Stanislav looks around the chamber with a cocked eyebrow. "Unbelievable... This looks to be a shrine of the Knights Templar, yes?" He points to the red crosses on the tabard and shield. "But they were disbanded by the Catholics in 1312 for heresy. Most strange to find this here in the New World."
He draws out his flask and takes a pull. "They were said to have hidden enormous wealth - the spoils of their Crusades and the monies gained by their banking."
"Rome has appointed a number of secret, and semi-secret, orders throughout the centuries," Thom responds, "and in the 'New World' there are societies, like the Stonemasons, with no official connection to the church. The resemblance to the Knights Templar could be superficial, or perhaps mimicry? I'm more intrigued by this secret war... I can't help but wonder who or what they're warring against?"
While he speaks, he checks the condition of the book residing in the tomb and (if it's in suitably durable shape) he gingerly opens the cover to see what book it is.
Louie looks at the floor of the vault, trying to see if there are tracks left from other visitors in contrast to Thom's passage.
He shakes his head to James.
"Means nothing to me, but it aint a bad hiding place."
He nods to Stanislav.
"Guessing Latin again?
Pointing with his chin to the star above the altar.
"Wonder if the points of that star there could line up a code for Thom's mystery book. Any of you gents confident you can set it to memory? Or we might better set it down somehow."
"Yes, Louie, is Latin. Could be star and letters are connected." Stanislav steps forward and examines the armor more closely. "Is dirty, yes, but I think was well oiled when put here. Probably still in good condition." Pondering a moment, the Russian steps back outside the mausoleum. "There is no name on outside. This is strange, yes? Perhaps the priest knows who built this here." He steps back inside.
"Clockwise from top, star points to empty space, S, C, L, and I - not too hard to remember, I think. Do we want to take book and leave rest for now? Has been here for long time, will keep for a time longer - if no one sees door is open."
"We can leave the book," Thom answers, "it's the same version of the Bible as the one in the Professor's chest save that it's in Latin rather than English. This star also looks like the one on the lock of the purple book back at the house... perhaps we've had the key to decoding this all along."
Heading outside he adds, "It does seem rather odd that there's no name at all anywhere... It can't hurt to ask the priest, I suppose, though unless he was born here or there's popular local folklore about it he may not be able to help."
As he speaks he opens up his heavy satchel full of tools and begins to work on the lock once again.
Before leaving the building James speakes up...
"I think we should take the book for comparison just in case. Since the writing on the wall is in Latin, maybe there's more of a connection within?"
He grabs the book quickly as the others exit and heads outside.
"We can always return the book later, but I feel better having it along with the others back at the house."
"I've not personally studied law..." Thom says hesitantly, "but it seems as though the step from 'probably trespassing' to 'certainly grave robbing' is a fairly substantial one..."
"It looks like no-one's been hereabouts for quite a spell. What with the Doc's collection and the only inventory of the crate on the way outta town with that Keel fella, this could conveniently become part of his library."
"Well..." Thom answers with a shrug, "I'll not complain about having it on hand in case it has some use in unraveling the present mystery, but as it is illegal I think the decision should be unanimous- since we'd all be implicated as accessories. What do you say Stanislav?"
Stanislav shrugs. "Stealing from unnamed dead Catholic knights? I do not care."
Satisfied that a consensus has been reached, Thom closes the once again locked door and leads the way back to the Pallaver house.
The men reconvene at the Pallaver House, where they find Katherine Pallaver sitting at a cleared-off dining room table amidst stacks of papers, folder, and folios. She waves away any inquiries or distractions with a tutting noise as she reviews her later father's estate papers.
Intrigued by their discovery in the mausoleum, they uncover and open Dr. Pallaver's chest of books. Comparing the copies of the King James' Bibles now in their possession and trying to find any connection between the two and the strange book of Latin nonsense or the symbol found on the wall, Dr. Wilks and Mr. Andrews both feel like there is something that they are missing, but are unable to pinpoint it.
Meanwhile, Stanislav heads to his room and shortly returns with a glass tumbler and fine crystal decanter of a caramel brown liquor. The room fills with the scent of scotch whiskey as he pours himself a glass, and he sighs contentedly as he sits back in a reading chair, sipping and watching everyone work.
James continues to review the two texts and speakes out in frustration...
"I feel like I'm back at school studying for exams and there's a lessons I just can't seem to grasp. I know there must be something here. I don't believe everything we have found is pure coincidence."
He rubs his eyes with one hand trying to clear his thoughts.
"Well... Luckily I don't give up that easy. Since we are not going anywhere any time soon I guess I can devout some more time to our findings. Thom, I believe with your keen insight we can get some answers. Are you up for the task?"
"I understand the feeling," Thom answers, squeezing the bridge of his nose, "it's as though understanding is just barely out of our reach. Thankfully, we'll have an abundance of time in the coming weeks."
"Gentlemen, I'm not much of a scholar, but...." Oculus rises out of the chair he was lounging in,"...I believe that this chest is hiding something."
Oculus gets down on his knees and leans over into the chest. His head and forearms entirely within the chest, he begins delicately searching the bottom of the chest.
Perception (searching the chest) taking 20=28
Oculus address the room, head still in the chest. The chatter soothing his nerves as he searches the chest.
"Miss Pallaver and I had quite the adventure today..."
*light blowing on the wood to clear the dust*
"She took me to the lake and there was a dead...."
*fiddle, fiddle*
"...chicken on this stone structure they call..."
*poke, poke*
"...the Honin stone, it reminds me of..."
*prod, prod*
"...Stonehenge from back home..."
*intense scrutiny*
"...Constable seemed to be trying to hush..."
*maybe it goes the other way*
"...it up. Local farmer named Karl was..."
*nope, definitely the first way*
"...pretty upset, when I approached him he..."
*I think have it*
"...spat at me and told me off."
You also notice that there is a latch and spring mechanism inside the false bottom, such that you may replace it and push it down to lock it back into place.
Louie puts on a kettle and sets out the leftover biscuits on a tray.
"Stanislav, how'd you say what Miss Katherine was crying out this morning in Latin?"
He asks chewing on a bit of biscuit.
"Oculus, looks like your day is full of surprises. So Karl and the Constable the same fella, or two different surly locals?"
Louie will look through the house for any books that he thinks might be useful as references for Thom and Doc Wilk (latin, crusades, 17th century christianity, later versions of the bible), if it looks like we are here for a spell.
"Hmm?" Stanislav looks to Louie. "What was it she said? 'Honor my fate?' That would be 'fatum meum... honorificabo." He sips from his glass. "Though I do not believe young Katherine is familiar with Latin."
James and Thom work throughout the day studying the books, while Louie searches through the house's stacks in vain for any books which seem likely to assist them. Together the two men identify a portion of the cypher: The illuminations in the encoded book contain references to specific books of the bible, whose first verse in the King James Bibles on hand also contain the first word of that section of the encoded book. While immediate decoding of the book is not possible, James is confident that with this key it is just a matter of time before he cracks the cypher completely.
Meanwhile, Oculus peruses the book found in the chest's false bottom and discovers it's Doctor Pallaver's personal journal. He reads through it with a passing interest, and identifies the following entries of note.
January 28th, 1875. Several of my books are in disorder. I have been keeping them in the back of the cabinet in the study, and I see now this was foolish of me. I am sure Katherine merely moved them while looking for some other volume, but they should not be so easily accessible. I have moved them to the proper chest.
February 21st, 1875. I spoke with Arthur today, and afterwards took a walk through the graveyard. It looked as if someone or something had been about the mausoleum; the grass and foliage had been trampled down, but the structure itself was undisturbed. I could find no clear tracks, but I am no woodsman. Probably just a deer or some such…
February 23rd, 1875. Last night I dreamt of Albert. I was in the root cellar, which I had visited earlier in the day, but in my dream it contained stone stairs of ancient aspect which spiraled down into the earth. Up from these steps he strode to stand before me, smiling, with what seemed to me a smug malice. He told me he had named that which he sought and so had power over it, and began to laugh. I then awoke.
March 1st, 1875. I signed my new will today. I cannot bring myself to report my suspicions to those who would listen, but should they prove true and some ill fate befalls me, I fear for Katherine’s safety. The tomes I possess must also remain in safe hands; I dare not risk sending them by post, even if I didn’t need them. I have chosen a handful of men I feel up to the task, though I pray they need never be contacted.
March 18th, 1875. I dreamt of Albert again last night.
Gustav stopped me in the street today and began shouting about the old Catholicon. Normally I would ignore his tiresome and idiotic rants, but for the specificity of his tirade: he claimed two Sundays past he had seen lights and figures moving about in the courtyard at night. It may be a coincidence, but I cannot take that chance. I will investigate on the morrow.
March 19th, 1875. Someone has definitely been on the Catholicon grounds. I went there today, and found boot prints all about the place. The timing cannot be pure chance; I have been a fool to remain silent. I cannot send for help now, or even send a warning, without fear of it being intercepted. I cannot risk revealing those who would help me to their enemies.
I will go tomorrow and try to stop whatever is being perpetrated at that place, for I know they will return to reap what they sowed. I do not know who or what I may find there, and I pray that I am up to the task; if I am not, I fear for Katherine, and for all Helorus. I leave this journal where my enemies will not find it. I implore those who read it:
Protect my daughter.
Stanislav drinks throughout the day, and several times the Russian stands up and takes a few swaying steps before abruptly stopping, looking about, then returning to his seat.
Another 8 hours with both of you deciphering the code will automatically yield results; on your own, it may take longer.
"Well, I'd say that was a rather productive afternoon, James," Thom declares as he sets down his book and rubs his eyes in the flickering light of the gas lamps. "Louie, I don't suppose we could impose on you to prepare us some dinner?"
"Yezsh, yezsh, very good work, men, very good," Stanislav slurs, raising a glass in Thom's direction. "'Jolly good,' azsh you shay, no? And dinner izsh a wonderful idea! I am glad I hachoo zink of it." He smiles broadly and gives several slow nods to the room before resting his chin on his chest and commencing to snore.
"We do seem to be making some headway, which is wonderful. I don't believe I could have done this on my own Thom. Hopefully we can crack this mystery in the coming days."
James sits back in his chair, stretches, and gives a small yawn.
"And some food would be fantastic. Louie, please let me know if I can assist. I'm always looking to learn some new tricks in the kitchen."
Louie nods to Thom and James.
"I'll get on the grub, watching you gents work seems to have gotten my hunger up too."
"James, if you want to pitch in we should be able to get the grub out right quick. Fair warning, I might ask you the Latin for food and such as we cook. See if I can start to get my head wrapped around it."
He points to Stanislav with his chin.
"Think I'll put some water on for tea too, give our pal here something else to put away."
He scratches his beard and adds
"We should ask Miss Katherine about the fellas Doc Pallaver mentioned in his journal, Albert and Arthur, see if we can make sense of what he set down."
With that he heads to the kitchen and gets pots clanking.
"I agree with Lou, we should ask Miss Pallaver about this Albert character, he seems like he might be a problem."
Oculus offers up the journal to anyone who would like to read it.
I wonder wha' 'he old bladdered wanker's problem wi'h me is. Once 'e sobers up i will 'ave 'o ask 'im.
"I'll go see if she is available."
Oculus sets of to find Miss Pallaver.
Katherine is found stacking folios and papers at the dining room table, tidying up after her day spent sifting through the paperwork. She smiles at Oculus, obviously quite tired.
"Good evening, Oculus. It looks as if Louie and Dr. Wilks are preparing supper for everyone; is there anything I can get you?" Her expression turns to one of troubled sadness at the mention of Albert.
"Albert... Albert is my brother, Mr. Oculus, though my father would have said that he was my brother. The two of them had a falling out some years ago, over what father would never tell me, but he disowned Albert after that. And for Albert's part, he left without another word to me and never returned." Tears come to her eyes. "I'd been hoping that he would be at the funeral; God knows where he is, but I was sure that Mr. Keel would be able to find him. Apparently even he and his partners couldn't locate my brother."
"As for Arthur, that's Father Grimsby." She wipes her eyes on a handkerchief. "I'm sorry, Mr. Oculus, but I must retire and recover myself. If you have any further questions I'm afraid they'll have to wait until tomorrow. Good night."
Katherine curtsies and heads upstairs to her room.
After dinner everyone retires for the evening save Stanislav, who is left sleeping in his chair, and awakens feeling quite refreshed. As Louie prepares breakfast, Mr. Wright goes to the post office to fetch Thom yesterday's newspaper from the city, and Katherine clears the dining room table of miscellany. Katherine insists everyone sit down and eat together, and afterwards retires to her room to prepare herself for the day.
After Katherine leaves, Stanislav speaks up. "I must admit that I spent much of the night asleep in the sitting room. However, I awoke just before dawn; as I gathered my wits and bearings, I realized that Miss Pallaver was in the room with me, standing absolutely still, staring at me. When I greeted her, she called me "a hefty moron," then turned and walked into the hall and upstairs to her room. Very strange, yes? I cannot imagine she would be so rude, and I am quite sure she was not herself - that is to say, I believe it was an affliction of somnambulism.
"I have a tonic that may quiet her sleep, poor child, if the good doctor here agrees? If not, perhaps one of us should stay up nights, to make sure that she does not hurt herself."
"An excellent idea Stanislav. I also believe we should have a conversation with Arthur today to see what he knows about this mausoleum situation. Stanislav could I speak to you in private for a moment?"
Oculus gesters to Stanislav to follow him to a vacant room.
Thom sets about his morning routine of stretching and calisthenics while Louie cooks and Mr. Wright readies a hot bath with salts. After washing up he dresses in a tweed suit and maroon waist coat before heading down to join the others for breakfast.
As they eat he makes polite conversation as he reads the newspaper, albeit without any of the social grace of a talented conversationalist. As the meal nears completion he offers, "well, doctor, I suspect we might finish our little project today, unless there are any more pressing matters requiring your or my attention?"
"Stanislav, I think that would be a great idea... On both fronts. Let's give her the tonic tonight and stand watch to see if it helps her rest. Obviously this is a very difficult time and the human mind copes in some very odd ways."
James turns to Thom to answer, "I'm looking forward to getting some answers from that book. I'm ready to start whenever you are!"
"If Miss Katherine wants to head out today, at least one of us should join her."
Louie scratches his head and adds:
"If she don't see fit to head out, or someone else wants to keep an eye on her, I'm up for jawing with the preacher while you gents work. See what he can tell us about Doc Pallaver's passing and the story of Miss Katherine's brother."
He finishes his tea with a slight slurp and finishes:
"Guess I can ask him about the Catholicon and the mausoleum too, maybe even that stone that Oculus saw yesterday. Anything else you gents can think to ask about?"
"No, that sounds like a fine list," Thom answers as he wipes his mouth and rises from the table. "Doctor, if you're ready?" he asks before leading the way into the study and opening the chest when the James arrives. As the relevant books are removed and lain out he settles in for another pleasant day of intellectual labor.
When Oculus and Stanislav are alone, Oculus confronts him.
”Stanislav, I wanted to have a word with you. I can’t help but notice that you are aggravated with me. I just wanted to clear the air, since it seems we will be spending a great deal of time in each others company.”
Stanislav seems genuinely taken aback by Oculus's claim, and quickly shakes his head. "Oh no, no, Mister Oculus, I hold nothing against you. I am quite sorry if I was rude to you last evening. I am aggravated with myself, I assure you; with my inability to make sense of August's death, to make things the way I want them. But the drink, sometimes it makes me lose my composure - you understand, no? Please, forgive me."
The doctor and young inventor spend all day poring over the three texts. The encrypted book is titled The Revelation to Jacques de Molay; translating it requires not only knowing the correct word and book of the bible to start with, but then referencing other words and letters based on the verse numbers of the starting point; without the unorthodox copies of the King James Bibles is their possession, the code would be incapable of being deciphered correctly due to variances in verse numbers between it and a traditional King James Bible.
"I accept your apology Stanislav, and I consider this closed. Come let us join the others. I believe I will accompany Miss Pallaver today as Lou has suggested."
Some'hin is bo'herin old S'anislav, I wonder if i' 'as 'o do wi'h Miss Pallaver.
Oculus leaves the pantry and searches for Miss Pallaver to tell her his intentions of being her escort.
Louie finds Father Grimsby tending to a small garden alongside the church. The priest smiles and stands at Louie’s approach, shaking the sailor’s hand in greeting. The two make brief small talk before Louie begins to pose his questions.
On Doctor Pallaver’s death:
”What were the circumstances of August’s death? He was found up at what’s left of the Catholicon. The doctor believes he died of shock, poor soul – something just caught him off guard and the scare of it stopped his heart. There was a storm the night he died whose first peal of thunder shook the homes of everyone in town, so it may have been that. What he was doing out there I can’t say; certainly he’d been through that place before in his youth and found no salve for his grief and loss.
On the mausoleum:
“That mausoleum has been here since before the church was completed, actually; it was built by the town’s first settlers back in the 1600s. They were backed by a French mercantile interest, who paid for it’s construction to bury one of their own. This place was little more than a few farms, a small wooden chapel, and that mausoleum until the influx of German immigrants last century helped grow it to what it is today. August had a particular affinity for it, saying it was like having our own little piece of European history right in town.
Upon being asked about Albert Pallaver, Father Grimsby's face darkens. “Katherine has told you about Albert, has she? I suppose it makes sense, poor girl; she’s always hoped that he and their father would reconcile. The two had a falling out several years ago over the boy’s behavior, and they swore each other off. I believe Katherine hoped he would attend the funeral. If the man had any love for his sister at all, he’d have visited or written her by now; hopefully she’ll come to accept that.”
After he speaks with Father Grimsby, Louie acquires some fish offal and any other sundries he requires in town before returning to the Pallaver House in the late afternoon.
"Oh! Well thank you, Mr. Oculus, that's most gallant of you. I could use an extra set of eyes and hands, that's for sure - though it may not be what you had in mind. I'm donating most of my father's things to the various institutions he'd been a part of over the years - medical texts and the like to this university, travel logs and maps to that university, et cetera. They'll get more use out of them than I ever could, and it'll clear up at least some of this clutter."
Katherine and Oculus spend the day sorting through bundles of books, papers, and oddments in an effort to categorize them for donation. By late afternoon they've completed most of the dining room and she calls an end to it, retiring to her room to take some tea, around which time Louie returns.
After the day's efforts, everyone has reconvened at the Pallaver house in the late afternoon.
Slurping at a cup of cold tea, Louie recounts his discussion with the preacher.
"Might be worth a walk up to the ruins of the madhouse, see what we can turn up. Curious that the mausoleum was built here soon after the bibles and my guess that book you gents are translating were set to paper. Wonder if Oculus's rock has something to do with it being built here."
He finishes his tea and sets the cup on the tray.
"Wonder if the book with the eye like the one from the carving out in the tomb might have a bit of the tale in it."
He rubs the back of his head and adds.
"The preacher also said something about an awful stroke of lightning the night the Doc died. Wasn't that bunch of old papers something about lightning, Thom?"
"Well, James, that was a productive day," Thom remarks as he stands and stretches. "I don't think we've discovered anything yet to merit such complex encoding, but at least we've mastered the code. After dinner I'd like to try to open the locked tome, if none of the others vigorously object; perhaps tomorrow we'll be working on two translations."
His stretch gives way to a yawn before he adds, "I'm going to go check on Miss Pallaver, if you happen to spot Louie which you be so kind as to ask him if he plans to prepare dinner again tonight?"
After hearing James' answer, Thom makes his way through the house, past the newly sorted dining room, until he finds Miss Palaver heading into her room with tea in hand. "Miss Pallaver," he calls out, "pardon my interruption. It looks as though as though you and Mister Oculus were rather successful in your endeavor today. I hate to trouble you with even a small matter but I've been writing a great deal over the last few days and will soon exhaust my journal; did your father, by any chance, have any blank volumes anywhere in his vast collection that you might be willing to part with?"
"Funny you should mention that particular tome," Thom answers, "I was just telling James earlier that if there weren't any resolute objections I'd like to attempt to open the lock on it after dinner so that we might learn what it's about. Like you, I was also struck by the resemblance between the marking on the book and the one in the mausoleum. Also, you have a good memory, the lose papers did indeed deal with lightning."
The house fills with the smell of roast mutton and a piquant note of currant jelly.
"There are brussel sprouts I can put on if anyone has a hankering for them, likely the last until fall. And some rolls, sorry for their looks, but they should taste just fine."
Louie calls from the kitchen.
"Yes, some ruffage would be much appreciated," Thom calls back to the kitchen.
After dinner, Oculus works on picking the purple book’s lock with Thom’s assistance. Despite it’s small size the lock is inordinately obstinate and complex; even so, after three hours of effort the lock gives way, emitting a surprisingly deep and foreboding clanking noise which causes Thom’s stomach to sink. Inside, the unusual “book” contains a series of folded papyrus scrolls of varying lengths bound into it, which may be unfolded for perusal. The scrolls are all covered in Egyptian hieroglyphics and illustrations which are beyond Dr. Wilk's knowledge of languages.
Stanislav comes downstairs with a glass in hand, the others so caught up in their own tasks that they'd not even realized he wasn't there.
"I've prepared Miss Pallaver a sleeping tonic that should quiet her rest; perhaps if you'd accompany me to explain it to her, Dr. Wilk?"