1 Genius Loci: Strange Letter

[Umbral Dragon]

“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality.” —Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House

Most recently, a strange handwritten letter has come to Solomon from an old acquaintance Lawrence Croswell. A list of names is also handwritten on the back of the letter:
Carl Norris
Jimmy Muldoon
Joseph Adler
James Siegel

The letter is crumpled but flattened and reads as follows:

Dear Solomon,
As you know, I have recently committed myself to the Kirby State Hospital for a little mental recuperation after my most recent foray into the Supernatural.

I have made a terrible error in selecting Kirby. I am in great physical, mental and spiritual peril here. There is a "wrongness" about this place. They will not let me leave. I must sneak this letter out to you as they read the mail here.

Please come and recover me from this dreadful place. It would be wise if you could convince my other compatriots, written on the back, as coming here alone is a mistake.

Your Dear Friend,
Larry Croswell

The next day, before you have to contact the list on the back of the letter, another letter arrives. This one is on official Kirby letterhead, typed and unsigned.

Dear Solomon,
Please disregard my previous letter to you. I was having an anxiety attack. Everything here is fine. Do not come here. I need more rest and counseling. Thank You.
Sincerely,
Lawrence Croswel

You send off telegrams to the men listed on the back of the crumpled letter asking them to meet you at your house...

[jp1885]

'Coach' Muldoon grunts as he rises from his chair at the sound of the doorbell. Doing nothing is one of a highschool baseball coach's guilty pleasures during the summer break, but the lack of exercise left his limbs stiff and his breathing laboured.
The heat and humidity didn't help, exacerbating old injuries as much as the cold did.
Jamming his baseball cap onto his head, he opens the door to find the telegram boy looking at him expectantly. He sighs, fishing in his pocket for some loose change before taking the proffered telegram.
Business concluded, he closes the door and reads the missive.

"Solomon who?"

The name doesn't ring a bell, but the subject of the note does.

"Larry Crosswell... Well there's a blast from the past... A strange guy, but I owe him big-time..."

Stuffing 'Betsie' into his sports bag, just in case, he grabs his jacket and takes the stairs to the ground floor. By the time he reaches his car he's already sweating profusely. Wondering just what the old bird has got himself into, he drives off to the address of this Solomon guy.

[Borderline]

A jumble of emotions are bouncing around inside my head as I wait. That's nothing uncommon these days but I haven't felt it so accutely in my chest, not since the war. At least I can say where most of them are coming from this time. The tools are all ready now and the truck is packed up and gassed up, I went through the list three times already. This room temperature whiskey is about the only thing stopping me from jumping up and making the drive to Texas right now.
The Chin will be here I know that much, but what about the other two? Jimmy and I could handle this on our own, at least we've faced worse odds before. Still, somethings not sitting right. The first letter was bad enough but the second one really sent shivers down my spine. The cold clinical manner of its presentation reminds me of the worst stories Ive heard about those places. Theres a reason I havent saught treatment since the war. I guess its like anything in life that you try to avoid. *lights cigarette* "Hell I guess it's finally time to face up to it."

[HoneyDog]

Joseph Adler

Joseph’s telegram sparks his interest. He remembers Croswell although he doesn’t know him too well. But the aura of mystery surrounding the telegram is too much for his journalistic instincts, and not having any assignments, he decides to obey the summons.

“What the hell…” he thinks. “I’ve got nothing better to do. Maybe this will lead to a story.”

He grabs his coat and heads out the door.

[Mr. Handy]

Carl Norris reads telegram, his suspicion aroused by the brief account of Larry's letters. He knows that if someone commits himself, he is legally free to leave at any time and cannot be forced to stay against his will. Something is not right here, and he goes to meet Solomon in his Texas Ranger uniform, reasoning that he may need its authority to resolve the matter.

[Umbral Dragon]

Everyone arrives at the house. Solomon is a humble host and shows both letters to everyone.

[jp1885]

After making a somewhat awkward introduction, Coach scans the others gathered at Solomon's abode. Solomon and his friend are clearly on the other side of the law to the Texas Ranger, causing him to wonder how Larry knew them.

He dimly recognises Joseph Adler as a photographer who occasionally covers some of the higher profile games the high-school team have played in and so gravitates towards him, nodding in greeting.

He reads both letters and frowns.

"Larry always was into some strange stuff, but I never knew he'd checked himself into the nuthouse. It's pretty obvious to me that someone doesn't want him to leave, though this second letter is a pretty clumsy way of doing it. Hell, if I wanted to keep someone locked up, the last thing I'd do is write something like this!"

He pauses to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

"Anyone know why Larry got himself committed in the first place?"

[Borderline]

I can feel my face twitch at the mention of the word nuthouse. Most people try not to look directly at my face. After the injury I was given the latest in cosmetic surgery- the plastic mask is enough to cover the gaping hole where my right eye used to be. When it was new it covered most of my exposed top row of teeth but it's worn away now on the edges, betraying my unwillingness to go back to any of their doctors. "Did you serve in the war Mr. Muldoon?" I lean forward silently offering the whiskey bottle to the group of seated men. "Because that's where I met Larry and quite frankly I can think of more things during and after the war that would leave a man shell shocked than wouldn't. What surprises me is that after all these years he would think those places are worth a damn." My eye darts to the second correspondence as I take a drag of my cigarette before leaning back in my padded chair and looking around at the mismatched group.

[HoneyDog]

Joseph Adler

Joseph remembers Coach Muldoon, and nods and smiles. He is intrigued by the air of mystery surrounding this gathering, and his curiosity has the better of him.

He declines Solomon’s proffered whisky.

“Do you know why he’s there though, Mr. Bleeker?” he asks the scarred man. “What is this supernatural business he’s talking about?”

[jp1885]

Somewhat belatedly, Coach realises he may have offended his host. By way of apology, he accepts Solomon's offer of a drink.

"No I didn't serve, but I respect those who did. Cheers."

[Borderline]

I lift my glass to Mr. Muldoon and toss my drink and my head back to avoid it dribbling out my mouth. "Actually I was hoping one of you men would have more information. Soldiers have been known to see things- to have nightmares wake them up." My voice is always low and gruff but I feel my tone grow darker as I remember my own sleepless nights. "But as I said there are too many things for me to begin to guess. Larry always kept a certain...optimism however. Im wondering what you mens experience with my friend was, and what you think of that." Motioning towards the second letter with the end of my cigarette before putting it out in the ashtray on the table.

[Mr. Handy]

"I was in the war too," says Carl. "Some soldiers did come back with invisible wounds, but there's nothing supernatural about that. I don't know why Larry checked himself into Kirby, but I know enough about the law to know that if you check yourself in voluntarily, you can legally check yourself out any time you want, and nobody has the right to detain you further. This whole thing is highly suspicious."

[Borderline]

"It seems to me that those invisible injuries are exactly the kind of thing that might send a man searching for the super natural. But you're right of course, the important part is that we all have a friend seemingly being detained against his will. As far as that second letter, I don't buy it. The problem is it's too easy not to buy. I think we have to seriously consider that our friend, Larry, is being used as bait for all of us. If that's the case then the question is why? And what could possibly connect the group of us besides the fact that we all know Larry?"

[jp1885]

Coach knocks back his whiskey whilst considering the question.

"Apart from parents sore at me for leaving their kid on the bench, I can't think of anyone who's got it in for me. Huh, and I can't see any of them wanting me locked up in an asylum!"

"Do any of you know anything about the place? Does it have a sinister reputation or stuff like that? I guess we could find out - newspaper records and such."

[Zero]

James Siegel, known colloquially as "The Chin" to those familiar with the criminal underworld silently took a long drag on a hand-rolled cigarette. Despite being assigned by the family to this burgh for a mere six weeks, Jimmy had already made quite an impression on the cops and crooks alike. The particular scenario he now found himself in was a bit odd, however. Usually, it was he who would be summoning the man he had nicknamed "The Wheel", not the other way around. Yet here they were, rubbing elbows with a motley crew of men from a variety of professions, one of whom was clearly a lawman. Why his associate invited someone like that to this gathering was beyond his reasoning, unless it was to put him on ice. That didn't explain the rest of them though.

"Look, I don't know this Larry guy personally, but this sure is a hairy situation he's gotten himself into. It could very well be a trap, but I smell an opportunity here, so if that sap needs a jailbreak, then I say we spring him." he said, then gave Soloman a questioning glance as he continued to wonder why the law was here.

[Mr. Handy]

"A 'jailbreak' isn't necessary," says Carl, sipping his whiskey so that he can savor the taste. "He has every legal right to walk out of there. All we need to do is escort him. Whoever is behind it may have laid a trap for one person, but they couldn't possibly get away with detaining all of us, especially when one of us is a uniformed Texas Ranger. If we go down there to visit him, and he says he wants to leave, I can escort him out of there. But the Coach is right, let's find out what we can about the place first. I can inquire as to whether law enforcement has ever been called out there due to any incidents."

[Borderline]

When you work closely with someone you can often say much without saying anything at all. Jimmy and I have developed just such a relationship, or it feels that way most of the time at least. Sensing his discomfort I speak up again after shooting him a knowing glance. "Well Mr. Norris I'm grateful to have a lawman so seemingly upstanding as yourself. You have to understand where we come from corruption of authority is the rule rather than the exception.'' As if that was enough to explain our fairly obvious criminal ties. Looking back at Jimmy- "Chin you've been there for me more times than I can count and I think you could say the same about me. So you'll believe me when I tell you that this man is not some sap, not at least to a couple of us in this room anyway.You bring many skills to the table and this endeavor will be worth your time, I'll make sure of that. Maybe we can put some feelers out as well- get a better idea of what we're getting into. If the word of Mr. Norris is enough, well we can stroll right out of there whistling dixie but something tells me it won't be so simple." Finally shifting my gaze to Mr. Adler "You've been quite sir what's your take on all this?''

[HoneyDog]

Joseph shrugs.

“It’s odd, isn’t it? None of us seem to know him that well, yet here we are. Doesn’t he have family he would reach out to? What about his business? Does he have colleagues who might know why he went to Kirby? It might help to know more about his background before we charge in there.”

He leans back in his chair. “If he voluntarily committed himself, he should be free to leave, unless he’s been found to be a danger to himself or to others. I mean, if you check yourself into a state hospital, you need a damn good reason. So we can’t assume that he’s thinking rationally. Let's not be too hasty.”

[jp1885]

"It's a strange one ain't it? I guess I could call some of my colleagues and ask about the guy. Larry wrote to the faculty when I was looking for work, so some of them might know him more than I do. Mr. Adler, are there any newspaper editors that owe you a favour? Do they have archives or something?"

Borrowing Solmon's telephone, Coach rings around some of his more academic colleagues, trying to be as polite as possible to people he has nothing in commn with.

Charm 15%,[dice]0[/dice]

OOC:   A fail, unless I could change it into an intimidate roll!

[Umbral Dragon]

Luck points?