Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

Journey with us to an alternative 1898, where history rubs shoulders with imagination. Where ‘what was’ is replaced by ‘what might have been’. Leagues of Adventures presents, for your edification – ‘The Dreaming Spires, episode one of the Great Game Campaign’.

“... A time when science itself stands poised to usher in a new golden age, or doom the world to terrible war.
In the ancient university of Cambridge, the scion of an aristocratic family has gone missing, unearthing a plot which threatens to plunge the British Empire into chaos.
Can the intrepid globetrotters solve the Cambridge conspiracy before it’s too late? What secrets lie hidden beneath its dreaming spires?”

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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Nellie steps to one side, she has no knowledge of how to 'force the lock' on the door, but she can provide enough light for whomever is to try.

"What on earth do you mean by 'Choker's pets'?"/color] Nellie asks nervously, thinking about the wretched animals that are in the previous room.


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Roxburgh gives the lock a speculative tug, "I suppose I could attempt to shoot the damned thing off but that would bring Choker and his cronies down on us 'toot sweet'." he says ruefully.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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"I shall make quick work of that lock, don't worry," says Rachel, brimming with confidence. She already has a hairpin in her hand and is fiddling with it in the lock. "We were sent by Her Majesty's Government to rescue you. We've discovered that Choker is plotting to overthrow the British Empire and that time is short, but we don't know the details of the plot. We have heard that they intend to use an artifact they found on an expedition to Inner Asia. Anything more you can tell us would help us thwart their scheme."
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Roxborough (5SP), Rachel (3SP) and Nelly (4SP) at a cell door –

It takes a few attempts to pick the lock, and at one stage Rachel hears the hairpin give an ominous click as if about to snap. However eventually the lock yields to her insistence and with a sharp click the door is opened. From within, eyes blinking in the candle-light, a young man bearing a striking if dishevelled likeness to the photograph of the missing Ponsonby steps forth. A cursorary glance at his place of imprisonment reveals the depravity to which he had been subjected. The small rooms only furnishings were a small uncomfortable looking bed with just a single threadbare blanket, a three legged stool that looked in desperate need of repair, and a filthy wooden bucket, no doubt for his ablutions.

Turning towards Rachel, he blinks against the sudden light, “There is a plot to assassinate the chancellor, Sir William Vernon Harcourt during the Apostle’s Dinner at the University. We must warn him lest the Empire is brought to war and destruction”

He steps forward and grasps Roxborough lapels, looking straight into his eyes, “Quickly, if you would save mankind from chaos, mindless war, and utter destruction we must make haste to the University”...
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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"Then we haven't a moment to lose," says Rachel. "We have a cab waiting nearby. Lord Peter, please lead the way out."
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan approaches the cabinet and removes the firearm. He takes a moment to check if it's loaded, after which he quietly proceeds to the other door and proceeds to slowly turn the knob.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan (4SP) in the vestibule/cloakroom –

Checking the double-barrelled 12 bore shotgun, Jonathan finds it is unloaded, however near to it is a wax package of 12 shells. Pocketing 10 of these and loading two, making sure to keep the gun broken so as to avoid accidents, he moves to the door. With trembling fingers he turns the knob and cracks the door open to allow him view beyond.

Through the gap he sees a long panelled hall stretching from the front doors to the south to an ornate looking staircase in the north. The floor is tiled in a fairly standard black and white, checkerboard fashion. The high ceiling moulded and carved in the best tradition. Sparsely furnished, there is a small three seater settle, a couple of tall plants and a large wicker dog basket, currently unoccupied.

Other than the front doors there are two doors opposite you in the west wall and a further door in the east wall several feet to the north, all appear shut. There is no sign of human occupants in the area, though you can hear music coming from the southernmost door to the west, the quality of the music would seem to be that of a gramophone.

At this point the sound of a door opening and closing behind him, warns that someone has entered the dining room, probably through the same door as he had used to avoid the hound...
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Once Edward has vacated the cell, Rachel shuts the door again. There is no time to relock it, but it might still delay Choker's people discovering that he is no longer there for some additional time.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Roxburgh leads the way back to the cellar, making sure to remind everyone to stay out of reach of the caged animals, pausing only to close the 'secret doors' as they pass.

"Righto, go that way I shall meet you at the top of the steps presently." he says, indicating the way that he had came into the cellar. "I shall be right behind you, I need to see to fastening the internal entrance."
OOC:   Roxy will find something to wedge the door (the one Rachel and Nellie came through) closed - and then retreat up the steps leading to the rear of the house.  
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel nods and leads the way silently up the stairs.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Hearing the sounds of the door behind him spurs Jonathan on. In an attempt to put some distance between him and who ever is behind him, he moves down the hallway, heading towards the lone door on the east wall.
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OOC:   Are we stuck?  
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Jonathan - Ground floor of Fen House.

Before Jonathan can decide whether or not to enter the hall a loud, annoyed voice pipes up from the dining room "Oi, Is that you Bill, stop playing silly beggars.." the voice is loud and course, vaguely feminine. It's probably the woman that was asleep in the Kitchen, the cook, no doubt. Jonathan hears a low menacing growl followed by two loud barks, the dog 'Nero' seems to be aware that it's not Bill that is wandering about on the ground floor and the closed dining room door does little to muffle it's barking.

It can only be a matter of seconds till the cook and the hound open the door behind you!
Current location,Currently in 4 (Vestibule) - Someone else has entered 5 (Dining Room). [attachment=0]Fen-House-Ground-Floor-Map-001.png[/attachment]

Nellie/Roxburgh/Rachel/Ponsonby - Cellar of Fen House

Roxburgh steps back into the cellar intend on fastening the door that leads up to the Kitchen, to hinder any chance of being followed.

Rachel leads the way up the stone steps and out into the night air. After a few moments she calls down that the way is clear.

Ponsonby indicates that Nellie should go next, Nellie's not at all convinced of his chivalry but nimbly ascends to join her investigative colleague.

Ponsonby starts to climb the steps, something happens, he looses his footing as he almost gets to the top. His arms flail about as he tries to regain his balance but with a high-pitched shriek he tumbles backwards down the hard stone steps.

Nellie and Rachel hear two sharp barks coming from inside the house, the hound has woken up!

"Dammit the boy has knocked himself senseless." exclaims Roxburgh his voice coming up from the cellar below. A light appears at the first floor window directly above where Nellie and Rachel are standing.

(Nellie and Rachel are standing at 9 (Hidden Hatch) on the plan above (spoiler button).
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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"Carry him up!" hisses Rachel as she tries her best to vanish into the shadows, out of view of the windows.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Nellie/Roxburgh/Rachel/Ponsonby - Cellar or Above Ground at Fen House

Nellie looks nervously up at the window, wondering if the light being lit was in response to the hound's barking. She follows Rachel and stands in the shadow of the house, still near to the trapdoor.

Meanwhile, Roxburgh checks that the unfortunate Ponsonby is still breathing. The lad seems to have taken a blow to the head, probably from the steps and blood is seeping from his hairline, other than that he seems to be uninjured; he is however unconscious.

Roxburgh scoops Ponsonby up and gingerly ascends the stairs to the grounds above.
Does Roxy take a tumble,[dice]0[/dice] - 2 successes Diff 3 is enough
"I say, could one of you take a look at our young charge, he seems to have done himself an injury." he says, gently laying the comatose Ponsonby on the grass.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel kneels down and examines Ponsonby. "I'm no expert," she whispers, "but I'll do what I can. If we can get him back to the carriage, Laura could help. She's often patching up my cuts and bruises."
OOC,Jonathan is the only PC with Medicine, but he's not available at the moment.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan's grip turns white knuckled as he envisions having to kill both the Cook and the hound for his life's sake. Howvever, the god's have hopefully provided a way out as he makes his way to the Hall.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan Hornsbee

Mustering all the stealth he can, Jonathan quietly steps into the hallway which is dimly lit, mostly via the yellowish lamp-light from the mezzanine above. In the gloom he can make out that the front doors to 'Fen House' are to his left while there are two closed doors in the wall opposite, to his right are a flight of imposing stairs leading to the floor above and to the right of the stairs is another closed door. The light from above suddenly intensifies and the unmistakable sound of creaking hinges can be heard, someone on the floor above has opened a door! Voices filter down from above, one of which is quite clear...
"What are you doing 'Golyadkin', you should not be out of your room..." the voice is gruff but easily made out to be that of Dr. Melchisedek Choker whom you met earlier, after dinner. "Yes, I heard the dog too, back to your room now, we may have company." the last words are followed by a metallic click, the sound of a revolver being cocked. "Bill.... BILL, attend we have uninvited guests..." footfalls can be heard on the floorboards above - someone is heading for the stairs and there is someone in the dining room behind!
More details,[attachment=0]Fen-House-Ground-Floor-Map-002.png[/attachment] Jonathan is at the mark JH, currently he's in the shadows and [i]probably[/i] can't be seen from above but there isn't a lot of cover in the hallway, definitely not enough to hide from whomever is approaching from above. [b]Make a check vs Intelligence (3)[/b]: 1 success = realises that the front doors will probably be barred and locked. 2 successes = deduces that the doorway to the right of the stairs probably leads into the Kitchen and that the Kitchen is where the back-door is.
Rachel, Nellie, Roxy & Ponsonby

Nellie starts to wind some of her torn petticoat around Ponsonby's head, hoping to at least staunch the bleeding. "He definitely needs to see a doctor!" Nellie says, Ponsonby has a ragged cut and a very large swelling on his head.

"He took a nasty crack to the head, poor chap will be seeing double for a day or two I expect." Roxburgh says, stooping to pick the unconscious young man up. "We'd better get the lad back to Cambridge as quick as possible."

The window above stays lit and from this angle it's not possible to see if anyone is looking out but if they are then it's not possible for them to see anyone down below. It's obvious that the people inside 'Fen House' have been alerted by the dog barking... but where is Jonathan?

Perception Roll from Rachel please,[attachment=0]Fen-House-Ground-Floor-Map-002.png[/attachment] 2+ successes = notices that there's a light coming from the nearest outbuilding. 3+ successes = that door (in the nearest outbuilding) wasn't open before. All clustered around 'RS' on the map, the outbuilding would be North East of where you are.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel can't see much of anything in the darkness. "We've got to get him to the carriage," she whispers. "I hope Jonathan can catch us up, but he may need some support."
OOC,Perception roll (5 dice) outside the cellar: [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan
looks around the room as best as he can in the darkness and mutters to himself, "This isn't good." Despite the front door being near it's undoubtedly buttoned up for the night and the risk is too great to attempt to use it. So, he makes his way to the doorway to the right of the stairs. Hoping - no praying - it does indeed lead to the kitchen and a way out.
OOC:   Intelligence - 3

[dice]0[/dice]  
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan Hornsbee - Inside Fen House

Jonathan steps into a small room, the dim light from behind him allows him to identify the room as some type of store room. More importantly he sees a closed door in the opposite wall which must lead into the kitchen, there's a glow of light visible from under this door. Closing the door silently behind him he steps across the now dark room and feels around for the door-handle. After a moment of scrabbling about the door opens and Jonathan steps into what he recognises as the kitchen.

Jonathan can hear muffled voices coming from behind him, Choker must be in the hall, probably conversing with the woman that he saw earlier in the kitchen. Quickly looking about he can see the back door, which may be locked. Safe for the moment he has a few seconds to decide what to do next... retracing his steps wasn't an option, there were at least two people and probably the hound only a few yards away!
OOC:   It's up to you.. but the back door is locked but the key is in the lock - if yu take that rout then Jonathan will become aware of the details occurring outside.  
Ground Floor Map,[attachment=0]Fen-House-Ground-Floor-Map-003.png[/attachment]
Nellie/Roxburgh/Rachel/Ponsonby - Rear of Fen House

"Ohh, that's odd; I didn't see that light before." Nellie points to a nearby out-building, as Rachel and Roxburgh turn their heads to look at where the plucky reports is pointing they hear the loud screech of rusty hinges as the double doors of the out building open. Silhouetted in the doorways is a large, very large figure, which steps forwards and a deep ponderous voice rings out "Now where do you think you're going then?" the accent is local and of someone poorly educated.

Nellie gulps the man striding towards them is huge, larger than Roxburgh easily seven feet tall!

Roxburgh steps forward "Stop where you are Sir!" he says brandishing his pistol.
OOC:   Nellie - Perception roll (8 dice)
[dice]0[/dice]

The huge man is around twenty feet away at the moment.  
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