Mystery Manor - Chapter Two

[Shadows]

I think I'll take a look at the grandfather clock, observing the time it says and whether or not it's running presently. Should also be able to open it up and see what makes it tick, haha.

Oh, just shut up and open the clock already.

[Sir Dillon]

I'd like to examine the pistol more closely.

[Scouty]

Hm, I think I'll check the south-western cabinet. I don't think it has been checked out yet.

Maybe we should eat some of this food .

[WhiteFang]

What exactly are you looking for, if I might ask?

I will like to examine the dragon design on the shield, cape and breastplate closely.

[Dragonator]

Peter walks over to the grandfather clock. The clock has a tall central cabinet with a glass door inside which you can see the pendulum and weights. The clock face itself is depicted with carved ivory and gilded wood; it must be quite old. The clock has a small hole in the face where a key can be inserted to wind it up. It seems to have wound down, and has stopped at eight minutes to four. Opening the glass cabinet does not reveal anything you couldn't see before.

Michael looks at the pistol. The barrel and working parts are made of iron, while the handle is made of wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl in the shape of a dragon.

John walks over to the cabinet in the south-western corner. It is a tall cabinet with a glass front. Inside you can see three shelves, holding an assortment of wine drinking glasses (a full set of white, red, champagne, as well as water glasses, whiskey glasses etc.), some silver serving platers and a pair of metal candlesticks. The bottom shelf contains an assortment of bottles; mostly red wine, but some white and other things such as rum, whiskey etc.

Dr. Phil decides he wants to examine the dragon designs on the armour. The three designs are all the same, and show a rearing dragon breathing fire. It is a familiar design seen on many old buildings around the city of Dratos, mainly public buildings like libraries and old military barracks. It is the official crest of the old royal family.

[Scouty]

Hmm, yes, very nice. Let me see if the liquids inside these glass bottles are what their label marks them as.

And, yes, I will do it, I will see if the key fits in the grandfather clock key hole.

[Shadows]

Hmm, yes, very nice. Let me see if the liquids inside these glass bottles are what their label marks them as.

And, yes, I will do it, I will see if the key fits in the grandfather clock key hole.

That's a good chap. I think I'll help you test out those liquids and then inspect the small table and lamp, looking inside the shade, under the lamp, under the table, in any drawer there might be and so on until I'm thoroughly drunk certain it's been carefully checked.

[Scouty]

That's a good chap. I think I'll help you test out those liquids

You mean drink them? Heavens no, they might be poison!

[Erdbeereis]

Perhaps we will find a computer behind the portraits...

I would like to examine the portraits and look behind them. Is anyone else feeling famished? I will also eat some of that scrumptious looking tukey!

[Sir Dillon]

Hmm... this is a very interesting firearm. I wonder why it was hidden behind that portrait. I'll check if it's loaded, and perhaps I'll be able to tell if it has been fired since the last time it was cleaned.

After that, I think I'll search the underside and top of the table for clues.

[Corvus]

*Looks at the suit of armor*

WOW! This place is amazing! Everything here is in such good shape! No decay, no dulling, and so beautiful!

!4th century- suit of armor from the Royal Elite guards, who protected the King and his Councillors at all times.

Amazing!

[Dragonator]

(Note that I just updated the previous description to the following:

John walks over to the cabinet in the south-western corner. It is a tall cabinet with a glass front. Inside you can see three shelves, holding an assortment of wine drinking glasses (a full set of white, red, champagne, as well as water glasses, whiskey glasses etc.), some silver serving platers and a pair of metal candlesticks. The bottom shelf contains an assortment of bottles; mostly red wine, but some white and other things such as rum, whiskey etc.[/i])

John first walks over to the clock and tries his key in it. Nope, doesn't fit there either. The keyhole looks to be more for a small wind-up key rather than a lock key.

John then returns to the cabinet on the other side of the room along with Peter. They proceed to pull out the various bottles on the bottom shelf. All seem to be full and corked still, although there is a bottle of brandy, and a bottle of gin that are about half full. In all there are six red wine bottles, two white wines, a bottle of champagne, a bottle of whiskey, a bottle of gin and two bottles of rum. They all appear to contain what they say they do. Peter is very keen to taste them, but John suggests that perhaps it isn't such a good idea.

Peter, desperate for a drink, instead walks over to the small table by the clock. There is no draw on it, it is more a small polished side table for putting drinks on, although the table is quite deep. Investigations of the lamp and under the table do not reveal anything. You do note however that the table is inlaid with a lovely spiralling mosaic centred on the image of a dragon inside a circle...

The Chef, disappointed he hadn't found the niche, decides to take a look at the two portraits on the south wall. The left painting depicts a roaring dragon scaring a group of soldiers, whilst the right one is a portrait of a handsome man dressed in black robes and with a black dragon helmet on his head. The inscription under it reads "Lord Dragonator, founder of Dragon's Retreat". Both portraits are the same size, approximately 3 metres high and two wide. They both are held inside large, chunky, ornate frames, with a pattern of vines and roses twinning around each edge and a small spiralling motif in each corner.

Taking a bite out of the turkey leg he is holding, the Chef walks over to the left hand painting and tries to look behind it. It is unfortunately firmly attached to the wall. The portrait on the right however easily swings forward on oiled hinges to reveal a large hatch in the wall. Beside the hatch is a small panel with two buttons labelled "Call" and "Kitchen".

Michael opens the pistol and finds that it contains all six bullets. It does not appear to have been fired recently. He then walks over to the table and looks underneath. There is a small draw beside the large chair at the west end. Sliding it out reveals a modern control panel with buttons for controlling the lights, the TV and some sort of sound system which must be hidden in the ceiling. The top of the table is set for two people, one at each end, and contains a pile of food, all untouched except for a single chicken leg at the west end of the table. There is nothing else on it of interest.

[Shadows]

You mean drink them? Heavens no, they might be poison!

We could offer some to Max first. You know how those actors are, and if he doesn't die in a little while, we'll know it's safe.

I'm going to run around the room like a mad man now and push any dragon logo, pattern, or crest I see. ALL OF THEM!

Then I suggest we get out of here before the chef eats all this rotting food...

[Dragonator]

I'm going to run around the room like a mad man now and push any dragon logo, pattern, or crest I see. ALL OF THEM!

Now now, calm down my good sir, you are becoming paranoid. You're sure you don't need to see a doctor or something? Anyway, if you want to go start pushing some dragons, please specify which ones and do so calmly. This house can cause enough hysteria as it is...

It seems that the owner of this house is obsessed with dragons. They seem to be everywhere, don't they?

[Hinckley]

I will search under the dining room table, examine the left portrait for switches or perhaps if it's a hidden door to a dumb waiter. I shall then try the whiskey.

[Dragonator]

Max looks under the table. You see nothing that Michael hadn't already spotted.

What exactly would you like to examine on the portrait? asks Dragonator.

While Max contemplates this point, he opens the whiskey and takes a swig. It certainly helps to warm up your insides.

[Erdbeereis]

Those switches are curious, I think I will try flipping the switches behind the portrait

Do any others want some food before I eat it all? I would highly recommend the turkey.

[Hinckley]

Max looks under the table. You see nothing that Michael hadn't already spotted.

What exactly would you like to examine on the portrait? asks Dragonator.

While Max contemplates this point, he opens the whiskey and takes a swig. It certainly helps to warm up your insides.

Smartass! Michael never checks thoroughly. ANd I would like to examine the frame to see if there are any switches or levers or secret panels. If there's nothing interesting there I would like to inspect the canvas for oddities. If there aren't any I would like to determine why it won't come away from the wall.

And lastly, I would like some more whiskey.

[Dragonator]

The chef presses the top button labelled kitchen. A whirring noise can be heard from behind the hatch, which the chef opens (I presume you wanted to do that?). The hatch reveals a long shaft, which Max correctly identifies as a dumb waiter for bringing food up from the kitchen. There is a long cable inside. The whirring stops and you press the call button. The whirring starts again and the cable moves up. Instead of a lift arriving however, a severed end of cable arrives instead.

Meanwhile Max is steadily working his way through the bottle of whiskey. He takes a close look at the frame of the portrait, and identifies a two small oddities. The bottom right spiral goes in the opposite direction to all the others, and a flower halfway up the left edge contains a small carved dragon...

[Hinckley]

I would now like to not have my actions ignored! and more whiskey...

[Shadows]

It seems that the owner of this house is obsessed with dragons. They seem to be everywhere, don't they?

And they're watching us! I can feel it! Their beady little eyes follow us from room to room...

*takes a swig of rum* Har, that be better. What were that Draggy fellow sayin'? Ah yes, the dragons. I'd like to maybe push the one inlaid into the small table, then I'm done with this silly room, unless someone wants to take a ride in the dumb waiter. *looks at Max* You know you want to...

The hatch reveals a long shaft, which Max correctly identifies

Must... not... make... joke. *drinks more rum*

The bottom right spiral goes in the opposite direction to all the others, and a flower halfway up the left edge contains a small carved dragon...[/i]

Push 'em, Max! Push 'em real good!

[Hinckley]

Indeed! But then again, would the 2nd cryptogram have been this easy? It may be a "Red Herring".

The real problem is a password could be anything. The only thing we know for sure is mo_e_. The missing letters could be b, f, g, j, k, l, n, q, v, x, y, z

[Dragonator]

The detectives (mainly Peter and Max) are working their way through the booze at an impressive pace. Peter staggers over to the table and presses the dragon in the middle of it. A small click is heard, and a section of wood pops out of the side of the table. Inside is small space padded with velvet. There is the impression of a key in the middle, but no key.

Max continues to scrutinize the table, and suddenly exclaims "Haha! I knew you had missed something Michael! There is a napkin missing from the table!! Oh I'm amazing..." Other than that, the table does not reveal anything else of any note.

[Sandy]

How exciting! All these hidden switches and hatches popping up left and right!

And another riddle... I think "money" would be the safest bet as the password, though.

I would like to take a closer look on the handkerchief that was found in the pocket of the coat to search for any initials embroidered into it, and look at the button too to see if it matches with the ones on the coat. One must never miss any details!

[Dragonator]

An excellent idea Miss Sandy!

The handkerchief is pure white, and has the initials C.D. embroidered into one corner in gold thread. The button does not match those on the coat.

Has anyone seen Dermot or Bernard around? We haven't heard anything from them since we entered this room. I hope they aren't running off with any of the expensive armour out in the hallway...