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[TheBrickster]

Murder on the Emerald Express

Chapter 8: Another Look Through Willoughby

The group is stumped!  Will they ever find a way out of Willoughby?

Four teams have gathered important facts and perhaps even clues bringing them back to Main Street.  

Group 1:
- Discovers two train parts in the Engine Shed, both of which may be used on the Emerald.  Unfortunately, the Johnson Rod and Bracket are still needed.
- Sees the word "Sanctuary" with an "X" written on one of the walls in the engine shed.
- Finds a Swiss Crocodile Locomotive that may still work.  No fuel, and missing a vital part, a Crocodile Rod.
- Journeys through a dark tunnel that comes out on Main Street.

Group 2:
- Discovers that a lady by the name of Jennifer Chamberlain stayed in the Willoughby Hotel last year.
- Finds a letter in one of the hotel rooms that indicates clues being placed around the town, signed with an X.
- Locates a hidden safe with a five digit combination.  Can not open.
- Unable to open a locked door within the Town Hall.
- Finds a fancy pen in the Mayor's Office.
- Discovers another letter signed "JC" telling of clues hidden in each of the four corners of town, perhaps leading to a way out of Willoughby.

Group 3:
- Does NOT find a Johnson Rod in the bear trap or the still.
- Told an old story about a train that use to pass through the forest near the farm.
- Finds a reversed sign.  One side points to danger, the other to Willoughby.
- Discovers a diesel fuel tanker along the tracks to Willoughby.

Group 4
- Told by Lorraine that there's 3 ways out of Willoughby, two by road (one washed out, the other over an unsafe bridge "Cassandra Crossing"), and a train route not accessible by vehicle.
- Finds an old map within the train station.  An "X" is marked on the Rail Road Crossing/Switch Tower.  Two points/sets of track are torn off the map.
- Discovers a switching system with 7 points/switches that parallel the train station map.

What do these facts mean?  Perhaps some may be important clues to determining a way out of Willoughby!

INTERMISSION IN PROGRESS

[Stash2Sixx]

I say we get a group to go back to the farm and check out them other tracks.  Ol' stories 'bout the loggin' train may be stories, or they may lead to an old steam train?  Who's with me?  If we can get your train runnin', maybe you might feel like takin' a few of us to the next stop?

[Hinckley]

Stash2Sixx, on Jun 7 2009, 11:18 PM, said:

I say we get a group to go back to the farm and check out them other tracks.  Ol' stories 'bout the loggin' train may be stories, or they may lead to an old steam train?  Who's with me?  If we can get your train runnin', maybe you might feel like takin' a few of us to the next stop?

I'm there dude as long as I can bring the pipe, the kettle and Ruffy.

[Shadows]

When we return from intermission, I'm going to go open that locked door and give the safe a shot, since I'm supposed to have that skill and I asked in day 7 but it was missed.

Whine whine, nag nag.

Stash2Sixx, on Jun 8 2009, 12:18 AM, said:

I say we get a group to go back to the farm and check out them other tracks.  Ol' stories 'bout the loggin' train may be stories, or they may lead to an old steam train?  Who's with me?  If we can get your train runnin', maybe you might feel like takin' a few of us to the next stop?

He didn't really mention the farm as anywhere we missed something, but I'm not against the idea.

[Hinckley]

ImperialShadows, on Jun 7 2009, 11:26 PM, said:

He didn't really mention the farm ...

Except that, in fact, he did.

[Shadows]

Hinckley, on Jun 8 2009, 12:34 AM, said:

Except that, in fact, he did.

He added the farm, too? Initially it was just the shed and downtown. We suck as detectives.

[Sir Dillon]

The group I was in obviously failed to unlock the safe and the door, but perhaps we will find the key or greaseman can pick the door, and there will be something about the combination in there.

I wonder why the fancy pen was mentioned. It's my pen, and I don't know of anything special about it. It was even closely examined by someone, but I doubt it would have been mentioned if it wasn't important.

Are we going to split in to groups again, or go in one group to each place consecutively? We can't really do anything now, since this is an intermission of sorts, but I suppose we can plan.

[Shadows]

Sir Dillon, on Jun 8 2009, 02:00 AM, said:

Are we going to split in to groups again, or go in one group to each place consecutively? We can't really do anything now, since this is an intermission of sorts, but I suppose we can plan.

I propose we stay together and start with your office, since we're already nearby. From there, I'd like to track the route from point to point, examining each one in detail until we've uncovered everything.

[I Scream Clone]

Stash2Sixx, on Jun 8 2009, 03:18 PM, said:

I say we get a group to go back to the farm and check out them other tracks.  Ol' stories 'bout the loggin' train may be stories, or they may lead to an old steam train?  Who's with me?  If we can get your train runnin', maybe you might feel like takin' a few of us to the next stop?

I'm keen to poke around the other branch line near the farm too. I am curious as to what "Danger" refers too.

[Sandy]

"Clues hidden in the four corners of the town"...

Oh, look at the map! One of the corners, specifically the north-west one, is missing from it, so I bet we'll find our missing pieces from that blank area.

Lorraine, is there any way we can drive to the blank area in the north-west in this map? I'd definitely want to check that place out. The missing switches are probably there as well.

[MetroiD]

*Ruff... Rahem...

What I rind ROST curious is the ract that ol' Jeb had kept that randcar of his ridden for so rany years, and yet the rinstant you city rellas showed up, he was reager to show off ris rawesome rechanical rachievement. Ris it just me, or rid he ronly mention there were no reaks on rat ride of ris RAFTER we were ractually strapped to that rocket!?

Resides, are you rositive there was rothing else in his rarden shed!? Rere must have been a runch of tools at reast - rafter all, how relse rould he have ronstructed a randcar!? Perhaps you still right find something ruseful - which he ridn't want you to find in the rirst place!

I'm rot rointing ringers here, it's just rat Jeb has refinitely reen acting weird since you ruys rot here and I romehow get the reeling that your rissing clue lies somewhere rin or raround that farm of his.

If rere's anyone of you willing to go rall the way rack to the rarm, I'm rore than rilling to lead ya ruys!

[AwesomeStar]

Thing is, Eleanor, I'm a-wanting to get the hell outta here, but after drivin' you guys to the Main Street, my semi's outta gas...

We're gonna have to find some.

[Zepher]

I think it's obvious where we sould be going at this point.  We go back to the farm ,adn go in the direction of danger.  Lorraine told us that there was a train track route out of town, and that's one of the only spots we've never been.  I once tried to go back there, but a Mamam Bear force feed my porraige and told me to go home.  It would also work as the last spot on the map, as Ellanor said!  Ta da!

But, seeing as we can't until the voice in the sky says we can, we should really brainstorm a number that will open the safe!

[Adam]

I think it's imperative that we check the "X" and the two ripped-off switches.
The "X" was obviously drawn for a reason, and the switches didn't get ripped off accidentally.
Going to each place is all very well, but perhaps we should consider the what the clues from each place point to?

[I Scream Clone]

Adam, on Jun 9 2009, 07:20 AM, said:

I think it's imperative that we check the "X" and the two ripped-off switches.
The "X" was obviously drawn for a reason, and the switches didn't get ripped off accidentally.
Going to each place is all very well, but perhaps we should consider the what the clues from each place point to?

You do the thinking then poindexter, my guns are ready for the action! Back to the farm.

[JimButcher]

Sir Dillon, on Jun 8 2009, 01:00 AM, said:

I wonder why the fancy pen was mentioned. It's my pen, and I don't know of anything special about it. It was even closely examined by someone, but I doubt it would have been mentioned if it wasn't important.

Hmm, it has to be a clue. Once this intermission is over, I'd like to take another look at that pen. I'd like to click it open (or uncap it), and try the tip as a key into the left door of the town hall. If that doesn't work, I'd like to search the pen for any numbers.

Sandy, on Jun 8 2009, 03:34 AM, said:

Oh, look at the map! One of the corners, specifically the north-west one, is missing from it, so I bet we'll find our missing pieces from that blank area.

*Smacks head* You're brilliant, Eleanor! It's definitely worth checking out, so we'll have to walk there.

[Batbrick]

We may need ta split ints different groups again, there seems ta be quite a few clues that need a reinspectin'.

I Scream Clone, on Jun 9 2009, 08:44 AM, said:

You do the thinking then poindexter, my guns are ready for the action! Back to the farm.

Stash2Sixx, on Jun 8 2009, 03:18 PM, said:

I say we get a group to go back to the farm and check out them other tracks.  Ol' stories 'bout the loggin' train may be stories, or they may lead to an old steam train?  Who's with me?  If we can get your train runnin', maybe you might feel like takin' a few of us to the next stop?

I'm in favour of this, that farm there seemed to have a lot more than we really checked out. Not ta say that any of you farmers were suspicious Jethro, quite the opposite, but those separate tracks, and the tools to which Jeb constructed that there handcar seem interesting things to look into. Plus there's that oil tanker.

TheOtters, on Jun 8 2009, 09:14 PM, said:

I'm rot rointing ringers here, it's just rat Jeb has refinitely reen acting weird since you ruys rot here and I romehow get the reeling that your rissing clue lies somewhere rin or raround that farm of his.

If rere's anyone of you willing to go rall the way rack to the rarm, I'm rore than rilling to lead ya ruys!

I'd much appreciate that Scruffy Ruffy dog thing, I don't know Jeb well so I can't judge his behaviour, but you know 'im. I say we return with a calm demeanour, check the tracks first and the oil tanker again (ya never know) and if that yields nothin', we'll return ta the farm and ask if we can see the tools and materials he used ta construct the handcar.

[Zepher]

There's my thoughts on the map.  I've divided the town into 4 sections, and checked off areas that have notes and or clues from J.C.  She said that it would be in all the corners of the town, and they were!  Except... Tan colored area?  What lies there!

On another note, the voice in the sky told us this about the switches.

Quote

1 - A point toward the back of the train engine shed.
2 - A point near Main Street.
3 - A point near the Rail Road Crossing (marked with an "X" on the map).
4 - A point near a farm marked with some sort of sign.
5 - Another point past the farm.
6 - Torn off the map (but maybe before something that looks like a tunnel).
7 - Torn off the map.

So we really just need to go the other direction on the railroad that the Farm group discovered.  Oh, and the talking dog is back!  Hey dog!  How are you!  Oh, sorry, forgot, you can't understand me.

Rello Rog.  Row rar rou?

[Da Death Star!]

Personally Vi think vee should go back to ze Shed and look for more parts.

*Ahem*Rello Ruffy, ri ron't rereive re've ret refore. Reased ro reet rou.*Sticks out hand*

[Hinckley]

Zepher, on Jun 8 2009, 03:16 PM, said:

I think it's obvious where we sould be going at this point.  We go back to the farm ,adn go in the direction of danger.  Lorraine told us that there was a train track route out of town, and that's one of the only spots we've never been.  I once tried to go back there, but a Mamam Bear force feed my porraige and told me to go home.  It would also work as the last spot on the map, as Ellanor said!  Ta da!

But, seeing as we can't until the voice in the sky says we can, we should really brainstorm a number that will open the safe!

We know!! We already said that. If you listened as much as you talked maybe you wouldn't have to ramble on so much. Does anyone have a sedative for this thing? Ugh, I thought I was an obnoxious dork.

I Scream Clone, on Jun 8 2009, 04:44 PM, said:

You do the thinking then poindexter, my guns are ready for the action! Back to the farm.

Me, poindexter? Or another one...

*as quietly as possible* Do you think there was a saboteur on the Farm? A lot did happen there. That sign was definitely turned at the fork. I know I made light of it before, but it could be true. Crazy Mrs. Snitchman might be right. If the person who sabotaged our sign wanted us to go down the "Danger" side thinking it was Willoughby, I bet there's some horrible booby trap on the Danger way... Maybe we should make Mrs. Snitchman here lead the way...

The map that Howardette keeps showing us shows the fork in the track but what's at the end is missing...

[Alice]

I'd like to go to the farm.  Are there horses there?  I like horses. I think we should also visit the part of the map that is torn off.  Theres a lot to do and I don't know that we should split off in groups again.  I do think we should decide what to do first and it seems that the general consensus is to return to the farm first.  Pending what we find there, we can then go to the torn off area of the map.

[Shadows]

The first thing that's happening is I'm opening the safe and the locked office door. I'm not going anywhere else until that's been checked out. Might tell us something important, might not. After that, I'm all for a trip to the farm and down the danger tracks, it sounds like fun.

[Hinckley]

We never heard if my safe combination worked. 50509. Or did we?

[Shadows]

Hinckley, on Jun 9 2009, 01:16 AM, said:

We never heard if my safe combination worked. 50509. Or did we?

It didn't.

[AwesomeStar]

Hmmm... Howard is right. We didn't explore that area...

I'm gonna stick with you guys. Hey, any of you Main Street fellas find any gas?

(Is there any fuel for my semi around?)