The Language at the Threshold

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, old man

Listening to Gwen Baines, Isaiah feels... old. He is of a different generation, form a very different background. This would be a good moment to start a heated theological dispute - but Isaiah realizes that in the final run it holds no importance. Despite the ideological differences, he and the agent, and even the good-hearted (and awfully misguided) book dealer are in the same boat.

Besides, he once again notices a break-down in Baines' self-proclaimed analytical-skeptical-cynical, always-cool behavior. Something similar came over the agent back in Carcosa's apartment. old me... future me... The agent's mumbling reminds Isaiah of the years spent in the insane asylum.

Now it's his turn to ask:
"Mr. Baines? Are you alright? What happened?.."

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer
Reginald gets a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He soon realizes why. Oh no, he thinks to himself. Baines is starting to sound like Timothy.

[Grognardsw]

Earlier and Elsewhere...

Bureau of Investigation Agent Ezekial Smith


sighs and rubs his eyes. This case was a doozy. He spent the morning interviewing Robert Angell, Carver's roomate. He confirmed Carver's strange behavior. His partner thinks some drug is involved; Ezy agrees. The pseudo-language is tied up in it somehow. Maybe some code or cant among the addicts? There was an album by the Hepcats of Ulthar, and Carcosa was their manager. 

Ezy wonders how Baines is doing at Carcosa's place this morning. He felt uncomfortable about letting him go alone, but the reasons were sound. With the Angell interview over, Ezy had much of the day before him. He drove back to the office and called the Boston branch. The wino was still behind bars waiting for questioning by Baines and Ezy. Upon sobering up, the man was only a little more coherent according to Boston. Ezy looked forward to talking to him.

Ezy spent some time on the phone, reporting the findings thus far in the case to Boston. Maybe flex some BOI muscle, he suggested, and round up the Hepcats, club owner, addicts, Carcosa, and sort them all out. 

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

Baines breaks out of his trance, "Sorry, I get a bit flustered every time a case is....well, too important and big", he was silent for a moment, "I don't know if I should tell you this because it's all speculation but.....", his eyes showed fear, like that of a cornered mouse, "Carcosa manages a band, called the hepcats of ulthar, when I went to meet with him, the band was playing and.....the words....the lyrics, they were the same as Timothy's mad ramblings, but what was more terrifying is....", the fear began to affect his tone, "everyone in the club began to sing along...as if they memorized by heart..no, as if they knew it all their life. I asked one of them about it and he said 'Oh, you are not understand? We are all...all one' and that's not even the scary part......the band has a great following in various cities in america......just the thought of......no no........too frightening to think about....and the letters....how far do they go?....", Baines started shaking, holding responsibility for such a huge case is taking its toll on him.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer
Reginald sips his coffee, mentally connecting the dots.

"This is disturbing news indeed," he says. "We know now that this group has multiple means of distributing its ... message, across multiple cities. Carcosa has connections to both the drug and the music. If this band tours across America, then obviously they have a following of like-minded individuals. Carcosa also had conspicuous letters from people in New York City, Amsterdam, and London." He looks at Baines, trying to keep any resentment from his voice. "Please let me know when your Bureau is done with those letters."

Reginald finishes his coffee. "So it seems this group we are chasing has ties both here in America, or the east coast at least, as well as on the Continent. They are dangerous and kill indiscriminately, perhaps randomly. I agree with Isaiah, they must be stopped. I intend to search through the items taken from Carcosa's apartment to see if there is anything else of interest to us. As it's getting late now, I'll wait until tomorrow to contact Mr. Randolph, as well as my friends at Brown. Hopefully someone there can translate this book for me.

"Can the Bureau check out the addresses in Carcosa's letters, Mr. Baines? I think a bit more information about those locations would be most helpful."

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

Baines steadies his nerves, "Oh...yeah, I will make sure to look into them thoroughly, and when we are don with them I am gonna try my best to hand it over to you, though I can't promise you that".

Baines looks at his watch, "So, shall we go to see the notes? I need a second look myself"

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, fed old man

Isaiah finally finishes (the now almost cold) meal.

"Yes, we have a great deal of things to look into... We also need to rest a little, afterwards. At least me."

He is ready to go. Agent Baines recovered quickly from his, so to say, absent-mindedness... Probably a good sign.

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

"Yes, we all need some rest, I hardly slept in...2 days? Or was it 3? This case is really taking its toll on me", he laughed lightly, "So, how about you Mr.Wilkins?", he starts moving towards the car.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer
Yes, agreed, says Reginald, getting up. Let's go through the evidence and then call it a night. Reginald will follow Isaiah out of the diner, leaving the bill with Agent Baines.

Reginald will go through the items taken from Carcosa's apartment, looking for anything of interest to the case.

OOC: need a Spot Hidden roll or anything like that?

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett

Isaiah Bartlett pays for his own food, meticulously counting out the exact price.

[Grognardsw]

August 11, 1925, 7:00 pm
Providence, Rhode Island
Federal agent Gwen Baines, bookdealer Reginald Wilkins and old man Isaiah Bartlett


It has been a long, productive and distrubing day. The men exit the diner and get into Baines car. The BOI agent drives Reginald and Isaiah back to the bookstore. They agree to meet the following afternoon to update each other on any finds among Carcosa's books and the letters.

Inside the bookstore the Reginald and Isaiah pick over Carcosa's books and a few statues and art prints that were thrown into the boxes. The original paintings are by Richard Pickman. Reginald consults some art journals and learns he is a Boston artist noted for his "anatomy of the terrible or the physiology of fear—the exact sort of lines and proportions that connect up with latent instincts or hereditary memories of fright, and the proper colour contrasts and lighting effects to stir the dormant sense of strangeness." He is compared to artists John Henry Fuseli (1741–1825), Gustave Doré (1832–1883), Sidney Sime (1867–1941), Anthony Angarola (1893–1929), and Francisco Goya (1746–1828).

Pickman at work in his studio
From The Print Connoisseur: A Quarterly Magazine, Winter, 1923

The books will take some time to review. The men skim some of them, and page through them all for any loose errata or margin notes. The Pnakotic Manuscripts volume seems to be most intriguing, though the Testament of Selene will also bear closer reading. Several archeology books show a pattern of interest in ancient worship sites of moon gods and goddesses. Astrology books reflect an interest in Pluto and speculations of distant stars beyond.

It is near midnight when the men pause in their studies, having gone wide but not deep in their survey of Carcosa's books. They realize it will take much more time tomorrow to go deeper in the items of particular interest.





Baines drives back to the BOI office to check messages and drop off evidence. There is a note from Ezy:

'Hope your meet with Carcosa was productive today. Give me a call at the hotel.'





Arkham Gazette Reporter Eddie Sharpe enjoys the company of his family, looking back over the family scrapbook,

and a enjoys good night's sleep.

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

Baines smiles at the note and calls the hotel and asks for Ezy.

[Grognardsw]

Ezy answers the phone. "I've been wondering about you all day. How did it go with Carcosa? I questioned Robert Angell, Carver's roommate, this morning. Gave Boston the full update. Why don't you call it a day and we'll meet for a drink in the hotel bar and talk."

While in Providence, Baines is staying at the same BOI-paid cheap hotel that Ezy is at. You'll recall your home-base and residence is Boston.

For Reginald and Isaiah, let me know if you stay up beyond midnight for book study, or resume the next morning, etc. You've agreed to catch up with Baines the following afternoon, say at 1:00 for a late lunch.

[Anders Molin]

I remind all interested parties that there is a note waiting for Reginald on the floor inside the bookshop front door - see this post.

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, tired old man

Isaiah physically cannot handle an occult all-nighter, so around midnight he asks Reginald to call a taxi cab for him and heads back to his lodging place. He needs to get some rest. Some, that is, until the point that he possibly wakes up covered in cold sweat after a nightmare including slimy fish monsters...

If he sees the journalist's note (if Reginald shows it to him), he admits that he is confused. He just doesn't know where the newspaperman stands in this whole business. But any piece of information might prove useful, and a meeting with Eddie Sharpe would be good.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer

I had forgotten about the note! Sorry! Reginald would have shared that with Isaiah right away.

Reginald catches himself nodding off, and agrees to call it a night. "It's getting late. We still have much to do, but it looks like we both need some rest. Let's meet back here in the morning. You can contact this reporter, while I make some calls at Brown to try to get this book translated. I'll also put a call in to Randolph to see what he knows."

Reginald calls a cab for Isaiah and sees him off, before heading back to his apartment.

[thesniperknight1]

Gwen Baines - BOI

"Alright, I am heading there in a second, see ya", he grabs his keys before stopping for a second. He looks to Carver's notes and contemplates wether to take it with him or not. He eventually decides to leave without it.

[Grognardsw]

Reginald catches himself nodding off, and agrees to call it a night. "It's getting late. We still have much to do, but it looks like we both need some rest. Let's meet back here in the morning. You can contact this reporter, while I make some calls at Brown to try to get this book translated. I'll also put a call in to Randolph to see what he knows."

I just realized, if Reginald makes his Linguist roll (30%) he knows enough Greek to make a partial go of the book himself. Though he'd probably still want translation services.

[Anders Molin]

Eddie's evening of reunion with his parents was nearing its end. He had been able to dodge most questions about why he showed up all of a sudden, without warning, in Providence. He had told a not-quite-a-lie about a news story he was researching, but he remained vague about the details. In his own mind, he could not say for sure if it was from force of habit - never leak details about a possible scoop - or if it was to protect his old Mom and Pop from... whatever it was he was writing about.

Finally agreeing to at least spend the night in his old room and share a breakfast with them, Eddie resolved to head over to the offices of the Providence Journal first thing in the morning. He needed to put in a call to his editor and convince him to let Eddie stay at least another day in Providence before returning to Arkham. He also needed to check if the bookdealer or someone from Brown's archaeology department had tried to reach him. But that was for next morning. First, he hoped to get a good night's sleep.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald catches himself nodding off, and agrees to call it a night. "It's getting late. We still have much to do, but it looks like we both need some rest. Let's meet back here in the morning. You can contact this reporter, while I make some calls at Brown to try to get this book translated. I'll also put a call in to Randolph to see what he knows."

I just realized, if Reginald makes his Linguist roll (30%) he knows enough Greek to make a partial go of the book himself. Though he'd probably still want translation services.

Linguist roll (30) [1d100] = 6 Woo hoo!