Necropolis Now

[Alice Hart]

Alice chose, in the tradition of leading Haunts to the Necropolis to lean on a very specific lamppost. Having called her Cousin and Priscus, the Lady Jennifer Hazelton , and prearranged this meeting, one long overdue in both of their estimates, Alice thought, none of the Family should completely miss each other like they have in their dealings with the Necropolis, and so, a meeting was called.

Alice leans and the yellow lamplight spills around her, making the Doll's pale pallor and ghostly locks gleam out as a beacon. Amethyst sunglasses were on their perch, and her prop-folding cane was held loosely in a bone pale hand.

She hums something in her hollow voice, the night air swallows it up, and the ghoul ever in the Doll's shadow, now stands in the lamppost's.

Seryna

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Good evening to you, Cousin." Jennifer greets warmly, her voice raspy and hoarse.

The Nosferatu is dressed practically - no formal length gowns and carefully coordinated wraps with spider pins composed of precious stones tonight. She wears an outfit from her college guise - practical athletic shoes in black, loose black leggings and a eggplant purple tunic. An inexpensive necklace featuring a miniature ceramic book nestled in a glass bottle hangs around her neck. They are just so cute and precious, in her eyes. A purple and cream silk scarf decorated with fanciful butterflies in purples, pinks and blues is tied about her neck, artfully concealing yet looking so cute with the coordinating tunic.

She wears a small backpack, a deviation from her messenger bag.

"How have you been? It has been too long."

[Alice Hart]

"Good evening Cousin." Alice responds in kind, she feels the serpentine voice slither through her eats and sink it's fangs into her brain. It's the farthest thing from pleasant, but she's offers a too-wide, too-fake smile in response. This was her Cousin, and of all the Clans, Nosferatu knew the meaning of family.

"I've been alright, and yes, it has been far, far too long." she agrees pushing off from the lamppost. She's wearing a nice looking summer dress, in a soft lavender exposing her bone pale pallor to the night, as she leads herself forward with the cane she didn't need. "How have you been since we last spoke?"

Alice feels like the Wraith wants to react, they both knew Hazelton is Kindred, but the women's skill in Obfuscation is at least on par with her own and so, there is a void where wrathfearhateterror might reside.

She steps forward upon the sidewalk, cracked and neglected on this side of town. She'll begin to lead her Cousin towards the familiar distention of the Necropolis' Aboveground Haven. They'll venture blocks away from the lamppost, towards the neighbourhood of forgotten houses, unclaimed and abandoned until they reach one such house.

Faded, peeling siding, crooked and missing shingles. Wooden features, nearly rotted through, broken steps, with nails, rusted and sticking dangerously out form the boards.

But first, they would need to get there.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"I have been well, thank you for asking. Trying to get things all in order for my achieving my goals. Thankfully, one monumental obstacle in my learning for my _ political party_ has been smoothed out."
Jennifer has taken in Alice's dress with an appreciative smile. It was a very nice look. Perhaps she should get a few nice summer dresses for herself. The Nosferatu fell in step with her clan sister, eager to discover the Family's Necropolis. She turns her head, scanning the area as they move. She needs to recall how to locate the Necropolis. In her bag she's brought a few things she wants to test out for maintaining the security of the Necropolis.

She appreciates that the ambiance itself could be a good means of keeping the Necropolis safe. Jennifer's brown eyes tick over the steps with care, noting the dangerous spots as she moves.
"This could be a nice little bit of security." She mentions. She mentions to see if there was anything Alice wanted to see in better maintenance.

[Alice Hart]

"It gladdens my heart to hear your success." Alice says, her flat voice in opposition to the slithering cadence of her Cousin's. "Though I am curious over the nature of those...obstacles." She asks without asking as they continue on.

"For our...home being within this neighbourhood...the neglect as been our anonymity." Alice says, considering, as she ascends the stairs. "Though, heightening our security wouldn't be remiss. Anything to act as a deterrent." She says, already planning on adding more nails, perhaps even broken glass. Things to hurt trespassers, and warn the Nosferatu. Kindred can never be to careful, and the Clan of Haunts needed to take extra precautions.

Leading her Cousin through the house, she will see more of the same. Careful neglect. Dust and debris, and on their way passed the living room, a moldy old couch and an obvious blood stain, with patches of orange fur...and oh, leading away is a small animal body. "I learned this, from Gilroy, who was Priscus when I came to Sacramento. There was a pail of animal corpses, kind are squeamish around such things."

She walks towards a carefully hidden corner, natural angles and shadows hide the entrance, and it's obvious cleanliness. A thick metal door, with a thick chain and a padlock. Alice places her key within the lock, and opens the door. Easily she descends upon the metal grated stairs leading her Cousin down and down and down....

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Mostly its Covenant issues," Jennifer shares. "I required a specific teacher and an investment of time. The time now needs to be spent, but it will be well spent." Jennifer is in good spirits as she replies.

Jennifer makes a face at the pail of animal corpses. Kine might be squeamish about it, and she wasn't enthused about it.
"I brought some security items that I wanted to test out." Jennifer shares, indicating her backpack.
"I would appreciate being able to spend some time on ensuring the security of the Necropolis. Is there anything you would like me to address first?"

Jennifer attends Alice closely as she navigates the thick door and the lock. The Nosferatu follows Alice down into the Necropolis.

[Alice Hart]

She nods, learning more of whatever it was that Hazelton wished, was better then some possibilities that came to mind, "For a moment I was worried there was something I hadn't known that was causing obstacles, that needed to be dealt with."

Alice considers, for a long moment, even as they continue downward, she doesn't speak until they're safely within the Caldarium. Concrete benches sit along the wall while dim lighting makes sure the bathhouse remains soft and almost dream like. Far away from where most Kindred would casually come in contact with are small tealights. Their flames, twinkling merrily, unknowing that they could set fire to the Kindred if they are not respected. There is a deep pool, it's own pool lights, brightening up the dim, fire warmed glow of the space.

Alice continues forward, toeing off her shoes before she simply sits at the edge of the pool, and sliding her feet into the water.

"I think, extra security would be lovely. We do need it. I would hate for Our place, this crumbled Kingdom Deep, were to be found. By either Kine or Kindred. You're good with computers aren't you?"

[Jennifer Hazelton]

She nods slightly to indicate that she is actively listening to Alice even as she glances around, appreciating the value of their own place.
"Oh, I wouldn't keep that from you." She assures her Clan mate. "If there were something bothering me, I will tell you."

OooOOooh benches. Jennifer gives a small smile as she nears the benches, carefully looking around at the Caldarium. She observes Alice for a moment before placing her backpack down as she sat besides Alice. She slips her shoes and socks off to follow Alice's example. The Nosferatu lifts her eyes to look about, still somewhat in wonder.
"This is a wonder." She says quietly.

"Yes, I am." Jennifer replied to Alice's question. "I trained as a White Hat - someone who deters Black Hat hackers from accessing networks. I have continued my training by posing as a college student occasionally to test that my coding is still relevant."
She tears her eyes from the room to look at Alice.

"Did you have something in mind with computers? I feel that I am competitive. I hate to sound immodest, but I don't want to give the wrong impression. "

[Alice Hart]

"Thanks," Alice nods, it's the same awkwardly strings pulled thing. "Would that be because I'm a Cousin, or because I'm Senechal?" Alice asks, the teasing tone twisted and forced.

She doesn't duck her head, she's long passed such outward displayed of nerves, but she does nod. Jerking and strings pulled. "It was originally Gilroy's design. When he left....I had to follow through. Though I never really got to see the finished product, but I think I know it more intimately then any pair of eyes could." she kicks her feet, feeling the water ripple, and the splash up.

"Smart. Things change all the thing, doubly so with technology and the internet.' Alice hadn't been dead for all that long, but she knows that were she as she is even a decade ago things would have been much harder for the blind haunt.

"I don't know, exactly what I want. I'm not computer illiterate, but I know that I'm no where near your skill. Sadly the closest I've been to hacking is getting a lucky guess on a password I've forgotten." she admits, vaguely sheepish, or as sheepish as her Curse would allow. "Is there anything dealing with security and the mystery world of computing that comes to mind?"

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer turned to look at the Doll, her eyes looking at her cousin's eye sockets. She thought about the reason deeply for a moment in silence.
She believed Nosferatu had the closest-knit families, due to how isolating their Curse could be. She recalled her issues with a Daeva in the past. "Can I tell you something?” She requested. “Confide a bit of my history to say a bit about why I think you inviting me to the Necropolis is special?


I still recall when I heard through the grape vine a beautiful Kindred remarked ' I hope he doesn't give her a public voice." She said quietly. "I was hurt. It isn't easy for people to speak to me at times. I spent the first five years of my Danse learning calligraphy and sending elegant letters, writing into Kine publications on my sphere of influence. I did not find my true confidence until here in Sacramento.
A Family member offered to fight me when I was shy to speak, thinking I was being snobbish and snubbing her. The family defended me, soundly. I felt... connected.


To your question on if it is because you are cousin or Seneschal: You are Family." She emphasized after a moment. "I... trust you. I hope that I can earn your trust.”
Jennifer says sincerely, still looking to Alice's face.


“I need to see what the connection is here. If we have a good connection, I could have all sorts of fun. I could hide speakers and cameras, to really convince folks we could have a dozen guards down here with eyes on everything.
We could rig alerts that tell us if someone is tampering.
Until I work on a network that’s protected enough, I wouldn’t mind old school rigs to defend our place. I brought a whole backpack of toys to try. Chains and hard to pick locks. Noise makers for alerting if someone goes somewhere, they shouldn’t.” A smaller voice.
“Even a sledgehammer to beat any would be interlopers.” She glanced to the candles out of the side of her eye.
“May I inquire if we have hidden a fire extinguisher nearby? I… I am a bit nervous around candles. I brought my extra extinguisher. I can’t sleep without one nearby.”