[video] Technology: 1; Crotchety Old Man: 0

[theblackstaff]

[when the video blinks on, the only thing visible is a white ceiling, and the sounds of somebody moving around in a room]
Fool thing, what's wrong with a communications spell...

[the camera shifts, but instead of focusing on a face, all you see is some hair, and then an ear, pressed against the camera. There is also an overly loud, overly enunciated

Comments

Video, and she's not doing much better

[fightanddefend]

[She fails at technology too, given that it hasn't been invented when she's from. Have a nice view of the sky]

Thanks for the offer. I think I'll take you up on that for now.

...What's the White Council?

permavideo with scattered fail showers

[theblackstaff]

Glad to be of help. What's your name so I can tell the front desk who to expect?

[pause.]
White Council's an organization I work for. We make sure folks don't get taken advantage of by unscrupulous people. And I have a feelin' whoever brought us here falls under the description of unscrupulous.

Permavideo and she forgot her umbrella

[fightanddefend]

Rosette Christopher.

[Yeah, she didn't buy that explanation at all]
Look, you don't just name your business something like the White Council, and you said something about wards and thresholds. I'm an exorcist, Mr. McCoy. Whatever's going on, I can handle it

[theblackstaff]

Why not? Nobody expects any royalty at Burger King.

[there's a rough cough at Rosette's mention of being an exorcist.] Well, that makes it easier, Miss Christopher. [he sighs, but hey, what's the good of having a license to break the council's rules if he doesn't use it once in a while]

Just guesses, but I don't think it's natural how we got here. Figured it's best to put up some wards notifying us if anything unfriendly decides to take advantage of the situation. Already seen a couple around. Vampires and hellspawn.

[fightanddefend]

...where?

Just Rosette.

[She was going to make a smart comment about the 'duh' factor of them all showing up here not being normal, but...] Wait, vampires? You have Dracula running around here?

[theblackstaff]

[tired sigh. Next time he'll leave the jokes to Hoss. He's too old for it.] Never mind.

Dracula? Not that black bas-- Hope not, missy. But maybe some of the Whites. Just being careful is all.

[fightanddefend]

[Okay, she's used to demons. Zombies, too. Vampires are a whole other ball of wax]

Wait, Dracula is real? And there's more? And-

[rrgh get ahold of yourself Rosette panic is not an option]

...can you start at the beginning?

[theblackstaff]

[sounds all Offended] The Beginning? Just how old do you think I am, girl?

Keywords. Just. Keywords.

[fightanddefend]

I meant tell me about the vampires.

He's an old man. Old people make jokes nobody else finds funny.

[theblackstaff]

[chuckles] There's three kinds of vampires, miss. The Black Court's folks like Dracula. Reanimated corpses that need blood to live. The Red Court... [he stops and sighs. Hoss did the right thing, but the right thing ain't always easy.] Reds are wily bas- things. They wear illusions to look like people but they're just monsters. Their spit's like a drug, and makes you feel all lazy and good before they bite into you.

The White Court's different. Ever heard of succubuses?

[fightanddefend]

So the red ones are more dangerous. Any idea what it takes to take them out?

[Yes, she has. Oh gad] ...you have vampire succubuses?

[theblackstaff]

[hmph] Faith. Sunshine. Magic. Don't think we have to worry about the Reds so much though.

[sighs] Ain't fair, but we have 'em. Dangerous folk. Best stay as far as you can, girl. They look human, but they ain't. [long pause, then McCoy adds, all quiet like, as if he's forgotten he's still on the phone] Hard to remember that sometimes.

[fightanddefend]

Why not?

[Ooh. Sounds like he's got personal experience there...now is probably not the time to ask. Rosette's just going to act like she didn't hear that] Anything else running around I should know about?

[theblackstaff]

[he sounds very very tired all of a sudden. Or maybe just very very old.] They're dead.

Nothing else I've seen, but that don't mean everything else is all sunshine and daisies. Just keep an eye out, exorcist girl.

[fightanddefend]

[Sounds like another Don't Ask moment] ...oh.

I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time with no idea how I got here. I wasn't expecting sunshine and daisies. Don't worry, council man, I'll be careful.