2021.11.17 Memory Mine

2021.11.17 Memory Mine
A small group gathers in Emerald Plaza Elysium to paint, each revealing an important aspect of themselves.
IC Date	2021.11.17
Players	Opal, Hassam, Zago, Colombe
Location	Emerald Plaza Elysium
Spheres	Vampire

Easels have been arranged throughout the Elysium, near each of the couches , as well as in front of chairs dispersed throughout the middle area, providing a central location for Kindred to socialize while others paint a model of their choice. Tucked beside a table, there are extra canvasses, paint, and other supplies from oil, brushes, smocks, palettes, and more. Everything you could need to express yourself in a painting. A card on the table indicates that tonight's theme is, 'Memory'.

Hassam is currently putting on a smock, getting ready to do some painting. The Banu Haqim buttons up, protecting his clothes, and then strolls over towards an easel, carrying a palette in his left hand and a brush in his right. Hey, assisting bloodthirsty assassins and paintings are related skillsets, yes?

Zago is also here, his smock thrown on and sitting as he busies himself mixing colors in tiny swatches to see what he likes. "Evening, Primogen," Zago says to Hassam cheerily.

"Good evening, Mr. Giovanni," Hassam offers to Zago, contemplating the blank canvas for a moment before dabbing his brush in some paint. His palette seems to support dark colors: blacks, grays, and then a bright red. "How has your week been?"

Colombe walks in and descends the staircase, her assistant Pierre walking behind her. She watches Hassam and Zago as she approaches. Pierre takes off to the side when they reach the floor, taking Colombe's phone with him.

"Can't complain," Zago says to Hassam. His palette seems brighter in contrast: light greys, pinks, greens, terracotta, and a glob each of deep purple and bright yellow. "It's been nice and uneventful. And yours?"

"Much the same," Hassam admits, lips pursed as he begins taking brush to canvas. "I wouldn't mind a little more activity, however. I think I'm going to plan a contest to get the domain a little more active. The only problem is I can't think of what kind to hold that would benefit us all," he admits with a thin smile. "Something that advances our position would be ideal."

Colombe pauses near the foot of the stairs, her brow lightly furrowed, but she wills herself to relax, before turning her attention to the two unlikely vampires engaged so delightfully at their respective easels. "It is a challenge to combine entertainment and advancing everyone's position --- assuming you also wish to entertain, Primogen." She turns a smile to Zago. "Evening, Mr. Giovanni."

Zago thinks for a moment. "Influence tag?" he suggests. "Or, something involving influence. Getting used to using it would be easier if you had a low-stakes way to flex it. Like if you abstracted it and made it into a game with an aim for realism, perhaps?" He then looks to Colombe and nods. "Good evening, Duchess," he says. "Just getting ready to paint. I've got the image in here." He taps his right temple with the paintbrush in his hand.

Hassam tilts his head from side to side, nodding to Colombe. "Well... I think I would offer a prize to encourage participation, rather than make it strictly entertaining. Influences are useful, but I'm saving that for another game to run by the Council," he states with a little smile. "Maybe some manner to help the Sheriff establish Coronado as her domain," he muses. "That's advantageous to quite a few of us."

Colombe moves around Zago's easel with predatory grace, raising the social ante with a quiet smile when he taps his temple. "Influence scavenger hunt?" She offers lightly, before looking to Hassam. She takes a seat at a nearby couch, resting back on her hands, enjoying the conversation. "Indeed? How so?"

Zago nods. "Okay," he says agreeably to Hassam. "Sounds fun. Good luck!" He considers Colombe's suggestion as well. "That could work," he says. Then he looks back to the easel, narrowing his eyes before he lifts a pencil and begins sketching lightly on the canvas.

Starting with black, Hassam begins painting something akin to an off center half circle. "People compete against each other with influences and I can see something sloppy happening, which would be a shame. Of course I suppose that's half the fun," he muses with a smirk. "Oh, but yes, Coronado," he states with a nod to Colombe and a smile. "Well she is sharing some territory. It's more than just her own private little domain."

Opal arrives a little late to the paint party but she enters wearing a lovely white off-the-shoulder short dress with a pair of matching heels. Clearly she doesn't mind if a bit of paint ends up upon this outfit as she begins to head towards one of the unaccompanied easels with a blank canvas as she says, "Apologies I am a bit late. I was handling things with some of my employees. But all is well now. I miss anything juicy?"

Colombe is sitting on a couch near Zago and Hassam, who are painting at easels. "Sharing, that's very generous." She grins, replying to Hassam. To Opal, she offers a pleasant smile. "Not so far. Please, pull up an easel." She indicates one of the nearby stations.

Hassam chuckles at his easel. "Well it's not completely selfless, of course. Much easier to run a city, even a smaller one, with assistance. And I'm sure it doesn't hurt to line up allies by offering territory," he adds as he continues to dab his brush at the canvas.

Opal easily helps herself to one of the easel's and moves to join them upon the couch with a truly happy smile. "Happily. Is there a theme we are working upon or it is more of a free painting? Haven't been to one of these before but I am fond of the arts." She begins to look for a thin paintbrush and plucks it up delicately once it is located. She easily mentions, "Territories are indeed a handy thing. I really only have my home now. But I not really desire more than that in truth. Though, I would like to get an update on who owns where. I rather not step on the toes of others if I can afford it."

"The promise of territory is very alluring. Do you have any interesting plans for yours?" Colombe smiles to Opal. "The theme is 'Memory'. But feel free to explore whatever inspires. In terms of territory, perhaps the Canis Magnus can fill you in."

Hassam thinks a moment, chiming in, "Myself? I'd like a haven I can do my rituals in without worrying about bothering the neighbors. My current apartment is a poor choice, as the kalif I smoke can hotbox the apartment above me if I'm not careful," he states wryly with amusement. "Beyond that, I'm easily satisfied. Good hunting grounds is all else I can ask for, and Coronado is good for tourism."

Zago looks away from the sketch now that it is more or less done. It resembles a woman in a long dress and a broad-brimmed hat holding a small child in her arms, who is reaching for her face. A trellis frames both of the figures, while a rectangular window and light blue wooden wall in the upper left provides depth. He looks up now, at the other paintings and painters. "Oh, hello," he says to Opal. "I'm Zago Giovanni. A pleasure."

Opal offers a nod to Colombe's words before she responds, "I hope so. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting with her yet. I was hoping to at the last court meeting but I don't think I saw her in attendance? I also have no idea what she looks like either in all honesty." She begins to dip her paintbrush into a dark purple and begins to paint that along the top of the canvas. She listens to Hassam's words before she looks to Zago, "A pleasure to meet you Zago. I am Opal Smith." Her mismatched eyes flitting to look at his canvas before back to him as she responds, "That is a lovely painting. I am still starting on mine." She looks back to Hassam and Colombe as she mentions, "I do hope that I can find out where I am allowed to hunt when I need to. I am mostly fine but having a back up just in case is always good of course."

"Coronado is barely sufficient hunting grounds for one, in terms of population, even with tourists." Colombe offers, curious. "Perhaps as a secondary site, though, I can see how it would be a nice treat, to supplement the usual." She smiles, then looks to Zago's painting. Her lips part gently as she considers it, though she replies absently to Opal. "I believe the Malkavians are limited to the rack... due to the misbehaviour of your former Primogen."

"Territory can move fast in the city, though." Colombe looks away from Zago's painting of the woman, to offer Opal another pleasant smile.

Hassam tilts his head from side to side. "Well there's room for development, so the Banu Haqim are looking at it as an investment," he admits. "But I digress. It seems the Malkavians are suffering quite a bit for their Primogen's absence," he muses. As his painting takes shape, it looks to be a bent head, though the back of it appears blown open as if by a gun. Images are painted in the spatter of razor wire, soldiers, and tear streaked faces.

The Giovanni dips a paintbrush into a cup of water, beats it out like Bob Ross showed him, then starts in, beginning to put down paint where there was only pencil sketching. He is using vibrant color, mixing in white for a lighter overall color scheme. He seems wrapped up in what he is doing for the moment.

Opal looks confused as she responds, "Which former primogen? As I mentioned, I haven't been updated on anything that happened with my clan in truth. Only recently got back into the city and before Reuven left, he didn't really tell me much of anything about what all was going on. Last Primogen I knew was Beau. Unsure if that helps explain how out of the loop I am though." She looks back to Hassam as she responds, "Indeed, it does seem so. It is rather curious, so many of those of my clan I knew from before seem to have left the city for one reason or another." She beginning to applie some darker blues and then lighter ones underneath the dark purple, doing a bit of a rainbow effect. She glances at Zago for a moment and his painting before going back to her own.

Colombe considers Opal intently, but speaks patiently, her eyes warm. "Beau? Do you mean, Primogen Beauregard? If so, that is the one --- he had a sizeable domain, alas, quite a lot of influence in the health sector. And a very lovely spa. Tragically, he fell into disgrace and repeatedly went back for seconds. Ambrosia Lasalle was making a comeback for the Malkavians, but unfortunately, she had to leave." The Duchess' eyes turn sad briefly, but she quickly stifles the show of emotion.

Hassam continues working at some of the details of his painting, switching from black to the softer gray and brighter red. He clucks his tongue faintly and remarks, "I've only heard stories of Beauregard, but they aren't encouraging. Add that LaSalle's departure was rather sudden and it isn't hard to see why the Malkavians have been suffering so."

Opal ahs softly before she responds, "Yes I would mean him. I thought he would never do such things. It is ever so disappointing to find out he did. I wish I had a chance to meet Ambrosia before she had to leave. Try to find out what her plans were. But I can figure out my own, try to bring honor to my clan once again. Can only hope for such after all." She looks to Hassam as she agrees "Yes, I can imagine so." There is a pause before she says, "I am of course open to suggestions as to how. I am still a bit of a neonate but I do desire to prove myself. In more than just bringing the arts to the city too."

Colombe offers Opal a gentle glance. "It was difficult to watch. There are many ways to bring honour to your clan, though --- and you are starting from such a position, that incremental gains should not be very challenging. To Hassam, she adds, while looking at his canvas. "Razor wire and soldiers." She considers. "Turkish War of Independence?"

"Close," Hassam offers with a sad smile. "Palestine. Past. Present. Probably future. However you look at it, it's a tragedy." The Banu Haqim finishes up some final touches and sighs once, giving a nod of approval as he looks to his finished work. "I am a refugee twice over. It is a disquieting thing to think about, honestly."

When Zago is done and he scoots back to give his work a final once-over, he taps his paintbrush to his chin and nods. "It held together after all," he says.

The painting itself is that of a woman holding a child in her arms in the foreground, with a window in the upper left background and a trellis of pink and purple bougainvillea flowers behind her. The slim woman wears a dark purple dress and a broad-brimmed purple hat, with long yellow feathers rising from the back of the hat. She is leaned back in the trellis as the vines seem to overtake and wrap around her body, flowers blooming riotously. Where her head should be is instead a bare skull, a crown of roses lining her brow like a Catrina figure. Her skull face is turned in profile to look down at the child in her arms with tenderness somehow showing through in her posture and bearing. The child, meanwhile, is no more than three or four years old, and reaches out to the woman's face with a delighted, childlike expression. His features bear a distinct resemblance to Zago's own.

Opal offers a nod of agreeance in Colombe's words, "This is indeed true. I just still fret over making a mistake. As silly as that may be." Opal's brush is adding more colors to the canvas, the image of a sunsetting over the sea coming into realization for the piece and soon, she is finished herself and smile as she comments, "This was the very last sunset I saw on my birthday before I was embraced that night. I... still miss him. My sire." She lets out a sad sigh before lightly shaking her head, as if to erase that loss for the time being. She looks to Hassam as she mentions, "I have never been a refugee. I can't imagine that struggle, though perhaps we could talk about it sometime. If you are comfortable with that of course. But it is indeed a breathtaking piece of art." She looks to Zago and begins to reach into her pocketbook to withdraw a handkerchief and offers it to him as she mentions, "You got a teeny bit of paint on your chin. Also. I like you painting."

"A refugee of Palestine... and... ?" Colombe's gaze moves from the painting to Hassam, regarding him with a near naive curiosity, her expression welcoming. She looks to Zago as he presents his work, however. And it bears close scrutiny, from the bougainville flowers to the rose-adorned skull and child. She remains quiet for the moment, otherwise.

"And the Mountain," Hassam says gently. "Don't get me wrong, I have adapted to life in the Camarilla, but Alamut is my clan's home. We were forced to flee Ur-Shulgi's tyranny and become refugees to the Ivory Tower. So yes, twice over," he says a bit quietly.

The Giovanni looks over Hassam's work and listens to him. He doesn't say anything, giving the subject a moment of quiet thought. He then looks over to Opal when she approaches, reaching out a pale hand to take the handkerchief. He grins and dabs at his chin. "Thank you," he says. "This is about my memories growing up at my old house, about thirty minutes from uptown New Orleans. Memories of my great-grandmother. I was the only one who could see her."

"Can you still see her?" Colombe asks Zago, a smile rising to the corners of her mouth, her eyes sparkling mildly. She also inclines her head to Hassam, acknowledging his statements. "The Ivory Tower is not known for granting charitable asylum; so yours is clearly a valued immigration." She seems reluctant, but she straightens and stands. "I must be off. Lovely work, all of you --- feel free to dabble, the equipment will be here all night. Take care, Primogen. Mr. Giovanni. Ms. Smith." Pierre moves to stand near the staircase in anticipation.

Opal listens to Hassam's words, her hand resting over her heart as she responds, "I am so sorry you have had to endure that." Her words ringing true, not an ounce of unfeelingness in them. She looks back to Zago with a soft smile and takes back the handkerchief when it is offered back. "I bet your great-grandmother was a lovely person." She looks at Colombe as she asks the question and mentions, "I was about to ask the same thing." She pauses before she says, "Be well in your travels Duchess." She looks back to the others, "We could try a group painting if you all are still up to do more?"

Zago closes his eyes and says, "Yes, she's never far away. She has been a comfort in dark times." He looks up to Colombe and says, "Be safe, Duchess." He then looks to Opal and says, "I'm down. What are you thinking?"

Colombe smiles quietly to Zago and adds, "Enjoy." She turns and walks to the stairs, and out of Elysium.