Play@YSDC

Ann Veronica

Too impatient for the other guests to finish, Ann Veronica makes her way to Bidwell's study. Once there though, her earlier determination and bravado begin to fade as she looks around and realizes that she hasn’t a clue about what she should be looking for.

Spot Hidden,Spot Hidden 25: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/532782]Spot Hidden[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]68[/b]

Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

Quickly cramming the slice of toast into his mouth with as much delicacy as is possible, Absolom follows Ann to the study. For a moment he stands looking about him at all the filled bookshelves and other furnishings. Where to begin, he thinks, watching as Ann begins sorting through various items, I really have no idea what I am looking for.

Spot Hidden,[url=http://orokos.com/roll/532800]Spot Hidden 55%[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]91[/b]

Working with various sorts of laboratory equipment has given Gordon a sharp pair of eyes for small details.

"Say, this looks interesting," he says to the others as they investigate the study.

Diane postpones her breakfast to look through the study, but she finds nothing of note.

OOC,Spot Hidden roll (60% skill) searching the study: [dice]0[/dice]

Mr. McKerry notes an interesting photograph on the wall in Bidwell's study. It shows Bidwell standing beside a boy. The youth is small, thin, and pale, while Bidwell is tanned and healthy-looking. Both wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts, and all around them is desert. In one hand Bidwell holds a clear cube about four inches square; he has the other arm around the boy's shoulder. Both figures smile toothy grins. In a corner of the photograph is scrawled "with Mortimer -- Cuncudgerie, 30 October, 1887."

The photograph is not clear enough to make out details of the cube, but it appears to be the same one used at the seance.

Looking at the photograph:

Ann Veronica looks at the photograph with interest. “Was Mortimer the subject of the séance, I wonder?” she says. “That could certainly be our cube.”

She peers at the name in the corner. “Cuncudgerie? Sounds Indian.”

Know,Knowledge 55: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/533014]Know[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]10[/b]

Gordon is able to provide the group with additional information about the photograph.

Stumbling blearily down in search of the kitchen, Cecil notices his fellow guests in the study. "Good morning everyone. Any more news on last night's debacle?"

"Nobody's told us anything," says Diane, peering at the photograph, "so we're having a look round." Something about the picture seems familiar to her.

OOC,Know roll (65% stat) about the photograph: [dice]0[/dice]

After a moment, Miss Poole, Mr. McKerry and Miss Siddons realize that the photograph must have been taken in Australia. You recall hearing mention that Bidwell's most recent journey abroad had been to that mysterious continent a few years ago -- to sponsor a gold-mining operation, was it not?

Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

“Hmmn” whispers Absolom half to himself as he gazes over McKerry’s shoulder at the photograph, “That could be the cube from last night or one most similar. If we had a magnifying glass it might be possible to get a closer view of the photograph” He turns and begins hunting on the study desk for such an object.

Reverend Somerhayes retrieves a magnifying glass from Bidwell's desk; as far as you can tell upon closer inspection of the photograph the clear cube, about four inches square, appears to be the same one used at the seance. There is a dark speck which may be something inside the center of the crystalline cube but any further detail is impossible to make out.

Ann Veronica

“There’s probably something around here that can tell us more about that thing – a notebook or diary maybe”.

She starts to search through Bidwell’s desk, but can’t see anything that would be helpful.

Spot Hidden,Spot Hidden 25: [url=http://orokos.com/roll/533290]Spot Hidden[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]75[/b]

Gordon raises an eyebrow at the activity going on around him. "I'm not sure if the police would care to have important evidence disturbed."

Despite his words he can't help being curious about this strange mystery. It's rather like one of Mister Doyle's thrillers, if only it weren't so real.

Absolom Peredue Somerhayes

Absolom smiles at the Canadian as one might smile at a child, “My Dear Mr McKerry, you are sadly misinformed about the professionalism of our British Police force. In my experience they usually take the simplest route to a conclusion. By now they will have looked at the facts and found that Mr Bidwell was murdered by the butler, Bartlet. It may or may not have been a case of self-defence, but that will only be decided once Bartlett is in their custody. What ‘foolishness’ Mr Bidwell may have indulged in prior to his death will be of little concern. Trust me, unless the miscreant returns to this house, the Police will have little interest in the contents of the deceased’s study. Let alone an old photograph or some unimportant artefact”

He turns to the bookshelves, “No sir, if the missing cube has any bearing on this death, then it will be others who may find the link”. As he finishes speaking his frame is suddenly wracked by a fearful bout of coughing...

"I wouldn't be so sure the cube is unimportant," says Diane. "The butler certainly didn't think so, or he wouldn't have paused to take it before he fled."

Priest wrote:He turns to the bookshelves,

Between the study and the library Bidwell owned hundreds of volumes of works on history, science, and the occult.

Everyone:

Gordon can't help thinking of all this playing detective as a game, despite the very real tragedy involved. His interest is caught by the scientific works in the deceased man's collection.
Unfortunately, he doesn't come across anything of particular note.

Cecil, who loves to search through old books, lets his eyes wander over the many & varied titles.
However, he fails to spot anything he hasn't seen before.

Diane also browses through the books on the shelves.

OOC,Spot Hidden roll (60% skill) examining the books: [dice]0[/dice]