(Golden Bough) The Moore House

[Josephine Sterling]

It had known many owners. Many visitors. Many hands upon it's doors and many knees upon the wood of its floors. And yet, though it was a place of faith, at least one of those visitors to this hallowed building was a sinner. A murderer. A danger to the Masquerade. Who it was, Josephine Sterling did not know. Whether or not the building could tell her who it was she did not know either. All that was known was that a possibility of a clue existed within this sanctum, and a piece of perhaps circumstantial, perhaps incriminating evidence most definitely did dwell within. Thus the purpose of their visit. Even if no sliver of knowledge was to be found there, an item most definitely needed to be removed, lest some get the wrong impression.

Will Thomas play secondary actor to Jo's primary for investigation?

[Thomas Galilei]

It's a strange shift, from the bloody hovel to that holy house . . . yet, as much as wants to believe they're worlds apart, he has to be willing to believe they're connected, has to be willing to follow where the evidence leads. His Faith feels shaken--stirred, he tells himself. Only stirred.

He draws strength from the steady visage of his sister. If she harbors doubts, she doesn't show it. He does his best to return the favor.

Thomas turns his mind to the task at hand. "Time to find the truth . . . Lord, give us eyes to see." He motions that Josephine should lead, that he will follow.

Yes--Thomas will make a support roll for each of Josephine's investigation rolls. Can you number them, so I can keep track of which of my rolls corresponds to yours?

[Josephine Sterling]

"Let us first look for any trace of records. Anything that has been written upon. If none can be found, we should turn toward trying to find any objects that have the blacksmiths stamp upon them," Josephine suggested, pacing her way further inside the building.

Let's try 4 rolls. You go first, I'll add successes as bonuses.

[Thomas Galilei]

"I fear I'm one to put the 'miss' in mystery, but I'll do my best." Thomas knows he no Sherlock Holmes, but what he can't do is hardly useful at the moment. It's like taking confession from the clues, he tells himself. He waltzes down a few empty halls, lets his eyes graze lazily wherever they fall--maybe he'd find a bloody hand print?

  Roll 1: 0 suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-11-07 22:06:42		Thomas Galilei rolls 3 to [1] Investigation: 2 (WITS) + 1 (Investigation) = 3 DP (10 Again)		7, 2, 3		failure

No such luck. C'mon, even dumb guys on TV shows can do this.

He whistles an idle hymn as he moves from room to room; maybe it'll help focus his mind? Records, Josephine had said. Books, he could read. He looks for books, looks in books. And he's pretty sure he'd recognize the blacksmith stamp if he happened upon it . . . it's just a matter of, well, probability in his vastly unqualified state--but what were odds for a man of Faith but numbers to be defied, a stage set for the entrance of a miracle?

  Roll 2: 2 suxx; Roll 3: 3 suxx; Roll 4: 1 suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-11-07 22:07:56		Thomas Galilei rolls 3 to [4] Investigation: 2 (WITS) + 1 (Investigation) = 3 DP (10 Again)		3, 1, 9		1 success
2014-11-07 22:07:26		Thomas Galilei rolls 3 to [3] Investigation: 2 (WITS) + 1 (Investigation) = 3 DP (10 Again)		10, 7, 8, 10, 1		3 successes
2014-11-07 22:07:10		Thomas Galilei rolls 3 to [2] Investigation: 2 (WITS) + 1 (Investigation) = 3 DP (10 Again)		9, 8, 2		2 successes

[Josephine Sterling]

With the Priests assistance, Josephine began to sweep the house. Looking, much as Thomas was in books. But also in drawers, closets, and boxes, and under sheets, tables, chairs, work tools. Anywhere that might conceal something. Or sport a certain smith's mark...

  11 successes with 4 rolls

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-11-08 19:57:31		Josephine rolls 7 to investigation 4.0 (wits3+invest3+1thomas) (10 Again)		4, 4, 6, 7, 9, 1, 8		2 successes
2014-11-08 19:57:07		Josephine rolls 9 to investigation 3.0 (wits3+invest3+3 thomas) (10 Again)		4, 5, 4, 9, 9, 9, 9, 6, 10, 10, 5		6 successes
2014-11-08 19:56:41		Josephine rolls 8 to investigation 2.0 (wits3+invest3+2thomas) (10 Again)		4, 7, 5, 8, 4, 7, 4, 5		1 success
2014-11-08 19:56:06		Josephine rolls 6 to investigation .0 (wits3+invest3) (10 Again)		8, 2, 2, 4, 7, 8		2 successes

[West]

The Moore House.

It is not a large place, but it is an old place, which has passed through many hands. The hands of Bishops, Seneschals, and Reeves. One of those Bishops met his Final Death here. Even still, it has the quiet, stoic dignity of a place put to purpose by the reverent and faithful. Here and there, they find signs of age: original windows, clouded by time, woodwork from shelves to moulding to pews. A wrought iron gate that would cost a small fortune today. In some of the glimpses into the past, they find the same careful maker's mark: on a brace for a joist, on the gate, on a window frame.

Then there's always the pew that Josephine remembered. It is no coincidence, and no stretch of the imagination: the spike and ring were made by the same hands, and probably came from here.

In the third hour of searching, when others' attentions might drift or resolve waver, Josephine remains focused and resolute. In the private area behind the sanctuary -- the Bishop's office -- she discovers an anomaly. A wall, much thicker than necessary, with a iron plaque inlaid. It bears a compass rose, with a single, wide slash of silver inlaid to form a line.

Roll Intelligence + Occult -or- Academics, any religious Specialty applies.

Exhausted from the night, with the Daystar approaching, the pair chooses to resume their investigation at a later time, after Josephine's anointing.

OOC

I'm taking a little bit of ST license here, since we have the same characters in the same location in two different Scenes. This should merge the events into a proper sequence, and allow them to continue in the aftermath of the anointing. Feel free to make the roll requested above, and message me the results or post them in the OOC VtR thread.