The Sneck (Everyone)

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank ye," says Bonnie. "We're looking for the papers of Archie McPhee. They were donated to this library."

The thread appears to be locked. As an admin, I'm still able to post in it, and so are you as the Keeper.

[Philulhu]

Sorry, I didn’t intend to lock the thread!

The librarian bid them take a seat at a couple of reading tables and returned shortly with a stack of journals, tied together with string. He left them to read as he went on about his duties.

‘2nd June 1810 - Great rejoicing. Young Master Alex McMorn has at last returned from his travels to foreign parts. Widely indeed did he sail, even as far as the Dark Continent of Africa, whence he had brought back a man - an African native. Most devilish the fellow looks too, all the more so for his barbarous tongue, which makes a gross travesty of our language.

Master Alex has brought back many treasures of that forbidden land and a large number of specimens of the flora which he intends to try to cultivate around the manor. He is accompanied by one Douglas, a rough looking sailor who has acted as his manservant for much of his travels.’

14th June 1810 - Am deeply worried concerning the young McMorn. Since his return, young Master Alex hath steadfastly refused to enter the kirk, and this despite the constant urgings of the Laird and of myself. Master Gordon is as good a God-fearing man as ever walked this Earth, and the Lord knows we did our best to raise the boy in the knowledge of God. Yet his sojourns in foreign parts fair seem to have tainted his mind such that the very sight of the House of The Lord fills him with a deep loathing and fear. There will be no good of this ere long.’

3rd August 1810 - Alas! Our Laird has passed his way to Bosom of Christ, and in a manner most queer too. Brodie, the master’s manservant, did summon me from my slumber at 4 o’ the clock and bud me hasten to the manor, and make all speed lest the Devil catch me! Then he hasted back hi’self without waiting, stopping only to peer back at me puffing along behind and yell, “The master is dying!” as if the words themselves could lend youth to my ageing legs. We’ll, in troth, I ran faster than I am able, and have wheezed mightily all day therefrom, but alas it was in vain for, by the time I had arrived, Master Gordon was already beyond this mortal coil and in the arms of his Maker.’

‘Of the manner of his passing there is great mystery as he was in fine fettle the night before, as I saw myself. Yet in the early morning, as Brodie reports, he was screaming, coughing and saying that the very Devil was in his stomach and burning his way out. I have no reason to doubt this as the maids were still clearing of his noxious spew when I arrived, and his poor face was contorted in the most awful fashion so he clearly died in most dreadful pain. None other in the house was affected, nor any who had eaten at the Laird’s table the night past, and I am at a loss to explain what strange ague could have taken a man so fit so suddenly.’

‘4th August 1810 - Great consternation! The young Laird - for Master Alex has no assumed the title - behaves in a manner e’en more strange than before. He has forbidden a public ceremony of burial for his father, insisting that I bury the late Laird at the manor direct into the family vault, and refusing to attend e’en this simple ceremony himself, so great is his hatred of the Works of God. Yet not content with this affront to the village, and presumably refusing to lead them in worship, for he has ne’r once set foot inside the kirk since he returned from that Dark Continent, he has summarily ordered all the late Master’s servants and workmen out of the manor forthwith, leaving only the dour-looking sailor, Douglas, and the native, both of whom returned with him from his travels. It is already a common whisper in the village that Master Alex has poisoned his father, yet I cannot understand why a man should for an inheritance and then straightaway sacrifice all respect and prestige that it brings by such callous and improper acts.’

‘Christmas Day 1810 - Oh Lord, what poison is it that affects our young Laird’s mind so? Have I not prayed, day and night, that on this Great Day You might send some miracle that might cause him to repent his past deeds and return to the Bosom of Your Church? And yet there is still no sign of him. He hides away in the manner all day, seeing naught of his fellow man, and only infrequently sending the sour Douglas to the village or to Inverness to buy food and wine. Some of the village have a rumour that the Master was killed, most probable at the hands of the native Devil, yet Angus McCallan and five strong men paid call at the Manor today to deliver gifts and saw the Laird, for all that he sent them packing with foul words and curses. Perhaps, Lord, I am old and foolish to pray for his soul, for ‘tis plain he has lost it already.’

‘23rd May 1811- A strange event. Two men came all the way from Edinburgh with a carriage containing strange parcels for the Laird. Staying the night at MacPherson‘s hostel, they drank greedily, saying they knew not what was in the packages but that it smelt foul and gave them such awful fears they had driven the horses near to death to be the quickest rid of it. I asked them after the Laird, and they reported him pale and haggard but as foulmouthed as ever.’

Further references to strange deliveries from Edinburgh occurred regularly for the next year or so. Then all references to Alex McMorn ceased until:

‘15 November 1815 - Angus McCallan came to me today with a strange thought. “Is’t not,” he asked, “ By two weeks past now that is made the large delivery of foul parcels from Edinburgh sufficient to tide the evil Laird and his Devilish crew over winter? In troth, I think there may be doings afoot at the manor, for ti’s is hard to mind me when I last saw lights burning there o’er night as they used”. Nor can I make quarrel with this. Angus sayth he will take a group of men and keep watch to see if aught stirs.’

‘20 November 1815 - Five days now Angus McCallan and his men have kept watch on the Manor and naught have they seen of Master Alex and his companions. Village talk has it that they are all dead or fled the region, yet no man is a brave enough to venture beyond the trees to the Manor for fear of what are evil things may lurk there.

Were I more mindful of my duties, I should perhaps send to Inverness to seek word of Master Alex’s Aunt Moira, yet since she sinfully eloped with the merchant from Aberdeen, not one word has she sent anyone of the village, nor her brother or nephew, these 12 years long. B-sides, I mind me of what e’er misfortune Has fallen on the house of magma on the left left best left undisturbed less the same evil the possessed Master Alex be loosed upon other men.’

This last paragraph had been ringed in pencil, fairly recently by the look of it. The diary only began in 1808, and there was no other mention of the elopement of Moira McMorn.

The only other entries of any interest were a few odd mentions of sheep being taken by wolves. The diary ended early in 1816.

[Snapper]

Never a great reader beyond Enid Blyton and Arthur Conan-Doyle, Ascot leaves the research to his colleagues. Meanwhile, he goes looking for a hardware or sporting goods store that might sell binoculars.

[Joajackson]

Sorry, I didn’t intend to lock the thread!

The librarian bid them take a seat at a couple of reading tables and returned shortly with a stack of journals, tied together with string. He left them to read as he went on about his duties.

‘2nd June 1810 - Great rejoicing. Young Master Alex McMorn has at last returned from his travels to foreign parts. Widely indeed did he sail, even as far as the Dark Continent of Africa, whence he had brought back a man - an African native. Most devilish the fellow looks too, all the more so for his barbarous tongue, which makes a gross travesty of our language.

Master Alex has brought back many treasures of that forbidden land and a large number of specimens of the flora which he intends to try to cultivate around the manor. He is accompanied by one Douglas, a rough looking sailor who has acted as his manservant for much of his travels.’

14th June 1810 - Am deeply worried concerning the young McMorn. Since his return, young Master Alex hath steadfastly refused to enter the kirk, and this despite the constant urgings of the Laird and of myself. Master Gordon is as good a God-fearing man as ever walked this Earth, and the Lord knows we did our best to raise the boy in the knowledge of God. Yet his sojourns in foreign parts fair seem to have tainted his mind such that the very sight of the House of The Lord fills him with a deep loathing and fear. There will be no good of this ere long.’

3rd August 1810 - Alas! Our Laird has passed his way to Bosom of Christ, and in a manner most queer too. Brodie, the master’s manservant, did summon me from my slumber at 4 o’ the clock and bud me hasten to the manor, and make all speed lest the Devil catch me! Then he hasted back hi’self without waiting, stopping only to peer back at me puffing along behind and yell, “The master is dying!” as if the words themselves could lend youth to my ageing legs. We’ll, in troth, I ran faster than I am able, and have wheezed mightily all day therefrom, but alas it was in vain for, by the time I had arrived, Master Gordon was already beyond this mortal coil and in the arms of his Maker.’

‘Of the manner of his passing there is great mystery as he was in fine fettle the night before, as I saw myself. Yet in the early morning, as Brodie reports, he was screaming, coughing and saying that the very Devil was in his stomach and burning his way out. I have no reason to doubt this as the maids were still clearing of his noxious spew when I arrived, and his poor face was contorted in the most awful fashion so he clearly died in most dreadful pain. None other in the house was affected, nor any who had eaten at the Laird’s table the night past, and I am at a loss to explain what strange ague could have taken a man so fit so suddenly.’

‘4th August 1810 - Great consternation! The young Laird - for Master Alex has no assumed the title - behaves in a manner e’en more strange than before. He has forbidden a public ceremony of burial for his father, insisting that I bury the late Laird at the manor direct into the family vault, and refusing to attend e’en this simple ceremony himself, so great is his hatred of the Works of God. Yet not content with this affront to the village, and presumably refusing to lead them in worship, for he has ne’r once set foot inside the kirk since he returned from that Dark Continent, he has summarily ordered all the late Master’s servants and workmen out of the manor forthwith, leaving only the dour-looking sailor, Douglas, and the native, both of whom returned with him from his travels. It is already a common whisper in the village that Master Alex has poisoned his father, yet I cannot understand why a man should for an inheritance and then straightaway sacrifice all respect and prestige that it brings by such callous and improper acts.’

‘Christmas Day 1810 - Oh Lord, what poison is it that affects our young Laird’s mind so? Have I not prayed, day and night, that on this Great Day You might send some miracle that might cause him to repent his past deeds and return to the Bosom of Your Church? And yet there is still no sign of him. He hides away in the manner all day, seeing naught of his fellow man, and only infrequently sending the sour Douglas to the village or to Inverness to buy food and wine. Some of the village have a rumour that the Master was killed, most probable at the hands of the native Devil, yet Angus McCallan and five strong men paid call at the Manor today to deliver gifts and saw the Laird, for all that he sent them packing with foul words and curses. Perhaps, Lord, I am old and foolish to pray for his soul, for ‘tis plain he has lost it already.’

‘23rd May 1811- A strange event. Two men came all the way from Edinburgh with a carriage containing strange parcels for the Laird. Staying the night at MacPherson‘s hostel, they drank greedily, saying they knew not what was in the packages but that it smelt foul and gave them such awful fears they had driven the horses near to death to be the quickest rid of it. I asked them after the Laird, and they reported him pale and haggard but as foulmouthed as ever.’

Further references to strange deliveries from Edinburgh occurred regularly for the next year or so. Then all references to Alex McMorn ceased until:

‘15 November 1815 - Angus McCallan came to me today with a strange thought. “Is’t not,” he asked, “ By two weeks past now that is made the large delivery of foul parcels from Edinburgh sufficient to tide the evil Laird and his Devilish crew over winter? In troth, I think there may be doings afoot at the manor, for ti’s is hard to mind me when I last saw lights burning there o’er night as they used”. Nor can I make quarrel with this. Angus sayth he will take a group of men and keep watch to see if aught stirs.’

‘20 November 1815 - Five days now Angus McCallan and his men have kept watch on the Manor and naught have they seen of Master Alex and his companions. Village talk has it that they are all dead or fled the region, yet no man is a brave enough to venture beyond the trees to the Manor for fear of what are evil things may lurk there.

Were I more mindful of my duties, I should perhaps send to Inverness to seek word of Master Alex’s Aunt Moira, yet since she sinfully eloped with the merchant from Aberdeen, not one word has she sent anyone of the village, nor her brother or nephew, these 12 years long. B-sides, I mind me of what e’er misfortune Has fallen on the house of magma on the left left best left undisturbed less the same evil the possessed Master Alex be loosed upon other men.’

This last paragraph had been ringed in pencil, fairly recently by the look of it. The diary only began in 1808, and there was no other mention of the elopement of Moira McMorn.

The only other entries of any interest were a few odd mentions of sheep being taken by wolves. The diary ended early in 1816.

The Father Ó Shaban seemed to have come to a conclusoon with the final result of the diary reading. With his strange mannerism and old man charm he seemed to find it all somewhat fun and interesting.

"Yes, yes indeed. Inshallah My combanions. Forr ze demon is clearr as the sky, yes. Ze trraveler frrom sar souz bringed an eater demon with him. Firrst he ate ze lord stomach, zen he ate ze strange food packages, and zen he started eating sheeb. So now he has grrown and infested enough, and now ates ze man! Yes indeed my combanions, se story is quite ze clear. I reccomend grreat caution, great caution, forr ze intelect of ze beast is unknown to us, yes. Ze assistance of sir Ascot will be quite commendable forr zis, yes."

[Mr. Handy]

Bonnie points out the circled text. "This was made recently," she says. Then she approaches the librarian. "Thank ye. Has anyone else looked at these papers recently?" she asks.

[Philulhu]

Ascot was able to find a department store where he could choose from a range of binoculars. He returned with a pair of Carl Zeiss Dekaris 10 x 50 binoculars in a leather case about which he was happy to discuss at length with anyone who would listen. He’d had time for a spot of lunch and a stroll through the botanical gardens before the shadows began to lengthen and he returned to find his colleagues still engrossed in their reading.

As he entered the library, he heard Bonnie talking to the librarian by the front desk, asking who had last looked at the papers they were studying. The librarian shuffled through his index cards advised her that a Dr McBride had been the last person to take them out.

[Snapper]

"I can't wait to show you the binoculars I've bought," Ascot whispers quite loudly to the team.

"Have you found anything interesting?"

[Philulhu]

Ascot’s ‘whisper’ echoed around the room, earning him a reprimanding ’Shssh!’ from the librarian…

[BoyBlunder78]

Turning to Bonnie, " I wonder if Dr McBride was one the gentlemen we met this morning?" Dr Douglas says before turning to the librarian, Where may we find the good doctor?:

[Philulhu]

The question earned Dr Douglas a questioning look from the librarian. ”I’m sure you’ll understand if I tell you that’s private information, Sir,” he said.

[BoyBlunder78]

"i'm sorry, i meant the address of his practice, i should have been clearer. " Dr Douglas says, blushing slightly.

[Philulhu]

”Ach, well, that’s a different matter,” said the librarian. He went and fetched the telephone directory, which he quickly leafed through. ”The only Dr McBride I can find has a practice on Golf Course Lane, Strathmorn. Would you like me to write down the details for you?”

[BoyBlunder78]

" oh thank you, that would be most appreciated."

[Snapper]

Ascot casts a fearful look at the librarian and whispers much, much more quietly. "That doctor we spoke to this morning had an English accent as I recall. Isn't McBride a Scottish surname?"

"I wonder if there is such a thing as a Strathmorn telephone directory in this library?" Ascot goes hunting for a Strathmorn phone book to see if there are two doctors listed.

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, it can be," says Bonnie, "or Irish. Of course, could be his father moved to England. We're nae far from the border. We could ask him when we see him." She turns to the librarian. "How long ago did Dr. McBride examine the papers?"

[Philulhu]

Ascot wandered around the stacks for a few minutes until it dawned upon him that it was the telephone directory that the librarian had been using…

”Three weeks ago, Miss,” said the librarian as he jotted down the address and phone number. ”And we’ve been crossing the border since before Roman times. A wee wall isn’t going to stop us…” He smiled at his own joke. ”Now is there anything else I can do for you?”

Just in case anyone’s unfamiliar with northern England, the librarian is referring to Hadrian's Wall.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank ye kindly," says Bonnie. Then to her companions she says "Let's head back to Strathmorn and pay a visit to Dr. McBride."

[Snapper]

"Excellent plan. I am keen to try out my binoculars."

"Did your research show if any unusual or dangerous pets are brought back from other countries?"

[BoyBlunder78]

OOC:   I'll hust check....

Dr Douglas turns to to the librarian. " Do you have any records on any imported wild animals into the area? Also i thought wolves were extinct round these parts?"

[Philulhu]

”Wolves have been extinct for almost two hundred years,” replied the librarian. ”As for imported wild animals, we don’t have any records but if there was anything like that, I think I’d have heard of it. I read the newpapers every day and if someone brings in an animal like that, you’ll normally find them bragging about it. I don’t recall seeing anything.”