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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Graf" data-source="post: 4045788" data-attributes="member: 3087">Diego picks up the first Vanderchild book, it looks to be a fantasy pulp novel titled, Beneath the Dragon. It's battered and well read, the pages have turned slightly yellow with age.The first sentence reads "Gron flexed a one of his massive muscles, which looked as though it had been oiled the way it glimmered in the sun, and snarled, "Vengeance will be mine foul merchant!""Diego skips ahead, parts of the book have been circled and underlined at various points, both the inside and outside covers have notes scrawled on them in the same illegible, but oddly familiar hand.Other books seem to be in all sorts of genres, space adventures, nazi-hunters, primitive explorers, time travelers, every genre and sub-genre seems covered. The covers all feature muscular heroic men doing battle against various foes and many are covered in same sort of illegible scrawl. There are enough E.V. Vanderchid books to fill Archer's suitcase to the bulging. There are other novels as well, by other authors, but the Vanderchild books make up a quarter of the selection and others don't seem to have a the same degree of writing on them (but do have some).You could tote off all the books (close to a hundred) in a big bag (or in one of the wall coverings or sheets). If you just want the the E.V. Vanderchild books you can get them into the suitcase with a few random pockets (i.e. everybody's got a book or two somewhere).[sblock=Auspex -- Beth and Archer]When you enter the room and catch sight edge of the wall covering, you feel unaccountably dizzy. Since Biggs had it tied up you can only see part of the picture but what you can see seems Escherian, what initially look like blobs of random color seem to form unpleasant shapes. From one angle it looks like an earthworm, from another a tail.[/sblock]Beth has to take some time to perceive and retain all the details of the picture, but with her enhanced senses and a bit of time she feels comfortable that she's got it all packed tightly into her mind. [sblock=Beth -- Academics]Stamping the scrawl into her head Beth becomes convinced that she's not looking at English, which allows her to go slowly and focus on each individual part of the alphabet (retaining it correctly).She also notes<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There are two different languages here. The writer seems fluent in them (or maybe mentally disturbed); he (presuming this was done by the ghoul Frank) seems to use them interchangeably. Beth's seen a bunch of languages during her world studies class, while the professor droned on and on she couldn't help tune him out and stare at the script. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">She thinks one of these languages looks a lot like Arabic she saw in her her text books.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> The other language, with it's looping lines and jagged edges is harder to identify. Maybe Sanskrit ?</li> </ul>The "Arabic" generally appears around the edges, in short paragraphs. The "Sanskrit" appears  only in smaller chunks, a word or two (or what beth labels as "words" when she inputs it into her head) at a central node or a small block of text inside of a line or paragraph of "Arabic".[/sblock]On <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1489319/" target="_blank">initial reflection she can't tell anything further (beyond the obvious sorts of assumptions you could make).</a>.The Hash is a massive tar-like brick at least several kgs in weight, and carefully wrapped in some sort of muslin. It looks to be marbled. In the black light in particular it's easy to make out white veins running through the surface.[sblock=OOC Diego's Specialty]I've interpreted Black Market a bit tightly. I see it as a market for goods that you -could- get through legal channels but is generally restricted or else things that have been stolen and fenced.I.e. Military gear that's deployed in the US, stolen goods being "resold" (boosted cars, stuff that fell off trucks, etc) and things like prescription drugs.I'm not adding what I think of as "purely illegal goods"; i.e. drugs, body parts, etc. Just because I think that would be too broad for a specialty.[/sblock][sblock=Diego -- Streetwise -- Hash]Diego's area isn't drugs, but having spent time in prison (which is to say, surrounded by lots of really bored drug users) he couldn't help but <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1489326/" target="_blank">pick up the basics (or what passes for the conventional wisdom among prison junkies):</a><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hash is a black tar which is scraped off the leaves of the marijuana plant</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It's easier to smuggle than weed because it's more concentrated (and shapable -- you can do a lot more with it than you can with marijuana leaves)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">However it's not popular in the US; "the consumers" prefer marijuana</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ergo: Demand is low and supply is low (it might have a bit of a novelty factor)</li> </ul>Diego can't really guess at the street price.[/sblock][sblock=Clothing]Frank's clothing runs to sweater vests, turtlenecks, pleated slacks and suit jackets. It's a bit long for Biggs but fits him. It's a bit small for everyone else. (Frank's around 165cm~5'6")The jackets and the sweater vests look conservative on the outside but have very fancy silk under linings with elaborate geometric or paisley patterns.OOC: Does anyone care? Probably not. But anyway.The women's clothing is extensive and sumptuous; formal wear dominates. There isn't a stitch of denim,a pair of pants, or a skirt above the mid-calf to be found. There is an extensive collection of "evening wear" as well. Beth can find some pieces that fit if she's inclined. [/sblock][sblock=Archer checks the rest of the apartment] Archer's been trained in search techniques by his former employers. He thinks that the place has been picked over multiple times. <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1489387/" target="_blank">2 successes </a>.He notes the following<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> The kitchen is also relatively untouched. A quick whiff with his ultra-sensitive nose reveals that Frank's stinking collection of roots is completely untouched. Just the acrid-ginger smell alone reminds Archer of the intense experience he had after placing the root in his mouth and "absorbing it" under Frank's direction. He can not help but recall that that unforgetable experience triggered the appearance of his Auspex. A business card is taped on the back the the cabinet door: Gkao Golden Spice. 'Spices of East' There is a phone number, a local address and on the back an illegible chunk of scrawl The rest of the place is picked clean. There is little to find without advanced forensic equipment. Archer is convinced someone took his gameboy. It was carefully tucked into the inner pouch of his briefcase but it's gone now. In frustration Archer returns to the living room, the site of his <a href="http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=3960247&postcount=62" target="_blank">"last stand"</a>. As he stares at the elevator in front of him he remembers something peculiar. When Nice and Blackcoat came through initially they were invisible, presumably that was Nices doing. But Blackcoat appeared suddenly directly in front of him in a white glow. A white glow that came from the ceiling and illuminated her. Archer looked up </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Right before Blackcoat Archer saw a glowing mark that had been carved into the fancy wooden paneling above the doorway between the Inner Haven and the Outer Haven (the foyer, franks quarters, the kitchen, etc). Archer's had probably chocked off the memory to stress, but his enhanced vision could easily make out a scorched spot directly above the doorway; whatever had been carved up there had been completely burned away.</li> </ul>[/sblock]</blockquote>

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