The Eyes of a Stranger

[Priest]

Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

A séance, thinks Absolom, interesting,fake of course after all the supernatural tends to attract con men who prey on the weak minded and lost. Being part of one would hardly meet with either the Bishop’s or the Churches approval, but it might be sensible for a man of the Church to attend, if only to keep a wary eye on the proceedings, and then of course all matters occult pique my interest...

Absolom smiles, and using the handkerchief that he has retrieved from his pocket, to stifle any errant cough, “I shall be pleased to accept your invitation”

[Rooter]

Diane Siddons:

Spoiler:

You intuit that Bidwell does not trust women, perhaps even dislikes them.

Bidwell appears excited by his guests' acceptances. "Excellent! I would ask you all to keep the event to yourself, however. One cannot be too careful." With that your host excuses himself to continue mingling with the other guests.

A figure hovering on the periphery of the discussion steps forward then: a man whom you earlier recognized as the celebrated psychic, Godfrey Williamson. In his late fifties, he is small and pale, with thinning hair and stringy mutton-chop whiskers, and wears fine albeit outdated clothing. He greets you cheerfully.

"Mr. Bidwell has also invited me to attend the seance, though I understand he himself is to act as medium on this occasion. Is this your first seance? Is there anything you would like to ask me beforehand?"

[HoneyDog]

Ann Veronica's curiosity has been aroused now.

"Who are we attempting to contact, Mr. Williamson?" she asks.

[Pastiche]

"Is it actually possible to contact a specific spirit, or is this something we don't have control over?" James involuntarily sweeps some sweat off his brow.

[Priest]

Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

Absolom eyes the psychic, or so called ‘psychic’. He has, like many, heard of the celebrated Mr Williamson and his exploits. Absolom knows that many of his spiritual colleagues in the Church dismiss the man as little more than some vaudeville act, a crude stage magician with an eye for the gullible. However considering himself a more open minded critic, Absolom, is willing to let his own eyes be the judge of that.
Turning away from the man, Absolom, looks about him, Now where is my cup of tea? He thinks.

[Mister Ginge]

"Have you been to seance held by Mr Bidwell before? It must be strange for you to not be in charge, so to pick."

Cecil is wary of Williamson and considers him to be a charlatan, bordering on a cad. For the sake of conviviality & appearances however, he tries to hide his true feelings with a smile.

[Rooter]

"I am afraid our host appears unwilling to divulge his intentions," Godfrey Williamson replies to Miss Poole. "Though he seems quite determined indeed to contact ... someone. Indeed it may be possible to seek a particular spirit," he continues at Professor Powell's inquiry. "However, whether a message is received is largely a matter of luck as we cannot force a spirit to be there for us simply because we wish to speak to someone."

If the psychic notices Reverend Somerhayes' cynical expression then he makes no sign, continuing to smile earnestly as he speaks.

"No, Mr. Copeland, it seems Mr. Bidwell has only very recently developed a passionate interest in the field of Spiritualism. Far be it from me to question the whims of one of his station."

The party continues on through the evening. A servant duly arrives with the requested cup of tea for Reverend Somerhayes, and the champagne flows freely.

At eleven o'clock Bidwell finally thanks his guests for coming and excuses himself, saying he has grown tired. With the departure of the host, many of the guests begin to leave. By half-past eleven only a few revelers remain; those invited to the seance make their way upstairs.

[Rooter]

The seance is to be held in Bidwell's upstairs library. In the center of the room is a long, heavy table covered with a purple cloth; a large, ornate candelabrum rests in the center of the table. The windows have been drawn closed, and thirteen chairs have been arranged around the table.

You are among the last to arrive; the other guests already seated at the table whom you recognize from the party include the Theosophical Society's Annie Beasant; Florence Farr and Dr. William Wynn Wescott of the Golden Dawn; and the psychics Robert James Lees and Godfrey Williamson. Once you are seated only Bidwell's chair is left empty.

[HoneyDog]

“Oh God” thinks Ann Veronica. “Now what?”

“I should have eaten something” she mutters to herself. “It might be a long night”.

[Pastiche]

James is fidgeting nervously in his seat. He scans the faces of the other people present at the seance, but they seem to be more at ease. A few even seem downright sceptical and amused by the whole affair.

Inside of him, different sensations vie for supremacy: scepticism as a scientist, hope as a bereaved father, and anxiety because of the tug of war between these two.

[Victoria Silverwolf]

These English folks are even more eccentric than I thought Gordon muses to himself. Oh, well, this should be amusing.

Without getting in anyone's way, he attempts to be seated next to the celebrated Florence Farr. Besides her mystical leanings she is also a very modern women, with advanced ideas. The fact that she has been separated from her husband for a number of years is also very interesting . . .

[Rooter]

Shortly before midnight Bidwell's butler Hanson enters the library and closes all the drapes. Hanson lights the candles, extinguishes the gaslamps, then exits the room, locking the doors behind him.

John Bidwell then enters the library from the adjoining den. He is dressed in a black hooded robe and carries a small crystalline cube in the palm of his hand. The clock begins to strike midnight.

Taking his seat at the head of the table, Bidwell places the crystalline cube on the surface before him then instructs everyone to join hands and close their eyes. As the twelfth chime strikes, the seance begins.

Bidwell begins to murmur what seems to be a litany of occult rhetoric, stating over and over again that he wishes to send his mind out, out to contact "the Others." As the minutes tick by he continues his litany scarcely pausing for breath, growing increasingly urgent. Once he says a word that sounds neither familiar nor like English.

Nothing seems to be happening.

Everyone:

Spoiler:

OOC:   You may make a Listen roll to hear and remember the word.

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Spoiler:

Listen = 25%[dice]0[/dice]

Gordon hardly hears a thing Bidwell says. If this doesn't start to get more interesting, he's likely to doze off.

[Pastiche]

James is at the edge of his seat, struggling to make out the words of the ritual...

Spoiler:

OOC:   Listen 25% [dice]0[/dice]

[Mr. Handy]

Diane doesn't know what to make of the seance, but she is curious to see what happens at it. She has never given the supernatural much thought, aside from the occasional ghost appearing in a play. Those are always actors in white sheets, of course, but she has an open mind and is willing to believe in the possibilities. As an actress, hearing every word spoken is vital to her, and she is easily able to make out the word.

OOC,Listen roll (55% skill) to hear the word: [dice]0[/dice]

[HoneyDog]

“What language is that?” thinks Ann Veronica, straining to hear the words.

Listen,Listen 25: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/529792]Listen[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]6[/b]

[Priest]

Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

From his seat Absolom struggles in the dim light to see what is going on. Bidwell utters a strange word too softly for Absolom to hear what is said, but from the expression on the face of the person sat nearest him suggests he is not alone. Theatrics, he thinks, pure theatrics next will come a bout of table knocking.

Listen,[url=http://orokos.com/roll/529821]Listen 25%[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]74[/b]

[Mister Ginge]

Cecil is intrigued despite himself. He has a knowledge of the occult and has always hoped that one day...

Spoiler:

Listen 25%
[dice]0[/dice]

[Rooter]

James Powell, Diane Siddons and Ann Veronica Poole:

Spoiler:

The word you hear is "Yekub."

The seance continues. Despite Bidwell's increasingly strident exhortions to contact "the Others", nothing materializes.

It is a quarter to one o'clock when he finally slumps into his chair, breaking contact with those on either side of him. His voice is nearly gone and he is breathing heavily.

"The seance is a failure," he declares wearily. "I thank you for coming but ask that you please leave me now. I will gladly speak with anyone tomorrow, but tonight I must rest."

So saying, the host picks up the crystalline cube from the table, rises from his chair and heads back to the den adjoining the library, closing the door behind him.

The other guests, with expressions ranging from disappointment to bemusement, take their leave. The psychic Godfrey Williamson turns to you with a shrug before departing. "It seems the spirits were not talking tonight."

Everyone:

Spoiler:

OOC:   Please make a Listen roll.

[HoneyDog]

Ann Veronica

Listen,Listen 25: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/529845]Listen[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]95[/b]

“What a bizarre experience! I wonder what the point of all that was?”

Pragmatic as ever, she registers the event as yet another insight into the strange minds and ways of the upper classes – especially the men.

“I hope I can get a cab” she says, to no-one in particular. It’s a long way back to The Strand.