Act V: 'Into the Sewers'

[Priest]

Wellington,You can tell from the pattern of flesh loss on the corpse that he has, at some stage, been gnawed. The teeth pattern would seem to indicate rodents. The man, some kind of down and out from the remains of his attire and poor personal hygiene, had died of something prior to his being partialy consumed by the rodents several days gone. From the expression fixed accross his face, similar to that found on the dead assistant, would appear to indicate some form of coronary event, but as to its cause there is no indication. Near him is the smashed remains of a gin bottle a small amount of liquid still remaining within, bearing the distinctive perfumy smell of cheap gin. Some fifteen feet further on a set of iron rungs attest to an entrance above.

*************************

In the lamp light, held steady by Nellie despite her averted gaze, Wellington bends and carefully studies the body. After several minutes of deep contemplation, and, judging from the furrowed brow, intense thought, he rises from his squated position and looks off down the tunnel.
Before he has a chance to pronounce his findings, you all hear a distinct tapping coming from somewhere ahead. A tapping of something metallic on stone.

[Tabs]

"What did you find, Mr. Well--?" begins Klevendon when he is interrupted by the metallic tapping, "Good Lord! That can't be an animal, can it, Mr. Roxborough?"

[Papa Gateau]

Roxborough turns to Klevendon his brow furrowing and a stern look on his face, he puts his finger to his lips in the universal sign for silence whilst using his other hand to cup his ear towards the sound.

OOC:   I'm rolling tracking to determine whether that could indeed be the sound of an animal, as opposed to a machine or a person (e.g someone working in the sewers with a hammer and chisel or someone using a walking stick) Tracking 7 (6 + 1 style): [dice]0[/dice]

[Tabs]

Klevendon keeps mum, whilst paying especial attention to the Stonway.

[carnage_lee]

Nellie freezes, barely daring to breathe as the tapping noise is heard.



Horatio Wellington

Hearing the noise, Wellington slowly reaches into his pocket and withdraws his revolver, ready to face the approaching monster; if indeed it was the monster that was approaching.

[Priest]

Tap - tap - tap, goes the sound the harder you listen the more it sounds like someone striking metal against stone, or brick. In fact now you can hear the murmur of voices a few yards ahead. Someone is working...

In a narrow overspill tunnel off the main sewer, too narrow to access you can see two workers busily trying to fix a broken pipe. They have a lantern which has been placed to one side to give them light while work.
"So I says to Bert, there are always strange noises down 'ere. I've 'eard whistling pipes that sound just like someone screamin, and the drip of water that sounds just like footsteps..."
"Ere Stan wots that clickin sahnd coming from the main tunnel?"

[Tabs]

Klevendon peers into the mouth of the overspill tunnel. He gives a mild "view halloa" at the workmen. A trifle awkwardly he explains: "We're planning a spelunking holiday, and we thought to test our kit before the real caverns in Yorkshire."

[Priest]

Previously Klevendon said:   "We're planning a spelunking holiday, and we thought to test our kit before the real caverns in Yorkshire."

One of the workers jumps at the unexpected voice from the overflow tunnel. The other simply freezes for a moment, then pulling a tatty cap from his head, scratches his hair and turning toward the direction of the voice,
"Lawd save us. Almost gave me a fright there, wasn't expeckin no 'spelakers' dahn here" he turns to his mate and whispers, although given the nature of the tunnels there is no such thing as a whisper amongst its echoing vastness, ""Wot the 'ell is a 'spelaker"?"
The other workman, recovered from his fright, shrugs impassively.
One again the first workman turns toward Klevendon's barely visible face in the narrow overflow, "So can we help you or is 'spelakin' simply creeping along dark sewers and frightenin simple workers out of several years of growth? And is it you wot is clickin?"

The other worker, now fully recovered enough to have found his voice, adds, "Wotever they is, they shouldn't be dahn here. The sewers is no place for games, dangerous. Rats and such, people dissapearin and all"

[Tabs]

"I am frightfully sorry!" answers Klevendon, "and yes, I am clicking." Ignoring the other worker's comments, he asks: "Which direction is it to Fleet Street?"

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   Sorry... had meant to post and have now run out of time - will not be back in the country till August 1st... and not taking laptop on holiday!

[Priest]

OOC:   Given the fact that Lee has departed for a holiday and will not return to tread these boards until August, I suggest we take a break until then as we are running short of characters, and we are in a place where I have no wish to NPC.

[carnage_lee]

Nellie lets out a gasp of relief, as the sinister tapping noises reveal themselves to be a pair of workmen. Thankfully they aren't in a position to see the corpse and ask awkward questions.

"Ask them if they've seen anything 'unusual'..." Nellie asks Klevendon in a hoarse whisper.

[Priest]

OOC:   Welcome back Lee. Good holiday I hope

Previously Klevendon said:   "Which direction is it to Fleet Street?"

The first workman pulls his cap off, and with a rag wipes his forehead. You can see sweat shining in the torchlight. He blinks and furrows his forehead in deep thought.
"Let me see, for Fleet Street you carries straight on. Don't deviate or be tempted to use one of the side tunnels. As Thomas said these sewers are dangerous and run for miles, take a wrong turn an' you could be lost dahn 'ere forever"

Previously Nellie said:   "Ask them if they've seen anything 'unusual'...

Although Nellies query is little more than a whisper the sound qualities of the tunnels amplify it until it seems like a shout.
The other worker, the one apparently called Thomas, leans casually on his pick and shakes his head.
"Unusual? We sees unusual fings all the time. An' hears them too. Shadows moving with nufin to cast 'em, sounds that 'ave no source...Only an hour since we 'eard a strange whistling sahnd like someone breathin through some machine..."

He stops talking abruptly and assumes a listening pose, "You 'ear that Stan? There tis again, only closer this time..."

OOC:   Please make Perception Rolls (Don't forget to add bonuses for Alertness if you have it)

[Papa Gateau]

OOC:   Perception[5]: [dice]0[/dice]

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   Nellie Bly Perception [8*]: [dice]0[/dice] Horatio Wellington Perception [8*]: [dice]1[/dice] *bonus for Alertness

[Tabs]

OOC:   Klevendon's Perception is 6, can you say the TN?--I may spend Style points.

[Priest]

OOC:   Sorry, my bad. The TN is 4 or more successes, you may of course spend Style points if you think it necessary

[Tabs]

OOC:   Perception (6d6=14)(331124)

[Priest]

From somewhere, possibly behind the workmen, you are aware of a strange whistling sound that does indeeed sound like someone breathing through a device of some description.
In no more time than two heartbeats the sound changes to a series of short sharp barks, but such as you have never heard before. The closest comparison you can find is of a large dog clearing its throat.
The sounds grow louder and, somewhat disquiteningly, nearer.

On the other side of the of the narrow overspill tunnel, the one the workmen are currently inhabiting, you are suddenly aware of two glittering disks behind the men.
"Wot the he..." Thomas, his voice several octaves higher with fear, never finishes the sentence as with a scream he is suddenly jerked away into the shadows beyond the light.

"Jesus" gasps Stan as he throws his cap and takes to his heels in the opposite direction.

For seconds the only sounds are Stan's wails as he departs, and an ominous crunching and tearing sound from somewhere beyond the tunnel...

[Tabs]

"Shoot it! Shoot man!" cries Klevendon to Roxborough in a high pitched panicky voice. He smacks the side of the Stonway. "The bloody thing doesn't work!"