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14:04, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

Posted by The Keeper of SecretsFor group 0
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 185 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Mon 20 Aug 2018
at 10:22
  • msg #1

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

Mike
While the ride back into Arkham wasn't devoid of tension, it had a different feel, as if the conversation in Clarke's house had relieved some of the tension between the two. The truck even seemed to dive better despite the occasional shriek during a turn. I'm going to have get that looked at soon Mike thinks to himself. The invitation for Abner Wick sits heavily in his pocket as if to remind Mike of its existence. Crossing the bridge over the Miskatonic River, the university comes into view. Miskatonic, an esteemed institution in the heart of Arkham., was not the most popular school, but it was one of the most prestigious in the region, even if  a bit secretive. It was renowned for its Archaeology program, as well as Astrophysic and Cosmic Exploration, but it was also the last bastion of studies that have... fallen out of vogue. As he parks the truck outside the gates of the university, Mike realizes something: Where the fuck is the library? Outside the gate is a small security shack with what appears to be a guard asleep at his post.

Clarke
While Clarke understood Mike's concern, he didn't feel completely comfortable talking about his past... well, with anyone really. So much of it was under the table or in the dark of night. Sometimes it felt like his life was a tragic greek fable, even to himself. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Lara and Zoe sitting in the backseat, each doing their best to pretend like the other wasn't there. He wanted to snap at them but he had sneaking suspicion that talking to figments would just get Mike to ask more questions. As the truck pulls to a stop Clarke feels the seat shift as if someone were grabbing the headrest to gain a view out of the window. "Ooooohhhhhhh..... where are we going?" says a small voice that is almost drowned about by startled obscenities from Lara and Zoe.
This message was last updated by the GM at 10:23, Mon 20 Aug 2018.
trahernwithglasses
player, 115 posts
Heirloom Specialist
Wed 22 Aug 2018
at 07:35
  • msg #2

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 1):

Clarke pursed his lips and checked his grip on his bag. The voice sounded new, which was never a good sign. Lara had only been with him for 5 weeks before she'd disappeared into the ethers. That was the time he'd been shot and bleeding out in a Bedouin camp.

Now she was back. As was a new voice.

He opened the door, and snuck a quick look back to see if I what fresh depths of Jahannam had been unleashed on him.
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 186 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Wed 22 Aug 2018
at 09:54
  • msg #3

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 2):

As he opens the door, Clarke sneaks a furtive glance over his shoulder into the back seat. While most of his view is blocked by the seat, he is able to see a pair of childlike hands grasping the back of the passenger seat.

"Oh! Are we already there?" asks the voice.

Clarke can hear Zoe's hands scramble for the door latch as she presses up against it. "Clarke.... what's going on?"

Grasping the handle, Clarke pulls and the door swings wildly open from the weight of Zoe as she tumbles out into the road with a grunt. In her place kneels a small child, young enough that its gender isn't immediately clear. It's short hair is unevenly cropped and it clutches in its hands a featureless straw doll.

"Hiya Mister!" says the child with a beaming grin. "Say hi S.K.!" it says as it waves the doll.
trahernwithglasses
player, 116 posts
Heirloom Specialist
Thu 23 Aug 2018
at 04:29
  • msg #4

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 3):

Clarke adjusted his glasses and sighed. He ignored the child, giving a furtive shake of his head. Zoe and Lara stood aside him looking down. For a moment their fight had ended, both uncertain how to process this new entity.

Lara took the first step towards their new, shared future. "You really are going balmy Clarke."

He couldn't disagree with that so tried to stay attached to some form of reality. "Mike," he said, "where would you like to go next?"
Jrodimus
player, 131 posts
Sun 26 Aug 2018
at 14:11
  • msg #5

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 4):

Mike tried to get his bearings as he put the truck in park. He heard Clarke nervously fumbling with his door handle before clumsily opening it.

Where is the Library?

He turned to Clarke's question to see a worried and sweating man. "We're heading to the library but seems I've forgotten where it is. Let's ask this guard." Mike opened the door and shut it and went to the shack.
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 187 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Mon 27 Aug 2018
at 05:28
  • msg #6

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 5):

The sounds of activity can be heard coming from beyond the gate. The guard shack is small, seemingly built for shelter, not security. The university crest is stamped on the front with the motto Ex Ignorantia Ad Sapientiam; Ex Luce Ad Tenebras (Out Of Ignorance Into Wisdom; Out Of Light Into Darkness) emblazoned underneath. Inside the shack dozes an elderly man in an ill-fitting uniform. In front of him is a clipboard with a long list of names and times next to a black rotary phone. Looking for some sort of bell or chime, Mike settles on a sharp rap of his knuckle on the window frame, jolting the guard from his sleep...

"Go 'Pods!" shouts the startled guard, grabbing his hat as it slides off his bald pate. Pausing for a moment to catch is breath, the old man squints at Mike. "Don't I know you from somewhere?" he says.
Jrodimus
player, 132 posts
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 01:19
  • msg #7

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 6):

Mike grinned at the old guard's startled reaction as he was risen from what must have been a good dream. "Sorry to bother you. You might have seen me at the General store or at Hibb's. In any case, I haven't been on campus in so long, could you point me to the library?"
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 188 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 10:49
  • msg #8

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 7):

"The library?" queries the old man, sticking a hand under his hat to scratch at his bald pate. "Let me get the map." He turns around and grabs a bulletin board off the wall. After an almost uncomfortable amount of time as he struggles to fit the large board out of the smaller window, he holds it up in front of himself. "You're here now," he says, his hands appearing around the board as if disembodied. "You want to get to... here," his finger landing on a large square labeled LIBRARY. After another uncomfortable struggle he pulls the board back into the shack. "I swear I've seen you before," the old man says to Mike as he squints. "Ah ha!" he says snapping his fingers. "I remember!" Grabbing his clipboard, he rifles through the papers. He pulls out a sketch that looks to be a spitting image of Mike. "You're Jack Meredith right?"
Jrodimus
player, 133 posts
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 10:59
  • msg #9

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 8):

Mike looked at the sketch dumbfounded.

What the hell is going on here? Jack...?

He regained his composure and scratched his beard, "Sorry, but I think there must be a mistake. My name is Mike." He gestured to Clarke to come closer so he had someone to back up his claim.
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 189 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 11:45
  • msg #10

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 9):

"Some weird fella came asking. Said to give you this." Searching through the papers he pulls out a slip with a barely legible number scrawled on it. It barely resembles a phone number, with the numbers oddly spaced and written in strangely angular ways:

9......7..8...27.....1................20.....22

Jrodimus
player, 134 posts
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 11:51
  • msg #11

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 10):

Mike took the proferred slip of paper and gestured to the old man in thanks. "Uh, I appreciate it. I guess."

He turned to Clarke, "Looks like a phone number. Shall we meet Byron?"
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 190 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Fri 31 Aug 2018
at 08:44
  • msg #12

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 11):

The well kept lawns of the university courtyard stand in stark contrast to the horrors of the past few days. Students in maroon sweaters emblazoned with a white M are everywhere. They gather in small groups, sitting in the grass, some with open books, others just idly chatting. After a few twists and turns Mike and Clarke come upon a 3-story ivy covered building with a large sign reading Orne Library.

On a hunch, the two head to the back of the second floor where they find Byron hunched over a small reading desk in the dusty occult section.
Jrodimus
player, 135 posts
Tue 4 Sep 2018
at 04:04
  • msg #13

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 12):

Mike approached Byron, making sure his footsteps would be heard so as not to startle his bookish friend. "Any luck in the stacks, Byron? We already have a lot to discuss but getting a fix on this damn stone might be helpful."
trahernwithglasses
player, 117 posts
Heirloom Specialist
Wed 5 Sep 2018
at 16:29
  • msg #14

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 13):

Clarke sighed and shook his head as he stared at all the ancient books. He no longer understood why people would strive so hard to keep evil in tip-top shape.
novissimo
player, 59 posts
Sat 8 Sep 2018
at 16:33
  • msg #15

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 14):

Byron looked up from his copy of Science and Philosophy of the Organism by Hans Driesch.

He blinks.

At home he had found a recent though neglected issue of Tobin's Spirit Guide that was reporting rumors of famed inventor Thomas Edison working on a device to communicate with the spirit world.

Little of the technical specifications were elaborated on, however.

As a German speaker, Byron had been trained as a cryptologist and spent much of the war logging hours on radio encryption equipment.

It was obviously too dangerous to communicate with the stone through direct mental contact, but perhaps readings from the stone could be taken with an external radio-like device.

The Psychology department had a so-called Paranormal Energy Detector but Bryon was pretty sure that it was crank nonsense that picked up random static.

Byron then hustled to the University library to see if he could dig up information relevant to constructing a device similar to Edison's.

He wondered if he could convince the department to invest in a Poulsen Telegraphone recorder to save the readings.

"Gentlemen. I was reading up on Drieschian entelechy and Hertzian ether-waves to take readings of... where's the stone?"
Jrodimus
player, 136 posts
Mon 10 Sep 2018
at 11:09
  • msg #16

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to novissimo (msg # 15):

Mike stepped aside sheepishly to reveal Clarke standing behind him with the box weighing heavy in his hands. "Don't worry, Byron. We wouldn't leave it behind."

Mike approached and looked over Byron's shoulders, "So you think we could build something to communicate with the stone?"
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 191 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Mon 10 Sep 2018
at 12:18
  • msg #17

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 16):

Byron
Byron knew that is plan posed some... risks. First, the lead lining of the box would be problematic as it would likely absorb some of the energy emitted by the waves. While they could insulate themselves somehow from the psychic manipulations of the stone and then physically remove it, that wasn't the safest option. They'd also have to find a space where people wouldn't question why they were attempting to talk to a hunk of rock. There must be some way to communicate with whatever was inside the stone.... As Byron's thoughts stray, he finds himself focused on a lecture by Professor Wilmarth....

"The popularity of séances grew dramatically with the founding of the religion of Spiritualism in the mid-nineteenth century. Perhaps the best-known series of séances conducted at that time were those of Mary Todd Lincoln who, grieving the loss of her son, organized Spiritualist séances in the White House, which were attended by her husband, President Abraham Lincoln, and other prominent members of society." Wilmarth sighed, rolling in his eyes. Continuing from the textbook held before him he read "the 1887 Seybert Commission report marred the credibility of Spiritualism at the height of its popularity by publishing exposures of fraud and showmanship among secular séance leaders. Modern séances continue to be a part of the religious services of Spiritualist, Spiritist, and Espiritismo churches today, where a greater emphasis is placed on spiritual values versus showmanship....
novissimo
player, 60 posts
Wed 19 Sep 2018
at 03:26
  • msg #18

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 17):

Byron checks his notes.

“Hmm.” He pauses.

“Yes. Of course! I could construct by this very evening a rudimentary oscilloscope using a Braun tube containing a conductive entelechtic fluid, say the humors of pig’s blood. Then by applying an electrical current...”

Byron scribbles some calculations on the back of his notes.

“The apparatus should be able to detect ambient ectoplasmic energy. We should be able to use the sensor to record a....”

Byron re-reads his notes and scribbles more equations.

 “A sinosoidal bi-directional waveform graph. We can borrow and repurpose a seismograph from the Geology Department. While the detector itself would be weak, the energy emitted by the stone should be quite strong, more than enough to get a definite reading. We could be recording a wholely unobserved field of science! And I’ll beat Edison to the punch! Muahaha!”

He then turns gravely to his compatriots as his excitement slowly dissipates.

“Unfortunately, gentlemen, I have also calculated that the stone’s lead lined box is too thick to take ambient readings from.”

“I am afraid we must perform... a seance!”
This message was last edited by the player at 04:05, Wed 19 Sept 2018.
Jrodimus
player, 137 posts
Wed 19 Sep 2018
at 13:42
  • msg #19

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to novissimo (msg # 18):

Mike leaned over and set his hand on the back of Byron's chair as he clutched his belly and let out a loud laugh. He knew his friend was eccentric, but a seance? If anything they were known to be a dramatic farce at best. A perfect way to grift the desperate and gullible. He inhaled but it turned his laugh into a cough.

Then he remembered all the dramatic things that had occurred over the past few days. The cult members, the voices, the dead speaking with voices not their own.

What the hell. Why not?

Mike wheezed as he caught his breath. The cough subsiding, he stood upright and composed himself. Clearing his throat he said hoarsely, "Well, why the hell not? Worst case scenario you con us out of a couple bucks." He smiled at Byron conspiratorially.

He looked around the library chamber, "Well, what do we need then?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:58, Wed 19 Sept 2018.
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 192 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Thu 20 Sep 2018
at 05:07
  • msg #20

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 19):

Byron pauses for a moment to think. A seance would be simple enough. Swipe a talking board from the Occult department. Find an empty classroom. And talk to.... a demon stone. While he had a working knowledge of spiritualism, he was a bit out of his wheelhouse when it came to actually communicating with the other side.

While Professor LeRae could surely help, Byron wasn't sure where she would be at this time of day....
trahernwithglasses
player, 118 posts
Heirloom Specialist
Thu 27 Sep 2018
at 04:00
  • msg #21

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 20):

"You would be good at this," Zoe said, her fingers sliding slowly over the stone, "you're already talking to the other side."

Clarke very much doubted that. In fact, he was highly uncertain him in the seance was a good idea. Zoe had already shown she could cross from fiction to reality if he touched the mystical object. Something which focused the energy could possibly bring a version of her back to life. And not the good version.

"Is there anyone you know, either of you, who has done this kind of thing before? Even if you didn't believe them at the time?"
The Keeper of Secrets
GM, 193 posts
Harbinger of Doom
Wed 10 Oct 2018
at 15:46
  • msg #22

Tuesday, Evening, June 17th 1924: Who's hungry?

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 21):

Clarke
Zoe's words disturbed Clarke, not because they were false but because of how true they might be. If Zoe was more then a vision, not to mention Lara and that child, it might be dangerous to tamper with the veil between worlds. At timed Clarke couldn't understand how his companions couldn't see them as they traipsed about. While they never actually interacted with the real world, Zoe certainly was aware of it and had plenty to say about it. Did he dare open a conduit to the other side if it meant putting the others in danger?

Mike
Mike highly doubted a few teenage experiences with alcohol and the newly popular ouija boards was what Clarke was asking about. Honestly, Mike had left much of his views on the occult behind after leaving the university. After all what did they have to do with running a countywide bootlegging operation. The best he could give were some hearsay views on ghosts and the other side. Maybe Lucy might know something but thinking back on the poker night caused gooseflesh to rise across his skin...

Byron
While Byron was of the mind that 'talking to the other side' was the game of tricksters and charlatans, he knew that there was an entire department at the university dedicated to just such things. While most of Myskatonic viewed it as a dead end, Prof LaRae and her department actually had a reputation for being fair minded. Prof LaRae herself had gone on record to discredit various hucksters that had attempted to levy the reputation of the university into their own work. Byron knew that at the very least she would hear them out. "Well.... I don't know how useful it might be but Prof LeRae is expert on such things..." Byron vaguely feels something perk up in the back of his mind. "Her office is in the west wing. I don't know her very well but... well... everyone loves a good story" he says with a sheepish smile.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:47, Wed 10 Oct 2018.
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