WindStruck and Zene's The Haunting IC

[zingbobco000]

Lois shrugs, "Maybe?" At this point her dinner is virtually finished, but she's happy to talk along with you all for however long you'd like.
----

If there are any more discussion topics that you'd like to make, go ahead and make them, otherwise we can go ahead to the Police Department.

[Zene]

“Let’s head over!”

[WindStruck]

Deirdre idly sits with the others while Lois finishes, sipping some iced tea, until it is time to go. She smiles to Izzy. "Lead the way, then!"

[zingbobco000]

Boston, 7:08 PM, Wednesday, November 2nd, 1921

You head in to the police station, a rather intimidating force to be honest with you. A myriad of police officers fill out papers, take calls, and prepare to depart. Meanwhile, you're standing in the mix of all of this as Lois looks around shiftily. "Huh, rather busy, eh?" You do notice, though, a desk sergeant sorting through papers and dutifully calling individuals to help them with whatever they need. You have a sudden flashback to Arnoldsberg, but at least it's evident why the Boston Police Department would be so busy.

——
Please give me a Law roll.

[Zene]

Law roll: (d100)[41]

[WindStruck]

I guess we'll just take a ticket number and wait for the desk sergeant to call us up?

[zingbobco000]

Eventually you spot a moment where she seems to be unoccupied so you head over to her, "Hello, um... sir and ma'am's, how may I help you?"

[WindStruck]

Deirdre figures she may as well be the one to speak up first, seeing as it seemed the others hoped she might have the most success trying to persuade anyone to do something...

She smiles and says, "Hi. We were wondering if you could help us look into an old police report? It was from about nine years back..."

She should also be able to provide the report number when asked.

[zingbobco000]

The officer looks towards all of you with a raised eyebrow. "Sorry ma'am, I'm afraid I cannot just let anyone access such things. That's a classified document you're requesting, see?" She shrugs, hoping you'll understand. "Is there anything else I can help you with, ma'am?"

[WindStruck]

"Oh... so it still is..." Deirdre says with disappointment. "So, the whole thing is still unavailable to the public? Or.. who would be able to look at it?"

Hm. Then again, even if someone could take a look at the report, they wouldn't be allowed to share what they read.. right?

[zingbobco000]

The officer thinks for a minute. "Well, again, we'd let it out in certain case situations. And maybe we could have it redacted or something like that, but I'm afraid, ma'am that again, I'm unsure of why exactly you" She gestures to your motley crew, "need this case report."
----

Hmmm... this sounds like the prompting of a Persuade roll...

[WindStruck]

Deirdre nods, and with a sigh begins to explain, "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you everything. We've been hired to investigate a house that's supposedly haunted. Have you heard of the old Corbitt house on Sheafe street? Apparently, the place has quite a history. There are many records of families and couples moving in and quickly moving out again, or worse, winding up dead and going insane. And apparently the Walter Corbitt who originally lived there was into some sort of.. nondenominational religious sect?"

"Honestly, ma'am, we really think something is terribly wrong with that house and are trying to get to the bottom of it. It was entrusted to the pastor of an organization called the Chapel of Contemplation, and apparently that police report has to do with a raid on them."

"If there's anything that could be released at this time, we would greatly appreciate it." She tries to smile again at the seargant, though it was more of a polite one, not the genuine smile she normally has.

persuade: (1d100)[24]

[zingbobco000]

The sergeant nods along with the story, weighing some pros and cons between letting these random people have access to the file. She asks you some questions about who hired you, your sources, people you've talked to, but eventually after a bit of back and forth she seems satisfied by your answers. "Ok, I'll see what I can do. I'll have to talk to the captain, but I think we might be able to get you a redacted copy. This is for your group's eyes only as well, mind you." She stands up from her desk. "Jimmy! Cover for me, I've gotta talk to the captain." She then looks back towards you. "Just have a seat, I'll be back shortly."

After a bit of waiting, the sergeant eventually comes back. "I'm afraid that the captain noted some sections had to be redacted. I myself haven't read the whole thing prior to this, but it looks..." She shudders. "If this is connected to that house? No way I'm ever stepping foot in that place." She quickly hands it off to you and departs, shoving Jimmy off from his new job.

Meanwhile, Lois finally speaks. "Sorry... not tha' great 'round 'ere. But let's see what we've got." You then all look over the case report.



Lois stares dumbfounded, "54... how come... ok, we gotta check this place out." She's about to leave when suddenly a bit of dread creeps on her face. "Tho... I don' know if I wanna do it at night... Maybe tomorrow? Either before or after we head to Roxbury?"

[WindStruck]

Deirdre shudders upon reading the report. "Y-yes.. that might be for the best..."

She thanks the sergeant before leaving, and as they head out the door whispers to the others, "I wonder if this James Barrister could tell us anything? I mean.. technically that wouldn't be illegal, right?"

[zingbobco000]

Lois nods, "It has been nine years though, 'e could be anywhere!" She looks around warily. "If we're plannin' on headin' in on Friday, and visitin' the sanatarium tomorrow, I don' know how much time we've got left to find this guy."

[Zene]

”Oy vey...”
Izzy looks up from reading the file. ”This mentions a related case file SR-71 as the basis for the raid.
Any chance we could take a look at that as well? I’m sorry to trouble you further, it’s just that it could be a huge help to our efforts.”

...

As the team leaves, and Lois and Deirdre are discussing Barrister: “It’s quite a long shot, but... This Officer Barrister went through something awful; maybe Barrister is in the sanitarium, too? We could call tomorrow morning before we leave, just to check, and possibly set up a same-day visit“.

[zingbobco000]

Give me a Persuade roll with varying levels of success.

[Zene]

Persuading: (d100)[23]

[zingbobco000]

The woman nods, "Again, let me see what I can do." Dissapearing off once more into the depths of the police department, she eventually returns with some clipped files. "I'm afraid that we don't have much available to the public. This is all I could gather concerning SR-71 and any declassified associated files." She hands the scraps of paper to you.

From what you gather, there were accounts by REDACTED and REDACTED that REDACTED were being taken to the Chapel by REDACTED and numerous others. This prompted the police to investigate the dwellings of REDACTED and discover evidence that led to the Chapel, and thus the raid occurred.
However it seems that this sergeant was willing to help you out significantly (huh, I wonder if it's because you got a Hard Success) and as a result she also has delivered several (albeit similarly redacted) files concerning the aftermath of the raid. Apparently seventeen members of the church were killed, while Helsov, Dunn and Lopez were either dead or missing in action. The remaining thirty-seven members were arrested, while all but eight were released.

Spoiler: Successful Combined Medicine or Law Roll

Show

The autopsy reports are strangely lacking in detail or uninformative, as though the coroner had not actually performed any examinations.

Spoiler: Successful Combined Law and Hard Spot Hidden Where Only One Must Succeed

Show

You notice in the records, there's hint of some kind of intervention in the proceedings by an important legal official, but it's never explicitly stated.

The head of the church, Pastor Michael Thomas was arrested and sentenced to forty years in prison on five counts of second-degree murder. However, apparently in 1917 there was some sort of jailbreak and Thomas has not been seen since.
There is a list, however, of the members who were released.

Spoiler: List of Released Members

Show

REDACTED
REDACTED
Mylee Dominguez
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
Kacy Nieves
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
Umaiza Powell
REDACTED
REDACTED
Gary Lyon
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
Alyssa Weir
Ariella Smyth
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
Zachary Owens
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
Huw Sherman
REDACTED
Bianka Leblanc
REDACTED
REDACTED
REDACTED
Cecil Jones
REDACTED

All of the names of those arrested except for Michael Thomas have been redacted.

[Zene]

:O
Medicine n Law: (d100)[81]
Law n Hard Spot Hidden: (d100)[21]

Well, I’m glad this was a progressively multi-ethnic church, at least. In 1912 Boston; so, doubly impressive.

[Zene]

After the team is clear of the station:
“Members of the church still out there? Including the pastor...I’m guessing the “vagrants” that somehow bypass all the locked doors, are these congregants; still practicing. The Jones family, and the Marconis, I think —both had issues after 1912. That had to be this cult...”

“What endgame are we working toward, here? I can’t imagine our job is to storm the base of an armed cult...right?”

Izzy looks a bit pale.

[zingbobco000]

Lois looks shiftily. “I... I don’ know. I wanna check it out, but yer right. Maybe there’ll be some clues ‘bout it all ‘n tha’ church?” she looks towards Deirdre, “But either way, maybe we should be armed if we ever head in there.”
But then she shakes her head. “Wait, but how do ya’ explain the insane folk? The suicide? The illnesses?“ She shakes her head. “Somethin’ jus’ doesn’t add up.”

[Zene]

Izzy nods thoughtfully.

Indeed, maybe the church does have answers. Answers just sitting there, waiting to be discovered...

Still pale, but with a grimly mischievous smile: ”Anyone wanna check out this church tonight?”

[zingbobco000]

Lois looks frightened for a moment but immediately grins mischievously. “No cult’s gonna scare off Lois Russo!” She notes, gripping her switchblade as she does. “But, uh, I understand if Deirdre’d like ta’ wait.”

[WindStruck]

"Um. Well, we could check it out now..." Deirdre says uncertainly. "But Lois, you really shouldn't fight with a whole mob. N-not like I really think we'll stumble on a cult in an abandoned building... But I'm saying, you should run if you can. Even the police took casualties."

[zingbobco000]

Lois nods, "Well, ya' obviously, I jus' meant no one person's gonna be gettin' tha' drop on me. Plus, makes more sense fer one ta' be a bit sneaky if there are a bunch of these buggers, right? I'm not gonna go in guns blazing or anything like that..." After saying that she thinks about something before making a mental note to herself.
----

So, you all are headed out for the Chapel?

Zing also notes that Lois has succeeded on an Idea roll for later.

[Zene]

”Ok then. Let’s head to the church. But yes I’m firmly on the side of avoiding confrontation. At least for tonight.”

Izzy starts heading to the church.

[WindStruck]

Deirdre follows the others like a lost puppy.

[zingbobco000]

Boston, 8:29 PM, Wednesday, November 2nd, 1921

The air is becoming quite nippy. You spent over an hour in the police station, and although the temperature itself hasn't changed too much, the wind makes you all pull up your coats a bit closer to your chest. Eventually after around fifteen minutes of walking you approach Hull St. and the aforementioned Chapel.

Spoiler: Successful Idea (Intelligence) Roll

Show

You actually realize that Hull St. is the street after Sheafe St., huh, interesting.

What is left of the old church stands at the end of a crooked, dingy street. The ruins are so weathered and overgrown with greenery that the grey stone rubble seems more like natural stone than former walls and foundation. You pass a slumping wall bearing white-painted symbols that glimmer in the faint moonlight (I think we're just past a new moon at this point), apparently freshly swabbed—three Y’s arranged in a triangle so that the top elements of each Y touch the other two Y’s. In the center, so created, is painted a staring eye.

----

I may or may not have been awaiting that confirmation post.

[Zene]

Idea roll: (d100)[89]