In reply to Kimi-Yuka Noriko (msg # 236):

Stefan looked at the young lady for a moment taking a deep breath. "Dhere are many uses fer 'ex bags. Most 'ex bags 'ave evil intent, but some are used ta shield. I vill need more time ta examine dhese, before I make a proper decision."

Stefan looked at Miss Dreadful. "Any doctor knows dhier vay around a body or cadaver. Dhose spirits are not at rest dhey are being used. Dhey 'ave been tortured an much more. Dhis vas possibly done ta prepare a vay fer somedhing or ta contaminate an area.

Moving dhem or autopsing dhem could do more damage. Again I vill need ta examine all dhis more before doing anydhing."

Stefan begins to look the area and bodies over carefully making sure to not disturb anything while he does.

OOC:16:33, Today: Stefan Von Frankenstein rolled 32 using 1d20+14. Arcane knowledge.
16:33, Today: Stefan Von Frankenstein rolled 25 using 1d20+6. Investigate.
16:36, Today: Stefan Von Frankenstein rolled 13 using 1d20+12. Spellcraft.

Kimi nodded, and then decided it was time to find Frederick and discuss their plans to enter into the Tailors' house.  She moved passed everyone. "This humble person will seek for Frederick, then ready themselves for the mission this evening.  Please, excuse me."  She bowed slightly, then moved on.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:37, Fri 27 Dec 2013.

Kate made sure not to move anything until everyone was in agreement with what to do with the bodies. She was relieved that Penny seemed so excited to take her under her wing, and was willing to help her pick out clothes. She wondered if they would be able to find something long enough to cover her sneakers. Penny's shoes were cute but Kate was sure when it came to comfort her sneakers would easily win.

"Sounds like we have a big night ahead of us," Kate muttered peering over Penny's shoulder at the spell. The prospect of demons and the witchy Mrs. Bentley brought excitement to her eyes. She much preferred that to picking around rotting dead bodies.

"I think with all of our knowledge it should be easy enough to put up a new ward. " She added looking to the others for confirmation.

ooc: Sorry if I miss anything guys. There's a lot of posts to respond to!

Stefan, you determine that the wards were likely put there to keep the spirits in place and keep them from becoming a threat. You are certain you can move the bodies and replace the ward, though it will need to be done quickly. Meanwhile Jacob informs Penny that Mr. Bently indeed invited Ian to the very same banquet while they were at the tailor's, but this means he will need to arrive separately and keep his distance. I will feel better knowing he's away from here and with friends. Victoria confides with a frown. Clearly there is a conspiracy against him and I want him to be away from here as much as possible until I get behind it. Please, keep him out of trouble would you? He has a way of finding it... She pats Kate's arm as though hoping she will help with this.

ooc: Ok, I would like to wrap up with the bodies so you have moved and inspected them but find little more than the hex bags and the fact that they have been clearly eaten on. You are hoping that Ian and Father Simon's missing persons reports can shed more light on the subject. What are your plans for the next three hours while your weapons are finishing and you are preparing for the banquet? Let me know if you want to finish anything here or add more to what's been said. Stefan, when you are done with the bodies I have plans for you with Victoria, but I want to be sure you get the chance to finish first.

Kimi: You find Frederick easily enough. He is helping to oversee the weapon's altercations, which can be very difficult. He looks up at you in surprise and blushes, though he quickly tries to hide it. Good afternoon Miss Noriko. He gives a slight bow. I have heard that you were involved with the current mission on the Bentley's? Is there anything you need help with? Victoria has not had the chance to give him further details as yet obviously. But you know Frederick well enough to know he will jump at the chance to help you.

Kimi smiles and slightly bows. "Thank you kind sir, if you would follow me Mr. Fredrick you and I have work to do."  She turned sideways and waited for him.

Penny followed Doctor von Stein's slow and cautious approach to dealing with the cadavers and the warding bags, but privately wished they could make a swifter examination. Regardless, they eventually had the bodies and warding bags relocated to another, secure room, and Penny finished her inspection of the hole in the wall.

She then moved on to the bodies themselves, conducting a close forensic examination. By the shabby clothing and signs of physical labour upon the bodies, she could determine that the victims were largely lower class, poor folk. But with so much removed or devoured, she couldn't say for sure anything more specific. She'd need to cross-reference identifying marks against the missing persons reports in order to make a proper analysis. Penny also awaited Doctor von Stein's report on the wounds.

OOC: Sherlock scans on the corpses: Investigate 19, Spot 29
14:30, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 19,29 using d20+12,d20+9. scan: investigate, spot.

After washing up again, Penny went to see a little of the work of enchanting her weapons, intrigued to learn how the process worked. Penny had a small collection of weapons. Her knife was simple enough, as was her pocket revolver. The umbrella of sturdy iron construction with a devil's trap stitched under the canopy, and the gentleman's cane, made from ash with an iron core, tip and handle inscribed with ornate protective pentagram and warding sigils were rather more impressive.

Following that, she made use of the Men of Letters' resources to examine their library, spending the remaining time reading up on witchcraft, hexbags, the summoning scroll, the Greek symbols observed on the Bently's box, the goddess Hecate, and the demon lord Baal. She focused her research back on the Bently case — vital for tonight's activities, but it frustrated Penny to no end to have to juggle two distinct cases at once.

OOC: Research on the Bently's brand of witchcraft: 12
15:04, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 12 using 1d20+9. research.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:04, Tue 31 Dec 2013.

Stefan goes thru the warding and followed by the examination of the bodies. He was hoping to find something, but what he seen and what he found were what he thought he would find.

Stefan reported back to them of his finding, which were nothing more than what the others could see on the bodies.

While the others inspected the bodies Kate found her way back to the study she'd first appeared in. If it is empty she will give it a good once over to see if she can figure out who it belongs to. Later she will bring Penny back to do her Sherlock thing and see if she can find any clues.

After that she will acquire some weapons and look into getting some clothes so she could give Penny back her dress.

Father Simon:

Your search proves to be most illuminating. It would seem that all of the missing persons are from the same area of town (the poor side of course) and they seem to be on the receiving end of a great deal of charity work from a women's organization. The name of the group strikes a memory and you realize that it is Mrs. Bentley's circle....Apparently the police did not miss the connection, but after a brief questioning the suspicions were dropped against the women. After all, why would a women's charity group be involved in disappearances? Especially when it's members were such stellar members of the community. You also note that they tend to go missing at night (unsurprising), and there is often signs of violence, such as blood and flesh found in the alley and streets, but otherwise no signs of the bodies. Ian is reading this too, and taking notes furiously. You glance around you and see there are posts on the wall of current cases and general information. You note with interest that there has been a grave theft of a Russian man that has been reported as of two months ago. The fact that this is when the disappearances started is not lost on you.

Kimi: He quickly stops what he is doing and follows you. Of course! What's going on? He asks as he holds a door open for you. Let me know if I need to bring anything special if you know what I mean. He refers to the weapon room with a tilt of his head.


Kate: The study seems to be a community study room for meetings and things of the like amongst the higher ranking members. By now the symbols on the wall are so faded it's hard to make them out at all. Victoria informs you that normally they aren't there at all, and she believes it was only the activation of the spell on the other side that caused it's appearance. She does inform you that she had sketches made of it though, to preserve it for study. It's entirely possible that whoever you were following came here too. Perhaps we have more evil in our midst than we realized. She says darkly. Penny should investigate when she gets the chance. She agrees. In the meantime she takes you to a large room with several wardrobes and lets you have your run of the place. There are several dresses and the like and to your surprise and delight they also have trousers and such that have been clearly tailored for women. I know it's a bit scandelous but it's a lot easier to fight monsters when you can move freely. She explains.


Penny: The bodies yield little else for the time being, but you await the missing person's report eagerly. In the meantime you see that the process for the weapons is quite complicated indeed. It requires a great deal of minute carving and metal work in some cases to etch symbols into the weapons, as well as incantations and materials. It looks to be painstaking work and you are grateful you don't have to do it yourself. The library is massive and there is an alarming amount of information. Some of the texts are centuries old, and there are several librarians who watch you closely as you research, obviously paranoid about their precious materials. You find that the witchcraft Mrs. Bentley used is very old, likely used by followers of Hecate, but other than that you cannot discover details at this current time. If you do decide to investigate for Kate, you find the study yields little specifically except of course the symbols themselves which you do not yet recognize. You do see there are smudges of dusty footprints leading from the wall, though they are barely traceable they are so faint. Most people would have missed it, but it points to the fact that Kate is not the only person who has traveled through time...

Stefan: As the group departs to await Ian and Father Simon's return, Victoria bids you follow her and wait in a parlor of sorts. Mr. Westbrook wanted to speak to you privately when you had a moment. She informs you mysteriously. Should you choose to wait he doesn't keep you long. He strides forward, extending a hand for a hearty shake. He looks tired and stressed. Clearly he is under a great deal of pressure considering the whole situation. Victoria has told me of the situation with the scrolls. She tells me you will be amongst those going to the docks tonight. I am glad to hear it, but that is not what I need to speak to you about. I hate to bring up such a sensitive subject Mr. Stein, but tell me. What do you know of your father's work? He looks at you hesitantly, as if afraid the question might offend you.

"Most honorable sir, I will leave you to assess our needs." She walked into a washroom and looked under all the stalls.  No one.  Then turning to Fredrick she said, "We will be attempting a covert operation this evening.  You and I will be trying to access the Tailor and his wife's home.  We have suspicions of her motives.  Do you have anything that may aid us in this endeavor Master Fredrick?"

Penny was fascinated to observe the process of enchanting the weapons and asked many detailed questions about every aspect. At least until it became clear she was simply pestering the fellow and making the work proceed more slowly. She left Frederick and the others to it, but intended to read a tome about it later. Maybe she could learn it herself, and fancied practising on one of her sewing needles.

She spent more time in the quite impressive library, observing from a distance the secured copy of the Necronomicon and seeking out more relevant works under the watchful gaze of the librarians. Only the secret Library of St John the Beheaded in Holborn was more vigilant and better stocked, Penny figured, but she doubted she'd lose a hand for trying to borrow a book here. She was reminded too of the dusty library at the Darkmoor manor, and hours spent poring over mouldering tomes, deep into the cold night. She sat down with severals books on witchcraft and Greek religion, together with a cup of tea. The symbols on the box linked the Bentlys' brand of witchcraft to an ancient Greek tradition of magic and necromancy, likely practiced by the Hecate cult, but frustratingly she still knew too little about what the Bentlys were up to identify it further. Penny did not like surprises, or not knowing.

Later, Kate called her to investigate the office she'd appeared in, and Penny was intrigued to do so. She made sketches of the fading symbols for later study, though she could not identify it herself. Noticing patches of dust and dirt in the carpet, she easily found the footprints, seemingly stepping out of the wall — not just Kate's futuristic shoes, but another, older pair. Another time traveller, and a far subtler infiltration of the Men of Letters facility. Penny made sure to report her findings to Miss Green and Mr Westbrook.

In reply to Artemis (msg # 247):

Stefan makes his way to see Mr. Westbrook. He shakes the man's hand. When he speaks of his father's work he stiffened slightly at the remark. "I am not like 'im. It is vhy I do vhat I do. Vhy do you ask me dhis? Vhat do you vish ta know?" He looks at the man sternly.

Kimi: Frederick listens seriously and gives a thoughtful nod. The rumor is that they may be involved in witchcraft correct? If that's the case they may have some nasty hexes we need to be careful of. I think I may be able to help with that. I'll try to bring some protection for us too, but nothing is a guarantee. It may work against some spells, but if they get creative we may be in trouble. Let's just hope that they don't leave anyone behind to keep watch or something like that. We should have an easy time of it if the house is really empty. He finishes darkly.

Penny/Kate: Mr. Westbrook is indisposed, but Victoria assures you she will pass along the information. At hearing of the footprints she looks a bit upset. This place is going to ruin. She mutters. She turns to Kate. Could you please descrbe the man you were following? I want to track him down as soon as possible, if he's even still here that is.

Stefan: Westbrook puts a reassuring hand on your shoulder and shakes his head. I assure you, no one thinks you share his...aspirations. I know you are a good man, that's why you are here. But I must ask, what happened to him? Leave nothing out. What happened last you know of him? You find this question to be surprising to say the least. Shouldn't the Men of Letters know already?

Kimi smiles, "Most noble sir, if there is anyone left to guard, I will face them."  She bowed slightly. "We will go this evening Master Fredrick.  Please be ready."

'Travel through time and space is not a security vulnerability one could have planned for.' Penny said, attempting to reassure Victoria. 'Regardless, I would recommend guards be stationed at each entrance and in this office.'

Penny considered the faint footprints on the floor, measured with a small measuring stick, made some notes, and perform mental calculations. 'Based on the size of the shoes, the length of the stride, I would estimate a person of... this height,' she said, holding out a level hand to indicate the height of the suspect. 'Give or take an inch.'


OOC: I'm not sure what to roll to estimate the suspect's height, but I assume Investigate, for analysis of the clue.
12:52, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 28 using 1d20+12. investigate.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:58, Wed 01 Jan 2014.

After pleasantries are exchanged Simon and Ian go to work. After sorting through everything Simon puts the things he discovers in front of Ian. "If I were a betting man, I would think they are using these people as cattle for some kind of undead creature they resurrected. That may seem like farce to you, though."

Kate smiled and whipped out her phone. She had turned it off to save battery and had to wait a moment for it to power up. It was depressing to see how little charge she had left. "I was keeping an eye on this guy," she brought up a picture of a man in his early thirties. The photo was taken from a distance but it was good enough to make out basic facial features. The man was average height with sandy blond hair. Not handsome but not ugly, with a slightly crooked nose as if it had been broken once or twice. He had blue eyes and was dressed in slacks and a button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"He goes by Mike Jones in my time. Probably a fake name.I got wind that he was meeting someone at the mausoleum but when I got there the place was empty. I know he was there though because his car was parked down the street."

Kimi: Frederick gives a grin at your words as though pleased at your eagerness. Oh I will be ready Miss Noriko. He nods. I-uh, have to say I'm pleased to be working with you. He blushes. Westbrook speaks very highly of you I mean! I-uh just meant that it would be nice to work with someone so skilled. He stammers.

Kate/Penny: Victoria seems to take comfort in Penny's words, smiling in spite of herself. Penny has determined the man to be approximately 5'10 or so judging by her clues. Victoria looks at Kate's phone and shakes her head. The wonders of the future will never cease to amaze me. She breathes. I wonder if I could make a quick sketch of that to pass around to those I trust? I don't recognize him but we have some new members I am not familiar with yet. She admits. As she speaks she goes to a desk and quickly takes a piece of paper out and a pencil at which point she begins sketching rapidly. If he's not still here he may still be in town at least. We may have some canvassing to do after tonight.

Ian grins at your words. Oh you'd be surprised at what I don't get surprised at. He laughs. I think you may be onto somethin there good father. I think with a bit of research we may just be able to narrow down what is going on here. If you're done here we can return to headquarters and put the men on it. We may have something rather nasty on our hands it seems. He frowns.

ooc: Go ahead and finish up here and I'll return you to the group.

Simon returns the files to their proper places, collects his notes and such. He makes sure to thank the man in charge for allowing him to look for those missing. He gives a short blessing (not the spell) if the man wishes it.

After that he is content to return to headquarters with Ian.

Father Simon:
You return with Ian who takes you to the library, which is massive. He gives one of the librarians his notes and after a few quiet words he pats him on the shoulder and sets him to work. That's the beauty of being here. When I first started I had to do all the looking myself. Took me forever. I've got better things to do than read ya know? He winks. Now come on, lets see if we can't find Victoria. He adds, leading you to the likely places. By now you have a pretty good idea of the layout of this place and it is even larger than you had first realized. As you are searching, you see a young man look sharply at Ian and then glare balefully. He watches him for some time before he slips away at a run. Ian seems not to have noticed.

Simon sees the young man. As the young fellow turns Simon says, "Hey you, stop." When the boy flees, Simon takes after him, trying to catch up and maybe take hold of the boy's coat.

Kimi was still confused by the reaction some of the men around the complex reacted to her.  In her mind she was no one, a vessel to carry the Ninja within.  She did not understand why the men in the west found her difficult to face and speak with.

She smiled softly, "And you as well Mr Fredrick, what is it you think we will need this evening?" She indicated that they should move back towards the area he had been working in.

'And why were you following this Mike Jones?' she asked Kate, sounding a bit too interrogative. She tried again, more softly 'I mean, is he a suspected criminal or monster?'

As Victoria sketched, Penny looked over the "phone" and examined the image, trying to determine if she'd seen the fellow hanging around the Men of Letters facility or elsewhere in New York. But though she'd seen it before, Penny was once more amazed by Kate's device and tried to divine its function. 'It's like a photograph, but without paper. I suppose the chemicals are trapped under the glass, kept stable, perhaps in a crystalline form, and stimulated by electricity to produce light?' she looked to Kate for confirmation.


OOC: Has Penny seen Mike Jones hanging around? A retroactive Spot check: 26
09:29, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 26 using 1d20+9. spot.