I've always had the impression that unless I was doing something rather obvious (at least, more so than fiddling with the worrystone), Incognito Presence would make people gloss over it.
However, I seem to have misjudged the situation. In which case...
Jeremiah notes the threads of Fate as they wove in and out of the Tapestry, vibrating in sympathy as the names Thorn and Gabriel were introduced. Making a quick deduction, the older man moves in closer, almost uncomfortably so, behind the two being introduced before making himself known.
"Jeremiah," he inturrupts, dropping the Incognito Presence as he does so. He smiles, but it's awkward, almost forced, as if he didn't have much reason to smile... or hasn't had much practice.
"Archangel, actually," he corrected her. Great, sound pretentious much, he berated himself. This was like trying to have a conversation with his kid sister. But surprisingly, Mitchell found that he sort of missed her right now. At least with Maggie, he'd know what to say. Which consisted mostly of: Will you please shut up? and No, I will not take you shopping right now.
However, Thorn didn't strike him as the Hello Kitty type. "So..." he began.
Solarious said:
"Jeremiah," he interrupts, dropping the Incognito Presence as he does so.
Mitchell blinked. Huh? The guy who he had pegged as a meandering tourist had just mistakenly called him Jeremiah. Or maybe he was talking to Thorn, but that didn't make any sense. Or was he trying to introduce himself? He shot Arathnos a questioning look for confirmation.
"Uhh, sorry. I'm Gabriel. Are you here for the dinner meeting too?" That seemed to be his patented question for the night. And where the heck is the Hierarch anyway? he wondered.
"Right here is good. I'll walk the rest of the way," Levanna said to her co-worker. She knew that asking for rides was not a favor you could keep abusing, at least not with friends and co-workers. She didn't have a car of her own. But she liked walking. It gave her time to think, time for herself. But there was a more pressing reason why she wanted to be dropped off short of her destination.
"You sure? We're not there yet."
"I can use the exercise," Levanna lied. She knew Vanessa didn't believe Sandra, the name she knew Levanna by. Vanessa was a few years younger than her and probably still clung to high school and college assumptions that the only reason you went to see people was related to "The Game." The overly dramatic obsession with destructive and nonsensical relationships.
Vanessa had a look on her face that betrayed her thoughts. Levanna knew she was going to be the subject of heavy gossip back at the restaraunt. It might even make it to the managers. She had to admit that Sandra, going to a mansion after work with no explanations and clever deflections, dressed better than her typical eclectic pseudo goth dresses and accessories did not look good to their limited perspective.
She could have told them she was going somewhere nearby. Why didn't I? she thought.
After a brief exchange of parting pleasantries, Levanna started for the house. In the end it didn't matter. She would let them think whatever they wanted. She had more to worry about than their Sleeper assumptions, even if they did damage her reputation.
It was a mile walk to the house. Levanna walked right up to the door with no magical protections cast.
Gabriel was spared Juno's judgement of his correction by Jeremiah's timely appearance. So engrossed had she been in the two 'important' people in the room that she hadn't even registered his approach with her magically enhanced senses.
She stepped quickly away and turned to give him a flat glare.
"This is a private..."
Then the truth dawned on her and she scowled as one who'd just figured out she'd been had.
Being a mage, it seemed, didn't mean you couldn't also be an ass. She'd have to remember that.
And watch her back better next time.
"So all right, that's three. Me, Gabriel, and the American Ninja here. Is that everyone or is anyone else coming?" Thorn asked Arathnos testily.
"Well, I invited Gabriel," replied Arathnos, "But one of the Sentinels was supposed to invite an apostate, too. He's a grad student; that's all they told me."
Just as Sandra was approaching the front door, a bell chimed from the back of the mansion. Arathnos stopped short of introducing himself and merely waved her in.
"It sounds like the Heirarch is ready for you. Go on back to the dining room, around the staircase over there and to the left. A word of caution: he's in a good mood right now, but he really hates it when people try to use little parlor tricks around him. FYI."
OOC said:
The mansion is large enough that it probably takes you half a minute or so to get there. Time enough to chat a little, if you like.
Acutely aware, at least more than usual, of his shortcomings, Jeremiah decides to do something about it. "Right then. Parlor tricks now." Before following the path to the dinning room, he chants softly in High Speech again and concentrates on bringing the Imago into sharp focus.
OOC said:
Spend 1 mana and cast Gain Skill with High Speech and Willpower. I think that's throwing 8 dice. Going for dots in a skill appropriate to the upcoming social encounter... probably Socialize, I think.
"Sounds like the old man and me have something in common," Juno grumbles as they walk away from the front door.
She glances at Sandra and says, "Hey, I'm..." she stumbles a little but quickly recovers, "Thorn. This is Gabriel and Ninjaboy. Don't let him get behind you."
[sblock=OOC]Ritually cast:
mind 2/prime 2
transform/alter aura to appear as a sleeper with a stuffy but bland aura. To last for the scene.
Spontaneously cast:
Imbue Item (counterspell) 2 mana
First impressions: no mana
armor of the soul: no mana
supernal vision: no mana
Create Tass: 3 mana
mana left: 1
spells left: 3 i think
[/sblock]
Running late after the hurried ritual, Joseph barely remembers to put himself in order for a place that can afford raised print on its business cards. Donning a hopefully inconspicuous black suit, he heads off quickly.
Arriving only a few minutes late, he spots the group quickly departing the atrium. Taking a second to smooth himself, he steps out of the car and walks over, speeding up when they begin to file out of the atrium.
[sblock]
[/sblock]
"Excuse me, but would this happen to be a tour of some sort? I've heard of the beauty of the Cormant House, but this will be my first visit. I must say, I'm surprised by both the tour and its attendence however. Most do not take such an interest in such things, and for those who do, the pleasure is more personal in general. However, I would not say no to an instruction of the finer points of this house. The name is Prometheus; my mother was a classics scholar with an odd sense of humor. And you are?"
He tips his hat to the most imposing one(Arathnos), assuming him to be in charge of the procession.
OOC:
I think some sort of check might be needed to fool Arathnos, or to convey the fact that he is actually a mage in the last section.
The Cormant House's antechamber began to fill rather quickly. Just as Mitchell was getting accustomed to Thorn's presence, Jeremiah had interjected himself into their little circle. And now another girl had arrived at the mansion. Quite the party, he mused. The number of guests was growing higher than he'd expected, considering that they were all supposed to be mages ending their grace periods. Or so he'd surmised.
Hella_Tellah said:
"It sounds like the Hierarch is ready for you. Go on back to the dining room, around the staircase over there and to the left."
Slightly startled by the sonorous bell chime, Mitchell turned to follow the Consilium Herald's directions. His nervousness surged as he began walking. Casting a sidelong glance at Thorn who matched his stride, he idly wondered what she was thinking. She didn't look perturbed at all, which he envied.
With a resigned shrug, he murmured to the empty air, "Here we go. Moment of truth."
OOC: I don't really have anything else to post, except for more fluff. So I'm good for now 'til the scene advances to the dining room.
Double Post! 
