The Campsite

[Cearlan]

Henry looks round as well to see if there is anything or anywhere that would be easier to climb up

Spot Hidden roll for Henry (1d100=55) 55/55 Phew!

"Here Jimmy, this may be easier here," Henry calls out.

Climb roll for Henry (1d100=40) 40/40 Phew Phew!!

Grimacing with the exertion, Henry manages to slowly ascend the stone pillar. Atop the pillar, the wind is much more noticeable and much, much colder. Despite the chill, he looks around and squints against the reflection on top of the water and notices that there are some stones in the river that may have come from the facing of the pillar.

Spot Hidden roll for Henry (1d100=52) 52/55 On a roll here

"Jimmy! There are other stones in the river that look as though they could match the one I fell on, sorry that we fell on," he adds with a grin. Then he notices something on top of the bridge that removes his grin. "I think you better get up here Jimmy ... I ... I will help you up. What is this I wonder." On top of the bridge is a recess going down into the aged cement. The recess is the same shape and size as a slightly built human. The side of the bridge facing upriver holds a perfect mask of three-quarters of a man's face ... could it be the same man who was buried in the sandbank? Henry starts to wonder to himself. "Nah, that's preposterous!" he concludes He runs his hand down the downriver side of the bridge, down where the spine of the man would have lain ... and it finally dawns on him that this shape perfectly matches the spine of the man who grabbed at him.

OOC,San check SAN roll for Henry (1d100=18) 18/53

Henry starts as the full horror dawns on him, but after his shock earlier with the deformed man he seems somehow inured to the terror that the shape in the cement should invoke in him. He puts his feet in the hole and despite the pain in his shoulder manages to haul Jimmy up to the top where the reporter manages to scramble over the top edge. Henry lies across the hole and says. "See there Jimmy, and there and there." as he points out several stones that appear to have been blasted off the face of the bridge support as they seem scorched on one side. "Now then my friend, I am going to show you something that I cannot explain. But please remain calm," He looks over the side of the pillar for effect. "We are a fair way up. It gave me a start but not enough to cause me to fall off of here. Are you ready?"

When Jimmy nods his assent, Henry moves to one side revealing the man shaped hole. "See the face here Jimmy, and the curve of the spine ... seem familiar at all?" he asks, watching the hard bitten reporter closely.

OOC,Jimmy - SAN roll please and if you fail, an idea roll which you do not want to pass.

[Priest]

Sanity Roll; 1d100 → [60] = (60) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4146696/
Current sanity 52% so failed (suprise, suprise)
Idea roll; 65%. 1d100 → [93] = (93) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4146698/
To quote a TV character, "I don't believe it".

[Cearlan]

As Jimmy looks down he sees what Henry has said is indeed true, and is grateful for the advanced warning.

The befuddled P.I. shakes his head in bewilderment ... "Bu, but what can this mean Jimmy?, you cannot be serious about that foul creature being buried here as well as under Cardigan's body - it's just impossible!" He hefts the stone from his jacket pocket and puts it in place on the side of the pillar "See how this fits in here Jimmy, I wonder if the other stones would complete the side of the stonework. If I direct you could you get them - it'll mean some swimming I'm afraid, look there's a piece there," he adds to illustrate his point.

[Priest]

Not seeing what Henry is obviously seeing, Jimmy peers into the water at the stone Henry is indicating.
He shakes his head in contemplation of another dip in the cold waters of the river, "Sure Henry, I'll fetch your stones you just point them out."

OOC: Not sure of the procedure here. Do you want me to roll Swimming? Or in my case Drowning?

[Cearlan]

OOC,Yeah, if you do a couple of swim rolls - it should be three but I don't want to bog the game down needlessly.

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Henry points out the first stone and what he considers the easiest to get which Jimmy manages without any problem. Henry calls down - "The next one is a bit further out Jimmy, sorry buddy."

[Priest]

Jimmy quicly returns with the first rock, then shivering from the cold returns to the water to get the second stone as directed by Henry.

Spoiler:

Roll 1, 1d100 → [89] = (89) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4161085/ as has become the routine - failed
Roll 2, 1d100 → [67] = (67) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4161095/ - failed again

[DrPeterson]

Good man! Try not to get yourself drowned, Jimmy, I'm afraid I can't swim well enough to save the both of with this arm.

Henry keeps pointing at where the rocks are, trying to assist Jimmy as best as he can.

[Cearlan]

OOC,,At least they weren't fumbles lol

The stones seem to be eluding the increasingly impatient Jimmy and he is starting to grow tired from the exertion. He does however manage to bring one more stone out and leans against the pillar catching his breath.

[Priest]

Coughing and spluttering from both cold and a surfeit of river water, Jimmy leans against the stone pillar, and grins sheepishly up at Henry who is still perched atop the shattered pile, "Sorry about that old man, I guess I don't swim to good either."
He performs a series of exercises in an attemp to warm his cold limbs, "Any other requests or can I start a fire and attempt to dry off?"

[DrPeterson]

Henry looks down at Jimmy sorry state and then at his own dishevelled outfit and laughs.

We make quite the dashing duo, don't we? Pass me those stones, Jimmy, and we'll finish up here and get into something dry. I might even have something to warm us up back at my office.

[Priest]

Jimmy considers telling Henry where he can put his stones but good manners forbids it, instead he smiles a sickly smile, "Sure thing Henry. Then can we get away from here please?"

[DrPeterson]

By all means, Jimmy, by all means...

Henry takes the stones and tries to complete the reconstruction as best he can.

[Cearlan]

As Henry puts the stones in different positions, like all puzzles, he finds the one piece that makes the rest of the stones just seem to fall into place. Looking at the charred outside of the stones the pair of you cannot help but notice the following pattern etched into the stone. Turning the stones over, it is noted that there are the rest of the features of that beast that lay under Cardigan's body.

Drawing made later by Jimmy of the sign on the lightning blasted side of the bridge

[DrPeterson]

Henry shuddered as he recognised the form of the creature and then shifted his attention to the pattern. As Jimmy was making the drawing, he was thinking deeply, almost chewing on his cigarette.

"It's time we head back into town, Jimmy, our hard labour deserves some reward."

He winces as he is suddenly very aware of the throbbing in his shoulder.

"And some rest maybe too."

Henry starts heading back to the car once the younger man has finished his business on the little island, with a grin he looks at the reporter and asks:

"Tell me, Watson, what do you make of these symbols, and of our mystery guest?"

[Priest]

Feeling uncomfortable in his wet clothes added to which Henry's reminder of the strange events of the day are far from helpful, Jimmy shrugs, "The symbols may be some kind of code or ancient writing." He frowns as if trying to remember something, "I remember doing some research for an article I was involved with a few years ago about ancient writing, Sumerian or Babylonian I think it was called. Maybe it was that Sumerian or Babylonian writing? As to the other, your guess is as good as mine."
For a few seconds his nose irritates as if he wants to sneeze.
He rumages in his trouser pocket for a handkerchief which is as wet as the rest of his clothing. The sneeze fails to materialise, "I think we need to take a look at Cardigan's body and find out if the good Sister got anything from the stranger."

[DrPeterson]

"I agree on the analysis that it's a code or writing, but it is highly improbable that is ancient, don't you think. That poor wretch must have been put in that pillar before the markings were made on it, and I doubt he'd have been as active as he was today if he'd been put in there a hundred years ago. I can't help the feeling that we're looking more at some text of a cyclical nature, Jimmy. The twelve outer signals remind of the zodiac. And that inner cluster..."

His voice trails off as his mind races, trying to comprehend the significance of what happened here.

"You're also right about Cardigan and the stranger, but don't forget we also need to be at the Asylum around 7pm, for our follow-up on Mr. Atwater. We'll swing by my office for some dry clothes and then head straight on to the hospital and the asylum. And tomorrow, I'd like to take your drawing to the university. If it's a language, someone there must know what it's about."


OOC: Do we have to make any rolls to cross the river and head into town?

[Cearlan]

OOC,No further rolls needed to get back to wherever you want to be. Are you taking the 'stones' with you, if so then you will need to make a couple of trips each.

[DrPeterson]

OOC:Maybe just the most significant ones, if at all possible, the ones with the head print. Henry wants to drive to his office to shower and change and then head to either the hospital or the asylum, depending on the time.

[Cearlan]

OOC,I'd say it's about 3 in the afternoon so you got plenty of time to do whatever you want to. When I said a couple of trips, I meant to get them across the river lol

[/color]

[DrPeterson]

OOC: Sold!

Henry helps move the rocks to the shore and then loads them into his car. After a short, bumpy ride into town, he shows Jimmy into his office and offers the reporter some "tea" from a vacuum flask. He then offers Jimmy the use of his bathroom and a spare set of clothes.

"It bothers me how that man can be alive, Jimmy, either this rock must be very porous, or he must have had some tube or straw sticking out."

Henry tries to reconstruct the figure again, trying to look for anything he oversaw.