RolePlay onLine RPoL Logo

, welcome to Masks of Nyarlathotep (Chaosium Call of Cthulhu)

08:55, 19th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read.

Posted by The KeeperFor group 0
The Keeper
GM, 886 posts
Tony Stroppa
Tue 6 Aug 2013
at 10:13
  • msg #1

Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

Please post your books read (and wanting to read) to this thread. This way you can change it when needed.



Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:14, Tue 06 Aug 2013.
The Keeper
GM, 887 posts
Tony Stroppa
Tue 6 Aug 2013
at 10:15
  • msg #2

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 1):

You regained a number of texts that you previously lost, and gathered some more material. Some artwork and statuary was taken from different locations, as well as photographs of artwork that was impossible to take (like in the basement of the Penhew Foundation museum).

Important Cult-related Books:

The Pnakotic Manuscripts - English translation - ? Weeks Study. 15th Century AD, large bound manuscript.

Selections De Livre D'Ivon - French commentary on a Latin text - ? Weeks Study. Very confusing and muddled, an earlier reader left a marginal note in Medieval French suggesting he believed it to be written by someone named Eibon long before the rise of the Pharaohs. It describes part of his travels and exploits in unknown lands (possibly in dreams) and the blasphemous beings and monstrous gods that live there.

People of the Monolith - English Book (Bound in something unnatural; Cthulhu Mythos Roll needed when handling.) - 1 Week Study. A long and rambling poem written by Englishman Justin Geoffrey. From "People of the Monolith":

They say foul things of Old Times still lurk
In dark forgotten corners of the world.
And Gates still gape to loose, on certain nights.
Shapes pent in Hell.


The Monolith is a primordial black stone somewhere in the mountains of Hungary, and the bestial People worship the monolith with sacrifices. Geoffrey was committed to a madhouse in England shortly after the poem was written and he is still alive.

Life as a God - English book (Bound in Human Skin) - 1 Week Study. Describes an Englishman's descent into madness over a hundred years ago as he becomes a Priest in the Brotherhood of the Dark Pharaoh. Located somewhere in the UK, unknown exactly where. Egyptian motifs seem prevalent, no mention of sub-Saharan Africans or Africa.

Africa's Dark Sects: English Book by Nigel Blackwell - 1 Week Study. Published in 1921 but already in poor condition (spine cracked, pages torn and dog-eared, copious marginal notes in unknown language. End plate inside the book cover indicates this copy belonged to the Harvard University's Widener Library. (The investigators learned Jackson Elias contacted the library to locate the book but found the book had disappeared. That is, literally disappeared from one minute to the next.)

Africa's Dark Sects is a compilation of the notes left by the English born anthropologist and self proclaimed explorer Nigel Blackwell. It details the religious rituals and ceremonies performed by West African natives.

The longest section of the book is dedicated to The Cult of the Bloody Tongue and their barbaric magical rites. Blackwell describes with disturbing vividness the way the high priests sacrifice victims to their god. A description of The Mountain of the Black Wind is allso given in the same chapter. The Spiralling Worm Cult within the Belgian Congo is frequently mentioned, though the description is often vague and guarded as Blackwell himself never penetrated that particular cult.

Other subjects mentioned include leopard man societies, the gruesome voodoo-like ceremonies employed by a secretive cult in Nigeria, a proto human race of gorillas in the Congo and a complex ritual supposedly used to raise and command zombies. The author also references Sir Wade Jermyn's Observations on Several Parts of Africa.


g'Harne Fragments: English, by Sir Amery Wendy-Smith - ? Weeks Study. Published 1919. Medium-sized volume.

Book of Dyzan: English, author and publisher unknown - ? Weeks Study. A medium-thick parchment bundle.




The scrolls will take additional time to decypher. JM read an earlier scroll found at Tewfik's and now knows some kind of mystic ritual called "Body Warping of Gorgoroth" of unknown purpose. This cost him a small measure of mental equilibrium to read.

There were fifteen scrolls found at the Penhew Foundation, primarily in Arabic (6) and Latin (4), with some in Medieval French (2), Old English (1) and Egyptian Hieroglyphs (2). Ten seem to be poems and epistles in praise of the Dark Pharaoh and the Bloated Woman, possibly his mate or counterpart.

Five scrolls appear to be specific rituals of another sort. They have names such as Summon Winged Traveller and Summon Leprous Rabid Dog of the Dark Pharaoh (Egyptian Hieroglyphics), Bind Walker Beyond the Walls of Creation, Curse of Azathoth, The Casting of Dreams (Standard Modern Arabic).




Found at Tewfik's Spice Emporeum:

A papyrus scroll (Body Warping of Gorgoroth).
An ornate mirror in a golden frame.
a robe (black silk with inverted ankhs), skullcap and metal ankh of an unknown alloy.
Two sceptres of a strange black metal.
Two red-brown sandstone vials. One contains syrupy red substance, the other a black powder mixed with small rubbery crystals.


Found in the Penhew Institute basement:

Africa's Dark Sects, (English)
G'Harne Fragnents, (English)
Book of Dyzan (English)
Liber Ivonis (Latin)

Fifteen assorted scrolls.

Many photographs were taken of paintings and artwork of bizarre and unnatural creatures, the originals being too many and too bulky to take.
A jar with some kind of black powder inside, perhaps an oxide.
Enough food and supplies for two to three days.
Several passports for Gavigan under different false names (several for the UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Australia, Imperial Russia, Hungary, British India, British Kenya).
Hundreds of pound notes in different denominations.
A .32 revolver and a box of 30 bullets.

Two cases. The larger one was very heavy, and was addressed in English (and presumably Chinese script):

quote:
HO FONG IMPORTS,
15 KAO YANG ROAD,
SHANGHAI, CHINA.

Attention honourable HO FONG".

quote:
The smaller case was addressed:

Randolph Shipping Co.,
Port Darwin, Northern Territory
Dominion of Australia

Personal to Mr. Randolph



From al Misr House

Literally piles of paintings and statuary, depicting the Dark Pharaoh in many aspects.

Copious cult-related jewellery (inverted ankhs, etc.) and black silk cultist robes.
A fat ledger detailing cult-related shipments over the last three years to Ho Fong in Shanghai and Randolph Shipping in Darwin. As well, many more to Cairo, Alexandria, Nicosia, New York, Bremen, Dublin, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Odessa, Leningrad, Calcutta, Los Angeles and Havana. Much is of substances like Turkish Opium and hashish, surplus rifles, but as well gold, silver and gemstones, tobacco, morphine, spices, textiles, etc.

Over 100 occult-related books, texts and scrolls.



Past Study Times:

Cynthia Holloway: Has read Selections de Libre d'Ivonis. Not the complete work.

Dr. Weston: Has read both People of the Monolith and Life as a God. 3 more weeks of study on Gharne Fragments.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:38, Thu 08 Aug 2013.
Cynthia Jane Holloway
player, 428 posts
Dilettante
Globetrotting Free Spirit
Tue 6 Aug 2013
at 15:33
  • msg #3

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

Thank you!

Don't forget we also bought the painting of the mountain (or at least tried to) from the artist. I believe we succeeded.

Cynthia will read the scrolls in Latin and French and share any findings with the group (assuming they seem relevant). Then she'll move on to Africa's Dark Sects.



Cynthia Holloway: Has read Selections de Libre d'Ivonis. Not the complete work.

Read Africa's Dark Secrets.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:22, Thu 08 Aug 2013.
John-Marc Falcon
player, 474 posts
Former Flt. Lt., RAF
Aeronautical Pioneer
Wed 7 Aug 2013
at 01:42
  • msg #4

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

JM will examine the crates as well as the ledger detailing the cult shipments about the world.  He will work with Alexander to read some of the scrolls in Arabic if Alexander is willing.



JM: Reading one of the Arabic scrolls.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:31, Thu 08 Aug 2013.
Alexander Hussein Mahfouz
player, 100 posts
Expedition facilitator.
Wed 7 Aug 2013
at 05:45
  • msg #5

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

Alexander reading one of the Arabic scrolls.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:23, Thu 08 Aug 2013.
Count Sigismund Bathony
player, 437 posts
Antiquarian Book Dealer
Owner Abingdon Rare Books
Wed 7 Aug 2013
at 08:36
  • msg #6

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

The Count has been studying Liber Ivonis since it was found. He will also read the four scrolls found at the Penhew Foundation in Latin.




Reading Libre d'Ivonis. Started 21 March 1925. 2 Weeks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:52, Fri 09 Aug 2013.
George Perkins
NPC, 7 posts
Catalogue Agent
Abingdon Rare Books
Wed 7 Aug 2013
at 08:38
  • msg #7

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

Mr Perkins will read the scroll found at the Penhew Foundation in Old English. Nothing in Enochian ? A shame.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:09, Mon 21 Oct 2013.
Doctor Phillip Weston
player, 37 posts
Professor/Doctor
Psychoanalyist
Thu 8 Aug 2013
at 12:13
  • msg #8

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

Dr. Weston: Has read both People of the Monolith and Life as a God.

Reading G'Harne Fragments. Started 01 March 1925. 5 weeks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:08, Mon 21 Oct 2013.
Molly 'Mungo' Fuller
player, 327 posts
Reporter for the
London Scoop.
Thu 8 Aug 2013
at 13:10
  • msg #9

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

Molly isn't reading anything this time around because she flipped out a bit recently and even Mungo couldn't convince her to look so soon at the books again.
Cynthia Jane Holloway
player, 509 posts
Dilettante
Globetrotting Free Spirit
Fri 10 Jan 2014
at 14:27
  • msg #10

Re: Books, Tomes and Scrolls Read

Magical artifacts & Spells we can use!

* Mirror of Gal uses the substances in 2 sandstone vials (a red syrupy substance, obra'an and a black powder, Ganesh-Gal) to scry and curse a target. (To scry, use obra'an to draw an inverted ankh and concentrate on the target. To curse, cover the view of the target with Ganesh-Gal until it can't be seen and REALLY concentrate.)

* Powder of ibn Ghazi, is used to expose that which is hidden, when blown upon an item or being that might be obscured in this dimension.

* Two MYSTERIOUS black scepters. Cynthia speculates they are Azouth's Drum Sticks, which may be used to play a Wicked Rip.

* Mysterious Arabic Scroll

* Mysterious Hieroglyphics Scroll (probably Azouth's Sheet Music)

* Scroll in hieroglyphics - teaches how to summon a winged servant from beyond the stars.

* Scroll in Arabic - Binds some sort of walker behind the angles of the earth to one's will.

* Scroll in Arabic - let's someone send dreams.
Sign In