"If we want to know what these tunnels are used for and by whom, we need to go on, but we should first return an dtry to make a lightsource much more dim. the tunnels themselfs seem safe so far, and if our eyes get used to the gloom, we should see any brighter light source, let us say in a guardroom or an exit before they see our light.
The professor seems a bit stressed and whispers to Murphy
It's Mr. Fletcher, I think he's at the brink of losing his nerves, rapid eye movement, the sweat, his trembling hands...I fear he could cause some trouble if we don't leave him behind and in safety somewhere...I fear he suffers from some kind of war trauma...entrenchments and such, you know? These tunnels seem to cause a flashback.
Charlie lets the shotgun hang at his shoulder, and he looks up and down the tunnel. "How far is Dunwich from the sawmill? We might be pretty close."
"Say there Fletch, why don't you head back down the tunnel and just check on the rear? Maybe we can get you a safe spot to watch, so that if we come back out you can signal us if it ain't safe?"
Fletcher looks at you, wide-eyed and obviously very nervous
Huh, wha...what? No, I'm ok, no problem. I say the Germans must be further ahead - let's just pray they don't have one of these cursed flame throwers with them.
The professor now looks truely alarmed.
"I can see that might be a problem, so lets get you back up top eh? nice and easy there fella, you can keep an eye out for us..."
Murphy starts guiding the man back in a gentle and calm way.
Ok, give me the messages, I'll return them to the sarge and tell him we need more ammunition and water. Man I'm so thirsty...
Daniel tries to slip into his best war movie role with some efford and turns to Fletcher as the young Lieutenant Henderson. He pulls out a slip of paper and a twig he somehow managed to find in his pocket. Burning the twig on the torch, quenching the flame and using the burned wood to draw some nonesensical tactical note like those from his movie to the paper, folds it twice and puts it into Fletchers hand.
"Listen, chap. The sarge might take a few minutes to arrive at the venue, so wait there for him and hide if anyone but him or we, should we need to return early, gets close. Take this, head back about 200 steps, head up the stairs and wait there for the sarge. Are you clear?"
Sir, yes sir!
he salutes and with the twig in his hand rushes back to where he was ordered.
The professor whistles lowly and shakes his head
We should have taken his gun from him...nevertheless, good show Daniel.
Murphy just watches on, vaguely shocked at the speed in which the man lost his marbles.
"The mind is a curious thing," Charlie says, bemused. "I hope he'll be okay. Shall we continue?" Charlie will keep moving forward, shotgun at the ready, unless there are any objections.
Yes, let's move on and hope that he does not do anything stupid.
the professor says.
Daniel takes the lead again and continues to follow the dark and now more and more winding tunnel.
You notice that the tunnel goes slightly downward and there is a strange sweet smell in the air now.
"Traumatized or not, he will be up there waiting for us, alone. He may be better off, armed."
:
Thinking back of his glorty days, Daniel does't pay enough attention to his surroundings.
"Listen! Do you smell something? Smells sweet and..." Reggie stoops, picks up some dirt and lets it slowly fall through his fingers. "..we are going down. Not fast but down. The tunnel tricks our perspective about what is a true right angle. Harder to fool gravity."
Perception
"Now you mention it, I certainly do...but what is that smell?"
Murphy continues to press on with his allies.
"I do not smell anything...what if it is the same...whatever it was that was in that thrice damned cellar over at the farm?"
The professor suddenly stops and says
That's not the smell of ordinary decay, there is something else and it is wafting over to us from below...Hey Daniel, can you hear anything from ahead?
Indeed, there is a strange shuffling sound coming slowly nearer.
Daniel pales, visibly even in the light of the torch.
"I think,,,I think something is coming nearer" he whispers.
What? What do you mean...something?
The professor seems a bit worried now too...
"....oh dear..."
Reggie draws a large kitchen knife.
Daniel shrugs, stops, and tries to concentrate on the sound.
There is a soft click as the safety catch disengages...
Now that you have stopped and wait in silent anticipation you all are ableto hear the slow shuffling sound now interrupted by low moanings...it comes nearer and you think it's not farther away than 30m.
Run or stay?
The professor says calmer than you would have expected.
"I want to get to the end of this tunnel, but do we risk gunfire? We might be heard."
"I admit, I would rather flee, but where in this godforsaken town could we stop running?"
"Well we can make that decision when we see whats coming eh? Wouldn't like to be heard as we scream our death cries neither - so if it comes to it, bullets beat bleeding"
Ok, let's move back to the bottle neck about 50m behind us, let's place one of the torches there and see what is coming our way, ok?
says the professor and points back, while trying to light the other torch with one hand.
Daniel assists the Doctor as good as he can with lighting the torch, then waits for him to lead the band backwards, he will become the rear end, slowly walking backwards while watching out for whatever comes out of the dark.
"Murphy, will you please stay at my side and help cover our back?"
Charlie retreats with the group, keeping the shotgun trained on the darkness ahead of them, ready to open fire at whatever's coming at them.
"Cover your back, got it..."
Murphy covers the rear while his fellows get ready to deal with whatever is coming their way.
As you reach the bottle neck, the thing in the darkness behind you has become a bit faster and Daniel isn't sure if his mind is just playing tricks on him or if there is really something moving in the tunnel that is only a carricature of a human...
Quickly you hide behind the jutties of the tunnel - a moment of silent anticipation follows, but as the heavily gasping monster steps out of the darkness you feel like your heart has stopped pounding.
While the goatmen from the hilltop were already extremely ugly, this thing is beyond that what you could have imagined. The body milky-white and with cancerous yellow bulbs. One arm transformed in what reminds you of a crab claw. A malformed head with mouths were the eyes should be.
"I admit, I would rather flee, but where in this godforsaken town could we stop running?"
"New York or maybe Paris? I would consider Shanghai."
Reggies attemps to lighten the mood fall flat as the strange thing comes into sight.
"Gott im himmel! What happened...."
"Get back you abomination! Get away from us!
Daniel frantically waves the torch at the monstrous creature, his eyes wide with terror.
Charlie freezes at the sight of the monstrosity, his mouth open and gasping for breath in the dark tunnel.
Murphy hears the stunned noises, and apparently abandons his post at the rear to see what is going on - gun in hand...
Sanity
...the spectacle is apparently quite shocking!
Charlie suddenly fumbles with the shotgun, lifting it up to aim frantically and fire before completely gathering his wits. He starts screaming, but it is quickly covered up by the boom of the gunshot.
Attack
Damage if in third range increment.
Damage in addition, if in second range increment.
Damage in addition, if in first range increment.
A the flashing shotgun shot bathes the tunnel into light for a short moment and the monsters head explodes like a ripe melon, torn asunder by the steel shrapnels of the bullet.
Without a sound the thing doubles overin a puddle of blood and yellow ichor...
Good shot, Charlie!
Cummings shouts - trying to fight hiw own fear by shouting extra loudly.
Daniel needs a moment, vomiting, as he is splattered with the unspeakable ichors of the killed abomination...
Reggie crouches on the tunnel floor hands to his ears.
Rising slowly and working his jaw he turns to Charlie.
"Well they know we are here. We should probably keep moving."
Reggie is ignoring the mass of death at his feet. It is clearly taking some effort.
SAN loss
The loud report of the shotgun snaps Murphy back to reality, but the carnage before him leaves him shaking.
The Professor garbs Murphy's forearm and waits until his breath is mostly back to normal
Whatever this was, we have to go on, now more than ever before, and find out what is going on here in Dunwich!
He seems very focused now and crouches down next to the now dead monstrous body
It is...was...human. Something seems to have changed it - like a sudden mutation - we know such things from the animal kingdom. This craw-like claw is really weird, I wonder if he was able to use it?
"Was human? WAS HUMAN?" Daniel takes a deep breath to calm himself and speak reasonably hushed as he continues "But what on earth could cause a fellow human to...to become something like this creature?"
The professor looks deep into the darkness ahead, without turning his head to you he mumbles
We better find out quickly...
Charlie peers over the barrel of the shotgun at the exploded monster. He whistles lowly after the terror subsides, "I hope there's not many more of them - this poor person. Let's keep going and try to get to the other side of this tunnel before someone, or something, comes and investigates." Charlie reloads his shotgun, and then continues with the group.