Latest / Family Plot / Family Role Episode 2 - Lore For The Pages - The Ithaqua Infestation Part 1

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Family Role Episode 2 - Lore For The Pages - The Ithaqua Infestation Part 1 · Family Plot

0:00
Speaker 1: Yes, and with a new game comes a new session zero.
1:20
What we were playing this week is a game called
1:22
Call of Cthulhu. We will return to D and D
1:25
next week. This campaign has a name. It is Lord.
1:29
For the pages, you will find out why as we
1:33
play a couple things about mechanics, we are switching up.
1:37
There is a stat in the game called sanity, and
1:41
considering the amount of neurodivergence, depression, and various other mental
1:46
illnesses in this family, I feel like sanity is not
1:52
the best stud Yeah, is not the best stat to use,
1:57
so we're going to replace it with results, which doesn't
2:01
measure sanity as much as it measures your character ability
2:05
to carry on after so much shock and horror. We're
2:10
not gonna worry about your sanity, but rather your give
2:16
a fun to keep it PG. Thirteen. Your give a
2:22
fun is going to be what matters, so we're doing
2:27
that replacement going forward. Other than that, some adventures will
2:34
be a little too much for Lexi to handle, and
2:36
she will step aside for those adventures and help me,
2:41
but this one should be easy enough for her to handle.
2:46
Other than that, this is a game of This is
2:51
a game of more horror and less fighting than D
2:54
and D. It requires a little more thinking. You're going
2:59
to be solving problems, and while I will try to
3:02
make sure there is some can't combat in each episode,
3:07
I also will include a lot of logic problems and
3:13
puzzles that require study to solve. And the big, the
3:17
big stat in this game, the one that will probably
3:20
get used most is library use. If you look at
3:24
your character sheets, you'll find percentages. That is how you
3:29
find out whether or not you succeed. Now there may
3:32
occasionally be modifications to those, but if so, I will
3:35
tell you the dice we are going to use to
3:38
affect combat and everything else. Are the hundred sided and
3:45
can I get into yes, two tens one with In
3:53
my case, I have one that like double zero ten,
3:58
ninety eighty and then one that has you know one
4:02
or zero nine, And yeah, that is what you're going
4:06
to roll to get your percentage. So if you have
4:08
a thirty percent chance to do something, we roll it
4:11
and the other. And in this case I would have
4:14
gotten a sixty nine and failed. So now we will
4:21
use other dice. If you look at your weapons, it'll
4:24
tell you like some things. Do a die for dice
4:28
six die eight but most of what you're going to
4:30
be rolling is the the percentile dice or even hundred. Now,
4:40
when you succeed on a roll, you need to market
4:46
or at least write it down somewhere that you succeeded,
4:49
because at the end of the adventure, that is how
4:52
your stats come up. Is everything you succeed you have
4:55
a chance of raising, and we'll deal with that off camera.
5:00
Your characters will just show up next time with better skills,
5:05
which is awesome. Your characters do not know each other
5:10
in the beginning, though you will as we play this
5:14
first adventure. Your characters are each coming from different places
5:20
to the same place for the same reason. Hence, I
5:23
have shared my screen to show a note that or
5:31
a letter that you have all received from an attorney
5:35
named Charles B. Siegel, and sharing that note, I will
5:41
read it aloud so that you don't have to, but
5:45
that way you will have a sense of where you
5:50
are and why you're doing what you're doing before we
5:53
get started any questions.
5:57
Speaker 2: Not so far.
6:01
Speaker 3: The dice, the dice we're using was the zero zero
6:05
zero inside you are right.
6:08
Speaker 2: Yep, and you have your character sheet, right Arthur?
6:13
Speaker 3: Oh yeah? And then they Fred human filman.
6:23
Speaker 1: Yes, you're the only one actually related to Kyle Hillman.
6:28
Oh hell yeah man. So, but you know that'll come in.
6:34
Like I said, if you look in your backgrounds, it
6:37
does tell you a little bit about your character, Laura,
6:39
I explained yours, LEXI is playing a nineteen year old
6:45
uh so, yeah, kind of a spiritualist and then a
6:51
cult detective.
6:55
Speaker 2: And this takes place in nineteen nineteen, So Lexi, no television,
7:01
no cell phones. Everything has to be read in books.
7:06
There's no computers. Okay, this takes I know, life is
7:10
so hard then in the old days. Okay, back in
7:15
my day, I played through.
7:19
Speaker 1: So alrighty, so let's get going. I will read the
7:26
letter you have received, and then I will take you
7:29
to where you are going.
7:31
Speaker 2: Were the in the early nineteen hundreds.
7:34
Speaker 1: Yes, but they weren't common.
7:38
Speaker 2: They definitely didn't have a phone number like that.
7:40
Speaker 1: I'm just saying probably not. No, you're right, but you
7:44
know what, it looks good, so we're keeping it does
7:47
I just was acting it's my watch on a Centurion moment. Okay,
7:56
uh dear, that line would be replaced with your first name.
8:02
In Fabian's case, it actually is dear. Fred, because everybody
8:06
knows that he goes by Fred where everybody in the
8:10
family does. I am writing to inform you of the
8:15
death of Kyle Howlett, hereafter known as k. H. Hillman.
8:22
He has long been plagued by illness and finally succumbed.
8:26
You have been mentioned in his will, which will be
8:28
read on March sixth, nineteen nineteen, in the conference room
8:33
of the Sargasso Springs Hotel. I have also sent a
8:36
ticket for a train to Sargasso Springs, and there will
8:41
be a hotel room waiting under your name when you arrive.
8:45
We will gather on that morning to discuss matters related
8:48
to mister Hillman's will and your inheritance. I urge you
8:52
to make your appearance not only for your personal reward,
8:55
but to hear a proposal that mister Hillman felt you
8:58
would appreciate. Sincerely, Charles B. Siegel, Attorney at Law.
9:05
Speaker 3: Awesome.
9:09
Speaker 1: So that is the letter you have received, along with
9:12
a ticket or sorry, along with a ticket for Okay,
9:20
do our characters?
9:21
Speaker 2: She'd tell us where we It says birthplace, but is
9:24
that where we're starting out?
9:27
Speaker 1: It's it's up to you. Your character. I feel like
9:33
is probably in Chicago. It was a big town for
9:38
torch singers, which is what your character technically is.
9:43
Speaker 2: Well, yeah, but a singer like that could be anywhere.
9:45
Kansas City was really big too.
9:48
Speaker 1: It was just Chicago was where the money was.
9:51
Speaker 3: And New York.
9:52
Speaker 1: Okay, and dou hey there, that's up. Okay, so that's
10:08
moving right along.
10:10
Speaker 2: You're dead just doing something else.
10:15
Speaker 1: So I didn't know.
10:15
Speaker 2: I was confused.
10:19
Speaker 1: So it is March fifth, nineteen nineteen. In November, World
10:25
War One came to an end. In February, three quarters
10:30
of the US agreed to and ratified prohibition, which will
10:34
make it the law of the land next year. It
10:38
is in this atmosphere that if you have been brought
10:40
to the small coastal Alabama town of Sargasso Springs, as
10:46
the train pulls into the small coastal town, you notice
10:50
it is sleeping, a rare occurrence in a coastal town.
10:54
As you step off this train, strange cable in hand,
10:59
and by cave I mean the message you received. You
11:03
pull your coat around you tighter with dark as come
11:07
the cold, and a cold that is quite unusual in
11:10
this part of the world. You look at the letter
11:13
once more and head into a nearby cab. As you
11:16
climb into the cab, you notice a small swarm of
11:19
bugs fly off a nearby ice slick post. The bugs
11:24
almost look like lady bugs, though they are quite a
11:28
bit larger and are all white. The cab drops you
11:33
off at the Sargasso Springs Hotel, where there is indeed
11:36
a room waiting for you. That is where we begin.
11:40
Anybody want to do anything other than go to bed,
11:44
get a night's rest before the next morning.
11:48
Speaker 2: Is there any amenities at this hotel.
11:51
Speaker 1: Like bar, restaurant, bar restaurant. Yes, it's a nice hotel.
11:56
Sargasso Springs is a yet is a destination because it's
12:03
a coastal town and even though the weather is not
12:06
currently cooperating. Uh yeah, I mean, there'd be a bar
12:10
in the hotel and a restaurant. Actually, save space, it's
12:14
probably the same area. Are there any ghosts in the hotel?
12:21
Maybe none that anybody will admit to.
12:29
Speaker 2: And what time do we get in?
12:30
Speaker 1: I'm gonna say around eight o'clock.
12:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, my heard, you're definitely going to the bar.
12:36
Speaker 1: Okay, are you going to bed?
12:38
Speaker 2: In the game, honestly, I'll go drop myself off at
12:44
the cafeteria and get some chickens.
12:47
Speaker 1: Well, that would be the restaurant, which is also the bar.
12:50
So you're sitting at a table. I imagine raying Jackie
12:56
that you are sitting at the bar. Yes, okay, So
13:01
Victoria or Vicky as she prefers to be called, is
13:04
sitting at her table or ordering some chicken.
13:08
Speaker 2: Doclan is at the bar with a glass of wine.
13:12
Speaker 1: Well, your evening passes uneventfully, although it is clear this
13:16
is a very nice hotel, one you probably would not
13:20
have the means to be at if you were depending
13:24
on your own pocket. But fortunately this is being paid
13:27
for by kh Hillman's estate. Fred aka Fabian. Anything you
13:35
want to do before we get started, I.
13:37
Speaker 3: Don't h not anything I have in mind. I don't know.
13:43
Speaker 1: Okay, fair enough, fair enough.
13:45
Speaker 3: You can't lead me to my own devices. I don't know.
13:50
Speaker 1: Fair enough. Well, unless there is anything specific you all
13:56
want to do, I'm going to say that you get
13:59
pleasure swiff, Jackie and Vicky gets some chicken before retiring
14:04
to your room for the night.
14:06
Speaker 2: They're not.
14:07
Speaker 1: In the morning, you are woken to the news that
14:11
breakfast has been prepared in the main dining room. When
14:15
you arrive, it is just the three of you. You
14:17
find fluffy piles of eggs, crisp bacon, crispy waffles with
14:23
warm maple syrup, fresh She's seasonal, fruit, coffee, juice, milk,
14:29
and pretty much all the other breakfast staples. And you
14:35
notice that, like I said, it is just just the
14:38
three of you. A young man, kind of wiry, looking
14:45
like he might kind of scruffy, looking like he might
14:48
have just wandered in off of doing some unethical criminal
14:55
bootlegging activities, or perhaps was in the midst of a
14:59
mind town, sort of a man of action kind of guy.
15:05
And then Jackie, Well there's Vicki, a young flapper who
15:11
seems obsessed with things not in the room, like she's
15:19
always off her thoughts wandering. And then of course Jackie,
15:24
a beautiful woman wearing a fair amount of jewelry, which
15:30
was uncommon for nineteen nineteen. So you have now met
15:34
each other. You may say hi to one another, or
15:39
we can just move on. It's up to you. Good morning,
15:42
good morning, good morning, it's.
15:45
Speaker 3: Great, rizy going? What now?
15:51
Speaker 2: What did you say?
15:53
Speaker 3: Hello? Ladies? How's it going?
15:57
Speaker 2: Hello? Sir? How are you?
16:00
Speaker 3: I am? I am fantastic, Thank you for asking. I
16:06
hope you two are good yourselves.
16:09
Speaker 2: So it spread dashing and handsome.
16:11
Speaker 3: Or I am dashing and handsome, wonderful.
16:17
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, my characters like fluttering her eyes right back
16:22
at Fred. Alrighty, I'm just standing there awkwardly.
16:36
Speaker 1: Well, you'd probably be getting breakfast. Like I said, it's
16:39
kind of a buffet style affair, and there is plenty
16:44
of food. So whatever you might be in the mood
16:46
for is there. Like I said, I gave you the
16:51
list of breakfast staples. And if there's something else you think, like, oh,
16:55
I'd like grits, well, poof guess what they've got grits.
16:59
So it's amazing. This is theater of the mind, and
17:02
magical things happen.
17:06
Speaker 3: I'm food, I'm hungry.
17:08
Speaker 2: Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes.
17:13
Speaker 3: I want some of them, eggs, and I want some
17:15
of them bacon.
17:18
Speaker 1: And LEXI. I picked waffles, not pancakes, but if you insist,
17:22
I could make it pancakes.
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Speaker 2: Pancakes, pancakes.
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Speaker 1: Child prefers pancakes to waffles.
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Speaker 3: Who knew I prefer waffles to pancakes.
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Speaker 2: Then you're good because that had originally said waffles.
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Speaker 1: So long story short, you having nice breakfast. At the
17:43
end of said breakfast, once you have pushed your plates away,
17:48
feeling full and comfortable, a woman in an apron, clearly
17:52
one of the hotels employees, h comes in to let
17:56
you know that mister Siegel is awaiting you in the
17:59
conference and so she shows you the way into the
18:02
conference room. You see a short, older man with wire
18:07
rimmed spectacles, white hair, and a bald spot. He has
18:12
a benign smile on his face and he seems clearly
18:15
pleased to see you all.
18:18
Speaker 2: Uh.
18:18
Speaker 1: There is a new fangled phonograph with a wax cylinder
18:22
loaded onto it, and as you take your seats, he says,
18:26
please take your seats everyone. I hope you had a
18:29
good trip and a good night's sleep. Now, mister Hillman
18:33
left a written will, but he also recorded this version
18:36
to have played for you all here this morning. So
18:38
once you get sat down, we'll play the recording and
18:41
then I will answer all of your questions, at least
18:44
as much as I can.
18:46
Speaker 2: All right, Well, Mike Jacqueline takes her seat.
18:50
Speaker 1: You said down.
18:50
Speaker 2: Apparently Vigerson's down too.
18:52
Speaker 3: I'm gonna sit down next to you.
18:56
Speaker 1: You did okay, Well, mister Siegel begins their core, and
19:01
here's how it goes. I, Kyle H. Hillman, being of
19:06
sound mind, you know what ef this. Frankly, I have
19:09
no time for this legal mumbo jumbo. I suppose you
19:13
are all wondering what you're doing here. Why I am
19:16
leaving all my worldly possessions, such as they are, to
19:20
a collection of cousins, nephews, nieces, and acquaintances. To Coach Shakespeare.
19:25
There are more things in heaven and earth for ratio
19:28
than are dreamt of in your philosophy. You have all
19:33
had encounters with things you cannot explain. These encounters and
19:38
have march you, or in some cases, perhaps scarred is
19:42
a better term. I spent most of my life selling
19:46
books and abje dar. Most of these items were touched
19:50
with strangeness, but a few of them were touched by
19:54
something more, something evil. Some of you may believe that
19:59
this is merely the lunacy of a sick old man,
20:02
but I tell you, many of the items I found
20:05
for my clients were touched by something evil, something otherworldly,
20:11
something that definitely once a place in our world, or
20:16
some things. I have sold dangerous items to dangerous people,
20:22
something I regret now, but circumstances being what they are,
20:26
I am not in a position to correct it. You, however, can't.
20:31
I have chosen each of you based on experiences you
20:34
have had and interactions we have shared. Jacqueline, many a
20:37
night we sat drinking together talking over such experiences. Vicky,
20:44
I spoke to you as you were growing up, when
20:47
you were asking questions about seances and the other side.
20:53
And Fabian, my nephew. You have worked for me for
21:00
quite some time looking into these mysteries, and you have
21:04
had your own experiences and we have spoken of them.
21:08
I have chosen each of you based on these experiences.
21:12
As I said, you each get a share of my home,
21:15
my business, and my money. However, if you will not
21:20
commit to looking for and taking care of these things,
21:24
you can sign a quick claim and walk away with
21:27
two hundred dollars right now. But if you accept, I
21:31
promise you will be making the world a better place.
21:35
This will not be without danger. Many doing these things
21:40
have died or gone irrevocably insane. But by your actions
21:45
you will correct my mistakes and improve the world around you.
21:50
I suggest you've begin with a local case mister Siegel
21:54
will hand you my ledger, and if you note the
21:57
entry circled and read, I sold of a fragment of
21:59
a book called Liber Himanus, which means the Book of
22:04
Winter in Latin, in case you don't speak, it to
22:07
a local man named Maxwell Sherwood. Since then the man
22:11
has been less and less frequently seen, and those who
22:15
have seen him claim he looks gaunt and haunted. Ce Max,
22:22
get the book back from him, and you can and
22:25
save him if you can. I hope you accept my invitation.
22:30
I do not care for the fate of the world
22:32
if you do not. And with that, mister Siegel turned
22:36
pulls the needle off the wax cylinder and turns to
22:41
you all any questions.
22:44
Speaker 2: So we can either get two hundred dollars today, or
22:48
we can sign on for some kind of recurring hunt.
22:55
Speaker 1: You can sign on to become part owner of the
22:59
Lord for the Page's Bookstore, to become part owner of
23:02
mister Hillman's extensive home and his extensive fortune. But yes,
23:09
to sign on to become part owner of these things
23:13
would require you to correct his mistakes, which would require
23:18
you to make regular trips to reclaim objects he feels
23:22
he is sold to the wrong people.
23:25
Speaker 2: Heck, I'm in.
23:26
Speaker 1: You're in as well, VICKI did it? Is that what
23:28
I heard you say?
23:29
Speaker 2: Yes?
23:30
Speaker 1: And as for you, Fred, are you in or are
23:33
you taking the quick claim?
23:34
Speaker 3: I'm in?
23:35
Speaker 1: Alrighty with that? Mister Siegel produces the keys to both
23:41
the store and mister Hillman's home. He sets them a
23:46
copy of There are three copies of each key, one
23:49
for each of you. He sets those on a table
23:52
for you to get whenever, and then he hands over
23:57
the Ledger and he points to an entry that has
24:01
been circled and read. Now, I have it on screen here,
24:05
but I don't know that I can get it big
24:07
enough for you all to read, and I cannot seem
24:11
to figure out how to send it to you in discord,
24:16
so I'll simply read it. It is a collection of
24:22
missives letters that are stuck in the ledger, as well
24:27
as a Ledger entry.
24:29
Speaker 2: And I will journey for some time now. I used
24:31
to see you and Martha and I would go to church.
24:35
Of course, that was some time ago. Now with us
24:39
gone and me lay it off from the canning factory,
24:43
It's been a while since I've been to one of
24:46
Father Lehmann's sermons, and frankly, the way I've been living,
24:52
I am not entirely sure I would pass through the
24:54
doors without the Lord himself coming down and smiting me
24:58
dead upon the spot. I am writing to you because
25:02
after Martha's passing, I have come into some money and
25:05
there's a rare book I'm after one. I've only heard
25:10
mentioned a few times in passing, and thoughts of it
25:15
have all but consumed me. What say you? Would you
25:19
track down a book for an old friend who's down
25:21
on his luck? It is a very old book called
25:25
Deliver Himanis or some such Thanks Kyle in advanced, Sincerely,
25:30
Maxwell Sherwood. And then the one below it? Are we
25:33
reading that also?
25:34
Speaker 1: Yeah? Like I said, it's a series of left.
25:37
Speaker 2: August nineteen eighteen, Max. It was lovely to hear from you.
25:42
I'm sorry to hear Martha finally passed. Merculowitz's is hard
25:47
and most who contract it don't live longer than two years.
25:51
I was hoping she would be the one of the
25:53
rare cases. It is so very sad she was not.
25:57
As for the book, I have heard of it, however,
26:00
whole copies are almost completely unknown. It was of the
26:04
books burned by such men as Cotton Mather in their
26:09
fight against witches. So one of my friends, a finder
26:13
of books, told me some time ago he had come
26:17
by a fragment of such a book. I will reach
26:21
out and see if it's still if he still has it,
26:24
and what, if anything would encourage him to sell it.
26:27
Find your piece, Max Regards, kh Hilman So Timber, nineteen eighteen.
26:32
Carl Kyle, you actually know where I can locate a
26:36
copy a copy of a book that you say has
26:39
been mostly destroyed, then surely this must be providence. Clearly,
26:45
even if it is a fragment, it must contain the
26:48
section I need. Yes, please reach out to your associate
26:52
see what he would want for the portion he possesses.
26:56
It has been like I have been living in the
26:59
hottest of such and finally there is coolness upon my brow.
27:03
Thank you, sir, most kindly. Max Sherwood, September nineteen eighteen. Max,
27:09
worry not. I already sent along amissive to my associate,
27:12
which even now he could be reading and replying to. However,
27:18
I am concerned by something you said in your most
27:21
recent letter. Initially, you said you wanted the book because
27:24
it had passed your mind. However, in your last letter
27:28
you said it must surely contain the part you need.
27:31
Understand that I know full well how some of these
27:36
works are used, and I am most distressed over the
27:40
thought of you in acting such rights and rituals that
27:44
would be unhealthy for both you and the town. Please
27:49
use my conscience and convince me there is no ulterior
27:53
motive in you wanting this book. Regards, Kah Chilman, October
27:58
nineteen eighteen. Kyle, forgive my delay in replying to you.
28:02
You know how things pile up, especially when you are
28:05
one person used to being part of a couple. I
28:08
apologize for causing you concern. In my excitement and realizing
28:11
you may have already located a copy, and in my
28:14
haste to pen the letter, I this bot. When I
28:17
said the part I need, I meant the part that
28:19
I want to read. A treats A treatise in on
28:24
insects in cold weather. Surely this can cause you no
28:27
broad concern. I know the book's reputation as a toma
28:32
forbidden knowledge, but hidden here and there amongst such garbage
28:37
are nuggets of truth that might help one to plant
28:40
a garden in cold weather and the like. Please let
28:44
me know what you hear about the book. Sincerely, Max Sherwood,
28:48
October nineteen eighteen. Max, thank you for taking the time
28:51
to address my concerns. It means more to me than
28:55
you know. Good news. The private investigator I used to
28:58
help me locate such things has found the fragment. It
29:02
is even now on its way to me. You can
29:04
pick it up, I can deliver it at my I
29:07
can deliver it to your place for a small fee.
29:09
The book itself came cheaper than I thought, only one
29:13
hundred and fifty dollars. Let me know what you want
29:15
me to do. Regards K. H. Hillman.
29:18
Speaker 1: And then the ledger contains a simple entry sold to
29:23
Max Sherwood of Sargasso Springs, Alabama, one copy damaged of
29:30
the Liber Harmanas. So that is where you begin. You
29:35
had the letters, You know that Max Sherwood contains has
29:41
a copy of the Liber Hymanas, and you know a
29:44
little bit about what the book's about.
29:46
Speaker 2: Okay, I don't know about you all, but I think
29:49
we ought to go check out our new house.
29:53
Speaker 3: Yeah, I do agree.
29:54
Speaker 2: I got all three gonna head to the estate.
29:57
Speaker 1: His house is located on Overlooked on Overlook Hill. This
30:02
peaked roof Gothic ranch style home faces the ocean with
30:07
a curved driveway. Behind the house, there is a small
30:10
shed with a shovel and a few gardening tools, but
30:14
the number of cobwebs suggests that no one has been
30:17
in it for some time. The house has a foyer
30:19
with a coat rack with a sweater on it. There
30:23
is also a small gray circular rug. From the foyer,
30:27
there is a doorway into the living room, where there
30:30
are two chairs facing each other. Next to one chair
30:34
is a series of magazines, mostly industry magazines for booksellers. Also,
30:40
there is a small black book listed among them. Among
30:43
the names in it is the attorney Charles Siegel, and
30:48
Phil Hutzel, a private detective apparently Hillman's contact for locating
30:54
rare books. Also whose name is lifted in the book
30:57
are each of yours. It looks as his film and
31:01
lived here and did his own cooking, and there was
31:04
not a lot of company. Still, the kitchen smells of
31:07
clothes and cooked onions, indicating it was well used. To
31:12
the right of the living room is a short hallway
31:14
with a water closet on the north, and a small
31:18
study slash library to the south. Clearly mister Hillman enjoyed
31:23
reading history, just from the titles of the books kept here.
31:28
At the end of the hallways a large bedroom with
31:30
a dresser, a large comfortable bed, a small bookcase with
31:35
a well worn historical treatises. There is a phone on
31:39
the nightstand, which is again rare for the time period.
31:43
Let's see. There is also a bottle of the aspirin
31:47
and a radio. There's a glass of water next to
31:50
the phone that has been here. You have no idea
31:54
how in the hallway there is a cord hanging down.
31:59
When you pull the cord as seven stairs from the
32:02
descend from the ceiling and going up you will see
32:05
the attic has been refurbished into two comfortable guest bedrooms.
32:12
The house, however, has a touch of strangeness to it.
32:16
And when I say that, I mean just wandering through
32:19
the place, you feel a little odd. Now I am
32:23
going to need everyone to make a luck roll. Whatever
32:26
your power is, you're going to try to roll under
32:28
that on too, on your percentile dice.
32:32
Speaker 3: How do you see that the power roll.
32:37
Speaker 2: Powers in your second column of your stats second column,
32:41
second down, pow, pow. I wanted to roll below or
32:45
above below? Okay, I did not roll below. I had
32:49
an eighty five your roll your power?
32:52
Speaker 1: Wait?
32:52
Speaker 3: What what do all the numbers mean? I'm so confused
32:55
right now?
32:56
Speaker 2: Okay, so you're two that the ones that have two
33:00
numbers on it, that's your percentage or that's your tenth
33:03
place number, and then the other one is your ones.
33:09
Speaker 1: Well, I think he's asking about character sheet, which the
33:12
character sheet you have strength, you have size, you have power,
33:17
which is a measure of your internal ability. Let's see intelligence.
33:25
Speaker 2: What's the good cheer roll dat eight?
33:27
Speaker 1: Alrighty okay?
33:29
Speaker 3: So I see I see pow, I see I see pow. Okay,
33:35
I also three see three numbers next to pow. What
33:38
does this mean? I just need an answer.
33:42
Speaker 2: So the stats. So the first one is the actual
33:44
stat which, like mine, is seventy, the middle one is
33:49
half of that, and the end one is a fifth
33:52
of that. That's the only thing it is.
33:54
Speaker 1: It's just right right. Three numbers are are like, there's
34:00
a difficulty, then it'll go down. If I tell you
34:03
there's that it's very hard, then it'll go down even more.
34:07
Unless I say specifically, Hey, this is going to be
34:10
a difficult thing or a very difficult thing. We're always
34:14
going to look at that first number.
34:17
Speaker 3: Okay, so first number I want under or above it?
34:21
Speaker 1: Right under? You went under it?
34:24
Speaker 3: Well under it, Okay, I got zero zero. I don't
34:28
think that's under it.
34:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, No, zero zero is one hundred.
34:33
Speaker 3: Zero zero is one hundred.
34:34
Speaker 1: That's a critical fail.
34:36
Speaker 3: Damn, that is sad.
34:38
Speaker 1: But that's okay, it's not a big deal. Basically, after
34:42
you've you've entered the house as now Vicky is staying
34:49
upstairs and is putting her stuff in one of the
34:51
guest bedrooms. You two have wandered downstairs to the study,
34:56
or not to the study, but to the living area,
34:59
and and you notice that whereas before there were definitely
35:03
only two chairs facing each other, there is now a
35:06
third chair exactly the same. And the wallpaper, whereas before
35:14
it was a floral pattern, it is now just a
35:17
solid blue.
35:18
Speaker 2: Oh so the house has changed in the fifteen minutes
35:22
we've been here.
35:23
Speaker 1: Yes, nice, And.
35:27
Speaker 2: Do you have that you just was not impressed?
35:30
Speaker 1: Sorry, go ahead, you both lose too, resolve or it's
35:36
listed on your character sheet is sanity. But yes, you
35:39
have the temporary loss of to sanity. So if you
35:43
wanted us to write down whether we failed or not, no,
35:47
only Wright noted if you succeed.
35:51
Speaker 3: Oh, only noted if you succeed.
35:53
Speaker 2: Okay, yes, okay, so then yes for Lexi.
35:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, Lexi stayed in her room, did not stayed in
36:04
her new room. Setting it up, you two were going downstairs.
36:08
You walked into the living room and like I said,
36:11
you notice it is changed.
36:14
Speaker 3: Stone.
36:15
Speaker 2: You hold down the fort. We're gonna go start some chicken.
36:19
Speaker 3: I wrote down the negative to sanity.
36:22
Speaker 1: Awesome. Now, as you drove to the house, which you
36:26
didn't drive, you took a cap even though I believe
36:30
Fabian can drive and drive well. If not Fabian, it's Jackie.
36:34
I'm not sure which, but one of you can drive
36:36
pretty well. As you begin to investigate the area, a
36:41
bitter wind blows across what was once clearly a beach town.
36:47
There are a few hobos here and there in town,
36:50
not uncommon in the nineteen nineteens, unfortunately mostly huddled together
36:56
for warm Swarms of the white lady bugs or June
37:00
bugs fly hither and yawn across the city. And as
37:05
you if you ever were walking on the street. You
37:09
notice people peeking suspiciously out of their windows.
37:12
Speaker 3: At Oh well then't that swall?
37:15
Speaker 1: So that is the home you've inherited, and yes it
37:18
will change once upon a time. That is the strangeness
37:22
within the house. You will also enter rooms that were
37:25
not there before occasionally, but you haven't this time, but
37:28
the house re dreams itself. Let's say, what are you eating?
37:33
You crazy crazy baby? Do you see any other crazy
37:36
babies in the chat me? Arthur, You're a crazy teenager,
37:40
not a crazy baby. Excuse me, although you will always
37:43
be my baby. But if I'm calling you out for
37:46
a crazy baby, it's the Lexi you would be my
37:51
crazy Artur. You're only ground You're only a baby. When
37:55
you're grounded, then you're a grounded baby, which I am
37:58
forced to do from time to time.
38:03
Speaker 3: What am I doing? What are we doing right now?
38:06
Speaker 1: I just like completely Well in the game, you're wandering
38:12
the house. Yeah, your your new house. You have not
38:16
been to your business yet. You can go there, or
38:19
you can begin to work on the mystery. Maybe try
38:23
to find Max Sherwood's place, Maybe try to find, you know,
38:27
information in the newspaper about events in the city. Things
38:31
like that. But you haven't chosen to do any of
38:34
those things yet, and I feel like we're actually taking
38:37
a bit of a break. Some mom can start dinner.
38:39
Well okay, but if there's something you would like to do, Arthur,
38:43
we can certainly do that.
38:45
Speaker 3: I'm hot. I feel like I'm dying right now.
38:47
Speaker 1: Why don't you come here so I can see you?
38:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, we're exploring the house. Correct, Yes, so other than
38:59
the main floor and then the attic that's been turned
39:03
into two bedrooms, is there anything else inside the house
39:07
of note? No, I'm still unpacking in my room, right,
39:11
I guess so. Yes, that's what you say.
39:13
Speaker 1: You're doing.
39:14
Speaker 2: Well, once you not lean on that, you guys are
39:17
destroying it.
39:18
Speaker 3: Please stop that.
39:20
Speaker 2: It is not made to hold you up. Baby, you're
39:23
tearing it. Look, gotta stop that. Well, once my character
39:27
has finished kind of perusing the house, I think you
39:30
probably would be ready to go check out the bookstore.
39:33
Speaker 1: Also, all right, let us wait until we haven't Arthur,
39:38
and we will go and check out the bookstore. Yeah, heck,
39:42
you can even change it. I didn't mean it to
39:46
define your identity necessarily. I was just trying to come
39:49
up with a cool name, Jacqueline Raven sounded cool to me.
39:53
Speaker 2: No, I like it. I just like the gun better
39:55
than the jack, That's all I was saying.
39:57
Speaker 1: Ye, Alexi, come here so I can take he Yet
40:02
I can't.
40:03
Speaker 2: I can't walk through the screen you okay, guys?
40:09
Speaker 3: Anyway, Oh my body hurts. My muscles feel awful.
40:13
Speaker 2: I'm so sore from what baby.
40:16
Speaker 3: I don't know. I just took a shower and now
40:19
I'm sore.
40:20
Speaker 1: It could be how he slept at mom's. I don't
40:22
know where he's sleeping, but it may not have been
40:26
real comfortable for him, in which case he's gonna need
40:29
a night on his own bed to straighten him out.
40:31
Justse We'll take it easy. This is not a huge adventure.
40:37
Speaker 3: Okay, I'm ready whenever you guys are okay.
40:40
Speaker 1: So sorry, Arthur, you have nothing to apologize for. Jacqueline
40:45
had suggested you all had two lord for the pages
40:48
of the bookstore, so you can investigate it if you'd
40:52
like it. Does that seem like to be a thing
40:55
you'd all like to.
40:55
Speaker 2: Do, so I guess we're all going to the bookstore.
40:59
Speaker 1: All right. The small bookshop is located just off Main Street.
41:04
It is a small building with a large window that
41:06
reveals several waist high bookshelves with a handful of books
41:12
sitting covers out on the shelves. These are all at
41:17
least somewhat rare first editions or autographed editions. The few
41:23
books on hand are all literary, but assigned. Taped to
41:26
the front counter reads asking me about special orders. Looking
41:31
in them back, there's a copy of the Malleus Malthakarum
41:34
by Cotton Mather, clearly a special order for a client,
41:38
and a few other rare tones. Looking in the ledger
41:42
you will see a listing of books or objects he
41:44
has sold and who has sold them to, complete with
41:47
their addresses. There's also a stack of correspondents. Also there
41:51
is a safe. The combination which you all have is
41:57
nine to eight nineteen. Inside there is twenty five dollars
42:02
in loose bills of various varying denominations. Clearly used is
42:07
change for in shop purchases, so that is lore for
42:12
the pages. It is a tiny bit underwhelming for a
42:16
place that the entire series is named after. However, that
42:22
signed by the counter says everything. Their business was primarily
42:27
special orders, especially books that were hard to fund in
42:33
some cases books he sold were impossible to find. There
42:40
there is. As you search through the ledger, a few
42:43
names jump out of you. One is a book by
42:47
the mad arab abd Alizard. It is not named as
42:51
anything other than that, but it certainly if you have
42:54
any occult knowledge at all, feel free to make in
42:57
a cult role and market. If you make it, you
43:00
know that last name, and it's not a good name.
43:03
That's not a good book. It's not when people should
43:05
be perusing.
43:08
Speaker 2: All right, and how do well?
43:10
Speaker 1: If you look on your sheet, it will tell you
43:12
you're scoring a cult uh, and then you just roll
43:15
D one hundred again. It's not an extreme check or
43:18
anything like that. Just the final.
43:24
Speaker 2: Dry us something into Bayon. No, you're fine, We're just
43:29
talking about the store. Where's the colts out on here?
43:33
Speaker 1: Yeah? Right next right across to uh from that five percent,
43:40
you'll see a number forty. That is your regular percentage.
43:44
So that is what you are trying to roll under Hartford.
43:48
Speaker 2: Okay, Okay, LEXI got so.
43:53
Speaker 1: LEXI makes it. Yes, LEXI has heard of it, and
43:57
again mark it or write it down somewhere. Yeah, I
44:00
did not make that way.
44:01
Speaker 2: It's made both of her checks so far.
44:04
Speaker 3: Well, how congratulations to her.
44:06
Speaker 2: All right, I failed both of mine to Arthur.
44:09
Speaker 1: Arthur, you could borrow some of my dice if you want.
44:13
Speaker 2: No, it's okay, Okay, So we've heard of this the
44:15
two Lexi has heard of this book. What does she
44:19
know about it?
44:22
Speaker 1: That it's bad, that nothing in it is good, and
44:25
that the people who want it almost always want it
44:28
for bad purposes. Very fact that he sold a copy
44:34
is not a good thing, so that that sort of
44:37
gives you an idea that the Ledger things he's sold
44:41
are not good things and probably not sold to good people.
44:46
Speaker 2: Okay, well, this could get interesting.
44:51
Speaker 3: Or bad really bad, really fast.
44:54
Speaker 1: And the Ledger describes the liber Harmanus the Book Winner
44:58
as a book of rituals and spells designed to bring
45:02
about a permanent winter and maybe summon a dark entity
45:07
as well. Oh so yeah, but that's written directly in
45:14
the Ledger. You don't need to roll for that knowledge,
45:17
just ab it.
45:19
Speaker 2: So, based on the letter that we read earlier, wouldn't
45:23
we reach out to this person to see if there's
45:26
any way to get this book back.
45:28
Speaker 1: Or you could just go visit him his address, I mean,
45:31
you have his address from all the letters. But yes,
45:34
there is there are ways to reach out now. There's
45:37
no phone number listed, but you could certainly go in
45:41
person if.
45:42
Speaker 2: You want to. I think maybe tomorrow we should go
45:44
see this, mister.
45:47
Speaker 1: Mathi's right, Max Sherwood. Mister Sherwood.
45:53
Speaker 3: We need to go see Max Sherwood.
45:54
Speaker 2: Then is he in town or just fairly nearby?
46:00
Speaker 1: He's in town?
46:01
Speaker 2: Okay, yes, I guess we'd make plans to go and
46:04
see mister Sherwood.
46:06
Speaker 1: Alrighty