Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

[Mr. Handy]

[

Rachel sneaks over to the west door, sticking to the shadows, and listens carefully at it.

[carnage_lee]

Please make a Perception Check (df 3). You may, of course, spend Style Points.

OOC:   Peter Roxborough I'll add a style point to bring Perception to 6 and take the average which gives 3 successes.

[jaysun81]

Jonathan stands there observing the women's movements through the room as he chews on the end of his pipe, which due to their precarious position he let burn out. He offers a quick prayer to any god that may be listening and gripping his knife he continues to stand ready to intervene if circumstances necessitate.

[Priest]

Rachel (3SP) in the pantry –

Although both doors are in the west wall, the one furthest to the south seems lead to an occupied room. Holding her breath and listening, Rachel, is certain that she can hear sounds some distance beyond the door, voices perhaps.
The more northerly of the two doors, that which was directly opposite the door to the kitchen, shows little sign of occupation. It feels cold to the touch and were it not for the odd furtive noise or flicker of candlelight would seem to be nothing more than another storeroom or cupboard. Yet you wonder if mice here come with candles.
Behind, in the kitchen, the uninterrupted snoring shows that the occupants are as yet undisturbed

Nelly (4SP) and Jonathan (4SP) in the kitchen and hall respectively –

Awaiting developments.

Roxborough (6SP) in a storeroom –

While studying the door, you notice something odd on the floor some five feet along (South) from the door. It looks like the kind of marks that a tight fitting door might leave on the packed dirt floor when pulled open. Yet there is no corresponding door, merely empty shelving...

[carnage_lee]

Roxburgh peers closer, his experience with tracking paying off with spotting this latest clue. Bringing the candle closer he can definitely make out scuff marks, recent ones at that. "Well that's interesting.." he thinks to himself as he straightens up and peers closer at the shelving "this might be like that secret door in Wellington's library, but it's the shelving that moves not part of a bookcase.." he reasons, smiling in remembrance of the night that Wellington revealed his secret archive at his offices, they'd had a fine evening of gourmet food and the best liquor and the normally dour detective was quite animated by the end of the night, insisting on hosting his friends for a 'night-cap'.

By the flickering candle light Roxburgh searches the section of shelving.. "There ought to be a hidden catch..." he reasons.





With mounting trepidation Nellie waits for Rachel to decide where to proceed next.

[Priest]

Roxborough (5SP) in a storeroom –

With questing fingers you search for a hidden catch, remembering that Wellington’s secret door mechanism was disguised as a book hidden amongst other books. However the shelves were empty, so wherever the catch was concealed it would take a delicate touch to find.

A few seconds of careful probing and you find a small, innocuous depression on the underside of one of the shelves. A gentle press and you are rewarded with a metallic sounding click similar to the release of a safety on a rifle, and a six foot high by three foot six wide section of shelving partially opens to a chorus of wails and pathetic screams which issue from the darkness beyond...

OOC:   I forgot to dock you a SP for your earlier check. Sorted now

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel silently tries to open the opposite door, behind which she can see the flickering light.

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   Roxborough (5SP) in a storeroom – With questing fingers you search for a hidden catch, remembering that Wellington’s secret door mechanism was disguised as a book hidden amongst other books. However the shelves were empty, so wherever the catch was concealed it would take a delicate touch to find. A few seconds of careful probing and you find a small, innocuous depression on the underside of one of the shelves. A gentle press and you are rewarded with a metallic sounding click similar to the release of a safety on a rifle, and a six foot high by three foot six wide section of shelving partially opens to a chorus of wails and pathetic screams which issue from the darkness beyond... Is that audible upstairs? Can anything od the uncovered space be made out in the candle-light?

[Priest]

Rachel (3SP) in the pantry –

The door opens easily and silently to reveal a flight of wooden stairs that lead down into darkness. Yet not total darkness for the occasional flicker of yellow candlelight give reason for suspecting that someone moves below, the lack of noise seems to indicate that whoever it is takes great care to move with stealth.
Behind you, in the kitchen, the sleepers sleep on. But don’t forget your comrades Nellie and Jonathan who cannot see you and await some sign.

Roxborough (5SP) in a storeroom –

Please roll Courage diff 1, failure means –2 on any further rolls. Courage = Willpower x2 (pg28 CRB) for you this is a total of 6 so the roll should be a formality even if you don’t take the average.

The first thing you notice is the appalling stench of animal dung that wafts out through the opening from a hidden room beyond. In the limited light you can make out, set against the south wall of this room, a series of six cages similar to those you have seen and used on safari.

It seems that at least half of the cages are occupied. The glint of eyes reflect the light in the way only an animals eyes might do. Yet the shadows cast by the occupants seem strangely odd, almost unnatural in shape.

Your eyes reveal a grossly muscled dog, seemingly barely able to move anything other than its eyes which roll and beg continuously. There you make out a pair of sickly looking swans with feathers that seem to glow green in the semi darkness; while crouched in one of the larger cages a monstrous looking ape, long coiled wires protruding from its shaven head, glares malevolently, yet intelligently, towards you; hammers at the bars of his confining cage; all the while opening and closing its fang filled maw in a silent scream...

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel moves back to where Nellie can see her and motions for her to join her.

[carnage_lee]

Roxburgh is momentarily taken aback by the dreadful foetid stench and the terrible wailing that assail him as the shelving swings clear and takes a half step back as the meagre light of the candle exposes the creatures that are locked in the cages. The sight sickens him, obviously Roxburgh is a hunter of some renown but the suffering of animals is something that he holds no truck with. Choker and his cohorts must be involved in some form of experimentation and the concepts that were in Fyodorov pamphlet are brought to mind. "What on earth is going on here?" he thinks as he takes a step forward, pulling out his handkerchief and using that to cover his nose and mouth to attempt to ward off the miasma.

Taking care to keep away from the bars and out-of-reach of any possible attack, well aware of the strength and reach that the gorilla would possess. He tries to make sure that young Ponsonby isn't imprisoned in the room as well.

OOC:   Taking the average on the Courage roll

Nellie carefully creeps across the kitchen to stand by Rachel, seeing the flickering "Someone is in the cellar..." she whispers somewhat redundantly as Rachel would have made the obvious connection. Nellie mimes walking down the steps, then points to herself...

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel nods and moves aside to let Nellie go past her and down the stairs. With the maid disguise, she is more likely to fool whoever is down there - and if she doesn't, Rachel can slip down there quickly and help her.

[Priest]

Roxborough (5SP) in a cage lined room –

Keeping close to the northern wall of the room you are easily able to stay clear of the cages, though any progress in the room is accompanied by an increase in the piteous screams of the caged and malformed beasts. Even the ape seems to watch you in silence, its eyes filled with hatred and loathing yet seemingly bearing a hint of human intelligence.

Of a human there is no evidence, either your quarry has never been here or all evidence of his having been so has been removed.

In careful study of the wall opposite to your entrance (east) you are able to discern marks on the dirt floor similar to those you had found outside the hidden doorway. Although once more you are confronted by a seemingly solid wall those marks speak of another hidden entrance...

Rachel (3SP) and Nelly (4SP) in the pantry –

Despite causing the large hound to whimper in its sleep as if aware of another presence, Nelly soon finds herself at the door to the staircase. With the approval of Rachel she slowly, and silently, opens the door fully and begins a careful descent towards where she can see a tiny flicker of light. As she descends the light becomes almost extinguished, she halts aware of a sudden blast of fetid air filled with the aroma of unkempt animals and a sudden wave of animalistic screams from somewhere beyond the bottom of the staircase.

At the door, Rachel is suddenly assailed by both smell and noise. Behind her the snoring halts and is replaced by a sudden snort of an awakening person and a soft growl from a large hound...

Jonathan (4SP) in the corridor outside the kitchen –

You had watched in ice cold anticipation as Nelly had made her way into the room in which Rachel had disappeared. Moments later you had become suddenly aware of a cacophony of animal noises seemingly coming from that room. The effect of the noise was electric. You heard, rather than saw, the abrupt awakening of both sleeping woman and hound. Risking a quick glance around the door frame you could see a large, heavily built woman pull herself up from a fireside chair and beside her a large hound, a Mastiff possibly, had risen to all fours and was growling menacingly in the direction the ladies had taken...

OOC:   Please do not forget that some of you have access to weapons should you need them

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel slips back to the kitchen door and tries to quietly close it from inside the pantry before the woman is aware that it is open. The dog may still detect it, but it won't open it without her help, and she can always follow Nellie down the stairs, closing the other door behind her. She slips on her brass knuckles, just in case she needs to deliver a swift knockout blow.

[jaysun81]

As cold sweat runs down his brow Jonathan mind runs a multitude of scenarios. In the end - despite the dread he is beginning to feel - he chooses to continue to wait, hoping that the woman will simply tell the dog to knock it off and then doze back off.

[carnage_lee]

Roxburgh pauses, his intrusion into the room has raised another fresh round of pitiful cries, one of the sickly glowing swans rouses itself and emits an alarming hissing as it attempts to pecks at his trouser leg through the bars of its cage. Alarmed Roxburgh steps away, the swan looks decidedly 'sickly' and his immediate reaction is to get clear of its snapping beak. His hasty retreat takes him further into the dank room, in the flickering light of the candle some suspicious marks on the floor draw his attention.

Keeping well clear of the ape, which continues to follow Roxburgh with its beady red-tinged eyes, fangs gleaming as it continually opens and closes its mouth, Roxburgh stoops to examine the marks, using the toe of his boot to move the dung stained straw that has been strewn across the floor.

"Seems there is another 'secret' entrance here.' he thinks and sets about making a thorough examination of the wall.

OOC:   Perception: 5,[dice]0[/dice] Not wanting to make a fuss... but what's making the 'wailing and screaming'? the dog? Swans are 'mute', well they hiss a lot, and the Ape isn't making a sound .

The animal like wailing takes Nellie by surprise and quite makes her jump, leading her to flail about for a brief moment as she regains her balance on the steep wooden steps and she rushes down them almost crashing into the door at the bottom.

She notices that there is some flickering light from under the doorway, she presses her hear up against the rough wood of the door and attempts to listen for any activity in the cellar beyond...

OOC:   Perception:8,[dice]1[/dice]

[Priest]

Roxborough (5SP) in the room of cages –

Following a scientific examination of the wall (feeling for a trigger device) Roxborough’s efforts are rewarded by a soft click, similar to that of the previous hidden catch. With ease, no doubt on well-oiled hinges, a section of the wall swings open revealing in the sputtering candlelight another dark room (40x40ft approx.).

From a fast observation this room looks like a partial operating theatre combined with some sort of laboratory. Even in the limited light Roxborough’s eyes fall on shelves of glass specimen jars filled with liquid and containing various parts of animals. To the centre of this room a long metal table is covered in straps and other restraining devices. Next to this can be seen a large shiny trolley its top sporting a large glass jar with what looks like a partial human face floating within.

Even with the amount of things within this room to catch your eye you can see the familiar shape of two doors further (north) up the west wall from you and another in the east wall (north/east corner) which although deep in shadow appears closed...

Ooc: Sorry I should have made the contents of the cages clearer. There are other animals caged in this room and it is from them that most of the noises issue. The ones I described were just for colour.

Nelly (4SP) on the stairs –

From beneath the door you see a dim light which seems to fade and disappear as you watch. Listening reveals nothing as the noises of the animals mask any other sound behind the door.
The door is of rougher design than those you have encountered so far. It opens away from you by means of a simple latch.

Rachel (3SP) at the pantry/kitchen door –

With quick thinking and speedy action Rachel closes the door to the kitchen, making certain that it makes no noise to further alarm the hound. As it closes you hear a gruff female voice,
“What is it Nero? What ails you?”
Even as the female speaks you hear a snuffling at the door and a low, menacing growl...

Jonathan (4SP) in the corridor –

Standing perfectly still and holding your breath for fear it might betray your presence, you wait aware of movement from within the kitchen. The squeak and groan of furniture relieved of a heavy weight, and the pad of heavy canine footsteps. To you relief the hound seems to be moving away from you towards the door through which Rachel and Nelly had previously departed. You can hear the snuffling and growling of the dog and a woman’s voice,
“What is it Nero? What ails you?”

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel slinks across the pantry and through the door to the stairs, shutting it silently behind her and leaving no trace of her passage. With luck, the cook will just the think the dog is hungry, and if she were to open the door from the kitchen, nothing would appear amiss.

[carnage_lee]

Roxburgh studies the room, then with some macabre fascination moves over towards the metal table that dominates the centre of the room. 'Good grief these villains have been about their wretched work on people..." he thinks the very idea leaves him cold to the core and he has the dreadful suspicion that the face might belong to Ponsonby. With slow soft steps he makes his way toward the trolley and studies the floating 'face' holding his candle higher to get a better view, the flickering light along with the weird refraction makes the grizzly object appear elongated and slightly blurry...

OOC:   Perception roll, to make out the features? Perception: 5 [dice]0[/dice]

[Priest]

Roxborough (5SP) in what appears to be a laboratory –

“Deuced nasty that” exclaims Roxborough as he studies the partial human face that floats suspended in some clear liquid within the large bell shaped specimen jar. Several cables can be traced from a nearby power source to copper plates connected to the outside of the jar. It looks for all the world as if the liquid, and its contents, have been subjected to large amounts of electrical power. Looking harder at the face within, he notes that it has certain oddities, as if rather than a real human face it appears more of a composition, more the work of a police sketch artist than of nature. Yet for all that it looks real, almost alive, at one point he could swear that the thing winked at him...

With a growing sense of unease tempered as it is by doubt that he is looking at the face of the missing Ponsonby, he looks around. That some forms of vile experimentation have occurred within the confines of this room are made obvious by the many parts of animal that also float suspended by some liquid in other jars. His knowledgeable eye notes parts of various animal kind both domestic and wild. Here a canine paw floats next to a rats head. There part of a horse looks out of place with wing of some exotic bird...

As he stares at the abominations a slight noise from the northermost of the two doors in the west wall catches his ear. It sounds like a chair being pulled across a rough floor...