Episode One/c - Trinity

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, we'd best go as soon as possible," says Rachel. She has always been a night person, and darkness is her friend for what she knows is coming next. She is up for a spot of larceny, which will no doubt be necessary to rescue Edward Ponsonby. A disguise might be in order too, she thinks. I could borrow one of Laura's spare maid outfits. It might not pass close inspection if I encounter any of Choker's servants, but they may be fooled if I'm seen at a distance. Best not to be seen in the first place, though.

[Priest]

OOC:   Has anyone further questions or investigations at the University? For example Choker's rooms, Ponsonby's room or Carruthers perhaps. If not I will move to Choker's Fen House residence.

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   It seems to me that we had best get to 'Fen House' to rescue poor Edward. Edward ought to be able to give us more detail about Choker's (and Narodnikov's) nefarious scheming.

[Priest]

OOC:   Excellent, so if I hear nothing from Peter or Jonathan to the contrary I will start the next chapter tomorrow and assume that all of you are going to Fen House.

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

It might be best to drop off one or two of our less stealthy people at the police station in case Choker sends anyone after MacPherson. But yes, we need to rescue Edward quickly, before Choker has time to react.

[Priest]

OOC:   Point taken. Lord Roxborough will make his way to the police station to keep an eye on McPherson. The rest of you will proceed to 'Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..." When Papa G resurfaces I will make him a seperate thread.

[Papa Gateau]

OOC:   Unless necessary for me to go to the Police station I will join others at Dr Chokers fen house Also - is it worthwhile checking Ponsoby's room before we go - or is time of the essence?

[Priest]

OOC:   Unless necessary for me to go to the Police station I will join others at Dr Chokers fen house Also - is it worthwhile checking Ponsoby's room before we go - or is time of the essence?

OOC:   Okay Papa G goes too. If you would like to investigate Ponsonby's room before you go it will take some time for a cab to be summoned. Currently Peter is standing in the corridor outside the porter's office with the others, you know where his room is situated and where the key may be obtained.

[Priest]

Nellie, Rachel, Jonathan and Peter in the corridor outside the Porter's office -

As you all discuss your next move, Peter spies the military bearing of the head porter, Magsworthy, heading towards the group. From his expression it is apparent that his conduct in the preceding affair has been under recent scrutiny.

With a stride that speaks of long years of marching he approaches, and to Peter’s mind all he is missing is the sergeant-majors swagger stick. From his bristling ‘mutton-chop’, shot through with wisps of grey, to the neatly pressed uniform of a university porter, Magsworthy epitomises the military bearing that has made the Army of Her Imperial Majesty renowned throughout the world, both civilised and uncivilised alike.

Recalling the earlier conversation with Professor MacMillan, Peter smiles, “Ah my good Magsworthy. We, my associates and I, would very much like to take a look at young Edward Ponsonby’s room, to see if he has left something which may shed further light upon his disappearance. I am assured, by Professor MacMillan that you are in possession of the necessary key”

For a brief moment Magsworthy stares at the famed hunter, as if assessing his worth. Then with a curt nod, he produces a ring filled with keys of various sizes and shapes, “This one sir, is the fellow that you require. I would ask that you treat the lock with respect to its age” He hands Peter the keys...

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel waits for Peter to unlock the door, though she would have been perfectly capable of picking the lock. I'll save that for Fen House, she thinks. Fitting that a man named Peter receives the keys. They're not for the gates of Heaven, though, just the dorms. Still, we may find something important within.

[jaysun81]

OOC:   Again, my apologies. I'll post in the morning.

[Priest]

Accompanied by a concerned, if nervous, Carruthers and the eagle eyed Magsworthy, the room that belongs to Edward Ponsonby is easily located, it being in the same corridor as that of Archie Carruthers (2 on the map), merely several doors along.

Once opened, the well appointed suite of rooms, sufficient to the requirements of a well connected young man, seem surprisingly well ordered for a student. However this, Magsworthy is quick to point out, is largely due to the services of Mrs Hawkstone, a local char lady who is employed by several of the students in this building.

The rooms, both sitting and bedroom, show, in furnishing and the abundance of ‘nicknaks’, the unmistakeable mark of a mothers hand. There is a small, neatly tidied, desk upon which several books show the focus of his studies. One appears to be about general archaeological techniques and locations of merit, another is a more focussed study on recent discoveries in Eastern Europe, while a third, a rather slim volume, is filled with the poetry of Byron. There are, of course, papers that show his work on topics of current study, but none of these seem to be of any interest.

Near the small window that overlooks the courtyard of the ‘Great Court’ a bookcase is stuffed with books, papers, and journals. For the most part more text books or books of poetry by the so called Romantics of earlier years. Several of the larger volumes appear to be English translations of the modern Russian authors Dostoevsky and Tolstoy ...

OOC:   Please make a Perception check df2

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel begins a methodical search of the room, paying particular attention to the desk drawers and checking under the mattress. "I wonder why professors seem to turn villainous so often," she says. "First Moriarty, and now Choker."

Spoiler:

Perception roll (5 dice) in Ponsonby's room:

Mr. Handy rolled 5d2:
1, 2, 2, 1, 1

[carnage_lee]

Nellie pauses for a few moments to study the room, trying to gauge if anything looks odd or out of place.

Spoiler:

carnage_lee rolled 8d6:
6, 1, 4, 3, 1, 2, 3, 2

[Priest]

Rachel and Nellie searching the room -

Carefully folded and secreted within the pages of the volume of Tolstoy’s works you notice a cheaply created pamphlet. Obviously a poor print of something mass produced on a cheap and almost amateurish printing press the pamphlet written in Russian and covered with hand written English annotations, by a hand that bears a striking similarity to that on the pages of course work lying on the desk. It bears a printed heading in Russian, ‘Частая причина’ (The Common Cause), beneath which the name Narodnikov has been printed, at the foot of the pamphlet the name of the printers is stamped, 'The Russian Free press, London’.

OOC:   I cannot find Languages anywhere in the CRB so I will wave my hand and “Lo” you can speak and read Russian. The pamphlet translates thus; Entitled The Common Cause, it discusses the philosophy of a radical Russian thinker named Nikolai Fyodorov, who believes that human beings must take charge of evolution and “transcend” their human forms. The pamphlet asserts that death itself can be overcome by science, and that this endeavor will one day unite all humankind in a single “common cause.” The pamphlet mentions such outré concepts as prosthetic limbs, engineering the human form, harnessing the energy of the sun and the weather, populating the reaches of space, and eventually achieving immortality. It declares that modern society is destroying the Earth, wasting the potential of millions of human beings, and that human endeavour should aim to restore the vitality of the lost Garden of Eden on Earth. It finally proposes that the Russian and British Empires should set aside their differences and unite to find the lost Garden and usher in a new golden age!

Other than the pamphlet the furnishings and nicknacks look merely decorative or functional, around the walls are several watercolours mostly showing sentimental or social themes there are however four that either Jonathan or the almost unnoticeable Peter might recognise. They seem to depict rivers situated in clearly remote areas....

OOC:   Jonathan or Peter – Please make survival checks (df1) to identify the pictures. Or, Nellie or Rachel Investigation (df3)

[carnage_lee]

Nellie takes a few moments to study the pamphlet, "Interesting, if rather 'outre' ideas, something that Klevendon might have been able to make more of if he had not departed on his expedition." she hands the pamphlet to whom ever wants to read it next. "I suppose this definitely links Narodnikov... could Edward have discovered a Russian plot?" she muses.

[jaysun81]

As Jonathan studies over the paintings he can't help but recognize some of the locations. "Ah... very nice." He takes a puff from his pipe before turning it around in his hand and pointing the stem at the painting.

OOC:   Survival - 6 jaysun81 rolled 6d6: 1, 4, 6, 6, 3, 3 3 Successes!

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel also takes a look at the pictures. "Yes, I see what you mean," she says. "I think I know where some of these places are."

Spoiler:

Investigation roll (5 dice) examining the pictures:

Mr. Handy rolled 5d2:
1, 2, 2, 2, 1

[Priest]

Nellie and Rachel (6 SP each) –

Although the annotations are scribbled in a barely readable hand, you can easily note that the name Narodnikov has been heavily underscored several times and the name Choker has been scrawled in the left hand margin of the revers side.

All (Peter 6 SP Jonathan 4 SP) -

“Ha!” cries Jonathan in midst pipe twirl, “These pictures show the following rivers, the Indus, Oxus, Helmend, and Gaxartes” he looks around at the other noting from the nod of Rachel’s head that she too has recognized them. He continues, “Hmm, all four rivers rise in Central Asia, in a mountain range called the Pamirs”

For the next few seconds he sucks the stem of his pipe, thoughtfully, “I wonder if there is a connection here between the outrageous ideas expressed by this Fyodorov fellow and these paintings. For it is widely held that the Garden of Eden contained the source for each of these mighty rivers...”

Obviously enthused, Nellie interrupts the explorers musing, “I seem to recall the name Fyodorov being spoken of several weeks ago in London. If I am right, he was giving a series of lectures to the royal society in the hope of raising money to finance his expedition to somewhere in Central Asia”

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, Edgar once went on an expedition to the region," says Rachel wistfully. "He brought back photographs that he showed me. That's why it looked so familiar. He never found anything like Fyodorov described, though. According to MacPherson, Choker, Narodnikov, and whoever else is in this with them found something. Perhaps some sort of artifact was unearthed in Central Asia that is the linchpin of their plot. Edward would know more, as MacPherson said he wouldn't go along with their plans once he learned what they had found and what they intended to do."