrong tree, however, mention of Li Feng results in an entirely different one. "Oh, that old man! He have shop in corner market." She makes a vague gesture at the corner of the block across the street, then gets right back to business. "Here, you need watch? Very nice." It looks like it came out of a $2 crane game.
You become aware of the very same teenager that Elizabeth has taken notice of, and appears to be trailing, shortly before she disappears into the shadows behind the youth. He is well on his way to leaving the corner and pursuing Danny.
You have little trouble discerning an unusual shop around the corner of the Confucius Plaza, as a very strong aroma of foreign incense is emanating from the shadows of an easily missed stairwell beneath a rundown Chinese restaurant.
The boy wastes time tinkering with a smart phone, trying and failing to appear inconspicuous. He doesn't seem set on following any one of you in particular, so you have an easy time evading his notice. Especially when he takes off after Danny.
"Hey man. You lost?" A boy of around high school age is not far behind Danny's lead, quick to approach as he notices his proximity to the downstairs shop. "Ain't shit down there for tourists. Beat it." The kid jacks a thumb back to the street, particularly near the market. "Your playground's back that way."
Posts
"Deke's will suffice for now."
He nodded and gave them the number for his burner phone. He carried three cheap phones, none of which held any true personal information. The green for Ana, the black for his sire and this one, in a blue cover, that should as of this moment only ring if one of these people called him.
"If there is time before we go to Chinatown, we may be able to dig something up on the Kuei-Jin, but we should perhaps save any meaningful discussion for when we reunite... elsewhere."
"Though, if we're going to be serious about all this cloak and dagger secrecy, it's probably best if we all went our own ways now. The longer we sit here, the most likely it'll be noticed that this group isn't elsewhere. Deke, you have a time you think it makes sense to meet up?"
PSN: Boozer_777
Seeing the other jabber about their plans, Elizabeth decide that it might be smart to learn about the Kuei-jin from the Seneschal.
"So what knowledge can you give to this... makeshift band?
Hopefully something that will make it out alive of their lands?"
"My dear songstress, have you ever been to Chinatown? That is... unfortunate. I do not advise you to tread lightly, or alone. Though you seem cut of fiercer cloth than most, you may find the darker streets of the Orient well beyond your reckoning. That said... alas, no, I have naught to offer but information. I was given the, apparently accurate, impression that you all are quite capable of fending for yourselves on the level of preparation. What I will share will hopefully prove just as valuable as items of a physical nature."
The suited man pauses, resting his weight to one side on his cane, ensuring he has the gathering's attention before proceeding. "You will be looking for a man by the name of Li Feng Chai. He is the proprietor of an occult shop somewhere in Confucius Plaza, as I understand it. The sort not on the proverbial grid, so... alas, you may have to do some scouring to discover its precise whereabouts. I believe this is by design. Even those who know the address one day find it unknown to them the next. That is the information I have been privy to. Should you need more than that, ask and I will share what I can. If you wish to press elsewhere within Elysium, that is your right as well... though not all members of the Regentia's circle are as, shall we say, generous with knowledge as myself."
"So a shifting needle in a razor sharp haystack?
Shouldn't be long before we are back."
Elizabeth is starting to kick herself for this one. The first thing the Prince wants them to do is something that feels nearly impossible.
"Petey. It's Deke. You heard of a herbalist shop in Chinatown with a shifty owner? Yeah, yeah, spare me the racist monologue..."
"Greetings, sir. I just have a few questions concerning the target of tonight's assignment. A shifting address is only the first line of defense. Should we expect any organized hostility? Obviously requisite care must be taken, but is there any formal threat at the moment?"
"Greetings, indeed. Always a joy to meet a fellow patron of the arts. But formalities can wait, yes." Kenneth straightens, hesitating only briefly before answering the question. "We have an armistice of sorts, friend. There are no open hostilities... but it is their territory, and they do not like unannounced visitors. Tread with extreme caution."
Max heads home to change, taking Alex's advice. He wears some jeans and a blue long sleeved shirt. Nothing that would catch the eye. He then heads to Sarasvat's brokerage, hoping there was someone there. If not, he could at the very least pick up some equipment.
Once he gets outside, Danny texts Ana:
"Pulled into some Cam stuff. Availability may be spotty for the near future."
Having no desire to share potentially sensitive information over the phone, and not enough time to both do some research AND effectively lose anyone who might be following him, Danny settled for the latter and eventually made his way to the meet.
On his way back, he made a couple of calls to some of his Herd who frequented Chinatown, they may have heard rumors about the weirdoes that ran Chinatown.
I'll also switch to my normal biker leathers, jeans, and boots. If my investigation turns up any additional Kuei-Jin weaknesses like wood, etc, I'll also bring additional weapons of that nature if they are easily obtainable. After that I'll head to Deke's.
I'm using Herd as a resource to get info on the Kuei-Jin, if that doesn't make sense feel free to ignore those extra 3 dice. Wits 3+ Investigation 1+ Herd 3
Geth roll 7d10o10h8 for Hungry Ghosts
PSN: Boozer_777
In his apartment, he changes into what he wears when he wants to go unnoticed on a work site: battered Carhartt jeans, a heavy flannel over an undershirt, steel-toed boots, and suspenders. Never doubt the ability of suspenders to render you uninteresting.
With one last look around his apartment to decide if there was anything else he needed, he headed out the door to meet up with the group.
@Fencingsax
@Maclay
Then, finally, on your way out the door, a simple reply: "What sort of stuff?"
No one in Elysium has much in the way of concrete information to offer. At best, the Kuei-Jin are passed off as crazy mortals aiming above their station, ideally kept at arm's length. At worst, they're derided as a crackpot Tremere fairy tale. Those with particular disdain for the Princedom speculate that the sorcerers are sharing trade secrets with them and selling the Camarilla up the river to learn more witchcraft.
The reception desk of the Opticon is typical for the middle of the night. The overnight staff at the desk is a half-asleep college student with their face buried in a book, more asleep than not.
Anyone asking for Deke is sleepily waved on by without a second thought. Once outside, it's clear the city remains as awake as ever. It seems like there are more distant wailing sirens than before, and a few cars speeding by seem to be directly connected; whether they're the cause or the effect.
Shortly before your group manages to depart, a haggard man in tattered rags happens along. His rounded black glasses suggest total blindness, but he seems to be navigating the streets without a care for someone who has no walking stick of guidance. He stops just outside the exterior of the building, offering a smile of broken teeth as he extends a rusted metal cup. "Change, my friends? Spare some coin for the night?" Despite his wretched appearance, he seems remarkably sober and clear headed.
"Probably just a bunch of legwork tonight. I'll stop by if there is time after."
No one is ever what they seem, and this guy more than most. He wondered if loose change could be used against him (in the magickal sense) but it had to be something that carried meaning for anything like that, right? Danny reached into his pocket, grabbing whatever change was there and threw it in the cup. He avoided eye-contact, carefully watching the man's hands and backed up immediately afterward.
Not taking his attention away from the stranger, he asks Bulldog quietly,
"Are you parked nearby?"
"Danny, right? Call me Bulldog." It didn't sound like a suggestion. "Like I said upstairs, I gotta a ride big enough for all of us, if you don't mind the mess. Brought extra gear along too in case you guys forgot your homework."
PSN: Boozer_777
"Sure Bulldog, I'll call you whatever you like. I'm just, y'know, pretty cautious about revealing people's personal information in front of... 'company.' And yeah, it in fact does perturb me greatly that in a single night the number of people who know my full name has doubled, if not tripled."
"I'll think of something, don't worry." He added with a smile.
PSN: Boozer_777
"Gentlemen, perhaps we should just get on our merry way? " He motioned to the beggar with his head. "Caution is probably wise for now, and as much as I love a good chat, the night drags on without us."
"Alright then, your ride it is. I gathered a bit of my kit, although I don't know how useful it will be."
He pulls a thumb inside of one his suspenders, waiting for Bulldog's direction.
He points out the spots in the van where some additional pistols and knives are stashed, for anyone interested.
PSN: Boozer_777
The bustling activity of the city remains as vibrant as ever along the way to the Oriental district, though it doesn't take long for the streets to narrow once the surroundings turn foreign. Less than a block from the ideal destination, they are barely wide enough to allow even a regular car passage, much less a van. The sidewalks are less choked with tourists than they might be in the earlier evening hours, but even in the ongoing late night, there are still more than enough to make driving any further considerably difficult, if even possible. If the numerous pedestrians weren't trouble enough, there are also several ramshackle booths lining the street and on-foot vendors peddling assorted wares. It doesn't take long to discern that most of what's for sale isn't even remotely legal. Assorted drugs are clearly in open market, while the sight of assorted women in flashy cheongsams suggests the existence of another buyer's market altogether.
The trip from the Elysium to home takes longer than she would have liked, thanks to New York traffic and some underground rave in Williamsburg being shut down just blocks from her apartment slowing it down even more. Once home, Lizzy got out of her business outfit and into something she could ruin in the sewers, some cut up jeans, a Jet Li T-shirt, and a black leather jacket, and some old steel toe combat boots she got from an army guy she spent the night with. She thought briefly about taking her metal bat that sat next to her bed but decided against it. She was going into the Kuei-Jin territory, a clan so powerful that even the Camarilla wouldn't touch them. Going into their area armed seemed like a bad idea. Since she knew she wasn't going to be able to meet with the group at Deke's place, she would just have to meet them there. She sent a quick text to Danny, hoping that he was going along with this. Without her Malkavian Music to clue her into the world at large, she felt exposed most of the time but with another Malk close by, maybe he'll noticed something she would miss.
Or maybe not. Danny seemed young and twitchy, which may have been just the event or his mental malfunction. Despite being a Malkavian herself, she really only dealt with a handful of Malks before and the experiences were... something. It seemed odd to her that she might be older than Danny, with her being in her mid-forties but looking like a young nineteen year old. That thought made her wonder about her mother. She would be in her seventies or eighties right now, if she hadn't OD'd before that. Was she even alive? Even her old bandmate and now boss, Benjamin, didn't talk about Detroit or "Heir to the Devil", so she doubt that he'd know. The thoughts faded from her mind as she left her apartment and hailed down a cab.
"Take me to Chinatown.
And there is no need for conversation or sound."
The quiet (Thank God) ride from Williamsburg to Chinatown took only 20 minutes. Lizzy made her way past the Tourist area and into the more crowded places, where the shops and bars were, along with ramshackle booths and drug pushers. Lizzy sent another text to Danny saying that she was here in Chinatown once they got here then looked around to see if she could spot the Kuei-Jin among the crowd.
The biker did his best to find a legit parking spot near the market. He scoped out some of what was for sale until they hooked up with Liz.
"Time to head downstairs, lead the way D." Bulldog told Deke.
PSN: Boozer_777
Geth, roll 6d10o10h8 for Sewer Seeking
@Ardent
The blonde man was comfortable taking a backseat for now, as there were little in the way of leads to guide them. He doubted, however, that feeling would last indefinitely. Hopefully there was someone they needed to schmooze, or charm, or otherwise pull towards them. The Toreador hated being bored, and he was feeling that familiar itch starting to claw at him internally, begging him to start doing something grandiose.
Alex's patience for waiting actually ran out faster than he had expected. "You know what...How about I just ask around? People seem to like me." A large grin spread across his face and he wiggled his eyebrows at them before setting off to go find someone he could attempt to persuade to give them a little more information.
Geth, roll 7d10o10h8 for Crowd-work
The Toreador takes a look around the street again, spotting a lot more storefronts hidden away with stairwells down into their shops.
...welp.
Geth roll 8d10o10h8 for Investigating
Elizabeth acts as if she doesn't notice the teenager and decides to see if he'll follow her. She quickly types out a quick text to Danny before going through her phone's playlist of songs, not clicking any just yet. As she moves through the crowd, she looks for an alleyway or dark place where she might slip from everyone's sight so she can set up her trap.
Geth roll 6d10o10h8 for Follow The Crazy White Rabbit
@Ardent
@Fencingsax
@Maclay
@Grunt's Ghosts
"Hey man. You lost?" A boy of around high school age is not far behind Danny's lead, quick to approach as he notices his proximity to the downstairs shop. "Ain't shit down there for tourists. Beat it." The kid jacks a thumb back to the street, particularly near the market. "Your playground's back that way."