Gabriela / Chapter Four (RPG Notes)
# Chapter Four - Hearth, Home and a Handsome Stranger
There are a few sleepers Gabriela employes whom she trusts in her inner sanctum; Luiza and Star Veldez (mother and daughter) are her maids, Boz Stallion is her personal chef (he turned down Oprah to work for Gabi), and Ira Levin, an ex-cop from the NYPD, is her doorman and chief of security.
Gabriela's businesses at the Napolie are: Destare Records is Gabi's own label; Oz Drake is her sound/electronics wizard (non-mage) and Gilbert Lyal is her lawyer. Gary Strong is her manager, but you've already met him. Adagio Music is managed by Jenny Floyd and helped out by Ramon Jimez. Figaro's Curio Shop is managed by Oscar Jimenez.
Gabi used Mind magick on her employees, making sure they are honest and loyal. She keeps a hand in all her business affairs and checks on her people to be sure they are happy and things are well in their lives.
Gabriela's private quarters, her home, is the top floor of the Napolie. She has designed a “vampire” trap there (it will work on anyone, but she's worried about vampires). It is in her awards' room where she keeps her trophies and gold records. She calls it her “Dominion Room”. There are large photos and painting of Gabi on the walls, they project her presence on the room making her the focal point. The effect is that anyone who enters will become enthralled with Gabriela and have total adoration for her. They will want only good for her and will do anything to protect her from harm. The effect will only last a few hours, but that should be enough to keep her safe. Her staff knows that they should never enter the awards' room.
One evening Ursula and Gabi head down to the warehouse to look in on the progress of the Gasparilla float. Gabi grabs a few Heineken's from the mini-frig, when she looks up she sees Ursula talking to a strange handsome man. Gabi grabs another beer. “Hi, I'm Gabi, “ she says, handing him a beer. Meanwhile she's examining his thoughts - he's not hostile - he is a vampire. He's from LA. Gabi digs a little deeper, she sees someone eerily similar to Ursula murdering people in the back alleys of LA. Gabi tries to link minds with Ursula to share this, but Ursula blocks her. What doesn't Ursula want to know or want her to know? The vampire's name is Jacek. He thanks Gabi for the beer, but doesn't drink it. She notices that he puts it to his lips and spills a little on the ground from time to time when he thinks she's not looking. He's pretending, of course he doesn't drink, beer, she thinks.
The three make their way across the street to a dive bar, order some drinks and find a quiet table. Jacek presses Ursula with questions about whether she was in LA or not. Gabi doesn't like his tone and diffuses the situation by asking Jacek if he'd join them at Cadillac Jacks, one of her favorite nightclubs, the following evening. “We've got to go,” she says, tugging on Ursula's arm to get her moving. Jacek accepts the invite politely. In the car on their way back to the Napolie, Ursula is pretty quiet, Gabi doesn't press her to talk and doesn't attempt to take a peek in her mind.
Gabi pays Ike a visit when they get home. She asks him for a book on vampire lore, but he doesn't have one in stock right now. He promises to find her one, soon as he can.
The next evening Gabi decides to take Figaro (her parakeet) along, to Cadillac Jacks. Figaro likes the music and he likes to dance along with Gabi (he bobs his head to the beat). Gabi stops at a flower shop on the way and buys a single blood-red rose. Ursula is a bit more talkative, Gabi thinks she may be drunk, she drinks a lot. When Jacek shows up Gabriela gives him the rose. He is very polite and accepts it. Figaro jumps over to his shoulder. “He usually doesn't like boys,” says Gabi. “Animals like me a lot, and I'm not a boy,” he says. The night is uneventful. Jacek is a perfect gentleman, Gabi has to take Ursula home early, she fell to sleep in the booth while Jacek and Gabriela (and Figaro) were dancing. Jacek gives the girls his phone number and they make plans to go out on the town again.
There are a few sleepers Gabriela employes whom she trusts in her inner sanctum; Luiza and Star Veldez (mother and daughter) are her maids, Boz Stallion is her personal chef (he turned down Oprah to work for Gabi), and Ira Levin, an ex-cop from the NYPD, is her doorman and chief of security.
Gabriela's businesses at the Napolie are: Destare Records is Gabi's own label; Oz Drake is her sound/electronics wizard (non-mage) and Gilbert Lyal is her lawyer. Gary Strong is her manager, but you've already met him. Adagio Music is managed by Jenny Floyd and helped out by Ramon Jimez. Figaro's Curio Shop is managed by Oscar Jimenez.
Gabi used Mind magick on her employees, making sure they are honest and loyal. She keeps a hand in all her business affairs and checks on her people to be sure they are happy and things are well in their lives.
Gabriela's private quarters, her home, is the top floor of the Napolie. She has designed a “vampire” trap there (it will work on anyone, but she's worried about vampires). It is in her awards' room where she keeps her trophies and gold records. She calls it her “Dominion Room”. There are large photos and painting of Gabi on the walls, they project her presence on the room making her the focal point. The effect is that anyone who enters will become enthralled with Gabriela and have total adoration for her. They will want only good for her and will do anything to protect her from harm. The effect will only last a few hours, but that should be enough to keep her safe. Her staff knows that they should never enter the awards' room.
One evening Ursula and Gabi head down to the warehouse to look in on the progress of the Gasparilla float. Gabi grabs a few Heineken's from the mini-frig, when she looks up she sees Ursula talking to a strange handsome man. Gabi grabs another beer. “Hi, I'm Gabi, “ she says, handing him a beer. Meanwhile she's examining his thoughts - he's not hostile - he is a vampire. He's from LA. Gabi digs a little deeper, she sees someone eerily similar to Ursula murdering people in the back alleys of LA. Gabi tries to link minds with Ursula to share this, but Ursula blocks her. What doesn't Ursula want to know or want her to know? The vampire's name is Jacek. He thanks Gabi for the beer, but doesn't drink it. She notices that he puts it to his lips and spills a little on the ground from time to time when he thinks she's not looking. He's pretending, of course he doesn't drink, beer, she thinks.
The three make their way across the street to a dive bar, order some drinks and find a quiet table. Jacek presses Ursula with questions about whether she was in LA or not. Gabi doesn't like his tone and diffuses the situation by asking Jacek if he'd join them at Cadillac Jacks, one of her favorite nightclubs, the following evening. “We've got to go,” she says, tugging on Ursula's arm to get her moving. Jacek accepts the invite politely. In the car on their way back to the Napolie, Ursula is pretty quiet, Gabi doesn't press her to talk and doesn't attempt to take a peek in her mind.
Gabi pays Ike a visit when they get home. She asks him for a book on vampire lore, but he doesn't have one in stock right now. He promises to find her one, soon as he can.
The next evening Gabi decides to take Figaro (her parakeet) along, to Cadillac Jacks. Figaro likes the music and he likes to dance along with Gabi (he bobs his head to the beat). Gabi stops at a flower shop on the way and buys a single blood-red rose. Ursula is a bit more talkative, Gabi thinks she may be drunk, she drinks a lot. When Jacek shows up Gabriela gives him the rose. He is very polite and accepts it. Figaro jumps over to his shoulder. “He usually doesn't like boys,” says Gabi. “Animals like me a lot, and I'm not a boy,” he says. The night is uneventful. Jacek is a perfect gentleman, Gabi has to take Ursula home early, she fell to sleep in the booth while Jacek and Gabriela (and Figaro) were dancing. Jacek gives the girls his phone number and they make plans to go out on the town again.