SUTRO BATHS INCIDENT REPORT: 10/17/1989

Report Submitted: 18 October 1989

CONDUCTED BY: 

Alexei Vedmovich, Primogen of the Chantry

Jack Prufrock, Hound to Prince Thomas

BACKGROUND

Sutro Baths: Prior Incident Reports

Sutro baths is notorious for [1] its existence as a location with a noted deficit in the veil and [2] prior incidents of unexpected catastrophe with limited investigation as to cause. This includes but is not limited to:

1. January 25, 1878: shipwreck of the King Phillip following sudden death of nearby ship captain calling tugboat crew away from the King Phillip.
2. January 13, 1887: shipwreck and subsequent explosion of the Parallel, destruction of an entire wing of the Cliff House.
3. December 25, 1894: arson of the second iteration of the Cliff House.
4. 1896: presumed murder of Frank Denvin in the tunnels, officially closed as an “accidental death.”
5. February 22, 1901: shipwreck of the SS City of Rio de Janeiro, confirmed loss of 135 passengers and trauma in the remaining 85, ruined corpses re-emerging for up to 2 years following the incident.
6. 1917: initial wraith sighting, purported to be of one Natalie Harrison, in spite of previous violent deaths creating optimal conditions for wraiths.
7. October 8, 1936: shipwreck of the SS Ohioan, subsequent sudden explosion of the wreck in March 1937.
8. 1966: arson and third complete burning of the baths complex and Cliff House, on record as insurance fraud.
9. Rumors of cults arising since 1982 (disproved).

1906 Incident Report #47S

• See previous report.
• Activity in the tunnels was confirmed via Vedmovich's research contact immediately following the earthquake.
• Suspected connection to incident report #47C.

INCIDENT REPORT

• Both parties arrived on the scene together as ordered at 7:34pm, exactly 2:30 following the earthquake now dubbed “Loma Prieta.” Photographs were taken and included as a secondary submission to this report.
• No corpses discovered. Site contained no traces of blood, though one site discovered that may have formerly been contaminated with fresh blood, though rising tide made confirmation difficult. No trace vitae observed.
• Site was investigated. Traces of disturbance in the sand and dirt leading into and within the tunnels. Likely smoothed over after the fact. Sand at the base of the nearby pool ruins also heavily recently disturbed, likely not entirely due to the earthquake. Some disturbance to tidal rocks, removal of roughly 27 (calculated by Prufrock via non-scientific method, though verified with practical observation).
• Observation noted by both parties in conjunction with sudden disappearance of beach’s inhabitants and external factors (secrecy of adjacent sects, former Sabbat territory, removal of corpses, information located later in the Society of Leopold safehouse) that mass embrace theory holds.
• Disagreement between the parties as to the intentionality of the embrace. Vedmovich concurs the deliberate nature of the crime scene and SoL involvement points to intentional killing. Prufrock insists, and Vedmovich quotes, “there seems an inevitability to it, an awakening of a beast,” which Vedmovich takes to mean the man theorizes the event can be chalked up to a loss of control. Vedmovich insists on presenting the counterpoint that multiple embraces requires a certain amount of deliberacy on the sire’s part. 
• Prufrock insists on including a reference to incident reports #47m and #47n, and that there is a possibility this was conducted in conjunction with the earthquake absent of planning for the earthquake as an ideal opportunity. Vedmovich will leave the evaluation of this theory to the Prince and Sheriff’s discretion.
• Singular piece of evidence found included a smashed key to a car tagged and registered to one Johnathan Ellers, whose name had previously been flagged as a SoL agent by Tremere Acolyte and Archivist Marietta Agassi in her August report.
• The parties, following clearance from Prince Thomas, followed the thread to the location detailed in said August report to conduct surveillance on the SoL base of operations in hopes of recovering any preserved evidence concerning the Sutro Baths site.
• It must be noted at this point that the discovery of this key was at 11:16pm, which, according to both investigators, was believed only to be 8:16pm. The discrepancy in time was discovered in communication with Prince Thomas, and all evidence suggests both parties were similarly affected. 
• While there are no signs of other kindred active in the area beyond the Richmond Gangrel, who were not observed at the time, the possibility of Dominate cannot be ruled out. More likely, the recent exacerbation of the local tear in the veil has side effects that do not mesh well with Blood Sorcery, Oblivion, and Auspex due to the volatile spiritual nature of the area.

SECONDARY INVESTIGATION

Trace records were recovered from the SoL base of operations. No missing persons reports have yet been filed for the victims, as the investigation was initiated before the 8th hour of death. Agassi is monitoring the police feed for future reports in conjunction with Sheriff Nickolai.

Confirmation achieved that SoL believes the incident to have been a mass embrace. Files were subsequently altered and destroyed within hours. The base was rigged with explosives - both investigators believe it to have been a trap, implying the SoL expected kindred to investigate. Vedmovich would like to note - for the sake of saving everyone time - that Agassi has an alibi that Sheriff Nikolai can, for once, confirm.

Superficial injuries were sustained. Both parties returned with official sanction following Fire Department action to investigate the scene of arson and to dispose of any potentially supernatural remains. Two distinct sets of bones belonging to vitae-enhanced mortals were discovered and removed. Samples included for inspection, but time of ghouling does not align with reported incident. No kindred remains discovered.

CONCLUSIONS

Primogen Vedmovich formally requests a month’s sabbatical following these series of events. Regent Demian has preemptively approved the temporary absence from duties, and the temporary appointment of Whip Anika Naidu to the position of Primogen in the event of his absence. 

ADDENDUM TO: SUTRO BATHS INCIDENT REPORT: 10/17/1989

ADDENDUM SUBMITTED: 21 OCTOBER 1989

FILED BY:

Jack Prufrock, Hound to Prince Thomas.

POLICE REPORT UPDATE

A yet-to-be-discovered third party has prevented the filing of 23 missing persons’ reports, with the exception of three hikers. The three cases have been summarily closed. Deaths have been, as requested, attributed to locality of the victims to the coast during a major earthquake and drowning.