"Shadows Over..." - The Investigations of Josephine & Gordon

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "Hmm well was your cousin there with Elsie as well maybe he saw someone or something you may have missed? Do you know where he is? Do you think he would mind if we asked him some questions?"

[FantasyChic]

Josephine Clark sat next to the girl, putting a hand on her knee, trying to keep her calm as she spoke. She paid special interest to the dig she mentioned, remembering she heard some archaeology students talking about it before.

[Grognardsw]

"My cousin?" asks Asenath, lowering her dry handkerchief. "Who may I ask said that?"

"But yes, Tim was with us when we went to the concert. I'm afraid he's not readily available at the moment."

(If you'd like to apply any of your skill rolls in the conversation, feel free to.)

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym a bit embarrassed "Sorry yes Tim is whom I was speaking of. I thought he was your cousin. Sorry for the mix up. But not available where is Tim? Has something happened to him? If so that may be another clue to what is going on it may be more than just Elsie's murder, so please if you don't mind and it is not too rough a topic where is Tim? If something has happened to him please let us know."

[FantasyChic]

Josephine Clark continued to console the girl ""WE just want to help. Any information you can tell us will be useful

[1d100] = 58 Target 15

Do we level up any skills ever?

[Grognardsw]

"Timothy is my cousin," says Asenath to Gordon. "I was curious who mentioned that."

"He is Timothy Carver," she says simply, expectantly.

This name should ring a bell. See first post link to 'The Hunt...' thread.

As far as leveling up: Once per game day, any skill check successfully made has an opportunity to be raised by making a roll above the skill number. If made, it can be raised by 1d8. Any one skill can only be raised once per day, even if it was successfully used multiple times in one day.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym lets out a bit of a sigh and sits down "Usually I'd not reveal my sources but it was Reggie and I suspect him more than anyone else in this investigation I believe he is attempting to draw attention off of himself. However I must maintain an unbiased part in this and seek only the facts and evidence."

[Grognardsw]

Elsewhere...

Eddie Sharpe, reporter

"Sharpe! Get back here pronto! The publisher nixed your expense account. 'What does he think, we're the Bugle?' Jameson said. So I need you in the office tomorrow. We have columns to fill!"

"S-straight away, Sir," replies Eddie. After he hangs up he emits a low whistle between his teeth.

Back with his colleagues he confesses: "I've been summoned by my editor, Mr. Jameson, to return to Arkham forthwith. He is concerned about my lack of copy for the Gazette." Eddie pales slightly. "Mr. Bartlett," he nods a farewell, and then leaves hurriedly in order to pack.

[Grognardsw]

Gordon Pym lets out a bit of a sigh and sits down "Usually I'd not reveal my sources but it was Reggie and I suspect him more than anyone else in this investigation I believe he is attempting to draw attention off of himself. However I must maintain an unbiased part in this and seek only the facts and evidence."

"Ah Reggie, Elsie's boyfriend," replies Asenath. "I never did like him, truth be told."

The following happenings are known to Gordon; it concerns the Timothy Carver mentioned by Asenath.

After this post, read the next couple on Timothy. Then use this info as you see fit in talking with Asenath.

August 10, 1925, 7:50 am
Boston, Massachusetts
Apartment of Federal Agent Gwen Baines



Baines spreads out the photographs there on the bed.




All 15 are without heads or hands, torsos sculpted like those garnish vegetables at the fancier restaurants, carved into roses; the separate layers of skin, fat and muscle peeled back in triangular flaps into flowers of meat.

Police pulled in a 22-year-old bookshop clerk from Providence whose brother-in-law had found 12 human hands individually wrapped in the freezer and summoned the bureau. That's a lot of fingers pointing at the guilty party. He's being brought into the Boston branch for questioning by you today.

Then a wrinkle. A wino was picked up for vagrancy who, as it turned out, was carrying three heads in a Macy's bag.

It was assumed at first this was just some copycat thing, but it turned out that all the murder details have been kept from the papers. Neither man is likely to know the other. It's all some unlikely coincidence?

Gwen Baines is suppose to find out. Miller* wants Baines in this for a reason. He says Baines has "abstract patterning skills" so he gets the weird jobs. A scientist friend calls it "anomaly theory." Analyzing the evidence, carefully winnowing out the most troublesome details, obscure little fragments that don't fit and are often overlooked.

The knock at the door almost startles the contemplative Baines.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "Ahem. I already know about the bodies Tim has confessed to. I hope I am not opening up a sore topic with you." waiting for a reaction "I do suspect that it could be Elsie as another of his but you were there with Elsie and Tim. What do you think?"

[FantasyChic]

Josephine Clark perks up a bit "I read about those in the paper. Dreadful news. However, I don't think Elsie is a victim of his. It just doesn't make sense. The man admitted to so many other killings, why not add one more to the list if he did? No, something else is going on here and I have a feeling that town, Innsmouth, is where the answers lie. Especially that church."

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "You do make sense Ms Clark. I still do find that church very suspect as well as Reggie I think there is more than just the involvements of Tim at play here. Possibly a group of conspirators or of murderers as they each appear to have a similar method but add their own lets call it artistic flair or touch about it. As if to leave their own personal type of mark on the victims."

[Grognardsw]

"That all sounds so terrible," says Asenath as she listens to the conversation.



"I suppose it is strange that Tim didn't admit to Elsie's murder. But then again he must be insane, and who knows what crazy people do?"

"He seemed normal enough, though a bit too interested in his books. We was here visiting because he was researching at the Miskatonic library. I normally don't see him much, being he lives in Providence."

"A church in Innsmouth. Well that backwater town is certainly a candidate for housing degenerates."

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "The church sounds like a highly suspect place. Reggie trying to make is sound less than that surely is his way of a brush off trying to steer us away from there. Sorry to bring up your cousin. I think we have asked enough of you Asenath. I think we can go seek other leads we have. I thank you and sorry if I upset you in anyway." bowing like a gentleman to Asenath.

[Grognardsw]

Elsewhere



In the office of the Arkham Gazette, reporter Eddie Sharpe talks with editor Tobias Bentley.

"Welcome back Eddie. I know you had your jaws locked on this cult story, but  we're a local paper and can't afford our reporters going away for days of investigation. We have inches to fill and papers to sell."

"Now I have some stories that need writing - on new construction at Miskatonic, and a speak-easy bust. I know you're itching to follow these murders, and a true local angle has come up. That murdered Miskatonic girl, her family is wealthy and hired a private eye. I know the dick's boss, who agreed to give us the scoop if we play up how great his agency is. So after you get those stories I asked for filed, you can tag along with Gordon Pym. At least you'll be local, and the story will be local."

[makken123Tabs]

Eddie Sharpe, reporter

"Yes sir, Mr. Bentley, I'll get straight on it!" he says, mightily relieved because he feared his editor was about to give him the boot from the Gazette.

Eddie, at his desk, looks over the scribbled notes the hound on the spot jotted about the Miskatonic building and the speak-easy bust. Within the hour he has produced several columns of copy. He slaps down his work upon Bentley's desk, adding: "I thought a hot young flapper pic. would go well with the 'bust article? . . ."

[Grognardsw]

At the Arkham Gazette

Editor Toby Bentley reads over the copy approvingly.

"Ha! Yes a flapper would be a nice touch with that headline," he says.

Eddie's editor gives him the phone number for Pinkerton's Detective Agency. Eddie talks with a director there and learns that Gordon Pym last checked in with the office that afternoon, before he was to visit a Miskatonic University student. He'll have a message left for Pym that he is to call Eddie.





At Miskatonic University

Gordon Pym "The church sounds like a highly suspect place. Reggie trying to make is sound less than that surely is his way of a brush off trying to steer us away from there. Sorry to bring up your cousin. I think we have asked enough of you Asenath. I think we can go seek other leads we have. I thank you and sorry if I upset you in anyway." bowing like a gentleman to Asenath.

Josephine Clarke and Gordon Pym draw their conversation with Asenath Waite to a close. Both the amateur sleuth and professional private eye feel Innsmouth is their best bet.

Asenath gives a half-hearted smile as she gets up from her seat. "I do hope you catch the killers."

Gordon checks in with the office, where he is told by his boss that he should call Arkham Gazette reporter Eddie Sharpe. Sharpe will accompany Gordon in the investigation and write it up for the newspaper.

"Anatomy of an Investigation! How the Pinkerton Men Solved the Arkham Murder!" says Gordon's boss, imagining the headline. "Great publicity for the agency!"

Gordon hopes it works out that way.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym "Let's hope it turns out that way. Very well then where is the man from the press?" the P.I. says despite himself and waits to meet the man from the paper.

[makken123Tabs]

Eddie Sharpe, reporter

He catches-up with the P.I. and the sleuth.

Mr. Pym, Miss Clark, I'm Eddie Sharpe from Arkham Gazette," he says, shaking their hands and beaming cheerfully. "I've been asked to tag along with your inquiry into the murdered girl . . . I promise not to be a nuisance!" Eddie flips open a notebook and wets the tip of a pencil stub: "Any leads so far, Mr. Pym? Miss Clark?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Gordon Pym shakes Mr. Sharpe's hand and looks questioningly at his boss "Well nothing solid as of yet just possibles at the moment mister Sharpe. Timothy Carver was with Elsie and her friend Asenath before she was found and Elsie also may have been at the church in Innsmouth. That from the sounds of it maybe suspect to housing a cult. Also Elsie's boyfriend Reggie appears to be deflecting any attention we give him in being a suspect So as I stated nothing solid as of yet."