--> Arkham's Historical Society

Before you hang up, Ma mentions that the girl was released this afternoon and she returned to her house near the Merchant District, and thanks you for looking into the mater.

Outside, the cold autumn wind has picked up, tossing leaves every which way, biting at your exposed skin and making your eyes water. You lean into the wind and clench at your hat and start walking past Ma's house. By the time you reach the Historic Society, your nose and fingers are cold. As you head for the front doors you notice someone on the door step, closing the door behind him. You hear the clanging of keys against the door, but the stranger fumbles and his keys fall to the ground.

[Private to Fr. Paddy O'donovan: Seeing as you're ending your move at the society, you're getting an encounter (I picked a card and now we can RP that out before we finish your turn). You can also pick up the clue. Not sure how to RP that, was just going to give them to you once we're done.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:48, Sun 01 Nov 2009.

"Here let me help you with that."  Fr. Paddy offers and bends down to help the man look for his keys.  "Closing early tonight are you?"

The man looked up at you, startled, "Oh! Goodness, you scared me, Father! No, we are all going off to do some portent watching in the woods. I just had a few things to finish before joining the others," he said before exhaling onto his fingers before bending to pick up the keys, "A bad moon, birds flying backwards, psychiatric patients going violent..." the man mumbled as he went through the key ring to find the right key, "you'd think it was the end of the world..." He hesitated a moment, "Ahhhh... if you want to talk to a member in particular, I can give you a lift?"

You suddenly get the feeling that you are being observed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:57, Sun 01 Nov 2009.

"Well that depends on if you can set my mind at ease."  Paddy smiles. "You see I've heard stories of strange lights coming from here from one of my parishioners."  Paddy explained.  "I'm sure it was nothing but I said I'd come over here and see what I could see.  You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" 

"Strange lights? Well, it could be a portal, Father... but the others would know more than me," the man said as he turned the key in the lock. The feeling of being observed intensifies and so you give the area a quick scan, only to see a dark silhouette coming out of the shadows several yards away.

"You there!"  Paddy challenges.  "Step into the light!"

"Hold on to yer horses, Padré," an elderly voice said as his feet scraped the pavement, aided by a cane. You immediately recognize Mr. Wateley whose always considered it his duty to aid the parish priest whenever something bizarre happened. "I wasn't sure it was you seeing as Tim said you'd left for the Merchant district, and these days it ain't wise to go about yelling people's names all by yerself."

He waddled over good naturedly, a large book under his arm, and when he got to the Society's doorsteps he nodded at the Porter, "Evening Allen. I'm with Father O'Donovan, tonight..." he said with a wink.

[Private to Fr. Paddy O'donovan:
Just RPing your ally into the mix seeing as we cleanly forgot him. :) Also, if you go to the woods, I'd like you to roll a Speed Check to see which player gets there first.

Xd6, X being your current speed.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:33, Mon 02 Nov 2009.

Paddy relaxed.  "You nearly gave me a heart attack, old friend.  We're off to the woods to see what's up tonight.  Let's get going."

[Private to H.P. Lovecraft: 09:46, Today: Fr. Paddy O'donovan rolled 1 success using 2d6 with the Target Number system with a target of 5 with rolls of 6,2. Speed. ]

--> The Woods

"Shotgun," the old man says with a grin as he waddles for the car's front passenger door. Allen chuckles and gets in, "door's open, Father."

The old buick coughs to life and rattles as it waits for Allen to put her in first gear, then to growls and putters down the road, unto the Southside main artery and hangs a left to go towards downtown, eventually making its way at a parking area near the woods. The car falls blessedly silent, probably having scared off as many small critters as it did wake of the dead. Zebulon grunts out of the car with the rest of you.

You silently walk into the woods and follow Allen for a few minutes when he eventually slows the pace. "Over there, I think," Allen says pointing towards something off the main trail. You leave the main trail and walk over dead leaves and dead branches when you trip on something metalic. Face first in the damp wet leaves. "You ok, hoss?" Zebulon asks with concern.

[Private to Fr. Paddy O'donovan: Make a Luck Check to find out what it was that you tripped over. ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:06, Tue 03 Nov 2009.

"Only me pride damaged."  Paddy grumbled as he rose to his feet.  He started searching about in the leaves to see what he tripped on.

[Private to H.P. Lovecraft: 18:19, Today: Fr. Paddy O'donovan failed (no successes) using 2d6 with the Target Number system with a target of 5 with rolls of 3,1. Luck check. ]

In reply to Fr. Paddy O'donovan (msg #16):

[Private to Fr. Paddy O'donovan: I've given you the 1 clue in the woods, being shared with the other player. I have to finish his encounter and I will get you all to your 2nd turn in which I will give you the result of this.]

Turn 2 - The Woods

You search the dead leaves only to find an old metalic box rusted with age. Curious you shake it, getting a muffled thump as your reward. You are about to open it when you hear a dog barking in the distance, followed by the sound of noturnal birds flying out from the woodwork as they flee from it. The tree branches seem to be clawing up towards the night sky as if to devour them as they pass. Momentarily distracted, you hesitate before finally trying to open the lid and glance within…

From inside the box, an awful stench raises to assail your nostrils, and it takes your eyes and mind a few heartbeats to understand what it is your are actually seeing. And then it hits you: A half roten, maggot ridden, human foot..! Bones protruding from the toes, the ankle bone visibly sawed…

Suddenly your vision blurs and you are brought to the local docks where a boat drops off its passengers. Two passengers aren't quite right, darkness surrounding them. A man and a woman. Suddenly, you are floating over a strange little house in the Merchant District. You are attracted by the light within, a strange glowing light… flickering… an angry man attacking the wall with his ax when there is a sudden burst of light and dark shapes escaping the light. Two winged creatures take to the air, hunting for prey; followed by another humanoid form.

The form reaches out for you. It was once a woman, but she is long dead… she clutches at you…

And then the vision ends.

[Private to Fr. Paddy O'donovan: You lose 1 sanity from the whole ordeal. I will let you RP your character's reaction, but turn wise, we're back at the top of the actions list.]

Paddy throws away the box in horror and crumples to the ground as the horrible scene plays out before his eyes.  He looks up weakly at Zeb.  "Its starting. Its happening again."  He breathed.  "Not a moment to lose.  We need ta arm ourselves.  I know where to go."

[Private to H.P. Lovecraft: Move to Ye Olde Magic Shoppe]

"What in tarnation are you talking about?" Wateley asks, "Go where? And what the heck was in that thing?" he wondered, trying to get a sense of it from where he stood. Alen looks at you with concern, "I'll go join the others then, Father. Are you certain you will be alright?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Wed 04 Nov 2009.

"No, I'm not sure any of us will be alright, Alen,"  Paddy says truthfully.  "but you go on to your friends.  I'll be up to the tasks ahead with Zeb's help.

Once Alan was gone, Paddy starts walking and then answers his old friend's question.  "What was in there was a severed and rotting foot, old friend.  The sight of it opened me up to a vision of Hell on earth.  The dark things are stirring again and we must be ready.  Much as I hate to admit it, we're heading to the Magic Shop."

Allen waves, though gives you a funny look before going off to meet with the other Society members. Zebulon watches him go and once he was out of ear shot he looks at you, before starting the long walk through the neighbourhood. As you finally make it to the store he grabs your arm. "Father. Miriam Beecher, the owner of the  Magick Shoppe, doesn't give out her wares cheaply, you know... matter of fact, she charges quite a bit and she has lots of dangerous articles. Are you sure we have to go there?"

[Private to Fr. Paddy O'donovan: OOC: Honestly, it's a shoppe so you can sell things if you like, or you can have an encounter. Let me know which you want, but I think you should be selling things. :)]

"Those dangerous artifacts can be directed.  Have faith my friend.  We will find what we seek." Paddy answers.

[Private to H.P. Lovecraft: Then I am here to sell and hopefully to buy.]

--> The Magick Shoppe
Magic Lessons: You can spend $5 to choose
one of two spells.


Zebulon looks up at you, and nods. "Alright, but that woman gives me the creeps," he says as he starts walking towards the shops. In the distance, you notice a man exiting the woods with his dog. They follow you through the streets for a bit and eventually disappear from view.

Minutes later, the store's bell signals your arrival. A fiery red head suddenly looks up from her counter where she was busy reading her cards. "Well, two strangers in five minutes," she says as she sets the deck of cards to the side, "I swear I didn't see that one comming." She cackles merrily and gets back to her Tarot spread, "Take a look around and you let me know if you find anything interesting."

The store is quiet and full of odd tomes and interesting artifacts. Another customer is checking the shelves and ilses.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:18, Fri 06 Nov 2009.

Paddy start looking about the shelves to see if there is anything he might like to trade his possessions for.

Two items catch your eye, and unfortunately both of them are priced at $8...

The first is a strange looking stone, which looks like it was carved from sandstone and mud. It is labelled as a Healing Stone. The other object is an ancient stone tablet with ancient runes, which you think predates the Roman Empire by quite a few centuries.

[Private to Fr. Paddy O'donovan:
http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/Ancient_Tablet
http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/Healing_Stone ]

Paddy blanches a bit at the price tags and then wanders over to see the proprietress.  "I've found an item I am interested but find myself short of funds."  Paddy places the items he owns on the counter.  "Is there anything here you could consider buying or trading for?"

The woman considered the man's items, "Hmmmm, spells? I've got my own... that cross? $3... no more... Oohh! What is this beautiful thing...!? A dragon's eye!?" Her hand fluttered over the object for a few moments. "For this, I will let you go away with either object of your choice..." she said finally.

Paddy thought on it a moment and then shook his head. "I'm sorry.  It is a fair trace but one I cannot make.  Sorry to have wasted your time."  Looking at his old friend, the words are meant for him as well.  He heads back out into the cold.

"Well, wait..." she says, tapping the sign next to her cash register. "Sign says $5 for a lesson, you don't happen to have 5 on you..?" Her words are lost on you as the bell chimes your exit.

Wately follows you as you exit the store. He seems put out at being in the cold again, though the old man doesn't overtly complain. Suddenly a stray dog starts barks in the alley next to the shoppe. It gives a quick look inside the shop and squeals before resuming its barking. It looks from the shoppe then towards east.

Eventually the shoppe's door swings open to let the other client exit the, and the dog assaults him with what looks like genuine happiness to see the man, mixed in with concern at what it possibly detected Eastward.