Play@YSDC

Arkham University, 9 am, Monday, 4 Juin 1934

It's a hot day in Arkham at the end of the semester. After the crash, the university suffered a huge cut in the budget; now there are rumors that people may actually loose their jobs. So you are all very nervous to be called by Professor Armitage to a meeting. You are waiting outside his office

OOC: You can all have a quick chat before starting the meeting.

Father Alexander Malone looks over his colleagues, while they are all somewhat younger and more athletic than him he cannot fathom what they all have in common. He frowns. "Well gentlemen, what do you suppose the good professor wants with all of us?"

"I'm not sure. I thought maybe he needed something fixed but seeing the rest of you here, apparently he has something else in mind." Butch replies. "I wonder if we're getting sacked."

Balthazar Crowley strides in, resplendent in a tailored tweed suit and bow tie, fedora in one hand. He flops into a chair looking peeved, pulls out a pocket watch and checks the time with an aggrieved sigh.

"Well gentlemen, I'm not sure about you but I'm pretty sure I'm here after that incident with the dacoits on the expedition last season. It wasn't my fault, just damnable luck, but there's always someone to complain when you shoot a few of the local population. However sinister their actions."

He looks towards the office. "I've been through this before."

Harry Smith follows him inside, having heard the last part of the conversation. He has also removed his hat. "If it were that, why would he ask for all of us?" he asks. "I know I wasn't on that expedition with you. No, I think he has need of our expertise."

Crowley is focused on his own miseries. "You discover cities lost to history, and no one even thanks you. You shoot one local though, and you never hear the end of it."

"Ah, I also find lost cities," says Harry with a wistful grin. "Mainly in South and Central America. The Inca Empire is my specialty. Haven't found where all their treasure houses full of gold are yet, but I'll keep looking. Where have you gone on expeditions?"

Crowley pauses from his grumbling. "Hmm, well. Primarily, India, Africa, the Near East, the Far East, and Arabia. I haven't spent enough time in South America. Perhaps the next college to hire me will fund an expedition there? Or you can hire me as a pilot if you're still employed."

"I know I've seen some of you around campus but I'm not sure we've all been properly introduced." Butch says. "My name is Arnold Ronson. My friends call me Butch. I'm in the physics department and I like to tinker with engines."

Crowley takes the opportunity to shake hands with Butch and introduce himself to any of the others he hasn't previously met in the staff club etc. "Crowley, Balthazar Crowley. History faculty." He speaks with a western Canadian accent, flavoured with an educated English twang.

Father Malone nods to Butch, Smith, and Crowley, his dark eyes flitting between them. He looks down at his black priest's garb. "Father Alexander Malone, lecturer in Philosophy and Theology. Please, call me Alex" he barks in a low pitched Boston accent. He turns to address Harry Smith. "I have a little experience in South America myself, missionary work mostly until...well until a few years ago. I had been a little concerned my teaching was unsettling the students again but perhaps there is a connection with my time in the Amazon?"

OOC:   ETA picture

"Yes, that makes sense, Father," says Harry, extending his hand for a shake. "I'm Harry Smith, archaeologist."

Crowley resumes his earlier fatalistic humour. "Once all the impossible theories have been eliminated, the remaining hypothesis must be the truth. And that hypothesis would be that Miskatonic is embarrassed by my interaction with the dacoits, and is going to deal with the incident in the usual manner."

"The same thing happened at Harvard after the incident with my dinner date's flat mate. An Andaman Islander, no less. The flat mate, not my date." Crowley looks morose.

'Pleasure to meet you Dr Smith, but please, just call me Alex, you're not in confession! As it happens, I have been meaning to seek you out by reputation, I have an...interesting piece I acquired in my travels I would value your opinion on. But perhaps another time.'

He turns to Crowley, places his arm around his shoulder, and attempts to steer the conversation away from melancholy. 'Captain Crowley, I can hardly imagine a man of your prodigious talents is worried about such a trifle. I am sure that we would all be absolutely fascinated to hear about your exploits however - a lost city you say?' He gives an apologetic smile to Butch and Smith.

"Likewise, Alex," says Harry, "and please, call me Harry. I'd be happy to look at your item whenever you like."

Crowley waves a hand airily, staring at something seen only in his mind. To Alex he replies, "Perhaps later over a glass of red. I should stop my ramblings and focus on our present appointment."

"A tinkerer, a theologian, an archeologist and an historian. We do seem an interesting mix. Sounds like the start of a bad joke."

Suddenly, someone open the door; you don't recognize the person: middle aged, pale, with black hair, near 1,8m. But you hear the familiar voice of Professor Armitage inside the office:
"Please come in".

Butch nods to the man and heads into the room, looking for a place to sit once inside.

Harry follows him into the office.

Crowley enters, looking solemn.

OOC:   Presumably Armitage is university president? Do we know what faculty he hailed from? Any pertinent personal history?

Father Malone follows the others in to the office shaking hands with the tall person on the way in. 'Alex Malone, pleased to meet you'. he says, studying the stranger's face intently.

OOC: Armitage is the head librarian; he has a PHD and occasionally gives some lectures in anthropology.

After you all entered, you see that there are chairs for everyone in front of his desk. He waits impatiently that you sit then starts talking:
"Good morning gentleman's. I sure you all curious about the reason of this meeting. I was chosen by the Dean to represent him since he is occupied with other business. But first, let me introduce you to Mr James Hudson a member of the Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight, I'm sure you have all heard of that fine organization (you don't understand if he is being sarcastic but Mr Hudson seem to be satisfied). The reason I'm calling you is that one year ago, a expedition was organized by the Order to the amazon river; after a while they seemed to vanish; a week ago, the order received information that one of the members of the expedition had been found. He is now in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in an asylum (He makes a pause then resumes). The order has decide to organize a new expedition, but this time it will consist with members of the University, with one exception They fear that the vanished members... weren't exactly tactful with the locals. It was made a deal, that any significant object of anthropology interest will be keep by the Order to it's museum, and the rest will be our property. Your names have been suggested to such an endeavor because of your skills and past experience. Of course, that you are free to refuse."
Mr Hudson seemed a bit uncomfortable at the reference at the lack of tact.

Father Malone tries hard not to show his excitement at the thought of being able to return to the Amazon but he can't suppress a small smile. 'Is there any reason you are being so coy about the purpose of these expeditions or what happened to the last one Professor Armitage?'

OOC,Do I know anything about the Hermetic Order or Mr Hudson? Could I roll Occult?

Butch listens politely and observes Mr. Hudson as Professor Armitage explains the situation.
"I certainly have no objection to representing the University on this undertaking. Butch begins. "However, I would like to know a bit more about the situation. What was the purpose of the original expedition? How is it that someone ended up in an asylum? And finally, what was done or told to the locals that caused the problem between the first expedition and the locals?"

"I'm interested," says Harry, "but I'd also like to know more." He turns to Hudson and offers his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Hudson. I'm Harry Smith."

Crowley has the air of a man mentally changing gears very quickly. "An expedition and a mystery? My two favourite words. Of course I will go."

As employment no longer seems to be in danger, Crowley takes out his pipe and starts filling it, content to listen in silence.

OOC: Please make know and occult roles to discover anything about the order. About the expedition, a know roll.

Alex Occult: 70,To know about the order [dice]0[/dice]

Alex Know: 70,To know about the expedition [dice]1[/dice]

Crowley:

Know - Order 75%,[dice]0[/dice]

Occult - Order 5%,[dice]1[/dice]

Know - Expedition 75%,[dice]2[/dice]

Father Malone couldn't help but feel that the Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight sounded familiar but he just couldn't put his finger on where he had heard the name before.

Alex Know: 70,To know about the order [dice]0[/dice]

OOC:   The dice are not looking favourably on Fr Malone today - perhaps he's just too excited to think straight

Know Order,Know 70 [dice]0[/dice]

Occult order,Occult 5 [dice]1[/dice]

Know Expedition,Know 70 [dice]2[/dice]

As an archaeologist, of course Harry has heard all about the expedition, and he also has heard of the Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight before.

OOC,Occult roll (10% base skill) about the Order: [dice]0[/dice] Know roll (65% stat) about the Order: [dice]1[/dice] Know roll (65% stat) about the expedition: [dice]2[/dice]

Order successful roll,The order is an organization similar to the free masons, the members are respectful members of the society like businessman, bankers, politicians, layers; they have a museum with art objects that are collected from expeditions funded by the order or auctions

Expedition successful roll,The order sent an expedition to find the legendary city of Paititi full of gold and and all kind of riches in the deep amazon, founded by the Incas. A member of the order found some proof of the location and an expedition was sent, but after a while, they vanished without a trace.

Mr Hudson without waiting, starts what seems a speech:
"Our organization have several goals and one of them is the pursue of of a better understanding of the past. A member of our society discovered an old diary from a conquistador with information about the localization of the city. We decide to fund the expedition, since such find would be one of the biggest discoveries of this century. But I do not know what happened in the expedition; maybe they found hostile tribes, or since the leader of the expedition was a very impatient men (he seems a bit embarrassed at this moment)... and could be very harsh... he could have provoked unintentionally their hostility. Anyway, some days ago, we received a message that a member of the expedition, Mr Higgins survived and was found, but mad. and was institutionalized in an asylum. He had a journal with him, but unfortunately it was written in code and nobody was able to decipher it."
He hesitates than show a small, thin leather-wrapped book.
"Here it is; the only way to discover it, is to speak with him. Unfortunately his health is declining, so time urges"

OOC: If you have any questions you can make them; if not, we will advance to the next scene in Brazil.

I suppose we would get more answers from Mr. Higgins so let us be off."

Father Malone says 'well I for one would jump at the chance to be back in Brazil, and on official Miskatonic business at that'.

"I've long wanted to find the lost Inca city of Paititi," says Harry. "I wouldn't miss this for anything!"

Crowley puffs away on his pipe, smoking some mild but pleasantly aromatic blend.

"Ah yes, I recall your order sent an expedition to find the legendary city of Paititi, said to be deep in the Amazon, and supposedly founded by the Incas. I wondered how it went. Pray tell, who was this abrasive expedition leader?"

"And I wonder, may I have a look at this book of code? Maybe it can be cracked in advance?"

"Finally, I recall your order found some proof of the location of the fabled city, and it was that proof that prompted the expedition. Am I right in assuming that proof is the conquistador's diary you mentioned?
May we see that diary?"

Father Malone studies Mr Hudson, wondering if he is holding anything back.

OOC,roll Psychology: 70 [dice]0[/dice]

"Have you read the conquistador's journal yourself?" asks Harry. "I realize you don't have it in front of you, but what do you know about its contents?"

OOC:   Does the name Hobson mean anything to Crowley?

Crowley puffs away and tries to recall other details of the Lost City of Paititi...

History 70%,[dice]0[/dice]

"No, I didn't read it. I don't read spanish, so I never tried, but just say that Mr Hobson only have show the original diary to some leaders of our organization and he have take it away. Anytging else? -He says a bit impatient.

"Is there anyone in your organization in Arkham who has seen the journal who knows Spanish?" asks Harry. "We might want to talk to them before we leave."

Crowley nods in agreement. "And any details of the route the expedition took, as much as is known anyway."

"Did the expedition provide regular reports to your order? Those would be very useful to read too."

'We need to think about whether we need interpreters. My Portugese is pretty good so I could manage in Rio de Janeiro but I'm afraid my Spanish is woeful. Does anyone else speak Spanish?' says Fr Malone.

"I don't speak Spanish," says Harry, "but I do know Quechua, the language of the Inca. It's still spoken today by numerous people in their former empire."

Crowley answers, "Si, senior. I speak a little Spanish."

"I don't. I turn wrenches.

"Thank you, that would be helpful," says Harry. "I have no further questions. The sooner we head out, the better."

Crowley looks at Armitage. "Professor, what about other members of the expedition party? Will some other members of the university be participating?"

Crowley nods. "Well, I'm sure we'd like to read the correspondence from the original expedition. Other than that, I'm ready to go."

"Very well, I wish you good luck to this expedition and more success than last expedition".

OOC: We finished this short chapter (it's not included in the adventure, but I decide to create it, so you may understand a bit of it, before being in the action).