(Read the previous letter here.)
Letter 3: Inheriting Darkness Rewrite
Last October I began playing through the Quill Letter Writing game supplement called Shadow and Ink. (Affiliate link) Shadow is a five-letter campaign that is based on the works of H. P. Lovecraft. Each correspondence in the scenario can earn you a certain amount of story points which, when totaled up at the end, reveals the final outcome of the campaign. Last year, I failed on the second letter which ended the campaign prematurely. However, Shadow and Ink allows you a chance to write a second letter to the recipient and hopefully change their mind.
My last campaign ended when my character wrote to a friend who was practiced in the Dark Arts to ask for her help in a ritual that would connect my character to mysterious creatures from another world or dimension. The friend refused and begged me to drop the whole idea. (You can read the entire campaign starting here.)This letter picks up at that point. So far, I have earned 2 Story Points in this campaign.
Background info:
Character: Student Pauline Courbet (Skill: Inspiration +1 dice to a single Language test)
Penmanship: Average (2d)
Language: Poor (1d)
Heart: Good (3d)
Profile: I have inherited the Vir Stellas from my grandfather. With help from letters and notes exchanged between my grandfather and Pierre Durand, I can interpret some of the text. From the little I am able to read of the text, it appears to contain, among other things, certain rituals that might open a window to another world or reality. However, these rituals require two people to perform. I am writing to my friend Jemima Carter in New Orleans in the hopes that she will meet me in Arkham, Mass., and assist me in completing the ritual since she has expressed a knowledge of the dark arts and magic.
Rules of correspondence: Use your most persuasive language. Your first language roll automatically succeeds.
Inkpot words will be printed in red, flourish in blue. The scores for each paragraph are listed after the letter.
* * * * *
My dear friend Jemima,
Please forgive me if my previous correspondence upset you. I realize now how fantastic my story, without any preamble, must have sounded. Furthermore, I did not realize that your interest in the magical arts had waned. Had I known, I would not have involved you, lest my impropriety damage our beautiful relationship.
Instead, I attempted to take your advice and put the whole matter out of my mind. Between visits to Catherine in the hospital, I would take walks along forested paths, sit at the wharf and watch the ships come and go, or spend afternoons at the university library reading. However, whenever I sat down to pen a letter telling you about the pleasant time I was having, I could only write a sentence or two before my words drifted to things I had read in the Vir Stellas. I even found myself sketching some of its intricate hieroglyphs in the margins. Needless to say, I would destroy the letter and abandon the task till the morrow when I would try again, hopefully with more success.
While annoying, I could bear these distractions until a couple of nights ago. In my sleep, I was visited by a tall gentleman wearing fine clothes and carrying a jewel topped walking stick. His hardened face bore scars resembling many of the same symbols I saw in the ancient book. He beckoned to me and I gave in to his call. He led me out of the house and across the yard where he took my hand. I can’t explain what happened next, Jemima, but we were flying. Not in the air but through space. We passed planets and stars, soaring from one galaxy to the next. My guide showing me worlds inhabited by all means of creatures. Some were dark and terrifying, bulbous beings covered with scales and sleek winged wyverns. Others radiated light and were warm and welcoming.
The dream, if that’s what it truly was, was intoxicating. I wish you could have experienced it. I wanted to stay and talk with these otherworldly beings, at least the welcoming ones. I wanted to explore their worlds. But my guide told me this was only a glimpse of what I could experience. Everything I longed for I would have, but only by way of the ritual found in the Vir Stellas. That was the gateway that would open these worlds to me, worlds I could only catch glimpses of otherwise. When he finished speaking, he let go of my hand and I awoke, alone and cold in my bed.
Now I cannot push those visions from my mind. My soul is empty, aching to visit those other-worldly places. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I find no joy in my walks, books, or things of this dull world. I fear my only salvation will be to give in to the ritual. This is why I am making one more attempt to persuade you to come to Arkham and help me. I know your thoughts on the matter, you made them clear. However, I fear that I shall fall into a deep depression if I remain here. In fact, I already feel it coming on. It is as foreboding as death. If you care at all for me, Jemima, I beg you to reconsider. Please. Come. My life depends upon it.
Your old friend,
Pauline
P1 - Flourish: 1,2,3 fail Inkpot: Automatically succeeds per rules of correspondence - superior word Penmanship: 2,5 success
Total Score: 2
P2 - Flourish: 1,5,5 Succeed Inkpot: (use inspiration to add die) 3,6 Success - superior word Penmanship: 3, 4 fail
Total Score: 3
P3 - Flourish: Pass Inkpot: 4 Fail - inferior word Penmanship: 3, 4 fail Total Score:0
P4 - Flourish: Pass Inkpot: 3 inferior word Penmanship: 3,4 Fail Total Score: 0
P5 - Flourish: Pass Inkpot: 4 inferior word Penmanship: 2, 6 Total Score: 1
Total Letter Score: 6
6-8 points
Jemima responds that she will visit, more out of concern for Pauline than any eagerness to be involved with the occult. Still, she is mildly intrigued by what Pauline has told her about the Vir Stellas and she would like to have a look at it herself. After reading through it, she will decide whether or not it would be wise, or at least somewhat safe, to perform the ritual.
Actual text from the rules: Jemima is intrigued by your proposal, although is concerned about invoking a power that she knows nothing about. She says that she will visit, but must be convinced further by reading the book herself. Gain 1 story point.
Total Story Points: 3
Author’s note: Wow! Having only 1 Language die was really a handicap. I was too scared to try any flourish as long as I was on the fringe of 5-6 points, for fear that I would fail my inkpot roll and end up losing a point. I’m glad I made that last Penmanship roll. I was really concerned that this year’s delve into horror was going to end after only one letter. Next letter I will choose a class with a better Language skill.
(Read the next letter here.)
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