Call of Cthulhu: The Haunting

[OzCymru]

March 1920
Boston, Massachusetts

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt310/huw_williams/Boston1920.jpg

A mild winter followed by a warm start to spring has turned the city of Boston into a playground for the blue-blooded New Englanders along Beacon Hill, thankful for a respite from the usually freezing temperatures in the early months of the year and eager to display their New Year fineries on the social circuit.

For the less privileged, it is a case of making the most of the new America, higher wages and the dawn of the material age. No longer is the automobile a trapping of the elite; businesses are flourishing and life is good as the country turns inwards and mends itself.

For one Baxter L. Marsh, none of this is of any concern. He has too many problems of his own to enjoy the zeitgeist – most notably the tragedy at 16 Providence Avenue.

Baxter cannot afford to leave the place empty for long, but recent events at the house have made it difficult to attract new tenants. It is this that has led him ask his friend Dr. Kilcoyne for help, and the reason why the doctor and his associates are now on their way to Baxter’s office in Summer Street on a windswept yet pleasant spring morning.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Amelia followed after the Doctor. From a distance, she looked like an attractive women, perhaps not a model, but still good looking. A brunette with green eyes, she dressed professionally in a blue blouse and Black Skirt. Looking at the people around her produced a strange perspective effect, before one realized the simple truth. Her most obvious physical feature was that she simply towered above most people.

She looked around at the group. Jack she knew, of course. He was her Photographer, and that was that. She wrote the Stories, and he provided the pictures.

Dr. Kilcoyne she knew as well. They travelled in some of the same social circles. She still wondered why he had asked her to come along, but trusted the man enough to follow along after him.

The last one she only knew by reputation. Jane Bravefield. A right nutcase if there had ever been one. Called herself a 'Myth Seeker' whatever that meant. Amelia wondered even more why she was here.

"So Dr. Kilcoyne, who is this Mr. Marsh?"

[Hyperion]

Jack King a photographer standing roughly 6'0 tall, he is not bad looking, just about average but nothing that would put him on the level of a model or anything. He has a leica camera, probably the item with the most value on his person. A self taught individual and learned photography mostly from his father.

He is currently calm and collected observing the world around him, as a photographer he always pick on little details that most people ignore as he is always trying to capture the moment.

Dr. Kilcoyne, invited to visit a friend. His friend apparently needed a favor or something, probably he'll get to know more about it when Jack get there.

[Hemnon]

jane bravefield.... she is a quite an attractive girl..... long brown/blond hair, 1,83m, fairly long legs, quite slim(or atlethic if i want).

jane knew that amelia only where mad, cuz she lost her former job cuz of jane

[Xsesiv]

Dr. Kilcoyne himself, a ruddy-faced gentleman dressed in a suit (with the slight modification of a favourite scarf) albeit a crumpled and dusty suit, is not a large man, around 5'6", slender, even skinny, with wispy, sandy hair down to his collar, and startling blue eyes. He looks around at his acquaintances - a journalist met at social events, her new photographer, and a promising, though...unusual British woman whose occupation he found it very difficult to define. He lugs a heavy-looking black doctor's bag with him, and when he replies it is with the faintest trace of an Australian accent.

"Amelia, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Fred? Marsh has a house which he lets out. Having problems doing it, but he can't leave it empty. Asked us to come and deal with it for him."

[Hemnon]

jane stands a few meters behind amelias new photographer....

uhh what a nice looking assistant... lucky amelia

jane looks at jacks figure.... he must me quite the guy...

[Hemnon]

jane start speaking to dr. Kilcoyne

''so dr. Kilcoyne how did the ¨items¨ turn out i send you?''

[Xsesiv]

Dr. Fred kneads his eye as he answers, more measuredly than usual. "Actually, I don't know. I threw them away. I have told you several times; I am a doctor of medicine...not archaeology, not mythology, medicine. Please stop sending me items you find. I don't have a clue what to do with them."

[Tackyhillbillu]

Amelia sighed at the Doctor's response, letting Jane cut in before continuing.

"Fine Fred. What are these problems he is having?"

Amelia was curious as to why this group had been assembled. A Reporter, her Photographer (along at her request), a Nutcase, and a Doctor. An oddly assorted group.

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne looks up ahead, gauging the distance to the house."Wouldn't tell me. Don't know why. Suppose that's why we're going there now, so he can tell us." The doctor is having similar thoughts and is beginning to sincerely regret agreeing at all, let alone asking this motley bunch to come with him. But, times are hard for people caught up in the law.

[OzCymru]

Baxter's office is above a fashionable milliner's shop and has the benefit of two large south facing windows that allow him to enjoy the afternoon sun all year round. The entrance is through a single door that bears the sign:


Marsh & Fortesque
Architects
The door is unlocked, and leads to a flight of stairs leading up to the premises shared by Baxter and his business partner, Leopold Fortesque.

The premises contain two offices and a reception area, where Baxter's assistant, a charming if rather vacuous young lady named Rita, greets you and informs you that Mr. Marsh will be along shortly.



Baxter L. Marsh

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt310/huw_williams/BaxterLMarsh.jpg

Baxter L. Marsh is a handsome 34 year old Bostonian who is always immaculately turned out and well groomed. He is a partner in a firm of architects in downtown Boston and also owns a number of properties in the area.

He is currently Dr. Kilcoyne’s landlord, but the two have become good friends in the year or so since Frederick moved into the property. He has been under a lot of stress lately, as some unsavoury goings on at one of his properties – the details of which are rather vague – have made it difficult for him to find tenants, with rumours that the place is cursed, or even haunted.

He has sent a telegram to Dr. Kilcoyne requesting his help in getting to the bottom of the mysteries at 16 Providence Avenue. He is convinced that there is a rational explanation, but just doesn’t have the time to look into it himself right now.

[Xsesiv]

Dr. Kilcoyne sits down on a chair and places his doctor's bag on his knees. He reaches inside and fiddles with something with a couple of metallic clicks, and closes it back up. He places it on the floor, removes his scarf, and brushes his hair to the side, determined to look somewhat presentable for Marsh. He hopes to counteract the image he will no doubt cause having brought this rabble with him.

[Hyperion]

Jack takes a sit in the reception area and looks around. That receptionist looked pretty good. He might need to take a picture of her one of those days.
He looks at the others for a moment.

"Very nice office..."

Rubbing his chin, the photographer observed the place. Boston is going to offer plenty of new pictures at this rate.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Amelia pulls her notepad and a pen out of Handbag, predicting she would need them soon. She looked over at Jack and shook her head.

"It's an office Jack, like any other."

With that she sat down, tapping her pen against the paper lightly.

[Hyperion]

"It looks interesting."

Jack for all his good looks was rather a simple man when it came to his way of experiencing the world around him. He enjoyed even the most normal items. It looked like Amelia was getting ready to take notes. He adjusted his camera focus and aperture while waiting.

[Hemnon]

jane sat down with the rest of them and waited for the dude they where send here to help would let them meet him

jane whistle a little bit

[OzCymru]

You are waiting for about five minutes before the door to one of the offices opens and Baxter appears. He is, as always, dressed in a finely tailored grey suit and his Brylcreemed hair seems to have been parted with a ruler, but otherwise he looks tired and flaky, with dark circles beneath his eyes and a palour to his skin that is not normally there.

Nonetheless, he smiles cheerfully and shakes Kilcoyne warmly by the hand, throwing a quizzical look at the rest of the group but offering a welcoming nod before ushering everyone into his office.

He draws up four chairs and then sits down behind his desk, a monstrous slab of mahogany that is littered with large sheets containing floorplans and technical drawings.

"Freddie, thanks for coming. I could really do with your help. I knew you wouldn't let me down. Um, interesting bunch you've brought along. How about a few introductions before we start?"

He fishes around among the sheets on his desk and retrieves a glass of brandy.

[Hyperion]

Jack before sitting introduces himself.

"Hello Mr. Baxter, name's Jack King, photographer. Enchanted to meet you."

He takes a sit and adjusts his vest a bit to not appear to unprofessional in front of dr. Kilcoyne friend.

[OzCymru]

Baxter nods a greeting to Jack, a slight smirk on his face.

"Enchanted to meet you too, Mr. King. But Baxter is my first name, not my surname. Baxter L. Marsh." He points to his name on the door of the office.

He waves away any apologies before they can happen. "No matter, no matter, I get it all the time. My parents' fault, of course."

[Hemnon]

jane gets up and walk over to the newcoming guy and sticks her hand out in a hello

''hello there my name is jane and my speciality is myths and legends, could u please tell us why we are here???''

jane smiles one of her most innocent smiles to mr. marsh.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Amelia nodded to Mr. Marsh as well.

"Amelia Everett, from the Boston Globe. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Marsh."

She doesn't charge up to the man, sitting down carefully in one of the offered chairs to hear what he had to say.

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne runs his hand through his hair, sighs and sits down at the huge table while the introductions go round. Everyone here knows him, and all should be explained in due course. Meanwhile, it couldn't hurt to relax.

"Baxter. Now, would you mind telling us what exactly your problem is with this house? Why can't you rent it?"

[OzCymru]

Baxter flinches a little at Jane's bold introduction, and stretches across the desk to shake her hand. He seems more at ease with Amelia's more conservative greeting and bids her welcome with a smile and a nod.

"Yes, yes, Freddie, I was just getting to that," he says in mock exasperation. "Brandy, anyone? No? Alright, just me then." He pours himself another drink, almost to the brim of the glass, and takes a sizeable mouthful before brushing a fleck of dust from his lapel and returning his attention to the group.

"Now," he says, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the desk and pressing his fingertips together, "about this little problem I'm having."

"As Freddie knows, I have a few properties around Boston that I’ve managed to acquire over the years, most of which have been pretty good to me. One, in particular, is causing me…a bit of a headache right now though. It’s in the North End, a street called Providence Avenue. Used to be pretty nice but now it’s mostly offices and the like.

“Anyway, for the last couple of years I’ve had a family called the Marcarios in there – Italian, but nice enough. They’d been there about a year – I think it was last October or something – when they started having some big problems. The husband had an accident and never recovered. Started getting violent and they ended up having him committed. Kept babbling on about weird goings on and someone in the house with burning eyes.

“Now, in the last month – and this is where it gets really weird – a similar thing happened to the wife. Started raving on about something with burning eyes again and refusing to go in one of the bedrooms. Now they’re both up at Roxbury, and the house is vacant again. Of course, with all this nonsense I’m having trouble finding anyone to rent the place.

“What I want from you Freddie, and your friends here, is just for you to check it out for me. I’m ninety nine percent sure there’s a rational explanation, but I need someone to get to the bottom of it for me. Just head over there, check it out and let me know if you find anything. Pretty simple stuff, but I just don’t have the time to do it myself right now.” He taps a finger on some drawings as a means of explanation.

“Then I can say I’ve had the place looked at and start getting tenants in there again. I can’t leave it empty, Freddie, it’s bleeding me.”

[Hemnon]

jane takes out her book about myths and legends, and looks after something about people with burning eyes and the rest mr. marsh said.

''hmm....''

she turns pages after pages and hope she finds something that could help.


For GM:
does she find anything??

[Hyperion]

Mr. King listened carefully and mostly waited to see what Amelia would decide but he already knew that they were in for some adventures. After all reporting and trying to find out what's going on was the basic of her job. Red eyes and somebody babbling incoherently...at worst, just going to be a big rat roaming in the house. People always scare easily and think of weird stuffs happening in their lives.

The photographer turned his head toward Amelia waiting to see what she would say.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Amelia listened to Marsh's tale, scribbling down little notes. She'd be curious to see what the explanation was. She was willing to bet it was something eminently practical. Fred wouldd probable be able to explain it, once he got the information.

But it will be a good story.

"If you wouldn't mind me asking, do you know anything about the Marcario's? If they had a predisposition to this kind of thing, it might help to know that."

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne's mouth twists up into a smile. Being bled dry by circumstance. Well, that was something he could relate to. Maybe it was...no, it wouldn't be proper to commit somebody else to it. He goes over ideas in his head

Anyhow...burning eyes. Most likely the flames of the fireplace reflected in a window, or maybe a couple of glasses, in the dark...maybe someone had lit two lamps...maybe it was a globe of ball lightning and its reflection...though I doubt that very much. Still. Best to have a look firsthand. The naturally curious doctor leans over the table towards his friend.

"All right, then, Baxter. Have a look at it for you. No sooner said than done. Of course, if we find something, you'll have someone else do something about it?

And, any chance we can see Macario? If I can get a case study done, maybe people will take my seriously in psychotherapy."

[OzCymru]

Baxter looks a little irritated as Jane starts leafing through her book without so much as an acknowledgement of his predicament, frowning at her while she skims the text, oblivious to his annoyance. Her book, a collection of myths and legends both well-known and obscure, contains nothing of obvious relevance to Baxter’s story, though it would take more than a cursory flick through its pages to be sure.

At the questions from Amelia and Kilcoyne, Baxter nods. “To be honest, I can’t tell you a hell of a lot that I think would be useful, but I’ll give you what I know. Feel free to pay the Macarios a visit by all means, if you think it would help, though I’m not sure how lucid they both are right now. They’re both up at Roxbury.”

You all know of Roxbury Sanitarium, an Italianate-style mansion some five miles out of Boston that is well-known for its sculptured gardens and forward-thinking staff.

“The husband and wife are Vittorio and Gabriela. First generation Italians, came here just before the war I believe, but they both speak perfect English. Not sure what he did for a living exactly, but they never had any trouble paying rent or anything like that, even after he had his breakdown, so I pretty much left them alone. They’ve got two boys, though I’m not sure of the names. Been sent down to some relatives in Baltimore, poor things.

“And apart from what I’ve already told you, that’s about all I know I’m afraid. Like I said, I left them alone as long as the rent kept coming in on time.”

His eyes narrow and flick to the side for a moment, as if he has just thought of something, and he opens a drawer and fishes through an assortment of papers before pulling out a small piece of yellowed paper. “Here’s a picture of the house,” he says, handing Kilcoyne a crinkled photograph of a pleasant looking bungalow. “The garden’s a bit more overgrown now; it didn’t get much attention after Vittorio left. Oh, and, uh, here’s the key.” He rummages around in the drawer a bit more and produces a ring with a single bronze key on it.



http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt310/huw_williams/TheHouse.jpg

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne reaches his palm out to recieve the bronze key, studying the picture meanwhile. One key, hardly very security-conscious. Diagnose chronic amiability. Heh heh. Overgrown gardens...not like any kind of trauma I've seen before, normally they get compulsive behaviours...

"So, we'll go and look at this house first, then go and see the Macarios, see if I can't bring them back to reality. Sound like a plan?" Kilcoyne asks the assembled people. He smiles and checks his bag; pulling out his book on Freudan psychodynamic therapy, he tucks it into his pocket. This could be the next Wolf Man case...Eyes Man doesn't sound so good...

Excitement dancing in his own, non-burning eyes, Kilcoyne looks up at his friend from the photograph. "Alright, then, Baxter, where is this house? Providence Avenue. Right then. Ready to go when you are, everyone."

[Hemnon]

jane close her book and makes some hidden looks over at amelias photographer...:smallwink:

'well, im ready doc.'

[Hyperion]

Jack observes the picture of the house. Interesting, to say the least. He observes the angle and what kind of lighting were used, even if it was more than necessary for a simple photo.

"Sounds like a plan. The sooner we take care of this, the better."

[OzCymru]

"Alright, well good luck folks," smiles Baxter as he ushers you out of his office. "It'll be a real load off my mind, I can tell you. Thanks for doing this."

Most of the nineteenth century homes along Providence Avenue have been replaced by new offices and businesses, and number sixteen, with its overgrown front yard, is now the only private residence on the block. As such, there are few people around as you pull up outside the house. Commercial buildings flank the brick bungalow, which seems to withdraw into the shadows cast by its larger neighbours, its tangled shrubbery and blank curtained windows adding to the impression that the place would prefer to remain in isolated obscurity than have its secrets uncovered.

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne walks up to the window, removes a handkerchief from his pocket, wipes his brow and then wipes as much grime from a pane as he can if it needs it. He then peers in, to get an idea of the building's style, its decor, its layout. If it seems anything in there will be dangerous...Just not going to go in.

Still, he takes the ring with the brass key up and inserts it into the front door lock, rotating it and listening for the reassuring click that will tell him he won't have to go back to Baxter and embarrass him.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Amelia motions for Jack to follow, and keeps a grip on her notepad and pen. This could be a good story. She hoped the solution wasn't to prosaic though. She looks in with the Doctor, and then waits for him to open the door.

[OzCymru]

The front window is not particularly dirty, the house having been inhabited until just a few weeks ago, but the curtains have been drawn and not even the slightest gap shows to give any clue as to what might lay inside. The same goes for the windows around the side; any secrets that the house may hold are closeted behind the thick cloth.

The front door is varnished with a dark lacquer and is windowless, the only feature being a small square plate bearing the number sixteen. The key slides into the lock smoothly enough, and turns with an easy ‘click.’

[Hemnon]

jane is right behind jack, and is about to burst with exitement.

'so doc, why do you look so nervous??'

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne is exasperated and infuriated with her habit of adding single lines of conversation at inappropriate moments and, sighing and wondering why he invited her, turns to Jane.

"Because, in case you didn't hear my mate Baxter, which to me seems very likely, as you wouldn't even make polite conversation, apparently preferring to read your woolly book on mythology, the last two people to go into this house went mad. What kind of utter moron wouldn't be nervous? Possibly, someone who had already lost their sanity."

With that, he opens the door possibly slightly harder than is utterly necessary.

[Hemnon]

jane looks angry at Dr. Kilcoyne.

'hey dont talk to me like that, that hurts you know and come on do you realy believe that they went mad cuz of this house?? you gotta be kidding me'

(whisper)'what an asshat'
jane look quite hurt by Dr. Kilcoynes verbal attacks.

'sniff'

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne is hopping with rage by now and his ruddy face has turned pale. He looks fit to explode.

"Did I say it was the house?" he asks loudly and angrily and rhetorically and using only one question mark.

"No! Said it was people in the house that went insane. Stands to reason that the house, or the place, or something in the house, is the cause. You should unplug your ears. You didn't listen to Baxter, don't listen to me, don't care what anyone else thinks but you, so get out of your dream world where you think you're contributing something. And don't tell me what to do, woman, I'll talk to you how I please. There's no need to call me names either. Can you possibly criticise me for hurting you? You're the one who's resorting to name-calling. Please remind me why you're here?"

This outburst is ended by a long and quiet sulk.

(OoC: was the word asshat even used in the 1920s? I doubt it, somehow.)

[Hemnon]

jane burst into tears and run over to the houses wall where the door are in, and starts to cry.

(while she cries she says)''why are you being so mean to me? what have i ever done to you, huhh??''

she continue to cry.

(OOC: well i couldnt find a better word than that... what would you have used??)

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne mutters to himself, and he walks into the house and waits for Amelia and Jack.

[OzCymru]

The door is a little stiff, but swings open easily enough as Kilcoyne shoves it with more vigour than would usually be necessary. He retrieves the key and then, ignoring Jane’s melodramatic turn, steps across the threshold.

The open door is the only source of natural light and it takes a few moments for everyone’s eyes to adjust to the gloom. A hallway runs the length of the house, its wooden floorboards coated with a thin film of dust that must have settled here during the last few weeks. You can just make out the far wall, and a staircase leading to the floor above.

Along the left hand wall, three doors are set at regular intervals, each of them closed with a finality that makes the thought of opening them rather unpleasant, as if you would be reopening a deep and recently healed wound.

To your right are a set of double doors, solid-looking pieces that are finished with finely carved spirals and brass handles. Like those across the hall, they stand closed and give the impression that they would prefer to stay that way. Further along from the double doors is a single door that stands open a crack, followed by another closed door at the far end.

Despite your efforts to remain rational, you cannot help a small chill from building in your chest and spreading outwards, causing a momentary churning feeling in your stomach and sending an icy trickle down your spine.

[Hyperion]

Jack looks around, this place made him uneasy maybe it was his sense as an artist or photograph but something didn't look too natural about this place. It might just be that the rumors were finally getting to him.

[Xsesiv]

Kilcoyne looks in. This oppressive atmosphere would hardly have been any good for the Macarios in their mental state. He sees the door that is open a crack, and with the intent of scaring off anyone meaning to burgle or vandalise Baxter's property, he pulls a gun from his bag and walks to the door. Kicking it wide open he bursts inside, bringing his gun to bear.

[Hemnon]

jane wipe her eyes and follow the others in, with her hand on a sheated knife in her belt. anything could be in there... a mad dog, rats, all kinds of nasty stuff,

[OzCymru]

The door bangs violently against the wall, shattering the stillness in the house and resounding through the hallway for several seconds. The ensuing silence is made even more eerie by the uncertainty as to whether anything else in the house was disturbed beside the door.

With Kilcoyne poking the barrel of his gun into the room, you study what was, until recently, the Macarios’ kitchen. The stove has not been cleared since its last use and still contains remnants of ash and charred cuts of wood. Next to it is an oven that is stained with splashes of soup and sauce. An ice box stands in one corner, next to a door that presumably opens to a larder. An archway in the right hand wall leads through to a dining room.