It had been quite the night in the end. Richard had retired to his accommodations at the club and had spent an enjoyable afternoon in the bar reading and catching up on some correspondence before a lovely dinner. He retired for the evening quite late and rose from bed late as well as he was suddenly in a rush to have breakfast and make his appointment.

Richard greeted the Professor and introduced himself.



-

Walter was dressed in a good suit, thinking that it was probably the last time he would get to wear one for several weeks at least. Soon it would be sweaty safari suits and not enough washing.

When Professor Sánchez introduced himself, Walter replied in kind. "Captain Walter Luscombe," he said simply as he warmly shook the professor's hand.

He had Elias Jackson's book in a jacket pocket, just in case any of the others were keen to read through it. Titled "The Smoking Heart", and written in 1915, it was an interesting investigation and discussion of Mayan death cults. He also had his Luger on him, secured in its underarm holster, spare magazines in a pocket.

"Hangovers don’t last forever but drunk memories do." — Unknown

  Lucky slowly enters the museum, with his head hung rather low.  After a while he locates Prof. Sánchez and the rest.  "Anyone need a Spanish to English talker?"

Charles follows the others into the museum and introduces himself to the Professor but otherwise keeps a low profile at the back for the time being - his main interest is in how much the potential haul might be worth and he's knows better than to come right out and ask it  when dealing with academic types.

Professor Nemesio Sánchez is a young man in his mid thirties. He speaks passable English and will speak in that language to anyone who does not speak to him in Spanish. Hughes gets the conversation going by reminding the professor that he is interested in knowing more about the possible pyramid that Larkin is looking for. Sánchez tells the investigators that he has offered to help Larkin on a number of occasions, only to be ignored or rebuffed each time. His suspicion is that Larkin wishes to loot the site without interference. There are no legal restrictions in Peru to prevent foreigners from doing this — a fact that frustrates Sánchez deeply. Sánchez refers to people who would remove his country’s treasures in such a manner as huaqueros, a Quechua word that translates as "grave robbers."

Sánchez believes his only recourse is to identify the exact location of the pyramid and get there first, although he acknowledges that Larkin seems about to launch his own expedition and that time is running out.

"All is not lost, however," he adds. "One of my brightest students, Trinidad Rizo, has been going through the university library and archives for any possible information about the pyramid. She has found an old document dating from the mid-16th century, written by a conquistador by the name of Gaspar Figueroa, which may refer to the site in question.

"The document is difficult to read, however, and she has been working on a summary that picks out the pertinent details. She has almost finished it. She was just in here a short while ago to tell me, but she wanted to go down to the storerooms under the museum to look for an artifact that she thinks is related to this tale. She should be back at any moment to join us. Your timing could not be better."

While everyone waits for Rizo to arrive, Sánchez is happy to answer any questions the investigators may have about Peruvian history and archaeology.

Monty listened carefully to what the professor was saying. He was certainly getting the impression that Larkin was not the fine fellow he had been expecting. Still, he was here now, so he may as well see where this rabbit hole led.

“I have some little skill with languages, though I am no expert. I would be happy to assist Miss Rizo if she will allow. Should I wait here, or go and find her?”

"Professors go batty too, perhaps more often than other people, although owing to their profession, their madness is less often remarked." Michael Gruber, The Book of Air and Shadows

  Lucky asks Professor Sánchez, "Profesor, ¿qué sabe usted de las personas que actualmente viven en el área alrededor de la pirámide?"

OOC:"Professor, what do you know of the people currently living in the area around the pyramid?"

Slightly conscious that he was part of Larkin's expedition and what Sánchez clearly regarded as a looter and a grave robber, Walter felt a little awkward and embarrassed in the conversation with the Professor. It also showed that Hughes, or Elias Jackson and he kept reminding himself was the man's real name, had some gall and Walter was quietly impressed with that.

"Yes," he said, echoing Jesus' question. "What can you tell us about them? Do they know of the pyramid? Are they descended from the natives who lived in the area prior to the conquest? Have the missionaries been successful in the area or do the locals still follow the old ways?"

Charles looks everywhere but directly at the Professor given he is exactly the sort of grave robbing foreigner Sanchez is worried about. At Dr Montgomery's mention of going somewhere, anywhere, else Charles jumps at the chance, "I agree with the good doctor here, perhaps we should see if we can assist this young student? No need to have her delayed if we can help her carry her books and relics and whatnot."

Several minutes pass in small conversation and Professor Sanchez glances at his pocket watch.

"That girl is taking her time," he comments. "She knew you were coming. But she is easily distracted. Perhaps some of you gentlemen would care to go and look for her? She is down in the basement looking for an item she felt was mentioned in the ancient manuscript. It's easy to find, just take the stairs across from the front entrance down one level and turn right at the bottom.

"I'll stay here in case she comes by while you are gone."

Hughes elects to stay with the Professor in his office as well.

Monty stood up, nodding. “Basement it is then.” As he walked towards the door he landed around to see who else was following him.

Outside the study, he headed towards the front entrance to find the stairs down.

"She who follows another’s course, finds a sure path to her own remorse." John Kramer, Blythe

  Lucky shrugs and follows Dr. Ashton-Psmith.

Richard also gave a nod and accompanies the other men to the basement. He was one of the last to arrive at the museum having taken a longer route then he had expected through the city.


-

It's easy enough to find the stairs leading down to the basement storage areas. As you descend, you hear the sound of whimpering as if an animal in pain and a deeper voice grunting and growling in the room below. There seem to be some slurping sounds as well.

Richard picks up the pace on hearing the sounds as the descend the stairs. "It sounds as if someone is in trouble." He will try and find the source of the noises as he withdraws his weapon from it holster under the lapel of his jacket.


-

"Speech: “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more" BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

  Lucky quickly follows suit and draws his .45 from his shoulder holster.

As they descended, Monty heard strange sounds. “What on earth was that?” he muttered quietly to nobody in particular. He turned to his companions, horrified to see that some of them had guns in hand! Immediately he remonstrated in a loud whisper. “Gentlemen, please! Put those things away. This is a place of learning, not... not some Wild West show!”

Charles turns slightly pale and quietly sidles behind one of his companions with a drawn weapon, whispering "Sounds like a wild animal has got in, what happens when you build a museum out in the styx I suppose. We best out it out of it's misery and do the professor a favour I say."

Turning the corner into the dimly lit storeroom, the investigators see two figures entwined on the floor. For a moment it seems they may have interrupted a sexual tryst, but then the woman screams in agony and the man's face rears up -- face of horror. It is Luis de Mendoza, but his mouth has changed in an awful way becoming a circular maw of horrid teeth surrounding a central spur of bone that drips blood and pale liquid. Beneath him, a young woman still struggles, but she has a terrible circular wound in her chest, corresponding exactly to the shape of de Mendoza's transfigured mouth. He roars in rage as he spots the investigators, but bends once more to violate the woman even as they enter the crowded storeroom.

OOC: SAN roll all around please. Lose 1 SAN if you succeed, 1d6 if you fail. San loss of 5 or 6 will render your character incapable of action for 1d3 rounds.



OOC: Once you have determined who can move and who cannot, please tell me who does what and how you move in the storeroom:

https://d20site.com/pix/storage_basement_1.jpg

March 19, 1921, 2pm, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.

And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." Friedrich Nietzsche

  Lucky moves quickly into having a clear line of sight and will shoot when no player is in the way.

OOC:12:46, Today: Jesus Ortega rolled 61 using 1d100.  See Luis de Mendoza: Sanity: 70.
SAN loss 1

Rounding the corner, Monty spied the source of the strange noise. Seeing the strange mess of teeth and gore he immediately stepped backwards, recoiling form the horrific sight.

As Mendoza, or the hideous beast that looked like him, roared, Monty fumbled in the brown paper bag he was carrying, trying to retrieve his newly acquired revolver.


Passed check so -1 SAN
15:29, Today: Dr Montgomery Ashton-Psmith rolled 26 using 1d100.  Sanity check, target 35 or less.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:35, Wed 08 July 2020.

Seeing that what was making the noise was so much worse than a mere wild animal Charles backs away in horror getting as close to the stairs as possible but too transfixed by the terrible sight to flee completely. At least not while he had armed companions nearby...

OOC: Failed SAN roll but then only rolled a 1 for loss of sanity anyway!

Just to make sure I have you all with the right weapon and skills before we get into the hack and slash.

Character                            Weapon         Damage   Range     Rounds    Attack      HP
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Richard Lines                Mauser C96     1d8      15 yards  10        70%         10
Jesus Ortega                         Colt 45 ACP    1d10+2   15 yards   7        20%         11
Dr. Montgomery Ashton-Psmith         Colt 45 Rev    1d10+2   15 yards   6        20%         12
Charles St. John Meecham             Derringer .25  1d6       3 yards   1        20%         10
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have updated the combat map with a grid to control movement and range. Each square is 2 yards on a side (since ranges are given in yards and that gives us a grid that is close to the standard 5 foot per square) Please tell me where your character is standing at the beginning for the first combat round -- since you just arrived here and took your first look around the corner, your must be in F5, F6, G5 or G6.

Since this is our first combat, I'd like to take it slowly with everyone starting the round by saying what they intend to do in as plain English as they can. We will then resolve in descending order of Dex. Please do not start rolling dice until I ask for it -- I will disregard all such rolls.

Tell me where you are and what you will do in the next 10 seconds or so.

https://d20site.com/pix/storage_basement_1.jpg
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:31, Wed 08 July 2020.

Richard lowered his pistol and aimed for the beast on top of the woman. He squeezed the trigger and sent a round in the direction of the "man".


-

I am in G6. I intend to withdraw my pistol from the bag it is currently in (I only bought it this morning). I will then take aim and fire.