Reggie and Daniel flip through the innumerable amount of files, but they are unable to find anything useful within the next half hour. However, Murphy is lucky and picks a very interesting book from between the files: The Bishop register.
After a very quick inspection you realize that the Bishop family has founded Dunwich in 1637 and from then on the mayor and priest of the village have always been members of the family until 1901, when the book has not been continued.
Another strange detail is that mayor and priest have always been either a Geoffrey Bishop or a Humphrey Bishop. When Humphrey was priest, the mayor was Geoffrey, after their death names and office have alternated...
Weird...what does that mean?
Tumbleweed?
This must have been a very religious town once, more than two an a half centuries of entwined spiritual and worldly leadership can hardly be a coincidence.
The repeated names could mean anything. Of course, it seems pretty creepy, considering all the weirdness we have encountered here, so far, on the other hand, some people are just unimaginative with names, calling their children Geoffrey I, Humphrey II and so forth.
Has anybody seen any mentioning of a Whateley in these files?
"They sure seem set on using the same names over and over, and those aren't good biblical names either. Good idea looking for Whately references"
Oh yeah...Waylan...Waithe...West...ah yes, Whateley...oh...damn, the file is empty.
The professor says with palpable disappointment.
Ok, this is just the register, what other kind of files could they have kept about the Whateleys.
Perhaps they have put one of them under the ground? Have you seen records about funerals?
Not yet, but wait...ah yes, here they are...mhm...mhm...mhm...this is weird. According to this, the father of Noah "old man" Whateley was buried in 1805?! The burial was paid for by his adult son.
the professor looks at you and scratches his forehead nervously.
"Well he looked old but not that old. More likely there is a generation that the records missed. These folks don't seem to interested in clerical work."
They all use the same names though, so which one is which huh?"
Any other ideas...umm...wait, let me see...we have parts of the register of births, we have the register of deaths, the cadastral register, the commercial register, a chaotic pile of police files and the archive of the Dunwich Gazetteer, a local newspaper closed in 1909.
the professor says after checking most of the filing cabinets.
"Suprised they even had the written word in this hick town"
"Pop it all out on the floor Prof, lets see if theres a bigger picture to come out of it all"
Here you go.
With Daniel's help the professor empties the cabinets and soon there is quite a pile of paper on the floor
Time to sort it, eh?
Reggie lends a couple of hands.
"How about we start with the newspaper? Start with the last issue and work backwards noting any mention of the Whateleys or anyone involved with the believers. Then we cross refrence what we find with the police files again working from the most recent backwards. You guys start reading I'll get these case files in order."
Good thinking.You do that. I try to find anything in the police files that has to do with Miller, Whateley or missing people.
Whoa, these files are messed up beyond hope. I could really use some help
Together you start to sort the material, but after only about two minutes Reggie suddenly pulls a sheet of newspaper (from the 16th of August 1861) out of the pile - besides some uninteresting small articles, there is a large headline that reads:
Assembly ends in turmoil!
Yesterday, during a meeting of the local council, Noah Whateley caused a turmoil when he claimed that the current mayor, Geoffrey Bishop, was an undead - or rather walking dead monster. While at first most attendees believed this to be some kind of macabre joke, Noah was adamant in this statement. Since Geoffrey was not present, his cousin Humphrey Bishop demanded a proof for such a strange statement in his name.
Noah W. told the other members of the council that he had found an old painting of the first mayor of Dunwich - also a Geoffrey Bishop, when he bought old Mrs. Moore's house on the attic. The man portrayed there looked exactly like the current mayor.
The council, not at all persuaded but Noah's strange ideas has scheduled another meeting for the next Saturday - then Noah Whateley shall bring the portray along so that it can be compared to the mayor - a thing his brother comdemned as childish and a waste of time.
"These people really ARE nuts... how the Hell do we deal with this one?"
Applesauce, so we are back to creepy with those names. Nifty!
"Its just one large inbred circle it seems"
As the professor kneels down to take another look at the pile of sheets, you suddenly hear Charlie's alarmed voice from above
Hey, there are torches coming nearer!
"Well that can't be real good"
Murphy checks his pistol and makes ready for a shootout.
"Grab any of those papers that look important, we may need to move quickly"
Daniel, rather unsuccesful with the searching himself, tries to grab any papers Reggie or the professor might point at, at the same time he tries to take at least some of the papers he hasn't been through, hoping (probably in vain) that they might contain useful additional information.
As the professor kneels down to take another look at the pile of sheets, you suddenly hear Charlie's alarmed voice from above
Hey, there are torches coming nearer!
"Quick everyone down here! If they don't see anything they will think we moved on."
Speaking in a whisper despite Charlie and Reggie not doing so - and the cultists hopefully being far enough away they wouldn't here him anyway, Daniel turns to Reggie.
But...if they already know...we would be trapped down here with a lot of wood and dry paper...
Charlie's vopice cracks as he shouts in panic
They're coming closer! Quick, I'll distract them!
Then you hear how he pushes open the door and yells something at your pursuers before he runs out of the chapel and into the dark, followed by the shouting villagers.
What a brave man. Quick, hurry now.
the professor forces out of his mouth while he continues to gather the papers.
"No time to waste then, lets get to it... off to that crazy house with that bizarre man. If he's too strange for these folks though then we really need to mind ourselves" Murph clutches his pistol and makes his break.
Good luck, Charlie. Come, Professor, let us run.
Daniel climbs up and holds out his hand to help up the Professor and Reggie.
The professor grabs your hand and pulls himself up. As he spots the open door, his expression becomes somber
A brave boy...stuntman he is, eh? I hope he's a good one and we see him again.
As you look out of the chapel door you can see the dancing lights of the torches to your left. They're already about 300 ft. away and you should be able to leave the cemetary unseen now.
Then Daniels prefered MO would be sneaking through the shrubs like the non-murderous (but food grabbing) hobo he was until he reaches Whateley Street and then north unti he is "safely" out of town.
If he ever gets the feeling he was spotted, he will run like hell is on his heels (which would probably not be far from truth). Of course he still tries to keep close to his remaining companions and he will try not to let go of the papers he could bring with him.
"We will remember you Charlie..." Reggie whispers into the night as they hurry throught the darkness.
/runrunpuffpuffrunrun...
Funnily the choice of Whateley Road leads you safely out of town, even though the torches appear here and there behind you, they're never close enough to threaten you. As you pass the last house of Dunwich, a dog starts to act up - quickly you pass the house and at the time when there's suddenly light behind the windows you are already at least 300 ft. away.
Now, once again, the dark hinterlands of Dunwich lie before you. A cold shudder runs down your spien as you remember your first meeting with the murderous goatmen in the woods not far away from here.
Dear Lord. I guess I never really was a good christian, I probably sought solace more often in booze than in prayer, but now I beg you, have your angels wings give us speed to reach the Whateley home, before those creatures get to us. Amen
"Humph....Right now I'm not sure we will fare better with that old murderer than with the believers." Reggie continues to hurry through the darkness.
"The bloody minded bastards won't get us, lets just keep our wits sharp, and ensure we don't hesitate when it comes to what needs doing"