Hideouts & Hoodlums: Justice Society of America

Game Master Scottenkainen

"Yes... Perhaps we should follow up on that. I doubt X is strong enough to bind a deamon of this power so I expect he bargained with it. There is a chance that this telephone lead might give us some information on what exactly that bargain was. If we knew the terms we might find a way to avoid an unnecessary fight. Has anyone been in contact with Hourman?"

"I heard from Hourman just yesterday," Green Lantern said. "I think he's still here in Manhattan, somewhere. I think he checks in on the radio frequency fairly often, so if one of us stays on here, or we do so in shifts, we should hear from him soon."

For the next two hours, none of the Heroes felt like leaving their radios. Sandman and Flash were resting and slowly healing See OOC for current totals, but more importantly all four were busy talking and chatting, just like old friends. The time passed quickly, until people started getting hungry for lunch and Green Lantern said, "Oh! What a fool I've been! Here we've all been waiting for him to use our frequency, when Hourman has his own! I don't know what the rest of you want to do next, but I'm switching over to the bandwidth for the Minute Men of America, Hourman's fan club. The kids he knows might be able to contact him faster for us!

"Where would you like me to have him meet us?"

"I agree he is somewhere in New York, If he can make it to the hotel then we can meet there otherwise we can get to him where ever is convenient."

((I'm going to delay one more day. I'd like to know if all three of you are heading to the hotel and wait to meet Hourman there, or is there anything else you'd like to discuss or get done first?))

Two hours later, a still-lightly injured Sandman (with a replacement cape) and a still-moderately injured Flash showed up at the downtown, posh hotel where this whole adventure started to meet Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, and Hourman. A man in a suit was by Hourman.

"Good to see we're all alive and kicking, no thanks to Mr. X," Green Lantern quipped.

"Guys, this is Dan O'Dell," Hourman said, by way of explanation, "and believe it or not, he says he knew about this meeting before I contacted him."

"I believe you all know my...peculiar situation," Dan said after shaking hands with anyone who was interested. "Demonic voices contact me on the telephone and offer me often cryptic advice that helps me out as a private investigator. The calls can never be traced and the phone company has no records of the phone calls happening.

"So it's only been the past few days that the demons have started talking about the Justice Society to me. The fires set here in Manhattan...the kidnapping to lure out the Sandman...the magicians coming to look for Dr. Fate in Massachusetts...I've received clues that have allowed me to piece together what is happening, but never early enough to warn any of you.

"Just today, though, I got a call that was much more specific. The demon told me the Justice Society of America wanted to talk to me and that I should tell them -- you -- that they want you to find the Demon of the Pillars and make him 'give back what was taken'. And that you will find the weapons you need to force him in the Tomb of the White Magician."

On the radio. I will be at the Belmont in a few moments. If The Flash and Sandman could meet me there we could more comfortably await Hourman.

Dr Fate walks into his summoning room and out into the conference room of the hotel.
(Teleport used)

In the conference room Fate greets the others and plays host offering fresh coffee all round.
Does Fate know anything of Mr. Odell? Or the Tomb of the White Magician?

"A most intriguing condition. Have you had much contact with the occult Mr. O'Dell?"

Aha so healing after the meeting!
To move things along Rolling cure spells here.
For Flash Cure II:3d6 + 3 ⇒ (3, 4, 4) + 3 = 14 24/37.
For Sandman Cure II: 3d6 + 3 ⇒ (1, 6, 1) + 3 = 11 32/35. The rest should heal overnight.
All 4th level spells used.

For Flash Cure I: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6. 30/37
And again :1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 exactly full.
I sleep now.

And I am back.

"Wait, is the Demon of the Pillar, the demon we dealt with earlier? And who is the White Magician? I'll be honest, none of this makes much sense to me."

The Sandman scratches his head and pantomimes confusion. "As far as I can tell Mr. X is using both science and sorcery to battle us. Does anyone know someone who is a master of both?"

"I do. This plot is too subtle for Wotan normally. But I find myself more and more inclined to suspect his dark hand in this."

"I've read up on the occult since the phone calls started, Dr. Fate," O'Dell said. "I believe they are Goetic demons contacting me; ones that can be helpful. Of course, I can only speculate..."

"It is our best lead in any case, did the demon mention where to find this Tomb of the White Magician?"

"I've never found the demons to be that directly helpful, Mr. Flash."

"Well, at least it's something. Have you ever heard of him, or where is tomb might be, Doctor Fate?"

"I think I am a bit slow here. Goetic demons? What does that mean? And could this be a trap. How hard would it be for Mr. X. to get O'Dell here to tell us this story? Or to get a demon to tell him to tell us this story? No offense meant, Mr. O'Dell."

"No offense taken, Mr. Sandman. I certainly spent enough time thinking this was all a hoax myself."

"Even if it is a trap, we'll still be one step closer to Mr X, and it's still our best lead at the moment."

"I do enjoy walking into traps. It is always the best way to figure out who is a friend and who is a foe. So how do we get to this tomb? Should we head to a library and research? Or maybe the Spectre knows? He's even spookier than you, Dr. Fate."

"I have seen references to this White Magician in various occult histories of early America. It is difficult to sift the truth from fancy but it appears he was one of the first European mages to settle in the north american colonies. I seem to remember something about a tomb but it would take more dedicated research to track it down. If we have finished here I will return to the Tower and get to work."

"After seeing to yore injuries of course."

See healing on previous post. If there is no other business Dr. Fate will teleport back to the tower and get to researching. Seeking info on The White Magician, Lost Iram, and Goetic Demons. In pretty much that order.

The rest of May 6, 1940 went like this:

Sandman returned to his mansion, crashed, and rested, confident that he would feel good as new in the morning after Doctor Fate's healing magic.

***

Flash went to see Joan and take her out to dinner. At a corner table where they could talk freely, he told her about his recent injuries and exhaustion, and his rapid recovery thanks to Doctor Fate.

"I wish I could call on a doctor like that," Joan said. "I twisted my ankle a few days ago and it's still a little sore. But this is serious, Jay. You've never had this rough a time with hoodlums before. It's this whole Mr...you-know-who business. It's running you all so ragged, maybe you in particular. I don't think you've ever had to be super-fast for a whole week at a stretch before.

"Now, I'm not saying you have to take a break to go with me...but in two days, I've got an appointment -- in my capacity as secretary for the Olympic committee -- to go to Notre Dame and talk to Greg Rice in two days. You know, the fastest man in the world after you? So, if you think you might be free tomorrow, we could motor out to Indiana or take the train there..."

***

Doctor Fate sat alone in the throne room of his tower, reading from a heavy tome he held in his gauntleted hands. This chapter of the Book of Secret Histories talked about early wizard settlers in the U.S., and perhaps the earliest of them all, Thomas Acererak. Shirking 'civilization', Acererak moved out West and tried to subjugate the Indians in present-day Wisconsin and Michigan. The book does not tell of how Acererak died, but it does say of how, before he died, he had his own tomb built on what is now the Bad River Indian Reservation.

As for Iram, Doctor Fate read more of that when he returned to his library to put the Secret Histories book away. His best source on Iram was the Quran. Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with 'Aad / Iram - who had lofty pillars / The likes of whom had never been created in the lands / And Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley? / And Pharaoh, owner of the stakes? / Whom oppressed within the lands / And increased therein the corruption. / So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.

According to further reasing, King Shaddad defied the warnings of the prophet Hud and God smote the city, driving it into the sands, "never to be seen again." The ruins of the city lie buried somewhere in the sands of the Rub' al-Khali. A baalrog could have easily found it, though.

Finally, Fate picked out his manuscript draft of The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King, with Crowley's own spells written in the back. He began reading the descriptions of the 72 demons that King Solomon was said to have evoked and confined in a bronze vessel sealed by magic symbols, and that he obliged to work for him. Fate read of the first 71 before falling asleep in his chair...

I leave it to you all to decide how much you want to do solo on the morning of the 7th and how soon you want to get back in touch with each other.

Flash went to see Joan and take her out to dinner. At a corner table where they could talk freely, he told her about his recent injuries and exhaustion, and his rapid recovery thanks to Doctor Fate.

"I wish I could call on a doctor like that," Joan said. "I twisted my ankle a few days ago and it's still a little sore. But this is serious, Jay. You've never had this rough a time with hoodlums before. It's this whole Mr...you-know-who business. It's running you all so ragged, maybe you in particular. I don't think you've ever had to be super-fast for a whole week at a stretch before.

"Now, I'm not saying you have to take a break to go with me...but in two days, I've got an appointment -- in my capacity as secretary for the Olympic committee -- to go to Notre Dame and talk to Greg Rice in two days. You know, the fastest man in the world after you? So, if you think you might be free tomorrow, we could motor out to Indiana or take the train there..."

Flash rubs his face with his palm. "Yeah, you're right, Joan. I haven't even stopped long enough to think about it. But we're getting close now, or at least I hope so, and I can't just stop now."

"As to the trip..." Flash sighs, "I'd love to go but... well, I'll have to see what the Dr manages to find out, we may have a tomb to investigate... Spending my time with a beautiful gal, or in a tomb, you wouldn't think it would be much of a choice but my sense of duty wouldn't let do anything other."

"Oh Jay..." Joan said, taking his hand. "If not for that sense of duty of yours, you just wouldn't be you. I hope I don't have to ride alone to Indiana...but I'll understand if you can't make it."

Jay was still thinking about the conversation the next morning while polishing his hat and thinking about when to contact the others...

Fate returns to the books on the seventh. First reading up on the last demon before turning to the puzzle of where in the 124,234 acres of the Bad River reservation Acererak might have built his tomb.

Cool USGS has some maps from the period. Ashland from 1942 and Odana from '45. Nothing that covers the entire reservation though. Mind you this was a 5 second search. I expect either that a map exists somewhere or that one could peice together one from the historical USGS collection. I love the USGS, taxes very well spent. I am Dr. Fate and I approve this message.

The Sandman, or rather Wesley Dodds, does indeed take the day off. And the next day, he heads over to Dian's to catch up on whatever news he can uncover regarding the DA and any troubles in New York.

If he doesn't hear anything, he will spend some time with Dian and then head home, hoping to catch up with the JSA news.

Sure enough, Wesley felt as good as new on the 7th. And seeing Dian made him feel even better.

"Oh, I do so love it when you come by to talk shop with me," Dian said with good-natured sarcasm as they went out for a walk. "Let me see...oh, the last I heard, one of the three mad scientists has been upgraded to serious condition in the hospital. You might be able to question that one further.

"As for crime, it seems Mr. X's forces are lying low at the moment. Daddy is waiting to hear back from Mr. Spooky Mask about Mitsuhir-what's-his-name."

Doctor Fate started his day reading of Vual, a duke commanding thirty-seven legions of demons. He gives the love of women, causes friendship between friends and foes, and tells things past, present and to come. He appears as a dromedary camel that can take the shape of a man. When last observed on Earth, Vual spoke halting Egyptian.

Returning to Secret Histories, Doctor Fate read of how Thomas Acererak forced the Indians he had subjugated to build his tomb. It was possible, if any oral tradition survived among the Ojibwe Indians, that they would remember where the tomb was.

"Oh yeah, that guy. I think we got distracted with all the talk of demons. I think we're going to have to wait on that plan. Fate's buried himself in the library. Maybe I should go talk to one of the scientists. Something I can do while the others spend their time chasing mumbo-jumbo."

Wes worked quickly on a plan, deciding whether to ask to see one of the scientists as Wesley Dodds, or to some how gain admittance to the jail to see the scientists as the Sandman.

Putting down his book Fate consider for a moment before walking to the radio cabinet.

Raising Sandman or the Flash: "Good morning. I have a lead but following up on it requires a great deal of footwork. The so called 'white magician' was named Thomas Acererak. He tried to force the Ojibwe to serve him. He failed. However he did get them to build his tomb. Problem is there is no record of where this tomb is and Objiwe territory covers at least 125 thousand acres.
The Ojibwe might know or at least have some clues about where we should start looking. I intend on traveling to Odana to try and find somone who remembers the old stories."

"Footwork? That's my speciality! I'll be there!"

Jay flipped through a nearby atlas and quickly planned a route to the Bad River Indian Reservation and the Town of Odana. He could sprint the distance in two hours, but get there exhausted and needing to rest, or he could take his time and get there the next day fresh.

Wesley Dodds, independently wealthy playboy, knowing a good idea when he hears one, decides that he needs to interview these strange scientists. Perhaps, as a concerned potential investor, he can wheedle some more information about Mr. X from the bearded inventors.

Calling his sweetheart, the lovely Dian Belmont, he once again conspires to pursue justice with the unwitting aid of her father, DA Belmont.

"Hey Dian, it seems that the rest of the JSA are chasing all over Indian Country. I want to talk to those car freaks from yesterday, think you can help?"

Flash will take it easy getting there, if he wears himself out too soon he'll be no help at all.

While the Flash takes the low road Dr. Fate will take the high.

Removing his helmet Dr. Fate picks up the telephone.

"Hello, I would like to place a call to Washington DC...."

Dr. Fate is trying to get in touch the JSA'a FBI contact (J.Edgar?) in order to ask them to work with Dr. Clarence Addison Dykstra, current dean of UW Madison and head of the Selective Service System and National Defense Mediation Board. To clear the way for Kent Nelson/fate to work with UW Madison anthropology department and the Bad River Nation.

"Hey Dian, it seems that the rest of the JSA are chasing all over Indian Country. I want to talk to those car freaks from yesterday, think you can help?"

Wesley called on Dian at home, rather than discuss Justice Society business over the phone. "Don't forget who you're talking to," Dian told Wesley. "Sit there and listen to a master at work..."

She left Wes with today's newspaper, in a comfortable chair in the Belmont family study. Dian talked to her father on the telephone in front of him in her 'daddy's little girl' voice. "Oh Daddy, you know I've always been interested in science!" she was pleading. "Can't I come to the prison and talk to one of those radio control scientists? I'll need Wes to come along and explain the difficult stuff to me, of course...oh, thank you, Daddy! See you soon!"

Dian smiled as she hung up. "You want to drive to the prison, or should I?" she asked, boasting.

Jay changed into his Flash costume, stepped outside, locked up his house, checked the weather and the wind direction, and began running. He sprinted fast at first, fast enough to not be seen leaving his own house. But a few miles from home he began to slow down to a comfortable cruising speed of 50 MPH. Upon entering Pennsylvania, rather than detour to the south half of the state, Flash stuck to dirt country roads in the middle of the state. Which was something of a mistake because he was kicking up huge clouds of dirt behind him that obscured the roads, but on the other hand he also met little traffic along the way to mess up as he passed by Hazleton and Lewisburg. Then the country roads themselves began to bend south, as if pulled by gravity into Pittsburgh. Flash avoided the higher traffic of Pittsburgh by running Johnstown cross-country to Penn Hills.

By early evening, Flash crossed into Youngstown, Ohio and stopped at a diner to order a big dinner. Cross-country jogging always left him extra-hungry. After being gawked at for awhile by the locals, Flash had enough and sped off down more country roads, staying halfway between Cleveland and Akron to avoid the traffic snarls of both.

It was getting dark when Flash hit Toledo. He still felt pretty fresh and not winded, and probably could have kept going, but there was always the "danger" of getting lost in the dark if he pushed to South Bend, Indiana this late.

Doctor Fate could go anywhere in the world and compel anyone he wanted to listen to him, but over the phone he was just another citizen petitioning to speak to J. Edgar Hoover. After an hour of being given the runaround by various underlings, though, patience bore fruit.

"This is Hoover," a familiar voice at last said on the other end of the line. "This is Doctor Fate? You'll forgive me, Doctor, if I call you back at an emergency number you had given me so I can verify this is you."

Hoover called Doctor Fate back. "Good to hear from you, Doctor. Ready to start sharing all your magic secrets with the FBI? What's that? Dr. Clarence Addison Dykstra? Yes, I'm familiar with the name...head of the Selective Service System and National Defense Mediation Board. I'll arrange a chance for you to meet him at once, particularly if it will encourage you to start taking on our agents as apprentices."

Wesley and Dian drove out to the "Tombs", the Manhattan House of Detention. They found the facilities under high alert with larger patrols, so it was just as well that Wes had not tried to sneak in as the Sandman.

"Sorry, Ms. Belmont," a guard apologized, "but Red Tornado tried to break in here the other night. We don't know why, but we haven't had the orders to stand down from high alert since."

D.A. Belmont met them at the entrance of the Tombs while they waited. "I blame my job, I suppose," Belmont said as he escorted them in, "for Dian's rash interest in criminals. I'm sure you could have introduced her to less dangerous scientists, Wes."

Soon, after a brief frisking, Wes and Dian sat in front of a glass wall, waiting for Dr. Ernest Pipkin to be led in. The handcuffed scientist -- skinny, bespectacled, still-bearded, but his hair and beard trimmed shorter -- certainly did not look dangerous as he came in and sat down before them.

Flash decides to overnight in Toledo, and start out early the next morning. He finds somewhere he can change out of his costume, so he can blend in and avoid notice.

Flash had come prepared for this trip ((let's say)), having plenty of cash in his pocket and a change of clothes in a backpack. In this way he was able to check into a nice hotel in Toledo without attracting attention to himself.

.... particularly if it will encourage you to start taking on our agents as apprentices."

"You have asked this before and I have explained that it is impossible at this time. There is a subtle balance in these matters. My training your agents would create an imbalance that the forces of chaos would exploit. The benefit would be far outweighed by the cost. The war will be bad enough without giving up our more occult advantages. I am sorry but I must decline again." "I however remain available to give what aid and advice I can. My request for Professor Nelson to meet with Dr. Dykstra is a pivotal part in our mutual efforts. Please contact me when meeting has been arranged at a time and place convenient to Dr. Dykstra, Professor Nelson will be there."

Doctor Fate sat and waited a full 20 minutes. Was Hoover trying to make him wait as punishment for refusing to give him "magic"?

But finally the call did come. A gruff, terse Hoover said, "Doctor Fate, Dr. Dykstra will see you tomorrow morning at 10 am in Madison, Wisconsin. I trust that will give you enough time to get there."

Wesley sat across Dr. Pipkin and just stared at him.

"What? What is it that you want from me?" Pipkin said. "I don't know you people. I owe you nothing."

Wes still sat there, without saying anything.

"Why are you just staring at me? What do you expect me to say?" Pipkin continued. "You think I'm going to confide in you or something?"

Wes looked down at the table, twiddled his thumbs for a moment, then looked up again and stared some more.

"Fine! Tell the police that I'll cooperate. I do know something I'm willing to trade for better accommodations and time off my sentence. I was once been contacted by telephone, given instructions from...from Mr. X." He leaned forward and whispered that last bit. "But not from a pay phone. I had the call traced back and I know the address."

It was Jay Garrick who enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in Toledo, but it was as the Flash that he sped across Ohio and Indiana that morning, passing Fort Wayne around 10 am and heading towards Chicago.

The other cities Flash passed along the way had been easy to navigate around, as the suburbs had stayed rural and had plenty of open space for Flash to run. But Chicago's suburbs were urban for miles, forcing Flash to swing wide out of his way, or wind his way through Chicago itself.

Had he arrived winded, navigating Chicago at top speed might have posed a challenge, but fresh he was able to weave effortlessly through traffic at the right speed to remain invisible to the naked eye. Everyone he passed mistook him for a passing breeze.

But an unexpected encounter in Chicago gave the Flash pause. On the North Side, he saw Jay's old friend Jim Dane getting into a taxi. He had last seen Jim down in Mexico just a few months ago when Jim's silver mine was in trouble.

Wesley smiles. "Uh, you want to give me the address? I guess you can do that. I think I can get it to, uh, interested parties. Maybe." He quickly winks to Dian. "But you should also tell what you know to the cops. I was just to here to help Ms. Belmont here on a science project."

Wesley pauses. "But, I am worried. I dabble a bit in science. Here and there. How exactly did Mr. X contact you? And why do you think he knew to reach out to you? I'm a bit worried, y'know. Don't want to end up like you: In trouble because Mr. X made me an offer I can't refuse."

I am assuming will be in Dr. Dykstra's office? Hmmm or could the helm manage on a description of "Madison, nead Dr. Dykstra"? Hmmmmmm....]

"Thank you Director. With this meeting we will be one step closer to resolving the 'X' issue."

Unless something else happens Dr. Fate, in the guise of Dr. Kent Nelson, will arrive for the 10 am meeting. Dr. Nelson is carrying the Secret Histories in a brief case along with the mask and cloak. He wears the amulet beneath his clothing.

May 7th was a beautiful Wednesday morning in Madison, Wisconsin. Kent Nelson had observed the campus carefully beforehand by scrying through a crystal ball, finding it to be an idyllic spot on the shore of a lake. He narrowed his scry down to Bascom Hall where the chancellor would meet him and found an empty office he could teleport to unobserved.

The office was furnished in dark oak, a look that Kent Nelson had once favored a century ago. The office was immaculate, even dusty. But from even a cursory examination Kent could see that this was actually Dr. Dykstra's office. His nameplate was on the desk.

The door opened soon after and a pleasant-looking, balding gentleman in his late 50s stepped in.

"Oh, pardon me," Dr. Clarence Addison Dykstra said politely. "My secretary must have let you in. But I'm afraid I'm a little confused; I had been told I would be meeting Doctor Fate and I even put off a trip to Los Angeles today so I could. Do you represent him?

"Well, Dr. Nelson," he continued after introductions, "perhaps we should get down to business. Please, have a seat. What is it I can do for you. Ah, the Bad River Indian Reservation? I'm afraid I would make a poor tour guide; I haven't been there in years." he said as a joke.

Dr. Pipkin listened to Wesley before responding, "As I told the Sandman...my partners and I found out too late that our research was being financed by gangsters. Jim Long's gang. It was Long himself who took me aside and explained to me that he had sold my debt to a Mr. X. It was explained to me in...gruesome detail what happened to anyone who crossed Mr. X and that we would be expected to do anything we were told to do. Usually, Long delivered my orders over the phone, but three days ago I started receiving daily instructions from Mr. X himself. It was two days ago that he called me from a warehouse. The address was 865 East 138th Street, in the Bronx.

"Do you...do you think if I told all this to the police that I might get a reduced sentence? I do not think I would enjoy prison..."

Wesley was aware of Jim "Jimalong" Long. The police suspected him of running a numbers racket in the Bronx and he was a well-known weapons collector as well.

But an unexpected encounter in Chicago gave the Flash pause. On the North Side, he saw Jay's old friend Jim Dane getting into a taxi. He had last seen Jim down in Mexico just a few months ago when Jim's silver mine was in trouble.

Flash decides that a short detour won't cost him. As Jim is about to step into the cab, Flash zips in just ahead of him, so that he's sitting on the far seat when Jim gets in.

"Hi Jim, long time no see." Flash smiles.

May 7. Madison, Wisconsin

Dr. Shakes hands.
"Sorry to disrupt your travel plans Doctor. I know you were looking forward to meeting with Dr. Fate but he was called away by pressing business. He sends his apologies and, well me."

Dr. Nelson grins.

"The good doctor has tasked me with finding the grave-site or tomb of Thomas Acererak. Seems he had some dealings with the Ojibwe in colonial times. I am hoping your anthropology department might have some information or perhaps an introduction to the Bad River Ojibwe?"

Penny just dropped on the name. Joy. Note it is about 5 months too early but I know Dr. Philleo Nash (1909-1987) will be working the DuBay homstead site on the Wisconsin river come November so he might be doing survey work trying to find that old trading post around now.

"Whoa! What? The Flash?" Jim Dane said with astonishment as he got into the cab. "What are you doing here in Chicago? Are you following me? ...Not that I have any right to complain if you are, I suppose. I owe you my life and my business. What am I doing here? I came to visit some family I have here in Chicago before heading up to Michigan to, er, inspect a new silver mine there..."