The Language at the Threshold

[Grognardsw]

Baines looks around the alley. The two men step into a doorway to the right, into the back of Lenny's.

Reginald Wilkins, as he is reading the Pnakotic Manuscripts, remembers that the Church of Starry Wisdom auction flyer is the same one that Reginald found in Timothy Carver's apartment.

At points in the afternoon Dr. Herald Matthers enters Reginald's room, quite excited about the findings in the Testament of Selene which he has been reading. The revelations are quite shocking, if they are to be believed. What Reginald has read in his tome makes him think that they could very well be true. The implications are disturbing.

There is a tinkle of the door bells to the shop. The afternoon passed by quickly, for that is probably Mr. Randolph here for his visit.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer
Reginald makes a mental note to discuss the Church of Starry Wisdom auction with the other investigators. For now, he shifts gears mentally as he prepares to greet his customer. As he gets up, he will do his best to close the Pnakotic Manuscripts and place it (and the translation from Dr. Long) under another book. If he can reasonably do so, Reginald will also try to hide The Testament of Selene and Azathoth and Other Horrors under other books as well.

Assuming it is Randolph at the door, Reginald greets his guest. "Hello again Mr. Randolph. So sorry about yesterday, but something came up at the last minute. I'm sure you understand.

"Please come in."

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

Baines follows the two carefully, stoping at the corner and peeking before approaching the door and eavesdrop on any conversation that takes place.

Listen (25%):[1d100] = 81

[Grognardsw]

Baines pauses at the doorway and listens. Perhaps the men moved out of earshot within, for the BOI agent hears nothing.





Reginald Wilkins and Herald Matthers take a break from their studies to greet Mr. Randolph. Incredibly, impossibly, the man looks older then he did last time. He is in a wheelchair pushed by a young woman. His voice is a struggled whisper.

"Thank you gentlemen. It seems my time is short, yet still I seek answers. Have you any luck in volumes about otherworldly or occult methods of travel?"

Eddie Sharpe is in "The Hunt..." thread with Marius at the Dark Phaoroh Freak Show & Carnivale.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer
“Hello Mr. Randolph, it is good to see you again. This is my associate, Dr. Mathers.

“I do have a few books in mind, but given your, ah, limited time to devote to such endeavors, it might help to narrow your focus a bit. We can peruse tomes of different authors, but you must understand that each had different experiences, and different goals in their research. So please bear with me, as the answers to my questions will lead us to the appropriate books for you .

“You had mentioned previously that you used to work in archaeology. Is your current interest in mystic travel in any way related to your work as an archaeologist? Have you ever traveled in your work to, er, exotic locations?

“Have you ever experienced mystical travel before? If so, under what conditions? What can you recall of the experience?

“What of other mystical or occult experiences? Have you ever been exposed to a reality that you cannot easily explain? Direct contact with occult forces tends to be a vivid experience. If you’ve had such an experience, what was it like? What can you recall?”

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, wise old man

Isaiah Bartlett continues his conversation with Johnny Manson. The old man wonders why this family. Perhaps who they were provides a clue? The boy answers, "No, I haven't seen him before. He came by foot I guess; I mean I didn't see a strange car parked out front. He was dressed in... common clothes I guess, not fancy, or rough. He had a black peat coat on. He must have had a knife, but I didn't see it.

Isaiah starts to think that the boy might not be able to provide any further clues. If he had seen more, he would be a catatonic mess... Maybe the aunt can give some inside information on the family?

"Thank you, young man," he says to Johnny. "You are of great assistance to the Bureau of Investigation. We... we will find who did this..."

He is finished with the boy and says goodbye to him, but then turns to the aunt (What's her name?)
"Can I ask you some questions?"

If the aunt is ready to co-operate, Isaiah sits down in front of her, and in the same calm voice starts talking to her:
"As you see, what we lack so far for this horrible, monstrous act is a motive. Why the Manson family? Why not any other household on the same street? We have reason to believe that the murderer wasn't what you would call a maniac who picks the victims chaotically. Your relatives were a proper family, we have no records whatsoever. But maybe you know something, anything... anything they kept a secret.

I know this is hard for you. But you can trust me. The BOI will defend the family's privacy, in any case. But information may be vital to finding the killer."

[FrankL]

Dr. Harold Matthers, Professor of Chemical Engineering

Dr. Matthers stands ready to help. He is understandably surprised by the apparent aging from Reginald's description of Randolph to the way he looks now. Harold is especially curious about the young woman. "We'll help in any way we can, Mr. Randolph. I have an interest in archeology myself, especially as it pertains to ancient engineering." He turns to the woman. "May I get you anything, miss...?" He trails off, an obvious unspoken question of her name. He also circumspectly looks her over to see if there is anything suspicious about her.

Spot Hidden if needed
[1d100] = 51 with a 25, clean miss.

[Grognardsw]

Isaiah Bartlett concludes his conversation with the young Johnny Manson. He turns to Aunt May and inquires about motive.

"Well I'm not sure Mr. Bartlett," answers the aunt nervously. "I know that Mr. Manson was a vice president at Phillips, Robert and Clark, an accounting firm for wealthy clients."





Dr. Matthers looks over the young woman assisting the wheelchair-ridden Mr. Randolph. She appears to be in her very early twenties and does not show any suspicious characteristics. The young woman nods at Dr. Matthers. "Miss Ford, Claire Ford. Thank you sir. I am well."

The conversation with Mr. Randolph, Reginald and Dr. Matthers will be by PM, given it deals with information other players shouldn't be aware of at this juncture.

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

The careful Baines opens the door ever so gently, taking a peek and if the coast is clear, he will get inside and see his surroundings before advancing any further.

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, wise old man

Isaiah was, of course, waiting for a somewhat more substantial answer. This piece of information was already known to the BOI.

"Do you think it's possible that the murder is connected to his work? Revenge, financial reasons..." he asks these questions, but now he isn't really expecting a helpful answer.

"And just a few more questions. I understand, you might not have throughout knowledge on these subjects, but still, maybe something surfaced while talking to your sister*, maybe. What were Mr. Manson's hobbies? Was he frequenting any society or club, pubic, semi-closed or secret? "


* I assume the "aunt" is the sister of Manson's wife? If not, replace with "brother"

[Grognardsw]

Baines steps into a storage back room for Lenny's, fillled with boxes of food and other sundries. There is a swing-door with a little window out to the store, and another door to the right. A clerk-boy looks at Baines stupidly.

"What do you want sir?"





Aunt May looks with surprise at Isaiah. "Oh my, do you think it was related to work? My poor sister did say that Charles was very caught up in his job. He traveled quite often to New York. I'm afraid I don't remember the name of the client, but I suppose his office would."

"As to social activities and clubs, he enjoyed golf and frquented a cigar club in Cambridge."

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, wise old man

"We are following up on all possible leads until we find the truth," Isaiah says, trying to sound as assuring as possible. Nothing else comes to his mind. The New York client definitely sounds like something he should check out with Manson's firm. But that would be something he'd need additional BOI support on. He says goodbye and catches his train back to Providence.

I assume with all the travel a good chunk of the day has passed. Is there any time left to report back to the bookshop? Also, what's Isaiah's relation to the timeline of the rest of the group?

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

Baines grits his teeth, not believing that he was caught by a clerk boy, he smiles gently as if he belonged there, "Can I see Danny Walsh, an important matter must come to his attention before it's too late", Baines casually lights up a cigarette and starts taking small puffs.

[Grognardsw]

"D-D-Danny?" the clerk boy stutters nervously. "Uh, try that door." He points to the door in the right wall.

Isaiah can check with the BOI for information on Mr. Manson's employer. Isaiah has time to visit back at the bookstore. He'll arrive after Reginald and Dr. Matthers talk with Mr. Randolph (being done in PM.) He is on the same timeline as the others. Only the Miskatonic expedition is on a different timeline, about two-and-half months earlier than the Providence group.

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, wise old man

Isaiah is back in Providence. The travel was tiring, but he still heads straight over to the BOI offices. He is looking for Agent Garrett Holmes.

"I've just arrived back from questioning the Manson boy, Johnny. He provided a vague description of the killer: a big, quiet Negro in plain clothes and a black peat coat. No associates. If it's possible, I'd like to see the files on Charles Manson: we still don't understand why was this family picked... The aunt, the wife's sister, mentioned that he had a business connection in New York: maybe that has nothing to do with the twisted killings, but who knows..."

[thesniperknight1]

Baines finishes his cigarette and gives the boy a very condescending look, he pats his head then says "Now scram, Danny would eat you alive if he sees you hanging around this place, believe me, he is one crazy man", he gives him an amusing laugh and waits for him to leave.

Once the coast is clear again, Baines will approach the pointed door and attempts to listen again

http://www.unseenservant.com/default.as ... 27&macid=0

If he hears nothing, he will try to open the door ever so slightly and have a glimpse into the inside.

Sneak(50%): [1d100] = 27

[Grognardsw]

Back at the Providence BOI office, Isaiah Bartlett talks with Investigative Lead Garrett Holmes.

"I see," says Holmes, nodding his head, drawing on a pipe. "Certainly have a look at whatever Manson information we have."

Isaiah sifts through the case files. He learns Manson's primary account was James Ford, a wealthy businessman in shipping, residing in New York, as well as Mr. Ford's business interest in The Adventurer's Club of which he is president.





BOI Agent Gwen Baines hears nothing. He cracks the door sneakily and peaks in. He sees a 10'x15' room with a table and chairs in the middle and some low shelving around the other walls. The two men Baines saw go down the alley sit at the table with two others talking. Being a small room, one of them notices the door open a few inches.

"Whaddya want kid?" Baines hears from one of the men.





Elsewhere, Reginald Wilkins and Dr. Matthers talk with Mr. Randolph. (Via PM)

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

Baines opens the door slowly, "Pardon me, I just didn't want to barge in. My name is Gwen Baines, BOI agent", he flashes his badge and sits down after asking for permission, "Now relax. I am not here for you personally Mr.Walsh or your gang, I am not after your drug operation or your bootlegging, the BOI has much more dire matters to deal with, and you seem to have stumbled onto an important piece of the puzzle, and it's not like you handing us the 'piece' would result in you losing anything, in fact, it will help you eliminate one of your new strong competitors. Mind if I smoke?", he lights up and smokes before being given any sign of agreement, "What I need Mr.Walsh, if you may, is the man that was....'taken for a ride' from Club Zothique, I will just have him and be on my way, I can forget all about the business with trying to steal my badge and the shooting, like I said, we have a more dire situation to deal with".

[Grognardsw]

Baines please make a Know. roll. Thanks.

[thesniperknight1]

I have no idea where to find that but here is a roll

[1d100] = 74

a failure