October the 2nd, 1857, 9:56 AM


(OOC: I forgot to label the Constables... Those Blue hat people are it)



It was the day after the 12th killing. Chief Constable Grayson looked down at the victim, who was kneeling before a statue of Queen Victoria, and silently agreed with himself that whoever The Game Master was, knew how to leave behind an interesting crime scene. As usual, The Game Master had beheaded the victim, replaced the head with a pumpkin, and took the head with him to God knows where.
The words of an approaching constable brought Grayson out of his thoughts. "Sir, we've found another witness" the constable said.
"Another one?" Grayson asked.
"Yes, sir" the constable said "Along with the man who saw The Game Master make his escape while out on a night time walk, and the woman who watched the aftermath of the murder from her window, we found that one of the local prostitutes saw the whole thing. And judging by the odd markings on her left shoulder, we have reasons to believe she's part of The Deck".
"The Deck?" Grayson said "Well that doesn't surprise me. They do tend to hang around The Game Master's crime scenes."
"Should we call Edgar Dorian, sir?" The Constable asked.He does have this case. And he told us to call him when ever The Game Master struck"
Grayson sighed. "Yes. Call him up. He probally could read this scene better then we read the sunday paper."
"Right away, sir" the constable said before running off toward The Hungry Lion to use its telephone. Upon reaching the telephone, the constable dialed the phone number for Edgar Dorian and awaited a reaponse. "Good morning, miss" the constable said when Edgar's maid servant answred the phone "Could you please tell Mr. Dorian that Chief Constable Grayson requests is presence at the Queen Victoria statue on Baker Street. The Game Master has struck again".

The darkness consumed all that she could see, the silence ringing in her ears. Unsure of which way was up and which way was down she ran forward, hoping to run into something that could lead her away. As she ran her footsteps echoed in the empty world, her breath filling the air around her in puffs of white. "Cold, so very cold." She whimpered as she jogged, eyes growing wide with fear. "Wrong, something is wrong so very, very wrong." She shivered, picking up her pace. Another pair of footsteps echoing in the dark. With no idea where she was going or who else was with her she ran faster, the second footfalls never fading. Tripping, she landed hard on the ground she couldn't see, the footsteps fading at last. Sighing with relief she turned around only to face the image of a floating jack-o'-lantern and knife, the blade sinking into her throat in a flash of red.

Nova flung up in her bed with a gasp, eyes wide and hands trembling with fear. Slowly she lay back, her head spinning from her quick elevation. She concentrated on her breathing, shaky fingers tracing over the skin on her neck. She sighed with relief, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead. "Just another dream." These nightmares had been plaguing her since the murders had started, the screams of the dead haunting her while she slept. Suddenly there was a knock at her bedroom door causing the young woman to jump slightly. "Come in." She cleared her throat, sitting up properly in the bed to address her early morning visitor.

"Good morning Miss. I've brought you your morning tea." The maid smiled gently and placed the tray with the tea on the table beside the bed. Nova smiled gratefully, picking up the cup and sipping at it gingerly. "Another nightmare Miss Black?" Nova nodded silently, the tea slowly calming her nerves. "I'm not surprised, with everything going on in this city." Nodding again, Nova placed her cup back down on the tray, slipping from the bed to start dressing.

"I've decided to offer my help to the police, the nightmares are getting worse and it doesn't seem like they are any closer to catching this lunatic. Any word from my father?" She asked, slipping out of her nightgown before pulling an expensive black dress from her wardrobe.

"Yes, we received a telegram this morning from him. The Master said that his business trip has been extended. It will be a couple more weeks before he can return home." The maid noted the girl's disappointment, helping Nova into her outfit before sitting her down to pin up her hair. Ever since Nova's mother had died of illness her father had delved deep into work, leaving the young girl to be raised by the household servants. At 19, Nova was supposed to have been married, or at least engaged already, but that opportunity was taken from her by a murder not unlike the ones making the news. "Are you sure you want to go out there and help. It's a noble thing but it's dangerous work. You could get hurt." Nova smiled at the maid, standing and collecting her bag.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful." She reassured the woman before leaving her to her work, stepping outside and making her way to Baker Street. Rumors and reports were already circulating about the latest murder.... Murder number twelve. It wasn't hard to figure out where it happened, and she could see the line of constables from a good ways off. Taking a deep breath, she marched her way up to the line.

"I'm sorry Miss. You can't continue on any further, this is a crime scene." The man said, blocking Nova's entrance to the scene.

"Yes, I'm well aware that this is a crime scene. That is why I am here, I need to speak with the Chief about something important. Could you fetch him for me?" She smiled politely but her tone held a stubbornness that told the constable she wasn't about to walk away quietly. Confused as to what to do, the man finally nodded and turned, leaving Nova behind at the line to await a response.

"So he has struck again has he?", Alexander sitting near the door of The Hungry Lion as he usually does, overheard the constable's phone call. Getting up Alex goes to the bar pays in exact change, then leaves making his way to the gathering of people around the crime scene. Quickly pushing through the crowd, with little effort due to his physique, he makes it to the line of constables, who attempt to stop him until they recognise him, letting him through he makes his way to the victim and begins to take notes.

"I'm sorry Miss. You can't continue on any further, this is a crime scene." The man said, blocking Nova's entrance to the scene.

"Yes, I'm well aware that this is a crime scene. That is why I am here, I need to speak with the Chief about something important. Could you fetch him for me?" She smiled politely but her tone held a stubbornness that told the constable she wasn't about to walk away quietly. Confused as to what to do, the man finally nodded and turned, leaving Nova behind at the line to await a response.

"Sir?" the Constable said tapping Chief Grayson on the shoulder.

Grayson turned to look at his man. "Hmm? Oh Johnson. What is it?"

"There is a young lady here. She says she wants to talk to you."

"Well, why didn't you say so? I'd hate to leave a lady waiting." he responded moving over to where Nova was.

"Hello, Young Miss. I am Chief Grayson. May I ask your name?"

@ChadsWorth The Third

Nova smiled politely and nodded her acknowledgement as the chief introduced himself. "It is a pleasure Mr. Grayson, my name is Nova Black. Feel free to call me Nova if you wish." Clasping her hands together neatly in front of her, Nova took a breath to steady herself before continuing on. "I'm aware that you are a busy man with all that is going on, so I'll try not to keep you too long. I've only come to offer my help with the investigation." She motioned to the crime scene behind the man with a subtle nod.

Brrrriiiiing!

"Telephone!"

Brrrriiiiing!

"Katherine!"

Brrrriiiiing!

"Good lord, make it stop!"

Brrrriiiiing!

"Kathie, please! I'm busy!"

Katherine almost stomped into the study from the kitchen across the hall in their flat.

"What's got ye' so busy this time? Christ, tha' phone's right next te' ya'!"

Dorian was on the ground, on his knees, with notes and a pen in hand. In front of him was a tortoise, evidently with wet paint on its feet, walking around on a sheet of paper. He scribbed a few notes on his own paper before lifting the tortoise up and starting to repaint its feet. Katherine would have sighed, if she hadn't become used to this sort of behavior from the man a long time ago. She picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, miss. Could you please tell Mr. Dorian that Chief Constable Grayson requests 'is presence at the Queen Victoria statue on Baker Street? The Game Master has struck again".

"Aye, sir. Good day, sir."

Dorian didn't look up from his 'work.'

"Who was that?"

"A constable, sir. Wanted ta' see ye', e' said tha' Game Master struck again."

The man dropped his notes immediately, and stood up. He was visibly (and perhaps disturbingly, given the circumstances) overjoyed at the case's continuation, and had been waiting painstakingly for this call.

"The Game Master! It's time, then, I'll fetch my coat at once!"
He immediately ran out of the room, grabbing his coat from a hook and stuffing a few items into his pockets. He turned back into the room briefly.

"Be a dear and clean Oliver while I'm out, would you?"
He motioned to the tortoise.

"Aye, I'll get 'im."

Dorian smiled and ran out of the room again. He turned around a split second later, running back into the room, where he suddenly, though gently, put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her. He wheeled around and ran out again.

"M-Mr. Dorian!" she stuttered, surprised, and started to blush.

"Not now, Kathie, I've got a killer to catch!"
He was out the door before she could say any more.

---

"Excuse me, please, excuse me, sorry madam, excuse me..."
He weaved through the crowd to approach the scene, almost disregarding the line of officers keeping the citizens out. He recognized a few faces, namely Chief Grayson and Alexander Karloff (who he occasionally worked with). Grayson was speaking to a young woman as Dorian approached.

"Good morning, Chief Grayson. Ma'am." He nodded to both of them politely. "I'll get to examining the scene immediately, if I could borrow Constable Johnson to fill me in." Dorian started walking away. "But only him. I like him. He's got a certain quality about him... He rambled on, moving further out of earshot.

@ChadsWorth The Third

Nova smiled politely and nodded her acknowledgement as the chief introduced himself. "It is a pleasure Mr. Grayson, my name is Nova Black. Feel free to call me Nova if you wish." Clasping her hands together neatly in front of her, Nova took a breath to steady herself before continuing on. "I'm aware that you are a busy man with all that is going on, so I'll try not to keep you too long. I've only come to offer my help with the investigation." She motioned to the crime scene behind the man with a subtle nod.

“Hmm. How would you be able to help with the investigation, Nova?” Grayson asked. “Maybe you could help with the witnesses. We haven’t questioned them, because Dorian isn’t here. We called him using the local Pub’s phone, but he hasn’t arrived yet,” Looking around. “Where is that man?”

"Good morning, Chief Grayson. Ma'am." He nodded to both of them politely. "I'll get to examining the scene immediately, if I could borrow Constable Johnson to fill me in." Dorian started walking away. "But only him. I like him. He's got a certain quality about him... He rambled on, moving further out of earshot.

"Yes, Of course. Excuse me Nova.” Grayson said as he lifted the yellow tape to let Dorian in. “Johnson!” Grayson called out. One of the Constables turned around, and saw Dorian “Dorian! Hey! It’s been a long time. Two weeks since our last drinking brigade?” Johnson said, chuckling. “Okay. Here’s what’s going on. We got this bloody man, and he’s dead, his head cut off and put in front of The Queen, kneeling. He had this in his hand.” He pulled a note from out of his pocket, stating

He died as he lived: Kneeling before a fat woman. The next one might not be able to say the same.

“As you probably already know, this ‘Game Master’ is bloody bonkers. We got three witnesses, one even saying she saw the entire thing. They’re in that house over there,” gesturing to the house across the street. “It belongs to one of the witnesses, and she’s letting us question them in the house while we’re here.”

Looking up Alex turns to see Dorian entering the scene."Dorian, hello. How have you been? And how's your turtle?" Alex turns back to the scene, moving closer to the body he crouchs down, closely inspecting the cut on the victim the one that the pumpkin is on top of,"Could someone please remove the pumpkin from this mans body? I would like to take a closer look at this neck wound."

The wound on the neck was definitely made in one blow. The strange thing was, it had also been shaped in a way that allowed the pumpkin to sit atop the neck more easily. Part of the victim's spine had also been pulled out of the body and sharpened to a fine point so that the pumpkin couldn't fall off so easily. The same thing had been done to all The Game Master's previous victims.

“Okay. Here’s what’s going on. We got this bloody man, and he’s dead, his head cut off and put in front of The Queen, kneeling. He had this in his hand.

Dorian rolled his eyes.

"Brilliant analysis as always, Constable."
He took the note, reading it silently:

'He died as he lived: Kneeling before a fat woman. The next one might not be able to say the same.'

"Interesting."
The detective paced around the scene, his eyes flicking around to several points of interest.

“As you probably already know, this ‘Game Master’ is bloody bonkers. We got three witnesses, one even saying she saw the entire thing. They’re in that house over there,” gesturing to the house across the street. “It belongs to one of the witnesses, and she’s letting us question them in the house while we’re here.”

Dorian nodded. Three witnesses was very generous. Not likely a mistake. After all, this was the Game Master. That's all this was to him, and maybe to some extent Dorian as well: a game.

"Mr. Karloff, if you could gather what you can from the scene... Don't hesitate to be thorough, though, do try to keep it undisturbed... I'll finish up here once I speak to the witnesses."

He turned on his heels and started towards the house.

@ChadsWorth The Third

Nova opened her mouth to speak, cut off by the sudden arrival of what appeared to be an investigator of sorts. She could feel the excitement oozing from his pores, a sentiment she found rather amusing under the circumstances. Nodding a polite hello, she watched the man enter the crime scene as if he owned the place. "My, what enthusiasm." She mumbled to herself before returning her focus to the Chief Constable.

"I would certainly love to help your taskforce in any way that I can, Mr. Grayson... If it is the witnesses you'd feel most comfortable putting into my hands, I will have no complaints. Will you direct me in the direction of the victim, I'd very much like to speak with him first, if it's not too much trouble." Nova phrased her request as delicately as she could possibly be without her point going unnoticed. She was fully prepared for skepticism, but she wasn't about to be brushed aside like a serving girl.

"I would certainly love to help your taskforce in any way that I can, Mr. Grayson... If it is the witnesses you'd feel most comfortable putting into my hands, I will have no complaints. Will you direct me in the direction of the victim, I'd very much like to speak with him first, if it's not too much trouble." Nova phrased her request as delicately as she could possibly be without her point going unnoticed. She was fully prepared for skepticism, but she wasn't about to be brushed aside like a serving girl.

Grayson gave Nova a skeptic look. "Speak to the victim?" he said. He looked from side to side. "Lets talk about this in a minute. I have to get rid of all these reporters. Don't want any more coverage." He stood up and walked to the center of the cut off area. two of the three constables were answering questions to the best of their abilities. "OKAY EVERYBODY! THAT'S ENOUGH FOR TODAY." He shouted to everyone. The crowd was a bit mad, but still obeyed and left the scene, all be it slowly.

Grayson pointed to Johnson and then pointed to the house. It seemed to be a silent communication between the two of them. Johnson nodded and walked toward the house and stood in front of it.

"Okay. So, you're saying you can talk to the victim?" Grayson said, turning back to Nova. "I believe you. That Game Master... The Press doesn't know it but, just between you and me, I say he's not what he seems. He's got some magic to him. And if magic is killing people then magic can help us catch him." He then pointed toward the man who was killed. "He's right there."

Nova watched from the line as the reporters and miscellaneous crowds were dispersed and sent about their day. A bit of excitement bubbled up into her chest as Chief Grayson retuned for her, allowing her into the crime scene itself. "Magic has such a pleasant sound to it, it would be a shame if that were truly the case. Unfortunately it is the one thing I probably agree with you the most on." Stepping lightly so as not to disturb the investigative work around her, arriving just after the detective from before had departed. Her eyes trailed after the man on his way toward the house where the witnesses were likely being kept calm and comfortable. She then turned her attention to the man inspecting the body at great detail, clearing her throat lightly to announce her presence.

"It is quite chilling to see a body with no spirit... It looks as if it could move at any moment, however impossible that might be to our minds." Nova looked at the body with sorrow in her eyes, her excitement mixed with the pain of knowing the man must have been terrified. "Would you mind if I moved in a bit closer? I won't be long." She directed her question to the man analyzing the body, not wishing to hinder his work before starting her own.

@Snarfulblast@ChadsWorth The Third

"Ahh no problem. I was just about to follow mister Dorian." Alex quickly jots down a few things, then heads off to follow Dorian into the house. "So master Dorian, what do we have here?"