Mak wrote:Is she fishing for a compliment, wonders Artie, or is she really that insecure about her looks? "I -- and I reckon just about every other fella on this ship -- would respectfully beg to disagree on that count!" Artie says gallantly. "Everyone's eyes were on you just now. I could have been wearing a clown outfit, for all anyone would have noticed."
"You really think so?" she asked, apparently honestly surprised. "But it's not just looks, Artie, it's talent. I'm not sure I could do it."
Mak wrote:"Shifts?... uh, yeah, I think so." Artie makes an effort to think straight. Maybe I need to confront this thing head on, he reflects. "Listen, Lily, what do you think of relics and suchlike?" he asks, jerking his thumb toward the table where the idol and dagger are on display. "Does that stuff interest you at all? Would you care to go over and see them more closely? I kinda think I would..."
"Gosh, Artie, that thing really has you spooked, doesn't it? Are you sure you want to get close to it?" she asked.
rredmond wrote:Will heads over to the long table, taking the opportunity (especially with so few people left at this point) to take in everyone's postures and reactions to each other and the good doctor's things.
GM Note: Refer to the revised Lounge Deck Plan here:
http://basicfantasy.org/tsgs/Lounge%20Deck%20Plan.png
David
6 and Violet
4 and Dr. Ringstrom
5 were the only passengers still at the Captain's table; the movie producer and actress were conversing, while Ringstrom seemed lost in thought, staring out the window toward the dark ocean. Artie
22 and Lily
21 were still seated, but it was obvious that Art was looking at the now-unwrapped Totem, and both looked uneasy. Jean-Paul
9 was sitting by himself, reading a book. The portside small table, in front of the piano, was empty, Emily and Klaust having already turned in.
Dr. Burton,
13 Michael Lloyd,
18 and Catherine Burton
17 were seated at the long starboard table; the Totem was positioned in front of Lloyd, but he was more interested in something he had in his hand, which he seemed to be showing to the Burtons.
rredmond wrote:"That's amazing doctor, is it some sort of sacrificial knife? And the totem, as incredible as ever. I'm interested to hear more."
"Yes, my boy, it is," he replied, laying the knife on the table near where Will was standing. "Now, Michael, you wanted to show me something?"
"Yes, I did. This book. I've owned it for a few years now. I took it for an elaborate work of fiction, until now." He held the book up for Dr. Burton to see, and Will was also able to read the cover. It read
The Ancient Civilization of Munda Bey, by William Hensley.
Dr. Burton took the book from him. "I see," he said, leafing through it. "A work of fiction, eh?"
"So I thought, sir," said Michael. "But look at the appendix."
Dr. Burton turned to the back of the book. There, Will could plainly see symbols of some sort, glyphs or runes or whatnot, that strongly resembled the markings on the Totem. "It appears to be a key, or translation table," said the archaeologist. "And I see your point, the glyphs do match those on the Totem. I wonder if we can translate the inscriptions with this book." He looked the book over then, critically. "Where did you get this?"
"A used bookstore in a small town some miles from London," replied Lloyd. "I picked it up on a whim, though I'm not usually taken to buying old books. It tells a fascinating story about life in an ancient African city-state. Just a story, I'm sure, as it talks about monsters and a medicine man who could summon spirits and perform magic. It doesn't mention anything about the Totem, though."
"I see," said Dr. Burton. "Look how roughly the pages are cut. This book was handmade, probably a very small vanity press somewhere. There's no date in it, either, so we have no way to know when it was written. Fascinating."
"May I look, Father?" asked Catherine. He handed her the book, and she began to study it.
