Reopening the Case

[Chris Wooding]

So apparently many mysteries in Sacramento that Chris has been involved with are far from solved. This is quite troublesome, especially since some of them seem to be linked. The new Hound of Citrus Heights has a task: solve it all. This is not an easy task, but that's probably why Erika picked an optimist to work on it.

Chris is sitting in his temporary haven, surrounded by his books and a laptop. Not far away is his own small altar. Incense is burning in the room, there's meditative music on, all to clear his mind.

There are so many places to start. But at the same time - he doesn't have the necessary resources to do this investigation in the most efficient way. He has no access to the coffin, the mysterious box, or the Grimm's Fairy Tales, and what else was involved? Chris desperately tries to remember all the details. He only has the book that he found, written in Hungarian, that's quite useless now.

So the only real lead he has is the bigger picture. Some dangerous people are desperately trying to find things - or hide things? Aileen and Callum encountered a mysterious woman, at least they got to tell about their experience. LaFleur and O'Conner met their Final Death. Remarkable is also that parts are missing from most of the written sources that everyone found. But the Hierophant has no idea what others discovered about all that. Even now he has to work in secret. So...

I'm going to need a new lead.

He steps away from the book, to his improvised altar. A black and a white candle are burning - the only fire his haven ever sees beside matches. Currently there's a silver bowl in the middle, filled with clear water. That's what the Hierophant needs.

'Wise Goddess,' he starts while he takes a sharp athame, 'Kindred are dying,' he makes a slight cut in his left palm, 'mysteries are in need of solving,' blood falls down in the bowl, 'the Domain needs to be safe again.'

He closes his eyes, the ritual is short and simple. Yet his intentions are quite sincere. Erika Brady was right - this has been going on for far too long.

Chris opens his eyes again as he leans forward to look at the altar.

'Guide me.'

  Drops of Destiny

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-10-29 19:00:11		Chris rolls 12 to Man + Occult + Cruac to use the Drops of Destiny (10 Again, WillPower)		7, 9, 8, 3, 3, 6, 6, 5, 10, 5, 5, 1, 6		3 successes

[West]

Blood falls into water.

Like all Cruac, Blood powers the Drops of Destiny, and the Hierophant has paid the price from his own undead flesh.

Immediately, the blood stains the liquid, the heavier viscera falling and spinning into whorls. For the Sorcerer, there are meanings in those worls, and they slowly resolve...

...the stain separates into two streamers, symmetrical and identical. They're... faces, but indistinct. More faces form below -- three more, totaling five, but different from the identical pair. The Blood streamers form long hair on the pair, and one other. In a moment, the image is gone, but the Blood continues to fall.

It arcs outward, making a circle, then bleeds down into near straight lines. Perhaps a map, but more complex. Many lines.

...then the Blood settles at the bottom of the bowl.

[Chris Wooding]

As soon as the magical images have disappeared, Chris grabs a notebook to write several things down.

- five faces, so five people involved? 3 female, 2 male? A twin leading them?

That was the most literal translation. Not that only/all women have long hair, but he has to start somewhere. And if one indeed has Angelina Jolie's looks, it better be the twin. Hehe.

Now what else could the faces mean? One person plays for both sides - the Domain and the 'others'. One face with two expressions. Wilhelm von Schusten was involved, but he has no long hair? So maybe he is one of the other faces. Well, as long as the potential double crossing face isn't Erika Brady, the Hierophant can have peace with it.

- One leader, traitor to the Domain, female. Three followers? Von Schusten might be one.

But not Heathcliff Staley, right? Chris scratches the back of his head. This is all so long ago. But no, the former Bishop created his own mess. Then if the faces don't stand for actual people... he would be lost for a minute. Then again, they found one torpid elder. Maybe the identical figures are looking for two more?

Then the straight lines. A map? A blueprint? A strange code or key? He has seen enough movies where random lines can be used to decipher practically anything. So he tries to roughly sketch the lines underneath his notes. He might want to look at it later, or show it to others.

Were he not working alone.

Hmmm...

1) Can I roll for a drawing the lines as correctly as possible (if that's necessary)? I would understand if the image was shown too short and too complex.
2) Can I make a roll to interpret the lines, recognize a map or anything?

[West]

No and YES Intel+Science

[Chris Wooding]

   The Crone is feeling scientific today, -1 WP

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-11-03 08:18:50		Chris rolls 4 to Intel + Science (-3) (10 Again, WillPower)		6, 6, 10, 7, 10, 1		2 successes

[West]

Between all the straight lines, Chris realizes that there were thicker, curved lines. Familiar lines.

Sacramento's rivers.

He had seen a map of the city's spillways and sewerage system, on the west-southwest side.

[Chris Wooding]

The realization is horrible.

'You've got to be kidding me.'

Chris knows all about Sacramento's rivers. He has actually spent quite some time in the Domain's waters. Not to mention the filthy ones.

'Well, I happen to love the sewers.' He continues to speak to himself while shaking his head.

He turns back towards his laptop. He'd like to have an actual map of Sacramento's sewers. Is that where the hideout is of the bad guys? It wouldn't surprise him.

1) Would that be an extended computer roll?
2) I don't think I have Arnold Culler's contact info. I might call some people to try to get it, you want that here, or in comms thread? (Since yumyum plays Dirge for example)

[West]

Feel free to Google, no roll needed. Please do the Comms in Comms since I don't write for Dirge

[Chris Wooding]

Please don't bother opening all the links below, lol

So yes, finding maps of Sacramento is not very hard.

Apparently there is a combined sewer system. Which lead to the search for older maps. They are actually easier to find than modern maps. The older the map, the more detailed the information usually is.

Of course, the one thing missing is "The Unofficial Necropolis Guide" with searchlights and unfolding maps with tourist information and hot spots.

Since Chris also saw the rivers in his vision, he searched for a map with more general info. He's not sure how useful it all is, but the pdf's are loaded on his phone. In case he needs them when there's no reception.

You know. Underground.

Besides maps, the dedicated researcher found some city reports. Notable is actually the information on the "west side" of some projects, about sewers and drainage mains that have been relocated of renewed. A nice spot for a Haunt then, no? Since, quote: "All structures along private drives shall have a minimum 10-foot setback [...] so that SASD can properly maintain the sewer line" the Mekhet is not worried about getting stuck.

Conclusion: the Necropolis could span the whole city. And it's probably not even just sewer systems, but other underground deserted areas that are not searchable on the internet as well. It is probably only those parts that are interesting.

Time to call my Rex killing friend, Arnold Culler.