The Hourglass Association

Fallen London
101

A white raven flies into the warehouse bearing a letter from a Curious Captain.

"Delicious Friends, I must pursue this further, but I may have discovered something of import. Some of you may have heard of the port of Gaider’s Mourn, a pillar in a forest of pillars – the ships there are hoisted up out of the water to swing in harnesses for loading and unloading, and there are more ladders and lifts than streets in the port. If you have heard that it is a port of pirates and smugglers, then you have not heard wrongly either.

"In Gaider’s Mourn there is a Gleaming Marauder who has been docked for some time. My own ship, the ‘Brazen Hussy’, has hung alongside his several times now. He remains in Gaider’s Mourn as he is seeking a Taimen bride, and the Khanate does not give their noble daughters away. He is amassing a fortune in Drowning Pearls, a treasure the Taimen Clan values as much as the Leopard clan values darkdrop coffee.

"I do not know the details yet, but their is a plot afoot here in London. The bits and pieces I have uncovered point to Gaider’s Mourn, and how to dispose of a mass of Drowning Pearls and solace-fruit.

"Alas, I think this may not be related to our case. There are no indications of ties to the Brass Embassy at all. I must investigate further, and am doing so today, but I think signs indicate a connection to the Khan’s Shadow. So I suspect Khanate involvement.

"I wish I had better news, but what Is Is, and what Is Not well, it Is Not.

"-A

102

Gets out a pen and begins writing on a paper. "Thank you for informing us of this, I have recently myself discovered something interesting. Captain Stryx, as I have discovered by perusing the documentation, was in fact incredibly wealthy. He had placed down a large amount of echoes, several thousand, as being his personal property. What surprised me most, is that it stated that he had converted his fortune recently from several relics he had received, which was put down as a business expense. What surprises me most is that Hell, and most ships tend to hire people with very little fortune, in order to obtain their services through relatively generous salaries. Yet if I was suffered this salary, I would have tossed it away in disgust. The salary that they had offered the captain was horrendously low, yet one would think a man of his wealth would only take the highest profile jobs. I think that the relics that he had converted were some of those pearls, and I think he was working for this Marauder. Please attempt to question him, or even search his documents for signs of shipping any Drowning Pearls or equally expensive relics to Captain Stryx.
The Association Timekeeper and Founder
Joseph Hitch
He places the letter in a cylinder and hands it off to the rave, instructing it to deliver it to the captain.

103

“Founder, may we depart now on this field trip of yours?” Inquires the Game-Carver. “Forgive the impatience, but where will be headed? Not the Embassy itself, I assume. It is in utter disrepair now. Something about an explosion. You’ve probably heard.”

104

There’s a bat that flutters in through a window. The scent it carries could be described as something being dunked between a brewery and a moldy apple. But it carries with it a very small note in a rather rushed and rough scrawl. The bat doesn’t stay or even rest, it simply drops the note haphazardly in a chair before screeching and flying out.

‘Two Tails sang of a lot of things but not the case specifically. Going to need time to turn over his old clients.’
-AS

105

A longboat pulls away from a corvette anchored in the Stolen River. Men, and women, pull at oars, propelling it towards Wolfstack Docks. In the prow a figure stands, legs flexing as the boat heaves under them, the Curious Captain is in London again.

Returning to the Association the Captain will tell anyone present what they have found.

&quotThe Marauder was indeed dealing with Captain Wyrm. He was arranging a large-scale trade of solace-fruit for a chests full of pearls.&quot

The Captain sets out a small plate, and pulling out a small stone-fruit carves it into smaller pieces still. &quotIn amounts like one piece,&quot the Captain pops a slice into their mouth, they sigh in pleasure, &quotit is delightful, and refreshing, it even brings good dreams. Even a whole fruit, as the one here will merely knock you out for a day or so. But in larger quantities, say two fruits . . . it is the very nicest of ways to die.&quot

The Captain offers the plate around, &quotCare for a slice? No more than two please, I don’t care to have to deal with unconscious bodies today.&quot

&quotImagine what a shipload of such things could sell for here in London, what mischief one could get up to with it?&quot The Captain grins, it is fierce, predatory – plenty of teeth are showing. &quotImagine what I could do with such a shipment, I assure you . . . I have. Those with my resources, and lacking my morals . . … …&quot

The Captain sits back in their chair, and lets the statement hang in the air for a bit. They let it roll around in your heads, just long to consider the consequences. Then they finish up.

&quotOne more thing. Could we hear that recording again? I’ve been thinking the woman’s voice sounds familiar. Am I the only one who hears Virginia, the Deviless Archeologist?&quot

{edit: c/Stryx/Wyrm}
edited by absimiliard on 5/29/2016

106

“It’s been more then a few years since I’ve dealt with her.” Dirae Erinyes and Evensong relish a fruit together.
“But why would Hell presumably sink one of their own ships? A power struggle in the Embassy?”

107

The Inescapable Professor comes back from her quick visit to the Observatory, and hears Koldun calling people for field word again. She pats his back and says, simpathetically: &quotIt is like herding cats, is it not? Young people are so full of energy. But fear not, most people will come back eventually, then we can coordinate.&quot

She brandishes her map to everyone: &quotOh, and a quickie before we discuss anything: the Cartographer marked three places that could fit the evidence from the recording, so we can examine together. But that can wait for now.&quot

She hears Absimiliard’s statement and their suspicions that the voice belongs to Virginia. &quotI cannot really say. I have not heard it the first time. I would appreciate if the infernal humming was fasted-foward. My ears have become really sensitive since those runs with Black Wings Absynthe, and a few other things.&quot
edited by Professor Strix on 5/27/2016

108

[quote=absimiliard]A longboat pulls away from a corvette anchored in the Stolen River. Men, and women, pull at oars, propelling it towards Wolfstack Docks. In the prow a figure stands, legs flexing as the boat heaves under them, the Curious Captain is in London again.

Returning to the Association the Captain will tell anyone present what they have found.

&quotThe Marauder was indeed dealing with Captain Stryx. He was arranging a large-scale trade of solace-fruit for a chests full of pearls.&quot

The Captain sets out a small plate, and pulling out a small stone-fruit carves it into smaller pieces still. &quotIn amounts like one piece,&quot the Captain pops a slice into their mouth, they sigh in pleasure, &quotit is delightful, and refreshing, it even brings good dreams. Even a whole fruit, as the one here will merely knock you out for a day or so. But in larger quantities, say two fruits . . . it is the very nicest of ways to die.&quot

The Captain offers the plate around, &quotCare for a slice? No more than two please, I don’t care to have to deal with unconscious bodies today.&quot

&quotImagine what a shipload of such things could sell for here in London, what mischief one could get up to with it?&quot The Captain grins, it is fierce, predatory – plenty of teeth are showing. &quotImagine what I could do with such a shipment, I assure you . . . I have. Those with my resources, and lacking my morals . . … …&quot

The Captain sits back in their chair, and lets the statement hang in the air for a bit. They let it roll around in your heads, just long to consider the consequences. Then they finish up.

&quotOne more thing. Could we hear that recording again? I’ve been thinking the woman’s voice sounds familiar. Am I the only one who hears Virginia, the Deviless Archeologist?&quot[/quote]

The Game-Carver takes a piece of the unusual fruit, &quotfor a friend&quot they say. After the fruit is no more, they finally respond to the idea about Virginia &quotI do not remember her as a person interested in religious works, but the idea does have quite a devil-may-care glamour to it.&quot
edited by Vavakx Nonexus on 5/27/2016

109

“We should go to this location,” pulls out a large map of the docks and points to a warehouse circled with red, “This is one of the storage offices that Hell uses to receive and drop off goods belonging to the ships of their captains. If Stryx was being paid by the Marauder, someone would have dropped off the fruit and artifacts under another name. Perhaps he has some sort of messenger or mole in the Embassy that he uses to deliver the goods under another name, for Stryx to later pick up as being “cargo.” Their documents are stored in a large safe in the office section of the warehouse. We need to go recover that. Ever since the explosion I…, irate anarchists caused, they will be on higher security. Ladies and Gentlemen, we need to pull off a heist. We will need someone to go in, saying they are the captain of a ship that wants to pick up Stryx’s “cargo” by proxy. We will need someone with knowledge of the Marauder and the look of a seasoned sailor. Absmillard, I’m guessing you could fill this role? While he is going to withdraw the documentation, we will need to cause a distraction that would divert his route back to the main desk. Then we would withdraw the previous documents, and add in false ones, with an official look to them. While this is happening, we will also need to check the bribe that the Marauder provided Stryx in the warehouse, to see if there was something hidden among it that would make one even more inclined to kill or capture Stryx, like information on Hell or something just as incriminating to Hell or other parties. Vavakx, we will need you to make sure the other clerks are not inclined to look at what’s happening in the archives, so that the person going after the safe has time to recover the documents. Dirae, I trust that you can retrieve the documentation from the safes, and Evensong, perhaps you could try to provide a distraction to who ever is recovering the documents from the safe?”

110

Dirae Erinyes nods. “We can do so. You know what that means love. . .”
Evensong snorts “It will not involve scarlet stockings.”
“But I got them just for you. . .”
“No.” Evensong smiles back to the group. “Don’t worry, we will have a plan.”

111

“Alright then,” his coat on, Koldun heads to the doors, which he holds open for the other members of the association, the salty air pouring in, a cold breeze rustling his beard.

112

Your mysterious accomplice, the Game-Carver, brings out a small black whistle out of the depths of their gown, and produces a shockingly high sound with the device, to which a midnight-black raven descends from above, accepting a small letter &quotto the Queen&quot, and is sent off to deliver the message.

And then the complaining begins…
&quotForgive me, Founder, but why in Eaten’s Name would Wyrm keep his illegal bribe in an Embassy warehouse? You also seem to forget several other details. What is Absimiliard to do after we complete our tasks? Go along and steal the cargo, with the terrifying repercussions? Run off and get murdered multiple times by security?
You also don’t mention something of extreme import: What is in the false documentation? I doubt the Embassy would be even slightly interested in such a transaction, so the originals will not be of benefit!
Whilst I thought that the field work you proposed was the way forward, your ‘plan’ is suicide, based on false assumptions and poor management!&quot
edited by Vavakx Nonexus on 5/27/2016

113

&quotDefinitely under another name. I was under the impression that the Captain was called Wyrm, instead of being my namesake?&quot

[OoC: Sorry, I thought it was a typo before, so I didn’t correct it earlier.]

edited by Professor Strix on 5/27/2016

114

&quotI assure you, while we were discussing this, I read over the blueprints and work manual for Hell’s warehouses. I also read in one of the documents that were in that envelope, that the &quotrelics&quot were dropped off by a proxy party, his name unknown. I hope to find the documents, and in them, I hope to find whatever it was that was in the cargo, and then if it turns out that it is of import to us, send the others ahead to steal it. I hope for Absmillard to look through the documentation, looking for any specific, detail and say that she needs to check something in one of the documents, as an associate of Wyrm.&quot
OOC: Yes that was a typo, terribly sorry
edited by Koldun on 5/27/2016

115

[OOC: Gah, I fear this typo might be my fault, I wrote Stryx instead of Wyrm. Doubtless thinking of the Professor, my apologies.]

The Captain nods, “I believe I can accomplish what is needed. And, no worries my friend,” to Vavakx, “I am remarkably hard to kill, the Boatman has never yet met me, and I deem him unlikely to do so in my future.”

The Captain’s face lights up at the talk of scarlet stockings, which they immediately disclaim as they realize people might think they were considering them on Evensong, “Oh, no, not on you Evensong, I was thinking of them on me. Scarlett stockings match my favorite gown perfectly, and my desire to be the center of attention even more so.” To Dirae and Evensong, “My apologies for any confusion.”

116

“And the reason for him keeping his bribe there is because I saw that there was a large amount of solace fruit and drowning pearls registered to his ship, which of course gave me the idea that it was the marauder. Besides where better to hide a bribe than among thy enemy, correct? Also, when looking at the documentation, I noticed that the person who dropped off the relics was not a name that I recognized. It didn’t match any of the names that was connected to Wyrm or his mission. No one except several names seemed to be connected to the Embassy and knew of the ship’s mission, and the one that dropped of the relics was not one of them.”

117

&quotSo, we’re looking to learn the identity of the Proxy and, if viable, get our hands on the cargo? Do I understand you right?&quot

118

Destroying a cargo-hold of solace-fruit would be much better than letting it arrive in London for distribution – though quite a bit less profitable – if you don’t mind a troubled conscience of course.

119

"Yes that is correct Vavakx. Any objections to that?

120

&quotNo, it’s fine. Just had to understand what we’re actually looking for here. I assume you won’t mind a few of the clerks becoming madmen, receiving physical injuries and other damage? If so, I’ll be going on ahead and prepare some proper distractions.&quot
edited by Vavakx Nonexus on 5/27/2016