The Language at the Threshold

[FrankL]

Harold Matthers

While walking back to the basement, Harold whispers a question in Reg's ear. After Reg nods in agreement, Harold says, "Mr. Bartlett, we aren't out of the woods yet. While the agents are away, take my pistol. Keep it hidden until needed." Harold holds out his pistol, handle toward Isaiah. "And reload if you have the chance." He hands him two bullets to replace the ones he fired during the chase.

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, armed old man

"Thank you, Doctor Matthers. Your trust is much appreciated," says Isaiah. He quickly pushes the two bullets into the chamber before re-entering the room. He puts the gun in his pocket.

(I assumed it's a revolver of sorts. If it's something else, that needs more time and light to reload (e.g. by removing the clip first and putting ammo into it), he skips reloading)

[FrankL]

Yes, the BOI provided me a revolver when the raid commenced.

[Grognardsw]

Reginald, Isaiah and Harold walk back into the room from the tunnel. They see the hand-cuffed Darrin McCoy sitting on the floor, with two BOI agents nearby.

The investigators explain what happened in the tunnel.

"Well the room this guy came from," the agent says pointing at McCoy, "had papers and that chalk board. We have the club upstairs under control. Confiscated liquor, some opium and cocaine, and swept a bunch of people in for questioning about the cult."

[MonkeyWrench]

Darrin remains seated on the ground, handcuffed and a slight smirk on his face. He stares straight ahead and keeps a count on who is near him and who speaks.

[Grognardsw]

The investigators, with the two BOI agents and the hand-cuffed Darrin McCoy in tow, enter the room with the chalkboard. Scrawled upon it are words in the mysterious cult language, also seen in Carver's notebooks, in the margins of some Carcosa books, and in sections of the Pnakotic Manuscripts.

The script is copied down and various papers are gathered up. There are fresh ashes indicating that some papers were burnt recently.

Then the investigators hear human screams of terror echo down the hallway from the underground tunnel. They step out into the hallway as the yells continue, broken by gunshots and the rattle of the Thompson sub-machine gun. It lasts less than 10 seconds then is quiet.

The two BOI agents look at each other nervously.

[Fulci]

Isaiah Bartlett, wise old man

"Evidence was destroyed," Isaiah mumbles, examining the ashes. He turns to Darrin: "Was it your doing? What was on these papers? It's crucial for the invest---"

Isaiah is interrupted by the blood-chilling sounds from below.

For some reason, he is sure that the silence after the gunfight can only mean one thing: Agent Holmes and his troops were slaughtered by something unnameable. The underground passageway became their crypt. He starts praying.

"We need to go down back there..." he says, hesitantly.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer
Reginald examines the mural in this room in detail. He looks carefully at the image of Carcosa, not sure of what he is hoping to find, but knowing all the same that the image of the enigmatic man is deeply significant.

Reg is interrupted by the sounds of the screams and the gun fire.

Isaiah Bartlett, wise old manFor some reason, he is sure that the silence after the gunfight can only mean one thing: Agent Holmes and his troops were slaughtered by something unnameable. The underground passageway became their crypt. He starts praying.

"We need to go down back there..." he says, hesitantly.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, my friend," says Reginald. "Whatever lurks down there cannot be slain by conventional means. I suspect we would be walking to our deaths.

"We need the incantations from The Pnakotic Manuscripts and The Testament of Selene."

[FrankL]

Harold Matthers

Harold looks over the room carefully, he keeps glancing at Darrin to see if the gangster is acting more strangely. At the sound of gunfire, he looks back to the hallway they had left. When the silence follows, the blood drains from his face. "Something very bad happened back there. Leaving would be the best option by far." He looks back down the hallway to the stairs leading up to the kitchen, making sure the way is clear.

[MonkeyWrench]

Darrin remains seated on the ground, flanked by the BOI agents, he seems to be casually waiting. When questioned Darrin simply shrugs, a slight smirk playing on his face. When the screams and gunfire ring out from the corridor Darrin says nothing, only motioning to the cuffs that bind his arms, "Looks like you've lost more of your friends... your options are looking a little thin at the moment..." He shakes his wrists slightly, the metal sending a soft sound through the now quiet room.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer
Reginald looks to the remaining BOI agents. "We need to get out of here. Too many have already died. We've got him for murder," he says, indicating McCoy, "and we've busted the speakeasy. Time to head out. We'll get Carcosa next time," he says, with an uneasy glance at the mural.

If the agents agree, Reg will head out with them. He'll go with them to the BOI field office to question McCoy and the man who shot at Reg and Holmes (if he's still alive).

We copied the writings from the chalkboard, right?

[MonkeyWrench]

Darrin simply smiles at Reginald, a soft chuckle coming from him. "Got me for murder? We'll see how well that holds up."

[Grognardsw]

Reginald and Harold caution Isaiah about following Holmes into the tunnel. They counsel to leave, question Darrin McCoy, and continue the investigation, rather than face the deadly horrors under the graveyard.

The hand-cuffed McCoy does not answer questions about what papers were burned. The confident Irish gangster warns the men to let him go.

Reginald studies the copied chalkboard writing and the mural, noting details like the writings on the cave walls and the small image of Carcosa. He takes careful notes and has one of the BOI agents take a picture of the mural for later study.

"It's okay for you to leave," one of the BOI agents tells the investigators. "We have the Club raid under control, except for this tunnel and Holmes."

The agents move into the room from which the tunnel exits. "Agent Holmes, are you there?!" one of the agents yell. The sound echoes down the corridor.

In answer the investigators hear a thing which brings a cloud over their minds. One of the agents would later testify: "I do not try, gentlemen, to account for that thing—that voice—nor can I venture to describe it in detail, since the first words took away my consciousness and created a mental blank which reaches to the time of my awakening in the hospital. Shall I say that the voice was deep; hollow; gelatinous; remote; unearthly; inhuman; disembodied? What shall I say? I heard it, and knew no more. Heard it as I sat petrified in that unknown cemetery tunnel. Heard it well up from the innermost depths of that damnable hole as I watched amorphous, necrophagous shadows dance against the wall. And this is what it said:

“YOU FOOL, HOLMES IS DEAD!”

[Grognardsw]

The investigators shudder at the noise from the tunnel and agree not to pursue. The BOI agents excuse them as the Providence Police arrive to help the agents.

Reginald, Isaiah and Harold accompany two BOI agents back to the office with Darrin McCoy in tow. The investigators have a chance to interrogate the Irish gangster.

You may do so IC and we can play it out. Then the following meeting occurs, to move things along more quickly.

A few hours later there is a raid debriefing at the BOI. Agent Watson, temporary replacement for the presumed-dead Agent Holmes, addresses the assembled men.

"Bang-up job men, we shut down an active booze and drug operation. We've also netted many people of interest in our investigation of this damn cult. You've heard about the underground tunnel in the basement and the deaths of several agents, including Agent Holmes. We've cordoned the tunnel and entire graveyard and will be sending in military personnel. They're expected to arrived in a few hours and will explore the tunnels at 3:00 am. I'm sure they'll blow whatever the hell is in there to kingdom come."

Agent Watson shuffles some papers before continuing. "This cult - we've been puzzling together clues with the help of our consulting investigators." Nodding to Reginald, Isaiah and Harold. "We have several real leads of activity in New Orleans and Phoenix. This cult has drug connections, ritualistic murder ceremonies and a pseudo-language. Just what these nut-cases want and why is still unknown. We hope to corroborate and develop new leads after questioning those we arrested at Club Zothique."

"Mr.s Wilkins, Bartlett and Matthers, would you like to add anything?"  

After the meeting, the investigators are invited to talk with any of the detained Club Zothique employees and patrons.

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald Wilkins, bookdealer

Reginald, Isaiah and Harold accompany two BOI agents back to the office with Darrin McCoy in tow. The investigators have a chance to interrogate the Irish gangster.

Acting on a hunch, Reginald asks McCoy, "How often do you take xaqloui?"

"Mr.s Wilkins, Bartlett and Matthers, would you like to add anything?"  

After the meeting, the investigators are invited to talk with any of the detained Club Zothique employees and patrons.

"This is a dangerous cult. Tonight's raid was, at best, an inconvenience to them. If we wish to stop these killings, we must dig deeper."

Is the man who shot at Reg and Holmes still alive?

[Grognardsw]

The story continues and the unknowable reveals itself in Book Two: The Psychogeography of Terror, at

viewtopic.php?p=204866#p204866