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

[cryptsleeper]

Player Name: Dia
Character Name: Alucard
Other characters involved: Viktor

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Soraya
Action: Viktor will introduce himself as an inventor from the Free Cities; Alucard will simply give his name and let his fangs show for a few moments before getting onto things.

Viktor's questions will be focused on the vault and the locks, with an eye towards physical mechanisms either working alone or in conjunction with magic, assuming there was some kind of security breach. Alucard will be returning to the vaults after his blood testing, so his questions will focus on blood. They will aim to politely address if specific vampire blood must be used to open specific vaults like this one as a means of security, as well as more general information about how old the vaults themselves are, when the first record of this artefact appearing in the vaults is, and how frequently the populace of Ikorr comes down here to access their own personal vaults.
Thread: Thread
Notes: (Anything else)

[abraxasmods]

Soraya gives a polite chuckle and tells Viktor that his question is expected of an inventor of the Free Cities. However, there is no physical locking mechanism working in conjunction with magic for the vault's security. Ikorr's vaults are protected exclusively by magic wards. In Ikorr, New Magic isn't used.

She explains that Alucard is correct, authorized personnel have their blood signature "registered" and henceforth can use it to retrieve the object without raising an alarm. This can only be done after the wards let them through. The blood signature serves as authorization and also to identify who last accessed the object and who last returned it. It serves as their version of signing something in and out. Careful records are kept.

The vaults are as old as Ikorr itself, and the artifact has been in their possession for many centuries. Only the most important and wealthy individuals use these vaults, and the specific vault containing the artifact does not share warding with other private vaults. Each vault has its own access ward. This one in particular is owned by the Pact, basically the Ikorran government itself.

[cryptsleeper]

Hi there!

Follow ups:

1. Is there a chance that the boys can review comings/goings records of those who have passed into the vault in the past month?
2. Is it possible that a blood signature can be faked either through magical means or having say, a vial of someone's blood and faking it?
3. What would motivate anyone to approach this artefact, knowing that it is a closely held secret? Is there a cultural reason that someone might become daring?

[abraxasmods]

1. They can review the records. It would demonstrate nothing out of the ordinary outside of when the vault was breached. People who have accessed the vaults include Marcellus Ver, Soraya Moran, and Retha Zelpha. Marcellus and Retha have records that go back many decades, while Soraya appears to only have started accessing them once she took her position as Deputy.

2. It would be possible to steal someone's blood, similar to stealing someone's ID, but the signature recorded doesn't match anyone on record so this doesn't seem to be what happened.

3. The artifact holds immense power and is rumored to be able to grant all types of wishes, at a great cost, but there isn't a clear motivation at this time that the guards can see. Soraya would suggest speaking to others or exploring other areas to see if more information can be found, as the details within the vault and the information she knows is limited while the investigation has only just begun.

[techmaturgy]

Viktor and Alucard will generally be receptive to what she says, though Viktor will ask for clarification on point two: if the signature isn't anyone on record, then presumably they were not authorized access. Does she have any theories on how they were able to get inside without bothering to obfuscate the fact that they were accessing the vault, if this was not a case of identity theft?

[abraxasmods]

She'll explain that this is part of what makes the case so unusual, and why they're stumped as to what happened or how. Ikorr believes there's something much larger going on hence the concern, as this is no ordinary theft. Too much doesn't add up.