Chapter and Verse - Reginald Wilkins & Isaiah Bartlett

[Grognardsw]

"Did you report the stolen books?" asks O'Reilly. "What were the titles of those books?"

The officer shows Reginald a page of gibberish from what the book dealer recognizes as one of Carver's notebooks. "Is this Carver's handwriting? Do you understand the language? Do any of your books contain such?"

Isaiah watches Reginald intensely. He has seen such writing before.

[Fulci]

Reginal doesn’t quite trust the wild-eyed old man. I deal in old and rare books, Mr. Bartlett. The books in question were old, and rare. Reginald looks to the policemen, to gauge their reaction to Bartlett. Reginald wonders what the police department could be consulting Bartlett about….

Isaiah just can't put Reginald anywhere. Is the bookworm just an ignorant merchant who would do anything for lucre, or is he himself a warlock, a fiend of evil sorcery? Dealer in old books or dabbler in ancient crafts?

"There is always more to a book than the cover..." he murmurs to himself, then turns to Reginald again: "Why did he destroy the book?"

Isaiah shrugs when noticing the signs on the piece of paper. He still has his hands laying on the table. But now they start to tremble. All his fears are coming true.

[SocraticLawyer]

"Did you report the stolen books?" asks O'Reilly. "What were the titles of those books?"

The officer shows Reginald a page of gibberish from what the book dealer recognizes as one of Carver's notebooks. "Is this Carver's handwriting? Do you understand the language? Do any of your books contain such?"

Isaiah watches Reginald intensely. He has seen such writing before.

Reginald answers the officer's questions. I didn't report the books stolen, officer. I suspected that Timothy had taken them, and felt the prudent thing to do was to confront him and try to convince him to give them back. Reginald again pauses, looking first at the floor, and then at his hands. I confronted Timothy yesterday about the books. I think he was drugged, because he was incoherent. Reginald feels a slight pang of anger as he says, One of the books, the Unaussprechlichen Kulten, Timothy had already destroyed. I recovered the other two. They are known as Malleus Maleficarum and Chaat Aquadingen.

Reginal pauses, taking a sip of water, before continuing. The last two were damaged, but thankfully not destroyed, by Timothy. They contain his gibberish writing, says Reginald, indicating the notebook the officer showed him. It is no human language, at least none that I have ever heard of. If it is a code of some sort, its cipher eludes me. I know of no other writing like it.

[SocraticLawyer]

"Why did he destroy the book?"

As I said, Timothy is quite out of his mind. I suspect narcotics of some sort are to blame. Reginald gazes levelly at the old man. Why do you ask? What reason do you suppose an educated man such as Timothy could have for destroying such a work?

[Grognardsw]

Officer O'Reilly nods his head as Reginald explains. "Hmm, yes, yes."

"When you say destroyed the book, what does that mean? Did he literally tear it up or burn it? Seems peculiar to take then destroy a book."

He examines the margin notes made by Carver, then hands them to Isaiah Bartlett. Old Isaiah has heard the titles of these tomes, considered in many circles to be quite profane (Occult and Cthulhu Mythos skill rolls please.)

[Fulci]

Yes, just as Isaiah thought: the same volumes of questionable lore resurfacing again and again. It's a pity he can't recall all of them... somehow his mind just refuses to accept information of dark alignment, no matter how hard he tries. In his youth, Isaiah experienced no difficulties remembering the verses of Virgil and Ovid, or the complex names of mineral and herbs, but maybe his consciousness was essentially against the occult... Still, he tried to remember any scrap of information regarding these titles.

"You see, Mr. Wilkins", Isaiah starts to explain, but the lack of oratory skills or, well, everyday human communication shows, "I agree that the young Carver has a condition and is not in his own mind. But while you see the stealing of books as a... err, symptom, I think these books might actually be partially the cause of his illness."

He takes a look at Carver's margins.

(Occult and Cthulhu Mythos skill rolls please.)

Mythos (10): [1d100] = 27
Occult (5): [1d100] = 30

[SocraticLawyer]

Officer O'Reilly nods his head as Reginald explains. "Hmm, yes, yes."

"When you say destroyed the book, what does that mean? Did he literally tear it up or burn it? Seems peculiar to take then destroy a book."

He examines the margin notes made by Carver, then hands them to Isaiah Bartlett. Old Isaiah has heard the titles of these tomes, considered in many circles to be quite profane (Occult and Cthulhu Mythos skill rolls please.)

You only wanted rolls from Bartlett, right?

It was indeed most peculiar, officer, says Reginald. Timothy tore nearly half the pages out of the book. I had hoped to attempt to salvage it by rebinding the tome, but Timothy would not return the missing pages. I'm afraid they are gone.

[SocraticLawyer]

"You see, Mr. Wilkins", Isaiah starts to explain, but the lack of oratory skills or, well, everyday human communication shows, "I agree that the young Carver has a condition and is not in his own mind. But while you see the stealing of books as a... err, symptom, I think these books might actually be partially the cause of his illness."

He takes a look at Carver's margins.

(Occult and Cthulhu Mythos skill rolls please.)

Mythos (10): [1d100] = 27
Occult (5): [1d100] = 30

Mr. Bartlett, books do not turn a man into a killer, says Reginald, with perhaps more force than he intended, almost as if he were trying to convince himself along with Bartlett.

[Grognardsw]

"Torn out... I see," responds Officer O'Reilly. "Did you find the missing pages? We have searched the apartment and they were not found.."

When Reginald mentions the destroyed - or stolen - pages of the Unaussprechlichen Kulten, old Isaiah's eyes widen. He has heard infamous references to this book, the English title of which is The Nameless Cults, though he does not know specific information about it. Isaiah peruses the margin notes Carver made in the Malleus Maleficarum and Chaat Aquadingen. He recognizes a few of the phrases written down, for he heard them when he confronted the cultists those many years ago who killed his son!

"What were these books about - could they be clues?" asks Officer O'Reilly.

Reginald recalls his conversation with Carver, and his mysterious references to knowledge having a price, and the exchange of one knowledge for another. What was the fate of those missing pages? The book dealer harbors suspicion that they were traded, but for what? Reginald, with his considerable background on books, explains the volumes:

"The Cthäat Aquadingen

deals with mythological unnameable sea-horrors. Created by an unknown medieval author, the word "Cthaat" is of unknown origin, "Aquadingen" roughly translates to "things of water". Aqua is Latin for "water", dingen German for "things". This book is a matter of considerable controversy. It also contains many so-called Sathlattae, rituals and spells related to Ubbo-Sathla. Some say that The Cthäat Aquadingen is only one in a series of similar books of forbidden lore collected in norther Europe around the year 400, as the manuscripts found within this volume bear great resemblance to those in the other volumes (Codex Dagonensis). A Latin version was apparently written between the 11th and 12th century, as was an English translation that appeared sometime in the 14th century. The more recent copies of this book are in English, and at least one Hindi copy has turned up."

"The Malleus Maleficarum,

commonly rendered into English as "Hammer of [the] Witches")is a treatise on the prosecution of witches, written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer, a German Catholic clergyman. The book was first published in Speyer, Germany, in 1487. Jacob Sprenger is also often attributed as an author, but some scholars now believe that he became associated with the Malleus Maleficarum largely as a result of Kramer's wish to lend his book as much official authority as possible. In 1490, three years after its publication, the Catholic Church condemned the Malleus Maleficarum, although it was later used by royal courts during the Renaissance, and contributed to the increasingly brutal prosecution of witchcraft during the 16th and 17th centuries."

"Unaussprechliche Kulten is believed to have been written by Friedrich Wilhelm von Junzt. The text contains information on cults that worship pre-human deities. (Reginald doesn't know more specifics.) The first edition of the German text (referred to by some as "the Black Book") appeared in 1839 in Düsseldorf. The English edition was issued by Bridewall in London in 1845, but (being meant to sell purely based on shock-value) contained numerous misprints and was badly translated. A heavily expurgated edition was later issued in New York by Golden Goblin Press in 1909, but sold few copies as its high production costs made it prohibitively expensive. Original editions in German have a heavy leather cover and iron hasps. Few copies of the earliest edition still exist because most were burnt by their owners when word of von Junzt's gruesome demise became common knowledge.

Reginald doesn't need to roll Occult.

[SocraticLawyer]

"Torn out... I see," responds Officer O'Reilly. "Did you find the missing pages? We have searched the apartment and they were not found.."

Sadly, no, Timothy no longer had the pages when I confronted him yesterday. Or at least, he would not give them to me. I had hoped to find them and rebind the book with them. Reginald thinks for a minute, and continues. He was, as I've said, completely out of his mind at the time. He mentioned ... trading, or exchanging, the pages for knowledge. Reginald shrugs his shoulders. Whatever Timothy may have meant, the pages are long gone by now.

Reginald stands up. I'm afraid that's all I know. Will there be anything else, officers?

[Fulci]

"Officer O'Riley, these incantations," says Isaiah, leaning closer to the policeman. "I've heard them before. In Ipswich. They were used by the madmen that murdered my..."

His voice trembles and fades. In the mean-time, Reginald starts reviewing the books. Isaiah cannot pay attention properly: his ears only pick up separate words. Sea horrors... Isaiah recalls staring into a deep well, a maddening abyss, into which his son's body -or what remained of him!- disappeared. The chants of the cultists echo in his head, and for a heartbeat he thinks that the same sounds somehow got impressed on the margins of Carver's notebook.
Unaussprechliche Kulten... Oh yes, he knows this one. Were the authors and copyists aware of the pain and suffering they are unleashing on humanity via these unholy passages?
And what about Reginald Wilkins? He knows too much. Isaiah knows: one cannot have a plainly "academic interest" in the occult. Consciously or unconsciously, all these historians and erudites are drawn to dark lores.

His voice still trembling, Isaiah confronts Reginald:
"You may try to... deceive yourself as long as you want, Mr. Wilkins. But those books you mentioned, they are not innocent pamphlets. And deep down, you know it."
He stops to gather his breath, then continues.
"There are forces abound---" he stops abruptly: he realizes that he starts to sound like a crazy person. Which he, admittedly, is, to a certain extent. "I am not trying to incriminate you or the young Carver. We must find the people the boy was in contact with... Before it's too late!"

Isaiah hesitates for a second. He is still unsure whether he can trust Reginald. Warlock or just a stupid, stupid man?.. He inhales deeply.
"Mr. Wilkins, you must help us."

[Grognardsw]

Officer O'Reilly's eyes widen as Isaiah explains he has read the "incantations" before. "That is a serious claim Mr. Bartlett, one worth following up on. We will want to explore that more at the station. Are you sure? We know of your stay at the sanitarium..."

His voice trails off as he looks to Reginald Wilkins for his response to Isaiah's request for help.

[SocraticLawyer]

Sanitarium...? asks Reginald, eyebrow raised. He lets the statement/question linger in the air for a moment, trading glances with the cops and the old man.

Reginald is puzzled, because clearly the old man knows something about Timothy's damaged mental condition. But just as clearly, the man is mad as a hatter. But if he is to learn what the old man knows, he'll need to do so away from the officers.

Of course I will help, Mr. Bartlett, he says. To the cops, he says officers, I'm sure you'll want to read the books that Timothy was interested in before his, ah, arrest. They are, of course, quite numerous, chiefly dealing with ancient history. He pauses for a moment. If you prefer, I can let Mr. Bartlett here review the texts in question and have him report back to you instead. I'd hate for some hoodlum to go unpunished because I detained you gentlemen here. Reginal smiles in what he hopes is an accommodating way.

[Grognardsw]

"Yes, yes, that will work," says Officer O'Reilly, looking about the bookshelves around him with some trepidation. "Let us know what leads you find Isaiah. We'll check with the Ipswich police on this past matter."

The officers stand up and thank Reginald for his time. "If you think of anything else relevant to the case please contact us," O'Reilly says, handing the book dealer a business card.

[Fulci]

Isaiah was hoping that his time spent in the asylum wouldn't surface, but now the cat was out of the bag, so to say. Denying it, of course, is futile.

"Yes, a sanitarium. Do you expect a man to face such a thing... then walk away with his mind intact?"

Isaiah is ready to defend himself, but he notices that Reginald is not pushing the matters - on the contrary, he feels a slight positive change in the book dealer's attitude.

It was still unfair from O'Reilly's side to bring up the past. Isaiah feels that this might be the end of his fruitful cooperation with the police. They won't find anything in Ipswich. The whole town by now must have been overtaken by the cultists, they have tainter, like a plague, all the magistrates and offices and institutions. "Ipswich, 1894..." he tells the officer. "But do not be surprised if you'll find all documentation mysteriously destroyed in a fire," he adds in his mind.

He is sure though, that upon finding nothing, the police will turn away from him. A pity - this department doesn't seem to be influenced and infiltrated by the unholy forces.

"The local department never started a proper investigation. You should try looking into the history of the Ipswich Masonic Lodge... you might notice some... patterns around that date..."

After the police officers left,
Isaiah turns to Reginald. The man seems to be ready to help. But what if it's a trap? What if the book dealer lures him into a trap, then his cultist associates jump out from behind the stacks?

Isaiah tries to determine whether Reginald is truly about to help. I made a roll - Psychology?
[1d100] = 98
(Probably unsuccessful, yeah...)

Isaiah casts aside his doubts. He has no choice. Whether he trusts Wilkins or not (he wants to...), it won't change a thing. He needs to get any information possible, and he needs to share his own thoughts with somebody more understanding, than the police.

"I'm not a fast reader... And nowadays, I prefer to read just one Book," he says to Wilkins. "So let us postpone them history folios for later."

He pauses for a second and inhales deeply, to calm his mind. He starts speaking slowly, monotonously, to hide the inner turmoil.

"In Ipswich, a shadow emerged from the depths and it corrupted the souls of my fellow townsmen... I was an owner of business, a successful one. I had a loving family. I was respected by our humble community. But it was they who turned to Devil-worship. I cannot speak the name of their demon gods. But I recognize these letters," he points at Carver's notes. "And the books you deem so innocent... they are all a gateway to this occult knowledge. I fear the young Timothy Carver was ensnared by this cult, somehow. If he killed, it was on orders and under influence. His soul needs to be cleansed - if we can hope he still has one left... But that's not enough."

"We have to find the others."

[Grognardsw]

Officer O'Reilly nods his head to Isaiah. "Right, Masonic Lodge, 1894."

After the officers leave, the old man reveals to Reginald dark secrets from his past. The bookseller has certainly heard of cults, and in his graduate studies explored Egyptian rites and rituals enough to know that people can believe in outlandish ideas and behave in extreme ways. There was also that old book he read in the past, which spoke of... Best not to dwell on it. But now Isaiah is saying that such blasphemous goings-on are happening now, today in 1925, under his very nose!

"We have to find the others," states Isaiah. The old man suspects Reginald knows more. And then there is that Gwen Baines, the agent for the national Bureau of Investigation. Isaiah looks at Reginald as the book dealer is poised to respond.

[SocraticLawyer]

"I'm not a fast reader... And nowadays, I prefer to read just one Book," he says to Wilkins. "So let us postpone them history folios for later."

Of course, Mr. Bartlett. I felt it best we discuss these matters outside of the presence of those lawmen, says Reginald.

"In Ipswich, a shadow emerged from the depths and it corrupted the souls of my fellow townsmen... I was an owner of business, a successful one. I had a loving family. I was respected by our humble community. But it was they who turned to Devil-worship. I cannot speak the name of their demon gods. But I recognize these letters," he points at Carver's notes. "And the books you deem so innocent... they are all a gateway to this occult knowledge. I fear the young Timothy Carver was ensnared by this cult, somehow. If he killed, it was on orders and under influence. His soul needs to be cleansed - if we can hope he still has one left... But that's not enough."

"We have to find the others."

Reginald can hardly believe what he's hearing. The old man is clearly bonkers. And yet, something about Timothy's behavior, his weird gibberish (both written and spoken), and Reginald's own past-- somehow Reginald feels there might there be something more going on here. And if Timothy is responsible for the murders of all those people.... Reginald shudders.

Mr. Bartlett, I'm still not convinced that these books you fear so much can lead a man to commit murder. But if there is something untoward going on, I agree that we must work together.

He pauses, and lets out a big sigh. Reginald looks Isaiah in the eyes, and says, How do we find them?

[Grognardsw]

"I have the name of a national Bureau of Investigation agent on the case," answers Isaiah.

"It would seem the murders must be multiple, or crossed state lines. We can talk to this Gwen Baines."

"Tell me, do you know more about Carver?" asks Isaiah of Reginald. "Anything Carver said, wrote, clues about who he has been in contact with or frequented?"

I posted for Fulci, to keep momentum going.

[SocraticLawyer]

"I have the name of a national Bureau of Investigation agent on the case," answers Isaiah.

Reginald chuckles. Another lawman? Why should he be any different than those two? asks Reginald, referring to the cops that just left his shop.

"Tell me, do you know more about Carver?" asks Isaiah of Reginald. "Anything Carver said, wrote, clues about who he has been in contact with of frequented?"

He kept mostly to himself, says Reginald. Timothy had few friends. But he left a note in one of my books, an address, with no other information. I was just there earlier today. I asked around, but no one had heard of him.

[Grognardsw]

“Well you may be right about lawmen,” says Isaih, remembering his own frustrating experiences with them years ago. “But if the Bureau of Investigation is involved, that must mean something is serious enough for the Feds to notice.”

“The tome you mentioned, the Unausprachlichen culten, if Timothy was reading that it confirms in my own mind he was involved with a cult. The pages missing – they must be held by someone, most likely part of whatever dark coven poor Timothy became ensnarled in.”

“May I borrow your phone?” the old man asks. He dials a number. “Yes, I’d like to talk with Agent Gwen Baines please. This is Isaiah Bartlett, concerning the case of Timothy Carver. I have important information.” He pauses. “I see, well please get a message to him.”

He hangs up. “Mr. Baines is not available. Perhaps looking at Timothy's books and notes more may reveal his thinking?" wonders Isaiah aloud.

Then the door bell tinkles. Reginald receives his first customer of the day...

A furtive looking old man whose face is a maze of wrinkles.



"I was told you carry esoteric books," he rasps.