"No problem at all! This is just another example of how different this place is than the city, much more isolated."
James looks off into the distance...
"As you suggested I'll write that letter when we get to the house. I look forward to taking a bit of a rest and maybe a strong cup of coffee after my long trip."
"Louie, a negro fellow with some experience as a cook who was also named in the will, volunteered to make breakfast, so there may be some coffee ready when we arrive," Thom offers as he begins leading the way to the Pallaver house. "There's also a British gentleman who calls himself 'the Amazing Oculus'; I assume he's some manner of performer but he seems a bit sickly... perhaps you'll have an opportunity to help him while we're all together. At any rate, unless someone else has arrived, the last of our number is a Russian by the name of Stanislav who was displaced by the political changes of his homeland."
Thom and James reach the Pallaver house to find Louie, Oculus, Stanislav, and Katherine gathered in the sitting room. The lingering smell of breakfast is on the air.
"I suppose if you really want to, Mr. Oculus - I'm afraid they're rather boring affairs, but I certainly wouldn't mind the company. Helorus really isn't that exciting a place, despite yesterday's events, I assure you.
"Oh! Mr. Andrews, good morning. Your valet has set you up on the second floor. And hello to you, sir - Katherine Pallaver." She curtsies to Dr. Wilk. "I was just on my way out to run some errands, and Mr. Oculus and I were discussing if he was to join me. If you haven't eaten yet, there's some leftovers from Louie's wonderful breakfast in the kitchen."
James bows slightly to Katherine and smiles.
"I'll make a quick introduction as I do not want to keep you. My name is Dr. James Wilk, I was unfortunately delayed and missed your father's funeral. I received a letter about being named in his will. Thom was kind enough to bring me up to speed and I wanted to let you know I am at your disposal. I owe much to your father and I want to help in any way I can."
Smelling the air he glances towards the kitchen.
"Now it has been a long trip and I can prattle on about myself later, but some food and if you have it, coffee, would do me wonders. Thank you!"
With another slight bow James takes his leave and heads to the kitchen.
"Well it's settled then, I shall freshen up and join you."
With a smile Oculus heads up to his room to change.
"Good morning, Miss Pallaver," Thom answers with a smile as he makes his way through the crowded entryway. "The mayor has assured me that Gustav and his friends won't be causing anymore trouble, so your errands should be suitably uneventful. Still, bringing a man along is probably a wise decision."
Heading for the stairs, he continues, "If you'll all excuse me, I'd like to check on Mister Wright and I have a few correspondences that require my attention this morning. James, assuming it's your desire to stay and join us in fulfilling the Doctor's final wishes, I'll instruct Mister Wright to wait to head to the post office until you're done writing to Mister Keel?"
Louie removes a bundle of books from his pack.
"Miss Katherine, these are some books your old man lent me, I wanted to return to the house. Where should I put them for you?"
He lowers his chin a bit, and adds:
"I haven't said it outright, but you've got my help around here as your old man asked, if you want it. I am more than happy to cook and clean as need be, and if the fishing in the lake's any good, I can even try to catch us all some dinner."
He raise his chin and looks to the other gents in the room:
"I'm also looking to head to St. Louis with you all as well, both to honor the Doc and to make sure the books he worried about get there safe. If anyone's worried about James joining in and their cut of the will, I'm willing to split my cut with him if things don't shake out otherwise."
He looks to Thom:
"I wouldn't mind taking a look at the books again while you gents settle in and get your letters wrote, Thom. Thought I'd take a gander at that bible, see what someone took time to mark."
Katherine thanks Louie for his words and has him place the books on the dining room table, then leaves to go about her errands with Oculus, whom she has carry an armload of small packages which come close to slowing him down. She orders household provisions and goods at the store, posts some letters and packages, and pays a bill at the carpenter's; along the way he gets a fair view of the center of town. On the mile long cobbled section of road which is downtown Helorus, amidst sundry other residences, he finds the following notable buildings from north to south:
Her errands completed in a little over an hour, Katherine smiles at Oculus. "Thank you very much Mister... Oculus?" She lets slip a small laugh. "I'm afraid I don't properly know what to call you."
"That's all I absolutely needed to accomplish out and about today; all that's left now is to go through my father's paperwork and find out the state of the property and such. I admit I'm not looking forward to it in the slightest. I don't suppose you'd like to see more of the town? I doubt you've had much of a chance, what with the weather having been just awful lately, and the lake is quite beautiful."
”Oculus suffices Miss Pallaver,”Oculus says with a smile. ”Please allow me to demonstrate you how I earned my superlative.”
Oculus performs a brief demonstration of legerdemain for the young lady hoping to impress her.
”I would be honored if you would continue the tour, a beautiful day, a beautiful lady, what could be better.”
Feels good 'o pu' 'he old magic 'o use, 'opefully 'his bird apprecia'es 'hem.
Katherine's face lights up in surprise at Oculus's display.
"Oh!" she exclaims. "That was amazing!"
Katherine and Oculus walk back north from the carpenter's, and she points out items of interest as they go. When they reach the Pallaver house they continue walking, the cobbles giving way to packed earth. The Pallaver house is the first of several farmhouses in that direction, and folks can be seen hard at work in the fields that line the road. After another two miles the kept fields give way to brush and light woods, the trees bright green with their new leaves. The road also develops a notable decline, and a half mile later it evens out just as the woods on the west side of the road end, revealing Lake Honin.
The lake stretches 5 miles long and 2 miles wide, with Helorus nestled between it's eastern shore and the mountains. Despite the recent storm the water appears quite clear, and several small boats dot the smooth water: fishermen out for the day. It appears that most of the shore is wooded, though directly ahead is a stretch of clear, pebbled shore some 100 yards long. Three townsfolk are gathered in front of some sort of stone near this clear shoreline; two men Oculus doesn't recognize, one obviously a farmer and the other dressed in more professional attire, are having a debate of some sort while Ernest, the young gravedigger from yesterday, is on his hands and knees with a brush and bucket scrubbing at the stony ground.
"This is the 'Honin Stone,' which has been here since before - Oh! I wonder what's going on?"
James emerges from the kitchen and pats his stomach. Talking to himself he states,
"Nothing refreshes me more than some good food and a strong cup of coffee."
He wanders for a bit through the house to get a lay of the land. He luckily finds some stationary and enters the sitting room to write his letter to Mr. Keel. After completing the letter he looks for Thom and Louie.
"Here you go Thom." handing the letter over...
"Nothing much to advise him other that I finally made it and I'm interesting in assisting in any way that I can."
James turns to Louie...
"First I believe thanks are in order for that wonderful breakfast. You have quite the culinary skill! Additionaly, it's very kind of you to offer me a share of your portion of the will, but that wont be nessicary. I'm not overly concerned with the money, anything that I would recieve would most likely go to setting up a new practice."
"Now... I keep hearing people talk about Dr. Pallavers' books. What's so special about them? Can I lend my assistance in reviewing them?"
"It is a mystery to me as well, let us investigate... cautiously."
Oculus offers Miss Pallaver his arm, and cautiously approaches the townsfolk. When within about 50' Oculus calls out to the townsfolk.
"I say, what a fine day it is in your lovely town, and what a marvelous beach! Is there anything I can be of assistance with?"
"Glad you liked the grub James. As for the cash, I know folks find their way to all sorts of trouble over fretting about it. Seemed easy enough to offer cash I don't even have yet if it kept folks from worrying about your angle."
He nods towards the chest on the floor of the sitting room.
"Doc Pallaver asked that we look after this chest of books, which he thought could be dangerous, enough so he asked we get them to folks he trusts with them in St. Louis. Based on the stories I've heard about just one of them, I'd say the Doc was right to worry. Thom and Stanislav have taken a look at a few and can fill you in on their thoughts. There's one that Doc Pallaver's old man and a Doc Foramen wrote about an asylum they ran here in Helorous that you might want to take a look at as a Doc yourself."
He recounts the tale he knows of Umbrarum Regni Novem Portis , and its bloody wake following the war.
"I am very pleased to meet another man of medicine, Doctor Wilks; I am Stanislav Telovich Vredovsky. Any friend of August's is a friend of mine."
He grins as Louie recounts his story of post-war murder. "Yes, these books are very strange, and very exciting. But not, I think, the kinds of things you want to leave with a lone woman in an empty house."
Thom retires to his new quarters where he hears Mister Wright's report of difficulties sending telegraphs in the quaint township. After drafting correspondences for Mister Edison regarding his extended absence from work and to his cleaning service regarding the upkeep of his apartment during that absence, he entrusts them to his valet to be taken to the post office along with James' letter for Mister Keel.
Joining James and Louie during their conversation on the books he produces the key and crouches to open the chest. "Most of these tomes seem to be of some significance. This bible seems, perhaps, the most mundane but it's actually dated several years before King James officially authorized the translation. This book about the Helorus Catholicon might not seem very significant outside this town but the sanitarium had a storied history and the book may cast some light on what transpired there." Lifting up the black covered book with the cross on the cover he says, "This is the one book we haven't been able to identify yet... It's written in Latin but seems to be gibberish; I suspect it's some kind of cypher but I have no training in decoding such things."
The men gathered in the sitting room look over the books left to their care; Louie reads through the sections of the King James Bible marked out with ribbons while Thom shows On Verified Madness and the cross-cover book to James.
"Good morning, sir, and to you, Miss Pallaver," the better-dressed man replies, turning from the farmer. "No assistance is required, I assure you; just an unfortunate incident involving a dead chicken, of all things. Simply ludicrous." This last statement is pointedly directed at the farmer, who reddens somewhat and hangs his head. The man then walks up to join the pair of hikers.
"Condolences to you, Miss Pallaver, on your loss. And you, sir, must be in town for the funeral. I'm George Shultz, town constable. Heard about Gustav's nonsense yesterday, for which he's been reprimanded, I assure you both. I don't think you'll get a formal apology out of him, Miss Pallaver, but you'll not get any more trouble, either. I also heard about your swordsmanship, Mister... Oculus? Or should I say canesmanship?" George looks pointedly at the magician's concealed weapon. "I appreciate that no blood was spilled yesterday, and would appreciate it even more if things continue that way."
"These books all seem very interesting. Very... imaginative." Stanislav picks up the Umbrarum Regni Novem Portis and chuckles as he leafs through it. "To think that someone imagined all this. Amazing."
"Thank you for your sentiments, George. I assure you Mr. Oculus here," Katherine hooks here arm through Oculus's, "was only acting in defense of my father's honor and my own well-being. Indeed, his display helped to scare Gustav and his cronies off."
"Now, why all this fuss over a dead chicken? It seems most bizarre, and a little bit intriguing."
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[ooc] The Pallaver House [/occ]
"I'm interested this this "Madness" book and the findings within. I wonder if there's any methods that my help me in the future."
James turns to Stanislav
"As for the others, most stories are based in truth. While they may be embellished or twisted for certain purposes, some of the underlying elements could be true. The difficulty is finding what they would be."
"As for this one..."
Picking up the book with the cross
"I remeber seeing a similar cross today while visiting Dr. Pallavers grave. I wonder if there's any connect? "
"Yes, yes of course. Do not pay too much attention to the ramblings of an old man." Stanislav procures a flask from inside his vest and takes a pull off it. "I doubt very much that it is coincidence, if there even is such a thing." He takes another pull from the flask, then replaces it inside his vest. "Perhaps we should take a look, yes? If the book is in code, as Thom suggests, perhaps there is some clue there?
"Also, it appears to be a lovely day - I believe a walk would be quite nice."
"I assure you it's neither, Miss Pallaver. Karl there came across a dead chicken this morning, probably done in by a fox that got scared off when it heard him coming. Darn thing made quite a mess of it, and Karl got spooked by the sight, the damn fool. He came running to me like the Devil himself had had a hand in it. Now I've got Ernest cleanin' it up so Karl doesn't raise no more fuss about it.
"What brings the two of you down to the lake?"
"I am inclined to agree with Stanislav," Thom answers, "if this symbol appears on a grave or mausoleum perhaps there is something else there that will provide the key for interpreting it. As for the elder Doctor Pallaver's book, I am also quite interested in the information it contains but if you'd like to read it, James, I'd be more than happy to settle for your expert summary and analysis."
"I'm up for a stroll."
Louie carefully closes the bible, placing it back in the chest.
"Some strange stories in this bible gents, I've read it in three languages and never stumbled across the fish story I just put away."
He stretches, picks up his coat from the back of a chair and pulls it on, pats his pocket to check for his little friend, and adds:
"Off to pay our respects to the Doc and do some snooping while we are at it then?"
"The lovely Miss Palaver is showing around your beautiful town, if you don't mind we will take our leave, nice to have met you Constable." Oculus says to the Constable with a smile.
"Miss Palaver would you be so kind to join me for a closer look at the lake?"
Oculus gently leads Miss Palaver away from the grisly scene. Once away from the Constable he whispers, "Perhaps we should speak to Karl to see why he was so spooked, without the company of the Constable."
"If it's caught your interest, then please do; we can finish the tour of the lake some other time," Katherine says quietly. "I actually feel quite tired from our walk; perhaps it's just too much sun. I'll have George walk me home and give you your chance with Karl!"
Katherine walks back to the Honin Stone, draping the back of one hand across her forehead. "Ooh, I say... I feel a bit faint... I don't suppose you could walk me home, George? Mr. Oculus is quite set on walking the shore, but I'm afraid I just don't have it in me."
"Well, I... I guess I'm done here. Karl, you get on about your business, and don't go spookin' people. I'll walk you back, Miss Pallaver - it's on my way anyways."
Katherine offers George her arm whilst teetering slightly from exhaustion, and the constable accepts and helps her back up the road towards town. Meanwhile, Ernest has finished his work, having dumped his bucket of bloody water and chicken remains into the lake before trailing after the departing pair. Karl, looking a bit glum, begins picking his way south along the lakeshore.
Oculus slowly makes his way south towards both the lake and Karl. Once he judges the Constable and Miss Palaver far enough away, he begins hustling in order to intercept Karl.
Once within earshot of Karl he calls out, "Excuse me good sir, may I have a moment of your time? I would like to speak to you about the what happened at the Honin Stone."
"Fish story?" Thom asks, "Do you mean Jonah and the leviathan? Or, perhaps, Jesus feeding the thousands?"
Before Louie has a chance to answer, Thom removes the unintelligible black book and locks the chest with the rest of the books inside. Then he looks to the cook and awaits his reply.
"If we are taking that along it might be worth wrapping it up in case it sets something off.One minute on that canard."
Louie looks around, repositions the locked chest near a chair and grabs a tablecloth from a side table. He places some books and a vase of dried flowers on top of it.
"Won't hurt to keep this out of sight as well.
He turns to Thom and continues:
"That bible has stories I can't recall reading ever before, not that I make any claims of being church. This one was about a boy traveling with an angel in disguise and being told how he could use parts of a strange fish. He got schooled on how to cast out demons, cure blindness, just from that fish's innards. Reads like the bible, but nothing I have ever seen put down in any I have read."
"Interesting," Thom answers, "Like all learned men, I have some familiarity with the Bible but I certainly don't remember that story either... though I can see how that particular story would be of interest to the elder Doctor Pallaver. Much that was called demon possession at that time is now recognized as mental disorders and it could be that there's some bit of practical truth in that story that the doctor thought might help treat patients at his Catholicon. I'd like to see that when we get back if you don't mind showing me."
Once Louie's preparations are completed Thom heads for the door. "I believe I know the way if you gents are ready?"
”Well, I ain’t to say, stranger. Best you mind your own business.”
Karl spits at Oculus's feet, then turns and continues away down the shore.
The group of four men make their way to the graveyard, where they inspect the mausoleum. A squat limestone building overgrown with moss and ivy, it features blocks with relief carvings of crosses matching the one on the book cover. The door is made of iron, with a plate in the center which may be swung aside to reveal a small keyhole; the door features neither handle nor hinges. Overall, the structure looks quite old, probably dating from the colonial era.
"Well, if there's anything to be learned here it's inside..." Thom offers with a furrowed brow. Looking around the cemetery to see if anyone else is about he adds, "locks are simple enough mechanical devices... I could probably open it... as long as we don't steal or deface anything it probably wouldn't be that bad, would it?"
Spi' a' me, i'll sli' your yankee 'hroa'. I 'ope wha'ever slaugh'ered 'ha' chicken kills you 'oo. Awer perhaps I will...
With an intense stare, Oculus fights back his murderous rage. He slowly turns and begins heading back to town, filing Karl's rudeness away in his mind. During the long walk back a slight malevolent smile begins to cross his lips, as he speculates on how he can repay Karl's rudeness.
"Let's not be to hasty. While I'm not overly religious, I'm not too keen on disturbing the dead. Is there anything more that would tie the book to this mausoleum? Any clues we may have missed before we barge in on someone's deceased family member?"
James looks over the building, slowing stroking his beard...
"There's already been one altercation with the local townsfolk, I would hate to cause another. What do you think about asking Katherine about this location? Maybe she knows more of it's history."
Pacing back and forth he adds, "Of course my opinion is not the only one that matters. What says the group? Who's in favor of trying to take a look inside, barring that it can be done without any damage?
"Can't hurt to look to the plants and stones before we trouble ourself with the lock?"
"Very well," Thom answers. He follows along behind Louie pointing out anything at all out of the ordinary.
Even with Thom's assistance, nothing unusual is found.
"What can the dead care of the living? They lie still until called to Judgment; entering here can do them no harm. But, if we are to do so, I recommend we do so quickly, yes? As the doctor points out, the cares of the townsfolk are another matter."
Thom nods, apparently content with the ascent of one companion and no strong objections from the others, and removes something like a large leather billfold from his inside jacket pocket. Opening it he reveals a small assortment of tools commonly used in simple mechanical and electrical repairs. Looking around once more to ensure they are alone, he crouches with his tools and begins to work on the lock.
Thom manages to pick the lock, and the door of the mausoleum swings inwards with some effort to reveal a single interior chamber. Dust dances in the sunlight, stirred by the door and sudden draft. The walls to the left and right each hold two stone sarcophagi, their lids emblazoned with a large cross. Centered on the far wall there is a small altar, upon which a closed book bound in black leather sits between two thick, squat candles. The candles appear to have been allowed to burn out, wax having thickly pooled around their bases. There is a symbol carved into the wall above the altar, that of an eye inside a five-pointed star. Around this symbol are the words 'MILITES XPISTI * ABSCONDITA BELLUM' in a circle. The eye of the design is identical to that on the locked purple book in Doctor Pallaver's collection. On a stand to the left of the altar is hung a suit of armor from antiquity: chainmail, helm, pendant, and white tabard emblazoned with a red cross. To the right of the altar is a rack constructed of pale wood which holds: a shield emblazoned with a red cross, a coiled whip, and a brass censer.
There is enough room for all four men to stand inside; it's interior dimensions are roughly 15' wide by 10' deep.
On his way back up the shore to the road, Oculus has the chance to study the Honin Stone as he passes by. It is actually composed of several circular stones of various sizes, stacked atop one another to the height of a tall man in a roughly conical shape; the bottom stone is partially buried, with it's exposed portion being approximately five feet wide and three feet tall. The stones seem to have been decorated entirely with intricate carvings, though they are now eroded beyond definition. It reminds Oculus a little bit of the standing stones of his native land, not only superficially but in the sense of great age that they both inspire.
"My word," James is almost speechless as he surveys the room, "this is all rather unexpected."
As James eyes come to rest upon the five pointed star, he slowly translates the words out loud...
"Soldiers of Christ... Hidden War. I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing. Does this mean anything to you other gentlemen? Also, who would ever bring such items to a place like this?"