World of Darkness: Glimpses of Darkness - Chapter Two: The Mystery Begins [Complete]

[Kylie_OOC]

By the time the crew had arrived back at the manor house, two additional cars had arrived, and Charles was standing outside of the small garage house, talking to the two new men and smoking a cigarette. As the others approached he crushed it out in an ashtray sitting right inside the door, and waited for everyone to gather back together. Then he held out a key to Connor, dropping it into his palm once he extended it.

"Vera' good, glad ta' see you all made it back. Your forms are all complete as well, ah' see - I hope everything looked satisfactory to ya'."

He took the forms from all of them, and after a private word with Romeo to the side he nodded slightly, taking the man's unsigned form and watching him climb back on his bike and drive off. Then he gathered the rest of them together, and gestured to the two gentlemen standing to his left.

"These fellas arrived after y'all had left, so I've gotten 'em caught up on the situation, and they've both agreed ta' do what they could as well. This is Professuh' Ford Hamilton, and Mr. Alfred Kalnan. Ah've changed the code for the alarm system for y'all - it'll be T-A-R-A, an' well done if y'get the joke. Now that Mr. Wells has the key, y'all are set. I hope y'don't mind, but ah've seen it, so I think ah'll be skippin' th' tour this time. Feel free ta' look about, an' if ye've got any questions feel free ta' ask me. If I ain't here, y'should be able ta' contact me on my cell."

He gave them the number then, and excused himself back to the office, closing the door behind them. A moment later they heard the phone ring, and Charles picked it up and started talking, muffled though it was through the door.

"Yes - yes, Marcus, I have a moment now..."

((Feel free to proceed from this point, folks - Kal and Logic, I'm leaving it to you guys to describe yourselves and/or post photos. As an ST I have a strong preference towards posting photos in your profile at least for ST and other player reference to your appearance. You never know when someone might need it for descriptive and/or nefarious purposes. :evil: ))

[Krystal]

Krystal watched Charles leave as she was programming his number into her phone, then the very pretty, very curvy co-ed looked up at the two new members of their merry little band of... - What? Ghost Chasers? Oddity Hunters? Whatever - and offered them a hand, an inquisitive, if friendly, smile gracing her lips.

"Pleased to meet you, Prof, Fred. I'm 'Miz' Krystal Johansson," she said vivaciously and with a toss of her head to flick some auburn strands out of her vivid green eyes, then nodded at the long-coated younger man at her side. "He's Mr. Ian Ian - you can call him Ian, Master of AlienHunter-dot-Org. Check it out, it has some great artwork, created by a very talented artist. Or so I've heard." A hand gracefully gestured to Lilian. "'Miz' Lily Archer, the bounty hunter. And that's Mr. Conner Wells, mister consultant to the government of the US of A, and the holder of the key, it seems."

The shapely, young woman placed a hand on a cocked hip and flicked her fingers at the door to the troubled manor. "Well, gentlemen and lady, shall we take a tour, and gather some first impressions on place we've just signed on to investigate?"

[Kalnan]

The man Charles had identified as Alfred Kalnan turned and smiled at the young lady who had made the introductions as he folded his copy of the contract and put it into an inside pocket of his leather jacket.

"Actual Krystal I can't stand my first name, I normally use 'Bob' or some people call me 'Kal'. The tour seems like a good place to start, although if you'll bear with me a moment I think I'll grab a notebook and flashlight from the car before we start."

So saying he made his way towards the door nodding a greeting to the others as he did so.

[Logic1]

Ford offered a small grin and nod to Krystal in return. "A pleasure to meet you all" he looked about his new colleagues. "I guess you all are wondering what I bring to the table. I'm a professor of religious studies as well as an occult scholar" the professor stood firm hands behind his back.

Turning to Kal he continued. "The tour sounds like as good a place to start as any" he casually looked to his watch.

[SalmonMax]

Lily gave everyone a curt wave of greeting as she was introduced, then got to her feet and tugged the hem of her shirt down to cover the slice of midriff it had ridden up to expose.

"Sure. Tour. Whatever."

[z-Ian]

Ian said nothing. He didn't need to with Krystal doing all the talking for him. Instead, he lit up and leaned back against a wall, watching everyone with lazy eyes. He nodded when the others introduced themselves, but made no attempt to do more than that or reach out.

He did grin at Lily's tone. Chuckling, he murmured, "Try to contain yourself there, Lil." His dark eyes danced with amusement as he looked at her. Then Krystal nudged him, and Ian's smile fled. She gave him A Look and he said, "Golly, guys, a tour sure sounds swell!" His enthusiasm was clearly all fake.

[Krystal]

Krystal stuck her tongue out a him, then gave him an impish smirk, green eyes gleaming. "Doesn't it?" she needled him with her own false sugary sweet enthusiasm. She looped her arm with Ian's then shot the others a grin. "Let's start with the main house, hmm? We can check the outbuildings next."

Her mind made up, Krystal began to sashay her way up the path to the manor, a bump of her hip enticing Ian to follow her. At the manor door, Krystal glanced over a slender shoulder to see if the others had followed, then turned to study the entrance. The incongruous small black panel of the security system drew her eye, though it did not clash distractingly with the restored exterior of the old plantation.

With a shrug, Krystal punched in the code into the security system. After a beep-beep, the red light flashing to green, the lovely young woman tried the door, making a soft mew of annoyance at finding it locked. She turned at glanced around for Conner, the Holder of the Key, her foot beginning to tap with irritation.

[Kalnan]

Bob briskly made his way back down to the car thinking ove the introductions that had just been made. So we have a really weird bunch here, although I guess I'm hardly one to talk. An occultist professor, an artist, a bounty hunter, an alien conspiracy nut and a government 'consultant' whose manner almost screams federal agent. Just think of the money Bob, just think of the money. I could get another semesters fees out of that, perhaps squeeze it out for the year.

Arriving at the car he grabs a notebook, attaches his digital camera pouch to his belt and locks the door. As he turns around he spots Krystal heading towards the house, but as he goes to walk after her something occurs to him. The owner said odd things were happening, the lights could be unreliable. Right flashlights then.

Turning back to the car Bob goes around to the trunk and opens it up. A minutes rooting through the emergency kit he has there produces both a fair sized Maglite and a pocket sized windup torch. Locking the car again, he puts the torch into an outer jacket pocket and turns to fresh page in the notebook as he walks up towards the house.

[SalmonMax]

Lily gave Ian a wry smile, along with a roll of her eyes, and stood there while Bambi...that was, Krystal...did her thing with the keypad. When the door didn't open she sighed.

"This is looking to be a quick tour."

[Kyria]

Conner arched a brow at the tapping foot and the interplay between her and Ian. What is the word Father would use? Tempestuous. Or fiesty, if he was getting to sleep with her. Poor Ian, from the look of things, it's 'tempestuous' for him. He stepped up to the door and unlocked it without letting his thoughts show on his face. The door creaked open as if it had been made for a horror movie set; Connor steppedd in cautiously, long habit sending him to mentally mark and watch all the doorways leading off from the hall before motioning the others to follow him in.

"Anyone happen to bring a camcorder with them?" he grinned as he asked. "Maybe we could get a spot on Ghost Hunters."

[z-Ian]

"Yeah," Ian said, drawing a small digital camera out of his pocket. It wasn't terribly high-quality, but the object served as both camera and digital recorder. Untangling his arm from Krystal's he began to film the open door. A change had come over him; gone was the smirking rogue of a few moments ago. Instead, he was more serious as he moved through the opening room.

"This is Ian Goldberg, and I'm here with Mr. Wells, Lily Archer, Dr. Hamilton, Alfred Kalnan and Krystal Johansson." He named the date before continuing, "We are examining the Historic Oak Alley Plantation, outside of Vacherie, Louisiana. We have a drizzle outside, I'm not sure of the temperature or barometer; we'll get that later. We've just entered the house, and we appear to have a foyer," he said, speaking to the camera. "Anyone have an initial impression? Please remember to ID yourselves the first time you speak."

[Kylie_OOC]

The foyer for the plantation was like a scene out of a movie. In the middle of the hall there was a grand staircase leading up to the second floor. At the top of the steps there was a second floor balcony that wrapped all the way around the foyer, allowing people to look down from the banister above. There were doors everywhere - on the main floor itself there was a single door to the left and to the right that mirrored each other immediately upon walking in, and further into the hall there were two duplicate sets of double doors. There was also a door to the left, nestled on the wall behind the staircase that seemed to lead to the back of the house.

Most of the doors were open of course, to allow for easy access for the tourists. Through the door on the left they could see furnishings, what looked at a glance to be antique seating and end tables. Through the door on the right they could see similarly antique wing-back chairs, though the walls in that room were lined with books and they could see a glimpse of a small fireplace. The double doors on both sides were also open, but would need to be approached to see into them.

The entry itself housed little furniture, but there were a couple antique tables - one on each side between the two sets of doors, and one nestled back into the nook on the right side of the stairs, mirroring the location of the door on the left. All the tables held a smattering of accessories - matching vases on the two nearest and a couple small statues or figurines of some sort on each. Hanging over the two nearest ones were intricate antique mirrors, but hanging over the table to the right of the stairs there was a portrait of a dignified older-looking man, standing tall and holding a cane. Though his coloring was different, something about his bearing reminded them of the man they'd just been employed by. There was even matching rugs laid out, similar in style to the rest of the furnishings of the home but obviously newer, intended to allow places for the tourists to walk without creating a wear pattern on the floor.

On the second level, all that could be seen from below were several doors that ringed the hallway overlooking the foyer.

Click to reveal.. (Map)

Notes regarding map may be referenced here.

[SalmonMax]

Lily looked around as she came in behind Ian and his artistic friend. Took in the ambience, the atmosphere. It would, she decided, be a bitch to try to find someone in here. Too many rooms. And the opening and closing of doors would give away your position as you searched.

"Seems nice enough," she said noncommittally. "Not really my style, but it has that haunted house look to it. Oh, and this is Shiva, the Goddess of Death speaking."

She gave Ian a smirk when he glanced back at her.

[z-Ian]

"Otherwise known as Ms. Archer, the Hot Bounty Hunter. Dog, eat your heart out," he quipped. Ian turned and began to film the doors. "Everyone, try to let me or any other cameras have first shot of the rooms. Just to let them get the initial impressions." Yeah, that's right. This ain't Ian's first rodeo.

[Logic1]

Ford entered the grand abode hands in his pocket. He removed one hand long enough to run it through his graying hair. "Professor Ford Hamilton" he announced to the cameras.

"Impressive...most impressive" he commented as he took in the grand plantation. If he didn't know any better he'd have thought to look for Rhett and Scarlet. "I agree with Mr. Goldberg. The rooms should be properly documented before we all begin to 'do our thing' as the kids say. I don't know if I missed it, but perhaps a brief history of the grounds are in order?"

[Krystal]

"We didn't get much in the way of history, other than the plantation has been in the Robillard family since at least the eighteen-hundreds," Krystal offered, carefully standing a step behind Ian so as not to get in the way of the camera as she peered around.

"Charles Robillard took possession of it when his mother died three years ago. The wonkiness started when he started renovation and after he opened the plantation to the public. Oh, and this is Krystal Johansson speaking." Krystal eyed the magnificent staircase ascending from the grand foyer, then the rooms leading out and the antique furniture. "Anyone else feel like we're in Raccoon City? Just warnin' ya, if a dog comes busting through a window, I'm screaming."

[Kylie_OOC]

"No dog, just me."

The voice from the doorway was still sudden enough to startle the investigators slightly, but Charles smiled a little wryly, pushing the door open a little wider and motioning Bob all the way inside so that he could follow suit. Behind him was a dark-haired good-looking man, dressed in the stark black robes and white collar of the church. He motioned towards the man who stepped in behind him.

"We have one more late arrival for y'all. This heah is Father Jeremy East, ah've just gotten him caught up. I trust y'all ta be able ta introduce yourselves, ah've still got some business t' attend to. Are there any questions before I leave ya' to your own devices for the time bein'?"

Conner was thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head.

"On second thought, I'm going to let you all get started on that Ghost Hunters footage - and the initial investigation, if you don't mind. I have some other avenues of research to pursue first while you all get started."

Not a bad idea to make sure we're not wasting our time before we invest very much in, after all..

And with that, he excused himself and headed out the front door.

[Gary B]

Father East watched blankly as the agent walks out, waiting for them to step out and close the door behind them before turning to the assembled crew. His expression changes visibly.

In his hands a simple black leather travel bag, and on his face rode a cheery smile. "Hello all. Well yeah I'm late. I hope you all forgive me". Jeremy's speech is lax. His attitude seems to be genuinely cheerful, perhaps glad to be out and about in the world again. A breath of fresh air in contrast to the halls of his usual dormitory.

Setting the bag down by the wayside, he leans on against a chair and removes his shoes. "Oh wow. THAT feels better".

[Krystal]

Krystal eyed the priest with interest. She had heard stories of hot priests, but had never actually seen one. In Vegas, those running that chapels tended to run more to tacky, annoying, and/or ostentatious. The only attractive priests she could think of were only strippers dressed as one. She supposed there were real churches in the city, but she had never gone in one.

A priest, a professor, and a fed enter a haunted mansion... Well, I guess Mulder is leaving already.

"Hello, Father. There's nothing to forgive and we're pleased to have you aboard," the curvy co-ed offered, stepping forward, offering a welcoming hand and a dimpled smile. "I'm Krystal. We were just getting under way."

Krystal brushed some auburn hair out of her face and glanced at Charles, voice light. "Guess you're just making sure to cover all the bases, hmmm? Don't think we need anything more at the moment, wouldn't want to have any preconceived notions, would we? Not anymore than we already have, anyway."

[SalmonMax]

Lily gave His Grace a noncommittal nod. At this point she wouldn't have been shocked to find their benefactor had hired the Pope himself to toddle on in here in his Popemobile, exorcising whole cities with casual waves of his beringed hands.

Okay, maybe a LITTLE shocked.

But yeah, at this point a priest had been the only real 'hole' in the lineup.

"I think we should pair up, go room by room...we have any kind of radio sets or walkie-talkies?"

[z-Ian]

Ian sighed as Krystal vamped over to the priest. What is it about priests? Women always fuckin' want what they can't have, and that's your problem Ian. You are something she can have, and she doesn't want it.

So how does that explain Jolene?

She's just a cock-hogging whore.

Oh. Right.

Flipping off the camera with a grunt, Ian watched the priest, his face screwing up with slight distaste as the man removed his shoes. What the fuck? Who the fuck takes off their shoes at an investigation? "Hey, Father," Ian said noncommittally. "When does the other guy get here?" As everyone looked at him, he grinned crookedly and said, "All the priests I've seen travel in packs."

As the others groaned at his joke, Ian said to the father, "Just let me know when you're ready to start again."

[Rorx]

Bob pulled out his own digital camera, but rather than taking video he used it to take a series of high resolution photos of the hall.

He paid little attention to the arrival of the priest and the departure of the fed, after all at this stage no-one really seemed to know what anyone else brought to the investigation. Better to wait until things settled down before getting into details.

He looked up from the camera at Lilly's question, but simply shook his head then looked to their employer for his answer.

[Gary B]

The priest; that being Father East smiled as he shook the hand that belong to Krystal. His expression showed one of confusion. Perhaps on how he should handle this. It's been a while since he was really among non-perishners, who tended to be moderate in his area. "A pleasure to meet you", he said with a red blushed face.

The smile continued, interrruped by polite chuckle and wave as he answered Ian, "Hello...son. Um, as far as I know I'm the only one coming. That is unless Mr. Robbilard sent away for more out of his people cataloge".

He put his shoes into his travel bag and in turn produced a pair of old loafers that had seen better days. "However, given the situation", said as he pulled on the loafers. "If there is something actually going on, splitting up isn't a bad a idea. But we should have a cental...I don't know...headquarters? Perhaps here?"

[Kylie_OOC]

Charles nodded politely at the young artist. For a moment he froze, watching the priest leaning up against the restored antique chair with a bit of pallor previously unnoticed in the plantation manor's handsome heir. But then he seemed to relax as the priest stood back up and the chair remained in one piece, sans any cracking or groaning sounds. He watched the interactions between the investigators for a moment before nodding slightly in what seemed like approval, and then moving back towards the door.

"Well then, I leave you to it. Best of luck to you, and do feel free to contact me if you need anything."

With that he stepped out through the door and closed it quietly behind them, leaving them to their own devices.

[Logic1]

It seemed everyone was in good spirits and ready to begin. Ford made his way to the priest and extended a hand. "Professor Ford Hamilton, religious studies. Since it seems we're pairing off would you mind?"

[Gary B]

Jeremy looked the man in the eye and took his hand. "That sounds good, Professor. Religious studies? Interesting. Hopefully our problem here falls into our lore. Though I remain skeptical just in case."

[z-Ian]

"Actually," Ian broke in, "I hate to demolish the love-fest here, but we shouldn't pair up, and if you guys insist that we do so, people with similar backgrounds shouldn't be together."

As the group looked at him, Ian explained, "Look, if we go in pairs, we're limiting the number of eyes that see something. If we go in pairs of people with the same interests, we're limiting the number of eyes and the range of perceptions. I suggest we do two groups. Still cover more ground, but we'll have more eyes on it. And I suggest that we split our expertise over those groups."

Ian rolled the camera back and forth in his hands in a manner that would have skittish people unnerved. His grip was sure though, and he didn't drop it.

[SalmonMax]

"Works for me," Lily agreed easily. "Pairs'd work better if we had radios anyway. So okay. We've got two religious guys...one per group. Then me and her..." she nods at Krystal.

[Krystal]

Krystal turned and cocked an eyebrow up at Ian in mild surprise. His idea actually made a lot of sense, it was like he had done stuff like this before. Who knew? The skillset of an Alienhunter is a strange and varied thing.

"Sounds good to me," Krystal agreed, nodding back at Lily, then looking at Father East with her head tilted to the side, claiming that 'religious' guy for their group. "I guess that makes the other group, you, Ian, Prof Hamilton, and, uh, Al- I mean Bob. You guys want the upstairs or downstairs first?"

[Logic1]

Ford nodded to the group. "Sound logic indeed" he agreed as he picked a small bit of lint from the sleeve of his tweed jacket.

He now turned his attention to those he would be accompanying, "upstairs sounds as good a place as any if that's okay with everyone?"

[Gary B]

East was a bit rattled. Perhaps taken by surprise by Krystals assertion and direction of groupings. "I suppose this is okay". He looked from face to face trying to read them, but his own flustered mind got nothing out of it. "Well then. By God's good grace we shall look around in the lower portions".

He had forgotten his bag on the floor as he moved his way between the ladies and into the sitting room. His face was marked with the rednes of embarrassment. It wasn't as if he had ever dealt with women pining over him in the past. It was that he had never had to deal with it as a man of god.

[z-Ian]

"That's alright, though Lil and I are probably too cool to all be put on one team," Ian said, giving the pretty native woman a wink. "But since we seem to be settled," he added, "let's rock and roll. Cool kids on the top floor!" Ian matched word to manner and headed for the stairs, flipping on his camera.

Inwardly, he was angry. Why did Krystal split them up? They weren't dating or attached at the damned hips, but her actions sent a signal to him. And it said, I'd rather flirt with the fucking man of the cloth who will go to hell if he fucks me than hang out with the guy who can do it and would do it. He tried to put it out of his mind, but it gnawed at him, as annoying as a popcorn kernel between his teeth.

[Krystal]

Krystal watched Ian head for the stairs, leaf green eyes intense, then turned to her group with a dimpled grin. "Okay, while the 'cool' kids search upstairs," she said, marking the quotations with curved fingers, "how about the grown ups start the real work down here, hmmm, Lily, Father?"

Krystal pulled out a palm sized sketch pad with a hard cover for a firm writing surface and a pen, to draw whatever caught her eye. Her cellphone had a camera too, but it wasn't the best, and besides, Ian and Bob seemed to have that covered. She'd let her fingers do her work.

Krystal had needed to put Ian in the other group before anyone else had spoken up. The fact of the matter was... she was horny. She hadn't had a boyfriend in months now and had just spent thirty hours in a car with Ian. Putting her hair in pigtails had probably been an unnecessary tease, but at one moment, she had had come entirely too close to pulling in to a rest-stop determined to get her itch scratched. Gah! I'm not my mother! Oddly enough, it had been easier to fend Ian off when he'd been the one to hint at things.

No, what she needed to do was get her mind off sex and focus on the work - she was being paid generously, more than generously, for her time. There was no possibility of sex being in a group consisting of a priest and another girl. Well... only in a completely improbably fantasy... and lots of alcohol... and high.

Leading the way, Krystal turned to the right, heading towards the door to the library. We'll get this job done, Ian will finally be able to pay me for my work on his site, then he can ask me out on a real, official date, no potential employer/employee crap possibly being the way. We'll have known each other long enough and Fawkes likes him, it wouldn't seem... whorish to take him to bed and rocking his world, right? Hope he has stamina.

Click to reveal..

Wits + Investigation (Untrained Mental Skill, -3; Chance Roll): 1d10 = 1 Dramatic Failure! Isn't that a perfect first roll in a game?

[Kylie_OOC]

Click to reveal..

Great job interacting, guys! Wits + Investigation rolls all around please.

[SalmonMax]

Lily watches the other group head upstairs, taking note of Ian's sour expression, then gives Krystal a quizzical look. She wasn't quite sure of the other girl's motives. If she liked Ian, why not put herself in a group with him? If not, it made more sense to put Lily in his group to distract him.

Then again, the cigar might just be a cigar. Maybe she honestly didn't care, and was just putting people together for other reasons entirely. That's how Lily would have done it.

You sure of that? You wouldn't have found some convincing-at-the-time excuse to have him wind up in your team?

Hmph. This was probably for the best anyway. Ian would be paying more attention to the girls than the house if he was with one of them, and that would be a distraction of its own for them. Work for worktime. They could haggle out all the rest of the grade-school shit when the job was done.

"Don't forget, we get the basement too," Lily reminds Krystal. "Lets decide in advance who's name we'll call out nervously as we go down the steps without turning the lights on first."

She took out the small, but bright little penlight she kept in her pocket and started walking through the house, keeping an eye out for anything unusual.

(Wits + Investigation = 4 dice)

(12:21:53) ChatBot: (SalmonMax) rolls 4d10 and gets 1,5,5,10.

(12:22:06) (SalmonMax): 10 pop

(12:22:12) ChatBot: (SalmonMax) rolls 1d10 and gets 2.

(1 success)

[Gary B]

Father east stops at the door to the sitting room and opens the door, and quickly realizes that he is not being followed. He turns on his heels.

"Whose name? I would think it would be he first name you could think of". A second more consideration. "Which means if someone hears a scream. People should take head."

Click to reveal..

2010-04-03 20:16:34 Father East rolls 4 dice to Wits / Perception 2,8,8,3 (2 successes) ( Site )

[z-Ian]

Ian was still in a foul mood. He carefully concealed it - or so he thought - and tried to focus on what he was doing. His mind gnawed at why Krystal had so quickly - nay eagerly - split off from him.

Aw, fuck it, man.

Fuck her. She's just a woman. Three-point-two billion just like her throughout the world. Get your mind off her milk-makers and onto your job.

That was easier said than done.

Click to reveal..

Ian's roll: 0 sux

1d10=4, 1d10=4, 1d10=6, 1d10=2

Had this been Matt, he would have walked away with 8 sux or something ridiculous like that!

[Logic1]

Ford removed a small recording device from his pocket as he headed for the stairs. He checked the small digital device before speaking into it and formally beginning his log. "And so the investigation begins" he spoke into the small digital dictaphone after giving a description of the plantation and the situation.

Click to reveal..

Wits+Investigation=4 dice

1d10=5, 1d10=4, 1d10=4, 1d10=10

popping 10 1d10=9

2 sux

[Kylie_OOC]

Ian and Ford made their way upstairs. At the top of the stairs were a set of French doors leading out onto what looked like an second story porch. They bypassed those for now and made their way towards the doors on the right. The first one revealed nothing special, unless you found old antibellum bedrooms interesting. The furnishings were beautiful but old, though the blankets and curtains appeared to be reproductions.

As they made their way towards the next door, however, Ford happened to notice a vertical line hidden in the pattern of the wall. He ran his fingertips across it and found a dip in the wall that allowed him to pull at the panel with his fingertips. The hidden door swung open, revealing a flight of stairs leading upward once again. This flight, however, was narrow and cramped, the risers constructed of well worn wood and the handrail was old and weathered, though bolted securely into the wall. Once the two men reached the top of the stairs they could see that it was desperately plain. The beds were short and narrow, without ornamentation or complex bedding. Well worn, thinning quilts were laid over the beds, and the room contained little other furniture - save a worn out bucket in the corner and a single table that held a crudely hand-carved wash basin.

Click to reveal..

I'll take Int+Academics from you gentlemen please.

Lily, Krystal, and Father East decided to start in the corner and make their way clockwise around the first level. The sitting room was their first destination, but like Ford and Ian they found very little of consequence, save some old, expensive looking furniture. As they explored the home, Krystal couldn't help but admire the artistry - the exquisite craftsmanship and details of the place. As the bounty hubter and the priest led the way through the dining room and into the what looked like a butler's pantry of some sort, she couldn't help but be amazed at how different it was from what she was used to, even from her grandmother's hundred year old farmhouse in Maine.

Lily on the other hand, more accustomed to looking for theives and human bad guys than ghosts or spooks, was the first one to notice something unusual. In the butler's pantry there was a door leading out to the back yard and gardens. Investigator's instinct told her to check it.. and sure enough, when she tested the door it swung open. A quick test of the handle verified that someone had forced the lock.

"Hey guys - check this out."

Krystal and Jeremy made their way over to the door. In her excitement over their group having possibly found something, the pretty artist completely missed on of the historical kitchen's special features - a hole in the ground with a wooden square set into it, attached to a rope and crank. The setup was meant for moving food between the two levels - but it was never meant to hold the weight of a person, even one as petite as Krystal. The lock on the pulley hold.. but the hundred year old rope didn't. It snapped, dropping Krystal down to the dirt floor of the lower level.

Click to reveal..

Krystal, I'll take a Dex+Athletics roll - I assume you'll want to pray with that.

[Krystal]

Krystal was busy jotting the small details and flourishes she noticed in the plantation house - they would add a nice touch of verisimilitude if she ever had to draw a haunted mansion or something - when she heard Lily's exclamation. Thrilled that they might have found out something already and focused on the small things, she missed the obviously different nature of the piece of floor in the kitchen she had stepped on.

Her head cocked at she heard Fawkes' sharp, resonate barks outside, Krystal missed the creaking of the old rope. But she didn't miss it snapping.

"Ohhhhh, fu-" she exclaimed, voice rising into a scream as she tumbled to the floor below, tossing aside her pen and sketch pad aside as she tried to catch herself.

Click to reveal.. (Oops!)

Dexterity 3 + Athletics 1: 4d10.hitsopen(8,10) = 1 success

Before her scream developed into a horror movie screech of utter terror, her thick-heeled sandals hit the dirt. Surprisingly, she managed landing on her feet, but the jarring impact made her tumble roughly to her rear and traveled all the way up her legs and spine, snapping her teeth closed. On the tip of her tongue.

"Fukth! Thath hurths, I bith my thongue!" Krystal climbed back to her feet, rubbing her smarting ass and looking around the level she was on for a way out, then looking up at the hole above her, way out of her reach. "Guyths," she called out, "how do I geth outh?"