Kerberos 02/06/2012

Mr. Lincoln returned home early via coach to deal with a minor diplomatic matter. This was the coach that had brought everyone. Alec Campion hired a cab to take him -- home? The club?

Alexander Alexandre, accompanied by an invisible Sophronia, walked around the corner, planning to tell her to remove the illusion. But, he ran into some thugs who worked for Vincent Staples, a pawnbroker and money lender. Gerald Casington owed him money, and the thugs had tried to collect, only to be told that Alexander Alexandre had both his money (true) and his gold watch (utterly false).

Victor let himself be mauled and hid his purse. Finding no money, his assailants stripped his clothing. The naked Frenchman -- er, the naked fake Frenchman -- er, the naked detective trailed them back to Vincent Staples and confronted them.

By now, the rich clothing had turned back into Victor's clothing, and Victor spun a tale of having had his clothing removed by Alexander Alexandre. Vincent Staples believed that, and had the thugs return the clothing. (Heck, he'd likely have pretended to believe it even if he didn't, as it's not like the clothing was of much use -- well, okay, it could have been sold, but it just wasn't worth it. Staples isn't the kind of guy who wants a rep for beating up folks for no good reason.)

Staples and entourage left. The Lip, who had been watching, applauded, and the now clothed Victor took a bow. The Lip told him where to find John Murray.

Victor and Sophronia went to where Murray was camped out. He believed them about the mysterious conspiracy and told them what he could, which, alas, was not much. Sophronia recommended he leave for France. Victor sent her to check with the Lip to make sure that the gentleman watching Murray's residence was one of the Lip's, and this did indeed prove to be the case.

Miss Esther Rose dismayed Mary West by dressing as Cleopatra and redecorating. Alice was relieved to hear that she wasn't bringing in asps.

Victor returned home to find Bartholomew Ford (who'd arrived earlier and was just waiting up for Victor). He had been looking forward to a secure job of tutoring one of his former pupil's children, but the fellow had died six weeks ago under mysterious circumstances, and Bartholomew had reached a dead end and been unable to convince the police to tell him about "the others" who had apparently had a heart attack and had their eyes burned out.

Henry Doyle visited Alice to say that he and Douglas were thinking of renting rooms together. Perhaps that Alec Campion might join them. (No, he doesn't know Alice = Alec.)

Gerald Casington had died in the evening, of a heart attack, eyes burned out. Mrs. Casington apologized profusely to Lord Alexander Alexandre and friends, but she'd given the watch to Vincent Staples, another of her husband's debtors. There are still a lot of them, and the poor woman is facing utter destitution, despite Alexander Alexandre's assurance that he would forgo the debt Casinton owed him.

Vincent Staples' place had burned to the ground.

Victor visited the Lip to tell him that it was no longer necessary to watch Murray. The Lip handed him the gold watch, which he'd retrieved, along with a list of previous watch owners, all of whom had died the same way: after a streak of luck, the watch was lost in a card game, and they died of heart attack / eyes burned out. The watch was accompanied by a list of Watchbearers, with Alexander Alexandre's name last. The PCs received the list from another source earlier, I think the police?

The Lip suddenly realized he'd voluntarily hung out in broad daylight at the site of an arson and then voluntarily handed over a gold watch to someone. Both Victor and Mr. Harnell, a mage in the Lip's gang, assured the Lip that this was better than trying to keep the thing. The Lip said that a carriage had left the scene of the fire in a hurry. It bore the Dashingham crest.

Lincoln and Alexandre were invited to a party that would end with a card game. People did research, learning that the watch was indeed tied to Dantallion, a demon of greed. Greed enters in the eyes, which is why the eyes of the victims were burned out. Victor no longer cared about examining the corpses. After all, that part of the mystery had been solved.

Abe warned Victor about the state of his soul, and Alice made him promise not to gamble. But, they discovered from Mr. Merriman, in return for a bottle of Fatalix, that Victor needed to play a Very Special game and neither win nor lose. In a card game such as Loo, one does this by waiting until only one other player is left in the game and then offering to split the pot. This shows generosity, whereas winning shows greed and losing forfeits one's soul. Alice released Victor from his promise.

Alice and Esther, along with Sophronia, accompanied Alexander Alexandre and Abraham Lincoln to the party. Lady Constance Farndale-Digby contacted Lincoln, begging for help finding her lost child Charlotte. Alice set a test for young Michael Doyle, who doesn't realize this. Victor / Alexander had unbelievable luck and won the card game, the prize being an invitation to a more exclusive game, location to be disclosed the next day.

NB: Victor has a cheque for his winnings. It is Saturday, and he cannot cash it until Monday. The Very Exclusive card game is Sunday. Also, the check is made out to the fake Frenchman.

Abraham Lincoln gallantly escorted Miss Esther Rose home. She decided that he was her Mark Anthony.

Victor, Sophronia, and Alice searched the Farndale-Digby home, learning the location of the house that Lady Constance heard her husband talking about, and about making ominous sounding preparations. They also found a secret lab in the winecellar, a place where not one, but two watches had been made. Some notes in Polish were left behind, and Sophronia recognized the handwriting of her friend Leon.

The group now intends to gather at the club and go at once to the address they know about, which is outside of London. Yes, at 2 am in the morning.

Leon