Murder Most Foul (SECOND WANDER PHASE OPEN)

[VampireWombat]

Dr. Gerald Killmurray
// Blinks a few times in confusion.
Mm, yes cream. I do what I can. It is good to hear it was of help to you. I wish you luck.

[Mandle]

Penelpoe Lancaster whispers something to Benny Green.

[Mandle]

THE CLOCK STRIKES EIGHT.

Spoiler

MURDER MOST FOUL
EPISODE #1:   A GOOD VINTAGE GONE BAD

The Time:   Evening, September 17th, 1921.
The Location:   Lancaster Manor, New England, USA.



The Situation:   The Atlantic stormfront surges in over Applewick. The first distant thunder reverberates briefly through the old timber frame of Lancaster Manor as the grandfather clock in the entryway begins to chime eight of the hour.

By the time the eighth chime sounds, lightning is striking all around, the entire Manor thrumming with the thunder-claps that follow bare seconds, if even that, later.

A wall of rain suddenly strikes the high picture windows ranged along the south wall of the dining room with shocking intensity as they light up with yet another flash, sending stark illumination across the room in diagonal slants, grotesque parodies of the solid rectangular structures of the windows which granted them access.

Penelope Lancaster, at the head of the table, pulls a cord which rings the ship's bell recovered from her parent's yacht. The solemn tone gains the attention of all and a pause between lightning strikes allows her to be heard:

"Let dinner be served!"

The guests circle the long dining room table, searching for their name-cards, and then, once everyone is seated, Mary Dorsey reappears from the kitchen with a bottle of champagne.

She holds it aloft and, stepping out from behind her, Hank Fellows appears with a gardening machete and, with one precise, powerful swing, slices the cork from the lip of the bottle.

POP! A brief fountain of bubbles, and then Mary pours a little to each guest.

Penelope rises, glass in hand, and says:

"Another toast but not the last! To friends near and dear!"

The guests all rise, repeat the toast, sit, and drain their glasses.

Lightning strikes somewhere just outside, the BOOM instantaneous, and the lights go out for a second or two.

Nervous giggles are suddenly replaced by screams, when the electricity kicks back in, to the sight of Graham Harlington standing, face and body twisted into a rictus, with froth foaming out over his voluminous beard.

He falls back into his chair and then crashes face-first into the well-set china plates before him, smashing them to pieces.

Spoiler

The Guest List:

	Angelica Crosley is a local writer, based in Applewick, but of nationwide reknown. She writes mystery novels, or at least tries to while avoiding autograph hunters on her way to buy the groceries. Angelica is amused that a hand-delivered invitation has arrived at her door and expects an evening of staged entertainment to rival such novels of hers as: "And Then There Were Nine." and "The Murder Of Dan Ackroyd". Angelica is really looking forward to this dinner at Lancaster Manor! Let the entertainment commence!
	Benny Green is an ex-cop from New York City who moved to Applewick four years ago after having been discharged from the force on charges of corruption. He now runs a disreputable P.I. business out of a shady upstairs office where mostly those with doubts about their spouse's fidelity tread. Why a low-life like Benny was even considered on the list of guests to such an upper-class event is a mystery in and of itself to the other attendants. Or is it...?
	Dr. Gerald Killmurray is the only doctor in Applewick with the full credentials of actually holding a license to practice medicine. Gerald is getting a bit on in years and his memory isn't quite what it used to be... Not by a long shot... He still recalls all of his medical training from his younger years but has a spot of trouble remembering, at times, exactly who the patient he is currently seeing is, and also remembering to turn up at dinners he is invited to. However, he has written this one down and shows up on the right date...
	Madame Sky, as she is now known as after having legally changed her name, is a self-acclaimed psychic. The Great War was followed by a boom in the public interest of occult and psychic phenomena and there are just as many in Applewick that feel the Madame is a fraud, riding the wave of that interest, as there are those who believe in her "abilities". Her past is a mystery, having arrived in town and set up shop only about two years ago. "Madame Sky's Emporium Of Arcane Wisdom" also had the wisdom, it seems, to provide an extra, and convenient, back-door entrance for those who were too shy to enter through the front door.
	Ret. Col. Maximus Burnes is a heavily decorated colonel and a hero of The Great War, now retired. The entire nation knows of his descisive, but ultimately tragic, charge against the Hun, which casued enough disruption in its wake to open the way for the enemy front to break and the Battle Of Hummenberg Province to be won. The same nation grieved over the news that Colonel Burnes was the only soldier recovered alive from the battle and that he was pulled out from amongst the bodies of fallen comrades-in-arms kicking, and screaming out to bring them all back with him... Even though this was impossible and their final battlefield remains their graves to this day.
	Graham Harlington wandered into Applewick perhaps somewhere around three years ago, mostly under everyone's radar. Little is known of the man, except that he has been civil and polite within Applewick society, if a tad twitchy now and then, and, despite his ragged appearance, seems more than able to support himself financially. He bought a property and modest house on the outskirts of town where he lives alone. He is seen in town now and then taking meals at "The Applewick Cafe And Grill" and otherwise shopping for groceries in the normal fashion. Mr. Harlington, however, has never seemed motivated to establish much of a social relationship with his new home of Applewick and, in turn, Applewick has neither sought such from him. It's a bit of mystery, therefore, why he would be invited to a dinner at Lancaster Manor.

The Manor Occupants:

	Penelope Lancaster, the sole offspring of James and April Lancaster, inherited the Lancaster fortune when her parents died in a yachting accident just over a year ago. She also inherited the family debt. Forced to sell off most of the Lancaster estates and business ventures, Penelope now lives at the family's old country retreat, albiet quite comfortably for a young unmarried woman. She has kept on only two of the staff from the old days: Mary Dorsey, the maid who rose to Head Of Service, and Hank Fellows, the best of the groundsmen.
	Mary Dorsey is the last remaining service staff of Lancaster Manor. She has been employed at the manor for a little over a year, during which time her drive to provide the best possible cleaning and service both terrified the other staff and propelled her to the position of Head Of Service well ahead of male butlers and other maids who had been with the family for, in some cases, a decade or more longer than herself. When the yachting disaster struck, killing Penelope's parents, and most of the Lancaster family empire collapsed, Mary was chosen to remain at the manor by Penelope, the Lancaster heir.
	Hank Fellows, born a deaf-mute, is the remaining groundskeeper at the Lancaster Manor. Despite no formal education, he has learned to lipread at an intuitive level and can understand what is being said, even during complex conversations. He cannot, however, communicate except through gesturing and facial expressions. Perhaps this is what grants Hank the greenest of thumbs in his gardening duties: His immobile "friends" in the garden having similar limitations?

[close]

Location: The dining room is a long rectangular room, running west to east, with an impressive dining table down the middle. The dining table is surrounded by chairs and is decked out with beautful flatware, silverware, condiment trays, and candelabras. There is a fireplace at one end but it is inoperative due to modern steampipe-heating having been installed throughout the Manor some years before. There is a glass case full of china ornaments, trophies, and other nicknacks against the south wall, between several high, curtained windows. An impressive wallnut dining-room cabinet lies against the north wall.

Graham Harlington slumps dead in his chair, face-down in the smashed chinaware he will now never eat off of. Foam bubbles from his mouth into the pool already soaking into the fine linen tablecloth.

Exits: N/A at this time.

[close]

Player Character List:

VampireWombat is Dr. Gerald Killmurray, the town doctor.
CaptainD is Benny Green, the local PI.
tzachs is Madame Sky, the local psychic.
Riaise is Mary Dorsey, the Manor maid.
dayowlron is Ret. Col. Maximus Burnes, retired WWI vet.
cat is Angelica Crosley, local mystery writer.
Kastchey is Penelope Lancaster, the Manor owner.
Stupot is Hank Fellows, the Manor groundsman.
Mandle is Graham Harlington, the town loner.

GAME PAUSED!!! NO POSTING PLEASE!

[Mandle]

GAME UNPAUSED

This Mingle Phase may now continue after the break during which murder most foul occured!

Please stay in character during this short extra Mingle Phase which is the characters reacting to a murder most foul while still in shock and unable to move or do anything except blabber.

Do not attempt physical actions concerning the crime scene yet. This is still only a Mingle Phase.

So no, "//Rushes over to check pulse" actions for now please.

Once the shock wears off, soonish, the first "Wander Phase" will open.

For now:

"Whisper to >character<" actions are now open.

"Examine >character<" actions are reset so even if you did one previously you can now do another.

And remember that these actions are ONLY to be sent via PM to me and NOT to be posted in the thread!

[Mandle]

Benny Green whispers something to Penelope Lancaster

[CaptainD]

Benny Green

Looks like things just got interesting. Sorry if if I don't seem too shocked by this but, you know... as a PI, I've seen it all.  Just stay calm folks, although... not TOO calm.  The killer is obviously close by.  Probably in this room.  Probably one of you.  But, you know... just stay calm.

[tzachs]

Madame Sky

I'm also not shocked by this. I got my psychic senses tingling since the first second I entered this place. This poor man, I can see that his soul was haunted by something.

[dayowlron]

//gasps
I know I have seen my share of deaths, but not many, actually not any during a dinner party.

[Kastchey]

Penelope Lancaster

//Stares at Graham's body from the head of the table for a few seconds, eyes wide. Then goes into hysterics.

[Mandle]

Benny Green whispers something to Madame Sky

[Riaise]

Mary Dorsey

//Stares at the body for a few seconds before being brought back to earth by Penelope's hysterics.

Miss Penelope! Are you all right?! Do you need something to calm your nerves? My goodness me, what to do! Should we send for the authorities?

[VampireWombat]

Dr. Gerald Killmurray
Well, that's rather unfortunate.
// Smacks lips a bit, looking even more distant than usual.

[Mandle]

Madame Sky whispers something to Benny Green.

[Kastchey]

Penelope Lancaster
M-Mary.. please b-bring me... no! Just a glass of water...
And c-call authorities...!

//Hides her face in her hands, trying to breathe slowly

[CaptainD]

Benny Green

Ma'am, no need to call the authorities.  You've got a first-rate Private Investigator here.  I get results, as I'm sure you'll remember from... previous work I've done for you.

[cat]

Angelica Crosley

// Stares at Graham's body
Good gracious! What has just happened? I don't know what you are up to, Mr. Green and Madame Sky, but I wasn't expecting this!

// Talk softly to Penelope Lancaster
I know it's terrible, but we all have to calm down now, my dear. Let us calmly evaluate the situation and think about what should be done.

[dayowlron]

Ret. Col. Maximus Burnes

//looking at Graham's body
Seems to me from the foaming at the mouth that Graham may have been poisoned so obviously there is a murderer among us.

//looks over to Mr Green
As a Private Investigator perhaps you can assist us in determining who would have had a motive and opportunity to have committed this murder.

[VampireWombat]

Dr. Gerald Killmurray
//Blinks a moment and shows a moment of lucidity.
Poison... I know of no poison that would kill so quickly on its own. Which means that this is something I don't know of, it reacted with something else, or it wasn't all at once. Of course there's no way to be 100% sure without a proper autopsy...
// The word autopsy seems to break the lucidity.

[CaptainD]

Benny Green

My good Colonel, of course we shall investigate, but in due time.  For now it is essential that everyone stay as calm as possible, and that no-one leaves this room.  As for who would have a motive... well, I have my suspicions, but it would hardly be prudent of me to tell everyone right now, would it?

I do wonder, Doctor, if some kind of paralytic agent may have been used.  A muscle relaxant or similar.  Perhaps in the form of a tincture... hmm, speaking of which, I think I'll get myself another drink.

[VampireWombat]

Dr. Gerald Killmurray
// Blinks and composes self for few moments.
A paralytic is possible. Or a combination of poisons. Or something that the patient is allergic to...