Part One - The Dead of Winter

[Cearlan]

In June 1845, two Royal Navy vessels, H.M.S. Erebus and H.M.S. Terror under the command of Sir John Franklin departed the Shetland Islands on their quest to search for and chart the long sought North-West Passage. Both ships were sturdy barques, relics of the Napoleonic wasrs and so were well suited for Arctic duties. Initially the expedition made excellent progress, but this ended when they were beset by ice to the North of King William Island on 12th September 1846.

On 5th April 1848, the doomed vessels were abandoned and the remaining crew members attempted to head South to safety at trading posts in Canada. Unfortunately their trek was doomed to failure and all were doomed, so the public believe, to starvation, disease and the elements.

While the location of the Erebus and several bodies have been discovered and exhumed in recent years, this investigation pre-dates the modern sonar equipment used post 2000.

The investigators are part of a long-term experiment being conducted in the Northern reaches of Canada. Sponsored by the University of Toronto and The Canadian Government, the plan is for a select group of experts and scientists to live and work on a permanent base on the Adelaide peninsula near the location of some of the remains of some of the Franklin Expedition members previously discovered.

There are numerous duties to be performed by the current expedition, but the real fate of the Franklin Expedition is paramount. Evidence of insanity among the Franklin Expedition crew members has been explained, perhaps too conveniently, by a wide variety of theories, ranging from lead poisoning to their being isolated for so long. Inuit tales of Englishmenn and abandoned ships cry out for further scrutiny. Why for example, would men, weakened to the point of exhaustion from disease, malnutrition and the elements drag monstrous 650 pound sledges loaded with tons of useless equipment for countless miles. Theories of British military tradition doesn't add up, and if there was mass insanity, then what was the cause of it?

(As a side note - this could be put down to lead poisoning due to scurvy due to inadequate nutrition and poor soldering on tin cans but this was not known in the 1920's).

The expedition has been at the camp since June 1927 and it is now the second week of November 1928. Since you arrival in the Arctic, the group has been busy conducting a wide variety of experiments and exploring the region. The work is generally mundane and boring, though each member's dedication to their field of expertise has so far prevented depression setting in. Occasional moments of excitement break up the routine such as only last week when Jack Reynolds fell through some thin ice and wound up in the chill Arctic waters, much the the merriment of the group. This is a constant threat out here and even the inuit guides cannot always tell where it is safe to tread. The few days before, Dr. Newton Feigel, whilst on a field trip managed to bag a polar bear which suplied the group and dogs with some much needed fresh meat.

Perhaps the greates talking point so far was the plight of the crew of the airship Italia which crashed on the ice-cap whilst returning from it's flight over the North Pole. This occurred on 25th Mat 1928, and whilst several crew members, including the Commander, Umberto Nobile and curiously his fox terrier Titiana, were eventually rescued, the disjointed and poorly organised international rescue effort proved a source of great concern to expedition members. After all, if such a rescue mission cannot be properly carried out when the weather is at it's best, what hope is there for the harsh winter periods? However, we have great members on this expedition with excellent skills and tons of supplies available to us. There have been a few minor injuries, but nothing of note. So after all, what could possibly go wrong?

[Mr. Handy]

Diana Veness is in her lab, analyzing some of the samples of vegetable matter she has taken through her microscope. There were some ways that they were like every other plant in every other part of the world. All plant cells had cell walls and were green from chlorophyll, but the arctic plants had key differences. They were built hardier for one thing. Otherwise they'd never have been able to survive in this inhospitable climate. I suppose I'm built hardier too, she thinks. I've managed to survive up here all this time as well. Another seven months and I'll get to go home at last. I'm pratically in the home stretch already.

[NFVD]

Dr. Newtwon Feigel is a happy man of late. Taking down that polar bear, and not just for the sake of throphy but for meat and fur like the hunters of old, is something that will be talked about for years to come at the Lodge Hunters Fellowship Association back in Arkham once he gets back home. Not that he's dying to get back, the trip proved more than worth it. The vistas are magnificent and the Aurora Borealis alone where worth the price of admission.

Most of his rol in the expedition so far has delt with minor cuts or abrasions and keeping frostbite at bay. Thankfully there have not been any severe injuries or, God forbid, deaths under his watch; though he found Reynolds' recent artic swim less amusing than most. The possibility of hypothermia isn't something you joke about. The part he dislikes about his job here is having to play nutricionist. Like some concerned father, he must be on the lookout for what people are eating and any signs of malnutrition. Up here, with so little sun and so much canned food vitamin intake is especially important. All the theories about the fate of Frankil's expedition only helped increase his concern on this matter, and a running joke among the expedition members compares him to a hawk-eeyd mess hall monitor when folks have having their grub.

[ghill]

Patrick Lewis

Outside the wind is biting cold as Patrick walks among his sled dogs checking their leashes are tight and each has a slab of bear meat. Baked or boiled in a soup or stew it is a primary source of food for the Inuit, but its greasy, coarse texture doesn't appeal to Lewis at all. Worse its nearly winter and this bear diet was made up entirely of fish and seal rather than berries gives the meat a strong oily taste and makes it even less palatable. Happy, all the dogs are fed and secure he looks over to where Aippaq is doing the same with her team. He waits as she is overtaken by a coughing fit, watches as she spits a deep red gobbet of blood into the snow.

"Go inside, get warm , I'll take a walk around the camp's perimiter its always better to be worried about the bear you do not see rather than the one you do"

The Inuit woman simply wipes her bloody lips and nods turning back towards the hut and warmth.

[Cearlan]

It is the afternoon of Saturday 10th November 1928 whilst the camp is going about it's normal day to day routine of cataloging and classifying samples. Due to the virtual endless night however there is little to see other than a grand display of the so-called "Northern Lights".

Dr. Christopher Hamilton, the geologist and Poo-Yet-Tah the guide are out of the camp on a field trip to the North-West looking for geological anomalies, something he has done countless times before, but without success to date. They left sometime about 10:30 and it is now approaching 15:00 hrs.

Patrick hears the baying of the returning dogs first closely followed by Aippaq. Suddenly they spy the sled approaching at speed, something the normally careful Christopher Hamilton would not do, something must be wrong. As the sled pulls up Poo-Yet-Tah quickly starts to unhitch the dogs gesturing for Patrick to help. You cannot see what is on the sled, though you can see that there is obviously something which is covered by animal skins.

Christopher gestures to Aippaq and asks her "Go bring the doctor as quick as you can," adding that "There is something he needs to see urgently."

[ghill]

Patrick Lewis

Patrick pushes through the snow and quickly takes the harness of the lead dog from Poo-Yet-Tah, ready to lead it and the rest away.

"Whats up Doc?, Whose hurt?"

OOC:   Lewis is assuming Hamilton would only be asking for the doc if someone was hurt.

[Papa Gateau]

Jesse looks up from his notes at the sound of the approaching dogs, he takes out his pocket watch and checks the time Fifteen hundred he mutters under breath shouldn't be leaving it this late to get back, I'll have a word with them over dinner he places the watch back in his pocket and absent mindedly massages his right thigh and hip.

His thoughts drift back to his notes in front him.

[drone232]

Richard M. Harding.jpg (17.85 KiB) Viewed 1233 times

Professor Harding overhears the commotion from outside the camp. He is not concerned. Everything has become quite slow and monotonous within the camp and there have been few disturbances to intterrupt the work of the team. Whatever has happenned will likewise not interrupt the team and they are well enough equipped to deal with whatever it may be. He is in no rush to see what has occured for he will find out soon enough. It will be dealt with and everything will return to normalcy. For now he continues writing his report of the samples taken from the few local wildlife with the help of his assistant Jack. Jack, however, is restless and is eager to know what new events are transpiring.

[Mr. Handy]

When Diana hears the commotion outside, she pauses her work and goes to look out the window, curiosity getting the better of her. Her samples will still be there later.

[NFVD]

Dr. Newtwon Feigel

(assuming Aippaq has come to warn him his presence is required)


The good doctor follows the guide to the scene where men are congregating around the newly-returned sleds. Having no clear idea of what is going on, and weary of the language barrier between him and Aippaq he came fully prepared, hauling his doctor's bag and portable instruments with him.

"What is the matter? Someone hurt?" he asks upon arrival.

[andyw666]

Dougal Fraser was propped against a table in the communal dining room, quietly puffing on his pipe and reading a text on the Franklin expedition, making notes in a notebook as he did. A small glass of scotch was on the table at his elbow. Fraser was dreaming of conducting a complete archeological exploration of the Franklin ships.

Fraser heard the commotion outside but ignored it for the moment, assuming it was nothing too serious.

[Cearlan]

As Dr Feigel approaches the group, Dr Hamilton says "Thank God you are here Doc ... I think you need to look at this." He looks pointedly at Aippaq and says softly,

"if you could please give us a few moments. Go and get Mr. Richard if you would be so kind my dear."

Once she departs to carry out her task, more than a little miffed at being so summarily dismissed, Dr Hamilton says, "Prepare yourself gentlemen," before he slowly removes the hides covering the sled's gruesome cargo.

Lying there are two frozen and severely mauled native men. What little you can make out in the dim light and with the frozen states of the two bodies is that a large chest wound on one and abdominal injuries on both men with several trauma sites on various limbs. Both have also been ravaged by extreme temperatures, as indicated through severely marked frostbite on nearly all the exposed flesh. What remains of their shredded clothing is caked and soaked in frozen blood, both on the inside and outside of their hides.

[NFVD]

With his usual cold professional attitude Dr. Newton approaches the bodies and takes a closer look.

"What did this did this? A bear? Where did you find them?"

Spoiler:

The doctor will try to determine if the cause of death looks, on first sight, to be animal-related. And to make a guess at how long ago it happened.

[andyw666]

Fraser keeps half an ear on whatever is happening outside, in case it sounds more interesting than Hamilton's "geological anomalies".

[Cearlan]

Dr Newton,The bodies are frozen solid so it is difficult to get too much from them other than what I have already posted. One of the bodies right arm has been severedsomehow, though frostbite has ruined any chance of gaining more information at the moment. Your experience of hunting tells you that if it was a Polar Bear or similar predator - then it was an immense one, certainly a lot larger than the one you 'bagged' recently.

[Mr. Handy]

Diana watches from the window, wondering if someone has been hurt, though she can't see the details from here. Dr. Feigel should be able to handle it, she thinks. If he wants my assistance, he'll send for me.

[NFVD]

"Well..." says the doctor, "Let's get them inside and under the light so I can get a better look."

Dr Newton begins leading the effort of taking the bodies into whatever space has been set aside for infirmary duties. He recalls that he has not peformed autopsies since his days as a medical student. He also begins wondering on how long it will take the bodies to thaw under these conditions to permit one. While the bodies are being taken he sends word to the other members of the expedition with knowledge of medicine and those who know about the local fauna, asking them to come and lend a hand once the bodies are set up for a more thorough analysis.

Spoiler:

Given the gruesome nature of the bodies I don't think the doctor would send for Diana despite her biological expertise, as such a sight might disturb her feminine sensibilities. However I don't wish to impede Mr. Handy from enjoying participating on ths scene, so we may just assume someone else with less chivalrious scruples warns Diana anyway, or that she overhears what is going on.

[dustakr]

Conroe just been awake for sometimes now, he had his share of sleep already, Not getting in his working boots.. walking towards kitchen..thinking about time he has spent over this expedition and how much rewarding it should have been..There must be something else to eat in kitchen..running second trip to kitchen by now.

Hearing of commotion outside made him loose his thought of train for a moment..but he resisted on leaving kitchen, Prepared mustard sandwich for himself, stuffed it in his mouth before heading back to barracks.

Conroe makes entry in his journal as he speaks to himself 'meeting with Dr. Hamilton after last field-trip delayed'

ooc,.. [color=#FF4000] That train of thought was little different than I thought, I am not sure, I just wanted him to listen the commotion and then go outside expecting Dr. Hamilton returned.[/color]

[ghill]

Patrick Lewis

Would have to be one big bear to do this sort of damage, but I can't imagine it was it was a Polar Bear. Polar bears doesn't waste time and energy killing things they're not going to eat. Patrick pauses for a moment thinking. Where about did you find the bodies doc? Is it worth taking a dog team out and taking a look around?

[Cearlan]

Patrick Lewis Where about did you find the bodies doc? Is it worth taking a dog team out and taking a look around?

"Me and Poo-Yet-Tah were out to the North West of the camp looking for possible anything of interest geologically speaking." says Chris. "We found the bodies about eighteen miles out and were just about to start back when we saw the grisly remains. At first we were not sure what it was as snow had covered their bodies. An arm sticking out of a drift was the only initial clue and on closer inspection this is what we managed to uncover. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your view, we passed within about six feet or so of the arm otherwise we may have missed it completely - it was Poo-Yet-Tah that saw it first. The site itself looks as though an artillery shell had gone off.

Poo-Yet-Tah is making a sour face as Chris tells the story.

Meanwhile, Aippaq, still angry at the way she was all but dissmissed from the group decides to take it upon herself to get everyone out there so goes round to tell everyone that there is some sort of discovery that has been made. Before Diana can leave to join the group however, Aippaq puts an hand on her arm and warns her I was sent away so whatever it is may be 'unpleasant' ha!"

"These stupid men, how do they think we innuit women survive? Is it not us that carve up the carcasses that the men bring home from their hunts - ha!"

Aippaq mutters under her breath as she goes to get the next person