Chapter 4: Day Two

[HoneyDog]

A couple of points occur to the Vic and Isolde:

There is no mention in these last books, apart from that last page, of Christopher Lehman. Did some event – unrecorded – sunder that friendship?

Also, Nicholas makes several references to a manuscript in which he recorded the details of his pressed ceilings and bronze technique, but it cannot be found. It is either lost or held elsewhere.

Spoiler:

You can make another English roll.

Harry and Alexander set out for the mausoleum. They enter, finding the same disconcerting place they encountered the day before. They look at the grotesque tomb, gathering their strength.

Spoiler:

A successful Strength roll of 30 will open the lid of the tomb.

[Mr. Handy]

"What we need is a lever," says Alexander. "A metal bar or something of the sort. That will make up for my lack of strength, though ye have plenty of it." Once he finds something suitable, he helps Harry try to open the sarcophagus without damaging anything.

Spoiler:

STR roll:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
84

[HoneyDog]

It takes more time, but Harry secures an iron pry bar from Old Fred. They try again.

Spoiler:

Let's see if Harry can manage it too. The delay means that you won't be able to achieve any more tasks before dinner. Your combined strength plus the pry bar means you need to roll a 60.

[Philulhu]

Spoiler:

Own Language - English (75%) -

Philulhu rolled 1d100:
95

Is there a public library where we might find out some additional information about Lehman? Or could we get some information from contacts in London?

[Mephistophilis]

Harry presses down on the pry bar with all his strength.

Spoiler:

Mephistophilis rolled 1d100:
16

[HoneyDog]

Slowly, the lid creaks open, revealing a dusty but ornate coffin. It takes a few minutes but the lid of this is unscrewed and laid aside.

Inside, clad in mouldering garments, is a skeleton.

Spoiler:

You can both make Medicine and Spot Hidden rolls.

Spoiler:

There are of course libraries in London you could visit. Would Vic know anyone who might have knowledge about him?

[Philulhu]

Spoiler:

Probably not. She was thinking more about finding a copy of Who’s Who or Debrett’s People of Today, or even visiting the Royal Academy of Arts.

[Mephistophilis]

Harry peers inside.

Spoiler:

Spot Hidden 60%

Mephistophilis rolled 1d100:
86

, Medicine 5%

Mephistophilis rolled 1d100:
94

[Mr. Handy]

Medicine is not Alexander's field, but he does notice something.

Spoiler:

Medicine roll (5% base skill):

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
15

Spot Hidden roll (67% base skill):

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
34

[HoneyDog]

Spoiler:

Those are all possible courses of action should you want to take them.

Spoiler:

Something catches Alexander’s eye. He peers closely at the neck of the corpse, and sees flecks of a green substance that doesn’t look like cloth.

[Philulhu]

Vic tapped the page where Christopher Lehmann was last mentioned. ”He seems to play a role in all of this, yet there is a gap and we don’t know what he did in the intervening years.”

She drummed her fingers on the page for a moment or two, as she thought about their options. “I think we need to find our more about Mr. Lehmann. We could make enquiries at the Royal Academy, or see if he is listed in Who’s Who or Debretts. Unless there is a public library nearby, we might have to return to London. Unless the society has a contact there who could look for us?”

[Mephistophilis]

'Well it looks like this was a dead end, I cannot see anything out of the ordinary' says Harry.

[Mr. Handy]

"Not quite," says Alexander, collecting a sample of the green flecks on the corpse's neck. "Whatever this is, it isna cloth. I'll have to do some chemical analysis to identify it. Odd that it's about his neck. It's possible he may have been strangled, depending on what this was." He examines the neck to see if there is any sign of damage or bruising, bringing a lantern close to it.

[aine]

"Good idea. We can probably send off for general information; the Seekers have a contact at the library who can help us if she's available; she's often away though. That will help us for now and then we can formulate a specific enquiry that one of us may have to go back to London for.
I'm also interested in Aleister and what happened to the family afterwards." Replied Isolde.

Spoiler:

Is it okay to assume that? I've added a get out clause if necessary;)

[HoneyDog]

Unfortunately, Alexander lacks the medical training to determine whether the body was the victim of foul play.

Spoiler:

It's a skeleton, so only the bones can be examined. The green flecks can be examined with the right equipment back at the house. Alexander will be able to set this up - a successful Chemistry roll will be able to tell him what they are.

Isolde & Vic, It's a bit of an assumption... tell you what, if you telegram Percy, he could look. You'll need a successful Luck roll though to catch him. Otherwise there will be a delay in his reply.

[Philulhu]

Vic sat down at the writing desk and pulled some notepaper from one of the from one of the pigeonholes. Picking up a fountain pen she quickly scribbled out a message, ‘Need all you can find on artist Christopher Lehmann from 1817 to 1851. Please telegraph if information exists but send details post restante to GPO, Staines.”

”1817 covers the time from the beginning of the journals up to the death of Mr Forby’s grandmother. With Mr. Forby’s grandfather gone, there might have been a resumption of whatever he suspected may have gone on between Lehmann and his wife,” Vic said quietly. ”If there is any information, I think it better not to be sent here, just in case it goes astray.”

“What do you think? Will that suffice?” She asked Isolde.

Spoiler:

GPO - General Post Office.

[Mr. Handy]

"A medical doctor might be able to tell more about how he died," says Alexander. "Let's get back to the house so I can set up a lab and analyse the green substance."

[aine]

"Well done, Vic. That should do it; hopefully Mrs Craddock will be there and that will save us at least two days of sitting on a sweltering train; it's hot here but London would be far worse. We could walk down to the post office and get it in the last post; let's just finish this last pile of papers first." Isolde is buoyed by the idea of a walk even through the heat and she picks up the next sheet of paper.

Spoiler:

aine rolled 1d100:
7

just realised I don't have any languages. I'm sure I picked at least French and English as Isolde was a governess.

[Philulhu]

Spoiler:

I think we’re trying to contact Percy?

Luck roll to contact Percy (60%) -

Philulhu rolled 1d100:
23

[HoneyDog]

Spoiler:

A letter will take days to arrive – send a telegram. If you succeed on a Luck roll, Percy will be able to act on it immediately. If not, it will take longer. You can’t have another member working at a library.

There’s no time for anymore actions now before dinner. The post office in the village will be closed until tomorrow. You can resume activities after dinner if you wish.

Isolde realizes another thing about the folios. The first mention of Icarus in the records is after Nicholas’ illness. It seems that the missing manuscript covers the period in which the statue was created.

Alexander and Harry return to the house and set up the necessary equipment Alexander thinks they need. It takes a while, but the kitchen seems to have what they want.

Spoiler:

Roll Chemistry. This will be your last actions before dinner.