The Resurectionists: Grave of the Liar

[Seryna]

The Kindred interact with the bundle in the shape of a man. Two withered hands with splintered yellow nails stick out of the fabric, hugging it shut. As Milton looks about the area, he notes that the area has been undisturbed for decades. Dust lays over every surface. There are no footprints on the floor, or handprints on the wall. The light is nonexistent, with the exception of blue light once the Mekhet activates her glow sticks. The path looms into sight with the introduction of light- a dark shaft where the group will have to walk single file. Milton’s keen senses and earlier study of the map informs him that this shaft heads to the Hillside Mausoleums.

Quinn

If Quinn chooses to try and pry the linen loose, Quinn discovers the torpid Elder in his finest clothing. The clothing is faded from decades of time passing him by. The jetted jacket pocket holds a folded grey fabric, now laced with holes and decay. If she dips a hand in his jacket pockets, she finds a small leather drawstring bag with something that jingles in the right pocket. The left pocket reveals an antique watch in silver, complete with finely wrought chain. Does she investigate the pants pockets?

The shaft is narrow and dark. It is ill-used, and a claustrophobic feel presses in on Quinn. Dust motes rise and drift with her movement, floating through the air. There is silence. Absolute silence, that belies the true isolation of this grave. Somewhere, Vincenzo’s ghouls work. The Arkwright Haunts scheme. The Invictus coterie plots. Yet here, you have the sense no one would hear you scream. The only sound is created by the movement of Quinn herself. She moves forward, noting that the shaft ascends after about twenty feet. Towards the ground above. Yet the underground shaft stretches on, at least another forty feet in front of Quinn. The end is not in sight. Does she continue on?

Connor remains aware. Nearly on the heels of Jack’s words, he sees movement. It is over by the improvised entrance the group has made. It is the well-dressed Holden, draped in the luxury’s money can buy – accessories that glint in the moonlight. You note that he lacks a watch. Perhaps already used as a bribe earlier in the night? The expensive haircut is ruffled, suggesting Holden has raked his hands through his hair. His handsome face appears haggard. The Kindred appears aware of the entrance, a well-manicured hand resting on one of the rough edges of the doorway. Yet the Kindred is turned back the way he has come. Vigilant. At any moment, he will likely turn his gaze on you…

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-15 05:05:59	Storyteller rolls 7 to Holden's Piercing (10 Again)	8, 3, 2, 2, 4, 4, 3	1 success

Please do post promptly to keep momentum. I shall be making an ST post within 4 days

[Jacque]

Jacque nodded to Quinn upon hearing her backup plan, amicable to planting the bug before they secured Pope in the body bag.

For the moment, he was thankful he had the foresight to bring it. It would make it easier to move him, and be marginally less alarming if there happened to be observers. With the asset stowed, he signaled to Milton for a coordinated haul down the corridor, following the light provided by Quinn's scout. This had to be an exit in case he woke up on his own. No other explanation for it that he could ponder.

With everything ready for departure, Jacque waved Connor in at his leisure, signalling their imminent departure. The Lord's focus was laser sharp at this moment- the end of this night was finally within his grasp.

[Milton]

Milton shuffles after Jacque in the dark, carrying his portion of their macabre burden. Trying not to think about the fact that this husk is still capable of animation. That, in the end, Milton himself might be reduced to such a state for an indefinite period of time. And yet still "live."

Ghastly.

To take his mind of these horrid details, he keeps his eyes on the path ahead of them. Realizing now where they're headed.

For the first time in a long while, the Lord speaks. Softly, but just loud enough to be heard by the Seneschal above their efforts: "This should lead us toward the mausoleums on the hill." Will they find an exit there, hidden in one of those tombs? Milton can only hope.

He keeps an ear out for Quinn's return. Hoping that she brings good news back with her.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn planted the bug and left what was in his pockets alone. Heading further and further into the darkness, going back as far as the shaft allowed, hopeing to find and exit for them. Her ears straining to hear anything. Though she wasn't expecting much down in there. She kept going and lighting the way with the bright neon blue glow.

[Seryna]

If the other Kindred enter the shaft, they find it narrow and dark, lit only by glow sticks that throw long shadows. The darkness seems to press in on you. There's a sense of deep quiet. Dust, disturbed for the first time in decades, drifts all around you. They can see the Mekhet several yards ahead. There does not appear to be an exit to the shaft in sight.

Quinn continues through the shaft, cutting through the dark. She strides forward for another twenty feet, blazing the trail for those behind her. Now she notes a dust covered ladder leaning against the wall at the end of the shaft, some ten feet ahead. She doesn't immediately see an exit, yet the shaft simply ends. The exit must be here. What does she do?

[Connor OBrien]

The haunt looks to Jack, then promptly drops into the hole. Laying a hand on the edge of the trap door he puts extra effort into hiding their way into the tunnel with the power of his blood. He isn't sure whether they can trust Holden any longer; after all, why would he come separately from the group he'd contracted to find Pope?

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-19 14:00:41	Connor OBrien rolls 4 to Touch of Shadow (Wits+Larceny+Obfuscate+WP-3) (10 Again, WillPower)	6, 6, 4, 6	failure

His attempt fails, but he feels he no longer has the extra will to put into another attempt. He's pushed himself too far already. Instead he tries to catch Jack's eye and mouth a single word: Holden.

[Jacque]

The Lord nodded to Connor. So Holden was on the move again... Let's hope they could outpace him. For him, it wasn't that he thought Holden was had some nefarious plan, it was that Jack liked to do things his way- the I'm not your pawn way. Simply put, the coterie would complicate it all for whatever reason they had not to wake Pope somewhere safer.

Eyes traced down the tunnel to Quinn's headway as they continued down the corridor with the prize. He spied the ladder at the end and once again Jack found himself thankful they were Kindred.

[Quinn Durant]

It was dark. Not the unnatural dark of the abyss, but the normal kind, and it was pervasive. Quinn remembered the last time she was in darkness like this. Where even the light of the moon couldn't penetrate it, well, not exactly like this then. Her cheery glowsticks with the neon liquid inside was plenty of light for Kindred. Humans, would have some trouble with a place like this. Especially if they were claustrophobic.

She moved from left to right as they reached the end of the shaft, in case she missed the exit back there. Didn't appear so. Of course the answer was most likely staring her in the face. The ladder. Quinn headed up it, if it broke it broke. The Shadow held up the glow sticks to see if the exit was up rather than ground level. If that yielded nothing in her vision, she would go down, move the ladder, and check up there again....so on and so forth.

[Milton]

Into the tunnel, following Quinn's little, chemical torch. Milton handles his portion of the load and follows Jacque's lead. Trying not to think about where they are, what they're carrying.

As they approach Quinn, he spots the ladder and immediately casts his eyes upward, looking for the outlines of an escape hatch in the gloom.

Perception, failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-21 20:14:39	Milton rolls 6 to Wits + Composure (10 Again)	6, 2, 7, 4, 5, 4	failure

But it's too dark and he's too preoccupied with his burden to be of much help in any case.

[Seryna]

Above in the building, a sound of rubble being disturbed sounded. Perhaps the bricks tumbling to the floor. Then silence that stretched.

Quinn immediately spotted a square shape close to the ground, immediately near the ladder. Yet closer inspection revealed that it was about 12 inches square. It did have a hinge, however. Connor and Jack also notice the unusual door as they near it. Milton seems to miss it, completely. Would anyone open the small hatch?
The area around the ladder was dark. Dust danced in the dim light of the glow sticks. Wide pools of light were created by the glow sticks, casting the rest of the shaft into a deep pool of inky black. The silence persisted. The ground is packed earth. Your foot occasionally finds a loose rock, too small to hamper you. Only the sounds of your own footsteps and the creaking of the body bag could be heard. The sound seemed to carry.

The wall here was exposed earth, with several wooden beams placed at regular intervals for load bearing. There were a few gray rocks peeking out of the dark earth. If the vampires tested the air with an unneccessary breath, they had little reward. There was no scent of anything growing, or any sign of nature blooming. At the top of the ladder, there was a small ledge. A handhold to grasp, if one wished. Scrutinizing the ledge revealed faint lines. Upon further scrutiny, following these lines revealed the outline of a large rectangle. There was a small, smooth grey rock that jutted out of the cold earthen wall just a bit more than the rest of the rocks.

Did every one travel down the shaft to the end of the line? Did any one look back the way that they had traveled?