Path of the Vampire forum

“Time changes many a thing,” Habren said to Elizabeth congenially enough; it was no secret they had clashed earlier on, but taking up a mantle to try and save their Kind before it was too late was commendable.

A few more words and assurances spoken to their hostess later, Habren declined the offer for a beverage - they were present for a potentially tense gathering, and at the very least, a tense discussion; no matter that she could imbibe, she felt her nerves rising, along with the urge to keep the evening as short as possible. There was no telling who might show up and despite the casting of protection that hummed through the atmosphere, other people were nervous, too. It was easy enough to pick up upon and, as Elizabeth opened the floor, the elder couple settled into seats to listen.

She couldn’t speak for Mircea, though Habren could hazard a guess that his concerns were comparable to her own, but luckily the position of sacrificial lamb was taken up by someone else for the time being. The witch listened carefully; he made some excellent points, but one stuck out the most. Personhood... that alone was important, and something they had to consider just how to get across to the mortals...

Her indigo gaze scanned the gathered crowd; so far, it appeared they were the only elders among the gathered group and that alone had her feeling some measure of responsibility. Whether it was wanted or no, it would be unfair for them to refrain from offering perspective and opening themselves up to questions for any who might want to know, from first-hand experience, what they recalled from those last nights before the Holocaust.

She nudged her husband, gently, making eyes at him. “Shall we?” She asked, almost too quietly to be heard, as her gaze flickered to the now-empty stage and back to meet his own.

Mircea let out a slow breath in response and nodded. He had hoped, if not exactly expected, that some of the other elders - those who had experienced what humanity appeared to be moving towards - might decide that the task ahead was vital enough to warrant their attention and presence, but as he and Habren were the only two who seemed to have reached that decision, he nodded slightly and reached out to squeeze her hand gently before standing and clearing his throat.

His ever-present hat, upon entering, had found itself crushed in one hand, but once he stood, he set it down upon his seat to mark his space either upon their return from the stage or in the event of any late arrivals seeking a seat. “Let us see if we might help,” he murmured in agreement as they began the short walk from communal anonymity and towards a stage of very personal identification.

As they reached the stage, Habren cast a look around the small gathering and took his hand in her own once more as they approached the microphone, knowing already that the buzzing piece of equipment would soon be doing their heads in without attempting to block out the even silent levels of feedback.She drew in a slow breath and gave a short nod.

“Good evening to you all,” she began. “My name is Habren and with me is my Sire and Husband, Mircea Grigori. You are mostly unfamiliar faces to me, so, for those who may not know, Mircea is the bloodfount of the Grigori lineage. We are from before, and we lived through the Vampire Holocaust of the 1800s.” She cleared her throat, gently, before continuing. “We are seeing many similar themes that came before the first Holocaust and we are alarmed, to say the least. What the first speaker said resonated with me, in particular the part about trying to make the mortals see and acknowledge our personhood. To help them understand that, just like them, most of us are decent individuals contributing to society on the whole who simply happen to live off of blood, and that there are a small handful who are not at all decent, who we work together to bring to our own sort of justice.”

She stopped for a moment, unused to public speaking but wanting to try and explain. “In any case, we are here to mostly answer questions and, if any wish it, to hear what we believe might help turn the tide back toward peace among all of us who reside here.”

While Habren spoke, Mircea listened and watched, his eyes casting over the assembled group as he hoped that they were listening, that they were hearing what she was telling them. He wished, as she closed her remarks, that they had had some more notice about this meeting of minds; had they, he may have had time to craft some kind of speech or think of a persuading something to say that would move modern minds he had so struggled to connect with on topics such as these since their return to the mortal realm. As it was, they were there and they had - both of them - a responsibility to try. Though Habren usually performed better in these kinds of situations, it wasn’t fair, he thought, to stand silently at her side while she tried to convince their brethren to save themselves… To save all of them.

And so he shifted slightly, so the microphone would better pick up his words, slightly hesitant to his own mind, but flowing clearly enough that he doubted those who didn’t know him well would consider him uncertain. “I do not know how long vampires had walked the earth before we were eradicated in the Holocaust,” he began, “but it took only one vampire to bring our kind to extinction. One vampire, hunting for sport instead of food, convinced humanity that we are naught but monsters to be eradicated.” He paused for a moment as memories of those times rose in his mind: rumours and confusion, blood and fire, hope and betrayal. “It will take every single one of us, here and outside these walls, to convince humanity that they are wrong about us, that we have worth and a worthwhile contribution to make to the world beyond that for our own kind.” As he finished speaking, he eased his weight back slightly onto his heels and offered Habren a small smile and a squeeze of fingers against cool skin.

The witch returned the smile as she watched him speak, before her attention moved back over the gathered faces. “We stand here before you, open to anything you may wish to ask us, in the hopes we may... ah, brainstorm? I believe is the term? Together this night.”

[for_peace][/for_peace]

From his view point at the wall, the German could savour the intricate emotions and motivations that had spiced the meat of their arguments. Case in point: they weren’t very far removed from the Humans that they were struggling against. They were afraid of the unknown, of a future they could not control and dominate despite their earned authority and so it both terrified and angered them, potentially disillusioning them from a peaceful resolution. Though, it was possible that this deduction had been coloured by the many conversations he had shared with the white-haired Telepath, who had expressed such a sentiment on many occasions and mostly on a whim of heated emotion. Even if this were true, Claude wasn’t willing to dismiss the theory outright on account of his feelings toward the Vampire who’d shared it. The theory was sound, supported by vast psychological reasoning and theories from great minds such as Piaget, Freud, Jung, and Maslow. Thus, with the hypothesis standing, he had a few options to share with the community if he truly was here to help.

When Mircea Grigori had almost finished speaking, Claude took a sip of his drink. The vodka teased his taste buds as he swirled it around his mouth before swallowing, giving himself a moment to collect his thoughts, put them in order. The German had no sense of fear when it came to public speaking, yet there was a tightness in his stomach as his golden eyes assessed the room. The discomfort he experienced wasn’t quite excitement either and as his gaze pressed against the opposite wall, he found it absent of the girl he’d spied standing there just moments ago. As he couldn’t see her seated amongst the guests, he had to assume that she’d left the venue or performed some kind of supernatural vanishing spell. Either way, it made that feeling in his stomach worse. Claude took advantage of another mouthful of vodka, vainly hoping that the slow burn would distract him from the pain in his gut. And since it was a near impossibility for the Blood Thief to become intoxicated, he was not harboured by the idea of emptying his glass when he found that irritable tension sticking to his ribs like chewing gum.

“If you’ll allow me to play the Devil’s advocate for the moment,” Claude announced from his position at the wall, in a tone that was neutral as a cloud. “There are people in this city, this country, let alone this world, who still would refuse to acknowledge individuals their Human rights for the colour of their skin or their religious beliefs or their sexual orientation. So, I would stress that it would be a battle to convince them that a Vampire should be considered equal. Nevermind the fact that there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of years of folklore and stories representing your kind as monsters, as the thing that goes bump in the night. It is as indoctrinated as any religion. Vampirism is synonymous with deviancy and sin in any culture. It would take far more than your offering of employment and taxes to convince them that you’re somehow now worthy of existing as their equals. Particularly so when you consider how basic biology would urge their fear to segregate from you, if not destroy you as a threat to their rule of this planet.”

“Mutual symbiosis is rare in nature, rarer still with predator bonds. What your relationship with Humans would be better described as is parasitism, as is my reliance on your kind. You would call me a Blood Thief,” he added. “Not a terribly nice moniker to have. I certainly wouldn’t have chosen the term to define my own existence as it hardly provides a positive impression and isn’t accurate in my case. I haven’t stolen anything, and yet I am branded with this crime. I’ve suspected the same for many of the Vampires I have met over the years who do still think as if they are Human. They exhibit many of the same strengths of character, struggle with many of the same challenges, albeit with the addition of genuine physical threat from each other and third parties, but overall, I would consider that their mindsets are still very much Human. Which is why, I suppose, your response to this endeavour you meet here - Humans vs Vampires - is to fight on the same battleground. Though, you are clearly not equal.”

“By all means, I would encourage you to portray that illusion for as long as possible, but you should not be playing that card as if it were the only one in your hand. It would be my advice to infiltrate and conquer their strongholds without detection. Become their leaders without their knowledge. Rule from behind the curtain and close the net on public opinion by managing the media and implementing new laws. You’ll need patience, of course, but you have an eternity for this. And my help, if you’ll accept it.”

More familiar faces entered. Every remained near Amalea. If it weren’t for the woman’s concern about illness, she would have used her as a leaning post. As it was, she had already considered leaving when the brunette recognized the elders Habren and Mircea. Grigori. “Last time I saw those two, Tytonidae had just announced the new code.” She spoke telepathically to the redhead at her side. She could recall the meeting clearly and doubted it would go any better than it had before, but times had changed. Hopefully. At the teasing about her clothing, and at the mention of being underdressed, she removed her blazer and set it on the woman’s shoulders. “There. Now you aren’t.”

She returned her attention back to those around them. Her eyebrow lifted at the sight of a human child, her eyes closing briefly as she resisted the urge to scold the woman, before a familiar sensation went over her body. Paladin. “Ah, look who managed not to get trapped on a car this time.” She frowned. She glanced to the blood thief at the time she heard the voice in her head, holding out the requested device. “I want that one back.” Pain traced her movements, every twitch and pull of her lungs and heart. Yes, she looked better than she had made herself sound. It helped being able to heal.

“White helps remind me not to bleed. Meeting of humans and vampires. Usually never goes well. Elders are next to useless and no one likes anyone well enough.” She explained telepathically to Sullivan, and then repeated the last piece solely to Amalea. “You two sit. I’m going to lurk.” She murmured and moved towards a wall, away from the crowds and folded her arms in front of her chest as she began to listen. It allowed her to see the room proper, to remember the faces there.

As multiple voices filled the room, Every rolled her eyes. She glanced towards CharlotteC and scoffed, recognizing her and muttering something along the lines of “peanut gallery.” Her fingers lifted to pinch at the bridge of her nose before she said from her spot, “The entire world knows that vampires exist. It’s not a fantasy any more, nor do they like us. The majority of them are afraid of vampires.” Her eyebrow twitched at the implication of vampire groupies, shaking her head and choosing not to dignify it. “They have been for some time, there was a mass influx of weaponry at the docks some months ago.”

Her hazel eyes turned to Mircea and Habren, “Vampires have been here for millennia, to clarify that for you. From what we’ve seen,” She glanced towards Amalea, “the Holocaust was already a ball in motion over and over again because there’s always someone to **** it up.” There was a quiet intake of air before she closed her eyes, considering it all. She glanced towards their hostess for the evening, “Lizzie, why not utilize some sort of talking - whatever - object might help an organization of who is speaking when.”

Every didn’t feel like passing around a severed head that time. “And, is there a way to potentially write down any actual significant suggestions made?”

[for_peace][/for_peace]

The man that had walked in wearing a cape approached the stage. As he stepped up on the stage, she smiled and nodded as he thanked her for hosting. She let him speak, listening to his words and then tilted her head. His points were interesting but he started with businesses. Many of the vampires in the city that ran businesses employed humans as their staff so they were cooperative as well as helping the economy. Frowning as he mentioned draining all and yet that wasn't true. He seemed young in this life as a vampire and he might be unaware as to how many might feed. She bit her tongue as he moved on to the beasts in the city. Sighing lightly to not distract him from his thoughts.

When he was finished she was grateful to see Mircea and Habren make their move to the stage. Thank goodness that the elders were willing to give their input on the situation. They had experience with the previous Holocaust and hopefully they would be willing to help. It was horrifying thinking that lived through all of this before. Their words were inspirational and made her think that there might be a chance to change the city. Hopefully turn things around. Lizzie was happy that they were even willing to stand there and answer questions that anyone might have.

Lizzie took notice of the woman that was standing against the wall duck into one of the side exhibit rooms. She probably had some business that needed immediate attention. Being a business owner of herself, she was aware that emergencies presented themselves at the move inconvenient times. It was then that the gentlemen across the otherside of the room began to talk, she turned her attention to him. His words were interesting and acknowledged that he was a human but his words were smart. She smirked at the treating humans as equals...much like she did with the orphanage and the work she did with Solace to help humans especially those that were less fortunate; the homeless and the low income families that need a little extra help with bills and food to provide for their family. Nodding her head as she could agree to what he had to say and it was good that humans were willing to attend such a meeting to try and turn things around.

Another woman spoke up as soon as the male finished. Her timing was near impecable as she was close to cutting him off. She looked familiar but she couldn't pin point where she might have seen her. Listening to her words, she spoke with an even tone but the points that she made...she almost didn't seem to approve. Yes she had good points, each side had their evils but could they really focus on that? Or could they? There were opinions and how they used those options could make things better or worse for them. It would take a finese with their approach.

It was Every that pulled her attention and the woman made a valid point because it was getting to the point that people were just speaking and nearly cutting each other off. It had the potential to get out of hand rather quickly and she refused to let it spoil any thought progress that they might have. Standing up, she stepped off the stage and walked into ther office. After a few moments, she came back with a purple stress ball. Stepping back up on the stage, she addressed the room. Molly was on her heels but made sure to shut the office door to keep the child at bay.

"Thank you everyone for speaking your mind but Every does have a point, we need to respect each other and take turns. You are still free to rebuttal but we can do it in an organized manner. Also when it comes to showing the humans that we are not all monsters, there is a lot of opportunity. I personally, through Solace, provide aid to those of low income, homeless, or even the children to the lost souls that had been taken due to various reason including our kind. Humility can be expressed by everyone no matter what race or religion we are." Turning towards the woman that spoke just before Every. "We are in no way trying to put the cat back in the bag but to try and bridge the gap between the races to try and turn the tide that is in the city because if we remain on the path we are...we might see another Holocaust." Holding her hand out towards the Paladin that had decided to attend. "Some humans would be out a job of destiny while others continue to live lives that would just seem like the nightmare came to an end." Holding up the ball with three fingers to show the room. "If you want a turn at speaking, please hold your hand out to the person that already has the ball to get it tossed toward you. We welcome all thoughts and ideas. Molly here will be taking notes." Lizzie smirked as she looked at Amalea and spoke against her mind. 'The ball is all yours.'

[for_peace][/for_peace]

Molly had felt bad that Chelsea had snuck passed her and made her way to the meeting. The look from Lizzie was felt in her gut as she put Chelsea to bed. Singing the little girls favorite lullaby until she fell asleep. She was precious but she still didn't understand the world they lived in but she was six and had wide eyes for the perfect world. Leaning down she placed a soft kiss on her tiny little forehead before she quietly slipped out of her room. Running her hands over her blue shirt and black skinny jeans as she let out a sigh and moved to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Just before the kettle could assault her ears, Lizzie rushed into their home.

Stepping out from the kitchen, she frowned and had thought the meeting had run short. As Lizzie had stated her request, she nodded her head and grabbed her laptop for easy dictation. Slipping on her shoes at the door so that she didn't look like a well dressed bum that was just waiting to be released from prison, she followed Lizzie down the spiral staircase to the gallery below. Closing the door to the office behind her as she stepped out into the gallery.

Molly wasn't foreign to dealing with vampire and she supported the meeting that was taking place. She was in the city as it changed. That sort of witnessing makes someone want to help make changes to the city. There was hope that they can get some normalcy back to the city and get the cops or soldiers to back off. The safety of everyone was important. As Lizzie gave notice and the reason as to who Molly was and why she was there, she pulled up a chair near the stage. Taking a seat as she nodded towards everyone before she crossed her leg over the other and opened her laptop to take notes of the meeting.

[for_peace][/for_peace]

It was a sign of how much the city had changed when Amalea didn’t recognize the majority of those in attendance. That she was one of several humans in attendance was another change from the past, though a welcome one. At the voice in her mind, she directed her gaze towards the pair Every spoke of, blinking rapidly as she recognized the male. The last time I saw the male, he was atop the bar in the Necropolis sans clothing declaring he was the Messiah. Her fiery tresses bounced as she shook her head lightly, Someday you’ll have to explain the whole Old versus New code thing to me. Those discussions she had never been privy to and had never thought that she’d need to know about them.

An eyebrow raised slightly as the shadow removed her blazer. The comment on the tip of her tongue died as the garment came to rest on her shoulders. Rather than argue, she slipped her arms into the sleeves properly. Despite its lack of being pre-warmed, it gave the feeling of a warm hug. ”Thanks,” she smiled as she slid her mask into one of the pockets. Unless the crowd grew, she didn’t think she’d need it currently.

Taking the offered device, the blood thief secured it in the opposite blazer pocket. ”You will,” she promised quietly. Just don’t want any surprises again, she added to the vampire mentally, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she watched the woman move. You look like you need to sit. Aloud, she continued softly, ”I probably should learn how to make my own or at least, carry one with me.”

Amalea had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing aloud at the thought the shadow sent to her mind. Given the only one of them I’ve met is Amara, I’ll take your word for it for the others. Her nose twitching slightly was the only outward indication of her telepathic conversation with the shadow. It’s a real shame they haven’t learnt that you don’t have to get along well to work for a common goal. Rather annoying, really. Nodding at the half-command that they find seats, she frowned slightly, watching Every settle along a stretch of wall. ”We miswell take the suggestion,” she shrugged towards Sullivan, ”It’s best to get situated before this really starts.”

Forgoing any refreshments, she stood in the rear of the gallery, surveying the room and its occupants. There truly weren’t many she recognized among the gathered masses. Aside from the elder and Lizzie, they were all of her own invite. A mental note was made to inquire about the redheaded child she had caught sight of earlier; she had several resources she could offer the woman. If it was hers, she was likely in need of some help, at least during the day. Selecting a spot near where Every was stood, she slid into the seat. As Lizzie welcomed everyone and introduced herself, the redhead pulled the emitter from her pocket. Fiddling with it for a moment, she activated it before returning it to her pocket. There was no way she was about to piss Every off by losing it.

Settling back, she waited to see who the first brave soul would be; she certainly wasn’t about to volunteer for that. She preferred to get a read of the crowd and their views before getting involved. Given she didn’t know most of this crowd, that applied double. It was certainly different from similar meetings she had attended previously. Some of the points raised were solid while others were dubious. That the speakers were back to back presenting different ideals rather than fostering discussion was a bit overwhelming. Some interesting points were being raised though.

The sound of the familiar voice drew her attention to where the shadow was leaning against the wall nearby. At Every’s glance as she spoke of Theodosia, the blood thief nodded in agreement. That particular event would not be forgotten anytime soon, nor, should it be, she felt. Amalea bit her lip at the shadow’s suggestions which were practical and necessary. She was more than a bit surprised by Lizzie’s abrupt exit from the stage and she took the pause in action to mentally congratulate Every. Well said. And thank you for suggesting that; it was bordering on chaos. She was pleased to see their hostess return with a ball and another woman, even more so once the vampire explained their presence and addressed those who had spoken.

She started slightly at Lizzie’s voice in her head telling her that she had the floor. Gracefully, she rose from her seat to sedately walk towards the front. It allowed her time to organize her thoughts and what points she might wish to make. Knowing that first impressions were usually key made her even happier to be ‘borrowing’ Every’s blazer; she just wished that such judgements could be done away with. Giving Lizzie a smile, she took the offered ball with a quiet, ”Thank you.”

Turning to the small crowd, she took a moment to let her eyes roam. ”Let me start by introducing myself. I am Amalea and I’ve lived in Harper Rock for just about nine years now. I own several businesses and have worked at several others over the years.

Every is correct.The world knows that vampires truly exist; there is no way to put that cat back into the bag. It is one thing to read or watch stories that speak of creatures of myths. It is an entirely different reality when you find those same tales are based on facts rather than pure figments of one’s imagination. Those same works of fiction rarely paint vampires in an entirely favorable light so it is no wonder that humans are afraid. It is a human’s nature to fear that which they don’t understand. Compounding things further is the presence of zombies and other undead creatures within Harper Rock which they attribute to vampires. That it is a correct assumption is irrelevant in all honesty. Humans have been afraid of vampires and other things they cannot explain for eons.

The fear that humans have towards vampires will not dissipate overnight. It will take time and effort from vampires to help alleviate that fear should that be the decision of the masses. If vampires want to be considered anything other than second-class citizens, it is a step that will have to be taken.”

She paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink in as she considered her next statements. ”I’m aware no one wants to hear that, but it is the unfortunate truth. Fear is a powerful motivator and thus must be dealt with.” She gestured to the first speaker. ”That’s not to say that the idea of showing humans there is value in vampires being present is futile. A multi-pronged plan is for the best, Showing there are advantages to vampire neighbors would be a worthwhile venture. Legal businesses certainly provide an economic benefit to the city and shouldn’t be discounted - humans do love their economics and commerce.

There’s a lot of other options, as well. Again, as brought up, there is the idea of a zombie removal group other than NADUMA; vampires are certainly more efficient at the dispatch of such creatures. Vampires have many talents. Those talents can be used to fill tasks that are hazardous to humans but safer for vampires, for instance.”

She nodded towards the pair of elders, ”What Habren and Mircea have said has merit.In particular, Habren referred to bringing those whom are problematic to justice. This a key point that must be explored further if harmony is to be achieved. Laying out what constitutes an offense, the punishment, and who will carry out that punishment. Humans are rather ill-equipped, at least to the best of our knowledge, to contain vampire offenders, unless they contract with paladin orders or train their military in specific vampire hunting techniques. Neither of which is ideal. As to offenses, the humans aren’t likely to accept anything that doesn’t fall into line with the laws under which they live - and this will include feeding from random, unwilling humans.

The blood thief,” she nodded towards the male whom had spoken, making a note to talk to him before the event ended, ”is correct in his words, though. Fear isn’t the only obstacle. Humans don’t even get along with others of their species because of their differences. This makes any attempt at true equality near impossible. The current situation could certainly be improved upon, but perfect harmony is a pipedream. His idea of a slow, subtle takeover - if done correctly - is a viable option and I encourage everyone to consider it’s merits. I would also encourage the formation of a back-up survival plan, in case things turn for the worst.”

Eyes roved over the crowd as the ball was turned over in her hands, ”The reality of the situation is that the next steps of what vampires should aim for depends on the ultimate goal. Is it to be considered equals to the humans? Or is it to dominate over them? That decision will dictate the course needed.

Without doing something, though, this city is heading down the path towards another point of no return. The humans may not deploy their nuclear weapons, but there would be no need. There are many other devices in their arsenals that would have the same effect, but without the long-lasting consequences for the humans. This, of course, assumes they don’t find another solution that is more directed. I’d suggest watching Blade:Trinity for an example.

The redhead looked around the room as she finished, ”Any questions for me before I pass along the ball?” She waited to see if any would come or if another would make a motion for the purple item she held so they could give their opinion.

She sat back and to the side enough so that Lizzie couldn't see her out of the corner of her eye. Molly knew that she was there to essentially be seen and not heard as she dictated the notes for the meeting. Not that her opinion would be dismissed should she feel that she had something to add but she was going to leave the night for the group gathered as much as she could. Sitting there after pushing the power button on the laptop, she frowned when she noticed it wasn't coming on at all. It was full charged before she unplugged it and attended the meeting but now it simply wouldn't come on. Sighing as she had to act quickly so she didn't miss anything. Closing the top of the computer, she rushed into the office to grab a legal pad and a couple pens in case the ink ran out on one. Carefully she slipped back into the main room and claimed her seat once again. Looking up at the woman that was now one stage, she began to take notes on her points as she spoke to the crowd.