Chapter 1 - 'Last Remains'

8:01am, Thursday, May 16th, 1889
The White Dining Room, Well’s Manor Estate, Londinium
OOC Thread
Rogue's Gallery
The tall regal female Asimar, whom you all know by the name of Lady Anabel Gearsmith, gazes upon each of you as you finally settle back into to your seats. Habs Grubs, the half-orc cook lingering nearby, ready to hop forward to refill a cup or the breakfast plant in front of each of you, if so request. There is even an empty plate and glass set before Trebuchet, the Warmech’s seat, even though the construct has no need of either. Proper decorum at any table is that when one is seat for a breakfast meeting, one has a place set for them.
Over the last week, each of you has meet privately with the Lady Gearsmith, to recite the ‘Oath’ to become the newest initiates (recruits) into the ‘Order of Shadows’. Afterwards she gave you the basic of the Order’s mission – to protect the Queen and her subjects throughout the Empire, from the very real monsters that lurk in the shadows. She did not inform you on whom invited you into the Order and she made it fairly clear that inquiring would gain no insight. For now it was a mystery.
You have each been assigned a room here within the walls of the Well’s Estate, within the so-called ‘White’ Wing. This manor is only one of many that the Order has within Londinium itself, not to mention spread throughout the Empire. This particular Chapter House, you have been informed, is set up mostly for new recruits such as yourself and serves as your headquarters and safe house until such time as you prove yourself worthy of more dangerous assignments.
You had perhaps meet each other of the last few days, for a meal or within the library or one of the many laboratories that you were informed that you could access. If nothing else you had seen each other in the halls of the Well’s Manor and the White Wing. And each of you had received a hand written note requesting your presence for an early breakfast this morn (8:00am sharp).
Arriving at 7:45am (or in the same general time) you had eaten a quick early meal prepared by Habs Grubs, the Half-Orc cook and chief servant this wing. You had all had meet him before, a pleasant enough chap, who cook all of your meals and inspected your rooms after the maids (male and/or female) had cleaned your rooms each morning. Now as you have finished breakfast, Lady Gearsmith has arrived at 8:01am.
“Thank you for all coming this morning” She said in a clear, smooth voice that held some authority behind it. “Today you will receive your first assignment for the Order.”
“As you may or may not know” She continues “In many of the great cities of the world, the disposal of the recently deceased has many external factors that must be considered. The numerous sentient carrion-eaters that infest many of our sewers, those practicers of the necrotic arts, the various undead creatures who seek to create new servants or warriors, and many others. All seeking the bodies and spirits of the departed. In large cities this can be especially dangers as with more people there is more dead. It is simple mathematics.”
“In Londinium for example there are strict laws for the handling and disposing of the recently deceased remains and strict time-tables that one must obey. These are for the protection of all of our citizens of course and normally are quite sufficient.”
“Most citizens understand the city’s reason and support them wholeheartedly. One might wish to remain with the corpse of a dearly departed, but one must weigh this need to say goodbye with the risk of corrupts that is very real and very possible. Most can see the need. Most of the time…”
“A friend of the one fellow member of our Order has come to us with an inquiry of aid. I have reviewed her request and deemed it worthy of our Order attention but at the lowest level. Hence I have assigned this request to you as our newest initiates.”
“Here is a card with Miss Dianna Byrne’s home address. You will go and speak with her this morning about the disappearance of her mother’s remains. I will allow her to provide the details on this case, but she followed all proper procedures and had sent her mother’s remains to a local Crematorium. Now it appears that the establishment cannot find neither her mother’s corpses nor her ashes.”
“If you have any questions, now is the time to inquire as I may not be available later. Once we are finished here, Habs will summon a carriage. Miss Byrne’s home is about a mile and a half from here, in the Mile End Newtown neighborhood.”
“Finally” she adds “You are now drawing a salary from the Order and you are expected to pay for most of your mundane needs. If there are any extra expenses that you encounter that are outside this, the Order may cover them. Maintain your receipts and Habs will show you were to fill out the proper forms for compensation. With the understanding of course that permanent items in question are now the property of the Order.”

8:01am, Thursday, May 16th, 1889
The White Dining Room, Well’s Manor Estate, Londinium
OOC Thread
Rogue's Gallery
The tall regal female Asimar, whom you all know by the name of Lady Anabel Gearsmith, gazes upon each of you as you finally settle back into to your seats. Habs Grubs, the half-orc cook lingering nearby, ready to hop forward to refill a cup or the breakfast plant in front of each of you, if so request. There is even an empty plate and glass set before Trebuchet, the Warmech’s seat, even though the construct has no need of either. Proper decorum at any table is that when one is seat for a breakfast meeting, one has a place set for them.
Over the last week, each of you has meet privately with the Lady Gearsmith, to recite the ‘Oath’ to become the newest initiates (recruits) into the ‘Order of Shadows’. Afterwards she gave you the basic of the Order’s mission – to protect the Queen and her subjects throughout the Empire, from the very real monsters that lurk in the shadows. She did not inform you on whom invited you into the Order and she made it fairly clear that inquiring would gain no insight. For now it was a mystery.
You have each been assigned a room here within the walls of the Well’s Estate, within the so-called ‘White’ Wing. This manor is only one of many that the Order has within Londinium itself, not to mention spread throughout the Empire. This particular Chapter House, you have been informed, is set up mostly for new recruits such as yourself and serves as your headquarters and safe house until such time as you prove yourself worthy of more dangerous assignments.
You had perhaps meet each other of the last few days, for a meal or within the library or one of the many laboratories that you were informed that you could access. If nothing else you had seen each other in the halls of the Well’s Manor and the White Wing. And each of you had received a hand written note requesting your presence for an early breakfast this morn (8:00am sharp).
Arriving at 7:45am (or in the same general time) you had eaten a quick early meal prepared by Habs Grubs, the Half-Orc cook and chief servant this wing. You had all had meet him before, a pleasant enough chap, who cook all of your meals and inspected your rooms after the maids (male and/or female) had cleaned your rooms each morning. Now as you have finished breakfast, Lady Gearsmith has arrived at 8:01am.
“Thank you for all coming this morning” She said in a clear, smooth voice that held some authority behind it. “Today you will receive your first assignment for the Order.”
“As you may or may not know” She continues “In many of the great cities of the world, the disposal of the recently deceased has many external factors that must be considered. The numerous sentient carrion-eaters that infest many of our sewers, those practicers of the necrotic arts, the various undead creatures who seek to create new servants or warriors, and many others. All seeking the bodies and spirits of the departed. In large cities this can be especially dangers as with more people there is more dead. It is simple mathematics.”
“In Londinium for example there are strict laws for the handling and disposing of the recently deceased remains and strict time-tables that one must obey. These are for the protection of all of our citizens of course and normally are quite sufficient.”
“Most citizens understand the city’s reason and support them wholeheartedly. One might wish to remain with the corpse of a dearly departed, but one must weigh this need to say goodbye with the risk of corrupts that is very real and very possible. Most can see the need. Most of the time…”
“A friend of the one fellow member of our Order has come to us with an inquiry of aid. I have reviewed her request and deemed it worthy of our Order attention but at the lowest level. Hence I have assigned this request to you as our newest initiates.”
“Here is a card with Miss Dianna Byrne’s home address. You will go and speak with her this morning about the disappearance of her mother’s remains. I will allow her to provide the details on this case, but she followed all proper procedures and had sent her mother’s remains to a local Crematorium. Now it appears that the establishment cannot find neither her mother’s corpses nor her ashes.”
“If you have any questions, now is the time to inquire as I may not be available later. Once we are finished here, Habs will summon a carriage. Miss Byrne’s home is about a mile and a half from here, in the Mile End Newtown neighborhood.”
“Finally” she adds “You are now drawing a salary from the Order and you are expected to pay for most of your mundane needs. If there are any extra expenses that you encounter that are outside this, the Order may cover them. Maintain your receipts and Habs will show you were to fill out the proper forms for compensation. With the understanding of course that permanent items in question are now the property of the Order.”
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