"Interesting; I wonder what might be here..." Jake commented as he headed towards the rolltop desk. The others would see to the mirror. He opens it and starts examining the contents.
Kwan quietly clears his throat, and motions at the door with the light coming from beneath it. He then moves forward, and places his ear to the door, then looks through the keyhole.
Notice
WD
"Yes let us see."
Notice 1d8
wild notice 1d6Stealth 1d10
Wild stealth 1d6
Pulling out the bottom drawer you realize that it has a false bottom. The drawer itself is much heavier than you'd expect from a wooden drawer. There's no obvious way to open the false bottom but there is something that might be a keyhole underneath the drawer.
Kwan quietly clears his throat, and motions at the door with the light coming from beneath it. He then moves forward, and places his ear to the door, then looks through the keyhole.
1d4 Notice
1d6 WD
You hear quiet muttering coming from inside the room. It's not in a language you recognize. In fact, it's not even a language you've heard before. It makes your skin crawl a bit hearing it.
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Pulling out the bottom drawer you realize that it has a false bottom. The drawer itself is much heavier than you'd expect from a wooden drawer. There's no obvious way to open the false bottom but there is something that might be a keyhole underneath the drawer."Yes let us see."
Notice
Using his extensive knowledge of crafting Japanese puzzle boxes Caine searches for the portion that moves and might unlock the box......
Using his extensive knowledge of crafting Japanese puzzle boxes Caine searches for the portion that moves and might unlock the box......Pulling out the bottom drawer you realize that it has a false bottom. The drawer itself is much heavier than you'd expect from a wooden drawer. There's no obvious way to open the false bottom but there is something that might be a keyhole underneath the drawer."Yes let us see."
Notice
Chang is confident that given enough time he could 'puzzle' out how to open it.
Frustrated at the others lack of urgency, and fearful that something bad is about to happen due to the chanting, Kwan decides it's time to enter the room, and deal with the current threat.
STealth
WD
Lockpicking (If required)
WD2
STR roll (If required)
WD3
Kwan silently opens the door to Tewfik's bedroom and see a pajamed man reading a manuscript as he sits propped against pillows in his bed. The room is lit by a lamp on the bedside table. A noise from the other room causes him to look up as Kwan enters his room. He begins to reach for something in his nightstand as Kwan moves into the room.
[ooc]Kwan has surprised Tewfik so he has 1 round before he can react. Kwan is in the room and can reach Tewfik easily. Chang, Jake and Murphy are caught off guard by Kwan's actions so can only react if they pass a Smarts check. Guthrie and Forest can take a normal action in the bedroom as they didn't seem to be doing anything in the room with the desk. Poor Spencer and Hank are sobbing quietly.
Looking around the room for any signs of trouble
" Let's go guys we have no time to be looking around at mirrors or that sort of thing we are looking for a Sayid."
=10
Wilson reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out his pistol, stepping into the room and trying to find a way to level the gun at Sayid without risking Kwan Ho.
"Lookout! He's reaching for something!" Wilson calls out.
Even as Kwan readies his move, Forest stumble into the bedroom knocking over a stack of dishes that had been stacked on a small table by the door. However, he's able to spot a small black button on the lamp that Sayid is reaching for.
Guthrie instinctively moves left avoiding the dishes to get a clearer shot at Sayid as he draws his gun.
Forest with his gun drawn charges toward Sayid looking like he is going to shoot him if he try's to push the button.
Really he just wants to pistol whip him away from the button.
"Stop or I'll shoot you I swear!!!"
Pistol whip
Kwan quickly evaluates the scene, and moves to subdue the man.
Notice
WD
He takes a flying leap across the room in an attempt to stop the man from doing whatever it is he's doing.
"Stop!
Unarmed Attack
WD2
Unarmed Attack b
WD2 b
Kwan launches himself into the room, and just when it seems he is about to tackle the man, his foot becomes tangled up in the sheets, and he ends up lying beside the man in the bed.
Putting the papers down on the deskl, Jake stepped towards the door to see what the commotion was all about.
Round 1
Kwan takes advantage of the element of surprise to launch himself at the man on the bed but loses his footing as he lunges so only ends up lying prone next to him. Forest and Guthrie pulls pistols and charge the bed from either side and position themselves to strike Tewfik the next round.
Meanwhile Jake and Chang are drawn towards the commotion in the other room as Murphy continues to be enthralled by the mirror which he removes from the wall. From the back it looks like an ordinary mirror, not at all helpful in understanding what he saw in the front.
Chang attemps to defuse the situation as best he can given what the others are doing.
Round 2 Initiative
Initiative Cards
Chang - 3D
Forest - 7C
Guthrie - JS
Jake - 5H
Kwan - QS
Sayid - 8H
Kwan and Guthrie go first, the Sayid, then Chang, Forest and Jake.
Kwan is only startled for a moment, then quickly reacts his training kicks in, and he decides to try and grapple the man, holding him from doing whatever he's doing.
Fighting (Opposed)
WD
And another Bennie spent.
Fighting 2 Total of 19
XD
XD2
WD2
And is able to tie the man into such a pretzel that you can't tell whose limb is whose.
Agility roll to maintain grapple
WD3 Total of 10
XD3
Spending GM Benny
Spending second GM Benny
Our humble spice merchant is indeed grappled by the wily Kwan.
Shaking off his astonishment at being attacked in his own bed, Tewfik struggles to free himself.
And slumps back in defeat, breathing heavily.
Recognizing the hopelessness of the situation, Tewfik relaxes in Kwan's grip...I have some money...take it and let me live...
We are not here for money. Do you really think this many people would be attacking you for money in your sleep?
Shaking his head laughing at the situation but keeping his gun ready for someone else entering in the room.
You have information we need.
Wilson keeps his gun at the ready to deal with Sayid should he need to do so.
"We've been hearing a lot lately about Bloody Tongues and Black Pharaohs and, frankly, we find it all a bit confusing. Rumor has it that you can explain some of it to us and how it relates to the murders of some people we know."
Jake nodded.
"Yes. And you as well. Strange, the number of Egyptians turning up floating face down in the Thames, right? A man who cares about such things, well, he might be inclined to be helpful to those who might be able to do something about that." Jake nodded sagely while squinting a little and pushing his hat back on his head with one finger, imitating one of his heroic western parts.
"You'll get nothing from me, you sons of camels. Ha, Ha...you are too late you pathetic flies from sheep dung." He closes his eyes and begins to chant "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh wgah'nagl fhtagn Nyarlathotep. Phlegeth naflhlirgh s'uhnog naflnilgh'ri."
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Connor admires the mirror as there is some commotion in the bedroom. Absent-mindedly, he puts the mirror down and wanders into the bedroom, wondering if the others are done with...whatever it was they came here for.
"Hey, if you guys are done maybe we can find something that--"
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh wgah'nagl fhtagn Nyarlathotep...
"BY THE HOLY FATHER DO NOT LET THAT MAN SPEAK!"
Unthinking, eyes wide in terror and certainty that only he has even the barest awareness of the incomprehensible terror that looms upon them, Connor draws his gun and fires, aiming to kill.
+ -2(MAP) = 5
- 2 = 0
Caine hopes that Sayid decides on a safer course of action than his eyes were letting on, he holds the drawer in his hand still looking to open the false bottom later on......
Your nimble fingers discover a very thin slot that looks like it could be a keyhole. The key that would fit it would have to be long and thin. You also feel a weak spot in the wood that could be exploited to smash open the drawer.
Words that were never meant to be spoken by human tongues begin to pour out of Tewfik al-Sayed. The bedside lamp begins to flicker and buzz in time to the rhythm of the chant. Tewfik's eyes begin to leak tears, but the tears are the bright red of fresh blood. You all can feel that something is about to change in a very bad way.
KABOOM!!!
There's a blinding flash of light and a deafening sound in the small bedroom as Tewfik's head literally explodes, drenching Kwan in blood, brains, and skull fragments. Guthrie and Forest are splattered with gore also. The room fills with the stench of sudden death.
The light from the bedside lamp settles down to its normal yellowish glow and the buzzing stops. In its light you see Murphy standing in the bedroom doorway, a still smoking pistol pointed at the bed.
Silence falls over the building as the echoes of the gun blast fade...
Connor admires the mirror as there is some commotion in the bedroom. Absent-mindedly, he puts the mirror down and wanders into the bedroom, wondering if the others are done with...whatever it was they came here for.
"Hey, if you guys are done maybe we can find something that--"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh wgah'nagl fhtagn Nyarlathotep...[dice=Mythos]d10+1
[dice=wILd mYTHoS]d6
[dice=Knolwedge Occult]d8
[dice=wILd kNOLwEDGE 0CcULt]d6"BY THE HOLY FATHER DO NOT LET THAT MAN SPEAK!"
Unthinking, eyes wide in terror and certainty that only he has even the barest awareness of the incomprehensible terror that looms upon them, Connor draws his gun and fires, aiming to kill.
[dice=Shooting]d6 + [dice=Shooting]d6 -2(MAP) = 5
[dice=W1lD Sh00t1ng]d6 - 2 = 0[dice=damage]2d6+1
You recognize the sounds as the beginnings of what is purported to be a spell that opens a gateway to somewhere, to somewhen else and calls forth a servant of one of the Old Ones. With a bit of time to read and ponder your books of forbidden lore you believe you could call upon the same powers as the spice merchant.
+ = 6
"I can't believe I'm saying this but I think I actually understand that, Father. I'm not sure how much of it I understand, but I'm starting to get a feeling for just how disturbing this all is. This is power - real power. Jackson was onto a hell of a lot more than just Thugees this time."
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Connor replaces the gun into his pocket, nodding at Guthrie's words. "My son, long have I spend in seclusion with those tomes of forbidden lore, and I say to you that you do not know how right you are. Though the hour is too late now, on the morrow I have errands to run that shall lend greater light unto this gaping blackness of mystery that maws open before us. Kwan is good enough to attend me, and now I ask you to come along as well. Perhaps your mind shall be able to handle the utter impossibility of that which we now face.
But, rouse yourselves now. The live man would tell us nothing, so we must needs rummage his pockets and space to see what secrets the dead man shall tell us. Shirk not from the corpse, for that is but a broken vessel, the soul gone on to his reward. I would normally say Rites over the dearly departed, but methinks that no words from Him shall divert this soul from going to the hot place...or the place of whatever devil he has trucked with that will now claim him."
Kwan jumps up as surprised by the gunfire as Tewfik was, and begins to furiously wipe blood, and brain matter off his skin and clothes. He looks at the Father with disproving eyes, and simply shakes his head. He then walks to wherever the man stored his clothing for something less blood splattered to change into.
Well that was a little hasty Padre we could of just knocked him out.
What the hell was that mumbo jumbo he was saying before you removed his head from his shoulders?
Oh man what have I got myself into now shaking his head cleaning the blood and gore off of his face and body.
Well lets see if there is anything of use for our investigation in this flat
Jakes hand was on his gun, staring in amazement at the grotesque scene.
"What are you...? He was talking!"
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The Priest shakes his head, and speaks slowly, as if trying to communicate the most basic of facts, "No, Jake, that was speech, but it was no form of talking that the Kingdom of Man was ever meant to utter or hear. Did you not feel the static in the air? The sense of Doom and Evil that was about to befell us? Look, there, upon that half of his face you can still see where his Tears of Blood were leaking as he made sanguine sacrifice to perform some kind of Opening.
Apologies, Forest, but did I hesitate another instant, a Thing Unknowable would have entered from some Abyss and the very sight of it would have blasted your sanity even as it ripped apart your entrails and supped on your soul. Such an end I would not wish upon my darkest foe, and, more horrible than death at his hands, if we fail we doom the Earth to fall unto whatever Plan that those-we-investigate are concocting, and that they have already killed many to hide.
If you have stomach for it, if you are no ready to see past the mortal subterfuges, all of you are invited to attend me upon the morrow's night. There we shall see a mere sliver of that which we fight against. But take heed! If you do not feel yourself of such mettle as to see sights as strange as that which we have almost witnessed this day, then stay away and stay safe. Such clues that I gather I shall share promptly as soon as I can.
Now, we must keep all other questions for later. We must be away soon, and we can not leave any other clues ungleaned."
Connor turns his hand to searching the place.
Kwan jumps up as surprised by the gunfire as Tewfik was, and begins to furiously wipe blood, and brain matter off his skin and clothes. He looks at the Father with disproving eyes, and simply shakes his head. He then walks to wherever the man stored his clothing for something less blood splattered to change into.
There are multiple sets of clothes ranging from ordinary to fancy...they are a trifle too big as the spice merchant was a heavyset man especially compared to the lithe Kwan, but you can find clothes that will pass a casual inspection. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to get stopped by the police though...
Well that was a little hasty Padre we could of just knocked him out.
What the hell was that mumbo jumbo he was saying before you removed his head from his shoulders?Oh man what have I got myself into now shaking his head cleaning the blood and gore off of his face and body.
Well lets see if there is anything of use for our investigation in this flat
[dice=Investigation]1d8+2
[dice= Wild Investigation]1d6
Forest busies himself searching through the various papers and books scattered around the apartment. Tucked away in one of the books you find a map showing the route to a place called Misr in the marshes along the North Sea coast. Having spent considerable time in England you know that is an especially desolate and deserted part of the country.
"He was like a man possessed of a devious mind, like the story of Jekyll and Hyde."
"Does anyone see a long thin strip of metal?"
Notice 1d8
wild notice 1d6
Xwild notice 1d6
The clever Chang discovers that one of the knobs on top of a bedpost is loose. Pulling it off of find a small hollowed out space containing a bright silver strip of metal (which is long and thin).
The Priest shakes his head, and speaks slowly, as if trying to communicate the most basic of facts, "No, Jake, that was speech, but it was no form of talking that the Kingdom of Man was ever meant to utter or hear. Did you not feel the static in the air? The sense of Doom and Evil that was about to befell us? Look, there, upon that half of his face you can still see where his Tears of Blood were leaking as he made sanguine sacrifice to perform some kind of Opening.
Apologies, Forest, but did I hesitate another instant, a Thing Unknowable would have entered from some Abyss and the very sight of it would have blasted your sanity even as it ripped apart your entrails and supped on your soul. Such an end I would not wish upon my darkest foe, and, more horrible than death at his hands, if we fail we doom the Earth to fall unto whatever Plan that those-we-investigate are concocting, and that they have already killed many to hide.If you have stomach for it, if you are no ready to see past the mortal subterfuges, all of you are invited to attend me upon the morrow's night. There we shall see a mere sliver of that which we fight against. But take heed! If you do not feel yourself of such mettle as to see sights as strange as that which we have almost witnessed this day, then stay away and stay safe. Such clues that I gather I shall share promptly as soon as I can.
Now, we must keep all other questions for later. We must be away soon, and we can not leave any other clues ungleaned."
Connor turns his hand to searching the place.
[dice=Notice]d8
[dice=wilD nOTIcE]d6
Hidden inside a shoe box you find 100 £ in gold guineas, an Egyptian passport and the key to a safety deposit box.
Jakes hand was on his gun, staring in amazement at the grotesque scene.
"What are you...? He was talking!"
Jake as you listen to Murphy's diatribe you see your friend Hank grow even palert than he's been the last few weeks. Tears stream down his face as he bolts for the stairs...
Wilson searches for more clues about the main living area of the apartment. Sayid's body in the bedroom just makes the situation too real.
"What?" Jake replied, amazed. He looked at the body again. "I thought he was talking Egyptian..."
Caine tries the key to see what the contents are. He is cautious as he recalls stories of scorpions and other deadly things that were once placed in puzzle boxes....
Chang tries sliding the metal strip into the opening he found in the drawer. It fits perfectly into the slot and when fully inserted about 3 inches remain outside the body of the drawer. Relying on his years of experience, Chang twists the key one complete rotation counterclockwise and then hearing a click, twists two full rotations clockwise at which point a louder click is heard and the false bottom slides freely. Opening it, Chang finds the following:
A glass vial filled with a murky green liquid. From his apothecary work he recognizes it as a powerful poison that would have converted to a gas as soon as released from the vial. There's a metal spring attached to the vial stopper that is connected to the locking mechanism and would have pulled out the stopper if the spring had not been immobilized by the counterclockwise turn of the key.
Besides the poison vial, Chang also finds two sandstone vials with caps, a folded silk robe, a black inverted ankh on a metal chain, a crumbling papyrus scroll, a black skullcap embroidered with inverted ankhs, and a pair of scepters made out of a black metal.
[dice=Notice]1d8
[dice=Wild Notice]1d6Wilson searches for more clues about the main living area of the apartment. Sayid's body in the bedroom just makes the situation too real.
In the light of your flashlight you find that Tewfik’s living room and bedroom are furnished with couches, pillows, incense burners, rugs, low tables, a hookah, and hanging lamps, all in muted shades of yellow and blue. A sizable oil heater keeps the Egyptian rooms at Egyptian temperatures. In a prim glass case stand statuettes of Egyptian gods. Prominently, piously displayed on a table in the living room is an open copy of the Koran.
Shaking his head, Jake noticed Hank heading up the stairs.
"Hank. Hank! Hold your horses man!" Jake swore as he headed after his teammate.