The Eyes of a Stranger

Victorian Horror. A fashionable London party, a murder in mysterious circumstances...

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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

Post by Priest »

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Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

Absolom leans upon his cane, “I cannot think you would deny an old man his walking stick?”
He carefully pulls a single shilling piece from his vest and passes it to tattooed man.
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
- Anais Nin
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Realizing that she probably won't be able to hide the pistol, and that she'd be little use with it even if she could, Diane surrenders it and pays her shilling.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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James.png
With an apologetic smile, James hands over his elephant gun and a shilling. "I was just getting this repaired later today, which is why I have been carrying it around. Now, do show us your paradise if you want, dear chap?"
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Guang Lun appears satisfied and waves the group past. Reverend Somerhayes is permitted to keep his cane.

At the top of the stairs is a heavy door made of thick wood reinforced with steel bars that is securely locked. Lee Ho Fook knocks and a narrow slot slides open in the door, through which a pair of scrutinizing eyes peer out. After a moment the door is unbolted and opened.

As you enter, Lee Ho Fook turns to you and his smile is suddenly knowing. "You are honored guests," he repeats.
Spoiler:
OOC:   1 = Mr. McKerry
2 = Miss Poole
3 = Miss Siddons[dice]0[/dice]  
Miss Poole:
Spoiler:
You feel Lee Ho Fook press something surreptitiously into your hand. He has quietly returned your knife to you.
He bows. "My friends, I give you two piece of advice. One, remember Buddha will show you the path to enlightenment. Two, be very careful of what you are touching. The bite of the cobra is deadly indeed."

With that, Lee Ho Fook departs and the door bangs shut behind you.

You find yourself standing in a large room filled with dark recesses, large pillows, and thick, stale smoke. In the center of the room is a table upon which rest dishes containing lumps of opium and several pipes. A large golden statue of the Buddha stands against one wall.

Numerous customers, both Asians and Occidentals, recline on pillows or in shadowy niches, smoking opium out of long pipes. Most of them appear oblivious to their surroundings; some are even asleep. The more lucid few eye you as you enter but none otherwise react: most seem too intoxicated to rise or speak.

Everyone except Mr. McKerry:
Spoiler:
OOC:   You may make a Spot Hidden roll.  
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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James.png
Intrigued by the words of Lee Ho Fook, James takes a closer look at the Buddha statue, making sure he does not touch anything. Nothing strange catches his eye, though...
Spoiler:
OOC:   Spot hidden 50%: [dice]0[/dice]  
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Ann Veronica
Spot Hidden,Spot Hidden 25: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/553747]Spot Hidden[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]68[/b]
Thinking furiously about what to do, Ann Veronica barely notices her surroundings. She's not happy to have her suspicions proved correct - how does one fake smoking opium? Surely they can’t go through with this?
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

Post by Priest »

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Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

Half closing his eyes to the foul smelling smoke, Absolom feels the imminent arrival of a choking fit. This atmosphere filled with smoke and stale air is not one he would actively choose to be immersed in. With rising panic he turns to the closed door in hope that it will allow him escape.
He cannot breathe, his throat begins to constrict and his chest begins to tighten. Why, he thinks, why did I come here?
Spot Hidden,[url=http://orokos.com/roll/553751]Spot Hidden 55%[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]83[/b]
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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"Buddha will show you the path to enlightenment," echoes Diane, examining the Buddha statue, but nothing more seems to be revealed.
OOC,Spot Hidden roll (60% skill) in the opium den: [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Noting his distress, the attendant -- a small, elderly Chinese woman -- offers to assist Reverend Somerhayes if he wishes to leave.

With several of the other investigators' attentions drawn to the large golden Buddha statue they are witness, a few minutes later, when suddenly the statue slides to one side and a pair of somewhat thuggish-looking Chinese men emerge from a hidden door behind. Ignoring the customers they head past and exit the den. The statue then slides back into place.

Looking at the statue:
Spoiler:
OOC:   It will require a successful Spot Hidden or Mechanical Repair roll to determine the mechanism by which the statue moved. The previous Spot Hidden roll was not relating to the statue.  
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Clergyman.jpg
Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

Although almost at collapse from the effects of the smoke filled air on his ravaged lungs, Absolom sees an opportunity for the others to study the Statue without having to worry about the eyes of the attendant.
Coughing madly he nods at the woman, “Please madam, I fear this is no place for me”
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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James.png
Now that he knows the statue can move, James decides to take another fresh look, but try as he might, he still cannot spot anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps it's the smoke here that clouds his vision...
Spoiler:
OOC:   Spot hidden 50%: [dice]0[/dice]  
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Ann Veronica gives the statue a cursory glance but she can’t make out how it might function. That’s where they need to go though, no doubt. She is distracted by her concern for Reverend Somerhayes.
Spot Hidden,Spot Hidden 25: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/553960]Spot Hidden[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]48[/b]
Taking his arm, she says “Please Reverend, this atmosphere must be awful for your chest. Step back outside”.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Spoiler:
Mechanical Repair = 50%[dice]0[/dice]
Too distracted by the strange happenings, Gordon fails to notice the mechanism.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

Searching for the mechanism, Diane sees something.
OOC,Rolling your skill exactly is a success. Spot Hidden roll (60% skill) looking at the Buddha statue: [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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The attendant helps Reverend Somerhayes back downstairs to the restaurant, leaving the other investigators free to act.

Miss Siddons spots a hidden lever at the base of the golden Buddha statue, and with Mr. McKerry's assistance activates the trip-mechanism which causes the statue to slide aside and open the hidden door.

Beyond the Buddha is a large room which appears to be an office recently converted for other uses, and is presently empty of persons. Perhaps the most striking aspect of this room is the great mass of wires, gears, cranks, and bowl-shaped dishes which takes up the better part of one wall. An odd buzzing, crackling sound emanates from the machine, which appears to be powered by both steam and electricity: gears turn, wires vibrate, and the dishes rotate at various angles. There is also a long workbench cluttered with tools and assorted bits and pieces of machinery. Papers covered in diagrams lie nearby.

Affixed within the tangle of mechanical parts can be seen the familiar crystalline cube, seeming to give off a faint blue glow in the gaslight.

A tall, ornate teak cabinet with doors decorated in dragons of mother-of-pearl and hammered gold stands against the opposite wall.

Meanwhile one end of the room seems to have been made into a shrine, next to a curtained-off section in a corner. Candles are lit and incense clouds the air. On a raised pedestal, amidst the candles and the smoke, is a strangely-glowing sphere. As your gaze passes over the sphere you feel an odd sensation almost like something probing your mind -- as if someone or something was reading your thoughts...

The statue clicks quietly back into place behind you.

Reverend Somerhayes:
Spoiler:
You are led back down into the restaurant and offered refreshments while you wait for your companions. Lee Ho Fook inquires politely after your health.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

Post by Priest »

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Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

Making a good show, Absolom, with the Chinawoman’s help of course, makes it back to the restaurant where Lee Ho Fook fusses around him.
“The effects of a childhood illness I’m afraid” Absolom gives him an extra loud cough despite the muffling effect of his handkerchief, “I don’t know what madness drew me to accompany my friends to such a place”
He favours the little Chinaman with a weak smile, “A little tea perhaps. Yes a little tea would be most appreciated".

Turning to the woman quickly he adds, “Perhaps you would allow me madam to repay you for your kindness, would you care to join me in a cup of tea?” Unaware of the situation above, Absolom tries his best to delay the woman attendant from her post.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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So much is happening at once that Gordon is unsure what to do first. He tries to look away from the sphere, hoping its strange power will hold his consciousness prisoner. He is tempted to smash the globe or the bizarre machinery, or even the cursed cube that started all this madness, but realizes that could be futile and dangerous. Instead he decides to examine the cabinet for anything useful.

"See if you can open the door," he shouts to Miss Siddons. "We don't want to be trapped here."
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Image

Diane nods and looks for a catch on this side that can be used to open the secret door. She knows there must be one, or the Chinese men would not have been able to emerge. "All this advanced technology reminds me of the diagram we found in the warehouse for a wireless communication device," she says. "Whoever designed it all must be a genius! It's like something out of Jules Verne."
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Ann Veronica

"We should get that blasted cube out of here. Let me help you Diane".

She also begins looking for the mechanism for opening the Buddha.
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Re: The Eyes of a Stranger

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Having examined the diagrams found in the warehouse, Miss Siddons is indeed able to recognize the machine as being the same device depicted in those queer sketches.

Upon inspection by Mr. McKerry, the teak cabinet is found to be locked although the glistening wood looks like it could be forced.

Mr. McKerry:
Spoiler:
Your fingers come away strangely sticky.
OOC:   If you wish to attempt to break into the cabinet an opposed roll against a STR of 13 is required. Against your STR of 10, according to the resistance table in the manual, a roll less than or equal to 35 is required for success. (You may increase the chance of success with the help of another player.)  
Miss Poole and Miss Siddons ascertain that the lever to open the door from this side is easily accessible. However at that moment the statue slides aside again and a tall figure steps into the room.

The broad-shouldered man who enters wears a dull brown suit, derby, and gloves, with a black muffler pulled across his lower face. You recognize the same figure you had previously spotted following you, both in Limehouse yesterday and on the way to the museum earlier.

The man removes the muffler to reveal a grim face with a bushy black moustache. It is the face of none other than Detective Sergeant Mulverhill, whom you first encountered in John Bidwell's study the morning after the party when it all began.

"You have done well," he says, peering around the room with evident curiosity.
Spoiler:
Sergeant Mulverhill Conceal = 15%[dice]0[/dice]
Mulverhill does not appear to be armed.

Meanwhile, the machine continues its activity.


Downstairs...

The attendant looks to Lee Ho Fook at Reverend Somerhayes' invitation, who nods, and tea is duly served.
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