IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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The group looks on as Clarence barrels down the road to where the fez-topped man was, after a few moments he walks back disappointed. "No sign of anyone there" he says.

Unnerved, Professor Smith agrees with the group consensus, "Yes, let's get inside, this isn't something we should discuss so openly." He leads the group into the foyer of 5 Durward Street, it seems to be something of a fleabag boarding house. In front of them is a set of stairs leading up, beyond the stairs appears to be a kitchen as the smell of the night's stew wafts down the hall. Smith motions for them to wait as he goes into the room on their right, the small parlor that doubles as reception occupied by an elderly women dressed in a drab high-collared blouse and long skirt. The professor and the elderly woman have a hushed and rapid conversation during which Smith gestures to the group and presses money into the woman's hand. The group can only make out the last part of the conversation, "...make sure you get that...thing...out of here when you leave, the guests are bothered." Nodding, Professor Smith beckons the group to follow him.

The Professor leads the group up the narrow stairs, carefully treading on the soft and rotten boards in desperate need of attention. At the top of the stairs is the small, unlit landing of the second floor. A little drawstring seems to lead to a pull down ladder for the attic. There are three doorways on the second floor each leading to a tenant's room, but it is the second room that draws the eye, the door is ajar and appears to have a small amount of light pouring out. A fearful stench comes from it, of old fish, offal, and ancient curdled vomit.

Inside the room is a sinister tableau lit by two candles in wooden candlesticks: a wasted man on a small sagging bed and a black-cloaked figure beside him. Scraps of old food and discarded notes and pieces of paper make it look as if someone has been here for a while. The bad light, however, makes it impossible to search effectively. To the right of the entrance appears to be another door that links the room to the first tenant bedroom the group passed.

The stench seems to emanate from the man on the bed. He looks ancient, withered, and near death. He is naked except some stained smallclothes. Strangest of all, he wears a fez upon his head. Closer examination reveals at one point the main appears to have been bound to the bed. Loose leather strips depend from his wrists and ankles and flap about like rogue skin. The cloaked figure standing nearby steps forward.

"You lot must be the assistance that Professor Smith called for. Doctor Niels Hobbs" the older man extends his hand to no one in particular, "A pleasure. I work as a medical examiner for the police and believe me when I say that this is an odd one."

Professor Smith takes a few steps into the room before turning to the group, "So, I suppose I should explain what's going on..."
OOC,I'm going to stop here for a moment for reactions etc. I want [b]listen rolls from everyone[/b]. I apologize again for the late update, it's been a hectic week and I expect next week will be more of the same with midterm tests and papers.
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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"Rupert Chesterfield," says Rupert, stepping forward to shake the doctor's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Doctor."
OOC,Listen roll (45% skill) at the crime scene: [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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"As a group I believe that many of us are not yet introduced to each other yet either. I am Clarence Leatham ... "House" to my friends. Dr. Hobbs." Clarence steps forward and extends his hand, Once he has shaken Dr. Hobb's hand he puts his hand towards Rupert. "Very pleased to make your acquaintances gentlemen, and who else do we have here."


Clarence listens hard [dice]0[/dice].
[dice]1[/dice]
OOC:   For some reason it came up with two rolls - discount the lower please.  
Last edited by Cearlan on Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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"Likewise," says Rupert, shaking Clarence's hand.
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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Sylvia Listen [dice]0[/dice]

"Sylvia Warner," she said to Dr. Hobbs, and, "How do you do, sir," to Clarence. She tried not to wrinkle her nose in disgust.
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

Post by maelstrom »

David steps forward.
"Miss Warner, Doctor, Gentlemen. David LLewelyn. Pleased to meet you all" a further round of handshakes passes.
Looking around the room and taking in the sight of the poor unfortunate lying in the bed.
"By the looks of this professor this is going to take some explaining"
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Listen roll 20% [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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Michael joins in the introductions rather absent-mindedly as he is transfixed by the man on the bed.

"Interesting to meet you all here. I'm Michael Connolly, I'm Professor Smith's research assistant."

Listen 20%,[dice]0[/dice]
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

Post by Cearlan »

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Clarence clears his throat ...,

"Well professor, you have got us here - surely not just to observe the seemingly imminent passing of what I assume is a poor Turkish man."
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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Professor Smith clears his throat, " From what we can gather about four days ago a rather well dressed fellow around forty, with silver hair, a top hat, and a swallow-tail coat offered Mrs. Grim, that's the landlady downstairs, a handsome amount of money for this room. Soon after, some men in fezzes, accompanied by a woman, dragged a semi-conscious man into the room. The door was locked, and only the top-hatted man came and went. On the second night weird sounds afflicted the tenants, as if the building was filled with whispers. Tenants also reported strange shadows on the landing." Smith looks on grimly as the doctor nods in agreement, "By the third night there was shrieking and thumping and the top-hatted man appeared and offered the landlady more money for her connivance, saying he had a drug addicted brother he was trying to cure. But by the fourth night, tonight, things could not be ignored. Shrieks of agony burst from the room and unearthly noises, rattles and thumps shook the whole building. The landlady sent one of her tenants out into the night to call the police."

The doctor picks up where Professor Smith paused, "This is where I come in. The man in the top hat and the men in fezzes must have seen and fled, leaving only the old withered body on the bed. The police came and called me in and I called Professor Smith when the withered man had whispered Smith's name before passing out. The police cent and brought Smith here, but they discount the other tenants' talk as nonsense. They say that there is no crime, just a diseased man who needs to be attended to or hospitalized. Then they left."

The Professor chimes in, "Yes, but here's the rub. I don't think that this is just some diseased old man. I think that this is a student of my colleague Professor Demir from Constantinople. I think this is Matthew Pook. But, that is a much longer story and one that I need to confirm with my colleague." He looks at the withered man and back to the group, "And this is why I need your help. I think that the men in fezzes will return now that the police are gone. I need to make certain that this man is safe to move and not contagious. I need your help to remove and guard him from potential assailants, because believe me these men in fezzes are part of a larger and more nefarious group, wholly evil and you should not hesitate to defend yourselves if they show up."

As the professor finishes Dr. Hobbs responds, "Perhaps the young woman can assist me in that regard, this isn't any sort of disease I am familiar with." He gestures to Sylvia.

As the group collects themselves and processes all of the information given, Bernard Mottram - the man with the cane - hears something and speaks up, "Professor, you think the men with fezzes may return... but there appears to be something or someone next door and their making an awful lot of noise if they are trying to be stealthy." Sure enough as the group listens closer they can hear a rhythmic thump...thump...thump, coming fro mthe next room which connects through a door on the interior of their current room.
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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"Then perhaps they aren't trying to be stealthy," whispers Rupert. "We might wish to be, though, when we go to see who's in there."
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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Sylvia Warner felt bewildered by what she had heard. But she ignored it all and did as Dr. Hobbs asked: she went and examined the withered man. "Hot water and clean towels, quickly." She looked up from the sickbed. "Someone tell Mrs. Grim what I require."
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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Sylvia,Give me a[b] medicine [/b]roll please
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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Sylvia's Medicine roll (31%) [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

Post by Cearlan »

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"Tell me Professor, it the Landlady of this ... house, is she about, this Mrs Grim, there never was a name more apt? If we could ascertain from her the identity of the occupants, and then we can plan our next move armed with information; after all, forewarned is forearmed and all that. Ah, Rupert is it? I do believe that a frontal assault more often than not can yield the best results so once we get this information we can go and temper our actions accordingly." Looking round the party, Clarence suggests;

"If someone could please go in search of the landlady and inquire as to the occupancy, I shall go and ensure that no-one leaves till your return." Fishing in his wallet Clarence withdraws some money and puts it in his pocket, ready to pay for repairs to the door - if, but more likely when it will be needed.
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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"I'll go ask her," says Rupert, "if someone will tell me which door is hers. I doubt it will be necessary to kick in the door. I expect she has a key."
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

Post by Cearlan »

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Clarence says, smiling at Rupert;

"Perhaps the first doorway on the right as we came in, where the Professor spoke to a woman - I guess that was the Landlady, is that right Professor? Does anyone have a glass please? We could maybe use it to hear if there is any conversation emanating from next door."
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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"Good thinking," says Rupert. "Unless anyone has anything to add, I'll be off to see Mrs. Grim now."
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

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"Hmm? Right you are down the stairs, if she isn't in the parlor, she will be in her room right next door." The Professor responds.

As Sylvia and Dr. Hobbs examine the man, the doctor adds to Rupert's chore, "Get some warm water and rags while you're down there."

There appears to be two glasses on the table next to the candles as well as a pitcher of lukewarm water.

As Rupert descends the staircase to the first floor, he spots Mrs. Grim reading a nightly news article in the paper and tutting about what the nation is coming to.

Sylvia,As you gingerly examine the man you can confirm that he is not old at all, but in fact in his twenties. There seems to be some sort of rot or wasting sickness affecting him. Let me know how you further wish to examine the man. Your Medicine success will be maintained for anything pertinent in this examination.
Clarence,Where will you be standing to watch the door?
Everyone OOC,I fear I haven't done an adequate job describing the interior of Durward so I'll post a poorly drawn map here and in the background section to give you a better idea. Darkened squiggles on walls indicate a door, so there are two doors leading to the room with the noise - One in the room you are current in and one on the outside. It is fairly clear that at one point both rooms were either a larger single room split for getting more rent, or a larger two room apartment. [img]http://i.imgur.com/GLErM4f.jpg?3[/img]
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

Post by Cearlan »

OOC:   Clarence positions himself between the door to the room where the noises are coming from and the stairs down, leaving at the same time as Rupert so that anyone listening in the room will hear footsteps going down the stairs.  
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Re: IC-Ep 1: Down on Durward Street

Post by Tabs »

"He's not old at all!" exclaimed Sylvia. "In his 20s I should guess. Dr. Hobbs, do you agree?" She unbuttoned the withered man's shirt, and pressed a stethoscope to his heart and lungs.
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