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Chaosium Digest Volume 24 Number 09
Chaosium Digest Volume 24, Number 9
Date: Sunday, April 5, 1998
Number: 1 of 5
Contents:
>From Foreign Shores, Part 1 (Paul Williams) CALL OF CTHULHU
Editor's Note:
Howdy and welcome to the newest Chaosium Digest. As promised I'm
breaking the normal biweekly format to present a special 5-part (!)
Call of Cthulhu adventure. From Foreign Shores originally appeared at
WigCon '97 and is a massive adventure. Because of the limitations of
this particular email format a few things didn't transition over:
handouts and the map of an important tomb near the end. Notes are
included on all of them, so hopefully a keeper should be able to put
them together with little problem.
Next week, another Call of Cthulhu adventure and an essay.
I also have one request for you Pendragon players out there. Does
anyone know what happened to PENDRAGON-L? It seems to have gone
totally AWOL. Digests have stopped going out, and neither the listserv
nor the sysadmins at the site respond. If you have any more
information, please drop me a line.
Shannon
--------------------
From: "Paul Williams" <paulw@betanet.co.uk>
Subject: From Foreign Shores, Part 1
System: Call of Cthulhu
Scene 1: The Bearer of Bad News
The Investigators are all gathered at the Arkham University Bridge
Club enjoying a friendly game of bridge when the evening papers are
delivered. Members of the club are entitled to a free copy of the
paper and a waiter will hand each Investigator a copy at a convenient
point in their game (such as after the current rubber finishes). The
paper's headlines are included as Player Handout #1 and should be
given to the players at this time.
[Player Handout #1 is a news article which discusses the sudden
insanity of one Professor Hutchinson. While on an expedition in Egypt
he apparently went mad and killed three members of his research
team. Surviving members of the team are still in Alexandria.
Hutchinson is being confined in an Alexandrian asylum pending his
trial. A version of this article should be created by the keeper.]
The Arkham professor in question was known to all of the Investigators
personally in one way or another. All of the Investigators should be
suitably shocked to hear that a close friend has apparently gone
insane and killed his entire research team for no logical
reason. Those that fail a SAN check lose 1 SAN point due to the
shock. Those making a successful Psychology roll know that the
professor was a stable, learned man who had a remarkably calm
temperament and was extremely easy to get along with. Such action as
mentioned by the paper is completely out of character.
Scene 2: Can I Have Some Time Off?
Once the Investigators decide to take the matter of investigating the
sudden madness of the professor upon their broad shoulders they will
need some time off their normal occupations. Let each investigator
role-play the confrontation with his superiors, resorting only to dice
rolls if you are not fully convinced by their reasons for suddenly
requesting time off.
Skills like Persuade and Fast Talk are far more applicable here than
skills such as Credit Rating, as the Investigators superiors know who
they are and what they do. Base your final decision on how the
Investigator goes about trying to get time off.
Scene 3: A Pleasant Cruise to Alexandria
The journey to the port of Alexandria in the Nile Delta will be
relatively comfortable, and will take approximately 21 days from
Boston. The journey will cost each Investigator $300 for first class
travel and $160 for steerage class via Fabre Lines. During this time
the Investigators may relax and enjoy the trip. They encounter no
Mythos related problems.
If the Investigators wish to use the ship's library (assuming they
travel first class) they may discover the notes contained in the next
section for themselves. No Library Use roll is required.
Scene 4: Brief Notes on Alexandria
The Egyptian currency is based on the Egyptian pound (LE) and is
actually a decimal system, unlike the British Imperial
system. Conversion rates to dollars are shown below.
1 LE Egyptian = $5.00 (5 dollars)
1 piastrie (P.T.) = $0.05 (5 cents)
1 milleme (mill) = $0.005 (half a cent)
Using the public transportation in Alexandria is extremely easy and
there are three main modes of transport; horse drawn carriages (3-6
P.T. per 10 minutes), motor taxis (1 P.T. per mile), and an excellent
tramway system (5-10 mill per journey).
Maps of the city can be obtained at most of the hotels for 5 milleme
or from a Dragoman at a cost of 10-20 milleme. When the investigators
purchase a map give them Player Handout #2.
[Player Handout #2 is a map of Alexandria from _The Cairo Guidebook_,
pg. 5]
Egypt is a dry and hot country, with typical desert conditions. It is
only because of the mighty river Nile that humans exist in the land at
all. Alexandria, being on the Mediterranean coast, has a more
temperate climate to it but the days are still hot and sunny, with
very few clouds. Temperatures for the period during which the
Investigators are in the city are 86F during the day and a cool 69F
during the night.
Scene 5: Arrival in Alexandria
The first sight of Alexandria that greets the seabourne Investigators
is the white walls of the Ras el-Tin palace, a fortress that rises on
a headland to the right of the ship, just above the modern lighthouse
built on the site of the temple to Poseidon.
As the Investigators' ship sails into the inner harbour to dock, it
passes two warships berthed here since the Great War. Immediately,
numerous small boats representing every travel agency known to man
surround the vessel. The air becomes vibrant with Arabic and English
exhortations: "Take up a tour with our agency!" and "Stay at our
hotel!" The view from on deck is like looking into a pit of lions at
feeding time.
Once the ship docks the Investigators must pass through customs. In
light of the recent trouble in Cairo the custom's checks are extremely
thorough. Weapons may be brought into the country assuming the carrier
has a special permit. These permits can be purchased from the custom's
officials for 100 P.T. each.
As the Investigators clear the custom's hut they are surrounded by a
hoard of Arabs, all touting for their hotel business and many hands
grab at their Luggage, attempting to sway the Investigators into
coming with them. Unless the Investigators act quickly they risk
losing bits of their luggage to various hotels.
Scene 6: Choosing A Hotel
Alexandria has three main hotels to choose from, two on the expensive
side and one extremely cheap.
Claridge's has 150 rooms costing from 120 - 180 P.T. per night. The
rooms are finely decorated and the hotel has a roof garden that looks
over the city towards the harbour.
The Majestic hotel has 200 rooms costing from between 100 - 150
P.T. per night. Although it is good accommodation it does not have the
same views as Claridge's.
Lastly there is the Hotel de France which has 50 rooms, reasonably
priced at 20 - 30 P.T per night. The rooms are spartanly furnished but
the food is excellent, cooked by their French chef.
A luggage bearer from each of these main holds is present at the docks
and is eager to carry the Investigators' bags free of charge (although
a tip, or baksheesh, is customary upon reaching the hotel).
Scene 7: Hiring a Dragoman
Getting around Alexandria, even with a map, is not easy. Many streets
are full of hawkers trying to sell everything from olive oil and cheap
souvenirs to priceless antiques; trying to get past them without being
dragged into a shop is tricky.
The best plan is to hire a Dragoman, a professional guide, who knows
the streets of Alexandria better than he knows his own wife. These
guides lead Investigators away from the crowded streets and know many
interesting places and snippets of information. Of course, if a cousin
or other relative happens to have a shop nearby then the Investigators
may find themselves being lead there whether they have need of the
shop's services of not. The vast majority of Dragomen are honest and
virtually all of them speak good English or French. Dragomen can be
hired through the hotels or by visiting cafes and asking for one. The
former method is the cheapest option open to the Investigators and
guarantees a good service.
Investigators can expect to pay 30 P.T. per half-day and 40 P.T. per
day for the best, with most hotels able to add this charge to their
bill. The official charges for a licensed Dragoman are 8 P.T. per hour
and 30 P.T. per day. Few Dragomen are available on public and
religious holidays.
The hotel, regardless of which one the Investigators stay in, has a
Dragoman for hire. He is summarised below in case the referee even
needs to have him make a skill roll (unlikely in most normal
circumstances).
Saleem Naziz, Dragoman, age 25
SAN 55, Hit Point 12
Weapons: dagger 50%, damage 1d4+2; rifle 45%, damage 1d6+2
Skills: Archaeology 15%, Bargain 60%, Climb 60%, Fast Talk 65%,
History 40%, Natural History 15%, Navigate 80%, Ride 40%, Track 20%
Languages: Arabic 70%, English 30%, French 25%, German 25%
Notes: Saleem's family has worked as guides to tourists for many
generations. He takes his profession seriously and is scrupulously
honest and forthright. He has travelled extensively within Egypt and
is a veritable font of knowledge regarding his native lands.
Scene 8: The Alexandrian Police
At some point the Investigators may visit the police in Alexandria to
find out what, allegedly, happened to Professor Hutchinson. The police
station is a two-story, whitewashed, flat-roofed building typical of
colonial Egypt.
Inside the air is cool and is kept moving by a large, albeit rusty,
ceiling fan. A burly sergeant stands beside a large wooden desk, to
the left of which is a narrow staircase, and narrows his eyes at the
Investigators as they enter. With all the trouble caused by the
professor's mass murder the police are not too happy to see Westerners
at the moment. If the Investigators delay in approaching him he
coughs loudly, as if to attract their attention.
If asked about Professor Hutchinson he glares at them for a moment and
then tells them to go to the first floor and ask for Police Inspector
el-Mahduk. If they delay in going up the stairs he waves them on
hurriedly and jabbering in Arabic.
Scene 9: Inspector el-Mahduk
Upstairs on the first floor is a chaotic mass of desks, chairs, wooden
filing cabinets and police officers. The only way the Investigators
can find inspector el-Mahduk is by calling out his name loudly. After
a few attempts they see a large Arabic man sitting across the room
from them look in their direction, and then wave them over. This is
Inspector el-Mahduk.
The inspector is over-weight, over-worked, and under-paid, but he
loves his job. His clothing is in the colonial style and is a
three-piece white suit. As the Investigators approach he sweeps aside
some files on a nearby chair and puts the pastry he was eating into a
desk drawer. Through a mouthful of food he offers the Investigators a
seat. One between the lot of them, that is.
Once he has finished swallowing his food the Investigators notice a
mouthful of crooked teeth as he smiles at them. In a loud voice he
asks. "How can I help, my esteemed European fellows?"
He listens to the Investigators' questions carefully before
answering. His English is excellent and he also speaks passable
French.
He knows very little of the actual events concerning why Professor
Hutchinson went mad but he does know that the professor was underwater
at the time. According to the Arab workers who were acting as
"air-men" for the professor, he and his team went diving in the
morning as they have done for several weeks. Around midday there was a
lot of frantic commotion and the air lines of the three junior team
members' diving suits went slack and blood was seen on the surface of
the water some yards from the boat. Minutes later the professor came
to the surface alone and started babbling incoherently. The police
were called to the scene and questioned the professor. The professor
was in obvious shock and was taken to the asylum so that Doctor de
Patrie could examine him. After a thorough examination the doctor
proclaimed that the professor was suffering from severe shock and
recommended that the Professor be placed in his care.
Inspector el-Mahduk admits that so far no bodies have been found but
the divers were in heavy diving suits and visibility underwater near
the harbour is poor at the best of times. He has no plans to send
divers down yet as he is still questioning everyone who was working
with the professor. He expects to have divers ready to go down in
"two weeks, maybe three, four at the most."
Inspector el-Mahduk does not look favourably upon attempted bribery of
police officers and cautions any Investigator doing so that he is
breaking the law and could be imprisoned if he continues his current
course of action.
If the Investigators do not break any laws and treat the inspector
with respect he will be inclined to help them if they commit any minor
infractions of the law whilst trying to help solve the case there own
way. Repeated offenders will feel the full wrath of the Egyptian, and
thusly Islamic, legal system however.
Scene 10: The Asylum
Professor Hutchinson is being detained in the El-Mahdy lunatic asylum
on the outskirts of town where he is being treated before his
trial. The Muslims treat their mad well, as Allah decreed, although
they have little chance of curing them as they lack Western knowledge
of such treatment. The professor, if found guilty of murder, would be
detained here indefinitely until Allah saw fit to cure him of his
affliction. If any Investigators need treatment the asylum has a Cure
Rate of only 10%.
The Investigators, upon approaching the asylum, notice that there is
very little security. The gates, although kept closed, are never
locked and there are no guards to stop the patients escaping or stop
unauthorised people entering the grounds. Indeed, a number of patients
are bumbling around the grounds, lost in their own worlds. The
Investigators can simply open the gates and enter the grounds
As they approach the main hospital building a porter approaches and
politely asks if he can assist them in some manner. If they mention
Professor Hutchinson by name the porter nods slowly and mutters "such
a sad case." He then offers to escort the investigators to the head
doctor's office.
The head doctor, one Doctor Jules de Patrie, a Frenchman by birth,
agrees to see the Investigators and offers them simple refreshments.
He is curious to know what the Investigators' interest in the
professor is and listens to their story with interest. If asked about
the professor's mental state he tells them that the professor is
suffering from acute shock bordering on catatonia at times, obviously
brought on by the realisation of his actions. At the end of the
conversation he asks "Would you like to see Professor 'Utchinson? I'm
afraid that he eez rarely co'eerent for longer zhan a few minutes but
maybe seeing you will do 'im some good, yes?"
Scene 11: The Mad Professor
Whereas most of the patients are allowed to roam freely around the
grounds the professor is kept in isolation for two reasons. Firstly,
he is accused of murder and so the staff does not wish him to endanger
anyone's life, and secondly he is suffering from a skin complaint,
which may be infectious.
When the Investigators arrive at the cell door the doctor unlocks the
metal viewing flap to allow them to see and speak to the professor.
Professor Hutchinson is huddled into a corner and is wearing a
straight jacket. He continuously mutters and mumbles to himself. Upon
hearing the latch opens he hides his face and screams, "Leave me
alone! Leave me alone! Don't let them get me!" If any of the
Investigators speak loudly to him he recognises their voice, although
his sanity is still well and truly lost, and he turns to face the
door. As he does so the Investigators cannot help but notice the
strange disfigurement to his face. The left-hand side of the
professor's face has some sort of skin hardening-taking place.
Professor Hutchinson stands and walks awkwardly towards the door with
a wide smile of recognition on his face. As he gets closer the
Investigators suddenly notice the smell of fish. He begins to speak in
a frantic whisper to the assembled Investigators.
"You must listen, my friends, for there isn't much time. They exist!
They are real and they want me for some foul purpose. The Night of
Thoth soon approaches and the watery ones shall walk again. Seek the
pyramid! Get away! Leave me alone! Help! Help!"
At this point Professor Hutchinson loses reality again and runs
screaming back to his corner, weeping loudly. Further enquiries from
the Investigators elicit no comprehensible response and the doctor
suggests that they let the professor rest.
The doctor, if questioned about the professor's work, knows only that
he was working around the eastern harbour area when the incident that
lead to his incarceration took place. He recommends that the
Investigators visit the Greco-Roman Museum of Antiquities as the
professor was working with them on this expedition.
The doctor does not know what the Night of Thoth is but suggests that
it might be some ancient religious festival or the like. Only if
specifically asked to recommend someone who might know more
information will he mention that there is an old astrologer in the old
part of the city that knows many forgotten and ancient things. The
doctor gives directions to the Investigators and warns them to be
careful of muggers and thieves in that part of town.
If they mention the strange marks on the professor's face the doctor
will admit that he is baffled by it. It appears to be some kind of
skin disease but he has never seen anything like it before. He says
that the professor was already infected when the police brought him
in. The professor is being held in isolation until the nature of the
affliction can be determined.
Scene 12: A Most Bizarre Sample
If the Investigators ask the doctor for a sample of the professor's
diseased skin he summons two porters who enter the cell and acquire a
sample. When they enter Professor Hutchinson goes berserk and tries to
injure the porters but he is soon restrained and the sample obtained.
In order to test the sample the Investigators need access to some
basic chemistry or medical equipment and a few hours of uninterrupted
time.
Once these are acquired the Investigator performing the test may roll
against his Natural History or Chemistry, whichever he prefers. If the
roll is successful the Investigator determines that the skin sample is
actually the scales from a fish! An Investigator making a successful
Cthulhu Mythos roll can determine that the scales actually belong to a
Lesser Independent Race of some sort.
Professor Hutchinson is from a family who, generations ago, interbred
with deep ones living off the Coast of Maine. The deep one blood ran
weakly in his veins and only recently has he begun to undergo the
change. Shortly before he went insane he received a vision from Father
Dragon telling him what he was and what the professor was to become.
Father Dagon also informed Hutchinson where the golden pyramid could
be found. It was this that the professor was diving for when he
finally snapped. Deep Ones killed his fellow researchers to stop their
secret from being discovered.
If the Investigators return to the asylum to speak to doctor Patrie
about their findings he can only tell them that Professor Hutchinson
was suffering from the skin disorder when he was brought to the asylum
by the police and that they may know more details. He does not believe
that the professor is growing fish scales and politely hints that
maybe the Investigators made a mistake in the tests.
Scene 13: The Astrologer
The astrologer, Ibrahim ibn-Gaza, lives in a dark and old part of town
where few tourists ever come. His shop is only open at night, a
particularly dangerous time for Westerners to be wandering the streets
in the old town.
Ibrahim has been an astrologer since he was a young boy and his
lineage consists of an unbroken line of astrologers dating back,
according to word on the street, "to the days of great Rameses
himself." Ibrahim does not talk of such matters. Ibrahim only speaks
Arabic and so the Investigators may need to bring a translator with
them (such as their Dragoman).
Upon entering the shop the Investigators notice how dark it is. Even
with the amount of candles lit, there is surprisingly little
illumination being cast. After a few moments, in which they may marvel
at the huge collection of trinkets, charms, and other religious
knickknacks, a wizened old man emerges through a curtain which leads
to a back room. He politely inquires how he may assist the
Investigators. Although frail in body his voice is full of power and
authority.
If they mention that they seek information on the Night of Thoth his
eyes narrow visibly and he takes a sharp intake of breath through his
nose. "You had better come with me for such things are not to be
spoken of in the open." He beckons the Investigators to follow him
into the back room. Inside the back room there is very little
space. Large amounts of mystical charts and diagrams cover the walls
and strange contraptions cover the floor. Ibrahim sits on a rickety
old stool and indicates that the Investigators should also be
seated. The only space left is on the floor.
Scene 14: Ibrahim's Story
Ibrahim pulls a large chart from the wall and lays it on the floor in
front of the Investigators. Those that succeed in an Occult roll know
that the chart is used to work out star formations relating to
supposedly sacred days. Ibrahim then speaks to the Investigators.
"It is known that when our country was invaded by the race known only
as the Sea People millennia ago they brought their foul and barbaric
gods with them. They set up temples to their Gods on our holy soil so
they could perform their rituals, which are perverted and cruel to
normal men.
"Upon one of their most holy days they performed a mighty ceremony to
bring one of their gods, Oannes, to earth, so that he might rule over
them in flesh. Thoth, the lord of creation, looked upon the heresy
with despair and with a great rage shook the world and the earth and
the sea in a great cataclysm consumed the Sea People.
"That night has become known as the Night of Thoth, for what the lord
of knowledge did and because the stars took the pattern of the great
ibis to honour Thoth for his wisdom and great deeds.
"The evil Sea People did not all perish in the great fire and flood
and many fled into the area of desert that was then a great salty
marsh. It is said that when the stars are right, as they were on the
Night of Thoth, the doorway to a great and unknown tomb built in the
marsh will be opened and the dark God of the Sea People will be
released upon the world once more.
"According to the calculations I have made whilst we speak, the Night
of Thoth, which comes but once every four millennia, will be upon us
in seven nights' time."
Some of what Ibrahim says to the Investigators is semi-common
knowledge. Investigators making a successful History roll remember
that an army known only as the Sea People did invade ancient
Egypt. Ancient historians claimed that they came from the great
western sea beyond the Pillars of Hercules and spoke no language then
known to man.
A successful Astronomy roll confirms that the star pattern supposedly
pointing to the Night of Thoth will indeed come into being in seven
nights' time.
A successful Occult roll brings the knowledge that Oannes is often
depicted as being half-man and half-fish and was probably the model
for the Chaldean god Baal-XXXX, who bears a strong resemblance to
Oannes.
A second History roll reveals that the great cataclysm mentioned by
Ibrahim would have taken place around the time that the volcanic
island of Santorini violently erupted, spewing out great streams of
fire and hot ash and sending forth tidal waves to much of the
Mediterranean coastline, including Alexandria.
Ibrahim knows little else of use to the Investigators although he will
sell them some trinkets if they so wish. Those making a successful
Spot Hidden roll whilst browsing spot an amulet bearing a pentagram
with a flaming eye in the centre (an Elder Sign). Ibrahim charges
little for his wares, as he has no real need of money. Around 5 LE an
item is his usual price.
If the Investigators ask him questions on matters not related to
astrology he shrugs his thin shoulders and replies, "I have no
knowledge of such things."
--
