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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Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Episode Two - The Plot Thickens

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Fen House is situated about a mile north of Cambridge on the road for Ely, just before the other side of the village of Impstone. It is, of course, dark as you arrive in the cab driven by none other than your earlier acquaintance Alf Milsom.
In the scudding moonlight you are able to see, what in daylight, you would imagine to be a handsome, if somewhat neglected, 18th century house, with a small cluster of adjacent outbuildings. Although private from the lane, which passes for a road, the approach to the building is a simple matter. Alf, who seems to be an expert on the fens, advises you to stay to the track and avoid the fens.

From the lights that can clearly be seen at the Georgian windows of the ground floor at the left, it would appear that someone is home....
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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After instructing Alf to await their return, she confers with her colleagues. "We know that Choker couldn't have gotten here ahead of us, at least. I'm sure his servants are still at home. We need to gain entry and find the cellar. I suggest we use the servants' entrance. I brought along one of Laura's spare maid outfits that could be a suitable disguise for myself or Nellie. The staff no doubt know each other, so it won't pass close inspection, but it might suffice in the dark or from a distance if its wearer is spotted. I do not intend to be spotted, however."
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Whilst in the cab Nellie reviews the recent events, some of which have her troubled...
Nellie thinking:   "How on earth did Choker get back into the College after I has chased him? He could only have gone outside into the street but there wasn't any sign of him. He definitely wasn't ahead of me on the stairs up tot the roof either, of course he could have doubled back into the court-yard whilst I was on the roof but then where was he? It's as if he made himself invisible ...  
At last they roll to a stop in the lane outside 'Fen House', the moonlight make the façade appear to loom out of the ground full of menacing shadows and brooding malign intent. "Goodness, that is definitely the dwelling of a villain, I suppose it looks much nicer in daylight but this house looks like it was design by the architect after reading one of those 'penny dreadful's." she says after quickly alighting from the cab.

Listening to Rachel's outline of a plan Nellie nods in the darkness, "I am not sure I could pull off a 'local' accent but I can disguise myself, if it would help. she says wondering how much of her 'modesty' would be covered if she were to change out of her dress in the cab.

The comment about Choker sets her to worrying again. "About Choker, I know this is going to sound .. well fanciful to say the least but it has been bothering me for some time and I feel I have to say something now." Nellie draws a big breath and prepares to make a fool of herself.

"Jonathan was scaling the walls to confront the man that pushed the gargoyle, McPherson as we now know, I rushed after Choker across the courtyard.. the 'Great Court' he fled the courtyard through a door and I followed seconds later.. and, well he had disappeared. He could only have gone out through the main doors or upwards via a staircase, there were no footsteps on the stairs, so I went into the street via the main doors. There was no one on the street! I made my way up the stairs eventually getting out onto the roof, at this point I was pursued by the Porter but neither he nor I saw Choker on the ascent. So he could be anywhere..."
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Jonathan clears his throat and says, "Regardless of where Choker is at the moment we must be cautious." Pointing his pipe at Alf he continues, "Is it wise to have him wait about for us? I realize the road is dangerous and so we don't want to travel back on foot, but if Choker returns and see's the cab while we're investigating his home it most certainly will mean more trouble than we want at this time."
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"It's not as outlandish as you might think," says Rachel. "There was a scientist named Griffin who was working on an invisibility serum. Wells wrote about him. However, there are still issues with it. One of the side effects was madness, which might fit with Choker. However, the serum was also said to be irreversible, so that anyone who used it could not become visible again. Still, if it can work in principle, perhaps it was done another way, such as using an artifact unearthed in Central Asia. The power of invisibility would be just the thing for someone plotting to overthrow the Empire. We can't send the cab away, as we'll need it to get Edward Ponsonby out of here in a hurry. We don't know what condition he'll be in after his captivity, so we cannot count on him being able to walk. However, we could conceal the cab where it will be less obvious."
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Alf Milsom, overhearing the debate, turns towards you, the darkness of the night revealing little beyond a darkened shape.
“I don’t know what you’re on about. Talk of invisible people, of this Choker fellow comin’ and goin’ without notice. But if you want me to hang around there is a lane a mile back in which it should be possible to wait wivout being seen from the road”

Even as you watch you can see by the occasional blocking of light in the windows of the buildings left, as you view it, that any room there is currently occupied. However at the right, again as you view it, the windows stay permanently dark as if any room situated there would be unoccupied.

From a quick study you imagine that the darkness in conjunction with the overgrown nature of the grounds would permit an easy approach to that darkened window. However, if you would prefer investigation of the outbuildings that are situated to the side of the lighted windows, you run the risk of a casual observer noticing you.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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"Thank you, that will do nicely, Mr. Milsom," says Rachel, nodding. "The rest of us should approach from the darkened side of the house, gain entry, and locate the cellar as quickly as possible. That's where Edward Ponsonby is being imprisoned. If there's anything else we need to be concerned with in the house, hopefully he can tell us, but it's imperative that we rescue him first."
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"The entrance cellar can probably be found in or near the kitchen, which is probably at the rear of the house. That's where we should try to gain entrance." Nellie starts to move forwards, keeping out of the light.
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Rachel nods, not wishing to make any further sound from this point forward. She too creeps closer to the house, approaching from the darkened side with the grace and stealth of a cat. Invisibility, the old fashioned way, she thinks.
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Within moments, using the darkness to mask your approach, you have negotiated the neglected garden to the front of the house.

Taking care to avoid any stray light from your left you find that in front of you the building juts forward, Dark windows provide a limited view of an interior. Before you lies, from the furnishings, some form of games room. You see what is most likely a billiards table its bulk an enormous shadow.

The room appears empty and unlighted. Further to your left are a pair of enormous oak doors, festooned with brass adornments and an ubiquitous bell pull.
To your right beyond the extended frontage, partialy hidden by the huge shadow of an unkempt bush, you note a small path that leads to the rear of the house.

So far you have heard nothing to give you any thought that your stealthy approach had been noticed. Other than the occasional sounds of raised voices from the left front of the house. The building seems as quiet as it does dark...
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel gestures silently to the path leading behind the house and begins to sneak along it. She's in her element here, with both the mission itself and this particular part of it squarely in her area of expertise.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Displaying the stealth expected from a servant of the Empire, Rachel turns the corner of the house, carefully avoiding the overgrown bush.

Ahead of her some five feet along the wall is a large window as dark as those to the front, and indeed a quick glance inside reveals the interior of the games room.

Above you several, equally darkened windows hint at the second floor. While ahead of you at the corner to the buildings rear a pile of boxes, barrels and sacks provide an obstacle to your progress...
OOC:   I am assuming that Rachel has turned the corner of the building on her own, while Nelly waits at the buildings corner. If anyone wishes to accompany Rachel down the small path to the rear of the house let me know.  
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel beckons for Nellie to come forward with the others once she sees that the coast is clear. She uses the pile for cover while she waits for them to catch up to her.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Nellie carefully follows Rachel, turning the corner and coming to a stop by the pile of boxes and barrels.

"Do we try the back-door, or this window?"Nellie asks in a whisper whilst wondering if having some sort of commotion out at the front of the house would provide enough of a distraction to enable them to successfully gain entrance to Choker's house without alerting the people inside. "How many people do you think are inside?" she asks in the same whisper.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Nelly -
The window is closer to the front end of the building than the pile of boxes and stuff. That is closer to the corner that leads to the rear

OOC:   What are Jonathan and Peter doing? I assume they have followed to the front corner of the building where the bush partialy conceals the path.  
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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"Let's try the window to the games room," whispers Rachel back. "I can't see the back door, and it's probably on the other side of that pile. I've no idea how many are in there, but I'd wager it's fully staffed by servants. Fortunately, they're all on the far side of the house." She examines the window to see if there's an alarm or other nasty surprise, and to check if it's locked.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel (6 SP) and Nelly (6 SP) at the window to the games room -

Subjecting the window to your skilled examination (Easy Perception, so no roll necessary) you quickly see that it is locked, but a simple affair easilly opened.

The window, a sash in desperate need of repair and decoration, can be raised on its cords allowing ease of access to the room beyond. It does make a small amount of noise as it rises but not enough to cause undue alarm.

The room although dark has enough light for you to easilly see its contents of a large billiards table, several smaller round tables, you imagine them to be card tables, a large cabinet against the wall to your right, as you look in the window, stands equal distance between a pair of doors, both closed.

Directly opposite you another window shows a glimmer of light some way off, you imagine this window provides a view of the front towards the front door. A pair of further windows look out onto the front garden, and the distant road.

Other than the dark shapes of the furniture the room seems to be devoid of occupants, however a trace of cigar smoke in the air of the room hints at earlier occupantion...

Peter (6 SP) and Jonathan (4 SP) at the corner of the house -

?
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Nellie ponders Rachel's words, "Would there be servants? If Choker is one of the ring-leaders would he risk being betrayed by one of his staff? After all if he has Edward 'locked' up it would be hard to hide that fact from the rest of the household... and if he had servants why would he need to employ McPhearson?" Nellie says in response, realising that the only way to know for sure is to venture inside.

"Well, we can definitely get into the house this way and someone maybe more than one has been in here recently what if they come back?" Nellie grins in the darkness, "Oh blow it.. I'll give you a 'leg up', we don't have time to procrastinate..." she says, offering to help Rachel up and over the windowsill.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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"Choker would no doubt have vouchsafed the loyalty of his servants," whispers Rachel as she accepts the boost and climbs in the window. "They'd also likely be afraid of him. I can't imagine him running a house this size without any staff. He may have guests as well, perhaps his fellow conspirators. Let's listen at the doors before we proceed from this room." She helps Nellie climb through the window from the inside.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan followed the women to the window. Once they're safely inside he pulls himself in. He silently nods at Rachel's suggestion of listening at the doors before saying, "Let's hope we find Edward in good health."
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