Play@YSDC

Warren Kaine
One outside the museum it takes but moments to get back to the car. Looking at the wheel I had changed earlier, I fetch the worn tyre a kick. It'll have to do for now, Ive more important things than a wheel to being doing. Allthough at some stage tommorrow I'd better take the spare to a garage ang get it fixed.
Starting the car, I take a Chesterfield from my cigarette case and light it. First home and change, pick up some flowers, dames like flowers, and stuff, and head on over to Jen's place and see what she found.
I open the car window slighty preferring cold air to an excess of tobacco smoke. Holding the cigarette between my lips I engage first gear and pull away...

You make it home, and change. You pick up some flowers, pretzels and wine at the corner store and head to Jenn's. You are still early about 7:30.
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OOC,make a spot hidden roll.

Warren Kaine

spot hidden,65% 1d100 → [15] = (15) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4231367/

A car seems to be following you. You are pretty sure you saw it at both the museum and near your house now that you think about it. It's a black sedan and you cannot see how many people are in it. It's 2-3 cars back right now.

Warren Kaine
Noticing the black sedan and keeping one eye on it in my mirror to make sure its following, I drive to Jen's and pull up outside her building. Before opening the door I take my notebook and pencil from my pocket Yeah keep going buddy lets have a look at your plates.

OOC,if they are following me I don't want to lose them. I want a number that can be traced.

As the car approaches you can see the license number is a Massachusetts but its dark and hard to see. As it approaches the car speeds up. You only have a split second, to catch any detail.

OOC,you must decide, do you want to read the plate, or look at the person or people in the car. Then make a spot hidden check. FYI, In 1921 cars were not required to have lights on the plates to make them visible at night.

Warren Kaine
As the sedan passes I attempt to get a look at the occupants, It probably being to dark to read the plates.

Spot Hidden,65% 1d100 → [3] = (3) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4232709/ Thanks for the info on the license plates in 1921, I didnt know that

As the car passes, the driver is obviously trying to hide his face in the shadows of the car, then a street light hits it just right.
It's Phil and he is alone. By the time you get a clear look he is past you and makes a quick turn.
.
Jenn's apartment door is inside the building. Its now almost 8, less than 5 minutes till.

OOC,nice roll. Those crit successes always give you more info. Yea I actually just found out that bit of info myself, trying to find the right length of plate number to use, and it said the law didn't require license plate lights till 1928. I always find out so much cool stuff running games when I'm trying to make things historically correct.

Warren Kaine

Phil, what the heck is he doing following me about? Shrugging I exit my car with the flowers and goodies, and walk through the front door to find her apartment.
You know what they say about the early bird, but Jen is definately no worm.
Climbing the stairs to her apartment I press the door bell...

OOC,I have had a run of really good rolls on Invisible Castle lately. However I have a feeling that I will pay for it at any moment.

As you reach for the bell you notice a note with your name on it taped to the door. You look at the note and it says, Warren, please meet me at the sidewalk cafe at the end of my street. Jenn. You ring the bell any way, but there is no answer.

Warren Kaine

Dames, I think to myself, why do they always have to be different? In my head I ask a rhetorical question knowing there is no answer to human behaviour, I sure seen some 'odd' behaviour over in France and in my time with the paper.
Taking the note from the door and putting it in my pocket, I retrace my steps onto the street, climb back into the car and start the engine. That's two more odd things to add to my growing list, Jen changing the date and Jim following me about secretly. I pull the car away from the kerb and head towards the cafe.

As you pull up to the curb you see Jenn sitting at one of the small tables under a covered patio. She's wearing a modest dress, drinking something. You can see she has a file on the table next to her.
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You see a sign on the building that says FJ Doyles Cafe. It looks like half of it is a grocery, half is a small store that sells fancy candy and sodas. And a small portion is a spa. It was obviously a pub or bar before prohibition.
.

ooc,make a spot hidden check

Warren Kaine

Spot Hidden,65% 1d100 → [58] = (58) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4233807/

As you got out of the car you notice a couple go into the spa area. But as you approach the front entrance to get around the small fence to where Jenn is sitting you can no longer see them in there. And you are pretty sure you never saw them leave.

Warren Kaine
I walk over to where Jen is seated and sit down opposite her. I put the flowers on the table next to the file, which Itap with one finger. "Flowers for the lady. File for me, perhaps?"
I gaze around at the cafe, "Not many in tonight. I see they're trying to make the best of the prohibition."
I turn my eyes towards the spa area, "Nice, ever use it?"

Jenn blushes a bit, "why thank you." she takes the flowers and sniffs them, "yea that's all I could find on what you asked for. Yea, we'll hit the spa in a bit," and she giggles.

Warren Kaine
I smile, Yeah, a spa is just what this part of town needs, but other than a quizical look I give Jen no indication of my thoughts.
"Thanks for this Jen". I pull the file towards me, and start nonchantly flicking through the contents.
"So are we eating here, or what?"

Jenn laughs, "They don't really sell food here, just soda's and candy. You said you were going to bring pretzels. Have you not eaten?"
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As you look through the clippings you see the following:
1. The first is from this year of the Macarios, its very uniformative and doesn't tell you anything you don't already know.
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2. A clipping from 1917 (4 years ago) of a family that all became ill at the same time and moved out of the house.
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3. A 1914 article of a family where a man committed suicide with a butcher knife in the kitchen of the house. Though the brother never claimed it was not suicide.
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4. An article from 1909 of another family that fell prey to illness, and one died before they moved out. The illness was never identified.
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5. Finally she has an article from 1918, a feature story, that never ran. It is of a family of French Immagrants that had moved into the house in 1880. They fled after a series of violent accendents left the parents dead and all 3 children crippled.
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That was all there was in the file.
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As you finish up the articles Jenn speaks up, "That is one weird house, what are you working on. We did that feature story a couple years ago and the editors killed it. Why do you think they'd be up for another one?"

Warren Kaine
I look up at Jen's last comment, "Just a hunch", I continue the upward look and gaze around. She might be right they wouldn't do food here, the 'spa' looked suspiciously like cover for a speakeasy, and not very good cover either.
"Starving. So shall we find somewhere that does food?"
Suddenly the pretzels I'd left in the car didn't seem that appetizing.

Jenn sighed, "Well I've already eaten, and wanted to go downstairs for a bit."

Warren Kaine
I'm beginning to get an itch in the back of my neck, similar to the one that used to warn me when to keep my head down over in France. Things are becoming just a touch strange, well stranger. Phil following me about, Jen being somewhere I hadn't planned, and her almost urgent desire to visit the spa. Maybe it's not a speakeasy, maybe it's something more sinister...
I shake my head, Jesus all this spooky stuff is starting to mess with my mind. I look into Jen's face for a few moments as if trying to spot signs of duplicity.
"Sure doll, whenever"...

She stands up looking excited. "Good, lets go."

Warren Kaine
"Whoa, slow down there". I tap the file, "First things first, I'll put this in the car out of the way"
Standing I move towards my parked car. As i do so I take the opportunity for another glance around. The itch is getting worse, don't know why but I'm getting a bad feeling about this.
I put the file on the passenger seat and take my notebook from my pocket. On one page I write, in capitals, the time and the word 'SPA'. I tear the piece of paper out and stick it beneath my seat out of sight.
Having closed and locked the door I return to Jen.
"Okay, lead on"...

Spot Hidden,65% failed by 1% (ho hum) so if there was anything to see I missed it, 1d100 → [66] = (66) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4237581/

As you put the files in your car, she asks you to store her flowers in there as well. Afterwards, Jenn leads you into the spa. She looks at you, "Do you trust me?" Then without waiting she leads you to the back of the spa to a wall. She looks around, then pushes a panel and the wall slides sideways and she steps through. "Come on Warren."

Warren Kaine
Oh, what the heck, I follow her. "Do I trust you, what kinda question is that?". But I can't shake the image of the fly being drawn into a spider's web.

"Well slide the door shut then silly." As you look behind you the sliding wall is still open. As you reach up, it doesn't take but a small push for the wall to slide back into place.
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After it does Jenn gives a small knock a different door. A small window slides open. "Password"
Jenn says "blind pig" and the door opens.
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she leads you inside, and you see this.
.

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Jenn looks back at you, "Lets get a drink."

Warren Kaine
I give her a sickly smile, "Sure", and push my way to the bar. I look at the different bottles arranged at the back of the bar, trying to spot a brand I might recognise. Giving it up as an impossible task, I lean on the counter and say to a barman, "I'll have a scotch and the lady a...?" I look at Jen realising that I have no idea what she drinks, or even that she liked a drink at all.
"One drink and then I have to go, you know what they say about time and tide? But this is good" I nod at the surroundings, "Maybe we can do this again, soon?"
Today's events have left me more than a little spooked, and I know the nagging voices in my head aren't goinng to cease without either a large dose of alcohol or taking another peek at that chapel site. I am starting to wonder how Phil fits in with all this and the paper had killed the story from 1918? Was it Phil that Jeordie and I had seen watching us at the bomb site?
"Who was the lead reporter on that 1918 article?" I ask this question aloud without realising it.
I glance at a clock behind the bar, wondering if I have time to revisit the site before meeting the others opposite the house at 11pm...

Jenn seems super excited to be here.

Warren,make a psychology check

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She looks at you, "My friend Alice told me about this new drink called a Pansie, get me one of those. Isn't this place great. Yea it was Phil's article, I wonder whats going on over there." You hear some yelling over in one corner where some people have gathered and are cheering.

Warren Kaine
I order the drink and watch in a bemused fashion as the bartender mixes some strange concoction. Rather her drinking it than me, still at least she got piece of lemon.
So it was Phil who had written the article and it was also Phil who had been trailing me earlier, then perhaps it had been Phil we had seen at the old Chapel site.
The sudden outburst of noise from the corner attracts my attention, passing Jen the strange looking drink I gesture towards the excited crowd, "Let's take a look and see what's going on over there"...

Psychology,05%1d100 → [88] = (88) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4239882/

She takes the drink and sips it, "whew, sweet but you can sure taste the shine."
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As she takes your hand she follows you over to where the crowd is cheering. As you wiggle your way into the crowd you see 2 guys arm wrestling in the corner. A lot of money seems to be passing back and forth.

ooc,make a luck check

Warren Kaine

Luck,50%: 1d100 → [49] = (49) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4240466/

As you watch the 2 men, 1 pins the others arm in a matter of only a few seconds. There is a cheer, and money is passed between losers and winners. They begin to look for a new challenger. Someone looks at you and says, "how about you chap?"

Warren Kaine
I eye up the current champion, "Not for me pal"
I can see where this is going by the excitement lighting Jen's eyes, Jeez if one drink has this effect on her, I'm not sure I would care to see her after several.

Soon someone else sits down. His muscles ripple. A man is working the crowd, "Taking bets, even odds."
Jenn looks over at you, "Oh lets play."

Warren Kaine
I put my hand into my jacket pocket and pull out a crumpled 10 spot which I push into Jens hand, noting how the excitement was making her palm sweat. "Here, you bet, I have to make a call of nature. Be right back".
Call me a coward or whatever epithet you choose, but I couldn't stop my mind from trying to make sense of all this so I was going to bale out on Jen and head over to the site of the Chapel for a quick look. Given the excited state that Jen was getting in it was going to be a lot easier making excuses later than now.
Heading for the door marked 'Gentlemen' I managed to take a detour outside to my parked car. Hopefully unoticed by my 'date'.

Jenn was enthralled with the game and drink, and never noticed you were gone till the 10 spot was long gone. By then many others in the bar were helping her continue to have a good time.

You make it to your car and notice the flowers in the car. Then head out.
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warren,wow, wasn't expecting you to bail on her. And btw, the luck roll was to see if the police raided the place, that could have been fun. Oh well. You are a bit ahead of the rest of the team. I think they are also planning on meeting at the chapel lot. So we will pick it up when they catch up. its between 8:30 and 9 pm right now for you. They are about an hour behind you.

Warren Kaine
As I slide behind the steering wheel I notice the flowers. Damn, thats gonna take a bit of explaining.
As the engine starts I consider my options, I could just head on over to the chapel site and have a mooch about on my own, or, and a rumble from an unhappy stomach gives this an edge, I could head over to Luigi's and get myself a warm plate of pasta.
Luigi's it is, as i pull away from the kerb I take a long look in my drivers mirror in case a certain black sedan suddenly appears there.

Warren Kaine
At Luigi's over a plate heaped high with pasta and his special carbonera sauce, I take the opportunity to have another, better, look at the contents of the file Jen had put together, especially the article on the 1918 events.
As I chew the pasta and let my eyes flick through the details of the story that never ran, my mind keeps coming back to Phil.
Why did the paper cut Phil's story, why does he suddenly start following me when I start showing interest in the story? Of course it could be simply professional interest, but why follow, why not just ask? Maybe Phil has more interest in this house than he admits, so maybe a quick look through his filing cabinet might be in order.
I glance at a nearby clock. Hmm, not supposed to meeting the others untill 11pm, so maybe I've got time to swing by the paper...

OOC,I thought we were supposed to be meeting outside the house, not at the site.

OOC Warren,yea you were supposed to meet at the house, I only mentioned the chapel OOC to let you know why I might have to delay you getting there. But right now only 2 of you are playing.

Your meal is great as usual there.

Warren Kaine

OOC,I'm resisting the urge to look and see what the others are up to. Do you want me to go and sniff round at the Globe or wait?

Warren Kaine

OOC,not peeking honest injun. I'll finish eating then go round, tell me when.

Warren Kaine

Ben,depends on the time, if I have time I''l pay a visit to the Globe, if not I'll head to the house.

It is about 8:45 right now.

Warren Kaine
Okay I leave Luigi's and drive over to the Globe. I pull up out front and walk up the steps to the front door.

As you get up to the front door, it says closed, but there are definetely lights on inside, and you can see some shadows moving around on the other side of the frosted glass.

Warren Kaine
Strange, who's working at this time of night?
I search my pockets for a key.

OOC,do I have one to the front door?

As you are trying to figure out what to do, you see several shadows heading towards the door.

Warren Kaine
Just call me a touch paranoid, but given the nature of this investigation, Phil's behaviour earlier, and that it is strange that there are people within the building at this time with the closed sign up, I retreat into the closest shadows and see what happens, and who comes out.

Hide,50% 1d100 → [16] = (16) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4244861/

As the door opens light floods into the yard. But you are still concealed. You see Joe, a photographer for the Globe in the doorway. You have worked with him before, a decent enough fellow, but will do anything to get the good shot. Which is why Phil always liked him so much.
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"Anyone out here," he asks.

Warren Kaine
I step out of the shadows and take a cigarette from my case, place it between my lips and light it. Dragging a deep lungfull of tobacco smoke, I exhale, "Hi Joe, working late tonight?"

"Oh Warren, you surprised me there. What are you doing lurking around out here? Com one in" Joe responds.