Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 4

[AsenRG]

Remy nods.
"I've often marvelled just how expensive wine can be", he admitted.
Then he turned towards the others.
"Shall we go and take a look? If it has disappeared by means of, say, some secret tunnel, we - or our friends - might be able to locate it", he whispered in the ear of Jacques.

[atpollard]

[CLICK MAP TO GO TO FULL SIZE]

The party was led into the kitchen where all of the action seemed to be happening down in the cellar. A trap door and ship's ladder was the only way into or out of the 25' square cellar full of food stores and a well in the center of the floor. Along one wall was a single heavy door with quality lock. The guards were examining the lock and finding no sign of damage and Gottard was explaining that the walls around this room were ten feet thick to maintain a constant temperature. There was no way that someone could sneak through the kitchen unnoticed with a case of rare wine.

Remy observed some muddy footprints near the well, which would not be unusual in and of itself, however the mud did not match the dirt on the rest of the floor. Doctor Linkletter confirmed your suspicions by identifying the dirt as matching the sediment from the water filled cavern you explored earlier. Mercuito leaned over the side and examined the wall with a lantern and spyglass, quietly announcing that he was certain that there was some sort of concealed passage about 20 feet down the well. Jacques took charge and Jo quickly rigged up some sort of crude rope ladder to allow access down the well. The game was afoot!

[atpollard]

[CLICK MAP TO GO TO FULL SIZE]

A small wooden door within the wall of the well was painted to look like stone and opened into a small man made tunnel that ended in the upper level of the cavern on the opposite side of room #1 than you had explored. Familiar with the cave, it was a slow travel to room #1 but a swift journey to the tunnel at the opposite end of the cavern that led towards the Tanner's Barn.

[atpollard]

[CLICK MAP TO GO TO FULL SIZE]

Your elusive prey left no footprints to follow in the tunnel beyond the cavern. It seemed that the case of wine had grown too heavy to carry and the conspicuous drag marks covered the footprints and left a trail even a blind man could follow. You passed the entrance to the tanner's Barn and continued west. The tracks ended at an empty crate on the floor of the tunnel where it bent sharply to the south, next to a ladder leading up. At the top of the ladder was a small closet-like space with a peep hole. Through the peep hole you saw another wine cellar. (building #11 on the map)

[AsenRG]

"Best...hic...if we keep as silent as possible", Remy whispered.
"But that wine-thief is shameless! Can anyone open that cellar?"

[Urson]

Jo
Jo scowled from her place at the bottom of the ladder. Her wound was hurting again, and she was tired of trying to avoid tearing stitches.

[AsenRG]

Remy looked at Jo with compassion. Wounds like this heal slower than you want them to, he remembered from experience...though to be honest, even pricks heal slower than he wants them to.
He's just not the patient guy, though he's trying.
Still, he says nothing.
"Also, that's a winery here...do you think they might be working for the owner? What a plot: have a prize wine stolen, then sell it back on the regular price!"

[Urson]

Jo
It would be far from the first time that has happened, I'm sure.

[Monsieur Rose]

Jacques

"For the love of..." Jacques exclaims in a most English expression. "This is ridiculous, even for a thief. How does the thief plan to sell such wine?"

He looks at the condition of the others, lingering a bit on Jo. "Shall we just go in?"

[Urson]

Jo
We may as well.

If/when they do, Jo will keep to the back.

[Zhym]

"A wine smuggling operation?" asks Mercutio, incredulous. "Well, okay...but isn't that a little, well, small-time, compared to the other plots we seem to have uncovered? Or am I just hopelessly lost?"

[AsenRG]

"If the thief has a winery, monsieur Jacques? Who can prove he didn't own it from his last shipment?", Remy asks.
"Probably the best we can do is to go in, steal the wine and return it."

[Urson]

Jo
Josephine chuckles wryly at Mercutio's question. Not everything can be a plot to assasinate God, sir.

[AsenRG]

Remy looks on amazed. But then he remembers - albeit in the last moment - to keep his voice low.
"What kind of thrice-damned scoundrel could plot to assassinate the Lord?"

[Urson]

Jo
Calm yourself, monseur. I was joking- poorly.

[Monsieur Rose]

Jacques

"Ok. Let's go in."

Jacques carefully opens the closet door into the cellar. He quickly looks around and moves to the side of the main entrance, hoping to avoid detection and place himself somewhere he can hear others.

[atpollard]

Since we have slipped into the wee hours of Day 5 ... I started a new Topic.