An excercise in fact-finding... (*Open @Cathedral*)

Surely, but slowly, the fog washes away completely and the group of 4 finds themselves eerily alone. No sights, no smells, not even a sound from the nearby highway... They are overcome with nothingness and Toshi has never felt more at home... The graveyard has gone beyond a simple resting place for the dead, and starts to feel like a place devoid of life...

"million dollar questions is, what was it, where did come from and why target this area?" " but the real question at hand is the archbishop here in the ground or his he somewhere else or even dead?"

"Oh hoho, now this is fantastic," he says, throwing his arms wide, drinking it in, "I should've come here years ago."

He swivels his head around like a giant bird of prey, taking in their altered surroundings.

"I know something is there," he says aloud to the silence, "I can feel the severance, the malicious indifference."

(Scanning with all my Sensory powers. Phish, you know what they are)

"ok, so you know what did it then, wanna clue me in" vergil starts looking around as well with his auspex trying to see what toshi is looking for.

Frank squints slightly at the area behind Toshi's shoulder, thinking for a moment of the entity formerly known as Sally and filing the thought of "does this guy command an air spirit?" away for later.

Hands in pockets Frank wills himself into stillness alert and waiting for what comes.

As Vergil and Toshi scan the area, they notice that not only is the area devoid of physical disturbances, but rather, as they extend their senses, they realize that nothing from the area outside of the church and cemetery grounds is getting in.  

The back of the graveyard overlooks I-279, the major artery from the north into Pittsburgh, and not a single car, truck, or bus can be seen on it.  The businesses across the street from the church have no lights on, despite being bars and restaurants still in their hours of operation, and not a single person walks the street...

The ground they stand on, once lush and green, is now dry, cracked, and brown...  The gravestones weathered, and the air possesses a slightly more pointed chill.  

In the spirit realm, nothing is there, whether brought into or former resident of the area, except a heated, visible wind, blowing through the expanse from the south east...

There's a voice on the wind but you can't quite make it out...

"ok, so now what else can go weird" vergil holding onto his weapon, waiting for something to attack.

The group stands there, prepped for action, but for the longest 10 minutes of their lives, nothing comes... No movement, no sound, and then they notice it...

Off in the distance at the other end of the graveyard, an image of a man sized being, kneeling over a fresh grave, inspecting with great curiosity...

As all in the group turn to regard him, he stands amd walks off into an oncoming fog... He disappears into the cover and the mist washes over the small group of licks huddled around Walter Pope's grave...

As the mist hits them, sounds flood back into existence with a force unfelt ever before, as if the cacophany was catching up to them all at once...

(*If you had contact with extra planar spiritual beings, you can now communicate with them again...*)

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"ok, wtf was that shit? i am so tired of random weird shit occuring around here. anyone have any ideas on who or what that was?"

"That," Toshi begins, matter-of-factly, "was not our wayward quarry."

He examines the grave more closely.

"This doesn't add up. Miasma and transitory emotional effect... Power of that kind, plus complete detached apathy... What the hell is going on in this city?" He rambles to himself

The Nosferatu seems to sigh as he begins pacing in a small circle.

"Okay, you know what? Enough being coy. The Cam presence is based out of MoTown right?" He asks, turning to Frank and Virgil

"I came here to damage the hostile entities of this city. So far, we've gone on a supernatural zoo trip. I'm fairly certain what we just saw was a Spirit of some sort or another, but it was...different...somehow too. We need to keep this church for the sect. If no one else wants it, I will maintain it. However, this place is too important to vacate."

He pops his neck loudly.

"The two women kneeling in there are ghouls. We must examine them. Someone will be behind their continued supply of Vitae. When the crowd disperses, we take them."

"that is what the info we have points to"

"Then, before this is done, I aim to damage that town. It will draw out those obliged to protect it." he says, evenly

" before we leave to go burn down half of West Virginia, do we want to check popes grave to see if he's buried here, i know its a long shot put it shouldn't take long. i really doubt that he's here but can't hurt right?

"I believe this grave to be a fake." He says simply

"However, it couldn't hurt. Much. Do you desire aid digging the hole?"

"Not sure if that was a ghost or a spirit. Anyway, the interrogation of Mercer pointed to Morgantown, WV. The papers i took from Mercer's belongings and the info you provided concerning Desantes points to Washington, PA. Given the populations of those towns and their proximity its possible the Cam is present in both locations under the same leadership. Following up on the ghouls inside is an excellent idea. We might also take a more through look at the rest of the haven we visited earlier after we dig this grave up since it looks fresh."

"which info do we have that points to washington, again?" as vergil looks like an excavator using his hammer to dig up the grave. " if you want toshi, i don't mind help at all. the faster we get this done , the faster we get out of this fucking place."

Toshi flits into the hole and begins digging. (Potence 5, 17 Traits)

"Desantes' papers and Mercer's shared some common business permit papers. Pyramid Paper and Plastics located in Washington, PA."

"We need to finish this promptly. Do not allow the Ghouls to escape while we are embroiled with this." He says, tossing an enormous dirt clod out of the hole

"Ensure no pedestrians come this way. At least, none that you don't want buried in this hole when we're done."

" as far as i know that building is under construction if i remember right from the news, i could be wrong thou. its not really my interest much in that stuff, but i try to recall what i can."

"me and toshi can finish this up if you want to go deal with the ghouls and the others."

"I'll go follow the ghouls. Grab that cardboard box over there for me when you're done."

Frank walks back in the church planning to kneel nearby the ghouls and light a candle, following them if necessary.

Once Frank is situated, watching the two ghouls at the prayer candles near the back entrance, He realizes the two women aren't praying at all, but rather kneeling there, unmoving, in silence...

Upon further inspection, he realizes that secured up under the prayer candle display are 2 combat shotguns... However, even if you approach and light a candle next to them, they give no reaction...

Toshi, Vergil and Niccolai, after a half an hour of digging, finally hit solid substance. A deep tone stained mahogany coffin roughly 7 feet in length and 3 feet wide.

Vergil lifts open the lid revealing a pristinely sealed interior of red crushed velvet and roughly 180 lbs of unremarkable rocks...

A small, square envelope is pinned inside the lid, and upon opening it you find a small, square piece of high-quality stationary, on which is hand-written a single word...

Really?