DATE: Wednsday, July 8, 1998 Place: City Safehouse (Montrose District) ---- Recall start ---- JJ Malone is already seated in the window seat of the room, the blinds angled to allow some of the fading sunlight in while blocking out most of the view into the room. The window is cracked on the side the Glass Walker is seated to allow the smoke from his burning cigarette escape. Orpheus knocks softly on the door. He waits for a few moments for an answer. **** Many arrivals Murphy walks in smoking a cigarette. Elan gets a slight nod, the tribal elder a much deeper one. The Fury gets a once over. The Galliard goes to a location near JJ. Collin strolls on in, looking around. "I'm heeeeere." he states, grinning. Elan is over by the door, nodding to people he's invited, and seeing who else shows up. Orpheus finds a comfy seat, and looks over all the unknown people. JJ Malone is settled on the window seat smoking already, watching over everyone who arrives in turn, especially those he doesn't recognize such as Orpheus. When Murphy arrives, he grunts, a sound that nonetheless conveys irritability, and subsides back into silence. Brittany knocks politely, unwilling, it seems, to simply intrude. Davy and Jose came in before Brittany, as a team. They've claimed one of the couches as their own, pretty much, not so much by words as from the laws of physics. Elan is by the door, looking out and noting who drops by. He stiffens a bit, and opens the door. Collin doesn't atke a seat, himself, but he looks around and just keeps grinning. Jose is stumpy and wide. He's also putting out a cigar on the boot of his shoe. Once that's done, he places it back in his mouth. Orpheus has a seat and waves to Collin. Brittany smiles softly at Elan when he opens the door, asking quietly, "Have I found the right adress, then?" Murphy has claimed a back corner as his own. He continues to smoke and scowl. He keeps his chin level, but avoids making eye contact with any of the others in the room. Collin lifts his hand and wiggles his fingers at Orpheus. "Like, yo and stuff." He looks around, then says, "What, nobody brought Ice Cream?" Seeker comes in from outside. JJ Malone levels a look at Collin. "There's a time and a place for joking, boy. If you don't learn it, I'll be first in line to teach it to you." From the rage bubbling just below the ahroun's expression, the threat isn't an idle one. Hank glances over at JJ, then away, frowning. Elan coughs a bit. "Yeah, guys. Come on, and let's remember that it's damn near full, tonight..." Salem gives Elan a sour glance as he enters, surrounded by an aura of grim anger, tightly repressed emotion, and stress enough to suck the joy out of a five year old's birthday party. He takes in the room with a sweep of his eyes, and then stalks over to join the Glass Walkers. Davy rumbles under his breath, "Like I need reminding." Collin glances at JJ, "Uhm. Okay." Murphy lets out a low rumble in confirmation of his Elder's statement. Seeker quietly slips in, trying not to draw attention to himself. He does glance at JJ Malone and gives Collin a stern look as well before he takes a seat. JJ Malone grunts something akin to acceptance, then settles back into the corner of the window seat, returning to working on making ash out of his cigarette. Salem gets a nod of greeting during this process. Jose looks over at all the grumblers, then at his de facto Alpha. "Ya know, it still amazes me that we got these tea parties during 'luna grande'. Like wearin' one o' those *kick me* signs or somethin'." Seeker sighs, seeing that already he needs to rein Collin in. He sits near the young Strider to make his point. Salem returns Malone's nod and leans against the wall near the Walker elder, long fingers fishing out a pack of his own cigarettes. He lights up with sharp, terse gestures and inhales deeply. Brittany quietly enters, setting her briefcase beside her feet as she finds a place to stand, the seats all taken. Collin gives Seeker a *completely* innocent look. Like 'Whaaaa?'. Orpheus shakes his head at Collin. Hank goes over to Collin, and nods to him, smiling. Collin grins at Hank, then takes a seat on the ground next to Seeker, leaning back and resting on his hands for the most part. Davy snickers softly. At the same time, Andrea pushes the door open. She looks around the room, nodding to a few that look her way, and not reacting to any that show surprise that the Ritemistress is actually being seen outside the woods. She takes a few steps toward Elan and says to him in her soft voice, "Others may be coming, but I came ahead." JJ Malone, indeed, startles momentarily seeing Andrea here, forgetting in that moment to glower. The metis recovers himself, though, and subsides even further, darkness re-clouding his features. Elan's smile brightens to see Andrea. "OK, now, guys. We're about ready to begin, then...?" Three sharp raps at the door, and a shout. "Hey." Elan, at the door, looks out of it. "Yo, Cutter...come on in. Just about to start..." Cutter slips in, the burly man behind him peering in cautiously before following. Salem continues smoking, his dark eyes hooded. He watches the others through the drifting haze of cigarette smoke. His manner remains grim and cold, the rage snarling and fighting for release from his self-control. Elan looks around at the room, and nods slowly. He walks over to the couch, and turns to the others. "OK, then. Lemme start, and then we can go to questions. We got vampires in St. Claire again. I know something about them, and I've had a lot of people askin' me about 'em since the Great Hunt. So, here goes..." Salem straightens up as the Gnawer starts talking, a scowl starting to take root. He crushes out his cigarette and folds his arms across his chest. The young Gnawer scratches the two days of stubble on his chin, thinking, then starts. "OK, Vampires. A number people been askin' me about 'em, and to save some time and get other people in so they can jawbone, I called this meetin'. Glad to see you guys. Now, I know we got a high moon tonight, and everything. So, just kinda try to keep cool. I know this is a tough subject for a lotta you guys here." He runs his fingers through his hair. "OK, what I know is this. Vampires are immortal, and they have to drink blood regularly to survive. This can be animal blood, but most just go with human blood. Tastes better. Most of 'em cannot eat or drink anything normal, either." He begins to count his fingers. "Most of the movie stuff is crap. Fire and sunlight kill them quick. They CAN be killed by bullets and stuff. They can heal themselves, but not as good as we can, nor as fast." He stops for a moment. "They got tribes sorta like we do. Bloodlines. Gangrels are the only ones that go out in the woods, at all, usually. They...they don't hang around the others that much, I don't think. Nobody seems to know too much about them. Toreadors. They're sorta like Galliards in a way. Tremere. Bad asses. Wizards, and most of the other guys are afraid of them. Brujah. Kinda like Ahrouns - strong asskickers. Nosferatu. Sewer rats. They're kinda like Theurges; they know a lot of stuff, and they don't tell much. Ventrue. Now, these guys run the whole show. They got all the other tribes bound to 'em, by blood. I'll go into that in a bit. Um..." He stops for a bit. "Malkavians. Dunno too much about them, save the name. And the Sabbat. Just a name to me, too. If anyone else knows more, speak up in a bit." "What can they do? Lots of stuff. Turning into bat and wolves. They are much stronger than humans, and even their human servants are real strong. They can hypnotise you with a glance, and mind control you. And...they can do something else. Whatever you do, don't get any of their blood ON you. They can control you with it. They make humans into slaves with it; people drink it, they get mind cnotrolled." Rik drifts away from the door, battered against a wall by the onslaught of words as he moves toward Murphy. Brittany listens quietly from the corner she's chosen. Salem's tension coils a little bit tighter as he listens, muscles in his jaw clenching. But he says nothing, for the moment. Davy's fists tighten at some of the listed atrocities. Andrea's face is tight, but she controls herself well. As Elan finishes speaking, she says, "Some of them have some sort of magic, so they don't appear to the gift of sensing wyrm." Murphy nods briefly at Rik before returning his full attention to the gathering. Elan accepts a beer, or water, or whatever, and swallows once. "I got some other stuff, on specifics, but that is a good beginning." He nods to Davy. "Must be, since I got that Gift. Like the Dancers had, when they was roaming around town." JJ Malone offers, "It can be real tough to kill 'em with normal bullets. Some of 'em it works, but some of 'em--hard to put 'em down as us." Brittany asks, quietly, "Do you know who their current leader is?" Orpheus says "Do you know more about who is a leech, or just the general knowledge that they're here?" Elan wipes his hands off on already-dusty jeans. "Now, the one thing we /don't/ know is the current ones in residence. Jose fought some, and the guys on the Great Hunt did. What I heard, sounds like the Tremere to me. They have some kinda special magic, and what Jose told me about the fight, they used stuff like I never heard about. Unless anyone else has? Making shadows move? Turning into some kinda monster?" Elan waves a hand at his Weasely tribemate. "Jose, my brother. You wanna tell what happened to you guys, later?" Cutter lifts a hand, but says nothing. Collin stays quiet. For the moment, he just appears to be listening to the conversation. He glances at Seeker, the repositions himself, sitting up and balancing his weight on the balls of his feet. He shakes his head at Elan a little. JJ Malone shrugs his shoulders in response to Elan's question. "Anything is possible with them." Salem expells a poisonous-sounding swearword in Serbian. Jose crosses his arms, nodding. "Yeah." Hank listens quietly, then hmms softly to himself at the mention of bullets and looks lost in thought. Andrea shakes her head. "Touch Deer has fought them here. He said the ones he fought looked like inhuman monsters, uglier than the worse metis." Elan points to Cutter. "Yeah, man?" Murphy clears his throat. Elan nods to Andrea. "Those might be Nospheratu." Cutter clears his throat. "There's... a tribe of gypsy vampires. They can do, like, illusions an' shit. Could just as likely be them, yeah? They also can do some kind of magic juju." Salem grits his teeth, fighting back a sudden, and quite obvious wave of rage. "Nosferatu my ass," he growls. Seeker looks around the room. "They encountered us on the great hunt. They had many servants with them. We killed one, another escaped. They know we are here. If they are not already prepared for us, they will begin doing so now. They will have silver. One had silver on the Great Hunt, the one who escaped. We must prepare in kind." From behind the haze of cigarette smoke, the Glass Walker Galliard ads, "Just to add to the confusion, fire don't work on all of them either." Collin looks puzzled. He really does. He glances at Seeker, then nods his agreement. Orpheus says "What with? Silver for us. What for them?" Cutter says "Holy water works, if y'believe." Seeker takes a sharpened stake from his pack. "This." Davy's attention is claimed by the people talking about weapons. Andrea, on the other hand, focuses on the words about fire's failing with a frown. JJ Malone settles back into the window sill, ripping out a loud snort at Seeker's dramatics. "Sure thing. Try to get close enough to aim it right and have it work," he comments derisively. He then lapses into silence to observe the growing chaos from behind his mirrored sunglasses. Salem opens his mouth to speak, and then clamps down again and shakes out another cigarette. He drops it, hands shaking with anger and other emotions, and finally manages to light up. Elan grins at Seeker. "Good man. I dunno about holy stuff. Crosses don't work n 'em, that I've seen." He looks over to Salem. "You look like you got something to add,man?" he says quietly, and oddly respectfully. Seeker ignores JJ Malone and returns the stake to his pack. As he opens it, some might notice that there are quite a few more inside. Collin huhs. He sets himself back down on his rear, then looks over towards Salem, since Elan is addressing him. Salem exhales smoke and stares at Elan, his eyes hard. "Moving shadows and turning into monsters. Ugly bastards as big as a Crinos, maybe?" Orpheus says "What? Stabbing them with wood hurts?" Elan looks to Jose. "How about having Jose tell you, since he was there. Jose?" Salem takes another drag from his cigarette as his attention turns toward Jose, taking effort to quell the subtle tremor in his fingers. Hank looks to Jose, finally seeming to focus more on the conversation again. Brittany glances to Andrea, noticing her for, it seems, the first time. Murphy takes a final drag off his smoke before crushing it out. He crosses his arms over his chest and waits. Jose looks over at Jack, appearing to have a hard time remembering. "Ok. This was a while ago. Like six months. The one fucker I took out used the darkness like a rope. Took one slice to get through it, but it also took a big swing. Tough as steel cable, that shit. That charach fuck, Quaid, went straight through another tha' turned into a big lizard thing. Looked kinda stinky to me, like they made friends with a Wyrm thing, but I dunno. Casper might have better ideas on that. Murphy leans over to Rik and whispers something briefly. Seeker listens to Jose intently. "One of the leeches at the Great Hunt used darkness in a similar manner." Collin lifts his hand and scratches the back of his head. He bobs his head, looking towards Jose, then back to Seeker. "Yeah. Stormcloud told me about that." Elan looks back to Salem. "That what you're lookin' for, dude?" Salem listens to the Mexican Gnawer, then leans back against the wall, speaking with enforced calm. "There are vampires that can turn into monsters," he says. "They can also twist flesh and bone as though it were clay. Some can turn their bodies into blood. I've seen the shadow-fighters in action, too." He takes another drag on the cigarette and looks back at Elan. "Yes, it was." Brittany asks, of Andrea, "Do you know the status of the burial mounds, before we undertake any sort of assault on the Vampires?" Elan says "What are they, Salem?" Cutter pricks up his ears and looks toward Brit. Salem's face twists into a grimace. "I was involved in a war once, with vampires," he says after a moment. "Not the subtle kind. These fought us in packs, like Spirals. They slaughtered most of our Kinfolk and turned the rest into vampires like themselves." He stops abruptly. Seeker thinks for a moment, as if visualizing something, then looks over at Jose. "Was the one who used darkness well-dressed? In a suit, perhaps?" Amazingly enough, Jose catches Seeker's glance. "Uh." He tilts his head back, trying to remember, from the look of his hand against his forehead. As if trying to see the situation again: " Collin glances at Salem, then makes a face, "Aw, geeze. Ick." He looks back towards Seeker and Jose. Amazingly enough, Jose catches Seeker's glance. "Uh." He tilts his head back, trying to remember, from the look of his hand against his forehead. As if trying to see the situation again: "I think it was a chick. It's kinda hazy. She was dressed ok. Kinda fancy. Blonde I think." Seeker looks at Salem and nods. "Yes, one touched Diana and nearly turned her inside-out. We can heal from such damage, however." JJ Malone's glance slews swiftly over to Salem, expression tautening into a hard mask as the metis Walker studies him. Salem grunts in reply to Seeker and avoids meeting Malone's eyes. Alarm flares briefly in Andrea's face at the mention of kinfolk, before she controls her expression again. Jose tilts his head back upright. "An' she had what looked like a twin or something. Coulda just been a brother." Andrea then looks over at Brittany. Noticing the Silver Fang looking at her intently, she says, "Excuse me?" Elan leans back against the couch, now letting the others have word. "Now, this is something else. They fight among themselves, too. But don't be fooled into thinking you can deal with them. Remember that mind-control stuff. I've heard of this happening before; people thinking that they can play one off against the other. Remember that a lot of these things are way older than any Garou, and they got a long memory for tricks and shit like that. If you pull something over on one easy, you can bet he's a stalking horse set up for that very fate by his masters. I ain't saying anyone would try to reason with these bastards, but you never know. Far as I know, any kinda truce that used to exist ain't in force no more, but maybe some of you guys that have been here longer would know more about it." He looks at Andrea, and JJ. Brittany restates her question, carefully. "The burial mounds used to fall under the sway of one Adele Sandrego, the former leader of the vampires in this city. She used them, and some additional information, to leverage the old agreement of non-agression between the Garou of the Wheel and teh vampires of St Claire. Since her ... disappearance ... the ownership of that land has been something open for interpretation, I believe. Before we move against the walking dead, I might suggest we take care of our own." Seeker nods. "The leeches at the Great Hunt killed another leech who was our prey." Salem takes another drag on his cigarette, apparently choosing to remain wrapped in silence again. Collin's being remarkably quiet for a change. He wraps an arm around his knees. There's a sharp rap on the front door. Sure enough, Kyle is standing outside. Murphy clears his throat dramatically again. "So who want's to know where we start our little leech hunt?" "You wanting our wisdom or to lecture us?" J.J. asks Elan with pointed sarcasm. "I, for one, don't want both. As for truce," he shrugs, taking a drag from his cigarette. "I haven't heard of any. But, while this meeting's all fine and dandy, some of you," a slewing glance to the non-City tribes of the room, especially Seeker, "need to remember that this isn't exactly a new situation. The vampires are *always* here, it's just they've popped their heads up now. Don't turn this into a crusade, or all that's gonna happen is people are gonna die needlessly, and the Glass Walkers'll be here pickin' up your drained corpses." Salem jerks a scowling glance toward Malone. "If they're Sabbat, it's war. The Sabbat are no different than having a pack of fucking Spirals in town." Jose seems to agree with Salem, bouncing his head. "Them fuckers are what taints the bunch." Seeker grits his teeth. "There will be no truce." Elan eyes Salem intently, and nods. "I've only heard that word, a couple times." Kyle enters without much circumstance, and takes a place against the wall where he settles in to observe the conversation. Seeker looks at Jose. "They are all tainted." JJ Malone seems undeterred by Salem's scowl or his words. "Great. Which means they're rabid *and* can breed faster than we can. All the more reason to not rush in blindly. And who the hell said anything about a truce, Seeker. Jesus." Salem stares right back at Elan, though to his credit the volitile Ronin is doing his damnedest not to lock eyes in a dominanace challenge in the middle of the meeting. "I don't think the Sabbat much like the vampires you talk about," he growls. "The ones I fought against were organized in packs and loyal to each other. Within pack, anyway. I told you. Like fucking Spirals." Elan nods quietly, and looks around. "What else do people know about their powers? Anything?" Murphy lapses back into silence apparently willing to let the attention come back to him. Jose doesn't directly acknowledge Seeker, preferring to watch Salem with amused interest while chewing on his unlit stogie. Steven makes a low key entrance, glancing around the room. He runs a hand back through his still-damp hair before crossing his arms near the back. Cutter lifts his head and focuses on Steven as he enters. Touch Deer enters in a few moments after Steven, ducking inside and trying to move quietly to a vacant spot somewhere while making an apologetic nod towards Elan. Brittany notes, "You have less to fear from their powers in a direct confrontation than you do their other resources. They are far, far older than us, wise to tricks we've yet found and probably well-protected." Andrea motions toward herself as she sees Touch Deer. She turns back to Brittany. "I'm not sure what you're saying, Brittany. If we can buy the land, then we should do so. If you want the graves moved, that's not mine to say." Murphy tries one more time. "So no one is interested in the fact that I know where one of them is hunting?" Brittany shakes her head. "The graves have been disturbed too much as it stands. I am unsure who owns the land, since Sandrego's passing, tho there might be documents in her home yet. If anyone cares to organize a search party." Davy turns his head toward Murphy. "You know that?" JJ Malone jerks his attention over to Murphy. "You sure?" Elan gives a nod of greetings to Steven and Touch Deer as they enter, then looks back to Murphy. "Where, and how?" Salem doesn't turn to stare at Murphy. Instead, the Ronin concentrates on the curling tendrils of smoke from his cigarette, grinding his teeth slightly as he pushes his rage back down, down, *down*. Andrea frowns again, then says, "There may be legal ways, instead. I don't trust a dead leech until I see the ashes." She motions toward JJ. "Speak to the Glass Walkers after the moot, since you seem to know of it?" Murphy nods slowly. "Not confirmed, but reliable enough to make me interested in it. Where else would a Vamp with a sense of humor hunt than where willing victims throw themselves at her? The Midnight Temple." Touch Deer takes Andrea's side quickly enough. Anyone who would notice sees that Touch Deer is dressed very differently thank he normally is, having switched from his buckskin outfit to more 'city' oriented dress: a faded pair of bluejeans, sneakers, and an old flannel shirt. He, too, turns to look at Murphy. Cutter flips his attention from Steven to Murphy. Collin looks at Murphy, "Midnight Temple? I've heard of that place. What is it?" Cutter says "A wyrm pit." Hank regards Murphy intently. Collin glances at Cutter. JJ Malone gives a look at Cutter, brows furrowed with edged curiousity. Brittany quirks a brow at Collin, then kneels by her briefcase, unsnapping it to search through files. "It's some kind of dance club, I hear," Steven says. "Erm. One of my acquaintances spends time there." Cutter curls his lip back off his teeth, as if it tasted foul after saying that word. He slides his shades off and looks arond the room, as if daring anyone to contradict him. Murphy gives Collin a dark glance then scans the gathering again. "It's a former church, turned into a S&M club. Word on the street is that a new 'top' has a thing for blood games." He looks at Steven. "If you have kin going there, get them out now and scan them." There is dark insistence burning in his eyes. Elan nods a bit at hearing this. "Has anyone scouted it? Cutter? Murphy?" Cutter says "Scouted it. Spotted some Walker kin there. Might be salvageable. Might not." Brittany blinks, then glances first to Collin, then Murphy. "I have no file on any Wyrm location by that name. It must be new." Jose seems impressed that the conversation is going somewhere. Saying under his breath, as if he probably shouldn't say it in mixed company, "Wonder if everyone's favorite town bicycle hangs out with them too." Collin's expression twists into one of distaste, "Blech. *That* kind of club. Okay." Steven snorts. "There ain't any Fianna going to a place like that." His head shakes in disbelief. "Not like Rina'd listen to me, anyway." Touch Deer spares a moment to whisper something quietly to Andrea before returning his attention to the man speaking. JJ Malone looks from Steven to Cutter, then, "And you didn't bother to tell us about it, Cutter?" Salem lights another cigarette on the ashes of the previous one and continues smoking, grimly. Seeker broods as he listens to the conversation, nooking around the room. Cutter looks to JJ. "What'd you wanna hear? There's a club in town an' y'can't keep an eye on y'own kin?" He puts back on his shades. "Personal recommendation is t'wait until the place is full one night, then drop a torch on it." Murphy shakes his head at Elan. "I've been there, it's just the kind of place for a Vamp. Way too many willing victims. But the Vamp is a new twist I just heard about." At the mention of Rina, his scowl deepens and he fishes out another cigarette, lighting it. Andrea frowns, then leans to whisper back. Elan hmms. "OK, then. Well, that's good then. We know about a possible place, now. They gotta be getting their food somewhere, and like as not from among the Gnawer and Walker protecturates. Yea, Murphy, it does sound just like the kinda place they like." JJ Malone's jaw sets, just before he jerks his chin at the Shadow Lord. "There's a wyrmy club and you noticed one of the Kin going in there. Unless *you* keep a 24 by 7 watch on all your kin and can't be trusted to pass on anything important, you can fuck off." There's real anger fueled by something else in his tone. Touch Deer frowns as Andrea tells him something quietly, and he then returns the whisper, frowning. Collin looks at JJ, then at Cutter. He lifts his hand and runs it up over his face. Jose looks over at Salem, balling a hand into a fist and making a flicking motion with his thumb. Salem scowls at Jose, then fishes out his lighter and tosses it toward the Gnawer, underhand. Patrick slips in the front door, most likely enduring quick glances from people looking towards the door as it opens and closes. He gives a couple of vague nods here & there into the crowd, then slips over towards the rest of Ouroboros. Jose snatches it out of the air, intercepting the trajectory due to many years of practice. He tokes up the stubby cigar and flicks his wrist, sending the lighter back to Salem. A little high. Touch Deer takes this short pause in the conversation to speak up: "Unless I missed it before arriving, there is the matter of the Leeches we met at the Great Hunt..." Salem's hand snaps up, a bit too quickly for eye or comfort, and snaps up the lighter. Arlen's knock is brief. Kyle seems to have little to contribute to the discussion, but as things quiet down he interjects, "Anyone checked the place for Wyrm sign?" JJ Malone growls, then digs into his jacket pocket for his cigarettes and lights up in less than 5 seconds, glowing damped rage like a shuttered furnace. Murphy straigtens up and moves slightly closer to his Elder, but makes no other move for the moment. Cutter shakes his head. "What need? I ain't got the gift and I can /smell/ the fuckin' place." Elan says "I got the gift, Cutter. I'll go with you, OK?" Kyle snorts, "Gaia and the Weaver've got plenty of shitholes that the Wyrm ain't in yet. If you're hunting a leech infestation..." He shrugs, letting the conclusion draw itself. Cutter rolls his shoulders, as if the matter were already settled in his mind. "Sure. Whenever's good f'you. Tuesday's lesbian night." Brittany pales somewhat at Cutter, there. Davy says "Maybe I should go too. Ah, just so there's a pack representative there from Edge." Kyle runs a hand through his hair. "Hell, then just firebomb the place Tuesday and see if our problem clears itself up." He's not entirely serious, but this may not be immediately clear. "Great Kyle," J.J. mutters darkly. "Real subtle." Cutter looks over his shades at Kyle and quirks the corner of his mouth. "Suggested that. Nuke it from orbit. Only way t'be sure." Elan flashes a smile. "Sure thing, dude." He looks back on the assembled peoples. "OK, we've been over the basics, for those who came in late. What vamps are, what they can do, and some of what people know about them. Anyone want me to stay late and go over it with 'em again, I can." Murphy taps his cigarette. "Just out of curiosity, who's territory is the Temple in anyway?" "Pervert." Jose nudges his pro temp Alpha with a toothless grin. Someone gets the door. Salem shifts his weight, growing irritably restless at the turn of conversation. Arlen mutters, "Thanks," and moves inside to lean against a wall, near her packmates. Collin glances at Arlen and wiggles his fingers towards her with a small smile on his face. He looks back towards the others, then rocks back on his heels again. Brittany spares a glance towards Arlen, then returns to replacing her files into her briefcase. Touch Deer nods as Elan recaps, then looks around to see if anyone is going to respond to his earlier statement. Seeker looks at Touch Deer. "One escaped, the rest are dead." Arlen gives Brittany a small nod. "Take it I missed the main information spewage?" Brittany nods to that. "You are not alone, do not worry." Sparing a glance to Murphy, then JJ, she adds, "I hope to fill in some blanks, later. You are quite welcome to join me, if you so desire." Touch Deer nods at Seeker. "I'm wondering...if it's possible to find that one, the one who Shot Sepdet." He looks away from the Strider to address the entire room. "I can't even hope to know if it's possible, or how to try; this isn't my home. But maybe some of you know something, or know how to try and find something about it...?" Arlen nods again to Brittany, and says, to Davy, "Would Sense of the Prey work for that?" Murphy glances to JJ to see how he will react to the Silver Fang's invitation. Elan nods to Arlen. "Yeah, but I can go over it again for you, later." Collin frowns a little at the mentioning of Sepdet, glancing towards Arlen and Davy to see how that bit of conversation is going. Yep, he's interested alright. Davy frowns consideringly. "This is the one you got a good look at? Or someone did, well enough to describe him beyond what you could read in a personal?" Seeker says "Questing Stone, perhaps." Casper knocks and eases the door open slowly, poking his head in to peer about. Arlen says "Don't have his name, Seeker. But between Chaser and I, I think we have a good description." Elan says "Scott one time wondered if Questing Stone would work, since technically, they are dead. Anyone else know for sure?" Touch Deer nods, speaking to Davy. "Yes; myself and Sepdet, and Chaser would know what you need to know...and I think Chaser may also have the Gift of tracking." Davy shrugs. "The gift's worked on less. It can be a fickle one, but it's worth a shot." He turns his head slightly, away from Arlen, then laughs. "Yeah, even her." Patrick nods at Elan. "I can answer /that/ one. Long as it has a name, Questing Stone'll work. Trust me." Andrea shakes her head. "I would say that if they have a name associated with them, and life force, no matter how perverted, that the rite would work. It works on spirits, and they don't live in the flesh and blood way." Arlen looks slightly askance at her packmate, and then blinks at Quiet in surprise. "Thought you had to have a name to begin with, for the Rite." JJ Malone's attention is on the discussion, not Brittany's small tangents, and misses both hers and Murphy's looks. Patrick rolls his eyes. "The question was general, Arlen, if Questing Stone would work for leeches in general, since they're dead. The considered opinion is that it would, given a name, as per usual." Casper slips in the door and slides over to lean on the wall, looking about and trying to catch the direction of the conversation. Salem remains restless, simmering quietly. Arlen says "Ah. My pardon." Touch Deer scratches, irratably, at a scarred hand and takes a deep breath before slowly letting it out. "We'll try the Gift first and the Rite afterwards, if possible...I think that would make the most sense." Patrick looks around at all the touchy, irritible ahrouns in the room, then takes a peek at his watch before rolling his eyes. Those near him might hear him mumble, "at least the damn insurance is paid up." Andrea's lips quirk slightly, but she says nothing, having only slightly nodded at Arlen. Esther has arrived. >> From afar, to the room, Esther has ICly been here all along, people, honest. :) Touch Deer nudges Patrick in the ribs with an elbow, waiting to see what people think about the Rite and Gift in question. Seeker nods to Esther. Collin leans over and says something to Seeker quietly. Elan smiles faintly, looking around the room. "Does anyone else have more to add? Arlen? Esther?" Andrea's face suddenly loses its amusement and she shakes her head, slightly, at Patrick. Seeker nods to Collin. Arlen says "Not just now, no." Collin grins at him a bit, then glances towards the others to see if anyone else has anything to add. Touch Deer wonders out loud, "Has anyone mentioned that they can...change who they look like?" Elan nods to Touch Deer. "About physical shapeshifting, yeah. You know something else?" Murphy says "I was still wondering who's territory the Temple is in." Elan says "Where is it, Murphy?" Touch Deer tries to think. "I fought one on my Rite...but I don't think I learned anything that probably hasn't already been mentioned. It tried to feed from me, but ran into the sewers when I had it beaten." He pauses a moment. "The one that escaped us during the Great Hunt could apparently...shape and use shadows as a tool and weapon." Murphy takes another drag. "Downtown, deep downtown. Makes it trendier to pretend to be dangerous in a bad part of town." Esther nods agreement with Touch Deer. "Some kind of Shroud that not even sound could get through, I heard." Elan says "South or north of Regan Street?" Touch Deer compliments Esther by saying "It could also turn /into/ shadow; that is how it escaped." Collin scratches his head, then asks Seeker quietly, "Were you around the last time Vamps popped their heads up?" He pauses, then glances over at Touch Deer. "Turn into shadows? Wow. Just like.." He wiggles his fingers, "Poof?" Touch Deer nods at Collin. Collin mutters, "Note to self. Bring flashlights." He makes a face. Seeker looks at Collin. "At the Great Hunt, yes." Arlen murmurs, "Didn't help." Brittany frets a bit, mind whirring on something. Soon, she turns her back to teh room and, again, digs into her files. Patrick looks over at Andrea and gives her a somewhat wry smile. Elan nods as he listens to Murphy. "That's our turf, Cavall lands. You guys can come and hunt, but let us know, OK? We're a scout pack, so we know the land and people there." Esther shifts her uncomfortable bulk, and looks about, waiting to make a comment. Collin nods to Seeker, then stands up. He stretches out a bit. "There's something Leeches can do," Esther remarks, "That's something like what Warpers do. Magic, if you will." Steven says "What the fuck?! They pull rabbits out of hats and whatnot?" Salem snorts, flicking cigarette ash. Patrick roll his eyes. "Don't be such a dumb shit." Elan says "Tremere. They're like mages, kinda. They just...can Do Stuff." Brittany tries to stay away from the angrier sorts, feeling rather safe in her corner. Collin scratches his head. "Do stuff? Like waht? What's been *done* that's been seen?" Seeker looks over at Esther, listening intently. "They *all* can 'do stuff,'" rasps Salem, his patience edging closer to its limit. Murphy nods in agreement with the Ronin as he drops his cigarette and crushes it out. Touch Deer folds his arms, looking to his packmates as he does so. Esther shrugs. "Do stuff, like Garou do Gifts. Change the way things are, just by thinking about it." Salem takes a drag from his cigarette, scowling. "I think we covered this ground already." JJ Malone snorts once, cooling his heels and his temper in the flow of night air coming from the cracked window by his shoulder as he settles deeper into the window seat. Arlen reminds Salem, "Some of us were not here." Elan nods at Salem. "It's about time for my patrols, so I gotta go. Anyone needs a recap, or wants to go over stuff in private, come see me, OK?" Murphy huffs assent, "We did." "Your fault for being late," J.J. cracks instantly in defense of Salem. Collin looks towards Elan, then wiggles his fingers at him, "Take care, dude." Arlen cocks her head slightly at J.J. "I was not implying he was incorrect." Arlen tells Elan, "Walk well." Salem meets Arlen's eyes for a brief moment, then subsides as J.J. speaks. He takes another drag on his cigarette and, for the moment, says nothing more. Collin makes an 'ick' face for some reason or another and shrugs. He taks a step back and leans his weight on the wall. "Huh." Elan waves to some of the others, and walks on out into the night. Touch Deer nods quickly to Elan, already apparently ready to depart. "I'll see you again soon, hopefully." "Sure you weren't," J.J. replies, his doubt blatant in his tone. He gives Elan a nod, then leans over to Murphy to mutter to him. Hank grins quietly. "Got an idea for a leech killer people might wanna look at...." Elan nods t oTD on the way out. "I gotta come out to the woods, soon. See you there, dude. And thanks for coming all the way into the city." Kyle's one of the early ones to leave, departing quietly. Kyle finds his way out of the house. Hank grins. "Especially the Walkers - you like guns, yeah?" Elan finds his way out of the house. Davy scowls a little, watching JJ. Arlen snorts quietly at the metis, and crosses sticks her thumb in her pocket, although she doesn't respond past that. Patrick rolls his eyes at the ahrouns once again, then nudges Touch Deer and Andrea, incling his head towards the door. He proceeds to slip his way back to the door and out, careful not to interrupt any of the glares flying around. Patrick finds his way out of the house. Seeker glances at Hank. Casper sinks down on the wall, rubbing uncomfortably at the back of his neck. His eyes dart to and fro to the antagonizers and the antagonized. Brittany, properly, remains neutral. Collin gives his head a shake, then peers at the various glaring people, then turns his attention to Esther. He's got, for once, a thoughtful look on his face. Touch Deer moves quietly out with Patrick and Andrea. Murphy bristles slightly, his place obviously with JJ and Salem. Touch Deer finds his way out of the house. Andrea follows, nodding to those that meet her gaze as she heads out. Murphy mutters back to JJ quickly. Esther lifts one eyebrow slightly, and settles back rather than continuing with whatever point it was she was going to make. Hank hmms softly, watching Murphy and JJ, and waiting for them to finish. Salem studies the floor, and the drifting fall of ash from his cigarette. His eyes flick toward the Glass Walkers, lips tugging into a frown at the muttering. "Jesus Christ," Steven says aloud. "Fucking talk. Someone." JJ Malone is oblivious to the rest of the room, its conversation or lack there of. He gives Murphy a sharp look at his reply, expression tightening into a mask, muttering something terse and sharp back. Cutter turns his shades back to Steven. Then he shrugs and heads toward the door. Collin wanders over towards Esther, finally, and leans over to say something to her quietly. Brittany says "Luna's face is full unveiled, Steven. Care must be taken in a room full of our warriors." Steven snorts and grabs his crotch. "I got a warrior for you." Murphy nods again. Esther glances up at Collin. Arlen shrugs. "The only powers that I know of are the ability to produce blackness of many sorts, the ability to cause some sort of insanity if they catch your eye, the - " and she breaks off. "Mmm. Perhaps this is not the time to expand on matters." Casper licks his lips and says while looking at the floor, "Hank was suggesting talens... I'm sure he has something -useful- to say." Davy snorts out loud. "We need a general, Steven, not a foot soldier." He smirks at the other Fianna. Collin looks at Steven, and looks like he's resisting the urge to comment. He looks back to Esther. Brittany blushes terribly at Steven, instead turning her eyes over to Arlen, more or less at random. Steven snickers at Davy and flips him off. Hank glances at Casper. "Thanks, Boo." He sighs. "Who uses guns in here?" Salem jerks his gaze up toward Steven, temper sparking at the Fianna's crude gesture. Something nasty and acidic leaps to his lips and gets forcibly choked back. The Ronin holds his tongue, and fumes. Arlen says "I use bow and arrow. Could your idea be adapted?" Esther, smirking slightly, lifts a hand in answer to Hank's question, still half looking at Collin. Hank nods to Arlen. "Almost certainly." Arlen says, ignoring Steven completely, "Do please expand, then?" JJ Malone finishes whatever conversation he was having with Murphy and looks back to the room, not answering Hank's question but looking at him with vague interest overlying the simmering anger he's been exhibiting in varying degrees all evening. Hank smiles at Esther...then nods to Arlen. "One of them apparently had silver? I say we turn the tables on them. We've used sun spirits in talens before. How about in bullets....or arrows. Into the body...then *FLASH*. Full sunlight in the things." Casper nods to Hank, "I've thought about similar things... Fire would work as well, wouldn't it? Those spirits, in my experience, are easier to harvest." Hank nods to Casper. "Sure...but there was mention of some of 'em maybe being immune t' fire. Dunno if they'd be immune t' sunlight though." Hank grins. "Could make both, of course." Casper ohs quietly and nods. The well-oiled gears of his mind start whirring in thought. Davy rolls his shoulders in a shrug. "Anyone in my pack can use guns. Arlen prefers the bow, is all." Brittany notes, quietly, "Both Sepdet and Moon Otter have ample experience fighting against this sort of foe. Would anyone care to ask them for advice?" Nodding, Arlen says, "Was hoping to create some like that, yes." "You sure that sunlight affects /all/ of them?" Esther asks, thateyebrow still slightly quirked upwards. Hank shrugs. "It seems to be one of the big things that affect 'em. No idea if it gets 'em all." Seeker nods to Brittany. "Collin and I will talk to Sepdet." Hank smirks slowly. "Still...if we can eliminate most of them easily with sunlight and fire bullets, we can concentrate on any that might be immune." Cutter finds his way out of the house. Collin nods back over to Seeker, "Yeah. We just have to find her." He then nod to Hank, "Not a bad thought, actually. But making them would be kinda hard, right? And numbers'd be pretty limited too, 'cause of how they're made?" Casper says slowly, "An arsenal with a wide variety of form and function might be our best bet in finding their weaknesses, though I'm unsure if we have time for extended trial and error attempts on their so-called lives." Salem lights another cigarette. "I'd suggest you keep closer eye on your Kinfolk, too. If you give a shit about them." Brittany nods. "What signs should we watch for that one of ours might be corrupted?" Collin looks at Brittany now, going quiet to hear any answers produced to her question. Arlen says "Smell of Wyrm. Odd changes in behavior, I would suspect." JJ Malone snorts, then cuts in, "Anyone heard of the Blood Wars?" Salem turns dark, humorless eyes toward Brittany. "Have them walk around in the noon sun, maybe?" Collin looks over at JJ, "Blood Wars? Not me." Brittany says "I fear that the only of our bunch that are truly sensitive to teh Wyrm's wake are all Caern-bound. Drrick, for instance. I can hardly call a Gaurdian away for a task that may very well find no results." Esther sighs. "Call in Rise, Brittany. We're mobile, and we can spot that stuff. We're /supposed/ to be recon, communication and support." Salem's expression tightens. "It's bloody simple," he growls. "Watch your kinfolk, take note if they vanish for a few days, make sure you've seen them walking around in daylight. Don't need a fucking Gift for that." Davy also shakes his head. Esther gives Salem a half smile. "That, too, yeah." JJ Malone grunts at Collin's response. "Pity. It was a big war between us and them, up in Chicago. I'm sure anyone who survived it probably learned shitloads about how to fight 'em." He takes a drag from his cigarette, then lapses back into silence again. Brittany makes soft eyes at Esther in thanks, saying, "Could you? I do so hate to be a bother, this being a tribal matter and out of your territory, but I've never been able to master the trick myself and could use some reassurances. There is one in particular that has recently been ... troubled." Collin looks like he's about to say something in response to Salem, but he gets cut off by JJ's response about the Blood Wars. He looks back to him, then says, "Wow. Don't think I've met anyone from Chicago around here, yet." Seeker looks over at JJ Malone. "I have heard that Ajrun Fletcher was involved." Casper asks JJ, "Could you perhaps contact one of your tribesmates who survived this war, in Chicago?" Salem sucks in another lungful of smoke, the fingers of his free hand tapping against his leg. Steven eyes the room and then frowns. "Fuckin' chimney in here. Later." With that he splits. Steven finds his way out of the house. A corner of JJ's mouth twitches vaguely at the responses to his comment. "He was," he replies to Seeker. "And, I think that can be arranged...Casper, isn't it? Rik?" he asks, turning to the other Glass Walker ahroun with a smirk suddenly appearing. Casper nods quickly, looking down at his dirty shoes. Rik blinks in surprise as attention is turned to him. "What?" JJ Malone snorts. "Consider yourself contacted." That done, he leans back into the window seat, looking vaguely pleased with himself. Brittany drifts over beside JJ, now that the room has cleared out a bit. Hank hmms softly. Salem tracks the Fang's approach toward Malone with narrowed, scrutinizing eyes. Seeker nods and stands. "Good evening." Brittany, to JJ, asks, "Mis... uhm. Missu... er... JJ? At some point, could I arrange a meeting with you?" JJ Malone's mirror-shaded gaze swivels to Brittany. "I'm here now," he says just shy of curtly. "What about?" Rik blinks in confusion and frowns to himself. Seeker excuses himself and heads outside. Brittany notes, "Several things, actually. This 'Midnght Temple' only brought to my attention more that my files are quite out of date. I was hoping that we could compare notes sometime? I don't wish to interrupt this discussion, however. The current task seems enough to devote our full attention towards." Seeker finds his way out of the house. Collin watches Seeker leave, then 'ehs' and shrugs a bit. He looks back to the others still remaining here. JJ Malone looks around. "I don't see much of a discussion going on anymore. But..." he trails off, waiting for someone to contradict him. Collin nods his head, "Seems like it's pretty much over." He grins, then looks around, "Unless somebody has something to talk about?" Davy leans over to Arlen. "Whenever you're ready," he says. He looks to be in no hurry, but he's lost a lot of interest as well. Casper leans on the wall and heaves himself to his feet. Glancing about, he then ducks his head and slips out the door. Casper finds his way out of the house. Brittany glances about, notices that JJ is, in fact, in the right, so presses on. "Well, there are matters that your tribe would be better positioned than mine to deal with. Old foes still lurking about, unfinished research, ownership questions and fresh recon of Wyrm-tainted places we cleaered out but may return. There might be a cancer or two that you are unaware of that was active a few years ago or that I am unaware of that's recent. I had hoped that we could exchange knowledge on these matters." JJ Malone takes a drag of his cigarette, then exhales, although the perceptive may notice that he avoids blowing it directly into the Silver Fang's face. He looks directly back at her with curious assessment, a pause before he says, "You have all this written down?" Brittany nods. "In a way. Code, glyphs, untraceable things, of course. I also have maps, photgraphs, blueprints of some... information as detailed as possible, within my means." JJ Malone shakes his head slightly, but then jerks his chin. "All you want for this is what we have right now that you might not?" Hank nods to the others. "I should go check on stuff. See ya later." He grins,and claps Collin gently on the shoulder. Brittany nods. "Information is ammunition in the war, after all. Exchanges only help us both. I *do* live in the city, after all." Collin grins at Hank, "Take care, dude." Hank finds his way out of the house. JJ Malone's mouth twitches. "Deal. I'll send someone over to get copies of everything when we have the time, and take over what we have." Brittany nods. "Thank you. Also, I wanted to offer my services as Halfmoon to the Glass Walkers, if their previous situation of being shy on such themselves is still in effect. I'm far closer than the Caern, and will do my best to follow your rules on matters." JJ Malone's brow furrows, expression turning shrewdly calculating. "I thank you for the offer, but a Judge has just joined us. However, if he doesn't know the gift of telling human from supernatural, and you do, it'd be much appreciated if you could teach him. What would you want in return for that?" Collin lifts his hand, covering his yawn up with it. Brittany bites her bottom lip, thoughtfully. "In truth, I only just learned it myself aand am hesitant to try and teach it just yet. I've no field practice with it currently. When I feel more confident, however, I would gladly share." Collin stretches out a bit more, then twists and pops his back once. "Well, I should probably get going." JJ Malone nods absently in Collin's direction at his comment, but his attention is focused on Brittany. "I'll have Jeff talk to you." He takes another inhalation of his cigarette, the line of his jaw tightening further. "So, what's this I hear about you looking for a so-called City Director?" Brittany nods. "To discuss this general exchange, in general. I worked closely with some of the City leaders in the past, both Walker and Gnawer, and would like to see such an alliance reform." "There isn't a City director, you know," J.J. responds flatly, an undertone of rage surpressed in his voice. Arlen nods faintly to Davy. "They're not doing specifics, you wanna leave now?" Davy pushes to his feet, kicking Jose awake. "Sure thing." Brittany blinks a bit, clearly not wanting to offend. "I was unsure of the term you preferred to use, uhm. Rhya." Again, Jj's gender seems to cause even more of a tangle. "And don't call me that," J.J. says again, more sharply. "The correct term is Don," he grates out irritably, whether at Brittany or for some other reason is unclear. Brittany nods, then. "Yes, Don Malone." Arlen opens the door as little as possible on her way out. Collin heads for the door too, slipping out after Arlen quietly. JJ Malone shakes his head again, temper fraying. "No, just Malone. Save the titles for the one's they belong to." Esther slips away as quietly and unobtrusively as she can, given her present condition. Esther finds her way out of the house. Brittany just falls silent, lest she make the Walker even angrier. She nods her head a respectful low, then backs away two steps before turning away. Davy finds his way out of the house. Arlen finds her way out of the house. JJ Malone sighs irritably, then elbows Murphy hard enough to draw a glare from the Galliard. "Good night, ma'am," he says to the Silver Fang. Collin finds his way out of the house. Brittany gathers up her briefcase, then nods to... err.. The Don. "Goodnight to you as well. May your trip be a safe one." JJ Malone grunts irritably, then stalks out of the house ahead of both Brittany and Murphy. ---- Recall end ----