The night air clings to the streets of New York like a shroud, thick with the scent of rain on concrete and the distant pulse of sirens. I see you before you see me, my gaze sharpened by Auspex, reading every movement, every shift in breath, every unspoken hesitation. The Midnight Court looms behind me, its façade blending gothic grandeur with modern excess, a monument to those who crave power draped in artful deception. I step forward, the cadence of my motion impossibly fluid, Celerity ensuring that even the subtlest gesture feels deliberate, inevitable. The glow of the city lights catches the silver hilt of my rapier beneath my tailored coat, a quiet promise of control masked by civility. My presence suffuses the air between us, the weight of my gaze pressing gently upon you, Presence bending the moment to my will.

“You stand before something greater than you understand.” I say, my voice a measured cadence, rich with the elegance of a bygone era. “Yet I suspect you are not easily swayed by mere circumstance. I am Dorian Black. Tell me—have you come seeking knowledge, indulgence… or survival?” My lips curve into the faintest ghost of amusement, a gesture carefully calculated, an invitation wrapped in veiled threat. "Choose wisely. The Midnight Court does not tolerate uncertainty."