Track Five: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)

[Mr. Handy]

"Yesh, besht you do that," says Liz, going to rejoin Lew. "I'd be rubbish at it while I'm a dizzy Lizzy." She watches Lew assemble the skull. "Alash, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"What do you have there?" Lew says and takes the two halves of the skull and attempts to put them together.

Spoiler:

int = 16[dice]0[/dice]dex = 9[dice]1[/dice]

Although the highly educated and clever Lew studies the skull carefully, and manipulates the two halves as best he can, he finds it impossible to fit them together perfectly. It's not absolutely clear to him, in fact, that they are parts of the same skull, or simply similar in size and general shape.

This manipulation of old bones draws the attention of the men from Takara Electronics, who engage in a brief discussion, then begin walking toward the investigators.

[jp1885]

Swaying slightly, Tony watches as Lew struggles with the skull.

“Hmm, p’rhaps you could have a try l-luverly Liz. Y-you’re the clever ‘un among us.”

He switches his unsteady gaze to the approaching Japanese.

“Maybe a-sooner rather th’n later tho’?”

[Starspawn338]

Lew shrugs as pushes his glasses up his nose with his shoulder.
"I can't figure it out. I was sure they would fit together."

[Mr. Handy]

Liz takes the halves of the skull and tries to combine them. "The head bone'sh connected to the...head bone," she sings, shaking her head as she almost gets them together, but not quite. "'Sno good. 'M too drunk."

OOC,Intelligence roll (14 - 3[Slow-Witted] + 3[Sharp Eyes] = 14) assembling the skull: [dice]0[/dice] Dexterity roll (12 - 3[Clumsy] = 9) assembling the skull: [dice]1[/dice]

[jp1885]

"Gizzit 'ere. Les' 'ave a shufty."

INT 7-3,[dice]0[/dice]

DEX 14-3,[dice]1[/dice]

"Hmm, p'raps if we work t'gether..."

[SunlessNick]

"What'f only one of 'em'sh hizh?" Zara slurs. "Izh one'f'em herzh maybe? Anywhere elsh we can look for other bitsh? Oh, thozh Japaneshe catsh are comin' over here." She giggles. "We mush look pretty shifty."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Although not quite able to figure out how the two halves might come together, something like a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, Tony has enough unconscious skill with his fingers to produce a sort of ill-fitting puppet from them. Holding the resulting, badly distorted skull in his hands, it seems as if the eye sockets glow for a moment, then fade away.

Meanwhile, one of the two Japanese men bows slightly to the investigators, and, in excellent English, introduces himself and his companion, who is evidently monolingual. After some irrelevant, polite talk, he gets to the point.

"I could not help but notice that you have made a most interesting discovery. My colleague and I are also amusing ourselves by exploring this historic location. Perhaps," he adds with a smile, "you have been celebrating with some of your fine American whiskey. My employer, Takara-san, is a collector of antiquities and curious objects. If you might be willing to part with these old bones for a fee, I believe something could be arranged to our mutual benefit."

[jp1885]

Even in his inebriated state, the briefly glowing eyes convinces Tony that they’re on the right track trying to rejoin the pieces of skull.

He blinks slowly, focusing on the Japanese.

“Giz us a few minutes ol’ chums an’ we’ll talk. What youse c’n do is gerruz some strong b-black coffee.”

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm not as think as you drunk I am," says Liz. "Wasn't whiskey, it was wine. Founna bottle with my name on it. Would have been impolite not to drink it."

[SunlessNick]

"Found one too, Zara adds. "You should look around, shee if thersh one for you. Sh'good."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Even in his inebriated state, the briefly glowing eyes convinces Tony that they’re on the right track trying to rejoin the pieces of skull.

He blinks slowly, focusing on the Japanese.

“Giz us a few minutes ol’ chums an’ we’ll talk. What youse c’n do is gerruz some strong b-black coffee.”

There is hurried conversation between the two Japanese men in their own language. Then, while the one who speaks English continues polite conversation with the investigators, the other walks away. Perhaps ten or fifteen minutes later, he returns with a Thermos and several paper cups. The beverage -- very hot and very strong coffee indeed -- is offered to all.

Spoiler:

Anybody who accepts the coffee has the effect on INT reversed. However, caffeine jitters cause another loss of 3 DEX for any task involving the use of hands, as well as the Affliction of Inpatient, which reduces the chance of success at any task which requires patience.

After hearing what Liz and Zara have to say, the two men have another discussion, which becomes somewhat heated at times. Eventually, the English-speaking man, in a tone which suggests that he is sharing a bit of information not for all ears, reveals that, on a previous occasion, one of his colleagues discovered what seemed to be a small bottle similar to that used to hold sake a century or two ago, inscribed with symbols in the extraordinarily complex Japanese writing system that could be interpreted as bearing the name Takara.

"Of course, this could not really be what it seems to be," he explains. "Takara-san is now in possession of the strange object. Surely you do not expect him to consume the liquid inside it," he adds with a grin.

[Mr. Handy]

"Up to him, really," says Liz. "Mine wash quite good, but it'sh shtrong shtuff. Arigatoo gozaimasu." She gratefully accepts the coffee, though she much prefers tea. "Cheers!" She drinks her cup of coffee.

[jp1885]

Tony accepts the coffee and knocks it back.

"Gyah!" he grimaces, eyes wide. "That's the stuff! C'mon, let's get this skull fitted already!"

[SunlessNick]

Zara drinks her own coffee. "That was good. Arigatoo Gozaimasu?" she sounds out from what Liz said, showing a pretty good ear.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Their heads made clear by the strong brew, the investigators are free to attempt, once again, to assemble the two fragments of bone into one. They are well aware, however, that their hands are shaky, due to the unusually high caffeine content of the coffee.

"Perhaps I may be of assistance?" the Japanese man inquires.

Spoiler:

You may choose to have him attempt the task or try it yourself. (I'll assume any player who wishes to do so will take precedence over him. Success in assembly requires a saving roll with normal INT; however, a saving roll with DEX reduced by 6 (alcohol and caffeine working together!) is required to avoid certain consequences of dropping what has been assembled.

[jp1885]

Noticing how much his hands are trembling, Tony nods.

“Yes, you may indeed assist. Please hold your jacket under the skull like a safety net. If we drop it, please catch it.”

Assuming the Japanese fellow agrees, he tries again,

INT 7 and DEX 8 respectively,[dice]0[/dice]

[Starspawn338]

Lew saw the sockets briefly flash and knows he was on the right track. If only he weren't so clumsy. However, seeing that he was close, he'll try again.

OOC,Int 18 [dice]0[/dice] Dex 9 [dice]1[/dice]

[Mr. Handy]

"Bravo, well done!" cheers Liz when Lew joins the halves of the skull.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

After Tony fails to bring the two halves of the skull together, dropping them into the Japanese fellow's windbreaker as he does so, it is notable that the man is reluctant to part with them, doing so only after arguing the point with his companion; the gist of their conversation, for those investigators familiar with their language, being "we are not yet sure."

Lew, his mind and fingers not effected by either coffee or alcohol, very carefully brings the halves into perfect alignment, at which point they seem to become sealed together, as if they were never shattered. The glow returns to the eye sockets, and a hollow voice, coming as from a very great distance, and yet clearly understood, emerges from the gaping jaws.

"About bloody time! Now find the rest of me, out in that blasted wasteland, and be done with this filthy business!"

Now doubt this phenomenon startles even those used to weird and occult events; before there is much time to react, however, the man who speaks no English shouts at the investigators and draws a small pistol from his pocket, brandishing it with great passion.

"I am very sorry," the other fellow says, "but my companion insists that we should take this artifact to Takara-san right away."

Those who know Japanese realize that this is a very sanitized version of what the armed man really said.