Play@YSDC

The Venetian night is calm and cloudy, but without wind. The moon is hidden behind a blanket of thick clouds, limiting visibility to the few streetlights that are on. Nanne lives in an apartment on the island of Giubecca. Giudecca is actually a set of eight islands connected to each other, located south of the historic center of Venice. It overlooks the Giudecca canal bearing the same name, opposite the Dorsoduro district, of which the island is an administrative part. Located south of the rest of the city, the Giudecca constitutes a residential area. The indications the investigators get, lead them to a two-story building inhabited by workers, located at the western end of the Giudecca, next to the Palazzo del Molino Stucky. Going towards the artist´s house, the investigators pass the Molino Stucky, the impressive mill a classic and characteristic neo-gothic facade. The waters of the Venetian canal are used to quickly transport the grain to be sent to the island's mill. The strucure gives work at full capacity to more than a thousand workers.
The neighborhood is rather deserted and silent, with few lights on in a couple of homes. Nanni´s address is a two-storey building and his name appears in the doorbell of the ground floor apartment, near the main door. There are no lights inside, the windows are closed, but not with shutters. The back of the building has a rusty metal door.

"Shall we just go up and ring the bell?" asks Felicity.

Archie paused. "At this time of the night...err, morning, maybe a knock first? Then ring?"

Felicity nods. "Okay, let's do that," she says.

“I think I might just watch the back door, artists sometimes have reasons to run away from midnight visitors.”
Clarence has his walking cane in hand and nods to the others,
“I’ll join you once you’ve received a positive welcome.” He trots round to wait by the back door.

Knocking on the door elicits no response. The inside of the house remains silent and dark.

Sense trouble rolls please! Difficulty 4

When Clarence moves away from the group and goes towards the back door, he sees a shadow of a man in a coat and hat who, very stealthily, is entering the house through that door, trying to do so as quickly and silently as possible.

Sense Trouble: 1d6

Being a source of trouble herself, Felicity is very good at recognizing it.

Sense Trouble roll:
1d6

Oh my word. Clarence thinks to himself. He silently draws his sword from the cane… and then thinks better of it. He hurries back towards his companions and beckons to them to follow him back to the door.

"Someone's walking quickly through the rooms in the house," Felicity whispers.

“I just saw him sneaking in. Come on, we can get in through here.”
Clarence leads the way through the back door.

Felicity nods and slips inside behind him.

Archie pats his coat pocket, making sure his pistol is ready, and then he follows the other two, moving silently as possible.

Cursing inwardly, having completely failed to hear anything - professional embarrassment old man - Andrew follows the others.

Noticing Archie feeling for his gun, he whispers, 'If we can try not to kill anyone and cause an international incident.'

The person that Clarence saw entering locked the door. The followers are forced to pick the lock (OOC: Archie´s Lockpick ability can be used. No rolls needed). They find themselves in a dark house. There´s the smell of burning paper in the air. In one of the rooms, the shadow of a man in a raincoat and hat is rummaging through the drawers. He does not appear to have noticed that someone entered the house.

"He's burning papers," whispers Felicity. "We should put the fire out and salvage what we can."

Clarence looks for the kitchen to get a bucket of water.

Archie blushes slightly as the lock opens easily. "I don't suppose you'd believe that I picked that up picking the locked cabinet at my surgery after I lost the key..." he whispers as they slip inside.

As soon as he sees the man, he quietly extracts his pistol. Once Clarence goes for water, he points his pistol at the man, quietly advances to the fireplace, grabs any handy implement with his left hand, and starts trying to drag papers off the stack.

"I wouldn't burn any more of those, friend," he says quietly, gun still trained on the raincoat-wearing man.

Felicity is intrigued by this other side of Archie. She hikes her skirt, thinking it's a shame that it's too dark for the men to see her leg, and draws her own pistol from her thigh.

There's nothing burning in the studio anymore. There is a man with a gun in his hand rummaging through the drawers. He seems to be looking for something important. He is Maria´s lover, Giorgio. The group recognize he is the young man who was at the station when Maria arrived in Venice.

Without pointing any weapons at the young man, Andrew leans against the wall and casually asks, 'Lost something Giorgio?'

"Hey, there, Giorgio girl... "Remember us?" Archie gently waves the pistol. "Now step back from the desk. I took an oath to do no harm, but I've already broken it a few times on this trip. I would hate for you to join the list. We have already faced zombies, so you,hardly rate. So, step back."

"You should definitely be more scared of my tingling hand right now than any Turk..."

"Easy there, chaps," says Felicity, lowering her pistol. "Giorgio is a friend, remember? Don't worry, Giorgio, we've already rescued Maria. She gave us this note for you." She holds it out to him. "You need to meet her and get on the next train out of town."

Clarence returns with two jugs of water,
"Should I put the fire out?" He enquires.

There are blackened scraps of burnt paper on the floor, but nothing currently burning.
Giorgio points the gun at the intruders, but with little decision, more out of fear than anything else. He doesn't understand much of what's being said until Felicity speaks italian and begins translating something. He seems confused, as if meeting a group of Englishmen who burst in and talk to him about Maria was not among the events he could have expected. He takes the note from Felicity hand and puts the gun back in his pocket.
He stares at the note with troubled feelings, than turns to the group.
"Thanks. Who are you? How do you know her?"

"You're quite welcome," says Felicity, putting her own gun back in its hiding place against her thigh. "I'm Felicity Hayward. My friends and I met Maria on the train ride from Milan to Venice. We came here looking for you, and for some information. What were you doing here?"

Giorgio relaxes as he answers, but his voice conveys concern.
"I am currently searching for a document, however, it appears that a portion of the content I sought is absent. This issue is quite intricate."
He pauses momentarily before inquiring.
"May I inquire as to the purpose of your search for me? What specific information do you require from my end?"

"We were looking for Nanni," says Felicity. "Maria said he could help us find you, and she also said he would know what became of the statue of Saint Isidore. Her father had been restoring it, and she said he had given it to Nanni."

After having handled a decade of difficult patients and, earilier on this trip, zombies, Archie doesn't flinch in the slightest when Georgio points the gun back at them. He clicks his tongue, suspecting that would be understood in any Western culture as one of doubt. He pulls back the hammer on his revolver. "Steady, old boy..." he shakes his head. "I wouldn't do that..."

Archie stands ready to pull the trigger if necessary as Felicity converses with the hostile.

Giorgio grimaces, as if attempting to comprehend an unusual situation.
"You guys have come all the way to Italy to speak with Nanni... about a statue... it must be quite an important statue. Are you collectors of relics or something?"
Then he shifts his tone, speaking quickly.
"Regardless, Nanni's not available. He's dealing with other issues. He's evading the authorities. It's not simple to catch up with him at the moment. I suggest you try finding him when things settle down a bit."

Assess honesty: He genuinely seems surprised that you are placing so much importance on a statue of a saint."

"I don't know if we can stay in Venice that long," says Felicity. "Neither can you or Maria, for that matter. We're all evading the authorities in one way or another. Maybe we can help Nanni with his issues, and he can help us in turn."

Using Reassurance.

Easy there! He had already put his gun away.

Clarence tries to look at Giorgio's document without being obvious. Was it ancient, similar to what they'd found on their adventures so far?

Giorgio appears hesitant and indecisive, pausing for a few seconds. Occasionally, he glances at the letter, seemingly feeling obligated by its contents.
"Alright. Come with me. I'll attempt to arrange a meeting with Nanni for you. Just follow my lead without questioning.
The less you're aware of, the better."
The papers on the table don't resemble ancient documents. Much of what's laid out appears to be bureaucratic records related to sales and services. One noteworthy document, however, is a handwritten list of names arranged in a column, lacking any further context or reference, thought.

Felicity nods and follows.

Archie thinks of his tingling hand and grimaces. "I wouldn't call us collectors... Let's say art lovers." He makes his way over to the desk and slips the list of names into his pocket.

Then he follows the others.

While the others follow Giorgio, Andrew trails behind at a distance, keeping an eye out for anyone who might be following them.

Giorgio guides the group along the dim, hushed lanes of the Giubecca district, frequently pausing to cast nervous glances around. Eventually, they arrive at a weathered, disused factory shed nestled beside one of the canals. A dense fog has ascended from the waters, shrouding the structure and amplifying its aura of neglect. With a curt nod, Giorgio motions for everyone to follow him inside.

Meanwhile, Andriew, who lingered behind, notices a figure darting into hiding behind a building about 200 meters distant.

'Psst, someone's following us,' whispers Andrew to the others. 'Keep going with Giorgio and I'll wait here to see who it is.' He ducks inside the door and waits behind it to see who pokes their head through.

Felicity nods again and slips inside, getting her pistol ready.

Clarence waits with Andrew whilst the others head inside.
He silently draws his sword cane.

Felicity and Archie find themselves in a dusty and disorderly warehouse that has long been used for replicating and restoring sculptures. Fragments of sculptures, molds, and other tools are scattered about. The only light comes from dim lanterns in a corner where ten people are standing. Approaching closer, three old and rusted machines can be discerned, appearing to be printing and typography instruments. The group of people appears to be students and common workers. None of them is over twenty-five years old, except for one, with a stern face, who seems to be the leader. A man in his fifties with a severe gaze, gray hair, and a work apron dusty with accumulated years. Four people are listening to the leader, who gesticulates to explain something important. Another five are nervously gathering sheets of paper into open sacks on the floor. They are leaflets, with large symbols of hammer and sickle, with slogans written in large letters, such as "Proletarian power", "Fight for the workers' cause."
The leader of the activists, upon seeing Giorgio approach with two strangers, furrows his brows and strides toward him, gesturing in consternation.

"Have you lost your mind? Who the devil are these people? Get them out of here immediately!"
Giorgio, intimidated and embarrassed, still clutching Maria's paper in his hand, responds weakly,
"They... are... comrades... from the English section of the party... I think... they need to ask you for a favor..."

Meanwhile, Andrews and Clarence, who remained by the door, catch sight of about twenty black-shirted figures led by Rossini turning a corner and running towards the building, armed.

"Is there another way out of here, Comrades?" asks Felicity, amused at pretending to be a Communist. "Trouble may be coming."

'Time to go old man,' Andrew says to Clarence, closing the door and attempting to bolt or block it. He shouts into the warehouse - 'We need to find another exit - the fascists are coming and they're armed.'

"Well spotted, mate," Archie whispers to Andrew. Then he slips into the warehouse.

He grabs his handkerchief and holds it to his nose, trying to keep the lion's share of the dust away from his mouth and nose.

"Hmm, how does it go again? It's been awhile..." Then he sings a few lines, weak at first, of the International Worker's Anthem, "Debout, les damnés de la terre..." getting stronger as he goes. The chorus is quite strong, "C'est la lutte finale, Groupons-nous, et demain."

When he finishes, he says, "I was too chicken to get a card. Too problematic in Ol' Blighty. Queen and country and all that... But I went to meetings at Brichester. We ended our meetings with that song."

"And yes, we have a huge favor to ask, Comrade."

"Yes, we're hoping Nanni can tell us the whereabouts of the statue of Saint Isidore," adds Felicity.

Clarence slips through the door just as Andrew slams it closed.
“Sorry chaps, we need to skedaddle.” He says to the meeting at large. “There’s a whole bunch of black shirts inbound.”

Clarence slips through the door just as Andrew slams it closed.
“Sorry chaps, we need to skedaddle.” He says to the meeting at large. “There’s a whole bunch of black shirts inbound.”

Archie nods and starts looking around for any other exits.

The solitary entry lies at the forefront, while numerous and generously-sized windows adorn the surroundings. Most of them stands ready to be unlatched swiftly, offering ways of departure from the warehouse in any chosen direction. A sprint in the opposing course would lead towards the canal's waters. Flanking the warehouse are twin structures akin to the present one. With haste, the fascist soldiers are approaching, expanding their reach to obstruct avenues of flight. Dissent brews amongst the activists. Nanni advocates for seizing a boat tethered just beyond the shed's confines, while Giorgio favors a lateral evasion, seeking refuge amidst the interstice between sheds. The remaining comrades find themselves torn between the two proposals.

"Comrades, we must move quickly and get as far from here as possible," says Felicity quietly. "If we do not decide fast, we will be trapped. If we stay between the sheds, the blackshirts will eventually find us when they search methodically. No, we must escape by boat, and they will be unable to pursue us on foot. I'm sure you're all bright enough to see the wisdom in that."

Using Flattery.

“Absolutely!” Clarence strides towards the rear windows that open out by the canal and opens them one by one.
“No time to dally!”

Archie nods. There is no time to spare. He heads toward the open windows, and for some reason, suddenly has the overture from Carmen running through his head as he rushes across. He resists the urge to actually make any noise.

'And those of us who can swim could cross to the other side of the canal if there is not enough room in the boat,' notes Andrew.

The communists burst out of the warehouse and spill onto the dock behind it. The cold breeze from the Venetian canal greets them. Nanni flicks on a flashlight and uncovers two moored rowboats. Amidst the rush and confusion, the group hastily divides between the two small vessels. Activists are already splitting into two groups of five. Meanwhile, the fascists sprint, approaching with their own flashlights. There are no other boats nearby for them to give chase. Like trained soldiers, they take aim to fire at the fleeing boats. At this juncture, the activists also draw their pistols to provide covering fire.

OOC:   Describe how you split between the two boats and what you do once aboard (help rowing, provide covering fire, or something else).

OOC:   Archie's pistol is drawn so he can squeeze off shots any shots as needed. He can go to Boat 1.

Felicity goes in whichever boat Nanni takes so that she can later ask him about the statue, and she'll provide covering fire, crouching down low to present a smaller target and use the gunwale for cover. She knows that one of the weaknesses of Communists is their internal divisions, and she's glad that she was still able to get men to do what she wants.

Clarence is one of the first out. Not having a gun, he dashes to the other boat, gets the oars ready and waits to slip the mooring line once the boat is full.
“Almost as hectic as Henley. Just missing the boaters and parasols.” He thinks.

All the time Felicity has spent at shooting parties pays off.

Firearms roll (2 points spent) providing covering fire:
1d6+2

Well aware that they aren't going to be able to shoot their way out of this situation, and wary of the diplomatic implications of killing any of their pursuers, Andrew jumps into boat number 2 and takes his place to row as soon as they're ready to go.

Archie squeezes off a shot as he moves to boat 1, trying to give them the better chance of escape.

I'm spending 2 points from Firearms. That leaves 6.

1d6+2

“Hold steady, old chap.” Clarence pulls away as smoothly as he can so not to wobble Archie’s aim.

1-2 Players
4-6 NPC
If player,
1-2 Felicity
3-4 Archie
5-6 Andrew
7-8 Clarecne

The soldiers converge upon the dock with determined steps. Rossini's voice boomed across the lot as he orders his men to open fire. Five soldiers promptly obey, their shots ringing out into the air, while another five direct beams of light from their torches, casting an eerie glow upon the two departing boats as they glid into the murky depths of the canal.

The fugitives, enveloped in the dim illumination and the echoes of Rossini's furious tirade against communism, press on, their hearts heavy with fear. While the boats strain against the current, cries pierced the night air. On of the fascist bullets injure one of the young activist at the helm of the boat. With gritted teeth, one of his comrade takes up the oars, propelling the vessel onward.

Swiftly, the two boats cut through the water, vanishing into the shroud of mist that clung to the canal's surface. The soldiers lights and sounds disappear inn the distance. The injured man, clutches his wounded arm, bleeding profusely. His comrades frantically rally to his aid.

Felicity is in the same boat as the injured man. The two boats are moving alongside each other. Transitioning between the two vessels is effortless and swift. They reach a pier in Venice, distant from Giudecca Island, without encountering any peril.

Felicity treats the injured man's wound during the boat ride.

"Well done, Comrades," she says when they land. "Before we part company, I would like to find out from Nanni where the statue of Saint Isidore ended up."

I can spend a point of First Aid, but it may be better if our doctor does, as he gets 3 to 1 instead of 2 to 1, and the man took 3 damage.

"I always wanted to visit Venice, you know." Archie said as they pulled up to the pier. "I just thought it would be under vastly different circumstances."

If possible, I will be happy to switch boats and spend a First Aid point.

“Agreed, definitely not my idea of messing about in boats.” Clarence passes the painter to one of the activists and then climbs out himself.
“At least these chaps all escaped. It would have a slaughter otherwise.”

Archie's intervention proves beneficial for the injured man, who subsequently recuperates well. The doctor ingeniously improvises a bandage, effectively halting the external bleeding. The boat docks at an abandoned pier on the outskirts of Venice, shrouded in the late-night hour. The sparse illumination of the city center remains obscured by the dense fog blanketing the entire canal.

Nanni discloses that the sculpture was comprised of assorted pieces assembled together, and they were sold to the Gremanci family, renowned doll makers. The elderly communist displays a mixture of surprise and suspicion, particularly directed towards Giorgio, who averts his gaze. Nanni inquires, "Why the keen interest in the components of a statue, comrades?"
He adds:
"Given the events of tonight, that would hardly be at the forefront of my thoughts, right now."

"It's a favour for a comrade back in England," says Felicity. "It's why we came to Venice in the first place. We didn't know this was going to happen when we came here, but I wouldn't want to forget it when we had the chance."

Using Reassurance.

In English, Archie adds, "And we didn't realize it at the time, but this favour for our friend is...much more important than we originally realized." He starts to go on, but stops and rubs his tingling hand.

'Time to make a move chaps,' says Andrew, scanning the other bank for signs of the black shirts. 'Let's find out where these dollmakers are and then find somewhere to lie low.'

"First we have to reunite Giorgio and Maria and get them on a train out of town," says Felicity. "They're in danger as long as they're here."

“It may not be safe for us all to return to the hotel to collect Maria. Perhaps some of us should continue to the station with Giorgio whilst the others go via the hotel.” Clarence suggests.

"I would go to the hotel," says Felicity, "but she's still disguised as me. It might be amusing if someone saw the two of us together, but it could also be dangerous. I'd best go to the station."

The renowned family of doll makers is well-known in Venice. Giorgio can provide the address of their shop, situated in the heart of the city.

Upon reaching the hotel's reception, the clerk cautions the investigator that two men affiliated with the Blackshirts had inquired about the English guests. Although the clerk informed them that the guests were not present, he firmly believes that the fascists will return. He expresses considerable annoyance with the situation and discloses that the owner desires to avoid any legal troubles.

Giorgio and Maria reunite on the platforms of Venice station. They escape on the Orient Express bound for Milan, ensuring they are out of immediate reach from Rossini. Maria and Giorgio express deep gratitude to the investigators. Giorgio extends an invitation to stay at one of his comrade's houses in Venice. Maria embraces each of her new English friends before boarding the train. The Express departs for Milan at 12:40 P.M. As the investigators bid farewell to Maria and Giorgio safely, a fleeting sense of warmth, contentment, and romance fills their hearts.

Felicity clasps her hands under her chin and sighs. "One day I'm going to find a perfect love like that," she says. "Of course, the best way for me to do that is to sample various men until I find the right one. Right, we'll have to avoid the hotel so we don't run into the blackshirts. We'll have to go back at some point to collect the other statue pieces and our luggage, but first we can find the leg."

Archie thanks Giorgio for his thoughtful invitation.

Archie smiles warmly. "I hope you do, Miss Heyward, too. I hope you do, too. And I hope that when you do, it's not a policeman or a doctor. I happen to know they both keep awfully long hours sometimes."

"Yes, the leg is our next order of business."

Looking scandalised by Felicity's suggestions, Andrew splutters, 'Yes, well, um, time to get this search over with and out of this open sewer of a city.'

All his previous enthusiasm for the sights of Venice has been purged from Andrew after getting shot at and chased by the blackshirts. He's acutely aware that an international incident is just around the corner and he's not ready to have to call in any favours from the British government just yet.

“Perhaps we should find this house of Georgio”s so we all know where it is in case we need a bolt hole. And then off to find the statue.” Clarence says.

"Yes, let's do that," says Felicity.

Yes, that bolthole may come in handy. And then off the statue."

'Quite, sanctuary, statue, scamper!'