Jene "the Genie" Rodriguez |
Well, that could have been nasty... Maybe they tripped the laser-wire. Hehe looks around to see if tripping the laser would just alert someone or if there is or was an immediate physical threat.
She wonders if she can make it some of the merchandise labels.
Logic, 47: 1d100 ⇒ 11
Literacy, 47: 1d100 ⇒ 99
Vasyl Zima |
Vasyl keeps his auspex in one hand, and his carnadon in the other, as he assesses the area.
Awareness to spot trouble or clues, in that order 57: 1d100 ⇒ 48
Tech Use with auspex to scan for unusual chemicals 46: 1d100 ⇒ 94
Security to find any other traps 36: 1d100 ⇒ 3
Barter to notice valuables 36: 1d100 ⇒ 97
Anything valuable I spot, I can pass on. Earns some good will and keeps the team stronger. Win, win.
Overlord Jon |
Lazerus is able to liberate enough stuff for two stims and a medkit. Everything else he is simply too unfamiliar with.
Using some logic, Jene is able to work out that some of the jars are mislabeled - almost certainly deliberately. The contents aren't familiar, but given they were hidden like that they are almost certainly not legal.
The laser tripwire seems to have been recently installed and would trip a remote alarm. Another layer of security from whoever is watching this place.
Vasyl finds a small safe under the floorboards, after a search reveals no more trap. He's able to quickly crack it open, too. Inside are some credit chits and a log book. A quick glance doesn't reveal anything in its pages, but most shopkeepers don't lock financial records in a hidden safe either, and it was clear this shop was less than honest.
You gain 3d100 ⇒ (66, 32, 37) = 135 thrones.
Vasyl Zima |
Pocketing the thrones with practiced ease, Vasyl fixates on the log book.
This is surely one of the brighter nobles. But damn, my expectations have been low. Best not to underestimate them.
"I'll give it a go."
Tech-use with auspex and combi-tool to adjust 46: 1d100 ⇒ 24
Overlord Jon |
The auspex picks up a combination of chemicals on the pages, suggesting something is hidden there. The answer is very likely in this room...if you can work out the correct one. Looking at the hundreds of possibilities, it's obvious trial and error won't work.
Give me a Difficult (-10) test with a skill you can argue would allow you to work out the right chemical.
Vasyl Zima |
Vasyl stares at the open pages, thinking.
Was there anything in the technomat training about this?
Trade (Technomat) 45: 1d100 ⇒ 68
Trade (Technomat) 45, reroll with fate point: 1d100 ⇒ 21
Fate Points 3/4
Overlord Jon |
It has been an accident, really, when Vasyl had found out that lavarium, when mixed with standard black Administratum ink, became invisible to human eyes. It had been almost a project of amusement to find the way to turning it back. When Vasyl spotted what it might be, he grabbed adamtine salts, using a little to test the theory.
The next problem became quickly apparent - the writing was not in one that had been created by a human mind. The symbols in place had a sharp elegance that looked similar to those you'd seen in the image from the crime scene.
Vasyl Zima |
That was a close one. I nearly lost that contract.
"So, what are these symbols doing in a log book eh?"
Vasyl shows the book to the others.
Jene "the Genie" Rodriguez |
Jene tried to recall if she's seen the script, in context it might help...
Common Lore (Imperium) - having seen it in hey training 57: 1d100 ⇒ 51
Trade (Copyist) - had she ever come across a text, contract, document or signature 57: 1d100 ⇒ 21
Trade (Mercantile) - in her service as Void Commercia, had she come helped trade with an alien race using similar script 47: 1d100 ⇒ 84
Lothar Von Bismarck |
Lothar surveyed the notes, fairly certain he had seen some of them before back in the crusade trying to figure out their meaning.
Forbidden Lore Xenos 42 or lower at Ordinary Difficulty: 1d100 ⇒ 19
Lazerus Mast |
Lazerus will look at the note and check if it conforms to any of the forbidden information he was taught
Forbidden Lore (Daemonology) under 43: 1d100 ⇒ 97
Forbidden Lore (Warp) under 43: 1d100 ⇒ 100
Forbidden Lore (Psykers) under 43: 1d100 ⇒ 100
Well that's my bad rolls for the week out of the way
Vasyl Zima |
"If we can't read it, at least we know that someone around here was involved in the mess. Let's look around some more."
And hanging around here isn't good for our health.
Lothar Von Bismarck |
"The symbols are definitely Eldar in nature but not any I've seen before but I'm not sure of the meaning, they're certainly not common. If this was the site of a murder was this person an investigator that ran afoul of them or are the xenophilious scum heading into their endgame. Lets bring the logbook, it was probably overlooked by the Arbites and seems significant."
"We don't know much about the actual victim, if they were a local, say the proprietor of this place then we might find an establishment nearby where people are most likely gossiping about the place. I'm still not eager to openly approach the Arbites. Remaining unseen seems our best approach to me for now."
I'm thinking we check out what passes for a local pub or cafe to see what the locals are saying about this whole thing.
Vasyl Zima |
"We should keep things subtle for now, like talking with the locals. They might know who the stiff was, or who's in the van. We always of the option of kicking things over if we run short of leads. But once that rat is out of the sack, we can expect more pushback. That said, if we need to shoot, we shoot."
Overlord Jon |
The blood heads into a small stairwell that seems to lead to an apartment above the small shop. Several of you spot the magnetic alarm hooked to the door at the top before it could be opened. Opening would break the magnetic field, sending a signal to whatever it was hooked up to. Another relatively simple device.
Overlord Jon |
It is a simple matter for Vasyl to bypass the alarm.
Inside the room is the sight of the gruesome murder you had seen on the report. It is clear that the room had been cleared before the attack took place - furniture has been shoved against the wall to make space for the ritual circle in the middle. The body has been removed, and is likely in Arbites custody, but the outline of where it was remained. Blood, long darkened to rusting brown, covers a significant chunk of the room.
This seems to have been the shop owner's home before the murder. A small kitchen can be seen through one door, and a bathroom through another. Things from the living room are piled by both doors, as though they had been shoved into those rooms and pulled back out during the investigation.
Vasyl Zima |
Vasyl begins to - carefully - rummage through the piles of things, seeking anything of interest.
Awareness 66: 1d100 ⇒ 14
Trade Technomat to realise an odd piece of tech when he sees it 46: 1d100 ⇒ 47
Overlord Jon |
The circle in the centre of the room is surrounded by the same runes you saw in the reports. Upon examination it seems to have been made from some kind of powder rather than the blood it initially appears as.
Vasyl hunts down the apartment's security system. A subtle series of cameras recorded everything in the main room and bathroom. Unfortunately, the records have already been pulled by the Arbites, the drives apparent wiped.
Overlord Jon |
Lothar checks the kitchen, including the bin. It seems to be normal enough, if something of a mess. What little food there is seems to long-lasting rations. If the circle was prepared her it was cleaned up, either by the Arbites or the perpetrators.
Vasyl and Lazerus are able to determine that the circle is a mixture of several combat stimms, of a purity that simply touching the powder would be a dangerous experience, and is perhaps in part why it has been left intact.
After a moment Lazerus feels a shadow of what happened here as he opens up his mind, and the sensation feels like claws raking against his psyche.
Lazerus, an Ordinary Willpower test please, or lose 1d6 sanity.
Callidia gazes around the room, her eyes lighting on several laspistol burns on the wall near the door. Someone tried to defend themselves.
Vasyl Zima |
"The circle is combat stimms, a lot of them. Don't touch them if you want to stay sane."
They've been warned.
Vasyl continues to fiddle with his auspex, seeing if there are any hollows in the walls, floor, or ceiling that might contain contraband.
Tech-use 46: 1d100 ⇒ 88
Overlord Jon |
Things become more interesting a few moments later as another vehicle arrives. This one seems to be some kind of cleaning crew, most likely here to scrub the scene. They begin to unload a cornicopia of devices and supplies at the front of the building. You'd judge it will take maybe five minutes before they're ready to go inside - you can see full clean suits are among the gear they've pulled out.
The Auspex buzzes after a moment scanning the room, apparently not picking up anything of use of interest. The wiring seems to be impressively archaic and quite possibly dangerous, but beyond that...
Vasyl Zima |
Annoying timing.
Vasyl looks at Afan, then Lazerus, then back to Afan.
"Yes. Sawyer there looks like he's onto something. Best not let him be interrupted. Do you want assistance?"
Afan Driscol |
Afan pipes across his com bead, only one word. "Understood."
The man breathes for a second, anticipating what must be done next... he swigs the last of his bottle of water, shatters it against the wall on the other side of the alley, and stumbles into the street. He meanders with purpose towards the van, loudly singing an almner's hymn as he approaches.
Vasyl Zima |
"Molineux is buying us time. Let's wrap up here."
Is there anything I've missed?
Vasyl takes another look over the contents of the space, trying to find any discernable pattern.
Scrutiny 18: 1d100 ⇒ 2