Syria and the Movies Part Four: April 6, 1926

CW: Mention of suicide. 

A Bit of Continuity

It should be mentioned that, sometime during the last session, Brother Theodore was meant to have given Dr. Black the reforged Sword of Marcus. He also asked Dr. Black if he, or his friends, were interested in joining Brother Theodore’s order, the Bruderschaft der Fallensteller. After learning that joining the order was not compulsory, Dr. Black told Brother Theodore that he would think about it.

Bill Simpson

As the group decides what to do with Mr. Raven, Vivian informs the group that there is a well-dressed, older woman who has been watching them from across the street. The woman has not moved from her spot, and has quietly been taking notes on their actions this entire time.

Moments later, a Black man approaches the woman and talks to her somewhat frantically. The woman calmly points straight at the group, and the man rushes over. He seems to be about to ask the group something when he sees Mr. Raven draped over Ron’s shoulder.

“Oh no, Mr. Raven! Not again!”

He introduces himself as Bill Simpson, a stagehand on Prince of Babylon.  He apologizes profusely to the group on behalf of Palm Tree Studios, and tells them that he has been trying very hard to keep poor Mr. Raven out of trouble. Bill says that the mad actor has been apprehended several times, only to escape each time. After learning that Mr. Raven sharpened a stage sword and wounded both Ron and Mikhail, Bill promises that he will force the studio heads to understand just how dangerous Mr. Raven has become, and will insist on restraining him more vigorously this time.

Bill tells the group that he is very, very sorry, for what has happened, and also that he is very, very grateful to them for apprehending Mr. Raven without harming him. Ron is quite catty during this whole exchange, but Bill ultimately manages to win over the group. When the group asks if they should take Mr. Raven to a local hospital, Bill says that there is a staff doctor who works for the studio, and that they should take him there.

Bill Simpson, Stagehand for Palm Tree Studios

Dr. Wakefield

The group arrive at the studio’s rather simple field hospital and office. They meet Dr. Wakefield, who puts Mr. Raven on a gurney and then puts him in restraints. 

Dr. Wakefield tends to Mikhail’s shoulder wound while Dr. Black tends to Ron’s leg wound.

Mikhail and Judge Putnam try to talk to Mr. Raven, but learn very little. He raves about the desert and about the “new friends” he’s made, but otherwise seems to make very little sense. The others make a bit more headway talking to Dr. Wakefield and Bill, and learn the following:

• Both men believe that Monica Anikov’s death was an accident.
• Bill explains that Mr. Raven somehow got “left behind” when they left the film set the last time. He says that Mr. Raven arrived in As Suwayda dehydrated, starved, heavily sunburned, and raving. They have been trying to keep him out of trouble, but lack the facilities.
• Dr. Wakefield says that Mr. Raven is physically fine, more or less, but appears to have suffered from a psychotic break.
• Bill warns the group that the woman they keep seeing is a Hollywood entertainment reporter. She has been snooping around looking for gossip about what’s going on with Prince of Babylon. He implores them not to talk to her.
• The location of Mr. Raven’s quarters. 

The group leaves a short time later, to pursue their original mission in the area.

von Varnstein’s Apartment

The group returns to the converted army barracks that now serve as temporary housing for the cast and crew. Upon arrival, they are approached by the woman, who introduces herself as Roseanne Bartlett. She asks them the identity of the man they carried off earlier. Ron growls at her and she quickly retreats.

Everyone goes up to von Varnstein’s apartment and Liam lets them in using the key given to him by Mr. Tokamak. Ron stands guard in the hallway while Johnny and Kane take up positions near the apartment’s single window. Kane notes that Ms. Bartlett is still standing vigil across the street, and breaks off from the group to go to talk to her.

Judge Putnam and Dr. Black notice several storyboards arranged on easels around the apartment. These storyboards are a testament to von Varnstein’s exacting vision. Judge Putnam wonders how much money the studio would need to finish the movie.

In the front room, Mikhail searches a table by the window and finds it littered with papers, jewelers’ tools, and pieces of cut glass. He also finds several sheets of paper handwritten in German. He hands these off to Johnny, who struggles to translate them. They appear to be personal notes from von Varnstein, but Johnny keeps getting distracted and is unable to devote his full attention to them.

Vivian searches the bedroom for anything resembling a journal. She finds a book on a nightstand, which turns out to be a ledger of the film’s finances. She also finds a large trunk squeezed into the bottom of a wardrobe. Vivian tries to pick the lock and fails. She calls Johnny into the room and asks him to pick the lock. He succeeds. Liam acts shocked and appalled that the two of them have larcenous skills, despite knowing full well that he can pick locks himself.

Inside the trunk, Vivian finds a film reel labeled, “Prince of Babylon Outtakes Reel #1.” She also discovers two long, curious tubes with screw threads on one end. Looking down the tubes, Vivian and Johnny note that they are packed with colored glass lenses, suggesting that they are meant to be used with a motion picture camera.

Judge Putnam notes a tipped over chair in the center of the front room, as well as a heavy crossbeam overhead. He tests the beam to ensure that it will hold its weight—which it does. While studying the beam, he notes that someone has carved some letters into it with a sharp pencil, “I cannot bear to see what I have seen, and I cannot unsee it.”

A Concerned Neighbor

Pierre Baptiste, Famous Actor

A well-dressed man with a pencil moustache comes out of one of the other apartments on the floor and makes his way to the stairs. Seeing Ron, the man approaches and asks what he’s doing there. After discussing his reasons for being there in vague terms, Ron learns that the man is none other than Pierre Baptiste, a famous actor. Ron invites him in to meet the rest of the group. Mikhail fanboys over his favorite movie star.

Most of the others recognize Mr. Baptiste from his roles in romantic pictures (which Ron rarely watches). Mr. Baptiste explains that Prince of Babylon was going to be a bit of a departure and a breakout for him, as he was signed on to play the villain. He confirms much of what the group already knows—that von Varnstein was the auteur of the picture,  that no one knows how to proceed without him, and that the deaths and the unpleasant aura surrounding the picture has destroyed everyone’s mood. He explains that the cast and crew are under contract, and cannot leave the area before the studio decides what it’s going to do. He confesses that everyone is in limbo right now.

He describes some unpleasant things that other people experienced at the desert film set. Dr. Black realizes that Mr. Baptiste has probably had some unpleasant experiences of his own, and takes him out into the hallway to speak to him privately. Mr. Baptiste says that he has recurring nightmares where he’s trapped on the set, surrounded by walls of canvas that he ins unable to cut or tear through, and plagued with the fear that he is being watched and hunted by something terrible.

Once he describes his nightmares to Dr. Black, Mr. Baptiste suddenly “remembers” that he has business elsewhere and hastily departs.

Kane and Roseanne

Roseanne Bartlett, Roving Reporter

At this point, Kane comes back after speaking with Ms. Bartlett. He tells the group that they exchanged pleasantries and that Ms. Bartlett made it known that she was looking for details about what’s going on with the studio. Kane reports that he was surprised, and a little embarrassed, that Ms. Bartlett seemed to know of him and his work, and seemed not at all shy about turning on the charm.

After a somewhat vague and circuitous conversation, Kane learned that Ms. Bartlett, like himself, is staying at the Tulip Doree II in the center of As Suwayda. She tells him to drop by any time with any information he’s learned. She promises to pay him from her expense account if he is able to tell her anything useful.

Kane asks the group what, if any, information he should tell Ms. Bartlett. After soliciting opinions, he decides to return to the hotel and speak with Ms. Bartlett in private. Turki Nazar and Brother Theodore go with him.

Let’s Split Up, Team!

The group has a lot to do, and decides to split up to cover more ground. Johnny and Dr. Black ask Liam if there’s anywhere they can go to get their hands on a projector to view the outtakes reel. Liam says that the studio has a screening room and gives directions. Johnny and Dr. Black set out with the film reel and one of von Varnstein’s lenses in tow.

The rest of the group decides that they will go across the way to the second converted army barracks, which is the location of both Monica Anikov’s and James Raven’s apartments.

Mikhail splits off from the others, finds As Suwayda’s library, and proceeds to do some research on portals. He doesn’t find very much, but at least he's thinking with portals.

James Raven’s Apartment

The door to Mr. Raven’s apartment is locked. Vivian tries to pick the lock and fails. Before anyone else can do or say anything, Ron steps past Vivian and shoulders the door in.

The apartment is neat, sparse, and little lived-in. After a thorough search, the group head up to the third floor to Ms. Anikov’s apartment.

Monica Anikov’s Apartment

Monica Anikov, Leading Lady

Vivian once again tries to get the hang of picking locks, only to be foiled by the lock. Ron once again smashes open the door with his shoulder. Inside, the apartment is much more nicely decorated and livable than the ones occupied by Raven and von Varnstein. Several photographs of Ms. Anikov hang around the apartment, and a manila folder on a nearby table contains several autographed photos, presumably for her adoring fans.

The group studies the balcony and finds it to be in excellent repair. It seems very unlikely that Ms. Anikov would have fallen off of it accidentally.

In the bedroom, Vivian finds a half-written letter on a small table. The letter seems to have been written by Ms. Anikov, and also seems to be a letter of resignation. Ms. Anikov cites several disturbing incidents, which have made her very fearful, and that she cannot bear to work on Prince of Babylon any longer.

The group compares the handwriting on the note to the handwriting on the pictures, and confirms that the same person wrote both. They also note that the handwriting on the letter is much more frantic than those on the pictures.

The Screening Room

A Single Frame from the Outtakes Reel

Johnny and Dr. Black arrive in the screening room and find it staffed by none other than Bill Simpson. Bill is pleased to see them and is happy to set up the film in the projector for viewing.

The film reel contains outtakes of several scenes—sometimes many, many takes of each. Most of them are unremarkable. However, a shot of several scimitar-wielding dervishes riding across the desert makes Johnny and Dr. Black’s skin crawl. Bill, too, is unnerved by the scene, and stops the projector briefly.

Johnny and Dr. Black produce the lens, and ask Bill if he wouldn’t mind attaching it to the front of the camera. Bill agrees, and finds that the lens fits perfectly. The lens seems to have no other effect than tinting the film a deep, bluish color.

Johnny, freaked out already and suspecting that the lens might reveal more horrors than are readily apparent, goes outside to smoke and calm his nerves. Dr. Black and Bill continue watching the film.

Two other shots are notable for waking feelings of horror and revulsion, despite their seeming innocuousness. The first is a mid-shot of James Raven, the hero of the picture, holding his rapier and speaking at the camera. The second is of Monica Anikov, dressed in regnal finery and reclining on a couch. Dr. Black notes that, though this scene seems normal, Ms. Anikov has a barely concealed look of fear on her face. Dr. Black also sees that Ms. Anikov’s costuming seems to be rippling, as if moved by wind or unseen hands.

The film reel runs out a short time later. Bill, rather upset by what he has seen, packs the film reel into the cannister while Dr. Black goes out to fetch Johnny. The three men discuss what they have seen (and not seen). Johnny suspects that they might learn more if they reverse the direction of the camera lens, holding it so the light of the projector goes from front to back instead of back to front.