Chapter the Eleventh: An Interrupted Celebration

[Rooter]

Lila agrees.

[SunlessNick]

"Yes we must," replies Ines in the same low tone. "Lest he come to the same fate as his fellow soldiers."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Guillaume is seen to proceed to the abandoned part of the Chateau, making no effort to conceal his actions. As he reaches the T-intersection, he looks both ways, as if uncertain which to choose. With a shrug he turns to the left, where he rummages through the old servants' quarters with no evident plan in mind. He finds nothing of interest, merely rags and other detritus.

Spoiler:

lowest DEX in the party = 9 + 1 for TI = 10[dice]0[/dice]

He becomes aware of the party's presence, it being impossible to move through the chaos of discarded items, et alia, as one moves through these dim corridors without making some sound. He turns to address them.

"Have you come to help or to hinder? I warn you, anything of value here belongs to me!"

[Mr. Handy]

"To help, of course," says Henry. "Are you by any chance looking for a large diamond in the shape of a heart?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Guillaume stares at Doctor North with evident alarm, his eyes open wide.

"How do you know about that? Who has been telling tales?"

[Rooter]

"Sir, at least part of the tales is true. I beseech you to have care and do not enter the chapel yonder for you may share the fate of your soldiers." Lila explains the discovery of the two bodies and the presence of an icy spirit. "Perhaps, knowing the Chateau, you might also be aware of this 'heart's' significance to one who may have perished of the cold long ago?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Guillaume does not appear to be overly surprised by the fates of the two soldiers.

"Fools and rascals! I admit that I may have said something about the family fortune whilst indulging in more wine than was wise; but all this talk of 'spirits' is mere superstition. As for the chapel, believe me, I have scoured every inch of it, again and again, years ago, and there is nothing of interest to be found there. The treasure must be somewhere else, and I mean to have it!"

[SunlessNick]

"We have seen the spirit ourselves," says Ines.

[Mr. Handy]

"It is true," says Henry. "Miss Davenport is lucky to still be alive after that encounter."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I have neither the time nor the inclination to argue metaphysics," Guillaume replies. He proceeds to the storeroom, which is a chaos of discarded items of a remarkable variety. He will obviously be occupied in rummaging through them for some time, and appears to pay no further mind to the adventurers.

Spoiler:

WIS = 9[dice]0[/dice]

"Ah-ha!" he cries. "What have we here?" He thrusts a small object into the pocket of his waistcoat, worn under his coatee. "Not that which I seek, but worthy of investigating."

He continues to search through the rubble.

[Rooter]

"Shall we make a search of the other empty rooms ourselves?" Lila suggests. "One of us may spot something pertinent. Besides the storeroom there are the servants' rooms, the old library, and the children's bedrooms."

[SunlessNick]

"Yes," agrees Ines, now glad of a reason to leave Guillaume's uncongenial company.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Having decided to investigate the abandoned rooms for themselves, it remains to be seen which members of the party will search through which rooms. They may, of course, search individually or in groups, keeping in mind the fact that their activities are likely to rouse the interest of the Baron and his family, whose approval of such is not guaranteed. It may possibly be of relevance to note that Guillaume remains occupied in the storeroom, and that he has already searched through the servants' quarters and found nothing of interest. This does not mean, to be sure, that there is nothing there.

[Mr. Handy]

"The library would be a good source of information," says Henry, "and I feel at home in such a place. I should like to search there."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Doctor North proceeds to the abandoned library. It is, as one would expect, full of half-broken bookshelves leaning against one another like drunken men, the crumbling pages of old, rotting tomes jumbled together.

Spoiler:

WIS checks: Doctor North = 11 + 1 = 12; Ivan = 9 + 1 = 10; Miss Carrow = 8.[dice]0[/dice]

Not at all used to perusing ancient written works, Miss Carrow stands by and provides inspiration for her beloved and his loyal manservant. Almost at the same moment, the two men discover a broadside, barely legible and yellowing with age. It relates, in French, of the disappearance of a young woman nearly half a century ago, with foul play suspected, the incident occurring not far from the Chateau. A substantial reward for any information leading to her recovery, or to the apprehension of those who may have done harm to her. Appended is the signature and seal of what is obviously an ancestor of the current Baron.

[Rooter]

Meanwhile, Lila ventures into the children's bedrooms.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

this is for my own use only[dice]0[/dice]

Ines having indicated a willingness to join Miss Davenport in her explorations, the two ladies begin a search of the children's rooms.

Spoiler:

WIS = 11 AND 12[dice]1[/dice]

After some time, they find within the second of three rooms an old doll, or poppet, fashioned in the form of a young woman attired in clothing of some decades past. This seemingly trivial item, obviously a plaything for a girl child of long ago, would not ordinarily draw much attention; however, the investigators discover that it is curiously heavy; much more so that its small size would suggest.

[Rooter]

Lila examines the poppet closely for some indication as to the cause of the additional weight.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

WIS = 12[dice]0[/dice]

By moving the doll back and forth, it becomes evident that there is a small object of great density within it.

[Rooter]

Lila suggests that they rejoin the doctor before attempting to unearth this foreign object.