Play@YSDC

Maxwell's Sanitarium- London, England
7:10 PM - Monday, September 9, 1940

Brook returned about an hour later, as the sun was setting, and rejoined everyone else. "Phyllis stayed behind to keep an eye on the house," she told them. "She'll give us a call if she needs to tell us anything, though she said she was only staying there about another hour before assuming they're staying in."

"I hope she'll be alright out there on her own," says Eugene, chewing a nail nervously.

"I suppose we'd better get set up in the second floor gallery in the main hall."

Eddie cursed under his breath. He wasn't very keen on leaving someone behind. "Alright. Let's get to it. Hopefully the Steadmans will focus on us."

Everyone went up to the gallery to hide, except for Anna who remained in plain sight in the entry hall. They weren't in position for long before the air raid siren sounded.

Benjamin had hid himself behind a pillar, and occasionally carefully glanced down into the hall to see if anything was amiss...

Story crouched down and takes a moment to center himself using a technique he picked up from his Venusian Karate training.

OOC:   Edited to fix a typo.

Elizabeth hides as well, though close enough to Story so she can still see him and call to him if need be. She shivers with fear, wondering what will happen next.

The asylum staff quickly escorted patients to the basement, and soon the place was deserted except for Anna in the entry hall and the others upstairs. TIme passed, and soon the clock in the reception room struck eight.

Eugene Thomson,[b]Eugene[/b] felt an urge to go back to the warehouse where he had nearly died last night, but he was able to resist it. [spoiler]Resistance Table roll (unknown POW 2 vs. [b]Eugene[/b]'s POW 9: 15% chance): [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

Eugene clutches his head and whimpers.

"I- I think something's calling me back to the warehouse. I've got this urge to go back there, but that's the last thing I want to do!"

He grabs hold of the nearest fixed object, as if anchoring himself to the spot.

Hearing the whimper Story looks over at Eugene, but remains silent for the moment.

Charles, seeing Eugene in some distress is going to go over to him, and try to calm him down, and/or distract him, trying to start a conversation.

"So, Eugene... tell me more about door to door salesmanship...you must meet some interesting people..."

Charles Psychology:45,[dice]0[/dice]

Eugene smiles weakly.

"Oh, one or two oddballs, yes. I always used to do the suburbs and you'd be amazed at what goes on behind those net curtains..."

He sniffs.

"At least that's what I've been told. I usually got suspicious old ladies answering the door - by god they were tough negotiators: I barely turned a profit most weeks. Daft old bats..."

The thought of bats elicits an involuntary shudder.

Charles Davis,[b]Charles[/b] could tell that [b]Eugene[/b] was terrified, and one of the things that frightened him the most was how dark this gallery was.

OOC,Psychology will let you assess someone's mental state, but to actually do something about it requires a Psychoanalysis roll. You're welcome to try that if you wish (the base skill is 1%), but the one with the best chance is [b]Anna[/b].

Archie had been tagging along with the group but hadn't said much for sometime, deeply troubled by the strange and terrible revelations.

Pulling himself together, he manfully hid behind a balustrade on the first floor gallery.

Just then, the phone on the reception desk started to ring. Anna went over and picked it up. "Yes," she said. "I'm Dr. Anna Jerkins." She paused for a minute, then continued speaking. "Thank you. Good evening." She hung up the phone and went upstairs to where the others were hiding. "I just got a call from a woman who said she was an air raid warden. She told me that she was passing along a message from Phyllis Cruckshank. She said the Steadmans are not going to the hospital, they're hunting in the East End tonight. She took Phyllis to the shelter at St. James's Church about ten minutes ago."

Archie stood up, dusted off his knees and stretched his back, aching from hiding awkwardly.

He looked at the others. "Heaven protect the poor people of the East End tonight. As if Jerry wasn't enough. I think I'd like to get back to St James. Closer to the action."

"I wonder if there is any way we could find these people in the dark?"

OOC:   How hard is it to get back to St James' Church, on foot or on the tube or whatever?

Archie looked around at his brave companions. "Wandering about during an air raid is probably a very bad idea. Shall we wait for the all clear then walk to St James' Church?"

"Keeping a weather eye out for giant bats with tails, of course."

OOC:   Team, I'm the new guy and just throwing out ideas, feel free to shoot me down.

"Well, if Phyllis can make it there, so can we! It looks like nothing is going to happen here, so we're in the wrong place anyhow..." Benjamin said.

Eugene continues to hang on, preferring to stay in what little light shines in the hospital rather than risk going out into the dark.

"H-how do we know it's not a trap? Surely Mrs. Cruckshank would be able to telephone herself? And do you think air raid wardens would happily speak about 'hunting in the East End', just like that?"

He retreats into a pool of moonlight.

"I-I'll stay here if it's all the same."

Benjamin pauses for a while. "Hmm, you might have a point there. We indeed do not know if it's a trap... But what if they have Phyllis?"

Archie casts a weather eye over Eugene, not unsympathetically though. "Well, some could stay here to keep this establishment safe. And if the rest of us get to St James' and find Phyllis safely there, that rather answers the question."

Archie holds up a hand. "Generous to a fault but no thank you, old boy. I actually think it would be safer to walk than drive someone else's vehicle at night with black out lights on. And besides, this way you have your car yourself in case you need it later."

“I don’t trust that message,” says Elizabeth, thinking as she speaks. “We know the Steadmans are targeting Anna and myself. We’re on their hit list. This sounds like a trap, to split us up. Though, yes, it might mean they have Phyllis. I would rather stay here, and in a good number.”

Anna Jerkins says "I'm worried this could be a trap too, god knows I don't want to take any unnecessary risks with my own safety, but we can't just abandon Phyllis. St James's is pretty near and I don't think driving is a good idea so maybe someone, or a few of us could sneak down and check it out?"

OOC:   Greetings everyone, another newbie

Taking a moment to gauge the mood in the room Anna notices Eugene's change in demeanor: "Eugene, are you okay? You're looking a little pale."

Anna psychoanalysis: 90,[dice]0[/dice]. Alternatively she has psychology 75 if the initial assessment that something is wrong is not psychoanalysis

OOC:   Right, let's see if I can get this to work

Eugene calmed down somewhat after Anna talked him through his fears, and the darkness did not seem quite so frightening any more. However, from outside came the crump of bombs starting to fall nearby.

OOC,That will do nicely. [b]Charles[/b] already succeeded at a Psychology roll, so that will give you all the information you need to make a diagnosis without having to roll it yourself, and the Psychoanalysis success temporarily suppresses [b]Eugene[/b]'s indefinite insanity. For the next 24 hours, he will be able to function normally. Of course, after that, it will return. Over the long term, therapy sessions will enable him to overcome it permanently and perhaps even recover some lost Sanity.

After his brief conversation with Anna, Eugene feels a lot less panicky and tentatively steps out of the pool of moonlight.

"Thank you Miss, I feel much better now."

He takes stock of his surroundings, as if seeing everything clearly for the first time.

"I think splitting up might be the best way forward. If the phone call was a trap, then I'm sure the hospital has enough lamps and torches to see off the creature. Therefore anyone who goes out can have the flare gun."

"Who wants to stay here and who wants to go into town? We need to act fast before Jerry makes up our minds for us."

Archie looked up at the sound of the bombs falling. "I would like to walk back to St James' but not I think during the air raid. Perhaps we should adjourn to this hospital's shelter for the moment? It doesn't seem there is much point staying above ground."

"I'd like to check on Phyllis, just to be on the safe side..." Benjamin says.

Archie looked to Eugene. "Actually, I might take you up on the offer of the flare pistol, old boy."

"'I am the light of the world', said our savour. 'Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life'." Archie seemed to be talking to himself.

"Now, I really think we should get down to a shelter."

OOC,I think [b]Eddie [/b]has the flare gun :)

Eugene doesn't look convinced, is new-found bravery giving him some backbone.

"If we all hide in the shelter now, there's no guaranteeing that Phyllis will be safe. Whoever goes out to look for her will need the flare gun, just in case they meet the Steadmans. Benjamin, I'll come with you to the church and we'll take the flare for protection, if that's alright by you Eddie."

Having observed the erratic behaviour of the others and had the chance to get back into the mindset of a psychiatrist Anna is starting to have second thoughts about all this talk of flying monsters. Yet it seems like there is some commonality between the experiences people have had, perhaps the ideas of Carl Jung about archetypes, the collective unconscious, and the shadow might have more relevance than she had previously given them credit for. Getting up close to observe someone having one of these psychotic experiences could be instructive. She says "Look, I appreciate the Steadmans are dangerous, and I don't want to put myself in harm's way, but if no one else is going to go and look for Phyllis I will, air raid or no. I'll come with you Eugene"

Archie looked momentarily surprised by the determination of the others. "Well, who can doubt the bravery of Londoners in the blitz? If you are determined to go straight away, I shall come with you."

"Shall we make a start?" Archie looked positively cheery.

OOC,a couple of quick questions before we go a huntin. St James's Church - is that the one we were in some time ago? What do we know about it, does it have a shelter? Historical telephony - I received a call on the reception phone, could I call back (maybe ask the operator to patch me through) and get more info, maybe a psychology roll, or could I call the church directly, perhaps talk to Phyllis?

OOC:   Edited to correct error

"Before we go I'm popping down to reception to call the operator to see if she can give me any information about where that last telephone call came from, perhaps ring them back and get some more information. After that I'm going to see if they can put me through to St James's and maybe I could talk to Phyllis directly" says Anna.

OOC,If I get through I'd like to roll psychology against either/both. Not sure if there would be any penalties doing it over the phone. Looking for whether they're telling the truth,whether Phyllis is under duress. I'll put in two rolls against my psychology 75 that could be used in the order I get through (if I do): [dice]0[/dice], [dice]1[/dice]

The operator was able to connect Anna with the original caller, who had called from an ARP warden's post. The woman who answered said that she was in fact the same warden who had found Phyllis lost in the blackout, and that she had escorted her to St. James's Church, which she knew had a shelter in its basement. "She'd wanted to call you herself, but it was too dangerous for her to be out and about, so I insisted on calling for her." Anna sensed that this woman was telling the truth.

OOC,You only need one Psychology roll, so I'll count the first roll as a Luck roll, which I was going to ask for anyway in order to see if you got through at all. That succeeds, and so does your Psychology roll.

"Excellent! At least we know it's not a trap then. All the more reason to go!" says Benjamin

Eugene nods in agreement; his freedom from phobia increasing his bravery (and perhaps recklessness).

Story runs his hand through his hair and says, "Hmmm, it may have come from a sound source, but something about the phrase 'hunting in the East End' seems odd coming from the Air Warden. Something still doesn't seem right, maybe it's nothing."

Archie is relieved to hear the ARP warden had confirmed the earlier news of Phyllis but nods at Story's concern.

He thinks for a moment before addressing his comrade's question. "Well, old bean, as a man of faith perhaps I can help by quoting from Corinthians. Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love."

"And as a sometime archeologist, I would say the best research is invariably done in the field."

Archie gestures towards the front door.

Anna slips out of her heels into some flat shoes. She picks up her medical bag and takes out a torch, giving it a firm tap on her thigh to light up the bulb. As something of an afterthought she pulls out a long thin blade and tucks it into her waistband: "Well, trap or not a lady has to look after herself in the blackout".

Archie looks askance at Anna stashing the knife. "Steady on, Florence Nightingale, I don't think that's in the Hippocratic. And you may do yourself a mischief." But he doesn't press the argument, making a move instead for the front entrance of the asylum.

"Florence Nightingale was a nurse Father, whereas I am a doctor! However surprising that may be to you. This knife was my brother's and while it is more suited to gutting a fish I can assure you that I know just where to stick it if I have to" fumes Anna as she stomps behind Archie with a face like thunder.

OOC,Just a bit of fun, time we were going out into the night I think. ETA she's quite sensitive about the doctor thing because while she might be a great analyst her medicine is only 15 so she's a pretty lacklustre doctor, maybe too much time galavanting about with Freud and not enough spent on the wards

”Knives won’t do you any good. Just make sure your torches are working.”

Eugene mutters, following the others outside.

Archie holds up his hands in mock surrender. "I do apologise, doctor, I meant no offence to your professional status I assure you. My comment was rather more in concern for the apparent anti-Hippocratic-ness of planning to stab people. That said, however, you must do as your own conscience dictates."

With a mischievous smile, he adds after a pause, "I must add in defence of Florence Nightingale that to describe that good lady as a nurse, whilst accurate per se, is rather like describing Lord Nelson as a sailor."

"I'd rather stay here," says Elizabeth, looking particularly towards Story and Brook. "But I wish those of you heading out all the best. Take care of yourselves. It's dangerous enough out there without the Steadmans and their creature as well."

Story looks at his friend and nods before saying, "As both Anna and Elizabeth have targets on them, and it seems everyone is heading out, I'll remain with Elizabeth." He looks at Elizabeth and Brook before continuing, "I've lost one family member to the horrors already, and I have no intention of losing another." He turns his attention back to the group, "Eugene, I think you should remain here as well. The horror that is summoning you back to the warehouse will assault your mind again, eventually collapsing your willpower. Only a few should go for Phyllis, anymore and unnecessary attention and risk will occur."

Story’s advice gives Eugene pause for thought. For all his new-found bravery, he can see the man’s logic.

”We’ll, that makes two of us to protect each young lady. Fair enough, I’ll stay here.”

"I'll stay as well," said Brook.

OOC,[b]Archie[/b], [b]Benjamin[/b], and [b]Anna[/b] are moving to the thread linked below:

Once More Into the Breach

OOC,Everyone else is moving to the thread linked below:

Home Fires