[D20 CoC] Beyond the Mountains of Madness - Chapter 1; Recruiting Alternate Players

[Drowned Hero]

Øyvind steps out of the cab and goes trough the security guard, he looks around and walk north to the USS Gabrielle, trying to keep out of the way of all the activities at the dock.
Some workers swear when Øyvind steps one some rubber hose that feed the cooling system of a machine, used to pull cargo over the ripe.

As he closes in at the ship he realizes how big it actually is. “big ship for a long journey” he says to himself... As he gets closer Øyvind starts to look around searching for some naval authority

The Captain is maybe around?

Øyvind pick his letter out of his jacket and read it again to see if he overlooked something in the instructions.

As soon as you are able, please be so kind as to report to Dr. Moore at the SS Gabrielle. Pier 74-B, 12th Avenue at 34th, next to the Italian Royal Mail berth.

"Ah... of curse" he boards the ship and asks the first person he sees "excuse me mister" "you seen Dr. Moore? or the Captain maybe?"

 

[Job]

Øyvind looks around and walk north to the USS Gabrielle, trying to keep out of the way of all the activities at the dock.

He walks down the 600 foot long pier to find his way onto the ship. A long narrow shed runs down the center of the pier, fifty feet wide and thirty feet high in the center. The shed's interior is piled with cargo--boxes, bales, drums, and pallets stacked fifteen feet high in three long rows with narrow aisles in between.

A raliway track runs along each side the of pier between the shed and the ship. Boxcars stand here and there on the tracks next to large open doors. Crews of dockworkers stream up and down ramps between the boxcars and the shed, shifting cargo into the interior or moving it onto pallets and nets. The ship's cargo booms labor high overhead to shift cargo into the Gabrielle's holds.

Øyvind asks the first person [on the dock] he sees "excuse me mister" "you seen Dr. Moore? or the Captain maybe?"

A tall, muscular, heavily-sweating worker in grey shirt and coveralls stops wrestling with a crate and stares at Øyvind for a moment, then snorts derisively and points up the pier towards a ramp onto the Gabrielle, saying "He's usually in the Ship's Mess."

Climbing the gangway up to the ship's deck, 3 stories above the pier, you dodge various maritime types who all seem to be in a hurry to go up or down the gangway. At the top of the ramp is a crewmember who stops Øyvind, looks him over, and asks "Where ya goin', Mac?"

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

 

[Drowned Hero]

"He's usually in the Ship's Mess."


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

"yes yes" "the mess" after getting the location of the mess from the worker he goes over to the ramp and walks upwards...

On his way up he sees the volume of gear being moved from the dock over at the ship. For the moment is seems that It was the food that is being placed in the cargo room. He sees a man that must be the cook, indicating where he wanted placed, some of the crates. "yes! The carrots under the onions! and the meat barrels under! the chicken cages! Can’t you see that if you place the barrels over he cages they will smash the chicken cages?! and we will end up without any eggs!" "you tell me how I am supposed to make omelette if I don’t have chickens to XXX eggs?!"
The short man was furious... he suddenly looks up at Øyvind that had stopped to contemplate he scene "what are you looking at?!" "Can’t you see I'm are busy?!" the cook then hears the noise of a barrel that falls and cracks open "damn you!" "be careful with the barrels of rise!" the voice faints as the little man disappear between a huge box with a sign saying 'blankets' and a series of piled rise barrels.

Øyvind meets a second worker that eyes him when he steps off the ramp.

"Where ya goin', Mac?"

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

"I'm looking for Dr.Moore or the Captain" "I'm one of the crew members to explore the Miskatonic Mountain Range" "my name is Øyvind Raknes" he says chacking the mans hand and bowing a deep bow "I was told they usually are to be found in the ship's Mess"... waiting for an answer Øyvind puts his hand in his pocket and drag up a small black metal box. He takes out a black sticky mass, and slips it under his upper lip and accommodates the mass with his tongue in a smooth move “want some ‘snus’ Mr?“ “It’s directly imported from Sweden” ... "It gives you a good sensation of comfort, almost like a good cigarette would do"...

 

[Job]

Øyvind meets a second worker that eyes him when he steps off the ramp.

"I'm looking for Dr.Moore or the Captain" "I'm one of the crew members to explore the Miskatonic Mountain Range" "my name is Øyvind Raknes" he says shaking the man's hand and bowing a deep bow "I was told they usually are to be found in the ship's Mess"... waiting for an answer Øyvind puts his hand in his pocket and drag up a small black metal box. He takes out a black sticky mass, and slips it under his upper lip and accommodates the mass with his tongue in a smooth move “want some ‘snus’ Mr?“ “It’s directly imported from Sweden” ... "It gives you a good sensation of comfort, almost like a good cigarette would do"...

The worker at the top of the ramp grimaces in disgust, shakes his head, and says "Nah, no thanks! I don't chew that stuff. Dr. Moore is in the Crew's Mess, through that door up there..." He points upwards to a door at the top of a stairway along the outside of the midship structure. "Take a left just inside the door, then follow the corridor until it turns right. You can't miss it."

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

 

[Drowned Hero]

"Take a left just inside the door, then follow the corridor until it turns right. You can't miss it."

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

Øyvind enters the door, take the left corridor and walks to it turns right. He sees a door ans some noise coming from inside.
He fixes his collar and open the door. "Hello Hello" "Im Øyvind Raknes" "Im here to meet Dr.Moore" he looks around in the room.

 

[Watus]

A typewritten letter

Mr. James Starkweather
Amherst Hotel
New York City, New York
USA

Dear Sir:

Forgive me the presumption of introducing myself. I am Dr. Vitus X. Lambert and I wish to offer you my services as physician and climber on your trek to the Antarctic interior. As we have not yet made our acquaintance, allow me to present my qualifications.

First, as physician: I have recently completed my residency in General Surgery at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, where I have been honored with an invitation to join the faculty. Previously, I have obtained degrees in the natural sciences at L'Université de Genève and in medicine at Cambridge University, where I recieved my clinical education at St. Batholomew's Hospital, London. I am acknowledged a superior diagnostician and surgeon, and am well versed in the maladies attendant to prolonged cold and privation.

As to my qualifications as an alpinist, I learned at the feet of my father, who was the president of the local chapter of Le Club Alpin Suisse in Sion, Canton du Valais. Last summer I followed the Schmid route up the north face of the Matterhorn, and, as you must be aware, was among the first to do so. I have also summitted on Mt. Blanc, Mt. Rosa, Mt. Mischabelhorner, Monte di Scerscen, and a score of others in a half dozen countries. While studying in Geneva in 1925 I had the good fortune to be named champion at the Swiss National Ski-running Championships in Les Diablerets, and am also an accomplished skater and swimmer. Furthermore, in fulfilling my military service obligations, I was certified as a marksman by l'Armée Suisse.

Should you require references, I would be happy to provide them.

Eagerly awaiting your reply, I am,

Yours Sincerely,

Vitus X. Lambert

Dr. Vitus X. Lambert
Ivy Hall Apartments
10 East 33rd Street
Baltimore, Maryland
USA

 

[Morpheus]

Martin walks up the gangplank of the Gabrielle-deftly avoiding the stevedores who are loading goods onto the ship.
"Excuse me, sir. which way to the meeting of the Expedition members?"

 

[Anatomist]

George Barrow - Scientist

Mr. James Starkweather
Amherst Hotel
New York City, New York

Dear Mr. Starkweather. My name is George Barrow a biologist with specialisation in biochemistry and this few last years an seeker for more marvelous substances called antibiotics. I'm sure you Mr. Starkweather are up to date with the incredible discoveries of Dr. Fleming some years ago, being you such a good friend of Dr.Moore, distinct gentleman of science.

My contribution to this expedition would be my expertise in all biological processes analysis of data, microscopic analysis of ice samples, classification of biological samples and more so many other thing that falls under the category of science.
Most of all I offer my capacity of analysis, having worked scientifically all my life with numerous projects, I find myself capable to recollect, store, organize and analyze all kind of information this journey can offer.

You must not believe I'm a lab rat Mr. Starkweather, I have a good amount of expeditions in the body, of curse, not of this magnitude but i have already been in Alaska and north parts of Canada, recollecting samples of plant serums, and bacterias that have cold environments as habitat.
Having from those opportunities a fair experience working in snow and low temperatures.

Sincerely,

George Barrow
Soley Street 27
Boston

 

[Job]

Øyvind enters the door, take the left corridor and walks...

Øyvind senses something amiss. The air thickens and presses upon him; the grey-blue corridor seems to twist and stretch before him like a writhing serpent, it's end seemingly miles distant, cloaked in darkness. Øyvind reaches up and uses his arms to steady himself against the cold steel hull and feels a deep, rhythmic thrum within the metal. A painful cramp jabs his belly, doubling him over, and sweat seeps from his pores. A shriek, rapidly increasing in intensity, is heard down the corridor and Øyvind looks up to see the far darkness boiling and heaving. The air begins flowing towards Oyvind, carrying a sickening stench, pushed from something large that is hurtling his way, a locomotive of despair and pain, accompanied by that awful shriek...

...and the moment snaps back...

...as Øyvind lurches backwards, away from the oncoming horror, stumbling in the ship's corridor which now appears normal. The howling shriek is gone and the corridor, brightly lit from sunshine through the portholes, plainly turns right about 20 feet ahead. He can feel a gentle sway of the large vessel as it moves with the tide.

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

 

[Job]

Starkweather Response to Dr. Vitus X. Lambert

August 30, 1933​

Dr. Vitus X. Lambert
Ivy Hall Apartments
10 East 33rd Street
Baltimore, Maryland
USA

Dear Dr. Lambert,

Thank you for your letter of August 27th. It is indeed an honor, sir, to accept your application to become a team member of the Starkweather—Moore Expedition of 1933.

I must admit, Dr. Lambert, that your outstanding credentials and references have renewed my confidence in our success! How could we do otherwise in the expert care of a physician with accolades from the world-reknowned Johns Hopkins University as well as L'Université de Genève and Cambridge University? I suspect that your studies of the effects of harsh temperatures on the human condition will prove especially insightful, especially in light of the fact that you are obviously capable of handling yourself in adverse environments so as to better attend to our team.

This is indeed an auspicious beginning! Sir, you should know that for ever after this expedition, your name will be writ large in the annuls of history. You will be regarded as legend! The Starkweather-Moore Antarctic Expedition of 1933 will be long remembered as one of momentous consequence having swept back the curtain of mankind's knowledge and exposed the secrets of the ancients for all to study and admire for centuries. We will be giants amongst history's greatest! I salute your spirit, Sir!

As soon as you are able, please be so kind as to report to Dr. Moore at the SS Gabrielle. Pier 74-B, 12th Avenue at 34th, next to the Italian Royal Mail berth.

Sincerely,

​

James Starkweather
Expedition Leader​

Amherst Hotel
8th Avenue and 44th Street
New York City, New York​