[IC]Prologue 0.1: The Beginning - Lima, March 1921

[Anatomist]

Hotel España - Lima, Peru
4:20pm - Saturday 19th March, 1921

Investigators Present: Amy, Marcus, John, Nemesio. Anderson. NPC: Jackson Elias

The lady in unmoved by Dr. Sánchez's words and replies in Spanish, ##Hello Doctor Sánchez I am Petronila Cupitina, welcome to the Hotel España! I am sorry, Senior Larkin is not well and has asked not to be disturbed today. I have several rooms available though, if you would like to stay?##

"Que lastima!, señora creame cuando le digo que estoy aqui porque en señor Larkin me ha escrito para conversar conmigo. Estoy cien por cientos seguro que quisera verme ahun estando enfermo."

Translation

Persuade (40%) success,[dice]0[/dice]

[HelplessBystander]

"Fair greetings, madame...What he said." John said in an upbeat manner as he jerked his thumb approvingly at Dr. Sánchez.

[Raiko]

Hotel España - Lima, Peru
4:21pm - Saturday 19th March, 1921

Investigators Present: Amy, Marcus, John, Nemesio. Anderson. NPC: Jackson Elias

"Si, Si, Doctor!" replies the exasperated old lady, ##As you are so insistent, you may go up, but if Senior Larkin will not receive you, then you must leave at once.##

##Room 14 on the third floor is Senior Larkin's room##

Previously John said:   "Fair greetings, madame...What he said."

The lady stares blankly at John, she smiles and nods.

OOC,[ooc]@Anatomist: Note that in 7th edition, making a second attempt at a failed roll - even with a different skill - is always "pushing a roll," and so had the second roll failed the lady would have reacted badly. I was tempted to grant you a bonus die to the first roll, as I'd normally have agreed that she would react more favourably to a local of good standing. However, Sánchez has already been trying to contact Augustus Larkin for several weeks, so I could just as easily have inflicted penalty dice. I'm not going to move the game along further until other players have had a chance to post. :)[/ooc]

Hotel España Interior

[Silver Priest]

Marcus is rather glad they did not need to start this off by threatening a little old lady. He intends to follow Sanchez up the stairs to see Larkin.

[HelplessBystander]

John followed as well.

[Raiko]

A spiral staircase leads up to the top floor of the Hotel España, where all of the rooms surround a rooftop terrace containing a couple of tables. more statues and some large shrubs. A peacock proudly struts around the terrace parading it's beautiful plumage.

The door to room 14 is closed.

[Mr. Handy]

Amy brings up the rear. "Shall we knock?" she whispers, "Or should we listen at the door first?"

[Anatomist]

Amy brings up the rear. "Shall we knock?" she whispers, "Or should we listen at the door first?"

"Amy could you and your charm check the neighbor doors? maybe we are lucky and they are both have open doors and are inhabited, we mighg even be able to check the balconies, if someone opens you might improvise to not raise suspicion?"

"maybe we can hear something from inside" Dr.Sánchez put his hear to the door of room 14

ooc,i did not know of the trying another skill would force a push roll. i do now :)

Listen 40%,[dice]0[/dice]

[kabukiman]

"Well, someone should call him and the others try to gag him by surprise so he won't cry for help?"

[HelplessBystander]

"Oooh, I don't know, this all sound a tad violent, if you catch my drift." John said, wincing slightly.

[Raiko]

Hotel España - Lima, Peru
4:25pm - Saturday 19th March, 1921

Nemesio hears nothing through the door of room 14.

There are six rooms that are accessed from the roof terrace, grouped into pairs. Room 14 is adjacent to Room 13. The door to Room 13 is slightly ajar.

The peacock wanders closer, curious if the visitors have food.

[jp1885]

OOC:   Even though Cynthia is resting, I have to scratch that writing itch, so consider this 'Hollywood time' and it can occur sometime during the others' investigation of Larkin's room.

Cynthia sleeps, dreaming strange dreams. She is running through the gardens outside the university, shrubs and statues looming menacingly around her as the sun turns from a brilliant yellow to a blood red.
A bestial squeal behind her causes her to turn. Clawing his way through the bushes, De Mendoza leaps and capers like an animal, blood dripping from a grossly distended and fanged snout.
Cynthia tries to scream, but can emit no sound. She continues to run, but realises that she's wearing Amy's ill-fitting clothes. Loose flapping sleeves catch and snag on briars as she half runs and half trips over the hem of a long skirt.
Behind her, De Mendoza grunts and snuffles, loping ever closer, causing Cynthia to redouble her efforts. But the going is getting ever more difficult as the ground rises and the lawn gives way to a rocky slope.
Practically climbing now, Cynthia bursts through the shrubbery, clambering up the stony ground. She looks up to see the impossibly high peak of an ancient pyramid towering above her.
And there, swirling and squirming at the summit is...

She sits bolt upright in bed, gasping for air. She is still in the hotel room. Breathless, sweating, but alive. Not perhaps the most restful of sleeps, but perhaps enough to have regained some strength?

CON 55%,[dice]2[/dice]

CON 55% bonus roll,[dice]3[/dice]

HP gain,[dice]4[/dice]

Despite her dreams, Cynthia feels stronger, and able to move around without collapsing. As she sits up, she notices one of Sanchez and Elias' companions standing guard by the door. She coughs to get Atauchi's attention.
"Oh, hi - I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Cynthia. I guess you're my bodyguard, right?"

[Raiko]

OOC:   By the way, assume that Nemesio brought back Cynthia's things as she requested, including her handgun.

[Zero]

Atauchi, who had been peering out the window, quickly spun around when he heard Ms. Vallier awake with a start. Bow in hand, he scanned about the room for the source of the reaction, but turned his gaze to the young woman when she signaled for his attention with a simple cough.

The Quechua man nodded. "Si. I watch you while others go talk with Larkin." he said.

[HelplessBystander]

John studied the peacock closely. “I’m uncertain of oriental animals...but I think it’s a peacock.”

[Mr. Handy]

Amy tiptoes up to the door to Room 13 and listens at it, peeking through the crack between the door and the wall into the room beyond.

OOC,Listen roll (45% skill) at the door to Room 13: [dice]0[/dice] Spot Hidden roll (60% skill) at the door to Room 13: [dice]1[/dice]

[Silver Priest]

Marcus follows Amy and waits to hear what she hears and sees. Nonverbally, he makes it clear he wants to enter the room first.

[Raiko]

Amy cannot hear anything inside the room, and finds that she cannot even see whether the room has been occupied through the crack; she shakes her head and steps aside as Marcus leads her and Jackson into room 13.

ANYONE ELSE,[ooc]Anyone else who follows these three into room 13 make a spot hidden[/ooc]

Inside room 13 it looks as though nobody has even occupied the room, the bed is perfectly made and everything has been arranged ready to greet a new guest. The French windows which lead to the balcony are slightly open to air the room.

Spot Hidden Rolls,[ooc]Spot Hidden: Marcus[dice]0[/dice] Spot Hidden: Amy[dice]1[/dice] Spot Hidden: Jackson[dice]2[/dice]LOL :lol:[/ooc]

There is a connecting door to room 14 however, and that is wide open. Beyond, the room appears to be in disarray, as though someone hastily packed.

SUCCESSFUL SPOT HIDDEN IN ROOM 13,The bed is not as perfectly made as it first appears. A bit of the sheet is untucked, as though someone has pulled something from under the mattress. Checking under the mattress reveals:[spoiler]Nothing.[/spoiler]

[Raiko]

OOC:   Need to get to work. I'll have a little time when I get there to write more.

[Anatomist]

Dr Sánchez sees Amy and Marcus entering room 13. He stays put outside room 14 trying not to get the attention of the bird as he knows they make make a lot of noise if startled.