Hello folks, a word on clues.

There will be two kinds of clues in this game: core & supplementary.

Core clues are crucial to the eventual resulting of the story, and can simply be gather by having the right skill and announcing its use in the right place.

Supplementary clues are not essential to the plot but can give extra hints and suggest new avenues of investigation. These can be accesses by a 1 or 2 point spend in the relevant skill. You will note that on the Skill thread you see that all your skill pools are fully charged. Making spends will reduce these pools. They will reset at preset intervals, usually at the end of story chapters.

I may tell people with the relevant skill that they can make a 1  or 2 point spend if they wish. Alternatively you can suggest you own spends which I may or may not go with. In general a 1 point spend will grant you info and a 2-point spend some tangible advantage.

I have created this thread to discuss spends and other meta-game stuff.

OK, now the person with the highest Sense Trouble pool gets to make a check. At the moment that is Kit, who has 8 out of 8.

Kit must now decide how many points he spends on the roll (1 point = +1), which is made on a d6.

There is a target number. Normally you know it, but for Sense Trouble it is always a secret.

Points spent from both Investigative and General skills will be regained each chapter.

So Kit, chose your point spend and make the roll :)

I'm going to be conservative and only spend 2.  How bad can it be, whatever it is?

21:53, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 3 using 1d6+2. Sense Trouble (2 spend).

...Hopefully not very bad at all.  Whoops.

Edit: Wasn't sure whether to post in character as well; given that spectacular roll, though, I'm hoping an oblivious!post should be safe enough.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:13, Thu 05 Jan 2012.

OK as you leave the bank I'm going to need another Sense Trouble roll. Actually Kit still has 8 pool points left (he had 10 originally) so he still has the most. How many will you spend?

When will pool points refresh?

Is there any way the rest of us (presumably on our guard as well) can assist Kit?
This message was last edited by the player at 12:29, Sat 14 Jan 2012.

Pool points will refresh at the end of the chapter (which will depend on exactly what you do and how much you find out). Using RAW only the highest in the Sense Trouble pool gets to spend points. However, Captain Yates also has a bunch of points so if Kit spends a lot you will still have a backup Sense Troubler :)

This message was deleted by the player at 16:02, Sat 14 Jan 2012.

Well, I went for 4 points this time, which is good because apparently I can only roll 1s:

16:57, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 5 using 1d6+4. Sense Trouble (4 spend).

Hopefully that's enough...

Have edited my last post to reflext Captian Yate's preparedness :)

Captian Yates, do you want to make a 2-point spend on Intimidation?

O.K. boss.

Anything else other than a roll of one on your check you would have spotted them, or at least the pickpocket. Just so you know though, in a meta-game sort of way, the high target for your sense trouble indicates these guys are pretty streetwise.

Now if I understand things, next it's lunch, Scotland yard then lawyers, right?

I figure Kit will split off from the group to go visit his potential publisher after lunch.  (Assuming someone dissuades him from trying to stalk the pickpocket right now, anyway, although his own common sense might kick in regardless.)

I look forward to continuing to roll nothing but ones in this game. :)

Folks, you don't have to roll when I ask you for an Investigative spend.

Ah, sorry, I went back and re-read the Spend vs Test threads.  I think I got it now. Thanks.

If Jonathan and George don't have any more questions at the lawyers, we can move on to the hotel in the evening, and backfill Kit's day later.

Good to go.

Yep.

BTW, you will refresh you Investigtive skill points once only in this adventure at a set point. Your General abilites will refresh each chapter.

Looks as though Kit may have a skeleton key after all! Spend of 2 on the roll.


10:21, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 5 using 1d6+2. Preparedness.

Here's the thing folks: after Bill helped with the suitcases he hurried off back outside to garage the car.

He didn't come back...

I'm not sure how long it would have been before you sent out a search party - probably when you were sitting down to the rather unpleasant stew Nana served you. But after dinner over a brandy is probably too long.

You can either just say you totally forgot about him and remember now, or edit a few posts - up to you :)

I forgot that he wasn't there--edited my post. And I'll ask about the lad in a few in-game minutes if he doesn't show :-)

Probably best to decide in this thread if we want to rewind events a bit. I take it your vote is to carry on from here?

That is, indeed, my vote!

I doubt we would have noticed during supper. Probably would think he was eating in the kitchen with Nana and Walter.

But I'm willing to retcon.

Oh, and Kit, we were still in the dining room, having brandy and cigars, not in the bedrooms.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Wed 14 Mar 2012.

OK perfect, let's carry on from here.

Easily fixed. Oh, and you haven't answered my question yet! :-)

So I am rolling a 1D6 to see how I land, correct?

Yes. Jonathan can add points from his Athletics skill but you are rolling naked, so to speak :)

I knew I felt a draft somewhere :)

BTW as you were loading the bags into the boot of the car, you did notice a first aid kit stowed there. Kit has enough First Aid skill to restore 6 Health points to George. Also, George's health is above zero, so while his wounds are painful at the moment they aren't disabling.

Just thought I'd let you know, as doctors are few and far between out here in the moors...

Okay, good to know! :-)

I'm going to fast forward to the next morning, but one question first. Will you be telling the authorities everything that occurred tonight (including bullets to the face)?

Kit would want to.

Jonathan will truthfully tell everything he knows from his own observation, but he will not speculate about what he did not witness.

George will respond only to direct questions and otherwise let Jonathan do the talking.

Kit would also defer to Jonathan to tell the story.

OK Jonathan will tell the story, but when he gets to the bit where he rushes in at the end of a scuffle with Walter, any half-way competent policeman will ask Kit and George is what happened. What will you two say?

Kit will defer to George.

I'll plead self defence.  Call the 'warning shot' alibi.  Show defence wounds in shoulder and arms.  Claim Walter was a raging psychopath!

Kit will, of course, back him up. Kit's theory about the shots to the man's head is that he has a metal plate in his head or some such.  (Assuming that was possible in 1920, which I'm not sure it was.)

And assuming it comes up Father Alden will describe exactly what Nana did, but he will take his lead from Jonathan as well.

George should be able to produce the licence allowing ownership of his weapons, explaining the use of which in self defence <wink> Thanks Kit.

It's actually around 6am the next morning. You are all tired, obviously, but you probably can push through till the evening if you want. Your call.

Kit would want a rest.

Would love to make a Streetwise or Bargain spend to get a car for the duration of the story.

Did we talk to the lawyers already?

Since the lawyers are all the way back in London, we'll wait until we're back to follow up on this.

Actually I was assuming you had done it so I didn't mention it in my post. Shall we say it stands?

In reply to Great Old One (msg # 49):

Yes, it was done from Newcastle.

Quick question - do you want your night at the pub to be (relatively) restrained, or a real lock-in booze-up till the sunrise kind of affair?

Jonathan's intention is just:

a. stand the room to a round or two in thanks for their response the previous night;
b. shoot some darts and make himself known to 'his' people;
c. pick up any gossip about the past.

Any ideas where we should go from here, guys?

Presumably you will spend another night at the farm, right? If you let me know where you want to go the next morning can move on the action.

Actually, my idea was pretty different, o Great Old One.

Kit was going to find out everything he could about:

1. The history of the estate
2. Jonathan's dad and their family
3. Soran, if anything can be found of the guy.

At minimum, Kit wants to find out who the best information brokers are in town.

I was thinking of an investigative spend of an appropriate kind as suggested by the GM.

Jonathan can keep them distracted with bad dart-throwing while Kit works the crowd. Father Alden might want to chat up the local rector and George might be a hit with the older squires and sportsmen.

That's a good call.  Father Alden will chat up the local rector/pastor and any alderman/church seniors.

He will focus on how the locals feel about Jonathan taking over for his father.  Although anything he can learn about Nana and the man that wouldn't die would be of interest as well.

Jonathan spends 2 points for Reassurance.

Actually was asking for one of the others to make the spend, as Jonathan was mixing with the masses!

I'll do it :o)

Where are the group staying this evening?

At Mr Black's, same as last night.

OK, what's the game plan for tomorrow?

See if there are any signs of Nana and Walter's associates, and Kit would also like to hire some security or muscle to keep an eye in the manor, if Jonathan is good with that.

I doubt there's enough left of the manor to require a watchman, even if there were such a thing as a security company.

Should we take time to look into the "gypsies?"

That makes sense to me.  We could go separately, or we could all go to the local rector and introduce him to Jonathan and then go the gypsies.

I vote for sticking together, after the Manor incident :-)

OK, so you will be staying in the area today in case of news from the manor and trying to talk to the local priest, right?

works for me

Sounds about right!

The local priest proves a washout, an effete young man in his first parish. He is simultaneously overly pious and indifferent to the area's history and traditions. After lunch, back at the farm, you do receive some news. First, Black informs you the body of Bill has been recovered from the ruins of the manor and hands you a telegram from the lawyers.

Must discuss situation with you soonest. Julius Everett.

Let's g see the guy, then!

I can believe the young priest is overly pious, but he is indifferent to the area's history and traditions????  Who is teaching these young lads over here?  After all, what can do in his spare time anyway?

Aside from that, I have to agree with Kit.

Want to do anything in York? And are you heading directly to the lawyers tomorrow?

Kit wants to drink :-) He will want to look more into Jonathan's father's last few weeks, but that will only come when Jonathan seems open to suggestions.

Call me crazy, but I think some investigative point-spending is about to occur :-)

Whoa there Jonathan, you are having flashbacks to the last time we ran this :) You have not yet met Mrs Henderson, she is in your town house in Kingsate Square, which you have yet to visit. Is that where you were intending to go?

[oops!]

Indeed I was, it'll be like meeting old friends.

To speed this along, I was intending to do a 2-point spend on Library and a 2-point spend on Streetwise if either is an option to find out who we could ally with, and then do a 2-point social skill spend to milk them for info.

Let me know if I'm going overboard, GM :-)

We can fast forward through tomorrow if its a research day. I know what Kit plans to do, what about the rest of you?

I would like to check with any of my church contacts, especially any of those related to the medical fields, including nuns/nurses.  Anything information I  can dig up on Soran or where he got his training.

If that draws a blank, my next option would be to hit the library and/or old newspapers.  Same categories, anything I can dig up about Soran or where he got his training.

I am still a little fuzzy on game mechanics but if it would be of any use I am willing to use Theology or Library Use points (2)

Captain George or Jonathan, any spends?

Still feeling under the weather after mu op.  Please NPC me for now :o)

No spends.

Jonathan, I know you said "Uncle George and I will see about getting our gear in order and replacing anything we lost", but could you give me a little more detail? Can't remember if you got your bags out of the burning manor, will go back and check, but presuming you didn't is that what you mean?

Glenn and Kit, asking about Soran did not yield any results, but once you hit the library and look through the newspaper archives it becomes clear why. Check the documents thread.

Will assumes you spend 1 Library Use point each. In light of what you have learnt there is still time for a follow-up enquiry.

I would like to continue my research, staying in the Library if it makes sense, but change tack.  Based on this new information I would like to reflect on what I know about history, ancient history, magics, and/or the occult.  Then see if I can determine if anyone in the past used a fire to fake their death and see if I see any similarities to the Soran stories in 1899 and 1900.  And on the long shot chance that I can find evidence of how Soran faked his death, I want to see if it   leads me to anyone or anywhere.

It’s a long shot, but I will use Library Use (1 left I think), History (1), Languages(1), and Occult(1) if they will be of any use.

I'll use a Streetwise when we get to town to facilitate information about anyone left in town who knows about the fire or the hospital. Consider that spent when we get there and Kit starts talking with folks.

Game post at the weekend folks. Will assume you leave for Axbury right after your research and arrive late the next evening. Jonathan and George's shopping trip can be used to justify a Preparedness roll later on.

Thanks, GOO, I couldn't find anything in the previous Blenheim House thread that indicated any gear that was lost or damaged, but it seemed unlikely we came out of the conflagration with everything intact. This should cover us.

In reply to Jonathan Cavendish (msg # 90):

I nearly died getting my stuff out, as I recall...

Sounds good to me.

I assumed we had rested the night and were headed to the ruin in the morning.

Wanted to give you all the chance to post once before moving to the next day, but can certainly do so. Let's give the others a day or two to respond first, if nothing then we'll start on Tuesday morning.

I'm good with backing up to roleplay the night before, too. Whatever the rest of you want.

I'm confused about how to know whether Kit is armed or not. Do I do a Preparedness spend?

You do not have a gun. Preparedness will not work for this in the UK (in a gun totin' country like the US that's another matter). Looks like George has a pistol or two to spare though...

I got spare weapons if you want 'em?

Bowie Knife,
1911A1 Auto
(Use of the Springfield when I'm slicing and dicing...)

What is the 1911A1 Auto? Pistol?

The original and the best (in this era), not beaten until the modern and still in popular use today 100 years later...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1911_pistol

I am spending my point of Locksmith here.

Make your roll Kit, d6+1.

Um, thought that was an Investigative skill...

My bad, you're right. But given that the gate isn't really an obstacle (except to the car), do you still want to spend it?

No, no need.

I've edited my post IC to reflect the tunnel-ness--you can remove your comment from the story. Detracts from the story-ness :-)

Will do, but I still think I haven't got you all on my page yet. This is what has transpired.

You found a half open hidden door in the garden stooreroom.
This let to a narrow passageway, brick lined, only wide enough for single file.
Then you reach the start of the hospice cellars. But right away you see the ceiling has collapsed leaving a impenatrable wall  of rubble and timber.
However, someone (thing?) has dug a very narrow crawlway through the wreckage. You can squeeze inside, and wriggle along it to see where it leads. A torch will not provide much illumination, and you can't hold a gun at the same time.

So now you are all in the cellar in front of the rubble pile. Kit, are you going to wriggle inside? If so, do you want the gun or the torch ;)

I'm afraid it'll have to be the torch, though I have a bad feeling about this :-)

Jonathan, forgot to answer your question. The trail does inisde lead into the rubble pile...

BTW I recall someone asking me about mag pistols/rifles. They fire small metal flechettes accelerated magnetically.

3-point spend:

12:20, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 9 using 1d6+3. Sense Trouble 3-point spend.

I might be wrong, but I was under the impression you went in alone.

Am I in there alone guys? If so, I'll adjust my post.

In reply to Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish (msg # 113):

Yep, none of us where that stupid...

(lol) Joy :-)

Edited my post. GM, let me know if I make it out back the other way, which would be the next time Kit says anything.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:36, Fri 18 Jan 2013.

Spend of 3, gets me a 6.

16:08, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 6 using 1d6+3. Stability.

OK Kit, this is going to be interesting! Combat begins...

First of all, are you going to stand you ground or keep trying to back out? The latter will mean your Hit Threshold drops to 3.

Getting to a weapon will take one round. Or you can use scuffle vs. scuffle.

Anyway, the creature is the aggressor so I have will its first attack and post. So you can either scuffle back or grab a weapon.

Question: how do firearms work at close range? Anything in particular I should know?

Nothing special. Your target number is 4, and you will do +2 damage due to close range.

Also, due to the circumstances of the fight, you can use Scuffle points as adds instead of Wepaons if you want.

What was the gun again? Depending on the model it will be +0 or +1 damage.

1911A1 Automatic Pistol

The Colt M1911A1 .45 ACP automatic pistol is +1. I guess they are close enough for government work...

Can I pull the gun and fire it in one action?

How long will it take him to back all the way out of the tunnel?

Hard to say for sure. A good estimate would be five combat rounds minimum to get into "pull his feet" range.

Well, crap. That settles it, then.

Will Kit get the pointblank bonus to his pistol shot? And is there a contact damage bonus?

Kit will get +2 on damage from the point blank, for +3 in total. No contact damage bonus.

Okay, so just 1d6+3, since I have no skill per se with firearms?

Tha't for damage. For to hit, you roll a d6, target number 4. But as I said earlier, due to the nature of this fight you can use Scuffling points to add to the roll.

Got it. I hit the TN and did 6 damage.

13:35, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 6 using 1d6+3. Gun damage.
13:35, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 5 using 1d6+2. Gunfire.

Ruh-roh....

14:18, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 3 using 1d6+2. Gunfire.

Wow, got lucky there!

And got him this time. 3-point spend, just to be sure:

15:21, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 5 using 1d6+3. Damage.
15:21, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 7 using 1d6+3. GUNFIRE!!

That brings me down to 3 points left of Scuffle--yikes!

Kit manages to bring his gun to bear for a crucial second, then pulls the trigger. The bullet takes the top of your assailant's head off, splattering brains over the crawlway behind. For just a moment before, his face is clearly visible in the beam of Kit's discarded flashlight, and with a start of recognition Kit recalls the photograph in Jonathan's safety deposit box - the terrified old man chained to a bed.

That was indeed close, nice one! Kit please make another Stability roll or lose 3 for killing someone in a fight - whatever it is now, this creature was once human.

You probably want to post this in the IC thread :-) Once you do, I'll react, dragging myself out of the tunnel.



I stay sane. For now :-)

14:12, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 5 using 1d6+3. Stability .
This message was last edited by the player at 19:12, Wed 30 Jan 2013.

Thanks for catching that!

BTW Kit, you added +3 to a Stability roll where the loss was 3 i.e. you spent as much as you would lose. Am I missing something rules-wise or misunderstanding your intent?

Having not read the rules in a while, is that a bad idea? I am a bit murky on how this works right now. I was pretty sure that the dicebot would have screwed me over had I only spent 1 or 2.

Using First Aid.  I've got 4 points in my pool and will use all of 'em if it looks like I need to.

Well, in this case the loss if you fail your Stability roll is 3 points, and you spend 3 points of Stability for your +3, which gives you an auto pass (target is 4).

I think the best tactic would have been to spend nothing, then you have a 50% chance of making your test. As your roll was pretty bad anyway, we will leave it as a 3 spend.

I have to say that I'm not too happy with the way that ToC does Stability, then. I thought I was going to get to keep my Stability rating if I made the spend, but now it seems as if I'm less sane no matter what.

If that's the case, I would like to request that I roll over with a 1-point spend, which is the logical thing to do, now that I understand. If I fail (which I probably will, knowing this dicebot), no harm done.

No problem, but just one thing to watch out for: if you fail, you will lose 4 Stability (your spend of one, plus 3)

Also, George has spent 2 first aid to get you up to 4HP (First Aid can only get you to a third of your HP total, the remainder comes from rest)

I appreciate the flexibility and took the risk. The evil dicebot spared me for further humiliation later.

14:05, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 6 using 1d6+1. Stability roll, spend 1.

Hooray for George! :-)

We need a reaction from Jonathan or George. Kit is in no condition to offer guidance to the group :-)

George is stunned, as am I, and at a loss as to what to do.

Jonathan, if you're stunned too, Kit can snap out of it after a minute unless something comes out after us from the tunnel :-)

Not stunned, just not willing to crawl into that hole. It seems a sucker play.

What do you think, guys--is it worth a point spend of Peparedness to have a rope?

Let Jonathan crawl in and spend some Athletics instead, if necessary.

4 point spend:

Jonathan Cavendish rolled 6 using 1d6+4. Pulling a g-d corpse out of a g-d tunnel.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:13, Sun 24 Feb 2013.

Any spends we can make related to the corpse?

I am thinking along the same lines as Kit, getting my post ready, but as I examine the body if my Theology or Occult skills would gain me any knowledge about how a person can take that kind of chest wound and survive I would like to spend up to 2 PTs.

In fact you didn't get to the room on the other side of the tunnel. The corpse completely blocked it. Now Jonathan has cleared the way.

Also, no spends on available for the corpse.

I'm thinking we kinda need to treat Kit's wound :-)

I thought George had done so while Jonathan was fetching the body out.

Yes, here it is, IC msg #287, though I'm not sure he ever rolled it.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:18, Sun 03 Mar 2013.

Yes, George, could you make a spend and roll for first aid? I want to know how badly injured I should be role playing Kit :-)

Yeah sorry, I'll spend a couple on First Aid to help, While the father dragged the body out

I used a 2 point spend, heals 4 Health.

Jonathan Cavendish rolled 7 using 1d6+1, Outdoorsman for Tracking.

Sweet. Busy day, look for an update tonight or early tomorrow.

Jonathan Cavendish rolled 4 using 1d6+1. Outdoorsman for Tracking.

Didn't mention it while we were inside to avoid metagaming, but I would not be shocked if the non-doctor body inside belonged to Jonathan's dad....

Nooooooo!

[but yeah]

I should take one of those spends, padre. Putting my Latin to use.

That works, I will edit my post

Excuse the hiatus folks, game update tomorrow.

Just to clarify something, Glenn and Kit are spending 2 Language points (one on each book) out of a possible four point spend, right?

I would be willing to spend 2.

We're going to need to go to find a doctor, preferably one who won't ask a lot of questions. I would be willing to do a Streetwise spend to find one (spend of 1 or 2 to get me the non-inquisitive doctor, whichever it takes).

I am spending a point of Library Use, which means I believe I've exhausted my pool. (Unless we've refreshed recently.)

And I will spend a point in Latin.

You are already in London, you were at the British Library and then a nearby apothecary. Does this mean you want to spend the night in the city? If so don't forget to send Jonathan a telegram. Also, a hotel or Jonathan's Mayfair townhouse?

I'm confused. I want to rendezvous bad with Jonathan. Is he not in  London?

Jonathan went back to Axbury with the police, at least in my head :) Jonathan, is that how you imagined it too?

In reply to Great Old One (msg # 172):

Yes. Jonathan and George returned to the inn at Axbury.

I think I was the one that was confused.  My original post had us outside of London, thinking about heading back to London - which was exactly bass ackwards.  I edited the original.

I want to rendez-vous with Jonathan and George today, not remain where they are not. Presumably that means we leave London to head back to Axbury.

Works for me

Though Kit is being dismissive, I'll ask metagamely--is there anything to be gained by going into town and investigating further?

I would like to think that even fro a meta-gaming perspective, we wouldn't be told that there was something to be found or nothing to be found until we tried.

But I could be wrong.

What I was gently suggesting is that we already spent time in the game investigating the institute pretty thoroughly, I thought. You would not necessarily know that, but what you are suggesting we do IC is a repeat of things we did already.

I don't recall suggesting another trip to the institute. Unless the burned out building doubles as the local tavern of course.

George, just a quick continuity message :) You are already staying in the only tavern in Axbury, the Stone Over Water. The previous conversation between the four of your took place in the small private parlor that adjoins two of the four bedrooms you have commandeered.

For the last time the investigators chatted  to the locals in the bar, see post 152 & 153 in the main thread.

I'm seeing a visit to the Speckled Pig, about five miles away.



Does that imply that there will be no new information at the Stone Over Water?

Does it also imply that there should be no role-playing that is not directly tied to the predefined points of interest?

Because George is thirsty.

That was a different pub near Jonathan's ancestral home (now a burned out ruin). And a hearty "No" to you second question :)

If expedience is an issue, and nothing more is to be learned in the pub, can we assume George doesn't figure that out until a pleasant night of darts and snooker, and a bit of gentle buzz off the local bitters?

He has no intention of interrogating anyone, in fact quite the opposite. He plans to share an abbreviated tale of the day, interjecting a wild animal for the entity while alive, then a mysterious corpse for the entity once dead. He will mentioning the police, and hint that more police might be expected in the area.

He will not mention the manuscript!

if anyone offers any insight, personal history or folklore he will be interested, if anyone seems upset about their going to the site or the thought that city policemen might be seen in the area he will store that knowledge away, but downplay the experience.

It doesn't seem unlikely that there might be a chap or two who was alive during the fire and George is of the opinion that most people who live in these rural areas tend to stay close to home their entire life. Even casual reminiscences might have a useful tidbit, but George is playing things light and does not intend to question, or show anything more than a casual interest in whatever might be said.

If someone does seem to want to talk, but perhaps not among the others, George is willing to plan something out, failing that, to bed by midnight.

I phrased that poorly, apologies. I was saying that we went around to the locals (in a less detailed fashion than you're doing) and asked about the institute, Soran etc. I was suggesting that we've covered that ground already--specifically, GEORGE has covered that ground already--so that you didn't need to expend energy there.

Part of the beauty of this game system is that the players don't have to go to the level of detail that you are to ferret out details. The system provides you a way of turning up clues to keep the story moving if the players can't or won't dig into that detail.

If you want to go to the level of detail that you are, that's totally fine, of course, especially if the GM is going to reward you for that level of detail. Not trying to tell you what to do; as long as your investigations keep the story moving and don't create a red herring for the entire party, I'm good with whatever you want to do.

I guess I don't assume that having gone out once every possible thing was found. The tavern might have different people in, the new information we have might spark a chord with one of the people at the bar, etc.

As long as it didn't get in the way with leaving town, I'm fine with it.

I am concerned how much strain it will put on our relationship with our friends at the Yard that we are delaying turning the documents over to them...

Don't worry. I'm a noble now.

Excellent! I shall call the yard and let them know that have opted not to give then the documents... :C)

Not won't, just cannot at the present time.

If you decide to breathe in  the infusion, this is how it works:

Make a Health Roll target 6. You can spend Health points to add to the roll. If you reach six or higher the spores are burnt out.

You take the roll in Health damage. For each point over six, you take 2 points health damage.

If you do not make six you will have to try again, with a +1 on the roll.

Good luck!

Hmm, and me with my Health at 3 points of a possible 8.  So is the most I can spend 2 or 3 on the roll?  And what happens when one goes below 0 Health?

You are hurt up to -5, seriously wounded at -6 to -11 and dead at -12...

So we need to roll exactly 6 and if so, we lose our spend plus the roll. But if roll+spend exceeds 6, we lose an additional two Health for each point above 6. Very tricky.

I'll spend 4.

Jonathan Cavendish rolled 8 using 1d6+4 for inhaling the stuff.

So I lose 6 Health for spend plus roll up to six and lose 4 Health for the two points over 6, a total of 10 Health lost, leaving me at 2 Health.

BTW if you fail the roll you won't know until 24 hours later.

This message was deleted by the player at 19:59, Sat 21 Sept 2013.

The whole idea is it is good to breathe in some of the fumes, enough to cause the 6 health points to burn them out, but extra fumes will really hurt your lungs while not enough damage means you have to do it all over again tomorrow. A real dilemma :)

So anyway, you lose 8 health and are now on -1, wounded but still ambulatory. Will post something in game. Father Glenn, you're up...

Crap, I forgot that I was wounded from the other day. I definitely over-spent, and the irony is that with 7 health instead of 12 I would have only spent 2 or 3, which would have made a difference.

Not fair for me to ask for a retcon--my fault for not reading carefully enough. Posting IC.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Sat 21 Sept 2013.

In reply to Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish (msg # 197):

I cannot believe you nicked my handkerchief, Kit. But you can keep it now. ;P
This message was last edited by the player at 12:44, Sun 22 Sept 2013.

Doesn't Jonathan have a house here in London?

Yes, your Mayfair town house.

Sorry for the delay all, well I rolled and true to form I think it is going to get ugly.

So I spent 3, which takes me to 0 Health I believe and the roll was 4 which takes me to -4 Health, which I think makes me injured, ...... and no little wrigglers come shooting out.

20:25, Today: Father Glenn Alden rolled 4 using 1d6+3. Closing my eyes and rolling.

Aargh, unlucky! Game post tomorrow.

So, how do we seek medical care? Did they have hospitals in places besides big cities in those days? Or do you just call on a local doctor?

No National Health Service yet, but London is well supplied with healthcare options from charity hospices to upscale sanitariums as well as hundreds of private doctors.  With his credit rating should be no problem for Jonathan. If anyone has the First Aid skill they may well be able to help too.

Can he just suck in more of the vapors?

In fact you only lose 4 Health, the spend (3) plus the roll (1), so you are on -1. Still Hurt though.

George, you have spent all your first aid points, but I like the quinine water idea. Kit, you still have 3 First Aid, if you like I will let you give those to George, which means +2 Health each if you agree.

Also Glenn cannot take a deep enough breath to try the infusion again. Maybe tomorrow...

I hope that was a good use of all my first aid.

George, actually it was Kit's points were used (assuming he agrees. Kit, you up for it?)

You did use your own points productively earlier, healing a stab wound if I recall.

Yes, I was planning on spending the points.

Am I correct that Kit is rid of the spores?

As far as we know. :-)

Just to be clear, are you bringing the doc to Kit's friends house or are you decamping to Jonathan's Mayfair house? BTW the smell from the infusion is very pungent - the place reeks of it.

Can Glenn be moved? That is, can he get downstairs to a taxi or is he too weak?

He can move around (slowly).

Then let's say we are at Jonathan's house when he makes the call to the doctor.

I think we have sealed up the infusion for now, so hopefully the smell is contained. Having completed the process here, I feel it would look less note worthy for the doctor to find us at the Mayfair house, but I'll not argue the point should someone else think otherwise.

I vote for Jonathan's house as well.

Query: Would a credit rating spend be needed for something that should cost no more then a fifty to a hundred pounds? Not sure how that works, but in real world terms, credit is usually used for significant purchases like a car, or furniture.

I don't HAVE to do a spend if it doesn't apply, I might add. Just offered. I burned all my Preparedness to get us a safe place to burn our lungs out, or I'd use that. :-)

Not complaining, just trying to get a better grip on game mechanics. I will certainly take your money! :C)

So...can I do a Library Research spend to find out more about "W?"

Gentle hints here Link back to this game then here link to a message in this game:)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:05, Fri 25 Oct 2013.

Oh, dear heavens...

Looks like another spend is in order more along the lines of getting us to Bermuda...
This message was last edited by the player at 01:42, Sun 27 Oct 2013.

In that case will move the game on to tomorrow morning shortly. You can use the Appendix thread to continue your conversation of course.

Glenn, same procedures as before, except the Target is now 5, and you only get double the health damage for 7 or more. My advice: make a 2 or a 3 point spend. Here are the payoffs:

3 point spend
1: Lose 4 Health and the parasite remains
2: Lose 5 Health and cured
3: Lose 6 Health and cured
4: Lose 8 Health and cured
5: Lose 10 Health and cured
6: Lose 12 Health and cured <-  This will kill you!

2 point spend
1: Lose 3 Health and the parasite remains
2: Lose 4 Health and the parasite remains
3: Lose 5 Health and cured
4: Lose 6 Health and cured
5: Lose 8 Health and cured
6: Lose 10 Health and cured

In reply to Great Old One (msg # 225): ouch! I suggest two.

Good luck Father Glenn!

Go Big or go home :)  The Father is going for it

Damnation!!!

Hoping for rather the opposite for the late Father Alden :-)

Great death scene, man. Time for the next character, eh?

Very unlucky, but as Kit said your last post was great. Please PM me if you would like to continue; I have a few ideas of characters coming at the adventure from a different angle. Also, you can brainstorm someone connected with the existing crew here.

Will post in-game at the weekend. Meanwhile, a Stability check Target 5 for Jonathan and 4 for Kit and George.

If I might make a suggestion, someone with a compelling reason to go to
Bermuda?

Could you re-phrase that question? I'm not sure I understand.

Question for GM: If the target is 4 for me, do I lose 4 if I fail? Trying to gauge my spend.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:44, Thu 07 Nov 2013.

Exactly.

Logical enough, then--spend of 2. And it was just enough:

18:35, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 4 using 1d6+2. Sanity 2-point spend.

Not sure what it says about my role playing, but I have a lot of experience at dying :)

21:55, Today: Captain George Yates rolled 3 using 1d6+2. two point stabiity spend.

I am imagining that this is bad.

I am not imagining a frustrating string of ones being rolled across all of my games...

RPOL's dicebot is a minion of the Elder One, just so you know :-p

The elder 1... Hench the perverted tendancy to roll a 1.
Hehehe...

Jonathan Cavendish rolled 6 using 1d6+2 for Stability check 2-point spend TN 5.

Hooray! I only lose two Stability.

OK, we can always make Glenn's new PC another relative of Jonathan's but that seems a little forced, plus why would he want to involve more family in this madness!

Now, if Bermuda is indeed your goal, am thinking Kit knows the seedy side of New Orleans, he might know someone who could recommend some local help?

Or George might know someone from his army days?

Any suggestions folks?

It's certainly possible that the Cavendish family has business interests (maybe run by another cousin) in Bermuda or has been accustomed to vacation there.

The doctor who attended Father Glenn might be curious enough to want to come along, especially if he detected the parasites.

The idea of some sort of slightly dodgy type that George knows is also a good idea -- private investigator or smuggler, maybe?

A doctor works, he could be curious enough about what he saw

Private Eye, Smuggler works extra muscle and some flexibility around skills.

A librarian might work, since the team has been spending some time at the library.

Perhaps a local from one Lord Johnathan's holdings, who has put some of the pieces together

That is all I can think of, any work for me, what ever helps the story

Different idea: what if someone else with ties to one of Soran's experiments comes looking for us? Maybe the son of a former business associate who was killed by Soran as part of the cover-up?

Actually that idea works well, as the discovery of the human remains under the manor will have made the news. Out of respect for the aristocracy, Jonathan's name will not have been mentioned in the story, but the patrons of the Stone over Water would be able to point someone in the right direction.

Glenn, any of these concepts take your fancy?

How about we pair two of the idea? - a local from one of John's holding has a father who was killed by Soran as part of the cover up?

Sounds like a good start... would this youth already have done some research, perhaps discovering something pointing towards are next destination?

DO you mean Jonathan? If so his estate is miles north of the Soran Institute, there isn't really a connection there. Just some random person who's father or grandfather was killed there is more what I was thinking.

Perhaps, but as a friend, servant or acquaintance of Jonathan's father and/or mother, this character's father could have traveled to the remains of the Soran institute, and been caught of, most fatally, in the post-fire goings on.

Or heck, he could have been there when the fire started.

Ah, sorry lets keep it simple then, a local whose father was killed at the institute.

OK, bear in mind this makes you middle-aged, unless it was your grandfather in the Institute. Come up with a concept and let's discuss in PMs.

Jonathan, am waiting for feedback from you on a PM.

So what I'm getting is Jonathan stays there and deals with funeral stuff, Kit goes to a travel agency to look into Bermuda, and George is going to the agency - or will you ring your police contact first George? Bear in mind he may be a little peeved if he has heard that you haven't given the evidence back yet...

That works for me.

Jonathan has given instructions for the funerary arrangements, leaving him free to accompany Kit.

George can tell those police chappies that Lord Deville is not yet ready to surrender the documents.

I was simply going to head over to the agency, but given Jonathan's okay and my own in-character belief that the documents (and all they stand for) are partially to blame for the death of the good father and the illness of the others, I will indeed go to the police and pass on the young Lord's message, that he is not yet ready to surrender the documents.

I will, however, do this after my visit to the agency, as I feel some haste and urgency are called for.

Folks, my google-fu found this http://www.pelgranepress.com/s...uary2008-simonc.html, but it is frustratingly short on travel times, as is the core book. Anyone care to give me an estimate? I would imagine there is a regular service to the British Caribbean.

The CoC core rulebook lists the speed of an Atlantic liner at 15 mph/25kph. The distance from England to Bermuda is about 3500 miles. Travel time would be about ten days, probably aboard one of the new Furness Steamship Company vacation ships, which had just begun service.

Only if there is a direct route to the Caribbean, which is possible but seems doubtful.

I looked about a bit and found routes to New York and what appears to be Trinidad.

I assume a smaller ship from there, so perhaps two to three weeks if we go south, longer if we go by way of New York.

It looks like the Furness Steamship Company ran vacation cruises from Manhattan to Bermuda.

The England to Manhattan Transatlantic crossing time at this point was about five days, apparently, in the largest and most up-to-date liners. Voyages from Manhattan to Bermuda took about five days in smaller and slower ships. So we would probably allow about two weeks to allow for schedules and connections.

Bermuda isn't in the Caribbean, of course, but in the Atlantic, about as far north as South Carolina (450 miles from Charleston) and about as far west as the western end of Nova Scotia (almost 1000 miles north of the British Virgin Islands). The Caribbean extends south from the Bahamas to the coast of South America.

Oops. Not sure why I was so certain we were heading into Voodoo country.

Should we be concerned that our movements are being watched, by the way?
This message was last edited by the player at 05:04, Mon 16 Dec 2013.

Kit is not part of the Appendix thread meaningfully, so I'm waiting that out and buying tickets to Bermuda :-)

FYI, I will have some difficulty posting every day going forward. My new job is more fulfilling but also busier. I may have stretches of 1-2 days where I can't post at all, in fact, without warning. Let me know if that presents any concerns.

I have concerns that real life is superceding your on line role playing experience.  :)  No concerns here.

Just dealing with some chargen stuff, updates shortly.

Thbbbbtt ;-)

Hey, when are we introducing the new character?

Either now or in a bit, I left it to Percival to decide. Happy New Year all, will be a game post at the weekend at the latest.

When your guard is down and you least expect it -  Mwha-ha-ha

Oh, wait I am not the GM in this game.
Great Old Six and I are working on it, but probably once you all are on the boat.

I'm back to Great Old One for 2014 so you'll just have to start rolling low again :)

What I have pencilled in to Jonathan's diary for the next few days:

Rest of today
- Undertakers come to take Glenn's body
Saturday Morning
- Police want their documents!
- Glenn is cremated
Sunday
- ??
Monday
- Leave for Bermuda

Depending on what else you want to do, we can move on fairly swiftly. So let me know what your plans are and if I've missed something.

When George returns and tells us that the police are coming tomorrow, Jonathan hurries the servants' in their packing. Everything is to be placed in their trunks, except for two suitcases each with about two weeks' wear.

A footman is sent to to the railway station to secure tickets on the evening boat-train to Paris. The trunks will follow on to be held at the best hotel in Paris, where accommodations are to be secured by wire.

George, Kit, and Jonathan are driven by cab to the station with their cases (including the documents). On the way, Jonathan stops at his bank where funds are secured (in francs and gold sovereigns). Jonathan instructs them to honor any requests for funds from Paris, the South of France, and Monte Carlo where he will be motoring for the next three weeks.

At the station, they engage a different cab to take them to a non-descript hotel near the docks where they get rooms under the Cavendish name. None of Jonathan's servants are advised of this change in plans.

The butler will attend Glenn's funeral and arrange for the urn to be shipped to the Cavendish home in Boston.

After lying low on Saturday and Sunday, we board the ship for New York. Once out to sea, Jonathan sends a cable to the Paris hotel to have the trunks shipped back to his London address.

Does the name Naughton mean anything to Jonathan, particularly in connection with my father?

No.

Kit will acquire a bottle of very good wine in Paris on Jonathan's tab and insist that the trio toast the fallen Fr. Glenn on Saturday night. Other than that, he's mostly keeping an eye on his cousin right now and keeping an eye open for any shenanigans...

In reply to Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish (msg # 271):

I'm afraid we're not going to Paris, Kit. That was a false trail to confuse the coppers.

Where are we, then, that I can buy a bottle of something there?

Still at my town house, at least until we're through talking to Naughton.

Then I get the bottle of wine and bring it back to the townhouse :-)

OK, I would stay new character integration achieved with the minimum suspension of disbelief! I will move the game on to Chapter 4 ay the weekend, taking into account Jonathan's diversionary plan.

Chapter 3, The Soran Institute, should have started mid-way through Chapter 2. Once the functionality is released to split a thread I will create Chapter 2 for posterity :)

Huzzah!

FYI, Kit's laughter is actually normal behavior for him. It is not new or strange, and would be taken by those who know him as a good sign.

If anything, be worried when Kit is too serious.

Apologies for the non-update, busy weekend. Posting on Monday.

Changes nothing. Laughing till you tear up over the comment that it gets hot in Bermuda would cause me to  doubt your sanity anyway, I have to guess I've simply felt that way a much longer time than previously thought.

:C)

Just waiting for an answer to a PM folks.

Not to me I hope!

I'd like to make a Reassurance spend with the inspectors, if that's possible. I don't see an active skill that would help in this situation, which is odd.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:21, Tue 04 Feb 2014.

This raises the question of when and how our spent points return to us.

On the cruise.

Ahhh, deck chairs and shuffleboard are so restorative.

Indeed :-) And it also makes my question of whether Kit got to do a spend moot :-)

Sorry, a spend from you wouldn't have cut it Kit. But should have made that clear, apologies.

No worries!

Game post tonight!

Apologies, real life bit. Posting on Saturday.

During the five day journey your general pool will refresh except for Stability and you will regain all lost health.

You may also pick one Investigative skill to refresh.

You will also gain 2 Stability. If you can find solace in one of your sources of stability this will be doubled (I'll leave it up to your own feelings of verisimilitude whether one applies, but if so make a post in-game related to it).

Let me know your plans for New York, depending on what you want to do we might fast forward to the next boat.

Also, if any of you want to open up to Percival, he might want to give someone some amateur therapy with his Psychoanalyst skill to restore some more Stability. Shame Glenn didn't get to use his 24 skill points!

I chose Reasdsurance as my skill to refresh. Since George is a Source of Stability, I doubled my Stability regain.

I also belatedly realize that Father Glenn was my other SoS.

Just checked the rule, I guess that means your max stability is reduced by three.

In reply to Great Old One (msg # 294):

Yikes! That means my max is 5 and I'm still down 4.

Maybe Jonathan should check in at Happy Dale when the ship docks in New York.

Unless I'm missing something, I reckon your max stability went from 10 to 7, while you current stability was raised from 2 to 6. Is that right??

Yes! Yes, you are correct.

I don't get it--why is your Stability down permanently?

I had only spent Library Use, so I refreshed that. Unless I missed something else from before.

Can Kit paint or write on the boat? Those are sources of Stability for him.

Stability +2, refresh firearms. As much as I would like to get my stability up four, I don't see that any of my sources of Stability would be quite useful at this time.

George, firearms is a General ability, so is already refreshed. Pick an Investigative skill instead :)

Oopsy. Outdoorsman it is.

If all the general abilities are refreshed, shouldn't stability be in a different category? Odd...

Jonathan lost a Source of Stability (father Glenn) hence the permanent loss.

You could also refresh Credit Rating, but with Jonathan along you should be OK for cash :) Or Langauges.

You can certainly write on the boat, and almost certainly they would have the materials you would need to paint.

Cool, Kir will write a novella on the boat. More rp from me tomorrow.

So gents, any particular plans for New York?

How much time do we have on the ground in NYC?

George would like a trip to the library.

You are arriving Saturday morning and leaving on Monday morning.

We should try to get some more of the 'antidote' made up, just in case.

Perhaps we could send a cable from the ship to a trusted associate who could find us a lab and arrange for weekend work.

Percy would like to tag along with George to the library

Kit wants to prep for the trip to Bermuda by learning more about the locals there, safe and desirable places to visit, and maybe finding out some friends of friends that they can lean on.

OK, sounds good. Game post tomorrow.

OK, Jonathan, assuming you will be sorting out the chemist, how do you want to go about it? Kit, you may make a 1 point Streetwise spend to get hooked up with a Bermudan here in NY, or 2 points to get a contact in Bermuda. George and Percival, what are you up to in the library?

Two points it is!

Posted in the game thread, assuming Percival is in accord with my suggestions.

Agreed.  If it makes a difference I will use 1 point of Library Use to research Soran, and 1 point of either History or Library Use to check on Bermuda and the occult.

I need to retcon a bit--I realized just now that if I wanted to buy supplies, I needed to do so on Saturday. Could Kit do the contact-making on Sunday and buy some supplies for the trip (like ammunition) on Saturday?

No need to retcon, finding the contact didn't take that long, so you have time on Saturday afternoon to shop. Am assuming it was not hard to buy ammunition in 1930s New York.

I can't think of anything George might like, except perhaps some warm weather clothing, perhaps jodhpurs and a pith helmet, the great white bwana look. Oh, and a swim suit.

In reply to Great Old One (msg # 317):

Abercrombie & Fitch was then the largest sporting goods/outdoor equipment store in New York City and could supply all your needs.

Excellent!



Too funny :-) Excellent.



I was thinking about rations, something to start fires and other survival goods just in case we're stuck out in the wild. Kit would want warm-weather clothing as well.

Anyone think of anything else they'd need.

There's not much wild in Bermuda. It's really very small and very settled with no mountains or forests. It's about 20 miles long and no more than two miles wide at its widest point.

Also, it's at about the same latitude as Charleston South Carolina, but on the Gulf Stream, so quite balmy most of the year.

Was it mostly settled in our game's period, though?

Very much so.

Okay, no survivalist stuff, then :-)

Mostly ammunition for guns. I forget if Kit has a gun, but he will want to acquire one after his last experience.

BTW, Angelo is the result of Kit's Streetwise spend.

Excellent!

First, we socialize, then we start nosing about for the institute...

Are we stymied yet?

Hello folks, anyone who wants to make Sense Trouble spend and roll, please do so now.

This is a "blind" roll. I don't want to tip you off in-game when it is needed, so am doing it in advance. This does not mean armed men are about to burst into your hotel room!

Just call  me Spidey! Spend of 2.

11:45, Today: Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish rolled 7 using 1d6+2. Sense trouble spend 2.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:12, Mon 12 May 2014.

Gonna save mine for later I think...

I'll wait.

Percival, if I don't hear from you by tomorrow will assume you go with Jonathan, given your new-found book learning on voodoo.

Hmm, no log on for a month. I will NPC Percival for now.

I'm really confused. How does an Investigative Skill have a chance of failure?

If it isn't being used to reveal a prime clue (don't have the book handy for the correct term). Normally I would say "you can make a 2 points spend in X", but this time it's a little tougher. Breaking you tail is not on the "main clue list", but you might get some valuable intel, so I'm making it more uncertain and you may fail.

See, here lies a weakness of the system. In a traditional skills-based game, I would just make a roll and see if I succeed. In this case, I'm being asked to spend a valuable resource in return for a gamble. I don't gamble in real life in increments larger than a nickel, so I'm not going to do that here.

Is there anything I can do besides making an Investigative spend?

All I will say is you only see the risk, but I know the risk/reward :)

We can keep roleplaying things out for now and see what develops. I think someone has just spat on Kit as it happens!

I think I would have just been happier to have the roleplaying play out and then have you tell me what the spend is :-p

Responding IC. No spend yet.

Want to make a 1 point Asses Honesty spend Kit?

hehehe, you said asses.

Sure.

So, how much is a rich bribe? 2 points of Credit Rating?

Funny you should say that :) But it's an abstraction along the lines of "what can I offer someone who is afraid for their life...

2 points at least. Kit can offer to make the guy rich by his country's standard--or help him flee the country....

Exactly! But sadly you are out of Credit Rating spends...

I'm confused--when did I make a Credit Rating spend?

The previous Kit made the spends I believe. One of them was an initial 2 pointer that led Kit to get a good publishing deal for your work. At the end of the adventure it will give you a free point to your Credit Rating. Not much use now, obviously ;) Anyway, George has enough to spend so bring him in a and double-team the tail.

I would humbly petition the Great Old One to allow refreshment of Investigative Abilities as this is a long, multi-part investigation, involving a significant change in locale.

Aye, seconded, especially since the prior Kit was a dipwad and failed to note the expenditure on my sheet :-)

---

George, could you do a CR spend for us to bribe this cat?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:44, Tue 08 July 2014.

I'd rather slit his throat, but okay.

What do I roll again?

You'll need to roleplay out the situation, with a spend coming at some point.

Regarding the refresh of skills, sorry gents but you're going to have to make do with what you've got, ratcheting up the dramatic tension and all that ;)

Okay, the only problem with that is that I have to go back and troll the prior threads to see what my predecessor spent, unless you have a tally for me that I can use to fix my sheet. I'm fixing the CR right now.

See here: link to a message in this game

Make it so, sir. George will make the spend.

Folks, I think that there has been a miscommunication in-game, at least it looks like it.

George, did you go down to dinner by yourself assuming that the others were leaving now?? If you're all going to eat it would make sense to do it together, right? Now it looks like George left in a huff!

It's not that big of a deal if you don't want to retcon though, we can just move right on.

I assumed that George wanted to get going and didn't want to chance being seen with Jonathan at this point.

That works for me.

Yeah, plan was just that. Some quick food alone for me downstairs with an eye for the door.

Then a swift leave through the kitchen vs the graveyard.

And I hope the other three are enough to handle the thugs if they make any moves on them.