#// plus I'm holding 6 characters - hello I'll be your storyteller for this evening interact with the mess I'm holding out to you as you plz

[unhindercd]

Bonding Experiences

[ The Visit ]

Cecil's visitation to the Auckland Chantry has been met with perhaps a surprising level of warmth for one not telegraphed as going to occur before it did. By extension, the cities Prince in general has remained incredibly welcoming. Voicing permission to his guest that they may do as they please, within reasonable bounds. Most of those bounds seemingly needing to go unspoken to one who is a Primogen of an old world city. Although more specific ones to do with 'Do not feed from xyz locations' are provided under the precipice of not wishing for any toes to get trodden on.

He carries himself with far more warmth in person than online, perhaps it is to be expected, perhaps not. He certainly mimics all the little subtleties of a living person far smoother than one would anticipate any vampire his age to - it makes his slight toning down of it on the evening he decided to corner Cecil quite the shotgun on the table effect. The threat was only meant to be subtle. Make clear that despite some of his jaded words he is happy for victorian pair, that he wishes them well, that he wants them to make the most of their opportunity, but he will side with Daniel if things sour in such a way intervention becomes necessary.

Beyond that significant encounter, he has mainly been preoccupied with work - and it has instead been The Twins who have served as Cecil's main hosts. The William's. Thea and Steph. They're identical for the most part, and mid-twenties at embrace. Having rarely hosted peers from their clan they're actually quite intrigued at the prospect of having someone new to talk to concerning Thaumaturgy for a bit. Especially someone born into the same generation as them. Thea being kept busy by Leo's work results in Stephan playing the predominant host to their guest. He's very proud of the library he's taken over from their deceased sire, noting his additions to it and the troubles involved in getting new literature down there. Aside from attempting to lure Cecil into conversations about rituals he'd of offered to play driver to show him around town. How much of his attention came from some kind of behind the scenes directive not to leave their guest alone and how much was out of genuine enthusiasm to point out places of note is never clear.

But Cecil is never truly left alone in the city. Danny is certainly eager to show him around once wizardly discussions simmer off in favour of the locals getting work done. Whether the others accompanied them on any such outing was something Danny left to Cecil's discretion.

A consistent theme of the stay has been Lachlan's repeated presence. 'Do you think-' 'So it's been since-' 'Do you know where-' Trying again and again to get everyone into a single room until eventually agreements are made.

---

[ The Event ]

The time and place are scheduled. It shall be an indoor affair set across the dining room table at midnight. Providing everyone enough time to settle in beforehand. It is seemingly one of the 'non-Tremere' guest receiving areas of the haven considering it's direct connection to the parlour and the wards upon the doors not leading back out to said room.

On the western side of the house it's windows stand open on this summers evening. The lace net curtains moving in time with the light breeze. The buzz of state highway 1 along the coastline a couple hundred metres down the cliff provides a background white noise to this undead gathering.

Full moon is the 25th of February.

Lachlan kneels on a chair halfway down the length of the old dark table. Hands picking at the decorative elements of a crystal serving dish. It's enough of a bowl to serve their purposes for tonight. Clearly picked from the hutch cabinet display down the far enough of the room given the the void left among the otherwise elegant display of precious unused dishware. He's donned his 'priests' outfit and eagerly awaits the complete gathering.

The households ghoul currently makes the rounds, offering blood of a (so far) unspecified source from a stone jug to be poured into shallow glasses. His name has surely been overheard in the last few nights. Ernie? Ernest? Can always err on the side of caution and settle for 'Sir' or no address at all.

The twins have chattered amongst themselves to this point, seeming more preoccupied with tasks outside this current gathering than those around their kitchen table. Stephan sits in a chair across and down the table a place from Lachlan, he's appeared the same every night. As if he got dressed in 1928 and never changed since. Thea stands directly across from him leaning on the back of a chair. Her long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, and acrylics tap-tapping on the chair, her various pieces of gold jewellery strike out against her otherwise fairly corpo-goth style.

The two's discussion has most recently turned to the those they're still waiting on - Prince Lehmann, and Malkavian Primogen Alexandria.

"Honestly, how long do'ya think Alex is gonna end up keeping Len for? Never bodes well when she's late to something - she probably thinks she has to leave at a particular minute or the car'll crash like she thought last I gave her a ride." "Eh- maybe? More likely he trying to delegate something that's come up at the last second. That or hitting every red light on the way back. He doesn't just run the damn things these days but I guess that'd part the curse of CCTV."

As if that be the magic word for Danny, he slips from his obfuscation. He hasn't gone far from last scene. His continued presence in the gathering long marked by a withdrawn chair besides Cecil's. He's curled himself into a ball, slipped so far down in his seat his knees are to his chin and feet rest upon the edge of the table with no regards to manners. It's a position he ungracefully shifts himself a degree upright out from. The latest phone he'd obtained is open to the notes app- and for the the umpteenth time he leans over to show the display Cecil.

[ 'Things are everywhere, think I could fill the footage banks of some with AI garbage some point?' ]

Arthur Hestor, commonly known as Wart, is not in attendance.

@earlgreyritae