Statement 3b: The Short Residence

As a London copper, I’ve seen some pretty weird shit, but even I was taken aback when I learned that magic was actually a thing. Real, proper magic, with spells and everything!

Also, ghosts are real! And vampires, trolls, fairies, river gods… and there’s this whole subculture of weirdos and half-fae… oh, and don’t get me started on talking bloody foxes…

Shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Metropolitan Police secretly know all about this crap. There’s the Special Assessment Unit, run from this posh house called The Folly by a posh Detective Inspector called Nightingale (and his apprentice Peter Grant), that investigates supernatural crimes and other weird bollocks. And it turns out, they’re recruiting…

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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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When Leo sees the Tesla as he's poking around in the garage, for just a moment, he is tempted to sand it, but then remembers he is a professional. The last time they sanded posh cars, it was for a worthy cause -- to prevent the racers from escaping. This time, he would just be a little jealous twit if he did it.

"I'm a professional...' he murmurs to his colleagues. "Nice ride, though."
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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"Yeah, if you like waiting hours to recharge it," says Jordan. "They've also been known to burst into flames if you look at them funny. I'll take a petrol car any day."
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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Image

"I've never understood people who want to drive in London..." says the girl who has a driver's license but no car. The Underground is more than enough for her, except when she needs to drive a pool car for work reasons.

It's clear though, that Izzy is just trying to find anything she can to keep her mind off of things. A distraction from the crossing and the vision of the portal. She doesn't respond to Skipper's message, although strangely enough his words give her some kind of unexpected comfort. The affirmation that she's good to Alice. The suggestion of visiting the Underworld to recover her if needed. And she even cracks a smile at Des' 'boomer' comment. Besides, at least they seem to be making progress.

"I don't think there's anything else to find here. This was all about the investigation into Short's backhanders, and that's been looked at by the local force. We just want to find out where he's gone, and for that we need to dig deeper into this grove. And the history of it."

Izzy has a final scan of the place before nodding.

"Time to find this lollipop lady and question her. And then work through the list of other locals. It's small enough we might be able to get the whole town questioned before dinner."
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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"Okay, let's go," says Jordan.
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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Image

”Shotgun!” said Des, quickly grabbing the front seat.
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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Heading out the Short's cul-de-sac takes you back out on to Grove Street. A few yards away, a trio of old ladies are gossiping outside a convenience store, while a white van pulls up nearby and a fellow in overalls exits, carrying a toolbox into a betting shop. Opposite, a young woman pushes a pram along the pavement, stopping to chat to an older woman coming the other way. In other words, life goes on as normal.

However, one figure that is conspicuous by their absence is the lollypop lady.
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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What time of day is it? You’d probably only expect a school crossing person around 8.45am and 3.00pm.
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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  It's late morning - 11-ish.  
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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"It doesn't sound like her to miss a day of work," says Jordan. "Of course, there are no children to cross at the moment. She would be a good witness to interview. Shall we ask the people here where she might be?"
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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Leo unfolds himself out of the tiny, uncomfortable back seat and has a look around. After noticing the three ladies, he suddenly gets serious Macbeth vibes, and shivers. "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes," he murmurs.

Leo moves to where the lollypop lady would normally stand and reaches out with the force.




Sense Vestigia (60/30): 1d100

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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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The most logical place to look for the lollipop lady is to go back to the school crossing. From the school - a relatively modern building next to a Victorian school chapel - you hear the sounds of classes in full swing.

Leo - Once again, you clear your mind and concentrate...

You immediately pick up the sense of happy children and busy parents, chatter, shouting, and the occasional beep of a horn. Cutting through all this a feeling of calm and steadying presence; guiding, reassuring yet also judging.

Then it hits you.

Memories of all the bad things you have done rise unbidden in your mind.

What do you most feel guilty about? Describe it.

As the knowledge wracks you with remorse and shame, you find yourself being dragged towards a yawning black portal to face the judgement you so rightly deserve.

Shame.

Wickedness.

Guilt.

Then suddenly, as if the portal doors are slammed shut in your face, you find yourself back on the school crossing - bleak rainy wind tousling your hair.


  Are the rest of you following Leo? If not, what are you up to?  
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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Image

”She prob’ly at home,” said Des, who was the one who had most recently been at school, and therefore had a better idea (as she saw it) of the mysterious lives of lollipop ladies between the start and end of the school day.

”Go an’ ask at de school. Dey should know where she live.”
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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"Good idea," says Jordan.
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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The most convenient walk to the school is via the school crossing. if you wish to go this way, please roll Vestigia with Leo.

Despite all your distractions and, dare I say, lack of concentration, you nonetheless feel that something is different about the road crossing: a build-up of some kind of power. It is difficult to identify, but you'd put money on something Falcon related. This failure to pick anything up leaves you with a vague sense of unease and guilt.


Concentrating, you immediately pick up the sense of happy children and busy parents, chatter, shouting, and the occasional beep of a horn. Cutting through all this a feeling of calm and steadying presence; guiding, reassuring yet also judging.

Then it hits you.

Memories of all the bad things you have done rise unbidden in your mind.

What do you most feel guilty about? Describe it.

As the knowledge wracks you with remorse and shame, you find yourself being dragged towards a yawning black portal to face the judgement you so rightly deserve.

Shame.

Wickedness.

Guilt.

Then suddenly, as if the portal doors are slammed shut in your face, you find yourself back on the school crossing - bleak rainy wind tousling your hair.


Avoiding the crossing will entail walking across Grove Street elsewhere. While traffic is relatively light, you'll still need a successful Observation roll to spot oncoming vehicles - the school crossing is there for a reason!
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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Image

Izzy was hoping not to have to come here again... but the job requires it, and so she reluctantly comes to Grove Street once more, on the lookout for the lollipop lady. But she sees nobody. Only... Leo, sensing something strange... the same dark presence that she herself felt, not an hour before?

The others can use the crossing if they want. On their own heads be it. But there's no way in Hades that Izzy is using that crossing point, not after what happened earlier. She'll take the long way, and keep her head as much as she can...

  Observation: 60%  
1d100
Izzy almost skips along the road, artfully dodging any of the relatively light traffic that might be present. Just glad to be away from the crossing itself...
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

Post by Philulhu »

Image

There was no way Des was using the crossing after what had happened to Izzy, so she chose a space further down the road to cross…

Observation (60) 1d100
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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As happened earlier with his colleague, Izzy, Leo is suddenly violently assaulted by his sins of his past. Eyes still closed, he sees every failure fly by while he is like Dorothy in the tornado. Except instead of a tornado, Leo sees a black portal as scenes of guilt and failure fly around his head. His pulse soars as the onslaught begins.

The skittles Hall in flames, his failure to be there to help his father and sister with his mother and her gradually receding personhood, all the lies he told his parents including the ones about his first relationships before he came out them, all are in horrifying Technicolor detail, swirling around him until he dropped to his knees, sobbing. Hot tears rolled down Leo's cheeks as he knelt there in the middle of the street.

Even after the portal closes, he remains stunned for a few moments. It takes a bit for him to regain his composure, and he reddens as he sees the damp spots on his shirt and tie. He takes a calming breath and slowly rises.
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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Jordan.png
Jordan reasons that it's safer for him to use the crossing than to risk getting run over, considering his inability to sense vestigia, and besides, jaywalking would just give him something about which to feel guilty. When he sees Leo go down, his decision is confirmed, and he hurries into the crossing to get him the rest of the way across. "It's gotten more powerful this time," he says. "I feel bad for being blind to vestigia, but at least it's an advantage now."


Sense Vestigia roll (30% base skill) in the crossing:
d%
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

Post by Philulhu »

Image

Des strolled up. ”Same ‘ting again?” she said to Leo. Des, ”Wot did u see?”
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Re: Statement 3b: The Short Residence

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As Leo climbs to his feet, he nods at Des and Jordan. "Yeah, same thing..." And then, "In the past, I have been knocked on my arse. This was so much worse..."

"Thank you both," he murmured as he slowly became the old Leo, and slowly headed out of the street to the safer sidewalk. "For a moment, I thought it was going to suck me in. Then, poof..."



Observation (60/30): 1d100

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