'The Strangeness of Hezekiah Mason' - chpt 1

[Mr. Handy]

"Well done, Sister," says Anne with a smile. She shows her the dagger. "I think this is what I was looking for. There's a Latin inscription: 'Deleth Viae Patent' Can you please translate it?"

[Grognardsw]

"It's got to be here," Rebecca mutters determinedly as she measures bottoms and sides. "It's just got to be. Wait! Is this something?"

[Priest]

Rebecca,that sounds like[b] 'Poke Around'[/b], please roll 2d6 + Luck On a 10+, select 1 of the following: Find 1 good item (Keeper’s choice) 1 minor item (your choice) 1 clue (+1ongoing when acted upon) or pick one from 7-9 table. On a 7–9, you may: Find hidden area/threshold (in/out) (Keeper’s Choice) Find minor item (Keeper’s choice) Determine a physical hazard if one is present On a 6- Nasty!!

[Grognardsw]

Spoiler:

Luck [2d6+1] = 5+1 = 6

[Priest]

Previously Rebecca said:   "Wait! Is this something?"

Rebbecca's whispered question causes everyone to stop and look around. Has she found something? Is there something that Anne had failed to notice? At that moment the church bell begins a monotonous tolling that echoes across the cemetery and the quiet town.

[Mr. Handy]

"We'd better get inside the church," suggests Anne. "We need to find out who rang that bell, and we don't want to be out in the open if those two come back or someone else shows up here."

[carnage_lee]

Tommy Stone

With a curse Tommy swings towards the church and sets off, as Anne starts to speak. Moving at a slow trot, arms flailing as his feet skid on the muddy ground he picks his way through the various grave markers and stone monuments. The tolling of the bell rings out, slow and mournful in the dead of night... it needed to be silenced and quickly!

[Supercape]

Harry emerged from his hiding place, wiping his brow.

"The bells, the bells!" he muttered, fingers in ears. "I can't hear myself think. How they vibrate in my skull! I shall need a stiff drink!"

His lumbering rotund form followed Tommy's.

[Grognardsw]

Spoiler:

Rebecca measures, with her reporter notebook as an impromptu ruler, if the bottom of the inside of the casket is higher than the exterior bottom. And similarly with the inside-outside sides of the casket.

OOC:   Did the measurements show the casket to be of correct proportions?

[Mr. Handy]

Anne also hurries for the church door.

[Priest]

Arriving at the church door you find it several inches ajar, though Sister Francis Mary swears she had closed it when she had left the church earlier. Inside the silence seems acute, like something waiting, holding its breath. Luckilly the still burning candles allow you a fairly good view of the interior, and the half open door to the bell tower.
From above you, closer now, comes the sudden toll of the bell, as if in summons to the worshippers.

Rebecca,sorry my bad. Although the measurements do indeed show a slight anomaly there seems to be little evidence of any secret compartment.

Sister Francis Mary,The words etched on the dagger's blade seem to be Latin. Badly worn by time, you are able to make out the words 'Deleth Vitae Patent' which you translate to be 'The Way is Open'.

[carnage_lee]

Tommy Stone

Tommy pauses on the threshold with one hand on the thick wooded door, a quick glimpse inside shows the way to be clear and the bell tolls once more.

Spurred on by the fear that the sounds of the tolling bell may draw back the people that Sister Francis Mary had sent on their way or wake some of the townsfolk and prompt them to investigate, Tommy strides over to the door to the bell-tower which was half open. Wishing that he still had hold of the spade which he had recently been using, he pushed the door wider...

[Mr. Handy]

Anne follows Tommy up the stairs, lighting her lantern now that she's indoors.

[Grognardsw]

Rebecca kicks the coffin in frustration as the others scamper to the church. Were her sources wrong? The measurements aren't perfect, but could be close enough. She'd need to take a saw or crowbar to the damn thing. The bulldog reporter stomps off to the tool shed Harry and the Sister visited.

[Priest]

For those in the Church:
At the top of the stairs leading to the bell room you see a young girl standing close to a still swinging rope. As you enter the room she turns and looks at you with eyes that seem to show no comprehension of her whereabouts or activity. She is dressed in a ludicrous, for this time of night and place, billowy green party dress. Her hair which seems a mousey brown colour is held in place by a yellow ribbon tied in a bow...

[Mr. Handy]

"Must you ring that bell, young lady?" asks Anne. "It's so loud!"

[carnage_lee]

Tommy Stone

Stunned, Tommy stops in his tracks, whoever he expected to find ... well it wasn't this.

Anne's voice snaps him from his frozen state and he steps over and takes the rope and holds it out of the girls reach, so that she can't continue to ring the bell.

"Are... are you lost?" he asks.

[Priest]

The girl stares at the two for a moment, her eyes showing no hint of suprise at their sudden appearance. She smiles a childish smile, one that stops just below her eyes which continue to analyze you as someone might a strange insect.
"No...Are you?"

[Mr. Handy]

"No, we're not lost," says Anne, studying the child with equal intensity. "What's your name?"

OOC,Can I Read a Person?

[carnage_lee]

Tommy Stone

For some reason the girl unnerves Tommy "We're not lost, we came to see what all the noise was about. What are you doing here, you shouldn't be out at this hour... we can take you home.." he blurts out.