Dragons of London

[DrPeterson]

Wellington moves over to inspect the nest, picking up the largest shell fragment he can find and sniffs it, turns it around it in his fingers and examines it through his glass.


Roxborough barges into the room, looks at the scene and then moves to the grating, moving the tarp to the side, hoping to find some trace of the creature in the dust there.

[Tabs]

Klevendon sidles past Ms. Bly, who is examining the basement door, and enters the room, following the detective and the hunter. He asks Wellington: "The shell: can I look through your glass?"

[ooc: Klevendon will use "Investigation" to try and ascertain if the shell is from a reptile or bird.]

[DrPeterson]

Once Wellington has inspected the shell and nest, he hands the glass to Klevendon.

"Naturally, I am keen to hear your observations, Mr. Klevendon."

[Priest]

Skill Use:
For any Character using the skills Investigation or Survival (Tracking) simply roll the number of dice that is listed under the rating. The even numbered results are successes, the number of successes are then compared to the Target Number to elicit the result.
[So, in the case of Wellington, his investigation is 9(+1 from the Crime specialisation) so his dice pool is 9, which can be increased on a 1 for 1 basis by spending style points.]
Of course you can always take the average (as listed on your sheet) if you think that number of successes will suffice. Usually I will tell you yay or nay. Again the average can be increased through the expenditure of Style points
For Perception the number of dice rolled is listed with that Attribute.

For those wishing to investigate the egg fragments the average of your investigation skill is sufficient, the target number is an easy 2 as there is little to be gained from the investigation of the myriad pieces of shell left within the nest as they are.

For those investigating the general site using Perception the Target Number is somewhat higher a minimum of 3 successes are required

For those with Survival (Tracking) the Target Number is a minimum of 2 successes


you can spend style points to increase the number of dice you roll on a 1 for 1 basis.

For Roxborough the roll is against his Survival (Tracking) skill. 6 dice (Ave 3) either you can accept the average which gives you 3 successes or roll and hope for more. Of course you can spend Style points for extra dice, you have 3 points currently available.

Other players may of course try rolling either against Perception or the Survival (Tracking) skill (if they have it of course).

Of course other skills may be applied, if you think they may help, the choice is yours and the skill use is applied in the same way, with the TN altered to fit.

At present each of you has 3 Style points to use as you see fit. Use them wisely.

[Tabs]

Klevendon concentrates as he peers through the glass at the shell.

[ooc: I can't view invisiblecastle, I'll try our dice roller: [dice]6d6[/dice], nah! 6 coin tosses =3 heads and 3 tails. ]

[carnage_lee]

[dice]0[/dice]

Had to enable dice in the forum, which as you can see from above I have done now.

[carnage_lee]

Nellie watches the actions of her fellow investigators from where she stands in the doorway with the Professor. She looks about intently from her vantage point, taking in the scene.

Perception (8),[dice]0[/dice]

[Priest]

OOC: It would appear that Invisible Castle is on the fritz. So its best if you make any rolls on the forums dice roller, which Lee has sorted.

[Priest]

Investigating the broken shell pieces tells you little apart from the fact that the pieces are too small to discern the species. Klevenden is sure that if only he had larger pieces to study he could soon identify the species of creature, avian or reptilian, that was the origin of the egg.

Nellie’s Perception tells her that from disturbances in the dust it seems that a heavy object was dragged from a position somewhere between the straw nest and the partially covered grating. Other minor disturbances in the dust of the flooring seem to show that something had moved from the nest towards the grating.

Wellington’s perception tells him much the same as Miss Bly with the addition that he can see that the heavy object was dragged by a man wearing a size 9 handmade shoe with worn heels.

Roxborough pulls the old, worn tarpaulin free of the grating revealing it to be a one foot square opening blocked off by a series of iron bars set three inches apart. Using his excellent tracking skills he is able to tell that something had moved from the nest site to the grating. He is unsure what manner of creature made the strange marks in the dust, but whatever it was he declares it a biped, probably the size of a small chicken.

It is a area of the bars that most attracts Wellington’s attention it appears that a small patch of rust has been brushed away from between two of the bars.

[DrPeterson]

Wellington takes out his pipe, stuffs it slowly and lights it up. Puffing gently, he lets his eyes wander between those present and says:
"Well, gentlemen, Miss Bly, what are your initial impressions?"


Roxborough sits on his haunches by the grate, measuring the marks in the dust with his hands and looks up at the detective.
"I've never seen anything like it, but I reckon it's more akin to a bird than a lizard. It walks on its hind legs and can't be more than a foot high." He holds up his hand to indicate the size. A sad look crosses his face for a brief moment. "There wouldn't be much meat on that creature..."

[Tabs]

"I cannot decide," says a disappointed Klevendon, handing the glass back to Wellington.

"'My impressions'? I have none!" barks the Antiquarian, clearly crestfallen over his failure to identify the shell. Hoping that the woman is more "at sea" than himself he sardonically asks Nellie: "And what do you think, Ms. Bly? Can you surmise as much as Mr. Roxborough?"

[DrPeterson]

"I am very curious about that horse now, too.", Roxborough said as he stood up and stretched his legs. He really liked horse meat, so ripe, so rich...
"It seems very unlikely that a creature this size could overcome a horse, or a man for that matter. Not on its own at least."

Wellington doesn't say a thing as he receives his glass and walks over to the grating, leaning in close to inspect the spot where the corrosion has been wiped off.

OOC:,He inspects the grate for scales, slime, feathers or traces of fabric. I'll use his average of 4+1. [dice]0[/dice] No luck with the roller today, the total remains at 4 successes.

[carnage_lee]

While the three men dive in with their investigations Nellie calmly surveys the scene, tallying the scene she sees before her with the details portrayed by Professor Hawthorne. She can see that something appears to have moved across the floor from the 'nest' to the grating, stifling a smile as Roxborough clears the tarpaulin from the grating; 'how impatient' she thinks, that man seems to have no restraint and makes a mental note to make sure she stands behind him as much as possible. She can imagine being bowled over by the the burly Hunter as he rushes to chase down his latest prey.

At least Klevendon and Wellington seemed to be able to act in a civil manner, even co-operating, a good sign indeed. Although it seems that the reclusive Antiquarian hadn't managed to identify anything interesting from the remnants of the egg.

Seeing that Wellington appears to be interested in the floor, Nellie takes another look. The dust has been disturbed and by the look of things, taking into account Roxborough's headlong rush into the room, something has been dragged across the floor. It would appear that the poor assistant had lain between the nest and the grating, before being taken from the room. The body dragged, not carried. That tied in with Professor Hawthorne's account.

[quote = "Klevendon"]
"And what do you think, Ms. Bly? Can you surmise as much as Mr. Roxborough?"
[/quote]

Deciding for the moment to ignore Klevendon's tone, which Nellie attributed to petulance at failing to identify anything useful from the fragments of egg shell.

"In my opinion it would appear that something moved from the nest to the grating and that something heavy was dragged from the room, I think we can safely assume that was the poor assistant." Nellie turns slightly to the Professor "How did you transport the body the rest of the way to the .. cold room, I think you said?" she asks.

Nellie covers her hand and coughs gently as the fragrant smoke from Wellington's pipe makes its way to her.

[Priest]

"Wellington doesn't say a thing as he receives his glass and walks over to the grating, leaning in close to inspect the spot where the corrosion has been wiped off.

OOC:,He inspects the grate for scales, slime, feathers or traces of fabric. I'll use his average of 4+1. [dice]151729:0[/dice] No luck with the roller today, the total remains at 4 successes.

Wellington,other than the small are of worn rust there is nothing, No indication of what had disturbed the rust.

[Priest]

"In my opinion it would appear that something moved from the nest to the grating and that something heavy was dragged from the room, I think we can safely assume that was the poor assistant." Nellie turns slightly to the Professor "How did you transport the body the rest of the way to the .. cold room, I think you said?" she asks.

Under the gaze of the young lady reporter, the professor even from outside the basement, wonders if this is how a specimen feels when observed beneath a microscope. “I confess I did receive some aid from my secretary Martha, who despite her size is surprisingly strong. Between us we were able to convey the body of dear Simon up the stairs to the small landing where it is currently housed in one of the museums cold storage rooms”

[DrPeterson]

Wellington chews the stem of his pipe, glaring at the grating. He passes the fabric of the tarpaulin between his fingers and gives it a good look with his glass before getting up and pocketing the tool.

Investigation roll 4 successes,I'm going to roll for a change. Wellington would like to know the fabric, notice anything unusual about it and especially if it is as dusty as the rest of the room. In other words, is it a recent addition or not. [dice]0[/dice] 4 successes

Looking at the others with sharp eyes, he says:

"I have seen enough for now, I suggest we follow the Professor's lead to the cold storage room."

Horatio Wellington leaves the room, smiling at Miss Bly as he passes her and goes stand by the Professor, putting a confidential hand on the man's shoulder.

"Professor Hawthorne, I would very much like to see your dinosaur egg collection once we've gone through all the unpleasant business at hand. Do you think that would be possible?"

Horatio looks over the professor's shoulder at the staircase they'd so recently come down. Their passage must have disturbed the dust a bit, but he expected to see some indication of the secretary's shoes.

Perception roll 6(!) successes,[dice]1[/dice]

[Priest]

Wellington,Your observations of the tarpaulin reveal that it is aged and shows signs of having been in a dusty environment for some considerable time, a situation totaly comensurate with having been stored within the basement. It is made of a tan canvas and looks as if it had once been part of a tent. You can find nothing to indicate anything out of the ordinary about it, it is simply an old canvas tarpaulin. Looking for footprints on the stairs reveal an occasional female shoe print which probably verifies the professors story about having Martha's assistance to help move the body. The shoe size, by the way, is a ladies size three, the print pattern displays much wear and a style of lace up popular with secretarys throughout the capital.

"Professor Hawthorne, I would very much like to see your dinosaur egg collection once we've gone through all the unpleasant business at hand. Do you think that would be possible?"

Suprised by the detectives request, the professor nods, "But of course dear sir, but I can assure you all our specimens have been dead for millions of years, and, as far as I know, none are missing."

"Do you suspect a creature from prehistory? Surely that is almost as bizarre as a Basilisk theory? Anyway I can assure you if it had been a dinosaur egg of some description it was not one i have ever seen"

[DrPeterson]

"Not at all, I am merely professing a keen interest in the field, professor Hawthorne, nothing more. But let us not tarry, I am very eager indeed, to see young Higgins remains."

Wellington starts up the stairs, a trail of smoke from his pipe following him.

Dinosaur eggs? Dinosaurs eggs...scrambled with a few slices of bacon on the side, perhaps some toast and sausages too...
Roxborough's stomach made a primeval noise. This case was making him so hungry and they hadn't even started hunting yet.
He took a quick look around the room as he left, giving Miss Bly his most manly great white hunter smile.

[Priest]

The professor, allowing you a last few moments in the basement in case you wish to look at anything else, produces the key from a waistcoat pocket and closes and locks the basement door. “And so it will stay until this business is concluded” then with a sigh and shake of his head, will follow you up the staircase to the landing off which there are four doors marked ‘Specimen Storage: Do Not Leave Open’.

Fumbling for and finding a collection of keys on a ring, he proceeds to select one and unlock one of the four doors. With a well oiled click of the lock mechanism and a slight squeal as it rubbs the floor, the door opens into what is a cold storage room, ostensibly due to the absence of any heat source, therefore allowing the room to present the temperature that the building had in the days before interior heating.

The room itself is unremarkable, being nothing more than a storage room and therefore outfitted for that purpose. A series of metal shelves, empty at the moment, show marks of previous storage. Although generally the room is clean and, most importantly given its purpose, dust free.

A metal table with castors has been pushed to one side and on it lies the body of a young male, you estimate probably somewhere in his late twenties. He is naked apart from two small white towels, one of which has been strategically placed to cover his privates, while the other has been used to cover his face.

“My assistant Simon Higgins. A sad end for a most worthy young man” A slight catch in the professor’s voice, a wobble in his inflection, would seem to attest to the sadness he is feeling over the death of his assistant.

[carnage_lee]

“My assistant Simon Higgins. A sad end for a most worthy young man” A slight catch in the professor’s voice, a wobble in his inflection, would seem to attest to the sadness he is feeling over the death of his assistant.

Nellie draws an audible breath at the sight of the near naked body. "Goodness! You might have warned us that the poor man had been stripped." she admonishes the Professor "I think, it's best if I wait out here for the duration of any examination."

Nellie will wait in the corridor till after any examination of the body.