This was a two parter and the first part was earlier this week.
Part I
The PC's are a group of friend's interested in the strange and bizarre.
A Jr. Professor of Anthropology at Miskatonic (Scholar), a private detective in Arkham (Detective), and a WWI vet (Soldier) and his faithful dog.
An old friend of the Professor's, a Dr in the small town of Southport two days north of Arkham invited them to investigate strange sightings and five deaths in the town.
The newspapers carried a small article (before the authorities got it suppressed) of the sighting of a 'sea serpent' off the docks of Southport. No mention of deaths was reported (they were poor hobo fishermen living in shanties.)
The PC's show up, meet up with the Doctor and the Sheriff (who isn't happy about outsiders) and proceed to investigate after taking lodging at the local boarding house called the Inne,.
In town they meet:
- The hostile Sheriff who hates snoops and is trying to keep things quiet before feds and other problems show up. He is invested in an 'open' speakeasy fishing tavern on the docks he lets stay open despite Prohibition and skims profits.
- Deputy Dickie, an idiot who gets to guard the hobo corpses in the ice house.
- A nosy reporter who gets suppressed ALOT,
- Angry fishermen who think it's all a hoax by 'big fishin' comp'ny's ta drive us outta our fishin grounds....SPIT.'
- A creepy spooked old man who haunts the tavern restlessly watching as if he's being hunted.
- A big game hunter who has shown up hoping the serpent is real.
- Hell even a fake sideshow gypsy woman trying to read some palms for cash.
They head to the ice house and investigate the hobo fishermen corpses after getting past Deputy Dickie.
The corpses all exhibit large bite marks and tears. Shark-like.
Two of the corpses look odd. They have a bulgy eyed look and wide mouths with deep creases in their necks.
All are covered with a fishy smelling foul slime.
A partial webbed hand print is found on the ice house slab.
The Nosy Reporter bribes Dickie and heads in taking big flash-bulb pics pissing the PC's off. The Soldier destroys the photo plates and they shoo him out before leaving.
They then almost get into it with the angry drunk fishermen at the tavern but appease them with beer and promises. They learn of supposed 'watchers in black robes' sighted about town near the cemetery, the docks, and out by the old swamp.
The fishermen think it's another big fish company trick.
Before they leave they see a spooked Old Man come in and sit to drink by the drunk fishermen. He's twitchy, like a hunted animal. Not wanting to roust a local in front of the agitated fishermen they move on,
After dark the PC's promptly split up and the Professor heads to the swamps, the Soldier to the cemetery, and the Detective scopes out the docks.
The Professor heads east of town, into the woods on the edge of the swamp and soon realizes someone is following him.
Drawing a knife he takes cover behind a tree and a black robed figure passes by. The Professor quickly jumps on the figure's back and puts a knife to his throat.
Interrogating the figure its hood falls back showing a hick with the same fishy look as the hobo corpses, barefoot and with tattered overalls. A swamp hillbilly.
The Hick tries to talk his way out of trouble in broken swamp English when the Professor hears another one sneaking up behind. Realizing the first Hick is drawing a knife from his belt the Professor cuts his throat (taking him from 15 to 5 hit points; I allowed the backstab to stand as the Hick was at mercy. Great damage rolls.)
Clutching his bleeding throat the Hick cries out "Tull, help I'm dyin' !" and stumble into the swamp water.
Tull throws off his robe to show another fishy Hillbilly, draws a strange knife and thus begins several insane rounds of knife fighting with the non-combat orientated Professor barely getting nicked and killed the hulking Tull with several deep stabs before burying the knife up under his ribs into his heart.
The first Hick has escaped into the swamps.
Meanwhile, on the north edge of town at the cemetery the Soldier, crouched by a nearby house, watches the church priest come out with a lantern, check around, then lock himself into the church for the night. Lights go out.
The Soldier then advances and hops the iron fence as a light fog comes up.
His dog refuses to go in, whimpering in fear.
Creeping among the headstones in the light fog he sees a robed figure lurking about as well.
Sneaking up close he draws his .45 semi-auto pistol.
The figure hears him however and turns exposing it's face: a hideous pale and green fish/frog face with needle like teeth!
The Soldier is startled and fires a booming shot, hitting the Deep One in the shoulder.
It ducks away and loses the Soldier in the fog and headstones.
Lights come on as sleepers awaken and people, already scared, come out armed with lanterns and wait for the Sheriff in the streets.
Warned to not cause problems the Soldier beats feet and takes the long way around town towards the south where the tavern is by the docks.
To the west of town the Detective heads to the shanty shacks of the hobo fishermen by the river which spills into the bay. He gets a bit of info from them and views the smashed shanties where the five were killed. He learns one of the shanties belonged to the Old Man in the tavern, Paying the hobos a bit of cash he heads back to the docks.
At the docks the Detective leans up against the tavern wall in the shadows, watching and listening, while smoking a cigarette.
He notices a few odd ripples in the bay as if something big is moving.
Then the .45 shot booms all over town and everyone comes out of the tavern and homes making a ruckus,.
We ended part one there.
No comments:
Post a Comment