Ch.12a. Arkham

[Philulhu]

Professor Jackson sat forward, instantly interested in the book that her visitor had brought her. She opened the book and started to leaf through it. She turned the pages with one hand and made notes with the other, her pen scratching across the paper. As Ivy watched, she sketched the symbol she had seen in the book, sharp movements, the nib of the pen almost tearing through the paper, before she underlined it forcefully, twice!

Ivy shivered and thought that the book may have got to Professor Jackson but she looked up and smiled and the atmosphere lifted. “Fascinating, isn’t it?” she said. “As far as I can tell, the author worships some creature that he considers to be a deity of sorts, although what he gains from that worship, I’m not sure. It seems almost blind devotion, although the author seems to be an intelligent man.”

She paused, looked at the sketch and back at Ivy. ”Specifically, what is it you need to know from this book?”

[jp1885]

“If owner of this book, who supposedly died, somehow possessed an art teacher called Dufresne.” Ivy explains. “And then used her students to create some kind of portal via their paintings, I would like to know how to reverse such a thing and bring my colleagues back.”

“This book seems to exert a sinister influence. Therefore I need someone with intelligence and an objective mind to help me. You, in other words.”

[Philulhu]

”It’s kind of you to think that I am intelligent and objective,” replied Professor Jackson. ”But if I understand you correctly, you think this book will provide you with whatever you need to open a door to another place where your friends have gone. You understand how that sounds, don’t you? Whilst many civilisations believed in magic - including even our own at one time - there is no proof that such power is anything more than suggestion, deception and illusion. Certainly, some things remain unexplained, but that is because we haven’t found the answers yet, not because magic is involved.”

Professor Jackson sat forward in her chair, and looked intently at Ivy. ”I am willing to help you but I fear that whatever had happened to your friends may not be solved by the contents of this book..”

OOC, What skills is Ivy bringing to the table to try to determine the secrets of the book?

[jp1885]

OOC,Um... not much, which is why she’s gone to the Professor... If there are any notes scribbled in the book, maybe her Shorthand skill might help decipher them? Otherwise the standard Language (English), Library Use and Spot Hidden.

”Whether magic exists or not is irrelevant,” snaps Ivy. “The fact remains that people have either died or disappeared and this book is my only tangible lead.”

She pauses, visibly struggling to calm her temper.

“It all sounds very strange, I grant you, but a respected medical professional, not to mention his charges, witnessed my companions’ disappearance. Furthermore, from what I’ve heard of their previous encounters, I am inclined not to be so sceptical.”

[Philulhu]

Professor Jackson studied Ivy for a long moment. She cleared her throat and said, ”You read the journal and I’ll continue to look into the symbol. There’s a desk in the study room next door, if you want to use it. Let’s see how far we get by lunchtime.”

OOC, To successfully read the book, Ivy will need to make an English Language roll. She won’t be able to learn everything because some is written in languages that she doesn’t know, but the more she can find out, the more likely Professor Jackson will continue to help. The better the roll, the more she will discover.

[jp1885]

Language English 76,External roll 13 so extreme success.

Careful not to utter strange litanies again, Ivy pores through the book.

[Philulhu]

The journal was a mix of English, sporadic Latin and another language which Ivy could not decipher. As she read the journal it became apparent that it had been written over many years, if not decades. The first entries which seemed to date back to the previous century, referred to the writer - presumably Brophy - leaving their home country and making a new life in America.

‘It is abhorrent to me that we should be chased from this town by the wretched curs who live here. Nevertheless, leave we must, lest our lord and master be injured. Better to leave and give no cause for further investigation than to tarry and risk all being undone.’

‘In time, we hope to return but for now we go to make a new life in the Americas. Gla’aki - Iä! Iä! Gla’aki! Iä! Iä! - has foreseen that opportunity awaits us there!’

A later entry seems to refer to their journey to the New World.

‘Poor master Todd. Lost overboard they say. Sad that such a bright and inquisitive young man should be parted from his family as they sailed to a land of opportunity...’

‘Gla’aki c' ahmggoka vulgtmor! Sate ymg' llll h' bthnk!’

A further entry appeared to have been written once Brophy arrived and had settled in America. It seemed that they had moved around a few times at that point.

‘This seems a most suitable location for the continuation of our mission. The townsfolk are agreeable, without interesting themselves in each other’s business and I seem to have found an appropriate place for our lord and master to reside. We have been approached by a local itinerant who is down on his luck and seeking work. I have just the job for him!’

‘H' ephaiah ehyeog ot c' ah'hri! L' vulgtmah c' uh'eog ng uh'eog! Iä! Iä!’

It seemed however that Brophy and his brother had moved on as the locals began to take an interest in them. The reason for that interest wasn’t elaborated upon, but the inference was that they had come under suspicion for some illegal activity and it was best for them if they moved before the law caught up with them.

Brophy wrote with interest about the burgeoning use of the motor car, positing that it may present an opportunity for a more settled existence. A page or two later, then was a cut-out from a newspaper in 1923, referring to a sale of property by auction that was taking place in Arkham.

’Ahornah Gla’aki hafh ya. Ah'n'gha riuh'eor ahf' ph'nglui ah! Iä! Iä! Gla’aki! Iä! Iä!’

A later entry read, ’It goes well. We have guests regularly and our master is happy. I must go - another guest has just arrived.’

‘Gla’aki ephaimgep mgepnah ah'hri n'ghftyar!’

[jp1885]

Ivy reads with a growing sense of foreboding. She knows a little of her colleagues' experiences with this man, but clearly Brophy had been luring unfortunates into his clutches for some time. As to who this 'master' is... she is not sure she wants to find out!

Nevertheless, she plunges on, hoping to find mention of portals, doorways, holes in the ground - anything that might allude to the others' disappearance.

[Philulhu]

At the back of the book, Ivy found something unusual. There was a page which seemed to be double thickness but when she opened the journal to that page, it appeared that another, much older page had been glued into the journal. Its thickness and texture made Ivy wonder if it were parchment or even vellum.

On this page, handwritten in a shaky hand, were a series of passages in what looked to Ivy like Latin.

Fui sto hic illic in aeternum stabat inter primum nunc et in futuro. Et apertum est ostium, per gradus, et ego tantum accipere quia pertransibo in medio portae et immutabimur.

Quapropter et descensu triviis quam merge Quatuor pertransiet. Ego autem casu ad coniunctas, et Fatum, et Libet me inveniet viam meam et statim exilit ambulare.

Aperite portam! Qui tamdiu non sum ostium portae quae pergit sine loco et non tardabit. Aperite portam! Ego flos per id, quod omnia in mundo meo est dominicum. Aperite portam! Voluntatis est peregrinatione mea et ego non ullis cavillis sit obnoxia.

Attende, vento et quaerere consilio tuo. Ego offerre donum spiritus meus in haec verba loquor. Ad ostium portae quae non video: inter locum et locum. Loqueris ad me: ventus. Et tu iter quo nunc - porta hoc dicite mihi, quid latet in parte altera.

Sto loco isto amet porta ultra mundum. Et magicae simul coniungere istis: nunc autem hic late proris exaratum portal.

[jp1885]

Not being conversant in Latin, Ivy takes the book to the Professor. Perhaps she can make sense of the passage?

[Philulhu]

Professor Jackson looked up from the book she was studying as Ivy entered her office. She listened as Ivy showed her what she had found.

”This looks to be considerably older,” she said, examining the page with the Latin writing.”It appears to be have been taken from another book. You can see here” - she indicated the slightly ragged border running down the left-hand margin - ”where it has been removed.”

She read the text with a frown on her face. ”I’m not fluent in Latin by any means,” she admitted, ”But many words we use have their roots in Latin. Porta for example, means Portal or Door. And pertransiet and ambulare might refer to travel. ” She looked at Ivy quizzically. ”What do you think this means?” she asked.

[jp1885]

“Honestly, I have no idea,” sighs Ivy. “Perhaps it points the way, a method if you will, of travelling through a door?”

[Philulhu]

Professor Jackson smiled wanly. ”It’s a possibility,” she said. ”I’m not saying that it’s anything more than a story or a poem, but I will ask one of my colleagues if he can translate it for you.”

She gently closed the journal and pulled another book towards her. ”I have looked into your symbol and have found some examples.” She carefully opened the book and turned it so Ivy could see it clearly. ”It occurs at only a few locations around the world - at Kaali in Soviet Estonia; Saarijärvi in Finland and in a town called Brichester, in England. It isn’t really clear what links the three locations, but the same symbol was found in all three places.”

A full colour plate of what appeared to be a weathered stone carving of the now familiar symbol filled one page, and Ivy felt a shiver of trepidation down her spine.

[jp1885]

"Beastly thing!" Ivy declares. "Are there any theories as to what it means? Clearly it's use was somewhat widespread at some time."

[Philulhu]

”I’m not sure widespread is the right term. After all, it was only found in three locations,” replied Professor Jackson. ”As for it’s usage, it’s difficult to say. We can’t always decipher the reasons why a symbol is used, although it could be significant that it is used in three locations so far apart. That suggests there is a link, if nothing else. I can make some further enquiries, if you like?”

[jp1885]

“Yes, if you would be so kind,” Ivy replies. “Your assistance is very much appreciated as, alas, I lack the academic know-how.”

[Philulhu]

”Very well, let me take your address and I’ll let you have anything I can find out,” said Professor Jackson and she made a note of Ivy’s address on a scrap of paper on her desk.

”Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asked.

[jp1885]

“Yes, there is one more thing,” says Ivy. “I was led to believe that there was something in the book that supposedly allowed one to communicate with others who would otherwise be... indisposed. Have you found anything like that within its pages?”

[Philulhu]

”Indisposed?” said Professor Jackson with a puzzled tone. ”I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”

[jp1885]

"Dead," replies Ivy, matter-of-factly. "Supposedly it can be used to talk to the dead."