The Armitage Files Session Log: Document #1 – Session #2 – A Girls Best Friend
Date At Start Of Game: September 6th, 1935
[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 2nd session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]
The Party’s Over
As the party at the Kingsport Yacht Club comes to an end Detective Keegan examines the walk-in cigar humidor. He specifically checks for the rare brand found on the cigar band found in Dr Llanfer’s valise. The cigars have been recently checked out by Oliver Gardiner, Elihu Smallridge, and a member named Samuel Watson. (Detective Keegan knows Watson to be a smooth stock broker.)
Standing Stone Research
The next day Leo Cuttling, Archie, and Tredge decide to start researching the standing stones at the Miskatonic University Orne Library.
Description Of The Stones And Circle
There are a total of 12 conically shaped stones that are equally spaced around the circle. Each stone is approximately 3′ high and appears to be comprised of dark colored igneous rock. They are nearly covered in natural grasses and moss. On the inside surface there are a series of what appear to be Oneida characters.
Description Of Symbols On Stones
The symbols represent the 12 various compass points that reflect the zodiac constellations. The circle is aligned such that if the campfire is the sun the stones reflect a celestial pattern where Mars is opposite of the Earth. This happens once every 780 days. Another such pattern will occur in 106 days.
Below the zodiac symbols are a series of strangely shaped symbols that are not Oneida in nature. These characters do not appear to have any meaning that the PC can immediately discern. There is something missing in interpreting them.
What Can Be Learned With Anthropology
The Oneida are actually infamous for constructing single standing stone like structures in the Northeast. For the most part the purpose of the stones has not been determined. This site reveals a much more advanced understanding of the heavens. Dr Peaslee realizes that this is something that has not been associated with the Oneida tribes in the Northeast. It would look very good to other Anthropologists or Astrologers. There are some members of the Oneida tribe in the region.
What Can Be Learned With Archaeology
Leo understands that the circle of standing stones is unusual and marks an important site. At some point it should be investigated in more detail. Possibly a dig at the site would be in order .
What Can Be Learned With Geology
Professor Cuttling is shocked after analyzing samples from the standing stones. The stones are not of this world! They appear to be meteorites. All of the stones are actually comprised of a single stone that has been crudely split up.
Pounding The Streets
Detective Keegan decides to pound the streets looking for thugs that may know where some of the disfigured bodies were dumped. He tracks down two men who handled the most recent “package”. The two men Keegan finds are David Larson and Louis “Campy” Campbell. He corners Campy in an alley and after softening him up learns where the body can be found and that Diamond Walsh has gone missing! Campy tips off Detective Keegan to the Walsh estate gardener who saw something strange. The gardener reveals that some of Walsh’s men found something strange at the back of the estate. Detective Keegan decides to call in the boys to find the body why he visits the Walsh estate.
Visit To The Sanitarium
Why Detective Keegan is pounding the streets, Leo, Archie, and Tredge decide to follow up on the reference in Document #1 to the Arkham Sanitarium. They pose as either relatives of other patients to get into the facility. Once inside they look for drawings or unusual behavior that might be related to the cases. When walking by one of the rooms Tredge spies a black gentleman hiding a notebook from a nurse. After gaining the mans trust Tredge learns that the man, Andre Brooks, can see a red box that nobody else can see. When Tredge says that he has also seen things that nobody else would believe it gains his trust. Andre shows Tredge his notebook which is full of drawings of a small box with a faint glow emerging from it. The drawings are actually quite good. After some digging Tredge learns that Andre actually first saw the box in the collection of his employer, Robert Hower. He was the family butler until he was taken away by the sanitarium. When Tredge asks what is in the red box Andre says only, “joy”.
Murder Investigation
At this point the PC converge on Diamond Walsh’s estate. Detective Keegan plans to visit representing the Arkham Police Department. The other PC plan to secretly scope out the back grounds.
Detective Keegan flashes his badge to the two goons at the front gate. After checking with the main house they open the iron gate and escort him into the house. Inside Detective Keegan is taken to see Dora Walsh. Dora is speaking with Earl Spencer, one of Diamond’s lieutenants. When Detective Keegan approaches Dora asks why Detective Stanley was not sent. Keegan replies that he is a “close associate” of Stanley’s. Dora assents and takes Detective Keegan to the scene of the crime.
At the scene the observant sleuth finds the following clues:
- Dora explains that last night around 3 AM someone put a pillow over her face. After this she heard a gunshot then “swooned”.
- The glass French doors are broken in leaving a gaping hole.
- On the bed is a blood stain near the midsection of where Diamond was taken.
- The door to the bedroom is broken off the hinges. It appears to be pushed out.
- There is blood on the glass from the French doors.
- Diamond keeps a rod in the drawer near his bed. It is currently under the bed and appears to have been recently fired.
- On the back side of the door is a bashed in area around 6 feet high and signs of blood.
- The guard on duty inside the house that night had a “tough watch and went home”.
Detective Keegan concludes that likely 2 people broke in through the doors, one muffed Dora, while the other grabbed Diamond. When one of the guards came in one of the suspects slammed the door into him killing him.
The other PC sneak around behind the Walsh estate and examine the area around the creek. They find what appears to be seaweed and two sets of extremely large clawed footprints. The footprints lead down a large sewer drainage pipe. About 30 feet down the water current starts to become strong. At one junction they find a set of metal bars that appear to be ripped out from the bottom.
Back at the house Detective Keegan ask Dora if they found anything else at the scene. Dora denies finding anything at the site. Keegan knows that this is a lie. He also assesses her character and realizes that Dora is too calm. Her recently married husband could be dead and Dora does not seem distraught at all.
Mastering their fears the PC gather and compare the clues that they have collected…
Date At End Of Game: September 6th, 1935
