The Haunted Musician, Part 2

Another session of Victoriana. We didn't finish the mission from last week.

Before returning to the church, Edwin Ingram decided to try talking to Samantha once more, to convince her that we can help her father. He's at Belberry Institute in Norwhich, but she insists that trying to talk to him would be no use. Perhaps his journal might help.

Lord Gavin and I went to to the Prince Charles's party at Buckingham palace. At the party, Lord Gavin is approached by a Marquis Adella Hambledon. She gained the title when her parents died recently, and her family owns a lot of land in the north end of Scotland. She wants to talk later on the 26th, about a private business matter.

Lord Gavin also gets some face time with the prince. Unfortunately he does not leave a good impression, but the prince is not particularly offended.

Edwin, Father Amorth and Sidney get back to the church without incident. The guild member and abbot are still arguing, but that's nothing compared to the confusion outside the office, because the Louis the violinist has vanished into thin air, without his guards noticing.

Edwin finally gets a look at the Richard Paine's journal. It's implied that he believed in "firm discipline" of his wife and daughter. The journal also mentions how he was enthralled by a violin that was sold by a gypsy, and it notes where the gypsy camp was. Shortly after, the writing takes an abrupt turn, talking about haunting creatures, and the insanity of his wife.

Father Amorth, Edwin and Sidney head back to where to where Louis was originally found, assuming that he has returned to there. Sure enough, the violin is playing again, and a mist has descended. Sounds of scraping on wooden stone can be heard, so Sidney sneaks around trying to find out what it might be. First, she stumbles on a half written rat, and as she continues on, the destruction increases in both size and height.

Sidney returns to Father Amorth and Edwin, and explains what she saw. Just then a hissing is heart from the mist, so she ventures back into the mist to investigate again. The hissing is coming from Louis's flat, and just as Sidney is about to leave, she is tripped and stumbles on the body of one of the children of the hassled woman. Next a murmuring is heard.

For the second time, Sidney returns to Father Amorth and Edwin. They agree to head back to the house, and discover that the body is gone.

Upstairs in the house, Louis is again playing his violin, just as had been heard from outside. Edwin takes the violin from him, and puts it in its case, with no apparent ill effect.

Father Amorth, Sidney and Edwin bring Louis back to the church again. The deacon promises to keep a better eye on him this time.

Edwin keeps the violin, and hums a tune. Perfectly.

Louis sleeps peacefully for the first time in months.

Edwin wakes up with the violin in hand, bow still in the case. Louis is still sleeping, so we don't bother him. Sidney tries to use psychometry on the violin, but the violin reacts negatively to her attempts to read it. Edwin meanwhile doesn't appreciate attempts to interfere with his precious violin. Luckily, Sidney manages to get some images of from the violin, of a gypsy woman creating the violin and Richard at the encampment, slapping the gypsy woman.

We head to encampment, and luckily, it's still there. Sidney speaks with a gypsy woman who looks similar to the woman she saw in her images. The woman is somewhat reluctant to talk to Sidney, but will take opium as payment for information.

Yes, she knows about the violin, because it was created by her granddaughter Florence. She was exiled for her demonic activities so you won't find her around here anymore, but she does know where her granddaughter went. For a few pennies, she tells Sidney that we should be able to find her at a Madame Jennifer's.

Madame Jennifer's has changed since we saw it last. There's a lot more armed men for one thing, and the ogre guard from before makes a much more obvious presence, with two double barreled shotguns on his back.

I make an appointment to see Florence, and Edwin and Father Amorth accompany to keep watch outside.

Florence is scantily dress and waiting for me. I try to get her to talk, but she isn't interested into talking about a violin. I have Edwin and Father Amorth come in, and have Edwin do a little whistle. I suddenly wish that Edwin hadn't left the violin behind.

Father Amorth tries to weave a magic spell on her to make her talk and fails. He tries again, and fails again. Again, and another failure.

Florence comes hostile, and I try to keep her from reaching under the bed. Unfortunately with my short legs, I am unable to stop her and she pulls a Derringer on us.

We leave.

We're back in the carriage, and Father Amorth tries to recover some mana using flames of magic. Instead he bursts into flames.

That didn't work at all. Let's try again with Lord Gavin, with Sidney as his bodyguard.

Knowing that it'd be suspicious to have Florence asked by name so quickly, Lord Gavin asks for Romani women to visually inspect them. There are several here, and Lord Gavin chooses Florence, of course.

Lord Gavin goes up with Florence, and does his thing. He then offers her a gift, and has Sidney come in with it. It is, of course, the violin. Florence goes for her gun, but since Sidney doesn't have short legs, easily stops her.

Florence starts babbling, and it's unclear if she can remove the curse. What does become clear is that Richard was her father, and she wanted to make him pay for her mother's suicide.

It seems that perhaps only the Pale Lady can remove the curse. Either way is clear, we probably need her to remove it.

Lord Gavin goes to talk to Madame Jennifer, and tries to convince her to turn Florence over to the church for trying to lay a curse on him (a lie, but not far from truth). Madame Jennifer thinks this would be an awful idea, and says she'll send Florence to a work house. and they go around in circles for several minutes, until Lord Gavin mentions the pale lady. Okay, fine, she'll let us visit Florence at the work house.

Several days pass, until finally Father Amorth is well enough to travel again. We take a carriage to the workhouse, and Father Amorth finally succeeds at enthralling her. This time she is quite willing to tell us that the curse is tied her own life. Father Amorth has her confess to the church, and she is hung, finally lifting the curse.

Edwin thinks he’s really good at music now. He is perfectly tuned.