The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep d20
Nebulous
Legend
Adventure #17: Cats in the Museum
Lucifer, Chad and Chang have no sooner crawled out of the secret entrance when they hear angry shouts: they are being pursued! But their friend Morty is not with them, and they never actually saw him devoured by the abomination below. The rope is taut and shaking, but after shouting down and receiving no answer, Lucifer decides to cut it. But he only has a pocketknife, so eschewing that idea, he unloads his shotgun. The rope snaps, and they hear screams as someone plunges to the bottom.
It is dark out. They wait for a few moments and are displeased to see pinpricks of light approaching them from two different directions: cultists have begun swarming out of the Great Hall from other entrances. It is a five-mile tram ride from Cairo, but the transit station is closed. As they debate what to do...
... Worthington Lester Cobblebottom IV, M.D., Ph.D., Esq., (Jeff’s 2nd character) is asleep in his silk embroidered pajamas in a converted storage closet at the Cairo Museum. He rolls over, dreaming--of all things!--meowing cats, to which he is extremely allergic. He falls back asleep, hugging his fluffy pillow...
...while Chad, Chang and Lucifer strike out into the desert, hoping to circumvent the men targeting them. They want to make a wide berth around their pursuers, and eventually return to the tram tracks. They discuss ambushing the enemy, but there are too many of them, and no adequate place to hide. They stop and wait out in the desert, until the torches reach their original exit point, and then follow their tracks through the sand. They didn’t even think about that!
...when Cobblebottom thinks he hears cats again. He sits up this time, thoroughly annoyed, and stuffs a towel under the door. Dr. Ali Kafour will hear about this in the morning, that's for sure! Lester regrets he did not stay in a hotel. He settles back down and closes his eyes...
...as Lucifer decides that he will block their advance with magic. The cultists are half a mile away, but there is nowhere to run or hide except deeper into the desert. Lucifer calls forth another billowing wall of fog that bubbles up from the ground. It is a huge area, and gives the party time to escape. They move as fast as they can, until they reach the transit station, and see more people gathered in front of the Sphinx. Despite how many cultists died during the ritual, there are obviously many survivors, and possibly even their leader, Omar Shakti, who they did not see physically perish. Deciding that the Museum is their best refuge, they begin trotting along the tram tracks, heading toward the distant lights of Cairo...
...when Cobblebottom hears a scream. This time he shoots up, determined to find out what is happening. He gets dressed, grabs a flashlight, and steps out into the hallway. He is in the basement level, well below the Third Dynasty display room and the Administrative Wing. At the top of the stairs he sees a cat staring at him with wide yellow eyes. Annoyed, he covers his hand and nose, and skirts by it. The cat hisses and scratches, but Cobblebottom reaches the Exhibit room. It is completely dark and silent in the museum, no sign of life at all, although there are usually one or two security guards making rounds. There is another gentleman staying in the Museum as well, a drunken Dutchman named Janwillen Vanheuven, who owns a book called the Black Rites that Cobblebottom has been secretly translating. The Dutchman is a drunk and a fool, but Cobblebottom is pleased to be able to work so closely with the great Dr. Ali Kafour and his exquisite collection of rare artifacts.
Feeling like he is being watched, Cobblebottom tiptoes through the display room, splashing light everywhere, highlighting leering stone statues of Horus, Isis, and Ra, and other Egyptian gods who care little for his well being. Perhaps he just imagines these statues watching him?
He reaches the entry room where the guard kiosk waits by the front door. He approaches carefully, and is shocked to see a bloody handprint on the glass! There is more blood inside, but no sign of the night watchman. Extremely worried now, Cobblebottom shakes the front door. It is locked, and only the night guard has the key. He decides to go to the Dutchman's room.
That is when Cobblebottom spots five cats on the stairwell to the second-floor display rooms. Unnerved now, he skitters through the dim light, and by chance throws a glance behind him…
...and sees a LARGE feline shape slink between the shadows...
...as the others trudge wearily to within a mile of the city. They have eluded their pursuers so far, and all they care about now is finding a place to sleep and forget about the atrocities witnessed beneath Giza...
...but Cobblebottom feels a hollow bubble of fear form in his stomach.
Why does Dr. Kafour have cats in his museum!? And big ones too! He races to the basement entrance and sees the door ajar, and another bloody handprint on the door. He opens the door and finds the crumpled body of the security guard on the platform below, his throat ripped out, his body cooling in a pool of blood. Steadying himself, Cobblebottom eases down the stairs, and estimates that the guard has been dead less than half an hour.
He hears a low, rumbling growl, and then an adult female lion pounces toward him from around the corner! Cobblebottom squeals in terror, grabs the guard's pistol from the holster, and (fortunately winning an initiative roll) flees to the top of the stairs and slams the door, even as the lion thuds against it, roaring and clawing. He was only seconds from death.
Shaking with fear, he runs to the main foyer, and sees a black panther loping toward him.
He is trapped, but then Cobblebottom spots another figure in the recesses of the room. A woman says:
"Return what was stolen! The Black Rites! I have asked too many times now."
He knows that Janwillen Vanheuven keeps the papyrus scrolls tucked under his bed, so Cobblebottom agrees to get them. The mysterious woman says that the cats will not attack if he obeys her. So Cobblebottom opens the door, eases past the lion licking blood from her paws, and navigates the basement until he reaches Vanheuven's room, and sees an angry alley cat pawing under the door...
...and around this time the others have stumbled across the city limits. They make their way to the museum and knock on the glass door, but the guard does not answer. Probably making his rounds, so they decide to wait...
...although Cobblebottom does not wait long to enter Vanheuven's room. He tries to talk sense to the Dutchman first, but he refuses to listen, so using his key, Cobblebottom opens the door and forces his way in. He begins to wrestle the unshaven, smelly man, who clutches the Black Rites to his bare chest, willing to die rather than
release the stolen scrolls that will make him famous!
But Lester beats the man into submission, cracking his head against the floor. Janwillen falls limp, mumbling, “Famous…famous…” through bloody lips. Lester staggers out of the room with the prize.
“I have it!” he shouts. “I have it! Don’t hurt me!”
He runs upstairs around the same time that Chad, Lardlover, and Chang are getting very worried. [They’re also having the meta-game issue of watching Lester nearly die while they loiter outside the museum].
They finally smash a window and alarms start ringing.
“That’ll wake ‘em up,” mutters Chad.
Lester runs upstairs, sees Chad, Chang and Lardlover, and then everyone sees the seductive priestess of Bast petting her black panther. The panther growls at them, but does not attack.
“Your stubbornness has brought death,” she says. “You should have listened sooner. Wrap the book, fool, and bring it to me.”
Nodding and shaking, Lester does as instructed and drapes the Black Rites in his pajama top. He approaches her, but Lardlover intervenes.
“Are you sure you want to do that, Cobblebottom?”
Chad fingers the safety on his shotgun. Chang licks his lips and waits. Lardlover stares intently at the Cat Lady, whose dark eyes never leave his face. She stalks closer to him, the panther trotting at her side, a low growl reverberating in its throat. She approaches within a few inches of his face, but Lucifer is only a man, and even his black heart quickens. Rosy lips brush his own.
“Why would you resist?” she breathes. “The book is nothing to you.” She steps around him toward Chang, who is likewise enraptured by her beauty. But when she sidles up to Chad Slambody, he easily rebukes her wiles.
“Take your book and scram, lady. I’m tired.”
[GM Note: This was a very interesting encounter because we determined that Chad Slambody is completely, utterly and unavoidably GAY. His homosexuality becomes a theme of his character, and actually dips into some pretty bizarre territory as his mental stability dwindles. Leo even started using a set of pink dice. Yes, we’re very immature sometimes].
The Cat Lady grabs the Black Rites from Lester, and throwing a final glare at the men, she steps through the shattered door and vanishes as if the darkness swallowed her up. There are still a few small cats poking around, but the large ones have disappeared with her.
Lester Cobblebottom wipes the sweat from his face. “What in God’s name was that all about?”
***
The alarm is still blaring when the authorities and Dr. Ali Kafour arrive. There are considerable questions to be answered, such as how the guards died, and who did it? But footprints in the blood reveal distinct paw prints, and the wounds are obviously animal-inflicted.
The unbelievable story is corroborated by the four characters; someone broke into the museum and released a panther from the zoo.
Dr. Kafour vouches for the investigators and proves that they are currently staying as guests. As usual, they seem to be involved at the center of a violent crime. After the authorities leave and the PC’s have made their final statements, Dr. Ali Kafour informs the group that the servants of Nyarlathotep will stop at nothing to kill them now.
“My friends, you must leave the country as soon as possible. The danger is only beginning now.”
But destroying the mummy Queen Nitcrosis, Ali assures them, was a great blow against Nyarlathotep’s plans. This will set back the god’s agenda, although he feels that the overall plot is not thwarted. Nevertheless, the investigators still have the mummy, the Girdle, the Necklace and the Crown in their possession. Rather than risk these items being stolen again, the mummy is stuffed into a sarcophagus until Ali can work on destroying it, the Girdle is locked in a vault, the Necklace is thrown into a chest and sunk seven miles offshore, and the Crown is shipped to another country under false labels, hopefully lost forever in some foreign warehouse.
During these few days they all keep a low profile, and Worthington Lester Cobblebottom IV, M.D., Ph.D., Esq. is given a brief explanation of their quest. They need help desperately, and a man with Lester’s skills will prove useful. And in typical Cthluhu-fashion, Lester abandons his sedentary career to galumph across the world to certain doom with strangers following vague hints and ramblings from deceased madmen. Why not?
There are several clues leading to Kenya, Australia, and China. Dr. Kafour arranges a camel caravan that will take them to the east coast, and from there a steamer to Mombasa, where the investigators will continue their search for the lost Carlyle Expedition, and perhaps prevent the birth of his son, a possible Anti-Christ, at a mysterious place called the Mountain of the Black Wind...
The days ahead will prove very difficult.
Lucifer, Chad and Chang have no sooner crawled out of the secret entrance when they hear angry shouts: they are being pursued! But their friend Morty is not with them, and they never actually saw him devoured by the abomination below. The rope is taut and shaking, but after shouting down and receiving no answer, Lucifer decides to cut it. But he only has a pocketknife, so eschewing that idea, he unloads his shotgun. The rope snaps, and they hear screams as someone plunges to the bottom.
It is dark out. They wait for a few moments and are displeased to see pinpricks of light approaching them from two different directions: cultists have begun swarming out of the Great Hall from other entrances. It is a five-mile tram ride from Cairo, but the transit station is closed. As they debate what to do...
... Worthington Lester Cobblebottom IV, M.D., Ph.D., Esq., (Jeff’s 2nd character) is asleep in his silk embroidered pajamas in a converted storage closet at the Cairo Museum. He rolls over, dreaming--of all things!--meowing cats, to which he is extremely allergic. He falls back asleep, hugging his fluffy pillow...
...while Chad, Chang and Lucifer strike out into the desert, hoping to circumvent the men targeting them. They want to make a wide berth around their pursuers, and eventually return to the tram tracks. They discuss ambushing the enemy, but there are too many of them, and no adequate place to hide. They stop and wait out in the desert, until the torches reach their original exit point, and then follow their tracks through the sand. They didn’t even think about that!
...when Cobblebottom thinks he hears cats again. He sits up this time, thoroughly annoyed, and stuffs a towel under the door. Dr. Ali Kafour will hear about this in the morning, that's for sure! Lester regrets he did not stay in a hotel. He settles back down and closes his eyes...
...as Lucifer decides that he will block their advance with magic. The cultists are half a mile away, but there is nowhere to run or hide except deeper into the desert. Lucifer calls forth another billowing wall of fog that bubbles up from the ground. It is a huge area, and gives the party time to escape. They move as fast as they can, until they reach the transit station, and see more people gathered in front of the Sphinx. Despite how many cultists died during the ritual, there are obviously many survivors, and possibly even their leader, Omar Shakti, who they did not see physically perish. Deciding that the Museum is their best refuge, they begin trotting along the tram tracks, heading toward the distant lights of Cairo...
...when Cobblebottom hears a scream. This time he shoots up, determined to find out what is happening. He gets dressed, grabs a flashlight, and steps out into the hallway. He is in the basement level, well below the Third Dynasty display room and the Administrative Wing. At the top of the stairs he sees a cat staring at him with wide yellow eyes. Annoyed, he covers his hand and nose, and skirts by it. The cat hisses and scratches, but Cobblebottom reaches the Exhibit room. It is completely dark and silent in the museum, no sign of life at all, although there are usually one or two security guards making rounds. There is another gentleman staying in the Museum as well, a drunken Dutchman named Janwillen Vanheuven, who owns a book called the Black Rites that Cobblebottom has been secretly translating. The Dutchman is a drunk and a fool, but Cobblebottom is pleased to be able to work so closely with the great Dr. Ali Kafour and his exquisite collection of rare artifacts.
Feeling like he is being watched, Cobblebottom tiptoes through the display room, splashing light everywhere, highlighting leering stone statues of Horus, Isis, and Ra, and other Egyptian gods who care little for his well being. Perhaps he just imagines these statues watching him?
He reaches the entry room where the guard kiosk waits by the front door. He approaches carefully, and is shocked to see a bloody handprint on the glass! There is more blood inside, but no sign of the night watchman. Extremely worried now, Cobblebottom shakes the front door. It is locked, and only the night guard has the key. He decides to go to the Dutchman's room.
That is when Cobblebottom spots five cats on the stairwell to the second-floor display rooms. Unnerved now, he skitters through the dim light, and by chance throws a glance behind him…
...and sees a LARGE feline shape slink between the shadows...
...as the others trudge wearily to within a mile of the city. They have eluded their pursuers so far, and all they care about now is finding a place to sleep and forget about the atrocities witnessed beneath Giza...
...but Cobblebottom feels a hollow bubble of fear form in his stomach.
Why does Dr. Kafour have cats in his museum!? And big ones too! He races to the basement entrance and sees the door ajar, and another bloody handprint on the door. He opens the door and finds the crumpled body of the security guard on the platform below, his throat ripped out, his body cooling in a pool of blood. Steadying himself, Cobblebottom eases down the stairs, and estimates that the guard has been dead less than half an hour.
He hears a low, rumbling growl, and then an adult female lion pounces toward him from around the corner! Cobblebottom squeals in terror, grabs the guard's pistol from the holster, and (fortunately winning an initiative roll) flees to the top of the stairs and slams the door, even as the lion thuds against it, roaring and clawing. He was only seconds from death.
Shaking with fear, he runs to the main foyer, and sees a black panther loping toward him.
He is trapped, but then Cobblebottom spots another figure in the recesses of the room. A woman says:
"Return what was stolen! The Black Rites! I have asked too many times now."
He knows that Janwillen Vanheuven keeps the papyrus scrolls tucked under his bed, so Cobblebottom agrees to get them. The mysterious woman says that the cats will not attack if he obeys her. So Cobblebottom opens the door, eases past the lion licking blood from her paws, and navigates the basement until he reaches Vanheuven's room, and sees an angry alley cat pawing under the door...
...and around this time the others have stumbled across the city limits. They make their way to the museum and knock on the glass door, but the guard does not answer. Probably making his rounds, so they decide to wait...
...although Cobblebottom does not wait long to enter Vanheuven's room. He tries to talk sense to the Dutchman first, but he refuses to listen, so using his key, Cobblebottom opens the door and forces his way in. He begins to wrestle the unshaven, smelly man, who clutches the Black Rites to his bare chest, willing to die rather than
release the stolen scrolls that will make him famous!
But Lester beats the man into submission, cracking his head against the floor. Janwillen falls limp, mumbling, “Famous…famous…” through bloody lips. Lester staggers out of the room with the prize.
“I have it!” he shouts. “I have it! Don’t hurt me!”
He runs upstairs around the same time that Chad, Lardlover, and Chang are getting very worried. [They’re also having the meta-game issue of watching Lester nearly die while they loiter outside the museum].
They finally smash a window and alarms start ringing.
“That’ll wake ‘em up,” mutters Chad.
Lester runs upstairs, sees Chad, Chang and Lardlover, and then everyone sees the seductive priestess of Bast petting her black panther. The panther growls at them, but does not attack.
“Your stubbornness has brought death,” she says. “You should have listened sooner. Wrap the book, fool, and bring it to me.”
Nodding and shaking, Lester does as instructed and drapes the Black Rites in his pajama top. He approaches her, but Lardlover intervenes.
“Are you sure you want to do that, Cobblebottom?”
Chad fingers the safety on his shotgun. Chang licks his lips and waits. Lardlover stares intently at the Cat Lady, whose dark eyes never leave his face. She stalks closer to him, the panther trotting at her side, a low growl reverberating in its throat. She approaches within a few inches of his face, but Lucifer is only a man, and even his black heart quickens. Rosy lips brush his own.
“Why would you resist?” she breathes. “The book is nothing to you.” She steps around him toward Chang, who is likewise enraptured by her beauty. But when she sidles up to Chad Slambody, he easily rebukes her wiles.
“Take your book and scram, lady. I’m tired.”
[GM Note: This was a very interesting encounter because we determined that Chad Slambody is completely, utterly and unavoidably GAY. His homosexuality becomes a theme of his character, and actually dips into some pretty bizarre territory as his mental stability dwindles. Leo even started using a set of pink dice. Yes, we’re very immature sometimes].
The Cat Lady grabs the Black Rites from Lester, and throwing a final glare at the men, she steps through the shattered door and vanishes as if the darkness swallowed her up. There are still a few small cats poking around, but the large ones have disappeared with her.
Lester Cobblebottom wipes the sweat from his face. “What in God’s name was that all about?”
***
The alarm is still blaring when the authorities and Dr. Ali Kafour arrive. There are considerable questions to be answered, such as how the guards died, and who did it? But footprints in the blood reveal distinct paw prints, and the wounds are obviously animal-inflicted.
The unbelievable story is corroborated by the four characters; someone broke into the museum and released a panther from the zoo.
Dr. Kafour vouches for the investigators and proves that they are currently staying as guests. As usual, they seem to be involved at the center of a violent crime. After the authorities leave and the PC’s have made their final statements, Dr. Ali Kafour informs the group that the servants of Nyarlathotep will stop at nothing to kill them now.
“My friends, you must leave the country as soon as possible. The danger is only beginning now.”
But destroying the mummy Queen Nitcrosis, Ali assures them, was a great blow against Nyarlathotep’s plans. This will set back the god’s agenda, although he feels that the overall plot is not thwarted. Nevertheless, the investigators still have the mummy, the Girdle, the Necklace and the Crown in their possession. Rather than risk these items being stolen again, the mummy is stuffed into a sarcophagus until Ali can work on destroying it, the Girdle is locked in a vault, the Necklace is thrown into a chest and sunk seven miles offshore, and the Crown is shipped to another country under false labels, hopefully lost forever in some foreign warehouse.
During these few days they all keep a low profile, and Worthington Lester Cobblebottom IV, M.D., Ph.D., Esq. is given a brief explanation of their quest. They need help desperately, and a man with Lester’s skills will prove useful. And in typical Cthluhu-fashion, Lester abandons his sedentary career to galumph across the world to certain doom with strangers following vague hints and ramblings from deceased madmen. Why not?
There are several clues leading to Kenya, Australia, and China. Dr. Kafour arranges a camel caravan that will take them to the east coast, and from there a steamer to Mombasa, where the investigators will continue their search for the lost Carlyle Expedition, and perhaps prevent the birth of his son, a possible Anti-Christ, at a mysterious place called the Mountain of the Black Wind...
The days ahead will prove very difficult.
Last edited:
Nebulous
Legend
Adventure #18: Desert Assassins
Part 1: The Gas Camel
April 1st, 1925
After disrupting the resurrection of Nitcrosis, Dr. Kafour fears that death squads will target the party. To continue the hunt for the missing Carlyle Expedition, they must find a mysterious place called the Mountain of the Black Wind where a child of Nyarlathotep is supposedly to be born. For Worthington Lester Cobblebottom (Jeff secretly hid “Worth-Less” into his name) this journey is both frightening and exhilarating. The group has lost one member, private investigator Morty Jones, but Lester is a worthy replacement. And to their surprise, young Ma’Moud practically begs these men to bring him along! They have grown attached to the boy, and although their journey will be dangerous, they don’t consider it much worse than him suffering alone and destitute in the slums of Cairo. Except for maybe losing his eternal soul. They take him anyway.
Their final night together, Ali Kafour tells them, “Contact me when you can, I will be here. Good fortune my friends, and may God be with you. May God be with us all.”
The next morning they meet their caravan guide, Ra’eje. He seems very amicable, and does not question the nature of their journey. Obviously, they are just seekers of knowledge and adventure. Dr. Kafour says that Ra-eje was paid specifically NOT to ask questions. His camel seems curious though.
Lester Cobblebottom is all but oblivious to the dangers ahead. Oh sure, he knows about the Priestess of Bast and the murders in the Museum. He knows that his companions seek to disrupt a religious ritual in Kenya, and that this ritual can have far reaching consequences, but Lester does not understand the full implications of their mission. That knowledge will come with time…and madness.
Still, Lester has been poring over the Black Rites for a short while now, and has learned some tantalizing hints about the Mythos, about strange, extraterrestrial gods in the center of the cosmos, and dark words that can invoke spirits and magic.
At dusk they head off into the desert, with great Cairo dwindling behind them for the last time. They will not return here.
[GM Note: Each investigator rides a camel, the first time they’ve had to deal with these beasts. But they quickly find a use for their strength and resilience: a 50-gallon drum of gasoline is strapped to the back of one camel and carefully shielded from the sun. From what they learned beneath Giza, things that go BOOM! can solve problems].
Three days after leaving the city, they find themselves huddled in a tent while a brutal sandstorm howls outside.
Ra'eje casually speaks with them, but the investigators are reluctant to share information. Ra'eje begins to tell a story about his childhood, a horrifying story he says, but is interrupted by camels moaning outside. He grows very still, listening. A few moments later, he says that something besides the sandstorm has disturbed them. He looks out and sees three riders shuffling closer.
“I…I cannot tell who they are," says Ra'eje. "Nomads perhaps.”
The investigators are immediately suspicious, but the riders are hailing them, and Ra'eje beckons them to join their group in the safety of the tent. It will be cramped, but manageable. Chad Slambody tucks a loaded shotgun under his sleeping mat just in case. Lucifer Lardlover tries to detect a hint of danger [failing his Special Ability check], but senses nothing. The men don't seem armed, but the investigators do spot long bundles on their camels that might conceal rifles.
The three strangers soon enter the tent, all Arab men, although only one of them speaks broken English. They make small talk with Ra'eje, and the group as a whole gathers around the central pole. Lanterns hang from hooks while they wait out the storm, giving them enough light to see each other. Chad immediately spots a concealed dagger beneath the robes of one man, and attempts to convey this information to his boss, Lucifer Lardlover. However, he bungles the attempt and finds the Arab man staring intently at him.
Chad gulps, embarrassed.
Lucifer and Chad take their discussion outside to the camel circle, where Chad blurts to Lucifer what he saw, but almost as soon as they have left the tent and entered the howling wind, the Arab man jabs a lean finger at Cobblebottom and Chang.
"KILL THEM!"
Daggers whip out, the leader slashing Cobblebottom with twin blades, nearly killing him. The wounded scholar staggers back, screaming in pain and trying to shield himself. He has no idea what is happening, blood pouring from wounds across his arms and chest. Chaos ensues in the tent as Ra'eje screeches even louder than Lester and begins digging frantically out from beneath the edge of the tent, throwing handfuls of sand behind him. Chang pulls out his pistols and fires multiple times, but in the cramped quarters, his aim is deflected, followed by a punch to the jaw and a knee in his gut. One gun drops to the floor, but Chang blasts the attacker with the other weapon, downing him. The killer writhes in pain and Chang stomps on his head, only to be bashed senseless by their leader, a cold, calculating assassin of no small talent.
Assuming attack position, Chad THROWS himself into the melee, hooking an arm around an assailant’s neck and kicking the other in the crotch. An elbow to the ribs flings Chad away, and he realizes with growing despair that the man in their midst is a trained murderer. [And well above their Challenge Rating]
The next 7 or 8 rounds features a hectic fight of mostly missed shots by Chang, and gay Chad Slambody putting the wrestling moves on anyone he can catch, trying his damnedest to hamstring the leader who is proving extraordinarily difficult to subdue.
It should be noted, and this will be important later, that the camel loaded with fifty gallons of gasoline is precariously close to random gunfire. (Because one never knows when you might need high explosives when fighting otherworldly powers). They’re worried that stray bullets could hit their "Gas Camel," so Cobblebottom and Ma’Moud try to haul the beast away before a Critical Miss explodes the thing in their faces. Ma’Moud slaps the camel, screaming its name and shooing it, but the animal is stubborn and oblivious to the danger it poses.
Two of the cultists are finally shot down, but the one with twin knives is a deadly opponent, and he severely wounds everyone except for Lucifer, who manages to stay outside the tent, popping in for the occasional pistol shot. But his aim is atrocious, and in fact, he manages to wing Chang! Cursing in the foul language of the netherpits, Lardlover resorts to a magical offense.
Chad tries to retrieve his shotgun and put an end to the assassin, but two critical failures later, he drops the loaded gun at his feet (the discharge ripping through the tent and narrowly missing the Gas Camel) and the Arab stabs him yet again. Chad is going to lose this fight, he knows it now. In a desperate move, Lucifer summons his potent magical skills, and throws a wave of force into the tent, slamming into the assassin but also cracking the support pole in half. The tent collapses, but it is already full of bullet holes and buckshot and knife slashes, and now oil lanterns catch on fire.
Chad manages to crawl out, but sees the man moving under the canvas and throws himself on top, grappling and kicking, even as the assassin's knife punches through and stabs him yet AGAIN! Grimacing in pain, Chad rains punches on the killer while Chang pops a few more shots into the tent, and the man is finally subdued from shock, blood loss, and suffocation.
He nearly killed everyone single-handedly.
Chad staggers away while Lester tries to bind his wounds. Chad has been stabbed over half a dozen times in his arms, legs and torso. Ra’eje cowers by his camels, praying for the mercy of Allah. Lucifer sinks to his knees, head bowed, while Chang collapses into the sand and Ma’moud weeps, face buried in his hands. And all around them, the merciless sandstorm continues to rage…
Before long the storm dies out, and morning finds them with a vehement cultist cursing at them. The man did not perish overnight as they had thought, but now that he is conscious, he is quite vocal. He tells them that the Dark One will devour their souls and rend the flesh from their bones. Unperturbed, they bury the man up to the neck in the sand and leave him to die. The assassin's camels were carrying what looks like incensed kindling for a makeshift pyre or shrine, and they deduce that these men wanted to probably burn them alive as sacrifices to Nyarlathotep.
The Gas Camel has kept its fuel tank preserved, and for that they consider themselves lucky. The previous encounter could have been disastrous. But as a relevant side-effect, they realize the strategic value of an animal that can haul large amounts of explosive chemical! [GM Note: the player’s minds are churning full throttle in meta-game mode now. Finding and using anything explosive becomes priority number one].
They set off toward the horizon. The last thing they hear behind them is curses from a soon-to-be dead man buried up to his neck in the hot, hot white Sahara sand.
Part 1: The Gas Camel
April 1st, 1925
After disrupting the resurrection of Nitcrosis, Dr. Kafour fears that death squads will target the party. To continue the hunt for the missing Carlyle Expedition, they must find a mysterious place called the Mountain of the Black Wind where a child of Nyarlathotep is supposedly to be born. For Worthington Lester Cobblebottom (Jeff secretly hid “Worth-Less” into his name) this journey is both frightening and exhilarating. The group has lost one member, private investigator Morty Jones, but Lester is a worthy replacement. And to their surprise, young Ma’Moud practically begs these men to bring him along! They have grown attached to the boy, and although their journey will be dangerous, they don’t consider it much worse than him suffering alone and destitute in the slums of Cairo. Except for maybe losing his eternal soul. They take him anyway.
Their final night together, Ali Kafour tells them, “Contact me when you can, I will be here. Good fortune my friends, and may God be with you. May God be with us all.”
The next morning they meet their caravan guide, Ra’eje. He seems very amicable, and does not question the nature of their journey. Obviously, they are just seekers of knowledge and adventure. Dr. Kafour says that Ra-eje was paid specifically NOT to ask questions. His camel seems curious though.
Lester Cobblebottom is all but oblivious to the dangers ahead. Oh sure, he knows about the Priestess of Bast and the murders in the Museum. He knows that his companions seek to disrupt a religious ritual in Kenya, and that this ritual can have far reaching consequences, but Lester does not understand the full implications of their mission. That knowledge will come with time…and madness.
Still, Lester has been poring over the Black Rites for a short while now, and has learned some tantalizing hints about the Mythos, about strange, extraterrestrial gods in the center of the cosmos, and dark words that can invoke spirits and magic.
At dusk they head off into the desert, with great Cairo dwindling behind them for the last time. They will not return here.
[GM Note: Each investigator rides a camel, the first time they’ve had to deal with these beasts. But they quickly find a use for their strength and resilience: a 50-gallon drum of gasoline is strapped to the back of one camel and carefully shielded from the sun. From what they learned beneath Giza, things that go BOOM! can solve problems].
Three days after leaving the city, they find themselves huddled in a tent while a brutal sandstorm howls outside.
Ra'eje casually speaks with them, but the investigators are reluctant to share information. Ra'eje begins to tell a story about his childhood, a horrifying story he says, but is interrupted by camels moaning outside. He grows very still, listening. A few moments later, he says that something besides the sandstorm has disturbed them. He looks out and sees three riders shuffling closer.
“I…I cannot tell who they are," says Ra'eje. "Nomads perhaps.”
The investigators are immediately suspicious, but the riders are hailing them, and Ra'eje beckons them to join their group in the safety of the tent. It will be cramped, but manageable. Chad Slambody tucks a loaded shotgun under his sleeping mat just in case. Lucifer Lardlover tries to detect a hint of danger [failing his Special Ability check], but senses nothing. The men don't seem armed, but the investigators do spot long bundles on their camels that might conceal rifles.
The three strangers soon enter the tent, all Arab men, although only one of them speaks broken English. They make small talk with Ra'eje, and the group as a whole gathers around the central pole. Lanterns hang from hooks while they wait out the storm, giving them enough light to see each other. Chad immediately spots a concealed dagger beneath the robes of one man, and attempts to convey this information to his boss, Lucifer Lardlover. However, he bungles the attempt and finds the Arab man staring intently at him.
Chad gulps, embarrassed.
Lucifer and Chad take their discussion outside to the camel circle, where Chad blurts to Lucifer what he saw, but almost as soon as they have left the tent and entered the howling wind, the Arab man jabs a lean finger at Cobblebottom and Chang.
"KILL THEM!"
Daggers whip out, the leader slashing Cobblebottom with twin blades, nearly killing him. The wounded scholar staggers back, screaming in pain and trying to shield himself. He has no idea what is happening, blood pouring from wounds across his arms and chest. Chaos ensues in the tent as Ra'eje screeches even louder than Lester and begins digging frantically out from beneath the edge of the tent, throwing handfuls of sand behind him. Chang pulls out his pistols and fires multiple times, but in the cramped quarters, his aim is deflected, followed by a punch to the jaw and a knee in his gut. One gun drops to the floor, but Chang blasts the attacker with the other weapon, downing him. The killer writhes in pain and Chang stomps on his head, only to be bashed senseless by their leader, a cold, calculating assassin of no small talent.
Assuming attack position, Chad THROWS himself into the melee, hooking an arm around an assailant’s neck and kicking the other in the crotch. An elbow to the ribs flings Chad away, and he realizes with growing despair that the man in their midst is a trained murderer. [And well above their Challenge Rating]
The next 7 or 8 rounds features a hectic fight of mostly missed shots by Chang, and gay Chad Slambody putting the wrestling moves on anyone he can catch, trying his damnedest to hamstring the leader who is proving extraordinarily difficult to subdue.
It should be noted, and this will be important later, that the camel loaded with fifty gallons of gasoline is precariously close to random gunfire. (Because one never knows when you might need high explosives when fighting otherworldly powers). They’re worried that stray bullets could hit their "Gas Camel," so Cobblebottom and Ma’Moud try to haul the beast away before a Critical Miss explodes the thing in their faces. Ma’Moud slaps the camel, screaming its name and shooing it, but the animal is stubborn and oblivious to the danger it poses.
Two of the cultists are finally shot down, but the one with twin knives is a deadly opponent, and he severely wounds everyone except for Lucifer, who manages to stay outside the tent, popping in for the occasional pistol shot. But his aim is atrocious, and in fact, he manages to wing Chang! Cursing in the foul language of the netherpits, Lardlover resorts to a magical offense.
Chad tries to retrieve his shotgun and put an end to the assassin, but two critical failures later, he drops the loaded gun at his feet (the discharge ripping through the tent and narrowly missing the Gas Camel) and the Arab stabs him yet again. Chad is going to lose this fight, he knows it now. In a desperate move, Lucifer summons his potent magical skills, and throws a wave of force into the tent, slamming into the assassin but also cracking the support pole in half. The tent collapses, but it is already full of bullet holes and buckshot and knife slashes, and now oil lanterns catch on fire.
Chad manages to crawl out, but sees the man moving under the canvas and throws himself on top, grappling and kicking, even as the assassin's knife punches through and stabs him yet AGAIN! Grimacing in pain, Chad rains punches on the killer while Chang pops a few more shots into the tent, and the man is finally subdued from shock, blood loss, and suffocation.
He nearly killed everyone single-handedly.
Chad staggers away while Lester tries to bind his wounds. Chad has been stabbed over half a dozen times in his arms, legs and torso. Ra’eje cowers by his camels, praying for the mercy of Allah. Lucifer sinks to his knees, head bowed, while Chang collapses into the sand and Ma’moud weeps, face buried in his hands. And all around them, the merciless sandstorm continues to rage…
Before long the storm dies out, and morning finds them with a vehement cultist cursing at them. The man did not perish overnight as they had thought, but now that he is conscious, he is quite vocal. He tells them that the Dark One will devour their souls and rend the flesh from their bones. Unperturbed, they bury the man up to the neck in the sand and leave him to die. The assassin's camels were carrying what looks like incensed kindling for a makeshift pyre or shrine, and they deduce that these men wanted to probably burn them alive as sacrifices to Nyarlathotep.
The Gas Camel has kept its fuel tank preserved, and for that they consider themselves lucky. The previous encounter could have been disastrous. But as a relevant side-effect, they realize the strategic value of an animal that can haul large amounts of explosive chemical! [GM Note: the player’s minds are churning full throttle in meta-game mode now. Finding and using anything explosive becomes priority number one].
They set off toward the horizon. The last thing they hear behind them is curses from a soon-to-be dead man buried up to his neck in the hot, hot white Sahara sand.
Numion
First Post
Nebulous said:
Hehee, quite an explanation
That explanation is basically CSI-proof Nebulous said:
That one came out of the blue! God damn .. the nonchalant way you describe it makes me really laugh out loud. Any SAN damage?Really funny stuff, once again. This has to be one of the funniest storyhours I've read. As for the explosives, I think every CoC campaign takes a turn in that direction, whether it's intended as pulp-style or not
Chad Slambody for the win! Too bad, I gather, that he isn't going to be one of the long-lived characters. He's showing a lot of potential for funny RP
The replacement PCs way of throwing their careers away to follow a group of unstable individuals on a senseless quest is the very ... essence of RPing. Happens in every game from D&D to Traveller; it's just funnier in CoC, since some of these guys actually seem to have a career.
Keep up the great work!
Nebulous
Legend
Numion said:Hehee, quite an explanation
Yeah, that museum fiasco was...well, a fiasco! And I'm sure there was some San loss in the desert, but not too much. The PC's tactics became even more ruthless than the cultists by the end. The bad guys could have learned something!
Numion said:Really funny stuff, once again. This has to be one of the funniest storyhours I've read. As for the explosives, I think every CoC campaign takes a turn in that direction, whether it's intended as pulp-style or not
I admit, we did laugh a lot, and it translates well here. It was not a scary campaign i don't think, but there were many moments of nail-biting tension. Maybe Leo can say for sure, but i think they feared death or TPK just about every adventure, even if it didn't usually happen. Laughing in the face of death, you might say.
Numion said:Chad Slambody for the win! Too bad, I gather, that he isn't going to be one of the long-lived characters. He's showing a lot of potential for funny RP
I'll let Leo comment on Chad, his golden-child of gaming. Yes, he was more fun than you could shake a stick at. And the source of countless off-color jokes.
GodPhoenix
First Post
Nebulous said:
A TPK was our primary concern...it would have meant a big loss in story continuity...and that kept the tension high throughout the campaign. Oh, plus DM/Jason/Nebulous really seems to enjoy scaring the crap out of us.
Nebulous said:
Chad is one of my favorite characters of all time. He went from simple-minded body builder to a heartless and deranged killer...I guess that's what mythos does to ya. He reminds me of a DND thief that I played up to L21 (from 2E to 3E to 3.5E) who took kind of an opposite route.
Oh, and things really pick up from here on out (not that they weren't fun up to this point).
Nebulous
Legend
Adventure #18: Desert Assassins
Part 2: Mombasa
Two days later they reach the coast. They book passage for the five day journey south to Mombasa, and the "gas camel" is brought with them after purchasing it from Ra’eje. This trip gives them time to lick their wounds and plan the next stage of their journey. Ra’eje bids farewell, and they make him swear to tell no one what happened. Nodding solemnly, he agrees to their wishes.
The boat ride is uneventful, and they actually find the trip relaxing. For a short time, they are able to pretend that they are safe. Along the way, Lester continues reading books the party has acquired, and he even skims De Vermis Mysteriis. What he finds appalls him, and Lester finally shuts the book, shivering despite the warm, humid day.
Chad, Chang, and Lucifer pore over the accumulated clues from Jackson Elias and others. In particular, they study Jackson’s Nairobi Notes, which details many of the people Jackson visited in Nairobi. Some of these individuals are surely worth contacting, although the investigators hardly trust anyone.
They eventually arrive at their destination and are pleased to see that Mombasa is a thriving port town with a healthy mix of different nationalities. They are able to easily blend in.
This bustling coastal city of 30,000 people features Arab, African, Portuguese and British influences. The party is a rich group now that they have two members with healthy bank accounts again (Lester and Lucifer), so they book themselves into swanky housing and absorb the sights for a few days just like any other tourist. Their ultimate goal is to reach the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, some three hundred miles inland, where the Carlyle Expedition died and vanished. From there, their journey will grow even more dangerous.
However, both Cobblebottom and Lucifer swear that they see someone following them, a nondescript Arab man with a full beard and turban, but he always mysteriously vanishes. No one else sees this stranger, and Lucifer finally disregards it as a coincidence. After all, there are many people here who fit that description.
After researching their notes, and with suggestions from Chang, they discover that there IS one small clue in Mombasa that they can investigate while here:
Mombasa Exports.
This warehouse sits on the waterfront, and they have proof that it sent artifacts to the Penhew Foundation in London and the Ju-Ju House in NY. There is a good chance that cultists are affiliated with Mombasa Exports, so on the last night of their stay they decide to find what secrets lie within, with the ultimate goal of abolishing those secrets in a blaze of vengeance.
But they take time to plan their escape. They are still carrying several trunks filled with odds and ends related to their travels, although the majority of their most powerful, Mythos-related items were left with Dr. Kafour in Cairo, such as the rolled-up painting from Miles Shipley, the Bust of the Black Pharaoh, and the Black Sphinx lifted from Silas N’Kwane at the Ju-Ju House in New York City.
They pay someone to load the Uguandan baggage car ahead of time in case they need to make a quick getaway in the morning. Ma’moud, the good boy that he is, stays with their belongings. He is worried about what they are doing, but they tell him everything will be alright. Wiping a tear away, Ma’Moud says he will wait.
However, the "Gas Camel" is brought with them on this mission, for one never knows when you might need a highly explosive camel. This disturbs Lester Cobblebottom for he sees just how far his companions are willing to take matters, including the demolition of innocent pack animals.
“Do…do we really need the camel?” he asks Chad.
“Of course,” the ex-body builder grunts. He is slipping jars of shoe-polish into a bag, although Lester can’t fathom why he is doing that either.
Lucifer says: “Our foes are sundry, doctor. The men in the desert were proof of that. If Mythos artifacts abound in this warehouse, they must be destroyed.”
“D--destroyed? Mythos?”
Chad ratchets a shell into the chamber of his Browning shotgun. “With extreme prejudice, Cobblebottom. Let’s go. Less talk, more action.”
They head out into the dim night, four men carrying concealed weapons and leading a camel by the reins. If not for the multitude of other animals in the streets of this port city, a camel might actually seem strange. As is, they don’t really stand out.
A short while later they find themselves just off Nasser Road, where the dockyards jut over the waterway. They see a sign for Mombasa Exports, and are able to keep to the shadows. Well, as much as they can considering that they have a camel with them.
Half an hour later they shuffle up to their destination.
This mission calls for stealth, so Chad Slambody volunteers to strip naked, despite objections from the others. Using the black shoe polish and some oil he finds in a drum, he smears himself to aid a furtive approach. Chad scales the fence and checks the back of the warehouse. His quiet approach pays off. There is a Negro man smoking a cigarette behind the building. He has a pistol strapped to his belt, but Chad returns to the others and reports first, rather than risk detection. They decide that everyone should cross the fence together, but they leave the gas camel tethered outside in the shadows, along with its flammable cargo.
Sneaking back, they find the man is smoking another cigarette, and by using a few decoy sounds, [YIP! YIP! YOP! YIP!] they lure him around the corner. Chad pounces, sucker punches the guard across the jaw and within seconds has him trussed up like a turkey. Lucifer insists that this man must be killed and dropped into the sound, but Cobblebottom objects: they don't know if he is a cultist or just a guard. Sneering, Lardlover lets Cobblebottom have his way, and the guard is spared. For now.
Chad takes the man’s keys and maneuvers to the back of the loading dock. A single bulb illuminates the area and a metal door beneath the light. The others hide and watch while Chad opens the door.
It is dark inside, but he sees a faint glow from the other side of the room. Boxes and crates are stacked nearly ceiling-high, creating a winding maze. Chad slides forward, and soon sees a white man, an Arab man and Indian man playing cards, their weapons on the table. [sounds like the start of a joke] Chad watches them for a minute or two, and then returns to tell the others.
Gunshots will draw too much attention, and the last thing they need is to get arrested again. London was bad enough (although this is player paranoia, not character, except for Chang). They whisper among themselves and decide to lure the guards out one at a time. Chad is itching to grapple these fellows, especially if they are just scummy cultists. The others wait around the corner while Chad whistles and flexes his muscles.
Someone asks in English, “What? What you want, Marco?”
Chad whistles again. A chair slides back from the table. He hears footsteps clomping through the maze of boxes.
“What you whistling for? Don’t you got a damn tongue in your mou--”
As soon as the man crosses the threshold, Chad clocks him. It is the Caucasian guard, and he is slammed into the concrete wall, lips busted. Chad lands on top of him in a heartbeat, a wriggling naked bodybuilder smeared in oil, and quickly incapacitates the man in a chokehold, forcing him unconscious. Chang and Lester haul the man off the loading dock and tie him up.
Pumped full of adrenalin, Chad lures the next man out by trying to mimic the previous guard’s voice. It is the Indian who comes to investigate, but Chad launches his attack a fraction too late. The guard reels from the blow, but is not stunned.
“Help! Someone HELP ME!”
Chad slams him against the wall, knees him, and throws him down. Lester Cobblebottom rushes up and whacks him with a 4-by-4, but their stealthy approach has been compromised. Lucifer surges into the warehouse and finds cover, none too soon, for the final guard comes to the rescue. He starts shooting, and bullets whiz past Lester’s ears.
“Shoot back!” orders Chang, and out whip his twin pistols. Bullets and smoke fill the dark room, holes punching through plywood and crates. The guard is fortunately a poor shot and doesn’t manage to hit anyone, and after suffering a wound in the shoulder, Chad flies at him. He is thrown down and grappled, and the others pile on top. Within a few moments, the guard is gagged and tied, and all four security guards are dragged inside and the back door is locked.
The prisoners glare at them, but there is not much they can do.
But the investigators have made too much noise, too many mistakes. It is only a matter of time before someone comes. For all they know, the police might be on their way already. They must hurry if they want to do finish the job here, and that job includes screwing up whatever diabolical plan Nyarlathotep has brewing.
The warehouse is packed full of crates, too many to possibly search through, but Lucifer finds a metal safe in the office and Chang picks the lock. Inside are several hundred dollars, pounds and rupees, as well as a fat ledger book. They take everything. Chang wants to search the crates for hidden Mythos items, but it would take hours and hours. Instead, they debate as to whether they should destroy the warehouse with or without the Gas Camel.
The four guards are within earshot of this heartless conversation, their eyes growing wide as they hear their fates discussed. Lester votes for the easiest, quickest way out, such as leaving NOW, killing no one, but Chad, Chang and Lucifer harbor other plans.
“Evil deserves no mercy, Cobblebottom,” says Chad. “Be brave. You’re showing weakness, man.”
Wringing his hands, Lester doesn’t know if this is being brave or being stupid.
Ultimately the life of the Gas Camel is spared, but the four guards are lashed to the gasoline drum after Chad rolls it inside.
“Sorry, ‘bout this,” Chad tells them. “But you shouldn’t have become a cultist.”
They are thrashing their heads back and forth, kicking and screaming through the gags, but that doesn’t stop Chad from dousing them with fuel and leading a trail to the back door. Chad waves, lights the fuse, and the investigators head for cover as a thunderous explosion rocks the warehouse district. The camel is slapped on the ass and sent trotting across the city, its nefarious job complete.
The next morning the investigators wake up feeling like they accomplished a lot. Lester Cobblebottom isn’t so sure about their methodology, but doesn’t say anything. On the way to the train station, they read a newspaper article about how half the warehouse district was burned down the previous night by vandals.
Bemused, Chad and Lucifer exchange glances, confident that one less cultist warehouse will cause them problems now.
[GM Note: This was actually the first warehouse they, um…killed. The first of several. The guards weren’t even cultists, and I told them that later. They killed a bunch of fellows just earning a buck].
The Uguandan Railway is busy this morning with travelers taking the train from Mombasa to Nairobi. Chang, being a Chinaman, is given a hard time for trying to sit in the White Car, but Lester pays his way and the complaints subside. Probably for the best, because Chang would have shot his way in.
Soon, they begin the 16-hour train ride to Nairobi. They study the stolen ledger book in closer detail, and find many entries for "objects of art" sent to familiar locations such as New York and Silas N’Kwane, the Penhew Foundation and Edward Gavigan, and to Cairo, Australia, Shanghai...and even to Nairobi...to someone named Tandoor Singh...objects of art labeled as "bricks of tea."
With the name Tandoor Singh in mind, they settle back and watch the Kenyan landscape slide by...
Part 2: Mombasa
Two days later they reach the coast. They book passage for the five day journey south to Mombasa, and the "gas camel" is brought with them after purchasing it from Ra’eje. This trip gives them time to lick their wounds and plan the next stage of their journey. Ra’eje bids farewell, and they make him swear to tell no one what happened. Nodding solemnly, he agrees to their wishes.
The boat ride is uneventful, and they actually find the trip relaxing. For a short time, they are able to pretend that they are safe. Along the way, Lester continues reading books the party has acquired, and he even skims De Vermis Mysteriis. What he finds appalls him, and Lester finally shuts the book, shivering despite the warm, humid day.
Chad, Chang, and Lucifer pore over the accumulated clues from Jackson Elias and others. In particular, they study Jackson’s Nairobi Notes, which details many of the people Jackson visited in Nairobi. Some of these individuals are surely worth contacting, although the investigators hardly trust anyone.
They eventually arrive at their destination and are pleased to see that Mombasa is a thriving port town with a healthy mix of different nationalities. They are able to easily blend in.
This bustling coastal city of 30,000 people features Arab, African, Portuguese and British influences. The party is a rich group now that they have two members with healthy bank accounts again (Lester and Lucifer), so they book themselves into swanky housing and absorb the sights for a few days just like any other tourist. Their ultimate goal is to reach the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, some three hundred miles inland, where the Carlyle Expedition died and vanished. From there, their journey will grow even more dangerous.
However, both Cobblebottom and Lucifer swear that they see someone following them, a nondescript Arab man with a full beard and turban, but he always mysteriously vanishes. No one else sees this stranger, and Lucifer finally disregards it as a coincidence. After all, there are many people here who fit that description.
After researching their notes, and with suggestions from Chang, they discover that there IS one small clue in Mombasa that they can investigate while here:
Mombasa Exports.
This warehouse sits on the waterfront, and they have proof that it sent artifacts to the Penhew Foundation in London and the Ju-Ju House in NY. There is a good chance that cultists are affiliated with Mombasa Exports, so on the last night of their stay they decide to find what secrets lie within, with the ultimate goal of abolishing those secrets in a blaze of vengeance.
But they take time to plan their escape. They are still carrying several trunks filled with odds and ends related to their travels, although the majority of their most powerful, Mythos-related items were left with Dr. Kafour in Cairo, such as the rolled-up painting from Miles Shipley, the Bust of the Black Pharaoh, and the Black Sphinx lifted from Silas N’Kwane at the Ju-Ju House in New York City.
They pay someone to load the Uguandan baggage car ahead of time in case they need to make a quick getaway in the morning. Ma’moud, the good boy that he is, stays with their belongings. He is worried about what they are doing, but they tell him everything will be alright. Wiping a tear away, Ma’Moud says he will wait.
However, the "Gas Camel" is brought with them on this mission, for one never knows when you might need a highly explosive camel. This disturbs Lester Cobblebottom for he sees just how far his companions are willing to take matters, including the demolition of innocent pack animals.
“Do…do we really need the camel?” he asks Chad.
“Of course,” the ex-body builder grunts. He is slipping jars of shoe-polish into a bag, although Lester can’t fathom why he is doing that either.
Lucifer says: “Our foes are sundry, doctor. The men in the desert were proof of that. If Mythos artifacts abound in this warehouse, they must be destroyed.”
“D--destroyed? Mythos?”
Chad ratchets a shell into the chamber of his Browning shotgun. “With extreme prejudice, Cobblebottom. Let’s go. Less talk, more action.”
They head out into the dim night, four men carrying concealed weapons and leading a camel by the reins. If not for the multitude of other animals in the streets of this port city, a camel might actually seem strange. As is, they don’t really stand out.
A short while later they find themselves just off Nasser Road, where the dockyards jut over the waterway. They see a sign for Mombasa Exports, and are able to keep to the shadows. Well, as much as they can considering that they have a camel with them.
Half an hour later they shuffle up to their destination.
This mission calls for stealth, so Chad Slambody volunteers to strip naked, despite objections from the others. Using the black shoe polish and some oil he finds in a drum, he smears himself to aid a furtive approach. Chad scales the fence and checks the back of the warehouse. His quiet approach pays off. There is a Negro man smoking a cigarette behind the building. He has a pistol strapped to his belt, but Chad returns to the others and reports first, rather than risk detection. They decide that everyone should cross the fence together, but they leave the gas camel tethered outside in the shadows, along with its flammable cargo.
Sneaking back, they find the man is smoking another cigarette, and by using a few decoy sounds, [YIP! YIP! YOP! YIP!] they lure him around the corner. Chad pounces, sucker punches the guard across the jaw and within seconds has him trussed up like a turkey. Lucifer insists that this man must be killed and dropped into the sound, but Cobblebottom objects: they don't know if he is a cultist or just a guard. Sneering, Lardlover lets Cobblebottom have his way, and the guard is spared. For now.
Chad takes the man’s keys and maneuvers to the back of the loading dock. A single bulb illuminates the area and a metal door beneath the light. The others hide and watch while Chad opens the door.
It is dark inside, but he sees a faint glow from the other side of the room. Boxes and crates are stacked nearly ceiling-high, creating a winding maze. Chad slides forward, and soon sees a white man, an Arab man and Indian man playing cards, their weapons on the table. [sounds like the start of a joke] Chad watches them for a minute or two, and then returns to tell the others.
Gunshots will draw too much attention, and the last thing they need is to get arrested again. London was bad enough (although this is player paranoia, not character, except for Chang). They whisper among themselves and decide to lure the guards out one at a time. Chad is itching to grapple these fellows, especially if they are just scummy cultists. The others wait around the corner while Chad whistles and flexes his muscles.
Someone asks in English, “What? What you want, Marco?”
Chad whistles again. A chair slides back from the table. He hears footsteps clomping through the maze of boxes.
“What you whistling for? Don’t you got a damn tongue in your mou--”
As soon as the man crosses the threshold, Chad clocks him. It is the Caucasian guard, and he is slammed into the concrete wall, lips busted. Chad lands on top of him in a heartbeat, a wriggling naked bodybuilder smeared in oil, and quickly incapacitates the man in a chokehold, forcing him unconscious. Chang and Lester haul the man off the loading dock and tie him up.
Pumped full of adrenalin, Chad lures the next man out by trying to mimic the previous guard’s voice. It is the Indian who comes to investigate, but Chad launches his attack a fraction too late. The guard reels from the blow, but is not stunned.
“Help! Someone HELP ME!”
Chad slams him against the wall, knees him, and throws him down. Lester Cobblebottom rushes up and whacks him with a 4-by-4, but their stealthy approach has been compromised. Lucifer surges into the warehouse and finds cover, none too soon, for the final guard comes to the rescue. He starts shooting, and bullets whiz past Lester’s ears.
“Shoot back!” orders Chang, and out whip his twin pistols. Bullets and smoke fill the dark room, holes punching through plywood and crates. The guard is fortunately a poor shot and doesn’t manage to hit anyone, and after suffering a wound in the shoulder, Chad flies at him. He is thrown down and grappled, and the others pile on top. Within a few moments, the guard is gagged and tied, and all four security guards are dragged inside and the back door is locked.
The prisoners glare at them, but there is not much they can do.
But the investigators have made too much noise, too many mistakes. It is only a matter of time before someone comes. For all they know, the police might be on their way already. They must hurry if they want to do finish the job here, and that job includes screwing up whatever diabolical plan Nyarlathotep has brewing.
The warehouse is packed full of crates, too many to possibly search through, but Lucifer finds a metal safe in the office and Chang picks the lock. Inside are several hundred dollars, pounds and rupees, as well as a fat ledger book. They take everything. Chang wants to search the crates for hidden Mythos items, but it would take hours and hours. Instead, they debate as to whether they should destroy the warehouse with or without the Gas Camel.
The four guards are within earshot of this heartless conversation, their eyes growing wide as they hear their fates discussed. Lester votes for the easiest, quickest way out, such as leaving NOW, killing no one, but Chad, Chang and Lucifer harbor other plans.
“Evil deserves no mercy, Cobblebottom,” says Chad. “Be brave. You’re showing weakness, man.”
Wringing his hands, Lester doesn’t know if this is being brave or being stupid.
Ultimately the life of the Gas Camel is spared, but the four guards are lashed to the gasoline drum after Chad rolls it inside.
“Sorry, ‘bout this,” Chad tells them. “But you shouldn’t have become a cultist.”
They are thrashing their heads back and forth, kicking and screaming through the gags, but that doesn’t stop Chad from dousing them with fuel and leading a trail to the back door. Chad waves, lights the fuse, and the investigators head for cover as a thunderous explosion rocks the warehouse district. The camel is slapped on the ass and sent trotting across the city, its nefarious job complete.
The next morning the investigators wake up feeling like they accomplished a lot. Lester Cobblebottom isn’t so sure about their methodology, but doesn’t say anything. On the way to the train station, they read a newspaper article about how half the warehouse district was burned down the previous night by vandals.
Bemused, Chad and Lucifer exchange glances, confident that one less cultist warehouse will cause them problems now.
[GM Note: This was actually the first warehouse they, um…killed. The first of several. The guards weren’t even cultists, and I told them that later. They killed a bunch of fellows just earning a buck].
The Uguandan Railway is busy this morning with travelers taking the train from Mombasa to Nairobi. Chang, being a Chinaman, is given a hard time for trying to sit in the White Car, but Lester pays his way and the complaints subside. Probably for the best, because Chang would have shot his way in.
Soon, they begin the 16-hour train ride to Nairobi. They study the stolen ledger book in closer detail, and find many entries for "objects of art" sent to familiar locations such as New York and Silas N’Kwane, the Penhew Foundation and Edward Gavigan, and to Cairo, Australia, Shanghai...and even to Nairobi...to someone named Tandoor Singh...objects of art labeled as "bricks of tea."
With the name Tandoor Singh in mind, they settle back and watch the Kenyan landscape slide by...
Last edited:
Nebulous
Legend
The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep, updated 3/6/08
Adventure #19: Flames on a Train
Part 1: Train Trouble
After demolishing a warehouse in Mombasa, the investigators have boarded the Ugandan Railway to Nairobi. The tranquil landscape slides by, including frosty Mt. Kilimanjaro, immense golden savannas, and lakes dotted by pink flamingos.
The investigators discuss their objectives and pore over notes gained from Dr. Ali Kafour, as well journals from others who perished in the battle against Chaos. They have a few people in Nairobi to contact, but more importantly, they are nearing the massacre site of the Carlyle Expedition, and closer to unpeeling another layer of the mystery that surrounds them.
And somewhere in this country, a child of Nyarlathotep is destined to be born.
This event must be stopped at all costs.
Day dwindles into night, and the investigators are lulled to slumber. Darkness fills their carriage, the White Car, which is at the very end of the locomotive. A dining car separates them from the Brown Car, where the middle class sits, which is separate from the Black Car where the Negroes and the poorest of the poor are relegated. The baggage car, flat cars and engine are further up the line.
A noise besides the rhythmic rattle of the train wakes Lucifer Lardlover. Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he stumbles to the dining car, empty and silent as a grave this time of night, but then he hears it again: an eerie, ululating whine from somewhere in the browncar, and seconds later he hears panicked screams!
The door between the carriages flings open and terrified people pour inside, overturning tables, chairs and carts in their haste. Lucifer sees the source of their fear: a pulsing, sparking, swirling core of bright plasma, spitting droplets of flame in all directions, igniting everything it touches, and it bobs straight toward him! Even worse, Lucifer spots a second flaming creature behind it as both burn through the carriage doors and surge into the dining car.
“Ugh…this bodes ill. GENTLEMEN! AWAKE! AT ONCE!”
Lardlover flees back to his comrades, urging them to gather their belongings.
Chang is unfortunately wallowing in the depths of drunken slumber and impossible to rouse. (GM Note: Dave is absent again and we have to work around it, so Chang is frequently drunk, mourning, or unconscious, although sometimes pushed to the forefront if needed).
Chad Slambody, The Perfect Specimen of Man, grabs his shotgun and wrap his loins in a towel (he always sleeps nude) and leaps into action, attempting to disable the pin between the dining carriage and the whitecar. He fails, and the pin remains stuck. Sparks shoot forth from the living ball of fire, searing him, sucking away his very will to live [Constitution Damage], while a mind-shattering burst of alien intelligence overcomes his senses [Bad Spell]. He is filled with unbearable fear of fire, and in panicked flight, drops his gun, flings open the back door, and LEAPS from the train, the towel around his ample manhood fluttering into the night.
He strikes the ground hard, jumps up running, naked again, as far and fast as he can.
The others are trapped at the end of the train, debating if they should fight or flee. From the other side of the car, someone throws a bucket of water at one of the flaming spheres, severely damaging it. Steams hisses forth and the creature screams in its peculiar voice. As Lester Cobblebottom attempts to flee, a fire creature lobs sparks at him him, burning his hands and hair. Shrieking and batting the flames out, Cobblebottom throws Chang's unconscious body from the train.
The Chinaman strikes the tracks face first, bounces, rolls, and lays still. Cobblebottom follows him, twisting his ankle upon impact, and rolls to a painful halt. A few other passengers cower in terror, but the spheres seem to be targeting the investigators and no one else. Lucifer ducks and dodges, about to leap off, when Mamoud cries: "Master! Master! Da sand! Da sand!" An ashtray is filled with sand, and both he and Mamoud began scooping handfuls of the stuff at the living fire, trying to suffocate it. One of the creatures is extinguished in the dining car by water, while Mamoud and Lucifer finally force the other to retreat.
Two of the cars are on fire, smoke and flames belching forth, and the train slowly grinds to a halt as bewildered passengers pour out. Miraculously, no one died in the conflagration.
Several hours pass. Chad Slambody finally stops running, regains his composure, and walks back to the train, feeling somewhat embarrassed and unmanly. Cobblebottom and Chang gather enough nerve to return as well, while Lucifer Lardlover contemplates the beings encountered. He deduces from his Mythos knowledge that they were probably fire vampires, denizens from a distant star system and servants to Outer Gods that can only be brought by summoning and binding magic.
Exactly WHO summoned and bound them is unknown.
Passengers are questioned about how the fire started, but there is no clear-cut answer, and the odd sparking balls are dismissed as anomalies, and certainly nothing supernatural. Suspicious eyes are turned to the investigators, but they do not offer input and keep knowledge of extraterrestrial demonic entities to themselves. The train starts up again and finally crawls into Nairobi about two in the morning.
Adventure #19: Flames on a Train
Part 1: Train Trouble
After demolishing a warehouse in Mombasa, the investigators have boarded the Ugandan Railway to Nairobi. The tranquil landscape slides by, including frosty Mt. Kilimanjaro, immense golden savannas, and lakes dotted by pink flamingos.
The investigators discuss their objectives and pore over notes gained from Dr. Ali Kafour, as well journals from others who perished in the battle against Chaos. They have a few people in Nairobi to contact, but more importantly, they are nearing the massacre site of the Carlyle Expedition, and closer to unpeeling another layer of the mystery that surrounds them.
And somewhere in this country, a child of Nyarlathotep is destined to be born.
This event must be stopped at all costs.
Day dwindles into night, and the investigators are lulled to slumber. Darkness fills their carriage, the White Car, which is at the very end of the locomotive. A dining car separates them from the Brown Car, where the middle class sits, which is separate from the Black Car where the Negroes and the poorest of the poor are relegated. The baggage car, flat cars and engine are further up the line.
A noise besides the rhythmic rattle of the train wakes Lucifer Lardlover. Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he stumbles to the dining car, empty and silent as a grave this time of night, but then he hears it again: an eerie, ululating whine from somewhere in the browncar, and seconds later he hears panicked screams!
The door between the carriages flings open and terrified people pour inside, overturning tables, chairs and carts in their haste. Lucifer sees the source of their fear: a pulsing, sparking, swirling core of bright plasma, spitting droplets of flame in all directions, igniting everything it touches, and it bobs straight toward him! Even worse, Lucifer spots a second flaming creature behind it as both burn through the carriage doors and surge into the dining car.
“Ugh…this bodes ill. GENTLEMEN! AWAKE! AT ONCE!”
Lardlover flees back to his comrades, urging them to gather their belongings.
Chang is unfortunately wallowing in the depths of drunken slumber and impossible to rouse. (GM Note: Dave is absent again and we have to work around it, so Chang is frequently drunk, mourning, or unconscious, although sometimes pushed to the forefront if needed).
Chad Slambody, The Perfect Specimen of Man, grabs his shotgun and wrap his loins in a towel (he always sleeps nude) and leaps into action, attempting to disable the pin between the dining carriage and the whitecar. He fails, and the pin remains stuck. Sparks shoot forth from the living ball of fire, searing him, sucking away his very will to live [Constitution Damage], while a mind-shattering burst of alien intelligence overcomes his senses [Bad Spell]. He is filled with unbearable fear of fire, and in panicked flight, drops his gun, flings open the back door, and LEAPS from the train, the towel around his ample manhood fluttering into the night.
He strikes the ground hard, jumps up running, naked again, as far and fast as he can.
The others are trapped at the end of the train, debating if they should fight or flee. From the other side of the car, someone throws a bucket of water at one of the flaming spheres, severely damaging it. Steams hisses forth and the creature screams in its peculiar voice. As Lester Cobblebottom attempts to flee, a fire creature lobs sparks at him him, burning his hands and hair. Shrieking and batting the flames out, Cobblebottom throws Chang's unconscious body from the train.
The Chinaman strikes the tracks face first, bounces, rolls, and lays still. Cobblebottom follows him, twisting his ankle upon impact, and rolls to a painful halt. A few other passengers cower in terror, but the spheres seem to be targeting the investigators and no one else. Lucifer ducks and dodges, about to leap off, when Mamoud cries: "Master! Master! Da sand! Da sand!" An ashtray is filled with sand, and both he and Mamoud began scooping handfuls of the stuff at the living fire, trying to suffocate it. One of the creatures is extinguished in the dining car by water, while Mamoud and Lucifer finally force the other to retreat.
Two of the cars are on fire, smoke and flames belching forth, and the train slowly grinds to a halt as bewildered passengers pour out. Miraculously, no one died in the conflagration.
Several hours pass. Chad Slambody finally stops running, regains his composure, and walks back to the train, feeling somewhat embarrassed and unmanly. Cobblebottom and Chang gather enough nerve to return as well, while Lucifer Lardlover contemplates the beings encountered. He deduces from his Mythos knowledge that they were probably fire vampires, denizens from a distant star system and servants to Outer Gods that can only be brought by summoning and binding magic.
Exactly WHO summoned and bound them is unknown.
Passengers are questioned about how the fire started, but there is no clear-cut answer, and the odd sparking balls are dismissed as anomalies, and certainly nothing supernatural. Suspicious eyes are turned to the investigators, but they do not offer input and keep knowledge of extraterrestrial demonic entities to themselves. The train starts up again and finally crawls into Nairobi about two in the morning.
Nebulous
Legend
Adventure #19: Flames on a Train (Part 2)
Part 2: The Nairobi Star
The investigators finally arrive in Nairobi, although much later than expected.
Exhausted, the party checks into the swankiest hotel they can find, The Hampton House, where they enjoy clean sheets and large, comfy beds.
Both Cobblebottom and Lardlover hail from wealthy families, and they don't mind spending cash on the others. Dawn finds them all up early, enjoying a continental breakfast on the ivy-clustered veranda. Nairobi is 6000 feet above sea level, much cooler and crisper than the sweltering coastal streets of Mombasa. As they discuss their options, a black paperboy hands them a one-page newsletter - The Nairobi Star - claiming that it is the best paper in the whole town. And the only paper. A brief glance reveals that there have been some strange deaths at a game lodge in the highlands recently.
Strange deaths, eh?
Sensing a plot hook, a red herring, or a death lure, they think it might be worth checking out. But first, Lucifer, Chad, and Cobblebottom decide to check the newspaper and search for old articles relating to the Carlyle Expedition five years ago in 1919. The streets are filled with vendors and buyers from many nationalities, as well as a prominent British garrison of armed soldiers. The investigators are careful to make sure their shotguns are left at the Hampton House, although they carry concealed pistols.
When they arrive, they find that The Nairobi Star is a small, white clapboard building in whitetown, maintained for many years now by its writer, editor and widowed founder: Mrs. Natalie Smyth-Forbes.
“Hello, gentlemen. May I help you? I am extremely busy right now with the next issue.”
She is a graying woman in her mid-fifties, who takes an immediate flirtatious liking to Lester Cobblebottom. Cobblebottom doesn’t know how to react (or Jeff for that matter!) A quick roll of the dice determines that Cobblebottom happens to be a 45-year old virgin...
Flustered, flattered, and ultimately embarrassed, Lester Cobblebottom stammers, sweats, and fidgets, which only makes him more endearing to the elderly editor. While Cobblebottom investigates the records, in very close proximity to Natalie Smyth-Forbes, her hand on his shoulder, Chad and Lucifer decide that might it is better to let nature takes its course (as unnatural as heterosexuality is to Chad Slambody) so they head into Nairobi to find some guides. Eventually they will have to head into the bush (no pun intended) to find the location of the Carlyle massacre.
Meanwhile, Cobblebottom finds two useful articles.
One picture features Hyapatia Masters who, in Cobblebottom's professional opinion, looks extremely pregnant. Another picture is of five hanged Nandi tribesmen, who were accused of brutalizing the Carlyle expedition. Natalie remembers each person from the Carlyle Expedition, she interacted with them personally, albeit briefly, and gives her opinions. Roger was strange, she says, and Natalie was sweet, but seemed very tired all of the time. Sir Aubrey Penhew could be overbearing and rude. It isn’t much to go on.
She is interrupted by heavy knocking on the door. Sighing, she opens it to reveal a man with a flaming red moustache.
“Mrs. Forbes!” he roars. “With extreme displeasure I must come here yet AGAIN to vent about your publication. I am a legitimate business owner running a legitimate business, and your typed crockery is not helping my material assets! Cease and desist, woman! CEASE AND DESIST!”
Frowning, but not budging, Natalie coldly introduces Lester to the boisterous, volatile, Colonel Endicott, owner of the Nairobi Game Lodge, who is furious that Mrs. Smyth-Forbes continues to shed his establishment in a poor light. The deaths were accidents! They shouldn’t have gone out there if they couldn’t rough it, and so on and so forth. He blames the deaths on naivety. One doesn’t go on a professional game hunt expecting to shoot poodles.
Natalie vehemently disagrees and feels that it is her personal and civic duty to tell the news how she sees it; if the lodge environment is dangerous, then the community has the right to know. A shouting match ensues, but Cobblebottom cleverly worms his way in between, diffuses the situation, and asks if Colonel Endicott will take him to the lodge. Endicott is pleased by the offer, stating how he can see that Lester is a natural sportsman and hunter, and a date is set for the next morning: 9 am sharp...
...and a dinner date is set for Natalie and Lester for that night, once the Colonel has left.
While enjoying the company of a vivacious older woman, Lucifer and his manservant Chad Slambody decide that they need more dynamite: they are down to two sticks, and there is nothing in the world more useful than explosives. They get lucky and find a heavily guarded depot outside of town that stocks blasting caps and powder for railway construction. However, getting into the locked and guarded area won’t be so easy.
But Chad and Lucifer are long time compatriots in crime, and they devise a plan. Stripping his clothes away, despite the chill at night, and slathering himself in dark paint, Chad slinks like a shadow to the rear of the compound. In the meantime, his devious associate Lardlover boldly strolls to the gate and demands the attention of the four armed British soldiers.
These men are not impressed by this tall man in a top hat and cloak, but, Lardlover soon employs impressive sleight of hand, flattery, and a keen use of words. Chad uses this distraction to sneak by, break a lock on an interior door, and infiltrate a storage room. Meanwhile, Lardlover proves himself as an impressive showman.
He first wows the guards with magic tricks and eventually a well-placed FIST OF YOG-SOTHOTH! against an innocent apple, exploding the fruit into a hundred wet pieces and cracking the cinderblocks behind it.
[GM Note: This whole theft sequence was actually very lengthy]
Inside, Chad finds a case of dynamite and is able to get out another door. Their heist is successful, and the guards are awed by the illusory powers of the Great Lucifer Lardlover, magician extraordinaire. He promises them tickets to his show in Brussels if they ever make it out that way, and they give him a standing ovation as he bows and slides into the darkness. Mission accomplished.
But later that night...
…the investigators are woken by familiar, eerie whining and whistling, soon accompanied by the crackle and whoosh of flames. Two more fire vampires! The sound alone is enough to send everyone into a panic, but they’re trapped in their rooms. These horrible creatures have materialized practically at their bedsides, and the results are disastrous. They throw pans of water at them, but Cobblebottom is almost killed when the spitting sparks drain his Constitution. He collapses unconscious to the floor, beginning to smolder. Chad Slambody escapes with the case of stolen dynamite by crashing - naked yet again - out of a two-story window. Chang is caught on fire as he flees out the door, dragging the unconscious Lester behind him. Lucifer manages to grab one of their trunks of clues, gear and ammunition and hauls it with him. The hallway is filled with hotel guests and they all rush out of the building together, running for the street as people daisy-chain buckets of water and spray hoses to quench the fire.
The night ends with the Hampton House burning and smoking, and the investigator’s belongings possibly destroyed. From the detonated warehouse in Mombasa, to the burning train in the low country, and now a ravaged hotel in Nairobi, flame and destruction follow on their heels wherever they go, and the investigators realize this time that they could possibly be blamed...
Part 2: The Nairobi Star
The investigators finally arrive in Nairobi, although much later than expected.
Exhausted, the party checks into the swankiest hotel they can find, The Hampton House, where they enjoy clean sheets and large, comfy beds.
Both Cobblebottom and Lardlover hail from wealthy families, and they don't mind spending cash on the others. Dawn finds them all up early, enjoying a continental breakfast on the ivy-clustered veranda. Nairobi is 6000 feet above sea level, much cooler and crisper than the sweltering coastal streets of Mombasa. As they discuss their options, a black paperboy hands them a one-page newsletter - The Nairobi Star - claiming that it is the best paper in the whole town. And the only paper. A brief glance reveals that there have been some strange deaths at a game lodge in the highlands recently.
Strange deaths, eh?
Sensing a plot hook, a red herring, or a death lure, they think it might be worth checking out. But first, Lucifer, Chad, and Cobblebottom decide to check the newspaper and search for old articles relating to the Carlyle Expedition five years ago in 1919. The streets are filled with vendors and buyers from many nationalities, as well as a prominent British garrison of armed soldiers. The investigators are careful to make sure their shotguns are left at the Hampton House, although they carry concealed pistols.
When they arrive, they find that The Nairobi Star is a small, white clapboard building in whitetown, maintained for many years now by its writer, editor and widowed founder: Mrs. Natalie Smyth-Forbes.
“Hello, gentlemen. May I help you? I am extremely busy right now with the next issue.”
She is a graying woman in her mid-fifties, who takes an immediate flirtatious liking to Lester Cobblebottom. Cobblebottom doesn’t know how to react (or Jeff for that matter!) A quick roll of the dice determines that Cobblebottom happens to be a 45-year old virgin...
Flustered, flattered, and ultimately embarrassed, Lester Cobblebottom stammers, sweats, and fidgets, which only makes him more endearing to the elderly editor. While Cobblebottom investigates the records, in very close proximity to Natalie Smyth-Forbes, her hand on his shoulder, Chad and Lucifer decide that might it is better to let nature takes its course (as unnatural as heterosexuality is to Chad Slambody) so they head into Nairobi to find some guides. Eventually they will have to head into the bush (no pun intended) to find the location of the Carlyle massacre.
Meanwhile, Cobblebottom finds two useful articles.
One picture features Hyapatia Masters who, in Cobblebottom's professional opinion, looks extremely pregnant. Another picture is of five hanged Nandi tribesmen, who were accused of brutalizing the Carlyle expedition. Natalie remembers each person from the Carlyle Expedition, she interacted with them personally, albeit briefly, and gives her opinions. Roger was strange, she says, and Natalie was sweet, but seemed very tired all of the time. Sir Aubrey Penhew could be overbearing and rude. It isn’t much to go on.
She is interrupted by heavy knocking on the door. Sighing, she opens it to reveal a man with a flaming red moustache.
“Mrs. Forbes!” he roars. “With extreme displeasure I must come here yet AGAIN to vent about your publication. I am a legitimate business owner running a legitimate business, and your typed crockery is not helping my material assets! Cease and desist, woman! CEASE AND DESIST!”
Frowning, but not budging, Natalie coldly introduces Lester to the boisterous, volatile, Colonel Endicott, owner of the Nairobi Game Lodge, who is furious that Mrs. Smyth-Forbes continues to shed his establishment in a poor light. The deaths were accidents! They shouldn’t have gone out there if they couldn’t rough it, and so on and so forth. He blames the deaths on naivety. One doesn’t go on a professional game hunt expecting to shoot poodles.
Natalie vehemently disagrees and feels that it is her personal and civic duty to tell the news how she sees it; if the lodge environment is dangerous, then the community has the right to know. A shouting match ensues, but Cobblebottom cleverly worms his way in between, diffuses the situation, and asks if Colonel Endicott will take him to the lodge. Endicott is pleased by the offer, stating how he can see that Lester is a natural sportsman and hunter, and a date is set for the next morning: 9 am sharp...
...and a dinner date is set for Natalie and Lester for that night, once the Colonel has left.
While enjoying the company of a vivacious older woman, Lucifer and his manservant Chad Slambody decide that they need more dynamite: they are down to two sticks, and there is nothing in the world more useful than explosives. They get lucky and find a heavily guarded depot outside of town that stocks blasting caps and powder for railway construction. However, getting into the locked and guarded area won’t be so easy.
But Chad and Lucifer are long time compatriots in crime, and they devise a plan. Stripping his clothes away, despite the chill at night, and slathering himself in dark paint, Chad slinks like a shadow to the rear of the compound. In the meantime, his devious associate Lardlover boldly strolls to the gate and demands the attention of the four armed British soldiers.
These men are not impressed by this tall man in a top hat and cloak, but, Lardlover soon employs impressive sleight of hand, flattery, and a keen use of words. Chad uses this distraction to sneak by, break a lock on an interior door, and infiltrate a storage room. Meanwhile, Lardlover proves himself as an impressive showman.
He first wows the guards with magic tricks and eventually a well-placed FIST OF YOG-SOTHOTH! against an innocent apple, exploding the fruit into a hundred wet pieces and cracking the cinderblocks behind it.
[GM Note: This whole theft sequence was actually very lengthy]
Inside, Chad finds a case of dynamite and is able to get out another door. Their heist is successful, and the guards are awed by the illusory powers of the Great Lucifer Lardlover, magician extraordinaire. He promises them tickets to his show in Brussels if they ever make it out that way, and they give him a standing ovation as he bows and slides into the darkness. Mission accomplished.
But later that night...
…the investigators are woken by familiar, eerie whining and whistling, soon accompanied by the crackle and whoosh of flames. Two more fire vampires! The sound alone is enough to send everyone into a panic, but they’re trapped in their rooms. These horrible creatures have materialized practically at their bedsides, and the results are disastrous. They throw pans of water at them, but Cobblebottom is almost killed when the spitting sparks drain his Constitution. He collapses unconscious to the floor, beginning to smolder. Chad Slambody escapes with the case of stolen dynamite by crashing - naked yet again - out of a two-story window. Chang is caught on fire as he flees out the door, dragging the unconscious Lester behind him. Lucifer manages to grab one of their trunks of clues, gear and ammunition and hauls it with him. The hallway is filled with hotel guests and they all rush out of the building together, running for the street as people daisy-chain buckets of water and spray hoses to quench the fire.
The night ends with the Hampton House burning and smoking, and the investigator’s belongings possibly destroyed. From the detonated warehouse in Mombasa, to the burning train in the low country, and now a ravaged hotel in Nairobi, flame and destruction follow on their heels wherever they go, and the investigators realize this time that they could possibly be blamed...
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