Bloodstone

[Lady Talia]

Talia

Talia walked slowly in and sat next to a rather boisterous man who declared that he should be called belly.

Sparing him a small smile, Talia asked the serving maid for some soup please and some bread.

She feverently hoped they would begin to smoke. It never really agreed with her.

 

[Shaq]

Det. Lovejoy

As he wanders through the mansion Lovejoy begins to hear more and more voices centralizing from one room. Walking toward the direction Lovejoy sees a brightly lit room.

"Well then!" Lovejoy says loudly when he smells the food more clearly than ever. Without asking to be seated Lovejoy scurries around the dining table to take a seat.

Noticing a woman he finds attractive sit next to a man who he hears call himself Belly Lovejoy smiles as he joins them at the table. Oblivious to his sea stained smell and haggard look due to his shipwreck ordeal Lovejoy made no attempt to apologize for his look or his manner.

"Never has a meal been so seductive!" he shouts with wide eyes. "If I could trouble you miss, I'll have what this one...this...this Mr. Belly is having!" he says to the maid while pointing at Mr. Belly.

Lowering his voice a little he says "And fill this if you will" while quickly handing her his flask. "And deliver me a tall glass of dry scotch." he continues. Turning back to the group Lovejoy finally decides to intorduce himself.

"Good evening fellow patrons, my name is Det. Cornelius Lovejoy. It would seem that I am to be a guest at this fine inn as long as this storm shall last." he says while glancing from eye to eye of Belly and Talia. Even though she has only just left with a shaking hand that may be due to the cold or something else Lovejoy impatiently says "By God where is that woman with my drink and meal!" while glaring at the area leading to the kitchen that the woman departed through.

 

[Lady Talia]

Talia

Talia fairly stared at the man till her eyes where popping. he looked like he had just walked out of the storm, and given the conditions he just had. He was loud and quite rude too.

But she still found herself smiling slightly as she carefully tipped the bowl away from her and spooned up the last of the delicious soup.

This could not however she thought hold a candle to Marcia's her cook at home own creation.

Smiling again she bt into the bread thoughtfully.

 

[chewbacca71]

Liam

Liam looked over at the man, "Belly, is it? I like that, a man with little pretension. My name is Liam, no nickname unless you count the cruel things that school children used to call me. Thank you no for the tobacco, I have tried it before and not found it to my liking. However, the idea of Cognac sounds magnificent. " He gestures to the maid to bring him some.

" I am intrigued by this collection of odd persons here at this manor. The Detective seems like a straighforward kind of fellow, and we also have two beautiful women here with us also. So what brings you here to this manor on such a rainy and windy disaster of a day? "

 

[bobo_daclown]

Netsa Kcram:

Running the last few meters to the door, I pound on them. The rain on my face hides the tears in my eyes as the man opens the door.

"My lord, I beg of you to let me in." No peasant would address a finely dressed stranger as anything less. After all, a mistake with nobility could cost a man his life. "This storm has blown down my house and my wife and I fled looking for shelter. She left an hour before me and I only left the house when I heard the wood splintering.

"As I crossed the bridge to your fine estate, I think I heard it splintering as well. Only God's good grace saw me here. Would you please accept a poor man into your home? I can offer you nothing but the kindness in my heart and any work I can do."

 

[The GrandMage]

Prof. Plum

Standing up, the old man got his cane, and walked slowly around to the seat where the good detective was sitting, and, raising his cane, promptly smacked him in the back of the head with it. "Sir, you're a guest in my house, and I'll expect you to show more respect for the overworked staff spread so thin over the mountains of work to be done, or you can enjoy the rest of your night outside, without my food in your belly or my drink in your flask!"

Fuming, he fixed the man with a look that could not only sour fresh milk, but kill the cow it came from. The butler whisked in before an arguement could start, and the old professor grumbled as he left the room to deal with the newest load of unfortunates caught in the storm.

"What? Oh, of course. What type of man would I be to turn away a poor (healthy and ready to work) man? But you'll have to work to earn your keep, and work hard, at that. The butler will show you some of the servant's rooms you can stay in, then report to the kitchens, I'm sure they can use another set of hands to lift and carry, or slice and dice, or whatever the hell it is they do back there!"

 

[Khadgar]

Alexander Grey

Alexander smiled as he ate the food. it was delicious. the people also seemed two be of either extreems, happy and loud, or quiet and detatched. himself, he just watched the people, he could talk to them later when they weren't so busy. he finished and sipped idly at a drink. smiling at the people who lookd at him and so on.

 

[PmTick]

While the residents of the estate and the guests ate the finest food prepared in the luxorius dining room, Arnold ate stale bread and left overs from last week in his room. You'd think since his wife was the cook she would be able to pocket some freshly baked bread or a morsel of chicken fresh from the oven. Where was his wife anyway?

 

[Zircon]

Belly

‘I apologize for the rudeness,’ as I laughed out as the loud when the sound of Prof. Plum’s rattan cane connecting with the Detective’s head reached the end of the table.

I looked around at the other guests for some indication that the others had seen the apparition also. But none so far had any inclination to such thoughts. The Lady that have not spoken intrigued me a little bit. She was a bit melancholy, notwithstanding the cause from the terrible storm raging outside. The perfect little lips bit daintily into the bread as she supped. Her thoughts formed a cocoon around her. Her pale face and withdrawn eyes hinted at some great tragedy in her life. Perhaps a Ghost roaming on these fair grounds was not what the physician ordered. I tried looking into her eyes to entice some life back into her but currently to no avail. I had averted my eyes finally when the Lady seemed uncomfortable of being stared at. At some point my rudeness will get me into trouble again.

I was blowing smoke rings as I mulled over Mr. Liam’s question. Mr. Liam had confirmed my first assessment of him. He was a jolly personage.

I grinned as I replied, ‘I don’t quite rightly know, Mr. Liam. I’ve heard of this place from a steamer captain whom I’d booked a passage with. I guess that my life up to this point have been uneventful, unless you count the occasional brawls and such. No, Mr. Liam I don’t quite rightly know why I’m here. And how about your fine self?’

 

[Shaq]

As Lovejoy keeps peering toward the exit he saw the maid use he thinks he hears the sound of someone's voice behind him. Suddenly he feels a swift wrap on the back of his head. "Ow! What the bloody hell!?" Lovejoy exclaims while turning around to see an old man before him admonishing his treatment of the staff. "Overworked my heel..." Lovejoy begins but is cut off by the butler who alerts Prof. Plum of more arrivals.

Watching the Prof. Plum as he walks away Lovejoy lets out a surprisingly immasculine shreik as the maid returns handing him his flask and a glass of whiskey. Without even waiting for the soup being served as an appetizer Lovejoy hungrily begins to drink the booze. After a few seconds his face reddens and he feels the warm liquid coarsing through his throat and into his body.

"AAAAAHHH!" he says with renewed vigor. "A drink that would not have tasted better if taken from the Queen's cup" Lovejoy proclaims while fondly looking at the almost empty glass. Gathering his senses Lovejoy listened to the conversation between Belly and Mr. Liam.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Netsa Kcram:

"Thank you kind sir. Has my wife arrived here already? I do so worry about her. Oh, and is there anyplace that I may dry myself off, perhaps?" Hopefully, my poor manners will not lead to a beheading. Instead, I only want some dry clothes and to see my wife in safety.

 

[Firesprite]

Out in the rain and strong wind the glow returned to the fallen tree, appeared to bend down near the exposed roots, straighten, then slowly drift back to the forest, apparently unruffled by the gusts.

 

[chewbacca71]

Liam

After seeing the detective get rapped in the head by the Professor, Liam has a new found respect for the little man. He may be small in stature, but when he gets riled up- he can dish it out. Maybe he needs more prunes in his breakfast. Liam returns his attention to Belly sitting next to him.

"Well, Mr Belly, this is supposed to be a Holiday for me. My friend Sabastian Bach and I are students at the university in London. We are both studying the new idea of doctoring. No, not Witch doctoring, I dont have a collection of shrunkin heads........Anymore" , Liam belts out with a large belly laugh, getting a dirty lock from the professor. "Things at the University were getting hectic and Sebastian talked about coming up here for a fortnight to relax. Unfortunetaly, he has a death in the family and was not able to make it. But I am here, and plan to have the best time possible. " Liam notices the Detective is staring at them. "How about you detective, what brings you to this den of inequity, or it least it will be soon...I only hope. " Liam laughs loudly again, his cheerfulness effecting those around him.

 

[The GrandMage]

Prof. Plum

"Like I said, they'll show you to a servant's room, you can dry there, sleep there, it will be your quarters while you stay. I'm sorry to say your wife hasn't arrived yet,...to my knowledge. But she may have gone to the town instead of making her way to this out of the place island. If the bridge is down, and it most likely is with this weather, you won't be able to get back for three days, when the ferry comes back out here. No need to worry, I'm sure she'd fine at the town."

He gave a reassuring smile, and patted the man's back, slowly pushing him off towards the kitchen to stop his dawdling. "Okay then, off with you. See if they can find you some dry clothes, and get some rest. And don't call me sir, my name is Prof. Plum. I'm just a man, and these aren't the middle ages, no reason to act all timid and such. Bye now."

He gave a wave, and moved back into the dining room, where he flashed his guests a nice smile, and went back to his seat, just a little old man with a cane. He grinned to himself at the feeble little play he put on for them. He was not so weak or old as they may think.

 

[Shaq]

Detective Lovejoy

Lovejoy takes the last sip of his glass of whiskey and not so subtely taps his now empty glass on the table so that the maid will bring out more. Maybe it's the drink he thinks to himself, Lovejoy is enjoying but Liam and Belly's company. He finds them a vast improvement over both the virulent sea and the crew of men who were lost to that sea.

"Ahhh, I'm bound for the Americas my friend." Lovejoy says to Liam. "There was some...unpleasantness in England that I would much rather leave behind."

Noticing that Belly appears to be fixated upon something outside the window Lovejoy turns around. Unable to see anything he turns back around puzzled.

"Belly, my good man just what is it that has captured your attention?"

 

[bobo_daclown]

Netsa Kcram:

Though slightly aggrivated by the professor's push, I go to the kitchen, screaming silently. Stupid man! "Umm, do any of you know where I can get dry and get some dry clothes? The professor told me to come to this kitchen to get my clothes. Perhaps someone can show me to my room as well."

I do so hope that the servants here are better than the aristocrats.

 

[Khadgar]

Alexander Grey

Alexander put down his glass and walked over to the man at the window. there seemed to be something out there that had caught his attantion. something big, for he was looking at it very closely. "hello, i'm Alexander, you can call me Alex though. what out there?"

 

[Zircon]

Belly

‘Belly, my good man just what is it that has captured your attention?

Lowering my voice, I replied the Detective, ‘Look out the window, near the uprooted oak tree, and tell me what you see. I saw an apparition. A Ghost if you must. At first I thought it was the amount of wine that I’ve consumed. But my travelling companion, Mlle. Lépine has dissuaded me otherwise. She has seen what I’ve seen. I’ve been quiet of this because I thought it was unimportant.’

Pausing for a sip of the excellent cognac, I mulled further on what I have seen. The look in the eyes of Mr. Liam, Detective Lovejoy, and Mr. Alexander, spoke of interest. The Lady who had been silent knew of this as well I’m sure. Winking in her direction, I will try to put her disquiet mind to rest. Especially when one has to have a companion to act as witness in an insanity trial.

Speaking to the group, who has now gathered.

‘I’ve initially tried to put it out of my mind. But I cannot. There is something, and it’s not from the wine, which leads me to believe that the Ghost or Apparition is trying to tell me, us, everyone, of something. It’s a feeling I have that he, she, it, wants someone to go to the fallen tree, as it seems to me that he, she, it, is going back to whence it came out from.’

I paused a second time to let the absurdity I had just pronounced sink in.

‘Well, Ladies and Gentleman. I do suggest that we adjourn to that tree now that the gale has passed. The stars are a bit bright tonight. With some oil lamps we can enough light to put my mind at ease. Well, not some but a lot of torches and lamps. Because I do not hunt for Ghosts at night. Mlle. Lépine I know that you’re eager. So, what say you, Ladies and Gentlemen?’

 

[Shaq]

Detective Lovejoy

Taking a sip out of his newly refilled glass of whiskey Lovejoy looks out the window as Belly had directed. Outside he sees nothing but darkness. Listening to Belly as he tells the group that he sees an apparition Lovejoy begins to wonder if Belly has had a bit too much to drink.

But he cannot help but laugh under his breath as Belly suggests that they go outside to hunt for a ghost. "HAHA, Belly my good man I wonder if the others will stand for your ribbing" Lovejoy thinks smiliing. Believing Belly to be setting up some sort of joke Lovejoy decides to help out.

"Well, I for one looked out the window and saw nothing." Lovejoy annouces. "But for a moment I do believe that I saw some form of spook outside earlier. I agree, we need to investigate and learn what it is this being wishes us to know."

Smiling to himself Lovejoy wonders what type of prank Belly is about to play.

 

[chewbacca71]

Liam

Liam listens to the detective with half an ear, as he can see that Belly is becoming more and more distracted. "Eh the Americas you say. I been hearing about them, places of strange plants and animals and even stranger women. " He winks at the detective.

Liam watches as Belly approaches the window, and hears another mansion guest introduce himself as Alexander. He looks somewhat familiar, but Liam is not sure from where. Then Liam hears Belly talk about seeing a ghost outside. A ghost eh? Maybe Mr Belly here has had one too many cognacs. But then again, in Eire , we have much stories of ghosts and such. This may be worth checking out.

" I will go with you Belly. I need the exercise anyway and a walk in the rain is just what the doctor ordered." Laughing another big bellied laugh, Ian goes and stands next to Belly.

 

[Lady_J]

Mrs. MacMurphy

A scrawny dirty fellow came through the servant's entrance behind Grant, the butler.

"The Professor wants you to feed this man, he is to be one of the hired hands."

"Thank ye Grant." Then turning to the drowned rat of a man, "Well don't just stand there, if ye want to eat, ye'll have ter earn it. Put some more coals in the stove, then Mary will dish you up a cup'a stew. We work hard here, but the Professor takes care of his own."

Turning back to the delicate lady's fingers she was covering in a light chocolate cream she finished the last one and added a few sprinkles of powdered sugar. "There now, I'm done with these, Mary take them out to the guests. I'm going home to the Mister, if any of ye need anything, git it yerselves!"

She untied her voluminous apron and hung it on the hook by the door. Then wrapping her tent-like shawl around her shoulders and head she dashed with surprising speed, for one her size, towards the MacMurphy cottage.

Reaching the worn oak door, she pushed it open to find Arnold leaning back in a chair with his feet proped on the table, whittling at a rough piece of wood.

"Arnold, you worthless git of man, I just scrubbed these floors! Look at all this mud, and git yer feet of my table. You wonder why we can't have nice things?!" Mumbling under her breath she continued her tirade as she set the room to rights, "damn fool of a man, lazy to boot, I work all day and then have to come home and clean up his mess, all I wanted was to see the world, had to run off and marry this lout...."

 

[Khadgar]

Alexander Grey

Alexander caught the last of the pale shape as it dissapeared. while Belly spoke, Alexander furrowed his brow. this Belly fellow hadn't been having too much to drink.... unless he himself had downed a few too many. "what the deuce is it? i'm all for finding out! i'll head off with you Belly." Alexander walked to the door, to stand there and wait for the rest to come. he quietly put on his coat as he waited for the others to say wether they'd come or not.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Netsa Kcram:

"Thank you Mrs. MacMurphy." I hang my coat on a hook near the door and start shoveling some coal from a nearby bin. Soon, enough of the fuel is on the fire and I sit down to a fresh bowl of stew. Looking around, I notice that the lady's fingers are still waiting for a final garnishing. Reaching out, I take one of the treats when nobody sees me and shove it into my mouth. "Lovely stew," I announce loudly.

 

[chewbacca71]

Liam

Liam hears Alexander also say that he is willing to go outside. He sees the man put on his coat. Liam is willing to humor Belly to see what he has in mind. If there was really a ghost or ghosts here, then why was there host strangely silent. Maybe I am reading into this too much. Liam goes back to his seat, takes a restorative swig of his cognac, and grabs his coat. He is ready to leave when they are.

 

[Lady Talia]

Talia

Talia wondered at the events around her and the lively, drunk and seemingly uncouth people. Then there was the Professor, he exuded an aura of fraility that didn't match the wallop he gave the soaked gent before.

And this Belly ? What of his sudden knowledge of the ghost and eagerness to chase after it?

Talia knew that she was not a very sociable person, she prefered if it was possible to be alone. But with a house full of people it would seem as if it would be impossible. And how dare that rude Mr. Belly wink at her, of all the things...that audacious callout!

Even so, Talia still smiled little at his antics, if all the world were like him, they would be always happiness.

She sees the men make ready to go outside and wonders if she should follow, after all she thought I need not be invited. Rising slowly and carefully, holding a pretty little handkerchief to her nose to avoid any more smoke. she collected her heavy fur coat and wrapped it around her already shaking frame. Was it just the cold or fear of what they would find?