Dusty · Pages

The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Canberra
9th of March, 2008

Alone in her hotel room, Lucinde shook with fear. The opulent surroundings of her penthouse suite offered her no comfort, and she wished only to feel arms around her, or a voice that would understand.

She heard again Aaron speak the words, I have nurtured an adder at my breast, saw again the look of shock and pain on Victor’s face as the bolt transfixed him, bursting through his chest, little pieces of him still thredded on the sharp, bloodied tip of it.

Thought of her own words to It, thin and hollow; Some of us can never go home.

Remembered, once more, Richard’s voice echoing, You must stand with me as his eyes burned into her own, his look challenging, almost accusatory, as the others turned and followed his gaze. Felt the words she’d been desperate to say, to make him understand, choke and lodge in her throat. Heard herself say nothing at all.

 
She’d left Ash asleep in her bed in Sydney, stroked her soft, grey fur gently as she’d hurried away, leapt from the window to avoid risking her departure being noticed by Ultionis or any of the others. Felt the bones crunch beneath her on landing, felt the sharp, stabbing pain climb blood-red up into her mind and, reluctantly, she’d spent the blood to heal herself, gotten to her feet and ran.

Ash had too many other things to worry about.

She’d gone looking for Jimmy, and she’d even found him, but he was concerned only with enjoying the company of his lady-friend, that dark-haired beauty who’d looked at her with narrowed eyes, and of dancing his own pain and fears away.

To whom, then, could she speak?

For the first time since she had relocated to Sydney, Lucinde felt truly and painfully alone. Acutely aware of the volatile nature of the fears she carried, she hugged herself and sobbed.

Who would listen, and not judge her?

Who would keep her secrets safe?

Reluctantly, she picked up a pen, and began to write.

 

With regard, to Brother Simon, Priest of the Sanctuary of the Spear, called the Wicked;

If what I have heard is true, then the seal of the confessional is upon you, and you may repeat no confidence that you hear.

There are a great many dark thoughts that weigh on my mind, crying out for release.

I wish to confess.

Will you meet with me?

I am,

Lucinde De Béthune

Childe of Jean-Baptiste Charles de Béthune

Childe of Maxwell Van Dycke

Childe of Francisca de Graaf

Childe of Victor Andersén de Sénancourt

She laid aside her pen, wiped the inkstains from her fingers, and melted the wax onto the seal of the letter, trying to ignore the cold fear that settled in her breast, and the voice that whispered in the back of her mind, telling her she’d just offered the Devil her soul.

Under the sun and beneath the trees
You gave me a kiss, as light as a breeze
That moment was golden, we two bathed in light
And then the years stole over us both.

But my supine heart was fast deceived
Taken by the demon Hope, and now his brother Dismay
For those tresses I'd entwined with briar-rose leaves
That brow I'd have crowned with gold laurel wreathes
Those sweet lips that laughed, whispered, kissed, spoke and breathed
Now seem so very far away.

Under the sun and beneath the trees
There's a mound in the ground, little more than a crease
The sunlight there's golden, where the wild kits fight
Unchecked, the briar-rose grows.

Well, it's been nine months (since playing, not since posting) of radio silence, give or take.
On Saturday night, I started playing my little, shy, neglected Lucinde again (page is http://www.cam-wiki.org/Lucinde_De_B%C3%A8thune ) and so far, it seems to be better. I am learning that I must adjust my idea of 'a good game' in order to play her, as a good game used to be one where I wheeled and dealed, and clambered roughshod over the top of people to get a rung further up the ladder, possibly kicking the person below me discreetly off as I climbed. But this character is bound, both by concept, nature, and IC sanctions, not to get involved in political intrigue, ever. Which means that now a good game for me is one where I get to talk to lots of people, and learn academically interesting stuff. It's pure RP, now; no power-gaming for me.
It's taking a little adjustment, but so far I'm managing alright, although it is interesting to run with a completely different crowd, and actually be approachable and nice.
Yes, nice. Friendly, personable, sweetly spoken, winsome, with no apparent agenda.
Notice I don't say good.
Vampires can be nice, but they should never be good.
Very  important distinction, there.

I am also really playing up Status, with this character. She's very Tradition-minded, and is in awe of more powerful or older Kindred, which I do reflect in my play. She also responds visibly - in my opinion, more people need to play this because currently these powers mean nothing - to the use of social Disciplines on her. If you use Awe on her, she's going to flush, quicken her breathing (ah, habits of the high Humanity character ^_-), nibble her lip, stare in your eyes and be near-desperate to please you. If you apply any Nightmare power in interactions with her, she is going to tremble, avert her eyes, draw in on herself and attempt to get away from you as quickly as possible. None of this makes her a wimp, however; she's a proud Ventrue (oh, what the Hell, she's actually a Ventrue supremicist, there, I said it) and she has the same stiff upper lip and healthy dose of spine that the Clan is known for - she can't simply be used or abused, not unless you're very clever about how you do it, and the fact that she visibly reacts to Discipline use doesn't take away her free will or her ability to say no, or leave a conversation, either. It just makes it a little more of an effort of will for her to do so.
I believe the term to apply would be vulnerable but not stupid.

I suspect she's going to be an enormous challenge for me, but I'm going to try to see it through this time. Thanks in advance to all the people, with characters of all different power levels, who are going to be awesome enough to interact with her, use her abilities, give her assignments, befriend her, try to screw her over and otherwise make my game better.

I love you all and there's nothing you can do about it. ^_^