(Crone Temple)- Scout's Honor

[David Silver]

David silver has dressed casually, khakis and a collared shirt are not too out of place in these warm nights. Tonight is a night of subtlety and so he dresses the part of the herd. It is time to find out what happened after Chris wooding left. What state did he leave the temple in, and now who, if anyone, is there?
David hopes that he will not find a desecrated gutted hollow, but still, best to lay eyes on it first. If someone is occupying it, then further investigation will be required.
He approaches slowly from a distance the old crone Temple, and his mind is drawn back to when he first opened the temple for guests from the Domain. Martha bringing her holly was a most auspicious gift, and now to see what has happened to it, and the other offerings.

[Yumyumcrow]

The Temple still stands. Or at least, its main building does.

The stone structure looms against the sky, defiant and, apparently, unchanged. The trees remain, withered husks left behind by the drought; the grounds appear a barren waste of dust and long dead grass.

Curiously, a new line of shrubs has been planted, screening the site from the road and some of the closer neighbours.

A weak light glimmers, small and weak in the gathering gloom. Judging from its position, it must come from within the main ritual chamber.

[David Silver]

David approaches cautiously, putting effort into staying in the shadowy portions of the grounds, his eyesight straining to see what he can of the local arae. Obviously someone has claimed this place, and has desired privacy.

  2 successes Stealth

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-04-20 17:02:57		David Silver rolls 4 to Dex+Stealth (10 Again)		10, 5, 4, 2, 10, 3		2 successes

  2 successes Perception

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-04-20 17:03:32		David Silver rolls 4 to Wits+Composure-Perception (10 Again)		8, 7, 4, 8		2 successes

Who would take over this area, and let the trees and other foliage die, but instead focus on concealing shrubs? Not a crone most likely, unless it was a follower of the Second Descent and took the excision from the living world quite strongly? no, thats not right, they would have put stone or something else.
A Dhumavati? No, thats not right either.
So not a crone then. Perhaps a human cult? looking for isolation without much actual care in the environment? Quite possible, trees were not terribly sacred to the Egyptians, nor the arabians before muhammad. Was this a Djinn cult?
Or appropriated by a vampire for their own use? Sturdy construction, non-central location, and why care about trees if they don't do anything for you?
Too many possibilities, as David approaches, intent on seein which ones he can strike off the list, and which new ones might be put on it.

[Yumyumcrow]

The two Kindred converge on the site from different directions.

David quietly approaches, moving from shadow to shadow in a slow but determined stop-start motion. He encounters a fence line that has been strengthened, if not completely fixed: fresh barbed wire augments the rusty, bent, and buckled lengths; an apathetic effort has been put into cleaning the fence line of brush and fallen posts.

The drought seared earth has been freshly scarred with tire tracks. Tracks upon tracks cutting a rough grove into the earth.

Katya approaches from the front and unmolested, reaches the impressive main door. Its wreathed in shadow. The arched windows have been boarded up with only the point of the arch (dirty and grime encrusted) still visible; the boards have been painted a mat black - fresh but not so fresh for the paint to be wet. A weak glow teases the darkness from within.

The door is locked. David, reaching the building from another route, finds the rear exit similarly locked.

New locks.

[David Silver]

So not a homeless takeover then, someone with a desire for privacy, but not the discipline or the care to keep it up. David thinks
His phone vibrates, and he grimaces as he receives the text. He huddles against the side of the door, using his shirt to obscure much of the screen as he reads the text, before sending back his own, then turning his phone's notifications off. He'll just have to check every few minutes.

text to Katya

I'm by the backdoor, locked, and my old keys won't work. Do you have a solution?

While he waits, he returns to the shadows, looking for where the tire tracks went. Is there a garage of some kind?
The subtle and misdirecting ideas come first, he could go for the bleeding victim asking for help? That's always an option. A messy option, but clothes are replacable. Temples...less so. Then again, breaking and entering is always an option, but perhaps more information?
Of course, there is the simple answer, 'Hello, have you heard of the Zoroastrian faith? It's a very old and mystical religion that helped defeat the romans centuries ago. Can we come in and discuss it with you?'

[Yumyumcrow]

Sorry I missed this. I was under the impression I was waiting for someone...

David slinks back to the fence line. He returns to the tire tracks: no garage but there is a small shed or outbuilding around the back that he does not recognise; it looks and smells new. And is locked with a shiny new padlock. Returning to the tyre tracks, the Shadow can see they lead straight to the quiet street.

Katya presses her head to the door. She feels its grainy weight, its strength and its age. The ambient sounds of the site rise up around her. Faint sound of wind breathing through cracked windows, a teasing hint of incense underlaid by the salt tang of blood. But no sounds of chanting, or scuffling of activity within.

[David Silver]

David takes note of the outbuilding, but for now, he heads back to Katya's location.
"I think I saw a light, maybe someone can help us?" He asks with worry, drifting into the expressions and mannerisms of a lost traveler. His shoulder droop, and he looks to her, seeing if she is ready for him to knock.