The Lady's Haunting

**Victoria Stamford** · Jun 20th, 2016 04:51 PM

"True enough," Victoria said guardedly. "The currency of our kind are boons. They range in value and thus their usefulness greatly. There are trivial, which are a one night type favor like attending an event you didn't want to. Next is minor, they can last several nights and can be like revealing confidential information, they are an inconvenience. Major is next and is rather significant in scope and even added risk such as teaching a discipline, acquiring an asset for someone else. Blood boon requires one to risk shedding their own blood for the boon holder and is a greater risk. Life boon you are willing to risk your very eternal existence for the recipient."

The venture sat for a long moment staring at the haunt unblinking, her piercing gaze tearing into him. Then she blinked and smiled at him.

"Maybe I should share some examples to illustrate and put things in perspective. There was a kindred I knew once, not too far removed from your situation. New to the city, less careless but more ambitious for their own good and thus more apt to take liberties. This kindred took some risks and offended several prominent officials. Said kindred was required to strip naked and clean the room with their clothing. To normalize relations with another party, a major boon was also required. So I thought I was being rather generous with my request of you. The punishments are object lessons, made to help you remember your mistake; seer it into your flesh and bone because pain is a very powerful motivator and relatively entertaining. I think you will realize that when someone decides to just ignore you entirely it is far worse because that can mean they don't believe you are worth teaching. We deal in decades among our kind so anything that doesn't kill us is merely a setback to recover from."

Victoria steepled her fingers and looked to him over them with her elbows resting on the chair arms. Then her face grew impassive and her features remote.

"In short, you made me look bad in front of the Reeve and I take great care to look good...I don't like to look bad, it feels unpleasant...and especially on my first night back. Your actions from this point will reflect on me and if I continue to look bad in the future I can make things very unpleasant for you. However, if you apply yourself we can both benefit. So to hammer home this lesson, I think an additional Major boon would be in order."

She sat unmoving waiting to see what questions or offers he may choose to put forth.

Jun 21st, 2016 09:04 AM

Joseph nodded his head as he continued to listen to Victoria's lecture. He was reminded of law school. Hours upon hours of listening to professors lecture about due process, collateral estoppel, and jurisprudence could invoke a deep need for sleep. Of course this was very different. Victoria's information could be the difference between life and final death for Joseph, so he paid attention to everything she said, including her example. "You're absolutely right Lady Stamford," he said, shifting his tone to show his focus on respect. "I understand that while my mistake then was an insult by proxy, further mistakes would be directly linked to you, and I do not wish to insult you further. You are gracious in requesting a second Major boon for my failure," he said, offering her a bow of his head.

"I do wonder though," he said, lifting his head back up, a look of curiosity on his face, "is there anything I can do for you? You are my teacher and, as you've made clear, mutual benefactor of our combined success. You have recently returned, but I'm sure the dynamics of the city have changed drastically in that time. What do you seek, beyond of course my successful use of etiquette, so that I may help you achieve what you desire?"

**Victoria Stamford** · Jun 21st, 2016 11:05 PM

"An interesting idea Master Greenberg," Victoria said mildly intrigued at the turn in the conversation.

She tapped her fingers together thoughtfully for several long moments in before continuing in a slightly bored manner.

"I don't know, perhaps if you were to act as an agent for me providing interesting tidbits from the Necropolis and the goings-on there it may help reduce your debt to me if you perform well enough. Or perhaps, I would be interested in just some basic instruction in the use of your families power with fear. Such an instruction period would be over far quicker I suppose so there is that benefit if that appeals to you."

Jun 22nd, 2016 03:49 PM

"Hmm," Joseph said as he put a hand to his chin, thinking briefly before responding. "I'd be comfortable keeping you informed about things in Regent Gilroy's 'Deep Kingdom' as he calls it. Unfortunately I have not learned the art of fear yet, so I am unable to teach you...yet. When I do I can certainly teach you as well to help clear up my debt." He paused a few more moments before continuing. "Is there something in particular you are curious about with the Necropolis?"

**Victoria Stamford** · Jun 23rd, 2016 01:20 PM

"Hmm..." She said thoughtfully tucking her hands in her lap once more. "I think for now a general overview on what is being discussed and worked on, progress, perhaps who is working on what."

Victoria was a little surprised that a vampire could have no ability in their clan's signature discipline and frowned slightly. It wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibility, but it was unfortunate.

"Well, I think that is something that you should rectify. One path toward recognition is the mastery of mystical powers of our blood. Mastering one's family discipline can lead to an increase in prestige and if you continue to master them can lead to titles of function. I don't expect you to become a master immediately, that takes time, but even a token knowledge can avoid embarrassment. You should think about the fact that you are the only Nosferatu among the city's Invictus. Should your family gift ever be required you don't want to have to tell people that you know nothing about it. You have to remember, you are competing with others here and you want to be as useful as possible with knowledge or in the currency that matters among our kind."

Jun 23rd, 2016 02:45 PM

After listening to Victoria's response, he held off on telling her about the Necropolis while he responded to her larger point. "You're absolutely right, but I would like to elaborate a little. It's clear I would imagine that I do not fit the average stereotype for my family. That's because my sire and extended family put much more focus on intellect, refinement, and on another skill, your family's usual discipline. I don't know how, but at some point in the past they developed the ability to also manipulate the minds of those around them, maybe in some way due to envy of the royalty status many Ventures of the city carried and so I have trained in that, but I certainly have plans to extend into learning my family's other mystical powers. I always want to make sure I have the right skills to help the Invictus and will not hesitate to teach you once I have studied up."

Shifting in his seat he said, "Going back to your other question though, currently I've been working on collecting books and tomes relating to the history of the Kindred population in Sacramento. Apparently it was something Priscus Gilroy started but was unable to focus on. Mr. Carrigan, the Carthian, has been working with Whip Marlon in constructing catacombs for the Necropolis, mostly as a safety system. Ms. Hart and I have also slowly been working on the entrance of the Deep Kingdom. I actually am interested in one day opening a law firm and using it to help conceal the entrance from potential enemies. Mr. Cross on the other hand has been assisting Ms. Hart in developing the Caldarium, which is where any meeting would be hosted. If you don't know it's basically a great hall type area. Priscus Gilroy also has a Dark Temple set up down there for his religious practice. It is in a way is very simple but he has brought all of us in to assist and help develop it. I suspect if given enough time it will actually be quite impressive."

**Victoria Stamford** · Jun 24th, 2016 01:32 AM

"I see," Victoria said carefully. A refined worm, who would have thought such thing could be, she thought to herself, her curiosity peaked.

"Your bloodline develops the Lordly discipline for domination? Interesting, I can certainly see the appeal of such a path. What is the name of the bloodline and where do you come from again?"

"Also, it sounds like the Nosferatu have been quite busy indeed. I told your regent that it definitely had the capacity to be quite a resource for the city, it seems that I was not mistaken. If things continue as they sound like they are then things should not be long before you all have something to be rather proud of. Is this being kept strictly for the family then or are others participating?" She asked curious at the scope of the project they are undertaking.

Jun 24th, 2016 08:04 AM

Leaning back Joseph said simply, "From Russia originally, and the family name is Yagnatia."

Focusing then on her second question Joseph replied, "the family certainly has been busy. It was not plainly stated, but the majority of discussion about the Necropolis was done at the Clan meeting and he tied Tenancy to the Necropolis, so I imagine it is a family only enterprise."

**Victoria Stamford** · Jun 25th, 2016 06:13 PM

"I don't think that I've heard the name before," Victoria said with interest. "It is rather fascinating that the Nosferatu would develop such a bloodline and have such a talent. However, if you will forgive me for saying, it does seem to fit rather well culturally with what I know of Eastern Europe and Russia. Not that they are savages by any means, but the history of Russian nobility had a darker or more brutal feel to it, where in The West we tend to whitewash our brutality I guess."

Victoria looked to the haunt and considered his words with several thoughts competed in her head for attention. She wondered at the nature of this Nosferatu only club and if there should be concern that a clique of kindred from a clan that is typically physically powerful is creating a fortress and their own kingdom under the city while excluding others.

"I suppose that makes sense in a essentially Nosferatu kibbutz. So did you have any questions of your own or topics of concern?" Victoria asked.

Jun 27th, 2016 10:05 AM

"It's a smaller family, and almost exclusive to Russia. And I think you're absolutely right. The only true revolution bloodier than the Russian one was the French revolution, well as long as you exclude some of the current civil wars in South America and Africa. There is an atmosphere of fear and control in Russia that lasts even to this day and I think the family's use of the power grew out of that environment quite organically," he said with a smile.

"No Lady Stamford, I believe you have explained everything eloquetly, but I will not hesitate to let you know if I hear of anything...concerning." He paused before the word concerned. He would act as her spy, that much was clear. What concerning things would the paranoia inducing Nosferatu hear?

The Lady's Haunting

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