Play@YSDC

‘Despite racing against the rain on your way northwards, the storm finally caught up with you in earnest and with it the night has fallen, abyssal black and riven by lightning. Conditions on the rain-swept road force your speed down to a virtual crawl so that your head-lamps can pierce the gloom and keep you on the path. The only thing certain now is that the weather behind you and coming fast is worse than that which surrounds you, driving you onwards. What should have been an eventless journey has become something dangerous and unpredictable’

This adventure begins in media res sometime in October 1933 on a lonely stretch of road about half distance from Arkham to Ipswich. It is about ten thirty pm…

You are half involved in a conversation. William Kieffer nervously whistles an almost unrecognizable tune and half laughs at Maynard Heldstom's almost funny comment. The worsening weather conditions make you all nervous and eager to see the lights of the small gas station of Orchard Run a ways down the road, where you might find hot coffee and shelter from the storm that is coming fast. The heavy rain, now falling in an almost constant deluge, is flooding like a river down the car’s windshield so fast that the wipers are hard pressed to clear it. Maybe you should have stayed in Arkham until morning, but some pressing need had you heading north on the Ipswich road hoping to outrun the storm which had begun to overtake you a while back.

Inside the somewhat cramped Ford, the distressed whine of the wipers and heater makes any real attempt at conversation difficult, while the distant rumble of thunder that seems to draw nearer with every muted crash sets nerves jangling and hearts racing as with each boom an increasing volume of driving rain is hurled toward you from a relentless sky. Outside, the blackness of the storm is broken by flaring lightning forks, the gap between flashes and the crash, boom of thunder decreasing as the heart of the storm closes. It is not a good night to be on the road.

The Ford’s engine strains with effort as the combination of weight, weather conditions, and the sharp upward incline of a road that is fast becoming a river conspire to slow progress to a crawl. The stuttering rumble of its overworking engine, so close to stalling at at moment, is almost lost amidst the deeper rumble of the advancing thunderstorm. In each flash of lightning you can easily make out the dense forest that lines the edge of the road close enough to each side of the car to allow a passenger to reach out and break off a wind whipped branch.

Suddenly!! an explosion of forked lightning, so close that it makes each of you jump with its intensity and violence…

OOC:   You are in Sean O’Rielly’s 1927 Model ‘A’ Ford, so we begin with him making a Regular Drive Auto Roll. While everyone else makes a Regular Luck Roll.

"Jumpin' catfish!" Dorothy nearly leaps out of her skin. "That was too close!"
She has a feeling that it could have been even worse.

Alister Sergeant

Packed like sardines in a tin box! But at least it's cheaper this way, besides, this car was the only one available for the road... Alister tries to "entertain" the ones sitting next to him by showing off the hefty tomes New England genealogy he acquired at the auction, but it is too dark to read the script and the small handwritten notes on Wests and Carters and Marshes are dancing before his eyes, making him dizzy.

Then there is a screech of tires!

Luck 60%
[dice]0[/dice]

Kieffer

The intensity of the rain reminds Kieffer of the Atlantic storms he endured in his navy days.　He begins to worry if they will be able to carry on their journey in this weather.

The sudden flash of lightning nearly blinds him, causing him to inadvertently duck his head.

Luck,Luck 60%, [url=http://orokos.com/roll/485648]Luck[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]16[/b]

Sean O'Reilly tightens his grip on the wheel, barely maintaining control of the car only due to his superior skill.

OOC,Drive Auto roll (70% skill) driving the cab: [dice]0[/dice]

"Gracious!" Judith exclaims, startled.

With a snarled curse Sean pulls the car to one side as he slams the brakes hard. Luckily the slow pace of the vehicle combined with his reaction speed stopped the Ford from going into a spin despite the slickness of the rain lashed road.

For in that sudden enormous explosion of nature’s power, that had violently ripped apart the blackness of the storm, had been revealed appearing as if from nowhere in the road a few feet in front of the Ford’s bonnet, a pale figure. In what seemed no more than a heartbeat, that burst of light had revealed through rivulets of rainwater and breath fogged windscreen what appeared to be a young female, her eyes wide and her mouth open in a scream of fear.

Hands sweating, knuckles white where they gripped the steering wheel Sean breathed a heavy sigh of relief, as his muscles relaxed and the ice cold tension began to ease. For a few nerve jangling moments the interior of the Ford was a well of tense silence which even the violence of the storm failed to breach. It seemed that even to draw a harsh breathe would end that moment of calm in a rush of reality.

What had happened? Who had the mysterious figure been? Where was she now, and was she injured?

As the initial shock fades the interior of the Ford becomes a hive of frenzied activity. Car doors fly open in defiance of the wind and the vicious rain, as stunned occupants spill forth to see if the young woman is okay.

The young woman, for indeed you can now see that the figure is female, stands, seemingly oblivious to her close brush with death, hair flying in rain drenched coils in response to the ever increasing wind. Her face, probably attractive in a different circumstance, is pale and in the dim light of the Ford’s headlights appears quite gaunt, her forehead bears a livid bruise above her left eye. Her eyes blaze large with fear and thin lips twitch as if in readiness to unleash a scream. Yet it does not seem to be fear of you or the narrowness of injury avoided, for she does not seem to be aware of your presence at all.

You guess that, despite her ragged and forlorn appearance, she is in her early twenties, and from her lack of suitable clothing could not have come far, her dress once a pretty gingham, now a disheveled mess of tears and mud stains, is hardly the thing anyone would wear out of doors on a night like this. She also appears to have lost her left shoe, yet any discomfort this would have caused seems unnoticed, as she stands unmoving in the downpour.

A new flash of lightning reveals the presence of a silver chain at her throat, yet whatever charm or medallion it might hold is lost around her back, no doubt from running. All this you notice between the crash and rumble of thunder that now seems to be right above you…

Kieffer

“Let’s get her inside the car” shouts Kieffer, his voice struggling to be heard against the noise of the rain. “Somebody help me”.

He moves closer to the girl. “Miss, can you hear me?” he asks, wondering what on earth has happened to her. "Are you alright?"

Alister Sergeant

Alister follows in Kiefer's footsteps. He knows from experience that this part of the county can be a rough place, and the girl clearly needs help.

Judith peers anxiously off into the dense forest close by the edge of the road, wondering where the girl had sprung from, and in such a disheveled state, too. Had she been attacked by an animal? Judith shudders at the thought of all those wild creatures to be found in American forests: bears, wolves, sasquatches, inbred hillbillies with guns...

Dorothy lets out a little shriek at the sight. She knows she's something of a Nervous Nellie, and this is enough to give anybody the willies. She takes a deep breath and tries to act like a pro. What would Nancy Drew do in this situation?

"I learned a little bit about shock in the Girl Scouts," she says at last, as the men help the young woman into the car. "We've got to keep her warm and keep her head elevated."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, behind the anxiety, she can imagine the headline. REPORTER SAVES MYSTERY WOMAN FROM DEADLY STORM!

OOC:   I'm assuming that with the young girl in the car there will not be enough room for everyone else? Not so much for this minute, but moreso for when we move off ... if we move off that is

Maynard watches thee edge of the forest where the girl came from, and leaves those better suited to the task of looking after the mysterious stranger. "Can you see anything Miss ... Miss Howard was it? I'm afraid that All I can see is the nearest of the trees, after that it's total darkness." The rain is starting to soak through his clothes he asks "Would you want my coat my dear - this weather is most inopportune."

Cearlan wrote:

OOC:   I'm assuming that with the young girl in the car there will not be enough room for everyone else? Not so much for this minute, but moreso for when we move off ... if we move off that is

OOC:   It will be a very tight squeeze (I'm using a slight handwave for this) But given the weather I doubt very much that antone will want to give up their place in the car

Despite the violence of the downpour which has made keeping your footing amidst the seeming river that is rushing back down the road, and the constant threat of a sudden lightning strike, it seems that William Kieffer is first to the side of the forlorn female. The first thing you note is just how close to impact the girl had come, but for the quick reactions of your driver Sean O’Rielly the heavy Ford would have likely killed her. Her frail form providing little defense against the Ford’s heavy chrome bumper.

William shouts loudly, but against the power of nature it seems to fail to carry to the girl. He takes a step closer almost hurling his words directly into her ear. But even at this closeness there seems no reaction. It is as if she is unaware of your presence at all.

Nor does she seem to notice the arrival of Alister Sergeant who quickly follows William’s steps, slipping and sliding with the force of the downhill flow as he answers Williams’s call.

Still sheltered from the rain in the car Judith Howard peers into the darkness, squinting against the rain, and wonders. (Please roll a Hard Spot Hidden, equal to or less than half your skill)

William, assisted by Alister is quickly able to guide the woman towards the car. It is like leading a child, she offers no resistance, even allowing Allister to gently lower her into the firm grip of Maynard.

Dorothy Leigh, cub reporter for the Ipswich Weekly, nervously gives vent to a small shriek whose volume is drowned by the continuous rain on the Ford’s metal roof. Even the young reporters fussing draws no response from the female, who continues to stare fixedly ahead as if seeing something that is not there.

As the woman is gently coaxed into the Ford’s interior, amidst the groaning of the already tightly packed travelers, Maynard turns his attention to Judith Howard, the British librarian, who is steadily peering into the rain soaked night, towards the edge of the woods on the right of the road.

Then once again a moment of pure bedlam seems to descend upon the car’s interior as the woman, until now utterly compliant, draws a long shuddering breath. For a brief moment her eyes seem to blaze with a mixture of loathing and hatred; her lips twist into a feral snarl of anger and scream, “Grandfather!! The LIGHT!!!!”

Two shouted words, nothing more…

"It's a tight fit," says Sean, "but we can manage. She can't have come from far away. She was walking towards us, so if we keep going this way, we're bound to find whatever town she's from. Poor girl must be terrified of this storm."

Kieffer inadvertently recoils from the young woman, surprised at the force of her scream. The look of hatred in her eyes is shocking too. He is left wondering again – what could have happened to her?

“Miss, what’s your name? What are you doing here?” He privately agrees that she must be in shock. “We should get this young lady to a doctor” he tells the others who are listening.

"I'm afraid I can't see anything out there either," Judith replies distractedly. At the young woman's shriek she turns away from the window. "Thank you, but perhaps you should give your coat to this poor unfortunate instead," she says to the gentleman. At the youthful reporter's mention of shock she adds, "I have a little skill in first aid. My sister works as a nurse at a hospital in London." She moves to help.

Alister Sergeant

Alister is startled by the sudden scream. For a second he considers hugging the trembling girl, but then thinks that it would not be decent and would only scare her more. He peels off his coat and passes it on to Julie instead.

As Sean O’Reilly said it was indeed a tight fit, but at least it was dry and as long as the engine kept running warm. He knew that about a mile from here the small gas stop of Orchard Run would allow some respite from the weather which was worsening all the time. And that it would be likely that someone there might be able to identify the woman. Nonchantly he guns the Ford’s motor as a none-to-subtle hint that he is eager to be gone from this spot. The increasing rain bothers him, within a short time this road will become a fast flowing torrent carrying all manner of debris, and to stay too long is to court disaster. Attempting to return to Arkham would be suicide for by now several of the small creeks they had crossed would have been swelled to river proportion with their respective bridges washed away. Already he can feel the heavy Ford starting to sway as the force of the current threatens to set the car adrift.

Inside the Ford it is warm with the small heater working overtime, however with the warmth on wet clothing the threat of condensation and reduced visibility is increased. Within moments any opportunity for Judith to see anything through the windows is gone, if she had seen anything she failed to note it. Anyway it would seem that her skill at first aid is needed as the strange young woman is suffering, not only from the effects exposure, but also from a myriad of small scratches to her arms and legs, no doubt from the thick undergrowth that lines the woods on either side of the road, and the nasty looking bruise that sits just above her left eye. (Please Roll Regular First Aid)

Maynard does his best to look through the rapidly misting window to see if there was anything that Dorothy might have missed, but other than darkness he sees nothing. Then he is busy shrugging off his overcoat to give to the soaking wet female. His coat arriving at the same time as Alister’s, who seems confused as to how to respond to the sudden scream.

William, despite his reactive recoil, persists in his attempts to gain answers from the woman, yet other than her scream “Grandfather” and “The Light” she stays silent. It seems she has, but for that brief moment, relapsed into confusion.

Judith does her best to tend to the young woman's wounds as the car rattles on through the rain.

Kieffer gives up questioning the girl for now. It’s obvious that whatever happened to her has produced some kind of catatonic state. He is beginning to worry now that they will not make it back to Ipswich tonight. The road is getting worse and now they had the girl to look after.

“I wonder what she meant by ‘the light’?” he says to Alister and Judith. “And was she shouting a warning?”

HoneyDog wrote: “I wonder what she meant by ‘the light’?” he says to Alister and Judith. “And was she shouting a warning?”

"She seems to be in shock!" Alister assesses, although Psychology is not his strong suit. Generally, he is rather blind to others' emotions. This is, however, not an everyday situation...

"Maybe she means lightning, not light?" he takes a guess. "Don't worry, you'll be safe with us," he says quickly to the girl.

Judith is quick to see that none of the woman’s injuries are serious. The scratches are simply superficial, more nasty looking than dangerous. The bruise is a little more serious, yet even that although vicious looking and swelling fast, is not life threatening and looks easily treatable given access to a decent first aid kit. She tuts and clucks as she examines the woman, wounds aside she reckons that the woman is suffering from exposure as well as some kind of traumatic reaction, probably akin to ‘shell shock’ as they were now describing the effect suffered by soldiers during the war.

She glances up at Alister’s remark, its banality accompanied by a sheepish grin. Yet at his referral to Keiffer’s use of the word ‘light’ the woman visibly flinches as if to avoid a blow. “Grandfather!! The Light!! Please help!!!!!!”

Watching the young lady closely, Maynard notices her flinch when Alistair and Keiffer used the word 'Light' and purses his lips as he thinks. He applies his knowledge of Psychology to the girl and the situation in general.

Psychology 70%

[dice]0[/dice]

"There, there my dear, I hope my Jacket will make you feel a bit warmer. Sorry I didn't catch your name back there. Tell me my dear ... and remember that you are quite safe here, Who is your grandfather and what could he do to save you? I only ask so that we may help in his stead until such time as you are reunited with him."

"Hang in there," says Sean, though he doesn't look around his cab, keeping his eyes focused on the road. "We'll be coming up on Orchard Run soon enough. There should be someone there who can help, and we can get in out of the rain."

From his study of the woman, Maynard, is able to conclude that something traumatic has occurred to her recently. From her reaction to the word ‘light’ it would seem that this has bearing on her situation, as for her grandfather’s involvement only time can tell. He is convinced that whatever occurred has resulted in her mind closing down. However, he is convinced that given the right situation and stimuli she will quickly recover her senses. He glances through the rain distorted windscreen at the dark, liquified road ahead. Somewhere ahead is the Orchard Run gas stop, and if, as Sean says, she is known in this area then surely she will see familiar faces and that might be the key to unlock her mind.

Meanwhile, his concentration fixed on the road ahead, Sean drives the Ford slowly avoiding the worst of the rubbish that is being carried along by a river of rainwater. Several times he has to pull the heavy car aside to avoid large sections of tree branches which threaten to block the road for the duration. Amidst all the rubbish and debris that covers the fast disappearing road, he sees the wheelmarks of a heavy vehicle showing that the surface of the road is easily turned to a slippery muddy ooze that threatens, if the car is subjected to any sudden direction change, to see them crashed amongst the thick trees that line the road. Still at least the way is downhill to the station, and an overworked engine is not a worry.

The, what is turning out an exciting drive, continues. Outside the car the occasional flash of lightning reveals just how bad the situation is getting. Even the least weather wise of you is convinced that the chances of pushing on to Ipswich, or even the nearer town of Bolton, is unlikely. You just hope that the small gas station at Orchard Run is open, after all with the ferocity of this storm a power outage is likely, the alternative is unthinkable.

The car shudders with the occasional onslaught of the wind; the slightest movement to left or right seems to threaten disaster as Sean uses all his skill to keep the car on the road; sudden flashes of lightning as it dances and flickers amongst the tree tops keeps each of you alert to the possibility that the wind whipped trees hide some unknown danger which had caused a lightly clad woman to run blindly into the storm filled darkness. Could these effects be the ‘light’ she had been babbling about?

It is literally the journey from hell, surely even the Ancient Greek Hero Orpheus’s journey to Hades was never as fraught as the fifteen minutes it takes to crawl the mile or so from where you had found the girl to where you can see the welcome lights of the ‘Orchard Run Vacuum Oil Station’ ahead, it would seem that the station is open.

Yet even as you reach safety it would seem that all is not well, for slewed across the road ahead, partially blocking the road itself, a flat-bed cattle truck, soft mud torn up by its heavy wheels, has been abandoned, its driver door left open and buffeted by the strong wind. Whoever had been driving it seems to have left in a hurry.

Kieffer

“What the hell happened here?” Kieffer thinks to himself. He was looking forward to getting off the road, but now he's not so sure. If the truck is just stuck, why leave the cab door open?

To the others he says, “We’d better check that everything is okay. Perhaps the ladies should stay in the car for now.”

Alister Sergeant

Alister is not an action hero, but he isn't a total bookworm either. "Let's go," he joins Kieffer and starts moving towards the truck.

Maynard gets out of the car and investigates the cab of the truck to see if the keys are still in the ignition and investigate the ground around the open cab door to see if he can see where any tracks might lead.

Sean also steps out of the cab and braves the storm to look at the truck. He leaves the motor running, just in case he can't start it again. That would be the last thing they'd need.

Inside the car Judith offers Miss Leigh a tense smile while continuing to soothe the stricken young woman. "I do hope this grandfather of hers is not still out in this dreadful storm."

Turning their overcoat collars up against the savage wind and its ice cold passenger, our four men Keiffer, Alister, Maynard, and Sean make their way over to the truck.

Luckily Sean had the quickness of mind to retrieve the small flashlight he carried in the glove box for emergencies.

So armed the four gallants cross the rain sodden ground toward the abandoned truck, its driver’s door still buffeted by the wind. And with the aid of the flashlight Maynard is able to notice that there are two distinct marks below the driver’s door, as if a heavy object had dropped, or leaped, from the truck. Closer inspection show that they were made by boots and that they showed that their owner had fled towards the diner in haste.

Pulling himself up onto the driver’s plate, Maynard, peered within the cab. Still in attendance was an ignition key, obviously forgotten in the driver’s haste to flee the truck, indeed the continued, if useless, beam of the trucks headlights lost in the depth of the woods, attest to his speedy flight.

OOC:   At this point Maynard may attempt a Hard Spot Hidden Roll

Back in the Ford, its engine still idling, as Sean had left it, Dorothy and Judith have time to study the cluster of three buildings that comprise the facilities at the Orchard Run gas station.

Three building make up the station, a forecourt, some offices and a small, but comfortable, diner. Under normal conditions this station is a well kept facility, a credit to both the owners, the Vacuum Oil Company, and the manager an S Keelham. However the storm was no ordinary condition, a sudden burst of intense lightning revealed the full extent of the damage that the station was undergoing. Rainwater swirled like some Biblical flood around the solitary gas pump and running riverlike through the office and repair shop. Only providence had kept it away from the diner, although it looked far from certain that it would remain free of flood for much longer. Yet it seems to your eyes that the diner is occupied, as the white light that spills between the overlapping strips of blinds is occasionally blocked as if by the movement of someone within.

Glancing around, you note the presence of two other vehicles one a sporty two seater roadster, and the other an older battered looking Packard. Of course there may be other vehicles parked out of sight.

Despite the loudness of the drumming rain, the unknown woman, thankfully asleep for most of the hellish journey to the station, groans loudly, her eyes flash open and her mouth curves into a loud, nerve shattering scream – “The light!! Dear God, the light!!!!!!!!”

Kieffer calls out to Maynard. “Turn off the lights, save the battery. We may have to move this rig later”. He wonders what the driver must have seen to have made him flee the vehicle like that.

To the others he says. “I’m going to have a look in the diner”. He tries to ignore the apprehension he is feeling and sets off.

"We've got to get this poor woman inside," Dorothy says to the Englishwoman. "The diner looks safe for now. Come on, help me move her there."

Observing the lighted building through the car window, Judith murmurs in agreement and not a little relief at the prospect of getting indoors.

HoneyDog wrote:Kieffer calls out to Maynard. “Turn off the lights, save the battery. We may have to move this rig later”. He wonders what the driver must have seen to have made him flee the vehicle like that.

To the others he says. “I’m going to have a look in the diner”. He tries to ignore the apprehension he is feeling and sets off.

"Looks like the storm hit here hard!" theorizes Alister, trying to overpower the howling wind. He keep up with Kieffer.

Holding their raincoats above their heads in defence against the heavy rain, Dorothy and Judith bustle the shaking woman with them towards the welcoming lights of the diner. Although little more than a hundred yards from the Ford to the diner, the weather makes it seem a gargantuan effort. The wind tears at you and hurls the cold rain into your face despite your best attempts. Those raindrops hit like a shotgun blast threatening to tear the skin from any exposed skin in moments. All around you swirl torrents of floodwater, carrying goodness knows what debris to make every footfall a nightmare. What ground lies uncovered by the swirling water is a slippery, slimy morass that threatens to steal your footing at any moment and cast you into the water to be carried along with its other cargo. As you pass the bulk of the abandoned truck you see the men looking at something on the ground, but the weather drives you on towards the diner. Almost muffled by the howling wind, you hear someone shout something about lights, but then you are gone.

With perseverance and care the short journey is accomplished without mishap, and within moments you stand outside the plate-glass door of the Orchard Run diner. On the opposite side of the window, sandwiched between red venetian blinds and the misted glass a sign announces ‘OPEN’ in large letters. As you reach for the handle you hear the hum of voices from within. It would seem you are not alone in being abroad this night.

Having called out to Maynard, Kieffer turns and begins making his way towards the diner. Any apprehension of the situation he is feeling disappears as ice cold rain finds its way beneath his overcoats collar. It is no more than a few seconds of misery before he has made it to the plate-glass door of the diner with the ubiquitous sign announcing that it is open for business. With Alister dogging his footsteps and showing difficulty with the force of the wind, Keiffer arrives at the door just in time to see Judith and Dorothy, with the woman in tow, reach for the handle...

Alister Sergeant

"Wait for us!" Alister tries to shout to the women in the roaring tempest.

"Dibs on a big mug of hot cocoa," Dorothy says, a bit giddy now that shelter is within reach. "Coffee or tea if they don't have the good stuff."

It's a miracle they've still got electricity in this weather.

She shivers, leaning right up against the diner wall in a feeble attempt to escape the worst of the deluge. It would make sense to wait until everybody's here before opening the door, to keep the rain out of the diner, but she's only got so much patience.

"Come on, slowpokes. I'm gonna count to ten, then in I go!"

OOC:   Hard spot hidden 25% [dice]0[/dice] As a hard roll is halved then I passed - just

Maynard peers into the gloom - what was that I saw at the edge of my vision, just over there. The I hear someone shout something to me that I could not make out.

Half in and half out of the truck’s cab, despite the downpour, Maynard reaches towards the switch for the ignition key. As he does so something catches his eye A Strange flicker of light that lasts a brief moment then is gone. Stare as hard as you might but no trace of the light remains, nothing to indicate it having been nothing more than a reflection perhaps of the trucks lights on the rain. Yet for a moment you had the feeling that something was watching you, something that evoked a primeval fear within your very being. A shiver runs through you and you half hear someone shouting about ‘lights’ and a ‘battery’ but the wind driven words fail to register.

With a sigh of relief, Dorothy, reaches for and turns the door handle, a sudden blast of wind almost succeeding snatching the door from her grasp. Inside the well-lit, tiled, and scrubbed diner, are five people. One, a middle aged man, face adorned by an old fashioned style of moustache, is leaning across a table toward another, thick set, man who sits, head in hands, opposite. On the other side of the long tiled counter stands a rather bored looking waitress, a tag pinned to her floral apron naming her as ‘Mary’, one hand nonchantly twisting an errant lock of hair while constantly chewing some gum from one side of her mouth to the other. She looks up with a start as the door flies open to admit you accompanied by an enormous blast of wind which sets hanging lights swinging wildly and throws ice cold rain towards the counter. Recovering from her surprise the waitress, curls forgotten, sends her hand flashing, instinctively, towards a large steaming pot of coffee...







The drama of your entrance also focuses the attention of the other occupants. All except an elderly couple sat together at a table in the far corner who are seemingly more intent on staring out the window into the darkness than showing interest in your arrival.
“Oh! Did you see that, Teddy?” says the elderly lady in a whisper loud enough to grace any stage production, “Over there beyond the truck, something bright”



However, the interest in your arrival is fleeting. At the table the thick set man slams his hands, palms down, on the table top and looks up fiercely at the mustachioed man, “I tell you I seed it. It damn near drove me offen the road. Hell it caused me to crash my damn truck” From the tone of his voice, more than a little shaky with underlying fear, he is not looking for any argument or explanation, “A dead light, that what it were, a dead light and it’s coming this damned way”

As soon as the woman is brought into the diner, recognition is instant and widely spread;

Mary, the waitress, looks up with a start, “Emilia, Emilia Webb, why you out in this weather honey? And where’s your granpappy?” Instantly at the waitress’ words attention turns to the woman now identified as Emilia Webb.

Moustache leaves the table and rushes over, “Emilia Webb, what the heck?” Behind him, seated still at the table, the thick set man shakes his head no longer the center of attention, “Dead light it were, dead light fer sure”. As he speaks the air outside is split by the largest fork of lighting that any of you has ever seen, at the same moment the door flies open giving access to the wind and rain. Lights dance, mugs and plates piled on the counter are swept to the floor landing with a crash that is all but lost in a loud boom of thunder that would seem to be directly above the building.

Then as if in answer to this orchestral fanfare of God’s wrath, the lights go out!!!!!!!!

Alister Sergeant

A whole group of grown-up people scared by lightning? Clearly not, clearly there is something else... Alister walks over to the table where the two men sit and asks the truck driver: "I'm sorry, do you say your truck was hit by lightning? What do you mean by dead light?"

Then the diner goes dark...

"Who has the flashlight?"

Sean pauses on the way to the diner when he passes his empty cab to shut off the engine, take the keys, and lock it.

"I've got it," says Sean when he enters the diner. He turns on the flashlight and shines it around.

With all the interest of the diner’s occupants focused on the arrival of the young woman in a borrowed overcoat that is several sizes too large, Alister finds little difficulty reaching the table where the thick set character, eyes dark, sits moaning about ‘Dead Lights’ and his truck. Alister looms over him, his nostrils assaulted by the mixture of odours rising from the guys stained overalls. Pigs and liquor, he thinks, and cheap booze at that.

At Alister’s question the big guy stares at him, as if judging whether he was being serious or just funning. He half rises from his seat, and you get the feeling that he is not the kind of guy you want to have think you are laughing at him. As he moves you can see heavy muscle toned by years of hard labour rippling under his long sleeved vest, stained and damp.

“A Dead light over yonder in the trees. Something odd in the way it moved, like something I aint never seed before. It made me crash my truck and it looked like it were coming this way…fast” he manages to say before the lights fail and the diner is plunged into darkness.

In the darkness you hear the door swing open and a familiar voice answers your question about the flashlight as its yellow beam illuminates the room.

In the flashlight’s beam you can see the occupants momentarily frozen by the sudden failure of the lights. To Seans eye it looks like all of his passengers are here, all except that spook investigator guy and he was just behind him. He sees that almost all the attention of the occupants is towards the unknown woman, except a thick set guy in overalls who is talking to…Alister? Yeah that’s his name, and an old couple who sit by themselves in the far corner.

Kieffer

"Excuse me" says Kieffer nervously. "Where is the fuse box?"

Still close to the distraught young woman's side in the gloom, Judith peers at the mustached man who came hurrying over at their entrance. At his evident concern, she quickly explains the circumstances of how they came to find her on the road. "I presume Emilia, as you say, is known to you?"

For a brief moment before Sean’s appearance with the flashlight confusion reins. Keiffer, who had entered the diner hot on the heels of Alister and the women, looks around nervously. In answer to Keiffer's question the moustached man points a finger to a cupboard above the serving hatch to the kitchen, “Its up there, but I doubt it’s a fuse. More’n likely this damned storm powers been on and off all evening”

No doubt the reassurance of the flashlight is having an effect, as he turns to Judith and in a voice that that carries more concern than fear, answers, “Sure everyone around here knows Emilia Webb and her grandpappy old Doc Webb up at Greenacre Cottage. But what the heck happened to her, poor child looks as if she’s been through the mill? And where’s the doc?”

“Maybe she could use a cup of coffee?” says the waitress, Mary, from the other side of the counter, “Or maybe something a bit stronger? I guess she could use the First Aid kit we keep out back in the kitchen, I’ll get it” She turns and disappears through the door to the kitchen…

OOC:   At this point any character with the Psychology Skill may try a roll for a general check

Kieffer

Psychology,Psychology 30%: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/488323]Psychology[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]100[/b], Oh God, strike me down

Kieffer fumbles his way to the counter and holds on.

Priest wrote:“A Dead light over yonder in the trees. Something odd in the way it moved, like something I aint never seed before. It made me crash my truck and it looked like it were coming this way…fast” he manages to say before the lights fail and the diner is plunged into darkness.

Alister Sergeant

"Poor Emilia here clearly encountered this light phenomenon that made you crash your truck," Alister says to the truck driver. "She is in a shock, on the outside she shouted about a 'light' too... And she was calling for somebody, but we didn't see anybody around."

"We have to wait out the storm here in the diner."

Alister agrees that Emilia needs coffee for sure.

Outside the diner the storm is still raging, wind driven rain is flung against the windows like pebbles their clattering reports almost seeming to drown out any conversation below a shout. Even with the windows closed and the door shut fast the unmistakable howl of the wind through nearby treetops seems to provide a suitable accompaniment to the successive rumbles of deafening thunder. It would seem the storm is right above you now. Inside the diner the limited light thrown by Sean’s flashlight is enhanced by a never ending flicker of lightning.

Keiffer moves towards the counter, fuse box seemingly forgotten. Alister, perhaps wary of upsetting the big man, turns to where the waitress had been standing at the counter agreeing that a cup of strong coffee might be good for the woman now identified as Emilia Webb. However she has gone, perhaps to get the first aid kit from the kitchen as she had suggested. Dorothy watches her go, shrugs and picking up the coffee pot pours a cup of the hot strong liquid and takes a sip, holding tight to the cup and turning her back as the door opens to admit a bedraggled looking Maynard.

The middle aged guy with the moustache quickly grabs another cup and, taking the coffee pot from Dorothy, pours a generous amount into the cup. Holding it out towards Emilia he says in a gentle, coaxing manner, “Now girl drink this it’ll make you feel better. So where is your grandpappy, and what the heck were you doing out on a wild night like thisn?”

With each gust of maniacal wind the wooden building seems to shudder as if about to be blown from its foundations. In the semi-darkness of the far corner the elderly couple hold hands across the table. He is mumbling something in a prayer like fashion, while she suddenly points out through a gap in the blinds, although how she can see anything through the fogged, rain riven window is anyone’s guess, and announces, “See Teddy, an angel of the Lord has come to deliver us from this our hour of torment”

OOC:   At this point any character may try a Spot Hidden Roll to see if they can see what the old lady is referring to. The lower the score the better the chance.

Alister Sergeant

Alister turns towards the window and tries to glance the "angel"...

Spot Hidden 45%
[dice]0[/dice]

Sean has an excellent read on the people in the diner. "I can take a look at the fuse box," he says. "I know a little about electrical stuff." Then he turns to look at what the elderly couple have seen.

OOC,Psychology roll (40% skill) in the diner: [dice]0[/dice] Spot Hidden roll (65% skill) in the diner: [dice]1[/dice]

Kieffer

Spot Hidden,Spot Hidden 40%: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/488680]Spot Hidden[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]67[/b]

Intrigued by the old lady’s claim, Kieffer finds his way to the window but cannot see anything apart from his own face reflected back at him, and it is beginning to look a bit strained.

Judith's gaze is drawn by the old woman's cry.

At the old ladies words several people look around to try and see what she sees. Keiffer looks over but is too far from the elderly couple to see anything through the window. He shrugs and turns back to the counter. Alister turns towards the window noting that the big man is also looking to where the old lady is gazing. Burns' reaction, however, is totally unexpected, small beads of sweat break out on his forehead and begin to track down his paling face and his widening eyes.
“That’s it the dead light. I told you it was headin’ here, now were all gonna die”. Suddenly he is in motion, as with a violent heave he throws himself clear of the table and towards the door…

Judith also turned to see if she could see anything, for a moment she stares unblinking…

Judith,Although your view is obscured by distance and circumstance, for a brief moment you are sure you saw something, All that remains is a vague impression of a flickering light in the road that seemed to be moving, but not in the way lightning moves. However the impression is brief and you could attribute it to many things, a rain drop on the outside of the window, a mark on the glass reflecting a distant light? It was so fast you can’t be certain that you saw anything at all. About to dismiss it as simply a trick of the light on an overstretched imagination, you are about to return to the side of Miss Webb when the reaction of the large foul smelling man halts you in your tracks…

In the moments before the old ladies exclamation, Sean, moving towards the fuse box, catches sight of the waitress disappearing into the kitchen…

Sean,Something in the waitress’ demeanor doesn’t quite add up. You can’t put your finger on it, but you would swear she is hiding something. Then a commotion behind you draws your attention. It seems the old lady is claiming to have seen something, you look but there is nothing to see. However whatever she saw seems to have had an electric effect on the big guy that Alister had been talking to, for suddenly he is shouting something about dead light and running towards the diner’s door. And something tells you that he is determined not to be stopped.

OOC:   Given the suddeness of Jake Burns' move, only the following three characters have a chance of stopping him before he reaches the door; Alister, Keiffer and Maynard. This is an Opposed Skill Roll with a minus 2d10 penalty for the character (due to Blakes' sudden action) you may choose to check any skill you think appropriate.

Alister Sergeant

"No! Stop!" screams Alister and leaps after Jake Burns. For some reason, he definitely does not want to let the "light", whatever it might be, into the diner.

Fighting (Brawl) 45%
-2d10: [dice]0[/dice]
[dice]1[/dice]

Kieffer

“What the hell is wrong with these folks?” thinks Kieffer.

“Where are you going?” he shouts, but he makes no move to stop the man.

OOC:   I'm not being funny but I can't think of why we would want to prevent the guy from leaving if he wants...

He sees Alister jump on Burns.

"Christ, they're all going nuts" he thinks, alarmed now.

As the big man lurches forward, Alister makes a bold attempt to halt him but the big man easily shakes him free hardly missing a stride. Keiffer looks wonderingly at Alister’s mad attempt to halt Burns, it is like watching a squirrel try to stop a bear in full flight, he shakes his head and returns his attention to the counter in front of him.

Burns,[url=http://orokos.com/roll/488805]To avoid Alister[/url]: [u]1d100-10[/u] [b]27[/b]

The moustached man (Keelham) also looks on in wonderment, but shows no inclination to get involved.

Caught in mid step the recently arrived Maynard quickly gauges up the situation. Burns, his eyes now rolling wildly in fear runs straight at him, “Get outa my way!!!” screams the huge man, balled fists begining to windmill wildly...

OOC:   I think I got the opposed roll wrong (the rules seem to be for real life dice rolls and not for a dice roller) I think Alister should have added the d10 scores to his final roll while Burns gets 1d10 to take away from his. So Allister gets a score of 52 while Burns scores 27. Burns keeps moving Alister is shrugged aside

Maynard is still feeling as though someone has poured icewater down his spine ... "what the hell was that? he asks himself as he arrives at the doorway of the diner. Standing in the doorway as Maynard's jaw all but drops as he sees the chaos in the darkened room and sees Burns comes barrelling towards him out of the darkness, fists flying in every direction.

"What the ..." is all me manages to get out as a Burns haymaker flies towards him.

"Woah there big fella!" Maynard shouts as he rolls under the punch from the windmilling madman before he gets too close.

OOC:   The dice roller don't seem to be working - I'll sort something out tomorrow.

Dorothy sips the coffee and shivers, taken aback by the chaos going on around her. She tries to figure out what's wrong with these people, but she can't seem to get a grip on the situation.
She steels her nerves.

"I'm Leigh, from the Weekly. My editor would be glad to publish a story about these 'dead lights.' Who wants to give me an interview?"

"There's something off about the way the waitress reacted," says Sean to his passengers, He goes over to the kitchen door and tries to peek inside.

OOC,To simulate penalty or bonus dice, you'll need to roll 1d100, as well as 1d10 for each penalty or bonus die. Then you compare the tens digit of the 1d100 roll and all of the 1d10 rolls, taking the worst roll for penalty dice or the best for bonus dice to be the tens digit, along with the ones digit from the 1d100 roll.

Mr. Handy wrote:OOC,To simulate penalty or bonus dice, you'll need to roll 1d100, as well as 1d10 for each penalty or bonus die. Then you compare the tens digit of the 1d100 roll and all of the 1d10 rolls, taking the worst roll for penalty dice or the best for bonus dice to be the tens digit, along with the ones digit from the 1d100 roll.

OOC:   Thanks Mr. H. Cearlan, ( and anyone else) if you have difficulty with the dice roller, just roll normal dice (real life). We are all grown ups.

Dodge (25%)

39%

The ducking Maynard fails to duck low enough and is struck on the back of the head by Burns' meaty right fist and staggers off to his left crashing into the nearest seat and or table.

Dorothy speaks, her voice loud to compete with not only the storm outside but the commotion breaking out inside the diner. However it seems that in all the commotion no one is listening, although the moustached man who is standing next to her places a restraining hand on her shoulder, “Best not to interfere, miss. Burn’s there is none too fussy about who he hits, men, women, pigs it’s all the same to him”. He releases Dorothy’s shoulder and tips back his cap, “When the fuss dies down, I’ll tell you what Burns told us”.

Burns fists flailing wildly uncaring of their target catches the ducking Maynard hard enough to send him spinning from his path. Whether the big man had noticed or not is open to dispute as he continues his run towards the door.

Meanwhile, Sean, flashlight in hand, ignores the commotion behind him as he makes his way to the kitchen door through which he had watched the waitress go, a few seconds ago.

Sean,As surreptitiously as you can without looking as if you are following her, you open the door to the diner’s kitchen. Everything looks clean and tidy, obviously the owner takes pride in the place. The kitchen, a small well kept establishment, backs off the main diner with many windows looking east, North and South the west wall is backed onto the diner. The room is filled with noise both from the outside storm and from its effects within. Pots and pans that hang from the ceiling, swing and clash together with every gust of wind, this also has the effect of making various shadows dance and move in your flashlight. At first you see no sign of the waitress, but then one of the shadows steps clear of what you take to be the rear door, [color=#0040FF]“Can I help you? Customers aint supposed to be back here”[/color] Her voice while pleasant and sweet with youth, holds a hint of surprised annoyance, you guess she hadn’t been expecting to be followed…

As the redoubtable Psychic Investigator crashes into a heap on a nearby table top, Burns pulls the diner’s door open, ably assisted by the wind. With an inarticulate cry he disappears through the doorway into the storm that rages outside. The door, left open, crashes back in the wind glass from its window flying like missiles in all directions, but luckily failing to find any targets. A few moments later a tremendous flash of lightning reveals Burns heading at a dead run for the truck, body bent against the driving wind and rain…

"My goodness," Judith exclaims in dismay at the violent disturbance, and hurries across to aid the fallen gentleman. "Mr. Heldstom, are you injured?"

Dorothy is shocked by the violence going on around her, but tries to remember everything she's seeing. When the lightning flashes, she tries to find something to write with -- maybe the waitress has a pencil and pad to take down orders. This is too big a story to miss, and she wants to take notes.

"Sorry, Miss," says Sean. "I was just wondering if I could get a cup of coffee."

Kieffer also comes over to help Maynard. "Are you hurt?" he asks.

Sean,The waitress, surprise now obvious in her face as well as her voice, subconsciously straightens her apron, the simple act making her name badge easy to see in the flashlight. With a smile that seems almost as fake as the blonde colouring of her hair she replies,[color=#0040FF] “Sorry you surprised me, coffee is in the main diner if you wait out there I’ll be with you in a moment”[/color] She turns, places her hands on her hips and as if talking to herself,[color=#0040FF] “Now where is that first aid kit? Oh of course there you are”[/color] Sean watches as she reaches up to a shelf above the grill and pulls down a large tin marked with a red cross and the words[i] ‘First Aid’[/i]…

Both Judith and Kieffer rush over to the side of the sprawling Maynard. But in the dim light of the diner can see little injury, it seems more that Maynard was caught by a lucky blow that sent him flying.

Dorothy looks quickly around the counter for pencil and paper. Not more than inches from where she stands she sees the waitresses order pad and a small pencil attached by a piece of string, quickly grabbing it she begins to take notes on the strange events.

From the corner comes the raised voice of the old lady, “Ah, I see the gentleman has made it to the truck”.

At almost the same moment a clock strikes the hour, it is now 11:00. Outside the storm is still raging, but it sounds as though it might be relenting slightly. The rain still falls, but not as heavy as before; the wind still blows, but seemingly with less vehemence; thunder still rolls and booms almost incessantly; and lightning still flickers all around, but the reaching forks seem less numerous.

Kieffer

Hearing that the driver has reached the truck, Kieffer is curious to see what the madman does now. He reaches the door of the diner and shuts it, although the missing glass means that he is exposed to the wind and rain. He makes out the outline of the man in the darkness.

OOC:   Positions (at the moment): Sean is in the kitchen where the waitress had disappeared to a few moments ago in search of the first aid kit to tend Emilia Webb’s injuries. Dorothy stands between Emilia Webb and Sam Keelham (moustache), holding a pencil and notepad that she has found on the counter top. Judith has rushed to the side of Maynard, who was roughly thrown aside by the fleeing Jake Burns. This Jake Burns has fled into the storm for his truck it seems. Keiffer, having at first also gone to Maynard’s aid, has followed the fleeing Jake Burns to the diner door (what remains of it) and waits to see where Burns is heading. Alister, having also been roughly manhandled by the fleeing Jake Burns has picked himself up and brushed off his clothes. The old couple, the Brewers, sit at the far corner table, seemingly unconcerned by the goings on within the diner, yet aware of something strange outside. There is limited light within the diner, from Sean’s flashlight although this is only what leaks through the kitchen door at the moment, and the continual flicker of lightning sometimes increased by a surge in the storm.

Despite the wind driving rain into his face from the now glassless door, Keiffer is amazed to see that Burns, moving fast for a big man and in the teeth of the storm too, climbs into the cab of the truck, slamming the door behind him. For a few moments Keiffer sees the big farmer searching for something, and in a flash of lightning can plainly see a look of horror on his face. However the image is temporary in a moment the cab of the truck is plunged into darkness as the lightning flashes out. A moment later another flash reveals that the cab is now empty…

Maynard lies on the floor clutching his ribs where they connected with the table after Burns' fist connected with the back of his head and sent him sprawling.

"I reckon I'll be alright ... just winded I think." he gasps between breaths. "What the hell just happened?"

Dorothy tries to see if Miss Webb has calmed down any, even though her own nerves aren't too steady at the moment. She hopes she can read her own handwriting when the lights come back on. She speaks softly to the man with the mustache.

"Thanks for the warning. I'd like to get your side of the story. You seem like the voice of reason here. The Weekly will make sure to spell your name right," she adds with a weak smile.

Kieffer

“Wha..what the hell just happened” stammers Kieffer. “Did I really see that”?

He turns back from the door. “Did anyone else see that? He just disappeared!”

Sean steps back out into the diner and holds the kitchen door open for the waitress. "I know first aid myself," he says to her. "I can help you with that. Looks like someone else got hurt too. The coffee can wait."

The moustached man smiles and nods, “No problem Miss. Name’s Sam Keelham manager of this gas station. Like I said Burns is a bit of a handful, likes to throw his weight around. Drinks too much and it makes him think he’s tougher than he is. Came in a while back claiming some spook light had made him drive his truck off the road, too much cheap moonshine probably. Makes it in an old still up at his place, just like his pappy used to”

Looking from Keelham to Emilia, Dorothy is surprised by the calm demeanor she is suddenly exhibiting. It is as if the sudden burst of chaos that afflicted the diner has had a calming effect upon the woman.
“Grandfather? Where is Grandfather?” She looks around as if searching the dim interior of the diner for someone.

OOC:   Dorothy may attempt a Regular Psychology Roll at this point on Emilia

Sean,The waitress, Mary Laker, flashes a wan smile in your direction, one you think hides a hint of relief. “Thank you” She hands you the oblong shaped tin with its iconic red cross markings. [ooc]At this moment, as she hands you the tin you may try a [b]Hard Spot Hidden[/b], to see if you notice anything outside through the back door window.[/ooc]

Within the diner, despite the broken glass of the front door allowing wind and rain to fly into the room as far as the counter, things slowly begin to calm down after Burns’ rude exit. Slowly Maynard, rubbing at his ribs and back of head, climbs to his feet, assisted by the Englishwoman, Judith.

His back turned to the door against the wind and rain, Keiffer stares back into the diner, a strange look of confusion and apprehension mixed upon his face. He mutters something about someone disappearing but a blast of wind that sets things on the counter rattling, makes it difficult to work out who he is talking about. Luckily at the same moment the elderly lady points out through the window, “Oh look Teddy, that truck driver has gone off with the Angel”

OOC:   Alister may make a Hard Spot Hidden Roll to see if he can see what the old lady is pointing to. For the other occupants of the diner an Extreme Spot Hidden is called for.

Alister Sergeant

Alister stands up and brushes off the dust from his clothes, and, once again, glances toward the window...

Spot Hidden 45/22%
[dice]0[/dice]

Dorothy is baffled by the young woman's strange behavior. It just doesn't make any sense.

"What do you think is spooking her, Mister Keelham? She said something about light, too. Any strange phenomena around these parts?"

Extreme Spot Hidden Roll,25 / 5 = 5% Hmm not likely but here goes; [dice]0[/dice]

Maynard turns to see what they are talking about but cannot see anything other than the pouring rain driven by hard winds.

Judith looks over at the further commotion but cannot make anything out. Somewhat discomfited by the whole escapade she moves across to the elderly couple in the corner. "Excuse me, I thought I saw an odd light outside before," she begins hesitantly. "I'm sure it was just an effect of the storm, not angels. You do get some rather extreme weather in America."

"Hang on a minute - did you say Angels there Miss Judith?" Maynards ears prick up at the mention of celestial beings, another tool of the unscrupulous to befuddle the more credulous. A smile crosses my face as I slowly approach the old-timers.

"Hi there My name is Maynard Hedstrom, May we talk for a moment about what you cl ... what you saw? I just might be able to cast some light on this situation." The last, perhaps too over-used, sentence does not carry my usual conviction as I recall the feeling of dread I experienced when I was at the the truck.

Sean can't see anything outside.

OOC,Hard Spot Hidden roll (65 / 2 = 32% skill) to see what's out the back door window: [dice]0[/dice] Extreme Spot Hidden roll (65 / 5 = 13% skill) to see what the old lady sees: [dice]1[/dice]

Dorothy gives Emilia a puzzled look, her eyebrows narrowed in surprise at her sudden change from a state of confusion to an apparently normal state of behavior. Then, her face still showing her bafflement, she turns to Sam Keelham noting his apparent confusion.
“I…Uhh…No nothing strange happens around these parts. Unless of course you include Burns running his truck off the road and running in here yellin’ about…What was it? Oh yeah, dead lights” He finishes the sentence with a low laugh that shows his opinion on Burns’ story. “As for Emilia here she must have had a hit on the head by a branch or somethin’” he nods towards the livid bruise that mars her face, “But what the tarnation was she doing runnin’ around the woods in this weather, and where is her gradpappy? Is he out there too lost in the woods?” He shakes his head, you are certain that he would spit if there had been something to spit into, “No the doc knows these woods like the back of his hand, and is savvy enough to know that the woods are no place to wander in the dark in a storm like thisun. Maybe he’s had an accident, somthin’ to do with the lightning perhaps. That would explain Emilia’s ‘light’” He takes a deep breath signaling the end of his speculation, then the old woman is on about ‘Angels’ and attention moves to her.

Following the old ladies exclamation, interest again swings to what she might have seen from the window. Alister, probably the closest to where she sits, attempts to peer through the window in the direction of the dark truck. But all he can see is the darkness of the stormy night occasionally shown in detail by the lightning that seems to almost continuously flicker above the trees. In the flashes he can easily make out the empty truck cab and the road, or what was the road which now looks more like a fast flowing creek, but cannot see any sign of Burns or an ‘Angel’ as she calls it.

Judith having aided the ailing psychic investigator to his feet, quickly crosses the floor of the diner to the table where the elderly couple sit. Too late to see what the old lady is on about, her attempt to explain the ‘Angel’ as a trick of the light produced by the storm is met by a stern, disapproving look.
“Miss I believe I’ve lived long enough to be able to tell a lightning flash from an Angel” Judith feels as if she’s just been told off by her grandmother.

Before another word can pass between Judith and the elderly woman, Maynard, clothes marked by his recent exposure to the floor, strolls casually to the group, His smile, that false bonhomie that smacks of snake oil salesmen and confidence tricksters but is meant as a charming introduction spanning his face. At his words the old lady looks at him as if trying to decide whether he is serious or not.
“I know what I saw young man and it wasn’t no trick of the light or mind neither. It was a blessed Angel of the Lord all bright and shining. The truck driver that ran out of here must have seen her too, for he rushed off with her in hot pursuit” . She looks over to where Kieffer stands dumfounded by the entrance, “That young fellow must have seen her too surely”.

Half way back in the main diner Sean, glances back at the shadowed rear window from which he had seen the waitress emerge a few moments earlier. For a second he has that strange feeling of being watched, but in the darkness he can see nothing. As the tones of the elderly woman exclaiming something about ‘Angels’ he spins and looks towards the window where it seems everyone attention is focused. Again he sees nothing.

The moustached man talking to the reporter, Dorothy, gestures at the first aid box, “Took Mary a while to find that” Something in his tone suggest wonder.

Sean nods to Dorothy and gives her a knowing look. He couldn't see anyone out the back door, but he's sure someone had been there, and that that had been Mary's real reason for going back there. "Let's see if we can help Miss Webb now that we've got it," he says, going with Mary over to her. "That looks like a nasty bruise."

Maynard gestures in a calming fashion.

"No,no my good lady, I certainly meant no disrespect or to put in question any of your faculties. You see I am somewhat skilled as a scientist and this is an area that is of special interest to me. I only wish to ask a few questions about what you saw. Let me admit something to you, I too saw something when I was outside, something I am at a loss to explain fully to myself. What I do know is that it left me feeling quite out of sorts, not quite at one with myself if you follow me. The one thing I can say is that I felt that I was being watched, does that sound at all familiar to you?"

Psychology Roll,70% [dice]0[/dice] oh dear

Outside the storm seems to be abating slightly, yet not enough to chance the road to Ipswich. During the next few minutes things within the diner seem to settle a little. The elderly woman, whose name you discover is Winnifred Brewer and who along with her husband Teddy is like you a long way from home, ceases to see ‘Angels’ although her continual gasps of delight seem to show that she still sees something outside. Whether she takes note of Maynard's words or not is unknown for she remains silent

Armed with the large and well stocked first aid tin, Sean and Dorothy quickly finish patching up Emilia’s hurts, including the nasty looking bruise to her forehead which looks more like she was struck by something rather than simply running into some object. During this time they are stunned to find her suddenly lucid and extremely talkative, although her recollection of the events prior to a few minutes earlier remain clouded and unclear. What happened to her grandfather is dark, lost somewhere within her mind, yet she conveys a certainty that he is in danger. Of a light she recalls nothing and listens interestedly to any description of her pleas when first found. Even to the untrained it is obvious that something traumatic occurred to her and her mind had simply blocked all memory of that something.

Sam Keelham fusses about like an old maid, worry for the safety of Dr. Webb, Emilia’s grandfather, evident in his voice and face, “It aint like the doc to let Emilia here, out in this weather. Someone ought to look in up at the cottage and check…I’d go myself but I aint supposed to leave the station unattended”

"Where's this cottage, Mister Keelham?" Dorothy smells a story. "If it's not too far, maybe some of these brave men might be willing to take a walk in the rain." She glances down ruefully at her soggy clothing. "This outfit is already ruined, so it wouldn't hurt to head out once more, but I'm not going out by myself! Say, are there any umbrellas around this place? Some more flashlights, or maybe a good lantern?"

"No need for us to walk," says Sean. "We can go in my cab once we get directions. I've got one flashlight, but more light would help."

Kieffer is concerned by what he saw. Not just the man's disappearance, but the look of horror on his face. He wants to get away from the diner.

"I'll come to the cottage too" he tells the others.

Alister Sergeant

Alister is, frankly, creeped out by this place. He suspects the cottage won't be any better, though. "I'm going with you too."

He waits and hopes for a massive supply of top quality flashlights, water proof jackets and Wellington boots...

"Do you by chance have a thermos we can fill up with coffee? And maybe some canned goods? In case we get stuck out there."

Judith, having already resigned herself to missing her flight back to England since, even if she could make it to Ipswich, surely no planes would be taking off in such weather, timidly offers to accompany the others to the cottage. Looking around at the dark diner, and the people raving about angels, she has little wish to spend the night here.

Sam pushes his cap to the back of his head, “Greenaple Acre cottage is about mile from here back up the road to Arkham. You would have passed the turnoff on your way down, probably didn’t see it what with the storm and all. Quickest route from here is to head south west from here through the woods and pick up the road up to the cottage. Better than backtracking up the hill ifn the main road is still there” he gestures at the pad an pencil that Dorothy still holds, “I’ll draw you a map if it helps? As for flashlights there’s one in the office. Umbrellas we aint got but I’ve a serviceable raincoat ifn that’s any good, be a mite big but it’ll keep you dry”

He turns to Sean a smile of amusement spreading over his face, “Mister if you think you’ll be drivin’ up to the docs, then you don’t know these roads too well” He looks Sean up and down as if taking in the ubiquitous cabbies uniform of leather jacket and peaked cap, “Storm’ll have probably washed out the main rod by now, let alone the track up to the cottage. Plus ifn the wind managed to bring down a tree across the track you could find yourself stuck up there good and proper. Still you’re the professional so I aint going to tell you your job”

“Like I said to the little lady, there is a flashlight out in the office but as for raincoats and such…” his snort finishes the sentence adequately. At Alister’s question he simply snorts again, “Sure there’s thermos’ and cake ifn you care to pack ‘em”

Kieffer

"God, this a bad idea. Through strange woods on a stormy night with something bizarre going on."


He sighs. "Shall we get going?"

As Keiffer with a resigned shrug turns back to the shattered door. Mary Laker, the waitress, turns and pulls a long raincoat from a hook near the kitchen door. As she puts it on, an enigmatic smile crosses her face, “Hell Sam, I guess I’d best go with them and make sure they don’t get lost. Anyways Emilia will feel safer with a familiar face around”

Keelham shrugs, “Sure Mary you do that. Aint gonna be any more customers tonight…” he gazes towards the far table where the elderly couple still sit peering out into the darkness, “Unless the Angel drops in for a coffee”

Winnifred Brewer gives him a ‘don’t blaspheme’ stare that shows age has not dimmed her hearing, but refuses the challenge.

“Oh” exclaims Keelham as Kieffer begins to move towards the diner’s door, “You’ll find the flashlight in the office on a shelf above the pump switch. It can be contrary every now and again, but a good shake usually works fine”…

"Hiking with the Scouts was never like this," Dorothy says, mostly to herself. "Still, a story is a story." She accepts the raincoat with her brightest smile. "I'll carry the thermos of coffee if somebody else will grab the other flashlight. Oh, by the way, anybody here good at finding the way through wilderness? We're not going very far, but it would be great to follow somebody with experience with making their way through the woods. If it's too tough, we'll go the long way along the road, I guess."

Sensing that he is not going to get any more information from the old couple, Maynard shakes his head ruefully;

"Fair enough my good people, I will be heading up to the cottage with the rest of the group, would you like to accompany us or not?"

As Maynard turns from the elderly couple to leave, he is surprised by her sudden grasp of his hand, “Take care young man, remember not all that glitters is gold and not all light that shines brightly is of the Lord”. With the finish of her words of warning, Winnifred turns and recommences her vigilant watch through the window. At the same time Teddy begins a dour, tuneless attempt at ‘Shall we gather at the river’.

Sean heads outside with the others shining his flashlight and examines the road to the south to see how bad it is and whether he can drive them at least to the turnoff. "We may have to hoof it if the main road is washed out," he says. "I have a good sense of direction, but I'm better in a city than the wilderness. We should at least keep the road in sight if we can."

Kieffer goes to fetch the other flashlight from the office before everyone leaves .

Alister Sergeant

Alister fills up a thermos with hot coffee and takes some cake, then joins the rest of the crew.

Turning up his overcoat collar and pulling his hat firmly on his head, Keiffer moves out of the diner heading for the office. The first thing he notices is the gusting wind isn’t quite as fierce as it was earlier, although it still flings cold rain into his face with a stinging force.

It is only a hundred yards or so to the wooden building marked ‘Office’ and as he nears the door he can see that a solitary light bulb burns within. The door is unlocked and opens easily to his grip, although a sudden blast of wing threatens to rip the handle from his grasp, driving the door open and sending the lone lightbulb spinning on its bare cable. Crazy shadows dance in answer to the bulbs movement and Keiffer feels the short hair on his neck rise in anticipation. But the small office proves empty, containing little more than a board with switches on it, a few shelves with files etc, and an open, empty cash register.

He can see a flashlight as Keelham had said on a shelf above the pump switch, as he reaches towards it he spots something else. A small brown paper package marked .22, inside he finds twelve new .22 handgun shells…

OOC:   At this point Keiffer may try a Regular Spot Hidden with an advantage (Roll 2d100 and choose the lowest - houserule)

As Keiffer heads for the office, Sean crosses to the road. In the beam of the flashlight he can see that any ideas of using his car is a no go. What was the main road south to Arkham is now nothing more than a river in which dark swirling waters carry all manner of torn branches and storm debris. He judges that it will be some hours yet before anyone is driving out of here. He looks around at the looming shape of the cattle truck almost becoming a dam as the debris packs against it. He notices that the driver’s door, open earlier is now closed and it seems the passenger door is now the one open to the elements…

OOC:   At this point Sean may try a Regular Spot Hidden.

Kieffer takes the flashlight, noting the bag of shells. As he turns the flashlight on to check it, its beam picks out something of interest.

Spot Hidden,Spot Hidden 40: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/491014]Spot Hidden[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]2[/b]

In the beam of the flashlight Keiffer’s eye is caught by the dull gleam of a pistol's butt protruding from an old cardboard box below the cash register, really just a drawer with cash box inside. Closer inspection shows it to be an old but serviceable .22 pistol. Its oily smell and gleam showing it as being well maintained, while the lack of any powder smell would seem to show that it has not been fired in a long while. The chamber looks loaded with the full compliment of six bullets.

The pistol is tempting but Kieffer doesn't take it. He can't go helping himself to other people's things,just because he's uneasy. He leaves the office with the flashlight.

Sean is able to see very clearly in the darkness.

OOC,Spot Hidden roll (65% skill) outside: [dice]0[/dice]

Sean,As you pan the light around taking in the state of the road and the cattle truck that has effectively blocked the road northwards. The light reflects off something metallic lying in the mud near the open passenger door of the truck. Carefully picking your way through the water and mud, you see it is a single metal button, the kind that might be found fastening a pair of overalls. From its condition you would guess that it hasn’t lain here long, no more than a few minutes. It makes you think of the farmer, Burns, who had been the source of the ruckus in the diner. Last anyone had heard of him was the old lady claiming that he had gone off with the angel. A closer examination shows that the button has a small amount of blue material attached to it, as if it had been torn free. Burns had been wearing a pair of blue overalls you seem to recall. Looking around you can see a single track of bootsteps heading towards the woods to the west. Whoever made them was running the length of the stride shows that. The trail leads to the edge of the woods but you can see no more, also there is only one set of footsteps so if there was an angel, she sure wasn’t moving on the ground.

Slowly, some with a reluctance that might not be due to the weather, you assemble outside the diner. Collars turned up against the wind and rain, which although having diminished slightly still stings exposed flesh. The door to the office opens and Kieffer armed with a flashlight heads over. You jump, instinctively, as a streak of lightning forks earthwards, exploding somewhere behind the diner, it seems the violence of the storm is not finished yet.

Over where there had been a road, but now seeming little more than a fast moving creek, you can see your driver, Sean, looking at something on the ground, as you watch he moves towards the trees light still pointing down as if following something…

Maynard calls out behind him as he hurries to catch up;

"Hey there, c'mon people we gotta stick together in this weather and with so few lights to go round."

Kieffer walks up to where the others are preparing to leave. He sees Sean and calls out to him.

"Excuse me... Driver? Are you okay?"

"Thanks, I'm fine," says Sean, "but I don't think Mr. Burns is." He shines his flashlight on the button he found. "That's one of the buttons from his overalls, and it looks like it's been torn off. " Then he points the beam of light at the tracks he found. "Looks like he fled into the woods over to the west, running fast. I don't see any tracks of anyone chasing him, though."

Dorothy, secure in her borrowed raincoat despite its size, crosses to where the two men are in conversation. Just in time to hear the driver mentioning something about Burns, running, and chasing. Her ‘newshound’ nose for a story kicks in. “Ah, the ‘Angel’ that Mrs Brewer was on about”, she crouches looks at the tracks that head towards the woods, “So do we go find the delightful Mr Burns, or continue our mission to find Emilia’s grandfather?”

Just behind her, with Emilia in close attendance, Mary Laker, hands deep in pockets and a rainhood pulled tight over her hair, looks to where the footprints enter the woods, “The tracks seem to be heading due west, the docs place is to the south west. Seems to me this is an 'either-or' decision, which do we choose?” She steps closer to the end of the tracks, “Well we can’t leave him to wander blind in the woods, that wouldn’t be Christian. I say we find Burns first then swing up to the cottage” She turns to the group as if awaiting confirmation…

OOC:   At this point characters with the Psychology Skill may attempt a Hard Roll (lowest score gets it)

Dorothy Psych,Skill 60% - Hard 30% [url=http://orokos.com/roll/491564]hard psychology 30[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]78[/b]

Sean was already suspicious of Mary after seeing her make for the back door, and by now he knows what makes her tick.

OOC,Psychology roll (40 / 2 = 20% skill) about [b]Mary[/b]: [dice]0[/dice]

Kieffer wonders if he should have took the pistol after all. But if something took the man into the woods, would it already be too late?　Anyway, how the hell does she know which way is which in this darkness? He has no idea.

Psychology,Psychology 30: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/491621]Psychology[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]64[/b]

Psychology,70%/2 =35% [dice]0[/dice]

Maynard wonders what good chasing Burns would do.

"The man Burns would be beyond reason and I cannot see any reason to pursue him. He could probably take better care of himself than the girl's grandfather could."

Both Sean and Maynard exchange glances, in the dim light of the flashlight Maynard can see the puzzled expression on Sean’s face and presumes it is mirrored in his own.

Sean,Something in Mary’s words don’t quite ring true. The concern she is showing for Burns seems just a touch false. It’s almost as if she is trying to get the group to go chasing off in the woods on a fools errand.

Maynard,Mary’s show of concern for the missing man seems a little false.

Mary halts at the very edge of the woods and turns to face you all, “Well what’s it to be?”

Judith and Alister, standing close to Emilia see her shiver slightly and turn towards the direction of the cottage, “Grandfather needs help”…

"I agree," says Sean. "Mr. Burns is young and strong, and he can look after himself. Miss Webb's grandfather is old and needs our help. Let's go."

Kieffer

Pleased at Sean’s and Maynard'sfirm decision-making, Kieffer silently concurs. He doesn’t want to run around the woods in the dark, not on this night.

“Let’s get going then. Point me in the right direction and I’ll lead the way”. He brandishes his flashlight.

Alister Sergeant

Alister agrees that Emily's grandfather's safety is a higher priority, although he misses the psychological subtleties. He was never too good at reading people.

"There, there, I'm sure your grandfather will be fine," Judith says in an attempt to reassure Emilia (and herself). "Doc Webb? Is he a doctor of medicine?"

For a brief moment Emilia stares blankly at Judith as if thinking about her simple question. Then she looks towards the woods, “Yes, grandfather is the local doctor, and has been so for many years”.

Standing with her back to the woods, Mary Laker, her raincoat whipped by the still savage wind, shrugs, “Okay then this way to the doc’s place”, She turns and begins to walk into the woods in a south-westerly direction. You could all sense a hint of disappointment in her voice…

OOC:   At this stage the adventure continues in part 2 Greenapple Acre Cottage. viewtopic.php?f=402&t=5955