Seven Dials (Day 2)

[Cearlan]

Despite the frozen state of his bloodstream, Luke, hanging with his head down sweats profusely. His saliva drools from his open mouth across his cheek and pools in his eye, mingling with the tears that flow unbidden with each passing bad memory that is being bought forward by the cruel barb in the back of his skull.

The entity above him shudders with what could only pass for it's pleasure as it draws the energy from the recumbent form dangling beneath it.

[Taavi]

Jory smiles a ghastly smile and staggers away from the barman, mopping his brow with a hanky. Feeling he must be in the right place based on this odd behaviour, he starts searching for Luke, politely asking the odd patron if they have seen him too, or anyone interested in the history of the pub.

A few elderly patrons agree that this place indeed used to have a sign with a blind man, or a lantern, or something like that.

While wandering around, Jory's keen eye for minutiae and incongruity (aka Evidence Collection) spots what looks like the treadmark of Luke's shoe in the grime on a back stair. Old Luke always was a bit foppish about those American shoes of his.

[andyw666]

Jory:

Jory pauses for two quick seconds to drain the pint still clutched in his hand. And in a moment of paranoid caution, he pulls a Grant's business card out of a shirt pocket and leaves it on the bannister, should anyone come looking for him too.

Then, Jory makes sure his hat is firmly on his head, braces his shoulders, reaches in and gets a firm grip on the Enfield still tucked in his jacket, and quietly heads up the stairs.

Being Quiet,This seems a prime opportunity for Jory to use his [i]Stealth[/i] ability spending a point if possible to show off those hunting skills honed in the Late Unpleasantness.

[Taavi]

Stealth is a General ability, so Jory needs to make a Stealth test, adding as many points as he sees fit. Also a Sense Trouble test.

[andyw666]

Oh dear,This can not end well.

Stealth Test,2 point spend. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3765713/ Rolled 2 + 2 = 4.

Sense Trouble Test,2 point spend. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3765715/ . Rolled 2 + 2 = 4 (again!).

[Taavi]

At the top of the stairs, Jory comes to a short corridor, at the end of which is a rusty-looking ladder leading up to an open trap door. A yellowish light shines obliquely out of the trap - perhaps a flashlight lying on the floor above? There also seems to be a faint, greyish lambency to the air, like moonlight shining through a dirty window, perhaps?
At the base of the stair, Jory listens carefully, but only hears a faint rustling noise, like smooth fabric rubbing together or curtains fluttering in a light breeze. Stepping out of his shoes so as not to make a noise, Jory quietly ascends the ladder, Enfield in hand. He peeks through the opening, then jerks his head down again convulsively, a cold sweat forming on the back of his neck.
What was that? A trick of the light? It had a shadow like a housefly the size of a Sopwith - in an attic this size, how can that be? Was it hovering, somehow? Am I seeing things? Did it get Luke?
Above him, the rustling noise and the greyish light both fade away.

Fleeting glimpse of monstrosity = 3 point Stability test, Difficulty 6

[andyw666]

Jory:

Stability Test,Sorry, this is a bit messy but I was experimenting with the dice function on the forum. Jorys roll was done in the OOC thread but he spent 2 points, rolled a 5 and got a total of of 9. Jorys maintains his form.

Equipment,Just looking at the Preparedness skill, can Jory safely assume he has a flashlight in his own satchel? Sounds from the rules like that is a given. If so, he pulls out his flashlight and shoves it firmly into his belt.

Steadying his nerves, and grateful for the fortification of the earlier whisky and later pint (hic), Jory creeps back to the ladder, Enfield in hand. Then in his best parade ground voice, trying to sound jovial, he yells at the trapdoor:

"Come on lads! I bet the barman that we could fit the whole rugby team up here in the attic, now prove me right! Follow me lads, I'm sure you'll all fit!"

With that Jory climbs up to the trapdoor and sticks his head, and gun, through it, particularly looking for whatever it was he glimpsed before.

[Taavi]

Jory charges up the stair, wondering if this is how the Tommies in the trenches felt when sent over the top. No hail of german gunfire greets him, only the creak of elderly timbers - there is no sign of any opposition. Staring around wildly, Jory flinches at the sight of Luke's shoes, hanging near his eye level, twitching spastically. My God, he's hung himself is his first thought - but Luke is not hanging from a rope, but rather looks to be wrapped in some kind of sticky gause - rather like a fly left to hang by a spider...

Stability tests: For Jory, 2 points, difficulty 6; for Luke, 4 points, difficulty 7 (remember each point spent lowers difficulty by 2)

[andyw666]

[dice]0[/dice]

[andyw666]

Jory:

Stability,Jory spends 2 points and rolls 2 + 4 total 6. Bare success...

[andyw666]

Jory:

Jory gasps slightly in horror. Steadying his nerve, he aims his little revolver at the roof, away from Luke, and fires a shot into the darkness, hoping to attract attention from the patrons inside, people on the street etc. and perhaps frighten off things lurking in the dark.

He will then grab Luke's leg and start pulling down...

[Cearlan]

7 point stability test - sorry I missed this.

Add 3 points + http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3812901/ (OOC - 3+2 = 5 - gibber gibber gibber)

[Taavi]

Remember that one point spent adds two to your roll. So 3 points spent (to avoid a 4 point loss...) would add 6, so Luke ppasses - although I think he is now at zero stability or below anyway and hence is Shaken.

Jory finds that the material is springy, like rubber or elasticised fabric, and so he must pull down quite hard to drag Luke dwn from his gallows. He is relieved to hear footsteps approachin below. 'What's all this banging...' begins the barman indignantly, before traling off in vacant-eyed horror at the grostesque scene of one man pulling on a hanged cocoon's legs.

[andyw666]

Jory:

Jory quickly shoves his pistol back into his jacket.

"Lend a hand old son! This poor fool has got himself caught in some kind of net in the attic. Help me get him down and free before he stops breathing! "

With that, he starts hauling on Luke. First priority is to get him down, second to get his mouth free so he can breath, third get the web off.

[Taavi]

Jolted into action, the barman assists Jory to drag Luke free of the "net". Once his head is about the same level as Jory's, Jory sees that his nose and mouth are indeed free, indeed Luke seems to be mumbling something that Jory can't make out. Jory is also alarmed to see some kind of wound, that looks a bit like a long-healed bullet hole or some kind of suction burn, on the back of Luke's head. He pulls Luke's hat down over it before the barman notices.

[andyw666]

Jory:

Jory quickly frees Luke as best he can, using his pocketknife if necessary. Turning to the barman, he says, "Look Old Bean, I think he's a bit under the weather. Help me get him outside and I'll take him home."

With or without aid, Jory will try to get Luke on his feet, downstairs, outside and will then grab a London cab. The plan then is to get Luke to the nearest hospital (except Kings College) quickly.

[Taavi]

Jory is able to get Luke to the somewhat puzzled medical establishment without any difficulty.

End of Scene

[andyw666]

And Jory got to fire a shot in anger! Or at least in panic...

(Exit scene left...)

[Cearlan]

Gibber, Drool, Gibber, poor Mathews ... never stood a chance once I told Patrique where his skeletons lay ... wibble ... and as for Thomas, he never knew that I was the one who bid against him and stole his supposed greatest treasure. Right from under his very nose! Gibber, Drool, Gibber!!!

[andyw666]

No drooling on the Captain!

(Personally, I'd suggest a good shot of morphine, Doctor.)