The Armitage Files Session Log: Document #2 – Session #6 – Travelling Side Show Freaks
Date At Start Of Game: September 10th, 1935
[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 6th session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]
Analyzing Document 2
After questioning Oren Gardiner and the Walsh’s the PC examine the second document from Professor Armitage. They determine the following after examining the physical evidence.
- Paper – Four sheets of college ruled sheets used by Dr Armitage and Dr Llanfer on a regular basis. Can be commonly purchased at any stationary store.
- Ink – Also standard. Appears that it could be from a pen that is sitting on Dr Armitage’s desk.
- Content – Not hurried. Appears well thought out and strong. Shows no signs of “mental agitation” as did the previous document.
- Blood Stains – Not enough of a sample to test.
- Sun Pendent – Small charm like one that might be on a fine chain or bracelet. Made of tin coated with gold paint. There is no markings at all on the object. The sun symbol does not have any occult significance.
After examining the physical evidence Leo and Professor Peaslee start researching the Tears Of Azazoth in the Miskatonic University Orne Library. As Doctor Llanfer is the assistant librarian he offers to help in the research. Surprisingly after only a few minutes Doctor Llanfer returns saying that they do no have a copy of the book and very little references to it. Noticing that Doctor Llanfer seems to be subtly misdirecting their work the PC ask him about it. By bringing up Professor Armitage Doctor Peaslee gets Doctor Llanfer to confess. The Orne Library DID have a copy of the Tears Of Azazoth in the private stacks. About 6 weeks ago Professor Armitage came to Doctor Llanfer and simply told him to remove it from the card catalog. Doctor Llanfer asks the PC to not bring it up with Professor Armitage for feat that is may upset him. By researching using books in the private stacks the PC are able to determine the following facts about the Tears Of Azazoth:
- Physical Description – Taken from a journal entry written by a 6th century English priest. – Covers are comprised of a thin black substance possessing the flexibility of onion skin. In the center of the cover is a strange symbol painted with a luminescent substance. The symbol is asymmetrical in nature but is somehow disturbing to the eye. The pages themselves are pristine white and the ink appears to be freshly applied as if it is still wet. The book is written in Latin.
- Supposed History – From some obscure German folk song lyrics in the 1850’s. – Some believe that the tome is a spontaneously generated physical realization of Azazoth’s insane consciousness. It materializes to tempt readers into irrevocable madness. It erupts into this plane as a harbinger of foreboding times. Some say its arrival signals the return of R’ley’s rise from the ocean depths.
Finally Leo and Professor Peaslee hold a private meeting with Professor Armitage. They ask him about the Tears Of Azazoth. He tells them that he has a nagging feeling he has heard of the tome but cannot place it. When they ask him about the event that was relayed by Doctor Llanfer he simply stares blankly ahead. After some study Professor Peaslee determines that there is a gap in his memory during this time. With that the PC decide to visit King’s Books to ask some questions.
Investigating The Helping Hands
Detective Keegan and Tredge decide to investigate the lead related to The Helping Hands. The Helping Hands is run by Pastor Murphy of St Joseph’s Church in Arkham. Father Murphy is a strict Irish priest who Detective Keegan knows well. As Tredge and the Detective enter the church proper they observe a priest that Detective Keegan does not know working in the nave. The smaller olive skinned man introduces himself as Father Nunzio. Father Nunzio finds Pastor Murphy and brings him to the PC. After Father Murphy arrives and warmly greets the PC Father Nunzio continues his work. The PC explain that they need information about the Helping Hands program. Pastor Murphy explains that it is an outreach program for local hobos. On certain days of the week they provide some shelter, warm clothes, and food for the homeless. Detective Keegan then asks if there are other Helping Hands chapters. The Pastor explains that there is a small chapter in Dunwich as well. This chapter is run by Father Coleman. With that the Detective says that they plan to visit and wonders if there is a care package they can deliver. The Pastor calls to Father Nunzio who nervously drops a glass candle then shuffles off to gather the suppliers.
At this point Tredge speaks with Father Nunzio while helping him clean up the glass. Tredge informs Father Nunzio that they suspect their might be wrong doing in the Helping Hands organization. When he presses the young father about the situation he reveals that sometimes he is not comfortable with the way Pastor Murphy runs the church but that it is something that he must address. As Tredge presses for details Father Nunzio seems troubled and fearful; he will not divulge anything more.
While having a drink after the meeting Detective Keegan asks about the new priest. Pastor Murphy explains that Father Nunzio has been with the parish for only a couple of weeks. He has recently returned from an relief expedition in Venezuela. After this meeting Tredge and the Detective drive to Dunwich to speak with Father Coleman.
King’s Books
King’s Books is a small bookstore run by Milton King. The entire store is literally two long rectangular rooms. The both rooms feature a center table and walls with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that are lined with books. Books are loosely arranged by type then author. A quick perusal determines that the focus is on history and the occult. There are also significant sections with older books in various languages. Collector editions are found in the back room in a small glass case. A beat up red velvet curtain replaces a doorway in the very back of the shop. It is in this area that Milton keeps books that he has earmarked for certain customers. The only resident other than Milton is a large white macaw named Principessa (aka Princess in Italian). Milton King is in his mid 50’s with olive skin and a balding head which he keeps covered with a beret. He sweats profusely even if it is cool in the shop and is often seen wiping his head with a handkerchief. Milton is a friendly shop keeper. He greats guests with a warm smile and after the look over their shelves he will ask if they need any help.
The PC make a couple of visits to King’s Books over the course of the adventure. Archie makes the first trip to the store. He pretends to be a courier for Oliver Gardiner to see if there are any books waiting for him. Milton admits that Oliver is a customer but lets him know that he does not have any books for him right now.
Later Leo and Professor Peaslee go to the bookstore. Professor Peaslee is a regular customer and is greeted with a friendly “bon journo” from Milton. After looking at some books the pair approach Milton. They first ask if he has heard of the Tears Of Azazoth. He thinks for a bit and seems a bit twitchy but says that the has not heard of it. The pair then asks about Oliver Gardiner. They suggest that they are looking for books that Oliver might be interested in acquiring. Milton confirms that they mean “Dagon”? They assent and he says that he will look for anything additional that might hit the market. Milton then shows Professor Peaslee a copy of a personal journal that belonged to Alistair Crowley. According to Milton the book has notes that would later become part of his other published works. Even though the price of the book is extravagant Professor Peaslee agrees to buy the book due to it significance to the field of the occult. With that the pair gather up Archie and decide to investigate the circus.
A Trip To Dunwich And The Haunted Saw Mill
After speaking with the priests at St Joseph’s Church in Arkham, Detective Keegan and Tredge drive to Dunwich. In Dunwich the PC speak with Father Coleman at the Knotty Pine Church. Father Coleman is a balding man in his mid 40’s. He accepts the package from the PC then answers their questions about the local Helping Hands efforts. On prompting Father Coleman tells the PC that he does sometimes use a barn behind his church for Helping Hands meetings. The PC meticulously search the barn but do not find anything unusual. At this point the PC decide to ask around Dunwich.
At the corner store they meet a crazy shopkeeper named Martha. Martha explains that last night while walking her dog she heard something that sounded like sawing coming from the old sawmill. When Tredge and the Detective ask more about the sawmill she explains that when the sawmill opened in the early 1800’s two boys were killed on the site. After a month of accidents the mill closed. She is SURE it is haunted! She also tells the PC that they should speak with Harold Bishop. Harold is working on a novel about the history of Dunwich and he may have more information about the sawmill.
At this point the PC drive up a cold dirt road to the sawmill. At the site is a small two story house and the main mill building. Both are boarded up. At the sawmill there are loose boards on the main door. Detective Keegan grabs a shotgun then gives a second one to Tredge. The pair then carefully enter the building. On the main floor is a conveyor belt and the saw blades set in a wooden frame. There are stairs leading to a walkway and an office over the conveyor belt. Carefully the PC scale the staircase with the intent of punching off some boards on the upstairs windows to let in some light. At the top of the stairs Detective Keegan hands the flashlight to Tredge while he pounds out some boards using the butt of his shotgun. As Tredge pans the flashlight around the walkway he sees a small boy. The small boy turns showing that most of his torso on one side has been sawed off! His organs begin to ooze out onto the walkway floor! Tredge quickly alerts the Detective but when they turn the boy is gone and there is no blood on the floor. After quickly searching the office the pair decide that it best that they leave and return with the rest of the group. As they are leaving the sawmill the Detective catches a glimpse of something glinting on the saw blades. As he approaches he spies blood dripping down the immaculately clean saw blades! At the point they beat a hasty retreat.
At the bottom of the hill is a truck blocking the roadway. There are three large country boys waiting with clubs. Stopping a bit up the hill Detective Keegan grabs his shotgun then confronts the country boys. Upon spotting the shotgun they jump into their truck and head off. The Detective chases them in his car. After only a mile or so the truck drives up a winding dirt road. After only travelling a short distance the truck goes through a wooden fence. One of the boys jumps out and shuts the fence. At this point Tredge and Detective Keegan turn around and head back to Dunwich. Father Keegan tells them that the boys are the Whatley’s. They run some orchards just north of town. The Whatley’s are not too bright. Their family has been in Dunwich for many years. At this point the PCs return to Arkham.
The Clyde Beatty Circus
At the Arkham Fairgrounds the PC drive up to the Clyde Beatty Circus to start investigating. They first enter the freak side show as that is mentioned in the document. The first exhibit in the freak show is a strongman named Vladimir. Vladimir lifts some weights and bends some steel bars in his bare hands. (Vladimir is mentioned by name in the second document.) After doing some stunts he jumps down from the stage and starts the leave the tent. Archie decides to shadow the large strongman. While exiting the tent they pass a strange deformed man who appears to be watching the second exhibit. His eyes are deformed such that they are bulging out of his eye sockets and his head is enlarged. He walks with a significant limp.
Leo and Professor Peaslee move to the second exhibit which features a larger male acrobat and a female acrobat. They are performing strength type moves. The large acrobat is named Sergei and the woman is named Harriet. (Sergei is named in the second document and Harriet is actually married to the circus owner Clyde Beatty.) The final side show act involves a sword swallower and the strange deformed man that Archie spotted earlier. In the act the deformed man is known as the “Fish Boy”. For his act he dons a black hooded cape and crawls around the stage. For the finale he eats a raw fish.
Archie follows Vladimir into his tent then stakes out a spot where he can eavesdrop. Sergei and Harriet enter the tent and the trio start talking. They appear to be talking about committing some type of crime but it is not clear what they are planning. Even though Harriet suggests doing more research Vladimir says that they are going tonight.
While Archie is watching Vladimir’s tent Leo and Professor Peaslee go to see the fortune teller. As they are approaching the tent they see Charles Hower and his wife leaving the tent. They are giggling to each other as they are leaving. They say hello to the PC then move towards the main circus tent for the animal show. At this point Leo and Professor Peaslee enter the fortune tellers tent. In a flash of smoke the are greeted by a good looking woman with black curls and olive skin. She is wearing a dark purple gypsy costume with multicolored bobbles around her neck. After the PC have taken seats at a small table with a crystal ball she continues. She starts by asking them if they are having a nice time at the circus. She then asks what they want to divulge from the spirits. Slyly Leo says that they are looking for a book. With that she closes her eyes and waves her hands over the crystal ball. As she waves her hands the PC note that she is wearing a charm bracelet on her wrist that has sun and moon pendants. The sun pendants are exactly like the one that they found with document 2. After a few seconds she says that this book is shrouded in shadow. She sees it underground in a dark place…a dark tainted place. With that Professor Peaslee intentionally let the name of the book, the Tears Of Azazoth, out in the conversation. After hearing that she quickly ends the session and escorts out the PC closing her tent for the night. Leo and Professor Peaslee follow her back to Vladimir’s tent.
At Vladimir’s tent Sergei and Harriet are just leaving. The fortune teller ushers them all back into Vladimir’s tent so that they can talk in private. Archie overhears the fortune teller telling them that two strangers starting asking about the book. She fears that they might be coppers. Harriet responds that she will get rid of the book tonight. At that point the four split up. Vladimir, Sergei, and the fortune teller return to their tents. Harriet moves to the main tent where she appears to be waiting for the animal show to end. Archie decides to follow Harriet. Leo and the Professor head to the animal show.
After the animal show the PC meet up and decide to stake out the road to the circus. Around midnight a beat up car with Harriet, Sergei, and Vladimir pulls out of the circus lot. The PC follow cautiously. The trio of circus performers approach the Hower estate and park in a dark alley nearby. Harriet and Sergei use acrobatics to reach the top of the estate walls. They then hoist over Vladimir. The trio silently approaches the mansion. With that Professor Peaslee radios Detective Keegan and Tredge who are just now driving back into Arkham. They quickly head over the Hower estate to meet with the rest of the PC…
Date At End Of Game: September 11th, 1935
