The Seneschal's Office Hours

[Jennifer Hazelton]

The office of the Seneschal was decorated in high quality dark wood pieces. A large book case presided over the room with a variety of books which included classic English and Italian literature. A large and well laid out desk faced the door with a straight-backed chair in Jennifer's place. Two comfortable arm chairs faced the desk. The desk had been cleared of any paperwork and was neat. A keen eye could see a gift that Priscus Jack had given Jennifer in prime place of honor on the desk.
Jennifer sat behind her desk, awaiting Priscus Schneider. A dark-haired ghoul in a tailored suit stands near the desk, a pad of paper and pen on the desk near him. Most Kindred should recognize Liam, the Seneschal’s ghoul.


Jennifer sat at her desk within her office. She wore a less formal dress than she would wear to Formal Court. Yet it was in line with her personal style of adhering to the Florentine Code.

[Otto Schneider]

The Priscus of Clan Ventrue softly rapped his knuckles against the door to the Seneschal's office before entering, bowing to Jennifer in a manner befitting her status in the Domain. "Good evening, Seneschal Hazelton." Otto's tone was respectful as he approached the Nosferatu's desk, standing next to one of the armchairs. He nodded towards Liam, acknowledging the Ghoul's presence. There was a soft rumbling in his head as the Beast voiced its displeasure, but it was easily quelled. He was familiar with the Seneschal by this point and something about the fastidious, formal arrangement of her office made it that much easier to control his negative impulses.

He was dressed in his usual navy suit and tie, accompanied by a pin on his breast pocket signifying his Covenant. He did not sit, though he put a hand on the arm of the chair, as if awaiting permission. He eyed Liam again, though said nothing. "I apologize if I am thinking of the wrong occult matter, but did you wish to discuss the matter plaguing the park? For what it is worth, Priscus Silvers and I are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Good evening, Priscus Schneider." Jennifer's sibilant voice slithered in the space between the two. She gives a nod of respect to one who is acknowledged in the Domain of Sacramento.

"Do take a seat." She states as she looks across the desk at her guest. He would note that her desk is neat, no papers or delicate information is left to be perused by a curious eye. It is Jennifer's face that briefly adopts a curious aspect as she raises an eyebrow at Otto for a brief moment. Her countenance is smoothed into one of calm repose as she regards the Priscus.

"Let us speak of the matters that you have knowledge of." Jennifer invites, the Curse slithering into the dark recesses of the office. The Nosferatu looks a Otto directly.

[Otto Schneider]

The Priest quietly took his seat, gripping both arms of the chair as he looked on at his host. "Thank you, Seneschal." He wore a neutral expression, trying to keep his tone even and calm as he recounted what information came to mind. "As I said, Priscus Silvers and I are attempting to resolve the situation at the park to ensure that there are as few prying eyes as possible."

He drummed his fingers on the end of the arm of the chair as he considered how best to phrase his report. "An unquiet soul has been attached to this park, and its activities have been drawing unwanted attention. We attempted to exorcise it but only managed to weaken it for a time. It seems to be bound by a remaining grudge against its killer, who is named as 'Alaric.'" The Priest considered what he'd shared so far, making sure that he hadn't neglected anything relevant. "When Priscus Silvers and I were last at the park, there was a young man with that name. I separated him and under my... compulsion he all but confessed to the murder. It was close to sunrise when we tried to leave, but some private security insisted that ID was required to leave the premises. I managed to bribe them off, but I'm concerned about who is giving a private entity the authority to make such demands."

He paused for a moment before remembering a final detail that the Seneschal might want to know. "I nearly forgot to mention, there's a kine that appears to have genuine occult insight... Madame Bella, I believe her name was? She's a self-professed medium who has drawn a bit of attention to the area, but she also seems to have legitimate knowledge of some parts of the occult. For instance, she contributed with her own ritual when we attempted the exorcism. Weare trying to keep an eye on her while we resolve the haunting ourselves." The Lord absently tightened his tie. "That was an abridged summary of what has occurred since we encountered the spirit at the park." Finishing his lengthy account of the haunting of the park, the Ventrue Priscus folded his hands in his lap, prepared to answer any questions Jennifer might have.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

A leatherbound notebook and fine pen are picked up as Jennifer takes notes as Priscus Schneider speaks. At the conclusion of his information, the pen is set down. She takes a moment to read over what she has writen of the Priscus' efforts.
"What have you discovered about this security company? Do you have any specific names that could be pressured for allowances?
Tell me more about these mortals. All of your information that you have gathered, regardless of how relevant it may be. It may be a small matter that is very telling."
Jennifer picks up her pen as she waits.
"Can you remind me of when this supernatural occurrence was first observed?" Jennifer inquired.
"The longer that this goes unresolved, the greater likelihood that this will be observed and recorded among the kine."


Jennifer is thoughtful as she considers all that has been stated. "There must be a clear resolution to this matter."

[Otto Schneider]

Otto nodded, eyes shifting slightly to the side as he tried to recall as many details as possible. He had never intended to withhold relevant information, but now he was explicitly trying to make sure he could conjure every last piece of minutia. "Alaric is a slightly tall, probably around 6 feet, younger, blonde. Conventionally attractive. Slightly cruel in temperament, even to his girlfriend in public. She was nervous and fearful, unremarkable in height, thin, a brunette." He paused before adding, "There was also an elderly woman with a camera, she appeared to be taking pictures of roses." He shrugged. "She seemed unrelated to the rest of the situation."

"I don't recall much about the security company; dawn was approaching, the ghost was agitated, and both Alaric and his current girlfriend, Tina, were both starting to come down from the effects of the Disciplines that Priscus Silvers and I employed. We were in a hurry to leave and shelter from the sun." There was a hint of frustration in his voice. "They've definitely been escalating, though. Months ago, there were a handful of guards, but they didn't really do much other than watch people come and go. Now, they have full checkpoints at the park exits. They claimed it was due to 'an increase of violence' in the city, but I don't believe it. The timing is too convenient, only showing up to guard this particular spot after rumors of poltergeists in the park." He shook his head, expression slightly relaxing. "The guards also specified that they worked for a 'reputable' company. Which makes me think that either it's a big name or they're the opposite of reputable."

As he again tried to recall information, the Priest slightly relaxed his posture as he thought back to the beginning of the whole affair. "I first learned about this affair shortly after coming to the Domain... late August of last year." The fingers on his right hand absently drummed against the armrest. "Yes, it was myself, Ms. Silvers and... the former Daeva Priscus." Otto briefly grimaced, unsure if that topic was a particular sore spot but unwilling to leave it out. "There had been scattered accounts of a ghost in the park, but nothing really credible. Teenagers spreading rumors, for instance. Ah, on that note, when we last visited the park, there were a gaggle of youths waving a phone camera around. I... persuaded them to delete the footage, but it only reinforces your point about needing to settle this quickly. Anyway, I was skeptical at first, but when I saw words appear in solid stone and then physically throw the medium to the ground. A companion of hers, Diane, mentioned that they were trying to get some sort of artifact to help. I still have her business card, actually."

With precision and care, Otto reached into an inner coat pocket and pulled out a leather business card catalogue. He then through the contents individually before retrieving one and leaning forward in his chair to place it on the Seneschal's desk. It read: "Diane Antiques Broker 555 – 3151 Dianesgotit@email", along with a handwritten address on the back. "She arranged a meeting with a Mr. Garter. A very strange man, but ultimately cooperative. He had a genuine antique rosary, which he implied would be effective against ethereal beings. We haggled and I bought the piece from him, which I still possess in storage. We acquired the assistance of a kine that had claimed to have successfully performed an exorcism before, a woman named Kristen, as well as the Roman and the former Mekhet Priscus." Now that he thought about it, this affair with park had outlasted at least three Priscii and most prominent members of Clan Mekhet. It needed to end.

"The attempted exorcism was a mixed success. Obviously, it did not resolve the problem, but it did seem to cause the wraith to abate, for a time. There was a security guard there who was nearly... possessed? Drained? I don't know what exactly, but it looked like a living shadow was trying to force its way into her body. Unfortunately, at least three kine were witness to the events of that night, Kristen, who we reluctantly used out of necessity, the medium who showed up by surprised in spite of her injuries, and the lone security guard that was attacked by the ghost."

He sighed and rubbed his temples, glad to at least be nearing the end of his account. "I should also add, Priscus Silvers and I never intended to keep this matter a secret. We initially didn't report anything because we naively believed we could wrap things up in an evening. But after that night it became clear that something supernatural in the park would continue to draw unwanted attention and we decided to inform the Reeve. That is more or less a full accounting of every major encounter with the thing haunting the park until now." The more junior Priscus allowed himself to slouch slightly in his chair before folding his hands in his lap. "I am in no way an expert in the matter of banishing ghosts, but I have done my level best. I hope at least some of this is helpful."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer was quiet for a long moment. The moment stretched as she considered the information that had been shared. The pen made bullet points of the information in neat and orderly tables.

"Camera- she did not aim that in your direction?" Jennifer clarified.
"I have an interest in the security personnel. The force barred your exit, technically." She looks meaningfully to Priscus Schneider.
"Increase in violence in the city. Have you noticed anything that would be interpreted as violence?"
Jennifer looks at the card and records the information in her notes.
"This Diane could be interesting.
Is there anything more there?"

"You never intended to keep the matter a secret." Jennifer paused with the pen over a page. She looked across the table to the Priscus of Lords.
"The Reeve was informed and advised you? How is the guidance that you have received?

Are you and Priscus Silvers clear on what you are planning to do?"

[Otto Schneider]

Otto took the questions one at a time, intent on making sure he addressed each concern as thoroughly as he could.

"As far as I am aware, she did not. She seemed primarily concerned with the flowers in the park."
"Yes, if we hadn't been short on time I might have challenged them on it." He frowned as he probed his memory for relevant incidents. "Possibly... In investigating a separate matter for the Reeve, there was a report of a murder in a local park. There have also been concerns about abductions. That's actually what started the investigation in the first place. Now, there are organized neighborhood watches meant to look out for such cases." The Priest sighed. "Certainly, these are valid reasons to be concerned about violent crime, but I don't see why private security would be seen as preferable to law enforcement."
He shrugged at the question regarding Diane. "She seemed... earnest. Frankly, I was surprised that she appeared to believe in the supernatural without being totally immersed in the occult. I am both cautious and curious about how much she actually knows."

He nodded at the next point. "I wrote a report to the Reeve about three months ago, informing her of everything that had occurred up to that point. A few weeks after that, we spoke on the phone briefly to see if she could provide information about Alaric. It was inconclusive, though she promised to continue looking. I haven't spoken to her about this most recent incident, though I believe Priscus Silvers provided her a written report." Unless the Seneschal intended to discuss the matter with the Reeve, he'd probably end up giving Helen a call in the near future anyway.

The Lord pursed his lips for a moment before answering the last question. "Currently, we plan to meet at my Haven to discuss our next steps. I can inform you of what comes of that meeting before we act, if you wish."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Yes, I recall. The matter of the murder that the Gangrel Whip and Mr. Roman were involved in. The perpetrator there is buttoned up. It is very possible that the murder has frightened the Kine. We must always be careful and perhaps," A meaningful look. "-wary of frightening the Well.
Organized neighborhood watches?"
Jennifer permits an eyebrow to rise.

"To your knowledge, who is aware of these Watches?"
"Diane could be a good contact. Perhaps cultivated into an ally. If you put a little of attention or money in the person, you could get a useful person that you can rely on.
Do you feel that she has any other information that you could use?"
"Alaric- it would seem that is someone to be buttoned up." A meaningful look to Otto.

"Three months ago."
Jennifer made a note of the timeline and looked upon the notebook for a moment.
"You have made another report to the Reeve after this recent event that you have appraised me of?" Jennifer inquired.

"It would be a good idea for the matter to be resolved quickly. If you have a way to close the matter after your meeting with the Priscus of the Daeva, you should act upon it. You could place a call to me when you relocate to address the matter."

[Otto Schneider]

Otto raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar use of the word 'Well,' but said nothing. He had gotten the gist of what the Seneschal meant anyway. "The only individuals I know for certain are aware of the watches are myself, Reeve Kingsley, and a Kindred I hadn't met before... Jake, I believe. We all happened to be together when we encountered a patrol." The Priest idly drummed his fingers. "They were very open about their concerns over recent abduction. The patrols only started recently, to my knowledge, and the Reeve was there at the time, so I didn't feel the need to formally report to the Domain afterwards. Although..." He frowned a little. "I believe that they've been increasing their efforts. It may cause difficulties for those without a Herd to feed."

While it was natural for prey to become more alert if they realized that they were being hunted, it was a problem. Wary prey was harder to catch, which meant hungrier predators. And hungry Kindred made mistakes. "I intend to look into the neighborhood watches as well, when I am not otherwise occupied with the matter in the park."

The Priest managed to keep a neutral expression at Jennifer's musings about Diane, though his tone was guarded when he responded. "Yes, she could certainly be valuable if carefully managed. I may pursue that line of thought depending on her helpfulness regarding the haunting." Otto had a very wary position on associating with kine for reasons other than feeding. His willingness to do so was generally proportionate to the individual's disbelief in the occult. However, he had to admit that he was tempted agree with Jennifer about Diane's potential utility. Though, I certainly wouldn't entertain turning her into a Ghoul.

"If when you say, 'buttoned up,' you mean that he should be quietly and permanently silenced, I agree." He frowned a little at the next question. "I haven't yet reported to the Reeve about this most recent event. I intended to compare notes with Priscus Silvers beforehand to review the relevant details." The Priest admitted to himself that he probably should have at least written a short letter about the matter to the Reeve. If additional details needed to be added, another message could be sent.

He nodded in agreement about ending the situation as quickly as possible. "I believe that both Priscus Silvers and I agree that resolving this matter is a priority." He was glad to hear that the Seneschal was willing to provide assistance. For one, he was sure that Jennifer's knowledge of the supernatural could prove useful. But it was also good to know that Domain leadership would involve themselves with matters of safety for Kindred.

"Ah... I've just remembered an unrelated question about the occult. May I ask you about something relating to Ghouls?"