Mayday Plays - Doomed to Repeat, Ep. 31 - "The Legend of Innsmouth" | Delta Green

Episode Date: May 16, 2025

A crack team of locals has a date with Innsmouth. They include: Kennedy Newell, a shell-shocked veteran; Freddy Thurman, a streetwise local bootlegger; Cora Loquillo, a medium and amateur photographer; Dr. Theo Rooke, a nervous academic; and Arthur Clark, an accountant with a sharp eye for detail. But first, they begin their search for answers, digging through the archives of Miskatonic University for clues about Innsmouth’s dark and tangled history. Freddy and Arthur visit the university museum, where they encounter disturbing artifacts that hint at an inhuman past tied to the town. Meanwhile, when pride overtakes caution, Dr. Rooke is confronted with more truth than he’s prepared to handle. Finally, Cora and Kennedy hold a séance in an attempt to pierce the veil and identify the strange, otherworldly presence that clings to the university grounds. In this episode, we continue our playthrough of the scenario “Escape From Innsmouth” by Kevin A. Ross and others, and published by Chaosium. TRIGGER AND CONTENT WARNINGS: Language, Madness, Implied Sexual Violence, Spirituality, Death, PTSD. Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this podcast are © Mayday Roleplay, excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property. CAST OF CHARACTERS • Lev (they/them) - Cora Loquillo (she/they) • Amanda (she/her) - Arthur Clark (he/him) • Caleb (he/him) - Kennedy Newell (he/him) • Eli (any/all) - Dr. Theodore Rooke (he/him) • Zakiya (she/they) - Freddie Thurman (she/they) • Sergio (he/him) - The Handler MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS • Post Sound Supervision: Sergio Crego, Eli Hauschel • Mixed: Eli Hauschel • Original Music: Aaron A. Pabst • Soundstripe (soundstripe.com) • Epidemic Sound (epidemicsound.com/) • Soundly (getsoundly.com/) DELTA GREEN LINKS • Delta Green (http://deltagreen.com/) MAYDAY ROLEPLAY LINKS • Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/maydayrp) • Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/maydayrp) • Mayday website (https://www.maydayroleplay.com/) • Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@Maydayrp)

Doom to Repeat is a Delta Green actual play podcast with violent themes and adult language. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome to episode 31 of our Delta Green campaign titled Doom to Repeat. I'm Sergio, your handler. Before we jump in, I think I should give a quick shout out to all of the stuff that Mayday has made since Doom to Repeat kicked off. We know some folks are here for one series and one series only, and that's totally cool, but if you're into this, there's a good chance you'll vibe with the rest of our weird little universe too. We've got two spooky seasons of Orpheus, run by Vince from Black Project Gaming, Eli's taking us to the dark side with cult divinity lost. And Caleb is our storyteller in our ongoing vampire chronicle Vegas by Night.

And if you're here for the Delta Green of it all, check out The Dead Drop. It's a limited series where we talk shop with writers, creators, and members of the DG community. Plus, we made some pretty cool handouts for your next operation. And it can all be listened to wherever you harvest your podcasts, or watch them on YouTube at MaydayRP. Now, if you want the good stuff, also known as Black Project Gaming's exclusive run of God's Teeth, you can find that by subscribing to our Patreon at any level. We're coming up on releasing episode 13 and

hoo boy does it just keep getting better. If you enjoy what we do here be sure to like and subscribe and leave a positive review. It really helps us get seen by new people. This episode we continue our playthrough of Escape from Innsmouth, a scenario written by Kevin A Ross and others and published by Chaosium. Let's return to our game. It's been less than 24 hours since you've all met But you find yourselves now together in a spacious black sedan on a crisp early November morning What would you like to accomplish first? Arthur cuz we've been ahead Cups he would have had cups of coffee for everybody as a polite gesture if anyone wanted any Cup of Joe. Thank you. I'll take it. Thanks. Appreciate it. Yeah. Kennedy, who is violently hung over, absolutely gulps down that coffee.

I think you need mine more than I do. Sure. Thanks. He grabs it immediately, starts drinking it the whole way down. Welcome. Shall we shall we continue? I'm just going to go into the car and just turn it on. You know how to drive this thing? Of course I know how to drive this thing. Treasury Department doesn't mess around on the weekends.

Treasury Department gave us a breezer. That's nice. Should we put the top down? It is that kind of car. We'll do that. Kennedy, I, I, I, do you mind if you could just put the, thank you. The top is able to come down. It's not automatic in these days, but you are able to do it.

I have a smooth, smooth car. I want to see smooth. Turns on the car and going ahead and go, ah, it just goes right in. Oh, imagine the smog on this fucking thing. I think Kennedy is hanging his head out the like now convertible top like he's a dog trying to catch the wind. He's just trying to hope that the cool air

takes away the hangover. The university was what we talked about yesterday. Yes, the university. Yeah, we can be able to do any cursory research before we head into Insomniac, who would like to do so? So you'd like me to head to the University? Okay. You leave the city limits of Boston and head east towards the ocean where you know that

Arkham is. Arkham is a handsome little town, much more developed than the other seaside villages and cities, and you're able to get there within an hour or so of driving. You pull up to the Miskatonic University, a well-developed university library combination. The buildings are in the old Greek style, seems to be a classic place of learning, a place where Dr. Theo Rook is familiar and comfortable. There is both the university and the library and you suspect that the library probably contains the documents and the local lore that you're looking for. Are we all coming with me or?

I am. Well, I'm the best assistant. I'm staying with Cora. Excellent. Yeah, we can share books or whatever when we get up there. Yeah, I think everybody might have a question to ask. We just get it all together and want to go. Kennedy, in an effort to be a little more covert here, removes his shotgun, his hack sack, his shovel, and just elects for just the bayonet and M1 on a holster to his decide. Is that really necessary? We're this close to the Innsmouth. I don't take any chances, not even in Arkham.

Christ, um... I was told to make sure this one lives. I'm gonna make sure it happens. We're at a university, man. You don't need it here, at least, right? I don't think we're gonna need a gun. That's exactly when you need one. You ever shot a gun, doctor? I prefer not to have loud things in my face. So then you've never been in a situation where you needed one?

Um... I guess you could say that, yeah. So then, in this situation, I'd be the expert. And then he clicks the DM1 and puts it back in the holster and starts marching. Look, I hate to tell you, Doc, I just think that he needs the gun to feel safe. So let's just let him have the gun to feel safe. Whatever. Sure, sure. I'll just start heading to the library.

It's the end of all behavior. I think as we're trotting off toward the library, Cora has to take like several, like it's kind of like half jogging to keep up with everyone. Kennedy, will you teach me how to shoot a gun? Absolutely, what do you want to shoot? What's the most fun? I prefer the trench gun.

I think it makes the most noise and you make the most noise. So it kind of makes sense. Perfect. Yes, I will learn that then. Sure, once we get out of the most noise, so it kind of makes sense. Perfect. Yes, I will learn that then. Sure, once we get out of the parking lot, we'll take the car somewhere and line up some bottles or Clark's hat. Incredible, thank you.

Mm-hmm. The group enters the Miskatonic Library, an old building with an even older smell. It smells of old paper and books, a place of aged learning. It is relatively early in the morning and not too busy. There is a librarian keeping to herself at a desk. Dr. Rook, you know that there are many sections. There are history sections, local lore sections, books on all types.

The most obvious about Essex County histories would be Fall's Historical Atlas of Massachusetts by David Guyer Fall, which was published in 1898. It's a big old book. It being the most obvious place to start. You find it, pull it open, the rest of you see this large and dry tome as Dr. Theo brings it open. And there are some obvious things that are easy to learn within the first few pages. Specifically when you are looking up the town of Innsmouth, you are able to see that the first mention is in 1616 by a Captain John Smith,

the Captain John Smith, who in his journal records the sighting of the Devil's Reef while exploring the coast of the New World. Innsmouth, the town is founded in 1643 and over its course gains several thousand inhabitants whose current population has probably shrunken to less than 600. It will take several hours to go into the other details of the history of Innsmouth for those of you who are interested. For those of you who begin, whose eyes begin to glaze over at the very dry text, there are other things that you can look into.

Dr. Rook, I suspect unless you have anything in particular, we can discuss other bits of the history of Innsmouth that might be important to you. Yes. What stands out to you is that there are four families that seem to be of importance to Innsmouth. There is the Hogg family, there's the Elliott family, there's the Marsh family, and finally there is the Martin family, all of them having influence and affecting the course of history here in town. In 1678, a shipyard was opened in Innsmouth by Thomas Martin and it was supported by the increasingly prosperous trade in local codfish. Additional

shipyards were opened and prosperity seemed to be embraced by the town. Innsmouth is famous for being one of the first places in the Americas to send out voyages to the West Indies in 1662. This was followed by years of ever-expanding trade to the East Indies, the South Pacific, and China. To avoid running afoul of the increasingly restrictive provisions of Britain's trade acts, early traders found smuggling their only available recourse. Illegal cargos were unloaded far offshore and secreted into the town by a way of complex sea caves that were, as you understand

it, man-made tunnels running under parts of the town. Some of these tunnels, it is rumored, might still exist to this day. The Man-Obed Marsh is marked as one of the early explorers of these far-off distances that had a lucrative trade going on between the Indies. It is stated that he returned often with rare golds and precious items that he then sold to build his fortune. Eventually there was the success of the American Revolution that allowed the New England traders free access to the seas and Innsmouth's ports prospered. But there was the War of 1812 which bitterly opposed many Federalists and New England traders

and brought an end to that prosperity. There was a loss of ships, there was conflict in Innsmouth, which eventually crippled the manpower and the ships and eventually the economy. Some of the town's most prosperous families were ruined by these losses, and it seems as if Innsmouth was never truly able to recover. The last of Innsmouth's trade ships made their final port in the 19th century. By then the town's interests had turned to industry, most notably the Marsh Gold refinery, operated by the banks of the Maneket River.

But the Industrial Revolution never caught fire in Innsmouth, and after a failing fishing industry simply added to the town's woes. One of the last entries of note is that in 1846, the town was struck by a plague believed to have been carried into town by a ship returned from the South Pacific. Although little is known about the incident, riots eventually broke out, resulting in the deaths of dozens of individuals. By the time of the Civil War, Innsmouth had fallen into a steep decline and already the number of empty houses was a cause for remark. Those are some of the most important points you can find from these history books. seen with Gold Rush but I want to see if there is public deeds, land deeds, because I want

to know if land ownership and deeds, if I can find that in that city with news or anything like newspaper clippings. Over the course of a couple of hours you find that there is a consolidation of ownership in Innsmouth. Some of it is incomplete, especially after these riots that took place in 1846. But it seems like, in the late 1800s, much of the property, which seemed to be fairly evenly distributed, was slowly accumulated by the Marsh and Martin family. To the point where, at the last recorded note, both families probably owned more than 50% of the town.

recorded note, both families probably owned more than 50% of the town. With Hog, is there anything in particular that shows bad investments, either by Hog or the Elliot family in particular? Not really. Most of the investments seem to be in the transition from mercantile ships to industry, industry in the town, these factories. There are several notable factories that have been set up in this town in the early 1800s, which you suspect have eventually fallen out of business. Does it show any anyone in particular in the Marsh or Morton family getting into politics that would show up on the paper for like election cycle? It does appear that after the riots of 1846, Obed Marsh himself took over as the mayor of Innsmouth.

Go ahead and make for me either a bureaucracy or search role. 29, pass. You come across some references to strange gold jewelry associated with Innsmouth. These bits of jewelry, some of them supposedly coming from far to the west, can currently be seen and are on display at the Miskatonic exhibit museum as well as the Newburyport Historical Society. And the jewelry I just have to ask does it give off because any indication from South Asia, China or in that region? The reference does imply that is likely where it came from,

but it also does say that this jewelry has become to be recognized as Innsmouth in design. What that means, you're not exactly sure, but there are no photos of this jewelry. I think as soon as Cora kind of learns about the jewelry, she's gonna want to go... You said there was some on display at the university, yeah? Yes, in a museum exhibit. Then I think Cora's like, I'm going to go to there. That sounds way more interesting than anything else. Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to definitely be following you there.

Sure. The two of you head to the museum. Freddie, Kennedy, is there anything that you think might be of interest to you? I'm going to follow to the museum, but I'm hoping along the way that maybe I could see like a information desk or like a front office reception and I could speak to someone behind the desk. Yeah, there's a frumpy older woman behind the desk

that seems buried in a book. Hi there, do you mind if I ask you a quick question? She kind of raises up from the book and eyes you and says yes. How can I help you, sir? Yeah, I'm working with a local paper and we're writing out of a story that came out from Innsmouth. One of your students was recently mugged. Do you know anything about that? Do you know who might that be and can I talk to them? I don't know what incident you're referring to, sir, but if you're looking into information about Innsmouth, we might have some pieces of the Innsmouth Courier newspaper around

here somewhere. You'll have to look in the archives section as she gestures to a place in the back of the library. Sure, sure. And if I can very quickly I'll go back to the archives see if I can find them and just snatch them and take take them with me to the museum. Well the complication is that you are able to find this collection of the Innsmouth Courier. It is a small newspaper that was founded in 1833 and published through until 1846. There is a rather complete collection. Some items are missing. I mean there are dozens and dozens of these newspapers.

You could take some but you don't suppose you're going to get the full story unless you sit and read each one. Are they like dated chronologically? Yes. Okay, I'm just gonna take the most recent entries with us then. Here's an interesting thing, as you begin to look at those final entries, you find that many issues are either missing or mutilated. You literally pull out one that has been shredded in some way,

perhaps by a pocket knife or some are even burned. You suspect that really all that might be left are the earlier copies, at least the legible ones. Oh, okay. We'll take those then, whatever is still living enough that we can read it. And as you make your way to the museum, you begin looking through. I'll just give you a cursory understanding of what these early editions talk about, much about the founding of the town, the growth of the industry.

It seems like the courier is predominantly taken by the slow decline of the city, even though its upper echelon do their best to keep it from falling apart, it seems almost cursed nonetheless. There is the lead editorial, or the lead editor, his name is John Lawrence. And you do notice that John Lawrence has a tongue-in-cheek and maybe even accusatory approach to the Marsh family. He doesn't seem to be perfectly aligned with them as there are one or two articles that critique their methods but

nothing immediately stands out as particularly alarming. Got it. The three of you make your way to the museum. You enter and after walking through it for a while there is a dusty display case in a dark corner that does display specimens of what is referred to as Innsmouth jewelry. This is found in the local American folk arts collection. What you see are obviously Tahitian influenced golden jewelry, mostly neck pieces. It states that they were sold to the museum in 1844

by a seaman from the marsh vessel known the Sumatra Queen. It is made of a whitish gold ally and carved with odd geometry designs. And as you look closely, there are these bizarre Batrakean figures, Batrakean meaning amphibian-like. The jewelry seems too large for most human torsos. And Cora, maybe Kennedy,

you might notice from your time abroad, jewelry specifically from the West Indies and stuff like that, it isn't very common to find gold or precious metals as a part of these items, usually made of wood, precious stones, bone. And this whitish gold alloy is unusual. And you can see why maybe the museum might have mistaken it and put it in the American folk arts collection, even though it doesn't appear to be that at all. I would like to take probably three pictures of the jewelry. One from just like straight on, one from one of the sides, and then I think Cora like gets

down on level with them and kind of tilts up like they're trying to take a picture of the space above the jewelry. There is plenty of sunlight streaming into this museum and so you are able to take those photos. Is there any way that I could get a the most recent map of like a sewer system or like a map? Yeah, basically a map to any sort of underground, like, water travel under the city of Innsmouth. First, just make me a bureaucracy or a search role. I think I'll hit search. That is a failure, 57 over 40.

The best that you're able to find is a map of the Innsmouth area, which I will share with you now. You can see in the center there is Innsmouth. To the north there is the Great Innsmouth Salt Marsh. To the south there are a couple of small fishing villages, including Falcon Point. To the south would lead you to Arkham. To the north would lead you to Newbury Port. And you can see the Maneket River which flows through the center of town then about a mile out of the Innsmouth Bay is the Devil's Reef. Is there any

information about the Devil's Reef? Are you looking for anthropological information or more geographic information? Anthropological. I think you have enough you have high enough of a score that this just is a matter of time. You are able to find that this reef, as I stated earlier, was found and named by Captain John Smith in his description of New England in 1616. He says, he told of a landing on a certain stretch of black rock off the coast, and here he found dark sea caves filled with strange carvings. He is quoted as saying this must surely be the Devil's Reef.

And the plague that was mentioned, did they define what the plague was and how it was afflicting people? Was it like a fever or something specific that was and is it still going on? Because this occurred in the turn of the century or before the turn of the century, the records are incomplete. History books do insinuate that the current look of the Innsmouth citizens may be attributed as the sickness may have lingered and now it is easy to tell who is from Innsmouth due to the unhealthy look of many of its citizens. It is described in detail as a kind of malformation of the body, distended eyes, a general broadening of the mouth, a sort of stooping posture. There are common skin

diseases that can be found in Innsmouth, one of them being ichthyosis, which is a flaking condition. There is noted also later stages of this malady that results in enlargements of hands and feet, a change in the hip structure that often results in a hopping, almost shuffling gait. Eventually you all reconvene, and there is a bit of a ruckus. You hear a young man crying out in pain and when you all look around you see a pair of security men, two plainclothes officers, dragging a young student it seems out of the library and he is screaming, You don't understand. I have to finish reading it. It's for all of mankind. I have to finish reading it.

And he's just kind of babbling and the frumpy librarian is kind of following, making sure that they lead him out. And eventually he is escorted out of the library. Where they were escorting or anything like that is the book? Like, can I, can we easily see what that guy was reading or? You weren't able to see where he was pulled from it just kind of caught you all by surprise But there is the librarian who was kind of readjusting herself and turning around to return to the desk I'm going to turn to everyone and be like feel excuse me head to the library and so that's where I'm going I'm gonna go talk to the library. Sure. You're able to walk up to her. She hasn't quite noticed you yet

What do you say to get her attention? I'm gonna hand over a handkerchief Excuse me, madam Madam here here. Sorry about that. Thank you. Yes. Thank you Apologize for the noise. Yes. Are you are you okay? Oh, I'm fine This happens once in a while. Oh, I didn't know that chaps here were that gung-ho about reading a book. I-I-That's very different than I'm used to. Yes, well, Miskatonic University is famous for its excellent collection of the occult.

We have tomes ranging from hundreds of years ago over in the restricted section. Only the teachers and professors here are able to goad in that section, but once in a while the students get a little zealous and they sneak in, like him for example. How about that? It's like, Sonny, if you can't handle it, don't even try cracking open the book, Kids these days. Exactly. Therefore, professionals only. I'm glad you understand.

Of course, of course. This is a fascinating subject area, and even though all of this is very new to me, I'm a different type of professional. Do you mind, like, showing me around a little bit, if you're okay? I wouldn't mind at all, except's restricted like I said, only professors of the university are allowed into that section but nothing to worry yourself about, it's mostly just old occult fiddle faddle. Oh no no no, like around the library, I wasn't asking to go into the restricted.

Oh, you'd like a tour of the library, of course I I'd be happy to do that. And she begins leading you on the way. I'm going to hopefully look to the group and be like nodding towards the restricted section, if possible. And I'm just going to honestly go back to the librarian and I'm going to talk to her about everything and anything about the library. Does it look like there's anybody attending the entry to the restricted section after she's gone? No, you simply see the simple sign that says for administration only. Then I'm gonna go up to the doctor, go up to Rook and just like slap his shoulder and be like and walk into the restricted section. I'll follow them.

Horror's on their heels too. Me too. Let me have everyone make stealth rolls. Oh, did I take stealth? Fail. Oh wow. Okay, a success with a 23 out of 30. Success. Big ol' failure. Oh my god. You are all able to tiptoe your way into the restricted section. This is a different part of the library. You go down a short flight of stairs into an incandescently lit room where there are these older,

wooden shelves. And you immediately find yourself amongst very, very old books, books and documents that seem to go back well before the turn of the century. Those of you like Dr. Rook with an attention to detail on these kinds of matters, your heart gives a flutter at the possibilities of what these books might hold. You see titles like the Liber Damnatus, the Verme Mysteries, the Seven Cryptical Books of Hassan, the Necotic Manuscripts, the Revelations of Glacke, the Necronomicon.

All of these titles don't particularly mean anything to you. This is quite an oddity. Such a small town. I'll say that there is a book on a desk that is open that you assume was probably what the young boy was looking at. I think Rook's gonna mosey over there. It's old and it's written in French, you assume. Yeah, I'll just start thumbing casually through the pages, trying to see if there's anything I can recognize.

I don't speak French French but that's okay. As you turn the pages there is the occasional painted image hand-drawn, some of them disturbing, depicting what appear to be demonic or malevolent figures of some kind. One of them does catch your eye as there appears to be some kind of sketch of a aquatic form of man emerging from the ocean meeting at the shore with what appear to be indigenous people and behind these aquatic beings a massive looming dark shadow. You suspect you could spend hours in here and learn more, but it'll take some time.

I mean, I want to spend as much time as possible researching and getting any information as I can while we're here. Cora and Kennedy, you notice that there is somebody down here. You see them before they see you, but there appears to be an old professor making notes of some kind. If he's noticed you, he certainly doesn't seem to have taken much interest in you.

I think seeing the doctor so enthralled with this book, Cora's gonna really quietly try to mosey over and say, Doctor, we should take our book and go. Can I just, just a couple more. Take it with us and leave. We are not alone here. Oh, all right. Close the book.

I'll say, Kennedy, you are attempting to kind of make your way around and thinking you're being stealthy, but instead you come around a corner and this older gentleman bumps into you. Oh, can I help you, sir? No, thank you. And I think Kennedy goes back to like picking up books and just looking at the fun covers

and trying to find anything that might be useful, but having no idea what he's doing. I'm sorry, sir, but this is a restricted area. Are you part of the administration? I'm here with Dr. Rook. Oh, Dr. Rook is here. Where is he? I'd like to meet him. Just on the other side here.

Coming around the corner with Kennedy. I'm gonna put a hand in front of his chest. Let me check with him first. Dr. Rook, are you accepting visitors? Uh, who is... who is it? Dr. Armitage of Miskatonic. We've had a correspondence before. I look at Kennedy. Kennedy's gonna take the little doctor by his shoulder and like escort him in personally.

He excitedly introduces himself as Dr. Armitage and seems to not really mind the fact that there are people who should not be back here, back here, as he's kind of taken aback by Dr. Rook and his presence. And he asks, what is it that brings you to the restricted section, Dr. Rook? I am just kind of doing some cursory research about the local areas. You know, I'm working on my dissertation. This is members of my team who are here studying or keeping an eye on the situation. But yeah, I'm just gathering some information. I heard there was a... You have an interesting collection of more cultish books, and I wanted

to see if that played into some of the local lore and legend that I'm looking into. Well, Miss Katarnick proudly boasts one of the best collections of occult tomes in the country, possibly in the world. Dr. Rook, what particular area of the state are you looking into? I'd like, I'll bring him a little bit closer. Between you and me, I'm trying to keep me supposed to keep this kind of on the down low. It's in the middle of, you know, circles right now and trying not to get it too far.

But I got access to do some research in Innsmouth. Innsmouth? Yes. So I am just doing some light research. I heard you have a good plethora of information that I might be able to acquire before I head over there. So tis why I'm here.

Interesting. I've never considered drawing a connection between the tomes here and Innsmouth, but if you want to know about the history of Innsmouth, there is a pastor, Dr. Ezekiel Wallace. He's a former missionary to the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. I recall reading about Dr. Wallace's exploits in history. His church, the M.E. Asbury Church, has a connection to Innsmouth. He could be a good source of information about the town's history. You should look into him. He's here in town.

Right, all right. Yeah, I will do that. I will take you up on that offer. That's very helpful information. I appreciate it. Of course. Well, don't spend too much time here, folks. The halls, I suspect, are a little haunted, but you should be fine. Haunted, you say? Yes, it's more of a joke between the professors, but if you spend enough time here, you sometimes hear things. It's unusual. What have you heard?

Oh, I've heard voices, footsteps, and he looks to you all as if you're gonna consider him crazy. What do they say? It's hard to tell sometimes. Sometimes it feels as almost as if they're speaking in a language I don't understand. And in that moment of silence, there is a bit of a kind of a draft that flows through the space Oh doctor, we shouldn't believe in those kinds of things Of course, of course. This is just old occult nonsense You all enjoy your time. If you need anything from me, dr. Rook, you know where my office is. I do I do

Thank you. Thank you doctor so much. I appreciate it. Dr. Rook. You can spend as much time here as you like But it's going to cost you. Would you like to spend as much time here as you like and learn what you can? I do, but I also want to meet Ezekiel as well. I want to take up the professor's recommendation. We could always go to... I mean, there's no real time on us going to Innsmouth So we could do the Reverend tomorrow if you want to lose your soul tonight Yeah, I want to- okay if that's the case then we can go talk to Ezekiel tomorrow, then I would like to spend Any amount of time that I can To collect what I can down here. The rest of you get the very strong feeling that the doctor's going to be here

for a while. Do you stick around with them or do you have other business to attend to? I really do want to check out the Historical Society. Newburyport is just a drive north. Is anyone joining Mr. Clark? I think I'll go. I want to go. So it sounds like Cora and Kennedy are staying behind to stay with Dr. Rook. Cora, yeah, Cora was going to go up to Freddy, but as soon as Freddy's like, I'm going, they turn their, like, laser focus to Kennedy. Kennedy. Yes. The professor said this place was haunted. Mm hmm.

Have you ever... Have you ever done a spirit board session? A Ouija? No. The spirit board. Fantastic. That's good. We'll learn something new then. I can't do it by myself, so... you're up. Okay. What do I have to do? Okay, um... we'll go away from Dr. Rook so we don't distract him. Do we need to find, like, a place, like a focal point or something?

We'll go where it feels right. And Cora's gonna just wander through the stacks until they find a spot that feels right and then drop down onto the floor. Kennedy is standing. Well, come on, come down here. He gets down. It looks like it's a little harder for him with his leg,

but he does eventually get to a kneeling position and then extends out his prosthetic so that he's comfortable. Okay. And Coral will pull out the tiny little spirit board that they have and put it in the center and out loud say, spirits connected to the books or the land or maybe the people here, we are opening ourselves to have a conversation with you using this board. We are? Yes, we are. Okay.

Open yourself up to this, Kennedy. I'm gonna ask both of you to make power times five rolls, please. Oh. Yes, good. Hey, I succeed with a 21 under 50. 48 under 75. We'll come back to you guys in a moment.

Dr. Rook. Yes. You spend many hours pulling these books from their shelves. And I suspect you are looking for a thread through all of them a thread of Innsmouth yes in this time you start to notice a connection in these strange books there is many references to what are known as an ancient undersea race called the Deep Ones. It begins with the pagan religion of Mesopotamia in which they worshipped a god named Dagon.

Back then they called it Dagon. Dag being the Hebrew word for fish. And the legends, which like I said, seem to be repeated in all of these books, is that there exists a race of underwater peoples who have some kind of connection with humanity. A kind of trade is established between the man of the land and the man of the sea. They speak of Dagon as the god of these deep ones, but that there are greater old ones still that are worshipped by Dagon. You get the impression that these stories imply that man was put on the earth, seeded by these great old ones,

and that perhaps our greater purpose is not what we think. Our greater purpose may only be to feed and to breed with the deep ones. You start putting together a secret and sorted history that you have never read in any textbook, in any history book. An implication so vile and repugnant that it starts to breed these uncomfortable thoughts. At the end of all of this, I would like you to roll 2d20. This is why I don't read in this game. It'll be fine. I got a 5 and a 14. Cora and Kennedy, you begin putting yourself out there, and sure enough, a kind of silence falls over the space.

Again, you hear this strange draft that seems to come in and out of this space, and for moments, it almost sounds as if there's a voice on the wind, someone whispering something to you. You can feel the weight of these tomes around you, and there's even a moment where the light flickers. I'd like you both to make sanity checks. Uh, I have a fail. Twelve.

Success. Kennedy, it unnerves you, this very clear response to Korra's seance. You are going to lose one point of sanity. Korra, you will lose none. But you are taken aback by the reaction in this space. Korra, more than Kennedy, you can feel that there is a presence here, a very old presence. Not even a ghost. A kind of weight to this place.

Like these tomes contain knowledge that could change the world if it was let out. And that's when you hear the horrifying scream of Dr. Theo Rook. Dr. Rook, you have lost 19 points of sanity. What? Holy shit. Dr. Rook, you have lost 19 points of sanity. Fuck, what? Holy shit. I am assuming you've hit your breaking point. Yeah, no, I absolutely hit my breaking point. Dr. Rook will not stop screaming.

What do you do? Holy shit. And for now, you are temporarily insane. What did we do? What did we do? This wasn't us, you are temporarily insane. Hmm. What did we do? What did we do? This wasn't us, that wasn't us. I'm gonna stand up and round the corner, yeah. This isn't the first time people started screaming

in when Korra's tried to do things, so I think she's got a little experience with it. Dr. Rook, what is your reaction? Are you fighting, fleeing, or freezing? I think I'm fleeing. I think it just comes into it with the general compulsions that I have and the automatic desire to not be in my current situation.

As you make the turn, Newell and Loquillo, you see Dr. Rook screaming, running past you. Doctor! And I'm going to, you know, take a running, a run after them, try and stop them, try and restrain them. Go ahead, Kennedy, go ahead and make an athletics check against Dr. Rook's athletics or dexterity check. I have a 45 under 50.

I have a fail with a 63. Mr. Clark, you are walking around the library. The librarian is just showing you the biology section when you hear distant screams And she kind of rolls her eyes and says not again and begins be lining towards the restricted section Do you need some assistance? Probably yes, we're probably going to drag someone out of there Madam if you don't mind I'd happy to oblige The two of you make your way over and sure enough, there is Kennedy, Cora and Dr. Rook,

the two of them trying to restrain a frantic Dr. Rook. Get your hands off of me. You're safe, you're safe. No one's here to hurt you. We need a doctor. They're having a panic attack. Yes. Gentlemen, ladies, this is a library.

Could I ask you please leave? Exactly what I wanna be doing immediately. I like try to unhand myself. Can I just have three minutes in there? I won't read any of the books. Can I just have three minutes in there? Absolutely not. That is the restricted section.

Madam. Oh, madam. Your petticoat seems to be... I'm going to the like, librarian to make it look like something embarrassing happens. So she'll be mortified. So you're trying to distract her? Yes. Madam, your petticoat is slipping.

Try to make a charisma check, see if it'll work. Your ankle is showing. The Riz is not there, guys. I have a 99. That's a critical failure, I think she says, how dare you look at my legs, and she goes to slap you. Oh! I'm calling the security. I think we says, how dare you look at my legs, and she goes to slap you. Oh! I'm calling the security.

I think we're done here. There was something in there. There was someone in there. There's gonna be plenty more in Innsmouth. You bring the three of you are stumble out into the day. Either of you, Newell or Cora, you can attempt to make psychotherapy roles to see if you can calm down Dr. Rook. Otherwise, they're going to freak out for a certain amount of time.

I have a fair amount of psychotherapy. Do you have anything there? No, I have 10%. I have 40. We'll see. A 30! Hey! We need to get somewhere far away from here. It's so loud. Have you ever noticed how loud it is in the town? It's so loud all the time. We should just go somewhere quiet.

Like the woods, you know, far away from all of this kind of stuff. Where all the people and all the nonsense and all the things. What the fuck is he saying? He's just... I don't know. He's so much quieter, you know? You don't even see people anymore. You don't read the nonsense that come with, with. What are you on about?

Doctor, I'm gonna push Doctor to the car. Tell me, tell me things you can hear. Name them specifically. As we're walking, I'll like. What can I hear? I just so, I just hear ringing. I just hear everybody just on an other octave. Why are you yelling at me?

I'll talk more quietly. I'll like loop my arm through his and kind of hold onto his arm arm um doctor what about things you can see what do you see date name me like four things ah you've got a green shirt on yes good that's one it's hot that's not something you can see, that's a feeling. It's actually quite cold out. I'm sweating. It's just you. I'll just start naming off random stuff.

Sure enough, thanks to Cora's success, she is able to calm you down and you start to feel a little bit better. However, with this large amount of sanity loss, Doctor, you are at a bit of a loss of words. We're going to need to discuss a new breaking, a new mental disorder that you may have gained. Oh yeah, yes. But in time, as you come to terms and as you kind of come to your senses, you might have some very important information to share with the rest of your party. However, most of the car ride you will probably be recovering from what you just read.

The group of you decide to call it a day thanks to Dr. Rook's reaction and you head to your accommodations. I think I'm gonna go to them with whatever food we find in order. And then, like, a shot of whiskey. Weird day, huh? And offer. I think I'll drink it, but Theo has not drank a lick of liquor since the prohibition, so it's immediate.

Just hack and wheeze. Oh wow. I thought that was implied. Would you cut with this? What is that? It's whiskey, it's just whiskey. Where'd you get whiskey? That's not important.

I did help maybe get your nerves together. You were kind of off earlier. What was that about, by the way? Is that something that happens when you read? Like every time you read? I know. I just... What was in those books? You know, you think that like some of that stuff just doesn't... isn't real but like When you get more than one source saying the same thing you you know, I don't know you just start to question a little bit Don't you believe in all this spooky stuff anyway? No, no, I don't believe in this spooky stuff. That stuff is always explainable. You can always, you know, it's either somebody from word of mouth

trying to make somebody afraid of something or a fight over land or resources, eating something you're not supposed to be eating. All that is explainable. And you can see that once you start looking hard enough and look at when you go to these kinds of places, but what they're suggesting in these books. I gotta be honest, you're saying a lot of words and I get nothing. What did you, what was in the books? What was in them? I, there might be just, I don't, are just there people there are no other people I guess that that mingle amongst us apparently I Know it doesn't make sense, but there are more things in heaven and earth Horatio

You're just scared because it's something you've never encountered before yes. Yeah, right Have you encountered fish people no, but is that what you're telling me right now you that you you encountered fish people? No, but- Is that what you're telling me right now? That you've met fish people? No, I'm not saying I've encountered fish people. No, but by not having absolutes in my life, I have more brain space for possibilities. And less space for fear.

Or you just find yourself on the deep end, you know? Like you're just gonna believe in anything, that's a suckers game. You're allowed to be afraid, I'm not saying you can't be scared, but it's a little bit limiting sometimes. This is something I would hear in a fairy tale, that's what I'm just like, huh. You couldn't have imagined that humans were the only things capable of evil, right? The world's a big place. If we can burn the world ourselves,

who's to say that something else around here can't do the very same thing? Well, general logic and absolute truth kind of defines that, you know? Right, and in biology, there's always something bigger on the food chain, right? More than humanity? You're talking about, like, extraterrestrials? I'm talking about something that can't be explained, Doctor. Like I told you from the beginning, a question there's no answer to.

Today, the only thing above us on the food chain was a book. We didn't even meet the fish people yet. Well, so I best basically have a good open mind is what you're telling me going forward. That's the gist. You end your evening with the thought, with the implication of what Dr. Rook is saying. If what they are saying is true, how is it connected to Innsmouth?

Why? These answers you will have to find in the next session as we continue our investigation. I don't want to stop though. We need to stop. 19 points. 19 points. Is that the most sanity we've ever lost?

I think so. A lot. Yeah. Thanks for watching guys!