Play@YSDC

Ship Inn - Dunwich, England
1:40 PM - Thursday, September 5, 1985

Story, Elizabeth, Lucius, and Brook entered the pub at the back of the inn just as Raymond was leaving. They saw Chad, Tobias, Elliot, and Valerie all gathered together drinking. The decorations continued the nautical theme seen in the lobby. There were several tables, only a few of which were occupied. Customers would choose a table before placing their orders at the counter and giving their table numbers. The barman was a dark haired man in his forties with a curled mustache. He brought a second round of drinks to the visitors.

Lucius had pulled Story aside before going further into the Inn to comment quietly in a private conversation, "Story, perhaps after we are done here, gods willing, we pilot to a destination where we can secure a financial windfall that no one will miss, say a sunken ship full of treasure that was never recovered. That way we won't be having these problems regarding local funds. We just hit one of these ... what are they called... antique shop? Trade in an object for some locally accepted currency and go on our way. Certainly, there has to be something like that in your records, right?" He looked at the barkeep and (still speaking to Story) said "I've noticed most store/tavern keepers are a bit expectant of a purchase of some sort if we are to spend some time inside their confines. It is hard to do that when we are as destitute as beggars."

Tobias looks up as the newcomers enter the inn. He nudges Elliott and whispers to everyone around the table, "Look, it's those people again. You don't suppose they are from another organisation like UNIT do you - under cover? They don't look military but then they don't look like tourists either; I suppose the old dude could be a scientist like Dr. Kirkby. Maybe we should investigate; there's obviously something fishy going on in this town and I bet they're wrapped up in it somehow; they look too odd."

The dark haired teen girl dressed in a black, goth dress and boots, looks around the interior as the group enter, and nods a little to the gang from the museum when she spots them. With a smile, she strides purposefully towards their table, and pulls a chair from another table to sit. "So, whodunnit, then?" she leans forward, asking conspiratorically. Then she grins, sits back down, and says:"Tea?"

"Yes please," says Elizabeth, following Brook and sitting down beside her. "Nice to see you all again," she says to the group around the table.

Elliot calls the waitress over, "a round for our friends here as well. We keep bumping into each other, such a small town I guess. So what brings you to Dunwich?"

Brook looks over to where Story and Lucius stopped in the doorway, talking. She nods towards them. "Uhm....he did. But I guess the weird marine biology had something to do with it. It usually does."

At this pub, orders were placed by going up to the counter and telling the barkeep your table number, so this is what Elliot did. The barman poured the drinks, and a waitress brought them around.

Yea what he said

As the new guests walk up to the bar Chad wearily takes a gulp of ale while pretending not to take much notice of the conversation. Unsure what to make of these "Tourists"...

Tobias catches Chad's eye and raises his eyebrow. He gets up and brings over two more chairs to the table, one of which he carries quite awkwardly. "Here you go mister." He drawls in an American accent to the newly arrived gentlemen. Then he sits back down and drinks his beer, surreptitiously sizing the 'tourists' up.

ooc,Roll for gaining unobvious/unusual insight on the new people [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4222576/]1d100=3[/url]

Story looks at Lucius and says, "Quite right. However, the TARDIS has a mind of her own...so I can't really say when we will find some treasure but give it time...she will get us there. Of course first we have got to find her." Upon seeing Brook nod he returns the gesture and smiles at her. "We really should join our friends...we don't want the others to grow suspicious of us."

"Ta," Brook says when her tea arrives. She warms her hands on the cup and looks curiously at the others. She opens her mouth, then closes it again, waiting for Story and Lucius to arrive at the table.

Lucius nodded to Story quietly, "Right. Well... we are dangerously low on funds right now. I'm not sure this community welcomes a bartering exchange. But I'm sure you have something in mind." He flourished his right hand forward allowing Story to take the lead to the table within.

As Lucius walks to the table, his hands are clasped behind his back, and he strides forth quite rigidly, looking almost down his nose at the other tables as he passes. He doesn't mean to be a prude, but it's just how he is. He glanced around the table where Elizabeth and Brook were sitting and bowed slightly offering, "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Pleasure meeting you all once again."

Tobias nods to the newcomers. "Hi, we didn't get introduced earlier at the museum, I'm Maddox; Tobias Maddox. This is my friend Chad, and this lady is Valerie and her nephew Elliott." He doesn't particularly smile but he seems welcoming enough. "Are you guys local?"

"Not exactly," smiles Elizabeth wryly. "You could say we're travellers, though having said that we always seem to be end up somewhere really *interesting* don't we Story?" she says, turning to him and grinning.

As he nears the table and hears Elizabeth's question Story lets out a chuckle and says, "Yes, it does indeed seem that way." He flashes a smile at Elizabeth and then looks at Tobias and says, "We wouldn't have it any other way. Interesting is what makes life worth living. Interesting is where the adventure is." Seriousness over took Story's face as he said, "Tell me Tobias, have you ever been near a living horror? A horror so terrifying that most people are blessed to only dream of them? Have you ever felt the breath of those that which shall not be named tickle your neck?" A big toothy smile fills Story's face deflating the dread he was stirring. "Now that my friend...that's interesting." Extending his hand he says, "The name is Story; Professor Story." He winks and continues, "It's a pleasure to meet you." Looking at Lucius for a moment before returning his attention to Tobias he says, "Here's the thing chap...some of our equipment has been stolen and our funds were with it." Looking at Elliot he says, "The girls are famished...as are the men. So I appreciate you, how do you say it, doing us a solid, and buying some drinks." The big toothy smile returns yet again.

Tobias looks at the aging hippy. "You weren't so friendly in the bar earlier when you were scoffing that whisky." He says bluntly. "We don't do charity I'm afraid, especially for scaremongers, and yes, I have been near a living horror; I saw one just this afternoon in fact." He relents, casts a questioning look at Raymond and says, "But we have a tab running and could fit a few more drinks in for ... friends ... if you like." He signals to the barman.

Brook looks from Story to Tobias, then towards the windows when he speaks of charity. She smiles wryly to Elliott and his little old aunt, feeling she knows them a little from the visit to mr. Soames.

Chad noticing Tobias' lead was definitely getting extremely suspicious at this point. Lost "equipment" that they wouldn't further specify. No money. Conveniently showing up everywhere they tried to go. He was tired of the dancing in circles. He decided it was time to push the Gambit and see how far it would go. "Look you obviously aren't here just for the sight seeing. I understand you may have had some unfortunate circumstance strike....It can happen to the best of us..." Chad's focus briefly lapsed as he thought of the crash earlier in the day and how that had killed the ground crew, injured his team mates, broke their equipment, and put them at a severe disadvantage. "But if you are really in a bad way and need help, our help, then it's time to stop with the pretexts and start telling the truth. Not just the convenient truth, all of it, and you can start by dispensing with this 'tourist' hogwash." He eyed the new guests looking for clues about their personage, carefully trying to determine what the real story here was.

Rolls,Spot Hidden (45) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4233910/]45[/url] Psychology (05) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4233918/]18[/url]

Tobias placed his order for drinks at the bar, which the bartender filled and handed to the waitress, who brought them to the tables.

Chad Engraham,[b]Chad[/b] noticed nothing unusual about [b]Story[/b] and his companions, but he noticed out of the corner of his eye that there was something odd about the waitress. She had enlarged eyes, and as she wrapped her hand around a mug to deliver a drink, [b]Chad[/b] could see that her fingers were webbed. Her features reminded him of the horrible autopsy photo, but they were less pronounced. [spoiler][b]Chad[/b], please roll Sanity. Sanity loss is 0/1d4.[/spoiler]

Brook looks at Chad, then waits untill the waitress has left the table before speaking. "It's not "hogwash", it's true. We're travelling, seeing different sights, I think that "tourist" covers that very well. More often than not we tend to end up in some type of weird, that's why I'm pretty sure the things in the sea is the reason we're here. Or maybe the disappeared woman. I think our ride likes to put us where we need to be, although sometimes there's not really much we can do.Yes, our valuables were in our vehicle, that is now disappeared, just like your friend, and I guess I could try get a job or something, but web design is a useless skill in pre-internet Dunwich. So, maybe we should just compare notes, and figure out what the hell is going on here, so that we can find our ride, cause untill that happens, we don't even have a place to sleep tonight." She looks at Story, Lucius and Elisabeth, blushing a little. "Ahm....too much?" She looks back to the others. "I'm Brook Davies, nice to meet you."

Tobias looks up at the mention of 'things in the sea' and seems to be thinking hard. "Thank you, Brook, we appreciate your honesty. Not that it makes much sense." He grins a little.

Elliot actually had his attention grab on something else, "What do you know of the missing woman?"

"Only that many of you are looking for her, and what the writer told you," she answers Elliott and shrugs.

Chad looked noticeably nervous and disturbed. His demeanor instantly changing from his forward confrontational stance to a nervous amicable one. He tries desperately to catch the eye of Elliot and Tobias and motion with his eyebrows over to the waitress. His forward approach had just put them in a corner. He raises his voice a little. "I apologize Miss Davies. My day has gone somewhat sour and I should have been a bit more understanding. Of course you are tourists. And out there all day with no money for food or drink. Oh it sounds like you've got just a touch of hysteria. Missing woman? I'm sure our friend is fine having a good time on holiday and we just missed her. Maybe if we abridged our little party to someplace a little more PRIVATE" Shooting glances to Tobias, Elliot, and last to Brook "...where Miss Davies could lie down, get some cool water, let the vapors pass, and stop talking nonsense. We can have a nice chat about our little holiday here in Dunwich? What do you say Tobias...Elliot? What do you say Miss Davies? Feel like you could lie down a spell?"

Edited for accuracy with revised thread

Brook raises her eyebrows quizzially, then looks from Chad to Story. "This is 1985 and not 1885, right?" She looks back to Chad. "I'm sure we can go somewhere more private, but I'm no dainty damsel in distress."

"If you'd rather talk somewhere more private that's fine with us I'm sure," says Elizabeth. "Maybe you could tell us more about yourselves then too. I'm Elizabeth Young by the way. Nice to meet you."

Story quite surprised in his young companions boldness smiles at her when she looks his way and then agrees with Elizabeth, "Yes, some place quiet and private would do us well..." Lowing his voice he continues, "Otherwise we just might end up as crab bait."

Lucius, who had remained quite silent for the while, allowed the banter to go back and forth before offering quietly so as not to invite eavesdroppers from passers-by or nearby tables, "I am Lucius Verras. Also a tourist as with my companions. However... I am not so inclined to tap-dance around the issues. We never end up some place ... nice. You can bet your bottom dollar that something nasty is going to show its ugly face around here, or pretty much anywhere we show up. It's the nature of the beast... our ... transport. I can't pretend to know what we face here... I just know that it will be dangerous, and will probably have something to do with something best left forgotten in the recesses of the mind once it's all done and over with. I have picked up in our earlier encounters with you all that you are likewise here to ... let's say, troubleshoot. Seeing as how we don't know who is friendly around here aside from you lot, I suggest we follow Elizabeth's suggestion."

ooc,It may be obvious with a psychology roll that Lucius has experienced some terrors in the past and has recently undergone therapy, I would suggest. But of course, that's up to Mr. Handy.

"So, let me get this straight: you ladies are happy to be just travelling through like tourists. And the gents are expecting to be eaten alive at any minute by some 'living horror'." Tobias looks perplexed. "Too right we need to get somewhere more private; you guys just aren't making sense. Wouldn't it look odd us all piling into one bedroom? I'd suggest back down to the beach again but it isn't comfortable."

"The beach is fine, unless more fish monsters emerge." Brook shrugs. "But a room will do fine as well, we don't need to go all at once."

Tobias doesn't notice anything unusual about Lucius. "let's go to the beach then. It was of some interest earlier and who knows what the tide will bring in." It is hard to tell if Tobias is being literal or metaphorical. "I'll sign the tab." He gets up and goes to the bar before returning. "Done. We can go whenever you've finished your drinks."

roll,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4244550/]psychology fail[/url]

Chad's ability to read people ranked only slightly above his ability to read Ancient Greek. He notices nothing odd about Lucius' behavior. As Chad stands he leans over to Elliot and whispers in his ear.

Whisper to Elliot,"You want a lead, one's in the room with us. The waitress has [i]THE CONDITION[/i]I want to get these blabber mouth civilians out of here before they put us in danger. You're the sly one you might be able to find out something if we can give you a little room. Then again if we've been made it could be dangerous to remain alone.

Chad slugs the remainder of his beer looks up and says "I'm ready."

Brook finishes her tea and stands up. "Me to."

"Yes I'm ready too. Thanks for the drink," says Elizabeth, standing up.

OOC,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4244876/]Rolling Psychology (stat 41%) to see if spot Lucius is disturbed (1d100=53)[/url]

Elliot also doesn't have a clue when it comes to reading people.
"The beach is very visible. But I think we need to get out of here." He finishes his drink in one gulp.

Towards Chad, "That can wait for now."

OOC,Everyone is moving to the thread linked below.

Dangerous Undercurrents