lordingrey

.
Later Sunday night the investigators go for a drink at Hibb's Roadhouse.

They see a toff hanging out with some toughs, probably one of those rich guys under the allure of "gangster chic". Asking around they find out this is Larry Stewart, the new beau of Diana Beckworth (since her last one went for a dive off the Miskatonic Hotel).

Phil tries to impress Larry as a knowledgeable guy who can introduce him around, Larry invites Phil to the back of Hibbs to talk it over ~ Phil fails Sense Trouble and doesn't realize one of the two thugs (both of which follow them out) looks like the sort that attacked Daisy etc. Patrick is having a drink to get over seeing Mickey as he was and also fails his Sense Trouble thus is oblivious as the four leave.

Larry sicks Bert and Ernie, his thugs, on Phil to rough him up. Phil makes good use of Fleeing and gets away, passing through Hibbs' common room and getting Patrick before both hop in Patrick's car and drive off.

It is now late at night and the investigators go to the Miskatonic Hotel to see Donald Beckworth, following up on the letter he sent Mickey (in which he said to come late at night and call for his boy Jerry to get up to see him without attracting attention).

After they gain his confidence a slightly drunken Donald (seems to regularly drink) confirms and adds more details to Mickey's tale of what happened in the war and his "visions". He says that that Phelps guy gave him the creeps, and after he died Diane started doing so as does the new beau Larry Stewart who has showed up.

Donald recovered something just a day or two ago that Diane was trying to burn in the fireplace (without her knowing, substituting an old book) - what's this, a Green Goblin edition of Unaussprechlichen Kulten (the same book missing from Judge Bridge's home ~ how did Diane get that!).

Reading the page in the book noted in the judge's paper, Patrick learns a bizarre tale of some antedulivean god-monster named Ghatanothoa that petrifies those who behold it yet leaves them alive and trapped. Patrick realizes somehow this is the impossible fate that has befallen Judge Birch - oh the horror (stabilty 3/San 1 loss unavoidable - the judge is still alive as a mind imprisoned in his petrified body!). Neither of his comrades read the book (or saw the Judge's remains) and both consider his conclusions goofy.

The book's tale does speak of two medallions - one to protect against Ghatanothoa and a fake one swapped with it in the tale. Patrick connects to the one the Holburne Museum had and the one the "bent mummy" had (if the "bent mummy" is the remains told of in the tale, it's medallion is the fake one and the other the "real" one - the other was the one the Judge hid on his person fearing the cult wanted it).

The constant roleplaying of denial of each other's finds was very fun. It made the session get through scenes slower but it's the fun we play for and for my part as Keeper I loved it.

Poking around the suite, Sean found papers showing Diane Beckworth's correspondence with a lawyer in Boston about the terms she could expect in a divorce - issues of her "lifestyle" likely weighing against her. The last letter from lawyer indicates he's putting matter on hold awaiting news of what her new "leverage" with Robert Beckworth is.

Sean and Phil also found, in Diane's room, a wire-recording device and wire-records sent by someone named Faderburg with instructions to practice to do it perfectly. Listening to one, each lost 1 stability as the sounds were not sounds at all and it was impossible to see how the machine could produce them. Using mechanical knowledge, they sabotaged one "record" to make it secretly inaccurate (in case someone was still relying on them to practice).

Douglas' mind "wandered" a bit while they where there and seemed to be recollecting a struggle with a creature like one in his paintings of the "ghouls" from the war, one he "sent for a tumble" from the balcony. Assess honesty showed that though he's hallucinating some details, his core memory of a struggle and someone going for a tumble seems accurate and likely matches up with Phelps' fall to his death.

Leaving the suite, they ran into Robert Beckworth himself, with his bodyguard, who wanted to know why they were seeing his son. He was not impressed to learn of a connection to the accused killer Mickey Finn. He said his son is not well, his step-mother not providing a healthy environment, and that he would be going on a trip shortly (perhaps a transatlantic cruise).

They all slept at Patrick's Sunday night, the other two taking couch and chair.

On Monday investigators went to the Bowen Woods to check out the sight of the old chapel. On the way they visited Micah and learned he doubted anyone was up to anything in the woods - there being no sign of people going in or out.

They went into the woods with him (promising to be out before sundown) and found two young men dead, tied to trees near the old chapel - cut and disfigured. Some deep imprinted cloven hoof marks were found though Outdoorsman could not identify them. Phil took some pictures of this (which he later sold to the Arkham Advertiser for a temporary 1CR pool). The investigators did not report this to the police. They did find the chapel and noted its burned out shell, much overgrown though apparently someone was clearing away a open space in middle.

Back in town Phil sells his photos and story (telling Editor Gedney that he reported this to police already, though he has not) and Gedney puts Billy Abbott on story. The investigators visit the Holburne and poke around a bit more, leaving a window open and coming back after closing to remove the medallion on display along with the dagger beside it.

They stake out the Miskatonic Hotel for Diana Beckworth and Larry Stewart. The pair come in early in evening and don't go out again. A bit after midnight, the investigators hear some sort of odd flute playing - recollecting being told earlier of complaints about such a noise disturbing guests in hotel. It seems to be coming from above and Sean climbs up the fire escape to the roof - by the time he gets there about 2 minutes of this sound has been going on. Who is on the roof but Diana, Larry, a middle aged guy with blacked out glasses playing flute and a 4th guy with hat pulled low and coat collar up.

Sean's stability suffers as he sees four creatures like insectoid vultures swoop down from night sky, an arctic chill and vinegar smell preceeding them, to take up the 4 people and fly off towards Bowen Woods. He goes down to report to comrades, Phil not believing him (or claiming not to). The investigators head out to Bowen Woods and walk into the spot where chapel is.

The four they saw are directing 6 thugs in clearing away more of the area according to some arcane layout principle. Eventually the four leave (anothe 2 minutes of flute summoning their bizarre transport), the blacked-out glasses man telling the thugs to say (in a scandanavian accent).

The investigators go back to town and recruit gangster Micheal McGlen's aid (streetwise spend 3 calling on his friendship with Mickey and desire to avenge Fast Louie). They return to the woods - McGlen with his tommy gun, the investigators with borrowed and scrounged firearms to supplement Sean's pistol.

They confront the thugs, McGlen effectively handles 3 "off stage", shouting "this one's for Louie". This leaves 3 knife-wielding thugs for the investigators. Bringing a knife to a gun fight not so great for cultists, but when two of the gun-users have no Firearms and one (Phil) shoots himself for maximum damage it's entertaining. The other investigators manage to come through with only a few cuts.

Investigators exchange some first aid and plan their next move.