and Madness Followed (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Harry

In 1930-31, Miskatonic University funded an Antarctic Expedition which ventured forth into the icy wastes of the southern continent in search of new discoveries. Instead the intrepid adventurers found horror, tragedy, and a great and ancient secret.
Those secrets still lie under the ice of that mysterious continent waiting to be uncovered...

Lakes Camp


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Shadow's Status

Reginald Farley

The Dr. packed several folios for your review. Some reports some recent newspaper clippings.

The Miskatonic University Expedition to Antarctica:

Tragedy at the Bottom of the World
The Arkham Advertiser reported on the expedition to the bottom of the world led by Geologist Dr. William Dyer, one of Arkham’s own sons!
December 1, 1930
The expedition landed at Ross Island in the Ross Sea. After several tests of the drilling gear and trips to Mt. Erebus and other local sights, the land party, consisting of 20 men and 55 dogs plus gear, assembled a semi-permanent camp on the barrier not far away and readied their five big Dornier aircraft for flight.
December 9, 1930
The party established a second base camp on the Polar Plateau beyond the top of the Beardmore Glacier (Lat 86d7m Long E174d23m) and did a lot more drilling and blasting in that vicinity.
December 13-15, 1930
Pabodie, Gedney, and Carroll climbed Mt. Nansen many fascinating fossil finds were made using the drill rig.
January 6, 1931
Lake, Dyer, Pabodie, Daniels, and ten others flew directly over the South Pole in two aircraft, being forced down once for several hours by high winds. Several other observation flights were made to points of less noteworthiness during the week before and after.
January 10, 1930
Lake, Pabodie, and five others set out via sled to probe overland into unknown lands. This expedition was scientifically successful as more fossils were unearthed.
January 22, 1931
The agenda of the trip was changed on this day as it was decided to send a very large party northeastward under Lake’s command. The party consisted of 4 planes, 12 men, 36 dogs, and all of the drilling and blasting equipment. Later that same day the expedition landed about 300 miles east and drilled and blasted up a new set of samples, containing some very exciting Cambrian fossils.
Late on the same day, Lake’s party announced the sighting of a new mountain range far higher than any heretofore seen in the Antarctic. Its estimated position was at Lat 76d15m, Long E113d10m. It was described as a very broad range with suspicions of volcanism present. One of the planes was forced down in the foothills and was damaged in the landing. Two other craft landed there as well and set up camp, while Lake and Carroll, in the fourth plane, flew along the new range for a short while up close. Very strange angular formations, columns, and spiracles were reported in the highest peaks. Lake estimated the range peaks may top 35,000 feet.
January 23, 1931
Lake commented on the likelihood of vicious gales in the region, and announced that they were beginning a drilling probe near the new camp.
The rest of that same day was filled with fantastic, exciting news that rocked the scientific world. A borehole had drilled through into a cave, and blasting had opened up the hole wide enough to enter. The interior of the limestone cave was a treasure trove of wonderful fossil finds in unprecedented quantity. After this discovery, the messages no longer came directly from Lake but were dictated from notes that Lake wrote while at the digsite and sent to the transmitter by runner.
Into the afternoon the reports poured in. Amazing amounts of material were found in the hole, some as old as the Silurian and Ordovician ages, some as recent as the Oligocene period. Nothing found was more recent than 30 million years ago.
Later that evening Orrendorf and Watkins discovered a huge barrelshaped fossil of wholly unknown nature. Mineral salts apparently preserved the specimen with minimal calcification for an unknown period of time. Unusual flexibility remained in the tissues, though they were extremely tough. The creature was over six feet in length and seems to have possessed membraneous fins or wings. Given the unique nature of the find, all hands were searching the caves looking for more signs of this new organism type.
January 24, 1931
In the early morning hours Lake reported that the fourteen specimens had been brought by sled from the dig site to the main camp and laid out in the snow. The creatures were extremely heavy and also very tough. Lake began his attempt at dissection on one of the more perfect specimens, but found that he could not cut it open without risking great damage to delicate structures, so he exchanged it for one of the more damaged samples.
Just before sunrise, strong winds rising, all hands at Lake’s Camp were set to building hurried snow barricades for the dogs and the vehicles. As a probable storm was on the way, air flight was out of the question for the moment. Lake went to bed exhausted.
No further word was received from Lake’s camp. Huge storms that morning threatened to bury even Dyer at the base camp. At first it was assumed that Lake’s radios were out, but continued silence from all four transmitter sets was worrisome. Dyer called up the spare plane to explore Lake’s digsite once the storm had subsided.
January 25, 1931
Dyer’s rescue expedition left base camp with 10 men, 7 dogs, a sled, and a lot of hope, piloted by McTighe. They took off at 7:15 a.m. and were at Lake’s Camp by noon. Several upper-air gales made the journey difficult. Landing was reported by McTighe at Lake’s camp at noon; the rescue party was on the ground safely.
A radio announcement was sent to the world that Lake’s entire party had been killed, and the camp all but obliterated by incredibly fierce winds the night before. Gedney’s body was missing, presumed carried off by wind; the remainder of the team were dead and so grievously torn and mangled that transporting the remains was out of the question. Lake’s dogs were also dead.
In addition, the bulk of the specimens had been blown away or buried by the snow leaving only a few small, damaged specimens left for inspection.
It was decided that an expedition in a lightened plane would fly into the higher peaks of the range before everyone returned home.
January 26, 1931
Early morning report by Dyer talked about his trip with Danforth into the mountains. He described the incredible difficulty in gaining the altitude necessary to reach even the lowest of the passes at 24,000 feet; he confirmed Lake’s opinion that the higher peaks were of very primal strata unchanged since at least Comanchian times.
He discussed the large cuboid formations on the mountainsides, and mentioned that approaches to these passes seemed quite navigable by ground parties but that the rarefied air makes breathing at those heights a very real problem. Dyer described the land beyond the mountain pass as a “lofty and immense super-plateau as ancient and unchanging as the mountains themselves—twenty thousand feet in elevation, with grotesque rock formations protruding through a thin glacial layer and with low gradual foothills between the general plateau surface and the sheer precipices of the highest peaks.” The Dyer group spent the day burying the bodies and collecting books, notes, etc., for the trip home.
January 28, 1931
The planes returned to McMurdo sound and the expedition, heavy of heart - packed and left the seventh continent.

“ANTARCTICA OR BUST!”:

Renowned Adventurer Sets His Sights on the Bottom of the World
New York (AP) May 26, 1933—World famous explorer James Starkweather announced today that he would lead a party of scientists and explorers into uncharted parts of the Antarctic continent this fall. Starkweather, accompanied by geologist William Moore of Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachusetts, intends to continue along the trail first blazed by the ill-fated Miskatonic University Expedition of 1930–31. The Starkweather-Moore Expedition will set sail in September from New York City. Like their predecessors, they intend to use long-range aircraft to explore further into the South Polar wilderness than has ever been done before.
“This is not about the South Pole,” Starkweather explained this morning, in a prepared speech in his hotel in New York. “Many people have been to the Pole. We’re going to go places where no one has ever been, see and do things that no one alive has seen.” The expedition intends to spend only three months in Antarctica. Extensive use of aëroplanes for surveying and transport, according to Starkweather, will allow the party to chart and cover territory in hours that would have taken weeks to cross on the ground.
One goal of the expedition is to find the campsite and last resting place of the twelve men, led by Professor Charles Lake, who first discovered the Miskatonic Range, and who were killed there by an unexpected storm. The mapping and climbing of the mountains in that range and an aërial survey of the lands on the far side are also important goals.
“The peaks are tremendous,” Starkweather explained. “The tallest mountains in the world! It’s my job to conquer those heights, and bring home their secrets for all mankind. “We have the finest equipment money can buy. We cannot help but succeed.”
Starkweather, 43, is a veteran of the Great War. He has led expeditions into the wilderness on four continents, and was present on the trans-polar flight of the airship Italia, whose
crash near the end of its voyage on the North Polar ice cap received worldwide attention.
Moore, 39, a full Professor of Geology, is also the holder of the Smythe Chair of Paleontology at Miskatonic University. He has extensive field experience in harsh climates and has taken part in expeditions to both the Arctic and the Himalayan Plateau. Story Continues on page 11)
Intrepid Explorers Ready Expedition - (cont. from p.1) “We’re going back,” Starkweather said. “The job’s not done. We’re going back, and we’re going to finish what was started and bring the whole lot out to the world. It will be a grand adventure and a glorious page in scientific history!” Professor Moore, sitting quietly to one side, was less passionate but just as determined.
“A lot has changed in the past three years,” he insisted. “We have technology now that did not exist three years ago. The aëroplanes are better, brand new Boeing craft, sturdier and safer than before. Professor Pabodie’s drills have been improved. And we have Lake’s own broadcasts to draw upon.
We can plan ahead, with better materials and a knowledge of the region that none of them had when they prepared for their voyage. Yes, I am optimistic. Quite optimistic. We will succeed in our goals.” When asked what those goals were, the two men looked briefly at one another before Starkweather answered, leaning forward intently.
“Leapfrog, gentlemen!” he smiled. “We shall leapfrog across the continent. A base on the Ross Ice Shelf; another at the South Pole. One at Lake’s old campsite, if we can find it; and, gentlemen, we plan to cross over those fantastic mountains described by Dyer and Lake, and plant our instruments and our flag right on top of the high plateau! Imagine it! Like a landing strip atop Everest! “We’ll have the finest equipment, and skilled men. Geologists—paleontologists— we’ve got Professor Albemarle from Oberlin, he wants to study weather. Glaciologists, perhaps another biologist or two; the team’s not all made up yet, of course. We’re not leaving for another five months!”
“It is important,” added Moore, “to try to find Professor Lake’s camp and bring home whatever we can from the caverns he discovered. The prospect of a wholly new kind of life, a different taxonomy, is extremely exciting. It would be a shame if, having found it once, we were unable to do so again.” The two explorers plan to land thirty men on the southern continent, half again more than the Miskatonic Expedition. The expedition is privately funded and owes no allegiance to any school or institution.

Summary Report:

The report praises Lake’s work again and again, but carefully turns aside from sensationalism. The “Pre-Cambrian footprints” referred to in the newspaper accounts of the day are identified as the fossilized imprints of some incredibly ancient form of sea-dwelling plant life, similar to the more recent well-preserved specimens found by Lake’s party in the fossil cave.
These are discussed at length, and the remaining evidence catalogued; the specimens are identified from Lake’s notes and drawings as a large thick-bodied plant similar to kelp. Lake’s description of the specimens as “animals” with “internal organs” is dismissed as scientific error resulting from over-excitement, lack of rest, and possible “snow craze”; his soapstone “carvings” are likewise dismissed as unusual water-shaped soapstone fragments. No physical specimens were brought north; the ones excavated by Lake were reportedly lost when the blizzard destroyed the camp.
The remainder of fossil finds, bones, and imprints of a wide variety of plant and animal species are well represented in the collection and the report. These paint a fascinating biological history of the Antarctic continent, confirming the notion that
Antarctica was once a warm and verdant land and lending substantial support to evidence of continental drift. Dyer is at a loss to explain the disaster at the camp, though his sorrow and regret are very clear. He concludes from the state of the remains that the men of the party would almost certainly have died from the blizzard in any case, but lays the blame for the destruction of the dogs and dispersal of the evidence upon a person or persons unknown—possibly the student George Gedney, who ran amok during the hours of the storm.
The terrible desolation, the cold and dismal conditions, the thin unhealthy air, and the hours of overwork are cited as contributing factors. He discusses the anomalous mountain range in some detail, confirming Lake’s broadcast opinion that the great peaks are of Archaean slate and other very primal crumpled strata unchanged for at least a hundred million years. He discusses without analysis the odd clinging cubical formations on the mountainsides, hypothesizes that the cave mouths indicate dissolved calcareous veins, and expresses his concern that a model for the preservation of such relatively soft stone in peaks of such great height has not been made.
Of the lands beyond the higher peaks he says little, describing them only as “a lofty and immense super-plateau as ancient and unchanging as the mountains themselves— twenty thousand feet in elevation, with grotesque rock formations showing through a thin glacial layer and with low gradual foothills between the general plateau surface and the sheer precipices of the highest peaks.

COMMANDER DOUGLAS TO JOIN EXPEDITION:

Famed Sea-Captain Returns to Antarctic Waters
New York (UPI)—Commander J. B. Douglas, famed sea captain and former master of the brig Arkham, will return to Antarctic waters later
this year. James Starkweather, world explorer and leader of the forthcoming Starkweather-Moore Expedition to Antarctica, announced today that Douglas has agreed to come out of retirement and captain the expedition’s ship on their voyage of discovery.
“Commander Douglas will be an invaluable addition to our expedition,” Starkweather said. “Not only does he have a personal knowledge of many of the dangers and hazards of the South Pole, but he is an accomplished explorer and adventurer. The expedition will benefit greatly from his experience of the harsher climes and his keen inquiring mind. I look forward to providing this country’s most noteworthy scientists with a means to enrich our understanding of the natural world.”
Douglas, a twenty-five year veteran of the Merchant Marines, was sailing master of the Arkham on its 1930 voyage to the Antarctic with the now-famous Miskatonic Expedition. He retired from the sea in 1932.
Commander Douglas could not be reached for comments. Starkweather has promised interviews with the Commander beginning on September 7, by appointment.

LEXINGTON SETS SIGHTS SOUTH:

Blonde Beauty to Fly to Pole
New York (INS)–In a startling announcement from her home in Queens today, millionaire industrialist Acacia Lexington told reporters that she intends to set aside her ledger books in favor of seal furs and snow goggles, in an attempt to be the first woman to stand at the bottom of the world.
Lexington, only child of the late P. W.Lexington of this city, has for years impressed friends and adversaries alike with her skilled maneuverings in troubled financial waters. Now she intends to venture into a new realm. Accompanied by a hand-picked team of journalists,
photographers, and wilderness experts, the lovely Acacia will cross the Antarctic wastelands in a specially modified Northrop Delta aëroplane and a Cierva C-50 autogyro.
“It’s about time a woman did this,” she told our reporters. “Today’s women are capable of anything that men can do. If I am the first, it only means that others will find it easier to follow.” When asked if her planned expedition was in any way affected by the presence of no less than four other parties on the Antarctic ice this summer, Miss Lexington declined to comment.


Shadow's Status

Reginald Farley

The remaining two files are short. Reports from two of the survivors of the first trip.

Pabodie:
A handwritten note from Abbot. Pabodie did not give any more information than what was found in the summary report of the expanded overview of the Expedition. However, I did ask him why he was not going on the second trip which states as one of its primary objectives visiting the first site. He Stated:

“I will never go back. Ever. Nothing in the world could persuade me to set foot down there again—and I cannot explain in any way that you would understand. Oh, the poor, poor men, my friends, the fools. . . . It is not a place for us. Mankind was not made for such a place.”

McTighe:
A handwritten note from Abbot. McTghe was a bit more forthcoming but no less ominous when I recently interviewed him:

"The Mountains of Madness. That’s what Dyer called them. I guess they call them the Miskatonic Mountains now. Incredible things—God in Heaven! Like hallucinations—they reached up so high, impossible peaks and spires. And evil. They looked evil. I think they were.

Professor Lake . . . all of us . . . we were so excited. You should have heard Lake, talking so fast, I could hardly keep up. Those things he found—like weird kelp, or big starfish—millions of years old, and he wanted to take them apart to see what was inside. He went on, and on, wilder and wilder. You should have heard the things he said! Crazy stuff. Most of it made no sense. I think, by the end, they were all going mad"

He would speak no more of the trip itself but did speak of the return trip:

"Danforth’s the one I felt sorry for. Not that I ever liked him much, the snotty bastard. But God! How he cried! Screams and moans, and curses in weird languages.. . . We had to tie him down, all the way through the pack ice. I thought the crew would murder him so they could get some sleep.

Mountains of Madness. Yeah—and they got one victim good, at least. You heard they put him in a rest home. He needed a lot of rest.”

I was unable to interview Danforth or locate Dyer to obtain their perspectives on the matter.


the Great Old One wrote:

September 9th, 1933

Reginald Farley - On a Train to NY

He grins at you affably, "I am Thomas Pickert, heading down on one of the Expeditions, one of the more low key expeditions I hope!"

Reggie had only gotten half way through the articles of the first expedition. He wanted to get back to his work, but He wasn't about to be rude to the young man. Besides, it would seem the forces of the universe had brought them together for a reason.

Reginald did not believe in luck or coincidence. Nothing is chance, a personally driven providence is what pushes us forward.

As above, so below The magician's world is an independent whole, a web of which no strand is autonomous. Mind and body, galaxy and atom, sensation and stimulus, are intimately bound.

Low key would rule out the Starkweather expedition. Reggie says with a laugh. Nice to meet you, Mr Pickert. Reginald closes his briefcase, and partially gets up from his seat so he can offer his hand.

Reginald Farley, at your service. Reggie sits back down and sets his briefcase to his side.

How exciting. Why, pray tell, would you go on such a dangerous adventure?


Female Aviator and Reporter
the Great Old One wrote:

September 9th, 1933

Alphonso, Meeley, Arnault & Stanley - Amherst Hotel
Hansen shows you his badge, "Is that so, strange occurrences eh? Is this one of your rooms? Perhaps we can sit down and you can answer a few questions here where it is relatively quite. That be alright?"

"Yes, of course, we can use mine."

She leads the group to Gretchen's and her's room.


Male "Human" Engineer

Stanley takes a look at the badge. Satisfied, he begins to talk. "I, and many of us on this expedition, have been approached, either in person or by proxy, by an individual attempting to warn us off this trip. Several members of the expedition have quit because of that. Commander Douglas had been approached in the same way before he disappeared, and then turned up in the water. Another member of the expedition had to be fished out of the harbor by the ship the day before the Commander turned up missing, as well. As far as I know, he's still recovering in the medical quarters on the Gabrielle. At the time I assumed it was an unfortunate accident, but with what happened to the Commander, that seems unlikely."


Female Aviator and Reporter

Meeley seems surprised.
"I haven't. When did he approach you? Who else got the warning? Did he said something else? Do you know who he was?"


Male "Human" Engineer

"I was approached by a proxy, someone down on their luck just delivering a note in exchange for a few coins. I did get a perfunctory description of the sender, though." Stanley describes his interaction from here. "Alas, this was before the Commander turned up murdered, and the note seemed to be mostly poorly executed poetry about sleeping prisoners, or something, so I threw it away."


" You know, I completely forgot about zis, vith all zee drama zis mornink but I found zee exact same note slipped under my door last night... You zink zis note is related to zee commander's murder? "


Walking up to the crew member on the edge while keeping her self far enough back to try and avoid being seen by those on the dock. Clearing her throat loudly to get his attention and if that doesn't work she will wait for him to turn around.

Once he has noticed her, I was in the medical bay all of last night can you illuminate what has happened. And do you know how I could get a hold of Moore or Starkweather. It is rather important.


I'm still not seeing anywhere for me to post again. There doesn't seem to have been a response to my last one.


Shadow's Status
Adrian Roman wrote:
I'm still not seeing anywhere for me to post again. There doesn't seem to have been a response to my last one.

I sent you a PM.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Alphonso, Meeley, Arnault & Stanley - Amherst Hotel

Detective Hansen jots down notes as the group speaks. "Interesting", he murmurs.

Gretchen shrugs, "I received no zuch warnink under my or ozerwise".

Hansen continues, "I'll take that into consideration. Tell me, where were each of you yesterday? How about at midnight last night? How was his relationship with Starkweatehr and Moore?"

He turns to Stanley specifically, "Did you know Douglas personally? Did he tell you he was approached in such a manner?"


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Reginald Farley - On a Train to NY

Pickert replies, "I volunteered for the Barsmeier /Falken Expeditions. I know that ELLSWORTH & BALCHEN as well as RICHARD EVELYN BIRD are preparing Expeditions too. Those will not leave until next year though. I wanted to get on one of these Expeditions, Antarctica is the final land frontier! Fame and fortune await any who can discover the secrets that lie beneath the ice. Plus I have a working theory about what that continent is or well was..."


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Phoebe - SS Gabriele

The man turn around and sees you he then turns back to the throng below, "That's it I am done with this come back tomorrow!"

He walks towards you and brings you down below decks away from the screaming reporters. The sounds fade as you get below. He hands you a paper, the New York Times morning edition. "Geez, sorry I did not know you were here. I've been dealing with that crowd all morning. I thought Doc Green brought a physician here that took the kid to a local hospital. I am David Packard by the way, head of Security".

David is tall and handsome in a rugged sort of way he is dressed in comfortable, though disheveled, clothes and seems as if he got little sleep the night before.

FAMED SEA CAPTAIN MURDERED!:

Watery Death for Commander Douglas

New York (AP)—J. B. Douglas, fifty years old, was discovered last night in the water off Battery Wharf. Two fishermen brought the unconscious mariner ashore after an assault by person or persons unknown. Commander Douglas died on the way to the hospital.

A respected officer of the Merchant Marine for many years, Douglas will be remembered as the captain of the SS Arkham, one of the vessels
which carried the Miskatonic University Expedition to the Antarctic in 1930. Douglas was reportedly in New York City to speak with the leaders of the Starkweather-Moore Expedition, which will leave in a few
days.

The expedition expects to retrace the route of Douglas’ ship three years ago. Thomas Gregor and Phil Jones, sailors resident in New York City, were returning to their fishing boat Bristol when they heard muffled cries and ran to see what was happening. They spotted a man running away and some agitation in the water.

While Jones ran after the fleeing man,Gregor dove into the cold waters of the harbor and found a motionless figure there. He heroically pulled the unconscious man out of the water and onto the dock. He attempted to
revive the drowned man. Meanwhile Jones, who had lost his quarry, went for help. Police later announced that Commander Douglas had been bludgeoned about the head, and began a search for his murderers.

Anyone with information about this terrible crime, or about Mr. Douglas’ whereabouts on the night of the murder, should contact Detective Hansen at the Battery Precinct Station.

See Page 32 for the Commander's Obituary.


You trying to set up the widow?

Quietly following the frazzled man,It is perfectly fine Sir. I am Phoebe Barrett, the nurse they brought on. I spent the night in the medical bay watch the young man. And Dr. Green did bring someone in last night but we did not take him off the ship. Thank you for the paper.

Taking a moment to skim the article her eyes widen and she mumbles, Damn. Looking back up, Do you by chance know how to get ahold of Moore or Starkweather? It may be important.


Male "Human" Engineer

"I wouldn't say I knew him personally," Stanley says, shaking his head negatively, "but we had established at least a working rapport. I was at his hotel to welcome him to New York on behalf of Professor Moore a few days ago. It was during that meeting that he mentioned having received a warning to avoid this expedition. A former member of the expedition, the novelist Thomas Greenwood, mentioned having a similar experience at that time. Professor Arnault, here, was at this meeting as well.

"As for my whereabouts last night, after failing to find the Commander at his hotel yesterday, again at the request of Moore, I returned here to this hotel. That was where I received the warning note through proxy. Following that exchange, I left a note at the desk for Moore recommending that he contact the police if Professor Arnault had also failed to find him. I then retired to bed, where I spent the remainder of the night."


Male Human Fate 3/Resilience 3/WS 43, BS 20, ST 5, T 38, INIT 41, AGI 27, DEX 25, INT 25, WILL 38,FEL 30

"As for me Sir I recently arrived precious moments before you did, a representative of one of the investors Goldman and Sach's. Here is my card."
Alphonso pulls out several cards handing one to the detective and a few among the members of the expidition.


Female Aviator and Reporter

Meeley starts taking notes, and answers the detective.
"I meet them yesterday. They seems like proper gentlemen, scientists and explorers. I went to their press conference yesterday, the first time I meet them, and we arranged me to join their expedition."


the Great Old One wrote:

September 9th, 1933

Reginald Farley - On a Train to NY

Pickert replies, "I volunteered for the Barsmeier /Falken Expeditions. I know that ELLSWORTH & BALCHEN as well as RICHARD EVELYN BIRD are preparing Expeditions too. Those will not leave until next year though. I wanted to get on one of these Expeditions, Antarctica is the final land frontier! Fame and fortune await any who can discover the secrets that lie beneath the ice. Plus I have a working theory about what that continent is or well was..."

Reggie knits his eyebrows. He was confused. What do you mean? It's just a snow covered desert, isn't it? He reaches into his inside breast pocket. He takes out a pipe and a pouch of tobacco. With practices fingers, he packs the pipes bowl. He cinches the pouch with one hand and his teeth pulling it closed. Putting the pouch back in is pocket, he fishes a wooden match from his left front pocket. Again, with practiced ease, he flicks the match to life with a hiss and a flare using his thumbnail.

Taking puffs to bring the pipe to life, Reggie says Are you a scientist or some such?

Warm pleasing smoke filled with notes of cherry waft on the air.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Phoebe - SS Gabriele

Phoebe Barrett wrote:
You trying to set up the widow?

No, just describing a rugged looking man that he is if you choose to pursue a romantic relationship well, you are both consenting adults! :-).

David shakes his head, "No ma'am I am sorry. I was told by Moore to deflect the press and that they would arrive tomorrow for a press conference. Is there anything I can help you with?"


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Alphonso, Meeley, Arnault & Stanley - Amherst Hotel

Detective Hansen looks at Stanley and Arnault, "So you were both looking for him yesterday? Any reason why Moore asked you to find him?"

He accepts Alphonso's card and nods at Meeley's response but keeps his focus on Stanley and Arnault.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Reginald Farley - On a Train to NY

"Sure now it might be a snow covered desert but if you dig deep enough you will find something.

I am a history buff, personally I believe that lost Atlantis is somewhere beneath that snow. The Miskatonic Expedition found something that was not explained. Not fully anyway..."


Scanning the crowd for anyone he may have met last night, Dr. Roman begins to become rather annoyed with all the mindless, imperceptible noise around him. He looks for the first reporter who looks like they have any idea of what the hell is going on and grabs them, pulling them aside and pushing them into a wall. Why are all of these people here? I was not told there would be any reporters rummaging around. I want answers. NOW!


@Old One. Then you should probably mention what a hot piece Reggie is, when he meets Phoebe. :P

Reggie takes a few puffs thoughtfully. Atlantis you say. It could be possible I suppose. Reginald leans forward Believe it or not, I've just recently read something on said expedition. While strange and even fantastic observations were relayed back to the civilized world, there was no returning physical proof to back those wild stories.

Reginald pauses and puffs on his pipe. I dare say, couldn't it be just as likely, when the expedition open the sealed cavern that they were exposed to a gas or biologic? Something, that when exposed to, caused hallucinations, even madness?


Sighing deeply and letting the paper hang limply at her side, I suppose I will speak to them tomorrow then. The young man, Christopher St. Claire, seems like he was supposed to meet the same fate.

Folding the paper back up, I know I need to stay on the ship to keep an eye on him. I will not look my best for that press conference. Actually Mr. Packard if you could point me in the direction where i could get breakfast would be greatly appreciated. And if I could keep the paper to read.


Male "Human" Engineer

"After the incident at the docks with young Master St. Claire, he wanted us to move him into a room at the Amherst Hotel, here, so he could be with the rest of the group. I expect that was to make it easier to keep a watch over everyone at once by having them all in one place."


Shadow's Status
Reginald Farley wrote:
@Old One. Then you should probably mention what a hot piece Reggie is, when he meets Phoebe. :P

Will do! She will certainly have her pick of the litter, the ratio on the ship favors the female crew to be sure! Of course Meeley and Gretchen may well have an objection. Updates tonight...


Reginald Farley wrote:
@Old One. Then you should probably mention what a hot piece Reggie is, when he meets Phoebe. :P

You could describe yourself you know. And it will take a connection of some sort as well :P

the Great Old One wrote:
Will do! She will certainly have her pick of the litter, the ratio on the ship favors the female crew to be sure! Of course Meeley and Gretchen may well have an objection. Updates tonight...

I like having options. Lots of men and sadly not enough ladies :(


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Adrian - Amherst Hotel

The man pushes you back, "Hey Joe I'll give you the low down but take your mitts offa me.

Didn'cha hear? The Commander of the Starkweather - Moore Expedition got bumped off last night. Itsa big news story Joe!"


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Reginald Farley - On a Train to NY

Pickert considers your statement, "Madness? Hmmm, I suppose it could be possible. Still the madness I would think would not be permanent. Once the malady passed the truth would be revealed to those who were still present no?"


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Alphonso, Meeley, Arnault & Stanley - Amherst Hotel

"Mr. St Claire? Who is he and what happened to him? Is he an acquaintance of Douglas? Do you know of any enemies Douglas might have had?"


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Phoebe - SS Gabriele

Packard smiles at you, "Yes, you may keep the paper but no you may not get breakfast. I will get it for you, what would you like?"


Male "Human" Engineer

"He's the boy I mentioned fished out of the water down at the ship yesterday, that precipitated Moore to ask Arnault and me to find Commander Douglas and bring him back here. As I understand it he was coming along as an observer because his family had invested in the expedition. I don't know if the two of them knew each other, but I doubt it given the age difference. I only met the Commander once, myself, and the only thing resembling an enemy I know of, besides whoever murdered him of course, is the person he said warned him to stay away." Stanley shrugs. "I don't know how much more I can add, I'm afraid. I'm putting things together based on context, but I haven't witnessed anything in person. I spent a large portion of yesterday checking over the expedition's aircraft and then waiting at the Commander's hotel in case he returned."


the Great Old One wrote:

September 9th, 1933

Reginald Farley - On a Train to NY

Pickert considers your statement, "Madness? Hmmm, I suppose it could be possible. Still the madness I would think would not be permanent. Once the malady passed the truth would be revealed to those who were still present no?"

I'm by no means an expert in such things, but 'Mad as a hatter' comes to mind. Mercury, used in felt production, poisoned it's workers driving them mad. Emperor Tiberius went mad with... Reggie looks around to insure no women or children are near. He whispers. syphilis.

Returning to a normal voice, Some damage can never heal.

He reaches forward and pats Pickert on the knee. In any case, be careful my lad. Reggie opens his briefcase and sets it on his lap. Please pardon me, but I simply must get some work done.


the Great Old One wrote:

September 9th, 1933

Phoebe - SS Gabriele

Packard smiles at you, "Yes, you may keep the paper but no you may not get breakfast. I will get it for you, what would you like?"

Sorry for the delay. Injuries got in the way of life.

Smiling at Pickard, Thank you Sir. Honestly anything would be fine so long as there is coffee to go with it. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions on the way?

Assuming he doesn't mind the questions are. Have you worked with Moore or Starkweather before? If so then asking Where you security then? What sort of problems did they run into that kept you employed?
Have you gone on a venture like this before? To the middle of nowhere. If so the asking, How does the isolation tend to effect the crew?


Bumped off? He's dead? What happened to him?

Dr. Roman looked at the man quizzically, then let go of him, still watching him. I think the two of us should go somewhere more private to continue this conversation.


Arnault nods along with Stanley's statement. " I had met zee commander vonce before zis expedition but I vould not say I knew him vell either... I tried to locate him yesterday but I only found out vhere he had breakfast and zat he vent on to zee dock aftervards to check zee ship. I don't zink he efer made it to zee ship zough... As for enemies... I couldn't really know, just zat somevone seems keen to disrupt zis trip! "


Dr. Roman thinks a little bit to himself while finding somewhere to sit down with the journalist. He was the Medical Examiner, so he should have been notified immediately to come inspect the body, so why wasn't he? Something was definitely going on surrounding this expedition, and he was more and more certain it wasn't something natural. He'd have to be careful. He doubted there was anyone he could trust entirely, expedition or no. He would continue according to plan, but he'd need to be more cautious until he could figure out what was going on.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Adrian - Amherst Hotel

The Reporter shrugs, "Tell ya what Joe, I'll hand my newspaper to you so you can read the story yourself then if you have questions we can work something out. So, whatcha doin' here anyway?" He asks as your eyes scan the paper.

The Reporter hands you a paper, the front cover:

FAMED SEA CAPTAIN MURDERED!:

Watery Death for Commander Douglas

New York (AP)—J. B. Douglas, fifty years old, was discovered last night in the water off Battery Wharf. Two fishermen brought the unconscious mariner ashore after an assault by person or persons unknown. Commander Douglas died on the way to the hospital.

A respected officer of the Merchant Marine for many years, Douglas will be remembered as the captain of the SS Arkham, one of the vessels
which carried the Miskatonic University Expedition to the Antarctic in 1930. Douglas was reportedly in New York City to speak with the leaders of the Starkweather-Moore Expedition, which will leave in a few
days.

The expedition expects to retrace the route of Douglas’ ship three years ago. Thomas Gregor and Phil Jones, sailors resident in New York City, were returning to their fishing boat Bristol when they heard muffled cries and ran to see what was happening. They spotted a man running away and some agitation in the water.

While Jones ran after the fleeing man,Gregor dove into the cold waters of the harbor and found a motionless figure there. He heroically pulled the unconscious man out of the water and onto the dock. He attempted to
revive the drowned man. Meanwhile Jones, who had lost his quarry, went for help. Police later announced that Commander Douglas had been bludgeoned about the head, and began a search for his murderers.

Anyone with information about this terrible crime, or about Mr. Douglas’ whereabouts on the night of the murder, should contact Detective Hansen at the Battery Precinct Station.

See Page 32 for the Commander's Obituary.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Alphonso, Meeley, Arnault & Stanley - Amherst Hotel

Detective Hansen continues scribbling notes on his pad though his eyebrow does raise at Arnault's suggestion of sabotage, "Alright, final question. It seems that Moore and Starkweather are missing, could you tell me where I could find them? I would really appreciate it".

He scans you all as he awaits an answer.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Reginald Farley - On a Train to NY

Picket nods, "Sure, not a problem pal. I am gonna take a nap for the rest of the ride anyway".

Let me know what you want to do or consider based on the materials provided. I will likely fast forward everyone to the evening relatively soon so that your train can arrive in NYC and you can interact with Expedition NPCs.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Phoebe - SS Gabriele

"Boy you ask a lot of questions!" he teases you smiling.

"I did work with them on a Costa Rica trip that is how I was offered this position. That trip had no problems at all, I like to think that I am responsible for how smooth it went.

I think the biggest problem we are going to have on this trip is keeping the weather at bay, its what created a catastrophe for the last trip as I understand it.

That and I am going to have a hard time keeping the crew's hands off of you!" Again he laughs giving you a broad pearly white smile.

He then turns serious, "No, this is my first time heading to an environment like this. I am hoping that your medical expertise in the field of the mind is able to assist if we have problems with the crew experiencing isolation".

I hope no injuries too serious!


A coconut to the head one day and my wrist got messed up the next day. I am in a very uncomfortable wrist brace for a week. Just not my month I am ready for it to be over. And now it seems like you are trying to set up the widow ;)

Blushing at the complements but keeping to her questions until he has answered all of them. With any luck I can help with any problems concerning the mind of the crew. I do believe that is one of the reason I was brought on. Though this is a little different from what I am used to dealing with.

Falling silent for a moment then grinning, And I do tend to be rather inquisitive while you seem to tend towards shameless flattery. Thank you for indulging me. Did they really just leave you on the ship to deal with the mob alone?


Female Aviator and Reporter

Meeley, still taking notes, also waits to see if the others provide an answer.


is there a group photo of the first expedition in the files? If someone from the first expedition were out to stop the current ones, It would be best to be able to identify members from the first expedition on sight. Especially Danforth and Dyer. Not that Reggie believes the reports are fully objective or rational to be true, but the reports don't need to be true. They only need to be believed by a deranged mind for it to be reason enough to murder.


Male "Human" Engineer

Stanley considers dodging the question for a moment before deciding that if he was confident enough in the authenticity of the badge to tell as much as he already has, then this should be fine as well. The police, while probably not in the category of trusted advisers, are certainly more qualified than he. Also, he doesn't think he could pull off a lie after how forthright he's already been.

"They left us a note with the front desk which we found this morning, just before you arrived. The note said they had a previously unknown penthouse on the top floor. I believe they're using it to keep from being found by the press, so if you intend to go up and speak to them, I'm sure they would appreciate you being discrete about it. That said, I don't know for sure that they're there, only that they said it exists."


I am here as a member of this latest expedition. I was enlisted last night, though this little adventure continues to become more and more puzzling at every turn. There's something very wrong happening around here, and it doesn't seem to be localized to just here. How would you like a new source?

Intending to possibly use this reporter as a feed for his data, he thinks about the impact that this death will have on the expedition. He is now more determined than before to figure out this strange, ever-growing list of occurrences.

Do you know why anyone would have wanted to murder the late Captain? What can you tell me about him?


Male Human Fate 3/Resilience 3/WS 43, BS 20, ST 5, T 38, INIT 41, AGI 27, DEX 25, INT 25, WILL 38,FEL 30

Alphonso looks at this news with some interest and says perhaps we might all go to the penthouse and see if these men are available or show some indication of their recent presence.


Shadow's Status

September 9th, 1933

Phoebe - SS Gabriele

Packard shakes his head, "Shameless flattery? Nah, more like stating the obvious".

He shrugs at the second question, "I sent everyone but security at the gates away. The men needed a break its been breakneck pacing for weeks now and even though the men did not know the Commander I thought a day away form this throng would be good. I took this responsibility on myself".

As you disembark Packard simply repeats no questions and pushes through the reporters getting out to the west side highway with you in tow he grans a cab, "We should bring the kid back some food as well".

OK, let's hold there and we will fast forward to the evening.


Shadow's Status
Reginald Farley wrote:
is there a group photo of the first expedition in the files? If someone from the first expedition were out to stop the current ones, It would be best to be able to identify members from the first expedition on sight. Especially Danforth and Dyer. Not that Reggie believes the reports are fully objective or rational to be true, but the reports don't need to be true. They only need to be believed by a deranged mind for it to be reason enough to murder.

No group photo but there are pics of Danforth and Dyer in the files.

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