Play@YSDC

Another local speaks up.

“Harny has a cottage about four miles north of town. Just follow the mountain. You’ll come to a forked tree by the road about four miles out, next to which begins the track to his home. It gets real narrow later so you’d best leave the car at the roadside. He’s a handyman, so he might be away working, but lately I think he’s just bin hanging around his shack.”

"Thank you," says Alice, making a note of the directions. "Is there a map of the area for sale here by any chance? That would be very useful to help in our search."

The Storekeeper speaks up.

“Oh no, we don’t have anything like that. It’s just wilderness around here, so no maps have been made. But you can’t miss the route to Harny’s place”.

Henry Glynn

"Thank you for your help Sir. We'll take some bread and cheese and take a ride out there now."

The companions pick up some supplies for lunch and then head back to the car. Taking the route towards the mountain, sure enough the come across the forked tree, next to which is the track.

Parking the car, the heroes unload which possessions they want to take, and head up the track. After a few feet, the see a mailbox painted with the name Rooger, confirming that they are heading in the right direction.

It is a warm summer day and they are soon working up a sweat. The tress are filled with the chirping of small birds and insects, and flowers are blooming, making for a most pleasant experience. The track itself is easy to navigate but it does soon begin to narrow, forcing them into single file.

After about 15-20 minutes of walking, they come to a small clearing containing a small cottage, which a less sensitive person might describe as a shack. However, although it could use paint in places, it is in pretty good repair. Adjacent to it is a well-tended garden, full of vegetables, as well as vines and some fruit trees. The peak of Stratton Mountain rises ominously behind this genteel scene.

Of greatest interest is the man busy chopping wood in front of the cottage. He is almost mechanical in his actions, repeatedly placing a log and unerringly cleaving it in two with one cut of his axe. He never seems to miss.

He is tall and rangy, with tanned skin and an almost bald head. His face though is somewhat babyish in countenance, so it is hard to determine his age. He wears simple, although somewhat dirty, overalls.

As the investigators approach, he stops his chopping and watches them. "Howdy!" he says, in a friendly voice.

OOC,I'll leave it up to you guys as to what supplies you want to bring with you.

Henry Glynn

"Hello there Sir, my name's Henry Glynn, a friend of Bartley Hodges. Mind if my friends and I stop for a chat. We're awful worried about him."

"Well, surely" says Rooger happily. "I like a friendly chat. I don't believe I know this Hodges fella though."

He picks up a preserves jar near his feet, which is filled with a clear liquid. He takes a long sip, and smacks his lips appreciatively.

"What happened to your friend?" he asks.

"I'm Alice Stanton," says Alice. "I work for Mr. Flynn here. It's a pleasure to meet you. We're not sure what happened to Mr. Hodges, but we know he was interested in the mountain, particularly the fires that have started there recently. He's disappeared, and we hope we can find him."

”Oh yuh, that ole mountain" says Rooger, jerking his thumb towards the peak behind him. “Those fires sure are strange, huh?” He winks, and takes another sip from his jar.

"Yes, they are at that," says Alice. "Do you have any idea as to their cause?"

"Oh no, as I told the police when they came. There must be a secret reason for the fires. Say, would you folks like some lunch? I have some jerky inside."

He takes another sip.

"Thank you, that's very kind," says Alice.

The companions enter the cottage. It is relatively clean, and simply furnished, but shows obvious signs of neglect. It hasn't been painted for a long time, and the drapes are old and shabby, as are the furniture coverings. There is a radio on a shelf with a few magazines.

There is a small dining table and four chairs. The kitchen is primitive at best, with a wood burning stove and an ancient sink. On the floor, there are two bowls, obviously for a dog. There are also several mason jars, similar to the one Rooger clutches in his hand, filled with clear liquid. Underlying everything is a peculiar smell.

Rooger ushers the companions to the seats and sets about preparing plates and utensils. He seems happy and cheerful for the company.

Alice takes a seat. "Do you know Mr. Hodges?" she asks.

“Wasn’t he that writer fella? Can’t says I did. I told the police that too”.

He chews contentedly on a piece of cheese provided by the companions.

Rooger proves to be something of an authority on the local plant and animal life, which endears him to Balzac. The companions spend a few hours eating and listening to Rooger‘s tales. All the while, he regularly sips from a jar, which is always near to hand.

OOC,Anyone is free to roll Psychology.

Alice doesn't quite know what to make of Harny Rooger.

OOC,Psychology roll (60% skill) about [b]Rooger[/b]: [dice]0[/dice]

OOC,[b]Balzac's[/b] [i]Psych[/i] is 05% and he rolls... [dice]0[/dice]

Delighted by this turn of events, Balzac occasionally pulls out his notebook and makes a few quick notes based on the information provided by Rooger.

Biology,Can [b]Balzac[/b] make a Biology or similar roll to assess what plants and animals have been used in Rooger's cooking/jerky. Not that he's worried, really...