Track Two: The Rain, the Park & Other Things

[Starspawn338]

"Well, I guess it's just you and I then... Bill is it? Lew says quietly as the boat pulls away. "Where shall we start?

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

OOC,I thought VIctoria had said that the Feat of Strength would result in automatic success, but you only get one Feat per day, whether you use it for Strength or Dexterity.

Spoiler:

This does get confusing. Since the initial attempt to throw the grappling hook just barely missed, I allowed the use of the Feat of Dexterity. I realize now that that there should really only be one Feat of Strength OR Dexterity per day, not both. It does indeed add + 3 to DEX or STR for one use, which was automatic success for throwing the grappling hook since the saving roll just missed by one. Since the other failed anyway, the fact that I should not have allowed both in one day is a moot point for now.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Natasha considers the words of the two for a moment. She addresses the two men with her in Russian. Jack will, of course, be able to understand.

-- They seem to be telling the truth. You remember what happened to Marya. There is some Yankee madman about. It has nothing to do with our plans. --

"I see," she says to the Americans. "Maybe dis time ve vork together, for now. You find dis killer, please. Your bumbling fascist police thugs do not know dis, but ve lost one of our best agents to dis lunatic. Vhen ve find her body . . . vell, it vas not pretty sight. You go now, but remember; ve vill be vatching."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

From their position near the closed shops and restaurant of Fisherman's Cove, Bill and Lew can also see several small amusement park thrill rides to the left, even more beyond that, and a roller coaster in the distance. Behind them and to the right is ocean. Directly ahead is the Aragon Ballroom. Formerly a showroom for Lawrence Welk and his orchestra, as well as other performers, it has served as a roller skating rink until recently. Currently shut, rumor has it that it is being renovated into a rock 'n' roll concert hall.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

As Liz and Tony pull away from the pier, they can see that the open sea lies ahead and to their left. To the right lies the rest of the park. Various small thrill rides of a familiar sort; then, as the park forms a sort of peninsula pointing out to sea, the large and complex Mystery Island attraction. The boat would have to head around the peninsula to see anything else. All of this, of course is held above sea level by piers, to prevent unpaid entrance. Experience teaches the two that gaining access to the park by sea requires both skill and luck.

[jp1885]

Tony can't help but laugh as he guns the boat around the tip of the peninsula. He's always loved boating, but never thought he'd be doing so in such bizarre circumstances!

He brings the vessel around to the other side, looking for anything unusual.

"See anything Dr. North? Or may I call you Liz?"

[Rooter]

"And I vill be vatching, I mean, I will be watching you, too, Natasha," Carson replies. "Come on, let's get outta here," he says to Zara. "At least we know the Russkies aren't responsible for the deaths. Let's get back to the Diving Bells and see if we can find any clues."

[SunlessNick]

Zara follows Jack - while she didn't understand the foreign words, she hasn't forgotten that the Russian woman called him a spy.

[Mr. Handy]

"There's no need for formality," says Liz with a smile. "Liz will do nicely. I could go by Lady Elizabeth if I really wanted to, but that's always seemed a bit pretentious to me. When I am being formal, I do prefer Dr. North. Being a lady is merely an accident of my birth, but I earned my doctorate." She takes another look around.

OOC,Wisdom roll (10 + 3[Sharp Eyes] = 13) looking for a way to enter the park: [dice]0[/dice]

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Jack and Zora return to the Diving Bells, which seem unchanged from before. The only obvious way to explore it further would be to jump into the water.

______________________________________________________________

As Tony directs the boat around the tip of the peninsula, Liz notices something. This part of the park is where one end of the Ocean Skyway ride is located. This consists of transparent spheres which were carried over the water, along the edge of the park, from the center to the end of the jutting point of land. It seems to be just barely possible to reach one of the derelict spheres from the boat, given some degree of skill and a little luck. If this could be done, there is the further problem of where to go from there. The sphere just hangs over the ocean, waiting for someone to operate the cable system that carries it from place to place.

[jp1885]

"Dr. North it is then. I'm all for equality - I like to think grand-mama didn't chain herself to the railings for nothing!"

When Liz spots the spheres, Tony follows the direction of her gaze.

"Hm, what do you think? Considering our recent form when it comes to climbing, is it worth it?"

[Rooter]

"Well I don't feel like going for a swim in that," Carson says to Zara at the Diving Bells. "But if the machines in the Enchanted Forest still worked maybe one of these diving bells might too. Do you see any controls?"

[SunlessNick]

"I can't imagine the killer wanting to go in there either." Still, Zara looks around.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

WIS = 11 + 1 Perception = 12[dice]0[/dice]

There does not seem to be any obvious way to access the controls that once operated the Diving Bells. Perhaps they are located somewhere else entirely, where an operator could work them without interfering with the riders.

[Mr. Handy]

"I shouldn't think so," says Liz. "Even if we managed to get up there without winding up in the drink, unless someone in the park knew to operate the Ocean Skyway, we'd never get into the park. Still, something to file away for later reference." She smiles. "I should like to meet your grand-mama. She sounds grand!"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Continuing along the peninsula, Tony and Liz pass by the Sea Circus, with large tanks where dolphins and other sea creatures performed tricks for the audience. Beyond that is the shore. There would not seem to be any obvious way to get into the park from the ocean without some climbing involved.

[jp1885]

"Hah! Maybe you'll meet her one day - the old girl will live to be a thousand!"

As the boat bobs in the water, Tony inspects the length of the park as it juts out into the sea. He scowls.

"No way of getting in, no mysterious scuba divers, no serial killers paddling along the shore. I think this, as they say over here, is a 'bust'. Let's finish messing about in boats eh?"

He turns the wheel and motors back around the park to Fisherman's Cove. If Bill and Lew are still there, he'll shout up that he's taking the boat back, before heading to the Big Kahuna to return it.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, time to head back," says Liz, leaning back and admiring the view.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Back at the Surf Shack, Tony and Liz find the Big Kahuna reading a local tabloid newspaper. It's folded back so they can't make out the front page story, but they can see a blurry black-and-white photograph that seems to look like the woman who called herself Moonflower, a little younger and dressed in more conservative clothes.

[Mr. Handy]

"Hello again," says Liz. "Anything interesting in the news?"