2023.04.17 Sewer Disturbance Investigation

04.17.23 Sewer Disturbance Investigation
Kierik was looking for information about intruders in the sewers; Irsa and Trey brought sketches and info, and some suppositions. Future investigation to come!
IC Date	04.17.23
Players	Irsa, Kierik, Trey
Location	Smoke and Barley
Spheres	Garou, Bastet, Ratkin

Smoke and Barley - Main Room

The smell of spices, fire and broiling meat assails one's nose upon entering into the bar and grill. The soft murmurs of patrons seem a non-ending drone as the door shuts, blocking off the sounds of the city. Wood paneled walls are adorned with hanging plants and pictures of forests, bringing the feel of wild places indoors. Full spectrum lighting keeps the outdoor daylight feel of the restaurant by shining on the plants and pictures.

In the center of the room is a large curved grill, a specialty built item that allows guests to watch their meats cooking and the chef at work. Thick oaken tables are laid around the grill for those that would enjoy the dance of the flames as it sears the meat. The tables have large leather seats and are set for the barbecue feast to come, with a bucket that holds bottles of spicy sauces and piles of napkins.

To the right of the front door, taking up half the room, is the bar. The bar is a deep mahogany, a gorgeous piece with slightly dulled brass poles running along to provide foot rests, and an armrest, with comfortable stools lining it to allow others to sit. A mirrored shelf rests behind the bar, with light shining up through the drinks to allow them to be seen clearly. A chalkboard on a wall lists out the micro brews of the month. Beyond the bar a section is marked off and three cork dartboards hang on the wall.

A small hallway leads the way to a set of stairs, a private area, bathrooms and kitchen. The door to the private room is marked "Members Only" and locked.

There are waiters and waitress roaming around constantly with meat on large skewers to be given out to those who want them.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey saunters in with his now-usual pants in place, with a dark blue tee and a leather jacket, both of which have seen some wear but are well-maintained.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa shows up moments behind Trey, having run like hell to get here. "Good, I ain't late. Ready t' meet a new face?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey nods and grins. "Absolutely." He walks alongside her oward the basement and politely holds the door -- not because she's a woman, but because she outranks him. Well, and because he's just nice like that.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa snorts with amusement and heads in.

Smoke and Barley - Private Dining(#9526RAM)

    Wood paneling shines in warm tones from the walls, the large stairway leading downwards into a large expanse. Glyphs are etched railing, giving texture as one's fingers graze over the wood. Full spectrum lighting brightens the room and keeps the plants that fill the corners lush and full.
    In the center of the room is a large, round fireplace that burns merrily and bright. The flames leap high, and are tended regularly by staff. Thick oaken tables are laid around the fire pit for those that would enjoy the dance of the flames. The tables have large leather seats and are set for the barbecue feast to come, with a bucket that holds bottles of spicy sauces and piles of napkins.
    Dark green walls add color to the lounge area, with a red throw rug in the middle of it, and a smattering of furniture including two couches, and four recliners, with occasional end tables for drinks about. The couches are both beige in color, and rather comfortable, while the recliners are green leather, and the end tables dark stained oak.
    Opposite this wall is the bar, a rich and dark stained wood set low with red and beige colored chairs seated in front of it. Behind the bar are three large kegs on their sides each holding 4 taps. The reddish wood of the bar's counter is inlayed with glyphs, carved with care and polished to a shine.

http://www.cityofhopemush.net/index.php/Smoke_and_Barley

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sitting at a table is Kierik. He's got food in front of him, but seems to be picking at it more than eating. He's alert, not completely relaxed as some would be.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey walks down the stairs; he couldn't be anything but a cat, because he walks with that utter self-assurance that only cats can manifest enough asshole-ness to embody. That said, he's also smiling, and it's in a way that seems genuine, not forced. He's only average looking, but the long hair with the silver streak, and the burgundy paisley pants, probably make him stand out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa steps into the room, head turning as she scans the area. Her nostrils flare as she spots Kierik, and she takes a few steps forward to speak to him. She's not inviting herself to sit -- it's his table. "Heya. Thanks for comin' to meet us. Dunno if ya know me or not, but I've seen ya a time or two." Soft little sounds can be heard from the fire as someone feeds it little wood chips.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik stands up from the table. He looks at Irsa and then to Trey. He sniffs at the air a bit. He clears his voice. "I do not." He says to Irsa. A glance to Trey and back to Irsa. "I am Kierik Hormel. Shadow's Fury. Voto Knife Skulker." He offers his introduction. "Sit, if you want to."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa tilts her head, not looking surprised. Garou are freakin' everywhere in this damn city. "Irsa Rawlins, known 'round th' fires as Hammer-Tooth, Adren Theurge of th' Bone Gnawers, and leader of th' Tribe here." She waits for Trey to introduce himself before sliding into a seat.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey nods then and states, simply, "Trey Treads-on-Thin-Ice, Tekhmet born on four paws of the Qualmi tribe." And he takes a chair, sitting down with ease, keeping his movements smooth to not be startling. His voice, even, has a bit of a calming effect. "Only Qualmi I know of in town, though I could be wrong." The fire crackles, jumping about, growing until Falcon is shown in the flames.

Nothing remarkable at all about this young man. He has one of those faces that have no real discerning features. His dishevelled hair is a bland shade of brown, not long probably a homegrown haircut. His eyes are hazel, a mottled greenish-brown. His facial features are also kind of plain. A slightly pointed nose sits in the middle of his face. His lips are thin, covered with a thin mustache. His cheeks are covered with the patchy beard of a youth still coming into his own. He seems to carry his athletic frame with the grace of one who's in tune with his body. Today he's wearing a ratty T-shirt with an oversized zip up hoodie over it. His pants are jeans that look like they've seen better days too. On his feet are a pair of old Converse shoes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Definitely a Looney Tunes joke in here somewhere. Kierik's nose twitches a bit at the bastet, but he sits back down. He looks at his plate then back to the others. "You know something of this tresspasser?" He asks. "Is he one of yours?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You say, “If it's this guy," and he draws out an illustration of Riptavian and lays it on the table -- looks like a photocopy, "Hell no, he's not one of theirs, he's a Spiral. At least, from what I have from someone who was being harassed by him." He pulls out a second illustration, one of a young man (Josh), "And this is his known companion. Said to be his boyfriend."”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"He ain't one of ours," Irsa replies. Short and straight to the point, no words wasted. "Ain't my pack, none of my Tribe, and none of the city wolves are messin' around there. I got my suspicions, but I gotta ask ya: did you run into th' trespassers yourself? I heard there was more than one." She grunts at Trey's pictures and nods at the picture of the big blonde man. "That asshole's gettin' around."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik looks at the picture, but does glance to people as they talk. "The second was a woman. Smelled of smoke, surrounded by smoke most of the time." Kierik explains. He looks at Riptavian's picture and nods, "That's him." He says. He looks to the second picture and shakes his head. "Haven't seen him." He frowns and asks, "Did you say Spiral?" He looks back to Irsa. "Close enough to scent him and figure out He was a wolf." The fire crackles, sparks fly upwards as another log is thrown on the fire in the middle of the room.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey nods. "I have multiple wolves, said that was him, also, when I asked about a different matter about a month back." He hrms at the description of the second person. "Smelled like smoke, surrounded in smoke. That sounds more like a leech. We've dealt with some leech issues lately. At least one is somewhere in the sewers, or uses it for access. Not sure I could describe it, aside from it having bony hands with rotten flesh peeling off, and a voice like paint peeling off a dead truck."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"That's what a contact of Trey's said," Irsa replies, nodding to Trey. "Dunno why he ain't keepin' his head down, but I've seen him one time. I can't confirm he's a Black Spiral myself, seein' as I had no reason t' be checkin'." She does a double take at Trey. "What wolves? We had that other asshole, who definitely wasn't him, get his ass kicked across th' woods. The Elders dealt with his ass."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa says, “They look similar, yeah, easy t' make that mistake. I damn well did.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik shakes his head. "I know what leeches smell like." Kierik informs Trey. "I do not know what she was. But by the time I got to them, they were leaving. I did not have time to do much more than scent them." He touches his nose. "I can track him now. I will find him and find out what he is and why he was in my tunnels."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey Ohs. "Right, got it. Other dude was shorter." He nods agreement, and says, "Yeah, that makes sense. But there's a lot of options to what that one could be. Smelled like smoke? Could be a mage, sometimes the Namers smell like the kind of magic they use most and some of them do weird shit to obscure themselves from tracking." A Griffin blazes to life in the fire, mighty wings spread.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa grunts. "He's an arrogant asshole. He was all impressed by my size, so I dunno if he's an Ahroun or bein' th' typical Spiral, all impressed by strength an' scars." She mulls over Trey's words. "Fomori, mebbe. But yeah, guesses ain't truth, and no smart Shifter is gonna go in blind." The fire dances about, finally taking shape into that of the mighty Stag.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik thinks on that a moment. "He did seem like that, yes." A shake of his head. "Not wyrmy, that I could tell." Kierik muses.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey shakes his head. "I'll ask around, see if I can find any answers about her. I have some people who might know, or would at least recognize this person when they see her." A pause. "Fomori can be almost anything. But... huh. if she didn't seem Wyrmy, she could've been someone they were recruiting. But... huh. Yeah." He looks thoughtful. "You have anyone among your folks who could do a drawing of her? Or was she too indistinct?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa scratches her jaw, thinking. "I could try and draw this woman, if ya can describe her to me," she offers Kierik. "Trey can take that picture around, make it easy for others to recognize her. Ya know how apes rely on sight for every damn thing."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I can describe her. My dark vision is excellent. " He says with a sly grin. He shrugs a shoulder. "Or I will check things out on the top side and see if they are hanging around my turf still."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey presses a finger to his lips and looks pensive. "See, now I'm trying to figure out how this whole thing works. If it turns out this Rip dude is just an asshole and not a Spirit I'm gonna be pissed at someone big time. But it's possible that someone not like them could get misled." A kinfolk wanders by with huge skewers of meat, slicing some off for whoever wants them.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Solid. If ya wanna hit me for up the drawing, just leave a message for me here at th' Smoke. Good huntin' to ya on this dude and dudette." Irsa leans back in her seat. "Yer people are way, way older than mine, and way smarter. Your folk definitely don't need protection from city wolves. But, there's a thing called respect. I've made it clear to my Tribe that none of 'em are gonna be messin' with your shit. Didn't hear no objections from any of 'em, so that's covered. Ya let me know if someone steps a toe over that line, and I'll deal with 'em direct."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa says, “There's Gifts an' Rites that can hide taint, Trey. Might be in play here, ya never know. They could be crazy Weaver shit, for all we know. That'd be even worse.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik listens to Irsa and Trey. He shakes his head a little bit. "I do not have any major grievances with the wolves. I have opened my place to all Gaians." He explains. "But hanging out in the sewers? Without at least telling me?" He shakes his head to that. "We do not take kindly to trespassers." He nods to Irsa. "I do not think they are weaver."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey sighs. "And there's cleansing, too," he notes with a crooked not-quite-smile. "No, you shouldn't be accepting. It's *yours*," he agrees, nodding. "And I will note that about you to my folk if the issue comes up -- they would be happy to know we as Gaians are welcome. I know that I am. But I wouldn't come uninvited, either."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa looks a bit relieved at Kierik's reply about the Weaver. "Good, last thing I wanna do this week is deal with a Drone. Those things are worse than Fomori any day." She nods over at Trey. "We gotta add Drones to your list, ta ask about if you ain't already." She looks back at Kierik. "Did ya have any other questions for me? I'll answer what I can."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik thinks on that a moment. "I just needed to know what and who he is." A wrinkling of his nose. "The more we talk, it seems I should have just bit first and asked questions later." He shakes his head. "This does not sit well with me."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey notes, "Drones. Got it." He nods again and then says, "I just hope she's not fae. But you'd probably smell most fae as heavy Wyld, so... probably not." His lips twist. "Okay, now this is twisting my tail so I'm gonna try and find out just for my own sake."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Shouldn't sit well for no one, yeah," Irsa remarks. "If he's testin' defenses or lookin' for dens and finds a weakness, damn sure he'll exploit it. But I reckon you got defenses, and gettin' in and out is gonna be harder if he comes back." She eyes Trey up and down and nods. "Careful, dude. Ya know my warnings on trustin' others that don't shift skins. Everyone's got an angle."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik points out, "Do not trust everyone that shifts either." He isn't mean with it, just stating facts. "The blood remembers all."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey nods again, and tells Irsa, "Oh, I'm not going to go right up in someone's face and ask directly. Just going to see if some of the lore people I actually trust have speaks of those powers. And then I'll start listening. People volunteer to tell me amazing things. Including things I could have lived my whole life without knowing." He wrinkles his nose at that. "I'll spare you." He dips his head toward Kierik as well. "The list of people I trust is shorter than most people realize. Because I'm friendly, they think I'm their best bud."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irsa is silent for several moments at Kierik's words. "Yeah. It does. Momma Rat's shown, and I've seen." She snorts at Trey's words. "You're your own best bud, like ya should be." He IS one of the Eyes of Gaia, after all.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey mms. "Well, to an extent, yes. Though there are a few folks I'd risk my tail for, short as it is." He nods toward Irsa. "Can't walk entirely alone. Not in these days."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik takes a deep breath and starts eating again. He seems to have relaxed enough to do so. "If we have problems, I will probably reach out. Otherwise, I will let you know it is taken care of." He listens to the banter between Trey and Irsa. "That's what the shadows are for." He says in comment to Trey's walking alone. The fire dies down, almost seems to go out before it blazes to life again as the mighty Wendigo.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey nods. "You can find me same way as her, I'm pretty easy. Messages through spirits work if it's urgent, of course." He offers the Ratkin an amiable dip of his head and adds, "And if I find out anything I will pass it along as soon as I know."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik smiles a bit. "I can be found at the Old Bowling Alley. All of the people who work there are family, so it is safe."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Spirits ain't quite as useful for me. I got shit to keep 'em from materializin', if I don't know 'em," Irsa remarks. "But messages here always work."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey ohhs, and nods. "I can leave messages there, then, if I come across anything soon." A kinfolk wanders by with huge skewers of meat, slicing some off for whoever wants them.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik nods to the others. "Thank you for the information. I will be a little less cautious from now on." He says. " I was told by Bryan to do what I had to do. I will do that from now on . "

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Yeah, when he sent out word, I let him know I had info for ya. If I hear anythin' else, I'll leave it for ya." Irsa gathers up her pack and stands. "And now I gotta go run down some things for my folk, make sure they got all their shit covered. Later, Trey!" And with that, she's off.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey smiles and says, "I'm gonna go get some feelers out." He rises and adds, "Good to meet you," with a sincere air, before departing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierik bows his head a bit to Trey. "Good to meet you as well." He starts eating like he's hangry again.