"Alright tonight it is." the Sheriff says. "Be at the University 10:00 tonight. Top floor of Stuart Hall. He'll be waiting for you. Hope you make it worth his time." Damien says before hanging up.
After Edwin hangs up, Calliope speaks: "Stuart Hall is easy to get to. Best if we have someone drop us off and wait on us, though. Parking at the University, even at night, can be rough." She shifts in her seat, stretching her legs out and pointing her toes in a catlike motion.
"I wonder if he likes art?" She hums thoughtfully, mulling over their impending encounter. "I think what we have to say will be worth his while," She says, glancing at her two coterie-mates. "Edwin, I know we rely on you a lot to do the speaking. How can I support you tonight to ease the burden?"
"Alright then, this should be an interesting interaction. I have been shying away from such meetings on purpose".
Edwin smiles at Calliope, [b]"My plan is to present him with a project we wish to work on, a timeline of the events in the city since it's founding. A history treatise if you will. That is how I believe it is safest to bring up our contacts name. From there we can engage in hypotheticals about how he may feel about the return without directly blurting anything out.
Helping that narrative from your own perspectives I think would be extremely helpful.
From his response, we should be able to gauge whether our contact is right, or wrong about the direction that this ancient will go if a possible return were to take place.
From there I am hoping he can put us in contact with Khalid, they are after all, long time acquaintances and Primogen members".
The car arrives and you and Statia hop in and Ladislav proceeds to drive you to the Museum of Art.
Arriving, you approach one of the side entrances where your contact, Neil Russo awaits you and your guest.
"Welcome Mr. Wagner. I hope you enjoy your visit. Should you need anything while here, I will be on site and you have my number."
Statia seems suitably impressed with the whole scenario. "Wow! I can't believe you have after hours access, this is just fantastic!" she exclaims giddily.
K speaks up.
"So we all goin' or is this a more select crowd." he says with a tone that implies he would be perfectly fine not going to this particular meeting.
"Good plan," Calliope comments, grinning toothily at Edwin. "I think we can pull this off, although I don't think we will be fooling Critias one bit. I am relatively good at getting people to listen, but...I'm not sure if Critias is open to Toreador charm, if you feel me." Calliope leans back, feeling a bit more relaxed now that they had more of a solid plan.
As for K's question, Calliope shrugs. "Thin blood prejudice might work against us."
"Is he old Brujah, or new night Brujah? If he's new, I'll talk to him. If he's old, Edwin should... even if all old folks hate Tremere."
No worries, as much as we want to spend our free time doing just this, we don't have much free time to spare in life, tis s shame!
The car arrives and you and Statia hop in and Ladislav proceeds to drive you to the Museum of Art.
Arriving, you approach one of the side entrances where your contact, Neil Russo awaits you and your guest.
"Welcome Mr. Wagner. I hope you enjoy your visit. Should you need anything while here, I will be on site and you have my number."
Statia seems suitably impressed with the whole scenario. "Wow! I can't believe you have after hours access, this is just fantastic!" she exclaims giddily.
---
Edwin nods to Ladislav to stay in the area for a pick up later, but directs him to take a break as he sees fit.
Edwin nods to Neil, "Thank you very much for arranging this Mr. Russo, especially on such short notice".
Edwin smiles at her giddiness, "You know... there is something about you. I know we just met but I can't help but think that you are unlike any woman I have met before.
I am glad I am here with you. Now".
He slowly reaches down to hold her hand as they walk through the museum.
At an appropriately "romantic" spot Edwin puts on the moves to kiss her. A that time, he slips to her neck for a "nip". Despite seeking a victim for the Beast, Edwin has appeared to instead have found.. dare he say it, a Mortal love interest...
Assuming all goes well, he of course licks her wounds, gets her number, and promises to call her for another meet up.
Indeed, when he wakes up [the current night] he will send her a text about the fantastic time seeking to arrange to have another "date", "Any other late ight museum run you wish to experience Statia" is how he finishes off the text.
Edwin grimaces at Calliope's statement, "You may be right my dear. Best if you stay in the K, apologies for that. The prejudices of the Elders will likely never die, unless they do.
Very old Brujah as I understand it Jack. How old I don't exactly know, but older than Lodin was for certain.
Yes, there is some hatred of our Clan, certainly the actions taken to create the Clan, if they are true, would not endear us to most Elders who were around to experience it.
But, we have agreed to take on this task and I would rather move it forward and know if this is something that will bear fruit. If it does not, well we tried and hopefully it will never come to light. Even if it does, we can always spin it as a fact finding mission on the powers that be behalf. That's where the Toreador persuasion would be quite handy!"
"I imagine Maxwell will be quite aware if we don't do everything we can anyway." Calliope sits up, brushes nonexistent lint from her pants, nods at Edwin. "Unless anyone needs to go home and change, I think we'll be ready to head over to UC as soon as it's timely?"
"How did the rest of your night go, Edwin? I was a little worried at the start of it all. Some folks were filming you talking to that girl...Statia?...hoping to catch you doing something awful."
"I am ready".
He pauses at the filming comment, "I became aware of that on the periphery of my senses, after the fact. Her resistance I thought would be brought down with the company of you and Jack, but I think the raciness of your conversation had her spooked!
She turned out to be a woman of greater substance than her garb would have suggested".
"Jack seemed pretty caught up in things, too." Calliope shoots the Ventrue a sly look. "I'm glad you manage to enjoy yourself. Anyway, I'm ready too...almost..." Calliope wanders down the hall to give herself a once-over in the mirror before they head out.
Statia smiles, very much seeming to have enjoyed the evening. She is a bit shy at first, but ultimately gives into Edwin's charms, given that he doesn't seem in too much of a hurry to take things further than she would like tonight.
"Other museums?" her first return says "There's lots of them if you have the pull to get more private showings like last night. How about the MCA next time?" she suggests with along with a smiley emoji.
"If it's all the same to you, I'll stay here. Not exactly the social butterfly type." Alexander rasps. "Would likely only counteract Miss Marchette's charms any way."
Ladislav enters the room. Shall I get the car ready, sir?" he asks Edwin. Having overheard the majority of the conversation, he adds, "Just the three of you tonight?"
"Yes," Jack agrees. "A bit too carried away perhaps. Still, what's done is done. We should seek out out new thralls at some point to continue the process of the bond."
"Be that as it may," Alexander rasps "you are on a strict timeline if you are going to meet with the Brujah elder tonight."
Calliope strides back in after a few minutes, her long, black hair braided to stay out of her face and wearing her glasses--the picture of an artsy college student. "Yeah - it doesn't have to be tonight for the thralls or anything. I'm ready to head out. Shall we?"
"Agreed. Let us not keep an important Elder waiting."
Edwin nods to Ladislav, "Yes, just the three of us my friend".
He will text back, "I'll work on that. Have some business to attend to tonight, let's catch up tomorrow night".
The three of you head to the car and Ladislav drives you to the University of Chicago, stopping nearby Stuart Hall. "Shall I wait for you here?" the ghoul asks as you all step out of the vehicle.
Dragging your feet a bit to avoid campus security on their rounds, you eventually enter Stuart Hall and make your way up to the top floor. The top floor is populated mainly with offices, all of which are closed and dark - save one door at the end of the hall that a scant bit of light escapes from under the door. The name on the door is Professor Dimitris Calombaris.
"After Edwin," Jack says, making way for the older vampire.
Edwin shakes his head in the negative, "No my friend, take a drive, but don't go too far. I will call you when we need you".
As the trio heads down the hallway, Edwin nods to Jack and takes the lead towards the door with the light. He knocks softly, "Professor?"
A deep voice, tinged with a distinct Greek accent responds from behind the door.
"Enter."
Entering the dimly lit office, you see an elderly-looking gentleman, this must be the ancient known as Critias. He’s a little on the plump side, and he stands no more than five-feet tall. The man is mostly bald, with a whispy white hairs around the sides and back of his head and a thick white beard. His face is deeply wrinkled has a haunted look in his eyes.
"Welcome, young ones. None of you are of my Clan, so this can not be a matter of Brujah business. What brings you to me tonight?" he says looking at all three of you with unblinking eyes - clearly he is studying you.
Calliope walks with Jack and Edwin quietly into the office, pausing before responding to consider the best way to greet an older vampire who needed (potentially) some significant buttering up.
Edwin enters and bows his head in deference to the Elder Brujah to show both respect and the understanding that Edwin is well aware of the power imbalance, "Indeed you are correct Primogen. This matter does not pertain to Clan business. I am Edwin Wagner of Clan Tremere. I shall allow my associates to introduce themselves of course.
After the most recent conclave called by the Prince, it became clear to us that we were no longer hiding in the shadows of the city and that we should likely begin interacting in a more direct way with the powers that be.
My coterie and I are relatively recent newcomers to the city. We all share a passion for history, the history of the Kindred specifically though I must confess my own interests also involve the occult. Thus, we come to you humbly to begin a dialogue about our shared history. I believe for our initial meeting there would be no better place to start than with the history of Chicago itself.
We hope that we find you as eager to teach as we are to learn".
"You come here for a history lesson?" Critias asks incredulously. "Philosophy is a stronger subject for me, Childe, although I have seen a great deal of history. I assume by the 'history of Chicago' you mean the Kindred history of the city...otherwise you would simply pick up a book."
"What is it in particular you would know? The history of our kind in this city pre-dates the city itself by a great deal of time."
"You are correct Primogen, history of the Kindred as you have lived it, so to speak.
We are currently interested in power structures and power dynamics and how they have changed over the years. I think starting with the current day and moving backwards would be helpful, whether we get to matters that pre-date they city I suppose will depend on how much time you will allow for us this evening.
A series of questions then, how is it that the current Prince came to power? As I understand it, there were older more experienced members of Lodin's brood who perhaps should have been first in line. Or perhaps another better question may be why would you or your fellow Primogen not seek the mantle of Prince?"
Calliope takes her direction from Edwin's introduction and also bows her head respectfully to the Professor and Elder before they jump into their conversation about the history.
"Calliope Marchette of Clan Toreador. I am a graduate of this university, although I did not have the pleasure of taking one of your classes with my focus being in art." She offers the Brujah a sincere, polite smile and listens to the following conversation carefully, her body language and expression that of an active listener.
"Jack of Clan Ventrue, descendant of Lodin. Very large boots left behind, with the death of my great to the 6th degree grandisre, I feel now more than ever it is essential to learn all I can about the current... well currents of the city."
"Well met young ones." the old Brujah says in response to Calliope and Jack's introductions.
"Very astute of you, young Herr Wagner. There were others of Lodin's brood who were more experienced than Prince Jackson, but fortunately for the Primogen, he represented the right combination of ambition, lineage, and inexperience to make him a suitable choice we could all agree on...much like we did with Lodin himself all those years ago."
The elder allows himself a small grin, "Well plenty of time to remedy that, my dear...as you might expect, I only teach night classes." he says in an almost chiding tone.
At the mention of Capone, Critias lets out an all-to-human sigh. "Ahh, Alphonse...one of Lodin's many mistakes, but one that can still be quite useful now that he is staying out of the public eye...far too famous to be caught on any camera that everyone seems to be carrying these nights."
Edwin nods, "And in that answer and in not answering the other question I have posed to you Primogen, I perceive that the answer is better a kingmaker than a king yourself?
Perhaps it is because Lodin's legend has grown that it did not occur to me that when he initially became Prince he was inexperienced or perhaps I just always assumed that a Prince took their position by virtue of being the most powerful.
Is it better to have a Ventrue as a Prince or is it more important that a Kindred's personality and traits be considered for such a position? The former Prince was not a Ventrue correct?"
Calliope accepts the mild chiding with a small, mildly embarrassed grin, nodding. She had finished out her degree before she had been turned by Mateo and had been quite single-minded in her pursuit of artistic perfection (a quest she had let go of--the perfection part, at least).
Calliope shifts her weight slightly as Critias and Edwin speak, her eyes darting back and forth between the two. She would speak up if there seemed a need or a moment where her input would be valuable.
"Certainly Lodin was far weaker when he took power than he was when he met his fate with the Lupines. His blood was potent, but he was still young and ambitious, not unlike yourselves in the latter aspect. He took advantage of chaos caused by great fires in 1871 and managed to seize praxis from Maxwell, the former prince, with the aid of a few co-conspirators of Ventrue stock."
"Or at least that is the story that I have heard. My own arrival to this city was at a much later date. Lodin had the good sense to seek my advice on matters of ruling the city as I had no desire to be rule."
Edwin nods as the Elder confirms his suspicion, "Lupines, so then the tale that Lupines did indeed invade the city is true. I doubted its veracity, seemed almost too surreal for such a thing to take place.
So these Ventrue that aided Lodin were later driven out by him or destroyed? As I understand it, in recent nights only his brood remained within the city in the nights before his Final Death.
That is quite the change in leadership, Maxwell was of your Clan yes Primogen? The fires destroyed those who supported Maxwell or Lodin used those fires to set yet more fires to the havens of his foes?"
Critias smiles. "My dear boy, anything I would say on that particular subject would be speculation or second-hand gossip. As I have said, I arrived in this city well after Lodin's seizing of praxis, but yes, Maxwell is of Clan Brujah."
"I understand.
If Lodin took the Princeship by force, would this Maxwell have a better claim to the seat than the current as he was a former Prince and did not abdicate or is the loss of such a position the final verdict of such rights?"
"A better claim? Not necessarily. A distinct claim to praxis? Certainly." the elder ambiguously answers.
"Tell me, Childe, what is your interest in this specific subject? Do you not feel that Prince Jackson is up to the task?"
Calliope audibly hums with interest at Edwin's last question and shifts her weight from one leg to another. She pulls her small sketchbook out of her bag, jotting down some graphic notes about the history they were learning.
If one looked closely, they would see that she deliberately leaves out any hint as to the speaker of the information they are learning. To an outsider, it would seem like a very strange comic.
Edwin keeps his face as passive as possible, "As I said, we certainly have interest in the history of the city, that history is clearly intertwined with politics, inescapably so it seems.
As far as my personal opinions about the Prince, I have none, and I believe I speak for my coterie in stating that we are apolitical. Our main pursuit is for the quest of knowledge, with our own personal interest that do deviate, but not in the realm of acquiring power or seeking status.
However, it has come to our attention that there are many who do indeed believe that the Prince is not up to the task. Their rationales are varied as are their identities. We do not represent any of these varied interests. But we were led to believe that some in the city would support an alternative... ah leader, if given the opportunity".
"Oh, is that so? Pray tell, who might these other options for leaders you speak of?"
Edwin cocks his head, "The very Kindred who was deposed by Lodin.
Based upon your recitation of history, I now find the claim dubious. After all, why would an Elder as yourself support an unknown variable. We were given the impression that you had some personal knowledge of or relationship with this Brujah".
Calliope nods along to the assertion that they are apolitical. "Apolitical, and sadly, on my part, ignorant. Part of the reason we're here...it seems to be in my best interest to learn more about local politics these days." She speaks up, quietly, her pencil pausing briefly on the paper.
"With new leadership, there are always people who chafe at new rules and new ways to go about things. We don't want to be in the dark about it all, so to speak." She shrugs, offering her input on the situation so that Edwin isn't quite so alone in the spotlight, pleading their case.
"If we speak of the same individual, yes I knew Maximilien quite well - even if he does go by a slightly different name these nights." the elder confesses.
Critias's tone grows more dark and serious as he adds, "While the Ventrue have held the Prince's seat for a long time in this city, I would relish an opportunity to take it away from them...I still remember Carthage." With a sardonic laugh he adds. "I was there."
Edwin's eyebrows rise, "You were at Carthage....
I'm not sure I care all that much about this drivel, I confess I would rather speak with you at length about what it is you have seen..."
Edwin pauses and gathers himself, "I suppose one topic at a time though.
Then you indeed would side with Maxwell? I stand corrected in my assertions.
He believes the same to be said of Khalid and of Nicolai. Of course getting to them is a more difficult prospect than gaining an audience with you has been, especially as Nicolai has all but vanished entirely".
The elder nods, seemingly agreeing with either Calliope's assessment of politics or Edwin's assertations...perhaps both, without directly answering either.
With mention of the other two elders, Critias says, "Both are difficult at best to pin down, that is for sure. Although Khalid was not an ardent supporter of Lodin or his brood. I will not be so boorish to try and explain the motivations of Nicolai to a member of the House and Clan."
Edwin nods to himself, "We are certainly not kingmakers nor do we wish to be, we are merely passing along an live branch as it were. However, we have been asked to pass that leaf along to Khalid and Nicolai. The complication of course, is not being able to locate them.
Would you be willing and able to make that connection for us Primogen?"
He sighs, "I know it is certainly unusual to ask you to connect me with an Elder of my own Clan, but I do not believe that asking the current Regent to do so would be wise. He seems quite content to fully support the current head of State".
The ancient Brujah contemplates the question for what seems to be an eternity before answering, "I will reach out to the two you wish to speak to. Come back to me two night from now and I will have an answer for you if either will grant you an audience."
Edwin bows deeply to the Primogen, "I appreciate your time and consideration Primogen, we shall return in two nights time".
He pauses to give his coterie mates an opportunity to make any last comments they wish before taking his leave.
"Thank you for your time, Primogen," Calliope says, mimicking Edwin's mannerisms and bowing deeply as well.
Unless the Primogen has anything else to say, she retreats into the hallways after her coterie. "That went better than expected," She says quietly as they walk. "Enough that it almost makes me nervous, to be honest."