Play@YSDC

When Felicity, Archie and Andrew return to the hotel, they find Clarence sitting at a table in the restaurant. His face is tired, he looks like he's been studying all day. He doesn't seem to have stopped yet, because he still has a thoughtful and meditative expression.

"I'm glad you remembered to eat, Clarence," says Felicity, approaching the table. "You're pushing yourself too hard." She comes up behind him and rubs his neck muscles. "Did you discover anything?"

Archie joined the others at Andrew's table, but he didn't relax. Not really. He couldn't get rid of the awful image of the ravaged men they saw in the warehouse. He took a seat so he could see people coming in and restlessly shifted in his chair as he rubbed his tingling arm.

"I could use a drink..." he murmured to no one in particular, staring blankly at the lobby.

Andrew is a little tetchy. He recounts the day's findings, 'That Spinola was attacked, or mutilated, or whatever eventually killed him in Conti's warehouse. A ritual I'd say, bloodstained slab, and the outline of another body, a second one.' He doesn't even pause for effect this time, 'And two more bodies attacked by human-like teeth and claws. More Makryats, at least the faces anyway.' Building up into something of a crescendo he continues, 'That Conti's in this up to his neck I'll wager. But what does that jumped up little corporal do about it? Nothing!' He's still angry about the interaction in the police station.

Seeing Archie rubbing his arm again he shouts, 'You're rubbing your arm again man, what the hell is wrong with you?' And finally he slumps into his chair and gestures for a drink ('Whisky, make it a double'). 'My apologies, it has been a most disquieting day. How did you get along with that scroll Mr Dalrymple, I should like to take a look later.'

It took a moment for it to sink in that Andrew was actually talking...or yelling...at him. He suddenly stopped rubbing his arm and forced himself to leave it still next to him. He hadn't wanted anyone to know about the problem, but it seemed to be getting worse, not better. He just shook his head and said, "Nothing...nothing's wrong with me.

Archie grabbed a handful of currency and dropped it on the table. "Just leave the bottle..." he directed the bartender.

"It's the statue piece, isn't it?" says Felicity. "It's just like what happened to the doctor and his family."

Suddenly, Archie's bedside manner returned, and he gave his best reassuring smile to his fellow travelers. "Oh, I am sure that you are mistaken. Just a bit of arthritis acts up from time to time. Nothing to worry about.*

"Really?" says Felicity, arching an eyebrow. "I haven't seen you do that before we found the arm. And it's the same arm as yours, isn't it?"

For just a moment, Archie thought about coming clean about the tingling. The consummate professional aura blinked away for a few heartbeats. Archie's mind raced a million miles an hour. There was uncertainty in his eyes. I don't believe that my judgement is impaired, he thought to himself. The moment that I believe it is, then I will be more forthcoming. Until then...

Then Dr. McIlhenney was back. "Just a coincidence. Nothing to be worried about. I promise."

"Really," says Felicity, rolling her eyes. "Who are you trying to fool, us or yourself?"

Archie felt anger redden his cheeks as Felicity did not seem willing to let things go. He forced himself to breathe, and then smiled. In a remarkably even tone, "Let's see if I can speed up those drinks..."

Archie stood up and headed for the nearest staff member.

Sorry for the slow response- I didn’t realise Clarence was in this one.

Clarence waits until everyone is seated with drinks.
“The scroll was laborious to decipher but had quite an extraordinary tale to tell. It is one of five written in 1203 by a Gazi Turkish gentleman by the name of Sedefkar. He acquired the statue, The Simulacrum and was soon visited by a strange being he assumed was a demigod; it was the statue’s maker and he called it ‘The Skinless One.’”

Clarence pauses and takes a drink of wine.

“Sedekar relates how this being offered great rewards in return for worship, one was a spell, ‘The Ritual of Enactment’ which allows him to use the statue’s many terrible powers.
“Sedekar grew rich and powerful, learning many more spells from the Skinless One but also enslaving his soul to it and to avoid total corruption he had to perform a rite of cleansing every forth day, enabling him to take on the exact form and persona of another human being. In this way, he survived many years past his natural span.

“However, it seems Sedekar did not survive the sacking of Constantinople in 1204 during the 4th Crusades, the statue was sought by a Venetian cabal called the ‘Unburdened Flesh’. I don’t know what happened after this.”

Clarence finished his glass and pours another.

“This statue is an unholy monstrosity and we should take great great care in our dealings with it.”