IC - Tewfik's Spice Shop

[Raiko]

This thread continues the story from the Ritz Hotel HERE
This thread is for Nethaniel, Gwen, Caroline, Maksim and Timour.

[Raiko]

Arbour Street, Soho – Across the street from al-Sayed’s Spice Shop
3:00pm – Thursday 29th January, 1925

The Rukovs sit in the Bentley together with Caroline, Nethanieland Gwen. Across the road is Tewfik al-Sayed’s small shop, a neat two story building.

The store front opens straight onto the street and has a wooden door next to a small display window, a large rack of bottled spices can be seen through the window. Above the display window the shops sign simply reads: “Finest Spices.”

There are two more windows on the upper floor that face Arbour Street, both have netted curtains which conceal any view into the interior.

Al-Sayed’s shop appears to be popular, at least a dozen customers have entered and left the small shop during the fifteen minutes that the investigators have observed the store front – these were a diverse group, as mixed as the crowds walking the street here, although the majority of the customers were female.

At this moment in time an elderly lady is exiting the shop, the investigators are fairly sure that no other customers remain inside, unfortunately the large spice rack completely obstructs the view into the shop.

[Decrepit]

"Well, this looks safe enough," Caroline says, a bit of irony in her voice. "It's a shame we can't see into the store from here. Seems like a good idea to me to look for other entrances and exits before going in, though, if that can be done carefully. I think at least Gwen or I should go in, considering most of the customers seem to be women."

[DSIGFUSS]

Good idea Caroline. It's a shame we can't get him to leave the shop so we can have a proper look see at his wares and storage facilities.

Nethaniel removes his glasses and thoroughly wipes them clean..

Perhaps you could interest him in a text at the museum. He might close up shop and then we could break in. Blimey! Would you listen to me Gwen.. I sound like a bloody scrub now don't I... A regular robber! Soon the Bobby's will have me photo on the tele.

Seemingly quite amused with himself, Nethaniel adds...

Now then... What do you gents think?

[Laraqua]

"If we wait until the shop closes, he may have other business," says Maksim. "Hell, he might leave for lunch but I doubt it. At night time though? Who knows? But there's a chance he might be one of the many men in London who go to the local pub."

[DSIGFUSS]

Well, do we have time to wait. I could certain use another spot of tea.

Nethaniel looks back to Caroline.

Maybe you should go and have a looky -loo luv to get a proper lay of the land before we start in with all this nasty business.

[Laraqua]

"That's a good point, Nethaniel, Gwen and Timour goes in, take a look, buy some spices, see if it has an Open Til sign and then go get some tea and relax before we drive each other mad," says Maksim. "Then we'll come over here, me and Caroline can pretend to swoon over each other under one of these oh-so-romantic street lights, while the others wait in some alley, when we see him leave - if we do, then we call you out, break in and go do a proper search. If he doesn't leave, Timour and I knock on the door till we rouse him, beat him unconscious and search all the same... Don't worry, we won't kill him. He'll just wake up with a head ache After all, a 5-minute 'Oh, I twisted my ankle' distraction is unlikely to give us enough time to search the entire place top to bottom, and since no cultist worth his salt is going to place his big, book of scary open on a shelf somewhere for easy perusal, it'll probably take us an hour just to find where the evidence is hidden."

OOC: However, I don't know if CoC has a system for subdual damage. Which means that in this world we're playing, trying to smack someone unconscious, 9/10 times leaves them dead. Pretty unrealistic odds, otherwise.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel listens intently to Maksim's plan, his eyebrows raising at the most appropriate moments.

Right then...

[Timour Rukov]

"Well, I do like the sounds of that!" Timour says with a grin, slapping his brother on the back loudly. "You still have a few tricks up your sleeve, eh Maks! ha ha ha!"

He cranes his neck to view the door to the shop, "Well, no time like the present, hm?"

[Decrepit]

"All right then, now that that's settled ..." Caroline says, rolling her eyes. "Maks, must your every thought be food, love, or violence?"

[DSIGFUSS]

Hmm...

Indeed! Though it is a sociological fact that the desire to eat, kill and procreate has been the driving force behind man's most lucrative endevours. The latter of three driving the others of coarse if you catch my meaning... eh old chap! Nudge Nudge and all that!

Nethaniel winks at Maksim and then promptly cleans his glasses.

That aside... Good look Miss Caroline...

[Raiko]

OOC,[color=#ff0000][u]OOC:[/u][/color] I don’t think you’re waiting on me here. I’m back now, so I’ll post as soon as your characters make a move. [quote][i]OOC: However, I don't know if CoC has a system for subdual damage. Which means that in this world we're playing, trying to smack someone unconscious, 9/10 times leaves them dead. Pretty unrealistic odds, otherwise.[/i][/quote] I forgot to check, but I think it has a really simple one. Something like you trade in all of your damage for a single percentile chance of a KO. I believe the chances of a KO are fairly high if you surprise your opponent (especially if you use a club), otherwise you’ll probably have to beat the guy into submission (see below). ;) Actual D&D style “subduel/non-lethal” damage isn’t really necessary, any reasonable non-fanatic NPC is going to surrender before taking dangerous amounts of damage in a fist fight (or after one bullet wound for that matter). And in real-life people die when fist fights go too far, or from “lucky” punches. The problem with this game is too many fanatical NPCs. :P :lol:

[Laraqua]

Maksim gives her a look that would kill. His previously friendly features darken, his jaw clenches, the muscles tightening, the corners twitching, and he straightens his fingers as though in a conscious effort to keep from clenching them into fists. "Look here, doctor, but who was the one who figured the last good thing to do to alleged cultists was to shoot them with such high calibre bullets half the neighborhood would be at risk?! Who was the only one who figured, y'know what, mathematically, high calibre bullets from a machine gun ... paper thin cheap-ass walls ... equals no protection for anyone in the next building ... hell, in the next street?! Where were you when I was trying to make sure that no more stray bullets would hit stray kids?! Where were you, again?"

OOC: Remember the last cultist's store conversation? :p

[Decrepit]

"I'm sorry. That was thoughtless," Caroline says.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel cleans his glasses a third time even though he knows they are perfectly spotless. The English gentleman is not one for confrontation.

Goodness! That must have been something...

[Laraqua]

Caroline's words seem to take the wind right out of Maksim and he deflates a little, flashes a sheepish smile, and runs his fingers through the back of his hair. "Yeah, well, uh... Thoughtless is fine. Everyone is thoughtless sometimes. Just don't, well, don't make a point in believing it." He then clears his throat. "Okay then, now that we've got a real awkward mood, I guess it's time for the others to go into the spice shop and us to go awkwardly stand in an alley. It'll look weird if they see us go in there and then lurk outside for awhile. I just, well, I'm figuring that any attempt to use a distraction to go look-abouts, well, even a non-cultist might open fire on someone who's broken into their house... Or well, club them like a baby seal... Here's hoping he just goes out for dinner."

[Timour Rukov]

Timour begins to snicker and pulls his flask from his coat pocket. He takes a long healthy swig, replacing the cap and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Well! Enough jawing! Maks.....how bout you share that pretty set of legs and get Caroline in to flash her stuff. Maybe the ol coot will be more receptive to a pretty set of....er.....eyes!" He averts his gaze quickly after, fixating on the door to the shop, "Are we ready to beat the door down yet! Maks....you do the talking!" He flings open the door and steps out impatiently.

[Laraqua]

"Uh, Timour, when did you stop listening to the plan?" Maksim asked. "The store's got no chance of being closed and if we get seen in there and then later, on the street, any paranoid would realize what's up. Whoever's going to watch when the sun goes down to keep an eye out for when he leaves, can't go into the shop now. All you're going to do is go in there, see what the shop is like, see who works there, see if there's closing times on the door and then leave. You hardly need to talk to him. Trust me, brother, who is the con artist in the family?"

[Raiko]

OOC,[color=#FF0000][u][b]OOC:[/b][/u][/color] Are you going with Maksim's plan? Starting with this? [quote="Laraqua"]"That's a good point, Nethaniel, Gwen and Timour goes in, take a look, buy some spices, see if it has an Open Til sign and then go get some tea and relax before we drive each other mad," says Maksim. [/quote]

[DSIGFUSS]

Spoiler:

Sounds good to me unless anyone thinks he might recognize Nethaniel... Either way... Nethaniel would be a likely candidate to go into an occult spice shop.