[d20 Cthulhu] What Rough Beast... (Part I)

[The Crimster]

Assuming introductions are made all the way around...

Miles introduces himself. "I met a couple of you at the funeral. My name is Miles Hoffman, and I am a professor of archeology and palentology at UC San Diego. A pleasure to meet you all." He wipes the omnipresent sweat from his upper lip. "Though I wish it were under better... circumstances."

Kristof turns to Julia. "Julia, I'm terribly sorry about Alan, although I didn't get a chance to say so at the funeral. I'll try to give you any help I can, though I must admit, Alan never told me much about his collections. Do you know if Alan left a will of any sort, or kept a journal or record?"

When he hears Kristof's query about a will, Ray nods enthusiastically. "Yes indeed, that would be helpful. Did he ever mention anything like that to you?"

Julia sets down her mug of cocoa and nods. "It's all taken care of. I'm rather well taken care of, I should say." Julia gives a weak smile. "Alan was a logical and precise man. He dealth with that long ago." She stares out the window, watching the rain begin to come down. "A good portion of money went to our favorite charities. Some to a few of our less fortunate friends. Some he set aside some for the school as well."

Julia takes another sip. "As far as a journal, I would expect him to. He had a computer, but didn't much use it. I have seen a red bound book that he would often write in. It should be in his office - good luck in finding it. Alan was many things but clean and organized was not two of them. Why do you ask, Kristof? Thinking of writing my husbands memoirs?" She smiles.

 

[Karl Green]

Sam Hudson

After Sam introduced himself, he will listen to Miles and drink his hot coccoa. He will remain quit for a while and see what the others do... Now why in the world does this Kristof fellow want to look at the professors journal? Didn't he just die of natural causes? Better watch him just in case...

 

[Kristof]

Kristof laughs gently

"No, not really. I couldn't do him justice, I fear. But a journal may have some notes about some of the things he's collected over the years, so I figured it might be of some use. Besides, some of Alan's ideas were... revolutionary, almost. I know the other proffesors sometimes didn't think too greatly of him, but that's their loss. "

[And I don't really have a clue where to begin in sorting out his possessions, but I'd never admit that in front of Julia and the others] Kristof thinks sarcasticly to himself

Kristof looks around the room, and his eyes settle on Randy.

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about? I regret I didn't get a chance to speak with you earlier..."

 

[Anabstercorian]

Alex looks over the walls of the grandiose house curiously... They are bare. "Julia, I must ask you. I've sold you so many painting over the years - And I owe you my thanks for patronizing my work - yet I've never seen any of them on your walls. What do you do with them?" He sips hot cocoa innocently, sitting down with Kristof, Sam, and Dr. Silver, then chuckles. "I suppose not all of them were really the sort you could hang on the walls, but still..."

 

[Isida KepTukari]

*Hearing Alex's comment, Ray will raise an eyebrow in confusion*

"Not the kind you'd hang on the walls? How's that?"

 

[Spoof]

Randy Morrison

Randy looks back at Kristof. “I was just wondering if you knew Alister, personally. You say you were a professor at the university, and a friend of Mr. Pickman. I had just thought that you might know Mr. Alister seeing the way you hurried off after him like that.”

Randy will also wonder why the first thing that Kristof asked to see was a journal the professor might have kept. Humm, I wonder why he would ask to see a journal first off. I wonder if there is anything in there he doesn’t want anyone else to know about. Well, I guess it could be that he Alan were working on some project together and he needs Alan’s notes.

Randy turns to Julia “Julia, why would husband purchase paintings from Mr. Higgens and then not display them. Do you know where he kept them?”

 

[The Crimster]

"Alan was always interested in your paintings, Alex. I remember the day he told me that he was drawn to your work somehow. He said you were, in his words, 'A greater talent than you know'." Julia finishes off her cocoa. "I'll be the first to admit that I'm no art critic, Alex - but your work was always too dark for me. I always felt as if I was only seeing the surface of your paintings, too. I felt as if the depths of my single art appreciation class couldn't fathom what you meant." Julia chuckles softly, the first you've heard in a while.

"Regardless, I know that Alan kept them in storage somewhere, and he always had the intention of putting them in a gallery or somesuch."

Alex and Sam, you think that possibly Julia may be lying about something here. Something just doesn't sound right. But it may be that Julia didn't like the art, and simply doesn't want to hurt your feelings.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Alex chuckles. "They weren't explicit, if that's what you're thinking. They were just... odd, a little otherworldly, even disturbing. Here, I'll show you what I'm talking about."
He pulls out his sketchpad and starts drawing quickly, looking at Randy as he does. Still drawing, he responds to Julia. "Putting them in a gallery, eh? That's pretty flattering... What are you going to do with them now?"

 

[Anabstercorian]

The Sketch

Alex reveals his sketch... It's very unnerving, a vivid, likelike drawing of Randy, standing in the hall, unconcerned with the barbed tentacles reaching towards him from some undefinable distance to his rear, dark, alien eyes gazing from their shapeless source.

 

[The Crimster]

Still drawing, Alex responds to Julia. "Putting them in a gallery, eh? That's pretty flattering... What are you going to do with them now?"

Julia gets up wearily and begins putting away the cups of those finished with their cocoa. She waves off anyone trying to help her. "I think I'll do the same thing, Alex. I know just the gallery. I do like your pieces. Even if they did give Alan queer dreams." She wanders off to the sink.

Miles licks his lips and turns to Alex. "I would be interested in purchasing some of your art, Alex. If it's anything like that." He leans over the table to get a better look at your sketchpad. "My god, look at the look on Randy's face! You're good at the disturbing, Mr. Higgens." Miles looks over at Julia, who is busy washing the cups. He pitches his voice lower. "And that is quite amusing, putting the roaches or whatever they are on him!"

Alex, you look at your sketch and do a double take. Yes, exactly how you drew it. Not your best work, by any stretch. But there... on Randy's neck and clothes... small squiggly things that could indeed be cockroaches. You don't even recall putting those in. Perhaps you were more effected by Alister than you thought...