The Ballad of Bass Rock - Introduction

[yockenthwaite]

Having determined that the radio can't be made to work, at least yet, Claire follows the others up stairs.

[Priest]

Upstairs: Cynthia, the NPCs, Roberto and Claire

Cynthia, receiving no reply to her hello, is first to enter the living quarters, or at least the kitchen and bathroom. A quick look around at the area revels little more than she expected from a men’s working quarters, a ‘poor’ men’s working quarters at that. The kitchen seems sparsely furnished with little more than the bare essentials, a stone sink, two small cupboards, a rather quaint two ring electric stove, which from its state was in desperate need of cleaning, and a small table flanked by two mismatched chairs.
What she can see of it, the washroom does little to contradict her opinions of the poorer sorts.
From behind comes the irritating nasally whine of the Irishman. O’Keefe, “Well at least there is a kitchen so we might be able to make some hot drinks.”
Of course the boy is as is to be expected only interested in reaching the light housing so as to begin his search of the seashore for his missing father.

Roberto having entered just behind the other heads straight to the window and takes a long look at the shore line, but other that the pounding waves and wind tossed seagulls, there is nothing of interest.

For anyone taking a longer look around the room they can see various plates and mugs atop the cupboards along with a large iron pan, with the end of a spoon protruding from its top, on the stove. A closer look at this pan reveals that it is coated with a gelatinous furry sludge that may once have been a beef stew.

The washroom contains little of interest, basically a small tin bath and a ceramic basin set within a wooden surround. On the shelf of this surround is someone’s shaving gear and a small block of hair wax. The privy itself is outside.

Of the lighthouse keeper there is no sign.

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Basement: Carruthers, Parkhurst and MacLean

OOC: Please roll Spot Hidden. If Successful roll Track + 40%

[yockenthwaite]

"It all seems very basic," says Claire, "although I suppose that is to be expected."

She walks over towards the kitchen area and takes a closer look. "Eeeww, look at this pan. It looks like it's been ages since it was last used - there's horrible furry sludge all over it, not something that looks recent at all. I wonder how long ago that was?".

Then wondering what is in the cupboards she tries to open the cupboard doors to take a closer look inside.

[Cearlan]

(1d100=68), Spot Hidden 68/40 Fail

"Through yon door ye say laddie, I cannae see it myself" murmurs Carruthers to Robert.

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,Whoops! I missed noticing that you asked for a roll in the previous post.

William is too focused on the generator to notice anything else.

[PatGrillo]

Cynthia: Come on then, there's evidently no one here. She starts on up the stairs. I've got a horrible feeling that the lighthouse keeper may have expired, better keep the boy back behind me, in case I'm about to come across his dead body... I've never seen a dead body before. I wonder where those spineless men have got to? She thinks.

[Priest]

Basement: Carruthers, Parkhurst and MacLean

Drawing the attention of his fellows away from the broken generator and the general state of the room, Robert points towards the double doors, “You can see that they have been burst open from within by something applying a large amount of force. The last time I saw doors burst open like that was in the trenches after an accident in the company’s ammunition bunker back in April 1917 when the whole lot had gone up thanks to a stupid action. However…” he, gazes around at the squalor “Whatever did this I am sure it was not the result of an explosion, or at least not the explosion of anything I’ve ever seen before.”

Looking towards the ruins of the doors, and seeing the way they have been smashed open against their hinges, you are forced to agree. Beyond the doorway you can see a barrel lying just to one side of an obvious trail of the same slimy residue as covered the basement Large enough and plain enough to see the trail appears to be heading downward towards the sea.

OOC: Please roll Luck (lower the better)

[Cearlan]

Luck roll (1d100=37)

[Mr. Handy]

William is unlucky, as usual.

[Priest]

Carruthers: Basement

A few feet from the wrecked doors, and to the left of the trail, Carruthers’ eye is caught by something silver glinting amongst a group of rocks, going over and stooping down he pulls free a man’s pocket watch bearing a few links of broken chain. It shows the beginnings of tarnish pointing out its inexpensive construction, however, that it was a thing to be treasured and therefore not easily lost is shown by the simple inscription on it reverse which reads “To Walter, loving husband and faithful father. 1917”
It no longer works, and the glass is cracked and made almost opaque by moisture, but the hands read eleven thirty three.

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Claire: Second Floor; Kitchen

Although a little stiff the cupboard doors open easily to reveal in one a colection of mismatched crockery and in the other a few packets and tins of foodstuffs.

[Cearlan]

"Here Will, Rab," calls Carruthers, "Whit dae ye make o' this then? Nae summat tae be discarded casually. Look at the use it has seen and although it's nae an expensive silver watch, it obviously has meaning. Can ye read this inscription ... it's a bit dim doon here fae my eyes. Tae Walter, ... something ... husband and faithful father ... I think it 's dated 1917"

[yockenthwaite]

Pretty much what we would expect to be find in a lighthouse's kitchen cupboards muses Claire, closing the cupboard doors carefully again. Wonder if we'll have any more luck upstairs she ponders. "Coming with you," she calls to Cynthia, as she turns to follow her up the stairs.

[Mr. Handy]

"Loving husband, I think it says," says William, squinting at the watch's inscription. "1917, all right. He'd nae have dropped it willingly. I wonder what happened to him, and what could have doon all this. Some kind of wild beastie, by the look of it. It must have smashed those doors."

[RulerMan]

''Yep, not much too see around here. let's move on to the next floor then.'' Roberto says as he follows the others.

[Priest]

Upstairs: Cynthia, Claire, the NPCs and Roberto

Allowing the lad to be held back by Claire and the O’Keefe’s, Cynthia presses on, ready, she hopes, for what the next floor may reveal. Expecting the worst she discovers that room above is as empty as those below. Obviously the keeper’s sleeping quarters, the circular room, with its solitary window, boasts a small single bed, a small white painted chest-of-drawers beside it, and a solitary wardrobe of modest dimensions.

The bed, although neatly made, is covered in a fine layer of dust which attests to it having been unused for some time. The wardrobe’s doors are partially open and within you can see several articles of clothing suspended from wire coathangers. The contents of the chest-of-drawers are hidden from view but on its top, also covered by a fine film of dust, lays an open pocket watch beside a brown envelope bearing the handwritten address of a Martha Carluke, 51 Allison Street, Glasgow. Unsealed the envelope seems to contain a single sheet of neatly folded paper. The letter reads;

My dearest Martha and Timmy,

I’m counting down the days. The Lighthouse Commission has confirmed Craig Hinton will be coming to replace me in less than three weeks, which means that I’ll be back in Glasgow with you within the month!

I’ll stop by at grandma and granddad’s in Rosyth like I promised, and get a birthday present for Timmy from that toy shop in Edinburgh he liked. If he’s got his heart set on anything particular, let me know in your next
letter.

Also, if there is anything you would like for yourself, dearest, let me know that, too. I am sorry for being gone so long, but I know my love for you is even stronger for being apart. You are my world, my everything, Martha. I’ll be with you soon, my love.

Your devoted husband,

Charlie

p.s. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you both.


The open pocket watch engraved with the initials C.C. has stopped at 2:45. Inside the lid is a small photograph of a woman.

Across the room more steps lead upward.

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Basement: Carruthers, MacLean and Parkhurst

Robert like the other stares at the watch for a moment before indicating the obvious trail, “Well whatever ‘beastie’ may have made this it seems it was heading for the sea.” He looks at the devastation marked by the same slime as that within the basement itself, “Question is chaps, do we follow and see where it went, or return to the others and see whether they have managed to find Mr Carluke and alert the authorities to our plight?”

[Cearlan]

Carruthers puts on a resolute stance by declaring "I say we tyek a look see at whit we're dealin' with here. I'm sure Roberto can tyek care o' the womin-folk upstairs like and we can handle oorselves I'm sure tae. If this leads tae the sea, then we should be aware of whitever dangers confront us"

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, if we're careful, we can follow it," says William. "It's been some time since it was here, as that watch was stopped at 11:33. Could be that's this morning, but it could have been days ago. We don't have any weapons, so it might not be so easy to kill it if we alert it to our presence. Whatever it is, it must be strong to burst through those doors." He looks around for a metal bar or a long piece of wood he could use as an improvised club.

[RulerMan]

''Look at all this dust!'' says Roberto - ''It seems Charlie didn't sleep here for quite some time.'' Then he notices the pocket watch and the envelope in the drawer . he takes a look at the watch and then reads the letter loud enough so everyone in the room can hear. ''I wonder what happened to Charlie? did he leave the island earlier than he should?'' Roberto then open the drawers to see if he can find anything of interest besides the pocket watch and the letter.

[PatGrillo]

"It's certainly curious Mr. Algarve," says Cynthia Isham, "this letter is undated! That's state education for you I suppose. Nonetheless, you're right, the French Maid has certainly been slacking in this room! It's been untouched for some time. One might have thought that if he was writing a letter, the supply boat must have been due... but it looks like neither it, nor the relief lighthouse keeper who was due in another three weeks, ever arrived. You, um, young Scots Boy, has the weather been tempestuous on this coast for many weeks?

[Priest]

Upstairs: Cynthia, Roberto, the NPCs and Claire

Roberto opens each of the drawers in succession, but other than a collection of neatly folded clothes there is nothing of interest, Sadly the wardrobe is the same other that a couple of threadbare shirts and a pair of leather shoes the only other thing is a canvas kitbag, empty and folded in the wardrobes base. The kit bag is obviously ex navy issue it is stencilled with a string of numbers and the name Carluke. C. HMS Defiant.

Aidan halts in his progress towards the stairs at Cynthia’s question, “Nah, the weather has been nay worse or better than usual for this time o’ year. There has been the odd storm, but not enough to concern Da’ or any o' the local boats. And I ken Da would have checked the weather before hiring out to yoursen.” His eyes mist over and the final sentence seems forced, with added impetus he begins to climb the steps toward the floor above.
As the lad begins to climb Michael O’Keefe looks towards Roberto, “Should we follow him?” Without waiting for a reply he turns to his wife, “It seems that Mr Carluke is not here, so we may not ask his permission to avail ourselves of dry clothing, but I do not think he would deny us. Emily look through the drawers and find something dry and warm to put on.”

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Basement: Carruthers, MacLean and Parkhurst

From his jacket pocket Robert produces an old, worn but clean and oiled Webley Mk IV and a handful of extra bullets,

“Lucky thing I brought this with my old uniform. Left the holster and the belt upstairs in my case, dry clothing was important the belt not so.” He breaks open the pistol and checks the cylinder, “Served me well in the war, and I would imagine its quite useful against Scottish beasties too.” He gives a small laugh and points the pistol towards the trail, “Well then chaps, shall we?”

OOC: There are several pieces of wood and metal bars scattered around the basement floor. If you can stand the idea of picking something from the slime, you or Carruther’s will have no problem finding something suitable as a rough weapon.
Whatever is picked up will smell terrible, be covered in the same sticky coating that can be found all over the basement and proves difficult to remove as well as causing you skin to irritate as if subject to a mild acid. Although it causes no physical damage to you it is annoying. Of course there may be other bits and pieces to be found beyond the confines of the lighthouse.

The weather is still stormy, although not as severe as earlier. The steady rain has turned to squally showers, hard but endurable.

So far you would imagine that it has been around three quarters of an hour since you climbed from the beach.