The Lobby

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

Characters: Arthur, Gawain, Open to all
Date/Time: Well into the scavenger hunt
Location: L'Hôtel Jeu Ancien Bar
Rating: TBD
Warnings: TBD
Summary: General Investigation


They walked into the lobby, having obviously missed a bit of a show, as far as 'Adam' could tell.

There was broken porcelein everywhere. "Well, that's one way of going about it," he commented with a smile.

Comments

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

The lobby resembled something out of Omaha Beach. I'd seen worse ransacking jobs, but the predominance of porcelain and passion wasn't going to make our job any easier.

"Where do you want to start looking, pal?" I asked my companion.

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

"Dark corners are always handy places. I'll take the back left; you take the back right?"

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

"Sounds like a plan," I said, crossing toward the back right corner in question, where an umbrella stand and coat rack stood.

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

"Nothing's rearlly getting me over here," Adam admitted ad he lifted a chair to find nothing underneath.

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

I shifted through the inevitable mass of furs and topcoats hanging from the rack, but didn't see anything of interest. It was then that I noticed the umbrella stand ....

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

'Adam' looked back over his shoulder at the other man...

"Are you getting something..." The walking stick...

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

The ornate walking stick protruding from the umbrella stand was no ordinary walking stick, and the well-dressed man and I both realized that. The stick wasn't that big, but it surely was speaking loudly.

With trembling hand, I started to pull it out of the umbrella stand ....

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

"....the old attached-drinking-flask trick." 'Adam' gave a rattlesnake smile. "If this our prize, what are they trying to say about us? Best thing is to open it, though."

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

"Hey, have at it, my man," I said.

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

And 'Adam' unscrews the top of the flask attached to the cudgel.

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

Inside the internal flask was a small rolled-up piece of paper inscribed with a verse:

For the finish of the unfinished to have begun
Seek ye out the long-lost text
Where what the vessel held nature gave none
And bright lights mask which steps come next

Somewhere, Nigel smiled faintly as he sensed the enchantment over the Celts evaporate.

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

... Gawain found himself standing in an all-too-familiar hotel lobby, dressed in his noir Halloween costume, and holding an ornate cudgel along with Arthur.

Confused, he said, "Uncle?"

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

"Gawain....where are why, why do I feel the need to wash my brain out with soap, and ....and where's Nimue?"

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

"I am grieved to say I have been in this accursed place before. Where Nimue is, I have no idea." Gawain glanced down at the note in Arthur's hands, and his eyes widened.

"Uncle, look ...."

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

"Yes...something about a scavenger hunt, wasn't there?" Arthur reads over the note, then hands it to his nephew. Although he's no doubt read about
the Hoover Dam and seen movies with Las Vegas in, such things do not come easily to the mind of a Welsh farmer.
"I think it's trying to tell us where that book you're after is."

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

"I do believe so," Gawain replied. "And I believe I know where it's telling us to go ... goddesses help us."

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

"Ah. Well, you'll have to be native guide on that; you're the American."

[greengawain.insanejournal.com]

"What concerns me is not so much the destination, but rather who we might be forced to employ to reach that destination. Oh, my uncle, please understand ... I try my level best not to associate with unsavory types. Alas, when one is in the rare book business, one encounters unsavory types ... types who will stop at nothing to acquire rare titles."

Gawain sighed. "I know of someone who could undoubtedly help us recover the manuscript, but I hate the idea of employing his services."

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

Arthur sighs. "I understand your point. If we can find Nimue, this is best discussed with her. And I pray we can find her. I don't want to lose anyone now."

[sitsatcircles.insanejournal.com]

Something had kept catching his eye, before the change. And even after, he still couldn't help but wonder....

Arthur finally walked over and took the singing fish off the wall, drawing a knife and slicing it open.

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

Inside the gears and machinery, a small bit of parchment was wedged in the fish's stomach. Printed on it was a verse:

Once fires burned and walls stood high
And among the cries, the Chosen would pray
Seek where we remember their prisoned sighs
To bring them down, candles light the way