[D20 CoC] Beyond the Mountains of Madness Campaign - Prologue

[Job]

The End of Questions for Camille

Detective Hansen finishes up...
[sblock]

"Is there anything that you can remember about Lawrence Longfellow that could explain what he did? Was there anything that he said, or any unusual quirks that stand out in your mind, that might give us a clue as to what might have motivated him to take his own life?"

Casting back her thoughts to the period right before Longfellow's death, she found she could not recall any actual words spoken by him. The crowd had swallowed up anything he could have been saying. "No, Monsieur. I was not close enough to hear anything that was said by him. In fact, I only actually saw him briefly right before the gun episode. As I recall, he had looked ill, perhaps, and wobbly on his feet, as well. But he did not seem distressed, at least from my position. Pardonnez-moi for not being more helpful."

The Detective responds, "Very well, Ms. Bardier. Thank you for agreeing to talk to us. Because our investigations are not yet complete, please do not leave New York City until I get back in touch with you. I will need some time to study the results of our investigations and I may have additional questions. You are free to go."

With that, the Detective opens the door and gestures for you to leave.
[/sblock]

 

[Job]

The Week Following the Fundraiser

OOC - A week in gametime passes between the fundraiser and the event at the start of this new thread: Chapter 1 of the BtMoM Campaign.

Characters are free to take any actions during this week of gametime that seem reasonable, and we'll play those closing actions out here in this thread over the next two or three weeks of realtime. You are also free to begin actions within the Chapter 1 thread.

I may also have one or two final events of this prologue, so please continue to check this thread until I post a final closure note.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks! And Good Work to One and All!!
Job (the tortured one).

 

[Morpheus]

Continuing Questions...
[sblock]
Detective Mills responds, "And I assume that you'd be more than willing to show us the photos that you took this evening, Mr. LeBlanc?"

"I would show some pictures, Detective, however I am here as a guest and not in a photographer role. Sorry, I don't even have my camera. If you would like to see some of my work, you may call my editor-in-chief at Life magazine, Mr. Harry Wogenhatz. I'm sure he will vouch for my ability."

Supervisor Mills then asks, "Are you sure of this, Mr. LeBlanc? I assumed that Camille Bardier knew you since she put enough faith in your abilities that she could continue eating during a dangerous situation. And we can't seem to find her on any of the guest lists, or on the Expedition roster, so it would be important information for us if you could remember exactly where you've seen her."

"A couple of different places. In the lobby of the hotel; in passing from Expedition functions. I actually spoke to her-small talk, mind you-at one such function. I believe it was the unveiling of the new ship-I'm not absolutley certain."


When Supervisor Mills appears to be finished with his questions, the other plainclothes policeman who's been sitting quietly and patiently observing and listening, leans forward and asks, "Mr. LeBlanc, is there anything that you can remember about Lawrence Longfellow that could explain what he did? Was there anything that he said, or any unusual quirks that stand out in your mind, that might give us a clue as to what might have motivated him to take his own life?" [/sblock]

"He mentioned that we were all going to die down there, but that he wasn't. He seemed quite adamant about that. I hope this information will prove to be of some help to you."

 

[The Shaman]

Paco...[sblock]“I am certain that this man had the gun in his hand when I reached him,” Paco replies with conviction.

Compared to the events of earlier in the evening, the stress questioning by the supervisor doesn’t phase the mountaineer. “I have not attended a dinner party in Chile where someone attempted to shoot the host, policía,” he replies, his face composed. Punch? Yes. Stab? Once. Shoot? Never.

“A member of our expedition was in danger, and I followed another member to help. I did not know,” he continues, his tone frank, “that such a thing would be so - ” he searches for the word “ - unexpected, in America, señor.”

The news that Longfellow was to be a member of the expedition hits Paco like a sledgehammer, his composure lost for a brief moment. “I did not know this. This is bad, very bad.”[/sblock]

 

[Job]

Final Questions with Martin LeBlanc[sblock]

"He mentioned that we were all going to die down there, but that he wasn't. He seemed quite adamant about that. I hope this information will prove to be of some help to you."

The policeman looked puzzled, and said nothing for a moment. He then looked down and wrote in a small notepad that he was holding, saying, "But that makes no sense. Why didn't he simply quit the expedition?" From the tone of his voice, you got the impression that he wasn't really asking you to answer his question. When he finished writing, he looked up, frowned, and shook his head. "Strange, wouldn't you say, Mr. LeBlanc? If you remember anything else, anything else at all, even if it seems trivial, please contact me. I'm Detective Hansen and I can be reached just by calling the station."

Finally, Supervisor Mills stepped forward, saying, "Thank you, Mr. LeBlanc. Please remain in New York City until further notice from our department. We may have additional questions." With that, he turned and opened the door, gesturing for you to leave.[/sblock]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Job (the tortured one).

 

[Job]

Follow-up Questions for Paco...[sblock]

Compared to the events of earlier in the evening, the stress questioning by the supervisor doesn’t phase the mountaineer. “I have not attended a dinner party in Chile where someone attempted to shoot the host, policía,” he replies, his face composed. Punch? Yes. Stab? Once. Shoot? Never.

This comment elicits a quickly-stifled chuckle from the detective in the corner.

“A member of our expedition was in danger, and I followed another member to help. I did not know,” he continues, his tone frank, “that such a thing would be so - ” he searches for the word “ - unexpected, in America, señor.”

Immediately after this additional comment from Paco, Supervisor Mills turned his head and glared at his partner who was looking at the floor with his hand covering his mouth, shoulders shaking.

The news that Longfellow was to be a member of the expedition hits Paco like a sledgehammer, his composure lost for a brief moment. “I did not know this. This is bad, very bad.”[/sblock]

"Yes," responded Supervisor Mills, "it's quite bad and it's quite puzzling. Do you remember anything about Mr. Longfellow--something he may have said or did--that might explain his strange behavior?"

 

[The Shaman]

[sblock]The memory of the dying man’s words runs like a cold chill across Paco’s neck, and he shivers slightly at the sound of Longfellow’s voice in his head.

“He said we are all going to die down there.” The words hang in the air. “I do not know why. He sounded so - ” the mountaineer looks straight into Mills’ eyes “ - so certain, almost as if he had foreseen it.”[/sblock]

 

[Morpheus]

Martin walks out the door-puzzled as to why the police would want him to remain in New York until further notice.

 

[Job]

Another question for Paco...
[sblock]

The memory of the dying man’s words runs like a cold chill across Paco’s neck, and he shivers slightly at the sound of Longfellow’s voice in his head.

“He said we are all going to die down there.” The words hang in the air. “I do not know why. He sounded so - ” the mountaineer looks straight into Mills’ eyes “ - so certain, almost as if he had foreseen it.”

Upon hearing Paco's words, Detective Hansen stood and walked to the table, mouth slightly open, staring at Paco. After a few seconds, he said, "Mr. Guerini, I believe that Lawrence knew something, but I don't know exactly what it means and I don't know where it came from. In his jacket we found..."

"J.J.!", interrupted Supervisor Mills, stepping directly in front of the Detective. "What are you doing? We can't yet divulge any..."

"Yes, John," said the Detective in a raised voice, coldly staring at the policeman, "I absolutely can if I think that it will help this case! And DAMN it, we're getting nowhere right now!"

The two men stared at each other for a few long moments, then Detective Hansen finally turned, looked at Paco, and began speaking again in a much lower and calmer voice. "In Lawrence's jacket we found a piece of paper. This one," he said as he gingerly retrieved a folded note from his jacket pocket. He carefully unfolded the paper and looked at it, saying "Scrawled on the paper is this strange, incomplete poem:"

"Deep in my dream the great bird whispered queerly
Of the black cone amid the polar waste;
Pushing above the ice-sheet lone and drearly,
By storm-crazed aeons battered and defaced.
Hither no living earth-shapes take their courses,
And only pale auroras and faint suns
Glow on that pitted rock, whose primal sources
Are guessed at dimly by the..."

"And it just ends there. The writer's shaky handwriting trails off, never to finish the verse," said the Detective as he returned his gaze back up into Paco's eyes. "Is there anything in that writing that means anything at all to you, Mr. Guerini? If so, please tell me."[/sblock]

 

[Taokan]

Once again Camille was in the line for the front desk, though hopefully in the intervening hours the last clerk had left; although she had removed any and all remains from dinner, (including all doodads/makeup and the hideous dress) there was a chance she's still be recognized. "Pardonnez-moi, monsieur, but I am looking for Monsieur Starkweather; I need to speak with him. Is he still around this area, or must I go to his room?"

This would only work if Starkweather was still in the general area, or if the clerk finally gave out Starkweather's room number. Camille snorted derisively. What were they expecting, an assassination attempt? In any case, if this truly didn't work, she could always scour the hotel for him, though knocking on every door didn't sound appealing.