(1602) Haunts and Shadows

[Martha Villiers]

Rubbing unevenly at her crippled thigh, Martha listened and chirped to Alice; "Oh, the school uniform? Well, it's both highly practical and also symbolic....it's contains has so many layers of symbolic meaning, combined with practicality, that I barely need or desire to wear anything else!" she giggled merrily and tried to think up a useful reply for Jacob, but as the conversation turned quickly, she decided to nod in agreement with Kenneth.
At least that cleared up how he knew of her.

"Ah! Indeed...a very varied topic that, sir! Ghosts and goblins and such like! I'll be happy to speak with you both later about that!" leaning hard on her cane, she smiled sweetly to Kenneth and Jacob, hoping this would encourage further meetings after Court.

Her attentions went swiftly back to Alice...her strange awkwardness seeming to prompt some deep instincts in Martha that she hoped weren't destructive.

Before she knew what she was saying, Martha offered tenderly;"You don't need to be alone now, Miss Alice..."

[Kenneth Gilroy]

"College can still be an option,"Kenneth offered seriously "I know people within the university establishment. If you're interested, I could see about signing you up for classes." It might mean more vampires on campus, but Hart was a clan member. Having more educated Nosferatu was something Kenneth could support.

"I'm always intersted in learning more. If you are willing," he said mostly genuine. Knowledge was power but even helpful Martha might have her cost. "And if any of you are interested in learning more about the Lancea et Sanctum, I plan to host a seminar on the church soon."

Kenneth's eyes follow the two threats Seneschal and Priscus, as Alice tracks them. She brought up a could point, uncomfortable though it may be.

"In the absence of the Priscus, I am allowed to serve as replacement." No matter how much he didn't want the job it kept coming back to him. He didn't even have his binder. "So, I can grant acknowledgement, at least until things with Mr. Marlon are resolved." Kenneth placed his hands behind his back, taking a more 'official' posture. Or at least trying in vain to straighten his slumping shoulders. All he succeeded in was looking like the butler was always saying did 'it'.

"There are private rooms if you'd like." He didn't plan on being too thorough in his questioning but the need to indirectly accuse her of devouring another's soul might still make a basic interview awkward. And maybe if she were out of sight of others she would drop that horribly fake grin.

OOC

I know you've already kind of had an acknowledgement thread. Which makes continuity a little wonky here. Granting temporary acknowledgement until a new Priscus is named helps resolve that a bit.

[White]

Jacob nods at Kenneth's offer, "what research are you performing at the moment?"

What Kenneth said next piqued Jacob's interest greatly: "Oh? Unless that is a strictly Haunt project I'd be happy to help with the annals. It would be a fascinating project to work on."
Unfortunately, disappointment followed. Ah the Church, the boon and bane of knowledge throughout the ages.

"Yes I have, and frankly I'd rather I didn't. If you excuse the language, I don't half-ass anything, I find it to be a waste of time; and, to be frank, the only agenda I could find myself caring at all about would be the Order's. Put those two together, and I find unalignment preferable" Jacob shrugged, "I don't mean any offense. This is just a result of my somewhat focused perspective."

Martha's tone, while slightly disconcerting, was uplifting: putting a smile back on Jacob's face, "sounds excellent Keeper."

[Alice Hart]

Martha's chirping voice answers her question, but give her many more. "That's very interesting!" Alice smiles, one of the one she'd practiced over and over so it looked more real, and natural than the fake-false grin that was her new default. "If...if it's alright, might I err...ask what symbolism is associated with your uniform?"

Collage can still be an option. Gilroy's once annoying buzzing voice, rings with a firmness, and clarity that Alice thought her Whip would be without. "Classes...that would be...I always thought..." Alice looks down. "I am very much interested." she says, managing to keep her voice as serious as her fellow Haunt's.

"Knowledge is power as they say right? I might be interested in stopping by...I don't want to turn my nose up at anything, or anyone, before I have the information to make my own informed decision...now I don't know how much faith is left in me, but I might stop by your seminar Father."

When Jacob speaks of the Annals, Alice wonders just how prominent the Necropolis within the Domain is, and just what can she do to help.

"I was hoping that you could Whip Gilroy." Alice really didn't want to approach anyone outside the clan if she could help it, at least not until she was a bit more settled within the Domain. "A private room would be...good." Alice didn't know how thorough Kenneth's questioning would be, but privacy would be better for something like this Alice thought.

OOC

Which is why Alice is asking about it now, since this will happen before that other scene...and I want to make sure that I'm doing this right instead of not getting an official acknowledgement and still posting.

[Martha Villiers]

Bright eyed, Martha began to feel out of place as matters turned to more technical details of Clans and Covenants, but Alice's question drew her attention again.

"Symbolism?" she echoed and smiled. Nodding, Martha paused while thinking. Hoping to formulate a full and sensible reply; "Oh, well, my approach is that there are metaphysical, social, religious, psychological, sociological and philosophical elements which now saturate society. These are, essentially, relics of ancient Hellenic religious practice; originating from the symbolic persona masks of Dionysian ritual..." she smiles sweetly. Martha continues, "Thus, my uniform, in fact almost each and every uniform, becomes part of a process of liminal Change and transformation... μεταμόρφωσις... in English, metamorphosis, that the wearer undergoes to signify and help perform their operational role." Tiny hands take a moment to urgently rub hard at her crippled hip.

"My uniform is not only practical and expendable but a phenomenological and ritual accoutrement. Signifying my simple desire to pursue learning and a recognition that my studies remain flawed and incomplete!" Martha smiles with humble sincerity. Taking a moment to lean on her cane and sneak a glance at Alice's legs before waiting to see where the conversation turns.

Or to see if Kenneth decides to usher Jacob and Alice to a more private location.

[Kenneth Gilroy]

"I am researching bacterial metabolism in an effort to improve waste to biofuel conversion." Despite any lack of knowledge any might have, Kenneth's words easily translate to 'see if germs can make shit into gas'.

Gilroy blinked like a rat staring into a bright light in confusion at Jacob.

"If we're being frank, your reasoning is flawed. The Order's agenda is the same as the Lance's and even the Crone's. Spiritual enlightenment. As much as our covenants may disagree on who is doing it correctly, it is all our stated goals. And as much as I would say caution in making a decision is good, not doing anything seems even worse than 'half-assing', as you say. Over many years, even a small effort can yield large rewards."

Kenneth listened to Martha describe her reasons for wearing a school uniform. They seemed a little strange, at least to Kenneth. Symbolism was highly dependent on culture and time frame as to be meaningless without a strong central force from which to draw interpretation. Thus, even though it held strong personal meaning to Miss Viller, without context it was just as easy to see it to mean something else. Though, if personal meaning was all that she wanted, then he couldn't fault her. Kenneth did find it interesting she referenced Greek religion and Dionysus in particular. He was passingly familiar in Greek myth but not enough to know about the masks she talked about. He did remember the Maenads' cult though and wondered how that fit into Martha's view point. Unfortunately he had responsibilities.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you Mistress Villers and you Jacob. I do hope we get the chance to speak again," he said bobbing his head.

"If you'll follow me, Ms. Hart, we can take care of the official business."

Gilroy bowed low exposing his neck, before leading the way to a private room.

Kenneth exits to a private room

[Alice Hart]

Alice blinks, perhaps a little dumbly, wondering if she had indeed heard Gilroy correctly. 'Well...if the shoe fits, or in this case...manable, pincer, other incet-y bit...' Alice's thoughts trail off as she gives an internal shiver. She might be dead, but she was still a girl.

Alice jumps slightly, her eyebrows accent betraying her shock of the bite the worm had just displayed.

"Mistress Villers...that's very interesting." Alice murmurs, she hadn't quite expected the information that poured from the Tiny Keeper. While she might have thought she was well read, it obviously didn't mean much to those that had assuredly many more years then she. Though Alice still reasons that she was more read upon fiction, and fairy tales than anything else, so that is of course where she draws her conclusions from. "So ah-does that mean that if you placed on a different uniform, or one that's only slightly different, does that mean that your own...nature, or at least how you'd portray yourself would vary?" Alice asks, her brows furrowing in her own confusion. "Oh," Alice sighs, frowning, "Perhaps later Mistress Keeper." says says, noting Gilroy's interjection. They did have business to take care of. With that thought in mind, Alice follows the Nosferatu Whip's example, she curtseyed lowly, and scampered after the worm.

Alice follows Kenneth to the private room

[White]

The trace of a smirk crossed Jacob's face as Martha listed her elements, repetitively. It widened very briefly upon Martha stating: "persona mask."
Sesquipedalian behaviour doesn't make the scholar Keeper. Only the pretender.
Jacob listened with interest when Kenneth spoke about his work, it was something Jacob would have to ask him about later. He raises his eyebrows at Kenneth's spiel. While he wasn't entirely correct there was enough truth in his words to make them worthy of reflection. He nods as both take their leave.

"You mentioned something about ghosts and goblins Keeper?" Best to focus on enrichment after all.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha smiles cheerily at Alice's perceptive question. Offering a small wave to Alice as she's hustled away to private chambers, there is genuine dismay in seeing Alice depart.

Still, as Jacob asks his own question, Martha, leaning heavily on her cane, nods. Pausing to gather her thoughts, she replies with playful humor enough;

"Oh, well, ghosts certainly...I have a longstanding, if somewhat frustrated, interest in the spectral!" she giggled happily. Taking a moment to rub at her crippled leg, Martha added; "Witches and magic are preoccupations of mine...however, you mentioned you were keen to explore all aspects of the occult, sir..." she asks, bright eyed, leaning on her cane and carefully observing Jacob's body language and demeanor.

"Though, surely, one area attracts your interests above all others!" her tone suggests this is sincere inquiry.