Nosferatu Family Meeting 05

[Jennifer Hazelton]

In the neighborhood of forgotten houses, unclaimed and abandoned, Jennifer strides down the cracked sidewalks. Jennifer walks away to one such house, the aboveground entrance to the Necropolis. The paint is peeled, the shingles are falling off, but inside is a slightly different story. The house is worn, but occasionally cleaned and taken care of. The Priscus had increased security over the last few months to discourage unwanted visitors. She lingers in front of the house, turning to look in the direction of the lamp post, far out of sight. Jennifer had followed the tradition Alice had shared, inducting Bellemy into the tradition.
The Family who dwelled here may be preparing for tonight’s Family Meet. She hoped so, she’d sent out invitations.
The night for the Family meeting had arrived and all Nosferatu were expected to attend now.

Jennifer’s footsteps lead her out to the lamp post as her mind turns over her conversations with Alice. The former Priscus. Former Seneschal. Now off to a new adventure…
Jennifer stands under the lamp post, waiting for the new Nosferatu. She wears her dark green tunic length blouse, gray leggings and black leather jacket, black Converse shoes. Her dark eyes are scanning the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Anyone showing undue interest in her Family arriving.

[Bellemy]

"Do you think Helen Kingsley is coming, cousin?"

The sound shattered the eerie quiet of the night and whatever peace remained to this broken corner of the city. "How long do we wait for one so ....inexperienced?" The darkness spoke. Of course natural darkness was naught to the keen eyes of a kindred, and so Bellemy materialized into sight.

Gone was the shroud and skirts. Tonight the haunt had opted for something a little more upscale With a fur trimmed trench coat and a wide brimmed hat. Bellemy's head stared toward the ground using the brim of the hat to obscure the Nosferatu's cursed face. THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! came the hard sole boots as they tread across the pavement as Bellemy joined Jennifer under the light of the lamp post. A three dimensional shadow made real. Regardless of the ensemble, the perpetual feeling of disquiet followed Bellemy as the shadow's shadow.

[Helen Kingsley]

Looking around, Helen mentally pats herself on the back for leaving the car in a less run-down part of the city. This place ? Downtrodden sidewalks in both senses of the word, cracked and chipped by years of all sorts of use and abuse, some intended, other not as much. Houses that have fallen off memory lane some time ago, some remind her of dead teeth, sorta okay from the outside, if worn and discoloured by time and wear, but still rotten to the core on the inside. Others simply wear the rot like a mantle, on display for anyone who wants to see it. Every here and then, litter finds itself around some of those ruins, or even can be seen through some crack in the facadehangs out into the open or lies around those dead stumps. With the lighting, it even resembles pus a little, if one is willing to think of it that way.

Well, a lovely place for a meeting, although the scenic beauty and the company are most likely not all of the main traits this location offers. Although people not stumbling over stuff they're not suposed to find surely helps. Helen is ready to bet there's some sort of haven or hideout located in the belly of this cadaver. Isn't there always ?

The Nosferatu rounds the latest of the blocks she's put behind her on the way to the meeting spot indicated. She wears non-descript sneakers with dark jeans, a bright red t-shirt under a worn brown leather jacket with her hands in the pockets of said jacket as she comes into view. As she gets closer and recognizes the two fellow Haunts, she waves at them

[Alexander Moore]

The walk to the old neighborhood is fairly short, especially with a stride as great as his. The shadows grow larger away from the bustle of the still waking city, but lose their sharpness, stretching and molding themselves around the buildings like webs, filling in the gaps like water. Alexander moves quickly, tugging at his overcoat where it cuts tightly into his shoulders. His feet move silently over the asphalt, but his clownish black leather shoes begin to click when he draws near a Beast. He slows, taking large, ponderous steps, as his own Beast rises, before it calms enough that he can join the gathered family.


Jennifer Hazelton, Bellemy, and Miss Kingsley are all ahead of him. The shadows' mutual grasp of him is released and he coughs to get their attention.

“Hello, I hope you are all well this evening?” He is wearing a decently made black overcoat over a blue jumpsuit that is making a bold attempt at confining his form.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

“She’d better be coming.” Jennifer responded to Bellemy . “It’s a Family meeting. I don’t like it when family skip those, unless they are in a sit down with the CEO of the company. Or dying. Only excuse to miss, in my mind.”
Jennifer pauses her vigilant domain awareness scan to glance to Bellemy.
“I’d wait a bit and then go find her. Being youthful means, she may rely on us more. She ought to find supportive family.”

Seeing Helen Kingsley approach and wave, Jennifer gives a meaningful nod to Bellemy.
Jennifer lifted her hand and made a slow, lady – like wave. She waits for Helen to approach to a comfortable speaking distance.
“Good evening, cousin.” She greets. “I am glad that you are here. Did you have any trouble finding the place?” Ever polite. Jennifer is sincere in her inquiry, looking for any distress in Helen.
The Giant approaches and Jennifer nods to him. The nod to him is a bit deeper than in months past. He has stepped up in becoming more involved in the Domain. He’s assisting in the strange occurrence of food dropping dead. The Priscus appreciates that. If the Prince and her Officers see helpful Nosferatu, the whole Family benefitted.

“Hello, cousin.” She greets Alexander Moore . “This is nice. I had not expected everyone to join the Tradition. Alice shared this with Alexander and I”, She states, looking between Bellemy and Helen. “- and this is how she was greeted on her first visit to our Home.” A strong emphasis on that word. A reminder that they were not home yet, and to mind one’s tongue and not to use the Necropolis word out here in the open air.

“There’s a lot to cover tonight. Shall we head home.” It is a statement, not a question. Jennifer starts in an average step, so everyone can keep up and space themselves out on the cracked and uneven sidewalk.
“There’s a reason I don’t write down our homes’ address.” She explains to Helen, but to all listening. She doesn’t elaborate. Some things don’t need to be spelled out.
She leads the way towards the abandoned and quiet houses, some shingles fallen loose and untended. She walks with confidence, assertive and composed in this place. She often walks these streets, searching for any threat to her Family. Soon, she turns her feet towards one house in particular. The aboveground entrance to the Necropolis. Unassuming, and unkept.

Faded, peeling siding, crooked and missing shingles. Wooden features, nearly rotted through, broken steps, with nails, rusted and sticking dangerously out form the boards.
“Our home.” She says to Helen. Jennifer walks up to the house and holds the door open, admitting her Family through.
Once everyone is through, she closes and locks the door. The couch is sodden and sinking. There’s a bloodstain in the floor that won’t scrub out. There are spiders scrabbling in the corners.

Jennifer strides with confidence towards the shadowed corner, carefully hidden with angles. Here is a door, clean, with a heavy padlock. She pulls out a key from around her neck and unlocks the door. Two identical keys on expensive green ribbon are passed, one to Bellemy and one to Helen.
She opens the door, picks up an electric torch from a few kept by the door. She leads the way down, down, down. Down into the Deep.

On the landing, sure steps lead her to the Caldarium. “The lights are electric.” She says to the Nosferatu behind her as she leads the way into the bathhouse. She sits on one of the concrete benches, toeing off her Converses. The electric lights in the bathhouse are set for a certain mood: soft and dreamlike. There are concrete benches that Jennifer just recently tended.
There is a deep pool, its own pool lights calm and steady. Brightening the space as Jennifer has chosen a seat near it, with space for others to spread out nearby around her. Jennifer begins to speak as she begins to remove the pins from the scarf wound around her neck and shoulders.

“Welcome to the Necropolis. This is the Caldarium, the heart of our Haven. Alice Hart tended this area with dedication. She recently left us for other lands, and so the Caldarium has suffered a bit in her absence.” Jennifer lamented. She had just managed to clean the area a bit before the meeting.
“The above is the Haven used to hide the entrance. If you bring outsiders here, you use that door.” Her voice is solemn. “Not everyone knows our home, and choose who you invite carefully. I have been working on improving the catacombs, that may cause the unwary to become lost and travel for days. And improving security… There is a sewer entrance further down. I shall show the new members.
That is only for us.“
She drives home, determined on this point. “-and only for emergencies.”

[Bellemy]

Bellemy examined Helen as the other haunt approached, the beast's beast uncoiling inside like a hungry serpent looking to consume a rat. Bellemy seized that metaphorical serpent and smothered it. The tip of the wide brimmed hat dipped down in reply to Helen's simple wave.

In another moment Alexander appeared, the giant lumbering slowly toward them in large strides. As with their last meeting Alexander did not disturb the beast inside. Bellemy acknowledged his greeting with a simple "Quite well cousin. It's very nice to see you again."

Bellemy nodded toward Jennifer at the "not a request" to return home and silently followed behind the others toward the necropolis. Bellemy watched Helen's first reaction of seeing the place they choose to live. Not wanting to interrupt Jennifer's dialogue, Bellemy remained silent again listening with interest to what the haven had to offer.

[Helen Kingsley]

Helen slows down her steps as she comes closer. The fact she knows these kindred helps a lot with fighting the Predator down, but still, the instinct is there.

"Good evening, cousins." She begins. "No, it wasn't as hard as I thought. It helped get a first impression of the area, though."

"Quite well, thank you. Same applies to you guys, I hope ?" she adds after Alexander's greeting.

A reason indeed. Well, its sorta obvious people are not to be made aware of where folks live. Now even more than in the breathing days, right ? She falls in a bit to the right and behind Jennifer, following her towards the communal Nos haven, as she assumes. Hands still in her pockets, she uses the time to take in the view on surroundings, looking for points to use as reference later. Getting acquainted with these streets would help a lot later, so why not start early ? Indeed, the place Jennifer introduces as their home doesn't look like much. Quite the opposite, frankly, it looks like shit. Or better, it is supposed to look like shit. As the priscus holds the door open, she stops to trake in what she can see from the building so far. After a good look and some raised eyebrows, she resumes walking and enters.

Inside, at first, really looks like the outside. A couch that looks like it has seen better days, couldn't believe its luck, woke up from the dream and found itself in this same desolate place, blood, even some of those cute, eight-legged fuckers in the corners. Well, its obviously not the Ritz, but then, she's seen and lived in places way worse than this one.

"Not bad !" she concludes as she waits for Jennifer to unveil the path further down. Down ? Down. Its always down, never up. A "Thank you !" follows as Jennifer unveils the door and hands her a key to the Necropolis. Well, doesn't the name puff expectations of what is down there ? Could be a palace, could be a dump. Well, a it of dump always made it in, but the question is... how much this time ? At first, theres not much to be seen even with the lamps. Until the landing, that is...

Okay, she didn't expect a bathhouse !

"Helloooo.... whats this ?"

The accompanying short whistle through her teeth is testament to her being suitably impressed as she looks around. As Jennifer sits down, Helen picks out one of the seating opportunities for herself and gets out of the leather jacket, exposing a shoulder holster with the butt of a revolver sticking out of it. Carefully putting down the jacket, she sits down on the bench.

"Upstairs for guests, downstairs for family, so far so good. Maybe it's a dumb question, but who of the folks currently acknowledged in town already knows the place above ?"

[Alexander Moore]

Alexander nods to Jennifer in return, bowing tends to be a little too conspicuous with his body. He gives shallower nods to Bellamy and Miss Kingsley in turn but says nothing. It is Jennifer Hazelton’s night.

He follows at a distance, a few steps behind the new arrivals as they are led deeper into the Clan’s Home. He keeps his shoes on but takes a seat once they enter the Caldarium. He listens to Jennifer’s wheezing voice, and remembers when he had been brought here by her and Alice, not too long ago. He felt older, not much wiser but almost fatter like a comfortable cat.

He glances at Jennifer when Miss Kingsley asks her question, he had never thought to ask but it is a good question.

[Seryna]

From above, there's a sudden charge to the air. For the Beast of another, quite formidible, rolls out. Mr. Johnathan Kowalsic is BP 4. Miss Kowalsic's Beast is Cloaked. After a few moments, a ghoul in a fine reinforced suit in gray with a seafoam green dress shirt arrives at the door to the Caldarium. The suit is a few years out of date.
"Mr. Kowalsic wishes to join you with his childe, Miss Kowalsic."

The Priscus gives a nod of permission. The assembled wait a few minutes for the appearance of the other two Nosferatu. The reason why becomes apparent as the three who enter Caldarium move slowly. The Nosferatu on the arm of Mr. Kowalsic is wearing a tailored knee length dress in emerald green with a black lace overlay. It's tailored over the impossible to overlook misshapen back. The childe walks carefully into Caldarium. Now, an expensive silver necklace is visible, a family crest on display. Her dark hair is pulled into a simple french twist. She wears small stud earrings of precious gemstone- those who know recognize emeralds.
Mr. Kowalsic wears a slightly outdated suit in black with pine green dress shirt. He has left off the expensive cufflinks and displays of wealth that he had displayed at the last Formal Court. As the two take seats facing the Priscus, the ghoul stoops to remove their shoes.
The elder Nosferatu makes a gesture, and the ghoul moves away to wait in the sitting area.

"Priscus," he nods deeply to her. "Mr. Moore. Ladies." He gives slight nods to the others.
The childe appears friendly as she gives Alexander, Bellemy, Helen and Jennifer a smile.
"Hello Priscus. Hello, Mr. Moore. New family members. Welcome. I am Miss Isabella Kowalsic. This is my sire, Mr. Johnathan Randall Kowalsic, of the line Nosferatu and member of the First Estate."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer continues unwinding her scarf as the family greets one another. After the pins are pulled out of the outside scarf, she lets it fall to the bench beside her. She unwinds a white linen layer that the scarf was pinned to. As she does so, she unveils the deep and gruesome scar on one side of her neck that trails down her collarbone. Something with a monstrous maw seems to have bitten her.
Jennifer removes her shoes and socks, setting them out of the way as she rolls up her leggings. Composed and lady like, she sets her feet into the water. The pools are lit with a dream - like light from underwater lights, further creating the dream like ambiance.

"Mr. Kowalsic and Miss Kowalsic." She nods. "May I introduce Madame Bellemy and Madame Helen Kingsley?"
She pauses for any introductions and greetings to be made to one another by the gathered family. When it quiets down, the Priscus looks over to Helen.
"It's a good quesion, Helen." A pause in case Helen Kingsley wanted to correct how she was addressed here. Jennifer looks at Helen as she answers, composed and dignified as she sits, shoeless and enjoying the bath house.

“I have not brought anyone outside of our Blood here. I also advise that we take our Uber services and such a few blocks away from our Haven.
There may be people who know of its’ location from Nosferatu who have come and gone before my tenure.” She says to Helen. Perhaps a good thing to look into.

"I suggest we share a bit about ourselves, if anyone wishes to. I do advise that anything you don’t want made known around town be clarified.
I first came to Sacramento in August of 2011." Jennifer stated.

" I departed the city around March of ’12. I returned in 2014 and found quite a thriving population of interesting Kindred. I claimed the Priscus of our Family then and we did good ground work on technical aspects, before my departure to train under a Lady Notary nearing Sweet Torpor. I established myself in Sacramento in late 2019. The former Priscus Alice Hart bestowed the Priscus position to me.” She looked around the room, making eye contact with those attending.
Jennifer passes out laminated sheet on a clipboard with a grease pencil to everyone in attendance. To everyone examining the sheets, they are clearly laminate that you buy and complete yourselves in a machine, without need to invite others.
“I have an agenda for the evening if you want to look It over. We may not get to everything if you have different things you want to discuss. That’s fine.
I do want you to make a note of A.: We don’t teach our Family Gift to anyone outside of our Family. Tutoring one another is well and good, but it’s not on the table to trade away.”

She looks around the room to match eye contact with those who wish to.

Agenda on the laminated sheet

1. Current Nosferatu Business:
A. The rule that no one may teach the Nosferatu Family Gift to anyone outside of the Nosferatu Family. There is a personal rule by Priscus Hazelton that one must attend at least one court per quarter in addition to the Formal Court.
B. A Necropolis housing rule is that in order to claim a Sepulcher, one must contribute to the Necropolis. The areas of the Caldarium need to be addressed with Keeper Hart's departure. Jennifer welcomes assitance in increasing our Security. The Trash Pit has been completely overtaken if you want to clear it. Necropolis changes: Alexander Moore has created the Bleak Annals.
Priscus Hazelton has cleared the Catacombs and increased our Necropolis security.
2. Priscus Hazelton is encouraging mentoring fellow Nosferatu in abilities or skills they may lack.
3. Troubles in the Domain:
A. There are issues regarding feeding within the Domain. Please tend to your vessels with care, and ensure they survive. We do not need to attract attention.
B. There is a Poacher with gray eyes and presenting as female in the Domain. Keep an eye out for her or any poacher and report them to proper authorities when spotted.
4. Striving for positive perception for Clan Nosferatu - any ideas and requests for furthering the goal of positive perception of Clan Nosferatu in the Domain. This can lead to Boons such as increased Herd and even Tenancy for the Clan.