Scene Six: Naushau Village

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman: "Bit of a busman's holiday for me I'm afraid. Sounds like a seminar with some of my students, Apart from the candles and the mumbo jumbo of course." But I'll observe. It will be an interesting anthropological exercise to watch you at your game".

[Priest]

Despite no one seeming to be willing to participate in the game, it continues with each of the players telling stories.

A particular theme of these stories seems to be the Yuri or Hitodama spirits that you have come across before. Most of the tales concern moralistic lessons, such as one about a young boy who was rude to his elders getting frightened to death by the ghost of his ancient great-grandmother. However whatever their theme the stories are both gruesome and noisily entertaining.

The game continues with the stories getting creepier and spookier as the game nears its crescendo (of course the large amount of Saki consumed helps). When there is only one candle left, Yamura Kunihiko asks for the privilege of going last. She tells an artfully frightening version of a traditional Japanese ghost story, the story of Aoyagi, a lone Samurai who gets lost in a blizzard and unwittingly marries the ghost of a Geisha. The Geisha is a local legend, she explains, a woman who killed herself for love in the Aokigahara. When she blows out the final candle a terrifying sight appears. For a second the whole room is in darkness. Then suddenly, the room is lit by a flash of light and for one moment there seems to be an apparition in the corner of the room, looking to all like a geisha of the Classical Period but whose face is only that of a skull.
The apparition seems to lock eyes with you for just a moment and then, moving fast like a film that has been sped up, she stands before you for a brief moment before she disappears and the room, now candleless, grows solidly dark again.

OOC:   For seeing the Ghost of the Geisha please make a SAN check (1/1D6).

[BenTheRat]

sanity,[dice]0[/dice] Ted loses 1 point.

.
Ted Nelson
.
Sitting in the dark after the ghostly figure dissipated. "Ok, this place is definetely different." Ted says.

[jbibblesworth]

Bridget agrees gratefully and hangs the receiver back it's cradle, turning from the phone just in time to see the others join some of locals in some sort of parlor game. Taking special note of the scene, figuring it may be good local color for her future piece, she listens with amusement at the harrowing tales of ghosts and ghouls. She even adds her own story or two when the time comes.

The horrifying apparition that materializes in the darkness sends bolts of horror throughout her body and her mind reels at what appears before her.

Spoiler:

SAN - 50% - 1d100 → [60] = (60) FAIL
SAN LOSS - 1d6 → [6] = (6)
IDEA - 80% - 1d100 → [63] = (63) SUCCESS

Bridget's mind seems to nearly come loose of it's moorings in the face of the horrific sight that occupies the room's far corner. She clamps her eyes shut tightly and commands herself to breathe, which she does in short, ragged breaths. Shakily, she finds a nearby chair and nearly collapses into it where she sits pressing her palms into her eyes.

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman SAN 80 rolls.. 69

Professor Krugman: "Ha ha! A wonderful illusion. Fantastic! Cleverly done my friends. I see neither the strings nor any mirrors."

[Mr. Handy]

Instantly, Tony realizes how wrong he was to play this game. I should have known better than to mess with the supernatural, he thinks as the apparation spooks him. He trembles, clutching the edge of the table until his knuckles turn white. "That ain't no parlor trick, that's the real deal!" he splutters, trembling.

OOC,I did say I was willing to play the game. In retrospect, it wasn't such a good idea.

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman: Steady on there Old Chap. You look like you've got the willies. Just because we can't see how they're doing it doesn't mean its real. What, have you never been fooled by the better sort of conjuror before? I guess that's what comes from hanging out in sleazy bars instead of the better class of night clubs, eh! Nevermind. Perhaps another drink?... Or actually... tea, yes, tea is what you need.

[Mr. Handy]

Tony takes a deep breath. "No thanks, I'd rather have that drink," he says. "Professor, I know you're skeptical, but the supernatural is quite real. There are more things in heaven and earth, et cetera. I'm all right now. I've always believed in ghosts, but it's another matter to actually see one." He looks over to Bridget, who has taken it even worse than he has. "Miss Barrett, do you need help? I'll buy you a drink."

[DrVendetta]

Paul Sanity roll,[dice]0[/dice]sanity damage = [dice]1[/dice]

Paul is clearly shaken by the sight of the ghost and decides to take Tony up on the offer of getting a drink as long as it is in a different room, otherwise he finds a different excuse to leave the room and go collect himself.

[Priest]

Laughing the Japanese couples quickly relight the candles. The behaviour of some of you confuses them for a moment, but then they continue, finishing the saki. It would seem that none of them had seen the apparition.
Saki finished they, laughing, declare Kunihiko the winner as her story had obviously spooked the Americans. say their goodnights, bow politely and hurry off to their rooms.

Axelby, attracted by the noise, appears and points to the bar, "Well I'm off to bed. Please keep a record of your drinks on the slate, they'll be charged to your rooms as apprpriate.

Sanity Roll for Francis,1d100 → [79] = (79) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4629927/ Fail Sanity loss - 1d6 → [3] = (3) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4629931/

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman decides also that one whiskey before bed might not hurt, and looks to see if there is a single malt. He sits contemplatively, considering the tough guy's words. The supernatural is a thing of the mind of course, but that makes it no less powerful. Did I not see the effect of wild imaginings under conditions of great stress in enough of those poor devils who came back from Gallipoli? Yes, wild imaginings then shell shock. They said it came from lack of moral fibre, but many of these fellows were the type who believed in the Angel and Mons and all the darker versions which were always whispered about among the lower ranks. It starts with imagined ghoulies and ghosties. I've seen it effect fellows even tougher than he. I'll have to watch him carefully.

[Priest]

OOC:   Everyone having a final drink please roll 1d100 lower the better.

The telephone near the entrance rings, the sudden noise making several of you jump. A female voice in bad English asks for Miss Barrett it seems her call is waiting.

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
Ted had enough spook shows for one night, he marks the tab for one more quick bout. "Not sure I want to sleep here, not after tonight's fun." He heads up to his room, and the wave of exhaustion sweeps over him, as he quickly falls into a restless sleep.

drink roll,[dice]0[/dice]

[jbibblesworth]

Bridget knits her hands together, vainly attempting to rub the warmth back into them. She smiles wanly at Tony.

"A nightcap sounds per..." she starts before being interrupted by the announcement of a phone call. "...oh...excuse me."

She steps over to the phone and lifts the receiver.

"Bridget Barrett speaking." she says.

[Mr. Handy]

Tony pours himself a drink and marks it off on the slate, then gulps it down, easily able to handle his liquor. "Whatever we saw, it was no hallucination," he says. "We couldn't all have imagined the same thing."

[PatGrillo]

The professor is barely affected by the beverage.

Drink,{Rolls 03}

[Priest]

OOC:   I can't imagine anyone left rolling less than a 3 so;

Professor Krugman (Pat Grillo),When you go to your room you find a roughly folded not has been pushed beneath the door. On it is written in large letters [center][size=150]BEWARE KONOWGA TAING[/size][/center]

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

Bridget Barrett,
The phone line crackles and hisses absymally. Then a quiet Japanes voice says,
"Miss Barrett, I have that number you were asking for"
A few more moments of noise and another, familiar voice, "Yeah, for crisake you know what time it is?"

[jbibblesworth]

"Sorry for the untimely wake up call," Bridget says, but after tonight I'm not sure when the next time I'll be in contact is. Did your research turn up anything interesting?"

[Priest]

Bridget Barrett,
The voice thick with sleep is hard to hear through the crackle of the phone line "Nah....thing. I loo........but found.....interest on any of .........you mentioned."
For the next few moments the line is nothing but a mass of crackle and hiss, then the voice breaks through clearly for a moment, "Checked out that book you mentioned, but it seems little more than a collection of Japanese fairy tales.....line is bad, call me later if you need anything else. But try and make it at a decent time, yea....." And with that he is gone. A little more crackle and hiss then the Japanes voice returns, "I am sorry but it seems your connection has been lost"

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman tries to sleep, pondering the strange thing he has found, searching his memory. He resolves to discuss it in the morning with the others.