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The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep d20
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<blockquote data-quote="Nebulous" data-source="post: 4271531" data-attributes="member: 31465"><p><span style="font-size: 12px">PART 2: The Tall Man</span></p><p></p><p>There are no real roads on the route they're taking, just a mish-mash of dry tire ruts and cattle tracks. It is bumpy and hot and sweaty, and they pop a tire by the end of the first day. While changing the tire that evening they spot a cloud of dust approaching in the distance. Cautious, they unclasp their guns, but it is just a cattle herd with five or six cowboys ranging inland from the desert. </p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/herd.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>They're sociable enough, but warn the investigators of "strange sounds" they've been hearing in the desert at night. Something even stole some of their herd! They're spooked and heading back to Cuncudgerie for a spell.</p><p></p><p>The group debates whether they should stay at Dingo Falls for the protection and fresh water offered there, but Chad Slambody is INSISTENT that the group keep their distance. Don't they remember what the locals said? The Slatterly clan lives near there, and that means trouble! So the group avoids the dangling plot hook (and 3 pages of the campaign book) and camps out in the desert.</p><p></p><p>The night passes without incident, and on dawn of Day Two they set off again. Past Dingo Falls, heading East toward Gumgy Well, they spot a ramshackle house on a hill about a quarter mile away. Even from that distance, the eerie jangle of a banjo wafts down to them from a kid playing on the front porch, watching as they pass by... </p><p></p><p><span style="color: Red">(GM Note: and yes, this was a Deliverance scenario with requisite banjo music. "Squeal like a piggy, Chad!")</span></p><p></p><p>I had the whole thing set up:</p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/house.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/jacko.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/vern.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/frank.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>By that afternoon the group spots an odd rock structure atop a shallow plateau. Deciding to stop and rest, both Lester and Hans are intrigued by the potential archaeological significance of this item, as it surely manmade. Dodge tells them it is called the Singing Stone, from the way wind whistles through a hole. Hans and Lester clamber to the stop to study the Stone and make notes, even a charcoal rubbing of old hieroglyphics.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/stone.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>But bent over, Hans sees a tall shadow fall across him. And it's not Lester. The wind has grown still. Hans feels a presence immediately behind him, and turning slowly, he is shocked to see a thin, gaunt humanoid nearly eight feet tall!</p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/tallman.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>[GM Note: I actually used the pic from the campaign book, but didn't have it here to scan].</p><p></p><p>It seems to be an Aboriginal man at first glance, but the unnaturally long fingers and jutting canine teeth denote a different species, or some undiscovered offshoot. The strange man has apparently appeared through a gaping hole in the rock that was not there moments before. Hans kicks Lester, whose mouth falls open at the sight. Hans also notices that further down the slope, where the trucks are parked at the bottom, the wind is kicking up dust devils, yet it is ominously still and quiet at the top of the rise.</p><p></p><p>The strange man is horribly thin and bears a wooden staff topped by a small skull. He stares intently at Hans and Lester, so Hans makes a stammering attempt to greet him in the native Koori tongue.</p><p></p><p>The Tall Man squats and begins drawing on the rocks and sand with incredible speed. Hans and Lester watch, mesmerized. The drawing that emerges is one of uncertain horrors. An amorphous thing of flailing arms and mouths, and men dying in its grasp. Hans continues to questions the Tall Man, but there is a distinct communication barrier between them. The Tall Man does not speak except through images that are drawn with alarming speed and precision. More pictures illustrate themselves upon the sand, and Hans begins to understand. The Tall Man points to the crevice from which he emerged.</p><p></p><p>He wants them to follow. Hans nudges Lester down the hill to grab Chad and the others, and Hans continues his strange conversation.</p><p></p><p>Details about a creature called "The Living Wind" emerge, something that is inimical to the Tall Man and his people. He is asking for help to kill this Living Wind. And what insane investigator can turn down a dark crack in a rock housing unnameable horrors?</p><p><span style="color: Red"></span></p><p><span style="color: Red">[GM note: and here we reach the Unexpected Detour where the players deviate from what I THOUGHT they would do (shun the uncertain route), and entered down the path of "Oh, my God, what have they done...?" Meanwhile skipping, mind you, the entire Slatterly clan encounter (and two other encounters) which would have been much less dangerous excursions].</span></p><p></p><p>A short while later Dodge and Chad and Lester have returned to the top, although Dodge is ADAMANT about not following this strange man down into a strange hole to kill an unstoppable strange thing made out of wind. But the investigators are full of bravado, ammunition and dynamite, and what on earth can resist that potent combination? They agree to help the Tall Man, and take three of the Abo mooks with them. The other three stay back with Dodge, who agrees to wait just three days to see if they will return or not, then he's heading on to the coordinates of the lost city by himself. [GM Note: I actually made an error, the Mimi Tall Man was not supposed to let them go unless all 10 went, but oh well.]</p><p></p><p>So, making sure they have plenty of rope and headlamps, checking their ammunition, the group follow the Tall Man into the narrow crevice. With a wave of a spindly finger, the Singing Stone seals shut behind them and darkness envelopes the party. They abruptly feel themselves falling as if through molasses, and colored lights flash and burn in their corneas. The sensation is sickening and unsettling, but over almost as soon as it begins, and they find themselves in a circular cavern illuminated by dimly glowing crystals. But they are not alone. </p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/extinct.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>There are perhaps fifteen of the Tall Man's tribe here as well, watching furtively from the shadows, along with massive mummified remains of a nearly extinct species…</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nebulous, post: 4271531, member: 31465"] [SIZE=3]PART 2: The Tall Man[/SIZE] There are no real roads on the route they're taking, just a mish-mash of dry tire ruts and cattle tracks. It is bumpy and hot and sweaty, and they pop a tire by the end of the first day. While changing the tire that evening they spot a cloud of dust approaching in the distance. Cautious, they unclasp their guns, but it is just a cattle herd with five or six cowboys ranging inland from the desert. [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/herd.jpg[/img] They're sociable enough, but warn the investigators of "strange sounds" they've been hearing in the desert at night. Something even stole some of their herd! They're spooked and heading back to Cuncudgerie for a spell. The group debates whether they should stay at Dingo Falls for the protection and fresh water offered there, but Chad Slambody is INSISTENT that the group keep their distance. Don't they remember what the locals said? The Slatterly clan lives near there, and that means trouble! So the group avoids the dangling plot hook (and 3 pages of the campaign book) and camps out in the desert. The night passes without incident, and on dawn of Day Two they set off again. Past Dingo Falls, heading East toward Gumgy Well, they spot a ramshackle house on a hill about a quarter mile away. Even from that distance, the eerie jangle of a banjo wafts down to them from a kid playing on the front porch, watching as they pass by... [COLOR=Red](GM Note: and yes, this was a Deliverance scenario with requisite banjo music. "Squeal like a piggy, Chad!")[/COLOR] I had the whole thing set up: [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/house.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/jacko.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/vern.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/frank.jpg[/img] By that afternoon the group spots an odd rock structure atop a shallow plateau. Deciding to stop and rest, both Lester and Hans are intrigued by the potential archaeological significance of this item, as it surely manmade. Dodge tells them it is called the Singing Stone, from the way wind whistles through a hole. Hans and Lester clamber to the stop to study the Stone and make notes, even a charcoal rubbing of old hieroglyphics. [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/stone.jpg[/img] But bent over, Hans sees a tall shadow fall across him. And it's not Lester. The wind has grown still. Hans feels a presence immediately behind him, and turning slowly, he is shocked to see a thin, gaunt humanoid nearly eight feet tall! [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/tallman.jpg[/img] [GM Note: I actually used the pic from the campaign book, but didn't have it here to scan]. It seems to be an Aboriginal man at first glance, but the unnaturally long fingers and jutting canine teeth denote a different species, or some undiscovered offshoot. The strange man has apparently appeared through a gaping hole in the rock that was not there moments before. Hans kicks Lester, whose mouth falls open at the sight. Hans also notices that further down the slope, where the trucks are parked at the bottom, the wind is kicking up dust devils, yet it is ominously still and quiet at the top of the rise. The strange man is horribly thin and bears a wooden staff topped by a small skull. He stares intently at Hans and Lester, so Hans makes a stammering attempt to greet him in the native Koori tongue. The Tall Man squats and begins drawing on the rocks and sand with incredible speed. Hans and Lester watch, mesmerized. The drawing that emerges is one of uncertain horrors. An amorphous thing of flailing arms and mouths, and men dying in its grasp. Hans continues to questions the Tall Man, but there is a distinct communication barrier between them. The Tall Man does not speak except through images that are drawn with alarming speed and precision. More pictures illustrate themselves upon the sand, and Hans begins to understand. The Tall Man points to the crevice from which he emerged. He wants them to follow. Hans nudges Lester down the hill to grab Chad and the others, and Hans continues his strange conversation. Details about a creature called "The Living Wind" emerge, something that is inimical to the Tall Man and his people. He is asking for help to kill this Living Wind. And what insane investigator can turn down a dark crack in a rock housing unnameable horrors? [COLOR=Red] [GM note: and here we reach the Unexpected Detour where the players deviate from what I THOUGHT they would do (shun the uncertain route), and entered down the path of "Oh, my God, what have they done...?" Meanwhile skipping, mind you, the entire Slatterly clan encounter (and two other encounters) which would have been much less dangerous excursions].[/COLOR] A short while later Dodge and Chad and Lester have returned to the top, although Dodge is ADAMANT about not following this strange man down into a strange hole to kill an unstoppable strange thing made out of wind. But the investigators are full of bravado, ammunition and dynamite, and what on earth can resist that potent combination? They agree to help the Tall Man, and take three of the Abo mooks with them. The other three stay back with Dodge, who agrees to wait just three days to see if they will return or not, then he's heading on to the coordinates of the lost city by himself. [GM Note: I actually made an error, the Mimi Tall Man was not supposed to let them go unless all 10 went, but oh well.] So, making sure they have plenty of rope and headlamps, checking their ammunition, the group follow the Tall Man into the narrow crevice. With a wave of a spindly finger, the Singing Stone seals shut behind them and darkness envelopes the party. They abruptly feel themselves falling as if through molasses, and colored lights flash and burn in their corneas. The sensation is sickening and unsettling, but over almost as soon as it begins, and they find themselves in a circular cavern illuminated by dimly glowing crystals. But they are not alone. [img]http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/Masks/extinct.jpg[/img] There are perhaps fifteen of the Tall Man's tribe here as well, watching furtively from the shadows, along with massive mummified remains of a nearly extinct species… [/QUOTE]
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