Whew! It's been a busy week.
Like true naturalists, Poincaré and I have successfully tagged and tracked our Sin-Eater research subjects. Since our first confirmed sighting of them at Wesleyan Cemetery, we've dedicated the remainder of last week and all of this week to following our quarry around Cincinnati. We've discovered where they live, where they work, and where they like to spend recreational time. We've even found what might be considered the krewe's hangout or base of operations. All of this has been in an effort to establish an understanding of their habits and backgrounds.
Those who read this report out of context may perceive our actions as "creepy" or "stalkerish." However, I assure you that everything we do is purely in the name of science and the pursuit of knowledge. Poincaré and I demonstrate the utmost professionalism at ALL times. We have no intention of wholly compromising the secrecy of our subjects. Consequently, the Lord Sages will only be receiving general ethnographic information regarding Sin-Eater customs, culture and powers. Any specific personal information we obtain about the krewe that is not pertinent to our studies won't be passed on to the entitlement. The goal of our research is to paint a picture of the Sin-Eater species in broad strokes, not minute details about a single krewe.
So as one can see, these seeming violations of privacy are actually necessary scientific endeavors. We're not stalking the Sin-Eaters; we're tracking their migration patterns. We're not spying on them; we're partaking in observational study.
As to how we "tagged 'em and tracked 'em," our method was quite simple, yet effective. When the Sin-Eaters first entered the Underworld nearly two weeks ago, we assumed that they would return for their vehicles at some point. Neither of us had access to any supernatural means of tracking the subjects; no special tokens or Contracts of Four Directions. And though we could tail one of them in our safari jeep, there was no guarantee that following one Sin-Eater would lead us to the rest. Who knows how often they meet together? What we'd witnessed in Wesleyan Cemetery might have been a strictly annual event. Naturalists usually track animals in the wild by attaching electronic RFID tags to the ears or legs of their subjects, and though we deliberated this approach for a brief period, it was decided that trying this with Sin-Eaters would be disastrous.
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| GPS Tracking Key... worth every one of Poincaré's pennies |
Ultimately, it was Poincaré who had the ingenious idea of purchasing trackers to place on each of their vehicles. I was at a loss as to where we could procure such devices, aside from the internet, so we did a hefty bout of consumer research. Poincaré eventually found a local Brookstone that sold active locating GPS Trackers. As a side note, I must say that I adore the store known as Brookstone. Who knew there is a company that sells quirky, high-tech gadgets? My first time inside one of these places proved to be a sheer delight to the Wizened in me. I could have stayed for hours to peruse the store's wares, but Poincaré rightly pointed out that my presence was attracting too much attention. Apparently, a hobo in an electronics retail outlet tends to stick out. Since I'm still wanted by the authorities, we didn't linger.
The trackers that Poincaré purchased were expensive, to say the least, with just five of them totaling at well over $750. It'd easily take me over half a year of panhandling to collect that much money (thank the Wyrd for Poincaré and his fiscal contributions to the hobo cause). However, these sly little devices were well worth the price. They could be attached to a vehicle by magnet, and they transmitted real-time information (routes, driving speeds, and stops) to an app in Poincaré's phone. The trackers were capable of relaying up to two weeks worth of activity, and location data was accurate to within 2.5 meters. They were each powered by two AAA batteries, and were entirely ruggedized and water resistant.
After obtaining the trackers, we concealed one on each of the vehicles, then stood by and waited. Once the Sin-Eaters returned, the devices tracked them as advertised. Knowing their whereabouts at all times has permitted us to study them at our leisure. This past week has been about documenting the Sin-Eaters' various comings and goings. I was pleased to discover that the krewe members meet up regularly, though it's unclear if the reasons for this are personal or professional (i.e., related to ghost hunting). Whatever the case, it makes them easier to track and observe.
Along with establishing where each of the Sin-Eaters live and work, we've also become aware that they often congregate at an abandoned church in western Cincinnati. The building is called the First German Reformed Church, located in Cincinnati's West End. The trackers show that the krewe gathers here several times a week. However, aside from privacy, there's no obvious reason why a group of people would want to come here. My theory is that this place is the krewe's headquarters, not unlike what a shared hollow is to a motley of changelings. We have yet to ascertain whether the location is strictly a mundane meeting place, or if it offers any special features/benefits. We've only observed the church from the outside, and I don't want to attempt to break in until I know more about it. The krewe could very well have supernatural protections in place. Then again, such defenses probably only apply to ghosts. Too much is still unknown.
Once I've determined that it's safe enough, I'll try to get inside the church for a closer look.
The trackers that Poincaré purchased were expensive, to say the least, with just five of them totaling at well over $750. It'd easily take me over half a year of panhandling to collect that much money (thank the Wyrd for Poincaré and his fiscal contributions to the hobo cause). However, these sly little devices were well worth the price. They could be attached to a vehicle by magnet, and they transmitted real-time information (routes, driving speeds, and stops) to an app in Poincaré's phone. The trackers were capable of relaying up to two weeks worth of activity, and location data was accurate to within 2.5 meters. They were each powered by two AAA batteries, and were entirely ruggedized and water resistant.
After obtaining the trackers, we concealed one on each of the vehicles, then stood by and waited. Once the Sin-Eaters returned, the devices tracked them as advertised. Knowing their whereabouts at all times has permitted us to study them at our leisure. This past week has been about documenting the Sin-Eaters' various comings and goings. I was pleased to discover that the krewe members meet up regularly, though it's unclear if the reasons for this are personal or professional (i.e., related to ghost hunting). Whatever the case, it makes them easier to track and observe.
Along with establishing where each of the Sin-Eaters live and work, we've also become aware that they often congregate at an abandoned church in western Cincinnati. The building is called the First German Reformed Church, located in Cincinnati's West End. The trackers show that the krewe gathers here several times a week. However, aside from privacy, there's no obvious reason why a group of people would want to come here. My theory is that this place is the krewe's headquarters, not unlike what a shared hollow is to a motley of changelings. We have yet to ascertain whether the location is strictly a mundane meeting place, or if it offers any special features/benefits. We've only observed the church from the outside, and I don't want to attempt to break in until I know more about it. The krewe could very well have supernatural protections in place. Then again, such defenses probably only apply to ghosts. Too much is still unknown.
Once I've determined that it's safe enough, I'll try to get inside the church for a closer look.
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