Chapter 7: Night Three

[aine]

Isolde looks at Gertrude with relief. "George, maybe you could show your mother the secret passage; that might be a good place to hide and you have multiple ways out should you need it".

Isolde goes downstairs.

"Bates, we need to think of a way to help Mr Forby and the others, do you have any other weapons we could use?" Isolde has no experience with any weapons but rather hopes Bates might have. "Or maybe we could lure the statue away. Whatever it is we need to act very quickly."

[HoneyDog]

Forby and Bates are watching the events outside from a window. They have pushed furniture in front of the door in case the statue tries to enter.

“There’s an axe out back for chopping wood” says Bates. “Some gardening tools – nothing designed as a weapon.”

“Where could we lure it too?” wonders Forby.

His face suddenly lights up.

“Ah! The quarry!”

He turns to Bates.

“Fetch the axe and stand guard here, old friend. Defend the women and children! I’ll lead the blighter away to the quarry.”

Forby’s face is flushed with determination, and Bates does not try to argue. He hurries away.

[Mr. Handy]

"Run!" shouts Alexander, grabbing Harry by the arm and pulling him away, in the direction of the ice house. "Brilliant!" he says to Vic. "To the ice house!"

OOC,Sanity roll (current level 80) for seeing [b]Fred[/b] killed: [dice]0[/dice]

[Philulhu]

OOC,Which way is the creature going?

[HoneyDog]

OOC,The statue is still doing whatever it was doing in the last post. It will react to what your characters do.

[aine]

“The quarry, yes! Maybe we can lure it over the edge. But Mr Forby, wait.” Isolde puts her hand on his arm, “Remember Gertrude and George: you need to survive for them, be brave but not foolhardy. The creature is out for your blood- be wary!”

Ooc,is there a spare lantern she can carry?

[Philulhu]

Vic grabbed Harry’s other arm and helped Alexander to pull him in the direction of the ice house, hoping that they could outrun Icarus!

[Mephistophilis]

As he is dragged away Harry turns to look over his shoulder at Icarus, 'Now you leave the Forby family alone and come with us Christopher'

[HoneyDog]

The companions flee, hoping to lead the statue away. But as they look back, they can see it start walking towards the house.


Forby has gone back to the window as he waits for Bates to return. He suddenly reaches out and grips Isolde’s arm.

“Miss Beauchant! It’s coming this way!”

He looks around, sweat pouring from his brow.

“When I say so, go and open the window in the dining room. The left-hand one! Take the lantern!”

[Philulhu]

“Oh bugger!” swore Vic, and leaving her shocked companions, let go of Harry’s arm and ran in the direction of the house!

OOC,Vic is mindful of the strength of Icarus, so won’t go anywhere near it! She will try to get into the house before it and warn Forby that Icarus is on its way and the need to get to the ice house.

[HoneyDog]

The statue reaches the front door. Finding it locked, it begins pounding, causing the door to splinter and crack.

“Open the window!” Forby shouts to Isolde. “The door won’t hold it long!”

Bates returns with his axe, holding it ready, looking absolutely petrified.

Forby follows Isolde.

“You’ll have to help me out” he says when he gets to the window.

[Mr. Handy]

"He's after Harry Forby!" says Alexander, following Vic back to the house. "He only attacked me because I shot him. Nicholas Forby must have made an automaton out of Lehmann's body, like in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein! If we can get Forby to go to the ice house, we'll have an advantage if that thing follows him."

[HoneyDog]

Assisted by Isolde, Forby manages to get through the window and begins moving away from the house.

The statue ceases it’s assault on the door, and turns to pursue.

[aine]

Isolde leans out of the dining room window. She wonders if Forby could lure it to the stables, escape via the secret passage and then they could lock it in and burn the stables down; the hay must be dry as tinder... “The secret passage!” She shouts after the retreating figure, not wanting to alert the statue to a crazy plan. “Help! Help! It’s chasing Mr Forby round to the back!” She shouts to anyone who might be out there and then ducks back into the house, unable to climb the window in her skirts. She will now run through the house with her lantern and exit at the back.

[HoneyDog]

Forby is indeed heading towards the back of the house. He turns the corner and is lost to view.

The statue keeps pace behind him.

[Mephistophilis]

Seeing that Icarus hasn't followed them and is chasing Forby, Harry turns back to the house to follow shouting 'Christopher, Christopher, where are you?'

[HoneyDog]

OOC,If the companions want to catch up with Forby, they can run around the other side of the house and intercept him as he moves around the back.

[Philulhu]

Seeing Forby run around the back of the house, Vic changed direction to cut him off the other way. Her lungs were already starting to burn so she hoped she would be in time!

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander also runs around the house with Vic to catch up to Harry Forby.

[aine]

Isolde runs to the kitchen door.