Anarch meet-and-greet, Appendix B (Leo)

[Detritus]

((The timing of this conversation will be such that it starts after about two rounds of questions and answers between Jocelin and the other Anarchs.))

Anneke strolled by the well-lit parking lots along the riverside in order to give herself some time to ponder the other out-of-towners before she reached the parking structure.

That interview was oddly structured, the way Leo deferred for the most part. She supposed it was reasonable given the fact of the Archon's hideous appearance. That probably made Jack a Malkavian. The quiet fellow in the back... Menachem? ...might be a Tremere, although he didn't seem to be able to inform his cohorts on Lucian, so perhaps another Malkavian? Ventrue and her own clan didn't seem to suit his wall flower ways, at least, nor did Brujah, and his appearance did not favor Gangrel. Nor Nosferatu, obviously.

Upon reaching the parking structure, she eschewed the elevator in favor of climbing the stairs to the roof, on the off chance that the girl's car started to roll out during her ascent. No need to get careless here.

She did not make any particular effort to hide the fact of her climb, but she made sure that her footfalls were loud enough to carry across the roof once she was all the way up. For the purposes of this meeting, she did not want to take anyone at unawares.

Having seen no evidence of any retreat from the car, Anneke gave a series of light taps on the driver's side window. She had trouble definitively locating anyone within, but a pale aura was visible to her, assuredly revealing the presence of a Kindred inside the vehicle.

[Huxley]

Slowly, gingerly Leo lifts a flap from the heap of clothing covering his body -- he did not want the kine to spot him, after all. He looks at Anneke for a few seconds, pondering.

This is easier.

He shuts the phone, no longer needing to listen in, and places it into his hoody pocket. He pulls himself up and out of the bundle of clothes, glancing outside of the windows to make sure none of the living, or their cameras, are around. He keeps his hood pulled up, and unlocks the doors to the car, motioning for Anneke to come on in.

[Detritus]

Coming around to the front passenger's seat, Anneke opens the door and climbs in.

"I'm surprised to find you here," she says to Leo. "I would have thought some more up-close observation would have been called for here."

[Huxley]

"I came to talk to you, and here you are"

Leo lets that sink in. He is working with Tremere, after all.

"You know something about these strangers in the city, yes?", he states in the friendliest voice mucus can make.

[Detritus]

"I came to talk to you, and here you are"

Leo lets that sink in. He is working with Tremere, after all.
"So you did, and so I am," says Anneke, grinning as if she had just gotten the punchline to a sly joke.

"You know something about these strangers in the city, yes?", he states in the friendliest voice mucus can make.
"There are many here who are strangers to this city right now, I think," says Anneke. "The two of us, for example, and your other companions."

After a brief pause, she continues, "I don't think that is where your present interest lies, however. I have no sure knowledge, only suspicions, but I believe my reasoning is sound. Before reviewing the facts, tell me, how did I find you tonight?"

[Huxley]

"By looking?"

[Detritus]

"By looking?"
"And how did I know where to look?"

[Huxley]

"And how did I know where to look?"

Leo smiles slightly:

"Magic"

He thinks back:

Did she have time to tell the group? I'm sure they recognize this car...

[Detritus]

Leo smiles slightly:

"Magic"
"I suppose it was at that, but I trust that you don't have such an untutored view of your own clan's disciplines," Anneke says.

She then removes her shades with her right hand and places her other hand over her left eye.

"The unblinking eye sees all," she says as Leo sees Anneke's visible eye widen, "or at least, as close to all as serves the purposes of this discussion."

Donning her sunglasses again, she continues, "I, a stranger to this city, was able to pinpoint your location almost effortlessly by means of Auspex.”

With the bit firmly in her teeth, she then asks, “And who are the most adept at this discipline?

“The Toreador,” she answers herself as she puts up an index finger, “but they already rule this city. What motive is there for them to destabilize their own reign?

“The Tremere,” she says, holding up a second finger, “but they are a very organized clan. Your associate Jack indicated that the attacks within the city were somewhat disorganized, which does not match the style of the Warlocks.

“The Malkavians,” she says, adding a third finger to her count as she pauses for effect. “I believe the woman you are investigating is of that line. She may have additional help outside the city, but I think the easiest way to forward her schemes within the city would be for her to make her own help, if she cares not to uphold the Traditions. She already has the Prince’s model to emulate, after all.”

After pausing again to allow her words to sink in, she then concludes, “That is my reasoning, an illicit brood with at least some members skilled enough to watch your movements from afar. How large, I cannot say. Enough to harry a significant fraction of the Kindred community here, I would guess.”

[Detritus]

"Forces are aligning against you," says Anneke into the silence that followed her monologue.

"I am unsure of the amount of pull I have with my traveling companions, especially now that they are back where they consider themselves at home. Most Anarchs do not understand that they are still a part of the Camarilla, and therefore are indifferent at best when it comes to defending its institutions, unless they have a personal stake in the outcome. I cannot speak for them.

"I, on the other hand, see things differently than most Anarchs. Such talents as I can place at your dispose I will, if you ask it. If you think a pair of sharp eyes or fleetness of foot are needful things, I may prove useful."

[Detritus]

Leo considers Anneke's offer, idly picking at a scab as he thinks.

"I accept," he says at last, "but I am wondering if you could tell me a bit more about yourself. How is it that you came by such... colorful traveling companions?"

Smiling, Anneke says, "The formalities were a bit rushed tonight on the Prince's boat. You deserve a proper introduction."

Clearing her throat, Anneke sits up a bit straighter and begins a formal recitation of her lineage.

"As is the tradition, I recite the lineage of Anneke, Toreador of the Sixth Generation.

"My name is Anneke. I am Toreador. My sire is Gwynnis.

"My name is Gwynnis. I am Toreador. My sire is Taliesin.

"My name is Taliesin. I am Toreador. My sire is Arikel.

"My name is Arikel. I am sire of the Toreador. My sire is Zillah.

"My name is Zillah. My sire is Caine.

"My name is Caine. I am he who sired all those of the blood. All Kindred are my childer.

"My name is Anneke, childe of Gwynnis, childe of Taliesin, childe of Arikel, childe of Zillah, childe of Caine. Recognize my lineage."

After reciting this litany, Anneke once again removes her sunglasses and manages to catch your eyes.

"I'm afraid I can't have you telling just anyone about this, however," she says as her eyes turn into pools of quicksilver, "at least not at the moment."

"You will not, through word or deed, by commission or omission, reveal what I have just told you about my lineage to anyone besides myself or my sire. Nor will you speak of it or even approach the subject where anyone you are not absolutely sure who already knows of it can hear. Until such time as I release you from this bond, or you learn of my Final Death, you will abide by these restrictions to the utmost of your ability."

You feel the compulsion, subtle yet irresistible, take hold on you as Anneke's eyes return to normal and she dons her sunglasses again.

"I do not think it will be profitable to keep the truth concerning my lineage away from my traveling companions for much longer, but in case it does, I am afraid I must insist that you not even be able to reveal this information to them until the time of my choosing.

"Such resources as I can bring to bear will be at your disposal this evening," she says.

"Is there aught else you wish to ask of me before we begin planning?"

[Huxley]

"Did your sire send you here?"

(response)

"Scouting before we enter Samantha's haven would be appreciated -- how far ahead of the meeting time could you give us information on what we'll likely be facing?"

[Detritus]

"Did your sire send you here?"

(response)
Anneke considers for a moment and then says, "Yes, I suppose she did, although I was simply told to accompany any New Orleans transplants in LA back to this city."

"Scouting before we enter Samantha's haven would be appreciated -- how far ahead of the meeting time could you give us information on what we'll likely be facing?"
"I do not yet know where to look. Can you tell me where Samantha's haven is?"

((Can I get an Area Knowledge roll for Leo at the default level (IQ-4 for a Mental/Easy skill)?))

[Huxley]

Anneke considers for a moment and then says, "Yes, I suppose she did, although I was simply told to accompany any New Orleans transplants in LA back to this city."


Leo nods, uncommitted.


"I do not yet know where to look. Can you tell me where Samantha's haven is?"

((Can I get an Area Knowledge roll for Leo at the default level (IQ-4 for a Mental/Easy skill)?))

((I emailed it, and it said I got an 8.))

Leo provides relative directions to Samantha's haven.

[Detritus]

Anneke gets out of the car and faces in the general direction of Samantha's haven once she has gets the basic idea of what she's looking for and where it is. She stays outside for about 10 minutes before getting back in the car. The gist of what she finds is:


One car, a blue sedan, is on the manor grounds.
Four Kindred, all male, patrol the grounds. They all give off the "I'm crazy" aura that would be consistent with being part of the Malkavian clan, although she does take the time to say that you don't have to be Malkavian to be crazy.
Two females, one dark-haired and one fair-haired, are inside the manor. The description of the fair-haired woman matches Heather pretty well.
Anneke was not able to read auras inside the building, nor otherwise psychically enter it. Probably a blockage via Thaumaturgy prevented psychic incursion is her guess as to what happened.
There could, of course, be other Kindred (or humans) in the manor, or even patrolling the grounds, although she thinks she found everyone of note out in the manor grounds.

After this report, she takes the time to exchange cell phone numbers (she handles hers a bit awkwardly, you think), and then takes her leave to try to convince her traveling companions to aid Justicar Walsh's team.