Dropping Bodies: Homeless Encampment

[Jennifer Hazelton]

An aspect of Jennifer was that she used past mistakes to fuel her drive and to prevent any future embarrassment. She dressed reinforced clothing from her time as Reeve's assistant, complete with running shoes. Over which she wore her reinforced leather coat. A finger brushed the rip that had been mended, the tear caused by Angela the Poacher’s attack.
Upon her right hip she wore a sheath with the fixed blade black combat knife. A gift from Castor Drake's knife fighting lessons. The Nosferatu strums her Blood Gift, hiding the knife.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-11 17:41:02	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to touch of shadow (10 Again)	4, 7, 2, 1, 5, 10, 1	1 success

At her back within a sheathe sewn into the interior her leather jacket, she wore a Bowie knife. She hid that with the Blood Gift.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-11 17:42:59	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to touch of shadow (10 Again)	7, 4, 10, 3, 9, 6, 9	3 successes

On her back, she wore a small leather backpack containing her throwaway phone on silent containing Liam’s disposable phone number, a flash light, duct tape, a newly purchased roll of three white wash cloths, mace canister, Leatherman tool with knife and screwdriver and an emergency escape tool (seat belt cutter and window breaker). There were also three business envelopes, designated by different postal stamps. One containing a $50 bill, one $100 in small bills and one containing a few Visa cards in small denominations, total $300.
Liam dropped her off by the overpass near JC’s Old Haven, checking that his phone was on to receive her message calling him back. “I’ll walk over to the small gas station first,” Jennifer says to him. “-I’ll only call you directly here if there is trouble. Don’t linger, take the car and fill up at that gas station. Look for any signs of trouble that would remove that as a meeting spot. Drive around there, don’t attract attention.”
Jennifer moves around behind the car wheel, crouches and pulls the Cloak on. Standing, she awaits by the car to see if Liam indicates that he sees her.

6 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-11 17:46:24	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 9 to Obfuscate (10 Again)	6, 8, 9, 10, 1, 2, 10, 7, 2, 8, 8	6 successes

The ghoul waits for about five minutes and then departs. The Nosferatu walks over near the Haven, calling out softly to not alarm JC. No one appeared.
Jennifer moves with alert caution to the homeless encampment. The Gift of the Blood would hide most of her actions, yet she remains alert. The woman who was captured was a Mekhet, Jennifer believed, due to her noticing the hidden observers and using the Gift that sang in the veins of Nosferatu and Mekhet. Perhaps she had Sire or childer here. Jennifer finds a place to observe the homeless encampment, near a path worn by frequent walking. She waits, listening.

[Seryna]

The night is active around the encampment. There is a central clearing that two paths run towards. Within this clearing, there are three large fire circles, established in a circle of rock and safely confined. A variety of seats are around these fires - camping chairs, wooden dining chairs, even a few padded, glamping style camping seats. The fires are unlit at this hour. Three young man stand by the central fire, deep in conversation. About a dozen others move between the dozen of tents set up in a semi circle around the central clearing. Some drink from flasks, some hold steaming mugs, talking in pairs or small groups.
After about an hour of observing these Kine, a newcomer walks into the clearing from one of the paths.

The newcomer is well proportioned and fit. Her arms are strong and her shoulders are broad. She is dark skinned, wearing a red winter jacket and black pants, brown leather hiking boots. She wears a silk head scarf in violet, protectively woven over her hair. Locs brush her shoulders.

The people casually check this woman out, soft discreetly. Some conversations hitch as the conversationalists watch to see what happens. The three young men observe her. The tallest man, who walks with a hitch in his right leg, moves to join the conversation in front of the red tent. Two women are sitting in front of the tent. These women have been watching the comings and goings of the camp. The man takes an empty chair, and the white haired woman leans in to say something quietly to him.
The two remaining men hail the woman.

"Lottie, right?" Asks the man with olive skin tone, who stands around 5'8''. He wears a dark black rain coat and worn grey tennis shoes. The second man is about 6 feet tall, with a rounded belly and a slight hunch to his posture. He is white, with brown hair peeking out from a black wool cap. The three make small talk for a few minutes, suggesting that each are acquintances that know each other on sight, yet are not well known to one another. Lottie is asked where she has been, as she has not been seen in a few days. Lottie says

• That she has been staying with a friend
• The friend and she working at a night club for a few nights
• She has not been able to locate her friend, Angela, in two nights. Have they seen her? Lottie describes Angela. The description matches the poacher that Kindred captured and turned over to authorities

The man who had removed himself to talk to the women joins the group. He says something quietly, and guides Lottie over to the two women who sit.

The others are beginning to return to their activities. Some turn into the tents, some lighting electric lights within. Some settle around the campfire, passing tins containing dried jerky or cookies around the group.
The two women speak in quieter tones. This appears to be a casual interview. The younger woman asks Lottie questions. The older woman is quiet. Watchful. The man stands nearby, watching over the entire camp. Vigiliant.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer's dark eyes track the moving players, attempting to mark which were influential in the encampment. The three men attracted her attention at first. Yet the two women who were sitting by the ten, blankets on their laps, attracted her attention. They appeared to be in conversation. Yet the older woman was marking the locations of the three men in the center of camp. The younger woman was watching the paths. Was she marking who entered camp? Jennifer wondered.

Jennifer made mental notes of the conversation with Lottie, especially what information Lottie was offering. Jennifer was hesitant to believe whatever Lottie was saying, as she was setting Angela up as a friend. Mortals were not friends of Kindred. Was Lottie a ghoul? A human being influenced to give their information to Angela? It appeared that Lottie was concerned enough to reach out to people that she did not know well. Now that the action was farther away from the quiet bunch of brush by the side of the path that Jennifer had set herself up at, Jennifer had to move. She marked where people were. Then scanned the folks by the fire, looking for signs that the fire was being lit. She marked a box of matches sitting atop of a metal coffee can. Steeling herself that the flames might be lit, she made a wide circle around the three fire pits. She moved to about twenty feet from the tent with the Matriarchs, which is what she dubs the two women.
With her peripheral, she watches the matches so that she won't be surprised. Jennifer focuses her hearing and focus on the conversation with Lottie. The questions are basic, getting to know you. Although Jennifer makes a mental note on the questions asked, and the answers given.

Jennifer gives a quick glance to the sky, marking the position of the moon. It hasn't been too long.

[Seryna]

Five minutes tick by. Ten. The Nosferatu remains still, watching the tent with the three seated woman and the one man standing within conversational distance. The two women who appear apart of the camp navigate deftly, asking questions and sharing information in turn. They call this camp 'Feather River' from a time when they camped down near the Feather River tributary. This is their winter camp, for when the River is too cold to camp near. They house around fifteen people here normally, and many people hold jobs.

Lottie questions if anyone had seen her friend. The standing man offers that he had seen someone matching that description awhile ago, walking around by the overpass. He mentioned that he had gone to speak to her, yet she had slipped away when he had not noticed. He mentioned that she had seemed fine - dressed for the wather and not appearing in distress. Lottie thanks the group and stands, looking out the way that she had come. After a few minutes of goodbyes exchanged, Lottie walked in the direction of the overpass where Angela had been seen last.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer remains still and silent, mentally taking notes on all the information that the mortals provide. She doesn't personally know this group of people, yet she does speak to the displaced people who live near the university. She could always expand her influence. The drive to seize more influence among the mortal world was strong.

Jennifer frowns a bit. The man had seen Angela near where the confrontation had occurred. Had he seen anything that he shouldn't have? Jennifer made a note to come spy here tomorrow.
Yet her target was on the move. Jennifer resumes her stealthy shadowing of the mortal. She was thankful for the family Gift that made this assignment possible.
Jennifer is focused on the mortal as they walk over to the area where the kindred confronted Angela.

Jennifer wondered what the plan was. Angela clearly wasn't here. What was the mortal doing? Jennifer began to consider what to listen for if 'Lottie' called for help. Clearly she would need to move to another location.

And due to the location, it was likely going to be by car. Jennifer did not have another follow car to pursue. She made a plan to observe any identifying information about the woman's transportation.

[Seryna]

The woman studies the area around where the skirmish had taken place. She seems unware that she is under watch. The woman begins to walk in a grid - straight lines back and forth. She pulls out a large, lighted magnifying glass from her backpack. She proceeds to slowly move over the area, inspecting the ground.

Around every ten steps, she looks up and glances around her. Studying the surroundings. She appears to take great care studying the area and even the ground that she inspects.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-06 19:48:55	Storyteller rolls 6 to Investigation (10 Again)	9, 6, 3, 1, 6, 10, 4	2 successes

The woman takes a knee and studies an area of ground. She pulls out a plastic bag from a pocket and pockets something very small from the ground into the bag. She secures it in her pocket. Lottie resumes her study of the ground, walking in a grid pattern and kneeling every so often to inspect the ground with her lighted tool.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer remains in the shadows. Absolutely still in the way a corpse can be. Watching. Waiting. As she does so, she studies the woman's movements to see if she can spot the method.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-10 14:17:00	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to Wits + Composure (10 Again)	5, 3, 2, 2, 4, 5	failure

Yet she cannot deduce the woman's method, beyond looking for signs of something. Much like the way forensics investigate a crime scene. Although she wasn't entirely certain on the location, as she was not centered on where the conflict with Angela happened. Jennifer makes a mental note that Lottie had found something.
Jennifer moves a bit closer and spends time studying Lottie. Her movements. Her build. The way she carried herself. Then her face and facial features. Jennifer spent several minutes committing this to memory.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-10 14:17:11	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to remember (10 Again)	5, 10, 7, 10, 6, 10, 1, 3, 9	4 successes

Jennifer remains observing while Lottie continued her strange investigation. Yet the woman suddenly packed up her gear and moved out, Jennifer in close pursuit.

[Seryna]

The woman completes her careful grid crawl. Lottie secures her tools and walks off on one of the small trails. She approaches an older model Honda with a clear license plate. She enters the vehicle and departs for parts unknown.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer follows the mortal to her car, grateful that the Blood Gift assisted her in remaining undetected. The Nosferatu focuses on the car as the woman makes preparations to leave. She focuses on notable identifying marks on the car - license plate, dings, any personal touches.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-10 20:59:40	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to remember 2 (10 Again)	3, 9, 7, 6, 1, 10, 7	2 successes

The car departs, and Jennifer remains behind. It would be pointless and a waste of Vitae to chase after her ina vehicle without a second follow car. She adhered to the agreed upon observe only tactic. Jennifer remained cloaked as she removed herself from the area. She recalled that the man seemed to be watching this area enough to have noticed Angela. Jennifer did not want to be on the radar. Certainly not in association with Lottie, who Jennifer suspected. Mortals were not friends with Kindred, Jennifer reminded herself. Was Lottie a ghoul?
Would she be a breach? Time to take this to the team.

[Seryna]

Jennifer was able to get the license plate of the car. Although she could not clearly remember the details of the car beyond the color and model once she departed the area.