[tshiggins]

The next day, Henrietta and Aurelia chose to stay in the library and keep digging, while Arthur, Sunmi, Beatrice and Doc Bascher scheduled a tour of the public areas of the Academy Club. Diego went to the police department, located a couple of blocks west of the library.

At the library, Henrietta and Aurelia dug up more background information about the KKK takeover of the city government. The Colorado branch had apparently formed in the blue-collar neighborhoods of Pueblo, then a large steel-producing town. They had some success and then moved north, and apparently capitalized on blue-collar resentment of Speer and his cronies to the extent they were able to seize control of Speer’s political machine, for a time.

However, the ladies found no evidence of any weird occurrences that might indicate a magical conflict, in any of the news stories.

At the posh Academy Club, A.J., Sunmi, Beatrice and Doc Bascher noted that security seemed inordinately tight for a social club devoted to literature, poetry and cultural advancement. The tour guide firmly steered them away from the club’s private library (“I’m afraid that’s reserved for members in good standing, only…”), but they managed to get good photos of the large marble fireplace. It had tiles with the family crests of the founding members, and the McShane gold-and-green hippogriff featured prominently.

At the police department, Diego lucked into a good contact (a good Acting roll turned into a decent reaction roll upon the initial meeting, and then into a critical success when Diego asked to see the cold case files). He presented himself as an experienced law officer who was seriously considering applying, and DPD Lt. Dave Hamilton offered to show him around.

Hamilton proved a fan of old, historical cases, and willingly discussed the McShane case. From that, Diego learned that McShane had been killed with a blow to the head, he discovered the name of the vanished janitor (Toby Hooper), and learned that the missing books amounted to dozens of antique volumes totalling several hundred pounds.

According to the case file, the size of the theft made the investigators, at the time, think it had to have been an inside job. They blamed Hooper for the death, which they said had to have occurred during the theft. The fact that he was never found made it easy to pin everything on him, and then close up the case.

Diego also got a shot of the SWAT team’s blueprints for the Academy Club building (but couldn’t get a copy). The party later determined the wall at the back of the library was thick enough to include a narrow hallway, inside.

With that, the group determined they needed to gain access to the Academy Club library. Since Aurelia had not gone on the tour (her player was absent), and seemed to have a curious quantity of appropriate skills for a high school history teacher, they thought they might be able to forge an identity for her as Oliver McShane’s great-granddaughter, and have her apply for a legacy membership.

They then returned to Grand Junction to report findings to JoBeth McShane, and to set up Aurelia’s fake identity.

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Funny Quotes:

Randy: So this tall, kinda heavyset guy came up to me outside the magic shop and started asking a bunch of questions about JC like he knows her. He totally knew who I am, too, but he didn't ask for my autograph. I'm kinda bummed about it...

Arthur (about the Magpie Girls): Maybe we should give them peanut butter and Nutella.
Sunmi: No! We want them to leave!

(The party learns the connection between faeries and the illness, “stroke,” and the fact that even Comanche legends indicate the nunnupi use a deadly-powerful poison.)
Diego: Well. We can’t force them to go back….

Twirls Thrice: I like the rabbit. He defeats his stronger enemies through cleverness.
Randy: Bugs Bunny is the trickster-god of American culture.

Diego: Maybe I could go in as JoCat’s son or grandson, or something?
Doc Bascher: Except that you’re a Mexican. “‘Ey, vato! I’m a McShane!”

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