I decided that with the rest of the idiots out of the way, I could make some real progress in investigating the cult. The obvious place to start was with those men who keep following us around. I approached the first one, gave him $5, and took him to lunch. Then I collected the second one, who turned out to speak English. I told them that I wanted to make a deal with the Silla cult. One of them said that for another $5, he'd tell his boss, but he denied he knew anything about the cult. Lunch being over, they left and I went back to the hotel to relax.
Later in the evening, the bellhop delivered a message
to me. It said ten o'clock, and gave an address. I took my
pistol and went to keep the appointment.
It was very dark in that area of town. The
address turned out to be a small house, with one or two rooms probably.
The door opened, and a hand motioned me inside.
It was dark in there, but I could feel I was being patted down. I
handed over my pistol.
A candle was lit, and I could see that I was in
a room full of people, at least ten or more. The light was dim, and
I couldn't see the walls or any faces. The one face I could see was
covered with a hood.
"Sit!" I was commanded, so I sat down on the wooden
floor.
They all started chanting, and at this point I could
tell they all were men. I couldn't understand the words. The
chanting went on for some time... a very long time... it was interminable.
I completely lost track of time.
Finally the chant came to a culmination, and then
faded away.
The room had become very cold. and I was suddenly
feeling very uncomfortable. Before I could do anything, it was over.
The candle was blown out, the door opened, and people began leaving.
In three to four minutes, everyone had gone.
Nothing else was going on. I left and closed
the door behind me.
About half way back, I realized I'd left my pistol behind, so I went back for it. When I got to the house, there was no-one there. I couldn't feel anything near the door, so I reluctantly wrote off my gun as lost, and returned to the hotel.
That night I had very bad dreams. I dreamt that someone very frightening was coming, but I couldn't tell who.
I then went shopping for guns. I wasn't followed
this time, oddly enough. I didn't buy anything at this point, not
feeling threatened.
After lunch, I again noticed I was being followed.
I caught up with my shadows, and asked about my gun, but they claimed no
knowledge of the weapon or of the events of last night. I let them
resume their task.
At dinner, a message arrived. The bellhop delivered to me my gun, and a note that said simply, "Again tonight?"
So I went again, and exactly the same thing happened.
On my way home, though, I began to think that perhaps I was beginning to get it.
That night I had very bad dreams.
I took my gun with me, handed it over, and asked for it back later.
This time I felt like I'm really "getting it."
We were calling to someone, asking them to come (Ithaqua? Gnoph-Keh?).
I sensed that they needed something from me, as if I were being asked to
give something up. I tried to chant along with them. I actually
got a sense that I gave them what they were asking for.
It started to get colder and windy inside this crowded
room, and we built the chant to a crescendo, but whoever we were calling
to didn't come [-5 SAN, -1 MAG (temp)].
At dinner a message arrived. This time it consisted of only one word, written in a script I've never seen before, but in the same hand as the other messaged. I'm sure it says "Silla" (or "Ithaqua", same thing). I practiced writing it until I could produce it reliably.
At 10pm, I went to the house again. This time they didn't even pat me down -- clearly i was regarded as a regular.
The same things happened again.
I felt the same "asked" sense, and realized that
I had a choice to give or not. I chose to give [2 MAG].
This time the wind came, very cold, and suddenly
someone stood up and started moving around. The chanting stopped,
and the original guy who spoke said something in Inuit, and the person
responded to him, also in Inuit. The leader asked more questions,
and received more responses. After a minute, someone else asked a
question, and received a reponses. Another long pause, and then someone
else did the same. This went on for several minutes.
Then, in the candlelight, someone stepped forward
behind the standing person, and swung an axe into his head. He tumbled
forward, knocked out the light, and everyone ran. I ran from that
room too, and then returned to the hotel.
We called on Ithaqua, he inhabited a body, we asked
our questions, and then we killed him.
I slowly realized that I could now probably lead
the chant myself [-1 SAN].
This is how the chant goes:
| (Here is contained the full text and instructions for Contact Ithaqua.) |
I took the bloody knife and returned to the hotel. Fortunately no-one was watching the hotel, and so I could get up to my room and clean up [-1 SAN].
This is what the knife looks like:
| (Here is presented a detailed drawing of the ornamental knife.) |
I sat down to lunch and read the paper. To my surprise there was nothing special of note, nothing about a murder or missing woman. I resolved to make a habit of reading the paper at lunch, to cover my interest in this one occasion. That afternoon I remained at the hotel.
I realize that I must have changed somehow. People are avoiding me, and don't want to talk with me. The bellhop doesn't even wait for his tip. No-one is being friendly anymore.
At dinner, I received a note. This one said
to meet at 6:30, at a different address. Of course I complied.
This location turned out to be a native american
club. Standing out front was the one who had followed me and spoke
English. I noted that he was definitely not the "hooded man" from
yesterday. He told me to go inside, and sit at the third booth on
the left.
After a while, someone brought some beer.
I drank and waited. A voice from the second booth said, "Don't turn
around. Where is the rest of the expedition?"
I said that they had gone to look for Gnoph-Keh
fossils, and that they expected to take ten days out and ten back.
The voice asked what a Gnoph-Keh was, to which I
replied that it was a six-legged beast, related to Silla in some way.
The voice said, "If they make any overt move against
Silla or the cult, leave a message with the barkeeper here -- one word
-- 'Ithaqua'." Otherwise I was to be contacted.
I waited a while, finished my beer, and left.
Time passed uneventfully. The house at 10pm was deserted. I ran errands, checked provision supplies, and so on.
I wired the Boston Occult Society, and received the reply that they would cover a month for me, then I should find cheaper accomodations.
I will send the journal up to now to the BOS via
registered mail. I am sure they will be interested in the contents,
especially the chant to summon Ithaqua.