Inside the Hut:
PCs: Olof and Jack
Lex NPCs: Doctor Anthony, Williams
SME NPCs: n/a
Henrik wrote:"Spiders? You'll have to excuse me but that seems strange to hear? I'm no doctor but you must have been hallucinating. Have you eaten something peculiar? Perhaps something that both you and Bradbury ate but no one else?"
“No, we’ve all been eating the same dried rations as each other.”Dinsdale looks quizzically at Olof, “The doc says that it was an hallucination – brought on by snow-craze – and he must be right. It’s just weird how me an’ Bradbury saw the same thing.”
By the Generator:
PCs: Callum
Lex NPCs: Hopewell, Sachs
SME NPCs: Richard Greene
Ghost_1971 wrote:Callum considers Hopewells' response for a second, then replies, "Oh well, our guys may be able to get some more information out of them. We have some very capable people with us. Once they're finished with what they're doing, I'll see if I can get one of engineers to give you a hand with that generator." offers Callum
“Thanks, they’ll be wasting their time though, just like Sach’s is – this thing’ll never work again.”
Sachs curses under his breath, as he continues his efforts to salvage the generator.
OOC Info,[color=#FF0000][u][b]OOC:[/b][/u][/color]
Can't remember if I've already said, but [b]Greene [/b]has finished threating the wound, so you can move on if you think you've finished with [b]Hopewell[/b].
Isugtag wrote:Hmm. What was the purpose of this safari? Just for fun or were they looking for something?
“I think it was just meant to be a fun trip for Acacia, I don’t think she knew Starkweather before the safari trip. He was running his own company out in Kenya, though I believe that her dad might have known him.”
Isugtag wrote:And I'm guessing Starkweather didn't do anything to quell the idea that he was the hero?
Jenner laughs, “He sure didn’t – and the press just love ‘Captain’ James Starkweather don’t they?”
OOC Info,[color=#FF0000][u][b]OOC:[/b][/u][/color]
The investigators uncovered press reports about Starkweather and Lexington’s Safari near-disaster in an earlier chapter – chapter three I think.
I’ll post a link to the information in case you didn’t know about it (as against you deciding that Isugtag didn’t know).
Link to the article,[color=#FF0000][u][b]OOC:[/b][/u][/color]
I was wrong it was in chapter 1, Here’s a link to the newspaper article: [url]http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=129&p=4673#p4673[/url]
I think that someone investigated further, but without revealing much more. You also investigated the mysterious death of P.W.Lexington (Acacia’s father).
Starkweather’s rage – Immediately before the breakfast – was the first time that Lexington was mentioned in the adventure – so most of the investigation into Acacia, P.W. and Starkweather probably occurred later in Chapter 1.
"If you're all done here Doc, I'm going to go and check over the the sleds and dogs." says Callum. "If anything happens to them, we would be pretty much 'Up the Creek'."
Starkweather rages for almost thirty minutes to Moore over the radio, but eventually the Professor manages to calm him down enough to ask if he can chat with Acacia himself. The Captain reluctantly agrees, and sends McRaven and Pulaski to find her, while he storms over to join Callum by the dogs, “Is everything in order Callum? Because we are finished here!”
While Starkweather makes rapid preparations for the journey back to his own Base-Camp, Moore begins the delicate task of negotiating an alliance between the rival expeditions. The Starkweather-Moore Expedition, down by one transport aeroplane, can benefit greatly from access to the Northrup, while the Lexington Expedition is finished without a way to replace their wrecked generators and radios. Sachs has by-now finally given up in frustration.
OOC Info,[color=#ff0000][u]OOC:[/u][/color]
Stearpike is offline for a few days, so McRaven is temporarily an NPC.
"No," Jack replies to Olof. "I don't think there's much more they can tell us, poor fellows." He gives Olof a slight pat on the shoulder and a tight grin.
Isugtag listens to Jenner as he finishes up with the work they've been doing. More evidence of Starkweather's character. But what does it mean? What can be taken out of this? Isugtag works in silence for a few more minutes before looking up and sensing that things appear to be wrapping up. He thanks Jenner for the discussion and the distraction of work and excuses himself to go back to where Starkweather is.
the detestable pounding and piping whereunto dance slowly, awkwardly, and absurdly the gigantic, tenebrous ultimate gods the blind, voiceless, mindless gargoyles whose soul is Nyarlathotep.
"Strange. I thought we were dealing with a group of organized madmen, but madness from snowblindness? Well, we can not really go against the doctor's opinion can we?" Olof shrugs.
Spotting no disturbance anywhere near the camp, John picks his shotgun up and brushes snow over his tracks. He arrives back at the camp site and reports to the big bosses. "No activity in the outskirts of the perimeter, Mr. Starkweather, Ms. Lexington!"
TVblog The soul trembles before emptiness and desires contact at any price. Doctor Glass
"It is invigorating, being asked personal questions." "Makes one feel desired." Luv (BR2049)
SME Base Camp - Ross Ice Shelf 20:00 - Monday 20th November, 1933
The rescue party departs from the Lexington camp less than half an hour later. Starkweather is keen to get away, denied the opportunity to be the rescuing hero he does not want to remain at the rival camp for a moment longer than necessary.
The fourteen mile journey back to the SME Base Camp is uneventful, the party making good progress - partially due to Starkweather's uncompromising pace. He remains sullenly silent throughout the trek, Acacia Lexington was still in negotiation with Professor Moore when the rescue party departed her camp, and everyone in the party can sense their leader's barely concealed rage that the two expeditions might merge.
Visibility is still poor, as a low clouds still hang over the Ice Shelf. According to Professor Albemarle's forecast the poor conditions could last for weeks – preventing any air operations.
They arrive back at the Base Camp late in the evening, tired but relieved that the expected gun battle never happened. Moore greets the party when they return, quizzing each of them about the exact state of the Lexington Camp, and Jack and Olof in particular about the state of Dinsdale the "saboteur."
After answering everyone's question to the best of his abilities Olof retires to his tent. The trek has been hard and he feels that he could sleep for a fortnight.
The delayed overland expedition to setup a fuel cache finally departs early in the morning of the twenty first. The party consists of Nils Sorensen, Erik Frodesen and Olav Sørensen with three sleds. Their destination is a point two hundred and fifty miles away, half way between the Base Camp and the approximate location of Professor Lake's campsite at the foot of the Miskatonic Mountains.
Once there, they will bury an emergency fuel cache, with enough fuel to allow a stranded Boeing to return to the Base Camp, and also enough emergency supplies and rations to shelter and feed seven men for two weeks. The emergency cache will be clearly marked with flags, and it's exact position accurately charted on the expedition's maps.
All being well the journey should take five to six days in each direction, although poor weather could double these times. Air Operations to the region of Lake's Camp will be able to start as soon as the cache has been established, providing the low cloud cover has gone.
Professor Moore spends most of the day on the radio, negotiating with Acacia Lexington, while Starkweather angrily prowls the camp. By the evening a deal has been struck:
Wednesday 22nd November, 1933
Late in the morning Doctor Greene and Gregor Pulaski return to the Base Camp, accompanied by Acacia Lexington and Albert Priestly (her chief cameraman). Lexington is immediately ushered into the negotiations with Starkweather and Moore, while Priestly mingles with members of the SME expedition.
The cameraman has now fully recovered from his near death experience, a bullet graze to his cheek testament to how close the incident came to being infinitely more serious. Although he never uttered a word to Olof and Jack while he guarded the saboteurs the other day, Priestly turns out to be a very friendly character, with none of the mistrust of Starkweather's expedition that many of his party showed. He spends most of the day filming various aspects of the daily routine around the SME Base Camp, and introducing himself to the explorers.
That evening deal is finally struck, it hasn't been easy - Starkweather stormed out of the meeting hut three times during the afternoon, but eventually Professor Moore's more diplomatic nature prevailed and the two bitter rivals temporarily put aside their differences.
It is agreed that the two camps will merge at the site of the SME Base Camp. The Starkweather-Moore Expedition will gain the use of Acacia's Northrup Delta, to replace the Shackleton - the Boeing which was lost during the storm due to sabotage.
In return Moore had offered food and the use of the SME Camp's radio and power facilities to supplement Acacia's damaged stores and equipment.
She agrees to help to fly Starkweather's men and materials to Lake's Camp and beyond. Once the camps at Lake's campsite and the High Plateau have been made, Lexington is welcome to use them as bases for her photographic and mapping ventures.
Although neither Starkweather nor Miss Lexington appear to be entirely happy with the arrangements, both of them pose for photographed handshakes, and the Englishman puts on a show of announcing the "Historic alliance of two great expeditions."
Thursday 23rd November, 1933
Today is Thanksgiving Day, and Moore and the other Americans in the Expedition arrange a small impromptu banquet for everyone, including the two guests. This is a far more relaxing day, good after two days of danger and tense negotiation.
Acacia and Priestly return to their own camp that evening. The move to merge camps will begin tomorrow, although an airlift is still out of the question.
Friday 24th November - Sunday 26th November, 1933
Friday to Sunday are busy days, with low cloud still hanging over this part of the Ross Ice Shelf, the Lexington facilities and supplies must be hauled overland, mostly by the SME expedition's two tractors. The fourteen mile route between camps soon becomes well travelled and less dangerous, as the positions of all the dangerous crevasses are plotted and marked with warning flags.
At lunchtime Nils Sorensen contacts the Base Camp by radio to report that the emergency cache has been established. Later that evening Professor Albemarle announces that he expects the cloud cover to begin clearing within the next day. All being well, flight operations will begin the next day.
Olof experience a feeling of relief when the deal is struck between the two expeditions. Not being of a competetive nature and longing for doing some real work. Perhaps this expedition can be a success anyway?
