The Higgsbury Memorial Museum (Sign-up)

[Stormcat]

Lord Percival Higgsbury has recently died, leaving his every worldly possession to his granddaughter, Emily. Lord Higgsbury has stipulated in his will that his enormous collection of strange and unusual artifacts gathered during his travels are to be housed in his ancestral home, Higgsbury Hall, and the house itself turned into a museum for the public to enjoy. Emily Higgsbury has been named as curator of this museum, but there's no way she can sift through her grandfather's collection alone! So, she has placed an advertisement in the paper, looking for scientists, curators, librarians, and "well-travelled persons" to assist in managing the massive collection. All interested parties are to place inquiries here!

That's the basic summary of this RP I'm starting up. If you are interested, Please list your character here. Your character does not necessarily have to be an intellectual, as the other location is the village of Beans-on-Toast. Villagers may pop in from time to time to check on the goings-on, and can contribute greatly to the museum.

Character Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Favorite Academic Subject:
Brief Description:

Here's the character I will be playing.

Character Name: Emily Higgsbury
Age: Twenty
Occupation: Librarian-in-training
Favorite Academic Subject: Natural Sciences
Brief Description: Emily's parents died when she was a little girl, and she was taken in by her Grandfather, Lord Percival. Unfortunately, he had little time to raise a child, as he was always traveling the world and collecting artifacts. He exchanged numerous letters with his granddaughter at her various boarding schools, where she always excelled academically but faltered socially. Emily was almost finished with her training at Madam Dewey's Academy for Librarians when she learned of her Grandfather's passing. She is currently finishing her librarian certification via a correspondence course.


When we get at least three other players, we can start!

EDIT: Now that we have a few NPCs to play with, I'll list them here for reference.


-Bertie. Not really a proper character, he's an automatic tea cart that delivers meals around the hall. He can't go up stairs, but can operate the dumbwaiter all on his own.
-Sadie Babley, "Mrs Babley", Cook and sometimes housekeeper at Higgsbury hall. Seems oblivious to everything except her duties to prepare meals.
-Angus MacClaggen, Beans-on-Toast's local Blacksmith. Very skilled at maintaining anything that's at least 75% metal.
-The Publican (Name?) Runs the local Public house in Beans-on-Toast.
-The Publican's wife (Name?) Married to the guy that runs the public house in Beans-on-Toast.
-Sailas Wickerbottom Esq. Solicitor to the Higgsbury family. Adamantly refuses to talk to anyone lower in status than him, will literally lick the boots of anyone above him if asked.
-Mysterious Shadow Demon. A spectral entity bound to a book "The Codex Umbra". Has been watching and "flirting" with Emily since she first started translated the Codex.
-Old Bob and Young Bob. Two villagers both named "Bob". They are not related. Stupid but very strong.

[MWBailey]

Interesting!

[Lord Badgersworth]

Character Name: Quincy Ford
Age: 30s
Occupation:Aviator, Independent Loyalist
Favorite Academic Subject: Millitary strategy
Brief Description: Born and raised on the airship Ostrogars Pride, Quincy Ford soon developed a love of the sky and the airships that traversed it. After the death of his parents at the hand of the confederacy, Quincy did not hesitate to join he air corps of he independent Territories and soon rose through the ranks due to his skill and knowledge in the handling of airships and his tactical knowledge and was given his own airship to command; the Wanderer's soul. After the independents were defeated at the battle of El Camino, Quincy and the remnants of the independant air corps went north and were instrumental in establishing the flying, autonomous city-state of Airhaven, a place frequented by traders,raiders,smugglers and independent loyalists alike. Quincy and his crew roamed the sky-ways, smuggling and raiding confederate ships and had many adventures and close encounters with the law, which will not be discussed here. Recently he received a cryptic note claiming his father may yet be alive. He immediately accepts the invitation to catalogue and assist with the curation of the Highsbury museum hoping to find information on his father in the articles and possessions of his fathers dear friend Proffessor Higgssbury.

This is my character, if there is anything about the backstory or character choice that will interfere or not fit the story, please let me know and I will gladly change it.

[Stormcat]

Sounds good! Just need two or more players.

[Fairley B. Strange]

A hall will need some staff. May I..?

Character Name: Kelvin Lowe
Age: Late 40s to early-decrepitude
Occupation: Butler/Valet/Handyman/self-taught plumber
    (Well, somebody has to keep the place going, and these old pipes are rather temperamental)
Favourite academic subjects: The Home Mechanic's Monthly & that one bottle of Islay that is permanently 'lost' at the back of the pantry.
Brief description:
Physically: Tall and composed primarily of bone, sinew and a rough leather that might have once been skin. Owns a large bristle moustache and wears his greying hair unfashionably long.
Otherwise: Not from around Beans-on-Toast and publicly quite glad of that fact. Origins unspecified, but from his skill with knots and occasional [redacted for delicate ears] outbursts seems to have been a merchant sailor in his youth. Has a wide network of acquaintances and other unusual persons both in the village and the wider world, usually introduced as "I know this bloke who..." that are of use in keeping the Hall running and maintaining the building and the collection. According to the village gossips, is probably the reason why Lord Higgsbury has not employed any attractive young chambermaids since "...that last incident, you know". Spends his half-day off touring the countryside on his auto-velocipede, a fearsome steed that he maintains fastidiously and pushes to breakneck speeds on highly unsuitable country laneways. Legal disclaimer: Do not consider any offer of riding pillion unless it is a dire emergency.

[Stormcat]

A hall will need some staff. May I..?

Character Name: Kelvin Lowe
Age: Late 40s to early-decrepitude
Occupation: Butler/Valet/Handyman/self-taught plumber
    (Well, somebody has to keep the place going, and these old pipes are rather temperamental)
Favourite academic subjects: The Home Mechanic's Monthly & that one bottle of Islay that is permanently 'lost' at the back of the pantry.
Brief description:
Physically: Tall and composed primarily of bone, sinew and a rough leather that might have once been skin. Owns a large bristle moustache and wears his greying hair unfashionably long.
Otherwise: Not from around Beans-on-Toast and publicly quite glad of that fact. Origins unspecified, but from his skill with knots and occasional [redacted for delicate ears] outbursts seems to have been a merchant sailor in his youth. Has a wide network of acquaintances and other unusual persons both in the village and the wider world, usually introduced as "I know this bloke who..." that are of use in keeping the Hall running and maintaining the building and the collection. According to the village gossips, is probably the reason why Lord Higgsbury has not employed any attractive young chambermaids since "...that last incident, you know". Spends his half-day off touring the countryside on his auto-velocipede, a fearsome steed that he maintains fastidiously and pushes to breakneck speeds on highly unsuitable country laneways. Legal disclaimer: Do not consider any offer of riding pillion unless it is a dire emergency.

sounds like a good man to have. 1 more to go!

EDIT: Well, it looks like it's a good thing Miss Emily was sent of to Boarding school now.  But take heed, She will not tolerate wandering hands!

[Fairley B. Strange]

*a dejected Thing reads this, cancels his application to also join the RP, and scuttles back to the Addams Family mansion...*

Actually, I deliberately left that "incident" open as 'just village gossip' to afford any number of possibilities: from the obvious cliche (despite the physical description), through others such as the return of a rival claimant to the Title that Mr Lowe last oversaw being thrown in a sack into a ditch, to his late Lordship's possible revising of the experiments of the renowned medical scientist, Dr Victor Fronkensteen...

Similarly, I picked a cold-temperature name and cadaverous appearance in case the RP follows the properties of any mystical exhibits into the realms of gaslamp-fantasy or madscience - noting that this reserve plotpoint will require Mr Lowe to be very standoff-ish of physical contact with others until a possible reveal, so that arrangement should suit us both for the moment.

[MWBailey]

Reprising a character from *ahem* "another forum elsewhere."

Character Name: Mordavo Klimt
Age: Late 30s -but it’s not obvious; appears to be in late 20s.

Occupation: Assistant Curator/Librarian and Arcane/Uncanny Studies Researcher

Favorite Academic Subjects: History, Defensive Thaumaturgy, Marksmanship
 
Brief Description: Possibly half human and half something else; most likely Eastern European (Slavic?) stock, coupled with Lupine judging by his rather “snouty” physical appearance (is actually a form of lycanthrope, specifically Coyote-type). Six feet and then some tall, olive-complected, dark tan over most of body. A kind of semi-mullet of dark blonde hair, unparted and held back by a yellow-metal ring in a short ponytail at the back of his head, covers his scalp. He dresses in longtailed, epauletted, high-collared frock coats, longsleeved white pullover broadcloth shirts, waistcoat and trousers; whatever color his frock coat is (he tends toward dark grays and subdued purple with buff piping and braid), his vest and trousers are always a dark charcoal gray. Black calf-high, square-toed boots. Carries a double-barrelled  four-bore flintlock howdah pistol in his coat’s left breast pocket (powder flask, patches, and extra pistol balls, sometimes of silver, in one of the coat’s thigh pockets), as he has found that knowledge of incantations and arcane errata do not always help to capture or fend off rare-book thieves and other unwelcome individuals - or things inadvertently summoned by unwisely-inquisitive students and dabblers. Always has a flask of something very alcoholic, barely drinkable and extremely flammable somewhere on his person (but seldom drinks), along with pince-nez spectacles (his human form is a bit nearsighted), a notebook, chalk lump, graphite sticks, and an eraser, and a rather small Asian abacus in his trouser pocket, as well as a short throwable stiletto in his right boot (for reasons similar to those for the pistol). Can fully transform, but prefers anthropomorphic partial transformations (easier to keep his possessions in order and about his person).

Mordavo Served in a Carpathian dust-up with a company of Mercenaries in the capacity of Colour Sergeant. It was there that he "acquired" his peculiar "lupine abilities," so to speak. He and his mercenary compatriots hunted down and dispatched Mordavo's sire and attendant pack after said individual and attendants slaughtered and devoured the denizens of a Transylvanian village and a detachment of the Mercenary Company to which Mordavo belonged; he is thus literally a "lone wolf" - by his own hand. HE served for several years afterward as the manservant and assistant Librarian of one Count Prastenhammer, then emigrated upon his death to the environs of Beans-on-Toast, upon hearing of Lord Percival's death and his granddaughter's inheritance.  He has read the advert for librarian's assistants and assistant curators in the local newspaper...

[Stormcat]

Excellent! It looks like we have enough players to get started.

[MWBailey]

'Davo's on the way to the house.

Waiting for others to post; I don't want to walk on anyone.

[Fairley B. Strange]

Ditto, I wasn't going to presume by first describing the Hall.

Ms Stormcat, it's your vision, we can wait for some cues.

[Stormcat]

Miss Higgbury is now at the front gate.

Be warned though, she is as good as blind without her glasses, and she might not see you on this dark evening. Best to introduce yourself.

[MWBailey]

Used the modern name for the Romanian Armed Forces; I couldn't find the old name from the 19th century, if in fact it was called anything different at that time.

[Fairley B. Strange]

During the current lull, I thought I'd go and potter about with the domestic plumbing.

[MWBailey]

Glad to see it's still on. I was afraid I might have botched it.

[Fairley B. Strange]

Just filling in a bit Downstairs.
NPC #1 the as-yet-unnamed Cook. Probably to be known only as 'Mrs Something' in the traditional style.
No other staff currently but the undescribed gardeners, unless somebody wants to add a few other NPCs - or play one.

Normally, of course, a Cook would never go 'upstairs' but with only Lowe the Butler/handyman as 'upstairs' staff that sacrosanct line might be crossed occasionally, especially if Cook is missing out on the upstairs instructions (and gossip) that would normally be conveyed down by the maids and chambermaids etc.
So, if anybody upstairs needs anything, just pull the bellcord in the corner of any of the main rooms, the relevant bell will ring in the kitchen, and perhaps one of the overworked Staff will eventually make their way through all the clutter...

[MWBailey]

Pardon the invention of the shed. I tried to make it's location mutable so that it doesn't crop up in the wrong place. It can be solidly located later, I was thinking.

About the Scythes, etc.:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Scythes were used for mowing before mowing machines came along; scythe blades are/were often made detachable so that they could be worked on and sharpened. They were sharpened by first hammering the edges out flat, and then stone-honed to razor sharpness, since the stones and files that reapers and mowers carried to resharpen them in the field tended to make convex surfaces out of the blades' edges over many times of sharpening during a job.

[Stormcat]

So by now, you've all discovered that Miss Emily is haunted by a shadow creature. As of right now, he (it is indeed male) doesn't have a name yet, and he may or may not be holding Emily's parent's prisoner.

This shadow creature is loosely bound to the Codex Umbra, and ever since the Codex has been in Higgsbury hall, he's been causing all sorts of mischief. Said mischief involves the disappearance of staff, a whole slew of "ghost sitings", bouts of madness, suddenly plunging rooms into darkness, and generally making visitors to Higgsbury hall uneasy.

Unfortunately, Emily's desire to translate the Codex is stronger than her desire to stay sane, so as long as she has the Codex in her possession, supernatural instances will indeed occur.

[MWBailey]

Not that it matters a whole lot, but it was Mordavo, not Ford, who pulled Emily aside.

Mordavo may have been only a sergeant, but having been a servant of a nobleman, he is steeped in the traditions of such staff, and is thus chivalrous to a fault when he remembers to be; thus it is doubtful that he will leave the Miss completely alone and undefended. He will also most likely err on the side of  caution in regard to her, the staff's, and/or the Museum's guests' and patrons' safety.

[Fairley B. Strange]

Shall I set the table for breakfast, Ma'am?
Or would you prefer a tray in the study?
Cook has prepared kippers...

Or are there further nocturnal events?

[Stormcat]

Shall I set the table for breakfast, Ma'am?
Or would you prefer a tray in the study?
Cook has prepared kippers...

Or are there further nocturnal events?

Yes, I believe Miss Higgsbury is in need of some breakfast to restore her stamina.

[Stormcat]

So... The cook has a name now. She's Mrs. Babley. She is a bit dim, but has a big heart.

[MWBailey]

Invented the Publican's wife and a favorite drinking game of the Publican's.

Also did a bit of back history revelation for Mordavo. Suffice to say he's accustomed to rescuing "intrepid" researchers of untoward volumes (so to speak) and sending  both inadvertently- and deliberately-summoned entities back whence they came - or simply shooting them full of silver if the need arises. Not sure what he can do against the dire spirit that haunts the Miss, however; May I take it that said entity is somewhat more difficult than usual?

[Stormcat]

Invented the Publican's wife and a favorite drinking game of the Publican's.

Also did a bit of back history revelation for Mordavo. Suffice to say he's accustomed to rescuing "intrepid" researchers of untoward volumes (so to speak) and sending  both inadvertently- and deliberately-summoned entities back whence they came - or simply shooting them full of silver if the need arises. Not sure what he can do against the dire spirit that haunts the Miss, however; May I take it that said entity is somewhat more difficult than usual?

Indeed he is. I doubt Mordavo has ever come across a being with total mastery over darkness. This "shadow" is both corporeal and intangible, swallowing up whatever he wants, but letting bullets and other projectiles pass through him uselessly.

[Lord Badgersworth]

Quick question.  How prevalent are weapons such as firearms or swords in this town (is there a gunstore)?  Also, how does Beans-on-Toast gets the goods it doesn't manufacture itself? How about an postal/supply airship that docks at the post office once every fortnight?