Mystery Manor - Chapter Two

[SirNadroj]

Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!

[Corvus]

Yes, let's!

*Indiana Jones theme starts and I put my iPod back in my pocket*

What? He's awesome and he's a History teacher just like me!

[Sandy]

North suits me. I do find it suspicious that one of us is missing, though...

[Dragonator]

The Ballroom

The EB detectives agree that they will head north into the ballroom. Opening the large carved doors, they walk through into the huge room.

The ballroom is huge, and must surely be the largest room in the house. There is of course a lot to take in. The centre of the room is taken up by a raised area of wooden floor, most likely for dancing on. Above this is a black chandelier which casts a dim illumination over the whole room. The rest of the room is tiled in red and yellow. Other than the now south doors which you entered through, there are two other sets of large doors, one on the east wall and one on the west. A staircase against the north wall leads up to another smaller door in the north-western corner.

The north wall also contains a modern clock (note that the correct time is not shown, sorry) and two modern wall lamps, as well as a raised platform with a stool and trumpet on it. A record player stands next to this platform.

The east and west walls are both panelled in wood, with a set of doors in the centre of each. The west wall (shown below) has two chairs against it towards the south-western corner, and a suit of armour below the stairs. There is also an old sconce next to the door at the top of the stairs.

It is also noted that an empty wineglass is resting on one of the banisters on this side of the room.

The east wall has only a few things of interest. There is a small two-and-a-half seater couch pressed against the wall, and there is a sideboard in the south-eastern corner, with a large silver plater on top, as well as a few other small items. The south wall is covered in a variety of old paintings, most of which are portraits of people. The only other thing in the room is a small wooden cabinet with two draws, halfway along the west side of the south wall.

Well, let's take a look around, shall we? suggest Dragonator.

[Sandy]

Hmm, I'd like to take a look at what those few "small items" are on the south-eastern sideboard, and check the silver platter while I'm at it.

[WhiteFang]

This room is huge! Oh look, another chandelier and this time, it is black. I will like to climb up and take a close examination at the black chandelier. Furthermore, I will like to inspect closely on the two modern wall lamps. If possible, I will try and remove the casing and look in its interior.

[Erdbeereis]

What a large room!

I think I would like to inspect the drawers of the cabinet and then I will check the wine glass for signs of recent use.

[Hinckley]

I would like to see if the sconce is a lever like in Young Frankenstein.

[Shadows]

The south wall is covered in a variety of old paintings, most of which are portraits of people.

It's painting inspection time! I'd like to try to move all of them, look behind them, feel around their frames for switches and knobs as well as visually inspect them for clues.

[SirNadroj]

Hey, there's a record on this record player! I want to play it and see what it is!

[Sir Dillon]

I'd like to examine the trumpet.

[Dragonator]

Miss Sandy walks over to the sideboard and inspects the things sitting on it. The silver platter looks old and has the letters IHS inscribed into the centre of it. As well as the platter there is a pair of matching silver candle sticks, a small silver bowl filled with wrapped peppermints and a small folded card. The card reads as follows:

Dear Lord Chester,

On behalf of all those here at The Grand-Chancellor I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We appreciate your business during the year and look forward to having you and your employees here with us again for many of your conferences to come.

Yours faithfully,

Christian Baker

Chairman of the Board

This room is huge! Oh look, another chandelier and this time, it is black. I will like to climb up and take a close examination at the black chandelier. Furthermore, I will like to inspect closely on the two modern wall lamps. If possible, I will try and remove the casing and look in its interior.

May I ask how exactly you plan on climbing up there so you can inspect them?

The chef walks over to the small cabinet and attempts to open the two draws. The top draw is locked, however the bottom one comes open. It is filled with old records. The chef then inspects the wineglass. There is a faint trace of red wine in the bottom and a few stains around the rim; it must have been used recently.

Max walks up the stairs and pulls on the old sconce. Unsurprisingly, a grating sound is heard, and a section of wall below the stairs slides away to reveal a large metal safe. The safe is fitted with a modern display screen and a keyboard. There is also an accompanying note, which reads as follows:

Ndd kxm nlx gpb xtd

zif rrm xxo ndx mnx

epb dze rxn nxe ide

o.

Bfg xbp frx opn nxa

knj ifr rex jzr nfm

prd hyd zn.

Peter decides he wants to take a look at the paintings. There are a total of thirteen paintings arranged in two rows to the left of the south doors, and all but one are portraits of people. The one that is not of a person is of a large red dragon, similar to the one seen in the seal on Dragon Seal shown on the main doors and on the right shoulder plates of the statues in the hallway, except shown as a portrait (head and neck visible). All the pictures can be removed from the wall. You do not discover any out-of-place knobs or switches, but a sheet of paper does fall to the floor when you lift away the portrait of the dragon. On it is a short message.

Surely they are not

trying to get rid of me?

Must be vigilant.

Red Dragon watches,

guarding against everyone.

He will not stop me!

Perhaps I need to be more wary...

The record on the record player is labelled Pomp and Circumstance. Dermot starts it, and the sound of classical music fills the room. The grand music is certainly fit for a ball.

Michael picks up the trumpet and takes a look at it. It is an ordinary brass trumpet, perhaps somebody in the household is a musician?

[WhiteFang]

May I ask how exactly you plan on climbing up there so you can inspect them?

I will inspect them by shifting the chair at the west wall and placed it at the centre of the raised wooden floor. Before doing so, I will like to check and examine the chairs' leg and base first.

[Dragonator]

I will inspect them by shifting the chair at the west wall and placed it at the centre of the raised wooden floor. Before doing so, I will like to check and examine the chairs' leg and base first.

Dr. Phil walks over to the two chairs by the west wall and, after examining the legs and seat to make sure it is stable, picks up the left one and carries it to the centre of the dance floor, where Max is pretending to do a solo waltz. By standing on the chair, he can just reach the chandelier. It appears to be made of painted corrugated iron worked into fanciful shapes. There are five main bulbs which cast a dim light over the whole room. You cannot see anything else interesting about the chandelier.

Moving the chair to the side wall, Dr. Phil also decides to check the two wall lamps. They are both modern, and have small grills on the fronts of them which can be remove. Removing these simply reveals a single bulb inside. You cannot see anything else of any note.

[Sir Dillon]

I would like to examine the staircase more closely. It looks like there's some type of compartment beneath them.

[Scouty]

I wonder if there is anything below the couch or under its cushions?

[Shadows]

So, who's gonna crack that code for us? Mmmm, a safe. Now that is interesting!

a sheet of paper does fall to the floor when you lift away the portrait of the dragon. On it is a short message.[/i]

Surely they are not

trying to get rid of me?

Must be vigilant.

Red Dragon watches,

guarding against everyone.

He will not stop me!

Perhaps I need to be more wary...

It seems that the people behind this whole dragon thing might not be a particularly savory lot. *eyes the host suspiciously*

Red Dragon. Not "Red dragon", but "Red Dragon" as if it is an indicator of a group or individual title.

[Dragonator]

Michael examines the staircase. There is a small space beneath the stairs, taken up by the large safe which Max revealed when he pulled on the old sconce. You cannot see any other apparent compartments.

John takes a look at the couch. It certainly looks comfy, and is piled with cushions woven in silver and gold thread. Searching among the cushions does not reveal anything, however you do find a coil of rope stashed underneath the couch...

[Scouty]

Aha! Interesting...

I'll just inspect the rope. Look to see if it has been used or something like that.

I might as well inspect the key I found as well. See what kind of lock it would fit in and if there are any engravings on it.

[Dragonator]

The rope is coiled into a long length, while one end has been fashioned into a noose. When uncoiled it is around 5 or 6 metres long.

What do you want to know about the key? It is small, a dull grey, and on a small piece of red ribbon. Anything else?

[Shadows]

What would you like to know about the key? It is small, a dull grey, and on a small piece of red ribbon. Anything else?

Would it be possible to take a little trip back to the last room and check that key in the video/tv cabinet without detouring everyone there? Maybe just go off in pairs and then return?

[Scouty]

I like that plan, Mr. Crawford.

By the way, I'd like to see what kind of lock it would fit in and if there are any engravings on it. I wonder if the ribbon is attached to the key or is just a mere "cover". I wonder if there is anything on the red ribbon as well...

[Dragonator]

The ribbon is just a plain loop of thread probably used to hang the key somewhere. There are no engravings. It would probably fit something small like a box or a cabinet draw etc.

You have already tried this key in the cabinet in the dining room, do you really want to go back and try it again?

[Sir Dillon]

John, could you try your key in the top drawer of the cabinet that the chef was looking through?

[Scouty]

Yeah, I'll see if the key works with the top drawer of the cabinet that the chef was looking through.