OnlytheStrong
Explorer
Diego nods. He walks quietly to the backroom, drawing his knife as he goes. He holds so that the blade is concealed by his forearm.
[VtR][Mature] Born into Darkness: Arc 1
- Thread starter Graf
- Start date
industrygothica
Adventurer
"I recognize them," Beth answers Cole. "The guy who kidnapped me--the one Biggs fought--he had piercings like that, only more of them, like he was a higher rank or something."
Graf
Explorer
What looks like it would be a door to a back room in fact leads to a crude stairway. Diego walks through into the dark space and heads up the stairs.
[sblock=Diego]Even in the darkness you can tell that you don't like the seventh, eighth and ninth stairs. Too high, for starters. Pulling on them shows they aren't even attached, the come off in his hands. The boards themselves have been shaved on the underside, any serious weight on them and a body'd fall through.
Not far though, they'd be stuck halfway in and halfway out of the stair.
There's space underneath; tight, but enough room for a man. Diego pokes around for a minute and comes up with a bunch of individually wrapped hard candies and an unpleasant feeling blade.
From the underside of the stairs (i.e. squatting down in this little pit under the trapped stairs) Diego can tell the staircase is more of a scaffolding. He could slip out of the space under the stairway to the right. Technically there should be a wall between this building and the next, but it' looks like it's been cut through.
Listening to echoes, the wind and generally trying to get a feel for the environment Diego has the sense of being in some kind of giant warren. [/sblock]
[sblock=Diego]Even in the darkness you can tell that you don't like the seventh, eighth and ninth stairs. Too high, for starters. Pulling on them shows they aren't even attached, the come off in his hands. The boards themselves have been shaved on the underside, any serious weight on them and a body'd fall through.
Not far though, they'd be stuck halfway in and halfway out of the stair.
There's space underneath; tight, but enough room for a man. Diego pokes around for a minute and comes up with a bunch of individually wrapped hard candies and an unpleasant feeling blade.
From the underside of the stairs (i.e. squatting down in this little pit under the trapped stairs) Diego can tell the staircase is more of a scaffolding. He could slip out of the space under the stairway to the right. Technically there should be a wall between this building and the next, but it' looks like it's been cut through.
Listening to echoes, the wind and generally trying to get a feel for the environment Diego has the sense of being in some kind of giant warren. [/sblock]
Festy_Dog
First Post
Archer refrained from touching things. The old man had died, a mixed blessing, and he didn't want to leave too much evidence of his identity or his colleagues' if cops became involved. He looked about the ceiling for a security camera, but didn't expect to see any if the owners wouldn't even invest in a fire extinguisher. Following that his priority was finding a powerful cleaning product (preferably bleach), gloves and a rag.
"Can do, but we've got a body on our hands now so mind what you touch," Archer pointed out the knife embedded in the old man, "We need to clean up that in particular. Assuming Diego has a record, we don't want cops pulling prints off that knife. Then again, the store's owners may dislike the involvement of law as much as we would. Better to be safe in any case."
"The plot grows thicker," Archer remarked as he rounded the store counter and started up the stairs Diego had gone up moments before.
In one night a number of potential connections had appeared. Archer was curious about where this was all going. The store visit seemed to hold more potential than he had estimated. Whatever information was held there could possibly benefit more than just the pursuit of Celeste.
Also, in hindsight, he thought it more likely they would keep cleaning equipment somewhere in the back. He decided to keep an eye out for as much, just in case.
Bloodweaver1 said:
"Can do, but we've got a body on our hands now so mind what you touch," Archer pointed out the knife embedded in the old man, "We need to clean up that in particular. Assuming Diego has a record, we don't want cops pulling prints off that knife. Then again, the store's owners may dislike the involvement of law as much as we would. Better to be safe in any case."
Bloodweaver1 said:
industrygothica said:
"The plot grows thicker," Archer remarked as he rounded the store counter and started up the stairs Diego had gone up moments before.
In one night a number of potential connections had appeared. Archer was curious about where this was all going. The store visit seemed to hold more potential than he had estimated. Whatever information was held there could possibly benefit more than just the pursuit of Celeste.
Also, in hindsight, he thought it more likely they would keep cleaning equipment somewhere in the back. He decided to keep an eye out for as much, just in case.
Bloodweaver1
First Post
Cole Braddock
“Possibly. None the less. Lets see what we can find, shall we. ” Replies Cole as he searches the corpse and then moves onto the room.
“Possibly. None the less. Lets see what we can find, shall we. ” Replies Cole as he searches the corpse and then moves onto the room.
OnlytheStrong
Explorer
[sblock]
Diego will take the blade, especially if it looks and feels good. He doesn't take the candy though figuring he will let the others "discover" it. [/sblock]
Diego heads back into the main room. "Stairs are fake, sorta looks like they were meant to hold a person in place long enough for someone to come and get em." He pauses for a moment, as if considering the stairwell for the first time. "This place is way more than we thought it was. I'm for getting some Sucker or even Nice to check it out. Seems more of a ........ hive or a ......... oh what in the hell is that word.......... warren or something. It's tense."
He looks around the room and spots the man that had stabbed him. He walks over and pulls the knife out, wiping his fingerprints off the handle. He drops the knife and begins to walk outside.
Diego will take the blade, especially if it looks and feels good. He doesn't take the candy though figuring he will let the others "discover" it. [/sblock]
Diego heads back into the main room. "Stairs are fake, sorta looks like they were meant to hold a person in place long enough for someone to come and get em." He pauses for a moment, as if considering the stairwell for the first time. "This place is way more than we thought it was. I'm for getting some Sucker or even Nice to check it out. Seems more of a ........ hive or a ......... oh what in the hell is that word.......... warren or something. It's tense."
He looks around the room and spots the man that had stabbed him. He walks over and pulls the knife out, wiping his fingerprints off the handle. He drops the knife and begins to walk outside.
Graf
Explorer
Archer turns up his auspex looking up at the ceiling above his head he sees a cunningly concealed trap door, a mass of tell-tale gouges around it suggest that it's used frequently as an egress.Festy_Dog said:
At the far end of the ceiling, above the door leading out the alley, is a small wooden shelf, the Slasher was probably sitting on it (or crouching there isn't enough space to really sit even for a hunched old man).
There is nothing that looks remotely like it could be a security camera.
Searching the corpse is a quick affair. The old man is wearing a crude pair of jeans, the pants cut off to form makeshift shorts.Bloodweaver1 said:
Two sheaths and several leather pouches and are attached by leather cords to his body. The sheaths are empty now, he obviously kept the two blade he was using in them.
There are also some unpleasant smelling substances in containers in the pouches, one in some sort of hollowed out horn or tooth and the other in what looks like a discarded woman's lip gloss container.
Other than that he has a few hard candies and a couple of dollars in his pockets.
Physically the old man has the body of someone whose had a hard life, his hands are a mass of calluses, he's heavily scarred, his back is bent, most of his teeth are missing (those that remain seem to be filed to points).
His fingernails seem to be abnormally long and very hard and his hands and arms are extremely developed.
Festy_Dog said:
Archer bumps into Diego as he comes back down the stairs.
[sblock=Diego]The blade is an unplesant looking item: a small scythe with two blades. It can be held in one hand or two. It looks like it's half way between a farming implement and a surgical device.
It would be OK in a fight, the cutting edges are on the inner side of the blades. You could do a lot of really nasty damage to somebody if you could gore them with it.
It's too big for a pocket, so you've either touched of shadow it, or it's pretty visible.[/sblock]
OnlytheStrong said:
Diego pulls the knife from the body, which gives a twitch and lets out a small stream of blood. He gets his hankerchief a bit dirty wiping off the knife blade, it falls to the ground with a clunk in the rapidly spreading pool of blood.
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Bloodweaver1
First Post
Cole Braddock
"Do any of you know what to make of these. I am afraid that my past dealings leave me at somewhat of a lose when it comes alchemy." Ask Cole as he present the strange looking viles.
"A false stairway with a false stair and a very real knife. We also have a trap door that leads to a second floor. Plus a building that is more of a warren than a real building. Sounds to me like further investigation is called for. Mr. Archer, is it safe to presume that we are alone or should we expect more company?" Asks Cole as he takes a better look at the the trap door in hopes of finding a way to opening it.
"Do any of you know what to make of these. I am afraid that my past dealings leave me at somewhat of a lose when it comes alchemy." Ask Cole as he present the strange looking viles.
"A false stairway with a false stair and a very real knife. We also have a trap door that leads to a second floor. Plus a building that is more of a warren than a real building. Sounds to me like further investigation is called for. Mr. Archer, is it safe to presume that we are alone or should we expect more company?" Asks Cole as he takes a better look at the the trap door in hopes of finding a way to opening it.
Graf
Explorer
Getting something long and prodding at the ceiling (or standing on top of the counter top next to the cash register) allows Cole to push the trap door up. It slides up silently on wooden hinges.
The shaft goes straight up into darkness.
It's a tight fit but wide enough for a single person to crawl up at a time.
The shaft goes straight up into darkness.
It's a tight fit but wide enough for a single person to crawl up at a time.
OnlytheStrong
Explorer
Diego shakes his head, "Be d@mned if I am going first." He looks at the mini scyth in his hands, weighing the balance of it. Then decides to keep it and tucks it away safely.
Festy_Dog
First Post
Graf said:
Archer drew a handkerchief, clearing his throat as he dabbed at the corners of his mouth. He pointed out what he noticed to the others.
Bloodweaver1 said:
Archer climbed atop the store counter, signaled for quiet from the others and listened carefully next to the trap door.
"Second opinion, Beth?" he asked, wanting to be doubly sure of his result.
industrygothica
Adventurer
Beth hops up on the counter next to Archer and tries to concentrate on the space above. Finally she shrugs, and takes a small step back as she looks up into the blackness. "One way to find out," she says. "I'm smaller than the rest of you. Faster, too."
Graf
Explorer
[sblock=Auspex]The shaft is pitch black, but neither of you are bothered by that.
It looks like it runs up from the ceiling for more than 20 feet before opening up into a room.
You both focus, trying to see or hear anything, but a shared glance and a shrug confirms what you both expected: except for a quiet wind howling there is nothing to apprehend. [sblock=OOC is that english]Apprehend? Sense? Whatever you don't "see" anything with all your senses.[/sblock][/sblock]
Beth gathers the evening dress, tying it off around her thighs to get most of it out of her way. She jumps up, getting a grip on the lip at the edge of the shaft and with some awkward swinging back and forth manages to wriggle up into the shaft and out of sight.
[sblock=Archer and Beth]Archer watches as Beth slowly moves up the shaft. You see her haul herself up and disappear from sight at the top. She's maybe 20-30 feet up, probably on the third story of the building.[/sblock]
[sblock=Beth]Conveniently there are regular hand holds carved into the walls of the shaft, it'd be a pain to feel for them in the darkness, but its not particularly troublesome for you.
Your evening dress catches on an outcropping and a few stitches pop. You move carefully though and manage to avoid anything more serious.
As you pull yourself up you notice that there seems to be a trap at the top of the shaft. Several flexible piece of metal studded with long pieces of broken glass are bolted around the lip of the shaft and hang limply. Someone could tie them off and then trigger them (somehow...) to come swinging down on anyone coming up the shaft.
Right now the whole thing just looks like a piece of modern art gone wrong.
The room at the top of the shaft is decrepit and homey (in a creepy sort of way). A pot of something burbles slowly on a hot plate surrounded by cooking implements (mortar and pestle, cutting board, etc); several mounds of blankets and clothing (probably salvaged from the garbage) lie around the space; a calendar, apparently produced by a beer company and featuring scantily clad women, has a prominent place on one wall; discarded coca-cola cans, candy wrappers and so forth attest to the lack of neatness of the inhabitants.
A hole carved in the roof allows in some moonlight.
There are several trap doors, similar to the one that you came from, and all featuring crude traps (though all are unset) and one obvious point of exit: an open doorway.
Looking through the open doorway you can see what appears to be a smaller room dominated by a single stone slab. On top of the slab is some sort of small (1ft tall) crude statue.
Beth does -not- hear or notice anything from downstairs yet.
[/sblock]
Down in the shop
The shop is well lit inside. The three men wait quietly.
[sblock=Archer and Diego]Diego, standing near the door hears something: a loud scraping sound from back down the ally. Looking back he sees two figures moving down the ally together. The larger one is supporting the smaller one. The sound came from a long machete like blade the larger on is carrying.
They're next to the dumpster now, continuing down the alley toward the shop.[/sblock]
[sblock=Archer]Your heightened senses allow you to pick out a bit more through the window, you can see dark skin, what look like trench coats and smell fresh blood. [/sblock]
It looks like it runs up from the ceiling for more than 20 feet before opening up into a room.
You both focus, trying to see or hear anything, but a shared glance and a shrug confirms what you both expected: except for a quiet wind howling there is nothing to apprehend. [sblock=OOC is that english]Apprehend? Sense? Whatever you don't "see" anything with all your senses.[/sblock][/sblock]
Beth gathers the evening dress, tying it off around her thighs to get most of it out of her way. She jumps up, getting a grip on the lip at the edge of the shaft and with some awkward swinging back and forth manages to wriggle up into the shaft and out of sight.
[sblock=Archer and Beth]Archer watches as Beth slowly moves up the shaft. You see her haul herself up and disappear from sight at the top. She's maybe 20-30 feet up, probably on the third story of the building.[/sblock]
[sblock=Beth]Conveniently there are regular hand holds carved into the walls of the shaft, it'd be a pain to feel for them in the darkness, but its not particularly troublesome for you.
Your evening dress catches on an outcropping and a few stitches pop. You move carefully though and manage to avoid anything more serious.
As you pull yourself up you notice that there seems to be a trap at the top of the shaft. Several flexible piece of metal studded with long pieces of broken glass are bolted around the lip of the shaft and hang limply. Someone could tie them off and then trigger them (somehow...) to come swinging down on anyone coming up the shaft.
Right now the whole thing just looks like a piece of modern art gone wrong.
The room at the top of the shaft is decrepit and homey (in a creepy sort of way). A pot of something burbles slowly on a hot plate surrounded by cooking implements (mortar and pestle, cutting board, etc); several mounds of blankets and clothing (probably salvaged from the garbage) lie around the space; a calendar, apparently produced by a beer company and featuring scantily clad women, has a prominent place on one wall; discarded coca-cola cans, candy wrappers and so forth attest to the lack of neatness of the inhabitants.
A hole carved in the roof allows in some moonlight.
There are several trap doors, similar to the one that you came from, and all featuring crude traps (though all are unset) and one obvious point of exit: an open doorway.
Looking through the open doorway you can see what appears to be a smaller room dominated by a single stone slab. On top of the slab is some sort of small (1ft tall) crude statue.
Beth does -not- hear or notice anything from downstairs yet.
[/sblock]
Down in the shop
The shop is well lit inside. The three men wait quietly.
[sblock=Archer and Diego]Diego, standing near the door hears something: a loud scraping sound from back down the ally. Looking back he sees two figures moving down the ally together. The larger one is supporting the smaller one. The sound came from a long machete like blade the larger on is carrying.
They're next to the dumpster now, continuing down the alley toward the shop.[/sblock]
[sblock=Archer]Your heightened senses allow you to pick out a bit more through the window, you can see dark skin, what look like trench coats and smell fresh blood. [/sblock]
OnlytheStrong
Explorer
Diego grabs his new knife and "hides" it. "Time to find some information, eh?" he whispers. Diego slowly moves towards the new people.
Graf
Explorer
Diego focuses for a minute and trusty knife disappears from view. Even Archer can't see it.
[sblock=Diego -- the Lights are on]Unless they're blind they'll have seen the lights from the shop.
And iwth the lights on in the shop trying to get closer to them will be virtually impossible (read: you'll be blacklit when you pass through the doorway). You -can- try, but you'll have stiff penalties.[/sblock]
[sblock=OOC -- The roller gate] Pulling the gate closed is possible, however they are pretty close; obviousness of the activity (it's noisy, the shop's lights are on, etc) and how close they are it's completely impossible for them not to notice and have a chance to react.
And you'd have to go open the front door (at the very least, to get it down. And, of course, it doesn't lock by itself.
Padlocking it closed would mean that someone would be outside, on the padlock side.
And, of course, you'd be locked inside.[/sblock]
[sblock=Diego -- the Lights are on]Unless they're blind they'll have seen the lights from the shop.
And iwth the lights on in the shop trying to get closer to them will be virtually impossible (read: you'll be blacklit when you pass through the doorway). You -can- try, but you'll have stiff penalties.[/sblock]
[sblock=OOC -- The roller gate] Pulling the gate closed is possible, however they are pretty close; obviousness of the activity (it's noisy, the shop's lights are on, etc) and how close they are it's completely impossible for them not to notice and have a chance to react.
And you'd have to go open the front door (at the very least, to get it down. And, of course, it doesn't lock by itself.
Padlocking it closed would mean that someone would be outside, on the padlock side.
And, of course, you'd be locked inside.[/sblock]
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OnlytheStrong
Explorer
Diego shrugs as he drops down, concealing his shadow from being splayed all over the window. "Let's just let em hang themselves."
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industrygothica
Adventurer
"Curiouser and curiouser," Beth whispers to herself, feeling a bit like she's just entered a rabbit hole. Cautiously, she enters through the doorway and approaches the stone slab.
