Spoiler for Evelyn
He rumages around until he locates an old sketch book and a pencil. He then attempts to sketch the artifact from memory. You watch as he sketches and you can see that he is having a great deal of trouble holding the pencil. As it turns out he's not so good at sketching at all, at least not these days. He soon gives up in frustration. There's nothing useful to show for his efforts.
"Damn arthritis. My hands don't work like they use ta."
Afterwards he offers to call the University. He makes the call, and then hands the phone once he has Dr. Armitage on the line he speaks with him for a couple of minutes. You can sense from his words and voice that he has a great deal of respect for the professor. He doesn't talk long (just basically asks how he's holding up) and then he passes the phone to you.
Dr. Armitage is on the line.
"Ms. Canarvon, I'm glad you called. How is everything working out?"
Spoiler for Rita and Fergus
Fergus doesn't say much. He still seems to be recovering from his chill. As you make small talk with Dunwich you feel a set of eyes on you. You turn and see big oafish man in his late twenties or early thirties staring at you. He has small watery eyes, stubble covered face and a protruding neanderthal brow and oversized ears. As you make eye brief eye contact, he gives you a slight smile that makes your skin crawl.
Keeper:
"Ms. Canarvon, I'm glad you called. How is everything working out?"
"Much better now that I have met Squire Whateley. He has already given me invaluable assistance. I hope everything is going well for you also? The reason I called was to ask if you would be able to look through those documents and your library for any references to a ancient golden ferroniere that was stolen from Squire Whateley a couple of weeks ago. It could be connected to our research." She will give a detailed description of the object as well as reiterating as much history as she knows about it.
Spoiler for Evelyn
I don't want to say much over the phone, but I've been doing a bit more research into the some of the documents. Translation has been a challenge, but I've made some discoveries in Wilbur's diary that are quite disconcerting. I'm send a trusted friend of mine to Dunwich to deliver you a copy of what I've translated. He will set out first thing tomorrow morning."
Keeper:
** spoiler omitted **
I'm from New Yoik. I moved down here because I wanted to see more countryside. Trees, hills...that sorta thing. I quite like hill walking - are there any nice spots around here ?"[b/]
Keeper:
"I'll see if I can find anything. It might be hard for me to get in touch with you. How about you try to call every evening, so that I know everything is well.
I don't want to say much over the phone, but I've been doing a bit more research into the some of the documents. Translation has been a challenge, but I've made some discoveries in Wilbur's diary that are quite disconcerting. I'm send a trusted friend of mine to Dunwich to deliver you a copy of what I've translated. He will set out first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes, I'll call every evening. If you can please give him anything you have discovered about the artifact also. Let your friend know that the roads out here are very treacherous. My car currently resides stuck in mud in the swamp a few miles out of town. How will I recognize your friend? So we should expect him by about noon then?"
Spoiler for Evelyn
Keeper:
** spoiler omitted **
Spoiler for Rita and Fegus
Spoiler for Robert
You find yourself called to the office of one of your colleagues, Dr. Henry Armitage. Dr. Armitage is the head librarian at the University, he's in his 60s, and of late his the years have started to show on him much more. Since the incident last September when a man by the name of Wilbur Whateley broke into the library and was killed by the library's watch dog, he has not be the same. He's grown haggard and his mind been preoccupied with private matters that he chooses not to discuss. He has had to reduce his responsibilites and hours.
He has you sit down.
"Robert thank you for coming. We need to talk. I've known you for a while now, and I believe I can trust you. I need your help, and it is of grave importance. What you are about to hear may sound like madness but I assure you it is all true. However, before I say anything I need you to promise me that the details I share with you will not leave this room."
Keeper:
Keeper
Funny he muses to himself how a good southern boy like himself could find peace in the most Yankee state in the union
Armitage has aged badly this last year he thinks as he walks into the study..more withdrawn into himself.
The Professors request for absolute confidentiality comes as no real surprise
"Off course Henry..you have my word as an ex-officer and a gentleman" he drawls his Virginian accent still distinctive after 8 years in Arkham "What is said in here will not leave my lips"
keeper
Ritas eyes grow very large. She tries not to look excited.
"Stone circle ? That sounds excit...er..a little scary, especially if folks have gone missing. Is there a big one around here then ? Where would that be ?
She brushes her hair out of her eyes, and chews on her lips thoughtfully. Missing persons...I wonder if thats linked to the missing policemen.... all very strange,certianly - but is it linked with our case, and if so, how ?
Spoiler for Rita and Fergus
"Well you've probably seen a few already from a distance. They're all about these parts. Just look at the top of do many of the hills around here. However, if you really are so curious there's plenty of stories about Wizard's Hill. It's north of here a few miles. Then there's pyramid hill that's got its share of stories too. But all this is stuff the folk around here don't really like us talking with outsiders about too much, so we'd best change the topic."
Spoiler for Robert
First of all, Wilbur Whateley was far from an ordinary man. He was very ugly and had a sort of goatish look about him. He was probably over seven feet tall, certainly the tallest man I had seen. He exuded an odd scent- a bit like sweet corn, and though he was full grown, it was my understanding that by August of last year he was only fifteen years old. Later, when myself, Dr. Rice and Dr. Morgan ventured into the library after the break in, we discovered that he was not entirely human at all. You may have trouble believing this but the dog had torn away much of his clothing, and though his body was shaped like a man’s, his physiology was unlike anything any of us had ever seen. His lower body was covered with fur, and strange tentacles, sort of like something that might be found in the ocean, were growing out of his stomach area. His corpse gave off a stench unlike anything any of us had ever smelled, and we all vomited. His remains didn’t last for long, even as we gazed on them we could see them dissolving. When the coroner got to the scene there was nothing left but a pile of slimy liquid. The coroner had no idea what to make of it, and we had to fabricate a story about the spontaneous combustion of the corpse to explain away what had happened.
It was then I realized that Wilbur Whateley was probably an even greater danger than I had suspected. After his death the state police went to Dunwich and paid a visit to the homestead. Strange things had been going on there. Wilbur had moved out into the out buildings and there had been extensive renovations done to the main building, renovations that had been going on for years. The police said something about a terrible stench coming from the main building.
The villagers had reported that for many years old Noah Whateley, Wilbur's grandfather, and possibly his father as well, had been buying up cattle with gold coins, but his herds never seemed to be getting bigger. No one seemed to know where exactly the cows had been going, but the police figured that the Whateley’s had turned the house into some kind of barn. Because of the stench, and because of their general unease about the Whateley family, the police decided that there was no need to go into the main building, as it was probably now merely a barn or slaughterhouse. At least, I suppose that was the excuse they made up. At any rate, they did not search the house, and only explored the out buildings. There they found all the books and such that I mentioned, which were turned over to the library.
Among the materials that we received after his death were several journals written by Wilbur. They were completely incomprehensible, but I soon discerned that he was writing in some sort of code that he had devised. I spent many days attempting to decipher them, for I wanted to know what Wilbur had been up to, and how he had come to be. It took me many, many days and nights to break the code, but when I did the things I learned chilled me to the bone.
According to the journals, it all began with old Noah Whateley, who had been dead since 1924. It seems that old Whateley truly was a “wizard” of sorts, for in 1913 he briefly managed to contact or conjure some terrible entity from somewhere beyond the boundaries of the world as we know it, and that entity had impregnated his daughter, Lavinia Whateley. As a result of the union, she gave birth to two offspring. One of the beings was Wilbur, and he was far more human than his twin. The other being was entirely not human, and it was kept in the Whateley homestead. It was a voracious thing, and it was the reason why Noah had been buying up cattle. He used them to feed it. For years he fed it, and for years it grew. I later concluded that this was why Noah had been renovating his home over the years. He had to keep making it bigger to accommodate the creature’s ever increasing size.
According to Wilbur’s diary, once his brother reached maturity the creature would be used as a part of a ritual that would help to open a door between worlds, a door that would bring forth terrible otherworldly beings he referred to as the “Great Old Ones”. These entities would then scour the earth of all life and remake it as they saw fit.
Normally, I would not have believed such nonsense, but after having seen the true form of Wilbur Whateley with my own eyes, I knew that there was truth to the writings.
Wilbur had needed lore contained in the Necronomicon to complete the ritual. Fortunately, he was killed, and thus his plans were foiled. However, I knew that his brother was still out there, and I knew the danger the creature posed. I continued my research for many days, and finally I found a spell among the lore that I thought might be able to send the creature back to the place where its father dwelt.
I called together Dr. Rice and Dr. Morgan, and I explained to them my findings. Having seen Wilbur Whateley, they knew what I said was not the ravings of a madman, though around that time my sanity was being tested to its breaking point. They agreed to help me, and together the three of us traveled to Dunwich. When we got there we found out that the creature had already abandoned the Whateley homestead and was loose on the countryside. The locals had not actually seen the thing, for it was invisible to the human eye, but signs of its passing were all around. Trees and vegetation had been trampled, and huge footprints, bigger than those of an elephant, were visible. The villagers had determined that the creature had gone down into a deep ravine, and they suspected it had made its lair there. There had been talk about going down to confront it, but no one among them was that brave.
We found out that a family called the Fryres had been killed in early hours of the morning we arrived by the beast when it trampled their farmstead. The Fryres lived near the ravine, and when we arrived at the Fryre farm we found a state police car by the road. There was no sign of any officers. It was later determined that five state troopers had ventured into the ravine, and that the creature had slaughtered them. Their remains had been found, but the true cause of their death was never revealed.
By this time the creature had been terrorizing Dunwich for a couple of days, though it had only been coming out at night. However, about when we got there it had taken to moving in the day, and it signs of it were sighted moving to a place called Sentinal Hill. Sentinal Hill was near the Whateley residence. It had some strange stone circles built on its top, as do many of the hills in the region. The origins of the stone circles are unknown, but they were believed to have been constructed by Indians long ago, and we were told that the ones on Sentinal Hill had long been used by the Whateleys to conduct various occult rituals. Morgan, Rice and I hiked to the top of Sentinal Hill. There we used a mystical powder that I had learned to create from the Necronomicon, and we sprayed the powder on the creature, which made it visible, and enabled us to perform the incantations necessary to send it from our world. I will not speak of the full details of that experience. I can’t even remember them clearly now, but I will say it was the most terrifying of my life."
He gives you a couple of minutes to digest all this.
"Now the reason I have told you this is because I have recently learned that one of Whateley's relatives by the name of Amos Whateley has sued the university for possession of the journals and books that were found at the Whateley farm. After all that's happened, I'm very concerned with what Amos intends for these documents. Thus, I have invested some of my own money in hiring a pair of local PIs to gather information about Amos and figure out what he is up to. They are in Dunwich right now, and they know everything I have just told you, though I'm not sure if they actually believe me. I think they feel that I'm just a raving nut. At any rate, I've been looking at Wilbur's journal's again of late, and I've made some more discoveries in them, that I think could be important. I've made a copy of the translations. I need someone to deliver that information to the PIs in Dunwich as soon as possible, and I think you are the best person for the job."
Keeper
** spoiler omitted **
Spoiler for Evelyn
As for your car. I have a stable around the back. I've got two good riding horses and a couple of pull horses for my carriage. My groundskeeper, Mr. Red Croft, does a fine job of caring for the beasts. The pull horses could get your car out without too much difficulty, and if you're thinking you need to be doing much sight seeing beyond the village than I'd be willing to rent out my riding horses to you. You do have an introduction from Dr. Armitage after all, and I shall always be in that man's debt for what he done for us.
The question is when do you want to see to your car? It's already getting pretty late in the afternoon, and I know Widow Morgan can get upset if her guests aren't home for dinner."
Keeper:
The question is when do you want to see to your car? It's already getting pretty late in the afternoon, and I know Widow Morgan can get upset if her guests aren't home for dinner.
She sighs, "You don't think it will take too long then? Well I would like to get my things from the car and I guess if we are out there than we might as well get the whole car out. I'll stop by and let Mrs. Morgan know what we are up too."
She'll stop by and let Mrs. Morgan know that she will try and make dinner but are going to go get her car unstuck. She'll try and collect Rita to go with her.
Spoiler for Evelyn
Keeper:
** spoiler omitted **
Keeper:
"Well this is man's work anyhow. I'll have Red get the horses ready, and he and I can take your gentleman friend down to the car and take care of that problem. That way you and your other lady friend won't have to miss dinner."
She looks extremely grateful, "Thank you so much." Too bad he he so old, I bet he was quite the catch in his day
After saying goodbye she heads off to intercept Rita and Fergus explaining that Squire Whately needs Fergus' help to get the car out. Serves him right for making me bring it. "Remember you promised, not a scatch." she yells after him as he departs. Turning to Rita she says quietly when they are relatively alone, "I have some juicy stuff to tell you." Finishing with a grin and a wink.
Rita grins
"I've heard some spooky stuff too. I'm not sure I believe what the doc told us, but something's going on around here.
Fergus heads off with Squire Whateley and Red Croft to deal with the car. Rita and Evelyn make their way back to Widow Morgan's place for dinner.
Keeper
"God Henry..if anyone but you had told me this I would have laughed at them..it sounds like sonmething you would find in the pages of Adventure or Wierd Tales. However I know this university has recordrd more unexplained phenomona than many other such institutions and I accept your version of events without question."
Robert wonders what Henry would say if he knew of his correspondence with and occasional contributions to the pulp magazine industry.. mainly in the form of flying adventure stories most of which have been rejected
"So what is this new information you have discovered..and how soon do I have to leave"
Rita stops about halfway back and takes her shoes off
"My feet ache" she explains as they walk long. "I'm not used to being on my feet all day. Its exciting though. did you know lots of people have vanished by the standing stones over the years ? Its not just the policemen, it sounds like walkers and tourists and all sorts have been quietly going missing. "
With a look of interest, "Maybe we should check it out? How long since the last disappearance?"
Spoiler for Robert
Dr. Armitage Hands you a sheet of paper.
"These are translations from Wilbur's journal."
October 31, 1926
The meddlesome one is gone. I carried her to the top of the hill last night and there chanted until they came. Others, not seen before, came with them but I was prepared. Lavinia offered much resistance but was no match for the whole of us. She went miserably but it’s now over. I disposed of what was left in the usual manner.
November 25, 1925
Visted by Squire and cousin Tristram today. They asked questions about the Streeter child, and I told them I knew nothing. If only they could imagine what become of him, I’m sure their poor minds would be blasted beyond recognition. Cousin Tristram looked in the old furnace but of course found nothing. They left soon after.
June 3, 1925
I found the way to the depths today and saw that one that dwells in the hills. Vast is He, but still asleep. I have been promised that He will awake when the time approaches. I have constructed a doorway that I may reach Him easier in the future.
February 18, 1924
An accident yesterday while grandfather and I were making the gold. Fortunately none of us were hurt. I will be happy when the Change comes and no longer will I have to do such things as this. Many in the village still lust after the secret of the gold but if they knew the truth of the future, gold would be like dust to them.
After you read them over he says,
"I want you to take them to Dunwich. I think you should leave in the morning. The roads aren't good right now up there. One of the PIs already had her car get well stuck on the muddy road outside of the village. I suggest you drive or take the train to Aylesbury and the try and find a horse to get you up to Dunwich. I'll pay for any of your expenses for the next few days. And if you have any papers or research due in the next few days, I can speak with your professors and explain I've recruited you for a special research project. I'll make sure they extend any deadlines you have."
Keeper
** spoiler omitted **
Rita looks embaressed "I didn't ask...but they did mention Wizard's Hill. If they were calling old Man Whateley "Wizard" , wouldnt that be a good place to start ? Besides, it sounds really spooky - that could be fun !"
Robert grimaces slightly
"Horse...ok Henry if its that important ..did I ever tell you that I became a flier to avoid being a cavalryman?"
He tucks the papers into an inside pocket
"Do you think I should go armed? I mean it sounds as if there might be a threat somewhere up there"
Spoiler for Robert
Robert grimaces slightly
"Horse...ok Henry if its that important ..did I ever tell you that I became a flier to avoid being a cavalryman?"
He tucks the papers into an inside pocket
"Do you think I should go armed? I mean it sounds as if there might be a threat somewhere up there"
"Very well I'll leave as soon as I can..overnight in Alysbury and then make my way to this Dunwich place in the morning. Thank you for your trust in me Henry won't let you down"
He shakes Armitage's hand and then leaves for his lodgings.
He packs one small valise with 4 shirts,2 pairs of trousers, socks, underwear, grooming kit.
Also packs his gun case..10 gauge shotgun, Springfield rifle and tools
Changes his clothes to something more suited to tramping round the country and slips on his old flying jacket..a bit snugger now than it was but still a good fit.
Finally he places his holstered M1911A1 Automatic ,and 100 rounds of ammo for it and the rifle along with 50 shotgun shells into a haversack.
The whole Shebang goes into the trunk of his brand new Auburn 8-88 speedster
Rita looks embaressed "I didn't ask...but they did mention Wizard's Hill. If they were calling old Man Whateley "Wizard" , wouldnt that be a good place to start ? Besides, it sounds really spooky - that could be fun !"
Evelyn muses, "The reason I ask is to see whether what supposedly happened with Armitage out here took care of the problem or whether we are still having disappearances after that but I would kind of like to go out and look anyway. It is getting late and we should head over for dinner. Perhaps we can discuss it with our hostess over dinner. Squire Whateley said he would let me know once my car is out."
Looking a little worried, "Ok, here is what I have found out so far. First of all, Squire Whateley seems to be very interested in assisting us and has offered to show us around some tomorrow. He seemed to think that Armitage's story was true and will show us some evidence tomorrow around Cold Glen, Sentinel Hill, and the Whateley Farmhouse." Her expression changes to one of excitement as she continues, "A couple of weeks ago someone broke into Squire Whateley's home and stole a ancient golden ferroniere. Some people around here held superstitions that it held magical properties. It is supposedly thousands of years old and is certainly pre renaissance and pre medieval." In her excitement Evelyn seems to totally miss Rita's look of confusion at whatever a "ferroniere" is. "I called Armitage to have him determine whether the ferroniere was referenced too in the confiscated Whateley material. He is sending out someone named Robert to bring us some research he had done that relates to this case. We are supposed to meet him at Osborne's Store around mid afternoon. Apparently the Garder sisters run the telephone switchboard here and can get nosey so be careful what you say over the telephone. Armitage wants us to call every evening if possible." Finishing her deluge of information she looks at Rita, "Well, what do you think?"
Robert takes a leisurely drive up to Aylesbury..he doesn't, after all, have to be in Dunwich till noon tomorrow but it's as well to get himself into the area and do some scouting before hand.
Arriving in town about 3PM he asks at the local gas station about the possibility of garaging his car and where he might hire a horse or better still a buggy.He also asks about lodgings
You look into those options and learn of a local service station that would have space in their lot for your car for a few days. They would do this for a small fee, and would put a tarp over it every night to protect it from the elements.
You also find out that there is a farm owned by a family called the Kents that is just outside of town. They have some horses.
Upon visiting the Kent farm you discover that George Kent is not eager to rent you a horse for an extended period, but he is willing to rent you one for the remainder of the afternoon and to take you on a ride up into Dunwich country.
It is curious and lonely country. The ground gets higher. The road is damp and filled with ruts and puddles from the melted snow. The trees of the frequent forest belts seem too large, and the wild weeds, brambles, and grasses attain a luxuriance not normally found in settled regions. The few fields you see seem barren, and the sparsely scattered houses wear a surprisingly uniform aspect of age, squalor and dilapidation. Every now and then you see a solitary, furtive gnarled figure standing in a doorway or in a meadow. You can’t help but feel a bit uneasy.
As you come over a rise in the road, the great hills come into view above the forests. Your sense of uneasiness increases. The summits of the hills seem too rounded, too uniform, and sometimes the sky silhouettes with especially clearness the queer circles of stone pillars with which most of them are crowned.
You ride for some time (nearly an hour). The distance to Dunwich is probably only 8 or so miles (as the crow flies), but the road and the conditions have been bad. Some of the puddles and ruts are much deeper than they appear. Mr. Kent informs you that you are getting very near to Dunwich as you descend into a valley, and as you round a corner you see a swamp not far ahead. It looks like the road is slightly elevated enabling it to cut through the swamp. However, due to the spring melts, the road ahead appears very muddy. Sitting on the road just before the swamp starts is a brand new looking car, probably the one mentioned by Armitage as belonging to one of the investigators he hired.
At this point Mr. Kent stops. He says, "This is as far as I go Mr. Jackson. Dunwich is just a half mile or so from here. Keep following the road."
You dismount, and he takes your horse turns it around and starts riding back towards Alyesbury.
George saddles up two riding horses and the two of your ride north from Aylesbury.
Robert takes a leisurely drive up to Aylesbury..he doesn't, after all, have to be in Dunwich till noon tomorrow but it's as well to get himself into the area and do some scouting before hand.
Arriving in town about 3PM he asks at the local gas station about the possibility of garaging his car and where he might hire a horse or better still a buggy.He also asks about lodgings
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Robert looks distastefully at the mud as Kent rides away...
"You could have let me ride to the other side" he mutters before sling in the haversack, picking up the valise and gun case and begiining to pick his way through the mud..thankfully he's wearing boots. He takes time out to examine the car before moving on
"Hmmm nice auto...someone has taste"
"I guess its best to get as much information as we can - lets meet this man the Doc is sending. Could be he's a real sugar daddy tht you could schmooze, that would be a benefit eh ?" Rita grins. "After all, I could do with a new typewriter." She winks
Fergus stops by Widow Morgan's place that evening. He reports that they managed to pull the car out of the mud. It's still on the road, but at least it's not stuck anymore. He looks very tired, and after that he pretty much heads off to go to sleep.
The two of you have a simple meal of stewed vegtables and bread at Widow Morgan's. She's pleased you made for dinner on time. She sits at the table an dines with you, but this time she doesn't say much. It is quiet and rather awkward meal. Afterwards you retire for the evening. You are exhausted; it's been a long day.
That night your sleep is troubled. It is mostly troubled by what sounds like a couple of wild animals up in the space between the ceiling and the roof. They seem to be screeching and fighting on and off all through the night, and you are continually woken up despite being very tired.
The next morning after breakfast you pay a visit to Squire Whateley. He offers to take you out around the countryside, but given that you are expecting Robert's arrival you take a rain check. In fact, it's raining anyhow, so that works out well. You spend most of the day sitting in Squire Whateley's living room drinking tea and listening to him tell old war stories. It seems old Whatley is a veteran from the civil war. He leaves a message at Osborne's to have Robert come to his house when he arrives in town.
Robert arrives the next day, but not until around 5pm. He knocks on Squire Whateley's door and when Whatelely answers, you see that the man looks wet and tired. You suspect he might have done some walking as well.
Robert trudges through the mud greateful he remembered to wear boots instead of shoes. He eventually finds his way to the Squires door and waits patiently for admittance.
"Suh, would y'all be Squire Whately ..if so Dr Armitage said I might find the people he sent me to find here"
Squire Whateley shakes your hand. "Come in young man." (he's pretty old, so everyone's a young man to him).
"I was just showing your friends here my officer's sabre from back when I fought in the war."
He holds up a fine looking sabre. It is still in excellent condition.
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Robert makes his introductions, kissing the ladies hands in the manner he picked up in France(he turns on the charm a bit) then turns to the Squire
"If I may enquire Sir... what was your regiment. My father served..in gray of course"
He grins as he says this knowing that veterans from both sides have long since patched over any differences arising from the 'Late Unpleasantness'
As he is greeting Squire Whateley he can overhear in the background, "You see Rita the hilts of these sabers bear a resemblance to Swiss officer's swords in the incised engraving at the top of the quillon, at the lower ends of the two guard branches and at the upper knuckle bow. If it was not for the blade engraving of the American shield, "E PLURIBUS UNUM" and the large "U S" in lieu of the Swiss cross it would readily be mistaken for a Swiss cavalry saber......" Suddenly becoming aware of Robert's presence Evelyn turns away from Rita's glazed look and smiles as she offers her hand, "Oh...I am Evelyn Carnarvon. You must be Robert." Pausing for a moment, " Did you bring word on the ferroniere?"
Rita's eye's snap back from the glazed expression she was wearing.
"Hi !" she says cheerily. She turns back to Evelyn "Whats a Pluribus -is that, like, a blunderbus, or something ?"
Rita sits down and balances her cup of coffee on her knee. "I hear tell the Doc sent you out with some news. So, fill us in , I'm sure its alll..." a slightly sarcastic look at Evelyn "....very interesting"
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"I'm afraid the good doctor hadn't had the chance to research the object in question at the time we spoke Ma'am,,but he did pass me some notes on the transcriptions he made from the journals"
Robert hands Evelyn a sheet of paper.
"These are translations from Wilbur's journal."
October 31, 1926
The meddlesome one is gone. I carried her to the top of the hill last night and there chanted until they came. Others, not seen before, came with them but I was prepared. Lavinia offered much resistance but was no match for the whole of us. She went miserably but it’s now over. I disposed of what was left in the usual manner.
November 25, 1925
Visted by Squire and cousin Tristram today. They asked questions about the Streeter child, and I told them I knew nothing. If only they could imagine what become of him, I’m sure their poor minds would be blasted beyond recognition. Cousin Tristram looked in the old furnace but of course found nothing. They left soon after.
June 3, 1925
I found the way to the depths today and saw that one that dwells in the hills. Vast is He, but still asleep. I have been promised that He will awake when the time approaches. I have constructed a doorway that I may reach Him easier in the future.
February 18, 1924
An accident yesterday while grandfather and I were making the gold. Fortunately none of us were hurt. I will be happy when the Change comes and no longer will I have to do such things as this. Many in the village still lust after the secret of the gold but if they knew the truth of the future, gold would be like dust to them.
He turns to Rita and nods
"It all sounds rather fantastical doesn't it..like something out of the pulps"
Handing the translation over to the Squire, "Does this mean much to you? It does mention you by name."
Rita looks horrified at the implications of what happened to the child.
"Clearly he was a crazy old coot." she says."I mean, he talks about making gold....thats impossible!".
The others turned to look at her steadily but no one spoke.
"I mean...isn't it ?" Rita continued, less certain now.Then, after a moments thought.
"Wow. No wonder everyones after the books."
She turns to the Squire."Evelyn said you could show us some evidence about Doc Armitage's story?"
Squire reads the document and his face goes grim, "I had hoped that all the business with that side of my family was behind me. Lavinia was Wilbur's mother. The Streeter child was a local village girl that went missing several years back. We suspected that Wilbur had something to do with it, but we could never prove it. The rest of it doesn't mean much to me. I know that Old Noah Whateley used to buy cattle and such with gold coins, and there has always been much speculation about where he got the gold. Many suspected he had a secret stash of coins hidden somewhere, but when after Wilbur's death some coin moulds were found on the Whateley farm. That has led a number of rumors that the Whateley's had a secret gold mine somewhere around here. Plenty of locals and even folks from further afield have spent long hours hiking in the hills hereabouts in search of the mine. Nobody's found nothing that I know of, but I have heard that there is a pretty large network of caves beneath these hills. I can certainly show you the ruins of the Whateley farmhouse or Cold Spring Glen where the officers were killed, as well as plenty of other sights. It all depends on how much you have the stomach for. The stuff about "He who dwells beneath the hills" probably worries me the most, especially after what I seen already."
A shiver going down her spine, "Well, I suppose we are going to have to go look at these places sometime. Hopefully tomorrows weather will be better. Is there anyone you would suggest talking too that may have an idea about Amos and why he may be interested in the documents? Also, he does mention he built a door into the hills. Do you have any idea where that might be?"
Rita sits upright and fidgets, bearly able to contain her excitement.
"Amos doesn't have many friends. He's not a well liked man, and he tends to keep to himself. I'm not sure about doors in the hills. I heard about a mine tunnel under Wizard's hill, but it's not particularly near the Whateley farmhouse. I suggest you rest up for the evening and figure out where you want to start tomorrow."
A shiver going down her spine, "Well, I suppose we are going to have to go look at these places sometime. Hopefully tomorrows weather will be better. Is there anyone you would suggest talking too that may have an idea about Amos and why he may be interested in the documents? Also, he does mention he built a door into the hills. Do you have any idea where that might be?"
Evelyn Wishes Robert, Fergus, and Squire Whateley an good evening and then signals Rita to head back to thier room so they can discuss what they want to do on the way there.