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“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came.”
The autumn of 2018 is harsh. Roughly it hovers, biding breaths. It’s November 10th, cold and brittle on the coast where you’ve discovered the third body of the bunch. Another girl, another death. Not like you haven’t seen death before but the last girl who got killed was a gut punch. Raped and killed, the lab technicians said. You could have guessed the latter part yourself, but the first one… poor girl was just a high school student.
Your heart stills as you approach the body in the lighthouse. She looks out at the sea, staring infinitely at nothing. Her hands and feet are bound. Her mouth and eyes are gaping open. She is entirely naked. She is hairless like the others. Pale and veiny like the first girl. There’s never been murders like this… since you’ve been working, at least. Something about this… strikes fear into you. Primal, illogical fear. You feel uneasy as the third corpse, almost identical to the others, shows up on this lighthouse of all places. Could this be a humbling moment to make you feel small? Or rather another case to further your ego and your career?
Regardless of anything else there is one confirmation; you are not in control.
| Massachusetts State Police In the state of Massachusetts, Boston, Springfield, and Worcester are the only cities with the authority to investigate homicides. In every other part of the state, it’s fully up to the District Attorney of that region to decide who investigates the murder; primarily, this responsibility falls to the state. The Massachusetts State Crime Lab is located in Sudbury, which is where most of the bodies have been sent for evaluation. Luckily, the workers at the Sudbury Crime Lab are quick and have already sent results back. Rankwise, all state detectives are considered troopers. On this specific case they report in to the Detective Lieutenant, who in turn reports in to the Detective Captain, who in turn reports to his Major. This major is Major Robert J. Pray, head of the Plymouth State Police Detective Unit and now the Massachusetts Serial Homicide Task Force. He is well known for his boy scout policies and the desire to do what’s right. Despite this, he’s also very by the books and scrutinizes each detective heavily. He expects Detective Captain Anthony York to tell him everything. In exchange, he gives a good report to Lieutenant Colonel Glen Bonner who keeps the FBI off of York’s back. Everyone originally from the Plymouth unit knows that York likes to take money for himself during drug busts, but no one speaks ill of him. It’s not like they wouldn’t do the same. Troopers from other units have no idea who York is other than a Detective Captain. The captain will do everything in his power to keep it that way. Work with the state police requires a relevant degree as well as prior work experience with law enforcement. Federal Bureau of Investigation The FBI take themselves very seriously. Serial killers are no longer top priority and garner nowhere near the amount of resources as counter-terrorism, especially in Boston. The Boston Marathon bombings ushered in a particularly new era inside Massachusetts, with constant monitoring of civilians deemed dangerous inside the city. Those linked to terrorist activity have been marked, stalked, and if need be, dealt with. The FBI in Massachusetts consider simple murders beneath them and hope for this case to go away soon. Serial killings like this are mostly memories from the early days; in the 2000s, it’s the job of the locals and state police while the FBI addresses national security issues. The “real” issues. Cybercrime is another primary contender with the FBI. Terrorist cells, identity theft, network intrusions, ransomware, and child pornography all fall under investigation of the FBI. They work diligently to prevent these issues and expect the state police to handle murders in the area. Reasonably, they would be frustrated about having to send four agents down to help some “dumb cops” do their job for them. Not only that, but the FBI remains as career oriented as ever. Rising up the ranks, pencil-pushing, and backstabbing your co-workers are all ways to climb the ladder. It’s as cutthroat as a corporate office, even if you’re unlikely to lose your job. To join the FBI, one needs a relevant university degree as well as prior working experience. Massachusetts Serial Homicide Task Force The Massachusetts Serial Homicide Task Force (MSHTF) is a Massachusetts State Police detective unit, based out of the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office at the district court. The task force was formed following two murders with similar modus operandus and occultish violence. Ten state homicide detectives have been sent from different units for one reason or another; mostly, their majors signed them off based on their skills and if they were expendable or not. In the Massachusetts State Police department, bureaucracy and salaries trump all. The task force is sharing their offices with the other units as well as the district attorney, of course. As such, clustering of papers and poor space is sure to be a frequent weight on the detectives. Pencil pushers will preen and bureaucrats will frequent the area. Of the ten detectives, plenty don’t want to be here. The case is a nightmare for career hounds and company men due to the media presence and the sudden inclusion of the Boston FBI Office. To some, these “feds” are a scary proposition; they have no loyalty or allegiances. Corruption is sure to be sought out by these inspectors if they even catch an inkling of it. The case itself forces long working hours upon the ten state detectives, a stressful endeavor even without the FBI breathing down their backs. As the media continues to draw closer, reputations and careers run the risk of being run to the ground. Boston Federal Bureau of Investigation Office After a third body was found fitting the killer’s profile soon after MSHTF was formed, the Boston FBI Office was suggested by Major Robert J. Pray. After this proposition, Colonel Thomas Hayes made haste and alerted Special Agent in Charge Andrew Foster who sent an advisory team of four agents down as quickly as possible to investigate. ASAC Ralph Dobson informed them of the seriousness of this event; the mass media presence, the death of a once beloved young girl, and the general obscenities involved with the three murders. They were given the option of staying at their homes in Boston or one of the less expensive hotels in Plymouth. All agents were paid in full for travel and room and board expenses. The four agents chosen are believed to be capable but not too capable. SAIC Foster believes the death of three girls will wash over soon as simply another closed case, but is fearful of this ramping up anymore. He wants nothing more than to return his agents back home, but his hands are tied. | Victim 1 The first victim was a woman believed to be in her early 20s; a Jane Doe found on Beach Point near the Plymouth Harbor Channel. Her hands were bound with zip ties behind her back. Lab technicians confirmed the cause of death was blood loss from her throat having been slit. The corpse had high amounts of methamphetamines and heroin inside at the time of death. The woman’s entire body had been shaved before her death and she was entirely naked when found. Two men found her; college students Edward Tucker and Josh Doris, upon going for a walk the following morning. WENT MISSING: Unknown DATE OF DEATH: November 5th, 2018 DATE FOUND: November 6th, 2018 IDENTITY: Jane Doe, Early 20s, Unknown KNOWN FAMILY: Unknown WORKING THEORIES Educated guessers could try and say that this Jane Doe was likely a prostitute. Checking local bars and truck stops that often deal with illegal drug paraphernalia could help find an identity on the Jane Doe. This case is also believed to be connected to two other bodies found later in November, including Angela Williams. Victim 2 Angela Williams was a student at Plymouth South High School and valedictorian. She was found in a similar fashion as the first victim, with her hands bound, naked, throat slit, and shaved entirely. She was not found with any drugs in her system but had suffered minor head trauma before her death. Not only that, but tests reported that she had been raped before her death. The body’s identity was confirmed by Williams’ parents, Lauren Williams and Byron Williams. The body was found sitting on a rock seawall, facing the ocean. The man who found it is the owner of Pilgrim Sands on Long Beach, Lee Plaskett. WENT MISSING: November 5th, 5:30 PM DATE OF DEATH: November 5th, 2018 DATE FOUND: November 7th, 2018 IDENTITY: Angela Williams, 18 Years Old, Student KNOWN FAMILY: Lauren Williams (Mother), Byron Williams (Father) WORKING THEORIES Angela Williams is believed to be connected to the Jane Doe by everyone involved. She died on the same day at around the same time, but her body was not found until later. Unlike the previous victim, she shows signs of struggle including the blunt force trauma found in her skull and harsher lines around her bound wrists. It is uncertain why she was raped and the other was not; but the crimes can be confirmed to be of a sexual nature, now, and by the same person. Victim 3 The third corpse was found by Cecil S. Lyle, an elderly volunteer lighthouse keeper working for Duxbury Pier Light. When he went out there for a check up one morning, he reported the body as facing the ocean and with her hands bound. When determined to be potentially linked the the previous murders, the MSHTF was called in with FBI advisors following close behind. WENT MISSING: Unknown DATE OF DEATH: Unknown DATE FOUND: November 10th, 2018 IDENTITY: Jane Doe, Unknown, Unknown KNOWN FAMILY: Unknown WORKING THEORIES Believed link to previous “occult” or Satanic activity. |
Rules | Orange text signals that a character is an NPC. |
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Credit to Hastur for the banner.
