Dropping Bodies: Diving In

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer considers Dirt Naps words.
" That's interesting to me. To not have goals and drives. He has to have a drive, a reason to keep socializing politely.
Do you think that he has good allies around Court? Besides Priscus Durant?
I have spoken with him about choosing a Covenant before. I do think that Covenants are important. Finding allies that share the same philosophy as you do is important. He kept his thoughts close to his chest, though.
I didn't get the sense that he was interested in the Invictus at all."

Elysium could be a minefield, yet it was necessary to stave off descent into madness and primal instinct of the Beast. And to continue to enjoy the Prince's protection.

"Do you recall anything about the plague cat?
I'm starting to wonder if waking the Poacher and interrogation might be the way to get answers.

That's another thing- we're going to need to feed the cat. Did you get anything from the cat when you were looking at it earlier?"

The scholar picks up another tome and wrote down the author, title of the book and a small notation of where she kept it in her tidy research library. The book was read for a few minutes, the Nosferatu completely quiet. She took a few quotes from the book down in her notes.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-08 13:06:44	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to Researching Cryptid (+2 occult library - 2 obscure topic) (10 Again)	5, 3, 5, 4, 2, 1	failure

[Seryna]

The Nosferatu seems to fill the page of the notebook for nearly ten minutes. Yet when she paused to read over, she discovered that what she thought was relevant, new information was the same that she had recorded earlier. Yet something worse was found on a minute of study- contradictions to the earlier texts that she had read earlier in the night.

Time ticks on. Some information had been found, yet would it be enough?

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods as Jennifer tries, in the most charitable way possible to interpret J.C.'s mind.

"I couldn't say without the facts." Dirt Nap says. "I can only observe that J.C. seems to understand making a choice means giving up what he doesn't choose, and he don't seem to be good at that."

He nods at Jennifer's suggestion to interrogate the poacher.

"I talked to it just the one time, and asked it what it eats. It answered with who feeds it, not what. It's master, not the poacher gal, feeds it. That's when I offered it my own vitae, to see if that's the kind it's used too. Seemed not." Dirt Nap says, thoughtfully.

"I do best with hands on experiments from trial and error to figure things out. Without the thing being here, I can't rightly say what it needs to eat to stay alive. My best guess would be that it's a normal thing, and eats normal food, when its master isn't possessing it."

"I don't know anything more about the Plague Cat. The Crone had it all to themself up at the farm. They were pretty secretive about it. Got into some trouble with the Prince over that, if I recall correctly."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"It can be a sign of immaturity." Jennifer muses aloud. "We can't have our cake and eat it, too. I learned that in the first few years of my Danse. Suppose I might bring it up after we solve this problem." Jennifer thinks quietly for a moment.
"Do we think its like a pigeon? It goes back to its' master once it's job is done? It did seem like she was following the cat, right?" She looked at Dirt Nap for his opinion. She made a note under her notebook on the cat - 'Cat may return to the master to be fed. As it answered the question 'what it eats' with who feeds it: the master'.
Jennifer returned to her tome, reading for a few minutes. She was quiet, absorbing information from the book. Yet thoughts of the investigation were still considered. Thought through carefully, trying to organize the facts into some sort of sense.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-10-11 01:30:07	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to Researching Cryptid (+2 occult library - 2 obscure topic) (10 Again)	10, 9, 10, 4, 8, 7, 4, 4	4 successes

"Got into trouble with the Prince over it?" Jennifer looked up from the book. That was curious. "Why go to the trouble of pissing off the Prince over a cat? Perhaps it was some occult magic." Jennifer mused.
"Sounds like we should bring it up with Mabel and see if she has an idea on if these were linked. I haven't seen her in a bit. Do you think Mabel would discuss the plague cat and compare it with this cat that feeds after Kindred?"

[Seryna]

The pages turn, dozens upon dozens over this night. Yet this time, the Nosferatu makes a connection between the different bits of information. Some witches use familiars as a means of attaining various powers, yet there was no proof this cat belonged to a witch. The second book that seemed to line up with the evidence also linked the creature to occultists. The cat was likely created by an occult means, or affected by some occult power. It was possible that it belonged to a witch or occultist. Yet what service would the cat be providing? For these occult creatures cost resources and therefore served a purpose.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods, listening to Lady Hazelton, Jenna's theorizing. One theory is as good as another, without being able to test them in the field, to his mind.

To her theories about J.C., Dirt Nap says, "I couldn't say. My general impression is that J.C. is mature enough, except when he's not. That tends to make me think he's unstable instead of immature. I wouldn't put to much stake on that impression though; not really enough evidence to say for certain, I think."

To Jenna's theory about the cat, Dirt Nap nods and says, "It did seem to me too like the Poacher was following the cat. After we J.C. caught hold of it and stuffed it into the cage, it was an entirely different natured cat, by my observation. I already put my two cents in; that the cat was under the influence of the Master more directly before, and less after, acting pretty much like an ordinary cat by the time we got it here."

To Jenna's theory about the reason for the Crones' defiance of the Prince in not handing over the so called 'Plague Cat' when they had it, Dirt Nap shrugs. "I think it was pretty much all the doing of the leader that came before Hierophant Wood. I doubt he filled her in on his reasons, whatever they were. I asked Mable about the thing a little while ago, and she told me it starved to death and not much else. I think it would be good if you asked her about it yourself, all organized like." He agrees.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Shall we call on Mable tomorrow evening?" Jennifer proposed. She wondered who would to Edward on if he found anything out.
"I'd rather not have to endure Edward's presence." She makes her preference clear. She does refer to Edward by his first name, stripping him of any respect shown. After his display in her Haven this evening, she does not hesitate to do so.

"Although, the hour grows late. I shall make preparations for the Daysleep. You are welcome to pass the day here, of course. We can begin our investigation together, tomorrow evening. I have some ideas. Although we may need to interrogate the Poacher."
It was sounding like the better idea. Although Jennifer was curious if talking to other citizens of the Domain could yield information, if they knew more about occultists and their practices with familiars. She thought on the picture JC had discussed. Perhaps a pressure point, or another avenue to explore. It certainly seemed as though the child had a unique name. She would attempt that tomorrow, for it grew late.

Thanks for the interesting conversation! We have reached the end of the thread, do let me know if you want to begin the next thread with Dirt Nap and Jennifer together