The Barker Street Irregulars case 1 Crowned Panic.

[Stella Gaslight]

This was going to be a horrible week for Toby to sprain his ankle.   Celia suposed she could not blame her young ward for something that had not happened yet and realy from what she had seen that man in the white suit had all but tossed him in front of that carriage so it wasn't the poor boy's fault but still he would have to get hurt the week before the welcoming of the rivers.  A lot of her duties were all fuss and no risk but the rivers were downright deadly when offended and she was going to be short handed.  Sighing she started opening up the shutters and sweeping out the floor only to almost jump out of her skin as she saw a figure slumped on the bar.  She poked it with her broom and it groaned stretching and yawning. "Damn it Charley I told you to stop sneaking in here while I am asleep.  You are dammed lucky most of the wards like you."

"But my dear the games afoot."  He said with a light in his eyes she knew meant trouble.

"What is is this time?"  The last adventure had ended in her almost being shot but then again they had stopped the troll that was rampaging under that bakery and grabbing honest folk to eat.

"A little bird told me some one has stolen a raven but I can't be sure how or why."  He was entirely too smug for someone who the whole of England counted on to solve the impossible cases.

Celia grimaced if this was what she was thinking off he had opened one very large tin of worms.  "Let me guess it is a tower raven?"

"Astute as always." He said with a smile.

"All right i will put word out that you are here and see who turns up but you know it will be evening before most of them roll in."  And she would not have Toby to be of much help to deal with the full house.  When it rained it poured.

"Do you have my room ready?"  Charley asked removing his cloak and straightening his shirt.

"It is not your room but yes both the pearl and opal are empty at the moment. But don't go poking around aquamarine I am expecting the rivers emissary to turn up soon and I am not resetting the charms in there."  That was a pile of tedious work she did not need at the moment. 

"Wake me for dinner then"  And then he was off and she hoped it was to sleep and not to cover her club rooms in reams of notes stuck in to the plaster with whatever he had handy.  Toby passed him on the stairs and arrived in the conmen room looking excited.  He loved the adventures Charley seamed to bring. 

Celia ruffled his dandelion soft fluff of hair. "I need you to go to the market and make sure we have enough for dinner.  Make sure you visit Norris and have him put notice in the window that irregulars are needed tonight."  She pulled a flat cap down over the points of his ears and kissed his forehead.   "Off you get and be careful."  He had already darted halfway out the door and failed to hear her.  Oh well what would be would be.
 

[Steampunk Away]

Abraham passed through the slums, handing out loafs of bread. After his hands became empty, he walked to Main Street to see what else he could do. He nearly collided with a little boy. The boy seemed to be very absorbed in his task, and Abraham decided that it would be best not to reprimand someone so intent in their job.

He started walking down Main Street, Abraham observed what he could. Police stations, alleyways, rooftop entrances. All were absorbed by him.

[Ranger Reid]

Reid climbed out of bed.  It had been a week of idleness.  Sure, the city was something impressive to see for someone more used to the wild outdoors, but it smelled of piss, sweat and oil.  And a week of walking around observing other people at work, and children begging was enough. 

As he stood there, he thought of the card his friend Jenny had given him.  She had told him that he should at the very least meet these people.  It seemed like she was intent on some agenda.  She kept talking about him "fitting right in" and then laughing in an odd way.

"Fair enough" he thought.  "No, I left that card she gave me somewhere...."

Digging the crumpled business card out of his bag, Reid started to dress to go out.  "Hmmm, sword, or no sword...  Better to have it and not need it I guess." 

The ranger pulled on his duster, slid the katana onto his back where it would go almost unnoticed.  Boots and hat inplace, Reid stepped out the door holding the card.

"Barker Street" was the most legible section on the front.

In neat print on the back it read  "Celia- this is Reid from America  have him tag along some time  good for you both I think, cousin Jenny"

The word cousin was written larger and at an angle as if to highlight it.  Reid considered if that meant it was a joke, or more a reminder of a distant relative.   

He stepped out the door into the London Fog.

[Stella Gaslight]

Toby took to the city like a fish to water He may have been born in the county but this was his true home. The difficult thing was guessing which of the irregulars would show up and need to be fed.  He had at least a trip to the fish market, the only butcher who's meat Celia would allow and the greengrocer not to mention the little spice shop.  Well if he was lucky he would be done in time for lunch and maybe he could cajole Celia in to making griddle cakes. Thinking about lunch he almost stepped in to someone.  There was a swirl of energy there he made note of to talk about when he got home.  It was better if Celia knew about oddness before it showed up on their doorstep. 

Two hours later he was almost done with his shopping and coming up on Norris' antiques and curiosities when he froze. There was a man strolling along that that made him feel like someone just dumped a vat of water on a cat.  He tried to run to his destination but the man moved in the blink of an eye appearing before him in a moment not a bit of his sharp white suit out of place even thoe he just ran almost a city block. Toby's heart was beating fast in his chest whomever this was he didn't have a chance.  This man was a towering thunder head and his own power was in glamours that would be like blowing against the wind.  "You and your master have overstayed your welcome." And suddenly Toby was falling head over heels in to the street right in front of a mail coach going like it was on fire.

[Ranger Reid]

Reid had only just started to wonder the streets looking for "Barker" and the address that was so difficult to read when he saw a rather frantic looking little man windmilling as he fell backwards into the street.  As it was directly across from him, Reid looked at the careening carriage, and made a choice.  He ran 3 fast steps, and dove, tackling the scruffy man into a pile of refuse that smelled horribly of human excrement. 

They both lay for a bit as jaded locals passed by unconcerned. 

The ranger stood and helped his new protectorate to his feet.

As the man mumbled thanks, he kept looking around in a panic.  Reid tried to calm him by distraction.   "Tell me sir, can you help me find this address?"   And offered him the card.

[Steampunk Away]

Abraham had seen the strange man protect the boy from the carriage. But he had also seen the man in the white suit.

So he had been followed from his homeland.

Walking across the stree, looking for more strange carriages, Abraham entered the building that the White suited man had been in front of, Norris' Antiques.

"Hello? Is there anybody here?"

[Prof. Isambard Ravenwood]

Hector Mallard awoke with a start, lifting his head up from his workshop table. "Drat" he thought, "must've dozed off, and with so much to do!" he dragged himself up, and took his magnification goggles. He walked up the stairs from the basement of the small house he rented, and into the small front room. "hmmm, no clients for the last three weeks, and my rent is due next week..." he put on his corduroy coat, checked his leather toolkit on the back of his belt, and left the house for the tube.

[Stella Gaslight]

Oof Toby took a moment getting his breath back before trying to stand.  The white man had vanished as suddenly as he appeared.  His leg wobbled and he leaned against the stranger. That white bastard had made him land badly and he could already feel the swelling.  It was going to be bitter willow-bark and politesses for him tonight. Toby looked up at the man that helped him. "That is the club.  I can take you there after I post something in that shop."

Jonathan Norris was very much in the same state as his merchandise, older and well worn but well taken care of.  He stepped out of a corner that Abraham was sure had been empty.  "How can I help you?"

[Prof. Isambard Ravenwood]

The underground was a noisy, busy affair. The great brass and wood locomotives that went rocketing past every couple of minutes was almost deafening. Mallard went down the escalators, taking in everybody as he went down. "unhappily married, late for work, the fresh shine on his shoes indicates he is courting a lady tonight...God I need a case..."  He got on the train, and waited. Barker street was in the middle of town, it would take him a while. He put his hand into his coat, and felt his customized webley revolver he'd made himself. After that incident with the troll under the bakery, he wasn't taking any chances...

[Steampunk Away]

"I would like to ask you about a man in a white suit. He recently assaulted a small boy, and I wish to locate him," Abraham said milling around.

Picking up a silver backed mirror, Abraham inspected it, continuing, "If you cannot help that is alright, but please direct me to someone who can."

Abraham put down the mirror and looked at a display case. It held a Colt Dragoon revolver, mint condition.

[Stella Gaslight]

Norris made a sour face. "That is a nasty piece of work.  If you are sure you want to touch that with a ten foot barge pole I would try asking around at Celia's Club down by the river.  Everything turns up there eventual and unless I missed my mark her lad is headed this way and looking a bit worse for wear."

[CPT_J_Percell]

He stepped out of the hidden portal into a cloud of fog and instantly his hair stood on end, there was an energy on this earth and he didn't and it set his nerves on edge. Adjusting the rifle bag hanging on his shoulder, hoping it looked suitably "In Period" he dropped his travel bag and withdrew a faded wax sealed letter. The letter was an invite to an address in baker street and was insistent that he had to come. He looked up to the west and in the distance spotted the Grey airship that now rested in the docks as a tourist attraction in his own time and world. Every part of him screamed that he should warn the the crew but the irritating man in the blue box looking for the "Bad Wolf!" was insistent. With a sigh, he turned his sight from the ship, picked up his bag and headed to his destination.

[Prof. Isambard Ravenwood]

Getting off at the Barker street station, Mallard made his way up to the fresh air and "sunlight" if you could call the usual grey cloud above light. he walked along the street until he came upon the place he knew only as "the club". He opened the door, and looked around the empty front room. he shouted a greeting "helloo?" Celia?"

[Stella Gaslight]

Celia stepped out from the kitchen smelling of green growing things and damp around the edges.  "Ah lovely to see you Mallard. Toby must be quicker than I thought at getting the word out."

[CPT_J_Percell]

It took him longer then expected to find the road, but eventually he arrived at the address written on the invite. He knocked on the door, and turned around to look up and down the road. As he looked towards the end of the road he sighed as he caught sight of a man watching him, even here is this world and time he wasn't free from their prying eyes, with a wave of his hand, he called the man over and waited on the door step for entry.

[Prof. Isambard Ravenwood]

"Toby? I haven't seen him! no, i'd more come about the fact that I haven't had a client in three weeks, and the rent is almost due. you haven't happened to know of anyone requiring a private detective? or perhaps I should go to Scotland yard?" He looked around, and saw some tobacco ash on the table, and a set of muddy foot prints leading up the stairs, size 10 with a long gait, so he must've been tall. "I see charley is here, am I correct?"

[Stella Gaslight]

"Oh yes he turned up on my doorstep this morning.  It is a theft this time and a serous one at that."  They both heard the knock and Celia rushed to the door hoping it was her ward the was rather concerned with the man she saw there.  There was oddness just rolling off him.  "Sorry we won't have lunch done for a half hour yet. Is there anything I can help you with?"

[CPT_J_Percell]

The door opened and he turned to look at the woman holding the door. As his companion arrived at the bottom of the step he dropped his bags to the floor, removed his hat revealing his scared face and held out the letter.
"Madam, I do hope i'm in the correct place. I have travelled log this day to arrive at this specific time and place as per this invite."

[Stella Gaslight]

Celia was taken aback.  "This is from my grandmother sir how do you come by it?"

[CPT_J_Percell]

"Madam, May my companion and myself enter you establishment so that I can explain things?"

[Ranger Reid]

The ranger stood in front of the door.  Even as he had approached, others had been granted admittance.  If he had been quicker he might have entered at the same time.   But he had needed to stop and wash up.  The little man had escorted him most of the way, then pointed down the street and ran off.

so.....   Nothing for it, but to knock.    Reid knocked on the door, hoping for "celia" to be easily found and willing to explain why his friend had insisted he come here.


(Reid knocks on the club front door)

[Stella Gaslight]

When it rained it poured. she thought mentally sighing. "Sure I was just about ready to open the dining room.  Standard rules about host protection apply however."
 Toby surprised her by popping his head out of the kitchen.  "There is a good'un  at the door.  Can you make me honey cakes?"
 Celia smiled at least her little lad was home safe.  "Yes but don't you dare get in that honey."  She opned the door smiling.  "Welcome you are just in time for lunch."

[Prof. Isambard Ravenwood]

"Gosh, you seem to be busy today Celia!" said Mallard, looking at the newcomers "and you are?"

[Ranger Reid]

Standing in the thresh-hold, Reid surveyed the busy house.  "Not sure what Jenny was thinking." he thought.

One of the others was addressing him, asking his name.


"Reid.  WildWoods Ranger from the states.  Nice to meet you.  And you are?"

[Stella Gaslight]

Ceila looked over at him and shrugged.  "Fate is an odd creature Mallard.  At least it looks like we won't be short of helping hands."  She turned to the newcomers and offered her hand.  "Celia Cromerty owner and proprietor of this mad house."