Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith (Grogg & Tankard) Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 3: Shift 1: Hour 7:48 [Hamlet of Gwynedd: 45N,25W]
[Round 1] “I don't...like...onions.”Josephine muttered confused as Linkletter and Jacques dragged her away from the door. Dr Linkletter and Dr Routledge immediately apply First Aid to slow the bleeding and examine the gunshot wound determine the best treatment.
For Dr Linkletter and Dr Routledge (game mechanics):
Linkletter Roll = 11+skill; Routledge Roll = 10+skill … rather than TWO off the chart “diagnostics”, I will just apply the first roll to “Diagnostics” and the second roll to “Treatment”
Remy instinctively drew his sword and charged the door in a single fluid motion. He paused at the door for an instant to scan the situation and charged on.
Remy sees (players can peek):
You saw the back of a man fleeing down the hallway towards the stairs. Remy stepped into the hall to give chase. As the fleeing shooter exited the hall and reached the stairs, a second man appeared at the end of the hall with a sawed-off double barrel shotgun to cover the escape of the shooter. The second man was dressed in dark, non-descript clothing with a mask on his face that covered everything except his eyes.
Remy dove for cover around the corner at the end of the hall (near the door to Suite #1) and buckshot splintered the wall where Remy had been standing. Remy sprinted down the now empty hall.
Last edited by atpollard on Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:59 pm, edited 4 times in total.
"welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness" - e.e. cummings
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith (Grogg & Tankard) Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 3: Shift 1: Hour 7:49 [Hamlet of Gwynedd: 45N,25W]
[Round 2] "Mind your own business? You're giving Frenchmen a bad name, Mon Amie." said Jacques as he headed towards the door after Remy. The sound of a shotgun blast and the thud of lead shot on wood echoed in the hall. Jacques saw Remy charging angrily down the empty hall and ran after him. Remy turned left at the end of the hall, but when Jacques turned the corner, he heard only silence. The door to Suite #2 was open.
Remy narrowly dodged the shotgun blast and looked around the corner just in time to catch a glimpse of the man with the shotgun fleeing to the left. As you approached the end of the hall, you saw the man that shot Jo leap the last three steps and disappear out the east door of the great room and into the darkness. The door to Suite #2 was open and a second “bang” of a door being thrown open came from the room. Remy stepped into the room and saw the door to the balcony was open. He ran to the balcony and looked about … from the balcony, one could easily climb onto the roof of the porch that surrounds the lower level. Scanning the roof and water beyond, you saw no sign of anyone. It did not seem like he was THAT far ahead of you.
Dr. Routledge had started basic First Aid on Jo even as she was being moved away from the door. Free of the need to concern himself with basic triage and first aid, Dr. Linkletter was able to devote all of his attention to diagnostics and treatment. It came to pass that by the time a normal doctor would have been just starting to decide on a treatment, Linkletter was already feeding instructions to Routledge about what needed to be done next … and Routledge had transitioned from first aid into surgical treatment to repair damage and speed healing.
Game mechanics:
Josephine has her damage reduced from 10 points to 5 points … a Light wound that will recover with no further treatment.
Josephine found herself sitting quietly with stitches in her shoulder, her left arm in sling and instructions from the doctor to do no unnecessary lifting with that arm for five days … “the stitches need to heal and the muscles need to rest and recover.”
"welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness" - e.e. cummings
Jo
Jo's head cleared as she was being treated. She tried not to flinch and jerk away as the doctors did their thing.
Thank you both- so very much. He said something about... 'guard your onions'. I wonder...
Jo racks her memory, trying to remember if she's heard 'onions' as a slang term before. The obvious reference to testicles is noted, and she looks for a 'second right answer'.
Sometimes I am not completely clear on my expectations, so ...
Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 3: Shift 1: Hour 7:50 [Hamlet of Gwynedd: 45N,25W]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez (Grogg & Tankard)
[Round 3] Remy stood on the empty balcony in the vacant room. Ahead of him was a vast roof that the shotgun wielding fugitive could have climbed out on. Yet there was no sign of him and he was not that far ahead of you. From behind, you heard Jacques enter the room from the main door to the suite. The balcony itself contained two wicker chairs and a table large enough to eat breakfast or play cards. There was also a small unlocked chest along one wall ... large enough to hide a toddler, but too small to hide a man.
Jacques entered the vacant suite and saw Remy through an open door, standing on the balcony. The room itself contained a large four-post bed with a heavy quilt, ruffles to the floor and multiple throw pillows at the headboard. Beside the bed was a seating area comprised of a stone topped table and two ornate wooden chairs with velvet upholstered seats and backs. On the wall opposite the bed was a large wardrobe and a small washstand with a white enameled bowl and pitcher. An oval mirror hung over the washstand.
So what do Remy and Jacques do in Round 3?
Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith (Grogg & Tankard)
Fist, the large bouncer charged through the open door with an axe handle at the ready What's the trouble? Is everyone alright? He lowered the club at the sight of the blood on the floor and Josephine's bandaged arm.
So what do y'all say?
"welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness" - e.e. cummings
Seeing Remy stopped on the balcony looking around, Jacques stops as well. He puts his finger to his mouth, trying to indicate silence, and points at the bed and wardrobe. He tries to move quietly to the stone-topped table, once there he will quickly tip it on its side to create some cover from a possible shotgun blast. Trying to shield at an angle from under the bed and from the wardrobe.
Doc Linkletter will give the bouncer a quick update on what happened from his perspective and ask if he noticed anyone unusual entering the Grogg & Tankard (unlikely but doesn't hurt to ask). If Doc Linkletter is aware there were two intruders based on noise from the hall, he will report that.
Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 3: Shift 1: Hour 7:51 [Hamlet of Gwynedd: 45N,25W]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez (Grogg & Tankard)
[Round 4] Jacques carefully tipped over the table and took position behind the stone tabletop overlooking the Bed and Wardrobe. He motioned and Remy quietly re-entered the room. Remy glanced at the bed and wardrobe, hesitated only a moment and quietly approached the wardrobe.
Remy tore open the door and sliced into the wardrobe.
Hit = 10+5, damage = 11
The man hiding in the wardrobe screamed as his sawed-off shotgun landed in the center of the floor with his hand still gripping it.
Remy stepped back as the man fell forward onto his hand and knees on the floor. Jacques stepped forward to get a closer look, always keeping his weapon trained on the prisoner and ready for action.
Remy ripped the black knit mask off his head. The man was screaming and bleeding.
“I did nothing. I am innocent.” he protested through his sobs.
Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith (Grogg & Tankard)
“I will tell Gottard.” said Fist as he rushed out of the room and down the stairs.
A moment later, the three of you (and everyone else in the Grogg and tankard) heard screaming and sobbing coming from a room just down the hall.
"welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness" - e.e. cummings
Jo
Jo jumps when the scream rings out, and adds a grunt of pain of her own. I should stay here, I suppose. Do you suppose the man with the shotgun has been caught? Or is that another unlucky victim?
Hearing the screams, Doc Routledge turns to Doc Linkletter. "It sounds like we may have another patient," he says. "Stay here with Jo. I'll go find out who our new customer is."
Routledge hurries out of the room toward the sound, prepared to render aid to whoever needs it.
He simply scoffs at the man's protests. "Bien. Innocent. Qui êtes Vous?" He asks in French. He then calls out in English. "Doc!? We've got him! Suite two!"
Does the room look like it's been lived in overnight? Or is it fresh and ready for an occupant?
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith (Grogg & Tankard) Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 3: Shift 1: Hour 7:52 [Hamlet of Gwynedd: 45N,25W]
[Round 5]
The room was in perfect condition, ready for a guest except for the mess created in the scuffle and the blood on the floor … but the bed was still perfect.
The injured man protested his innocence. “Bien. Innocent. Qui êtes Vous?” replied Jacques.
“Gauthier” the man replied to the question of his identity. “j'ai besoin d'un docteur.” he begged for a doctor.
Josephine had sent Doc Routledge out to investigate while Doc Linkletter remained behind to care for Jo.
“Sounds like Mercutio has ventured out of the room.” said Remy from near the doorway where he heard footsteps and the sound of that mechanical arm.
"Doc!? We've got him! Suite two!" shouted Jacques.
******
Doctor Routledge entered the room and quickly determined that the victim was about to lose consciousness. Instantly he applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and instinctively assessed the wound with the eye of a surgeon. It was a very clean cut with an above average chance that it could be surgically reattached … but the decision needed to be made quickly and the surgery would take hours to complete and days to know if it had been successful. On the other hand, the stump could be quickly cauterized and the patient would certainly live and more quickly recover.
The French patient slipped into unconsciousness. It typically fell to friends and family to make such a decision, but morally, who was qualified to make the decision for this man.
“j'ai besoin d'un docteur” = “I need a doctor.”
A pipe in his pocket has the initials “GL” carved in it.
Last edited by atpollard on Wed Aug 05, 2020 12:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness" - e.e. cummings
Doc Routledge quickly assesses the situation and, almost as quickly, reaches a decision. "Help me lay this man out," he orders no one in particular. He always forgets his station—or deliberately ignores it—when he's about to perform surgery. "And get Doc Linkletter. It will take some time, but I think we can save this man's arm. And he's going nowhere for a while anyway...oui?"
"You think you can save his hand? Intéressant." He seems to consider this, looks over at Remy, then shrugs and gives his blessing. "Very well. I know better than to argue with a doctor who spies a challenge." He says with a smile.
"Remy. Could you stay with them while I go fetch Doc Deux? I'm not convinced that things are as they seem. I'd also like to have a chat with our host. I want to know if this man was staying here."
Jacques goes back to their room to update Jo and Doc. Then he goes to find Fist and Gottard.
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith (Grogg & Tankard) Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 3: Shift 1: Hour 7:55 [Hamlet of Gwynedd: 45N,25W]
Doc Routledge began preparations on the patient under the watchful eye of Remy.
Jacques stepped out of the room to fetch Doc Linkletter and led him back to the room. Doc Linkletter immediately recognized the patient.
1062 (Autumn): Day 38: Shift 2
Doc has heard very little about the crime wave from inside the Grogg and Tankard. Just the general talk that there seems to be more burglaries and muggings going on lately. What you notice after a few days at the 'Tankard' is that the German owner runs a fairly tight establishment that caters mostly to the lower end of the social spectrum. It is rowdy and loud, but security and the owner quickly deal with anyone that starts to get too out of control. There is a large room at the Tankard where those with no money and those too drunk to find their way home can sleep for free. There are single rooms on one side of the great central hall (upstairs) where several young ladies seem to be practicing the world’s oldest profession. There are also single occupancy rooms, double occupancy rooms, suites and a great suite available for rent (without companionship). There are two guests, Frenchmen, staying in one of the rooms that seem off. They have done and said nothing wrong, but some unknown "streetwise" sense just doesn't quite feel right about those two.
“I know him” said Linkletter. “He and another chap share the room next door.” (“Dbl#1” on the map, which should be “Dbl#2” … the room next to Suite #2.)
From the door to Suite #2, Jacques heard Fist and Gottard speaking at the bottom of the stairs. They appear about to head up the stairs. Jacques has a moment to talk with the group about anything he wants before the Doctors begin surgery (and cannot be disturbed) and Gottard arrives (and you can speak with him).
Last edited by atpollard on Wed Aug 05, 2020 12:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness" - e.e. cummings
Doc Linkletter will also share his gut feel about the Frenchman. He's not opposed to saving the man's hand and actually the longer recuperation will keep him out of trouble. He wonder's if the other fellow is the other Frenchman or if the Frenchman was trying to interrupt what was going on, while still not necessarily having our best interests in mind.
Doc Routledge readies for surgery. There’s something focusing about a grievous injury, he ruminates: all other concerns fade away, replaced by the basic fact of an injured person. Heal the sick and the injured, whoever they are—all else is secondary.
He sticks his head into the operating room "Gottard is coming up. Let me have him see the situation, then I'll keep him out of your way. Remy, perhaps a search of their room could provide some information?"
He moves to intercept Gottard and Fist at the top of the stairs. "Ah. Gentlemen. It appears we have a problem. Come with me." He moves to the door of suite 2, but before he opens it: "Before we go in, I must insist that we leave the good doctors to their business. Just a short visit to confirm the tale, oui? And then we may discuss out here."
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith (Grogg & Tankard) Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 3: Shift 2: Hour 1:00 [Hamlet of Gwynedd: 45N,25W]
Eight sharp bells rang out clearly, marking the end of Shift 1 and the start of Shift 2. On any normal day, the group would be focused on breakfast right about now. Instead of normal, Josephine was resting after her attempted assassination, the two Doctors were operating to save one of the would-be assassins, and Jacques and Remy were explaining the situation to a very angry hotel owner.
Gottard Hess had briefly seen the 'handless' man on the floor and the doctors preparing to perform field surgery on him, and followed Jacques into the hall to talk. Fist was left at the top of the stairs to ensure that there was no further disturbance up here as Gottard insisted on checking on Josephine. It was in the room that Gottard, Jacques, Remy and Josephine discussed what you knew and what you suspected about the French guests staying in the Double room next to Suite #2.
Gottard was as eager as you to get to the bottom of this and used his master key to open the door to their room. Jacques and Remy were invited to join him in searching the room.
The room contained two beds and two chests, a table and two chairs and a small washstand with a wash bowl, pitcher of water and a mirror on the wall. There were shaving supplies on the washstand. The beds were both unmade. A canvas sack in one of the chests was full of dirty clothes that smelled strongly of kerosene and smoke and were soaking wet. Remy examined the clothes closely and found traces of mud from the underground cavern. There was an empty Kerosene can in the chest. The second chest contained a full box of ten 12ga Shotgun shells, plus a second box with only one shell left. Under some clean clothes was a wooden box containing several letters in French, a folded note in English and British and French coins:
3 British Copper Cents [1/100 credit, 5 grams]
1 British Bronze Five-cent [1/20 credit, 12.5 grams]
5 French Bronze Deci-credit [1/10 credit, 25 grams]
1 French Silver Quarter-credit [1/4 credit, 3.6 grams]
4 British Silver Half-credit [1/2 credit, 7.1 grams]
3 French Silver Credit [1 credit, 14 grams]
1 French Gold Fifty-credit [50 credit, 7.1 grams]
4 British Gold Hundred-credit [100 credit, 14 grams]
5 French Gold Two Hundred-credit [200 credit, 29 grams]
Jacques was fluent at speaking English, but only conversant at reading and writing English (the grammar of formal writing in English was confusing compared to French), however the note in English appeared simple enough … “Payment for services rendered.”
Under one of the beds was a full sized double barrel shotgun ... service grade with a leather sling and a steel butt-plate ... there was blood on the butt of the shotgun.
A quick scan of the letters in French made Jacques suspicious. There was probably a code of some sort hidden within the banality of the words, but it would take some time studying the letters to figure out the code.
“Keep them if they will help you get to the bottom of this.” said Gottard. “Should we tell heir Lord what we have found or wait to question der prisoner ourselves?”
[BREAK FOR PLAYER INPUT ... THEN HOUR 1:00 TO 2:00]
****
The Doctors started working on reattaching the hand. The first step was to reestablish blood flow as quickly as possible to stop any further necrosis of the tissue in the severed limb. Dr. Routledge took the lead, but there were so many parts that needed to be sorted out quickly that Dr Linkletter’s superior INT gave him an advantage at quickly matching vessels on the wrist to their counterparts on the hand. So Dr. Linkletter took over the first part of the surgery and made the mechanical attachments that reconnected bone to bone and artery to artery and vein to vein. By the time the Doctors heard the clock chime One Bell, the patient had a hand. It was a useless and badly mutilated hand, but at least it was not a dead hand.
Routledge and Linkletter stretched briefly as they traded places. The surgery to transform the useless hand into a functioning hand would be better accomplished by Dr. Routledge’s superior EDU. The surgery would continue.
[BREAK FOR PLAYER INPUT ... THEN HOUR 1:00 TO 2:00]
"welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness" - e.e. cummings
The kerosene and tunnel mud painted a damming picture for the two Frenchmen. "Let us wait un instant before we involve another. Someone paid these gentlemen a decent sum to do a task. Judging from the clothes and kerosene, it appears we've found our arsonists. We need to find the person giving the orders."
Jacques will close up and keep the box with the letters and coin, "For safekeeping. This may need to be used as evidence." He discusses things with Remy before going to check on and get Jo updated.
