A Case of Impenetrable Darkness: Dementia Præcox

[Grognardsw]

Howard Thurston, stage magician

Thurston scrunches his nose up at the odd smell of Walter’s vomit as he examines the names on the piece of paper.

“We’ll have to check into these - Mary Clawson and Franklin Stewart,” says Thurston, holding up the paper.

He looks over Sam’s shoulder as the ex-soldier tries to help the convulsing Walter.

“Put something in his mouth so he doesn’t choke on his tongue,” Thurston offers. “This place has been searched, Walter is in good hands. If nobody objects, I’ll see if these keys can get into his mailbox.”

[Rex]

Sam

"Go for it, whether he lives or dies is in Gods hands now."

[Bluehorse]

Margery stares at nothing and screams looking like she is ready to claw her way out of her chair and run on water before she covers her eyes as if seeing something no one else can.

[1d100] = 16

[Marullus]

First Aid (50/25/10) [1d100] = 93

Glad for the success of the purgative (even with the ruin to his own trousers and socks), Twaddle is stymied when the patient goes into epilepsy.

"I rather think that God has little to do with what is happening here," he responds to Sam fumbling through the pouches and vials of his satchel. He produces a small tub of aromatic ointment, smelling strongly of garlic and other less identifiably scents. Bolstered by his occultic olefactory offense to the possessing spirit, he tries several common methods to free him from its rigors.

Occult (95/47/19) [1d100] = 61

A fun contemporary article: https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wile ... 3.02a00060

[DexterWard]

Ptolemy's Scriptorium
Date & Time: Saturday, August 27th, 1927 – 3:50 pm
Weather: 77°F; Scattered Clouds; Wind 9 mph from SE
Sunrise/Sunset: 6:05am – 7:24pm

Walter’s Apt: 1200 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Sam and Dr. Twaddle tend to Walter, as Howard heads down to the lobby to check Walter’s mailbox.

Sam manages to get a rolled-up page of newspaper in Walter’s mouth while Dr. Twaddle administers an aromatic ointment. Walter thrashes his head back and forth – Sam is barely able to keep the newspaper in. The aromatics don’t wake Walter up, but he begins to calm, and the convulsions start to recede. Whatever was possessing Walter seems to have receded. Dr. Twaddle becomes suspicious of the Black Goo, fearing it may have occult or other nefarious purposes. Nothing from his knowledge base matches these circumstances exactly. More investigation will be needed to determine its exact nature.

Margery lets out a scream of horror, claws at her chair in a sudden panic, and then covers her face.

Howard finds Wayne staring out the entryway (he just saw Man #1 across the street staring at him) and the Attendant in his office talking on a telephone to someone. One of the keys from Walter’s pocket opens his mailbox. There are three other keys: 2 standard door lock keys, and an ornate skeleton key. Inside Walter’s mailbox: Sears & Roebuck catalog, a torn page from The Boston Daily Globe (Obituaries), 5 letters from Samantha Resnick, a handful of mail flyers, a postcard from Samantha Resnick, a letter from Arthur Resnick, and a silver hand cast coin (see image below).

Walter’s convulsions soon end leaving him breathing very slowly, eyes closed, with a tortured look on his face. From the looks of him, death may be at the doorstep.

f9f5a85611c35e1fc0617ffeff80918c.jpg (42.25 KiB) Viewed 953 times

Actions!

Future Endeavors:

1. Investigate news article: “Wife of prominent lawyer missing – presumed dead”
2. Margery: Work her sources to see what she can find out about the Black Drug
3. Dr. Twaddle & Wayne (Tuesday): Driving to Nahant to survey the N. Cobb library collection
4. Dr. Twaddle & Wayne (Tuesday): Discuss the Blackwood news ad with Harvey Wallace at the Grand Lodge’s Masonic Library (once finished at Nahant)
5. Have black goo sample collected by Thurston identified in lab
6. Check into Names from Walter’s pocket: Mary Clawson and Franklin Stewart
7. Please let me know if I missed something

[Bluehorse]

Wayne with only a glance. Howard, I need you to get a doc on the phone. I think I need to follow this feller and see what he is about...
Something ain't right about him. With that, the grease monkey walks outside and goes out and looks around for Man #1.

==========

Margery Still semi-hysterical. It saw me! I saw me! He's going to come for me! she wheels backward out of the apartment, putting some distance between her and what she has seen to try to get herself pulled together.

[Grognardsw]

Howard Thurston, stage magician

Howard smiles as he quickly leafs through Walter’s mail. He hopes the letters and their writers will be fruitful in answering some questions. Howard slides the mail (minus the catalog and junk flyers), keys and curious coin into his pressed cotton summer sport coat.

”Wayne, do you think going alone is wise?” Howard looks up and asks as the door swings close from the exiting mechanic.

Howard quickly steps, in his patent brown leather loafers, over to the attendant’s office. He yells loudly in his stage baritone voice so as to be heard over the man’s phone conversation:

“Walter in apartment 310 is dying! Call a doctor immediately! 310!”

Howard then dashes through the lobby to outside, to follow Wayne following the mystery man.

[DexterWard]

Ptolemy's Scriptorium
Date & Time: Saturday, August 27th, 1927 – 4:00 pm
Weather: 77°F; Scattered Clouds; Wind 9 mph from SE
Sunrise/Sunset: 6:05am – 7:24pm

Walter’s Apt: 1200 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Wayne spots Man #1 across the street strolling casually NW up the sidewalk, smoking, and staring at the sidewalk in front of him as he walks. The two men who sitting and smoking outside the front entrance stare at Wayne with interest but say nothing – Just sitting and smoking their cigarettes.

Margery makes a hasty retreat from Walter’s apartment after having experienced some horror in her mind – Some black force reaching for her subconscious.

Dr. Twaddle and Sam continue to tend to Walter as they wait for medical assistance to arrive. Walter seems to have stabilized for the time being, thanks to Sam and Dr. Twaddle’s quick thinking and first aid assistance.

Howard pockets the contents of Walter’s mailbox as Wayne tells him to call a Dr and then darts out the front entrance. Howard orders the attendant on duty to call for help then follows Wayne. Stepping out the front door, he sees Wayne across the street following Man #1 up the sidewalk. Crossing the street midway are the two men who were previously sitting and smoking outside the entrance. Their steps are purposeful, and their focus is clearly on Wayne. The man on the left (Man #2) reaches inside his suit jacket and pulls out a small black object about 6-8 inches long, cupping it up into his sleeve and tight against his side.

The attendant, fortunately for Walter, was already on the phone with emergency services when Wayne booms instructions at the man. He finishes up his call and sprints upstairs to Walter’s apartment. ”Dear God!” he cries out as he enters the doorway to Walter’s apartment. ”What happened here?!” he asks without moving, clearly shocked at the sight of Walter and the ransacked apartment. He can clearly see Sam and Dr. Twaddle tending to the man. ”What can I do? I’ve called emergency services. They should arrive soon. They’re only a mile away.”

Actions!

Future Endeavors:

1. Investigate news article: “Wife of prominent lawyer missing – presumed dead”
2. Margery: Work her sources to see what she can find out about the Black Drug
3. Dr. Twaddle & Wayne (Tuesday): Driving to Nahant to survey the N. Cobb library collection
4. Dr. Twaddle & Wayne (Tuesday): Discuss the Blackwood news ad with Harvey Wallace at the Grand Lodge’s Masonic Library (once finished at Nahant)
5. Have black goo sample collected by Thurston identified in lab
6. Check into Names from Walter’s pocket: Mary Clawson and Franklin Stewart
7. Read Walter’s Mail
8. Research the Coin from Walter’s mailbox
9. Determine what Walter’s keys open
10. Please let me know if I missed something

[Rex]

Sam

"Good, he needs some medical help." Sam will head over to Margery and start wheeling her out, giving Twaddle the high sign that it is time to get gone.

[Marullus]

Dr. Twaddle

The old man tends the boy, his hands shaking but otherwise assured. "Come now, old boy... just like when that ceiling fell in Oxyrhynchus," he murmurs reassuringly to himself. A wash of visible relief comes over him as the attendant joins them.

It is replaced by a wash of shock, confusion,
and dismay as he realizes Sam is signaling them to leave, then that he is right. "Here, mind his head, guard the tongue if he begins another siesure, " he instructs the attendant, getting the man to help.
Charm (50/25/10) [1d100]=93
Pushing:
Charm (50/25/10) [1d100]=49

Once the man is helping, Twaddle rises, palpably reluctant, and follows Sam.

[Grognardsw]

Meanwhile, outside... Howard Thurston, stage magician

Howard trails the two men at a discrete distance. He looks about for pedestrians.

If there any children playing about, he quickly stops, gives one a dime, points at the two men, and says: “Those are burglars getting away. Call the police! I’ll be following them.”

If there are no children, but adults, he’ll do the same thing minus the dime.

The stage magician grows alarmed at what he suspects could be a gun in the man’s hand. Howard suddenly regrets not bringing a weapon. Who would of thought a Saturday stroll would lead to this? He’ll have to improvise.

Keeper questions to determine next move:
- Can Howard still see Wayne and the mystery man he’s following?
- How many feet away are the two men from Howard? From Wayne?
- Are we all on the same sidewalk, or crossing street or on opposite sides?

[Bluehorse]

Waiting for answers to Howard's questions before proceeding since those were mine as well, with the additional interogatory of: Does Wayne notice the other two men tailing him now?

[Bluehorse]

Margery

Finally pulls herself together but is still shaking. Sam... it's horrible... It saw me... Whatever was in Walter... It looked right at me... It knows who i am! It is going to come for me! We have to find a way to get rid of it... Banish it... something! Oh, Sam! It looked into me!

[Rex]

Sam

"Its going to be alright Margery. Try and calm down we need to get going, I have you and you are safe now."

[DexterWard]

The Game is Afoot!
Date & Time: Saturday, August 27th, 1927 – 4:15 pm
Weather: 77°F; Scattered Clouds; Wind 9 mph from SE
Sunrise/Sunset: 6:05am – 7:24pm

Walter’s Apt: 1200 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Man #1 continues his casual walk up the sidewalk as Wayne quickly crosses the street and begins following. Man #1 doesn’t appear to notice Wayne following, nor does Wayne notice the two loungers at the entrance jump up and follow along after him. Howard on the other hand does. He quickly ascertains that the men have nefarious intentions, grabs a nearby child, and pays them a dime to get the police. The child takes the dime with a smile and immediately runs south along the sidewalk.

Meanwhile in Walter’s apartment, Sam hands off care of Walter to the attendant and wheels Margery out and away from her perceived horrors. Margery claims something horrible has seen her, ”It saw me…It looked right at me…It knows who I am!”, as Sam wheels her out of the apartment. Sam does his best to calm and wheel her to a safe place. Dr. Twaddle offers some reassuring advice to the attendant, who tentatively complies and tends to Walter.
The attendant stares at Walter in disbelief before turning to Dr. Twaddle as he exits the apartment, ”What…er…Umm, what happened here? What is this black tar substance?”

Sam, Margery, and Dr. Twaddle arrive at the lobby to find it empty. Wayne and Howard are not present.

Grognard’s Questions:

Can Howard still see Wayne and the mystery man he’s following? Yes
How many feet away are the two men from Howard? From Wayne? The men are ~15’-20’ from Wayne, who is just coming off the street onto the far sidewalk, the two men following are part way across the street (~15-20’ form Howard)
Are we all on the same sidewalk, or crossing street or on opposite sides? Man #1 and Wayne are now on the opposite side of the street from Howard (Opposite side of street from the apt building). As Howard exits the building, he sees Wayne step up onto the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Man #1 and Wayne are ~40’ apart.

What started out as a courtesy check on Walter, has turned into something far more ominous: Strange visions, black goo, curious coins, dark figures threatening (physical and otherwise), and now a foot chase. Quite a lot for a Saturday. What dark omens and nefarious deeds might Sunday perchance bring? Though, mayhap we should get through Saturday first.

gorgons-hydras-768.jpg (132.06 KiB) Viewed 822 times

Actions!

Future Endeavors:

1. Investigate news article: “Wife of prominent lawyer missing – presumed dead”
2. Margery: Work her sources to see what she can find out about the Black Drug
3. Dr. Twaddle & Wayne (Tuesday): Driving to Nahant to survey the N. Cobb library collection
4. Dr. Twaddle & Wayne (Tuesday): Discuss the Blackwood news ad with Harvey Wallace at the Grand Lodge’s Masonic Library (once finished at Nahant)
5. Have black goo sample collected by Thurston identified in lab
6. Check into Names from Walter’s pocket: Mary Clawson and Franklin Stewart
7. Read Walter’s Mail
8. Research the Coin from Walter’s mailbox
9. Determine what Walter’s keys open
10. Please let me know if I missed something

[Grognardsw]

Howard Thurston, stage magician tail



Howard inconspicuously trails the two men following Wayne, who is tailing the mystery man. He glances up and down the street, hoping the police may be nearby. The magician quickly glances back and up at Walter's apartment window, on the off chance Sam or the others may be looking out the window at the same time.

Howard looks ahead to the mystery man at the front of the line, hoping to see the future path this train will take him. If there is a way to take a short cut through an alley, or some other method, to arrive directly at Wayne, Howard will take it. Otherwise he continues to follow. Howard clutches in his hand a smoke bomb, one of his more dramatic stage magic tools.

[Bluehorse]

Wayne for his part keeps after the man up front. He matches his pace and doesn't get in a big hurry, seeming content to follow and wishing he had brought his gun.

Too late for that Wayne. Just keep focused and alert... he thinks to himself.

He wonders what this man's connection to this is and what he is up to, but figured following him with answer more questions and give him bigger questions if he see where the man goes.

[Rex]

Sam

Sam heads back to the shop with Margery.

[Marullus]

We walked here, right?

Doctor Twaddle looks back several times, wracked with guilt at leaving the youth but knowing medical services would soon be with them. It doesn't take long to catch up with Sam as he pushes Maergery's chair on their way back to the shop. He walks along in silence, waiting for Maergery to recover.

[DexterWard]

Yes, everyone walked as it was only a few blocks