Session 6

Session Report - Played Monday 12th June, 2006

Tuesday 27th November

--- Continued ---

Withers fires - the shot seems to hit Lawrence Bacon but deflect away, hardly slowing him. As he closes on Withers the moonlight clearly shows his raised hands twisting, morphing and turning into the heads of a pair of hissing snakes!

Withers keeps shooting as Bacon closes on him, but the occultist hardly flinches. He reaches Withers and starts to flail his snake-arms at the Captain. Nathaniel Browne thinks better of attacking Bacon and instead goes to look at the remains of the vagrant – he immediately wishes he hadn’t.

Dr Bartlett hurls his Thermos flask and Saunders steps in to aid Withers, firimng a shot which rips through Bacon’s coat, scattering the contents of his pocket on the ground and nearly hitting Nathaniel in the process - Andrew begins to think better of firing into a melee with his skill in firearms. The combined brawl/gunfight is hard to follow in the dark night, but another shot rings out and Bacon yells – he’s finally hurt! Withers keeps dodging the snakes, his luck seems almost supernatural, until he realises he’s run out of bullets.

Saunders and Withers start pummelling Bacon, who pulls away from then, steps back, raises his arms to attack and treads on a loose stone on the edge of the canal path – it gives way under his bulk and with a cry of surprise he falls 10 feet to the cold water below, sinks like a stone and does not resurface.

Withers, miraculously unscathed, takes Saunders gun just as Browne hobbles up wielding a piece of wood he found in the alley. Withers empties Andrews remaining bullets revolver into the canal, hoping to hit Bacon if he still lives, but there is no movement or sound from below.

Saunders checks the items that fell from Bacon’s pocket and finds a bone whistle carved in the likeness of one of the Springer Mound Monsters and the keys to Bacon’s shop. The investigators immediately decide to search the shop, before Bacon’s friends have a chance to miss him.

Letting themselves into Bacon’s shop, the group soon split up. Browne and Saunders explore Bacon’s personal quarters, while Withers and Bartlett check out the basement, a low, cluttered space from which comes a distinct smell of decay.

In Bacon’s study Browne discovers copies of ‘Le Roi en Jeune’ and ‘der Wanderer durch den See’ as well as a book titled ‘The Turner Codex’ which appears to be a translation of prayers and libations in the name of a being called ‘Hastur’, and which conatins the full text of the verse that was carved on the stones at Clare Melford.

Saunders finds an intricately engraved chime or bell hanging from a hook. Shortly after he picks this up gunshots sound from downstairs.

As Bartlett and Withers started to try to clear the basement of junk they disrturbed something. There was a scuttling, a snuffling and a scrabbling as a horrible humanoid, dog-faced creature came out of the darkness towards them. Bartlett, who had a clearer view, ran in terror, as Withers fired a shot into the darkness, hitting the creature, which yelped. The unmistakable sound of more creatures coming up from the depths caused Withers to beat a hasty retreat. He initially considered setting fire to the junk in the basement to burn the creatures out, but a moments thought made him realise that these creatures were coming up from the ground beneath the house, most likely from the sewers (a rather disturbing thought!), and any attempt at burning them in their lair would be a true exercise in futility. He met the others coming downstairs and told them to flee.

They ran into the night and return to Browne’s home with the spoils of their conquest of Bacon, and supplying a stiff drink to the extremely shaken Dr Bartlett.

Wednesday 28th November

The next day, everyone is somewhat shaken and short of sleep. Browne decides to look for new accomodation, concerned at the possibility of a vengeful Coombes. Bartlett spends the day coming to terms with a new reality, and locks his basement door.

Saunders hits the books in search of an explanation for what was living beneath Bacons’ house, and finds references to the lore of Ghouls. He packs his wife off to visit family in Inverness

Thursday 29th November

A letter arrives for Dr. Bartlett. It is from Wilfred Gresty, thanking Bartlett for ‘the murder of Bacon’ and containing intriguing references to Hillary Quarrie, Nug’s Farm and what appears to be a cult worshipping ‘the Goat’ (maybe Shub-Niggurath) in the West Country, whose leader, Atkinson has failed to sleep with Hillary and who Gresty intends to supplant as leader.

Bartlett catches the train to Hereford, for Friday’s release hearing for Alexander Roby. Although initially intending to be accompanied by Withers, due to the events of last night he asks him to stay in his house while he is away from home, and protect his wife.

He dines with Dr. Highsmith.