Resurrection City 2: The Adventure of the Iron Knives

[Old Fezziwig]

In response to Mrs. McCarthy...
"It's not about the Ripper, thankfully. What we are after is a pretty routine matter -- in the course of an investigation into a murder, we came across yer name at one of the deceased's houses. I just wanted to find out what ye might know about Elias and Horatio Cartwright. Want to see if ye can be helping us piece this thing together."

In response to Mr. McCarthy...
"No one's been sleeping? Good Lord." Diggory shakes his head.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

"I just wanted to find out what ye might know about Elias and Horatio Cartwright."

Mr. McCarthy looks straight at Inspector Diggory, and motions with his hands for him to keep it quiet. "They've bought some of me wares, is all. Candles, though I'm guessing ye know that. No idea what they might've used so many of 'em for. Always did run with a rough sort, though, so's I can't be sayin' I'm surprised they're dead." Then he pauses. He gets up and goes around the house quickly, checking all the doors before coming back in the room with the others.

"They were part of a group, or at least the father was," he says, leaning forward and speaking in a low voice. "Elias, Jeremiah Oldacre, and David Smythe. 'Bout twenty years back, a new feller came in, a doctor, down at Bedlam. Called 'imself Mr. Franks, though I ain't thinkin' that was 'is real name. 'E owns this 'ouse, actually, and me shop next door. The others, they called him some other name... Yesset or something like that. Don't know what exactly Franks, Yesset, whatever, was up to, but it seems that Smythe allied 'imself with the new feller, Cartwright and Oldacre continued on their own. I've no idea where the son's fittin' in, though."

"No one's been sleeping? Good Lord." Diggory shakes his head.

"Not just that we all 'ad the dreams," McCarthy says. "No, as far as I'm knowin' we all 'ad the same dream. That church up there-- " he points towards Christchurch " --loomin' in the sky. The sky's all black and red. The church is all squirmy all over, and then there's some big shadow over it, lookin' like the preachers say the Devil look, all 'orns and fur, and then blood starts oozin' out of all the windows. You were there that mornin', Inspector, and yer knowin' I've 'ad me fill of blood. I can't even see that there church now without a shiver goin' up me spine."

Everyone make Spot checks, DC 15. Two Sense Motive checks (DCs 15 and 12), too.

 

[Jarval]

Richard muses over McCarthy's news for a moment, then opens his bag and pulls out a small bottle of pills.

"I'm not sure if these will help with any dreams you might be having, but they should get you to sleep at the very least. But don't take them too long before you want to drop off, as they take effect fairly swiftly." He passes the bottle to McCarthy.


(OoC: Spot check: 18 (roll) + 0 (Wis) = 18
1st Sense Motive check: 7 (roll) + 0 (Wis) = 7
2nd Sense Motive check: 12 (roll) + 0 (Wis) = 12.)

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

"I'm not sure if these will help with any dreams you might be having, but they should get you to sleep at the very least. But don't take them too long before you want to drop off, as they take effect fairly swiftly." He passes the bottle to McCarthy.

"Thank ye doctor." McCarthy takes the bottle, looks at it for a moment, and then sits it on his desk beside him. "I'll try it."

I'll post the skill results awhile, read the ones applicable to you:
Successful Spot check:

Spoiler

There's a smallish gold-colored box lying in McCarthy's desk, nearly obscured by papers.

Successful Sense Motive check #1:

Spoiler

You sense that he knows more than he's telling about what the candles were used for.

Successful Sense Motive check #2:

Spoiler

As he mentions about what 'Yesset' was up to, you see a mournful expression cross his eyes.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Diggory nods in response and drinks his coffee. He thinks for a moment and then says quietly, "Ye seemed sad er mournful when you mentioned Yesset. Any chance ye could be telling us what that's all about?"

[Spot check against DC 15, roll of 15 on d20, +6 skilled, total 21, success]
[Sense Motive check against DC 15, roll of 7 on d20, +2 Wis, total 9, failure]
[Sense Motive check against DC 12, roll of 19 on d20, +2 Wis, total 21, success]

OOC: Modified the post to account for the successful Sense Motive check.

Spoiler

Diggory's ignoring the gold box for the moment.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

He thinks for a moment and then says quietly, "Ye seemed sad er mournful when you mentioned Yesset. Any chance ye could be telling us what that's all about?"

"That obvious, ehh? Aye. Well, Inspector Diggory, perhaps this is about that Ripper feller," he says, his voice still lowered. "Yesset... he was payin' me to watch over somethin' fer him. Someone, I mean. A former patient of 'is." He looks around to see that his wife is outside of earshot. "I'm sure yer knowin' that I 'ad grown... fond of 'er, Inspector. I make no secret 'bout that. But all that's five years gone, now. Ye know Thomas Bond, right? I'm sure 'e can be tellin' ye more than I can."

Diggory and Hewitt both recognize the name of a coroner who had consulted with the police, especially during the Ripper scare, and who was one of the principal coroners for Mary Kelly. He lives in Whitehall.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Diggory looks at Hewitt, eyebrows raised. Bond's involved in this? Yesset and the Ripper?

"I appreciate yer answering me questions, Mr. McCarthy." Diggory sighs and shakes his head. "It's funny how the past can come back to haunt us sometimes. I was hoping that I would never be having to go back into that Ripper mess at all. It was unpleasant business then, and it's unpleasant business now. Anyhow, I'm sure me colleagues here might have some questions fer ye, too."

 

[Jarval]

"What? No, to my mind Mr. McCarthy has told us all we need to know." Richard replies to Diggory, snapping his bag closed. "I do think we should go and pay Dr. Bond a visit as soon as we can.

"Mr. McCarthy, take care of yourself, and take those pills. If they don't work or the dreams continue, drop by and see me again, and I'll find some other medication that might help." He passes McCarthy a small card with his address, then looks to see if the others are ready to depart.

 

[JimAde]

[OOC:
Spot Roll: (12)+1=13 Failure
Sense Motive 1: (17)+0=17 Success
Sense Motive 2: (12)+0=12 Failure

+0 Sense Motive? I knew I forgot a skill!
]

"Actually, " Macallistair says casually, "I was wondering about one other thing. Mr. McCarthy, you said of the candles 'No idea what they might've used so many of 'em for.' Don't you suppose they used them for, you know," he waves a hand around vaguely and gives McCarthy a conspiratorial smile, "thingy?"

 

[ShortAssassin]

[Spot 16+5=21, success]
[Sense Motive 1 10+0=10, failure]
[Sense Motive 2 6+0=10, failure]

Robinson frowned and shuddered at the mention of the evil vision of the church down the way. Something caught his eye and he began to move slowly towards McCarthy's desk with all the papers on it.