Chapt 2: "Just what did ..."

[Priest]

Chapt 2 "Just what did happen at Exham in 1923?"

What little stuff Stephen Daniels had possessed at the time of his death had been neatly boxed and stored away in a small portion of the Carpenter's terrace property in Croydon. It doesn’t take much space for it seems there was little to store. A couple of suits, some bits and pieces of other clothing, a few books mostly religious tracts but at least one murder mystery with the last page missing, and a small, leather covered foolscap notebook which when opened contains several folded newspaper cuttings.

[Supercape]

"I say, this is a vexing one" said Maurice, thumbing through the murder mystery. He always had a guilty pleasure for a penny dreadful, crime thriller. A torn last passage was, in his opinion, quite firmly vexing.

He admired the suits, but largely ignored the religious texts. War might make some men turn to God. It had made him turn away.

The cutting book though...

"This looks worthy of scrutiny!" he suggested to Oliver, turning his eye over the various snippets.

[Mr. Handy]

"Ah, just the thing!" says Oliver, smiling. "Unless I miss my guess, those clippings are from twenty years ago." He examines the notebook and newspaper articles.

[Priest]

Through use of the single naked light bulb, the small attic rooms only source of light since the solitary window had been blacked out to follow blackout regulations, you are able to read the small number of Newspaper cuttings. They tell you little that the shepherd, Jones, had not already told, and with no doubt as much fanciful details.

Mostly collected from local newspapers, with indifferent reporting, they tell of the strange happenings at the rebuilt Priory at Exham. It appears that a rich American businessman by the name of de la Poer (although it would seem he had changed his name slightly from the original Delapore to the name associated with the priory before its collapse), had spent a small fortune on the reconstruction of the priory that had existed in the sixteenth century prior to its destuction by fire. However following the events of August 1923 it had once again been abandoned and ruined.

Whatever actually happened, and the newspaper articles provide little help, it seems that the owner, de la Poer, had been found standing over the dead and mutilated body of his associate Capt Norrys ret. It seems that in the light of no real evidence to the murder of the captain, Mr de la Poer, having lost his mind, was committed to the care of Dr Stromberg at Hillside sanatorium on the outskirts of Cheltenham. As had been one of the other members of the party, a self styled psychic investigator Jonathan Thornton.

There are a few bizarre and obviously false eyewitness reports, including that of a Thomas Jones, but other than a few grainy photographs showing what you assume to be the priory the articles contain nothing useful, you assume that Stephen had merely kept them because of the subject matter.

The notebook however is different. It would appear to be an account of the happenings that night. Stephen Daniels, it seems, had been amongst the party that had descended below the priory, and had been present at the finding of de la Poer.

The somewhat crabbed writing of the journal takes several hours to peruse. It reads in places like some sort of M.R James ghost story. He writes of being asked to accompany de la Poer, Capt Norrys, Professor’s Brinton and Trask, Thornton and Moreton in the uncovering of a chamber thought to be below the cellars of the priory. And how de la Poer and Norrys had drifted away from the group, until they had eventually been alerted by a cats yowling to find de la Poer crouched over the corpse of Norrys, covered in blood, fingernails and teeth bearing the unmistakeable evidence of some unspeakable depravity.

Written in a most matter of fact, almost clinical, style several passages stand out;

“For the best part of two hours we searched for de la Poer and the Captain. During which time my eyes beheld such things as to almost turn my mind. Buildings of ancient construction and cyclopean conception yet as fresh as they had been built but yesterday, paintings and carvings of such beauty and awfulness as I had never set eyes on before. Yet everywhere the air was filled with that sickly, sweet miasma of death and decay, none more so than those strange labyrinthine catacombs where we were eventually to find de la Poer and what remained of Captain Norrys, God rest his soul.
God rest mine too, for many a time I have been tempted to return to that hill, find a way below and walk again in the cursed tunnels for there is much to be discovered there, much wealth and such power as has been unknown for the millennia’s since those blood red gods walked the earth. I often wonder if Brinton returned to those catacombs, yet I know he could not for the site was sealed forever. Lest that which had befallen de la Poer befall another.”

There is more, mostly descriptions of, and attempts to recreate some of the drawings and symbols, none of which seems to bear little resemblance to reality, mostly strange angles and proportions that do not correspond to any known mathematical scale. Everywhere there are hints to fortunes unseen for ages, and other hints to things long lost.

Only a few words seem recognisable, “Div + Ops + Magna + Mat…” translated as, sign of the Great Mother?

The section finishes with;

“…where we found the book. The book that Brinton found so interesting, in fact we had to almost bodily tear him away from it to continue our search. I can not recall the name of this book for it was written in the same strange angular script as we had seen elsewhere, but it certainly fascinated the archaeologist since I overheard him telling Trask that they would return later and rescue it…”

There is no reference as to where this book was located, but as there is no further mention of it, it must be assumed to have been forgotten in the search for the missing pair.

OOC:   May I suggest that if either of you have not read Lovecraft's 'Rats in the Wall', now might be a good time.

[Mr. Handy]

"I suppose the next step is to track down the principals involved," says Oliver, his eyes wide from what he has read. "Those that are still alive, at any rate. These professors Brinton and Trask would be a good start, and we could ask them about what happened. Maybe Brinton did go book for the book later. We could also visit Hillside sanitorium and see if Thornton and de la Poer himself are still there. I don't know how much we'll learn by talking to a couple of madmen, though." He can't help but wonder if his uncle might have been a bit mad himself from what he has read, but the alternative - that every word he wrote was true - is an even more disturbing thought. "Maybe someone on staff who treated them could be more helpful."

OOC,I may have read it once years ago, but I certainly don't remember it now. I won't have time to read it until the weekend.

[Supercape]

"A sterling idea. You have the mind of a detective!" replied Maurice. He had been contemplating a similar course of action, and was relieved to hear Oliver's suggestion.

"The Sanitorium would seem to the be the first port of call to me, although the wails of madmen do gnash at my sensibilities. Nevertheless, within such ramblings can be found a truth, hmm?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, just so," says Oliver. "And thank you. I have no experience in detective work, but I've read enough Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. Before we go off to the Sanitorium, we might want to do find out what we can while we're in the London area. There will likely be more information available here to help us find the professors than there would be there, and one or both of them could be in London for all we know. It would be rather silly to go all the way to Hillside only to have to come back."

[Supercape]

"'Twould be sensible, I grant you" answered Maurice. "The professors first then; I confess it has been some time since my matriculation. I am not sure bending the ear of any academics would be easy unless we have some way of advantageous introduction or helpful intermediary. And yet, we should try!"

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, I'm no stranger to the academic world," says Oliver with a touch of pride. "I did a year at Oxford studying to be a doctor before the war started and I joined up. Of course, I'm barely a sophomore, so I'm not sure how eager faculty will be to talk to me, but it's worth trying. Oxford is prestigious, so there is that, but on the other hand it may make them jealous they aren't there. King's College and the University College of London would be good places to make inquiries while we're here. If that fails, it's not that far to Oxford, where I at least know people."

[Priest]

It doesn’t take you long to discover that Sir William Brinton had been one of Oxford University’s finest experts in the field of archaeology. Had been until his mysterious disappearance sometime in 1924.

His address is listed as being in Oxford itself, where his wife still resides.

It would seem that Sir William’s main focus had been on Pre-Roman British Culture and Society. During the years prior to his disappearance he had been notable for work around the area of Stonhenge. He had published several works including one on the subject of ‘Stonehenge and its Place in early Pre-Roman British History’ a rather long, boring diatribe aptly suited to the academic libraries of Britain, but of little interest beyond.

Of a Trask you find little information, unless it is a Doctor Peter Trask Msc. Employed by the British Museum as a field archaeologist during the years 1920 - 24.

[Supercape]

"Trask looks marginally more dull" said Maurice, weighing the evidence. "Although Sir Briton's tedious piece of Stonehenge is rather stiff competition!"

He gave a rasping sigh and tapped his walking stick.

"I think Sir Briton is the chap to see!"

[Mr. Handy]

"I suggest we stop by the British Museum first as long as we're in London and find out if their Trask is the one we seek and where he is now," says Oliver. "Once we've exhausted that lead, we can head up to my old stomping grounds at Oxford and see if we can find out what happened to Sir William Brinton. Odd that both of them dropped out in 1924, shortly after the events at Exham."

[Priest]

At the British Museum you are refered to a Dr Stone head of Field Studies in Celtic History, where it would seem that Dr Peter Trask was employed prior to 1924.

Dr Helen Stone, is a rather plain woman in her thirties with a liking for tweeds. She welcomes you both with a smile and a rather firm handshake before gesturing to a pair of uncomfortable chairs in front of her cluttered desk. The room, her office, is small little more than a box room, but it does have the advantage of being in the cellars therefore relatively bomb proof, The walls of the small office are filled with shelving stacked with books and the odd artifact, from the few titles you can see they appear to be accademic works about Celtic and Pre-Roman Britain.

"I understand you are enquiring after Peter Trask? Unfortunately he left before I was moved here, but I will try my best to be of assisstance"

[Supercape]

"Why that would be most gracious of you madam" said Maurice putting on his best smile and most twinkling eye.

"I see you have a splendid inclination towards history yourself" he added, gesturing at the books. "Pre-Roman Britain! quite the elusive and obscured period of our noble history, is it not?"

Remembering that Sir Burton had a similar field of interest, he pressed on; "Was Professor Trask interested in this period?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you, Dr. Stone," says Oliver with a ready smile. "Of course you're far too young to have been here when Dr. Trask was, but perhaps there are records here at the museum and contact information saying where he went after he left in 1924. I believe he was a friend of my uncle, Stephen Daniels, some twenty years ago."

[Priest]

"Why that would be most gracious of you madam" said Maurice putting on his best smile and most twinkling eye.

"I see you have a splendid inclination towards history yourself" he added, gesturing at the books. "Pre-Roman Britain! quite the elusive and obscured period of our noble history, is it not?"

Remembering that Sir Burton had a similar field of interest, he pressed on; "Was Professor Trask interested in this period?"

You have the impression that any smile, warm or otherwise, would not be allowed to mar the severity of the Doctors appearance.

“Sadly you are right, Pre-Romano Britain is a relatively unknown part of the history of our islands. But it is one that a few of us are working hard to get full recognition. Many of us see the Roman invasion as a destructive force, destroying an evolving society rather than improving it” she shrugs, “However you did not come here to hear me bang that particular drum”

Previously Oliver said:   "Thank you, Dr. Stone," says Oliver with a ready smile. "Of course you're far too young to have been here when Dr. Trask was, but perhaps there are records here at the museum and contact information saying where he went after he left in 1924. I believe he was a friend of my uncle, Stephen Daniels, some twenty years ago."

Dr Stone returns Oliver’s smile and for a moment the severe business like of her manner seems to soften slightly. She rises from her chair and crosses to a battered filing cabinet. For a moment her fingers trace the labels affixed to the cabinet's drawers, before she pulls one open to reveal it stuffed with brown manilla folders. Without speaking she flicks through the folders, stopping, and withdrawing one, “Ah yes, Dr Peter Trask Msc”

She crosses back to her desk, lays the folder open on the desktop and putting on a pair of hornrimmed glasses, which does little to enhance her features, proceeds to read, “According to the file, Peter Trask was employed as a field archaeologist during the years 1920-24. It seems he was recruited straight from Oxford University and came with high recommendation by Sir William Brinton the highly regarded archaeologist. Even though Dr Trask's main field seemed to lie in Anthropology”.

She reads on, “He was involved in several archeological investigations including the famous ‘Stamford Bridge’ dig where the museum was able to reclaim several Viking objects believed to have been lost during Harold Hardraaga’s famous battle with King Harold Godwinsonn prior to his defeat at Hastings”.

She glances up seeing from your expressions that this was not what you were after, “There is mention of his being asked to accompany Sir William in 1823 to a site on the Anglo-Welsh border. Following his return he carried out various tasks for the museum after which sometime in the following year he seems to have left the museums employment without notification”.

She looks up from the folder, “He seems to have left no contact details or given any reason for his leaving”.

Taking off the glasses she looks directly at Oliver, “There is no mention of a Stephen Daniels, so if he knew him it was not in connection with his work for the museum”.

[Mr. Handy]

"This is the right Dr. Trask, all right," says Oliver. "Both my uncle and Sir William Brinton were friends of his, and all of them were at that site in 1923. Well, thank you for your time and your help. While I'm not as knowledgeable about history as my mate here, I do know a bit of military history, and I'm familiar with Stamford Bridge. It was an impressive march King Harold pulled off back in 1066 to get there in time to defeat Harald Hardrada, and then to turn around and make it to Hastings in time for the battle with William the Conqueror. His army was too exhausted by that point to win, but it was amazing that they managed to make it there and give it a good try."