[IC]Princes of the City

[Shady314]

Ia addresses Stan after his announcement.
Do you know of any other evidence recovered by the police?

[Nebuchadnezzar]

(Yes, it was a bit of a time skip, so as to queue up a couple of decrees.)

"My current knowledge of the recall is limited to what has been released to the public, but my agents will obtain in the morning specifics from the Office of the State Veterinarian's liaison with the FDA. The only thing I know about the break-in is that they appear to not have stolen anything."

[Shady314]

"Then they must have stolen something intangible or else planted something. Seth will need to check for surveillance equipment and Max for any magical residue. Are there any files or things of that nature to which someone may have gained access?"

[hyzmarca]

Verge pouts, "it's not really the same. I was looking forward to annoying the guests."

[Nebuchadnezzar]

(Yeah, you're right. Instead of Stan making an announcement assume that during social hour he speaks to everyone in turn. Sorry for jumping the gun.)

[Koumei]

Suzie nods to Memphis.

"In that case, you have our permission."

Her phone then buzzes, alerting her to a message. With the final newcomer dealt with, she checks the message.

"Oh dear. Well, if that is everything, I would discuss matters with the council here."

After the apparent timeskip, she brings the new matter up:

"We have other problems, too. There's been a murder, with the throat being torn open. The last thing we need is one of the livestock creating a stir and causing people to pay too much attention to possible vampirism - and we also can't rule out the possibility of werewolves."

[hyzmarca]

Verge perks up at the news. "Oohhh. A Murder Most Foul. An MDK. Our lovely San-Juneau metroplex has not had a murder-death-kill in ages. Perhaps it was our new fledgling, unable to control himself during his first feeding. Perhaps it was a monster of myth and legend released from a long-forgotten prison-tomb. Perhaps it was a villainous revolutionary out to overthrow our utopia."

He shrugs his shoulders.

"It was probably a drunken quarrel. It's always a drunken quarrel."

Verge whips out his phone, says, "I've got this," and speed dials the DA.

"Hey, how ya been. I just heard about the murder. Great news, huh? Well obviously not great. I mean, someone is dead and that's terrible. But it's something to do. I need to get into the crime scene and do my touchy thing. And talk to witnesses to do my 'you're lying, don't do that' thing. And the morgue to good-touch the corpse. I could also bad touch the corpse, but that's kind of gross and nothing useful would come of it."

[Ancient History]

Memphis leaves with a bow after getting permission to stay in Juneau from Suzanne, tapping his way out with his cane.

The DA answers, and agrees to give Verge whatever access he needs - Lt. Stoats is already on-scene, but forensics isn't on site yet. No witnesses have come forward yet, still waiting on an ID on the victim.

[Prak]

"Where was the body found?" Kel asks, finally having some way to contribute to things.

[radthemad4]

Seth enhances the video before playing it again for everyone, hoping it can reveal something previously unknown. He studies it himself as well.

Possibly relevant stuff:

Intelligence 5, Perception 3

Alertness 2
Intuition 3
Security 3

Computer 5
Investigation 3
Occult 3
Enigmas 3

Meticulous Planner: You may substitute Intelligence for Wits in any situation where your dedication may prevent you from being caught flat-footed or unprepared
Higher Purpose (Finding out what's really going on): You gain +2 dice on any roll that has something to do with this higher purpose.
Lightning Calculator: You have a natural affinity with numbers and a talent for mental arithmetic, making you a natural when working with computers or betting at the racetracks. All relevant rolls gain +2 dice.
Computer aptitude: All rolls involving computers are at -2 difficulty for you.

[Ancient History]

The video from the break-in shows a single masked figure dressed in black from head to toe - boots, gloves, a flat black mask with an image of a skull on it. The main video shows a back room storage area - the figure uses a large pair of snips to cut through the padlock on a cabinet, opens it, and begins rifling the drawers. Without removing any objects, they then proceed to the next two lockers and do the same thing before leaving. Other camera footage shows the culprit entering and leaving, using brute force and simple tools to cut through door locks and the like. The whole scene takes no more than five minutes - the culprit obviously knew where they were going and what they were looking for.

[/edit] The body was found on the University of Alaska campus in Juneau.

[Shady314]

Ia turns to Kel leaning on his crutch.

"It appears to me Sheriff that two may be a coincidence but three is a pattern. We should prepare for the possibility of a guiding hand behind these incursions. Would you agree? If so do any likely suspects occur to you? Also as our resident expert on werewolves does this murder seem likely attributable to them?"

At Verge's suggestion Ia nods.

"The fledgling perhaps. It is not uncommon. Though one as old as Tibiru should know well enough to clean up his child's mess and inform us. It is one of the reasons I hoped to get ahold of something belonging to him. So I might watch him on his first night. No matter. Do we yet know time of death? If so he might easily be ruled out. If not perhaps Seth can scroll through the surveillance logs and track his movements. See if he was near at the time of death. In fact we should check on all our new guests. Tracker has clearly given into frenzy before. History may have repeated itself."

"What about this mask? Does the skull mean anything to anyone? Is it a symbol or simply a common design? A local sports team?"

Towards Stan Ia asks
"Please refresh my memory. What do we keep within those drawers and lockers?"

OOC questions

Can we tell anything from the figure? What's their build? If they stood next to the lockers we should have a decent idea of their height. Is the mask like a ski mask? Hockey?

[Ancient History]

The figure in the video is short - about five feet, five inches - and seems to be of a light build. The skull does not seem to have any particular significance - a google reverse image search shows it's a commercially available design available in many stores - nor do any of the elders in Juneau have any interests at the Sealaska Heritage Institute.

More information on the murder has not yet emerged from Lt. Stoats or the DA, but a text arrives saying that the scene has been secured - they are waiting for Verge and whoever else to arrive.

(Also keep in mind, Andrew was still a human ghoul when he left a few minutes ago. The local time is still just about 9:45PM)

[hyzmarca]

"The obvious deduction is that the thief was an idiot. It's too deliberate and methodical to pass off as random hooligans, but too blunt and obvious to go unnoticed.

Unless, of course, that's what he wants us to think. The break-in could just be a distraction.

I'd discount the possibility that the mask has any significance, unless we're dealing with a super villain. It's not impossible, we might be dealing with a supervillain, but it's unlikely. What we see there is efficiency. He knows what he's looking for and goes right for it in the simplest, fastest way available. He doesn't take the time to give the place a proper ransacking, but he does take simple, basic precautions to hide his identity. He's on a timetable, or he doesn't think he has long. He wants to move fast. He doesn't have time for subtle, or unsubtle, means of covering his tracks, but he has enough since to at least take the most basic of precautions. He's probably wise enough to dump the mask and tools, or destroy them. If I were in his place, I would have social engineered my way into the back and swiped a key, would have been less suspicious that way, and just as fast. We can probably rule out someone who is excessively swauve, or knows the Jedi Mind Trick."


Verge takes his jacket and puts it on.

"Anyway, I have to get to the U. To the Vergemobile!"

Verge turns on his heals andfastwalks out the door, to the very distinctive vehicle parked in the packing lot. Next stop, the murder scene.

[Shady314]

Oh seems I got a bit turned around on the timing of the murder.

"If you wouldn't mind Vergil I'd like to accompany you. See you in action as it were." Ia will hobble after Verge if he doesn't object.

[hyzmarca]

Verge has no objections.

Verge would still consider the possibility, as he knows how fast these things can go down. One second you're being drained, the next you're sucking on a police officer's jugular. The distance to the University is the big issue while rules out Andrew, and Verge didn't know the crime scene location until he called.

[Whipstitch]

"As long as I am up for the evening I suppose I should come along," says Max. Apparently that's an announcement rather than a request, as he immediately heads off to his silver Ford Raptor.

[Ancient History]

[/edit] Anyone still in Elysium sees Tracker call Kel over, and the two Gangrel retire to a private corner to speak for a few minutes. After this, Tracker takes his leave.

The Murder Scene
The drive from Elysium to the University of Alaska campus is only fifteen minutes; actually finding the police takes another few minutes and a text from Lt. Stoat - as the DA promised, the Juneau PD are playing this very quiet - no lights flashing, officers on the scene mostly in plain clothes. By the time Verge and the others park, the forensic techs haven't even shown up yet.

The lieutenant walks up and waits. He looks a little tired, pale...and hungry. Too many late nights, too little vitae... Stoat walks you through the crime scene.

"We got a call," he says, leading you toward a copse of trees. "There'd been a murder, followed by a photograph of a body, with GPS coordinates. Patrol car swung by and confirmed. That's them over there." He pointed at a pair of black-and-whites chainsmoking over their coffee.

A small path ran through the trees, and opened up to a small clearing with a picnic table. The ground was damp, and Stoat made a point of walking on the grass to the side of the trail, pointing down at the mud. "No visible tracks, and it hasn't rained lately. Maybe came through the woods."

The victim lies in the center of the clearing, naked and lying curled up on her side like a cat, flowing black hair spattered with mud and covering her face. Her head hangs at an unnatural angle, her neck broken and nearly torn in half by two great ragged wounds. On her upper left arm you can clearly see a tattoo - like a crescent moon within a flower, surrounded by a tribal band. You can already see how deflated her body looks, skin not fitting quite right; someone drained her to the last drop...

"Victim is a Hispanic female, late 20s. Identity unknown - doesn't match any reported persons missing, and we haven't touched her, but prints might tell us something. Exsanguinated. No blood on the scene, except..."

He pointed a little ways away - about three yards from the victim, on the grass, a smartphone lay inside a dark circle, it's screen black.

"I'm thinking that might be the phone they used to contact us."

The lieutenant steps back so you can do your thing.

[hyzmarca]

Verge is surprised at those last words.

"They? Someone called the police, possibly the killers? We'll need a copy of that recording, if there is one, and to talk to the person who took the call if there isn't. Possibly both. Later."

Verge surveys the scene for a moment, looking for little things with his enhanced senses, like her clothes.

"First question: Why is she naked? That isn't normal, as much as anything about this is normal. The kind of people who usually do this sort of thing don't..." Verge raises two fingers into the air and slowly causes them to droop. "ED is known to be common amongst exsanguination killers. "

He sniffs at the air, searching for any odd scents, and walks a long circle around the area, taking everything in, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

[Perception 4]


After thoroughly examining the scene with his supernaturally sharp, but otherwise mundane, senses he opens up his other senses, starting with Aura Perception. He takes a good look at the victim's corpse, in an attempt to see if there's anything left that would provide a clue. He doesn't expect anything to come of it, since she's dead and all. But just being dead doesn't mean that you're gone.

[Perception 4, Empathy 5]

At the same time he opens up his other sense, the annoying one that he's had since his embrace, that lets him hear ghosts.
[Medium Merit, Perception 4]


Finally, he puts on a latex glove and begins touching things, searching for psychic impressions. First he lightly touches the phone, careful not to disturb it from it's location, then he gently and respectfully caresses the victim's cheek before moving on to any other objects that might be of importance, the picnic table, nearby trees, everything. If anyone asks, he's like Monk but backwards.

[Perception 4, Empathy 5]

[Whipstitch]

Max would like to use Sense the Mystical (2 Intelligence + 2 Occult vs Difficulty 4) without the two patrol officers gawping at his mutterings. If we're not far enough away from them he'll have Stoat, Kenneth or Verge give them something else to do.

[radthemad4]

"As long as I am up for the evening I suppose I should come along," says Max. Apparently that's an announcement rather than a request, as he immediately heads off to his silver Ford Raptor.

Seth was momentarily absorbed with his own thoughts and the video when he sees everyone leaving and the conversation around him registers. "Huh, oh right, yeah... I think I'll head out too." He runs after Max, "Hey, wait up."

If he can't reach Max before he leaves, Seth will take a cab.

He sends everyone a text message:

"Have you heard of a palmistry parlor called Madame Zorra's? Tibiru made a call there recently."

(except Stan if they're sharing his car, in which case he'll just ask him)

---

Once on the crime scene, Seth will use telecommute to scan the phones of the officers who first arrived on the scene and Lt. Stoat as well.

He'll take a photo of the victim's face, try to touch it up digitally to aid image searching (i.e. try to make it resemble more like she did when alive and normalize the photo to help with searches, however that would actually work), hack into facebook and search for a match there (even if she doesn't have an account, odds are someone who knows her put up a photo of her there at some point, or she might even appear in a background photo or something).

He'll try to use Remote Access to turn on the phone (without turning on the screen) and scan it. If it works, he'll turn it off right afterwards. If it's out of charge, had the battery removed, or isn't turning on for some reason:

"Verge, I need to scan that phone. Could you talk Stoat into letting me mess with it?"

[Shady314]

Ia scrutinizes the crime scene making sure to stay out of everyone else's way. He spends a good deal of time focusing on the display of the body looking for any sort of occult significance. A ritual perhaps? At the very least Ia figures we can ascertain if there's any real magic being attempted here or just some sick delusion.
[Int 4 (Analyzing)+Occult 5 (Rituals)]

Looking at the poor woman brutalized lying there on the ground makes Ia think of Victoria. He pulls out his phone and speed dials her number.

[Prak]

Kel walks back over to the group after Tracker leaves, "Sue, we got an 'Interesting times'," he says, looking back over the room to make sure it's clear, before leaning closer. "Tracker's bowing out. He wants me to end it, being a fellow gangrel, and all. He's not feeding for the next week, so it's possible some problem may arise from that. Just wanted to let you know."

As he watches the video- "Unlikely to be a werewolf, the ones that wouldn't be tearing the place apart would be using magic to search, or wouldn't be caught. Unless they're newbies, then it's up in the air. I doubt it's the fledgling, he was pretty certainly still a ghoul with little to no reason to kill a person, at least this way."

Kel looks around the scene for nearby plants that might have something useful to say, preferably some venerable tree, and use Herbal Wisdom (Int+Occult= 6). For the benefit of the mundie cops, he'll do this by leaning against said tree and pretending to video chat someone on his phone.

[Ancient History]

He sniffs at the air, searching for any odd scents, and walks a long circle around the area, taking everything in, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

The air smells of dead mammal...and traces of fresh shampoo and soap on the body. Verge also notes there are no prints anywhere near the body - footprints, shoeprints, or otherwise.

There is no trace of blood, either. The dark circle around the phone, however, has the unmistakable aroma of vitae - someone made a circle of vampire blood and let it soak into the earth there.

After thoroughly examining the scene with his supernaturally sharp, but otherwise mundane, senses he opens up his other senses, starting with Aura Perception. He takes a good look at the victim's corpse, in an attempt to see if there's anything left that would provide a clue. He doesn't expect anything to come of it, since she's dead and all. But just being dead doesn't mean that you're gone.

The woman's aura is simply gone. If this one left a wraith, it's already left the area.

At the same time he opens up his other sense, the annoying one that he's had since his embrace, that lets him hear ghosts.

Ever since entering the clearing, Verge had been aware of an almost subaudible buzzing...now that he focuses on it, it seems much more clear. It's coming from the direction of the cellphone.

Finally, he puts on a latex glove and begins touching things, searching for psychic impressions. First he lightly touches the phone, careful not to disturb it from it's location, then he gently and respectfully caresses the victim's cheek before moving on to any other objects that might be of importance, the picnic table, nearby trees, everything. If anyone asks, he's like Monk but backwards.

Touching the phone generates a small psychic shock which causes Verge to pull his hand away - it was like groping around in the dark, psychic senses fully open, and then touching another vampire while they were caught in Frenzy. Verge feels his own Beast rising in response, but manages to fight it back down.

Avoiding the cellphone at the moment, Verge turns his psychic senses to impressions from the body and surroundings. The trees, grass, picnic table, etc. are all solidly neutral - not at all what you would expect from the site of a grisly murder - while the body itself has the typical hallmarks of fear, anger, and violence. The only thing odd is when Verge's hand brushes against the tattoo - and Verge pulls his hand away as if burned, and takes a step back - though when he looks at it again, he sees it is uninjured. Definitely a very unusual response...

Once on the crime scene, Seth will use telecommute to scan the phones of the officers who first arrived on the scene and Lt. Stoat as well.

Nothing but personal chatter; the cops don't use their phones to interact with the crime scene. The only thing relevant are Stoat's texts to Suzanne reporting the situation.

He'll take a photo of the victim's face, try to touch it up digitally to aid image searching (i.e. try to make it resemble more like she did when alive and normalize the photo to help with searches, however that would actually work), hack into facebook and search for a match there (even if she doesn't have an account, odds are someone who knows her put up a photo of her there at some point, or she might even appear in a background photo or something).

(Roll failed.) One again cursing Facebook's anti-search protections and ill-organization, Seth resolves to either try again or go about it another way.

He'll try to use Remote Access to turn on the phone (without turning on the screen) and scan it. If it works, he'll turn it off right afterwards.

The smartphone's screen lights up, displaying the announcement that it has one new message, and then Seth turns it off.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 11:10 pm Post subject: Reply with quote Clone post as a new topic Report Post Add User to Ignore List
Ia scrutinizes the crime scene making sure to stay out of everyone else's way. He spends a good deal of time focusing on the display of the body looking for any sort of occult significance. A ritual perhaps? At the very least Ia figures we can ascertain if there's any real magic being attempted here or just some sick delusion.

Some neopagan faiths believe in skyclad rituals - but seldom at this time of year, and there is no indication of her clothes or other ritual apparatus. Likewise, there are no symbols, tools, or altars nearby to indicate that this was a blood sacrifice, or at least if it was, it was not conducted at this spot. The tattoo, though, jogs Ia's memory:



It's a sign associated with Lilith.

The circle of vitae around the phone is a mystery as well, though it could have some occult significance. Circles are often used to conjure and contain spirits.

Kel looks around the scene for nearby plants that might have something useful to say, preferably some venerable tree, and use Herbal Wisdom (Int+Occult= 6). For the benefit of the mundie cops, he'll do this by leaning against said tree and pretending to video chat someone on his phone.

A large pine dominates the edge of the clearing, it's roots spreading out and under the corpse. Kel leans against it and whispers his entreaties... for a moment Kel feels he is the tree, feels the pressure and movement of those standing on his roots and the soil around it, the little crawling insects moving through the dirt, the owl in his branches...and remembers earlier this night, the tread of two heavy feet on his roots, the impact of the body as it was dropped. Kel awakens from the brief reverie, trying to process what the tree-spirit has told him.

[hyzmarca]

Verge looks up from the corpse and addresses the lieutenant.

"She wasn't killed here, that's why there's no blood around the body and no clothes to be found. She bathed recently, or she was bathed. I can still smell the shampoo. She might have been caught in the shower, but I don't think that's what happened. If she bathed before she was killed she'd have some blood on her body. The killer probably bathed her after killing her, either out of respect, or to destroy evidence, or both. He probably disposed of her clothes, but might kept a piece of clothing or jewelry as a trophy."

He thinks a moment, considers the scene.
"The killer is somewhat remorseful, he wanted her to be found. Her placed her in the most respectful position he could, given her nudity. But he's not so remorseful that he'd go out of his way to cover her with a blanket. The cell phone could be the killer's, but I'm willing to bet that it's either prepaid or stolen, or the victim's. He left it here intentionally, and he wouldn't leave something that could be easily linked to him, not considering how meticulous he was with everything else. The killer could be female. I'm using the default gender neutral he, here. Still, male is more likely, just from statistics."


He stands, and approaches Stoats, speaking softly. "Now, I'm about to do something very, very dangerous. I'd like for you to send those other officers out on busy work, have them look for witnesses or get something to eat or something. It's best that they're not here when I do what I'm about to do. I'll also need to borrow your handcuffs."


While waiting for the officers to leave, Verge touches the corpse again, and enters a short trance. [Perception 4, Empathy 5]
He isn't trying to delve deeply, he's just looking for whatever information could be found.


When that's done and the area is suitably clear of eyes that really shouldn't see a vampire in full Frenzy, Verge turns his attention to the cell phone. First, he cuffs his legs together, to minimize the damage that he could cause if this goes badly, and kneels beside the phone. Then he puts all of his attention on it.


And then he walks over to Kel where he's at the doing his tree thing and says, "I'm about to do at least one incredibly stupid thing. I'd very much appreciate it, Sheriff, if you'd subdue me non-lethally, should this prove as stupid as it might be."

Aura Perception first. He's looking for a spirit that might be there. He knows that there's something because of the buzzing.
[Empathy 5, Perception 4]

If he sees something he tries talking to it. "Hello there, hi. Can you hear me."

If not, he puts his hand on the phone again, using every ounce of his willpower to prevent frenzy, and enters a trance..

[Willpower 5 (spend a point if necessary), Empathy 5, Perception 4]