Afraid of the dark

They also go to the local grocers (covering every base!) and it turns out that he never sees Corbitt. He's heard that Corbitt grows his own, and hands out any left over, to locals, not that he minds, as it doesn't hurt his business. Nipping in the General store, they chat and find out that Corbitt studied medicine briefly, and has helped out the locals, when asked to provide assistance.

Walther goes back to the Library to look for more information on the plants, or whether they are used in any rituals. All he finds are that they are well known plants, Mandrake, Wolfbain, Datura, Nightshade and referred to the Withches weeds as these were used historically by Witches for flight potions.

Walther checks the age of the house and looks for any details on it, also anything on their trip, but finds little.

Harold doesn't find much either.

With the chat about the dogs going missing, Walther notices something that relates to that, an interesting article, so notes it down.

It refers to a local man arrested in animal slayings. Mr Tomaszewski, a hospital orderly, was arrested regards pet kidnappings. Animals disappeared, to be later found mutilated, or partially eaten. Tamaszewski was later released for lack of evidence and due to the public outcry over the atrocities, Police hope they will close the case shortly.

Walther and Thomas then got to Corbitts business. They only chat to the secretary at the desk and exchange comments. Walther states he's a friend of Mr Corbitt, and just happened to wander in. They find out that Corbitt has taken seeds from around the world and grown them very successfully. Walther tries to get a look at the manifests coming up with a story that he's a collector and trying to locate certain items that were sold to private collectors. (Player rolls a fast talk, and fails with a 98!). The lady is affronted and asks for Walther to obviously speak with his friend, Mr Corbitt, and gets on with her work.

They then all head back to the house and Walther puts up a meal for them all. Over dinner they chat about what they've managed to uncover and throw ideas about.

After dinner Doc Thaddeus goes off to the hospital to see what he can find in the records. As with no missing children Thomas stated that the arm likely came from the hospital.

Thomas then goes off to the station to get the case records regards Tomaszewski.

Tenaciously looking deeper he finds that he has a criminal record though, going way back, for misuse of drugs, affray and a small driving offence. He also locates an address from 4 months ago.

Walther stays in the house watching for any movement from Corbitt.

Doc Thaddeus heads for the mortuary. Stopping off to look through the medical records fileing cabinet. He finds little on Corbitt, except coughs and colds. He looks through the work records to find that Tomaszewski still works there. He is just an orderly and his job is to basically clean up. So he (the player asks first if any other player characters came with him, and realises he's alone!) then heads off to track down Tomaszewski. He has to ask quite a few people finding that Tomaszewski is over 6ft, although slim and gets a good description of him. Thaddeus ends up on the 4th floor before he eventually catches up with him.

The Doc asks him questions regards a young child operated on in the theatre recently, who had a small bracelet on her arm. Tomaszewski becomes agitated asking why the questions and then turns and runs. Thaddeus gives chase, but Tomaszewski makes distance (being younger), on Thaddeus, who is 56. Thaddeus comes around a corner and just sees a door closing.

He walks up to the door he can't see through it but sees a light under the door. He stands to the side and pushes the door open. Thaddeus sees Tomaszewski looking round oddly in a panic and then climbing out the window. Thaddeus calls for help. Then Tomaszewski literally jumps out the window. Thaddeus shocked, calls repeatedly for help. When a nurse turns up he runs over to the window and sees the body four floors below.

Thaddeus makes it down to the body, but there's nothing he can do for him. Thaddeus is pretty shocked! (after the other players remind the Keeper for him to make a San check). Looking "at the body", he finds a set of keys (realising that they may be for a locker), and some vials of clear/oily liquid.

The Police are summoned, suicide still being a crime, and the nurse confirms to them that Thaddeus (very cleverly) was not in the room when the man fell. Thaddeus offers to help with any medical examination, but first finds a phone and calls Walthers house on this fantastic piece of technology! and assists. It takes a few hours for reports and statements, and he assists the mortician dutifully. He does learn that Tomaszewski was a drug user and also had masochistic tendancies, due to marks on the body.

He catalogues all personal items, then heads off with a witness to take a look at his locker. Inside there's two more vials and religious cross covered in blood. There are also various pieces of paper talking of the dark master and Satan. There is also an item that has likely been used to inflict pain. This is all reported to the Police, but Thaddeus keeps hold of one vial, making notes (and a joke about photocopiers).

Walther mentioned on the phone for Thaddeus to check maternity records for Mrs Corbitt again, to see if there was anything unusual to the pregnancy prior to the birth. It's getting late by now, but he finds that there were no complications.

Thomas checks up with the actual officer who dealt with the Tomaszewski case, regards the disappearance of animals. He was in the area, when disappearances happened, people saw him acting oddly, but there was nothing to actually link him to the case.

Everyone then travels back to Walthers house, arriving one after the other, and exchanging what they've found out.

Walther uses his occult knowledge (rolls a 01) on the cross, and discussing the buckle found in the locker he realises, being worldly wise that the pins on it are designed with the discerning masochist in mind! Definitely a Satanist.

Tomas decides to phone up the desk clerk regards Tomaszewskis fall, but there is little information given of use.

John Harper discusses the plants toxicity and refers to Dogbane being planted around villages to poison the animals and keep them away. Even large beasts, such as wolves, just brushing past it with their wet noses could be harmed. He then looks at the vial, but all he notices is that it's a very fine liquid, like an oil or extract. A full laboratory would be needed to find it's makeup, but this would take time.

Harold weighs up the evidence, of which there's little, and is all for heading to Mr Corbitts basement! Instead he decides to get some more samples from Mr Corbitts, large, greenhouse. This time he goes prepared with some large gardening gloves. It's very dark now. He decides to take the whole plants this time, and on the way back, again goes to take a large tomatoe. Thinking about it (makes intelligence check) he thinks to remove a glove and take the tomatoe with his bare hand, to avoid any toxins getting on it from where the glove had been in contact with the plants.

Due to more plants turning up, Thomas decides it wise to sleep in his own house.

John Harper looks at one of the plants, a vine, and remarks that he's never seen a plant that has orange and blue leaves! Oddly shaped leaves that have a slight waxy surface.

Harold tests the tomatoe out on John first, who says it's delicious, and they decide to have the rest for breakfast.

Doc Thaddeus takes a look (passes Botany). He notices the vine has a slight luminescence to it (perhaps why Harold picked it, being easier to see in the dark), but has never seen anything like this on the planet! (Walthers player is very wary of anything, and everything, as it's Cthulhu we are playing). Few players want the "blueie glow in the dark plant" in the house." (out of game the only player who isn't paranoid,

yet,

states "what's it going to do, walk about the house and murder us all!"). Harold ends up sleeping with the plant in his room. (Feed me Seymour!!!)

TUESDAY

Harold cooks up breakfast including what's left of the stolen tomatoe.

John Harper goes off to see if he can use a Laboratory at the local hospital, or pay a fee to rent one. Doc Thaddeus calls the hospital to get some equipement and a room for John to test the plants, and the vials they have.

Walther decides to chat to locals, finding out that Mr Corbitt is a very nice fellow. Helped in an accident, years ago travelled often, but more recently spends much more tiome at home. He works 5 days a week and locals speak well of him. He has a regular drive late afternoon on Sunday, coming back, around dark.

Thomas and Thaddeus go to Tomaszewski's house to see what he can dig up. They ask the Landlord for access, showing the badge and finding out that he has no visitors, friends come to meet him. It's a small apartment and entering they see blood on the walls in odd symbols and it is a mess. Thomas uses the landlords phone to "call it in." They think to look in the trash, but it's a chute, so a large task, and Thomas prefers uniform to do that, if necessary. They inform the landlord and leave it to him, but on a final look over the room, they find syringes, empty vials and ropes.

Walther goes to the local church with Harold to ask questions. Not being avid church goers, the priest is more than happy to see them. They discuss the satanic symbols, but the priest has heard nothing of any desecrations or anything of that ilk. They ask if Mr Corbitt is a church goer, but only on occasion, his late wife being more avid of faith and still resident in the graveyard (well, it is Cthulhu!). On his way out he purposely passes by her grave.

They both then go back to the university with the orange and blue vine to see the lecturer, who rushes down to see them. He mentions a local specialist, a local business man, and states that he could ask him??? Further drawings are taken and he rushes off to do more research, that could take any number of weeks.

The characters meet back at Walthers, and try to think what their next move will be. Thomas thinks back to his training on the law, in an attempt to get a good reason to legally enter the house, but nothing springs to mind.

To be continued,.....