August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Portland, Maine
August, 1928.
Steven Gilbert is a wealthy businessman, a leading exponent of the bourgeoisie of the roaring twenties. He sees his heritage project going up in smoke, when Timothy, his only six-year-old son, disappears.
A group of investigators will try to find his missing son. The group may include:

1) Police detectives
2) Private detective hired by Gilbert
3) Relatives or friends strongly motivated to find the missing kid

But Timothy´s disappearance is not the only gloomy burden weighing on the Gilbert family. Alyssa, Timothy's mother, committed suicide one year ago, and the reason for such an extreme action is still obscure.

Moderator: robertod

robertod
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 680
Registered for: 5 years 3 months
5
Contact:

August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by robertod »

New research in the library proves fruitful and sheds new light on the notes of Martin Thompson the group found in Amanda´s home. Indeed, this parchment received by Colby would have been very useful for the young scholar to finish his translation work.

The ancient rolled parchment is a text written in ancient nordic language that date back to the tenth century, the time when the Vikings explored and colonized different areas of the North Atlantic, which included Greenland Island, the coast of Canada, and Maine. The main symbol is the Vegvísir, and is considered a magical symbol, intended to help the wearer find the right directions along the path of physical and metaphysical life.

The legends narrate that the Vikings, already around the end of the ninth century, routinely traced it on ships so as not to lose their way and to be able to orient themselves even in the worst weather conditions. In many cases, it was traced with saliva, with a charcoal or with blood, also on the forehead or inside of the helmet. Like many of the magical symbols of this kind, the Vegvísir also needs a ritual and the so-called "witness", a biological component of the carrier: blood, saliva or bodily fluids, which must be an integral part of the support on which the symbol is drawn, or the caster himself is such support. The final part of the manuscript describes the protection ritual. It is necessary to draw the Vegvísir on the tip of the ship, with the blood of all the occupants. Beyond that, some words must be spoken before beginning the journey, and others must be spoken in case of a storm. The writing of such a words adopted an unknown and incomprehensible language, and it is not possible to deduce the phonetics of these symbols without a reading key.

Now, the notes of Martin Thompson become clear. They are a key to read the runic text allowing the reader to pronounce phonemes correctly.

In the library the group also finds something about Dorothy Carson. They find the documents signed by Brian Colby when he officially adopted Jason. The documents say the woman died of childbird, despite the group heard a different story from Selma. Dorothy died a few days after she came from Coney Island. She used to work in the Anderson manson as a maid. The Anderson are a wealthy family that together with Michaud runs most of the fishing enterprises in Greyton.

As the investigators go to the police office, they find William Burns, the police commissioner, sitting at the main desk. He´s a man with wavy hair and blue eyes. He wears a blue coat and trousers, black top hat and a black waistcoat. He has a big cigar in his mouth. His voice is hoarse and his talk is interrupted occasionally by a short laugh. At first glance, he doesn´t seem like a smart person, but rather someone who found a comfortable way to laze most of his time.
Burns tells the group thhis men were about to arrest Colby. Darcy Mooney was killed last night in her home. She was struck with a machete, which was found hidden in the church of Colby. William Pelletier, the owner of the farm close to Darcy´s house, saw Colby running throught the field heading to his Church.
User avatar
VictoriaSilverwolf
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 3865
Registered for: 6 years 9 months
6
Location: Chattanooga Tennessee USA
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by VictoriaSilverwolf »

"Yeah, well, get this, Sherlock," Michael sneers to Burns, "Colby is dead, too, if you didn't know. You've got some nut goin' around hackin' people up. Maybe you oughta order a curfew." He doesn't like sloppy police work, and figures this Burns is a chump. "I wanna talk to this Pelletier, see what he knows. Hell, he might be the killer, for all I know."

Later, when he has a moment to talk to the other investigators alone, he'll make an odd suggestion.

"We gotta get out to Coney Island sooner or later, after we're done checkin' around here. This is gonna sound like I've gone off my trolley, but when we do, I want all of us to trace this Viking thing on our boat, in our blood, before we head out. Maybe those old boys knew a thing or two about protectin' themselves from hellspawn like the thing we saw. Worth a try, anyway."
User avatar
jp1885
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 5067
Registered for: 5 years 6 months
5
Location: Herefordshire, UK
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by jp1885 »

Image

Ivy holds her tongue while Michael speaks to Commissioner Burns, but provides support by fixing the man with a critical glare.

Later, she responds to her colleague's suggestions with an arched eyebrow.

"I've a good mind to have you committed to an asylum, but then I'd have to commit myself and the rest of us too..."

She flicks through the notes she has made of the translations, trying out the alien-sounding pronunciations.

"I concur - we should perform the ritual and write the rune with blood on whatever vessel we use. We also need to do the same on our foreheads, like some kind of crazy baptism. I suppose we can be witnesses to each other, like the runes suggest."

"At least we don't have to worry about Darcy any more, but it could still be worth visiting her house - she was mixed up in all of this, so might have left some clues."
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Yes, we should see what we can find there before we go out to the island," says Kathryn. "At least Selma is safe from her now too. I'm wondering if maybe Father Colby killed her, and someone - or something - took revenge." She shivers. "Doing the ritual wouldn't hurt - apart from the actual drawing of our blood, but that's better than the alternative. I know these sea monsters are real, so the ritual could really work too. I'd rather not be killed by them...or worse..."
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
robertod
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 680
Registered for: 5 years 3 months
5
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by robertod »

As the group gets to Darcy´s place, they find some policemen still inside, inspecting the scene.
At first, the cops would not let them get close. Michael is forced to show his badge and convince them that he is investigating a related case.

Darcy´s home is a wood-made structure. With simple architecture, it is minimal in decoration and traditional in style. The interior of the house is extremely cluttered, suggesting an utter state of disrepair. Underneath all the painted woodchip paper, old carpets and heavy drapes are examples of a multitude of squalors caused by the lack of maintenance. Another example is the rotting floor.
The windows have closed wooden shutters. There´s no electricity and the house seems to have been inhabited for some time. Next to the main door is a rusty bell and a small plaque with the name "Darcy Morney".

Darcy's candid face has the mouth wide open in a grimace of pain. A trickle of dried blood came out of his mouth, draining down next to her fiery red lips. The woman's throat has been ripped open with a single cross cut. A large blade has cut the throat and part of the neck bone.

In a corner of the room, there are accumulated boxes, which contain salt flour, old rusty tools, old clothes, paint cans and other junk. There are traces in the dust on the floor, suggesting the boxes have been moved several times to cover a trapdoor.

There´s a trapdoor indead, that leads down to the basement. The police had already noticed that. The basement is a small room with a mattress on the ground and a pillow. There is also a bag with some small-sized clothes.

In the basement, the group also finds a long double breasted winter overcoat with large notch lapels, along with a pair of gloves, a scarf and a flannel-lined oilskin hat. There´s a map in the pocket. A driving route from Greyton to Portland.

Sheriff Burns also appears at some point. He knew that investigators were seen talking to Darcy at the inn, yesterday night.
He asks them what they know about this whole story.
OOC:   Mr. Pelletier´s farm is in front of the house, if someone wants to talk to him.  
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Thank you, Sheriff," says Kathryn. "We came here from Portland looking for a missing child, Timothy Gilbert. The evidence found in the basement suggests that he was here. The bag contains clothes that look to be his size, and there was a map in the overcoat pocket with a driving route from Greyton to Portland. It seems clear to me that Darcy was keeping him here. Either whoever killed her took the boy, or the boy managed to flee. Either way, he's not here now, and we need to find out where he is."
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
User avatar
jp1885
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 5067
Registered for: 5 years 6 months
5
Location: Herefordshire, UK
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by jp1885 »

Image

Ivy inspects the clothes.

"Don't these clothes match the description of the ones worn by whoever drove the boy away from his school?"
User avatar
VictoriaSilverwolf
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 3865
Registered for: 6 years 9 months
6
Location: Chattanooga Tennessee USA
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by VictoriaSilverwolf »

"Looks like things might be comin' together on this case," Michael says, careful not to mention the weirder things he's witnessed. "I'd like to talk to that farmer before we go any further. He might know more than he's sayin'."
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Yes, you're right," Kathryn says to Ivy. "That's more evidence, if it were needed."
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
robertod
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 680
Registered for: 5 years 3 months
5
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by robertod »

The sheriff is disturbed by the reconstruction of the investigators. Before they leave to meet Pelletier, he turns to them in an angry tone.

"Darcy hadn't lived in this house for a long time, because she lived with Michaud. Anyone could have invaded and used her house. Mrs Darcy was a beloved and respected lady here in Greyton. Don´t try to set her up to take the fall for this."

"Father Colby rather ... he was a moody, unpleasant and arrogant person. No one had good relations with him. He despised everyone and isolated himself. No wonder he had gone mad with time. He could be the kidnapper. Apparently the boy managed to escape .. probably helped by someone ... we'll find out... but I won't allow you to blacken the name of Darcy and kill her twice".

The property of Pelletier extends over many acres and includes almost all the land at the foot of the West Hills. His mansion is a typical two-storey Georgian building made of stone. In the center of the house is a paneled door with fanlights above it, letting light into the hallway. As the investigators ring the doorbell, Pelletier opens the door, holding two Doberman dogs on the leash. He looks at them, as if he were suspicious of something.
William Pelletier is a robust man in his forty, with thick dark hair and brown eyes. He has very intimidating looking and don't look like someone you would want to mess with. Black mustache and goatee seem to have been drawn to better emphasize this feature.

"I´ve already told everything I know to the police. What else do you want from me?"
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"I'm sorry to disturb you," says Kathryn, "but we're not with the police. They haven't told us anything. Can you please let us know what you've seen, not just today but in recent days? Anything unusual you've noticed at all,"
OOC,Charm roll (55% skill) to get [b]Pelletier[/b] to talk: [dice]0[/dice] If he won't talk otherwise and nobody else succeeds, I'm willing to spend 2 Luck to make that a success.
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
User avatar
VictoriaSilverwolf
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 3865
Registered for: 6 years 9 months
6
Location: Chattanooga Tennessee USA
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by VictoriaSilverwolf »

While Kathryn is doing the talking, Michael will glance around to see if he can note anything of interest. The only thing he'll say, at the moment, is "Nice dogs." If Pelletier starts to get rough, he'll confront him; for right now, he'll hold back.
User avatar
jp1885
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 5067
Registered for: 5 years 6 months
5
Location: Herefordshire, UK
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by jp1885 »

Image

While the others speak to Pelletier, Ivy cranes her neck around them to study the farm buildings.
robertod
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 680
Registered for: 5 years 3 months
5
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by robertod »

Within the perimeter of Pelletier´s property are fields cultivated with a variety of vegetables and fruit plants. Some lands were left as pastures for cattle. Others are uncultivated to make a crop rotation. There are stables for the rearing of chickens and pigs. Some peasants and farmers are working. This is summer period, and is the right time to take advantage of the good weather to make the most of the land.

Pelletier replies, with annoyed tone.
"I heard a woman´s scream, so I took my shotgun and went out to see. I saw nothing and never thought it could be from Darcy´s house. Nobody has been living there for a while. At that moment, I realized one of those idiot peasant had left my gate open. As I got to the front yard, I saw two shadows had just crossed the fields. I fired, but they had already reached the other end. They climbed over the fence. They crossed my property and went in the direction of the West Hills. I tried to scare them with a few rifle shots. That´s it. Don´t ask me if I saw what they were like. It was dark. I have no idea."
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"Thank you," says Kathryn. "Have you seen a child around here in recent days?"
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
robertod
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 680
Registered for: 5 years 3 months
5
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by robertod »

Man is irritated by the question.

"No, I haven't see any children. This town would do better not to make children anymore."

He says the second sentence whispering, almost like thinking aloud
User avatar
jp1885
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 5067
Registered for: 5 years 6 months
5
Location: Herefordshire, UK
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by jp1885 »

Image

"You're definitely right on that score..." Ivy agrees with the farmer.

"You say they headed to the West Hills? Towards the church maybe?"
robertod
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 680
Registered for: 5 years 3 months
5
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by robertod »

The man thinks one moment.
"Yes... you see the point overthere.. that´s where they climbed over the fence... from there begins a trail that rise up the hill and gets close to the church. "
User avatar
jp1885
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 5067
Registered for: 5 years 6 months
5
Location: Herefordshire, UK
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by jp1885 »

Image

Ivy thanks the farmer with a curt nod before addressing the others.

"Why do I feel like we're going around in circles? So what's our theory? Did Father Colby murder Darcy, rescue the boy and then get killed himself or did someone else perform the rescue before heading to the church to kill him?"

"And the oilskins - was it Darcy who picked up the boy from school wearing them? We need to marshal our facts."
User avatar
Mr. Handy
Admin
Admin
Posts: 46361
Registered for: 17 years 5 months
17
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: August 18 - 3.30 PM - Greyton

Post by Mr. Handy »

Image

"I think the first theory is the most likely," says Kathryn, ""though it's possible that Carson was the one who went to Portland and took Timothy instead. We still haven't accounted for his whereabouts. We know the boy was here and later at the church. Whoever killed Father Colby must have taken him, perhaps to Coney Island.
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
The Horror in the Blackout
The Masque of Nyarlathotep
Post Reply

Return to “The Sign of Virgo”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests