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Welcome to James Kemp's Wiki
This is a collaborative web platform that allows people to edit1) the web pages to provide additional content for some of the stories I have written and the roleplaying games that I am involved in, whether as a player or GM.
There are several namespaces operating slightly different wiki subjects. These are, in no particular order:
- Skyss - Story Background - a fantasy novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2016.
- Perfects - background for the near future story and some police roleplaying that I ran in that universe
- Theocracy of Daprav - A D&D campaign that I ran with Glasgow University Games Society around 2002-3.
- Jim Wallman's Universe - a roleplaying by e-mail campaign that I play in, this is an unofficial wiki and none of it is canon unless Jim says it is.
- Interstellar Freelance Unlimited - subset of the Universe pages covering the activities of a mercenary company that we are currently roleplaying every Full Moon.
- Earth Imperium pages. These cover the activities of the Government of the Solar republic (aka Earth Empire) in Jim's Humanity Will Prevail campaign, including the Earth Imperium News Items.
- Free Worlds Alliance - covering the activities of another emerging polity in the Humanity Will Prevail campaign. Mostly contributed by Eric Moroney.
- Universe Background - page collecting the various bits of background info that have come up in various e-mail discussions for the campaigns set in Jim Wallman's Universe.
- Master map of the Universe (6Mb PDF, as at 3212).
- Delta Green - some roleplaying campaigns about horror and conspiracy. The main one was set in Berlin in 1953.
- Free games rules - a collection of free rules for wargames and other sorts of face to face games that I have designed or run.
- Wargames rules - I'm not just a player of games, I also do rules for them from time to time as well as one-off games. A primary outlet for this is through Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Other free rules - at the moment just those for the 1689 (Orange or Lemon? and Bonnie Dundee, respectively about the debates in the Scots Parliament and then the military campaign of Viscount Dundee during 1689) and The Other Side of the COIN (about what makes people become insurgents). All games that I have have produced for Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Background for a near future universe where I have written some fiction and also run some roleplaying games in.
Comments and complaints to me at webmaster@full-moon.info please.
James Kemp
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Murder! - Part 3
After reviewing the evidence the patrol decide that they need to find out more about the footprint. So they take it down to the Bureau of Shoes (Office of Procurement, Footwear Directorate). Unfortunately the office is closed for the night.
Down the Docks
They decide that the next best thing would be to go down to the docks and look for more clues. Accordingly they split up to tour the waterfront taverns. [Can you think of a worse idea?]
Valanthe went into the 'Dropped Anchor' and met some of the crew from the 'Falcon' the ship on which the seventh victim had been a crew member. She got talking to his sombre former shipmates and discovered that he had been part of a small group that went on a pub crawl the previous evening. They'd started in the 'Dropped Anchor' which was the closest pub to the ship. They'd moved across the river and along the opposite bank before crossing back. They'd stopped in every single pub along the way, six including the 'Dropped Anchor'.
On leaving the 'Tarry Sail', the first pub back on this side of the river, he had said that he was feeling ill and that he would catch the others up in the next pub. That was about 11pm and was the last he had been seen alive. The crew reckoned that he would be able to handle himself in a fight and were somewhat surprised when he turned up dead.
Bureau of Shoes
In the morning the they go to the Bureau of Shoes. A boy takes them to see 'Mr Archibald', this involves a long back corridor in a part of the building clearly not frequented by visitors. They end up in a large store-room with floor to ceiling shelves filled with boots and shoes.
Archie clearly knows a lot about boots, more than anyone sane would wish to know. They show him the boor print that they've taken and he waxes lyrical for several minutes about the boot and how the pattern of nails tells you about how it was made and which type, and how minor variations note different types. He also talks a bit about the patterns of wear.
Archie tells them it is a good boot, and well made. The type is reserved for the more senior members of the theocracy and only goes to sub-deacons and above. Of course, people at that level would have more than one set of footwear, as they'd be authorised for shoes as well as boots and probably also indoor and outdoor varieties. What Archie finds most interesting about these boots though is that they have an unauthorised modification to the heel, the hobs are aligned differently to the standard pattern. Other than that they are a size 9 standard width boot.
Before leaving the patrol ask Archie to let them know if the boots get returned, but not to let the owner know that they are interested.
Delving Deeper
Having established the size and type of boot (Type 23, size 9 standard) they look for records of who had been issued those boots. The obvious place is the Office of Central Statistics. Being Ministry of Internal Affairs agents they find the record keepers very helpful and in a short time they have a list of names.
- Ministry of Food - 3 pairs
- Ministry of Internal Affairs - 5 pairs
- Office of Religious Orthodoxy - 2 pairs
- Bureau of Planning - 3 pairs
- Ministry of Supply - 5 pairs
They then move on to checking where the people are with the various Ministries.
Ministry of Food
One pair was issued to a Deacon in their personnel department responsible for senior posts. He is currently on a sabbatical to undertake a pilgrimage and has been out of Templeton for six moons.
The second pair was issued to a sub-deacon responsible for grain export. He is currently based outside Daprav liaising with a neighbouring state on grain exports from Daprav.
The third pair was issued to a sub-deacon responsible for beer production in the South West, he hasn't been to Templeton for several years.
Ministry of Supply
One pair was issued and four remain in their stores. The issued pair went to an Archdeacon responsible for robe procurement. He is frequently out of Templeton to visit weavers and farmers in cloth and dyes production.
Bureau of Planning
Their three pairs have gone to a Bishop overseeing the forecasting department and two of his Archdeacons. One in weather and the other in trade forecasting. None of them are based in Templeton.
Office of Religious Orthodoxy
There's a little less help here, but they get a look at the file and both pairs issued show as having been returned some time ago.
Ministry of Internal Affairs
They take a different tack and visit the personnel office after hours since their investigation isn't an official one. They find a file-list hanging from a noticeboard in a personnel office lined with filing cabinets. This leads them to the right cabinet which is swiftly opened. Four names come from the appropriate file.
- Chief Priest (2 pairs)
- Archbishop Hugh (responsible for security on the Southern Border)
- Archdeacon Marius in the City Watch (issued 2 days before the murder)
- Deacon Elvar in personnel.
Murder! - Part 4
After an evening of constructive facilitation of the investigation the patrol meet up to discuss their remaining suspects. They decide to look at the people inside the Ministry of Internal Affairs first, because if they can rule them out they can enlist support to make their investigation official. It will need careful handling, so the first thing is to get Gregory close enough to decide whether or not they look enough like the person he saw leaving the murder scene.
Deacon Elvar
They go back to the personnel offices, on pretence of asking questions about their posting to the border, and look for Deacon Elvar. It doesn't take long for them to see him in the corridor. This is enough to rule him out because he's a completely different build to the murderer (slightly shorter and fatter).
Archbishop Hugh
The Archbishop is their senior commander, so they know where his office is, although he's several levels above them. So they speak to his private secretary and say that they've been told to collect some special delivery for Fort Albany. While there they discover that the Archbishop is out for the day at the seminary.
The patrol (minus Melody) goes to the seminary to see if they can listen to Archbishop Hugh speaking to the students. By luck there is a question and answer session in progress. The patrol get to join in and manage to ask a couple of questions. They decide that the Archbishop has the same accent as the murderer but is too small and slight in build.
Given this they hang back at the end of the session and approach the Archbishop to tell him the story and make their investigation official. Hugh is very co-operative and listens well. He gets the whole story from them and the list of suspects (although they don't mention that the boot print shows a modification). He asks the patrol to leave it with him and to report back to his office at midday for further order. Hugh suggests that they be ready to travel when they report back in.
Evening
Back at their accommodation they catch up with Melody. She had split off from them to investigate the Chief Priest, one of their other two remaining suspects. The other being Deacon Marius of the Templeton City Watch. Melody saw the Chief Priest and heard him speak to his private secretary. She believes that he can't be ruled out, he sounded exactly like the murderer and is also the same height and build.
Leaving Templeton
Having packed up for travelling the patrol return to Archbishop Hugh's office. He isn't there, but Deacon Marius is. There are a stack of sealed packets on the private secretary's desk. One for each of the patrol and another for the commander of Fort Albany. They are personally addressed and bear the words “NOT TO BE OPENED IN TEMPLETON” on the front and back of the envelope.
Marius smiles at them and tells them not to worry. He shows them the soles of his very old pair of boots, which are the standard pattern. The hob nails are practically worn flat into the leather. Marius tells them that they've found the owner of the boots, and by extension the murderer, so they need to get the patrol out of the city as soon as possible. He's going to escort them out of the city walls and over the horizon to make sure that they stay safe.
Murder!
Out of the fog comes an Archdeacon…
Gregory shouts “Stop!”
And receives the reply, in authoritarian tones: “Stand Aside! I shall be on my way.”
The urge to obey was strong and the patrol let the Archdeacon pass. However Gregory decides to tail him and see where he goes while the others investigate the scream. He follows him along the river bank for a bit and then up Temple Way, one of the main streets of the City, leading from Sir Waldo's Bridge. It became obvious that the Archdeacon knew he was being followed and he ducked into an alleyway. Gregory didn't want to follow him into it directly and crossed the road to be able to see down the alley without any risk that he might be ambushed, but by that time the Archdeacon had disappeared.
Meanwhile Ostler and Melody edge cautiously forward into the now silent fog.
A few metres in front of where they were they find a body in a large pool of blood which is still spreading slowly. The body is that of a sailor who has had his throat cut out, the whole larynx is missing and there is lots and lots of blood. Also on the paved embankment is a single bloody footprint leading away from the body to where Ostler and Melody have come from. The make a copy of this footprint with a piece of paper that they happen to have with them.
On Gregory's return the three go looking for a Watch post so that they can report the murder. They eventually find a post and tell the duty sergeant who pays absolutely no interest in the matter whatsoever, although he does take down a cursory report. Because of the disinterest of the watch they decide to tell Triste, knowing that her parents are reasonably senior officials. Triste's father, Soledad, suggests that they go back to the Watch and visit the HQ in daylight.
This they do and get a better reception. They are shown in to see Sergeant Harrison who is in charge of te investigation to catch the murderer. Harrison is in his 40s and is quite fit looking with very short iron grey hair. At the point when they enter his room he is sitting at his desk eating breakfast, a pastry, and drinking coffee. There is a cigar that has gone out in an ash-tray on his desk. The room is about 15 feet on each side with a window looking out on the city. There is the desk, a meeting table, half a dozen chairs a couple of cupboards and a filing cabinet. On every available surface there are piles and piles of papers, including on the floor. Many of them are in battered cardboard folders, some held together with linen tape others relying on the weight of the files above them to keep them closed.
Entry to Templeton
A number of things happened when the patrol was in Templeton.
Templeton is the administrative and theological capital of Daprav. It is the home of most of the Ministries that run the country as well as the residence of the Patriarch. It is also a communications hub and one of the largest cities in the state.
Moments after they entered the city the patrol was bumped into by a man running from some of the City Watch (although it wasn't clear that he was running from them until afterwards). The man left them with a small gem which took some explaining when the Watch appeared…
After a tour round the city taking in the main sights the patrol, or at least some of them, were enrolled in a game of Stoolball. This was enjoyed immensely and several beers were also enjoyed with the other players after the game was over.
When the taverns turned them out it was somewhat late and rather foggy. Naturally the patrol got somewhat lost and ended up on the river front. In front of them they heard a scream in the fog.
Sometimes They Come Back - Act 2
While the patrol get together in the main room of the tavern for a debrief the following morning there is a disturbance out the back. Five skeletons break out of beer kegs in the kitchen and attack the staff. The patrol rush to deal with them, which takes a matter of minutes.
Once this is done they go out the front of the Inn as they hear cries for help from the square. It appears that the skeletons were just a diversion for the kidnapping of the local priest.
To their dismay the party find a very large group of zombies and skeletons blocking their way as the Necromancer escapes with the priest on a horse-drawn cart. Despite their best efforts they can't persuade the undead creatures to flee from them. They form a line and start shooting, except Ostler and the now recovered Flynn who both run round to the stables for their horses.
It takes some time before it becomes apparent that they have lost the trail of the Necromancer. They also need to deal with all the undead and heal the injured from the encounter. By the time they do so it is getting on towards evening. They patrol decide that the best option is to leave half to look after the village and the others to go scout the battlefield for the Necromancer.
Ostler, Flynn and Gregory go to the battlefield. On arrival they find it much changed from their previous visit. There appear to have been a large number of graves opened up, and there was an air of activity round the temples that hadn't been there before.
Warily the three agents approached the temples. Their first contact was a skeleton which they rebuked. They did the same for a number of other skeletons and zombies which fled across the battlefield. This left them clear to fight the necromancer and two of his henchmen. One of the henchmen was neatly beheaded by a lucky strike from Ostler, another was chased done and captured by Flynn. Ostler and Gregory dealt with the Necromancer and managed to inflict sufficient wounds to kill him after a hard fight.
The following day the patrol carried on their journey towards Templeton.
