Play@YSDC

Christopher Fontana

Christopher takes the end of the twine and compares the blue marks to the faint ones on the tombstone. "So the twine and tombstones have these ink marks, I think Henslowe wrapped the twine around the tombstones marked them with the ink ... kind of like reference points." He then proceeds to see if the markings at the start of the twine match the marks on Henslowe's grave marker. "Does anyone else think it's 'creepy' to have your own grave monument ready... while you are still alive?" he asks as he starts to see if his hypothesis is correct.

Father Flanagan, still on edge since the asylum, looks around warily as he helps Holly move their gains back to the cemetery.

(OOC),Roll (no spend) = 6 http://orokos.com/roll/393456

At the graveyard, you discover that the distance between the marked parts of the twine matches the distance between the tombstones. You move from one tomb to the next, putting the marked parts of the twine on the marked areas of the tombstones, closing the square.




While Holly and Father Flanagan head back to the cemetery with the tarp, they look towards the swamp. The alligators are moving closer to the bank, a couple are already moving lazily on the solid ground.


The weather is getting even worse now. Lightning flashes over the sky, followed by the roaring of thunder. You are already soaking wet, and the rain keeps falling relentlessly. You can't see the sun anymore, and with all the clouds and the rain, it almost looks like night has fallen.

"That's pretty creepy if you ask me..." Ian agrees with Fontana. He looks up at the flashing sky, then at the square made with the stretched twine, taking the wet hair out of his eyes. "We better hurry with this. So, we have four knots, one in each face of the square. I would say, either the journal is scattered between these points and we have to dig under the four knots, or we should connect the knots, drawing an imaginary cross, and dig this one point. I would go with the second option. What do you think?"

Holly returns in time to catch the tail end of the discussion. "That sounds good to me too," she says when she sees what they have done "The point where the two lines intersect must be where to dig. We'd better hurry. The weather is terrible, and the gators are getting restless." She quickly works to set the tarp up over the spot.

Christopher Fontana

"Yes, I agree.... after all 'x' marks the spot." He looks back through the gloom towards the encroaching swamp. "Are the Alligators likely to pose a threat? I mean the fence ought to deter them?"

"It's settled then." Ian looks at the knots positions, calculating by eye where the imaginary 'X' would be. "I think the intersection is around here." He points at somewhere near one of the illegible tombs. He then grabs the shovel and start digging, nervously looking at where the alligators are supposed to be coming from.

OOC,The spot is somewhere in front, and a little left of tomb number 7.

Clarence looked at the approaching 'gators', with ever increasing concern. "I'm going to borrow that shotgun from the manservant...just in case.", he said. He goes to find the manservant, his shoes slipping in the mud with every step.

You start digging again, a couple of meters to the left of your first attempt. You place the tarp as best as you can, and while some rain still manages to slip past it, it clearly makes things easier and your work proceeds faster than expected. Clarence heads to the groundskeeper's shed and returns with a shotgun, then starts circling around the group, keeping watch on any approaching alligator. Christopher moves the fliashlight nervously around, then back to the hole, then again towards the tombstones and the swamp past them. Every few seconds a strange sound makes you jump, fearing it might be an approaching beast, but no - it's just the rain, or the wind, or God knows what. Ian and Holly takes turns digging, while Father Flanagan tries to fight a certain embarrassment, perhaps silently praying for their souls as they dig into holy ground.
It takes 10 minutes or hard work, but you're finally rewarded when Holly hears the sound of metal hitting metal - there's something buried here! You remove the last layer of soil and bring to light a small metal box, closed by three tight metal latches, barely rusting. While you assemble around the hole, looking intently at the newfound treasure, Clarence and Christopher, still keeping watch for the alligators, see some of the animals moving closer to the graveyard.

Despite himself, Father Flanagan leans over the metal box, his eyes alight with curiosity. "Funny, I would have expected a lock on it after someone went to all this trouble to hide it."

"Well done!" says Holly. "Let's get the box inside before those gators get here. Besides, the rain would ruin the contents if we opened it outside. A lock probably wouldn't have stopped anyone who did manage to find the box, I suppose. We put locks on things to keep honest people out. The puzzle we had to figure out was the lock, in a sense."

Christopher Fontana

"Quite right, we should open the box in the dry." Christopher agrees, feeling quite bedraggled. "First, let's fill in the holes we've made, it's not fair to leave this mess for the caretaker to deal with." he adds, realising how uncomfortable all this must be for Fr. Flanagan.

Holly nods and helps to fill the holes back in, keeping a watchful eye on the alligators.

Clarence sighs with relief, "At last! I was worried all this digging was going to be for nothing.". He too helps to fill in the holes, and stays close to the gun, just in case the alligators come too close.

Christopher Fontana

Christopher nods in satisfaction as the holes are filled in. "That's much better, we may have to come back here, in the course of our investigation. At least now we won't be in Currother's 'bad book's' and we won't have abused anyone's hospitality." he smiles, "Now let's get out of this foul weather and see what we have unearthed."

After filling the two holes you head towards the opening in the fence that's the only way in or out of the graveyard. The rain is still falling as violently as before, and there's no trace of sunlight in the sky anymore. The light of the flashlight barely allows you to see a few meters ahead. As you reach the fence, you discover that the exit is blocked by a couple of alligators... that seems to have noticed you as well, and are definitely not happy of seeing you. They rush towards you, mouths open and ready to bite.

Clarence sees the gators approach. He shoots with the shotgun, but in the heat of the moment , with the slippery ground he slips and misses.

One of the alligators charges Holly but she quickly jumps back, out of reach and out of danger. The other one attacks Ian, who is not as quick to fall back: the alligator's jaws close around his calf, cutting and lacerating.

Terrified, Holly flees from the alligator's snapping jaws. She knows she can't wrestle an alligator, but she's grateful that she can at least move quickly. If she can do so without further risk, she'll run towards the house.

OOC,It's generally a good idea to spend as many points as it takes to guarantee a hit if you have them. A 1 can come up all too easily.