Play@YSDC

Praia da Saudade asylum, Rio de Janeiro
10 AM, Wednesday, 13 Juin, 1934


After some days to quickly organize your trip, you arrive at Rio de Janeiro; you unpack all your things in a hotel and go to the asylum.
A bored receptionist tells you that Alfred Higgins’s room is located on the second floor of the squalid, decaying asylum. As you approach the door, you hear the muffled sounds of a struggle followed by a sharp cry. Trying the door, you find that it is jammed from the inside.

OOC: The door to Higgins’ room is made of sturdy wood, and partially blocked from the inside. You can use locksmith, a combined Str. test or any creative solution that I may accept

Glancing at his young companions and their academic physiques Alex Malone puts his shoulder to the door: 'help me with this, one of you get an attendant'.

OOC:   We are such a weedy bunch!

Knowing that he's not strong enough to help with the door but can move quickly, Harry runs to get help. He just hopes he can get the attendant to understand him.

'Socorro!' shouts Alex as he barges the door.

OOC:   I think that's right

Crowley takes a second to look about.

OOC:   Is there anything visible that would make a good lever or battering ram? Or is there another way into the room?

OOC: Luck roll please.

OOC: You find a table that can be used as a ram.

Butch will put his shoulder to the door and help Father Malone try to force it open.

'That's it Butch, put your weight behind it' says Alex.

Harry is not in luck.

OOC,Luck roll (70% stat) in the asylum: [dice]0[/dice]

Two men can use the table as a ram; please make a str roll.

Crowley lunges for the table and frantically wheels it to the door. "Grab hold and we'll ram the door!"

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

Fr Malone takes hold of the table beside Crowley and the two swing it into the door.

Alex Strength: 60,[dice]0[/dice]

OOC: Father Malon: please roll a d6.

You see the door make a lot of noise but it still resists; make both a new roll of str.

Fr Malone 1d6,[dice]0[/dice]

Hearing the door screech and crack Alex Malone swings back the table to take another run at it. 'Come on Crowley, I can feel some movement'.

Alex Strength 60,[dice]1[/dice]

Father Malone shouts through the door in English 'what is going on in there? Open the damn door' then repeats something similar in Portugese.

Butch will quickly step out of the way when the table is used as a battering ram.

Crowley curses to himself in Latin but puts his back into it. "Deodamnatus!"

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

OOC: Both roll please 1d6.


The receptionist appear and asks:
"O que está acontecendo aqui?" (What is happening here?)

You all hear a scream inside the room.

Crowley curses anew at the sound from in the room. "Filius canis!"

Dice,[dice]0[/dice]

Fr Malone tells the receptionist 'something is going on in there, someone is getting hurt, we must open this door at once!'.

Alex 1d6,[dice]0[/dice]

"Vou buscar a chave!" (I'l bring the keys).
At that moment, you smash the door, and finally you can enter.

Alex Malone bursts through the doorway and looks around the room shouting 'now what the hell is going on in here?'

Harry rushes back to the door once he hears it being smashed open.

"What's going on in there?" Butch cranes his neck to see past all the obstacles into the room.

Crowley pauses to draw his snub-nosed little 38 Detective Special from his ankle holster.

As you step inside, you see Higgins crumpled in the center of the floor, a pool of blood slowly collecting beneath his head. You catch a fleeting glimpse of a man wearing a charcoal-colored suit and red tie before he disappears out the open window. Rushing over to it, you see the man propel himself over the low wall surrounding the hospital and onto the busy streets of Rio de Janeiro. The assassin has a head start, but he is heading into congested traffic, which may give you a chance to catch him.

Fr Malone points out the window at the disappearing figure: 'after him, I'll see if there is anything I can do for Higgins'. He kneels down beside Higgins to take a look at his injury and see if he can stop the bleeding.

OOC,Can I roll First Aid?

Not wasting a second, Harry springs out the window and gives chase.

"You villain!" Crowley cries. He charges through the window, following Harry.

"Don't lose him." Butch shouts as he follows the others in swift pursuit.

OOC: Malone: Yes, you can try first aid.

All the others: please, make a Con. roll.

OOC,Con 65 [dice]0[/dice]

Harry is better at sprinting than he is at distance running.

OOC,CON roll (80% stat) chasing the killer: [dice]0[/dice] Can I push the roll?

Harry
Yes, you can.

Alex
Mr Higgins awakes and suddenly says:
“Shift of three, Risen is key,”. And he dies.

OOC: The others will have to wait for Harry roll. And don't forget that you can use luck.

Alex calls to the receptionist to get a doctor 'but I'm afraid I think he's gone'. He takes out his Bible and some holy water and perfunctorily anoints him with the Last Rites before rather more carefully looking at Higgins's body to try and see what happened to him and whether there is anything of significance on his person (while there is no one else around to see him rifling through the deceased's clothes).

OOC:   Edited to add in Last Rites, forgot he's a priest

Pushing himself harder, Harry finds his second wind and puts on a burst of speed!

OOC,CON roll (80% stat) chasing the killer, pushed roll: [dice]0[/dice] Woohoo! 8-) Extreme success!

Crowley is much behind the others, he can only see Butch; Butch is several meters behind the assassin but Harry is very close to him!
You are now running in the streets of Rio de Janeiro; the people doesn't seem very surprised and simply step away. He doesn't seem to hesitate so he probably have study very well his escape route.

OOC: Please make a new roll of constitution again.

Alex:
"Ele está morto? Então não é preciso chamar um médico" (He is dead? So we don't need to call a doctor)-says the receptionist confused.

Fr Malone looks disbelievingly at the receptionist: 'I think he is dead, but I am no expert. I've done what I can to help him, both physically and spiritually. However, I also strongly suspect he has been murdered by the individual my colleagues are chasing, and it would be wise to have both the police and a doctor called to review the body'.

"Está bem, vou chamar um médico" (All right, I'l go call a doctor".

"Stop that man!" Butch shouts.

OOC,Con 65 [dice]0[/dice] If Harry doesn't catch him, I will spend 5 luck to make my con roll.

Harry sprints to close the distance, prepared to pound the stuffing out of the murderer.

OOC,CON roll (80% stat) still chasing the killer: [dice]0[/dice] Wow! :shock:

Embarrassed by his lack of fortitude, Crowley resolves to start smoking far better quality tobacco in his pipe, that will help.

Con 65%,[dice]0[/dice]

The assassin is running to a secondary street, with very few people, with dilapidated houses, when Harry makes a sprint and catch the assassin!

OOC: Harry can make a free action with automatic success. (within limits!).
The others are still running.


The receptionist leave Alex alone with the dead body.

Alex gathers his Bible and other accoutrements and displays them clearly around the body. 'Look busy old boy'.

He rolls Higgins to one side and takes a look at the wound. 'Hmm, so what did this I wonder' and he glances around the room for anything covered in blood that might have been used to strike the killing blow.

'Let us take a look at you Mr Higgins'. He looks over the body for any other injuries and begins to go through Higgins's pockets.

Harry grabs the assassin and tries to pin him down and hold him until the others can catch up to them, using his rope to tie him up if he can.

Puffing, Crowley focuses on keeping track of Butch, in the hope Butch can see Harry .

"Damnation," he wheezes to himself, "every time I go overseas this happens."

Harry make a str roll.
Butch arrives at that moment (after the str roll) and can make an action.

Crowley is still running.

The streets seems very empty...


Alex:
You see a crowbar in the floor (with some blood); a crude weapon but effective...

OOC,I'd like to try a knock out combat maneuver which I think is based on my Brawl skill Brawl 50 [dice]0[/dice]

As he catches up to Harry and the assassin, Butch swings and fails to connect on a knockout blow to the back of the assassin's head.

Strength is not Harry's strong suit.

OOC,STR roll (30% stat) to pin the assassin: [dice]0[/dice]

The men somehow manages to deliver himself and suddenly a dagger appears!
Harry moves first, then Butch; Crowley also joins the group but he will be the last to have an action.
You can finally take a good look at him: he is a tall, muscular and blond and doesn't say a word; he seems furious and a bit surprised to see your group.


OOC: All make a spot hidden roll (including Alex).

OOC,Spot Hidden 50 [dice]0[/dice]

Butch takes a step back when the assassin pulls a knife. "Whoa buddy. You don't want to do that." He says as he pulls out his pistol.

Harry is too focused on the fight to pay attention to anything else. When he sees the deadly weapon in the man's hand, he gives up all hope of taking him alive. The killer wields it expertly, making an impressive show of waving the blade around. Undaunted, Harry whips out his revolver and shoots him.

OOC,Spot Hidden roll (55% skill) in the alley: [dice]0[/dice] Firearms(Handgun) roll (60% skill) shooting at the killer: [dice]1[/dice] Bonus die (point blank): [dice]2[/dice] That's a 33, so it hits. Damage to killer from .45 bullet: [dice]3[/dice]

OOC: No, the guy is hit.

Crowley sees that the dagger has a swastika with what seems two runes of the S letter and a small H at the bottom.
The man was preparing to attack when he was hit by Harry; he looked incredulously to his wound, drop the dagger and fell dead to the ground.

Somewhere a dog started to howl


Alex, you find what seems a very old journal (several centuries old) written in what is probably old Spanish.

Alex flicks through the journal to try and get a sense of what it contains. He then pockets it before anyone else can see.

OOC,Alex has the Linguist talent so can identify any spoken or written language. He only has 11% in Spanish but has a bonus die. Alex Spanish: 11 [dice]0[/dice], Bonus die [dice]1[/dice]

"Nice shot."

Still holding his Detective Special in his right hand, Crowley pulls a white handkerchief out of a jacket pocket and uses it to quickly wrap the knife. He stashes the knife in his jacket then pats down the body for other items of interest.

"Hmm, it would appear our assassin here was a Boche. Well gentlemen, do we wait for whatever passes for the authorities in Rio? Or do we return to the hospital posthaste?"

While waiting for an answer, Crowley resumes his watch of the area, scanning for other attackers.

OOC:   No offence to any German readers of course.

"Thanks," says Harry, bending down to search the dead man to see if his possessions will give some clue as to his identity or motive. His eyes widen when he inspects the dagger more closely. "Nazis. I hate those guys. I think we'd better tell the authorities. We caught the guy red-handed, and his victim's blood is on the knife. We just need someone who can speak Portuguese well enough to explain it to them."

"Well I have no interest in speaking with the authorities." Butch says as he holsters his pistol. "I'll see you back at the hospital."

Crowley nods to Harry. "Very well, I'll wait with you."

If no one else seems likely to attack the party, Crowley holsters his revolver, pulls out a pen and notepad, and makes a quick drawing of the runic letters with the swastika on the blade.

OOC:   Can Crowley make any rolls to recognise the importance of the runes? History perhaps?

OOC: It would be a know roll in this case or ocult.

As Crowley draws the runes in his notebook, he contemplates them...

Know 75%,[dice]0[/dice]

Harry reloads his revolver and returns it to his holster. He knows that the runes are used by the Nazi SS, having run afoul of them before, but he isn't quite sure of their meaning.

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

The runes mean SS (Schutzstaffe) a special Nazi force; the H is probably from Sonderkommando H a unit from the SS; their main task is to find valuable artistic objects. They are the "muscle" from the Ahnenerbe, another organization more intellectual.

After a while, the police appears, you explain everything; they confirm with the receptionist of the asylum and let you go.

OOC: It will take some days to translate the diary; you can also make any inquiry of Germans/Nazis in the city if you want. Or about the previous expedition. Or anything else you want.

OOC,Some ideas to think about. Alex speaks some German so could go check out the expat community, see if he can learn anything about Nazi activities in the city. I'd say we're familiar with the Ahnenerbe as academics, particularly Alex with his occult leanings, so maybe we could check out local university colleagues for information - Alex speaks Portugese. Can we learn anything more about Higgins's last words?We could find out from the police about the killer, any other recent murders, art thefts etc. We should look into the last expedition, they annoyed people somehow I recall

ETA OOC,We should talk to Higgins's doctors and nurses as well, find out how he got there and what he was talking about before he died

Once the dust settles, the blood is washed off etc, Crowley confers with his colleagues.

"Gentlemen, I've been on a few expeditions, I'll make some enquiries about this lost expedition."

Crowley will visit the US Consulate (if there is one) during business hours to see if the previous expedition left any details or had any interaction there. And he'll see if there are any camping outfitters who may have been approached but the previous expedition for equipment or porters.

Finally, are there any English language newspapers in Rio?

"Good thinking," says Harry. "I've been on expeditions too, so I can help you. I can ask around for guides. We'll need one of our own if we're going into the jungle, and they may also know who served as guide for the previous expedition or if the Nazis have been trying to recruit a guide. There's a chance the local guides could speak English if they're used to hiring out to expeditions, or possibly Quechua."

Father Malone turns to his colleagues. 'I've been trying to figure out the significance of Higgins's last words before he died, "Shift of three, Risen is key", it just doesn't make sense. I'm going to go back to the hospital to talk to Higgins's doctors and nurses, see if they can shed any light on how he ended up there and what he was saying in his final days'. He looks troubled. 'The appearance of this National Socialist thug is a worrying development. I speak a little German. I think I will make some discrete enquiries with fellow members of the Catholic Church to see if there is any talk about the SS and Ahnenerbe being in Rio, and what they might be looking for'.

"It must be some sort of code!" says Harry, realization striking. "Some simple codes shift the letters in sequence in the alphabet. With a shift of three, A becomes D, B becomes E, and so on. Or it could be the other way around, depending on which way the letters are shifted. Some codes also have a key word that's used to decipher them. That could be the word 'risen.' They might shift the first letter by eighteen because R is the eighteenth letter, then the second letter by nine because I is the ninth, et cetera. After the fifth letter, they go back to the first. We just need a coded message to try it on. Could be something in that journal."

'That makes sense'. says Alex. 'Although I believe the Spanish word for "risen" is "resucitado"'.

OOC:

Who will translate the journal in Spanish from the XVI century conquistador?
Who will decipher the diary of Mr Higgins now with the key and code?
Father Malone will make some inquires in the hospital and German community
Crowley and Harry will go to the US consulate and try to organize the expedition.
Yes, there is a local newspaper in English language.

OOC:   Sorry, I didn't even realise we had the conquistador diary until you mentioned it.

Crowley will make enquiries at the Consulate with Harry, that won't take long. Then he'll leave Harry to hit up camping suppliers and potential porters while Crowley tries to translate the diary.

Might be worth someone checking out back issues of the English language paper too?

OOC,I'm not good with languages but I can sit down with Higgin's diary and try to decipher it.

"I'll be here trying to see if Higgin's last words are the key to decoding his diary."

You are all supposed to be in the hotel so, please discuss who will do what.

Crowley decide that he would translate the conquistador diary in Spanish (make 4 rolls of Spanish please).

But Harry and Butch want to do the same thing and only one person need to decipher the diary of Mr Higgins.

Alex need to make 6 rolls of one of the following credit rating, fast talk, intimidate, persuade. The number of successes will give different information.

Leaving his intrepid colleagues to decide on other tasks, Crowley heads out and purchases a pound of the finest tobacco he can find in Rio, a bottle of the best Brazilian rum, and a Spanish-English dictionary (if he can find one). Then he instructs the hotel to deliver fresh coffee to his room every hour but otherwise not to disturb him.

Crowley disappears into a fog of pipe smoke and slightly rum-laced coffee as he reads through the ancient conquistador journal.

Spanish first roll 31%,[dice]0[/dice]

Spanish second roll 31%,[dice]1[/dice]

Spanish third roll 31%,[dice]2[/dice]

Spanish fourth roll 31%,[dice]3[/dice]

OOC:   Can Crowley spend 11 Luck points to make the last roll a success? If he can, he will.

Alex lights a cigarillo and heads back to the hospital.

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]0[/dice]

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]1[/dice]

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]2[/dice]

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]3[/dice]

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]4[/dice]

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]5[/dice]

Butch: make 4 own language rolls.
Harry: don't need to make any rolls, it will just take 2 days to get the expedition organized.

Diary1,Own Language 70 [dice]0[/dice]

Diary2,Own Language 70 [dice]1[/dice]

Diary3,Own Language 70 [dice]2[/dice]

Diary4,Own Language 70 [dice]3[/dice]

OOC,A normal success, a hard success, an extreme success and a failure. I can spend luck to make the last one but I'd prefer not to unless it's necessary.

Butch will seclude himself with pads of paper and coffee until he's done.

Crowley
The diary was written by Francisco de Toledo in 1560 and narrates several adventures. He was a member of the expedition of Lope de Aguirre who was looking for the El dorado and declared himself independent from the Spanish crown and latter executed for treason. Before Lope being arrested, the Spanish crown offered to his followers a pardon and most men accepted (including Francisco). Francisco had heard some rumors in Lope expedition about a city of gold and gathering some of his companions, decide to go in an expedition. They went by river, and after several months (there is a description of the route) with hostile primitive Indians and diseases a group of 5 men arrive at what was obviously an advanced city, with a inca group; they found indeed treasures (gold) but they found something astonishing and much more precious that they decide to not disturb.
OOC: To read the end, you need to have a last success...


Butch:

The journal details an expedition of four explorers (including Higgins and Dr. Joseph Coleridge) and eight porters who traveled from Manaus deep into the Amazon. While the journal lacks sketches or maps, its descriptions name specific tribes and local landmarks, including an apparent burial chamber called the “Soldier’s Tomb.” It is protected by a people called the Q'ero. This tomb provided a map to the city on the underside of one of the sarcophagus lids. Higgins concludes: “Find the Soldier’s Tomb and you find Paititi.” There is also some hints that the leader of the expedition treated poorly the locals by threatening them for information and supplies and beating them when not satisfied.

Alex:

The Germans are led by a man named Stellenleiter Wolfram, who spent sizeable amounts of money to purchase large quantities of diesel fuel as well as enough food to feed a platoon for months. He also purchased an ostentatious gold crucifix and had it sent to the San Xavier mission, but the head priest there, Father Creus, refused the gift and sent it back unopened. With a little coercion, one shady-looking pawnbroker reveals that Wolfram made several inquiries on the black market about occult books and religious
artifacts, and he purchased several small satanic idols and other materials for use in necromantic rituals.

Harry:
In two days you manage to get a guide, several porters, a steamboat and supplies for several months.

OOC: yes he can.

OOC: You can all make those questions but it will take extra time. And time urges, but it's your choice.

Harry:
You will have to make a credit roll or psychology roll for those 3 questions. And it will take another 2 days.

Butch:
It will take another day.

Crowley.
It will take another day.

Crowley emerges from his room in a fog of pipe smoke, clutching a rum-laced coffee. He hunts up his colleagues and summarises his translation to date, including the route Francisco described. "Gentlemen, I need another day to complete the translation I'm afraid, but it could be important."

OOC:   Unless the rest of the team votes no, Crowley will keep translating.

Alex returns to the hotel looking grim faced. 'Time is of the essence gentlemen. It seems the Germans are in Rio en masse led by one Stellenleiter Wolfram. They're preparing for an expedition, buying fuel and food, and I'm sure we can all guess where they're heading. There are also rumours he has been obtaining items of a more... occult...nature. Rather more puzzlingly he also sent a gift of an ostentatious gold crucifix to Fr Creus at the San Xavier mission, but it was refused.' Father Malone's expression darkens. 'I believe that we need to get a head start on the Germans but we do need to translate the last portion of the book. I have only a little Spanish but some experience of translation so perhaps I could assist you Crowley.'

OOC,Can Alex roll to see if he can help speed up Crowley's translation? If he can I'll roll below - Spanish 11% plus bonus die [dice]0[/dice] [dice]1[/dice] That's 15, I'll spend the 4 luck if that will significantly speed up the translation and allow us to get away quickly

"Well men, I realize that time is of the essence but we do have to properly prepare for this undertaking. We can't just go dashing off into the jungle without a plan or a map. Butch says when they all reconvene to determine their next course of action.

"I say taking one extra day would serve us better in the long run. Harry can plot out our path based upon the landmarks and tribes referenced. Crowley, you can finish the conquistador's book. Meanwhile Alex and I will spend one day trying to find out as much as we can about the prior expedition, the current german expedition or any guides that would be familiar with the tribes I know we'll be encountering."

"That sounds good to me," says Harry. "I wouldn't want to wait any longer than that before setting out, though."

Crowley nods in agreement. "Vey good gentlemen, I think we have a sound plan."

Butch and Alex:[
Make each two rolls of one of the following: persuade/fast talk/credit rating.

Crowley:
Make one Spanish roll.

Harry:
One roll of navigate

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]0[/dice]

Alex Credit Rating: 30,[dice]1[/dice]

Harry has some difficulty mapping the route into uncharted territory, but he manages.

OOC,Navigate roll (60% skill) to plan the expedition route: [dice]0[/dice] I'll spend 9 Luck to make that a success.

Spanish 31%,[dice]0[/dice]

Unfortunately, the last part of the journal is beyond Crowley's tourist/expeditioner level Spanish.

Alex: you find some new guides that seem to know the languages of the tribes you will find.
Harry: you make a map of the area that should give you a good advantage in the trip.

OOC: If everyone is ok, we can advance to the chapter.