So, during our last session we find The Chinese Masterchef informed of Lord Tan's convalescence.

Originally shared by Alicia Smith

So, during our last session we find The Chinese Masterchef informed of Lord Tan's convalescence. Being the civic minded chap he is, he decides to bake some delicious pastries and deliver them to the doorstep of the Irish delegation. But, along the way the London crowds start acting a little strangely, diverted by a Stranger In Their Midst.

This stranger, wearing a odd round hat, wearing a suit of compelling closeness and a stupendously fine weave, but with no waistcoat, and a phenomenally light umbrella is well aware of the attention he is receiving, and is trying to ignore it. The crowd is sure there's a show going on.

A Dapper Young Lord About Town enjoying the freedom recently experienced by the end of his incarceration at school (Hitherto ADYLAT) is arrested by the sight of two Chinamen -(The Chinese MasterChef and his apprentice) perhaps there's a carnival somewhere - and keeps an interested eye upon them.

TCMC bows his head politely as he passes the Stranger, who desperately - and perhaps fancifully detects a degree of sympathy in his character. Having spent some years in Singapore he greets the chef with "Ni hao ma." TCMC is pleased to hear good Mandarin anywhere and they chat a little, the Stranger, Jonathon Williamson, revealing that he is astonished by finding himself where he is, and that the centaur cabbies and the stink of London reveal that he is not at home, although he admits that he lives in London.

TCMC quickly establishes a visit to Harry the Fixer might be in order for the gentleman, and they are trailed by a curious ADYLAT who has nothing better to do.
After an exchange with one of 'arry's watchers, they are informed that 'ee wen' orf wiv dat Greek fella.

TCMC, despairing of getting his pastries to the Irish delegation, then decides that the Royal Society is the place to go.

On their way along the river, just where the Embankment is due to be put in some years time, ADYLAT gets a funny feeling, and warns the group ahead as the waters in the river near them roil, this warning allows them to get clear of the ensuing attack as a hail of stones rise from the water and pelt at them.

ADYLAT is wounded in the ensuing melee as two Fishmen rise from the river and hurl themselves at the suddenly beknifed CMC and his apprentice. Jonathon is instructed to get behind them. ADYLAT moves to intercept, drawing his sword cane.

Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Harry the Fixer the London Shopkeeper and Lord Fingolfin AKA The Decayed Elf and Kuval Rathmanapanathan find themselves bereft of the company of Mr Orthrus, the Scary Voiced Greek Guy.

It is a lot harder getting back without him, but they manage it by helping each other, and particularly with Kuval's help with the more wriggly aspects of climbing a cliff entirely made of snakes. They emerge on the proto-embankment, and assist with the putting down of the Fishmen.

Centaur cabbies are summoned to take them back to Harry the Fixer's shop, along with the body of the dead fishman (the other having been er...thrown back in the river, I think...what happened there?) I know the Cabby is actually charging to get the body back to Harry's, as, geez, getting the stink and blood out of the upholstery is bloody murder.

The heads, however, have been left on spikes As A Warning by The Decayed Elf. The Decayed Elf and ADYLAT have found in each other kindred spirits in delighting in mayhem and destruction. This can only lead to no good for The Long Suffering GM.

Jonathon's postcard of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe is handed around and the characters establish that this is the same building that appeared in the vision of Orthrus's seed pods.

Johnathon is bouncing between wonder, excitement, very weak denial (reenactments just don't smell like this, and hello, centaur cabbies) dread and slight hysteria. And dammit, he's an architect not a historian! What shocked him, perhaps, the most, is the way all of the PC's stopped and looked at him in wonder at his mention of the concept of parallel alternate worlds. He wonders whether he is changing history by chance comments like this, but is somewhat reassured by Harry's statement, this is clearly not his history. It is also established that he is not enchanted in any way.

What will the PC's do next?

A trip to the Royal Society? A trip to 30 St Mary Axe?
What's with the Fishmen? How many are there and why do the newspaper reports contradict themselves? Why were there no policemen down at the river after the fight, usually you can't sneeze without some copper breathing down your neck.
And where the hades is Mr Orthrus?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe