Strange Remnants

[Mr. Handy]

Turn 4 Action Phase
Tony spends some time thinking about everything he's learned so far and putting the pieces together. The more he considers it, the more he realizes that there are more answers at Stonehenge. He resolves to dig deeper. He also finishes his lessons with Dr. Zimmermann, who finally pronounces him couth. Tony isn't sure what the word means, but he thinks it's a compliment.

OOC,Action 1: Character Component Action: [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4866673/]Influence roll (2 + 1[Improvement] = 3 dice) using character's Component Action (3d6.hits(5)=1)[/url]. 2 Focus spent. 2 Clues gained. Action 2: Focus Action. 1 Focus gained. [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4866677/]Will check (2 dice) using Specialized Training, Turn 4 (2d6.hits(5)=1)[/url]. Influence increases to +2. Specialized Training discarded.

[Quatermass]

Turn 4 Action Phase - London

Norman studies through the night at the British Museum with his Research Student Thomas Culter.

"Mr. Withers, I think I have found something." Says Thomas looking up from a large dusty tome.

Spoiler:

1) Feed the Mind
[dice]0[/dice]
Success - Improve Norman's Lore by 1.

Lose 1 Sanity


2) Research Student
[dice]1[/dice]
Gain 1 Clue.

[DSIGFUSS]

Turn 4 Action Phase

Diana Stanley reads by candlelight in her modest apartment, glancing out her window from time to time to soak in the beauty of the Panama Canal. She had been waiting in this hell hole for going on three months now.

Training my left toe. Diana thinks to herself. Carl knows and he’s keeping me out of the way. He knows I’m fixing to betray him and his little Twilight party so he has me reading supernatural cookbooks in the darn jungle.

Diana reaches into a neat little pocket sewed into the side of her shawl. It had a note written in very eloquent writing on very sturdy paper.

The letter reads:

Dear Diana,

I’m afraid Charlie and I will not be able to meet with you in Buenos Aires as planned. Charlie has taken a turn for the worse with his drinking and I know find myself in Tokyo investigating monsters in the sewers and ordering assassinations on Giant Penguins in the Antarctic. I fear I am losing my mind and will no longer be able to keep Charlie under control.

Please go on to Buenos Aires to attend to our important business without us.

Your friend and ally,

Phyllis Ashcroft.

Diana finally closes her book and stares with angry eyes at the cover.

The mystical properties of mushrooms.

She scoffs. Well I’m not staying all cooped up in this place for one second longer I tell you what!! Not for one second more!

With that. Dianna packs a small bag with some books and writing utensils and marches down to the bus stop.

One ticket to Buenos Aires please.

Diana knew of a contact she had made through the Silver Lodge in Buenos Aires. Little Old colored lady named Latisha Mane, an absolutely delightful woman with a healthy addiction to crossword puzzles and current events. Fortunately for Diana, Latisha also had an unhealthy collection of arcane books and defensive doohickeys.

I’m coming for you Carl. You and your whole lot!!

Spoiler:

Diana travels to Buenos Aires and Acquires Assets? (spell??)

[Tabs]

Extra Action: Rest, gain 1 Health and 1 Sanity. (Cast Voice of Ra, spend 1 Health to do so.)
Action 1: Travel to space 1.
Action 2: Component Action, Travel to space 4.

The fishermen take Marie Lambeau across the Bering Strait. Her heart rises to her mouth when a doe-eyed seal approaches the fishing smack, but she turns away, ducking under the swinging jib, when the fishermen grab their harpoon poles, each with its wicked barb.

In Alaska she trudges towards the wilderness, as impelled by an unspoken thought, to stop the ritual which she knows "seeks to pierce the veil that keeps the darkness at bay." Hidden beneath a snowdrift Marie discovers a battered trumpet engraved with the initials J.C.--a curious find, dropped by an unlucky adventurer, no doubt.

[Quatermass]

Encounter Phase 4

Norman gazes through the crystal that he uses to send his vision out into the void. A wind tossed sea expands before his eyes. A ship in danger rides up and down the 20 foot waves. It's hull groaning under the beating. He sees the outline of a person alone on the deck and clutched in their hands is a strange stone chest. They run for a lifeboat. Norman's gaze see the caved in bottom of the boat. Just as the person begins to climb in they hear a voice in their head. "Don't that boat! Take the one on the other side." The figure halts and looks around in a confused manner. "Move I say! Before its too late!" The figure turns and runs to the other side of the ship.

From the life boat, the figure sees the ship slide under the waves. Then the voice comes again. "Meet me in London! At Grosvenor Hotel! Ask for Norman Withers!"



[dice]0[/dice]
Two Successes - Visions are cloudy. -1 dice on tests with Encounter.

Will encounter Clue in the Sea Space 18



[dice]1[/dice]
Will spend Gained Clue to place a Eldritch Token in The Heart of Africa.
Gain a random Ally.

[Mr. Handy]

Turn 4 Encounter Phase
Tony senses that alien entities have been imprisoned in the very stones themselves. He reaches out with his mind to try to contact one, and it pushes its way in. Fortunately, he is able to communicate and reason with it. It tells him that it will help him before it breaks off contact. He doesn't feel any different, however.

OOC,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4869535/]Lore roll (2 - 1[Mystic Ruins Encounter] = 1 die) at Stonehenge (1d6.hits(5)=0)[/url]. [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4869543/]Influence roll (2 + 2[Improvement] = 4 dice) at Stonehenge, Turn 4 (4d6.hits(5)=2)[/url]. I guess it's best to leave the Omen where it is.

[Tabs]

Turn 4, Encounter Phase, space 4 (Eldritch token)

Marie creeps closer to the bonfire. Again, like in Kamchatka, there are several figures cavorting round the flames. A chant begins, she can see their heads thrown back and mouths working, singing--calling out to the dread court.

She stands four-square in the moonlight. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie echoes through the wilderness in competition with the chant. For a time Marie's singing drowns out the other voices, but they reply with an audible, shouted confusion of pleading words. "The Smoky Velvet," her voice no longer so smooth, belts out her song, and she is relieved when the cavorting and chanting stop: she has won the sing-off.

But her relief is short-lived. One of the cultists breaks from the group and charges at her, cursing her foully; this time Marie will not be taken by surprise, she grips the Ritual Dagger in readiness.

Horror 1, toughness 2

Syzygy Cultist, Horror check, Will 2 [dice]0[/dice]
Syzygy Cultist, Combat check, Strength 2 +2[Ritual Dagger] [dice]1[/dice]
Spend 1 Focus to reroll a Combat die [dice]2[/dice]
Spend her 2nd Focus to reroll a Combat die [dice]3[/dice]

Nuts! Lose 1 Sanity and spend 2 Focus, no Health lost but Syzygy Cultist undefeated--Eldritch token remains on space 4.

[DSIGFUSS]

Turn 4 Encounter Phase - Buenos Aires

Spoiler:

[dice]0[/dice]

- 2 successes. Gains a Spell.

[Tabs]

Turn 4, Mythos Phase



Spawn Clues: Rome and Sydney.

Place 3 Eldritch tokens on Rumor card.

Text effect: Spawn Spinner of Webs on space 9.

[Quatermass]

Turn 5 Action Phase - London


Norman Withers met Professor Carlisle when he walked into his hotel carrying the stone chest. Norman instantly recognized him from his vision of the sinking ship. "Withers? Norman Withers?" said the man. Norman nodded and shook the man's hand. The man continued. "I am Arthur Carlisle and I am a curator at the British Museum. I don't think I understand any of this but I have the feeling that your the man to help me discover the secrets held in this chest." Norman nodded again and then said. "It is so good to meet you sir and yes lets get look at this chest. I believe it holds vital information." The two men leaned over the chest and began to talk together in hushed tones.

A few days later, unable to pry the secrets from the chest, they decided to travel to Rome. A possible clue to the chest could be found there.

1) Rest. Recover 1 Sanity.
Attempt to open Stone Chest


[dice]0[/dice]

2)Move to Rome.

[Tabs]

Turn 5, Action Phase, space 4

Action 1: gain 1 Focus.
Action 2: (Component Action) gain 1 Focus.

Marie Lambeau breathes deeply. She has her back jammed up against a log, which is in a hollow beneath a pine tree of some sort--all she knows is that one of its cones is digging into her thigh. "Calm," she murmurs, "calm yourself." She can hear the cultists calling to each other as they search the undergrowth. Her attempt to kill one of them had failed--a terrified stab at her assailant is all she managed; she must try to murder again, otherwise the nefarious ritual will continue.

[DSIGFUSS]

Turn 5 Action Phase

Having spent most of her time at the library scrolling through the Necronomicon and other menacing texts, Diana finds some time to relax at a crowded coffee shop on the outskirts of the Beunos Aires shipyards. She had just purchased a ticket to the Africas and had a long delay before her sailing.

Diana was suddenly distracted from a particularly dark Tome she had brought with her from some light reading. A couple in white formal attire was arguing at the table across from her. Not heated, but more of a lovers squabble. A local village boy held a puppy out to the man’s wife and she was just heartbroken that her husband would not allow her to keep it.

The thing has mange my darling. Just look at it!

Oh but look at its little nose Henry dear! It’s just too darling to resist.

Darling…

Darling…

Darling…

It went on for some time before the village boy left the sickening couple with a frown on his little face. Diana felt bad for the boy so she sat up and walked over to meet him while he was trying to push the puppy into the arms of a local senior citizen who would have none of it.

Diana handed the boy a ten dollar American note. The boy didn’t say a word but Gracias! Gracias! Gracias! as he backed away quickly before Diana could change her mind and then ran down the street shouting and waving the bill in the air.

Diana grinned at the boy and then raised her new pet up to her face to get a good look at him. He was cute that was for sure. The puppy licked Diana’s face and she laughed out loud. It had been a long time since she had laughed and she was ever thankful for it.

Smiling Diana walked out of the coffee shop with the puppy cradled in her arms like a new born babe. It fell asleep almost immediately in Diana’s comforting embrace. She decided to take a stroll down a nearby alley and walked inside the nearest abandoned building. It was filthy as expected but would suit her purpose. She set the puppy down and began to dig in her purse for a piece of chalk. Carefully, Dianna began to sketch out some ruins into the filthy floor. It took her nearly half an hour to complete her work. At the end, she stood in the center of the circle and admired her handiwork.

It looks right doesn’t it boy?

The puppy wobbled over to Diana with a cuteness in step that only puppies can produce. Diana drew the pup back into her arms and let it lick her face again. It immediately calmed her. She needed this.
She reached into her purse and produced a treat. Some left over sandwich meat from the deli she had eaten at this morning. The puppy gobbled it up gleefully and then Diana reached back into her purse. The puppy waited eagerly for his next treat. Diana produced a long thin silver dagger and quickly dragged it across the pup’s throat. The blood spilled onto the runes and a silver light poured from beneath the floor tiles and on to the heavens above. Diana dropped the lifeless puppy to the floor as the ecstasy of the ritual took hold of her.

Spoiler:

[dice]0[/dice] - ritual spell banishment. 2 successes - banishes the Shan at The Pyramids Gate.
- Diana picks up a ship ticket

[Mr. Handy]

Turn 5 Action Phase
Tony returns to London finds a note from Norman waiting for him. It tells him that there are signs of the fabric between worlds weakening in Egypt near the pyramids. He heads to the docks in East London and books passage on the first ship to Alexandria.

OOC,Action 1: Prepare for Travel. Ship Ticket gained. Action 2: Travel: London->Rome->The Pyramids [Shiip Ticket]

[Quatermass]

Turn 5 Encounter Phase - Research

Once in Rome, Norman Withers and Professor Carlisle where easily able to find the rare book collector that had a copy of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Hidden in a secret code in the pages of the book was the clue they needed. Norman quickly sent a telegram to Tony in Cairo telling him what to do.



Spend Gained Clue to Place a Eldritch Token in the Pyramids.
No need to roll since Norman does not have any Glamour Spells.

[Tabs]

Turn 5, Encounter Phase (Eldritch token)

Heavy sticks beat at the bushes around Marie as the cultists frantically search for "The Smoky Velvet." She shrugs involuntarily at the ludicrous situation she finds herself facing: insane, bestial peasants searching for her, and when they do find her. . . "I'm gonna die, probably sacrificed--burned alive, sweet Jesus." The thought of her moniker makes her smile, but she feels sick to her core.

At last, and she is almost thankful, her hiding place is discovered.

Horror1, toughness 2

Syzygy Cultist, Horror test, Will 2 [dice]0[/dice]
Szygy Cultist, Combat test, Strength 2 +2[Ritual Dagger] [dice]1[/dice]

Eldritch token placed upon Mystery (2nd token, 4 required).

[DSIGFUSS]

Turn 5 Encounter Phase - Buenos Aires.



[dice]0[/dice]

Diana passes her lore check. receives one ritual spell.

[Mr. Handy]

Turn 5 Encounter Phase
Following Norman's directions, Tony explores among the pyramids at night. He hears rhythmic chanting coming from inside one of them and ventures through the entrance. Within, he finds a horribly disfigured man in a black hooded robe. Undaunted by the sight, he rushes forward, tackles the robed man, and cuffs his arms behind his back.

"No!" cries the cultist. "You've interrupted the ritual! The Great Old Ones will be displeased!"

"That's your tough luck," says Tony, hauling the man to his feet and dragging him away.

OOC,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4872181/]Horror check (Will 2 + 2[Cultist's Journal) = 4 dice) encountering the Cultist (4d6.hits(5)=1)[/url]. 1 Focus spent to use Handcuffs to defeat Cultist. 1 Focus gained. Eldritch token placed on Mystery.

[Tabs]

Turn 5, Mythos Phase



Advance the Omen: blue constellation [left hand]. Doom advances 1 (to 11 from 12).

Reckoning effects: see below.

Spawn Gate: Arkham (red sun) and



Text effect: Tony Morgan loses 2 Health and becomes Delayed. New Expedition at The Amazon.

Reckoning effect: possessions and Conditions.

Marie Lambeau



Lore 3 +1[improvement][dice]0[/dice]

0: Only through intense concentration can you maintain the aura. Discard this card unless you spend 1 Focus. Marie spends 1 Focus.



[dice]1[/dice]

[Quatermass]

They spent the last week resting in the beautiful Villa in the hills outside of Rome. Norman, Professor Carlisle, and their research student Thomas Culter passed the time in quiet study and taking long walks in the surrounding hills. The exercise had done Norman worlds of good and he felt as fit as he had in ages. The riddle of the stone chest alluded them until quite by accident Thomas Culter found the secret latch.

Turn 6 Action Phase - Rome

1) Feed the Mind
[dice]0[/dice]
Success - Increase Norman's Strength by 1
Lose one Sanity

2)Rest
Gain one Sanity
Attempt to Open Stone Chest
[dice]1[/dice]
Success!

[Tabs]

Turn 6, Action Phase, space 4

Action 1: Travel to space 5.
Action 2: Component Action, Travel to Arkham.


Marie spends 1 Health to perform 1 additional action.



Lore 3 +1[improvement] [dice]0[/dice]

Marie runs and runs until the stitch in her tummy burns and twists into a knot, it is so tight she has to stop, hunched over with her hands upon her knees, her panting breaths are huge, whistling gulps and spent, spitting exhalations.

Some time later when she has recovered, she begins a steady march south, heading for the American border and Chicago. Too many foot sore days, days beyond count, surviving on Reindeer Moss and rainwater licked off of leaves, pass by wearily as she continues onward through the forest, until at last the waters of Lake Michigan sparkle beneath the dawn sun. In the great city she boards one of the new Streamlined locomotives to Arkham. Its dining car serves a giant breakfast platter; Marie is soon feasting on scrambled egg and slurping a quart of coffee.

Everywhere in Arkham there are citizens filled with fear. Rumour has it that a sect of Atlach-Nacha worshipers have called forth the nightmarish Spinner of Webs, a corpulent spider-like god who's desire is the end of humanity. Marie plays the Bone Pipes which she found inside the Mi-go cave in the Himalayas, sure that it will hurt the spider, but the tune is discordant and flat.