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 hesitates, unsure of her next move, things are starting to get more 'exciting' the danger ramped up by the sudden awakening of the cook - who could at any moment decide to investigate the noises that emanated from the other side of the very door that Nellie was stating at. To go back would be to court almost certain discovery, forward was the only path open, with a shaking hand Nellie lifts the latch of the door and pushes it open.

Surprised to see that the room beyond is lit by two guttering candles their light playing over the shelves and boxes that indicate this is a storeroom, the cellar that they've been looking for! The smell of animal waste is stronger, the foul odours making her nose itch and eyes water. Stepping into the cellar and taking a quick look behind the open door, relieved that there's no adversary hidden there. Then Nellie notices that a section of shelves has been moved away from the wall, the flickering light can't penetrate the darkness beyond, not from where she's standing. So, taking up a candle she moves towards the ominous opening, 'A secret passage! And someone is up ahead..' she thinks.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Nelly (4SP) in a candlelit storeroom –

Picking up the lighted candle noticing that it had not been lit that long by the small amount of wax at its base, Nelly presses forward towards the opening. As she does so the noises of animals grows louder, more animated as though the light draws their attention. 'A secret passage! And someone is up ahead..' she thinks, a thought which is subsequently confirmed by the single glow of candlelight from beyond the room containing the animal cages.

Trying her best Nelly listens for movement but the noise of the distraught animals defeats her, whatever is ahead remains, for the moment unknown...

Rachel (3SP) on the staircase –

By the time Rachel has entered the stairway and closed the door behind her, Nelly is gone. However an open doorway below, beyond which she sees candlelight would appear to reveal her location. Pausing momentarily to listen, without joy, for movement within the pantry, Rachel quietly yet quickly follows knowing that at any moment the door behind might open to unleash a hound upon her. As she moves her fingers tighten, reflexively, on the brass and iron knuckles that her dear husband, Edgar, had given her so long ago.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel takes her inability to hear anything through the door as a good sign. There's a chance the cook won't even go into the pantry, and it is unlikely she would actually venture down the stairs. Chances are she had heard the animal sounds before and would figure that's what had startled the dog. Rachel sneaks down the stairs, following Nellie, and makes for the open doorway to peek through it.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan (4SP) in the corridor –

With baited breath you hold still, aware of the slow movement of the woman towards the other door, For a moment you think that she will tell the hound, Nero, to quiet. Yet if that was her intent it would seem that the dog has its own ideas for as you listen you hear padding moving toward the very doorway outside of which you wait, With its approach you hear an increase in the snuffling sound as though the beast were smelling the air. With little more than a few feet separating it from where you stand, you hear it stop moving, cease snuffling and begin a low menacing growl as if in warning of imminent action...

Rachel (3SP) at the storeroom door –

Pressing on regardless, Rachel steps into the storeroom where it seems Nelly had preceded her. Shelving and boxes attest to the function of this room, and a slowly moving light indicates another exit ahead on her left from where it seems the animal smell and noise originates. As the light moves so the noise increases as if in reaction to the bearer. It can only be Nelly for she is but seconds ahead...
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Jonathan looks down the corridor, searching for the nearest door that he can slip into. Once located he begins to quietly move towards it.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel continues, hoping to catch up with Nellie.
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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OOC:   I feel a bit bad that Jonathan's become separated, especially as the ladies are catching up with Roxy.

We could have a bit of 'handwavium' where we agreed that if anyone in the house got split off from the others they'd make their way back to where we entered - that way I can engineer Roxy turning back, meeting up with the ladies then exiting the cellar via the external steps and fetching Jonathan.

Does that sound OK?  
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OOC:   As Lee says you would have made arrangements that in the case of losing contact with each other you would make your way back to the Games Room and await the others. Of course you may continue to explore alone if you wish.  
Jonathan (4SP) in the corridor –

Things look dire for Jonathan as he feels the hound searching the air for any strange scent, and knows that should he be discovered then his chances of fighting off such a vicious looking beast with just a knife, is slight.

Thinking fast he spies the nearby door in the western wall, as yet unexplored. Moving with as much care as he can he crosses to the door and tries the handle, it is unlocked. Opening it he realises that this is the door that they had seen in the adjacent east wall of the dining room. In the nick of time he enters the dark room and closes the door behind him. A few moment after he hears the snuffling of the dog outside the door and from close by he hears the woman’s voice, “Quiet Nero! Stupid dog there’s no one there”

For the moment you are safe. There is the door you had opened earlier to the south which leads back into the games room and the window through which you entered the house, or there is another to the west which still lies unexplored.

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

Even as you search amongst the vile experiments your attention is diverted by sounds. To your northwest the sound of a dragged chair comes from behind one of the closed doors, while behind you, the way you had just come, the flicker of candlelight and gentle, furtive steps almost masked by animal noise would seem to reveal the imminent arrival of company...

Nelly (4SP) and Rachel (3SP) amongst the caged animals –

Aware that whoever is carrying the candle has halted, Nelly stops. For a moment a strange silence falls over her, despite the continued noises from the distressed creatures. As she pauses to await further movement ahead, Rachel arrives...
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel nods to Nellie, then she silently inches forward to try to see who else is down here with a candle without being seen herself.
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Realising that someone is following in his footsteps Roxburgh hunkers down behind the metal table and snuffs the flame of his candle, returning the room to darkness. With his hand in his jacket pocket ready to pull his revolver he tries to make his considerable bulk smaller ...
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In an attempt to put as much distance between himself and the hound, Jonathan proceeds to the western door to see what lies beyond.
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Eyes wide with both fear and revulsion at the sight of the unnaturally warped creatures Nellie slowly makes her way between the cages. The very idea that someone would stoop to such depravity so as to perform such perversions against 'Mother Nature' had unsettled Nellie, Choker and his cohorts had to be stopped, stopped and brought to account for their disgusting actions.

Without any warning the faintly flickering light coming from the next room is extinguished, leaving a dark void in the wall ...
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Rachel (3SP) and Nelly (4SP) amongst the cages –

Creeping forward towards the opening Rachel halts abruptly as the candle within is suddenly snuffed out. In the few moments before she had seen a myriad of disquieting images, such horrors were displayed that she welcomed the darkness. Holding her breath in suspense she is aware that somewhere to her front someone lurks in the darkness in wait...

Nelly lets Rachel pass her towards that opening into another unknown room. No sooner has the other woman crept past than the light within is suddenly extinguished. At the edge of her own pool of light, she sees Rachel halt and crouch in response...

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

As darkness floods the room in response to your extinguishing of the candle another candle light in where the cages are kept becomes immediately apparent. Indeed someone follows you close. As you crouch and slowly move your hand to your holster, you see a shadowy shape momentarily outlined in the doorway. The shape belies that of a female, and a slight hint of perfume drifts into your expanded nostrils. Probably undetectable to another who has not spent as much time hunting the big cats of Africa and Asia as you, there is something recognisable in that sweet French perfume. By thunder, you muse, It is Mrs Steele....
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Realising that it's one of his fellow investigators Rocburgh let's out a sigh of relief and moves his hand away from the grip of his pistol. He stands slowly "Mrs. Steele, it is I... Roxburgh, are you alone?" he says as loudly as he dare, head swivelling to take in the door from behind which he heard the noises of a chair being dragged across the floor.
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Jonathan (4SP) in the dining room –

With as much haste as caution allows Jonathan quickly moves across the room to the closed door. Realising it is as yet unexplored he gently turns the handle and opens it a mere fraction. Through the gap he can see that it leads into narrow room filled with an abundance of topcoats, hats and rubber boots. In the north west corner he can see a container filled with sticks of various lengths and thicknesses. The room appears to be some sort of cloakroom where articles of hunting attire might be stored. In the south wall is a window which allows limited light from outside and it is by this light that he is able to see the room’s contents. Directly opposite the door by which he stands is another door, closed a hint of illumination below shows that it leads into an area of occupation.
As he looks around, in search of further articles, he see a large cabinet fixed to the wall before him. Partially open it reveals the dull metal glint of a gun’s barrel resting within...
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Rachel smiles, exhaling with relief when she sees who it is. "Nellie is with me too," she replies. "We had to leave Jonathan waiting for us, as he's not as stealthy. We crept in through the kitchen, where the cook and her hound were sleeping, and then the pantry, where we found stairs leading down here. The animal noises woke them up, but I shut the doors quietly. The cook doesn't know we're here, and the dog can't tell her, but they're awake, so it's best if we don't leave that way once we rescue Ponsonby. How did you find your way down here? However you did, that's our way out. We can just collect Jonathan from outside once we're done here."
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Roxburgh re-lights his candle from the one Nellie is holding while Rachel explains their arrival. The news that Jonathan had become separated form the ladies was worrying, it would be the very pinnacle of irony if they were to rescue Ponsonby only to have Jonathan captured by the denizens of this 'evil household'. Still, Jonathan was a stout fellow well able to 'hold his own' and someone who was well used to relying on his own wits.

"I am sure Jonathan will be fine, if he cannot join us down here I feel sure that he will retire to the room in which you all entered and wait." he says, keeping his voice low, "I discovered that the pile of boxes behind the house covered a trap door... which lead me here... and just before the two of you arrived I heard someone beyond that door." he adds, then drawing his revolver he motions the others to follow and creeps up to the door in question.
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Roxborough (5SP), Rachel (3SP) and Nelly (4SP) in what appears to be a laboratory –

Indeed, as you whisper a voice rises from behind the door. A cultured voice full of British education, “I say...who’s there?”
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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"Friends," replies Rachel, approaching the door from the side and examining it to see if it is locked. "Are you Edward Ponsonby?"
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Re: Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

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Roxborough (5SP), Rachel (3SP) and Nelly (4SP) in what appears to be a laboratory –


Upon examination the door seems heavily reinforced and secured by a stout lock. A small metal grill allows a limited view of the interior of what is best described as a nasty cell, easily the match of the worst Roxborough had encountered in the roughest parts of colonial Africa.

A well-educated voice, of a better class, filled with suspicion answers Rachel’s whispered query, “Yes, I am he...who are you another of Choker’s pets sent to annoy me?”

Assured that you are not, he subsides into thoughtful silence for a few moments, “Then you must make haste or the Empire is doomed. Quickly unlock this door we have little time”...

OOC: The lock will require a Larceny (Lockpicking) diff 2 to pick it or can be subjected to brute strenght if you are willing to risk the noise.
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
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