Play@YSDC

"A likely story, monsieur," said Leonardo, keeping his crossbow raised. "This fellow will not be sitting at God's right hand, and I doubt you will be either. I want an explanation as to what is happening. The truth this time."

”You have me at a distinct disadvantage, Monsieur” replied Gui, judging that this Leonardo da Vinci was no fool, and more pertinently, that Gui wasn’t going to outrun a crossbow bolt if he pulled the trigger...

He smiled the most disarming smile he could muster under the circumstances. “I was a guest at the Duc’s event this evening and I heard that you were residing with him. I merely hoped for a glimpse of some of your works and I foolishly visited after hours so that I might admire them as I feared you would not entertain me otherwise. I found this man, slain by this automaton, and after I ascertained that he was indeed for the afterlife - whether he ascend to heaven or otherwise - I admit that I removed the jewel and the box, but for the purposes of examination only!”

He turned and glared again at his assailant. “Were it not for this Andouille wounding me most grievously, I would have set them aside and left the room, but instead, like Caesar, I must bear the stab in the back from the despicable Brutus!”

Jacques:

Jacques raises an eyebrow at the addition of Da Vinci and Elizabeth to the ensemble.

"Master Da Vinci, your fame as an artist precedes you at least as far as distant Rhodes. And probably a good deal further, I'll be bound. I am the Chevalier Jacques du Baudin, also a guest of the Duc, and at your service."

"By way of explanation for this ruckus, I was in my room here in the palace when I was disturbed by a commotion. I went to explore and saw your door ajar. On looking through, I saw this rogue standing over the dead fellow, and relieving him of a box and a jewel."

"Without further ado, fearing murder was afoot, I attacked him, with a view to bringing him before the Duc, one way or another." Jacques smiles at Gui.

"The younger young lady is a foreigner but can be understood, more or less. I cannot speak for the second lady. And I have no idea who they are or where they came from."

“We’re, um, travellers,” says Brook. “We sort of arrived by accident.”

“Ur yes, we got rather lost In afraid. This is Miss Davies and I am Miss Young. A pleasure to make your acquaintances.” Elizabeth says.
“ If I may say so, it looks rather like that dead man might have been a thief. It’s lucky this young man has recovered the stolen artefacts.”

Sanity roll: 28 pass.

Two burly guards in chainmail armor with the Duc d'Auvergne's tabards over it, which bore the image of what looked like a stick with branches over a French fleur de lis, arrived from the hallway. Their naked blades were in their hands. "Sacre bleu!" cried one of them when he saw the dead thief. The other crossed himself.

"You will return the crystal and the box to me now, please," said Leonardo to Gui. "I am delighted to meet you, young ladies, and you, Sir Chevalier. I would prefer it had been in the morning, of course. I am old and require my sleep. The thief got what was coming to him, it seems. While it was the automaton that killed him, it is not autonomous. It is incapable of acting on its own. It can only be operated by the controls in the back. It seems unlikely he could have done so from in front of it."

Gui bowed to Elizabeth. At least she recognised that he was merely recovering the items until such time that the opportunity arose to deliver them into the safekeeping of their owner. Sadly that time was now and he handed them to da Vinci with an obsequious bow…

As he stood up, he considered what da Vinci had said about the controls of the automaton. ”Monsieur,” he addressed da Vinci, “Who was entrusted with the knowledge of how to control your creation?I”

"I am the only one who knows how to operate the automaton," said Leonardo. Now that the guards had arrived, he returned the crossbow to its place and retrieved the box and the crystal. "I could not have done so, as I was asleep in the other room. I would have been well within my rights if I had, of course. The thief was clever enough to solve the puzzle box in order to remove the crystal, so he may have been clever enough to figure out how to make the automaton move, or he could have done so by accident while examining it. However, as you can see, there were limits to his cleverness." He peered at the crystal. "Strange. It used to glow with light. The glow is gone."

“But this fellow could not have made the automaton move and be struck by the axe at the same time? It is not possible!” declared Gui. “Why would someone try to reach around the creature to manipulate the controls? It makes no sense!”

Edited!

Jacques:

"Right, well, we better sort this mess out in the morning." Assuming an air of calm command, Jacques turns to the guards and indicates Gui and the body. "Gentlemen, this man - the one who's not dead - will need to be brought before the Duc in the morning to explain himself. I do not want to be the one to wake His Grace now though, so this one will need to be kept somewhere safe till then. Unless he really does have a guest apartment in the palace somewhere?"

"And we'll need some servants to carry the body out, so Master Da Vinci may retire in peace. Perhaps it could be taken to one of the cold cellars, till more permanent accommodation can be arranged tomorrow?" Jacques seems familiar with such grim practicalities.

Brook sidles back to Story and Elizabeth.

“I guess we’re gonna stay, yeah?”

Sorry for the silence - that crisis I mentioned is still going on.

Failed History but succeeded at Sanity.

"We probably should do that, yes," says Story to Brooke. "May I examine that device of yours, Master Leonardo?"

Crisis? I may have missed a post.

Jacques:

Jacques' mouth gapes at the appearance of a third foreign lady. "By St John! Are there any more of you?"

Jacques realised he may have been rude and visibly attempts to control himself, clearing his throat. "And I must admit ladies that I don't recognise the style of your clothing. May I ask what country you hail from?"

"We shall escort him to his guest quarters and make sure he stays there until morning," said one of the guards. "Then we shall summon servants to remove the dead man."

Leonardo's eyebrows rose at the sight of Story's appearance. "Be my guest, mademoiselle," he said to Story. "Just be careful. Our fellow guest is right, it does not make sense why he should reach around behind the automaton while standing in front of it. Perhaps someone else operated it." He glanced over at Gui. "I can show you how it works if you like." He examined the strange blue box from which she emerged. "How did this get into my workshop? It must have been a tight fit for the three of you. Did you have it brought in during the night, with yourselves inside? If so, it is far more elaborate than Cleopatra arranging to be brought before Julius Caesar hidden in a bed sack."

Welcome back!

If you want to try to figure out on your own how the automaton operates, please roll Mechanical Repair (for the TARDIS crew) or Repair/Devise (for Jacques). Gui has already rolled.

The party is actually set to last for about a week, and it's just getting started. Your invitation is good for the entire time, and you do have a guest room nearby.

It suddenly occurs to Brook how anachronistic she and her friends must look. Leaving Story to speak to Leonardo (she isn’t sure she could resist the temptation to ask after the other ninja turtles), she focuses on answering Jacques.

She pauses for a second, unsure if France and Britain were friends or enemies during renaissance times.

“We’re from, um, Narnia. We do dress differently, but if clothes are provided we’d happily change if our outfits offend… I suppose.”

“I am sure that this misunderstanding will be resolved in the morning!” said Gui haughtily, as he grudgingly allowed the guards to lead him in the direction of his bedroom.

Jacques:

Jacques watches Gui leaving with some mild respect. To Gui's departing back he says, "You might see if a servant can bandage you up. We don't want you bleeding on the Duc's furniture. And may I recommend - strongly - you present yourself to the Duc very, very unarmed. Sleep tight."

After Gui has gone, Jacques shakes his head. "You have to admire his commitment to his ludicrous story." He collects his own dagger and fastidiously cleans it on the deceased before sliding it back into his boot.

Frowning slightly, Jacques addresses Brook. "Narnia? I've never heard of it. Is that up past Sweden? Once you go past those Swedes, it's all a blur of countries to me with names I'm never sure of. And ice bears, so legend has it."

"But perhaps in Narnia people give you free clothes. I'm afraid here in France, they cost lots of money."

Trying not to look rude, Jacques glances discreetly at the three ladies' attire.

"Whilst I personally have no objection and am in no way offended by the perfection of the female form, I'm afraid that your and your friends' clothes will be considered very, ah, revealing of figure at the Duc's court. I should warn you that it may give the uncouth the impression that you, ah, may, ah, consider your virtue to be negotiable..."

"Miss Young probably need not fear on that account though."

Jacques trails off, slightly red faced, and occupies himself diligently searching the deceased thief, careful not to get blood on his hands or clothes.