The Cranborne House Investigation

[Mr. Handy]

"They certainly look real, to the untrained eye," says Laurence. "I'm sure you'll have a much more informed opinion than I do. They are rather striking. Any idea who the photographer was, Mr. Tenison, or where these were taken?"

[yockenthwaite]

"Yes I was going to ask where they were taken too," says Samantha. "Was it somewhere local do you know Mr Tennison?"

[Andrew]

Spoiler:

OOC: Rolled an 18 on my photography roll. My skill is 70%. Rolled on Dark and Moody's main dice roller.

Nicholas bent down to look at the five photographs, at first he was just amazed with the age of the photos, the photographer who took them, their colorization and angles but once that past he was looking for clues to detect fake photographs, unexplained shadows, reflections that should not appear, blurred sections that should be clear and vice versa, little things that people normally don't take into account. "Well they are breath taking, whether they're real or not is yet to be determined but they certainly are priceless, I would love to have these to put up in my studio. Even if they are fakes, it shows great skill in knowing photography well enough back in the day to have created fakes. It's not like they could have opened up Photoshop and done it. These would be old enough that the negative would have been a tin type and not celluloid. Absolutely beautiful." Nicholas could feel his excitement grow at studying the photos and possibilities of what might have happened.

[Andrew]

Spoiler:

OOC: This reminds me of the novel and movie Photographing Fairies. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie, I'd suggest you do. Not only because of the game but because either format was really good.

[Anatomist]

GM,Do i roll for history on the pics? Paul might have heard something about them?

[ImpInTraining]

ooc,not history. Occult if anything to know stories about where such pictures might have been taken. You could try a geography roll to place their location.

Nicholas,The pictures are all excellent fakes - especially for the era in which they were taken. Feel free to elaborate off the cuff.

George says, "It was my understanding that these photos came from somewhere in Glendale. I admit, it is part of the reason why I moved here."

[Andrew]

Nicholas smiled and laughed slightly, "The craftsmanship, the skill is exquisite! However I do not think our little mystical friends would wear their hair in the fashion of the day or wear dresses bought at Harrods or jewelry crafted expertly by a master jeweler. Also the waterfall is out of focus in this one but the wings of our fairies are always in focus. There is no shadow when the light source clearly is...."

Nicholas stopped and looked at the group, "I could go on and on about the flaws the photographs have that make them fakes. To be honest they are done very well and to the untrained eye look very real but never the less they are forgeries. For the era they were done in they're still masterpieces. Most people wouldn't be able to replicate them with modern programs. George, if you would be so kind as to let me borrow them, I would like to replicate them. I would have them back to you before you could grow to miss them. I have to confess, I have fallen in love with them." Nicholas stated, his eyes still burning into the photos.

[Anatomist]

Paul thinks and thinks... Everyone can see his doing it... but at some point he lifts his shoulders and glares out in the room.


Occult 20% Geology 1% (1d100=37, 1d100=20)

[Mr. Handy]

Laurence studies the photos in greater detail. "Yes, now that you point it out, I can see those little details that give it away," he says. "You're quite right, though. They may be forgeries, but they are works of art nonetheless." The settings in the pictures seem very familiar to him.

OOC,I got 1/5 of my skill, so that's a special success. I don't think there's a Geography skill, at least not in 6th edition.

[ImpInTraining]

ooc,Natural history then - yeah... something to recognize the flora and fauna as local. (my amateurishness is showing)

Laurence,The occult background - Laurence is very familiar with these pictures. He hadn't seen them all before, but a couple of them were provided in a book about supernatural creatures published back in 1978. In that book, the chapter on "Fairies and Little People" had many such pictures... most of them artist renderings, but these were the only actual pictures in the chapter. It was presented as 'proof' of fairy existence at the time, but knowledge of photography has advanced considerably since then and every point that Nicholas makes disproving the photos seems valid. As Lawrence recollects on the book he read so long ago, he recalls that these pictures were taken in Glendale - allegedly.

George's pleasant demeanor disappears from his face. He feels like someone just punched him in the gut with the news. "Are... are you certain?" he asked Nicholas. "I mean, they used different cameras back then. They behaved differently, right?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Come to think of it, I've seen these photographs before," says Laurence. "They were in a book about supernatural creatures published in 1978, along with drawings by artists. It did say that they were supposed to have been taken in Glendale." He speaks comfortingly to George. "Are these photographs any less beautiful if they turn out to be forgeries? Think of your favourite novel or film. Is it any less a treasure because it is a work of fiction? There is a reason that fiction is more popular than non-fiction. Some things are true, yes, but some things are more than true."

[Andrew]

"Oh yeah Georgie! These are fake alright. Masterwork fakes but fakes nonetheless. Trust me I know cameras and what they can and cannot do. The outer workings of cameras may have changed but the basic fundamentals of cameras... not so much. Still takes mirrors and light to capture and image, even digital cameras need that. Sorry to burst your bubble. Hell I'll even pay you good money to take these lousy fakes off your hands." Nicholas stated, his tone in no way soft or caring about George's dismay.

[ImpInTraining]

Still evidently disappointed, George shook his head, "No ... fake or not... I believe I will keep them." He held his hand out waiting for the pictures to be returned. "Who knows... maybe I'll have a chance to get some authentic pictures of my own?"

[Andrew]

"Tell you what, you let me hang on to these so I can copy them and I will give you copies of any "real" paranormal pictures I take." Nicholas stated.

[ImpInTraining]

George seemed somewhat reluctant to let his pictures go. But knowing they were fakes made it a little easier. "I will write up a receipt... just to make sure I have proof of ownership."

He disappeared into the house for a few minutes, and came out with a piece of paper stating that Nicholas was borrowing five pictures - with descriptions of each for a period of time not extending more than two weeks. It all seemed very official, even if hand-written. Assuming there is no objection, Nicholas signs the paper, and George bids farewell to the group as they leave the Cranborne House.

ooc,Where to now?

[Mr. Handy]

"You suggested earlier that we take a hike through the woods to look for that student," Laurence says to Petronella. "You agreed to come here with the rest of us first, so now I think it's only fair that we try your suggestion next."

[Anatomist]

"You suggested earlier that we take a hike through the woods to look for that student," Laurence says to Petronella. "You agreed to come here with the rest of us first, so now I think it's only fair that we try your suggestion next."

Paul nods with his head at Laurence and Petronella. 'The woods he?' 'you think we going to need to camp Petronella?'

[Andrew]

Nicholas looked to Samantha to see what she thought of a tramp through the woods. If he knew his wife as well as he thought he did, he knew that she much preferred ground with concrete or wood compared to moss and debris. "Well let me place these pictures in a safe place." Holding up the written receipt he added, "Apparently George is a little worried about them. Plus we should probably dress better for a trek through the woods. I'd prefer boots to the loafers I'm wearing now."

[Thorn]

Petronella nods to Laurence. "Sounds good." Looking to Paul, she smiles a bit. "I don't think any camping will be necessary, but as Nicholas says, we should probably at least change our shoes."

[ImpInTraining]

ooc,Good call on that camping bit.

As the group distances themselves from the Cranborne House, they hear what sounds like rolling thunder getting increasingly loud coming from behind them on the road. Turning around, you observe nothing in the distance down the road.