CHAPTER 5: IC - At Sea > Panama to Australia

[Ewoklord]

."I'll go with you, then," Douglas replies to Katie.

[Mr. Handy]

."I look forward to it," says Katie to Professor Moore, grinning back. She nods to Douglas. "Great, let's get started!" She confidently leads the way to the bow of the ship.

[aine]

.Martin bows to the two women as they and Douglas leave the area, then he turns to Moore, "Sir, I will take my camera and head to the stern, starting on the lower decks and working upwards I suppose. Please could you send my equipment somewhere safer for storage." If Moore has nothing else to add he then nods, takes his pocket camera and heads towards the stern.

[Job]

[Professor Moore replies,] "Yes Martin, I agree that both you and Father Rucker would be excellent for questioning our crew. We should perhaps divide up the list and prioritize whom should be first interviewed."

Martin watches Father Rucker head off to the medical bay. Then he turns to Moore and the ladies, "If the madames are happy to search, I will browse the crew. Maybe it would a nice to have pictures of everyone as they work as a memento. It would give me an excuse to talk to the crew. Although we are all upset from the accident, the expedition must continue as planned. No? I will pretend to take pictures most of the time as I haven't enough film to cover everyone. If this plan is acceptable, do I need permission from the Captain? I try not to interrupt the crew's work too much. And who should I start with first?"

Martin bows to the two women as they and Douglas leave the area, then he turns to Moore, "Sir, I will take my camera and head to the stern, starting on the lower decks and working upwards I suppose. Please could you send my equipment somewhere safer for storage." If Moore has nothing else to add he then nods, takes his pocket camera and heads towards the stern.

Moore instructs a couple of crewmen to take Martin's items to the storage area adjacent to the bridge. "The bridge is always manned so your equipment will be safe there, Martin. Unfortunately we won't be able to develop your film until we reach Australia to purchase new chemicals, but let's proceed with finding our perpetrator.

"The stern sounds like a good place to start, Martin. Be wary. If you encounter anything suspicious, please come right back and find me. If the saboteur suspects that we know, he may become desperate."

Martin starts at the aftercastle cabin area and sees a number of crewmen lounging about. He makes his way down the stairway to examine other cabins and the steering engine room.


Link to tour of aftercastle area

Question for Martin,Let me know if Martin is taking any special actions and where he'd like to investigate next.

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Job. (the tortured one).

[Job]

I'm sorry to interrupt gentlemen.
Rucker says and addresses Adam
Adam, I glad you are feeling better, can we have a word in private son?

"Y-yes, s-s-sure Father," responds Adam. The two men walk from the kitchen to the nearby mess area and sit down at a corner table. Only two other crewmen are in the mess hall and they are sitting at a table on the opposite side of the room, talking animatedly with each other. Adam appears nervous and waits expectantly, looking at Father Rucker.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[royya]

.Son.
Rucker says with a reassuring voice and places his hand on the man's shoulder.
We found that someone sabotaged the refrigerator below deck and I know you were there before we saved you from suffocation. Do you have anything to say about that?

[aine]

.Martin ducks under a bulkhead and comes to the cabins. He looks to see if any of the doors are open or the inmates are about. He is aware of not waking off watch people but is still keen to talk to some of the engineers or craftsmen who live here. He tries to remember any of the other expedition members to bunk down here.

[Job]

8:55 p.m. (ship time) – Monday 25th September, 1933
U.S.S. Gabrielle's Main Deck

"You should come with Camille and me," says Katie. "Our group is going to start at the bow and search systematically. Others will start at the stern, and we'll meet in the middle."

"I'll go with you, then," Douglas replies to Katie.

Katie, Camille, and Douglas walk across the main deck towards the Forecastle--pronounced Fo'c'sle by the crew--looking into the last remnants of the setting sun, darkness gathering about them. They enter the topside structure and search the small cluster of cabins, a watercloset and shower, noticing a few crewmen apparently getting some sleep before their next watches begin.

The next areas for examination are tweendeck hold number 1, it's lower hold, and the Bosun's Store. The three expedition members unlock the hatch and descend the ladder.

The Bosun's store area is a dim, poorly-ventilated compartment off Tweendeck Hold number one, accessed through a twelve-foot wide hatch in the bulkhead, containing the main equipment supplies for the ship: cluster lights, electrical extension cords, ropes, blocks, canvas, tools, and quite a lot of lumber. A heavy padlock secures the hatch leading in here. Katie remembers searching this area earlier to locate a piece of replacement pipe to fix the refrigeration equipment.

Question for the investigators,Please let me know if you want to take any special actions or examine any area in greater detail. A description of tweendeck hold number one, its lower hold, and the contents therein can be found at the link above. There are two small hatches in the floor of the bosun's hold that reveal ladders down to another, lower compartment.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

Son.
Rucker says with a reassuring voice and places his hand on the man's shoulder.
We found that someone sabotaged the refrigerator below deck and I know you were there before we saved you from suffocation. Do you have anything to say about that?

A surprised look crosses Adam's face as he exclaims, "Sabotage! N-no s-s-sir. That's no-no-not p-possible!" He shakes his head and continues, "Who wo-would d-d-do s-s-some-s-someth-something l-l-like that?"

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Ewoklord]

.Douglas would like to search the Bosun's store.

[Mr. Handy]

"I'll check the ice drill first and make sure it hasn't been sabotaged," says Katie as she goes over to take a closer look at it.

[royya]

A surprised look crosses Adam's face as he exclaims, "Sabotage! N-no s-s-sir. That's no-no-not p-possible!" He shakes his head and continues, "Who wo-would d-d-do s-s-some-s-someth-something l-l-like that?"

.Yes it is possible!
Paul Rucker responds with harsh voice
What was your business down there?

[Job]

9:00 p.m. (ship time) – Monday 25th September, 1933
U.S.S. Gabrielle's Aftercastle - Main Deck Level

Martin ducks under a bulkhead and comes to the cabins. He looks to see if any of the doors are open or the inmates are about. He is aware of not waking off watch people but is still keen to talk to some of the engineers or craftsmen who live here. He tries to remember any of the other expedition members to bunk down here.

Within the cramped cabins on this level, you notice a few sleeping crewmen and also two who are awake.

You recognize Pierce Albemarle (pictured above), the ship's meteorologist, who is sitting at a chair in his cabin and reading a book.

You've seen the second fellow around the ship but have not previously interacted with him. You know his name is Albert Gilmore and that he is a drill technician who was horribly disfigured at some point in his past.


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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

Douglas would like to search the Bosun's store.

When Douglas first unlocks and enters the storeroom, he performs a cursory review--without pulling everything out from the shelving systems and without opening all of the boxes--but Douglas does not spot anything that looks amiss. He sees two small wooden hatches in the floor. Douglas sees that thoroughly searching the Bosun's store will be a laborious and tedious task and will probably take a couple of hours to pull all items from their racks and to examine all boxes. He must use an electric lantern all the while because of the dim lighting.

For Douglas,This will take some time. If your character would like to simply perform the cursory review, let me know. If Douglas plans to thoroughly examine all boxes and items, then I'll update you on his progress over time. For a cursory examination, please roll a spot hidden. For a more thorough, but lengthy, examination, please roll spot hidden +10

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

9:00 p.m. (ship time) – Monday 25th September, 1933
Tweendeck Hold #1

"I'll check the ice drill first and make sure it hasn't been sabotaged," says Katie as she goes over to take a closer look at it.

You find a number of large wooden crates that are lashed to the wall and stencilled with black lettering:

Pabodie Ice Drill
Property of Miskatonic University

For Katie,Please describe to me how she'll examine the crates and what care she'll take. Also roll a Spot Hidden check. If Katie chooses to carefully open and examine all equipment--which will take over an hour--please roll a Spot Hidden check + 10

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

9:00 p.m. (ship time) – Monday 25th September, 1933
Ship's Mess

Yes it is possible!
Paul Rucker responds with harsh voice
What was your business down there?

Adam Henning winces at Father Rucker's words, then responds, "I. N-n-nothing. Only g-getting f-f-food f-for the k-k-kitchen. The c-c-cook asked me t-to."

A quick stroll down the hall to the kitchen to talk with the cook, Niles Abraham, confirms that Henning is telling the truth about this.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Katie is careful not to actually touch the crates as she examines them, not wanting to disturb any fingerprints in case someone has tampered with them. She thoroughly examines their exterior first to see if they are sealed properly and to make sure they haven't been opened recently.

[royya]

Adam Henning winces at Father Rucker's words, then responds, "I. N-n-nothing. Only g-getting f-f-food f-for the k-k-kitchen. The c-c-cook asked me t-to."

A quick stroll down the hall to the kitchen to talk with the cook, Niles Abraham, confirms that Henning is telling the truth about this.

Tell me Adam, Have you seen someone passing you by when you went there. maybe een someone that went up to the dock while you went down ?
Father Rucker says as he calms down

[Job]

Katie is careful not to actually touch the crates as she examines them, not wanting to disturb any fingerprints in case someone has tampered with them. She thoroughly examines their exterior first to see if they are sealed properly and to make sure they haven't been opened recently.

Using an electric lantern to illuminate the crates, you see that they are all well-traveled and are marked by numerous scuffs and minor dents. They all appear to be tightly sealed. You also see that there are many indentations around each of the edges that indicate that a tool was used to pry them open and to hammer them closed and, judging by the number of these indentations, these crates have probably been opened and resealed a number of times over the years.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"Hmm," Katie says to Camille. "It's possible that someone has opened these crates recently, but I can't tell for certain. It may pay to take a look inside them at the machinery later, but I think we should continue the search and come back to that." She examines the dust on and around the crates to see if it has been disturbed lately by anyone.