EVENT #17: EPULUM - COORDINATION POST

[abraxasmods]

Event #17 - Coordination

OOC Plotting Post ⦁ IC Event Log ⦁ Nocwich

This post is for coordination while the event is ongoing, to prevent the IC Event Log from being overrun by OOC mod and player communications. The comments section will contain applicable comments and forms for you to reply to as needed.

Use this post to:

◎ Contact the mods
◎ Submit your suspected culprit
◎ Investigate the crime or track ongoing investigations
◎ Submit noticeable actions
◎ Write rapid IC exchanges

Available Forms

For details on each form, see the sections below.
Be sure to reply under the applicable category as required.

Mod Communications

If you have any questions about the limits or scope of what you can do before you formalize it in an investigation, you can go over the details with us here. You can also submit the suspect to Celeste under the appropriate heading. Submitting the name of the suspect is not required to complete the mystery, but doing so may contribute to whether the suspect is caught or escapes.

If you have questions about non-investigative aspects of the event, see the Questions thread on the OOC Plotting Post.

Contact Us

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Submission:</b> (Describe your question OR write the name of the Witness your character will accuse as the suspect)

Investigations

To leave opportunities for others, please limit the scope of your actions per submission. For example, if you'd like to test a key, you must specify a narrow set of locks in a particular section. Additionally, while there are no strict limits on how many investigations you can be involved in, we do ask that you try to stagger them a little to help us keep pace.

You can investigate something multiple times as long as it makes sense for your character to try again. This includes following up with witnesses if characters learn new information. To investigate, fill out the form, then comment under the item you're investigating.

Investigate a witness, scene, or evidence

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Other characters involved:</b> <b>Witness/Scene/Evidence:</b> (What is the witness, scene, or evidence your character is exploring?) <b>Action:</b> (Describe what your character is attempting to do and how. If multiple characters are taking action, include their actions.) <b>Thread:</b> <a href="urlhere">Thread</a> (If applicable. Linking a thread is NOT required, but can help us tailor our responses) <b>Notes:</b> (Anything else)

IC Exchanges

Use this option if you have an interaction you'd like to play out, but setting up a standard IC thread would be impracticable. For example, if your character wants to speak to several people about a piece of evidence, you might want to do an IC exchange. IC exchanges can take place in the real world or the Horizon.

Treat this like an informal IC network thread done in person, where character reactions, snippets of dialogue, and other details can be quickly played out and concluded in-game without committing to a full log thread. Exchanges are game canon, and can count towards Activity Check under the category of a Network thread.

Start an IC exchange

Using the provided form is optional. Begin a thread freeform if you prefer.

<b>Where & when:</b> (Where and when is this exchange taking place?) <b>Purpose:</b> (What's the reason for this exchange?) <b>THREAD START</b> (Write the scenario, your character's actions, and any dialogue as usual)

Notable Actions

Submit any notable actions that are likely to gain attention from other players such as fights or disturbances.

Submit a notable action

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>When:</b> (Approximately when is this incident taking place?) <b>Where:</b> (Where is this incident taking place?) <b>What:</b> (Describe the incident) <b>Link:</b> <a href="urlhere">Thread</a> (If applicable. Actions can be submitted without a thread if they're minor.)

Comments

VAULT/GALLERY

[abraxasmods]

[ushiri]

Player Name: Jay
Character Name: Kyle
Other characters involved: Geralt

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Looking into the warding and blood signature.
Action: Geralt is using his Witcher senses to smell the blood and take note but per Noa his nose isn't good enough to trace it unless the other person is ALSO bleeding or has been bleeding somewhere. Kyle studied Thornean wards early on in his Abraxan tenure so he'll be trying to compare and contrast even if they are wildly different. His own abilities rely on curses via blood, on the off-chance he can sense curse related things going on here.
Thread: Thread! Just started.
Notes: He is very EYEZOOMS about the daggers in general and the body for canon lore reasons, I know the body isn't part of the investigation though!

[abraxasmods]

The blood signature contains traces of blood wine that can be smelled. Although this could apply to any of the witnesses, it would rule out the visiting humans, who are unlikely to have partaken in blood wine to any great degree.

They would also be able to sense a strange energy from the warding. This energy has not been included in any of the reports from Ikorr.

It may confirm that the warding was indeed erected again after being taken down, suggesting the culprit is someone who has access to powerful magic - either natively or through a tool.

[thedreamer]

Player Name: Kris
Character Name: The Doctor
Other characters involved: Julia

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Investigating the blood signature and the private vaults.
Action: Julia knows blood magic so she'd try to figure out what happened and how the blood signature broke and if they know who originally did it, to learn more about the magic that would have been involved in taking down the wards and then erecting them again. If there's a trail she can follow from the blood she will. The Doctor would want to speak to the gallery security guards and try to get access to the private vaults for further inspection. He would explain how they'd been led here to begin with, from the crying woman concerned about accessing her jewels, and how he hoped to help her and others by being allowed to inspect the private vaults more thoroughly. If allowed, though the Doctor is not versed in warding magic, he would be more interested in engaging in conversation with the security guards while they inspected some of the private vaults together. He would lean into their knowledge and show interest and value in their experience, putting their "heads" together with the Doctor leaning into his knowledge of other ways this could have happened.
Thread: Thread Just started but they'll be distracted by the crying woman and learn about the vault theft through her specifically.
Notes:
Nothing apart from the Doctor will have a general "keep up the great work, don't worry, we'll all get this sorted together" vibe while chatting with the guards.

[abraxasmods]

Julia will be able to confirm that, as noted by the guards, the blood signature is not broken but rather an entirely unauthorized one was used in conjunction with lifting the wards in order to remove the Twin Latchkeys from its place.

There is no trail from the blood. The blood signature is similar to a key, and would not leave any trail behind. As a result, it may be best to begin searching for a match. They can speak to witnesses to do so, but be aware not all of them will be cooperative without good cause.

Guards would recommend she examine the wards if she wants to know more about the magic involved in taking them down. The wards are currently up and appear untouched, as described above, but she may learn more by looking at it closely.

The security guards would not be able to grant access to anyone's private vaults without good reason, as this would be a breach of protocol. They would suggest that if the Doctor can come up with probable cause to search one of the witnesses' vaults, then he can return and ask them again, at which point they could possibly give him access. Speaking to one of the witnesses or searching the other areas may give him the evidence required.

[inthenameofhades]

Player Name: Blue
Character Name: Zagreus
Other characters involved: Will Solace

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Looking into the vaults and the blood signature
Action:
Zagreus will be asking the Deputy Sentinel to tell him about the signature seal - how it works, what its purpose is, how it's failed, ect. Also, Zagreus is the god of blood in his home world, which may or may not provide him any additional insight into the blood signature. This isn't something that Zagreus has ever tried to do before, so he doesn't have any idea how successful it might be (if he isn't able to successfully gain any insight this way, he'll lean more on questioning the Deputy Sentinel).

Will would be trying to use his vitakinesis/healing abilities to gain any information about the blood itself, and if need be, his super new plague abilities that he's utterly terrified of. He'd also try to draw on any knowledge from greek myth, which of course, probably wont lend any additional insight.

Thread: Thread
Notes: NA

[abraxasmods]

The purpose of the blood signature is not unlike a key card, which both authorizes and links an identity to the person accessing the object. In this case, the signature oddly does not match anyone in the official records, meaning an outsider has somehow breached this security process.

Depending on how their abilities function, one or both of them may be able to confirm that the blood does not belong to anyone human. In fact, it's mostly likely Ikorran blood, or at least someone with a very long lifespan and rapid ability to heal. This could feasibly apply to the Draconae (Babis), as well, so they may find it worthwhile to ask him his age - and confirm it another way if they want to make sure he's telling the truth. The Draconae enjoy tall tales as a general rule, though it's mostly in good fun.

[gynvael]

Player Name: Noa
Character Name: Geralt
Other characters involved: Alucard

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Vault!
Action: Geralt is mostly using Alucard to see if his vampire-ness will narrow down if the blood signature is vampire or draconae, if that's possible, or anything else they might be able to find out that'll point them to a witness to start with.

Geralt will also return to the ward to use Alucard to confirm he feels the same weird energy.

Thread: Thread Just started for now
Notes: We're mostly looking for where they might go next to keep investigating for evidence!

[abraxasmods]

If Alucard is able to obtain vampire blood from any of the other vampire, or has had contact with them prior to investigating, then he would be able to find that the blood signature is most likely that of a vampire's due to similarities. The guards would recommend speaking to one of the three Ikorran witnesses listed above, each of whom might've seen or heard something unusual over the past week or two.

Alucard would be able to sense a similar energy. It appears that the Summoned are capable of doing so while the natives are not.

[assembles]

Player Name: Court
Character Name: Steve Rogers
Other characters involved: Loki

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Steve wants to speak to the gallery security guards around the Vaults.
Action: Steve is going to approach the guards to inquire about the private vaults, particularly to ask if they know who any of the owners of these vaults are, and if they happen to be in attendance at the Epulum festival. His thought is that maybe the thief meant to target one of the private vaults, and if that's the case, there's a chance there's some sort of personal connection between the thief and the vault owner that might help narrow down the culprit.

Loki, meanwhile, will be eavesdropping on this conversation (unknown to Steve). Our hope/where we might like to go with this is that if the guards do share this information, Loki might be able to shapeshift into one of the private vault owners to get access.
Thread: None yet, but we'll be starting one soon!
Notes: If the guards don't want to share this sort of info, we can also pivot to Loki using Steve's conversation with the guards as a distraction to go poke around in the vaults where he maybe couldn't normally! We're flexible, but thought the shapeshifting idea could be fun if it works out.

[abraxasmods]

A couple of the guards are busy with paperwork, but one woman who seems to be looking for an excuse to leave her very dull post (the gallery is quiet right now) tells Steve she'll answer his questions. She says that a number of patrons of the Vault are attending Epulum. It's a huge festival, and many big names are here. This includes Marcellus Ver and Retha Zelpha.

She acknowledges that it's possible there is a connection, but she can't see why a person with a lot to lose would do something like this. Maybe, she muses, they think they have greater to lose if they don't?


Regarding shapeshifting: while Loki can shapeshift into either Retha or Marcellus and make an attempt, he should be aware he'll be caught. The wards are quite powerful and shapeshifting spells exist in Abraxas, so they would be prepared for something like that. He would also not be able to access anything without the correct blood signature, which he would not be able to mimic.

However, his attempt won't get him into too much trouble if he plays up the angle that he was only trying to help and is very sorry for his error in judgment. Ikorr has its hands full and the Summoned generally receive more leniency, especially since Ikorr does not have jurisdiction over Loki - the Free Cities does - and they wouldn't want to cause an international incident by being too aggressive. Therefore, if you'd like to play out him shapeshifting and getting caught at the vault entrance (Loki's glamor will be dispelled automatically upon crossing a threshold), you're welcome to!

He'll eventually be released with a warning if he swears not to do it again. They'll send a report to the Free Cities and it'll be entered into his records, but nothing will come of that for now. If you would like Steve to be involved, he can also promise to keep an eye on Loki since he has more influence and trust earned in Abraxas.

Additionally, upon crossing the threshold, Loki will sense a strange presence in the air...almost as if something otherworldly has taken interest in him. He will be the only one who can feel it. In fact, he may wonder if this strange presence is the reason he's been let off quite easily.

Just let us know if this is the path you've chosen to take!

[durge]

Player Name: Ammay
Character Name: Haelva
Other characters involved: n/a

Witness/Scene/Evidence: The Vault -- the blood signature
Action: After noting the strange reaction of the ravens, Haelva will attempt to go down to the Vault and inspect the blood signature just long enough to see if the ravens respond to it in the same way that they did the blood she and Astarion discovered. Because the amount of blood they have is limited, she's hoping that this particular method of matching the two together will give them an edge without having to risk using up the sample.
Thread: Based off of the information gathered here.
Notes: I'm totally happy with her coming away with nothing at all.

[abraxasmods]

Curiously, the ravens do not react to the blood, but they do react to the ward over the broken-into vault that's been giving off a strange energy to all Summoned who've investigated it. It appears that the ward and the container possess a quality that's bothering the ravens, not the blood itself.

[northerndragon]

Player Name: Elizabeth
Character Name: Jon Snow
Other characters involved: Sansa Stark, Koby

Witness/Scene/Evidence: The vault, with interest in talking to Soraya and the gallery guards
Action: Sansa and Jon both think Soraya is sus (and their initial suspicion is that Soraya and Marcellus planned the whole thing together).

Koby is observant and will ask a lot of questions about all the circumstances of the theft, but will do so extremely politely. Sansa is also observant, but her questions will be fewer and more pointed, and she's more likely to openly call BS if an answer is sus. Jon is observant-ish, but he's more likely to try to set anyone he talks to at ease than make them feel like they're being interrogated, so his questions, while good, will be casual and amiable. Basically, this is good cop (Jon), bad cop (Sansa), and Enthusiastic Rookie (Koby).

All of them will look around carefully: corners, the tops of things, under things, etc. If talking to the guards indicates that it's worthwhile, they might ask to see the guards' break area. They will also ask the specifics of how and why the last user of the artifact wound up, you know, like that.

Thread: n/a! Koby and Jon did notice the guards, so that's the investigation path they're starting from.
Notes: If it is possible for Koby to have noticed one of the leather bags on the ground at some point here or along the way, we're into that! We're also into the possibility of Sansa overhearing things. It's also worth noting that this is a team that can't really do forensic investigation into things like blood signatures: their focus is more likely to be what they can glean from more mundane physical evidence, and instances when someone is lying to them.

[abraxasmods]

Soraya will answer all of their questions frankly. The circumstances of the theft would be as described under The Missing Artifact. This information will be available to them from the outset.

Please note Soraya as a Witness has her own section. You may investigate her there by submitting more specific questions for her. You can review her Witness descriptions for anything that stands out you'd like to pursue. Specifics will help us craft a response for you.

There's no break room down in the Vaults, but there is one upstairs shared with the art gallery security guards. They'll be invited to take a look. Inside, they can see the rotating schedule and other typical items. There's also confirmation that Soraya has been working overtime, since she's taken up her own little corner in their office. The guards will lightly complain about this, though it's more like gentle ribbing. They don't seem to hold it against her.

If they are not interested in examining the aspects specified under the Vault/Gallery description (denoted with an underline) due to a lack of magical or forensic ability, then they may continue onward to another Scene or approach Soraya directly to speak to her. We recommend selecting a Witness or a Scene for your group to begin with.

[familysucks]

Player Name: Nri
Character Name: Michael
Other characters involved: Wanda

Witness/Scene/Evidence: The Vaults
Action: They're going to make an initial examination of the warding presumably erected by the thief after they left the Vaults. Both Wanda and Michael were involved in breaking the warding on the sealed door in Josselyn Creed's house; if they compare this ward to that one, what similarities would they notice? Differences?
Thread: Thread
Notes: N/A

[abraxasmods]

Due to their familiarity with wards in Solvunn, and Wanda's frequent interactions with High Magic, they'll notice not only the rune but that it's different than what might be found in Solvunn's High Magic. Solvunn typically relies on a variety of blessings put together particularly for more powerful spells, whereas this rune appears alone.

Further, Wanda would not recognize the rune to be associated with any Gods of protection or shielding, as one might expect from a warding spell.

[flagrates]

Player Name: Lins
Character Name: Clive Rosfield
Other characters involved: Geralt

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Art Gallery
Action: Clive has summoned Torgal to track down some vampire blood Geralt has found. Will there be anything for the best boy to track?
Thread: Thread
Notes: (Anything else)

[abraxasmods]

Upon sniffing the blood, Torgal will lead them in a bit of a circle at first. It seems the scent is difficult for him to follow. However he'll soon take them to the Sun Petal. This can be before or after Geralt noticed the missing book behind the stall. This would suggest that whoever left the blood signature behind, they had some significant contact with the Sun Petal area and may be in possession of that book.

Along the way, Torgal can also meet other friendly canine-like creatures such as Maximaria the Destroyer, and may be fed treats from passersby.

[oversight]

Player Name: Karen
Character Name: John Blake
Other characters involved: N/A

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Marcellus Ver's Vault
Action: After hearing about the on-going investigation from Dean Winchester, and catching Castiel's message to the Summoned, Blake has been using his presence as an honored guest (his Arcana is the Tower) to mingle closely with anyone lingering nearby to the vault. If he receives no resistance to his presence (as a Summoned with no influence), he will attempt to enter the vault with the appropriate escorts, if necessary. He will explain that investigation is his expertise and he doesn't intend to alter or displace any items within the vault during his search of the location.

Thread: N/A
Notes: He's taken part in some of the festivities but has not made a scene. Those celebrating his Arcana have been generous and kind, and in return Blake has been notably gracious, albeit overwhelmed by the attention, as evidenced by his array of decorations and gifts. He has partaken in some of the food, so he's technically under the influence.

Additionally, he does have the ability to "leach/leech" emotions. I'm not sure if it's relevant here, but if there's anyone around experiencing any particularly strong emotions, it could be something that could effect Blake (as well as the other person/s).

[abraxasmods]

Inside Marcellus's private vault, he'll notice a sealed ledger. This contains Marcellus's financial records, indicating a significant loss in profits beginning two years ago around the opening of Oleuni Square.

This does not appear to be public record, suggesting Marcellus has been lying to his business partners and promising investments he can't afford.

[cryptsleeper]

Player Name: Dia
Character Name: Alucard
Other characters involved: Geralt; Clive

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Marcellus Ver's vault
Action: - All three will simply want to see what is in there
- Geralt and Clive will have an eye out for the botanist's missing notebook
-Alucard will also be curious if there are any personal notebooks, memos, or records that contain information regarding the Dusk Wine. He has a deep suspicion that Marcy's adding his own blood to the mixture.
Thread: following the announcement that it's open for investigation, Clive, Geralt, and Al are going to take a look

[abraxasmods]

The majority of Marcellus's vault contains further locked boxes and containers. To give other players the opportunity to make discoveries of their own, we recommend coordinating with other teams or characters to uncover additional contents.

However, they can find the notebook that Torgal was attempting to lead them towards. Inside are carefully detailed notes from the botanist regarding a variety of rare Ikorran plant species, including something that looks similar to the seed that's been discovered in three of the sachets thus far. It appears that Marcellus did steal the book and that it's been inside his vault since the start of the night. This is a little odd, since the botanist appears to have only recently noticed that his book went missing.

Alucard will be able to confirm that Marcellus's blood is in the wine through his other investigation here.

[unwings]

Player Name: jay
Character Name: castiel
Other characters involved: koby

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Marcellus Ver's vault
Action: When Cas and Koby go to inform the Sentinels about Marcellus being shifty and they're told the Summoned are now allowed into his vault, they'll take the opportunity to check it out. Koby will be taking a systematic approach, not touch anything and look where everything was when they first get in. Castiel will ruin that by picking things up to examine them, trying to sus out anything with a touch of magic or otherworldly essence to it, using his senses to smell, listen, examine atomic make up, whatever. if it's particularly interested, he might have a lick, you know how he be. He'll also be on the look out for any organic material - dead skin or stray hairs that aren't from a wig - that might contain Marcellus's DNA.

ALSO if there are any indoor plants that might've had a view of the crime scene, are inside this vault or other vaults they have access to, or just anywhere around the area that might've scene/felt/known something, Cas would like to talk to them with his talk to plants ability he got last power gain. ON THAT NOTE; I talked with Geralt's player and we wanted to see if Cas would be able to try talking to the seed? Is it plant-conscious enough to communicate?

Thread: We'll probably branch off the thread we're using for trying to get a sample from Marcellus and lead that into talking to the sentinels

[northerndragon]

Player Name: Elizabeth
Character Name: Jon Snow
Other characters involved: Sansa Stark, Koby

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Marcellus's vault
Action: The three present the ledger they took from the butcher in the merchant stall storage area and ask for access to Marcellus's financials and the vault in general. They would look for confirmation that he's in financial trouble within his records, and poke around the rest of the vault as thoroughly as they were allowed to.
Thread: n/a
Notes: We sat on this for a few days because it seemed like the feeling from other players was that we should wait to deploy it until after/if Marcellus was identified as a probable culprit (& for coordination approaches from other players, which so far haven't come up in either direction). I really don't know how this crosses timewise with Koby's involvement with Castiel, etc etc. (Maybe it happens around the same time, for convenience?) We just thought it'd probably be better not to leave it any longer.