Play@YSDC

Two men, a ghost, a parrot and a ball of string must go.

The walk proceeds uneventfully through the eddying, aimless crowds of anonymous Londoners, until the odd couple have passed Russell square and are heading down the Kingsway towards Holborn - at which point Marmaduke, who has been cheerfully, relentlessly, and unquenchably squalking inanities at all and sundry, suddenly goes quiet in the middle of yet another "Pieces of ei"

Picking up on the bird's keen senses I look around to see if anything appears out of the ordinary by use of my 'sense trouble'. I consult the map and try to remember when I came this way before ... does it match up at all?

Long John feeds Marmaduke a peanut, to soothe the bird. "Mr. Carse, the 'scribbler' in me 'ead, says t' go down to the Station."

Luke Carse's sense trouble roll

Luke; sense trouble (1d6=5)

Glancing at the indicated Holborn entrance to the Underground, Carse picks up an odd scent on the metallic fumes of the iconic train system - a sulphurous bite, and a tang of sour wine.

"Are we going down the steps, Mr. Carse?" Long John checks his descent, wondering at Luke's hesitation and faraway stare.

I shake my head to clear a sense of confusion that descended upon me. "Why yes of course ... Sorry John, of course we are. I am just a bit distracted by something. If I'm being honest, I'm a bit mystified by the smell ... the undercurrent of, of cheap wine is it, and what used to know as brimstone."

While the Underground London crowds are not nearly as bright as they were in the gilded age of the 20s, Carse and Long John see nothing unusual as they descend. Carse is uneasily aware that they are conspicuous in this crowd, with more than one indignant commuter muttering about "bally livestock" upon catching sight of Marmaduke.

Carse said: I'm a bit mystified by the smell

"Ah! that'll be Marmaduke," replies Long John, stumbling slightly upon the escalator when his peg-leg sticks in a moving step.

more than one indignant commuter muttering about "bally livestock" upon catching sight of Marmaduke.

"Do a shit over these nice people," thinks he, chuckling to himself.

"Mr. Carse, I'm sorry, but the 'voice' is telling me to go back to the surface. . . . Now is he confused? I mean, are we meant to catch a train to somewhere else first?"

Smiling to myself I nod, "If your scribbler is telling to return to the surface then let us away, for I dislike the underground ... always have and yet something drew us down here." I snap my fingers and call out "Eureka! If you weren't so odious I'd kiss you! Don't you see? It's the map dear John ... the map is full of twists and turns, as our journey must be as well in order to reach our destination through the labyrinth before us. Your friend Marmaduke here has more sense than you and I put together, so if we follow his lead, then we should go roughly along the path as laid out." I head towards the exit with never a backward glance so certain am I that I am on the right track.

"Lead on, sir," says Long John.

When he gets to the top of the escalator, Luke looks down at the map and sees where to head off to next and follows his nose for sulphur and cheap wine, and the silence of the parrot as well in confirmation. "This way young John!" he strides forwards in the direction indicated.

OOC,Knowing how the labyrinth was made might give him a bit of insight into where he should be heading, especially as he has already followed someone along it#s route when he wound up in Seven Dials before.

Apologies,I must have read that / skimmed it wrong.

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"You seem befuddled, sir, have you forgotten the way?" asks Long John.

Luke thinks before answering for to admit that he does not fully know the way may make him look stupid in the eyes of this eccentric character, something he would avoid if at at all possible. "In truth John, I have not trodden this path before so whilst befuddled may be a bit strong, I am finding my way around using this map and your precocious friend Marmaduke in the main. I am sure it is this way though"

The two men and accompanying entities continue down the kingsway and turn right onto Tavistock street and Maiden lane, then up Charing Cross. As they draw close to Leicester Square ststion, Luke catches anothere strange smell - not wine this time, but a strange mixture of frsh-baked bread and the coppery tang of blood, wafting fro the Underground.

"Hmm, John, notice how here we have a strange odour once more ... and once more coming from the underground stations we come across on the way." Luke looks hopefully at the odd man who follows in his wake but he could have been talking to a new born babe for all the understanding he saw on the poor man's face. "Can you not smell it man?" I ask trying not to lose patience.