OOC: Chapter 1 - NEW YORK, Starts 12th Jan 1925

[Laraqua]

Well, she knows its a sham now.

Right?

Right?!

My only fear is that he'll fall in love with the new girl. What an awkward convo...

"Ah, yeah, Caroline, y'know how I vowed to protect you and pretend to be your husband to help you out well, I kinda, really, wanna get in this other girl's pants and your crimpin' my style!"

That'll go down well.

[trixie]

I'm sure Timour could intervene for an evening off....as long as she puts out. ha ha ha

[Laraqua]

Well, we are twins. Would Caroline really notice the muscle difference? You should shave off the moustache, I should grow mine, and we can swap babes!

Hell, who knows? Maybe we already have!

You can have the password to Maksim if I can have the password to Timour.

[Laraqua]

Here's a CoC story for you.

Two nights ago I went and picked up a nice blue, fluffy blanket off the floor and proceeded into the lounge room. I tossed the blanket over my shoulders and felt an indescribable sting. The agony was tremendous. I sat and whimpered and called for help, glaring at the stinger dangling from my arm. My de facto, bless him, was on the toilet. He came racing out, soon as he could, and plucked it out between two cards.

Turns out, it was a bee stinger without the bee. Somehow, a stinger had torn off the bee and been dropped onto the blanket - or picked up by it - and then it got into me. I'm allergic, but it must have emptied itself out mostly, in transit, and now it's just itchy, tender and with a pustule where it happened.

So yeah, the moral of the story...

bees lurk everywhere...

[Decrepit]

I think Caroline and Maks are officially headed off into the land of ambiguous relationships.

[Laraqua]

Oh come on! It's entirely above board, right?

If it isn't, Maksim's probably gonna get in trouble...

For a con artist, he sure is dumb.

Both me and Maks still think Caroline hasn't the least bit of the hots for him. I'll bet my pride on it.

[Maksim Rukov]

Damnit. Curse my homeworkiness! I couldn't resist. I just ... I couldn't. Raiko said 'halt' but I couldn't!

Ah well, once Andrei has posted Raiko can move us to land. We can always sort out what happens OOC.

[imme]

Yup, I look forward to Andrei's response, and then we can land in London.

[Laraqua]

Oh dear... I just realised... Won't we need to unveil our plan to the others? That'll keep us back from London, though. Well, I guess the easy answer is, would anyone kick up a fuss at the idea of a sham marriage?

SUMMARY: If not, Maksim will be delightful as he goes through the motions. Wining and dining Caroline and introducing her around to those he's already befriended. Since he likes to dance, to drink and is more than willing to croon sweet nothings into anybody's ear who'd listen, she'd probably be quite sick of him within a few hours and faking sea sickness. At which point he'd go back to gambling with that nice couple and giving them marriage counselling... Or counselling Andrei. One way or another.

[imme]

Elizabeth won't mind, especially when they explain the reason for it.

[coffee demon]

Johnny, as is his custom, drops in on, or tries to drop in on, Andrei at least once a day. He leaves once he gets some sort of sign that the Russian is within.

Andrei goes through great lengths to avoid speaking with Johnny. If Johnny repeatedly knocks on the door and indicates that he's alone, Andrei will tell him to go away.

Otherwise, Johnny might hear careful movement in the room. And at night, a bit of light might be visible under the door. If Johnny knocks at night, the light will be doused, and no one will answer.

[Laraqua]

Isn't Johnny a whizz with a lockpick?

And I'm pretty sure a halved Mechanical Repair check can be used in some instances to open locks and Maks is handy with a spanner...

So yeah, party at Andrei's? Y'all invited!

[coffee demon]

Woo hoo! Andrei gets back 6 san! I thought he'd be the first to go crazy. Unfortunately, the crap with Timour and Elizabeth isn't helping his state of mind. But at least he can be a confident buffoon now!

(I've adjusted my character sheet accordingly)

[Laraqua]

Sanity?

Does one get it from Andrei's room?

Breaks out the pliers...

[Decrepit]

I'm ok with just OOCing that Caroline and Maks may have made some show of being really engaged to try to fool everyone first before breaking the true story out -- if it is the true story.

[Maksim Rukov]

In today's world, a woman can't sue a man for broken promise if he reneges on public vows, right?

Right?

[imme]

Elizabeth is going to respond to Andrei's childish behavior by ignoring him. She decides to spend the rest of the trip enjoying herself. She'll socialize with the other passengers and dances with all the attractive young men.

Warning: it is advised that all characters purchase hardhats before arrival in London. There is a forecast for explosions, with a strong chance of name calling.

[Grafster]

Isn't Johnny a whizz with a lockpick?

Oddly I was thinking something similar*. But... I think our boat trip has had enough drama. And ... it sounds like repeated verbal requests elicit some sort of Andrei-like response which is really all Johnny is looking for.

*not the part about being a whizz, Johnny's skill is actually quite low. Getting into that pawn shop on the first try was damn near miraculous.

[Raiko]

I'm sorting out the start of Chapter Two now, but I've not been feeling very well this morning, so please be patient.

[trixie]

Um....are we continuing to post IC? I'd hoped to be there when Maks breaks the news of the big fraudulent union.....


Also, I've noticed other characters earning skill points...me wants some too! What did we have to do again?