The Armitage Files Session Log: Document #2 – Session #8 – Book End
Date At Start Of Game: September 12th, 1935
[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 8th session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]
Following The Tears Of Azazoth
After questioning the circus performers the PC decide that they need to track down the Tears Of Azazoth. They head back to the circus to arrest Claudia (aka the fortune teller) and to look around in the various tents. Detective Keegan takes the lead by going to Claudia’s tent and summoning her. When confronted Claudia admits that she handled the book and did not know its value until she tried to sell it. The fortune teller sold the book the previous night at King’s Book in Arkham. She confesses to knowing that the book is stolen goods. After Claudia gets dressed Detective Keegan locks her in his car and proceeds to speak with Clyde Beatty about his wife Harriet Evans who has been arrested. His goal is to discover if Clyde knew anything about the robberies. While speaking with Clyde, Archie takes the opportunity to search Claudia’s tent. He finds some cash, an empty wooden box that likely once held the book, and her fortune teller costume. Archie takes the box and the bracelet from her costume as the small pendants match the one found taped to the latest Armitage file. The box looks quite old and has a word in German on the side. The hidden compartment at the bottom is very well crafted.
Clyde Beatty is settling down with his morning coffee when the Detective knocks on his door. With a concerned look Clyde offers some coffee to Detective Keegan and asks what brings him to the circus. Detective Keegan explains that his wife Harriet, Vladimir the strongman, and Sergei the acrobat have been arrested breaking into a local mansion. Clyde seems upset by the news but somehow not surprised. After talking for a bit Clyde grabs his coat and Detective Keegan escorts him to Claudia who is waiting in the squad car. When entering the car Claudia says hello to Clyde but they do not talk any further.
This gives Archie a chance to search the Beatty trailer and Vladimir and Sergei’s tent. In the trailer among Harriet’s trunks he finds some cash and a scrapbook with newspaper clippings from her career. One interesting clipping is of Harriet performing as a magician’s assistant. This must be where she learned how to pick pockets. In a desk Archie finds an accounting journal that confirms Harriet’s statements in the interrogation room. The Clyde Beatty Circus is failing fast. Escalating costs are killing all of their profits. In Vladimir and Sergei’s tent Archie breaks into Vladimir’s trunk. Inside he finds $100 in cash and a velvet bag with a silver scale. The scale is comprised of two plates and a loose balancing chain. On one plate in the concave center are the symbols of three tentacles. Archie takes the money and scale.
At this point the PC head to King’s Books to find the Tears Of Azazoth. After knocking on the door for some time with no response Tredge picks the lock and the PC enter the small store. At the back counter they see some strange scratches and find a receipt book with “p. Murphy”. When they move upstairs they find Milton dead in his bead. An oval sized bite mark on his chest shows a ring of razor sharp teeth. Milton’s hands are at his fear struck face. ..his eyes rolled back into his head. Near the bed posts and window ledge the PC find more scratch marks. The window shutters eerily slaps against the frame. At this point Detective Keegan calls in the incident then the trio of PC head to the church to check on Pastor Murphy.
As they are driving up the gravel path to the church the spot a young man on a bicycle with a look of terror on his face. When the PC stop their car the boy is so spooked that he falls from his bike sending himself sprawling on the gravel road. After calming down the boy the PC learn that his name is Phil Hughes. He explains delivering a package to Father Murphy. After delivering the package Phil went into the church to say a quick prayer. Upon leaving he heard some strange sounds coming from the basement under the house next to the church. When Phil went to investigate he found these strange flying creatures surrounding the Pastor who was preaching to a hobo that was tied up in front of him. With that Detective Keegan hands out a shotgun to Archie and the three PC approach the house.
When the three PC approach the house they can hear loud noises coming from the basement. After breaking out one of the blacked out basement windows Detective Keegan sees a horrible sight. Four winged gargoyle like creatures are flying around his parish preacher. The preacher is loudly reciting a sermon from a black tome as he wildly swings at one of the flying creatures with a scythe. The target of the sermon is a supplicant hobo who has his hand tied together. The hobo is frozen in terror! The words coming from the Pastor are a combination of Cthulhu madness and holy diatribe! After gathering their wits the PC spring into action. The Detective starts firing at the closest gargoyle with his shotgun. Archie busts open the storm cellar doors then jumps down with a ferocious shotgun blast. Tredge rushes up to the melee hoping to be able to snatch the Tears Of Azazoth from the insane priest. As the creatures are swirling around the priest Tredge realizes that the gargoyles are also trying to grab the book. During the frantic combat Tredge takes several hits and falls unconscious. As the combat progresses the scythe glows but Father Murphy’s blows go wide. As one of the gargoyles fells the preacher another grabs the Tears Of Azazoth. Archie punches at one of the gargoyles killing him with a fractured ribcage. With the book clutched in his talons the last gargoyle races for the window. Detective Keegan nails him with a deadly shot but the creature does not fall! It busts out of a basement window trying to make a hasty retreat. Detective Keegan takes one more parting shot but it goes wide…the creature has escaped with the book. With that the PC check the hobo and the pastor. The hobo is mentally scarred but physically fine. Pastor Murphy is dead. After bandaging Tredge and stealing their nerves the PC take some photographs of the melting gargoyles then try and decide how to proceed…
Date At End Of Game: September 12th, 1935
