Session 8

As the mist billows away the investigators realise that Mullardoch House is no longer visible. Instead, through the archway ahead of them is what appears to be an abandoned Roman villa. From ahead of them comes light and distance music, behind them the buildings are dark and silent, so they head through the archway.

On the other side they see that the villa is now a tall wooden tower with a great fire burning on its peak – like an ancient lighthouse. The archway behind them has changed too, now a simpler, lower building. Deciding that the lighthouse may be important, as it stands where Mulalrdoch House should, they enter its open door to find a bare room containing 4 masks on hooks and the stairs up. The masks are ornare stylised animals: an owl, a pig, an ape and a lion. They take one each and go up to the roof.

On the room a fire with no apparent fuel course burns in a great brazier. From here they can see the extent of the city, spread along both sides of the Loch, which is now also the Lake of Hali. Twin suns shine palely through the clouds and on the opposite side of the Lake sits a vast palace, from which faint music spills. The decision is made to head for the palace.

Back at ground level the entry gate has changed once more, now its surmounted by a great crystal sculpture of a bird with the head of a horse. Saunders catches a glimpse of movement, turns are sees two creatures that look like the Springer Mound Monsters fly behind a distant spire.

The investigaotopes head into the city, soon locating a high bridge, only a foot wide and without handrails, crossing a deep canal. Nathaniel Browne starts across, slips and falls into the water. Withers dives in after him, but by the time Bartlett and Saunders reach the edge of the path, neither can be seen. They call for their friends, but hear no reply. Saunders decides to hurry acroos the bridge, also slips and is only just saved by Bartlett. They decide to find another way across further downstream.

Withers hits the water, resurfaces and realises he cannot see Browne. Treading water he calls for him and hears a distant shout. Steps lead up from the water nearby, so Withers takes them. When he reaches the top the bridge back across the river has changed to something larger and safer, but Withers is alone.

Browne has had a similar experience. After hitting the water he splashed his way to the nearby steps, an shouted up to his friends, but nobody came. Climbing the steps he found himself alone, with an unfamiliar bridge back across the water. Then he heard a gunshots deeper inside the city, and thinking it was his companions, followed the sound.

Browne found himself entered a Roman-style ampitheatre, apparently in use as a theatre. He caught a slimpse of movement, saw a gun aimed from behind a pillar and dived for cover as a flurry of pistol shots came his way. He called out, and his assailant broje cover and ran for the exit. It was a portly middle-aged man in a tweed suit and tie, and the click of a hammer on a chamber showed he was out of ammunition. Browne intercepted the man, tried to tackle him and received a pistol blow to the temple in return.

At this the gunman realised Browne was just a man, and calmed and apologised, introducing himself as Quentin Spence. “Quentin Spence the poet?” asked Browne. It was indeed. Spence was pleased to be recognised and explained that he’d had enough of this place and was trying to leave. He’d come here at Edwards’ instructions, beign a member of the Hastur ‘brotherhood’ for some time, but he had seen monsters and horrors here that were more than his bargained for.

At this point Browne noticed the legs of a corpse sticking out from behind a piece of scenery, a local in carnival gear and a bird mask, dead from a bullet wound to the head. Spence leveleld his gun at Browne again, said “I reloaded it. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to kill him – just let me leave”. Browne told Spence he could leave, but could he please drop ythe gun at the exit, for Browne to have as protection. Spence nodded, scuttled away and threw the gun to the ground. Unfortunately he was bluffing, he had no reloaded so Browne had a gun but no ammo. Browne now wanders the streets of Carcosa alone and unarmed.

Withers soon encounters a group of locals, Carcosan revellers, masked as they all are. One of these locals, a leatherworker named Noss takes an interest in Withers and offers to be his guide. He can take him to a place where he can be renuited with his companions, or to the lakeside where a boat the the Palace can be procured, or to see the ‘other outsider’, who can be found at the Scultpure Museum. Withers asked about this man and from the description he is given realises that it is probably Alexander Roby, He asks to be taken the the Sculpture Museum.

Crossing the canal through a tunnel, Saunders and Bartlett find themselves in an area of narrow winding residential streets. The catch a distant glimpse of what appears to be the Stranger from the play, head in his direction and eventually come upon the gardens surrounding the Sculpture Museum, where they encounter Withers and Noss, who have just arrived.

Poor Nathaniel Browne wanders Carcosa alone, unware of any of this.