(Spiders) A Clue in the Closet

[DrDog]

It is not hard to find the house of Jose, and the mages approach with caution, parking their car and heading up to the steps. The house itself is nothing impressive. An old 1960s house, but one that was well cared for. Unlike its neighbors, the paint is not flaking, nor are any of the windows broken, like some of the neighbors. However, the grass here is dead and brown, leading up to the house that seems dark in the nighttime hours of their approach.

No lights are on within the house, and the shades are drawn over all of the windows.

[Truce]

Truce surveys the yard and house curiously, carrying only his crime scene kit while leaving the first-aid kit and body bag in the van.

"Not only is the lawn uncared for, dried up from the heat and unwatered perhaps," remarks the Necromancer. "Or dead by some other means. Let us keep our eyes open," he stresses as he activates his own Sight. He may not be able to make out Spirits or understand them, but he could at least spy the blurred shapes of that mark their presence in Twilight. Could a Spirit have devoured the life essence of the plant-life? Or was it simply the warming season of Spring at work?

  Grim Sight + Speak w/Dead | 5suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-04-28 18:59:22		Truce rolls 9 to cast combined rote Grim Sight + Speak w/Dead [WIT+Occ+Death+HS-2] (10 Again)		9, 6, 5, 7, 8, 10, 9, 6, 9, 6		5 successes

[Crowley]

Crowley settled back in his seat, listening to the creak of the engine as it wound down. It was a useful tool to assist with his Working, as he warped the time-stream around himself into a protective bubble and forced open his third eye to the warp and weft of destiny.

With his cabal mates exiting his van so close to mundane habitation, he didn't dare frame Words of Power to give his casting an extra boost. Fortunately his Imago held.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-05-01 03:35:50		Crowley to cast Temporal Dodge rolls 6 to GNO + Time (10 Again)		7, 7, 3, 8, 9, 7		2 successes
2016-05-01 03:35:18		Crowley to cast Sybils Sight rolls 5 to GNO + Fate (10 Again)		2, 10, 9, 8, 7, 7		3 successes

"Right..." he drawled. Reluctantly, he hauled himself out of the van and adjusted the collar of his dark coat. Maybe Dr. Strange of Marvel fame had a point with the oversize collar of his cloak; it certainly hid his face from scrutiny.

He followed behind the others, casually sneaking a look at the neighbouring properties.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-05-01 03:48:51		Crowley to perceive rolls 5 to Wits + Composure (10 Again)		1, 9, 10, 2, 10, 2, 8		4 successes

@DrDog - its a silly question but an important one: is the grass dead on the neighbouring properties? Also, are they being watched? Potentially the victim of the spirit could have left their home unattended a couple of weeks before... And who knows what else they could have done in that time?

[linkrulesx10]

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-05-02 02:20:33		Flidais casts Life Sight (Cloaked, 1 mana paid) rolls 7 to Life + Gno + HS -2 Adv. Duration (10 Again)		3, 6, 1, 8, 2, 8, 5		2 successes
2016-05-02 02:18:54		Flidais casts Life Armor (Cloaked, 1 mana) rolls 7 to Life + Gno + HS -2 Adv. Duration (10 Again)		1, 2, 4, 10, 10, 7, 1, 5, 2		2 successes

Flidais made sure to address her previous lapse in alertness before the drive over by securing her protections and senses. Flidais asked the others to stop by a friends place on the way over so she could drop off Puppy otherwise she uncomfortably left the dog at home.

Flidais looks at the grass, taking notice of the very obvious field of death. She made a mental note to investigate the grass on the way out if there was no better leads. Continuing with her personal philosophy of only speaking when she had something to say she simply kept her eyes open.

[DrDog]

The grass is dead on this lot, but on the other lots there isn't even much grass at all, mostly dry dirt with a few dead weeds. The drought that has struck California has not been kind to this section of town. This late at night, a few of the other houses are clearly occupied, as lights are on within them.

[linkrulesx10]

"So, how do you want to proceed? Just walk in?" Flidais asks, she was not in the habit of entering a house without permission and hoped the other two had a better idea of what to do.

[Truce]

"I don't see why not," answers Truce. "You didn't see anyone else in the house, right, Crowley? But I'm still curious about the photo of the man Mr. Alvarez had in his wallet. Perhaps knocking would be more prudent."

Truce raises his hand to knock on the door, a sharp rap-tap-tapping just to detect for signs of occupation. If, after the moment passes that no lights turn on or no sounds are heard, nor door answered, Truce will take out the house keys and open the door himself and enter.

"Be careful not to touch anything. We don't want to leave any evidence of our passing behind that might complicate the eventual investigation," he warns the others as he opens his crime-scene kit to retrieve a pair of gloves. "Crowley, why don't you lead us along Mr. Alvarez's route when you saw him."

[Crowley]

"I caught a glimpse of him on his bed and wandering about for a bit, thats all. Not like I saw the entire house," Crowley responded as they drew near the door.

He stood watching the street while they waited and once the door was open he casually strode into the house, wiping his feet.

"As long as we can find that bedroom, I should be able to orient myself." His voice was becoming more subdued. Caution mixed with a certain respect for the dead. And suspicion - two weeks was a long time to prepare if one was so inclined...

[linkrulesx10]

Flidais waggles her fingers. "I could make it so that we won't leave behind any uh... biological evidence of our passing such as DNA, should I give that shot?" Flidais spoke in a very soft voice, not wanting it carry beyond the two members of her cabal.

[DrDog]

Truce opens the door and enters, after a spate of silence gave away no occupants.
The room is just as he saw it, though the sweatshirt is nowhere to be seen.

Couch is well lived in, television is off. Bookshelf is half full of books and photographs, kitchen table has an empty water glass on it. There is a half-empty Yankee Candle, with a Mountain Lodge scent on the coffee table, and there is a bowl with some loose change and a pill bottle of xanax on a stand by the front door.