Play@YSDC

It's not a long ride to Aulnay-sous-Bois, a small town that had the bad luck to be inside the belt of territory first conquered by the enemy and then reconquered by the French Army. There was fighting here, it's clear by watching the buildings. One out of three has received some damage, and the car you're on has to dodge large holes on the ground from artillery fire. You see a few people walking the streets, and you wonder what kind of bond to your hometown can bring you to face the danger of war instead of trying to flee to safer grounds.

The Army camp is just outside the town (or at least, what remains of the town). The 4th Army Corps has placed a reserve force here, around 5000 men ready to be mobilized to answer an enemy attack. They have built a large camp to house these men, and it has grown to almost being a second town near the original one. Tens of wooden building, row after row after row; dormitories, storehouses, shooting ranges and so on. It takes some time to find what you're looking for, and the sun is almost setting by the time you reach the area where Proulx's unit should be stationed.

You see some soldiers moving around, apparently busy with the lasts tasks of their daily routine, waiting for dinner to be served. A couple of them are instead relaxing near the door to a storehouse, smoking a cigarette. They stand up when you approach and they see Jacques, saluting.

Jacques returns the salute in a snappy, well-practiced fashion. "As you were, men," he says. "I'm looking for Sergeant Albert Proulx. Would you know where I could find him?"

The two exchange a quick look, then one of the two says with some hesitation: "Sergeant Proulx... is not feeling well, Colonel. Perhaps you could speak with Sergeant Gagnon instead."

"I'm afraid it must be Sergeant Proulx," says Jacques.

They pause for another second, one of them scratching his head, then they point a small shed: "You will find Sergeant Proulx there, Colonel". They salute as you head towards the shed, then quickly walk in the opposite direction. Their strange behavior immediately makes sense when you enter the shed.



It is dark inside the shed, the dying light of the day coming in from the door allows you to barely see. There is smell of alcohol inside, and you clearly understand why. A man is sitting on the floor, back against one of the walls, a half-full bottle of wine in his hand. One more bottle is on the floor, empty. He notices you as you enter, and as soon as he opens his mouth, you realize he's completely drunk: "Who is there? Go away! I am waiting for someone!"

"I am Colonel Jacques Hebert, Sergeant Proulx," says Jacques. "I'll try to excuse your current condition. You must have been through quite an ordeal."

The man snorts: "Oh well, if you excuse me, I guess everything's gonna be fine, huh?" He laughs, an empty sound that unsettles you: "Leave me alone. I don't know what you want, but I'm done with this war. Almost... almost done... once he arrives...", he drinks some more wine.

"Once who arrives?" asks Jacques. "When do you expect him? Listen, if you want to be left alone, I will leave you alone - as soon as you tell me what happened at Verchanne. I don't want to get you in trouble with your superiors. I just need to know what happened. What you do after you tell me is entirely your affair."

OOC,Using Reassurance.

Francois steps outside the small shed it is dark, stuffy and to a man used to being beneath the open sky it is painfully claustrophobic.

ooc,[b]Using Sense Trouble[/b]

"Who? Ah!", he laughs again and drinks some more wine, "The Angel of Death, that's who. I trespassed on Death's lands, and now her Angel is coming for me. As for all the others..."

Sense Trouble,As for all General abilities, you need to roll for Sense Trouble. You can spend points to increase the results of the roll. before the roll obviously.

Jean-Luc stands outside and looks around trying to guess the age of the boys that will soon go into battle.

"He has already been for the others - all 99 of them," says Jacques. "You're the only one left, and I can't let him have you until you've told me what you know about Verchanne, so he's just going to have to wait. That's where you trespassed on Death's lands, n'est-ce pas? Some new weapon was deployed at Verchanne to win the victory there, wasn't it?"

Proulx's is staring into space as he says: "They told us to capture the village, and we prepared for the battle. Xavier said they were sending us on a suicide mission... always the pessimist that one", he smiles for a second, before continuing: "Too bad for him, Captain Daniau heard him saying that. Captain got him running around the camp for one hour, shouting 'Victoire!'. He was a good man, Captain Daniau. He deserved better". Proulx drinks some more wine before continuing: "Turns out there was no fighting to be done. When we got there, they were all dead. At least half a thousand Germans, officials included. A land of the dead, Death's sanctuary. And we trespassed".

"This victory is indeed pyrrhic," says Jacques, shaking his head. "Whatever did that must not be used again. Do you think Verchanne is cursed forever now?"

OOC,Sense Trouble roll (no points spent): [dice]0[/dice]

Proulx's nods, tears forming on his eyes: "It is, and we are. The Angel of Death came for all the other, and now it's my turn. I already saw the Sign".

Andre coughs into his hand;-

"Pardon Monsieur, you say you saw the sign ... what sign did you see exactly?"

Proulx's face goes white, and he drinks some more wine before saying: "I've seen a spirit... a ghost. That's the Sign. When you meet the ghost of someone dear to you ... that's the Sign. The Angel of Death is coming for you, and you'll soon join the ghost in the afterlife".

Jacques,You don't feel any danger from your surroundings, but Proulx is drunk, unstable... and armed. He has a handgun at his belt.

"I met someone else who saw that sign," says Jacques, "His name is Adolphe Bissette. He told me that a gendarme he knew, Chirstophe Duchamps, had died, but he saw him again days later getting into a military vehicle. Interestingly, there is a request on file for a military transport for Monsieur Duchamps to Army HQ on precisely the date he was seen, after he was dead. Do you remember either of these men having been at Verchanne?"

Proulx frowns as he tries to remember: "Don't know anything about a Du... Duschamp... or Bissette... but if anyone sees the Sign, he is as good as dead. Maybe they trespassed on Death's domain, too, or maybe they were just unlucky. We are killing too many... the war... the gaze of Death is on us now. There's no escape...", you see a glimpse of mad clarity in his eyes now, even through the drunkenness.

"We are all of us mortal," says Jacques. "We all die in the end, but we can make our peace with God before we do, and we can make our deaths count for something. I am an old grognard, and I know that Death has always been there, waiting to claim me one day. At my age, it cannot be all that much longer. Most of my life is behind me. But life still has meaning, Sergeant. At least you have a warning of what is to come and time to prepare for it. So many in this war do not. I think you should talk to the chaplain. He may be able to give you some comfort."

OOC,Using Reassurance.

"There is no God", he replies bitterly, "But I guess I can at least go off with some dignity". He looks at the bottle in his hand and throws it away. "Thank you, Colonel".

Jacques,[ooc]You recover 1 point of Stability.[/ooc]

Jacques solemnly shakes his hand. "You are welcome, Sergeant," he says. "Your sacrifice for La Belle France shall not be in vain."

"Why are you here, Colonel?", Proulx asks, "If you're thinking of going to Verchanne, let me warn you. There's only Death there. And if you catch Death's eye... and see the Sign... you'll be doomed like the rest of us".

"I'm afraid I must," says Jacques. "I have my duty. I've always known that protecting France could cost me my life. If it does, it shall at least have been worth it."

"Well then, good luck Colonel", he says as solemnly as possible considering the smell of alcohol surrounding him like a cloud.

OOC:   Is there something else you want to ask him? Otherwise, it's too late to go to Verchanne today, unless you're fine with exploring it by night.

"Thank you, Sergeant," says Jacques. "Au revoir." He has a feeling that he will be seeing him again even if the man does die. He rejoins the rest of his group and fills them in about what he has learned. "We should camp here for the night. I'll leave for Verchanne in the morning. I won't ask any of you to accompany me. Only one of us needs to see it, and Madame Morvan had addressed me in the matter. I have already lived a long, full life. If anyone must risk death, let it be me."

Andre sighs and says to Jacques;

"Sorry Jacques, whilst I do not consider myself a man of any brave stamp, I do consider myself to be honourable. My own code would not allow me to let you go there alone. If you go then so must I, though fear does grip me. That being said, they say that fear is needed to sharpen the wits do they not."

"Then I am glad to have you with me, Andre," says Jacques. "We shall face our fate together, whatever it may be."

Francois shrugs "I only have my students shoddy homework to mark, why not"

"Leaving friends at a time like this would dishonorable at best so count me in gentlemen" says Jean-Luc.

"Thank you all," says Jacques. "I hope you don't have cause to regret your decision. We leave for Verchanne in the morning."

The commander of the camp has four beds arranged for you in one of the dormitories. After a simple but satisfying dinner, you crash on the beds and immediately fall asleep, tired at the end of a long and unusual day.

OOC:   Continues here: viewtopic.php?f=377&t=5922