Ghost of the Garnier Play Report Session #1
The first part of Ghost of the Garnier. The Yellow King RPG, a Gumshoe Quickshock game based on the Robet W. Chambers stories by Robin D Laws .
...Here Be Spoilers...
Paris, 1895
Ominous Poster [Intro]
Cousins Dorian and Sandy are Art students at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. On an early morning wander through the streets, they spot a new poster advertising a forthcoming opera Cassilda, this vision of a melancholy woman in front of a white sky with black stars strikes dread into Dorian. Sandy takes it down, the fresh glue makes this difficult he ends up with glue plastered all over him, along with half the poster. They decide to take their finding to their friends at Le Veau Gras, to see what the rest of the entourage can make of it - it's certainly a deuced peculiar business.
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| Coming Soon... |
At the cafe, Sandy unfurls the poster, again plastering glue and paper over his Sunday best, he now resembles a poorly coordinated supply teacher, who's been assaulted by a classroom of kindergarten kids. The group observe and bombard each other with ideas and thoughts. Leigh is particularly disturbed, he exclaims, it's the embodiment of his recent nightmares made real, a collective shudder runs over the group.
Sandy, removing part of the poster and a large clump of glue from his right ear, seems convinced that the poster is a copy made by a fellow he knows of, LucienVidalin - a cheap copyist of popular artwork. Beverley, always up with the latest cultural goings-on, remembers that up and coming Librettist Marcel Brisson had mentioned Cuvier, the name on the poster, perhaps they are collaborating on this new opera.
The group decide to speak with Lucien; Who better than the producer of this work to find out the mystery behind it?
The Poster Illustrator []
Heading across to the Latin Quarter, they knock and are allowed entry by a man seemingly at the end of his tether, if not mind, Lucien seems distracted and on edge, he's obviously not bathed for a few weeks, his hair covers most of his face, his fingers are bandaged with blood soaking through and the room is a complete tip - Ainsley steps forward to take control, picking up papers, tidying dishes. The rest of the group start to question the pale painter;
- Yes, he designed the poster, but instructions were given to him by Picou, the Palais Garnier general manager
- No, he has no sketches but shows a photo of a model, the woman in the poster and written instructions for the background/design
- Why no sketches? He ate them of course, to protect himself from Egregores
- What are Egregores? Thought eaters, supernatural demons (at least from what Dorian's occult knowledge can discern)
- Ah, the fingers, let me show you...
Lucien unwraps the bandages, showing the raw, bloodied ends of his fingers, all the finger nails have been ripped out, Dorian swoons and vomits over Sandy's shoes. As the mess spreads across the floor... Ainsley stops untying his apron, looks to the heavens and goes to fetch a bucket and mop.
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| Lucien vs the Egregores |
Sandy still enraged by this fraud sullying the name of the original artist (Alfred Mucha) and disgusted by what he sees, swings a punch at Lucien who goes down in a heap. Lesley helps Lucien to his couch whereupon, Ainsley produces a business card of a nearby florist's, holding it steadily in front of Lucien's eyes, Ainsley says "I found this whilst tidying up". Lucien nods, "Yes - another was looking for a copy of the poster, he gave me that card, a young, somewhat dense fellow, but no more, I need rest, I need to put that dreaded image out of my mind."
The Young Lover []
Agreeing as a whole to visit the florist, the group head towards the shop, as it is also on the way to the Palais Garnier. Inside, a young man is selling flowers to an angry, matronly woman who seems to be berating him for short changing her.
Ainsley decides to wait outside whilst the reminder of the troop head in. Once inside Sandy not so gently shoulders the woman aside, who huffs, puffs then loudly makes her exit. The young man explains he is Albert, he's looking after the shop for his uncle but these damned coins all look the same and the numbers make no sense - why is everyone so hasty! Once the group mentions the poster (as well as Sandy, unpeeling it and handing it over to Albert) he relaxes and is only too ready to give out information. Albert explains he is in love with Celeste, the model in the photo, but he believes another, a Duc de Rudier has taken her away, maybe de Rudier is in cahoots with Picou. Celeste has not confirmed she is with de Rudier but he was tutoring her and now she is in this new opera, surely it is him?!
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| Albert |
The group ask if anything strange has befallen Celeste, he mentions only one thing that stuck in his mind, when he last saw her, her skirt was wet at the hems, but she'd not left the theatre all day. The group convince Albert to send a token of his affection to Celeste, they will deliver it, he constructs the biggest bouquet of flowers he can find.
Meanwhile Lesley is trying to convince Albert he would make the perfect model, he looks flustered and unsure but takes her card. As the group leave they encounter Ainsley in deep conversation with another friend of theirs, Dominique, after telling her of their account, they all decide to visit the Librettist, Marcel, before working their way up the chain to the likes of Picou.
The Librettist []
Marcel is only just around the corner from the Palais Garnier and as they enter his building and ascend the stairs they see a decayed and decrepit place, rats scurry away into dark holes, plaster crumbling from the wall and pools of water residing in the hallway.
A brisk knock at the door and it opens, a young, balding man, with a concerned look on his face appears, he is asked if he is the author of the Libretto for Cassilda? "Of cour..." he begins to reply, but not quickly enough as Sandy grabs him by the collar, lifts him up and marches him into the room, throwing him into a chair! "Best open your mouth friend" says Dorian, gesturing at a red faced and angry looking Sandy. The remainder of the group shuffle in sheepishly - "It's okay sir", "We just need some information", "No harm will come to you, but the matter is urgent".
"Harm will most certainly come to you... ...friend, so speak... NOW!" says a steely voiced Sandy.
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| Marcel has a fright |
Marcel quickly tells all that he knows;
- a masked figure dictated the libretto in Picou and Larsonneau's (the artist director of the Garnier) office at the Garnier
- the 2nd half was a complete depravity, Marcel's ears bled a sickly, sweet liquid, but luckily the masked man relented and they stuck with the 1st half only
- the masked man has some kind of hold on Picou and Larsonneau and insisted on casting that talentless girl, Celeste
- the only copy of the libretto is with Cuvier, the composer
- Marcel knows the masked man is De Rudier, as he saw him coming out of the Duc's box at the Garnier
- Marcel believes De Rudier is an acquaintance of De Sade, Dominique backs this up
There is nothing more to be gained from the broken man, the group decide it is time to pay Picou and Larsonneau a visit.
The Impresario and the Manager []
Ainsley decides that a more sophisticated approach is required to meet with these more elevated citizens, they decide a smaller group will act as police officials and demand an audience with Picou and Larsonneau.
The ruse works well, they are invited into the duo's office, they glean that it was Larsonneau that chose Celeste for Cassilda and that she is playing tonight in a performance of Hellé. They are asked about De Roudier, but can only confirm that he has a box, it is all paid, but the man himself has not been seen for some time. They also confirm it was Marcel who came up with the material for Cassilda, they've not yet read it and that they are nervously waiting the score from Cuvier, he's fallen behind and now they cannot contact him.
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| Hellé |
Much of this seems to contracdict what they have been told elsewhere, but the pair seem a harder nut to crack than Marcel and Lucien, or perphaps they are or think they are telling the truth.
The group are eventually palmed off with tickets for tonights opera and they are hard pressed to see any wrong doing, though one of the group noticed when they entered the office, that Picou was quick to close and lock a draw in his desk.
The group agree a conversation with Celeste is now in order and plan to see her in tonight's performance of Hellé. But that is almost two hours away, more than enough time to pay a visit to Cuvier... ...Sandy's eyes light up as he gently caresses his fist, now adorned with an ornate knuckleduster.
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