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Chaosium Digest Volume 10 Number 12
Chaosium Digest Volume 10, Number 12
Date: Monday, June 12, 1995
Number: 2 of 2
Contents:
The Third Order, Part Two (Sandy Antunes) CALL OF CTHULHU
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From: Sandy Antunes <sandy@clark.net>
Subject: The Third Order, Part Two
System: Call of Cthulhu
"The Third Order"
A Tournament Call of Cthulhu module for up to ten players,
playing time 4 hours.
by Sandy Antunes
copyright 1995, all rights reserved
[continued from V10.11]
THIRD HOUR: THE FINALE
Somehow, the investigators find out and reach the ancestral tomb of
the Laurents, on the outskirts of Arkham. There is a moldering body in
a surprisingly dust-free tomb. There is a local girl who brings
flowers to each of the graves each day; she is a bit simple but loved
by the locals. She will talk about the nice gentleman she met last
night, who looked rather (she blushes) drunk as he went back to his
house, but who did ask her if she would come by tonight. If asked
where his house is, she points to the Laurent tomb. (Yep, she's a
sacrifice, she's kind and dumb enough to volunteer.) The tomb is
strange; it is a triangular shape, not rectangular.
Inside the tomb is Edouard's corpse. It lays on a stone bier, bathed
in an eternally burning flame. As soon as they desecrate (i.e. open,
or even think mean thoughts about) the tomb, the spirit of Edouard is
quickly drawn there to assault them. This close to the tomb, the
spirit 'heals' even more rapidly. In fact, the only permanent way to
stop Edouard is to somehow destroy the body with water. The Keeper can
make this as difficult or as easy as possible. Dropping it in the
river would be a great solution, but would require extreme heroics by
the poor player who carries the burning body at great pain and damage
to themself.
Unless the Keeper is cruel and the players totally clueless,
eventually an Investigator will triumph. The destruction of the corpse
will cause Quachil to appear in its characteristic manner (see CoC 5th
Ed), in this case to annihilate the spirit of Edouard. I suggest this
be played off-scene, perhaps in the Tomb, to add mystery to the
affair.
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INSERT #1, Claude's Diary
Wed, Feb 25-- Just told the news, bastards turned me down
Sat, Feb 28-- damned if I'll go to their meeting. Read my bible
instead. Bastards.
Tue, Mar 2-- Skipped lectures, went to library. Found what
the old papers referenced, the 2nd Order. They exist, and
they are part of my history!
Wed, Mar 3-- calling in sick this week, need to reference things.
Acting on hunch, will have cards ordered up.
Fri, Mar 5-- not sure on the numerology ref, but Edouard's ritual
looks possible. I wish I knew why he'd failed.
Sat, Mar 6-- must remember to pick up cards for tomorrow.
Sun, Mar 7-- went well, they accepted the cards. It's possible now.
Mon, Mar 8-- made pretense of class. It really no longer matters.
Things will be quite different for those fools now.
Thurs, Mar 11-- Still puzzles by Edoward's cryptic latin,
"Id imperfectum manet dum confectum evit", did he know what
he was trying, truly? I have doubts over calling him, but
there are things I must know. At least I know his weakness.
Fri, Mar 12-- found a virgin, invited her for dinner Sunday. The
stars will be right then, the time is perfect. Obtained drug
at the pharmacist. I think I'm all set.
Sun, Mar 13-- 1) stop by library if possible, recheck numerology
2) call Edouard to fetch the cards, give him back
his 1000 years+1, sacrifice virgin
3) use ancestor's cues to complete summoning of XXXXX
INSERT #2, Riddles Eduoard might say or have written down
Lord of the 2nd Order, Serpent of Mankind, Bane of Life,
Offer of Immortality
I am as power and treasure for a prince to hold, hard and steep-
cheeked, wrapped in red, gold and garnet, ripped from a plain, of
bright flowers, wrought- a remnant of fire and file, bound in stark
beauty. This is the way of those who follow me, and the bane of those
who oppose. In my realm, I cannot be defeated. Of my foe, she has
three lives with which to torment me, for she is gentle enough to
sooth the skin, light enough to caress the sky, hard enough to crack
rocks. She comes in on little cat's feet, being neither sour nor
sweet, then hovers in the air, and then, is not there.
I heard of an invading, vanquishing arm sweeping across the land,
liquid-quick; conquering everything, quelling resistance. With it came
darkness, dimming the light. Humans hid in their houses, while outside
spears pierced, shattering stone walls. Uncountable soldiers smashed
into the ground, but each elicted life as he died; when the army had
vanished, advancing northward, the land was green and growing,
refreshed. This stopped my war, and made me flee. Its weapons I could
not combat.
It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills.
It comes first and follows after, ends life, kills laughter. [darkness]
INSERT #3, Riddles that refer to the Third Order
Three lives have I. Gentle enough to sooth the skin, light enough to
caress the sky, hard enough to crack rocks. [water]
I come in on little cat's feet, am neither sour nor sweet, hover in
the air, and then am not there. [fog or mist]
I bubble and laugh, and spit water in your face. I am no lady and I
don't wear lace. [a fountain]
INSERT 4, More Clues
In both Edouard's book and Claude's notes
1) The power of the many shall become the power of the one
2) By the act of calling you bind the contract
3) The first shall be the last and the last the first
In Claude's Diary
1) stop by library, check numerology references to decipher that 3rd order
2) send cards, allow 2 days for post to deliver before sabbath
3) call Edouard to fetch the cards
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Handout for Players (to be printed and distributed to each beforehand)
"The Third Order"
The following background has been given to all the players. The others
characters are friends of your character, and you can freely discuss
any and all of the information on this page with them. It is part of
your "shared history". You can trust your friends, and all the
information on this sheet.
WHO ARE YOU?
You are a citizen of the small New England town of Arkham, notable for
the presence of Miskatonic University. Also, though, you are part of
the secret fraternal order of Free and Accepted Masons (the
Freemasons) and its allied group, the secret maternal Order of the
Eastern Star (women masons).
WHAT ARE THE MASONS?
Evolving from the stone mason guilds of the Middle Ages, your local
Lodge is a part of the Grand Lodge of America. The Masonic Creed is:
"Duty, Honor, and Obedience to the Law of the Land"
First loyalty is to the order, than to mankind, then to one's self.
As a fraternal order, women are not allowed to be Freemasons. The
Order of the Eastern Star is the equivalent for women-- both groups
interact socially, but do not hold Lodge meetings together. Children
are often members of the more socially-inclined groups, The Order of
DeMolay (for boys) and The Order of the Rainbow (for girls). Members
of these junior orders are often inducted into the Freemasons or the
Eastern Star when they become adult-- but being in DeMolay or the
Rainbow is NOT a guarantee of becoming a member; rather, it allows the
adults to look at one's qualities and suitabilities before deciding to
invite. To be a Freemason is an invited honor-- you cannot enlist or
ask to join.
The masons believe in the existence of a Supreme Being and in the
immortality of the soul, although they do not set any one particular
religious form to these. Secrecy is important-- in many countries,
Freemasonry is banned. The Roman Catholic Church is especially opposed
to the masons.
HOW ARE THEY ARRANGED?
Freemasons meet in groups called Lodges. There is a Grand Lodge for
each region. Each Lodge has at least one Master Mason (by definition).
There are three orders, or rankings:
Entered Apprentice
Fellow of the Craft
Master Mason
Within the Grand Lodge of New England, there are several subrankings
which (for this adventure) as described as follows:
Entered Apprentice: 1st degree (typically masons of 1 year or less)
2nd degree
3rd degree
Fellow of the Craft: 4th degree (awarded based on merit or lineage)
5th degree
6th degree
Master Mason: 7th degree (awarded based on merit and respect)
8th degree (only for Lodge Masters)
9th degree (only for Grand Lodge Masters)
Within the Eastern Star, these titles are renamed "Entered Novice",
"Watcher", and "Greater Watcher", but are otherwise identical.
Progress through the lower orders can be due to talents, merit, or
social standing. Fellows of the Craft are often promoted due to good
lineage or family connections. However, the rank of Master Mason is
only granted at the decision of several Lodge and Grand Lodge masters,
and rarely is swayed by social or political connections. This top
order is soley based on skill within your chosen craft, or especial
talent and virtue.
WHAT DO MASONS DO?
There are many pragmatic society advantages: inside business
connections, strong ties to industry and political leaders, and the
like. It is no coincidence that most elder masons are also wealthy,
and prefer to share their wealth and experience only with their fellow
masons. That is part of the origin of the order from the medieval
guild structures.
There is also secret knowledge, much of it carried over from Europe.
Even apprentices know that there are secrets known only to the higher
orders, but of what nature there is much speculation. A few things are
known to all: the secret symbol (often embodied in rings), the secret
handshake, and the call for help ("Will no one help the widow's son",
a call which all masons are dutybound to assist, but which should only
be done in the most extreme of situations...)
WHO ARE MY FRIENDS HERE?
You know the other members of your group from social picnics and
events within DeMolay and the Rainbow over many years of playful
adolescence while growing up in Arkham. As you became older, you all
joined the Freemasons/Eastern Star. Currently, Lodge meetings in
Arkham are every two months, with total membership (Freemasons and
Eastern Star) being 38 members. However, this week, most of the masons
are out of town, at a business fair in Boston.
At Miskatonic, Professor Claude Laurent often runs Sunday get-
togethers, where you sit around, talk philosophy, drink bootleg
alcohol, play cards, and generally indulge in drawing room society
pleasures.
WHO IS CLAUDE AGAIN?
Dr. Laurent ("call me Claude") is a professor of French Linguistics at
M.U., and holds these get-togethers in the Society Room on campus
under the guide of the "French Club." Claude tends to judge people
based on their social standing a bit much, and often tries to curry
favor from the more wealthy members, but overall is a good egg and
generous with the liquor.
A 6th degree Fellow, he recently was evaluated for promotion to Master
Mason, 7th degree, but this did not succeed for him. Slightly
embittered, he was conspicuously absent at the last Lodge meeting. He
did make last week's sunday "French Club" meeting, however, and after
apologizing for his childish retreat from the Masons' meeting,
commented on how you were the closest thing he had to family, and made
the surprising gesture of providing a gift to each of you. He gave
each of you a very nice hand-drawn tarot card. The cards were quite
exquisite hand-draw paintings by the local artist/fortune teller
Gerald Rahn, whom some of you may know.
WHERE AM I RIGHT NOW?
For some reason or another, you never got around to putting it away
someplace safe, and as this Sunday's meeting begins, three things are
apparent:
1) You happen to have your card with you,
2) Claude is late, which is very unusual for him (usually he unlocks
the place and is there waiting, today one of you had to get the keys
from the office)
3) THERE IS NO WHISKEY BECAUSE CLAUDE ISN'T HERE, OH NO!!!!!!!
So you can chat and swap stories and wait for him to arrive, yes?
--------------------
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