Talk of the occult

[Jennifer Hazelton]

The two-story salon had an artistic styled sign across the entrance with the name Lotus. The location of the building, nestled on a walkway near other artistic stores. The lighting within the salon allowed one to see the space, yet was dim. When you move through the entranceway, a walk-in coat check where Liam waited to accept coats and accessories was to the left. The next door led to a small room with a few seats along the wall, yet mostly open space. This space was where ghouls and proxies were sent while business was conducted. A small hallway with two locked doors led to an upstairs area, reserved for a small office area for managing the salon.

Liam leads guests as they arrive down a hall. You leave behind the rooms that most of the members of the Invictus have visited: the small yet well-appointed study. The meeting room specifically designed for gatherings of the Invictus that had hosted the Oath Swearing ceremony of Whip o’Brien. Liam stops before the medium sized room with some artwork on the walls to reflect and converse on. Two large glass globes with small openings at the top were just before the hall. Within these globes, lotus flowers floated in clear water.

A look around the hallway before the room reveals a long table with a green tablecloth set up with some floral strands of White roses. One tray held small glass figurines of various roses, a small handwritten placard inviting Take one. One held small, exquisitely embroidered hand fans.
Jennifer waits within the medium sized room, looking over a painting that you cannot quite see until you step inside.
She is Blushed

Albert Baker Joshua Gonzalez

[Joshua Gonzalez]

Joshua would enter and follow Liam, the all to familiar feeling of his acknowledgement when he was at the Lotus last time reminded him of his nerves that day. But today he was a guest in some rather weird conversation, but it was good to keep relationships with fellow vampires of this new domain.

Joshua would appreciate all the artwork, it was good to have peaceful places like this, appreciate the beauty in life. Joshua would take the white rose and put it on his jacket, to make it semi fancy.

Joshua would walk over to Jennifer, and he would casually say "Good Evening Miss Seneschel, you look lovely this evening" Joshua was being as polite as possible, considering he was in someone's home, and his mother always told him to be polite to owners of a home.

[Albert Baker]

Al arrived a bit later, dressed in a grey suit as usual, though he had exchanged his usual tie for a green one and was using a cane to help with walking as he usually did when forcing himslef to appear alive (with all the ailments it brought back) and carrying a large suitcase in place of his briefcase. Thusly he shuffled into Lotus looking sickly pale and appreciated the artwork before taking one of the roses as a boutonniere.

Walking into the room where the others were he greeted them before bracing himself with the help of a chair.

"Good evening, Priscus Hazelton. Good evening, Mr. Gonzalez."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer walked towards her guests.
"Priscus Baker," A nod to show respect to his station. "-Mr. Gonzalez," A slight incline of the head.
"Welcome to Lotus, my Salon. Here we can talk freely, I have barred entrance to the public tonight. I intend to host intellectual debates and perhaps even lectures." Her eyes move over the room, as though seeing future events.

"Yet we have that pesky problem of people dissapearing." That look is directed at Priscus Baker. It is a direct look to Priscus Baker. One cannot avoid Jennifer's Curse. Her voice slithers like a serpent over dying autumn leaves. It affects every word.
"We began a conversation on the occult. Now that we have privacy, what are things that interest you?"
Her brown eyes light on you with interest.

[Joshua Gonzalez]

Joshua would give bow as he saw the Priscus, his beast stirred a bit he would do his muzzle it as Mr Baker walked in. "Priscus Baker"

He would give a deeper bow to the Seneschel as she walked over to her, and as she finished saying the Lotus was free he would say "Thank You for having me in your discussion, and for giving us a place to talk"

Joshua would look around at the artwork as the Seneschel looked directly at the Priscus. He knew she was directing the conversation at the Priscus but he would say. He would raise his hand toward them "If I may"

He would try not to twitch at the voice of the Seneschel "Where I am from, there is a story of young woman and young men who routinely disappear, as if almost in thin air, the locals say they are portals to a black city of both very beautiful and very ugly people, those that escape tell of blackish red food that makes you go crazy."

"Never was over there to investigate...may have been some criminals up to no good...could have been vampires? One will never know." There was a hint of a sigh in his voice as he wished to have seen it himself.

[Albert Baker]

Al thought for a while on the question what would interest him, before answering.

"Purely academical? I don't know anything about rituals and practices of the occultists belonging to traditional African and Native american religions. Alas there is little literature about it and the few I asked about those things back in the day kept silent about those matters."

Once again he thought, this time at the point of people disappearing, as he needed to ascertain whether it was the phenomenon he had been asked to look into or a different one. That was about the point of the question he asked Jennifer consequentially.

"Is it about the apartment complex I was asked to look into or is it a completely different matter, just happening at the same time coincidentally?"

Al listened intently to what Joshua had to say, taking a while to reply after he was done.

"That is an interesting story, Mr. Gonzalez and I agree that it is a pity it wasn't investigated."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

There are eight paintings arranged around the room, carefully arranged by size and style. One would note a variety of styles was present. The theme was open for interpretation.

PSYCHE Opening the GOLDEN BOX John William Waterhouse
Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses
Antonio Ciseri, Maddalena
Henri Guillaume Schlesinger’s 'The Five Senses
Five sense
Five sense
Henry Guillaume
The Souls Of Acheron By Adolf Hiremy Hirschl

Jennifer looked to Joshua."That is intriquing. There are people who have come here from the Phillipines. Have you considered interviewing them to see if they know more of the story? Is this where a good deal of your occult interest is stemming from?
"I would be curious about your progress in the investigation. I have moved from the investigation due to my new position, yet I have an interest.
I was specifically referencing to someone that we both have not seen in some time. Whip Wells. I wonder if he is well or if he has moved on. As he was an investigator, that could prove difficult."

[Joshua Gonzalez]

Joshua would look at The Souls Of Acheron and frown a bit as if he was remembering something. "I fear that it has more to do with Kindred and may accidentally end up stepping on toes of something that someone is hiding a massive conspiracy if I question to deeply if I get to close to that specific investigation from my country, however I am interested and would love to hear both your thoughts on how people can just disappear without a trace."

Joshua would then look at Psyche opening the Golden Box and smirked as if it was telling him to step on some toes, but he would look at his fellow kindred and smiled.

"Well I hope your friend is safe since you both seem worried about his whereabouts, or that could just be me adding friendly ties."

He hoped that whoever this person is that he would come back safely

[Albert Baker]

Al listened to the conversation, nodding and making mental notes.

"That indeed is a concern. There might be other kinds of... beings involved, though. It could be spirits of some kind, it is said they might be capable of such things, though that is an area I regrettably have little knowledge of. It could be lycanthropes, it could be some kind of Magic. At this point it could be a lot of things and it's hard to say."

Looking at the painting of Circe offering the cup he thought for a while, before speaking about the topic of Mr. Wells.

"Unfortunately I can't say at this pointwhether he has moved on or is just... not well. I'll look into his disappearance, of course, though I might need an assistant to look for clues in places where I can't go. You will get a report on it once the investigation is concluded."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"My first thought would be Blood Gifts." Jennfer stated to Joshua. "Many weak minded mortals make excuses when a Kinderd uses a Blood Gift before them. Perhaps some occult stories are silly, young Kindred?" Jennifer posed.
"Perhaps if you have an idea you wish to follow - and believe it has signifigniant merit- you could ask someone of high standing to accompany you." Jennifer suggested.

"Liam." Jennifer's dark haired ghoul stepped to one step behind his regnant.
"Please utilize Liam to look about if you wish. Whip Wells is my ally and I shall make every effort to assist you. If you feel you need a second, do call me and I shall make myself availiable. I believe looking at Whip Wells haven should be the first step.
Lycanthropes..." An involuntary grimace. "- do you know much about these creatures?"