OOC: Chapter 1 - NEW YORK, Starts 12th Jan 1925

[Raiko]

Done.

[Raiko]

I've finally gotten around to posting the synopsis/timeline on the wiki. So far I've only reposted the days up to the 14th, as the 15th was rather more complex (the day that Jackson died) and I'm rusty on 'wiki syntax.' I'll be posting the stuff for the 15th later today, and also hopefully the 16th as well. I've already sent a Timour-centric version of the 16th's synopsis to Trixie, it just need padding out a little before posting to the wiki.

Here's a link to the wiki timeline.

If you could all spend the next day or two celebrating Timour's return - Maksim can arrive at the hotel as soon as Laraqua is ready to post - I'll get ready to begin Chapter Two either on Friday or over the weekend.

See Chapter One ends on a happy note.

[Raiko]

BTW: What do you all think of the 'Events List'/Timeline from the Chapter One summary?

Is it good enough to jog your memories, without necessarily reading the detailed synopsis on the wiki?

I've edited my earlier post, to account for Maksim maybe not being back at the hotel yet, as I'm not sure how busy Laraqua is.

As Timour's return is such a momentus occasion, I'd like a couple of posts at least from everyone.

Would you all like the chance to make 2-3 posts during the cruise to England or to you prefer to jump straight into Chapter Two once this reunion is over with?

I remember that Laraqua wanted to make some posts during the voyage (to clear the air), but I'm not sure whether that can be handled here in the hotel now...

[coffee demon]

I'll post today, then I'll be back into it for good!

I think a few posts are in order. I also wouldn't mind if we each had a chance to say what we did on the trip across the ocean. Are friendships strengthened, or are we getting tired of each other, do we read books / get fat / jog around the deck / sleep around...?

[coffee demon]

I really like the Chapter Summary! For me, it serves two important purposes:

1) Lets me remember everything we've done, in the proper order.

2) Gives a good idea of how much time has actually passed. It's actually been a few days more than I thought!

Thanks for putting the time into it, Raiko!

[Raiko]

I'll post today, then I'll be back into it for good!

I think a few posts are in order. I also wouldn't mind if we each had a chance to say what we did on the trip across the ocean. Are friendships strengthened, or are we getting tired of each other, do we read books / get fat / jog around the deck / sleep around...?

I think you should all sleep around, your characters deserve a little fun. 8)

For those with female characters, just remember that for all you know, this may not be the real Timour Rukov.

Or Maks, remember the mood swing after he visited Harlem alone? Definitely a doppelganger.

[Maksim Rukov]

Oh dear. Posted in the wrong spot.

Oh well, I'll use this post for other purposes.

*dances*

*grabs Elizabeth and dances much to Andrei's irritation*

*goes for the grope*

[imme]

BTW: What do you all think of the 'Events List'/Timeline from the Chapter One summary?
Is it good enough to jog your memories, without necessarily reading the detailed synopsis on the wiki?

It's great, thanks! At some point, in the not imaginable future, I may have enough extra time to go edit the wiki myself. (This is the 4th time this week I've stayed at work past midnight.)

*goes for the grope*

*swats hand away*

(although it is good to see Maks in a happy mood, even if it's just OOC )

[Maksim Rukov]

I am the King of Drama. And I'm back, baby!

*tries to Tango with Elizabeth AND Caroline*

[Laraqua]

Does Maks have his gun on him?

[Timour Rukov]

Egads....you ask this after not recognizing your own brother?

I fear for my life already......and after all this I left the Brown in the car.....

[coffee demon]

I shoulda saved my post before I read that Maks was joking. I was going to grab you by the collar and start yelling at you and shaking you. All you had to do was wait 5 minutes, and Andrei woulda looked like the biggest idiot ever. That would have been pretty classic Russian Masks action. Still is, mind you!

[Laraqua]

You shoulda saved it, damnit!

That woulda been soooo funny.

I guess anytime now Raiko can put us in Chapter Two.

[coffee demon]

I really enjoy this game. I think we're all playing the heaviness of the situation well. Sometimes it actually gets tough to roleplay because its so heavy, but I think it's worth it.

Seems to me that the morale of the group is on a razor's edge. One death could really tip a lot of us into depression. Cool!

NOTES: (Assuming we're not going to do this IC. If we should roleplay this, let me know.)

1) Andrei is going to suggest that we don't tell Thomas / Mrs. Carlyle where we're going. He suggests we hire a post box in Paris, and get things sent there. (Is it possible to hire a post box?) Andrei is extremely worried about being followed.

2) Did we convince Elizabeth's parents to leave their manor temporarily? If not, Andrei really wants her parents to get out, even if it means bringing them along to London.

3) Andrei likes the idea of going to London, and hopefully avoiding the rest of this cult mess. We can learn more there, but if we manage to find peace in England, he won't see a reason to go to Africa / Australia. So far, nothing has convinced us that the world is in danger or anything, has it? It's personal danger we're most afraid of right now, right? Although peer pressure / machismo will go a long way towards getting Andrei into the nasty spots...

[Laraqua]

Yeah, there were post office boxes back then. I looked it up myself. Dunno if Paris had them but I'd assume so.

[Raiko]

Wow! That was great stuff, thanks. 8) Maks had me going there as well.
(To be fair, Laraqua kindly sent me a PM to let me know that Maksim was joking, but due to time-zone clashes I read all of the new posts before I opened the PM).

1) Andrei is going to suggest that we don't tell Thomas / Mrs. Carlyle where we're going. He suggests we hire a post box in Paris, and get things sent there. (Is it possible to hire a post box?) Andrei is extremely worried about being followed.

I'm fine with the post office boxes, especially as Laraqua has already checked. We'll assume that they did have them in Paris.

2) Did we convince Elizabeth's parents to leave their manor temporarily? If not, Andrei really wants her parents to get out, even if it means bringing them along to London.

I think that you convinced them to travel to their holiday house, somewhere near the New England coast (near to Innsmouth perhaps? )

I remember Elizabeth and/or Johnny shouting at Andrei and being absolutely against taking them to London.

3) Andrei likes the idea of going to London, and hopefully avoiding the rest of this cult mess. We can learn more there, but if we manage to find peace in England, he won't see a reason to go to Africa / Australia. So far, nothing has convinced us that the world is in danger or anything, has it? It's personal danger we're most afraid of right now, right? Although peer pressure / machismo will go a long way towards getting Andrei into the nasty spots...

Andrei can rest easy in his bed then, there's no danger in London, no none at all...

The Voyage to England, Trixie's Barfing, etc.

Ok we seem to be ready to move onto Chapter Two, I'll prepare a post that puts you onto the SS Devonian of White Star's Leyland Line, bound for the Port of Liverpool in North West England.

The Leyland Line Ships are a little slower than the big Blue Riband competing Liners of the New-York to Cherbourg / Southampton routes, so the cross will take five days, rather than four. All things being well you will arrive in Liverpool on the morning of Monday 26th January 1925.

As a bonus your, characters will be treated to a much better view of Saturday 24th's total solar eclipse than they would have if they'd remained in New York.

The bad news is that the North Atlantic ain't nice in January, so you're likely to have at least one stormy day during the crossing. I believe all of Trixie's characters barf at some stage, looks like Timour will soon have the chance to continue this fine tradition.

Once you're in Liverpool, it's a 200 mile / 3-4 hour train journey to London.

I'll try to have the first shipboard post up by tomorrow, this will give Decrepit and Grafster a little longer to make a final 'reunion' post if they like.

The first shipboard post will include a summary of the voyage up to the 'Eclipse Party' on the 24th. Assuming that the world doesn't end at that point, I'll give you a day or two to make roleplay a little aboard the ship, and then move you onto London & Chapter Two proper.

Chapter One Experience Awards

You all get those skill checks for chapter one now as well, I'll sort all of that out at weekend. Each character will also be able to boost two skills of your choice (which most have been 'used' during chapter one, even if no actual dice roll was made), in additional to whatever the skill check randomness grants them. Finally everyone will recover 1d6 points of lost sanity during the voyage (again this kind of assumes that nothing terrible happens when the 'sun goes out').

I'll be putting the skill check results, sanity recoveries, etc either into the Chapter One Summary, or more likely into their own little thread.

Happy Maks?

Laraqua, do you still have your happy & sad avatar images for Maksim? This may be the last opportunity to use the happy one.

The Wiki

Imme mentioned editing the wiki, I'll try to create user accounts on there for all of you over the weekend as well.

Chapter Two

During the day or two that I give you to post aboard the ship, I'll be sending any outstanding starting information to the new players, and to Jtull for his new character.

Congratulations! Despite one or two dodgy moments particularly for Andrei in Harlem, you have all successfully survived Chapter One of The Masks of Nyarlathotep.

Be warned, there's deadlier stuff ahead.

[trixie]

Uh......Trixie's barfing??? Come again?


Laraqua must be talking to you Raiko.....

[Raiko]

Laraqua must be talking to you Raiko.....

No, I just stumbled across your post in Ash's chit-chat thread.

[trixie]

Ah! My secret's slipped....the chit chat gets me in altogether too much trouble!

However Timour is too much of a macho guy to barf....he might turn green around the gills perhaps, but he'd find a way to keep it in the iron stomach....if nothing else only to impress the ladies....

I must admit, Raiko, I laughed for several minutes to see the headline, 'Trixie's barfing, etc.' Took me quite a while to pull myself together after reading that!

[Laraqua]

Actually, he's a pilot. It'd make perfect sense if he barfed due to oceans and ended up locked in his room or moving about tight-lipped, 'disappearing' ever so often.

Also, I heard in Masks we get skill checks during the voyage as well? At the very least, Maksim wants to brush up on his therapy skills (or learn some hypnosis, either or).