001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

On/Under the streets of Yuggoth
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Joshua
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by Joshua »

The Lord Williamson's gambling luck will fade and he will enter the back-room of the basement. "So, what is this I hear about my bodyguard? Surely the Lady Ryan could handle herself, and I heard no scuffle..."

The Lord's face is a pale lightly-powdered white, with red lips. His eyebrows have been painstakingly penciled in, and he does sport an earring. His black hair is slicked back in a man-bun. He's dressed in a lightly tinted dress coat almost a frock, with a brilliant emerald ascot. He carries a walking cane with an ornate wolf head made of white-gold and sapphire eyes. He wouldn't dean to wear a hat indoors...

He will look around, spot the body under the tarp and realize this is not a joke. "Oh, bother... And what does the Lord Fairthingsworth have here? Did you find the body?"
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by kitsunenotsume »

"I've no doubt she could, Lord Williamson, but alas her foe was of a more insidious variety." Augustus will take a final sip of his tea before setting the saucer aside to move beside the body. "The body was, well, less found than it was perhaps generated in the front room, causing a fair disturbance. Apparently her beverage was rather terminally disagreeable, and Miss Spurling was taking a look into the potential cause." He motions to the alchemist against the wall.

"I will warn you that the condition of the body is not for the faint-hearted. I've asked Miss Kin to have tea and some stiff bitters on hand should one need to steady the humors - both quite safe for humans, I am assured. However, we're afraid that whatever it was our late Miss Ryan imbibed reacted poorly with a condition from which she had been suffering. I don't suppose you may have seen a change in her demeanor or health recently?"

Bertie is attempting to be both informative and softly probe Bryce for further clues without being rude or irreverent to the man's potential loss* ... but he did have a snake-person as a body guard, and that is kinda suspicious. Nevertheless, he will be prepared to peel back the covering (with gloved hands, of course) and permit a viewing of the body if Lord Williamson demonstrates intent to do so.

*: I think that Diplomacy (r4) might be relevant here, perhaps with another +1 from Status(0)?
Last edited by kitsunenotsume on Tue Apr 02, 2019 1:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wyvern
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by Wyvern »

Kin is, for the moment, playing the role of the quiet, obedient servant. And keeping a careful eye on Lord Williamson for any tell-tale reactions.

(( Empathy 8, with a possible +2 skill synergy from alienism (the profiling and psychology trappings seem relevant here), for a total of 4 or 5 automatic successes. ))
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by Veyska »

Beth is also largely staying to the side, though her demeanor is less self-effacing than Kin's; an apothecary may not be quite the same as a doctor but they're still close siblings*. She's also paying polite attention to Lord Williamson, though with a more professional eye than a social one (she knows Kin's better suited to that than her and is intending on comparing notes when she gets a chance). She doesn't think the bodyguard's nature is likely to be contagious or anything bizarre like that, but could theoretically be secondary effects from prolonged exposure or the likes.

(*Doctors being in that grey area wherein they're working upper class or upper working class. Beth strictly speaking isn't a doctor proper, but the dividing line used to be a lot closer and she's got her father's patronage to make up any loss of prestige from the difference.)
bcarbone
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by bcarbone »

Kim is dusting off a table and pulling out a chair for Lord Williamson. He will place 2 biscuits on a plate, with a glass containing ice and double a shot of whiskey.He will stand by the chair waiting to push it in once Lord Williamson sits.
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Joshua
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by Joshua »

The Lord Williamson does manage to avoid the initial trap set by his accuser*. "Unfortunately, I have not noticed a change. Our interaction was purely one of employment. She is ... not my preferred type**. Are you insinuating that the poison interacted with a previous condition and was tailored to her***? And, as she was my bodyguard, I am assuming I am not a suspect in her murder... If it matters, I would like to see this investigated****."

________________
*: The accusation of knowingly employing something not human. And if it's not intended as a trap, it's clear Lord Williamson sees it that way.
**: Ridiculous empathy: He's only attracted to beautiful people. While she's not ugly, she wasn't vain and obsessed with appearance.
***: Just for the record, the mixture would kill almost anything vulnerable to poison. (A lot of mythos creatures are not.)
****: Investigation of killings is... more optional in Lastfell than one might expect. Especially when the mythos is concerned.
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by kitsunenotsume »

"I could hardly be so bold as to suggest your culpability, good sir, and while I know we rarely see eye-to-eye, I cannot understate my condolences and support in seeing this matter settled. I cannot conscience such a foul deed staining the decency of this rather quaint establishment, particularly by such heinous means, and -should you not find it objectionable- intend to lend my resources to such an inquest, else sponsor my own." The offer is quite genuine*, though an experienced politician would no doubt recognize the value in offering parley to both foe and friend alike.

"Regarding the poison I can profess only a passing comprehension, as an informed explanation could likely be provided by Miss Spurling should you desire it**." He looks to Beth briefly for a confirmation that hopefully she could in fact provide a more technical insight if asked, before returning his attention to the other lord. "However, when we espied the body, the rather fateful draught had revealed idiosyncrasies about her person that could only be described as of imminent concern."

"I do apologize if my description fails to do justice, but details of the scene elude common sensibilities***. We only noticed it upon closer examination, but her skin seemed loose and detached, and through fresh tears was the visage of something else. Certainly not fungal in nature, but neither something I might expect to walk amongst us. Whatever it is, it wore the appearance of the late Lady Ryan as a finely laundered suit to conceal it's chartreuse carapace and predatory features." He pauses for a moment, looking away as he swallows at the thought of it, but otherwise retains his composure.

"We haven't got further than that yet, as the poisoned tea is barely tepid, and I insisted on ensuring you were informed before any avoidable irreparable actions could taken without consent. Should you wish to see the unfortunate state of the remains, such is entirely your right, though I do caution against it if you feel at all queasy."

*: Both the Truth Motivation and Curiosity Flaw mean that Augustus is quite likely to look into the situation and he has little reason to hide it, regardless of Bryce's opinion. Plus, Augustus rather likes the tea-house not acquiring a stigma. Considering how hostile Byrce seemed initially, disarming him before conducting any further interrogation seems necessary, and proper social etiquette would demand at least the appearance of concern and support unless openly hostile or a vast difference in status.
**: Augustus knows poison was involved, but exactly what that poison does/did other than 'it killed the bodyguard/snakething' isn't really his concern or domain. He has been careful to not state that Erma was killed by the poison so far, internally assigning her demise to the snake-person.
***: It's not that he couldn't just say "snake-person", but ... it's an eldritch-horror setting, so taking the easily definable way out seems like cheating the narrative.
Last edited by kitsunenotsume on Thu Apr 04, 2019 12:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Joshua
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by Joshua »

"I guess not... Well, I suppose I will have to aquire a new bodyguard. Unless this attack was an attempt to make me do just that... perhaps, I will stay until dawn* instead. Well, do let me know if I can be of assistance in your investigation." The Lord will grumble, before seeking to leave. "Unless there are more specific questions first?"
_________________________
*: Minor point: Lastfell does not have sunrise, but it does have dawn... And it does have morning and evening twilight as the sunlamps power up and power down.
Wyvern
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by Wyvern »

"If I might hazard a question, Lord Williamson, anything you could tell us of Miss Ryan's habits or whereabouts over the past week or so would be a helpful starting point..."

Kin will follow that up with whatever further questions seem appropriate, using her investigation skill, likely with synergies from diplomacy and alienism (that profiling trapping again), or perhaps aid another actions from others in the scene.
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Joshua
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Re: 001: An Evening at the Feng-Huang's Feathers

Post by Joshua »

Uh, he cannot. It's an employee who the Lord doesn't care about and didn't pay attention to. He doesn't know what any of his help does in their off hours, that's why they're help.
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