Group,

This seems like a capital opportunity to start a new OOC thread. On to Egypt!

Tony

What flight path are you plotting Ft Lt? Will we have some nice stop overs on route? Lunch in Paris, a night in Rome, fishing mid Med from out of a life raft? :)

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 2):

The Vimy's fuselage is sealed and is positively buoyant, so can make water landings. It's not a true seaplane so it can't take off again!

Tony

Wouldn't mind the fishing.  Molly can put on worms on hook, just don't ask her to take off any fish.  They are too slimy.  Be careful what you have for lunch.  Last time when JM piloted, some of us lost our lunch.  (looks guilty)

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 4):

Yikes.

It'll probably take a few days to fly, so thats breakfasts, lunches and dinners! Better bring buckets....

What were you lot doing, loop the loops?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 5):

Shhh.  don't give him ideas.  I do believe there was one or two of them in that short flight.

So were we going by air, or were we maybe going to be catching trains?  Of course, the trains would probably take longer, but could at least afford us some time to study more...

Oh, stopping by Rome would be perfect. Plus, perhaps we can pick up a few holy relics to throw at all the beasties.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 8):

They might just chuck them back!

Funnily enough the train and plane could take about the same amount of time. The Orient express took a week all up and it could take that long by plane depending on the weather and fuel stops. The plane would probably need 4-5 top ups, give or take, with everyone on board and their luggage. Depends on which route her 'Captain' wishes to fly. Down through Italy perhaps and across the Med?

Here's link to the old Air-routes:
http://www.hipkiss.org/data/ma...es_3012_3992_600.jpg

The 1929 Imperial Airways London to Karachi via Cairo, took 5 days to reach Cairo from London. Obviously they had stop overs for passengers, flying through France, Italy , Greece and finally Cairo. Must have been a great trip.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:30, Thu 18 July 2013.

I was thinking Paris, southern France, Rome, Greece, Crete or Cypress, the Levant and down to Egypt.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 11):

The first air travel from England to Australia was accomplished using much the same route (in the same aircraft, a Vickers Vimy).

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 12):

And the first trans Atlantic flight. I grew up near to where Alcock and Brown landed. We did a school project on them and the plane.

It's good to know we have a plane that can get us where ever we need.

I hope there's in flight service....

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 13):

The plane is thankfully not a Vimy bomber but a "commercial" variant where they simply replaced the fuselage in kit form.

Have a look at this great article in Flight magazine from 1919:

http://www.flightglobal.com/pd...1919%20-%200934.html

I love how the passenger compartment has repeater gauges for airspeed and altitude, so the passengers can keep track of the flight! This version has the passenger door behind the propellers.

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:17, Fri 19 July 2013.

Already have the pdf in fact. Lovely choice of plane. I'm an Era nerd.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 15):

She's a beauty all right.

The Vimy has a listed range of 900 miles, but this is with full fuselage tanks. I think a better gauge of range is the Vickers Vernon transport, similar to the Commercial, with a range of 320 miles. The Brisfit (Bristol F2) has a range of 369 miles.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 16):

With 11 passengers and a pilot the Vimy, if travelling at it's cruising speed of 90 miles an hour, has a range of 450miles, travelling for 5 hours. Reducing it's load to 5 passengers and baggage, increases it's range to 900 miles without having to stop.

Quoting the article you linked, second to last page.

I reckon several 9hour flights would be rather long and unpleasant for all concerned. Though if speed is the essence totally doable. My vote would be for a rather more relaxing trip for all concerned, giving time for documents to be finished, drinks and some pleasant overnight stays.

At the end of the day, happy with what ever we do :)

All of a sudden I"m having nightmares of math problems in grade school.  If flight A leaves at X and travels a Y speed.  And if FLight B leaves at X and travels at Y speed how long before A overtakes B.

Answer?  Leave that to the pilots.  This passenger will sit back and let the others figure it out.  LOL.  Story problems were never my thing in Math.

awwww. Molly isn't an "official traveller"  sniff

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 18):

Doesn't flight A crash in to flight B at X?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 20):

well if it does Molly will capture it on film and sell it to the Scoop.  Then she'll take you all out for drinks.

Between JM and KH we're in good hands flying.  JM would vote for a more leisurely travel with maybe one or two longer legs to get across longer stretches between major stopping points.

Alex has nothing else he needs to do in London, so will join the others when it is time to leave in the IC thread.

Just waiting for the weather to break.  The planes are fueled and ready.

If folks want, Alexander will be happy to teach those interested, basic Arabic whilst flying and perhaps give a basic summary of what is going on their now politically.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 17):

I think the range figures are a little dodgy. The Vernon is the military transport version of the Vimy Commercial, and has a 320 mile range according to Wikipedia.

But let's go with the article's quoted range of 420 miles. The Brisfit should be able to match that with a dismountable ferry tank.

Tony

Molly would take him up on the offer to learn the language and politics

I will be off on vacation until Friday so my posting will be sporadic.  The GM can NPC me as necessary to keep things moving.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 28):

No worries, I would guess you're taking both planes, then.

Tony

Both planes!

So are we all going by plane?  I didn't get it totally clear where Weston was in all of this.

I thought we were all going by plane.

In reply to Doctor Phillip Weston (msg # 31):

I don't think there was a formal consensus but the signs point to air travel. Do you want to have a last meeting to finalise details of where you're going in Egypt and how you're getting there?

As well, lost in the clues is a letter from a Cairo shopkeeper/businessman that was interested in talking to the late Jackson Elias.

Tony
This message was last updated by the GM at 09:52, Mon 22 July 2013.

Alexander shall jump on the plane bandwagon.

So we got the address from Australia and the address from China from our repeated raids against Gavigan. Have we gotten any addresses or links from Egypt? (Or Africa at all?)

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 35):

There's a letter from a shop keeper in the street of Jackals in Cairo, which i saw today in the clue thread.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Mon 22 July 2013.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 35):

I reposted what little you have (via Jackson) and I'll go over your latest IC post to see if Gavigan's paper trail leads to Egypt in some fashion.

Tony

The Count had been studying the Liber Ivonis since it was found.

Cymon.

Also note that Brady was in Hong Kong where the cult seemed active.

And the notes said that the Caryle itinerary in Egypt was important and hinted at something along the Nile.

I think we decided to all go via plane with both planes to Egypt as ourselves but stay as incognito as possible.

Alexander will help Miss Holloway in her inquiries if she doesn't mind the company, lending his appropriate skills if needed.

I would be delighted to have him along. I was hoping for some company, but didn't want to grab someone and say 'you are coming with me!'

Regarding the Nile -- I noticed that reference. Unfortunately, the Nile is a big place, and I doubt we'll see anything if we just fly over. Is there a way we can get specific details on where to find the spot?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 41):

What is it that you are looking for on the Nile? A village, archaeological site or something else? Perhaps Alexander can hep with that. He's been bringing various folk up and down it for years.

There's a great map room where he held the talk and plenty of other knowledgeable people we could talk to also.




Seems that I know something about them. So perhaps I can remember some more particulars once i talk with Miss Holloway.

Has anyone got the Papyrus scroll found in brass tube hidden in Tewfik's Foreign Spice Emporium translated?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:35, Tue 23 July 2013.

I don't believe we got the scroll translated.

We know the Carlyle expedition found something of interest in the Nile valley, so presumably it's an archeological site, although hypothetically it could be something else.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 43):

I read somewhere in the clue thread that the rumours were that they'd found King Solomon's wealth/mine?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 44):

The Count will also accompany Ms Holloway. Who is currently staying at the Counts townhouse, I would like to include others in the discussion about supplies and equipment ?

Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 45):

It might be better to hold some sort of dinner discussion. JM and KH are probably going to stay out at Lympne Aerodrome but they can come into the city fairly easily (by train or motor car). Dr. Weston has his home in Barkding, Molly has her own flat, etc. (Fulty is gone, Darlington is moving on to other things now his career is no longer stalled.)

Of course, one or more of these people could have decided to relocate to Bathony's on a semi-permanent basis for safety and convenience!

Bathony and anyone else can assist with the research and so on.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 46):

I was just wondering who was likely to be sitting at the table with the Count and Mr Perkins as it is pretty much a one sided conversation.

Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 47):

YEs, if you're there, then please post to that effect. I assume it's evening drinks, or tea time?

Tony

Evening drinks may be easiest.

Cymon.

what skill is used for reading hieroglyphics these days? Is it a language skill or covered by archaeology?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 50):

I treat it as Archaeology.

For some reason I have it that JM read it, although he doesn't know any Archaeology. Lucky roll? I might have been thinking of Howard Lampton. Yes, JM looked at the scroll but couldn't read it. Lampton was able to read hieroglyphs.

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:29, Wed 24 July 2013.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 51):

Okay that mean Alexander can read them then. How does this work, do I need to make a roll for this or is the papyrus easy enough to decipher?

I have no idea where you keep all your scrolls, manuscripts and books, but if they are at the Count's house perhaps Alex is looking through the Arabic scrolls and Hieroglyphs now. Otherwise it can just be some business papers if they are stored elsewhere.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 53):

All the tomes, scrolls and other reading material is all kept in Bathony's book safe.

Make an Archaeology roll to read the papyrus scroll.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 54):

11:18, Today: Alexander Hussein Mahfouz rolled 93 using 1d100 with rolls of 93. hieroglyphics.

Alexander is convinced that it's written in cockney rhyming slang hence the odd look on his face.

I didn't realize it was an archeology roll! I had assumed it was a language check.

Cynthia will peer at it as well (but fails - 64/31).

Looking at the in game thread, is that a private conversation around the aeroplane? Or is that at the Count's house and I should be mentioning that I'm going out?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 57):

I'm under the impression that all of us can be there, so ask away.

It's at the Count's house.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:37, Wed 24 July 2013.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 57):

I will make a quick post on what you see at Tewfik's during the day.

Then I assume you are at the Count's in the evening.

Tony

Don't you love an era where you can have a plane outfitted with MG's?

"Just hopping over to Africa dear, I'm taking the plane...."

"Lovely...Make sure you pack the Vickers darling."

For some reason it makes me want to strafe a train.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 60):

At this time permits for all guns, including machine guns, are issued by police.

Tony

Can Alexander help with the sourcing of ammunition? He's an officer in the British army (reserves) and until recently a political officer. Perhaps he can lend his credit rating/persuade to the mix.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 62):

Sure, although I would guess this could take days to arrange.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 63):

Cool, I'll lend a hand if needed, I'm sure the flyboys will get it sorted.

I suppose the ammo is essential to the expedition and would make a delay worthwhile. Are there any rolls Alex needs to make?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 64):

Did anyone ever open the 2 crates that were taken from the Penhew Foundation's hidden room? Maybe Cynthia?


Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 65):

Yes I believe both were opened and photographed. Was the Count able to procure some ammunition ?


Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 66):

Perkins was, and failed. If Bathony wants to give it a go, then by all means. You'll have a couple days to look.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 67):

Count Sigismund Bathony

Count Sigismund Bathony rolled 17 using 1d100 with rolls of 17. Credit Check.

35% Credit Rating


This was his roll I was going to have them both give it a go.


Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 68):

Looks good, sorry I missed his roll. Bathony is able to locate 294 rounds of explosive, 410 of incendiary and 207 of armour piercing. It will take a week to arrange for pickup. No luck on the sniper amour, at least not yet.

I'm away this weekend and while I may have internet, I may not!

Tony

Alexander can try and help with getting more ammunition if you wish, by going to the Royal Arsenal, which though making steam engines between the wars still produced and stored bullets and explosives. He passed a credit rating and a persuade roll, posted in the relevant thread. No worries if there's none, or he can't help :)

Re the armour, don't forget that Egypt typically will be in the 20's to 30's celsius range when we get there. Toasty!

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 70):

It would be well worth it for Alexander to try to procure ammo.  JM would welcome the assistance.

Should I roll a credit check for JM as well?

And yes, strafing trains is way cool!  Now all we need are some underwing rockets for the big nasty monsters with tentacles.  Didn't the US Navy shell one of the big nasties in one of the Lovecraft books?

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 71):

1) JM can try and procure ammunition.

2) I will roll those results in with Alex's attempt.

3) Are you trying to get two 2-way wireless telegraphy sets? Battery powered receivers are common if heavy, but transmitters are very expensive and difficult to use.

Tony

Yes, one of the Lovecraft books did include a shelling (and so did the video game). Was it Shadows over Innsmouth?



I'm not precisely sure how much a celsius is, but Cynthia won't miss an opportunity to hit the stores. Molly?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 73):

You're on Cynthia.  Let's go shopping.

Mmm my picture has vanished... I shall go hunt a new one.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 75):

Your portrait?

If so, it's a temporary RPOL glitch.

Tony

Ah okay. I shall remain reclining in my saturday evening stupor then....

I think the idea of 2 way sets will be too expensive and bulky.  I think you would need a dedicated radio operator to use it which could be done in the Vimy but not in the Brisfit.

We will work with JM's knowledge of the local conditions to make sure that we have what is needed to adapt the aircraft to desert conditions.

@ the Count

What you need for those big nasty monsters is a Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr, the world's first anti tank gun.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 79):

I don't thing my shoulder would take it, I've had to restrict my .50cal firing for sometime because of it.

Tony were we able to secure the mills bombs with the .303 ammunition ? Thanks.

Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 80):

You were able to get permits for the amount of surplus .303 in the quantities above. (These are the rounds on hand.)

Mills bombs are not available on the open market. I think you still have 7 Stielhandgranaten left over from the house assault.

It has now been 2 weeks since the assault on al Misr House. Please factor that in for study times if you wish!

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:20, Wed 31 July 2013.

So do we have time to start brushing up on new skills as well? I'd like to spend some time on learning a local language and brushing up on lockpicking. I'd also like to read the book, Africa's Dark Sects, unless someone else would rather grab that. That seems like the most handy book for what we're doing.

Also, are we keeping a single post somewhere with a listing of books we've collected? I notice some sprinkled through the Clues thread.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 82):

That sounds like a good thing to do Cynthia.  I know that I wanted to learn the language so will figure that will be the start of that skill when the time comes around to pick up new skills.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 83):

Alexander can teach you both Arabic if you would like.

Are we all with the plane now?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 84):

Thank you Alexander.

If we are already in the plane can we say that Cynthia and Molly had gotten their shopping in first?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 82):

I have never found a good way to keep track of your books and who's reading what. I recently re-posted what you have in the Reference thread, that is the definitive list.

It might be best to just start another thread, make a post for everyone in your own names for books read so you can update those posts yourself. The information will be easier to find than the PMs I tried earlier and not lost in the Reference thread.

As for shopping, please continue! I was just trying to get a handle on your route. If anyone has asked questions or made preparations that I have not yet addressed, please follow up now.

(You can get pretty much as many .303 rounds as you like, but no more of the special rounds like AP/Incendiary/Explosive, they're just too rare at this point. Likewise Mills bombs or other military explosives, but TNT is available.)

Tony

I am afraid my knowledge of 'clothing appropriate for the Nile valley, but sold in upper crust department stores in London, 1925' is rather limited (I know, right??)

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 87):

It still has to be better then mine.  LOL.  This will be an interesting shopping trip.  I think that we need to see pictures of Alexander's family to get an idea.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 88):

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 87):

I think Googling women's summer dress for 1925 might help!

""FOR when they are blousey, they are very, very blousey!" Meaning, of course, these wide-sleeved, square-cut, long-waisted frocks that have reduced lines to their simplest form but refuse to skimp on material. They are distinctly "summerish," and undoubtedly "out-doorish," superb as to fabric, and nonchalant, even sports-like, as to cut. As a matter of fact, they look what they are-the absolutely right clothes for country club luncheon, bridge, or tea dance.

IT IS desirable this year that a dress of this type be white. And, like so many frocks of the season, "Country Club" also affects high color. The design, which reminds one rather of the smart printed effects, seems to have rung futuristic changes on a possibly Persian motif. It is worked out on the white canton crepe in beads of silvery green, tan, bold black, and a rich canna shade which is echoed in the wide hat of silk and straw and amusing rubberized ostrich quill."



http://www.squidoo.com/1920sfashions

http://www.fashion-era.com/fla...ashion_1920s.htm#The Short Skirt Misconception Of The Twenties

"Description Of sturdy, fine quality all wool tweed, will add to the joy of all outdoor activities through the spring and summer season. Knickers are neatly tailored, have separate belt, two pockets and buttoned cuffs. Choose from tan or gray."



Some amazing (if fake) pictures of the air war:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the...ed_using_models.html

Tony

But is that what they'd wear in Cairo? In the Nile Valley?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 91):

Alexander will be wearing a light suit whilst in Cairo and something more rugged if 'exploring' along the Nile. Think Pith helmet and desert gear.

Here's a picture of some British officials and Lawrence in Jordan April 1921. Still wearing the suits though it's hot.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...2C_April%2C_1921.jpg

Alexander will avoid dressing Beduin style for the most part.

I'd advise bringing an umbrella for the sun and remember that women (and men) would on the whole need to dress conservatively except within the western hotels and possibly private clubs.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 92):

Some pics of clothing

1920's Cairo
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mQxR...600/Cairo%2B1920.jpg

1927
http://www.corbisimages.com/st...dsworth-trevorbettye

1920
http://img387.imageshack.us/im...800530ed36d8b5eo.jpg

1923-4
http://icfadumbartonoaks.files...om/2012/10/tw002.jpg

Court officials Cairo 1920's
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...81320_32edc0049a.jpg

Carter in the Valley of the Kings
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-i...oward-carter-005.jpg
http://cache4.asset-cache.net/...Nnv3ZOOo4aHA97ijZrLV

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 93):

Great pictures!

I think we're about ready to go. I have to intro a new pilot character, possibly a PC.

As well, I have the "Books Read" thread on my to-do list. Actually, I will do that now. Please post with your information, that way you can update that post at will.

Tony

Just whipping up a character sheet for Roger Bedford, a pilot friend of John-Marc from the War.  I often do flights over to Morocco and the like, so Cairo would probably be fine and dandy! :)

Great!  Looking forward to playing my new swanky pilot man! :)  He's a charmer from way back... quite a smile and a three o'clock shadow to boot.  Naive and up for a bit of adventure...

Very nice pictures, thank you! But they wouldn't travel in the clothes in the picture you titled 1920, would they? I can't imagine so. The 1927 picture looks far more comfortable and exotic.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 97):

I would imagine that white flowing clothing with a hat and parasol would be de rigeur.

IMPORTANT:

The book thread isn't really intended for ongoing discussion. In your post put what books you are reading and how long. I will post additional information in an PM, like SAN loss and Mythos percentiles gained.

Paintings: There was one painting I think you bought, of a ceremony. There was another that I think you saw but were unable to buy and was otherwise kept locked up, which is fortunate, because it's a TPK for sure. In fact, I'm amazed you avoided a TPK at the Shipley's because you annoyed his "mum", who could have easily eaten all your lunches without breaking a sweat.

Tony

Welcome to my old flying and drinking pal!

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 99):

Looking forward to the action :)

Lots of that to come for sure!

We have a great party now.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 101):

Hey!  We had a great party earlier.  Oh yeah, you didn't remember that party because you passed out first (j/k).  You should have said we have a "greater" party now.  Copy editor!   Rewrite!  Oops.  Shades of occupation coming through.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 102):
Glad to join you all... even though I've been lingering in the shadows as Weston... he's kind of a quiet scholarly chap.  Probably Roger will be a bit more fun to hang out with...

Hopefully no competition for John-Marc as far as Molly goes?

Pushing people just to the very edge of their tolerance seems to be one of Cynthia's skills.

Hmm.  that last line could be read to mean that you have designs on John-Marc or designs on Molly.  Or neither.  What fun this will be.

LOL!

Or no intention on cutting in on JM in regards to the pursuit of Molly :)

I don't think that JM and Molly are any kind of 'thing' although JM has made a few sorties.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 104):

Ha ha! Well, remember that cultists are by definition insane. So they have issues, and poor impulse control...

Ok, if everyone has things in hand, let's get this show on the road!

I will post everyone getting to the airfield. As well, the results of your current researches.

What are you doing with the documents, painting (of the mountain), and statues?

Important: You have 2 copies of Libre d'Ivonis. One, the "selections", is from Carlyle's library in the USA. The full version was later found at the Penhew Foundation. Specify which one you're reading. (Cynthia read the selections, so she can now read the full version.)

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:04, Thu 08 Aug 2013.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 107):

If Molly and John-Marc have  a "thing" going on, Molly isn't aware of it. He's nice at a party and is good to hold your hair out of the way if you drink too much though.

Does having read the selections reduce my crazies at all should I read the whole thing?

I will be out for seven days staring on Wednesday, to go to gencon.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 109):

Enjoy Gencon!  Expect to hear reports from you on it.  :)

Well, JM can always keep trying :)

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 109):

CErtainly, enjoy GenCon. I went a few times in the early 90's, when it was at the MECCA centre.

Dang, I knew I forgot something with all that work I did last night. A few language skill checks were made, I will add these to the Skill Checks thread.

Tony

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 109):

The last time I was at GenCon was in 2003.  It always is scheduled at the beginning of the new semester which is one of the busiest times for my office.

Loved going to it and was able to meet up with some of my online gaming friends.  It was great.

Were there some crates to open?  I'm not sure if we got around to them.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 114):

One was a large bloated female fertility figure, easily 150 pounds of corroded copper. It was unnaturally disturbing to look at in some way.

The other was a curious, small statuette of a short, fat winged man with a tentacled face. When anyone touches it, they receive a short tingle that soon fades.

Tony

The documents and books are coming with us, the artefacts the Count has distributed around London in various safety deposit boxes/vaults. Both sets of scepters have been split into four different locations and the mirror has been placed on its own. His shop has no mythos items on the premises.

Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 116):

Does he have a way to retrieve them if needed?

Now that some of the texts have been read, they can be used for deeper research. (That is, the ones that give actual Mythos percentiles.)

Tony

Yes he would have instructed two different law firms on half of the objects location, but not the contents.

Does the Count and Mr Perkins need to make Mythos rolls ?

Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 118):

If they handle the bluestone sculpture, go ahead.

Tony

As well, some of you wanted to read the "Arabic Scrolls" There are many of these. The ones you tried to read didn't seem to contain anything interesting. This didn't take much time. You may try again with others, but be specific.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 119):

I don't think they did.

Between shopping and reading, did we also have time to bump up a skill? I know I brought it up prior, but I had quite a long list of things I was up to.

In response to Molly's post, I looked up the ingredients for Mothersill's.

http://books.google.com/books?...redients&f=false

It's mostly chlorbutanol, with some caffeine, milk-sugar, fatty acid, and "other".

Here's an image of the advertisement:
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-...Remedy/dp/B005DGXULC

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 123):

LOL.  It says train and sea.  We'll see if it works for air.  :)

Mothersill's for the win!

Tony

I hope there's a toilet on board! :)

I wouldn't worry about getting booze in Cairo, there's plenty of it there.

JM is always well prepared in the important matters.  :)

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 127):

And having enough booze is rightly important. They will make great molotov cocktails to drop on winged monstrosities chasing us when airborne.... EEK

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 128):

Too bad Molotovs won't be used for another ten years! Seems simple enough, but the first early petrol bombs weren't used until the Spanish Civil War, and the bottle wasn't used until the Finnish-Soviet Winter War.

Tony

 Bloody historians :)

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 130):

You know, I am going to add a Finnish and/or Spanish NPC, just so they can see you use one and go, "heyyy... I bet that'll come in useful some day for sure!"

Tony

Lol.

I'll play a Finnish character ;)

My kid's great grandfathers fought in both the Winter War and the Continuation War.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 132):

"That bastard Molotov and his commie thugs! Well, "Crazy Eero" learned this trick in Africa when he was a merchant seaman, how to make a weapon using petrol and a bottle, said it worked on something "very bad" he met there, I bet it'll work on tanks..."

Tony

Just thought I had better say that Alexander has nothing more to add IC at the moment. So good to go when ready :)

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 134):

I am waiting for the pilot to respond to the yell of "Contact"! Once the Vimy is started up, KH will start the Brisfit. But there's no real need to do anything special for this IC if people don't want. 1 player is at GenCon, that I know of.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 135):

Cool.

Who yelled contact?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 136):

Ha ha, I suck. The post must have gotten lost. Or else I just imagined it!

Tony

Molly is ready whenever anybody helps her get into the plane...or did I miss that part?  There are two planes there so which one are the girls going in?

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 138):

She'd be in the Vimy Commercial. Sorry, I didn't post that anyone specifically helped her in, KarlHienz or JM would have done so. Or she could be standing there, that plane hasn't left yet.

Tony

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 138):

The Vimy Commercial.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 140):

Thanks.  I'll go and put myself in the Vimy then.  I wasn't sure.  :)

As a funny coincidence, I am in the process of taking an extra job as a weekend watchman at St. George's Orthodox Egyptian Coptic church.

Tony

My body is back, but my soul hasn't quite caught up yet. My flight was overbooked, so I got an extra night in Indy, but I have yet to sleep more than four hours at a go since Tuesday night.

As such, I plan to catch up tomorrow, when (hopefully) my head is with me.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 143):

welcome back and get your sleep.  :)

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 143):

Welcome back, sounds like you had a great time.

First time I went to Gencon (in Milwaukee) we drove there through Canada and back across the USA. Next time it was by AmTrak, then Greyhound.

Driving was still the most memorable!

Tony

Is that a normal thing to have watchmen at a church?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 146):

Depends on the church. This is in a slightly worse off part of town, so it's mostly to deter car break-ins while people are at mass.

Tony

And we're off! Are we playing out every stop or speeding on to Egypt?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 148):

I should think maybe a quick stop or 2 would be in order! At least in Paris.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 149):

oh yes. one MUST stop in Paris!!!!

I want to get off.....

What?? But we just started!

Just joking. Though Alexander is not on the Vimy.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 153):

oops.  then i shall refrain from sharing my bags or gave them to you ahead of time.  LOL.

By the by, anyone picked up the new Trail of Cthulhu Eternal Lies book? I know the artist and many of the models.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 154):

"Falling far short of the mark, the bag is caught by the slipstream and flutters down towards the ground, far behind the two aircraft.

Absence Note:

My apologies, I'm heading out for a week's vacation Friday. Unlike most places, Wi-Fi in the Canadian backwoods is neither cheap nor plentiful. So another day of posting for me, then back next Wednesday!

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 156):

Have fun!

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 157):

We shall! Every summer or so my extended family and our friends rent an honest-to-God summer camp by the lakeshore. (With a Mess hall, fire pit, cabins, dock, everything except Wi-Fi.) It's end-of-season and we have connections, so it's relatively cheap if enough people go. We all went there as campers and counsellors, so it's a lot like old times. Except far fewer kids, and there's more alcohol and less structured events.

Tony

A friend is live-tweeting at NecronomiCon. Apparently Masks of Nyarlathotep is crazy deadly, and one guy lost his character in the first five minutes.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 159):

Quick post from Wi-Fi place. Some notes:

1) I did tone the adventure down somewhat, if you can believe it. They must be leaving out A LOT to fit in Masks over, like, a weekend.

2) You have a week to post what you do in Paris. When I get back, we will move along.

3) The route after Paris was never decided, that I know. (I could be wrong.) So please decide.

Tony

Hi group,

Back from the woods!

I will run the Paris stopover relatively quickly. I will let the players decide what they do, you have a day and night in the City of Light and no one is hunting you, far as you know. I would like to know where you're staying and under whose name.

Tony

Ah not as long as I thought. The Count will research the black Pharaoh at the libraries he mentioned in the IC post and Mr Perkins will search for occult books in the Latin Quarter and the Left Bank for the London shop.

Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 162):

Fair enough, there isn't a firm plan right now so you could stay longer. Why not sort that out IC now you're on the ground?

Tonuy

There was me thinking we were in a rush!  In our original talks I was led to believe that you lot wanted to get to Cairo as quick as possible.

That said I'm fine with whatever you decide, Alexander has nothing he needs to do in Paris so will go see the sights.

Yes, I want to get to Cairo as quickly as possible, but I also want to leave Paris as late as possible :P

Lol. I can totally get that...shopping it is then. Alexander is available to carry bags about town....

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 166):

Ohhh.  a baggage carrier?  Molly is totally going to get spoiled with that.  You listening John-Marc?

Bag carrying with the pretty ladies?  As long as it will involve dinner and clubs later then JM is all over that.  Perhaps some of that jazz that is so popular now?

I assume we have a shared suite, so multiple rooms and a common room? That permits each of us to have our own rooms, but still to gather together and share plans trivially. Yes?

Sounds good.

Ahem...who's paying... Newspaper expense account?....Looks at Molly...

Joking apart, Alexander is quite flush and has already extended an offer of a room to Roger.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 170):

Sorry.  Can't go on newspaper account since we incognito.  :)  hehe

Cynthia - what name are you going by?  I'd hate to call you by a name you don't answer to when out in public.  hehe

A common suite would be very convenient.  I would imagine we could arrange something along those lines.  Did we dispose of any of the 'loot' for cash?

Yeah, who's paying for this? The Ritz is probably the most expensive hotel in the known universe! Certainly above the lowly Scoop's means!

The Count was paying for his suite with Mr Perkins.

Alexander is paying for his and Roger's room. I must admit he would have chosen somewhere slightly less salubrious...

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 173):

You did not sell the (literal) loot, or the cultists' valuables.

A common suite is  £15 a night, highway robbery if it weren't the best of the best. Fit for literal royalty.

Tony

I'm sure they have more expensive hotels in Carcosa.

I think Cynthia will go by Beverly Lake, wife of American surgeon, Philip Lake, travelling with her good friend, Ms. Rivers, and umm... whatever the gentlemen care to identify themselves as. Mr. Lake, of course, is covering the expense of the hotel.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 178):

Very generous!

Fair enough, the Ritz is the most expensive hotel on Earth in this era.

Tony

Thank you Mr. Lake!

Thank you Mr. Lake.  Such generosity is to be expected by those with the last name of Lake.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 180):

Doing some reading about the Ritz, the smaller rooms on the rear Rue Cambon side of the hotel are much less expensive, but still a quite pricey £5 a night.

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 182):

If i am to be murdered in my bed by insane cultists, it shall be a 15 pounds sterling bed, not a five pound one....

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 183):

If one goes out, one should go out in Style.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 184):

The carpet should be plush enough to cushion my fall and soak up my blood, plus I'd like to see a nice bit of wall paper as I breath my last.....

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 185):

According to the terms in CoC 5.6, a nice hotel is about £2-3 (or $9) a night. So still not cheap! Interesting, a £5 note of the day requires you sign the back when spending it.

Tony

Molly asked me to pass on that she's got a bad cold and won't be posting for a few days.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 187):

Pass on a get well soon from all of us!

Nothing should be happening, we're just doing a time-skip.

For those studying (Count, Dr. Weston and Perkins) the 5 days count as a week for studying the materials you have.

Tony

And I'm also in the process of checking the oil and fuel on my vehicle before we flee the state. Taaa! *waves kerchief*

I'm presuming Alexander doesn't need to make any rolls.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 190):

Why, yes he does!

Salim, as well, although of course you won't know the result until you get to Egypt...

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 191):

Looks as if both characters have won a prize.

Cymon.

Hello, I am back! Sun-toasted and smelling of chlorine, but ready to jump back into the game.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 193):

welcome back.  Just in time to catch the elevator.  :)  It's good that Molly has company on that elevator.  Misery does love company you know.

I love Aeromarine 75's. One of my fave planes and one that I have flown in other CoC games. Sigh....

Pretty sure Hemmingway wasn't a published author by 1925, wasn't he a journalist?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 196):

You may be pretty sure he wasn't, Wikipedia is pretty sure he was!

Hemmingway was a journalist until 1923 or so with the Toronto Star. By 1925 he already had 2 books of short stories and poems published (Three Stories and Ten Poems in 1923 and in our time in 1924).

He was a published author by then but not, at this point, a novelist. Hemmingway fell in love with bullfighting after a couple trips to Pamplona and had decided to write a non-fiction book about bullfighting. This is where he would be in early 1925.

Then in June he took a third trip and the events that transpired inspired him to begin writing The Sun Also Rises in July, finishing by December.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway

Tony

There you go :)

I know little about him and thought he was around much later.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 198):

My knowledge of Hemingway was sketchy. I knew he was a fixture in the Ritz bar at that time, along with Ezra Pound. I thought he was more of an author and wondered if I maybe needed a retcon as this was before The Sun Also Rises was published. Then after reading the Wikipedia entry (today) I realised he was in fact published, just not his first novel.

Tony

My assumption is that, while he isn't a famous author, and only of limited fame as a reporter (he didn't do his war correspondence in Spain yet), he's the sort of interesting person that, if we're in the same bar, we're guaranteed to chat up.

Hi Group,

A friend of mine, Ian, is running (and I am helping run) a zombie apocalypse game. It's not Aftermath as such, more of a rules-lite play-by-post. (You make up your character as you see fit, task resolution involves the GMs put their heads together to figure out probabilities, so roll high!)

The setting is somewhat like 28 Days Later with a dash of WWZ thrown in. (So while there are "zoombies" they are not really the living dead.)

The group has reached a place of safety. We are now looking to expand the game beyond mere survival and foraging, there is a definite plot line. (The remaining British government on the Isle of Wight has set up the various Sea Forts and Channel Islands as transition zones for the UK mainland and continental Europe, all under quarantine and overrun by infected.)

Characters can be of any nationality but obviously British makes the most sense, civilians preferred. No military personnel unless retired or otherwise invalidated from active duty. (We don't want this to get too overly military-themed, and for a while there every new player wanted to be some darn Special Ops type.)

link to another game

Tony

I found a car for Egypt.

http://cars.uk.msn.com/trendin...n-toting-rolls-royce

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 202):

that's cool.  Of course it would be more cool if the gun was mounted and not behind, etc.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 202):

Very cool.

Rolls Royce did a nice armoured car too.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:01, Thu 03 Oct 2013.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 204):

Or this Rolls Royce:



If there's no followup on the dreams, let's get the show on the road...

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:10, Thu 03 Oct 2013.

JM has no information to personally follow up on the dreams.

That's the one!

Alexander is not doing anything either. Lets hit the skies!

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 206):

If you don't want to make an Idea check, on with the show...

Tony

I failed my idea check to my knowledge.  If I can roll again... then bring it on!

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 210):

New roll. Go for it.

Tony

I am going to have no internet access for the next four days. Please NPC as necessary. Thanks.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 212):

Mom had a TIA yesterday and so I am running back and forth between hospital and nursing home for the next couple of days while she is being evaluated.  If I don't respond to something give me a poke.  :)  brain is a little scattered...on no!  I had a TIA also?  :)  (although it isn't funny I know)

Aeromarines cost $25,000 new back in the early 1920's.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 213):

Oh wow, bad news about the stroke. We joke around about it but it's nothing funny.

Regarding the Aeromarine, I imagine a used one would have cost less. You would have had to pool your resources. Oh well...

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:54, Fri 11 Oct 2013.

Sorry wasn't sure what a TIA was. Sorry to hear that.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 216):

Thanks everybody.  For those who don't know what a TIA is, it is usually called a mini stroke.  People recover pretty rapidly from them but, on the other hand, they can be reoccur (and often do) and lead up to full strokes.  It takes a little bit out of the person with each TIA.  THey can take a toll on the body and nibble away at the person slowly.

So far Mom seems to be recovering pretty well.  They will do some more tests on her and will be in the hospital until Saturday or Sunday since they found a bad urinary tract infection.  They won't send her back to the nursing home until that gets cleared up.

I know she's getting good care and that is what matters.  :)

Hello group,

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 218):

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends and if I forget in another month to the US friends.  LOL.

Now...where's the turkey.  (notice that is "where" and not "who")

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 219):

Or as we like to call it, "real" Thanksgiving! I think we saw the US Thanksgiving as a good autumn holiday and copied it. However, we never included the whole "thanks to the Natives for helping us in eventually conquering the New World" mythology, which seems painfully ironic now. (Instead, it's more an amalgamation of various Christian and other harvest celebrations, as well, something to do with the successful end to Martin Frobisher's expedition.) As it is, we find it dovetails nicely with Christmas as its not so close.

Michelle and I had turkey at my folks on Sunday, then with our friends (who are gamers) on Monday. We got to play a scenario of Pacesetter's classic and hard-to-find RPG adventure "Sandman - The Map of Halaal". Dating from 1985, it's pretty much the first surrealist RPG adventure I can recall, dating from 1985, it was probably too strange for gamers raised on 1st ed. AD&D and Traveller.

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:08, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

Sounds like a delightful weekend GM.  The adventure sounds intriguing.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 222):

I hope we can finish it, I'd like to run it as a 1-shot adventure at some point.

Tony

Tony,

What is the time in game? Thanks.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 224):

Around sundown. Call it just shy of 8pm.

Tony

Blah, sick for a week. A fever, then straight after caught a cold from my kids. I'm only now starting to feel human again (or at least a close facsimilie to one).

Molly -- sorry to hear about your mom! Did she get treatment in time? How is she doing?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 226):

Hope you get better Cynthia.

Just heard that mom is going back to the nursing home today.  She still needs meds for the pneumonia and the infection but nothing that the nursing home can't furnish and take care of.  Her oxygen level is in the 90s and they might have her do some oxygen therapy at the home also, they aren't sure of that.  Still at 93 (94 in December) she's kicking so we're thankful for that.

Hi,

I had a bit of luck at an auction recently and pick up a .577 Eley revolver. Very similar to a pair currently carried by Mr Perkins. It's a bit of a behemoth so I would say he won't be carrying them around long in one hand. Retailed by W.J. Jeffery & Co in London, but probably made in Belgium.





.577 Eley cartridge next to a .45 ACP.

Beautiful find!

Okay, I'm a little afraid to ask, but I figure I'd better put it out there ... how many of the players here are die-hard history nuts? I certainly enjoy reading (although 1920s has never been an era of interest for me), but seeing the posts here, I'm getting the sense that some of the people here have put more than a few weeks and a few dollars into research on this particular period in history.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 229):

I'm just somebody who likes the period.

I was more interested in the Victorian and Edwardian period, but the inter-war years are starting to grow on me.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 227):

I am glad to hear about your mum. Always nerve-wracking.

As well, I hope Cynthia gets better soon!

Regarding the period, I've never had any particular affinity for the 1920's. I sure hope my descriptions do the periods justice! (My forte would probably be more along the lines of SF and the post-holocaust genre in particular.)

Tony

Beautiful. Is there somewhere where you can fire that? Must be a hell of a kick.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 233):

Ammunition would be the biggest headache as it not commercially available and neither is the brass. So it would have to be cut down .577 Snider brass and hand-loaded with blackpowder. As for kick I have heard that it is not something you want to do everyday.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 234):

Quite the hand-cannon! I mistook which cartridge is which; I thought that the Eley was .357 for some reason and no .557... now I see what you mean!

Tony

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 234):

Yes but once in a lifetime (or more) type thing it would be worth it.  :)

Me too. I was introduced to it at school through novels we had to read for English Lit and at the same time through the Call of Cthulhu rpg.

Hi group,

I confess, I never ran or played Classic CoC. This is my first adventure. I did run a Cthulhu Now campaign ("At Your Door") about 6-7 years ago but one of the players and a good friend died, understandably putting the kibosh on the game.

As for this game, my apologies, I never noted what happened to the 2 statues and artefacts (ankhs, robes, 2 sceptres, mirror, powder) and painting (of a ceremony in Africa) that you left in England. Could someone fill me in so I can add that to the reference thread?

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 238):

The Count had all the items of a mythos nature interned in two different safety deposit boxes/vaults. Items that went together, like the sceptres were split. Two different law firms were instructed to give out half the location of the items to anyone from the group who asked. If anyone makes it back to London of course.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 239):

Statuette of bat-winged man, 1 sceptre and the mirror in box/vault in bank A.

Statue of bloated woman, 1 sceptre and the painting in box/vault B.

Powders, vials, unguents etc. split between them.

Tony

I think we recovered two sets of sceptres ?

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 241):

To my understanding, there was 1 pair of sceptres. Several ankhs, though!

Tony

I'm not much of a history buff but more of a dilettante.  :)

I do like the 20's as a period but am not an expert by any means.

Oh and the pistol rocks!!!!

From the Clues and Reference thread:

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 - ? Weeks 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.)

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):





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.

Hi Group,

That should give you an idea what you've gained.

Can someone give me an idea where the bulk of this is stored? It can't all fit in a safety deposit box!

Tony

Lol poor Molly.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 247):

Sorry did not mean to miss Alexander out of the hotel narrative. The Count would have of course asked him to accompany himself and Mr Perkins to dinner.

heh.  i'll be busy tonight but will try to post something before I have to leave.  NOw if I can just get bossman into a meeting.

No worries. He'd already indicated that he would be doing his own thing. We've all been in each others pockets for several days so probably nice to have a break.

My two great aunts visited Italy during the mid 1920's, with their university for some reason or another. My mother has several photo albums full of pictures of plazas full of uniformed men, train journeys, cafes and outside lunches. I'll be back in Dublin next year and shall hunt them out and post some for your perusal :)

Shame I can't do it now.

I have the same for Germany during the early 1930's when my Grandfather studied there briefly as an optician.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 251):

That would be swell!

My father's family lives in Voltreara, a small village off the via Roma in the central mountains east of Rome in a region known as "the Marches". Voltriarra is basically a suburb of Fabritzio now. (Mingarelli is my grandmother's maiden name.)

Tony

Phew, I was worried that our pilots might get roughed up by some local boot boys.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 253):

The night is still young, and you're going to be here how long?

Tony

Currently sitting in the plane raring to go….

Seriously? I have no idea, I hope just one night and leave the next day. Alexander wishes to return to his family.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 255):

There was talk of the Vatican archives, although I have no idea what Bathony and Perkins want there. Dr. Weston is going to visit a local asylum to talk to the patients about drams.

Tony

Ah so at least another night or two.

Alexander will hang at the hotel and take the odd stroll.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 257):

I think we were expecting to just spend the day working on the planes, while the others do their errands, and leave the following day.

Then across the sea?

That was my understanding as well, but then someone said "hey, let's go do something interesting!" and it's not like little Cindy would say no to that.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 259):

I'd like a route or else you circle around until you run out of fuel. So tragic!

Tony

We'll fly down Italy and cross the boot over to Greece, on to Athens and then across the Aegean to Turkey and down the Levant to Egypt.

Alan Cobham made Imperial Airways’ route survey flight from UK to Cape Town and back in the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar-powered DH50J G-EBFO. The outward flight was London-Paris-Marseille-Pisa-Taranto-Athens-Sollum-Cairo-Luxor-Assuan-Wadi Halfa-Atbara-Khartoum-Malakal-Mongalla-Jinja-Kisumu-Tabora-Abercorn-Ndola-Broken Hill-Livingstone-Bulawayo-Pretoria-Johannesburg-Kimberley-Blomfontein-Cape Town.

Might be a good route.

Well we can hop to Taranto-Athens-Sollum-Cairo.

The jaunt from Athens to Sollum might be ambitious but doable.  I wonder if there is petrol available there...

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 264):

Petrol should be available almost everywhere, motor vehicles are commonly available, even in Egypt.

Tony

Fair enough.  I'd hate to be stranded there.  It looks like the bad end of the world...

Now we're talking.... :)

Is there a source of water in the Hanger or even fire extinguishers? For that matter are there any on the planes?

I'm a bit confused on the order of events. Does the telegram arrive BEFORE we go with Dr. Weston to the asylum? I'd assume yes, because you don't go visit crazies on an empty stomach, and the telegram arrived at breakfast.

I'll be away from a computer from tonight (in like one hour) until Sunday afternoon/evening.  Will catch back up when I get back online.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 269):

My mistake on the timing. I missed the women were going to the Asylum.

GM Correction: the group (Dr. Weston, Molly and Cynthia) have arrived back at the hotel. Again, my fault. So let's just move on, assume nothing happens to/from the Asylum?

The Hotel concierge hadn't originally intended on leaving the telegram (after all, it's private and it could be held at the desk for him). I decided Molly or Cynthia could Fast Talk him out of it. (Molly passed her Fast Talk skill check.)

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:19, Sat 02 Nov 2013.

Alex will try a listen roll whilst he tries to spot fire extinguishers etc. Rolled a 28 and fails lol.

Is there anything for sounding the alarm, a bell or clapper?

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 273):

I hope you don't mind, I made your roll for you. (I like players making their own rolls but sometimes I'll do it for them as necessary to keep the story moving along.)

Yes there is an alarm bell. It's a pull down knife-switch, by a side door.

My mistake, there is a copper Bromethane extinguisher for electrical fires and a foam CO₂ extinguisher for all other fires. These look like copper cylinders.

Tony

No bother at all :)

Depending on what happens now, Alexander will use the extinguisher on the fire if it's doable.

Are the main doors to the Hanger open or closed?

Yeah I realised that in a meta sense but seeing that you said that he'll go with getting the hose and then get the brainwave that he might be alive

Alexander is more worried about the fire at this stage. Kinda panicky stuff.

Planes!! Petrol!!

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 277):

I think you have it backwards. The natural impulse would be to save the man. The meta knowledge (that is, stepping back and looking at the situation from a remove) is it's better to let the man die than risk the planes.

Well, it's possible the Italian authorities won't think you're responsible for the fire and subsequent murder/accidental death. I mean, this is fascist Italy and he's an Arab. What are the odds?

Tony

Damn Arabs!  :)

I was thinking of actually nosing around the asylum a bit more, given how quickly we got hustled out (you know how much I dislike being hustled!) But I'll take that as a gentle nudge in the direction of 'your friends are in mortal danger, so maybe don't stress so much about tea with crazy people'.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 280):

Now Cynthia...if you want tea with crazy people, I'll make sure to let you know the next time I brew some.  There's always room at my table for you.  :)

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 280):

Yeah, nothing useful would have been gained by staying! I won't usually be that subtle, sometimes a GM nudge is just that!

Tony

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 281):

Awww ... thank you. My tea is normally with tiny people. Frequently also crazy, but quite a different flavor of company.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 283):

It's good to bear in mind that me wanting to move the story along and NPCs being deliberately evasive are difficult to tell! I'll keep that in mind in the future that it should be clear if something is, say, suspicious.

Tony

Hi group,

Alexander seems to have gone AWOL, it's been 10 days. I'd like to move this along so I will NPC him for now. Hope everything is OK!

As for Perkins, he was by the exterior entrance to the Secret Archives, which is off a side entry to the Library off the lane behind St. Peter's Basilica that leads to the Porto della Angelo gate.

Tony

http://www.kickstarter.com/pro...-of-cthulhu-rpg-boxe

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 286):

Very cool!

Tony

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 287):

I am toying with the idea of getting it. Wish I had the coin to go with the NPC option.

Cymon.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 288):

Best of luck to you if you do, looks splendid.

Tony

I start my vacation (Thanksgiving break) today so will only check RPoL about once a day.  Hopefully I can manage internet access that often.  :)

I apologize for the late notice as well as how often you'll be seeing this if you're in other games with me.

In reply to Molly 'Mungo' Fuller (msg # 290):

No problem at all!

Tony

Hi group,

I think I am going to fast forward to Egypt as I think further extra-curricular activities will be kept to a minimum? Bedford seems AWOL so he might decide to volunteer to take care of the Brisfit and fly it out.

As for me, I enjoyed doing a bit of research on the Vatican. Not often you get to do a running fight in the Holy See! I was waiting for the gunplay...

When it comes to NPCs, I try to work real people in whenever I can. "Father Salvio" was loosly based on "Father Savio", a firebrand Catholic priest my parents knew while living in Seattle in the 60's. He protested the wars in Viet Nam and Biafra, got my mom to volunteer as a teacher in the inner city, etc. As well, for a personal Crowning Moment of Awesome, I managed to work my own grandfather and grand-uncle into the plotline as helpful NPCs.

(According to my dad, my grandfather Americo was a bicycle racer in the mid-20's, toured Europe with his brother Alfio, then married his Maria (as my wife points out, "Tony" and "Maria" are characters in West Side Story) and emigrated to Canada in the late 20's. If you were Italian, like or not the Anglos in those days would nickname you "Tony". He knew minimal English so after arriving in Montreal he settled in North Bay, another Italian enclave. There he taught himself English in the library, then the electrician's trade, and finally worked on the railroad. Of the Stroppas and relatives that stayed in Italy, some indeed became fascists and one was supposedly a driver for Musssolini, others became anti-Nazi partisans. It did not end well for either faction and we don't talk a lot about that part of the war in my family.)

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:04, Thu 28 Nov 2013.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 292):

A jump to Egypt is fine with me.

I love the touch with the NPC's.  It really does add wonderful flavor to them knowing their backgrounds.  Thank you.

Jumping is fine with me.  LOVE the stories and backgrounds.  Keep them coming.

Happy Holidays to one and all who are celebrating them today.  Even if you aren't, I wish everybody a great and safe day.

Somehow I figured that Stroppa NPC's name wasn't straight from the book ;)

Yes, thanks for sharing.

hehehe.  loved your post about "remember these are Italian men".

Miss Fuller would go but you'll have to go get her, she's in the plane I believe with Cynthia.  On the other hand would two women going give us better chances?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:46, Sat 30 Nov 2013.

I'm not quite sure where best to use the damsel in distress act, so please put poor, lost Cynthia in the appropriate place before letting her thoroughly embarrass herself, lest it be for naught. I'm hoping not to take too long on finding out who to talk to, hence the assumptions.

I think that JM would know who to talk to as he is familiar with airport ways.  As well he speaks the language at least a bit so can navigate to the right place.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 298):

Poor JM, he is still useful for some things...!

Tony

Well, after that roll he'll just resign himself to a life as a pretty boy toy for Molly.  :)

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 300):

There are worse things in life!

Tony

Oh it has its advantages as a lifestyle choice...  :)

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 302):

Molly looks up from taking notes and smiles mysteriously at the guys for a minutes and then goes back to taking notes.

I don't know the answer to Dr. Weston's question! Out of character, I only got the mechanical advantages from reading the book.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 304):

In a sense, I want to highlight that the books are not a "buff", that is a 1-shot process whereby you read them for X weeks, pay Y SAN and receive Z percentiles in Cthulhu Mythos.

I've said this before and it bears repeating now: the tomes are reference works. You can, and should, use them for researching Mythos topics. When you research them it's assumed you don't just read them but learn them back and forwards, write notes in the margin, assimilate the information (at the cost of your fragile Sanity) and so on.

For example, Life as a God (written by a cultist of the Dark Brotherhood) takes a couple weeks to study. Yet, you could actually read it in a matter of hours or days. (There is a rule for this, called "skimming".) Instead, you are actually studying it in a scholarly fashion. How useful is a tome if, say, you decide to use it to research Cthulhu, the iron statue, the scrolls, the Ankhs, or the mirror and powders? It could be that cultists would have at least some materials that are relevant to their beliefs and therefore will contain information on artefacts and scrolls they have in their possession. If not every book, at least some would have added marginalia and supplemental information.

From a rule perspective, if the subject is specifically in the tome you have studied, no skill roll is needed. You might need to make Library Research roll for more distantly related topics. A Mythos check might allow a re-roll, and so on.

Tony

Hi group,

A friend of mine is running a Robotech RPG, set during the 2nd Robotech war. He's looking for players to take positions in a foot infantry unit or APC, on Mars. (I'm not a part of this game, but it looks interesting.)

link to a message in another game

Tony

> 8.The large and corroded brass statue is of a god called "the Bloated Woman". This statue can aid in the casting of a spell to contact the Bloated Woman.


I've heard of these!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_figurines

Check out those pictures. We should definitely contact the bloated woman.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 307):

Cynthia recalls that the statue is of the upper torso of woman with Asiatic features demurely hiding behind a fan, and the bottom torso is a shapeless mass of tentacles and mouths.

9) The Bloated Woman is mainly worshipped in China, and this is where the crate's shipping label said was the point of origin.

Tony

Cool picture!  Hmm.  beware of the sirens luring you to your fates.  :)

Yeah, awesome art!

So not a Venus figure ;P They're found in Asia as well, although it's hard to say they have asiatic features.

Group,

It looks like Alexander dropped out for now, hopefully it's just temporary.

As it is I went back and did some reading on his preparations. There's going to be some retcons (as it were) in your favour:

1) Salim meets you with the passports and documents in Sollum. There would already be a landing strip prepared ahead of time to hide the aircraft.

2) For that matter there would have been nothing to prevent you from preparing a fuel stop outside Sollum; aviation fuel in those days would have been ordinary petrol (gasoline) mixed with Castor oil (making them 2-stroke engines).

3) Actually there is no train line from Sollum to Alexandria or Cairo. Rail lines are either up and down the Nile or east towards Palestine or Turkey. Travel east along the coast to Alexandria would be by steam ship. Lucky for you, there is one in port!

Therefore, assume that you are not at the airfield in Sollum but a small temporary landing strip prepared by Selim and some workers from Alexander's estate. You're taking a steamer to Alexandria and then train to Cairo. You could take the plane all the way in, but at this point let's just get going!

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:31, Sat 21 Dec 2013.

I'm assuming our driver is hired, so not trustworthy. If it's just our little crew driving I can be honest -- there's a lot of people around, and we stick out. There's no reason to increase the risk of detection unnecessarily.

Let's go with the temporary landing strip outside of town.  I'd imagine that Alexander's people could drive us directly to the steamship and minimize any exposure within the town.

I'm all for pressing on.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 313):

We'll say it's Alexander's driver. He's one of the yacht crew.

Tony

That works for me.  It keeps us out of the eyes of possible spies.

Do we have a 'break in case of emergency' thread about all of the terrible magical things we've acquired?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 316):

Not as such. You can post in the Clues and Reference thread. Or in your personal entry in the Books Read thread.

Tony

So scrolls - how do we use them? Can Alexander just teach us the spells and we'll know them for future use? The dreaming one would be pretty handy. While I'd love to call on some more of those delightful friends described in the other scrolls, I think it safest to leave them be for the moment.

I don't believe we brought any of the cult items with us. The mirror, sceptres and statues were left in London. We only brought the books and scrolls ?

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 318):

It's a rules-mechanical question. It's probably best to leave the question of teaching spells for future use until it comes up in play.

Correct, you only have the tomes and scrolls. None of the artefacts are with you. Cynthia has read about them in the Mythos tomes she's read.

Tony

Okay guys, I'm getting the sense we should listen to the NPCs ;P

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 321):

There's a fine line here I don't want to cross as GM! My main interest as GM is to keep the awareness of potentially valuable resources from being overlooked. I won't speak to their ultimate effectiveness or safety.

Dr. Weston represents my opinion as a player: we have this stuff, let's use it.

I've been in more than one CoC game where the players shoved everything like this they found immediately down the memory hole. As the old joke goes, if you find a book in CoC then burn it! There is a certain roleplayer logic here and "min-maxing" in the classic sense. ("Min-Maxing" now means trying to eke out every point or advantage, but it used to mean minimising the maximum risk of a given situation, this often leads to stereotypically defensive play and decisions.) If the books are destroyed and the statuettes are at the bottom of the ocean then they can't hurt you either by accident or by cultist design, even if you see no positive advantage you limit your "exposure".

However, this overcaution (and occasionally simple forgetfulness) paradoxically led to a couple TPKs that may have been avoided.

Alexander is more being supportive in what he can offer, reminding you of the Muslims who offered help back in London. He also has less reluctance to make use of ancient materials as he's yet to have negative exposure to the supernatural.

Tony