Jeanne d'Ys

Halfway to Carcosa, halfway to madness.

Halfway through learning her lines, halfway through forgetting them all again.

Halfway between the gutter and the stars.

Lola has survived this far, and she has the marks to prove it.

Her makeup is just about intact, her hair a little bedraggled, but as she opens her handbag aboard the fast train out of Paris, she realises that one of her possessions suffered a far worse fate than she did.

Gingerly, between finger and thumb, she lifts up the tattered script and inspects it doubtfully. Her copy of the Demoiselle d'Ys is not going to be much use to her now. A shame, as she'd never finished reading it, and she was anxious to know if it all turned out well for her character, Jeanne.

Sighing, Lola slumps into her seat and turns her head to watch the dreary French countryside fly past her window.

"Excuse me, are these yours?" asks the man sitting opposite her.

He is a tall, grey-haired gentleman, with small, twinkling eyes. And he holds in his hands... the keys! Her keys! The keys to the Chateau d'Ys!

Startled, you grab your handbag and rummage inside. You were certain that - Yes! You already have a copy of the keys from the props cupboard in the Arkham theatre! Quickly you close the bag, and look up smiling at the gentleman.

"Ah, yes, certainly. Those are mine. Silly me!"

Two copies of the Key of Ys.

Now this could really help turn things around.