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A Report of the Boston Occult Society
(Fall, 1922)
Submitted direct from operatives' notes
Page 1
Tues Oct 6th 1922
Charlie + Betty wake up to 2 men w/suit + semi-auto SMG saying "Good Morning!"
They have come to collect him for an appt. Go w/tehm.
Karen, meanwhile, has woken up -- goes downstairs, calls
police, takes shotgun, sneaks back upstairs to Charlie's door.
Charlie out first, then SMG group, Karen shoots guy (dead).
Other w/gun @ Betty's head, shoots Karen when she says she's called the police.
Swap guns, guy rushes for window + jumps out. Betty
not in room -- also out of window -- rush down, both unconscious. Man
carrying 2 guns, ID as "William Sams"
Police, ambulance, arrive.
Late morning...
"Sams" works for "Businessman Shorty" -- Boston "will-be"
mobster.
Douglas Short's off -- Charlie, Hookl, Karen, O'Reilly,
Edward Grayson (to meet there), Vendredi, Jenny.
Secretary's office -- (two armed bodyguards). All
go into Short's office -- he's behind the desk. He wants to hire McNish
-- he is subpoenaed to appear in a particular county (where Dunwich is) --
accused of certain atrocities there, + didn't do it. Want Charlie to
go there + find out who did.
O'Reilly asks what atrocities?
Manilla envelope has clipping from Dunwich Herald about
mobster activity in county -- people intimidated by people in dark suits
-- + Mass ?dicks? decided had to be mobsters, Mafia. Why pick Short?
(never been there, don't know anyone there?)
Why Charlie? Only PI he knows, through death of
Nelson Blakely. It would be a shame if the details got out...
Charlie will at least look into it + see if it's within
his area of expertise. -- will send someone as not as healthy as earlier
this morning...
Only have a week till the subpoena date...
Only a small no. of "competitors" could do this, but don't
know who.
Back to House.
Said Karen (in charge) w/MiGo stick, O'Reilly, Edward
Grayson, Hook, Vendredi, Jenny, on evening train.
Arrive in evening in Dunwich.
Guys have accosted farms N. of town.
Look @ lay of land? Rent horses. Jenny will
ride a horse, Hook drive a carriage.
Page 3
3 rooms @ hotel -- Karen / Jenny,
Hook / Vendredi, Ed Grayson / O'Reilly.
The file -- stories of people beat
up or intimidated -- but all in rural area N of town -- demanding move away.
Grayson gets maps + plots incidents. -- articles spread over last 3
years. (most recent a couple of months ago)
Wed Oct 7th 1922
Grayson spends all day w/map +
checks if any of that land has been sold...
Hook talks to the black man
in Dunwich hotel -- friendly -- finds -- where speakeasy is, (no gambling
around here tho'), doesn't know anyone N of town. Couple weeks ago guy
shot in town @ speakeasy (they say he's a mobster) -- out back - don't know
who shot the mob guy...
O'Reilly - "I'll try the Irish maids"
- asks them about things - follow leads of Irish people through - don't hear
a lot - stories of owner/farmers + families being menaced + pressured to
sell - some incidents of violence over years but not tied to anything - no-one
know why or what connection. None of these people heard of Shorty.
Karen (w/Jenny) look for old people
- they're doing a local history project (for school - Radcliffe), etc, etc,
- various stories of legends + tales + stuff - during Civil War, was reports
of witchcraft in area N of town - animals disappearing. People got
sick (like spells) + one year all crops died in that area, + in end burned
at stake? says one, others were hanged, for being witches.
Vendredi ask @ hotel for appointments
for entertainer in area (prestidigitator) - to rent a hall, put on show?
Do it Saturday, perhaps? Hotel guy will set it up, for Vendredi getting
32% of gate. (Takes his watch while shaking hands + gives it back)
Dinner...
Grayson has learnt - all farms
in clump - same are 10-14 farms - if include a couple of farms not in list,
a perfect clump. 8 of farms sold to Brandon Young, legal address +
law firm both in Boston (have addresses). No other transactions to
him or by law firm. Also, all sold to BY, murder on Sat before sales,
then 2-3 weeks ago, right after murder, in a span of ~1 wk, all resold to
various random persons (have names, all addresses local), local law firm.
(Resold slightly higher price, for higher than reasonable appreciation).
BY has not retained any. Gets list of churches (to check membership
rolls tomorrow) - tomorrow will if anyone asks, says is lawyer from Boston
checking for people due inheritances (give law firm address to back up truth
of claim.)
Page 5
(still dinner)
Hook ask server about the murder
behind X's place (speakeasy) - (not a name on any of Grayson's lists) - mobster
- what are gangsters doing here? - no-one knows - what are we doing
here?
Hook ?dining? - Karen + Jenny here
on local history project - O'reilly tracing relatives of parishioners - Vendredi
doing act, of course - pulls coin out of server's ear!
Grayson talks to O'Reilly - to check
on names @ church, perhaps? Well, no, probably. Grayson will
get law firm to check on BY.
Karen talks about witches - Grayson
asks if anyone claims to be a descendent of witches?
Evening. Vendredi, Grayson
to speakeasy, driven by Hook (who stays outside). Murder - no-one knows
who assailant was. Guy was around town for a long time, come + go,
dropped by speakeasy occasionally, one night shooting out back + found body,
don't know what did in town when visited. Clientele is local men, most
farmers, a few loud shopkeepers.
Night uneventful.
Thursday 8th Oct, 1922
Grayson checks all 11 churches...
turned away a lot because don't want to open rolls. - at last one, gets to
see it for "donation" - $100. None of the names are there. Another
($50), none of names again, another ($50), no names.
Page 6
Karen + Jenny check the old again
- there are people in town who claim to be descendants of witches, but doesn't
know whether of those witches.
To police station - explain about
local history project - ask about interesting strange events - ... no info,
etc.
Deputy asks about Karen's health
- she says someone broken in + she was shot, not as bad as the knifing last
year!
Look for "Frank Halsom" - who claims
to be a witch descendent - is a hand at a farm N of town (not one of those
farms). Go see him.
Hook drives K+J out to see him -
K explains that the system oppresses the people + must be overturned (on
way).
Karen explains as usual - FH's grandmother
claimed to be a witch ("Suzanne Halsom") - did spells, love potions, etc...
- grandfather owned a farm West of here a few miles (in target area!) - his
farm was called the Francis Farm.
John Francis was one of the original
sellers (to Brandon Y, now owned by ... ).
Stop + Hook ask for directions to
Francis Farm, go there. Looks abandoned - has been for a while (since
Brandon bought it?). Look around a bit. There's a building that
to Hook looks like a root cellar, to J looks like where a witch would go.
Hook goes to barn to look for lantern but can't find one.
Hook opens it - look in stairs -
Hook goes down, Jenny goes down - lots of ruined vegetables. Search,
but find not a thing unusual. Go back out.
Talk to mouse - he suggests basement
of house. People don't come here now.
Page 7
Would check basement, but no light
so go back to town.
For next time:
- Who does BY work for + who is he?
- What court case is scheduled for the subpoena
date?
- Who is prosecutor, + does he frequent speakeasy?
- Solve murder.
- Why are some of those farms not sold
(O'Reilly to do today)
- What's connection between BY + people who didn't
sell (+ any connection between eight who bought?)
- Last reported incident was 2 months ago.
- Lawyer to check name of dead man (or Vendredi,
to get a policeman to attend show + supply w/handcuffs, etc..?)
- Connection to Mr. Short?
- Where does speakeasy get it's booze?
Hook call back to bookie friend - never heard of BY.
Page 8
Grayson check local cases, talk
to DA, police, check subpoena, local law firm who represented sales, name
of dead man.
Grayson check police about murder
- case is open - (pretends has client interested in land in area) - says
almost as if people being driven out - police agrees, then asks why interested?
Grayson says he doesn't know - Is Brandon Young a suspect? Policeman
doesn't know of him - someone buying land in that area would be a suspect
(e.g. Grayson's client)- Now if that's true, + BY not a suspect, that's
strange - Grayson says that from deeds, found out that BY has been dealing
land out there - tell policeman to contact law firm w/any questions, + tells
where staying.
Are other harassment cases open?
No. Some are closed w/o knowing who. No-one around who wants
to press charges any more, left or moved away. Cases don't have much
information in them. Could check w/Post Office for forwarding addresses.
- Grayson to court house, + check
records for the subpoena case - they're looking into the death of Layton
Parker (address unknown). Evidence filed? Coroner's statement
of cause of death (gunshot, .45, close range, no sign of struggle).
- to prosecutor's office - Shorty
not charged w/anything at this point, but they have evidence that victim
worked for Shorty. Any indication that related to business competition?
That's what prosecutor wants to find out.
Page 9
Alerts prosecutor to BY's suspicious
pattern of buying + selling. Pros: what connection w/death? But
Parker wasn't in that area. no known connection between harassment +
the murder...
Grayson apologizes, makes excuses,
+ leaves in confusion (but w/case No., (which is same one as subpoena)).
O'Reilly going out to 4 farms
which were not sold, to check connections w/Brandon Young.
Farmhand: Yes, someone try to buy
farm, doesn't know who, etc.
Next farm - no hands in sight,
go in.
Pattern find is general -- some
of hands know of stories of harassment (beating in night, etc). Some
harassed, now they connect it to the murder. They have had stories
of being sold. - some know that owners against selling, some "will never
sell", one doesn't believe in mob involvement. No evidence of collusion
between them.
Vendredi practices act.
Page 10
Dinner:
Lawyer warns us that someone in
village now has connection between him + shooting, + therefore shouldn't try
to hang around w/him...
Night:
Jenny wants to try dreamlands w/Karen,
Vendredi will hypnotize to help.
But doesn't work...
Friday 9th October 1922
- grayson visits a farm (not sold)
to speak to owner - Mrs. Kekk - asks about threatening + trying to get people
to sell - drumming up business speil. Leaves card + says to call if
any more trouble.
Mrs. K hasn't been bothered since
the last date of incident.
- next "holding out" farm - same
stuff - Mr. Tenny - who feels police have been pursuing matter properly, no
harassment since.
- Grayson back to Boston.
Page 11
The rest of us...
Plan - investigate speakeasy + find
out about murdered man.
- what connection between final
buyers.
( - connection between never sold
is all were pressured but will not sell.)
- 3 wks ago murder. Week
before murder all sales happened. Last harassment's a month before
that.
- looking for something, found it,
and sold up?
- check library for some of this.
Priest will check for connection
between BY, Layton Parker, etc.
- None of people who sold stayed
in area.
- also check if hired hands stayed?
(O'R will do).
Page 12
Hook check post office - forwarding
address for Brandon Young is in Florida. Did live on one of the farm
NE of town - one of the eight. Hook going to check him out.
Library - Karen + Jenny + Vendredi
go there.
Look for old occult books - what
might have been here? No occult books here, so look @ local history
(where Vendredi is) No useful information at all?
Ask librarian to help.
K+J will check old men again.
O'Reilly: check in w/local priest
who doesn't know anything about anything (murder, BY, etc.). Priest
been here a long time... O'R says his parishioner thought someone was looking
for buried treasure, or something - local priest doesn't know O'R - were
houses bought w/contents? One was robbed. ...O'Reilly explains
theory to priest, as if something BY wanted was in these farms, Priest suggests
getting law onto BY + get him to explain... Priest: A lot of farms
went fallow in that time, which supports theory. O'R explains that
he thinks it might be occult related. Priest says need to find Brandon
Young.
Page 13
Hook - goes to farm where Brandon Young lived... (alone,
so no report yet!)
Hotel - Hook reports: BY did not stay under that name
in any inns in this town. Last known address locally is a house that
has not been lived in for years . Mrs. <?> on farm (not sold)
got a letter from him advising her to sell w/return address as PO Box in
Boston. Will send telegram to lawyer to check it.
(Witch live on Francis Farm, BY's was not that one) 3
closest farms to that lnl. BY's also abandoned.
K+J talk to checkers men. no info. Leave.
Hook + Vendredi check w/Mrs. <?> + get description
of BY. (Not same as Layton Parker)
Then check BY's farm. Locked. Vend opens lock
- they look around -
Dusty. No tracks in dust. Most of furniture
gone.
Check other buildings - nothing.
Cellar - no obvious stuff there.
Hook checks postman, ask if BY picked up his mail here
- there's none here for him, didn't get a lot of mail - Hook describes BY
- doesn't remember him. Hook gets Florida address for BY (PO Box in
Ochopee, FL)
Lawyer: Parker works for Shorty (in Boston) - shocked
that dead. Grayson tells Shorty about BY, land, etc. S doesn't
know why Parker was there, + never heard of BY. Parker was probably
doing it on own, as not too competent.
Dinner: share stories. O'R mentions robbery - which
was before last harassment's, + to farm that was never bought - the little
farm that O'R didn't check out, which is one Hook talked to - Robbery + last
harassment (killing of dog, shot) to same farm!
Night.
Sat Oct 10th 1922
O'R goes visit Mrs. <?>=Marion Shuttlesworth. Asks
about harassment - dog was guard-type dog, shot a way away from the house
(but on her land) - but odd that she didn't hear the shot...
her farm's essentially an island among the abandoned ones.
Dog shot at night w/a large gun of some sort.
Robbery - she was in town, during day - someone came through
window, searched house, stole money + some heirlooms. Jewelry, and
an ornately carved box - She draws a pattern of the carving. Nothing
was kept in box - been in family for long, long time. Carving is prob.
Western style, not Arabic, Oriental, Jewish, American Indian, Celtic - it's
a geometric pattern. Box was 1' x 1.5' x 6". Normally kept on
dresser, not something a casual visitor would see. Some jewelry had
been in family for a long time - one piece was v. ornate - early american
silver; rest was fr. grandmother. Drawing. Jewelry box kept on
dresser - just took jewelry. Money was kept in strongbox under bed.
Whole house was searched. (Family papers were in strongbox +
taken.) Search was fairly careful + tidy - but looked in everything.
Dog shot - windows were open, but didn't hear the shot.
She spoke to sheriff about the shooting.
What other warnings - orig. letter, then a whole bunch
of incidents, some of which sound innocent, some maybe intentional, none
of which were particularly menacing until robbery + shooting.
Page 16
Husband dead, no sons, hired man not living on farm (no
incidents happened to him)
Hired man - suggests dog shot somewhere else + brought
here?
O'R back to town, ask sheriff about robbery + shooting.
- tells him about the theory of looking for something nasty + hidden. Sheriff
doesn't believe about land pattern. O'R explains further. Sheriff
listening + less skeptical. Dog shooting when no-one heard the shot
- did he consider dog brought it? Hesitate to talk about it 'cos still
open. Sheriff asks O'R about Ed Grayson. O'R asks about the box
that was stolen - he knows nothing more about it. Sheriff says if O'R
is staying in town, will keep him informed. O'R explains may be out
of town for a few days.
Hotel, lunch. J says box looks Occultish. O'R
copies drawing, + leaves for Boston to check w/Charlie.
K+J talk to Mrs Shuttlesworth - no stories etc.
Page 17
All back to Boston.
Charlie - says "we should get this box! it should
not be in circulation" Dog shot w/silencer, perhaps? (e.g. mobster)
Vendredi's show is great.
BY's town in Florida - Ochopee - small lumber town - Hook
calls operator there - no listing for Brandon Young - not heard of him.
Betty checks PO, + the box has no forwarding address.
- try to get street address - the PO box + the ?comation? w/New Dunwich
out in swamp + that's where all of New Dunwich gets its mail. Get directions
to New Dunwich - "go to Ochopee, + get a guide to go into swamp - alligators,
mosquitos, (~1-2 doz people)
So expedition to New Dunwich must be arranged.
Plan: fly by seaplane, w/dynamite, then while others investigate,
Charlie fly over every day + on signal land in swamp to collect them.
Trip - 2 days, arrive on third day.
Page 18
Sunday 11th Oct 1922
Morning - Hook, Charlie, Karen.
Go see Mr. Short - does Mr Short know about BY's law firm?
- not a front for anyone.
Parker not supplying speakeasy. Parker was "muscle".
Parker didn't normally work for anyone else, so in this case had big
incentive? (He was not a burglar, so didn't do burglary)
Shorty has no contacts in Florida.
He asks us about who local people in Dunwich are (Sheriff,
judge., etc.)
Go home.
Vendredi arrives in afternoon.
Monday 12th October 1922
Arrange seaplane - Jenny arranges payment.
Tues 13th oct. '22
Fly toward Florida
Page 19
Thursday 15th oct '22
Arrive! Land at Ochopee -
Dynamite, MiGo stick, clothes, swamp clothes, hip waders,
shotguns (Jenny has hunting knife with her fashionable hunting gear), flashlights,
truncheon (O'Reilly), get shots as needed, snakebite kit, mosquito hats,
Tennis racquet.
- small lumber town
Arrange plans to sleep - Hook in hay loft - Grayson +
O'R boarding locally.
- Charlie fly to nearest town (few minutes/ 1/2 hour by
car) + operate by car.
- Hook get names of guide, 2 of which (Tim Bush + Bob
Watkins) may not deal w/him, but another will - Arvid Delp - can be found
at bar. Find him. (Bar is segregated). Ask bartender who
he is - Delp is in a corner alone. - belches stc., leers + winks at females,
spits tobacco. - Hook offers him $3/day, cash, will need boat for 6
+ him - take most of day to get to New Dunwich, says Delp, + cost $10 out
+ back - have to rent own boat (general store) - will have 3 skiffs - 3 days
food, 1 day water ea. skiff. 1 hour after sunrise at general
store.
Hook takes Charlie + Vendredi to bar to meet Arvid. New
Dunwich is pointed out - party will use flares to call him in.
Charlie fly to town, where all stay.
Hook gets garlic to put in his shoe.
Page 20
Grayson asks people stays with about New Dunwich.
- bad place - in swamp = town been there a long time.
- say it's haunted - people never come out of the town - say that people
who go there never come back.
Friday 16th Oct '22
Just after sunrise, Jenny, Karen, Vendredi arrive + meet
rest. Hook, Grayson, + O'R breakfast @ general store, where proprietor's
wife cooks it for them.
Gear + boats costs $50.
Arvid arrives + go
Arvid lead boat w/ O'R; Hook back w/Grayson + Jenny, Vendredi
middle w/Karen + dynamite.
Off we go!
Insects, snakes, humid, almost 90 degrees, gators, smells
rotten. O'R + Vendredi are sick.
Page 21
Reach New Dunwich! ~1pm
Very small town. Arrive at dock. ~12
houses in rough circle around "town hall". Place in bad shape. see
no-one.
Argue w/Arvid about staying - he will for $50 + all the
liquor he can drink. Tell him we're looking for BY + the box (wqe'll
be grateful to find it).
Go into town (Grayson sets up camp near water, + sets
up pallisade + traps, then set up trip line w/trash to make noise)
Arvid find "Young" house.
(Was labelled Harlow, now labelled Young)
It looks like a New England town in the swamp.
Hook walks up to porch, knocks on post, + shouts "Hello".
No answer. Walks on stair (v. old + infirm) + knocks on double
door. No answer.
Opens. Dusty, no footprints, cloud wafts out.
O'R goes in. - ornate circular stairs go up, K+J go in.
Vendredi does in, as does Arvid.
(Hook checks back door - all overgrown + can't get in)
O'R checks the two large closets on either side of stairs.
A coat in one closet - heav y winter coat, moth-eaten, dusty, moldy,
nothing in pockets. Front door slams shut.
Jenny opens door. No breeze.
Hook's there.
Door shut itself.
Page 22
Wedge door open.
O'R wedges large oriental vase under under stand so it
can't roll or break.
Check doors.
Left door (Hook) - chairs, grandfather clock, sooty fireplace,
faded oriental carpet. 1 door out.
Right door, dining room (Karen) - cobwebby table set w/13
chairs, painting of cruel looking man hangs behind head of table. china
cabinet. 2 doors out.
Jenny looks at painting - no indication what it is.
Karen goes through cabinet - china.
(drawing)
To kitchen - long wood-burning stove, rusted water pump,
unwashed dishes.
Crash in dining room. Painting fell off wall.
Jenny tries pump. Water comes out. Hook tastes
it - it doesn't taste good. Pantry - some canned goods (not New England
stuff)
(drawing)
Page 23
Through door from kitchen is: hallway. window on
E wall.
(drawing)
Go into hall + door has stairs up
go round cornber of halll - windows can see library
on in hall, door opens into dining room, door N opens
into library.
Unsettling gloom - swamp vines encroached. Bookcases.
Podium w/family bible in center.
(drawing)
Jenny opens bible - pages blank - covered w/thick slimy
soot - pages charred + blackend from within.
Hook pulls a book from shelf - moldy but normal.
Karen pulls a page form the bible + finds a non-blank
page - in the front of the book is the geneology of the family.
(drawing on page 24)
The name of Septimus's wife, "Baraton", is a family name
from Dunwich.
Books are all old.
Seems like v. well stocked library.
O'R think back to portrait - early - mid 1800's clothes
- could well be Septimus Harlow.
Page 24
(family tree goes above)
(drawing)
Den - small trees growing in, moss + fungi everywhere
- torn apart as if ransacked - O'R finds an old bloodstain ~1ft. around.
Living room - beautifully carved fireplace goes right
to ceiling, covered w/gargoyles, etc., 12' mantle w/photos.
Photos - man + woman in black robes - man evil, woman
cold wisdom.
- Septimus + Hepzibah 1830
- another Sept+H w/Ahab, Harrison, Seth 1830
- two men in confed uniform - Lyle + Jed 1861
- two large brass candle-holders w/partially melted black
candles
- crossed swords
- cracked + blackened pipe
- flashlight
Carvings are occultish (as are the black robes)
One of gargoyles faces is crooked.
Jenny grabs it + straightens it.
Heavy grinding sound, _ reveal secxret compartment -
Black lacquered chest, 2' x 1'
Jenny takes it out - it's locked.
Vendredi picks the lock + gets stabbed by a poinson needle.
O'R tends to Vendredi.
Jenny opens the box.
- chalice of strange black metal. Inscription "Behold the Sleeper
wakens and rises from the deep"
- Black robe - Septimus's
- Ring of black metal
- Book - each page has a glyph - occultish
Put hte ring on (veryone screams) Everything else
back in box, + take it.
Close compartment - all faces seem to move around.
Page 26
Front room - chairs, grandfather clock, etc.
Hissing from dining room fireplace as leave it.
O'R notices clock starts ticking.
To staircase. from ceiling, blue chandelier smashes
to floor, just missing us.
- up stairs (clockwise). Hallway E-W most of length
of has many doors.
- go W. Door on S past to door N - short hall into
bedroom. Small fireplace above w/ hangs alligator + stuffed vulture
on board nailed to wall - decayed.
- back to hall
- next door to N - dusty etc. door to stairs leading down
is slightly ajar (the W servants staircase)
- next W + N is bathroom - shows some signs of repair
~ 3 years ago.
- Now doors to S
- master bedroom - 2 huge beds, dresser, + nightstand
for each bed.
In one of drawers, bedrools, cloths, wallet, promising
backpack, spoiled rations. Wallet has fr. Brandon Young, 3 years ago.
Business card from Ezekial Rosenwald, Boston, Lawyer (not the one BY
used).
Backpack - Map to New Dunwich from Florida; letter; notebook.
Letter from Ezek. Rosenwald to BY, informing him of inheritance
of this house dated 1908.
Notebook is BY's diary:
Last entry Oct 31, 1919 - horrible vile insane things
they do there, etc.
Oct 12 - arrive - Crawford Slater on man - creepy
Oct 13 - weird noises from swamp, strange dreams
Oct 18 - not a nice sleep - pulled by hostile force to
a spot in everglades
Oct 21 - ask Slater about noises - buulfrogs etc.? Suspicious
of Slater, only see people at night - town of vampires?
Oct 24 - when out back clearing yard, saw someone in upstairs
window - but when checked no-one there
Oct 26 - something in swamp that townsfolk hiding, because
when go along that one path Slater always stops him.
Oct 27 - still no decent sleep - smell of something long
dead + rotting, esp. at night - wake from nightmare - at shore of pool +
something came up after him - long dead and smelling of that smell
Oct 30 - just after midnight last night, townspeople went
to swamp + heard the strange noises + saw glow out there + felt the urge
to go there, but didn't - everyone came back after a while
Oct 31 - Horrible vile insane things done out there -
the chanting, the strange black man, the thing that answered their calls,
A huge spiny blotch in the darkness, but nothing from this world. They
tried breaking in to get him, but fought them off. They want him to
be one of them. Then went + hanged himself in cupola. Tells us
to get out of New Dunwich.
Out into hall, find next room over is cupola - dome w/stairs.
Rope hanging, but no body - rope has been cut.
Telescope looking to swamp - see large dark hulking form
lurking in swamp. (Good way away from the camp)
Walking down the stairs is a ghost.
Modern clothes, moderately young man.
Comes down stairs, walks to telescope + fades.
Getting dusk time.
Through telescope is a black thing in the woods.
Page 29
All back to camp
The camp is inside booby-traps.
Lawyer says Crawford Slater (in gardening gloves) has
visited. Said there were more people in town, mostly elderly. Lawyer
suggests leaving tomorw, O'R says blow it up.
It's 3:30. All arrive.
Lawyer + Priest wait @ camp + Arvid (When Slater goes
to stop rest, O'R will search Slater's house (where he went in)) Rest look
for Swamp Thing (pass right by Slater)
(drawing)
Page 30
See man coming up path towards us (from swamp) ~50, prob
Crawford Slater (gardening gloves).
Next path round (fr. town) is burial pool where Septimus
Harlow is buried.
Head down path _ find the Swamp Thing - large pool, in
centre is island, + on it is a big black moss-encrusted statue turtle / sea
urchin stained altar. Nothing grows w/in 20' of pool. (turtle
w/ spikes)
It is not from this earth...
Water all around w/mossy scum stuff.
Pool is quite deep, drops off fast.
Back to town.
Visit Slater - ask him about statue. He is not v.
forthcoming.
Back to camp.
Choose to spend night @ house.
Move things into house.
J+K take path to burial pool - much smaller, stinking
pool, slime-covered. Gravestones around it - Hepzibah Harlow, Harrison,
Seth, Rose, Rhonda Marsh, Amos, Jed, Armitage, Brandon Young (3 years go
- right dates), + a bunch of other families.
Page 31
Get back + meet at house.
Hook cooks a meal.
Search of home (Vendredi) reveals nothing.
Priest notices that there are no books on religion in
the library. Some books say that there are still Indians in the swamp.
Dinner: set the head of the table + leave it open for
Septimus.
Eat.
Door to kitchen bangs open - door towards front door bangs
open - gust of wind - dishes rattle + jump into our laps + in blood on the
wall appears "Leave Town Now". (fades after a while)
Jenny changes then goes to Cupola w/Hook.
Suggest a seance? Need to contact Brandon Young.
Page 32
Set up the seance.
Jenny is possessed by the ghost of Brandon Young - looks
like J, talks like BY.
BY does not know who impersonated him, does not know Septimus
Harlow.
- What happened night he died?
Dreams led him to pool - they were all around - it came
up out of pool - he struggled free - back to house - hanged himself. Man
in black robes was not there. ("black man" was negro like Hook - also
in black robes)
Does not know box.
BY was from Dunwich originally.
- What can help?
BY says to go home.
BY is descendent of cousin of Harlows.
BY was not a Shuttlesworth.
BY cannot leave this house.
What is this thing, how do we kill it, etc? Don't
know.
Villagers can be physically killed.
Villagers are something other than normal people, undead,
not vampires in the classical sense.
Crawford Slater is dead (zombie?)
How know dead? Go to his bedroom!
"They will come tonight"
Fire will hurt them
They stay in houses + don't come out in day.
Haven't come out yet tonight.
Slater is not leader, the black man is.
Where black man lives - points over town in general direction
of idol but not actually at it.
BY doesn't know where Septimus is.
BY doesn't know who buried him.
Jenny wakes up.
Will go see Slater's bedroom, then torch town, then get
out!
Close to midnight now.
Plan to go to Slater's bedroom, but they're moving...
They move slowly towards the idol. - not that many - 10-20
or so.
Karen leads us to go out + kill them.
K- MiGo
J - Shotgun
Vend - (Illusionist skill)
Grayson - shotgun
Priest - truncheon, molly's (Ill skill)
Hook - fist, dynamite
Arvid - shotgun
Page 34
Hook goes to one of the villagers + says "Hello" - he
turns around + looks at him - It looks like a rotting human - he hits it
in the face - it tries to grab him but failed
While they fight, K+J+Arvid go down the path to get them
before they reach the idol.
Jenny blows one of them away on the path.
Hook is not outnumbered by 3 ofthem, so he runs to the
priest + lawyer -
Jenny reloads, K+A catch one up, Arvid blows it away.
Lawyer rips up a porch board + hands it to O'Reilly.
K catches one up - it has turned to her, w/others behind
it - she backs up to sucker them in.
Hook lights dynamite stick + throws @ the group of three
- but only gets one - the one he punched earlier. Grayson shoots at
others - insignificant results.
K+A+J are lined up w/a bunch coming up trail - 10 yds
away - (another 4 w/in the next 10 yds) - K fires - A fires (misses)
Vendredi reaches Slater's home, goes in.
Grayson reloads.
Hook moves to try to split up the two beasts, but didn't
follow him.
K+A+J back up as the creatures come through the MiGo cloud.
two creatures approach Grayson + O'R. G shoots one.
They keep coming. Hook tackles one. O'R backs up. One
hits Grayson.
Grayson backs up to reload. Hook pounds his. O'R
has firestick (has lit his board) - stuffs it at the one close to him + Grayson,
but the stick doesn't stick in, so falls...
Grayson shoots, +_ wipes one.
K+J+A back up, A fires + wipes one.
Vendredi is upstairs @ Slater's, looking for bedroom.
Grayson reloads, O'R picks up his stick + walks up to
Hook, who pounds it into ?motionless mass?,
K+J+A - the four are all now down - there's five more
coming, + K uses stick on them.
Hook runs down the path to help the girls, with Grayson
The stick gets the five, while A keeps hooting, as Hook
+ Grayson arrive. J sees something big coming through woods - it is
close - K shoots MiGo stick at it. Hook lights dynamite.
"IT" is a forrible swamp thing - 2 x human size, tentacles,
horrible!
Hook freaks out + stands in shock.
Jenny grabs Hook's dynamite _ through it at the thing's
feet + backs up - the dynamite blows up in the swamp.
It tries to grab Hook w/tentacles - Jenny shoots + hits,
Grayson hits - the shotguns aren't affecting it!
Grayson goes down.
O'R hears fluting from fighting area.
Jenny casts TADOC, K bails out, hands the stick to Jenny,
thing is dead, Hook recovers. O'R turns up, First Aid.
First aid: Grayson is up, others healed a bit.
Something's coming up the trail... a spiky sea-unchin
like beast. (Gloaki) Size of a school bus.
[SAN rolls: O'R ok, J ok, Hook fail (fear of clothing,
fear of trees)]
O'R has MiGo stick, firing.
Grayson in shock for 2 hours (paranoid).
Vendredi is @ Slater's house - opens door - up stairs
- into master bedroom - filthy + cobwebs, mirror, make-up stuff (skin tones,
etc). Large vat-like tub w/clear pungent fluid - smells like Slater
- instead of bed. (Formaldehyde) dressing table. Vendredi smashes
mirror (nothing behind it). Search some other rooms - study - there's
a book on vampires + other undead creatures (takes it): Slater may be undead,
but he's not a vampire. - another room, empty - another room, smells
of rotting flesh - downstairs - living room - painting over fireplace - room
w/trees growing up - dining room - big table, set, remains of food, ancient,
Vendredi takes tablecloth - kitchen - looks like it was left in a hurry -
library, nothing of interest - pulls down books, piles them up, + w/tablecloth
lights it + leaves house. It burns.
Vendredi heads for black man's home - wanders through
jungle - clearing - in a garden, full of man-eating plants, man-sized - runs
away, dadging plants that lash out at him - come to end of path - - moss-covereing
ruin surrounded by alligators in a moat. - dynamite thrown into moat, alligators
scatter, get on raft + push to shack.
Page 37
Small shack, opens it - dirt floor, ring of stones contains
a small fire. Cooking pots. Wall covered w/trinkets + occultish
stuff, carvings, swamp creatures, shells, etc. Voodoo-like (New Orleans
type) occult stuff. Another room - small rotting bed, same artifacts,
scarecrow in corner of room (could come to life, - could destroy totally
or burn; could be some "Special" part of body to destroy). Vendredi
takes a flaming branch and lights the scarecrow (most of sticks + cloths
- burns well). Pumpkin head doesn't burn well, so smashes it. One
more room behind curtain - where keeps clothes, sort of a little shrine there
- table w/cloth, candles, feathers, etc.. Vendredi tears stuff off
walls _ adds to fire. Burns bed too, + leave.
Vendredi rafts back. Throws dynamite to keep gators
back + manages to stay on raft.
On shore is a black man w/a spear.
Vendredi toss dynamite @ him - he runs into woods (direction
of idol) (the other path). Vendredi heads back towards town (through
garden).
back @ the battle...
O'R fires MiGo stick, Hook waits for it to come, Jenny
screams + runs away, so does Karen, so does Arvid.
Something human-like, two of them, tackle Hook. Grayson
is also being tackled.
Hook is being grabbed by Slater + another guy.
Jenny runs.
The thing is coming.
Page 38
O'R keeps firing at its face, shouting things at it. Karen
keeps running. Hook hits Slater. Jenny runs. O'R backs
up + keeps firing. Karen turns around + looks - 2 guys are attacking
Hook, the beast is slowly lumbering along. Hook breaks free of them
+ moves away. J runs. O'R keeps firing + starts to notive it's
had an effect. hook grabs the lawyer, but can't drag him away, so he
backs up + tears off his clothes.
Slater + 2 others hold lawyer in sacrificial pose (O'R
fires at the whole scene) - 2 rounds like that - then big thing backs away
(men frozen) - O'R chases it, + kills his second god! as it gets into
the lake around the idol, it twitches and dies. O'R keeps firing to
make sure, but MiGo stick stops working.
O'R kneels + prays.
J+K+V+H get into town - H tears off clothes, throws them
into the trees and gets as far from the trees as he can. J+K go back
up path, V gets stuff from camp.
O'R hears a wailing from the idol - a human angry ghost
is coming - it's Septimus! O'R turns + walks away. Ghost goes
through him - he feels a chill [+ loses a SAN] - but ghost can't get off
island.
O'R meets Slater, who comes at him. Slater grabs
O'R + starts to choke him.
J+K - lawyer is on ground with one of god's spikes in
him, with 2 dead zombies.
Page 39
K picks up Grayson's shotgun.
O'R is choking, knees Slater in groin.
J+K turn up. dead god, spectral hunter on island,
J shoves shotgun in Slater's face + blows him away.
O'R chokes + goes down (broken neck?); K tries to treat
him and kills him... oops!
The howling fades.
V fetches dynamite + ammo, + heads for hte battle. He
meets the black man, who charges him with a knife. V dodges, + takes
off down the trail.
V meets J+K, black man is not following now.
There is shotgun shooting from near the houses (Arvid?)
J+K+V run back to town (will fetch bodies later).
- Hook is in the centre, and has collected burning wood
+ is trying to start a forest fire.
The boathouse is burning
Arvid is dead, stabbed (throat cut) in front of the house.
Go to boathouse, no sign of anything.
Our boats are gone.
V tells us there's a raft @ the black man's place.
Page 40
Hook builds a big bonfire + stays near it to keep the
trees away.
J+K+V go there with him to wait for morning.
Sat 17th Oct 1922
Sun comes up.
V+H throw dynamite into a house to loosen planks. They're
both crazy, clearly.
Go to get raft from b'm's place - to idol, find body of
lawyer (w/spike) - V pulls out the spike.
At idol, scene is as we left it. Find path leading
to black man's home, go down it. At home is an alligator. Shoot
it w/shotgun, + feed it to the other alligators in moat. Take raft
back to idol.
J waits on shore w/MiGo stick, while K+V go to blow idol
up. As they arrive on island, hear screaming noise + large rubbery-skinned
black human-like with lobster claws + bright red eyes, teeth, K shoots it
dead - something hits them both hard + knocked into water.
V+K walk onto island, pull boat up to island. Set
dynamite, light it, + rush back. Blows up + knocks them off raft into
water, climb back on, + get back.
Page 41
Idol is cracked in pieces + messed up.
Drag bodies back to town w/raft. (bring spine)
lawyer - spike went all way through him - the hole is
a sealed wound, can see trhough - encrusted w/crusty red goo.
Airplane flies over - Charlie has found them! Hook
waves to him - Charlie sees the wreckage, the naked Hook, the bonfire...
Charlie lands + taxies the seaplane to the town.
Search the town - nothing except the area around Brandon's
house comes across a garden house in back - there's a corpse - hole in chest
radiating unnatural red veins - it's pinned to the wall by lots of gardening
implements (prob there ~3-5 months). BY's ghost stabbed him?
A well near garden house - another zombie body, head smashed
in, heaped near well - carved on well (by hand) is "Enter ye now the well
of souls" It stinks - there's all sorts of stuff down there - a body
down there (maybe more?). Dump zombies in the well. (All zombies
had a hole in them, even Slater).
Take body of O'R. Burn bodies of Arvid + Grayson,
+ burn all houses.
Page 42
So - fly away to Boston (w. MiGo stick, rune book, ring,
book on undead).
(Grayson goes to Dreamlands)
(V hypnotises Hook to calm him)
Hook checks into a sanitarium (under hypnotism) - he can
now wear clothes but doesn't like it. Moves to Arizona.
Seance in Charlie's house... contacts BY, + O'R.
BY - the box was never brought to New Dunwich because
no-one brought it there...
Hood who was shot in (old) Dunwich - not working for Shorty,
not know who workng for, just do reign of terror - stole box (not ordered
to) - didn't make any calls on selling or buying - dropped box @ contact
point, in an abandoned house. Doesn't know why killed, or by whom.
BY was the name of his boss, but never saw him.
BY: Original settlers of ND were people who left (old)
Dunwich, of when Septimus was leader. Doesn't know who used his name,
or why.
O'R tells us the MiGo stick was used up.
BY: Papa Joe was black man...
Septimus arrived in swamps ~100 years ago. They
were Cthulhu worshippers - came across Papa Joe, escaped slave, "drawn" to
area + discovered idol, + helped them set up town, + command them to switch
from Cthulhu to Gloaki, + command many to become zombies (in ritual in front
of lake, stabbed by spine. Septimus became a spectral hunter to guard
the idol. Took ~60 years before Gloaki came, then zombies started.
Most ?punf? very old Crawford Slater over 150 years, Papa Joe is 250
years (he's not a zombie - other magic did that, (not Gloaki)). Scarecrow
(golem) was created by PJ to protect shrine (there was stuff on shrine PJ
had with him).