After some deliberation, you decided to submit some of your artwork to Annabelle, figuring you had nothing to lose. If the Toreador Primogen did not like your work, you had other options available to you. Still, you weren't going to lose this opportunity because you accidentally left in one of the furry commissions that helped pay the rent on your basement apartment.
Thus, when you weren't busy learning how to be a proper Nosferatu, you were carefully curating your portfolio. Night after night, you made decision after decision regarding what made the cut. Eventually, the collection itself is as much a work of art as the pieces contained within. Only then did you dare pick up the phone and arrange a meeting with Annabelle to discuss your work.
-
The Succubus Club remains as glamorous as ever as you approach the front doors. You tighten your grip on the handle of the black leather portfolio bag you splurged on for the occasion as you stride up to the bouncers. Fortunately, they seem to be expecting you. After passing along word of your arrival through the radio, the bouncers give you directions to Annabelle's office as they remove the velvet rope for you to enter the club.
In contrast to the rest of the Succubus Club, the soundproofed manager's office overlooking the main dancefloor is an oasis of tranquility. At the other end of the room sits an expectant Annabelle at her desk. "Good evening, Annabelle."
Annabelle inclines her head in acknowledgment as she wordlessly gestures for you to take a seat. As you sit down in one of the plush chairs, you hand over your portfolio for inspection and prepare yourself for the coming critique. Some of your pieces are well-received, while others are verbally savaged. You find yourself agreeing with some of her criticisms, though other comments force you to suppress the Beast lest you fly into a furious frenzy.
However, the most notable moment occurs when Annabelle lays eyes upon your latest work. Her gaze is transfixed upon the canvas as if the painting in her manicured hands were the most beautiful thing in the world. As much as you'd like to believe that you're just
that good at art, you sense that there's more going on.
Your initial attempts to regain Annabelle's attention by speaking her name fail to work, so after weighing the odds, you decide to resort to more drastic measures. You inhale deeply before channeling the spirit of your old drill sergeant from Fort Benning. "ANNABELLE!"
At the sound of your voice, Annabelle snaps to attention as if she were a new recruit nodding off during early morning training. "O-Oh... My apologies, Delacruz. I didn't mean to worry you. Us Roses have an unfortunate tendency to develop sudden obsessions."
"It's fine," you say as you settle back into your seat. "As long as you're okay. Why don't you tell me what you think about the painting?"
The painting in question is a self-portrait you had been working on since that party at the Succubus Club. While making it, you made the conscious decision to limit yourself to four colors. Red and blue mixed together to form the burn scars left by your Embrace, while white and black blended to create the gray hues of your undead pallor.
"You may be Kindred now, but the decision to use more unusual colors in your self-portrait is a reflection of your mortal life, isn't it?"
"That's right. My decision to join the Army wasn't just because I wanted free healthcare and money for college. Even in death, some part of me still belongs to the United States."
Annabelle's blue-eyed gaze lingers on your scarred face. "Ah, but you no longer serve the American government, do you? What do you plan on doing with the rest of your unlife, hmm?"
Judging by how she breaks eye contact to pay more attention to your work, Annabelle intended her question to be rhetorical. Still, you can't help but think. What
do you plan on doing with the rest of eternity?
[] [AMBITION] To serve the Camarilla with distinction.
[] [AMBITION] To become famous throughout the art world.
[] [AMBITION] To create a world where mortals and Kindred can coexist peacefully.
[] [AMBITION] To find a cure to my vampiric condition.
[] [AMBITION] Write-in.
-
Annabelle slides the last piece of your portfolio back into the bag with more care than she had initially given it. As she hands the bag back to you, she says, "I'm hosting Elysium at the Linda Enfield Art Gallery next Friday. Will you have something ready to display by then?"
You smile and nod as you rise from your seat, an action that is soon mimicked by Annabelle. You shake hands, marking the beginning of your relationship. Word travels fast along the Kindred grapevine, and it isn't long before everyone and their sire seems to know of your association with the Primogen of Clan Toreador. While some of the more snobbish Toreador and Ventrue resent your place at Annabelle's side, other members of the Camarilla see your position as a sign that you're an up-and-comer to look out for.
As the newest and likely the strangest addition to her entourage, Annabelle has you serve as both a personal assistant and a bodyguard.
While the superhuman speed inherent in the blood of Clan Toreador makes them surprisingly effective combatants, you find yourself a niche as the guy who clocks drunken revelers in the back of the head before they have a chance to ruin Annabelle's parties.
With the power of your Nosferatu vitae, it's easy for you to fade into the background and
really observe. With every occasion, your knowledge of Kindred society grows, and to your surprise, it's not entirely unlike the world you knew as a soldier.
Much like the officers that had once commanded you, the officials of Prince Jackson's court demand proper respect. They may not be expecting a salute, but the underlying idea of observing proper etiquette remains the same.
You also learn who wields what kind of power in Chicago's Camarilla. While Prince Jackson may sit at the top of the local hierarchy, no man rules alone. For example, Sheriff Damien upholds law and order throughout the city in Prince Jackson's place, while the Prince's seneschal, Alan Sovereign, handles the financials for many of Chicago's Kindred.
Of course, there are more tangible benefits to your association with the Primogen of Clan Toreador. Annabelle knows someone at every art gallery in town and has considerable influence in Chicago's mortal art world. With her as your broker, you're making more money than you ever did as a freelancer, even after Annabelle takes her cut. True, you're far from the richest or most famous person in Chicago's gallery scene. However, your work is beginning to attract a following, and it's put you in touch with artists and gallery organizers.
One day, you might be able to leverage your newfound resources toward a greater purpose. However, you and the rest of Chicago's Kindred first have to deal with the arrival of some newcomers...
This update marks the end of the introductory arc. Expect to see a full-blown character sheet for Artie sometime this week before we get started on the next storyline.