Play@YSDC

You pick up a taxi to reach the Latin Quarter and get there in the early afternoon. It's somewhat strange to think that the very taxi you're riding on right now was used just weeks ago to move soldiers to the front and repel the enemy invasion, mere miles away from Paris itself. The driver himself is eager to share the story of his 'mission to the front', as he calls it. He made four trips that night, carrying five soldiers on each one, the sky lighted by explosions and the sound of rifles and grenades in the air. He has probably told this story to every passenger he has had since then, and he'll probably continue to do so until the day he retires. In a way, this makes you proud of the efforts the people, your people, are making in order to win the war and guarantee the safety of the Country.

The Latin Quarter itself is not different from most other arrondissements, excepts for the unusually large number of cafés - and of course, the Sorbonne. The university brought about a large number of students and intellectuals, becoming a gathering point for poets, writers and artists of any kind. Before the war, many of these cafès would stay open all night, fostering the birth of new artistic movements - although most people would struggle to consider contemporary art as 'art'. Sadly, this is lost in the past now. You walk in front of the Sorbonne, remembering how the place would be crowded with students coming and going - no more now. You spot a few people, but those are mostly professors. Most of the students have joined the army, willingly or not, and are spending their time on much more brutal business than literature or science. You silently wonder if France will have to sacrifice an entire generation on the bloody altar of war.

Finally you reach the address on the list. It's a building like any other on the avenue, with five storeys. There is a woman cleaning the front door, passing a humid rag vigorously on the surface.

"Bonjour Madam" says Francois smiling Perhaps you can help I am looking for a former student of mine the artist Edoard Savatier, I'm led to believe he lives in an apartment in this building. I told my friends all about his remarkable landscapes and they are interested in buying some of his work.

"Oui, indeed it is so Madam, his works are truly captivating. Do you know if Edoard Savatier is at home just now and if not perhaps you may know where he may be found?" Andre puts on his best smile and nods at the woman.

"I've only seen one of his paintings so far," says Jacques, "but it has made me eager to see more and to meet the man behind the brush."

Jean-Luc nods politely and smiles to the woman trying not to look too suspicious.

The woman throws the rag into a bucket half full of water, then cleans her hands on a dirty apron. She snorts sarcastically, then says: "Well Monsieurs, I won't judge that good-for-nothing art, but if you want to buy some of his paintings, you're more than welcome. Perhaps he'll pay his rent on time this month. You can find Monsieur Savatier on the third floor, second door on the right".

"Thank you, Madame," says Jacques, tipping his hat.

Conscious that he may appear a grinning fool, Andre inclines his head towards the lady

"Merci Madam, you have been most helpful." and starts towards the stairs

The building is old but well kept. You make your way through the entrance hall and up the staircase to the third floor. The building looks empty and very quiet, your every step echoing in the still air to the point you're sure everyone in the building now knows about your presence. Finally you reach the third floor and turn right until you count two doors. You stop in front of the second door, and can hear some faint noises from inside, muffled yet surely betraying the presence of someone.

Once everyone is assembled outside the door Andre nods to to group one by one and upon recieving an answering nod from all assembled he raps on the door. "Monsuier Savatier - we have come to discuss the possibility of maybe purchasing one of your paintings."

Jacques nods, indicating that Andre should proceed.

Francois nods while patting his pocket to reassure himself his pistol is where he left it.

Jean-Luc remembering the tea room incident holds his breath and prepares himself for the worst.

A young man in his early thirties comes to open the door. He has short black hair and green eyes, wears a cheap yet clean and well-kept suit, and gives an overall more "orderly" image than you had expected a poor avant-garde artist to give. He looks very tired, though, as if missing sleep. "Bonjour, Mons-", he begins, but stops abruptly when seeing Jacques. He goes pale before continuing: "B-Bonjour... I... I'm very happy about your interest for my paintings", he casts a quick glance behind his back, towards the interior of the apartment, then adds: "B-But right now it's not a good moment... I... yes, I have urgent business to attend to, perhaps we can schedule another m-meeting tomorrow?"

Jacques is instantly suspicious, but he doesn't let it show. Someone who is that nervous around a gendarme usually has something to hide. "If something is wrong, perhaps I can help," he says, trying to discreetly peek past him into the apartment.

OOC,Using Reassurance.

You can't see much inside the apartment from your position, only a small bookcase half-filled with books, a red armchair and a couple of half-finished paintings resting against a wall. A door leads towards a small corridor, at the end of which there seems to be a kitchen.

Edoard Savatier is now sweating as he says: "There's nothing wrong. I'm sorry. I... I don't mean to be rude. It's just... this is not a good time, that's all".

Jacques's every instinct screams at him that something is very, very wrong.

OOC,Sense Trouble roll, spending three points: [dice]0[/dice]

"Ah," says Jacques, realization suddenly dawning on him. "You are with someone."

"Yes... no... yes... I mean, it's not how it seems... I just...", he's fumbling for words now, looking more agitated than ever.

Then you hear another voice coming from inside - surprisingly, a familiar voice. It's a voice you last heard just yesterday night, Madeleine Morvan's voice. Considering her sudden disappearance, and the gendarmerie looking fruitlessly for her, stumbling upon her like this is perhaps more than an incredibly unlikely coincidence. She appears on the kitchen door with a smile on her face. She has now changed into men's clothes, and you can't help being a little startled when you notice she has cut her beautiful, long red hair. All in all, in those clothes and wearing a hat, she might pass for a young male of less than twenty years of age.



She speaks with a warm, calm voice: "Please come in, gentlemen. It's all right, Edoard. I don't want to get you into any more trouble, and it's clear to everyone you are a terrible liar".

"Thank you," says Jacques, his suspicions confirmed. He doffs his hat before stepping inside. "May I ask why you have shorn your lovely hair?"

She shrugs: "Many people are looking for me, most of them without good intentions. I planned on leaving the city in the next 24 hours, to tell the truth. Did Julien send you after me?"

"Yes, though I did not honestly expect to find you here," says Jacques. "We were pursuing another angle of our investigation on his behalf, and your presence here was a stroke of luck. What were the circumstances of your sudden departure?"

"Would it be possible for us to come in, rather than conduct our business on the doorstep?" says Francois interrupting the conversation keen to see inside the artists rooms.

Edoard gestures you in: "I'm s-sorry, I didn't know you were Madeleine's f-friends. P-Please, come inside." He still looks agitated, but not about to faint anymore. "You can sit in the kitchen. C-Can I offer you something? Some wine, or coffee?"

Francois pays little attention to the conversation instead he gives his attention to the contents of the room they are in and the flat in general.

OOC:   Assuming there are examples of Edoard's work in the flat Francois will use the excuse of looking at the pieces as an excuse to wander around the flat.

"Thank you, Monsieur," says Jacques, making his way to the kitchen. "Coffee for me, please. No wine while I'm on duty."

Andre coughs into his hand and watches Savatier and Madeleine for their reactions;

"A little wine if you would be so kind Monsieur. Definitely no tea though, I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime. Why I had an episode at a salon you frequent earlier this very day; the Sunflower I believe it was called."

Madeleine looks surprised, then smiles at Andre and asks: "You tried the Sapna... and had a vision?"

Francois,You walk around the house, looking at the paintings. Each paining reports the date of its completion, and you see that they're arranged in a sort of chronological order, the older ones near the bathroom and the bedroom, then as you move towards the kitchen and the entrance, there are the most recent ones. You can't judge the paintings from a technical point of view, but you notice that the subject remains constant, with all the paintings featuring images of some fantasy world, with striking and clearly impossible scenery, and strange creatures as well. While the older paintings show relaxing sceneries, with a large use of light colors, lately they have turned towards a more dark overall theme, with scenes of destruction and a darker palette. Perhaps it's the influence of the war, although it seems to you that the change initiated before the war actually began.

Andre looks embarrassed, down at the floor then regards Madeleine square in the eye.

"Oui Madame, it is true. I tried the Sapna and had a terrible vision that even now terrifies me." Andre tries his hardest to keep the fear from his voice as he recalls being pursued by the worms, and that awful chanting. "So I would like some sort of explanation of what exactly is going on here si vous plait - what is Sapna and why does it have these properties that produce such hallucinations, for surely that is what they must have been?"

"What visions has the Sapna given you?" Jacques asks Edouard and Madeleine.

Madeleine is still looking at Andre as she says: "That is... remarkable. I would never have thought...", she then turns towards Edouard: "What do you think, Edouard?" The man looks at Andre for a few seconds, then says: "Indeed, he wouldn't seem inclined... m-meaning no offense, Monsieur", he adds quickly, then returns his attention to the preparation of the coffee. A couple of seconds later, as an afterthought, he adds, mumbling: "Perhaps it's the leg..."
Madeleine nods and says: "The Sapna unlocks a sleeping potential inside the human being. Not just everyone, though. In India it is believed that the Sapna chooses some individual over the others, but it's just nonsense. It's the other way around. Some humans have that potential, and the Sapna helps unlocking it. Other people don't, and for them the Sapna it's just a good tea. But in any case, it's not really meant to provide visions... or hallucinations as you call them. That's just a side effect." She pauses for a second, then says: "Before we continue, let me ask you. What have you discovered about Sebastien's murder? And what did Julien tell you?"

"One thing we found out was that he had been dead for some time," says Jacques. "He was also not killed in the room where he was found, but the body was placed there afterwards. Interestingly, the window to the room had been opened from the inside. That, coupled with your mysterious disappearance, had led me to consider you as a possible suspect. When and how did you find out he had been murdered, and why did you leave?"

Jean-Luc sits there with the others trying to get a good felling of the environments and Madeleine. He's trying to be close to Francois as he's not felling comfortable.

Andre sits in stunned silence trying to take in what Madeleine has revealed along with Edouard's intimation that it could be linked to his deformed left leg, something he has been afflicted with since birth

Madeleine answers to Jacques, her voice still calm and composed. You can't help but be impressed at her self-control. "The night of the party. I hadn't met Sebastien the whole day, as he was out on... urgent business. But he should have been back at the house by then, so I went to check on him. That was when I left you. The door to the study was open, and the body was on the floor, beheaded. I checked to make sure that the dead body was actually Sebastien, then realized I had to left, and quickly, as Sebastien's killers would be targeting me next. I found one of the women from the house staff and asked her to check on Sebastien, to make sure that the body would be found, then left the house from a back door. I escaped here, and cut my hair, preparing to leave the city. Then you found me".

"It is fortunate that I found you," says Jacques, in full professional mode. "You are an important witness. You may have information that will help me bring Monsieur Dupont's killers to justice. At what time did you find the body? How did you verify that it was in fact Monsieur Dupont? I had been wondering myself whether it was truly he. Do you have any idea who it was who would have wanted him dead? How did you know there was more than one killer, and why did you believe they would come after you next?"

Madeleine bites her lips. She seems troubled for the first time. "Sebastien had a birthmark on a shoulder, that's how I verified that the body was, in fact... him. And I know who killed him. With those injuries... yes, I know who did that. And they... they surely got the information they wanted out of Sebastien. But that's only half of it. The other half is in here." She points to her head: "And you have got to let me go, Colonel. It's too dangerous to keep me in Paris, and killing me wouldn't be enough".

Returning to the room just as Madeleine is finishing her confession Francois does not hide the incredulity from his voice.

Madame, surely you cannot believe for one moment that my friend Jaques will allow you to leave Paris when you are so clearly involved in his murder investigation. No if you truly believe your life to be at risk you must unburden yourself, tell him who you believe the murderers are and what their motive is and what exactly you have in that beautiful head of yours that they think is so important. Do this and then with his permission I might be of assistance in finding you a safe and secluded place outside of Paris

In his head Francois starts to list those hunting lodges which will be unused at this time of year and those owners on whose hospitality he might impose or call in favours

"Yes, I can arrange a safe place outside Paris for you to stay as a protected witness," says Jacques, "along with a couple of gendarmes - gendarmes I personally know and trust - to guard you. But the only way to ensure your safety on a permanent basis is to catch the killers. For that I need to know who murdered Monsieur Dupont, why they did it, and how you know."

OOC,Were there any fingerprints on that window that was opened from the inside? I hadn't thought about it at the time, but that's something for which I should have checked. If I have to, I can check when we go back there.

Madeleine bites her lips and for the first time today she looks uncertain about what to do. Then she shakes her head. "I... I cannot give you that answer right now. Not until you've seen Verchanne, at least. Then we'll talk again. In the meanwhile, I'll accept your offer of protection", she says.

Jacques,You know that the village of Verchanne was the turning point of the last counteroffensive of the French Army, a few weeks ago, a stunning victory that forced the enemy back twenty kilometers. The offensive covered kilometers of front lines and involved more than 200000 soldiers. The French Army first managed to break through at Verchanne, forcing the enemy to retreat and abandon their positions. You don't know the details of the operation, but you can probably dig them out easily at the Army HQ.

"Verchanne you say - and what will we find there Madame Madeleine that will sway your decision to reveal the identity of the murderer, or indeed murderers if this be the case?" Andre asks with a frown creasing his forehead.

"You'll realize what kind of game we're playing, and what are the stakes. You wouldn't believe me otherwise", she says slowly.

"There was a great victory at Verchanne recently," says Jacques. "I was not part of it, however, but I think you must be referring to the means by which that victory was achieved. Was a new weapon deployed there, perhaps? When we go to Verchanne, what is it exactly that we should be looking for?"

"I'm sure you'll notice right away, Colonel. Or perhaps you might try asking the soldiers who fought there", she says, with an enigmatic smile.

Edoard finishes preparing the coffee and brings it to the table, along with an half-empty bottle of wine and some glasses. He then pours himself some, saying: "A-Are you going with them, Madeleine?"

She just nods. "Try to stay safe, Edoard. I hope I'll see you again once this is over".

Andre says "Sorry for appearing slow here, but where is Verchanne and how far is it from Paris?"

"Verchanne is a village where our forces counterattacked and achieved a breakthrough a few weeks back," Jacques tells Andre. "We pushed the boches back twenty kilometers! I'm not sure of its exact location. I can find out the operational details at headquarters before we head out there, but first we'll need to arrange for a safe house and protectors for Madame Morvan. We can also tell the gendarmes to stop searching for her now that we've found her so they don't waste their resources."

"Do we have someone we can trust with Madeleine's safety?" says Jean-Luc look at Jacques.

"There are gendarmes I've known and worked with for decades," says Jacques. "I would trust them with my own children. I have, in fact."

"Well then gentlemen, are we ready to go?"

"Yes, let us go," says Jacques, offering his arm. "Time is of the essence."

Francois pats his pocket once again checking his pistol hasn't disappeared since he checked it ten seconds ago. "Yes lets. Madam, will you give me the honour " he says offering Madeline his arm.

"I don't think anyone has ever been arrested so chivalrously", she says, laughing, then accepts Francois's arm.

You walk out of the apartment and down the stairs. It's another short trip on taxi to the gendarmerie, where you leave Madeleine in custody of trusted Gendarmes.

We will all need passes if we wish to travel near the front says Francois which hopefully the gendarmerie can provide. he adds with a smile.

Jacques: Verchanne,Verchanne was the breaking point of a very large offensive organized by the French Army, involving about 170000 soldiers on a front wide dozens of kilometers. Searching through the relevant documents (battle orders, reports, and so on), you notice that a total of 10000 soldiers were concentrated in the Verchanne area, with only a unit of 100 soldiers charged with taking control of the village proper. The remaining units were to break through the enemy defenses and split to the left and right to flank the enemies and cut their retreat lines. This whole battle plan sounds a little strange to you. It's as if the Army command knew beforehand that the offensive would break through in that specific point. Also, the village itself should have been garrisoned and fortified, making it unlikely that a relatively small unit of 100 men could easily take control of it. A possible explanation is that the Army had intelligence on the enemy forces in the area, and tailored to the battle plan to make the best of a weak point in the enemy lines. Still, you're not completely satisfied by this explanation. Even more strangely, the village of Verchanne was sealed off after the offensive, and has remained off-limits since then. You can track the members of the unit that entered the village, but a 1-point Credit Rating or Bureaucracy spend is required to speed up the search and have the information right way, otherwise it'll be available tomorrow.

Jacques: Christophe Duchamps,Captain Christophe Duchamps was filed dead seven days ago, the funerals being held six days ago. You remember [b]Adolphe Bissette[/b] telling you that he saw the man just three days ago, and you ask for a research of any document on that date with the Captain's name on it. Quite surprisingly, one such document is found: a request for a military transport to the Army HQ.

Jacques: Forensics,On the windows there were fingerprints of [b]Mr. Dupont[/b] himself, a few members of the house staff, plus one unidentified set. It is possible these might be Madeleine's, but some time might be required for the analysis. Multiple sets were found on items inside the room, but Mr. Dupont sometimes received guests in the room, so that's not surprising. In the meantime, the results for the soil under the body's boots also came back. Quite surprisingly, there are two very different types of soil, stratified. One is an as of yet unidentified black soil, possibly volcanic in nature, but it is unclear how it could have ended under the boots of a dead body in the middle of Paris. Regarding the second type, a chemical analysis suggested that it came from a graveyard, or otherwise a land where a large quantity of dead bodies (humans or animals) were buried during the centuries. Furthermore, this soil was mixed to fragment of bones, suggesting that the man wearing the boots walked over bones, most likely inside a catacomb of some sort. A 1-point History or Occult spend can provide more information on catacombs inside the city.

Hunting Lodge,[b]Francois[/b] can probably provide one that could be used to hide [b]Madeleine[/b] and her guardians.

History Spend,The creation of Paris catacombs dates back to 1780, when it became necessary to shut down the huge Les Innocents graveyard, situated inside the city. This graveyard was severely overused, to the point that a basement wall in an adjoining property collapsed under the weight of a mass grave. Les Innocents was closed to public and all burials inside the city walls were forbidden. More or less in the same period, another problem came to the attention of public authorities: the extensive mining of the Left Bank area had left a vast and uncharted underground network over which the city has expanded over time, causing the occasional collapse of houses and other buildings as the surface was not able to sustain the weight and caved in. In the end, the existing tunnels were reinforced and put to another, very different use. All the bodies from the city graveyards, that needed to be closed and emptied, were moved to the subterranean tunnels, that came to host millions of dead bodies. The moving of the bodies took years to be completed. Later on, certain areas of these catacombs were organized and open to the public, even though most of them are still closed. The official entrance is near the old city gate known as Barriere d'Enfer, in Montparnasse.

Credit Rating spend,The 100 soldiers that entered Verchanne were later reassigned to different units. As you investigate further, you realize with growing incredulity that almost all of them have died since then - in fact, you can trace only one survivor, a sergeant named [b]Albert Proulx[/b]. All the remaining 99 have died in incidents since then, or committed suicide. It is not rare for soldiers to die these days, obviously, but these numbers are disconcerting, and not one of them actually died under enemy fire. You trace Sergeant Proulx to a reserve force stationed near Aulany-sous-Bois, northeast of the city.

OOC:   Technically the spend are for Mr. Handy's investigator, but I don't mind the other players reading them. In this particular case, the bit of historical trivia is quite interesting and might be worth some more reading, or perhaps a visit if one ever happens to visit Paris

Jacques fills the others in on what he's learned. "The next thing I'd like to do is speak to Sergeant Proulx," he says. "Time is critical, as something could happen to him as it has to his comrades in arms. I'll arrange for passes for myself and anyone who wants to come with me. We can go directly to Verchanne from there too.'

I would certainly appreciate the opportunity to get out of the city and into the country even if only for a short while Says Francois

Jean-Luc nods to Francois saying "I would be willing to help as well".

"Then it is decided..." Andre concludes. "When should we start?"

"We should leave right away," says Jacques. "We need to talk to Sergeant Proulx while there's still time. Let's go."