Chapter the Ninth: Paris

Romantic Horror, London, circa 1800

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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Feigning meekness, Ines scurries into the chambers.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Entirely taken in by the invitation -- a thing not to be taken lightly, indeed -- as well as the fact that the lady has such a finely attired servant, the footman bows low and gives detailed instructions as to where the arrival of Their Majesties shall occur.

Meanwhile, within the private chambers of the Queen -- the term being, of course, somewhat ironic, given the many favorites and servants which fill these rooms -- Ines is able to recognize Violette DuPray from the many descriptions provided by her companions. As if her madness is subdued by these elegant surroundings, there is no evidence of the lunatic heretofore encountered. Instead there is a lady dressed fashionably but not ostentatiously, engaged in conversation with others of a similar high status. Indeed, from time to time she catches the ear of Her Majesty herself.

From snatches of overheard murmurings among the servants (Ines having acquired some small facility with street French), it appears that the King and the Queen shall make their appearance from their separate chambers, as is most proper.

As luck would have it, there is much imbibing of coffee, chocolate, and such luxurious beverages, as well as sweetmeats, elaborately decorated as jewels. It remains for the Gypsy to attempt her bold subterfuge.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Victoria Silverwolf wrote:Ines is able to recognize Violette DuPray from the many descriptions provided by her companions.
Descriptions aside, Ines saw her in the undergound chamber when Miss Carrow was abducted. We must merely hope that DuPray did not regard Ines as worthy of notice or remembrance.
OOC:   Which means she's probably entitled to an Int roll to recognise me.  
Image

At first Ines observes how drinks are delivered to the esteemed persons - all together on a tray, or more individually? If the latter, she can slip the sleeping draught into DuPray's drink before even taking it to her.

If it is the former, she will have to attempt sleight of hand once she knows which drink DuPray will take, which probably means under their noses:
OOC:   Dexterity = 9, +1 Sleight of Hand
SunlessNick rolled 17, failure.  
... and detection...
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Spoiler:
SunlessNick wrote:
Victoria Silverwolf wrote:Ines is able to recognize Violette DuPray from the many descriptions provided by her companions.
Descriptions aside, Ines saw her in the undergound chamber when Miss Carrow was abducted. We must merely hope that DuPray did not regard Ines as worthy of notice or remembrance.
OOC:   Which means she's probably entitled to an Int roll to recognise me.  
INT = 9 -3 for Insanity = 6[dice]0[/dice]
Miss DuPray shows no signs of recognizing Ines; if anything, she does not acknowledge her presence at all.

Image[/quote]
At first Ines observes how drinks are delivered to the esteemed persons - all together on a tray, or more individually? If the latter, she can slip the sleeping draught into DuPray's drink before even taking it to her.
As the specially favored guests of the Queen are given much individual attention, it would appear that each beverage is prepared at the time it is requested.
Spoiler:
If it is the former, she will have to attempt sleight of hand once she knows which drink DuPray will take, which probably means under their noses:
OOC:   Dexterity = 9, +1 Sleight of Hand
SunlessNick rolled 17, failure.  
... and detection...
Let's interpret this dice roll a little differently.
Whilst engaged in observing the happenings, Ines accidentally jars a servant carrying a silver tray with a ceramic cup. The dark brown liquid within the cup is spilled upon the tray.

Ines is able to gather the general meaning of the excited servant's resulting tirade.

-- Clumsy fool! Go back and get another cup of coffee for Mademoiselle DuPray, quickly! --

With that he runs off on some other errand.

It would seem that Fate has opened the door of opportunity for Ines. It is a simple matter to discover the alcove wherein the beverages are prepared, and no great trick to slip the sleeping draught into the hot liquid whilst engaged in the task of carrying it to its intended target.

Paying no attention to the servant bringing her the coffee, Miss Dupray accepts it and drinks.
Spoiler:
CON = 9 to fend off the effects of the sleeping draught, + 1 for the stimulant effects of the coffee = 10.[dice]1[/dice]
Perhaps because of the bitter taste of the sleeping draught, Miss DuPray takes no more than a very small sip from the coffee. The best that might be said for this turn of events is that Ines remains unnoticed, and will able to rejoin the others by the final stroke of twelve.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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When the opportunity presents itself, Ines slips out of the room, claiming an errand for the guard on duty if he stops her. She then returns to the rest of the company, and confesses that the ruse has failed (and that as DuPray seemed to taste the presence of something in her coffee, another attempt is probably futile).
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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"It was a valiant effort," says Henry, "and worth the attempt. We shall just have to attend the gathering and be ready to thwart her plans."
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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The adventurers make haste to be present at the Great Hall where Their Majesties will make their appearance. They are among the last to arrive and are admitted quickly, after a manservant (himself an imposing figure, arrayed more splendidly than many guests) examines the invitation.

The room is crowded with the cream of French society. The light of more candles than one can count reflect off fine jewels and the tall windows which look out on the dark night. Despite the many roaring fireplaces, a chill can be felt as one passes by the nearly invisible glass, outside which starlight reflects off a courtyard blanketed with snow and stately trees encased in ice.

Due to the large number of persons present, the party finds itself at the farthest point from the grand staircase, down which Their Majesties will make their appearance.

At the first stroke of midnight, the same manservant, assisted by others in similar livery, closes the doors leading into the room. An unseen herald, no doubt selected for his stentorian tones, makes an announcement.

-- The Queen! --

To the sound of trumpeters arrayed at the base of the stairs, Marie Antoinette begins her descent. She is accompanied by several favorites; it is no surprise to see Violette DuPray amongst them, as yet behaving only in the manner expected.

As the next ten strokes of the clock ring out, it can be seen, even from a distance, that she draws away from the Queen and the other ladies, and appears to withdraw a small object from her reticule.

The final stroke of midnight is about to sound. The King will be announced, and make his appearance.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Lila is unsure if she can cross the crowded distance in time. Perhaps Ines might be fast enough. Unless some other distraction occurs only one thing is left. She takes out Roterstein's disc weapon and poises to throw.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Ines tries to thread her way through the crowd toward Lady DuPray - ignoring anyone who takes her for a servant and tries to accost her. As she draws closer, she tries to identify the object Lady DuPray is holding.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Henry has Ivan try to clear a path to move closer to Violette DuPray, following in his mighty servant's wake.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Wruter wrote:Image

Lila is unsure if she can cross the crowded distance in time. Perhaps Ines might be fast enough. Unless some other distraction occurs only one thing is left. She takes out Roterstein's disc weapon and poises to throw.
Spoiler:
DEX = 18 [dice]0[/dice]
Moving with the proverbial stealth of the aboriginal inhabitants of the New World, Miss Davenport is able to make her way to a closer position to Miss DuPray, the arcane weapon at the ready.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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SunlessNick wrote:Image

Ines tries to thread her way through the crowd toward Lady DuPray - ignoring anyone who takes her for a servant and tries to accost her. As she draws closer, she tries to identify the object Lady DuPray is holding.
Spoiler:
Dex = 9 + 3 for Fast, time being of the essence here = 12[dice]0[/dice]
Despite possessing the fabled swiftness of a sylph, Ines is unable to do more than make a little progress through the assembled throng, eager to catch a glimpse of their sovereign.
Spoiler:
INT = 9 - 3 for Dull = 6[dice]1[/dice]
Despite a lack of familiarity with strange and unusual objects, she is able to determine that the object Miss DuPray holds is something in the nature of a very small but powerful lantern (a minuscule but very bright point of light serving as a clue) which takes the form of a slender cylinder, as if one wished to direct the light to a particular point, in the way in which a schoolmaster might make used of a wooden rod to direct the attention of a pupil to a particular object of study.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Mr. Handy wrote:Image

Henry has Ivan try to clear a path to move closer to Violette DuPray, following in his mighty servant's wake.
Spoiler:
STR = 16[dice]0[/dice]
The mighty Russian is easily able to clear a path for his master, due in no small part to his imposing presence.

Doctor North is able to draw quite near to Miss Dupray, and is easily able to make the same observations about the object she holds as Ines.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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The stroke of twelve strikes. The King begins his descent, to the huzzahs of his subjects. Miss DuPray raises the object in her hand.

Mister Witherly has followed behind Ines, perhaps in the hopes of drawing nearer to the madwoman. Suddenly, as if transformed into some savage beast, he utters an inarticulate roar and pushes aside all those in his path. It requires no great powers of deduction to determine that he is intent on confronting the woman who so horribly ended the life of his beloved -- alas, already lost to him as a wife, and now removed from the earthly realm entirely!

The attention of the persons in the room, unsurprisingly, are directed to this seeming lunatic. Amongst those so distracted is Miss DuPray, who points the object in his direction. A violet ray of light is projected from it, as if it were a bizarre version of the prisms used by Sir Isaac Newton in his famed investigations into the nature of sunlight. This peculiar ray, however, does not increase its width nor attenuate at a distance from its source, remaining a straight line of pure, intense light.

When the light strikes Mister Witherly's body, he collapses, in evident distress. One cannot help but recall the mysterious words spoken to Ines by the gray-bearded prophet some months ago.

You will lead him to his freedom and destruction.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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OOC,Do I have a reflective object? I know we used such things in that experiment earlier. I'd like to use it to try to reflect the light back at [b]Violette[/b].
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Mr. Handy wrote:
OOC,Do I have a reflective object? I know we used such things in that experiment earlier. I'd like to use it to try to reflect the light back at [b]Violette[/b].
Spoiler:
sounds reasonable
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Fully familiar with the principles of the reflection of light, Henry takes out a small mirror that he had used in his earlier experiment involving light. As close as he is, he is confident that he can accurately intercept the beam and point it right back at its wielder, Violette DuPray. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, he thinks as he interposes the mirror to send the light back at her without harming anyone else.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Doctor North's bold and clever action directs the mysterious ray back at its wielder. She collapses as well, the violet light vanishing as she falls.

It is not unexpected that pandemonium follows these extraordinary events.

Their Majesties are quickly escorted back upstairs to their private chambers. As the assembled guests rush to make their escape, a loud crash fills the room. Some of the large windows of the grand hall are shattered from without, and it is clear the palace guards are engaged in battle with a mob of attackers just outside. Many of these rebellious peasants fall, but many pass through the broken windows, intent on great harm.

-- They have murdered the saint! -- one burly fellow cries. -- Vengeance! Vengeance! --
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Lila dashes to Mister Witherly's side in dismay.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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"Protect us, Ivan!" says Henry. While the Russian draws his sword cane and takes up a defensive stance, Henry checks the crumpled form of Mr. Witherly to see if there's still a chance to save him. The Cauteriser has enough chemicals still in its reservoir for one more use.
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