Play@YSDC

Near the body, Dr Douglas could see a small bone-handled knife. The blade was probably no more than three inches longer and it must have been sharpened many times, for the original shape of the blade was long-since gone.

From the balcony, Ascot could see where the tracks lead to and from the tree where they found the sheep, but even though he scanned the area patiently, there was no sign of any big cat.

Bonnie and Father Ó Shaban made their way back downstairs, with Hamish in tow. They looked in all the rooms for any sign of a basement but there were none. They only thing they found was a low ceiling, which Hamish found with his forehead…

"What's above this room?" wonders Bonnie aloud. "Maybe there's something hidden between floors here."

"Come on Doc, before they get themselves in hot water, eh?" Ascot starts making his way back downstairs.

Dr Douglas picks up the knife for a closer inspection. Before heading off after Ascot.

OOC:   can i roll a spot hidden or is there another roll?

1d100

Squeaked it...

Dr Douglas examined the knife carefully but found nothing out of the ordinary. It was just a well-used blade.

It was a successful roll, but sometimes there’s just nothing to find.

Downstairs, Bonnie examined the stone ceiling of the ground floor but could only conclude that it was solid stone, that Hamish was particularly tall and the only space to be found was between his ears…

Father Ó Shaban looked at the low ceiling and thought about it for a moment, and tried to consider if there was any piece of general knowledge of this type of house that could explain it.

"I think we've explored the whole hoose, and there doesna seem to be a basement," says Bonnie. "I suppose once we're done here, we should explore the grounds."

Catching up with those on the ground floor, Ascot looks unthrilled. "Considering the coffins, I believe we should have a look in the family crypt. Not that I want to."

"We must be careful. Maybe some of those bones have been here awhile, but that sheep certainly hasn't. Whatever animal left it in the tree must not be far. And if it's any sort of predator, it knows we're here." Grimly, Ascot draws his revolver again, ready to head back outside.

Eventually Dr Douglas catches up with the group. "With all the coffins being dragged here id say the family crypt must be close by. Ascot with your experince of the dark continent have you seen anything like this? The poor devil upstairs had it to defend himseld from from what ever creature lurks here." He hands him the bone handles knife.

"None of it rings any bells with me. I may not have been moving in wrong enough circles, eh?"

"Off topic, I believe one of the other buildings we saw on the way in might be the family crypt."

Ascot studies the bone handled knife.

Can Ascot make a Natural World or other roll to try to identify the bone? Has he ever seen a similar knife?

The knife struck Ascot as perfectly ordinary, one of many cheaply-produced at ports around the world.

"Let's go take a look," says Bonnie.

Ascot leaves the knife on the nearest table. "Just a knife.
Whatever all this is, it's not the Africa I live in." He heads outside, revolver safely pointed upwards.

Dr Douglas picks up the knife, thinking it will make a nice memento, a conversational piece for when they return to London.

Father Ó Shaban looked unconvinced to De Douglas

"Forrgiveness friend. But I believe ze taking of ze knive would be highly inapropiate. Wiz ze amount of ze bodies in here, it could be considered, graverobbery."

"It is also a form.of defense. Maybe a weapon from the creatures place of origin might be the inky way to harm it, if it is a demon as you say. After all the poor devil upstairs chose it over a gun or any other larger intsrumemt to defend himself." Replies Dr Douglas A little taken back by someone from organised religion accusing him of grave robbing.

The sun had risen further above the trees so it was at least a little warmer as they made their way out of the house and across to the family crypt, which stood about 30 yards from the house.

The entrance to the crypt comprised a wrought iron gate, which was standing ajar. The crypt was partially underground and it was damp and cool inside. There were banks of stone shelves on each side, each big enough to accommodate a coffin. There were twelve in all, three deep and two wide on both sides.

All of the shelves were empty. Marks on the shelves suggested most of them had held coffins, but no longer.