"No sweat, Harv. Yeah, I can totally find my way to this bookstore thingy. I've got scooter. But where ARE you guys? Are you here in 'Truman?"

Well, Eastman and I are walking right now to the place. We'll not go in until you show up. Wouldn't want to waste any photo opportunities. Facial expressions, thrown vases, whatever. You know how all that goes.

Katja

**FOR ALL**
The book store is not hard to find and as there are no news cameras in sight, it does appear that they might have a lead as yet unknown to any of the other reporters. Katja arrives on her scooter at about the same time that Harvey and Kenny reach it.

The inside of the small shop, a thin brick building wedged between two other buildings, is a bit of a mess. Piles of books lean against the walls in great stacks. There are many shelves, forming narrow aisles. All are crammed full of books. Paperbacks and hardbacks alike fill the long room, in no discernable pattern. A sign placed on several of the shelf ends reads, “Trade two for one and 50 cents.”

To the left of the entrance, almost hidden by two large stacks of books, is a small wooden counter with an old cash register atop it. A tall lean man sits behind the counter, reading, of all things, a copy of the Sunlight Scoop. The front cover, in large black letters bears the headline, “Peruvian Vampire marries Egyptian Undead: I needed a mummy he says.”

The man looks up from his reading as you walk into the store. “May I help you,” he asks in a thin voice. He looks somewhat pallid and nervous.

"Hi, Mr. Grip. We are investigators from that very paper you are reading. I'm Kenny Eastman, this is Harvy Malgram and Katja Jay. We are working on the story of the Bouncing Skipper crew and we would like to talk to you about it."

"I'm sure you must be concerned for the crew members and their families and friends. If you read the Scoop regularly you know that we get the elements of a story that the other papers miss."

Diplomacy roll in case it is needed: 14 + 5 = 19

"You'r with the Scoop," the man says, a bit startled. He grins and though he still appears pallid, it is clear that he is glad to see them.

"I knew my story would be too good to pass up," exclaims Grip with genuine excitement.

When the creepy pallid guy puts down his copy of the 'Scoop, Katja reaches for it.
"Aww! You guys, look!" Katja says to her two new co-Scoopies. Her finger jabs down on the mummy/vampire story. "Wedded bliss! Now, who says America has fallen out of love with romance?? Or South America as the case may be. - Damn, and I didn't even get the happy couple any gifts yet. Seriously, do y'all know where they're registered?"

Grip stand up, mostly ignoring Katja.

"I knew the paper would send someone. I just knew it. You have a camera right. I keep it in the back of the store. Climate controlled and everything."

"Yup, we definitely have a camera."

"Excellent,excellent," bubbles Grip. He fumbles in his pocket for some keys and then with a big grin he says, "Follow me... I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. I have been waiting months for this day."

Heading towards the back of the store, Grip continues talking the whole time, "When I first got it, I couldn't really believe it. I was afraid it would die and then no one would believe me. And I can't figure out how to take a good picture of it. The tank keeps reflecting the flash."

(what impression does Harvey get from Grip?)

(sense motive roll + modifier = 6)

(oh and hello fellow PC! Good to have you.)

Initial impression of Grip was that he was a man in need of sleep. Or perhaps a man suffering from the flu. Now he appears to be a man in need of sleep under the influence of a strong stimulant, i.e. very excited. Other than all that, he seems normal enough.

(oh and hello fellow PC! Good to have you.)

Grip unlocks a door near the rear of his shop, nestled between two crowded shelves of books, and reaching in, he flips on a light switch.

"After you all," he says eagerly, holding the door open.

Katja enters the small room.
And blinks.

*Harvey enters behind Katja*

Explanation of the Sanity Check: Your current Sanity score represents a percentage. To make a sanity check, roll 1d100. A check succeeds when the roll is equal to or less than the current sanity. Generally a success is better than a failure. But some things will reduce sanity even on a successful roll.

We will assume Kenny enters as well. All three reporters need to make a sanity check.

Sanity roll! (1d100=57)

Katja's current Sanity: 80

I enter as well.

Sanity Roll: 1. Current Sanity 55link

I am rolling hot so far! From what I know of Cthulu this probably means I am toast soon.

I also press my cellphone to dial my home phone and get the answering machine. This way there could be some record if there are noises of glass breaking, flesh chewing etc...

I guess this is a sleight of hand roll to muffle the noise in my jacket when the answering machine greeting comes on.

Sleight of hand: roll 15 + 1 (dex) = 16

I am having a great time with this game. This is the first PbP game for me and the first time I have played DnD in over 10 years.

(d100 roll= 88)

Sanity Score: 70

I am having a great time with this game. This is the first PbP game for me and the first time I have played DnD in over 10 years.

I'm having a really good time too. Thanks Wicht for putting on a cool game. Sorry I'm not using an "official" rolling system - I've been posting from work and that site for some reason doesn't pull up here. So I'm using the honor system.

Please understand, I'm the last person that ever wants to flub the dice. To me the fun of the game is the luck of the draw. I take my licks no matter what. Are you comfortable with the honor system DM?

Also, glad to have you back in the DnD Kenny Eastman! Soon, it will consume YOU*!!!!

*Warning: Consuming may take the form of spending money on DnD books.

Inside the small room, originally a storeroom, a large fish-tank dominates the far wall. The air inside is fairly warm, the result of a small ceramic heater plugged into the wall to the left. There is an oddly shaped fish swimming in the tank, swimming in a rather jerky, strange fashion. As the three peer closer, the oddity becomes clearer. The fish, about a foot and a half in length, has two heads. The fish turns and for a moment it is seems as if all four eyes are fixated on the beings staring at it.

Harvey: Harvey loses 2 points of sanity. Harvey’s current sanity = 68

“It’s a salmon!” exclaims Samuel Grip from behind the three reporters, “A friend of mine obtained him and knowing I would like it, gave it to me as a gift. You guys must see things like this all the time, huh?”

Thanks for the kind words about the game thus far. :)

"Where did you friend catch this fish? How long have you had it? Was it Walter who caught it?

"We do see this sort of thing now and then. However, we do need to get information to compare the different cases and this one IS different. I think you might have a unique story here. What can you tell us about it? Do you think there is a special connection between it and you?"

(whoa, you must ask a lot of questions when you're nervous)

Don't oppress me you fascist!

In all seriousness, I did not realize that my last post looks like one big rambling bunch of questions. Now that I look at it again I see what you mean.

I wrote all them out because I am afraid I will forget to ask something if I wait to post questions later.(or it might be all the drugs)

"Uh, Gripski, I'm confused. I mean, I know I boarded this choo-choo kinda late and all, but uh...I thought we were coming to see you about the whole "No One Alive on the Bouncing Skipper" thing. As rad as this 4-eyed specimen is - and don't get me wrong, he could TOTALLY be King of the Sea-Monkeys, if he ever threw his...hats...in the ring- I'm just not quite clear on Mr. Starkist's connection to the case at hand...?"

Samuel Grip beams as Kenny questions him but just as he opens his mouth and begins, "My friend is something of a...," Katja interupts with her question.

Samuel looks confused, "What Bouncing Skipper thing? You aren't here to see my fish? But I have written... You don't... Huh?"

It is clear that he really wanted to answer everything about the fish but has no idea what Katja is talking about.

Seeing that she's seemingly derailed the poor bookstore man, Katja curses to herself. "Stop being so aggressively verbal, girl,' she thinks. "No one expects you to manage everything - just chill, dude."

Katja shoots an apologetic look to her co-Scoopers. She's gonna clam up now, and see if they can't smooth things over with Grip.

Samuel Grip beams as Kenny questions him but just as he opens his mouth and begins, "My friend is something of a...," Katja interupts with her question.

Samuel looks confused, "What Bouncing Skipper thing? You aren't here to see my fish? But I have written... You don't... Huh?"

It is clear that he really wanted to answer everything about the fish but has no idea what Katja is talking about.

"Of course we are here to see this magnificent fish. Our boss also told us to check out the Bouncing Skipper while we are down here. You see, this is a story with physical proof. We can write about one and a half the normal amount of columns for it. That leaves us with half a story to print to make for a full paper. The Bouncing Skipper will be the secondary story and get half the space because there is nothing physical to back it up."

Mr. Grip still seems a little confused.

He stammers “Well this fish, was given to me by a friend of mine, a sea captain who has a knack for sniffing out the…

“Wait a moment…,” he points at Kenny, “You mentioned Walter. So you already knew…,” confused he points at Katja Jay, “You said the Bouncing Skipper disappearance,…?”

“Is there something here that I’m missing? What’s going on with Walter’s ship? He was just here yesterday…”

Mr. Grip still seems a little confused.

He stammers “Well this fish, was given to me by a friend of mine, a sea captain who has a knack for sniffing out the…

“Wait a moment…,” he points at Kenny, “You mentioned Walter. So you already knew…,” confused he points at Katja Jay, “You said the Bouncing Skipper disappearance,…?”

“Is there something here that I’m missing? What’s going on with Walter’s ship? He was just here yesterday…”

“What do you mean the crew has not been heard from? The ship just pulled into town yesterday. Walter was just here yesterday. He wasn’t here to see the fish, he brought me…”

Grip’s demeanor has gone from confused to upset.

There is a thump as the fish swims awkwardly into the side of the tank. The sound seems to jar Grip. He seems to get a hold of himself.

“Is something wrong with Walter?” he asks in a much calmer voice.

“What do you mean the crew has not been heard from? The ship just pulled into town yesterday. Walter was just here yesterday. He wasn’t here to see the fish, he brought me…”

Grip’s demeanor has gone from confused to upset.

There is a thump as the fish swims awkwardly into the side of the tank. The sound seems to jar Grip. He seems to get a hold of himself.

“Is something wrong with Walter?” he asks in a much calmer voice.

"How did Walter seem when you last saw him?"

“What do you mean the crew has not been heard from? The ship just pulled into town yesterday. Walter was just here yesterday. He wasn’t here to see the fish, he brought me…”

Grip’s demeanor has gone from confused to upset.

There is a thump as the fish swims awkwardly into the side of the tank. The sound seems to jar Grip. He seems to get a hold of himself.

“Is something wrong with Walter?” he asks in a much calmer voice.

She continues to stay mum.

"Walter was a little nervous yesterdy. He had another, um, thing for me and didn't stay long. But what do you mean his crew wasn't on the ship. He... He couldn't have brought it into port without a crew, could he? I'm sure you must be mistaken..."

Grip yawns and rubs the side of his head with the heel of one hand.

"Sorry, I didn't sleep well last night," he says.

"Walter was a little nervous yesterdy. He had another, um, thing for me and didn't stay long. But what do you mean his crew wasn't on the ship. He... He couldn't have brought it into port without a crew, could he? I'm sure you must be mistaken..."

"Do you know where Walter is now? It would be great if we could speak with him while we are setting up to take photos of you and the fish. We might need to bring in some lighting equipment to fix the glare problem. We will probably take several photos from different angles, different setting etc. Also, we would like to record and interview with you to make sure we get your story correctly."

Grip yawns and rubs the side of his head with the heel of one hand.

"Sorry, I didn't sleep well last night," he says.

Katja's ready with a Sense Motive check, if need be.

(Harvey doesn't like the cramped quarters, the fish, the room starts to fill like it's closing in on him.

He doesn't care if the others see him, he pulls out his flask and takes a long pull.

Harvey backs up against the wall, and can't seem to take his eyes off the fish. Yet he can't seem to focus on it, he can't seem to get ahold of himself.)

I'm going to step outside for a moment. You two gonna be okay?

*wipes sweat from forehead*

“Hey, do whatever you need to,” says Grip to Kenny, “I… I can answer whatever you need to.”

“I can’t get over Walter… He was just here yesterday, and I… I talked to his first mate on the phone. There must be some mistake somewhere.”

When Katja yawns, Grip smiles wanly and answers her, “I wasn’t on the Internet last night, I just had… bad dreams. Hey,… you guys want to see what Walter brought yesterday. Maybe it has something to do with… you know…”

“Hey man,” says Grip to Harvey, “come on… I’ll show you something else…” A little more animated, now that he has another goal, Grip heads out of the little room.

“Hey, do whatever you need to,” says Grip to Kenny, “I… I can answer whatever you need to.”

“I can’t get over Walter… He was just here yesterday, and I… I talked to his first mate on the phone. There must be some mistake somewhere.”

When Katja yawns, Grip smiles wanly and answers her, “I wasn’t on the Internet last night, I just had… bad dreams. Hey,… you guys want to see what Walter brought yesterday. Maybe it has something to do with… you know…”

“Hey man,” says Grip to Harvey, “come on… I’ll show you something else…” A little more animated, now that he has another goal, Grip heads out of the little room.

Of course, Katja had no such dreams about Port Truman last night. But she does have a lot of anxiety dreams, in general. She's hoping that'll be the grain of truth that gives her fibbing the feeling of psychological veracity. And she HAS dreamed about filthy black crust before. Only in her real dream, the grime wasn't on any ship, it was on the underside of a spoon full of heroin.

"Uh-huh," says Grip absently as he weaves his way between two stacked boxes of books. There is another little room at the back of the bookstore. Grip pulls a light string illuminating a small office, cluttered with shelves and papers and smelling a little of stale coffee. "You should work on your psychic powers then. Everyone has some and with the proper training you can free your inner self. I serve as a priest in a small group dedicated to doing that sort of thing..."

From atop his cluttered desk, Grip lifts something that glitters. He turns and shows it to Katja and the other two. It is a rod, a sceptre perhaps, and it glitters like gold. Narrow at the bottom, it widens into a bulb at the end, like a golden mace, and the there are graven figures around the globe.

"This," says Grip reverently and not without some excitement, "This is what Walter brought me yesterday. He said he got it for me in Boston."

"What is it, Grip?"

"Uh, I don't really know. But one of the figures at the top I think is supposed to be Dagon, the other is likely his consort. Me and Walter decided many years ago that we wanted to worship something different and chose Dagon, an ancient Canaanite God... So we're something of... Well Walter thought I would like it I guess. Thought maybe it would work well in our ceremonies and such."

Grip holds out the rod for examination.

Grips intention seems to be to hand it to someone. Katja - you can attempt a Knowledge Religion check, DC 20, if you want.

"Uh, I don't really know. But one of the figures at the top I think is supposed to be Dagon, the other is likely his consort. Me and Walter decided many years ago that we wanted to worship something different and chose Dagon, an ancient Canaanite God... So we're something of... Well Walter thought I would like it I guess. Thought maybe it would work well in our ceremonies and such."

Grip holds out the rod for examination.

Grips intention seems to be to hand it to someone. Katja - you can attempt a Knowledge Religion check, DC 20, if you want.

"You should work on your psychic powers then. Everyone has some and with the proper training you can free your inner self. I serve as a priest in a small group dedicated to doing that sort of thing..."

Grip holds out the rod for examination.

Grips intention seems to be to hand it to someone. Katja - you can attempt a Knowledge Religion check, DC 20, if you want.

Knowledge (Religion) check re. Dagon's holy baton (1d20+2=17)

Quick, Katja, make a Sanity check or be drawn into the web that is Scientology.

Katja thinks Dagon may be mentioned somewhere in the bible in connection with the ark of the covenant but that is the extent of her knowledge on the subject.

Grip hands the golden rod to Kenny, who asked for it first. It is quite heavy but well balanced. Two strange carven aquatic figures consort with each other around the bulb like end of the rod. The 'handle' of the rod is grooved and there is a small knob on the thin end. The whole thing appears to be made out of gold.

"Pretty neat, huh,..." says Samuel Grip.

"Dagon was a Philistine god. I've writtena pamphlet on him... I have a few copies of it still somewhere."