Halloween Quill 2021 - Shadow and Ink Part 5

 (Read the previous letter here.)

Letter 5: Nyarlathotep

Background info:

Character: Artist  Issac Barnard (Skill: Inspiration  +1 dice to a single Language test) 

 Penmanship: Good (3d)
 Language: Poor  (1d)
 Heart: Average (2d)

Profile: As with the past two letters, the year is 1904. You live on the edge of the northern woods. For the past several months, you have had a front-row seat for the lights, chants, and other phenomena that have been occurring from somewhere within the woods. Because of these unsettling events, you were already contemplating moving to Nebraska to live with your mother when the most recent deaths and disappearances began. First, it was that student and her friend who was staying in the home of Catherine Gale while the owner was recovering in the hospital from a serious illness. Next, a journalist from Boston and his companion went missing after heading into the woods to investigate the same lights and sounds that concerned you. However, it’s the last death, the body you personally discovered, that prompted you to alert others of the evil that might exist in Arkham, Massachusetts.

Goal: You must relay the events to the editor at the New England Journal - telling them what you saw and that people have the right to know about it. Convince them to report on it at once.

Rules of correspondence: You write on high-quality vellum paper with professional stationery. Reroll your first Penmanship test and take the highest number.

Inkpot words will be printed in red,  flourish in blue. The scores for each paragraph are listed after the letter.

*   *   *   *   *

Dear Editor,

My name is Issac Barnard and I have been a resident of Arkham, Massachusetts for nearly ten years. I am an artist by trade, and I moved to New England for an opportunity to capture the homes, people, forests, and oceanscapes of this picturesque corner of our country in my paintings. My life has been enjoyable, but recent events have disrupted the town’s peaceful nature. Several months ago, some type of nighttime gathering began in the woods near my home, and people in town have grown increasingly secretive and curious. These alone could be dismissed as oddities and mere annoyance, however, things have grown more serious with several unexplained deaths and disappearances. I would urge you, Sir, to send some of you best people down here to investigate the facts themselves and report about it in your Journal before more people die.

The worst of this started with two girls. Their bodies were found in an upstairs bedroom of the house in which they were staying. According to my friend Charlie, who worked with the police, both bodies were covered with cuts that resembled shapes and symbols.  The man who found the bodies, a man of science from what I hear, knew one of the young women. He asked a lot of questions about the goings-on around Arkham and the late-night activities in the woods. He contacted a journalist friend of his and the two of them began their own investigation, beginning with a trip into the forest. I don’t believe their search went very far, however, for they never came out and were never heard from since.

It is the most recent occurrence, however, that greatly affected me. Two days ago I was walking my dog through a field near my home when I discovered a body hidden in some brush. It turned out to be my friend Charlie, who I mentioned earlier. He was dead, of course, but what was even more shocking was the state of his body. His arms, legs, face -- any part I could see -- were covered in shapes and images, all carved into his skin. I remember him telling me about the same marks on the two dead girls. I also remember he took a particular, almost obsessive interest in their case. He suspected occult involvement, primarily due to an old book and other writings that were recovered from the house. Charlie was constantly speaking of the Man from the Stars who was coming to bring peace to our world. He spoke of these things with such passion that I wonder if he might have believed them himself. Regardless, I fear he may have become too involved and that his death is related to the others and the strange gatherings in the woods.

I have saved the next part for last, primarily so you might first have some facts that can be checked out and verified, and thus be more likely to believe what I encountered next. I admit I have taken to drinking lately, and last night I was about a quarter of the way through a fresh bottle of whiskey when I heard the cacophonous music and chanting emanate from the woods. Next, lights from the trees shone through my window and illuminated my room. I built up my courage -- I'm sure the drink helped -- and set out to discover once and for all what was happening in this town. I entered the forest and traveled about two hundred feet when I came to a clearing. A circle of people, many of them whom I recognized, danced and contorted in a circle around a large bonfire. They were buck naked, men and women both, and their bodies were covered in the same gouged-out symbols I saw on Charlie. In the center of the circle, at the edge of the fire, was a finely dressed, lanky giant. He was nearly eight feet tall, wore a coat and tails, had on a top hat, and carried a jeweled cane. I couldn’t be certain if this man, his own face scarred as well, was the dancer’s object of worship or simply the leader of the service. Either way, he cackled as everyone chanted the name Nyarlathotep, along with other nonsense words, as though they were casting some spell. Soon, tendrils of light like lightning coursed through the group, jumping from body to body. Then suddenly, a creature with wings like a bat, a body like a skeleton, and a long pointed beak with needle-like teeth descended from the sky and alit on one of the cultists. That’s when I ran!

Writing this letter is my last duty to Arkham. Once I am done I will be packing my things and making for the station. I have seen too much and I fear it will be my quietus unless I leave immediately. Even then, it might already be too late. I wish I had never heard of Arkham, Massachusetts. If this missive compels you to act -- which I hope it does -- I would urge you to send a team of journalists, for their own protection. And trust no one. This must stop. I wish you well.

Sincerely,

Issac Barnard

P1 - Flourish: pass   Inkpot: 5 - superior word   Penmanship: 4,4,5 reroll per rules 2,3,5  both succeed.           
       Total Score: 2

P2 - Flourish: 4, 4 fail   Inkpot: 2 - inferior word   Penmanship: 3,4,5 success.
        Total Score: 1

P3 - Flourish: 3, 3 fail   Inkpot: 4 - inferior word   Penmanship: 3,5,5 success.
        Total Score: 1

P4 - Flourish: 3, 5 success   Inkpot: 5 - superior word   Penmanship: 2, 5, 6 success.
        Total Score: 4

P4 - Flourish:2, 2 fail   Inkpot  (use skill, +1 die): 1, 5 - superior word   Penmanship: 5,5,5 success.
        Total Score: 2

Total Letter Score: 10

9+ points

The editor of the New England Journal is very intrigued by your letter and receives it with utmost seriousness. After a few inquiries, he is able to confirm the stories of the disappearances and the deaths and feels, based on your account, that a thorough investigative report would be in order. He puts his top reporter, Jacob Hughes, on the story. Hughes writes back, hoping his letter will be forwarded to your new address. He desires to interview you more fully, should that be possible, but in the meantime will travel to Arkham with two other journalists, a seasoned veteran with whom he has teamed up in the past, and a young student just starting at the paper. The three hope to interview the locals and make it out to the woods in the hopes of spying on the activities that go on at night. Hughes promises to contact you when their trip is done to give you an update and schedule a time to visit for an interview.

Actual text from the rules: The letter from the editor is everything you hoped for. He is extremely interested in following this story and is immediately dispatching the Journal’s most seasoned reporter. Before long you’re getting paid a visit by journalist Jacob Hughes who interviews you about what you saw and decides to set out into the woods at night. Gain 2 story points.

Total Story Points: 6

(Read the next letter here.)

Halloween Quill 2021 - Shadow and Ink Part 4

(Read the previous letter here.)

Letter 4: Ceremony Of Scars

Background info:

Character: Scientist   Eli Jones (Skill: Detailed  +1 dice to a single Heart test) 

 Penmanship: Poor (1d)
 Language: Average (2d)
 Heart: Good (3d)

Profile: You have arrived in Arkham, Massachusetts to check on close friend Jemima Carter. Several months ago she traveled to Arkham in response to a request from one of her friends who had stumbled upon an item of great mystery. Knowing you are a man of science, Jemima has written to you several times for your advice concerning her friend’s deteriorating health, both physical and mental. It appears this decline is in response to a growing interest in the occult, an interest that has led to a neglect of general care (she is not eating much and wasting away) and physical harm to her own body, the specific details of which Jemima has not divulged to you. Then suddenly the letters stopped. Having your own concerns, you decided to pay a visit and check on Jemima yourself.

Goal: You must encourage Paul Washington, a friend from university and a journalist in Boston, to join you in your investigation, as you mean to set out into the woods to discover any clues about the cause of Jemima's death.

Rules of correspondence: Paul is fact-oriented and does not enjoy exaggeration. You have a -1 to Heart rolls.

Inkpot words will be printed in red,  flourish in blue. The scores for each paragraph are listed after the letter.

*   *   *   *   *

Paul,

I arrived in Arkham a week ago and I’m sorry I haven’t written sooner. As you know from my previous correspondence, I had hoped that we might get together to catch up on our lives since school. However, things have grown a bit more severe and I fear I might require your assistance on another matter.

I told you my purpose for coming to Massachusetts was to check on a friend of mine who had apparently gotten involved in matters of the occult. Upon arrival in town, I immediately went to the residence where she was staying. The front door was ajar and no one answered when I knocked, so I decided to enter. I called out to no avail and I assumed no one was home. To be sure, however, I ascended the stairs and entered a bedroom where I encountered an awful scene. Lying in a pool of dried blood were two women, one of which was my friend. Their bodies were covered in cuts and scars that seemed intentional, as they resembled hieroglyphs. I was about to run and fetch the authorities, if for no other reason than to flee from the gory scene, when my attention was drawn to the walls of the room. They were covered in various writings, some in English, others in a language I could not read. I became so enthralled studying them that I nearly forgot about the bodies. The words spoke about “old ones,” and “elder gods.” using words such as “Shaggoth” and “Tengu”. The most intriguing, by far, were references to some kind of Star Man. 

Eventually, I regained an awareness of my surroundings and fetched the police. After they took the bodies to the corner and cleared the house of any other documents they found, the authorities assured me they would begin a full investigation before dismissing the event as a ritual suicide. I will admit, my confidence in them is not that high.  Besides, I know Jemima and I could not fathom her taking her own life. So I began my own investigation by asking questions around town. While the residents with whom I spoke could not tell me anything specific about what happened to my friend, it was clear that they believed there was some sort of occult activity afoot in Arkham. A common tale I heard revolved around rituals in the sycamore woods that bordered the outskirts of town. While no one claimed to have been personally involved, many had witnessed robed figures, cultists they believed, walking into the woods on certain nights of the month. Around midnight, music and chanting could be heard, an eerie, pulsating incandescence glowed above the trees. Sometimes, winged aberrations could be seen passing in front of the moon.  These rituals, or whatever they were, would always end with a piercing scream.

As you know, Paul, I am not one to believe in spirit, ghosts, or the supernatural, but last night I saw something that gave me great pause. I was keeping an eye on the woods, hoping to witness one of these mysterious events for myself. Shortly after sunset, I saw three figures step off the road and head for the trees. Two were wearing hooded robes. I couldn’t tell if they were male or female. The third, who walked between them, was a woman with unkempt raven hair. I had this uncanny sense that some unholy, sinister plan was unfolding before me, so I gathered up my courage and approached. I lifted my lantern and called to them. The trio turned, startled, but not as startled as I, for the woman I saw before me was none other than my friend, Jemima. It was clearly her face, though she pale and held a blank expression. She did not look directly at me, but stared off into space. As further identification, her bare arms bore the scars I saw on her in that upstairs room. Before I could say another word, one of the robed figures grabbed her hand and hurried her away into the woods. I was rooted in place, fearful of what I might find if I followed. For the hand that grabbed Jemima’s was not human, but a scaly, sharp-pointed claw.

The next morning I was waiting for the local corner when he arrived at the morgue. I asked to see my friend’s corpse.  Even though I was the one to discover her body, he told me that was not possible. He was only authorized to let family members and officials see the body. That was hogwash and I told him so. Still, he would not relent. Paul, there is something going on in this town, some kind of cover-up, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it. My desire is to first travel into the woods and see if I can find any remnant of activity there. However, I dare not go alone and I trust no one. That is why, my old friend, I am asking you to come to Arkham and assist me. Your help would be invaluable and there might even be a story in it for you.

Your friend in need,

Eli

P1 - Flourish: 3, 4 fail   Inkpot: 1,3- inferior word   Penmanship: 4 fail   
        Total Score: 0

P2 - Flourish: 3, 3 fail   Inkpot: 3, 3- inferior word   Penmanship: 3 fail   
        Total Score: 0

P3 - Flourish: 3, 6 success  Inkpot: 2, 5 - superior word  Penmanship: 3 fail  Total score: 3

P4 - Flourish: 1, 5 Success  Inkpot: 2, 5 - superior word   Penmanship: 4  Total score: 3

P5 - Flourish: Pass  Inkpot: 1, 5 - superior word   Penmanship: 5 Success  Total score: 2

Total Letter Score: 8

6-8 points

Paul writes back to let you know that he needs to be careful and was smart in asking for assistance. While he doubts there is anything truly supernatural going on, Paul is concerned that some other criminal activity might be going on, though what it has to do with meetings in the woods he does not know. Regardless, you should expect him the next day and together the two of you should be able to at least find out what is going on with the investigation into Jemima and Pauline’s deaths.

Actual text from the rules: Paul is concerned for your well-being and his tone has an air of disbelief about your story. However, he tells you to expect him tomorrow and he looks forward to seeing you. Gain 1 story point.

Total Story Points: 4

(Read the next letter here.)

Halloween Quill 2021 - Shadow and Ink Part 3

(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.)

Halloween Quill - Shadow and Ink Part 1

To get in the Halloween spirit 😉 I’ve decided to play through the Quill campaign Shadow and Ink. (affiliate link)  This campaign presents five scenarios that are inspired by the horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. Each scenario can be played on its own or as part of a bigger story. If you play the latter (which is what I am planning on doing) you can score “Story Points” for each letter. If you are able to complete all five scenarios your total “Story Points” determines the final ending of the campaign. In addition to the new scenarios, Shadow and Ink offers six new characters to play.

Inkpot words will be in red, flourish in blue. The results of the dice rolls for each paragraph are noted after the letter.

Letter 1 - Vir Stellas

Character: Historian    (Skill: Detailed  +1 dice to a single Heart test) 

Penmanship: Good (3d)

Language: Average (2d)

Heart: Poor (1d)

Profile Summary (see product for full profile): 1887 - While in England, I have come into possession of an ancient book through auction. The book is written in an unknown language and most of what I can gather about its contents come from the drawings included with the text. I am unsettled by the book and decide to write to my friend Pierre who is an expert in the occult.

Rules of Correspondence: You will try to put forward your disgust and disturbance at the text - gain +1 to Heart rolls.

(The rules of Quill state your letter needs to be five paragraphs long. For proper form, I felt the final sentences of this letter should really be a separate paragraph. I did not make any rolls nor scored anything in this last paragraph.)

*   *   *   *   *

Pierre,

I realize this letter is long overdue and that you are probably eager to learn of my trip to England. As you are aware, this trip was prompted by my interest in a particular item to be sold by Sotheby’s. This particular volume -- the Vir Stellas -- was unique to me as I had never encountered any mention of it in any of my historical studies. Bidding on the item was fierce. Most buyers dropped out once the price reached one and a half times it appraised value. However, one gentleman of middle eastern descent seemed particularly intent on securing ownership. But I had to own the Stellas. We went back and forth until, at last, I posted the winning bid, the highest price I have ever paid for a single item and much more than any sane person would have spent on an artifact they know so little about. 

Upon return to my room following the auction I wasted little time before making an examination of the volume. I set it on my desk and studied it for a long time before even opening the cover. The exquisitely decorated tome was covered in intricately tooled leather. Grand designs of criss-cross patterns broken by all manner of geometric shapes lined the edges and filled the corners. Many hours of work must have been spent on the light tan material. I can only guess that previous owners took great care of preservation as little sign of wear could be detected either by sight or touch. 

Finally, it was time to open this mysterious book and see what was inside. The text was written in black ink by a flowing hand, each word a work of art. You can imagine my dismay, Pierre, at the realization that the text was a language of which I had no knowledge. I knew it was unlikely that it would be as plain as French or English. Still, the words on the pages bore no resemblance to any tongue of which I have encountered. Several days later I did bring the volume to a professor I know who specializes in ancient and obscure languages, but even he was unable to decipher even the tiniest fragment of what was written.

However, my friend, it was not a total disappointment, for throughout the manuscript are the most detailed, intricate, and, if I may be blunt, disturbing illustrations. While several of the drawings depicted buildings, maps, and abstract symbols, the majority represented hideous and grotesque creatures. Some were humanoid with multiple limbs or wings, like demons escaped from hell. Others had fish or serpent-like bodies. They were all shapes and sizes. Large bulbous beings with many eyes and tentacles. Small insectile critters. By the time I turned the last page my hands trembled and perspiration dotted my forehead.

But I save the most distressing thing for last. A single page, right in the center of the Vir Stellas, contained nothing but blackness, stretching from edge to edge. It perfectly resembled nothingness. Yet, I found it hard to ignore and I kept returning to that page. I stared long and hard, at first seeing nothing. Then suddenly images began to appear in the darkness. First, I witnessed magnificent heavenly bodies: stars, planets, comets. I felt as though I was actually flying among them. Next, I saw several of the disgusting creatures flying toward me. I wanted to flee, yet felt compelled to await their arrival. Finally, I heard voices calling to me, enticing me to join them. I was losing control of my own will and it took all my effort to close the book, ending the vision. Checking my timepiece, I discovered I had lost track of over two hours! 

Pierre, as I know you have vast experience studying the occult I urge you to write back upon receipt of this letter with any explanation you might have. Do you know anyone who might analyze this dreadful book and offer insight into its origin or purpose? I intend on returning to France shortly, however, if you have any colleagues in England who might be able to help, I am willing to stay and await your arrival, should that seem more expeditious.

Your friend,

Hampton McMillan

Scoring:

P1 - Flourish: 2+1=3 Fail   Inkpot: 1,1 inferior word   Penmanship: 1,4,6  Success  

        Total Score: 1

P2 - Flourish: 4+1=5 Success    Inkpot: 4,5 Superior word   Penmanship: 2,5,6 Success   

        Total Sore: 4

P3 - Flourish: 4+1=5 Success   Inkpot: 3,5 Superior Word   Penmanship: 1,3,6  Success   

        Total Score: 4

P4 - Flourish: 5+1 Success   Inkwell: 2,6  Superior Word   Penmanship: 4,5,6 Success   

        Total Score: 4

P5 - Flourish: 6+1 Success    Inkpot: 4,5 Superior Work    Penmanship: 1,1,5 Success  

        Total Score: 4  

Total Letter Score: 17 

Result: It doesn’t take long to receive a response from Pierre, who is clearly excited in the way he writes. He has read of Vir Stellas many years ago. The tome was said to have been a myth, but he always believed there was evidence to suggest that it was real. While he is unsure of exactly what the contents are about, he does believe it could be a magical text. He says that he is visiting you immediately to see the book for himself. Gain 2 story points.

(Read the next letter here.)