In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 119):

"Yes," Clarke replied. "Do you want to get her legs or shall I?"

He knelt down at the bottom of her feet. "And who would like to scout ahead to make sure we do not get in any more trouble as is?"

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 121):

As Clarke and Byron lift the professor off the ground, the father grabs the box from the tabletop. Opening the door slightly Mike furtively checks to hallway for any passerbys. Seeing that the coast is clear Clarke and Byron set of down the hall at a brisk if shambling trot, the father in tow. With Mike checking at each intersection the party makes it to the infirmary without incident to find the door firmly shut and locked.

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 122):

Mike lifted his hand to the door and gave it three stern raps. "Excuse me," He said with his voice slightly raised, "We have a medical emergency out here." He rapped again three more times.

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 123):

"Oof," Clarke said. "She's heavy. How long do we have to wait?"

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 124):

The loud rattle of locks lets you know that your knocking has been heard. The door opens slightly revealing a disheveled doctor still pulling on a white lab coat. "What's going on? It's the dead of night!" His eyebrows raise towards his hairline as he sees you holding the unconscious professor. He quickly swings the door the rest of the way open and steps aside. "Place her on the table and I'll take a look at her."

As the party and the father bustle into the small clinic as the doctor starts grabbing various medical devices before donning a head mirror.

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 125):

Not wanting to involve anymore bystanders in the mess they were in, Mike replied, "She passed out during an experiment," as he took a step back to take stock of the room as the doctor hustled about preparing to examine the professor.

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 126):

With the professor now on the table, he begins the exam, pulling down the professor's eyelids and checking her pulse.

Without looking away he asks "Where did you find the her?" as he slowly rotates and turns the professor's head as he examines her neck.

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 127):

Clarke looked down at the woman living between multiple planes of existence. She was owed the truth, no matter what came of it.

"We found her in one of the classrooms. She must have been working late." Alright, perhaps most of the truth.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:18, Mon 29 July 2019.

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 128):

Finishing the last touches of his examine the doctor removes the head mirror and leans back in his chair. "She is of rather advanced age. Over exertion is definitely a risk." He begins to scribble some things down on a notepad in typical illegible physician handwriting. "What was it you said she was doing so late at night?"

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 129):

Clarke shifted slightly, he rubbed his arm and thought of the nurse and the doctor. Was this even real? Were they trapped in a labyrinth still? The doctor a mirage, the priest a shadow demon waiting for their momentary slip up?

He did not know. He hoped the universe would look kindly on them when its annals were written.

"Research, I think, but I came in quite late. Perhaps one of the others knows more?"

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 130):

"Uh huh," says the doctor without looking up from the notepad. "I'll of course need all you names and student ID numbers for the incident report."

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 131):

Zoe slid through panelling. She slinked from sole to sole as if walking in heels, her body curving as she did so. Touching the head of the doctor, she walked her fingers across his shoulder.

She looked down at the unconscious professor. "And so we have come to say goodbye," she said. "For beyond the gate lies a journey we must all take." She summoned a torn book. "No longer can you cling to your knowledge and desperate delusions of being in control. Akin to Clarke, you must learn there are monsters who no not when the lights are on. This is the eulogy I have chosen for your crossing into these dark hades. Into the room that turns sense into the wiles of men."

She cleared her throat and started,


Snapping the book closed, she turned to Clarke. "What will you do now, man of timid faith? Will you send another soul to its eternal resting place? What will Mike do once his roguish charm all but brings him death and ruin?"

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 132):

The long silence causes the doctor to tear himself away from his notes. "I have to file a report on any form of emergency medical treatment to the university. That includes the names and IDs of all those involved." You can sense a slight hint of frustration in his voice though he has yet to raise it.

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 133):

Mike pulled his wallet out and thumbed through the creases and folds of it. After a few moments he pulled out an old decrepit little card that bore the university's seal on it as well as his name and old number.

"Well Doctor, I'm not currently a student," He said as he handed the ID card over,
"But I am an alumni. Our friend Byron is currently working on his PhD here," he gestured to his friends. "She asked us to meet her here tonight."

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 134):

The doctor blinks slowly, confusion wrinkling his brow. "Why would she ask you to meet at such a late hour?" He seems to reflexively take Mike's worn card and jots down the information.

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 135):

Mike scowled, "To be honest, I'm not sure. As you know, Professor LaRae can be quite excitable and eccentric. But we dropped by her office earlier yesterday to say 'hello' since we were in the neighborhood to pick up our friend Byron here. You see, I took a few of her classes when I was a student here and I always found her classes and teaching style to be absolutely enthralling!" Mike musters up some excitement in his voice and facial expression, "So I'm sure that you, a student of medicine, could understand the need to visit an old beloved and memorable professor from time to time." Mike's hands were gesturing excitedly and as if he just noticed he suddenly let them fall to his sides and sighed. "In any case, she said that she had stumbled on something interesting and that she needed our help. I can speak only for myself, but visiting the campus must have brought out my old schoolboy curiosity so of course I agreed and dragged my friends into it."

23:18, Today: Jrodimus rolled 40 using 1d100.  fast talk. pass

Mike relaxed visibly, "In any case, will she be alright?"

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 136):

The doctor's eyes narrow slightly and he takes in the group, perhaps for the first time noticing the father. He touches his hand to his chest and bows his head slightly.

"Laudetur Jesus Christus," he says softly.

"In Saecula Saeculorum," the father replies solemnly.

Looking back down at the notepad the doctor sighs. "In my opinion this is simply a case of someone pushing their limits. Your information is enough for me but don't be surprised if the university pokes around a bit. Risk of lawsuits and such."

No longer interested in the party, the doctor grabs a medical text from the numerous others on the shelf and begins to leaf through it.

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 137):

Mike thanked the doctor, "please have the professor contact us when she recovers," and with that finished nodded to his friends, motioning to the door.

"Shall we call it a night, guys?"

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 138):

Clarke faked a yawn. "I believe that would be for the best. Perhaps tomorrow we can make better sense of our damnations."

He patted his bag and looked at the professor being cared for by the doctor. Zoe was sliding a finger down the woman's body as if measuring her for an event.

"I hope this nightmare ends soon," he muttered to himself.

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 139):

As the four of them exited the infirmary into the hallway, Mike closed the door behind them and started towards the exit for the parking lot. He stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders to his ears, suddenly chilly.

"Well, to be honest fellas. I think we might have come away with the entire ordeal tonight with no more information than when we started." He stopped and turned to look at them, his hands fidgeting at his sides slightly. "Where do we go from here?"

In reply to Jrodimus (msg # 140):

Clarke held his jacket and bag in his hands, his top button was undone and showing a faded ochre skin tone. "If we believe the demons, and decades of religious teaching advises us to err on the side of caution there, Europe." He hefted his bag. "My funds are not so tight that I cannot afford passage on a decent steamer, but one has to question why Jack would ask us to travel the world when a short three hour trip to the ocean would resolve this issue. We know the item does not respond well to lead, so let us place it within large lead boxes, weight them heavily and then on the stormiest of nights toss it to the abyss."

He made eye contact with each of the group. "Unless, of course, there was something I missed in that twisted hellscape?"

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 141):

The father gives a small cough clearing this throat. "Perhaps I can bring some clarity to the situation. I believe that Jack was in contact with a... colleague of mine who specializes in such matters. He is currently on an archaeological dig in Scotland. With a few calls I can arrange us transportation."

He pauses as he hefts the box and looks at Clarke. "I agree with your sentiment my son. I have prayed everyday for the Lord to relieve me of this burden. If I believed I could just throw this abomination in a deep dark hole and live in peace I would. If I thought sinking it in the depths of the ocean would erase this blight from our world I would. But I have learned one thing in life..."

"Nothing stays buried forever."

In reply to The Keeper of Secrets (msg # 142):

"Home of the rebellion," Clarke said. "A fitting place to fight the powers of this universe. How soon can we find passage on this vessel? I am eager to put this dreary town behind us."

In reply to trahernwithglasses (msg # 143):

"I'll get us passage on the first ship heading to Europe. I will have to call in some favors and twist some arms but I can get it done," says the father. He pauses as he does some quick mental math. "If you can make it to Salem by tomorrow morning, I can guarantee our passage."

Placing the box on the ground, the father pulls a rosary out of his pocket. "If I may?" he asks looking around. Seeing no objection, he raises the rosary to his lips for a moment  before beginning his prayer.


As the father's prayer concludes a sense of emptiness fills the air. Placing the rosary back in his pocket he picks up the box, tucking it under one arm. He seems to struggle for a few moments searching for words. "I.... It... May god be with us..."

With a gentle pat on each of your shoulders the father departs, off to arrange your travel to Scotland and an unknown future.

The party mills about, with no one sure how to break the silence of the moment. Slowly each of you drift off to make your final arrangements. But each of you can feel the change. What was once a favor to a lost friend had become something much more...

This message was deleted by the player at 14:14, Wed 31 July 2019.