Occult Tales (IC): Chapter 3

[flynnarrel]

Halla
hp1lp1

Halla submitted herself to search knowing, regrettably, that they wouldn't let her bring her gun into the club and not having the skill to hide it. They were almost in when KR's call came to them.

She just shrugged as they stopped and waited for him.

She casually looks around for any sort of vent that something like a snake could fit into.

[Gazman]

Chuck
HP: 3 Condition: Fine

A newish dark sedan parks down the block, Chuck having traded his work van for his personal ride. He steps out in a neatly presses blue business suit and polished black wingtips. The lack of tie and his open collar are his concessions to the party atmosphere. He offers the gathered group a greeting as he strolls up. "Hullo, Ms. deCroix. Gentlemen."

The big man nods a greeting to the bouncer as he hands over his ID and dukes the guy a 20 on top of Graham. "Good evening. We're all together."

[Mr.United]

Kr

Kr looked to Graham slightly confused at first with a hint of being insulted. He glanced to and smirked a bit before giving a slight bow to her. As he rose back to face the two, his expression was different. He seemed serious and stone faced, rather than his wide smile and bright facial features, “My good man, I do not dare know what you speak of.” He said, his voice having a hint of an English accent as raised his head slightly, making his eyes look down upon Graham. “I will however, inform you that I did not fully pay attention to the rabble that you spoke. My attention instead, was diverted to lovely beauty on your arm.” His free hand then clasps upon Halla’s hand as he lowered his lips to her outer palm, placing a light kiss upon it before rising back to his original position. This time, his head was not raised towards her as he spoke. “Madam, I must say you are quite the attraction tonight.” He says with a slight smile upon his lips.

Suddenly his smile fades as reality around him seemed to melt, leaving a blackness that he knew was his soul. Fear started to stir in his mind, but quickly faded as the blackness was instead filled with memories of Jenna and himself. Only they were sitting on his couch, his hands clasping hers with the sound of Buffy in the background.

What Kr was going to say to anger Graham for his own enjoyment, has now been replaced what he said to Jenna that night. Luckily, Kr’s mind is strong enough to know he wasn’t back in the past and with that knowledge he continued to speak, “Je…” He paused for a moment, his face seemed to narrow as if it was painful not to complete the name, “M…Madam..” he forces out, making the rest easier to come out. “Your beauty matches that of a shooting star. When you shine into view, the world stops and admires your every movement. It seems that time its self stops as you streak across the night sky as all adore you. Much like that star that fell, one day a lucky person will be fortunate enough to find you and call you theirs.” He says as his eyes seem to water as he finishes.

Kr’s world seemed to rebuild before him as he dragged himself from his past and back to the present. His face then goes back to all smiles before releasing her hand and turning towards the bodyguard and raises his hands to be checked if necessary. His eyes then slowly turn towards Graham, “Will that suffice?”

His answer he wanted would have to wait as he turns to Michael Clarke Duncan and extends his hand, "Glad to see you came, started to worry that I'd have to be the hero all by myself." He says before looking down, "Sorry about earlier, I seem to get very focused on somethings and ignore others." He says with his wide smile.

Sleight o Hand for the Gun in Flowers: 1d20+3=14...I'm going for broke...HP! 1d20+3=5...With HP that'll be 15. Better.....Kinda

[flynnarrel]

Halla
hp2lp1

Halla let herself be flattered by his words... they were really nice words afterall.

"Well, you flatterer..." she says, genuinely pleased.

Perception (1d20+11=17)

Recalling the glimpse of metal she saw when he bowed her eyes light up at the sight of the flowers.

"Are those for me?" she says delighted, grabbing the flowers to herself, hidden item and all.

She'd give all the men present a dazzling smile as she holds the flowers to her nose.

[Mr.United]

Kr

Kr blinks a moment as she snatches the flowers away. Slowly an old fear seemed to creep back up into his mind. "Yeah...Um, your welcome." He says with a nervous smile. He kept his fear in check this time, normally he would just blush and walk away in complete embarrasment but this time he was able enough to merely give a nervous smile and stay his ground.

[RedBstrd]

Halla

She casually looks around for any sort of vent that something like a snake could fit into.

The building gets regular renovations so it is unlikely to have anything of the sort. Due to health codes aimed at keeping out rats, snake-access is probably minimal.

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

The doorman waves the group in, but hands Graham back his hundred dollar bill. "This isn't that kind of place, buddy." He gives Graham and Kevin a thorough pat down after the incident with the bill, but declines to do the same for Halla. "The boss is upstairs. If you don't know who, then you really don't need to be talking to the boss. Enjoy your evening."

Red Court have ways of keeping their retainers in check and they aren't easily swayed from their allegiance.

[Psychopath]

James Smith
HP: 2

James shakes his head at Ampelia before finishing off his drink and ignoring the other. "Yes sir massa' anythin' else for ya massa'?" James says with a very poor impersonation of a slave before walking out grumbling about women that need to get laid more so they are less bitchy and high strung. James makes a quick side trip to his house and picks up his wand but leaves his staff easier to explain a 12" stick then a 6' staff away before driving over to The Umbra Club.

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

Despite the doorman beginning to pat down Graham, he doesn't have the opportunity to find the knife carried by the private investigator, nor the gun concealed by Halla's flowers. A woman's voice calls out from the stairway, "They're ok. They're Silvia's guests." She looks over the group, noting the absence of one of the expected. "There's one more. Be a good boy and send him up too."

The woman is nicely proportioned and could be one of the dancers herself. She wears a simple black night dress with a Jackie O necklace of large fake pearls. With her haircut, she could have strolled in off the set of Mad Men. "I'm Berndatte. Just this way..." A moment later, the woman deposits the new arrivals in a booth and snaps her fingers for the staff to satisfy the demands of the guests. "Silvia will be right with you."

I don't want things hung up on rolls, particularly since I had a day of travel in there and don't know what the rest of today and tomorrow are going to involve.

What's occurring behind the scenes is that James made the call he was told to make (gaining a Hero Point for the complication of having a responsibility to the Wizardly community. After apologizing to Mr. Napolitano, he took the job and was instructed to meet up with everyone else at the Umbra Club. Napolitano's men called the Club and told them about the upcoming visit from his guests.

James can show up whenever he feels it to be convenient since people were making a few side stops on the way to the club.

[Gazman]

Chuck
HP: 3 Condition: Fine

Chuck unbuttons his suit coat and slides his bulk into the group's booth. He smiles at the server Bernadette sends over "Hi there. I'll take a bottle of beer. Abita if you have it. And please leave the cap on."

[flynnarrel]

Halla

The young Hatiaan-American gave KR his flowers back. Her eyes linger on the little bit of gun she can see.

"There is a LOT of death surrounding that weapon. The spiritual residue that clings to it is... potent." She whispers to the wise-cracking man.

She tries to play it cool on their trip through the erotic club but she can't help but look in a mix curiousity and embarassment. And always, in the back of her head, the loa of femininity whispers that she, Halla, can do better, move more silkily, excite her watchers more. Flushing with the energy of the club her walk tends to sway with the beat of the music, her hips sliding along suggestively.

It's a relief when they reach the booth and she orders a ginger ale in an unopened can to quench the dryness in her throat.

"Do you think the Duke phoned ahead, is that why we are getting good treatment?" she asks her fellows.

[Arthur Eld]

Graham nods. "It is very likely, and only makes good sense on his part. You can't very well have people working for getting accosted by others who are your own allies simply because of poor communication."

He smiled sweetly at the staff. "I'll have vodka. With ice, please."

He unbuttoned his suit jacket, running one hand across his tie. "She said 'one more.' Who could she have meant, that man that was with us before? He seemed to spurn the Duke's offers. Perhaps he had a change of heart."

[Mr.United]

Kr

After an intimate hands on moment with the bodyguard ends, Kr follows the others inside. " You'd think with that much grabbing and patting, I would at least get his number." He says to no one directly. It wasn't long after they entered that Halla handed him his flowers. He was somewhat sad that she didn't keep them but merely smiled as she spoke of his weapon. He just nodded in understanding, but didn't respond with his normal wisecracking. He knew she was being serious and normal people didn't like to joke about death.

Judging from the scene, it was like any other vampire scene. Ravers, druggies, moneybags, all were here. However, he knew that being inside the club was not were the information would be found. However, Kr continued to tag along without protesting too much. His normal cheery self slowly returning after the intense hallucination he had, though watching Bernadatte on the way to the table did relax him a bit. She was a looker, he gave her that.

Once seated, Kr ordered nothing from the waitress and responded to Graham's question, "Hope not. That guy seemed really up tight." Kr said as he looked to the others, "So, anyone see Blade.....Because this pretty much matches Blade 2's club scene. If you don't count the torture devices in the beginning. Though, in the end it turned out to be the group who hired Blade who was the suspect. Wonder if this mission is going to be the same?" He crosses his arms and looks around, thinking on this.

[flynnarrel]

Halla
hp2lp1

She didn't understand half of what Kevin said, but that was nothing new.

"I don't know, could be. Or maybe he... bargained with another investigator." she said, looking at the ceiling, and the chairs, and her hands. Anywhere but at the stage.

[RedBstrd]

GM Post:

The wait staff brings the drinks that the investigators requested, going as far as to deliver to Graham a full bottle of vodka in a bucket of ice. Along with the bucket is a small assortment of smaller bottles of potential mixers. Aside from bringing the drinks, the staff seems to ignore any conversation going on at the table save for when a question is posed directly to them.

Shortly after the drinks, including the locally brewed Abita, have landed in front of the investigators, a woman approaches the table. She looks to be Afro-Cuban and is rather shapely in the right places. She isn't exactly beautiful but her unconventional features give her a certain charm.

She lights up a cigarette. "I'm Silvia."