CLOSED ♔ hell won't tolerate hymns

[flyingsolo]

WHO || Jaina, Lydia, Astrid, Adam, Mars
WHAT || The Knights investigate several ritualistic murders
WHERE || Los Angeles, California
WHEN || April 8th, 2015
HOW || Actionspam

A string of ritualistic killings has the LAPD calling the Knights in, as there are suspected ties to magic or Shadowkind. Two new bodies have been found recently, and the murder scene is a back alley in a nightclub called the Alchemy Room. It's located in a rough part of town, known for its clubs, bars, and extravagant nightlife. The lights of a patrol car illuminate a gruesome tableau. Among the garbage that litters the alley lies the body of a young man in a trenchcoat, covered in body. Hanging from a fire escape some 10 feet above him is the body another young man, dressed in the latest fashion and dripping blood from the ears and mouth. His legs are caught in the bars of the fire escape, and his face is twisted with shock. How he could have ended up in that position is a mystery. An empty autoloader pistol lies beneath his outstretched hands. A single officer is waiting for them when they arrive, and she tips her hat to them, pushing herself off the car where she's leaning.

"Seen a lot of things in my day, but this..." She shakes her head and clucks her tongue. Jaina's eyes narrow in the darkness as she looks past her at the scene.

"What made the police think this was connected to the other murders?" she asks.

"Its a tentative link, I won't lie to you about that," the officer admits. "All the other bodies were missing at least their hands, and these are both in one piece. But there's some kind of knife on one of the bodies." She nods towards the one on the ground. "We haven't touched it yet, just in case. To be honest, we've heard plenty of stories about what touching magical artifacts can do to a person. But it's covered in markings, definitely some kind of ritual thing."

Comments

[charismapotion]

[ With a Crit fail there, he wrinkled his nose. Nope, he didn;t know what it was but it didn't smell good. Lydia's curse pulled his attention away.]

What did it look like? [ he's more worried about poison. ] Snakes are used in some spells and rituals.

[flyingsolo]

[ the snake lashes out at lydia's foot as she straightens up but jaina raises a palm, force striking it (strike 27) so hard that it flies across the alley, smacks a wall, and goes limp. the police woman stares wide eyed, looking nervously at jaina, before back to lydia.

"Not that I've heard of. I wonder how long it's been there." ]

[pathology]

I want to look at it! Maybe I can tell what it is.

[ NOT BECAUSE SHE'S A SNAKEBLOOD YOU RACISTS. because she watched snakes on a plane. so she zooms over to where the snake is laying to try and ID it. (knowledge: earth/life sci 34) ]

[immuno]

Great. Dissect it, for all I care.

[ Snappish. She reaches down, grabbing the necklace that she got bitten by a snake for. ]

We'll be taking this.

[flyingsolo]

[ it appears to be a little pseudocerastes which you can read about here astrid knows everything about snakes jfc

as lydia takes the whistle, jaina leans down to carefully extract the guy's wallet. she opens it to reveal some cash and a driver's license. ] Antoine LeMere. There's an address here in LA.

[pathology]

It's a desert horned viper! They think that's what could've killed Cleopatra now. You should let me see your bite, Lydia. Their venom isn't usually fatal, but it can pack a crazy nasty punch.

[immuno]

Snake bites require anti-venom. What is it you think looking at it is going to accomplish?

[ Despite the snark, she's straightening up and holding her wrist out for Astrid to scrutinize. ]

[pathology]

Um, I'm a doctor, okay? [and also she can use her detect poison spell on lydia's arm. so she does that. ~magic~.] You're fine.

[immuno]

[ silently squinting a little like DO I DETECT DISAPPOINTMENT ......... ]

[flyingsolo]

[ meanwhile, now that we know lydia's fine, jaina goes to check the ID on the body wrapped around the fire escape as well. she has to all but jump up to snatch it out of his pocket, while the police officer goes on.

"The young lady who found the bodies was leaving the club when the attack occurred. She claims to have heard a quiet, high pitched whistling noise, followed by gunshots and a scream. She hid for several minutes before peeking into the alleyway. Spotting the bodies, she ran back to the club and had the bouncer call the police. No one in the club heard or saw anything, and no one there could identify either victim."

jaina opens the other wallet, and announces its contents to the group: ] A little cash, a permit to carry a concealed weapon - that gun must have been his - a driver's license for Andrew Federson and an ID card for a professional security guard for Microsoft.

[ meanwhile, lydia can get a better look at the pendant in her hand - it's twisted and dented on one side slightly. ]

[pathology]

Like, literally whistling? Like a dog whistle? Except, you know, maybe not dogs. Like someone was sicced on them? Oh, snake whistle!!!

[immuno]

Some supernatural creatures make strange sounds, maybe even something like that.

[ knowledge arcana 28? ?? is there a thing that makes that sound ?? ? ]

[charismapotion]

[ Mars had stayed quiet trying to think of a spell a snake might be needed for, a whistling noise would certainly narrow that down. (Arcane Knowledge 20) ]

[flyingsolo]

[ there are definitely monsters that make whistling noises so lydia would think of a slew of them. /vaguely waves hands. there's no specific ritual requiring a spell though, especially one that makes some kind of noise. jaina points to the whistle-looking pendant that lydia is holding. ] LeMere's 'necklace'. Could something like that control his snake? [ she looks to astrid like idfk anything about snakes halp ]

[pathology]

Uh ... maybe? You could do a lot of shit with magic, but I dunno. There's snake charming but that's totally different.

[ex_psionic439]

[I guess Adam was idk next door at the liquor store or whatever taking a fat piss because he strolls up to this scene in the alley well after the investigation has already gotten underway sorry I am fail. He's wiping his still-wet hands (from washing them ok) on his pants when he notices errybody is looking pretty serious.]

What'd I miss?

[MVP of this mission tbqh.]

[immuno]

[ Sorry, Adam, Lydia's too busy making bad life choices to properly greet you. She looks down at the whistle pendant, then raises it and tries to blow through it. She probably just contracted hepatitis or something tbh. ]

[flyingsolo]

[ the sound it emits is kind of wonky, likely because it's damaged. nothing happens as a result, though. jaina turns to give adam a Look, but reins herself in from making any judgy comments. ] We have IDs on both of the victims. The man who was shot had some sort of... snake guarding his body.

[ex_psionic439]

[Adam just looks over in Astrid's general direction when Jaina mentions guardian snakes like (unsure) because snake people, snake people, taste look like snakes, talk like people.

Wow your boyfriend isn't racist or anything xoxo.

No, but really, if anyone knew about snakes it would probably be Astrid ok. What? It's not like he's shouting it from the hills. Unfortunately this is what happens when you miss important shit so that you can go pee and buy snacks, Adam.]

[pathology]

[astrid stares back at him like WOW OKAY RACIST. she keeps her snakeblood on the download but she did just p much turn into snake wikipedia a minute ago. because she is a snakes on a plane enthusiast.]

[charismapotion]

Dude, wheres my gummy bears?

[ Hey, he expected gummy treats if Adam went to a store, yo.]

Can I see the necklace? If its got any engravings or anything maybe I can decode it?

[flyingsolo]

Since LeMere is the one with all the magic accessorizing, I think we should check out his address. Maybe we can scout up some more clues at his home.

[pathology]

Sounds good to me!

[ex_psionic439]

[Adam answers that question by nomming on gummy treats. And none for Gretchen Wieners Mars. Except he will eventually hand them over after he eats like half of them first here you go.

And because he happens to be super classy for a fatass, he will proceed to talk before actually swallowing the handful of rainbow colored bears in his mouth.]

So what are we waiting for?

[Except for Lydia to pick herself up off of the floor and stop putting strange, used foreign objects into her mouth aka the usual?? As if he's been there all along and knows wtf is going on...]

[charismapotion]

You are such a dick.

[ He grumbled as he took what was left when they were offered, he would have offered to help Lydia up, but he's just not willing to touch someone he doesn't know well. Oh hey, Venus wiggles in his arms seeing Adam. Come get her human boyfrand.]