Joscelin Fitzthomas (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dredefulchilde) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
undergrounds2016-02-17 10:18 pm
dredefulchilde) wrote in undergrounds2016-02-17 10:18 pm
Entry tags:
If I had my way I would stay up here forever and never look down - February Open Post
Leaning from the balcony
Islington Nest, Early February - OPEN to vampires and vampire allies only
One hundred twenty years, almost exactly. That was how long it had been since Joscelin Fitzhomas had last been allowed in the Nest. He was surprised by how much had changed--he saw far more new faces than old--and how much had stayed exactly the same. Everything was so familiar; with the notable exception of the clothes everyone wore and the cell phones most now carried, it was almost as if he had not been deposed in a violent coup, been made to watch as every vampire he'd ever sired was killed in front of him, and had been banned for life.
Huh.
Well, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
He initially cast about for a familiar face, but quickly changed his criteria to a friendly one. He recognized many faces, of course, and he also recognized the openly murderous glares he was getting from every quarter. His reputation as a monstrous tyrant had apparently preceded him, because even vampires sired after his spectacular downfall didn't look terribly pleased to have him there.
Ah--a friendly face at last. Finally.
"Rough crowd tonight, hmm? It's almost as if they all remember my rather disastrous attempt at leading the Nest."
As if without a care
Kensington High Street, 14 February - OPEN
Ah, Valentine's Day. Chocolate and cards and plenty of soppy young couples drunk on wine and love and blissfully unaware that they were being watched by a small figure lurking in the shadows. After his embarrassing failure to feed on the American the previous night, Joscelin found himself quite ravenous. He stood a little away from the entrance to the Underground station, looking for an easy mark. It had been far too long since he'd had human blood, and even as old as he was his strength and speed were rather diminished because of it. Ah, there.
Quietly, he approached his chosen victim.
Wondering should I take the fall
Guilty Pleasures, 20 February - CLOSED to Kenzi
News around the Nest was that Jean-Claude had recently turned a pretty young girl. A former witch, even, to hear some of the younger ones tell it. How very interesting.
Joss felt it was his duty, as Jean-Claude's associate and even sometimes friend to investigate these claims and, if necessary, impress upon the newly made vampire the importance of her new situation as the progeny of the Earl of Poplar.
But mostly he was curious.
As strange, or even appalling, as the presence of a prepubescent boy in a strip club might have looked to the casual observer, this was hardly Joscelin's first time in Jean Claude's establishment. In fact, a nod to the bartender got him shown to his accustomed booth, hidden in a corner, and a large strawberry milkshake. If he was going to suss out the baby vampire, Guilty Pleasures was a good place to start.
And apparently his hunch had paid off. There she was, really not very far from where he sat. The others had been right--she was pretty.
"So it's you, then, is it?" He asked, more demanding than anything, putting out his small hand. "Joscelin Fitzthomas de Lisle, at your service."
Or should I take the stairs
The Jolly Roger, 29 February - OPEN
Leap years were somewhat less extraordinary to the admittedly ancient but Joscelin had always found himself fascinated with the idea of it, which came about far earlier than his own long-ago time. It was Aurelia who had first sparked his interest in all things antiquarian, when she was still alive, and in between telling him stories of Claudian Rome and her eventual journey to the newly established outpost of Britannia improved his paltry church Latin with the real thing.
He'd never admit it, of course, but he missed his sire desperately.
Because it was leap day, and because he still had yet to find a human surrogate parent who fit his exacting standards in brainwashed blood donors, Joss decided to debase himself by going to the local watering hole. Blood workers weren't ideal, but he had a bit of cash at the moment and it was far preferable to random drunks and stray pets. Despite his apparent age, certain others of his attributes had him quickly admitted to the back room.
Where he waited.
Islington Nest, Early February - OPEN to vampires and vampire allies only
One hundred twenty years, almost exactly. That was how long it had been since Joscelin Fitzhomas had last been allowed in the Nest. He was surprised by how much had changed--he saw far more new faces than old--and how much had stayed exactly the same. Everything was so familiar; with the notable exception of the clothes everyone wore and the cell phones most now carried, it was almost as if he had not been deposed in a violent coup, been made to watch as every vampire he'd ever sired was killed in front of him, and had been banned for life.
Huh.
Well, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
He initially cast about for a familiar face, but quickly changed his criteria to a friendly one. He recognized many faces, of course, and he also recognized the openly murderous glares he was getting from every quarter. His reputation as a monstrous tyrant had apparently preceded him, because even vampires sired after his spectacular downfall didn't look terribly pleased to have him there.
Ah--a friendly face at last. Finally.
"Rough crowd tonight, hmm? It's almost as if they all remember my rather disastrous attempt at leading the Nest."
As if without a care
Kensington High Street, 14 February - OPEN
Ah, Valentine's Day. Chocolate and cards and plenty of soppy young couples drunk on wine and love and blissfully unaware that they were being watched by a small figure lurking in the shadows. After his embarrassing failure to feed on the American the previous night, Joscelin found himself quite ravenous. He stood a little away from the entrance to the Underground station, looking for an easy mark. It had been far too long since he'd had human blood, and even as old as he was his strength and speed were rather diminished because of it. Ah, there.
Quietly, he approached his chosen victim.
Wondering should I take the fall
Guilty Pleasures, 20 February - CLOSED to Kenzi
News around the Nest was that Jean-Claude had recently turned a pretty young girl. A former witch, even, to hear some of the younger ones tell it. How very interesting.
Joss felt it was his duty, as Jean-Claude's associate and even sometimes friend to investigate these claims and, if necessary, impress upon the newly made vampire the importance of her new situation as the progeny of the Earl of Poplar.
But mostly he was curious.
As strange, or even appalling, as the presence of a prepubescent boy in a strip club might have looked to the casual observer, this was hardly Joscelin's first time in Jean Claude's establishment. In fact, a nod to the bartender got him shown to his accustomed booth, hidden in a corner, and a large strawberry milkshake. If he was going to suss out the baby vampire, Guilty Pleasures was a good place to start.
And apparently his hunch had paid off. There she was, really not very far from where he sat. The others had been right--she was pretty.
"So it's you, then, is it?" He asked, more demanding than anything, putting out his small hand. "Joscelin Fitzthomas de Lisle, at your service."
Or should I take the stairs
The Jolly Roger, 29 February - OPEN
Leap years were somewhat less extraordinary to the admittedly ancient but Joscelin had always found himself fascinated with the idea of it, which came about far earlier than his own long-ago time. It was Aurelia who had first sparked his interest in all things antiquarian, when she was still alive, and in between telling him stories of Claudian Rome and her eventual journey to the newly established outpost of Britannia improved his paltry church Latin with the real thing.
He'd never admit it, of course, but he missed his sire desperately.
Because it was leap day, and because he still had yet to find a human surrogate parent who fit his exacting standards in brainwashed blood donors, Joss decided to debase himself by going to the local watering hole. Blood workers weren't ideal, but he had a bit of cash at the moment and it was far preferable to random drunks and stray pets. Despite his apparent age, certain others of his attributes had him quickly admitted to the back room.
Where he waited.
Guilty Pleasures
She had just sat down a tray to take more drinks out to the clients when Joscelin introduced himself. Kenzi had to take a few moments to realize exactly what was happening because - child in strip club.
"Who what now?"
She blurted to his question before looking at his hand. It was so tiny.
"Kenzi. Malikov."
She shook it quickly, as if too weirded out by looking at child in this setting.
no subject
He took another look at the girl. "I must say, I was quite surprised when I heard that Jean-Claude had turned someone new. Excuse me for saying it, my dear, but you're not our gracious host's usual type, if you understand my meaning." For the many, many years Joss had known Jean-Claude, he had seen him take more beautiful young men under his wing than beautiful young women.
"It's all a bit strange at first, isn't it?" He asked Kenzi, not unkindly. "I hope the hunger isn't too unmanageable? I drank my way through an entire country manor, when I was first turned."
no subject
Drinking his way through a country manor? Kenzi couldn't even imagine ... actually she could and maybe that was the worst part... besides the fact that thinking about it made her throat stick when she tried swallowing. Talking would work right?
Kenzi shrugged and smiled uneasily against the sudden bloodlust.
"Strange is relative. I was a witch before this, so strange and unusual are pretty normal for me."
Not that being turned into the undead was too normal itself, but she had seen some really bizarre things in her day.
no subject
A witch, hm? Well, Jean Claude had always had a bit of a flair for the dramatic.
"I was as normal as they come, I'm afraid. Bastard son of the Bishop of Ely. Had no idea about vampires or witches or any of it. At least you were prepared? Goodness, I hope you were prepared. You, ah, chose this, didn't you?"
no subject
"Grown up in the weird, I think that counts as prepared...," still, there wasn't enough that could really prepare you for a slow and painful death. Which she still picked. Just to say goodbye.
"If you can call choosing life over death choosing. I guess that counts."
It might as well!
no subject
"Not much of a choice, then. My god, Jean Claude is so sentimental. Did you ask him to do it, or did he offer to? He's quite the chivalrous night, our Jean Claude."
no subject
In the interest of stopping herself from getting remotely serious, Kenzi smiles and snorts in laughter as well.
"Does he seriously go up to the weak and dying in the street and offer immortality like that? Cause that's not a very wise business strategy...," Kenzi's eyes drift up to one of the men swaying around the pole and her eyes gloss over just a little. Hungry? Or horny? Who knows.
"Actually that might be a pretty sound practice."
no subject
But maybe that's because he never had much of one to begin with.
"You'd be the first I know of, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were the case," he says, slurping up the last of his milkshake.
"Just don't go around repeating the favor." Suddenly, he looks serious. "Creating a new vampire isn't something that's done lightly these days; he could have let you die and no one would have thought the worse of him for it. He put his neck out for you. I hope you've thanked him for the gift."
no subject
Kenzi didn't know if there was any ban on making new vampires - that wasn't something that was widely advertised in her circles at any rate. If JC was going to be in trouble because of her she wanted to make up for it.
There was some loyalty towards someone who saved your life.
no subject
"Vampire society is highly stratified. You're an infant so you haven't got a title yet. You're a nonentity. No offense." He says it in such a way that it's fairly obvious he wouldn't care if offense were actually given. "Then there's the barons, who've got a little power but it's really a rather meaningless title." Joscelin likes to pretend he doesn't care that he's been so demoted, but inwardly he chafes at the loss of power. But even to have come this far in so short a time is impressive. Coward's regime has been very beneficial to him so far, and he knows how to be patient. "After that comes the earls, who are the ones with more power in the Nest. They are allowed to sire new vampires and wear daylight jewelry. Jean-Claude's siring of you was not beyond his station, but it's still something that's quite controlled.
"It didn't necessarily used to be this way. I was sired during what I suppose you would call the Middle Ages. The Year of Our Lord Thirteen Hundred and Forty-Eight. It was a bit looser than."
He sighs.
"I used to be an earl. I haven't seen sunlight in over a century. It does get rather tiring to be always in the dark."
no subject
"Used to be?"
Kenzi attaches to that. How do you manage to fall from that sort of post when you're so old?
no subject
He laughs mirthlessly. "The same way Nicholas the Second went from being Tzar of Russia to being shot to pieces in a cellar in the space of only a couple of years. Regime change is, to borrow the vernacular, a bitch."
no subject
She'll get over it soon. Ish.
"It sounds so wrong when you say it."