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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Richard Greene seems like someone Phoebe would get to know. Other than that it would be the sled teams, the camp crew, and the guides. They are the people that it seems likely she will be patching up later.


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Phoebe - Richard Greene:
At the peak of his physical condition, and intense, Doctor Greene has conquered medicine (at 27!) and is looking for a new challenge. He is up for virtually anything that could be proposed,
from climbing extraneous mountains to naked hundred yard dashes in the snow, so long as he has someone else to egg him on and tackle the challenge with him.

Stanley - Pilots & Technicians:

Douglas Halperin - Pilot Age 30 - Halperin is quietly good-natured, always willing to take what comes and go along for the ride. He has thin, sandy hair and small, round glasses that give him a perpetually bookish air. He is taciturn, very competent, and does not get along at all with the daredevil DeWitt.

Ralph DeWitt - Pilot Age 35 - Like many fliers after the Great War, Ralph DeWitt has drifted through life, at a loss for what to do with himself. He has been a barnstormer, a stunt flier, and a test pilot, but none of these occupations has given him the thrill that flying in the Great War did. DeWitt looks forward to the challenge of flying a heavily loaded plane into treacherous Antarctic winds. Despite this, DeWitt knows his limits, and is aware that other lives hang on his skill as a pilot; he will not take off into utterly impossible conditions. DeWitt is a blocky, hairy man, with black hair and dark brown eyes, who seems somewhat withdrawn or sullen on the ground.

Lawrence Longfellow - Engineer Age 40 - Longfellow is a shy, pudgy man with thinning brown hair, unremarkable brown eyes, and a hint of a stutter. Whenever possible, he retreats behind engines and machinery, leaving the talking to Huston. Unlike his garrulous coworker, Longfellow prefers to take his orders and quickly do the repairs. They make an excellent team, as Huston attracts all the attention, leaving Longfellow to do his work in peace. Away from the machines, he is quiet, and effort must be made out get him out of his shell.

Alan "Colt" Huston - Engineer/Mechanic Age 31 - A handsome, wiry, Midwestern ladies’ man, Colt Huston has survived many North Dakotan winters. He has dozens of “this is nothing” stories about repairing tractors and other farm equipment in hundred mile-an-hour Arctic gales with sleet and lightning. Astoundingly, he is able to spin these tales as he makes expert repairs. He is a congenial sort, although he has a compulsion to top just about any story he hears. He gets along well with fellow mechanics Longfellow and Miles.

Patrick Miles - Aircraft Technician and Mechanic Age 33 - Miles is a well-built man with curly, reddish hair and a pale complexion that hints at his Irish heritage. Strong, capable, and devoted, Miles’ only flaw is that he is a complainer. His dark humor and morose personality make it seem that he is always dissatisfied, worried about possible disasters, and forever uncertain of the future. He gets along well with fellow mechanics Huston and Longfellow.

Alphonso:
You find no problems as you sneak about the ship. It seems the saboteur must have been on land as you are the only person who appears to be sneaking about!

Arnault:
After your experience fighting the fire. Starkweather takes you into his confidence on the trip. You can ask 1 question of him for each degree of success (i.e. each -10 under your score on a successful roll) on a Persuade roll +20


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the Gabrielle

This oil-burning steamer, launched in 1913 in Scotland, was built for operations in Arctic waters, and has a hull of Swedish wrought iron an inch and a quarter thick. She is not an icebreaker, though.

length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 feet
beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 feet
depth, keel to main deck . . . . . 39 feet
draft, light ship . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 feet
draft, loaded ship . . . . . . . . . . . 26 feet
register tons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500

DISPLACEMENTS
light ship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,550 tons
loaded ship . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,350 tons
deadweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,800 tons
- crew, stores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 tons
- fuel oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,690 tons
- fresh water . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 tons
- cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,910 tons

CARGO SPACE
no. of holds . . . . 5 + reefer space
hatches. . . . . . . . 5 (each 45 feet long x
25 feet wide)
cargo booms . . . - 6 x 1 ton capacity
- 6 x 10 ton capacity
- 2 x 30 ton capacity
(forward end of #2 hold)
loading speed . . 25 tons per gang hour

MACHINERY
- reciprocating steam engine, top speed 12 knots
- uses 0.14 ton of fuel per nautical mile at 11 knots
- maximum cruising range about 12,000 miles

CREW (48 TOTAL)
- master and 4 deck officers
- chief engineer and 4 engineer officers
- ship’s physician
- radio operator, carpenter, boatswain,storekeeper
- 3 quartermasters, 9 seamen
- 15 engine room crew (oilers, firemen, wipers, water tenders)
- 1 chief steward, 5 other stewards (cooks, messboys, laundrymen, etc.)

INCIDENTAL EQUIPMENT
- line gun, 18 life rings with water lights, flares and rockets, 4 life rafts
- 4 lifeboats, 25 person capacity each; 2 of these are motorboats with a 6 knot top speed

FIREFIGHTING
- The ship has a network of firehoses powered by independent seawater pumps
- There are 14 CO2-charged hand fire extinguishers, mostly amidships.
- Sand buckets are liberally deployed in crew areas

Cabins and Holds

1—Water closets, of various sizes and friendliness.

2—Showers, with one or more stalls.

3—Three-person cabins in the fo’c’s’le, for the quartermasters and seamen.

4—Three-person cabins in the aftercastle and below, for the engineering crew, stewards, storekeeper, carpenter, boatswain, and 12 of the expedition members with less “pull.” A hand fire extinguisher is located in the upper passageway.

5—First mate’s cabin. A desk and several shelves hold books, navigational instruments, journals, notes, the crew’s pay sheets, and details of the cargo loading arrangements. A telephone is present.

6—Chief engineer’s cabin. A desk and several shelves hold books and references for the ship’s engines and structure, and for general mechanical knowledge. A telephone is present.

7-12—Two-person cabins, for three deck officers, four engineer officers, the ship’s radio operator, and Arnault, Alphonso, and Stanley. Both Starkweather and Moore will be bedding down with the troops. The radio operator’s cabin has a small alarm bell which is operated by the auto-alarm apparatus of the ship’s radio.

13-18—Three-person cabins, for the remaining 18 of the expedition embers. One of these, inhabited by the expedition’s Doctor Greene.

19—The officers’ mess, also for senior expedition members, and Phoebe and other female explorers. A telephone is present. A hand fire extinguisher is located here.

20—The galley, with a coal-burning range. A hand fire extinguisher is located here.

21—The crew’s mess; expedition members will almost always be here, reading, playing cards, practicing the guitar or harmonica, listening to a record player or shortwave radio, etc. A hand fire extinguisher is located here.

22—Top of the open space leading down into the engine room. It is a five story climb down to the engine room floor, through platforms, pipes, machinery, generators, pumps, and ladders. It is always hot and noisy when the engine is running. At the engineer’s position, the engine telegraph,regular and sound powered telephones, and a voice tube from the bridge ensure reliable communications with the bridge. Two hand fire extinguishers are in the engine room.

23—This dim, poorly-ventilated compartment is for the bosun’s stores: cluster lights, electrical extension cords, ropes, blocks, canvas, tools, quite a lot of lumber, etc. A heavy padlock secures the hatch
leading in here. Five more fire extinguishers are stored here, as well as any discharged extinguishers. A small, locked wooden box in a tall locker contains the blasting caps and time fuse to be used by the expedition. Members of the expedition who have brought firearms, will be tagged and kept here in a crate until the expedition goes ashore. Two small hatches in the floor reveal ladders down to another, lower compartment, filled with rarely-used stores and broken equipment.

24—A small compartment, which can be reached only through a bolted access plate in the fo’c’s’le, with only some valve piping for the peak tank.

25—The steering engine fills much of this oddly shaped compartment.

26—Refrigeration equipment. This compartment smells heavily of ammonia, and is filled with tanks, ductwork, dials and gauges, steam lines from the engine room, sea water pipes, air vents to the deck above, etc.

27—The captain’s cabin. A regular and a sound powered telephone are fitted.

28—The captain’s office. A desk and shelves hold books and papers on navigation, maritime law, polar conditions, history, etc. Again, regular and sound powered telephones are present. The ship’s safe is here.
Phoebe A locked cabinet contains a chest and smaller “doctor’s bag” with medical, surgical, and first aid equipment sufficient to treat a dozen major injuries.

29—The radio room. Long and shortwave apparatus are located here. The telephone master switches are here, too, and of course a telephone. Several large lead-acid batteries in a sturdy chest can provide several hours of emergency transmitting power. As this vessel only has one radio operator aboard, it is fitted with an autoalarm system which sounds alarm bells in the radio operator’s cabin, on the bridge, and in this compartment if the radio equipment detects the Morse signal “a” repeatedly (dot-dash). This automatic device is prone to failure. It sometimes activates for no reason at all, and it might well not detect a legitimate distress call, but it is better than nothing. The radio direction finding-loop is operated from here.

30—The owner’s suite. Rarely used in normal service, it has been converted to an office and lab for the expedition’s use. Valuable stores and delicate apparatus are kept here during the voyage to Antarctica. A small owner’s safe is installed in the closet. Often Starkweather or Moore will be here when awake. A telephone is present.

31-The bridge. Regular and sound-powered telephones, the engine telegraph, and voice pipes allow the officers of the watch to control the ship. The ship’s foghorn, whistle, and navigational lights are operated from here; the compass binnacle and ship’s wheel dominate
the middle of the compartment. A log indicator shows the ship’s speed, and an indicator dial shows the angle of the rudder relative to the keel of the ship. Racks and cupboards on the walls contain signal flags, national flags, three sets of semaphore flags, two flare pistols and flares, five large pyrotechnic signal rockets, hand leads for measuring depth, three pairs of binoculars, two hand signal lamps, six flashlights, two hand fire extinguishers, and other small items of equipment.

32—The chart room. The current ship’s log is kept here; a telephone is installed. The depth-sounding machine controlled from here can measure down to 100 fathoms (600 feet) while the ship is under way, using a wire and weight unspooled automatically from the ship’s keel.

Located at the back end of the room is a rack of six unloaded .30-06 bolt action rifles, which are padlocked to the rack by a chain running through their trigger guards. A locked combination safe next to the rack holds twelve 25-round boxes of .30-06 ammunition. The captain and the first officer have keys to the padlock and the combination to the safe.


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The Cargo Holds

The holds have no hatches in their bulkheads. To get from one hold to the next, one must go up on deck, and descend into the next hold. Down to the tween deck, this is accomplished on a vertical ladder; from the tween deck to each lower hold a single ladder, encased in a 40" diameter metal tube, descends. During the voyage, all cargo hatches are in place—to the tween deck and further down to the lower hold. The cargo hatches are constructed of heavy beams.

MORE SHIP’S INFORMATION

Above the bridge is the flying bridge, with wings extending out to the sides; a canvas awning can be placed on a frame to protect the crew up here from the sun. In good weather, the ship will be steered from this
location, which has a stand with a compass, engine telegraph, telephones, voice tubes, etc. in protected chests, and a cord to the steam whistle. The ship’s large signal lamp is mounted here, and a pelorus (which is used to determine visual bearing angles) on each bridge wing. The ship’s signal flags are flown from here. A signal flag chest is attached to the rail.

The ship’s 1" line gun (also known as a Lyle gun), resembling a small Civil War mortar, is mounted here. A locked heavy steel waterproof chest, lined with cork, contains six half-pound black powder bags used
to throw the 18 pound line projectiles. Another locked chest contains a box of 25 percussion primers to fire the gun, the six projectiles, the breeches buoy, and various auxiliary equipment.

Four ight lines, 1,700 feet long each, are kept coiled in sealed tubs nearby, to be fired by the gun; two more tubs are below, in the bosun’s stores (compartment #23). Another line, 1" thick and 1500 feet long, is on a heavy hand-winch nearby, to support the breeches buoy. There is really no way to accurately shoot the line gun at anything.

The ship’s supply of 18 life rings with water lights are kept in two racks on this level. These life rings carry a small copper tube-flare, which self-ignites 30 seconds after being thrown in the water, and burns for 45 minutes. Eighteen more life rings, without water lights, are attached to the railings at various other places on the ship.

Boxes on deck at the bow and stern each contain a regular and a sound-powered telephone. An additional telephone has been mounted in the lookout (crow’s nest).


Persuade 17+20=37: 1d100 ⇒ 18 So one question?

"I say Mr Starkweather, it vas very nice of you to invite me for a drink here... it's good to be out on zee open vater finally, I feel like vee are leafink all zee troubles behind. And it certainly vas a lot of trouble!"

"Tell me sir, ve'fe been doink a little research to try and get to all zee bottom of zose troubles vee had, to try and vork out who vas responsible or behind it all... I vas vondering vhat you could tell me about Acacia Lexington? It seems you hafe a little bit of a past vith her? "


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 will keep a financial log and take inventory of fiances as well as crew and equipment for Goldman Sachs as a cover for his sneaking around and also to do his job.


Chucking at the mention of a naked run though the snow, "Is that something you have done before?"


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle - Open Sea

Arnault

Starkweather sighs, "I led the young woman on Safari in Africa.

Despite a few minor mishaps, the trip went smoothly. We were fortunate that I had experienced bearers. When the time came to return to Nairobi, Lexington had seen everything she had hoped to, with the exception of a giraffe. She demanded to see a giraffe before returning home.

Well I knew just the place, and it would add only two days to the trip (she had four days before her ship departed from Zanzibar home). The expedition set off on a detour which involved crossing one of the Congo tributaries.

Acacia became fearful at the sight of rain clouds passing overhead, and wanted to turn back. I assured her that the rain would be falling only on the higher ground a few miles distant. The location lived up to expectations and after a day spent photographing more giraffes than she had hoped for, we returned to the ford to find that the quiet stream had risen and was now a roaring torrent, carrying the previous day’s rainfall down from the hills.

Well, I wanted to cross, but the head bearer said the river was completely impassable and his men refused. He said it would take several days for the level to drop again. That would mean that Lexington would miss her ship. In order to prevent the bearers from abandoning the party, I set them to chopping down trees with the intention of building rafts.

Acacia argued against the plan, but I was able to make her see reason. Secretly I instructed the head bearer to go to the nearest village to acquire men and canoes in order to be ferried across. The plan succeeded, and the river was crossed easily. Lexington spent the remainder of the trip in an angry silence, hurt that I had not confided in her regarding my plan.

The return to Nairobi was uneventful, and she caught her ship at Mombassa. After that I released the story to the papers at which she became incensed and stated that I mis-characterized events for my own benefit after placing her life "in danger". Well, ever since that accusation I have had nothing to do with her or her father, God rest his soul.

No doubt that is why she seeks to one up me or perhaps two up me. Sabotage my expedition and in turn become successful at the very thing I so publicly vowed to do!"


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle - Open Sea

Alphonso

The trip thus far seems to be running along smoothly. Provisions are being utilized at an appropriate rate, at least according to Peter Sykes the head guide and unofficial second in command of Starkweather and Moore.


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle - Open Sea

Phoebe

Greene grins at you, "Maybe, is that something you'd like to see?"


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle - the Eastern Seaboard

A few days out to sea, Starkweather and Moore decide it is time to relieve some of the tension of the past several weeks and throw an impromptu party.

Champagne flows freely. Starkweather and Moore both toast the future and the expedition’s good fortune, grinning ear to ear. Peter Sykes entertains the crew with old Newfoundland whaler’s chanteys accompanied by spoons and cook-pot drums, and offers to teach the words to whomever wants to learn. The more well-traveled members of the team regale one another with tales of previous great adventures they have had and disasters they have witnessed.

The cabins are small and cramped, with room for little more than occupants, bunks, and a minimum of luggage. Cabin mates are stacked two or three up in narrow bunks; the stools and chairs provided are almost immediately moved into the lounges, where they are more comfortably used.

Washrooms and showers are similarly spartan. There are no bathtubs aboard the ship. The stewards provide laundry service, but there is no provision for special treatment; fine garments should be stored away for the duration.

The crew are everywhere, mixing and mingling with the explorers in their off hours. They are a social bunch. Most have little education. Despite their good nature, however, it is impossible to hide the fact that the explorers are very much intruders in their world.

Psychology Check:
Some of the crew are garrulous, but others watch quietly and make no friendly gestures. There is even, at times, a strange sense of unease in the air, as if the explorers are objects of suspicion or fear.

Among the crew the suspicion is real and widespread; it is strongest among the able seamen and the engine crews; it does not appear to exist in the ship’s officers.

Persuade - if the Psychology roll above was a Success:
The crew believes Starkweather is a jinx. He’s a Jonah. Things always go wrong when he’s around. The crew relates tales of Starkweather’s previous disasters in the news to reinforce their impression is correct. It seems that the death of Commander Douglas and the fire right before setting off truly reinforced this belief.

Alphonso Spot Hidden -25:
As the trip heads farther out to sea and closer to the equator you catch a glimpse of someone exiting the cargo hold late at night.


Male "Human" Engineer

Psychology (05): 1d100 ⇒ 38

Stanley isn't normally one to get a lot of enjoyment out of a party, but being cooped up in the boat like a sardine makes any sort of interesting break in the monotony an attractive prospect. He's come to realize that he'd spent a lot of time thinking about and preparing for the portion of the trip on the bottom of the world, but hadn't spared much of a thought for the time spent getting there.

He's doing his best to unwind, shaking himself from his comfort zone and learning the words so that he can join in the sea chanteys. It's rather strange that being in even closer quarters with more people, but in a different room from normal, can be an effective distraction from being in close quarters with too many people. That math doesn't seem like it should work, but the results are undeniable.


With the Doctor!

Blushing at the question, "I do not have to answer that but I am sure if it happens I would be somewhere near to insure that you do not freeze off anything important."

At the party

Psychology (50): 1d100 ⇒ 73 I do believe that is a fail, right?

Opting out of any of the drinking, now would not be the time to do anything she should not be doing. Alcohol is a horrid idea. But she is more than willing to sit and listen to any of the stories being shared. Listening with great attention to any tale that is told. More than willing to get caught up in the jovial feeling and joining in on the chantyes.


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

psych: 1d100 ⇒ 41

spot hidden 54-25: 1d100 ⇒ 51

nope


To Starkweather:
" Ah I see, so it vas a matter of losing face in zee press zat drives her. Beat you at your own game, still, murder and sabotage is risky if she vas ever tied to zese events... "

Psychology 20 : 1d100 ⇒ 80
How I love the D100, let me count the ways... XD

Arnault gets more than a little tipsy at the party. Eventually joining in with the chantey singing and when the night turns to tale telling he tries to embellish events of his ship ride over to the states from Germany, all his tales end lamely however as the trip was really quite uneventful... it's also hard to understand him because as he gets more tipsy his accent gets worse and he sometimes slips into speaking German and then has to work out where he stopped speaking English and start the tale again...


Shadow's Status

Hmmm. It seems everyone failed every roll!

the Gabrielle - Journey to the Panama Canal

Captain Vredenburgh and First Officer Turlow run a tight ship. The trip continues to be the exact opposite of the troubles that plagued the expedition while on land and in dock, things run quite smoothly.

First Officer Turlow is in charge of the expedition’s affairs and is most likely to be involved if something comes up during the voyage. Turlow is the one who calls the occasional lifeboat drills, and who can be expected to explain the small surprises of shipboard life—including the infamous “mayday alarm,” a small alarm bell attached to the ship’s radio which is designed to ring when the receiver picks up a distress call. This it does, for the most part—but it also rings occasionally for other things, such as the broadcast salutations of a passing vessel or the crackling static of a lightning storm.

Breakfast for the expedition is served from 8–9 a.m. each morning. A small chalkboard is set up in both mess halls. Every morning they show the ship’s position in latitude and longitude, the times of sunrise and sunset, the predicted weather, and any assignments or classes offered for the day.

After breakfast, Father Garrity offers a small mass and a more expanded version of the mass on Sundays.

Moore expects everyone on the expedition to become as familiar as possible with the facts of life in the Antarctic before arrival. He has asked a number of the expedition’s experts to lecture or give lessons in their areas of expertise during the voyage. Attendance at these sessions is not mandatory, but it is expected. Those who don’t attend soon hear from Moore. Classes begin at once and continue throughout the trip.

There are classes by Sykes the Arctic Guide, Dr. Greene, The Sorensen Brothers on equipment, Patrick Miles on maintenance, Pulaski and Fiskarson on dog sled teams, Halperin on aeriel navigation, Professor Albemarle on arctic weather, Laroche on radio operations, Gilmore and O'Doul on the ice drills and melters, Professor Griffith on geology, Professor Moore himself lectures on Antarctic exploration and Discovery. Let me what, if any, of these lectures your character wishes to attend, please be specific :-)

There is no formal lunch, but sandwiches and cold foods are laid out in the mess halls from noon to one o’clock. Mr. Starkweather has his tea in the officer’s mess at four o’clock each day, and the evening meal is held each night at 8 p.m.

Every few days, James Starkweather and Professor Moore transmit "expedition bulletins” to the outside world, filled with inconsequential information about life aboard the Gabrielle. Most of the explorers regard these with a certain amount of amusement, and printed copies of Starkweather’s self-important broadcasts are sometimes satirized in the crew’s lounge to great gales of laughter. Meals are communal affairs, served family style from the cook’s big pots in the galley.

The expedition takes its meals in two separate groups. Starkweather, Moore, the senior scientists, and Meeley and Gretchen eat in the officer’s mess, with Captain Vredenburgh and his officers. This is generally a leisurely affair, with fine porcelain and silver, followed by brandy and cigars after dinner.

Let me know who you eat with or if you switch groups from day to day.

The other twenty-odd expedition members gather in the crew’s mess aft, and eat their meals off of scuffed steel and crockery. The crew’s sitting is usually a loud friendly affair. Mickey and Seamus dine with the crew,

Father Garrity moves between both groups.

Between meals, and in the evening, your time is your own. Expedition members can read, chat, play cards, practice on musical instruments, listen to the radio or to records in one of the lounges, or do whatever they desire. Several parts of the ship are off limits—the cargo holds are sealed, and the party members are asked not to go into the engine room while the Gabrielle is under way—but otherwise the passengers are free to explore, so long as they do not disturb the crew or get in the way.

As the ship moves south the water becomes more clear and blue. Gone are the sudden cold squalls of the Atlantic, the air becomes heavy with moisture, warm and downright oppressive on some days. The rain that comes every couple of days is clean and soft. All in all the dogs are the only passengers that do not seem to appreciate the trip as they moan and howl loudly their cries echoing weirdly on the ship at night.

On the fifth day September 21st, 1933 the ship rounds the eastern end of Cuba. Thick green palm fronded jungle slides by in silence beyond the rocks, seemingly almost close enough to touch. A U. S. four-stacker destroyer salutes from a distance. Gabrielle responds with a triple blast of its steam whistle.

That night, the radio announces that Lexington’s Tallahassee has arrived in Panama. The news is received by Starkweather in angry silence.

In the Caribbean Sea the weather is simply breathtaking, Swirls of clouds mottle the heavens, dropping brief but frequent rain. Sunrises and sunsets are bursts and explosions of vaporous gold, and hints of lilies and distant spice hang in the air, beneath the ever-present tang of the sea.

It takes eight days to sail to the Panama Canal (rough weather the fourth night slowed the trip down a bit as it should have taken seven days). As the Expedition nears the Panama Canal, Captain Vredenburgh throws a party.

Alphonso Spot Hidden - No Adjustment:
You ignore the party still on the lookout for a saboteur, you see a shadow head down into the holds...

Listen - Arnault, Phoebe and Stanley:
Alphonso as always is anti-social and is obsessed with finding a saboteur. As you head to the party you hear the dogs howling but their howls seem somehow, off...


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 will attend all of the classes available in between his sneaking around as any of those classes could save his life!

spot hidden: 1d100 ⇒ 93

nope times alot how frustrating


Male "Human" Engineer

Listen (25): 1d100 ⇒ 46
(•_•)
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)

Stanley will similarly attend every single class possible, though in the event that any of them are scheduled at the same time he would give preference to those that are of a more scientific bent. He pays close attention and takes a lot of notes, which he usually studies during and after grabbing lunch. Unlike the tests for his classes when he was a student at Misketonic University, failing the test of real life in the inhospitable southern wastes results in certain death or being a burden to the others. Neither of those are things he's interested in.

Considering this trip as essentially any other job, he chooses to take dinner with the general expedition members first, and as a creature of habit he so far hasn't tried to change things up in favor of sticking with what he's used to. He prefers to sit with the others on the expedition that have backgrounds in aviation, as it's something that they have in common which makes conversation easier. He also happily sits with the others who were involved with the investigations in New York for the same reasons.

At first he finds the warmth to be a nice change. Growing up and living between Massachussetts and upstate New York, this kind of warmth is something that only really happens for a few weeks a year, at most. It makes this part of the trip feel like a vacation at first, but by the second night of waking up with sweaty sheets sticking to him all over he's longing for him home climate. Every so often, though, he reminds himself to try to enjoy it while it lasts. He'll almost certainly miss it once he's surrounded by constant snow and ice.

The Gabrielle's arrival at the Panama Canal is a source of great personal excitement for him as well. Not a well-traveled man, he's eager to experience an entirely different ocean from the one he's used to. Even the clearer waters of the Caribbean have fascinated him, but there's just something different about traveling to the Pacific which just screams the other side of the world to him and makes it feel like the voyage is making progress.


listen 35: 1d100 ⇒ 52

Attending what classes she is able to and trying to attend them all. The more knowledge she has at her disposal the better off Phoebe feels she will be and the less others can complain that she should not be here.

Frequently choosing to dine with the in the more friendly environment of the crew’s mess aft though at lest once or twice a week Phoebe would sit in the officer’s mess, brandy can be a wonderful thing on occasion.

The majority of her free time is spent exploring the ship. Some of her time is spent trying to get more familiar with the sled teams, the camp crew, and the guides. Asking them about previous excursions that they have been on and what they think they might come across here.

Around sunset Phoebe is always easy to find since she as habitually as she can would watch the sun setting to watch the sun sink below the horizon and the stars fill the sky. Assuming nothing prevents her from doing so of course.


Listen 25: 1d100 ⇒ 63 Speak up! What's that sonny? XD

Arnault spends the early mornings (on all but the worst days weather wise) staring out at the sea before breakfast. He takes all his meals in the officers mess, much more at ease there. He goes to Father Garity's mass each day though he's not Catholic. He also goes to every lecture, making copious notes which he reviews after dinner each night before turning in early most nights.

As the weather grows warmer Arnault spends more time on deck, trying to keep cool in the breeze of the moving ship.


Shadow's Status

Arnault:
As you walk with Phoebe and Stanley you hear the dogs howling but it is somehow different this time? Do you suggest investigation or head to the party? Alphonso is not with the group but you could easily retrieve him.


Shadow's Status

Arnault, ignore that last post, as it turns out Phoebe is right, you did fail that one, for some reason I read it as a 25 out of 63 instead of a 63 out of 25...yep, and I'm not even dyslexic...


So we all go to the party and have a great time and nothing bad happens ever again... Right? :)


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

The party was a rousing success!

The next day, however, a number of the expedition’s dogs have taken ill. One even dies from whatever it ingested. Enke Fiskarson is beside himself with grief not understanding what the hell happened to cause it. Starkweather ignores it as bad food and vows to feed the dogs human food until proper dog food that does not spoil can be purchased in Panama.

Soon enough, the lush green shores of Panama close in on either side of the Gabrielle, studded here and there with buildings and gray fortifications. The city of Colón, where the Canal enters the Caribbean, seems small and sleepy at the edge of the jungle. Fishing boats float in the waters of the bay, and the grim guns and walls of the forts on either side seem out of place.

Captain Vredenburgh holds the vessel offshore for most of an hour inside the breakwater in the still depths of Colón Bay, as the Canal pilot is brought aboard in a small customs launch flying the American flag. The pilot, a tall black-skinned Jamaican in his thirties named Quentin, inspects the ship’s documents and proceeds to the bridge, where he remains throughout the crossing. Passing through the Gatun Locks takes almost an hour. The ship’s engines idle, and off-duty crewmen lounge on the rail, watching as the gargantuan water gates approach. There are two sets of these, each set a hundred fifty feet wide, looming seventy feet above the water. A long wharf thrusts out between them hundreds of feet into the channel, decorated along its length with rails and overhead power lines for the squat electric “mule engines” used to pull vessels through the locks. Small stout tugs urge the ship into the gaping steel mouth, then the gates close, and there are shouts from the crew; lines are tossed to men on the pier.

Great tow cables are secured to a squat, powerful-looking black locomotive waiting to one side of the deep concrete channel.

When the inner gates open and the water of the lake swirls by, the locomotive thrums and roars and surges forward along steep crooked tracks, holding Gabrielle steady against the current and drawing her along. When the gates close behind, the engine rests, only to surge forward again when the water has risen and the next set of doors opens. It takes fifteen minutes to raise the ship thirty feet above the level of the sea, before she can slide forward a thousand feet into the next basin of the lock.

The doors behind her close, and the water rises again. The process is repeated three times. Afterwards the ship is released with a whistle into Lake Gatun. A day’s slow measured progress follows through the lake’s still waters, surrounded by thick jungles, passing other ocean-going giants headed for the Atlantic. Brightly colored birds flash in the dense foliage, alligators sun themselves in great numbers on the shore, and the heavy sweet smell of decaying plants is strong in the fitful breeze.

Signs of man are few: here the thin tall tower of a radio transmitter, there the fort-like clearing of the Canal Zone Penitentiary. At last the Culebra Cut comes into view, a huge deep slice carved through the surrounding hills. These hills mark the continental divide. The rough-cut rocky walls ghost past for miles, festooned with vines and clinging shrubs, seemingly inches away on either side. As the edge of the Cut nears, the ship enters another set of locks. This time she descends once, crosses Miraflores lake, only a mile end to end, and is lowered again through the final two locks toward the sea. Roads and houses are visible in increasing numbers. Pleasure craft dot the edges of the expanse of water, and blackhaired children wave at the Gabrielle as she passes. The jungle is cut back, replaced by stretches of green open lawn and careful swaths of brilliant flowers.

When the ship moves at last out of the channel and slips into Balboa Bay, you all from the top decks catch glimpses of the curve of Panama City to the south and the dark restless expanse of the Pacific beyond.

Starkweather has the Gabrielle drop anchor in Balboa Bay to resupply. Night falls...

Make Spot Hidden checks. Each degree of success reveals something else as you are all too hot to sleep in the stuffy ship tonight.

See the OOC thread for character updates.


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

spot hidden?: 1d100 ⇒ 58


Spot Hidden : 1d100 ⇒ 44/50% Success! We have success people!

Arnault spends what free time he has watching the canal locks raise and lower the ship with interest. He waves back to all the children he sees with a wide smile on his face.

By the end of the day, not only is there no relief from the sun but Arnault finds his fair skin is thoroughly sunburnt!


Spot hidden 35: 1d100 ⇒ 58


Male "Human" Engineer

Spot Hidden (33): 1d100 ⇒ 93


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

As the resupply is underway Arnault heads into the holds to search for a radio set to test out as he knows some of them are down here in hold #3. As he pulls the radio and begins to fiddle with it he immediately realizes something is amiss. The radios do not work.

Know Check:
The radio has been subject to someone pouring acid on it. This was no accident...


Know check : 1d100 ⇒ 30/70

Arnault looks at the radio incredulously, who would do such a thing! Then he sighs knowing that they haven't left their troubles behind in New York... he glances about making sure he's not about to be clubbed from behind before pocketing the radio and leaving to find Starkweather... hopefully more radios could be purchased here!

"James, could I hafe a word in private? I vas just down in zee holds, I had it in my mind to try out vhat I'd learnt about zee radios in zee lecture by Laroche... vell anyvay, " He pulls the damaged radio out and shows it to Starkweather. " Look, it's had acid poured all ofer it! Sabotage again! I thought I'd better let you know straight avay in case vee could buy some more vhile vee are docked here? But also vee might have to lock up zee supplies and try to find out who did zis... "


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

Starkweather seethes when you show him the radio, "That damn Lexington snuck someone on to ensure that we wouldn't get very far even if we got out of New York. I know your friend was looking for a saboteur, I thought him paranoid, you know how these finance and accounting types are, too damn cautious by half!

Our saboteur must be sneaking around him! Very well, tonight you set your man up in one position while the rest of you wait in the cargo holds, you'll no doubt catch him in the act, if he acts again! Agreed?"


" Very good. If he doesn't act again tonight we'll just have to take vatches... I'll get zee team togezer and let zem know vhats happening! "

Arnault heads off to find the usual suspects starting with Alphonso then Phoebe and Stanley, pulling each member aside and telling them to meet at his quarters in half an hour. He will also try to find Seamus and Mickey to see if they'd like to get involved as well.
"Thanks for coming eferyvone, it seems Alphonso has been right, zere is a saboteur aboard! Earlier tonight I found zat all zee radios hafe been damaged vith acid! I spoke vith Starkweather and he vants us to stake out zee hold."


Male "Human" Engineer

Stanley's heart sinks. "I thought we had left all this behind us in New York," he laments. "The saboteur is clearly playing a long game. Why lay lo for so long only to start up again now?" He sighs. "Stakeout it is, for now, though whether we catch this guy or not, I might be able to fix the radio or scavenge its parts to build a new one. I'm quite experienced with electrical equipment."


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

Be wary. I have been watching for this saboteur and they have snuck past me for days. We must have watches with at least two of us if not more


Feeling her stomach twist up in knots And I thought we were done with all that. "He wants the lot of us to stakeout the hold? Alone? And who else knows?"


"Well, I spoke with Seamus and Mickey, you know, to see if zey vould help to, hopefully zey vill be here soon but I didn't tell zem much, just to meet us here... Ozzer zan zat zee only person I've told is Starkweather. "

"I agree, Alphonso, but maybe tonight vee could all go, hide down in zee hold and vait, zough James suggested zat you continue trying to shadow zee man... "


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

let us all go to the hold tonight except me and I will go on my normal random paths. The saboteur will then think nothing amiss and strike after I pass.


Male "Human" Engineer

"Sounds good," Stanley agrees. "And then I'll try rebuilding the radio first thing tomorrow, whether we catch this person tonight or not."


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

Alphonso walks his normal circuit as if nothing is amiss. He indeed sees nothing.

Mickey and Seamus await a signal from Alphonso from a hiding spot on the darkness of the deck.

Spot Hidden +30 - Phoebe, Arnault, and Stanley:
A sound, just a small one, you hear from Hold 3. That sound though could be the saboteur!


Male "Human" Engineer

Spot Hidden +30 (63): 1d100 ⇒ 13!

As the stakeout proceeds Stanley is pretty sure he hears something.

"Hold Three," he whispers furtively. "Anybody else hear that?" Even as he asks he begins to move quickly in that direction to check it out.


Spot Hidden +30 : 1d100 ⇒ 72/80%
:/ just...

If I'm not mistaken, all our guns are stored away, right?

"I do!" Arnault whispers loudly. "Lets go! Phoebe, signal Alphonso and zee ozzers vhile Stanley and I check it out."

Arnault starts moving towards hold three, trying to move as swiftly as he dares while trying to stay quiet.

Sneak : 1d100 ⇒ 68/20%

I should have played a ninja XD


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

Phoebe nods and heads away to get Alphonso. In the meantime, Arnault and Stanley head into Hold 3 looking for the potential saboteur. Arnault knocks over a something metal in the darkness and it clangs onto the deck. The sound of something being dropped and movement can be heard not far away!

Make a Dexterity x3 check to chase down whoever is attempting to get away!

tGOO ONLY:
Dexterity x 3 33% 1d100 ⇒ 40

Yes the guns are locked away but so should any guns of the saboteur.


Dex X 3 : 1d100 ⇒ 87/30%

"Damn!" Arnault exclaims as he knocks over the object in the dark "Come on!" he says leaping forward only to trip over the very same object and land on his hands and knees. He scrambles up and starts running again!


Male "Human" Engineer

Dex x3 (42): 1d100 ⇒ 46

Stanley attempts to give chase, but it sounds like whoever he's chasing might just be a little too fast for him to catch up...


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

Arnault trips and falls trailing far behind Stanley and whoever he is chasing!

The man leaps off of the stairs and into the hold once more trying to shake you, though behind you are close enough to surge forward and try to catch him!

Stanley, make another Dex x3 check!

tGOO ONLY:
Dexterity x3 - 33% 1d100 ⇒ 15


Male "Human" Engineer

Dex x3 (42): 1d100 ⇒ 43 Argh!

I really didn't expect a trip to the south pole to involve this much running, Stanley thinks as he pushes himself to the limits trying to keep up. I should really have gotten into better shape!


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

As Stanley is left behind Arnault stands and listens, he is not quite sure where the sounds are coming from though!

=======

Phoebe and Alphonso head towards the hold.

Spot Hidden +30 - Phoebe and Alphonso:
You see a man ascending not the ladder but the side of the hold trying to get away from Stanley and Arnault!


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

spot hidden: 1d100 ⇒ 70 84 so made it!

Alphonso rushes towards the man grabbing one of the boom tools from the deck if possible while he goes to spear the fellow off the wall!


Shadow's Status

the Gabrielle – the Panama Canal – September 24th, 1933

Alphonso can see the figure but not his face! He grabs an object seeking to knock the man backwards.

Make a skill check versus Club @ +25% to knock him backwards OR allow him to finish his climb and tackle him with a Grapple @ +25%. If Phoebe is back, she can also test to aid to your roll or roll on her own to Grapple also at +25%


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

base % for grapple vs bade % for club please?

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