Trinity Universe: The Lost Treasure of Sir Henry Morgan

[Ayre el KaBeer]

After a few more minutes David gets up off the floor "Well that's as clean as I can get it, Ms. Morgan if you would do the honours?" ::smile .

[Asbjørn]

"Now, don't feel th' need t' go on a rampage if you're possessed by th' spirit o' an ancient priest-king - that sort o' thing just makes work for us all..." ::sly

"I'll do my best, Captain. But let's worry about actually getting them open first, shall we?"

Mrs Morgan places the box on a nearby table and opens it, then picks up the one marked as the original and walks over to the larger chest. She runs her fingers over the lid and glances towards the rest of the group before she carefully places the rod over the hole in the lid and pushes down...

...and nothing happens.

"That's odd..." ::confused ::blush

She raises the rod again and looks from it to the hole a few times.

"It seems the rod doesn't fit the hole...? David, will you hand me the other one?"

When handed the fake rod she examines them again and tries to insert both, but none of them fit. They're both just a fraction of an inch too wide, and examination of the cleaned 'keyhole' shows that they are also the wrong shape. The rods are a perfect circle, while the hole has several small grooves and protruding bits that would stop the rod from going any deeper than half an inch or so, even if it was the right size.

"That's what I said!", Min grins. ::biggrin "Do you think it comes off? Remember I said that?"

Mrs Morgan gives the girl a questioning look, before she tries twisting and pulling at the rod. After a few moments of effort she stops.

"I think maybe you're right... But there's no way I can pull this apart. Roughneck?" She holds the rod out for the big man.

"But be careful, please..."

[Ayre el KaBeer]

At the thought of Roughneck prying the rod apart David noticably winces.

[Archer21]

"I think maybe you're right... But there's no way I can pull this apart. Roughneck?" She holds the rod out for the big man.

"But be careful, please..."

With a wink and a smile, Roughneck takes the proferred rod. "No worries, Ms. Morgan, I'll be gentle." Focusing his attention on the rod, Roughneck slooowly starts twisting and pulling, being careful to use only the strength needed to open it.

[Asbjørn]

Grabbing the smooth rod in one hand and the engraved sphere on the end with the other, Roughneck tries pulling the object apart, with accompanying visions of disaster in David's mind.

After a few tries, and twisting it this way and that, he feels it slowly yielding to his efforts. He pulls the smooth cylinder away from the 'head', and as it grudgingly slides off an a lot more complicated object appears. Inside the cylinder is another, darker material, shaped much like the keys Roughneck is used to, except that it's close to a foot long, and has teeth and incisions arranged all the way down in a four sided cross-shape in stead of the one head most keys have.

"Now this looks a lot more promising...!"

Mrs Morgan eagerly takes the key and examines it briefly, showing it to David and whoever else is interested before she goes back to the chest.

Somehow the feeling of a ceremony is a bit stronger now, as she again places the key in the keyhole and all assembled see her slowly insert it. When it's reached the bottom, she again looks around with an excited and slightly nervous look in her eyes ::unsure before she grabs the keyhandle with both hands and turns it. Small clicking and clanging sounds can be heard from the chest as the Mayan equivalents of modern lock tumblers respond to the movement.

After having turned it two full turns clockwise, there's a louder metallic sound accompanied by a rush of air from the chest as the lid is released. A smell of dust and old age trickles from the ancient casket.

"Gentlemen, if you would be kind and lend me a hand here...", Mrs Morgan gestures towards the lid.

[Heritage]

Seeing that Mrs. Morgan has not been devoured from the inside by invisible demons, Bethany creeps up to the chest and takes a tentative peek inside.

[Archer21]

"Gentlemen, if you would be kind and lend me a hand here...", Mrs Morgan gestures towards the lid.

Wrinkling his nose, Roughneck moves to help. "Hope there's no bloody dead things inside..." , he mutters.

[Asbjørn]

Roughneck gets a good grip on the edges of the lid and tries to lift it. He knows the chests are heavy as hell, and that heavy machinery was needed to lift them aboard. They wouldn't even have been possible to move into the lounge had it not been for the trolleys they're carried on, but he didn't expect the lid alone to be this heavy. ::crazy

Gritting his teeth, he adjusts his grip slightly and puts his back into it. Beads of sweat run down his face as he slowly lifts the lid clear of the chest, and an erie green light spreads from the interior of the artifact. Roughneck gently lowers the lid to the floor - letting it rest against the smaller chest - before he stretches and takes a deep breath.

Mrs Morgan whispers "Not bloody. But definitely dead..."

Inside the chest is the mummified corpse of a broadshouldered man dressed in Mayan clothing, an ornately embroidered loincloth and skirt. His headdress and jade jewellery tell their clear tale that this man was both wealthy and powerful, and the spear and warrior's axe by his side is an equally clear statement of how he gained that power.

On his chest, among the many necklaces he is wearing, is a green, glowing amulet shaped like a sun and a bit smaller than the man's fists, which are joined directly below the amulet, and holding a jade-handled dagger with a black blade.

Bethany - who is standing next to Mrs Morgan - is unable to take her eyes off the medalion. With the light reflecting from her eyes and a faraway look on her face she stretches out a hand to touch it...

[Archer21]

"Not bloody. But definitely dead..."

"Ah, I knew it..."Knuckling his back, he looks over at the chest, and notices Bethany reaching into the chest with a glazed look in her eyes. Taking two long strides, he gently grabs her wrist and waves his other hand in front of her eyes. "Beth! What are you doing?"

[Heritage]

"Ah, I knew it..."Knuckling his back, he looks over at the chest, and notices Bethany reaching into the chest with a glazed look in her eyes. Taking two long strides, he gently grabs her wrist and waves his other hand in front of her eyes. "Beth! What are you doing?"

Bethany shakes her head for a moment, looking from the amulet to Roughneck's hand and finally into his eyes. She seems confused, her face somewhat pale.

Roughneck? Where did you come from? I was just-

Suddenly her eyes go wide just before she collapses into his arms in a dead faint.

[Archer21]

"Whoa!" Easily catching her in his arms, Roughneck moves away from the chest, carrying Beth to the couch nearby. Setting her down softly, he kneels next to her, then looks at Captain Park and Ms. Morgan. "What happened? Will she be alright?"

[ProfPotts]

"What happened? Will she be alright?"

The Captain shrugs,

"Curse, ancient magics, undead spirits trying t' take over her mind - y'know, th' usual..." ::sly

Turning to one of his flanking crewmembers, he requests the presence of the ship's doctor, then takes a look at the collapsed woman, & gives Rougneck a reassuring smile,

"She'll be fine, don't you worry yourself, young man - probably all routine t' these reporter types anyway..." ::smile

[Asbjørn]

"What happened? Will she be alright?"

"There's something about that amulet...", Mrs Morgan says in a slightly faraway voice. Then she shakes her head and moves to check on Bethany.

Turning to one of his flanking crewmembers, he requests the presence of the ship's doctor

"Yessir!" The young sailor runs quickly up the stairs.

Meanwhile, Mrs Morgan has checked Bethanys pulse and breathing and stands up looking quite relieved. "Just a fainting spell, it seems. I don't presume you'd have any smelling salt available, Captain? Or perhaps some brandy? That should bring her back..."

She smooths down her dress and glances towards the chest ::unsure . "There was something about the amulet. Like a force that pulls your eyes and your mind to it. Nothing stronger than a feeling of fascination and daydreaming, really. At least, that's what I felt." She shrugs.

"But we can't let that keep us from examining old Ah-Na-Hurakan closer, can we?" , she says with a hint of forced cheerfulness in her voice.

"Perhaps one of you hardier, welltraveled gentlemen would care to take a look?"

Min has all the while been standing close to the chest, stealing glances of the interior whenever she thinks nobody's watching her. ::halo Tom, on the other hand is more concerned with Bethany's condition, and is on his way back from the bar with a glass of brandy for the poor woman.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

Whipping out his hankerchief from his pocket "Perhaps coverring it will allow us to examine the old king without the amulet drawing us to it". At a mere glance he places the piece of cloth over the glowing gem doing his best not to touch it.

[Asbjørn]

At a mere glance he places the piece of cloth over the glowing gem doing his best not to touch it.

David understands the fascination the women felt for the amulet. It peaks his own curiosuty, both academic and otherwise, but this is not the time or place. Covering it with his handkerchief he feels a gentle heat emanating from it even if he doesn't touch it. But out of sight doesn't always mean out of mind...

The interior of the chest is lined with the same dark grey metal that the key is made of, and as he quickly looks at the other items inside, he sees that the king's weapons are also made of the same material, unlike most maya weapons that were made of obsidian. He also notices, among the many pieces of jewellery around the dead king's neck, a smaller, flat version of the rod that just opened his chest.

[Heritage]

After Tom gently trickles a little brandy past her lips, Bethany coughs a few times and gradually comes to, woozily squinting at her surroundings.

Thank you, Tom - apparantly, I needed that. Where did Sir Robert go? He was just here a moment ago, and now he seems to have vanished again.

[Archer21]

"I'm right here." Roughneck moves himself into her field of vision, his rugged and tanned face breaking into a smile. "Glad to see you're alright."

[Heritage]

"I'm right here." Roughneck moves himself into her field of vision, his rugged and tanned face breaking into a smile. "Glad to see you're alright."

Clearly happy to see him, Bethany still manages a dry chuckle.

I think it's a little too early to say that I'm 'alright' - my behaviour would seem to indicate otherwise.

She struggles up into a seated position and nods towards the sarcophagus.

Is that cursed amulet still here? I'm sure it's terribly valuable, but the sooner it's off this ship, the better I'll feel. Call me selfish, but I like my free will to stay my own.

After a long moment, she pulls her eyes back to Roughneck, and smiles weakly.

I hate to sound like a helpless female, but would you be a dear and get me a blanket? And a lot more brandy?

[Ayre el KaBeer]

Is that cursed amulet still here? I'm sure it's terribly valuable, but the sooner it's off this ship, the better I'll feel. Call me selfish, but I like my free will to stay my own.

David nods his head in agreement "I'm afraid you're right Miss Benson, even coverred I feel myself drawn to it almost to the point of obsession" to the others "I suggest we avoid being alone in the same room with the amulet, you never know when a good slap in the face might come in handy".

[Asbjørn]

The crewmembers standing guard keep a respectful distance to the chests, but have the look of sailors who make a habit of salvaging cursed amulets in gold chests from the sea.

The man who was sent for the doctor returns with a slightly out of breath Smiley behind him. Hurrying over to Bethany on the couch he says to the Captain "I came... as fast as... I could, Sir."

Catching his breath he stops by the couch, wipes the sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief and smiles at Bethany. ::bigsmile "But I see the emergency was slightly exaggerated. It looks like you're feeling better already, Miss Benson. Is there anything I can do for you at all?"

Meanwhile, Min moves over to David by the chest, obviously feeling safer now the amulet is covered. She examines it all with curiosity written all over her face, obviously wanting to pick up every item in the chest and study them more closely. While David talks to Bethany, she nudges him in the side and says

"Mr Harrington? I know the amulet isn't safe, but is it ok to pick up any of the other things in here?"

As David turns to answer her, he sees that the glow of the amulet is slowly pulsing and growing stronger, its shape now clearly visible through the fabric of his handkerchief.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"Mr Harrington? I know the amulet isn't safe, but is it ok to pick up any of the other things in here?"

As David turns to answer her, he sees that the glow of the amulet is slowly pulsing and growing stronger, its shape now clearly visible through the fabric of his handkerchief.

Clearly distracted "I'm not too sure... Ahh, maybe you should stand back Minerva" raising his voice so the others clearly hear him "It's getting brighter, I don't think it likes to be ignorred".

[Asbjørn]

Clearly distracted "I'm not too sure... Ahh, maybe you should stand back Minerva"

"What? Why...?"

raising his voice so the others clearly hear him "It's getting brighter, I don't think it likes to be ignorred".

"Oh..." Minerva's eyes fall on the now glowing handkerchief again, and although she does take a few steps back, her gaze remains locked on the dead king's chest.

[Archer21]

I hate to sound like a helpless female, but would you be a dear and get me a blanket? And a lot more brandy?

Just as Roughneck stands to do so, Smiley comes running in.

It looks like you're feeling better already, Miss Benson. Is there anything I can do for you at all?"

"Ms. Benson was wondering about a blanket and per'aps some more brandy, Mr. Smiley. Would you mind?" He glances over at the green glow emanating from the chest. "I've a feeling I may be needed in a moment or two. Tom, make sure little Min don't stare too hard, that bit o' jewelry seems hazardous to the health."

[Asbjørn]

"Ms. Benson was wondering about a blanket and per'aps some more brandy, Mr. Smiley. Would you mind?"

"Right. Of course. You just wait right there, Miss Benson."

Smiley walks over to the bar for another glass of brandy, and picks up a blanket on the way back. Handing Bethany the glass, he lays the blanket out over her.

"I've a feeling I may be needed in a moment or two. Tom, make sure little Min don't stare too hard, that bit o' jewelry seems hazardous to the health."

"Gotcha. Hey, Min! Come over here, why don't you?"

There's no reply from Minerva, and she doesn't even look in Tom's direction. The American rises quickly from his chair and moves to pull her away when she suddenly turns from the chest and walks towards him.

"Yes... I'm coming. I was just thinking..." ::unsure

Now standing well away from the chest, she looks from Roughneck to David and her grandfather.

"Maybe we should just close the lid again? Or take the amulet away before he wakes up?"

[ProfPotts]

"Maybe we should just close the lid again? Or take the amulet away before he wakes up?"

"You think he's going t' wake up, Min? Well... I guess we don't know if taking th' amulet will be a good thing or a bad thing, but 'nothing ventured' & all that..."

The Captain strides over to the chest, takes the amulet (without removing the handkerchief) from the chest, & slips it into his jacket pocket without a second glance [i hope... ::lookaround ].

[Asbjørn]

The Captain strides over to the chest, takes the amulet (without removing the handkerchief) from the chest,

...pauses briefly as he eases the amulet's chain free of the dead king's neck and head...

& slips it into his jacket pocket without a second glance.

To the watching group the ease and nonchalance of the captain's motions are almost anti-climactic. No curse seems to have been triggered, and the amulet's entrancing effect seems to have missed the aging englishman completely.

Min looks almost disappointedly at her grandfather.

"Do you feel any different?::unsure What's my mother's name?" ::sly

[ProfPotts]

"Do you feel any different? What's my mother's name?" 

The Captain grins ::biggrin at his granddaughter & wags his finger,

"Now Min, you know that's an unfair trick question - I've a hard enough time remembering th' names o' my own children, let alone all th' people they married - & you lil' ones are even harder. That's what your grandmother's for anyway..."

He looks thoughtful, & rubs his hand over his beard whilst muttering,

"Tamoa would kill me if she'd heard me say that - best not mention this t' your grandmother." ::sly

Park quickly turns to the others, although he's obviously still deep in thought over the name of his daughter-in-law (in that 'it's on the tip of my tongue' kind of way), & comments,

"So - what else is in th' chests? Does th' lil' rod open th' lil' chest?"

The Captain can be heard muttering Polynesian names to himself, accompanied by the occassional shake of his head as he pours himself a drink...

[Heritage]

After the Captain removes the sinister glowing amulet with alarming ease, Bethany's curiousity once again gets the better of her. Draining her brandy for courage, she wraps herself in her blanket and tiptoes back to the sarcophagus. Her sharp eyes roam over the contents, trying to take in every detail.

Could someone fetch my camera from my room? It's in the battered old Gladstone at the foot of the bed.

She turns to look back at the rest of the group.

We should start recording all this for posterity, don't you think? Cataloging the contents and whatnot?

[Asbjørn]

"So - what else is in th' chests? Does th' lil' rod open th' lil' chest?"

"That wouldn't surprise me at all.", Mrs Morgan replies. "What do you think, David? Maybe the little chest contains something the dead would need in the afterlife, and only the key on the king's person can open it?"

After the Captain removes the sinister glowing amulet with alarming ease, Bethany's curiousity once again gets the better of her. Draining her brandy for courage, she wraps herself in her blanket and tiptoes back to the sarcophagus. Her sharp eyes roam over the contents, trying to take in every detail.

Still not too convinced of the safety of the situation, Tom follows Bethany over to the chest. Together they examine the contents again, finding no changes from earlier.

Could someone fetch my camera from my room? It's in the battered old Gladstone at the foot of the bed.

"Of course, miss.", says the leader of the men standing guard in the room, before he nods to the same young sailor who just came back with the doctor. With an almost inaudible sigh he nods and heads off again.

We should start recording all this for posterity, don't you think? Cataloging the contents and whatnot?

"Absolutely! Let me just go and fetch my notebooks and we can get right on it." With a glance to the attendant crewmen she adds "I'd better go myself. I couldn't even begin to explain which ones I need..."

With that, Mrs Morgan heads up the stairs.

As she leaves, Tom looks around briefly before he reaches for the smaller rod and picks it up. Holding it up to study the black metal key, he says to the room in general

"So... Should we see if it fits?"

[Ayre el KaBeer]

"We might aswell try to see if it opens" David inspects the smaller box for a similar 'keyhole'.

[Asbjørn]

There's no keyhole in the smaller lid, but checking the edges reveals a slot in the seam between the lid and the chest - approximately centered on one of the sides -that looks about the right size.

[Archer21]

Not really curious, but still trying to at least appear interested, Roughneck strolls over to David, then glances down to see what he's looking at. "So, anything I can do to help?"

[ProfPotts]

The Captain watches the proceedings quietly for a bit, then urges, half-jokingly,

"Just get th' damned thing open, man - you may all be gentlemen & ladies o' leisure, but some of us have things t' be getting on with."

[Heritage]

Bethany turns away from the sarcophagus and sees the men warily examining the smaller chest. Noticing their hesitation, she makes an exasperated snort.

Oh, this is ridiculous.

Still wrapped in her blanket, she marches over to Tom.

May I?

Without waiting for a reply, she plucks the black key from his fingers, stoops down to the chest and thrusts the key home.

Say a prayer for me, fellows.

And with that, she twists the key.

[Asbjørn]

There's a little resistance at first, and then a faint click as the ancient tumblers yield to the key. Dust and salt from the crack is blown out in a small cloud as the pressure inside the chest is let free. A faint, green glow similar to the light from the amulet shines from the opening.

The lightbulb over the stairway flickers.

Lifted by some unseen force the lid slowly opens, spilling more and more green light into the room until it's so sharp that those looking directly at it have to shield their eyes. Patterns of shadows and light around the room twist, grow and shrink in rythm with the pulsating light.

The low, almost unheard steady humming of the Nausicaa's engines skips a beat and changes pitch slightly.

The light is too sharp to see inside the chest, and growing stronger with each heartbeat. At the fifth pulse, a sudden, warm FLASH of light illuminates the room, and leaves everybody momentarily blinded.

The humming of the engine stops.

There are surprised outbursts, shouts and yells, sounds of movement in the room. Someone over by the stairs cries out in shock and pain, a chilling shriek that stops all too quickly, then footsteps running up the stairs.

As vision slowly returns the room is dark except for the red emergency lighting flickering to life, revealing two empty golden chests. At the foot of the stairs the body of one of the sailors is lying limply on the lower steps, a look of fear and pain etched on his contorted features. One of his crewmates kneels next to him, checking for signs of life. The others look to their captain.

Behind the bar the ship phone begins to ring.

[ProfPotts]

Blinking from the sudden changes in light levels ::blink , the Captain calls to the doctor, whilst moving towards the 'phone, & pointing at the fallen crewman,

"Tend that man."

To the other crew present he barks the orders,

"Sound th' intruder alarm - & get after that 'mummy' fellow - sounded like he ran his dead self up th' stairs. Be careful, mind - seems like he's got some magic on his side."

Picking up the ship's 'phone he says,

"Park here. Looks like th' dead chap animated. Yes, yes, I know I told 'em all... Now, report."

As he talks, he scans the room to see if everyone else is present & correct (& unharmed - especially Min) - after all, the corpse could have been carried & not walked off by itself [yeah - what're the chances of that... ::tongue ::wink ].

[Heritage]

Bethany slowly rises from the floor, clutching her blanket tightly around herself. She stares blankly at the empty sarcophagus. She reaches into her dress, pulls out her ancient medallion, and squeezes it until her knuckles turn white.

As she walks towards the sarcophagus, she starts muttering.

Pandora....Pandora...Pandora...

Her muttering then slips into near-hysterical Cantonese - anyone who speaks it will hear snippets about 'curses', 'ancestors', and 'shame'.

Suddenly, Bethany reaches up and smacks herself hard across the face, which brings her muttering to an abrupt halt. She stands dazed for a moment, then smacks herself again. Shaking her head clear, she seems to see the people in the roon for the first time; noting the fallen crewman, she stiffens with resolve, drops her blanket and rips the bottom of her dress off to allow freer movement. She takes up the blanket and strides purposefully over to him.

Is he alive? If so, wrap him in this.

[Archer21]

"Sound th' intruder alarm - & get after that 'mummy' fellow - sounded like he ran his dead self up th' stairs. Be careful, mind - seems like he's got some magic on his side."

Grateful for chance to do something he understands, Roughneck asks, "Y' want me to give them a hand, Cap'n? Won't be the first zombie I've dealt with today."

Her muttering then slips into near-hysterical Cantonese - anyone who speaks it will hear snippets about 'curses', 'ancestors', and 'shame'.

Suddenly, Bethany reaches up and smacks herself hard across the face, which brings her muttering to an abrupt halt.

Watching Bethany with concern, puzzlement evident on his face, Roughneck sidles up next to Park. "Who's Pandora?", he whispers.

[ProfPotts]

... drops her blanket and rips the bottom of her dress off to allow freer movement. She takes up the blanket and strides purposefully over to him.

Is he alive? If so, wrap him in this.

At Beth's antics, & comments, the Captain glances at her legs, & murmers quietly to himself,

"Wrap him in what? Does she mean th' blanket or..." ::blush ::devil

"Y' want me to give them a hand, Cap'n? Won't be the first zombie I've dealt with today."

"By all means - be m'guest."

"Who's Pandora?"

"You know," whispers Park back, "one o' them big black & white bears they have in China..." ::tongue ::laugh ::wink

[Archer21]

"By all means - be m'guest."

"Great." Smiling, the giant Englishman claps Park on the shoulder. "We'll get the blighter, Cap'n."

"You know," whispers Park back, "one o' them big black & white bears they have in China..."

Laughing along with him, Roughneck pretends that he has some idea of what the Captain's talking about, then quickly takes his leave, heading after the crew that just left.