Horror on the Orient Express... Players needed!

[normski]

I'd appreciate a heads up if any spots were to become available in the (hopefully very) near future!

Thanx,

Norm

[G-Returner]

Hi normski,

Actually, yes, there is one remaining spot available

We began playing last week, so you did not miss very much.

You can read the game thread to find out what happened so far. We are currently playing through PMs as the group has split, but we should go back to the forum soon.

You can submit a character, try giving him a background that would make it likely for the group to integrate him. Here's an idea (which you don't have to use if you think of something else, but it's an idea), your character could be a relative of Prof.Smith, who just heard about his disappearance and wants to find him. It has already been stated that Smith has no children and no close family around, but you could be a cousin or something of the sort?

edit: Prof.Smith's disappearance was not yet mentioned in the main thread as the investigators learnt about it in the newspapers the next day, when they were all on their own. Here's a copy of the articles that caught their attention:

Spoiler:

"Professor Home Burns

Fears For His Safety

Professor Julius Arthur Smith, a figure well-known in academia, was sought today following the burning of his home under mysterious circumstances.

Missing also is Mr. Smith’s manservant, one James Beddows. Witnesses saw a man resembling Beddows run from the house just before the fire broke out.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Dr. Smith or Beddows is requested to contact Detective Sergeant Rigby at Scotland Yard’s Arson Division."


"Man Dies Three Times in One Night

Three Bodies In Hotel
Each Man Carries Same Identity

Three slain men were discovered last night in a London hotel, each bearing positive identification as Mr. Mehmet Makryat, of 3 Brophy Lane, Islington. Each had been stabbed through the heart.

Maids at the Chelsea Arms Hotel discovered the remains. The room also was registered in the name of Mr. Makryat.

Bona fide papers identify the trio as one man, the Mr. Makryat who is a Turkish antique and art dealer doing business in the city.

The victims bear superficial resemblances, and each had passed as Mr. Makryat since independently arriving in London three days ago.

Confusingly, the real Mr. Makryat, or at least the man described by neighboring shopkeepers as Mr. Makryat, cannot be found. Police request that he come forth.

The passports of these Turkish national record independent world-wide travels for each man over the past three years.

Inspector Fleming of Scotland Yard is at a loss to describe the meaning of the bizarre mystery, but is eager to converse with any other Mehmet Makryats still living."

[Tangerine]

Has the last spot been filled yet? I'm new to CoC but if you can fit me in, that would be awesome!

[G-Returner]

Not yet, no.

Feel free to submit a character, although since there's only one spot left, I won't be able to include the two of you for the time being. If needed, I can have a waiting list in case one of our current players drops out.

I place a lot of importance on the regularity in posting, so this can/will be a criterium in selecting new players.

Thanks for your interest

[Tangerine]

How would I submit a character? Just PM you?

[G-Returner]

Yes, or post it here, either way is fine.

[normski]

May I present George P. Smith for your delectation

Norm

Name : ............................. George Patterson Smith
Player : ............................. Normski
Age : ............................... 32
Gender : ........................... Male
Occupation : ...................... Private Detective
Birthplace: ........................ Clevedon; Somerset:

Characteristics:
STR : .............................. 15
CON : .............................. 17
SIZ : ............................... 14
DEX : .............................. 09
APP : .............................. 12
INT : .............................. 11
POW : ............................ 12
EDU : ............................. 13

Idea: ............................. 55%
Luck: ............................ 60%
Knowledge: ..................... 65%

Sanity: .......................... 60
Phobias/mental disorders: ... none
Maximum Sanity: ............. 99
Hit Points: ..................... 16/16
Magic Points: ................. 12/12
Damage Bonus: ............... +1d4

Appearance & Personality: ... George is a well built man who has an easy going nature. His background in the Severn Valley was fairly mundane, but he soon discovered the complexities of different human beings and how they interact with each other - or more often than not - how they fail to communicate. He loves to watch people in their natural environment, and found that he could tell when something was not right, when something was out of place.


Background: ... Born and raised Clevedon, in the Severn Valley, where building was the major trade, and coincidently a lot of Great British foreign diplomats tended to originate from, he was drafted into the Army when The Great War broke out. Due to his being able to read people in different situations, he was attached to the fledgling intelligence corps towards the end of the Great War. He did well whilst stationed in Ashford; Middlesex but when the War ended he stayed on for a while before de-mobbing in March 1920. He was offered a job at the foreign office but felt the time wasn't right for him to be stationed abroad, especially in some far flung corner of the Empire. He did pick up a smattering of both French and German during his time in the Intelligence Corps; but could not say he was anyway near fluent in them.

His Uncle, Prof Julius Smith was an infrequent visitor to his distant cousin our in the West Country due to a family feud going back to His grandfather's and Georges Great-Grandfathers time. Whatever the feud was over has been long forgotten, but the two sides of the family are still distant. In truth, Uncle Julius is actually an Uncle twice removed.

The two of them have met several times in Georges memory, the last time being some three years ago when George needed some advice on a translation for some sensitive documents from a local Member of Parliament for Bristol who had been dallying with an Italian courtesan.

SKILLS :

Accounting (10%):
Anthropology (01%):
Archaeology (01%):
Art (05%):
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%):.............. 40%
Biology (01%):
Chemistry (01%):
Climb (40%):
Conceal (15%):
Craft (05%):
Credit Rating (15%): ....... 30%
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
Dodge (DEX×2): ............... 18%
Drive Auto (20%): ............. 30%
Electr. Repair (10%):
Fast Talk (05%): .............. 55%
First Aid (30%):
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%):
History (20%): 75%
Jump (25%): 36%
Law (05%):...................... 30%
Library Use (25%): ............. 40%
Listen (25%):
Locksmith (01%): .............. 40%
Martial Arts (01%):
Mech. Repair (20%):
Medicine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%):
Opr. Hvy. Mch. (01%):
Other Language (01%): ......... French 20%
Other Language (01%): ......... German 30%
Own Language (EDU×5%): ...... English 65%
Persuade (15%): .................. 35%
Pharmacy (01%):
Photography (10%): .............. 20%
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
Psychoanalysis (01%):
Psychology (05%): ............... 30%
Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%):
Spot Hidden (25%): ............. 60%
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

Hand-to-Hand:
Fist/Punch (50%): .......... 60%
Head Butt (10%): ...........
Kick (25%): .................
Grapple (25%): ............ 32%

Firearms:
Handgun (20%): ........... 45%
Rifle (25%): ...............
Shotgun (30%): ...........

EQUIPMENT:
A -32 revolver with a box of 40 bullets
A portable camera (Box Brownie type)
Several notepads with a pencil
A monogrammed Silver lighter (A gift from the not so discrete Bristolian Member of Parliament)

[Tangerine]

Name : Alexander Wright
Player: Tangerine
Age : 23
Gender : Male
Occupation : Antiquarian
Birthplace : London, UK

Characteristics:

STR : 10
CON : 12
SIZ : 8
DEX : 16
APP : 13
INT : (Idea ) 17
POW : (Luck ) 15
EDU : (Knowledge ) 19

Sanity: 75
Phobias/mental disorders: none
Maximum Sanity: 99
Hit Points: 15
Magic Points: 10
Damage Bonus: none

Appearance & Personality:
Alexander is a small, slight man, just under 5-and-a-half feet tall. Even so, his movements are graceful and sure, and he doesn’t let his smaller stature affect his bearing. His handsome face is quick to smile, and he loves to talk of his studies and collections. To Alexander, life is a journey to learn and enjoy - not a hardship or nuisance. Nevertheless, he is prone to bleak moods or immature sulking – a relic from his troubled youth.

Background:
Alexander’s parents were comfortably well-off and involved in their socialite lives, and as such were cool and distant figures in Alexander’s life. Always meaning well, his parents made sure Alexander never lacked for anything he wanted (at least, the material things a child needs). He learnt to deal with this lack of intimacy by becoming cool and distant himself. At the elitist school he attended, he had no friends and his small stature made him a target for bullies. He would often retaliate violently, his temper exploding. The school did not approve of his self-therapy choices, and after repeated warnings to his parents, expelled him at the age of 13.

Dismayed and shamed, Alexander’s parents decided a harsh taskmaster and some hard work would cure him of all his ills (and their embarrassment at their social evenings) – and gave him to the care of an Uncle of the family. A respected man in the archaeological societies, Uncle Wright was nevertheless a stern, tiger of a man whom had travelled extensively about the world. Alexander was at first terrified by the man, and retreated even further into his detached mental shell. After a while, however, working at his Uncle’s antique store that doubled as a sort of historical museum, Alexander began to develop an interest in the sculptures and antiques. Old heirlooms and weaponry of their country and ancient relics, as well as pieces from Eastern realms – his curiosity was piqued. His Uncle, seeing his charge’s new burst of life, smiled knowingly and promoted him from the menial chores to the care and cataloguing, and research of, new acquisitions. As Alexander learnt the odds-and-ends of the work at Wright's Relics, he responded to his Uncle’s stern but warm care, coming out of his shell.

Not a week after Alexander turned fifteen, a strange man appeared at the store, and went into a closed meeting with his Uncle. From then, he noticed many of the new acquisitions were older and more… different from any others in the store. His Uncle became a little sterner and, though business really began to pick up (especially from the eccentric nobles of London with a taste for the occult), Alexander noticed his Uncle was a little more withdrawn and cautious. On his sixteenth birthday, Alexander was surprised with a gift from his Uncle – having pulled various strings, his Uncle had convinced the school to admit Alexander into an older-education program, and with a secured place in the best University in London if his behaviour and grades were impeccable. Alexander was ecstatic! Here was a chance to prove himself to his parents, and to learn more about his passion for antiques and the occult!

At the same time, his Uncle introduced him to an old friend of his, a Chinese manservant working at a relative’s mansion. Having been companions in the past on the distant travels that fuelled the start of the store, his Uncle had seen the strange and mysterious Eastern martial arts in practise. Deciding that the additional mental and physical discipline would further Alexander’s rehabilitation, he asked his friend to begin instructing Alexander in martial arts.

Alexander worked hard and diligently at school, and then the University of London, which accepted Alexander with high grades into studies of anthropology, archaeology and the like. His continued training in martial arts allowed him to deal with his intimacy and violence issues, and life seemed that it couldn’t get any better.

During his years at the University of London, Alexander saw less and less of his Uncle: Resuming his travels to distant places, he had left Alexander to work-part time as an informal second-in-charge during his absence. As the date of his hard-earned graduation neared, Alexander became concerned about the lack of correspondence from his Uncle. Repeated attempts to contact him led to dead ends, or week-old telegrams of a neutral and business-like tone. Nevertheless, on the important day, his Uncle suddenly reappeared, and as a reward for the years of work and effort Alexander had put into the shop and his own life, presented Alexander with a ticket on the Orient Express, and a share in his business. His parents, still distant to this day, even gave him an heirloom .32 revolver and a sword cane – gentlemen’s weaponry, a testament to their belief that their son had finally become worthy of acknowledgement.

The day came when, a small amount of luggage in hand, and his sword cane at his side, Alexander stepped out from the shop and with the busy but heart-felt well-wishing from his Uncle, parents and mentor, began his holiday alone in London - destined for the Orient Express.

SKILLS : (For convenience, put non-default skills in BOLD)

Accounting (10%):
Anthropology (01%): 60%
Archaeology (01%): 60%
Art (05%): Anitiques 60%
Art (05%): Sculpture 40%
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%): 45%
Biology (01%):
Chemistry (01%):
Climb (40%):
Conceal (15%):
Craft (05%):
Credit Rating (15%):
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
Dodge (DEX×2): 40%
Electr. Repair (10%):
Fast Talk (05%):
First Aid (30%):
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%):
History (20%): 55%
Jump (25%):
Law (05%): 30%
Library Use (25%): 50%
Listen (25%):
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%): 61%
Mech. Repair (20%):
Medicine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%): 45%
Opr. Hvy. Mch. (01%):
Other Language (01%): Chinese 32%
Other Language (01%): French 40%
Own Language (EDU×5%): 95%
Persuade (15%):
Pharmacy (01%):
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
Psychoanalysis (01%):
Psychology (05%):
Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%):
Spot Hidden (25%): 55%
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

Hand-to-Hand:
Fist/Punch (50%): 60%
Head Butt (10%): 10%
Kick (25%): 35%
Grapple (25%): 30%

Firearms
Handgun (20%): 45%
Rifle (25%):
Shotgun (30%):

EQUIPMENT:
In luggage – clothes, toiletries, a couple of textbooks, journals regarding the shop
On his person – sword cane, leather satchel - containing a mahogany box (.32 revolver, 18 bullets), personal journal, a book on Ancient Occult Myths, wallet, an antique puzzle toy and a hip flask of spirits – and an antique chain-watch.
Dressed in a decent dark dress suit, nice shoes, with a martial arts sash instead of the usual cummerbund (blends well).

[G-Returner]

Thank you both.

Both characters are fine and I'm unsure how to choose one, so I'm going to go with the traditional "first come first served" approach, and let Normski in.

Sorry, Tangerine. If you want I'm putting you on a waiting list in case somebody drops out.

[Tangerine]

That's fine - I actually got carried away with my character bio and had it geared more towards "entering" when the Story hit the Express itself - had to edit it. I'm happy lurking for the moment anyway to pick up the nuances, and if someone does drop out I'll be happy to take the reins

[normski]

Sorry Tangerine - I feel guilty now

Norm

[Tangerine]

Don't worry about it! It's all good

I enjoyed writing my epic-length biography so it's no waste at all for me

[G-Returner]

One of our players (namely Wayno / Frank) has disappeared so there is currently an open spot. Taking over the character of Frank would be preferred as it would allow a seamless transition, although I'm open to consider other ideas.

[Incris]

If one of the guys on your waiting list doesn't take it I'd love to get some experience. Am happy to take on a pre established character.

[G-Returner]

Hi Incris, there isn't a waiting list at the moment.

If you feel you can commit to our pace of one post per day (this is important), you are welcome to join.

A pre-requisite is to read the wiki (which has all the most important info briefly summarised) and all the IC threads in which Frank/Wayno was involved. They are the large "Chapter 1 : London" thread and the new "Chapter 2 : Paris" thread as well as all the smaller threads in which Frank's name is mentioned in the title. There were also some strictly PM exchanges with Frank, which I will forward you so you can see all of what Frank has seen and get an idea of what the character is like. Starting with Chapter 1 and then going chronologically is the best way to go and understand how the events unfolded.

[G-Returner]

The spot is still open.

[Tabs]

G-Returner, I'd like to join and I can commit to one post a day.

[G-Returner]

Hi Tabs,

you are welcome

You should start by reading the threads and the wiki as explained above. Then let me know when you are done and we can get you started. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

[Tabs]

Frank Drebin


I will post again when I have read-up on Frank.

[Tabs]

Okay, I have thoroughly read the wiki and skimmed the posts. When shall I start?