Statement 4: Lime Grove

[jp1885]

Calling Barry's number results in a recorded message, spoken in a high-pitched, nasal voice:

“This is Greenthumb Gardening Services – please leave a message.”

Applying for a search warrant is easily done, with a promise that you will get a decision within the hour.

As for Barry's allotment - there appears to be such a one behind Barry's house. Whether the fellow tends to a plot there remains to be seen.

[SaintMeerkat]

DC Leo Dansby.jpg (16.73 KiB) Viewed 474 times

"Hmm. Allotment in the back, you say?"

After getting knocked down twice by vestigia in the course on only a few hours, it will take a little courage for him to make his way to the back of the house, but he didn't stick around at The Folly because he was made of weak stuff. Just the menu there daily tests your mettle.

"Let's check the back then. And watch your step. Izzy, I know you know the stories about demon traps, and something about this whole business makes me think Barry would be able to do something at least as nasty."

Observation (60/30): 1d100

Sense Vestigia (60/30): 1d100

OOC:   Again?

[Mr. Handy]

Jordan follows the others to the allotment, keeping his eyes open.

Observation roll (70% skill) at the allotment:
d%
Sense Vestigia (30% base skill) at the allotment:
d%

[Snapper]

Skipper is happy to remain outdoors because it means he can light up another fat cigar. He happily stalks into the allotment, looking about, trailing an aromatic cloud of slow moving nicotine based death.

"Right, Met's finest ectoplasm bloodhounds, do your stuff."

[Philulhu]

Des ’harummphed’ and rolled her eyes. She was still mad at Izzy for telling her off.

[jp1885]

Sharp eyes and an even sharper vestigia sense quickly pick out Barry's plot among the others that make up the allotment.

If the vague sense of the now-familiar tropical scent and exotic chirping wasn't a big enough clue, the rectangular plot of lush greenery marks out Barry's area from the other plots.

Like the other plots, there is a small greenhouse and a battered-looking garden shed.

Please make a Science (Botany) roll if you have that skill (or one of you can spend 10 Luck and roll against half your INT if you haven't).

All of the plants growing in Barry's plot are mundane. However, many are difficult to grow in the UK, even in a greenhouse, let alone outside. Clearly Barry is extremely green-fingered!

[Mr. Handy]

Jordan can't make any sense of the plants. "Let's check out the shed," he says.

Spending 10 Luck. INT / 2 roll (35% stat) to succeed at Science (Botany):
d%

[BoyBlunder78]

Following quietly behind the rest, just watching the group interact with each other, watching the power dynamic within and also liking Leo's H.G Wells reference.
Eli notices that something seems odd in the allotment buy can't quite put his finger on it. Looking over at Jordan he sees the same reaction on his face. I agree, lets give the shed 'a once over' as they say."

[Snapper]

Skipper double checks his phone is off, pulls out the film camera and stalks off.

"Call me if it looks like there's going to be a scrap," he says with the smoking stogie clenched in one corner of his mouth.

Skipper starts circling around towards the rear of Barry's presumed allotment, careful not to step on the neighbours' tomatoes or other foliage. He takes a few snaps of Barry's plot for posterity, but is more focused on catching people legging it out the back.

[Philulhu]

Des mooched over to the area of Barry’s allotment. Clearly he was doing better than anyone else. She knew a few people who would give their right arm - well, someone’s right arm, anyway - to be as good as growing as Barry was.

She looked around. Was there anyone else about? Could they get any jealous tongues wagging?

Observation (60%) 1d100

[SaintMeerkat]

DC Leo Dansby.jpg (16.73 KiB) Viewed 357 times

"Other than the fact that they are magical, like the ones in the greenhouse," Leo winced as he rubbed his burned arm. "Same vestigia... I can't make heads or tails of them either."

"Yes, the shed. Again, I have a sinking feeling about this place, mate. Like this would be something that he would want to booby-trap. Against other practitioners. Take care. We need a ten-foot pole to prod the ground like in old school D&D."

[jp1885]

Looking around, you see that no-one else is tending to their plots (not surprising, given the fading light). The only sign of life is a white van, which pulls up at the allotment gate while you're poking around.

The shed is unlocked, so it is easy to peer inside without entering. Strewn around haphazardly are piles of worn, second-hand gardening tools. Pinned to one wall is a calendar (advertising a national seed merchant).

On casual inspection from outside, the greenhouse appears to be empty, save some vacant seed trays on a shelf.

[Trivun]

Izzy enters the greenhouse with caution, remembering what happened to Leo back at the garden centre.

"If this Barry fella's set up demon traps, then he can forget about Belmarsh, he'll be lucky if Nightingale doesn't get to him first..."

Of course Izzy's heard the stories. She's not encountered one yet, but she's nothing if not careful - while she may have a tendency to put her foot in her mouth in her general life, she's nothing if not professional when on the job. And it shows. Although her lack of a ten foot pole is slightly alarming, to her at least...

"Looks empty, but maybe something's hidden in here..."

Taking the chance to look around, rubber gloves on of course (to avoid contaminating evidence with her fingerprints, if any turns up), she scans the interior of the greenhouse to see what she can see. Catching sight of the white van out the corner of her eye, meanwhile...

"Hey, can someone keep an eye on that van over there? Don't look like you're watching it, be subtle, but you know... watch it. Might be nothing, but it might be Barry. Or one of his customers."

Observation - 60%:

1d100

[Philulhu]

Des was already giving the van the eyeball, looking for any signs of Barry or his customers…

Observation (60%) 1d100

… but it was too far to get a good look.

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm on it," says Jordan, watching the van.

Observation roll (70% skill) watching the van:
d%

[SaintMeerkat]

DC Leo Dansby.jpg (16.73 KiB) Viewed 311 times

"Well, not a Demon Trap necessarily, but something nasty. Something to protect his stash. You would think..." Leo's voice trails off as the van approaches; the thought remains unfinished.

Observation 60/30: 1d100

[BoyBlunder78]

Eli pokes his head into the shed, not wanting to encroach on Izzy's space, casually casting an eye over the shed. Deciding that it looks totally unremarkable and turns his attention to looking at the other allotments while keeping the van in his periphal vision.

[Snapper]

Skipper stalks towards the van, taking a few photos on max zoom (such as it is) as he does. Then he stashes the camera away, still moving, and gives the van a friendly wave and a cigar-eating grin.

1d%50%

Fail.

[Philulhu]

It’s like the army of the blind… …

[Snapper]

We're all over that observering stuff like a rash!