The professor, the doctor, and Harry soon arrive at the front door of what Harry recognizes as the Old House... except that it looks like it's in excellent condition...

https://vignette.wikia.nocooki...st?cb=20080715213812

The Professor takes initiative and knocks...

In reply to Prof. Everett Willoughby (msg # 2):

After a little while, an attractive brunette maid comes to the door... "Yes?"

At that moment, though, John Loomis rides up in the driveway, as well as a carriage. From the carriage, a man gets out, an older man. "Stop right there," shouts the older man. "Do not let those people into the house!"

http://bit.ly/2BxqjrZ

He seems like the type of man who shouts a lot, but even so, he's really shouting extra right now.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:15, Thu 15 Feb 2018.

The Professor steps back from the doorstep.

"Beg your pardon?"

In reply to Prof. Everett Willoughby (msg # 4):

The two men advance on the porch. "I met Mr. Loomis on the road," says the older man, "in a very excited state, but when I could get him to calm down and tell me the whole story, he said that three strange people-- and now that I see you, I understand better what he means-- accosted him, although possibly mistaking him for someone else, or possibly not, and that the youngest of the three men started a fight with him and bloodied his nose-- I had the evidence for that in front of me as soon as I saw him. Who are you people, what do you want here, and what possible explanation can you offer for your actions? I find it highly unlikely that my sister Abigail has sent for you, nor for anyone remotely like you-- I have certainly heard nothing about such a thing!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:15, Thu 15 Feb 2018.

Not having stepped onto the veranda, Harry spits to one side. "A man, very much the spitting image of your Mr. Loomis and claiming to be one William Loomis," she tells the irate older man, "told me of work available in Collinsport and that I should seek out a Miss Abigail Collins." She gestures to the doctor and professor. "These gentlemen I met the eve before I left Logansport. Offered to help them reach Collinsport, as neither's from these parts and they feared getting lost." She spits again to one side. "Took pity because some unscrupulous captain marooned 'em. Stole everything they bore on their travels save the clothes on their backs and what they were carrying. Weren't bloody Christian, you ask me."

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 6):

John Loomis' jaw drops. These are details he hasn't heard before.

The older man is also flustered. He really hadn't expected anyone to have anything remotely like a rational explanation.

"Well... well, we shall see what my sister has to say about this." He turns to the maid. "Sapphira, is my sister Abigail in?"

"Yes Mr. Collins. I believe she's upstairs writing a letter."

"Mm. As she so often does, these days... please go to her, and say that I wish her to come downstairs-- urgently, right away-- in regard to three... strangers who have come in regard to an offer of work that someone told her that she had made."

"Thank you, sir," the Professor nods, and waits for Abigail to appear...

In reply to Prof. Everett Willoughby (msg # 8):

Soon enough, a woman comes to the front door. "Abigail," says the older Collins man, "these... people... say they... Well, I'll let them explain it to you."

https://darkshadowseveryday.fi...gail-is-the-bomb.jpg

You explain the situation to Abigail, sticking with the same story you've already explained to the Collins man.

Her reaction is increasingly... well, horrified. "I have sent for no such people! John Loomis has been here every day for weeks! It's clear what's truly going on here!"

You hold your breath, waiting to hear what Abigail thinks is truly going on here...

Only Harry, the Collinsport native, has a sneaking suspicion of what's coming, and she successfully hides a smile.

Abigail looks from her brother to John Loomis, to the doctor and the professor, looking at her with expectant faces. "I can hardly believe you're all looking at me that way! How can there be even the slightest shred of doubt? Obviously, this is the work of WITCHCRAFT!"

Her brother and John Loomis got an oh please no look on their faces at the words this is the work of, which changed to oh no when the final word came, but their expressions did not slow Abigail down in the least. "The devil must have sent a fetch! An infernal double! To impersonate John Loomis and send these people here! I must write to the Reverend Trask about this at once!" With that, she disappears back into the house, and you can just about hear her dashing up the steps.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:41, Sun 18 Feb 2018.

The Professor turns towards the older man, and looks him straight in the eyes. "Please, you have to believe us."
His voice shifts down a tone, and he lifts his hands in an expressive gesture. To an outside observer, it might seem that this is simply his manner of talking... But in reality, the Professor is directing his raw willpower against the Collins man.

"You know that your sister is just playing around. You can let us in to talk to her."

OOC: The Prof. attempts Hypnotism (page 233), takes one non-lethal damage.

"Through eye-contact, tone of voice, and intricate hand gestures the User commands the attention of a Nearby person, and makes them more susceptible to suggestion. The person must be of the same or lower Level than the User. If the person fails their Wisdom Save they will do nothing but pay attention to, converse with, and otherwise attempt to please the User. If the User attacks the victim the effect automatically ends. Once the effect ends, the hypnotized person will not remember being hypnotized, or anything that occurred while under the effect."

In reply to Prof. Everett Willoughby (msg # 10):

(Nice try, but Issac Collins makes his Wisdom save.)

"Playing around? I only wish that she was jesting! I've never seen anyone so serious about the dangers of witches in my life... witches meeting in covens, witches walking among us, witches behind every woodpile."

The old man looks at the three of you. "But you... No, I don't think I will let you in. Just because I don't think you're witches doesn't mean there's any reason for me to let you into my house. It's enough that we have one unusual guest already... I don't suppose any of you are musicians?"

The Professor tries to gain Isaac's sympathy in a more natural way...

"Musicians are never up to anything good. Just noise and distraction."

Surprisingly, the man gets a strange, far-off look. "...You know, that's entirely what I used to think, more or less... until..."

He shakes his head. "Well, that's neither here nor there."

He glances around, as if trying to remember what he's doing. A glance at John Loomis makes him turn toward all of you again, especially Harry. He starts to say something... then seems to remember that he's had the explanation for John's bloody nose already. He frowns, searching for words... "...Well, if I don't think that you people's being here should be attributed to witchcraft, and if you people don't think so... how do you explain what's brought you here? What is one to make of all this, in your opinion...?"

Harry ruminates for a spell then spits to one side again. "Someone playing pranks on poor travelers, no doubt," she finally says. "Much as the sailor in me wants to agree with your sister." Harry turns her face toward her companions. "Weather should hold if you gents care to return to Logansport right away."

The elder Collins raises his eyebrows and looks doubly hopeful at the ideas that, first, there might be some rational explanation besides Abigail's theories for these unexplainable events, and, second, that the visitors might choose to leave the area of their own accord...

Harry glances up at the Old House for a few moments, then turns a hawkish glare at the elder Collins. "Family have any enemies, Mister Collins? The name Isabella mean anything to you?" She spits to one side again. "Truth is, heard things made me reconsider coming here. Desperate times call for desperate measures, though." She lifts her chin toward her companions. "All just folk far from home trying to find our way, if you know what I mean."

This is a man who is a genius at appearing shocked, astounded, and confounded, and you see that genius at work again now--he is truly in his wheelhouse. "What-- I-- You-- What-- Isabella?!?!? Yes, the name Isabella certainly does mean some-- Isabella is my 14-year-old daughter! What-- Whatever do you mean-- See here, just what are you insinuating? What does my daughter Isabella have to do with this?"

Something in the way he looks at Harry now makes you all realize that part of his growing outrage is that, like John Loomis, he (incorrectly) thinks Harry is a (striking, attractive) young man. Such a stranger, a young man (as he wrongly thinks Harry is) having any awareness of his 14-year-old daughter's existence would, were he not blessed with good health, be giving him a conniption fit. As it is, he's just extremely loud.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:54, Sat 03 Mar 2018.

Harry nods toward Loomis. "Overheard your man's 'twin' bring up the name. Couldn't see who he were speaking to," she tells the elder Collins. "Conversation's tone weren't too charitable, no sir. Reckon there was a fair bit of hate fueling the discussion."

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 18):

Now you've really thrown the old fellow, but instead of being angry, he's more worried and bewildered. "What... what... who... who could... who would... could it be...? But what would he want with Isabella...?!?" He looks up, focuses. "I must find my daughter Isabella, at once, and speak to her about this... Excuse me..." He starts to head into the house, but then stops. "Are you... What exactly are your plans, next...? I may want to speak to you again, hear more about this... Where do you expect to be the rest of the day...?"

Harry simply grunts. "Vouchsafe these gentlemen and I a loaf or two of bread, some fish stew, and ale enough to slake our thirst." she says, "and I'll be wherever you wish me. We've come a long way with neither coin or aught to eat." She gestures to the nearby woods. "We can take our ease in the shade just beneath the verge."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:23, Thu 01 Mar 2018.