Cassandra

[Mr. Handy]

"Could this actually be a TV of some sort?" Victoria wonders aloud. She looks around it for anything that might resemble a knob or an antenna that she could adjust to get a clear picture from the mirror.

[SunlessNick]

Does it feel like ordinary glass?

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

There is nothing out of the ordinary visible in the structure of the mirror, except the odd appearance of the surface. When Maggie touches it, her fingers are able to move beneath what would ordinarily be solid glass. The sensation is similar to the feeling of a cool fog. The motion of her fingers causes the mist to roil in an agitated fashion. Briefly seen images, lasting mere fractions of a second, appear and vanish in the mist. What can be made out of them suggest that they are various scenes of places in Collinsport.

[Mr. Handy]

"Maybe it's magic, not science," says Victoria. "It's like a magic mirror from some fairy tale. If you press your fingers through it, the images appear. I suppose keeping them in a specific position would allow the image of the area associated with that position to remain as long as you hold them still."

[SunlessNick]

Maggie tries that.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Certain positions of Maggie's fingers reveal a pair of local business establishments, familiar to residents of Collinsport. One is Braithwaite & Sons, jewelers and silversmiths for well over a century. The other is Brewster's department store, a more modern, if modest, establishment. These two places appear to produce more stable images than others, as if the mirror has somehow been "tuned" to them.

[SunlessNick]

"They probably bought stuff from these places," Maggie says doubtfully, "but why would they need to watch them?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Maybe they were planning a heist," says Victoria. "Shall we check the basement? That's where they were trapped, and where they fought each other."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The door to the basement opens easily. Downstairs, everything is in chaos, the electrical equipment destroyed and scattered all over. There are large reddish-brown stains on the floor. In one corner, there is a pile of gray ashes.

[Mr. Handy]

"It appears that Cassandra lost," says Victoria, pointing to the pile of ashes. "That's bad news, but at least it appears she made him bleed first. We know how to fight a vampire, but not a time-traveling warlock. I know it's gross, but should we...search the ashes to see if Cassandra had anything that remains intact?"

[SunlessNick]

"Better ashes than blood," Maggies says

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

2d20

Among the ashes, buried deep within them, so that it could not be seen by a casual observer, is a heavy gold ring, bearing a red jewel.

[Mr. Handy]

"Look at this," says Victoria, thinking back to try to recall if Cassandra had had a ring like this. "We should show this to Professor Stokes. He might be able to tell something about it if he examines it. It is something a vampire had. Maybe it's magical."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Neither woman can recall seeing Cassandra wear the ring, or anything like it.

2d20

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Neither woman can recall seeing Cassandra wear the ring, or anything like it.

2d20

In fact, taking a close look, Maggie notices that it is much too large for Cassandra's delicate fingers.

When the ring is brought to Professor Stokes, he pronounces it to be of great age.

"Certainly prior to industrialization," he says, examining it through a magnifying glass. "Note the many tiny irregularities in the metal, although the workmanship is quite fine."

d20

"Other than that, I can tell nothing of its origins."

[SunlessNick]

"Would it fit Blair's fingers, do you think?" Maggie asks.

[Mr. Handy]

"Is there any way to test if it has magical power?" asks Victoria.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Would it fit Blair's fingers, do you think?" Maggie asks.

"It is certainly large enough to be a man's ring, yes," Professor Stokes remarks.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Is there any way to test if it has magical power?" asks Victoria.

"One would have to be brave enough to place it upon one's finger, without being able to predict the effect," Professor Stokes answers. "There are such things as cursed and possessed objects, according to legend."

[SunlessNick]

"Uh, let's call that Plan B," Maggie suggests. "Maybe there's a picture of it somewhere in those books."