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

[Taokanf]

"Miss Bardier! Are you alright down there?"

Camille made her way over to the trapdoor, tugging her boot on along the way, which resulted in a curious sort of shuffling hobble. When her whole form was illuminated by the square of light, Camille raised her hand to wave but ended up shielding her eyes from the bright light of the electric torch. "I'm just fine, monsieur! The orginization down here leaves much to be desired though, I must admit. Have we brought along rat poison by any chance?" She added cheerfully.

 

[Job]

Martin quickly reaches into the folder and takes the papers within (and stuffs them into his pocket). He then turns nonchalantly towards the door...

A heartbeat later, the silhouette of a man of medium build walks to the hatchway and stops, looking in. He then steps into the mess hall and you recognize him.

Willard Griffith, Geologist

Willard looks at you for a moment, glances down at your jacket, then scans the makeshift office area, and finally asks, "Have you seen Doctor Moore? I have some equipment problems that require his attention."

[OOC - Martin's rushed attempt to hide the papers][sblock]Martin rolled a 10 (plus Sleight of Hand: 4 (1 Rank, +3 Dex, Non-Core)) = 14
You are unsure whether this succeeded.[/sblock]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Job (the tortured one).

 

[Morpheus]

"Alas, I came here looking for the good Doctor also and found him to be absent. I thought I heard a noise over behind the file cabinet and looked to see. You wouldn't happen to have a giant rat trap with you?"

 

[Job]

Camille made her way over to the trapdoor, tugging her boot on along the way, which resulted in a curious sort of shuffling hobble. When her whole form was illuminated by the square of light, Camille raised her hand to wave but ended up shielding her eyes from the bright light of the electric torch. "I'm just fine, monsieur! The organization down here leaves much to be desired though, I must admit. Have we brought along rat poison by any chance?" She added cheerfully.

Professor Moore looked through the floor hatch and down the ladder at Camille, then said, "I must admit that I'm impressed with your tenacity, Miss Bardier, even in the face of our apparent rodent problems. I'm coming down."

Moore grabbed hold of the ladder, swung himself over the opening, and carefully descended. At the bottom, he stepped away from the ladder, nodded at Camille, and then turned his attention to surveying the hold. The professor swept his beam of light over the half-completed wooden structures and scattered clusters of oil drums, then began shaking his head. "This will not do!", he exclaimed, then yelled up the ladder, "Mr. Barrow, please immediately find First Officer Turlow and bring him to me. He should be on the main deck, working with the stevedores. We are in no shape to receive that shipment of aeroplanes!"

In the dim light of the hold's hanging lamps, Camille could see Professor Moore's jawmuscles clenching and unclenching.

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

 

[Job]

"Alas, I came here looking for the good Doctor also and found him to be absent. I thought I heard a noise over behind the file cabinet and looked to see. You wouldn't happen to have a giant rat trap with you?"

Willard eyed Martin momentarily, then replied, "Yes, rats do tend to be a problem on large ships." After a slight pause, he continued, "And you might check with the ship's quartermaster about those traps", then turned and departed the mess hall.

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

 

[Morpheus]

Willard eyed Martin momentarily, then replied, "Yes, rats do tend to be a problem on large ships." After a slight pause, he continued, "And you might check with the ship's quartermaster about those traps", then turned and departed the mess hall.

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

Seeing that the coast is clear, Martin heads to the nearest empty head to look at the papers he found.

 

[Job]

Seeing that the coast is clear, Martin heads to the nearest empty head to look at the papers he found.

Ducking into the hallway's nearby water closet, Martin opens the folder to find a single piece of paper with the following notes, all handwritten in small, neat script:
[sblock]
M.U. Expedition Members

Douglas - Ship's Captain. Returned alive. Hired on as captain for Starkweather-Moore Expedition.

Professors
Atwood - Physicist and meteorologist. Dead.
Dyer - Geologist. Led the rescue at Lake's Camp. Returned alive; current location unknown.
Lake - Biologist and leader of the Lake's Camp group. Dead.
Pabodie - Engineer. Returned alive; currently teaching at Miscatonic University.

Graduate Students
Brennan - Physicist. Dead.
Carroll - Geologist and Pilot. Dead.
Danforth - Biologist and Pilot. Returned alive, hospitalized at Arkham Asylum.
Daniels - Biologist and Pilot. Dead.
Gedney - Engineer. Missing and presumed dead.
Moulton - Geologist, paleontologist, radioman, and pilot. Dead.
Ropes - Physicist and pilot. Returned alive. Location unknown.

Mechanics
Boudreau - Dead.
Fowler - Dead.
McTighe - Returned alive. Radioman at King's Head radio station.
Mills - Dead.
Orrendorf - Dead.
Sherman - Returned alive. Location unknown.
Watkins - Dead.
Williamson - Returned alive. Location unknown.
Wylie - Returned alive. Location unknown.
[/sblock]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Job (the tortured one).

 

[Morpheus]

Perhaps speaking to this Professor Pabodie before we set sail would be prudent, thinks Martin.

 

[Job]

Perhaps speaking to this Professor Pabodie before we set sail would be prudent, thinks Martin.

Martin ponders the trip to Arkham, Massachusetts, a small town athwart the banks of the Miskatonic River, about 22 miles North-Northeast of Boston. The total distance from New York City is approximately 250 miles, one way, perhaps 8 hours of travel by motorcar, bus, or train.

How might he gain Professor Moore's agreement for his absence?

Another option might be through use of the telephone. If Professor Pabodie would speak to him of such matters over the phone...

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

 

[Job]

The professor swept his beam of light over the half-completed wooden structures and scattered clusters of oil drums, then began shaking his head. "This will not do!", he exclaimed, then yelled up the ladder, "Mr. Barrow, please immediately find First Officer Turlow and bring him to me. He should be on the main deck, working with the stevedores. We are in no shape to receive that shipment of aeroplanes!"

In the dim light of the hold's hanging lamps, Camille could see Professor Moore's jawmuscles clenching and unclenching.

In a spasm of furious activity, a multitude of carpenters and stevedores decended into the lower hold and attacked the unfinished scaffolding. While Moore bellowed orders and gesticulated, Camille tested the structures and George stayed out of the way. Øyvind, Enke, and Olav, of course, lifted and carried and pushed and sweated.

Eventually, hours later, all was in order. Professor Moore wiped his brow and dismissed the crew, then thanked the team for their efforts. Before leaving the hold, he flipped through papers on his clipboard to find empty space, touched a pen to his tongue, and began taking copious notes.

So ended another day of preparation.

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

 

[Morpheus]

Martin ponders the trip to Arkham, Massachusetts, a small town athwart the banks of the Miskatonic River, about 22 miles North-Northeast of Boston. The total distance from New York City is approximately 250 miles, one way, perhaps 8 hours of travel by motorcar, bus, or train.

How might he gain Professor Moore's agreement for his absence?

Another option might be through use of the telephone. If Professor Pabodie would speak to him of such matters over the phone...

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

Martin lifts the telephone off its receiver.
"Hello? Operator? Please put me through to Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachusetts. I'll wait."
Once Martin gets through, he asks for Professor Pabodie...

 

[Job]

Martin lifts the telephone off its receiver.
"Hello? Operator? Please put me through to Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachusetts. I'll wait."
Once Martin gets through, he asks for Professor Pabodie...

A deep, but soft voice broke through the slight static on the line.

"Hello. Professor Pabodie speaking.

...

Martin LeBlanc? I believe that I've seen some of your work in American Geographic magazine. Yes, I remember meeting you at the Starkweather-Moore dinner in New York City.

...a slight pause...

Just before that unfortunate incident. How may I help you?"

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

 

[Morpheus]

A deep, but soft voice broke through the slight static on the line.



Just before that unfortunate incident. How may I help you?"

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

"Professor Pabodie, I was calling to ask you for an interview, but I feel that I may not have enough time for such. If I were to get you a train ticket, would you be willing to come to New York? I have found a few...inconsistencies...in the published reports and would very much like to have a first-hand account of your expedition. I assure, I will be as discrete as you would like."

 

[Job]

"Professor Pabodie, I was calling to ask you for an interview, but I feel that I may not have enough time for such. If I were to get you a train ticket, would you be willing to come to New York? I have found a few...inconsistencies...in the published reports and would very much like to have a first-hand account of your expedition. I assure, I will be as discrete as you would like."

There was a lengthy pause on the line.

After waiting, and waiting, Martin asked, "Professor Pabodie, are you still there?"

Pabodie then responded, "Yes, yes, Mr. Martin. I'm sorry, I was distracted for a moment. Unfortunately, I am unable to travel at this time due to my ongoing research commitments, and I've also done my best to put the haunting memories of that expedition behind me.

Another pause ensued.

Pabodie then continued with a sigh, "But you seemed like a straightforward and honest man when I met you at the dinner, so I'm willing to talk for a few minutes as long as it is off the record. What inconsistencies can I help you with?"

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

 

[Morpheus]

There was a lengthy pause on the line.

After waiting, and waiting, Martin asked, "Professor Pabodie, are you still there?"

Pabodie then responded, "Yes, yes, Mr. Martin. I'm sorry, I was distracted for a moment. Unfortunately, I am unable to travel at this time due to my ongoing research commitments, and I've also done my best to put the haunting memories of that expedition behind me.

Another pause ensued.

Pabodie then continued with a sigh, "But you seemed like a straightforward and honest man when I met you at the dinner, so I'm willing to talk for a few minutes as long as it is off the record. What inconsistencies can I help you with?"

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

"Is there anything that you experienced on the Ice that you could tell me that would help us? Please, Dr. Pabodie, you and I both know that something...inexplicable...happened while you were there and I believe that, whatever it was, is trying to prevent this expedition from returning there. I promise that I will not share your thoughts with anyone else."

 

[Job]

"Is there anything that you experienced on the Ice that you could tell me that would help us? Please, Dr. Pabodie, you and I both know that something...inexplicable...happened while you were there and I believe that, whatever it was, is trying to prevent this expedition from returning there. I promise that I will not share your thoughts with anyone else."

Professor Pabodie responded, "Mr. LeBlanc, let me first say that I have the utmost confidence in the capabilities and talents of Dr. Moore. In my opinion, there is absolutely noone better equipped to direct the expedition to which you've committed yourself and to investigate the remains of the failed Miskatonic University expedition of two years ago.

I was a member of the rescue team that first visited that ill-fated camp. Lake's Camp. My team was unable to perform a full investigation due to poor weather conditions, but I believe that the evidence we found pointed to either poor decision-making or sabotage. I am a man of science, by both training and inclination, and I am not given to ill-considered speculations and rumor mongering. Some evidence seemed to be inconsistent with my theories of human error or foul play--and perhaps even with current scientific knowledge--but our efforts were hurried and I suspect that your investigations will confirm my theories.

If you believe that somone is trying to prevent the expedition from returning there, then perhaps my suspicion of sabotage is not far off the mark.

Do you have any other questions?"

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

 

[Taokanf]

Camille returned to the ship immidiately upon awakening, to continue helping with preparations. She wasn't terribly fond of manual labor and usually would have tried to avoid it, but all the meagre belongings that she'd purchased upon arrival in America had been stowed onboard already, so there wasn't a great deal for her to do besides help, and she far preferred working over being bored.

Not sure about what she should do, precisely, she began scouring the ship for Moore in case he had something specific that she should do.

 

[Job]

Camille returned to the ship immediately upon awakening, to continue helping with preparations. She wasn't terribly fond of manual labor and usually would have tried to avoid it, but all the meagre belongings that she'd purchased upon arrival in America had been stowed onboard already, so there wasn't a great deal for her to do besides help, and she far preferred working over being bored.

Not sure about what she should do, precisely, she began scouring the ship for Moore in case he had something specific that she should do.

[OOC - Camille's adventure continues HERE]

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

 

[Job]

"Mr. LeBlanc, ... I was a member of the rescue team that first visited that ill-fated camp. Lake's Camp. My team was unable to perform a full investigation due to poor weather conditions, but I believe that the evidence we found pointed to either poor decision-making or sabotage. ... Some evidence seemed to be inconsistent with my theories of human error or foul play--and perhaps even with current scientific knowledge--but our efforts were hurried and I suspect that your investigations will confirm my theories.

If you believe that someone is trying to prevent the expedition from returning there, then perhaps my suspicion of sabotage is not far off the mark.

"Merci, Prof. Pabodie. Your information will be most helpful."

Professor Pabodie concluded his conversation by saying, "Oh, and one last thing. I know that this will sound strange, Mr. LeBlanc, but always try to keep a dog near you. The dogs seemed to be sensitive to...

...intruders.

Good luck on your expedition, Mr. LeBlanc. And Godspeed."

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

 

[OnlytheStrong]

To: James Starkweather
Amherst Hotel
8th Avenue and 44th StreeT
New York City, New York

Dear Mr. Starkweather,

I have been informed as to the recent affairs that have transpired. I would like to propose something that could be mutually beneficial to your task as well as to my own personal goals. I apologize, I am getting ahead of myself.

My name is Wade Watkins. I was born in Boston, but moved to New York around 9 years ago. I am a physician employed the Mercy Hospital. I am skilled in first aid as well as surgery. I started out in the emergency room, so I have experience with emergency situations. I am also a bit of an adventurer, although it can be hard to find time. I have spoken with the proper officals and have managed to obtain some time off.

This leads to my proposal. I would like to join your party on their journey. I believe that a physician would be useful, especially given the shootings. I am not afraid of the danger or the work. I am an able body. If you would like further information, I would be happy to meet you at a place and time to be determined by you. I do not know if the members of your party are expecting payment, but I assure you, I do not require such. I will use my equipment, and my money for things that are reasonably seen as my responsibility. You may wonder why a doctor would not ask for money for his services, well the short answer is, I crave the adventure.

I do not know your feelings about firearms. I will be bringing mine unless told otherwise. Do not worry, however, it is a hunting rifle and a small handgun. Nothing more. I do appreciate the time taken to read my proposal. I look forward to hearing a response.


Sincerely,

Wade Watkins

1120 East 9th Street
Lexington Apartments #602
New York, New York