"Shadows Over..." - The Investigations of Josephine & Gordon

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "Right yes undrivable it's going to prove hard to get to supper tonight appears we'll be walking."

[Grognardsw]

The investigators decide to enact the deception that Gordon's car tire is flat. They know from their driving tour of the town that the church is about a 15 minute walk from the post office / library, which is in the center of town.

The postal clerk, whose appearance as a young man in his mid-twenties is unremarkable and mundane, watches Eddie, Josephine and Gordon as they spend some time perusing the library's meager collections. The local history found is informative in a general way, though does not discuss the Church of St. Jude, or Joad as the locals seem to call it. Out of earshot of the postal clerk across the large room, the investigators discuss theories from the investigation so far. It is believed that Reggie, Elsie's boyfriend of some disrepute, was part of this church and introduced it to Elsie, who may (or may not) have joined herself. Elsie's family is known to be from good, long-standing New England Protestant stock, so Elsie dabbling in another religion seems unusual to say the least.

Eddie is well aware of the other matching mutilations and murders in Boston, Providence and elsewhere. The Arkham Gazette reporter is familiar with the broad-reaching investigation by the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) into the murders and cult. If the Innsmouth church is involved, is their dark net case that wide? Are they part of the cult? And how does the Dark Pharaoh's Freak Show and Carnivale fit in? Eddie and Gordon had a harrowing experience there.

[makken123Tabs]

"Oh dang!" exclaims Eddie when he learns the car's tire is flat. "Sir?" he says to the clerk, "is it okay to leave our car outside the library? We'll get a garage to fit a new tire tomorrow--any recommendations? And where can we room?"

He quietly talks to Gordon and Josephine of cult murders with similar injuries inflicted. "We're in a nasty fix, let's keep our wits about us."

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "Yes very well mister sharp. At least we wont have a long walk to the supper tonight."

[Grognardsw]

The postal clerk nods at Eddie. "Yes sir, feel free to leave the car. We have no overnight parking restrictions in town. Though we do have only one hotel, the Gilman. More of a boarding house really. It's nearby, three blocks down Center Street."

[makken123Tabs]

"Much obliged, sir," Eddie says to the clerk. " We'd best go and reserve our rooms," he says to everyone. "Shall we go, Mr. Pym, Miss Clark?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "Yes thank you my good man."

[FantasyChic]

Josephine Clark nodded her agreement. She didn't say it out loud, but perhaps the hotel had more information for them about Ellie, maybe she stayed there when she visited.

[Grognardsw]

Eddie, Gordon and Josephine walk into the hotel. The foyer is quiet and empty, with maritime pictures and stuffed fish decorating the walls. The front desk is unmanned; a service bell rests on the counter. It is rung and several minutes go by before a middle-age, paunchy, balding man comes down the stairs. His pallor is sickly.

"I hear you!" he says as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. "Welcome to the Gilman. You'll be wanting a berth here I take it?"

[makken123Tabs]

"Three rooms, please," says Eddie.

[Grognardsw]

The sullen, queer-looking clerk tells the investigators they can have Room 328, 329 and 330 on the top floor for a dollar each. They follow that sour, solitary attendant up three creaking flights of stairs past dusty corridors which seemed wholly devoid of life. The rooms, dismal rear ones with two windows and bare, cheap furnishings, overlook a dingy courtyard otherwise hemmed in by low, deserted brick blocks, and command a view of decrepit westward-stretching roofs with a marshy countryside beyond. At the end of the corridor is a bathroom—a discouraging relique with ancient marble bowl, tin tub, faint electric light, and musty wooden panelling around all the plumbing fixtures.

Words by HPL.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym the P.I. thanks the clerk "Thank you for the rooms."

[makken123Tabs]

I wondered if those words were from Shadow Over Innsmouth?--ha ha!

Is Josephine gonna ask about Ellie?

[FantasyChic]

At the moment, no

[Grognardsw]

The investigators check their lodgings and find them wanting, but apparently this is the only place in town. After a brief rest they reconvene. It is almost time for the church dinner.

[makken123Tabs]

That's good, "bathroom--a discouraging relic"

Eddie checks out of his room's window, is there a fire escape to the courtyard below?

When they meet-up: "Wish I'd brought along a change of clothing," he says, straightening his tie. "These hicks are very suspicious of outsiders. We've got our work cut out pretending we're keen to join St. Joads!" he uses the local dialect for the church.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "Yeah we sure do have our work cut out for us." then thinking of what was in town here "Hmm was there a clothing shop we might have just swapped our clothing out for something local. Now though we haven't the time."

[Grognardsw]

Eddie glances out the window in his room and sees a there is a fire escape. After some small talk about how to convincingly portray interest in joining St. Jude's, they leave for the church.

[Grognardsw]

Gordon opens his hotel room door to join the others to walk to the church. He is startled to see standing outside his door...

The blind bellhop is standing right in front of Gordon's door, his face only a few inches from it.

"Good afternoon sir, I am Frederick. Is your room in order? Is there anything you would like?"

Eddie and Josephine step out from their rooms and see Gordon and the bellhop.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym jumps a little "Oh sorry yes my room is quite fine I don't need anything my good man thank you."