Shadows of Yog-Sothoth Turn 6

Shadows of Yog-Sothoth Turn 6

The group convene with Hal in the shadows of the ground floor, still a couple of hours before dawn breaks.

"This seems even more sinister than I had imagined." whispers Henry, "I'm itching to get into that last room up there, but if you fellas feel inclined to locate the basement, I'm with you."

"Should we get some photos of what we found upstairs before looking for the basement, though?" mutters Sam,  "While we know the areas we've checked are fairly secure..."

"I agree," nods Hal, "Let's get some photographic evidence first, and then continue the search. I don't want us to split up - this place just feels wrong, and I'd hate to think of what the atrocities are that have been committed by these crackpots."

James heads out into the street and slips over the road to replace Philip as lookout. The photographer enters the building, his equipment ready and the group show him upstairs to the disturbing scenes above where he promptly starts to photograph them.

The picture in the KOTOV room of the void, he finds particularly disturbing, his hands shake as he tries to capture the picture.
Once this is done, the five men start to hunt for an entrance to a basement. Opposite the kitchen at the back of the building, they find a door with a set of stone steps leading down into the darkness. A light switch sits on the left hand side and Hal flips it, there's a crackling and light fills the room below. Sam, Hal and Henry draw their firearms and slowly descend with Philip and the Monsignor right behind.
The stairs lead down to an open basement, the floor is bare earth. the walls are heavy stone set in mortar and four pillars stand in a square around the room. In the far wall is a doorway.

You search around the room before carefully opening the door and stepping into a smaller chamber and on the north wall a padlocked door. The lock is fairly simple for Sam and he has it open in minutes. Beyond is another room, this one has five foot square stones set without mortar on the floor.
Hal notices something and goes to the east wall where he presses a stone set into the wall. It presses in and as it does, two of the massive floor blocks raise up revealing another staircase down. There is no light, so

Sam takes a gas lamp from the wall lights it.
The steps lead down to a cavern, which although not natural does appear to be ancient, far older than the lodge building above. In appears some work has been done to it recently, mainly new walls put up to create seperate rooms. A door to the left  appears to be some kind of guard room, empty but for a table and two chairs and a large ring of keys hanging on the wall. Hal takes them.
Off to the right of the main corridor is a study. A desk, comfortable chair and an oil lamp. The desk has a drawer which the Monsignor searches, finding matches and taped to the back of the drawer, a single key. On top of the desk is a letter addressed to Carl Stanford from a Duncan McBain.

Duncan McBain

MacBain House

Cannich, Scotland

12 January, 1928.

Dear Mr Stanford,

Greetings and felicitations. Miss Chantraine has advised me of your recent successes and informed me of the item you require. I fear that it will be some time before I find It as there are two Americans digging at what I believe to be the site of the Temple. Two of my people are working for the Americans and it may be that they will accomplish all for me. I realize that you are most anxious to obtain It, but I feel caution and discretion to be the better course of action.
My studies with the serpent people progress most satisfactorily. Another year should see my studies completed. The recommend that I journey to the Nameless City for further instruction, but I will remain here until we have It. When it is possible, I want much to obtain the further instruction offered at the Nameless City. I will, however, be ready to carry out any further tasks our order might have for me.
You mentioned in your last letter that Miss Chantraine might join me here when she has converted the leaders of the Thukle Bruderschaft. I fear that he Germans are overmuch upset with the French at this time for them to listen to her. Might I suggest that you ask Helmut Grossmann to take over for her? I realize that she has not been to Germany for over two hundred years, but unless you can think of someone else I feel he would be best for the task.
I agree with you that the Order of the Templars of the Orient does not contain the type of individuals we seek. They are not ready for greater truths. You might suggest to our German colleagues that individual members of the order be carefully approached as potential followers of the true Gods.
I am not familiar with the Hermetic order of the Golden Dawn or the Astrum Argentinum and can give no recommendation. I will pass the word on to our London group and have them send you word. I spoke with Mr William Seabrook who said that a Mr Aleister Crowley; who is associated with both groups or had been at one time, may have occult powers. We should perhaps attempt to contact this man.
I understand that Mr Scott is in charge of the project in your area. Please extend my greetings to him. I have not seen him since the Great War. Perhaps we can meet next year.

Most sincerely,

Duncan MacBain

Using the key, the Monsignor opens a door on the other side of the study, leading into a room with another desk and chair and a large bookcase, filled with books.

Shadows of Yog-Sothoth Turn 5

"I might be flogging a dead horse but, after the obvious avenues, would it be worth checking things like bank accounts to see if there's a paper trail his family/friends aren't aware of...?" says Sam.

"I fear that might be extremely difficult to find out," replies the Monsignor, "I doubt the local bankers would be amenable to strangers asking to see confidential records and until we know whom we can trust, relying on others may be out of the questions for now. Not that it is a bad idea, mind you. I am just worried about the risks associated with following that course now instead of later."

The others nod. 

"I am more curious," he continues after a slug of whiskey from his hipflask,  "As to why we cannot find any information on John Scott. When did he first arrive and where does he come from? Also, It may be worthwhile for us to find a way to get to the third floor. Perhaps we can fall behind after lodge and investigate?"

"It's time we get to that third floor, my friends," grins Henry.

And so you formulate a plan. James will find a suitable hiding spot toward the end of the night as everyone else leaves. Once the mysterious figure locks up, he will let the others in. Phillip opts to act as lookout staying outside the building. Hal will remain on the ground floor in case anyone tries to come back in. Henry, James, Sam and the Monsignor will case out the third floor. Sam, Hal and Henry carry their handguns, everyone else opts to go unarmed.

Everything goes according to plan, the main door is easy enough for a skilled locksmith like James to open. Phillip stands smoking in a shadowy alley opposite the building, ready to whistle if anyone approaches. Hal hides in the coat room, just inside the foyer. The others head up to the second floor where the main lodge room is. You assume access to the upper floor is behind the massive scarlet drape behind the Noble Philosopher's Dias and you are right. Behind the curtain is a door that leads to a corridor. To one side is a storage room, to the other a marble staircase leading up to the third floor.

At the top of the steps is a light switch for the electric scones along the wall of the corridor ahead but you rely on torches so as not to attract attention. The decor shows this floor is clearly used by the Order, no doubt for the upper echelons. The first door off the corridor has a plaque engraved with the letters KOTSG. Within the room is panelled and plainly carpeted. Chairs line the walls. An altar stands just off the centre of the room, about three feet tall with a five-pointed star in a cross-section. On the far side of the room drape covering the wall, a pulley to one side to open it. You do so and behind  is a mural of night on a barren landscape. In the middle of it is a door framed in silver, and made to appear as a magical portal on the barren waste. The room is otherwise bare and you opt to return to the corridor.

Further down to the left, another door marked SOYS. Again the walls are panelled and the floor carpeted but there is no altar. There are more drapes on the east and west wall, with more pulleys. Opening the drape to the east reveals a horrific mural. It depicts a hill under a clear night sky with a full moon: at the top of the hill is a circle of stones and in the centre of the circle is a human figure in garish robes, dancing madly. Moving into the sky at that point, like a cloud of smoke, is a gigantic mass of slimy, iridescent spheres. Covering the hill outside the circle of stones are thousands of partly-decayed, still-living humanoid creatures. You almost hear them cry with ghoulish glee. As the four of you take it in you are overwhelmed with a feeling of utter horror and desolation. Henry and Sam are more effected than the other two but all of you are shaken. The Monsignor quickly returns the drape to cover it.

More cautiously, the drape on the opposite wall is opened to reveal a door and beyond, a library. Henry cracks into a smile seeing this, "I knew it," he hisses, running in like an excited schoolboy.

"We should not dally here, Henry," whispers the Monsignor. After a quick riffle through the shelves, Henry selects one book and slips it into his jacket. The others look through the titles, and discover the what you assume are the meanings of the letters on the doors. SOYS is Sons of Yog Sothoth and KOTSG is Keeper of the Silver Gate. The books relating to them appear to describe rituals, the titles being specific degrees within the order, SOYS being the sixth degree and KOTSG the fourth.  There is a third book relating to the fifth degree, Knights of the Outer Void.

There is nothing in the room other than shelves of books so you quickly head back to the corridor. The next door is on the right and is also marked KOTSG. The room is similar to the other KOTSG room, a door to the right appears to be where the 'magical portal' leads. The altar in this room is a pentagram but otherwise it is identical, aside from the mural, again behind a drape. This shows an apparently normal landscape of hills, valleys trees and a small stream, with a silhouetted figure in the foreground, facing away from the viewer. There is, however something profoundly alien about the whole thing and James in particular feels very depressed looking at the thing.

" We need to get Phillip and his camera in here. We can get this place shut down with a little evidence," whispers James.

"I agree," says Sam, "But let's not miss anything. I'd wager there's a basement to this building and even more evil hidden within."

Returning to the corridor, there are two more doors. One marked with the letters KOTOV, the other a symbol that glows unnaturally.

Entering the Knights of the Outer Void room, It is different from the other rooms in that it has a bare wood floor, stark white walls and a black ceiling. An altar sits in the middle, a two and half foot cylinder. A white linen curtain hides another mural, this one depicting outer space, stars, nebulae and at its centre a single dark planet. Henry is unfazed, but the others feel a deep sense of personal insignificance and utter desolation, again James seems most affected.

The final door you are all unsure of. The glowing symbol on the door could mean anything. The Monsignor, says a blessing then tries to door. Locked. James' hands are noticeably shaking so would have no luck trying to pick it, even if the glowing symbol wasn't scaring the crap out of him. You decide to leave it for now and head downstairs. Henry returns the drapes back to their original position and you head back to meet Hal and discuss your next move.